Can an arranged marriage turn intense classroom rivalry into genuine romantic love?
In short: When Saito Hōjō and Akane Sakuramori are forced into a marriage by their grandparents, they have nothing in common but a mutual hatred. This high-stakes romantic comedy explores whether a forced living arrangement can transform two hostile classmates into a real couple.
Illustrated by Nanami Narumi and written by Seiju Amano, this light novel series tells the story of Akane Sakuramori, a student with a 'tsundere' temperament, and Saito Hōjō, an heir to a major conglomerate. Despite being classmates who frequently fight, they are summoned by their grandparents to fulfill a connection the elders lost in their youth. Saito's grandfather, Tenryu, and Akane's grandmother, Chiyo, had a mutual attraction but never acted on it, leading them to use their grandchildren as proxies to rekindle their own relationship.
The arrangement is not merely a social experiment; for Saito, the marriage is a requirement to eventually inherit his family's company. This creates a tense dynamic where the two must manage a secret living arrangement while maintaining their on-campus hostility. The narrative complexity increases with the introduction of Himari, a popular classmate who is deeply in love with Saito, and Maho, Akane's younger sister, who becomes involved in the web of family expectations.
Originally launched as a YouTube manga in March 2020 on the Manga Angel Neko Oka channel, the series has grown into a multi-media franchise. Media Factory has published ten volumes of the light novel under the MF Bunko J imprint between December 2020 and January 2025. The franchise includes a manga adaptation by Mosskonbu and an anime television series produced by Studio Gokumi and AXsiZ, which aired from January to March 2025.
By April 2026, the series reported over 720,000 copies in circulation. The story ultimately follows the emotional evolution of the protagonists, as Saito and Akane move from reluctant roommates to a couple married for real.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: I Got Married to the Girl I Hate Most in Class
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