"Don't let your guard down thinking it's just a regular rom-com!" Voice actors Takehiro Urao and Rin Kusumi discuss the charm of "You Can't Be In a Rom-Com with Your Childhood Friends!."

The manga "My Childhood Friend and I Won't Ever Be a Rom-Com" (written by Shinya Misu), currently serialized in "Magazine Pocket," is a harem rom-com following the protagonist Sakai Yonosuke (Eiyū) and his four childhood friends.

As the title suggests, despite unique childhood friends like Shio Minamo and Akari Hiodoshi being conscious of Eiyū and trying to grab his attention, the story humorously depicts how every single attempt ends in total failure with great comedic timing.

While the TV anime has been airing since January 2026, in this article, we interviewed Takehiro Urao, who plays Eiyū, and Rin Kusumi, who plays Shio. We talked about everything from their first impressions of "You Can't Be In a Rom-Com with Your Childhood Friends!" to the charming heroines.

—"You Can't Be In a Rom-Com with Your Childhood Friends!" has this recurring theme where it seems like a rom-com but never quite becomes one, yet it’s packed with classic rom-com tropes. What were your first impressions when you read the original manga?

Urao: It’s definitely a classic rom-com, but I was surprised by how the plot twists to keep it from actually becoming one. Also, simply put, my impression was that it’s a bit ecchi and I like that...!

Kusumi: That’s a valuable male perspective!

—I totally agree (lol).

Urao: The way it avoids becoming a rom-com is really clever. Just when you think, "Okay, surely they'll become a couple now," the story takes a turn to stay in the non-rom-com zone, which is surprising.

Kusumi: The reason it doesn't become a rom-com is thanks to Eiyū’s hard work. He’s really holding it together!

—It’s also quite rare to have four childhood friend heroines all going after Eiyū at once.

Kusumi: Since Shio is my type, my first impression was "Shio-chan is so cute!" But as for the flow of the story, even though it says it won't be a rom-com, it feels like it's doing a rom-com that’s even more exaggerated and "extra" than a normal one.