Kono Kaisha ni Suki na Hito ga Imasu

A Refreshing Workplace Romance

Workplace romances in anime are rare, and even when they appear, they often lean into unrealistic tropes. I Have a Crush at Work takes a different approach—one that embraces realism while still delivering the charm of a classic rom-com.

The story follows Yui Mitsuya, a competent yet somewhat reserved office worker, and Masugu Tateishi, her diligent coworker. Their workplace romance begins in secret, which leads to both comedic and heartfelt situations. The show does an excellent job of portraying the nuances of dating in a professional environment, from stolen glances at meetings to the fear of getting caught by nosy colleagues.

While the ... premise itself isn’t groundbreaking, I Have a Crush at Work excels in its execution. The chemistry between Yui and Masugu feels genuine, and their relationship doesn’t rely on excessive misunderstandings or forced drama. Instead, the tension comes from real-world issues: workplace professionalism, personal boundaries, and navigating love while maintaining a career.

I personally enjoyed how their relationship develops naturally instead of being rushed. Many romance anime struggle with pacing, either dragging things out too long or pushing relationships forward unnaturally fast. Here, it’s a smooth progression, making the romance feel organic and believable.

One of the standout aspects of this anime is how maturely it handles romance. Unlike the usual high school rom-coms where misunderstandings drag on for episodes, Yui and Masugu actually communicate. When issues arise, they talk it out rather than sulking in silence for half the season.

Also, the professional setting adds an extra layer of realism. Unlike Wotakoi, which focused on office workers who were also otaku, I Have a Crush at Work keeps things grounded, showing real concerns like power dynamics, workplace gossip, and career implications. It doesn’t overly dramatize these aspects but acknowledges them enough to feel authentic.

Studio Blade did a solid job with the animation. It’s not flashy like Jujutsu Kaisen or Solo Leveling, but it doesn’t need to be. The art style is crisp, and character expressions are well done, which is crucial for a romance anime where subtle facial movements matter. The color palette is warm and inviting, matching the relaxed yet emotionally engaging atmosphere of the series.

The voice acting deserves praise too—both main leads deliver performances that enhance their characters’ personalities. Yui’s slightly awkward but sincere tone and Masugu’s calm, composed manner make them feel real rather than over-the-top anime archetypes. The background music complements the show well, with soft piano pieces during emotional moments and lighthearted tunes for comedic scenes. While the animation won’t blow you away, it serves the story well. The subtlety in character expressions adds depth, and the voice actors elevate the dialogue.

🔹 Pros: realistic romance, strong character chemistry, great pacing, mature and relatable themes.
🔹 Cons: Lacks high-intensity drama (which might not appeal to everyone); art style is good but not standout.

Romance anime often struggle to evolve beyond high school settings, but I Have a Crush at Work proves that adult relationships can be just as interesting—if not more so.

If you’re tired of rom-coms where everything feels exaggerated, this anime is a solid pick. It’s a refreshing change from the usual high school settings and presents romance in a way that feels closer to real life.

8/10

its like working! anime but more on work and more on secret romance, nice to watch in my own opinion, hard to explain the other else cause theres not really much to say it was kinda mid, so mid that it makes me desire for more impact plot, all i can say is this is the kind of anime where all about good romance and all of that romance scenes get compiled into 1 video then post it in youtube then all of the viewers will love it cause its giving them diabetes

mixed feelings for recommendation for sure since it was kinda "ordinary"

If this is supposed to be a cute and light romance anime, it failed miserably. All I saw was a romanticized toxic relationship. They should have a serious talk about their priorities, cuz it seems everyone's needs are more important than those of their own significant other. The characters are very immature, which would be justified in a highschool setting, or if the anime din't portray those behaviours in adults as something literally labeled as "cute", throughout the series. However, it fails to do so and we are left feeling unconfortable, even thought that isn't even the goal of this piece of work. Not an ... enjoyable experience. If you are looking for a mature office romance, like Wotakoi, this isn't it.