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

Seirei Academy is a prestigious school attended by the very best students in Japan. Alisa Mikhailovna "Alya" Kujou, the half-Russian and half-Japanese treasurer of the school's student council, is known for her intelligence, stunning looks, and rigid personality. Contrasting her near-flawless persona, Alya's unmotivated classmate Masachika Kuze slacks off during lessons and seems to show no interest in her.

Initially irritated, Alya gradually becomes more intrigued by Masachika and starts expressing her affection for him in Russian. However, she is oblivious to his secret—he understands the language fluently! Due to a childhood friend who was temporarily staying in Japan, Masachika has been studying Russian in hopes of reuniting with her.

As the two spend more time together, the playful and eccentric relationship between them quickly deepens. In the meantime, both must learn to navigate their new growing feelings for one another.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Kujou, Alisa Mikhailovna Main

Uesaka, Sumire Japanese

Kuze, Masachika Main

Amasaki, Kouhei Japanese

Suou, Yuki Supporting

Maruoka, Wakana Japanese

Kujou, Maria Mikhailovna Supporting

Fujii, Yukiyo Japanese

Kimishima, Ayano Supporting

Aizawa, Saya Japanese

Miyamae, Nonoa Supporting

Aoyama, Yoshino Japanese

Sarashina, Chisaki Supporting

Kawase, Maki Japanese

Taniyama, Sayaka Supporting

Hasegawa, Ikumi Japanese

Kujou, Akemi Supporting

Inoue, Kikuko Japanese

Kenzaki, Touya Supporting

Ishikawa, Kaito Japanese

Kobayashi, Ryou Producer

Kamata, Hajime Producer

Arai, Kousuke Producer

Hasegawa, Shunsuke Producer

Reviews

Feb 12, 2025

Justykanna

Recommended

Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russian had all the makings of a successful Rom-Com, and, I think it came out with moderate success. That being said, it's kind of obvious where this series lost points.

Story & Characters: Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russian has a pretty standard story for a school, teen romantic comedy. That is, girl meets boy in class, they crush, they get closer, success. We're not at the end yet, but that's essentially what happens. The formula works for the most part, though there are some issues along the way.

Alisa Mikhailovna Kujou is a recent transfer ... to her school where, where she gets immediate attention due to her angelic looks and mature attitude. Her goals don't seem over ambitious, but she stands up for herself... for the most part. She has a Russain background, hence the anime title, and whenever she feels embarrassed, she speaks in Russian, thinking no one else can understand her. Masachika Kuze is in her class and comes off as a bit of a slacker. He spends much of his time playing a gacha phone game and it isn't unusual of him to fall asleep in the classroom. Because of his background, he actually does understand Russian, and that's honestly where a lot of the gags come into play.

I've always been a huge fan of school romance series - Horimiya, Just Because and Tsukai Ga Kirei to name a few - but I've never been the biggest Rom Com fan because I'm not really watching anime for the gags and giggles. Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russian changes that for me, as I found the series very funny throughout the entire runtime. I find myself laughing due to two things: Aaron Dismuke's amazing ability to play Masachika and the strong writing. It manages to make the interactions between Alisa and Masachika a lot of fun, something I don't usually mesh with.

This series starts off so well that I thought I was in for my favourite anime of the year. We find out so much about our main duo off the hop, we're surrounded by hilarious misunderstandings and nothing gets too out of hand. Yuki Suou, Masachika's younger sister, Maria Mikhailovna Kujou, Alisa's older sister, and Touya Kenzaki, the current student council president, all create a fun little group that you can't help but laugh along with. They mix in serious moments with funny ones and it really does work for me. Yuki is givena weird hand because of her family situation, but is headstrong, and aiming to always one-up her brother. Maria doesn't have too much going for her in itself, but I liked how she interacted with the rest of the cast. Touya is there for the sarcasm, which is similar to Masachika, and this is the type of humour I like. It feels like Ayano, another classmate, is suppose to have a bigger impact than she does, but I was never really a fan of her.

The problem I have here is that the story takes a bit of a nosedive in the second half. After our initial "how do you dos" are done and over with, the series leads into one specific "arc" for the remainder of the series and it simply isn't that interesting. It plays around some of Alisa's fears and makes her worry, but there wasn't anything nearly as solid as in the first half. The conclusion, while finishing the arc, didn't feel terribly satisfying to me either. (Story: 7/10, Characters: 9/10)

Art: Doga Kobo has a strong reputation for taking on a lot of slice of life or romance series such as Shikimori's Not Just a Cutie and Jellyfish Can't Swim in the night. There's a lot of shine and polish and I'm a huge of a fan of the style they use here. Some of the later episodes don't look quite as great, but all in all, it's a strong showing. (9/10)

Sound: The OST was mostly fine, but the OP was excellent, and this series somehow had a different ED with each episode (who DOES that nowadays?). Voice work was exceptional, as Aaron Dismuke (Masachika) did what Aaron Dismuke does best. He's simply a wizard in this genre, though his other work is obviously nothing to scoff at either. It very much reminds me of his performance in "Fuuka". He's so good in these moments. Sarah Natochenny (Alisa) meshed so well with him, backed by the fact that she actually knows Russian. Aaron Campbell (Touya) has been on my radar for a little while now, and he's impressing me more these days - though he's been doing more voice directing work lately. Top to bottom, the cast is exceptional. (10/10)

Overall: Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russian would have easily been a 9 if not for the drop-off in the back half of things. I'll be interested in where they take the story in the, already announced, second season. Can they keep up the light, funny moments, or will the story bring back another uninteresting arc? The second half was still funny at times, which means at least that's consistent. I'll be checking it out when it comes back, for sure, and I think any audience whose a fan of Rom-Coms should too. (8/10)

Reviewer’s Rating: 8

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Mar 23, 2025

Spzct

Mixed Feelings

Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russian

Animation – 5/10
The animation is decent but lacks standout elements. Character designs and backgrounds are functional, but there’s little visual flair. The execution is clean but uninspired.

Storyline – 5/10
The story follows Masachika Kuze, a laid-back high school student, and his classmate Alya, who occasionally expresses her true feelings in Russian. While the premise is intriguing, the plot follows standard rom-com tropes without adding much depth or originality.

Characters – 6/10
Alya’s tsundere personality works well, and Masachika plays the easygoing protagonist convincingly. However, character development remains shallow, and the supporting cast feels underutilized.
...
Music & Sound Design – 5/10
The soundtrack is serviceable but forgettable. The opening and ending themes are pleasant but don’t leave a lasting impact. The overall sound design fits the tone but doesn’t elevate the experience.

Emotion & Impact – 7/10
Despite its flaws, the series delivers some heartfelt moments, especially through Alya and Masachika’s interactions. Their dynamic provides charming scenes that resonate with fans of the romance genre.

Worldbuilding – 6/10
The setting remains a typical high school environment with minimal expansion beyond character interactions. The inclusion of Russian language elements adds a slight cultural touch, but it doesn’t significantly enrich the world.

Entertainment – 7/10
For fans of rom-coms, the series offers lighthearted and enjoyable moments. The character interactions are fun, making it a decent watch for casual viewers. However, the reliance on familiar tropes may not appeal to those seeking something fresh.

Innovation – 5/10
While the Russian-language gimmick is unique, the series doesn’t fully capitalize on it. The story quickly falls into conventional patterns, offering little innovation beyond its initial premise.

Rewatch Value – Moderate
The show’s simplicity and easygoing nature make it rewatchable for those who enjoy light romances. However, its lack of depth and originality may limit long-term appeal.

Overall Score – 5.75/10
Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russian is a standard rom-com with a charming premise but a conventional execution. It provides some enjoyable moments but struggles to stand out in a crowded genre. Those looking for a straightforward, relaxing romance may find it appealing, but others might wish for a more original experience.

Reviewer’s Rating: 5

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Feb 18, 2025

blackbunshin

Not Recommended

I'll try to be nice here: This is bad. Really, really bad. It was supposed to be a fun romcom about a high schooler who only expresses her real feelings in Russian, but this focuses mostly on the student council eletion, which is as boring as it sounds. The anime tries to make it seem like it's a big deal, but fails to convince. I don't know how those elections go in Japan, but I don't think it matters cause the work doesn't answer the question "why does this character need to have this so much?". Without understanding Alya's motivation, it's hard to identify, connect ... with and cheer for her. Actually, the antagonist showed better reasons, despite the fact that she was super annoying.

This is another aspect that was badly written: the characters most of the time look like they are making a whole drama over nothing, as if they're running for a chair in the Senate when in fact there's really nothing at stake but more work to do and their egos maybe? It kinda makes them seem ridiculous.

Overall, the only thing I enjoyed was Alya's seiyuu's impressive language skills.

Reviewer’s Rating: 4

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