10 Best Romance Animes

When it comes to anime, one popular category is romance anime. These tales are all about finding love and romance. Whether you just love romance or want a mix of drama in your love stories, these romance anime are some of the best that you will find.

1. Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun

This is by far one of the best romance animes on this list. Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun is quite new, so many people are not familiar with it yet. While it is a new show, it has some of the best story lines and romance in all of anime. The cute love stories leave you wanting more, and many of the relationships are surprisingly wholesome and caring.

The entire plot line centers around Shizuku Mizutani is a high-achiever student and your typical over-achiever. She happens to be fairly cold in person, but don’t let this fool you. One day, Shuzuku told by a teacher to deliver handouts to another student known as Yoshida Haru. This student is basically the diametric opposite of Mizutani. Haru is an underachiever who was recently suspended from school. Surprisingly, Haru is touched when Shizuku delivers the handouts. While he expresses that he is touched, she seems completely cold and withdrawn. Her icy demeanor eventually earns her the nickname of Dry Ice.

At first, Haru is completely innocent about all of the social situations going on. In one way, the pair are quite similar because they are both clueless about what other people go through. Before long, Haru realizes that he feels something for Shuzuku, so he starts to follow her. Through a string of complications and missteps, they begin to develop a heart-warming, romantic relationship.

2. Lovely Complex

This anime is almost too cute to be believed. If you prefer a little less drama and a little more comedy, then this sweet, romantic story is perfect for you. In the tale, you have the classic story of a mismatched pair. Riza Koizumi is an unusually tall teenage girl, while Atsushi Otani is unusually short. In addition, they also have personalities that are opposed to each other. Because of this, they often bicker with one another. At the same time, there are a number of similarities that end up drawing the two together.

3. Sakurasou no Pet no Kanojo

Also known as the Pet Girl of Sakurasou, this anime is all about love. In some ways, it is just another harem anime, but it also has an extremely complex story line. Instead of just focusing on the act of falling in love, it deals with relationships and romance in general. The characters are surprisingly well developed, which may be the reason why the show also has an excellent plot line. Even if you are not normally into romance anime, this story line will draw you in and make you want to watch the next episode.

The story line follows the tale of Handa Sorata. He is a kind-hearted soul, and he can’t stand to let a cat be abandoned or homeless. Because of this, he ends up bringing each stray animal home with him. He lives in a place known as Sakurasou, which is an eclectic area populated by the eccentric and their weird habits. Since most of the students there have their own eccentricities, Sorata basically goes unnoticed. Before long, one of the oddest, most intelligent girls in the story moves to Sakurasou and meets Sorata. Sorata is given the task of caring for her, and the romance unfolds from there.

4. Special A

Romances are great, but plot lines are equally important. Special A manages to have both, which is one of the biggest reasons it made this list. It is also perfect if you cannot decide if you like romance, comedy or drama better because the show includes all of these aspects. In the story, the scriptwriters take things a step farther then normal by creating multiple plot lines. Instead of following a single pair falling in love, you will see multiple love stories and plot lines evolve over time. There is still a main couple in the story, and this couple tends to fight each other to gain control before they ultimately realize that they have developed feelings for each other. Unlike some romances, Special A also manages to have a fast-paced, engaging plot line.

The story centers around Kei Takashima and Hikari Hanazono. They have been friends as well as rivals since they were little children. Their entire relationship is based on competing against each other, although Kei always comes out in top. Now that they have reached high school, they are in a battle to make it to Special Class A, which is where only the best and brightest go. Hikari is certain that she will take this spot from Kei, but the battle against Hikari ends up awakening feelings that she never expected or realized that she had.

5. Ao Haru Ride

This is another one of the newer anime that managed to make this list. It has a modern story line and a great romance. Plus, the artistic elements of the show are exceptionally god. The character development is excellent, and the writers have managed to make the romance unfold naturally. Plus, this story ends up having a heart-warming, wholesome element to it that is not always common in modern shows.

The story focuses on Yoshioka Futaba. She is a middle school student who is unfortunately disliked by her fellow students because of her cuteness. With so many people against her, she just wants middle school to be over with so that she can have a fresh start in high school. Yoshioka had always had a crush on Tanaka-kun, but she had never told him how she felt because she was afraid that he would dislike her just as much as everyone else.

Now that she finally reached high school, Yoshioka gave herself a complete makeover and has a less lady-like demeanor. She is determined not to make the same mistakes she made in middle school. She re-meets Tanaka-kun, who is now called Mabuchi Kou. He confesses that he liked her as well. So much has changed since middle school however, so you will have to watch the show to find out if their feelings are still the same.

6. Golden Time

This is an excellent show to watch if you want the best romance animes. It is surprisingly realistic and seems like something that could actually happen in real life. While it has the normal affection, flirting and romantic behavior you would expect in a romance anime, it also has a realistic story line that covers the complications of romance wand real life.

In the story, Tada Banri is starting law school and is just heading to his first day at school. Along the way, he meets up with a fellow guy called Mitsuo Yanagisawa who is also headed to school. Before they can get too friendly, a bouquet of flowers is smashed into Yanagisawa’s face as Kaga Kouko barrels onto the scene. It turns out that Kaga was a childhood friend of Mitsuo, and she had an abnormal obsession with him. In an attempt to get away from her obsession, Mitsuo had moved and started school. Kaga followed him, and Tada is now drawn into the odd situation.

7. Toradora

This romantic comedy is perfect for everyone because it has excellent character development and a great story line. While it borders on cliche at times, it is well worth the time spent watching it. Before long, you will find yourself completely engrossed in the story.

In the story, Takasu Ryuuji is a juvenile delinquent who tends to intimidate the people around him. Meanwhile, Aisaka Taiga is perceived as a delicate, gentle girl, but she can be strong and fierce when the situation calls for it. Initially, the pair actually like each other’s best friends. When Taiga makes a mistake about Ryuuji and her her crush’s bags, she is afraid that her feelings will be revealed. She intends to stop him from spreading the secret, but realizes that he likes her friend. Instead of fighting it out, they form a pact to help each other get their crush.

8. Clannad

This story is one of the best drama out there and has a great plot line. While it may not have a single kissing scene, it really brings the love and drama to life.

In the story, Okazaki Tomoya notices Nagisa Furukawa walking to school. They become friends and develop a friendly attachment, but their friendship begins to transform over time. Before long, you are following a roller coaster of twists, turns and heart-wrenching emotion as you watch these characters grow closer.

9. Kimi ni Todoke

This unique story might not be the most popular on this list, but it deserve more attention than it gets. It has all the great building blocks of a love story. The production team did a great job bringing the tale to life.

Kuronuma Sawako has developed the nickname of Sadako for being creepy, but she is actually just misunderstood because of her awkwardness. Meanwhile, Kazehaya Shouta is the popular guy from high school that everyone loves. Kazehaya talks to anyone and everyone, so it is unsurprising that he ends up talking to Kuronuma. She feels grateful that he even bothered to talk to her, and she is hopeful that this will lead to a friendship or something more.

10. Kaichou wa Maid-sama

This is another one of the best romance animes that you can watch. It has extremely believable characters who have been well-developed to match the equally interesting plot line. In the story, the characters seem like someone you would like to be friends with. They are likable, and all of their problems seem like things that you or someone you know may have experienced at some point. This is also a great anime to watch if your prefer comedies that have cute quirks and laughs along the way. The story line is fairly straightforward, so it is not the best option if you like more complex plots.

The story starts at an all-boys school that is becoming co-ed. At first, the girls who are brought to the school feel unwelcomed and awkward. Ayuzawa Misaki ends up becoming the student council president because she wants to keep the school’s balance in place, but she is greatly disliked by the boys who do not want her ruling over them. Since she wants to seem liked the iron-fisted president, Ayuzawa has to keep her after-school job a secret since she works as a maid in a cafe. Usui Takumi walks into the cafe and discovers her secret. From there, the rest of the love story starts to unfold.