There’s no shortage of great romance anime out there. We’ve seen some fun romances play out throughout the years, and some have definitely stood the test of time more than others.
One of the most popular recent examples has to be Kaguya-sama: Love Is War. The series does a great job of spicing up the usual rom-com formula with some psychological elements, making the budding romance between its two leads all the more interesting to follow. As good as Love Is War is, these anime might just do romance a little better.
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Shikimori’s Not Just A Cutie
Shikimori’s Not Just A Cutie has its main pair start things off at what many romance anime treat as the finish line: being in a relationship. The series focuses on the dynamic between the klutzy Yuuki, and his popular, confident girlfriend Miyako.
With the two already being in a relationship, there’s not much drama, and so the series just focuses on the relationship between the two, which is a breath of fresh air compared to most rom-com anime. That’s not to say that things are static throughout, as we see how Miyako affects Yuuki when they’re together, making him less accident-prone and often leading to some great moments between the two of them.
Saekano: How to Raise a Boring Girlfriend
As far as premises go, Saekano has a pretty unique one. Tomoya Aki is a hardcore otaku who sets out to create a visual novel, recruiting his childhood friend Eriri to draw the art, and his schoolmate Utaha to write the script. But Aki has a very particular person in mind to serve as inspiration for the game’s heroine, his unnoticeable classmate Megumi, who caught Aki’s eye during spring break. Convinced that he can draw out Megumi’s charm, Aki works with the rest of the team towards coaching her into being the perfect game heroine.
Saekano has a strong cast of characters, with each heroine getting some great development and attention throughout the series. Aki’s relationship with his team members is an important part of the story, and we get to see how their unique dynamics affect both the development of the game and any potential romance.
Kimagure Orange Road
One of the most influential romance anime, Kimagure Orange Road is a series that doesn’t get as much attention as you’d expect. Before popular Weekly Shonen Jump romance series like To Love Ru, Nisekoi, and Blue Box, there was Kimagure Orange Road.
The series follows Kyosuke Kasuga, who, because of his family’s psychic powers, is forced to move around frequently. When his family moves to yet another new city, Kyosuke encounters a beautiful girl and immediately falls for her. At school, he learns that the girl is actually a cigarette-smoking delinquent named Madoka Ayukawa. Things get complicated when Madoka’s best friend Hikaru falls for Kyosuke, setting up a love triangle. It’s a petty standard trope now, but Kimagure Orange Road handles its love triangle well, giving you an idea of Kyosuke and Madoka’s chemistry while also having Kyosuke confront his feelings for Hikaru.
We Never Learn
One of the better modern Jump romances, We Never Learn has a fun cast of characters and an interesting setup. As far as harem anime go, We Never Learn stands out as one of the less formulaic and actually does a good job in giving each heroine their time in the spotlight, fleshing them out as characters.
The series follows Nariyuki Yuiga, who, coming from an impoverished family, looks to get a scholarship to pay for his college tuition. He’s awarded the scholarship he wants, but only under the condition that he tutors the school’s top students in the subjects they struggle with the most. The main cast of heroines eventually settles at five: Nariyuki’s schoolmates Rizuand Fumino, his childhood friend, Uruka, aspiring college student Asumi, and the Student Counselor, Mafuyu. Unlike most series, the We Never Learn manga goes the extra mile and gives each girl their own alternate route where they “win”. It’s a fun bit of fan service, but also allows you to see each character’s story through to the end.
Yamada-kun and the Seven Witches
Yamada-kun and the Seven Witches is a harem romance with a fun supernatural twist. Delinquent student Ryuu Yamada looks to turn his life around, but his new mundane everyday life has led him to fall back into bad habits. Things get complicated for Ryu when an accidental fall down the stairs alongside honor student Urara leads to an accidental kiss and the two swapping bodies.
Yamada-kun and the Seven Witches’ premise definitely stands out from some of its contemporaries, and the body swap angle makes for some interesting character interactions and dynamics. Ryuu ends up meeting other characters with similar abilities, opening the series up to some great characters and fun moments.
Nisekoi
Nisekoi is a fun twist on the usual harem formula. The series follows Raku Ichijou, the son of a large yakuza family who promised to marry his childhood friend when they were younger. The only issue is Raku can’t remember who she is or what he looks like. With only a locked pendant to remember her by, Raku’s life gets complicated when his father arranges for Raku to be in a relationship with Chitoge, the daughter of a rival gang. The only issue is Raku already has a crush on his classmate, Kosaki. With the situation between their family gangs tense, Raku and Chitoge must fake being in a relationship while Raku searches for the girl who has the key to opening his locked pendant, with her potentially being closer than he thinks.
The mystery at the center of Nisekoi’s premise makes it an interesting read/watch. You’re not just focused on Raku’s relationship with the series’ heroines, but the question of who his childhood friend is as well. The series does a great job of slowly unraveling the mystery while also placing a lot of importance on Raku’s relationship with each heroine.
Urusei Yatsura
Urusei Yatsura is one of iconic mangaka Rumiko Takahashi’s most beloved series. The series protagonist, an incredibly lustful high schooler named Ataru Moroboshi, fends off an alien invasion by beating their princess in a game of tag. Thanks to a misunderstanding, the princess, named Lum, assumes that Ataru wants to marry her. But Ataru already has a girlfriend named Shinobu, who, feeling betrayed by Ataru, leaves him. Lum quickly moves in with Ataru, who struggles to get Shinobu back while trying to fend off Lum.
Urusei Yatsura has a great cast of characters, and two heroines who aren’t afraid to give the series’ lecherous, Playboy protagonist his just deserts when necessary. Lum and Shinobu are portrayed as having their own flaws, but we root for them when they put the womanizing Ataru in his place over and over again. It’s a fun but dysfunctional dynamic that keeps things interesting, and still leaves room for genuine romance at times in the series.
