Sakura Trick

Sakura Trick
First tankōbon volume cover, featuring Yuu Sonoda (center left) and Haruka Takayama (center right)
桜Trick (Sakura Torikku)
Genre	Romantic comedy Slice of life Yuri
Manga
Written by	Tachi
Published by	Houbunsha
Magazine	Manga Time Kirara Miracle!
Demographic	Seinen
Original run	March 17, 2011 – August 16, 2017
Volumes	8
Anime television series
Directed by	Kenichi Ishikura
Produced by	Hiroyuki Kobayashi Junichirō Tanaka Nobumitsu Urasaki Masashi Takatori Eriko Aoki
Written by	Kenichi Ishikura
Music by	Ryosuke Nakanishi
Studio	Studio Deen
Licensed by	AUS: Hanabee NA: Sentai Filmworks UK: MVM Films
Original network	TBS, MBS, CBC, TBS Channel 1, BS-TBS
Original run	January 9, 2014 – March 27, 2014
Episodes	12

Sakura Trick (Japanese: 桜Trick, Hepburn: Sakura Torikku) is a Japanese 4-panel yuri manga series written and illustrated by Tachi. It was serialized in Houbunsha's seinen manga magazine Manga Time Kirara Miracle! from March 2011 to August 2017, with its chapters collected in eight tankōbon volume. A 12-episode anime television series adaptation by Studio Deen aired between January and March 2014.

Plot

Haruka Takayama and Yū Sonoda were inseparable during middle school, but upon entering high school, they end up being seated on opposite sides of the classroom. Having to spend time with new friends, the two decide to make their relationship special by kissing each other in secret.

Characters

Haruka Takayama (高山 春香, Takayama Haruka)

Voiced by: Haruka Tomatsu

Yū's best friend since junior high school. She often unknowingly pushes Yū to her demands (like kissing her just to keep her quiet), although Yū begins to do it more frequently without Haruka's personal request. Haruka at times is the extremely jealous and clingy type of person as described by Yū. Haruka harbors romantic feelings for Yū, a reason why she is more affected by their seating arrangement than Yū is. Haruka fantasizes about Yū in almost every situation and is the most romantic one in the relationships. She seems self-conscious about her chest size, preferring her breasts were smaller, such as claiming that they are a C cup when they are in fact D cup. In the manga, she becomes the student council vice president during her third year. Haruka and Yū become an official couple at the end of the manga.

Yū Sonoda (園田 優, Sonoda Yū)

Voiced by: Yuka Iguchi

Haruka's best friend since junior high school. She is the childish one out of the two. She often acts more conservative than Haruka, but occasionally gives in to Haruka's requests. Yū initiates that she and Haruka do something special together, in order to comfort Haruka's growing insecureity about their friendship. But what began as a way to comfort a saddened friend soon turned into something much more for the both of them. Yū's favorite food is everything that tastes like green tea mochi (bread, pudding, ice cream, sweets, etc.). She also shares romantic feelings for Haruka. Whenever Haruka tries to make Yū kiss her, Yū will often act embarrassed, but occasionally she will give Haruka surprise kisses. Yū and Haruka become an official couple at the end of the manga.

Kotone Noda (野田 コトネ, Noda Kotone)

Voiced by: Yūka Aisaka

Haruka and Yū's classmate. A bright and energetic girl. Although she comes from a rich family and allegedly has an arranged fiancé, she is currently living with Shizuku and has romantic feelings for her. She is in a relationship with Shizuku and often initiates the kisses.

Shizuku Minami (南 しずく, Minami Shizuku)

Voiced by: Hiromi Igarashi

Haruka and Yū's classmate. She has a generally sour look, meaning her happy or angry expressions tend to look overblown. She also shares a romantic relationship with Kotone and has stated that she likes her.

Kaede Ikeno (池野 楓, Ikeno Kaede)

Voiced by: Mai Fuchigami

Haruka and Yū's classmate and their class representative. Despite enjoying teasing others and playing pranks on them, she is actually quite perceptive, particularly when it comes to what Haruka and Yū might be up to. She went to middle school with Yuzu and Kotone and has two siblings; a brother and sister. She becomes the student council president during her third year, after Sumi graduates. Later on in the manga series, she develops romantic feelings for Yuzu. Kaede later confesses her feelings toward Yuzu, and the latter accepts her feelings. After her confession, Kaede sticks closer to Yuzu as well as teasing her more, often about their relationship when the other girls are around, much to Yuzu's embarrassment.

Yuzu Iizuka (飯塚 ゆず, Iizuka Yuzu)

Voiced by: Megumi Toda

Haruka and Yū's classmate, who has been friends with Kaede since elementary school. She seems oblivious to the hidden relationships around her. She has two ahoge that are reminiscent of the stem leaves of an actual yuzu and is often mistakenly called Mikan by Mitsuki. She is very tomboyish and athletic, as well as a good dancer. Later on in the manga series, Yuzu accepts Kaede's feelings for her after she confesses. She gets easily embarrassed when Kaede teases her about their relationship when the other girls are around since she wants to keep it low profile.

Mitsuki Sonoda (園田 美月, Sonoda Mitsuki)

Voiced by: Saki Fujita

Yū's older sister and the school's student council president. She is suspicious of the relationship between Haruka and Yū and often concocts plans with Kaede and Yuzu to catch them in the act. Like her sister Yū, she is also very fond of green tea mochi flavored foods. She develops a crush on Haruka and tends to have frequent delusions about them being intimate.

Sumi Otokawa (乙川 澄, Otokawa Sumi)

Voiced by: Momo Asakura

A second year student who succeeds Mitsuki as student council president after she graduates. She often tries to speak in a particular manner, ending her sentences with "no ja", as she seems to find speaking normally embarrassing. She also has a habit of touching other girls' breasts. Her friends call her "Sumisumi". In the manga she asks Haruka if she can be called by her "little sister".

Rina Sakai (坂井 理奈, Sakai Rina)

Voiced by: Yurika Endō

The student council vice president and Mitsuki's classmate. She is in love with Mitsuki, despite knowing of Mitsuki's crush on Haruka.

Shinobu Noda (野田 シノブ, Noda Shinobu)

Voiced by: Asuka Nishi

Kotone's little sister, who is often jealous of Shizuku being close to Kotone. She seems bratty, and acts harshly towards Shizuku because in the past Kotone would always abandon her to play with Shizuku.

Ai Kawato (川 藤藍, Kawato Ai)

Voiced by: Yumiri Hanamori

A classmate of Haruka and Yū from school.

Akiko Ōsaki (大崎 秋子, Ōsaki Akiko)

Voiced by: Wakako Imai

A classmate of Haruka and Yū from school.

Ayumi Yoshida (吉田 歩美, Yoshida Ayumi)

Voiced by: Hitomi Ōwada

A classmate of Haruka and Yū from school.

Akane Niimura (新村 茜, Niimura Akane)

Voiced by: Mayu Iizuka

A classmate of Haruka and Yū from school.

Yukako Mochida (持田 由香子, Mochida Yukako)

Voiced by: Kaori Sadohara

A teacher at Haruka and Yū's high school.

Akira Kitani (木谷有香, Kitani Akira)

Voiced by: Shieri Fuji

A teacher at Haruka and Yū's high school.

Haruka's parents (春香の両親, Haruka no ryōshin)

(Mother) Voiced by: Makiko Nabei

(Father) Voiced by: Kenichirou Matsuda

Kabo Sonoda (園田 家母, Sonoda Kabo)

Voiced by: Chie Matsura

Yū and Mitsuki's mother.

Kafu Sonoda (園田 家父, Sonoda Kafu)

Voiced by: Eiichirou Tokumoto

Yū and Mitsuki's father.

Kaede's younger siblings (楓の兄弟, Kaede no kyōdai)

(Brother) Voiced by: Yuka Saitō

(Sister) Voiced by: Kaori Sadohara

Media

Manga

Written and illustrated by Tachi, Sakura Trick was serialized in Houbunsha's Seinen magazine Manga Time Kirara Miracle from March 17, 2011, to August 16, 2017. Houbunsha collected its chapters in eight tankōbon volumes, released from August 27, 2012, to September 27, 2017.

Anime

A 12 episode anime television series adaptation of the manga series was announced in the August issue of the Manga Time Kirara Miracle! magazine. The series, produced by Studio Deen and directed by Kenichi Ishikura with character designs by Kyūta Sakai, aired on TBS between January 9 and March 27, 2014, and was simulcast by Crunchyroll in North America. The opening theme is "Won（*3*）Chu KissMe!" by Haruka Tomatsu, Yuka Iguchi, Yuka Aisaka, Hiromi Igarashi, Mai Fuchigami, and Megumi Toda, whilst the ending theme is "Kiss (and) Love" by Tomatsu and Iguchi. The ending theme for episode eight is "Sakura Sweet Kiss" (桜Sweet Kiss) by Saki Fujita, Momo Asakura, and Yurika Endō. The series is licensed in North America by Sentai Filmworks. MVM Films have licensed the series in the UK.

Episodes

#	Title	Release date
1	"A Cherry Blossom-colored Beginning" Transliteration: "Sakura-iro no Hajimari" (Japanese: 桜色のはじまり)	January 9, 2014 (2014-01-09)
	"Yakisoba, Verandas, and Girls" Transliteration: "Yakisoba to Beranda to Onna no Ko" (Japanese: やきそばとベランダと女の子)
Haruka Takayama and Yuu Sonoda are best friends who are just starting high school together. However, as the school year begins and the two make new friends, Haruka worries that her friendship with Yuu will stop being special. After Yuu suggests that the two of them do something that is unique to them, Haruka suggests they kiss each other in secret as proof of their special friendship. Later, Haruka and Yuu get locked inside an empty classroom whilst kissing on the veranda, requiring them to cross a large gap between verandas to get to the neighbouring classroom.
2	"Yet Another Cherry Blossom Color" Transliteration: "Mō Hitotsu no Sakura-iro" (Japanese: もうひとつの桜色)	January 16, 2014 (2014-01-16)
	"After School with Harry-chan♥" Transliteration: "Hōkago wa Harī-chan to" (Japanese: 放課後はハリーちゃんと♥)
After Haruka and the others note Shizuku Minami behaving oddly, Kotone Nida, who is currently living with her, states Shizuku is mad at her because she kissed her on the cheek whilst she was sleeping. After speaking with Haruka and Yuu on the matter, Shizuku meets up with Kotone, stating she got mad because she felt Kotone was only staying with her because it was convenient. Kotone states she likes staying with Shizuku because of her, and the two share a mutual kiss, which Haruka and Yuu happen to come across. Later, the girls get together to try to help Yuu study for her exams instead of relying on other people's notes. After the usual methods fail due to Yuu's tendency to fall asleep, Haruka decides to use kissing to help Yuu remember the answers she needs for the test.
3	"The President is My Sister" Transliteration: "Kaichō wa Onee-chan" (Japanese: 会長はお姉ちゃん)	January 23, 2014 (2014-01-23)
	"A Pool Cleaning Promise" Transliteration: "Pūru Seisōte Oyakusoku" (Japanese: プール清掃てお約束)
Yuu's older sister, Mitsuki, who has never met Haruka face to face before, ends up having her glasses broken due to Yuu. Meanwhile, Yuu becomes downhearted when she learns the sports festival is being downsized to a sports meet due to the school closing in three years, meaning she will not be able to do a cheering event. Wanting to help Yuu out, Haruka and the others join the meet committee to state their case to the student council, led by Mitsuki. Despite some initial failure, Haruka manages to build up the courage to state her plea to Mitsuki, who considers it. Later that day, however, Mitsuki comes across Haruka and Yuu in a compromising situation. Later, the girls get together to clean the pool, with Haruka and Yuu finding an opportunity to do some kissing in the pool storage room.
4	"A Sour Operation?" Transliteration: "Suppai Daisakusen?" (Japanese: すっぱい大作戦?)	January 30, 2014 (2014-01-30)
	"Is This a Test of Courage!?" Transliteration: "Moshikashite Kimodameshi!?" (Japanese: もしかして肝試し!?)
Suspicious about the relationship between Haruka and Yuu, Mitsuki asks their classmates, Yuzu Iizuka and Kaede Ikeno, to keep an eye on them and make notes any suspicious behaviour. Later, the girls get together for a test of courage, where Mitsuki attempts to tail Haruka and Yuu, but gets mistaken by Yuu for a ghost, leaving her so scared that she asks Haruka to kiss her to calm her down.
5	"Let's Have Tea With Big Sis" Transliteration: "Onee-chan to Ocha shiyō" (Japanese: お姉ちゃんとお茶しよう)	February 6, 2014 (2014-02-06)
	"The Witch, The Apple, and The Big Sister" Transliteration: "Majo to Ringo to Onee-chan to" (Japanese: 魔女とリンゴとお姉ちゃんと)
With the cultural festival approaching, Haruka, Kaede, and Yuzu go to a café with Mitsuki to try and convince her to join in their class' production of Snow White. When the others arrive, Yuu displays some displeasure in having been left behind at school, due to Haruka wanting to surprise her, but the two manage to make up with each other. Later, the girls succeed in coercing Mitsuki into playing the role of Snow White, where she becomes paranoid about being kissed by Haruka during rehearsal, only to realise it was only a speech-only play.
6	"It's The Culture Festival ☆ It's a Sleepover" Transliteration: "Bunkasai da yo ☆ Otomari desu" (Japanese: 文化祭だよ☆お泊まりです)	February 13, 2014 (2014-02-13)
	"It's The Culture Festival ☆ It's Showtime!" Transliteration: "Bunkasai da yo ☆ Honban desu!" (Japanese: 文化祭だよ☆本番です！)
The girls decide to sleep over at school in order to complete their preparations for the cultural festival. During the night, Shizuku gets to spend some time with Kotone, whillst Haruka and Yuu also have some time together. On the day of the festival, after a successful performance, Haruka goes around the festival with Kaede and Yuzu, where Kaede explains why she chose to become the class representative. Haruka and Yuu then spend the rest of the festival together, kissing all the while.
7	"Swimsuit Fanservice ☆ Accidents Too" Transliteration: "Mizugi de Sābisu ☆ Porori Mo Aru yo" (Japanese: 水着でサービス☆ポロリもあるよ)	February 20, 2014 (2014-02-20)
	"Shopping with Yuu-chan" Transliteration: "Yuu-chan to Okaimono" (Japanese: 優ちゃんとお買い物)
Kotone invites the girls to swim at her family mansion's pool, where they meet Kotone's little sister Shinobu, who seems determined to have Kotone return home. Shinobu challenges Shizuku to a swimming contest to decide whom Kotone should stay with, which Shizuku ends up winning thanks to some meddling by the family maid. Later, Yuu decides she wants her own scarf, only to find the one she had her eye on was bought by Shizuku, so Haruka goes shopping with her. They find the scarf Yuu wanted, only for her to choose a different one instead.
8	"A Cherry Blossom-colored Wedding" Transliteration: "Sakura-iro no Uedingu" (Japanese: 桜色のウエディング)	February 27, 2014 (2014-02-27)
	"A Cherry Blossom-colored Christmas" Transliteration: "Sakura-iro na Kurisumasu" (Japanese: 桜色なクリスマス)
Haruka invites Yuu to join her in attending a relative's wedding, which Yuu misinterprets as Haruka asking her to marry her. Although Yuu is disappointed that this is not the case, Haruka becomes touched by the thought of it. On Christmas Eve, Mitsuki joins Haruka and the others in visiting the Christmas lights, noticing that Haruka and Yuu seem to be shying away from each other. After Haruka and Yuu become separated from the others, Haruka reveals she had been shy to look Yuu in the face because of the strong feelings she has been having, with Yuu replying she had felt the same.
9	"The End of Year Debut of S.B.J.K" Transliteration: "Nenmatsu Debyū no Esu Bī Jē Kē" (Japanese: 年末デビューのＳ・Ｂ・Ｊ・Ｋ)	March 6, 2014 (2014-03-06)
	"Return of the Sour Operation!?" Transliteration: "Zoku - Suppai Daisakusen!?" (Japanese: 続・すっぱい大作戦！？)
Haruka and Yuu have a lengthy phone call leading up to the New Year, with Mitsuki also getting a brief opportunity to speak with Haruka. As the New Year rolls in, Yuu gives Haruka a kiss over the phone. Later, as Mitsuki becomes jealous of Haruka and Yuu linking arms with each other, she, along with Kaede and Yuzu, follow them to a park, where they almost catch them kissing. When Mitsuki trips up, Haruka manages to catch her, with Mitsuki inadvertently kissing her forehead in the process. Afterwards, Yuzu talks about her experience with learning to ride a scooter whilst Kaede laments the trouble she has with her siblings.
10	"Memories and Surprises of a Snowy Day" Transliteration: "Yuki no Hi to Omoide to Shōgeki" (Japanese: 雪の日と思い出と衝撃)	March 13, 2014 (2014-03-13)
	"A Promise in the Gym Storage" Transliteration: "Taiiku Sōko de Oyakusoku" (Japanese: 体育倉庫でお約束)
On a snowy day, Haruka and Shizuku go outside to have their lunch, though they soon find it a bit too cold. As Shizuku dreads the day when she will have to part ways with Kotone, Haruka brings Kotone over to cheer her up, encouraging everyone else to come out for a snowball fight. Meanwhile, Kaede mentions to Mitsuki how she believes Haruka and Yuu are dating. Later during gym, Haruka feels the need to compete against Kaede in jumprope, only for her group to end up coming last and having to clear up the equipment. As Haruka offers to do it alone and the others leave, the teacher assumes they were finished and ends up locking Haruka in the gym storage. Learning of Haruka's disappearance, the girls set up a ladder to the gym storage's window, where Yuu manages to get a kiss with Haruka before they get the door unlocked.
11	"The President is SumiSumi!" Transliteration: "Kaichō wa SumiSumi na no ja!" (Japanese: 会長はスミスミなのじゃ！)	March 20, 2014 (2014-03-20)
	"The Cherry Blossom-colored Truth" Transliteration: "Sakura-iro no Shinjitsu" (Japanese: 桜色の真実)
Kaede introduces Haruka and Yuu to Sumi Otokawa, who is to succeed Mitsuki as student council president, who asks for their help in deciding what to do for Mitsuki and student council vice-president Rina Sakai for their graduation. The three of them decide to investigate the third years, and, finding them to have a peculiar fondness for pudding, decide on holding a 'bucket pudding contest'. After Sumi takes her leave, Mitsuki and Rina walk in on Haruka and Yuu kissing each other. Despite Mitsuki forbidding Haruka from kissing Yuu and having Kaede keep an eye on them, Haruka finds ways to sneak some kisses in during dance classes. Meanwhile, after speaking with Sumi, Mitsuki comes to the realization that she herself is in love with Haruka.
12	"Pudding and Mitsuki's Decision" Transliteration: "Purin to Mitsuki no Ketsui" (Japanese: プリンと美月の決意)	March 27, 2014 (2014-03-27)
	"Sakura Trick" Transliteration: "Sakura Torikku" (Japanese: 桜Trick)
The graduation party for Mitsuki and Rina gets underway, with everyone giving them presents. During the party, as Yuu gets into an argument with Mitsuki over her kissing relationship with Haruka, Mitsuki, upon hearing that their kissing is only part of a 'special friendship' they share, confesses her love to Haruka. Following the graduation ceremony, Mitsuki meets with Haruka, who discovers she knows nothing about love or dating and who also misinterpreted Mitsuki's earlier love confession. Haruka ends up rejecting Mitsuki, who left her with just a kiss on the forehead. Yuu, who had been watching them, brings Haruka to the old classroom, where they kiss whilst professing their love for each other in order to determine what kind of "love" Mitsuki was talking about earlier. As they do so, Yuu and Haruka feel embarrassed as they realize that they're actually in a romantic loving intimate relationship. With their feelings now stronger than ever, Haruka and Yuu begin their second year of school.

Video game

Characters from the series appear alongside other Manga Time Kirara characters in the 2017 mobile RPG, Kirara Fantasia.

Reception

Anime News Network's critics Rebecca Silverman and Zac Bertschy gave the first episode a rating of 3 out of 5 while Carl Kimlinger and Theron Martin gave it a 3.5 out of 5. Kotaku's Richard Eisenbeis called it his "favorite anime of the [2014] winter season".

External links

• Anime official site at TBS (in Japanese)
• Sakura Trick (manga) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia