The romance genre is without a doubt one of the most influential in popular culture, having produced some of the most sad, touching, and unforgettable stories. Shows dealing with the nuances of love have become more prevalent as anime has matured as an art form, and there is no shortage of fantastic romantic programs to select from. Allow us to be your guide if you’re in a similar situation and want to watch wonderful love stories with well-developed characters who are worth your time. Some of the best romantic anime ever made can be found here. Some of these shows/movies are available on Hulu, Netflix, Crunchyroll, Funimation, and Amazon Prime. At the end of each recommendation, we’ve included a link.
Ai Yori Aoshi (2002)
At the station, Kaoru Hanabishi encounters a female. When Kaoru notices that she is perplexed, he decides to assist her in locating her destination. As they continue their hunt for the girl’s location, Kaoru realizes they are strolling through his own neighborhood. Later, it was discovered that the girl was intended to go to an empty area. Kaoru invites her to his home to unravel the riddle, only to discover that she is his childhood friend and fiancée. Kaoru must come to grips with his duties and solve the riddles that surround their bizarre and confused meeting, as he is perplexed by the startling discovery. You can watch it online here.
anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day (2011)
The coming-of-age narrative ‘anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day’ is fantastic. Jinta, a social recluse who has preferred to live alone since his pals broke apart following the loss of their mutual friend Meiko, is the protagonist of the show. Jinta encounters the ghost of Meiko one day, who informs her that she is unable to pass to the next world since one of her wishes remains unmet. The plot then shifts to Jinta resurrecting their former organization in order to grant Meiko’s wish and allow her to finally find peace. Funimation has the anime available for streaming.
Bakemonogatari (2009)
‘Bakemonogatari’ features Koyomi Aragi, a third-year high school girl with superhuman talents including as quick healing and night vision. These skills are relics of his vampiric abilities, which he acquired after being assaulted by a vampire. A man named Meme Oshino freed him from vampirism and helped him live a regular life. Aragi is a laid-back adolescent who suffers with schoolwork but excels at arithmetic. He is a wonderful individual who is constantly willing to risk his life to help others. Hitagi Senjougahara, one of his classmates, falls down the stairs and is caught by him. Aragi notices Hitagi’s very light weight. He recognizes that there may be a supernatural element at work and offers to assist her. Aragi helps other people with their supernatural difficulties and falls in love as the show goes. Funimation has the show available.
Butūmu! (2012)
Butmu! is an action/romance anime about Ryouta Sakamoto, a naive gamer who becomes caught in a real-life version of a game he enjoys. If he wants to return home and live a normal life, he must now murder the other competitors in order to obtain a token of triumph in the form of a green crystal. Fortunately, he has his in-game wife Himiko by his side, who supports him throughout the game. While attempting to survive this life-or-death game, the two get increasingly close. Crunchyroll has the anime available.
‘Chobits’ is centered on the intriguing and thought-provoking issue, ‘Can Humans Fall in Love with Artificial Intelligence?’ Hideki Motosuwa is a student who discovers an abandoned Persocom, a type of computer that resembles a human. It turns out that this is a faulty piece that can only speak Chii and cannot download data. So, while trying to discover the truth about ‘Chii,’ Hideki decides to teach her the ways of the world himself. The series is available to watch online.
Clannad (2007)
‘Clannad’ is a love animation series with a self-realization theme. The story revolves around Tomoya Okazaki, a bored and uninterested adolescent. He has given up on his life and accepted the truth that he would never be successful. Okazaki misses classes and wastes his time with one of his closest friends, Youhei Sunohara. He meets a girl named Nagisa Furukawa one day. She appears to be murmuring something to herself before exclaiming, “Anpan!” which surprises Okazaki. Nagisa then maintains that they are friends, despite Okazaki’s dismissive attitude. However, as the series unfolds, he grows closer to Nagisa and discovers that she has been held back a year due to her illness. Nagisa wishes to resurrect the drama club. Okazaki finally resolves to befriend her and assist her in realizing her dream, which unintentionally leads to him learning more about himself. The anime may be watched on Hulu.
Doukyuusei (2016)
The poignant love tale of two lads is told in ‘Doukyuusei.’ Rhito Sajou would never have met Hikaru Kusakabe if it hadn’t been for fate. The lads are diametrically opposed to one another. Rhito is a studious A-level student, whereas Hikaru is a guitarist in a popular band. While their paths should never have met, when the former is assigned to teach the latter how to play the chorus, the two develop an odd connection to one another. They gradually begin to meet more frequently, and before anyone realizes it, they have fallen in love. You may watch the anime online here.
Fruits Basket (2019 – 2021)
The romance animation ‘Furtsu Basuketto’ or ‘Fruits Basket’ is based on Natsuki Takaya’s manga series of the same name. The plot revolves around Tohru, who becomes homeless after her mother passes away. Yuki, a classmate, offers her sanctuary. Yuki’s family is cursed, and members of the family transform into Chinese zodiac animals when touched by the opposite sex. Natsuki agrees to keep it a secret and continues to live in the house, falling in love with Yuki soon after. The animation can be viewed here.
Hotarubi no Mori e (2011)
When people ask me which anime film I recommend, one of the first titles that comes to mind is ‘Hotarubi no Mori e.’ Hotaru, a six-year-old girl who is fascinated by legends of mountain ghosts, is the protagonist of the film. During her summer vacations, she visits her uncle and decides to visit the mountain forest. However, she becomes disoriented and is aided by Gin, a humanoid spirit who wears a mask. Despite Gin’s request that she not return, Hotaru returns for the remainder of her summer vacation and promises to visit him again next year.
Hotaru develops and evolves through time, but Gin remains the same. Between the two, a nascent romance emerges. Gin is desperate to touch and feel Hotaru, but there’s a catch. Gin will vanish if he is ever touched by a human. Will the improbable romance between the two ever work out under these unusual circumstances?
Howl no Ugoku Shiro (2004)
Sophie, a humble village girl, is the protagonist of ‘Howl no Ugoku Shiro,’ a touching love film. In the town, her father works as a hat manufacturer. She becomes entangled in an incident one day, but is saved by a handsome wizard named Howl. This enrages the Witch of the Waste, who uses a curse to transform Sophie into an older lady. She resolves to locate Howl and ask for aid because she is embarrassed to come home. Fortunately, a scarecrow comes to her rescue and transports Sophie to Howl’s rolling castle. She meets Calcifier, a fire demon who pledges to assist Sophie if she can free him from the attractive wizard. Sophie begins working as a cleaning lady in the castle in order to discover a means to free Calcifier, which marks the start of an emotional drama that will captivate any reader. The movie can be viewed online here.
Kaichō wa Meido-same! (2010)
‘Kaich wa Meido-same!’ is a love animation about Misaki, the president of the student council, who is striving to keep the school in order and avoid problems from occurring. Since the school recently became coed, she has a difficult task ahead of her. Despite her attempts to appear tough, she is hiding a dark truth. Misaki supports her family by working as a maid in a café, but everything changes when a kid named Takumi learns about it. Will he make fun of her with this information? Is he trying to make her life better or worse? The anime is available to watch on Hulu.
Kareshi Kanojo no Jijō (1998)
‘Kareshi Kanojo no Jij’ follows Miyazawa and Arima through their lives. Miyazawa is the ideal student at school, always courteous and nice and in everyone’s good books. However, she is haughty on the inside and will go to any length to be the best. Arima, a boy who unexpectedly pushes her academically and forces her to take him seriously, enters the picture. This irritates Miyazawa. To make matters worse, Arima discovers her ruse and employs her to complete his tasks. However, things take a startling turn when Arima confesses her love for Miyazawa.
Kimi ni Todoke (2009)
‘Kimi ni Todoke’ is a delightful love story that defies a number of shoujo romance anime tropes. Kuronuma Sawako is a lovely and innocent high school student who is frequently misunderstood by her peers. The most common cause of this misinterpretation is Sawako’s appearance, which is strikingly similar to the ghost girl from the horror film ‘The Ring.’ Her peers have given her the nickname Sadako as a result of this. Sawako, on the other hand, want to be a typical girl with a close friend. She finds herself pulled to Kazehaya Souta, the class’s most popular boy. Kazehaya starts talking to her one day. This makes Sawako very happy and gives her the false hope of becoming a good friend and, hopefully, a sexual connection. Will her story play out exactly as she imagines? The show can be viewed here.
Kimi no Na wa (2016)
‘Kimi no Na wa’ is about Mitsuha Miyamizu and Taki Tachibana, two youths. Mitsuha lives in the countryside and has no desire to stay there because she wishes to live in Tokyo, Japan’s bustling city. Taki Tachibana, on the other hand, is disillusioned with city life and resides in Tokyo. He is a good person, but he lacks patience and can be quite stubborn at times. He’s really busy juggling his part-time work and his studies. Mitsuha and Taki wake up one day to realize that they had traded locations. They have effectively switched bodies, so it isn’t merely a location transfer. As they attempt to return to their true home, they go on an unique trip that leads them to fall in love with one another. The movie can be seen here.
Koe no Katachi (2016)
Shouya Ishida was a troublemaker who didn’t care about other people’s sentiments as long as he and his friends were entertained. As a result, when Shouko Nishimiya, a deaf transfer student, enrolls at Ishida’s school, he leaves no stone unturned in his attempt to abuse her for a few laughs. When her mother finally complains to the school administration, everyone blames Ishida, including his closest friends. Following the incident, Nishimiya transfers to a different school, and Ishida is singled out and left alone, as no one speaks to him. Ishida, in his third year of high school, regrets his misdeeds and decides to make apologies by meeting Nishimiya and becoming her friend, unaware of the surprises that await him if he follows this road. ‘Koe no Katachi’ is available to watch online.
Orange (2016)
‘Orange’ is a film about a high school student named Naho Takamiya. She receives a letter one day, and it turns out that it was written by her future self. The letter outlines her life’s regrets and mistakes, as well as what she needs to do to avoid making them again. The tale is well-written, and the animation brings the character to life by addressing deep emotional and mature issues. You can watch the anime here if you want to see how Naho’s narrative evolves.
Ore Monogatari! (2015)
‘Ore Monogatari!’ features Takeo Goda, a huge, muscular student whose crushes all end up falling for his closest friend, Makoto. But when Rinko, the girl he saves, falls in love with him, his lonely life becomes more complicated. Can Takeo ever achieve peace of mind and the solid relationship he deserves, despite his complicated love life? Here you can see all of the episodes in their entirety.
Ouran Koukou Host Club (2006)
If you enjoy anime with a cross-dressing protagonist, you might find ‘Ouran Koukou Host Club’ to be rather entertaining. Ouran High School is primarily for society’s upper crust, with only a few commoners enrolled. Haruhi Fujioka is a bright young lady who is naturally gifted in the classroom and is awarded a scholarship to attend a prominent school. She is one of the few pupils who truly studies despite being a commoner. Haruhi was looking for a quiet place to study one day when she ended up in the music room. There she meets members of the prestigious club, who like entertaining the academy’s attractive girls. Haruhi damages a valuable vase while attempting to flee the room. As a result, she begins working for the club, performing errands for them. However, she is promoted to host owing to her masculine appearance and positive attitude toward girls, and she soon begins cross-dressing to entertain the girls. The show is available to watch online.
Rabu★Kon (2007)
‘RabuKon’ or ‘Love Com’ is a romantic comedy anime based on the manga series by Aya Nakahara. The plot follows the lives of Atsushi Tani, a short-statured guy, and Risa Koizumi, a tall classmate. Rias can’t help but be attracted to an attractive student from another class who turns up and catches her eye. Atsushi, on the other hand, has his sights set on another woman. The two decide to help one other with their love lives, but they develop feelings for each other as well. Can the couple confess their love for one another in the face of societal pressure?
ReLIFE (2016)
‘ReLIFE’ is a romantic slice-of-life anime that follows Arata Kaizaki, a 27-year-old guy with no clear goals in life. People in his environment have dubbed him a loser, and he does nothing to help them reconsider their harsh opinions. He spends his days hopping from one job to the next. Ryou Yoake is a girl whom Arata encounters one day. She claims that if he takes the drug she is selling, he would be able to change his life. Arata doesn’t give it much thought and swallows the medication without hesitation. When he wakes up the next day, he discovers that he has reverted to being 17 years old. Ryou was discovered to be employed by the ReLIFE Institute, a medical organization. Arata is now being used as a test subject for a new medicine. To continue the drug testing, he must enroll in high school as a transfer student for one year.
Ryou is a fellow student at the school and is tasked with keeping an eye on him. Though Arata believes that his 10 years of experience will make things simple for him, he discovers the hard way that reality is far from simple. Over the last ten years, everything has changed. He must now avoid making the same mistakes that he did as a student. The show can be viewed here.
Sakurasou no Pet na Kanojo (2012)
Sorata Kanda, a good-natured and kind-hearted boy, is the protagonist of ‘Sakurasou no Pet na Kanojo.’ So when he comes across abandoned kittens, he can’t let them go until he finds them a good home. However, because his dorm does not allow pets, he understands that he will have to relocate to Sakura Hall, a dormitory full of oddballs. He needs to find owners for the cats while he’s there so he may return to his own dorm. However, during his time with the strangers, he learns more about the other inhabitants of the hostel and becomes close to them. The show can be found here.
Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso (2014)
People who have close encounters with death frequently have life-altering experiences. It always brings with it a sense of doom and gloom. When a loved one passes away, it feels as if the world has come to an end. When Kousei Arima, a brilliant pianist, loses his mother, he suffers a similar fate. He is depressed and unable to play the piano. He falls into depression and goes two years without playing a single note. When he meets violinist Kaori, fate takes a turn for the better and he is able to move on and resume his musical career. But, unbeknownst to him, she is concealing a deadly secret from him that could push him over the line and cause him to commit suicide. Is it possible for Kousei to recover from the trauma of losing his loved ones and develop a positive attitude on life? The anime is available on Hulu.
Shōjo Kakumei Utena (1997)
Tenjou Utena aspires to be a prince. Since she was consoled by some prince after her parents died, she had been holding this peculiar urge. He had given her a ring when they first met a long time ago. Years later, she finds herself in a school where pupils wearing similar rings compete for the Rose Bride, Anthy, and her magical abilities. Utena not only participates, but she wins and obtains Anthy, marking the start of her romantic and sad adventure. You may view ‘Shjo Kakumei Utena’ here if you want to see how the narrative evolves.
Toradora! (2008)
Toradora! is a romantic comedy anime based on Yuyuko Takemiya’s light novel series of the same name. Ryuuji Takasu is a misguided second-year high school student who aspires to be close to his crush Minori. While attempting to impress her, he unintentionally comes encounters with Taiga, a sweet-looking girl on the outside but a hothead on the inside who may become enraged for the simplest of causes. She eventually decides to assist Ryuuji in exchange for him assisting her with her crush. However, when their attempts to aid each other fail one after another, the two begin to form affections for one another. Crunchyroll has the anime available.
True Tears (2008)
Imagine living in the same house as your crush but being unable to make eye contact with her because she is chilly to you. This is what occurs to Shinichiro, who is at a loss on how to help Hiromi move on from the tragedy of losing her parents as a child. In addition, a strange girl from school named Noe takes an interest in him, while his parents urge him to take dancing classes, something he refuses to do. All of this must be managed while attempting to open up Hiromi. You may watch ‘True Tears’ on Amazon’s official website if the notion sounds intriguing.
