The 10 Best Shojo Anime Couples That Became Canon

Watching shojo anime is my Roman Empire, my raison d'etre. As someone who prefers to be in the audience rather than a participant in romantic relationships, gushing over fictional couples is my way of experiencing love. I’ve been an avid fan who has consumed shojo from the late ‘90s to now. Though it’s had its ups and downs over the years, shojo has been seeing a renaissance recently, which means more couples for me to cheer on. As one does for the fictional characters they love, here are my favorite shojo anime couples who made it official. Spoilers ahead so read at your own discretion! Yuki and Itsuomi – A Sign of Affection I’ve never felt more butterflies in my stomach for a fictional couple than Yuki and Itsuomi from A Sign of Affection . They’re, dare I say, the perfect match — a boy who loves to travel and see the world and a girl whose world is devoid of sound. I won’t stop gushing over how Itsuomi is a green flag. He not only understands boundaries but wants to learn more about Yuki without coming off as ableist. Despite their communication being limited to sign language, notepad writing, and text messages, Yuki and Itsuomi are the type of couple that clears away misunderstandings faster than they can manifest. RELATED: 15 Essential Romance Anime on Crunchyroll from Horimiya to My Dress-Up Darling Since Itsuomi is quick to pick up languages because of his travels, seeing him learn sign language at a fast pace in order to communicate with Yuki is endearing. A Sign of Affection is one of the better produced shojo anime I’ve seen and its color palette, along with Yuki’s poetic descriptions of how she sees her world, makes it my favorite watch of 2024 so far. Tohru and Kyo – Fruits Basket Even if you’re not a huge fan of shojo, you already know Tohru and Kyo from Fruits Basket has to be one of the best anime couples ever. Not only is their relationship one that’s grounded in unconditional love and understanding, but we get to see their love bloom twice — in the original and the reboot. Granted, only the reboot takes us to the finish line but the original has its moments too! Neither Tohru nor Kyo really have feelings for each other right away, but through all the emotional trauma and stressful family drama, they manage to come out stronger together. Is their relationship wholesome? Debatable, especially when Kyo is stubborn and has a lot of emotional baggage, but Tohru isn’t perfect either despite her putting up a facade. That’s what makes this couple work so well — Tohru isn’t necessarily Kyo’s savior but rather a support pillar and vice versa. Though we see Tohru as a “can do no wrong” type of character, she does make some questionable choices. Tohru and Kyo had to work on their relationship, and it wasn’t an easy journey, but the result was beyond rewarding. Nanami and Tomoe – Kamisama Hajimemashita Supernatural romance and me go way back — I lived through the vampire and werewolf era. While Kamisama Hajimemashita is more divine entities and yokai, I love a romance that includes a human and a supernatural being. Nanami and Tomoe are, at first glance, like a bickering old couple. As someone who read the manga, I won’t spoil anything the anime hasn’t covered, but it’s a fitting comparison. Their dynamic is hilarious, as Nanami dives headfirst into any danger she can because that’s her duty as a god, but Tomoe, as her familiar and guardian, has to protect her. Imagine the irony of a naive high school girl running off into the woods and a 500-plus-year-old fox yokai trying to keep her out of trouble. RELATED: What is Shojosei Isekai? A Guide on What to Watch That doesn’t mean Tomoe isn’t privy to Nanami’s feelings for him. He’s fully aware and isn’t afraid to be honest with her — even if that backfires on him. While Nanami wears her heart on her sleeve, Tomoe keeps his personal feelings locked in. There are rare moments of him getting flustered or speechless, but what makes him so charming — to Nanami and to me — is his devotion in taking care of someone he loves while helping them fulfill their goals. No one does “sexy fox yokai guardian” like Tomoe! Haruhi and Tamaki – Ouran High School Host Club Speaking of anime couples that are mandatory mentions on these types of lists, Haruhi and Tamaki from Ouran High School Host Club should come as no surprise. This show is considered one of the greats, with Haruhi and Tamaki being one of the core reasons. Though their relationship seems one-sided most of the time, with Tamaki fawning over Haruhi, who’s unfazed by his charms, we start to see the latter open to the former when he lets down his host persona. Tamaki gives off golden retriever energy while Haruhi is like a black cat. What I love about their dynamic is that Tamaki’s job as a host is to flirt with girls but when it comes to Haruhi, he fumbles. It’s also nice to see that, despite trying to get Haruhi to wear more girly clothes, he doesn’t push the matter further and leaves her to be herself. Every couple doesn’t come without their problems, and TamaHaru is no exception, but unfortunately, the anime ends at a point where their relationship is only beginning so we don’t get to see their highs and lows. Even though romance isn’t the major driving force in the show (but definitely in the manga) you can’t deny TamaHaru being an unforgettable couple even after all these years. Sawako and Kazehaya – Kimi ni Todoke: From Me to You Probably the purest couple on this list, Sawako and Kazehaya from Kimi ni Todoke: From Me to You never fail to make me fall to my knees because of their wholesomeness. If you’re looking for slow burn romance, Sawako and Kazehaya have your back. Though their relationship is the “weird girl meets popular boy” trope, they’re a great example of an ideal high school romance. Before establishing romance, they build trust and support each other. Kazehaya helps Sawako meet new friends, and by gaining more confidence, Sawako can also start to see Kazehaya as more than a friend. RELATED: Cozy Anime Corner: The Low Stress Romance of Tomo-chan Is a Girl! As with teenagers, Sawako and Kazehaya have their own insecurities, which sometimes reveal themselves and sets their relationship back. Since they’re too nice for their own good, they overcome these obstacles and are back to smiling at each other in no time. How can you look at these two kids and not want them to get together? Shizuku and Haru – My Little Monster I’ll say it right out the gate: My Little Monster is my problematic fave. Haru is an absolute menace and doesn’t know his boundaries but Shizuku isn’t afraid to give it to him straight whenever he crosses the line. And he listens! This couple might seem more like a parent constantly scolding their child, but Haru hasn’t had a nurturing childhood upbringing. Obviously that’s not an excuse to kiss Shizuku without her permission, but boundaries were set right away. I love their dynamic: the unhinged and the stoic. Shizuka and Haru are entertaining to watch because they’re so messy — bordering on destructive. They’re also antisocial, so they’re perfect for each other, your honor. For some, this show might not have aged well considering how many red flags Haru raises at times, but I only have fond memories of these chaotic kids. Shirayuki and Zen – Snow White with the Red Hair Shirayuki and Zen from Snow White with the Red Hair are just that couple! What I mean by that is, they’re a couple that are strong as individuals but when they’re together, the power they hold doubles. Shirayuki is one of the two shojo heroines when the show aired who made cutting their red hair short a boss girl move. Rather than want attention for her unique hair color, she becomes a pharmacist — a royal one, thanks to the second prince, Zen. I don’t have to be Zen to fall in love with a fiercely independent character like Shirayuki! RELATED: 5 Anime To Watch If You Like Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End While the show deals with a lot of political conflict, it shares moments between Shirayuki and Zen that feel like they came straight out of a fairy tale book. Zen is the embodiment of a prince who protects, while Shirayuki, despite being named Snow White, isn’t someone who hides herself away. She’s her own person and Zen is there to support her. I’m weak for these types of relationships and weaker still when it’s set in a fantasy setting. Akane and Yamada – My Love Story with Yamada-kun at Lv999 Contrary to popular belief, shojo isn’t just high school romance. Take Akane and Yamada from My Love Story with Yamada-kun at Lv999 as an example. Akane is a college student while Yamada is in high school, they met through playing an MMORPG. What makes their relationship realistic is that they’re both trying to connect with people in the real world, and to do this, they need to confront their flaws. Akane should connect with people who don’t try to shape her life and interests into theirs and Yamada needs to learn how to connect with people period after being disconnected for so long because of online gaming. They bring out feelings in each other that eventually help their personal growth. I see their relationship as Akane falling first but Yamada falling harder. Though the show doesn’t fully capture their romance compared to the manga, it does a great job developing their relationship to make us believe that they’re soulmates. Takeo and Rinko – My Love STORY!! Some people regard shojo anime as featuring leads who are attractive, but My Love STORY!! exists to prove them wrong. Love isn’t guided by attractiveness, though it can be. At the end of the day, it’s the heart that matters, and Takeo and Rinko are a prime example of this. Takeo isn’t your typical eye candy — in fact, most people are afraid of him because he’s huge and therefore imposing. Like anyone else, Takeo wants to experience love but people are more enamored by his best friend, Sunakawa, who’s the archetypical “popular with the ladies” guy. Then, after saving Rinko from sexual assault on the train, Takeo finally meets his match. When I first watched this show, I had my doubts about Rinko, but I was never more relieved to be proven wrong about her character. She truly loves Takeo for who he is, and while it took a traumatic incident to realize his kindness (and existence), she’s the type to choose personality over looks. The size difference between them is a little jarring but it’s also sweet because it further proves that Rinko wants to feel safe and Takeo’s large build — and heart — does just that. Usagi and Mamoru – Sailor Moon Crystal The shojo anime couple that, for me, started it all: Usagi and Mamoru. They were Serena and Darien for me at the time, and I remember yearning for a Darien. These two have gone through so much but still find their way back to each other like destined soulmates. In Sailor Moon Crystal , their romance is more front and center than the original. Usagi is always smitten while Mamoru can’t resist her charms. They know when it’s time to be lovey dovey and when it’s time to save Earth. RELATED: 5 Isekai Lead Heroines Who Are Thriving in Their New World I’d call their relationship an epic romance since it spans different lifetimes and planets. I also love that there’s an obvious power imbalance when Usagi is Sailor Moon and Mamoru is Tuxedo Mask. He’s just there to look pretty and be a support to Sailor Moon. When they’re Usagi and Mamoru though, their love feels very mature for their ages and that’s on purpose — they’ve loved each other before, so it’s nothing new. They always find each other again. Who are your favorite canon couples? Let me know in the comments!

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