Are you looking for a new romance manga to read? You’re in luck, as there are so many great titles to read, and I have prepared a list featuring the genre’s best titles. From classic love stories to modern romances, there’s something for everyone on this list.
Romance manga series are pretty popular among fans of all age groups. If you don’t believe me, look at all the new anime adapted from popular romance manga!
The romance genre is undoubtedly one of the most popular genres in anime and manga. There are many reasons for this, one of which is how they portray relationships, often focused on the love between its characters, which tend to be very charismatic or have complex backstories that make them relatable.
But, as happens with many genres, there’s a large selection of titles you can pick from, and it can be hard to choose the ones that are worth your time. So, I am here to help you by sharing a great selection of romance titles you can start today, each showcasing different approaches!
Best Romance Manga Series to Read in 2025
1. Horimiya by HERO & Daisuke Hagiwara
Horimiya is a popular manga series featuring a realistic relationship between two high school students with unique struggles, such as a lack of confidence and problems making friends.
The story mainly focuses on Hori, a popular, friendly, and strong-willed girl, and Miyamura, an introvert often considered gloomy and hard to approach.
Both Hori and Miyamura end up getting acquainted, and they become close friends who interact with one another quite frequently. This friendship slowly develops into something more profound, however, and the two of them change one another as they know more about themselves and the people surrounding them.
2. Kaguya-sama: Love is War by Aka Akasaka
Among the most popular manga series on this list, Kaguya-sama: Love is War is probably the most popular one, mainly because of its anime adaptation. But, just like many adaptations, it does not adapt the whole series, and as it is right now, the manga has a lot more content to enjoy!
It involves the student council of the Shuchiin Academy, one of the most elite academies in the world. Miyuki Shirogane is the student council president, and Kaguya Shinomiya is his right-hand and vice president. They are the two most brilliant students in the school.
Unknown to one another, they both love each other, yet they are too proud to confess their feelings first. With that in mind, they battle each day to make the other person fall in love and acknowledge their feelings first. Love is war, indeed!
3. My Dress-Up Darling by Shinichi Fukuda
My Dress-up Darling has gained a massive following since its inception. It is an exciting title focusing on cosplay and has a very adorable female lead, Marin Kitagawa, often considered the best waifu by otakus worldwide!
The tale starts with Wakana Gojo, a high school student who lacks confidence and has difficulty making friends. His main problem lies in his passion for Hina dolls and a traumatic event that afflicted him because of it.
One day, though, he meets Marin, a very popular and cheerful classmate. She’s not scared of professing her love for anime and her passion for cosplaying her favorite characters. Admiring her determination, Gojo decides to help her fulfill her dream of becoming one of her favorite characters, and thus their friendship begins.
4. Wotakoi: Love is Hard for Otaku by Fujita
If you are an otaku who loves anime, manga, or video games, reading this title will show you what a relationship between an otaku couple might look like.
Wotakoi: Love is Hard for Otaku showcases four main characters. The first two are an otaku girl who loves reading and drawing Yaoi and a hardcore gamer who is only interested in video games. The second pair of characters are a cosplay enthusiast and a closeted otaku who likes reading shoujo manga.
Some of these characters have traumas because of their hobbies. They try to enjoy being in a relationship where they can be themselves without worrying about what the other might say. This is a very adorable and comedic title and, indeed, one of the best romance manga series you should read!
5. Kaichou wa Maid-sama! by Hiro Fujiwara
If you like a series involving a complicated relationship between its two main characters, one being cocky and the other serious, Kaichou wa Maid-sama! is definitely for you.
It starts with our main character, Misaki Ayuzawa, the student council president of her academy. She is very reliable and stands as the only hope for female students at the school since it has only recently become a mixed academy.
However, she has a secret—she works part-time at a maid café even when the school forbids it. Takumi Usui, a very popular guy, discovers her secret and decides to enjoy the event and mess with her as much as he can.
6. Ao Haru Ride by Io Sakisaka
Sometimes, love does not go as intended, and this is the main plot of Ao Haru Ride, a story in which backstories play an essential role in developing the plot.
At first, we follow Futaba Yoshioka, who decides to change herself as she attends a new school. She wants to be less ladylike and stop other girls from hating her because of how popular she used to be among boys.
Futaba had a crush, though, on Kou Mabuchi, a boy who moved away before she could even confess. They reunite with one another, but the new Kou is very cold and distant. Conflicted by the feelings she used to have and his new attitude, she tries to interact with him and get to know why he has changed so much.
7. Fruits Basket by Natsuki Takaya
As Tohru Honda, the main protagonist of Fruits Basket, decides to live alone in the wilderness because of personal circumstances, she ends up in the care of the Souma family.
At first, she meets Yuki and Shigure, who inform her that she’s been living on their property. They decide to take care of her, and as she’s being introduced into the household, another family member, Kyo, arrives to challenge Yuki to a duel.
In the fray, Tohru and Kyo make physical contact, and to her surprise, he turns into an animal. Apparently, the Souma family suffers from a curse, and Tohru, as a triggering factor, decides to help them uncover the truth.
8. The Demon Prince of Momochi House by Aya Shouoto
This romance manga starts as a pretty straightforward series but becomes more complex as you continue reading. The premise of The Demon Prince of Momochi House starts with Momochi Himari, an orphan who inherits a family estate on her 16th birthday.
However, the house is claimed to be haunted, which she ignores as she has no other place to go.
Once she arrives, she is surprised by the presence of three handsome men—Aoi, Yukari, and Ise. They try to convince her of the haunting tales, which she ignores, only to eventually find out the truth—her house is a bridge between the world of the living and the world of the spirits, and she was supposed to be its guardian.
9. Sweat and Soap by Kintetsu Yamada
Most romance manga revolves around young high school students, but at times, we want to read something more mature, something that is linked to a relationship between two adults. Thankfully, we have Sweat and Soap!
The tale first introduces the female lead, Asako Yaeshima, who has a body issue. She tends to sweat a lot, making her self-conscious about her smell. However, the products of the company she works for help her with her problem, which is why she loves her job.
One day, though, she finds Koutarou Natori, a big fish in the company, smelling her body odor, which he claims has a lovely scent. Due to this event, they become conscious of one another, and through their jobs, they slowly develop a unique relationship.
10. Wolf Girl & Black Prince by Ayuko Hatta
Wolf Girl & Black Prince is a good romance manga because of its premise and extensive cast of interesting characters. The premise mainly focuses on one thing, though—a relationship built through a lie.
Erika was separated from her friend as classes started and stranded in a new class, so she decided to lie to her classmates to become friends with them. The lie is: “I have a boyfriend,” and she takes a random picture of someone to prove it.
However, the person she takes a picture of is a very popular student at her school, Kyoya. She begs him to help her maintain the facade, but Kyoya has a plan – she has to become his pet if she wants his help!
11. Komi Can’t Communicate by Tomohito Oda
If you’re looking for a heartwarming romance manga, then Komi Can’t Communicate is a must-read. This manga series follows the story of Komi, a girl who struggles with social anxiety and finds it challenging to communicate with others.
Despite her challenges, Komi wants to make 100 friends, and the series follows her journey to achieve this goal.
Throughout the series, Komi meets various characters, including Tadano, a boy who initially helps her with her goal but eventually becomes her love interest. As Komi navigates various social situations, she learns more about herself and begins to open up to those around her.
12. Lovely★Complex by Aya Nakahara
At times, manga series shine because of their interesting premises, and this is also the case with Lovely★Complex, which portrays a compelling story involving its two main characters. It is also considered one of the classics among romance manga that every fan of the genre should read.
The story follows two students. Risa is a very tall girl who, although very shy on the inside, has problems behaving femininely. On the other hand, we have Atsushi, who is very small but is the ace of the basketball team despite his stature.
As friends who share some hobbies, they often hang out together, and people consider them to be incompatible and weird-looking because of their height difference. But they eventually develop feelings for each other, and the relationship progresses from there, sharing struggles and sweet moments.
13. Rent-A-Girlfriend by Reiji Miyajima
Kazuya Kinoshita is a college student who just got dumped by his girlfriend. To move on, he decides to rent a girlfriend named Chizuru Mizuhara through a mobile app. However, things get complicated when Kazuya develops real feelings for Chizuru.
Kazuya is your typical awkward college student, while Chizuru is a confident and independent woman who’s hiding her own secrets.
As the story progresses, Kazuya’s relationship with Chizuru becomes more complicated, and he finds himself in situations where he has to choose between his feelings and his pride. Along the way, he meets other girls who complicate things even further.
14. Shikimori’s Not Just a Cutie by Keigo Maki
Shikimori’s Not Just a Cutie is a romantic manga series that has gained popularity over the years, even receiving an anime adaptation. However, I firmly believe the manga version is better because it excels at showcasing the series’ main strength—Shikimori’s cute and cool side.
This title features Shikimori and Izumi as the main couple. Shikimori is a lovely girl who holds Izumi dearly, and Izumi, on the same note, loves Shikimori unconditionally.
Things become interesting once you see that, to protect her boyfriend from his bad luck, Shikimori can be rather protective and, on many occasions, a really cool person.
15. Snow White with the Red Hair by Sorata Akizuki
Snow White with the Red Hair is the title I remember very fondly since I loved the relationship between the two main characters. It has a nice pace because it doesn’t rush things but doesn’t stale them either, and it isn’t afraid to showcase the feelings both characters have for one another.
On one side, we have Shirayuki, a young and beautiful herbalist girl with striking red hair. Because of this, she catches the attention of the first prince of the kingdom, who decides to make her one of his concubines regardless of her wishes.
She escapes the kingdom to avoid this fate, meeting and befriending Zen, a very athletic and good-looking guy who appears to be good at sword fighting. Eventually, Shirayuki learns the truth—Zen is the second princess of the neighboring kingdom, and to protect her, he invites her to join the royal court as an herbalist.
16. Nisekoi by Naoshi Komi
Nisekoi is a popular romantic manga series. It also tries its hand at the harem genre and showcases a wide cast of characters related to the main protagonist, Raku Ichijou.
That being said, the premise revolves at first around two characters, Raku and Chitoge Kirisaki. You see, Raku is the son and heir of a yakuza family in constant conflict with an American gang, of which Chitoge is a part.
To stop the conflict and avoid a further bloodbath, the two family leaders decide to marry them, and they must act as if they love each other.
This is troubling for both of them, not only because of the circumstances but because Raku is actually in love with one of his classmates, Kosaki Onodera!
17. Kimi ni Todoke: From Me To You by Karuho Shiina
Kimi ni Todoke: From Me To You is another adorable option for those who like wholesome romance manga with cute characters. Plus, this is a completed manga series, so you won’t have to wait every week for the release of a new chapter!
The story starts with a high school girl named Sawako Kuronuma, often called Sadako because she resembles the character from the famous movie, The Ring.
This makes it very hard for her to make friends, even though she is a very adorable girl who only acts with kindness towards others, even those who harm her.
Things begin to change thanks to Shota Kazehaya, one of the popular boys in the school. Under his influence, she starts making friends and gains the confidence to talk to others. And, of course, feelings begin to blossom between them.
18. Tomo-chan Is a Girl! by Fumita Yanagida
The series follows Tomo Aizawa, a tomboy who has been in love with her childhood best friend, Junichiro Kubota, for a long time. However, Junichiro sees her as “one of the boys” and has no romantic feelings for her.
Tomo decides to confess her love to Junichiro, but he misunderstands and thinks that she’s just joking around. From then on, Tomo tries to become more feminine and catch Junichiro’s attention.
The series has charming and relatable characters, including Tomo’s friends and classmates. The art style is simple and cute but also expressive and dynamic. The humor is light and playful but also heartfelt and genuine.
This title is a delightful and enjoyable romance manga that will make you smile and feel good. It’s a perfect choice for beginners and fans of romantic comedies and slice-of-life stories.
19. Orange by Ichigo Takano
Orange is another complex tale that can be very appealing to those wanting something more profound. It also touches on very real problems besides love, including depression and suicide.
The story starts with the main character, Naho, receiving letters from her future self. The letters instruct and guide her through certain things, mainly involving a transfer student named Kakeru. The letters are supposed to help her avoid her greatest regrets, but as you would have expected, she ignores them.
As she starts relating to Kakeru, she quickly notices that the letters tell the truth and that not following the instructions leads to bad things. Apparently, Kakeru will eventually commit suicide, and her future self only wants to save him from such a bleak future.
20. The Quintessential Quintuplets by Negi Haruba
The Quintessential Quintuplets is another romance manga that focuses on the harem genre. It is a rather special and unique title because of its exciting premise—a harem formed by five sisters who are quintuplets.
Futaro Uesugi is a brilliant high school student with his own share of difficulties. His mother passed away, and his family is in debt. He also has no friends because he’s constantly studying, but he’s determined to become successful through studying.
Due to his academic skills, he receives an offer from the Nakano family to be hired as a private tutor for the family’s daughters. He eventually meets them, discovering they are five identical sisters, each with a very different personality. But they all share one particular thing—considerably poor school performance!
21. Given by Natsuki Kizu
This boy’s love manga follows the story of high school student Ritsuka Uenoyama, who feels lost and unfulfilled in his life. One day, he meets Mafuyu Sato, a fellow student who asks Ritsuka to teach him how to play the guitar. As they spend more time together, Ritsuka starts to develop feelings for Mafuyu.
What makes Given stand out is the depth of its characters and their relationships. Ritsuka is a complex protagonist who struggles with his identity and feelings for Mafuyu. Mafuyu, on the other hand, is dealing with some severe emotional trauma that has left him unable to express himself fully.
As the two of them grow closer, they must navigate their issues while trying to figure out what they mean to each other!
22. Boarding School Juliet by Yousuke Kaneda
This story of Boarding School Juliet introduces a fictional world where two rival nations stand against one another. The first is Touwa, a very Japanese-like country, and Occidente, a European-like principality. Although the two nations have signed a peace treaty, their communities hate each other and can’t stand the idea of fraternizing between them.
Then, a school with students from the two nations is introduced. They are separated into two groups: the White Cats from Occidente and the Black Dogs from Touwa, who fight each other constantly.
These two groups of students don’t know that their two leaders, Romio Inuzuka and Juliet Persia, have feelings for one another. They eventually end up in a relationship surrounded by their challenging environment and promise to change things to create a world where they can be together.
23. My Love Story!! by Kazune Kawahara & Aruko
My Love Story!!, also known as Ore Monogatari!!, is possibly one of the most adorable, cutest romance manga series you can read.
The series follows Takeo Gouda, a high school student who is very tall and muscular for his age. This causes him to have problems with girls, especially those he falls in love with, as they all end up falling in love with his best friend, a very cool and handsome guy named Makoto Sunakawa.
Behind his rough looks, however, Takeo is a lovely and affable person who is always willing to do his best for others. One day, he saves Rinko Yamato, a small girl who was being harassed on the train, and she falls in love with him!
24. Rosario to Vampire by Akihisa Ikeda
The story of Rosario to Vampire follows the life of Tsukune Aono, a teenage boy who accidentally enrolls in a boarding school for monsters. The school is hidden from the human world, and Tsukune must keep his identity a secret while navigating the challenges of a monster high school.
Throughout the series, Tsukune’s life is turned upside down as he falls in love with a beautiful vampire named Moka Akashiya. However, Moka is not your average vampire. She has a split personality, and her true nature is hidden.
As Tsukune tries to navigate his way through school, he must also deal with the other students, including a succubus, a witch, and a werewolf. Along the way, he makes new friends and enemies and discovers the truth about his own hidden powers.
This fantasy series is filled with action, romance, and comedy, making it a popular choice for fans of the genre. It is even considered one of the popular Ecchi manga series, as there are a lot of fanservice and mature moments!
25. Sankarea: Undying Love by Mitsuru Hattori
Sankarea: Undying Love is unique and original because it involves the idea of a zombie. Chihiro Furuya is obsessed with zombies and wants to have an undead girlfriend.
One day, he loses his pet cat and, incapable of accepting its fate, decides to raise it from death using a mysterious book he found in the family’s storage room.
Due to a series of events, he meets Rea Sanka, a girl who is constantly harassed by her father. They create a potion to revive the cat, which Rea eventually drinks. She thought it would poison her and kill her because she wanted to end her miserable life. However, it didn’t have that effect.
Unfortunately, Rea ended up dying in a fatal accident soon after, which is when the potion shows its effect. Due to the potion, Rea revives as a zombie, and Chihiro decides to take care of her, making sure that her body doesn’t rot as time goes on.
26. How Do We Relationship? by Tamifull
How Do We Relationship? is a heartwarming romance manga series that follows the love story of two college women, Miwa Inuzuka and Saeko Endou, who start a romance of convenience that soon becomes the real thing.
Miwa is a shy girl who has always dreamed of finding love. However, living in a small town in Japan makes finding the right match difficult, especially since she likes girls. Saeko, on the other hand, is more confident and outgoing, but she’s also dealing with her insecurities and fears.
As they navigate their relationship, they discover more about themselves and each other and learn to overcome their obstacles together.
27. Love Me, Love Me Not by Io Sakisaka
If you’re looking for a completed classic romance manga, Love Me, Love Me Not by Io Sakisaka is an excellent choice.
The story follows Yuna Ichihara, a shy girl who loves to read romance shōjo manga but has never experienced love herself. However, her life changes when she unexpectedly meets Akari Yamamoto at the train station and befriends her.
Fast friends Yuna and Akari are complete opposites as Yuna is an idealist, while Akari is a realist. When lady-killer Rio Yamamoto, Akari’s older brother, and the oblivious Kazuomi Inui join their ranks, love and friendship become pretty complicated!
Conclusion
So there you have it, a list of some of the best romance manga you can read right now. Whether you’re a fan of classic romance titles or titles that include some comedy, drama, and more adult-like representations of the genre, there’s something for everyone on this list.
Remember that this is just a small selection of the many fantastic romance manga out there, and there are plenty more waiting to be discovered. Don’t be afraid to branch out and try something new; you never know what hidden gem you might find.
But if you are still confused about which title to pick and start with, hopefully, this list will give you a good starting point for finding your next favorite series. So grab a cup of tea, curl up with your favorite blanket, and dive into the world of romance manga!
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