As a Visual Novel that focuses heavily on the interpersonal relationships between the characters, Making Lovers has a well-rounded cast.
SPOILERS will be unmarked due to the nature of the game, which does not have an overall plot but instead focuses on relationships.
Main Characters
Your Name Herenote
The nameable protagonist. Extremely bad with romance, you have no interest in finding a girlfriend, claiming that you're waiting for a "destined meeting." After being told off by everyone in the surroundings including your parents and being supported by your sister, you reluctantly take a step forward and accept your friend's invitation to a blind date.
- Brutal Honesty: You are not given to minding your words even on topics others find embarrassing.
- Happily Adopted: You lost your parents when you were young but are quite happy with your adoptive parents. Mostly anyway.
- Hello, [Insert Name Here]: Nameable, but your default name is Kazuma Takanashi.
- Hidden Depths: Despite being portrayed as an overall loser, degenerate, and pervert, you're both a hopeless romantic and rather smart, having graduated from college with a degree in web design. You're also an excellent cook and tennis player, and not as Oblivious to Love as most VN protagonists are.
- Jerk with a Heart of Gold: Certainly you can be crass and self-centred but you are generally very sweet and supportive to your girlfriend and family.
- NEET: Though only for a while; you quit your last job due to it being sketchy as hell and have made enough money from odd jobs to live off for a time.
- No Guy Wants to Be Chased: In Reina's route. You're initially off-put by her Genki Girl attitude, and even quote the trope.You: Now, listen here. I prefer modest, reserved, domestic girls who serve salads way more than loud mouthed girls like you.
- You Are Better Than You Think You Are: Several routes offer a moment where you offer this sort of speech to your chosen girlfriend at a low moment.
Ako Takanashi
- Voiced by: Hitomi TakeuchiEverything you would want in a wife!A very housewife-esque little sister.-Website description
Ako is your step-sister. You've been together since you were kids, and now the two of you are like two peas in a pod. She can come off as rather childish, but she only acts that way around her family or close friends. In reality, she is an understanding and down-to-earth person who can hold her own.
- Brother–Sister Incest: As is common in Visual Novels, you and her are not blood-related.
- Coitus Interruptus: Your mom walks in on the two of you the first time you are about to have sex, but doesn't seem to notice anything; however, she knew all along what was going on between you two.
- First Love: She was your first crush.
- Housewife: The very archetype of one; this is part of what appeals her to the protagonist.
- Little Sister Heroine: Though via adoption not blood.
- Making Love in All the Wrong Places: In the work bathroom.
- Not Blood Siblings: The protagonist was adopted by Ako's parents at a young age, his own parents having died in an accident.
- Perverted Sniffing: A few examples of enjoying the protagonist's scent.
- Shipper on Deck: On most of the routes other than her own she support's her brother's relationship.
- Sweet Tooth: Her skirt has the phrases "I LOVE SWEETS" and "I LOVE CHOCOLATE" printed on it.
Saki Naruse
- Voiced by: Yoshie SaitouInexperienced with dating.Works as a weather forecaster.-Website description
A beautiful over-achiever who was born and raised in a family where everyone boasts impressive academic achievements, Saki carries with her an air of grace and refinement. This sophistication tends to scare people off, but those who get to know her realize she is actually a bit of a pushover and is very easy to talk to. She has no experience dating whatsoever.
- Babies Ever After: She is clearly pregnant in her ending.
- Can't Hold Her Liquor: A bit of drinking causes her to start perceiving her friends as members of her family.
- Dull Eyes of Unhappiness: Played for Laughs when she gets pissed.
- Early-Bird Cameo: In-universe; she was actually at the restaurant where you had the mixer with Karen at the beginning of the game, but sitting at the next table.
- The Ingenue: She is totally innocent and often doesn't get your perverted jokes. She learns quickly, however.
- Lonely Rich Kid: A stereotypical Ojou. Also never been on a date or had a boyfriend.
- Meet Cute: The two of you meet completely by chance; you were both set up on blind dates, but both of your dates failed to show up and you mistook each other for your original dates.
- Nephewism: Downplayed, her parents are still alive and do take some interest but her uncle Hiromu is the one who looks out for her in her family.
- Old Maid: What her family considers her (she's 28 years old), and why they keep setting her up on blind dates.
- Shrinking Violet: Not that much of one, but she is definitely is a bit shy until you get her to open up to you.
Reina Kanome
- Voiced by: Mayumi YoshidaShows her love with everything she has.Works as a model while still going to school.-Website description
Reina is still a student, but that doesn't stop her from working as a fashion model for many magazines. She possesses both the sweetness of a child and an air of maturity, giving her a unique personality. When it comes to work, Reina is deeply serious and stoic, but in her private life, she's surprisingly easygoing. After a chance meeting with you, she takes a great liking to you and actively tries to seduce you.
- Aggressive Submissive: Reina is very intent on you being her boyfriend and you will live up to it.
- Belligerent Sexual Tension: At first, particularly during your photoshoot with her.
- Clingy Jealous Girl: She immediately stakes her claim to you and warns you not to flirt with, talk to, or even look at other girls.
- Crash-Into Hello: An extreme version — she and her agent hit you with their car!
- Cute Little Fangs: Only occasionally visible but there.
- Double Entendre: Her shirt says "lovely view" across the chest area.
- Genki Girl: SUPER genki.
- Hidden Depths: An excellent cook.
- Motor Mouth: Rarely let's anyone else get a word in edgewise.
- Playing Hard to Get: Inverted — it's not Reina who does this, but you. And you rebuff her advances for quite a while after your first meeting.
- Stepford Smiler: A mild version. She puts on her super Genki Girl act most of the time but later reveals to you that work isn't going so well for her.
- The Tease: Loves playing with the protagonist but in fairness she has every intention of following through in the end.
- Why Did It Have to Be Snakes?: Reina is terrified of hamsters, a problem when the several hamster owned by her housemate get out.
Karen Kitaooji
- Voiced by: Ryōko OnoCan't be honest with her feelings.Went to college with the protagonist.-Website description
Back in college, she used to be in the same club as you. You frequently ran into each other but never grew particularly close. Karen is very prideful and hates being told what she is supposed to do. However, that's just her way of compensating for her lack of self-confidence. Deep down, she's really a very kind and warm person.
- The Comically Serious: Karen's seriousness + the protagonist's sense of humour = Hilarity Ensues.
- Flowers of Femininity: She wants to pursue flower arranging as a career and is at her most calm and gentle when doing so.
- Hard Work Hardly Works: A big reason for her initial hostility toward the protagonist. She worked really hard at college and yet you seemed to keep pace with her while goofing off a lot.
- Insecure Love Interest: When you don't make a move on her after being forced by circumstance to live together for a while she concludes that you aren't at all attracted to her. In actuality you were just being shy yourself.
- Tsundere: A fact she finds irritating, as she'd rather just be upfront with the protagonist but often finds herself incapable to do so.
Mashiro Tsukino
- Voiced by: Natsumi YamadaA strange girl with unique values, who is living next door.-Website description
Mashiro is the same age as the protagonist and is working as a waitress in the restaurant Leviathan. Although reticent by nature, she knows how to talk to people. She is an indoor person, with her hobbies consisting of things like gaming and watching TV. Mashiro is satisfied with her current life, but her first love becomes an impetus for change.
- Cannot Spit It Out: Despite how obviously attracted she is to you, for a while she has trouble actually saying the words "I love you" even when you ask her to. (Seems to be a mix of Shyness and Teasing)
- Cloud Cuckoolander: Is she ever. Some examples of some of the sillier things she does
- Asks you out by writing a physical love contract for you to sign (with a one-month free trial).
- Takes full advantage of the accidental hole she created between your rooms.
- After your first time having sex, one of the first things she says she's "used goods now".
- Thinks a romantic way to game with you is her sitting on your lap facing you wearing pajamas. You naturally get erect.
- Thinks pretending to throw a promise ring into the ocean for a little romantic 'ravaging' is a good idea (thankfully she regrets it immediately and apologizes)
- Commonality Connection: She shares your love for otaku stuff.
- The Gadfly: Occasionally enjoys making fun of you (e.g. saying everything but your face is attractive) and her coworker friend Kazami (mostly how she's still single)
- Love at First Sight: More or less. On her route you meet her at work and surprise her into breaking a customer's property but then insist on sticking around to take the blame and help her out, deeply charming her in the process.
- Manic Pixie Dream Girl: Definitely. Her odd view on things certainly keeps you on your toes.
- Pun: Is a big fan.Mashiro (after accidentally crashing through your wall): Our love conquers wall!.Mashiro (during a meal, trying to feed you): An eye for an eye, an ahh for an ahh.
Supporting Characters
Kakeru Asahina
- Voiced by: Naohiro Sada
Your best friend, and a serial womanizer.
- Put on a Bus: The only route he really makes repeat appearances in after the beginning of the game is Saki's.
- Small Role, Big Impact: As noted above he doesn't have much presence on most routes but it was him inviting you to a mixer that caused you to open up to the possible romantic options coming your way.
- Vitriolic Best Buds: But really, he does want you find a girlfriend and be happy.
Hiromu Naruse
- Voiced by: Daisuke Kageura
Saki's boss at the TV station, and her uncle.
- Cool Old Guy: Despite being from a prominent family and your boss, he's remarkably laid back and even encourages your relationship with Saki despite the class difference.
- The Mole: Saki's father asked him to watch her, so it's probably not a coincidence they work at the same TV station.
- Nephewism: Downplayed, as Saki's parents are still alive and still somewhat active in her life but Hiromu takes much greater efforts in looking out for her.
- Only Known by Their Nickname: Referred to as "Ossan"note by the game, but his real name is Hiromu.
Sayaka Inoue
- Voiced by: Touko Itou
Ako's coworker at the burger joint.
- A-Cup Angst: As she puts it:Sayaka: I'm a B-cup with a chest like a cutting board with a couple of red beans on top...
- Affectionate Nickname: Refers to you as "part-timer".
- Genki Girl: Very high energy.
- Motor Mouth
- Plucky Comic Relief: Most of the funniest moments in Ako's route involve her.
- Tsurime Eyes
Takanashis' Mother
Ako and the MC's mother.
- Everybody Knew Already: She's fine with you and Ako having a relationship, as she had noticed the affection between you two went beyond familial love years ago.
Takanashis' Father
Ako and the MC's father.
- Dirty Old Man
- Everybody Knew Already: He knew your feelings for Ako even before your mother; when the two of you buried a time capsule, he read the letter you addressed to your future self saying not to fall in love with Ako.
- Parental Incest: Played for Laughs regarding Ako, as you refer to him as an "Akoholic".
Kazami Tachibana
- Voiced by: Yuuki Niiyama
An employee at the girls' dorm your mother runs.
- Hiding Behind Your Bangs
- Team Mom: Seems to sort of function as one...at least until you come along.
Akari Yuuki
- Voiced by: Yuki Kitaooji
A tenant at the girls' dorm your mother runs.
