Sakurasou no Pet na Kanojo Episode 23 Recap & Characters (Spoiler-Free)

Episode Summary

Graduation Ceremony

At the graduation ceremony, Misaki unexpectedly gives the third-year speech, which becomes a public campaign against the school's plan to demolish Sakurasou. The school head orders her removed, Sorata takes the microphone to divert security, the student body stands in support, and the audience votes against the demolition by tossing sakura brooches into the air. The school ultimately reverses its decision to demolish Sakurasou.

• Misaki's farewell speech

  Misaki gives the third-year speech in place of student council president Tatebayashi, recounting how she came to Suiko, her time at Sakurasou, and thanking each resident.

• Public campaign against demolition

  Misaki speaks out against the school's plan to demolish Sakurasou and asks the hall to support the campaign, angering the school head, who orders her removed from the stage.

• Student body rallies to Sakurasou

  Sorata grabs the microphone to divert security, the other residents and the student body stand in unanimous support, and the audience votes against the demolition by tossing sakura brooches into the air.

Recent Timeline

• Demolition reason and petition push (Episode 20)

  Sorata reads hacked board minutes showing the construction firm advised demolition within five years, while the administration wanted Mashiro moved to regular dorms to protect the school's reputation. Ryuunosuke quietly sets up a petition notebook in the computer lab and posts an explanation on the school homepage, and the petition to stop Sakurasou's demolition reaches 300 signatures, a milestone after the gang's earlier slow progress.

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

  Kazuki reports that Sorata's proposal failed the final review, losing to a rival music game with a proven formula and popular songs, a loss that deeply hurts Sorata. Nanami, crying after failing her auditions and facing departure, admits she used the Sakurasou residents as a diversion from her pain. Sorata holds her and urges her to stop running away, and the two embrace in the rain after she voices two years of frustration.

  The contest sponsor requests Mashiro as a character designer, which angers Sorata at the idea that hard work cannot beat natural talent. Mashiro asks whether the request is because of her, then leaves the dormitory.

• Mashiro's secret departure and the search (Episode 22)

  Mashiro's room is found empty, and Chihiro-sensei confirms she let her go after failing to stop her. Mashiro left to protect the dormitory, having learned that her presence was the sole cause of its demolition.

  Before the search splits, Nanami recalls Sorata's Christmas Eve promise and nearly confesses her love, instead thanking him for inspiring her audition. Kazuki, slapped by Chihiro-sensei, apologizes for the disturbance and clarifies that a different committee made the request for Mashiro. He offers help with the demolition, but Chihiro-sensei declines.

• Train platform confession and reconciliation (Episode 22)

  At the tracks, Mashiro says she must leave because she failed to fill the notebook with signatures, feeling her hard work earned nothing. Sorata explains that his jealousy was only part of what he felt, then shouts that he loves her as the train departs without her.

  Mashiro returns and says she wants to stay, but Nanami scolds her for blaming herself and then hugs her. Sorata tells Mashiro that Sakurasou is its residents rather than the building, and Mashiro resolves that they will always be in Sakurasou.

• Graduation speech and demolition reversal (Episode 23)

  During Misaki's graduation speech, she publicly asks the hall to oppose Sakurasou's demolition. When the principal tries to evict her, Sorata takes the microphone, and the residents and students stand in support. Misaki proposes a vote by tossing cherry-blossom brooches into the air, and the school reverses its decision to demolish Sakurasou.

Character Graph

Saori Himemiya

Souichirou's girlfriend and Iori's older sister. After the ceremony she plays the piano for the farewell song as the residents run off hand in hand.

• Souichirou Tatebayashi (Other, Affinity)

  Her boyfriend.

Fuuka Kamiigusa

Misaki's older sister and Jin's ex-girlfriend. She once saw through Jin's real reason for following Misaki to Suiko: he couldn't bear to see her hurt.

• Jin Mitaka (Other, Mixed)

  Former girlfriend who once saw through his reason for choosing Suiko.

• Misaki Kamiigusa (Family, Mixed)

  Her younger sister, who resents Fuuka's past with Jin.

Ayano Iida

Editor

Mashiro's manga editor, who has watched Mashiro grow more 'ordinary' since they met. Most recently she brought Mashiro the magazine that put 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)

  Mashiro's editor, who has watched her change.

• Sorata Kanda (Other, Neutral)

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

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. With Ryuunosuke's help she makes sakura brooches for the whole school to wear at graduation, which become the ballots that save Sakurasou.

• 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.

• Sakura brooches

  She made the brooches the students tossed to vote for Sakurasou.

• 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 makes the graduation brooches with his help.

• Maid (Other, Hostility)

  Maid is openly jealous of her.

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. At the graduation ceremony he grabs the microphone to back Misaki's appeal, and in tears tells her he doesn't want her to leave yet. The vote with sakura brooches reverses the demolition.

• 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.

• Confession

  At the train tracks he shouted to Mashiro that he loves her.

• Mashiro Shiina (Guardian, Friend, Affinity)

  Since confessing his love at the train tracks, he fights for Sakurasou at her side.

• Nanami Aoyama (Friend, Affinity)

  A close friend who has shared his setbacks and stands with him at the graduation ceremony.

• Jin Mitaka (Friend, Affinity)

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

• Misaki Kamiigusa (Friend, Affinity)

  In tears, he tells her he doesn't want her to leave yet, and she asks him to do with the new residents what they couldn't do together.

• Ryuunosuke Akasaka (Friend, Affinity)

  Ryuunosuke backs him at the ceremony by telling the school heads the audience is on their side.

• 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.

Kazuki Fujisawa

Game producer

A game producer who worked on Sorata's proposal with him; he is Chihiro-sensei's old classmate and a former Sakurasou resident. He came to apologize for the sponsor's offer to Mashiro, but Chihiro-sensei slapped him and turned down his help.

• 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.

• Apology

  He came to apologize for the sponsor's request for Mashiro, which another committee had made.

• 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, Mixed)

  She slapped him and turned down his help.

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. At the graduation ceremony she stands up with Nanami to support Misaki's appeal, and Sakurasou is saved.

• 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.

• Painting of Sakurasou

  Before leaving she painted Sakurasou with all its residents but left herself out.

• Sorata Kanda (Friend, Affinity)

  Back at his side after his confession, she stands up for Sakurasou with him at the ceremony.

• Chihiro Sengoku (Family, Neutral)

  Her cousin, who brought her to Sakurasou.

• Nanami Aoyama (Friend, Affinity)

  At the train tracks Nanami scolds her for blaming herself for Nanami's failures, then hugs her.

• Rita Ainsworth (Friend, Affinity)

  Childhood friend from England with whom she painted for years.

• Ayano Iida (Colleague, Affinity)

  Her manga editor.

Nanami Aoyama

Suiko student · Sakurasou

Sorata's classmate from Osaka, who is training to become a voice actress and moved into Sakurasou. At the graduation ceremony she stands up for Sakurasou alongside Sorata and Mashiro. Her future after the failed audition is still unsettled.

• 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.

• Unspoken feelings

  She nearly confessed her love to Sorata, then thanked him instead.

• Sorata Kanda (Friend, Affinity)

  She nearly confessed to him and then overheard his confession to Mashiro; her own feelings remain unspoken.

• Mashiro Shiina (Friend, Affinity)

  At the tracks she scolded Mashiro for blaming herself for Nanami's failures, then hugged her.

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 helps Rita make sakura brooches for the whole school and skips the ceremony itself, but steps in at the end to tell the school heads the audience is on Sakurasou's side.

• 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.

• Brooches

  He helped Rita make the sakura brooches for the graduation.

• Maid (Other, Affinity)

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

• Rita Ainsworth (Other, Affinity)

  He helps her make the graduation brooches.

• Sorata Kanda (Friend, Affinity)

  He backs Sorata at the ceremony by telling the school heads the audience is on their side.

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. At the ceremony she calls for a vote on the demolition in front of the whole school, which ends with the decision being reversed.

• 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.

• Calls for a vote

  At the ceremony she demanded that the school put the demolition to a vote.

• 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, Mixed)

  She slapped him when he came to apologize and turned down his help.

• Misaki Kamiigusa (Other, Affinity)

  She was the only one living at Sakurasou when Misaki moved in.

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. When the principal tries to stop Misaki's speech, he reminds him that the swap of speakers had been cleared with him that morning. The 'love letter' he passed to Souichirou turns out to be her speech.

• 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.

• The 'love letter'

  The 'love letter' he gave Souichirou was Misaki's graduation speech.

• Misaki Kamiigusa (Pact, Friend, Affinity)

  He backs her graduation speech, telling the principal the swap had been cleared.

• Sorata Kanda (Friend, Affinity)

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

• Souichirou Tatebayashi (Friend, Affinity)

  Best friend to whom he passed Misaki's speech disguised as a 'love letter'.

• Fuuka Kamiigusa (Other, Neutral)

  Former girlfriend; their relationship is over.

Misaki Kamiigusa

Sakurasou resident · Sakurasou · Third-year student

A third-year in room 201 of Sakurasou, an eccentric genius animator and Jin's childhood friend. She gives the graduates' reply in place of the student council president, thanks each resident, then publicly asks the whole hall to oppose Sakurasou's demolition. Her proposal to vote by tossing sakura brooches reverses the decision.

• 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.

• Graduation speech

  She took over the graduates' reply and turned it into an appeal to save Sakurasou.

• Jin Mitaka (Pact, Friend, Affinity)

  Childhood friend she loves, who asked her to wait four years; he helped her swap in her graduation speech.

• Sorata Kanda (Friend, Affinity)

  She tells him to do with the new residents what she couldn't do with them.

• Fuuka Kamiigusa (Family, Mixed)

  Her older sister, who used to date Jin.

• Chihiro Sengoku (Other, Affinity)

  When Misaki was thrown out of the regular dorm, Chihiro-sensei was the only one living at Sakurasou.

• Souichirou Tatebayashi (Other, Affinity)

  He let her take over the graduates' reply in his place.

Souichirou Tatebayashi

Student council

The student council president and Jin's best friend, who is dating Saori Himemiya. He was due to give the graduates' reply but swapped in Misaki's speech, and when the principal objects he reminds him that Sakurasou exists to nurture talent without fear of society's critical eye.

• Needling Jin

  He needled Jin that he'd just find someone else in Osaka.

• Jin's host

  Jin stayed at his place while studying for exams.

• Speaks for Sakurasou

  At the ceremony he defended Sakurasou's purpose before the principal.

• Jin Mitaka (Friend, Affinity)

  He took the 'love letter' from Jin, Misaki's speech, and let her deliver the graduates' reply.

• Misaki Kamiigusa (Other, Affinity)

  He let her give the graduates' reply in his place.

• Saori Himemiya (Other, Affinity)

  His girlfriend.

Maid (Maid-chan)

AI

The AI mail program Ryuunosuke built, which answers mail on his behalf and guards him jealously. Her rival Rita, back in Japan, makes the graduation brooches with Ryuunosuke's help.

• 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)

  Still jealous of Rita, who is back in Japan.

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 his stray cats, or Misaki, thrown out of the regular dorm within a week. 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.

• Demolition reversed

  Sakurasou had been slated for demolition, but at the graduation ceremony the students voted against it by tossing sakura brooches, and the decision was reversed.

• Nanami's condition

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

• Why Sakurasou exists

  As Souichirou reminds the principal, Sakurasou was set up so talented art students could grow without worrying about society's critical eye.

Clue Board

• Nanami's future (Episode 21)

  Having failed her audition, Nanami may have to leave Suiko; her future is still undecided.

• What Mashiro feels (Episode 22)

  Sorata has told Mashiro he loves her; she said she wants to stay with him, but has not given a clear answer.

• Nanami's feelings (Episode 22)

  Nanami nearly confessed to Sorata but thanked him instead, then overheard him tell Mashiro he loves her; her feelings remain unspoken.

• Rita and Ryuunosuke (Episode 23)

  Rita made the graduation brooches with Ryuunosuke's help, but nothing is settled between them yet.

• Jin and Misaki's promise (Episode 23)

  With graduation over, Jin's departure for Osaka draws near, and Misaki will have to wait four years.

• Misaki's wish for the rooms (Episode 23)

  When Misaki moved in, only Chihiro-sensei lived at Sakurasou, and she always wanted its rooms filled; now she asks Sorata to do with new residents what they couldn't do together.

Season Summary

Season 1 — Season 1

Episodes 1–23

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.

In the final weeks of the year, the school decides to tear down Sakurasou to move Mashiro out. The petition falls short, Sorata's proposal and Nanami's audition both fail, and Mashiro runs away believing she is the cause, until Sorata confesses his love at the train tracks and she decides to stay.

At the graduation ceremony Misaki, taking over the graduates' reply, turns her speech into an appeal to save Sakurasou. When the principal orders her off the stage, Sorata grabs the microphone, the whole student body stands with them, and a vote held by tossing sakura brooches reverses the demolition.

Music Releases

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