Literature / My Youth Romantic Comedy Is Wrong, as I Expected

From left to right: Aloof Dark-Haired Girl Yukino Yukinoshita, The Snark Knight Hachiman Hikigaya, and Genki Girl Yui Yuigahama.

My Youth Romantic Comedy Is Wrong, as I Expected (やはり俺の青春ラブコメはまちがっている。— Yahari Ore no Seishun Love Come wa Machigatteiru), often abbreviated as OreGairu because of its lengthy title, is a 14 volume series of Light Novels written by Wataru Watari and illustrated by Ponkan8, which was published from 2011 to 2021 under the Gagag Bunko imprint.

Our protagonist is a deeply cynical, anti-social second year male high school student named Hachiman Hikigaya who believes that happiness of youth life is a lie and should just die. Concerned by his personality, his guidance counselor at his school forces Hachiman to join a "Service Club" where he, along with an equally problematic student, Yukino Yukinoshita, must provide help for any troubled schoolmate who requests it. Hilarity Ensues as Hachiman starts to reshape himself and those around him.

The series was adapted into an anime, localized as My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU^note SNAFU is a military slang term for Situation Normal: All Fucked/Fouled Up, that aired during spring of 2013. A second season titled My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU Too! aired in 2015. A third season, My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU Climax, aired in 2020. In April 2019, Sentai Filmworks announced that the series would be getting an English dub.

The anime is currently streaming on Crunchyroll. Viewers in the United States, Canada, South Africa, Finland, Norway, Sweden and Denmark may watch it legally there. (Also on The Anime Network.)

There are two manga adaptations — one subtitled Monologue, which adapts the anime, and one subtitled @comic, which adapts the light novels. Both the original light novels and @comic have been licensed by Yen Press. There is also a yonkoma manga and three games for the Play Station Vita, PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch.

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OreGairu provides examples of:

• Abandoned Pet in a Box: Played for Laughs. A little kitty is left in a box to get Saki Kawasaki's attention, but this failed as Saki is allergic to cat fur. Instead, Yukino Yukinoshita drops her coldness to stay in front of the box meowing with the kitty.
• Adaptational Attractiveness: Inverted for Hachiman in the anime. He has a soft, Generic Cuteness in light novel and manga art, but his features and especially eyes are made much sharper and crude for the anime. However, by Season 2 it becomes a straight case again, as many fans had noticed the sharp change in his appearance and even considered him handsome.
• Adaptation Distillation: The two seasons managed to cram 11 existing volumes into 26 episodes, going as far as adapting Volume 11 two weeks before it was published. All the necessary plot points are there, at the price of less important character bits (and shipping content) being chopped without mercy.
• Adaptation Dye-Job: Done to Kamakura of all people cats: he's tabby in the second season.
• Advertised Extra: Some of the promotional artwork for the series has Saki, Zaimokuza, Totsuka featured prominently, almost appearing to be the second set of main characters to the Service's club main trio. Within the series itself, they're featured less prominently than Hayato's clique, although by the third season it balances out.
• Alliterative Name: Somewhere around 70% of the cast. Based on the author's name, Wataru Watari.
  • Some characters take this a little further than just the first letter or syllable being the same, with the two female leads, Yukinoshita Yukino and Yuigahama Yui, being prime examples. When the names are written in Kanji however, only Yukino actually fits this trope since both her family name and first name start with the same Kanji, 雪ノ下　雪乃.
  • Sublime Rhyme: Saika Totsuka, Saki Kawasaki, Shizuka Hiratsuka.
• All Love Is Unrequited: So far, no attraction or interest between characters have managed to be mutual. Until the end, where Hachiman and Yukino become the story's one and only Official Couple.
• All-Loving Hero:
  • Yui. As Hachiman and Yukino she wants to help others, but she's totally above the cynical (and misanthropic, in Hachiman's case) tendencies they have.
  • Yukino counts too, though in a different way. While she's extremely blunt and comes across as an Ice Queen at the beginning, she even states she always helps others, even the ones she doesn't know. This proves she's a deeply good person, despite her attitude.
  • This is what Hayato's famous for, in addition to his other qualities, and he's described as an "elite" who nonetheless treats even outcasts like Hikigaya as if they were equals. This perception isn't exactly wrong, but it's not as simple or as honest as Yui's genuine care.
• Aloof Dark-Haired Girl: Yukino is a deadpan snarking individual and is The Stoic (well, not so much as she looks...).
• Always Someone Better:
  • Take your pick: beauty, academics or sports and Yukino is this to everyone at school. However, her sports position is a little nebulous because she, in her words, has poor stamina.
  • Hayato as well. Both of them stand at the top in terms of academics and sports, positions that Hachiman believes he cannot dethrone.
• Anger Born of Worry: Yukino and Yui experience this every time Hachiman boneheadedly sacrifices his own dignity and reputation for the Service Club. It comes to a head in the beginning of Season 2.
• Animal Motifs: Hachiman explicitly likens Yukino to a cat and Yui to a dog several times during his narration.
• Annoying Laugh: Yukino and Yui find Hikigaya's laugh unpleasant.
• Anti-Hero: Hachiman is one of the non-action type. His help, while effective can also be harsh. He's still a good guy at heart, and his Anti-Hero type is mostly the Knight in Sour Armour and the Pragmatic Hero of the Good Is Not Nice variant.
• Arc Words:
  • A desire for something "genuine" comes up frequently, most easily seen in Hachiman's desire for a genuine bond without lies or facades.
  • "I hate the way you do things."
  • When Haruno defines the relationship between the three leads as a "codependency," it haunts Hachiman for a good while until Hiratsuka-sensei shows him that his feelings are much more complex than can be summed up in one word.
• Armor-Piercing Question: In episode 5, Shizuka-sensei tries to talk to Saki about her staying out late. When she tries to mention her parents may be worried, Saki immediately asks her how she would know what a parent knows since she's single. The question hilariously knocks Shizuka-sensei to the ground, and Hachiman jokes that someone should marry her already.
• Art Evolution: A major upgrade can be seen between the anime's season one and two.
• Art-Shifted Sequel: Once the rights to animating the rest of the light novel were given to Feel, there had been a major improvement in the art, character designs, and especially the animations, in the anime's second season.
• Ascended Extra: Kaori Orimoto, the girl Hachiman asked out in middle school, goes from a faceless extra mentioned a few times in Season One to a recurring character in Season Two.
• Association Fallacy:
  Hachiman: (Implied) Cats and wolves are loners.
  Cats are cute and wolves are cool.
  In a sense, loners are cute and cool.
• Attractiveness Isolation: Averted in Yukino's past but she was isolated anyway.
• Author Appeal: Alliterative Names. We have Hachiman Hikigaya, Yukino Yukinoshita, and Yui Yuigahama for main characters. The singer for the OP songs so far? Nagi Yanagi. The Author's name? Wataru Watari.
• Bad Guys Do the Dirty Work: Big Man on Campus Hayato can't hurt others without tarnishing his reputation, but cynical, rotten-attitude Hachiman can.
• Battle Rapping: In Season 3 Episode 7, there is one between Hachiman and Tamanawa. Tamanawa wins.
• Beady-Eyed Loser: Hachiman has prominently beady eyes in the anime only. Yukino also teases that Hachiman isn't particularly charming or attractive.
• Beautiful Dreamer: Hachiman happens to watch a dozing off Yukino in Episode 2... but then she promptly wakes up and makes an obligatory snark about his face.
• Beneath the Mask: Hayato, who seems like a typical Big Man on Campus, is revealed to have complicated ideals that motivate him to uphold that image.
• Betty and Veronica: Hachiman is Archie, with the friendly, energetic and cheerful regular student Yui as Betty and the beautiful, talented and popular, yet reserved and lonely Defrosting Ice Queen Yukino as Veronica.
• Big Brother Instinct: Hachiman to Komachi, with an extension to Iroha and Rumi.
  • Also Saki to her little brother and sister (especially the latter).
  • Averted with Haruno, who takes care of Yukino in her own special way.
• Bitch in Sheep's Clothing: Haruno is a manipulative, teasing bully of a Gadfly, but she's mostly harmless. This is ultimately subverted as Haruno is actually a Jerk with a Heart of Gold: despite her insufferable attitude and her somewhat petty deeds, she's actually Yukino's only family member who has good intentions towards Yukino.
• Blonde, Brunette, Redhead: Iroha, Yukino and Yui^note Technically the redhead, since she has peach/pink hair, but it counts too.
• Book Ends:
  • Compare part B of episodes 1 and 12 concerning the relationship of Yukino and Hachiman. Here are some examples.
    Yukino(episode 1): I hate how you affirm people's weakness.
    Yukino(episode 12): But I don't really hate how you affirm weakness.
    
    Hachiman(episode1): I began to think the two of us are very similar. That's unlike me. Even this silence had started to feel comfortable to me. It felt like my heartbeat wanted leave the clock's second hand in its dust and hurry on to the future.
    Hachiman(episode12): Yeah, we're not alike at all. Maybe that's why these conversations always felt so nice and fresh to me.
  • The first and last episode of the series have Yui making a request to the Service Club.
• Bookworm: Yukino and Hachiman. The former is usually reading in the club room if left to her own devices. After getting accustomed to the club, so does the latter. Hachiman and his dad are also confirmed bookworms in Volume 5 of the LN - ask their bookcase.
• Borrowed Catch Phrase: Yukino starts using Hachiman's catch phrase "source: me" or its variants by episode 3.
• Breaking the Fourth Wall: A very mild example in early episode 7. When Hachiman turns off his phone after reading Hiratsuka-sensei's text messages, the screen fades to black as he slides the "off button" on his phone's screen.
• Break the Haughty: Sagami, courtesy of Hikigaya of course.
  • The kicker? It was unintentional. He was helping Yukino, in his very special way; his actions are what started eroding her confidence.
  • Although it started as unintentional, he gave the finishing blow in episode 12.
• Break-Up/Make-Up Scenario: The student council president arc saw Hachiman strain his relationship with his sister, Komachi, but he manages to mend it.
• Breather Episode: Season 1's episode 13. No dramas, no conflicts or social aesops, just the Service Club having fun and being themselves, a totally different scenario than season 2's episode 13.
• Brick Joke:
  • In Volume 1/Episode 1, when Yukino tells Hachiman to guess what Service Club does, his first guess is literature club, what with the absence of any equipment and Yukino, well, reading. In Chapter 2 and onwards, his first actions after entering the clubroom is always getting a seat and start reading himself, effectively making it two-person Literature Club.
  • Yui's dog tends to get free from his leash and run away. The present Hachiman bought for Yui's birthday is a new dog collar, which she initially mistakes for a necklace for her.
  • Yukino's apron in episode 7 is that same one she bought an episode earlier(after Hachiman noted it looked good on her).
• Broken Ace: Being what it is, the series has quite a few of these:
  • Yukino is beautiful, excelling at sports and studies, smart and well-read... ostracized for all of that, lonely, cynical and shielded. She's very sad and melancholic, and rarely shows her emotions in front of others.
  • Hayato is kind, popular, great at sports, second only to Yukino in academics and is overall just very talented. However, his fear of hurting anyone means he'll unwittingly cower out when people need him most, which is what caused a falling out between him and Yukino years ago when he didn't stand up to her when she was being bullied. He even makes it clear to Hachiman that he's not the perfect Nice Guy everyone thinks he is.
  • Despite appearing to have it together in comparison to her sister, Haruno eventually turns out to be one of these as well. In fact, Hachiman can tell this from the moment he meets her, outright stating that her outside personality doesn't feel real.

• Brutal Honesty:
  • Yukino knows no restraint in speaking out her opinions. This gets so bad that she makes Yumiko cry.
  • Hachiman tries to invoke this trope by being mean to Yui at the end of episode 5, then explaining that he would rather be alone than be fooled by a nice girl like her, who is polite to him and everyone else, since he doesn't want to get his hopes up. Tears well up in her eyes, she calls him a jerk, and ends up running away. He did this because Komachi casually mentioned she was the girl whose dog he saved from getting run over by a car a while back, and he thought she was being nice to him simply because of that. He doesn't realize she actually did have feelings for him, but stopped her before she could say anything.
    • He also does this rather harshly to Sagami after the latter disappears before the closing ceremony for the school festival in episode 12. His verbal brutality is so bad^note  He tells her that she was deliberately hoping to be discovered. Yet Hachiman found her first despite not caring about her at all, asking her how serious the others were in trying to find her in the first place that Hayato, the usual Nice Guy, does a What the Hell, Hero? moment on him, if nothing else, to stop him tearing her character down more ^note  and because he also finds Hachiman's self-destructive methods detestable.
  • Hayato makes use of this in episode 4 of season 2, while he and Hachiman are out on a double date with Orimoto and her friend. Orimoto, a girl Hachiman went to middle school with and liked at one point, continually mocks anything he says or does, and her friend joins in on it. At one point Hayato says in no uncertain terms that he's getting sick and tired of the two girls continual insults. His words are harsh enough that the two girls end up leaving, while Hachiman doesn't seem to appreciate the "save" attempt. It also helped that Hayato pointed out Yui and Yukino just to show that Hachiman could do much better in terms of female associates than Orimoto and her friend. Though it is interesting to note that Hayama did socially sacrifice himself for Hachiman similar to what Yukino will do later in the series.
  • In the post-series OVA, Hachiman can't help but keep this up even while having dinner with Yukino's mother. Yukino has to kick him under the table to snap him out of it, as Haruno just laughs at his comments.
• The Bus Came Back: Tsurumi Rumi, formerly introduced as a one-shot character in season one, reappears in Season Two when Hachiman helps Iroha plan the joint Christmas event.
• Bust-Contrast Duo: This can be see twice between Yukino and these two girls who has a bigger bust than her:
  • First with her Big Sister Bully Haruno, probably the main reason why Yukino has the A-Cup Angst in first place, implied that she had being bothered with that issue for years.
  • Later (and first seen in the series) with Yui who, apart of the chest size, also contrasts with Yukino in her nicer attitude, being a Genki Girl and The Heart of the Service Club. They become close friends during the series, and Yukino also becomes nicer, but with the time they become love rivals in secret for the affections of Hachiman Hikigaya.
• Butt-Monkey: Hachiman. His classmates barely acknowledge his existence, and Yukino can't help but take shots at his past insecurities and shortcomings whenever possible.
• Byronic Hero: Hachiman is one in that his methods in addition to hurting people while achieving the best result, it would almost always paint him in a bad and evil light. By Episode 12, he is the most hated person in the school, which he simply said that it's nice to finally get noticed.
• Call to Adventure: Hachiman is forced to leave his solitude or the known world and forced to interact with others or to explore the unknown world. Although unlike most who have this trope, he has strong opinions about said unknown world.
• Catchphrase: In the LN. Hikigaya: "As I expected, my youth romantic comedy is wrong."
• Cat Girl: Komachi dresses up as one in episode 8. Yukino immediately examines ears and tail.
• Central Theme: Virtually all of the characters have faced or fear rejection to some degree, and are afraid of acting genuinely as a result.
  • As the series progresses, the high-schoolers' conflicts revolve more around appreciating their youth while they still have it, and their clumsy attempts to hold on to the relationships they have, or even to look for something more.
• Cerebus Syndrome: Season 2, compared to the first one, has many of the characters being a lot more cynical on their outlook on life, perhaps as a result of spending too much time around Hachiman. Though a few still try to maintain an upbeat attitude, such as Yui, some have begun showing more serious sides, such as Hayato and Komachi.
• Chain of Deals: An easy to miss one in the Season 2's end cards. Starts with Hachiman trading his bottle of MAX coffee for a candy with Saika, then said bottle is traded by everyone until Yukino gets it and is about to give it a bewildered Hachiman.
• Chekhov's Gun: When Hachiman is having lunch in episode 3, his cowlick shows how seabreeze changes directions during lunchtime. Later, he utilizes this knowledge to win a tennis match the next day.
• Chekhov's Gunman:
  • This trope applies to Tobe and Ebina especially. Who would have guessed from the early episodes that they'd get the main focus later in the series?
  • Adding onto that list is Iroha Isshiki, mentioned in passing as a freshman who tried to get Hayama's attention, and Kaori Orimoto, the girl Hachiman asked out in middle-school.
• Children Are Innocent: Averted in series. Elementary schoolers are shown to ostracize their own. They are not excused by Yukino and Hachiman.
• Chronic Hero Syndrome: Hachiman and Yukino both think it's their duty to help the ones in need. As cynical as they may be, they're still very selfless and helpful... Well, and have a somewhat strange way to help others.
• Chuunibyou:
  • Zaimokuza has delusions about being a warlord in another life and even having a lifetime rivalry with Hachiman who also has a coincidence in his name just as Yoshiteru. He's recognized as a chuunibyou for all the other members of the Service Club (even being called by Yui and Komachi as "Chuuni-chan"), but Hachiman, who sees he has the "novelist syndrome".
  • In the first chapters of the light novel and in an episode of the first season, Hachiman talks about he had the Chuunibyou syndrome when he was younger, even he made Cosplay in few occasions (mostly for himself).
• Cliffhanger: The 10th light novel volume and the 2nd anime season both end with Yui acting on her feelings for Hachiman, and Yukino herself about to ask the Service Club for help.
• Comically Missing the Point: No matter what topic he was given, Hachiman's essays always end up being philosophical rants about society.
• Connected All Along: It's eventually revealed that the main characters all had some brush with each other before the story began. Hachiman saved a dog from being hit by a car, getting injured in the process. Turns out, Yui was the dog's owner, and Yukino was riding in the car's backseat. Hachiman knew at least whose car hit him, but not whose dog it was he saved.
• Contemplation Location: As the lone wolf he is in his school, Hachiman usually goes to the high school's backyard to lunch and to think, since is his "lonely place". That, until Yui and Iroha started to accompany him there (for his own disdain). Also, when there are no cases to solve, the members of the Service Club use that place to think and rest from the people.
• Conveniently Seated: Refreshingly averted for Hachiman, who sits by the wall.
• Cosplay:
  • The girls dress up in battle armor during a cavalry battle where they try to take each other's headbands off the other team. While they are embarrassed by it, others comment that since this is a battle, it suits them just fine, although the girls question why it's western-style armor and not samurai armor. Zaimokuza and Ebina simply reply that they just felt like it.
  • In the beginning of the series, it's revealed that Hachiman cosplayed some times in the past but left it because of his self-isolation.
• Cosplay Café: The Service Club and company briefly visit one in episode 5.
• Couch Gag: The last two shots of the second season's opening. Who's present in the service club room and the state of the tea set change depending on the episode.
• Cute Little Fangs: Komachi, Hachiman's younger sister.
• Cyberbullying: Downplayed. One of the first cases for the Service Club was about discover who was committing cyberbullying against Hayato's three male friends saying bad rumours about them. This case was managed by Hachiman by getting Hayama out of the equation so the 3-member workgroup was fulfilled by the three guys so they can meet each other without having Hayato as the center and with this the rumours are over and all is back to normal.
• Deadpan Snarker: Hachiman and Yukino. Also Komachi has her moments towards her brother.
• Deconstruction: Can be seen as one to anime romantic comedies. The main protagonist isn't your everyday Nice Guy beloved by all - he's a deeply cynical Byronic Hero who would rather resort to hateful but effective methods to help others. The supporting characters are all very complex - all having Hidden Depths to them and never solely defined by a singular characteristic. The show largely relies on Show, Don't Tell, giving a very realistic and subdued atmosphere helped considerably by a substantial lack of Face Faults. And last but not least, the romance elements are very subtly touched upon, and the characters' relationships are kept at a realistic and understandable pace.
• The Defroster:
  • Yui was part of the Service Club since day one and became The Heart of the Club, the bond for the group between Hachiman and Yukino, with the latter developing a strong friendship and making her open to herself, becoming inseparable. This will become a problem when both developed a crush (and later love) to Hachiman, bitterly become eventual rivals.
  • In a strange example, Hachiman eventually becomes in this during his time in the Service Club, not just with the other students who help with the Club (now seen as a Misunderstood Loner with a Heart of Gold and even gaining the sympathy of the girls outside the Club), but with his own Fire-Forged Friends (Iroha included) who meet his real self, a lonely guy who wants something genuine. In all these cases, his efforts to improve their lives with the Club defrost his image of loner and show them as a good person... at the point that Hayato feels inferior compared to Hachiman.
• Dismotivation: Fits Hachiman to a T. Among the usual reasons, like not wanting to be hurt again, he has an uncommon but somewhat logical argument. Hachiman, after being accused by Yukino of running away because of his dismotivation, makes his point of view clear (manga chapter 1):
  Hachiman: We only change to avoid the current situation. The true meaning of not running away is planting your feet firmly in the ground and doing the best you can with your present. Who's running away now? Why can't you just accept who you are and were?
  • To some, Hachiman's little rebuke may double as an Establishing Character Moment.
• Distracted by the Sexy: Iroha mentions that the rumor about Hayato dating Yukino was causing girls to be a bit more bold and try appealing and "checking" him. When asked about what she means, Iroha then asks Hachiman if he was dating anyone at the moment. He blushes, then after a beat, answers that he's not. Both Yui and Yukino then wonder why he took so long to answer.
• Don't You Dare Pity Me!: When Hachiman finds out that the dog he'd saved and ended up hospitalized and kept out of school belongs to Yui, he tells her not to pay attention to him out of pity or guilt; internally he comments on his hatred of "nice" girls who act close and friendly out of pity, due to the fact that it allows him to get his hopes up even though there's no real feeling behind it.
• Double Entendre
  Saika to Hachiman: Will you do it ^note Tennis Practice with me?
• Double Standard: Abuse, Female on Male: Hachiman is often subjected to this from Shizuka. In one example, during episode 4, he writes yet another essay in which he has a very cynical outlook on life, and she wonders if him being in the Service Club changed him at all for the better. He then states that his motto is to "stick to my guns", immediately followed by a "Silly Me" Gesture, prompting her to punch him in the stomach for being a First-Person Smartass during that scene.
• Dramatic Irony: When Yukino tries to think of the way Hachiman can improve a group of people, she decides that the only possible solution is the "common enemy" strategy. In the culture fair arc, Hachiman does exactly that.
• Dude Looks Like a Lady: Saika Totsuka. He is cute and effeminate, inevitably reveals that he is male to Hachiman. From that point on Hachiman's reactions to Saika acting innocently effeminate become a Running Gag throughout the anime.
• Dull Eyes of Unhappiness: Hachiman's are a minor variant, described as "eyes of a dead fish".
• Dysfunction Junction: The Service Club. Two cynical and brutally honest social outcasts combined with a cheery yet somewhat gullible girl to counterbalance them (with a varying degree of success), led by an Old Maid club advisor with severe love life issues.
• Eating the Eye Candy: Hachiman to Yukino, Yui and Saika, constantly, subtly and involuntarily.
  Hachiman (on Yui's swimsuit, while desperately trying not to look): My eyes gravitate on their own...
• Energetic and Soft-Spoken Duo: Yukino, an Aloof Dark-Haired Defrosting Ice Queen with a Brutal Honesty, and Yui, a Rose-Haired Genki Girl. Both meet in the Service Club and since then they become good friends and eventually rivals for Hachiman's heart.
• Environmental Symbolism: When Yukino is feeling emotional turmoil, it will often be snowing.
• Erotic Eating: Saika casually eats a burrito in a very suggestive manner to Hachiman's discomfort and confused joy.
• Evolving Credits:
  • The first four episodes show various pictures with Yui and Yukino's voice actresses singing the ending song.
  • Episode five has a slightly sadder sounding remix of the song along with some new pictures.
  • Episode six shows more pictures of Yui and Yukino while keeping the same song from the earlier episodes.
  • The ending for episode 13 remixes the song a little, and plays clips from previous episodes instead of the standard ending.
  • The ending for episode 12 in season 2 has Yui singing the ending song by herself, with a hint of sadness in it. Additionally, she appears by herself during the pause between the scrolling characters where she normally would appear with Yukino and Hachiman.
  • The ending for episode 7 in season 2 also has a sad ballad version sung by Yukino. Just like Yui's version in episode 12, Yukino appears by herself during the pause.
• False Start: Yui tries to give a Love Confession to Hachiman a few times, but it's either interrupted, or he usually stops her before she's able to do it.
• Fanservice:
  • Used in episode 8 when the girls are playing by the river in swimsuits.
  • In episode 5, the girls dress up in maid outfits and later formal dresses. The former of which ended up serving no purpose.
  • In the anime's first season OVA, all the girls dress up in wedding gowns.
• Father, I Want to Marry My Brother: Invoked when Komachi describes the image of her ideal man, and it was ending describing his own big brother. It could be dangerous if Hachiman doesn't stop to see her just as her sister (and almost as his daughter) and to the fact he's so Oblivious to Love because all the suffering he got when he was younger and so he doesn't believe some girl would like/love him ever.
• Feigning Intelligence: Iroha pretends she understands the complicated "brainstorming session" of another student council. Hachiman concludes that the discussion was mostly highly pedantic prattle.
• First Person Smart Ass: The story is narrated by Hikigaya this way.
• Flaw Exploitation: Shizuka exploited Yukino's competitive nature early on. Yui, to get Yukino to play a penalty game, does the same later.
  Yui: She was all like, "I can acquire my nourishment by myself, I fail to see how satisfying a faint lust for conquest could bring about any satisfaction".
  Hachiman: That's her, all right.
  Yui: But then I said, "so, you're afraid to lose?", and she gave in.
  Hachiman: [quieter] That's her, all right.
• For Want Of A Nail: It's hinted that the series itself wouldn't have happened if Hachiman hadn't saved Yui's dog and for his trouble had gotten hit by Yukino's family car.
• Four-Philosophy Ensemble: Hachiman and the dynamics he could form in groups could fit this.
  • The Service Club: Hachiman is The Cynic - while grounded in reality, he has a very cynical, pessimistic and overly pragmatic view of it; Yukino is the Realist - while sharing some bitter views with Hachiman, she's idealistic and, unlike him, genuinely believes people can become better; Yui is the Optimist - of course the most cheerful, upbeat and optimistic member who is constantly nice and friendly, and Iroha (not an official member technically, but the one who interacts with the Club the most) is the Conflicted - pretty realistic and rounded, but somewhat conflicted between her more cheerful and playful side and the more cynical one.
  • The most recurring male characters: Hachiman is The Cynic again; Yoshiteru is the Apathetic - a chuunibyou cloudcuckoolander who lives in his own world of fantasies and delusions; Saika is the Optimist - very kind, positive, cheerful, friendly, optimistic and laid-back, and Hayato is the Conflicted - well, conflicted between his kind, friendly and optimistic side and his more bitter and cynical one, naturally unable to solve conflicted situations, and in the end always relying on niceness to preserve the status quo.
  • Then, not including Hachiman, there are the most recurring female characters besides Yui, Yukino and Iroha: Komachi is the Optimist - the energetic, cheerful and friendly little sister who is kind, helpful and emotionally considerate; Haruno is The Cynic - the overly teasing older sister who gives good advice through mischievous comments and a somewhat antagonistic attitude, and is quite emotionally inconsiderate; Saki is the Realist - a grounded, pratical girl who works hard to help her family; Yumiko is the Apathetic - an Alpha Bitch and pretty much concerned only with her popularity and social status, and Shizuka is the Conflicted - while friendly and generally with a positive attitude, she's short-tempered and touchy, and often suffers inner conflict because of her Old Maid status and several quirks.
• Four-Temperament Ensemble: Hachiman and his closer friends; he and Yukino are melancholic, Yui is sanguine, Saika is phlegmatic and Shizuka is somewhat choleric. Hayato, while not one of them, would count as the eclectic.
• Freudian Slip: In volume 6.5, when Yui discusses bathing with Yukino, Hachiman tells her: "Hey Yurigahama, I mean Yuigahama, talk about that stuff after you get home."
• Funny Background Event: In episode 2, while Yukino is criticizing Zaimokuza's novel, Yui starts reading it and gradually falls asleep.
• Genki Girl:
  • Yui is the counterbalance for Hikki and Yukinon's cynicism and bitter view of the world.
  • Later in the novel and the second season of anime, Iroha, though she's a more realistic and cunning variety of the trope.
• Genre Savvy: Hachiman. Although his arbitrary pessimism might land him in Wrong Genre Savvy.
• Got Volunteered: Hachiman and Yukino in episode 10, when they're part of the cultural festival committee. In Hachiman's case, it's because no one volunteered and he got picked by Shizuka-sensei. Yukino was likely volunteered because of her sister taking part in it in a past festival, and making it a big success, so many students probably expected her to do the same thing.
  • Yui was initially volunteered as well. Fortunately Yumiko pulls her out, only to then volunteer her for something the former was planning to do. Yui is at first thankful, but then surprised that she still got volunteered for something.
  • In the same episode, one of the female students in Hachiman's class volunteers to be the chairman for the committee, only to then be late for meetings, and passing almost every single one of her duties to Yukino. Both Yui and Hachiman suspect something wrong there, but Yukino just soldiers on as best as she can.
• Gratuitous English:
  • Komachi says "Let's go!" at the beginning of episode 4 after Hachiman sees her on the back of his bike as he's leaving the house.
  • Used a few times in episode 13, such as when Hachiman mentions "outsourcing" and "work sharing".
  • Season 2/volume 9; the (also newly appointed) student council president of a different school uses it at every oportunity he has, Yukino calls him out for saying things he clearly doesn't understand in a poor attempt to sound knowledgeable.
• Hates Small Talk: One of Hachiman's reasons for self-isolation.
• Haunted House: The characters go through one in episode 2 of season 2. While Yui and Saki are terrified, Saika interestingly seems to enjoy them quite a bit.
• He Is Not My Boyfriend: Yukino and Hachiman to each other, especially when Haruno is around. Even after they're officially together by the post-series OVA, they're still reluctant to put a name to their relationship.
• Held Gaze: Yukino and Hachiman share one in Season 2, Episode 11, when Yukino bandages Hachiman's scraped knee, bringing them into rather intimate proximity.
• High School: It's the setting where a good fraction of the events happen.
• Hope Spot: Zaimokuza in episode two, courtesy of Hachiman.
  Zaimokuza (after his manuscript being harshly criticized by Yukino): Hachiman, I trust you would understand.
  [Hachiman smiles reassuringly]
  Hachiman: Now where did you rip this off from?
• A House Divided: Hachiman purposely invokes this trope in episode 8 with the help of his classmates to the group of girls Tsurumi Rumi is with.
• Hypocritical Humour:
  Yui: Yo, sup^note Yahallo in LN and Japanese version, Komachi.
  Hachiman: Is that greeting suddenly trending or something? It sounds stupid, so stop it!
  [Saika arrives and uses the same greeting]
  Hachiman: My God, that's cute! We should start a trend with that.
• Hypocritical Heartwarming: While Yukino doesn't hesitate to insult Hachiman for fun, other people actually mistreating him are treated considerably colder. Notably, when Tobe acts rudely towards Hachiman, she tells him to leave.
• Idiot Hair:
  • Hachiman initially has the hair only in the manga and anime, but his character lacks the implied traits. In the anime, the cowlick also serves as expressive hair. He eventually gets one in the illustrations of later volumes of the light novel. His little sister Komachi also has this hair.
  • Subverted with Yukino. You can see that she bears one in the anime and light novel, but the actual weight of the Idiot Hair makes it limp. Although by the anime's third season, it gets lighter and more noticeable.
• I Don't Want to Ruin Our Friendship: A prime motivator for a lot of characters to try preserving the status quo.
• If It's You, It's Okay:
  • Hachiman doesn't like it when the girls do cutesy acts, but he's completely okay if Saika is the one doing them. After he admits his feelings for Yukino, he's able to appreciate her attempts to be more endearing to him.
  • Hachiman is also like this with Iroha, acting different with her than the other girls on school as he sees Iroha as an extension of Komachi.
• I Have This Friend: Hachiman explains the boys don't need much to start liking a girl with an example from his—err, his friend's— life. Yukino sees through this immediately.
  Yukino: This was obvious from the very start. You don't have any friends.
• Indifferent Beauty: Yukino makes it clear while criticizing Hachiman's argument for his own self worth(LN).
  Yukino: Simply put, deriving self-confidence from the superficial, such as your grades or your looks, isn't flattering at all.
• Innocent Fanservice Girl: Komachi, Hachiman's younger sister, does not mind being seen by him in her underwear. For his part, Hachiman understands that's just how little sisters are and thinks nothing of it.
• Interclass Friendship: Yukino, Haruno, and Hayato with the rest of their friends, as the three are children of wealthy families, while their friends are just from middle-class families.
• Intelligence Equals Isolation: Hiratsuka implies this is the case for Yukino.
• Jerkass Has a Point: Rare protagonist examples, especially in the case of Hachiman. Hachiman tends to have some exceptionally harsh criticisms of other characters that are mixed in with his own biases. While the series often goes to show the consequences of his methods, the fundamental criticisms he makes aren't necessarily wrong, quite the opposite instead.
• Kimodameshi: Episode 8 has one. Hachiman uses it to resolve the Service Club's current case.
• Large Ham: Zaimokuza. Suffering from "Eight-grader Syndrome" and being voiced by Nobuyuki Hiyama helps further qualify him.
• Leaning on the Fourth Wall: Anime-exclusive, but when Hiratsuka does a callback to Hachiman's "normies should just explode and die" speech from Volume 1/the first season, Hachiman cheerfully mocks her and says the phrase is "so ten years ago". The original release of Volume 1 was in 2011, almost ten years from the anime's final season's end year of 2020. Also the anime paraphrased the line rather than using it verbatim.
• Like an Old Married Couple: Hachiman and Yukino's bickering over Sagami's failed entrance speech in the intercom — while others were also listening on the line. No wonder rumors started.
• Loners Are Freaks: Thoroughly explored through Hachiman and Yukino's trials.
• Love Confession: One is given in episode 2 of season 2. Oddly enough, Hachiman ends up doing it. He asks Ebina out so that she can reject him, protecting Tobe who was certainly going to be rejected and humiliated if Hachiman didn't ruin the situation. This greatly saddens Yukino and Yui, as it suggests Hachiman does not value himself and easily allows himself to suffer humiliation for the sake of others.
  • In the penultimate episode of the anime, Hachiman gives a long-winded one to Yukino, in what literally amounts to a wedding proposal since he puts on offer his entire life to be with her. Yukino accepts. In the finale, Yukino gives Hachiman a more straightforward declaration of love... after a few orders to finish up the event they were working on.
  • In the post-series OVA, Yui admits her feelings for Hachiman after taking him on a date. Later, Iroha alludes to her own intentions as well.
• Male Gaze: The anime dedicates generous amounts of long, lingering shots to female focal points. Backed up by whole paragraphs in the novels.
• Manipulative Bastard: Hachiman shows shades of this, constantly manipulating everyone into hating him, but solving another problem in the process.
• Manly Tears: Hachiman tears up in episode 8 of season 2, after admitting to Yukino and Yui that he wants their friendship to be real.
• Meaningful Name: The shorthand for the show's name, used for the website and conversations is OreGaIru, which translates to; I am here.
• Metaphorically True: When they met in the club room Yukino claimed not knowing Hikigaya. She of course did, as she was in the car that sent him to the hospital.
  Yukino: I wasn't lying, back then I didn't know you.
• Moment Killer: In episode 9, Yui is about to confess to Hachiman when her mother calls. As is expected of him, he makes use of this opportunity to kill the moment and make sure she does not say anything more.
• Monster Brother, Cutie Sister: Downplayed twice:
  • First with Hikigaya siblings, Hachiman and Komachi. The former isn't exactly ugly or feared by everyone else, but Komachi certainly is a cutie that has nothing to do with his brother, but Hachiman has a Big Brother Instinct over her, also extended towards Ruri Tsurumi and Iroha Isshiki.
  • Second with Saki Kawasaki, who isn't ugly either but she's certainly feared because of her loneliness and looking at first sight like a Japanese Delinquent. But she's so protective of her little siblings as Hachiman is with Komachi.
• Nature Versus Nurture: A common theme in the series, whether it refers to natural talent, personality, or friendships. For instance, was Hachiman an unpleasant or creepy person who people naturally disliked? Or was he just awkward and failed to make friends, molding him into the cynical person he is now? Yukino seems to feel that even if he had started high school normally (without his accident), he may have still become friendless due to his disposition. He doesn't exactly deny it himself.
• Nice Guy: Hayato Hayama. So much so that Hachiman thinks there's something wrong with him. This trope is also lightly Deconstructed and Lampshaded. Hayato being nice to everyone causes a friction between his friends who all want to be in the same group with him in a school trip. It is both his greatest strength and a hindrance.
• The Nicknamer: Yui, who notably starts calling Yukino Yukinon a day after they first meet. She also calls Hachiman Hikki despite being a classmate (a fact he isn't even aware of) as the only relationship he previously had with her.
• Noble Male, Roguish Male: Hayato and Hachiman.
• Noodle Incident: Both Yukino and Hayato refer to an event in their past where Hayato failed to resolve a social situation similar to Rumi's case.
• No Antagonist: Dark and cynical it may be, nobody in the series can be considered a villain or even an antagonist, with even those responsible for the protagonists' unhealthy outlooks being gradually revealed as just their own people with their own problems. The only exception would be Yukino's father, and that's mostly because we never get to meet him.
• No Social Skills: Hachiman and Yukino. They get better, however, and are both Nice Guys underneath it all.
• Nose Bleed: Hachiman's classmate, Hina Ebina, has a subtle one in episode 10 when she's talking about making Hayato a lead character in a musical she's writing, along with Hachiman as a supporting role, with the intention of doing some Ho Yay. However, Hayato points out that Hachiman can't take part because he's on the cultural festival committee, and doing a musical would take too much time. So she relents, and makes Hayato the supporting character, and makes Saika the lead role, causing the former to lament that he's still stuck in it.
• Not a Date:
  • Episode 6 gives us a (rather complicated) mix between Type 1 and Type 3. Both Hachiman and Yukino's original intention was to go shopping for Yui's birthday presents together, but Hachiman takes his little sister along with them for help, who then decides to play a good wingman and leave them alone. To make things worse, they encounter Yukino's sister and Yui, who both immediately think they're couple on a date. Misunderstandings ensue.
  • Another example in Episode 9, where Komachi (again) organizes a date for Hachiman and Yui. They both get the hint, but Hachiman doesn't really like the situation.
• Not So Above It All: Yukino, despite trying to be as perfect as it gets: she's easily coerced into doing things when accused of being afraid of something, lowers her shields around Service Club members(if ever so slightly), and can sincerely enjoy the sports festival(Hachiman spoiling the victory with his schemes notwithstanding). Not to mention her relationships with cats.
• "Not So Different" Remark: Used by Hachiman as part of his Breaking Speech to Sagami.
  Hachiman: We're the same. We're both members of the lowest stratum of society.
  Just think about it, I couldn't care less about you, yet I was the first to find you. Doesn't that mean nobody really tried that hard to find you?
  You know this already, don't you?
• Obstructive Bureaucrat: Shizuka fills this role in episode 13, shooting down every idea that the athletics festival committee suggests. Her reasoning is that said ideas are too plain and boring, and if the students want something more exciting, they need other ideas.
• Off the Rails: Played for Laughs In-Universe. In school festival, the Yaoi Fangirl Ebina is the director of the school version of The Little Prince with Saika as Little Prince and Hayato as Antoine/The Aviator. You can imagine the result of this...
• Officially Shortened Title: OreGaIru, which can be translated as I am Here or I Exist.
• Once per Episode: A shot of the empty two-sided corridor sign outside the classroom used for main characters' club. "Empty" as in it doesn't read things like "... Office" or "Class ..." Instead, each episode, a new random colourful-emblem-bearing sticker is added to it.
• One Dialogue, Two Conversations: In the end of the sixth episode, Yukino and Yui. Yui thinks Yukino is about to announce she and Hachiman are going out, while Yukino simply wants to congratulate Yui with her birthday. Luckily, Hachiman is savvy enough to detect it and clear the misunderstanding.
• Opening Monologue: Several from Hachiman during the series, usually being excerpts from his essays.
• Opposites Attract: Inverted. Despite Hachiman feeling a connection to her because of their similar situations, Yukino says she doesn't like Hachiman, for one, because his ideals are opposite to hers.
• Popular Is Dumb: With the exception of Hayato, most of the "popular" students are shown to be rather shallow-minded. Yumiko struggles to comprehend Yukino's rant about superficial superiority, and Tobe is regularly referred to as a moron.
• Political Overcorrectness: In Episode 13, with ideas for sports festival. Turns out a simple bun eating contest may offend those who prefer rice.
  Hachiman: What are they, hostile factions?
• P.O.V. Boy, Poster Girl: Hachiman is our cynical loner protagonist, but his life only really takes a turn when he meets fellow loner Yukino and her Service Club. On most promotional material and covers, it is usually Yukino, Yui or another girl who is featured.
• Purple Prose: Hachiman regularly lapses into it while describing the "awesome" traits of loneliness. Or what his Male Gaze is currently focused on. Or Yukino.
• "The Reason You Suck" Speech: Yukino gives one in episode 10 of season 2 to the other high school's president, after tiring of his constant use of buzzwords. She flat out tells him he needs to shut up or they'll never get anything done. Interesting to note, Hachiman was about to perform another social suicide when she gave this speech. Basically, Yukino socially suicided for Hachiman's sake — although conveniently, it was only Yukino's first time meeting the guy, so there was much less at stake for her.
• Red Oni, Blue Oni: Yui is the Red, being a bubbly Genki Girl to Yukino's blue, who is more stoic and reserved.
• Repetitive Name:
  • Yukino Yukinoshita and Yui Yuigahama. Although in terms of the Kanji, only truly played straight with Yukino, since the Kanji 雪 (yuki = "snow") is in both her family name and first name.
  • Kawasaki Saki and Tsurumi Rumi also count.
  • On a meta level this includes the season 1 and 2 opening singer Nagi Yanagi as well.
• Rejection Affection: Averted. Constantly rejecting someone, even if it's done as a joke, is a pretty good way to ruin any chances of you having any sort of romance with them, especially if they already have low self-esteem issues about their love life in the first place. Iroha's dismay at not being a blip on Hachiman's radar as a potential love interest is a direct result of this. By the time she realized her growing feelings for him, he's moved on to Yukino, convinced that a relationship between him and Iroha would never work out because she kept saying so. She does manage to hint at her intentions in the post-series OVA.
• Revealing Continuity Lapse: A very mild case is seen between Season 1 episode 12 and Season 2 episode 1. In the first season finale, Yukino is wearing her school uniform while playing the guitar at the "If We're All Idiots, We Might As Well Dance" Cultural Festival. In Season 2 episode 1, which starts during that exact same scene, Yukino is wearing the same orange t-shirt as Yui and Hachiman's class, with the class' number printed on the back, despite not being in the same class as Yui and Hachiman. While it doesn't really affect the story in any way, it does become pretty obvious when watching the two episodes back to back. The fact that Season 2 and 3 are handled by a different studio than season 1 may have had something to do with this.
• Running Gag:
  • With the exception of Yui, not a single classmate remembers Hachiman. Ever.
  • Whenever someone implies that Yukino and Hachiman are going out, they will deny it. In a perfect unison.
  • The number of stickers on the clubroom's (previously empty) plate keeps growing, apparently after each successful case solved by the Service Club.
  • Hachiman fawning over Saika even after knowing he's a guy.
  • Hachiman's lack of presence by Yukino. While he doesn't deny it, he never likes the way she says it, as she always tries to paint him in a negative light. In the Season 1 extra episode, Hachiman comes up with a strategy that seems to hinge on this, claiming it's a skill he has cultivated over the years called "Stealth Hikki". Of course, this is the one time where people actually do notice him.
  • Iroha repeatedly 'rejecting' Hachiman (apropos of nothing) in increasingly accepting ways, especially as Hachiman obviously begins caring more about another girl.
• Sarcastic Confession: In episode 2 of season 2, Ebina tells Hachiman she wouldn't mind going out with him after he saves her from having to reject Tobe. Hachiman immediately tells her to stop spouting off lies like that, as if anyone would really be interested in him anyway. Ebina thanks him for his help, but the disappointed look on her face when he tells her that suggests she probably did like him.
• Sarcastic Title: You would think "My Youth Romantic Comedy Is Wrong, as Expected" is completely incorrect given he lands the most popular girl in school with full parental approval and is able to keep his friendships, but in-universe he explains that he thought it all went wrong because he thought he'd never end up with anything, let alone a healthy social circle.
• Satellite Family Member: Of all the Satellite Characters of the light novel, the most remarkable (or discardable, depending on the reader/viewer) are the parents of Hikigaya siblings (Hachiman and Komachi), who never showed up in all the series and both suffering Parental Abandonment, making Hachiman a Parental Substitute for his sister. Maybe their mother appeared a bit in the series but only in the light novel, she's absent (literally) in the anime.
• Say My Name: In episode 4, after Hachiman calls Totsuka by his first name, the latter asks if he can call the former "Hikki". Hachiman rejects it immediately, but when Totsuka asks if "Hachiman" is okay, he immediately asks him to repeat his name three times. Totsuka does it, the first time sounding fairly normal, the second time as a question ("Hachiman?"), and the third time he yells the name when he notices Hachiman doesn't seem to be paying attention. Hachiman during that scene was struck by Stupid Sexy Flanders while Totsuka called his name.
• School Festival: The students plan it during episodes 10 and 11, and then it kicks in during episode 12. They also have an athletic festival during episode 13.
• School Forced Us Together: Oregairu united three students: Hachiman, Yukino and Yui (a lesser member of the Girl Posse) to work together as a team in the Service Club. They eventually become Fire-Forged Friends in time and ultimately, an unwanted Love Triangle.
• School Play: In the School Festival, a musical based on The Little Prince was made with Saika as the Little Prince and Hayato as the Aviator. The play quickly becomes Ho Yay because of their director: Ebina.
• Series Goal: Through all the humor, drama, love and heartbreak, what Hachiman and his friends can all agree they want are genuine bonds free from lies, secrets and facades. At many points Hachiman doubts such a thing can possibly exist.
• Shipper on Deck: Komachi for Hachiman/Yui or Hachiman/Yukino (whichever comes first), and Haruno for Hachiman/Yukino. Quite a lot for an unsocial loner.
• Ship Tease: Done quite a bit during episode 10 in season 2. Through various incidents, Hachiman ends up being alone with several of the female characters, almost all of whom hint at some romantic interest in him during that time.
• Shoo Out the Clowns:
  • Characters that are more lighthearted such as Zaimokuza and Saika tend to feature much less than say, Hayato's circle of friends due to the escalating seriousness of the series. Hachiman gets their help here and there but that's it. This eventually gets balanced out further into the series.
  • In earlier parts of the series, Yukino, Shizuka and Yui had no problem bringing up Hachiman's flaws in a comedic manner (comparing him to a petty criminal, implying he has no presence, etc). In later arcs, his low self-image is treated much more seriously, especially in regards to how the requests to the Service club are solved. Hiratsuka notably stops attacking him, and only delivers advice. This correlates with how Hachiman is now aware that other people also care about his self-image, not just himself.
• Shout-Out: Metric tons of it, especially in the novel:
  • To start with, Hachiman constantly references anime, manga and games in his narrations, from popular to rather obscure, from decades old to currently ongoing and for all the audiences. As a specific example, one of Hachiman's opening monologues references the anime Scryed. His teacher, Hiratsuka, counters this by punching him square in the gut and tells him to shut it unless he wants to face the might of her "Annihilating Second Bullet", a power used by one of S-CRY-ed protagonists.
  • Same goes for Shizuka, a common ground she and Hachiman share. Except her references are rather dated, and Hachiman periodically pokes on the fact with varying consequences for himself. One of her earliest references is comparing Hachiman's lies to Usopp, and later mentions the room of spirit and time and Revolutionary Girl Utena.
  • In Season 1, Episode 3, Yumiko turns out to be good at tennis and Zaimokuza comments that "her ringlets aren't for show," referencing Reika "Madame Butterfly" Ryuuzaki, tennis ace and proud bearer of Ojou Ringlets. Hachiman outright refers to Yumiko as Madame Butterfly in the light novel.
  • In Season 1, Episode 4, while using "The Zone," Hayato is posed in a similar fashion as Giorno; the equivalent scene from the @comic manga has him doing Dio's famous pose atop a steamroller. The same page has Hayato dressed as Takuto from Star Driver; Takuto's outfit is inspired by the The Little Prince, and when the class stages the book as a play during the school festival, Hayato is initially cast in the titular role.
  • Hachiman, in Season 1, Episode 8, notes how just like people with Stands are drawn to each other, so too can lonely people notice one-another.
  • Season 1, Episode 13 is chock full of this, and a lot of them come from Zaimokuza too:
    • While the girls are trying on outfits that look like something out of Fate/stay night or The Sacred Blacksmith, Zaimokuza is behind them trying on a Hien outfit.
    • Hachiman compare's Yukinoshita's victory in the Sports Festival to Master Asia's asking if she will die at dawn.
    • During the Sports Festival, Zaimokuza died without any regrets.
    • An incredible shout out to King of Braves GaoGaiGar: Zaimokuza cries out ZAIMOKUZA CRUSHER while tossing aside three men, being Hikigaya's Key to Victory.
  • Last but not least, both him and Yukino are rather well-versed in classic literature, and both frequently drop some quotes.
• Silent Scapegoat: This is almost Hachiman's modus operandi for all the social problems he sets out to help. Since in his grim outlook, no social problems can be solved without turning all parties' hostility toward a common enemy, and he sees himself as an utterly unimportant person, he usually counts himself the perfect person to take the fall and acts the villain; much to his friends' sadness and dismay, as they are perfectly aware of his motives and do not know how to talk him out of it. Hachiman's friends reaction toward his social self-sacrificial tendencies later becomes a major plot focus in volume 8-10, as they start trying to (socially) sacrifice themselves in order to stop him from doing the same. This time, much to Hachiman's dismay.
• "Silly Me" Gesture: Komachi likes to do this, much to her brother's annoyance. Hachiman also tries to do this once in front of Hiratsuka-sensei with predictable results.
• Single Woman Seeks Good Man: Likely applies to Yui. Hachiman saved Yui's dog from a car accident that left him in hospital for 3 weeks.
• Sliding Scale of Beauty:
  • Yukino is likely a World Class Beauty, as she's described as a "peerless beauty'" and according to her the majority of males were infatuated with her from her looks alone in the past.
  • Yui is likely a Common Beauty, as she's described as being cute and popular with boys, but not to the extent of a "beauty" like Yukino.
  • If the Hikigaya siblings are right, Hachiman is pretty good looking, like how Yui comments on how handsome Hachiman was when he tried the glasses he bought for Yukino for her birthday in volume 10. He would fall under Imperfect Beauty because his "fish eyes" and "gross disposition" counteract his decent looks. If they're wrong, Hachiman probably is Flawed Average on the scale.
  • Hayato is likely a World Class Beauty, as Hachiman explictly compares Hayato to Yukino in looks and talent, and the light novel notes that "he's so pretty you couldn't call him a mere "pretty boy" anymore."
• Sliding Scale of Idealism Versus Cynicism: This one leans heavily on the cynical side. Hachiman has very pessimistic views of social life, and Yukino too, but she also has and idealistic goal. The story agrees with them mostly.
  • A notable straight play is the verbal beatdown Hachiman gives Sagami in episode 12. His brutal and highly critical analysis of her hypocrisy is completely true, and the fact that he's seen as the "bad guy" for saying it only adds to the argument.
  • A notable aversion is Yui's attempt to confess to Hachiman and the succint way he counters her arguments. He might be right or not, but Yui crying and softly muttering baka! shows that her feelings for him are real, and he's the one denying himself the chance of a fruitful, fulfilling relationship.
  • An interesting variation occurs during the summer camp arc. Hachiman hatches a plan to scare the bullies, believing that when people get scared, they'd turn on each other. Hayato states that he believes they will stick together under pressure. When it comes down to it, they end up throwing each other under the bus. But Tsurumi ends up saving them all, even though they made her life miserable.
• Smug Smiler: Yukino sometimes does this when she's looking down on others, like Hachiman and her bullies of the past and present.
• Snark-to-Snark Combat:
  • The foundation of Hachiman and Yukino's relationship.
  • Also, Yukino anytime she's near Yumiko.
  • Hachiman and Hayato's later conversations take on this tone.
• Status Quo Is God: A prevalent theme throughout the story.
  • Hachiman, despite hating society, is not eager to change the way it works and is fine if things remain the same because he's at least used to being alone and hated.
  • Hayato is happy with his popularity and friends and fears disrupting what they have more than anything. He tells Hachiman in episode 2 of season 2 that he doesn't want a possible romance between his friends to come between the dynamic they currently have, specifically that Tobe is in love with Ebina. Hachiman claims he doesn't really care. But he ends up saving Tobe the rejection by giving Ebina a Love Confession right before Tobe does, thus making it seem like he was the one who wanted to ask her out. In the end, the relationships in Hayato's group remain unchanged, and at least Tobe has some resolution for his crush on Ebina.
• Stepford Smiler: Discussed by Hachiman when he observes how people often have smiles glued to their faces when they want to pretend nothing is wrong. He's especially aware when Yukino falls into this as well.
• Stupid Sexy Flanders: Saika warrants this reaction from Hachiman almost every time they interact.
• Teeth-Clenched Teamwork: Initially, Hachiman and Yukino just barely tolerate each other, but gradually learn to work together.
• Tempting Fate: In episode 6, while Hachiman and Yukino are shopping for a gift for Yui, he mentions that them being seen together could lead to lots of rumors. Yukino says that as long as no one they know sees them together, they should be fine. Then they run into Yukino's sister, and moments later, Yui, both of whom assume the two are dating.
• This Is a Work of Fiction: In the anime, when Hachiman starts explaining a rather (or very) biased and subjective viewpoint, a disclaimer would appear on screen, citing that "This is his personal opinion."
• Title Drop:
  • While rewriting his essay, Hachiman substitutes his "Normalfags should burn in hell" conclusion with the novel's title.
  • The very last chapter, "That's Why Hachiman Hikigaya Said That" (in reference to the title), ends with him saying the series name and why he felt like it all went wrong.
• Too Broken to Break: Hachiman is a young boy who experienced the deception of human relationships at a young age, especially about the rejection of girls and ostracism from his class. All of that makes him a lone wolf who has no desire or interest in any kind of relationship, sees youth as a big lie and has a misogynistic vision of women in general (with the exception of his little sister); reasons more than enough for Hiratsuka to force him to be part of the Service Club in order to "save his soul" and help him with "being more human". During the series it's seen how Hachiman commits social suicide to achieve his goals for the Service Club, which could leave one devastated if done by anyone else, but doesn't affect him a bit... except when he sees the collateral damage to Yukino and Yui everytime he does this in the series, which makes him question his own methods for the first time.
• Tsundere:
  • Yukino (and sometimes Saki) as tsuntsun and Yui (as well Iroha) as deredere.
  • Gender-Inverted Example - Hachiman and Hayato, tsuntsun and deredere respectively.
  • Later on, Hachiman and Yukino defrost while Hayato gains tsuntsun qualities, at least around Hachiman.
• Two Girls and a Guy: The trope is played in a uncommon way because the guy is the protagonist. On the romance side of things, one girl is interested in the guy. The other girl's interest is somewhere between ambiguous and non-existent depending on who you ask. Although the guy finds both physically attractive, he doesn't want a relationship with either. When the ambivalent girl tries to make a clean break, he realizes he doesn't want to stop being involved in her life.
• Valentine's Day Episode: Episode 12 in season 2, when several of the girls make chocolates together to mitigate the awkwardness for the girls wishing to give chocolates to the guys.
• Viewers Are Geniuses: Despite the many, many quotes generated from Hachiman and the other characters about general facts of life, the show can be quite subtle when it wants to be. Character traits brought up in a somewhat undramatic way end up playing huge roles later on. Lots of Facial Dialogue is involved and exposition is never obvious. And characters make statements that appear very complicated and layered, but are actually meant to outline simple characterization just through the tone of the character's voice and their actions.
• Vitriolic Best Buds: Given the main character's disposition, almost all of his relationships are like this - whether it be with nice guys like Hayama and Totsuka, or more abrasive ones like Yukino and Shizuka.
• Wag the Director: A variation of this trope is invoked during the school festival in episodes 10-12 of season 1. Sagami, a girl in Hachiman's class, volunteers to be the festival committee chairman after Yukino turns it down. Although she tries to do various things, she is clearly not up to the task, and Yukino ends up giving her and the committee members various directions as if she were in charge. Hachiman also does his usual thing, causing Sagami to gradually feel her role diminish, despite Haruno trying to give her some motivation and countering both Yukino and Hachiman. In the end, although the festival seems to be successful, its obvious that she feels like a figurehead at that point, judging by how she flubs both the opening and closing ceremonies.
• Well, Excuse Me, Princess!: A cause of the chemistry between Hachiman and Yukino. Although compared to the average person, it's debatable if Hachiman is a loser. Still compared to Yukino this trope is likely. Yukino is described as incredibly beautiful, a strong first academically and, in Hachiman's words (LN), the "epitome of nobility". On the other hand, Hachiman is described as having an unpleasant appearance, academically variable at best and socially awkward.
• Wham Line:
  • Hayato is asked if he's dating Yukino in episode 11 of season 2 after someone spread rumors due to them being at the mall together in the previous episode, along with Hachiman and Yui.
  • Hayato and Hachiman both say something to the other in that same episode. Both of them claim they don't like the other, though the context is more of a Worthy Opponent than actual hatred.
  • Kaori asking Hachiman if she ever gave him chocolates back in middle school during episode 12 of season 2. Yukino, Yui, Iroha, and Saki all look at him during that moment, clearly disturbed. Kaori's student council president also turns her way as well. Both Yui and Yukino then give a disapproving frown when she says she'll give him some this year, and he sort of accepts it.
  • Immediately following the previous example, Haruno then asks Hayato if he remembers Yukino giving him chocolates. Yukino, Yumiko and Iroha then also have the shocked expression as well. Yukino, who didn't catch Hachiman furrowing his brow at the thought, glances at him as Hayato clarifies that Yukino gave it to him and Haruno before grade school started.
  • After their trip to the zoo, Yui reveals she knows what she wants (implying Hachiman) and asks Yukino if it's ok if she has him, shocking Yukino and Hachiman who is also present.
• What the Hell, Hero?:
  • Hayama despite understanding Hachiman's intentions eventually gets frustrated with his twisted method of bringing Sagami back.
  • Both Yui and Yukino get really upset with him at the end of episode 2 in season 2 after what he did. Yukino is disgusted with his methods, while Yui ends up crying. He gives a Love Confession to Ebina before Tobe is able to, causing her to reject Hachiman instead of the latter and therefore not ruin the relationship the two had with Hayato and his friends. Even though he was just faking his confession, both girls are clearly unhappy that he had to do something so uncaring towards the feelings of everyone involved, including Hachiman's.
  • When Iroha has trouble standing up to the student council from another school, her own subordinates are understandably upset. Hachiman doesn't think it's a particularly fair call, considering that he's squarely to blame for pushing Iroha into the job.
• What Is This Feeling?: Hachiman twice so far has wished to befriend Yukino. There is a good chance he hadn't wanted anyone specific to be his friend for years. However, both times Yukino crushes his sentiments, but the second time hints they are at least getting there.
  • Just when Hachiman starts getting a handle on his true feelings, Haruno shatters the three leads' illusions by labeling their relationship as a "codependency." It takes a while for Hachiman to reaffirm his emotions, and eventually Hiratsuka has to step in and confirm that his feelings are sufficiently complex that a single word wouldn't describe it perfectly.
• Win Her a Prize: Hachiman and Yukino go out in a Not a Date searching a good present for Yui. Then Hachiman tries to win a plush for Yukino in a toy grabber machine, but ended paying the machine owner to get a plush for her.
• Won't Do Your Dirty Work: A downgraded example occurs during season 2, when Hachiman takes the job of Iroha's plan to make a Christmas event with other school, but later he came overpassed by it, breaking up the Service Club indirectly. In episode 8, The Hermit breaks his habit and asks his partners Yui and Yukino for help, being rejected by the latter briefly before he made his Hidden Depths speech of wanting something genuine.
  Yukino: (after hearing Hachiman's favor) If this is all your doing, and yours alone, then don't you think you ought to resolve yourself?
• Work Info Title: The "Teen Romantic Comedy" part of the title contains info about the work.
• World's Most Beautiful Woman: Likely Yukino. In the LN chapter 1, Hachiman describes her as having "unparalleled looks" and "the school's number 1 beauty." Although in the anime episode 2, Yui describes Yukino as "really cool" but Yumiko as "gorgeous." But Yui has a reason to lie in that situation. Well at least to Hachiman it's true - much to his annoyance.
• You All Share My Story: Hachiman was hit by Yukino's car while he was trying to save Yui's dog.
• Zero-Approval Gambit: Oregairu is a series almost exclusively about this, as main character Hachiman Hikigaya constantly comes up with the most cynical and messy solutions to Service Club clients problems that often require him to intentionally play the "bad guy". By the end of the first sixth volume (or first season in the anime), he cements himself as "the most hated guy in school" and his friends and teacher begin trying to convince him to start thinking of his own happiness above others. The wiki even has a section detailing all instances of this he's pulled called "Social Suicides Committed by Hachiman Hikigaya".

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