From the country that gave the world a pigeon dating sim comes a short romance game starring cockroaches.

Summer in Japan means many things: the dazzlingly vibrant fireworks displays, the refreshing seasonal treats, and sipping on some cold beer in some of the country’s stunning beer gardens. However, the hot weather also brings forth some unpleasant critters, and while mosquitoes have a very prominent presence in daily lives with the incessant itching their bites cause, cockroaches are an even more unwelcome sight to see in your home.

It’s no surprise that there is an assortment of pest control products targeted specifically towards these summer villains, with Earth Chemical being among the most recognizable companies to sell them. This year, they are introducing a new spray in an easy-push canister, the Gokish Su… Sugoi Roach Killer, coming in 60, 120, and 160 push variations, plus one with a pleasant minty fragrance. While intended for cockroaches, it’s also effective for bed bugs, dust mites, mosquitoes, and flies.

With all new things, the company often spends a considerable amount of planning and effort in the marketing of the additions to its lineup, and this time Earth Chemical seems to have pulled out all the stops, creating a free, limited-time-only dating simulator game that can be played in your browser.

Dating sim games, which see the main character interact with and develop relationships with one or several potential love interests, are by no means hard to find in Japanese stores. Nor are they limited to traditional romance novel settings, what with being able to find games that allow you to date pigeons, an alpaca, and even a man with an ice cream chocolate for a head. That being said, it’s a bold move from Earth Chemical to suggest that the nation’s most detested insect could even remotely be a target for romantic affection.

Available for a limited time from June 4 until September 3, 2026, players will be able turn these little household nightmares into dateable bachelors in the game called Gokigen Lovely Days, or simply Goki-Love for short. The name makes a play on the Japanese word for “cockroach” (gokiburi) and the word “gokigen”, meaning “to be in a good mood” or “in high spirits.”

The game features four distinct handsome archetypes: a clumsy prince, an innocent younger brother, a refined traditional gentleman, and a wild older brother figure. All fairly standard for a dating sim, but take a closer look at their profiles and the veiled truth comes to light: they love dark, damp spaces, beer, and onions, while despising mint, citrus, and lavender. In order to raise their affection levels in the game, players will need to leverage their knowledge of actual insect biology.

As an added bonus, all four characters are voiced by Yuki Kaji, who is famous for voicing Eren Jeager in Attack on Titan, Shoto Todoroki in My Hero Academia, and Kenma Kozume in Haikyu!!, meaning the quirky insects are accompanied by a high-quality vocal performance.

▼ Yuki Kaji

In addition to the game that is available to play, there’s a campaign running until June 17 where if you follow Earth Chemical’s official Twitter account and repost the designated campaign post, you could be one of 64 people to win a bundle containing pest control gear and a Gokigen Lovely Days acrylic character stand. Or, if you reply to the campaign post with your thoughts and impressions after playing the game, 10 lucky winners will be able to get their hands on an exclusive autograph board signed by Yuki Kaji. All winners will be contacted via direct message once the drawings have been conducted.

Whether you’re a resident trying to survive insect season or a fan of quirky Japanese subculture, this browser game offers a unique experience that will truly prove that love has no boundaries.

Related: Browser game, Twitter campaign link
Source: Twitter/@EarthOfficialJP via Jin, PR Times
Images: PR Times
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