While Western anime fans may recognize far more iconic shonen shows, shojo series are still immensely popular all over the world. Shojo anime tend to target younger female audiences but can have amazing stories for anyone of any age or gender to enjoy.
Even though some of the best shojo anime are stereotypical romantic stories, many break the mold by exploring deeper emotional stories and unique themes. Similar to shonen, this demographic is a lot more diverse than might initially appear to be the case, and the best series cover a spectrum of genres, tones, character archetypes, and even settings. Rare as they can be in this day and age, shojo anime will (hopefully) always have a place in the industry.
Updated September 28, 2024 by Mark Sammut: The Fall 2024 anime season has arrived, and the lineup contains more shojo anime than usual.
An anime must be based on a manga published by a shojo magazine to be considered.
Fall 2024 Shojo Anime
Acro Trip How I Attended an All-Guy’s Mixer The Noble Farmer (2023) Natsume’s Book of Friends Genres Comedy, Magical Girl Romance, Comedy Slice of Life, Comedy Slice of Life, Supernatural Studio Voil Ashi Productions Pie in the sky Brain’s Base, Shuka Based On Manga Manga Manga Manga Creator Yone Sawata Nana Aokawa Hiromu Arakawa Yuki Midorikawa
Putting aside the returning Kimi ni Todoke: From Me to You, Summer 2024 was a pretty poor season for shojo anime, and the same could be said for its predecessor. Fortunately, on paper, Fall 2024 appears to be an improvement, which is not saying that much. Still, the lineup has a couple of options, including two sequels.
Let’s highlight the standout Fall 2024 shojo anime.
- Acro Trip – Chizuko admires the heck out of Berry Blossom, her city’s magical girl. Unfortunately, due to mostly fighting the incompetent Chroma, Blossom is largely ignored by most people. Desperate to shine a spotlight on her hero’s brilliance, Chizuko decides to become a villainess capable of pushing the magical girl to her limit. Yes, this anime’s premise is similar to another 2024 magical girl series. No, Acro Trip should be nothing like that show.
- How I Attended an All-Guy’s Mixer – This should be cute. How I Attended an All-Guy’s Mixer follows three young couples, all of whom meet during a mixer. Also, the girls tend to dress like guys. This anime should be relaxing and lighthearted.
- Hyakusho Kizoku 2nd Season – While not Fall 2024’s most highly anticipated sequel, Hyakushou Kizoku should be pretty decent, at least going by the quality of the first season. Based on Hiromu Arakawa’s experiences of working on a farm, this anime blends education and comedy.
- Natsume’s Book of Friends Season 7 – The big shojo anime sequel, Natsume’s Book of Friends is finally back. Already one of the greatest anime of all time, this show is a slice of life supernatural masterpiece. There is nothing to suggest the upcoming season will be anything different.
Although technically not shojo, the following anime are still worth checking out as they might strike a chord with the demographic:
- The Do-Over Damsel Conquers The Dragon Emperor
- I’ll Become a Villainess Who Goes Down in History
- Nina the Starry Bride
- Yakuza Fiancé: Raise wa Tanin ga Ii
19 Sugar Apple Fairy Tale
MyAnimeList: 7.44 (Season 1)
Except for a select few, seasonal shojo anime are almost always overshadowed by shonen or seinen properties, a fate that befell Sugar Apple Fairy Tale twice in a year. Part 1 aired in the same period as Vinland Saga Season 2, Tomo-chan is a Girl, and The Angel Next Door Spoils Me Rotten; meanwhile, Part 2 existed alongside Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2, Bleach, Bungo Stray Dogs 5, Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation, and Zom 100. Compared to those shows, Sugar Apple Fairy Tale is fairly unknown, which is a shame as the series is good enough to share the spotlight with at least a few of those names.
The anime takes place in a fantasy world where humans live alongside fairies, although they are not exactly on good terms. Fairies are generally treated like property by most humans, a dynamic that Ann – a young girl who hopes to follow in her mother’s footsteps and become a Silver Sugar Master – has no intention of replicating when she buys Challe, a warrior fairy. Season 2 continued to strengthen the pair’s friendship, all the while revealing new layers to this universe’s thought-provoking social structure. Ann is a great lead, and she is supported by almost exclusively memorable characters.
18 My Happy Marriage
MyAnimeList: 7.74
Akumi Agitogi’s My Happy Marriage has found success in a variety of forms since debuting as a light novel, and the anime adaptation is shaping up to be another triumph. Beautifully animated by Kinema Citrus, the Netflix-exclusive series is almost great enough to warrant a one-month subscription on its own, although people on the fence should probably wait until the full season is on the streaming service. Set during the Meiji Restoration era, the story revolves around an arranged marriage between Miyo Saimori and Kiyoka Kudou, two people who both have their baggage. Since the death of her mother, Miyo has lived in fear and isolation, a state-enforced by her uninterested father, domineering stepmother, and cruel half-sister. Forced to internalize the belief that she is worthless, the young woman’s mental scars are obvious.
Miyo is presented by her parents as a potential bride for Kiyoka, a military figure who has a reputation for scaring away his finances. Rejection would spell the end of the line for the protagonist, and while everyone expects that outcome, reality opts to take a different road. Miyo and Kiyoka slowly but surely hit it off, with the latter falling for the former. Heartwarming and tender, their relationship has blossomed into a beautiful love story that feels timeless. My Happy Marriage also has a supernatural element that further ties the leads together.
17 Maid Sama!
MyAnimeList: 8
Although fairly dated in places, this minor classic is still a big name in the shojo scene, and its strengths are timeless enough to mask some of its weaknesses. As her school’s student council president, Misaki runs a strict regime, particularly with guys. While most boys try to stay as far away from her as possible, Takumi Usui does the exact opposite, and he starts to visit the maid café that employs Misaki as frequently as possible.
Maid Sama! knocks its humor out of the park, and both Misaki and Takumi are big personalities who complement each other beautifully. Most of the time, the student council president comes across as a force of nature who is constantly pushing past her limits to help her family; on the other hand, Takumi is effortlessly cool.
16 The Yuzuki Family’s Four Sons
MyAnimeList: 7.89
Similar to shonen with male protagonists, the vast majority of shojo anime feature female leads; however, exceptions exist. As its title suggests, The Yuzuki Family’s Four Sons revolves around four siblings who end up having to take care of each other after their parents pass away. As the oldest, Hayato has to shoulder most of the responsibility of caring for his brothers, a role that is a lot to take for somebody who has only recently entered the professional grind and is also grieving the death of his parents.
The Yuzuki Family’s Four Sons is a realistic slice of life about family, communication, and love. Most episodes simply chronicle the boys’ everyday lives, highlighting how their unique situation has changed their perception of “normal.” While containing a few heavy moments, the anime is fairly light and uplifting, so it is hardly a constant downer.
While the leads are male, The Yuzuki Family’s Four Sons has fantastic female supporting characters. In fact, the best (short) storyline focuses on Uta, a girl who becomes self-conscious when a boy points out that she doesn’t meet traditional gender norms. The anime handles this subject well.
15 Yona Of The Dawn
MyAnimeList: 8.03
Mizuho Kusanagi’s Yona of the Dawn has been running since 2009, and it is firmly established as one of the best shojo manga on the market. Pierrot’s anime adaptation does not warrant the same level of praise, but that has largely to do with the fact the series only covers a small portion of the source material. When analyzed solely on the quality of the adapted content, Yona of the Dawn is pretty great.
Related
Best Shojo Royalty Manhwa
These tales of royalty, princesses, and reincarnation stand out as the best in their genre.
Set in a small nation caught between more powerful countries, Yona is the sheltered princess of the realm’s king. A shocking coup leaves the girl on the run, with her only companion being Hak, her bodyguard. At this point, the princess sets out to find four mythical warriors who will help her reclaim the throne and unite the kingdom. Yona is forced to mature quickly as she begins her transformation from pampered royalty to a capable warrior.
14 Sacrificial Princess and the King of Beasts
MyAnimeList: 7.96
Sacrificial Princess and the King of Beasts can leave a somewhat negative first impression, at least for those who have consumed a lot of underwhelming beast/human romances. In a world where humans and beasts share a fragile peace, the former are forced to sacrifice one of their own to the latter’s ruler every few years. As a young child, Sariphi learns she is destined to be a sacrifice, a revolution that warps her mind as she surrenders to the fact that she was born to die. However, when the day finally comes for her to meet the king of beasts, Leonhart, Sariphi learns that not everything is as it seems. Love gradually blooms and Sari finds herself acting as a queen of beasts, a role not everyone wants her to fulfill.
Telling a satisfying and complete story, Sacrificial Princess and the King of Beasts is surprisingly nuanced, not only in its exploration of both Sari and Leonhart’s psyches but also in its political themes. As a romance, the anime can be slightly off-putting due to the leads’ age gap, but they are good characters individually. Sari is particularly fantastic.
13 Skip Beat!
MyAnimeList: 8.07
After doing everything to support her boyfriend’s goal to become famous, Kyouko Mogami is crushed when Shou reveals that he has been simply using her. Rather than wallowing in self-pity, the protagonist embarks on a quest for revenge that involves taking the entertainment business by storm, an endeavor that introduces Kyouko to the handsome but stock Ren.
Skip Beat! has one of the best protagonists in shoujo anime. Energetic, likable, and hilarious, Kyouko is a force of nature who dominates every scene. She is also accompanied by two great male leads courtesy of Shou and Ren.
12 A Sign Of Affection
MyAnimeList: 8.23
In most seasons, A Sign of Affection would be hands down the best romance anime; unfortunately, it aired alongside the second season of The Dangers in My Heart, an all-time great addition to the genre. However, that should not take anything away from Ajia-do’s anime, which was also fantastic.
A hearing-impaired college student, Yuki has led a sheltered life so far. One day, she has a meet-cute with Itsuomi, a guy who loves nothing more than to visit other countries and learn languages. As they feel an almost instant spark, they both take steps to get to know each other better. This chance encounter starts a wholesome romance about two people desperate to expand their worlds to make room for each other.
A Sign of Affection features a refreshingly older cast than most romance anime, and they generally act their age. While not completely devoid of tension, the story is generally cute and uplifting, largely thanks to Itsuomi and Yuki’s irresistible chemistry.
11 Sailor Moon
MyAnimeList: 7.73 (Season 1)
“Fighting evil by moonlight, winning love by daylight, never running from a real fight, she is the one named Sailor Moon!”
With one of the catchiest theme songs of all time, no fan of anime that grew up in the 90s hasn’t seen or at least heard of Sailor Moon. The adventures of the Sailor Scouts are iconic, so whether fans watched the original or the recent retelling of the story in Sailor Moon Crystal, they will surely remember this legendary adventure. Although there are superior Magical Girl anime out there, Sailor Moon is undoubtedly the most popular and (arguably) influential, and while some aspects of the original series have not aged well, the show is still overall charming.
10 Cardcaptor Sakura
MyAnimeList: 8.17 (1998 Series)
The original Cardcaptor Sakura came out all the way back in 1998 and has proven its staying power with its sequel, 2018’s Clear Card. Sakura’s adventures to recapture the mystical Clow Cards are light-hearted and fun while featuring a rivals-to-lovers romance that isn’t the usual cheesy affair found in other shojo anime.
The show generally bucks magical girl tropes (there aren’t even transformation sequences) and offers something unique to fans of the genre. And, the series has stood the test of time well, provided viewers are not put off by romances between young characters. Still, the comedy, drama, and even action are all top-notch.
9 Kamisama Kiss
MyAnimeList: 8.11 (Season 1)
Who hasn’t suddenly found themselves suddenly homeless, saved a man from a dog, and then suddenly become a God? Kamisama Kiss is a romantic comedy with a dash of the supernatural that takes this wild premise and turns it into a fun and playful romp.
Nanami’s adventures with the fox spirit Tomoe are almost reminiscent of Inu Yasha but far more refined than that iconic show. The series has also inspired multiple OVAs showing just how much fans wanted more of this amazing story.
8 Ouran High School Host Club
MyAnimeList: 8.16
Ouran High School Host Club takes the main cast with incredibly stereotypical character archetypes and slowly grows them throughout the show. It also tackles many themes about gender and presentation as Haruhi is forced to become the errand “boy” of the host club after breaking a vase worth eight million yen.
The show came out in 2006 and its popularity is still going strong, which serves as a testament to its characterization and humor. The latter is especially great, cementing Ouran as one of the funniest anime comedies of all time.
7 Kimi ni Todoke: From Me to You
MyAnimeList: 8.01 (Season 1)
Kimi ni Todoke: From Me to You has been firmly established as one of the better romance anime for more than a decade, but it was missing a satisfying conclusion that can tie everything together. Fortunately, 2024 produced a 5-part ONA season that continues Sawako and Shouta’s journey, firmly cementing the anime as an all-time great.
The third season is only on Netflix.
Kimi ni Todoke tells a fairly traditional love story that builds upon ideas like opposites attract and do not judge a book by its cover. Cliché as both of those concepts sound, Karuho Shiina’s manga and the adaptation freshens them up through consistently solid writing and lovable characters. Sawako and Shouta tend to hog the limelight, but Kimi ni Todoke has a strong supporting cast who more than manage to hold their own.
6 Revolutionary Girl Utena
MyAnimeList: 8.21
Winner of the Best TV Animation Award in 1997, Revolutionary Girl Utena was one of the first mainstream anime with lesbian romance to hit Western audiences and it did so with a serious splash. The series’ reliance on surrealism and symbolism to tell its coming-of-age story has resonated with viewers to this day.
Utena’s adventures at the Ootori Academy throw her into sword-fighting duels, gaining a surprise fiancee in Anthy, and a mysterious hidden mission to “revolutionize the world.” It is incredibly satisfying to observe the mystery slowly unfold. The Adolescence of Utena movie is also worth watching as an alternative retelling of the series.
While an anime original,
Revolutionary Girl Utena
‘s manga adaptation was released on
Ciao
, a shojo magazine.
5 The Rose Of Versailles
MyAnimeList: 8.34
This anime is over forty years old yet is still one of the best historical shojo anime of all time. The Rose of Versailles alternate history of the events leading up to the French Revolution is just as good today as it was back in 1979. The romance between Oscar François de Jarjeyes and her childhood friend Andre is powerful, with the two not only being from different social classes but the former having been raised “as a male” to be the leader of the royale guard.
The Rose of Versailles tackles many themes of sexual and gender identity, finding one’s place in the world, and brings everything to the table that fans of historical dramas have come to love. While its age might put off some people, the anime’s visuals were top-notch for the era, and the backdrops are still quite striking. The manga is also very influential.
4 Nana
MyAnimeList: 8.56
“Say, Nana… Do you remember the first time we met?”
The story of how the lives of the naive Nana Komatsu and punk-rock vocalist Nana Osaki intertwine is one of the most iconic in all of shojo anime. Viewers are likely to identify with the characters as they watch them deal with romance, heartbreaks, and all the challenges that life throws at them.
The only unfortunate part about Nana is its ending, as the manga was put on indefinite hiatus in 2009 when author Ai Yazawa fell gravely ill and had a difficult recovery. In 2022, the mangaka provided an update on the possibility of continuing the story.
Nevertheless, the anime is worth watching, with the show providing 50 episodes of high-quality material. Both main characters are extremely well-defined, and their personalities are gradually expanded through their charming and realistic friendship.
3 Banana Fish
MyAnimeList: 8.47
Released as part of Akimi Yoshida’s 40th-anniversary commemoration project, Banana Fish is not what most shojo fans might expect from the anime genre. How many shojo anime cover a boy raised by a mafia boss and unravel a mystery involving the Iraq War? Just one — Banana Fish.
The show also covers darker themes than most shojo anime like drugs, PTSD, sexual assault, and more. Make sure to check out some content warnings before giving Banana Fish a watch since it can be triggering. Importantly, the show handles these themes well and without pulling any punches, all the while telling a captivating tale brimming with tension and heartbreak.
2 Natsume’s Book Of Friends
MyAnimeList: 8.31 (Season 1)
When Takashi’s grandmother passes down a Yuujinchou, known as a Book of Friends, his entire life turns upside down. Natsume’s Book of Friends follows his adventures as he tries to avoid being hunted down by the yokai who have had their spirits brought under his grandmother’s control in the past.
At least he doesn’t have to do it alone as he has a cat spirit and self-proclaimed bodyguard Madara by his side. This supernatural slice-of-life anime is one of the shojo greats for good reason, and it should be checked out by any anime fan. Similar to something like Mushishi, Natsume moves at a fairly slow pace and ventures into iyashikei territory. While the premise suggests action, the anime rarely features any high-octane sequences, instead preferring to focus on quieter but still important moments. Natsume gradually grows in confidence as the story progresses, and it is heartwarming to watch unfold.
1 Fruits Basket (2019)
MyAnimeList: 8.21 (Season 1)
While the original Fruits Basket series began airing back in 2001, a proper adaptation of the manga commenced in 2019, before coming to an end in the Spring of 2021; however, an epilogue eventually came out too. Fruits Basket is arguably the most beloved shojo anime of all time, one that represents the demographic’s range, maturity, and complexity.
The story follows Tooru and her life while living at the Souma house. She discovers that each person who lives there when hugged by someone of the opposite gender turns into one of the animals from the Chinese zodiac and that there is a dark curse that causes this to happen. The show is filled with romance and drama that are built on intra- and interpersonal struggles. Tooru’s journey throughout the three seasons is powerful and defined by self-discovery, and the same can be said for the Souma family’s core members. Boasting stellar animation, impeccable writing, and endless heart, Fruits Basket is a masterpiece of any demographic.
