10 romance anime fans must watch if they hate romance

Romance anime are usually dismissed as being too melodramatic or too slow. Some are too caught up in clichés, others don't carry characters beyond romance tropes. Yet not all romance anime follow the same formula. Some include solid comedy, emotional resonance, or turns of events. Those go beyond the standard love story. Those delve into friendship, personal development, and the imperfections of people.

A few even satirize romance in inventive ways. These romance anime do not hesitate to bend the rules. They catch viewers who typically hate the genre by surprise. Each of them has something unique, even for skeptics. From School Days to Kemonozume, here are the 10 romance anime viewers should watch if they despise romance.

Disclaimer: This article reflects the writer's opinion and includes spoilers from the mentioned anime.

School Days, Scum’s Wish, and 8 other romance anime fans must watch if they hate romance

1) School Days

A still from School Days anime (Image via TNK)

School Days is a romance anime that actively subverts expectations. It opens with a typical high school love triangle but soon spirals into emotional manipulation, betrayal, and psychological disintegration. The characters keep making more and more self-destructive decisions as they expose the darker aspects of relationships.

The show removes every romantic illusion. It shows how love can become toxic. The final episodes are shocking and unforgettable. Viewers expecting a cute story will be surprised. School Days is one of the romance anime that fans must watch if they hate romance.

2) Scum’s Wish

A still from Scum’s Wish anime (Image via Sentai Filmworks)

Scum's Wish is one of the romance anime viewers are required to see if they detest romance as it disapproves of romanticized love tales. The characters get involved in relationships for comfort, not love. Love is depicted as being selfish, confusing, and even painful. It depicts the manner in which individuals use people to fix emotional gaps.

There is no ideal couple or heartwarming resolution. The anime is more concerned with emotional destruction than romantic completion. Its sincerity can be unsettling but refreshing. This show provides a realistic, raw glimpse at intimacy and desire.

3) Domestic Girlfriend

A still from Domestic Girlfriend anime (Image via Diomedéa)

Domestic Girlfriend follows Natsuo's life as a high school student who is forced to share living quarters with two sisters, one of whom happens to be his teacher. The story evolves into a complex emotional roller coaster of forbidden love, guilt, and poor decision-making.

It subverts the ideal romance by diving into flawed relationships and consequences. The drama is harsh, chaotic, and rarely sentimental. Instead of focusing on romance as wish-fulfillment, it presents emotional confusion. Domestic Girlfriend is one of the romance anime audiences should watch if they hate romance.

4) Elfen Lied

A still from Elfen Lied anime (Image via ARMS Corporation)

Elfen Lied follows Lucy, a Diclonius—a mutant with invisible arms—who flees a research center after a violent rampage. With dissociative identity disorder, she meets Kouta, a college student with a tragic past related to her.

The show delves into profound trauma, human brutality, and identity, with romance featuring subtly but prominently. Rather than idealized romance, it delivers broken characters seeking to be loved. Its emotional foundation is grounded in pain rather than fantasy. Elfen Lied is part of the romance anime that fans should watch even if they hate romantic stories.

5) Flowers of Evil

A still from Flowers of Evil anime (Image via Zexcs)

Flowers of Evil follows the life of Takao Kasuga, a young boy who steals his schoolmate's gym uniform and is being blackmailed by a girl named Nakamura, who takes him down a dark psychological journey. The anime explores obsession, shame, and identity far more than love. It subverts typical romance conventions and replaces them with unsettling emotional discomfort.

There is no romanticizing of emotions—just harsh, unsettling reality. Its use of rotoscope animation gives it its unsettling atmosphere. Flowers of Evil is one of the romance anime series that turns out to be different from typical romantic stories.

6) Diabolik Lovers

A still from Diabolik Lovers anime (Image via Zexcs)

Diabolik Lovers is about Yui Komori, a quiet girl who is transferred to live in the mansion of six vampire brothers. Instead of a typical love story, the anime is closer to psychological tension, manipulation, and eerie dynamics. The romance is twisted, typically hanging in the balance between horror. The romance is twisted, and the episodes routinely cross the line that differentiates it from the horror genre.

It avoids sweet or sentimental attachment and replaces it with dark, toxic relationships. People who hate idealized romance may enjoy its disturbing take. Diabolik Lovers is one of the romance anime that viewers who hate romance would like.

7) ⁠Violet Evergarden

Violet Evergarden as seen in anime (Image via Kyoto Animation)

Violet Evergarden is about a former child soldier turned Auto Memory Doll—someone who writes letters for others. Her quest is about learning about human feelings and learning what the words "I love you" mean when her commander said them to her before the war tore them apart.

The anime is more about healing, empathy, and personal development than romance clichés. Its understated approach to love is emotional but never suffocating. Violet Evergarden is among the romance anime viewers need to watch if they despise romance.

8) Vampire Knight

A still from Vampire Knight anime (Image via Studio Deen)

Vampire Knight is based in Cross Academy, where vampires and humans attend classes at different times. The series is about Yuki Cross, who tries to figure out her past life and her relationship to two major characters—Zero, who is a vampire hunter, and Kaname, a pureblood vampire.

Though there is romance, it is more about dark secrets, inner conflict, and supernatural politics. The relationships are ethically complicated, and the storyline frequently defies the concept of love. This makes it one of the romance anime that romance haters will enjoy.

9) Kemonozume

Kemonozume is one of the romance anime that one has to see if they detest romance because it shows love amidst violence, horror, and moral dilemma. Toshihiko, a swordsman belonging to a monster-hunting family, falls in love with Yuka, a flesh-eating demon from the same breed he has dedicated his life to destruction.

Their relationship is not idealized—tough, flawed, full of consequences. The rough animation style captures its raw tone. Romance is tackled here as a form of rebellion instead of fantasy, which sounds perfect for skeptics of romance.

10) ⁠Dusk Maiden Of Amnesia

Dusk Maiden Of Amnesia (Image via SILVER LINK.)

Dusk Maiden of Amnesia centers around a student who encounters the spirit of a girl who is haunting his school, the two of them teaming up to solve the mystery of her death, which has been forgotten. As romance between the two grows, the series prioritizes psychological tension, supernatural elements, and emotional narrative over the old-fashioned romantic drama.

The anime has a balance of creepy atmospheres and playful scenes, avoiding awkward romantic clichés. Its take on memory, guilt, and closure adds depth to the story above a typical love plot. It is one of the romance anime people need to watch if they despise romance.

Final thoughts

Romance anime are stereotyped to be sentimental. However, romance anime series like School Days, Scum's Wish, and Kemonozume challenge those notions. These romance anime series remove idealized love and substitute it with brutal emotional experiences and morally gray situations.

Domestic Girlfriend and Flowers of Evil bring to center stage bad choices, whereas Dusk Maiden of Amnesia and Violet Evergarden emphasize healing and human relationships.

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About the author

Mudassir is an anime writer at Sportskeeda with 2.5 years of professional experience reporting on various developments in the industry. A data science enthusiast, Mudassir is currently pursuing a BCA, although his passion for anime and desire to connect with fellow fans pushed him to his current role. Mudassir's interest in anime and manga was piqued by the iconic Death Note series, with its intriguing premise and captivating characters prompting him to explore the genre and eventually write about the rich narratives and themes they had to offer.

Prior to joining Sportskeeda, Mudassir worked as a senior writer at OtakuKart and briefly at FandomWire, where his writing often trended on Google Feed. Mudassir feels deeply connected with the works of mangakas Isayama sensei, Oda sensei, and Toriyama sensei, and he respects their creativity, storytelling abilities, and profound impact on millions of fans worldwide.

Mudassir ensures accuracy in his reportage by researching thoroughly, staying updated with Reddit forums and official sources, and citing transparently. Furthermore, he upholds privacy, avoids misinformation, and maintains objectivity while covering anime news.

When he is not watching anime or writing, Mudassir likes to read non-fiction and play games, as well as spend time outdoors and explore new places.

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Edited by Meghna