I’d like to kick off February by sharing some musings on the best anime for Valentine’s day; anime with romance. Anime where two people are just meant to be together (even if it isn’t clear exactly which two). Anime that warms the heart. Without further ado, here’s my top ten list of the best anime for Valentine’s Day. Note that mild spoilers may be included throughout.
10. The Place Promised in Our Early Days
It’s when you look at its romantic aspects that Place Promised really shines. The link between Hiroki and Sayuri and their friendship/rivalship with Takuya is the very core of this story.
09. Mai Hime
Although it won’t be released until march in the U.S., Mai Hime has by far one of the most cinematic lovers in any anime, even if she is a slightly homicidal tea-drinking lesbian.
08. Parallel Duel
For a slightly goofy multiple-girls-fight-over-one-guy anime this Valentine’s, you can’t go too far wrong with Parallel Duel.
07. Earth Maiden Arjuna
Arjuna doesn’t just have a (somewhat garbled) environmental message – it also has romance. Arjuna and her boyfriend make multiple attempts to come to each other’s rescue throughout the series, with Arjuna usually being more successful. For all their creepiness, Cindy and Chris also have something going for them.
06. RahXephon
For anyone who’s seen RahXephon, I would highly recommend seeing it again; RahXephon is the kind of series where it’s easy to get more out the anime with repeat viewings. RahXephon is a show about many things, but it’s ultimately about how one character loves Ayato across time and space.
05. Angel Tales
A goofy harem anime where everyone loves Goro for no especially good reason. Cardboard-cutout romance will make you appreciate any depth to your own relationship.
04. Chrono Crusade
Chrono Crusade is also an anime about relationships. The ending goes beyond bittersweet.
03. Full Metal Panic
The tension between the characters that have the hots for Sosuke, and the partial resolution of this love triangle are the corner stone of this show.
02. Elfen Lied
If you don’t mind the blood and guts of this show, there’s romance hidden in plain sight in this psychological thriller. Could love be the key to a kinder, gentler Lucy? Of course not.
01. Voices of a Distant Star
Especially good for anyone in a long-distance relationship, Voices of a Distant Star is about the trials and tribulations of someone trying to maintain her feelings and sanity by sending messages back to earth – messages which take months and eventually years to arrive.
Honorable mention:
Although it didn’t quite make the above list, Steel Angel Kurumi is also worth looking into. The relationship between Nakahito and Kurumi is not quite really romantic love, at least from Nakahito’s point of view throughout most of the series, but the dedication these characters develop for each other certainly fits.