Having recently reviewed a rom-com manga (‘My Dress-Up Darling’), I was initially hesitant to delve into another rom-com so soon. However, the recent anime adaptation of Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russian piqued my interest, prompting me to explore the manga’s first volume. This decision came with a caveat: there’s currently no official English release of the manga. While the story originated as a light novel with some English translations available, the manga remains untranslated. My impressions are based solely on the first four volumes of the Japanese manga, as I haven’t read the original light novel.
The protagonist, Alisa Mikhailovna Kujo, is a striking silver-haired high school student of mixed Russian-Japanese heritage. Her beauty turns heads, and her academic and athletic prowess consistently place her at the top of her class. As the student council treasurer, Alisa embodies fierce competitiveness and a relentless work ethic. Her tendency to tackle everything independently, however, leads to self-imposed isolation from her peers.
Only her sister and the male lead, Masachika Kuze, are permitted to use her nickname, ‘Alya,’ at school. Alya maintains a prickly demeanor, particularly towards the seemingly carefree Masachika, who sits next to her in class. Their interactions keep their classmates on edge, but Masachika remains unfazed—and for good reason. Alya doesn’t realize that Masachika understands Russian, allowing him to comprehend her tsundere comments muttered under her breath.
Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russian, Episode 2. English translation: “Cute”
Masachika presents as an anime otaku, often sleeping through classes and avoiding effort. His habit of forgetting textbooks and borrowing Alisa’s, only to doze off, seems to contradict his natural intelligence. Despite his apparent laziness, he typically manages to achieve decent grades.
After four volumes, Alisa’s character stands out as genuinely appealing, both in appearance and personality. Her expressive faces and earnest dedication are admirable. However, the story thus far feels like a conventional school romance without any standout elements. Even after significant progress, the plot lacks the excitement of a true page-turner for me. I’m hopeful for future developments, perhaps involving more characters.
A point of curiosity is the accuracy of the Russian language used in the manga and its pronunciation in the anime. While I can’t personally vouch for its authenticity, it’s worth noting that the voice actress is reportedly passionate about Russian culture and even majored in the language during her college years.
Potential readers and viewers should be aware that both the manga and anime contain elements of fan service. Those who find such content objectionable may want to approach this series with caution.
Tokidoki Bosotto Russia-go de Dereru Tonari no Alya-san (時々ボソッとロシア語でデレる隣のアーリャさん)- Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russian. Written by SunSunSun and illustrated by Momoco.
