Kiss Him, Not Me Season 2 - What We Know So Far
Considered a reverse-harem anime and a romantic comedy, "Kiss Him, Not Me" is about a young "fujoshi," or a female fan of anime and manga who gravitates towards close relationships between men. Then one day, her favorite anime character dies on screen and she goes into a debilitating funk for a week, causing her to lose a lot of weight. When she comes out of her room at last, she looks totally different: She's become conventionally attractive, enough to suddenly get the attention of boys she never cared for before (except to 'ship them with each other). This anime is all about the relationships.
The series, which has one season out, is a product of Brain's Base and was distributed in the U.S. by Crunchyroll. It's actually been almost five years since the final episode of the 12 episodes of the show called "Watashi ga Motete Dōsunda" ("What's The Good of Me Being Popular" or "Boys, Please Kiss Him Instead of Me") in Japanese aired, and there hasn't been an official announcement of a Season 2 yet, so it's possible one will never happen. Here's what we know about the possible return of this shoujo anime series.
What is the release date of Kiss Him, Not Me Season 2?
To date, there has been no renewal announced for "Kiss Him, Not Me." Unfortunately, the longer the series goes without a renewal, the slimmer the chances it will return, especially with the same voice talent and art direction. There have been 14 volumes of the manga source material by Junko, which was published between 2013 and 2018 by Kodansha in Japan (via Anime News Network) and by Crunchyroll Manga in digital editions. That means there's enough for at last one more season, since Season 1 covered about eight volumes of the manga.
The manga is popular, having sold 3 million copies and being made into a live-action film that released in 2020 (via Japanese publication Natalie). However, that doesn't guarantee anything. And even if a renewal came sometime soon, fans probably wouldn't see Season 2 until 2022 at the earliest. It takes a while for production on an animated show to be completed, after all. So, if you're looking for more of this fun little anime, you're going to be out of luck for a while yet.
Who are the characters in Kiss HIm, Not Me Season 2?
The main character of "Kiss Him, Not Me" is kind Kae Serinuma, a high school junior and female otaku, who is obsessed with BL (Boy Love), along with the anime "Mirage Saga" and its hero Shion. She doesn't know how to handle her newfound popularity after becoming skinny and beautiful as a result of not eating for a week while she mourned his on-screen death.
The four boys who suddenly become a big part of her life are soccer-playing boy-next-door type Yūsuke Igarashi (Alejandro Saab in the well-received English dub), bad boy Shion-look alike Nozomu Nanashima (Orion Pitts), smart and effeminate tsundere — who is cold at first, but sweet later on — Hayato Shinomiya (Justin Briner), and laid-back and accepting Asuma Mutsum (David Wald). Shima Nishina (Michelle Rojas) is another female otaku out to win Kae's heart.
Other supporting characters include Kae's family, including her mother, father, and brother Takurō (Chris George), along with her best friend Amane Nakano (Whitney Rogers). Most of these characters would probably return for Season 2, as Kae has not decided which one of them she likes best. And there are one or two characters in the manga that haven't appeared yet in the anime, which may play a large role in her future.
What is the plot of Kiss Him, Not Me Season 2?
The plot of "Kiss Him, Not Me" is relatively lighthearted and sweet, with some of the boys taking a bit more time to realize their feelings for Kae than others and all learning to accept her obsessive personality. In first season episodes she gets to know her suitors better, gains and loses the weight again, works part-time at an amusement park, eats hallucogenic mushrooms, and engages in a treasure hunt, among other things. She gets into some danger now and then as well. In the Season 1 finale, all the people who have crushes on her follow Asuma's lead and confess their crushes to her, causing her to go out on dates with all of them. She is undecided after all the quality time she spends with them, and it looks like they might have another competitor for her heart when it's announced that Shion might return for another season in her favorite anime.
The events of Season 2 promise to be a bit more hair-raising, if the anime follows the events of the manga. Specifically, the character of Takeru Mitsuboshi, a childhood friend of Kae's who happens to play one of her favorite anime characters as a voice actor, turns out to be a rather dangerous stalker, according to a site updated by fans. And yes, Kae does eventually choose between her many suitors — which, given the length of the manga, might very happen during the conclusion of a Season 2. You'll just have to stay tuned to find out who it is. Or read the manga, if a second season never materializes (or if you get impatient).