Anime is one of the most diverse mediums for storytelling, meaning there’s a series or movie for just about every individual and want. While there are plenty of anime that cater to teen audiences, sometimes viewers forget that the genre also offers a wide selection for adult audiences interested in mature, passionate romance shows.
Viewers can use our guide to find out where to watch the 10 most heated romance anime on platforms like Crunchyroll, Hulu, and more.
Rumbling Hearts (2003)
Rumbling Hearts follows Takayuki, whose best friend, Mitsuki, sets him up with a shy, sweet girl, Haruka. When Haruka suffers a tragic accident and falls into a coma, Mitsuki and Takayuki draw closer together, but struggle to move forward when Haruka wakes up. Rumbling Hearts is a romantic series that deals with weighty and mature themes, including grief, regret, and lost time. However, it’s also a powerful story about two people coming together during a tragedy and sharing a beautiful love story despite the circumstances. The show is a heavy, complex drama with intense, emotionally-charged romance elements and scenes.
Nana (2006)
Nana tells the story of two women who coincidentally share the same name and happen to meet on a train going to the same place and renting at the same building. The series tracks the development of their friendship as they become roommates and begin navigating love and adulthood with their respective partners. Nana is a mature series focusing on realistic adult relationships, including healthy and toxic relationships, intimacy, and kinks. Older viewers will be able to relate to the characters, most of whom are in their 20s, as they navigate love and adulthood. While it features steamy scenes, Nana is also a thoughtful anime that deeply explores the concept of love.
Scum’s Wish (2017)
Scum’s Wish is a spicy anime drama that follows Hanabi Yasuraoka and Mugi Awaya, two students who have hopeless crushes on their teachers. To cope with the loneliness caused by the implausibility of their crushes, the two agree to simulate a relationship with each other, though they swear not to genuinely fall in love. Scum’s Wish is a pretty unique ecchi anime because it’s tone isn’t as lighthearted as most romance anime. Instead, it deals with realistic topics of loneliness, impulsiveness, and self-esteem. From time to time, the series can get a bit heated as it centers on two protagonists navigating love and intimacy together.
The Testament of Sister New Devil (2015)
The Testament of Sister New Devil is a fantasy romance anime series about Basara Toujo, a high school student who finds himself in an awkward situation when his father leaves him alone with his two new stepsisters, Mio Naruse and Maria Naruse. To make things even more complicated, he learns his sisters have demonic ties and unwittingly becomes their master and protector. The Testament of Sister New Devil is steamy, with more nudity and sex than the typical ecchi anime series while also boasting a decent storyline that includes a fantasy twist, lots of strange family dynamics, and power struggles.
Shimoneta: A Boring World Where the Concept of Dirty Jokes Doesn't Exist (2015)
Shimoneta: A Boring World Where the Concept of Dirty Jokes Doesn't Exist is a unique, funny, and unapologetically bold anime series. It takes place in a dystopian future where everything from dirty jokes to sexually suggestive material is illegal. As a form of rebellion, dirty joke terrorist Blue Snow and her crew create and distribute pornographic material across her city. Shimoneta features plenty of steamy scenes and leans into the sex comedy genre, given its sex-obsessed yet oddly heroic protagonist. However, the series also offers some thoughtful commentary on purity culture, making it both a lewd and bold anime.
To Love-Ru (2008)
To Love-Rue follows Rito Yuuki, a high school student who discovers the alien princess Lala Satalin Deviluke in his bathtub. After accidentally becoming engaged to her, Rito finds himself fighting aliens and struggling to share his feelings with his actual crush. To Love-Ru is an outlandish and hilarious rom-com, finding the perfect balance between humor and ecchi. It’s mostly a harem anime, with some sci-fi shenanigans mixed in. To Love-Ru is an excellent choice for viewers looking for a funny, ecchi anime with loads of fan service.
Valkyrie Drive: Mermaid (2015)
Valkyrie Drive: Mermaid takes place in a world where women and girls are impacted by a mysterious virus, which turns them into Extars, who transform into weapons when sexually aroused, or Liberators, who can wield Extars. In the show, Extar Mamori Tokonome is sent to an isolated island where she meets and partners with Liberator Mirei Shikishima. Valkyrie Drive: Mermaid is reminiscent of Soul Eater, but with a more provocative, female-focused premise. Mirei and Mamori’s relationship is fun to follow, especially since the pair are opposites in temperament and personality. The series is perfect for fans of heated GL anime.
Sekirei (2008)
Sekirei follows ronin student Minato Sahashi, who comes across Musubi, a superpowered “Sekirei.” Things grow more complicated when he unwittingly becomes her “Ashikabi” (Master), and enters into a deadly competition known as the Sekirei Plan. Sekirei is a unique blend of ecchi, harem, and battle anime. Sometimes, it draws comparisons to Pokémon due to the battle tournament premise, but it utilizes Sekirei, who always appear as beautiful women, instead of Pokémon. Viewers seeking a lighthearted, battle-focused adventure more mature than the typical shōnen anime will enjoy Sekirei.
More Than a Married Couple, But Not Lovers (2022)
More Than a Married Couple, But Not Lovers is a rom-com anime series centered on high school students Akari Watanabe and Jirō Yakuin, randomly paired together for a school project where they must act as mock newlyweds. The pair struggles to work past their differences while trying to switch partners and team up with their respective crushes. More Than a Married Couple, But Not Lovers is perfect for fans of love triangles and comfort rom-coms that don’t go too deep. While it’s filled with the typical love triangle drama and indecisiveness, it also borders on ecchi anime, making it an excellent choice for more mature audiences.
Say “I Love You” (2012)
Say “I Love You” follows Mei Tachibana, a socially awkward teenager who has sworn off friendships and relationships after experiencing a betrayal. However, when she catches the eye of the most popular boy at school, she slowly starts opening herself up to new connections and possibilities. Say “I Love You” is a sweet romance tale that will especially appeal to shoujo anime fans with its introverted female protagonist embarking on a whirlwind relationship. The show also deals with adult themes, including navigating intimacy, insecurity, and trust issues in a serious relationship.
Where To Watch The Best Steamiest Romance Anime Online
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