Sakurasou no Pet na Kanojo Episode 9 Recap & Characters (Spoiler-Free)

Episode Summary

The Fall Storm is Here

Rita, Mashiro's childhood friend from England, arrives at Sakurasou and asks Mashiro to return with her; Mashiro refuses and Rita stays with Sorata, leading to a hotel art exhibition date where Mashiro's painting convinces Sorata she should keep painting, while the residents plan a cultural festival with Sorata as director.

• Rita's arrival at Sakurasou

  Rita, a blond girl who was Mashiro's roommate in England, arrives to take Mashiro back to England; Mashiro refuses and pushes her out, and Sorata takes her in and lets her sleep in his room.

• Rumors and the futon incident

  At school the class gossips about Sorata and Nanami, and Miyahara's attempt to defend them starts a new rumor about him and Sorata. The next morning Nanami finds Rita hugging Sorata in his futon, and Rita declares she will stay until Mashiro decides to return to England.

• Mashiro's refusal and Sorata's position

  Sorata texts Mashiro that he wants to see her manga serialized and is on neither side. She replies with the single letter 'sa', which she says comes from 'Sorata no baka', and his flustered retort makes her happy.

• Cultural festival planning

  For the cultural festival, the last one before Misaki and Jin graduate, the residents divide the work by talent and appoint Sorata as director, and Mashiro suggests basing the project on Nyaboron.

• Hotel art exhibition date

  Rita takes Sorata on a 'date' to a hotel and shows him a painting by Mashiro at an art exhibition there, which convinces him she belongs in the art world; whether he will side with Rita remains open.

Recent Timeline

• Nanami's collapse and failed audition (Episode 6)

  Overworked, Nanami collapses on her way to school, and after Mashiro pleads, the residents help her reach the audition anyway. The audition ends in failure, but when she apologizes to Sorata, he tells her everyone saw how hard she tried, and she cries in relief. Nanami then returns the Mashiro duty to Sorata.

• Yuuko's visit (Episode 7)

  Sorata's younger sister Yuuko visits Sakurasou, misreads his relationships with the residents, and goes on a shrine outing with him, Nanami and Mashiro. She leaves for Fukuoka declaring she will enter Suiko next year, and Misaki finally gets her driving license.

• Sorata's rejected presentation (Episode 8)

  Sorata passes the first round of the game design competition but is rejected at his presentation after failing to answer judge Kazuki Fujisawa's question, while Mashiro's serialization meeting succeeds the same day. A pool-party chase and fireworks with the residents help him see that it hurt because he was serious.

• Rita's arrival (Episode 9)

  Rita, Mashiro's roommate from England, arrives to take Mashiro back to England. Mashiro refuses and shuts her out, but Sorata takes her in, and the next morning Nanami finds Rita hugging him in his futon. Rita declares she will stay until Mashiro decides to go back.

• 'Sorata no baka' and the hotel exhibition (Episode 9)

  Mashiro keeps telling Sorata 'Sorata no baka', and when he texts that he wants to see her manga serialized and is on neither side, she answers with the single letter 'sa'. The residents plan a festival project with Sorata as director, and on Rita's hotel 'date' a painting by Mashiro convinces Sorata she belongs in the art world, though whether he will side with Rita is unresolved.

Character Graph

Chihiro Sengoku (Chihiro-sensei)

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

Sakurasou's dorm adviser and a Suiko art teacher, lazy and still single. As Mashiro's cousin, she is the one who left Mashiro's care to Sorata. When Rita shows up, she recognizes her and introduces her as Mashiro's roommate from England.

• Family link

  Mashiro's cousin, who asked Sorata to pick her up and look after her.

• Mashiro Shiina (Family, Neutral)

  Her cousin, whose care she has left to Sorata.

• Sorata Kanda (Hierarchy, Neutral)

  Student she keeps handing chores, from fixing the nameplate to picking up Mashiro.

• Rita Ainsworth (Other, Neutral)

  Recognizes her and introduces her to the residents.

Daichi Miyahara

Suiko student

Sorata's classmate and friend, who once warned him that picking up cats would keep him out of the regular dorm. He likes Nanami; when the class gossips about her and Sorata, he stands up to defend them, only to spark a new rumor about himself and Sorata.

• Warning

  Told Sorata that if he kept picking up cats he would never get back into the regular dorm.

• Rumor

  His defense of Sorata and Nanami turns into a rumor about himself and Sorata.

• Sorata Kanda (Friend, Affinity)

  Friend he tries to defend from class rumors.

• Nanami Aoyama (Other, Affinity)

  Classmate he has feelings for.

Ryuunosuke Akasaka (Ryuunosuke)

Sakurasou resident

A genius programmer in room 102 who rarely leaves his room and talks to others through his self-made AI mail program, Maid. He leaves his room to meet the attendance requirement, angers his teacher Koharu Shirayama by typing through class, and takes on the program for the festival project.

• Communication method

  Usually talks to others through Maid, the AI program he built himself.

• Maid (Other, Neutral)

  His self-made AI, which answers for him.

• Sorata Kanda (Colleague, Neutral)

  Directs the festival project he writes the program for.

• Rita Ainsworth (Other, Hostility)

  Gets angry at her for disrupting his early-morning bathroom routine.

• Koharu Shirayama (Hierarchy, Hostility)

  Teacher he provokes by typing through class.

Jin Mitaka

Sakurasou resident

A popular third-year in room 103 who writes scripts; he loves Misaki but keeps his distance, unable to bear the gap between them. He takes the script for Sakurasou's festival project, the last festival before he and Misaki graduate.

• Osaka plan

  Plans to attend university in Osaka instead of Suimei, which would leave Misaki behind.

• Scriptwriter

  Writes the script for Sakurasou's festival anime.

• Misaki Kamiigusa (Other, Mixed)

  He loves her but cannot bear the gap between them, and plans to leave for Osaka.

• Sorata Kanda (Friend, Neutral)

  Junior who directs the project he writes the script for.

Mashiro Shiina

Sakurasou resident · Suiko transfer student

A world-famous painter from England who transferred to Suiko dreaming of becoming a manga artist; she can barely take care of herself, so Sorata looks after her. She refuses Rita's plan to take her back to England and keeps telling Sorata 'Sorata no baka'; she suggests Nyaboron for the festival project and takes on its graphics.

• Needs constant care

  Needs someone to handle her clothes, laundry, room cleaning and waking up.

• Painter's talent

  Her painting at a hotel exhibition convinces Sorata that she belongs in the art world.

• Chihiro Sengoku (Family, Neutral)

  Her cousin, who arranged for her to live at Sakurasou.

• Sorata Kanda (Guardian, Friend, Affinity)

  She answers his text with the letter 'sa' from 'Sorata no baka', and his flustered reaction makes her happy.

• Nanami Aoyama (Friend, Affinity)

  They follow Rita and Sorata's hotel 'date' together.

• Rita Ainsworth (Friend, Mixed)

  Childhood friend and former roommate from the atelier in England who came to take her back; Mashiro refuses and shuts her out.

• Misaki Kamiigusa (Colleague, Affinity)

  Draws the festival project's graphics with her.

• Yuuko Kanda (Other, Hostility)

  Sorata's sister, who suspects her of being too close to Sorata and sometimes gets rough with her.

Misaki Kamiigusa

Sakurasou resident

An eccentric animator in room 201, a third-year about to graduate who wants to be Jin's girlfriend. For her last festival she proposes a work only Sakurasou can make and handles its graphics with Mashiro; Nyaboron is a character she has imagined since kindergarten.

• Feelings for Jin

  Confided to Sorata that she wants to be Jin's girlfriend and asked for his help, not knowing that Jin plans to leave for Osaka.

• Creator of Nyaboron

  Nyaboron, the star of the festival anime, is a character she has imagined since kindergarten.

• Jin Mitaka (Other, Mixed)

  She wants to be his girlfriend, but he plans to leave for Osaka.

• Sorata Kanda (Friend, Affinity)

  Junior who directs the project she draws for.

• Mashiro Shiina (Colleague, Affinity)

  Draws the festival project's graphics with her.

Nanami Aoyama

Sakurasou resident · Suiko student

Sorata's classmate who moved into Sakurasou while chasing her dream of becoming a voice actress; she works hard and rarely relies on anyone. Embarrassed by class rumors about her and Sorata, she insists Sakurasou fix its lifestyle and warns Sorata there may be no second chance if Mashiro returns to England; she also takes on the voice for the festival project.

• Hidden feelings

  Has feelings for Sorata that he does not notice.

• Nyaboron's voice

  Provides the voice for the festival anime Nyaboron.

• Sorata Kanda (Friend, Affinity)

  Classmate tied to her in class rumors; she warns him that Mashiro might leave.

• Mashiro Shiina (Friend, Affinity)

  Follows Rita and Sorata's hotel 'date' with Mashiro.

• Daichi Miyahara (Friend, Neutral)

  Classmate who tries to defend her and Sorata from the rumors.

Sorata Kanda

Sakurasou resident

An ordinary Suiko student who was moved to Sakurasou's room 101 for picking up stray cats, and the one in charge of looking after Mashiro. He lets in Rita, who has come from England to take Mashiro back, and tells Mashiro he is on neither side. Appointed director of Sakurasou's festival project, he is moved by Mashiro's painting at a hotel exhibition and feels she belongs in the art world.

• Mashiro duty

  At Chihiro's request he wakes Mashiro, picks out her clothes and does her laundry.

• Festival director

  Directs Sakurasou's cultural festival project, the audience-participation anime Nyaboron.

• Mashiro Shiina (Guardian, Friend, Affinity)

  He wants to see her manga serialized and asks her to stay, but says he is on neither her side nor Rita's.

• Chihiro Sengoku (Hierarchy, Neutral)

  Dorm adviser who keeps handing him chores, such as fixing the nameplate and picking up Mashiro.

• Nanami Aoyama (Friend, Affinity)

  Classmate caught up with him in class rumors; she warns him that if Mashiro goes back to England there may be no second chance.

• Jin Mitaka (Friend, Neutral)

  Writes the script for the festival project Sorata directs.

• Misaki Kamiigusa (Friend, Affinity)

  Draws the graphics for the project he directs; Nyaboron is her creation.

• Rita Ainsworth (Other, Affinity)

  He took her in after Mashiro shut her out; she stays in his room at first and takes him on a hotel 'date'.

• Yuuko Kanda (Family, Affinity)

  Younger sister who visited during the summer.

• Daichi Miyahara (Friend, Affinity)

  Friend whose attempt to defend him from class rumors starts a new rumor about the two of them.

• Ryuunosuke Akasaka (Colleague, Neutral)

  Writes the program for the festival project.

• Kazuki Fujisawa (Other, Neutral)

  Judge who asked the question he could not answer, so his game was rejected.

Yuuko Kanda (Yuuko)

Kanda family

Sorata's younger sister, a third-year middle school student. She visited Sakurasou in the summer on the pretext of asking her brother for high school advice, misread the residents' relationships, and went home to Fukuoka declaring she will enter Suiko next year.

• Visit to Sakurasou

  Came under the pretext of asking Sorata for high school advice, but really just wanted to see her brother, and asked him on a date.

• Suspicious of residents

  Jumps to wrong conclusions about Sorata's relationships with the residents, especially Mashiro and Nanami.

• Sorata Kanda (Family, Affinity)

  Older brother she came to see and openly adores.

• Mashiro Shiina (Other, Hostility)

  Suspects her of being too close to her brother and sometimes gets rough with her.

• Nanami Aoyama (Other, Mixed)

  Misreads Nanami's remark that Sorata helps her a lot.

Kazuki Fujisawa

Game competition judge

A judge at the game design competition who asked Sorata a question he could not answer just before his presentation, leading to his rejection.

• Sorata Kanda (Other, Neutral)

  Judged his presentation and asked the question he could not answer, so his game was rejected.

Rita Ainsworth (Rita)

Mashiro's friend from England

Mashiro's childhood friend and roommate from her art atelier in England, a blond girl who came to Japan to take Mashiro back. Refused and shut out by Mashiro, she is taken in by Sorata and declares she will stay until Mashiro decides to go back; on a hotel 'date' she shows Sorata a painting by Mashiro.

• Arrival at Sakurasou

  Arrives at the door, flirts with Sorata in Japanese, and is introduced by Chihiro as Mashiro's roommate from England.

• Mashiro Shiina (Friend, Mixed)

  Childhood friend and former roommate she wants to take back to England; Mashiro refuses.

• Sorata Kanda (Other, Affinity)

  Stays in his room in exchange for telling him about Mashiro's past, and takes him on a hotel 'date'.

• Ryuunosuke Akasaka (Other, Hostility)

  He gets angry when she uses the bathroom at his usual time.

Koharu Shirayama (Shirayama)

Teacher

Ryuunosuke's teacher, who grows angry when he types noisily in class and tells her to teach something interesting if she wants his attention.

• Classroom clash

  Gets angry at Ryuunosuke's noisy typing and his remark that he only comes for attendance.

• Ryuunosuke Akasaka (Hierarchy, Hostility)

  Student who disrupts her class and says he only comes to meet the attendance requirement.

Maid

AI

An AI mail program Ryuunosuke built himself, which replies to people on his behalf. Since Ryuunosuke rarely leaves his room, the residents usually reach him through it.

• Ryuunosuke Akasaka (Other, Neutral)

  Its creator, on whose behalf it answers.

• Sorata Kanda (Other, Neutral)

  Answers Sorata in Ryuunosuke's place.

World Memo

• Suimei University of the Arts High School

  An arts high school attached to Suimei University of the Arts, called Suiko for short. Students can transfer in mid-year, and all the Sakurasou residents attend it.

• Sakurasou

  One of Suiko's dorms, where students who caused trouble in the regular dorm end up. Sorata was moved here for picking up stray cats, and once moved, returning to the regular dorm is not easy. Art teacher Chihiro Sengoku serves as its dorm adviser.

• Sakurasou meetings and Mashiro duty

  Matters at Sakurasou are settled at Sakurasou meetings of all the residents, and it was at one that Sorata was put on Mashiro duty: because Mashiro can barely manage daily life, he wakes her, picks out her clothes and does her laundry. Nanami took the duty over for a while, but returned it to Sorata after her audition.

• Each resident's dream

  The residents each pursue a craft: Sorata wants to become a game creator, Nanami a voice actress, Misaki makes anime, Jin writes scripts, Mashiro draws manga despite being a famous painter, and Ryuunosuke is a genius programmer.

• Game design competition

  Entries that pass the first screening are presented in person before judges. Sorata passed the first round but was rejected at his August 31 presentation after failing to answer a judge's question.

• Cultural festival project

  For the cultural festival, the last before Misaki and Jin graduate, the residents split the work by talent: Mashiro and Misaki on graphics, Jin on the script, Nanami on voice, Ryuunosuke on the program, with Sorata as director.

• Nyaboron

  A character Misaki has imagined since kindergarten. At Mashiro's suggestion, the festival project became an anime based on Nyaboron that moves forward with the audience's reactions.

Clue Board

• Jin's Osaka plan and Misaki (Episode 6)

  Sorata learned that Jin plans to go to university in Osaka instead of Suimei, but Jin asked him to keep it from Misaki, saying he would tell her himself. Misaki, who wants to be Jin's girlfriend, still does not know, and whether the two will part is unsettled.

• Nanami's feelings (Episode 6)

  Nanami is embarrassed by class rumors pairing her with Sorata, and Miyahara, who likes her, tries to defend them. Her own feelings for Sorata are still unspoken.

• Mashiro's question about love (Episode 8)

  On the day a note reading 'Teach me love' arrives, Mashiro asks Sorata what love is, and he guesses she sent the note. She says she needs to feel love to draw a love story, and her question has no answer yet.

• Mashiro's past in England (Episode 9)

  Rita promises to tell Sorata everything about Mashiro's life in England in exchange for staying in his room. What happened there has not been told yet.

• Mashiro's return to England (Episode 9)

  Rita will stay until Mashiro decides to go back to England. Sorata says he is on neither side, but after seeing Mashiro's painting at the hotel exhibition he feels she belongs in the art world, and whether he will side with Rita is unsettled.

Season Summary

Season 1 — Season 1

Episodes 1–9

Sorata Kanda, who moved into the problem-student dorm Sakurasou, looks after Mashiro Shiina, a genius painter from England, and decides to stay at Sakurasou after seeing her devotion to her manga. Over the summer Nanami fails her voice-acting audition, Jin secretly plans to leave for university in Osaka without telling Misaki, and Sorata's game is rejected at a competition presentation while Mashiro's serialization moves forward.

In autumn Rita, Mashiro's friend from her art atelier in England, comes to take her back, but Mashiro refuses, and Rita settles in at Sakurasou, vowing to stay until Mashiro changes her mind. The residents plan a project for the cultural festival, the last before Misaki and Jin graduate, with Sorata as director. After Rita's hotel exhibition date shows him Mashiro's painting, it is still unclear whether he will side with Rita.

Music Releases

• Kimi ga Yume wo Tsuretekita (OP)
• Days of Dash (ED)