Ep 1. The Promise

The Promise is the first episode of the anime series Nisekoi, which premiered on January 11, 2014. The show is an adaptation of a manga series of the same name written and illustrated by Naoshi Komi.

The episode begins with the main character, Raku Ichijou, in his first year of high school, reminiscing about his past. He remembers a promise he made to a girl ten years ago, to marry her when they meet again.

Raku is the heir to a yakuza family, but he does not enjoy that world and just wants to live a normal life. He wears a locket that the girl gave him on his birthday, and it is the only thing he has left from her. He hopes that he will meet her someday and fulfill his promise.

On his way to school, Raku runs into a girl who seems to be in a hurry. She accidentally bumps into him, causing his locket to fall out of his pocket. The girl picks it up and examines it closely. Raku is surprised that she knows what is inside the locket. The girl then runs away, leaving Raku confused about her identity.

At school, Raku's friend, Shu Maiko, introduces him to his new classmate, Kosaki Onodera. Raku is instantly smitten by her, and he realizes that she looks a lot like the girl from his past. He wonders if she is the one he made the promise to. Raku's hopes are dashed when he discovers that Kosaki already has a crush on someone else.

During lunch break, Raku and Shu walk around school looking for the girl who picked up Raku's locket. They eventually find her in the library, reading a book. Raku tries to talk to her, but she runs away again. Shu suggests that they should investigate and find out more about her.

After school, Raku discovers that the girl is actually Chitoge Kirisaki, the daughter of a rival yakuza family. By coincidence, their fathers are trying to make peace and end their long-standing feud by having Raku and Chitoge pretend to be in a relationship in order to promote peace between the two gangs.

Raku and Chitoge reluctantly agree to the plan, although they do not get along with each other. They try to act like a couple in front of their classmates, but their arguments make it difficult for them to keep up the pretense. Chitoge is also embarrassed about the fact that she is wearing a wig to disguise her blonde hair.

The episode ends with Raku discovering that Chitoge is the girl from his past, and she also made a promise to someone. Raku realizes that his search for the girl who made the promise to him is not yet over.

In conclusion, The Promise is an excellent introduction to the world of Nisekoi. It sets up the main characters and their motivations, as well as establishes the initial conflict between Raku and Chitoge. The episode also introduces the central theme of promises and how they shape Raku's perspective on life. It is an entertaining and lighthearted episode that leaves the audience eager to see what happens next.