You know that feeling when you realize your favorite person has a whole life you know nothing about? That’s basically the engine driving the main characters of Hori-san to Miyamura-kun. It isn't just a high school romance. It's actually a study on the masks we wear. HERO, the original creator of the webcomic, tapped into something really specific back in 2007 that still feels incredibly raw even in 2026. Most romance series rely on "will they, won't they" tropes to keep you hooked, but here, the couple gets together pretty early. The real story is about who they are when the classroom doors close.
Kyoko Hori and Izumi Miyamura aren't just tropes. They’re contradictions.
Breaking Down Kyoko Hori: More Than Just the Popular Girl
On the surface, Kyoko Hori is the "it" girl of Katagiri Senior High. She’s smart, she’s beautiful, and everyone loves her. But honestly? Her life is kind of a grind. Because her parents are always working, she’s basically a surrogate mother to her little brother, Souta. She spends her afternoons scrubbing floors, grocery shopping, and cooking. She doesn't have time for the "aesthetic" life her classmates think she leads.
When she meets Miyamura outside of school, she’s in "homemaker mode"—no makeup, hair tied back, wearing sweats. It’s her biggest secret. She's terrified people will think she’s "uncool" or "plain" if they see the domestic side of her.
Hori’s personality is actually pretty spicy. She’s got a temper. She’s surprisingly assertive and, as the series progresses, we see she has some... unique preferences in how she likes Miyamura to treat her (if you know, you know). It’s this complexity that makes her feel human. She isn't a waifu archetype; she’s a girl trying to balance the pressure of perfection with the messy reality of her home life.
The Transformation of Izumi Miyamura
Then there’s Izumi Miyamura. If Hori is the popular girl with a hidden domestic side, Miyamura is the "gloomy otaku" with a hidden wild side. In school, he grows his hair long and wears his winter uniform even in the heat to hide his tattoos and piercings. He isn't actually a nerd, though. He’s just someone who felt so alienated in middle school that he started poking holes in his ears with safety pins just to feel something.
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Miyamura is probably one of the most relatable main characters of Hori-san to Miyamura-kun because of his internal monologue. He’s dealt with some heavy stuff—bullying, isolation, and a deep-seated belief that he’s a "creep."
When he starts hanging out at Hori’s house, his "outside" persona starts to bleed into his "inside" life. He cuts his hair. He stops hiding. But the tattoos remain a permanent reminder of his past. The ink on his skin—specifically the large design on his side and shoulder—represents the parts of himself he can't just "fix" or wash away. It’s a beautiful bit of character design that signifies that healing isn't about becoming a different person, but about being okay with the person you were.
The Weirdly Perfect Dynamic
They fit because they both have secrets. Miyamura sees the "dowdy" Hori and thinks she’s even more beautiful than the school version. Hori sees Miyamura’s piercings and doesn't flinch.
It’s about safety.
They provide a space where neither has to perform. That’s why their relationship feels so grounded compared to other shonen or shojo leads. They argue about laundry. They worry about what the neighbors think. They deal with Hori’s chaotic father, Kyousuke, who basically treats Miyamura like a long-lost son (much to Hori’s annoyance).
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The Supporting Cast: More Than Just Background Noise
You can't talk about the main characters of Hori-san to Miyamura-kun without mentioning the people orbiting them. These aren't just sidekicks.
Take Toru Ishikawa, for example. He starts as the guy who likes Hori and gets rejected. In most anime, he’d disappear or become a rival. Instead, he becomes Miyamura’s best friend. Their friendship is actually one of the highlights of the series. Toru knows Miyamura’s secrets and doesn't care. He’s the anchor.
Then there’s Yuki Yoshikawa. She’s the "happy-go-lucky" friend who is actually hiding a massive amount of insecurity. She suppresses her own feelings to keep the peace. Her "fake" relationship with Toru to ward off another girl is one of the most heartbreaking subplots because it’s so rooted in her inability to ask for what she actually wants.
The Student Council Trio
Kakeru Sengoku, Remi Ayasaki, and Sakura Kono add another layer.
Sengoku is the student council president, but he’s basically terrified of Hori because she bullied him when they were kids. Remi is the "cute" girl who is actually incredibly sharp and devoted. Sakura is the quiet worker who ends up in a painful love triangle with Toru and Yuki.
What makes these characters work is that they all mirror the "hidden self" theme.
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- Sengoku acts tough but is physically weak and anxious.
- Remi acts ditzy but is deeply observant.
- Sakura is the most "normal" but feels invisible.
Why the Webcomic Origins Matter
The series started as Hori-san to Miyamura-kun, a four-panel webcomic (yonkoma). This format influenced how the characters developed. Because the original art was very simple, HERO had to rely on dialogue and personality quirks to make them stand out. When Daisuke Hagiwara adapted it into the Horimiya manga, the art became gorgeous, but that core "realness" from the webcomic stayed.
The anime adaptation by CloverWorks (and the subsequent Horimiya: The Missing Pieces) really highlighted the "vibe" of these characters. They feel like people you’d actually meet in a suburban Japanese neighborhood. They aren't fighting monsters or saving the world. They’re just trying to figure out how to be themselves without being judged.
Addressing the Misconceptions
A lot of people think Miyamura is a "bad boy" because of the tattoos. He’s not. He’s a sweetheart who happens to have body art. On the flip side, people think Hori is a "mean girl" because she’s aggressive. She’s not; she’s just incredibly protective of the people she loves.
If you're looking for a series where the characters actually talk to each other—eventually—this is it. They make mistakes. They get jealous for stupid reasons. Miyamura gets insecure about his "worthlessness" and Hori has to snap him out of it. It’s messy. It’s high school.
Actionable Takeaways for Fans and Newcomers
If you’re diving into the world of these characters, here’s how to get the most out of the experience:
- Watch "The Missing Pieces" after the main series. The original 2021 anime skipped a ton of character development for the side cast to reach the graduation ending. The 2023 series fills those gaps, specifically giving more depth to Sakura and Remi.
- Pay attention to the background details in Hori's house. The domestic setting is a character in itself. The way Miyamura slowly takes up space there—getting his own slippers, becoming a fixture at the dinner table—is the real progression of their love story.
- Read the original 4-panel webcomic if you can find translations. Even though the art is rough, the humor is often a bit more "raw" and gives more insight into HERO's original vision for the characters' darker or weirder impulses.
- Look for the symbolism of the seasons. The series uses the change in school uniforms (summer vs. winter) as a major plot point for Miyamura’s self-acceptance. When he finally feels comfortable in short sleeves, it’s a huge milestone.
The main characters of Hori-san to Miyamura-kun resonate because they tell us it's okay to be more than one thing. You can be the popular girl and a tired sister. You can be the guy with tattoos and the gentlest soul in the room. In a world that wants to put everyone in a box, Hori and Miyamura just want to be themselves, together.