Sakura Diaries

Sakura Diaries (Japanese: 桜通信, Hepburn: Sakura Tsūshin) is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by U-Jin. It was serialized in Shogakukan's seinen manga magazine Weekly Young Sunday from 1995 to 2000, with its chapters collected in twenty tankōbon volumes. The story revolves around a young man who fails to get into a prestigious university and pretends to be a student there to impress a girl, while also living with his cousin who secretly loves him. It was adapted into a 12-episode original video animation (OVA) series. Sakura Diaries is known for its complex love triangle, the characters' inner struggles, and adult themes. The protagonist, Touma Inaba, experiences setbacks and growth as he pursues love and academics. Key characters include his cousin, Urara Kasuga, and the red-haired Mieko Yotsuba. The plot involves multiple romantic relationships, lies, betrayal, pregnancy, and drug addiction, adding depth and controversy to the series. Besides the anime adaptation, it was also made into a Sega Saturn game titled "Sakura Tsuushin: ReMaking Memories". In 2014, a sequel called New Sakura Diaries was announced, following a boy seeking a job in Tokyo who is taken in by a girl who calls him "big brother."