From meet-cutes to silent pining, courtship to broken hearts, romance anime can be exhilarating, comforting, and heartbreaking all at once. Rather than relying on cheesy tropes and emotional manipulation, good romance anime try to touch on something authentic about the human experience.
Whether cutesy and exaggerated or refined and reserved, romance anime explore their characters' most vulnerable feelings; there might not be missile barrages or hordes of zombies to contend with, but the threat to the character is no less real. The pain of a broken heart isn’t soon forgotten, but neither is the unexpected relief and joy of finding one’s match.
Updated Jul 01, 2025, by Mark Sammut:Romance is one of the most popular genres in anime, with each season producing a few notable shows.Fall 2024was not an exception; consequently, one of its more divisive romances has been added as a recommendation. Also, eachunderrated romance anime’s specifications have been introduced to this article.
365 Days to the Weddingcan be polarizing. The romance anime follows Rika and Takuya, two coworkers who pretend they are getting married in a year to reduce their chances of being relocated to a new country by their job. As both of them are quite socially awkward and pretty to be alone, they have not given serious consideration to pursuing relationships, so their novel situation does not play to their strengths. As they attempt to fake it, they eventually start to develop genuine feelings.
Rika and Takuya are not particularly charismatic, and that seems to be mostly by design. While not unlikable, their journey can be frustrating at times; however, it is fascinating to watch them gradually deconstruct their preconceptions on marriage. ThisFall 2024 animeloses a bit of steam towards the end of its run, but it is still worth a watch for anyone looking for a different type of romance.
Koi Kazehas a very complicated and outlandish story. It follows Saeki Koushirou, who works as a wedding planner. Even though his job involves helping other people have their dream wedding, Saeki is unable to find a suitable partner for himself. His past causes plenty of problems for him, so he prefers not to dedicate himself completely to any relationship.
This causes Saeki to be dumped by his girlfriend, after which he meets a high school student whose personality shakes him to the core. Saeki begins to develop feelings for her, but soon he finds out that she is his sister. He tries to avoid her, but it only exacerbates the situation. While it may seem bizarre at first, the anime gets better with every passing episode, making it anunderrated romance anime.
The title for this particular anime series is quite different from the usual romance anime.She, The Ultimate Weapon,covers the romance of Chise andher childhood friend, Shuuji. The two of them live in a military town, which is a peaceful town with little to no troubles. On a fateful day, Shuuji and his friends decide to go to another place to buy presents for their girlfriends.
Unfortunately, the happy trip turns into a grim one because of an air raid. It results in thousands of casualties, but Shuuji somehow manages to survive. He tries to find his way back to his town, only to find Chise looking nothing like she did when he left her. Shuuji eventually finds out that she has been transformed into a cyborg against her will. They try to continue their relationship and find answers to some important questions.
Ambitionless college graduate Rikuo and high school dropout Haru connect over their mutual disillusionment.Sing “Yesterday” for Meisn’t a cold or grim story, but neither is it one that shies away from the hard parts of life.
Its characters are adults, and they have adult problems, and there’s something admirable in that. Many romance animefocus on young coupleswho have not yet had to face the difficulties of the adult world.Sing “Yesterday” for Meis as much a slice-of-life anime as a romantic one, and the way it interweaves its themes is part of the draw.
Flowers have long been a symbol of love, romance, and friendship, so the protagonist of a romance anime running a flower shop is the perfect fit. Rokka Shimao owns such a shop, and when Ryousuke falls in love with her, it seems their romance is destined to work out.
Of course, there’s the small matter of Rokka’s dead husband, who is now a ghost and intends to do everything in his power to disrupt their courtship.Natsuyuki Rendezvoussuffers from messy plot development and anodd approach to its themes,but despite these problems, it remains a standout romance anime.
8Mysterious Girlfriend X
The Allure Of Spit
It’s impossible to know during the making of a series what level of popularity it will achieve. Some flop, while others soar to unexpected heights. Others become cult classics, beloved by a few diehard fans while being largely ignored by the broader community.Mysterious Girlfriend Xis a cult classic, and it’s easy to understand why.
It’s about the romance between Tsubaki and Mikoto, which begins when Tsubaki becomes addicted to Mikoto’s drool. Strange and gross? Yes. But the series uses this bizarre plot as a means to explore a deep and nuanced relationship between two characters whose emotions are actually worth caring about. That’s a feat for any anime.
Based on theKare Kanomanga,Kareshi Kanojo no Jijouis about the relationship that develops between two class reps: Yukino, the current star, and Soichiro, the transfer student who begins challenging Yukino for leadership. Though impeded by its limited budget, the series is still a sound portrayal of young love.
Its main couple is strong in its own right, but the secondary characters and their relationships are strong enough to carry the show by themselves.Yukino’s quirks, in particular, make her the standout character of this charming show.Kareshi Kanojo no Jijouis a fun, light look at botheveryday school life and romance,balancing the two so that neither spoils the fun of the other.
Some may argue thatNo.6is not a romance anime; it is, after all, a post-apocalypticsci-fi action animeabout life in the six remaining human cities. Life is utopian with no crime, no poverty, no worries at all — that is, until the lie of that life is exposed.
The series is one that blends genres, but the romantic arc that develops between Shion and Nezumi earns it a place amongst the great romances. After a fantastic opening, the show does suffer from directionless plotting; however, seeing Shion and Nezumi grow closer to one another as they cope with their new circumstances is worth it.
Most people have something about themselves they’d like to change — but most don’t get the opportunity to change that something by visiting a magical stone cat statue. That’s exactly the opportunity that Youto gets inHenneko.Unfortunately, as always seems to be the case, this kind of magic has a catch.
Thanks to the statue, Youto can’t stop confessing his emotions, and fellow student Tsukiko is rendered almost emotionless. It’s not an auspicious start for romance, but romance is nonetheless where it leads.Hennekomay not be technically perfect, but it is endearing, fun, and innovative in ways that many romance anime aren’t. Its fan service means it isn’tfor younger viewers, but older romance anime fans should find plenty to enjoy.
A film by Studio Gonzo,Origin: Spirits of the Pastis a fascinating sci-fi film about a world that is forever changed when the forests gain sentience. When young protagonist Agito finds a girl, Toola, slumbering in a strange machine, he learns that she may be the key to achieving peace between humans and trees.
The exceptional premise might be enough to win the film renown as science fiction, but to be a great romance, the connection between Agito and Toola must be special — and it is. Thanks to Studio Gonzo, the animation is as lush and crisp as one could ask for.
