Summary
Everybody knows that the best part of anyanimerelationship is the build-up. That’s why it’s so fun to watch an enemies-to-lovers arc in your favorite shows. This adds tension, conflict, and hidden feelings, which makes the romance a thousand times more fun to watch.
Enemies-to-lovers anime tend to have great plots, convoluted storylines, and epic romances. It’s one of the most popular anime tropes, and it’s not hard to see why. These anime showcase the trope the best.
8Yakuza Fiancé
Yoshino & Kirishima
Yoshino and Kirishima are both members of different yakuza. When they’re forced into an arranged marriage, it starts with animosity. They fight constantly, and Yoshino even goes so far as to sell a kidney just to prove a point. Since they’re both members of the yakuza, they have a lot of resources for fighting and revenge.
After Yoshino shows her true colors, Kirishima switches his tune. He wanted a dangerous, beautiful wife, and now he’d found her. He falls for her, and tries to convince her that he’s the best husband for her, despite her doubts.
7Kaguya-Sama: Love Is War
Shinomiya & Shirogane
Kaguya-Sama: Love is War is a four-season enemies-to-;overs romance that explores love, family dynamics, mental health issues, and friendship. The two main characters, Kaguya Shinomiya and Miyuki Shirogane, are constantly fighting and making underhand moves because they’re secretly in love with each other.
The great thing about this relationship is that theyget together within the series, and you get to see them happy after so many episodes of fighting. The build-up is incredible and takes place over several seasons, which makes it well worth the watch.
6Maid Sama
Usui & Misaki
Maid Sama follows student council president Misaki Ayuzawa as she tries to balance school and her job in a maid café so she can take care of her family. A popular schoolmate, Takumi Usui, discovers her secret. She’s angry and embarrassed at first, fighting against him whenever she can and pushing him away.
Eventually, though, she realizes that she’s starting to rely on him. Her anger turns into love, and they starta beautiful romance. The anime has only one season, but the story continues through the manga.
5The Devil Is A Part Timer
Demon & Hero
This enemies-to-lovers anime is the most clear-cut one. Sadao is literally Satan, and Emilia is a hero tasked with killing him. They’re at opposite ends of the spectrum: a demon and a hero who are destined to be enemies.
But love conquers all. As they live on earth and get to know each other in a new capacity, they realize there is more to each other than they realized. They slowly start to care for each other, and even end up adopting a child together.
4Kamisama Kiss
Tomoe & Nanami
Kamisama Kiss is about Nanami, a girl who becomes a land god and is gifted a shrine, which comes with Tomoe, a yokai familiar. At first, Tomoe resents Nanami. He feels that she isn’t deserving of the land god title, and is angry that his true master is gone, and that Nanami has taken his place.
Over time, however, he starts to really care about her, even if he won’t admit it. When Nanami takes on a second familiar, he becomes jealous, and it shifts their relationship for the better, leading to long-lasting love.
3Ranma ½
Ranma & Akane
Ranma ½ originally aired back in the ’80s, but it’s recently been rebooted on Netflix.There’s a manga, multiple OVA, and even films made out of this popular story. It’s a show about Ranma, a martial arts master that turns into a girl when splashed with cold water. He ends up in an arranged engagement to Akane, an independent girl with a crush on someone else.
They spend a lot of time together with no intention of being a couple. But slowly, overtime, bits of their feelings start to seep into their interactions. Jealousy is the number one contributor to their relationship forming.
2Nina The Starry Bride
Nina & Sett
Nina has perfect, beautiful starry eyes that are unique to the kingdom. She becomes a replacement for a lost princess to join hands with Sett, a neighboring prince known for being cruel. At first, it seems that her love for the prince in her kingdom will keep her from marrying Sett, but she chooses to get married and keep her kingdom safe.
She’s sent to live with Sett, and their interactions are nothing short of hostile. He literally cuts into her during one of their first meetings and there are zero feelings of love between them. But as Nina works to be his wife and keep the kingdom safe, Sett starts to unthaw and develop actual feelings.
1Toradora
Ryuji & Taiga
Taiga and Ryuji don’t get along when the show starts. They aren’t fans of each other at all - they only team up with each other to help get with their perspective crushes. They come up with plans that inadvertently forces them to spend time together.
Over time, they both begin to realize they have feelings for each other and end up together instead of with their crushes. Still, their opposite personalities cause a variety of problems throughout the show, even at their best.
