This is another great anime about music that's on the moe side of animation. The series follows Yuri Hirasawa's first year in high school as she is eagerly looking for a club to join. While searching, other school students are looking for one more member to join their light music club or else they'll be disbanded because of the lack of members. Yuri feels they're distress and joins the club thinking it would be an easy experience to be in as the castanet player. Little did she know, the other members have her fixed as the guitarist and with practice, she becomes a prodigy.

This anime has some great musical use in it as its a supernatural, drama, comedy. The anime follows a twelve year old girl who is diagnosed with a malignant tumor in her throat. Devastated, she keeps a promise she made with a boy she loves by becoming a singer one day, even though her illness is making it impossible to achieve. Just when things couldn't get any worse, two angels of death appear and inform her that she only has one year to live. The sudden news shocks her, but also gives her more motivation to fulfill her dreams. This begins her quest of becoming a professional singer while keeping her promise and reuniting with the boy before her time runs out.

This anime is a beautifully crafted and poetic series to watch. Following a young boy who is a piano prodigy until his mother unexpectedly dies when he was eleven years old. Because of her death, he loses interest in playing the piano and his life begins to feel dull. It was until he turned fourteen, a childhood friend introduces him to her classmate, who is a violinist. She brings back the excitement and enthusiasm in his life as he continues to pursue his musical interest. If you like classical music, you'll love this anime!

Although, some may not have liked the first White Album, the 2nd is much better. The anime is about a young boy who dreams of being on stage at the schools culture festival, performing an original song. The only thing is, he's got thirty days to do it. With the light music club being dissolved due the lack of members, he comes across two talented individuals with the ability to harmonize with his guitar. This begins the journey of the semester that brings him closer and closer to making his dream come true.

This series was marked the 25th anniversary of the Macross franchise and is a direct sequel to Macross and Macross 7. Following the lives of Alto Saotome, Ranka Lee, and a pop idol named Sheryl Nome who are all on board the Macross Frontier colonization fleet. Since the war has ended, mankind spreads across the universe in order to ensure the existence and survival of the species. The Macross Frontier fleet is part of an effort to keep the culture of humanity intact. That's where the music comes in, and its great.

A strange story of two high schoolers – a very determined, very serious, no-nonsense girl, Shizuku Muzutani and a free-at-heart prankster, Haru Yoshida. Join these two as a crucial twist of fate brings them together as reluctant classmates, complicated friends and eventually odd love interests.

Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun or, My Little Monster is a laugh out loud comedy peppered with strong emotions.

On the adventure they are accompanied by a variety of friends, enemies, attractive “grown-ups” and a rooster! Yes, a rooster! Even the poor animal cannot escape this improbably high school drama!

A little detective story and a slice of high school life – an unlikely romance between a lazy boy with the brains of a genius and a curious girl with the mind of analysis. Houtarou Oreki is your average high school going boy who wants to “save energy”, in other words, be lazy without an excuse. What happens when someone so bored of life meets an innately curious embodiment of excitement named, Eru Chitanda?

Not only is Eru a vibrant person with a inquisitive mind, but she also seems to be a magnet for mysteries. And who better to share mysteries with than her new found friend at the Classics Club – Oreki!

A love story that will keep you entertained and leave you with a sweet aftertaste.

Let's be honest, which little girl didn't want to be Sailor Moon once she grew up. The story around teenage girl Tsukino who can transform into Sailor Moon in order to fight crime together with her friends has captured the hearts of girls all over the world. Sailor Moon's life is filled with adventures and unusual encounters. She lives a life divided into being a normal high school student during the day and fighting evil at night. Being part of a group called the Sailor Soldiers is another major plus in my eyes. And who didn't have a crush on Tuxedo Mask?

Next, I present to you Hikari Hanazono from the romance comedy anime Special A. It shows the life of Hikari, a top student at Hakusenkan. Even though she always gives 110% both in her studies and her private life, she still comes second to her personal rival, Kei Takashima. Little does she know that Kei actually holds feelings for her. Living as Hikari for a day, I would finally know how it feels like to be one of the top students of my class. Hikari is a girl committed to her studies and you cannot help but root for her in her competitions against Kei. The friends at her side are truly unique as well. Having a life filled with competition, passion and motivation certainly sounds like fun.

This girl is one of my personal favorites: Amu from the Shugo Chara series. The idea of the anime is similar to Sailor Moon; heroine Amu gets her own Shugo Charas that help her transform into different characters. With this new power she fights against evil in order to protect the unborn dreams of children. Again, we have a strong heroine with pretty amazing superpowers. The different costumes might look a little bit cheesy or over the top at first, but you will get used to them. Most importantly, her life is more adventurous and fascinating than the ones of normal teenagers and I wouldn't mind taking her place for a day.

Lydia Carlton lives in a world where humans and fairies coexist. As one of the last fairy doctors she acts as a bridge between the two worlds. Yet, it is not until the mysterious Edgar appears and takes her on an adventure that her life gets turned upside down. Personally, I envy her most for the world she lives in. She's surrounded by fairies, kelpies and other mythical creatures. I cannot help myself but be reminded of the fairytales of my childhood. Being able to live alongside fairies and talking cats - being Lydia Carlton for a day surely sounds exciting.

Skip Beat! is one of those anime that entertain you from beginning until the end even if you're not especially interested in the topic itself. Kyouko Mogami is a happy-go-lucky girl that will make you smile in each and every episode with her struggles to fulfill her new dream of becoming an actress. The most admirable characteristic of Kyouko is her strength. Of course, she had to face hardships in her life, but in the end everything turns out better than expected. I cannot help it but envy her for finding something that she feels passionate about.

The music fans of you should already be familiar with Uta no Prince-sama. The story revolves around heroine Haruka Nanami who enrolls in Saotome Academy, a school for composers and future idols. Haruka strives to become a composer herself and while doing so starts working together with a group of guys trying to become superstars. Why I'd want to be Haruka? One just has to look at the faces of the guys around her to get the answer. Haruka is a sweet and innocent girl so of course she doesn't realize it, but she's surrounded by gorgeous-looking superstars. Moreover, she gets to attend a school especially designed for studying music. I don't know about you but at least I wouldn't mind going there instead of a normal high school.

Speaking of schools I'd like to attend, next up is Haruhi Fujioka from Ouran High School Host Club. The heroine of this anime has to join the student's Host Club at the Ouran High School in order to repay for a valuable vase she broke by accident. I'm sure that a lot of you out there fantasize about being the center of a Reverse Harem anime. For me, this was definitely the case while watching Ouran High School Host Club. The guys of this constellation are interesting characters and great friends. Unlike some other anime, none of the boys are threatening or dangerous. Their feelings for Haruhi are pure and sincere and every girl can dream to find guys like that.

Next up is an anime that might be too old for some of you, but is one of the classics of Shoujo anime. The story of Tsukushi Makino is most likely better known through the various adaptations into Asian drama series. Coming from a poor family, Tsukushi is glad to be accepted into Eitoku Academy, a school usually reserved for the rich and famous. Her life would be simple if it weren't for the Flower Four (or F4 for short), a group of boys that run the school. As accepted from a Shoujo and romance anime, feelings start developing between the guys and Tsukushi. Suddenly she's pushed into the world of the rich and famous. Being able to choose between two equally rich yet sincere men is something that I'd be ready to experience any day.

Nanami finds herself at a low point of her life: Her father runs away from his gambling debts and she is left behind without a family or house to return to. Rescue comes in the form of Mikage who offers her to live at his home. Little does she know that his home is in fact the local shrine and that she just agreed to be its next residing god. Not only does Nanami have good-looking Tomoe by her side, but she also gets turned into a goddess. What I think is truly admirable is the fact that this doesn't grant Nanami any superpowers. Instead, she manages to resolve issues with her own strength and tackles one problem after the other with her cheerful attitude.

Misaki Ayuzawa is one of the first girls being admitted into Seika High, a former all-boys school. In order to survive in this environment, she had to create the appearance of a tough and boy-hating student. But she has a well-kept secret: In her free time she works at a Maid Café and thus has to serve mostly male customers in a Maid costume. Explaining why most of us would want to be Misaki for one day is easy: Takumi Usui. Those shiny eyes, his smile, his honesty - who wouldn't want to be next to him even if it was only for a day. Even though Misaki is able to fight for herself she still has someone like Usui to look out for her. Besides, Misaki's life never gets boring and at least I wouldn't mind getting into troubles with Usui by my side.

First up on our list is Happy Seven, a Shoujo anime set in a school environment. Protagonist Amano Sakogami is the typical unlucky girl that cannot get her life together. The "Better Fortune Research Organization", a club at her school, seems to be just perfect for her. But soon Amano has to realize that this club is just a cover for a group of seven girls who hold the power of the seven Lucky Gods. I like the fact how this show introduces a bit of Japanese mythology to international viewers. Depicting the seven Gods of Fortune as school girls is a fun twist. Also, the comedy of this show is actually funny and not as cheap or cheesy as the jokes of other shows. Definitely check Happy Seven out!

Cardcaptor Sakura feels like a time machine back into your childhood. This anime shows the story of Kinomoto Sakura who sets out on a journey to collect the cards of the winds she has scattered by accident. But she is not alone on her quest since her friend Tomoyo is always by her side. Cardcaptor Sakura has one of the cutest sidekicks imaginable: Keroberos. This orange creature with tiny wings on its back is the guardian of the book that holds the cards of the winds. But be warned, Cardcaptor Sakura is aimed at a rather young audience so only give it a try if you're ready to laugh at cheesy jokes and the struggles of elementary school life.

Classmates Nagisa Misumi and Honoka Yukishiro are best friends despite their differences. But their friendship is being tested starting from the day two mythical creatures step into their lives. Mipple and Mepple might look like cute animals, but they are actually residents of the Garden of Light. With their help the two girls gain magical powers to fight against the Darkness that threatens Mipple's and Mepple's home. It's nice to see an anime from time to time that focuses on one friendship. Most of the time you either have a romantic relationship that's in the center or a rather big group of friends. Here, we just have two girls growing up and going on adventures together. Pretty Cure shows how opposites attract and how much the two girls can achieve when they work together.

This one is for all the fairy tale lovers out there. Our heroine is called Ahiru and has the ability to transform into a ballet dancer. With her dance she can calm people's hearts and with this ability she goes on an adventure to save her prince. Can she get her "happily ever after"? The story might sound a little bit trashy and too cute, but since Princess Tutu is inspired by old fairy tales you can read a lot more into the story than just Ahiru's adventure. Like in a real fairy tale, our heroine encounters many struggles on her adventure and has to improve herself constantly. If you either enjoy watching characters struggle with fate or dancing ballerinas then you should give Princess Tutu a try.

Karin's story is one of those that make you appreciate what you have: her parents died, her remaining relatives don't appreciate her and she performs poorly in school. Her life changes when she realizes that she's not a normal school girl after all, but a goddess. Using a ring that her parents have left her behind she can transform into her goddess form and fight against evil. It's not like Kamichama Karin does anything outstandingly different from other Magical Girl anime, but it has a nostalgic and innocent feel to it. Karin is a cute and happy-go-lucky girl without getting too annoying. And compared to other anime there is a consecutive story line from the first until the last episode.

Heroine Amu Hinamori doesn't know what she wants to be once she grows up. She pretends to be a cool and sophisticated girl, but in reality she doesn't know who she really is. This changes on the day she receives three colorful eggs with three Shugo Charas inside of them. They each represent a different personality of hers and with their help Amu is able to transform into a Magical Girl and protect the unborn dreams of children. The concept of this anime is truly heart-warming. It teleports you back to your own childhood and makes you remember all the dreams you had for your future self. Of course we also have some romance in here. We have the prince-like Tadase and the mysterious Ikuto, both showing a little bit more than casual interest in Amu. Who will she choose?

Ojamajo Doremi is another childhood classic. It follows Doremi and her friends Hazuki and Aiko on their journey to becoming witches. Their adventure starts on the day they find a mysterious house in their neighborhood, together with a witch and her fairy living inside. The three friends become her students and try to solve problems with their new powers. One of the strengths of this show is the fact that you can start and stop watching it as you please. Even though there is a main story line it's easy to get back into the show after taking a break. Ojamajo Doremi is perfect if you want to watch one or two quick episodes to brighten up your day.

This list just wouldn't be complete without Sailor Moon. The story of Tsukino Usagi has influenced girls all over the world. She is an ordinary student during the day, but in the night she transforms into Sailor Moon and goes on adventures together with the other Sailor Soldiers. But why should you watch Sailor Moon even today? Of course there is a certain nostalgic feel to it, but more importantly this anime is timeless. The scenes that entertained you as a child are still able to make you laugh now. The characters are lovable and watching their friendship grow is still heart-warming.

Next up is a show that has shocked many viewers. Puella Magi Madoka Magica might look like an ordinary Magical Girl anime, but consider yourself warned: this show is not for little kids. The story of Madoka and her friends will show you the dark side of being a Magical Girl. It is filled with loneliness, danger and fear. Until the very last episode Madoka tries to find out the right thing to do and how far she is ready to go to protect those important to her. This show will give you goosebumps and take you on an emotional rollercoaster. Watch at your own risk!

Our top and final recommendation might is also the biggest exception to Magical Girl anime. It's an Ecchi and Harem anime that turns the term "Magical Girl" upside down. Our protagonist Aikawa Ayumu is - like the title might suggest - in fact a Zombie. Not only that, but he also gains the abilities of a Magical Girl and is forced to fight as one. This recommendation is perfect if you want a show that doesn't take Magical Girl anime too serious. I mean, seeing a high school boy transform and fighting in a pink dress just cannot be seen as a serious representation of this genre. Yet, this is the special charm of Kore wa Zombie desuka. It will make you laugh with every new scene and show you a new side of Magical Girl anime. One of our strongest recommendations!

Mei Tachibana is a reserved and shy high school girl. After some events happened to her when she was younger, she is now living closed off to any friendship. She doesn't talk to anyone at school. The only contacts on her phone are her home number and her part-time job number. Yamato Kurosawa is the most popular boy in whole high school and for some reason, he gets interested in Mei. That is why he tries to get closer to Mei, giving her his phone number and talking to her every time he sees her. Mei ignores him all the time, until she gets in trouble. Indeed, one night after her part-time job in a bakery, she's followed by a man and has no other choice than to call Yamato for help. He saves her, giving Mei her first kiss. Mei's betrayed in the past, so she decided she no longer needs friends. Because of that, you can assimilate her to Shizuku. Much like in My Little Monster, each character has their own wounds. It's pretty interesting to see them growing up and getting through their past.

When she was still in middle-school, Futaba Yoshioka was in love with Kou Tanaka, a boy from her school. Before she could tell him her feelings, Kou left without telling anyone in school. Futaba is cute and liked by boys, she used to be hated by other girls. As she enters high school, she changed her character and became a real tomboy. One day, in the school corridors, she runs into her first love. Who reappeared with another family name and a completely different personality. As she tries to get closer to him once again, she will get back to her own personality and change her attitude towards other people. Futaba will also learn the truth beyond the sudden disappearance of Kou in middle-school. I really love the story. Futaba and Kou were sharing a mutual love during middle-school, but separated before knowing each others feelings. Like in My Little Monster, the main characters have a deep past and a burden which prevents them from moving forward. However, comedy is still there and I really think you will feel the same atmosphere as My Little Monster !

The story is about two high school student, hung up about their height. Risa Koizumi is about 170cm and Atsushi Ôtani is only 156cm. Because of their quarells, which makes everyone laugh, they're called All Hanshin Kyojin. Referring to a famous comic duo. Risa and Atsushi fall in love with two of their classmates. They decide to help each other, as one of them is Risa's friend. In order to succeed in love, both of them will have to fight against their complex. But their mutual support will soon go a completely different direction. This one is surely the funniest of the list. Lovely Complex is not as deep and serious than My Little Monster, but I can assure you will have a lot of fun watching it! This anime deals with complexes in a soft way, but shows you that everyone can get rid of them. I think it's really interesting because Risa and Atsushi's complexes are the reason why they cannot be confident. You can assimilate this to Shizuku and Haru's past.

Ryûji Takasu is a normal highschool boy who lives alone with his mother. Because of his looks inherited from his father, everyone is afraid of him and a lot of bad rumors are spreading around about him, saying he is a delinquent. On the first day of the new school year, he's confronted by Taiga Aisaka, called Pocket Tiger, because of her bad temper and her aggressiveness. After being defeated by her, people begin to think Ryûji isn't as bad as he seems to be. On the same day, Ryûji is confronted by Taiga again, because she put a love letter in his bag by mistake. As she decides to kill him to shut his mouth, Ryûji proposes to help her by becoming Taiga's dog, cooking her meals and cleaning her room. Ryûji's hung up by his looks and Taiga is a real tsundere. They will help each other in love at first, but fail every time they begin to have feeling for each other. The development of their relationship is really cute and interesting. As in My Little Monster, the characters have their own wounds and the way they support each other is really touching.

Chiyo Sakura is a normal high school girl who is in love with her classmate, Umetarô Nozaki. As she plucks up courage to confess her feelings, he misunderstands her and gives her his autograph instead, because he thinks she is his fan. Then, Chiyo discovers that Umetarô is actually a shôjô manga artist under the name of Sakiko Yumeno. Who publishes his work in a famous magazine. And this is how Chiyo finds herself becoming one of his assistants for his manga. In their school, some other people are also helping Umetarô for his manga, as his activity is a secret for the rest of them. Umetarô used to find inspiration in other people and does a lot of researches by looking at his classmates. Umetarô doesn't see anything except his manga and his research, and Chiyo is really trying to get his attention. This anime is really funny and you can easily assimilate Umetarô to Shizuku because of his temper. Even if Umetarô is writing manga about love, he's still a novice about it. Misunderstanding a lot of things which are becoming some strange situations in his manga that are completely opposite to what you usually find. But this is why it's funny and catchy!

Yûki Hase is a pretty ordinary high school boy. In his class, he notices Kaori Fujimiya, a girl who is always alone and doesn't seem to have any friends in the school. One day, Yûki decides to become her friend, but Kaori isn't interested and rejects him. But Yûki doesn't want to give up so he will ask her the same thing every day until she agrees to become his friend. On Friday, Kaori tells Yûki that she will forget about him. Even if he doesn't want to trust her, she actually forgets about him when they meet again the following Monday. Because of some events from her past, Kaori memories force her to forgetting her friends' every week. So this is why she doesn't want to become friends again with anyone. Yûki feels depressed at first, but decided to keep going and wanting to be her friend. Giving her some advice in order to not forget her memories. I think this is the cutest series of the list. The two main characters are really cute and lovely and so is their relationship. Because of Kaori's trauma, she keeps forgetting about her friends every week. Yûki will help her the best he can to remember, without knowing the reason of her trouble. Like in My Little Monster, you can once more face someone who's been betrayed by a close friend in the past.

After releasing the Clow Cards from its original sealed book, ten-year-old Kinomoto Sakura takes the responsibility of resealing the cards by learning the appropriate skills necessary to do so under the guidance of Cerberus(Kero), the guardian of the Clow Cards. Helping her is Li Shaoran, a boy from Hong Kong who wants the cards and has an initial rocky relationship with Sakura, and Tomoyo, her best friend/cousin/gadget supplier/costume designer/documenter. Since the series came out after the end of “Sailor Moon,” its expectations of being a knock off as opposed to other shojo series that came out in the mid-90s were much more relaxed. Sakura does not do transformations and she wears a different costume for each fight all made by Tomoyo. However, it shares themes about love and friendship through both its main and secondary cast. Plus, the relation between Li and Sakura is naturally an elementary version of Usagi and Mamoru in which it starts off as uneasy, but are there for each other when it counts, and eventually profess their love. The first theme song “Catch You, Catch Me” has a pretty catchy hook and suits the atmosphere of the series accurately well. The best addition for Sailor Moon fans is the voice of Sailor Mercury, Hisakawa Aya, as the voice of Kero-chan, who plays the “Luna” role.

The trio of Momoko, Yuri and Hinagiku are normal junior high girls hoping to get their hands on the captain of the soccer team and enjoy a normal teenage life. However, fate and an inter-dimensional threat from the Devil World invade earth and want to spread hate. From the Angel World, a pretty man named Liome chooses the schoolgirls as the Love Angels. Momoko is the titled Wedding Peach, Yuri is Wedding Lily, and Hinagiku is Wedding Daisy, all direct translations of their names. Together they erase the hate and spread the love. Tadano Kazuko, one of the designers from “Sailor Moon” designed the characters of “Wedding Peach”. The shape of the faces, eyes and the marks beneath the eyes, should be a strong indicator of these notable similarities. Like Usagi, Momoko can get aggressive when teased and both of their fathers are photojournalists. The progression and origin of the Love Angels are almost the same as the Sailor Guardians and its general episode formula will be familiar to “Sailor Moon” viewers. Though the main cast is introduced from the very start, each girl becomes a Love Angel in a one by one pace but a little faster with a twist which you have to see for yourself. One of the best additions is Kotono Mitsuishi, Sailor Moon’s voice actress playing a villainous role. If you are a seiyuu or a Japanese voice actor buff such as myself, this will make the series enjoyable because they all give great performances to their characters.

Hikaru, Umi and Fuu (names representing their magical abilities) all go to Tokyo Tower with their schools on a field trip and are suddenly summoned by Princess Emeraude to the distant world of Cephiro to save it. With no other way of returning home, the three young ladies become the Magic Knights and are given armor, weapons and elemental magical abilities to combat the evil forces of Zagato. Viewers could be familiar with Tokyo Tower as it was also used in a good number of “Sailor Moon” episodes (in addition to other works by the creators of “Magic Knight Rayearth,” CLAMP). As in “Sailor Moon” when the Sailor Guardians first became a team, the Magic Knights were not familiar with each other but had to work together for the greater good. Each character has the personalities of being tomboyish, elegant, and shy. I cannot deny it is rather cliché but they perfectly balance each other out for the story as well as work as each other’s equal foil and support. As opposed to sailor school uniforms, the Magic Knights wear the blazer-style uniform and is also part of their identity and armor for a certain period. It is fun and touching to see how far the relationships between the three girls blossom by the end of season 1. In terms of the power ups, I am sure viewers (and possibly old school RPG fans) can appreciate the pace and feel. I also strongly recommend it for its very spirited soundtrack and CLAMP’s older character design style before “Code Geass.”

On Moriya Ririka’s tenth birthday, Kanou, the new handsome boy at school, gives her a present and has earned the jealous rage of all the girls. But before she can further celebrate, the earth is being invaded by the forces of Dark Joker. Kanou then instructs Ririka to use her gift, the Angel Cap, to turn into Nurse Angel and “cure” (as in defeat) her foes while trying to keep her identity secret from her classmates, family and her best friend, Seiya. Let's start off by mentioning that some of the catch phrases of representing “love and justice” should instantly be familiar. In addition, it has very over the top attack names such as “Angel Aide Bomb Beam” and is also abusive in the recycled animation department with glitter nude transformations and delivering the final attack. Despite that, the story has a very unique direction as it progresses and it is really fun to see a certain character have more use and development which you have to see to believe. I think the series wanted to have something of an environmental theme like “Captain Planet” but not as directly educational about the issue. The ending theme is very cute and catchy and a must listen. Last, Akimoto Yasushi, one of the co-creators of this series would go onto establishing Japan’s biggest idol group of the 2010s, AKB48.

When you take a mix of Japanese and western fairy tales and making magic school cool before “Harry Potter,” you get “Akazukin Chacha.” Despite her appearance being based on Little Red Riding Hood, Chacha was raised by Seravi (who actually has a funny but cool back story) to become a witch. Despite living peacefully in the countryside, the kingdom is ruled by the evil king, Daimaoh. Serevi then gives Chacha and her friends Riiya and Shiine amulets that represent love, courage and hope to turn her into the magical princess to reclaim the kingdom. Once again, we have a main character who is somewhat of a klutz but not in the same way as Usagi. Chacha’s clumsiness comes from word plays that make sense in Japanese when attempting magic spells. For example, when she tries to summon clouds by the word “kumo,” she summons spiders which is also “kumo” in Japanese. Or whe she wants to summon “hana,” or “flowers,” she summons noses which is also “hana” in Japanese. Both series’ share very similar plot twists with the main characters and tell stories of hope and friendship, but presented in its own unique manner fresh to its audiences. A must see for those who love fairy tales.

“Fushigi Yuugi,” or “The Mysterious Play,” tells the story of Yuuki Miaka and Hongo Yui. During a visit to the library, Miaka and Yui find a magical book and are transported into its story of ancient China. Miaka and Yui once best of friends, become bitter enemies as they become priestesses to separate kingdoms they represent. Between both sides, they are aided by seven warriors marked by kanji characters on their bodies in order to summon the God of their kingdoms and have any wish granted to them. Like Usagi, Miaka is an underachieving and klutzy junior high girl. She just wants to be a normal girl but destiny has led her to do something bigger. She also instantly falls in love with her savior, Tamahome, the anime heartthrob of the 1990s. The love story between Miaka and Tamahome is a driving force of the series as well as Miaka’s relationships with her new friends. Each character offers something distinct and the series will make you care about them and ultimately, make you cry. Plus, Kae Araki, the voice actress of Miaka, also played Sailor Chibi Moon and briefly played Sailor Moon during the finale of season 1 while Kotono Mitsuishi was sick. The first episode even pays homage to her catch phrase of “In the name of the moon (but instead the sun), I will punish you.” Another big name from “Sailor Moon” is probably one of the best male seiyuus of all time, Midorikawa Hikaru as the voice of Tamahome. He played Ali in the first story arc of “Sailor Moon R” and was also Fiore in the movie. If you’re more of a dub person, then you will get a kick out of David Hayter, the voice of Solid Snake himself as the voice of Tamahome.

Misaki Miyazawa is the first ever female student council president at Seika High, a formerly all-boys school. She is disliked for her strict authority that she wields fiercely over the majority of male students. But despite her serious demeanor, she holds an embarrassing secret. Due to family circumstances, she works as a waitress at a maid cafe where she is accidentally spotted by Takumi Usui, the most popular boy at her high school. Fortunately for Misaki, Usui mutually agrees to not let anyone know about Misaki’s part time job. Over time, they both begin to understand one another much better despite the adverse situations they go through. Eventually Misaki’s personality and character eventually wins Usui over who has rejected every girl that has confessed to him since, but Misaki is unsure of whether or not she can properly accept his feelings. As in Lovely Complex, Kaichou wa Maid-sama also explores how characters deal with one-sided feelings which produces funny and sweet outcomes that are highly enjoyable. With a heartwarmingly romantic storyline and well-developed characters, Maid-sama is definitely an anime that romantic comedy enthusiasts should watch!

Kokoro Connect follows the story of Taichi Yagashi, Iori Nagase, Himeko Inaba, Yui Kiriyama and Yoshifumi Aoki who mysteriously end up switching bodies with each other. Despite the supernatural turn of events, the group of friends do their best to conduct themselves normally in school. However, they soon find that they cannot simply escape the problem as the members of the Student Cultural Research Club find their personal lives disrupted with the constant switching. Coming to grips with no longer being able to control their bodies, the group of friends struggle to understand themselves and each other, revealing to them the opportunity to explore their personality and love relationships. Despite the lack of constant comedy and a focus on a group of protagonists, Lovely Complex fans will definitely find the complicated feelings of high school love that is portrayed in this anime recognizable. With a brilliant balance of intriguing stories, amazing character development, and laughs, Kokoro Connect is a must watch for romantic comedy fans.

All Raku Ichijou wants to do is to have a normal and calm high school life, but as the son of the local yakuza boss his, it is far from ordinary. On his way to school he is greeted with a knee to the face by none other than the aggressive Chitoge Kirasaki, who turns out to be the daughter of a rival gang! Needless to say, they do get off on the wrong foot and develop a dislike for each other, but they are hilariously forced to have a fake relationship when their fathers tell them to be a couple to resolve a territory dispute. This complicates matters for Raku since he already has a crush on the kind Kosaki Onodera who similarly has romantic feelings for him, but cannot adequately express them. The situation is further corrupted when a girl from his past, Marika Tachibana, appears and claims to be Raku’s fiancee, hilariously complicating the dynamic between the peculiar love triangle. Soon enough, even Chitoge finds herself struggling to comprehend if what she feels for Raku is real love or a meaningless manifestation of their false love. Although typically recognized as a harem anime, Nisekoi has romantic and comedy elements that fans of Lovely Complex will enjoy, delivering with it a wholesome anime feel despite the genre. In particular, the vivid characterization of the characters is what makes Nisekoi so unlike other harem animes. The meaningful and charming dynamics between the personality driven Raku and the main female characters creates a cute romance that Lovely Complex fans can easily enjoy. For example, Chitoge’s struggles to understand what she feels for Raku are particularly reminiscent of Risa’s endeavor to grasp her own feelings for Otani. In tandem with hilarious comedy, the romantic feelings portrayed in Shaft’s creatively artistic animation will surely attract Lovely Complex and romantic comedy fans.

Acchi Kocchi follows the cute story of Tsumiki Miniwa who tries to understand the feelings of her charming and dense crush, Io Otonashi. He often displays heart melting affection and kindness towards her, but never seems to follow through to the next step which always ends up confusing Tsumiki. It does not help her that she is easily flustered whenever he is around her. Her carefree group of school friends are of little help as well, playfully teasing Tsumiki about her feelings at every change they get. With no one else reliable to turn to, Tsumiki finds herself in an embarrassing dilemma that plays out in this charming slice of life. Even without serious drama or intense feelings that are common in similar animes, Acchi Kocchi makes for a very relaxing and casual romantic comedy. Essentially a slice of life with only a small touch of romance, it delivers a cute story that Lovely Complex fans will find familiar. Like Risa’s struggle to express her true feelings to Otani, Tsumiki’s almost constant flustering comes across as cute and funny at the same time. But apart from the similarity, the overall heartfelt feelings of love that Acchi Kocchi portrays makes it an easy to enjoy anime.

For refusing to give up a stray cat, Sorata Kanda is forced to move into Sakura Dormitory where Suiko’s eccentric and trouble-making students are forced to live. But just as he was growing accustomed to the craziness in the dorm, he is burdened with having to help world famous painter Mashiro Shiina who cannot be left alone to take care of herself. Despite everything, however, life still manages to throw fun and comedy towards Sorata and his unusual group of friends. Over the course of the year, all the residents of Sakura Dorm also work hard to pursue their respective interests, but not without heartache and difficulty along the way. Their projects are further complicated when unrequited feelings occur, shaking the foundations of the mutual relationships that the dorm is built upon. If the regularly occurring comedy is not enough to convince Lovely Complex fans to watch Sakurasou no Pet na Kanojo, then the cute romantic story taking place in the background will. Although Sorata and Mashiro’s relationship is not as comedically outlandish as Risa and Otani’s, the pure and warm feelings that develop between the two are thoroughly enjoyable.

Leaving behind his shamefully dramatic persona as the “Dark Flame Master,” Yuuta Togashi is determined to start his life afresh in high school. Almost immediately, however, he stumbles upon Rikka Takanashi who continues to harbor fantastical middle school delusions. Moreover, Rikka somehow knows about Yuuta’s past and admires him much to Yuuta’s own embarrassment. They unexpectedly end up gathering up a circle of friends centered around Rikka’s delusions despite the negative sentiments he still harbors about his past. However, the two of them slowly become romantically closer, but not without going on a difficult and tumultuous journey of high school love. The relationship between Yuuta and Rikka does not start out as romantically theme like romantic comedies, but like Love Complex, both of the protagonists take an emotional trip to discover their true feelings. With its clever humor, cute drama, and relatable storyline, all portrayed with fantastic animation, Chuunibyou is definitely an anime worth spending time to watch.