To Love Ru (stylized as To LOVEる -とらぶる-), also known by the abbreviation TL, is a Japanese manga series written by Saki Hasemi and illustrated by Kentaro Yabuki.
It follows the daily life of high school student Rito Yūki, whose world is turned upside down by the arrival of an alien princess.
The series was serialized in Shueisha's *Weekly Shōnen Jump* magazine from 2006 to 2009, spanning 162 chapters collected into 18 volumes.
A major spin-off and direct sequel, To Love Ru Darkness, was later published in *Jump Square* from 2010 to 2017.
The franchise is well-known for its science fiction setting, harem elements, and romantic comedy, but it has gained particular notoriety for its highly risqué and ecchi content.
The series pushes the boundaries of shōnen manga with frequent scenes of nudity and suggestive situations.
Multiple anime adaptations have been produced, including two television seasons for the original series, a series of OVAs, and two television seasons for *To Love Ru Darkness*.
The series has also been adapted into several video games, drama CDs, and light novels, accumulating a total of over 16 million copies in circulation.
To Love Ru
Rito Yūki is a kind-hearted but awkward high school boy who is deeply in love with his classmate, Haruna Sairenji.
His life of quiet, unrequited love is shattered one night when a mysterious, beautiful alien girl named Lala Satalin Deviluke crash-lands into his bathtub.
Lala, the crown princess of the planet Deviluke, has fled her home to escape a series of political marriage interviews.
Through a series of misunderstandings involving her pursuer and Lala’s own carefree nature, Rito is mistakenly identified as her new fiancé.
This sudden engagement marks the beginning of Rito’s chaotic new life.
He soon finds himself not only the target of Lala’s affectionate and quirky inventions, but also the center of a growing romantic triangle involving the equally shy Haruna.
As more extraterrestrial beings, assassins, and friends enter his life, Rito’s everyday existence descends into a whirlwind of slapstick comedy, accidental nudity, and interdimensional troubles.
To Love Ru Darkness
Set just days after the conclusion of the main series, *To Love Ru Darkness* begins with a new shift in focus.
Lala’s younger sisters, the twins Nana and Momo, have now taken up residence in the Yūki household on Earth.
Momo Belia Deviluke, having secretly witnessed Rito’s failed confession to Haruna, devises a bold solution to the complex love web.
Believing that every girl who loves Rito can be happy, she initiates the "Harem Plan," an ambitious project to build a sanctioned harem around him.
Simultaneously, a new threat emerges targeting Golden Darkness, the living weapon living peacefully on Earth.
A mysterious girl named Kurosaki Mea and her master, Nemesis, arrive to trigger the "Darkness Plan," an effort to unleash the dormant, world-ending transformation buried deep within Golden Darkness.
The narrative weaves these two major threads—the domestic politics of the Harem Plan and the interstellar danger of the Darkness Plan—into a story with grittier action and even more provocative fan service than its predecessor.
Rito Yūki (Voiced by Akeno Watanabe)
A truly gentle and pure-hearted high school student crippled by extreme shyness around girls. His genuine kindness is his greatest strength, though his supernatural clumsiness leads to an infamous amount of risqué accidents.
Lala Satalin Deviluke (Voiced by Haruka Tomatsu)
The carefree and brilliant first princess of Deviluke. She is an inventive genius who creates gadgets to solve problems, though her inventions often have pervy or explosive side effects, much to Rito's dismay.
Haruna Sairenji (Voiced by Sayuri Yahagi)
A shy, soft-spoken, and kind member of the tennis club whom Rito has secretly adored for years. She is the grounded and emotionally sensitive heart of the series' central romance.
Mikan Yūki (Voiced by Kana Hanazawa)
Rito’s responsible and mature younger sister who manages the household in their parents’ absence. While she often acts exasperated with the chaos, she deeply cares for her brother and their growing alien family.
Golden Darkness (Voiced by Misato Fukuen)
A feared and legendary cosmic assassin known for her "Trans" ability, which allows her to transform any part of her body into a weapon. She becomes a core protagonist in *Darkness* as she discovers her own humanity.
Yui Kotegawa (Voiced by Kaori Nazuka)
The class representative and a strict member of the school’s morals committee. Her severe, no-nonsense attitude consistently crumbles around Rito, revealing a deep sense of embarrassment and a hidden, softer heart.
Nana Astar Deviluke (Voiced by Kanae Itou)
Lala’s second sister and Momo’s twin. She is a tomboyish and hot-headed princess with the unique ability to communicate with animals. She often clashes with Rito while slowly developing an unrecognized affection for him.
Momo Belia Deviluke (Voiced by Aki Toyosaki)
The scheming, sweet, and deeply affectionate third princess who co-stars as the protagonist of *Darkness*. Her power over plants is matched only by her strategic mind as she proactively masterminds the "Harem Plan."
Kurosaki Mea (Voiced by Yuka Iguchi)
A cheerful and overtly flirtatious girl who enrolls at Sainan High School. This facade cleverly hides her true identity as a second-generation living weapon and the self-proclaimed little sister of Golden Darkness.
Manga
The original To Love Ru manga was serialized in *Weekly Shōnen Jump* from April 24, 2006, to August 31, 2009.
The chapters were compiled by Shueisha into 18 tankōbon volumes.
The sequel, To Love Ru Darkness, launched in the November 2010 issue of *Jump Square* and concluded in March 2017, also gathering a full 18-volume run.
This sequel shifted to a more mature demographic, allowing for more graphically explicit content than was permissible in the original shōnen magazine.
Anime
To Love Ru (2008)
The first 26-episode television anime series aired from April to September 2008.
Produced by Xebec, the first season is noted for its large amount of original content that deviates from the manga’s storyline.
Motto To Love Ru (2010)
A 12-episode second season aired from October to December 2010.
This series acts as a soft reboot, adapting chapters from the original manga more faithfully in an omnibus format, though with some rearranged events.
To Love Ru Darkness (2012)
The first anime adaptation of the sequel aired for 12 episodes from October to December 2012.
The series adapts the early manga arcs focusing on the Harem Plan and the initial phase of the Darkness Plan.
To Love Ru Darkness 2nd (2015)
A 14-episode continuation aired in two parts, with the main 12-episode arc airing in the summer 2015 season.
The final two episodes were broadcast as a special later in October, concluding the adaptation of the main manga storyline.
Original Video Animations (OVAs)
A significant number of OVA episodes were produced and bundled with limited-edition volumes of both the original *To Love Ru* and *To Love Ru Darkness* manga.
These episodes often adapt side stories and fan-favorite chapters with far more lenient censorship compared to the television broadcasts.
Video Games
Several video game adaptations have been released across various platforms. Highlights include:
To Love Ru: Waku Waku! Rinkangakkou-hen (Nintendo DS, 2008), which mixed digital comic and 3D action elements.
To Love Ru: Doki Doki! Rinkaigakkou-hen (PlayStation Portable, 2008), a visual novel adventure game.
To Love Ru Darkness: Battle Ecstasy (PlayStation Vita, 2014), a 3D harem action game.
To Love Ru Darkness: True Princess (PlayStation Vita, 2015), a dating simulation game.
To Love Ru Darkness: Idol Revolution, a social game also released on mobile platforms.
Deviluke
A vast and powerful intergalactic empire ruled by Lala's father. Its people possess incredible physical strength and a long, sensitive tail that functions as an erogenous zone when touched.
Trans Abilities
An innate power in certain artificial lifeforms like Golden Darkness and Kurosaki Mea. It allows them to manipulate their bodies at a nano-level, turning any part into wings, swords, or shields.
The Darkness Plan
A sinister plot to trigger and control the ultimate transformation living weapon program sealed deep within Golden Darkness’s subconscious. The trigger for this world-ending power is the mental acceptance of "peace."
The Harem Plan
Momo’s personal, unsanctioned scheme to legally wed Rito to Lala, Haruna, and every other girl in love with him. Her goal is to create a "happy end" where the polygamous marriage becomes socially accepted on Earth.
Sainan Town
The main setting of the series, a seemingly ordinary Japanese town where an unusually high concentration of Earth-born humans and disguised extraterrestrials coexist in secret or semi-secret.
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