Valentine’s Day is the perfect day to binge all the romance anime your heart desires. In need of some suggestions to add to your watchlist? Look no further – we’ve got you covered. Whether you’re streaming on Crunchyroll, Netflix, other streaming services or even Blu-rays, there’s no shortage of excellent content to keep you occupied on this most romantic of holidays. The best part is that no two series are quite the same, often with gimmicks ranging from the endearing to the absurd.
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Whether it be a simple crush or a deep longing, traversing the obstacles of falling in love is a struggle everyone faces. For the characters in these shows, the struggles and obstacles may just be a bit more surprising or unexpected. Nonetheless, the relatability we can feel for them is palpable.
Wotakoi: Love Is Hard for Otaku
Narumi Momose, a new employee, has a secret she’d rather not let her coworkers know – she’s an otaku and fujoshi. Upon going out for drinks with one of her new coworkers and old middle school friend, Hirotaka Nifuji, she ends up complaining that her last relationship failed because her boyfriend didn’t want to date a fujoshi. So, being an otaku himself, Hirotaka suggests she try dating him. At first, she refuses, but quickly jumps at the offer when he lists all the benefits she’d be privy to, including him helping her farm items in their video game.
Thus, the two otakus begin dating. Unfortunately, Hirotaka accidentally spills the beans to two other coworkers that she’s an otaku. But that’s okay — they all are! The new couple and their coworkers, Hanako Koyanagi and Tarou Kabakura (also an adorable romantic pair) become fast friends, sharing in the joys of their otaku obsessions. Otakus of any and all lovey-dovey media unite — Wotakoi: Love Is Hard for Otaku is a relatable addition to any otaku’s Valentine’s Day watchlist. After all, love is hard for otaku.
Toradora
Ryuuji Takasu is often mistaken as a delinquent in high school with his intimidating appearance even though he’s actually gentle and kind. One day, he ends up running into an odd situation with the “Palmtop Tiger”, Taiga Aisaka, named for her feisty personality. After they sort out a mistakenly placed love letter Taiga intended for someone else, the two eventually end up confessing their affection for each other’s best friends.
Even though Taiga and Ryuuji team up to be each other’s wingmen, they start catching unrequited feelings for each other. What ever shall they do? This anime has many romance anime hallmarks including love triangles and “will they, won’t they” tropes, yet its execution will immediately feel original and authentic. Toradora is a classic that’ll be sure to tug on your heartstrings and keep you on your toes.
Kaguya-sama: Love Is War
Shuchiin Academy’s student body president, Miyuki Shirogane, and vice president, Kaguya Shinomiya, excel at their roles and academically, the epitome of admiration among their peers. Although they may be excellent at their high-ranking positions, they aren’t so capable of confessing their feelings for one another. No, admitting such feelings would be the same as losing one’s honor and pride.
On this battlefield, they each strive to squeeze out a confession from the other. For whoever succeeds shall be declared victorious. This series takes the “will they, won’t they” trope and twists it into a game of wits and formidability between the main love interests. As they say, love is a battlefield.
Ouran High School Host Club
After accidentally wandering into the wrong place at the wrong time, Haruhi Fujioka ends up being slapped with a debt to the school’s Host Club and must pay it back by becoming a host. The problem? She’s a girl. But that doesn’t stop her from disguising herself as a boy in order to pay off her debt. With boys assisting in keeping her secret, she becomes close friends with them and ends up truly enjoying her time at the Host Club.
Ironically, although Ouran High School Host Club is a reverse harem featuring a host club, the characters are shown to put friendship between the sexes first. With so many charming, unique characters, you’re sure to find a favorite.
The Dangers in My Heart
Edgy middle school student Kyoutarou Ichikawa, despite his shy and meager appearance, has a truly sinister, dark desire in his heart: to kill his fellow classmate, Anna Yamada. She’s pretty, she’s popular, she’s a model and actress. But upon observing her every day at the library, he comes to realize that she’s actually kind of an airhead and pretty socially inept.
Time and time again, Ichikawa compulsively tries to help Yamada along when she struggles. He begins to question if perhaps he may have other less malicious feelings towards her. As odd of a premise as this show initially seems to have, the comedic moments and relatability of struggles in The Dangers in My Heart are sure to win your heart over.
Tonikawa: Over the Moon for You
Attempting to cross the snowy street to meet the alluring girl on the other side, Nasa Yuzaki nearly loses his life from an oncoming truck. Luckily, the girl was able to spare him from a more fatal outcome, although he didn’t entirely escape unscathed. About to be loaded into an ambulance, Nasa couldn’t take his eyes off her; The mysterious, beautiful girl walking away in the moonlight comparable to Princess Kaguya. Determined to finish what he started, Nasa, albeit still injured, stumbled to meet her and ask her out as he couldn’t let this chance slip through his fingers. She agrees on one condition: that he marries her.
Unlike many romance anime that tend to keep you on your toes with pre-dating romance thrills, this one is a bit more relaxed and directly gets to the point of married life. Sure, it’s a bit unorthodox, but it’s a refreshing take nonetheless. This series is a great change of pace if you’re looking for something more along the speed of a slice-of-married life story.
Darling in the Franxx
Humanity’s existence hinges on the fight against the Klaxosaurs, massive dinosaur-like monsters. Children born in the plantations to fight these beasts are given only code numbers and paired up to pilot the Franxx, giant mechas that can withstand the Klaxosaurs’ attacks. As Plantation 13 receives the newest pilots for graduation into Squad 13, Hiro retreats to a secluded lake, away from the ceremony he believes he’s not worthy of. There, he comes face-to-face with a strange, horned girl who introduces herself as Zero Two. He recognizes her as the infamous “Partner Killer” pilot.
When a Klaxosaur attacks the plantation, Zero Two takes action, but her Franxx winds up crashing with her partner dead. With Hiro being near to the impact, Zero Two decides to offer him the chance to become her partner. Looking for a romance with mecha? Look no further – Darling in the Franxx has you covered. This series will satisfy your craving for both intense action and lovey-dovey shenanigans.
[RELATED: 10 Best Mecha Anime for Gundam Fans Seeking Something New]
Steins;Gate
Rintarou Okabe is the founder of the Future Gadget Laboratory, along with his fellow lab members Mayuri Shiina, his childhood friend, and Itaru Hashida, or Daru, his hacker roommate. As much as he touts being a mad scientist, Okabe and his colleagues have really only accomplished creating a microwave that somehow transforms bananas into green slime. Upon attending a lecture on time travel, a strange string of events proves that he and his friends did indeed create a time travel device. Unfortunately, the discovery not only creates unwanted attention from a mysterious organization known as SERN, but also a rift in the timeline that puts the ones he loves and his own sanity in constant danger.
Time traveling is always a classic trope, but Steins;Gate gives it a twist that will have you at the edge of your seat when our mad scientist hero tries desperately to save both his childhood friend and newfound love interest from the clutches of fate. Even time itself can’t break the bond between a mad scientist and his highly intelligent neuroscientist love interest.
Teasing Master Takagi-san
Takagi is always teasing Nishikata, whether in class or walking home together. Nishikata tries time and time again to turn the tables on her, but time and time again he concedes defeat; he just can’t seem to outwit her cleverness nor her cuteness.
The biggest appeal of this series is easily how Shin-Ei Animation cranks up the wholesome and easygoing appeal. An adorable rom-com with a relaxed slice-of-life pacing, Teasing Master Takagi-san is a cute series that is perfect for a chill Valentine’s Day watchlist.
The Ancient Magus’ Bride
Chise Hatori, a girl who constantly unwillingly attracts strange creatures only she can see, lived a life full of strife and rejection. But after being willingly sold to a mysterious man at an auction when she believed she had nothing to live for, she’s whisked away to a new life full of magic and strange creatures. Elias Ainsworth, the peculiar man who had bought her, claims to be a magus. Chise begins her new life not only at Elias’s side as his apprentice but also as his bride.
Full of magical creatures and mystical places, The Ancient Magus’ Bride takes romance on the slow side. While the two main characters aren’t exactly the classic portrayal of romance, they share a magical bond that proves impossible to break.
Dandadan
When feisty gyaru Momo Ayase defends the meek, geeky Ken Takakura, dubbed Okarun, from bullies throwing trash at the poor guy just trying to read his magazine, he follows after his new friend. Misunderstanding her intentions, he presumes she is also into aliens and the occult. Saying she’s not into aliens and UFOs but she does believe in ghosts prompts Okarun to chuckle that ghosts aren’t real. The two begin to argue their points on whether or not aliens or ghosts are the real deal. Thus, beginning their unusual, deepening friendship founded on the resulting, arguably more absurd, consequences – getting Okarun’s family jewels back from the very things they questioned existing.
Ah, young love. It’s often viewed as innocent, slow, and gentle … but not in Dandadan, our Anime of the Year for 2024. Momo and Okarun don’t exactly start their relationship as the love-at-first-sight type. However, the connection they portray is a refreshing reminder of how some of the more offbeat relationships are actually some of the more relatable and realistic. After all, Okarun is an awkward guy.
My Dress-Up Darling
Wakana Gojou is an aspiring hina doll maker. Marin Kitagawa on the other hand, is a gyaru who loves to cosplay. Although Gojou’s meek and shy demeanor contrasts Kitagawa’s confidence and popularity, the two become close friends when Kitagawa discovers Gojou’s talent for sewing would be the perfect skill for creating the perfect cosplays.
They say that opposites attract, and it seems this is no different in a top-notch romance anime. My Dress-Up Darling is a great example of how a little cooperation and appreciation for one another can bring people together; sometimes closer than they may realize.
Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russian
Alisa Mikhailovna Kujou, aka “Alya”, is the treasurer of Seirei Academy’s school council. Although she acts as though she gets irritated with classmate Masachika Kuze slacking off and showing disinterest, she hides behind speaking aloud her true feelings in Russian. Thinking she’s being clever with her blatant confessions, there’s just one problem with her nonchalant disclosures – Masachika understands every word.
There’s the series that will tease confessions of love until the very end, and then there’s Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russian, an anime that throws that idea completely out the window in favor of a love interest willing to confess her feelings constantly and blatantly. Not to her knowledge, though.
Horimiya
Kyouko Hori is a popular girl among her peers, admired for both her intelligence and good looks. Izumi Miyamura, on the other hand, is a meek guy who isn’t the most social. When the two meet outside of school, they come to realize that the personas they portray in the classroom aren’t the entirety of their true selves; Hori is actually a very responsible homemaker who takes care of her younger brother rather than having any time to socialize and Miyamura, despite having a gentle disposition, hides a myriad of tattoos and piercings. The two quickly become friends and begin learning about each other’s true personalities.
People strive to look for that special someone who will accept them as they truly are. Horimiya shows the importance of getting to know someone and caring about who they really are. For any Valentine’s Day viewing, this is a worthwhile reminder anybody can appreciate.
That concludes our list of the top romance anime to watch on Valentine’s Day! If you feel anything was missing, feel free to let us know in the comments below!
