Romances abound in most animes even outside the shoujo genre. Sweet and simple slow burns may reign in one area while a hot and fiery headbutting romance may bloom in another. With many more in between the spectrum. There really is a romance for almost everyone in the world of anime.
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Some romances are just too good to ignore. Even if an otaku doesn’t ship them while preferring their own crack ship, they can recognize the romance from across an event floor. Those romances are always the best as even if a person doesn’t watch the show, they know those characters are meant to be.
10Shoya Ishida & Shoko Nishimiya
The couple that takes center stage in the film A Silent Voice is the ex-bully Shoya and his deaf ex-classmate Shoko. In elementary school, Shoya ended up being mean to Shoko for her deafness. He instantly regretted it, but as a child with a lot of problems in a tough social situation, there wasn’t much that could be remedied when Shoya transferred schools.
Years later he himself is an outcast due to the things that transpired in elementary school. Shoya runs across Shoko, and wants to make amends. In the process, he falls for the deaf girl but continues to struggle with self-doubt and lets himself remain in exile for what he did. This personal growth and reconciliation romance is a sweet one that observes the world through the lens of teens trying to move on from childhood issues.
9Bulma & Vegeta
Probably one of the most iconic and well-known enemies-to-lovers troupes is the romance of Vegeta and Bulma. Once a Saiyan Prince set on destroying Bulma’s friends, Vegeta learns to accept that he needed some humility in his life.
The young Earthling captured the fallen prince’s heart by being her outgoing and charismatic self. Surprisingly Vegeta is easily flustered by his romantic partner, and can be seen getting worked up by some of her more outrageous antics.
8Edward & Winry
This blonde powerhouse of a couple was practically crafted for each other from childhood. Growing up down a country road from each other, they have always been there for each other in the worst moments. They’re supportive, and they understand that the other is there for them even if they can’t always talk to them.
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Winry fell for the lunk of a state alchemist early on, but Edward forced his own feelings down. Being eaten alive by the guilt he felt from what happened to his younger brother, he refused to allow himself happiness which of course left Winry out in the cold. Her patience is rewarded in the end, and they both showcase how people can come together once beginning to heal from tragedy.
7Tohru Honda & Kyo Souma
Fruits Basket is a love triangle series focused on the orphan girl Tohru. She ends up being taken in by a clan that is connected strongly to the Chinese Zodiac. The rat and the cat are at odds to gain the favor of this young girl that just wants to do well in school.
The story follows Tohru falling for both boys for different reasons, but she clearly favors the male lead Kyo. Kyo is the outcast and representative of the cat in the zodiac. Used to being left behind, he is quick to reject the idea Tohru isn’t intimidated by his prickly attitude.
6Chise & Elias
Chise is a young girl that decided to sell herself after becoming an orphan. Elias bought her as a fiancé, and despite outward appearances, The Ancient Magus' Bride is a dark fantasy series with a slow-burn romance.
As time goes on and they get to know each other, Chise and Elias begin to fall for each other. Elias teaches magic to his bride, and his bride teaches him about human emotion. This eventually leads to them becoming a married couple with love in the relationship.
5Yuuri & Victor
Making waves as one of the first true LGBTQIA+ representations that weren’t just a side note is the couple Yuuri and Victor from Yuri on Ice. As a fully-fledged representation instead of just a general nod, this sweet couple are a breath of fresh air in a stagnant world.
They showcase more of a real-world love. Both support the other and build a relationship on trust and mutual admiration. It is a rare site in straight romances, and for it to take the lead in one of the first true mass-released LGBTQIA+ series, just takes the cake. Watch as these guys grow together and fall deeper in love.
4Hak & Yona
Following one of the greatest and most popular troupes in romance is the tale of a princess and her bodyguard. Yona of the Dawn has a fantastic retelling of this crowd-pleaser. Yona is a princess that sets out on an adventure with her bodyguard Hak to restore herself to the throne after an attack.
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Their relationship starts out as a typical playful jab and quips as friends into a passion-filled burning fire. Hak is loyal and would follow Yona to the end of the world should she ask him. Yona on the other hand isn’t sure how to properly start over with him once they become fugitives, and she accepts she has feelings for him. They finally figure out how to properly communicate their affection for one another after many scuffed moments.
3Nana Osaki & Ren Honjo
This couple comes from the hit series - Nana. If your vice is couples that broke up but shouldn’t have, this is the romance for you. A gothic girl falls for a nerdy and off-kilter boy. While finding their way through life, their paths separate. Ren ends up moving to Tokyo and forms a band.
Nana eventually also moves to Tokyo and the two meet back up. It’s quickly apparent that despite having different views on life and love the flames never faded. They are the epitome of a pair that may have separated for a temporary interlude in the relationship.
2Takeo Gouda & Yamato Rinko
Coming in as an outlier is My Love Story protagonists. It may seem strange calling a well-known shoujo an outlier, but this is a unique case. Most shoujo series are centered around the female protagonist lead. This is normal as the largest percentage of shoujo consumers are women and girls, so it makes sense to focus on them. My Love Story flips the script and the main storyteller is the male best friend of the unconventional masculine lead.
Follow along with the slow and sweet romance that blooms. Shown through the lens of the popular class hottie that is simply happy his best friend has found someone that sees and appreciates him for simply being himself. He may get a little wistful for his own version of their romance, but is never more than just an observer that helps the couple out.
1Sawako and Shota
Mutual admiration turning into a lighthearted fluffy romance takes the lead in Kimi ni Todoke. The series finds the male lead becoming curious about the ‘scary’ female lead when he sees her smiling. Deciding to get toe know her better, Shota approaches Sawako to find out more about her.
Sawako admires Shota for his ability to get along with everyone in their class and aspires to be more like him. Shota gets closure to the girl every likens to the ghost from the popular horror movie The Ring and becomes her biggest champion. He sees her as a beacon of conviction and kindness.
