Romance tropes because I have no romance

By Shtakshi Srivastava

Whether you’re taken or whether you’re alone and a hater (me), you're going to love me after the perfect romance trope rec-list i've made for you. The tropes are fire, the characters make me cry because I'm so lonely, and hopefully some of these can be your own romance inspo (i cried writing this). If you haven’t watched any of these, GO???

Horimiya

(trope: Clumsy love, so clumsy i accidentally died from the loneliness)

The perfect start to a miserable rec-list, Horimiya is a show you can’t not love. Miyamura is a quiet boy, the loser type (untrue); a geek at school but a Greek god outside because piercings? and tattoos? Sure they’re a yakuza thing in japan but have you seen him? And Hori-san; the pretty and smart prototype but she’s a hustler at heart (bro is really into the household labour). So they find each-other, and their secret little personas slowly become their little secret and now there’s eye contacts and hand brushes; a little bit of jealousy and lots of wholesome. Watch them and cry because they make even relationships feel single.

Maid Sama

(trope: she rejected me so she’s obviously in love with me, in-fact we’re in love)

Misaki is the school president, the first female one at that, a wonder woman really. Strong-willed and a man-hater of sorts (real), she’s pulling every gender, every sexuality. Then there’s Uzui, and ofc he’s coldhearted…and a loner… and pretty- PRETTY COOL. But Misaki has a secret (it’s getting common huh); she’s poor (real). So she works part time at a maid cafe and ofc Uzui finds her, and we set off on a cute, whimsical journey of Uzui’s blackmailing (he’s in love guys) and Misaki slowly realizing she’s a man-hater for all the right reasons but this man kinda cute. A 1000/10 show imo, I’ve rewatched it too many times.

Fruits Basket

(trope: Love triangle but you know who’s winning)

A lot to unpack here because what started as a romance anime became every genre under the sun but no one’s complaining. An amazing storyline, the most pressurizing love triangle (rip second lead); it's worth the three seasons. Tohru is an orphaned girl, with the purest little heart and the biggest doe eyes (i'm so weak). She’s so perfect that i don't see the need to even introduce her triangle, but for the sake of the plot *sigh*. We have Yuki and Kyo Sohma; brothers but are they? They take in a newly evicted Tohru, and now we follow Tohru on her journey (it's her world) but keep up, because the Sohma family aren't what they seem to be.

Kamisama Kiss

(trope: she was sunshine, he was midnight rain ♫) (I’m sorry)

There’s gods, demons, youkais and puny humans everywhere; it’s isekai. Nanami is abandoned by her debtor father (ofc) and now evicted, she’s homeless. Sweet spirited, with no filter, Nanami is roped into becoming the god of a temple who’s original notorious god just wants some chaos and some love (wink-wink). And in comes Tomoe, a fox-spirit demon with a nasty temper (men) who despises the fact that Nanami is his new god (liar). Comedy, romance and drama, this anime has it all! Watch and fall in love with the cutest little side characters too! They’re so adept at interrupting.

Kaguya Sama: Love is War

(trope: miscommunication so hard, you forget the anime was romance)

They’re perfect for each other. Kaguya Shinomiya is the daughter of a wealthy family and Miyuki Shirogane, a scholarship student and the president of their elite-school, though he's poor (⅘ of these recs has at least one poor mc). They’re hopelessly in love with each-other but they’re egoistic and boy are they egoistic. Love is a war, and whoever confesses first loses. For Shinomiya, it's a matter of pride and for Shirogane, it's a matter of difference in their social status. Who’ll win? WHEN WILL THEY FINALLY DATE??? Watch and find out (I’m still finding out, this has got be the slowest slow burn to ever slow burn and it's not even the burn its just SLOW) (I love this anime)