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By using their incredible wits and intellect, the two try everything they can to trick the other into confessing first. Viewers can expect tons of hilarious squabbles, cute moments, and lovable characters. Those looking for anime like Kaguya-sama: Love is Warshould check out these other romance-based anime next.
Updated June 22, 2022 by Mark Sammut: Kaguya-sama: Love is War - Ultra Romantic is almost at an end. A1 Pictures’ latest season has been a triumph, expertly balancing humor and drama while developing most of the show’s primary characters and the relationships that define them. Although the anime still has content from the manga to cover, a sequel season has yet to be announced, so Kaguya-sama fans will need to look elsewhere to get their fix of rom-com goodness. To make that process as straightforward as possible, a few more of the best anime like Kaguya-sama: Love is War have been added to this article, along with their streaming information.
16 School Rumble
A comedy classic, School Rumble is all about teen love, and its penchant for inspiring misunderstandings and idiotic stunts. Everyone in this high school seems to have a crush on one of their mates, but precious few of them know how to effectively demonstrate their interest. This leads to a lot of silliness, including a school-wide war that plays out like the anime equivalent of Community’s paintball episodes.
School Rumble’s comedic antics are a touch more repetitive than Kaguya-sama, and the show is not that concerned with fully exploring the romances blossoming among its students, but its characters are quite lovable and charming.
15 Wotakoi: Love Is Hard For Otaku
Wotakoi is the ideal companion piece to Kaguya-sama for two reasons. Firstly, A-1 Pictures developed both shows. Secondly and more importantly, they share similar genres and tones while exploring distinctly different character dynamics. Wotakoi primarily follows a group of office workers who are already dating or start the anime by getting into a relationship.
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The story touches upon themes dealing with complacency, communication, and anxiety, all the while delivering one hilarious scene after another. While it does not have Kaguya-sama’s rivalry component, Wotakoi is a great show for anyone looking for a rom-com with realistic characters.
14 Rent-A-Girlfriend
This romantic show follows a college student who uses an online service to “rent” a girlfriend to keep up good appearances with his friends and family. However, things get trickier when the two realize they’re neighbors, and their dynamic is wilder than they could have first imagined. It’s so refreshing to see a romance between anime characters out of high school and in their 20s, as many anime focus on adolescent love.
The highly loved manga finally reached completion in December 2021, meaning there is still a lot of content to be animated for those who love the show. A second season of Rent-A-Girlfriend has been confirmed, so get ready for even more adorable relationships, funny situations, charming moments, and beautiful music!
13 My Dress-Up Darling
Airing during Winter 2022, My Dress-Up Darling’s premise is fresh and sweet. Wakana Gojo, a first-year high school student, dreams of becoming a hina doll craftsman. His very popular and beautiful classmate Marin Kitagawa finds out about his talents and asks him to create costumes for her as she is entranced by the dress-up world. Their shared interests spark the beginning of their new friendship, which could ultimately lead to something more.
The dynamic between a shy boy and an extroverted girl is nearly always an adorable trope, as they bring out the best in one another while diving into each other’s vastly different worlds. The animation is bright, colorful, and stunning, and the story will hook someone by the first episode.
12 Sasaki And Miyano
Looking for a romance that isn’t between female and male protagonists? The series Sasaki and Miyano, based on the manga of the same name, fits the bill. This fun slice-of-life anime shows the budding relationship between Sasaki and Miyano, two vastly different high schoolers in different grades.
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Miyano is obsessed with BL manga, Sasaki is a rough and tough troublemaker who just wants to get to know the soft and gentle younger boy. The anime just finished airing in Winter 2022, and it was one of the best shows of that season.
11 My Next Life As A Villainess: All Routes Lead To Doom!
This isekai anime may be a little different from the typical “real world” slice-of-life genre like Kaguya-sama. However, it shares the same funny, charming vibe and witty main female character. Plus, it’s an isekai that features a female as the main character, which changes the way the romances are portrayed compared to other shows about people being whisked away to new worlds.
The story follows 17-year-old Catarina when she realizes she has been transported into a popular video game and takes on the role of the main antagonist. Knowing she faces either exile or death at the end of the game, she does everything she can to turn the tides and avoid a gruesome end, causing some characters to fall for her rather than fear her. It’s cheeky, humorous, and fun to watch.
10 Horimiya
Horimiya is one of the most realistic and down-to-earth romantic anime series of all time. The two main protagonists, Hori and Miyamura, unexpectedly become close after they find out the truth behind each other’s secret after-school identities. Their love is so sweet, each and every episode will get the audience’s heart beating fast.
This show features a love confession rather quickly, a satisfactory change from Kaguya-sama’s tense “will they, won’t they” plot. Horimiya is the perfect show for teens who want a real look at what healthy high school relationships are like, and for adults who want to reminisce on the innocent love they felt back in their younger days.
9 Ouran High School Host Club
This fantastic one-season series heavily leans on the comedy aspect of the rom-com genre. After being accepted into a rich private high school on a scholarship, female student Haruhi Fujioka is trapped working in the school’s host club, consisting of a group of wealthy boys who throw events and perform to entertain girls.
The dynamic between a working-class girl like Haruhi and the rich boys of the host club is gut-busting hilarious. The group become the closest of friends and help each other grow and mature through many comical situations, with a romance blooming within their group.
8 Teasing Master Takagi-san
It’s a lot tougher for younger kids to confess feelings, so kids typically turn to teasing their crushes instead. That is definitely the case in this humorous 2-season slice-of-life series about a middle schooler who loves embarrassing Takagi, her classmate and friend that she likes.
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She teases him relentlessly, provoking him to retaliate, but he just can’t seem to keep up with her. The two are innocently in love and share an adorable, comical relationship.
7 Kamisama Kiss
This adorable rom-com anime has a magical twist to it, making it stand out from other typical high school series. Average teenage student Nanami finds herself in charge of a shrine as the new Earth Deity. Now having to navigate dealing with immortal beings, yokai, and other gods, Nanami is also falling in love with her new familiar, a fox spirit named Tomoe.
The story is unique, and the characters are adorable. It is crucial to watch the OVA following the second season, it wraps up the story so beautifully and will leave a tear in fans’ eyes.
6 Boarding School Juliet
This series is set in a fancy boarding school where the students are separated into two dormitories, one called the “Black Dogs,” and the other named the “White Cats.” Both first-year leaders of their dormitories, Romio Inuzuka and Juliet Persia, start a secret relationship with each other even though both their sides have a competitive hatred for each other.
Romio and Juliet must pretend to be arch-nemesis to their classmates while hiding their love for each other. It’s not the deepest anime and relies heavily on overplayed rom-com tropes; yet, it is an easy and entertaining watch.
5 Fruits Basket
Fruits Basket is essential viewing for any fan of romance anime. Fans of Kaguya-sama will get to enjoy the long, slow burn of two people gradually realizing their feelings for each other in a dramatic way.
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In this story, however, the characters are held back not by their stubbornness, but by an ancient curse that haunts the protagonists and their families. This anime features incredibly developed characters with tear-jerking backstories, classic high school troubles on top of dealing with a curse, and an absolutely unbeatable final conclusion.
4 Kakegurui
This show forgoes the romantic troubles typical teens go through and focuses entirely on the competitive nature of wealthy kids in a boarding school (also a main trope in Kaguya-sama). This show is hilarious, wildly over the top, and full of unrealistic gambling.
Those who loved the competitive outwitting schemes in Kaguya-sama will have a blast watching this outrageous, high-stakes, gambling show. Netflix also released a live-action version of the series that is just as fantastic as the animation.
3 My Little Monster
This sweet love story follows the budding relationship between Shizuku and Haru, two students with vastly different approaches to life. While Haru is a natural troublemaker who loves causing chaos and ditching school, Shizuku is socially awkward and dedicates her life to her studies.
Their growing relationship starts bringing out new characteristics in one another, and they must deal with the changes amid the stress of high school life. Fans of the “opposites attract” trope will love this simple slice-of-life series.
2 Tsuredure Children
Following the theme of multiple teenagers navigating first loves, this anime beautifully depicts how relationships and love in school really are. It’s messy, it’s scary, and it’s important.
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From not being able to confess one’s feelings to not understanding what love should really be like, the many characters in this show portray teenage love and the troubles it takes to find happiness. It’s an easy-to-watch and short series that is sure to leave an impact.
1 Toradora!
The messy tangle of relationships in high schools is hilariously explored in Toradora. The series follows Ryuji and Taiga, two students who team up under unlikely circumstances. They realize that both of their crushes are the other’s best friends, so they agree to help each other set them up with their crush.
Of course, high school relationships aren’t as simple as they seem, and feelings begin changing as time goes on. The series is a fun watch and is full of knee-slapping humor, great characters, and wild shenanigans.
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