Summary
- Some anime, like "My Love Story with Yamada-kun at Lv999," prioritize storytelling over fanservice in romance genres.
- "Blue Box" offers a refreshing high school romance with no forced drama or fanservice, focusing on genuine romantic tension.
- Anime like "Josee, The Tiger And The Fish" and "Fruits Basket" prioritize heartwarming storytelling over fanservice, creating engaging romantic stories.
Fanservice is a part of anime and manga that will probably never go away. It is something that, as the name implies, is included to please the fans, and often refers to suggestive material and scenes. However, not everyone loves fanservice as it sometimes takes away from the overarching plot, or is uncomfortable for some audiences to watch.
There are a lot of excellent anime, especially in the romance genre, where fanservice is not a thing at all. These shows tell love stories with characters who fans can root for, without ever feeling like those characters have been objectified in any way.
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10 My Love Story with Yamada-kun at Lv999
A Story Of Gamers Getting Together
My Love Story with Yamada-kun at Lv999
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- 2023 - 2023-00-00
- Seasons
- 1
- Studio
- Madhouse
- Japanese Title
- Yamada-kun to Lv999 no Koi wo Suru
- Based On
- Manga
- Creator
- Mashiro
- Number of Episodes
- 13
Gaming is such a popular pasttime now that it makes sense to have a romance story involving gamers. Akane Kinoshita is dumped by her boyfriend for another girl he met in a game, but she soon finds herself swooning over the stoic Yamada-kun, a popular gamer who she meets at a convention.
The romance is a simple, sweet one with little drama and basically no fanservice. This does not take away from the story and, in fact, allows fans to pay more attention to the fun characters such as Akane, Eita, and Runa. It’s also nice to see an anime where gaming is not seen exclusively as the domain of the weird and anti-social, but as a fun hobby that can connect people.
9 The Ancient Magus’ Bride
Chise’s Adventures With Elias Are Magical
The Ancient Magus' Bride
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- 2017 - 2023-00-00
- Seasons
- 2
- Studio
- Wit Studio, Studio Kafka
- Japanese Title
- Mahoutsukai no Yome
- Based On
- Manga
- Creator
- Kore Yamazaki
- Number of Episodes
- 48
The Ancient Magus’ Bride introduces fans to an urban fantasy world set in Europe, where Chise Hatori is sold to the enigmatic Elias to become his bride and apprentice. She has no idea that this will be the start of an epic romance story filled with magic and danger.
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Chise is a great character who develops a lot over the course of the show, growing from someone who hated herself and was willing to sacrifice herself to someone who had something to protect. Elias also changed from an unfeeling, confused mess, to a mage who understood humans better. While there are one or two scantily dressed characters in the show, it never feels like fanservice, nor does it ever feel random.
8 Blue Box
A Perfect Blend Of Sports And Romance
Blue Box
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- October 3, 2024
- Seasons
- 1
- Studio
- Telecom Animation Film, TMS Entertainment
- Japanese Title
- Ao no Hako
- Based On
- Manga
- Creator
- Kouji Miura
- Number of Episodes
- 25
Blue Box is one of the more honest romantic shows out there. It tells of the earnest Taiki and how he tries to get closer to his crush, Chinatsu, who is a basketball star in their school. Things get even more complicated when it turns out that his childhood friend likes him too.
Blue Box has a love triangle, but it doesn’t feel forced, and there is no unnecessary drama between the characters, which is a refreshing change from a lot of shows. While there are many scenes with romantic tension, there’s no fanservice, and fans will get a simple romantic story between youngsters. There’s even an episode with an overnight hotel stay, and it doesn’t devolve into some of the shenanigans more common with some other shows.
7 Your Name
A Movie That Made History
Your Name
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- August 26, 2016
WHERE TO WATCH
- Runtime
- 106 minutes
- Writers
- Makoto Shinkai
- Studio
- CoMix Wave Films
- Studio(s)
- Toho
- Distributor(s)
- Funimation
- Based On
- Manga
Your Name made history at the time as the highest-grossing Japanese movie at the time of its release. While it would later be surpassed by Demon Slayer: Mugen Train, it was a huge deal at the time. A lot of hype surrounded the movie, but it was more than worth it as the story itself was amazing.
Taki is a city boy who somehow swaps bodies with the beautiful Mitsuha, who lives in rural Japan. The two fall in love and want nothing more than to meet up, but it then turns out that things are a lot more complicated. The beautiful story has no fanservice, as it focuses on the romance and the supernatural elements that surround it.
6 Horimiya
The Story Of Opposites Attracting
Horimiya
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- 2021 - 2021-00-00
- Seasons
- 1
- Studio
- CloverWorks
- Based On
- Manga
- Creator
- Hero
- Number of Episodes
- 26
Horimiya teaches the value of not judging a book by its cover. Hori is a popular girl who is actually pretty grounded in real life and is all about family, while Miyamura is a quiet boy at school but is a handsome punk rocker when out in the world.
The two begin a relationship and look for a way to be together while keeping their inside selves away from the world around them. Horimiya is a pretty standard high school romance, but it doesn’t always follow the antics of other shows with fanservice. Its strength is in the two leads, whose chemistry is beautiful to watch.
5 A Sign Of Affection
Itsuomi And Yuki’s Romance Flows Naturally
A Sign of Affection
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- 2024 - 2024
- Seasons
- 1
- Studio
- Ajia-do Animation Works
- Japanese Title
- Yubisaki to Renren
- Based On
- Manga
- Creator
- Suu Morishita
- Number of Episodes
- 12
A Sign Of Affection is perhaps an easier to swallow show in terms of romance than A Silent Voice, which features a similar theme of a deaf girl and a male love interest. While in A Silent Voice, some couldn’t get past Shouya’s past, there is no such issue here.
IA Sign Of Affection plays it straight with little coming in the way of the romance of the main leads. This also means that there are no risque encounters of any sort. Instead, fans are served with a generous helping of sweetness and emotion.
4 Josee, The Tiger And The Fish
A Heartwarming Romance With Adult Themes
|
Type |
Movie |
|---|---|
|
Status |
Finished |
|
Genre |
Drama, Romance |
|
Studios |
Bones |
|
Duration |
1 hour. 38 minutes |
This 2020 movie has a lot to say about real life as Tsuneo Suzukawa tries to make his dream of studying abroad come true. He ends up working as a caretaker for Kumiko, who wants to be called Josee, and the two start to fall for one another.
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Josee, The Tiger And The Fish tells of dreams, their elusiveness, and the tenacity required to make them come true. The protagonists go through a lot, but are able to show true care for one another by always trying to be there. With the overall mood of the story, there’s barely anything remotely like fanservice, and the movie is better for it.
3 Kimi Ni Todoke: From Me to You
Sawako Goes From A Friendless Loner To The Center Of Her Group
Kimi ni Todoke: From Me to You
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- 2009 - 2024
- Seasons
- 3
- Studio
- Production I.G
- Japanese Title
- Kimi ni Todoke
- Based On
- Manga
- Creator
- Karuho Shiina
- Number of Episodes
- 43
All Sawako wants is to make friends, but she is unable to and is often misunderstood as being a creepy girl similar to the antagonist from The Ring. She is also falling for the popular Kazehaya in her class. The two start to grow closer, thanks in large part to two friends that Sawako makes.
Kimi Ni Todoke is all about the sweetness and fuzzy feelings as it permeates every aspect of the show. It is nice to see friends come through for one another, and a romance that, while hit by a lot of miscommunication, is still beautiful to see. It features no fanservice, and even the bathhouse scenes are quite tame.
2 The Dangers In My Heart
A Classic Case Of Not Judging A Book By Its Cover
The Dangers In My Heart
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- 2023 - 2024-00-00
WHERE TO WATCH
- Studio
- Shin-Ei Animation
- Japanese Title
- Boku no Kokoro no Yabai Yatsu
- Based On
- Manga
- Creator
- Norio Sakurai
- Number of Episodes
- 25
The Dangers In My Heart sort of snuck up on everyone, and is one of the best romance shows from the last few years. What's more, it is refreshingly free of fanservice. One glance at the cover might bring shows like My Dress Up Darling to mind, but it doesn’t have any of the more risque aspects.
Kyotaro is fascinated by the macabre and even fantasizes about killing his cute classmate, Anna Yamada. The two start to grow closer and get to know each other much better. It’s nice when a show really allows the romantic leads to be friends, and The Dangers In My Heart does that well.
1 Fruits Basket
Every Bit A Classic
Fruits Basket
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- April 6, 2019
- Seasons
- 3
- Studio
- TMS Entertainment
- Based On
- Manga
- Creator
- Natsuki Takaya
- Number of Episodes
- 63
Fruits Basket was a classic show that debuted in 2001. It returned in 2019, and the remake was perhaps better than the original. It ran for three seasons and completed the story with a happy and refreshing ending. The show has a love triangle and does feature a few mature themes, but is very light on fanservice.
The curse of the Soma family is intriguing, as is the character of Tohru, whose kindness is instrumental in ending it. The show also has a number of amusing moments, and tells a classic story of family, kindness, and the power of love over adversity.
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