Anime fans simply adore the best romance anime from the 2000s and earlier, such as the surprisingly heavy-hearted Toradora! And 5 Centimeters Per Second. In the last 10 years, the anime industry has treated fans to another generation of wonderful romance titles, some of which include comedy, drama, or even the supernatural. These great romance anime might also throw in workplace shenanigans or the rare gem that is a good harem story.
From 2016 to the Winter 2026 anime season, fans of romance anime have seen some of the best titles yet in the genre, with plenty of honorable mentions ranging from Horimiya to Komi Can't Communicate and A Sign of Affection. Meanwhile, the very best romance anime of the past decade feature some of the sharpest, most memorable writing to emotionally resonate with viewers. Some of those fantastic romance anime also use their robust writing chops to explore related genres and premises, too, from private insecurities to personal growth and even the spirit of competition.
Dark Romance Anime All About Twisted Love
With sinister and gloomy atmospheres, along with relationships that are anything but healthy, these are some of the darkest romance anime ever.
The Quintessential Quintuplets is the Finest Harem of the Last 10 Years
Studying and True Love Can Change a Young Life
The Quintessential Quintuplets may be outdone by even deeper, more thought-provoking romance anime, though it does have plenty to offer. This is one of only a few truly worthwhile harem anime, since The Quintessential Quintuplets is less about self-gratification and more about personal growth. Futaro Uesugi may have five beautiful sisters interested in him, but remarkably, the story isn't really centered around him. Instead, Futaro's positive influence is the catalyst for growth, maturity, and even courage and responsibility for the Nakano sisters.
The power of discipline, friendship, sisterhood, and love will all inspire the quintuplets to stop slacking off and start taking life more seriously. Graduation and the real world are getting closer all the time, and the sisters won't make it if they get bad grades or put off thoughts about their futures. Even though only one Nakano sister may end up as Futaro's bride, all five of them will experience massive growth as people, and that makes them all winners where it counts the most. Along the way, the romance is a bit cheesy but still heartwarming and often hilarious.
Wotakoi is Both a Great Office Romance and a Story of Acceptance
Hidden Hobbies Are Fun But Cause Strain, Too
Anime fans who are tired of the flood of high school romance will enjoy everything that Wotakoi: Love is Hard For Otaku has to offer. The office setting isn't the only worthwhile twist in Wotakoi, but it's a good start. This helps 20-something or even 30-something anime fans feel seen as they watch grown-up characters who feel more relatable than any animated teenager. It also helps how these older characters have already moved past awkward teen angst and can focus on more mature, stable romance instead.
The other major twist in Wotakoi is how the characters try to balance their hidden otaku side in their "normie" office space. The four main characters handle it differently, but the point is the same: the sympathy of meeting a character who feels embarrassed to be themselves. Everyone has a side to them they'd rather keep hidden for fear of shame or ridicule, and no one knows that feeling more than the lovestruck Narumi Momose. It may even cause friction with her boyfriend Hirotaka Nifuji, who's relatively open about his otaku side.
Your Name. Still Stands as the Best Romance Anime Movie
Makoto Shinkai Can't Easily Outdo Himself
Studio Ghibli has produced some astonishing animated movies of romance and friendship, such as Spirited Away and Howl's Moving Castle, and the new generation needs its own version. That's where director Makoto Shinkai comes in, and his name is always mentioned in the same sentence as the likes of Your Name. Mr. Shinkai has produced other worthwhile movies as well, such as Weathering With You and Suzume, but he has yet to top his masterpiece, Your Name.
Every New Romance Anime Announced For 2026
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The romance is just half the fun, with Taki the city boy and country girl Mitsuha struggling to connect while swapping bodies. That was fine and dandy at first, but this movie is far more than Freaky Friday in Japan. Legions of anime fans know the big twist with Your Name., adding breathtaking stakes and a race against time as Taki fights to rescue Mitsuha from a shocking fate she can't see coming. The movie also puts wonderful emphasis on a person's name, with it being the first piece of someone else's identity when meeting. Love has to start somewhere, and it usually starts with a name.
Oshi no Ko Expertly Juggles Romance With Drama and Subversion
Aqua's Love Life is Tied to Brutal Industry Trends
Anime fans wouldn't say Oshi no Ko is purely a romance, and some viewers might not even say it's primarily a romance. That being said, Oshi no Ko simply must be discussed in any conversation about the finest romance anime from the past 10 years. Oshi no Ko blew everyone away with its huge first episode, "Mother and Children," and it has only become more incredible since then. That's partly because Oshi no Ko puts some hard-hitting twists on the ideas of teen romance and the performing arts.
The grim reality of the entertainment industry colors every aspect of Aqua and Ruby Hoshino's lives, including Aqua's love life. Aqua is in the middle of a love triangle with both Kana Arima and Akane Kurokawa, and his reasons to cling to or push either girl away are dark ones. Aqua is desperate to protect Kana from Ai Hoshino's fate, while Akane stays with Aqua so she can help him get revenge. In either case, love isn't easy, and it may get even tougher as Aqua closes in on his elusive target: his father.
Fruits Basket's New Anime Far Surpasses the 2001 Original
Tohru Honda Began a Mission to Save the Sohmas From Themselves
Few names in the realm of either romance or shojo are more famous than Fruits Basket, with Sailor Moon and Cardcaptor Sakura being the other two shojo titans. The 2001 Fruits Basket anime was a charming way to introduce TV viewers to Tohru Honda's world, but that anime is now quite dated and doesn't even tell the whole story. In 2019, TMS Entertainment finally delivered the Fruits Basket experience every anime fan needed, and it made up for lost time.
Best Romance Anime Movies That Make You Believe in Love
Filled with love, sorrow, laughter, and even action, the best romance anime films take you on unforgettable journeys.
The new Fruits Basket anime is a faithful adaptation of the hit original manga, while making everyone and everything look better than ever. The rich colors, strong voice acting, smooth animation, and gorgeous backgrounds all sell the idea of a supernatural romance weighed down with shocking drama and angst. It may feel a tad overblown at times, but the end result is worth it, a tale of saving people from themselves and resolving deeply dysfunctional family ties.
Kaguya-Sama: Love is War Focuses on Competition, Self-Discovery, and Humor
Shuchiin Academy is a Romantic Battleground Every Day
The top romance anime of the past 10 years, and one of the finest romance anime of all time, is the mega-hit Kaguya-Sama: Love is War. To start with, romance fans adore how Kaguya-Sama turned amorous tension into a fun game of wits between the prideful Kaguya Shinomiya and Miyuki Shirogane. Some anime characters try to play sneaky mind games with romance, but Kaguya anad Miyuki turned it into a proper sport, and they both enjoy it. The competition is so fierce, and so official, the charming narrator himself acts as the referee.
On a more serious note, Kaguya-Sama does an expert job of making romance, friendship, and self-discovery so nuanced and deep in each episode. As time goes on, the main cast, most of all Kaguya herself, explore their inner selves and often question why they do what they do. In some cases, Kaguya puts herself on trial in her mind, and it says much about how she sees herself and her romantic struggles.