A Side Character's Love Story


A Side Character's Love Story is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Akane Tamura. It was initially serialized in Coamix's Monthly Comic Zenon magazine from March 2017 to July 2018. It was later transferred to the Comic Tatan website in August 2018. A live-action film adaptation is set to premiere in Japanese theaters in Q3 2026.

Plot

Nobuko Tanaka is a university student working part time in a supermarket, who has developed a crush on her co-worker Hiroki Irie. Unfortunately, her shy nature and tendency to second-guess and overthink everything she does, make pursuing her feelings a nearly unsurmountable challenge - especially since Hiroki's personality turns out to be quite similar. But with a little courage, luck, and support from the other co-workers, the two manage to begin a relationship.

Characters

;Nobuko Tanaka
;Hiroki Irie

Media

Manga

Written and illustrated by Akane Tamura, A Side Character's Love Story initially was serialized in Coamix's Monthly Comic Zenon magazine from March 26, 2017, to July 25, 2018. It was later transferred to the Comic Tatan website on August 19, 2018. Its chapters have been collected into twenty-four volumes as of January 2026.
The series' volumes are published digitally in English by Coamix. The series is also published in English on Azuki, Comikey and MangaPlaza.

Live-action film

A live-action film adaptation was announced in the release of the series' 16th volume on May 19, 2023. The film will be directed by Hiroki Kazama. It was originally set to premiere in 2024, but was delayed to Q3 2026. The film will feature Hiyori Sakurada and Taisei Kido in lead roles.