Sekai-Ichi Hatsukoi (世界一初恋, lit. "The World's Greatest First Love") is a Japanese boys-love manga, light novel, and anime series created by Shungiku Nakamura, the illustrator and author of Junjou Romantica.
The series follows four main story lines:
- The Case of Ritsu Onodera (小野寺律の場合, Onodera Ritsu no Baai) - Manga series about the relationship between Onodera Ritsu and Masamune Takano.
- The Case of Shouta Kisa (木佐 翔太の場合, Kisa Shouta no Baai) - Manga series about the relationship between Shota Kisa and Kou Yukina.
- The Case of Chiaki Yoshino (吉野千秋の場合, Yoshino Chiaki no Baai) - Light novel series about the relationship between Chiaki Yoshino and Yoshiyuki Hatori.
- The Case of Takafumi Yokozawa (横澤隆史の場合, Yokozawa Takafumi no Baai) - Light novel series about the relationship between Takafumi Yokozawa and Zen Kirishima.
Introduction[]
Onodera Ritsu quits his job and transfers to the publishing company Marukawa Shoten. Sadly, he gets assigned to the editing department that handles shoujo manga; and Ritsu, who vowed to never fall in love again, working on love stories is impossible. Panic ensues when he realises that the arrogant and tyrannical head editor turns out to be his former first love!
Includes Onodera's co-worker Kisa Shouta's storyline of his encounter with handsome student and book store clerk Yukina Kou.
Media Overview[]
An ongoing manga series with 13 volumes. The first volume was published in 2008 in Asuka Ciel. In 2011, the manga was adapted into an anime television series under the title Sekai-ichi Hatsukoi. Produced by Studio Deen under the direction of Chiaki Kon, the anime series began its broadcast run on April 9, 2011. An original animation DVD was bundled with the fifth and sixth volumes of the manga series, released in March and September 2011. A film adaptation was released on March 15, 2014.
Characters[]
Onodera Ritsu[]
The first meeting between Takano and Ritsu was when he was attempting to grab a book far above his head height, which of course turned out to be difficult. Saga Masamune reached out and pulled the book out for him. Ritsu thanked him and walked away but then turned back to look at him. Their first meeting was the reason that Ritsu fell in love with the older boy. Like most people, before this meeting Ritsu didn't believe in love at first sight, but after he met Saga his feelings changed. Even so, the name of the unknown senpai remains a mystery to Ritsu, thus leading him to search through the books that Saga had borrowed so he could see the book record cards and learn the name of his first love.
His actions are close to being a stalker, as he borrowed almost all the books Saga had borrowed. Three years later, they meet again in a similar situation. This time, Ritsu is reaching for a book that happens to be the same one that Saga wants. Their hands touch, causing Ritsu to blush and call out Saga's name in surprise. Saga then asks why Ritsu knows his name. In the midst of the sudden confrontation, Ritsu spontaneously confesses his love for Saga. To Ritsu's surprise, Saga doesn't mind the boy confessing to him and even says that he wouldn't mind going out with him. Ritsu instantly thinks this is a joke, but Saga says that it wasn't and adds that Ritsu could come over to his house.
Days later, after school (an extremely nervous) Ritsu and Saga walk to Saga's home. Ritsu enters the house to see a cat that Saga saved on a rainy day, and he walks upwards to Saga's room. While he is waiting for Saga, he sees his bed and as it's his dear wish from the day he had met Saga, he had wants to be on the bed of his first love. On the sudden whim, he throws himself on the bed, but then scrambles back to the floor, thoroughly embarrassed. A few seconds later, Saga walks in with tea and offers that they watch TV. While they watch, Ritsu mentions the cat at the doorstep, Saga remembers the day when he rescued the cat and chuckles. He jokingly tells him that he had been stalked, Ritsu instantly gives Saga a very formal apology, but Saga tells him he didn't mind and then leans forward in an attempt to kiss Ritsu. Shocked, Ritsu pushes him away, but later allows Saga to kiss him. After the second kiss, Saga hugs him and asks to sleep with him. Ritsu, stunned, replies with a yes. While the two are having sex for the first time, Saga whispers that he loves Ritsu, using his first name.
After a break up due to a misunderstanding, Ritsu leaves Japan to study aboard in England, he then comes back to Japan to work at his father's publishing company.
Takano Masamune[]
Takano is from a wealthy family. His mother is a lawyer and his father is a surgeon and they left Takano to live alone because of work and they give him expenses each month. During his days at high school Takano stayed in the school library where he read books until the library closed because he didn't want to be home, knowing that his parents would be there fighting, and it was boring at home. His parents high paying jobs, and because of this they are able to give Takano as much money as he wants for food and the house. His mother asks where he found the cat and Takano explains that he found “Sorata”, and took him in because he was lonely, and his mother tells him that she hates animals. He later states later to Ritsu that "it's better with the cat around".
Saga first sees Ritsu Onodera trying to grab a book that is out of his reach. Saga helps him retrieve the book and Ritsu thanks him. This encounter causes Ritsu to develop feelings for him. Three years later, Saga and Ritsu meet again by both reaching for the same book. Ritsu confesses his love for Saga, to which Saga replies by saying he wouldn't mind going out with him, much to Ritsu's surprise. Later Saga invites Ritsu to come to his house after school and Ritsu meets his cat. Saga tells Ritsu to meet him at his room while he gets some tea. After Saga brings the tea, he asks Ritsu why he loves him, because of the fact Ritsu doesn't know a thing about him. Ritsu tells Saga that though he didn't know much about him he knew a couple things here and there, for instance the time Ritsu saw him rescuing an abandoned cat when no one else seemed to care about it. Saga ask Ritsu if he's a stalker out of embarrassment of being caught in a "scene straight out of a shojo manga," which causes Ritsu to becomes embarrassed and apologize. Saga leans toward Ritsu and almost kisses him but Ritsu, caught off-guard pushes him away. Saga asks if that was what Ritsu wanted to do and he kisses Ritsu on the lips. Late at night, Saga makes love to Ritsu and finally says Ritsu's name and tells him that he loves him. The two begin to hang out more often, even staying at the school library until closing time and they realize that they must really be in love with each other. One day, Ritsu asks Saga if they are dating and Saga responds with nervous laughter. Ritsu misinterprets Saga's laughter and after apparently round-house kicking him, disappears without a word, which makes Saga believe that Ritsu doesn't want to be with him anymore.
Saga's parents officially divorce and Saga goes with his mother to her home town where she remarries and he takes her new husband's name. Now known as Takano, he meets Takafumi Yokozawa in college, and they become close friends. The two later even enter into a relationship during college. However, when Takano, still affected by Ritsu's sudden disappearance, as well as many other factors, starts drinking, Takafumi vows that he will always protect Takano.
Before Takano worked at Marukawa he worked as a shounen editor at a company called Shuudanka working in the Weekly Earth, but later quit because he didn't feel like it was the right place for him, and he wasn't allowed to do anything he felt was right. Ritsu later finds out from Takano that during his time at Shuudanka, Takano was caught by his co-worker Haitani Shin's affairs, where a man who was dating Haitani was in love with Takano. This caused Haitani to expose his personal problems to everyone in Shuudanka and caused an issue with the authors he was working with. Takano decides that it's time to quit Shuudanka as the company had some issues with their organization and with the problems of Haitani that made Takano not want to work with him again. He later came to work at Marukawa as a Shoujo editor with the help of Yokozawa.
Images[]
Link to Wiki[]
Link to wiki: Sekai ichi Hatsukoi Wiki