10 best anime to watch if you like Rent a Girlfriend

Rent a Girlfriend has become one of the most popular romantic comedy anime in recent years. Its story about a college student named Kazuya who rents a girlfriend named Chizuru after being dumped by his real girlfriend resonates with viewers who find themselves identifying with Kazuya's situation.

If you love Rent a Girlfriend and are looking for some similar anime to enjoy, this list of the 10 best anime is perfect for you. All of these anime feature complicated romantic relationships, love triangles, breakups and makeups, and plenty of comedy to keep things entertaining.

10 best anime for fans of Rent a Girlfriend

1) My First Girlfriend is a Gal

My First Girlfriend is a Gal (Image via NAZ)

My First Girlfriend is a Gal follows high schooler Junichi, whose friends pressure him to confess to a gal – a gyaru fashion trend follower – so they can live vicariously through him. He meets the bold yet caring gal Yukana, and the two begin dating, leading to a funny and chaotic romantic comedy.

Like Rent a Girlfriend, there is a focus on appearances versus reality when it comes to relationships. There are also great supporting characters who stir things up for the main couple. The animation style and comedy beats will feel familiar for Rent a Girlfriend fans as well.

2) Nisekoi: False Love

When Raku makes a childhood promise to marry a girl he gives a locket to, he ends up tangled in a fake relationship years later with a girl named Chitoge to keep the peace between their feuding gangster families.

Mix in some actual feelings and other girls connected to the locket, and you’ve got the setup for the chaotic rom-com Nisekoi: False Love. Fans of Rent a Girlfriend will love the fake dating scenario that turns real despite other obstacles in the way.

There's plenty of fun to be had with the ensemble cast and humorous misunderstandings as well.

3) Domestic Girlfriend

Domestic Girlfriend (Image via Diomedéa)

After Natsuo's crush rejects him, he meets a mysterious girl at a mixer and ends up having a one-night stand with her. He later discovers she's actually his new school teacher – and her younger sister Rui also becomes involved in his life, complicating things further.

While still having lighthearted moments, Domestic Girlfriend tackles heavier themes like forbidden love, jealousy, and moving on after heartbreak. The love triangle expands to include Rui, the younger sister, competing with Hina for Natsuo’s affection.

With realistic characters and a winding plot, this show will appeal to viewers who like their rom-coms to also pull at the heartstrings.

4) Toradora!

Another classic in the romantic comedy genre, Toradora! is considered by many anime fans to be a must-watch series. Taiga and Ryuuji start with misunderstandings but soon discover their crushes are each other’s best friends.

They agree to play matchmaker to help win over each other’s love, bringing them even closer in the process. Fast-paced, heartfelt, and brimming with lovably quirky characters, Toradora! hits all of the right notes that fans enjoy.

Taiga and Ryuuji have electric chemistry not unlike Kazuya and Chizuru, playing off each other for both side-splitting comedy and touching romance. For those seeking a satisfying journey watching two contrasting personalities falling in love, Toradora! beautifully blends humor and feelings into an unforgettable story.

5) Saekano: How to Raise a Boring Girlfriend

For a parody take on romance anime tropes and cliches, viewers should check out Saekano. It follows Tomoya, an otaku with dreams of one day creating the perfect 2D girlfriend through his dating sim video game development.

However, his meeting with Megumi, an ordinary schoolgirl he vows to transform into the ideal heroine, throws his plans out of whack. Like Rent a Girlfriend, Saekano plays with common character archetypes and pokes fun at the genre itself.

Watching Tomoya and his team attempt to coach Megumi out of her ordinary personality makes for lots of meta-humor about dating sims. And over time, his own feelings for her start to disrupt his virtual girlfriend's plans. With sharp humor and heart, this comedy offers a fresh take.

6) Golden Time

From the creator of Toradora! comes this underrated gem about college students finding love. Protagonist Banri suffers amnesia from a tragic accident, leaving gaps in his memory.

Now in college and hoping for a fresh start, his past still haunts him when he reconnects with his childhood friend Linda while navigating his relationship with Koko. Golden Time balances charming romance against darker themes like trauma, identity, and mental health.

Banri and Koko have electric chemistry, playing off each other for both laugh-out-loud moments and emotional gut punches. With a unique concept driving the narrative and a strong central couple, Golden Time deserves more recognition among rom-com anime fans.

7) Oreshura

Oreshura brings together many popular anime romance tropes for maximum comedic effect. Protagonist Eita promises to swear off romance to focus on his studies, so naturally, he soon attracts the attention of several girls at school all vying for his heart.

These include his pretend girlfriend Masuzu, who ropes him into a fake relationship to escape romantic advances. Fans of Rent a Girlfriend will love the messy fake relationship that quickly gets out of hand for Eita.

Like Kazuya and Chizuru, Eita and Masuzu clash personalities at first but slowly uncover feelings neither expected. With several other eccentric heroines throwing twists into the story, Oreshura offers nonstop hilarity for viewers who can't get enough of romantic comedies.

8) Love and Lies

In a dystopian world where Japan’s falling birth rates are countered by government-arranged marriages, two teenagers struggle when they accidentally fall in love with each other.

Much like the star-crossed couples of Rent a Girlfriend and Domestic Girlfriend, Love and Lies explores the conflict of following one's arranged partner versus following one's heart. Despite the dark sci-fi concept, this series still delivers plenty of awkward romantic moments and lighthearted jokes.

The two protagonists clash personalities, with Yukari being too nervous to share his feelings while Misaki struggles with her emotions. Watching them fumble through first love while dealing with their imposed partners makes for a unique take on the classic coming-of-age rom-com.

9) Gamers!

For those seeking another anime that hilariously satirizes relationship misunderstandings, look no further than Gamers! Protagonist Keita loves gaming and secretly crushes on his school's most popular girl, Karen.

But after interacting with members of the gaming community, he soon finds himself surrounded by eccentric girl gamers who all seem to be falling for him. With confessed feelings emerging out of lingering crush habits in Rent a Girlfriend too, Kazuya mirrors Keita's struggles expressing himself genuinely.

The ensemble cast allows for a fun range of perspectives on Keita's clumsy romance attempts as well. If love polygon antics entertain you, Gamers! should be a joy.

10) The Quintessential Quintuplets

The Quintessential Quintuplets (Image via Tezuka Productions)

Harem romance The Quintessential Quintuplets wins points for sheer concept uniqueness—underachieving Futaro becomes an unlikely tutor to a wealthy identical quintuplet family of five sisters, but gets entangled in their endless bickering and complicating affections.

With so many different girls competing for his attention, it echoes Kazuya's suddenly inflated popularity early in Rent a Girlfriend too. As Futaro grows closer to the Nakano sisters, he struggles with romantic and platonic signals, mirroring Kazuya’s mixed messages with Chizuru and Mami.

Conclusion

With its fresh take on modern relationships, Rent a Girlfriend has captured the hearts of romantic comedy fans. Fortunately, there are many great anime out there with comparable relationship themes and entertainment value for viewers who can't get enough.

From fake relationships like Nisekoi and Oreshura to messy love triangles in shows like Domestic Girlfriend and Golden Time, the anime on this list all offer something for Rent a Girlfriend fans. With fun characters, complex romance, and plenty of laughs, these shows deserve more recognition.

So for anyone wishing their Rent a Girlfriend watch could last forever, be sure to give these excellent anime picks a try. You're bound to find some new favorite shows and characters in this selection.

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Edited by Tiasha