Romance remains the dominant theme of 2024 animated align. With the Fall 2024 anime season in full swing, it’s safe to say that anime love stories have remained at the forefront and sweeping fans off their feet. The year started with gems like A sign of affection And 7th time loopand it continues with the last entries like Blue box And Fiancé Yakuza.
Luckily, like previous seasons, the fall 2024 romance lineup offers a variety of love stories ranging from wholesome to downright spicy. Surprisingly, the most interesting aspect of this season’s romance titles is the fact that they are all thematically complete. Fans can find a mix of underlying themes and different subgenres tied together by strong love stories and relatable characters that make viewers swoon this season.
6 365 Days to the Wedding is an office romance with a twist
Broadcast on Crunchy roll
Office romance anime are rare, with only a handful coming out each year. Fans of romance anime have always appreciated a good love story brewing in the congestion of cubicles filled with overworked young adults with little to no experience in the romance department. 365 days before the wedding begins with a note similar to that two extremely introverted colleagues find themselves in an impossible situation.
When the employees learn that one of them will be traveling to their new Alaska branch and that singles will be favored, chaos ensues. Afraid of traveling long distances and stuck in Alaska for years, everyone thinks it would have been better to get married because employees with families would be spared. As for Takuya, a guy who always arrives too late to say the right thing, he believes it would be impossible for him to find a relationship within a year until the mysterious and beautiful Rika steps in to save the day.
Related
How Dandadan Anime Perfectly Teased Its Romantic Undertones
Rather than adhering to traditional romantic comedy pacing and tropes, Dandadan keeps things fresh and interesting in its own way.
THE two hatch a plan to announce a fake marriage to avoid being shipped, but their little lie spirals out of control when it starts to become real. Although the fake relationship trend is overused, it remains a fan favorite in romantic comedies. 365 days before the wedding makes great use of the trope to fuel its slow-burn romance. Like most office romances, 365 days doesn’t get too bold and stays in the realm of gentle and wholesome. The anime isn’t exactly as “happening” as More than a married couple, but not loverswhich happens to be based on the fake marriage trope. However, the winning trait of the series is its extremely laid-back and relaxing vibe, making it a great, non-committal one-season anime title.
5 Ranma ½ brings back nostalgia
Broadcast on Netflix
Ranma ½ is one of the most memorable classic romantic comedies of all time. The series remains a cult classic, and now, with its highly anticipated revival on Netflix, fans can get the chance to relive the over-the-top comedy and complicated love triangles all over again. The story primarily focuses on a rebellious martial artist named Ranma Saotome, whose hand has been promised to three different women in marriage from another dojo. However, before his love story can begin, Ranma and his father extract a rare Chinese curse in which they then transform into a girl and a panda whenever they come into contact with cold water.
The original series spanned seven series and ran for almost nine years, gaining worldwide popularity.
The only consolation in this strange situation is that the two can return to their original forms by pouring hot water on themselves.. Surprisingly, for Ranma, transforming into a girl is the least of his problems as he finds himself entangled in a web of countless love interests who keep appearing out of the blue. As the story progresses, a dozen love interests accumulate, obsessed with the different versions of Ranma, but who would he choose in the end? Ranma ½ is an overdose of comedy with plenty of drama, romance, and exploration of almost all kinds of romantic angles. It’s safe to say that die-hard fans of the classic series would definitely fall in love with the polished version and the nostalgia it brings.
- Release date
- October 6, 2024
- Cast
- Kappei Yamaguchi, Megumi Hayashibara, Noriko Hidaka, Minami Takayama, Kikuko Inoue, Akio Otsuka, Chō, Shou Okumura, Soshiro Hori, Kouichi Souma, Koichi Yamadera
- Seasons
- 1
- Character(s)
- Ranma Saotome, Ranma, Akane Tendo, Nabiki Tendo, Kasumi Tendo, Soun Tendo, Genma Saotome, Passerby, Postman, Guide Jusenkyo
4 The Way I Attended an All-Guy’s Mixer is the Surprise Fall 2024 Contender
Streaming Amazon Prime Video
There’s only so much uniqueness that a genre like romance can evoke in each title. Surprisingly, diversity is the romance’s strong point, and that’s what fans can expect How I attended a men’s mixer. The show went unnoticed due to its gentle themes and relaxing pace. However, if viewers want a more subtle, adult version of Ouran High School Host ClubThis sleeper hit should not be missed. It all starts with the lead actress of the series, who works in a cross-dressing bar and is popular there for her princely character. One day, she invites one of her classmates, Tokiwa, to a mixer, who accepts Suou’s invitation and arrives with her two other friends to the meeting.
Related
15 New Nostalgic Shojo Romances
From Kyo and Tohru to Usagi and Mamoru, some of shojo anime’s most recent romances feel totally nostalgic.
However, to their surprise, the women they expected to meet were actually dressed like their handsome male personas. Thus begins a series of awkward but comical interactions between Suou and Tokiwa’s friends as they learn to stick together. Despite the strange situation, these endearing characters somehow find common ground that kicks off three distinct love stories that will have viewers swooning. Unlike relying on exaggerating circumstances and overwhelming fans with reactions and clichés, anime takes an incredibly calming approach when it comes to romance. Whether it’s the pace of the story, the characters or the concept, How I attended a men’s mixer is a silent winner on all fronts.
How I attended a men’s mixer
- Release date
- October 5, 2024
- Cast
- Mikako Komatsu, Shunsuke Takeuchi, Aoi Yuki, Shun Horie
- Seasons
- 1
- Writers
- Smart decoration
- Network
- Tokyo MX
- Directors
- Kazuomi Koga
- Character(s)
- Suo (voice), Tokiwa (voice), Fuji (voice), Asagi (voice), Kohaku (voice), Hagi (voice)
3 Nina, the star-studded bride, serves hopeless romantics
Broadcast on Crunchy roll
Some romance anime are meant to elevate the depth of the genre and remind fans of the simple things that make a good love story tick. Nina the starry bride has a classic aura and animation; one that resembles recent hits like 7th time loop And Why Raeliana ended up at the Duke’s mansion. As fate would have it, Nina’s story is somewhat similar to other heroines of historical novels who were dealt a difficult hand. Orphaned and abused since childhood, Nina had a difficult life, but as fate would have it, the blue-eyed beauty caught the attention of the dazzling and stoic Prince Azure. Resembling the late Princess Alisha, promised to a powerful neighboring kingdom, the prince hatches a plan to replace the princess with Nina.
However, one thing that wasn’t part of his plan was falling in love with the star-studded bride himself. It’s safe to say that despite how closely the series follows the Cinderella trope, the anime has the potential to depict a swoon-worthy story. Embodying all the traits of a classic historical love story, Nina the starry bride will tug at the heartstrings of hopeless romantics. The slow and steady blossoming of the romance between the protagonists, accompanied by a magnificent setting, will undoubtedly appeal to fans of the genre.
2 Blue Box is a wholesome love story with underlying themes of friendship and sports
Broadcast on Netflix
Blue box started out as one of the most anticipated anime of fall 2024. Luckily, it lived up to the hype and transported fans to a relaxing world of dazzling animation and incredibly wholesome plot. Blue box follows the story of high school students Taiki and Chinatsu, who bond over their mutual love of their respective sports. Unbeknownst to Taiki, due to her and Chinatsu’s good family dynamics, the latter comes to live with Taiki’s family while her parents travel abroad.
Thus begins the surreal journey of Taiki’s romantic dream and badminton as he navigates his feelings living under the same roof as his crush and his inspiration. Unlike most high school romantic comedies, Blue box has an incredibly calming pace and build-up. The story and characters weren’t rushed to serve fans’ appetite for a juicy love story. It’s a slow-burn romance that comes with stunning visuals, earthy ambiances, a refreshing story, and an aura of tranquility.
Blue box
- Cast
- Reina Ueda, Akari Kitō, Shoya Chiba
- Seasons
- 1
- Creator(s)
- Koji Miura
1 Yakuza Fiance: Raise wa Tanin ga li is far from a typical high school drama
Broadcast on Crunchy roll
Fans had high hopes Fiancé Yakuza to deliver an action-packed love story that strays as far from convention as possible. Whether it’s a free-spirited female protagonist with a strong sense of independence, or a borderline toxic male protagonist, Yakuza Fiance thrives in its portrayal of the year’s zaniest love story. Besides using character archetypes to some extent, there is nothing typical about the anime and the type of romance it depicts. There are motives, hidden intentions, mystery and a lot of blood involved in Yoshino and Kirishima’s love story. The two are brought together under the obligations of their respective Yakuza families.
However, despite a bad start, Kirishima realizes that Yoshino’s “gangster” side is something he had missed terribly in a partner.. Obviously, what sets the anime apart is its unapologetic use of the yakuza storyline that isn’t just for show. Most of the action and arcs take place outside of school, and there are secrets at every turn. As for Yoshino, she may have come to join forces with Kirishima, but danger still looms over her unpredictable personality, bloody past, and violent tendencies. Fans who love a spicy romance with a steamy, hot and cold relationship would definitely love it Yakuza Fiance.
- Release date
- October 7, 2024
- Cast
- Hitomi Ueda, Akira Ishida, Kôji Yusa, Hiroshi Kamiya, Yôji Ueda, Kazuya Nakai, Reina Ueda, Hiroshi Shimozaki, Ryota Takeuchi, Katsuyuki Konishi
- Seasons
- 1
- Character(s)
- Yoshino Somei, Kirishima Miyama, Shoma Toriashi, Azami Suo, Renji Somei, Gaku Miyama, Tsubaki Akashigata, Sōta Inamori, Aoi Tachibana, Taketo Hotei