Top 10 Romance Anime of 2018
1. I Want to Eat Your Pancreas
Spring time in April and the last of the cherry blossoms are still in bloom. The usually aloof bookworm with no interest in others comes across a book in a hospital waiting room. Handwritten on the cover are the words: "Living with Dying." He soon discovers that it is a diary kept by his very popular and genuinely cheerful classmate, Sakura Yamauchi, who reveals to him that she is secretly suffering from a pancreatic illness and only has a limited time left. It is at this moment that she gains just one more person to share her secret.
Trying to maintain a normal life as much as possible, Sakura is determined to live her life to the fullest until the very last day. As her free spirit and unpredictable actions throw him for a loop, his heart begins to gradually change.
(Source: Aniplex USA)
2. Violet Evergarden: Special
The CH Postal Company has just received a request to transcribe a love letter from Irma Felice, a famous opera singer. Accepting the task, Violet Evergarden visits Irma to write her letter. However, not only does Irma provide little information, she asks Violet to write based on her own feelings. Despite Violet's numerous attempts, Irma finds every version of the letter inadequate.
Violet consults her colleagues, and they help her out by writing love letters of their own. Yet even those are rejected by the opera singer. As a last resort, Violet asks Irma for her true thoughts and feelings, hoping to find the missing puzzle piece. Will the Auto Memory Doll be able to translate Irma's emotions into words?
(Source: MAL Rewrite)
Note: Unaired episode included with the 4th BD/DVD release. It takes place between episodes 4 and 5 of the show.
3. Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai
There's a rumor about a mysterious phenomenon called "puberty syndrome." For example, Sakuta Azusagawa is a high school student who suddenly sees a bunny girl appear in front of him. The girl is actually a girl named Mai Sakurajima, who is Sakuta's upperclassman who is also a famous actress who has gone on hiatus from the entertainment industry. For some reason, the people around Mai cannot see her bunny-girl figure. Sakuta sets out to solve this mystery, and as he spends time with Mai, he learns her secret feelings. Other heroines who have "puberty syndrome" start to appear in front of Sakuta.
(Source: Anime News Network)
4. ReLIFE: Final Arc
After reliving the life of a high school student through the ReLIFE experiment, 27-year-old Arata Kaizaki cannot believe how quickly it has changed him. He has begun to see the world through a different perspective that he had completely forgotten as an adult. He has made friends and formed deep relationships with each one of them. However his support, Ryou Yoake, reminds him that the experiment is all an illusion; after his experiment ends, he will be forgotten by all of them.
The experiment of another ReLIFE subject is also coming to an end. After spending two years with ReLIFE, Chizuru Hishiro has developed into a more open, more thoughtful person than she could have ever imagined. She has met people who have changed her life, her perspective, and ultimately her. However, now that their ReLIFE is coming to an end, will they be able to let go of the memories they have made?
(Source: MAL Rewrite)
5. Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions: Take on Me
Rikka is now a third-year student, but she still has "chuunibyou" syndrome. University entrance exams loom on the horizon, and it's spring break, and Yuuta and Rikka are together as usual. One day, Rikka's older sister Touka declares that she's going to take Rikka to Italy with her, as Touka is moving to Italy for work and she thinks they should move together as a family. Yuuta understands Touka's opinion, but thinks that at this rate he and Rikka will be separated. Shinka and the other members suggest that Yuuta and Rikka should "elope," and thus sets the stage for Yuuta and Rikka's travels throughout Japan in their escape drama.
(Source: Anime News Network)
6. Douluo Dalu: Jingying Sai
The second part of Douluo Dalu.
Note: Episodes 27 to 78.
7. Wotakoi: Love is Hard for Otaku
Having slept through all four of her alarms, the energetic Narumi Momose finds herself running late for her first day of work at a new office. As she races to catch her train, she makes a promise to herself that none of her coworkers will find out about her dark secret: that she is an otaku and a fujoshi. Her plan goes instantly awry, though, when she runs into Hirotaka Nifuji, an old friend from middle school. Although she tries to keep her secret by inviting him out for drinks after work, her cover is blown when he casually asks her whether or not she will be attending the upcoming Summer Comiket. Luckily for her, the only witnesses—Hanako Koyanagi and Tarou Kabakura—are otaku as well.
Later that night, the pair go out for drinks so that they can catch up after all the years apart. After Narumi complains about her previous boyfriend breaking up with her because he refused to date a fujoshi, Hirotaka suggests that she try dating a fellow otaku, specifically himself. He makes a solemn promise to always be there for her, to support her, and to help her farm for rare drops in Monster Hunter. Blown away by the proposal, Narumi agrees immediately. Thus the two otaku start dating, and their adorably awkward romance begins.
(Source: MAL Rewrite)
8. Scissor Seven
Seeking to recover his memory, a scissor-wielding, hairdressing, bungling quasi-assassin stumbles into a struggle for power among feuding factions.
(Source: Netflix)
9. Bloom Into You
Yuu Koito thought love would be something amazing and magical, but when a male friend asks her to date, she feels nothing. She doesn't even know how to respond until she overhears the student council president of her new high school, Touko Nanami, turning down a similar request. With Touko's help, Yuu manages to let her friend down gracefully, but then Touko confesses that she, herself, is starting to have feelings for Yuu, leaving Yuu in a quandary. Yuu doesn't think that she's in love with Touko, but she does feel something. As Yuu joins the Student Council, and she and Touko become closer, her confusion about her feelings only continues to grow. Because you can't control who you love, or who falls in love with you.
(Source: Sentai Filmworks)
10. Kase-san and Morning Glories
A relationship is like a garden. It's hard, really hard, to plant the initial seeds. Once you've gone through the agonizing process of wondering if the other person even likes you, fought the fear that telling her could destroy everything, and made your confession, the most difficult part begins. Because you have to keep nurturing this wonderful new feeling to keep it growing. Not just in your own heart, but in hers. And since even the most beautiful rose can cut you to the bone with its thorns, who can you talk to for advice? Especially when you're both girls in high school? For shy Yamada and boyish Kase, time is running out.
(Source: Sentai Filmworks)