Just Because!

Not to be confused with Just Cause.

This article is about the Japanese anime television series. For other uses, see Just Because (disambiguation).

Just Because! is a Japanese anime television series created by Hajime Kamoshida and written by Kiseki Himura. It was produced by Pine Jam. The series aired from October to December 2017.^[3]

Just Because!
First Blu-ray Disc volume cover, featuring Mio Natsume
Genre	Romantic drama[1] Slice of life[2]
Created by	FOA
Anime television series
Directed by	Atsushi Kobayashi
Produced by	Keisuke Fukunaga Takema Okamura Yūma Ōgami Shinji Ōmori Hirotaka Kaneko
Written by	Hajime Kamoshida
Music by	Nagi Yanagi Erika Fukusawa
Studio	Pine Jam
Licensed by	NA: Sentai Filmworks SEA: Muse Communication
Original network	AT-X, Tokyo MX, tvk, MBS, BS Fuji
Original run	October 5, 2017 – December 28, 2017
Episodes	12
Serial novel
Written by	Hajime Kamoshida
Illustrated by	Atsushi Kobayashi
Published by	Kadokawa
Imprint	Media Works Bunko
Magazine	Da Vinci
Published	November 11, 2017
Volumes	1

Characters

Main

Eita Izumi (泉 瑛太, Izumi Eita)

Voiced by: Aoi Ichikawa^[4] (Japanese); Greg Cote^[5] (English)

A transfer student who come back to his hometown after four years. Because his father's job was often relocated, Eita often transfers to different schools. He was in baseball club along with Haruto during middle school. He has had a crush on Mio since middle school but could not confess to her.

Mio Natsume (夏目 美緒, Natsume Mio)

Voiced by: Karin Isobe^[4] (Japanese); Luci Christian^[5] (English)

The former student council president. Mio was Eita and Haruto's classmate during middle school. She plans to enroll in college and is studying hard to make it happen. Her unrequited feelings for Haruto since middle school still influence her, but as the series progresses, her feelings begin to change.

Haruto Sōma (相馬 陽斗, Sōma Haruto)

Voiced by: Taishi Murata^[4] (Japanese); Blake Shepard^[5] (English)

A baseball team member who has already secured a job after graduation. He and Eita are childhood friends. He has a crush on Hazuki and confesses his feelings but is rejected at first; however this changes over the series. Hazuki tells Haruto she won't date him until she is settled in college and Haruto finds a stable job and if he still loves her by that time.

Hazuki Morikawa (森川 葉月, Morikawa Hazuki)

Voiced by: Yuna Yoshino^[4] (Japanese); Patricia Duran^[5] (English)

Hazuki is a trumpet player from the school concert band and has already decided on her preferred college. She does not stand out in class, and seems uninterested in romantic relationships. Haruto has a crush on her and confesses his feelings but is rejected at first. However, over the course of the series, this changes. Hazuki tells Haruto she won't date him until she is settled in college, Haruto finds a stable job and if his feelings remain unchanged.

Ena Komiya (小宮 惠那, Komiya Ena)

Voiced by: Lynn^[4] (Japanese); Brittney Karbowski^[5] (English)

Ena is a second-year student, and a member of the photography club is close to being disbanded. In order to save the club, she enters a photography competition. Later on, she develops a crush on Eita. She has a go-getter attitude, taking active steps to get what she wants, speaking her mind openly where everyone else is too nervous to speak up.

Others

Yoriko Inui (乾 依子, Inui Yoriko)

Voiced by: Arisa Sakuraba^[6] (Japanese); Cat Thomas^[5] (English)

Hazuki's best friend who constantly looks after her, speaks out on her behalf and helps her and Haruto get together. At one point she admits to Hazuki she's also in love with someone, but refuses to say more.

Sanae Takahashi (高橋 早苗, Takahashi Sanae)

Voiced by: Yuka Nukui^[6] (Japanese); Christina Kelly^[5] (English)

Mio's best friend.

Momoka Suzuki (鈴木 桃花, Suzuki Momoka)

Voiced by: Reina Kondō^[6] (Japanese); Stephanie Wittels^[5] (English)

Mio's best friend.

Mayuko Satō (佐藤 真由子, Satō Mayuko)

Voiced by: Sayaka Senbongi^[6] (Japanese); Skyler Sinclair^[5] (English)

Mio's best friend who hates Hazuki.

Junpei Saruwatari (猿渡 順平, Saruwatari Junpei)

Voiced by: Kōhei Amasaki^[6] (Japanese); Adam Gibbs^[5] (English)

Haruto's best friend.

Rikuto Ishigaki (石垣 陸生, Ishigaki Rikuto)

Voiced by: Shōta Yamamoto^[6] (Japanese); Andrew Love^[5] (English)

Haruto's best friend.

Tōru Shimizu (清水 徹, Shimizu Tōru)

Voiced by: Junichi Yanagita^[6] (Japanese); Scott Gibbs^[5] (English)

A second-year student and a member of the photography club.

Kaoru Yamaguchi (山口 薫, Yamaguchi Kaoru)

Voiced by: Daiki Kobayashi^[6] (Japanese); Mike Haimoto^[5] (English)

A second-year student and a member of the photography club.

Watanabe-sensei (渡辺先生, Watanabe Sensei)

Voiced by: Tōru Okawa^[6] (Japanese); Josh Morrison^[5] (English)

The homeroom teacher of Mio and Haruto's class.

Media

Anime

The project was first teased as an April's Fools joke in 2017 under title April 1st The Animation.^[7] It was later confirmed as real in the June issue of Gakken's Megami Magazine.^[8]

Kiseki Himura designed the characters, Atsushi Kobayashi directed the series with screenplay by Hajime Kamoshida. Hiroyuki Yoshii adapted Kiseki's art into animation. Keisuke Fukunaga produced the series.^[4] Pine Jam produced the animation.^[9] It aired from October 5 to December 28, 2017 on AT-X, Tokyo MX, TV Kanagawa, MBS, and BS Fuji's programming block Anime Guild.^[10][11] Nagi Yanagi served as music producer as well performed the opening theme titled "Over and Over", while Karin Isobe, Yuna Yoshino, and Lynn performed the ending theme "behind".^[12][13] Sentai Filmworks has licensed the series and streamed it on Amazon's Anime Strike service in the U.S..^[14] Sentai released the series for home video with an English dub on February 12, 2019.^[15] Muse Communication licensed the series in Southeast Asia and streamed on Muse Asia YouTube channel.^[16]

Episodes

No.	Title	Directed by	Original release date [17]
1	"On your marks!"	Yūsuke Sunouchi	October 5, 2017 (2017-10-05)
The winter at the third year of high school. Due to his father's job, Eita Izumi returns to Kanagawa when he was in middle school as a transfer student at an inconvenient time. When he wants to visit Kashiogawa High School, he meets Haruto Sōma, a middle school friend who has been out of touch since moving to Fukuoka. Even though Haruto has retired from the club, he tries to pedal a baseball bat to make home run on the field. They were awkward doing it at first. However, during the at bat practice match, they remember the familiar feeling from when they were in middle school. Haruto, who got a home run from Eita, go to confess his love. Just then, Eita gets a message his cruch, Mio Natsume, is at Kashiogawa High School.
2	"Question"	Kazuomi Koga Kōhei Hatano Yasushi Muroya	October 12, 2017 (2017-10-12)
After hitting a home run, Haruto confesses his love to Hazuki Morikawa. Haruto meets Hazuki, who was in the concert club to train her juniors. But at the last moment, Haruto hesitates and the declaration of love fails. Meanwhile, Mio Natsume and Eita Izumi meet again at the same place as Haruto. They looked at Haruto with pity. Since middle school, Eita knew Mio liked Haruto. After that, Eita, Haruto, Mio, Hazuki and Hazuki's friend, Yoriko Inui, agree to visit the aquarium. The next day while looking at the aquarium, Eita realizes Mio still likes Haruto. While returning home with complicated feelings, Eita is approached by a strange high school girl.
3	"Andante"	Tsutomu Murakami	October 19, 2017 (2017-10-19)
Eita, Haruto, Mio, Hazuki and Yoriko join new Line group called "Enoshima Aquarium", then they starts chatting normally. Haruto is very happy to know Hazuki's contact. At first, Hazuki is surprised to be suddenly asked to visit the aquarium, but she was happy because she felt like a high school student. Yoriko, who knows Haruto's feelings, enjoys every reaction. Eita's feelings are complicated before knowing Mio's feelings. Then, Mio sends Line account to Eita. At the station, Mio meets Ena Komiya, a second-year student who suddenly calls after Mio wants to go home from the aquarium. Ena is a second-year student from the same high school as them who joins photography club. In order to save the photography club which is about to be disbanded, Ena wants to join a competition with Eita's photo.
4	"Full swing"	Kei Miura	October 26, 2017 (2017-10-26)
Five people from the group prays for Mio's entrance exam on New Year's Eve. Haruto tell Mio and Eita he will definitely confess his love to Hazuki. At the end of the year, Eita, Mio and Yoriko visits their first shrine because Mio wants Haruto and Hazuki alone. Haruto is aware of it but not Hazuki. On the way home, Haruto confesses his love. Meanwhile, after Yoriko leaves Eita and Mio, Eita is worried about Mio's cheerful attitude and asks Haruto. Mio is still making excuses to hide her feelings and then, Eita, emotional about Mio's attitude, confesses his feelings to her.
5	"Rolling stones"	Naotaka Hayashi Kazuomi Koga	November 2, 2017 (2017-11-02)
Hazuki rejects Haruto's confession. Afterwards, Haruto tries to be strong but his feelings remains chaotic until the winter holiday ends. Eita, expressed his feelings for Mio, is also experienced the same thing. The first day of the third semester started with nothing. Meanwhile, Hazuki asked Mio's opinion on Haruto's confession, then Hazuki becomes worried as she immediately refuses. Mio suggests Hazuki she had to express her feelings to Haruto. At night, Hazuki sent a message to Haruto to meet again.
6	"Restart"	Tatsuya Nokimori Kazuomi Koga Mitsuhiro Yoneda	November 9, 2017 (2017-11-09)
It has been three days since Haruto did not reply Hazuki's message. When Haruto wants to tell Eita about this during his lunch break, he has challenged by Eita to an at-bat match. Eita wants to do another home run which Haruto is sure to reply Hazuki's message. Haruto is hesitant at first, but he looks Eita's serious throw. After making a lot of balls out, Haruto finally makes a great home run. Mio, watching from afar, is amazed by Eita's seriousness and wants to get rid of her unrequited love. Then, Mio returns Haruto's old eraser.
7	"Snow day"	Yayoi Takano Kazuomi Koga	November 23, 2017 (2017-11-23)
Since the at-bat match, Eita runs every night because of his own frustration. The day before the Test Center when Eita comes home, he sees the headlights of a police car near his house and sees the troubled Ena. A man protests Ena took the picture without his permission and involved Eita. When Eita escorts Ena, she tells Eita the photography club was an important place to her. Eita agrees to submit Ena's photo for the competition, but Mio, who will coming home from course, sees them hugging. On the day of the Test Center, it is heavily snow. The transportation is crippled, and Mio stops at the station. Eita suddenly appears and takes the confused Mio to the Test Center. Meanwhile, Mio remembers when she was in middle school, while she was in trouble, Eita always helped Mio saying nothing.
8	"High Dynamic Range"	Sumito Sasaki	November 30, 2017 (2017-11-30)
Mio, Eita, Haruto and Yoriko attend the party at Hazuki's house after the Test Center is over. Mio starts to care to Eita. While returning from the Test Center, Mio is worried about what Ena said about asking Eita out on a date. On Sunday, Eita and Ena meets Mio as they go to their destination. Eita thinks Mio is going to the course, but Mio follows Eita halfway and seems annoyed. Not knowing what was going on, Ena joins and the situation becomes even more uneasy. After leaving Mio for no apparent reason, Eita goes to Enoshima with Ena and they look like they are dating.
9	"Answer"	Kazuomi Koga Mitsuhiro Yoneda	December 7, 2017 (2017-12-07)
While returning from a date, Ena tells Eita she will confess her love if she wins the competition. At the beginning of the school, their situations are awkward. Meanwhile, Hazuki wants to express her feelings to Haruto but before that, she wanted to know Mio's feelings. Hazuki knows Mio's unrequited love when she saw her return the eraser to Haruto. Mio confesses her feelings to Hazuki there is someone she really likes. Hazuki suggests Mio to confess her feelings and she is confident in the university she has been thinking about.
10	"Childhood's end"	Yūta Takamura Naotaka Hayashi	December 14, 2017 (2017-12-14)
Mio told her sister, Mina, she will not go to Suizan University and her sister is happy about it. On Valentine's Day, Hazuki invites Haruto to the baseball field. Hazuki plays her trumpet which Haruto continues to play. Hazuki replies again Haruto's declaration of love before she cannot be his girlfriend. At the spring, Hazuki starts to go to the college in Hyōgo and Haruto starts working, so it will be hard to think about each other. Haruto persists, but Hazuki wants her and Haruto to settle down first and when the time comes, Hazuki wants to be Haruto's girlfriend. Meanwhile, Mio wants to give chocolate to Eita but she cannot do it after seeing his cellphone wallpaper. The wallpaper is a photo of Ena because of Ena's annoyance. Mio, who does not know about it, immediately leaves Eita. It is not long, until Mio realizes the feelings she has is so sincere.
11	"Roundabout"	Kazuomi Koga Yūsuke Sunouchi	December 21, 2017 (2017-12-21)
Mio decides to reveal her feelings after she passes the entrance exam. Eita also wants to express his feelings after he passes the entrance exam. On the day of the university entrance exam, Eita chooses Mio's first choice university, Suizan University. At the last moment, Mio changes to Joei University, which was Eita's university. Eita and Mio separately focus on the exam without knowing it. The exams has ended by skipping each other until the graduation announcement day finally arrives. Meanwhile, Ena gets the results of the photography contest.
12	"Get set, go!"	Atsushi Kobayashi Erkin Kawabata Mitsuhiro Yoneda	December 28, 2017 (2017-12-28)
Mio passes the entrance exam for the university of her first choice. Graduation day arrived. Mio wants to talk to Eita but she cannot find him. However, Mio leaves a message she waits Eita. Eita actually knows there was a message from Mio, but he will not read it. Eita tries the entrance exam until he is willing to get rid of the invitation but he fails so he thinks he does not deserve to meet Mio. Haruto meets Eita after the ceremony and Eita tries to win the at-bat match one last time. Eita stands on the bat, hitting the ball as far as he can in early spring. Eita tells Ena he is happy when she confesses to him, but he likes someone else. After he leaves, Ena starts crying in the club room. A month later, Eita attends Joei University and meets Mio. Eita confesses his love to Mio and she also loves him.

Novel

A serialized novel adaptation of the anime was launched in Kadokawa's Da Vinci magazine starting October 2017 issue (released on September 6).^[18] The first chapter tells the prologue anime's plot. Atsushi Kobayashi illustrated the cover for the novel.^[19][20]

No.	Release date	ISBN
1	November 25, 2017[21]	978-4-04-893384-1

Web manga

A series of two-page-long manga chapters, illustrated by different authors, were published on the anime's official Twitter account from October 6 to December 10, 2017.^[22][23] A collected doujinshi volume, which included a special Drama CD, was distributed at Comiket 93 from December 29–31, 2017.^[24][25]