If there is one ever-green genre, it’s romance. And we’re not talking about the lewdness-filled ecchi manga/anime. We’re talking about real romance that makes the readers gooey-eyed.
There’s plenty of romance anime floating around, but there’s something intimate about reading a good romance manga.
Besides, plenty of romance manga are still waiting in line for an anime adaptation. And before the world finds out about these hidden gems, it’s time you start feeling the love. So, here are 25 of the best romance manga that you have to read.
25 Best Romance Manga Recommendations
Whether you love the classic romance or the new BL or Yuri genre, we’ve got a manga for everyone. Some of these also have anime or live-action films, but the manga is just better.
So, let’s get started!
25. Kiss Me At The Stroke Of Midnight
- Author: Rin Mikimoto
- Release Date: April 13, 2015
- Status: Finished
- Volumes: 12
Hinana Hanazawa is a model student in her high school, much envied by her classmates because of her diligent attitude and perfect academic record. However, this is all a persona to cover up her yearning for a fairy tale romance.
And her dream starts taking shape when a movie star, Kaede Ayase, starts filming in her school, beginning an unlikely and complicated romance.
A live-action movie was released in 2009 with a 5.2 IMDb rating.
Also Read: Best Short Romance Manga Series
24. ReLife
- Author: Sō Yayoi
- Release Date: October 12, 2013
- Status: Finished
- Volumes: 15
This romantic drama is about 27-year-old Arata Kaizaki who becomes 10 years younger because of an experiment. He rejoins high school and starts living what he thought would be the best years of his life.
But, he soon discovers that high school life has changed since he was a student.
The manga eventually got an anime series, OVAs, and a live-action film.
23. Honnou Switch
- Author: KUJIRA
- Release Date: Jun 1, 2018
- Status: Finished
- Volumes: 8
Honnou Switch is the best romance manga to read if you like seeing two people go from ‘just friends’ to ‘madly in love with each other.’
Koyori Hoshi is at her lowest after a rough breakup with her boyfriend of 3 years. Her childhood friend, Hijiri Akiyama takes her out for some food and drinks where Koyori vents her heart out and has a little too much to drink.
The two spend the night together, and so begins the sweetest of love stories.
22. Orange
- Author: Ichigo Takano
- Release Date: March 13, 2012
- Status: Finished
- Volumes: 7
Orange is a high-school sci-fi romance done right.
Naho Takamiya’s start to sophomore school is a complicated one as she starts getting letters from her future self. And when certain events occur, the present Naho starts believing the letters.
Naho’s 10-year future self talks about all the wrong decisions and regrets she has in life. And the biggest of them all revolves around Kakeru Naruse.
Can Naho make things better?
21. Last Game
- Author: Shinobu Amano
- Release Date: July 24, 2011
- Status: Finished
- Volumes: 11
The Last Game is the perfect journey of a rivalry born out of nothing only to turn into the deepest of loves.
Naoto Yanagi is a rich brat who never loses at anything. However, his perfect record crumbles when Mikoto Kujo transfers to Naoto’s school. Mikoto is Naoto’s polar opposite, but she defeats him over and over again.
The two develop a relationship of sorts as Naoto follows Mikoto through high school and college just to defeat her once.
20. Snow White With The Red Hair
- Author: Sorata Akizuki
- Release Date: August 10, 2006
- Status: Running
- Volumes: 25
Snow White With The Red Hair is a royal fairy tale.
A herbalist, Shirayuki attracts everyone because of her unmatched beauty and unique red hair. Prince Raj of the Kingdom of Tanbarun falls for the red-haired beauty and wants her to become his mistress. But Shirayuki runs away and finds refuge with Prince Zen.
As Prince Raj looks for Shirayuki, she starts developing a romance with Prince Zen.
19. Stranger in the Spring Breeze
- Author: Kanna Kii
- Release Date: Jul 25, 2014
- Status: Running
- Volumes: 4
A sequel to Stranger by the Beach, this Boy’s Love manga follows the relationship of a gay novelist, Shun Hashimoto, and a high school student, Mio Chibana.
The story takes different turns when Mio moves to the city and Shun moves back to his hometown to look after his father. But, Mio returns to Shun after realizing his feelings. As the two visit Shun’s parents, new adventures await this unlikely couple.
18. Given
- Author: Natsuki Kizu
- Release Date: April 30, 2013
- Status: Running
- Volumes: 7
Another BL manga that follows the musical journey of 4 friends and their romantic ventures.
Haruki Nakayama, Akihiko Kaji, Ritsuka Uenoyama, and Mafuyu Satō are 4 friends who form a band and start posting their performances online. The 4 are now preparing for their first music festival appearance.
Along with music, the band also develops relationships among themselves.
17. Pulse
- Author: Ratana Satis
- Release Date: August 30, 2022
- Status: Running
- Volumes: 1
Pulse is one of the most popular romance manga of 2022, and maybe the best romance manga without anime right now.
This Yuri manga follows the story of Mel, an indifferent and apathetic heart surgeon. She’s into meaningless sex and shows no interest in long-term relationships. Her professional life is no different.
However, Mel’s view of love and sex changes when a 21-year-old heart patient Lynn Wiles enters Mel’s life.
16. Fruits Basket
- Author: Natsuki Takaya
- Release Date: 18 July 1998
- Status: Finished
- Volumes: 23
This classic fan-favorite is one of the longest and best-selling romance manga of all time.
It’s the story of a young girl, Tohru Honda who ends up living with the Sohma family because of unforeseen circumstances. But the seemingly normal Sohma family has secrets of their own.
And when Tohru discovers their curse, she decides to play along and help find a cure for the whole family.
The anime was well-received too.
15. The Demon Prince of Momochi House
- Author: Aya Shouoto
- Release Date: July 24, 2013
- Status: Finished
- Volumes: 16
This is one of the best romance manga to read right now and should have had an anime already.
It follows the story of Momochi Himari who inherits the haunted Momochi mansion. She moves in and that’s when she meets Aoi, Ise, and Yukari- three young men living there illegally.
This mansion is a border between the human and spirit realm and Momochi was supposed to be the guardian, but Aoi has already taken over the role.
14. Kaguya-sama: Love is War
- Author: Aka Akasaka
- Release Date: May 19, 2015
- Status: Running
- Volumes: 26
This rom-com is one of the best romance manga recommendations, and the best part is that it’s still publishing.
The premise revolves around the class president, Miyuki Shirogane, and vice president, Kaguya Shinomiya. They are the perfect couple. Both are madly in love with each other. But, they think confession is for the weak. So, they keep trying to make the other confess first.
Who’ll confess first? Watch the anime to find out quickly.
13. Sailor Moon
- Author: Naoko Takeuchi
- Release Date: December 28, 1991
- Status: Finished
- Volumes: 40
Usagi Tsukino is given magical powers by a talking cat named Luna. After becoming the Sailor Moon, Usagi starts assembling a team of other soldiers to help her in the fight against evil and protect Earth.
This manga from the 90s is one of the most popular romance manga of all time that’s transformed into a complete media franchise.
From anime to video games and live-action films, Sailor Moon has everything.
12. Horimiya
- Author: Hero (Hiroki Adachi)
- Release Date: February 2007
- Status: Finished
- Volumes: 10
This rom-com got its well-deserved anime series, almost 10 years after the original manga run. And it didn’t disappoint.
The story follows two classmates, Kyoko Hori and Izumi Miyamura. Hori is the popular girl in class while Miyamura is the nerdy one.
Outside of school, both of them lead completely different lives. But when the two discover their alternate personalities, they begin to spend more time together, and love starts to kick in.
11. Love Me, Love Me Not
- Author: Io Sakisaka
- Release Date: June 13, 2015
- Status: Finished
- Volumes: 12
Love Me, Love Me Not is a coming-of-age story of two girls who meet unexpectedly, grow close, and find the love of their lives together.
Yuna meets Akari at a train station where Akari asks to borrow some money for the train fare. They soon find out that they live in the same building and that Yuna is in love with Akari’s brother while Akari is attracted to Yuna’s friend.
A slightly unique take on love as the 2 friends experience love in completely different ways.
10. Kaichou wa Maid-Sama!
- Author: Hiro Fujiwara
- Release Date: December 24, 2005
- Status: Finished
- Volumes: 18
The title translates to ‘The Class President is a Maid,’ which is basically the whole premise.
Misaki Ayuzawa is a class president at a male-dominant school. But the best-in-class is hiding a secret- she works as a part-time maid at a cafe to support her mother.
The school heartthrob, Takumi Usui finds out about Misaki’s work but decides to help keep her secret safe.
9. Honey So Sweet
- Author: Amu Meguro
- Release Date: August 2012
- Status: Finished
- Volumes: 8
There’s something so attractive and real about mismatched love stories. And Honey So Sweet is the biggest mismatch in all of Japan.
A delinquent, Taiga Onise, falls for the sweetest and cutest girl in school, Nao Kogure. Taiga asks out Nao with only one intention, marriage. Although Nao is scared of Taiga at first, she soon discovers the delinquent to be gentle and kind.
Soon we find the reason behind Taiga’s love for Nao and it’s the purest form of love.
8. Cheeky Brat
- Author: Mitsubachi Miyuki
- Release Date: November 2013
- Status: Finished
- Volumes: 23
Cheeky Brat is worth it for the character development alone.
The two protagonists going from hating one another to supporting each other and finally falling in love is a fun ride.
It’s the story of Yuki Machida – a school basketball coach – who is in love with Kido the team captain. But Kido already has a girlfriend. And Sho, another basketball team player develops feelings for Yuki.
Soon, Sho and Yuki grow closer as Kido moves out of the picture.
7. So Cute it Hurts!!
- Author: Gō Ikeyamada
- Release Date: August 2012
- Status: Finished
- Volumes: 15
This manga takes the twins switching places to a whole new level.
Megumu and Mitsuru are twin siblings who attend separate high schools. However, one day, the siblings cross-dress and switch places so Megumu can solve Mitsuru’s exams. But, both of them end up doing more than they wanted.
Mitsuru protects a deaf girl from bullying and they both fall in love. On the other side, Megumu falls for the tough guy.
Chaos follows!
6. Black Bird
- Author: Kanoko Sakurakoji
- Release Date: July 13, 2006
- Status: Finished
- Volumes: 18
Black Bird is the best romance manga to read if you like the forbidden-love plot.
This manga tells the story of Misao Harada, a young girl who can see demons. These demons do not harm her. But after her 16th birthday, that changes. All of a sudden, the demons want to kill her.
Misao’s childhood friend and a demon in disguise, Kyou Usui protects her from all the demons.
Why everything changes and how the relationship between Misao and Kyou develops is for you to find out.
5. How Do We Do Relationship?
- Author: Tamifull
- Release Date: August 17, 2018
- Status: Running
- Volumes: 9
One of the best romance manga right now that focuses on the struggles of coming out and finding love.
Miwa is a shy and closeted lesbian who’s been looking for love all her life. She finally gets a chance to explore her sexuality when she joins a college in a different city. But her introversion proves a hurdle.
So, her close friend, Saeko, suggests a solution. Both Miwa and Saeko start dating just for the heck of it. But this “fake” relationship soon becomes very real.
4. Love So Life
- Author: Kaede Kōchi
- Release Date: March 2008
- Status: Finished
- Volumes: 17
Love So Life has an age-old premise of a single parent falling for the babysitter.
Aoi and Akane Matsunaga are two twins who were abandoned by their father after their mother’s death. The twins were taken in by their uncle Seiji. But, Seiji is often working unusual hours so he leaves the twins at a daycare center.
A high school student, Shiharu Nakamura, works at the daycare and the twins are very fond of her. So, Seiji hires Shiharu as their personal caretaker.
Attraction is inevitable, but Shiharu is still a high school student.
3. Daytime Shooting Star
- Author: Mika Yamamori
- Release Date: May 20, 2011
- Status: Finished
- Volumes: 13
High school romances are the cutest, and the slightly taboo part of crushing on your teacher makes it exciting.
After her parents relocate to Bangladesh, leaving her with her uncle in Tokyo, Suzume Yosano’s life takes an exciting new turn. A new city and new school mean new friends and new adventures.
But she gets lost, a stranger helps her and a boy in her class blushes at her on the very first day.
2. Blue Flag
- Author: KAITO
- Release Date: February 1, 2017
- Status: Finished
- Volumes: 8
A high school romance with hints of homosexuality and plenty of emotions is about as complex as it gets.
Blue Flag is the story of 3 high school students, Taichi, Touma, and Futaba. Taichi and Touma are childhood friends, but the two have grown apart.
Futaba is an awkward and shy girl who has a crush on Touma.
Taichi tries to keep his distance from Touma and Futaba, but childhood friendships are hard to shake off.
As the 3 try to make sense of this dynamic, the journey is worth following.
1. Dengeki Daisy
- Author: Kyousuke Motomi
- Release Date: May 2007
- Status: Finished
- Volumes: 16
One of the best romance manga of all time, this deserves an anime series more than any other manga on this list.
After Teru Kurebayashi is given her dead brother’s mobile phone, she gets in touch with a mystery man named Daisy. A digital relationship begins between the two, as Teru finds comfort in Daisy’s messages.
But, another person enters Teru’s life. Someone who knew her brother and will help rekindle her feelings of love.
And that’s the end of our best romance manga recommendations.
No matter what kind of romance you’re looking for, this list has it all. We just wish more of these would get an anime or at least special OVAs.
