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Earleen Statham
Netflix has had a staggering incline of anime in recent years. As the streaming service acquires popular shows and films, more fans turn to the service for classics, from Cowboy Bebop to One-Punch Man. However, Netflix has also done a great job stocking its romance anime section.
Netflix features plenty of quirky and unique romance anime. Some of these anime are Netflix Originals, but a good deal of other shows can be found as well. The Netflix catalog of romance anime ranges from hilarious comedies to devastating tragedies. Whether fans are looking to cry, laugh, or fall in love, they won't be disappointed by the animated romances Netflix has to offer.
Updated on October 31, 2023, by Alexandra Locke: CBR is dedicated to keeping its articles up-to-date. As some romance anime leaves Netflix and new titles join the platform, we'll be adding new titles and updating our recommendations accordingly.
Hi Score Girl follows Haruo Yaguchi and Akira Ono's budding relationship. The two arcade gamers give each other a run for their money in public and they each find themselves drawn to their biggest rival. Their romance doesn't start right away but there's a lot to enjoy in the way they learn to relate to each other through their love of gaming.
Critics and fans have praised Hi Score Girl for its unique animation style as well as its understanding of the gaming industry. Fans who enjoy gaming and romantic comedies will especially love this charming romance anime.
No Doubt In Us has no shortage of drama, as suspicion grows among the people of the palace. This puts Xiao Jinyun and Xu Yu on a deadline and raises the stakes for them to return to normal. This heart-pounding show is an excellent choice for fans of drama and high-stakes romance.
Romantic Killer centers on Anzu Hoshino, a nerdy teen. Anzu's three loves in life (chocolate, video games, and her cat, Momohiki) are taken away by a magical being named Riri whose goal is to make her fall in love. This unconventional take on a Reverse-Harem anime is not only hilarious but also features some surprisingly deep and dark moments.
Aggretsuko is a slice-of-life romantic comedy about a red panda named Retsuko who works as an accountant. Retsuko's workplace burnout is incredibly relatable to many young professionals. Plus, her belief that her only path to happiness is marriage is a theory that many people still have a hard time shaking.
Netflix has a massive roster of movies and TV shows, with many titles rotating in and out on the platform. Fortunately, Netflix's anime section, while limited compared to what Crunchyroll can offer, is less prone to rotation and has a stable selection of titles for anime fans to dive into. The streaming platform even has a few anime titles not found anywhere else, including shows of many different genres.
Fans of romantic comedy anime, for example, have a few great picks to choose from in Netflix's catalog. True, Netflix's anime section is best for action and science fiction fans, but anyone who needs a break from violence and giant robots can relax and cuddle up with some of the best romantic comedy anime in the industry.
Kimi ni Todoke is a beloved but sometimes underrated shojo manga/anime franchise that stars a charming dandere heroine, Sawako Kuronuma. Unfortunately for her, Sawako's long dark hair and quiet personality remind her classmates of horror movie villains, so she has few friends and low self-esteem. All that changes in high school when Sawako befriends an outgoing boy named Shota on the school's grounds under a tree, which encourages Sawako to improve her weak communication skills and expand her social circle for the first time. She is also a genuinely caring and hardworking person, and now, she has a chance to prove it to everyone.
Ouran High School Host Club stands as one of the defining reverse-harem anime series out there, and like many rom-com shojo anime, it stars an ordinary, humble girl many viewers can relate to. Ouran High School Host Club centers around Haruhi Fujioka, a "commoner" girl who accidentally breaks a near-priceless vase at her school's all-male host club. To repay them, Haruhi joins as a host herself. However, Ouran High School Host Club isn't simply an excuse for high school rom-com hijinks or reverse-harem fun. The series also helps break down barriers of both genre and gender, creating a gentle parody series where people are encouraged to be true to themselves, no matter what form that may take.
Komi Can't Communicate, like Ouran High School Host Club, is a well-meaning parody and meta-commentary series in the romantic comedy genre. The Komi anime throws in a bit of everything from high school anime and rom-coms, from archetypes like the gap moe Makoto Katai to the sinister yandere Ren Yamai to the ultra-plain, self-insert Hitohito Tadano, among others. Protagonist Shoko Komi is a silent dandere -- a beautiful but lonely high school student who wants more than anything to make 100 friends. When Shoko's classmate Hitohito finally understands her and reaches out as a friend, a grateful Shoko is inspired to transform her social life and make those 100 friends at long last. Along the way, Shoko's gratitude toward Hitohito may blossom into true love, even if she can't clearly communicate it.
Toradora! remains one of the most popular and well-regarded romantic comedy anime series ever made, first airing in the late 2000s and maintaining its popularity to this very day. Notably, the Toradora! anime mixes in some weighty drama to balance out its wacky rom-com high school hijinks, which adds some serious emotional stakes to an otherwise pure comedy storyline. The story begins with the kind Ryuji Takasu crossing paths with the tiny but tough tsundere Taiga Aisaka, with Ryuji and Taiga having a crush on each other's best friends. A love square soon takes form, with Ryuji slowly getting to know Taiga better, including her serious insecurities, and gradually realizing that he and Taiga might really be in love not with each other's besties but with one another.
Romantic Killer begins with a somewhat reclusive red-headed heroine named Anzu Hoshino, who likes to relax at home with her cat, snacks and plenty of romantic video games as a substitute for real-life romance. Then, a cupid-like wizard named Riri takes all of Anzu's favorite things hostage and requests that she experience real-life romance with handsome, cool boys and appreciate what other human beings have to offer. At first, Anzu tries to cheat the system and avoid real commitment, yet she can't help befriending these boys and her unexpected feelings for them.
Fans of the Romance genre will love Netflix's new anime Romantic Killer. The show is a romantic comedy that masterfully subverts the tropes of the genre in a hilarious and clever way. But it also serves as a stellar romance anime in its own right.
While many people think anime is only made up of Shonen action shows like Dragon Ball and Naruto, there are plenty of great Shoujo romance series as well. However, because there are so many of them, just like with Shonen action series, there are some well-known tropes that plague the genre. Be it the types of love interests that the heroine must choose from or the various romantic situations that characters find themselves in, many of the more standard romance anime can feel very similar. Which is part of why Romantic Killer is so refreshing.
Romantic Killer is a show made by the studio DOMERICA based around the Shonen Jump+ manga of the same name by Wataru Momose. It follows Anzu, a girl completely uninterested in romance as she is forced into classic romantic situations by a wizard who wants her to find love. Anzu constantly rejects these attempts at sparking romance causing her potential love interests to only become more enamored with her. The very premise of the show lets it constantly subvert classic romance tropes while also using them to drive the romantic elements of the plot forward, which is incredibly satisfying to see for viewers who are familiar with these Romance tropes. This also enables the show to be a great romance in its own right, building surprisingly organic relationships that fans can't help but root for. The show also tackles serious real-world issues like stalking that many romance shows either ignore or present in an acceptable light. This makes its subversion not just funny but meaningful as well.
Of course despite its clever subversion of the genre, Romantic Killer would still fall flat if its characters weren't interesting or fun to watch. Luckily, most of the main cast are a joy to see on screen. This especially applies to Anzu, whose blunt nature is refreshing to see in a Shoujo protagonist and enables her to help and support her friends through the many issues that arise over the course of the season. Her love interests are great as well, with Tsukasa initially seeming cold and aloof but gradually opening up as he grows closer to Anzu and childhood friend Junta always being there to support her. They both move in with Anzu over the course of the season, and their dynamic is hilarious and wholesome. Even more intentionally annoying characters like Riri the wizard and rich tsundere Hijiri are given their moments to shine.
The manga the show is based on has stopped serialization, so it is unclear if there will be more seasons of the show. But given a "To be continued?" message at the end of the anime's final episode, there may still be hope if the show is popular enough. Even if there aren't any more seasons, Romantic Killer's hilarious deconstruction of the Romance genre and great characters make it a must-watch show for any fans of the genre.
For as long as there have been anime viewers, romance stories have been among the most cherished. Romance anime is unlike any other genre because of its captivating plots, interesting characters, and touching moments. However, linguistic obstacles might make watching anime difficult for those who aren't fluent in Japanese.
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