10 best anime to watch if you like Can a Boy-Girl Friendship Survive?

Can a Boy-Girl Friendship Survive? has captivated audiences with its emotional portrayal of two high school students struggling to balance their cherished friendship and budding romantic feelings.

Adapted from Nana Nanana’s popular light novel series, it tells the story of Himari Inuzuka, an energetic girl, and her shy, flower-loving friend Yuu Natsume. After pledging eternal friendship in junior high, their bond is tested when old flames reignite buried emotions.

This 2025 romantic comedy resonates with viewers through its universal themes of friendship, jealousy, and growing pains. If you fell in love with its poignant storytelling and engaging characters, here are 10 more anime series to add to your watchlist.

10 must-watch anime for fans of Can a Boy-Girl Friendship Survive?

1. Toradora!

This wildly popular 2008 anime is regarded as one of the best high school romantic comedies of all time. Initially, the petite and feisty Taiga Aisaka and kindhearted Ryuuji Takasu can’t stand each other. However, when Taiga mistakenly thinks Ryuuji is her best friend’s secret crush, their fates intertwine.

Before long, the unlikely pair find themselves helping each other win over their respective love interests. But as they spend more time together, deeper feelings quietly begin to bloom. Featuring sharp dialogue, absurd humor, and plenty of heart-fluttering moments, Toradora! perfectly captures the exhilaration of first love.

Beneath its quirky antics lies a surprisingly mature story that thoughtfully examines the transformative power of relationships. Much like Can a Boy-Girl Friendship Survive?, this anime beautifully captures how even the most trivial encounters can unexpectedly change our lives.

2. My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU (Oregairu)

My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU (Image via Brain's Base, Feel)

The protagonists of this witty series use self-deprecating humor and sarcasm to mask their struggles to connect. Hachiman Hikigaya is a jaded high schooler who believes youth is filled with nothing but superficial relationships.

When the school’s service club forces him to spend time with Yukino Yukinoshita, his cynicism meets her blunt criticism, sparking clashes full of banter. Soon, the odd duo finds themselves forging unexpected bonds with fellow club member Yui Yuigahama and others.

Like Can a Boy-Girl Friendship Survive?, My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU features a layered “will they/won’t they” dynamic driven by rapid character development across three seasons. Their pretense gives way to vulnerability in poignant moments amid the laughter.

3. Horimiya

Horimiya sweetly reminds us that relationships often hold deeper significance than they may initially seem. When the nerdy, plain-looking Miyamura crosses paths with popular girl Hori outside of school, he discovers that they both possess a geeky private side.

As their secret bond evolves into camaraderie and, ultimately, romance, the show delves into how breaking down barriers can foster connection. Similar to how the central friendship in Can a Boy-Girl Friendship Survive? develops, this short 13-episode series maximizes its runtime by gracefully advancing its leads' relationships.

Beneath their exteriors lie intricate backstories and complementary quirks, making the journey of getting to know them feel special. Hori and Miyamura’s playful rapport, sprinkled with cozy moments, makes you root for their happiness.

4. Just Because!

Few anime depict the unpredictability of high school romance quite like 2017’s overlooked gem, Just Because! Centered on student Eita Izumi’s unexpected reunion with two shy admirers, this tranquil drama beautifully captures how rekindling old bonds can bring hidden feelings to the surface.

While love triangles usually dramatize jealousy, this series emphasizes the characters' honest processing of their resurfaced emotions. Similar to Can a Boy-Girl Friendship Survive?, witnessing the leads maturely communicate their evolving dynamic feels quietly groundbreaking.

Though the anime ends on an open note, its atmospheric slice-of-life storytelling shines in highlighting how the deepest connections often catch us by surprise.

5. Kimi ni Todoke

Kimi ni Todoke (Image via Production I.G)

This heartwarming fan favorite centers on Sawako Kuronuma, a sweet yet socially misunderstood girl nicknamed “Sadako” after the character from The Ring. Her fortunes shift when she befriends the popular Shouta Kazehaya, leading her on a poignant journey of belonging.

Echoing many themes seen in Can a Boy-Girl Friendship Survive?, the evolving relationship between Sawako and Kazehaya illustrates how even small acts of kindness can profoundly impact others. As their innocent chemistry gradually transforms into a pure love that empowers Sawako to embrace her true self, you can’t help but smile at all the hard-won milestones along the way.

6. Tsuki ga Kirei

For a delicate adolescent romance, look no further than the understated yet sweeping 2017 series Tsuki ga Kirei. Chronicling the budding middle school sweethearts Kotaro Azumi and Akane Mizuno, the show beautifully explores two inexperienced teens navigating the challenges of first love.

As the series captures every nervous text, stolen glance, and blush-inducing brush of hands with impressive detail, we experience the highs and lows of fledgling romance alongside the leads through tender firsts.

Fans of Can a Boy-Girl Friendship Survive? will surely fall for the sincere connection between Kotaro and Akane, which is fostered through everyday encounters and mutual understanding. By spotlighting remarkable joy in seemingly quiet moments, Tsuki ga Kirei proves that an innocent awakening love can always withstand the test of time.

7. Bottom-Tier Character Tomozaki

Bottom-Tier Character Tomozaki (Image via Project No.9)

At first, Bottom-Tier Character Tomozaki may appear to be an unlikely choice. However, its connection to Can a Boy-Girl Friendship Survive? lies in its meaningful narrative of personal growth. Tomozaki is a gamer adept at virtual social interaction but suffers from cripplingly low self-esteem in the real world.

That changes when popular classmate Hinami helps him develop basic social skills by taking him under her wing. As their friendship helps Tomozaki to unlock self-improvement quests, we witness how mutual understanding between opposites blossoms through embracing their true selves.

Like the central pair in Can a Boy-Girl Friendship Survive?, Tomozaki and Hinami’s relationship amounts to more than the sum of its parts, resulting in heartwarming moments.

8. Ao Haru Ride

Featuring stunning animation and a catchy opening, Ao Haru Ride (also known as Blue Spring Ride) is a must-see high school romance. Futaba Yoshioka has shed her girly personality from junior high to attract less unwanted attention in high school.

However, her world flips when she reunites with her first love, Kou Tanaka, who now adopts a cooler persona. Though older and wiser over time, traces of the kids they once were emerge through bittersweet memories conveying palpable longing.

Similar to Himari and Yuu in Can a Boy-Girl Friendship Survive?, reconciling with past selves becomes essential for making Futaba and Kou's connection feel authentic and intimate. If you enjoy a will-they-won’t-they pairing navigating trauma through the healing power of friendship, backed by gorgeous visual direction, don’t miss this one.

9. ReLIFE

ReLIFE follows Arata Kaizaki, a 27-year-old unemployed man who gets a second chance to redo high school after agreeing to take an experimental drug. Appearing ten years younger, he must learn to change his self-isolating outlook to pass ReLIFE’s program.

With help from unexpected companions Chizuru Hishiro, Ryou Yoake, and An Onoya, Arata confronts the past regrets that haunt his adult life by repairing unresolved adolescent relationships.

Through relatable struggles to connect with others, ReLIFE reflects many of the insecurities explored in Can a Boy-Girl Friendship Survive? As Arata opens his heart to nurturing friendships, both shows touching assert that it’s never too late for meaningful human connection.

10. Fruits Basket

Fruits Basket (Image via TMS Entertainment)

The beloved shoujo series Fruits Basket centers around an orphan named Tohru, who ends up living with the members of the Soma family. The family is cursed to transform into animals of the Chinese zodiac when hugged by the opposite sex or when under stress.

As Tohru develops close relationships with many members of the Soma family, including tentative romances, she helps them confront long-held traumas. Similar to Can a Boy-Girl Friendship Survive?, Fruits Basket insightfully explores the complexities of relationships against a backdrop of larger-than-life circumstances.

Tohru's determination to support those she cares for mirrors Himari's devotion to Yuu in Can a Boy-Girl Friendship Survive? With its emotional weight, this classic anime is a worthy pick.

Conclusion

With their astutely written youth characters and relationships, combined with emotional storytelling, these anime serve as fantastic companions to the touching Can a Boy-Girl Friendship Survive? Whether you’re seeking shows that capture platonic tensions, romantic butterflies, or thoughtful coming-of-age stories, these selections hit all the right notes for fans of Can a Boy-Girl Friendship Survive?