Love Stage!!

Izumi was born in a family of celebrities. His father is a singer, his mother an artist, his older brother the lead vocalist for the popular band CRUSHERZ. Izumi himself, however, is just a nerdy college student. He loves the manga "Magical Girl Lala Lulu" and dreams of becoming a manga writer himself. One day he is roped into filming a commercial where he wears a dress. Another actor on the set, Ryōma Ichijō, mistakes him for a woman and falls in love at first sight. As it turns out, though, they met ten years in the past. And Ryōma's feelings don't change when he finds out Izumi is a boy.

Love Stage!! (2014) is a Japanese animated romantic comedy series produced by J.C.STAFF for Chiba TV, BS11 and Mie TV. Its single 24-minute-per-episode season of ten episodes follows Izumi Sena (voiced by Tsubasa Yonaga), a nerdy college student born into a family of celebrities whose father, mother and older brother are all performers. Izumi dreams of becoming a manga writer and admires the manga Magical Girl Lala Lulu, but he is pulled onto a commercial shoot where he wears a dress. There, actor Ryoma Ichijo (voiced by Takuya Eguchi) mistakes him for a woman and falls instantly in love, a connection rooted in an encounter from ten years earlier. The engine of each episode is the awkward comedy of Izumi trying to hide his identity while Ryoma's devotion refuses to waver once the truth comes out. Supporting voices including Daisuke Hirakawa as Rei Sagara and DAIGO as Shogo Sena add the entertainment-industry world around them. The tone is light, sweet and breezy, with flustered humor and a warm, earnest romance at its center. Fans of Ouran High School Host Club, Sekaiichi Hatsukoi and Bakuman will find resonance in its blend of cross dressing comedy, boys love romance and manga-world backdrop.

• Ouran High School Host Clubshared light romcom tone, cross dressing mistaken identity, and anime comedy romance
• Kaichou wa Maid-sama!shared anime romcom structure built on romantic misunderstanding and cross dressing comedy
• Sekaiichi Hatsukoishared boys love romance with a comedic workplace and entertainment industry backdrop
• Bakumanshared meta fascination with manga creation and otaku culture in a comedic romance

Release Date

2014-07-10

Episode runtime

24 min

Rating

7.1 / 10 (39)

What is Love Stage!! about?

A nerdy college student from a family of celebrities is mistaken for a woman by an actor who fell for him ten years earlier.

What is Love Stage!! like to watch?

Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Love Stage!! as brisk, its intensity as mild and its storytelling as simple.

Is Love Stage!! violent?

No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Love Stage!!.

Which shows are like Love Stage!!?

Shows with a similar feel include Ouran High School Host Club, Kaichou wa Maid-sama!, Sekaiichi Hatsukoi, and Bakuman.

How long is Love Stage!!?

Love Stage!!: 1 season, 10 episodes.

Is Love Stage!! still running?

No, Love Stage!! has ended.

Where can I watch Love Stage!!?

In United States, Love Stage!! streams on Crunchyroll, Crunchyroll Amazon Channel, Hidive Amazon Channel.