Rascal Does Not Dream,[6][a] known in Japan as Seishun Buta Yarō (Japanese: 青春ブタ野郎; Rascal, lit. "Teenage Pig") or AoButa (青ブタ), is a Japanese light novel series written by Hajime Kamoshida and illustrated by Kēji Mizoguchi. ASCII Media Works published sixteen volumes from April 2014 to July 2025 under their Dengeki Bunko imprint. A manga adaptation by various illustrators has been serialized in ASCII Media Works' seinen manga magazine Dengeki G's Comic since December 2015.
An anime television series adaptation by CloverWorks, Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai, aired from October to December 2018. An anime film, Rascal Does Not Dream of a Dreaming Girl, premiered in June 2019. A second anime film, Rascal Does Not Dream of a Sister Venturing Out, premiered in June 2023. A third anime film, Rascal Does Not Dream of a Knapsack Kid, premiered in December 2023. A second anime television series, Rascal Does Not Dream of Santa Claus, premiered in July 2025.
High school student Sakuta Azusagawa's life takes a turn for the unexpected when he meets teenage actress Mai Sakurajima, dressed as a bunny girl, wandering through a library and not being noticed by anyone else there. Mai is intrigued that Sakuta is the only one who can see her, as other people are unable to see her, even when she is dressing normally or attempting to stay away from celebrity life. Calling this phenomenon "Adolescence Syndrome" (思春期症候群, Shishunki Shōkōgun),[b] Sakuta decides to solve this mystery, while continuing to get closer to Mai and meeting other girls who suffer from Adolescence Syndrome as well.
Rascal Does Not Dream is written by Hajime Kamoshida and features illustrations by Keji Mizoguchi. ASCII Media Works published fifteen volumes from April 2014 to October 2024 under their Dengeki Bunko imprint. The original title of each volume is set according to the syntax Rascal Does Not Dream of... (青春ブタ野郎は...の夢を見ない, Seishun Buta Yarō wa... no Yume o Minai). In April 2024, it was announced that the series entered its final arc, with the final volume, volume 15, published on October 10 of the same year.[15]
Yen Press has been publishing light novels in English since April 28, 2020.[16][17]
A manga adaptation drawn by Tsugumi Nanamiya began serialization in the January 2016 issue of ASCII Media Works' Dengeki G's Comic magazine, which was released on December 1, 2015.[48][49] Yen Press has been publishing the English version of the manga in a 2-in-1 omnibus edition since August 18, 2020.[50]
A manga adaptation drawn by Tsukumo Asakusa began serialization in the May 2018 issue of Dengeki G's Comic magazine.[2]
A manga adaptation drawn by Tsukako Akina began serialization on the ComicWalker [ja] website on August 1, 2020.[3]
A manga adaptation drawn by Akuro Yoshibe began serialization on the G's Channel and ComicWalker [ja] websites on April 30, 2023.[4]
A manga adaptation drawn by Eranto began serialization on the G's Channel and ComicWalker [ja] on April 30, 2023.[5]
A manga adaptation of Rascal Does Not Dream of Siscon Idol, illustrated by Jun Miyazaki, began serialization on the G's Channel on December 25, 2023.[67]
A 13-episode anime television series adaptation, titled Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai, aired from October 4 to December 27, 2018, on ABC and other networks.[69][70][71][c] The series is animated by CloverWorks and directed by Sōichi Masui, with Kazuya Iwata as assistant director, Masahiro Yokotani handling series composition, and Satomi Tamura designing the characters. The band Fox Capture Plan composed the series' music. Satomi Tamura also served as the chief animation director along with Akira Takata.[72] It adapts the first five light novel volumes. The opening theme song is "Kimi no Sei" (君のせい; lit. 'Your Fault'), performed by the Peggies. while the ending theme song is "Fukashigi no Karte" (不可思議のカルテ; lit. 'Mysterious Chart'), with each arc performed by Asami Seto, Yurika Kubo, Nao Tōyama, Atsumi Tanezaki, Maaya Uchida, and Inori Minase as their respective character names.[7][73]
An anime film adaptation, titled Rascal Does Not Dream of a Dreaming Girl, premiered on June 15, 2019.[74] The staff and cast reprised their roles from the anime.[75] It adapts the sixth and seventh light novel volumes.[76]
During the Aniplex Online Fest event in September 2022, an anime sequel adapting the eighth and ninth light novel volumes was announced.[77] It was later revealed that the sequel would consist of two films; Rascal Does Not Dream of a Sister Venturing Out, adapting the eighth volume, was released theatrically on June 23, 2023,[78] and Rascal Does Not Dream of a Knapsack Kid, adapting the ninth volume, premiered on December 1 of that same year.[79] Both films reprise the main staff and cast of the previous anime adaptation.
An anime adaptation of the University Student Arc (tenth volume onwards) was announced in December 2023,[80] which was later revealed to be a television series, titled Rascal Does Not Dream of Santa Claus, premiered on July 5, 2025, on Tokyo MX and other networks,[14] with the staff and cast from the anime series and films reprising their roles.[13] The opening theme song is "Snowdrop", performed by Conton Candy [ja],[14] while the ending theme song is "Suiheisen wa Boku no Furukizu" (水平線は僕の古傷; lit. 'The Horizon Is My Old Wound'), performed by Sora Amamiya, Aya Yamane, Konomi Kohara and Reina Ueda as their respective characters.[81]
Aniplex of America licensed Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai, streaming it on Crunchyroll, Hulu, FunimationNow, and Netflix,[82][83][84] having released a complete Blu-ray set (with English subtitles) on November 19, 2019.[85] In Australia and New Zealand, the series was simulcast on AnimeLab,[86] and in Southeast Asia on Aniplus Asia.[87] MVM Entertainment acquired the series for distribution in the UK and Ireland.[88]
In addition to the two films that were released subtitled in US theaters by Aniplex of America, in association with Fathom Events on March 24, 2024, an English dub screening of Rascal Does Not Dream of a Sister Venturing Out & Knapsack Kid, commissioned by Burbank-based Bang Zoom! starring Erica Mendez, Stephen Fu and Kayli Mills with ADR direction handled by Michelle Ruff, premiered on March 25, 2024.[89] Aniplex of America released the films individually on Blu-ray in the US in 2024.[90][91] Crunchyroll streamed both films in English and Japanese on August 2, 2025.[92]
Nearly six years after its premiere, an English dub of Bunny Girl Senpai was announced on August 23, 2024,[93] and premiered on December 3 that same year with the cast of the films reprising their roles.[8]
On June 17, 2025, Aniplex of America announced it would stream Rascal Does Not Dream of a Dreaming Girl on Crunchyroll with the English dub that premiered in December 2024 at Anime Frontier. It released on June 19, 2025, with the cast from the series and other films returning.[94]
On July 25, 2025, Aniplex of America announced it would stream an English dub of Rascal Does Not Dream of Santa Claus on Crunchyroll the next day, with the main cast returning, plus new cast members.[95]
Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai takes a supernatural look into the complexities of growing up in the modern age through a psychophysiological phenomenon known as the "puberty syndrome".
