Summary
Inanime, we often see the main characters fall in love, conquering all obstacles and reaching a happy ending. However, just like in real life, that is not often the case. Sometimes, anime features stories of loving someone with all your heart, only for the relationship to fall flat.
Unrequited love is bittersweet.The feeling of falling in lovewith someone can be thrilling and overwhelming, but if it doesn’t lead to a relationship, it can be soul-crushing. Some anime have showcased this feeling well, allowing the viewers to experience this emotional rollercoaster alongside the characters.
10Orange
Can You Change The Future?
Orange is a unique, emotional anime. Naho Takamiya receives letters from her future self, asking her to remedy all of her biggest regrets. A major subject of these letters revolves around a new classmate from Tokyo named Kakeru Naruse. After learning that Kakeru will take his own life in the future, Naho resolves to do everything she can to save his life.
Orange makes use of the one-sided love trope while also showcasing a unique time travel plot. As Naho does everything the letter says, it causes viewers to wonder if she will be able to spare Kakeru from his untimely demise or if she will be unable to change the future.
9Scum’s Wish
The Art Of Distraction
Seeing the person you love fall for someone else is extremely painful. This is exactly what happened to Hanabi Yasuraoka, who has been in love with her older childhood friend Narumi Kanai for as long as she can remember. While Hanabi watches as Narumi falls for a music teacher named Akane Minagawa, she finds solace in Mugi Ayawa.
Like Hanabi, Mugi is in love with Akane, but is aware that she and Narumi are in a relationship. To satisfy each other’s loneliness, the two begin fake-dating. Though they appear like the perfect couple, they only satisfy each other’s emotional and sexual needs. With a promise to not fall in love with each other, will they continue to fake-date or end up with the people they really want?
8Nisekoi
Fake Dating For The Family
Nisekoi is a harem rom-com that tethers between comedy and romance. Raku Ichijo is the son of a leader in a Yakuza group, while Chitoge Kirisaki is the daughter of a rival gang. When they meet each other, they instantly despise each other. So, when their family forces them to fake-date, the task proves difficult due to their shared hatred for each other.
It doesn’t help that Raku has a crush on his schoolmate, Kosaki Onodera; a crush he has no idea likes him back. However, as Raku and Chitoge keep up their relationship, their chemistry becomes more and more obvious. Will they end up falling in love, or will they have the ultimate crash out?
7Monthly Girls' Nozaki-Kun
Failing To Confess
Chiyo Sakura has a massive crush on her schoolmate Umetarou Nozaki, but he is extremely oblivious to the fact. When she confesses, he mistakes her for a fan and even gives her an autograph. When she tells him she wants to be with him, he simply invites her to his home to help with his drawings. Turns out Nozaki is a popular manga artist!
Throughout the show, Nozaki remains entirely unaware of Chiyo’s obvious feelings for him. Thankfully, Chiyo develops relationships outside of her infatuation with Nozaki, but it still stings, seeing her constantly fail to confess.
6The Devil Is A Part-Timer!
Can Love Bloom Between Enemies?
This reverse isekai comedy actually features unrequited love amid the chaotic energy of all the characters. After being defeated by hero Emilia, the Demon Lord Satan takes on the identity of Sadao Maou and begins working part-time at the fast food joint MgRonald’s (see what they did there?).
While working, he meets a girl named Emi Yusa, who is actually Emilia. While she initially goes to Earth to ensure Satan is defeated, she ends up developing feelings for him. The show highlights her struggling to reconcile her feelings due to their rocky past.
5Honey And Clover
Youth & Unrequited Love
Honey and Clover features not just one, but multiple tales of unrequited love. When Hagumi ‘Hagu’ Hanamoto begins living with Yuta Takemoto, Takumi Mayama, and Shinbu Morita, they become close friends due to the fact they all attend the same art college. However, both Yuta and Shinobu fall in love with Hagu.
Another friend, Ayumi Yamada, joins the friend group and falls in love with Takumi. However, Takumi is not interested and has his eyes set on a much older woman. The show follows these five college students as they navigate college life, self-discovery, and unrequited love.
4Makeine: Too Many Losing Heroines!
Makeine: Too Many Losing Heroines is a unique anime about unrequited love. While most series follow the journey of a failed confession (or how confessions fly over people’s heads), this show details what happens after you confess and get denied. It’s a little sad but relatable; after all, not everyone gets a happily ever after confessing.
Anna Yanami, one of the most popular girls in her class, gets rejected after confessing to her childhood best friend. The failed confession is witnessed by Kazuhiko Nukumizu. Despite wanting to live his life in the background, Nukumizu gets involved with Anna and other girls who have experienced rejection from the boys they like.
3Re:Zero
A Painful Rejection
When Subaru Natsuki is transported to a magical world, he discovers he has the ability to turn back time after his death, which he calls Return by Death. With his newfound powers, he resolves to help Emilia, a half-elf poised to become the next ruler of the Kingdom of Lugunica. Re:Zero showcases the budding relationship between these two characters amid all the obstacles that come their way.
The unrequited love is not between Emilia and Subaru. Instead, it’s Rem, a maid who falls in love with Subaru after he saves her. While watching Re:Zero, you get to see Rem fall in love with Subaru, only to be faced with a painful rejection due to his devotion to Emilia.
2Toradora!
A Story Built On Unrequited Love
Toradora! initially starts with unrequited love. Taiga Aisaka, a cute girl with a fierce attitude, is in love with Ryuji Takasu’s best friend, Yusaku Kitamura. Ryuji, who has a tiger-like face yet calm personality, is in love with Taiga’s best friend, Minori Kushieda. The two initially agree to be each other’s wingman, but ultimately fall in love with each other.
However, just because Taiga and Ryuji get together does not mean the series doesn’t feature other unrequited love stories. When Awi Kamishimatransfers to their school, she ends up falling in love with Ryuji. However, these feelings are not returned.
1Your Lie In April
When Fate Has Other Plans
At first, Your Lie In Aprilseems like a light-hearted romance. However, it’s everything but that. Kosei Arima is a former piano child prodigy who quits following the death of his mother. One day, he meets talented violinist Kaori Miyazono. She convinces him to take up piano again by persuading him to be her accompanist. Soon, Kosei ends up falling in love with Kaori.
Everything seems to be going well until Kaori’s health deteriorates due to her anemia. She chooses to undergo risky surgery to be able to potentially play alongside Kosei once more; however, this surgery proves to be a risky gamble. What will happen to Kaori and Kosei?
