Most Underrated Romance Anime

From meet-cutes to silent pining, courtship to broken hearts, romance anime can be exhilarating, comforting, and heartbreaking all at once. Rather than relying on cheesy tropes and emotional manipulation, good romance anime try to touch on something authentic about the human experience.

Whether cutesy and exaggerated or refined and reserved, romance anime explore their characters’ most vulnerable feelings; there might not be missile barrages or hordes of zombies to contend with, but the threat to the character is no less real. The pain of a broken heart isn’t soon forgotten, but neither is the unexpected relief and joy of finding one’s match.

Updated December 16, 2024, by Mark Sammut: Romance is one of the most popular genres in anime, with each season producing a few notable shows. Fall 2024 was not an exception; consequently, one of its more divisive romances has been added as a recommendation. Also, each underrated romance anime‘s specifications have been introduced to this article.

13 365 Days to the Wedding

An Engagement Of Convenience

365 Days to the Wedding can be polarizing. The romance anime follows Rika and Takuya, two coworkers who pretend they are getting married in a year to reduce their chances of being relocated to a new country by their job. As both of them are quite socially awkward and pretty to be alone, they have not given serious consideration to pursuing relationships, so their novel situation does not play to their strengths. As they try to fake it, they eventually start to develop genuine feelings.

Rika and Takuya are not particularly charismatic, and that seems to be mostly by design. While not unlikable, their journey can be frustrating at times; however, it is fascinating to watch them gradually deconstruct their preconceptions on marriage. This Fall 2024 anime loses a bit of steam towards the end of its run, but it is still worth a watch for anyone looking for a different type of romance.

12 Koi Kaze

Weird Start, But Gets Better As Things Move Along

Koi Kaze has a very complicated and outlandish story. It follows Saeki Koushirou, who works as a wedding planner. Even though his job involves helping other people have their dream wedding, Saeki is unable to find a suitable partner for himself. His past causes plenty of problems for him, so he prefers not to dedicate himself completely to any relationship.

This causes Saeki to be dumped by his girlfriend, after which he meets a high school student whose personality shakes him to the core. Saeki begins to develop feelings for her, but soon he finds out that she is his sister. He tries to avoid her, but it only exacerbates the situation. While it may seem bizarre at first, the anime gets better with every passing episode, making it an underrated romance anime.

11 She, The Ultimate Weapon

Romance And Sci-Fi Mix That Works Well For Both Genres

The title for this particular anime series is quite different from the usual romance anime. She, The Ultimate Weapon, covers the romance of Chise and her childhood friend, Shuuji. The two of them live in a military town, which is a peaceful town with little to no troubles. On a fateful day, Shuuji and his friends decide to go to another place to buy presents for their girlfriends.

Unfortunately, the happy trip turns into a grim one because of an air raid. It results in thousands of casualties, but Shuuji somehow manages to survive. He tries to find his way back to his town, only to find Chise looking nothing like she did when he left her. Shuuji eventually finds out that she has been transformed into a cyborg against her will. They try to continue their relationship and find answers to some important questions.

10 Sing “Yesterday” For Me

An Adult Story

Ambitionless college graduate Rikuo and high school dropout Haru connect over their mutual disillusionment. Sing “Yesterday” for Me isn’t a cold or grim story, but neither is it one that shies away from the hard parts of life.

Its characters are adults, and they have adult problems, and there’s something admirable in that. Many romance anime focus on young couples who have not yet had to face the difficulties of the adult world. Sing “Yesterday” for Me is as much a slice-of-life anime as a romantic one, and the way it interweaves its themes is part of the draw.

9 Natsuyuki Rendezvous

An Engaging Mess

Flowers have long been a symbol of love, romance, and friendship, so the protagonist of a romance anime running a flower shop is the perfect fit. Rokka Shimao owns such a shop, and when Ryousuke falls in love with her, it seems their romance is destined to work out.

Of course, there’s the small matter of Rokka’s dead husband, who is now a ghost and intends to do everything in his power to disrupt their courtship. Natsuyuki Rendezvous suffers from messy plot development and an odd approach to its themes, but despite these problems, it remains a standout romance anime.

8 Mysterious Girlfriend X

The Allure Of Spit

It’s impossible to know during the making of a series what level of popularity it will achieve. Some flop, while others soar to unexpected heights. Others become cult classics, beloved by a few diehard fans while being largely ignored by the broader community. Mysterious Girlfriend X is a cult classic, and it’s easy to understand why.

It’s about the romance between Tsubaki and Mikoto, which begins when Tsubaki becomes addicted to Mikoto’s drool. Strange and gross? Yes. But the series uses this bizarre plot as a means to explore a deep and nuanced relationship between two characters whose emotions are actually worth caring about. That’s a feat for any anime.

7 His and Her Circumstances

Fun Anime About Two Competitive Characters

Based on the Kare Kano manga, Kareshi Kanojo no Jijou is about the relationship that develops between two class reps: Yukino, the current star, and Soichiro, the transfer student who begins challenging Yukino for leadership. Though impeded by its limited budget, the series is still a sound portrayal of young love.

Its main couple is strong in its own right, but the secondary characters and their relationships are strong enough to carry the show by themselves. Yukino’s quirks, in particular, make her the standout character of this charming show. Kareshi Kanojo no Jijou is a fun, light look at both everyday school life and romance, balancing the two so that neither spoils the fun of the other.

6 No.6

A Low-Key Great Boys Lov Anime

Some may argue that No.6 is not a romance anime; it is, after all, a post-apocalyptic sci-fi action anime about life in the six remaining human cities. Life is utopian with no crime, no poverty, no worries at all — that is, until the lie of that life is exposed.

The series is one that blends genres, but the romantic arc that develops between Shion and Nezumi earns it a place amongst the great romances. After a fantastic opening, the show does suffer from directionless plotting; however, seeing Shion and Nezumi grow closer to one another as they cope with their new circumstances is worth it.

5 Henneko

Cute Show With Likable Characters

Most people have something about themselves they’d like to change — but most don’t get the opportunity to change that something by visiting a magical stone cat statue. That’s exactly the opportunity that Youto gets in Henneko. Unfortunately, as always seems to be the case, this kind of magic has a catch.

Thanks to the statue, Youto can’t stop confessing his emotions, and fellow student Tsukiko is rendered almost emotionless. It’s not an auspicious start for romance, but romance is nonetheless where it leads. Henneko may not be technically perfect, but it is endearing, fun, and innovative in ways that many romance anime aren’t. Its fan service means it isn’t for younger viewers, but older romance anime fans should find plenty to enjoy.

4 Origin: Spirits Of The Past

A Mostly Forgotten Anime Movie

A film by Studio Gonzo, Origin: Spirits of the Past is a fascinating sci-fi film about a world that is forever changed when the forests gain sentience. When young protagonist Agito finds a girl, Toola, slumbering in a strange machine, he learns that she may be the key to achieving peace between humans and trees.

The exceptional premise might be enough to win the film renown as science fiction, but to be a great romance, the connection between Agito and Toola must be special — and it is. Thanks to Studio Gonzo, the animation is as lush and crisp as one could ask for.

3 The Fruit Of Grisaia

Dark And Well-Written Romance Harem

There’s something off about Mihama Academy, and it’s the number of students: there are only five of them. Transfer student Yuuji Kazami understandably wants to know why, and when he learns that the school functions as a rehab and safe space for girls who have suffered trauma, he makes it his duty to help protect them.

Given this premise and given that The Fruits of Grisaia trades heavily on the tropes of other harem anime, it would only have taken a single misstep to destroy the series. That misstep never happened. Instead, viewers get a charming, elegantly written, well-animated story of relationships, trust, and blooming affection.

2 Amagami SS

All Routes Lead To Love

Two years ago, on Christmas, Junichi Tachibana was stood up for a date, and he never quite recovered. Ever since then, he has had trust issues, withdrawing from others to protect himself from ever getting his heart broken again. That doesn’t mean he’s given up on love.

Based on the PlayStation 2 romance simulator, Amagami SS adopts an anthology format of sorts, in which Junichi is allowed to fall in love with a series of girls. Considered as a whole, the multiple stories sometimes clash, but individually they’re fun and satisfying. How viewers feel about the series’ parallel timelines will likely determine how they feel about the series as a whole. For those who enjoy that plot mechanic, Amagami SS is a satisfying romance.

1 Scum’s Wish

Love Is Not Always Beautiful

Scum’s Wish does not have the happiest title, and it isn’t the happiest anime. Its protagonists, Hanabi and Mugi, have both had their hearts broken by other people and turn to one another, hoping intimacy will dull the pain.

Scum’s Wish isn’t an anime for kids or viewers that like their fictional romances easy and uncomplicated. Relationships in this anime are taxing, and even when the effort is invested, sometimes things don’t work out. The series is divisive, difficult, and adult, but it’s arguably for these exact reasons that it succeeds. Scum’s Wish retains and even celebrates the ambiguity that most anime expel from their romances, and that alone warrants praise.