Romantic anime movies are irrefutably popular among movie lovers. These films explore diverse topics, from love, heartbreaks, and conflicts to vengeance. The 35 best romance anime movies discussed below have catchy stories that will linger on your mind for a long time.
Source: UGC
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Anime romance movies become more mysterious when producers combine them with musicals, action, psychological thrillers, science fiction, and other film genres. Nonetheless, not all romantic anime movies are suitable for all age groups. Some may contain themes, scenes, or content inappropriate for younger audiences.
The top 50 best romantic anime movies of all time
Anime movies about romance have age ratings. Therefore, ensure the film is suitable for general family viewing (rated G) before watching it around kids. Only teens and adults are allowed to watch rated PG films. Below are some popular romance anime movies to watch:
| Ranking | Movie/series |
| 1. | Clannad (2007) |
| 2. | Weathering with You (2020) |
| 3. | Castle in the Sky (1989) |
| 4. | The Cat Returns (2002) |
| 5. | Only Yesterday (2016) |
| 6. | Summer Wars (2010) |
| 7. | The Wind Rises (2014) |
| 8. | The Anthem of the Heart (2015) |
| 9. | From Up on Poppy Hill (2013) |
| 10. | The Girl Who Leapt Through Time (2007) |
| 11. | A Silent Voice (2017) |
| 12. | 5 Centimeters per Second (2007) |
| 13. | The Garden of Words (2013) |
| 14. | Your Name (2017) |
| 15. | Whisper of the Heart (1995) |
Well-known animated movies can trigger nostalgia, especially for those who grew up watching them. Storytelling is much easier and more flexible, thanks to the inventions of digital visual effects. Discover below the 50 best romantic anime movies you should watch:
50. Gods’ Games We Play (2024)
Source: UGC
- Rating: PG-16
- Director: Tatsuya Shiraishi
- Release date: 1st April 2024
- Runtime: 312 minutes
- Writer: Kei Sazane
- Studio: Liden Films
Gods’ Games We Play is a comedy-drama about a cosmic chess game between the gods and humanity. The show features an ancient deity, a genius gamer named Fay, and a former goddess called Leoleshea.
Leoleshea becomes interested in Fay after she wins three games in a row against the gods until she regains her former god title. Also, Gods’ Games We Play has a slow-burn romance between Lyra and Hades.
49. My Happy Marriage (2023)
Source: UGC
- Rating: PG-12
- Director: Ayuko Tsukahara
- Release date: 17th March 2023
- Runtime: 115 minutes
- Writer: Tomoe Kanno
- Studio: Kinema Citrus
If you want to watch a film with adolescents, My Happy Marriage is among the best romance anime movies on Netflix. The show immerses viewers in traditional Japanese marriage customs.
The film follows Miyo Saimori, an unhappy young woman from an abusive family who is married off to a fearsome and chilly army commander called Kiyoka Kudou. The two learn more about each other through their arranged marriage, and love may have a chance.
48. Lost Song (2018)
Source: UGC
- Rating: PG-12
- Director: Junpei Morita
- Release date: 7th April 2018
- Runtime: 300 minutes
- Writer: Junpei Morita
- Studio: Liden Films and Dwango
Lost Song is one of the best adventure romance anime movies on Netflix. Rin heads to the capital to sing; little does she know, there’s another talented singer, Finis.
The Lost Song anime features a romance between Rin and Finis and Henry and Finis. Henry protects Finis from assassins. Later, her song sets him on fire, but he stops her from putting it out. To overcome the grief, Finis sings “The Song of Mortality” in an attempt to destroy the planet.
47. In This Corner of the World (2016)
Source: UGC
- Rating: PG-13
- Director: Sunao Katabuchi
- Release date: 28th October 2016
- Runtime: 128 minutes
- Writers: Sunao Katabuchi and Chie Uratani
- Studio: MAPPA
The Japanese animated wartime drama film is about a spirited 18-year-old woman who is married off to a man she barely knows. Many who have watched In This Corner of the World admire how she quickly adjusts to the struggles of living in Hiroshima during World War.
Suzu marries a young military clerk named Shusaku, who she once met as a child. She joins his family in Kure, a naval port city, and as she adjusts to her new life, the threat of the Pacific War begins to encroach on the townspeople.
46. Lu Over the Wall (2017)
Source: UGC
- Rating: PG-8
- Director: Masaaki Yuasa
- Release date: 19th May 2017
- Runtime: 112 minutes
- Writers: Reiko Yoshida and Masaaki Yuasa
- Studio: Science Saru
If you are looking for some of the best high school romance anime movies appropriate for children, watch Lu Over the Wall on Netflix. The story centres around Kai, a gloomy middle school student whose life changes after meeting Lu, a mermaid.
After his family moved from Tokyo, Kai spent his days sulking in a small fishing village. His classmates invite him to play the keyboard in their band, where Lu the mermaid suddenly appears. Lu’s singing causes humans to dance compulsively. As Kai spends more time with her, they form a solid bond.
45. The Moment You Fall in Love (2016)
Source: UGC
- Rating: PG-16
- Director: Tetsuya Yanagisawa
- Release date: 17th December 2016
- Runtime: 63 minutes
- Writer: Yoshimi Narita
- Studio: Qualia Animation
The 2016 Japanese animated youth romance film is a heartwarming story about love, friendship, and first crushes. The Moment You Fall in Love appeals to the masses because its plot stays true to its vision and style.
Despite a disastrous first meeting in middle school with her upperclassman Koyuki, Hina’s heart is captured by his warm smile. Initially confused by these newfound feelings, she soon realizes she has fallen in love for the first time.
She enrolls in Sakuragaoka High School, hoping to be close to her crush, Koyuki, and confess her love for him. Meanwhile, another boy named Kotarou is oblivious to his feelings for Hina and is determined always to keep her smiling.
44. The Tunnel to Summer, the Exit of Goodbyes (2022)
Source: UGC
- Rating: PG-11
- Director: Tomohisa Taguchi
- Release date: 9th September 2022
- Runtime: 84 minutes
- Writer: Tomohisa Taguchi
- Studio: Clap Animation Studio and Pony Canyon
If you are looking for the best high school romance anime movies that don’t have the traditional blockbuster style, The Tunnel to Summer, the Exit of Goodbyes is for you! Kaoru stands before a mysterious tunnel and thinks of Karen, the sister he lost in an accident. Anzu, a new transfer student, follows him and promises to help him explore the tunnel.
43. Summer Time Rendering (2022)
Source: UGC
- Rating: PG-13
- Director: Ayumu Watanabe
- Release date: 15th April 2022
- Runtime: 625 minutes
- Writer: Hiroshi Seko
- Studio: OLM Team Kojima
If you like sad romance anime movies, Summer Time Rendering is recommended. Ushio is an open-minded and enthusiastic person but also naïve. Often, she is not aware of the danger she is in. Ushio has feelings for Shinpei, but she doesn’t openly admit her love for him.
Shinpei travels to his native island to attend Ushio’s funeral following news of her drowning at sea. He soon realizes something is wrong and suspects she was murdered. Shinpei tries to discover what happened to save the residents from a strange dark enigma.
42. Waiting in the Summer (2012)
Source: UGC
- Rating: PG-13
- Director: Tatsuyuki Nagai
- Release date: 10th January 2012
- Runtime: 300 minutes
- Writer: Yōsuke Kuroda
- Studio: JC Staff
Waiting in the Summer is one of the most underrated romance anime movies. An alien’s ship accidentally crash-lands on Earth, injuring Kaito. She saves him with a kiss and nurses him until he is in good condition.
Ichika later transfers into Kaito’s school as a third-year student. Even though she is an alien, Kaito accepts Ichika, and they become a couple. Waiting in the Summer is worth watching!
41. Aura: Koga Maryuin’s Last War (2013)
Source: UGC
- Rating: Not rated
- Director: Seiji Kishi
- Release date: 13th April 2013
- Runtime: 85 minutes
- Writers: Romeo Tanaka, Jun Kumagai, and Makoto Uezu
- Studio: AIC ASTA
In Aura: Koga Maryuin’s Last War, Ichiro keeps quiet about his past delusions of fantasy and grandeur, which caused him to be bullied throughout middle school.
Now in high school, he strives to be a normal student until his teacher entrusts him with the care of a beautiful girl with a similar case of delusions.
If you love romance anime movies with happy endings, watch Aura: Koga Maryuin’s Last War. Ichiro finally makes peace with his past and starts a proper relationship with Ryoko, who progresses in her quest to become normal.
40. The Boy and the Beast (2015)
Source: UGC
- Rating: PG-12
- Director: Mamoru Hosoda
- Release date: 11th July 2015
- Runtime: 119 minutes
- Writer: Mamoru Hosoda
- Studio: Studio Chizu
The animated film The Boy and the Beast is about Ren, a nine-year-old boy who accidentally enters the beast realm and meets Kumatestu, a warrior beast. They must work together to save the world from destruction.
Ren randomly decides to become a college student in the human world, which leads to a touching friendship with a lovely girl called Kaede. She helps him regain the years he lost while in the beast world. The film has romance elements but does not show any explicit content.
39. Sweet Blue Flowers (2009)
Source: UGC
- Rating: PG-13
- Director: Ken’ichi Kasai
- Release date: 1st July 2009
- Runtime: 275 minutes
- Writer: Takako Shimura
- Studio: Fuji Creative Corporation
The Sweet Blue Flowers romance anime is about a gay relationship in high school. The story follows Fumi, a gay high schooler, and her childhood friend Akira.
As the series opens, Fumi’s heart has just been broken by her female cousin, who was her first lover. She reunites with her childhood friend, Akira, at a new school and begins to date a boy called Yasuko.
After breaking up with Yasuko, Fumi tells Akira that she was her first love, much to Akira’s embarrassment. Sweet Blue Flowers can be one of those romance anime movies with happy endings if you support gay love.
38. Napping Princess (2017)
Source: UGC
- Rating: PG-12
- Director: Kenji Kamiyama
- Release date: 18th March 2017
- Runtime: 110 minutes
- Writer: Kenji Kamiyama
- Studio: Warner Bros. Pictures
The anime film Napping Princess has an action-packed sci-fi fantasy story about a high schooler named Kokone who dreams of a world where she has magic powers.
In her dreams, she is Princess Ancien in a fantasy kingdom with robots, high-tech vehicles, and a talking stuffed animal. Kokone later discovers that her real life and dreams are connected.
37. Hello World (2019)
Source: UGC
- Rating: PG-11
- Director: Tomohiko Itō
- Release date: 20th September 2019
- Runtime: 98 minutes
- Writer: Mado Nozaki
- Studio: Graphinica
If you’re into romance sci-fi films, you’ll be drawn to the Hello World movie. In this film, a man travels to 2027 to relive his school years and correct a wrong decision.
In 2027, the introverted Naomi is afraid of approaching Ruri, a girl with an unfriendly and cold personality. One day, the boy encounters a mysterious man from the future, Naomi, and reveals that he has come to change a tragic event that can happen to Ruri soon after they start dating.
The present-day Naomi follows his future self’s instructions and starts getting closer to Ruri, determined to save her from a future tragedy.
36. Ocean Waves (1993)
Source: UGC
- Rating: PG-13
- Director: Tomomi Mochizuki
- Release date: 5th May 1993
- Runtime: 72 minutes
- Writers: Saeko Himuro and Keiko Niwa
- Studio: Studio Ghibli
The 1993 anime film Ocean Waves is known in Japan as I Can Hear the Sea. Set in the city of Kōchi, it follows a love triangle between two friends and a new girl who transfers to their high school from Tokyo.
As he journeys back home to his high school for a reunion after his first year at a college in Tokyo, Taku recounts his memories of his senior year, focusing on a love triangle that developed between him and two of his friends.
35. Suzume (2022)
Source: UGC
- Rating: PG
- Director: Makoto Shinkai
- Release date: 11th November 2022
- Runtime: 122 minutes
- Writer: Makoto Shinkai
- Studio: CoMix Wave Films
The Suzume anime film might not be just about romance but has a beautiful storyline. Japan stands on the brink of disaster when the skies turn red and the planet trembles. A teenage girl named Suzume notices supernatural forces other people cannot and sets out to save her country. She is determined to close the mysterious doors that are spreading chaos countrywide.
34. Fireworks (2017)
Source: UGC
- Rating: PG
- Directors: Akiyuki Shinbo and Nobuyuki Takeuchi
- Release date: 18th August 2017
- Runtime: 90 minutes
- Writers: Shunji Iwai and Hitoshi Ône
- Studio: Shaft
The Fireworks anime movie has a Sci-Fi-tinged story of young love and teenage turmoil. Norimichi and Yusuke are infatuated with classmate Nazuna. However, she likes Norimichi and requests that he help her escape home. After the plans fail, Norimichi discovers a magical ball that can manipulate time and give them a second chance, but each reset triggers new complications.
33. Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day (2013)
Source: UGC
- Rating: PG
- Director: Tatsuyuki Nagai
- Release date: 31st August 2013
- Runtime: 99 minutes
- Writer: Mari Okada
- Studio: A-1 Pictures
The anime movie Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day is about a group of friends who grow apart after a tragic accident claims one of them. Years later, the dead girl appears to her friends to ask for help crossing over to the afterlife.
Does Anohana have romance?
Anohana involves a romance between friends. The shy young girl who dies in the tragic accident gets caught in the middle of a love triangle when she reappears to her friends who are still alive. The movie has more complex circumstances and supernatural themes.
32. Words Bubble Up Like Soda Pop (2021)
Source: UGC
- Rating: PG
- Director: Kyohei Ishiguro
- Release date: 22nd July 2021
- Runtime: 87 minutes
- Writer: Dai Satô
- Studio: Sublimation Signal. MD
The Words Bubble Up Like Soda Pop is about romance between teens with communication issues. The boy is shy, loves music, and can only express himself through haiku poems. Meanwhile, the girl he likes is bubbly but self-conscious. She wears a mask and loves watching videos online.
31. A Whisker Away (2020)
Source: UGC
- Rating: PG
- Directors: Jun’ichi Satô and Tomotaka Shibayama
- Release date: 18th June 2020
- Runtime: 104 minutes
- Writer: Mari Okada
- Studio: Studio Colorido
Those who love cheesy drama and fantasy should watch A Whisker Away. It is one of the best romance anime movies on Netflix. In this film, Miyo Sasaki transforms into a cat to gain her crush’s attention, classmate Kento Hinode. However, the line between her human appearance and animal transformation ultimately blurs.
30. Ride Your Wave (2019)
Source: UGC
- Rating: Not Rated
- Director: Masaaki Yuasa
- Release date: 21st June 2019
- Runtime: 95 minutes
- Writer: Reiko Yoshida
- Studio: Toho Co., Ltd.
You will love Ride Your Wave. It has been among the top romance anime movies since 2019. Hinako falls in love with firefighter Minato shortly after moving to a small seaside town to study Marine Biology.
A fire breaks out in her apartment and kills Minato while trying to save her. The surf-loving college student finds it hard to revive her purpose in life without her boyfriend.
29. Josee, the Tiger and the Fish (2020)
Source: UGC
- Rating: PG
- Director: Kotaro Tamura
- Release date: 25th December 2020
- Runtime: 99 minutes
- Writers: Seiko Tanabe and Sayaka Kuwamura
- Studio: Bones
The anime film Josee, the Tiger and the Fish is based on a 1984 Japanese short story by author Seiko Tanabe. Tsuneo is a university student, while Josee is a young girl who rarely leaves the house alone because she cannot walk. They meet when her grandmother takes her out for an evening walk.
28. The Place Promised in Our Early Days (2004)
Source: UGC
- Rating: PG-13
- Directors: Makoto Shinkai and Yoshio Suzuki
- Release date: 20th November 2004
- Runtime: 90 minutes
- Writer: Makoto Shinkai and Steven Foster
- Studio: CoMix Wave Inc.
Anime The Place Promised in Our Early Days is among the most beautiful, sad romance anime movies. Its story takes place in the 1996 alternate postwar period when Japan was divided.
Three teenagers, two boys, Hiroki and Takuya, and one girl, Sayuri, decide to uncover the mystery of a tower in Hokkaido. Before they can do this, Sayuri mysteriously disappears during the summer.
Hiroki and Takuya are devastated because they are in love with her. It is revealed that she fell into a coma and had been hospitalized over the past three years and lost memories of her beloved Hiroki.
27. Doukyusei: Classmates (2016)
Source: UGC
- Rating: PG-13
- Director: Shôko Nakamura
- Release date: 20th February 2016
- Runtime: 60 minutes
- Writer: Asumiko Nakamura
- Studio: A-1 Pictures
Animated film Doukyusei: Classmates is an oddly insightful, relatable, and emotionally powerful anime with a unique charm. At an all-boys high school, second-year classmates Licht Sajo and Hikaru Kusakabe become inseparable after one fateful day in choir practice.
Licht Sajo is a student, while Hikaru Kusakabe plays in a rock band. Although their lives and personalities are total opposites, they grow closer to each other and eventually fall in love.
26. I’ve Always Liked You (2016)
Source: UGC
- Rating: Not Rated
- Director: Tetsuya Yanagisawa
- Release date: 23rd April 2016
- Runtime: 63 minutes
- Writers: HoneyWorks and Yoshimi Narita
- Studio: Qualia Animation
Zutto Mae Kara Suki Deshita: Kokuhaku Jikkō Iinkai, also known by its English title, I’ve Always Liked You, is a tender and endearing Japanese animated youth romance film.
The anime explores the complexities of teenage romance with authenticity and sensitivity. A girl finally confesses her love but retracts it as a joke when her love interest does not reciprocate her feelings. The film’s sequel is The Moment You Fall in Love (2016).
25. Patema Inverted (2013)
Source: UGC
- Rating: Not Rated
- Director: Yasuhiro Yoshiura
- Release date: 9th November 2013
- Runtime: 99 minutes
- Writer: Yasuhiro Yoshiura
- Studio: Studio Rikka
The Patema Inverted is one of those good romance anime movies for family viewing. A young girl from a civilization living in underground tunnels finds herself trapped in an inverted world. Because of this, Patema and Age team up to investigate why gravity is reversed in the tunnels. They also plan to escape and return home.
24. The Princess and the Pilot (2011)
Source: UGC
- Rating: Not Rated
- Director: Jun Shishido
- Release date: 1st October 2011
- Runtime: 99 minutes
- Writers: Koroku Inumura and Satoko Okudera
- Studio: Madhouse and TMS Entertainment
The Princess and the Pilot is among the cute romance anime movies you should watch this year. Pilot Charles Kareno falls in love with Princess Fana Del Moral when he is hired to work for the royal family. Despite being advised not to, Kareno bonds with a princess when escorting her overseas to reunite her with her future husband.
23. The Night is Short, Walk on Girl (2017)
Source: UGC
- Rating: PG-13
- Director: Masaaki Yuasa
- Release date: 7th April 2017
- Runtime: 92 minutes
- Writers: Tomihiko Morimi and Makoto Ueda
- Studio: Science Saru
This is a vibrant animated movie. The Night Is Short, Walk On Girl is about a college sophomore girl’s adventures on a strange night in Kyoto. What starts like a normal night for a young girl drinking in a bar turns into a crazy roller coaster of unlikely events. Ultimately, a hapless college student who wants to confess his love to her also encounters surreal encounters with the local nightlife.
22. Kaguya-sama: Love is War (2019)
Source: UGC
- Rating: PG
- Director: Hayato Kawai
- Release date: 6th September 2019
- Runtime: 113 minutes
- Writers: Aka Akasaka and Yûichi Tokunaga
- Studio: A-1 Pictures
The anime Kaguya-sama: Love Is War is about high school student council leaders at Shuchiin Academy. Student Council President Miyuki Shirogane and Vice President Kaguya Shinomiya are perfect matches. They keep their crushes a secret because they are too proud to confess their love and believe whoever does so first will lose.
21. Millennium Actress (2002)
Source: UGC
- Rating: PG
- Director: Satoshi Kon
- Release date: 14th September 2002
- Runtime: 87 minutes
- Writer: Satoshi Kon and Sadayuki Murai
- Studio: Madhouse
The Millennium Actress anime centers on TV presenter Setsuko Hara and his cameraman, Hideko Takamine, who are investigating the life of a retired actress to create a documentary. As the actress tells them her life, the borderline between cinema and reality gradually becomes blurred.
20. Voices of A Distant Star (2002)
Source: UGC
- Rating: PG
- Director: Makoto Shinkai
- Release date: 2nd February 2002
- Runtime: 25 minutes
- Writer: Makoto Shinkai
- Studio: CoMix Wave Inc.
The Voices of A Distant Star is a unique science fiction romantic film. The movie is set in the year 2046. People select Mikako Nagamine and other soldiers to fight aliens invading the Earth.
She promises Noboru Terao that they will keep in touch through emails. However, they need help communicating. The distance between the spacecraft and Earth slows down the time it takes for mail to reach the other person.
19. Tamako Love Story (2014)
Source: UGC
- Rating: PG
- Director: Naoko Yamada
- Release date: 26th April 2014
- Runtime: 83 minutes
- Writer: Reiko Yoshida
- Studio: Kyoto Animation
Viewers of Tamako Love Story are usually delighted with this interesting romantic comedy anime. Mochizo Oji confesses his feelings to his rival, Tamako, before leaving for college. Will love help them overcome their misunderstandings and awkwardness?
18. Into the Forest of Fireflies’ Light (2011)
Source: UGC
- Rating: Not Rated
- Director: Takahiro Omori
- Release date: 17th September 2011
- Runtime: 95 minutes
- Writer: Yuki Midorikawa
- Studio: LaLa DX
Anime Into the Forest of Fireflies’ Light is a supernatural romantic anime movie. Hotaru falls in love with a masked forest spirit called Gin. The problem is that Gin would vanish if a human touched him. The film has the worst and most beautiful long-distance relationship story you will ever watch.
17. Howl’s Moving Castle (2005)
Source: UGC
- Rating: PG
- Director: Hayao Miyazaki
- Release date: 10th June 2005
- Runtime: 119 minutes
- Writer: Hayao Miyazaki
- Studio: SDDS
The Howl’s Moving Castle is one of the most romantic anime movies ever. The film is an example of a perfect romance anime movie created by brilliant minds. The unusual love story between Sophia and Howl the Wizard is fascinating.
When Sophie is cursed after a chance meeting with the mysterious wizard, her only chance of breaking it lies with him and his strange moving castle. Howl is determined to break a curse that makes Sophia age prematurely. The curse was cast upon her by an evil witch.
16. I Want to Eat Your Pancreas (2018)
Source: UGC
- Rating: PG
- Director: Shin’ichirô Ushijima
- Release date: 1st September 2018
- Runtime: 108 minutes
- Writer: Shin’ichirô Ushijima
- Studio: Studio VOLN
The anime I Want to Eat Your Pancreas is a captivating, sad romance movie. An aloof high school boy visits his classmate, Sakura Yamauchi, at the hospital. While sitting in the waiting room, he finds her secret diary.
The diary reveals Sakura is suffering from a fatal pancreatic disease and a list of things she wants to experience before she dies. Haruki Shiga helps her fulfil her death wishes and learns the importance of friendship.
15. Whisper of the Heart (1995)
Source: UGC
- Rating: PG
- Director: Yoshifumi Kondo
- Release date: 7th March 2006
- Runtime: 111 minutes
- Writer: Hayao Miyazaki
- Studio: Optimum Releasing
The Whisper of the Heart is a story about a young girl who falls in love and learns to believe in herself. Shizuku is about to complete her junior high school studies and dreams of becoming a writer because she loves books.
She meets a young, ambitious guy named Senji. Shizuku finds him charming and irritating. When Senji takes her to his grandfather’s antique shop, one of the statues in the store inspires Shizuku to write a story about a cat-shaped sculpture coming to life.
14. Your Name (2017)
Source: UGC
- Rating: PG
- Director: Makoto Shinkai
- Writer: Makoto Shinkai
- Release date: 7th April 2017
- Runtime: 106 minutes
- Studio: CoMix Wave Films
The director of Your Name is the creative mind behind successful films like 5 Centimeters per Second and Voices of a Distant Star. The movie tells the story of two young souls exploring the themes of fate and time.
High school students Taki and Mitsuha are strangers living different lives. Their lives take a different turn when they switch bodies. The peculiar occurrence becomes a norm they must learn how to cope with.
With time, Taki and Mitsuha bond through messages, notes, and imprints. They look for each other but always seem torn apart by distance and a supernatural force beyond them. Will their fate bring them together or keep them apart forever?
13. The Garden of Words (2013)
Source: UGC
- Rating: Not Rated
- Director: Makoto Shinkai
- Writer: Makoto Shinkai
- Release date: 6th August 2013
- Runtime: 45 minutes
- Studio: CoMix Wave Films
This is one of the world’s most addictive sad romance anime movies. The film tells the story of a teenager, Takao Azuki, who dreams of becoming a shoemaker. However, nobody seems to understand his ambition until he meets a girl who believes in him.
The twist in The Garden of Words is that the girl wants to help Takao achieve his dream but must overcome internal predicaments that keep her from getting close to anyone.
12. 5 Centimeters per Second (2007)
Source: UGC
- Rating: Not Rated
- Director: Makoto Shinkai
- Writer: Makoto Shinkai
- Release date: 3rd March 2007
- Runtime: 63 minutes
- Studio: CoMix Wave
The 5 Centimeters per Second film is one of the most incredible romance anime movies of all time. The film is about two friends who are determined to reunite after fate separates them.
Akari and Takaki’s families moved to different locations after they completed elementary school. The two never thought they would ever meet again. One day, Takaki embarks on a journey to visit his old friend.
11. A Silent Voice (2017)
Source: UGC
- Rating: Not Rated
- Director: Naoko Yamada
- Writer: Naoko Yamada
- Release date: 20th October 2017
- Runtime: 129 minutes
- Studio: Eleven Arts
Viewers of A Silent Voice admit it is one of the most poignant shoujo anime movies of all time. The film tells an emotional story about Shoya Ishida (a school bully) and Shoko Nishimiya (a beautiful young girl with a hearing disability).
Ishida bullies Ishida when her parents transfer her to his school. Ishida mistreats her because of her hearing problem. Years later, tables turn, and Ishida becomes the victim. The film shows adolescents’ challenges in a different style compared to conventional coming-of-age films.
10. The Girl Who Leapt Through Time (2007)
Source: UGC
- Rating: Not Rated
- Director: Mamoru Hosoda
- Writer: Satoko Okudera
- Release date: 3rd March 2007
- Runtime: 98 minutes
- Studio: Tokikake Film Partners
This is an excellent romance anime movie for those starting to watch films in this genre. The Girl Who Leapt Through Time explores the continually changing nature of personal relationships.
A young schoolgirl named Makoto Konno discovers her ability to traverse time and space. She uses this power to preserve the friendships she shares with those closest to her.
9. From Up on Poppy Hill (2013)
Source: UGC
- Rating: PG
- Director: Goro Miyazaki
- Writers: Keiko Niwa and Hayao Miyazaki,
- Release date: 15th March 2013
- Runtime: 91 minutes
- Studio: Independent Pictures
The 2013 From Up on Poppy Hill film is set in Yokohama in 1963. It is about a budding romance between Shun and Umi. Two high school students are caught in changing times after World War II.
Japan prepares to host the Olympics at a time when its young generation struggles to find optimism and shake off its troubled history.
As Umi and Shun work to save a decrepit clubhouse from getting demolished, their romance begins to blossom. However, in an unexpected twist, a secret from their past threatens to pull them apart forever.
8. The Anthem of the Heart (2015)
Source: UGC
- Rating: Not Rated
- Director: Tatsuyuki Nagai
- Writer: Mari Okada
- Release date: 2015
- Runtime: 119 minutes
This 2015 anime, The Anthem of the Heart, was initially titled The Heart Wants to Shout. The film is set in Chichibu, and the story revolves around a young, conflicted girl named Jun Naruse.
Jun wishes to express her feelings, but her words always hurt others. One day, she encounters a fairy who offers to help her overcome the problem by sealing Jun’s words. The story jumps several years ahead when Jun meets a friend who is passionate about music.
7. The Wind Rises (2014)
Source: UGC
- Rating: PG-13
- Director: Hayao Miyazaki
- Writer: Hayao Miyazaki
- Release date: 21st February 2014
- Runtime: 126 minutes
- Studio: Walt Disney Pictures
This 2014 animated film, The Wind Rises, chronicles Jiro’s life and the historical events that shaped it, e.g., the tuberculosis epidemic, the Great Depression, and the Great Kanto Earthquake. With time, Jiro falls in love with a girl named Nahoko. However, since he is not easily discouraged, the boy joins an engineering firm and becomes one of the world’s most accomplished airplane designers.
6. Summer Wars (2010)
Source: UGC
- Rating: PG
- Director: Mamoru Hosoda
- Writers: Satoko Okudera and Satoko Ohudera
- Release date: 24th December 2010
- Runtime: 114 minutes
- Studio: GKIDS
The Summer Wars is about a young math prodigy named Kanji. His crush, Natsuki, hires him to act as her boyfriend. Kanji receives a riddle on his phone that sets off a chain of events threatening a massive virtual world called Oz.
5. Only Yesterday (2016)
Source: UGC
- Rating: PG
- Director: Isao Takahata
- Writer: Isao Takahata
- Release date: 26th February 2016
- Runtime: 118 minutes
- Studio: GKIDS
The 2016 animated film Only Yesterday is one of the best anime romance movies of all time. It has rich humour and evokes a string of emotions in the viewer. The original Japanese version was released in 1991, while the English version came out in 2016.
Takeo is a single lady living in Tokyo. She visits her relatives in the countryside to relive the memories of her younger years. The lady remembers the frustrations of mathematics and boys, the onset of puberty, and her first stirrings of romance.
She meets a young and handsome farmer named Toshio. Her encounter with him makes Takeo question whether she has accomplished her childhood dreams. It also brings back some of her forgotten longings.
4. The Cat Returns (2002)
Source: UGC
- Rating: G
- Director: Hiroyuki Morita
- Writers: Reiko Yoshida, Donald H. Hewitt, and Cindy Davis
- Release date: 19th July 2002
- Runtime: 75 minutes
- Studio: Toho Company Ltd
This 2002 animated film, The Cat Returns, tells the story of Haru, a young schoolgirl who saves a cat on her way to school. She later learns that the cat is extraordinary when it introduces her to a kingdom of cats.
Haru explores the fascinating world of cats she never knew existed. The English version of this top romance anime included voices from Andy Richter, Anne Hathaway, and Elliott Gould.
3. Castle in the Sky (1989)
Source: UGC
- Rating: PG
- Director: Hayao Miyazaki
- Writers: Hayao Miyazaki
- Release date: 1st April 1989
- Runtime: 124 minutes
- Studio: Tokuma Shoten
The Castle in the Sky is about a boy and a girl who flew down from the sky. When Sheeta is chased by government agents, army soldiers, and pirates, a boy accompanies her on a quest to establish her identity in a mysterious floating castle.
Although the movie is not as famous as some of the best romance anime movies, it still provides a fantastic viewing experience.
2. Weathering with You (2020)
Source: UGC
- Rating: Not Rated
- Director: Makoto Shinkai
- Writers: Makoto Shinkai
- Release date: 15th January 2020
- Runtime: 111 minutes
- Studio: CoMix Wave
The Weathering with You film is also among the top fiction-romance anime movies. Hodaka runs away to Tokyo during the summer of his first year in college and goes broke.
He spends several lonely days before landing a job as a writer for a mysterious occult magazine. The city falls under the spell of non-stop rain. Hodaka meets Hina, a girl who can stop rain and clear gloomy skies.
1. Clannad (2007)
Source: UGC
- Rating: Not Rated
- Director: Osamu Dezaki
- Writer: Makoto Nakamura
- Release date: 15th September 2007
- Runtime: 94 minutes
- Studio: Key
The Clannad anime tells the story of a young boy who only attends school as a habit and is continually haunted by nightmares of an empty world. One of the dreams makes him half-conscious.
Okazaki Tomoya meets Furukawa Nagisa on his way to school. They become close friends because she follows him to school daily. As a result, Tomoya feels happy about his life and assumes his nightmares are mere dreams.
Is there any good romance anime?
Netflix, Box Office, Hulu, YouTube, and other movie streaming sites have cool romance animated movies. Below are the 50 best romance anime movies of all time you can watch this year:
- Gods’ Games We Play (2024)
- My Happy Marriage (2023)
- Lost Song (2018)
- In This Corner of the World (2016)
- Lu Over the Wall (2017)
- The Moment You Fall in Love (2016)
- The Tunnel to Summer, the Exit of Goodbyes (2022)
- Summer Time Rendering (2022)
- Waiting in the Summer (2012)
- Aura: Koga Maryuin’s Last War (2013)
- The Boy and the Beast (2015)
- Sweet Blue Flowers (2009)
- Napping Princess (2017)
- Hello World (2019)
- Ocean Waves (1993)
- Suzume (2022)
- Fireworks (2017)
- Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day (2013)
- Words Bubble Up Like Soda Pop (2021)
- A Whisker Away (2020)
- Ride Your Wave (2019)
- Josee, the Tiger and the Fish (2020)
- The Place Promised in Our Early Days (2004)
- Doukyusei: Classmates (2016)
- I’ve Always Liked You (2016)
- Patema Inverted (2013)
- The Princess and the Pilot (2011)
- The Night is Short, Walk on Girl (2017)
- Kaguya-sama: Love is War (2019)
- Millennium Actress (2002)
- Voices of A Distant Star (2002)
- Tamako Love Story (2014)
- Into the Forest of Fireflies’ Light (2011)
- Howl’s Moving Castle (2005)
- I Want to Eat Your Pancreas (2018)
- Whisper of the Heart (1995)
- Your Name (2017)
- The Garden of Words (2013)
- 5 Centimeters per Second (2007)
- A Silent Voice (2017)
- The Girl Who Leapt Through Time (2007)
- From Up on Poppy Hill (2013)
- The Anthem of the Heart (2015)
- The Wind Rises (2014)
- Summer Wars (2010)
- Only Yesterday (2016)
- The Cat Returns (2002)
- Castle in the Sky (1989)
- Weathering with You (2020)
- Clannad (2007)
Which is the best anime love story movie?
Romantic movies connect viewers to “happy hormones” and remind them of positive relationship memories. If you want to experience these emotions while watching movies, the following ten anime romance movies are recommended for you:
- Voices of A Distant Star (2002)
- Tamako Love Story (2014)
- Into the Forest of Fireflies’ Light (2011)
- Howl’s Moving Castle (2005)
- I Want to Eat Your Pancreas (2018)
- Whisper of the Heart (1995)
- Your Name (2017)
- The Garden of Words (2013)
- 5 Centimeters per Second (2007)
- A Silent Voice (2017)
What are the best romance anime movies?
Below are the 15 best romance anime movies that focus on passion, emotion, and challenges people face as they fall in love:
- Words Bubble Up Like Soda Pop (2021)
- Josee, the Tiger and the Fish (2020)
- Weathering with You (2020)
- A Whisker Away (2020)
- Kaguya-sama: Love is War (2019)
- Ride Your Wave (2019)
- The Night is Short, Walk on Girl (2017)
- Fireworks (2017)
- Doukyusei: Classmates (2016)
- I’ve Always Liked You (2016)
- Patema Inverted (2013)
- The Princess and the Pilot (2011)
- Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day (2013)
- The Place Promised in Our Early Days (2004)
- Millennium Actress (2001)
Kaguya-sama: Love is War (2019) is the best anime movie about romance. Many love how the film mixes a beautiful love story with mystery and fiction.
Which romance anime is the best for newcomers?
Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day (2013) is a classic rom-com series to introduce loved ones to the anime genre. The story is about a girl who dies in an accident and later reappears to her friends, requesting they help her cross to the afterlife. The story becomes more interesting when she is caught in a love triangle.
Is “Suzume” a romance movie?
Suzume (2022) wasn’t meant to be a love story but has some romance. The anime is about a protagonist seeking to “close the doors” causing disasters in her country. Nonetheless, Suzume and Souta go their separate ways in the end, even though they are still in love with each other. The ending is intentionally open-ended, allowing viewers to draw conclusions about the story.
Where can you legally watch romance anime movies?
Crunchyroll, Funimation, Hulu, Box Office, and Netflix are the go-to anime-watching sites for most fans.
Is romance in anime realistic?
Some romance anime movies depict real-life situations and dynamics, while others are farfetched and idealistic to work in real life.
Can you watch anime movies with English subtitles?
Most romantic anime movies offer English subtitles or dubbed versions, but the availability of subtitles and dubs varies depending on your streaming platform and location.
You are missing out on some of the best storylines if you have not yet watched any of the romance anime movies listed in this article. These movies will pull every string of your heart. They present various shades of love in the best way possible and change the viewers’ perception of love for the better.
Legit.ng also shared a detailed list of the best action anime movies to watch with loved ones. They are the coolest films for binge-watching over the weekend. Action anime films are entertaining because computers allow cartoons to perform unique and mysterious stunts at a lower cost and in less time.
Source: Legit.ng