Best Romance Anime of 1993

In Sailor Moon R, Usagi Tsukino and the other Sailor Guardians enjoy a calm period before being summoned once more to protect cosmic balance. As Sailor Moon, Usagi heads her group against a fresh menace from outer space: An and Ail, the final two members of an extraterrestrial species. These antagonists attempt to sustain their vital Makai Tree by draining human life force. The Sailor Guardians must intervene to rescue the planet. Right after this threat ends, another danger emerges—a girl from the future who requires Sailor Moon's strength to rescue her family. Simultaneously, the Black Moon Clan pursues that same power for malevolent purposes. To safeguard the world and preserve universal harmony, Sailor Moon and her allies must face off against these opponents and stop their wicked schemes from succeeding.

Jubei Kibagami, a masterless samurai for hire in feudal Japan, wanders without loyalty after being betrayed by his former lord. Weary of the endless power struggles between political factions, he encounters Kagero, the last survivor of her ninja clan, whom he rescues from a man who can turn his body to stone. Determined to fulfill her clan's final assignment, Kagero sets out to investigate a strange plague that has wiped out a village. Though Jubei wants to stay out of it, the stone man's allies—a group of supernaturally gifted ninja called the Devils of Kimon—force him into the conflict. A government official further complicates matters by poisoning Jubei and offering a cure only if he uncovers the Devils of Kimon's sinister schemes and their link to the plague. As Jubei digs deeper, he discovers a plot to overthrow the government and faces an unexpected enemy from his own past.

In Kouchi city, high school student Taku Morisaki leads an ordinary life until his friend Yutaka Matsuno urgently contacts him at school. Matsuno introduces Taku to Rikako Muto, a beautiful transfer student from Tokyo. Despite her outstanding academic and athletic abilities, Rikako's often unpleasant personality means she has only two close friends: Matsuno and another girl in her class. Their relationship deepens unexpectedly after a chance encounter during a school trip, causing friction between Taku and Matsuno. As Taku struggles with his bond with Matsuno and his growing feelings for Rikako, he must also come to terms with the influence this complex individual, who carries a difficult past, has on his life.

During his childhood, Mamoru once gave a rose to a young boy named Fiore, who promised that he would one day bring Mamoru a great many flowers. Now Fiore has returned to Earth, but his intentions reach far beyond simply keeping that promise.

A college student named Keiichi Morisato accidentally dials a wrong number while trying to order food at his dormitory, instead connecting to the Goddess Hotline. A beautiful goddess named Belldandy then emerges from a mirror in front of him. After being kicked out of the dormitory, Keiichi and Belldandy relocate to an old shrine. Soon after, Belldandy's sisters Urd and Skuld also move in.

In "Ranma ½ OVA," Ranma Saotome persists in his attempts to regain his male form. He navigates a series of comedic predicaments brought on by the many girls surrounding him. A major hurdle involves turning down the numerous arranged marriage proposals directed at him. Through this turmoil, Ranma relies on his cleverness and martial arts skills to maintain his composure. Managing the affections of multiple admirers, both male and female, tests his determination and risks causing heartbreak. It remains unclear if Ranma will find the bravery to confess his true feelings to Akane or devise another excuse to avoid wedding the tomboyish girl.

The story of Aoki Densetsu Shoot! (Shoot!!) centers on three high school freshmen—Toshihiko Tanaka, Kenji Shiraishi, and Kazuhiro Hiramatsu—who became close friends during their junior high years while playing soccer together. They earned the nickname the Kakenishi golden trio for transforming Kakenishi Junior High’s soccer team into a formidable opponent. After graduating, all three choose to attend the same high school, Kakegawa High, which was established just a year earlier, drawn by their admiration for the school’s star player, Yoshiharu Kubo. Kubo single-handedly led Kakegawa High’s soccer club to the top eight in their prefecture during their very first appearance, using a team composed entirely of freshmen. He turns down offers from several foreign professional soccer clubs to remain at Kake-High and guide them toward winning the All-Japan High School Championship. As the three friends begin playing for Kake-High, they encounter challenges, romance, and defeats on their journey to become the best high school soccer team in Japan—a team that will be remembered as legends.

Mikage and Tomomi Matsunaga are Miracle Girls—sisters who share a telepathic bond and can teleport by linking their pinky fingers together. Tomomi shines as the school's star athlete and is dating a boy named Noda. Mikage, meanwhile, is the top student at school, carrying feelings for her senpai, who moved to London to study. Despite the distance, the two stayed in touch—until a self-centered princess named Marie decides to take the senpai back with her to Diammas. Back in Japan, the twins are dealing with their own troubles, but soon realize a deeper connection exists between Marie, an ancient legend, and a girl they know called Emma.

In the anime "A-Girl," high schooler Mariko and her older sibling Mayu lose their home in a fire and move in with their landlord. Mariko grows close to the landlord's handsome son, Natsume, who works as a model. She develops romantic feelings for him, but their relationship hits a rough patch when Mariko learns Natsume is seeing other women. In the end, they manage to make up. The entire narrative unfolds without any spoken dialogue, relying on Japanese pop songs composed by Tooru Okada and sung in English by SEIKA, along with intertitles that move the story forward, evoking the style of early silent films.

Akihiro, a teenager with a love for fantasy, is on his way home after a planned date with his girlfriend Miyuki when he comes across an unusual carpet. Once he's back at his apartment, a lively and energetic girl named Malon appears from the rug, explaining that she comes from the world of Phantasia and asking to stay with him. Although Akihiro is drawn to beautiful girls, he becomes upset by Malon's use of magic and rejects her. Meanwhile, Roll, a deranged wizard intent on killing Malon, offers no assistance.

Sakisaka Saki, a high school senior, secretly harbors feelings for Kazame Kaname, who previously dated her older sister, Noriko. Saki does not know that Noriko and Kaname have already broken up. Hoping to escape this tangled situation once entering college, Saki instead learns that she will be attending the same school as Kaname. At the orientation event, she is invited to join Kaname’s video club, where he plans to film her. Further complicating matters is Tachibana Daichi, another student with a hidden love for Saki, who also wishes to capture her on camera. Can Saki’s conflicted feelings be resolved, and will genuine love win out?

In "Kiss wa Hitomi ni Shite," high school student Morisato Ibuki fantasizes about being kissed by a prince on a white horse. The very next day, that prince—Ebisu Naoto—transfers to her school and ends up lodging at her home. Naoto explains that the kiss in her dream was actually his doing, intended to rouse her, though he claims Ibuki was the one who kissed him. Despite this confusion, Ibuki starts falling for Naoto, but his attention seems focused on American football and a mysterious girl named Kawahara Izumi. Meanwhile, Ibuki's quiet classmate, Nitta, secretly holds feelings for her. Can love conquer all the hurdles that lie ahead?

A fortuneteller advises Hidari Taisho that killing one thousand foxes is necessary for him to seize control of the country. To carry out this task, he hires Akuemon, a man disliked by all. In retaliation, the foxes send a vixen to Akuemon's home, where she poses as his wife. This sets the stage for a tale between Akuemon, who has never experienced love, and the female fox, who gradually comes to feel genuine affection for him even as she grieves the loss of her fallen kin. This is the sixth entry in "The Lion Books" series and marks the first time visualist Tezuka Makoto, Tezuka's elder son, has adapted one of his father's original works into an animated form.

Kotobuki is a lively and outgoing fourteen-year-old with a superb sense of style. She likes to spend her free time exploring various specialty stores, gift shops, and clothing boutiques. Her favorite destination is Galopine Et Galopin, a fashion boutique run by the young, gifted designer Hodaka-san. Hodaka is known for his striking appearance and reserved personality, and his original designs have quickly earned him a devoted following in the fashion world.

Tsuyoshi and his friend Tsukasa, who has a reputation for being a pervert, come across a time machine while trying to escape from Tsukasa's younger sister. Together with the machine's inventor, they accidentally travel 12 years into the past, where they meet their childhood selves and Tsuyoshi's sister, who had not yet grown into the aggressive tomboy she later becomes.