OVA
Description
Nobue Itoh stands as the eldest and an older sister figure within the group. She is Chika Itoh's biological sister and acts as a role model for the younger girls, though she often holes up in Chika's room and borrows money from her for cigarettes. Her persistent nicotine addiction drives an ongoing hunt for part-time jobs to fund her smoking. Nobue also consumes alcohol, primarily beer, which fuels less mature behavior like impulsively hugging the younger girls due to her strong appreciation for their cuteness and the "moe" aesthetic, occasionally leading some fans to perceive her as a lolicon.
She clearly favors Matsuri and Ana over her sister Chika and Miu, denting Miu's self-esteem and sometimes provoking Miu to tease or antagonize Matsuri and Ana out of jealousy. Nobue generally steps in to defend Matsuri and Ana when Miu targets them. Her personality blends maturity and kindness with irritability, especially towards Miu's antics. Alcohol consumption makes her significantly more unrestrained.
Her age varies intriguingly between media: the manga depicts her as a 16-year-old high school freshman, while the anime ages her to a 20-year-old junior college student, likely aligning with Japanese laws where smoking and drinking are legal at 20. The anime's first episode humorously has her introduce herself as 16 before correcting to 20. Her appearance also shifts; early manga chapters show blonde hair darkening to brown, while the anime gives her short brown or black hair. She remains the tallest in the group.
Characterization differs across adaptations. The manga portrays a less mature Nobue, including deceiving Matsuri about Miu's death. The anime presents her more consistently responsible, though both versions retain her core traits of smoking, drinking, and finding amusement in the younger girls' activities. She consistently organizes and supervises group outings like beach trips, festival visits, hot spring excursions, and Christmas celebrations. Storylines frequently involve her job-hunting efforts, sometimes sabotaged by Miu, and her management during trips, exemplified by the Izu OVA where she accompanies the girls to a guesthouse. Her role remains central in navigating the group's dynamics and facilitating their adventures across all episodes and OVAs.
She clearly favors Matsuri and Ana over her sister Chika and Miu, denting Miu's self-esteem and sometimes provoking Miu to tease or antagonize Matsuri and Ana out of jealousy. Nobue generally steps in to defend Matsuri and Ana when Miu targets them. Her personality blends maturity and kindness with irritability, especially towards Miu's antics. Alcohol consumption makes her significantly more unrestrained.
Her age varies intriguingly between media: the manga depicts her as a 16-year-old high school freshman, while the anime ages her to a 20-year-old junior college student, likely aligning with Japanese laws where smoking and drinking are legal at 20. The anime's first episode humorously has her introduce herself as 16 before correcting to 20. Her appearance also shifts; early manga chapters show blonde hair darkening to brown, while the anime gives her short brown or black hair. She remains the tallest in the group.
Characterization differs across adaptations. The manga portrays a less mature Nobue, including deceiving Matsuri about Miu's death. The anime presents her more consistently responsible, though both versions retain her core traits of smoking, drinking, and finding amusement in the younger girls' activities. She consistently organizes and supervises group outings like beach trips, festival visits, hot spring excursions, and Christmas celebrations. Storylines frequently involve her job-hunting efforts, sometimes sabotaged by Miu, and her management during trips, exemplified by the Izu OVA where she accompanies the girls to a guesthouse. Her role remains central in navigating the group's dynamics and facilitating their adventures across all episodes and OVAs.