10 best anime to watch if you like More Than a Married Couple, But Not Lovers

The rom-com anime More Than a Married Couple, But Not Lovers tells the story of teenagers Jirō and Akari, who are forced into a fake marital relationship through their school's "Marriage Practical" program. Despite initially disliking each other, they slowly develop real feelings as they go through couple activities they experience together.

However, their emerging romance faces turmoil due to their respective crushes on other classmates, Shiori and Minami. This complicated love quadrangle featuring faked relationships turning genuine makes for a lighthearted yet emotionally tumultuous coming-of-age tale.

If you enjoyed the quirky premise and youthful drama in More Than a Married Couple, But Not Lovers, here are 10 more anime series to check out with similar fake dating themes, love triangles, and poignant moments of self-discovery in romance.

10 best anime for fans of More Than a Married Couple, But Not Lovers

1) Toradora!

Toradora! revolves around an unlikely high school pair – the fierce Taiga Aisaka and gentle Ryūji Takasu. After fateful encounters allow them to help each other get closer to their actual love interests, they agree to support one another in their romantic pursuits.

However, the time they spend together makes them realize their own blossoming romance. Complete with squabbles and awkward tensions, Taiga and Ryūji's dynamic mirrors much of Jirō and Akari's forced partnership in More Than a Married Couple, But Not Lovers.

As misunderstandings and love triangle drama unfold across this delightful story, Toradora! captures the giddy excitement of youth romance in hilarious yet touching ways.

2) Rent A Girlfriend

Rent A Girlfriend (Image via TMS Entertainment)

After university student Kazuya Kinoshita gets dumped by girlfriend Mami, he rents the services of Chizuru Mizuhara through an online girlfriend rental app to soothe his loneliness.

To keep up appearances, they are forced to pretend to be a couple. But Kazuya finds it difficult to differentiate between reality and imagination as Chizuru warms up to him, while Mami continues to interfere in his life with unclear intentions.

Rent A Girlfriend features a similar fake relationship setup turning complicated like More Than a Married Couple, But Not Lovers, while uniquely exploring the transactional yet emotionally messy relationships in modern digital dating culture. The emerging love triangle also sparks gripping romantic confusion.

3) Domestic Girlfriend

Domestic Girlfriend (Image via Diomedéa)

When Natsuo Fujii falls in love with his teacher, Hina Tachibana, he is heartbroken to discover she has a boyfriend. In his despair, he impulsively sleeps with a stranger, only to find out soon after that the mystery girl is Hina's younger sister, Rui, who is now his new stepsister.

Their complicated relationships unfold under the same roof, leading to jealousy, repressed feelings, and emotional turmoil. Like Jirō and Akari's situation, Natsuo and Rui's taboo relationship in Domestic Girlfriend also features complicated entanglements.

Their secretive relationships and the intensifying love triangle with Hina escalate into a spicy and angst-filled melodrama.

4) Nisekoi

When Raku and Chitoge are forced into a false relationship to maintain peace between their feuding gangster families, they can't stand each other at first. But over time, they begin developing real feelings and friendships, bringing plenty of romantic confusion between them and their other love interests.

With forced relationships, fake dating, love triangles, and plenty of lighthearted fun, Nisekoi is a perfect pick for More Than a Married Couple, But Not Lovers fans. The only difference is that instead of a marriage program, the leads' families are the ones forcing Raku and Chitoge to pretend to be a couple!

5) Oreshura

Oreshura starts with the protagonist Eita vowing to focus solely on his studies and avoiding romance completely. But his oath to remain single is challenged when the beautiful Masuzu asks him to become her fake boyfriend.

As Eita gets dragged into pretending to date Masuzu to drive away other suitors, his childhood friend Chiwa starts re-emerging into his life, sparking an unexpected love triangle.

The setup of a fake relationship turning complicated due to emerging real feelings and a childhood friend-turned-love interest mirrors many plot beats in More Than a Married Couple, But Not Lovers. If you enjoyed the awkward romantic entanglements in that series, you'll love Oreshura.

6) My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU

My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU (Image via Brain's Base / feel.)

My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU follows the pessimistic Hachiman Hikigaya, who reluctantly joins a club focused on helping others improve relationships and solve social issues within the school.

Together with the ice queen Yukino Yukinoshita and energetic Yui Yuigahama, Hachiman uses his unique cynical perspective to problem-solve while slowly opening up. SNAFU keeps romance subtle, usually in the background behind Hachiman's coming-of-age tale.

The anime provides a thoughtful exploration of interpersonal relationships and youth culture from an interesting lens. Fans of More Than a Married Couple, But Not Lovers may find SNAFU relatable despite its lack of typical high school romance drama.

7) Love and Lies

In a society where marriages are strictly computer-matched based on compatibility, the protagonists in Love and Lies struggle when their hearts seem to revolt against this system. The story begins with the intelligent Yukari receiving his government notice informing him his future wife is none other than his assigned partner, Ririna.

However, his true feelings remain tied to his longtime crush, Misaki. As Yukari and Ririna are forced to start accepting their arrangement, their emotions become conflicted when past crushes and new admirers get involved.

With interesting social commentary and youth drama, Love and Lies examines fate and destiny in finding romance, similar to the "forced marriage" premise of More Than a Married Couple, But Not Lovers.

8) We Never Learn: BOKUBEN

We Never Learn: BOKUBEN (Image via Arvo Animation / Silver)

When studious overachiever Nariyuki is tasked with tutoring genius but clumsy Rizu in science, literature prodigy Fumino in mathematics, and athletic Uruka in English, a romantic comedy ensues even though Nariyuki vows to focus solely on studies.

As he helps the three work towards getting into college and achieving their dreams, they gradually grow closer beyond just an academic relationship. While more focused on exams and career goals, We Never Learn excels in showcasing the confusion of budding youth romance.

The quirky dynamics and slowly developing connections between Nariyuki and his students as they support each other mirror much of Jirō and Akari's bonding in More Than a Married Couple, But Not Lovers.

9) The Quintessential Quintuplets

The Quintessential Quintuplets (Image via Tezuka Productions / Bibury Animation Studios)

The Quintessential Quintuplets tells the story of tutor Futaro Uesugi, who is hired by a wealthy man to teach his five beautiful daughters in order to help them graduate from high school.

What starts as purely academic tutoring sessions gets turned upside down for Futaro as the five Nakano sisters start competing for his attention and affection. With five love interests and school drama, this lighthearted harem anime delivers nonstop romantic confusion and awkward moments.

Like Jirō in More Than a Married Couple, But Not Lovers, Futaro goes through quite the emotional rollercoaster in figuring out his feelings.

10) Engaged to the Unidentified

Engaged to the Unidentified (Image via Doga Kobo)

In this lighthearted romantic comedy, teenager Kobeni Yonomori suddenly learns from her late grandfather's will that she is betrothed to marry a young boy named Hakuya Mitsumine.

When Hakuya moves in with Kobeni, they must keep the arranged engagement secret from their friends and schoolmates even as they slowly get closer. Their relationship grows more complicated with the arrival of Hakuya's protective younger sister, Mashiro.

The fake relationship premise mixed with unexpected twists makes this short series perfect for fans of slightly absurd but heartfelt romantic entanglements, much like More Than a Married Couple, But Not Lovers.

Conclusion

Whether you crave romantic confusion, fake relationships turning genuine, comedic misunderstandings, or thoughtful coming-of-age themes, there is something in this list perfect for all More Than a Married Couple, But Not Lovers fans.

So check out these top recommended anime series when you finish enjoying the charming love story between Jirō, Akari, Shiori, and Minami in More Than a Married Couple, But Not Lovers!