Aman Goyal
‘Tokidoki Bosotto Russia-go de Dereru Tonari no Alya-san,’ also known as ‘Roshidere,’ is a modern high school romance anime that introduces a fresh gimmick to its central romance to combine comedy and drama. The story follows Alisa Mikhailovna Kujou, commonly known as Alya, a half-Japanese, half-Russian girl who is the student council treasurer and one of the most popular girls at her school. Her classmate, Masachika Kuze, often becomes the target of Alya’s playful teasing in her native Russian language due to his unmotivated attitude.
The twist in the tale turns out to be the secret crush Alya has on Masachika, something she frequently slips by making flirtatious remarks in Russian. Unbeknownst to her, the latter understands the language, leading to his constant confusion and surprise. The anime adapts the light novel series of the same name, written by SunSunSun and illustrated by Momoco. For fans who enjoy the delicate interplay of hidden feelings and misunderstandings centered on secret infatuations, here are 12 anime like ‘Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russian’ that you should watch.
12. The Dangers in My Heart (2023-)
‘The Dangers in My Heart’ is a cringe comedy anime that brings the eponymous manga written by Norio Sakurai to the screen. The story follows Kyoutarou Ichikawa, a middle school student who pretends to be a delinquent to hide his loneliness. His obsession with murder and human anatomy makes him stalk his classmate, Anna Yamada, a potential target. However, his antics are a mere defense mechanism to cover up romantic feelings he harbors for her, leading to a series of awkward and humorous situations. His over-the-top behavior and internal monologues about unexpressed love resonate with Masachika’s flustered reactions in ‘Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russian.’ Both series highlight the humorous side of concealed emotions and the lengths to which one can go to keep their feelings a secret.
11. Kimi ni Todoke: From Me to You (2009-2011)
Author Karuho Shiina’s ‘Kimi ni Todoke: From Me to You’ revolves around Sawako Kuronuma, a high school girl who is often misunderstood due to her resemblance to the antagonist of ‘The Ring.’ Despite her shy and kind nature, her classmates are intimidated by her appearance. The anime follows Sawako’s journey as she befriends the popular boy, Shouta Kazehaya, who helps her come out of her shell. Similar to ‘Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russian,’ ‘Kimi ni Todoke: From Me to You’ focuses on overcoming insecurities and the many dilemmas that arise from suppressing emotions inside. The series emphasizes the power of genuine connections with tales of an unlikely friendship between a well-liked student and a social outcast.
10. The Angel Next Door Spoils Me Rotten (2023-)
‘The Angel Next Door Spoils Me Rotten’ is the anime version of the eponymous light novel series by Saekisan and Hanekoto. It follows Amane Fujimiya, who lives alone in an apartment, and his classmate Mahiru Shiina — popularly known as Angel at their school — who happens to live next door. Their paths cross when Amane offers Mahiru his umbrella on a rainy day. To repay him, Mahiru starts helping around his apartment with cleaning and cooking, and a close relationship begins to form. Though they practically live like a married couple, Amane and Mahiru lack the confidence to communicate their feelings openly. This dynamic, along with their evolving bond and gradual closeness, mirrors the themes of hidden emotions and mutual support seen in ‘Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russian.’
9. His and Her Circumstances (1998-1999)
‘His and Her Circumstances’ tells the story of Yukino Miyazawa and Soichiro Arima, two high-achieving academic rivals who present a perfect facade but hide their true personalities. Based on the manga, ‘Kare Kano,’ by Masami Tsuda, this anime explores the pressures of living up to personal and societal expectations and the struggles of being honest about one’s feelings. Yukino and Soichiro’s journey of self-discovery and mutual support mirrors the themes of communication barriers and emotional vulnerability found in ‘Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russian.’ In addition to reflecting similar tropes of situational comedy, romance, and introspection, both series are elevated by their focus on the student council and overall teenage politics.
8. More Than A Married Couple, But Not Lovers (2022-)
Yūki Kanamaru’s manga series, ‘Fuufu Ijou, Koibito Miman,’ presents a unique gimmick in an otherwise typical high school romance. The anime adaptation — staying faithful to the source — follows high school students Jirō Yakuin and Akari Watanabe, who are paired up for a practical marriage course. Like Alya’s quintessential delivery of her truthful remarks — so that her weak side stays hidden — Jirō and Akari are also blessed to act like husband and wife and earn better academic grades. As the title suggests, the anime elaborates on the development of their relationship as they pretend to be a married couple while harboring feelings for others. Their evolving relationship mirrors the one between Alya and Masachika, turning the emotional complexity into a compelling watch for the shippers of the latter couple.
7. Maid Sama! (2010-2011)
‘Maid Sama!‘ follows the life of Misaki Ayuzawa, the strict student body president of Seika High School, who secretly works part-time at a maid café. A beloved adaptation of writer-illustrator Hiro Fujiwara’s manga, ‘Kaichō wa Meido-sama!’, this anime sees Misaki’s utter determination to improve her family’s situation and discipline the boys in her school. As the story progresses, Misaki’s struggle to maintain her image often puts her at breaking point, but she remains resilient.
Misaki also begins to see the bright side of the other gender, dealing with her mixed feelings for Takumi Usui, her flirtatious classmate. The series emphasizes the stress of becoming one’s ideal self and the challenge of hiding true feelings, much like ‘Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russian.’ The comedic and romantic elements, combined with a coming-of-age theme, make ‘Maid Sama!’ a delightful choice for fans of light-hearted yet meaningful anime.
6. My Love Story with Yamada-kun at Lv999 (2023)
‘My Love Story with Yamada-kun at Lv999’ is a modern-day romance that takes its will-they-won’t-they narrative outside the typical high school backdrop and into virtual reality. It follows Akane Kinoshita, a college student who starts playing an online game after a breakup and meets the renowned but stoic gamer Akito Yamada. Directed by Morio Asaka and based on the manga written and illustrated by Mashiro, the anime explores Akane’s journey from heartbreak to new beginnings as she tries to make sense of her uncertain feelings for Yamada.
The story emphasizes the challenges of moving on and fearing rejection. As Akane and Yamada remain indecisive about bottling or expressing their true feelings, the story aligns well with ‘Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russian.’ Like Alya’s flirting with Masachika, which is exclusively disguised in Russian, Akane spends most of her time with Yamada chatting inside the game. These indirect interactions spark humor, chemistry, and character growth in both series.
5. Saint Cecilia and Pastor Lawrence (2023)
‘Saint Cecilia and Pastor Lawrence’ revolves around the tender and humorous interactions between Pastor Lawrence and Saint Cecilia, which almost never confirm or dismiss a blooming relationship between the two. Adapting Hazano Kazutake’s shōnen series of the same name, this anime subtly puts the challenges of communication and unspoken feelings. Despite her well-reputed persona as a church member and her mystical powers, Cecilia only unloads her lazy side to Lawrence, who remains unaware of her romantic feelings for him.
The writing highlights the stress of playing the part of one’s ideal self and the barriers it creates when it comes to opening up to the person they like and sharing Alya’s experience. Similar to the central conflict in the core series, it shows playful interactions between the leads as one of them remains too dense to decode the signs of the other due to their tsundere-like traits.
4. Toradora! (2008-2009)
‘Toradora!’ is a romance classic often named among the best high-school anime. It follows the story of Ryuuji Takasu and Taiga Aisaka, two high school students who form an unlikely friendship to help each other confess to their respective crushes. Based on the light novel series written by Yuyuko Takemiya and illustrated by Yasu, it delves into the complexities of teenage emotions and the struggles of communication through adequate characters and subplots. As Ryuuji and Taiga keep coming up with scenarios to relieve themselves of bottled-up feelings, their personal bond also develops. The series’ exploration of friendship, romance, and being honest with oneself resonates with ‘Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russian.’ Like the foreign language in the latter, ‘Toradora!’ begins its first arc with unsigned love letters.
3. Kaguya-sama: Love is War (2019-2022)
‘Kaguya-sama: Love is War’ is a unique anime that blends psychological battles and character-driven drama into a hilarious rom-com. The series, adapted from Aka Akasaka’s best-selling manga series, ‘Kaguya-sama wa Kokurasetai: Tensai-tachi no Ren’ai Zunōsen,’ follows Kaguya Shinomiya and Miyuki Shirogane. Most respected students and leaders of the Shuchiin Academy student council, the two are pressed on making the other one confess their love first. The anime focuses on their clever schemes and mental tactics as they try to outwit each other.
While Alya has Russian up her sleeve — which, unbeknownst to her, Masachika perfectly understands — Kaguya and Miyuki have finished most psychological books in existence to manipulate each other. Most conversations in an episode take place inside their heads as they think of every possible scenario before talking. The show’s narrator also fast-forwards the pace and familiarizes the audience with what’s going on. However, like Alya, neither of their schemes works, and the awkwardness of adolescence often takes over rational reasoning.
2. Komi Can’t Communicate (2021-)
‘Komi Can’t Communicate’ centers on Shouko Komi, a high school girl with extreme social anxiety, and her classmate Hitohito Tadano, who helps her make 100 friends. Directed by Ayumu Watanabe and adapted from the eponymous manga by Tomohito Oda, this coming-of-age anime is rooted in realistic and sensitive subjects. Its lighthearted exploration of learning to overcome communication barriers and the subsequent barriers in the process itself resonates with millions of teenagers.
That anxious group does not exclude Alisa Mikhailovna Kujou, who, like Komi, clearly has trouble openly communicating with her crush. The supportive relationship the two girls have with Tadano and Masachika, respectively, shows them the right path just in time. Additionally, these fresh tropes form the basis for countless heartwarming moments, making the two anime as entertaining as they are emotional.
1. Rent-a-Girlfriend (2020-2023)
‘Rent-a-Girlfriend‘ follows the story of Kazuya Kinoshita, a college student who tries the titular application and meets Chizuru Mizuhara after being dumped by his girlfriend. An adaptation of Reiji Miyajima’s hit eponymous manga, the anime showcases Kazuya’s attempt to fill the void in his heart while dealing with the complexities of a rented relationship with fake girlfriends. Kazuya and Mizuhara’s paths keep intertwining, and, as a result, the former falls head over hill in love with the latter.
Since Kazuya can’t match Mizuhara in terms of her responsibilities, theatrics, or social status — or learn her secret language like Masachika does, for that matter — he does the only thing he can: he hires her to be his fake girlfriend, again and again. With constant time spent together, both of them begin to have positive changes in each other, echoing the evolving dynamics between Alya and Masachika. The interactions lead to both situational comic relief and dramatic exchanges, making the series an engaging watch for fans of complex relationships.
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