20 of the Greatest Romance Manga Ever Published

A comprehensive list of the best romance manga series across all genres

Last Updated: December 2, 2022 References

Let’s face it: nothing beats a good love story. From high school rivalries and unlikely friendships to supernatural hijinks and fantastical adventures, there are so many possibilities in fictional romance—and the world of romance manga explores just about all of them. Whether you’re new to the genre or are just looking for a fresh new read, we’ve got you covered with tons of classic and modern tales that are sure to catch your interest.

Things You Should Know

Explore classic romance manga titles like Fruits Basket, Maid-Sama!, Ouran High School Host Club, and Skip Beat!
Dive into modern romance manga tales such as Horimiya, Kaguya-sama: Love is War, My Dress-Up Darling, and Wotakoi: Love is Hard for Otaku.
Check out queer romance manga like Catch These Hands! and Given.

1

Fruits Basket

A girl discovers herself and the importance of love within a supernatural family. In Fruits Basket, independent Tohru is ready to carve out her own path after her mother’s death. After a case of accidental trespassing, however, she finds herself acquainted with the Sohma family. She comes to learn that the Sohmas are no ordinary household—they’re actually cursed to turn into Chinese zodiac animals whenever they receive a hug from a member of the opposite sex.^{[1]
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- Author: Natsuki Takaya
- Age rating: 13+
- Subgenres: Comedy, drama, supernatural
- Anime adaptation: Yes

2

Skip Beat!

A girl finds love while on a quest for revenge. In Skip Beat!, it’s no secret that Kyouko deeply cares for her childhood friend Shou, especially when she travels with him to Tokyo as he makes a name for himself in the world of entertainment. Shou, however, admits that he only sees her as a glorified housekeeper. Hurt and newly motivated, Kyouka embarks on a revenge-fueled journey—but ends up crossing paths with actor Ren along the way.^{[2]
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- Author: Yoshiki Nakamura
- Age rating: 13+
- Subgenres: Comedy, drama
- Anime adaptation: Yes

3

Ouran High School Host Club

A girl finds chaos (and romance) when she’s joins her school’s host club. Haruhi attends the elite Ouran High School Academy on a scholarship—so when she accidentally destroys the host club’s expensive vase, she’s forced to join the titular Ouran High School Host Club in order to clear her ledger. In the process, she catches the eye of Tamaki, the host club’s leader.^{[3]
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- Author: Bisco Hatori
- Age rating: 14-17
- Subgenres: Comedy, drama, high school romance, reverse harem
- Anime adaptation: Yes

4

Dengeki Daisy

This series follows the gradual relationship between a student and a janitor. In Dengeki Daisy, Teru keeps in touch with the anonymous Daisy after her older brother’s death. Teru’s relationship with Daisy is nice and supportive, while her newfound relationship with school janitor Kurosaki is rude and antagonistic. Is Kurosaki really the jerk he seems to be, or could he be the mysterious Daisy that she’s messaging?^{[4]
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- Author: Kyousuke Motomi
- Age rating: 15+
- Subgenres: Comedy, drama, high school romance
- Anime adaptation: No

5

Love*Com

Risa and Atsushi are brought together after a bizarre twist in their love lives. In Love*Com, Risa likes Atsushi’s friend, and Atsushi likes her friend. In a bid to help each other out, both agree to be each other’s matchmakers. Everything goes awry, however, when their crushes fall in love with each other.^{[5]
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- Author: Aya Nakahara
- Age rating: 13+
- Subgenres: Comedy, drama, high school romance
- Anime adaptation: Yes

6

Maid-Sama!

An unexpected relationship forms in a high school that recently became co-ed. In Maid-sama, strict student council president Misaki is the first girl to ever hold the throne. Unfortunately, her reign is in jeopardy when her classmate Usui discovers her secret job at a maid cafe. Usui doesn’t spill the beans, though—and their relationship eventually blooms into something more.^{[6]
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- Author: Hiro Fujiwara
- Age rating: 13+
- Subgenres: Comedy, high school romance
- Anime adaptation: Yes

7

Snow White with the Red Hair

A prince and a regular girl develop a special relationship. When herbalist Shirayuki finds herself in the crosshairs of egocentric Prince Raji, she chops off her locks and runs away. On her journey in Snow White with the Red Hair, she crosses paths with Prince Zen—and a whole new path unfolds for her as she starts to work in his kingdom.^{[7]
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- Author: Sorata Akizuki
- Age rating: 14-17
- Subgenres: Drama, fantasy
- Anime adaptation: Yes

8

Ao Haru Ride

Futaba tries to reconnect with her first crush, but finds that he’s changed. In Ao Haru Ride, Futaba’s feminine charm nets her more admirers than friends—she resolves to live life as a tomboy. Everything changes, however, when her very first love interest makes an appearance at school.^{[8]
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- Author: Io Sakisaka
- Age rating: 14-17
- Subgenres: Comedy, drama, high school romance, slice-of-life
- Anime adaptation: Yes

9

Honey So Sweet

Opposites attract when kind-hearted girl reconnects with an old classmate. In the world of Honey So Sweet, Nao once lent a helping hand to her classmate, Taiga. She forgot about the gesture, but her rough-around-the-edges peer never did—and now that they’re in high school, he wants their relationship to be something more.^{[9]
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- Author: Amu Meguro
- Age rating: 13+
- Subgenres: Comedy, high school romance, slice-of-life
- Anime adaptation: No

10

Horimiya

This story explores the importance of not judging a person by their looks. In Horimya, high schooler Hori pretends to be a normal student, despite being a glorified parent and caretaker for her younger sibling. Her secret identity comes to a head when she meets Miyamura, a fellow student who is also more than he appears to be. A new relationship develops as they feel free to be themselves around one another.^{[10]
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- Author: HERO
- Artist: Daisuke Hagiwara
- Age rating: 13+
- Subgenres: High school romance
- Anime adaptation: Yes

11

Waiting for Spring

Shy Mitsuki forms an unexpected friendship with several basketball players. In Waiting for Spring, Mitsuki finds her peaceful workplace interrupted by 4 popular basketball players from her school. Although the jocks seem conceited at first, Mitsuki learns that there’s more to these guys than what meets the eye.^{[11]
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- Author: Anashin
- Age rating: 14-17
- Subgenres: High school romance, love polygon
- Anime adaptation: No

12

Kaguya-sama: Love Is War

Two students turn their not-so-secret feelings for each other into an epic battle. In Kaguya-sama: Love Is War, school council president Miyuki and vice president Kaguya are an iconic duo at their school, even if they aren’t actually dating. Here’s the thing, though—they both really like each other, but neither wants to admit it. An epic conflict ensues as they try to get the other to share their feelings first.^{[12]
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- Author: Aka Akasaka
- Age rating: 14-17
- Subgenres: Comedy, high school romance
- Anime adaptation: Yes

13

The Quintessential Quintuplets

Fuutarou gets more than he bargained for while tutoring five quintuplet sisters. In The Quintessential Quintuplets, Star student Fuutarou lands a tutoring position instructing the wealthy Nakano siblings: Ichika, Nino, Miku, Yotsuba, and Itsuki. Chaos (and romance!) ensue as he finds his heart being pulled in 5 different directions.^{[13]
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- Author: Negi Haruba
- Age rating: 16+
- Subgenres: Harem, high school romance
- Anime adaptation: Yes

14

The Demon Prince of Momochi House

A family inheritance thrusts Himari into a supernatural world (and romance). In The Demon Prince of Momochi House, Orphan Himari is surprised to learn that she’s inheriting a huge house from her birth family—and even more surprised to learn that said house sits between the physical and spiritual world. Shoved into this new reality, Himari crosses paths with the mysterious Aoi, who saves her life.^{[14]
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- Author: Aya Shouoto
- Age rating: 13+
- Subgenres: Fantasy, supernatural
- Anime adaptation: No

15

Living-Room Matsunaga-san

A student makes an unexpected connection with one of her uncle's tenants. On her way to the boarding house, Miko thinks she’s being stalked—only to learn that Jun, the creeper in question, is also staying at her uncle’s place. Despite her initial embarrassment, Miko learns in Living-Room Matsunaga-san that life at her uncle’s boarding house might not that bad, especially with Jun there.^{[15]
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- Author: Keiko Iwashita
- Age rating: 14-17
- Subgenres: Slice-of-life
- Anime adaptation: No

16

Love In Focus

A love triangle zooms into view at a high school boarding academy. Love In Focus follows aspiring photographer Mako, who attends a boarding school with an excellent photography curriculum. But upon moving in, she finds herself living near her longtime friend Kei—as well as Amemura, her camera-shy classmate.^{[16]
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- Author: Youko Nogiri
- Age rating: 13+
- Subgenres: High school romance
- Anime adaptation: No

17

My Dress-Up Darling

A loner and a model bond in a world of dolls, sewing, and cosplay. My Dress-Up Darling follows Gojo, a solitary student who loves hina dolls—and as the recipient of his family’s doll business, he knows his way around a sewing machine. When his beautiful classmate Marin discovers his talent for sewing, she recruits him to help her with some of her cosplays. As the two spend more time together, their partnership slowly transforms into something more.^{[17]
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- Author: Shinichi Fukuda
- Age rating: 13+
- Subgenres: High school romance, slice-of-life
- Anime adaptation: Yes

18

Wotakoi: Love is Hard for Otaku

Secret otaku Narumi dates a fellow otaku co-worker. Wotakoi: Love is Hard for Otaku follows the story of Narumi, a woman who loves manga and anime. But when this passion ends her old relationship, she finds herself starting a new job where only 3 people know about her secret hobbies. As fate would have it, one of these people is Hirotaka, Narumi’s childhood friend who is an otaku himself.^{[18]
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- Author: Fujita
- Age rating: 16+
- Subgenres: Comedy
- Anime adaptation: Yes

19

Catch These Hands!

A lost bet puts former delinquent Takebe in a new relationship. In Catch These Hands!, Takebe runs into her old rival Soramori, who lays down a strange gauntlet—if Takebe can’t beat her in a fight, they have to start dating. One lost fight later, Takebe finds herself tossed into a completely unexpected relationship.^{[19]
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- Author: murata
- Age rating: 13+
- Subgenres: Comedy, LGBTQ+ (girls’ love), slice-of-life
- Anime adaptation: No

20

Given

A grieving musician finds his voice with the help of his newfound bandmate. In Given, Mafuyu struggles to express the crippling grief he feels over the loss of his friend and partner—until he crosses paths with Uenoyama, who invites Mafuyu to join his band. Through the highs and lows of this new venture with Uenoyama, Mafuyu learns how to share all of his feelings hidden within.^{[20]
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- Author: Natsuki Kizu
- Age rating: 13-17
- Subgenres: Drama, LGBTQ+ (boys’ love)
- Anime adaptation: Yes