Top 10 High School Romance Anime

School life is never simple, especially when all those hormones start acting up and you find yourself falling hopelessly in love. For Tenma and Harima, everyday is a comedic catastrophe as they try to confess their feelings towards their high school crushes. For Tenma, it’s the decent but ultimately uninterested nice guy. For Harima…it’s Tenma. Yes, the school’s resident rebel is head over heels for our main girl, but try as he might, fate just keeps getting in the way of his confessions. Bonus points for persistence though!

You wouldn’t have thought something like height difference could be the driving force for a whole romantic narrative, and yet Koizumi and Ootani somehow manage to make it work. Insecure with their appearances, these two adorable dolts certainly don’t get off on the right foot, in fact the pair of them could not be more different. And yet, through a series of hilarious trials and errors, the duo discover that they complete each other. Guess when it comes to finding that perfect partner, size doesn’t even factor into it.

You think dealing with everyday life is hard when you’re a teen? Imagine being the child of an infamous yakuza boss as well! Raku and Chitoge, the offspring of two rival gang leaders, take immediate distaste to each other upon their first meeting, which makes things kind of awkward when its revealed that in order to harbour peace between both yakuza factions, their parents insist they pretend to be boyfriend and girlfriend. This leads to a whole host of problems down the line, as the two not only have to keep their secret, but also deal with the likes of love triangles, a brewing romance and even hitmen!

All Yuta wanted was to have an ordinary high school experience. Unfortunately for him, that all goes out the window when Rikka enters his life; a girl who happens to be the furthest things from ordinary. Suffering from “eighth grader syndrome” Rikka lives in her own fantasy world, one Yuta keeps getting sucked back into. As Yuta finds himself drawn closer and closer to the quirky but cute Rikka, the (ahem) Wielder of the Tyrant’s Eye starts to discover that real-world feelings are perhaps even more magical than her own imagination.

If music be the food of love, play on. Due to a past riddled with tragedy and abuse, Kosei has lost his passion for the piano. That is until a fateful encounter with the beautiful violinist Kaori, whose boundless energy not only leaves him smitten, but revives his musical flare. Fair warning now, yes you should absolutely watch this tale of friendship, music and young love, but also be aware that said tale is so full of heartache that you’ll need to constantly dry your eyes. Still, we wouldn’t miss this duet for the world.

We’ve seen odd couples in anime before, but none quite as peculiar as these two. Takeo may have a gentle soul but he’s also a giant, whose bulky appearance has constantly scared away every girl he’s ever liked. That is until he encounters the adorable Rinko, a girl able to look past the muscle. Thus begins a relationship that will have you crying with laughter one moment, before knocking you right in the feels soon after. The innocent yet oddly realistic portrayal of Takeo and Rinko’s romance is just another example of how books can’t be judged by their covers. Even If said book looks like it could crush a mountain with a headbutt.

Life as a high schooler can indeed be a difficult time of self-reflection, but it can also be one of immense beauty. Nowhere better is this demonstrated than with these two polar opposites. While Rihito spends his time getting perfect grades, Hikaru is busy perfecting his guitar skills. It isn’t long before a chance encounter leads to the two boys developing a curious interest in each other, which soon evolves into tender affection. As both a coming of age story and a beautiful romance, this one will really make your heart flutter.

These two are so perfect for each other that their chemistry almost makes us angry. In spite of being a very positive person, Sawako’s naiveté and ghostly appearance has earned her the nickname of Sadako; the creepy female villain of The Ring film franchise. As a result, her high school experience has been one of immense isolation. At least it was until she strikes up a friendship with Mr Popular himself, Kazehaya. Drawn to her inspiring personality, the two find themselves growing closer and closer. Seriously, their love is so pure that you’ll end up blinded by it.

We hope you didn’t put those tissues away, because this anime will have you weeping before you know it. Happy to waste his days away, delinquent Tomoya discovers a new reason to continue his school life after encountering the endearing yet awkward Nagisa. Her motivation to revive the drama club and overly friendly nature gradually starts to soften Tomoya, allowing the seeds of romance to be planted. While their connection may be genuine, it certainly doesn’t skip out on the darkness, as the series goes to great lengths to expose the pain and turmoil each are facing in their own lives.

Before we reveal our number one pick, here are a few honourable mentions.

“Amagami SS” (2010)

“Tsuki ga Kirei” (2017)

“Orange” (2016)

It’s a tale as old as time. Nice guy with a mean-looking mug meets adorable ball of fury. They clash, they bicker, they pretty much hate each other, until they decide to work together in order to set the other up with their respective besties. Who would have guessed that the tiger and the dragon’s resentment for each other would blossom into one of the most beautiful anime couplings of all time? Prepare to experience the full emotional spectrum much like our characters as they discover that all they need out of life is each other.