Amagami

Kiss! Kiss! Koish--oh wait, wrong story... Left to right: Rihoko Sakurai, Tsukasa Ayatsuji, Sae Nakata, Kaoru Tanamachi, Haruka Morishima, and Ai Nanasaki.

Amagami ("Gentle Bite" or "Nibble") is another dating simulation game by Enterbrain for the PlayStation 2. It was released in 2009, following the success of KimiKiss. Later received an Updated Rerelease, EB Collection Plus Amagami, for the PS2 and PSP after multiple delays.

An anime, entitled Amagami SS was released in the summer of 2010, produced by AIC. Taking a cue from Kimikiss' Various Heroines manga adaptation, Amagami SS is using a very experimental omnibus approach: each girl will get 4 episodes centered entirely on them, with a continuity reset every time a new girl gets her turn. This is done so that all the girls have equal screen-time and all their fans will be satisfied. A second season, Amagami SS+ started airing January 2012.

Our hero, Junichi Tachibana, has a problem. You see, a girl he liked stood him up on their date one Christmas Eve. He's been brooding about it for almost two years now, shutting himself in his own personal space (literally, with stars made with glow-in-the-dark markers) inside his closet. But besides that little quirk, he seems like your Ordinary High School Student (and by that I mean incredibly perverted). That is until he gets to know one (or more) of six possible girls and gradually opens his heart up to her (or them). Will our Unlucky Everydude get a second chance to experience love once more? You be the judge!

Tropes used in Amagami include:
  • Accidental Kiss: Junichi and Kaoru; in the anime, it's also the First Kiss for both.
  • Accidental Pervert: Junichi falls to the floor and Kaoru unintentionally gives him an upskirt view.
    • While Junichi can be an Accidental Pervert, he is much more perverted than he lets on. Kissing the back of Morishima's knee and Kaoru's belly button are prime examples of what he will do if given the chance.
  • A-Cup Angst: Ai Nanasaki, though she's never seen to express concern about it out loud.
  • Adaptation Distillation: With only four episodes per girl, Amagami SS adapts the routes which lead to each girl's good or best ending in the game, though there are exceptions.
    • Adaptation Expansion: Two kinds. The PC-exclusive Tech Gian side-stories turned the game from a Dating Sim into a Visual Novel (no choices are made by the player) and greatly expanded the secondary character's roles. This is also where Hibiki Tsukahara and Maya Takahashi are promoted to love interests. The second one, Amagami SS+ Plus, expands the anime adaptation with original plot-lines never before seen from the games.
  • After-School Cleaning Duty: In the Ayatsuji arc, it was during cleaning duty one evening when Class Rep Ayatsuji, unaware that she was being watched by the protagonist Junichi, revealed her true nature as she flipped out over all the trash other students left behind.
  • Anguished Declaration of Love: Junichi will usually do this for any girl he likes (he's just that kind of guy), but more unusual is when a girl does it for him, such as Kurosawa Noriko.
  • Animated Adaptation/The Anime of the Game: Amagami SS
  • Anime Hair/You Gotta Have Blue Hair: Averted. The cast has typical hairstyles and colors you see among Japanese teens. Another thing apparent in Amagami is that most of the girls' hairdo will show some stray tufts and strands, unlike most other Anime Hair which are summarily spotless and impeccable.
  • Annoying Laugh: Junichi's younger sister Miya's Nishishishishi~!
  • Anywhere but Their Lips: Happens to Junichi several times. Haruka kisses him on his eyebrows "because they looked cute," then he later kisses her behind the knee. Then in Kaoru's arc, she accidentally kisses him, causing him to exact revenge by kissing her bellybutton. The way the characters behave in these scenes makes it even seem borderline erotic.
    • While it probably isn't an excuse for him, Haruka did say Anywhere But The Lips, and that she might "change her mind" if he chose somewhere too predictable.
  • Ascended Extra: Hibiki and Maya got their own routes in the game's Updated Rerelease/Expansion Pack.
  • Audience Surrogate: Junichi, the male protagonist. As a certain imageboard puts it, "It's like I'm seeing myself back in High School!"
  • Babies Ever After: Junichi and Sae in one of her endings and Junichi and Tsukasa in one of her endings.
  • Balanced Harem: The logical conclusion, with the unusual route-based format, every girl gets a chance.
  • Bare Your Midriff: Kaoru does this willingly at one point.
  • Big Eater: Rihoko
  • Big No: Kaoru at the end of Episode 5, when she realizes she's developed more-than-Platonic feelings for Junichi.
    • Paralleled by Junichi after having sexual thoughts about her earlier in the episode.
  • Bitch in Sheep's Clothing: Tsukasa Ayatsuji.
  • Blue Eyes: Haruka has them. They're much more subdued in the game. However, in the anime, coupled with her wide-eyed stares, they become a lot more vivid and beautiful.
  • Body Horror: Every girl in the game ends up in an event where Junichi dates them in an amusement park, only to end up in a Horror House where the main attraction somehow mutates them into a completely different form. This gets referenced in Nanasaki's arc.
    • Ayatsuji transforms into a younger version of herself.
    • Rihoko transforms into a shirt.
    • Kaoru transforms into a man.
    • Sae transforms into a book.
    • Nanasaki transforms into a bowl of ramen.
    • Morishima transforms into a dog.
    • Junichi, in Ayatsuji's route, depending on choices made by the player, ends up as a frog.
  • Breaking the Fourth Wall: Junichi lashes back at the Lemony Narrator if it insults him for too long.
    • Aside Glance: Junichi seems to have gained awareness to the audience in Sae's arc. For example, he refused to wear swimming shorts/trunks in the pseudo-Hot Springs Episode because he knows somebody out there won't like it.
    • Leaning on the Fourth Wall: In the special 26th episode, while spying on Junichi, Miya identifies out loud in heavy detail her childhood friend Risa, and the latter "thanks her for the introduction" before asking her to keep quiet.
  • Bromantic Foil: Masayoshi Umehara.
    • Kaoru is a female version of this to some extent, whether she's the love interest or not.
  • Buxom Is Better/Gag Boobs: Sae. Her chest size is constantly remarked upon by the Lemony Narrator; Miya grabs it for good luck; and Junichi has the honor of being the first male to grab them. It's a little wonder that poor Shrinking Violet Sae hadn't snapped already.
    • In episode 13 of Plus, Kaoru and Tsukasa sucessfully persuade Sae, Haruka, Jessica and Hibiki from getting in the "Big breast" Bath. Hibiki wasn't fooled though.
  • Canon Foreigner: The Lemony Narrator and American director in Sae's arc were just an excuse to add Joji Nakata and Michael Rivas to the cast.
  • Cast of Snowflakes: It's quite impressive to see that no two characters look alike in this game/series, even the minor ones. Even more impressive since the character designs are limited with realistic hairstyles and colors.
  • Cat Fight: Though it's not physical, there's conflict a-brewin' between Tsukasa and newcomer Alpha Bitch Kurosawa Noriko for the Student Council President's seat (and Junichi).
  • Chewing the Scenery: Kaoru intentionally, during her and Junichi's Melodramatic "married-couple stand-up" banter.
  • Choose Your Own Adventure: The Animated Adaptation. The order the girls are first seen in the opening credits is the order their 4-episode arcs aired: (with the exception of Risa who gets one episode)
    • Haruka Morishima: episodes 1-4
    • Kaoru Tanamachi: episodes 5-8
    • Sae Nakata: episodes 9-12
    • Ai Nanasaki: episodes 13-16
    • Rihoko Sakurai: episodes 17-20
    • Tsukasa Ayatsuji: episodes 21-24
    • Risa Kamizaki: episode 25
      • For the second season, the order is reversed. Except Sae and Kaoru are switched.
  • Class Representative: Tsukasa. She takes it very seriously. Gets elected Student Council President in Amagami SS+.
  • Cloudcuckoolander: Haruka goes into her own world at the mere mention of dogs/puppies.
  • Color Coded for Your Convenience: The main girls colors are as follows...
    • Haruka: Light Violet
    • Kaoru: Light Lime Green
    • Sae: Tea Rose Pink
    • Ai: Light Cyan Blue
    • Rihoko: Naples Yellow
    • Tsukasa: Bleu de France
    • Risa: Silver Gray
  • Continuity Nod: Thanks to Word of God and other supplemental materials, Amagami has been confirmed to take place 7-8 years before KimiKiss.
    • Also, just like with White Album, the lack of cellphones is actually important to the plot.
  • Date Crepe: With Sae, in episode 11.
    • And again in episode 12, where Sae takes Junichi to a cafe to eat a ginormous banana cream parfait, based on the rumor that couples who share it will never separate.
  • Death Glare: Ai whips one out when Junichi makes an off-hand comment comparing her breasts with her friends, Miya and Sae. Junichi doesn't notice it, but it sure made some viewers shit bricks.
    • Ayatsuji tosses Kurosawa an absolute hell of one in episode 2 of SS+.
  • Despair Event Horizon: Junichi almost sinks back into depression when Kaoru arrives more than 30 minutes late for their date.
  • Disappeared Dad: Kaoru's father, possibly deceased. While she and her mother still hold him dear, they have since been soldiering on by themselves, with Kaoru having an after-school job. But Kaoru is badly shaken after she discovers her mother is dating and thinking of remarriage, because of the prospect of having her dad "replaced", coupled with the suddenness of the revelation.
  • Distant Finale: The endings for some of the girls, going as far as 10 years in the future, notably for Haruka and Tsukasa.
  • The Ditz/Dojikko: Rihoko is sorta clumsy and forgetful.
  • Don't You Dare Pity Me!: In the anime Kaoru flips Junichi to the ground when he tries to comfort her, because she doesn't want him to see her holding back tears. Undeterred, Junichi then gives his pep talk flat on his back.
  • Downer Ending: Surprisingly averted for half of the girls' bad endings in the game (caused by choosing another girl over them and thus standing them up on their supposed date). Half of them forgive the protagonist, and they stay as friends. The other half, on the other hand...
    • By far, the most vindictive Bad End is Morishima Haruka's. Years later, Junichi is now an office salaryman when the company he works for is bought out by Morishima Haruka, who becomes his direct boss. Unlike before though, there is no twinkle in Haruka's eyes, only a cold, piercing look in them, nothing like the warm and friendly sempai he had betrayed years ago.
  • Dragged by the Collar: Haruka gets dragged away from the swim team's Oden stall by Hibiki... followed shortly by a drunk Takahashi-sensei, by the members of Ayatsuji's student council.
  • DVD Bonus Content: Promises to add extra scenes to each girl's arc, as well as exclusive episodes.
  • Embarrassing Middle Name: Haruka Lovely Morishima. Though she doesn't seem to mind, it's still weird by normal standards.
    • It Runs in The Family: Taken up to eleven with Haruka's cousin, Jessica Sexy Morishima, who appears in Amagami SS+ in Haruka's arc.
  • Erotic Eating: Junichi feeding Haruka in the school cafeteria. There are no phallic symbols, but there is some dripping on the side of her mouth. And blatant S&M undertones.
  • Evolving Credits: The second opening's final scene shows whoever the current female lead is strolling away from the camera, then turning and smiling. The first opening has the featured girl to be the last one shown.
  • Executive Meddling: The ending to Kaoru's arc was censored because it was judged too dangerous. It features her and Junichi riding a bike together - in fairness, she's standing. But the lack of this leads to a missed Book End since the prologue of episode 5 also has them on his bike.
  • Expy: of KimiKiss characters
    • Junichi is an expy of Kouichi, and they both have an Annoying Younger Sibling in the form of Miya and Nana, respectively.
    • Ruriko Yuzuki and Manaka Hiba also have Kaoruko Yuzuki and Manami Hiba. They even look like each other.
    • Word of God also says that Kibitou and Kibina are "sister schools."
  • Fan Nickname: Kaoru Tanamachi is often referred to as "Sex Hair".
    • Other girls also get their own nicknames. For example, Rihoko Sakurai is "Fatty" because of her appetite. Others refer to her as "Healthy."
      • Less-definitive examples include "Classrep"/"Bitchrep" for Tsukasa Ayatsuji, "Raburi" for Haruka Morishima, "Earcancer" for Sae Nakata, "Swimgirl" for Ai Nanasaki, "Imouto" for Miya, and "Yandere" for Risa, Junichi's Stalker with a Crush.
      • Ai is love!
      • In Tsukasa's arc, many fans and fansubbers have taken to calling her "Queen Tsukasa".
  • For Want of a Nail: Episode 5 of the anime starts with a prologue showing our protagonist Junichi going home, crushed after being stood up on Christmas Eve - just like the first episode. By chance, Junichi runs into Kaoru (already established as a close friend in Haruka's story arc). She correctly guesses that he has been stood up, and after an awkward silence, invites him to her house for Christmas cake. When the story proper starts, Junichi acts quite unlike himself in the previous arc (no "planetarium of depression", no self-pity to be seen). It appears his emotional wounds have healed better, probably all due to this Friendship Moment. It is also no accident that Kaoru is the love interest for this particular arc.
  • Friendship Moment/A Friend in Need: Present in Kaoru Tanamachi's route/episode arc; she is one of two romantic options who are friends of the main character to begin with.
    • Kaoru tries to cheer up Junichi after he is stood up on Christmas Eve, with apparently far-reaching consequences (see above). This takes place at the Cold Open of episode 5.
    • Umehara invokes such a moment as well on the premise of Haruka's "Lovers" route. Junichi has more or less given up on attempting to woo Haruka, which prompts Umehara to openly declare that in the next lesson break, he will confess his feelings to her. As it turns out, Umehara has actually gone to Haruka to ask her to be more responsive to Junichi's feelings, which in turn raises her respect for Junichi (what with the loyalty invoked by his best friend).
      • Umehara actually does this a lot for Junichi and the girl he has feelings for. He and the girl's friend/s will make a scheme to set them up alone in a room or on double dates. This, coupled with his own inability to find true love, makes him the ultimate Love Martyr.
  • Furo Scene: Kaoru contemplating her feelings for Junichi in the bath; in the anime, at the start of Episode 6.
    • Paralleled by Junichi himself at the end of Episode 7.
  • Genki Girl: Haruka may be the School Idol, but she sure as hell doesn't act like one.
  • Genre Savvy: In episode 10, Junichi remarked that nobody would want to see him in his swim trunks, and the narrator immediately states that he knows what he's doing.
    • Tsukasa goes into detail how Junichi was fooled by fellow manipulative bitch Kurosawa Noriko. She didn't see the entire act, but she knows it anyway because it's the most basic scheme to do in a school environment.
  • Girlish Pigtails: Sae
  • Good Samaritan: Kaoru climbs up a tree to retrieve a shuttlecock for some kids, who then tease Junichi about his "nice woman". See also For Want of a Nail above.
  • Gratuitous English: Haruka likes to sprinkle a few English words in her sentences.
    • Sort-of justified since she's a quarter-Brit on her mother's side.
    • Kaoru also does this a few times in the anime like "Thank you", "No Count-o".
    • The American that consults Junichi with his relationship issues in episode 12.
      • Notable for the fact of an Anime Accent Absence. The English was flawless American Accent if you were wondering.
    • In the first opening and all endings so far excluding Haruka's, ironically, but her image song redeems that fact.
    • And now we have Jessica Sexy Morishima, Haruka's cousin who appears in Amagami SS+, who does more of it than her cousin, considering she's also British national. She even elicits a "Nice to meet you" from Hibiki and Junichi.
  • Happily Married: Junichi with Haruka at the end of episode 4 and with Tsukasa at the end of Episode 24.
  • Heterosexual Life Partners: Haruka and Hibiki
  • Hey, It's That Voice!:
  • Hidden in Plain Sight: In the Image Song Album cards and the album covers for the ending themes, if you look closely at the picture, the girl whose arc comes next is in the background of the photo that is an alternate view of that character's album cover. See the character sheet for samples of the pictures.
    • In Morishima Haruka's album cover, Tanamachi Kaoru can be seen sitting on a bench with her back to the viewer.
    • In Tanamachi Kaoru's album cover, Nakata Sae can be seen standing by a window in the building.
    • In Nakata Sae's album cover, Nanasaki Ai can be see walking by the classroom's doorway gripping the balcony railings.
    • In Nanasaki Ai's album cover, Sakurai Rihoko can be seen further along the hallway with her back to the camera.
    • In Sakurai Rihoko's album cover, Ayatsuji Tsukasa can be seen standing further along the hallway.
    • In Ayatsuji Tsukasa's album cover, Morishima Haruka can be seen at the ground floor of the plaza sitting at a table drinking tea.
    • In the first opening of the anime, Kamizaki Risa is walking beside Ai and in the second opening, she pokes her head out of a classroom in the scene that features Rihoko, Kanae, Haruka and Hibiki.
  • Hollywood Pudgy: Rihoko
  • Hot-Blooded: Kaoru, who was nicknamed The Nuke/Warhead of Kibitou in middle school.
  • Hot Springs Episode: Episode 13 of SS+.
  • I Didn't Mean to Turn You On: Arguably happened at the doctor fish footbath scene in episode 10. Miya and Junichi find the fishes a bit tickly but otherwise okay; Sae turns out to be much more sensitive about being nibbled on her legs.
  • Idiosyncratic Episode Naming: Every episode title in the anime is a four-syllable word written in Katakana format as a reference to the show's title.
  • Image Song: At least one for each girl.
    • Haruka - Wan Wan Disco Fever, Hana, Wonderful Days
    • Kaoru - Kaze ni Fukarete, Thanksgiving, Omoi no Kaze wa Doko Made mo
    • Sae - Wish "Choppiri no Yuuki" (A Little Courage), Keeping Smile, Love Scene
    • Ai - Trust, minamo, Shiawase no Sunahama
    • Rihoko - DJK, Hoshi, Sweet Message
    • Tsukasa - Afterglow, White or Black?, I Believe
    • Miya - Grown up!, Present, Ano ne
    • Risa - secret room, Pandora no Koi
  • Important Haircut: Tsukasa cuts her hair short after getting married to Junichi. Her previous hairstyle is then inherited by their daughter.
  • In Medias Res: Risa's arc begins with her confession to Junichi. Appropriate, since her story actually begins in the middle of the other girls' arcs/routes.
  • Just Friends: How Junichi starts out with Kaoru and Rihoko before a Relationship Upgrade.
  • Justified Title/Title Drop: Amagami (literally translated as, "a gentle bite") doesn't really mean anything much in the game... until Kaoru decides to nibble on the protagonist's ear. Also explained by the protagonist's sister.
    • Junichi drops the title when he explains to Miya that the kitten they found was just playing with its mother by biting it.
    • Sae's incident with the doctor fish probably qualifies.
    • Rihoko also decides to nibble on the protagontist's finger... for a good couple of minutes.
      • There's actually a lot of nibbling going on in the game...
  • Kissing Discretion Shot: Most of the kissing here is done off-frame. This is often upgraded to...
  • Lampshade Hanging: in the first episode of Sae's arc, by a whiteboard, of all things.
    • Sae's arc contains quite a number of these so far, probably courtesy of Junichi's sudden genre familiarity and Breaking the Fourth Wall tendencies, plus the Lemony Narrator factor.
    • Even after her arc, Sae is still not safe. It's still about her chest, and the lampshade hanger is a carton of milk of all things.
  • If You Know What I Mean: In the anime, Kaoru softly whispers to Junichi, "I'll show you something even better than the stars..." Of course, she's just joking... maybe...
  • Lawyer-Friendly Cameo: Though the title character never actually shows up, Sae is apparently a fan of the Show Within a Show Inago Mask (or The Masked Locust), a Kamen Rider equivalent.
  • Lemony Narrator: Sae's anime arc has one, voiced by Joji Nakata.
  • Letting the Air Out of the Band: Kaoru was really tired.
  • Longing Look: Junichi usually does this to any girl that has his attention. However, when it's the girl who does it to Junichi, it's so epic and lovely that it needs a full-page spread to properly depict it.
  • Male Gaze: Episode 14, when Junichi were given a talking to by Hot Teacher Takahashi-sensei.
  • Manga Adaptation: Several, predating and now concurrent with the anime version, by different hands.
    • Amagami: Precious Diary focuses on Tsukasa Ayatsuji.
    • Amagami: Precious Diary - Kaoru (by the same writer/artist as above) focuses on Kaoru Tanamachi.
    • Amagami: Sincerely Yours is more of a Harem title with some emphasis on Ayatsuji.
    • Amagami: Love Goes On! focuses on Ai Nanasaki.
    • Amagami: Various Artists is a multi-volume anthology series by various artists. Hentai artists. Though it barely, rarely reaches Ecchi levels at worst (or best).
    • Amagami: Close to You currently seems to focus on developing a love triangle between Junichi, Rihoko, and Ai.
    • Amagami: Love Goes On! - Morishima Haruka Hen (by the same writer/artist as Love Goes On! above) focuses on Morishima Haruka.
    • Amagami: Dreamy Forever is, as one troper puts it, "a heartwarming story of Miya hatin' on Haruka."
  • Maybe Ever After: Rihoko is the only girl not to end in a definitive relationship with Junichi, although they do end up closer. One of the endings in the game has Junichi confessing to her on their college years.
  • Megaton Punch: Kaoru all the time to Junichi.
  • Modesty Towel: Haruka in episode 4, Ai in episode 16, Miya in episode 19.
  • Mushroom Samba: See the Body Horror entry above.
  • My Nii-nii Is Off Limits: Miya becomes really hostile towards Haruka when she starts interacting with Junichi. This doesn't stop Haruka from thinking that Miya is extremely cute.
  • Mythology Gag: Makihara, the girl who dumped Junichi two years ago thanks to Risa studies at Kibina High School.
  • Name's the Same: There's a character in the series whose name is similar to voice actress Kanae Ito. Too bad the real Kanae Ito didn't voice Amagami's Kanae Ito.
    • Coincidentally, there are two seiyuu in the game who worked together in the same anime with similar names, Kana Asumi, who used to be Yuno, now voicing Miya, who has similar name with Yuno's best friend, Miyako. And Ryoko Shintani, (Sakurai Rihoko) who used to be Sae (in Hidamari Sketch). Not to mention there is a reference to Ume-sensei as Masayoshi Umehara.
    • Then there's the fact that they hired Jouji Nakata to narrate Sae Nakata's arc. The producers really love this trope don't they.
  • Narrating the Obvious: The narrator, frequently. Many of his comments are snarky descriptions of the current scene, or of things that happened less than a minute ago.
  • No Sense of Personal Space: Followed to an extent by Junichi and Kaoru; they have a quite physical relationship even before their Relationship Upgrade - she greets him by slapping his head and later, biting his ear, while he tickles her sides on occasion.
  • Not What It Looks Like: In Ayatsuji's arc in the second season, Junichi is brought out by Tsukasa's rival, Kurosawa Noriko, into this situation and has some of her minions talk overloud within Tsukasa's hearing so she'd go to the back of the school to witness a love confession or a kiss. A bit later, Tsukasa outright states that the plot was so simple, she didn't even need to see it to know that it was all bull and she berates Junichi for falling for the "I have something to tell you, so meet me behind the school" thing.
  • One of the Boys: Kaoru, to the point where she goes with Junichi and Umehara to check out a Hot Librarian chick.
  • Only Known by Their Nickname: Haruka met a boy in the park where her pet dog used to sit. She named him Park-kun since she didn't get his real name. Turns out that Park-kun is actually Junichi.
  • Pair the Spares: In one of the Tech Gian bonus routes, Umehara finally gets Kanae as his girlfriend.
  • Palette Swap: Haruka's cousin Jessica in SS+, who is technically Haruka with blonde hair and turquoise eyes.
  • Panty Shot: Junichi thinks he catches a glimpse of Ai's panties when he sees her jump from a swing in the beginning of her arc. It's ultimately subverted when he finds out that Ai, an avid swimmer, has a habit of wearing her swimsuit beneath her school uniform.
    • Another instance in episode 5, when Junichi got an upskirt view of Kaoru right after falling to the floor.
  • Parent with New Paramour: Kaoru's mom.
  • Patient Childhood Love Interest: Rihoko. Really, really patient.
  • Poor Communication Kills: Third episode of Tsukasa's arc, related to Becoming the Mask above. Junichi tells Tsukasa that she needs to swallow her pride and ask the people who were accusing her of flirting with Junichi for help for them to finish on time for the Founder's Festival. Tsukasa goes "No way!" Junichi is then "That's not like you! You're someone who confidently handles situations like this". Tsukasa then flips out and angrily asks Junichi "What do you know about me? Do you think you know anything about me?" Then the clincher arrives:

Tsukasa: Hey, I'm asking you what you think you know about me!
Junichi: I do know you're giving it your all for the Founder's Festival, Ayatsuji-san. That's why I think you should apologize to everyone and ask for their help again.
Tsukasa slaps Junichi
Tsukasa: Why do you say things like that even though you know!? (about my true self)
Tsukasa runs away in tears

    • Basically, when Junichi told her to apologize to everyone and ask for their help, Tsukasa misinterpreted that as him wanting her to assume the mask because that was the part about her that he liked, not the "real Tsukasa" that he discovered when she caught him with her diary. Junichi, on the other hand, only genuinely wanted Tsukasa to take it easy and for the Festival to be a success. For Tsukasa, asking for the help of their classmates was akin to assuming the facade again; Tsukasa wanted to go on only with Junichi because he was the only one that accepted her for who she was.
  • Prank Date: The entire story begins with one on Junichi.
  • Princess Curls: Haruka has a rare variant: her straight hair curls near the tips.
  • Refuge in Audacity: "While I wouldn't say they're big, those breasts have been forged by constant training! Pushed up by well-toned pectorals against a tight racing suit designed for minimal resistance! I wanted to see them, filled with so much energy it's like they'd explode beautifully like gunpowder any minute! So before I knew it here I was, peeking! I'm really sorry!"
  • Rescue Romance: They really didn't know at the time, but both Haruka and Kaoru saved Junichi from his chronic depression a couple of years prior to the start of the game/anime, which lead to him having feelings for the both of them.
  • Retcon: It... perhaps says something about the passion of shippers that every 4 episodes there has to be a complete and total Retcon, allowing Junichi to hook up with another girl.
  • Running Gag: In the OVA shorts, there will always be a scene where Risa is in the background stalking Junichi and whoever he's currently with.
  • Say My Name: The episode 12 preview. "Sae-chan..." "Sempai..." "Sae-chan...!" "Sempai...!" "Sae-chan...!!" "Sempai...!!"
  • Sexy Santa Dress: The Miss Santa Contest at the Founder's Festival every year, with varying degrees of service. Haruka's outfit in Tsukasa's arc being the most blatant example.
  • School Idol: Haruka Morishima; In fact, her subtitle from the game is roughly translatable as 'Man-Killing Phenomenal Queen'.
  • Second Year Protagonist: Junichi, Kaoru, Rihoko and Tsukasa.
    • In Plus, Ai and Sae.
  • Self-Imposed Challenge: Some fans have created "The Amagami Challenge" as a sort of real-life version of the game's premise: it motivates them into going out, finding a girl, and getting a date with her on or before Christmas.
  • Sempai-Kohai: Haruka is sempai to Junichi, while Sae and Ai are kohai to him and the rest of the girls are his equals.
  • She Is Not My Girlfriend: In epiosde 9 with Sae (at that point she really isn't).
  • Shout-Out: During a certain event with Ai, she and the protagonist end up playing with some kids in the park. Cue Ai putting on a belt and placing a blue grasshopper on it.
    • The anime version of this scene makes it even more blatantly a Zecter. Plus, the box it comes packaged in has a logo that resembles Smart Brain's.
    • Same shout-out appears in an event with Sae as well in an Inago-Mask stage-show. A squid monster appears that's a clear shout out to Doctor Shinigami.
      • And again Junichi dons the costume in episode 7 in plus as a part-time worker.
    • Two kids see Junichi running like an idiot:

"What is that...?"
"A bionic accelerator?"

    • Junichi and Masayoshi re-enact a scene from Gundam Seed, each taking turns saying Athrun and Kira's lines (Each asking why they must fight the other). Video here.
    • Their school's robotics club (or whatever club it is) built what looks to be the Exia at the last episode of Ai Nanasaki's arc. Half-way through the ep, it goes rogue.
      • Tsukasa is also seen painting its feet in her own arc.
    • The director in episode 12 bears a resemblance to Steven Spielberg.
    • The "cute book girl" that appears in episode 14 is a cameo of Touko Amano from Bungaku Shoujo.
    • The second season title: Amagami SS+ Plus is a shout-out to Love Plus+, though unlike the source material, the second "plus" is silent.
  • Shrinking Violet: Sae
  • Snow Means Love: One of the main themes of the game.
    • To make a point, every final episode of each girl's arc so far has had the words "White Christmas" uttered by either the girl or Junichi.
    • Ai's arc practically inverts this, ending with a sunset on the beach instead.
    • Rihoko's averts this completely.
  • Something Completely Different: Sae's arc adds the narrator, while Rihoko's arc has the narrative follow her instead of Junichi.
    • Rihoko's arc goes even further, completely deviating from her original route in the game. To summarize: her arc goes beyond Christmas (the game doesn't go that far), thus eliminating the "White Christmas" theme, and her two friends getting a lot more attention and screen time. The end result was not well-received by fans.
  • Something Else Also Rises: Near the end of Haruka's arc, she poses in front of Junichi in a bikini. Cut to Junichi staring blankly and someone flying out of a waterslide behind him, making a big splash...
  • Spiritual Successor to KimiKiss
  • Stalker with a Crush/Yandere/Clingy Jealous Girl: Risa
  • Sugar and Ice Personality: Nanasaki. Hibiki also has elements of this.
  • Test Kiss: Kaoru pretends to initiate one to tease Junichi. But then they really do end up kissing, to their shared shock.
  • Thanks for the Mammary: While skating, Junichi saves Rihoko from falling, and grabs her chest in the process.
    • Also happened in episode 10 with Sae.
    • And now in episode 22 with Tsukasa, who then sports a Cheshire Cat Grin at Junichi in response, frightening him into her bidding.
  • The Anime of the Game: Amagami SS. Some elements of it were added to the game's Updated Rerelease.
  • Theme Tune Cameo: In episode 19, Miya and Rihoko hum the tune of "Koi wa Aserazu", Rihoko's ED song.
  • Third Person Person: Miya
  • Those Two Girls: Ruriko Yuzuki and Manaka Hiba.
  • Three Amigos: Junichi, Kaoru and Masayoshi
    • Miya, Sae and Ai.
  • Tomboy: Kaoru, in part.
  • Tsundere: Kaoru shows tendencies of being a Type B (see article) even before the romance flag comes up - being primarily affectionate and playful, with a temper beneath the surface.
    • These tendencies are illustrated by their Accidental Kiss and her response to it. The scene starts as a self-instigated Ship Tease, but becomes the real thing due to their fumbling. She is flustered and angry, and denies she meant to go all the way.
    • Tsukasa in the anime may actually showing signs of being a Type A towards Junichi underneath her being a Bitch in Sheep's Clothing, perhaps signalling the start of her Unresolved Sexual Tension with him.
  • Tsurime Eyes: Most prominently, Ai Nanasaki and Hibiki Tsukahara. Other characters' eyes tend to lean more towards Tareme Eyes.
  • Unkempt Beauty: Kaoru Tanamachi and her "Sex Hair".
  • Unlucky Everydude: Tachibana is not your average romantic lead character who nets all of the girls' affections without even trying. In the anime, the first time he opened himself to love and confessed to somebody, he was shot down right there and then. To be fair though, that "somebody" was Morishima, the School Idol, and she didn't entirely shoot him down. Rather, she's giving him hints and a bit more time to grow a pair.
  • Unresolved Sexual Tension: Felt by Junichi and the girl(s) of his choice/the current arc.
  • Verbal Tic: Miya laces her speech with the occasional -shi.
  • Victorious Childhood Friend: Rihoko, and more loosely, Kaoru (who first meets Junichi in middle school).
  • The Voiceless: Nanasaki's brother, Ikuo, whose lines are all represented as elipses. Inexplicably, the other characters appear fully capable of understanding him.
  • Weight Woe: Rihoko.
  • With This Ring: Junichi gives Rihoko an engagement ring (hidden inside a creampuff, to boot) in her best ending in the game.
  • Wrestler in All of Us: Kaoru in Junichi's Imagine Spot.
  • Yamato Nadeshiko: Averted HARD. To some newbies, Tsukasa Ayatsuji seems like the typical helpful Class Representative with her only fault that she is a bit too nice. Once the hero picks up her diary, however, he finds out that Tsukasa is more than just playing nice. By this point it's already too late to turn back as she has already blackmailed him.
  • Yaoi Fangirl: Sae.
  • You Are Not Alone: Junichi says this to Kaoru when she's struggling with emotional problems. Kaoru follows it up with Please Don't Leave Me.
  • Your Cheating Heart: Kurosawa Noriko tries to induce this between Tsukasa and Junichi. It doesn't work.
  • Zettai Ryouiki: Present with Sae Nakata's school uniform and Kaoru Tanamachi's waitress uniform at her part-time job.
    • And again with Sae's gothic lolita outfit at the theatre.
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