Top 10 Best Slice of Life Romance Anime
The world of anime consists of numerous genres, including series that can range anywhere from fantasy action to psychological horror. What draws a lot of viewers to the slice of life romance genre; however, is that we can really see ourselves in not only the relatable characters, but the relatable situations and problems they must face as well. We went through and picked out the most touching, hilarious, and even charming anime titles that those of us who enjoy slice of life with a touch of romance will absolutely fall in love with!
Want to read slice of life romance manga instead? We’ve got you covered!
Looking for slice of life comedy anime? Here’s our top 10 list!
2. Your Lie in April
Studio: A-1 Pictures
Kosei Arima once wowed audiences with his prodigal piano skills, but now he can't even touch the keys without manifesting images of his past and of his mother's death. Arima's friends all worry the musician won't ever be able to play again, and even Arima himself fears his life as a pianist is over. All of this changes on the fateful day when Arima meets the boisterous Kaori Miyazono. Kaori, a musician herself, plays her violin with a sense of freedom that Arima is immediately enchanted by. Noticing his interest, Kaori demands that Arima plays a duet with her, and from that day forward she goes on to teach him not only the beauty of music, but of the music of life as well.Your Lie in April will forever remain in your heart as a true masterpiece as it shows the very real struggles of depression and illnesses that are rarely found in today's pop culture. Join Arima on his journey back to music and love with the help of one very captivating Kaori.
4. Toradora!
Studio: J.C. Staff
Ryuji Takasu tries his best to blend in with the normal crowd at his high school, but nevertheless, his brooding stature and intimidating eyes always leave him with a bad reputation. To make matters worse, his negative reputation is only emphasized when he has a run in with feisty Taiga Aisaka. Their fates get intertwined with Taiga accidentally gives Ryuji a confession letter meant for his best friend and the truth comes out that Ruuji has a crush on Taiga's best friend. The two form an agreement to help the other out with their love lives and in the process form an unbreakable bond. The anime follows them as they discover they might not fully understand love and realize it might be closer than either of them had thought. With Ryuji's overbearaing and caring nature and Taiga's undeniable loud personality, the two high schooler's learn they have signed up for more than what they bargained for. Join Ryuji and Taiga in Toradora!, a romantic comedy all about learning about what true love really means!
6. Hyouka
Studio: Kyoto Animation
Hotaro Oreki's only goal is to get through high school without spending too much energy on any one thing. His pragmatic lifestyle is only slightly interrupted when he joins his school's Classic Literature Club at the request of his sister in aims of keeping the club alive. To his surprise, the club already has interest by the student Eru Chitanda, an insanely curious girl who pushes Oreki's boundaries more than a couple of times. With his friends Satoshi Fukube and Mayaka Ibara, the four students embark on some interesting, and even mysterious, adventures involving different aspects of the high school experience. As the club members all grow closer, Oreki begins to notice how much Chitanda has changed him for the better and has opened his eyes to the true curiosities the world has to offer. With beautiful animation, the standard of any Kyoto Animation show, and patient pacing, Hyouka perfectly embodies the high school life and how love can often change a person for the better.
8. Lovely Complex
Studio: Toei Animation
There hasn't been a more comedic duo in high school than that of Risa Koizumi and Atsushi Oreki, two regular students who are known to constantly bicker and fight in all of their mutual classes. Most of their relationship is in relation to their heights; Risa being quite a bit taller than the average high school girl, and Oreki being a tad on the short side for the average guy. Both frustrated and worried that they won't find someone to date, especially since their heights have often caused a number of problems, they decide to team up and help each other! Things begin to change when Risa realizes that the person she has the most in common with is Oreki himself, and she starts to question her feelings towards him. With characters that will no doubt make you laugh and cheer on, Lovely Complex is the perfect lighthearted slice of life with the perfect amount of romance. You just can't get enough of the odd paired duo who star in this anime, and you find yourself hoping they'll someday fall in love!
10. Ouran High School Host Club
Studio: Bones
Newly transferred to a highly revered prep school, Haruhi Fujioka, while originally seeking a quiet place to study, finds herself amidst the lively Ouran Academy Host Club. While being interrogated by the members of the club, she accidentally knocks over an extremely expansive vase, leaving her either with crippling debt, or the option to become a member of the notorious host club. Taking the latter option, Haruhi joins the club, initially giving off the impression of being a guy and therefore having the role of wooing girls like the other hosts. Once the other hosts discover she's actually a girl, blooming romances immediately develop, especially from the "king" of the Host Club, Tamaki Suoh, himself. Fun scenarios and intriguing characters, Ouran High School Host Club is a classic in the genre of slice of life romance that truly set the standard for the current anime being produced. It offers all that you would want in an anime, from heart-pounding confessions to hysterical character interactions. You can't go wrong with this one, and we just know you'll absolutely fall head over heels for this anime!
1. Your Name
Studio: CoMix Wave Films
Your Name will absolutely leave your breathless with its remarkable visuals, captivating plot, and memorable characters. Just released here in the U.S., this slice of life follows high school students Taki and Mitsuha who live in very different parts of modern day Japan. Mitsuha lives in a rural town residing in the Hida mountain range, dedicating a majority of her free time to help out her grandma with the local shrine. She dreams of a busy life in Tokyo where she can regularly go to cafes and enjoy the hustle and bustle of the city life. Taki does exactly that, as he lives right in the heart of Tokyo, taking the trains to school and to his job as a waiter. Both of their lives takes a turn for the bizarre when they find themselves switching bodies at random. Follow these two students as they try to discover the mystery of the body switching phenomenon while simultaneously try to live a life completely opposite to their own. We can't praise this anime enough for both making you laugh and cry all in one beautiful film!
3. Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day
Studio: A-1 Pictures
Jinta Yadomi finds himself isolated from the outside world years after the death of one of his close childhood friends. The result of this unexpected death also tore apart the one eclectic friend group he once called his own. Suddenly he finds himself face to face with the ghost of Meiko "Menma" Honma, the friend he lost years ago, within his very own home. She announces that she has a wish, although she can't quite remember the details of said wish, and requests his help in fulfilling it. Jinta's journey with Menma reunites the group of friends while at the same time explores each character's struggles in their individual lives. Each character brings to light various real-life struggles and shows the true difficulties in growing up. Exploring themes of friendship, unrequited love, and dark pasts, Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day is a slice of life romance that will have you rooting for every character and anxious to see what happens next!
5. Monthly Girl's Nozaki-Kun
Studio: Doga Kobo
It takes a lot of courage to confess to your crush, but what if when you did, they gave you their autograph instead? Welcome to the life of Chiyo Sakura, your average high school girl who decided to give her all and confess to her love Umetaro Nozaki, a discreet shojo manga artist, only to have him mistake her confession as a fan wanting his autograph. Now Sakura finds herself helping Nozaki each day with his manga as an attempt to get closer to him, all the while meeting a variety of eccentric people along the way. She finds herself surprised again and again that the stoic and very masculine Nozaki writes such romantic manga, even so, Sakura still continues to develop feelings towards him the more time she spends with him. Meet wildly funny and witty characters in this off-the wall romantic slice of life that will never leave you feeling empty.
7. The Pet Girl of Sakurasou
Studio: J.C. Staff
After refusing to give up a stray cat he found starving on the streets, Sorata Kanda finds himself kicked out of his old dorm and now forced to stay at the infamous Sakura Dormitory. Home to some of the most peculiar, as well as some of the most talented, of art students, Sakura Dormitory becomes Sorata's new home. While there, he befriends some pretty remarkable students, including that of the world famous artist Mashiro Shiina, a transfer student who gave up on painting simply to become a manga artist. Sorata finds himself unusually drawn to Mashiro, even though she has little to no skills in the way of taking care of oneself. While struggling to figure outo what he wants to do for the rest of his life and what he's good at, Sorata starts to learn from the unconventional figures around him and begins to view them as a type of family. With the realistic problems of careers, ambitions, and even talents, The Pet Girl of Sakurasou has a lot to offer! The characters are downright lovable and the relationship between Sorata and Mashiro is one of a kind, both solidifying its rightful place on this list!
9. The Girl Who Leapt Through Time
Studio: Madhouse
I think we've all wondered what it would be like to travel through time and what exactly we would do with a power like that, well protagonist Makoto Konna discovers just that in The Girl Who Leapt Through Time. Makoto, your average everyday teenager, finds herself in the oddest of situations when the brakes on her bicycle suddenly fail her, and instead of being impaled by the oncoming train, she winds up in the moments right before the deadly accident. With a little more experimentation, Makoto discovers that she has somehow attained the ability to leap through time. Her actions start small like avoiding being late for school or her best friend's love confession gone wrong, but she starts to play with the ability further to really test its limits. All while Makoto plays with time, she finds herself falling for the enigmatic, yet close friend of hers, Chiaka Mamiya. As events consprie, she begins to question Chiaka's knowledge on her time travel ability. At the same time, she begins to notice strange tattoos on her arm marking how many time leaps she has left. Jump on board this slice of life romance with a science fiction twist for an endearing and fun tale you won't easily forget!
