Highlights:
* Here are the top 10 romantic anime series of all time.
* Romance anime are quickly getting popular as anime gets more popular globally.
* Violet Evergarden is one of the highest rated romantic anime series of all time.
Romantic anime series are quickly gaining popularity as anime itself gets more and more popular around the world. People quickly get tired of all the flashy fights and power-fantasy of generic shonen or isekai anime so as an alternative, romance anime are being picked up by many new fans. So for all you newcomers, here are the top 10 romantic anime series that you should watch as soon as possible.
- Also Read: Top 5 Best Anime Series for Gamers
Kamisama Kiss
| Release Date | October 2, 2012 |
| Author | Julietta Suzuki |
Kamisama Kiss is a classic supernatural romance between a human girl who ends up as a local land deity and a youkai Fox-spirit who ends up as her servant and guard. You can call this an enemies-to-lovers trope or a reverse-harem anime because most notable men in this series are pretty and posed as potential partners for our girl Nanami. It’s one of the best romantic anime series from a time when anime wasn’t that popular.
Call Of The Night
| Release Date | July 8, 2022 |
| Author | Kotoyama |
Call of the Night is for the Gen Z, Gen X, Gen Alpha kids who have developed rather eccentric tastes in romance and romantic partners. This is not an anime for enjoyers of classic romances but if you’re looking for a fresh take on love, romance and romantic partnership, this is one of the best romantic anime series to fill that role. Nazuna Nanakusa is a rare romantic archetype which shines in the narrative of this anime.
Toradora
| Release Date | October 2, 2008 |
| Author | Yuyuko Takemiya |
Ryuuji and Taiga’s romance begins somewhat unnaturally as they both get together to help each other out with their respective crushes on other students. Eventually, they realize that they’ve been looking for love in the wrong place all this time. They grow to care for each other and eventually come to love each other organically which is why Toradora, despite being a classic, is still one of the best romance anime series.
Horimiya
| Release Date | January 10, 2021 |
| Author | Hero |
Horimiya is a high-sugar, stress-free highschool romance that doesn’t beat around the bush with your classic romantic tropes and tendencies. It gets to the point quickly and showcases what healthy romance looks like for several highschoolers- not just the main pair. It’s one of the best romance anime series of the new era because of its vibrant cast of characters and fun storytelling.
Fruits Basket
| Release Date | July 26, 2001 |
| Author | Natsuki Takaya |
Tohru’s kindheartedness might be too much to digest sometimes but considering this romance anime is also filled with supernatural elements, we’re allowed to fantasize about the perfect wife-material girl who is Tohru Honda. Fruits Basket is a reverse-harem classic shoujo romance and it’s easy to tell because all the potential romantic partners here are members of the mysterious and supernatural Zodiac family. It’s not only one of the best romantic anime series but also one of the highest-rated ones.
Skip & Loafer
| Release Date | April 4, 2023 |
| Author | Misaki Takamatsu |
If you want to clear your head from the dating pool and modern romantic culture, then Skip & Loafer is your way to reminisce, get back to and learn from the good old days about healthy relationships and romantic interests. Mitsumi and Sousuke come from very different backgrounds and have different goals in life but the way they bond and help each other grow is what makes this anime of the best romantic anime series- period.
The Dangers In My Heart
| Release Date | April 2, 2023 |
| Author | Norio Sakurai |
The Dangers in My Heart dominated the popularity charts when the likes of Frieren was airing- you know the current highest-rated anime of all time? The reason this anime is one of the best romantic anime series is difficult to put into words but consider it a mix of great writing, heartwarming moments spliced in with hilarious comedy and great characters. Ichikawa and Yamada are already the couple of the year according to most anime fans.
Kaguya-sama: Love is War
| Release Date | January 12, 2019 |
| Author | Aka Akasaka |
Kaguya-sama: Love is War is one of the highest-rated and most popular romantic anime series for one reason alone- its comedy. This anime exaggerates and pokes fun at your typical highschool romance stories but all the while it develops real bonds and believable scenarios to progress the story and the love between its main pair. The romance progresses at snail’s pace but the payoff makes it all worth it.
Your Lie in April
| Release Date | October 9, 2014 |
| Author | Naoshi Arakawa |
Your Lie in April has single-handedly made the month of April a month of mourning for the anime community. Some fans even make it an annual ritual to rewatch this anime every April for all the feels and emotions. Beware that this will leave you a crying mess and that’s why it’s all the more worth it to take a plunge into one of the best romantic anime series of all time, if not the best, and have an experience of a lifetime.
Violet Evergarden
| Release Date | January 11, 2018 |
| Author | Kana Akatsuki |
Violet Evergarden explores the theme of love in all its possible layers- whether it be romantic, familial or even platonic love for a stranger who made you smile one day. At its core it is a romantic story about an ex-soldier, orphan girl trying to find the meaning of “I Love You”- the last words left by a man named Gilbert who had taken her in and shown her kindness. Violet Evergarden is one of the best romantic anime series of all time and it doesn’t feel like it’ll be surpassed anytime soon.
If you were interested in what romance anime is currently popular- especially the ones Japan is watching, here are the top romantic anime series according to Japan in 2024. Comparing these lists will give you a gauge of differences between Japan’s and the global romantic preferences.
