Romance anime dive into the intricate sides of life, often exploring the human psyche and vulnerability that comes with love. Although there are plenty of heart-stopping moments that accompany romance, it’s not all rainbows and butterflies. Real romance generally starts after the honeymoon phase, where couples are forced to tackle reality together.

Sometimes, not all characters end up with the person they pine for either. Wotakoi is a great example of showing how adult love blossoms and the types of difficulties that come with it, while 5 Centimeters Per Second shows the painful, yet realistic, depiction of how time and distance can drive a wedge between two people who love one another. Despite how complicated relationships can get, they’re an essential part of the human experience that makes life more precious.

Related

10 Underrated Romance Shojo Manga Set In Highschool

These underrated shojo manga would do fantastic if they ever got an anime adaptation.

10

Wotakoi Showcases Two Different Sides of a Romantic Relationship

Streaming On: Crunchyroll

Wotakoi: Love is Hard for an Otaku! does a wonderful job at portraying two kinds of romantic relationships: One that starts in high school and another that starts after a reunion. Viewers get to see the dynamic between the two types of relationships side by side. With Hanako and Taro, they’ve been together for so long that they almost seem more like friends than a couple at first glance, but their dynamic is common in relationships which have lasted years and years. Between Hirotaka and Narumi, theirs starkly contrast Hanako and Taro’s, since their moments are filled with more heart-fluttering moments.

Hanako and Taro often get into arguments, sometimes going as far as ending in tears, mostly due to Hanako’s insecurity that Taro is only settling for her. Their relationship is an accurate portrayal of how, even in a long-term relationship, couples are constantly overcoming insecurities and learning how to effectively communicate with one another. The real relationship starts when a couple learns how to come together to find a solution to the arguments and problems they encounter.

9

5 Centimeters Per Second Shows Youthful Love Doesn’t Always Have a Happy Ending

Streaming On: Netflix

5 Centimeters Per Second is a short film, spanning only an hour, but it’s one of the most real depictions of young love. This movie is a story about love, which is evident by the way it focuses solely on the characters rather than having a plot-driven story. Viewers get snippets of Takaki and Akari’s lives and show how distance and time often drives a wedge between relationships, no matter how much love is present in them.

Related

The 20 Best Quotes In Romance Anime

From Fruits Basket to Apothecary Diaries, anime excels in romance, but some characters beautifully communicate their thoughts through touching quotes!

Although the slow-paced rhythm of the movie is often criticized, it actually enhances what the film is trying to portray. Falling out of love isn’t instantaneous and happens gradually over time, and that’s exactly what 5 Centimeters Per Second portrays. Although romantic love is lost between them, Takaki and Akari never stop loving one another, but they both know that the relationship can no longer continue on.

5 Centimeters per Second

Release Date

March 3, 2007

Runtime

63 Minutes

Director

Makoto Shinkai

Stream

8

Scum’s Wish Shows the More Selfish Side of Love

Streaming On: Amazon Prime Video

Scum’s Wish has a charming art style, but the content within it deals with controversial topics that might be uncomfortable for some viewers who aren’t used to dealing with the complicated side of romantic relationships. Hanabi and Mugi both have romantic feelings for their teachers, but with it being unrequited, they look to each other as substitutes. The characters present in Scum’s Wish also aren’t peach-perfect like in most anime either.

They make terrible mistakes, which is fitting for two young high schoolers. Despite how mature they seem, they’re both quite naive, especially when it comes to determining someone’s intentions and thoughts. Scum’s Wish is a good example of how, even though people don’t get to choose who they fall in love with, they still get to decide who to be with. Viewers see this with Akane deciding to marry Narumi while Mugi finally lets go of his affection for Akane to pursue his romantic feelings for Hanabi.

7

Miscommunication Is the Number One Factor in Relationship Problems as Shown in Sing “Yesterday” For Me

Streaming On: Crunchyroll

Like most relationships in real life, Sing “Yesterday” For Me is a good example of just how messy romantic relationships can get, especially in a love triangle. Getting over an old love is sometimes hard, and Rikuo is one of those people. Haru is head over heels for Rikuo, but Rikuo can’t get over his first love Shinako and throughout the anime, it seems like Rikuo only shows interest in Haru because Haru is interested in him.

Although the love story is complicated, it does go to show how romantic feelings in real life also follow this complicated trend. Rikuo seems conflicted about wanting to even be in a romantic relationship, since he has plenty of inner turmoil that needs to be addressed first before he gets into one. Finding a balance between getting into a relationship versus working on oneself is a tricky subject and one that’s heavily mentioned just by Rikuo’s character.

6

In Tsuki ga Kirei, The Real Test Is How To Maintain the Relationship After Getting Into One

Streaming On: Crunchyroll

Tsuki ga Kirei combines the heart-fluttery, innocent love that occurs in youth, reminiscent of shojo anime, with splash of realism. It dampens the unrealistic love that can be portrayed in anime by going beyond just trying to win the heart of their love interest. They both portray the awkwardness of the “crush” stage in liking someone, and it’s only heightened since they both harbor mutual feelings for one another. Kotaru and Akane don’t follow the typical “popular x” and “shy y” couple, and are both socially awkward teens, which is much more realistic.

There’s also a love triangle present, and it once again shows how illogical love can actually really be. Despite knowing that the other person is taken and in a relationship, Chinatsu and Takumi still harbor their feelings. As shown in the anime, it shows how love can sometimes be so all-consuming that it causes a wave of uncontrollable emotions that is difficult to handle, and for someone like teens who have intense emotions, it’s not easy to simply let go of the person.

5

My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU Expresses How Falling In Love With a Friend Is Never Easy

Streaming On: Crunchyroll

My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU has one of the best portrayals of teen relationships and just how intricate it can get. Expressing one’s emotions is difficult, especially when growing in a certain environment. Hachiman is a pessimistic individual who believes himself impartial about many things, but he doesn’t realize how his nonchalant behavior can negatively affect those who truly care for him. On top of that, Hachiman and Yukino’s slow-developing relationship, as well as Yui’s unrequited love, is a prime example of the delicate balance between friendship and romantic relationships.

It takes seasons for Hachiman and Yukino to get together, and it’s mostly due to their inability to effectively communicate with one another. They’re both reclusive, especially when it comes to sharing their true feelings with anyone, but they both have a strong desire to change themselves, and that’s actually because of Yui’s presence. Hachiman and Yukino show how strong of an impact one person can have on an individual and drive them to completely change themselves for the better.

My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU

Cast

• Takuya Eguchi

  Hachiman Hikigaya

• Saori Hayami

  Yukino Yukinoshita

• 

  Nao Tôyama

  Yui Yuigahama

4

The Anthem of the Heart Is a Prime Example of How Love Never Goes as Planned

Streaming On: Amazon Prime Video

Jun goes through a handful of tough situations, ranging from her home life to her romantic life in The Anthem of the Heart. What makes this movie one of the more realistic high school portrayals is how Jun doesn’t end up with the one she initially has a crush on. Takumi is one of the main protagonists that helps Jun through the majority of her problems and helps her develop as a person. This sort of character, especially in romantic ones, often ends up with the main character, but that’s not the case here.

Related

10 Romance Anime We Can’t Wait to See in 2025

2025 brings in a whole new set of romance animes that fans won’t want to miss, such as Honey Lemon Soda and The Fragrant Flower Blooms With Dignity.

Despite how hurt Jun is over her feelings, this is also a beautiful portrayal of how not everyone who changes someone’s life means they’re the love of someone’s life. That doesn’t mean Jun and Takumi’s relationship is meaningless though. They have a deep bond, and every interaction they have with one another goes beyond the importance of romance in this sense. Much like in real life, despite Jun’s unrequited feelings, their relationship is just as beautiful.

The Anthem of the Heart

Release Date

September 19, 2015

Runtime

119 Minutes

Director

Tatsuyuki Nagai

Writers

Tatsuyuki Nagai, Mari Okada, Masayoshi Tanaka

3

Some Love Stories Only Last a Season, Such as The One Portrayed in The Garden of Words

Streaming On: HiDive

The Garden of Words tackles a touchy topic of age-gap romances, but it handles it beautifully. This is another case of a story about love rather than it being a love story and features two lonely social outcasts who belong in different age groups. Yukino and Takao may come from vastly different worlds, but they are just as alike with one another, which causes them to form a close bond. Forming a bond during a difficult period in one’s life, although not entirely healthy, is a lot more common than not.

Yukino doesn’t reciprocate Takeo’s feelings due to the inappropriateness of it, but she still cares for him deeply. Not all love stories last, and The Garden of Words expresses the beauty and briefness of finding solace with someone who has a major impact on one’s life. Yukino always ensures that boundaries are in place and the respectable distance that they have, while also clearly expressing just how important they are to one another, shows how not all romantic feelings should be pursued.

The Garden Of Words

Release Date

May 31, 2013

Runtime

46 minutes

Director

Makoto Shinkai

Writers

Makoto Shinkai

2

Teasing Master Takagi-san Reminds Viewers That Childhood Crushes Are Some of the Purest Forms of Love

Streaming On: Netflix

Although love does bring a number of complications, Teasing Master Takagi-san is a breath of fresh air that isn’t over the top and is still realistic. Takagi’s relentless teasing of Nishikita is reminiscent of young children poking fun at the one they like, and this anime is quite accurate at portraying it without overexaggerating anything. Teasing Master Takagi-san explores the softer side of realistic romance and the slow pace that generally happens in a young love.

Related

10 Romance Anime That Actually Stick The Landing

Romance anime like Kimi ni Todoke and After the Rain manage to stick the landing by offering viewers exactly what they promised in the end.

Nishikita’s obliviousness to Takagi’s feelings for him perfectly portrays what goes on in a child’s mind, whose main focus is most likely playing games and being curious about the outside world, while Takagi also shows how some children are actually quite perceptive and attuned to more mature emotions that are seen in children.

1

Sometimes, Love Comes When It’s Least Expected, Like in A Silent Voice

Streaming On: Crunchyroll

In contrast to Teasing Master Takagi-san, A Silent Voice is another realistic coming-of-age anime that showcases a darker and crueler side to children that occurs frequently. Nishimiya and Ishida are two sides of the same coin and both have a difficult past with one another. While it’s confirmed that Nishimiya develops a romantic interest in Ishida, it’s not solidified if Ishida reciprocates Nishimiya’s feelings, but it is implied that he does. Although romance does play a part, their bond goes much deeper than that.

A Silent Voice shows how sometimes, love isn’t always enough to triumph all. Despite their implicitly mutual feelings for one another, they both harbor a deep guilt that makes it hard for them to realize how much they deserve in life. Even though there’s a sense of mutual feelings, they don’t get together, which shows how it’s not all just black and white when it comes to romantic feelings. Two individuals who have mutual feelings for each other doesn’t mean that getting together is the best call, especially when it’s not the right time.

A Silent Voice

Release Date

October 20, 2017

Runtime

130 minutes