An age-old genre that has persisted through time, covering all mediums known to man, romance isn’t something to be taken lightly. Romance has had a lot of prominence in the world of anime, fromclassics like Toradora and Your Lie in April, to modern depictions like Suzume and Insomniacs After School, there are plenty of pickings for the hungry.
The studios behind these creations are worthy of praise as well. Whether it’s CoMix Wave pushing out another Makoto Shinkai classic, or Kyoto Animation bringing another heart-warming story to the big screen, there are plenty of big names in the industry that any romance loving anime fan should know.
8SILVER LINK
Good Slop for the Fans
Not all romance that audiences consume is highbrow. Intricate plot lines with great romantic undertones, intense chemistry between the two leads, and twists on a tried and tested formula are ingredients to a truly great romance. However, there’s something that’s even more important: drama!
Spice is the key to having a great time, and the spicier a situation, the better the payoff! That’s the philosophy thatmost of the romance anime found in the catalog of SILVER LINKadopt. SILVER LINK is a relatively new company that was established in 2007 whose titles have a mix of slice of life, drama, and cutesy romance.
7Studio feel
Romance Comedies Galore
Romance can be dramatic and intense, or it can be light-hearted and heart-warming. The second one is the kind that can be found in the works of Studio feel, a 2002 studio that is still around today. They aren’t as established as some of the other romance-centric studios, but they have plenty of hard-hitting titles that let them throw around their weight in the industry.
Their most well-performing showis, without a doubt, Oregairu. Their animation quality isn’t necessarily the most mind-blowing or amazing, but the quality isn’t bad by any means. Tsuki ga Kirei, an anime only production backed by Studio feel, is lauded as one of the most realistic portrayals of high-school romance.
6J.C. Staff
A Producer of Classics
One of the behemoths of the anime industry,J.C. Staff is a well known namethat has been around as long as any fan can remember. They are the studio behind timeless classics like Toradora, Kaichou wa Maid-sama! and the Pet Girl of Sakurasou.
Most of the romance anime that this studio creates tend to have humor baked into the plot. They don’t solely focus on romance, there are plenty of comedies and fantasy anime in their lineup as well, such as KonoSuba, Shokugeki no Souma, and Saiku Kusuo. Long story short, they have a humor first approach to their shows.
5TMS Entertainment
May the Best Girl Win
TMS Entertainment is an old player in the anime industry, and is the animation branch of the Sega group. Established all the way back in 1946, this studio is best known for classics like Lupin the Third, and Detective Conan, which do have some romantic subplots, but don’t feature romance most of the time.
However,TMS has one of the best rated romance showsin all of anime, Fruits Basket, to its name. What’s even more surprising is that it was also the studio behind Rent-a-Girlfriend, one of the most fun harem shows in recent memory.
4Kyoto Animation
Beautiful Animation Combined with Heart Warming Stories
One of the more well-known names in the world of animated productions,Kyoto Animation tends to prefer quality to quantity. Over their nearly 40-year tenure in the industry, they’ve only had an output of around 30 seasons, and 30 movies, but each and every project that they’ve worked on has been an absolute delight to the senses.
Whether it’s the melancholic, eyewateringly beautiful story of Violet Evergarden, the fluffy and warm tale of A Silent Voice, or even the classic charm of Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions, there’s a little bit for everyone.
3LIDENFILMS
Recently in Love
LIDENFILMS is a lesser known name in the industry that has risen to prominence in recent years. Established as early as 2012, this studio has gone on to make some of the most recognizable names in the romance community such as Yamada-kun and the Seven Witches, Love and Lies, and Insomniacs After School.
The studio isn’t happy with just romance though, it has its roots digging into the action fanbase as well,with bangers like Tokyo Revengers, Arslan Senki, and Goblin Slayer to its name. WIth such prestigious titles already under its belt, fans are eager to see future projects headed by this studio.
2CoMix Wave
Makoto Shinkai’s Chosen One
There is no doubt that Makoto Shinkai is one of the most talented contemporary directors and filmmakers. All of hisfeature-length filmsare hits, with no exceptions. His stories often contain elements of nostalgia, pure love, and a hint of sadness to blend it all together. Moreover, he has exacting standards of art and animation that make his works some of the best in the whole industry.
And the studio that meets the demands of this exacting storyteller? CoMix Wave. The studio split from its parent company in 2007, and has been independent ever since. It doesn’t just publish the works of the venerated Makoto Shinkai, but those are definitely its claim to fame.
1CloverWorks
A Bunny Girl Suit to Solve Your Problems
Why be worried when there’s a bunny girl (studio) to take care of your problems? A company that split from A1 pictures in 2018,CloverWorks, has released quite a few titlesin the little time it has been around. Bunny Girl Senpai, Horimiya, and My Dress-Up Darling are some of its most prominent projects.
These shows alone make CloverWorks a studio to keep an eye on, but that’s not where they stop. Some of the best shows in the last few years have come from this studio, such as Bocchi the Rock!, and Spy x Family.
