Best Shoujo Anime

While Western anime fans may recognize far more iconic shonen shows, shojo is also popular all over the world. Shojo anime tend to target younger female audiences, but they can have amazing stories for anyone of any age or gender to enjoy.

Even though some of the best shoujo anime are stereotypical romantic stories, many break the mold by exploring deeper emotional stories and unique themes. Similar to shonen, this demographic is a lot more diverse than might initially appear to be the case, and the best series cover a spectrum of genres, tones, character archetypes, and even settings. Rare as they can be in this day and age, shoujo anime will (hopefully) always have a place in the industry.

An anime must be based on a manga published by a shojo magazine to be considered.

Updated on September 4, 2025, by Mark Sammut: The Summer 2025 season has no shoujo anime. Seriously, not even a single adaptation! Honestly, the whole year has shown little love towards the demographic, although things should improve in the upcoming Fall 2025. A Star Brighter Than the Sun, The Dark History of the Reincarnated Villainess, With You, Our Love Will Make It Through, Kakuriyo, Mechanical Marie, and Plus-sized Misadventures in Love are all shoujo properties, and they will hopefully all be awesome.

In the meantime, we have added two great shojo anime from yesteryear as recommendations: His and Her Circumstances and Yumeiro Patissiere.

27

Sugar Apple Fairy Tale

MyAnimeList: 7.47 (Part 1)

Except for a select few, seasonal shojo anime are almost always overshadowed by shonen or seinen properties, a fate that befell Sugar Apple Fairy Tale twice in a year. Part 1 aired in the same period as Vinland Saga Season 2, Tomo-chan is a Girl, and The Angel Next Door Spoils Me Rotten; meanwhile, Part 2 existed alongside Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2, Bleach, Bungo Stray Dogs 5, Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation, and Zom 100. Compared to those shows, Sugar Apple Fairy Tale is fairly unknown, which is a shame as the series is good enough to share the spotlight with at least a few of those names.

The anime takes place in a fantasy world where humans live alongside fairies, although they are not exactly on good terms. Fairies are generally treated like property by most humans, a dynamic that Ann – a young girl who hopes to follow in her mother’s footsteps and become a Silver Sugar Master – has no intention of replicating when she buys Challe, a warrior fairy. Season 2 continued to strengthen the pair’s friendship, all the while revealing new layers to this universe’s thought-provoking social structure. Ann is a great lead, and she is supported by almost exclusively memorable characters.

26

My Happy Marriage

MyAnimeList: 7.74 (Season 1)

Akumi Agitogi’s My Happy Marriage has found success in a variety of forms since debuting as a light novel, and the anime adaptation is shaping up to be another triumph. Beautifully animated by Kinema Citrus, the Netflix-exclusive series is almost great enough to warrant a one-month subscription on its own, although people on the fence should probably wait until the full season is on the streaming service. Set during the Meiji Restoration era, the story revolves around an arranged marriage between Miyo Saimori and Kiyoka Kudou, two people who both have their baggage. Since the death of her mother, Miyo has lived in fear and isolation, a state enforced by her uninterested father, domineering stepmother, and cruel half-sister. Forced to internalize the belief that she is worthless, the young woman’s mental scars are obvious.

Miyo is presented by her parents as a potential bride for Kiyoka, a military figure who has a reputation for scaring away his finances. Rejection would spell the end of the line for the protagonist, and while everyone expects that outcome, reality opts to take a different road. Miyo and Kiyoka slowly but surely hit it off, with the latter falling for the former. Heartwarming and tender, their relationship has blossomed into a beautiful love story that feels timeless. My Happy Marriage also has a supernatural element that further ties the leads together.

25

Maid Sama!

MyAnimeList: 7.99

Although fairly dated in places, this minor classic is still a big name in the shojo scene, and its strengths are timeless enough to mask some of its weaknesses. As her school’s student council president, Misaki runs a strict regime, particularly with guys. While most boys try to stay as far away from her as possible, Takumi Usui does the exact opposite, and he starts to visit the maid café that employs Misaki as frequently as possible.

Maid Sama! knocks its humor out of the park, and both Misaki and Takumi are big personalities who complement each other beautifully. Most of the time, the student council president comes across as a force of nature who is constantly pushing past her limits to help her family; on the other hand, Takumi is effortlessly cool.

24

His and Her Circumstances

MyAnimeList: 7.60

Based on Kare Kano, His and Her Circumstances is a classic shoujo anime that is fairly well-known among die-hard ’90s romance fans. Consequently, newer viewers might not be familiar with this series, even though it was co-directed by Neon Genesis Evangelion‘s Hideaki Anno. Obviously, His and Her Circumstances is wildly different from that mecha anime, at least story-wise; that said, in terms of quality, it is filled with moments of brilliance and is also influential in its own right.

The crux of the story revolves around Yukino and Arima, two gifted students who start as academic rivals but gradually change their relationship when they begin to get fuller pictures of each other’s personalities. They both present twisted versions of themselves to the public, particularly Yukino’s efforts to be seen as perfect. His and Her Circumstances explores both characters’ psyches and how they have been shaped by their home lives and social standings, all the while showing their growth courtesy of their relationship. The series is filled with drama, but it can also be downright hilarious.

23

School Babysitters

MyAnimeList: 7.90

Ready for an overload of adorableness? School Babysitters delivers exactly what its title promises: Brothers taking care of their younger siblings at a school daycare. That might not sound fascinating, but this anime is pure fluff in the best possible way. The episodes are a warm blanket that coddles viewers, allowing them to escape reality while watching the cuteness unfold.

Apart from the main duo’s oddly dark backstory, School Babysitters is a tension-free slice of life ripe with lovable characters. The anime manages to balance a relatively big cast well, even succeeding in giving the babies enough personality so they come across as people rather than just mascots.

22

Yumeiro Patissiere

MyAnimeList: 7.85

The cooking genre is dominated by shonen, with Food Wars and Yakitate!! Japan being the two most famous shows (not counting Delicious in Dungeon). However, there is one particularly great shojo cooking anime, and it has stood the test of time pretty well. As suggested by its title, Yumeiro Patissiere is all about teenagers looking to become pastry chefs, a journey that sees them go through St. Marie Academy. Ichigo Amano takes center stage as a girl who really loves cakes but does not seem to have an inherent talent for creating them, at least not at first. However, she absolutely shines as a taster, and she uses this skill to carve a path toward becoming a full-blown chef.

Yumeiro Patissiere balances drama, humor, and character development pretty darn well. Unlike quite a few shoujo anime, romance is present without becoming the main focus, which constantly remains on Ichigo’s growth and the incredible pastries all the characters manage to put together.

21

The Yuzuki Family’s Four Sons

MyAnimeList: 7.88

Similar to shonen with male protagonists, the vast majority of shojo anime feature female leads; however, exceptions exist. As its title suggests, The Yuzuki Family’s Four Sons revolves around four siblings who end up having to take care of each other after their parents pass away. As the oldest, Hayato has to shoulder most of the responsibility of caring for his brothers, a role that is a lot to take for somebody who has only recently entered the professional grind and is also grieving the death of his parents.

The Yuzuki Family’s Four Sons is a realistic slice of life about family, communication, and love. Most episodes simply chronicle the boys’ everyday lives, highlighting how their unique situation has changed their perception of “normal.” While containing a few heavy moments, the anime is fairly light and uplifting, so it is hardly a constant downer.

While the leads are male, The Yuzuki Family’s Four Sons has fantastic female supporting characters. In fact, the best (short) storyline focuses on Uta, a girl who becomes self-conscious when a boy points out that she doesn’t meet traditional gender norms. The anime handles this subject well.

20

Lovely Complex

MyAnimeList: 8.03

Lovely Complex is a pretty prototypical shojo romance anime. Risa is unusually tall for a Japanese girl, while Otani is unusually short for a Japanese boy. The story very much leans on the concept that opposites attract, and their physical differences are played up for both comedic and dramatic purposes. While never taking itself too seriously, Lovely Complex recognizes that both leads feel self-conscious about their sizes, and it treats this anxiety with respect.

After having her confession rejected, Risa makes it her mission to convince Otani that she would be his perfect girlfriend, as he cannot see her as a potential partner. A few serious moments aside, the journey is primarily driven by laughs, as both characters have big and fun personalities. While arguably overstaying its welcome a bit, Lovely Complex is just a cute little romance comedy.

19

Yona Of The Dawn

MyAnimeList: 8.03

Mizuho Kusanagi’s Yona of the Dawn has been running since 2009, and it is firmly established as one of the best shojo manga on the market. Pierrot’s anime adaptation does not warrant the same level of praise, but that has largely to do with the fact the series only covers a small portion of the source material. When analyzed solely on the quality of the adapted content, Yona of the Dawn is pretty great.

Set in a small nation caught between more powerful countries, Yona is the sheltered princess of the realm’s king. A shocking coup leaves the girl on the run, with her only companion being Hak, her bodyguard. At this point, the princess sets out to find four mythical warriors who will help her reclaim the throne and unite the kingdom. Yona is forced to mature quickly as she begins her transformation from pampered royalty to a capable warrior.

18

Sacrificial Princess and the King of Beasts

MyAnimeList: 7.94

Sacrificial Princess and the King of Beasts can leave a somewhat negative first impression, at least for those who have consumed a lot of underwhelming beast/human romances. In a world where humans and beasts share a fragile peace, the former are forced to sacrifice one of their own to the latter’s ruler every few years. As a young child, Sariphi learns she is destined to be a sacrifice, a revolution that warps her mind as she surrenders to the fact that she was born to die. However, when the day finally comes for her to meet the king of beasts, Leonhart, Sariphi learns that not everything is as it seems. Love gradually blooms and Sari finds herself acting as a queen of beasts, a role not everyone wants her to fulfill.

Telling a satisfying and complete story, Sacrificial Princess and the King of Beasts is surprisingly nuanced, not only in its exploration of both Sari and Leonhart’s psyches but also in its political themes. As a romance, the anime can be slightly off-putting due to the leads’ age gap, but they are good characters individually. Sari is particularly fantastic.