Best Romance Anime of 2005

The world has been transformed into a hunting ground for the Crimson Denizens, enigmatic entities from a parallel dimension that feed on human life energy. These ruthless killers leave behind only faint remnants of souls known as "Torches," which are mere residues destined to be destroyed, erasing the victims' existence from the memories of the living. To halt this silent, voracious slaughter, warriors known as Flame Hazes engage in an endless battle against these monsters. One day, Yuuji Sakai’s life changes drastically when he finds himself trapped in a time distortion and attacked by a Denizen. He is saved at the last moment by a nameless hunter who appears to be an ordinary girl, save for her fiery crimson hair and intense eyes. Before Yuuji can fully understand what is happening, he realizes he has already been reduced to a Torch—a fragment of memory poised for extinction.

In the sleepy town of Bellforest, 14-year-old Renton Thurston dreams of escaping his ordinary life to join the mercenary group Gekkostate. Caught between his grandfather's push for him to become a mechanic and the weight of his late father's reputation, Renton finds his only thrill in riding Trapar wave particles—a form of air surfing that fills the local skies. His world changes when a mysterious object crashes through his family's garage: a Light Finding Operation mecha called the Nirvash typeZERO, which can surf the Trapar waves. Its pilot is a young girl named Eureka, a member of Gekkostate, who asks Renton to tune up the machine. Their encounter sparks Renton's journey into the group as he takes off beside Eureka as the Nirvash's co-pilot.

Guided by a childhood story from his mother, Yukito Kunisaki travels in search of the Winged Maiden, a figure bound to the sky long ago. While performing puppet shows to earn a living, he arrives in a small town intending only a brief stop. His plans change when he encounters Misuzu, an unusual girl who invites him to stay. Settling into the quaint community, Yukito befriends the residents and learns of their struggles, choosing to assist them and pausing his quest. As his bond with Misuzu and the town deepens, he must wonder if his search for the Winged Maiden will ever succeed, or if she is nearer than he imagined.

In the present day, humans, gods, and demons coexist after the doors between their worlds opened. Tsuchimi Rin is an ordinary high school student at Verbena Academy, living peacefully with his childhood friend Kaede. One day, the King of Gods, the King of Demons, and their families unexpectedly move in next door to Rin. It turns out that Sia, the gods' daughter, and Nerine, the demons' daughter, are both deeply in love with Rin after meeting him in the past. Between his playful friendship with upperclassman Asa and his encounter with the quiet but cute Primula, Rin finds himself busy handling the affections of each girl. Based on the eroge by Navel.

Yuuta Takemoto is a second-year student at an art college living in a cramped apartment with two older classmates—the eccentric Shinobu Morita, who repeatedly fails to graduate because he never shows up to class, and the level-headed Takumi Mayama, who acts as a dependable senior and often looks out for Takemoto. Takemoto had never really thought about his future until one beautiful spring day, when he meets the charming Hagumi Hanamoto and instantly falls in love. Extremely talented in the arts, Hagumi joins Takemoto's university and quickly becomes friends with the popular ceramics student Ayumi Yamada. Ayumi already knows the three roommates well and secretly has strong feelings for one of them. Honey and Clover is a touching story about youth, love, searching for one's path, and self-discovery, all delicately intertwined through the complicated relationships among five close friends.

While walking home from school, Yukari Hayasaka is stopped by a strange man who stares intently at her body. He has spiky blond hair, a spiked choker, and multiple ear and facial piercings. She wants to get away and runs off, only to collide with a tall, beautiful purple-haired woman who has a flower pattern around one eye. Yukari faints from the shock and later wakes up in a place called the Atelier. It turns out these strangers are fashion designers attending the famous Yazawa Art Academy, and their group wants Yukari to model for their brand at the academy's upcoming show. Yukari declines their offer and escapes the Atelier, but accidentally leaves her school ID behind. George Koizumi, the head designer, sees it and immediately knows she is the perfect model for them. He will not stop until he gets what he wants—and he wants her. Yukari had never considered something as frivolous as modeling before, but could life among these eccentric designers actually be fun? Or will Yukari lose herself in this world of art and passion?

In the arid realm of Clow, princess Sakura and her archaeologist companion Syaoran enjoy quiet days, despite the king's disapproval of their growing bond. Their peaceful existence is disrupted when Sakura, in a trance-like state, appears before Syaoran with wings sprouting from her back. The wings scatter into feathers and she collapses, prompting Syaoran to act. Syaoran discovers that to save Sakura, he must gather her feathers, which have been dispersed across numerous dimensions. He strikes a bargain with the Dimensional Witch Yuuko Ichihara and gains the aid of Mokona Modoki, a creature capable of crossing between worlds. Joining this quest are Fai D. Flourite, a lighthearted mage escaping oppression in his own realm, and Kurogane, a warrior sent on this journey to hone his skills and temper his nature. This unlikely group sets out to retrieve Sakura's feathers, a task that seems nearly hopeless.

The Iga and Kouga ninja clans have been locked in a fierce conflict for generations. However, a ceasefire is imposed by the powerful warlord Ieyasu Tokugawa, forcing the two clans to lay down their weapons. As time passes, Gennosuke Kouga, the heir of the Kouga clan, and Oboro Iga, the heir of the Iga clan, fall in love. They hope that their marriage will bring lasting peace between their clans. Yet their dreams are shattered when old rivalries are rekindled, pulling them back into war. Ieyasu's two grandsons each lay claim to the next shogunate succession. To settle the dispute, the Kouga and Iga are each ordered to send their ten finest warriors into a deadly battle royale, with each clan backing one of the rival heirs. Two scrolls listing the fighters are provided, to be marked in blood as each warrior falls. The victor will earn the Tokugawa shogunate's favor for a thousand years. Caught between love and clan loyalty, Gennosuke and Oboro must ultimately decide their clans' destiny.

Vampires are supernatural beings that have existed for centuries, feeding on the life force of unsuspecting humans at night. But high school student Karin Maaka stands out even among her own kind. Unlike the rest of her vampire family, Karin has suffered since childhood from polycythemia—a rare condition that causes her to periodically generate an excessive amount of blood. The more blood she produces, the more dizzy and anemic she becomes, often resulting in frequent nosebleeds. Her sole remedy? Force her surplus blood onto random strangers, which surprisingly makes these "victims" feel more energetic and cheerful than before. With the help of her siblings—Anju, her reserved yet loving younger sister, and Ren, her womanizing older brother—who cover up her actions by erasing the affected humans' memories, nobody suspects anything. That is, until Karin's new classmate, Kenta Usui, transfers in and begins to notice her peculiar behavior. And to complicate matters further, Karin finds that her blood reacts strangely whenever Kenta is near.

In a world where humans can have their desires fulfilled through the Goddess Help Hotline, a man named Keiichi Morisato accidentally summons the goddess Belldandy and jokingly says she should stay with him forever. Unfortunately for him, his "wish" comes true. Suddenly, Keiichi finds himself living alone with this beautiful woman, which leads to him being expelled from the all-male dormitory he resided in. However, after they find a place to stay at a Buddhist temple, the relationship between Keiichi and Belldandy begins to develop. Though they are both shy and somewhat uneasy around each other at first, what lies ahead for these two strangers may turn out to be an unexpected romance.

Negi Springfield is a ten-year-old wizard who only needs to pass one final exam to become a Master Wizard. His last test is an unusual one: he must work as an English teacher at an all-girls boarding school. Upon arriving, he accidentally humiliates a student named Asuna Kagurazaka and replaces her favorite teacher, making her resent him. Things get worse when Asuna discovers Negi's magical abilities and blackmails him into helping her. Despite their rocky start, the two are forced to collaborate on various challenges, from battling evil wizards to ensuring their class passes their final exams—all while navigating humor, magic, and budding romances.

Teenager Yamato Akitsuki leaves his home in the Hiroshima countryside and moves to Tokyo to start high school. In exchange for room and board, he agrees to help his aunt and cousin run their bathhouse, as well as the neighboring girls-only dormitory where he will be living. While heading to meet his relatives, he passes by a local high school track and becomes captivated by a girl practicing high jumps. Yamato later discovers that the high jumper is not only a resident of the dorm but also his next-door neighbor. Suzuka Asahina is a highly recruited track and field athlete who attends the same high school as him. Naturally a perfectionist, Suzuka is annoyed by Yamato's clumsy and carefree personality and finds it hard to be around him. Determined to win her affection, Yamato joins the track team after uncovering his hidden talent for sprinting. Through his experiences with the track team, his classmates, and the constantly drunk college students at the dorm, Yamato finds the determination to become a better athlete and a more fitting partner for Suzuka, even if it means driving himself to the brink of exhaustion.

While heading to the rooftop of his school, Manaka Junpei witnesses a lovely girl fall from above him, inadvertently exposing her strawberry-patterned underwear. Embarrassed, she hurries away before Junpei can learn who she is. With dreams of becoming a filmmaker, he thinks this encounter would make an ideal movie scene. He begins searching for the girl with the strawberry panties to film a reenactment. But soon he realizes that tracking down that one girl will prove far from straightforward.

With her striking tan complexion and long bleached hair, former high school swim club member Momo Adachi appears to be the sort of girl who can have any guy she wants. But in truth, she only has eyes for Kazuya "Toji" Toujigamori, a baseball player she has loved since junior high—and who, according to rumor, is only attracted to girls with fair skin. Despite her efforts to alter her look, many jealous classmates have started gossiping about her being promiscuous and "easy." Momo's friend Sae Kashiwagi always offers comfort, but secretly she is the one spreading the rumors as part of her own plan to steal Toji away. Making matters even more complicated is Kairi Okayasu, a popular male student at Momo's high school who has openly declared his love for her and is determined to win her over. Struggling to find love in a nearly impossible situation, Momo must navigate tangled love triangles, treacherous friends, and her own doubts about her appearance in order to discover who she truly is.

Following a routine raid, rookie sky pirate Coud discovers an unusual item in his crew's cargo hold: Ren, an Edel Reid—a race valued by humans for granting special combat abilities to their partners through a process called "Reacting." He soon realizes Ren is far more valuable than he initially thought. The pirate ship is visited by three agents from the Edel Reid Complete Protection Agency, Arc Aire, who attempt to buy her. When Coud refuses, a mysterious force attacks the ship, and Coud's captain orders him to protect Ren.

Due to his small stature, Yukinari was constantly picked on and mistreated by girls throughout his childhood. By the time he reaches high school, this has resulted in an unusual allergic reaction: any physical contact or even close proximity to females causes him to break out in hives. So he is shocked when he finds himself transported to the city of Seiren, which exists on a hidden world that orbits Earth and is home to an enormous female population with very few males. Luckily, he meets Miharu-chan, a girl whose touch does not trigger his condition.

Long ago, a race called the Shadow Angels attacked Earth to drain the life force from everyone living there. Through an extraordinary miracle, the Shadow Angels fell into dormancy, allowing humanity to survive for another 12,000 years without fear of them. However, 11 years after a catastrophe known as the Holy Genesis devastated the planet, the Shadow Angels awakened and resumed their assaults. To give humanity a fighting chance, an organization named DEAVA was established, and a robotic weapon called Aquarion was deployed. To unlock Aquarion's full potential, three pilots must unite their hearts, bodies, and souls—a feat only a rare few can achieve. Consequently, the search for so-called 'Element Users' became a priority, in hopes of securing humanity's future. Sousei no Aquarion follows the story of Apollo, a nearly feral young man raised in poverty, believed to be the reincarnation of a legendary hero. After his best friend is taken by the Shadow Angels, Apollo decides to become an Aquarion pilot. Can he turn the tide of the war and free humanity from the Shadow Angels' threat once and for all?

Satonaka Ikkou is a sixteen-year-old boy in his first year of training at the Saienji Buddhist Temple. His parents sent him there to be trained by the Saienji Priestess, who is his grandmother. At the temple, he is surrounded by beautiful female priestesses-in-training. Whenever Ikko sees a girl naked, he gains the ability to transform into a super-monk and carry out massive exorcisms for the temple's benefit.

Emma has served as a maid for most of her life, finding contentment in her role under the strict yet compassionate care of retired governess Kelly Stownar. Despite being beautiful, diligent, and kind, she has long accepted her social standing, even as the affection of many London laborers goes unreturned. Her search for romance ends unexpectedly when William, the heir to the newly wealthy Jones family, visits Mrs. Stownar’s estate. Having previously been under her guardianship, William is instantly smitten with the maid. His genuine kindness and earnest pursuit of Emma eventually win her heart. However, their budding romance faces severe resistance from the rigid class structures of 19th-century England. With social boundaries as fortified as national borders, Emma and William must determine if their love can withstand the overwhelming opposition of polite society.

Tazusa Sakurano is a figure skater with a clear path to the Olympics, with her fate hanging in the balance at a single competition in Canada. During her routine, she falls and strikes her head on the ice, losing consciousness. Coincidentally, Canadian stunt pilot Pete Pumps crashes in a fiery explosion. Following her crushing defeat, Tazusa returns to Japan but begins hearing a mysterious voice in her mind. The truth is that upon reaching heaven, Pete was barred from entry due to his sins and instructed to wait for 100 days, resulting in his soul being trapped inside Tazusa’s body. Refusing to let this intrusion derail her life, even with an extra presence in her mind, Tazusa continues her skating career, hoping that her uninvited roommate might actually assist her in reaching her dreams.

Thirteen-year-old Maya Kitajima appears destined to spend her life working in a bustling restaurant with her volatile mother, but her extraordinary acting ability catches the eye of legendary diva Chigusa Tsukikage, opening a path fraught with both promise and peril. Meanwhile, Ayumi Himekawa enjoys guaranteed success due to her famous lineage but desperately seeks recognition for her own artistic merit rather than her family's influence. Both young actresses compete for the coveted role of The Crimson Goddess, a part originally created by Chigusa. To claim it, they must overcome every acting trial and push their skills and stamina to the absolute limit. However, since only one can achieve victory, the other is destined to fail.

Lamune focuses on Kenji and his childhood friend Nanami. Despite the widespread assumption that they are in a relationship, both hesitate to escalate their bond beyond close friendship. Through flashbacks that reveal the origins of their tight connection, the narrative demonstrates that their shared experiences do not drive them apart, but instead deepen their closeness.

Hatsune-Jima was once famous for its cherry trees that would bloom regardless of the season. Two years ago, the island's cherry trees lost that ability and became ordinary trees that only bloom in spring. Jun'ichi Asakura is now a graduating senior at Kazami Academy, surrounded by many close friends, both old and new. On a stormy summer day, a mysterious young girl named Aisia arrives at Jun'ichi's door. She is looking for Sakura's grandmother to study magic, ultimately hoping to bring happiness to everyone. When she discovers that grandmother Yoshino died long ago, she mistakenly assumes (thanks to his poor judgment) that Jun'ichi can teach her. Even after she finally understands the only magic he can perform is conjuring Japanese sweets, Aisia continues her search for magic on Hatsune-Jima. Amid the chaos of her search, Kazami Academy hires new medical staff.

The Futaba Detective Agency is run by Rentarou, who took over the family business after his father's death three weeks ago. He works with Sara and Souju, his live-in identical twin assistants. He soon runs afoul of the local Yakuza.

Asami Onohara is a seventeen-year-old high school student carrying a secret she has never told anyone: she is already married. Her husband, Kyosuke Ichimaru, works as a physics teacher at the same high school she attends. Although they are legally a married couple, Asami's father has prohibited any physical intimacy between them until after she graduates. Asami must keep her marriage to Kyosuke hidden while doing everything she can to advance their relationship, a task made even harder by the numerous obstacles and interruptions caused by her father and various other parties.

Ryuushi Shiratori is a young aspiring artist about to begin his studies at a vocational school. When he arrives at his new lodgings, Narutakisou, he becomes the center of attention among the oddball residents who live there. He quickly meets and falls for the landlady, Kozue Aoba, who seems both lovely and charming. However, Kozue is not what she appears to be—in fact, she is something more.

Kamikura Hiroki is an art student at the local Nadesico Academy, which encompasses both high school and college levels, and he hopes to become an art teacher in the future. He also serves as the advisor for the high school art club, which his cousin Housen Elis attends. Elis is a painter like Hiroki, but Hiroki has seemingly abandoned his own dreams and no longer paints. There appears to be some mysterious trauma in both of their pasts that may have changed them. Meanwhile, the high school hires a new physical education teacher, Kikyo Kiri. On her first day, she runs into Hiroki and is stunned—he is the boy she once confessed her feelings to, only to be rejected.

After finishing middle school, Konomi Yuzuhara enrolls in the same high school as her childhood friend, Takaaki Kono. With the start of the new academic year, the pair reunites with Tamaki Kosaka, another childhood friend, and meets numerous new people. Little do they know, these connections will soon set the stage for many unforgettable adventures.

Glass Heart, a Taiwanese assassin, dies by leaping from a rooftop, impaling her heart on a metal fence. Through a miraculous heart transplant, she survives, but begins having vivid dreams that drive her to Japan in search of her donor. She discovers the donor is Kaori Makimura, the former partner of City Hunter Ryo Saeba. Although Angel Heart features characters from City Hunter, the author clarifies that it is not a sequel. The story takes place in a parallel universe, making it entirely separate from the original City Hunter narrative.

Tanaka Tetsuro is thrilled to receive a full scholarship to a new high school far from his family. Unbeknownst to him, he is about to become the sole male student in an all-girls school, and a certain girl has been impatiently waiting for his arrival, deeply in love with him. However, his close bond with the lively and charming Asuka lands him in constant trouble with the formidable student council, which is engaged in an open conflict with Asuka and her five companions—a group of super-powered warrior women known as the Koi Koi Seven.

Yagi Takeru has been living under the roof of the Touma family ever since losing his parents, raised by the head of the household, Touma Rokunosuke. His days are filled with the company of Yamato Takeshi, his best friend and rival from the kendo club, the Shiratori sisters Kotono and Asuka, and his childhood friend Oosu Seri. Life seems peaceful until one day an earthquake hits the school, turning everything upside down. When Takeru comes to, he finds the school has decayed into ruins as if abandoned for centuries. He realizes that all the teachers and students have vanished. He reunites with Seri and Asuka, and they flee from the ruins, only to discover that the town they once knew is completely deserted. Then, figures wrapped in cloaks appear before them, informing them that they have been transported to another world.

Ureshiko Asaba is a 26-year-old married woman. Very few people know that she is actually a magical girl named "Agnes," serving as the guardian of the town where she lives. One day, she crosses paths with Sayaka Kurenai, also called "Cruje," another magical girl whom the magic realm has appointed as the legitimate successor to her position. However, Agnes is reluctant to let Cruje take over because she knows Cruje has orders to erase the entire area, including its human inhabitants, in order to create a new one. Making things more complicated, Ureshiko must handle the growing distance between herself and her husband Tamotsu, her rising feelings for Tatsumi Kagura—a young man now living as a tenant in her home—and the fact that the moment she ever kisses a regular human, she will lose her powers forever.

After centuries of conflict and misunderstanding between humans and youkai, Japan has finally accepted these supernatural beings into society. To promote integration, human children now attend school alongside humanoid paranormal creatures. Shingo Ohashi finds himself falling for Hatoko “Petoko” Fujimura, a half-youkai, half-human girl with three distinct abilities: an irresistible cuteness that charms everyone around her (similar to a low-level succubus), the tendency to stick to anyone who touches her bare skin (which only stops when she falls asleep), and the capacity to vanish even at a molecular level—a power she can mostly control.

Centered on the 108th Guard Squad stationed in Aomori, this narrative follows a poorly equipped unit with low military prestige, often regarded as a 'reject camp' for pilots who failed to qualify for the elite Hokkaido-based forces. Despite their perceived weakness, this lack of strength offers little resistance against the encroaching enemy armies that are steadily closing in on the 108th and the rest of the empire. The young pilots of the 108th, who had hoped to return home, are forced unwillingly into a war.

Sequel to Shin Chou Kyou Ryo: Condor Hero.