It’s the season of romance — and what better way to spend a cozy evening than binge-watching a romantic anime with your boo?
While long-running series like Fruits Basket or Love is War are absolutely delicious to dig into, they also require a certain level of investment (especially as you grip the edge of your couch on the emotional rollercoaster of highs and lows). Luckily, there are some prime one-season romance anime out there, perfect for one or two evenings of cuddling on the couch.
Where to watch: Prime Video
One of the best parts of this show is that the couple gets together in the first episode. Two childhood friends reconnect when they find themselves working at the same company. After yaoi-fangirl Narumi laments about how her geeky interests are off-putting to potential suitors, gamer Hirotaka proposes that they should just date, since they’re both otaku. Thus begins a very sweet romance interposed with fun nerd culture quirks, like cosplaying, gaming, and conventions. Narumi and Hirotaka strike up a quick friendship with two of their coworkers — who also happen to be major geeks in a relationship. These two have been dating since high school, though, so the juxtaposition of a new couple and a seasoned one is particularly fun.
Where to watch: Crunchyroll
Another workplace romance, The Ice Guy and his Cool Female Colleague takes place in a world where mythological Japanese beings live and work alongside humans like it’s no big deal. The titular Ice Guy is smitten with his stoic female co-worker, especially since she doesn’t freak out about his ice powers like most people do. It’s a very slow burn (slow… melt?) romance that builds up the friendship between the two characters. Like Wotakoi, part of the fun is the quirky side characters and their own little romances, especially since many of them are also fantastical creatures!
Where to watch: Crunchyroll
Take the basic premise of You’ve Got Mail, but instead of anonymous email penpals, it’s MMORPG
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