Boy meets gyaru in My Dress-Up Darling , a delightful anime that’s perfect for fans of romcoms and cosplay! Shy Wakana Gojo and extrovert Marin Kitagawa bond over their love of cosplay and costume making, and Marin finds herself falling for her earnest classmate in the anime’s first season. Gojo is super traditional and quiet, while Marin takes bold chances on fashion and shows off her interests proudly. We just know they’d make a perfect pair. If you love a good opposites attract anime series, the grumpy-sunshine pairing, or simply an unlikely couple, you may be looking for the best anime to watch as the hit romantic comedy nears the conclusion of its second season. Should you watch Horimiya ? Wotakoi: Love is Hard for Otaku ? Monthly Girls Nozaki-kun or classics like Princess Jellyfish or Paradise Kiss ? Well, yes to all of these, but also, here are 10 more romance anime like My Dress-Up Darling that you may not have thought of! Aharen-san wa Hakarenai (Premiered in 2022 | Number of episodes: 24) RELATED: What Makes Marin and Gojo from My Dress-Up Darling the Perfect Romance Protagonists? Aharen and Raido sit next to each other in homeroom during their first year of high school. They might look like opposites – she’s small and extremely cute, and he’s tall and extremely ordinary – but in personality, they’re both wonderfully awkward and imaginative. Aharen is prone to getting in Raido’s personal space, but he doesn’t mind and accepts her quirks unconditionally. They quickly become best friends and get through every school day together. Like My Dress-Up Darling , Aharen-san wa Hakarenai is a sweet romantic comedy that’s a must-watch for fans of unlikely pairs that accept each other for who they are. And don’t miss the shy gyaru Riku Tamanaha in their second year! DON'T TOY WITH ME, MISS NAGATORO (Premiered in 2021 | Number of episodes: 24) My Dress-Up Darling ’s Wakana Gojo hides his love of Hina dolls from his classmates to avoid being called a weirdo. (We love you, Gojo!) The timid Senpai of DON'T TOY WITH ME, MISS NAGATORO , a manga artist, shares the same fear – and then the worst happens when a group of mean girls gets their hands on some of his hand-drawn pages. Nagatoro, one of the girls (and female lead, as seen through the title of the anime), seems to have a genuine interest in Senpai’s story until she mocks him to the point of tears. But as the days pass, Nagatoro doesn’t leave Senpai alone. She keeps teasing him, but they spend a lot of time together. Senpai begins to realize that she’s only energetic and playful around him and no one else. Could Nagatoro actually… like him? Hokkaido Gals Are Super Adorable! (Premiered in 2024 | Number of episodes: 12) RELATED: Which Winter 2024 Romance Anime Should You Watch for Valentine’s Day? Like My Dress-Up Darling and other anime on this list, this romantic comedy also stars an ordinary but thoughtful high school student and a flashy, gorgeous gyaru. But true to its name, this anime takes place in Hokkaido, a fresh setting that’s worth the price of admission itself. Hokkaido Gals Are Super Adorable! follows Shiki Tsubasa as he moves from Tokyo to the snowy town of Kitami. After getting turned around on his way to school on his first day, he meets Fuyuki Minami, who helps him find his way. She’s openhearted and confident, and Shiki can’t help being drawn to her, especially when she offers to show him how to navigate his new (much colder) life with warmth and excitement. Medaka Kuroiwa is Impervious to My Charms (Premiered in 2025 | Number of episodes: 12) RELATED: Celebrate Your Love With These Valentine’s Day Anime Cards! If anyone could rival Marin Kitagawa’s charisma, it would have to be Mona Kawai! In Medaka Kuroiwa is Impervious to My Charms , Mona is a second-year high school student who’s been turning heads and winning hearts from the moment she was born. She’s cute, cheerful and popular. But when she meets Medaka Kuroiwa, Mona can’t understand why she can’t win him over no matter how hard she tries. (And she tries.) Medaka shakes Mona’s confidence in herself, but she finds herself falling for him despite the unimpressed looks he gives her. It turns out that he’s in training to inherit a temple, and relationships are frowned upon by his religion, so he tries to ignore her advances. But he can’t help thinking about Mona. How long can he resist her charms? More Than a Married Couple, But Not Lovers (Premiered in 2022 | Number of episodes: 12) Jiro Yakuin is a gamer and self-proclaimed social outcast. Akari Watanabe is a popular and unreserved gyaru. When they’re partnered together for their class’ marriage practical course, the two teenagers couldn’t be more appalled. Even worse, their respective crushes are also paired up with each other! Jiro and Akari must live together in the school dorm (in separate bedrooms, of course) and be graded on how well they get along if they want to graduate. Will they end up failing the assignment? Is this the end of the main couple before it even starts? Akari’s sense of gyaru style feels a lot like Marin’s, as does her forthright personality. But if you’re a fan of all the blushing and furtive glances of My Dress-Up Darling , you’ll find a lot more in More Than a Married Couple, But Not Lovers . My Love Story with Yamada-Kun at Lv999 (Premiered in 2023 | Number of episodes: 13) RELATED: My Love Story with Yamada-kun at Lv999 Manga Creator Mashiro Discusses the Blending Games and Love College student Akane Kinoshita has a broken heart. After her boyfriend dumps her, she looks for a distraction in the online game they played together. Akane goes to a live event for the game, where she runs into her guildmate Yamada. He’s aloof and seemingly uninterested in her drama – but he lets her vent without interruption and takes care of her when she has too much to drink. As the two grow closer in the video game and in real life, their feelings for each other grow as well. Love the opposites attract dynamic between Gojo and Marin in My Dress-Up Darling ? You’ll love watching the friendship and affection grow between the expressive Akane and the introverted Yamada in My Love Story with Yamada-Kun at Lv999 . Plus, Akane and Marin are kindred spirits who would find a ton to talk about, from games to fashion to romance. Our Dating Story: The Experienced You and The Inexperienced Me (Premiered in 2023 | Number of episodes: 12) RELATED: Where Is Your Perfect Anime Date Spot? In Our Dating Story: The Experienced You and The Inexperienced Me , shy high schooler Ryuto Kashima doesn’t have a lot of social skills. So when his two buddies goad him into confessing to the girl he likes, they all expect her to reject him soundly. Stylish and outgoing Runa Shirakawa is the most popular girl in school, after all. But when she accepts his feelings and suggests they get to know each other while they date, Ryuto feels like he’s somehow stuck in a dream. Is Runa just messing with Ryuta, or are her feelings genuine? And if so, how could such an inexperienced boyfriend keep up with a girl who has a ton of friends – and ex-boyfriends? Runa might not have any secret hobbies like Marin in My Dress-Up Darling , but she’s just as fashionable and friendly. They’d be instant besties. Pseudo Harem (Premiered in 2024 | Number of episodes: 12) RELATED: What Makes A Couple of Cuckoos a Unique Harem Anime? If you need even more sweet high school romance in your life after you finish watching My Dress-Up Darling , Pseudo Harem is certain to make you smile. Rin Nanakura, a first-year student, loves acting, so she joins her school’s drama club, which is where she meets upperclassman Eiji Kitahama. Eiji is a bit of a drama dork who’s always dreamed of having a harem of girls chase after him. As a joke, his new friend Rin makes up a cast of characters to play those parts, and they each flirt and confess their feelings to the flustered Eiji. It turns out that Rin has real feelings for her friend, but she hides behind her characters. Can she be herself and tell Eiji how she feels? Shikimori's Not Just a Cutie (Premiered in 2022 | Number of episodes: 12) RELATED: Shikimori's Not Just A Cutie! Can You Activate Her Cool Side? Izumi is accident-prone and clumsy. Shikimori is gorgeous and graceful. And just like My Dress-Up Darling ’s Gojo and Marin, they complement each other perfectly! Shikimori quickly goes from cute to cool as she keeps a watchful eye out for her hapless boyfriend, who’s just about as sweet as can be. Together with their friends, Shikimori and Izumi fill their high school days with laughter, blushes, and even a kiss or two. Shikimori’s Not Just a Cutie is a drama-free romantic comedy and slice of life anime that captures the joy of high school days spent with friends. Put this series on when you need a smile. Kubo Won’t Let Me Be Invisible (Premiered in 2023 | Number of episodes: 12) Image via Prime Video An outgoing girl? Check. A boy who usually stays in the background? Check. An unexpected friendship that might turn into something more? Check! You’ll find some of your favorite My Dress-Up Darling things in Kubo Won’t Let Me Be Invisible , the story of high school students Shiraishi and Kubo. Friendless and basically invisible to his teacher and classmates, Shiraishi isn’t noticed by anyone – except Kubo, who sits next to him. Kubo likes to tease Shiraishi and is determined to help him go from background character to main character. Watch their friendship blossom into something more in this amusing series. Honorable Mention: Cherry Magic! Thirty Years of Virginity Can Make You a Wizard?! (Premiered in 2024 | Number of episodes: 12) RELATED: Find Someone Who Looks at You the Way Cherry Magic’s Kurosawa Looks at Adachi You might be wondering how an office romance with adult anime protagonists relates to My Dress-Up Darling . Following the tried and true tradition of “grumpy cat x sunshine,” Cherry Magic! Thirty Years of Virginity Can Make You a Wizard?! adds a dash of wizardry to the romance trope. Adachi keeps to himself at the office, and in life, really. Now in his thirties, he inherits what he feels is a pretty useless magic power: reading the mind of whoever he touches. One day, he bumps into the office heartthrob, Kurosawa, who literally shines when he’s in the room. These two seem to have nothing in common until Adachi accidentally touches Kurosawa and discovers the truth. Kurosawa’s got a crush on him, meaning that Adachi actually has a love interest! Cherry Magic! and My Dress-Up Darling both feature a vibrant character falling for their polar opposite, complete with wholesomely hilarious moments of them expressing their feelings (Kurosawa even sings a song!). Adachi coming out of his shell to be closer to Kurosawa will remind you of the sweet moments where Gojo does the same, both realizing that maybe they are worth the effort. Bonus? There’s romance with the side characters, too! SEE MORE ANIME RECS Anime Like Superman Anime Like The Apothecary Diaries Anne Shirley and Other Anime Based on Novels Anime Like Naruto Anime Like Solo Leveling Anime Like Frieren: Beyond Journey's End Cyberpunk Anime Like Metallic Rouge Anime Like Fallout Anime Like Yu Yu Hakusho
