10 best romance anime about first love

Few things resonate more deeply than a romance anime about the very first time someone’s heart races for another person. Romance anime about first love capture that mix of embarrassment, hope, awkward silence, and excitement that real people often keep private.

The medium’s playful visuals, soft color palettes, and tiny details, like a held hand or a delayed text reply, transform these fragile feelings into experiences that fans rewatch repeatedly. Whether viewers are seasoned romance-drama enthusiasts or newcomers to shōjo, the subgenre continues to attract large audiences.

Each series below approaches the “first crush” milestone with a unique perspective. Some offer exaggerated comedy, while others gently explore heartbreak and reconciliation. Fans can expect authentic magic through high-quality animation and soundtracks that linger long after the credits roll.

10 must-watch romance anime about first love

1) As the Moon, So Beautiful

As the Moon, So Beautiful (Image via Feel)

Kotarō Azumi is a quiet bookworm who dreams of becoming a novelist. Akane Mizuno is an athletic but shy track star. When these two third-year middle schoolers are placed in the same class, small smiles and exchanged LINE messages slowly reveal a gentle first love neither expected.

This romance anime about first love embraces silence and subtlety. Background piano notes reflect soft feelings, and long pauses feel real instead of slow. The pastel art style and authentic-feeling cast make every episode end with a short post-credits scene about their classmates.

Viewers find themselves grinning at every “see you tomorrow,” because here, first love is shown as simple daily charm rather than big melodrama.

2) Say I Love You

Mei Tachibana spent her entire school life keeping to herself after an earlier betrayal. Yamato Kurosawa is the popular guy who unexpectedly kisses her to protect her from a stalker.

Their unusual beginning develops into a genuine connection as Mei learns to trust, and Yamato realizes that popularity can’t shield him from real feelings. The series tackles tough topics like social anxiety, unwanted rumors, and physical boundaries alongside heart-fluttering romance.

Soft watercolor backgrounds blend with strong chemistry, making every handhold feel earned in this romance anime about first love. Side characters receive mini-arcs that add depth to the school setting. It’s an emotional introduction for anyone who ever felt invisible in class.

3) Blue Spring Ride

Blue Spring Ride (Image via Production I.G)

Futaba was a quiet girl in middle school who once made a promise to meet the quiet boy Kou at a summer festival. Years later, Kou returns with a new surname and a colder demeanor. That broken promise from years ago makes them wonder if yesterday’s promise could still become tomorrow’s love.

Blue Spring Ride anime fills its scenes with cherry-pink petals and soft blue puddles. Flashbacks use bright yellows, shifting the mood between childhood trust and teenage caution. The pacing keeps viewers hooked with classic shōjo cliffhangers, ending on a hopeful smile that keeps first-love dreams alive.

4) From Me to You

From Me to You (Image via Production I.G)

Sawako Kuronuma resembles the ghost from “Ringu,” making her a school urban legend. Nobody notices her kindness until Kazehaya, the cheerful class heartthrob, sees the real her.

Their growing feelings bloom slowly amid infuriating misunderstandings and cheering classmates, forming a tender story of first love built on patience. Soft watercolor art and sparkles make every episode look like a storybook page.

Sawako’s whispered “thank you” moments feel louder than any shout, and the slow pace mirrors how a shy girl takes tiny steps. Side characters grow fonder of her along with the viewer, creating a warm circle that shows first love can also mean first friendships.

5) My Little Monster

My Little Monster (Image via Brain’s Base)

In My Little Monster anime, Shizuku Mizutani, a top student, is sent to deliver class notes to Haru Yoshida, a delinquent with an unpredictable reputation.

Instead of acting tough, Haru greets her with a sudden hug and a quick confession. Their dynamic flips traditional gender roles as both learn that feelings can be both scary and sweet. Fast editing and cartoonish expressions keep the tone light, even when the story turns serious.

Haru’s boundless energy clashes with Shizuku’s “grades first” mindset, creating both hilarious arguments and heartfelt moments in this romance anime about first love.

6) Lovely Complex

Lovely Complex (Image via Toei Animation)

Risa Koizumi is taller than most boys, while Atsushi “Otani” Ōtani is considerably shorter. The mismatched duo starts as comedy partners who roast each other daily until Risa realizes her jokes hide real feelings.

Overcoming height labels becomes a lesson that size doesn’t matter when hearts fit just right. Gag reels, fast chibi punches, and record-scratch sound effects combine with Osaka slang for pure comedy gold.

Beneath the humor lies a heartfelt message about insecurity, showing that late-night phone calls and shared fries can build a love as solid as any fairytale. Risa’s determined confession remains one of shōjo’s loudest cheering moments.

7) Orange

Orange (Image via Telecom Animation Film, TMS Entertainment)

Naho receives a mysterious letter from her future self, warning her to watch the new transfer student Kakeru’s every move.

At first, she denies the inked prophecies, but each scrawled warning about lost opportunities on rainy days pushes her toward higher first-love stakes, preventing a tragedy that hasn’t happened yet. The blend of sci-fi time travel with gingerbread school days sets Orange apart from typical slice-of-life titles.

TMS Entertainment colors rooftops in warm afternoon orange light, making every sunset highlight “this moment matters.” The edit throws gentle parallel timelines so softly that when the truth hits, first love feels like the biggest responsibility a 16-year-old could shoulder.

8) Horimiya

Kyouko Hori appears to be the perfect, popular student, while Izumi Miyamura hides tattoos and piercings behind long hair.

A chance meeting outside school reveals their disguises, and secret after-school hangouts grow into something warm and genuine for both closeted souls. Efficient episodes and lightning-fast pacing keep things nostalgic and breezy. Spring days spent cooking omelets or walking home feel timeless.

Side couples pop up like bonus dessert, ensuring the classroom stays lively in this romance anime about first love. Horimiya anime shows that comfortable silence beside someone can be just as romantic as fireworks.

9) 5 Centimeters per Second

5 Centimeters per Second (Image via CoMix Wave Films)

Told in three acts, the film follows Takaki Tōno across years, from a snowy train ride to meet his elementary crush Akari, through distant high school glances, and finally into adulthood, where memories drift like cherry blossoms.

First love lingers even as time, distance, and growing up work to erase it. Makoto Shinkai’s trademark skies and detailed cityscapes create poetry on screen. Minimal dialogue leaves room for scenes of typing unsent texts and empty train platforms.

The aching march of everyday life is both beautiful and brutal, reminding viewers that not all first loves last and that truth can be just as powerful as happily ever after.

10) His and Her Circumstances

His and Her Circumstances (Image via Gainax)

Top-scoring Yukino and secret overachiever Arima battle for perfect grades until they discover each other’s carefully hidden nerdy insecurities.

One rooftop monologue breaks down both masks, turning rivals into tentative sweethearts who must rebuild self-worth while learning soft courtship on the fly. Hideaki Anno’s early Gainax touch pours visual chaos: storyboard doodles, theatrical spotlights, and self-referential freeze frames.

Yet beneath the parody and panel crashes, sparks of adolescent vulnerability still burn pure. First love here is less about stolen kisses and more about the brick-by-brick demolition of prideful facades, setting a gold standard for modern character studies.

Conclusion

From soft whispers under night skies to shouted confessions during summer festivals, these ten romance anime about first love prove the genre can stir a range of emotions in the human heart: giddy, nervous, painful, and hopeful.

Each title brings its own flavor, whether viewers seek gentle realism, fast romantic comedy, or poetic heartache. The spark of first love never grows old in anime form; it only becomes more vivid with each new art style and soundtrack. Grab a blanket, queue up the first episode, and let the butterflies begin.