Warning: The following contains spoilers for Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russian, Episode 1, "Alya Hides Her Feelings in Russian," now streaming on Crunchyroll.

Summer 2024 has finally kicked off with Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russian’s first episode, bringing Masachika and Alya’s eccentric yet wholesome romance to screens. Initially scheduled for release in Spring 2024, the series’ adaptation has been met with a positive reception, as viewers have high hopes for this season’s most promising romcom entry.

Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russian’s premise might seem akin to any other romantic comedy, yet its bilingual spin is what truly sets the show apart from its counterparts. As the first episode jumps right into Alya’s Russian jibes, viewers are acquainted with the colorful characters of the show, coupled with some much-needed exposition.

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A One-of-a-Kind Premise

Despite hundreds of slice-of-life romcoms already populating the anime landscape, the series has managed to carve out an audience through its novel premise. The Half-Japanese Half-Russian Alisa Mikhailovna Kujou, otherwise known as Alya, is the most popular girl in school, with everyone vying for her attention. However, the only one fortunate enough to talk to her is Masachika, Alya’s otaku seatmate.

With an indifferent and aloof front, Alya reveals her true feelings in Russian through playful taunts aimed at Masachika. There’s a slight twist, however, as Masachika can understand and speak Russian fluently, meaning he is fully aware of Alya’s flirtatious side. It’s likely that Masachika’s little secret won’t be out for a while now, allowing viewers to relish some classic one-sided miscommunication.

How Did Masachika Learn Russian?

Russian is no easy language, and for a random high schooler in the Japanese archipelago to understand this complex language certainly raises a few eyebrows. However, the series demystifies the source of Masachika’s Russian through a quick flashback, revealing another Russian girl in his life. Sometime during his childhood, Masachika befriended a Russian girl, and he acquired the language by playing with her.

It is revealed that he further perfected the language to communicate with the girl, though this mysterious character seems to be a thing of the past, especially since Masachika failed to even remember her name. For now, he has another silver-haired Russian to worry about, though it's likely the series might bring his childhood Russian friend into the mix for some classic romcom mischief.

Masachika’s Potential Pairings

While the initial pairing of Alya and Masachika is already apparent, the series has hinted at another potential pairing, adding a classic love triangle into the mix. Romcoms are known for their large roster of characters and potential pairings, and Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russian seems to be following suit.

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For now, the series has presented two possible pairings for Masachika, though a third is likely with his childhood Russian friend. For Masachika, however, even one Russian-speaking Tsundere is a lot to handle, although the introduction of another one down the line would surely up the ante for this oddball comedy.

The Silver-Haired Princess

Alya has already taken center stage as the quirky bilingual lead, with her flirtatious remarks aimed at Masachika making her all the more endearing. Their dynamic is rather intriguing, as the two share plenty of banter, yet there’s an unsaid friendship between them that serves as a basis for this back and forth chatter. Whether it’s Masachika’s indifference to Alya’s beauty or his unassuming disposition, it’s clear that Alya has a keen interest in winning him over.

Masachika isn’t some self-insert protagonist either, as he clearly boasts a few redeeming qualities that have Alya intrigued. He isn’t afraid to back down or go back on his words, and his confidence has already been put to test with a racy scene where he audaciously takes on the task of helping Alya wear her socks. However, Masachika is also quite caring, evident from his refusal to reveal his own bilingualism for the sake of saving Alya from being embarrassed.

The Childhood Friend

Following the most overused cliché in romcoms, Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russian has introduced another one of Masachika’s childhood friends. Suou Yuki is Masachika’s friend from middle school, with the two sharing a bond that goes quite back. From the events of the first episode, it’s clear that she leans towards Masachika, though her actions also seemed to have stemmed from toying with Alya.

Since Masachika already has another mysterious childhood friend, it’s unlikely that the series will throw in two of the same archetypes into the narrative, meaning Suou is an unlikely pairing for him. Moreover, their dynamic seems to resemble a sibling-like friendship, although her presence alone manages to put Alya on edge. While these are only speculations, it’s still too soon to determine who Masachika will end up, as this is merely the beginning of this bilingual tale.

Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russian

Romance

Comedy

Release Date

July 3, 2024

Studio

Doga Kobo

Japanese Title

Tokidoki Bosotto Russia-go de Dereru Tonari no Aalya-san

Streaming Service(s)

Crunchyroll