Hello to all the anime enthusiasts who are eagerly waiting to watch some good romance anime this winter!

As the title suggests, we are not covering any romance anime that revolves around innocent high school teenagers and shows that are dedicated to high school romances. This time, our list exclusively features the Top 25 shows that are romance anime but cover mature romance rather than simply showing us kids falling in love in their school life.

Mature Romance Anime:

If you are someone looking for good romance anime featuring adults, then don’t skip any of the following titles because this will be an amazing journey that we will cover side by side with you.

So, without wasting any more of your time, let’s begin!

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25. My Senpai is Annoying:

First on our list is one of the recent workplace mature romance anime releases, which is definitely not that typical teenage high school show you watch—My Senpai is Annoying. Yes, the title may not sound very exciting, but I bet you won’t find such a good romance plus comedy show in the recent era.

The story of the anime series My Senpai is Annoying is about a young office worker named Futaba Igarashi (who definitely looks like a middle school girl) who is constantly annoyed by her senpai, Harumi Takeda (in a good way, of course).

He is kind of loud, lively, and often tactless, and on top of everything, he loves to tease his small junior Igarashi, who is often mistaken for a child by everyone.

Soon, Igarashi’s friends who are also her coworkers get to know that she has feelings for Takeda, and she is already in love with him.

That is why she gets annoyed because he never sees her like an adult woman (that is definitely annoying, trust me).

The show serves a healthy dose of romantic comedy. It is filled with comical scenes and romantic moments as you will see Igarashi trying to balance work, life, and love.

This show is a must if you literally want to explore some good adult romance anime rather than watching a typical high school romance.

24. I Can’t Understand What My Husband Is Saying:

Next comes, as the title suggests, a husband-wife based romance series. It is one of those better light-hearted and slice of life mature romance anime out there!

The story of the series revolves around the daily lives of Kaoru (our heroine, wife), who is shown to be a very hardworking woman, and her otaku husband, Hajime.

In the series, her otaku husband, Hajime, often uses popular anime and otaku tropes and in-jokes. That’s where his wife struggles to understand him because she is nowhere close to being an otaku.

Due to miscommunication between characters, they explore a lot of conflicts and sometimes similarities between daily life and otaku culture in urban Japan.

And what makes the show worth a watch is its witty dialogue and lovely animation and sometimes a sudden twist by spicing it up by adding manzai-style humor in the show.

23. Ice Guy and His Cool Female Colleague:

Do you like a hint of fantasy with your romance? Don’t worry; it won’t be a princess story. This mature romance anime keeps it realistic just by adding a healthy amount of fantasy to your show.

The story revolves around a young man named Himuro, ready to take the first step towards the workplace, but he possesses a unique special heritage as a descendant from one of the most influential legendary yokai, The Snow Woman, who is known for the snowfall in Japan in old Japanese stories.

Himuro’s new job has given him an opportunity to experience a new life as an ordinary person. He soon encounters a cool-headed co-worker, Fuyutsuki, who makes his cold heart warm with a friendly gesture of offering him hot tea when he was freezing with cold from anxiety on his first day.

The story is pretty simple yet unique. There is more to its enchanting world to discover in the field of romance, and you will definitely love it because who doesn’t like to watch a comforting romance story in their me-time.

22. Megami no Cafe Terrace:

Well, Megami no Cafe Terrace is not your typical one girl and one boy romance story. It’s a romance anime that has one boy and five girls in the series. And if you are thinking it sounds like a harem, then you are right. It’s a romantic harem anime, and if you like this genre, you will definitely love this one.

Best part? It’s not set in a high school environment either.

The plot sounds simple yet unique, and it all starts when the grandmother of Sachiko, one of our heroines, dies. Our main protagonist, Hayato Kasukabe, returns from Tokyo and unexpectedly claims to be the next owner of Familia Café Terrace.

He soon starts planning to demolish the cafe and replace it with a parking lot as the cafe business was going in loss. But he couldn’t do that because his grandmother had taken in five girls before her passing, and now it’s their home as well.

These five girls, Ouka Makuzawa, Akane Hououji, Riho Tsukishima, Shiragiku Ono, and Ami Tsuruga, had an unbreakable bond with Sachiko, and they are ready to go to any extent to protect their only home. With their continuous efforts and by going against his decision, they manage to convince Hayato not to demolish the place.

Not only that, he also recollects some of the memories from his past with his grandmother and realizes that he has a special place for this cafe from his childhood.

Now that he understands his goals, he tries to restart the cafe business with full bloom, with the girls acting as the goddesses of the cafe.

21. Recovery of an MMO Junkie:

Next comes in our list a story that is really common nowadays among adults. Recovery of an MMO Junkie series is all about a 30-year-old woman named Moriko Morioka who quits her only job to become a NEET (people who never leave their house or go outside).

To enjoy her NEET life and to forget her past life, she soon joins an online MMORPG called Fruits de Mer, and on top of that, she creates a stunning male character named Hayashi as her avatar.

In the game, she soon gets a partner who is basically in a healer role, named Lily.

But soon, the story takes a twist when she confidently encounters a man named Sakurai on her way to the convenience store. They both ignore each other in the store, but it turns out that they are destined to be together.

The show has nicely portrayed the feelings of a person who has recently quit a job because of burnout and tries to take a break from it. She finds a new way to live a peaceful life.

During the process, she gets to meet her soulmate via online gaming that turns out to be an amazing adult romantic story. It deals with themes like anxiety and insecurities, and is a good romance show if you are looking for something mature and heartwarming.

20. Science Fell In Love; So I Tried To Prove It:

Have you ever imagined that you can determine the concept of love with the help of science? I believe science and love are two different things, but our next title proves that science can prove anything, and love is not the exception.

The story starts with the introduction of our two main characters Ayame Himuro and Shinya Yukimura, both budding scientists, who find themselves in a not-so-familiar situation.

Ayame soon realizes that she has developed romantic feelings for Shinya. In response to that, Shinya decides to use their scientific knowledge to understand the concept of love through a diverse range of experiments on themselves. I know the plot sounds odd, but trust me, when you watch it, you won’t find it weird but funny.

Even though the show’s main focus is to unveil the true concept of love, during the process, you will get to see some sweet moments between our main leads that will soon evolve into a scientific romantic story.

If you want something really fresh to watch, setting aside high school-themed romance or love at first sight, you should definitely give it a shot!

19. Sankarea:

Do you like zombies? Well, I know you must be thinking, “Why am I asking this question?” and this list is all about recommendations for romance anime that are not based on a high school romance theme. Then how do zombies come into the equation?

Well, the answer is pretty simple, as our next anime comprises a plot where the love interest of our main protagonist is a pretty cute zombie girl. Yes, you read that right! The story is about our (weirdest) main protagonist, Chihiro Furuya.

Ever since he was a little kid, he has developed a weird liking (obsession) towards zombies, and now that he is finally an adult, he has a dream to have a zombie girlfriend.

One fine day, when his pet cat Baabu gets hit by a car and dies, Chihiro decides to make a potion to bring Baabu back to life. Well, he starts working on it but can’t seem to find a solution.

Soon, he meets our heroine, Rea Sanka, who always tries to help him in his experiments. They soon become friends, and with Rea’s help, he finally develops a potion to revive dead people.

But here comes a twist—instead of Chihiro’s cat, Rea drinks the potion and turns into a living dead, that is, a zombie.

We won’t spoil the further story for you, so don’t forget to add this marvelous and unique romantic story to your list because if you miss this, you will regret it later.

This anime doesn’t exactly feature adults in love, but then it is not your typical high-school romance either. So it makes for an interesting watch. Also, loving zombies requires some maturity!!

18. Skip Beat:

This anime is not all about romance because it shows that if you are loving a person who doesn’t deserve it, it ain’t worth loving them in the first place. The story of Skip Beat is about a 16-year-old girl named Kyoko Mogami, our heroine.

She decides to move to Tokyo not for herself but to help her childhood friend and the only person she loves the most, Sho Fuwa. He has a dream to become a famous singer.

To make his dream come true, Kyoko works hard and takes on three jobs to support him. This proves her infinite love for him, but what about Sho? Does he feel the same?

Well, who would not, but sadly he breaks her innocent heart as she overhears Sho calling her a boring person and only using her as a maid to pay his bills and for his expenses.

Obviously, she gets angry, and now she has decided to get back at him by entering the entertainment industry and proving she is way more talented than him and can do better than anyone.

This kind of romantic story is really common in real life, and this show has really shown how this works and how depressing one-sided love is in real life.

Only mature audiences can relate to this kind of romance show if they have loved someone but never got what they deserved.

17. Sing Yesterday For Me:

Sing ‘Yesterday’ for Me is one of the new gems in the genre of mature romance anime that incorporates some of the serious issues faced by adults. It was released in the year 2020. Ignore the clamor about the story being rushed, just give it a watch!

The show is about four friends falling and their relationships. Love triangles? Check! Our main protagonist, Rikuo, is a guy who works at a store in Tokyo after college.

He is basically bored with life because he doesn’t have any goals to accomplish. But soon things change as other characters enter the series, like Haru, a unique and funny-loving person who recently started visiting him at work.

Furthermore, characters like Shinako, Rikuo’s former classmate, now a teacher, and Rou come in, and they form a group as they together learn about friendships, relationships, and how to forgive their past selves to appreciate their present lives. It also deals with the themes of losing someone you love, so yeah, some moments are gonna hit you right in the feels.

The series’ main motive is to understand the real-life struggles of a person and how someone can move on from their past wrongdoings by accepting their flaws. If a person can’t love himself, then they are not able to love someone else as well.

16. Emma: A Victorian Romance:

Let’s wind back the clock a bit. Emma: A Victorian Romance is set in the late 19th century when social classes and wealth played a significant role.

Our heroine is a woman named Emma who works as a maid for a retired governess.

But one fine day, a guy named William, from the upper class, visits the governess and ends up falling in love with the maid, Emma (obviously, love at first sight).

But it won’t be easy because loving someone from a different class is not at all acceptable at that period, and this love story will be really hard to get a happy ending. They have to fight against society’s limitations and decide whether to fight for their partner or just forget about their love for them.

To know more about their love story, you have to watch this epic romantic anime. The show is totally based on love and the struggles that come with it, and you can never skip this one if you really want something good to watch. Definitely one of the better mature romance anime out there.

15. Tonikaku Kawaii:

They look like high-school going kids, but they are married and are adults. Right? Tonikaku Kawaii is a romantic comedy anime series that revolves around the smartest teenager named Nasa, who gets into an accident one snowy night while trying to talk to a pretty girl (okay, Truck-kun never fails to attack our protagonist).

The girl that he tries to approach is Tsukasa, who saves him. He falls in love with Tsukasa’s charming and adorable personality and confesses to her to be his wife, and surprisingly, she agrees to marry him. Well, that was really surprising for me as well!

Don’t worry; they don’t get married as soon as he confesses because she leaves him by saying yes just by giving a promise that she will marry him soon. After years, she soon meets him at his apartment, and they get married and start living like husband and wife.

I know the story may sound a little offbeat, but trust me, once you start watching it, you will get hooked to it. The show is a 10/10 in terms CUTENESS, be it storyline, character development, and animation, and this cute and mature romance anime is one of its kind.

So don’t miss this one at any cost if you are really bored with typical romantic stories based on high school themes and want to explore something unique.

14. Arakawa Under The Bridge:

This is an offbeat pick from our side. Arakawa Under The Bridge is a story about Kou Ichinomiya, a quite wealthy guy who is full of himself, and his attitude says it all.

As mentioned, he is damn rich, which is why he has that rich boy attitude that he doesn’t want to owe anyone anything because, why not? I’m hella rich; I don’t need anyone’s help (that’s him, not me).

But circumstances makes him owe. One fine day, he falls into a river under a bridge after getting involved with some lively kids; it was a mere accident.

But luck was on his side, as he was saved by a girl named Nino, who is obviously our heroine. Now, finally, our rich boy owes her for his life, and that is what shakes his ego.

As he owes Nino, she asks him to be her boyfriend as payment rather than accepting money, and he has no choice but to accept it.

Soon, he realizes that she is not a normal girl, and she lives under the bridge because of that, he is now forced to live his fancy life for her.

Well, the story is so fun, and I really enjoyed every bit of it. There is nothing boring about this romantic anime, and the best part of all, it’s not your regular high school romance story but more than that.

13. Taisho Otome Fairy Tale:

As the title suggests, this anime is a fairy tale in the romance genre, but in this story, a prince is saved by a cute little princess rather than the prince being the lonely wolf.

The story is about a boy named Tamahiko, who lives alone in the mountains far away from his family because of a car accident that gave him fearful memories and injured his hand. On top of his depression, his mom died in that accident in front of him.

Now, the only person who used to love him the most in his family is not present, and his family thinks he can’t do much as his hand is not in good condition, so they send him away. His life was a huge mess, and he always thinks to end his life, but soon, a miracle happens!

In one snowy night, a 14-year-old girl named Yuzuki visits him and says she is there to marry him as Tamahiko’s dad promised to send him a wife to help with his life and to end his lonely life.

Basically, Yuzuki was sold as a bride to pay her family’s debts, but rather than taking it harshly, she acts normally as she is kind, hardworking, and dedicated to Tamahiko.

But the question is, will they fall in love? Well, for that, you have to watch the show.

12. My Happy Marriage:

Next comes the anime of the year, popularly called the Cinderella story of the anime world because our heroine is so much similar to the character. And her story is also kind of the same if we just add a supernatural power theme to Cinderella.

The story of My Happy Marriage revolves around Miyo Saimori, who lacks any special powers in a world full of supernatural power holders.

After her birth, her mother dies, and her father marries another woman, Kanoko, and brings her a stepmother who treats Miyo like a mere servant.

Even her stepsister is just like her stepmom. Her father never even tried to stop them or protect her. She is only seen as an outsider, a servant good for nothing because she has no special powers like her stepsister Kaya.

Soon enough, she is arranged to marry a man named Kiyoka, who has a good reputation for being cold and harsh.

However, they both fall in love, face challenges together, and love their company as soulmates.The storyline is not that simple as it sounds because it is 10 times more depressing than Cinderella’s movie.

It can even make you cry at a moment, but finally, she finds someone who will be by her side to protect her.

It is set in a world of prehistoric times in Japan, so this is more of a mature romance anime, and not a high-school based one. It’s just pure unconditional love, and it will definitely make you happy in the end.

11. Snow White with Red Hair:

As the title suggests, this romance anime features a beautiful girl with mesmerizing red hair, and it’s certainly not set in high school. Also it is too sweet!!!!!

Our heroine, Shirayuki, meaning “snow white,” resides in the country Tanbarun, where she works as an apothecary in her herbal shop.However, her peaceful life takes a drastic turn when she encounters Prince Raji of Tanbarun.

Upon seeing her beauty and iconic hair, he attempts to make her his concubine. Refusing his offer to surrender her freedom, Shirayuki cuts her long red hair and flees into the forest, where she is protected by Zen Wistalia, the second prince of a neighboring country.

After being rescued, she feels compelled to help Zen, and she starts working in Zen’s country, Clarines.

The story unfolds like an absolute fairy tale, never forgetting to touch hearts with sweet moments between Shirayuki and Zen.

It takes them a while to realize their love for each other, but, at the end of the day, they support and help each other.

This show is a masterpiece and a must-watch for all romance anime fans, with its fantasy world vibe adding an extra layer of charm.

10. Rose of Versailles:

Next on our list is a classic mature romance anime and, unfortunately, one that is criminally underrated.

This classic show revolves around a character named Lady Oscar, raised as a man since birth despite being a girl. She holds special authority over the palace guards at Versailles during the pre-French Revolution era, portraying the image of a queen of France.

Despite her manly aura, Lady Oscar’s striking beauty and noble personality make her a prominent figure in the eyes of both men and women.

As a noble leader, she struggles between her duty to serve as a soldier, her loyalty to her social class and country, and understanding her own feelings. Even living a luxurious life in Versailles, she can still sense and empathize with the cries of the poor French people.

Despite the animation feeling a bit old, the lovey and heart-touching story matters more than any other aspect. If you can overlook the animation and immerse yourself in the story with a pure soul, this classical romance tale will never disappoint you.

9. Nodame Cantabile:

Moving on to a musical romance anime that’s not set in high school, providing a more mature form of love accompanied by calming music and a compelling plot.

The story of Nodame Cantabile revolves around Shinichi Chiaki, a renowned musician whose only dream is to play among the top-class musicians in Europe.

Coming from a distinguished family and known as an infamous perfectionist, Chiaki never ceases to criticize himself or others due to his love for perfection. However, he has an unusual fear: a fear of flying.

This fear prevents him from visiting Europe to fulfill his dreams.In his fourth year at Japan’s top music university, Shinichi encounters Megumi Noda, or Nodame, a seemingly grubby girl with no precise goals in life.

However, when Shinichi hears Nodame play the piano, he is amazed by the kind of music she produces. Shinichi soon discovers that Nodame is his neighbor and, to add a twist, she is deeply in love with him.

8. Darling In the Franxx:

One of the most popular shows on our list is Darling In the Franxx, and it’s not your regular romance anime; it goes beyond that.

Set in a futuristic world where humanity is on the brink of extinction and controlled by giant beasts known as Klaxosaurs, the story unfolds in massive fortress cities called Plantations.

Toddlers are taken away, raised, and trained to pilot giant mechas known as FranXX, the only weapons used to defeat Klaxosaurs.

Hiro, one of the pilots and our main protagonist, loses all motivation and self-confidence after failing his aptitude test.

Depressed, he skips his class’s graduation ceremony and goes to a forest lake, where he meets a mysterious girl with two horns growing out of her head.

This encounter introduces him to the love of his life and one of the best waifus in the anime universe, Zero Two.The show beautifully depicts the love between Hiro and Zero Two.

Despite the struggles from their past, they never lose hope, and the emotional and heartwarming ending makes it a memorable watch.

7. Yona of the Dawn:

Next on the list is Yona of the Dawn, a love story about a princess that is harsher than most other princess tales.

Set in a fantasy world with no trace of typical Japanese high school romance, the show, despite being labeled a reverse harem, focuses on the princess picking only one companion from start to finish.

The story begins in the kingdom of Kouka, blessed with a beautiful princess named Yona, who possesses childlike innocence. She has grown up protected in the royal palace, shielded from any danger that could cause her harm.

However, her luxurious princess life comes to an end when her home and loved ones are killed by her childhood love.

Left with no one to trust but her childhood friend and loyal bodyguard, Son Hak, and protected by her fiance, Yona vows to defeat the evil and reclaim her kingdom. Thus, her adventure begins, becoming stronger and assembling a formidable army of legendary heroes.

This romance anime stands out not only for its light-hearted romantic moments between Yona and Son Hak but also for its top-notch action scenes, making it a must-watch.

6. Spice and Wolf:

Another classic romance anime on our list is Spice and Wolf, and, of course, it’s not set in high school. The story revolves around the wolf goddess named Holo in a town called Pasloe.

People of Pasloe once prayed to this wolf goddess as a deity for a good harvest, but as time passes, their belief in her diminishes, as they no longer need her blessings.

Enter Kraft Lawrence, a merchant who visits the town and encounters Holo. She offers to help him with his business in exchange for a ride to her home in the north.

Lawrence agrees, thinking it’s a good deal. Holo’s unique abilities help him understand people’s characters, making them a good team as they travel together in search of business opportunities.

However, Lawrence soon realizes that his plans are changing in unexpected ways. The show’s animation and storytelling work seamlessly together, creating a captivating experience that will make you fall in love on your first watch.

5. Wotakoi:

This anime holds a special place in my heart. It’s not just about loving your partner but accepting their obsessions, likes, and even their flaws while still loving them wholeheartedly.

Where there is true love, there is no place for judging your partner based on their likes. Not to forget, it’s one of the best shows based on workplace romance, offering a mature take on love and acceptance, even though it’s not set in a high school.

The story revolves around Narumi Momose, our heroine, rushing on her first day of work, desperately trying to hide her secret obsession as an anime and manga fan (otaku) from her new coworkers.

However, when she encounters her old friend Hirotaka Nifuji among her coworkers, her secrets start to unravel.

To her surprise, he is also an otaku, and to add a twist, he spends his days playing anime games.

On the same day, they go out for drinks, and as Narumi starts talking about her ex-boyfriend, who broke up with her because she’s a fujoshi (someone who enjoys yaoi manga), Hirotaka suggests that they should try dating since they are both otaku. Narumi agrees with his idea, and their awkward but sweet romance begins from the first day itself.

The show is a must-watch, and if you haven’t tried it, just go for it because you might regret missing out on this gem later.

4. Ancient Magus Bride:

The next romance anime on our list is Ancient Magus Bride, set in a magical world full of supernatural creatures. As a dark, mystery-genre anime, it includes mature themes suitable for adult audiences. Well, we do get a high-school arc in Season 3, but then, that’s all, it’s more of fantasy romance than a school one!

The story follows Chise Hatori, a 15-year-old Japanese girl and our heroine, who discovers herself auctioned for five million pounds to a tall, masked gentleman who looks anything but human.

Abandoned and bullied, Chise was willing to accept her fate just to have a home for herself.

Elias Ainsworth, a mysterious magus, takes her to his study, and after some magical interventions, they find themselves in his glamorous cottage in England.

Now, Chise begins her new life as Elias’ apprentice and supposed bride, surrounded by fairies and various magical creatures.

While the story may sound like a fairy tale, it delves into the dark past of the protagonist, making it a captivating and worthwhile watch for those who enjoy mature romance anime.

3. Maison Ikkoku:

Finally, we reach the top three in this list of mature romance anime, and Maison Ikkoku is undoubtedly a diamond in the coal mine of this genre.

The story unfolds in Clock Hill, where an old boarding house named Maison Ikkoku stands.While the house may seem normal at first glance, its inhabitants are quite unusual.

Yuusaku Godai, a quiet and shy tenant fed up with noisy neighbors, plans to move to a quieter place to study. However, his plans are disrupted by the new manager, Kyoko Otonashi.

Our hero falls in love with Kyoko, and to stay close to her, he decides to remain at Maison Ikkoku. Kyoko, a widow hesitant due to her past, faces challenges but, with Godai’s persistence and support from other bizarre tenants, she becomes hopeful of finding love again.

This romance anime beautifully portrays the struggle of confessing love, depicting the challenges adults face in matters of the heart.

The show emphasizes the difficulty of moving on and forgetting the past, making it a relatable and engaging watch.

2. Yuri on Ice:

Yuri on Ice deserves its spot as one of the most deserving romance anime not based in high school, tackling problems faced in the adult romance genre.

While it falls under the BL (Boy Love) category, it’s recommended for all romance genre anime fans due to its well-rounded exploration of various aspects of romance.

The story starts with our protagonist, Yuuri Katsuki, a figure skater returning home at 23, uncertain of his future after a significant loss.

His love for pork cutlets and a tendency to gain weight become additional challenges on his skating journey.

However, things take a turn when a video of him performing a routine by world champion Victor Nikiforov goes viral.Victor offers to be Yuuri’s mentor, and Yuuri happily agrees.

Now, with his goal set on a comeback and facing tough competition from Russian skater Yuri Plisetsky, Yuuri focuses on winning under Victor’s guidance.

1. Nana:

Topping our list is Nana, a popular title in the mature romance genre that has redefined the meaning of romance anime. Unlike the simplicity and sweetness of high school romance, adult romance becomes more relatable to a mature audience dealing with challenges like depression, stress, and anxiety.

The story follows two young women with the same name, Nana, leaving their hometowns to meet in Tokyo for new lives in the city. Nana Komatsu dreams of finding true love, while Nana Osaki aspires to make a name in the music industry.

In Tokyo, they meet by coincidence and end up living together. As the show progresses, their friendship grows, and the two Nanas support each other through the challenges of building their dreams and futures.

Nana remains timeless and stands as one of the best in its genre. If you’ve watched it, you’re likely familiar with its strengths.

Conclusion:

We have compiled a list of romantic anime that steers clear of typical high school settings, and we hope you enjoy these unique and mature stories. Feel free to share your favorite romance anime from the list, and thanks for reading! Happy watching!