Rin-ne

Sakura Mamiya is a high school student who gained the ability to see ghosts after being mysteriously spirited away for one week as a child, though she recalls little about the incident. This ability causes her distress since others cannot perceive the spirits she encounters. At school, she meets Rinne Rōkudo, a frequently absent classmate who works as a . His role involves helping earthbound spirits resolve their lingering attachments so they can pass through the wheel of reincarnation—a massive red wheel visible in the sky. Their interactions frequently involve assisting these troubled spirits while navigating the challenges caused by Sakura's supernatural perception. ==Characters==

Main characters ; : (PV), :Rinne Rokudō is a first-year high school student of mixed human and heritage, distinguished by his red hair. After his human grandfather's death, he moves to the human world despite opposition from his grandmother, Tamako. Due to his father Sabato's theft of his savings, Rinne lives in poverty, residing in an abandoned school clubroom. As a , his human blood necessitates expensive tools, though he owns only the , a robe rendering him invisible to the living and granting ghosts physical form. Rinne befriends Sakura, whom he deeply cares for, often prioritizing her safety. He clashes with Tsubasa over their differing methods of handling spirits and rivalry for Sakura's attention, finds Ageha's persistent romantic advances exasperating, and resents Sabato for his deceitful nature. Physically, Rinne closely resembles his father. ; : (PV), :Suzu is Kain's black cat. One day while in town, Kain came across her, holding a sign that she was up for adoption for a free price. Due to his family's financial status, Kain took her in. Suzu is very loyal to her master despite having a surly attitude towards others. She looks down on Rinne and Rokumon for being poor, despite hers and Kain's own impoverished state. Still, she is hinted to develop a friendship of sorts with Oboro and Rokumon. Her personality is fairly easy-going though somewhat excitable due to her young age. Additionally, she is never full as she is shown to eat a lot on various occasions. Suzu is doted on by Kain's mother. ; : :Kurosu is Shouma's black cat who strictly maintains nine-to-five working hours, refusing overtime due to his dislike of children. Despite this, he patiently supports Shouma during work hours, often handling most tasks himself. As a high-ranking contract cat, he possesses advanced illusory magic abilities. Kurosu recognizes potential in Rokumon, praising his performance on tests. His professional yet limited approach contrasts with other black cats' more dedicated service. ; : :Tama is Renge's black cat. ; : :Kuromitsu is Matsugo's black cat. She is very loyal to her master, supporting him in his numerous attempts to be alone with Rinne and "deepen their friendship". ; : :Kuroboshi is Tamako's black cat. After being stuck in her master's closet for a time when she had to move back to the otherworld after her husband's time came, he wishes to retire and have his grandson take his place. ; : :Kuroboshi III is the grandson of Tamako's black cat, aspiring to inherit his grandfather's role. However, his severe ghost phobia prevents him from forming a shinigami contract. He must overcome this fear before he can officially serve. ==Media==

Manga Written and illustrated by Rumiko Takahashi, Rin-ne was serialized in Shogakukan's Weekly Shōnen Sunday manga magazine from April 22, 2009, to December 13, 2017. Shogakukan collected its chapters in 40 volumes, released from October 16, 2009, to January 18, 2018. In North America, the manga has been licensed by Viz Media, and they published the chapters simultaneously online in English as they were serialized until March 17, 2011. Rin-ne was the first title to be released under Viz Media's Shonen Sunday imprint, with the first volume published on October 20, 2009, and the last on July 13, 2021. Madman Entertainment published the first volume in Australia on October 10, 2010. Anime A 25-episode anime television series adaptation, produced by Brain's Base and directed by Seiki Sugawara, premiered on April 4, 2015. The screenplay is written by Michiko Yokote and the music composed by Akimitsu Honma. The first set of opening and ending theme songs is by Keytalk and by Passepied respectively, while the second set used from episode 14 onwards is by Passepied and by Quruli. Prior to the anime, an animated commercial promoting the manga and Weekly Shōnen Sunday was created in 2009. For the second season, the first set of opening and ending theme songs is "Melody" by Pile and by Glim Spanky respectively, while the second set used from episode 38 onwards is by CreepHyp and "Beautiful Life" by Shiggy Jr. The third season aired from April to September 2017. For the third season, the first set of opening and ending theme songs is "Shiny" by Yoru no Honki Dance and by Softly respectively, while the second set used from episode 63 onwards is by Keytalk and "Puzzle" by Mone Kamishiraishi. The anime's three seasons are licensed by Sentai Filmworks for digital and home video release in North America. ==Reception==

By August 2014, Rin-ne had 3 million copies in circulation. The following week of October 19–25, 2009, the first volume ranked at No. 18 with over 44,000 copies sold, while the second volume ranked at No. 20 with over 41,000 copies sold. The third manga volume ranked at No. 11 for the best-selling manga for the week of March 15–21, 2010, and the English version ranked at No. 8 on The New York Times Manga Best Seller list in May 2010. The fourth manga volume ranked twice at No. 19 and 20 in June 2010 with over 76,000 copies sold. The fifth manga volume also ranked twice at No. 21 and 23 in September 2010 with over 71,000 copies sold. The sixth manga volume ranked at No. 29 for the best-selling manga for the week of December 13–19, 2010. A 2019 NHK poll of 210,061 people who saw Rin-ne named it Takahashi's sixth best animated work. ==References==