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Looking for a sweet and romantic anime that definitely deserves more love? We’ve got you covered.
While love is in the air in the days leading up to Valentine’s Day, some romance anime just aren't getting as much attention as they deserve. Whether you’re a hopeless romantic searching for hidden gems, or just in the mood for a heartfelt story that flies under the radar, we’ve got you covered. These underrated romance anime range from touching love stories to slow-burn relationships that will make your heart skip a beat, making them perfect for anyone looking for something new to watch.
Paradise Kiss
An underrated classic based on a manga by Ai Yazawa, an author best known for her cult classic manga Nana, Paradise Kiss tells the story of college student Yukari Hayasaka and her journey into becoming a fashion model.
Finding herself embroiled in a fashion showcase thanks to a chance encounter with a fashion collective called Paradise Kiss, Yukari finds herself falling into a whirlwind romance with the group’s leader, George.
But unlike the typical girl meets boy story, Paradise Kiss opts to paint the ups and downs of a relationship in realistic detail, exploring the instances in life in which the person you fall for doesn't stay in your life forever.
Taisho Otome Fairytale
Short and sweet, Taisho Otome Fairytale is a historical anime set in the Taisho-era of Japan. Based on Sana Kirioka’s manga of the same name, the story follows an exiled and disgraced Tamahiko Shima, who is sent to live in a villa in the mountains of Chiba after sustaining serious injuries due to a car crash, which also killed his mother.
Depressed and withdrawn, Tamahiko’s world is suddenly turned upside down due to the arrival of a girl named Yuzuki Tachibana, who is purchased by his father to become his caretaker and future bride. Although Tamahiko finds Yusuki annoying at first, he gradually warms up to her, and eventually falls in love thanks to her cheerful and sunny disposition.
Taisho Otome Fairytale is currently available to watch for free on MuseAsia’s YouTube channel.
Tsuki ga Kirei
Also known as As the Moon, So Beautiful, the story follows two junior high school students who fall in love for the first time. Kotaro Azumi and Akane Mizuno cross paths when they are both put in charge of the equipment for a sports festival, and gradually build a relationship with each other while growing closer through the messaging app LINE. However, challenges put their relationship at risk when Akane is forced to move to Chiba due to her father’s work.
Tsuredure Children
Tsuredure Children tells various romantic stories between young students in the same highschool, and focuses on how hard it is to confess affection to the ones who matter the most. The anthology-like series rotates around characters like Haruhiko Takase, who’s in love with Saki Kanda, Jun Furuya, who gets regularly confessed to by Yuki Minagawa, Takuro Sugawara, who harbours secret feelings for Chizuru Takano, Takeru Goda, who isn’t great at communicating his feelings to his girlfriend Ayaka Kamine, Chiaki Uchimura, who finds it hard to take his relationship with Kana Ijima seriously, and many other characters.
Shikimori’s Not Just a Cutie
Based on the manga by Keigo Maki, Shikimori’s Not Just a Cutie is an adorable anime that subverts stereotypical Shoujo tropes. Highschooler Yuki Izumi can’t seem to catch a break with his unusual bad luck, but his devoted girlfriend Miyako Shikamori always finds the chance to rescue him from many disastrous accidents. The show follows the couple’s antics as they attempt to ease Izumi’s unlucky streak, while showcasing just how cool Shikimori can be in his eyes.
