Romance anime has long been a favorite of the anime community, yet a common criticism is how almost all of them take place in the time before the relationship is established. It is a common trope in the genre for writers to flesh out the heart-fluttering pre-confession stage of a budding romance as much as possible.
While crushes and nervous confessions make for a fun watch, what comes afterward? There is a goldmine of entertainment value to be found in the awkward beginnings of a relationship and the flourishing of a strong bond between two characters. Luckily, plenty of anime have tapped into said goldmine and provided the community with the established relationship content it was yearning for.
10 Nerdy Adult Romance In Wotakoi: Love Is Hard For Otaku
While there are certainly plenty of anime that go for the high-school lover trope, Wotakoi: Love Is Hard For Otaku goes a completely different route. Our protagonists, game-loving Hidetaka and seasoned manga enthusiast Narumi, are childhood friends who meet again after many years at an office job.
Feeling their personalities clicking just like when they were little, the two waste no time establishing their romantic relationship. This doesn't go entirely smoothly, however, as the two are lacking in experience in the romantic field, and viewers get to enjoy their awkward but honest and well-meaning struggle through the bumps of an early relationship.
9 Love Is Deeper Than The Surface In Ore Monogatari!!
Praised for its skillful mix of comedy and romance, Ore Monogatari!! delivers a heartfelt story about the value of staying true to oneself. Takeo, the series protagonist, is a sweetheart through and through; a fact which is unfortunately constantly overlooked by his peers because of his intimidating appearance. In contrast, his best friend Makoto is a pretty boy who gathers constant praise and attention from everyone in his surroundings, and Takeo lives in his shadows.
However, everything changes when a pretty girl by the name of Rinko appears, who only has eyes for Takeo. The two quickly start dating, but Takeo is not used to finally being the center of attention and having someone see him for who he is. Hilarity ensues as the quiet Rinko and the clumsy but good-hearted Takeo try to navigate their new relationship.
8 Rebuilding Life & Relationships In Golden Time
The protagonist of Golden Time, Banri, is arranged to be married to the beautiful and glamorous Koko, who is deeply in love with him. However, the former has lost his memory after an accident and is now stuck trying to pull the remaining pieces of his life together.
Banri sees their new life at university as a chance to be reborn and rebuild his life, including his relationship with Koko. Starting from scratch, the two relearn to love each other in this heartfelt romantic drama which centers around building intimacy while attempting to get Banri's memories and personality back.
7 Romance Beyond First Impressions In Horimiya
Hori-san is revered by her classmates as a popular, extroverted, and cheerful girl, while Miyamura-kun is regarded as a quiet nerd who sits in the corner of the class. The true appeal of these protagonists is in their hidden sides; Hori-san is actually rambunctious, studious, hot-headed, and spends most of her time looking after her little brother instead of at social events, and Miyamura-kun is covered in piercings and tattoos and happens to be terrible at school.
The two discover each other's hidden sides accidentally, which quickly draws them closer to each other. The two enjoy the intimacy of their secret and learn to love each other's presence and fall in love quickly. Horimiya is a heartwarming series about their adventures as a new high-school couple.
6 Opposites Attract In My Little Monster
Haru is a wild boy who constantly gets himself in trouble and rarely comes to school; meanwhile, Shizuku is a quiet, stern, and studious girl. When the two cross paths, Haru finds Shizuku's stern attitude and flustered demeanor adorable and is smitten with her, confessing almost immediately. Shizuku, however, does not understand her feelings at all, and as she begins to process them they only grow stronger.
Having established that their feelings are mutual, the awkward and clumsy pair attempt to create a proper relationship, with Haru encouraging Shizuku to step outside her comfort zone, and Shizuku holding back Haru's often overwhelming enthusiasm.
5 A Couple Full Of Chemistry In Young Rascal Does Not Dream Of Bunny Girl Senpai
Bunny Girl Senpai is a fantasy drama with a large romance subplot. The protagonist, sarcastic but good-hearted Sakuta, falls in love with Mai, a seemingly stoic yet kind and easily flustered upperclassman after the two have a chance encounter with the supernatural. The two have remarkable chemistry from the very start, which was adored by fans throughout the series and was a large cause of the series' popularity.
Seeing as the confession happens very early in the show, the show takes the opportunity to illustrate all the ups and downs of the start of a relationship. They support each other through the show's heart-wrenching arcs and share many intimate moments loved by the audience.
4 New Feelings & New Challenges In Say "I Love You"
After saving her from a scary incident, Yamato meets Mei, a quiet girl who has difficulty expressing anything at all. Yamato, on the other hand, is extroverted and popular. He gains interest in Mei and decides to ask her out. However, Mei is not used to this new attention and struggles to deal with Yamato's feelings.
In addition, she now has to learn to stand up to her scornful classmates who don't understand why Mei would catch the ever-popular Yamato's eye. The series follows her as she learns to feel and express her emotions as well as stand up for herself as Yamato's girlfriend.
3 Comedic & Sweet Scenarios In Tsuredure Children
This romantic comedy focuses on several couples, each with its own distinct character trope. Tsuredure Children's writers follow different examples of young love around as they each figure out the struggles unique to their situations. Childhood friends-turned-lovers learn how to kiss for the first time, the delinquent girl studies with her new student-council-president boyfriend, and hilarity ensues.
Every couple is charming and has its own distinct dynamic, allowing the series to flesh out many different quirky and funny problems couples could encounter on their first dates. Comedic, heartwarming, and unique, Tsuredure Children has been long been a romcom loved by fans.
2 Wholesome Married Life In Tonikaku Kawaii
Tokikaku Kawaii takes the cake when it comes to avoiding dawdling around confessions, as our protagonists get married in the first episode. Their married life comes with its own challenges; while Nasa is head over heels for his wife Tsukasa, he knows next to nothing about her, or about being in a relationship in general. Tsukasa is less clumsy than he is, but also mysterious and distant.
Nasa struggles to get to know her and build a solid relationship throughout the show. The two learn to live with each other in a series of adorable scenarios following their legal marriage and fall further in love along the way.
1 Learning To Understand Yourself & Others In 3D Kanojo: Real Girl
Tsutsui is an otaku who hardly talks to anyone besides his best friend. One day, he realizes a beautiful girl named Iroha has set her sights on him, and he can't figure out why. Out of a mix of desperation and curiosity, he agrees to a relationship with her, despite having no idea how to interact with the opposite gender in the first place.
3D Kanojo focuses on Tsutsui's discovery of new experiences, like intimacy and connection, and the mysterious Iroha's determination to help him break out of his shell and become closer to her.