Kimagure Orange Road (きまぐれオレンジ☆ロード Kimagure Orenji Rōdu) is a popular shōnen romantic comedy manga series from the late 1980s.

Written by Izumi Matsumoto (まつもと泉 Matsumoto Izumi), it was later adopted into anime by Akemi Takada, and in the mid 1990s novelized. The series deals with a love triangle between the main character, an indecisive ESPer named Kyosuke Kasuga, Madoka Ayukawa, a mercurial girl with a tough past, and Hikaru Hiyama, Madoka's ditzy best friend. Kyosuke falls in love with Madoka, and Madoka wants to return those feelings, but cannot because of Hikaru's involvement with Kyosuke.

While the length of the series demands that certain elements are repeated, and a number of running gags abound, the series for the most part avoids falling into formula, and this has increased its popularity.

The series consist of 18 volumes of manga (when first printed), 48 TV anime episodes, 8 OVAs, 2 animated movies, and 3 graphic novels published as Shin KOR (New Kimagure Orange Road). Translations of the manga and novels exist in several languages, including Chinese and French. The Shin KOR graphic novels have not officially been translated into english although all three have fan translations at various websites. In the US, the TV series, OVAs, and the first movie is licenced by AnimEigo, while the second movie, based on first Shin KOR graphic novel, is licensed by ADV Films.

Characters

Names are written in Western order, with the family name after the given name.

• Kyosuke Kasuga (春日恭介 Kasuga Kyōsuke):

Kyosuke is the man in the love triangle. He and his family (excluding his father) are all ESPers. His two sisters are often scolded for using their powers in public.

Kyosuke is fairly shy when it comes to girls, and this is used as the source of much of the comedy.

Japanese Seiyuu is Tohru Furuya

• Madoka Ayukawa (鮎川まどか Ayukawa Madoka):

The archetypical "kimagure" (whimsical) character. Secretly in love with Kyosuke Kasuga, and best friend of Hikaru Hiyama who is herself in love with Kyosuke. This character is specifically constructed from several wildly different allurements. On her first appearance, she appears to be a pleasing but typical girl. But in that same episode, she is revealed to be a tough brawler unpopular with the boys in her school, who consoles herself by playing the saxophone enchantingly. In the anime, her signature weapon is her ability to throw a guitar pick like a throwing star. Further, her parents are professional musicians often touring outside Japan. The story involves her socialization upon Kyosuke's joining her group, as evidenced by her giving up cigarettes in an early episode. He daren't use his powers to win her love, though, for he thinks that would be cheating. Her given name refers to the moon.

Japanese Seiyuu is Hiromi Tsuru

• Hikaru Hiyama (檜山ひかる Hiyama Hikaru):

She is initially presented as being more unpleasant a brawler, and a tougher talker, than Madoka. By accidentally seeing Kyosuke using his powers, she falls for him and, besides always calling him by the gaijin word, "Darling," reverts to a form of baby talk. She has unrequited love for Kyosuke. Her name refers to the brightness of the sun, and of a sparkling personality.

Japanese Seiyuu is Eriko Hara

External Links

• AnimEigo: US distributor of KOR TV series, OVA, and original KOR movie
• ADV Kimagure Orange Road page
• KOR Mailing List
• Rob's Super Kimagure Orange Road Page: a fan site with comprehensive information on KOR