Play It Cool, Guys (Japanese: クールドジ男子, Hepburn: Kūru Doji Danshi; lit. 'Cool Clumsy Guys') is a Japanese web manga series written and illustrated by Kokone Nata. It has been serialized on the Pixiv website since February 2019, with its chapters collected into five tankōbon volumes as of October 2022. An anime television series adaptation produced by Pierrot aired from October 2022 to March 2023. A television drama adaptation aired from April to July 2023.
Contents
Plot
Despite their distinctive personalities, Souma Shiki, Hayate Ichikura, Shun Futami, and Takayuki Mima all have one thing in common: though naturally clumsy, the four disguise their embarrassment from tiny slip-ups by maintaining a composed demeanor. However, it is actually the guys' airheaded natures that makes the girls' hearts throb. No matter what happens in their daily lives, the boys do their best not to lose their cool!
Characters
Hayate Ichikura (一倉 颯, Ichikura Hayate)
Voiced by: Chiaki Kobayashi
Portrayed by: Yuta Nakamoto
Hayate is a 20-year-old university student majoring in economics. He gets embarrassed whenever he becomes clumsy. He loves animals and enjoys reading.
Shun Futami (二見 瞬, Futami Shun)
Voiced by: Koki Uchiyama
Portrayed by: Maito Fujioka
Shun is a 17-year-old high school student who is athletic. He tends to pretend whatever clumsy action he has done was made on purpose. He enjoys playing sports.
Takayuki Mima (三間 貴之, Mima Takayuki)
Voiced by: Yūichirō Umehara
Portrayed by: Dori Sakurada
Mima is a 27-year-old salaryman who is seen as a mascot by his co-workers. He tends to be unfazed and oblivious whenever he becomes clumsy. He is childhood friends with Motoharu.
Sōma Shiki (四季 蒼真, Shiki Sōma)
Voiced by: Shōya Chiba
Portrayed by: Takumi Kawanishi
Sōma is a 19-year-old vocational student studying at a vocational design school. He tends to be positive whenever he does something clumsy.
Motoharu Igarashi (五十嵐 元晴, Igarashi Motoharu)
Production
While the manga series is in full color, Kokone Nata can color one page in about 30 minutes so she can finish the coloring work of 19 pages within one day.
Media
Manga
Written and illustrated by Kokone Nata, Play It Cool, Guys started as a series of illustrations published on the author's Twitter account since May 11, 2018, before being serialized as a web manga on Pixiv on February 23, 2019. The manga has also been serialized on Pixiv's Pixiv Comic service. As of October 2022, five tankōbon volumes have been released by Square Enix under its Gangan Comics Pixiv imprint. In September 2020, Yen Press announced that it had licensed the series for English publication.
Novel
A novel adaptation written by Shino Kaida, titled Cool Doji Danshi: Connect It Cool, Guys, was published by Square Enix on March 21, 2020.
Anime
An anime television series adaptation was announced on April 22, 2022. It is produced by Pierrot and directed by Chiaki Kon, with scripts written by Makoto Uezu, and music composed by Masato Nakayama. Eri Taguchi is handling the character designs and serving as chief animation director. The series aired from October 11, 2022, to March 28, 2023, on TV Tokyo, AT-X, and BS11. It ran for two cours, and consisted of 15-minute episodes. The opening theme songs are "Seishun Kippu" (青春切符; "Youth Ticket") by Mafumafu and "Warau na!" (笑うな！; "Don't Laugh!") by Syudou. The ending theme songs are "Flash!" and "Taisetsu" (たいせつ; "Precious"), both performed by PICG, a unit composed of Chiaki Kobayashi, Koki Uchiyama, Yūichirō Umehara, and Shōya Chiba. Crunchyroll streamed the series.
A two-episode spin-off anime, titled Petit Cool Doji Danshi no Hitokoma, premiered on NTT Docomo's dTV streaming service on March 21 and March 28, 2023. It is produced by Aqua Aris, with Yū Hayata directing and providing the character designs, and Mao Emura writing the screenplay.
Drama
A television drama adaptation was announced on February 24, 2023. It is directed by Hiroaki Yuasa, Yuka Eda, and Akina Yanagi, based on a screenplay by Hiroyuki Komine. The series aired on TV Tokyo from April 15 to July 1, 2023. Yuta Nakamoto of NCT 127, Takumi Kawanishi of JO1, Dori Sakurada, and Maito Fujioka were cast to play the main roles.
Reception
In 2019, the manga was ranked 16th in Takarajimasha's Kono Manga ga Sugoi! guidebook for best manga series in 2019 for female readers, placed 7th in Pixiv and Nippon Shuppan Hanbai's Web Manga General Election, and was placed 16th in the Next Manga Awards.