Top 10 Best Romance Anime

It’s really not that hard to figure out what the romance genre in anime is all about. Essentially, it’s about love, romance, and the characters going all lovey-dovey. Usually, romantic moments and sweet moments come together. Bottom line is, this genre is about love and sweet moments—and most of the time there are added twists of drama and comedy.

As I’ve already watched plenty of romance anime, I’ve built a collection of my personal favorites. Ready or not, here they are!

10. Toradora

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It’s romantic, it’s comedic! And even sometimes very dramatic! Toradora is one romance anime everyone can truly enjoy. From the beginning the characters are so fixated. Then their true feelings and emotions are revealed. Everything is executed perfectly. Some elements may seem very cliché, but believe me even those things are handled in a very brilliant way (so brilliant, you’ll get captivated and hooked by the story.

Takasu Ryuuji looks like a delinquent because of his intimidating eyes and stares. Aisaka Taiga, on the other hand looks small and gentle, but she is actually is as fierce as a tiger. Both Ryuuji and Taiga have their own crushes—coincidentally, on each other's best friends. So when Taiga mistakes Ryuuji’s bag for his best friend's, her secret crush is revealed. Now, Taiga is intent on pulverizing Ryuuji for knowing his secret, but he later discovers that Ryuuji also has a crush on her best friend. The two cooperate and forms a pact to help each other win-over their respective crushes.

Toradora! - Trailer

9. Lovely Complex

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What can I say? If I can describe Lovely Complex in two words, I’d say “cute” and “sweet”! It’s in the name after all. It’s an adorable and super-sweet romantic-comedy love story.

High school guy Atsushi Otani is really short and Riza Koizumi is really tall for a teenage girl. Those traits wouldn’t really be an issue on their own, but, as extremes of one other in the same class these two tend to stand out as a perfect comedy duo. Being the opposites of each other, Otani and Risa are always arguing and bickering about their own complexes. But surprisingly, they have some particular similarities that only the two of them share. Hence, the start of their very sweet, very cute, very funny, and most of all . . . very lovely complex.

Lovely Complex - Trailer

8. Kaichou wa Maid-sama!

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While Kaichou wa Maid-sama only has a basic and simple story, its set of characters (especially the leading characters) are so well made that they carry the story far enough to shine bright. The characters are very relatable and likable, and as much as there are romantic moments, there’s also the same number of quirky comedic moments that comes along with jest of the romance. Overall, Kaichou wa Maid-sama is a very heart-warming romantic-comedy anime that has little-to-no unnecessary complexities, which prompts it to deliver a pure love story with its own notable quirks and memorable moments.

When an all-boys school suddenly turns co-ed, the only foreseeable struggle that’s bound to happen is the new girl students are intimidated and feel awkward. Ayuzawa Misaki takes the responsibility of being the student council president in order to rule the school with an iron-fist and keep the balance in place (much to the boys’ disapproval because of her harshness towards them). To keep her appearances as the student council president with the iron-fist, Misaki has to keep her after school job a secret: she works as a very gentle and sophisticated maid in a café. One day, the popular heartthrob Usui Takumi finds out her well-kept secret.

Kaichou wa Maid-sama! - Trailer

7. Ao Haru Ride

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Despite being a fairly recent (new) anime, Ao Haru Ride stands out as a great romance show that conforms with today’s standards. The art, visuals, and animation were superb (fitting of today’s expectations). The story? It wasn’t shabby at all! Actually, it was very pleasing and well-balanced. Plus, the characters and their development (especially romantic development) shined very brightly. Everything fell into place giving a perfect combination of elements befitting of a heartwarming story.

Having had been disliked by her classmates in middle school because of her cute girl features, Yoshioka Futaba had to push through, waiting for her middle school life to end so she could start anew. Because of this, she wasn’t able to confess her feelings to the boy she loved, Tanaka-kun. Now in high school, Yoshioka has changed her personality into something very unlady-like (opposite to what she was before) as to not repeat her experiences in middle school. Soon she meets her middle school crush again, but with a different name. Tanaka-kun is now Mabuchi Kou, and he reveals that he indeed liked Yoshioka as well in the past. But now, everything has changed. Have their feelings as well?

Ao Haru Ride - Trailer

6. Sakurasou no Pet no Kanojo

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Sakurasou no Pet no Kanojo or also known as The Pet Girl of Sakurasou is a show that tackles love and romance on a whole new level. I mean at first, it’ll give you the impression that it’s yet just another senseless harem anime with overblown clichés and fanservice, but that’s totally wrong! This show proves that it can be very complex, in a good way, while totally rubbing off the initial impressions. First, it doesn’t only talk about romance, it speaks of love (more on romantic love) in general. Second, the characters are surprisingly well-developed, even the plot and story. Lastly, as I’ve said, everything’s surprisingly good, so giving it a chance is definitely a must! The combination of many great elements with romance and love produces a very good blend with this one.

As a second year student who can’t seem to abandon cats, Handa Sorata was left with no choice but to live into a place where he can bring home and take care of his cats. That place where he’s gonna live is called Sakurasou, a place where oddballs like him ends up. Everything’s pretty normal though, except the fact that all the students that live there have their own weird habits and quirks. A few days later, a girl, who’s the oddest of them all (super brilliant but doesn’t how to take care of herself), is going to live in the same place (Sakurasou), where Sorata is going to be in charge of taking care of her.

The Pet Girl of Sakurasou - Trailer

5. Golden Time

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If you haven’t seen Golden Time yet, then I suggest you do now. In my own opinion (and I think many will agree), Golden Time is one of the most realistic romance anime show that exists today. It isn’t just all about being lovey-dovey, it also tackles the struggle and the complications of being in a relationship. As a matter of fact, the show did this by featuring very realistic characters that you could easily relate to. Even the story on its own is very decent. It has romance, it has comedy, it has drama, and they all fit together to tug your heartstrings and show the reality of relationships and love.

Starting his life a law student in college in the city, Tada Banri gets lost on his first day trying to get to school. Fortunately, he meets another guy named Mitsuo Yanagisawa who’s in the same situation he is. Then from out of the blue, a beautiful girl named Kaga Kouko suddenly appears and smashes a bouquet of flowers into Mitsuo’s face. As weird as it is, Koukou is Mitsuo’s childhood friend who’s overly obsessed with him. Trying to escape from her, Mitsuo enrolls in the school but Kouko manages to follow him. Now, Banri is caught-up in the situation and he’s going to be the one who changes the course of this crazy situation.

Golden Time - Trailer

4. Clannad

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I’ll be surprised if you’ve never heard of Clannad or Clannad: After Story. These are two of the best drama anime out there. And not only that, they're also by far, two of the best romance anime! Did you know that there isn’t even a single kissing scene between the lovers here? That’s correct, there isn’t! But, the romance and drama is high enough to completely rub that off and focus on the relationships. Love has never been this lovely and beautiful in an anime. Actually, I can almost feel the characters’ sentiments in this one.

While walking to school one day, the unmotivated Okazaki Tomoya notices a girl who suddenly mutters the name of some kind of food. The girl’s name is Nagisa Furukawa, and unbeknownst to both, it’s just the start of the rollercoaster of love and life where they’ll first start as friends until they get closely attached to one another. But of course, no legit rollercoaster is without a bump. It’s just the start of their romantic, heartwarming, and actually even heart-wrenching story.

Clannad - Trailer

3. Special A

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Now this one’s so interesting you’ll be very pleased watching it. Special A is another romantic-comedy-drama show where the characters fall in love with each other. In this one, it’s not just one pair of friends that falls in love, but most of the characters. Each one has a story to tell, and most of the time the stories are very heartwarming and sweet. Add that to the fact that the main pair are always fighting each other for supremacy. You'll be entertained at how funny they are until the moment that they actually develope feelings and fall in love. Until the very end, Special A keeps the romantic pace up.

Being both the best of friends and rivals ever since they were children, Hikari Hanazono and Kei Takashima have a bond where they are always clawing at each other. Actually, they’re rivalry is one-sided, with Hikari being always second to Kei. Now, they’re both in high school in a special class of the most brilliant and most elite—the Special Class A. As she always does, Hikari shall do her best to snatch the Top 1 spot from Kei at all cost. But then, as the battle goes on, feelings from deep within their hearts suddenly manifest.

Special A - Opening Song Theme

2. Kimi ni Todoke

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Presenting, a rare gem in the romance department of anime. I know most won’t watch it based on first impressions, but as they say, “Don’t judge a book by its cover”. Or should I say, don’t judge a romance anime by its title, poster, or summary! Kimi ni Todoke is very unique in the sense that it showcases elements that are very original to the romance genre. And I must say, it’s super effective! From the characters, to the art, to the sound, to the story, and in its totality, Kimi ni Todoke is a show that any seasoned romance anime lover (or even just a casual watcher) will relate to and love with all their heart.

Being known in class as Sadako because of her creepy demeanor, Kuronuma Sawako is extremely misunderstood and awkward with everyone. On the other hand, Kazehaya Shouta is super popular in class and is well-known as a very kind and friendly guy with a really refreshing presence. Given Shouta’s personality, he’s the only one who’s willing to approach Sawako and talk with her, much to Sawako’s delight. It’s the first time for her and she is so thankful. She feels blessed and hopeful that it’ll be the start of something new.

Kimi ni Todoke - Trailer

1. Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun

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We’ve come to the much-anticipated revelation. I don’t know if you will agree, but for me the best romance anime is Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun. And as much as I’ve put it on the top spot, I really REALLY encourage you to watch it. Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun is fairly new, yet it has already soared to the top. I mean, it has all the elements necessary to be a truly awesome romance anime. It’s unique, it’s sweet (very sweet actually), it’s cute (the love story is so adorable it will easily tug your heartstrings), it’s very wholesome (which is a rarity today), and very lovable. There are many more reasons why this anime is a masterpiece, but I’ll leave those for you to discover.

It all starts when Shizuku Mizutani, a cold high-achiever student, is tasked by a teacher to deliver some handouts to a student named Yoshida Haru, a student who was suspended from school. At Shizuku’s delivery Haru was very touched, claiming that only a friend would do that (even though it wasn’t really Shizuku’s intention). Shizuku is really cold, earning her the nickname “Dry Ice” while Haru is very innocent and clueless to the social stuff in the world. Both are aloof and weird in a way. From their first meeting, Haru feels a spark in his heart towards Shizuku, so from then on he follows Shizuku. Soon enough, both begin to deal with blossoming feelings and emotions as well as various colorful complications that arise from within their hearts.

Anime World

Thursday 29 December 2016