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Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions (TV series)

Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions!, also known as Chū-2 for short, is a Japanese anime television series based on Torako's light novel series of the same name and produced by Kyoto Animation.[2]

The first season aired in Japan from October 4 to December 19, 2012,[3] and the second one from January 8 to March 26, 2014.[4] The series was simulcast by Crunchyroll.[5][6] The first episode for a second set of Lite episodes was released on December 26, 2013,[7] and the second series of shorts, Heated Table Series: Kotatsu, accompanied on Blu-ray and DVD, were released on March 19, 2014. Sentai Filmworks licensed the series and streamed on Hidive. The series was licensed by Madman Anime.

Plot

Yūta Togashi lives in shame of his behaviour in middle-school, characterised by symptoms of "chūnibyō" — delusions of grandeur, displayed though a holier-than-thou persona, "Dark Flame Master" — and intends to start high-school as an ordinary student. However, he unexpectedly encounters fellow first-year student, Rikka Takanashi, who still exhibits chūnibyō as the self-appointed "Wicked Eye", having met her the night before on his balcony. Despite Yūta's annoyances with Rikka's personality, the two spend time together by virtue of living a floor apart in the same apartment complex. They form and develop connections through Rikka's formation of the "Far-East Magical Napping Society – Summer Thereof", its members including Rikka's friend and "Wielder of the Mjollnir Hammer", Sanae Dekomori, the napping enthusiast, Kumin Tsuyuri, and fellow first-year student, Shinka Nibutani; the latter, similar to Yūta, is embarrassed by her own chūnibyō persona in middle-school, the mage "Mori Summer".

Yūta gradually comes to accept Rikka's delusional lifestyle and intent to seek her father's location through the lead of the "Ethereal Horizon", which are challenged throughout their lives, mainly by her relationship with her family. Rikka's elder sister, Tōka, wishes for her to shed her chūnibyō and accept the death of her father. Both Yūta and Rikka come to develop romantic feelings for each other, and it is revealed that Rikka was inspired to live with chūnibyō by observing Yūta in his Dark Flame Master phase.

After getting permission from her grandparents, Rikka continues residing in Yūta's apartment. When Yuta's family travel to Indonesia, the latter and Rikka slowly progress their relationship, but each face their own struggles. Yūta is pressured to advance the relationship more than he already has. Rikka is conflicted about "losing the Wicked Eye's powers" — ridding herself of her chūnibyō — to accommodate her love for Yūta, and if it will be truly accepted. The cast is joined by Satone Shichimiya ("Sophia Ring SP Saturn VII"), a middle-school friend of Yūta, with whom she faces an unrequited love.

The series ends with the anime film Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions! Take on Me, with Rikka and Yūta eloping in a trip around Japan, and evading Tōka when she plans to invite Rikka to Italy.

Series overview

Voice cast

Release

Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions

In December 2011, Kyoto Animation announced that the series has received its anime adaptation and would run on television in the issue of the Newtype magazine in August 2012.[8] The series aired in Japan from October 4 to December 19, 2012.[3] The series of six original net animation shorts titled Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions Lite were streamed weekly on YouTube between September 27 and November 1, 2012.[9][10] The series was released on six Blu-ray and DVD compilation volumes by Pony Canyon between December 19, 2012 and May 15, 2013.[11][12] The volumes contained bonus shorts titled Depth of Field: Ai to Nikushimi Gekijō (Depth of Field ～ 愛と憎しみ劇場).[13] A seventh volume with the original video animation episode and the Lite shorts, was released on June 19, 2013.[10]

Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions: Heart Throb

A second series, Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions: Heart Throb, aired in Japan from January 8 to March 26, 2014.[4] The first episode of a second set of Lite episodes was released on December 26, 2013 and a second series of shorts called Heated Table Series: Kotatsu accompanied each BD/DVD release, starting on March 19, 2014.[7][14]

Films

The series has two films. An anime film titled Love, Chunibyo and Other Delusions!: Rikka Version (小鳥遊六花・改 ～劇場版 中二病でも恋がしたい!～), served as the retelling story for the first season, was released on September 14, 2013, and was later released on Blu-ray Disc and DVD on February 19, 2014.[15] Sentai Filmworks has licensed the film in North America.[16][17] A second anime film, Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions! Take on Me (映画 中二病でも恋がしたい! -Take on Me-), was released on January 6, 2018. It is set after the second season and served as the finale of the anime series. The staff and cast from the original anime series returned to reprise their respective roles in the second film.[18]

Music

The opening theme for the first season is "Sparkling Daydream" by Zaq, and the ending theme is "Inside Identity" by Black Raison d'être. There are also three insert songs: "Hajimari no Tane" (始まりの種) by Zaq in episode eight, "Kimi no Tonari ni" (君のとなりに) by Zaq in episode ten and "Miagete Goran Yoru no Hoshi o" (見上げてごらん夜の星を) by Maaya Uchida in episode ten. The single for "Sparkling Daydream" was released on October 24, 2012 and the single for "Inside Identity" on November 21, 2012.[19] For the Lite episodes, the opening theme is "Kimi e" (君へ) and the ending theme is "Shikkoku ni Odoru Haōbushi" (漆黒に躍る弧濁覇王節); both are sung by Zaq.[20]

The second season features two pieces of music: the opening theme is "Voice" by Zaq and the ending theme is "Van!shment Th!s World" by Black Raison d'être. The ending theme for the Lite episodes is "Shin'en ni Mau Senritsu Shanikusai" (深淵に舞う戦慄謝肉祭) by Zaq.

International release and distribution

Crunchyroll has streamed the series in selected regions.[5][6] In North America, Sentai Filmworks has acquired the series for home video and was streamed on the Anime Network before transferring to its nascent Hidive service with an English dub production starring the voices of Margaret McDonald, Leraldo Anzaldua, Brittney Karbowski, Maggie Flecknoe, Emily Neves, and Christina Kelly.[21][22][23][24] Sentai Filmworks released the second season on August 25, 2015.[25]

In Southeast Asia, it was aired by Animax Asia and premiered on June 2, 2014.[26][27][28]

The second season was licensed by Animatsu Entertainment in the United Kingdom.[29] Madman Anime started streaming the series on January 7, 2014 on Madman's Screening Room in Australia and New Zealand.[1]

Following the acquisition of Crunchyroll by Sony Pictures Television, the parent company of Funimation in 2021, the series was removed from the service on March 31, 2022.[30]

External links

References

  1. Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions! REN now streaming in Australia Anime News Network, January 13, 2014, retrieved January 13, 2020^
  2. Kyoto Animation Plans Chū-2 Byō Demo Koi ga Shitai! Anime Anime News Network, December 27, 2011, retrieved July 9, 2012^
  3. Chūnibyō Demo Koi ga Shitai! Slated for October 3 Anime News Network, September 1, 2012, retrieved September 26, 2012^
  4. 2nd Chūnibyō demo Koi ga Shitai Season's Title, Key Visual Revealed Anime News Network, December 2, 2013, retrieved December 4, 2013^
  5. Crunchyroll to Stream Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions REN Sequel Anime Anime News Network, January 6, 2014, retrieved January 7, 2020^
  6. Madman Entertainment Adds 'Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions Ren' Anime Simulcast, Home Video Rights The Fandom Post, January 8, 2014, retrieved January 9, 2020^
  7. Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions Lite II Short's 1st Episode Stars Nibutani, Kumin Anime News Network, December 26, 2013, retrieved December 27, 2013^
  8. Egan Loo. Kyoto Animation's Chūnibyō Demo Koi ga Shitai! to Run on TV Anime News Network, July 7, 2012, retrieved September 6, 2023^
  9. KyoAni Streams Chūnibyō Demo Koi ga Shitai! 'Lite' #1 Anime News Network, September 27, 2012, retrieved October 3, 2012^
  10. 7th Chūnibyō Demo Koi ga Shitai! BD/DVD Adds Unaired Anime Anime News Network, November 1, 2012, retrieved November 1, 2012^
  11. 中二病でも恋がしたい! (1) [Blu-ray] (2012) Amazon.co.jp, 19 December 2012, retrieved June 30, 2013^
  12. 中二病でも恋がしたい! (6) [Blu-ray] Amazon.co.jp, 15 May 2013, retrieved June 30, 2013^
  13. Chūnibyō Demo Koi ga Shitai! BDs/DVDs to Have Unaired Shorts Anime News Network, October 3, 2012, retrieved October 3, 2012^
  14. Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions Lite II Short's 1st Episode Stars Nibutani, Kumin Anime News Network, December 26, 2013, retrieved December 27, 2013^
  15. Chūnibyō demo Koi ga Shitai! Gets Film in September Anime News Network, June 9, 2013, retrieved June 9, 2013^
  16. Sentai Filmworks Licenses Tamako Market, Chunibyō, Beyond the Boundary Anime Films Anime News Network, March 31, 2017, retrieved March 31, 2017^
  17. Love, Chunibyo and Other Delusions!: Rikka Version Sentai, retrieved 2025-10-29^
  18. Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions! Gets New Anime Film on January 6 Anime News Network, May 19, 2017, retrieved May 19, 2017^
  19. 音楽CD Kyoto Animation, retrieved October 3, 2012^
  20. http://www.anime-chu-2.com/news/?id=24 Kyoto Animation, 19 October 2012, retrieved January 16, 2013^
  21. Sentai Filmworks Adds KyoAni's Chūnibyō Demo Koi Ga Shitai Anime News Network, September 30, 2012, retrieved September 30, 2012^
  22. The Anime Network to Stream Chūnibyō Demo Koi ga Shitai!, Busou Shinki Anime Anime News Network, October 2, 2012, retrieved October 3, 2012^
  23. https://www.crunchyroll.com/news/latest/2015/1/27/love-chunibyo-other-delusions-english-dub-cast-announced?srsltid=AfmBOoo21Uc0DyrqkSCTT507p5ahHQWWV0VELhc-kO1yygkJr4ttnahe^
  24. Sentai Filmworks Acquires Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions License The Fandom Post, February 4, 2014, retrieved February 5, 2014^
  25. August 2015 releases Sentai Filmworks, retrieved May 8, 2015^
  26. JM Melegrito. ANIMAX Asia presents a "Jumbo" anime line-up this June Anime Pilipinas, June 2, 2014, retrieved November 7, 2021^
  27. Animax Adds Chunibyo S2, Hamatora, Nisekoi, World Conquest Zvezda Plot Anime News Network, January 14, 2014, retrieved January 14, 2020^
  28. Animax UK Adds Four New Free Simulcasts For January The Fandom Post, January 15, 2014, retrieved January 15, 2020^
  29. Manga UK Updates from London MCM Comic Con Anime News Network, May 28, 2016, retrieved May 28, 2016^
  30. Food Wars, Is It Wrong to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? and More Are Leaving Crunchyroll Crunchyroll, March 24, 2022, retrieved April 15, 2022^