The Fall 2024 anime season has officially kicked it, and it is time to round up shows that weren’t able to garner mainstream popularity. It’s safe to say that the current year was again a good one for love stories, which helped preserve the genre's consistency, quantity, and quality. From obvious hits like A Sign of Affection to surprises like Alya Sometimes Hide Her Feelings in Russian, romance fans have had a steady supply of good stories across multiple subgenres and settings.
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However, besides the apparent winners, there are always anime shows that get pushed to the back or get outshined by the conventionality of more hyped series. They don’t get their fair share in the limelight, but that doesn’t diminish the merit of their well-executed stories and relatable characters. Here are some underrated romance anime titles that deserve the viewers’ attention.
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6 The Café Terrace and Its Goddesses Season 2 Embraces Its Slice-of-Life Themes
Where To Watch: Crunchyroll
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Harem is a dying genre, with fewer and fewer titles coming out that are actually able to impress fans. The lack of originality and the painstakingly obvious obsession with prioritizing fanservice over genuine character-building have negatively affected the genre’s popularity. Fortunately, The Café Terrace and Its Goddesses was one of the better harem shows in the past few years, and it was able to intrigue the audience with its good story despite being heavily reliant on fanservice. The story follows the misadventures of Hayato, who inherits his grandmother’s dying café after her death. He returns to his hometown from Tokyo to close the café so that he can continue on to university in the city. However, he’s met with a glorious surprise when he stumbles upon five beautiful young women living and working in the café.
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The gang immediately gets off the wrong foot, and the girls start scheming to get rid of Hayato since they have nowhere else to go. But when the latter learns about the struggles of these women, he decides to give them a chance and change the café’s fate for the better. By the end of Season 1, Hayato had solidified his role as the café’s owner and vowed to make it a success. On the other hand, he also falls into some complicated relationship dynamics with the ladies, kickstarting a typical harem situation that continues into Season 2. The Café Terrace and Its Goddesses would remind fans of the Quintessential Quadruplets despite the story not progressing as consistently as the latter. Still, the anime manages to cling to plot progression and a whimsical romance instead of completely giving into fanservice.
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5 The Magical Girl and the Evil Lieutenant Used TO Be Archenemies Is An Adorable Romance
Where To Watch: Crunchyroll
Fans had mixed reviews about the anime, especially about the show’s animation and pacing. Unfortunately, The Magical Girl is a final tribute to the original author, who died at the mere age of 31. Although the series wasn’t a huge hit, it was severely undermined despite checking all the boxes for an entertaining rom-com. The story mostly centers around Byakuya, who is a convenience store clerk but is secretly a magical girl tasked with fighting against an evil organization. While taming a beast released by one of the organization’s lieutenants named Mira, the two experience a spark. Instead of going at each other, Mira is absolutely smitten by Byakuya and starts to fall for her.
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He assures the organization that he’ll take care of the enemy, but he finds himself instinctively buying cakes for her and harboring a strong desire to cherish and protect her. The Magical Girl is a classic case of forbidden love, but its magical background and fantasy elements give it a certain edge. The interactions between the protagonists are funny and cute, and they remind the audience of the fluttery feelings of being in love for the first time. It’s safe to assume that the anime isn’t exactly groundbreaking, but it’s a perfect fluffy romance for those who enjoy light-hearted emotions.
4 Days with My Stepsister Focuses On The Realistic Side of the ‘Stepsibling Dynamic’ Trope
Where To Watch: Crunchyroll
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Exploring awkward or complicated relationship dynamics between stepsiblings of the same age has been done a few times. However, whether it’s Domestic Girlfriend or OniAi, executing a story based on the unconventional feelings between stepsiblings suddenly thrown together isn’t always a walk in the park. Viewers usually have mixed feelings about this certain trope that often doesn’t try to execute a plot based on it with realism. Surprisingly, while Days With my Stepsister has big shoes to fill in regarding offering fans something new, it does so without undermining its core theme. The story starts with Yuuta Asamura, who is a second-year high school student with a shut-in personality and an affinity for keeping people at a distance.
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When he is told that his father is remarrying, he doesn’t really react to it with intensity and diligently accepts his father’s decision. However, things become complicated when he learns that his stepmother has a daughter his age named Saki Ayase. Both Yuuta and Ayase are happy for their parents but make a pact not to expect anything from each other to give their parents an opportunity to work out their relationship. What makes Days With my Stepsister standout is the serious tone and the emotional depth of the predicament. The series ensures that it explores every facet of feelings stepsiblings experience when they are at a tender age.
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Two attractive teenagers living under the same roof doesn’t exactly simplify anything. Instead of making light of the situation or sexualizing it, the series expands on the consequences of such a situation on those who have the least stakes in a second marriage. The way the anime eases into the realization of Ayase and Yuuta’s changed feelings for one another is phenomenal. The anime is brilliantly focused on the sense of guilt and responsibility such stepsiblings experience in order to keep their family intact. Days With my Stepsister is a slow-burn yet grounded romance that’s more than clichés and shallow emotions.
3 ATRI – My Dear Moments Is An Entertaining Mix of Fantasy and Romance
Where To Watch: Crunchyroll
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Some love stories don’t often need romance to be in the driving seat. Based on a light novel of the same, ATRI follows the story of a boy named Natsuki Ikaruga, who suffers through a horrible accident that killed his mother and deprived him of his right leg. In a world where dangerously rising sea levels have threatened the preservation of the human race, Natsuki feels his life is already over. That’s why he drops everything in the big city and returns to his remote island home, which has been reduced to ruins underwater. While reminiscing old memories, Natsuki discovers a perfectly preserved Humanoid who is revealed to have been tasked with an important mission by Natsuki’s grandmother.
Most of the anime’s story revolves around the android’s struggles to fulfill her mysterious role. Although the romance does take a backseat in this one, it’s a blend that’s perfect for viewers who don’t appreciate a plot-driven solely by the ‘power of love.’ The plot is complicated from a sci-fi standpoint but it’s a pretty straight story when it comes to romance. With substantial character development and compelling slice-of-life elements, ATRI makes for an intriguing borderline romance that’s a perfectly good title for a light-hearted watch.
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2 Makeine: Too Many Losing Heroines! Tells The Story Of The Other Side of the Table
Where To Watch: Crunchyroll
Many anime shows may have told the story of the losing hero or the rejects, but it hasn’t been done the way Makeine depicts the feeling of unrequited love. Makeine’s selling point is the anime’s spectacular approach to representing different forms of rejection, especially from the female perspective. The anime explores the reactions of its female characters as they suffer from defeat in love. Most of these feelings are told from Nukumizu’s perspective, a high school social recluse who feels teenage love stories would only end up in disaster because of their temporary nature.
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Despite trying to keep his distance, Nukumizu gets tangled up in the love lives of what he calls “losing heroines.” It all started with the zealous Anna, whom Nukumizu witnesses being rejected on the face by her childhood friend. After that, she practically forces herself into Nukumizu’s life, and the two somewhat agree on a shaky friendship. After Anna, Nukumizu becomes acquainted with two other losing heroines, Lemon and Chika, who are also rejected by their crushes. The anime may seem like another high school rom-com because of its synopsis, but Makeine completely outdoes itself by offering a fresh take on the high school love scene.
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From its on-point comedy to relatable characters, the anime does a fabulous job of restraining itself from falling into the pit called “cliché.” The female characters are diverse, and each may represent a certain archetype, but they genuinely transform throughout the series. Their insecurities are valid, and they stand against the common notion that a popular and beautiful girl can get any guy they want. However, no one ever thinks about the guy the popular girl wants, especially when it’s a childhood male friend who has never looked at them from a partner’s perspective. It’s safe to say that Makeine is one of the better romance anime of the year.