Top Romance Anime Recommendations

Sword Art Online

Also known as Sword Art Online.

Studio: A-1 Pictures
Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Adventure , Fantasy , Romance

In the near future, a Virtual Reality Massive Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game (VRMMORPG) called Sword Art Online has been released where players control their avatars with their bodies using a piece of technology called Nerve Gear. One day, players discover they cannot log out, as the game creator is holding them captive unless they reach the 100th floor of the game's tower and defeat the final boss. However, if they die in the game, they die in real life. Their struggle for survival starts now...



Tags: Virtual World , Isekai , Death Game , Video Games , Male Protagonist , Swordplay , Primarily Teen Cast , Time Skip , Heterosexual , Female Harem , Artificial Intelligence , Travel , Fairy , Unrequited Love , Primarily Female Cast , Tragedy , Incest , Found Family , Prison , Fishing , Amnesia , Primarily Male Cast

Kimi no Na wa.

Also known as Your Name..

Studio: CoMix Wave
Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Romance , Supernatural

Mitsuha Miyamizu, a high school girl, yearns to live the life of a boy in the bustling city of Tokyo—a dream that stands in stark contrast to her present life in the countryside. Meanwhile in the city, Taki Tachibana lives a busy life as a high school student while juggling his part-time job and hopes for a future in architecture.

One day, Mitsuha awakens in a room that is not her own and suddenly finds herself living the dream life in Tokyo—but in Taki's body! Elsewhere, Taki finds himself living Mitsuha's life in the humble countryside. In pursuit of an answer to this strange phenomenon, they begin to search for one another.

Kimi no Na wa. revolves around Mitsuha and Taki's actions, which begin to have a dramatic impact on each other's lives, weaving them into a fabric held together by fate and circumstance.



Tags: Body Swapping , Time Manipulation , Urban Fantasy , Memory Manipulation , Coming of Age , Female Protagonist , Tragedy , Urban , Gender Bending , Time Skip , Rural , Heterosexual , Primarily Teen Cast , Environmental , Mythology , Alternate Universe , Trains , Shrine Maiden , School

Koe no Katachi

Also known as A Silent Voice.

Studio: Kyoto Animation
Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Romance , Slice of Life

After transferring into a new school, a deaf girl, Shouko Nishimiya, is bullied by the popular Shouya Ishida. As Shouya continues to bully Shouko, the class turns its back on him. Shouko transfers and Shouya grows up as an outcast. Alone and depressed, the regretful Shouya finds Shouko to make amends.



Tags: Disability , Bullying , Rehabilitation , Language Barrier , Coming of Age , Suicide , Tragedy , Male Protagonist , Primarily Teen Cast , School , Time Skip , Heterosexual , Female Protagonist , Urban , Shounen

Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso

Also known as Your lie in April.

Studio: A-1 Pictures
Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Music , Romance , Slice of Life

Piano prodigy Arima Kousei dominated the competition and all child musicians knew his name. But after his mother, who was also his instructor, passed away, he had a mental breakdown while performing at a recital. This resulted in him no longer being able to hear the sound of his piano playing. Two years later, Kousei hasn’t touched the piano and views the world without any flair or color. He was content at living out his life with his good friends Tsubaki and Watari until, one day, a girl changed everything. Miyazono Kaori is a pretty, free spirited violinist whose playing style reflects her personality. Kaori helps Kousei return to the music world and show that it should be free and mold breaking unlike the structured and rigid style Kousei was used to.

Tags: Tragedy , Disability , Primarily Teen Cast , Coming of Age , Classical Music , Rehabilitation , Male Protagonist , Female Protagonist , Unrequited Love , Love Triangle , Heterosexual , School , Philosophy , CGI , Tomboy , Suicide , Shounen , Slapstick , Football

Re:Zero kara Hajimeru Isekai Seikatsu

Also known as Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World-.

Studio: White Fox
Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Adventure , Drama , Fantasy , Psychological , Romance , Thriller

In the story, Subaru Natsuki is an ordinary high school student who is lost in an alternate world, where he is rescued by a beautiful, silver-haired girl. He stays near her to return the favor, but the destiny she is burdened with is more than Subaru can imagine. Enemies attack one by one, and both of them are killed. He then finds out he has the power to rewind death, back to the time he first came to this world. But only he remembers what has happened since.



Notes:
- The first episode aired with a runtime of ~50 minutes as opposed to the standard 25 minute long episode.
- In the Winter 2020 season, Re:ZERO was rebroadcast and re-edited to fit into an hour time-slot. This edit included the first OVA and added slight modifications to certain scenes throughout. It also added an additional scene at the end of the final episode.

Tags: Isekai , Time Manipulation , Time Loop , Tragedy , Alternate Universe , Male Protagonist , Witch , Magic , Gore , Cult , Love Triangle , Body Horror , Maids , Suicide , Heterosexual , Primarily Female Cast , Unrequited Love , Elf , Yandere , Demons , Politics , Hikikomori , Coming of Age , Butler , Femboy , Tomboy , Travel , Twins , Assassins , Kemonomimi , Meta , Kuudere , Nekomimi , CGI , Dragons , Body Swapping , Crossdressing , Foreign , Tsundere

Seishun Buta Yarou wa Bunny Girl Senpai no Yume wo Minai

Also known as Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai.

Studio: CloverWorks
Status: Finished
Genres: Comedy , Drama , Mystery , Psychological , Romance , Supernatural

There's a rumor about a mysterious phenomenon called "puberty syndrome." For example, Sakuta Azusagawa is a high school student who suddenly sees a bunny girl appear in front of him. The girl is actually a girl named Mai Sakurajima, who is Sakuta's upperclassman who is also a famous actress who has gone on hiatus from the entertainment industry. For some reason, the people around Mai cannot see her bunny-girl figure. Sakuta sets out to solve this mystery, and as he spends time with Mai, he learns her secret feelings. Other heroines who have "puberty syndrome" start to appear in front of Sakuta.



Tags: Urban Fantasy , Primarily Teen Cast , Heterosexual , Male Protagonist , Coming of Age , Primarily Female Cast , Memory Manipulation , Rehabilitation , Dissociative Identities , School , Amnesia , Bullying , Time Manipulation , Hikikomori , Urban , Body Swapping , Tsundere , Love Triangle , Acting , Female Harem , Idol

Kaguya-sama wa Kokurasetai: Tensaitachi no Renai Zunousen

Also known as Kaguya-sama: Love is War.

Studio: A-1 Pictures
Status: Finished
Genres: Comedy , Psychological , Romance , Slice of Life

Known for being both brilliant and powerful, Miyuki Shirogane and Kaguya Shinomiya lead the illustrious Shuchiin Academy as near equals. And everyone thinks they’d make a great couple. Pride and arrogance are in ample supply, so the only logical move is to trick the other into instigating a date! Who will come out on top in this psychological war where the first move is the only one that matters?



Tags: School , Heterosexual , Tsundere , Primarily Teen Cast , School Club , Ojou-sama , Episodic , Slapstick , Female Protagonist , Seinen , Male Protagonist , Meta , Ensemble Cast , Parody , Kemonomimi , Rotoscoping , Nekomimi

Toradora!

Also known as Toradora!.

Studio: J.C. Staff
Status: Finished
Genres: Comedy , Drama , Romance , Slice of Life

Ryuuji Takasu is a gentle high school student with a love for housework; but in contrast to his kind nature, he has an intimidating face that often gets him labeled as a delinquent. On the other hand is Taiga Aisaka, a small, doll-like student, who is anything but a cute and fragile girl. Equipped with a wooden katana and feisty personality, Taiga is known throughout the school as the "Palmtop Tiger."

One day, an embarrassing mistake causes the two students to cross paths. Ryuuji discovers that Taiga actually has a sweet side: she has a crush on the popular vice president, Yuusaku Kitamura, who happens to be his best friend. But things only get crazier when Ryuuji reveals that he has a crush on Minori Kushieda—Taiga's best friend!

Toradora! is a romantic comedy that follows this odd duo as they embark on a quest to help each other with their respective crushes, forming an unlikely alliance in the process.

Tags: Tsundere , Coming of Age , Love Triangle , Heterosexual , School , Primarily Teen Cast , Female Protagonist , Unrequited Love , Male Protagonist , Slapstick , Female Harem , Tragedy , Food , Fake Relationship

Darling in the Franxx

Also known as DARLING in the FRANXX.

Studio: Trigger , CloverWorks
Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Drama , Mecha , Psychological , Romance , Sci-Fi

The distant future: Humanity established the mobile fort city, Plantation, upon the ruined wasteland. Within the city were pilot quarters, Mistilteinn, otherwise known as the “Birdcage.” That is where the children live... Their only mission in life was the fight. Their enemies are the mysterious giant organisms known as Kyoryu. The children operate robots known as FRANXX in order to face these still unseen enemies. Among them was a boy who was once called a child prodigy: Code number 016, Hiro. One day, a mysterious girl called Zero Two appears in front of Hiro. “I’ve found you, my Darling.”



Tags: Orphan , Super Robot , Post-Apocalyptic , Dystopian , Coming of Age , Primarily Teen Cast , Robots , Tragedy , Heterosexual , Conspiracy , Found Family , Psychosexual , Femdom , Kaiju , Monster Girl , Lost Civilization , Memory Manipulation , Aliens , Male Protagonist , Female Protagonist , Politics , Demons , Environmental , Love Triangle , Military , Clone , Monster Boy , Travel , Family Life , Virginity , Unrequited Love , Space , Nudity , Body Horror , Netorare , Survival , Yandere , Time Skip , Marriage , Tsundere , Drawing , Medicine , Reincarnation , Aviation , Agriculture , Fishing , Gore , Pandemic

Horimiya

Also known as Horimiya.

Studio: CloverWorks
Status: Finished
Genres: Comedy , Romance , Slice of Life

A secret life is the one thing they have in common. At school, Hori is a prim and perfect social butterfly, but the truth is she's a brash homebody. Meanwhile, under a gloomy facade, Miyamura hides a gentle heart, along with piercings and tattoos. In a chance meeting, they both reveal a side they've never shown. Could this blossom into something new?



Tags: School , Family Life , Male Protagonist , Female Protagonist , Heterosexual , Ensemble Cast , Coming of Age , Primarily Teen Cast , Tsundere , Slapstick , Love Triangle , Shounen , Bullying , Episodic , Masochism , Sadism , Chibi

Tokyo Revengers

Also known as Tokyo Revengers.

Studio: LIDENFILMS
Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Drama , Romance , Supernatural

Takemichi Hanagaki is a freelancer that's reached the absolute pits of despair in his life. He finds out that the only girlfriend he ever had in his life that he dated in middle school, Hinata Tachibana, had been killed by the ruthless Tokyo Manji Gang.

The day after hearing about her death, he's standing on the station platform and ends up being pushed over onto the tracks by a herd of people. He closes his eyes thinking he's about to die, but when he opens his eyes back up, he somehow had gone back in time 12 years.

Now that he's back living the best days of his life, Takemichi decides to get revenge on his life by saving his girlfriend and changing himself that he'd been running away from.



Tags: Gangs , Delinquents , Time Manipulation , Age Regression , Male Protagonist , Tragedy , Primarily Male Cast , Urban , Crime , Alternate Universe , Ensemble Cast , Revenge , Shounen , Motorcycles , Heterosexual , Bullying , Suicide , School , Detective , POV , Mopeds

Kaguya-sama wa Kokurasetai?: Tensaitachi no Renai Zunousen

Also known as Kaguya-sama: Love is War?.

Studio: A-1 Pictures
Status: Finished
Genres: Comedy , Psychological , Romance , Slice of Life

After a slow but eventful summer vacation, Shuchiin Academy's second term is now starting in full force. As August transitions into September, Miyuki Shirogane's birthday looms ever closer, leaving Kaguya Shinomiya in a serious predicament as to how to celebrate it. Furthermore, the tenure of the school's 67th student council is coming to an end. Due to the council members being in different classes, the only time Kaguya and Miyuki have to be together will soon disappear, putting all of their cunning plans at risk.
A long and difficult election that will decide the fate of the new student council awaits, as multiple challengers fight for the coveted title of president.


Tags: School , School Club , Ensemble Cast , Tsundere , Female Protagonist , Male Protagonist , Episodic , Primarily Teen Cast , Ojou-sama , Coming of Age , Heterosexual , Slapstick , Parody , Meta , Kuudere , Seinen , Bullying , Villainess , Otaku Culture , Crossdressing , Primarily Female Cast

Charlotte

Studio: P.A. Works
Status: Finished
Genres: Comedy , Drama , Romance , Sci-Fi , Supernatural

The story centers around the special abilities that occur among a small percentage of boys and girls in puberty. Yuu Otosaka uses his power without others knowing, and lives a fairly normal, average school life. Before him suddenly appears a girl, Nao Tomori. Due to his meeting with her, the fate of special power-users will be exposed.



Tags: Super Power , Time Manipulation , Tragedy , Urban Fantasy , Primarily Teen Cast , Male Protagonist , School Club , School , Body Swapping , Amnesia , Dissociative Identities , Female Protagonist , Tsundere , Memory Manipulation , Survival , Urban , Anti-Hero , Primarily Female Cast , Slapstick , Delinquents , Heterosexual , Tomboy , Yandere , Family Life , Band , Bullying , Baseball , CGI , Torture , Mahjong

Ano Hi Mita Hana no Namae wo Bokutachi wa Mada Shiranai.

Also known as Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day.

Studio: A-1 Pictures
Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Romance , Slice of Life , Supernatural

Jinta Yadomi and his group of childhood friends have become estranged after a tragic accident split them apart. Now in their high school years, a sudden surprise forces each of them to confront their guilt over what happened that day and come to terms with the ghosts of their past.



Tags: Coming of Age , Tragedy , Ghost , Rehabilitation , Hikikomori , Male Protagonist , Love Triangle , Found Family , Rural , Heterosexual , Primarily Teen Cast , Female Protagonist , Kuudere , Tsundere , Crossdressing , Bullying

Hataraku Maou-sama!

Also known as The Devil is a Part-Timer!.

Studio: White Fox
Status: Finished
Genres: Comedy , Fantasy , Romance , Slice of Life

Devil King Sadao is only one step away from conquering the world when he is beaten by Hero Emilia and forced to drift to the other world: modern-day Tokyo. As "conquering the world" are the only skills the Devil King possesses—and are obviously unnecessary in his new situation—he must work as a freeter to pay for his living expenses!

Tags: Demons , Isekai , Work , Male Protagonist , Magic , Urban Fantasy , Fugitive , Anti-Hero , Tsundere , Primarily Adult Cast , Mythology , Parody , Shounen , Restaurant , Urban , Love Triangle , Ensemble Cast , Food , Heterosexual , Hikikomori , Language Barrier

Dungeon ni Deai wo Motomeru no wa Machigatteiru Darou ka

Also known as Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon?.

Studio: J.C. Staff
Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Adventure , Comedy , Fantasy , Romance

Some adventurers delve into the sprawling labyrinths beneath the city of Orario to find fame and fortune. Others come to test their skills against the legions of monsters lurking in the darkness below. However, Bell Cranel’s grandfather told him a different reason: it’s a great place to rescue (and subsequently meet) girls! Now that Bell’s a dungeon delver himself, the ladies he’s encountering aren’t the helpless damsels in distress he’d imagined, and one of them, the beautiful swordswoman Ais Wallenstein, keeps rescuing Bell instead. As embarrassing as that is, it’s nothing compared to what happens when goddesses get involved. Freya, Hephaistos, and Loki, with their powerful Familias, are intimidating enough, but there’s one goddess whose relationship with Bell is certain to spark trouble.



Tags: Dungeon , Male Protagonist , Gods , Magic , Mythology , Female Harem , Primarily Female Cast , Swordplay , Tomboy , Travel , Ensemble Cast , Elf , Love Triangle , Kemonomimi , Nudity , Kuudere , Nekomimi , Cultivation , Villainess , Primarily Teen Cast , Shounen , Goblin

Yahari Ore no Seishun Love Come wa Machigatteiru.

Also known as My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU.

Studio: Brain's Base
Status: Finished
Genres: Comedy , Drama , Romance , Slice of Life

This romantic comedy revolves around an antisocial high school student named Hikigaya Hachiman with a distorted view on life and no friends or girlfriend. When he sees his classmates talking excitedly about living their adolescent lives, he mutters: "They're a bunch of liars." When he is asked about his future dreams, he responds: "Not working." A teacher gets Hachiman to join the 'Volunteer Service' club, which happens to have the school's prettiest girl: Yukinoshita Yukino.



Tags: School , School Club , Primarily Teen Cast , Male Protagonist , Anti-Hero , Heterosexual , Love Triangle , Kuudere , Hikikomori , Satire , Femboy , Meta , Tsundere , Bullying , Female Harem , Episodic , Chuunibyou , Bisexual , Tennis , Rehabilitation

Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann

Also known as Gurren Lagann.

Studio: Gainax
Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Comedy , Drama , Mecha , Romance , Sci-Fi

In a far away future, mankind lives underground in huge caves, unknowing of a world above with a sky and stars.

In the small village of Jiha, Simon, a shy boy who works as a digger discovers a strange glowing object during excavation. The enterprising Kamina, a young man with a pair of rakish sunglasses and the passion of a firey sun, befriends Simon and forms a small band of brothers, the Gurren Brigade, to escape the village and break through the ceiling of the cave to reach the surface, which few believe exist.

The village elder won't hear of such foolishness and punishes the Brigade. However, when disaster strikes from the world above and the entire village is in jeopardy, it's up to Simon, Kamina, a girl with a big gun named Yoko, and the small yet sturdy robot, Lagann, to save the day.

The new friends journey to the world above and find that the surface is a harsh battlefield, and it's up to them to fight back against the rampaging Beastmen to turn the tide in the humans' favor! Pierce the heavens, Gurren Lagann!

Tags: Super Robot , Coming of Age , Dystopian , Found Family , Male Protagonist , Post-Apocalyptic , Primarily Adult Cast , Space Opera , Tragedy , Travel , War , Shounen , Space , Time Skip , Aliens , Class Struggle , Politics , Desert , Anthropomorphism , Outdoor , Heterosexual , Henshin , Military , Animals , Guns , Alternate Universe , Urban , Nudity , Love Triangle , Cosmic Horror , Swordplay , Suicide , CGI , Boys' Love

Hyouka

Also known as Hyouka.

Studio: Kyoto Animation
Status: Finished
Genres: Mystery , Romance , Slice of Life

Energy-conservative high school student Houtarou Oreki ends up with more than he bargained for when he signs up for the Classic Literature Club at his sister's behest—especially when he realizes how deep-rooted the club's history really is. Begrudgingly, Oreki is dragged into an investigation concerning the 45-year-old mystery that surrounds the club room.

Accompanied by his fellow club members, the knowledgeable Satoshi Fukube, the stern but benign Mayaka Ibara, and the ever-curious Eru Chitanda, Oreki must combat deadlines and lack of information with resourcefulness and hidden talent, in order to not only find the truth buried beneath the dust of works created years before them, but of other side cases as well.

Based on the award-winning Koten-bu light novel series, and directed by Yasuhiro Takemoto of Suzumiya Haruhi no Shoushitsu, Hyouka shows that normal life can be full of small mysteries, be it family history, a student film, or even the withered flowers that make up a ghost story.



Tags: School Club , Detective , School , Male Protagonist , Primarily Teen Cast , Coming of Age , Episodic , Classic Literature , Heterosexual , Filmmaking , Rural , Otaku Culture , Tsundere , Cosplay , Politics , Shrine Maiden , Bullying

Sono Bisque Doll wa Koi wo Suru

Also known as My Dress-Up Darling.

Studio: CloverWorks
Status: Finished
Genres: Comedy , Ecchi , Romance , Slice of Life

High schooler Wakana Gojou cares about one thing: making Hina dolls. With nobody to share his obsession, he has trouble finding friends—or even holding conversation. But after the school’s most popular girl, Marin Kitagawa, reveals a secret of her own, he discovers a new purpose for his sewing skills. Together, they’ll make her cosplay dreams come true!



Tags: Cosplay , Otaku Culture , Fashion , Male Protagonist , Heterosexual , Primarily Teen Cast , Female Protagonist , Gyaru , Seinen , Photography , Slapstick , Coming of Age , School , Tsundere , Urban , Unrequited Love , Nudity