Let’s take a look at the compilation of anime like Toradora for a dose of bittersweet romance! Some of them have caused quite a storm on Netflix and other streaming sites, while the others surely deserve more attention.
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Top 10 Best Anime Like Toradora
1. Golden Time
After an accident, Tada Banri has finally recovered despite being haunted by amnesia. In hope of starting a new life, he moved to Tokyo and got enrolled in a law school.
However, the first day doesn’t seem to be a good day for him. Banri was late for the ceremony and lost on the way to his building, soon encountering a boy name Mitsuo.
The two got along naturally, and Mitsuo confessed that he only chose this university to get away from a childhood friend who declared she would get married to him in the future. They both didn’t expect the mentioned Kaga Kouko to show up in front of them. Banri found himself entangled in this strange relationship while his past gradually unfolded.
Golden Time is lovely romance comedy anime wherein the main characters slowly develop feelings for each other although neither of them foresees it in the beginning. There is a little bit of twist and fantasy added to the series to keep the audience entertained as well!
2. Angel Beats!
We all have questions about the afterlife at some point, but Otonashi Yuzuru gets to experience it. He wakes up in a school of some sort, but it was a transition dimension for people who are not ready to let go of their previous life.
It’s inevitable for Yuzuru to be involved in the conflicts inside the school as Nakamura Yuki makes him join the rebellions in the battle against Tachibana Kanade, the divine president of the student council. Only when Yuzuru approached the so-called enemy did he realize she was different from what he had been told.
Angel Beats! is undoubtedly an anime similar to Toradora with the emotional stories behind the characters. You might have all the fun and the laughter you want at first, but you’d better prepare some tissues for the ending.
3. Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day
On a summer day, Yadomi Jinta sees his childhood friend named “Menma” Honma Meiko. The girl insists on reminding him of her wish from a long time ago, yet he only brushes it off. Because Menma is already dead, and Jinta convinces himself he is getting delusional from the heat.
After a few more incidents, the protagonist finally believes that the Menma he encounters is truly a ghost. To help the unfortunate spirit rest in peace, the old friends who had drifted apart gathered once again and attempted to fulfill Menma’s wish.
Besides the perfect balance of comedy and romance, the beautiful art style is also essential to deliver all the emotions to viewers like us.
4. Zero no Tsukaima
In an academy well-known for its excellent magic education, a mage unable to perform spells properly is sure to receive sarcasm. It’s the very reason for the nickname “Zero Louise” that our protagonist has to bear.
Louise’s life turns eventful when her endeavor in summoning a familiar ends up in an explosion. From the thick smoke, a person appears. Nonetheless, Louise has failed once again, technically, for this Hiraga Saito is but a normal Japanese boy who can’t do anything to help her in her mage career.
With no other choice to take, Louise has to stick with Saito, very reluctantly so. She unleashes her frustration on him often, including randomly smacking him and treating him harshly. Despite the rocky start, the pair eventually grew fond of each other, which will give you a sweet reminder of Toradora.
5. Lovely Complex
The height difference is nothing strange, but when it is reverse – 172cm for the girl and 156cm for the boy – many situations are bound to happen. It is what it is for the comedy duo of Koizumi Risa and Ootani Atsushi from Lovely Complex.
Like any other teenager, Risa and Ootani easily develop a little crush at school. They somehow form an ally because the other party is a friend with their object of affection. Innocent feelings of the youth eventually turn into the first heartache for them when their crushes become a couple.
We’re bound to find the relationship between the main characters pleasantly sweet as they help each other out and slowly discover what they have in common. This slow-burn with an unpredicted chemistry blooming resembles the dynamics in Toradora!
6. Nisekoi (False Love)
“Yakuza” is a term for Japanese gangsters, but the story between the heirs of two conflicting gangs in Nisekoi doesn’t go the Romeo & Juliet way. Instead, it features a healthy dose of fuzzy feelings like what Toradora has treated us with.
Ichijou Raku wants nothing more than to stay as far away from his yakuza background as possible despite being the only heir. However, he can’t escape his duties, even if it threatens the blossoming bond between him and Onodera Kosaki, his love interest. Things are getting intense between the two mafia groups, and a fake relationship with the enemy’s daughter seems like a brilliant solution.
The odds are not in Raku’s favor though. Kirisaki Chitoge hates him at first sight, while he finds her as unattractive as a human being can ever get. The appearances of other girls he has known before add more chaos to his life, but the only person he has been searching for is still nowhere to be found.
7. Horimiya
Although Horimiya is a recent release, it has been one of the best romance anime like Toradora, in which the main couple is not compatible at all on the outside but their souls are in synchronization.
With great achievements at school and a pleasant attitude, Kyouko Hori always receives admiration. However, she is always unavailable for afterschool activities and socialization, and the reason for her aloofness remains a secret to other classmates.
On the contrary, Izumi Miyamura is a nobody, a meek otaku with unthinkable piercings and tattooed patterns on his body.
As a coincidence, they run into each other outside of school and quickly become friends. The side they hide from people gradually comes to the surface and reveals itself in light of a budding romance.
Check more: Top 10 Anime Characters With Depression (Male & Female)
8. Clannad
At first sight, Okazaki Tomoya is far from adorable. After his mom passed away, his dad fell into the abyss of agony and sought solace in unhealthy habits such as drinking and gambling. It is difficult for Tomoya to deal with, and the isolated lifestyle he chose only separates him from others even more.
He meets a girl named Furukawa Nagisa on his way to school and notices the way she mumbles to herself. Friendly Nagisa considers him a friend already, and he brushes it off even though he starts to pay more attention to her and learns about the illness that delays her education for a whole year.
When Tomoya agrees to help Nagisa and four other girls to give the drama club a reboot, his life takes a completely different route. Like Toradora, Clannad introduces us to an unexpected romance with thoroughly expressed emotions.
9. Kimi ni Todoke: From Me to You
What would it feel like to have no friends only because your appearance somehow resembles a terrifying character from a classic horror flick? Sawako of Kimi ni Todoke: From Me to You knows it better than anyone.
No matter how kind-hearted and friendly she is, her schoolmates still keep a distance and spread rumors about her having malicious abilities.
Naturally, Sawako admires the most popular boy in the class, Kazehaya Shouta. It’s a dream come true for the girl when she finally gets to speak to him, and he decides to help her make friends. Thanks to the game of courage Shouta organizes, our protagonist manages to create new bonds.
A romantic feeling sprouts in Sawako’s heart, as Shouta is truly a special person that changes her life. Surprisingly, Shouta feels the same way.
10. The Pet Girl of Sakurasou
The dormitory named Sakurasou of Suimei High is a collection of the most famous delinquents in the entire school. Kanda Sorata wants nothing more than to escape this asylum. All of them are peculiar to the point he can only interact with one person.
However, his desire to be free from the weird individuals dissipates as soon as the beautiful Shiina Mashiro joins the dormitory. Aside from the captivating look, Mashiro is also a brilliant artist that cannot tend to daily tasks. When Shouta takes the responsibility to take care of her, he eventually forgets about fleeing the dorm.
The Pet Girl of Sakurasou is not only filled with comedy and romance like other Toradora recommendations, but it is also a coming-of-age story wherein the protagonist is inspired by the prodigies around him to become better.
Final Words
These series are the best anime to watch if you like Toradora for the lovely animation and the heart-warming plotlines. After all, stories about the youth and their first love will always have a special effect on our hearts!