Sakurasou no Pet na Kanojo Episode 20 Recap & Characters (Spoiler-Free)

Episode Summary

In Order To Keep Saying We're Home

Sorata, Nanami and Mashiro campaign at the school to stop Sakurasou's demolition. After Ryuunosuke hacks the board minutes, they learn the building only needs to come down within five years and that the administration really wants Mashiro moved to the regular dorms. Sorata heads for the principal's office, but Ryuunosuke stops him and suggests Mashiro simply leave, which Sorata refuses.

Nanami fails her seiyuu audition yet hides it, and Misaki's bear-costume signature drive fails. Meanwhile Maid tells Rita about Ryuunosuke's painful past, and Rita persuades him by phone; he quietly sets up a petition notebook in the computer lab and an explanation on the school homepage, bringing the count to 300 signatures.

• Petition campaign start

  Sorata, Nanami and Mashiro collect signatures at the school gates; Daichi becomes the first to sign, but after half a day they have only three signatures.

• Board minutes revealed

  Ryuunosuke hacks the board minutes showing a five-year demolition timeline and the administration's wish to move Mashiro to the regular dorms.

• Stopped on the way to the principal

  Sorata storms off toward the principal's office, but Ryuunosuke stops him, pointing out that the minutes were obtained illegally, and tells him the simplest fix is to let Mashiro leave Sakurasou. Sorata refuses.

• Nanami's audition failure

  Nanami learns she did not pass her seiyuu audition but smiles through it, and the gang admires her forced cheer.

• Rita talks Ryuunosuke around

  Maid reveals to Rita the middle-school betrayal that made Ryuunosuke a shut-in, and Rita calls him to say Sakurasou is full of friends who will never betray him.

• Petition support surge

  First-years who watched Nyaboron say they already signed a notebook Ryuunosuke secretly placed in the computer lab, next to an explanation he posted on the school homepage, and the count reaches 300.

Recent Timeline

• Rescue ride and roof reconciliation (Episode 17)

  When train stoppages left Nanami stranded, Sorata borrowed Miyahara's bike and pedaled her to her audition, restoring her confidence. Later, Sorata missed Mashiro's roof wait after forgetting her, and she confronted him over broken promises. They admitted they had been forgetting each other, and he thanked her for her thoughtfulness.

• Yuuko's failed exam and the roof brawl (Episode 18)

  Yuuko's exam number was missing from the Suiko results, and Sorata told her by phone that she had failed, closing her entrance attempt. On the roof, Sorata grabbed Jin over his refusal to date Misaki, and Jin knocked him down in a brawl, but Sorata kept begging him to go out with her.

  Misaki accepted Jin's ring, which he gave her with a request to wait four years for him to become her screenwriter, and she swore never to take it off. Jin then locked the teachers on the roof and sent the group home to Sakurasou.

• Sakurasou demolition notice (Episode 19)

  Chihiro-sensei announced that a construction firm judged Sakurasou unsuitable and that it would be demolished before the next term. After weighing their options, the residents unanimously vowed to stop the demolition and protect the dormitory.

• Demolition reason and failed efforts (Episode 20)

  Sorata read the hacked board minutes, which showed the construction firm advised demolition within five years, while the administration wanted Mashiro moved to the regular dorms to protect the school's reputation.

  Nanami learned she had failed her audition and hid her disappointment behind a smile. The next day, the plan to gather signatures in costumes also failed, as the costumes and Misaki's antics intimidated students.

• Secret petition notebook and 300 signatures (Episode 20)

  Ryuunosuke placed a petition notebook in the school computer lab and replaced the school homepage with an explanation of the demolition. First-years who had watched Nyaboron said they had already signed it, and Sorata hugged Ryuunosuke in thanks.

  The petition to stop Sakurasou's demolition then reached 300 signatures, a milestone after the group's slow earlier progress.

Character Graph

Chihiro Sengoku (Chihiro-sensei)

Dorm adviser · Suimei University of the Arts High School art teacher

Sakurasou's dorm adviser, a lazy, still-single art teacher at Suiko and Mashiro's cousin. The board minutes reveal that she had already told the board Mashiro's manga has nothing to do with Sakurasou, and that her persistence had kept the dorm standing until now.

• Mashiro's cousin

  She brought her cousin Mashiro to Sakurasou and assigned Sorata to look after her.

• Old friend

  Kazuki Fujisawa is her old classmate and a former Sakurasou resident.

• Holding off demolition

  Her persistence had kept the board from tearing down Sakurasou until now.

• Mashiro Shiina (Family, Neutral)

  Her cousin, whom she brought to Sakurasou.

• Sorata Kanda (Hierarchy, Neutral)

  She put him in charge of Mashiro.

• Kazuki Fujisawa (Friend, Affinity)

  Old classmate and former Sakurasou resident.

Kazuki Fujisawa

Game producer

A game producer who once judged Sorata's entry and is now refining his proposal with him for the final review; he is Chihiro-sensei's old classmate and a former Sakurasou resident. Seeing Sorata distracted, he tells him that if he can't choose one thing over another, he can choose to make both happen.

• Judge

  At Sorata's first presentation he asked a question Sorata couldn't answer.

• Art of choosing

  He told Sorata that if he can't choose one, he can choose to make both happen.

• Sorata Kanda (Colleague, Affinity)

  He is refining Sorata's proposal with him and advises him on the 'art of choosing'.

• Chihiro Sengoku (Friend, Affinity)

  Old classmate.

Mashiro Shiina

Sakurasou transfer student · Sakurasou

A world-famous painter from England who transferred to Suiko to become a manga artist, and who can't look after herself without Sorata's help. She collects signatures with Sorata and Nanami, unaware that the board minutes name her as the real reason for the demolition. That night she says she likes Sakurasou.

• Can't live alone

  She needs someone to handle her clothes, laundry, room and waking up.

• World-famous painter

  Back in England she was a celebrated painter, but she came to Japan to draw manga.

• Sorata Kanda (Friend, Affinity)

  She collects signatures with him and tells him she likes Sakurasou.

• Chihiro Sengoku (Family, Neutral)

  Her cousin, who brought her to Sakurasou.

• Nanami Aoyama (Friend, Mixed)

  A friend she worries about, though she sometimes feels jealous of her over Sorata.

• Rita Ainsworth (Friend, Affinity)

  Childhood friend from England with whom she painted for years.

Mayu

Nanami's classmate and friend. Together with Yayoi she pushed Nanami to confess to Sorata on Valentine's Day, which Nanami refused to do.

• Nanami Aoyama (Friend, Affinity)

  She urged Nanami to confess to Sorata on Valentine's Day.

Yuuko Kanda

Kanda family

Sorata's younger sister from Fukuoka, a middle-school third-year who adores her brother. She took the Suiko entrance exam in February to be near him, but Sorata found her number missing from the results and told her she had failed.

• Suiko dream

  She wanted to go to Suiko to be near Sorata, and their father agreed to let her try.

• Exam result

  Sorata couldn't find her number on the results board and told her she had failed.

• Sorata Kanda (Family, Affinity)

  The brother she adores; he told her she had failed the Suiko exam.

• Mashiro Shiina (Other, Hostility)

  She sees Mashiro as a rival for her brother.

Rita Ainsworth

Mashiro's childhood friend and former roommate from England, a painter who once quit because of Mashiro's talent and who has feelings for Ryuunosuke. Worried by the demolition news, she learns Ryuunosuke's painful past from Maid and calls to tell him he has friends at Sakurasou who would never betray him.

• Visit to Sakurasou

  She came to take Mashiro back to England but ended up staying at Sakurasou for a while.

• Why she quit painting

  She gave up painting after seeing how far beyond her Mashiro's talent was.

• First kiss

  Her letter revealed that the kiss she gave Ryuunosuke at the airport was her first.

• Mashiro Shiina (Friend, Affinity)

  Childhood friend and former roommate; Rita once quit painting out of envy of Mashiro's talent.

• Ryuunosuke Akasaka (Other, Affinity)

  She calls to tell him Sakurasou is full of friends who would never betray him.

• Maid (Other, Hostility)

  Maid is openly jealous of her.

Jin Mitaka

Sakurasou resident · Sakurasou · Osaka University of Arts

A third-year in room 103 of Sakurasou, a popular ladies' man who writes the scripts for Misaki's anime. He watches Nanami force a smile after her failed audition and, with Sorata and Mashiro, worries she is pushing herself too hard again.

• Scriptwriter

  He writes the scripts for Misaki's anime.

• Osaka University of Arts

  He passed the entrance exam and will move to Osaka in April.

• Misaki Kamiigusa (Pact, Friend, Affinity)

  Childhood friend he loves; he gave her a ring and promised to become her screenwriter in four years.

• Sorata Kanda (Friend, Affinity)

  The junior who fought him on the roof to make him face Misaki.

Misaki Kamiigusa

Sakurasou resident · Sakurasou

A third-year in room 201 of Sakurasou, an eccentric genius animator and Jin's childhood friend. She tries to boost the petition by collecting signatures in a bear costume, but her antics only scare the students away.

• Genius animator

  She makes her own anime, with Jin writing the scripts.

• Promise ring

  Jin gave her a ring and asked her to wait four years for him to become her screenwriter.

• Jin Mitaka (Pact, Friend, Affinity)

  Childhood friend she loves; he gave her a ring and asked her to wait four years.

• Sorata Kanda (Friend, Affinity)

  Her 'Kouhai-kun', the junior she counts on.

Sorata Kanda (Solanine)

Sakurasou resident · Sakurasou

A second-year in room 101 of Sakurasou who moved in after taking in stray cats, and who dreams of becoming a game creator. He starts a petition against the demolition and refuses to give up Mashiro after learning from the board minutes that the school wants her moved out. Meanwhile, he keeps preparing his game proposal with Kazuki for the final review.

• Mashiro duty

  Chihiro-sensei put him in charge of Mashiro's daily life, from waking her up to choosing her clothes.

• Game proposal

  His proposal couldn't be produced as it was, but Kazuki's team invited him to refine the concept with them.

• Mashiro Shiina (Guardian, Friend, Affinity)

  He refuses to let her be moved out even after learning she is the real reason for the demolition.

• Nanami Aoyama (Friend, Affinity)

  He sees her hide the pain of her failed audition behind a smile.

• Jin Mitaka (Friend, Affinity)

  Senior he looks up to; he fought Jin on the roof to make him face Misaki.

• Misaki Kamiigusa (Friend, Affinity)

  The senior who calls him 'Kouhai-kun' and keeps Sakurasou lively.

• Ryuunosuke Akasaka (Friend, Affinity)

  After Ryuunosuke secretly helps the petition, Sorata hugs him in thanks.

• Chihiro Sengoku (Hierarchy, Neutral)

  The dorm adviser who put him in charge of Mashiro.

• Kazuki Fujisawa (Colleague, Affinity)

  Producer refining his proposal with him, who advises him that he doesn't have to choose between Sakurasou and the contest.

• Yuuko Kanda (Family, Affinity)

  His younger sister; he had to tell her she failed the Suiko exam.

• Daichi Miyahara (Friend, Affinity)

  Classmate who lent him his bike on Valentine's Day and signed the petition first.

Daichi Miyahara

Suiko student

Sorata's classmate and friend, who once confessed to Nanami and was turned down. He becomes the first person to sign the petition against Sakurasou's demolition.

• Confession

  He confessed to Nanami and she turned him down.

• Bike

  He lent Sorata his bike to get Nanami to her audition.

• First signature

  He was the first to sign the petition.

• Sorata Kanda (Friend, Affinity)

  He signs Sorata's petition first.

• Nanami Aoyama (Other, Mixed)

  He confessed to her and was turned down, but still cheers her on.

Nanami Aoyama

Suiko student · Sakurasou

Sorata's classmate from Osaka, who is training to become a voice actress and moved into Sakurasou. She learns she failed the audition but hides her disappointment behind a smile for everyone's sake and keeps helping with the petition.

• Voice-acting school

  She attends a voice-acting school while working part-time.

• Audition result

  She failed the audition but smiled for everyone's sake.

• Sorata Kanda (Friend, Affinity)

  She has feelings for him she hasn't told him, and even after failing her audition she forces a smile in front of him.

• Mashiro Shiina (Friend, Affinity)

  She once took over Mashiro duty and came to admire Mashiro's dedication.

• Mayu (Friend, Affinity)

  Classmate who urged her to confess to Sorata.

Ryuunosuke Akasaka

Sakurasou resident

A second-year genius programmer who rarely leaves room 102 of Sakurasou and talks to others mostly through Maid, the AI mail program he built. He obtains the board minutes by hacking and advises Sorata to let Mashiro go, but after Rita's phone call he quietly sets up a petition notebook in the computer lab and posts an explanation on the school homepage.

• Maid

  He usually talks to others through Maid, the AI program he built.

• Past

  A middle-school game project ended with his friends shunning him, which made him shut himself away.

• Petition notebook

  He secretly set up a petition notebook in the computer lab and posted the explanation on the school homepage.

• Maid (Other, Affinity)

  The AI mail program he built, which speaks for him.

• Rita Ainsworth (Other, Affinity)

  Her phone call convinces him that Sakurasou is full of friends who won't betray him.

• Sorata Kanda (Friend, Affinity)

  He warns Sorata to let Mashiro go, then secretly helps the petition, and Sorata hugs him in thanks.

Maid (Maid-chan)

AI

The AI mail program Ryuunosuke built, which answers mail on his behalf and guards him jealously. When Rita e-mails Ryuunosuke about the demolition, she answers coldly, then reveals to Rita the middle-school betrayal that turned him into a shut-in.

• Creator

  Built by Ryuunosuke, she answers mail on his behalf.

• Jealousy

  On Christmas Eve she fought with Rita, refusing to let her talk to Ryuunosuke.

• Security flaw

  A flaw in her code made her reveal Ryuunosuke's past to Rita.

• Ryuunosuke Akasaka (Other, Affinity)

  Her creator, whom she guards jealously.

• Rita Ainsworth (Other, Hostility)

  She snaps at Rita, yet ends up revealing Ryuunosuke's past to her.

World Memo

• Suimei Arts High School (Suiko)

  Suimei University of the Arts High School, or Suiko, has a general course alongside art and music courses, and students can transfer in mid-year.

• Sakurasou, the problem-student dorm

  Sakurasou is where Suiko's problem students end up, like Sorata, who wouldn't give up the stray cats he took in. Once moved there, getting back into the regular dorm is hard.

• Sakurasou meetings and Mashiro duty

  Anything important at Sakurasou is decided at a meeting of all residents, from keeping a new cat to who looks after Mashiro; that meeting is how Sorata ended up on 'Mashiro duty'.

• Each resident's dream

  Each resident chases a dream: Sorata plans games for a game design contest, Nanami trains to be a voice actress, Misaki makes anime with Jin's scripts, Ryuunosuke programs, and Mashiro draws manga.

• Sakurasou demolition

  The school plans to tear Sakurasou down at the end of the year, but the board minutes show the firm only advised demolition within five years; the board's real aim is to move Mashiro to the regular dorms so she can focus on painting. The residents' petition aims for signatures from two-thirds of the students.

• Nanami's condition

  Passing her audition would have let Nanami move back to the regular dorm, while failing means leaving Suiko; she has failed.

Clue Board

• Sakurasou's demolition (Episode 20)

  The board minutes show the real aim is to move Mashiro out, but the residents keep this from her. The petition has reached 300 signatures, still far from its goal of two-thirds of the students.

• Nanami's future (Episode 20)

  Nanami failed the audition and is hiding her disappointment. Failing meant she would have to leave Suiko, so her future is now uncertain.

• Sorata's game proposal (Episode 20)

  Sorata is in the final phase with Kazuki, who tells him he doesn't have to choose between Sakurasou and the contest.

• What Mashiro feels (Episode 17)

  Mashiro has been asking what love is, and says her heart beats strangely when she holds Sorata's hand, but she has not put a name to the feeling.

• Nanami's feelings (Episode 17)

  Nanami's 'I love you' lines in audition practice felt real to Sorata, but she says some things can't be said even to the people closest to you.

• Rita and Ryuunosuke (Episode 20)

  Rita's phone call moved Ryuunosuke to help the petition, but where the two stand with each other is still unclear.

• Jin and Misaki's promise (Episode 18)

  Jin gave Misaki a ring and asked her to wait four years until he can be her screenwriter, but he leaves for Osaka in April.

Season Summary

Season 1 — Season 1

Episodes 1–20

Sorata Kanda, who moved into Sakurasou, Suiko's dorm for problem students, after taking in stray cats, is put in charge of Mashiro Shiina, a world-famous painter who came to Japan to draw manga but cannot live on her own. Living alongside the genius animator Misaki, the scriptwriter Jin, the programmer Ryuunosuke and later the aspiring voice actress Nanami, Sorata keeps entering a game design contest while envying the talent around him. Through the culture festival, Rita's visit from England and Christmas Eve, his feelings for Mashiro grow. Jin, bound for Osaka University of Arts, turns Misaki down, but after Sorata confronts him on the roof he gives her a ring and asks her to wait four years.

When Chihiro-sensei announces that Sakurasou will be torn down at the end of the year, the residents vow to fight it and start a petition. Ryuunosuke's hacked board minutes reveal the real aim: moving Mashiro out so she can focus on painting. Nanami fails her audition but hides it behind a smile, and Ryuunosuke, moved by Rita's words, quietly sets up a petition notebook that brings the count to 300.

Music Releases

• Yume no Tsuzuki (OP)
• Prime Number ~Kimi to Deaeru Hi~ (ED)