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Reiji Miyajima Aims to Create Characters That Feel Real

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Reiji Miyajima Aims to Create Characters That Feel Real

The Creator of Rent-a-Girlfriend Must Be Thrilled: Season 4 Announcement and Insights from Reiji Miyajima The author of Rent-a-Girlfriend must be delighted—today, it was announced that the fourth season of Rent-a-Girlfriend will premiere in July 2025.

The director of the first and second seasons will return for the anime, and the fourth season will feature two cours, with a break between them. A new visual has also been released:

Kanojo Okarishimasu 4

However, here we want to highlight some interesting points shared by Reiji Miyajima, the author of Rent-a-Girlfriend, in an interview published by Pixivision last year.

Reiji Miyajima Aims to Create Characters That Feel Real

Although he is known for drawing beautiful girls, Miyajima revealed that he didn’t start his career with that skill. “My initial inspiration was One Piece, and my current style wasn’t what I envisioned at the beginning,” the mangaka admitted.

The shift to the romance genre happened gradually. He mentioned that feedback from editors and the influence of a teacher at his vocational school helped him realize that drawing girls was his strength.

Reiji Miyajima Aims to Create Characters That Feel Real

Miyajima shared that he only discovered his affinity for romance around the age of 30. This realization transformed his creative approach: “It was when I started working on Rent-a-Girlfriend that I realized I could create something unique in the romance genre.”

He also emphasized how his female characters reflect their personalities. For instance:

  • Chizuru: Represents the “perfect girlfriend,” with elegant outfits that reflect her ideal image.
  • Mami: More realistic and authentic, giving off an everyday vibe.
  • Sumi: Overcompensates for her lack of confidence with overly cute outfits, emphasizing her desire to please.

When discussing character design, Miyajima explained that he doesn’t start with appearance but with personality. “Appearance reflects who the person is, their motivations, and how they want to be perceived,” he stated.

Reiji Miyajima Aims to Create Characters That Feel Real

Miyajima strives to create characters that feel real, focusing on visual details and their interactions. He believes that expressions and movements are more crucial than small appearance variations to differentiate characters.

He also takes great care in portraying emotions authentically, even in comedic scenes. “I want my characters to remain adorable, even when making funny faces. That’s part of what makes them human,” he said.

Reiji Miyajima Aims to Create Characters That Feel Real

Trends in Art and Miyajima’s Unique Identity

When asked what he considers while drawing, Miyajima revealed:
“Much of my work relies on intuition, but I try to stay updated on artistic trends. I’m always observing cute illustrations of girls on Instagram and X, studying what’s popular. Then, I add a unique touch—something that makes my art stand out.”

One standout example was an illustration of Chizuru: “I had the idea to subtly show the veins on her chest in a sensual pose. It’s something you often see in glamour photography but rarely in manga. I decided to experiment, and I was satisfied with the result. It feels great to bring something different to the art.”

 

Finally, Miyajima explained that creating chapters involving multiple female characters is particularly challenging. “A chapter with two heroines takes 1.5 times longer to complete than one focused on Kazuya,” he confessed. Despite this, he doesn’t avoid complex scenes: “As a mangaka, it’s my duty to overcome these difficulties and deliver something special to readers.”

You can read the full interview here.