Romance manga is one of many fans' guilty pleasures. Many have the same cliche plot, but there are some which deconstruct tropes and make them feel fresh. For one, there are often plot devices with romance anime and manga in which the characters love each other but don't confess their feelings until the last chapter or episode.
Usually, we are left with vague conclusions that don't satisfy anyone. But, recently, there has been some manga which has the characters going steady through all volumes. We're going to list ten of the best romance manga where the characters date throughout. Beware of spoilers!
Updated by Brianna Albert on July 22, 2020: Romance is often a fluffy and lighthearted genre that includes two or more characters in love with the other. However, some characters cannot spit it out when the time comes, causing the series to drag on for volumes and even years, frustrating the fans.
While these vague feelings are often used as a plot device in romance, there are some where the characters begin dating, or even end the series with an even more satisfying romantic spectacle, such as marriage. Here is some romance manga where the characters don't just confess their love, but even date!
15 Ojojojo
Ojojojo was written and illustrated by Cool-kyou Shinja. Haru Jigokumeguri and Kawayanagi Tsurezure are both outcasts who become friends with one another after befriending a girl named Akane Tendou.
Although they do begin off as friends, slowly learning about one another, this becomes something more as they both begin to fall in love with one another.
14 Daily Butterfly
Daily Butterfly was written and illustrated by Sou Morishita. Suiren Shibazeki is renowned for being beautiful and unapproachable because of her outstanding beauty, which makes her silent.
However, one boy - Kouha Kawasumi - happens to be the only one who does not treat her like the other boys. Because of this, Suiren begins to fall in love with him, and they both begin to date halfway through the manga.
13 Dream-Colored Pâtissière
Dream-Colored Pâtissière was written and illustrated by Natsumi Matsumoto. This isn't just a cooking manga, for the main protagonist Ichigo Amano happens to fall in love with one of the main leads, Makoto Kashino.
The story revolves around Ichigo, a sweets lover, doing her best to learn how to become a pâtissière with the help of Sweets Spirits. After the main events of the story, however, the romance begins and they begin to date when they graduate.
12 Inu X Boku SS
Inu x Boku SS was written and illustrated by Cocoa Fujiwara. This one was a surprise to most since the anime does not go past them confessing their feelings for one another. However, Ririchiyo and Soushi begin to date after the "prologue" of the manga, which is what the anime adapts.
They are both Atavist, which means they have youkai ancestors. While Ririchiyo is the descendant of a strong demon, Soushi is a descendant of a nine-tailed fox.
11 Wotakoi: Love Is Hard For Otaku
Wotakoi: Love Is Hard for Otaku was written and illustrated by Fujita. This manga dives right into the main couple, Narumi Momose and Hirotaka Nifuji, dating in the first chapter. After Hirotaka asks Narumi out because they have been childhood friends and reunited after a few years, they decide to date.
Albeit because they are both otaku, their relationship is a bit awkward while at the same time sweet. It also features a relationship between another couple, Hanako Koyanagi and Tarou Kabakura.
10 Absolute Boyfriend
Absolute Boyfriend, or known in Japan as Zettai Kareshi, was written and illustrated by Yuu Watase. This manga series was so popular it received a Japanese, Taiwanese, and South Korean drama adaption. When high school girl Riiko Izawa ends up ordering a cybernetic man with the setting to be her lover who she names Night Tenjou, he becomes her boyfriend.
This technically counts whether he is human or robot, as, throughout the manga, they are considered to be boyfriend and girlfriend. Despite the wacky plot, it can pull on heartstrings.
9 Boarding School Juliet
Boarding School Juliet was a shounen manga written and illustrated by Yousuke Kaneda. It recently ended last year on September 4, 2019. This is the classic story of Romeo and Juliet, but with a high school twist. When Romio Inuzuka, the leader of the Black Dogs, falls in love with Juliet Persia, the leader of the White Cats, he confesses his love for her.
While, at first, his love is unrequited, she realizes she is in love with him, as well, and they begin to date. Here's the catch: they must keep their relationship under wraps from their dorm mates.
8 Good Morning Kiss
Good Morning Kiss is the sequel to the classic shoujo manga Good Morning Call. It was written and illustrated by Yue Takasuka, and the sequel has been going strong since 2007. It centers on the two protagonists.
After Nao finally convinces her parents that she can live on her own, she ends up getting entangled in a scam where she must live with the most popular boy in school, Hisashi Uehara. While they end the first series as a couple, the sequel shows them dating with the prospect of marriage.
7 Kaguya-Sama: Love Is War
Kaguya-sama: Love Is War is a seinen manga series written and illustrated by Aka Akasaka. It follows the psychological battle between vice-president Kaguya Shinomiya and president Miyuki Shirogane and the antics they think up to make the other confess.
While they both blatantly like the other, their pride is too great to make the first move. As of manga chapter 160, however, Kaguya and Miyuki begin dating. Although they both still attempt to make the other confess their feelings and the psychological games do not cease, they become a couple.
6 Snow White With The Red Hair
Snow White with the Red Hair was written by Sorata Akizuki. It received two anime adaptions by Bones between Summer 2015 and Winter 2016. It follows the story of a young girl named Shirayuki, which translates to Snow White in Japanese, who is a herbalist within the kingdom of Tanbarun.
After escaping the prospect of becoming a concubine to Prince Raj, she feels to Clarines and meets Prince Zen. They soon fall in love with each other and become a couple despite the opposition of others and their social status'.
5 The World Is Still Beautiful
The World is Still Beautiful was written and illustrated by Dai Shiina. While it was first published as two one-shots, its popularity prompted it to become a fully serialized manga. It follows Nike Lemercier, the fourth princess of the Rain Dukedom, who can call forth rain.
When she is sent off to marry the Sun King, she's shocked to find he's nothing but a young boy. Despite their many differences and troubles they go through, they learn from each other and become an official couple that supports and loves another.
4 Kaichou Wa Maid-Sama!
Kaichou wa Maid-Sama, or more known as Maid-same in English, was a shoujo manga written and illustrated by Hiro Fujiwara. It follows the first female class president of what used to be an all-boys school Misaki Ayuzawa and the most popular boy in school who happened to discover she works at a maid cafe, Takumi Usui.
Despite Misaki clearing dodging his advances, the more they spend time together, the closer they become. They are a couple for the second half of the manga, where more drama appears instead of comedy.
3 His And Her Circumstances
His and Her Circumstances, or known as KareKano for short in Japan, was a shoujo manga written and illustrated by Masami Tsuda. It follows a young girl who has the facade of being perfect at everything down to studies and appearance, Yukino Miyazawa, and the boy who liked her, Soichiro Arima.
Even after discovering her real personality, he still loves her, and they begin to date. It also follows the friends surrounding them and their lives, so there are plenty of couplings to go around and enjoy in each way.
2 Horomiya
Horimiya, at first known as web manga Hori-san and Miyamura-Kun, is a shounen manga series written by HERO and illustrated by Daisuke Hagiwara. While Kyoko Hori is at first depicted as a popular high school girl, Izumi Miyamura is shown as a gloomy and nerdy boy.
After the two discover they are the complete opposite outside of school, they begin to confide in each other and become friends. As they keep each other's real personalities a secret, they begin to fall in love with the other and become a couple.
1 My Love Story!!
Finally, we have My Love Story!!, written by Kazune Kawahara and illustrated by Aruko. Takeo Gouda is a very tall boy for his age as a freshman high school student. After saving a small girl from being groped on the train, Rinko Yamato, she confesses to him, and they begin dating.
The series is unique because of Takeo being the main character instead of a handsome male lead. It is also quite the pure love story, as Takeo and Rinko are shown to love each other dearly.