The World’s Greatest First Love: Proposal 2020

Animation

Romance

Runtime

21 mins

Language

Japanese

Directed by

Tomoya Takahashi

Made by

Studio Deen

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The World’s Greatest First Love: Proposal Plot Summary

Read the complete plot summary and ending explained for The World’s Greatest First Love: Proposal (2020). From turning points to emotional moments, uncover what really happened and why it matters.

Ritsu Onodera, Takashi Kondo, opens a new chapter in his career after quitting his father’s publishing house to escape the shadow of family prestige. He hopes to join Marukawa Publishing, aiming for a berth in the literary department, only to be assigned to Emerald, the famous shōjo manga division. At first he contemplates resigning, unsettled by his new boss, Katsuyuki Konishi as Masamune Takano, whose blunt manner and intimidating presence test his resolve. A sharp early rebuke—Takano calling him “useless”—becomes the spark that hardens Onodera’s ambition, pushing him to prove his worth and adapt to a demanding world where work and romance often collide.

As the story unfolds, Onodera learns a startling connection: Takano’s old family name was Saga, and he was an older high school classmate to Onodera, the very person he once loved and confessed to. Takano makes a startling confession of his enduring feelings and vows to win Onodera’s affection once more. What follows is a slow, careful pursuit that rides on pride, past hurts, and the delicate balance of power within a publishing house, charting how their shared history advances into a fragile, evolving romance.

The series also follows two other couples who share the newsroom and the bookshops that feed their worlds. Editor Yoshiyuki Hatori, Yuichi Nakamura, works alongside his longtime friend and the manga artist he oversees, Yoshino Chiaki, Shinnosuke Tachibana, as their personal bond deepens amid professional obligations. In a parallel thread, Kisa Shouta, Nobuhiko Okamoto, fixates on a charismatic bookstore employee, Yukina Kou, Tomoaki Maeno, weaving a romance that contrasts with Onodera’s and Takano’s uneasy dance.

A supplementary storyline centers on Yokozawa Takafumi, Kenyu Horiuchi, a salesman and Takano’s longtime friend, who is moved to new feelings after a painful breakup by Kirishima Zen, Toru Furuya. Kirishima, a widower and single father, enters Yokozawa’s life and opens a path toward fresh emotional possibilities, enriching the tapestry of connections that define the series.

Across Emerald and beyond, the characters navigate ambition, loyalty, and desire, painting a portrait of the publishing world where professional ambition and intimate longing often intertwine. The narrative treats each relationship with care, presenting milestones, miscommunications, and reconciliations that push the characters toward growth while staying true to their core aspirations and vulnerabilities.

The World’s Greatest First Love: Proposal Timeline

Follow the complete movie timeline of The World’s Greatest First Love: Proposal (2020) with every major event in chronological order. Great for understanding complex plots and story progression.

Onodera resigns from his father's publishing company

Ritsu Onodera leaves his father's publishing business after coworkers grow jealous of his success and claim he rides on his father's coattails. He decides to pursue a new path in publishing to establish his independence. The move sets the stage for his search for professional identity away from the family name.

Start of story Father's publishing company, Tokyo

Onodera applies to Marukawa Publishing

To escape his father's shadow, Onodera applies for a position at Marukawa Publishing. He hopes to work in the literature department, but his application lands him elsewhere in the company. This misalignment pushes him toward a surprising new career path.

Before joining Emerald Marukawa Publishing

Assigned to the Emerald shōjo department

Rather than the literature department he sought, Onodera is assigned to Emerald, the infamous shōjo manga division. He contemplates resigning again but refuses to quit, driven by pride to prove himself in this unlikely field. The unexpected placement introduces a clash of genres and expectations.

Early tenure Marukawa Publishing – Emerald department

Onodera meets Takano and feels uneasy

He meets his new boss, Masamune Takano, whose intimidating manner unsettles him from the outset. The Emerald department's dynamic is tense, making a first impression that Onodera must overcome.

First days Emerald department – office

Takano labels Onodera 'useless' and challenges his pride

Takano's sharp remark calling Onodera 'useless' becomes a catalyst for Onodera's determination. His pride refuses to back down, compelling him to prove his worth and survive in the new environment. The insult sparks a stubborn resolve that fuels their early interactions.

Early in tenure Emerald department – Takano's office

Revelation: Takano's past as Saga and their schooldays

Onodera discovers that Takano's family name was Saga and that they were old high school acquaintances. He realizes Takano was the one he loved and confessed to in youth, turning their relationship into a complicated history. The revelation reframes their current power dynamics and unresolved emotions.

High school era (flashback) and present day Past and present – high school and present day

Takano declares continuing feelings and intent to rekindle

Takano admits he still has feelings for Onodera and vows to make him fall in love with him again. His confession injects romantic tension into their workplace relationship and challenges Onodera to confront his own emotions. The dynamic shifts from icy professionalism to something more personal.

After revelation Office – Emerald

Takano's slow pursuit unfolds

The narrative follows Takano as he gradually pursues Onodera, facing obstacles that test their boundaries at work and in their emotions. The pursuit creates a thick atmosphere of attraction mixed with unresolved past hurts. Their relationship evolves through careful, incremental steps rather than dramatic leaps.

Over the course of the series Marukawa Publishing – various settings

Introduction of Hatori and Yoshino's relationship

As Onodera's world expands, editors Hatori and Yoshino are introduced and reveal a long-running relationship. Their dynamic offers a counterpoint to Onodera and Takano's romance, highlighting different kinds of love and professional ties in the publishing world.

Later episodes Marukawa Publishing – editors' area

Introduction of Kisa and Yukina's romance

Another couple, Kisa and bookstore employee Yukina, is introduced, showing another facet of romance within the workplace environment. Their evolving relationship runs parallel to the main storyline, adding depth to the department's social ecosystem.

Later episodes Bookstore and Marukawa environment

Yokozawa's arc in the extra novel

In a supplemental novel, Yokozawa, a salesman and Takano's longtime friend, is swept off his feet after a harsh breakup. The spin-off expands the universe and deepens the themes of love and resilience.

In the extra novel Yokozawa's life – various settings

Kirishima and Yokozawa's romance after the breakup

The extra narrative follows widower Kirishima and Yokozawa as they navigate a budding relationship after a painful breakup. This arc emphasizes healing, vulnerability, and the complexities of new love.

After the breakup in the spin-off Various locations – Kirishima and Yokozawa's life

Overall arc: couples balance romance and publishing life

Throughout the series, three couples — Onodera-Takano, Hatori-Yoshino, and Kisa-Yukina — navigate love, ambition, and workplace pressures. The show blends romance with the realities of editing, publishing deadlines, and personal growth.

Across the series

The World’s Greatest First Love: Proposal Characters

Explore all characters from The World’s Greatest First Love: Proposal (2020). Get detailed profiles with their roles, arcs, and key relationships explained.

Ritsu Onodera (Takashi Kondo)

A literary editor who resigns from his father’s publishing company to escape nepotism and prove his own worth at Marukawa. He starts in Emerald with a sense of pride and a serious, reserved demeanor, which makes him wary of Takano at first. Over time, his professional resolve clashes with growing romantic tension, revealing a more vulnerable side.

✍️ Literary editor 💼 Workplace romance 🧭 Personal growth

Masamune Takano (Katsuyuki Konishi)

Onodera’s formidable boss in the Emerald department whose sharp exterior masks deeper feelings. He previously shared a high-school past with Onodera and declares his intention to reignite their romance. His bold, sometimes intimidating approach challenges Onodera to confront his own desires and worth.

💼 Boss ❤️ Unresolved past 🐍 Magnetic personality

Yoshiyuki Hatori (Yuichi Nakamura)

A longtime friend of Takano and a steady editor who works closely with the manga artist Yoshino. He provides a supportive, grounded presence in the editorial team and helps navigate the creative process within Emerald. His collaborations balance the romance with professional camaraderie.

🤝 Editor ally 🧩 Creative partner 🧭 Steady presence

Yoshino Chiaki (Shinnosuke Tachibana)

A manga artist under Hatori’s guidance. Their partnership underlines the editorial-creator relationship that fuels the department’s output. Yoshino’s work and personality contribute to the department’s dynamic energy and the series’ creative atmosphere.

🎨 Manga artist 👥 Creative partner 🧭 Dependable

Kisa Shouta (Nobuhiko Okamoto)

An editor in Emerald who has his eye on Yukina, adding a separate romantic subplot within the publishing house. His pursuit introduces additional tension and choices for where his loyalties lie—between career ambitions and love.

💼 Editor 🎯 Pursuit 💘 Romance subplot

Yukina Kou (Tomoaki Maeno)

An attractive bookstore employee who becomes the object of Kisa’s interest. Yukina represents an everyday connection to readers and a contrast to the corporate setting, highlighting the push-pull of workplace romance crossing into personal life.

📚 Bookstore worker 💖 Romantic interest 👫 Everyday connection

Zen Kirishima (Toru Furuya)

A widower and single father who features in the extra novel arc. His experiences bring emotional depth and resilience to the romance-focused universe, illustrating how family responsibilities intersect with love.

💔 Widower 👨‍👧 Family 🧭 Emotional depth

Takafumi Yokozawa (Kenyu Horiuchi)

A salesman and Takano’s longtime friend who, after a harsh breakup, finds new romantic potential with Kirishima in the extra novel. His arc adds a later-stage romance that complements the main relationship’s development.

🧳 Salesman 💞 New romance 🌀 Emotional renewal

The World’s Greatest First Love: Proposal Settings

Learn where and when The World’s Greatest First Love: Proposal (2020) takes place. Explore the film’s settings, era, and how they shape the narrative.

Time period

Present day

The events take place in contemporary Japan within the publishing world. It focuses on the everyday dynamics of editors, managers, and authors in a current-time workplace. The setting emphasizes modern industry culture and relationship tensions in a real-world context.

Location

Marukawa Publishing, Emerald (shōjo manga department)

The story unfolds within a modern publishing house, centered on Marukawa Publishing and its Emerald shōjo manga department. It emphasizes the inner workings of editors, authors, and bookshop connections that drive the industry. The Emerald department is known for shaping popular shōjo titles, providing the backdrop for the characters' personal and professional romances.

🏢 Publishing house 🗂️ Editorial department

The World’s Greatest First Love: Proposal Themes

Discover the main themes in The World’s Greatest First Love: Proposal (2020). Analyze the deeper meanings, emotional layers, and social commentary behind the film.

💖

Romantic Ties

A central thread is the evolving romance between Onodera and Takano, from initial friction to a complex push-pull dynamic. Past memories from high school influence present feelings, revealing the depth of their emotional connection. The romance is marked by pride, vulnerability, and the challenge of balancing personal desire with professional duties.

🗂️

Office Politics

Jealousy among coworkers and power dynamics within the publishing house shape the narrative. Onodera's struggle to prove himself away from his father's shadow mirrors the department’s competitive atmosphere. The Emerald department’s hierarchy and deadlines create tension that tests relationships as the romance unfolds.

💌

Hidden Feelings

Takano openly acknowledges his lingering feelings and schemes to rekindle Onodera’s affection, fueling anticipation and risk. The story explores the fragility of professional boundaries when personal emotions intrude. Confessions and strategic gestures drive the couple toward deeper intimacy.

🎭

Multiple Couples

Besides the main pair, the show follows two other editor-artist relationships, adding variety to the romance and creating a broader ensemble dynamic. These secondary arcs enrich the emotional tapestry and illustrate different paths to love within the workplace. An extra novel introduces Yokozawa and Kirishima, expanding the romantic landscape further.

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The World’s Greatest First Love: Proposal Spoiler-Free Summary

Discover the spoiler-free summary of The World’s Greatest First Love: Proposal (2020). Get a concise overview without any spoilers.

In the bustling world of Japanese publishing, a young editor seeks to step out from under a powerful family name and carve his own path. Ritsu Onodera leaves his father’s company, driven by the desire for a fresh start, and lands a position at Marukawa Publishing. Rather than the literature department he coveted, he is placed in the famed shōjo manga division, Emerald—a realm of bright artwork, passionate readers, and an office culture that feels both vibrant and unforgiving.

His new supervisor, Masamune Takano, immediately challenges Ritsu’s confidence, a dynamic that crackles with unspoken history. Once a high‑school classmate and first love, Masamune now leads the team with a mixture of sharp insight and enigmatic charm, hinting at a personal connection that goes beyond simple professionalism. Their interactions are laced with playful tension, each trying to prove worth while navigating the delicate balance between past feelings and present ambitions. The department itself pulses with creativity, offering Ritsu a canvas on which to rediscover his own editorial voice amid the whims of romance‑focused storytelling.

Around them, a lively cast of colleagues adds depth to the office tapestry. Hatori, an experienced editor, mentors a talented manga artist named Yoshino, while Kisa, another team member, watches his own budding romance with the charismatic bookstore employee Yukina. Their parallel pursuits of love and career weave a subtle backdrop, suggesting that the world of shōjo manga is as much about the stories it creates as the stories lived by those who craft them. The series invites viewers into a delicate dance of professional challenges and lingering emotions, setting a tone that is both heartfelt and gently humorous, as each character hints at hidden motivations waiting to unfold.