Best Romance Episode Stories- Review and Buying Guide
Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks,
But bears it out even to the edge of doom.
If this be error and upon me proved,
I never writ, nor no man ever loved.
– Shakespeare, Sonnet 116
Yes, men can love romantic stories too! Granted, these are closer to comic books than Shakespeare, but still, that’s the audience for seinen romance anime – men, young and old. It’s easy to see too. Every story has a strong and brave leading man who partners with an equally powerful and strong woman who helps him overcome some obstacle – at least, that’s the overall arch.
Along the way, the twists and turns, plots and subplots mix in lots of different genres. Sometimes they’re fighting together against something scary, creating a horror romance. Sometimes it’s all doom and gloom amid a budding romance and becomes a disaster romance…well, you get the picture.
Why romance episode stories have become so popular is because they’re action-packed, told in Japanese anime and all involve a beautiful woman. These are stories young men can identify with or imagine themselves in the shoes of the hunky hero, winning the day for his ride or die warrior chick. The story is usually told from the view of a knowing narrator in an engaging way that keeps the story going episode after episode.
So what are the best romance episode stories out there? Well, it just so happens that we’ve reviewed the best seinen romance anime and compiled this list of the top 10 action-packed, thrill-ride, adventure romance episode stories to whet your appetite!
10 Best Romance Episode Stories
1. Yep, Based off of Shakespeare’s Play – Romeo and Juliet
Just like the famous bard’s classic play Romeo and Juliet, the anime version once again pits the Capulets against the Montagues, except this time, Juliet is all alone – the last known survivor of her family line. The starcrossed dynamic continues to build once she discovers that Romeo is a Montague and yet eventually falls for him.
The family stuff is in the background though. What drives the many different subplots are themes centered around family loyalty, real enemies versus imagined ones, and the power of true love. Unlike Shakespeare’s version, Juliet pretends to be a boy. It’s still a kind of homage to Shakespeare since his plays were made up of all male casts back in the 1600s.
In the end, the pair must decide to choose each other or let family loyalty rip them apart. Since this is a romance episode story, we don’t know if they eventually kill themselves like the original Romeo and Juliet. Fans will just have to keep reading to find out!
2. Is it wrong to pick up girls in a Dungeon?
I think the title says it all right? Well, maybe not. Is it wrong to pick up girls in a dungeon? This saucy series mixes gods and goblins in an underworld that features a massive dungeon. In the manga version, the star of the book, Bell is one of many who are hooked on the irresistible Ais Wallenstein the swordsman, including goddesses, round-the-way girls, and the goddess whom Bell serves is also crushing on Ais.
Trying to impress Ais, Bell pulls himself up by his bootstraps to better himself as adventure and danger challenge him day by day. In the seinen romance animie version, it’s Bell and Hestia who end up falling for each other once Hestia starts getting maternal instincts.
The series follows Bell as he ascends from his lowly station against the backdrop of his and Hestia’s blooming romance. There are many other plots and twists – but we don’t want to give anything away!
3. Macross: Do you remember love?
Macross is one of the most popular romance episode stories with both film and anime credits. Music plays a big role in these stories like many anime series. This one centers on a love triangle between a military officer, a young admirer, and a female music star.
Whose feelings are real and will they last? The episodes take readers on an adventure into outer space after an intergalactic battle leaves survivors trapped hiding out in the Macross Fortress and evading the Zentradi nemesis.
In the most recent film version, the love triangle narrows down to two – but whom? Who eventually gets with pop star Linn Minmay?
4. InuYasha: The Final Act
One thing that we don’t question is Kagome and Inuyasha’s love for each other. It’s true love, no question about it. What makes this series so intriguing are the extraordinary obstacles that stand in the way or threaten to destroy their love.
Both are unique with special powers; Inuyasha a half boy, half demon immortal and Kagome a sweet girl with special powers. Through the series, Kagome learns how to control and use her powers from Inuyasha.
Inuyasha on the other hand is struggling with whether or not to choose a mortal life with Kagome over immortality without her. Meanwhile, the pair is teamed up with a circle of close friends on a quest to round up sacred jewels that are needed for an end of the world type of battle – you just have to read the stories!
5. Castle in the Sky
Pazu is an engineer’s apprentice in search of a mythical castle in the sky who is in love with Sheeta, bearer of a powerful magic crystal; a family heirloom given to her to protect from military agents hell bent on stealing it from her.
On his search for the floating castle in the mystical land of Laputa, Pazu meets Sheeta and after falling for her helps her to protect her family heirloom from military thugs. She in turn gets drawn into his search for the magical castle in the sky that he’s been looking for.
There are lots of different adventures on the dual quests that run parallel throughout the series. Are they looking for Laputa or on the run from military agents?
6. The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya
Everything in the world (and out of this world) is going on in the Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya romance episode stories. There are aliens, government conspiracies, supernatural occurrences, and time travel just to name a few!
Haruhi, the young heroine and true believer in outer worldly phenomena finds a soul mate in Kyon, a fellow believer in the supernatural things and turns out, also a…well, let’s not give away too much. Let’s just say in the first episode reality itself is upended for Kyon and it just gets more fascinating from there.
Together as part of the SOS Brigade club, the duo work together to unravel the mysterious goings on with people disappearing – and reappearing suddenly and how it all has to do with aliens, special keys and what not!
7. Rurouni Kenshin
It’s originally a manga series with just enough romance to make it a romance episode story. In fact the creator of the series set out to make these stories manga, but different. Instead of outer space or in the future, this story begins in the second half of the 19th century in Japan and involves two warrior types – one man and one woman – who eventually form a romance.
For instance, Kenshin, the hero of the piece is a skilled samurai swordsman and a former assassin who is dedicated to protecting people, but never taking a life. Most manga books are full of violence and fearless warriors don’t hesitate to slice a neck of a bad guy with a samurai sword!
Kenshin teams up with the equally lethal female counterpart, Kaoru Kamiya. She too has a strong love for the people and uses her fighting powers to do good. Both are really tough but both are going to have to soften their gruff exteriors a little in order to truly fall in love.
8. Yona of the Dawn
Yona of the Dawn is a saga type manga series that begins on the night of the 16th birthday party of Princess Yona of Kouka. However, the festivities are interrupted when she goes to tell her father something and instead witnesses his murder.
In classic damsel in distress style, the gallant Son Hak – Yona’s close childhood friend – saves her from the assassin and takes her away to his home village. There they seek wise counsel who sends them off on an adventure to find an oracle who may have the answers to how to restore the fictional Kingdom of Kouka.
What we witness over the course of the series is an entitled princess evolve into a true soldier and a strong companion who may be the one to restore her father’s throne.
9. Little Busters! Refrain
High school days are here again in Little Busters! Refrain. This series has a lot of juicy high school drama and love hate relationships among five besties at a Japanese high school. With baseball as a backdrop, Rin, a baseball lover, falls head over heels for baseball pitcher Riki Naoe.
Riki isn’t just a great athlete – he’s a good guy who believes in justice and fair play like Rin. That’s the basis for their friendship and eventually romantic feelings for each other. After a long friendship, their story ponders that ever elusive answer to the question of whether or not to cross the line.
Do they risk the friendship and pursue their obvious romantic feelings for each other? Or will maintaining the strong and beautiful friendship they’ve created keep them from going any further?
10. The World is Still Beautiful
Last on our list is a princess tale but this princess, Nike has the power to make it rain – literally. It is the only reason why King Livius Orvinius Ifrikia needs her after conquering the world in only 3 days. His Sun Kingdom needs rain, so he forces her to marry him after first jailing her.
Believe it or not, the two turn this sordid affair into true love…maybe. There are so many twists and turns in this story you will never know for certain how they’ll end up. It’s very intriguing and a long lasting series, rooted in manga and full of romance.
