40 Best Romance Anime of All Time, Ranked

Updated on October 13, 2026, by Mark Sammut: We will have to wait to see if any of the Fall 2026 romance anime rank among the greatest of all time, but Summer’s lineup managed to produce two candidates: Love Unseen Beneath the Clear Night Sky and Smoking Behind the Supermarket with You.

At any given moment, a great romance anime is airing. While occasionally overshadowed by other genres, every single season includes a couple of amazing love stories that will continue to warm hearts for years after they complete their runs. In recent times, we have received all-time best romance anime like The Dangers in My Heart, The Fragrant Flower Blooms with Dignity, Dandadan, and You and I Are Polar Opposites, ones that can stand alongside classics like Maison Ikkoku and Kimi Ni Todoke.

With so many options, knowing where to start can be challenging, especially if you are not 100% sure what you want from a show. While I cannot promise to recommend exactly what everybody is looking for, the following list should help both newcomers and genre veterans find something to watch. Let’s take a look at the very best romance anime from across the decades.

40

Don’t Toy with Me, Miss Nagatoro Gets Over A Rough Start

Get Past The First Episode, And You’ll Find A Cute Slice-Of-Life Romance

Most anime take a couple of episodes to find their groove, which is why many people practice the “three episode” rule. Although I would definitely advise sticking around for a couple of chapters before deciding whether to continue, Don’t Toy with Me, Miss Nagatoro features an infamous first episode that can really put off a lot of viewers. Shy and introverted, Naoto tries to avoid conflict and unnecessary attention; unfortunately, he ends up in the sights of Nagatoro, a younger girl who loves to tease other people. When she meets Naoto, she takes things a bit too far with her jokes, acting like a straight-up bully in the process.

I totally understand the refusal to continue after watching the first episode, as Nagatoro’s antics reach uncomfortable territory pretty quickly. However, she recognizes that and never comes close to crossing the line again, instead leaning into playful banter. Her relationship with Naoto grows a lot during season 1 and especially season 2, developing a really cute dynamic in the process. Give it a try, but be prepared for a rough first episode.

39

Maid Sama! Is Dated But Still A Classic

Two Headstrong Folks Collide

Maid Sama! has many tropes that would sink lesser romance anime: the male lead is too flawless, the “strong” female protagonist is repeatedly reduced to a damsel, and a love triangle is introduced for no reason. These elements are not executed particularly well by Maid Sama!, but the anime makes up for its shortcomings through sheer personality.

Maid Sama! is all about the relationship between the heartthrob Takumi Usui and the man-hating student council president Misaki Ayuzawa. While Takumi takes most things in his stride, Ayuzawa is far more disciplined as she has to balance her busy school, home, and work lives. Once Takumi learns that Ayuzawa works in a maid cafe, he takes the opportunity to see a different side of the student council president.

38

Scum’s Wish Shows That Relationships Aren’t Always Magical

An Uncomfortable But Unforgettable Dark Romance Anime

For the most part, this article focuses on genuinely romantic anime, but there’s a whole other side to the genre that we cannot completely ignore. Dark romance anime exist, and I’m not talking about stories that end with a tragedy. No, these shows specifically focus on cruel characters who manipulate the love of those around them. A few series fit this descriptor, but Scum’s Wish is the most famous example that also happens to be quite good.

While they might seem perfectly happy to the other students, Hanabi and Mugi only started dating each other because they could not be with the people they actually love, both of whom happen to be teachers. Effectively, they use each other physically to try to overcome their loneliness, and the anime doesn’t attempt to put a bow on this dynamic. Scum’s Wish goes to some pretty dark places and refuses to provide any simple solutions or happily ever afters.

37

Smoking Behind The Supermarket With You Absolutely Smokes, In The Best Possible Way

A Simple Concept Executed To Perfection

Stories don’t need to be complicated, at least not on the surface. Smoking Behind the Supermarket with You has about as simple of a concept as a romcom gets: two people meet during a coffee break every single day. Exhausted with life and his job, the middle-aged Sasaki doesn’t have a lot of reasons to get up in the morning, but one thing he relies on is meeting Yamada, a woman who works at a local supermarket and has a calming smile. However, he actually builds a dynamic with Tayama, a woman who also works at the store and loves to go for a smoke break just when Sasaki tends to show up.

With a quiet tone and rich atmosphere, Smoking Behind the Supermarket with You gradually peels back the layers of both Sasaki and Tayama, without actually revealing all that much about their personal lives away from these small nightly hangs. These moments are fairly self-contained in that way, so we can see these two gradually become more comfortable within them. Honestly, Smoking Behind the Supermarket with You would be a lot higher in this article, but it’s a really slow burn that doesn’t provide too big of a pay off at the end of season 1.

36

Love Through a Prism Is One Of 2026’s Best

A Fantastic Historical Anime And A Decent Romance

Full disclosure, I’m not 100% sure how to rank Love Through a Prism, as I find it to be a far better historical anime than a romance. Don’t get me wrong, the latter has its charming moments, but everything else about the story is so much more interesting. At most, the romance shines as part of a much bigger whole, without being necessarily the main reason to watch the show.

Set in the early 1900s, Love Through a Prism follows Lili, a headstrong girl who travels from Japan to London to join an art academy. Going against her mother’s wishes, she must become the number 1 student within half a year, or risk a return trip to Japan. Pretty high stakes, and Lili might be one of the best female protagonists of the 2020s. Energetic, charismatic, ambitious, but also naive, she is earnest to a fault, and that just makes her even more lovable.

Pretty much instantly after arriving in London, Lili meets Kit, a genius artist and the top student at her school. While initially butting heads, they develop a mutual crush almost instantly, and their romance gradually develops throughout the rest of the series; it takes a long time for them to really connect on an emotional level. Like I previously said, the romance has its charm, but it is slightly undermined by Kit being a rather uninteresting character.

35

Dandadan Does Everything, And Does Them Well

An Anime That Blends Every Genre And, Somehow, Nails Romance

Dandadan wears a lot of hats. The anime is hilarious, arguably among the funniest shows of 2024. The series also knows its way around action, delivering visual spectacles that never lose sight of the characters’ personalities and development. While nothing too deep, the supernatural (and sci-fi) elements are implemented well. So, after all that, how can Dandadan also be a great romance? Like, that is just too much.

The thing is, Momo and Ken’s friendship is arguably the best part of the story so far. They are ridiculously great together, and their banter somehow manages to be sweet despite both of them relying on the occasional insult. Episode 5 serves as a great demonstration of Dandadan‘s rom-com brilliance. With almost no action and focusing nearly exclusively on Momo and Ken’s awkward attempts to connect at school, this episode is delightful, endearing, funny, and just everything.

34

Yuri!!! on Ice Is The Definitive BL Anime

The Most Popular Boys Love Anime

One of the most famous boys’ love anime of all time, Yuri!!! on Ice is a bit of an odd option for the romance genre. While love drives the main characters to an extent, the show primarily tells a sports story, albeit one that gradually builds up the relationship between Victor and Yuuri. Consequently, viewers who go in specifically craving a romance might be disappointed by the anime’s lack of focus on that aspect.

All that being said, Yuri!!! on Ice is pretty great. The animation is top-notch, the characters are either endearing, complex, or both, and the ice-skating sequences are thrilling. Victor and Yuuri also make a good couple, even if the anime only shows the early days of their romance.

33

My Happy Marriage Is Both Horrifying And Idealistic

Breaking Out Of An Abusive Family

Based on Akumi Agitogi’s novel series, My Happy Marriage takes place during an alternative version of the Meiji Restoration era that incorporates supernatural elements. While coming from a reasonably well-off family, Miyo has lived a hellish life under the thumb of her awful stepmother, stepsister, and biological father. Looking to get rid of her for good, her family packages Miyo as a potential wife for an infamous military figure known for pushing women away within days, and a rejection would spell the end for the protagonist. However, Kiyoka not only takes a liking to Miyo but becomes fascinated (and enraged) by her family’s treatment.

My Happy Marriage does not shy away from showing the long-lasting effect of Miyo’s abuse at the hands of her family. Robbed of her sense of self-worth, the protagonist needs time to recover, even within the safety of Kiyoka’s presence. In the latter’s case, he is a fascinating figure who has some ulterior motives for his initial interest in Miyo, although his feelings for her seem genuine.

When focusing on Miyo and Kiyoka’s relationship, My Happy Marriage is sweet and heartwarming; however, the anime does not knock everything else out of the park. The supernatural elements can feel out of place, and the villains are hateable but also one-dimensional.

32

Tomo-chan Is A Girl! Turns Childhood Friends Into Something More

A Really Hilarious RomCom With A Likable Couple

Based on a popular and completed manga by Fumita Yanagida, Tomo-chan Is a Girl! was one of Winter 2023’s funniest rom-coms. Tomo and Jun are very close friends, so much so that the latter can only see the former as a buddy. As Tomo is very much interested in taking their relationship to the next level, Jun’s inability to see her as a potential romantic partner is an issue.

Although romance drives its characters, Tomo-chan is a Girl! is primarily a comedy. The likable Tomo and Jun bounce off each other well, and they are complemented by hilarious characters like Misuzu and Carol. Still, Tomo and Jun have pretty good chemistry that builds convincingly throughout the season. There are plenty of romance anime that struggle to sell why their leads are made for each other, but Tomo-chan does not have that issue.

31

Wotakoi: Love Is Hard For Otaku Is About Mature Love

Adult Romance Is Both Fun And Hard

Teen romances tend to hog the limelight when it comes to anime, but there are a couple of exceptions. Wotakoi: Love is Hard for Otaku is a workplace comedy mainly about two couples: the newly formed Hirotaka Nifuji and Narumi Momose and the established Tarou Kabakura and Hanako Koyanagi. The former duo takes center stage for the most part, and while the series focuses more on humor than romance, the latter is depicted quite realistically.

While they are childhood friends, Narumi did not see Hirotaka as a potential romantic partner, and this uncertainty remains a constant throughout the show’s run. Unfortunately, the anime’s short length means that it only scratches the surface of these relationships, but Wotakoi: Love is Hard for Otaku is an entertaining ride while it lasts.