Best manga about love triangles

Summary

• Romantic manga thrives on love triangles, drama and heartfelt moments.

• Top series like Kimi ni Todoke, Toradora! and Fruits Basket excels in storytelling.

• Each manga offers unique elements such as quirky characters, unrequited love and comedic misunderstandings.

Sometimes love is complicated, especially in romance manga series, where love triangles is the order of the day. But it's part of the drama that drives the conflict in these stories, and most of the time, one of the heroines (or heroes) ends up victorious in the end.

Unless the infamous harem path is activated, and then we're into a completely different genre. But this ranked list only highlights the best love triangle manga series, considering art, storytelling, and character development. Let's take a look at them.

8

Kimi ni Todoke: From me to you

A legendary romance manga that inspired a generation of artists

• Author: Karuho Shiina

• Artist: Karuho Shiina

• Release date: August 11, 2005

Shy and withdrawn Sawako is often bullied for her resemblance to a horror movie character, but her kind heart longs to feel love. In this heartfelt story of teenage love, school days and a love triangle that threatens to destroy everything, the characters develop in an almost magical way.

Karuho Shiina's pen comes from personal experience and a lifetime of heartache, and it translates into a powerful story that has created a cult-worthy series, inspiring an entire generation of romance manga artists to follow in her footsteps.

7

Toradora!

One of the best romantic comedies of all time

• Author: Yuyuko Takemiya

• Release date: March 10, 2006

Toradora! is a series that blends romance, school drama and love entanglements so seamlessly that its plot has become legendary. From the beginning there is always a third wheel in every relationship; with the two main characters Aisaka and Ryuuji forming an alliance to beat the odds and get their happily ever after with the person they love.

Little did they know that their unlikely partnership would set in motion a series of events that would involve an elopement, a huge family feud, and several heartbreaking (but memorable) moments.

6

Fruit basket

A quirky story about animals and love triangles

• Author: Natsuki Takaya

• Release date: July 18, 1998

Combining supernatural elements, mystery, love triangles and comedy, Fruit basket is a masterfully developed RomCom that has received tons of recognition both in Japan and internationally. It is filled to the brim with heartwarming moments and love entanglements.

Some compare it to another similar series Ranma 1/2but the truth is Fruit basket has its own “naive” identity that deviates greatly from the classic made by Rumiko Takahashi.

5

Blue Spring Ride

A story about giving the heart what it desires most

• Author: Io Sakisaka

• Release date: January 13, 2011

When Futaba meets her middle school sweetheart after years of being apart, she discovers that he has become bitter, distant and cynical. Still, she can't seem to control her heart, and things get even more complicated when a third wheel appears on the scene, one that has a genuine interest in the heroine of this story.

Ao Haru Ride is an exciting RomCom with high doses of corny and heartfelt moments, perfect for those who enjoy an old fashioned love triangle story.

4

Ouran High School Host Club

A delightful comedy filled with misunderstandings

• Author: Bisco Hatori

• Release date: September 2002

When an elite and impeccable scholar “accidentally” joins the host club of the most prestigious school in the prefecture, a series of misunderstandings drive him to form a bond with a busy and odd group of friends.

Things get even more complicated with the introduction of Haruhi, a girl trying to pass as a boy, in an all-boys school. It is considered one of the best love triangle comedies in all shoujo manga.

3

Peach girl

A passionate drama from a schoolgirl's perspective

• Author: Miwa Ueda

• Release date: September 13, 1997

In this school drama, we witness a young girl's struggle to fit in at a place where a manipulative school queen reigns supreme. The story of how Momo tries to get close to Toji while trying to avoid a direct confrontation with Sae is both dramatic and exciting.

This story later develops into one of the most complex and heartbreaking love triangles, and a must read for any fan of romance shoujo.

2

Beautifully complex

A quirky love story with a wild twist

• Author: Aya Nakahara

• Release date: August 11, 2007

A sweet story about the most unlikely and underrated couple in school: one is a secluded and grumpy short otaku, and the other is a tall and thin school madonna with an odd personality.

Beautifully complex is both comedy and drama, in a heartwarming RomCom about unrequited love, self-acceptance and overcoming public opinion. With the addition of a dramatic love triangle between the main characters and a third wheel (and sometimes even a fourth), this series is a silly but surprisingly mature school drama.

1

School rumble

A fantastic school romance with a high dose of satirical comedy

• Author: Jin Kobayashi

• Release date: October 23, 2002

Unrequited love, misunderstandings and the most ridiculous situations come together in this delightful comedy about school life and the shenanigans of a group of friends in the midst of a notorious (and sometimes infamous) love triangle situation.

With a silly and sometimes satirical narrative, Kobayashi has developed a delightful universe that is both engrossing and wholesome, but also dramatic enough to entertain those seeking the thrill of love triangles.