With Valentine’s Day coming up, it’s only natural to want to experience the love wafting through the air in our own otaku ways. That is why we here at The Outerhaven have teamed up with Crunchyroll to bring you some recommendations that are sure to tug at your heartstrings and make you melt into a puddle of goo… or entertain you, at the very least.
Disclaimer: We’re not responsible for goo clean-up or any associated cleaning fees.
*Ahem*
With that being said, here are some recommendations from The Outerhaven staff and Crunchyroll!
Josh’s Recommendations
The Dangers in My Heart
Season 1 Synopsis: Fascinated by murder and all things macabre, Kyoutarou daydreams of acting out his twisted fantasies on his unsuspecting classmates — but an encounter with Anna Yamada, the gorgeous class idol, lights a spark in the darkness of his heart. It’s a classic tale of an antisocial boy falling for a popular girl, but neither is who they appear to be at first glance. Will Kyoutarou and Anna defy their expectations of each other — and of themselves?
Season 2 Synopsis: After an eventful winter break, Kyoutarou Ichikawa and Anna Yamada reunite with a stronger bond. They continue to grow in their own ways, with Yamada taking on more challenging photoshoots and Ichikawa maturing both physically and emotionally as he tackles his affections for Yamada. However, spending time together outside of school allows for their relationship to deepen, and it becomes increasingly difficult to deny their budding romantic feelings.
Grappling with these unexpected and new emotions, Ichikawa and Yamada realize that, with the passage of time, their relationship is bound to change—and they must ultimately decide whether they wish to remain close friends or finally become a couple.
Toradora!
Synopsis: Ryuuji Takasu is a gentle high school student with a love for housework; but in contrast to his kind nature, he has an intimidating face that often gets him labeled as a delinquent. On the other hand is Taiga Aisaka, a small, doll-like student, who is anything but a cute and fragile girl. Equipped with a wooden katana and feisty personality, Taiga is known throughout the school as the “Palmtop Tiger.”
One day, an embarrassing mistake causes the two students to cross paths. Ryuuji discovers that Taiga actually has a sweet side: she has a crush on the popular vice president, Yuusaku Kitamura, who happens to be his best friend. But things only get crazier when Ryuuji reveals that he has a crush on Minori Kushieda—Taiga’s best friend!
Toradora! is a romantic comedy that follows this odd duo as they embark on a quest to help each other with their respective crushes, forming an unlikely alliance in the process.
Hi Score Girl
Synopsis: The year is 1991 and 6th grader Yaguchi Haruo only has video games to live for. He’s not popular in school and he’s neither handsome, funny, nice nor even friendly. The only thing he has going for him is that he is good at video games. One day at the local arcade, he plays Oono Akira, a fellow classmate but who’s popular, smart, pretty and a rich girl that absolutely destroys him at Street Fighter II. Not only does he lose to her 30 times in a row, he can’t beat her at any game. Haruo can’t seem to shake Akira off as she follows him from arcade to arcade everyday after school and beats him every time. As weird as it sounds, the odd couple begins a strange bond and friendship.
Will’s Recommendations
The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, REALLY, Love You
Synopsis: Rentarou Aijou was rejected 100 times in middle school. He visits a shrine and prays for better luck in high school. The God of Love appears and promises that he’ll soon meet 100 people he’s destined to date. But there’s a catch—once destiny introduces someone to him, the two must happily love each other. If they don’t, they’ll die. What will befall Rentarou and his 100 girlfriends in high school?
Keith’s Recommendations
Love Through a Prism
Synopsis: Yoko Kamio, whose manga “Boys Over Flowers” enraptured readers around the globe, brings a brand-new classic to viewers worldwide. Set at a London art academy in the opening decade of the 1900s, the Netflix Series “Love Through a Prism” follows Lili Ichijoin, a girl enchanted by painting, as she chases her dreams and experiences youth. This ensemble coming-of-age story about young people striving for prismatic radiance against the odds is about to begin.
Scott’s Recommendations
Kaguya-sama: Love is War
Season 1 Synopsis: Known for being both brilliant and powerful, Miyuki Shirogane and Kaguya Shinomiya lead the illustrious Shuchiin Academy as near equals. And everyone thinks they’d make a great couple. Pride and arrogance are in ample supply, so the only logical move is to trick the other into instigating a date! Who will come out on top in this psychological war where the first move is the only one that matters?
Season 2 Synopsis: After a slow but eventful summer vacation, Shuchiin Academy’s second term is now starting in full force. As August transitions into September, Miyuki Shirogane’s birthday looms ever closer, leaving Kaguya Shinomiya in a serious predicament as to how to celebrate it. Furthermore, the tenure of the school’s 67th student council is coming to an end. Due to the council members being in different classes, the only time Kaguya and Miyuki have to be together will soon disappear, putting all of their cunning plans at risk.
A long and difficult election that will decide the fate of the new student council awaits, as multiple challengers fight for the coveted title of president.
Season 3 Synopsis: The elite members of Shuchiin Academy’s student council continue their competitive day-to-day antics. Council president Miyuki Shirogane clashes daily against vice-president Kaguya Shinomiya, each fighting tooth and nail to trick the other into confessing their romantic love. Kaguya struggles within the strict confines of her wealthy, uptight family, rebelling against her cold default demeanor as she warms to Shirogane and the rest of her friends.
Meanwhile, council treasurer Yuu Ishigami suffers under the weight of his hopeless crush on Tsubame Koyasu, a popular upperclassman who helps to instill a new confidence in him. Miko Iino, the newest student council member, grows closer to the rule-breaking Ishigami while striving to overcome her own authoritarian moral code.
As love further blooms at Shuchiin Academy, the student council officers drag their outsider friends into increasingly comedic conflicts.
TV Special Synopsis: Shuchiin Academy’s student council room: the place where Student Council Vice President Kaguya Shinomiya and President Miyuki Shirogane met. After a long battle in love, these two geniuses communicated their feelings and, at the Hoshin Festival, had their very first kiss. However, there was no clear confession of love. The relationship between these two, who assumed they would be a couple, remains ambiguous. Now, overly conscious of their feelings, they must face the biggest challenge yet: Christmas. It’s Shirogane who wants it to be perfect versus Kaguya who pursues the imperfect situation. This is the very “normal” love story of two geniuses and the first kiss that never ends.
Romeo x Juliet
Synopsis: In the floating continent of Neo Verona, the Montague family seized control and murdered every member of the Capulet family with the exception of Capulet’s daughter, Juliet Fiammata Asto Capulet. 14 years later, Juliet and the remnants of Capulet’s retainers live hidden from the iron fist of the Montague family. Juliet has long forgotten the murder of her family or her identity, and cross dresses as Odin and the town’s hero of justice, “Red Whirlwind”. A sudden escape in her daily escapades leads her to meet Romeo Candorebanto Montague, the kind son of the tyrannical Montague. Destiny has been set as these two individuals soon to be “star-crossed lovers” are cruelly toyed with by fate in the midst of war. Loosely based on the play by William Shakespeare.
Ryan’s Recommendations
Kimi ni Todoke
Season 1 Synopsis: Kuronuma Sawako is completely misunderstood by her classmates. Her timid and sweet demeanor is often mistaken for malicious behavior. This is due to her resemblance to the ghost girl from “The Ring”, which has led her peers to give her the nickname Sadako. Longing to make friends and live a normal life, she is naturally drawn to Kazehaya Shouta, the most popular guy in class, whose “100% refreshing” personality earns him great admiration from Sawako. So when Kazehaya starts talking to her, maybe there is hope for the friendships Sawako has always longed for. Maybe…there is even a little hope for some romance in her future.
Season 2 Synopsis: Sawako Kuronuma and her friends have just begun their second year of high school and they are in the same class together again. To make matters more interesting a male student newly transferred into their class is seated right next to Kuronuma and has taken an interest in her. What hurdles will Sawako and Kazehaya face next?
Season 3 Synopsis: What do you do once you’re a couple?
Although she struggles with her blossoming feelings, Sawako comes to terms with herself and tells Kazehaya how she feels about him. Attracted by Sawako’s unnoticed efforts and genuine personality, Kazehaya also candidly makes his feelings known. Thus, their new relationship begins.
Their first date, their school life together, joy, embarrassment and new struggles — everything is fresh and new as the couple awkwardly and gradually learns more about one another, all while their friends’ love stories begin to take shape as well. This bittersweet and poignant story of young people, woven from their romantic feelings and dear friendships, begins once more.
SSSS.Dynazenon
Season 1 Synopsis: One day, Yomogi Asanaka, a first-year student at Fujiyokidai High School, runs into a mysterious man named Gauma who claims to be a “kaiju user.”
The sudden appearance of a kaiju is followed by the entry of the gigantic robot, Dynazenon. In the wrong place at the wrong time are Yume Minami, Koyomi Yamanaka, and Chise Asukagawa, who are dragged into the fight against the kaiju.
Theatrical Sequel Synopsis: A year has passed since the events of SSSS.GRIDMAN. The world is at peace and no one except for Rikka and Utsumi remembers the kaiju, Gridman, or Akane Shinjou. This includes Yuuta, who despite serving as Gridman’s host, has no memory of the most important moments of his life. So when a new Kaiju appears, he leaps at the chance to prove to himself that he too can be the hero by merging with Gridman once more.
Matt’s Recommendations
A Silent Voice
Synopsis: After transferring into a new school, a deaf girl, Shouko Nishimiya, is bullied by the popular Shouya Ishida. As Shouya continues to bully Shouko, the class turns its back on him. Shouko transfers and Shouya grows up as an outcast. Alone and depressed, the regretful Shouya finds Shouko to make amends.
Eureka Seven
Season 1 Synopsis: Renton is a teenager trapped working as a mechanic in a backwater town. He dreams of joining up with a daredevil group of pilots known as Gekkostate and following in his father’s heroic footsteps.
When a mysterious beauty named Eureka shows up asking for a tune-up, Renton soon finds himself drawn into a high-flying mecha dogfight that makes him a target of the military. When the dust settles on the spectacular battle, Renton is invited to join Gekkostate, but he soon discovers that even a dream come true has a dark side.
Season 2 Synopsis: The story is set on Okinawa’s isolated island of Iwado, which has seen a growing movement advocating a return to an autonomous government. Ao Fukai, a 12-year-old boy with a missing father, lives on the island with an old doctor named Toshio and is about to enter middle school. Ao’s mother was taken away a decade ago by unknown individuals. Naru Arata, Ao’s 12-year-old childhood friend and the story’s heroine, lives with her father, older sister, and grandmother. She has a “Yuta” power awakened within her due to an incident when she was young. A mysterious entity called “Secret” suddenly appears and launches an attack on the Scub Coral lifeform on the island. Ao launches a certain military FP called “Nirvash” aboard a Japanese military transport in his fervent desire to protect the island.
Crunchyroll’s Recommendations
Hana-Kimi
Synopsis: Mizuki Ashiya is on a mission: disguise herself as a boy and enroll in a male boarding school to meet her idol, high jump star Izumi Sano. But after successfully infiltrating the school, she discovers he’s suddenly quit the sport! Now Mizuki must dodge suspicion, protect her cover, and somehow reach the boy she came all this way for—all while surviving the chaos of an all-boys dorm!
Tamon’s B-Side
Synopsis: Utage Kinoshita is a high school girl who works part-time as a housekeeper. She has devoted her life to her favorite idol, Tamon Fukuhara, from the group F/ACE. Then one day, Utage ends up being assigned to Tamon’s house! There she discovers that off-stage, he is nothing like his wild idol persona. A gloomy, introverted boy with no self-confidence, Utage still finds herself falling for him anyway.
You Can’t Be In a Rom-Com with Your Childhood Friends!
Synopsis: High school freshman Sakai Yonosuke, aka Eiyu, is obsessed with rom-coms, especially ones about childhood friends. But even though he has two childhood friends of his own—Shio and Akari—he’s sadly given up on romance becoming a reality. Little does he know, both girls have the hots for him! A humorous will-they-or-won’t-they rom-com about friendship, love, and first crushes!
There was a Cute Girl in the Hero’s Party, so I Tried Confessing to Her
Synopsis: Reincarnated as a mid-tier demon, Youki had one job: Crush the hero’s party. Then he saw the party’s priestess, Cecilia, and fell for her hard. Now this lovestruck demon vows to confess his feelings, even if it means betraying the Demon King. Will love bloom between these two sworn enemies?
In the Clear Moonlit Dusk
Synopsis: Yoi Takiguchi is a first-year high school student, admired for her handsome looks and honest heart, which earned her the nickname “Prince.” One day, she bumps into Kohaku Ichimura, an upperclassman and another “Prince.” As the two grow closer, is what blossoms between them friendship or love? A youthful love story about a boy and a girl who are both called “Princes” begins.
Of course, there are many others that we could recommend, but we hope that with these recommendations, you will find something to entertain you this Valentine’s Day! A special thanks to Crunchyroll for partnering up and joining in with their recommendations!
