10 Good Romances I Watched in 2018
Kamisama Kiss is an interesting shoujo. I found it to be fairly unique compared to other shoujos and yet also found it to be a shoujo that held many of the tropes the genre normally has. I know charm is something that is typically subjective, but I found Kamisama Kiss to be a very charming show. From what I’ve seen, a lot of people have a similar opinion, so watch it if you like shoujos.
I love how normal and teenage Asagao to Kase-san is. It's really sweet to see the beginning of a relationship along with the awkward fumbling that comes from it, especially in a wlw romance. It’s cute and the movie is only an hour long. The manga is a little longer.
8) End of the Fucking World
End of the Fucking World is a good example of doing edgy, shitty teenagers right. I found myself rooting for them to get out of their...situation successfully and happily, even though it’s obvious that’s not going to happen. Watching the two of them slowly soften and care about the other was extremely satisfying. The series is pretty short. I watched it in about a day. So next time you get some free time this show might be a good idea.
It was really good. The story was told in a unique way and the characters were likable and their relationship was endearing. You could understand why they ended up together and why they liked each other while also seeing how they were ultimately not good for each other without making the characters look stupid. It’s a really good romantic comedy. I would recommend it.
6) Wotaku ni Koi Wa Muzukashii
Writing good. Pacing bad. That’s the base of the show. It’s an office romance! Those are normally pretty fun, and this one is! The opening and ending sequence are incredibly fun. I don’t have much to say about this one in all honesty. It’s a romantic comedy with dry humor and romance viewed through a mature lens. It’s good. Check it out.
Yeahhhh Bloom into You is probably the most somber romance on this list. I gotta say, I was surprised by how psychological Bloom into You was considering how popular it seemed to be as well as the art design appearing very flowery at first sight (though once I started to watch the show the designs seemed more solemn). This show deals with trying to understand what being in love even is, the reasons people fall in love with others, and if those specific reasons will affect how the person reciprocates their feelings. It’s extremely good, just don’t watch it if you’re in the mood for a light romance.
I’ve already written most of my thoughts on this manhwa in a different blog post of mine. It’s a really good romance with strong main and side characters. If you like the friends to lovers trope then this manhwa is the one for you. I could really sense their care for one another. The manhwa was also good at differentiating between what made them like each other as friends and what made them like each other romantically. Their relationship evolved nicely. I’d recommend it, for sure.
Definitely the healthiest yaoi I’ve seen. Though I haven’t seen many. I’m kind of sucker for romances that put an emphasis on the seasons so Doukyuusei kind of easily became a beloved romance of mine. The direction and water-color design was beautiful. Sadly, I don’t think the movie is purchasable in the west as well as being very hard to stream. Seriously. I’m surprised my computer didn’t get a virus after watching this.
I’m mad it took me until 2018 to watch this. If you’re into the found family trope (like me) then Fruits Basket is a must watch. The themes of finding a place to belong are done so beautifully and the characters are so likable that when they find that place it just...you really feel that shit. The romance is also really sweet, though not as developed compared to the manga- but hey! Fruits Basket is getting a reboot in April that is supposed to follow the manga a lot better than the original anime adaptation so PLEASE look forward to that.
1) His and Her Circumstances
I really like this one. The two main characters are likable and the comedy is done really well and this show serves a lot of good advice and insight on growing up and relationships and it’s just really good okay. It’s one of the few romances I’ve seen that shows that people make mistakes in relationships that are often unintentional- sometimes those mistakes are even things we think we’re doing right. His and Her Circumstances just really knows how to portray common and realistic relationship problems and blunders in an interesting, endearing way. Watch it if you can find it.
