Romance anime with a lot of suspense and sexual tension may be interesting the first few times but end up being annoying.
Let’s say you root for two characters to be together to know near the end that they don’t even do so. Quite disappointing, right?
This listicle will show you the best romance anime where couples get together early, so the couple gets together at the start of the story rather than at its conclusion. Rankings are based on our experience.
This trope is rare but gives life to a set of interesting shows that try to do their best to come up with something original.
Table of Contents
18. Arifureta
A class of high school students is transported to a parallel world with fantasy characteristics as a group of heroes who must save it from destruction.
All the students are found to possess excellent skills except Nagumo Hajime, who becomes a weak crafter with very low statistics.
One day, while exploring a dungeon, Nagumo falls into a seemingly bottomless abyss. But when at the bottom he finds there a blonde vampire over three hundred years old despite appearances imprisoned the tables will turn.
The two will fall in love, kicking off a romance in a few episodes. The use of CGI, bad animations, and awkward moments are what make Arifureta mediocre but extremely funny to watch because it’s just bad.
17. 3D Kanojo: Real Girl
3D Kanojo: Real Girl is a good psychological romance that addresses important issues such as depression. It was released in 2018 in 24 episodes.
The main character, Tsutsui Hikari, is an otaku and anti-social boy who tries to avoid socializing. He is constantly ridiculed by most of his classmates for being creepy and weird, which leads him to even more problems.
But one day he finds himself cleaning the school pool with Igarashi Iroha, one of the most popular and extroverted girls in school.
And despite her being everything he hates in girls, he soon falls in love with her as she is the first person to treat him like a normal guy.
The issue with this anime is that it has low character development and inconsistent pacing.
However, if you’re looking for a good romance with a depressed MC that features an early couple, we highly recommend it.
16. Gamers!
Gamers! is a 2017 anime released in 12 episodes about high school students who share a passion for video games.
The main characters are Keita Amano, a quiet boy, Karen Tendou, the beautiful president of the video game club, and their friends Chiaki Hoshinomori, and Tasuku Uehara.
They attend the same school and bond over their shared love of gaming, while a cute love story will soon blossom between Keita and Karen.
The show is a typical slice-of-life romance anime but with the engaging added element of gaming.
It features many heartwarming and funny moments, including references to pop culture that you will love.
15. Shikimori’s Not Just A Cutie
Shikimori’s Not Just a Cutie is one of the last romance anime released, with the first season-ending only recently in 2022 with 12 episodes.
Shikimori seems like the perfect girl: she’s pretty, fun to be with, and sweet. Nevertheless, she has a cold dark side that emerges when necessary, especially when teased.
Her boyfriend, Izumi, loves to be around her when it happens, to calm her down and enjoy the moment as well.
Shikimori’s Not Just a Cutie is a good slice-of-life anime, that shows a good romance with a couple who are already together from the beginning.
The story is based on their couple’s life in some cute and funny slice-of-life episodes that will keep you entertained.
14. Say I Love You
Say I Love You is a heartwarming romantic comedy that tells a sweet and tender love story.
The main character Mei Tachibana is a quiet and reserved girl who has never had a boyfriend or friends until she gets into a fight with the popular boy Yamato Kurosawa.
But in the same day, their romance soon starts in an unexpected way when Yamato kisses Mei to save her from a stalker.
The series is known for its mature approach to the love story, with less focus on comedy and more on the psychological development of the characters.
Also, while being released in 2012, the animation style is smooth and beautiful to look at.
Nisekoi follows the story of Raku Ichijou, the heir to a powerful Yakuza family.
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 an unexpected turn when a rival gang, the American Bee Hive Gang, appears. To settle the feud between their families, Raku is paired in the first episodes with Chitoge Kirisaki, the daughter of the enemy’s leader.
Nisekoi is considered to be one of the best harem romances and has a lot of elements that can make it one of the best romance anime for guys too.
12. My Happy Marriage
My Happy Marriage is a recent romance anime released in the summer of 2023, comprising 12 episodes adapted from a light novel.
It unfolds as a cute and heartwarming romantic tale, with an additional charm coming from its beautiful setting in ancient Japan realized stunningly thanks to the excellent animation of the series.
Meet the protagonist Miyo, a girl with a troubled past. Born from an arranged marriage, she has spent her life in the shadow of her half-sister Kaya, treated like a servant.
Everything takes an unexpected turn when Miyo is summoned by her father for an announcement: she’s to be married to Kiyoka Kudou, a boy known for his cold demeanor.
At first, Miyo anticipates another dark and sad chapter in her life but to her surprise, she discovers that her new husband is a caring and kind-hearted person, ready to provide the love she has always yearned for.
All this happens in the first few episodes, making this series perfect for this list and leaving plenty of room for their cute romance.
11. I Can’t Understand What My Husband is Saying
I Can’t Understand What My Husband is Saying is a series of animated shorts, each lasting about 4 minutes, that follows the story of Kaoru, a hard-working woman, and her otaku husband, Hajime.
The series shows their relationship from getting to know each other to getting married and dealing with everyday problems as a couple since the first episode.
But don’t underestimate it, as this show also includes psychological interludes, as the characters are adults dealing with adult issues by all means.
10. Ancient Magus Bride
A 24-episode anime series based on the manga of the same name by Kore Yamazaki and animated by Studio Wit.
The protagonist of the story is young Chise Hatori, a girl who, after losing her entire family in previous years, decides to sell herself off at an auction to change her life and find some light in her life after many years of suffering.
She will then be purchased by a man who stands out mainly because of his tall height and head shaped like a canine skull, named Elias, to make her a magician.
But we know how it works in these cases, the two will end up feeling attracted to each other very soon because of their relationship of respect and gratitude.
Dark fantasy and romance are a great but unusual pair and so are Chise and Elias.
9. TONIKAWA: Over the Moon for You
An anime of difficult judgment, which some may like but others may hate, with no middle ground.
This is because the two main characters will fall in love, get together and marry all in one episode.
That said, if you want something quick (and slightly rushed) and want to see their life as a couple, it’s perfect for you. Definitely, the anime on this list that places the least emphasis on building a love relationship.
We will see the 2 get to know each other in the fastest way possible, to get married while still underage. And after that, we get to admire their life as a couple with brief glimpses into the past.
But if you like to get straight to the point and don’t like to watch classic courtship scenes, and we’re sure you do since you’re reading this article, this is a great choice.
8. My Love Story!!
The story follows the adventures of Takeo Goda, a two-meter-tall, muscular student who doesn’t have much luck with girls. Every girl he likes ends up falling in love with his far more attractive best friend Makoto Sunakawa.
One day Takeo rescues a girl named Rinko Yamato from an attacker on a train, and so the two unexpectedly fall in love at first sight.
The original manga has received not inconsiderable reception in the East, even placing as the best manga for girls for multiple years. And we can’t agree more, as we consider it one of the best romance anime with comedy you can find right now.
Ore Monogatari!! catches the strange feelings between Takeo and Rinko, without including meaningful love triangles or any kind of romantic danger.
And that’s fine, this anime wants to describe a wholesome romance based on what we have inside rather than our physical appearance.
When discussing Yuri anime and manga, there’s no doubt that Bloom Into You is one of the best yuri series ever made.
You can only find one season of 13 episodes, and unfortunately, the chances of it receiving a second season seem unlikely. It’s a shame, but we still recommend it as it’s a super lovely and delicate vanilla romance anime that we encourage you to check out.
Adapting the first half of Nio Nakatani’s manga, it follows the story of Yuu Koito, a high schooler struggling to comprehend her feelings about love.
This emotional turmoil leads her to believe she’s incapable of understanding love until, through a series of coincidences, she joins the student council and forms a connection with its president, Touko Nanami.
Things take a turn when Nanami soon kisses her, and after deliberation, Yuu decides to support her, even if she can’t reciprocate her feelings.
6. Wotakoi: Love is Hard for Otaku
Wotakoi is an 11-episode anime series based on a manga of the same name written and drawn by Fujita.
The series stars Narumi Momose, a serious and impeccable employee who hides from friends and colleagues the fact that she is an otaku and a nerd who loves to play videogames.
At the office where she works, however, Hirotaka Nifuji, a charming and affable old friend of hers from high school, lives his otakuhood head-on.
In addition, Hanako Koyanagi, Narumi’s senpai, and her boyfriend Taro Kabakura, younger than her, are also otaku in the office.
The story then follows the affairs of these 4 fanatics and how they reconcile their passions with the responsibilities of adult life and the spark of love between Narumi and Hirotaka, that will soon occur.
One of the most wholesome anime of the last few years and one of the best examples of how you justify early relationships in anime.
5. HoriMiya
HoriMiya originates as a yonkoma manga, so it’s a collection of humorous strips.
The plot is as simple as it is effective and features Izumi Miyamura, an introvert and brooding, and Kyoko Hori, who is sunny, outgoing, and very popular.
Despite these radical differences between them, the two end up forging no small understanding that will stay with us throughout the story.
This show doesn’t sacrifice comedy for depth, as you will get to laugh while watching it. The fact that this couple forms early in the story gives a lot of room for character development and personal growth.
It’s a solid and entertaining romance anime that will make you grow attached to the two MCs and their friends, with one of the best dominant female leads in romance.
4. Tsukigakirei – as the moon, so beautiful
An anime that centers completely on the lives of middle school students, with of course also the blossoming love and relationship between the boys.
We will have multiple protagonists, and although we can’t say it explicitly to avoid spoilers, the theme of the article, a fast love that sparks early, will be there.
The story is told through Akane Mizuno and Kotaro Azumi, who are in the same class, along with their friends Chinatsu Nishio and Takumi Hira, who are in different classes.
And at the same time Aoi Takizawa and Akane, Chinatsu’s athletic partner, also play a significant role in the events.
The series follows the journey of these 5 characters as they navigate the complexities of adolescence, including love, friendships, loss, and uncertainty about the future, as Akane and Kotaro’s feelings for each other soon blossom.
A series that is melancholic at times and quite relatable in terms of romance and sentiments.
3. Monogatari Series
Monogatari Series is one of the most distinctive anime you can find in general, and we’ll never get tired of saying it.
We recommend searching for a guide on the viewing order to fully appreciate it and immerse yourself in this series if you still have to watch it.
The story revolves around Koyomi Araragi, whose life takes a drastic turn after encountering Kiss-Shot Acerola-Orion Heart-Under-Blade, a dying vampire.
With the assistance of Meme Oshino, Koyomi regains his humanity but finds himself drawn into a world of supernatural events. All this while along the way he develops in the first episodes a romantic connection with Hitagi Senjogahara.
The Monogatari series spans an extensive array of genres across its seasons, encompassing action, comedy, slice of life, adventure, and romance. All of this is presented with a distinctive pacing and a meta-storytelling style.
But what’s truly remarkable is that this fusion of seemingly disparate elements remarkably comes together perfectly, to say the least.
2. Spice and Wolf
Spice and Wolf is the perfect example of niche romance anime that is underrated probably thanks to its multiple facets.
This is because the anime, based on Isuna Hasekura’s novels, despite the atmosphere of the genre, shows us a world without magic, based on trade and economics.
The story revolves around the events of merchant Lawrence Kraft who agrees under request to help return to his native place a wolf-god called Holo, receiving in return his divine help and several privileges.
But feelings always blossom though, even sooner if you live and travel together.
The romance component is also excellent, well-researched, and perfectly working, not to mention that is one of the best romances with a grown-up couple if you want a mature point of view.
1. Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai
This series is one of the best romance anime out there for early couples. Sakuta and Mai will get together at the end of Episode 3, super early if compared to other series like HoriMiya.
They quickly grow closer and form an incredible couple, even though this series isn’t just about romance.
It will feature many romantic scenes but will also deal with important and serious themes of the human psyche.
The plot revolves around Sakuta Azusagawa, a high school boy who keeps to himself and has only two friends. This is caused by the fact that rumors are circulating about him allegedly assaulting some boys.
One day, while walking around the library, he runs into a girl dressed as a bunny.
The girl’s name is Mai Sakurajima, his senpai as well as a professional actress. The two will begin to discover each other, opening doors to their various past experiences, and end up falling in love in the first episodes.
Passionate about Japanese culture for years, serial devourer of manga, anime, and videogames that have now become part of my routine.
My favorite series? Goodnight Punpun and One Piece.
