Best Shonen Romance Anime, Ranked
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While shonen is known for it’s action subgenre, with shows like One Piece, Naruto, Jujutsu Kaisen and Chainsaw Man taking over the internet, merchandising, and general popularity, very few recognize the merits of the shonen romance subgenre. Moreover, even fewer recognize that there is a distinction to be made between shonen romance anime and shojo romance anime.
Unlike shojo romance, shonen romance is largely told from the perspective of a male lead. It often features unassuming male characters, and female characters that are seemingly “out of their league” or aloof in some way or another. Either that, or the male lead falls into a harem!
15 Toradora! (2008-2009)
Based on the light novel series by Yuyuko Takemiya and Yasu, Toradora! follows Ryuji Takasu as he navigates high school with the reputation of a delinquent and the heart of a really nice, wholesome person.
The romance in Toradora! is believable and enjoyable. The female lead, Taiga Aisaka, comes across as your classic tsundere character, but when Ryuji gets to know her, she becomes vulnerable and sensitive. This anime is 25-episodes long and is available on Crunchyroll.
14 Golden Time (2013-2014)
Lost on his way to his first day of law school, Banri Tada meets a series of people that he soon develops close relations with. One of which is Koko Kaga. This quirky romantic comedy is best going into without any spoilers. Golden Time is based on the light novel series by Yuyuko Takemiya and Eji Komatsu. It is available to stream of Hidive.
13 Gamers! (2017)
When videogame nerd Keita Amano is confronted by popular school idol Karen Tendo, he has no idea what she could want from him. Despite meeting in a game store, Keita finds it hard to believe that Karen could like gaming as much as he does, but when she asks him to join the gaming club he realizes that she does.
Gamers! is an adaptation of Sekina Aoi and Saboten’s light novel series. It was nominated for “Best Comedy of the Year” at the 2018 Crunchyroll Anime Awards. It can be streamed on Crunchyroll.
12 Shikimori’s Not Just A Cutie (2022)
Very few romance animes start off with the main couple already dating, but Shikimori’s Not Just A Cutie defies tradition like no other. Yuuki Izumi is a clumsy guy that always runs into trouble. Whether it’s tripping on a rock on his way to school, or getting a hard time from his friends for having a girlfriend that’s too good for him, Izumi has the worst luck. In contrast, Shikimori is good at everything and has a quick wit.
This romance follows Izumi and Skikimori as they grow together, learning more about each other’s true selves. It was nominated for “Best Romance” at the 2023 Crunchyroll Anime Awards.
11 Plastic Memories (2015)
Plastic Memories is an original anime about the love between a human and a Giftia, or, humanlike androids with shortened life spans. It follows Tsukasa Mizugaki as he starts his new job working as a “spotter” to Isla, a Giftia that works for SAI Corp. The two recover Giftia that are close to the end of their lifespan and erase their memories, as per protocol. In doing so they grow closer, seeing the heartbreak people feel upon losing their Giftias over and over again.
This series is 13 episodes long and has been nominated for 2 Anime Trending Awards. It is available to stream on Crunchyroll.
10 Your Lie In April (2014-2018)
Kosei Arimi is a child prodigy pianist with trauma that makes him unable to play the piano anymore. Kaori Miyazono is a genius violinist that plays every song like it’s her last. After two years of not playing the piano, Kosei lets Kaori inspire him to take up his instrument again.
Your Lie In April is a slice of life romance anime with great music and a heart-wrenching storyline. It was nominated for “Couple Ship of the Decade” at the 2020 Anime Trending Awards, and “Anime of the Year” at the 2015 Anime Trending Awards. Your Lie In April can be streamed on Crunchyroll and Netflix.
9 Re: Zero – Starting Life In Another World (2016-)
This anime follows Subaru Natsuki as he steps into a parallel world full of magic and demihumans. Here he meets a half-elf named Emilia who he proceeds to help throughout the series. Re: Zero is light on the romance compared to other shows on this list, but the storyline between Subaru and Emilia is one of the main plot points in the show.
Re: Zero won “Best Fantasy” at the 2021 Crunchyroll Awards, and was nominated for “Best Anime Series” at the 2016 IGN Summer Movie Awards. It is available for streaming on Crunchyroll.
8 Rent-A-Girlfriend (2020-)
Rent-A-Girlfriend is a feel-good harem-esc anime centered around college students Kazuya Kinoshita and Chizuru Mizuhara. Like the title suggest, this series is a little ecchi, and follows Kazuya as he tries a girlfriend-for-hire service following a breakup. Although Chizuru and Kazuya start off on the wrong foot, their chemistry is hard to ignore.
This series was nominated for “Best Couple” and “Best Girl” at the 2021 Crunchyroll Anime Awards. It can be streamed on Crunchyroll.
7 The Quintessential Quintuplets (2019-2021)
This series is way more wholesome than it sounds. The plot is misleading, so if you’re looking for something lewd you’ve come to the wrong place. The Quintessential Quintuplets is an upright tale of Futaro Uesugi as he takes on tutoring the Nakano sisters. Anime fans might be skeptical of the romance element in this anime, but they’ll just have to watch and see.
The Quintessential Quintuplets won “Romance Anime of the Year” at the 2020 Anime Trending Awards, “Favorite Couple Ship” and “Favorite Romance” at the Winter 2021 Anime Trending Awards. It can be streamed on Crunchyroll.
6 My Dress Up Darling (2022)
My Dress Up Darling is an anime that masters the combination of ecchi and endearing. It follows Wakana Gojo, a hina doll maker, and Marin Kitagawa, a cosplay wannabe, as they become friends and maybe something more. Other than in appearance, Marin is not your typical gyaru. She longs for genuine connection with like-minded people, and her open mindedness allows her to befriend the quiet and isolated Wakana.
It was nominated for “Best Comedy,” “Best Romance,” and “Best New Series” at the 2023 Crunchyroll Anime Awards. It is available to be streamed on Crunchyroll.
5 Ao-chan Can’t Study! (2019-)
Unlike many shonen anime and manga, Ao-chan Can’t Study is told from the perspective of a female character. Ao Horie has a secret about her family that makes her avoidant of all social interaction, especially with boys. In contrast, Takumi Kijima is a popular boy in their high school, and he wants to get closer to Ao. This romantic comedy is a pleasure to watch, it’s a little bit ecchi and very sweet.
Ao-chan Can’t Study was nominated for “Couple Or Ship of The Year,” “Comedy Anime of The Year,” “Romance Anime of The Year,” and “Slice of Life Anime of The Year” at the 2020 Anime Trending Awards.
4 Beastars (2019-)
Rated TV-MA, this show depicts anthropomorphic animals as they live and go to school. Beastars follows Legoshi, a gray wolf, as he participates in the drama club, finds love, and solves crime. Although the romance in Beastars is more of a subplot, it takes up a large chunk of the first season and motivates Legoshi into action on more than one occasion.
It was nominated for 11 Crunchyroll Anime Awards in 2021 and 2022 combined. It can be streamed on Netflix.
3 Kaguya-sama: Love Is War (2019-2023)
For two people with feelings for each other, Kaguya Shinomiya and Miyuki Shirogane have a funny way of showing it. As the student council president and vice president, Kaguya and Miyuki are close, both physically and emotionally, but one thing they just wont do is confess their feelings for each other.
This might sound tiring, but it’s incomparably funny. Kaguya-sama: Love Is War won “Best Comedy” at the 2020, and 2021 Crunchyroll Anime Awards, as well as “Best Romance” at the 2023 Crunchyroll Anime Awards. It is available to stream on Crunchyroll.
2 Horimiya (2021)
Kyouko Hori and Isumi Miyamura are two seeming opposites, but one fateful nosebleed shows them that they have something in common: they are both hiding their true selves from their classmates at school. Horimya examines the intricacies of navigating high school social life, while too, showing the protagonists that if they give people a chance, they are more open-minded than they think.
Horimiya won “Best Romance” at the 2022 Crunchyroll Anime Awards. It is available to stream on Crunchyroll.
1 Rascal Does Not Dream Of Bunny Girl Senpai (2018-2019)
Often referred to as just Bunny Girl or Rascal Does Not Dream, this romantic drama (with some comedy here and there) follows Sakuta Azusagawa and Mai Sakurajima as they help people with the supernatural phenomenon called “puberty syndrome”. The romance between Sakuta and Mai is unparalleled, both fighting off cliches and embracing them where needed.
Bunny Girl has 12 award wins and 15 nominations. It is available to stream on Crunchyroll.
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