Feel like there’s not enough romance this season? Try these!
Spring is the season of love. As such, it’s understandable why you might be in the mood for some romance series — but if there’s one thing the Spring 2024 season lacks, it’s romance. However, with a Crunchyroll subscription you can watch some of these classics instead.
Toradora! might as well be the most iconic romance anime of all time. A go-to recommendation for the genre, it’s loved by many, and for a good reason. The relationship between the main characters is initially very unlikely but starts developing later — and in a very natural way.
Also, the series practically introduced many to the tsundere trope, with Taiga still arguably being the most likable example of it.
Ouran High School Host Club
Nowadays, people look at Ouran High School Host Club (Ouran Koukou Host Club) with nostalgia. It’s quite obviously a product of its time — a reverse harem shoujo romance series, mostly focusing on comedy which is largely episodic.
That said, the characters grow on you a lot, and the anime is worth watching even almost 20 years after it aired.
Kaguya-sama
Despite Kaguya-sama: Love is War (Kaguya-sama wa Kokurasetai: Tensai-tachi no Renai Zunousen) being somewhat recent, it’s hard to deny the status it has already acquired among anime fans.
The series is practically a modern classic, and it slowly changes the genre — from a gag comedy based on short skits where two characters try to make each other confess to a very well-written romance.
Tsuki ga Kirei
Want a romance anime that doesn’t have an unnecessary love triangle or extreme drama? Tsuki ga Kirei is a good recommendation.
Following two middle schoolers as they slowly fall in love with each other, it’s a short series that tells a complete and wholesome story — and doesn’t distract you with unnecessary subplots.
Fruits Basket has been one of the most iconic shoujo manga of all time, solidifying many tropes of shoujo romance. However, it wasn’t fully adapted until recently — and the three-season (plus movie) 2019 adaptation is beloved by many.
In fact, Fruits Basket is so good that it is loved even by those otaku who normally don’t like shoujo romance. It’s also arguably responsible for the recent resurrection of the genre.
School Rumble
School Rumble is one of the earliest examples of romantic comedy in anime, as you are probably familiar with it. That said, it still has many elements that clearly point out that it is, indeed, a 00s series.
The show feels very random, often making obscure references only otaku will get and relying on witty dialogue. That gives it more charm, though, and the romance is still very good.
As the remake for Spice and Wolf (Ookami to Koushinryou) is coming out, why not watch the original as well? The two anime will largely cover the same material (at least in the first cour), but there are already arguments for which one is better.
If there’s one thing that fans agree on, though, is that both the original and the remake are good — with them putting emphasis on different things. Why not watch both to see for yourself — both are on Crunchyroll, and the remake is airing right now.
Kanon
Kanon is based on a visual novel, developed by Studio Key (also responsible for Clannad and Angel Beats!). While its first adaptation wasn’t exactly successful, its 2006 anime definitely was — it’s a romantic series that might make you cry on many occasions.
Part of what makes the 2006 Kanon anime so good are definitely the visuals. Produced by Kyoto Animation, it’s one of the best-looking anime of its year, and is better visually than many anime even nowadays.
Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions!
Speaking of Kyoto Animation — they have dabbled into romantic comedy as well. Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions! (Chuunibyou demo Koi ga Shitai!) is a fun story of two teenagers. Yuuta Togashi is already out of his chuunibyou phase, while Rikka Takanashi is still in the middle of it.
Don’t know the term? Don’t worry, the anime will explain it. And yes, it’s worth watching — the comedy might feel strange at first, but it’s endearing in its own way.
Chobits was one of the earliest examples of human x non-human romance that actually became mainstream. Now, it’s practically ignored because it’s long over, but for a while, it was a go-to romance recommendation.
Following the relationship between Hideki Motosuwa and a robot girl named Chii, the anime might feel a little weird at first. That said, if you stick with it, you’ll get a lot of wholesomeness — as well as some genuinely interesting thoughts about artificial intelligence.
Feel like there’s not enough romance this season? Try these!
Spring is the season of love. As such, it’s understandable why you might be in the mood for some romance series — but if there’s one thing the Spring 2024 season lacks, it’s romance. However, with a Crunchyroll subscription you can watch some of these classics instead.
Toradora! might as well be the most iconic romance anime of all time. A go-to recommendation for the genre, it’s loved by many, and for a good reason. The relationship between the main characters is initially very unlikely but starts developing later — and in a very natural way.
Also, the series practically introduced many to the tsundere trope, with Taiga still arguably being the most likable example of it.
Ouran High School Host Club
Nowadays, people look at Ouran High School Host Club (Ouran Koukou Host Club) with nostalgia. It’s quite obviously a product of its time — a reverse harem shoujo romance series, mostly focusing on comedy which is largely episodic.
That said, the characters grow on you a lot, and the anime is worth watching even almost 20 years after it aired.
Kaguya-sama
Despite Kaguya-sama: Love is War (Kaguya-sama wa Kokurasetai: Tensai-tachi no Renai Zunousen) being somewhat recent, it’s hard to deny the status it has already acquired among anime fans.
The series is practically a modern classic, and it slowly changes the genre — from a gag comedy based on short skits where two characters try to make each other confess to a very well-written romance.
Tsuki ga Kirei
Want a romance anime that doesn’t have an unnecessary love triangle or extreme drama? Tsuki ga Kirei is a good recommendation.
Following two middle schoolers as they slowly fall in love with each other, it’s a short series that tells a complete and wholesome story — and doesn’t distract you with unnecessary subplots.
Fruits Basket has been one of the most iconic shoujo manga of all time, solidifying many tropes of shoujo romance. However, it wasn’t fully adapted until recently — and the three-season (plus movie) 2019 adaptation is beloved by many.
In fact, Fruits Basket is so good that it is loved even by those otaku who normally don’t like shoujo romance. It’s also arguably responsible for the recent resurrection of the genre.
School Rumble
School Rumble is one of the earliest examples of romantic comedy in anime, as you are probably familiar with it. That said, it still has many elements that clearly point out that it is, indeed, a 00s series.
The show feels very random, often making obscure references only otaku will get and relying on witty dialogue. That gives it more charm, though, and the romance is still very good.
As the remake for Spice and Wolf (Ookami to Koushinryou) is coming out, why not watch the original as well? The two anime will largely cover the same material (at least in the first cour), but there are already arguments for which one is better.
If there’s one thing that fans agree on, though, is that both the original and the remake are good — with them putting emphasis on different things. Why not watch both to see for yourself — both are on Crunchyroll, and the remake is airing right now.
Kanon
Kanon is based on a visual novel, developed by Studio Key (also responsible for Clannad and Angel Beats!). While its first adaptation wasn’t exactly successful, its 2006 anime definitely was — it’s a romantic series that might make you cry on many occasions.
Part of what makes the 2006 Kanon anime so good are definitely the visuals. Produced by Kyoto Animation, it’s one of the best-looking anime of its year, and is better visually than many anime even nowadays.
Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions!
Speaking of Kyoto Animation — they have dabbled into romantic comedy as well. Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions! (Chuunibyou demo Koi ga Shitai!) is a fun story of two teenagers. Yuuta Togashi is already out of his chuunibyou phase, while Rikka Takanashi is still in the middle of it.
Don’t know the term? Don’t worry, the anime will explain it. And yes, it’s worth watching — the comedy might feel strange at first, but it’s endearing in its own way.
Chobits was one of the earliest examples of human x non-human romance that actually became mainstream. Now, it’s practically ignored because it’s long over, but for a while, it was a go-to romance recommendation.
Following the relationship between Hideki Motosuwa and a robot girl named Chii, the anime might feel a little weird at first. That said, if you stick with it, you’ll get a lot of wholesomeness — as well as some genuinely interesting thoughts about artificial intelligence.
