There is no shortage of great romance anime out there. We've seen some fun romances unfold over the years, and some have definitely stood the test of time more than others.
One of the most popular examples of recent times has to be Kaguya-sama: Love is war. The series does a good 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. Virtually Love is war is, these anime might just make romance a little better.
The biggest romance anime will make an official comeback
Aka Akasaka teases 'new, but nostalgic' story for Kaguya-sama: Love is War movie.
Shikimori is not just a cutie
Shikimori is not just a cutie has its main couple starting out with what many romance anime consider the finish line: being in a relationship. The series focuses on the dynamic between the klutzy Yuuki and his popular, confident girlfriend Miyako.
Since the two are already in a relationship, there isn't much drama, and thus the series only 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
In terms of premises, Saekano has a rather unique one. Tomoya Aki is a hardcore otaku who sets out to create a visual novel and recruits his childhood friend Eriri to draw the art and his schoolmate Utaha to write the script. But Aki has a very special person in mind who will serve as the inspiration for the game's heroine, his unremarkable classmate Megumi, who caught Aki's eye during spring break. Convinced that he can bring out Megumi's charms, Aki works with the rest of the team to coach her into becoming the perfect game heroine.
Saekano has a strong cast of characters, with each heroine receiving fantastic development and attention throughout the series. Aki's relationship with her team members is an important part of the story, and we get to see how their unique dynamic affects both the game's development and 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 one might expect. Before popular Weekly Shonen Jump romance series like To love Ru, Nisekoiand Blue boxthere was Kimagure Orange Road.
The series follows Kyosuke Kasuga, who is forced to move around frequently due to his family's psychic powers. When his family moves to yet another new city, Kyosuke meets a beautiful girl and instantly falls for her. At school, he learns that the girl is actually a cigarette smoker named Madoka Ayukawa. Things get complicated when Madoka's best friend Hikaru falls for Kyosuke, creating a love triangle. It's a bit of a standard trope now, though Kimagure Orange Road handles his love triangle well, giving you an idea of Kyosuke and Madoka's chemistry while Kyosuke confronts his feelings for Hikaru.
We never learn
One of the better modern Jump romances, We never learn has a fun character and an interesting set-up. As far as harem anime goes, We Never Learn stands out as one of the less formulaic and actually does a good job of giving each heroine their time in the spotlight and fleshing them out as characters.
The series follows Nariyuki Yuiga, who, coming from a poor family, looks to get a scholarship to pay for his college tuition. He is awarded the scholarship he wants, but only on the condition that he teaches the school's best 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 We never learn manga go the extra mile and give each girl their own alternate path where they “win”. It's a fun bit of fan service, but also lets you see each character's story 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 tries to turn his life around, but his new mundane routine has caused him to fall back into bad habits. Things get complicated for Ryu when an accidental fall down the stairs with honor student Urara leads to an accidental kiss and the two switch bodies.
The premise of Yamada-kun and the Seven Witches is definitely different from some of its contemporaries, and the body-swapping angle makes for interesting character interactions and dynamics. Ryuu ends up meeting other characters with similar abilities, opening up the series to some great characters and funny 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 problem is that Raku can't remember who she is or what he looks like. With only a locked pendant to remember her by, Raku's life becomes complicated when his father arranges for Raku to have a relationship with Chitoge, the daughter of a rival gang. The only problem is that Raku is already in love with her classmate, Kosaki. With the situation between their family gang tense, Raku and Chitoge must fake being in a relationship while Raku searches for the girl who holds the key to opening his locked pendant, and she may be closer than he thinks.
The mystery at the center of Nisekoi the premise makes it an interesting read/watch. You are not only focused on Raku's relationship with the heroines of the series, but the question of who his childhood friend is as well. The series does a good job of slowly unraveling the mystery while placing great emphasis on Raku's relationship with each heroine.
Urusei Yatsura
Urusei Yatsura is one of iconic mangaka Rumiko Takahashi's most beloved series. The show's protagonist, an incredibly lustful high school student named Ataru Moroboshi, fends off an alien invasion by beating his princess in a game. Thanks to a misunderstanding, the princess, named Lum, assumes that Ataru wants to marry her. But Ataru already has a girlfriend named Shinobu, who feels betrayed by Ataru and leaves him. Lum quickly moves in with Ataru, who struggles to get Shinobu back while trying to fend off Lum.
Urusei Yatsura features a large cast of characters and two heroines who aren't afraid to give the show's lying Playboy protagonist their bare deserts when needed. Lum and Shinobu are portrayed as having their own flaws, but we root for them as they put the female 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.
