Sakurasou no Pet na Kanojo Episode 21 Recap & Characters (Spoiler-Free)

Episode Summary

It's Not Anyone's Fault That It Rains

The Sakurasou residents' petition campaign gathers support, but Sorata loses the game design competition to a similar concept, and the petition falls well short on its last day. Nanami breaks down over her failed audition and having to leave soon, and pours out two years of frustration to Sorata in the rain. Mashiro is offered work as a character designer by the contest sponsor and leaves the dormitory after Sorata's anger over unfairness.

• Petition campaign and Nanami's breakdown

  The residents keep asking for signatures with growing support, until Nanami is seen crying in class and is taken to the nurse's office.

• Kazuki's call and Sorata's defeat

  Kazuki tells Sorata he did not make the cut, revealing that a rival game used a proven formula. Sorata collapses in despair at losing to a similar concept.

• Nanami in the rain and the petition's end

  Nanami pours out her frustrations in the rain and Sorata comforts her. The petition still falls short, and Mashiro receives the sponsor's offer and leaves the dormitory.

Recent Timeline

• Exam failure and roof brawl (Episode 18)

  Yuuko's exam number is missing from the results, and Sorata tells her by phone that she failed, closing her Suiko entrance attempt. On the school roof, Sorata grabs Jin over his refusal to date Misaki, and Jin knocks him down in a brawl while Sorata keeps begging him to go out with her. Jin then thanks the teachers for his three high school years, locks them on the roof, and sends the group home to Sakurasou.

• Sakurasou demolition notice (Episode 19)

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

• Demolition reason and setbacks (Episode 20)

  Sorata reads hacked board minutes showing the firm advised demolition within five years, while the administration wants Mashiro moved to the regular dorms to protect the school's reputation. Nanami fails her audition and hides her disappointment, and the costume signature drive fails the next day. Ryuunosuke then hacks the school homepage to explain the situation, and the petition reaches 300 signatures.

• Rejected proposal and Nanami's tears (Episode 21)

  Kazuki calls to tell Sorata that his proposal failed the final review, losing to a rival music game with a proven formula and popular songs, and Sorata is crushed. In the rain, Nanami admits she used the Sakurasou residents as a diversion from her pain, and Sorata holds her and urges her to stop running away while she voices two years of frustration.

• Sponsor requests Mashiro (Episode 21)

  Mail reveals the contest sponsor wants Mashiro to work as a character designer. Sorata is angered that hard work cannot overcome natural talent, and Mashiro asks whether this is because of her before she leaves the dormitory.

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. She looks in on Nanami in the nurse's office and tells her to sleep and get ready for the petition's last day.

• 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.

• Nanami Aoyama (Mentor, Neutral)

  She tells Nanami to sleep and get ready for the petition's last day.

Ayano Iida

Editor

Mashiro's manga editor. She hands Mashiro this month's magazine, which features her work on the cover.

• On Mashiro's change

  She told Sorata that Mashiro is becoming a more ordinary girl and asked which Mashiro he prefers.

• Mashiro Shiina (Colleague, Affinity)

  She brings Mashiro the magazine with her work on the cover.

• Sorata Kanda (Other, Neutral)

  She once asked him whether he preferred the old or the new Mashiro.

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. Her work makes the magazine cover, but the petition falls short. When the contest sponsor's letter angers Sorata, she asks whether it is her fault and leaves the dorm with her bags.

• 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, Mixed)

  Seeing him lash out over the sponsor's letter, she asks whether it is her fault and leaves.

• 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.

• Ayano Iida (Colleague, Affinity)

  Her manga editor, who brings her the magazine with her work on the cover.

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. Though she is back in England, her words have pushed Ryuunosuke to join the petition effort.

• 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)

  Her call persuaded him that 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 spends the petition's last day collecting signatures with the others until after dark, though they fall well short.

• 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 (Other, 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.

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. His proposal fails the final review, losing to a similar music game, and the petition falls short on its last day. Reading that the contest sponsor wants Mashiro as a character designer, he lashes out at the unfairness of talent.

• Mashiro duty

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

• Final review

  The proposal failed the final title review, losing to another music game built on a proven formula.

• Mashiro Shiina (Guardian, Friend, Mixed)

  When the sponsor's letter arrives, his envy of her talent boils over and he lashes out in front of her.

• Nanami Aoyama (Friend, Affinity)

  He holds her in the rain as she pours out two years of frustration, and tells her about his own failure.

• 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)

  Ryuunosuke scolds him for leaving Nanami alone, then tells him they did all they could.

• Chihiro Sengoku (Hierarchy, Neutral)

  The dorm adviser who put him in charge of Mashiro.

• Kazuki Fujisawa (Colleague, Neutral)

  Kazuki broke the news that his proposal failed the final review, and Sorata thanked him for his time.

• 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 was the first to sign the petition, which still falls short on its last day.

• 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.

Kazuki Fujisawa

Game producer

A game producer who has been refining Sorata's proposal with him; he is Chihiro-sensei's old classmate and a former Sakurasou resident. He calls Sorata to say the proposal failed the final review because a similar music game with popular songs was chosen, and says he would have liked to make a demo and play it.

• 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 had to tell Sorata his proposal failed, and said he would have liked to make a demo of it.

• Chihiro Sengoku (Friend, Affinity)

  Old classmate.

Nanami Aoyama

Suiko student · Sakurasou

Sorata's classmate from Osaka, who is training to become a voice actress and moved into Sakurasou. She breaks down in tears in class, and in the rain finally pours out two years of frustration to Sorata, who holds her as they both cry.

• 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)

  In the rain she finally lets him see her pain and leans on 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.

• Chihiro Sengoku (Mentor, Neutral)

  Chihiro-sensei tells her to sleep and get ready for the petition's last day.

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 scolds Sorata by message for believing Nanami's claim that she was fine, and after the petition falls short tells him that he and Nanami did all they could.

• 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 convinced him that Sakurasou is full of friends who won't betray him.

• Sorata Kanda (Friend, Affinity)

  He scolds Sorata for leaving Nanami alone and later tells him they did all they could.

Misaki Kamiigusa

Sakurasou resident · Sakurasou

A third-year in room 201 of Sakurasou, an eccentric genius animator and Jin's childhood friend. She keeps collecting signatures until after dark on the petition's last day, but they are still well short.

• 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 (Other, 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.

Maid (Maid-chan)

AI

The AI mail program Ryuunosuke built, which answers mail on his behalf and guards him jealously. The past she revealed to Rita led Rita to call Ryuunosuke and talk him into helping with the petition.

• 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 snapped at Rita, yet ended 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 board wants Sakurasou gone at the end of the year so Mashiro can be moved to the regular dorms. The residents' petition, aiming for two-thirds of the students, ended its last day well short.

• 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 21)

  The petition ends well short of its goal, leaving no clear way to stop the demolition.

• Nanami's future (Episode 21)

  After breaking down in the rain, Nanami admits she will be leaving soon; whether she can stay at Suiko is unresolved.

• 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.

• Mashiro's departure (Episode 21)

  The contest sponsor wants Mashiro as a character designer. After asking Sorata whether it is her fault, Mashiro packs her bags and leaves the dorm.

Season Summary

Season 1 — Season 1

Episodes 1–21

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 the school decides to tear down Sakurasou, really to move Mashiro out, the residents start a petition, joined in secret by Ryuunosuke.

Then everything goes wrong at once: Sorata's game proposal fails the final review, Nanami, who has already failed her audition, breaks down in the rain, and the petition falls short on its last day. When a letter shows the contest sponsor wants Mashiro as a character designer, Sorata lashes out at the unfairness, and Mashiro, asking whether it is her fault, leaves the dorm with her bags.

Music Releases

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