With just 12 episodes, Season 1 of A Sign of Affection is dangerously easy to binge in a weekend (or, let’s be honest, in a day if the kids go to Grandma’s). After finishing it, most viewers land in the same place: begging for more. Will fans actually get to enjoy more episodes? Has this series been renewed or canceled? And is it even worth starting if you’re worried about getting attached? Let’s talk about it.

What Is A Sign of Affection About?

A Sign of Affection is a slice-of-life romance anime that first aired in January 2024. The story follows Yuki Itose, a sweet, expressive college student who also happens to be deaf. One day on a crowded train, she crosses paths with a calm, worldly upperclassman named Itsuomi Nagi — and from that tiny moment, her entire world shifts.

The official description sounds almost too simple: “Yuki Itose is a student dealing with the pressures of college; she is struggling on the train when Itsuomi Nagi helps her out.” That technically describes the meet-cute, but it completely undersells what this show is actually doing.

Here’s what’s really going on: Itsuomi isn’t just kind. He’s curious. He’s fascinated by language, by seeing life through someone else’s eyes, by literally learning Yuki’s world instead of expecting her to bend to his. Yuki, meanwhile, is used to navigating quietly, politely, and carefully. She’s smart and social and funny — but because she communicates with sign language, text, and lip reading, she’s also used to being left out of little moments. She’s never really let herself think about romance as something that could work for her.

The magic of this show is watching them meet in the middle. He learns to sign. She learns what it feels like to be wanted openly and without apology. It’s not a dramatic “will they/won’t they” built on misunderstandings. It’s an “I see you; I want to understand you” kind of love story. And in a genre where we’re usually dealing with high-school crushes, love triangles, and cartoon-level jealousy, this feels…gentle. Grown. Intimate.

Here’s the official trailer if you haven’t watched yet:

Why A Sign of Affection Hits So Hard

I went in blind. Truly blind. I found the show because someone mentioned it on TikTok in passing and I thought, “Okay, cute art style, I’ll try one episode while I fold laundry.” Famous last words.

Within a few episodes, I was completely locked in — partly because Yuki and Itsuomi are adorable, but also because the show quietly puts real, adult problems on the table:

• Communication in relationships: Not just “do we like each other,” but “can we actually talk to each other?” We see how exhausting it is for Yuki to exist in a world that isn’t built for her. We see how intentional Itsuomi has to be, and how much that matters.
• Employment and independence: The series doesn’t shy away from Yuki worrying about her future. How many workplaces are prepared to interact with a deaf employee? How often will she be judged before she’s even given a shot? This is not a fantasy problem — this is real life for a lot of disabled adults, and the show gives it space.
• Family and protection vs. smothering: Her friends and family love her. They try to step in, speak for her, protect her. But they also (sometimes accidentally) baby her. Watching them adjust and learn when to step back is honestly one of the most relatable parts if you parent a child with communication challenges.
• Romance without toxicity: Itsuomi doesn’t treat Yuki like she’s fragile or broken. He’s not “saving” her. He’s showing up. Respectfully. Consistently. And she gets to fall in love while feeling safe. That’s the bar, by the way.

If you’re used to romance anime where the guy is jealous and controlling and we’re supposed to call it “protective,” A Sign of Affection feels like a reset button for your nervous system.

So…Stream or Skip?

Stream. 100% stream. Especially if you’re into slow-burn romance and character-driven storytelling, this is absolutely worth your time.

The pacing is soft and intentional. You’re not watching constant drama for shock value. You’re watching two people build trust, and you’re allowed to sit in the quiet moments with them. The animation style is gorgeous too — warm colors, romantic lighting, tactile little details in hands and expressions. Honestly, this is the kind of series you curl up with at night after the house is finally quiet and you just want to feel something gentle instead of chaotic.

A Sign of Affection is also a really good pick if you usually avoid romance anime because so many of them focus on teenagers being dramatic. Yuki and Itsuomi are college age, not high school. They’re thinking about jobs, futures, independence — not “omg we accidentally touched hands in homeroom and now I’ll die.”

Is There Going to Be A Sign of Affection Season 2?

Let’s talk about the big question.

Season 1 of A Sign of Affection aired from January 6, 2024 to March 23, 2024, and wrapped at 12 episodes. The anime adapts material from the ongoing manga by Suu Morishita, which is still being published and had reached 12 collected volumes by February 2025.{index=0}

As of October 25, 2025, the studio behind the anime (Ajia-do / Ajia-do Animation Works) has not officially announced a Season 2 renewal. There’s no public release date, no production window, and no teaser confirming that more episodes are in active development.{index=1}

Before you panic: no announcement doesn’t mean “canceled.” It just means “not confirmed…yet.” And there are a few really encouraging signs:

• The manga is still ongoing. Translation: there’s plenty of story left to adapt. We’re not at the end of Yuki and Itsuomi’s relationship in print — not even close. That alone keeps the door wide open for future seasons. {index=2}
• The anime was well-received. The series was praised for its disability representation, gentle pacing, and visual style. It also picked up multiple nominations at the 2025 Crunchyroll Anime Awards, including Best Romance and Best Drama, which is a huge “yes, we see you” from the anime community.
• There’s demand. Fan discussion threads, including ongoing conversations on anime forums and comment sections for the finale, are basically everyone begging for Season 2 — not just because people ship Yuki and Itsuomi, but because a lot of side stories are still wide open. (Rin. Oushi. Emma. Don’t even get me started.)

So the situation right now is: not renewed publicly, not canceled, plenty of source material, strong fan support, award attention. That’s honestly a decent place for a romance anime to be after just one 12-episode season.

Unanswered Storylines We Need from Season 2

Season 1 ends in a satisfying emotional place, so you’re not left with a cruel “haha cliffhanger, suffer.” You do get closure in terms of “yes, this is real, they care about each other.” But there’s still a lot we haven’t seen animated yet — and this is why fans are loud about wanting more.

• Yuki’s mom meeting Itsuomi. We get these cute hints that Mom is protective. She’s not cold — she’s just realistic about how the world treats her daughter. Watching her size up this tall, calm, multilingual pretty boy who clearly adores Yuki? I would watch an entire bottle episode about that conversation alone.
• Yuki’s independence arc. A huge throughline in Season 1 is Yuki quietly asking: “What kind of adult am I allowed to be?” A Season 2 could explore work, money, and how accessibility (or the lack of it) impacts every part of her future. The manga keeps moving in that direction, which is part of why people say it feels so real-life grounded.
• Itsuomi’s world. He travels. He collects cultures and languages. He’s fluent in “meeting people where they are.” But how does that work when the person he wants a future with has roots — a whole community, care network, and rhythm — in one place? That tension (wander vs. stay) hasn’t even really started in the anime yet, but it’s sitting right there.
• Side couples. Rin and Kyouya. Emma and Oushi. You cannot introduce all that delicious tension and then just…roll credits. No. Absolutely not. A Season 2 could easily deepen these relationships and give us parallel perspectives on love, jealousy, insecurity, and timing. Fans aren’t just watching for Yuki and Itsuomi anymore; they’re invested in the whole friend circle.

In other words: there’s so much left to explore that Season 2 basically writes itself. Which is probably why people haven’t shut up about it since March 2024.

Where You Can Watch A Sign of Affection Right Now

A Sign of Affection Season 1 (all 12 episodes) is currently streaming on Crunchyroll, which licensed the series worldwide outside of East Asia.

If you don’t already have a Crunchyroll account, you can also access Crunchyroll as an add-on channel through Amazon. That gives you an easy way to sample the show using Amazon’s free trial window for the Crunchyroll channel, and then just binge your way through Yuki and Itsuomi’s entire slow-burn courtship while you decide if you need to fully subscribe.

Start here if you want to stream it now.

Final Takeaway

This anime is soft, emotional, respectful, and quietly romantic in a way a lot of shows just aren’t. It portrays disability with actual dignity. It treats communication like intimacy instead of an obstacle. And it gives us a female lead who is allowed to want things for herself — not just “be grateful” for attention.

Should you watch A Sign of Affection? Yes. Watch it. Hug a pillow. Text your best friend about it. Then join the rest of us in yelling (politely) for Season 2.

Until we hear official renewal news, Season 1 stands on its own emotionally. You won’t feel cheated. You’ll just be hungry for more.