Must Watch Romance Anime For Fans of A Sign Of Affection

A Sign of Affection has taken the anime world by storm as one of 2024’s best romance series so far. A thoughtful and accurate depiction of deaf experiences, the series shows how love can break down communication barriers and change lives. Fans have fallen completely in love with the wholesome romance between Yuki Itose and Itsuomi Nagi, and though their story has only just begun, many can’t wait to see where the next chapter takes them.

Though this touching series has been a big hit, there’s still no word on a second season. Lucky for those waiting on a continuation, there are plenty of other romance anime featuring very similar themes that fans of A Sign of Affection are sure to enjoy.

A Sign of Affection

Yuki Itose is a college student who’s into friends and fashion. She’s also deaf. A chance meeting on a train leads to a serious crush… But can it grow into something more?

Release Date

January 6, 2024

Creator

suu Morishita

Production Company

Ajia-do Animation Works

Related

How A Sign of Affection Communicates the Five Love Languages in the Anime Medium

A Sign of Affection creatively uses the five love languages to develop Yuki and Itsuomi’s relationship.

10 Komi Can’t Communicate Follows A Shy Girl On A Mission To Make Friends

Komi Can’t Communicate Rating Scores

Though not inherently a love story, Komi Can’t Communicate has its fair share of romance, particularly between the series’ main characters, Shoko Komi and Hitohito Tadano. Titular heroine Komi suffers from severe social anxiety and struggles to communicate with others. As a result, she’s had little to no friends her whole life. However, that all changes after she meets Tadano and the two become close through their own means of communication.

The series follows Komi and Tadano’s everyday adventures as she tries to make 100 friends by the end of the school year. It won’t be easy, but with Tadano supporting her on the sidelines, she might just be able to do it. Fans have fallen in love with the wholesome dynamic between Komi and Tadano, with many seeing them as one of modern anime’s healthiest couples. They show genuine care for one another, forming a loving and supportive bond that’s very similar to that of A Sign of Affection‘s Itsuomi and Yuki.

Komi Can’t Communicate

An elite and aloof schoolgirl is in fact severely withdrawn and anxious about communicating with others. An ordinary schoolboy befriends her and helps her to open up and talk with people.

Release Date

October 21, 2021

Cast

Aoi Koga , Gakuto Kajiwara , Rie Murakawa , Rina Hidaka

Seasons

2

9 Say I Love You Sees Love Blossom Between A Young Loner & The Most Popular Boy At School

Say I Love You Rating Scores

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10 Reasons Romance Anime Fans Should Watch Say I Love You

Fans of romance anime should make a point of checking out Say I Love You.

Similarly to Yuki Itose in A Sign of Affection, Say I Love You‘s Mei Tachibana is isolated from others. But while Yuki is alone due to her disability, Mei’s isolation is completely voluntary. After a traumatic incident during childhood, she decides it’s better to live alone and to never trust anyone, for fear of getting hurt. But while she tries her best to keep a low profile, her plans are soon dashed when she catches the eye of Yamato Kurosawa, one of the most popular boys in school.

Determined to be her friend, Yamato begins to do anything he can to get Mei to open up. Though she isn’t receptive at first, she soon finds herself letting her guard down around him, ultimately falling head-over-heels for the upbeat and carefree boy. This sweet romance classic follows the two young lovers as they navigate their new relationship, all while Yamato helps Mei slowly come out of her shell once more.

8 Josee, The Tiger & The Fish Follows An Unlikely Pair Who Bond Over Shared Passions

Josee, The Tiger & The Fish Rating Scores

Josee, the Tiger and the Fish is a heartfelt romance film starring two young protagonists who seem like total opposites at first glance. While Tsuneo Suzukawa is polite and hardworking, Josee is rude, bossy, and demanding. However, when Tsuneo takes on a job as Josee’s caregiver, he soon discovers they have more in common than he realized. Much like himself, Josee has a passion for traveling and dreams of exploring the world, free from her disability.

The film follows these two as Tsuneo does everything in his power to help Josee experience the world outside her walls. During their adventures together, the two fall deeply in love, discovering that their bond fulfills them in ways they never could have expected. An underrated gem within anime, Josee, the Tiger and the Fish tells an inspirational story of young love and overcoming adversity to make one’s dreams a reality.

Josee, The Tiger & The Fish

Original title: Joze to tora to sakana-tachi.
Tsuneo is a university student and Josee is a young girl who has rarely gone out of the house by herself due to her being unable to walk. The two meet when Tsuneo finds Josee’s grandmother taking her out for a evening walk.

Release Date

July 12, 2021

Runtime

1 hour 39 minutes

Characters By

Kaya Kiyohara, Taishi Nakagawa, Matsutera Chiemi

Production Company

Bones, East Japan Marketing & Communications Inc., KDDI Corporation

7 Snow White With The Red Hair’s Shirayuki & Zen Have One Of The Sweetest Relationships In Modern Shojo

Snow White With The Red Hair Rating Scores

Inspired by the classic fairytale, Snow White with the Red Hair stars a young apothecary named Shirayuki as she makes her way in the world and fights for her freedom. After fleeing her home country, Shirayuki starts over in a new land, working as the court herbalist for the royal family. It’s here she meets Prince Zen Wistalia, and the two fall hopelessly in love.

Though Snow White with the Red Hair is quite different from A Sign of Affection, the main couples from both series feel very similar. Much like Yuki and Itsuomi, Shirayuki and Zen share a very sweet and loving relationship, built on mutual trust and support. Despite their different stations in life, they stand together as equals, showing nothing but respect for one another. Many have praised the romance between Zen and Shirayuki over the years, naming it as one of shojo’s healthiest love stories.

Snow White With The Red Hair

Shirayuki was a young girl born with unique apple-red hair. She meets a famous but foolish Prince Raji, who falls in love with her at first sight and orders her to become his concubine.

Release Date

July 6, 2015

Cast

Saori Hayami , Ryōta Ōsaka , Yūichirō Umehara

Seasons

2 Seasons

Creator

Deko Akao

Production Company

Bones, Warner Bros.

Number of Episodes

25 Episodes

6 Blue Spring Ride Is A Story Of Rekindled Feelings & Reunited Childhood Friends

Blue Spring Ride Rating Scores

Blue Spring Ride‘s Futaba Yoshioka is yet another romance heroine who finds herself isolated from her peers. However, unlike Yuki Itose, Futaba has purposely distanced herself from others. Bullied by her fellow female classmates due to her popularity with boys, Futaba does everything in her power to seem unapproachable now. But when her childhood friend and crush — Kou Tanaka — comes back into her life, Futaba finds herself tempted to open up again.

An underrated title within the shojo demographic, Blue Spring Ride tells a heartwarming story of rekindled love that accurately portrays relationships between teenagers. Despite their bickering, Futaba and Kou form a strong bond through their respect and adoration for one another that’s nothing short of wholesome. While they’re pretty different from A Sign of Affection‘s main couple, their romance is just as sweet and supportive.

Ao Haru Ride

Revolves around Futaba, a girl who was in love with a boy named Ko Tanaka in middle school. However, it did not work because he transferred but in high school, her world is turned around once again when she meets him again.

Release Date

July 7, 2014

Cast

Yûki Kaji , Tsubasa Honda , Mikako Komatsu (Japanese) , Kenichiro Ohashi

Seasons

1 Season

Creator

Io Sakisaka

Production Company

East Japan Marketing & Communications Inc., Gyao, Hakuhodo DY Media Partners

5 The Ice Guy & His Cool Female Colleague Is An Office Romance Between Two Very Different Coworkers

The Ice Guy & His Cool Female Colleague Rating Scores

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With shojo series like Skip And Loafer and Raven Of The Inner Palace, recent anime seasons have delivered some truly amazing romance titles.

One of 2023’s most beloved romance titles, The Ice Guy and His Cool Female Colleague is a wholesome workplace romance with a supernatural twist. The series stars Himuro, a kindhearted office worker with ice powers that tend to go out of control when he displays strong emotions. So when he falls for Fuyutsuki, his beautiful new coworker, it’s almost impossible for him to conceal his feelings.

While Himuro wears his heart on his sleeve, Fuyutsuki is a bit of a closed book, approaching everything with a straight face and a cool head. Her rationality helps Himuro through his bouts of emotion, allowing him to get a better grasp on his powers. In turn, Himuro works to help Fuyutsuki come out of her shell a little more. Much like A Sign of Affection, this simple yet sweet series follows two unlikely lovers as they support each other through their struggles in unexpected ways.

The Ice Guy and His Cool Female Colleague

The Ice Guy and His Cool Female Colleague (Koori Zokusei Danshi to Cool na Douryou Joshi) is a romantic comedy anime series with a fantasy element. Himuro, a young man who descends from a powerful snow spirit, lives with his somewhat uncontrollable ability; when his emotions run awry, Himuro can create snowmen, igloos, and powerful gusts of snow. However, for some reason, when he finds himself smitten by his coworker Fuyutsuki, he quite literally freezes up.

Release Date

January 4, 2023

Cast

Yui Ishikawa , Chiaki Kobayashi , Yumi Uchiyama , Hiyori Nitta , Ayane Sakura , Kouki Uchiyama

Main Genre

Comedy

Seasons

1

Studio

Zero-G

Distributor

Crunchyroll

Main Characters

Fuyutsuki, Himuro, Komori, Yukimin, Otonashi, Saejima

Production Company

Zero-G

Writers

Tomoko Konparu

Number of Episodes

12

4 Honey & Clover Tells A Romantic Coming-Of-Age Story Between A Group Of College Students

Honey & Clover Rating Scores

Honey and Clover is an iconic romance classic from the 2000s that fans still adore to this day. This compelling series follows a group of friends as they attend a performing and visual arts college together. Here, they overcome some of life’s toughest trials, from love and heartbreak to self-discovery. Featuring a complex tapestry of multiple relationships, Honey and Clover is a dramatic romance full of twists and turns.

Much like A Sign of Affection, Honey and Clover‘s storyline involves an emotional love triangle between various characters. As one of anime’s most famous stories of unrequited love, the series if full of drama and emotion. It’s a harsh yet realistic reminder that love doesn’t always go the way one hopes, and sometimes the guy doesn’t get the girl in the end.

Honey and Clover (2005)

Yuuta Takemoto is a poor college student who lives in a dilapidated apartment building with his two friends, Shinobu Morita and Takumi Mayama. The series chronicles the students’ story as they struggle through life and love.

Release Date

April 14, 2005

Seasons

2 Seasons

Characters By

Haruka Kudô, Tomokazu Sugita, Hiroshi Kamiya

Creator

Chica Umino

Production Company

J.C. Staff

3 My Happy Marriage’s Miyo Saimori Overcomes Her Traumatic Upbringing Through Love

My Happy Marriage Rating Scores

A magical twist on the classic Cinderella story, My Happy Marriage centers on the struggles of a young woman named Miyo Saimori. Mistreated by her family and used as a servant, Miyo’s future is bleak. However, everything changes when she’s arranged to marry the mysterious Kiyoka Kudo. Though she expects the same treatment she’s always known even in this new situation, Miyo is shocked to find that her new betrothed is kind and caring. With his help, she slowly begins to heal from her past trauma and blossom into a strong and confident woman.

Fans of A Sign of Affection are sure to love My Happy Marriage for its sweet message and wholesome romance. Kiyoka is one of the kindest love interests in modern shojo, and his gentle nature towards Miyo is both refreshing and satisfying. The series depicts trauma and healing in a thoughtful and compelling way, leaving many to praise My Happy Marriage as one of anime’s greatest new romances.

My Happy Marriage

An unhappy young woman from an abusive family is married off to a fearsome and chilly army commander. But the two learn more about each other, love may have a chance.

Release Date

July 5, 2023

Seasons

1 Season

Studio

Kinema Citrus

Characters By

Reina Ueda, Kaito Ishikawa, Houko Kuwashima

Creator

Akumi Agitogi

Production Company

Kinema Citrus

Number of Episodes

12 Episodes

2 Kimi Ni Todoke Is An Endearing Romance Between A Shy Girl & A Popular Boy

Kimi Ni Todoke Rating Scores

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10 Ways Kimi Ni Todoke Embraces Shojo Clichés

Kimi ni Todoke is a fan-favorite high school romance anime that expertly embraces the most celebrated shojo tropes.

Kimi ni Todoke is one of shojo’s most iconic stories, following the unexpected romance between two very different high schoolers. Despite her shy and timid nature, Sawako Kuronuma has always been feared and shunned by her classmates, due to her resemblance to a well-known horror character. But after a chance encounter with the charming and upbeat Shouta Kazehaya, Sawako’s life finally begins to turn around.

Inspired by the popular boy’s charisma, Sawako aspires to be like him and works to make new friends. One of the cutest couples in all of anime, Sawako and Kazehaya work surprisingly well together, despite their differences. As they grow closer, they ultimately change each other for the better, falling in love in the process. Those who love the wholesome romance between A Sign of Affection‘s Yuki and Itsuomi will definitely enjoy Sawako and Kazehaya’s sweet love story too.

Kimi Ni Todoke: From Me To You

Sawako’s one wish in life is to make friends. That’s a difficult proposition due to her resemblance to Sadako from The Ring. Her life starts to change after she befriends her classmate, Kazehaya, an easygoing guy who is nice even with her.

Release Date

October 6, 2009

Seasons

2

Studio

Production I.G.

Number of Episodes

38

1 A Silent Voice Is An Emotional Story Of Love & Forgiveness

A Silent Voice Rating Scores

One of the most powerful anime films of the 2010s, A Silent Voice is a captivating and poignant tale of two young students and the struggles they endure together. The story begins when young Shoko Nishimiya transfers into the same class as Shoya Ishida. Here, she’s subjected to some of the cruelest torture at the hands of her classmates, most notably Shoya. Years later, the two reunite in high school, where Shoya is still ostracized for his past wrongdoings and hopes to atone for them.

The story follows the two as they try to repair their relationship, overcome the past, and move on from tragedy to create a better future. A brilliant depiction of the difficulties many in the deaf community face, A Silent Voice was groundbreaking at the time for its representation. Though the story is much darker and delves into some very heavy subjects, this tragic and beautiful film makes a great companion piece to A Sign of Affection.

A Silent Voice

A young man is ostracized by his classmates after he bullies a deaf girl to the point where she moves away. Years later, he sets off on a path for redemption.

Release Date

October 20, 2017

Studio

Kyoto Animation

Cast

Saori Hayami , Miyu Irino , Yui Ishikawa , Megumi Han

Runtime

130 minutes