‘Go For It, Nakamura-kun!!’ turns gay loneliness into joy
Did this retro-style anime about a gay teenager’s unrequited love release three decades too late, or is it just in time?
"Go For It, Nakamura-kun!!"
Nakamura-kun!! Animation Project
Words by Winter Qiu
This review contains light spoilers.
Has the last queer media you watched left you inconsolable and in shambles? Did you enjoy the chemistry in Heated Rivalry but found it too horny for your liking? If you’re looking for a show with more sugar, less spice, and everything nice, plus a massive dollop of capital Q Queer, Studio Drive brings us Go For It, Nakamura-kun!! right in time for Pride Month. With an art style reminiscent of a 1980s or 90s anime, the show, whose entire first season is streaming on Crunchyroll, feels like the gay coming-of-age show that Millennials were always meant to have.
Okuta Nakamura (Chiaki Kobayashi) is a socially awkward 15-year-old who has a fondness for octopuses, and is head over heels in love with his cheerful classmate, Aiki Hirose (Yuki Sakakihara). Okuta has made it the mission of his high school career to get closer to his crush. There’s just one problem: He can barely look at Hirose without blanking out, much less speak to him.
From the get-go, Nakamura is confident in his sexuality. His self-introduction is simple yet effective in saying so: “I’m just an ordinary high school student. I’m shy, gay, and in love with Hirose Aiki.”
Perceptive fans of the BL genre may recognize Nakamura’s voice actor from his performance as Yoshiki Tsujinaka, another moody protagonist from the recently aired show, The Summer Hikaru Died. Compared to that tragic romance, Nakamura-kun!! approaches queer topics with a much lighter tone, making it perfect for a more casual watch.
The essence of the show comes from the everyday shenanigans of Nakamura’s school life as he stumbles into interactions with his classmates to find unexpected allies. Nakamura’s soft-spoken classmate Hifumi Kawamura (Fairouz Ai) notices his crush on Hirose and silently cheers him on, despite harboring her own crush on Nakamura, a refreshing subversion of the stereotype and trope of gay people falling for straight friends.
I’d be remiss not to mention Reiko Aokiyama (Yō Taichi), the eccentric president of the school’s Occult Research Club. Her camp personality is the sheer embodiment of a 1980s anime’s minor villainess. She is also the only character with an unnaturally occurring hair color. When a school dress code inspection occurs in episode five, Hirose is almost shaved bald because his chestnut brown hair is deemed too light by the strict inspectors. Remembering Reiko, I am left scratching my head in confusion. How in the world does she get away unscathed with her neon blue hair? Does she dye it or is it natural? Is it even legal for a teacher to shave a student’s head? Does Nakamura actually have a shot with Hirose? We may never know the answer to these questions, but I digress.
Hirose is a charming love interest, but he’s also a likable character in his own right. He kicks his feet when he’s nervous. His eyes sparkle when he’s excited. He overthinks. While presenting as extroverted and easygoing, he struggles with understanding his friends’ interests. This feeling of being an outsider is what allows him to connect with Nakamura. They get close, but romance isn’t where the heart of the show really lies.
Nakamura’s journey of expanding his comfort zone is the most meaningful aspect of the story. Some of the best moments of the show exist outside of Hirose, such as Nakamura attending a meet-and-greet event in episode 10. As the only male fan lining up for a BL series, this is the closest he comes to outing himself as gay in public, and his trials and tribulations end with him being rewarded by words of encouragement from his favorite author.
Nakamura-kun panicking during a cooking class
Nakamura-kun!! Animation Project
Like any coming-of-age story, a queer romance has its own rises and falls, butterflies and heartbreaks. In episode 12, Nakamura is faced with a devastating reminder that his crush may be straight after all. As he walks home, he keeps his eyes glued to the floor while straight couples surround him, holding hands and flirting freely without fear of judgment. When he gets home, he collapses into his bed and sobs into his pillow. The sequence hammers home the pain and loneliness Nakamura feels as a minority, especially since he has no one to speak to about his closeted feelings. Uncomfortable as it is, this penultimate episode felt like a love letter to queer folks in the audience: “We see you, we know this has probably happened to you before. You’ll be okay.” Sure enough, the final episode ends on a hopeful note, tying a beautiful bow on the 13-episode story.
I wish we could shout, “Hurray for the gay!” and call it a day, but keeping works centering queer experiences on the market remains a challenge due to being seen as more niche than cishet stories. The manga of Nakamura-kun!! hasn’t seen any new releases since 2021, and the author Syundei seems to have left all social media due to online harassment. Regardless, an anime adaptation five years after the last release of the source material shows that there are people who understand Nakamura-kun!! is a story worthy of being told to the masses.
Published on June 25, 2026
Words by Winter Qiu
Winter Qiu is a first-generation Chinese American born in New York. When they're not playing board games or watching cartoons, they can be spotted in the wild with a cup of milk tea. They probably could've become a doctor like their parents wanted if they didn't like the creative arts so much, but then again, most likely not.