Summary
Ever sinceHorimiya’s release, the anime that took the world by storm in 2021, many new and old fans have beenlooking for other rom-comsthat can fill the void left by its conclusion. The series checked off all the boxes that make a great romance/slice-of-life show. It had the sweetest love story, realistic and relatable characters, powerful side characters, and an array of different friendship dynamics.
It features the female gaze and highlights love through innocent affection, making it so much more heart-wrenching and emotional than many other anime in the same genre. However, there are plenty of incredibleanime similar toHorimiyathat make hearts speed up just like this one did.
Updated June 13, 2025 by Mark Sammut:Horimiya is pretty much done at this point, so the series is unlikely to make a comeback. Consequently, fans will need to look elsewhere to get their blend of comedy, romance, and slice of life. A fewanime like Horimiyacould fill that void, including a series that is part of theWinter 2025 season. Click below to jump to the two new shows that have been added to this discussion.
Horimiya’s success arguably comes down to its balance of romance and comedy, with both elements complementing each other rather than competing. Even the more comedicMissing Piecesmanages to strengthen key relationships, all the while focusing on everyday situations during which nothing of significant note happens.
Fall 2024’sHow I Attended an All-Guy’s Mixerstrikes a similar harmony, telling a story that jumps between humor and romance effortlessly. The premise is simple: three guys go to a mixer and find three girls dressed as men waiting for them. After this awkward but cute encounter, they quickly split into three couples, while still regularly meeting as a full group. While not developing instant relationships, the anime allows the characters to regularly flirt, with the girls usually being the more aggressive. It is all wholesome and charming.
At a stretch,How I Attended an All-Guy’s Mixercould also be described as a slice of life. Most episodes revolve around mundane dates or meetings between the couples, and progress or drama is rarely the point.
25Honey Lemon Soda
Building A Connection, Making Friends, & Finding Confidence
Honey Lemon Sodais aWinter 2025 animethat, for the most part, sticks close to the standard shojo romance formula. There is nothing wrong with that, and the show has more than enough positives to warrant a recommendation for romance lovers and, to a lesser extent,Horimiyafans. Now, this series has pretty much no comedy whatsoever, so anyone specifically craving a rom-com that leans heavily on both sides of the equation might want to look elsewhere. Conversely, anyone craving a cute story about two teenagers who gradually nurture a relationship should addHoney Lemon Sodato their watchlist.
Bullied during middle school, Uka yearns for a fresh start in high school, but things get off to a terrible start. Targeted by three bullies, she feels herself slipping back into her previous hell, only for her to receive (harsh) encouragement from Kai, a classmate who sends mixed messages but generally has Uka’s best intentions in mind. Finding the courage to stand up for herself, Uka takes important steps forward to become the person she wishes to be, all the while getting closer to Kai and connecting with her other classmates.
While more of a straightforward romance thanHorimiya,Honey Lemon Sodaalso focuses on Uka’s friendships with characters like Ayumi, giving the anime the feel of an ensemble cast at times.
Not to take anything away fromHorimiya’s supporting characters, but the anime’s popularity (mostly) comes down to Miyamura and Hori’s chemistry. They are both well-defined characters with strong and grounded personalities, paving the way to a romance that feels authentic rather than just predetermined.
Summer 2024’sAlya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russianshould be able to scratch a similar itch thanks to Kuze and Alisa, two leads who are great individually and fantastic together. Similar to Miyamura’s alter ego at school, Alisa also hides her true self, opting to speak her mind in Russian due to believing that nobody else can speak the language. However, Kuze understands every single word she says, which is slightly embarrassing as they are usually about him. Using this secret, Kuze often manages to help Alisa when she needs it the most, all the while being more than happy to engage in some light banter and teasing.
Along with slowly chronicling Alisa and Kuze’s budding romance,Alyaincorporates slice of life elements by simply following the duo and a few more students at school. While not as comedic asHorimiya,Alyagets quite funny at times, making it a great all-rounder that delivers romance, drama, and humor.
Primarily a recommendation forHorimiya: Missing Pieces,Pseudo Haremconsists of short moments that showcase Rin and Eiji’s cute friendship. The title is a reference to Rin’s acting chops, as she decides to create a one-girl harem for her senpai, Eiji. Basically, she assumes different waifu archetypes and gives Eiji a boost in confidence, all the while allowing her to mask a (very obvious) crush. Their interactions are the definition of wholesome and inconsequential.
Presuming somebody is not seeking an overt romance,Pseudo Haremshould hit the mark with fans who enjoyHorimiya’s slice of life chapters. The anime is just pure fluff, and sometimes nothing hits the mark like a healthy dose of sugary adorableness.
Love does not always end with a happily ever after. Honestly, it usually ends in heartbreak, andMakeinerevolves around girls who are rejected by their crushes. Somehow, they wind up gravitating around Kazuhiko, a mild-mannered guy who is far from an expert on romance. Connecting through their shared misery, the main characters slowly start the process of moving on, which involves quite a lot of cute (and often funny) slice of life escapades.
While its premise and story structure are not similar toHorimiya,Makeinestrikes a similaroverall tone, with both shows balancing romance, comedy, and (some) drama well.Makeinecan be surprisingly hilarious at times, largely thanks to Anna, the first girl to form a friendship with Kazuhiko. For his part, the male lead glues the characters together well.
Much like Izumi Miyamura and Kyoko Hori, this unlikely (involuntary) pair of “lovebirds” enjoy the perks of a fake relationship as they learn to live under one roof while attempting to cultivate an imaginary romance (for a bizarre class assignment). Stemming from two different worlds, Jiro Yakuin and Akari Watanabe have very little in common; besides the fact that they are both hopelessly in love with someone else.
Initially relatively repulsed by each other, their constant proximity eventually starts rubbing off, andonce they share a kiss(for the sake of their grades, obviously!), things get quite complicated from thereon out. Will they risk their deep-rooted desires for a new, fresh flirtation, or will they end up getting separated once their marks reach the required level?
One of thebest anime of 2023,Skip and Loaferis an absolute delight that presents a grounded rather than idealized look at adolescence. Now, before proceeding any further,Skip and Loaferonly has romantic subtext, soHorimiyafans craving an official couple might not get what they want from this series. That said, Mitsumi and Sousuke complement each other beautifully, and they are somewhat similar to Izumi and Hori in the sense that they have very different personalities and backgrounds, at least at a glance.
Both shows focus on more than just their protagonists, emphasizing the relationships and insecurities of their secondary characters. Although primarily a drama,Skip and Loafercan be enjoyed as a slice of life as well, even if it touches upon heavier themes than most of the genre’s offerings. The show even has its share of funny moments that stem naturally from the characters' well-defined personalities.
Starting as a fairly typical comedy before blossoming into one of the best romances in a long time,The Dangers in My Heartis something special. Kyotaro Ichikawa is an awkward teenager who keeps to himself and occasionally daydreams about killing his classmates, specifically a model named Anna. Just normal adolescent stuff. Wisely, the anime spends very little time on Kyotaro’s fantasies, instead opting to focus solely on his growing friendship with Anna. And, their dynamic is irresistibly endearing, with both characters playing their part in selling the prospect of a romance.
UnlikeHorimiya,The Dangers in My Heartfocuses on setting the stage for a romantic connection, at least during its opening season; however, the series does a brilliant job exploring the students' relationship growth. Kyotaro, especially, goes through a fair amount of development, while Anna comes across as a three-dimensional character from the very first episode. The sequel season is particularly fantastic and firmly establishes Kyotaro and Anna as an all-time great anime couple. An argument could be made thatThe Dangers in My Heartis the most consistent romance anime of all time.
The familiar tale of angst high school romance gets a unique upgrade as fashion design and cosplaying are highlighted throughout this narrative.Marin Kitagawa is a stunning Otakuwith limited sewing skills who happens to bump into a socially anxious introvert who has spent years tirelessly honing his Hina Doll craftsmanship (garments included).
Wakana Gojo slowly learns to come out of his shell with Marin’s excitable and enthusiastic influence and discovers the wonders of the cosplaying industry, accompanied by a crash course in anime (and way too much nudity for his liking!)
Komi Shokou has quite a bit in common with Izumi Miyamura, as she would also much prefer to remain on the outskirts of social gatherings and generally tries to keep to herself at school. In stark contrast, however, Komi somehow happens to be the most popular girl at Itan Private High School; her stunning features are a lot more difficult to hide thanHorimiya’sundercover rebel.
With the patient assistance of Hitohito Tadano, Komi discovers that she actuallycanmake friends, but not every willing candidate has the best intentions.Together, Komi and Tadano navigatetheir way through the hilariously intricate social structures of adolescence, stumbling across love along the way.
