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Accomplished_Tap_6172026-01-08 21:06
Don’t know how much romance it truly is but may I recommend Rascal doesn’t dream of Bunny girl senpai
d_oppio2026-01-08 21:08
I love Bunny Girl Senpai haha
Artsy7272026-01-08 21:23
good. 😭
RPO7772026-01-08 21:07
An old classic is Maison Ikkoku. The manga it's adapted from is written by Rumiko Takahashi (of Ranma/Inuyasha fame) and many hardcore Takahashi fans, including yours truly, consider it her masterpiece.
It's about Godai, a guy who failed all his college entrance exams and is taking a "Ronin-year" where he tries to prepare one more time to take the entrance exams and qualify to attend a school the following year. In the mean time, he's living in an extremely cheap apartment in Tokyo with a bunch of extremely quirky residents, and is run by a young widow, Kyoko (the heroine/love interest)
It's far and away the most grounded of Takahashi's works (no fantasy elements) and the most mature, as it was written for a Seinen rather than a Shounen magazine as in almost all her other major works. It also features one of the most powerful love triangles in any Romcom I can remember, where one of the points of the triangle is dead. And I mean dead-dead, no ghosts or supernatural appearances.
NOMursE2026-01-08 21:37
I second this, it’s great but there’s a caveat. Maison Ikkoku is one of the anime greats that’s not easily available on legal streaming services like Baccano! At this time as far I as I can tell no services in the Americas, Europe or Australia have it. I haven’t looked through Asian regions.
If you know of a way to legally stream it I would be very grateful.
RPO7772026-01-08 21:40
When I last watched this anime, it was on a VHS tape lol
I just checked, looks like it's available now to stream on Apple TV.
Ajfennewald2026-01-08 23:41
It's on YouTube.
NOMursE2026-01-09 02:16
I just looked and couldn’t find it. It was. Channels UruYatsu Sensei had it but it’s since been removed. If you have a YouTube link could you post it?
Penguin-Dust2026-01-08 22:18
Maison Ikkoku is one of all time favorite anime across all genre. I always worry though that new fans to anime will be put off my the slower pacing and the one-step-forward-one-step-back plotting to the story. The ending is one of the most satisfying I can remember in all my decades of watching anime, so I believe the experience is ultimately worth the frustration. The epilogue OVAs aren’t to be missed, as well.
Oglifatum2026-01-09 00:37
Pure Rumiko Takahashi romance?
I am sold. Is the anime a good adaptation or it's straight to manga case?
omarous_III2026-01-09 07:59
The manga is amazing and is a pretty quick read.
awesomenessofme12026-01-08 21:11
Regular romance anime:
Blue Box
My Awkward Senpai
My Love Story with Yamada-kun at Lv999
My Tiny Senpai
Rascal Does Not Dream
Spice and Wolf
[Meta spoiler] >!Tonikawa!<
When Will Ayumu Make His Move?
You Are Ms. Servant
Harem where at least one girl is older:
Dealing with Mikadono Sisters is a Breeze
Tying the Knot with an Amagami Sister
We Never Learn
Common_Fan_22412026-01-08 21:15
Maison ikkoku,vermeil in gold, Recovery of an MMO junkie,, Garden of words, Waiting in the summer.
doggy-dad2026-01-08 22:47
Recovery of an MMO junkie was super cute
Dolomite8082026-01-09 00:29
It's just sad that it will likely never be finished.
Common_Fan_22412026-01-09 16:08
Yeah,i wish it got a second season
HirokoKueh2026-01-08 21:27
you mean, something like [The Maid I Hired Recently Is Sus](https://myanimelist.net/anime/51837/Saikin_Yatotta_Maid_ga_Ayashii) or [Vermeil in Gold](https://myanimelist.net/anime/51213/Kinsou_no_Vermeil__Gakeppuchi_Majutsushi_wa_Saikyou_no_Yakusai_to_Mahou_Sekai_wo_Tsukisusumu)?
Shockh2026-01-08 21:28
"The World is Still Beautiful."
polarbearsdrinking2026-01-09 00:05
I just watched this one and was blown away by how good it was!
InsertRealisticQuote2026-01-08 21:32
They need to make a Brides story anime that would fit this question perfectly
Welpe2026-01-09 02:06
They would have to spend SO MUCH MONEY to make it look half as beautiful as the manga so it will never happen sadly…
Dur_Gwana2026-01-08 21:37
villainess level 99 - She's (MC) older in a sense that she was reincarnated and she is far stronger. Romance is not the main theme of the show but I prefer such romances overall because they don't feel forced
serralinda732026-01-08 21:40
Natsuyuki Rendezvous
Domestic Girlfriend
Kotonoha no Niwa (movie, not quite a romance - one-sided)
Wildwill69692026-01-08 21:46
Call of the night
Jauretche2026-01-09 04:10
Totally. It's a great exploration of the dynamic. Although it can get a bit unconfortable for some people as Kou is really young.
suicidalllama2026-01-09 05:48
I agree. Call of the Night is one of my favourites but like a lot of anime, if they ages the characters up a few years it would be less problematic. 90% of these stories could have high school/college age characters without having to change the main points of the story at all. Most of the characters already act/are written like older people anyway.
Awful_At_Math2026-01-08 21:59
"365 days to the wedding" techincally has it, but it isn't much noticiable. Still a good show and worth watching I'd say.
hasank19072026-01-08 22:07
Garden of words
ghost49x2026-01-08 22:30
Shuffle!
One of the possible heroines being his sempai, but I'm not going to spoil anything.
Onegai Teacher!
The protagonist is 18yr, where the heroine is 23.
Maison Ikkoku
If you like older anime, this one has a 19yr protagonist and 21yr heroine.
Yamada-kun to Lv999 no Koi wo Suru
Girl is 20, boy 17-18ish
I haven't seen the last two, but by your standards I think Onegai Teacher! would fit best as the age gap is more noticeable.
-lq_pl-2026-01-09 21:06
I also think that the numerical ages have been chosen to downplay the actual implied age difference to not make this too edgy. The characters behave more like 16 and 32.
EconomyProcedure92026-01-08 23:11
All the ladies of Tenchi Muyo are older than Tenchi.
LilMissy12462026-01-09 00:13
First Love Monster is an infamous example of
BallisticThundr2026-01-09 01:31
My Love Story with Yamada-kun at Lv999
AdministrativeAd17092026-01-09 01:31
Please Teacher.
Nytloc2026-01-09 01:34
Technically CLANNAD counts. Nagisa is held back a year, so even though they’re in the same grade, Tomoya is a year younger than her.
The_Kurosaki2026-01-09 04:39
OP said Romance, not soul destroying.
Nytloc2026-01-09 04:40
The romance is what seasons the soul destruction!
lverson2026-01-09 01:50
Rahxephon. Think the protagonist is 17-18 and romantic interest is 27-29
G-R-A-V-I-T-Y2026-01-09 01:54
Onegai Sensei?
The_Parsee_Man2026-01-09 02:10
Do thousand year old vampire lolis count?
hallowflight272026-01-09 02:29
Frieren haha
-lq_pl-2026-01-09 21:08
Very good entry, but a bit thin on the romance.
ltspfan2026-01-09 03:40
[Kotonoha no Niwa](https://myanimelist.net/anime/16782/Kotonoha_no_Niwa) by Makoto Shinkai
Z8Michael2026-01-09 06:11
Does Evangelion counts?
OkTemperature80892026-01-09 07:20
HxH
Frieren
Hell’s Paradise
Fast pacing vs slow pacing
Renphalos2026-01-09 07:36
Ones I’ve watched and recommend:
Recovery of an MMO junkie
Blue box
My love story with yamada kun lvl 999
Nachtwandler_FS2026-01-09 08:11
**Natsuyuki Rendezvous** if yiu are fine with a "boy"being in his mid 20s and pursuing mid-30s widow.
Invalid-Cookie2026-01-09 12:17
Murai no Koi
8andahalfby112026-01-09 12:18
Tasogare Otome x Amnesia. She's visually a year or two older than him but has also been dead for a handful of decades.
Traveling_Solo2026-01-09 17:48
Love Hina? Multiple girls are older than the MC iirc
-lq_pl-2026-01-09 21:04
Onegai Teacher
ExtraPicklesPls2026-01-09 22:16
Call of the Night, particularly if you like vampire stuff.
ilovetosleep1282026-01-10 03:03
My Love Story with Yamada-kun at Level 999. He’s in high school and she’s in college.
Pikkalo142026-01-12 18:21
By "noticeable", can we say that means the "gap has an impact on their relationship" or "more than a few years?" From my list, here is what fits:
Vermeil in Gold
The World is Still Beautiful
Blue Box
Murai in Love
Honourable Mention: "I Have a Crush at Work" does have a side couple with an age gap around ~8 years.
Commentaires
The users of this subreddit came up with [a chart of anime recommendations for newcomers and veterans](https://i.redd.it/0w1v880jtq661.png) and [an awesome longer flowchart](https://i.redd.it/vdzlkodz19c71.png). Maybe you can find something there that you'll like \^.\^
[](#bot-chan "Urban s-s-s-senpai made me do it!")
You might also find our [Recommendation Wiki](https://www.reddit.com/r/anime/wiki/recommendations) or [daily thread](/r/anime/search?q=flair%3Adaily&restrict_sr=on&sort=new&t=week) helpful.
The following may be of interest:
* [List of legal streams and downloads](https://www.reddit.com/r/anime/wiki/legal_streams)
* [A useful website where you can enter an anime and see where it's legally streaming](https://www.livechart.me/search)
* [List of currently airing anime](https://www.livechart.me)
* [A useful wiki page with watch orders for many anime.](https://www.reddit.com/r/anime/wiki/watch_order)
* [A list of tracking sites so others can more easily recommend shows you haven't watched.](https://www.reddit.com/r/anime/wiki/related_sites#wiki_tracking_sites)
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/anime) if you have any questions or concerns.*
It's about Godai, a guy who failed all his college entrance exams and is taking a "Ronin-year" where he tries to prepare one more time to take the entrance exams and qualify to attend a school the following year. In the mean time, he's living in an extremely cheap apartment in Tokyo with a bunch of extremely quirky residents, and is run by a young widow, Kyoko (the heroine/love interest)
It's far and away the most grounded of Takahashi's works (no fantasy elements) and the most mature, as it was written for a Seinen rather than a Shounen magazine as in almost all her other major works. It also features one of the most powerful love triangles in any Romcom I can remember, where one of the points of the triangle is dead. And I mean dead-dead, no ghosts or supernatural appearances.
If you know of a way to legally stream it I would be very grateful.
I just checked, looks like it's available now to stream on Apple TV.
I am sold. Is the anime a good adaptation or it's straight to manga case?
Blue Box
My Awkward Senpai
My Love Story with Yamada-kun at Lv999
My Tiny Senpai
Rascal Does Not Dream
Spice and Wolf
[Meta spoiler] >!Tonikawa!<
When Will Ayumu Make His Move?
You Are Ms. Servant
Harem where at least one girl is older:
Dealing with Mikadono Sisters is a Breeze
Tying the Knot with an Amagami Sister
We Never Learn
Domestic Girlfriend
Kotonoha no Niwa (movie, not quite a romance - one-sided)
One of the possible heroines being his sempai, but I'm not going to spoil anything.
Onegai Teacher!
The protagonist is 18yr, where the heroine is 23.
Maison Ikkoku
If you like older anime, this one has a 19yr protagonist and 21yr heroine.
Yamada-kun to Lv999 no Koi wo Suru
Girl is 20, boy 17-18ish
I haven't seen the last two, but by your standards I think Onegai Teacher! would fit best as the age gap is more noticeable.
Frieren
Hell’s Paradise
Fast pacing vs slow pacing
Recovery of an MMO junkie
Blue box
My love story with yamada kun lvl 999
Vermeil in Gold
The World is Still Beautiful
Blue Box
Murai in Love
Honourable Mention: "I Have a Crush at Work" does have a side couple with an age gap around ~8 years.