If you’ve spent more than five minutes in the anime community over the last few years, you already know the name. Or at least, you know the polarizing chaos his work creates every single week. Reiji Miyajima, the Rent-A-Girlfriend author, is essentially the master of the "cringe-watch." He’s the guy who turned a relatively simple premise about a college student paying for dates into a global juggernaut that refuses to end.
Honestly, it’s impressive.
Most manga creators fade into the background. They stay behind the pen, rarely interacting with the fandom outside of a small author’s note in the Weekly Shōnen Magazine. But Miyajima? He’s different. He lives the brand. He posts pictures of himself on dates with "life-sized" cutouts of his main heroine, Chizuru Mizuhara. He treats his characters like real people, and that weirdly intense dedication is exactly why the series is so successful and so hated at the same time.
The Early Days Before Chizuru and Kazuya
Reiji Miyajima didn't just wake up one day and decide to write about rental dates. Before he was the famous Rent-A-Girlfriend author, he was a struggling mangaka trying to find his footing. His first real break was a series called AKB49: Ren'ai Kinshi Jōrei.
It was a manga about the famous Japanese idol group AKB48. It was grounded. It was focused on the grueling reality of the idol industry. People liked it. It showed he had a knack for drawing expressive, high-energy female characters. But then came Mononote: Edo Shinobi Kagyō, a series about a ninja with a "hand" motif that... well, it didn't really land. It was canceled.
Failure is a great teacher. Miyajima took that setback and pivoted. He noticed the rising real-world trend of "rental services" in Japan. You can rent a friend, a father, or—as he realized—a girlfriend. He saw the inherent drama in a transaction that mimics intimacy. That was the spark.
Why the Rent-A-Girlfriend Author Divides the Internet
The tension in Kanojo, Okarishimasu (the Japanese title) comes from a very specific place: stagnation. Most romantic comedies follow a predictable arc. Boy meets girl. They have some mishaps. They fall in love. They confess.
Miyajima threw that blueprint in the trash.
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Kazuya Kinoshita, the protagonist, is widely considered one of the most frustrating characters in manga history. He’s neurotic, he’s insecure, and he makes terrible choices. But here’s the thing—the Rent-A-Girlfriend author isn't doing this by accident. He knows Kazuya is a mess. In various interviews and social media posts, Miyajima has hinted that Kazuya represents the raw, unpolished, and often pathetic side of young male desire and loneliness.
Some fans call it "peak fiction." Others call it a "dumpster fire."
Take the infamous Chapter 218. If you know, you know. It involved a swimming pool, a vivid imagination, and a level of protagonist humiliation that had never been seen in a mainstream shonen magazine. The internet exploded. People were genuinely angry. But Miyajima? He just kept drawing. He seems to thrive on the reaction. He isn't interested in a clean, wholesome romance; he wants to explore the messy, transactional nature of modern relationships.
The Art Style: The Secret Weapon
We have to talk about the art. Even the biggest haters of the story will admit that the Rent-A-Girlfriend author is a phenomenal illustrator. The character designs are why the series sells millions of copies.
- Chizuru Mizuhara is designed to be the "perfect" heroine.
- Mami Nanami has a deceptive, pastel-colored sweetness.
- Ruka Sarashina is all high-energy, vibrant motion.
- Sumi Sakurasawa is soft, muted, and shy.
Miyajima puts an incredible amount of detail into the fashion. Unlike many mangaka who keep their characters in the same outfit for fifty chapters, Miyajima treats every "date" like a fashion shoot. He researches actual Japanese street style. He looks at magazines. He makes sure the girls look like they actually live in Tokyo in the 2020s. This grounded aesthetic makes the absurd plot feel slightly more real.
Social Media and the "Waifu" Obsession
Miyajima’s Twitter (X) and Instagram are basically extensions of the manga. He often shares "POV" photos where he takes a cardboard cutout of Chizuru to cafes, parks, or shrines.
Is it a marketing stunt? Probably.
Is it a bit eccentric? Definitely.
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But it works. It bridges the gap between the creator and the creation. By acting like a fan of his own work, he encourages the "waifu" culture that keeps the series profitable through figures, merchandise, and mobile games. He’s not just an author; he’s a brand manager.
The Pacing Controversy: Will It Ever End?
One of the biggest criticisms leveled at the Rent-A-Girlfriend author is the pacing. We are over 300 chapters in. For context, most rom-coms wrap up around chapter 150 or 200. There have been arcs that lasted an entire year of real-time publishing but only covered a few days in the story.
This leads to the "milking" theory. Critics argue that because the series sells so well—over 11 million copies in circulation—the editorial department at Kodansha and Miyajima himself are stretching the plot to keep the revenue flowing.
However, looking at the Movie Arc, you see a different side of his writing. That specific storyline, where Kazuya and Chizuru crowdfund an indie film, showed genuine growth and emotional depth. It proved that Miyajima can write a compelling, serious narrative when he wants to. The problem is that he often reverts to the status quo immediately after, which keeps the "rental" cycle going.
Practical Insights: Understanding the Miyajima Method
If you’re a creator or a fan trying to make sense of his success, there are a few takeaways from how Reiji Miyajima operates.
First, lean into the controversy. He doesn't apologize for his protagonist. He doesn't change the story because people are tweeting that they hate it. He has a vision for a long-form, agonizing slow-burn, and he’s sticking to it.
Second, visuals matter. In the world of manga, a weak story can be carried by elite-tier art. Miyajima’s ability to draw "the perfect girl" is what gets people through the door.
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Third, market the lifestyle. By becoming a "character" himself on social media, he creates a community around the series that goes beyond just reading the weekly chapter.
What to Expect Next
The manga is currently in a "Co-habitation" arc. It feels like we are finally approaching some sort of endgame, though with Miyajima, "endgame" could still mean another 100 chapters. He’s also launched other projects, like The Shiunji Family Children, which further explores his obsession with complex, slightly forbidden family and romantic dynamics.
If you're looking to dive into his work, don't go in expecting a standard romance. Expect a psychological study of a guy who doesn't know how to be himself, written by an author who knows exactly how to push your buttons.
To truly understand the impact of the Rent-A-Girlfriend author, you need to look at the series as a reflection of the "loneliness economy." It’s a real thing in Japan and increasingly in the West. People pay for companionship. They pay for the illusion of being loved. Miyajima took that uncomfortable reality and turned it into a billion-yen empire.
Next Steps for Fans and Readers:
- Watch the Anime for the Vibe: The anime adaptation by TMS Entertainment captures the vibrant color palette Miyajima intended. It’s a good entry point if the manga’s 300+ chapters feel daunting.
- Follow the Official Sketches: Miyajima frequently posts "daily" sketches on his social media. These often provide more character insight than the actual dialogue in the chapters.
- Read "AKB49" for Contrast: If you think he can only write about rental dates, go back and read his idol manga. It will give you a lot more respect for his range as a storyteller and researcher.
The story of Kazuya and Chizuru will eventually end. But the blueprint Reiji Miyajima created—the mix of high-fashion art, agonizingly slow pacing, and "cringe" realism—has already changed the rom-com genre forever. Whether you love him or hate him, you're still talking about him. And in the world of entertainment, that means he’s already won.