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Rascal Does Not Dream of… Light Novel #1
青春ブタ野郎はバニーガール先輩の夢を見ない
図書館で捕獲した野生のバニーガールは、高校の先輩にして活動休止中の人気タレントでした――。海と空に囲まれた町で、僕と彼女の"不思議"との戦いが始まる。「さくら荘」コンビが贈る、新たなる青春物語。
360 pages, Paperback
First published April 10, 2014
206 people are currently reading
1498 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 99 reviews
April 17, 2025
Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai is my first light novel.
And maybe my last…
Maybe it’s because it wasn’t originally written in English, or maybe light novels based on anime just aren’t my thing, but I really didn’t enjoy this book all that much.
The premise is... well, anime. Sakuta meets Mai dressed as a bunny girl in a library, because of course, and while she’s a famous actress and the whole bunny suit thing kind of fits her background, it quickly becomes clear something weird is going on: people can’t see her. Like, she’s literally standing in public and no one notices her. And then people start forgetting she even exists. The mystery of it ramps up, but that’s basically the plot.
The banter between Sakuta and Mai is just okay. I straight-up did not like Sakuta. His snarky, sarcastic attitude might play better in anime, but in the book, he’s just fucking annoying. I was especially done with his overly horny personality, and that’s coming from a guy who lives for getting down and dirty. The jokes were either tired, unfunny, or just felt juvenile as hell. Or maybe I just don’t like the dude. That’s also possible.
Mai’s the better of the two, but she’s also your typical “strong front but shy with dirty jokes” type. I actually did like her storyline, being forgotten by the world is a damn sad concept, and that emotional thread was the best part. But the story moves so fast and stays so surface-level that you never really get to know her beyond “former child star with a rough home life.”
Sakuta’s backstory also feels weirdly tacked on. Supposedly he’s got this violent, traumatic past, but you don’t see any of that reflected in who he is now. It just doesn’t land.
Overall, it’s not the worst thing I’ve ever read, but it really didn’t click for me. Maybe this kind of story just works better in anime form. Maybe the cliches' that don't bother me as much in anime or manga really annoy me in novel form. The novel felt underwritten, more like fan-fiction than something by a serious author.
And maybe my last…
Maybe it’s because it wasn’t originally written in English, or maybe light novels based on anime just aren’t my thing, but I really didn’t enjoy this book all that much.
The premise is... well, anime. Sakuta meets Mai dressed as a bunny girl in a library, because of course, and while she’s a famous actress and the whole bunny suit thing kind of fits her background, it quickly becomes clear something weird is going on: people can’t see her. Like, she’s literally standing in public and no one notices her. And then people start forgetting she even exists. The mystery of it ramps up, but that’s basically the plot.
The banter between Sakuta and Mai is just okay. I straight-up did not like Sakuta. His snarky, sarcastic attitude might play better in anime, but in the book, he’s just fucking annoying. I was especially done with his overly horny personality, and that’s coming from a guy who lives for getting down and dirty. The jokes were either tired, unfunny, or just felt juvenile as hell. Or maybe I just don’t like the dude. That’s also possible.
Mai’s the better of the two, but she’s also your typical “strong front but shy with dirty jokes” type. I actually did like her storyline, being forgotten by the world is a damn sad concept, and that emotional thread was the best part. But the story moves so fast and stays so surface-level that you never really get to know her beyond “former child star with a rough home life.”
Sakuta’s backstory also feels weirdly tacked on. Supposedly he’s got this violent, traumatic past, but you don’t see any of that reflected in who he is now. It just doesn’t land.
Overall, it’s not the worst thing I’ve ever read, but it really didn’t click for me. Maybe this kind of story just works better in anime form. Maybe the cliches' that don't bother me as much in anime or manga really annoy me in novel form. The novel felt underwritten, more like fan-fiction than something by a serious author.
November 8, 2018
ㄇㄉ男主角幹話連篇......
可以教我怎麼講幹話又不會被送去派出所的方法嗎Orz
是說日本人的生活壓力真的很大耶....
青少年小說總是離不開各種KY的慘狀
不過透過魔法師之眼來看全都是青春真好啦e04!
可以教我怎麼講幹話又不會被送去派出所的方法嗎Orz
是說日本人的生活壓力真的很大耶....
青少年小說總是離不開各種KY的慘狀
不過透過魔法師之眼來看全都是青春真好啦e04!
April 29, 2020
Saw that an English translation was published today and immediately dropped what I was doing to take a read.
The first arc in the series is my favorite one of the anime-adapted arcs, and reading this made me realize how good of an anime adaptation Bunny Girl got, given that it was pretty much one-to-one with the light novel event-wise. That said, it was still worth the read as a fan of the series for the extra bits of dialogue, monologue, and atmospheric insight. All the illustrations were top-notch too!
Can't help but get Monogatari and Oregairu vibes from the story/premise itself, but that's more than fine by me since I loved those too, and I even feel like Bunny Girl is more palatable to a broader scope of audiences (hard to say the other two aren't niche in comparison). Plus, this one has Mai Sakurajima, the undisputed best anime girl!
Personal preferences aside, I'm glad Bunny Girl's getting English translations, and I'll be looking forward to future installments!
The first arc in the series is my favorite one of the anime-adapted arcs, and reading this made me realize how good of an anime adaptation Bunny Girl got, given that it was pretty much one-to-one with the light novel event-wise. That said, it was still worth the read as a fan of the series for the extra bits of dialogue, monologue, and atmospheric insight. All the illustrations were top-notch too!
Can't help but get Monogatari and Oregairu vibes from the story/premise itself, but that's more than fine by me since I loved those too, and I even feel like Bunny Girl is more palatable to a broader scope of audiences (hard to say the other two aren't niche in comparison). Plus, this one has Mai Sakurajima, the undisputed best anime girl!
Personal preferences aside, I'm glad Bunny Girl's getting English translations, and I'll be looking forward to future installments!
May 7, 2020
3.5
I started out not liking this very much and then by the last three chapters I had a hard time putting it down.
I started out not liking this very much and then by the last three chapters I had a hard time putting it down.
April 5, 2025
I thought the light novel might include some scenes anime didn't have, but the anime covered pretty much the whole thing. The book was still amazing tho.
December 18, 2025
One of the sweetest stories I’ve ever read involving quantum mechanics. I’m a big fan of the anime and I’m glad I finally tried the light novel. Mai remains one of the great best girls and Sakuta is such a kind and sarcastic protagonist.
June 2, 2020
What stands out in this realistic fiction drama light novel is the character's chemistry and an entertaining plot. The story is interesting and mysterious, it could be a bit confusing for some, but it has the tendency that boosts the characters interactions and hooks readers with good pacing. In this anime, the author cared to develop a world where the school is the center, and the events affect the characters and the interaction with the outside world. We have two main characters, but their personalities differ a lot, so the contrast makes the characters more vivid. They aren't the typical high schoolers with the same generic background as most of the high school series. The main male character Sakuta has a nice introvert attitude and with an awkward past and could be considered as a weirdo. Furthermore, he is ironic, sarcastic and with some sense of humor executed flawlessly. The main female character is Mai Sakurajima, a famous actress but with a mature air that is not normal in this kind of series. Overall this novel's main features are from the genuine well written characters and develops a deep sense of realism in the characters. I would give this book a 4 out of 5 and would recommend this book to people who enjoy humor, romance, and a bit of fantasy.
May 2, 2020
Loved it. Most of the time I love the light novels more than the anime, in this case they're about equal... the anime does a superb job of following this story. Which made reading the light novel (finally come stateside in English!) like revisiting old friends. I can only say if you haven't watched it, then give the light novel a read or watch the anime it is worth it.
Verdict: One of the best out there, pick this one up!
Verdict: One of the best out there, pick this one up!
March 9, 2023
OMG không thể tin được từ dứa cuồng tiểu thuyết của Hesse, Kafka, Mạc Ngôn như tôi đây cũng có ngày bị chinh phục với lối văn chương người ta cứ hay mỉa mai là "rom-com rẻ tiền" này. Quả không thử không biết mùi đời được.
March 15, 2025
This is absolutely a cute story . I really have a good time reading it.
September 17, 2025
i am irrationally angry that they translated away things like honorifics and changed all the metric measurements to imperial. but i love this story so much and am glad to finally get to its original, slightly more fleshed-out form that it more than makes up for it.
and despite already being intimately familiar with the story from multiple rewatches of the anime and having read the manga adaptation, the end of chapter 4 literally almost made me cry, even though that part of the anime never made me tear up. so. kinda dreading getting to the parts where the anime makes me ugly cry!
and despite already being intimately familiar with the story from multiple rewatches of the anime and having read the manga adaptation, the end of chapter 4 literally almost made me cry, even though that part of the anime never made me tear up. so. kinda dreading getting to the parts where the anime makes me ugly cry!
March 10, 2025
4.5/5
This was just a super cute, super sweet story.
This was just a super cute, super sweet story.
October 18, 2022
Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai is my favorite anime. Naturally, I had high expectations when starting the light novel. But I honestly wasn't expecting to have those expectations exceeded!
Hajime Kamoshida is an amazing writer. His writing is easy to read yet heavily investing. He has such an amazing flow with his writing that I found it incredibly difficult to put this novel down at any point between chapters. I would manage to read forty pages in one sitting, where I could only get to a maximum of twenty in other light novels. I knew Kamoshida's writing was good, but I had no idea it was this caliber of good!
What makes Bunny Girl Senpai such a special series is its phenomenal pacing and strong use of emotions. In one book, we see more emotional and character development than we sometimes see in entire series! It blew me away how the anime managed to tell an entire anime's worth of narrative in three episodes, and it still blows my mind that Kamoshida managed the same in a single novel.
And, rather than focusing on the weird stuff that's happening to the characters, and only focusing on the emotional aspect on the side or as an afterthought, Bunny Girl Senpai focuses entirely on the emotions of the characters, making that the forefront of the entire series. The characters live through scenarios that we've all been through: tough social situations, being treated differently for acting weird, and learning how to adapt to the social atmosphere around us. Watching Mai and Sakuta grow closer as they try to understand the maze that is the high school social hierarchy will never not be satisfying to me. Side-note: I cried when I read the chapter title "A World Without You", I knew it was coming, but it still struck me straight in the heart.
My one and only criticism of this novel is that there's just a few too many sex jokes in the first half that it gets a little bit distracting. But honestly, this stops being a problem after the second chapter, so it's barely worth mentioning.
Overall, an amazing start to this series! I'll make sure to raise my expectations of the future novels, I know it's only going to get better from here on out.
Hajime Kamoshida is an amazing writer. His writing is easy to read yet heavily investing. He has such an amazing flow with his writing that I found it incredibly difficult to put this novel down at any point between chapters. I would manage to read forty pages in one sitting, where I could only get to a maximum of twenty in other light novels. I knew Kamoshida's writing was good, but I had no idea it was this caliber of good!
What makes Bunny Girl Senpai such a special series is its phenomenal pacing and strong use of emotions. In one book, we see more emotional and character development than we sometimes see in entire series! It blew me away how the anime managed to tell an entire anime's worth of narrative in three episodes, and it still blows my mind that Kamoshida managed the same in a single novel.
And, rather than focusing on the weird stuff that's happening to the characters, and only focusing on the emotional aspect on the side or as an afterthought, Bunny Girl Senpai focuses entirely on the emotions of the characters, making that the forefront of the entire series. The characters live through scenarios that we've all been through: tough social situations, being treated differently for acting weird, and learning how to adapt to the social atmosphere around us. Watching Mai and Sakuta grow closer as they try to understand the maze that is the high school social hierarchy will never not be satisfying to me. Side-note: I cried when I read the chapter title "A World Without You", I knew it was coming, but it still struck me straight in the heart.
My one and only criticism of this novel is that there's just a few too many sex jokes in the first half that it gets a little bit distracting. But honestly, this stops being a problem after the second chapter, so it's barely worth mentioning.
Overall, an amazing start to this series! I'll make sure to raise my expectations of the future novels, I know it's only going to get better from here on out.
September 12, 2020
To me this is totally a wonderful story, and quite unique, I haven't read anything like this before, and I loved how the author is exploring the whole phenomena called 'adolescence syndrome'.
This is the story of Sakuta, a high school student who one day encounters a girl dressed in a bunny outfit in the library. This would appear very uncommon, but he soon realises that people can't actually see this girl, despite the outfit, and that's when he realises she is sort of becoming invisible. Sakura knows this is a phenomena called 'adolescence syndrome' amongst youngsters and it has different effects on people. There is no explaining the phenomena, and no way of knowing what form it'll take or what brings it up.
***MINOR SPOILERS AHEAD***
This is a wonderful premise, because as you move along in the book, Sakuta and his friends start making up theories that whatever ails people is probably brought on by their own thoughts and emotions toward certain situations, adding to that the reaction that the people around them have towards it as well. So for this book, Mai is becoming invisible because she has always acted as if she is air around people, and her high school friends went along with that, not really knowing how to approach her since she is famous. And eventually it came to a point that her classmates thought of her as air and stopped seeing her, and Mai let that happen too.
So you have this complicated scifi/paranormal theme around what is basically a romance story, and I think it pairs up really nicely. Sakura is a complete rascal, always thinking how to provoke Mai just because it's fun, but he is quite the gentleman and he can be serious when the situation demands it. Plus I've seen the anime, so I know how the story will keep developing as well as the other cases that will come up later, and I can't wait to read the book, because the deep insights into the condition are far more detailed here. I loved this light novel.
This is the story of Sakuta, a high school student who one day encounters a girl dressed in a bunny outfit in the library. This would appear very uncommon, but he soon realises that people can't actually see this girl, despite the outfit, and that's when he realises she is sort of becoming invisible. Sakura knows this is a phenomena called 'adolescence syndrome' amongst youngsters and it has different effects on people. There is no explaining the phenomena, and no way of knowing what form it'll take or what brings it up.
***MINOR SPOILERS AHEAD***
This is a wonderful premise, because as you move along in the book, Sakuta and his friends start making up theories that whatever ails people is probably brought on by their own thoughts and emotions toward certain situations, adding to that the reaction that the people around them have towards it as well. So for this book, Mai is becoming invisible because she has always acted as if she is air around people, and her high school friends went along with that, not really knowing how to approach her since she is famous. And eventually it came to a point that her classmates thought of her as air and stopped seeing her, and Mai let that happen too.
So you have this complicated scifi/paranormal theme around what is basically a romance story, and I think it pairs up really nicely. Sakura is a complete rascal, always thinking how to provoke Mai just because it's fun, but he is quite the gentleman and he can be serious when the situation demands it. Plus I've seen the anime, so I know how the story will keep developing as well as the other cases that will come up later, and I can't wait to read the book, because the deep insights into the condition are far more detailed here. I loved this light novel.
December 19, 2023
The next step in my light novel journey. I started with the first volume of Haruhi Suzumiya, and thought it was really interesting but brought down by hypersexual anime tropes, and at first, I thought I was in for the same thing here. While the main character is still an ungodly amount of horny, this story luckily knew (mostly) when to tone it down and allow the more sincere parts of the narrative the space they needed to make their full impact. In addition, towards the latter half of the novel, the racey jokes and comments become somewhat mutual between Sakuta and Mai, and thus feel a lot more jokey and lighthearted, making it less of an issue. What does lie underneath all this is a really heartwarming, sometimes heartbreaking story about young love between outcasts who come to understand and help each other in their journeys. Much of the story speaks to our collective anxieties about being forgotten and feeling lost, and how sometimes a gesture of genuine kindness and love can help to bring us out of those fears. After about the midway point, I started really enjoying my time with this story, and it left me with not only good feelings, but a solid cliffhanger that makes me eager to see where it goes in future volumes. A flawed piece of fiction, to be certain, but one with heart.
December 11, 2025
I could gush about this series for hours. I was already a fan of the anime, but now that I read (really more devoured) the entire light novel series I can solidly say that this is one of my favorite franchises of all time. The characters are so relatable (probably because there's not an allistic character in the bunch. Okay, there is one, but he's a himbo so he gets a pass), especially the MC Sakuta, who I really feel is a lot like me at that age, down the the making friends with mostly girls. The romance feels so earned and lived in as the series goes on, and the way that everyone's traumas manifest in adolescence syndromes is so clever and well done. To top it off, the LN's sense of place not only makes me desperately want to visit Fujisawa, but I feel like I already have and have been living there for years. (How do I know the author is autistic? Well, any time anyone goes anywhere he makes sure to describe every single train, station, and platform they take to get there).
I can't recommend this series highly enough, just be sure to pack plenty of tissues because you will need them.
I can't recommend this series highly enough, just be sure to pack plenty of tissues because you will need them.
October 11, 2022
Despite it's name, Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai has very little to do with bunny girls. Rather, it is a fascinatingly emotional supernatural romance story in which young people's internal struggles are manifested externally as adolescence syndrome, which can take the form of anything from getting physical cuts and bruises because of being bullied online to literally disappearing because you feel that is how others perceive you, or don't perceive you. The way this strange phenomenon forces the characters to face their own personal turmoil makes for a compelling read, enhanced even more by the main duo's entertaining sarcastic chemistry.
August 24, 2021
3.5 stars
This story was quite cute along with its characters. I'm not sure I fully understood what actually drove the plot even though it was explained multiple times in the book. Very cute, I enjoyed it.
This story was quite cute along with its characters. I'm not sure I fully understood what actually drove the plot even though it was explained multiple times in the book. Very cute, I enjoyed it.
December 1, 2018
Came for the Bunny Girl, stayed for the good story.
April 23, 2023
"Ese día, Sakura Asusazawa conoció una conijetia salvaje"
Cabe resaltar que el anime es uno de mi favoritos. Adoro su historia y sus personajes por lo que decidí seguir la historia con los libros.
He de decir que este primer volumen me parece maravilloso. Lógicamente al ser una novela tiene mucha más introspección, se detallan mejor los sucesos y también se explica más claramente que tiene que ver el gato de schrodinger con todo esto (leí el manga, vi el anime 2 veces y siempre me confundí. Ahora por fin lo entendí bien jaja)
Dejando de lado comparaciones, lo que interpreto de este primer arco es simple "puedes mentirle al ambiente e inclusive a ti mismo pero al final quien termina perjudicado eres tú"
Como bien especula futaba, el síndrome de la adolescencia es desencadenado por la inestabilidad en la psique de los adolecentes y a Mai le afecto de una manera irónica y cruel.
Empezamos con Mai dejando el mundo del espectáculo por cierto problema del pasado con afán de perjudicar a su madre, algo infantil para la madura Mai Sakirajima. A raíz de esto ella intenta apartarse del mundo, al ser tan famosa llego un momento que fantaseaba con que nadie la conociera y ella actuaba como el aire mismo fuera donde fuera, se mentía a ella misma con que quería dejar ese mundo atrás.
Al ser una persona tan intimidante y ella misma propiciar a ignorarla al actuar como el ambiente, su entorno comenzó a ignorarla deliberadamente, como si fuera una regla no escrita. La escuela siguió el juego a su mentira de desaparecer y debido al síndrome de la adolescencia pues si que comenzó a desparecer. Algo que no se puede ver, no existe para el observador.
Una vez que ella es honesta consigo misma es algo hermoso pues deja de autosabotearse y mira hacia sus propios intereses finalmente. Claro que es difícil ser honesto con uno mismo, pero es inútil ir en contra del aire... ¿Verdad?
A final para pelear contra la atmósfera misma, es decir, el boca a boca, basta con dejar tu intención en alto y no doblegarse ante este ya que el aire mismo no es el enemigo. El aire es amoral. El aire solo es algo inevitable para seguir vivos. El aire solo se respira.
Puede que sea muy cruel el mundo donde vivimos pero para bien o para mal, es algo inevitable y es algo con lo que hay que aprender a lidiar y aceptar, es algo que debemos respirar aunque sea difícil.
También este primer volumen retrata de cierta manera una critica a las personas que simplemente se dejan lleva por el ambiente y solo actúan en consecuencia a las modas del momento sin siquiera pensar si eso afecta a alguien. Tienen tanto miedo al rechazo que nadie cuestiona lo evidente para evita problemas, problemática qué está muy precente en nuestra sociedad actual y que se deja ver en la redes sociales con suma facilidad.
Es todo lo que podría sacar de este volumen y ya hablando de manera general. Amo a sakuta, su personalidad y tambien me encanta su interacción con Mai, muy disfrutable.
Cabe resaltar que el anime es uno de mi favoritos. Adoro su historia y sus personajes por lo que decidí seguir la historia con los libros.
He de decir que este primer volumen me parece maravilloso. Lógicamente al ser una novela tiene mucha más introspección, se detallan mejor los sucesos y también se explica más claramente que tiene que ver el gato de schrodinger con todo esto (leí el manga, vi el anime 2 veces y siempre me confundí. Ahora por fin lo entendí bien jaja)
Dejando de lado comparaciones, lo que interpreto de este primer arco es simple "puedes mentirle al ambiente e inclusive a ti mismo pero al final quien termina perjudicado eres tú"
Como bien especula futaba, el síndrome de la adolescencia es desencadenado por la inestabilidad en la psique de los adolecentes y a Mai le afecto de una manera irónica y cruel.
Empezamos con Mai dejando el mundo del espectáculo por cierto problema del pasado con afán de perjudicar a su madre, algo infantil para la madura Mai Sakirajima. A raíz de esto ella intenta apartarse del mundo, al ser tan famosa llego un momento que fantaseaba con que nadie la conociera y ella actuaba como el aire mismo fuera donde fuera, se mentía a ella misma con que quería dejar ese mundo atrás.
Al ser una persona tan intimidante y ella misma propiciar a ignorarla al actuar como el ambiente, su entorno comenzó a ignorarla deliberadamente, como si fuera una regla no escrita. La escuela siguió el juego a su mentira de desaparecer y debido al síndrome de la adolescencia pues si que comenzó a desparecer. Algo que no se puede ver, no existe para el observador.
Una vez que ella es honesta consigo misma es algo hermoso pues deja de autosabotearse y mira hacia sus propios intereses finalmente. Claro que es difícil ser honesto con uno mismo, pero es inútil ir en contra del aire... ¿Verdad?
A final para pelear contra la atmósfera misma, es decir, el boca a boca, basta con dejar tu intención en alto y no doblegarse ante este ya que el aire mismo no es el enemigo. El aire es amoral. El aire solo es algo inevitable para seguir vivos. El aire solo se respira.
Puede que sea muy cruel el mundo donde vivimos pero para bien o para mal, es algo inevitable y es algo con lo que hay que aprender a lidiar y aceptar, es algo que debemos respirar aunque sea difícil.
También este primer volumen retrata de cierta manera una critica a las personas que simplemente se dejan lleva por el ambiente y solo actúan en consecuencia a las modas del momento sin siquiera pensar si eso afecta a alguien. Tienen tanto miedo al rechazo que nadie cuestiona lo evidente para evita problemas, problemática qué está muy precente en nuestra sociedad actual y que se deja ver en la redes sociales con suma facilidad.
Es todo lo que podría sacar de este volumen y ya hablando de manera general. Amo a sakuta, su personalidad y tambien me encanta su interacción con Mai, muy disfrutable.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 20, 2024
One day Sakuta Azusagawa sees a girl dressed in a bunny costume wandering through the public library. Strange as that is, no one else in the library seems to notice her either, even when she’s right in front of them. As she leaves, she tells him to forget what he saw. This is the start of Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai.
The girl is Mai Sakurajima a well-known actress who had taken a hiatus to finish high school, but at times no one can see or hear her. Eventually, the duration of the effect lasts longer and longer until only Sakuta can see her. And that’s just the beginning.
The condition, known as Adolescent (Puberty) Syndrome, is the dominant force in the series. Mai becomes invisible to her classmates; another character manifests cuts on her body after her classmates turn on her; another character who shares intimate pictures of herself online finds she has not only created another personality but a whole other self; and another character forces people to endure the same day over and over, hoping for a specific outcome. All this and a body swapping episode! Any of these could have been stale and well-worn stories, but here they take on a new life and are cleverly used.
This series is incredible. It deals with themes of bullying and alienation better than the vast majority of YA fiction out there, all the while playing with the tropes of Manga and Anime and entirely turning them on their ear.
I originally watched the anime series when it appeared and followed it through the movies. (One of the few good memories I have of last year was seeing the last two installments in the theater (which I had impatiently waited a year for) in both the sub and the dub.) My hope is that the light novels are all adapted into manga and later movies or another season. A guy can hope. The people Sakuta, Mai, Kaede, Tomoe, Rio, Nodoka, and Shoko are familiar friends by this point.
There are not enough words in any language for me to express the amount of praise that I believe Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai deserves, and even that wouldn’t be enough. Not in my opinion.
Go out and watch the show or read the manga. It’s worth it!
The girl is Mai Sakurajima a well-known actress who had taken a hiatus to finish high school, but at times no one can see or hear her. Eventually, the duration of the effect lasts longer and longer until only Sakuta can see her. And that’s just the beginning.
The condition, known as Adolescent (Puberty) Syndrome, is the dominant force in the series. Mai becomes invisible to her classmates; another character manifests cuts on her body after her classmates turn on her; another character who shares intimate pictures of herself online finds she has not only created another personality but a whole other self; and another character forces people to endure the same day over and over, hoping for a specific outcome. All this and a body swapping episode! Any of these could have been stale and well-worn stories, but here they take on a new life and are cleverly used.
This series is incredible. It deals with themes of bullying and alienation better than the vast majority of YA fiction out there, all the while playing with the tropes of Manga and Anime and entirely turning them on their ear.
I originally watched the anime series when it appeared and followed it through the movies. (One of the few good memories I have of last year was seeing the last two installments in the theater (which I had impatiently waited a year for) in both the sub and the dub.) My hope is that the light novels are all adapted into manga and later movies or another season. A guy can hope. The people Sakuta, Mai, Kaede, Tomoe, Rio, Nodoka, and Shoko are familiar friends by this point.
There are not enough words in any language for me to express the amount of praise that I believe Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai deserves, and even that wouldn’t be enough. Not in my opinion.
Go out and watch the show or read the manga. It’s worth it!
April 6, 2024
To preface, I would not have picked this book/series for myself. I don't typically watch anime or read anything anime-related. But this series is one of my friend's favorites of all time, so I thought I should give it a chance, and I am SO glad I did.
For a book that starts with a teenage boy running into an invisible (to everyone but him) Bunny Girl in a library, I was sincerely and pleasantly surprised at how quickly and easily I was able to connect to and become invested in these characters. I thoroughly enjoyed Hajime Kamoshida's writing style - I underlined several passages that were written so simply but provided enough detail to paint a vivid picture of the environment and the people I would find myself becoming so attached to.
As is to be expected from a book written from a teenage boy's perspective (especially one who resides in the anime genre, and who is nicknamed Rascal), there were several instances of Sakuta being "cheeky" or thinking dirty thoughts about the women around him. Mostly I just rolled my eyes and laughed it off, but by the time he had done this to a third different girl, I was starting to feel it was a bit excessive, though probably not unrealistic (I have never been a teenage boy, so I wouldn't know for sure). But that was my only true "criticism", and it's not even that big of one.
All the character interactions were believable - I even found myself laughing at how much I related to Mai. The explanation/reasoning for the main conflict in this story was interesting and profound. By the end of this book, I was nearly in tears. The stakes became so high, and the level of investment I had in a hopeful outcome was surprising for how light the first half of the book was. The resolution of the main conflict in the story, albeit somewhat cheesy, was satisfying and cute. I gave it a 5 out of 5 stars immediately upon finishing it, and after a full 24 hours, I'm sticking with the 5-star rating. I sincerely hope the rest of the series holds up to this first book.
For a book that starts with a teenage boy running into an invisible (to everyone but him) Bunny Girl in a library, I was sincerely and pleasantly surprised at how quickly and easily I was able to connect to and become invested in these characters. I thoroughly enjoyed Hajime Kamoshida's writing style - I underlined several passages that were written so simply but provided enough detail to paint a vivid picture of the environment and the people I would find myself becoming so attached to.
As is to be expected from a book written from a teenage boy's perspective (especially one who resides in the anime genre, and who is nicknamed Rascal), there were several instances of Sakuta being "cheeky" or thinking dirty thoughts about the women around him. Mostly I just rolled my eyes and laughed it off, but by the time he had done this to a third different girl, I was starting to feel it was a bit excessive, though probably not unrealistic (I have never been a teenage boy, so I wouldn't know for sure). But that was my only true "criticism", and it's not even that big of one.
All the character interactions were believable - I even found myself laughing at how much I related to Mai. The explanation/reasoning for the main conflict in this story was interesting and profound. By the end of this book, I was nearly in tears. The stakes became so high, and the level of investment I had in a hopeful outcome was surprising for how light the first half of the book was. The resolution of the main conflict in the story, albeit somewhat cheesy, was satisfying and cute. I gave it a 5 out of 5 stars immediately upon finishing it, and after a full 24 hours, I'm sticking with the 5-star rating. I sincerely hope the rest of the series holds up to this first book.
March 5, 2021
I selected Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai for my ENG 356 class in the Romance category.
Having selected a few Japanese light novels already, I decided to look up one for romance. This book was placed in someone's top ten list and my brother had already gushed to me about the anime adaptation, so I decided to look past the odd title and give it a shot. Besides, such long-winded strange titles seem to be par for the course with Japanese authors.
Should this book be taught in schools? While the title would give parents and teachers pause, it's actually got some good themes and topics to it. Dealing with parental abandonment and estrangement, bullying, cyber-bullying, be careful what you wish for. While I doubt many students deal with actually disappearing from existence, there are probably many who feel ignored or shunned as if they don't exist, whether it's active or passive. It also deals with crowd mentality, and simple going along with what everyone else does. Overall, yes, I think this book could most definitely be taught in schools.
Warnings for the faint of heart:
Horny teenagers being horny, joking with each other, and flirting. Nothing all that overt, they're largely all talk and little show, just highschool teens messing with each other. A little mild language sprinkled throughout with a few cases of stronger language ('s' and 'b' words mostly). Blood from mysterious wounds and awful scars are described in one scene. A character becomes sickly from staying awake for several days.
Having selected a few Japanese light novels already, I decided to look up one for romance. This book was placed in someone's top ten list and my brother had already gushed to me about the anime adaptation, so I decided to look past the odd title and give it a shot. Besides, such long-winded strange titles seem to be par for the course with Japanese authors.
Should this book be taught in schools? While the title would give parents and teachers pause, it's actually got some good themes and topics to it. Dealing with parental abandonment and estrangement, bullying, cyber-bullying, be careful what you wish for. While I doubt many students deal with actually disappearing from existence, there are probably many who feel ignored or shunned as if they don't exist, whether it's active or passive. It also deals with crowd mentality, and simple going along with what everyone else does. Overall, yes, I think this book could most definitely be taught in schools.
Warnings for the faint of heart:
Horny teenagers being horny, joking with each other, and flirting. Nothing all that overt, they're largely all talk and little show, just highschool teens messing with each other. A little mild language sprinkled throughout with a few cases of stronger language ('s' and 'b' words mostly). Blood from mysterious wounds and awful scars are described in one scene. A character becomes sickly from staying awake for several days.
September 8, 2024
Kimi no sei, kimi no sei, kimi no sei de watashi uUu~
Look, I’m here because I liked the show a great deal and Yen Press is producing audiobooks of the series, and I wanted to see if it’s worth reading the novels or just sticking to the anime, which looks like it may get a full adaptation.
The first in light novel series can often be pretty rocky, something I felt with Bakemonogatari. You get that same kind of rockiness here with a protagonist whose personality isn’t as defined and entertaining as it is out the gate in the anime, so he mostly comes across as that loner type obsessed with boobs like far too many light novel protagonists. Sakuta is fine, I guess, but the anime definitely develops him more than the book, making him more likable and able to compete with the likes of Araragi and Hachiman.
I felt the same about Mai, but she wasn’t my favorite of the characters like she seems to be for most, so I’m more excited to spend more pages with Koga.
The writing style follows that light novel format that feels like a first draft and isn’t particularly well written, but it does have a good story. A good story that was adapted and improved upon in the show. So while the book is probably closer to 3 stars than 2, ultimately I feel like this is a pleasant enough reading experience, but that you’ll get a better experience watching the anime.
Look, I’m here because I liked the show a great deal and Yen Press is producing audiobooks of the series, and I wanted to see if it’s worth reading the novels or just sticking to the anime, which looks like it may get a full adaptation.
The first in light novel series can often be pretty rocky, something I felt with Bakemonogatari. You get that same kind of rockiness here with a protagonist whose personality isn’t as defined and entertaining as it is out the gate in the anime, so he mostly comes across as that loner type obsessed with boobs like far too many light novel protagonists. Sakuta is fine, I guess, but the anime definitely develops him more than the book, making him more likable and able to compete with the likes of Araragi and Hachiman.
I felt the same about Mai, but she wasn’t my favorite of the characters like she seems to be for most, so I’m more excited to spend more pages with Koga.
The writing style follows that light novel format that feels like a first draft and isn’t particularly well written, but it does have a good story. A good story that was adapted and improved upon in the show. So while the book is probably closer to 3 stars than 2, ultimately I feel like this is a pleasant enough reading experience, but that you’ll get a better experience watching the anime.
November 6, 2020
Tenía unas ganas infinitas de leer la historia original y al final lo he espaciado tanto con el trabajo que siento que se me ha ido en nada y se me ha quedado en poquita cosa.
Quizás es, también, que la adaptación de CloverWorks es prácticamente un 1:1 de la original, por lo que no hay muchas sorpresas y la falta de apoyo visual la hace más complicada al centrarse tanto en el día a día en Japón (mucha mención a líneas de tren, estaciones y puntos destacados). Aún así, no deja de ser Hajime Kamoshida y leerle siempre es maravilloso.
Me sigue sorprendiendo como Rascal Does not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai combina teorías cuánticas con un espacio adolescente TAN marcado pero la excentricidad del autor no falla y el resultado es increíble. La dosis justa de romance, comedia y conciencia para conseguir una obra muy cortita pero que podría cerrarse en este volumen sin problema.
La relación entre sus personajes es tan fresca y original que te saca sonrisas cada pocas líneas y su forma de tratar el bullying y la ansiedad social en el entorno estudiantil siempre me parecerá de diez. Quizás es menos especial que "la primera vez" pero sigue siendo una preferida personal y una obra muy especial en general.
Quizás es, también, que la adaptación de CloverWorks es prácticamente un 1:1 de la original, por lo que no hay muchas sorpresas y la falta de apoyo visual la hace más complicada al centrarse tanto en el día a día en Japón (mucha mención a líneas de tren, estaciones y puntos destacados). Aún así, no deja de ser Hajime Kamoshida y leerle siempre es maravilloso.
Me sigue sorprendiendo como Rascal Does not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai combina teorías cuánticas con un espacio adolescente TAN marcado pero la excentricidad del autor no falla y el resultado es increíble. La dosis justa de romance, comedia y conciencia para conseguir una obra muy cortita pero que podría cerrarse en este volumen sin problema.
La relación entre sus personajes es tan fresca y original que te saca sonrisas cada pocas líneas y su forma de tratar el bullying y la ansiedad social en el entorno estudiantil siempre me parecerá de diez. Quizás es menos especial que "la primera vez" pero sigue siendo una preferida personal y una obra muy especial en general.
November 8, 2022
An interesting concept with a hardy helping of cringy teenagers.
Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai is pretty much exactly what it says on the tin. Sakuta spots a "wild bunny girl" at the library, and decides to solve the mystery surrounding Mai Sakurajima, who seemingly has gone invisible to much of the world.
As a concept, it's pretty nifty. I like the idea of weird inexplicable supernatural stuff happening around teenagers. It's why I read a lot of light novels and YA in general.
And arguably, it's biggest selling point--the cringy teenagers--is also its biggest weakness.
Sakuta and Mai are super cringe, but in a way that reminds me SO much of my friends when we were in high school. And much of the time, they're hilarious in their weird teenaged hijinks. Sometimes, though, it just goes on a little too long.
Overall, this one reminds me a bit of Haruhi Suzumiya and Book Girl, so I think I'll give the next volume a shot before making my ultimate decision on this series.
Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai is pretty much exactly what it says on the tin. Sakuta spots a "wild bunny girl" at the library, and decides to solve the mystery surrounding Mai Sakurajima, who seemingly has gone invisible to much of the world.
As a concept, it's pretty nifty. I like the idea of weird inexplicable supernatural stuff happening around teenagers. It's why I read a lot of light novels and YA in general.
And arguably, it's biggest selling point--the cringy teenagers--is also its biggest weakness.
Sakuta and Mai are super cringe, but in a way that reminds me SO much of my friends when we were in high school. And much of the time, they're hilarious in their weird teenaged hijinks. Sometimes, though, it just goes on a little too long.
Overall, this one reminds me a bit of Haruhi Suzumiya and Book Girl, so I think I'll give the next volume a shot before making my ultimate decision on this series.
June 24, 2021
Sakuta is a chaotic mess of pheromones and sarcasm. He’s both likeable and unlikeable, once or twice a complete asshole. But in a normal way. Which I like.
The idea behind this story I find very fascinating. I’ve always been interested in how strange the school environment can be. Sakuta said at one time, that school itself is an enclosed society, which you can only see from the outside (or something along those lines). Personally for me. leaving school was a bit of a chock. I realised that there was a different world that the rest of society lives in. “Rascal does not dream…” does a great job of depicting this.
Overall, this is a book I very much enjoyed and it handles themes of bullying and such in a way that is quite brilliant. It’s addicting (that I’ve found most light novels are) and I did get a bit emotion towards the ending. That said, it’s not a full 5 stars for me. But I recommend it!
The idea behind this story I find very fascinating. I’ve always been interested in how strange the school environment can be. Sakuta said at one time, that school itself is an enclosed society, which you can only see from the outside (or something along those lines). Personally for me. leaving school was a bit of a chock. I realised that there was a different world that the rest of society lives in. “Rascal does not dream…” does a great job of depicting this.
Overall, this is a book I very much enjoyed and it handles themes of bullying and such in a way that is quite brilliant. It’s addicting (that I’ve found most light novels are) and I did get a bit emotion towards the ending. That said, it’s not a full 5 stars for me. But I recommend it!
November 5, 2022
Good sweet cripple god did I love this book, and I love it despite the fact that I've already seen the anime and it's literally just the first 3 episodes of the anime in book form (the book came first calm down) and it's sweet, fun and light-hearted in all the best ways a slice of life story like this is meant to be, it's not got over the top violence or dramatic stakes, just a guy, a girl, a bunnysuit and the most interesting thing of all.
Theoretical scientific ideas being described in this story?
did I write that out correctly? Yeah, I did and...yeah that's pretty much volume 1 of the Rascal doesn't dream (it's Human Pig in Japanese, never understand why they can't keep it the same, they talk down about Asusugawa all the time)
But this volume deals with the idea of Schrodinger's Cat and if you don't know what that means google it, and for the story of it, it's well done and fun to read, a real emotional rollercoaster.
Theoretical scientific ideas being described in this story?
did I write that out correctly? Yeah, I did and...yeah that's pretty much volume 1 of the Rascal doesn't dream (it's Human Pig in Japanese, never understand why they can't keep it the same, they talk down about Asusugawa all the time)
But this volume deals with the idea of Schrodinger's Cat and if you don't know what that means google it, and for the story of it, it's well done and fun to read, a real emotional rollercoaster.
October 9, 2023
Bunny Girl Senpai é um anime que eu queria assistir há um tempo, apesar de eu não saber exatamente do que se tratava. Um belo dia descobri que o anime era na verdade baseado nesta série de light novels, o que me agradou visto que preciso de prática de leitura em japonês e visto minha preguiça extrema de assistir coisas.
Dito isso, a minha impressão sobre este livro é que ele só fica realmente bom a partir da segunda metade.
E por quê?
"Ao longo do último ano mais ou menos, suas feições tomaram uma forma mais adulta, o que faz com que não haja um equilíbrio entre sua aparência e sua compostura. Por causa disso, os contatos físicos entre irmão e irmã [mais nova] ficaram com um certa nuance curiosa de prazer culposo."
Porque o autor estava mais ocupado em fazer o protagonista agir como um otaco virgem!!!!!!!!!!!!!
A passagem acima se refere ao Sakuta (o protagonista) e à irmã dele. Isso acontece logo no início do livro e isso me fez seriamente considerar uma desistência, o que só não aconteceu porque o vocabulário estava adequado pro meu nível atual de japonês. Isto é, não que a ideia de parar de ler não tivesse ressurgido em outros pontos:
-Aquela cena no telhado da escola em que o Sakuta atribui a irritabilidade de uma mina à sua TPM. Que me lembre, essa personagem apareceu no livro só pra isso;
-O Sakuta falando pra Mai que ela deveria usar roupas que expusessem mais o corpo dela no primeiro encontro deles;
-Toda a cena em que a Tomoe aparece pela primeira vez. Simplesmente........... toda aquela cena. No final, quando parece que o constrangimento finalmente terminou, o Sakuta fica reparando na calcinha dela.
Entre outras coisas.
O livro está repleto de coisas assim. Não basta o enredo ir seguindo numa boa - ele tem que ser ocasionalmente interrompido por essas pamonhices de otaco. Por exemplo, o seguinte parágrafo na cena em que a Rio nos é apresentada:
"Em verdade, mesmo dizendo que não é pra olhar, não há confiança que não vá olhar realmente. O fato de o olhar ser atraído pra lá é algo já inconsciente, por isso, a não ser que façam modificações genéticas, é algo difícil de evitar."
Pra esclarecer: isso é a linha de pensamento do Sakuta depois da Rio pedir pra ele não ficar falando dos peitos dela no meio de uma conversa que sequer tinha qualquer coisa a ver com isso.
É sério que acham isso engraçado???
Além de tudo isso, o fato é que a primeira metade do livro não evolui muito no enredo. Nada demais acontece referente à Mai e à síndrome dela, o que pode ser explicado pelo foco em inserir na história a ideia estereotípica de fazer o protagonista ter um harém. Já na segunda metade, a situação da Mai começa a apresentar bem mais consequências tanto pra ela quanto pro Sakuta, e a leitura ficou tão interessante que pareceu que eu de repente estava lendo um livro diferente, também pela redução considerável de cenas desconfortáveis. A cena do clímax foi linda (opiniões podem divergir), mas o problema é que ela é linda só se você esquecer do Sakuta da primeira metade do livro. Esse Sakuta não merece de fato essa resolução. Algo que me preocupa muito sobre essa forma típica de caracterização de protagonistas masculinos em mangá e anime é esse cuidado expressado de forma impulsiva e invasiva quanto aos seus interesses românticos. O Sakuta e a Mai têm muitos diálogos legais, mas em muitos momentos o Sakuta faz uns comentários que ele não tem intimidade o suficiente pra fazer, e outros comentários que não se faz nem se você for casado com alguém por cinquenta anos. Esse é o tipo de modelo masculino indevido que os meninos costumam receber. Eu estava pensando em subir um pouco a nota desta análise por causa da segunda metade do livro, que realmente me agradou muito, mas não se pode mais tolerar essas tendências toscas típicas da cultura otaku.
Talvez alguma hora eu dê uma chance pro anime em si - quem sabe, pelo fato de ter sido feita uma adaptação de múltiplos volumes, tenha sobrado menos tempo pra ficar colocando diálogos e comentários impertinentes (apesar que eu sei que certas """cenas chave""" ainda são mantidas).
Em nota final: a Rio é a MELHOR personagem desse livro, ogay. No meio do percurso abominável da primeira metade, tê-la explicando conceitos de física é algo que me trouxe serenidade
Dito isso, a minha impressão sobre este livro é que ele só fica realmente bom a partir da segunda metade.
E por quê?
"Ao longo do último ano mais ou menos, suas feições tomaram uma forma mais adulta, o que faz com que não haja um equilíbrio entre sua aparência e sua compostura. Por causa disso, os contatos físicos entre irmão e irmã [mais nova] ficaram com um certa nuance curiosa de prazer culposo."
Porque o autor estava mais ocupado em fazer o protagonista agir como um otaco virgem!!!!!!!!!!!!!
A passagem acima se refere ao Sakuta (o protagonista) e à irmã dele. Isso acontece logo no início do livro e isso me fez seriamente considerar uma desistência, o que só não aconteceu porque o vocabulário estava adequado pro meu nível atual de japonês. Isto é, não que a ideia de parar de ler não tivesse ressurgido em outros pontos:
-Aquela cena no telhado da escola em que o Sakuta atribui a irritabilidade de uma mina à sua TPM. Que me lembre, essa personagem apareceu no livro só pra isso;
-O Sakuta falando pra Mai que ela deveria usar roupas que expusessem mais o corpo dela no primeiro encontro deles;
-Toda a cena em que a Tomoe aparece pela primeira vez. Simplesmente........... toda aquela cena. No final, quando parece que o constrangimento finalmente terminou, o Sakuta fica reparando na calcinha dela.
Entre outras coisas.
O livro está repleto de coisas assim. Não basta o enredo ir seguindo numa boa - ele tem que ser ocasionalmente interrompido por essas pamonhices de otaco. Por exemplo, o seguinte parágrafo na cena em que a Rio nos é apresentada:
"Em verdade, mesmo dizendo que não é pra olhar, não há confiança que não vá olhar realmente. O fato de o olhar ser atraído pra lá é algo já inconsciente, por isso, a não ser que façam modificações genéticas, é algo difícil de evitar."
Pra esclarecer: isso é a linha de pensamento do Sakuta depois da Rio pedir pra ele não ficar falando dos peitos dela no meio de uma conversa que sequer tinha qualquer coisa a ver com isso.
É sério que acham isso engraçado???
Além de tudo isso, o fato é que a primeira metade do livro não evolui muito no enredo. Nada demais acontece referente à Mai e à síndrome dela, o que pode ser explicado pelo foco em inserir na história a ideia estereotípica de fazer o protagonista ter um harém. Já na segunda metade, a situação da Mai começa a apresentar bem mais consequências tanto pra ela quanto pro Sakuta, e a leitura ficou tão interessante que pareceu que eu de repente estava lendo um livro diferente, também pela redução considerável de cenas desconfortáveis. A cena do clímax foi linda (opiniões podem divergir), mas o problema é que ela é linda só se você esquecer do Sakuta da primeira metade do livro. Esse Sakuta não merece de fato essa resolução. Algo que me preocupa muito sobre essa forma típica de caracterização de protagonistas masculinos em mangá e anime é esse cuidado expressado de forma impulsiva e invasiva quanto aos seus interesses românticos. O Sakuta e a Mai têm muitos diálogos legais, mas em muitos momentos o Sakuta faz uns comentários que ele não tem intimidade o suficiente pra fazer, e outros comentários que não se faz nem se você for casado com alguém por cinquenta anos. Esse é o tipo de modelo masculino indevido que os meninos costumam receber. Eu estava pensando em subir um pouco a nota desta análise por causa da segunda metade do livro, que realmente me agradou muito, mas não se pode mais tolerar essas tendências toscas típicas da cultura otaku.
Talvez alguma hora eu dê uma chance pro anime em si - quem sabe, pelo fato de ter sido feita uma adaptação de múltiplos volumes, tenha sobrado menos tempo pra ficar colocando diálogos e comentários impertinentes (apesar que eu sei que certas """cenas chave""" ainda são mantidas).
Em nota final: a Rio é a MELHOR personagem desse livro, ogay. No meio do percurso abominável da primeira metade, tê-la explicando conceitos de física é algo que me trouxe serenidade
January 1, 2021
Terrific book. I finished it last month, but am getting around to some last minute reviews before the year closes out.
I loved the dialogue. I absolutely, absolutely loved it. There are those who like dialogue to be more realistic, but I prefer the skill in snappy banter. I realize the authors hand is heavily directing the conversation, but I just delight in cleverness. This book had wonderful, clever dialogue. As in movies of old, I find myself wishing that I could have conversations that were just as clever. This story also had a psychological component to it that I enjoyed.
Strong characters. Sensible character arcs with growth, room for further development. Intrigue. A delightful premise. A solid translation, so my hat tips to the translator. I wish I could write half as good as what I read here.
I loved the dialogue. I absolutely, absolutely loved it. There are those who like dialogue to be more realistic, but I prefer the skill in snappy banter. I realize the authors hand is heavily directing the conversation, but I just delight in cleverness. This book had wonderful, clever dialogue. As in movies of old, I find myself wishing that I could have conversations that were just as clever. This story also had a psychological component to it that I enjoyed.
Strong characters. Sensible character arcs with growth, room for further development. Intrigue. A delightful premise. A solid translation, so my hat tips to the translator. I wish I could write half as good as what I read here.
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