2024 took its time to shape into a year for the record books by slowly but steadily delivering cinematic masterpieces that swept us off our feet. In Hollywood, in the romance genre, movies like Challengers, and We Live In Timedominated the box office, the critics’ lists, and our hearts. Meanwhile, anime saw continued success on streaming as several new series joined the cherished ranks so far held by timeless classics like Your Lie in April and Toradora!
With lovingly-crafted stories and deeply engaging characters, these modern romances remind us just why the medium of storytelling is so rewarding and fresh. The best romantic anime series of 2024 range from tales of first loves to relationships tested by life. Of course, while we only cover 10 of the warmest and dreamiest anime, there are more romantic shows out there worth exploring.
10 Twilight Out of Focus
Twilight Out of Focus is a refreshing BL anime that centers around second-year high school students Mao Tsuchiya and Hisashi Ootomo who are forced to share a dorm room, but they swear to adhere to three rules in order to stay out of each other’s way. But as the school film club works on the annual short film and Hishashi is paired with another boy, Mao comes to terms with his growing affection for Hishashi.
A Focus on Memorable Characters
Besides the main leads, the series also focuses on two other tales of romance, taking viewers on a picturesque journey of identity and self-discovery. In a way, it plays out as a collection of short stories playing out against the backdrop of an all-boys high school, with each one bringing fresh humor and heart, an enticing will-they-won’t-they romance, and ample focus on emotional development.
9 Senpai Is an Otokonoko
With changing times, even anime is tackling more inclusive stories about representation and Senpai Is an Otokonoko is the perfect example. It follows the love triangle that forms between first-year student Saki Aoi, a senior on the school music board, Makoto Hanaoka, who Aoi later realizes is a cross-dressing boy, and Ryuji Taiga, a childhood friend of Hanaoka.
Explores Love in All Its Colors
Senpai Is An Otokonoko allows its characters to navigate their personal crisis and confront questions about gender, identity, and what truly matters in a budding relationship. The anime is visually stunning, and it takes its time to establish character relationships. By being timely and relevant, respectful and sympathetic, while also never losing sight of its fun and romantic story at the center, the series cements itself as a standout celebration of love.
8 Grandpa and Grandma Turn Young Again
Adapted from the manga written and illustrated by Kagiri Araido, Grandpa and Grandma Turn Young Again, or Jii-san Baa-san Wakagaeru, is one of the most adorable romances of 2024. The title itself is pretty self-explanatory, but to break it down for you, the series revolves around Shouzou Saitou and his wife, Ine, who have been together for sixty years. After taking a mysterious golden apple from their farm home, they wake up next morning and transform into younger versions of themselves.
A Sweet Story About of Love
Bringing the signature warmth that romance anime series are known and cherished for, Grandpa and Grandma Turn Young Again not only sees the main couple embrace their youth, but do so in a manner that’s familiar and wholesome. Shouzou and Ine are still just as happy tending to their orchid of apple trees while being young, and in their interactions with the youth, they end up giving relatable but necessary lessons about life.
Related
25 Anime Series With One Season You Can Binge in a Day
Some really great anime are short but sweet, not counting any OVA spin-offs. You should be able to binge these excellent series in a day.
7 Doctor Elise: The Royal Lady with the Lamp
Historical romance and the reincarnation trope have gone hand in hand in the anime medium for quite some time now. Doctor Elise: The Royal Lady with the Lamp follows Elise de Clorance, a villainess belonging to a noble family. After dying a tragic death, she is reborn and filled with guilt about her former ways. Elise decides to put her new life to good news by becoming the genius surgeon, Dr. Aoi Takamoto. But even that stint is cut short when she dies but reincarnates as Elise, this time, making sure she saves lives instead of ruining them.
Combines Real World and Fantasy World
What makes Doctor Elise: The Royal Lady with the Lamp extremely intriguing to watch is that the protagonist not only has the experience and memory of battling darkness and evil like her former self, but also the medical skills and modern knowledge necessary to take a shot at life differently. Beyond the show’s heroine, the series features Prince Linden de Romanoff, the man Elise loved then hated, and the kind-hearted Crown Prince of Wilfried.
6 Spice and Wolf: Merchant Meets the Wise Wolf
As far as the fantasy genre goes, the 2008 adaptation of Isuna Hasekura’s light novel is a beloved classic. Spice and Wolf: Merchant Meets the Wise Wolf reboots the same story for a brand new audience by introducing us to Lawrence, a traveling merchant who passes by the village of Pasloe and has a strange encounter with Holo, the Wisewolf. They strike a deal and embark on a journey North.
Tale as Old as Time
As Lawrence satisfies his need for adventure by setting out on a perilous journey for Halo, she shares her incredible wisdom in exchange, which becomes the most heartfelt aspect of the series. Adapting Hasekura’s novels with a deft touch and honoring the legacy of the original, this 2024 anime not only brings a lively, slow-burn romance to the screen but also subtle, savory philosophies about life and understanding one another.
5 Kimi ni Todoke (Season 3)
The third season of Kimi ni Todoke was a highly anticipated one for fans because it was set to delve further into Sawako and Kazehaya’s burgeoning romance. And that’s exactly what it did. With summer having arrived, the two characters not only attend school together and meet each other’s parents, but also spend valuable time together and confront their fears and insecurities about being in a relationship.
Wholesome and Realistic
For two seasons, Kimi ni Todoke developed the characters as multidimensional high school students trying to celebrate their formative years with a lovable group of friends. Sawako was introduced as a sweet girl with no friends because of the way she looked and Kazehaya was the popular boy who turned the tables for her. Season 3 sees them finally dating and pondering the sweetness and sadness of being in love.
4 Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russian
Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russian is a high-school romance centered on Alya, a half-Russian and half-Japanese exchange student at a prestigious academy who also becomes the treasurer of the student council. Everyone at school is obsessed with Alya, except Masachika Kuze, which is why they’re best friends. Alya, however, often expresses her feelings for Masachika in Russian, without knowing he’s fluent in the language.
Features Incredible Main-Couple Chemistry
Anime is ripe with high school romances, and they are always about a popular student falling in love with an unpopular one, which is why it’s extremely difficult to find something refreshing to watch. While Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings In Russian follows a similar trope, it brings a new perspective to the genre with its colorful roster of characters, who subvert stereotypes and are emotionally nuanced. There’s also a surprising plot twist that turns things around.
3 7th Time Loop: The Villainess Enjoys a Carefree Life Married to Her Worst Enemy!
The protagonist of this anime, Rishe Irmgard Weitzner, has lived the same year over and over for six times now, always meeting the same tragic end during the war after her fiancé publicly disowns her. But for her seventh reincarnation, Rishe decides to be timid and uneventful. And that’s when Arnold Hein, the crown prince of the Galkhein Kingdom, proposes to her. Not only does it ignite a romance for them, but also helps Rishe find a way to avoid the war.
Features a Strong and Independent Female Lead
7th Time Loop: The Villainess Enjoys a Carefree Life Married to Her Worst Enemy! may have a mouthful of a title, but it doesn’t give away even a tiny bit of what the anime is about. Leaning into the more mature aspect of the romance genre, it ventures into a deeper mystery around their fate. And even though the main couple only gets together to prevent war, they develop a genuine connection rooted in their individuality, desires, and futures.
2:50
Related
The 20 Longest-Running Anime Series of All Time
For decades, Japan has produced some of the longest-running and most popular anime series in the world. Here are the 20 with the most episodes.
2 The Dangers in My Heart (Season 2)
In the first season of The Dangers in My Heart, we’re introduced to Kyoutarou Ichikawa , a harmless-looking middle school student who secretly harbors murderous fantasies and wants to kill his classmate Anna Yamada. But before he can cause any pain to her, he begins to develop feelings for her. Season 2 sees them returning from winter break and the tension between them is palpable, which brings them to the ultimate question – should they stay friends or explore something more?
Takes Rom-Coms Into a Promising Direction
Even though the initial premise of The Dangers in My Heart was a bit unsettling, the series came into its own moving forward. The subtle animation, the patience and honesty of the characters, and Ichikawa’s shift from being utterly psychopathic to empathetic was admired greatly by viewers. Moreover, Season 2 also saw them grow emotionally and physically, which adds a touch of realism to the anime.
1 A Sign of Affection
Inspired by a popular 2019 shojo manga written and illustrated by Suu Morishita, A Sign of Affection is perhaps the most beautiful romance anime of 2024. It centers around university student Yuki Itose, who has led a monotonous and quiet life since birth due to her impaired hearing. When she meets Itsuomi Nagi, however, Yuki decides to step out of her comfort zone and be more adventurous. She also teaches Itsuomi sign language.
Swoon-worthy and Touching
A poignant coming-of-age story enhanced by its emotional nuance and modern sensibilities, A Sign of Affection is more about Yuki than it is about the relationship she develops with Itsoumi. She may have difficulty in hearing, but instead of showcasing that as a disability, the series turns it into a means for transformation for her. The animation is cute, and the soundtrack is heartwarming, which makes the series an absolutely rewarding one.