With Valentine’s Day behind us, we can all confirm that love was indeed in the air. But for all the romantics out there, why wait another year to feel the love?
Fiction books, movies, and all these songs about undying love and more just keep coming up to remind us how beautiful the feeling of falling in love truly is. Obviously, anime itself also has a place on the list of media that keeps up the same stance.
Anime romance always hits differently. You may get bored with the same trope used too many times to the point of being able to predict the next sequence of series that’s about to happen in other movies and series.
But anime romance is so full of surprises and mixed with other genres like comedy, fantasy, and sci-fi that it just never gets boring.
Many such romantic classics and newer ones are available on Crunchyroll, a subscription-based anime streaming site, where you can not only read the summaries of your next watch but also check out the ratings and reviews.
This might help you to plan out what interests you. Given below are the 50 Best Romance Anime On Crunchyroll in no particular order of their reviews.
1. More Than A Married Couple, But Not Lovers
We’ve all wanted to play ‘house’ with our crush while we were young, pretend to be spouses, and live a happy married life, as fake as that may be. But when that pretend play becomes a project in your teens, that’s a different scene.
That is exactly what happens in More Than A Married Couple, But Not Lovers. Jiro Yakuin and Akari Watanabe are two people who both harbor a crush. Just not on each other.
In contrast, they don’t get along well but are partnered up for a ‘marriage’ project with each other, and coincidentally their crushes get partnered with each other.
Now, unable to switch partners from the get-go, they decide to bite their tongues and go along and play ‘couple’ until they reach the top ten.
Only after this can they change partners. But doesn’t this sound like a perfect setting for an enemies-to-lovers plot?
- Rating: 4.8/5
- Episodes: 12
- Genre: Drama, Romance
2. Kaguya Sama – Love is War
You may have heard that ‘All is fair in love and war.’ Now get ready for ‘Love Is War.’ Yep, Kaguya Sama – Love Is War is a story that is quite a ride with how far two people who like each other can go to make a confession happen… from the other side.
In the elite school setting of Shuchiin Academy, where almost everyone is from a prestigious family and has an easygoing personality, Kaguya Shinomiya and Miyuki Shirogane are the two student council heads.
And as expected from romance, they have liked each other for almost half a year now.
That’s it. No confession yet to push forward the plot into a sweet cute romance. Because the confession is the plot, yep, these two headstrong students refuse to be the first to confess and go through heaps and bounds to make the other person fold first.
Their pride is surely not allowing them to be the one. And thus commences the war to make your crush confess their undying love for you!
- Rating: 4.9/5
- Episodes: 12 per season- 2 seasons
- Genre: Comedy, Romance, Seinen
3. The Ancient Magus’ Bride
If being abused and neglected as a child wasn’t enough for a backstory, Hatori Chise, a young girl of just 15 years, was even auctioned off as a slave. But fear not. Every cloud has a silver lining. Chise was not bought by an organ trafficker but by a powerful Magus.
Magus, introduced as Elias Ainsworth, has a head of bones of an animal and a huge build. He is quite an intimidating picture he makes, which is opposite to the way he treats Chise. He bought her to become his apprentice and provided her with freedom.
She also happens to be the supposed wife of the Magus. So watch this anime to entertain yourself with a well-paced romance in a fantasy and supernatural setting with a lot more because this anime isn’t so loved by many for nothing.
- Rating: 4.8/5
- Episodes: 24
- Genre: Romance, Supernatural, Fantasy, Drama, Action, Adventure
4. Tomo Chan Is A Girl
Do you know how in gender bender, we as viewers are sometimes baffled how people don’t see an obvious girl/guy dressing up as the other gender?
But anime can always confuse you about this. Quite easily. But what happens when the so-called boy is just another girl?
No, false alarm! Tomo Chan Is A Girl isn’t about gender-bending, but being a tomboy to the extent that you are considered as “one of the boys.” And isn’t that sad when you want to be perceived as a romantic interest?
Well, Tomo Chan is a girl in such a position. To make things worse, she is crushing on her childhood friend Junichro, who sees her as a ‘bro.’
Talk about awkwardness. Now Tomo isn’t less pretty than the next girl, but her friend just doesn’t see her in that light, so she puts her best step forward to make him realize that she is, in fact- a girl who also likes him.
- Rating: 4.8/5
- Episodes: 13
- Genre: Comedy, Romance
5. The Misfit Of Demon King Academy
Anos Voldigord, an all-powerful demon king, gets tired of destroying humans, spirits, and gods and just wishes for a world that is peaceful.
He is reincarnated after 2000 years, but instead of finding his descendants practicing magic that will be useful in this well-established peaceful world, he finds them being complacent. What a letdown.
Now, Anos decides to open his own academy to bring in people who were rumored to be reincarnations of the demon king and train them to revive the state of magic and harness it to reach their full potential. But his plans do not come to life as easily as he thought them to.
Because this guy, who is the real reincarnation of the demon king, gets marked as a ‘Misfit’ of Demon Academy. In an almost harem-like setting, The Misfit Of Demon King Academy does sprinkle in a pinch of genuine love.
- Rating: 4.8/5
- Episodes: 2 seasons, 13 episodes per season
- Genre: Adventure, Fantasy, Romance, Shonen
6. Horimiya
One popular trope among all other tropes is opposites attract. The chemistry between two people who seem so different from each other meeting in the middle to sustain a relationship and make it work. All the while, simultaneously being real to themselves and loving the other for who they are is a very common fantasy.
Such a trope is well used in Horimiya, which seems to be the title mashed with the names of its two characters – Hiro and Miyamura. These two people are polar opposites in the eyes of their classmates.
Kyoku Hori is an outgoing person who is well-rounded in everything, possessing both beauty and brains. And on the other hand, Izumi Miyamura is quiet and gentle and stays on the low radar.
But when they meet up and become friends, their personalities don’t seem as different and develop into a friendship. Slowly and gradually, they show different sides of themselves that build a foundation of trust between them and bring about a beautiful love story.
- Rating: 4.9/5
- Episodes: 13
- Genre: Drama, Romance
7. Recovery Of An MMO Junkie
You may want a more relatable character rather than someone from a prestigious background or having a complete package of good marks and looks; you may go for Recovery Of An MMO Junkie.
Here, you’ll find our main character Moriko who is jobless, unemployed, and definitely not a student anymore.
This 30-year-old woman is completely out of connection with the real world and has taken up refuge in the virtual world of the online game. But in contrast to her offline real life, in the game, she plays a man named Hayashi, who is both young and handsome.
But the contrast ends here because the bad luck of being a bad player doesn’t seem to be going away anytime soon.
Hayashi keeps dying a number of times, and finally, a girl named Lily helps him to pass through missions and clear levels.
The catch in this plot is that in real life, Moriko meets a guy, Yuta, and life doesn’t seem as normal anymore. Things start changing around her in both the offline and online worlds.
- Rating: 4.7/5
- Episodes: 10+OVA
- Genre: Drama, Romance, Seinen
8. Date A Live
There are always new ways that anime keeps us entertained in the romance section, from normal everyday high school or office lives of two characters to supernatural and fantastical settings that bring that oomph factor. The same is the case with Date A Live.
This anime is set in a space world where space quakes occur, a twist to the daily life world build-up. Shido is a normal high school boy who meets multiple spirits who can pose a threat to his world.
The only way to stop such disasters from happening is to seal them. Seems easy enough, but the catch is- you have to make them fall in love with you!
Thus, a road paved with good intentions leads to our protagonist having a harem. But! To everyone hoping for a definite couple, do not worry.
There is a final win with Shido ending up with a particular girl. Though telling who that is will spoil all the fun. So go ahead and ship Shido with whichever girl you like best.
- Rating: 4.7/5
- Episodes: 4 seasons, 46 episodes
- Genre: Action, Drama, Romance, Comedy, Fantasy, Sci-fi
9. The Angel Next Door Spoils Me Rotten
The boy/girl next door trope has always been a fan favorite due to its possibility of becoming real.
I mean, there are a lot of people out there who’ve had crushes on their neighbors. So, this cute romance is for those who enjoy a more realistic approach.
The Angel Next Door Spoils Me Rotten revolves around Mahiro and Amane, who are neighbors. We see this story unravel with two classmates going from strangers to lovers, all because of one kind gesture.
When Amane sees Mahiro without an umbrella on a rainy day, he offers her his umbrella, and this starts an adorable tale.
To repay him for his kindness, Mahiro (who really has the appearance of an angel) takes up the task of cleaning Amane’s messy room and making food for him.
As you know, a way to a man’s heart is through his stomach! So, what starts as gratitude slowly starts blurring the lines between neighbors and lovers.
- Rating: 4.9/5
- Episodes: 9
- Genre: Drama, Romance
10. My Dress Up, Darling
One of the most popular 2022 romance animes, My Dress Up Darling, is about two classmates who form a bond over craft. Gojo is a high school lad.
He is very interested in Japanese Hina dolls and wants to become kashirashi, which is an expert in making said dolls.
However, the goal seems to be a bit further away due to his lack of knowledge of current trends in that industry. But fate plays an interesting game when he is told a secret from a classmate, Marin Kitagawa, about herself.
Kitagawa is one of the popular cool girls in the school who never had her circle intersect with Gojo despite being his classmate. But this turn of events makes them become friends, and maybe this could lead to something more.
- Ratings:4.9/5
- Episodes: 12
- Genre: Romance
11. I Can’t Understand What My Husband Is Saying
Following the line of opposites in love, I Can’t Understand What My Husband Is Saying is about a passionate working lady and her otaku husband, who is a total introvert.
These two opposites live differently and have contrasting lifestyles, are married to each other, and love each other deeply.
Kaoru and Hajime live differently, but their story is an interesting one as it is about a person in a professional setting and one in a freelancer job. Blogger, to be exact.
What makes it even more interesting is that Kaoru, the wife is the one out in the field, and Hajime is an anime and manga-obsessed otaku who blogs from the comfort of his home.
There are not many major conflicts other than daily lives that have a few clashes and sparks due to these gaps in understanding each other’s jobs.
But at the same time, it also sheds light on the similarities between the two. A light watch for those who do not want to divulge into anything angst-ridden and heavy.
- Ratings: 4.6/5
- Episodes: 2 seasons, 13 episodes each
- Genre: Comedy, Romance, Seinen
12. Eden Of The East
Waking up naked in a foreign land with a couple of possessions might sound like any other survival movie plot. But this anime, Eden of the East, takes it a step higher and gives Akira Takizawa, the main character amnesia.
Along with amnesia, he has a phone with a bank account that’s gonna last him for months (them million yen, not that he remembers it) and a gun.
To top it all off, he has a woman on his side who almost acts as his fairy godmother, as she grants him any wish. All seems to be going well if only Akira recalls that he is on a mission to save Japan.
He will get killed if he fails. So, a great start with suspense and a thrilling romance.
- Ratings: 4.7/5
- Episodes: 11
- Genre: Adventure, Romance, Thriller
13. Darling In The Franxx
In the dystopian future of humanity, children are reared to fight unknown monsters using machine suits called Franxx.
These robots help them in fighting against an enemy they are yet to see. The world is divided into two, humans who find reproducing undesirable and live in a world of comfort surrounded by the latest technology.
The scientifically made children who are trained to only fight to protect humanity and yet called ‘parasites.’
The world-building is intricate, with parasites forming a girl-boy bond to pair up for missions together and fighting against klaxosaurs, who have four distinct categories.
Hiro is a prodigy with code name 016 who is great at what he does but still fails to coordinate with his partner during a mission. This made him unable to graduate from his class.
But things take a turn when he volunteers to become partners with ‘Partner Killer, Zero Two, code name: 002. Zero Two is rumored to have been a partner killer as none of her partners live after the third time of pairing up for their missions.
After this, there’s only one way this could go. Romance mixed with mecha sounds like a good genre to dabble in if you want something that is not fantasy and adventure.
- Ratings:4.6/5
- Episodes: 24
- Genre: Action, Drama, Romance, Sci-fi
14. Engage Kiss
Demon cleaning sounds like a fun job until you need to make a deal with one. Shu is a guy who seems to have managed to do both.
He runs a Private Military Company that provides services against “D hazards,” i.e., demons. But he is quite picky about the jobs he takes up and thus is always low on money.
That seems to be no problem for him, though, because he is financially looked after by Kisara, a high school student. And that’s not all.
Kisara happens to be a demon herself who has made a deal with Shu to help him with his company and go as far as to exterminate demons.
In return, all she wants is a kiss. Doesn’t feel like a huge deal for the number of benefits that Shu gets in return. It’s just that this contractual relationship slowly transforms into something more, especially when Kisara gets jealous due to the entry of Shu’s ex, who works in the same demon exterminating industry.
- Ratings: 4.6/5
- Episodes: 13
- Genre: Action, Comedy, Romance
15. A Couple Of Cuckoos
Do you know how cuckoos raise their chicks? They don’t. They lay their eggs in the nests of other birds, and they are done. That egg is no longer their responsibility. It is to be raised as a part of the other birds’ family. A bit of a similar case is with this anime.
Nagi and Erika are two people who are poles apart. Where Nagi is a top student and Erika is a social media personality. So we can agree that they couldn’t be more different. But destiny plays her hand when their parents get to know that they were swapped at birth.
To make sure that the true parents get to love their biological children, too, they devise a plan to get these two engaged. But obviously, Nagi and Erika refuse to such an arrangement.
But what starts out as a firm no, gradually is worn down with more time spent together and developing feelings that turn it into a possible yes.
- Ratings: 4.5/5
- Episodes: 24
- Genre: Comedy, Romance
16. Rent A Girlfriend
How far would you take your fake relationship with your reluctant partner for the sake of an ailing family member? Far enough to actually fall in love, it seems. At least, that seems to be the context of Rent A Girlfriend. But that is not how it all starts.
When Kazuya Kishinota is dumped by his girlfriend out of the blue is heartbroken and in misery. He loses faith in love, and just to experience it to get over his ex, he hires a girlfriend from an online site.
He gets partnered up with Chizuru Mizuhara, who has a gentle and sweet demeanor. But that personality comes crashing down when in his burst of misplaced righteousness, Kazuya gives her a poor rating.
According to the previous reviews, he, too, believes that Chizuru is putting on an act to play with him. Hypocrisy, Hypocrisy. Calling him out on his shamelessness and his pretense, Chizuru acts as her real self, i.e., short-tempered and bubbly.
But her monologue doesn’t get far when Kazuya gets a phone call regarding his grandmother’s collapse.
When they both reach the hospital, and the grandmother seems fine, Kazuya is forced to introduce Chizuru as his girlfriend. Now, they need to keep up this charade till Granny gets better or until they fall in love.
- Ratings: 4.3/5
- Episodes: 24
- Genre: Comedy, Romance, Shonen
17. Love After World Domination
Enemies to lovers get another anime on its list with the release of Love after World Domination. It is an anime with a love story between the hero and the villain. No, really, Fudo and Desumi are really a hero and a villain, respectively.
When love strikes them at first sight, these two lovebirds start dating secretly and behind the backs of their colleague and lackeys. Going out on dates is a rare occurrence, and having a candlelight dinner is a mission in itself. If only that were the only thing that was tough to handle.
With both these being on each other’s opposite sides of the barrel, Fudo, the hero of the Gelato 5 squad, and Desumi, the reaper princess of Gekko, with their opposing principles and takes on the world, strive hard to keep their relationship going and on the down low.
- Ratings: 4.7/5
- Episodes: 12
- Genre: Comedy, Romance
18. The Ice Guy And His Cool Female Colleague
If you are tired of only high school love affairs popping up in your recommendations or seeing kids younger than you fall in love is not your preferred romance, then switch to office romances. The Ice Guy And His Cool Female Colleague is an office romance with a tinge of supernatural to it.
Being a descendant of a snow spirit, it is really tough for Himuro not to turn his workspace into a snow palace. Because with every emotion, he brings in a snowstorm, snowmen, and igloos.
So no getting angry at incompetent colleagues, tough boss, or late overtime. And also has to have no feelings for his coworker, Fuyutsuki. That straight-up turns him into an icy figure, an actual human popsicle.
Now, he must do his best to reign in his feelings for Fuyutsuki before he blows away the roof of his office with a snowy blizzard and keeps his jealousy at bay. But despite his best efforts, everyone seems to be aware of his crush on her, except Fuyutsuki herself.
- Ratings: 4.8/5
- Episodes: 8 (as of now)
- Genre: Supernatural, Romance
19. Sugar Apple Fairy Tale
Being a confectioner in a fantasy world is not as easy as one may think. It’s tough as it is in the real world to master sweets, and the fantasy world brings in more variety and its own set of challenges.
In the world of Highland, where fairies are kept under control by having their wings cut off and used as blackmail to be turned into slaves by humans, Anne Halford wants to be a Silver Sugar Master- a top confectioner.
But she does not only have to pass some practical exam in school for it, but she also has to get a royal medal. So to go for such a big goal, she hires a warrior fairy, Challe, and promises him that she shall return his wings to him after the goal is achieved.
In this cruel world of people using fairies to do their bidding and being granted such a chance at freedom, Challe is confused but goes along with Anne. Slowly, they get to know each other, a human and a fairy, and their own wants and wishes.
- Ratings: 4.8/5
- Episodes: 12
- Genre: Fantasy, Romance
20. The Tale Of Outcasts
Lonely people tend to rid of their loneliness by meeting other lonely people. I do not know how much truth this statement bears, but that is true for The Tale Of Outcasts.
Set in Victorian England, this anime is about two lonely souls, Wisteria and Marbas. One is an orphan, while the other is immortal. One without any family to begin with and another with no remaining family to live with.
Wisteria does have a brother who is a part of Sword Cross Knights, who are brutal soldiers. Both find companionship with each other while evading the soldiers, and this situation evolves into something more.
- Ratings: 4.7/5
- Episodes: 7
- Genre: Historical Fantasy, Romance, Supernatural
21. Kaze No Stigma
With no power to control the fire, Kazuma Yagami is deemed incompetent by his family members, the house of the fire magic users – the Kannagi house.
But he returns back with Fuujutsu – the ability to control air and is stronger than ever. But with his return comes another conflict in the way of the massacre of several Kannagi family members. The reason for their death is Fuujutsu.
Now, suspected to be their murderer by everyone and his cousin Ayano, he must do his best to prove his innocence and catch the real killer. If it just so happens that he and Ayano fall in love along the way, then that is just a cherry on top of this whole drama.
- Ratings: 4.5/5
- Episodes: 24
- Genre: Action, Drama, Shonen, Romance, Supernatural
22. My Wife Is The Student Council President
When two pairs of parents end up making promises regarding their children’s marriages in the future, we get a situation as follows. Hayato Izumi and Ui Wakana are two students who are running for the position of president of the student council.
Ui brings in better offers and reformation plans and wins by a huge margin leading to Izumi in the position of vice president.
And it so happens that they begin to cohabit due to their parents’ vows to each other regarding this matrimony between Hayato and Ui. Thus, these two students now have to manage not only their academics and roles and responsibilities of being the student council heads but also their duties towards each other as husband and wife.
All the while keeping it a secret from their friends and classmates. This anime is for those who prefer romance with a dash of eroticism.
- Ratings: 4.4/5
- Episodes: 12
- Genre: Comedy, Romance
23. The Duke of Death And His Maid
It is a wonderful feeling to hold hands, make pinky finger promises, and hug your loved ones. But what if you could never touch them again?
Because doing so could kill them? Quite a wretched thing to think about, isn’t it? But for the Duke, it is a reality he suffers from.
The young Duke was sent into isolation due to his curse that would kill anyone he touched. This left him lonely and miserable.
However, the silver lining comes in the form of his butler, Bob, and his maid, Alice. Alice is flirty by nature and does not shy from doing so with the Duke.
This leads to growing feelings between them, but the truth remains that the Duke cannot touch her. So, pushed to the brink of desperation to give himself and Alice a chance to have a normal relationship, he sets out to find a cure to his curse.
- Rating: 4.8/5
- Episodes: 12
- Genre: Fantasy, Romance
24. The Magical Revolution of The Reincarnated Princess and The Genius Young Lady
Let’s set aside those straight heterosexual romances for now because now it’s time for some adorable and yet cool ‘girls’ love’ genre. The Magical Revolution of The Reincarnated Princess and The Genius Young Lady is about.
You guessed it! A reincarnated princess and a young lady who come together for a similar cause. Or a more appropriate way to describe the situation would be that the princess, Anisphia, saved our young lady, Euphillia, from getting humiliated by the Prince.
The triangle works in this manner – Princess with no powers abdicates her throne to study how to fly, the younger brother gets pushed into arranging remarriage with someone he doesn’t love aka, a young lady, he falls in love with someone else, and humiliates his fiancee in front of everyone.
This leads to the situation above, where Princess Aniswith ulterior motives, maybe, but saves Euphillia.
- Ratings:4.8/5
- Episodes: 12
- Genres: Fantasy, Romance
25. Ouran Koukou Host Club
What could be mistaken as a gay or lesbian couple, depending on which frame a person oblivious to the plot pauses on, this straight anime series is a very well-known gender-bender romance series.
Haruhi is roped into being a part of the Host Club for her school Ouran High. Stuck between a bunch of handsome boys who flirt with their school girls as a club activity, it might feel like a dream come true for many, but not Haruhi. Because she, too, has to flirt with the girls!
This drama series is full of slice-of-life and romantic interactions of every guy with Haruhi, which gives you a chance to enjoy every kind of romance. Though a reverse harem, it still ends up with the final couple in the manga, though the same is not depicted in the series.
- Ratings:4.8/5
- Episodes: 26
- Genres: Comedy, Romance
26. My Little Monster
Being indifferent to every classmate and only being interested in studies, yep, sounds like Shizuku Mizatani. And fist fights and a threat available at the tip of the tongue, uh-huh, that’s Haru Yoshida.
These two opposites start with an unexpected one-sided friendship that is thrust upon Shizuku by Haru. And before it progresses anywhere further, he confesses right on the first day. Haru is like- Don’t waste time.
However, this anime series is a beautiful representation of how introverts and quiet people take time to build relationships and how confusing it can be to step into something new.
Haru and Shizuku may have started on the wrong foot at the beginning, but the way their relations with each other go forward is quite entertaining to watch. This sweet and engaging romance anime is a must-watch!
- Ratings: 4.6/5
- Episodes: 13
- Genres: Comedy, Romance, Shojo
27. Say I Love You
Another high school drama in the long list of opposites attract, Say I Love You, is about how some misunderstandings are actually good when they happen. Because the results of those misunderstandings could lead to you having a boyfriend.
Nonetheless, the first misunderstanding in this anime isn’t a good one. It is something that leads Mei Tachibana to lose trust in people, and her friends lose their trust in her, which means no friends in high school. But the second one, though, that’s a good one.
Enter Yamato Kurasawa, a popular student whom every kid knows and who has a good friend circle. When a misunderstanding makes Yamato interested in Mei, he proposes to be her friend. Wary of this popular kid trying to be friends with her only seems natural to Mei.
But Yamato helps her avoid a staler situation when he kisses her in public. This starts a love story between two people who grow together to know each other and the people around them.
- Ratings: 4.6/5
- Episodes: 13
- Genre: Draa, Romance, Shojo
28. Ao Haru Ride
People try their very best to look beautiful to attract the attention o their crush or opposite gender in their teenage years. However, that is not the case with Futaba Yoshioka, She is a gorgeous-looking girl, and it seems to be a curse. Due to many of the guys in her class having a crush on her, she is an outcast among the girls and has no friends during middle school.
To avoid this from happening again in high school, she does her best to avoid any unwanted male attention. From eating loudly to dressing shabbily, she tries to repel any guy from liking her. Miraculously, she does end up with friends in her high school. But her plans do not hold up for long after the return of her mysteriously vanished crush, Kou Mabuchi.
He is cold, taller, and more handsome than he was in middle school, and Yoshioka wants to confess to him once and for all.
But to do so, she might have to stop pretending as shabby as she tried to appear, but that could mean losing friends. So how would she go about it? This pleasing anime is a great one to add to your to-watch list (if you haven’t yet).
- Ratings: 4.8/5
- Episodes: 12
- Genre: Comedy, Romance, Drama
29. Yuri On Ice
I feel like this anime needs no introduction to how popular it is. But here it goes. Yuuri Katsuki is an outstanding figure skater who lacks a mentor to train him and save him from his pork cutlets and growing weight (which is harmful to his career).
Enter Viktor Nikifurov, a five-time world champion, who shows up on his doorstep offering to be his guide. So, obviously, after a defeat in Grand Pix earlier, this is a great chance for Yuuri to get back into the game.
But another Yuri, Yuri Plisetsky, is determined to get back Viktor as his mentor by winning the competition and winning against Yuuri Katsuki.
This seemingly heterosexual coach/student relationship is the front, but one cannot deny the chemistry between the leads and the subtle gay undertones of Yuri!! On Ice.
- Ratings: 4.8/5
- Episodes:12
- Genre: Drama, Sports, (Romance)
30. Kaichou Wa Maid Sama
A personal favorite of mine, Kaicho Wa Maid Sama, is an absolute banger. Misaki Ayuzawa, nicknamed ‘the Demon President’ of Seika High School, is the first female student council president.
She makes sure all the girls feel safe and protected, and the boys are well-behaved and show no signs of delinquency. With her Aikido, it does not tend to be a tough job, but surely a mentally taxing one.
Under all this tough mask hides another Misaki. She is a maid at a cafe and works there to support her family. Usui Takumi, the school crush of both guys and girls, is too well-versed in rejecting girls.
For all that matter, when he comes face to face with Misaki being, a maid at a maid-themed cafe, he cannot stop himself from falling for both her tough and gentle demeanor – whether it be a demon president or a maid.
Though the truth is, he does have stalkerish and perverted tendencies. Despite all of this, their love story goes a long way, with Misaki finally accepting Usui’s affection.
- Rating: 4.8/5
- Episodes: 26
- Genre: Comedy, Romance, Shojo
31. Nagi No Asu Kara
This anime is for all sea lovers. Ever wished to breathe underwater? Search for Atlantis or mermaids?
Well, maybe that wish will remain a wish in reality, but this anime presents a story where people were able to live underwater permanently a long time ago.
But as some part of that population shifted to the land, there started to dispute that led to deep hatred between the people of the land and the sea till today.
Despite this, a group of friends that consists of kids from the land, sea, and fisherman tries to solve these problems and the upcoming troubles that come their way. The childhood friends-to-romance build-up is done splendidly.
- Rating: 4.6/5
- Episodes: 26
- Genre: Drama, Romance, Fantasy
32. Shikimori’s Not Just A Cutie
A bad day is many times turned into a better one by the presence of a loved one. That holds true here, too, in Shikimori’s Not Just A Cutie. Yuu Izumi tends to have terrible luck in his everyday life and at his school.
One thing goes wrong, and that sets off a chain reaction of misfortunes. But in his second year, all he wants is not peace but to treasure his girlfriend, Micchon Shikimori, who has stuck with him through thick and thin.
Shikimori is a bubbly, cute girl who can turn into an awesome savior for Izumi whenever the need arises. Every trouble is either warded off or taken care of by her in the case of Izumi. Such a couple – a misfortune magnet and his lucky charm, and bound to be amusing.
- Rating: 4.4/5
- Episodes: 12
- Genre: Drama, Romance
33. Wolf Girl And The Black Prince
Inspired by the tale of “boy who cried wolf” comes the title of ‘wolf girl’ for Erika Shinohara, who makes it a habit to lie about her romantic adventures to her new friends.
All to fit in with her new classmates. So predictably, when asked to provide proof of he boyfriend’s existence, Erika is stumped.
On-the-spot thinking was not the best decision for Erika, or was it? She snaps a random handsome guy’s picture and says that it’s her boyfriend.
To her horror, he is the Prince of her high school, Kouya Sata, and now her bubble is about to burst. To salvage the situation, she proposes to Kouya by pretending to be her boyfriend.
Unfortunately, the Prince turns out to be a sadist who wears a mask of gentleness. Kouya rejects the proposal but instead makes a deal with her if she becomes his ‘dog.’
What this fake relationship based on desperation and one-sided fun brings into their lives is something that builds curiosity in the audience.
- Rating: 4.1/5
- Episodes: 12
- Genre: Comedy, Romance, Shojo
34. Guilty Crown
When the nation of Japan in the near future gets almost completely annihilated by a virus on Christmas Eve, thus named ‘Lost Christmas,’ it is thrown into chaos and suffering.
To control the damage and send help, the United States sent the GHQ military while simultaneously taking away Japan’s power politically.
Now, after 10 years, there are rebel groups fighting for Japan’s freedom from the GHQ and other civilians trying to live normal lives.
Among these civilians is Shuu Ouma, a high school student who saves Inori, an internet sensation, from GHQ. This one incident strikes up the pace of the series in all directions- action and romance alike.
When Shuu gets a power that makes him all-powerful, his relationship with Inori turns into more than that of a fan and his idol.
Getting the power to pull out any weapon from the void with his right hand, Shuu is wanted by both the GHQ and the rebel forces for their own ulterior intentions.
- Rating: 4.6/5
- Episodes: 22
- Genre: Drama, Romance, Sci-fi
35. Your Lie In April
Your Lie In April is a heart-wrenching anime and is one of the most popular romance anime of all time with not only its plot and voice actors but also the delightful OST.
The emotions are at an all-time high with this anime, where a prodigy piano player, Kousei Arima, is no longer able to play with his mother passes away.
She was his trainer, who pushed him to perform and made sure he was given strict training under her eye. After she is no longer with him, Kousei loses his motivation to participate in any competitions and goes into a depressive slump during high school.
There he meets Kaori Miyazono, a brilliant violinist. She brings out the long-lost and suppressed feelings of joy for playing piano. Together they perform, bringing back the passion from Kousei.
Practicing together and spending more and more time together, both of them start to like each other. But the plot obstacle is later released, which serves to make this one of the best yet sad anime. The lyrics to the title song are *chefs kiss*.
- Ratings: 4.9/5
- Episodes: 22
- Genre: Drama, Romance, Music, Shonen
36. Heaven’s Lost Property
Tomoki Sakurai has been having dreams of an angel since his childhood, and adding to his pervert-ish behavior, a fallen angel calling him “master” is nothing less than a blessing. But this angel, Ikaros, is from the ‘New World,’ something the scientists are trying to find out more about.
Now, more Angeloids keep coming into Tomoki’s life and turning it upside down. Even though it is appropriate to describe him as girl-crazy, Tomoki is kind-hearted and encourages autonomy among the Angeloids and does not just adhere to obedience and rules they do not like.
The journey of Tomoki and Ikaros (who can be considered as Heavens Lost Property) in this harem setting is a great watch if you want romance as a side dish rather than the main course.
- Ratings: 4.5/5
- Episodes: 13
- Genre: Drama, Romance, Fantasy, Comedy, Sci-fi
37. From Me To You
This endearing anime is about a girl who has a similar appearance to that of the ghost in The Ring and the popular boy in her class. Sawako Kuronuma is avoided by her classmates due to her close resemblance to a ghost, and she has no friends at her high school.
But she wishes to make friends with her classmates and especially with Shouto Kazehaya. He is the most popular and well-liked guy in the class, and unknown to Sawako, he, too, has an eye out for her.
This anime has it all because of their cute interactions and how they affect each other, from the beginning of a positive change with blossoming friendship to adorable confessions.
- Ratings: 4.8/5
- Episodes: 25
- Genre: Drama, Romance, Shojo
38. Love Is Hard For An Otaku
Many otakus may relate to the title of this anime – Love Is Hard For An Otaku. It sure is tough to see your partner not understanding your love for 2D characters or crying in the middle of the night over a character’s tragic backstory or inevitable death.
Or worse, your profile picture and wallpaper is always an anime character. It’s tough to fight a fictional character when your partner is so much in love with them.
The same is the situation with Narumi Momose, who is an otaku herself. She hides it as if it is a dark secret from her coworkers and plans to make sure no one is able to find out about it.
But the plans go down the drain when Hirotaka Nifuji, her friend from middle school, meets her at the train station after a long time.
And he knows all about her being an otaku! One thing leads to another, a pair of drinks that night, with a confession of an unaccepting boyfriend and a proposal to support each other all pile up in a single night.
- Ratings: 4.8/5
- Episodes: 25
- Genre: Drama, Romance, Shojo
39. Snow White With Red Hair
Do we all not just love when two people grow together in a relationship with utmost trust and support for each other’s decisions? Love, at times, takes a back seat when respect and loyalty come first.
Such is the case with Snow White With Red Hair. Though she has red hair, the main character is called Shirayuki, the English translation being “Snow White.”
When she is approached by an idiot of a prince, Prince Raji of Tanbarun, Raji tries to coerce her into becoming his concubine even though she wants to just be an herbalist.
So to escape him and her fate as a concubine, she cuts off her hair and goes into the forest for any kind of refuge against the Prince. It just so happens that she is rescued by the Prince of the neighboring kingdom of Clarines, Zen Wistallia.
When these two work towards their own goals in the company of each other, helping the other in their own ways, love is not far off in entering the story. Zen tries to be the best king that his kingdom deserves, and Shirayuki decides to become a court herbalist for his kingdom.
- Ratings: 4.8/5
- Episodes: 12
- Genre: Drama, Romance, Shojo
40. Orange
This anime, Orange, is for all those who wanted the second male lead to get a chance to end up with the female lead! Naho is a high school-going teenager who gets a letter from her future self.
In those letters are events written that Naho from 10 years forward has either told the present teenage Naho to stop from happening or make happen.
The end goal is to stop her new classmate and friend, Kakeru Naruse, from committing suicide on Valentine’s Day after 10 years.
Similarly, Suwa, another friend of Nahos’, gets a letter from his future self that tells him to be a good friend to Kakeru and stop him from killing himself. Other friends from the group share that they, too, have received such letters.
Each and every one of them does their best to adhere to the instructions to change the future. Along the way, Naho and Kakeru fall in love with each other. But we get to know that in reality, Suwa and Naho were married 10 years later and that Suwa is the only person who knows this.
He backs out of the equation even though he knows that he is happily married to Naho and has a child with her to create another timeline where Kakeru lives happily with Naho.
In such a manner, all the friends, Naho and Kakeru, go through a bunch of adversities to keep an oblivious Kakeru alive and happy. A story about love, healing, and finding yourself.
- Ratings: 4.7/5
- Episodes: 13
- Genre: Drama, Romance, Shojo, Supernatural
41. Nodame Cantabile
Two college musicians in love, now that’s a good change from all the high schoolers, isn’t it? When an aerophobic violinist, Shinichi Chiaki, dreams of playing amongst the best musicians of the world in Europe, there is only one thing in his way. An airplane, of course. So, he is stuck in Japan despite his great skills.
But when he encounters Megumi Noda, or as she called herself- Nodame, playing a great piece on the piano, he is mesmerized. Nodame falls for Shiniki, but he takes a bit longer to reciprocate those feelings.
Together they grow as musicians and make friends along the way into their college life.
When Shiniki is helped by Nodame to overcome his fears of flying and the ocean, she starts to participate in piano competitions rather than just playing whatever she wants. Gradually, they reach their happy ending in Paris.
- Ratings: 8.27/10
- Episodes: 24
- Genre: Drama, Romance, Shojo, Music
42. Sword Art Online
A famous anime in the booming RPG genre, Sword Art Online has been known for its unique storyline and execution.
The story starts with video game players being excited about NerveGear, a helmet that allows the players to play in a virtual reality that is based in a medieval time period called Aincrad. Among these hundreds of players is Kazuto “Kirito” Kirigaya. He was a beta tester and had a good hold over the game.
The game seemed like a boon for everyone who wanted to explore all the aspects of this till the end of its imagination, but it soon was revealed that the creator of the game had trapped everyone in the game. No one is able to log out, and to die in the game means dying in real life.
However, the body in real life cannot function much longer with the player still logged in and sleeping (thus shutting their other bodily functions), and the helmet cannot be forcefully removed either. The only way to save everyone is to cross all 100 levels and defeat the final boss.
Thus Kirito, along with Asuna Yuuki, another high-level player stuck in-game, team up with others to take on the challenge to save everyone and return back to normal life.
Along the way, Kirito and Asuna fall for each other and find themselves building a happy life in a cottage on the bank of a lake. This serves as a motivating factor for Kirito to confess to Asuna in real life.
- Ratings: 4.7/5
- Episodes: 25
- Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Romance
43. Fruits Basket
Hugging your crush or partner only for them to turn into an animal seems cute to think about, but when that animal is one from the Chinese zodiac, it’s debatable how many of you will prefer that. For Tooru Honda, though, in Fruit Basket, this seemingly hypothetical situation is a reality.
When she becomes homeless due to her life events, her miserable life sees a silver lining in the form of the Souma family. The owners of the property find the beach at which Tooru has set up a tent, the Souma brothers – Shigure and Yuki, the latter being her high school Prince. They invite her to stay at their home.
Later we are introduced to Kyou Souma, another Souma family member who is known for his hot temper. It is revealed that the members of the Souma family turn into animals of their Chinese zodiac when hugged by people of the opposite gender.
This brings a supernatural twist to this heartwarming romance anime. The life of Tooru may seem like a reverse harem, but we do get a singular couple by the end of the series.
- Ratings: 4.9/5
- Episodes: 25
- Genre: Romance, Comedy, Drama, Shojo, Supernatural
44. Komi Can’t Communicate
A relationship that starts with genuine care and a need for friendship is always superior. It also explains the plot of Komi Can’t Communicate in the shortest and sweetest way.
Shouka Komi is the most beautiful and mysterious girl in the class, and it is every guy’s dream in the class to be her seatmate.
But the fortune for this falls in the lap of Hitohito Tadano, a guy who wanted to lay low on the radar but is now a target for every other boy in his class.
But this is just the start of a beautiful journey when Tadano understands that Komi is not purposely trying to be mysterious but that she has trouble communicating due to communication disorder.
Her aloofness does not come with the intention to do so but due to her inability to express herself fully. So when alone in the class with each other, Komi starts writing on the board with chalk and revealing that her goal is to make 100 friends by the end of the year. And then, Tadano makes it a mission to help her achieve it.
- Ratings: 7.95/10
- Episodes: 12
- Genre: Romance, Comedy, Drama, Shounen
45. In/Spectre
In a world filled with youkai (spirits) and humans is another breed that is threatening the peace between the two. Kotoko Iwanaga, also “God Of Wisdom,” does her best to maintain this peace within both realms to not disrupt the balance.
Kurou Sakuragawa, a university student, is going through a breakup of his long-term relationship, and Kotoko, who is in love with him, suspects that there might be something fishy behind the scenes. To keep an eye on him, she asks him to partner up with her in her cause.
When a couple of years later, a woman handling a steel beam becomes a viral topic due to an idol getting crushed by steel beams, and Kotoko and Kurou set out to get on this supernatural case. This anime is for all those who want murder and mystery with romance.
- Ratings: 4.4/5
- Episodes: 12
- Genre: Romance, Mystery, Supernatural
46. Your Name
Starting off strong in the last section consisting of romance anime movies on Crunchyroll, we have Your Name. It may seem like such an obvious recommendation to Otakus, but it does deserve a place on this list.
The story of Mitsuha Miyamizu and Taki Tachibana is a peculiar one as they fall in love with each other without ever (technically) meeting one another.
Mitsuha dreams of living in Tokyo while living in a village where everyone knows everyone. One day wakes up in another body. As you can guess, it’s Taki’s body.
Similarly, Taki, who lives in bustling Tokyo juggling high school, part-time jobs, and studying architecture, wakes up in Mitsuha’s body.
But the thing is, they do not know at the start that they are exchanging bodies on alternative days.
They are under the impression that it is a dream, but when the people in their surroundings tell them of their behavior of the previous day, they start to take this phenomenon seriously. Watch this award-winning movie for a worthwhile experience.
- Ratings: 4.9/5
- Episodes: Movie
- Genre: Romance, Drama, Supernatural
47. I’ve Always Liked You
I’ve Always Liked You centers around three people who are entangled in an intricate web of love and confessions during their teenage years. Natsumi Enomoto, Yuu Setoguchi, and Koyuki Ayase are the three main characters, with the first two being childhood best friends.
Koyuki is a classmate of Natsumi with a crush on her. Natusumi, however, is in love with Yuu but is unable to own up to the confession she made to him and says that it was just a “practice session” for the real thing. Unable to understand his own feelings, Yuu decides to stand behind her every decision.
- Ratings: 4.4/5
- Episodes: Movie
- Genre: Romance, Drama
48. The Moment You Fall In Love
A sequel to the above movie, The Moment You Fall In Love, is almost a trope of “senpai, notice me please.” Focusing on Natsumi’s and Yuu’s younger siblings, Kotarou and Hina, respectively, this movie, too, is about a love triangle.
Even though she did not have the best first impression (it was borderline disastrous) of Koyuki Ayase, an upperclassman, she falls for him, thus gaining her experience of first love. On the other hand, Kotarou, Hina’s best friend, is unaware of his feelings for her but promises himself to keep her happy, just as his brother did at his time.
- Ratings: 7.5/10
- Episodes: Movie
- Genre: Romance, Drama, Comedy
49. Violet Evergarden: The Movie
If you’ve watched this anime series, then you may definitely agree that this was the closure and ending Violet Evergarden and we as an audience deserved. Violet is a girl who was trained and used as a weapon in a war and had no purpose outside of it.
She is an Auto Memory Doll, a person who writes letters for other people and sends them off. She does this to understand what “love” is after Major Gilbert (who is declared dead) tells her that he “loves her” at his dying breath.
Desperate to understand what it means, she joins on this journey to write letters and get through all the complex human emotions and feelings.
Now, it seems that Violet may have come to an understanding of what “love” is and wants to answer Gilbert’s confession. So she sets out on a journey to find him.
- Ratings: 8.9/10
- Episodes: Movie
- Genre: Romance, Drama, Fantasy
50. 5 Centimeters Per Second
Another agonizing anime movie that depicts the reality of many lovers. Life is not all happy endings and forever afters.
It is made of ups and downs, and at times new meetings and letting go of the past. This is the saddening story of Takaki Tonoo and Akari Shinohara.
Childhood best friends Takaki and Akari seemed bound to fall in love in the ’90s, with their same allergies and likings.
But when life separates them from each other in unavoidable circumstances, they begin to write letters to each other. But their meeting after a long time is full of feelings of tragically doomed love and confessions that were left unsaid.
After many years, Takaki is shown to have joined a Space Centre institute with a classmate having a crush on him. But the truth of the matter is that Kanae Sumida, the classmate, is unable to confess as she sees that he is lingering and holding on to someone whom she cannot compete with.
Furthermore, the story keeps showing different phases of the lives of our two protagonists and how sometimes love may not be fulfilled, but love is there, and that in itself is enough.
- Ratings: 8.9/10
- Episodes: Movie
- Genre: Romance, Drama
