Every year, we see multiple releases of anime that actually have unique and wholesome love stories. Among those, some remain memorable for a long time in the hearts of viewers, while others don’t.
However, the ones that remain memorable have a common factor among them: they have love arcs so good that you wish you were the one experiencing them.
If you want to watch something other than the action and adventure genre, in this article, we have listed 10 different romance anime for a change of pace.
10. Komi Can’t Communicate (2021-2022)
A popular name in the anime community, Komi Can’t Communicate was one of the few mangas that had to wait a long time for an anime adaptation. However, when it got one, it surely didn’t disappoint.
Made by Tomohito Oda, the story follows Shoko Komi, a girl who has had communication problems ever since she was a child, as she goes on a journey to make 100 friends with the help of her classmate, Hitohito Tadano.
Furthermore, the over-the-top humor mixed with a diverse cast and their side stories makes the anime an enjoyable watch. Similarly, watching Komi’s progress as she improves her communication disability is a feast for the eyes.
Currently, the show has two seasons with 24 episodes, with many speculating that a third season may happen too. Furthermore, the anime has a rating of 7.85 on MyAnimeList (MAL).
Komi Can’t Communicate
IMDb Animation Romance ComedyShoko Komi goes on a journey to make 100 friends before graduation.
| Director | Kazuki Kawagoe, Ayumu Watanabe |
| Release Date | October 7, 2021 |
| Studio | OLM Team Kojima |
| Cast | Aoi Koga, Gakuto Kajiwara, Rie Murakawa |
| Runtime | 22-24 minutes |
| Writers | Tomohito Oda |
| Rating | TV-14 |
9. Kaguya-Sama: Love is War (2019-2022)
An anime with a unique premise, Kaguya-Sama: Love is War, written by Aka Akasaka, provides viewers with a rather different experience when it comes to high school love stories.
Throughout the story, we follow two elite students of Shuchiin Academy, Kaguya Shinomiya and Miyuki Shirogane, who have a crush on each other but are too shy to confess. So, they try to make each other confess through several tactics, which turns the situation into some sort of war.
The anime went viral after its release due to its hilarious plot, character chemistry, and, of course, the cute dance of Fujiwara Chika at the end credits of the show.
With a rating of 8.41 on MAL, the anime has three seasons with 37 episodes, 1 OVA, 1 animated movie, and 2 live-action movies.
Kaguya-Sama: Love is War
IMDb Animation Romance ComedyTwo elite students of Shuchiin Academy try to make each other confess first.
| Director | Mamoru Hatakeyama |
| Release Date | January 12, 2019 |
| Studio | A-1 Pictures |
| Cast | Aaron Dismuke, Aoi Koga, Makoto Furukawa |
| Runtime | 22-24 minutes |
| Writers | Aka Akasaka |
| Rating | TV-14 |
8. Horimiya (2021-2023)
Horimiya, short for Hori-san to Miyamura-kun, is a teen romance anime created by author Hiroki Adachi, who also goes by the name Hero. Beginning as a webcomic, the franchise would go on to get its own manga and anime.
The story revolves around the main characters, Hori and Miyamura, who are classmates but not really friendly. However, their lives would change when they got closer because of an incident with Hori’s little brother.
Furthermore, the show has interesting side characters like Ishikawa, Yoshikawa, Sawada, Sengoku, Yanagi, Kono, and Ayasaki, which make it much more livelier.
While the story primarily focuses on the love arc of Hori and Miyamura, the romantic stories of the side characters and the slice-of-life elements make the anime much more memorable.
As of now, the show has 2 seasons with 13 episodes each and an MAL rating of 8.20.
Horimiya
IMDb Animation Romance Slice of LifeTwo classmates who are completely different from each other fall for each other.
| Director | Masashi Ishihama |
| Release Date | January 10, 2021 |
| Studio | CloverWorks |
| Cast | Haruka Tomatsu, Kôki Uchiyama, Seiichiro Yamashita |
| Runtime | 22-24 minutes |
| Writers | Daisuke Hagiwara, Hero |
| Rating | TV-14 |
7. Tonikawa: Over the Moon for You (2020-2023)
Tonikawa: Over the Moon for You, also known as Fly Me to the Moon, is a sci-fi romantic comedy anime written by Kenjiro Hata.
The premise follows Nasa Yuzaki, a smart but single young man who falls in love with Tsukasa Tsukiyomi, a mysterious girl who saved him after a truck accident. Yuzaki would then ask Tsukiyomi to marry him, which she would do.
Throughout the show, we follow Nasa and Tsukasa’s daily lives as they try to handle several problems that arise from time to time with the appearances of other characters like Kaname, Aya, Chitose, and Tokiko.
Moreover, with an MAL rating of 7.86, the anime has 2 seasons with a total of 24 episodes, 2 OVAs (original video animation), and 4 ONAs (original net animation).
Tonikawa: Over the Moon for You
IMDb Animation Romance Slice of LifeNasa Yuzaki falls in love with a girl named Tsukasa Tsukiyomi after she saves his life.
| Director | Hiroshi Ikehata |
| Release Date | October 3, 2020 |
| Studio | Seven Arcs |
| Cast | Akari Kitô, Jun’ya Enoki, Yû Serizawa |
| Runtime | 22-24 minutes |
| Writers | Kenjiro Hata, Kazuho Hyodo |
| Rating | TV-14 |
6. Wotakoi: Love Is Hard for Otaku (2018)
Wotakoi: Love Is Hard for Otaku proves that just because an anime is short doesn’t mean that it cannot be good. While the show was short, it got a lot of love from the anime community.
Written by Fujita, we follow the story of Narumi Momose, a fujoshi, and Hirotaka Nifuji, a gamer, who start dating each other as they find out that they have a lot of similarities.
Furthermore, there is also a secondary plot that follows the story of Hanako Koyanagi and Taro Kabakura, who are fan favorites.
The setting of the anime is quite different if you compare it to other anime, as the story takes place in an office rather than in high schools or colleges, which makes it relatable to older audiences.
The show only has one season with 11 episodes. However, it was still popular enough to get a rating of 7.93 on MAL.
Wotakoi: Love Is Hard for Otaku
IMDb Animation Romance Slice of LifeWe follow two office co-workers who are secretly Otakus as they fall in love with each other.
| Director | Yoshimasa Hiraike |
| Release Date | April 13, 2018 |
| Studio | A-1 Pictures |
| Cast | Arisa Date, Kento Itô, Miyuki Sawashiro |
| Runtime | 22-24 minutes |
| Writers | Fujita, Yoshimasa Hiraike |
| Rating | TV-14 |
5. Kimi ni Todoke: From Me to You (2009-2024)
A classic romantic anime, many regard Kimi ni Todoke: From Me to You as one of the early anime that popularized the romance genre. Created by Karuho Shiina, the show is available in many mediums, like manga, light novels, and live-action dramas and movies.
The plot follows two high school freshmen, Sawako Kuronuma, a misunderstood girl because of her appearance, and Shouta Kazehaya, a popular but kind-hearted guy, as they help each other with their own personal problems.
Covering elements such as proper communication, love, and friendship, the anime was very popular upon release, and to this day, many say that it is one of the pillars that made romance anime famous.
The show has a rating of 8.01 on MAL. Similarly, the show has a total of 43 episodes, with seasons 1 and 2 being on Nippon TV and season 3, which recently came out on Netflix.
Kimi ni Todoke: From Me to You
IMDb Animation Romance Slice of LifeSawako Kuronuma, a misunderstood girl, and Shouta Kazehaya, a popular but kind-hearted guy, find similarities in each other and start a new friendship.
| Director | Hiroshi Kaburagi |
| Release Date | October 6, 2009 |
| Studio | Production I.G |
| Cast | Mamiko Noto, Morgan Berry, Daisuke Namikawa |
| Runtime | 22-24 minutes |
| Writers | Karuho Shiina |
| Rating | TV-PG |
4. Your Name (2016)
Your Name is a romantic fantasy movie that was written and directed by Makoto Shinkai, a famous novelist and filmmaker. The movie took inspiration from the regularity of natural disasters in Japan.
We follow the story of Taki Tachibana and Mitsuha Miyamizu, two high school students who are unaware of each other’s identities and start swapping bodies. Both of them started leaving each other notes to get to know each other better after getting a hunch about what was happening.
Critics have praised the movie for its story, voice acting, visuals, and animations. Furthermore, there is no doubt that Your Name not only increased the popularity of the romance genre but also of anime overall.
As of now, the movie is the second highest-grossing Japanese movie worldwide, with a collection of $400 million. Similarly, it also has a near-perfect rating of 98% on Rotten Tomatoes and 8.83 on MAL.
Your Name
IMDb Animation Romance Sci-FiTwo high school students who don’t know each other start swapping bodies with each other, causing confusion.
| Director | Makoto Shinkai |
| Release Date | August 26, 2016 |
| Studio | CoMix Wave Films |
| Cast | Ryunosuke Kamiki, Mone Kamishiraishi, Ryo Narita |
| Runtime | 1 hr 47 minutes |
| Writers | Makoto Shinkai, Clark Cheng |
| Rating | TV-14 |
3. Howl’s Moving Castle (2004)
One of the finest movies in the Ghibli collection, Howl’s Moving Castle is definitely up there with one of the best anime romance movies of all time. Adapted from a novel with the same name, the movie was made by none other than the legendary filmmaker, Hayao Miyazaki.
In the movie, we meet Sophie, a girl turned into an old woman after a witch cursed her due to hatred and envy, who is searching for a wizard named Howl to return her to her normal state.
As the story goes on, Sophie and Howl must overcome several obstacles to achieve their own individual goals, adding an adventurous element to the story.
Furthermore, the movie received critical acclaim upon release, with an impressive rating of 87% on Rotten Tomatoes and 8.67 on MAL. Furthermore, it is the eighth highest-grossing Japanese movie, with a box-office earning of $237 million.
Howl’s Moving Castle
IMDb Animation Romance FantasySophie, a girl turned into an old woman after a witch cursed her, is searching for a wizard named Howl to return her to her normal state.
| Director | Hayao Miyazaki |
| Release Date | November 20, 2004 |
| Studio | Studio Ghibli |
| Cast | Chieko Baishô, Takuya Kimura, Tatsuya Gashûin |
| Runtime | 1 hr 59 minutes |
| Writers | Hayao Miyazaki, Diana Wynne Jones |
| Rating | PG |
2. A Sign of Affection (2024)
A Sign of Affection, also known as Yubisaki to Renren in Japanese, is a slice-of-life romance anime made by Suu Morishita.
The show provides a unique premise with Yuki Itose, a deaf-mute girl, who falls in love with Itsuomi Nagi, a boy who consistently travels around the world, after their first meeting on a train. The inner voice of Yuki narrates the story to us throughout the show.
Moreover, the sub-plots with supporting characters like Oshi, Rin, Kyoya, Ema, and Shin expand the world, making it more realistic and providing different views of the story.
While the show is only one season long with 12 episodes, it became popular, and there were many edits about the show on TikTok and YouTube. Furthermore, the anime has an 8.23 rating on MAL, proving its popularity.
A Sign of Affection
IMDb Animation Romance Slice of LifeA deaf-mute girl falls in love with a guy from her college, who also happens to have fallen for her.
| Director | Yûta Murano |
| Release Date | January 6, 2024 |
| Studio | Ajia-do Animation Works |
| Cast | Sumire Morohoshi, Yu Miyazaki, Takeo Otsuka |
| Runtime | 22-24 minutes |
| Writers | Suu Morishita, Yoko Yonaiyama |
| Rating | Tv-14 |
1. Fruits Basket (2019-2021)
A notable name in the shojo genre, Fruits Basket is one of the few anime that have revolutionized the romance genre. With the manga initially starting in 1998, this one might be one of the oldest materials on our list.
The narrative follows Tohru Honda, a girl who is living with the Sohma family after her mother’s passing.
The show takes a turn when Tohru discovers that the members of the Sohma family actually turn into animals of the Chinese zodiac when they are having a stressful time or are touched by someone from the opposite gender.
Following this discovery, Tohru’s interaction with the family leads to everyone getting emotionally better in life, including hers as well.
There are actually two anime adaptations for this show, with the first one released in 2001 and the second one released in 2019. However, the second adaptation is the only one that covers the entire manga.
Similarly, there are both animated and live-action movies available to watch, too. As the former highest-rated anime on MAL, it has a rating of 8.97.
Fruits Basket
IMDb Animation Romance Slice of LifeTohru Honda, a girl who is living with the Sohma family after her mother’s passingdiscovers that the members of the family turn into animals of the Chinese zodiac under some unique circumstances.
| Director | Yoshihide Ibata |
| Release Date | April 6, 2019 |
| Studio | TMS/8PAN |
| Cast | Manaka Iwami, Laura Bailey, Nobunaga Shimazaki |
| Runtime | 22-24 minutes |
| Writers | Taku Kishimoto, Yûichirô Kido, Natsuki Takaya |
| Rating | Tv-14 |
