Ore no Imouto ga Konna ni Kawaii Wake ga Nai!

Kyousuke Kousaka is, by his own admission, a completely and extremely normal seventeen-year-old high schooler who values normalcy, to the point that his goal in life is to ultimately have a completely normal one.

The catch: his relationship with his younger sister—extremely brilliant fourteen-year-old middle schooler Kirino—is, to put it mildly, bad... so bad neither of them even bother acknowledging each other's existence, except when it's absolutely necessary.

That "absolute necessity" came the day Kyousuke picks up a DVD case Kirino dropped—specifically, one of Magical Girl anime Stardust Witch Meruru. This surprises him, but not as much as what was actually in the case—an H-game titled Imouto to Koishiyo! (Let's Love Little Sister!). This sets off a chain of events that leads to the Kousaka siblings' first actual conversation in years, with Kyousuke learning that Kirino is a closet Otaku—a 'little sister' fangirl, to be exact—and getting dragged into increasingly hilarious situations, most being started in some way by his sister.

Ore no Imouto ga Konna ni Kawaii Wake ga Nai! ("There's No Way My Little Sister Can Be This Cute!") is a comedy Light Novel series with several adaptations. A 12-episode anime adaptation aired in fall 2010. It had an anime-original ending which was called the "good end" by AIC, followed by a 4-episode "true" ending that followed the novel more closely and aired as Webisodes before being released to Blu-ray/DVD. Aniplex licensed the anime for a North American release. A Manga adaptation of the same name started in 2010 and is ongoing, while a Spin-Off manga starring the popular Kuroneko titled Ore no Kouhai Ga Konna Ni Kawaii Wake Ga Nai! ("There's No Way My Junior Can Be This Cute!") by the same Mangaka has recently begun. A PSP (non-canon) Visual Novel featuring a route for each girl has been released, with a full translation project under way. An expanded version of the PSP game has recently been announced. A clean copy of the original light novel is available here. Lastly, summaries of the light novels up to Volume 8 are here.

The 12 episode series can be viewed legally at Crunchyroll under the name Oreimo here.

A second season has been green lit.

There's no way this anime can be this Troperiffic!
  • Abuse Is Okay When Its Female On Male: Poor Kyousuke ends up on the receiving end of this a lot, especially from Kirino and Ayase.
  • Actor Allusion: Possibly invoked with the character of Kurusu Kanako, voiced by Tamura Yukari, who also voiced Kurusu Tomari in Kashimashi: Girl Meets Girl.
  • Adaptation Decay: In episode 8 when Kirino's light novel is given an anime adaptation, the producers initially planned on doing this to it. See also Fridge Brilliance on this page.
  • Alliterative Name: The Kousaka siblings, Kyosuke and Kirino.
    • Also, Ayase Aragaki and Kanako Kurusu.
  • Animal Motifs: In the manga, it is not at all unusual for Manami to spout dog ears and a tail when she's feeling particularly happy or helpful, or particularly cute (in other words, most of the time). There's a panel where Kirino and Kuroneko's "fighting spirits" show as a white and black cat, respectively
  • Armor-Piercing Slap: Kyosuke receives these a couple of times from Kirino and Ayase.
  • Author Tract: During episodes 3 and 5, the anime goes through long monologues about why its okay to be an otaku.
  • Beta Couple: Kouhei and Sena Akagi's relationship is quite similar to that of Kyousuke and Kirino, with some important differences. Notably, Kouhei doesn't carry a pretense of hating Sena, and Sena doesn't put up as much of a front about Kouhei.
  • Big Brother Instinct: Kyousuke actually lost his at some point before the story begins, although it's heavily implied he and Kirino were close in the past. A large part of his character development is slowly getting his instinct back. Of course, this quickly turns into Incest Subtext that even most of the other characters in-story seem to pick up on, so moderation doesn't look like his strong point here.
    • Kirino wishes for a little sister to have a big sister instincts for. (In volume six she gets one... sort of.)
  • Blank White Eyes
  • Bland-Name Product: While the light novels avert this, stating all brands and products as-is, the anime was forced to use this trope.
    • Kirino owns Mintendouu CS games, among other examples.
    • Saori's shopping bag at Summerket has some of these written on it, such as "Shark" (Sharp) and "Makibishi" (Mitsubishi).
    • Kirino, Saori and Kuroneko eat at a "McDonalb's" during Episode 2. Instead of the Golden Arches logo, McDonalb's features a Golden "S" on its fries boxes.
    • Kirino has an "AVIO" notebook computer.
    • "WindomsGXP" (Windows XP), "WindomsVisbo" (Windows Vista), and "Pendulum4" (Pentium 4).
    • Episode 7 featured a department store called "SHIBUYA108" (its real-life counterpart is "SHIBUYA109") and a Web search engine called "Beegle".
    • In the manga, Google is featured as Googlo, and YouTube as YouCube.
  • Blind Without'Em: Manami cannot see well without her glasses. A common best friend thing between her and Kyousuke in the original light novels has him playfully swiping her glasses while she blindly tries to take them back.
  • Boke and Tsukkomi Routine - Kyousuke acting as the straight man to the various odd people around him forms the structure of many scenes. This is even turned into a game mechanic in the PSP Visual Novel, where during Two Shot scenes you have to choose when to tsukkomi (that is, rebut or counter) the person you're talking to.
  • Book Ends: The anime both starts and ends with a scene of Kyousuke coming home from school and taking a carton of juice from the fridge while Kirino is lying on the couch and reading. The scenes showcase how the relationship between the two has progressed.
  • Breaking the Fourth Wall: More like shattering it. The 'DVD/BD Commentary Track' is actually a video of SD versions of the characters watching the episode and commenting on it. Leading to several bizarre moments like:
    • Kyousuke and Kirino arguing over where in the anime this version of Kyousuke comes from (Answer: Episode 20 of season 2),
    • Ayase's yandeiru and deredere sides arguing with each other over how good or bad Kyousuke is.
    • A surreal moment when Kirino invites special guest Ayana Taketatsu onto the show. This leads to Kirino interviewing her Seiyuu about what it was like to play Kirino. A similar event happens in the Volume 6 DVD commentary, with Kirino and Kyousuke interviewing Yuuichi Nakamura, and Kirino simultaneously mocking Kyousuke and praising Nakamura's performance.
  • Brother-Sister Incest: The Elephant in the Living Room of the series.
  • Brutal Honesty: Kirino and Kuroneko, sometimes. Other times they tend to hide their feelings behind either hardcore dishonest tsuntsun or impenetrable "poetic" speech, respectively. Kuroneko used both this trope and the aforementioned exceptions for most of her route in the PSP Visual Novel to try and keep Kyousuke from helping her.
  • Caramelldansen Vid: Referenced in the manga here.
    • Kuroneko does do the Caramelldansen pose for a brief moment during the ending where she's posing in front of the mirror.
  • Catch Phrase: "Kimo" (teenager slang version of "kimochi warui," meaning icky, gross or disgusting) and saiaku (literally "you're the worst") are always uttered by Kirino whenever Kyousuke starts to say or do things that are slightly off-putting.
  • Ceiling Banger: When Kirino starts squeeing rather loudly over an apparently hot scene in her new eroge, Kyousuke bangs the wall, telling her to be quiet. When Kirino finds out he heard the whole thing she's embarrassed.
  • Character Development: Undoubtedly one of the best parts of the entire franchise, with the characters being more complex than they appear to the untrained eye.
  • Cheeky Mouth: The beginning of episode 5 depicts Kirino with one. The animation other than this scene is fantastic so Your Mileage May Vary as to whether or not this is QUALITY.
  • Chekhov's Gunman: In the anime, Akagi; Sena; and the Computer Game Club President appear in the Comiket episode.
  • Chick Magnet: In the later novels in the series, Kyousuke has the romantic attention of Manami, Kuroneko/Ruri, and Ayase. Hints of his younger sister possibly having more than sisterly feelings for him are also abound. He's a non-otaku reliable guy who doesn't mind the otaku lifesyle of the girls, and thus a good catch. In the (non-canon) PSP Visual Novel, he can end up with basically any of the female characters in the show.
  • Closet Otaku: Kirino.
  • Clothing Damage: The entire point of Siscalypse, a fighting game-within-the-show in episode 4.
    • In the "cheer up Kyousuke party" in the novels, Saori made two characters modeled faithfully on Kirino and Kuroneko in that fighting game, and gets those two to use their respective characters to fight each other. The game goes into sudden death mode before Kyousuke casually points this trope out. Hilarity Ensues.
  • Color Failure: Makabe is so shocked at Sena's dream where she dreamt that he was raped by the entire game research club, that he does this. It must've been severe, because a few scenes later, he's still completely white and unresponsive.
  • Conspicuous CG: For some reason, Kyousuke's drinking of tea in some episodes of the anime are rendered with what's clearly cel-shaded 3D instead of regular animation. Every Eyecatch is a CG Anime DVD box that reveals a different Eroge DVD inside in reference to the incident that kicked off the show, Siscalypse game clips are shown in 3D, and the PSP game's Two Shot scenes are done with real time cel-shaded animation instead of the normal sprites.
  • Cosplay: This overlaps with Cosplay Otaku Girl. In the PSP Visual Novel, there's a rather risque-looking minigame version of Arkanoid where you basically knock off the girls' clothes as you progress. They start off cosplaying as appropriate A Certain Magical Index characters (for instance, Kirino as Mikoto and Kuroneko as Index) and Index herself guest stars. They end up in bikinis for some reason.
  • Credits Running Sequence: Kirino has a brief one in the opening title.
  • Cute Little Fangs: Kirino has one on both sides of her mouth, and they appear sporadically, depending on the perspective or where she's facing.
  • Dancing Theme: As part of the Evolving Credits, Episode 12b has a short and cute little dance segment (around :51) in the opening with Kirino and Kanako in bikinis and Ayase in a regular outfit.
  • Day in the Life: Episode 9 follows a normal day off for Kyousuke, Kirino, and Kuroneko along with a scene featuring Saori's as well.
  • A Day in the Limelight: Episode 6 of the anime has Kyosuke spend a lot of time with his female friend Manami, to the point where he ends up sleeping over at her house, with a lot of encouragement from Manami's grandparents.
    • Kuroneko gets all of Volume Five of the novel and the ONA webisodes devoted to her, which is when Kirino is Put on a Bus.
    • Volume Nine of the Light Novel is a collection of short stories that each focuses on different characters, including Saori, Kouhei, and Sena.
  • Daydream Believer: Ruri/"Kuroneko" appears to partake of no small amount of this behavior, claiming to have supernatural powers and threatening to curse those who annoy her (in a world with no observable magic or other paranormal phenomena). Her usual gothloli garb complete with red contact lenses just emphasizes her desire to be seen as something other than a normal human.
  • Defictionalization: Rejoice, fellow siscons!! Siscalypse, the naked-loli fighting game featured in the series, is gonna be made into an actual game in Real Life; albeit a 2D fighting game rather than a 3D one.
  • Deadpan Snarker: Makabe.
  • Death Glare: Kyousuke can give a seriously nasty one if he's in the right mood, at least in the manga.
  • Doing It for the Art: In several episodes a screen can be seen playing an anime in the background, and yes, the studio animated clips for each and every one of them, as equally full and detailed as Oreimo!
  • Don't You Dare Pity Me!: Kuroneko lashes out at Kyousuke when he seems to try too hard to help her.
  • DVD Commentary: Which takes the form of hilarious fourth wall breaking banter between two characters, see Breaking the Fourth Wall above.
  • Eating Lunch Alone: Kuroneko does this at least once after she transfers to Kyousuke's school.
  • Elegant Gothic Lolita: "Kuroneko"
  • Embarrassing Nickname: Sure, Saori's chosen surname of "Bajeena" may be a well known Gundam character, but to those uninitiated to anime it sounds awkwardly like a prominent part of the female reproductive anatomy, so much so that Kyousuke did a massive Spit Take from shock when he first heard it.
    • The fact that at least one Fan Sub did not get the reference and spelled it "Vageena" did not help matters. This isn't surprising, spelled it "Vajeena" happens to him a lot too.
      • The official subtitled version on Crunchyroll makes the same mistake, though at least it helps non-Japanese-savvy American viewers get the joke.
  • Expy: Kyousuke's narration style is strongly reminiscent of Kyon's, without the erudite asides.
    • That, or (at least in the anime) Clannad's Okazaki, what with the whole constant sarcasm, genuinely trying to help people and having the same seiyuu.
    • During episode 14, as Kyosuke play tests Kuroneko's video game, one can spot a character on the computer screen that bears a suspicious resemblance to Kyosuke.
  • Evolving Credits—The opening is not shown every episode - only when they didn't have enough animation to take its place. The opening is different each time it's shown, highlighting the characters featured in the episode. So are the endings. They are completely different each time, and sometimes, they even start over the body of the episode whenever they're too short, or the episode gets too long.
  • Executive Meddling: In-universe example. During episode 8, while discussing the anime adaptation of her hit book, the anime production team at first listens to her as she excitedly tells them how it should be done. Then one of the production team members mentions that they'll need to make a large variety of justifiable changes (such as not being able to get all the voice actors she wanted due to possible scheduling conflicts), and as they mention each one, particularly changing the main protagonist from a female to a male, since they claimed/argued that it would be easier for audiences to identify with, it seems to crush both Kirino's enthusiasm and spirit for the project.
    • Both Kyosuke and Kuroneko end up pleading emotionally for her, although for Kuroneko it wasn't easy to do since she's a bit jealous at Kirino's success. At the end, it seems the animation team caves in to some of the things Kirino originally wanted, although we only get mention of an artist she wanted doing the character design.
    • The process itself is apparently based at least partially on the author's own experience with the first attempt to get Ore Imo animated.
  • Eyelid-Pull Taunt: Done by Kirino in the opening sequence.
  • The Faceless: Saori. Either her eyes are obstructed by her coke-bottle Nerd Glasses, or her face is entirely hidden. The reader occasionally gets a peek through the otherwise impenetrable glasses-swirl in the manga.
  • Fan Service: Not nearly as much as you might expect with so many girls in the cast, at least so far. Kirino does become the target of some unusual viewing angles several times, and features in a bathtub scene. The manga, meanwhile, is considerably more Fan Service friendly, although this is usually more interesting camera angles, fortunate wind and midriff bearing over actual panty shots. Imagine Spots of various in-series doujinshi and eroge, though, are just barely this side of porn.
  • Fetish Fuel Station Attendant: Cat ears? Check. Sharp witted tease? Check. Pettanko? Check. Elegant Gothic Lolita? Check. Kuroneko was made for this. Of course, several of the other characters qualify too (Kirino and Manami come to mind), but Kuroneko's the most obvious.
  • Funny Background Event: There are several. One that stands out is Kyousuke's reaction after being led into the Boys Love section of an Akiba shop.
  • Gecko Ending: The TV broadcast version of Episode 12. In-series, this was suggested as a solution to the problem of making a Twelve-Episode Anime out of Kirino's novel, which has only one volume. For reference, the real show's broadcast season is based on four volumes, with the Webisodes depicting the fifth.
  • Getting Crap Past the Radar: Now just what exactly is that stuff on Manami's face (read: Kuroneko's depiction of Manami in a doujin she made) in the middle of episode 11? This also happens in a few imagine spots of the manga, showing the Show Within a Show lolis being covered with some sort of liquid while certain unclothed body parts are just barely off the frame.
  • Green-Eyed Monster: Kirino doesn't like how close Manami is to her brother and is rude to her. After Kuroneko develops feelings for Kyousuke in the later novel, she also acts in a similarly rude way to Manami.
    • Kirino gets especially jealous when Kyousuke spends the night at Manami's house in the anime.
    • Ayase also doesn't like what she interprets as Kyousuke corrupting her Kirino.
    • In the 7th novel, Kyousuke berates Kirino for her laughter at Manami's shock from seeing them both on their Not a Date. Later she also rubs the misunderstanding in Kuroneko's face. The tables are turned when Kirino later declares that she and an otaku guy are dating, bringing out Kyousuke's own Green-Eyed Monster.
    • In chapter 20 of the manga, Kirino starts to verbally assault Kuroneko the moment she starts to show interest in Kyousuke. She stops a few pages later because either she realizes what shes saying is generally mean or because its actually bringing the two closer together.
    • Kuroneko is extremely jealous and vindictive in the PSP Visual Novel, going as far as to actively sabotage Ayase and Kyousuke's relationship by ratting them out to Kirino instead of confronting them about it. When asked why she did it, she (in her usual "poetic" way) tells them it was just because she was jealous and knew Kirino would be too.
    • Also in the PSP Visual Novel, Kirino is apparently so jealous of Manami going with Kyousuke on a class trip to Kyoto, combined with some other factors she stresses herself into getting Laser-Guided Amnesia. Despite forgetting all the recent events that brought her closer to Kyousuke, she still manages to be jealous of Manami.
  • Groin Attack: Attempted by Kirino to Kyousuke in episode 4. She succeeds in episode 5. Also serves as a bit of a Kick the Dog moment as Kyousuke was trying to help her when she did it.
  • Heroic BSOD: Kirino suffers one in episode 8 after the meeting for her anime.
  • Heroic Sacrifice: The way Kyosuke takes the heat for Kirino several times, you can't help but feel this trope for him, compressed into 15 seconds.
  • Hidden Badass: In the Manami route of the PSP game, she—of all people—unhesitatingly pulls a Diving Save to prevent Kirino from getting hit by a car. The scene is strangely out of place, as it's never referred to afterwards.
  • Huge Schoolgirl: Subverted big time with Saori. She's a cheerful leader type with excellent social skills, defying any height complex and the socially inept Otaku stereotype.
  • Hypocritical Humor: In episode 9, Kirino gets extremely frustrated with a Tsundere character in an eroge she's playing. Yet she acts the same exact way towards her brother, and doesn't see any problem with that.
  • Idiosyncratic Episode Naming: All episode titles translate as "My ______ Can't Be This _______"
  • If I Can't Have You: In the PSP-exclusive Visual Novel, Ayase (Yeah, BIG surprise...) stabs Kyousuke with a kitchen knife during her Bad Ending.
    • Foreshadowed and outright lampshaded a few text blocks before. Kyousuke even breaks the fourth wall and suggests creating a savestate before proceeding to the Two Shot that determines the ending.
    • The situation that causes that bad end in the first place is caused by Kuroneko having a similar feeling, but instead of confronting Kyousuke about it she just tells Kirino, knowing she'd raise hell.
  • Incest Subtext: If not actually happening between the siblings, at least one of Kirino's obsessions keeps feeding it.
    • In the 6th novel there's some subtext between Kyousuke's friend Akagi and the latter's younger sister Sena. Naturally, Kyousuke is rather disturbed about it all.
    • The manga tones it up noticeably; or at least actually seeing Kyousuke blushing and panicking over his sister's antics and disturbing lack of respect for his personal space makes it far more obvious. Similarly, Kirino tends to blush a lot more and look visibly grateful for Kyousuke helping her out in various ways, even if her words and body language are telling different stories.
    • At one point Kuroneko states to Kyousuke that she loves him as much as his sister loves him. He interprets it as none at all, the viewer however, can see her Luminescent Blush.
    • In the Visual Novel, Kyousuke outright confesses to her in a desperate plea for her to get her memory of her otaku hobby and repaired relationship with Kyousuke back, which she immediately rejects. When her memory does come back shortly afterwards, however, the first thing she does is frantically kick him out of her room while yelling "I can't believe it!" repeatedly.
  • Indecisive Medium: All the Visual Novel references, like the choice screens, or the CG style ending frames.
  • Irony: The title of the OP theme, and possibly invoked in episode 9, where Kirino lambasts one of the heroines in her new eroge, Rinko, as being such a crappy heroine because she's "100% tsun and 0% dere", which fits anime!Kirino to a T. Her manga and novel incarnation has much more dere-dere moments in her repertoire.
  • I Just Want To Stay Normal: Kyousuke starts out like this.
    • In episode 15, Kirino almost gives up on her anime obsession and even lets Kyousuke know by text. By the end of the episode, though, he helps her rediscover her love for anime.
  • I See London: Although no Panty Shot is shown on screen, it's implied that Kyousuke gets a peek up Manami's skirt in episode 6.
  • It's All About Me : Kirino in a nutshell. She expects others (especially her brother) to be at her service, and to be thankful about it, and if she ever screws up something, then it's up to someone else to make it up for her.
  • Jerk with a Heart of Gold: Kuroneko, in addition to being type A tsundere. Despite all her flaws, has a few points over Kirino in this regard. In episode 8, she actually stands up for Kirino (in secret) over the matter of the anime, despite her personal misgivings.
    • Kirino as well, at least in the manga and light novels. She shows her deredere to Kuroneko early on, punishes herself in public with cold water after being called out for being selfish by Kyousuke, then gets him a gift while wearing a maid outfit. The anime version changes some of these moments and outright removes others, making her less sympathetic, especially to those who haven't read the manga or light novel.
  • Keep Circulating the Tapes: Episode 1 (ANN version) until November 8, due to the accidental leakage of episode 2 (see below).
  • Kick the Dog: Kuroneko was rather hurt by Kirino's declarations of not knowing her and Saori, with the added comment of them being disgusting, despite Saori's assurances that she didn't really mean it.
    • Kanako being incredibly mean to Bridget (smoked at Bridget in the light novels and threw her wand at Kyousuke in the anime). In Bridget's words: Meruru has turned into an evil witch!
    • Kirino also does this to Manami in Volume 4 of the Light Novel and episode 11 of the anime. She does this by pretending to have forgotten who she is, badgering her at any opportunity, and then trapping Kyousuke by spreading his porn all around his room for her to see. Both Kirino and Kuroneko (who actually came up with the idea according to the Light Novel) realize they went way too far, and throw Kyousuke a surprise party as an apology.
  • Laser-Guided Amnesia - Kirino catches this in her Visual Novel route when she jealously badmouths Kyousuke to Kuroneko, who points out that Kirino and Kyousuke are quite similar to the characters in the eroge featured in Episode 9 of the anime, and tells Kirino that she's going to lose her grip on reality at this rate. Kirino spazzes out, forgetting anything related to her otaku hobby, including Kuroneko, Saori, and (especially) her dealings with Kyousuke after their relationship thawed. The precision of this amnesia is pointed out immediately.
  • Lap Pillow: Invoked and averted. Hard. Kyousuke is sitting with Manami on a bench when he mentions feeling tired. Manami immidiately dusts off her lap, opens her arms and tells him to "go ahead." He doesn't get it at all.
  • Younger Sibling Fetishization: Three part: One, Kirino plays these kinds of games exclusively. Two, she is one herself. Three, the plot revolves around the trope and its implications.
  • Lolicon: Kirino is one to some extent.
  • Lower Deck Episode: A short story included with a special release tells the first day or so of the story from Kirino's perspective. Among other things, it shows that she actually thought about Kyousuke quite a lot even before their relationship thawed, and that the tsuntsun is more a desperate defense mechanism to hide her feelings or embarrassment rather than real dislike of him. A translation can be found here.
  • Luminescent Blush: Every young female in the anime is in a perpetual state of blushing.
  • Macho Camp: Used for comedic effect in the show's portrayal of yaoi games (homoge).
  • Male Gaze: Admit it, you were staring.
  • Manly Tears -- Episode 11, when Kirino finally at LONG last thanks Kyousuke for giving her a life, he breaks down and finally feels love for her as a sister, rather than someone he hated and helped out of familial obligation. In the (non-canon) Visual Novel, he breaks down a few times while struggling with Kirino's Laser-Guided Amnesia in her route.
    • Not to mention the absolutely adorable sequence in Episode 16 when Kyousuke flies to America to make sure Kirino is okay, and confesses to her just how lonely he was when she was gone.
  • Master of the Mixed Message: Kyousuke in the light novels.
  • Meganekko: Manami
  • Moe: In-Universe, it's what turned Kirino into an unlikely fan of H-Games. Kuroneko displays a dislike of these types of shows/games (and their fans)
  • Murder Simulators: In episode 5 of the Anime. Kirino's friend who suffers from a serious case of same face, finds out that Kirino is into Eroge, and begins rattling off about some case of a guy who claimed to play the games, and killed a girl. She then proceeds to take it Up to Eleven, Jack Thompson style.
  • Never Trust a Trailer: The anime's episodes titles all follow the formula "there's no way my (noun) can be this (adjective)", so much it's became a meme. Guess what is the episode's main point.
    • Of course, that way you can know what the episode in question will feature just by turning the sentence in the affirmative form, so it's more like a subversion.
    • A closer example to the trope is the teasers of upcoming volumes of the Light Novel, which often take things out of context to make things look more serious than they are. For instance, one had Kyousuke referring to Kirino as his girlfriend and waiting for her in a love hotel, only to reveal that it was research for her novel.
  • Nice Girl: Manami has been pretty amiable, and takes Kirino's jealous dislike of her in stride.
    • Saori, tall-eccentric-and-unfeminine though she may be, is a bright, cheerful, kind-hearted, tolerant and accepting mass of positive attitude who is willing to embrace anyone as a friend and able to take any and all insults on a non-personal level.
  • No Sense of Personal Space: Kirino. Note that image comes from before they start hinting she had a crush on him; that's just how she wakes him up.
  • Not So Different: Kirino and Kuroneko.... again.
  • Numerical Theme Naming: Kirino's anime's producers all have numerical kanji in their name. If their business cards as shown in Episode 8 are any indication, they realized this and decided to sit in numerical order. Or they're completely Genre Blind.
  • Oblivious to Love: Kyousuke completely misses the cues that Manami is in love with him. In the later novels, however, he is quite a bit less so towards Kuroneko.
  • Officially Shortened Title: Ore Imo
  • Oh Crap: Ending of Episode 4, of course. Kirino, leaving Comiket with armfuls of doujinshi and otaku goods, runs into her model friend Ayase.
  • The Ojou: Saori, when she takes off her glasses and drops her otaku persona.
  • Otaku Surrogate: Kirino; the fashion model popular middle schooler. Along with a group of girls, the "Otaku Girls Unite".
    • Kirino meets "Kuroneko" and Saori in that group. Sena is yet another.
  • Out of Focus: Manami in the novels. She starts off as being a pretty important side character and one Kyousuke interacts with regularly, seeing that she's his biggest port of refuge from all the wacky adventures he got himself into over the events of the series. However, starting from volume five, her appearance rate is steadily decreasing as the non-Kirino-involved parts of the story focus more on the computer game club and in particular, Kuroneko instead.
  • Panty Shot / Thanks for the Mammary: Due to a bad misunderstanding (and a fair amount of flailing), Kyousuke accidentally ends up grabbing Kirino's breast while getting a nice view of her underwear in episode 4 of the anime. There are a few other gratuitous ones, but they're few and far between.
  • Parental Bonus: In the kid-friendly Meruru show, the outfit of the character Thanatos Eros can only be this. You may want to review your choices more carefully the next time you ask her friends to cosplay, Brosuke.
  • The Patriarch: The moment Kirino's dad finds out about her otaku nature, he doesn't take it well. After some damage control by Kyousuke, he reduces the condemned material to Hentai. Once Kyousuke takes the heat for ownership of the hentai (see below), the father follows up a Kick the Dog moment (punching Kyousuke in the face) with a Pet the Dog moment (grudgingly, reluctantly, and indirectly allowing him to keep the hentai).
    • He has softened up a bit and helped Kyousuke despite his presentation of the problem being very... off-putting.
  • Periphery Demographic: In-universe example: Stardust Witch Meruru is ostensibly for little girls, but it has a lot of fans who are adult males.
  • Pet the Dog: Double subverted. Kyousuke'd father first punches him in the face for owning Hentai and calls him a bastard, then right afterwards indirectly allows him to keep the stuff, knowing that Kyousuke's mother lets him keep the porn he already has under his bed.

Daisuke Kousaka: You... you... bastard son! Do as you wish! I DON'T GIVE A DAMN ABOUT IT!

  • Porn Stash: Both Kyousuke and Kirino have stashes. The latter actually spreads the former's stash around his room for Manami to see just to mess with her. Manami is, instead, pleased that one of Kyousuke's magazines she saw was a Meganekko fetish mag.
  • Portmanteau Series Nickname: Used In-Universe with the fictional eroge "I'd Never Steal Something Like Onii-chan's Pantsu" and "3D Custom Imouto" shortened down to OniPan and CusImo. Kyousuke notes how weird the abbreviations actually sound.
  • Pragmatic Adaptation: Originally a Light Novel series, the manga and anime adaptations take very different approaches to the material, with the manga cranking Up to Eleven the Fan Service, Male Gaze and Incest Subtext from the novels, while the anime actually removes most of it. This often shows on fans coming from different media having very different views on the series.
  • Promotion to Opening Titles: As part of the Evolving Credits, any character that has a name and features for more than 15 seconds is likely to show up in the opening of that episode.
  • Public Domain Soundtrack: During the scene in episode 4 when Kyousuke and Saori are IM-chatting, the background music contains excerpts of Minuet in G major (BWV Anh. 114). It's used again during the scene at Saori's home in episode 9.
  • Reality Subtext: The author of Ore Imo turned down the first offer to have the Light Novel animated. This experience seems to have been the basis for the anime original plot of episode 8.
  • Relationship Upgrade: At the end of Light Novel Volume 7, Kyousuke and Kuroneko start going out. However, They break up in Volume 8.
  • Ridiculously Average Guy: See Ordinary High School Student above.
    • He claims to be so average that he doesn't have a computer or a TV set on his room.
  • Scandalgate: Oreimogate happened when a leakage forced ANN to suspend streaming of Oreimo and Togainu no Chi for a few weeks.
  • Secret Keeper: Kyousuke is this for Kirino's little sister obsession.
  • She Is Not My Girlfriend: Spelled out by Kyousuke regarding Manami in episode 6. His friend Akagi calls him out on the seeming hypocrisy of his explanation.

Akagi: So basically she's nothing more than a childhood friend to you, you're not going out with her, you have no feelings for her, but you won't allow other guys to make a move on her?
Kyousuke: Yeah, so?
Akagi: *sighs*

    • Used in Volume 8, Kyousuke asks Mikagami (Kirino's former fake boyfriend) when it would be okay to ask a girlfriend to touch her breasts, and Mikagami assumes he means Kirino. Kyousuke angrily corrects the misunderstanding later.
  • Ship Tease: Lots. It's most Egregious in episode 6 of the anime, which is almost literally nothing but. This includes the end song.
  • Shipper on Deck: Manami's grandparents seem hellbent on a Manami x Kyousuke pairing, and even force them to sleep in the same room to encourage it. Manami herself encourages Kyousuke to go after Ayase in Volume 8 of the Light Novel and the Visual Novel.
    • In the PSP game's Manami route, Kyousuke's friend Akagi is also one for the aforementioned pairing, and pulls a Leave the Two Lovebirds Alone at the start of their class' school trip.
    • In the last two volumes of the light novel, Saori has joined the Kuroneko camp, while Manami roots for Ayase and Sena roots for Kirino.
  • Shout-Out: This anime can't possibly have this many Shout Outs!
  • Secretly Wealthy: Saori.
  • Show Within a Show: Besides several fictional eroge, and the TV show Stardust Witch Meruru, there are also several real eroge that Kirino owns.
    • And Maschera: Lament of the Fallen Beast.
    • A Super Robot anime called Justeen 8 plays at various points in Episode 8.
  • Spin-Off: In the form of a manga named "Ore no Kouhai Ga Konna ni Kawaii Wake Ga Nai!" ("My Junior Can't Be This Cute!"), starring Kuroneko. Another Spin-Off featuring Kouhei and Sena Akagi was teased in the Episode 13 DVD Commentary, but this may have just been a joke. Kouhei proudly claims this one would be named "My Little Sister is Cute!", which causes Sena to get very embarrassed.
  • Spell My Name with an "S": Is the heroine of the Show Within a Show called Meruru, or Merle?
  • Suicide as Comedy: Sena asks for this after accidentally revealing she's really into Yaoi, and mentions a little too much in the OVA.
  • Take That: There are a lot of hints in the anime dialogue targeting those in the anime industry with sloppy business practices, especially within Episode 8, a whole episode discussing about it.
  • Team Mom: Saori to her otaku IRL group.
  • Teasing Creator: It's a good idea to keep this in mind when one novel seems to end in a certain way.
  • Tenchi Solution: The ending of volume 8 implies that Kuroneko wouldn't mind one these.
  • "The Reason You Suck" Speech: Kyousuke gives one to Kirino during his harem party in episode 11, right before her apology.
    • Kuroneko gives one to Kyousuke in the OVA, since she feels that she's a replacement for his sister after Kirino had left for the US without telling any of them.
  • The Scapegoat: In the beginning of the story Kyousuke took the heat for Kirino's ownership of H-games. This is particularly hilarious as this means Kyousuke admits he is (1) using Kirino's computer (2) in Kirino's room (3) to play H-games (4) of a siscon nature. He does it again to salvage Kirino's friendship with Ayase by pretending to be a sis-con. The Light Novel states that even he doesn't know how serious he was with the latter, though.
  • The Internet Is for Porn: A mad Kirino confronts Kyousuke about this after finding out that he used her laptop to surf for porn in episode 7. She punishes him by making him go with her to Tokyo to do some research for her novel.
  • The Thing That Goes Doink: Manami's family has one.
  • Those Two Guys: There are two extras in the game research club. The anime takes it to extreme by making them not only completely identical in looks, but also does everything at the same time side by side.
  • Title Drop: Subverted at the beginning of the series. There's no way my sister is this cut- *Wakes up by alarm clock*. Eventually played straight at the end of episode 3, after Kirino blushes and calls Kyousuke "aniki" for the first time. This happens in a couple of endings in the Visual Novel—it's actually an "item" you have to use to get Ayase's best ending.
  • Tsundere: This might as well be Tsundere: the Show. A good third of the cast shows tsundere tendencies at some point or another, including both main characters. Kirino in particular, is heavy on the tsun-tsun, light on the dere-dere. Even when she forces her brother to do something for her, she implies she is only there to humor him and because she has nothing better to do. She's a type B as well, focusing most of her tsuntsun on Kyousuke and Kuroneko, the two people she's closest with. The tsun/dere ratio is a bit more equal in the novel, and actually goes more heavy on the dere-dere in the manga thanks to all her Moe blushing mannerisms.
    • Kirino (and Kyousuke, for that matter) takes after their father Daisuke Kousaka, who after discovering his children liked anime looked into stories of what watching anime might do to them, after which he spouted verbatim the Tsundere creed.

Daisuke Kousaka: but don't get me wrong, I didn't do this for your sake.

    • Kuroneko, by contrast, is a type A who is usually pretty sharp/cool to most people, but shows her deredere side to Kyousuke.
  • Twelve-Episode Anime: Plus four OVA episodes.
  • Unlucky Childhood Friend: Looks like Manami is being set up as one. She has an obvious crush on Kyousuke, but he thinks of her as nothing more than a childhood friend. He also thinks she looks plain; so much so that he thinks to himself that even were The Glasses Gotta Go trope in effect she'd still look plain.[1]
  • Unreliable Narrator: Kyousuke, somewhat, in the light novels.
  • Unwanted Harem: To his bewilderment, Kyousuke somehow manages to get one in the later novels.
    • He also gets a harem party in episode 11, eliciting some odd looks from the receptionist.
  • Visual Novel: The PSP game is one of these, complete with a route for each girl and Multiple Endings. The route plot details are mostly on the character sheet.
  • Wham! Line: In the manga, "I'M...DEEPLY IN LOVE WITH MY SISTERRRRRR!!", only because the chapter ends on a Cliff Hanger.
  • What If: The aptly named "If" routes of the Visual Novel. Among others:
    • What If Kyousuke constantly treats his relationship with Manami as an eroge? She leaves him and becomes an idol duo with her little brother.
    • What If Kyousuke and Kouhei open a mysterious door in their inn during their class trip to Kyoto? They find an 8-bit hidden shrine and end up being killed by Cute and Psycho versions of their sisters.
    • What If Kyousuke and Kirino are Not Blood Siblings? After Kyousuke finds out, he starts noticing his sister's rather eye catching outfits and can't stop looking at her. After he tells her the news, they shack up that very night. Unlike the other If routes, this actually has a really sweet ending.
  • Will They or Won't They?: However, for most viewers, this is not so much in context of "Will they or won't they get together?" but more so toward "Will they or won't they enter an incestuous relationship?". It's essentially one of the main draws of the show, whether the audience wants to see it or not.
    • Pertaining to the novels, Volumes 4-6 invoke this trope, and takes it to its ending by the cliffhanger of Volume 6.
  • Wrong Genre Savvy: Kyosuke finds the implications of his little sister playing H-Games about little sisters disturbing. To his peace of mind, Kirino makes clear that she can tell 3D reality from 2D fiction fine, and her obsession with them comes from the over-the-top Moeness of the characters in an extreme case of Periphery Demographic.
  • X Meets Y—It's Nogizaka Haruka no Himitsu meets Genshiken.
  • Yamato Nadeshiko—Manami
  • Yandere: Ayase, for Kirino.
    • Kuroneko seems to develop quite an If I Can't Have You tendency in some routes in the PSP game. It's jarring to say the least. Just listen to her Audio Commentary associated with the Gallery pic showing Ayase kissing Kyousuke. She's pissed. VERY pissed... This also shows up occasionally in the original Light Novel, although not as scary as the PSP game's self-proclaimed "Yamineko" (Dark Cat).
    • Ayase becomes a full-blown Yandere during her Bad Ending in the Visual Novel, stabbing Kyousuke to death in a If I Can't Have You moment. May count as It Was His Sled, since the fanbase was expecting such an ending.
    • Kirino does this as well in a Visual Novel side route, arguably even creepier than Ayase's bad end. See What If above.
  • Yaoi Fan: Akagi's little sister, Sena.
  • Zettai Ryouiki: Kirino sports this in episode 4 of the anime, and seems to like this style in general—she is a model, after all. It can also be seen in several of the games she plays throughout the series, as well as the first chapter of the manga.
  1. ↑ That said, Kyousuke does mention how much he appreciates her being plain and normal since that's also how he describes himself. He mentioned that he wanted to go to the same college with her, not because he was in love with her or anything, but because he finds his relationship with her close and comfortable.
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