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// Workers AI · dad joke modeWhat did the data on Playful Relationships say? It had a bonding experience.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Playful Relationships
First light novel volume cover
あそびのかんけい
(Asobi no Kankei)
GenreRomantic comedy[1]
Light novel
Written bySekina Aoi
Illustrated byKurehito Misaki
Published byFujimi Shobo
English publisher
ImprintFujimi Fantasia Bunko
Original runMay 20, 2025 – present
Volumes4
Manga
Written bySekina Aoi
Illustrated byKoruri
Published byHakusensha
MagazineYoung Animal
Original runSeptember 25, 2026 – scheduled

Playful Relationships (Japanese: あそびのかんけい, Hepburn: Asobi no Kankei) is a Japanese light novel series written by Sekina Aoi and illustrated by Kurehito Misaki. Fujimi Shobo began publishing it under its Fujimi Fantasia Bunko imprint in May 2025, with four volumes released as of August 2026. A manga adaptation illustrated by Koruri will begin serialization in Hakusensha's Young Animal magazine in September 2026.

Plot

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The series follows Kotarō Tokiwa, a high school dropout who currently works at a board game store in Tokyo. He falls in love with his co-worker Mifuru Takanashi, but keeps his crush on her to himself. However, he becomes discouraged after learning that Mifuru has a boyfriend named Itsuki Usa. Disappointed to learn this, Kotarō claims that he is actually in love with Tsukino Utakata, a well-known shogi player. However, unknown to the both of them, both are actually lying about their respective relationships: Itsuki is actually a secret identity of Tsukino.

Characters

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Kotarō Tokiwa (常盤 孤太郎, Tokiwa Kotarō)
The assistant manager of Kurumaza, a board game cafe located in Ogikubo, Tokyo. He dropped out of high school and currently works as the cafe, often doing most of the work whenever the manager is absent. He is skilled at and knowledgeable about board games. He has a crush on Mifuru but is discouraged after finding out about her relationship.
Mifuru Takanashi (小鳥遊 みふる, Takanashi Mifuru)
Voiced by: Hikaru Tono (PV)[2][3]
A cheerful high school girl who works at Kurumaza. She has the appearance and personality of a gyaru, and has a large social media following. She started working at the cafe following an encounter with Tokiwa, but in contrast to him, has little interest for board games themselves. She is pretending to date a man named Itsuki Usa, much to Kotarō's chagrin. She actually has an interest in Tokiwa but is unable to express it further due to her own relationship with Itsuki.
Tsukino Utakata (歌方 月乃, Utakata Tsukino)
Voiced by: Hina Yōmiya (PV)[3]
A popular shogi player who goes to an all-girls school. After passing by Kurumaza, she becomes a regular customer. However, she puts up a disguise and goes by the name Utamaru. She also works as a rental boyfriend under the name Itsuki Usa (宇 佐樹, Usa Itsuki), maintaining a boyish appearance while dating Kotarō. Although she was initially Mifuru's rental boyfriend, she later develops feelings for Kotarō after hanging out with him.
Momoa Takeshi (武士 萌々愛, Takeshi Momoa)
Voiced by: Yūko Natsuyoshi (PV)[4]
Kotarō's best friend and a track-and-field athlete. Despite going to the same school, they did not meet until after Kotarō dropped out, when she discovered board games while recovering from an injury. Because of her interest in board games, she temporarily retired from track-and-field, although she was later encouraged to resume her career.
Akari Hankui (半杭 朱里, Hankui Akari)
Voiced by: Reina Ueda (PV)[5]
Momoa's fellow track-and-field athlete, who has feelings for her. She distrusts Kotarō due to Momoa's increasing interest in board games, and blames him for Momoa's withdrawal from the track-and-field team.

Development

[edit]

Aoi had plans to write a story around board games since 2018. He long had an interest in board games but acknowledged his lack of skill in them. He noted how his light novel series Gamers! had little focus on video games, despite its title, so he thought that making a series called Board Gamers! using a similar premise would not work. Nevertheless, he had ideas on how to write such a story, including wondering if it could go without romantic comedy elements.[6]

Media

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Light novel

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The series is written by Sekina Aoi, who had previously written the light novel series Student Council's Discretion and Gamers!. It is illustrated by Kurehito Misaki, who previously worked on the light novel series Saekano. It is published by Fujimi Shobo under their Fujimi Fantasia Bunko imprint, with the first novel being published on May 20, 2025.[7] A promotional video featuring Hikaru Tono as Mifuru was released to promote the volume's release.[2] Four volumes have been published as of August 20, 2026.[8] The series is licensed in English by Yen Press, which will release the first volume in December 2026.[9]

No. Original release date Original ISBN English release date English ISBN
1May 20, 2025[7]978-4-0407-5861-9December 8, 2026[10]979-8-85-543628-0
2September 20, 2025[11]978-4-0407-6130-5——
3March 19, 2026[12]978-4-0407-6300-2——
4August 20, 2026[8]978-4-0407-6547-1——

Manga

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A manga adaptation illustrated by Koruri was announced on March 20, 2026.[13] It will begin serialization in Hakusensha's Young Animal magazine on September 25, 2026.[14][15]

Reception

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The series won three awards in the 2026 edition of Kono Light Novel ga Sugoi!, ranking first overall, as well as placing first in the paperback and new release categories.[3][16]

See also

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References

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  1. ↑ "「葵せきな×深崎暮人」の豪華タッグが描く、ボドゲカフェから始まるラブコメ！ 小説『あそびのかんけい』がファンタジア文庫より5月20日（火）発売！！" (in Japanese). Kadokawa Corporation. May 20, 2025. Retrieved November 26, 2025.
  2. 1 2 "「葵せきな×深崎暮人」の豪華タッグが描く、ボドゲカフェから始まるラブコメ！ 小説『あそびのかんけい』がファンタジア文庫より5月20日（火）発売！！" (in Japanese). Kadokawa Corporation. May 20, 2025. Retrieved November 26, 2025.
  3. 1 2 3 "『あそびのかんけい』が「このライトノベルがすごい！2026」にて、総合部門・文庫部門・新作文庫部門第1位を獲得！". Animate Times (in Japanese). Animate (retailer). November 25, 2025. Retrieved November 26, 2025.
  4. ↑ "小説『あそびのかんけい』×杉並コラボの開催が決定！ 最新第4巻は8月20日（木）発売！ | 商品・サービストピックス". KADOKAWAグループ ポータルサイト (in Japanese). 2026-08-21. Retrieved 2026-09-21.
  5. ↑ "【「このラノ2026」三冠獲得作！】小説『あそびのかんけい』第3巻、3月19日（木）発売！ | 商品・サービストピックス". KADOKAWAグループ ポータルサイト (in Japanese). 2026-03-19. Retrieved 2026-09-21.
  6. ↑ Aoi, Sekina (December 13, 2018). "ボードゲーマーズ". 栄養の無いサプリメント (in Japanese). Excite. Retrieved November 26, 2025.
  7. 1 2 "あそびのかんけい" (in Japanese). Kadokawa Corporation. Retrieved November 26, 2025.
  8. 1 2 "あそびのかんけい4" (in Japanese). Kadokawa Corporation. Retrieved June 29, 2026.
  9. ↑ Mateo, Alex (June 12, 2026). "Yen Press Licenses Witches Can't Be Collared, 'Alma-chan Wants to Be a Family!', Yamada's Class Diary, More Manga/Novels". Anime News Network. Retrieved June 13, 2026.
  10. ↑ "Playful Relationships, Vol. 1". Yen Press. Retrieved August 27, 2026.
  11. ↑ "あそびのかんけい2" (in Japanese). Kadokawa Corporation. Retrieved November 26, 2025.
  12. ↑ "あそびのかんけい3" (in Japanese). Kadokawa Corporation. Retrieved January 31, 2026.
  13. ↑ @asobinokankei (March 20, 2026). "━━━【𝙉𝙀𝙒𝙎】━━━コミカライズ企画進行中🎲━━━━━━━━━━━「#あそびのかんけい」がヤングアニマル（白泉社）にてコミカライズ企画進行中✨" (Tweet) (in Japanese). Retrieved March 28, 2026 – via X (formerly Twitter).
  14. ↑ @asobinokankei (September 8, 2026). "⋰コミカライズ9月25日より連載開始🎲⋱コミカライズ版「#あそびのかんけい」は、9月25日発売の「ヤングアニマル19号」（白泉社）から連載開始です！" (Tweet) (in Japanese). Retrieved September 8, 2026 – via X (formerly Twitter).
  15. ↑ Tai, Anita (September 15, 2026). "Sekina Aoi's Asobi no Kankei Novels Get Manga Adaptation". Anime News Network. Retrieved September 16, 2026.
  16. ↑ "このライトノベルがすごい！2026：『あそびのかんけい』が文庫部門1位&単行本・ノベルズ部門は『サイレント・ウィッチ』が1位に". LN-News.com (in Japanese). November 25, 2025. Retrieved November 26, 2025.
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