Best Romance Anime Like Kaguya-sama: Love Is War

Romantic comedy is a popular anime genre that never gets old. The typical tropes, relatable characters, and sweet, sweet love confessions make these tales some of the best around. One of the biggest romance anime is Kaguya-sama: Love is War, featuring two stubborn high schoolers who don't want to be the first ones to admit their feelings to each other.

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By using their incredible wits and intellect, the two try everything they can to trick the other into confessing first. Viewers can expect tons of hilarious squabbles, cute moments, and lovable characters. Those looking for great romance anime like Kaguya-sama: Love is War should check out these upcoming series. Also, a few comedy recommendations have been included since Kaguya-sama is also one of the funniest shows ever.

Updated June 5, 2024 by Mark Sammut: Kaguya-sama: Love is War is not going away anytime soon, although the next season has yet to be confirmed even if it seems inevitable. In the meantime, fans should check out some of the best romance anime similar to Kaguya-sama.

17 School Rumble

A Classic Comedy All About Romance

A comedy classic, School Rumble is all about teen love, and its penchant for inspiring misunderstandings and idiotic stunts. Everyone in this high school seems to have a crush on one of their mates, but precious few of them know how to effectively demonstrate their interest. This leads to a lot of silliness, including a school-wide war that plays out like the anime equivalent of Community's paintball episodes.

School Rumble's comedic antics are a touch more repetitive than Kaguya-sama, and the show is not that concerned with fully exploring the romances blossoming among its students, but its characters are quite lovable and charming.

16 Masamune-kun's Revenge

Revenge Turns Into Romance

Masamune is angry. Carrying scars from a mean childhood rejection, the guy spent years perfecting his physique, with the intention of charming and dumping the girl he once loved. With revenge in the air, Masamune joins his target's high school and begins his plan, only to find that Aki is not the easiest nut to crack.

Masamune-kun's Revenge is a touch more mean-spirited than Kaguya-sama: Love is War, especially during its first few episodes. Masamune and Aki's interactions predominantly consist of pointed jabs and mind games, and they are not the only characters to go down this route. However, as the series progresses, the leads gradually grow more earnest and likable. While nowhere near as hilarious as Kaguya-sama, Masamune-Kun's Revenge is pretty funny at times.

15 Wotakoi: Love Is Hard For Otaku

Mature Love With Plenty Of Laughs

Wotakoi is the ideal companion piece to Kaguya-sama for two reasons. Firstly, A-1 Pictures developed both shows. Secondly and more importantly, they share similar genres and tones while exploring distinctly different character dynamics. Wotakoi primarily follows a group of office workers who are already dating or start the anime by getting into a relationship.

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By  Sarah Prado

The story touches upon themes dealing with complacency, communication, and anxiety, all the while delivering one hilarious scene after another. While it does not have Kaguya-sama's rivalry component, Wotakoi is a great show for anyone looking for a rom-com with realistic characters.

14 I'm in Love With The Villainess

Inspiring Hate To Find Love

Ah, villainess isekai stories, a subgenre that has dominated the light novel scene for the best part of a decade. While it took a few years to catch on, the anime industry has nowadays fully embraced this theme, with most seasons containing at least one representative.

Before proceeding any further, it should be noted that these shows pretty much all take place in fantasy (or historical) settings, so they are going to be somewhat far removed from Kaguya-sama in this area. However, these stories usually pair their female leads with a romantic counterpart who, more often than not, is not only their equal but also a threat, creating an initially frosty dynamic that toes out within a few episodes. Consequently, villainess isekai anime tend to have great banter.

I'm in Love with the Villainess deserves a special shoutout in this discussion, particularly for the relationship between Rae and Claire. After dying and resurrecting as the heroine in her favorite otome game, Rae instantly sets out to save Claire, the villainess. To set her on the right path, the protagonist essentially decides to annoy the girl, crafting an antagonistic dynamic that gradually softens and warms throughout the series. I'm in Love with the Villainess blends humor and drama pretty darn well, making it a good pick for fans of Kaguya-sama.

13 My Dress-Up Darling

A Cute (Maybe) Couple

Airing during Winter 2022, My Dress-Up Darling's premise is fresh and sweet. Wakana Gojo, a first-year high school student, dreams of becoming a hina doll craftsman. His very popular and beautiful classmate Marin Kitagawa finds out about his talents and asks him to create costumes for her as she is entranced by the dress-up world. Their shared interests spark the beginning of their new friendship, which could ultimately lead to something more.

The dynamic between a shy boy and an extroverted girl is nearly always an adorable trope, as they bring out the best in one another while diving into each other's vastly different worlds. The animation is bright, colorful, and stunning, and the story will hook someone by the first episode. Compared to Kaguya-sama, My Dress-Up Darling's leads do not have a confrontational relationship by any stretch of the imagination, but they are still relatively hesitant to express or even acknowledge their interest in each other. More importantly, they have great chemistry.

12 Maid Sama!

Aggressive Flirting

A shojo classic, Maid Sama! Blends comedy, drama, and romance to a satisfying degree. Misaki rules Seika High School with an iron fist as its student council president, and she is especially strict with the boys. One day while working at a maid cafe, a reality she wants to keep private, Misaki is seen by Usui, a cool-as-a-cucumber boy who knows how to push her buttons. This chance encounter births an odd relationship that jumps back and forth between love and annoyance.

Misaki and Usui are both assertive and strong-willed characters, to the point of being basically forces of nature. Their banter serves as Maid Sama!'S beating heart, and they regularly produce huge laughs. Similar to Kaguya-sama, the anime progressively begins to focus more on romance, which it handles well for the most part.

11 Monthly Girls' Nozaki-kun

A Misunderstood Declaration Of Love

If there is one romance series that desperately needs a sequel, it is Monthly Girls' Nozaki-kun. Doga Kobo's anime is an absolute joy, the type of show that knows how to permanently paint a smile on the audience's faces. Finally finding the courage to ask her crush out, Chiyo comes clean to Nozaki; unfortunately, the dense guy mistakenly assumes the girl's declaration of love is related to his (secret) job as a mangaka. Long story short, Chiyo winds up as Nozaki's assistant.

While lacking Kaguya-sama's mind games, Monthly Girls' Nozaki-kun's comedy is still cut from the same cloth since it revolves quite a bit around misunderstandings. Chiyo is constantly trying to confess her feelings to her senpai, only for her attempts to end in hilarious silliness.

10 Horimiya

Romance, Humor, & Slice Of Life

Horimiya is one of the most realistic and down-to-earth romantic anime series of all time. The two main protagonists, Hori and Miyamura, unexpectedly become close after they find out the truth behind each other's secret after-school identities. Their love is so sweet, each and every episode will get the audience's heart beating fast.

This show features a love confession rather quickly, a satisfactory change from Kaguya-sama's tense "will they, won't they" plot. Horimiya is the perfect show for teens who want a real look at what healthy high school relationships are like, and for adults who want to reminisce on the innocent love they felt back in their younger days.

9 Ouran High School Host Club

A Hilarious Reverse Harem

This fantastic one-season series heavily leans on the comedy aspect of the rom-com genre. After being accepted into a rich private high school on a scholarship, female student Haruhi Fujioka is trapped working in the school's host club, consisting of a group of wealthy boys who throw events and perform to entertain girls.

The dynamic between a working-class girl like Haruhi and the rich boys of the host club is gut-bustlingly hilarious. Before long, they become the closest of friends and help each other grow and mature through many comical situations, with a romance blooming along the way.

8 Teasing Master Takagi-san

Playful Teasing

It's a lot tougher for younger kids to confess feelings, so kids typically turn to teasing their crushes instead. That is definitely the case in this humorous 3-season slice-of-life series about a middle schooler, Takagi, who loves embarrassing Nishikata, the classmate that she likes.

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Takagi teases him relentlessly, provoking him to retaliate, but he just can't seem to keep up with her. The two are innocently in love and share an adorable, comical relationship.