Whereas many of the finest love tales characteristic completely happy {couples} and fairy-tale-like narratives, there are additionally fairly a couple of heartbreakingly darkish romance anime. A few of these romances are downright scary and cope with grownup themes about sexuality, psychological well being, and loss. Even a number of the feel-good romantic anime have surprisingly darkish moments in addition to harmful and scary characters.
OLM is a traditional anime studio that has revealed notable anime sequence, and even 3D movies. Listed below are their finest works to date.
Whereas these reveals should not as upbeat or humorous as romcom anime parodies, they do present a extra significant expertise and inform vital tales in regards to the darker sides of affection and lust. Thanks to those hauntingly good anime reveals, anime lovers might meet a number of the most terrifying characters whereas happening extremely emotional and heart-rending adventures with them.
A number of notes and standards:
- Solely anime that emphasize romance to an extent can be included. For instance, Neon Genesis Evangelion‘s Asuka and Shinji have an terrible relationship, however the present can’t be described as a romance.
- That stated, if a sequence revolves round a relationship however will not be a traditional romance, we’ll contemplate it.
- Most of those anime are purposefully darkish, however we’ll embody anime which might be unintentionally darkish.
- Though their high quality will not be related to this dialogue, most of those darkish romance anime are value watching.
Up to date on January 15, 2026, by Mark Sammut: The Winter 2026 season is nicely underway, and not one of the romances actually scream “darkish” to date, though it’s nonetheless early days. Consequently, I’ve added two older reveals: The Duke of Loss of life and His Maid and Home Girlfriend. They’re wildly totally different romance anime, however they each have darkish parts. If you’re an enormous fan of trash anime, Home Girlfriend might be already your Citizen Kane.
Scum’s Want
Navigating Love And Lust Makes For Darkish Drama
Scum’s Want is an underrated romance anime with mature themes and a narrative that explores love and lust. The sequence has a brilliantly crafted story in addition to practical characters who may not be sympathetic however really feel actual. Its story follows two highschool college students, Mugi and Hanabi, who’re the seemingly excellent younger couple.
Nevertheless, nobody round them is aware of that secretly they’re each eager for another person. Scum’s Want‘s story is extra than simply one other fake-romance anime because it offers an in-depth look into the complexities of unrequited love, need, jealousy, and relationships, and the way individuals can flip damaging and egocentric once they really feel lonely.
I Need to Escape from Princess Classes
Welcome To Stockholm
Some suspension of disbelief is required to take pleasure in fantasy romance anime, as fairly a couple of of them revolve round less-than-great relationships. Even when they characteristic questionable energy dynamics, most reveals reduce the significance of that component, making it comparatively simple for viewers to glide and settle for that they’re simply watching one thing that’s meant to function an escape from actuality. Nevertheless, typically that’s not potential.
I Need to Escape from Princess Classes is a few woman, Leticia, who’s held captive by Prince Clarke. She spends the primary half of the sequence making an attempt to flee and regain her freedom/life, an effort that spans years inside the context of the present. Sadly, she is at all times dragged again by Clarke, who regularly breaks her spirit. After roughly a decade, Leticia falls in love together with her captor.
Simply to be clear, this isn’t the story’s subtext however the precise plot, and it’s all framed like a lighthearted romcom. The anime will not be a deconstruction of these kinds of narratives both, neither is it darkly comical, and Leticia’s destiny is offered as a optimistic factor.
Yakuza Fiancé: Increase wa Tanin ga Ii
Love, Obsession, And The Yakuza
Yakuza Fiancé: Increase wa Tanin ga Ii serves as a transparent instance of an anime constructed on a relationship unquestionably meant to boost pink flags. The granddaughter of a mob boss, Yoshino is pressured to turn out to be the fiancée of one other inheritor to a robust household, Kirishima. She needs nothing to do with this violent thug, however she has to remain a yr with him.
Initially, Kirishima finds Yoshino boring, however that modifications after she challenges him immediately; after that time, he turns into just about obsessed along with his reluctant fiancée. Regardless of pretty frequent gestures from Kirishima, there’s nothing particularly romantic about this relationship, aside from possibly the truth that they’re usually dragged into high-stakes conditions because of their connection to the Yakuza.
College Days
Proof That Being In A Love Triangle Can Have Lethal Outcomes
There are plenty of romance triangles within the anime world, however College Days has one of many deadliest ones on the market. Makoto dates plenty of women beneath the notion that he was simply “gaining experience” for his one real love, Kotonoha. Nevertheless, he left a path of damaged hearts, and one in all them simply occurred to be his classmate, Sekai. She turned obsessive about him and tried the whole lot to get Makoto to be with solely her, however he didn’t need to since he was courting Kotonoha.
10 Best Romance Anime With No Love Triangles
Followers who’re bored with retreading the previous acquainted love triangle cliches might need to give the next romance anime a shot.
College Days will not be essentially an incredible anime, however it’s distinctive and unforgettable. At this level, the ending is notorious and identified by just about everybody, and it overshadows what’s in any other case a fairly attention-grabbing have a look at twisted teenage love.
This Monster Needs to Eat Me
A Monstrous Love Story
Now, right here is an anime with a powerful premise. Hinako has a scent that appears to draw youkai, all of whom need to eat right here. Happily, she is saved from a watery grave by Shiori, a mermaid; sadly, the latter’s actions are completely pushed by a need to devour Hinako, though she needs to attend till the woman is at her tastiest. Within the meantime, she is going to shield her, no matter whether or not Hinako needs her to or not.
This Monster Needs to Eat Me is a women love anime, albeit one that gives a fairly singular tackle romance. In her personal twisted method, Shiori loves Hinako with each fiber of her being; conversely, Hinako slowly begins to really feel one thing for her killer, as Shiori is the one one who acknowledges Hinako’s despair and guarantees an escape by way of demise.
Blissful Sugar Life
Being Obsessed With Somebody Can Make One Act Erratically
Happy Sugar Life
- Launch Date
-
2018 – 2018
- Community
-
TBS, MBS
- Administrators
-
Ryosuke Shibuya, Fumihiro Ueno
Ah, one of the vital well-known darkish romance anime, Blissful Sugar Life is likely to be flawed, however rattling is it fascinating. Sato turns into completely obsessive about a woman named Shio to the purpose of desirous to be her total world. Leaning into horror territory at occasions, the sequence is unapologetically darkish and prepared to characteristic nearly completely unlikable characters, with Shio being the exception. Sato is likely to be extraordinarily harmful, however she can also be extremely charismatic and enigmatic.
Blissful Sugar Life is basically a thriller thriller, so I might advocate making an attempt to enter the story blind as that’s half the enjoyable. That stated, the anime is heavy, visceral, and uncomfortable, so it’s undoubtedly not for youthful viewers who’re in search of a historically entertaining twisted love anime.
Kurozuka
A Vampire Seeks His Lengthy-Misplaced Lover
Kuro is a younger swordsman who’s on the run from his older brother, who needs him lifeless. When he and his servant, Benkei, search shelter in a forest, they meet the mysterious Kuromitsu. She gives them shelter however warns them not to enter her room. When Kuro does, he discovers that Kuromitsu is a vampire who’s been feasting on the lifeless troopers. Kuro dedicates his life to her and turns him into a vampire, however Benkei betrays and beheads him earlier than the transformation is full. Awakening in modern-day Japan, Kuro units out to seek out Kuromitsu and get revenge.
A darkish and twisted vampire love story stuffed with betrayal and blood. There isn’t a scarcity of motion and violence, in addition to advanced characters. It’s removed from a typical vampire romance, and there’s even a little bit of sci-fi that makes it visually interesting.
Can a Boy-Lady Friendship Survive?
The Manipulative Childhood Buddy
Properly, this one got here a bit out of nowhere. In the course of the first two episodes, Can a Boy-Lady Friendship Survive? comes throughout as a by-the-numbers romcom with a love triangle hook. Himari and Yuu are childhood buddies, and the previous has a behavior of teasing the latter about taking the subsequent step. Nevertheless, Himari has to rethink what she needs from their relationship when Yuu’s first crush, Rion, reveals up.
Every New Romance Anime Of 2025
Love was within the air all year long. Listed below are all the brand new romance anime sequence of 2025.
On paper, this premise appears to recommend an anime with principally fluffy content material, however one thing sudden occurs: Himari turns into actually unlikable. From episode 3, she turns into possessive, utilizing her insecurity as an excuse to control Yuu by threatening to maneuver to a different metropolis and making an attempt to make him really feel responsible. Contemplating she jokingly flirts with him throughout the opening two episodes, her change in demeanor means that she sees her good friend as a backup choice whom she might use if nothing higher comes alongside. Can a Boy-Lady Friendship Survive? finally ends up introducing a couple of extra terrible characters within the second half of the story, and by the tip of the sequence, Himari’s brother is the one remotely likable character.
Wolf Lady & Black Prince
The Final Poisonous Relationship Romance Anime
There are plenty of romance shoujo manga and anime about awful boys and the ladies who adore them. My Little Monster, Itazura na Kiss, and Maid-sama are fashionable reveals with polarizing male leads, however they’re a minimum of balanced out by feminine protagonists who should not full doormats. Wolf Lady & Black Prince takes this traditional dynamic to its darkest endpoint, all of the whereas nonetheless sustaining a lighthearted romantic comedy tone.
Erika is so determined to be appreciated in school that she lies and says that she has a boyfriend, however by accident nominates her idol-ish classmate Kyouya for the function. Whereas he agrees to associate with the ruse, Kyouya calls for that Erika turn out to be his pet, and he treats her accordingly. Naturally, she falls in love with him nearly instantly. With a core relationship constructed on blackmail masquerading as a favor, Wolf Lady & Black Prince looks like it needs to be a few poisonous relationship, however the story by no means genuinely dives into the couple’s horrid energy imbalance. Erika simply follows Kyouya round like a love-sick pet canine, whereas the latter solely begins to deal with her considerably higher when one other man begins to point out curiosity in her.
Orange
A Lady Should Determine Between Dropping Her Buddy Or Dropping Her Future
Naho Takamiya is simply beginning her sophomore yr in highschool, nevertheless it’s off to a tough begin. She receives a mysterious letter sooner or later and finds out it’s from herself sooner or later. Her future self tells her of her regrets revolving across the new switch scholar, Kakeru Naruse. Nevertheless, Naho should determine between saving Kakeru from a devastating occasion or shedding her future household with their good friend Hiroto Suwa if she saves him.
Orange may appear to be a typical time-traveling slice-of-life romance, however there are some fairly darkish undertones to it. Naho and Hiroto are pressured to make selections that not solely have an effect on their futures but additionally the way forward for their finest good friend. It’s a fairly heavy factor to have on their minds at such a younger age, particularly understanding that their future selves have a toddler collectively.
