Are you looking for the best romance anime series?
Well you’ve come to the right place because we’ll be going over all kinds of romantic anime shows.
There’s lots of variety including fantasy romance, vampire romance, high school romance, comedy, slice of life, sad romance, and even dark romance.
There’s something here for everyone.
So let’s get straight into it!
Table of Contents
Maid Sama!
The school went from an all boys school to a school where it includes girls as well. Misaki Ayuzawa is not afraid to use her fighting skills on the hoards of boys that come running at the girls.
Ayuzawa has a bit of an embarrassing secret…
…she works at a maid cafe… she does this in order to pay off the debt her dad left her family. Ayuzawa does well to keep it a secret until Takumi Usui, the most popular boy in school finds out.
He can easily destroy her reputation by exposing it. Or he can use it to get close to Ayuzawa. I wonder which one he will go with?
Kamisama Kiss
Nanami Momozono simply wants to be an ordinary schoolgirl. But her father is a heavy gambler that has accumulated a lot of debt. She gets kicked out of her apartment by the debt collectors and is now homeless.
Whilst sitting on a park bench, Nanami finds a man up a tree because a dog is after him. After she saves the man and he finds out about her situation, he gives her a place to stay.
When Nanami arrives at the home, she realizes it’s not really a home but a shrine.
She learns that the man used to be the deity of the Earth and wishes to make her the new deity. Understandably, Nanami is reluctant at first but she accepts her new position and works hard.
As time goes on, Nanami finds herself falling in love with Tomoe, the man she saved from the dog.
But she’s rejected as he’s a Yokai and it’s taboo for a human and Yokai to be together. However, Tomoe is also starting to develop feelings for her as well.
Ah, one of those stories of forbidden love… how romantic!
Snow White with the Red Hair
Shirayuki is just a normal herbalist in the kingdom of Tanbarun. But she has one feature which makes her stand out, her red hair.
It attracts a lot of attention and she’s taught to cover it. Shirayuki is very cautious about showing her hair and becomes a strong, independent woman.
Unfortunately, her hair gets discovered by Prince Raj and he orders her to become his concubine.
Refusing his disgusting orders, she cuts her hair and leaves it behind as part of what he wanted and escapes to the neighboring kingdom of Clarines.
As she escapes, she meets and befriends Prince Zen and his two assistants, Mitsuhide and Kiki. Zen is poisoned by an apple gifted by Raj. Shirayuki successfully obtains the antidote.
Shirayuki passes an exam for a position to train in the palace as a herbalist. As time goes on, Zen and Shirayuki begin to fall in love with each other, despite their difference in social status.
It’s another epic love story of forbidden love.
Kimi ni Todoke
You follow a girl named Kuronuma Sawako who is nicknamed Sadako (ghost girl) by her classmates. She’s named this because of her scary face and outward behavior.
She just wants to make some friends and live a normal high schooler life. She admires Kazehaya because of his personality that draws people in. Kazehaya begins talking to her and everything changes.
Suddenly she’s making new friends and talking to different people. Slowly, slowly, love grows between the two as they overcome circumstances and obstacles that stand in their way. It’s a great high school romance anime.
Ao Haru Ride/Blue Spring Ride
One day, Futaba Yoshioka, a 16 year old high school student reunites with Kou Tanaka. Her first and only love who had moved to Nagasaki in middle school.
He’s become a completely different person and feels like she doesn’t know him at all. He’s just really shallow and cold.
Futaba learns that Kou’s mother had died after he moved away. She decides to help him process his grief and falls in love with him all over again.
However, just when Kou is about to move on from his past, Yui Narumi, Kou’s buddy from Nagasaki, moves to his town, and he stays with her to help her through her father’s death.
When Futaba realizes that she cannot change Kou, she decides to move on…
…she begins a relationship with Toma Kikuchi and Kou realizes that his relationship with his friend Yui is holding him back. Stopping him from moving on in his life.
After Kou cuts ties with Yui, he begins trying to pursue a relationship with Futaba. Futaba’s lingering feelings for him complicates her relationship with Toma, and they break up.
It’s a great drama to watch. The way I’ve described it above may have seemed boring but it’s really not. It’s only 12 episodes and it’s an emotional rollercoaster. It’s actually pretty sad.
Blue Spring Ride is definitely worth a watch.
Sword Art Online
Yup, I’ve mentioned SAO in this guide. And if you haven’t seen Sword Art Online before because you’re living under a rock, it’s one of those love or hate anime. I personally think it’s an epic show.
Or at least season 1 is. Season 1 is well worth a watch, you won’t be disappointed no matter who you are.
Sword Art Online is a virtual reality multiplayer game that’s set in a fantasy world. The world takes a turn for the worst when players realize they can’t log out. They’re now trapped inside of this game.
The story centers around Kirito, a hardcore gamer. He is trying to reach the 100th floor and defeat the final boss. This will allow you out of the game. If you die in the game, you die in real life as well.
Since he was a beta tester of Sword Art Online, he has an advantage and goes at it solo. But eventually teams up with others.
Particularly the skilled Asuna who just happens to be an insanely great cook and his love interest.
They both team up and go through the levels one-by-one. It’s such an awesome adventure, you’ll wish you could live in the world of Sword Art Online. This show really does give you that warm and fuzzy feeling.
Almost like you’re watching anime for the first time all over again.
School days
If you haven’t seen school days, you may want to skip it. School Days is a dark romantic show. In fact, it was boycotted in Japan because of how brutal it is.
School Days focusses on Makoto Ito, a first year high schooler. He becomes incredibly interested in Kotonoha Katsura, a classmate of his.
He later becomes friends with Sekai Saionji, a girl who takes a special interest in his newfound crush. And she gives him relationship advice.
However, Sekai becomes jealous of the new couple, having developed feelings for Makoto herself.
This show gets really dark. You’ve been warned. Wiki
Your Lie in April
This show is deep… REALLY deep. It hits you straight in the feels.
Kosei Arima totally dominates different music competitions and becomes a famous child musician. His mother Saki suddenly dies and Kosei has a mental breakdown during piano practice.
The breakdown was so extreme he can longer hear the sound of a piano. But hears everything else perfectly fine.
Kaori Miyazono, a free-spirited, teenage violinist helps Kosei return to the world of music.
While performing together, Kosei suddenly collapses.
So that’s all you need to know right now. Anything further and it’ll just spoil it for you.
I know the above isn’t exactly deep and doesn’t seem like the kind of show that’ll hit you in the feel…
…but it will!
Make sure you watch this today!
My Little Monster
This show focuses on the relationship between a girl named Shizuku Mizutani and a boy named Haru Yoshida.
Shizuku is known as a girl who’s emotionless and cold. But, when she meets Haru she is touched by his innocence and his lack of knowledge concerning human relationships.
Haru is known as a little violent and a monster but she’s actually kind and gentle.
Haru instantly shows his love towards Shizuku, but it takes longer for Shizuku to recognize and accept her own feelings for Haru.
Together these two unsocial beings help each other learn how to care for one another and relate with others.
It’s a great show for introverts like me! So if you’re an introvert interested in romance, give this show a watch!
Say “I love you”.
In her 16 years of life, Tachibana Mei has had no boyfriend and couldn’t even make friends. She’s a socially awkward teenager that believes friendships only end in betrayal.
One day she injures Kurosawa Yamato, the most popular boy in school, and for some reason, Yamato takes interest in her.
That’s all I’m going to say about the plot…
Just know that you’re going to try so hard to hold back your tears in this show. It’s one Hell of an emotional rollercoaster.
Ouran HighSchool Host Club
This show takes place in Ouran Academy, an elite school for the rich. With the exception of Haruhi Fujioka, a middle-class scholarship student, a rarity at the school.
She stumbles upon an unused music room which turns out to be the club room for a group of rich boys, possessing exceptional good-looks, who entertain female clients.
She accidentally knocks over a priceless Renaissance vase that’s worth 8 million Yen ($80,000), she is forced to join the Host Club as an “errand boy” to work off her debt.
Her short hair, suit, and pretty masculine face cause her to be mistaken by the Hosts for a male student.
Before long, Haruhi is plunged into a glitzy whirlwind of elaborate cosplays, rich food, and exciting shenanigans that only the immensely wealthy Host Club can pull off.
Toradora!
You follow Ryuji Takasu, a sweet and gentle high schoolerl but unfortunately, his eyes give him a menacing look. He has a crush on Minori Kushieda.
Taiga Aisaka, a really violent and angry person is Minori’s best friend. And Taiga has taken a disliking to Ryuji. If that wasn’t bad enough, Taiga lives opposite to Ryuji.
Fortunately, they both find a common goal which is to set each other up with their crushes.
Over the course of the series, Ryuji and Taiga try to set up romantic situations to help each other get to know their friends, but many of these situations backfire.
They’re both spending a lot of time together, helping each other get their crushes. But people start to think they’re both a couple.
This series follows the lives of friends and how love blossoms among them.
Conclusion
So those were the best romance anime shows you can watch today.
There’s something here for everyone. You may not agree with the order of the list but you’ll definitely find a show you’ll love.