Reina Aharen

Reina Aharen is a first-year high school student in the television anime version.

She is a girl who is bad at measuring distance with others, both literally and psychologically.

She is usually called “Aharen-san” by classmates, “Reina-chan” by Mitsuki Ōshiro, “Reina nee-nee” by her younger brother Ren Aharen, and simply “Reina” by her younger sister Eru Aharen.

Local elementary school children, especially Atsushi and his friends, revere her as “Lord Aha-Oh,” though this embarrasses her.

She has silver semi-long hair and a very small body, often giving off the impression of a small animal.

In class she sits in the back-left corner by the window and is often seen blankly gazing outside.

Her facial expressions are minimal and her voice is extremely quiet, to the point that Shōta Raidō only realizes she is actually talking when he starts spending time with her.

Despite this, she eats a very large homemade lunch every day and is consistently shown to eat more than Raidō.

Reina is not emotionless; she simply struggles to express her feelings in a way others can understand.

When something unexpected happens she is surprised, when she experiences something unpleasant she gets angry, and when moved or saddened she can cry large tears.

Because she tends to suddenly get very close to people’s faces or become overly familiar as soon as she grows attached, she has historically had few friends.

Feeling that this is a “bad habit,” she has become timid and cautious about human relationships.

When Raidō picks up a dropped eraser for her, she warms up to him but then panics that she is being too familiar again and tries to distance herself.

After Raidō tells her he does not mind at all, she gradually opens her heart and begins spending a lot of time with him.

In the anime, Reina Aharen and her mother Aharen Ai share the same voice actor, Inori Minase.

The surname “Aharen” is a relatively rare family name from Okinawa, and many other characters in the series also have Okinawa-origin surnames.

Reina’s dream is to become an art teacher in the future.

It is revealed that she actually met Raidō once when they were very young, as shown in chapter 100 of the manga.

Reina has a very quiet, almost monotone presence, and people around her often misinterpret that as being emotionless or distant.

In reality she feels things deeply; she just cannot easily show them on her face or in her voice.

She has an extreme difficulty with physical distance and personal space.

When talking to others she may bring her face right up close, almost touching, without realizing how intense this feels to the other person.

Socially, she tends to jump from “acquaintance” to “too familiar” very quickly, which has scared people off since childhood.

Because of repeated negative experiences, she has become insecure and shy about forming new friendships.

With people she trusts, Reina can be surprisingly straightforward and honest.

Around Raidō and childhood friend Mitsuki Ōshiro, she allows more of her inner feelings to show, even if subtly.

Her unusual combination of tiny stature, expressionless face, and unexpected behaviors makes her stand out.

This leads some younger kids in the neighborhood to view her as a mysterious, almost divine figure, hence the nickname “Lord Aha-Oh,” which she herself finds puzzling and a bit troubling.

Reina is not athletic and is generally poor at physical activities.

Her running form is beautiful in posture but very slow, and she has trouble keeping up in sports.

In swimming class she cannot swim well and has been shown sinking to the bottom of the pool.

After physical education classes, she is often completely exhausted, which reinforces that she is in the weaker range of physical ability.

On the other hand, she is extremely strong in games and competitive activities that rely more on luck, strategy, or fine control.

In board games like reversi, video games, and smartphone apps, she almost always defeats Raidō.

She is very skilled at cooking and makes her own large lunch every day.

In home economics class, her cooking ability is highly praised, and the teacher gives her strong compliments.

Despite her small build, she has a huge appetite and always eats a lunch larger than Raidō’s.

Her big bento and enthusiastic eating are a regular comedic element in the story.

Reina is also exceptionally talented at crane games in arcades.

She can win so many plush toys in a short time that, in real life, she would likely be banned from the store.

She has a knack for fidget toys like hand spinners and can handle them with impressive skill.

In terms of art, she is high-spec: she has created a life-sized doll so similar to herself that it is hard to tell the difference, and she has made a giant hand spinner art object.

These unusual talents and creations contribute to the mythic image she has among local children.

They interpret her skills as proof that she is special, reinforcing their worship of her as “Lord Aha-Oh,” although Reina herself is just confused and embarrassed by the attention.

Shōta Raidō

Raidō is Reina’s classmate and sits next to her in their first year of high school.

He is the first person to seriously try to understand her difficulty with distance, rather than being frightened or put off by it.

Their relationship begins in earnest when Raidō picks up her dropped eraser.

Reina becomes attached quickly, then panics that she is being too clingy and tries to stay away.

When Raidō assures her that he does not mind her closeness and that he is not afraid of her, she relaxes around him.

From then on she often acts together with him, slowly allowing more of her emotions to show in small ways.

Reina explicitly believes that Raidō is not scary and is not a bad person.

This trust forms the emotional core of their interactions and helps her grow socially.

Mitsuki Ōshiro

Mitsuki Ōshiro is in a neighboring class and is Reina’s childhood friend.

During their elementary school days, Ōshiro often looked after Reina and supported her.

Ōshiro calls her “Reina-chan,” showing a warm, long-standing familiarity.

Because of their long history, Reina is comfortable relying on her and being herself around her.

Neighborhood Children and Atsushi

Local elementary school children, including Atsushi, regard Reina as a powerful, almost legendary figure.

They call her “Lord Aha-Oh,” a title that suggests a ruler or king-like presence.

They admire her skills, calm demeanor, and mysterious aura, and they see her as someone extraordinary.

Reina, however, does not understand why they treat her this way and feels confused and troubled by the worship.

Other School Connections

Reina’s teachers, such as Ms. Tōbaru and Ms. Miyahira, appear within the broader school setting and see her as a quiet but capable student, especially in art and home economics.

Her classmates generally know her as the silent girl who sits in the back and eats a lot, but those who get closer discover her gentle and earnest nature.

Reina is the eldest of three siblings in the Aharen family.

She lives with her parents, younger brother, younger sister, and their pet dog.

Her younger brother, Ren Aharen, looks like a slightly droopy-eyed version of Reina.

Personality-wise, however, he is the opposite of her, creating a strong contrast between appearance and behavior.

Her younger sister, Eru Aharen, has a face that resembles Reina with sharper, more intimidating eyes.

Eru is taller than Reina and has a curvier, more “glamorous” figure.

Their mother, Aharen Ai, shares Reina’s family name and has enough presence in the story to receive her own voice performance in the anime by the same actor as Reina.

Their father, Aharen En, appears late in the manga, first showing up around chapter 163.

At one point, their grandmother appears briefly in chapter 111.

The family also keeps a female dog named Nui, adding to the household’s gentle and slightly chaotic atmosphere.

In the anime adaptation, Reina Aharen is voiced by Inori Minase.

Minase also voices Reina’s mother Aharen Ai, making it a dual role.

Reina plays a central role in a special ending theme used in episode 3 of the first anime season.

This special ending, titled “AHAREN HEART,” is sung as Reina Aharen by Inori Minase.

The lyrics of “AHAREN HEART” include references to items and motifs from the series, such as meatballs and reversi.

The song features a cute and simple dance choreographed by a professional choreographer, making it easy for viewers to copy and dance along.

As an extra detail, the song actually plays in the background during the karaoke scene in episode 1 of the anime.

By August 2022, the music video for “AHAREN HEART” had more views than both the regular ending and opening songs, showing how popular it became.

A full-length version of “AHAREN HEART” was included on the anime’s soundtrack released in June 2022.

The full version was later uploaded as a video, allowing fans to enjoy the complete song and choreography.

“I have never been good at adjusting the distance when interacting with people.”

“It’s… embarrassing when someone puts their face too close to mine.”

“Raidō is not scary, and he is not a bad person.”

These short lines neatly capture Reina’s core struggles with distance, shyness, and trust.