Top 10 Anime About Love (Ft. Todd Haberkorn)

Can you feel the love tonight? Do you believe in a thing called love? Is love all you need?! I’ll stop now. Welcome to WatchMojo and today we are counting down our picks for the "Top 10 Anime Series About Love."

For this list, we’ll be delving into the shows that primarily focus on the lovey-dovey interactions of its characters. Keep in mind, while we’ll be looking at plenty of literal romance, we’ll also be taking into consideration familial love. Not that kind, you pervs! This list is nothing but wholesome, so leave the incest at the door. That’s probably a list for another day anyway.

Watch yourself fellas, Ayuzawa is the last person you want to cross. As a school president with an immediate distrust of men, this little lady showed no restraint when it came to laying the smackdown on any misbehaving guys. Kind of the last person you’d expect to work at a Maid Café. Things only get more complicated when her secret is discovered by the school’s most laid-back hunk, Usui. From there, not only does Ayuzawa have to protect her double life, but also wrestle with her growing affections towards the mischievous dreamboat. It may be packed with all the tropes you can imagine, but it won’t be long before Ayuzawa and Usui’s dynamic has you totally roped in.

If music be the food of love, play on. And cry. Cry a lot. What started off as an adorable rivalry between two musical prodigies soon spirals into perhaps one of the most tragically, beautiful coming-of-age stories in modern anime. A pianist without passion, Kosei’s empty life is given new meaning when he encounters Kaori; a violinist whose sassy nature and infinite charm could light up a city. Their quiet interactions and powerhouse performances are reason alone to check this one out, just as long as you’re okay with your heart being put through the ringer. Seriously, prepare yourselves.

Comedy, drama, bear curry—this one’s got it all. Koizumi and Ootani could not be more hopeless in their pursuits of love, not helped by the fact both have some pretty deep-rooted inferiority complexes due to their heights. Throw in all those teenage hormones, and you have a melting pot of awkwardness just ready to burst. While they may seem like total opposites, especially since one towers over other girls and the other always looks like someone’s child, it’s not long before the two discover that they’re actually perfect for each other. And again, this show has bear curry! Where can I get me some of that?!

It can be hard to let go of the imaginative worlds we inhabited as kids. That being said, Rikka takes it to a whole new level. Believing herself to be in the possession of the tyrant’s eye, this teen lives everyday battling fantastical monsters (aka her sister) and overcoming all manner of whimsical obstacles (aka ordinary life). Considering Rikka is also one of the cutest cinnamon buns to ever rope down a balcony, you can be sure to expect all of the feels as she and wannabe straight-edge student Yuta try their best to navigate a regular high school romance… one that just happens to be impeded by Rikka’s constant delusions.

#6: My Love Story!!

When it comes to stories about the underdog finding true love, it often features some kind of skinny, shy, awkward type in the lead role. Which is why it’s so refreshing to see a series choose to focus on a rather under-appreciated demographic of the romcom genre—the gentle giant. Despite literally being able to crush people, Takeo is about as innocent a soul as you can get. While often losing out in the romance department, his luck changes when he encounters the equally pure Rinko, who immediately falls for big lug thanks to his immense kindness. Not going to lie people, watching these two develop as a couple will make you feel dirty by comparison…

Equal parts adorable and realistic, the idea of having two work colleagues who happen to share interests in otaku culture slowly falling for one another is about as basic as you could get. However, thanks to Narumi’s scatter-brained personality and insistence on hiding her true passion, along with Hirotaka’s relaxed approach to everything, they end up creating a coupling that hits so close to home that you can’t help but become invested in their blossoming relationship. If this scenario was more commonplace, you can bet a lot more people would be vying for desk jobs…

#4: Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Senpai

To call this a run-of-the-mill romance anime is the same as saying The Room is an ordinary movie. A social outcast with no real ambitions in life, Sakuta finds his world shattered when he discovers, and subsequently falls for, a girl in a playboy bunny outfit who can’t be seen by others. Sure, for the most part, Sakuta is forced to play the part of problem solver when each of the ladies in his life ends up suffering from a crazy phenomenon known as Adolescence Syndrome, but it’s Sakuta and Mai’s beautifully portrayed romance that will leave you captivated. Trust me, you will be willing to kill for Mai’s smile.

What else is there to say about Sawako? How else can one describe such a generous angel of a character. Someone so willing to help people out that she even considers her own infatuation with Mr. Popular Kazehaya to be an inconvenience. She’s an absolute sweetheart… who just so happens to bear an unflattering resemblance to that once psycho chick from The Ring. Have no fear, as her earnest affections not only provide the gateway for some rather adorable comedy, but also pave the way for a romance that will indeed have you believing in true love once again. Treat her right, Kazehaya. I have the guy who voices Broly on speed dial.

Who would have guessed that a chill guy with a face like a demon and a short-stacked cutie with a frighteningly short temper would make for the pinnacle of high school pairings? While initially opposed to each other’s very existence, both Ryuji and Taiga eventually enter a mutual agreement in order to set each other up with their respective friends. Can you see where this is going? Many awkward interactions and failed confessions later, and both the dragon and the tiger find themselves falling for each other hard. Goes to show that the girl that once punched you in the face might one day become the love of your life. Go figure.

We said there’d be familial love on here, and as it happens, the beautiful relationship found between Tomoya, Nagisa, and their precious daughter Ushio is just too beautiful for words. Not only does this sequel series expand upon our leading couple’s romantic spark into full blown marriage, but it also takes us on a wild ride through the terrifying terrain that is parenthood. There is no preparing yourself for the emotional spectrum you will go through as you watch these three strive to find happiness in everyday life. Just know that your heart will both flutter and break 20 times over before the end.