The romance genre is highly versatile and can be enjoyed by all kinds of viewers.
Although we realize that some series may be more appealing to a male audience, and others are more targeted at women.
For this reason, romance stories that are rich in drama, tension, psychology, and where the romantic aspect is present but not dominant over other elements are more suitable for some.
Here is a comprehensive list of the best romance anime for boys that embody this definition.
Table of Contents
15. Sing Yesterday For Me
Sing Yesterday For Me is an underrated romance anime focused on slice-of-life elements, released in 2020. With 12 episodes, it’s based on a seinen manga, meaning its themes are mature and serious.
The protagonist, Rikuo Uozumi, is a young man with no ambition who gets a simple part-time job after finishing school.
He meets several people in his new job, including his old crush and a strange girl named Haru, who help him see the world in a different light.
Sing Yesterday For Me is more of a psychological slice-of-life anime than a romance. It focuses heavily on Rikuo’s character development, and love is just one of the contributing factors.
The anime is unique in its approach to the romance genre, and its technical aspect is good, utilizing modern animation techniques.
14. Golden Time
Golden Time is a romantic comedy anime that was released in 2013.
The story follows the lives of 3 college students, Banri Tada, Mitsuo Yanagisawa, and Koko Kaga, who are involved in a love triangle.
Banri Tada loses his memory after falling off a bridge before graduation, making him an interesting protagonist.
Mitsuo Yanagisawa is a friend of Banri, and Koko Kaga is Mitsuo’s childhood friend and an over-the top girl who shows up by slapping Mitsuo with a bouquet of roses.
The relationships between the 3 characters are complex, and the story revolves around how they evolve over time.
Yes, Golden Time relies mainly on its love triangle to propel the story forward, but that doesn’t mean it’s a cheesy story.
Golden Time manages to balance romance and comedy well, with absurd, over-the-top gags that will crack you up.
13. Horimiya
Horimiya is a popular romantic anime that was released in recent years, based on a Yonkoma manga series, which is a collection of humorous strips.
The story focuses on the love affair between 2 high school students, Izumi and Kyoko. Despite their contrasting personalities, the 2 manage to fall in love and understand each other.
Horimiya is a balanced blend of comedy and romance, with a focus on character development and growth.
The romance component is definitely important and not secondary at all, but it fits perfectly with the other themes.
We also consider this anime as one of the best romance anime you can find on Hulu.
12. Pet Girl of Sakurasou
Pet Girl of Sakurasou is a romcom anime that follows the story of the main character Sorata Kanda, a boy who lives in the Sakurasou dorm, a place known for housing the most notorious delinquents at Sumei High.
Sorata’s goal is to escape the dorm, but that changes when a new transfer student, Mashiro Shiina, joins the dormitory.
He decides to protect the beautiful and clumsy girl from the other residents and in the process, he might just develop feelings for her.
The anime is a delightful mixture of romance and comedy, with relatable and exaggerated characters. The romance aspect is perfectly integrated with the absurd situations that the characters find themselves in, not to mention that is a good pick if you’re looking for one of the best romance anime where a popular boy falls for a shy girl.
11. Toradora!
Toradora is a popular light novel and manga series that was later adapted into an extremely popular anime.
It revolves around the lives of two high school students, Ryuji Takagi and Taiga Aisaka, who are both misunderstood by their peers.
Despite their seemingly scary exterior, they are actually a quiet and responsible boy, and a hot-headed but cute girl, respectively.
The series focuses mainly on the romance between Ryuji and Taiga, but it also highlights their friendships and relationships with the other characters.
Toradora presents a compelling and believable story, with moments that will leave the viewer breathless. It’s a pure romance tale that will captivate the hearts of its audience without being cheesy at all.
10. Nisekoi
Nisekoi follows the story of Raku Ichijou, the heir to a powerful Yakuza family.
He’s just like any other teenager, but years ago he made a promise to a girl with a pendant saying they’d get married once they’re adults.
Raku is on a mission to find the girl who holds the key to his pendant and has a crush on his childhood friend, Kosaki Onodera.
But his life takes a turn when a rival gang, the American Bee Hive Gang, appears. To settle the feud between their families, Raku is paired with Chitoge Kirisaki, the daughter of the enemy’s leader and a beautiful girl.
But even if it’s a false love, who knows if this act can produce real feelings as the story goes on, showing us one of the best romance anime where enemies become lovers.
Nisekoi is considered to be one of the best harem romances and has a lot of elements that can make it appealing to a male audience.
The plot focuses more on the comedic moments the characters will experience, rather than just the love aspect, making it a hit among boys too.
9. Tsukigakirei – as the moon, so beautiful
Tsukigakirei is a coming-of-age anime that focuses on the lives of 5 middle school students as they navigate the complexities of love and relationships.
The main characters are Akane Mizuno, Kotaro Azumi, Chinatsu Nishio, Takumi Hira, and Aoi Takizawa, who are all part of a close-knit group of friends.
The anime showcases their experiences as they navigate the ups and downs of life, including falling in love, making new friends, and facing the uncertainty of the future.
One of the key strengths of Tsukigakirei is its cast of well-developed and relatable characters, making the audience feel like they are a part of the story.
Additionally, the love story is beautifully crafted, adding another layer of depth and emotion to the series.
Tsukigakirei is a touching and realistic portrayal of growing up, capturing the heartwarming moments and the struggles that come with it.
8. One Week Friends.
One Week Friends is a super popular series in Japan with both dramatic and romantic themes. Its manga has been adapted into both an anime and a live-action film in Japan.
Yuuki Hase, the main character, sees his classmate Kaori sad and friendless and decides to befriend her.
But Kaori declines, explaining that she has a condition that causes her to lose her memory every week. Undeterred, Yukki persists in his efforts to win her trust each week and ensure she never feels alone again.
The anime portrays a powerful emotional journey as the characters experience a mix of happiness, sadness, and feelings of helplessness.
Although romance is present, the central focus is on the psychological themes that drive the story, and this makes it a good pick for a male audience.
7. Inuyasha
Inuyasha is a cult anime that has one of the best romantic subplot ever. It’s based on a shonen manga that was published in Weekly Shonen Sunday.
The protagonist of the story is Kagome, a young girl who falls into a well and is transported back in time to Sengoku-era Japan.
In this era, she is reincarnated as the priestess Kikyo and must protect the sphere of the four winds with the help of Inuyasha, a demon with canine-like features.
Inuyasha is definitely one of the best options for boys who enjoy romantic anime.
It’s packed with action and thrilling battles, has fantastic character designs, and is set in an intriguing world.
6. Clannad
Clannad follows the story of Tomoya Okazaki, a high school senior who is considered a bad boy but is surprisingly popular with girls due to his good looks.
One day, he meets Nagisa Furukawa, a sweet girl who struggles to make connections with others and is repeating her senior year due to health issues. The two develop a deep friendship and more as the story continues.
Clannad is a well-known romance anime, known for its balance of themes and a believable romance between a popular boy and a shy girl.
Although Clannad is known as one of the romances anime with a sad ending, the sad moments are balanced by a lot of psychology and an extremely believable romance.
5. My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU (OreGairu)
OreGairu is a 13-episode anime based on the light novel series of the same name written by Wataru Watari.
The protagonist, Hachiman Hikigaya, is an antisocial high school student with a negative and cynical view of social life.
That all changes when his teacher forces him to join the school’s volunteer club, which is run by the popular and beautiful Yukino Yukinoshita.
Hachiman and Yukino soon find they have a lot in common, but when Yui, another attractive girl, joins the club, a love triangle begins to form.
Despite the romantic elements, OreGairu is an atypical romance that focuses more on comedy and psychology, and encourages its audience to reflect on what is truly important in life.
The real strength of the series lies in the character development of its protagonists, as they gradually step out of their comfort zones and realize that the outside world may not be as bad as they thought.
Plus, Hachiman is a one of the best cool MCs in romance anime, and will run the show with his incredible character development.
4. Kaguya-Sama: Love is War
Kaguya-Sama: Love is War is a captivating anime that focuses on the ongoing psychological battle between Miyuki Shirogane, the student council president, and Kaguya Shinomiya, his deputy.
Both are determined to get the other to confess their love first because you know, the one who gives in first loses, and they can’t afford it.
This anime is a delightful mix of comedy, cute moments and a romance with just a little of drama, all presented in a lighthearted and humorous manner.
Kaguya-Sama: Love is War is a must-watch for anyone, regardless of their gender or their fondness for the romance genre.
Its blend of humor and romance is sure to captivate you, and its relatable themes of love, friendship, and the struggles of growing up will have you invested in the characters and their stories.
3. Kimagure Orange Road
This is a cult anime from the ’80s and is one of those romcoms that inspired many other future works and is based on the love triangle trope. It’s based on a shonen manga written by Izumi Matsumoto.
Set in the 1980s, it tells the story of Kyosuke Kasuga, a boy who possesses psychic powers and becomes embroiled in a love triangle between his best friends Madoka Ayukawa and Hikaru Hiyama.
This anime is renowned for its fleshed-out characters, innovative plot, and the way it blends supernatural elements with the main romance storyline, making it appealing to audiences of all types.
Despite being released many years ago, Kimagure Orange Road still remains one of the best romance anime ever made and is considered a cult in the genre.
2. Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai
Based on the light novel by Hajime Kamoshida with the same title, Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai is a 2018 anime by CloverWorks.
The story revolves around Sakuta Azusagawa, a high school boy who has a small social circle due to rumors about him assaulting some boys.
While he’s at the library, he comes across a girl dressed as a bunny, Mai Sakurajima, who is older than him, a professional actress, and a popular girl. As they get to know each other, they delve into each other’s past experiences.
Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai is a sophisticated anime that prioritizes exploring psychological aspects tied to trauma over romance.
There are plenty of twists, turns, and emotional moments, but tying all these themes together results in an exceptional romance with one of the best anime couples ever.
For all these reasons, it’s one of the best romance anime to watch with your partner.
1. Maison Ikkoku
Maison Ikkoku, a 1980s classic, is based on a seinen manga by Rumiko Takahashi, known as the queen of manga.
The protagonist, Yusaku Godai, is a young high school student who aims to attend a prestigious college.
To prepare quietly for his upcoming exams, he rents a room at the extravagant Maison Ikkoku boarding house run by the charming and older Kyoko Otonashi.
As Yusaku begins to live at the boarding house, he falls in love with Kyoko and a mature and psychologically rich love story ensues.
Maison Ikkoku is a major hit in the romance genre, making history and shaping the genre as we know it today.
This anime really stands out, being one of the best psychological romances without falling in stereotypes.
Not to mention that is also a must-watch for those who enjoy the romance anime with the older girl loves younger guy trope and want to experience one of the milestones of the genre.
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