Saenai Heroine no Sodatekata Episode 12 Recap & Characters (Spoiler-Free)

Episode Summary

The Ups and Downs at the End of Each Day

Tomoya books Michiru's band, icy tail, as the opening act of a six-band show. Outside, Utaha complains to Megumi that Tomoya took on the band without consulting the circle, while Eriri flees to a maid café until Megumi brings her back. Backstage, Tomoya reveals that Michiru's bandmates are otaku who had been passing off anime songs as pop, and that in exchange for managing icy tail as an anime-song band, Michiru will join blessing software.

The show wins the crowd, and Michiru agrees to compose for the game, though she punishes Tomoya for her costume. Eriri vows to move players even without music and starts calling Megumi by her first name, and the five finish the game's first route with two months left before Winter Comiket.

• First live show

  Tomoya books Michiru's band, icy tail, as the opening act of a six-band show with no publicity, and Michiru vows to win fans that very day.

• Friction at MOGRA

  Utaha complains to Megumi that Tomoya took on the band without consulting the circle, and Eriri flees to a maid café; Megumi brings her back and asks them both to trust Tomoya.

• Revealing the anime songs

  Tomoya reveals that Michiru's bandmates are otaku who had been passing off anime songs as pop, and that he has agreed to manage icy tail as an anime-song band in exchange for Michiru joining blessing software. Michiru protests, then agrees to sing.

• Concert and new agreement

  The show wins the crowd, and Michiru agrees to compose music for the game, though she punishes Tomoya for her stage costume. Eriri starts calling Megumi by her first name.

• One route complete

  After an all-nighter the five finish the game's first route, with two months left before Winter Comiket.

Recent Timeline

• Confrontation at the old school and blessing software (Episode 9)

  Utaha Kasumigaoka, called in by Megumi Kato, urged Tomoya Aki to win Eriri Sawamura back through their shared childhood. Following Utaha's plan modeled on Little Love Rhapsody, he led Eriri out of her family's fireworks-night party, and outside their old school he poured out eight years of resentment over her abandoning him. Eriri called it betrayal that he had shared Little Love Rhapsody with another girl, and when he said Izumi's book excited him more, she vowed to become his number one before she would apologize. Eriri then finished the circle cut, modeling its heroine on Megumi's figure, and the circle was named blessing software.

• Michiru moves in (Episode 10)

  Tomoya Aki's same-age cousin Michiru Hyodo, who had fought with her father over her band and left home, came to stay at his house. When she bagged his otaku goods for the trash, Tomoya told her to go home, but that night her guitar playing moved him to ask her to make the ultimate dating game with him.

• Megumi's resolve and Tomoya becomes manager (Episode 11)

  Michiru Hyodo refused to compose the game's music and asked Tomoya Aki to become the manager her father required for her band. Shaken by her remark that only he was serious about his circle, Tomoya admitted to Megumi Kato after a sleepless night that his scripting had barely advanced. Megumi, who had stayed up with Eriri Sawamura building a scene, told him she had studied his scripting manual on her own because she truly wanted to make the game. Encouraged, Tomoya became Michiru's manager and within a week secured a live slot and every member's promise to play.

• icy tail's first live show (Episode 12)

  At icy tail's first live show, Tomoya revealed that the band's songs had always been anime-song covers that the other members, all otaku, had passed off as pop, and that he had agreed to manage the band as an anime-song act in exchange for Michiru joining blessing software. After her bandmates apologized and Tomoya argued that her respect for the music would reach the audience, she performed and the crowd answered with cheers. Afterward Tomoya asked her to make his dream come true by composing music for the game, so her songs could move players alongside Utaha's scenario and Eriri's art, and the agreement was settled.

• First names and the first route (Episode 12)

  Eriri began calling Megumi by her first name, arguing that fellow otaku who stay up all night making a game together should not use formal address, and Megumi answered in kind. The circle then pulled an all-nighter and finished one route of the game, with two months left until Winter Comiket.

Character Graph

Keiichi Kato

Cousin of Megumi Kato who goes out to dinner with her.

• Megumi Kato (Family, Affinity)

  Her cousin; they go out to dinner together while their parents attend a play.

Sonoko Machida

Utaha Kasumigaoka's editor and a deputy editor at her publisher. She presses Utaha on deadlines and brought Tomoya Aki in to interview her.

• Utaha Kasumigaoka (Colleague, Mixed)

  Her editor; keeps pressing her on deadlines and arranged her interview with Tomoya.

Iori Hashima

Izumi Hashima's older brother and Tomoya Aki's former classmate and best friend, who now runs the top doujin circle rouge en rouge. Eriri Sawamura turned down his offer, and on the last day of Summer Comiket Tomoya came to ask for his help in bringing her back; afterward he told Izumi that Kashiwagi Eri had bought her book.

• Rival circle

  Says rouge en rouge is starting a game project like Tomoya's and needs an illustrator, framing it as a contest over Eriri's creative future.

• Break with Tomoya

  They once vowed to rise in the otaku world together, but Tomoya cut ties because Iori rides on popular works and creators to make himself look big.

• Plans for Izumi

  Complained that Tomoya had spoiled his plan to launch Izumi through his circle the following year.

• Tomoya Aki (Friend, Mixed)

  Former best friend turned rival; Tomoya cut ties over his habit of exploiting creators, yet still came to him for help in bringing Eriri back.

• Eriri Sawamura (Other, Neutral)

  Wanted her for his circle, but she turned him down, calling him a doujin hustler.

• Izumi Hashima (Family, Neutral)

  Older brother; Tomoya suggests he hides his doujin activities from her. After Summer Comiket he told her that Kashiwagi Eri had bought her book.

Izumi Hashima (Izumi)

doujin artist

Tomoya Aki's junior, two school years younger, who got into games and anime thanks to him and draws Little Love Rhapsody doujinshi. Her book sold out at Summer Comiket with Tomoya's help, and Iori later told her that the popular artist Kashiwagi Eri had lined up to buy it herself.

• Doujinshi activity

  Draws Little Love Rhapsody doujinshi as the circle Fancy Wave; last year was her first event.

• Origin of interest

  Tomoya gave her Little Love Rhapsody 2 and a console for her birthday, which opened up games and anime for her.

• Last-minute rewrite

  Scrapped finished pages for a new idea the day before the deadline, so the last part of her book was left in rough sketches.

• Tomoya Aki (Mentor, Colleague, Affinity)

  Calls him her senpai and credits him with the hobby that made her happy; at Summer Comiket he helped sell out her book.

• Eriri Sawamura (Other, Neutral)

  Knows of Eriri only by reputation; they have never really talked.

• Iori Hashima (Family, Neutral)

  Her older brother, who told her that Kashiwagi Eri had bought her book.

• Megumi Kato (Other, Affinity)

  Took Megumi for Tomoya's girlfriend at first, and accepted her offer to mind the booth so she could buy other circles' books.

Eriri Sawamura (Eriri)

student · illustrator · circle member

Tomoya Aki's childhood friend and blessing software's illustrator, who secretly draws as Kashiwagi Eri. Feeling her place as his oldest childhood friend taken by Michiru, she fled to a maid café rather than see the live show, but afterward vowed to move players even without music and began calling Megumi by her first name.

• Pen name

  Draws popular adult doujinshi as Kashiwagi Eri and keeps it secret at school.

• Circle commitment

  Turned down rouge en rouge and swore off other events and guest work until Winter Comiket.

• Vow

  Vowed to become Tomoya's number one as a creator and refuses to apologize until then.

• First names with Megumi

  Began calling Megumi by her first name, saying fellow otaku who stay up making games together should not use formal address.

• Tomoya Aki (Colleague, Friend, Mixed)

  Childhood friend and circle leader; she stayed away from the live show at first, then vowed to move players with art and scenario alone.

• Utaha Kasumigaoka (Colleague, Mixed)

  Senior rival who teased her to tears before the live show, though Eriri admits Utaha's talent is separate from her personality.

• Megumi Kato (Colleague, Friend, Affinity)

  Brought back from the maid café by Megumi; she switched to first names, and Megumi answered in kind.

• Iori Hashima (Other, Hostility)

  Turned down his offer to join rouge en rouge, calling him a hustler who uses up creators.

• Izumi Hashima (Other, Mixed)

  Secretly lined up to buy Izumi's book and felt outdone by the excitement Tomoya showed for it.

• Michiru Hyodo (Other, Mixed)

  Feels her place as Tomoya's oldest childhood friend was taken; after the show she vowed to move players even without Michiru's music.

Utaha Kasumigaoka (Utaha)

student · writer · circle member

A third-year senior who writes as Kasumi Utako and is blessing software's scenario writer. She resented that Tomoya took on Michiru's band without consulting the circle and teased Eriri into fleeing before the live show, but she finished her part of the first route and moved straight on to the next.

• Pen name

  Publishes best-selling light novels as Kasumi Utako; Tomoya is a devoted fan.

• Game role

  Writes the scenario for Tomoya's dating game.

• Delayed novel

  Has let her own next novel fall behind to write the game's scenario.

• Defense of otaku

  Told Michiru that people who pour everything into creating, and the fans who support them, deserve respect.

• Tomoya Aki (Colleague, Mixed)

  Resented being left out of his decision to manage Michiru's band, but stays committed to the game.

• Eriri Sawamura (Colleague, Mixed)

  Teased her to tears before the live show and told Megumi that Eriri is even more of a handful than herself.

• Megumi Kato (Colleague, Mixed)

  Blamed Megumi for knowing Tomoya's plan and not stopping it, and warned her that getting too close to Eriri would bring 'hell later'.

• Michiru Hyodo (Other, Hostility)

  Hostile since Michiru looked down on otaku, and resentful that Tomoya chose her band without consulting the circle.

Megumi Kato (Megumi)

student · classmate · main heroine · circle member

Tomoya Aki's classmate and the model for blessing software's main heroine. She knew of Tomoya's plan for Michiru's band and urged Utaha and Eriri to trust him, fetched Eriri from a maid café, and began calling Eriri by her first name.

• The girl on the hill

  Thanked Tomoya for picking up her white beret over spring break; she was the girl he had taken for his destined encounter.

• Self-taught scripting

  Borrowed Tomoya's scripting manual and studied it unasked to cover his delays.

• Happy heroine

  In a scene she scripted herself, had the heroine ask Tomoya to make her a happy heroine everyone envies.

• First names with Eriri

  When Eriri called her 'Megumi', she answered 'Eriri'.

• Tomoya Aki (Colleague, Friend, Affinity)

  Classmate and circle leader; she backed his plan for Michiru's band and asked the others to trust him.

• Eriri Sawamura (Colleague, Friend, Affinity)

  Fetched Eriri from the maid café; when Eriri called her 'Megumi', she answered 'Eriri'.

• Keiichi Kato (Family, Affinity)

  Her cousin, with whom she went out to dinner.

• Izumi Hashima (Other, Affinity)

  Offered to mind the booth so Izumi could buy other circles' books, and praised her book.

• Michiru Hyodo (Colleague, Affinity)

  Backed Tomoya's plan for Michiru's band and was glad when she joined the circle.

Michiru Hyodo (Michiru)

cousin · icy tail · circle member

Tomoya Aki's same-age cousin and the guitarist and vocalist of icy tail. At the band's first live show she learned that her bandmates were otaku who had passed off anime songs as pop, but she sang anyway and won the crowd, then agreed to compose music for blessing software.

• Band activity

  Joined an all-girl band when she entered high school a year ago; it debuted as icy tail, the opening act of a six-band show.

• Father's condition

  Her father will allow the band only with a proper manager, worried about girls frequenting live venues; she refuses a stranger and wants Tomoya.

• Hidden anime songs

  Her bandmates had hidden that their songs were anime covers, so her own compositions ended up sounding like anime songs.

• Joining the circle

  Agreed to compose the game's music after the show, though she punished Tomoya for the stage costume.

• Tomoya Aki (Family, Colleague, Mixed)

  Cousin and band manager; she resented the stage costume and his secret deal with her bandmates, but after the show agreed to compose for his game.

• Utaha Kasumigaoka (Other, Hostility)

  Was berated by Utaha for looking down on otaku; she answered that it was a difference in culture, not rank.

Tomoya Aki (Tomoya)

student · otaku · circle leader · band manager

Leader of blessing software and manager of his cousin Michiru's band, icy tail. At the band's first live show he revealed its anime-song secret and traded his management for Michiru joining the circle; after the show she agreed to compose, and the five finished the game's first route with two months left before Winter Comiket.

• Core ambition

  Wants to turn the girl he met on a hill in spring, his classmate Megumi, into a heroine who moves players.

• Game project

  Leads the circle as producer and director, with Eriri on art and Utaha on the scenario, and works part-time to fund the game.

• Resentment toward Eriri

  Has never forgiven Eriri for pretending to quit being an otaku eight years ago and leaving him for new friends.

• Band management

  Struck a deal with icy tail's other members: he manages them as an anime-song band, and in exchange Michiru joins blessing software.

• Eriri Sawamura (Colleague, Friend, Mixed)

  Childhood friend and illustrator; she fled to a maid café rather than attend the live show, but came back vowing to move players even without music.

• Utaha Kasumigaoka (Colleague, Mixed)

  Senior writer who resented that he took on Michiru's band without consulting the circle, yet kept writing the next route.

• Megumi Kato (Colleague, Friend, Affinity)

  Classmate and heroine model who knew his plan for the band, backed it, and urged the others to trust him.

• Izumi Hashima (Mentor, Colleague, Affinity)

  Junior whose talent stunned him; he helped sell out her book at Summer Comiket.

• Iori Hashima (Friend, Mixed)

  Former best friend turned rival; he still went to Iori on the last day of Comiket to ask for help in bringing Eriri back.

• Michiru Hyodo (Family, Colleague, Mixed)

  Manages her band, icy tail; in exchange for running it as an anime-song band, Michiru joined blessing software and agreed to compose for the game.

World Memo

• Tomoya's game circle

  Otaku Tomoya Aki leads the doujin circle blessing software, which is making a dating game with his classmate Megumi Kato as the model for its main heroine. Eriri Sawamura handles the art, Utaha Kasumigaoka the scenario and Michiru Hyodo the music, and the goal is to finish in December and release it at Winter Comiket. Tomoya writes the scripts himself with help from Megumi, who taught herself scripting, and covers the production costs with part-time jobs.

• Eriri and Utaha's secret identities

  Tomoya's childhood friend Eriri Sawamura is the popular adult doujin artist Kashiwagi Eri, and his third-year senior Utaha Kasumigaoka is the popular light novelist Kasumi Utako. Both keep these identities hidden at school.

• Comiket and doujin circles

  Comiket is a huge event held in summer and winter where doujin circles sell their own doujinshi and doujin games at booths. It runs for three days, and each circle is assigned one of them; at Summer Comiket, Eriri's circle was placed on the final day and Izumi's on the second.

• Circle entry cutoff

  Participating circles enter the hall ahead of the general queue with circle tickets, but circle entry closes at a set time on the morning of the event.

• Large sellers versus small exhibitors

  There is an enormous gap in sales between major sellers and small exhibitors, and small exhibitors often struggle to sell alone and may carry unsold books home.

• The game's route structure

  Utaha Kasumigaoka's original plot centered on the heroine Meguri, bound by a past-life bond. After reworking it overnight with Tomoya Aki in Wago City, the game now pairs the past-life story route with an everyday-romance route. After an all-nighter the first route is complete, with two months left until Winter Comiket.

• Michiru's band

  Michiru Hyodo's all-girl band, icy tail, in which she plays guitar and sings, debuted as the opening act of a six-band show with Tomoya as manager. The other members, all otaku, had been passing off anime-song covers as current pop, and Tomoya agreed with them to manage icy tail as an anime-song band in exchange for Michiru joining blessing software.

Clue Board

• Disputed childhood promise (Episode 1)

  A flashback presents a childhood promise that Tomoya would found a game company and hire Eriri as its artist; Eriri disputes that such an implausibly specific promise ever happened.

• Iori's concealment from Izumi (Episode 7)

  Tomoya suggests Iori hides his activities from Izumi out of shame. Iori does not confirm or deny the accusation, leaving the matter open.

• How Iori knows (Episode 7)

  Iori Hashima knows that Eriri Sawamura is the doujin artist Kashiwagi Eri, a secret she keeps at school, and he also knows about Tomoya's game project and its creative lineup. How he found out has not been revealed.

• Why Eriri turned away eight years ago (Episode 9)

  Tomoya accuses Eriri of pretending to quit being an otaku eight years ago and leaving him for new friends. Eriri insists she had no choice and says she cried over having to ignore him at school, but she has not said what forced her.

• Doubtful sprained ankle (Episode 9)

  Tomoya questions whether Eriri's claimed sprained ankle is genuine, while Eriri treats helping her as his responsibility for taking her away; the question is left open.

• Megumi's hidden motive (Episode 11)

  When asked why she was working late, Megumi first cited the slipping schedule, then admitted she had other thoughts motivating her, without revealing what they were.

• Remaining routes before Winter Comiket (Episode 12)

  The five finished the game's first route after an all-nighter, but only two months remain until Winter Comiket. Everyone except Tomoya Aki and Megumi Kato is worn out, so whether the remaining routes can be finished in time is still unknown.

Season Summary

Season 1 — Season 1

Episodes 1–12

Tomoya Aki, a devoted otaku, is making a dating game for Winter Comiket modeled on his unremarkable classmate Megumi Kato, the girl he met on a hill in spring, with his childhood friend Eriri Sawamura, secretly the doujin artist Kashiwagi Eri, on art and senior Utaha Kasumigaoka, the light novelist Kasumi Utako, on the scenario. A night in Wago City spent reworking the plot with Utaha set the game's direction.

Eriri turns down Tomoya's estranged friend Iori Hashima and pledges herself to Tomoya's circle, but at Summer Comiket Tomoya sells out the book of Iori's sister Izumi, a junior he once got into games, and Eriri is hurt. After they air eight years of grievances outside their old school, Eriri vows to become his number one, and the circle is named blessing software.

Tomoya's same-age cousin Michiru Hyodo, who has left home over her band, moves in, and her songs win him over. When she says only he is serious about the circle, Megumi assures him she truly wants to make the game, and Tomoya becomes the band's manager. At icy tail's first live show he reveals that Michiru's bandmates are otaku who had disguised anime songs as pop, and in exchange for managing the band, Michiru joins blessing software. After the show she agrees to compose, Eriri and Megumi start using first names, and the five finish the game's first route with two months left before Winter Comiket.

Music Releases

• Kimiiro Signal (OP)
• Colorful. (ED)
• Cherish you (insert)