is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Kei Sasuga. It was serialized in Kodansha's Weekly Shōnen Magazine from April 2014 to June 2020, with its chapters collected in twenty-eight tankōbon volumes. The manga was published digitally in English by Kodansha USA. An anime television series adaptation produced by Diomedéa was broadcast from January to March 2019 on the MBS's Animeism block. Sentai Filmworks has licensed the series in North America and other countries.
Synopsis
Premise
Natsuo Fujii is hopelessly in love with his teacher, Hina Tachibana. Trying to move on, he agrees to a mixer. There he meets an odd girl, Rui, who invites him to sneak out. She takes him to her house and asks him to have sex with her. Natsuo, frustrated that his love will not bear fruit anyway, loses his virginity to her. The next day, Natsuo's dad tells him that he wants to remarry and his prospective partner is coming to their house that evening. As the door swings open, Natsuo is taken aback to discover that Tsukiko Tachibana, the woman his father plans to marry, has two daughters: his longtime crush, Hina, and her younger sister, Rui.
Setting
Domestic Girlfriend tells the story of Natsuo and his forbidden love towards his first love, who is forced to breakup when discovered. In the void left, Natsuo embarks on a new romantic journey with his stepsister, the girl he lost his virginity to. The story delves into the controversial and complex issues of romantic relationships that involve student-teacher dynamics and step-sibling bonds, while also highlighting the themes of youth, family, friendships, learning, growing up, career, happiness and trust.
Characters
Natsuo, a 17-year-old high school student, harbors aspirations of becoming a novelist. However, he guards his creative talents as a well-kept secret, concealed from his friends and classmates. During his lunch breaks, he often retreats to the rooftop to nurture his passion for writing. It's on this rooftop that he crosses paths with Hina Tachibana, a new English teacher at the school. She becomes his source of inspiration for him, and he falls deeply in love with her. However, their relationship is exposed, and Hina is forced to end it. In his desolation, Natsuo discovers solace in his classmate and stepsister, Rui Tachibana.
Hina is the high school English teacher of Natsuo, who meets her for the first time at the school’s rooftop, a place she frequented to find solace when dealing with her own inner conflicts. Hina becomes a source for inspiration for Natsuo, who develops a deep crush on her. However, Hina also becomes Natsuo’s stepsister after her mother remarries with Natsuo's father.
Rui is a high school student who eventually develops feelings for Natsuo. She initially met him on an outing with friends, where they snuck out and both lost their virginities with one another, to unexpectedly become his stepsister after her mother remarries.
Momo is a classmate of Rui and Natsuo. She is infamous for being flirtatious and sexually promiscuous (when asked, she estimates she hooked-up with over 30 boys, including one of Natsuo's friends), aside from her hobby of making weird plush dolls. She befriends Rui, who was warned not to deal with her and later sets her sights on Natsuo. She is from a broken family and attempted suicide once. Despite her appearance, she is revealed to be quite smart as she landed in the Top Ten during school exams.
Miu is the sole member of the school's Literature Club until the arrival of Natsuo, Rui, and Momo. She is portrayed as a shy and soft-spoken girl with a sense of strictness when they are in the library. She has a crush on her Japanese teacher Kiriya at high school, but she is too shy to confess her feelings to him.
He is the father of Natsuo. He began to date Tokiko Tachibana, knowing his wife died 10 years ago. He becomes stepfather of Hina and Rui after marrying her.
She is the mother of Hina and Rui. She began to date Akihito Fujii after her husband left her, ostensibly for another woman. She becomes Natsuo's step mother after marrying him.
He is Natsuo's best friend and adviser. He works part-time at a bar.
He is one of Natsuo's friends at school.
He is one of Natsuo's friends at school.
A famous author who publishes under the pseudonym You Hasukawa. He also serves as the school's literature club advisor.
Shu Hagiwara, a married 32 years old man, who is a researcher at a Biology lab at a university.