Too Many Losing Heroines! (Japanese: 負けヒロインが多すぎる！, Hepburn: Make Hiroin ga Ōsugiru!), also known as Makeine (マケイン), is a Japanese light novel series written by Takibi Amamori and illustrated by Imigimuru. The story takes place in Toyohashi, Aichi, where Amamori comes from. It follows a boy in high school interacting with several girls who got heartbroken after being rejected by their respective love interests. It began publication under Shogakukan's Gagaga Bunko imprint in July 2021. A manga adaptation illustrated by Itachi began serialization on Shogakukan's Ura Sunday website and MangaOne app in April 2022.
An anime television series adaptation produced by A-1 Pictures aired from July to September 2024. A second season has been announced. Both the novel and the anime series were met with very positive reviews.
Contents
Plot
Self-proclaimed "background character" Kazuhiko Nukumizu accidentally witnesses Anna Yanami, a beautiful and popular girl in his class, being rejected by her childhood friend. He labels her a "losing heroine", and soon finds himself getting involved with Anna and other similar girls.
Characters
Main characters
Kazuhiko Nukumizu (温水 和彦, Nukumizu Kazuhiko)
Voiced by: Shotaro Uzawa (audiobook), Shūichirō Umeda (anime) (Japanese); Kevin D. Thelwell (English)
The protagonist of the series. He is a reserved first-year high-school student with an analytical personality and is also an otaku fond of reading light novels. He usually doesn't like socializing and tends to be on his own, but can still offer good advice to others around him. He witnesses the various heroines of the story being rejected by their crushes and decides to emotionally support them and help them move on — though at times, their antics tend to annoy him beyond belief. As the story progresses, Nukumizu begins to open up and socialize more thanks to his time with the girls, and starts developing genuine friendships with people for the first time in his life. He has a taste for tap water and its quality, a hobby he shares with Chika. It's implied that he develops a crush on Anna later on, but this is not confirmed yet.
Anna Yanami (八奈見 杏菜, Yanami Anna)
Voiced by: Rina Honnizumi (audiobook), Hikaru Tono (anime) (Japanese); Trisha Mellon (English)
One of the loser heroines. She is the popular girl in Kazuhiko's class with vibrant blue hair, a bright and charming personality, and is close friends with Lemon. Though she's known for her beauty and playful nature, and is often the target of many other boys' affections, she's had a long-lasting crush on her childhood friend Sōsuke Hakamada, who never reciprocated her feelings at all and instead started dating her rival Karen Himemiya, much to her frustration and inner jealousy. She is a glutton and is often seen eating, though always manages to maintain a healthy and slim figure. Though her antics tend to annoy Nukumizu, she genuinely does care for him, and with his help, she is eventually able to move on from her heartbreak and enjoy life.
Amamori did not originally plan Anna to be a glutton, but wrote her that way as he continued writing the story. He originally planned to name her Iroha, although his editor suggested he change it as it was already the name of a major character in My Youth Romantic Comedy Is Wrong, as I Expected.
Tsuwabuki High School
Koto Tsukinoki (月之木 古都, Tsukinoki Koto)
Voiced by: Keaki Watanabe (audiobook), Atsumi Tanezaki (anime) (Japanese); Madeleine Norton (English)
The vice president of the literature club who is Shintarō's childhood friend. Shintarō holds feelings for her, and she recently became his girlfriend.
Shintarō Tamaki (玉木 慎太郎, Tamaki Shintarō)
Voiced by: Shuma Konoe (audiobook), Yūsuke Kobayashi (anime) (Japanese); Ethan Gallardo (English)
The president of the literature club whom Chika is in love with. However, he has no romantic feelings for Chika at all, and instead is in love with Koto.
Sōsuke Hakamada (袴田 草介, Hakamada Sōsuke)
Voiced by: Taira Yamauchi (audiobook), Ryōta Ōsaka (anime) (Japanese); Alejandro Saab (English)
Another classmate of Kazuhiko who is Anna's childhood friend and long-term crush.
Karen Himemiya (姫宮 華恋, Himemiya Karen)
Voiced by: Azumi Waki (Japanese); Alexis Tipton (English)
Another classmate of Kazuhiko who is Sōsuke's girlfriend and Anna's rival. She is unaware of Anna being rejected by Sōsuke, and is often seen trying to get along with her. She is a kind and good-natured girl who always worries for others and would try to befriend people like Kazuhiko.
Mitsuki Ayano (綾野 光希, Ayano Mitsuki)
Voiced by: Chiaki Kobayashi (Japanese); Connor Allison (English)
Other characters
Kaju Nukumizu (温水 佳樹, Nukumizu Kaju)
Voiced by: Chihiro Shirata (audiobook), Minami Tanaka (anime) (Japanese); Monica Flatley (English)
A second-year middle school student who is Kazuhiko's little sister and is concerned about her older brother's lack of friends. She calls Kazuhiko "Onii-sama" and speaks in the third-person. She is a member of her school's student council. She becomes good friends with several of the girls later on.
Asami Gondō (権藤 アサミ, Gondō Asami)
Voiced by: Akira Sekine (Japanese); Natalie Van Sistine (English)
A second-year middle school student who is Kaju's best and closest friend. She is noted to be unusually tall for a middle school student.
Media
Light novel
Written by Takibi Amamori and illustrated by Imigimuru, Too Many Losing Heroines! began publication under Shogakukan's Gagaga Bunko imprint on July 21, 2021. Nine volumes and two short stories volumes have been released as of July 17, 2026.
In July 2023, the official Twitter account of the light novel announced that the series had been licensed in English without revealing a publisher. In February 2024, Seven Seas Entertainment announced that they had licensed the series.
An audiobook version of the series began on September 20, 2023, featuring the voices of Shotaro Uzawa, Rina Honnizumi, Maki Yamaichi, Mei Shibata, Chihiro Shirata, Keaki Watanabe, Shuma Konoe, Yurie Igoma, Kiri Kamasawa, and Taira Yamauchi, all of whom are from 81 Produce. It has been released up to the second volume of the series.
Manga
A manga adaptation illustrated by Itachi began serialization on Shogakukan's Ura Sunday website and MangaOne app on April 29, 2022. The manga's chapters have been collected in six tankōbon volumes as of August 10, 2026.
In February 2024, Seven Seas Entertainment announced that they also licensed the manga adaptation.
Anime
An anime television series adaptation was announced in December 2023. It is produced by Aniplex, animated by A-1 Pictures, and directed by Shōtarō Kitamura, with scripts written by Masahiro Yokotani, characters designed by Tetsuya Kawakami, and music composed by Kana Utatane. The series aired from July 14 to September 29, 2024, on Tokyo MX and other networks. The opening theme song is "Tsuyogaru Girl" (つよがるガール; lit. 'Tough-Acting Girl'), performed by BotchiBoromaru feat. Mossa of Necry Talkie, while the multiple ending theme songs are performed by the losing heroines in the following order: the first is a cover of Hitomi's "Love 2000" performed by Hikaru Tono as her character Anna Yanami, the second is a cover of Kylee's "Crazy For You" performed by Shion Wakayama as her character Lemon Yakishio, and the third is a cover of Yui's "Feel My Soul" performed by Momoka Terasawa as her character Chika Komari.
The closing sequence for the first episode, was made using cel animation superimposed on live-action backgrounds shot with an 8mm film camera, marking the first time a new cel animation has been broadcast on television in 10 years and 9 months.
Crunchyroll streamed the series worldwide outside of Asia, but including Indian subcontinent. An English dub produced in Coppell under the direction of Helena Walstrom that premiered on July 27, 2024. Plus Media Networks Asia licensed the series in Southeast Asia and airs it on Aniplus Asia.
According to the editor-in-charge of the light novel series, Iwaasa, the discussion about the anime adaptation started before the publication of the first volume of the series. The 12th and final episode of the first season was an original episode written by series creator Takibi Amamori.
A second season was announced during an event for the anime series on April 6, 2025.
Other
The series had an illustration collaboration with the second volume of the manga series Starting Today, We're Childhood Friends by Midori Obiya. It also had multiple collaborations with Toyohashi Zoo and Botanical Park and JR Central.
Shogakukan released an art book titled Too Many Losing Heroines! Imigimuru ARTWORKS (負けヒロインが多すぎる！いみぎむるARTWORKS) (ISBN 978-4-09-199094-5) on January 26, 2026.
Reception
In the 2022 edition of Takarajimasha's annual light novel guide book Kono Light Novel ga Sugoi!, the novel series ranked 18th in the bunkobon category, and 11th in the new work category. It ranked first in the bunkobon category in 2025.
Both the light novel and the anime series have received positive reviews from critics, highlighting the artstyle, characters, humor and emotional depth.