If there’s one thing I love just as much as cute girls, It’s gotta be cute guys, and there’s no better way to get tons of both than to watch shojo romcoms. Adorableness and highschool drama to the max, these five shojo anime are filled with it all!
5: Meiji Tokyo Renka
I’m starting this list off with a series that, while not exactly being that good, in the conventional sense, is just so damn fun to watch. Whenever I hear people talk about shows they watch purely because they are “fun” or “entertaining,” they’re almost always action shows or the like. And there’s nothing wrong with that of course, but I think fun is a term that encapsulates a lot more than just “big explosion.” That is because Meiji Tokyo Renka is one of the shows that I find the most fun of all, despite its admittedly lackluster production. The characters often look like they don’t fit in with the backgrounds, the character art isn’t very detailed, and the animation is limited. And yet, the voice acting and dialouge is top tier, it’s hilarious at times and it’s the kind of show where you just sit back, relax, and have a huge smile on your face while watching.
The plot is about Mei Ayazuki, who has the supernatural ability to see ghosts, one which sadly, lead to her being an outcast at school. One fateful day, while walking around in town, she is invited by a magician to participate in one of his tricks. After entering a box, she ends up being transported to the Meiji era of Japan, which was during the late 19th century. This world is not the same she previously lived in though, as the existence of ghosts is widely known. She therefore gains a high status because of her abilities, and because of this, she ends up interacting with many influential men. And most importantly, they’re all very cute.
Directed by: Daichi Akitarou – Studio: TMS Entertainment – Year of release: 2013
13 eps, 2 movies
4: Mimi wo Sumaseba (Whisper of the Heart)
I’m very fond of contemporary settings, especially when they portray a time period before any which I have experienced. When you watch a historical piece, say, Rose of Versaille for example, it’s almost like you’re watching a fantasy story, just a very grounded one, which is especially true for series which are set so far back in the past. Whisper of the Heart is set in the the time period it was released, and it is filled with tons of stuff reminiscent of that.
The visuals are great, as it is super comfy. If you haven’t watched this already, then the fact that it was produced by Studio Ghibli probably caught your eye, and don’t worry, the anime adaptation is full of the usul Ghibli goodness. Sadly, the director, Yoshifumi Kondou, passed away, and was only able to direct one film for the studio. Thankfully though, it was a masterful film. The main character is Shizuku Tsukishima, a young girl whose hobbies include writing poetry and reading. One day, she finds out that there’s a person who loans a lot of the same books as her, and decides to find out who this mysterious person is. At the same time, her own motivations toward writing grows, as she tries to realize her own dreams.
– Movie, 4 chapters Written and illustrated by: Aoi Hiiragi – Published in: Ribon Magazine – Year of release: 1989 – Studo: Ghibli – Directed by: Yoshifumi Kondou – Year of release: 1995
3:Kirameki no Lion Boy (Sparkly Lion Boy)
The title of this series coudn’t be more on point, because when it says sparkly, it means sparkly. I love the art in this series, and the writing too. Many people might find it to be a bit too weak on the thematic side, and I would be able to see why, but my goodness is this series adorable. It’s about a highscool girl who is infatuated with a main character of a manga, before she later encounters a boy who is very similar to that character. They fall in love, go on dates, hang out together, and overall just have a wonderful time.
The supporting cast is very strong too, with the main characters best friend, while not exactly being any different from the best friend characters in series such as Aim for the Ace or Oniisama e, still does a great job of just being adorable and adding some meaningful drama to the series. And did I mention that the guy characters are super adorable too? Cause they are. You know when you read a series, or just experience a beautiful work of art, and then you think: why can’t real life be like this? That’s the vibes you’l get from this series.
– currently publishing Written and illustrated by: Yokou Maki – Published in: Ribon Magazine Year of release: 2016
2:Kareshi Kanojo no Jijou (His and Her Circumstances, KareKano)
Saying that KareKano has one of, if not the greatest relationship dynamic in all of anime would not be an overstatement. The two main characters, Arima and Yukino are both geniuses who lead perfect lives, and do great in school. At least-that’s the way it seems to everyone else. While Yukino seems like someone with no troubles, the truth is that she’s actually a total slob! While at first, this is a tightly kept secret known only to her family.
However, one day, Arima comes to her home, and witnesses the truth! He then blackmails her into doing work for him, and it is from there that their relationship begins. While initially, the series seems to focus purely on the relationship between Arima and Yukino, the show actually has a lot of focus on the other characters, and those episodes are amazing as well. Another thing worth mentioning is the fact that the anime adpation was produced by Studio Gainax, and directed by Hideaki Anno, so even if the premise of an adorable, yet dramatic romcom doesn’t entice you, I’m sure the direction will.
108 chapters, 26 episodes – Written and illustrated by: Masami Tsuda – Published in: LaLa – Year of release: Studio: Gainax and JC Staff – Directed by: Hideaki Anno – Year of release: 1998
1: Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun (My Little Monster)
This was one of the first anime I ever watched, and I still love it to this day. The dynamic between the two main characters is great, with the protagonist, Shizuku, being a studious, hardworking student whose only goal is to get good grades. This is, however, interupted by her coming in contact with her delinquent classmate, Yoshida Haru, who due to his violent behaviour, stopped coming to school.
When Haru is asked to concvince him to return, a troubled relationship begins between the two of them. One of my favourite aspects of this series is without a doubt, the voice acting. Haru’s seiyuu, Tatsuhika Suzuki, does an amazing job, and so do all the voice actors really, as they all sound super adorable. Now sadly, the anime adaptation is not complete, and most likely, it never will be. So you’re gonna have to read the manga if you want more. There is a very fun alternative universe OVA though, which I reccomend checking out if you ended up enjoying the TV series.
13 episodes, 1 OVA, 55 chapters Written and illustrated by: Robico – Published in: Dessert – Year of release: 2008 – Studio: Brain’s Base – Directed by: Hiro Kaburagi – Year of release: 2012