Masamune-kun’s Revenge ran across two seasons on AT-X and Tokyo MX, first airing on 2017-01-05 and last airing on 2023-09-18. It is a comedy-drama about revenge, love and identity, with a twist: the protagonist, Masamune Makabe, seeks to reject the woman he once loved rather than win her. It is a strange premise, and it mostly works.
Trailer, via Malcress.
A Plot Built on a Cruel Name
Eight years ago, Makabe Masamune was a chubby boy rejected harshly by the beautiful Adagaki Aki. He returns as a handsome teenager, having lost weight and changed his name, to make Aki fall in love with him so he can reject her just as she did. The show’s tagline is direct: “I’ve returned to this town for revenge.”
The revenge plan is simple. Masamune wants Aki to love him, then he wants to hurt her the way she hurt him. That tension is the engine of the story, and it drives every episode.
Masamune’s Transformation
Masamune was once bullied for his weight. He was nicknamed “Pig’s Foot” by Aki, a nickname the show translates as brutal. The name stayed with him, and it pushed him to change. He lost weight, worked out, and changed his family name with his grandfather’s help. He became a handsome boy, but he kept the anger.
He is vain and self-centered. He treats Aki as a project to be won, not a person. That makes him a difficult character to root for, but it also makes the plot work.
Aki’s Cruel History
Aki Adagaki comes from a well-off family and is known for her harsh treatment of men. Her classmates call her the “Cruel Princess.” When Masamune finally confronts her about the past, she denies ever calling him “Pig’s Foot.” She says she never gave him that nickname and never heard of it before.
The show’s twist comes at the end of the story. When Masamune learns the truth, he is torn about how to reconcile with Aki. In the final turn, Masamune properly affirms his love for Aki.
The Supporting Cast
The other characters exist to push Masamune’s plan forward. Yoshino Koiwai, Aki’s classmate and servant, allies with him and seems to know his nickname. Neko Fujinomiya and Tae Futaba round out the mix, giving Masamune people to talk to and schemes to carry out.
The show leans on these side characters for comic relief, and they do the job. They are not the center of the story, but they give Masamune a reason to act.
Comedy That Lands
Masamune-kun’s Revenge is a comedy-drama, and the comedy lands more often than not. The show knows when to be silly and when to be serious. The tone shifts work, even when the premise is built on revenge.
The voice cast is strong. Natsuki Hanae voices Masamune, and Ayaka Ōhashi voices Aki. Their performances carry the show’s emotional beats, and the chemistry between them sells the central conflict.
Production Values
The animation is clean and consistent. The character designs are distinct, and the backgrounds are well drawn. The show does not push technical boundaries, but it does not need to. A simple, solid production supports a story that relies on dialogue and performance.
The direction keeps the pace moving. Episodes rarely drag, and the plot moves forward at a good clip. That is a strength, given how long the show runs across two seasons.
Where It Falls Short
Not every episode works. Some episodes feel like filler, padding out Masamune’s seduction plan without adding much to the story or the characters. The show is at its best when it is focused on Masamune’s plan and its consequences.
The show also leans on a familiar pattern: Masamune gets close to Aki, then something goes wrong, and he has to try again. That structure works well in the early episodes, but it can feel repetitive by the later ones.
The Twist and the Ending
The twist is the show’s biggest risk. When Masamune learns the truth about Aki, the show forces him to confront his revenge plan directly. The ending forces him to choose between his plan and the woman he has been chasing.
The show does not make it easy for him. The twist is a sincere moment, not a cheap one, and it earns the emotional weight of the story.
Verdict
Masamune-kun’s Revenge is a solid, if flawed, comedy-drama. Its premise is unusual, its characters are well drawn, and its ending carries real weight. The show is not perfect, but it is consistently entertaining.
Key Facts
- Premiere: 2017-01-05
- Finale: 2023-09-18
- Network: AT-X, Tokyo MX
- Seasons: 2, 24 episodes
- Cast: Natsuki Hanae (Masamune), Ayaka Ōhashi (Aki)
- Score: 7.7/10
The show is worth watching for its twist and its ending, even if the middle stretches out. It is a revenge story that turns into a love story, and it mostly pulls it off.
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