Synopsis
Love at first sight is no myth—just ask Okuto Nakamura. Whenever his dreamy classmate Aiki Hirose enters the room, his heart skips a beat, despite the fact that they’ve never actually spoken. Not to mention, Nakamura is a complete klutz with zero friends. Will he ruin his chance at love before it even begins?
(Source: Crunchyroll)
Comments
Caesar E.S. (The Indonesian Anime Times)
To be quite honest, this show isn’t my usual cup of tea (I would lean into shows like Botan Kamiina Fully Blossoms When Drunk, if you catch my drift). Yet Go for it, Nakamura! charming, retro manga artstyle got me interested. That, and Yasuyuki Okamura (Space Dandy) and Kento Nakajima‘s Sudden Spark is such a catchy tune that I had to go check out the anime itself.
I found myself pleasantly surprised! This season isn’t lacking in romantic comedies, but Nakamura might just be a top contender. A big part of is the series’s aesthetic- author Syundei‘s art style looks like it came straight out of the late 80’s, feeling even more like a vintage anime than something like Ranma 1/2 (2024). Yet the clean linework and bright colours really help to breathe even more life into its cast of characters, accentuating, for example, Nakamura’s shyness and awkwardness. But the best example of the show’s visual direction being the right one might be in just how it successfully depicts love interest Hirose’s cute, boyish charm through the protagonist’s eyes. Characters are rounded, soft, and adorable, and, combined with the pop-inspired visual embellishment like screentone patterns and thick outlines, make even the supporting cast and background characters really neat to look at.
Perhaps the best part of the show is how it captures that feeling of awkward young love. Chiaki Kobayashi‘s performance as the titular Nakamura does a great job of portraying the quintessential awkward teenage boy in love. I imagine many people can sympathise with being in his position, and perhaps even have the same inner monologues he does. His emotions and affection for Hirose, despite the awkwardness he displays, feel heartfelt and genuine. You might come in for the cute art style, but it’s that sincerity that makes you keep watching. Just like the title, it’s what makes you want to root for him and shout, “go for it, Nakamura!”.
Go for it, Nakamura! is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.
Facts and Figures
| Alternate title | “Ganbare! Nakamura-kun!!“ |
| Original work | Manga by Syundei |
| Casts |
Atsushi Tamaru as Ryou Mukai |
| Director | Aoi Umeki (Pop Team Epic) |
| Series Composition | Yasuko Aoki |
| Character Designer | Aoi Umeki |
| Music | Ayana Tsujita |
| Opening theme | “Shunpatsuteki ni Koi Shiyо̄” by Yasuyuki Okamura and Kento Nakajima |
| Ending theme | “Hatsukoi” by Kouzou Murashita |
| Studio | Drive |
| Official Site | https://nakamura-kun.love/ |
| @nkmr_kun_tv | |
| Broadcast date | 31 March 2026 (1530 GMT/2230 WIT), 1 April 2026 (2430 JST) |
Screenshots and Trailer
The Indonesian Anime Times
