Best Shoujo Anime

While Western anime fans may recognize far more iconic shonen shows, shojo series are still immensely popular all over the world. Shojo anime tend to target younger female audiences, but it can have amazing stories for anyone of any age or gender to enjoy.

Even though some of the best shojo anime are stereotypical romantic stories, many break the mold by exploring deeper emotional stories and unique themes. Similar to shonen, this demographic is a lot more diverse than might initially appear to be the case, and the best series cover a spectrum of genres, tones, character archetypes, and even settings. Rare as they can be in this day and age, shojo anime will (hopefully) always have a place in the industry.

Updated on May 24, 2025, by Mark Sammut: The Spring 2025 anime season is more than halfway done, and its shojo shows have been solid enough so far. As there isn’t too much left to be said about the currently airing series, two classics have been added: Lovely Complex and My Love Story.

Best Spring 2025 Shojo Anime

Winter 2025 was not great for shojo anime, but Honey Lemon Soda is a fine romance. Anyway, I’m Falling in Love with You is also a reverse harem that might entertain people craving that type of story, especially since new shows are quite rare.

Spring 2025 is slightly better than its predecessor. The season contains a few adaptations of novels/light novels that received shojo manga, and they are relatively exciting on paper. There are also a few “smaller” releases that might go unnoticed. Let’s highlight Spring 2025’s shojo anime.

The Gorilla God’s Go-To Girl

Now, this should be fun. Starting as a novel, Gorilla no Kami kara Kago sareta Reijou wa Ouritsu Kishidan de Kawaigarareru was adapted into a shojo manga starting in 2021, with the series still ongoing. The eponymous lady is Sophia, and she lives in a world where people are bestowed gifts/abilities by the gods. She is blessed by the gorilla god with super-strength, which puts her on the radar of the Royal Knights. Sophia does not want to be remotely involved with that world, but her gift is too rare and powerful to be ignored.

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Gorilla God is a blast, and so far, the shojo anime has been reasonably entertaining. While seeming perfect for comedy, the story does lean quite heavily into romance and, to a lesser extent, harem.

The Too-Perfect Saint: Tossed Aside by My Fiancé and Sold to Another Kingdom

Another shojo anime that could slip through the cracks due to the story debuting as a light novel rather than a manga, The Too-Perfect Saint has a bit of an eye-rolling concept. Raised as a saint who can carry everyone’s burdens, Philia is just too perfect, and she is sold off by her awful fiancé to another kingdom. Once there, she connects with the prince, makes friends, and gradually starts to allow herself to loosen up and live for herself, something she never really did before.

While somebody being too perfect can sound a bit silly, Philia is an empathetic character as she genuinely seems to have a tough time understanding other people. Furthermore, her sister is effectively the second protagonist, and her storyline is fantastic.

Other Spring 2025 Anime That Might Satisfy The Shojo Demographic

As there are so few legitimate shojo anime in Spring 2025, fans will need to look elsewhere to fill their calendars. Fortunately, there are quite a few shows that focus primarily on female characters.

• Anne Shirley – Honestly, this adaptation of Anne of Green Gables is arguably the best shojo anime of Spring 2025, but it just cannot be included since it is not based on a manga.
• Food for the Soul – A cute original series about an all-girl food research club. The story is set in college/university, which is a nice change of pace.
• Mobile Suit Gundam: GQuuuuuuX – Set in an alternate future to 1979’s Mobile Suit Gundam, GQuuuuuuX revolves around two teenage female characters. The anime hit the ground running with an exciting episode.
• Rock Is a Lady’s Modesty – Girls at an all-elite school unwind by engaging in rock music. Pretty fun stuff so far.
• Uma Musume: Cinderella Gray – A fantastic spin-off that does not require viewers to be familiar with the main series. Cinderella Gray is a sports anime, just one revolving around horsegirls.
• Witch Watch – While a shonen comedy anime, Witch Watch‘s female lead, Nico, is just as important and well-written as her male counterpart.
• Zatsu Tabi: That’s Journey – A fledgling mangaka goes on a cross-country trip in search of life experiences.

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23

Sugar Apple Fairy Tale

MyAnimeList: 7.47 (Part 1)

Sugar Apple Fairy Tale

Release Date

2023 – 2023

Network

AT-X

Directors

Miyuki Ishida, Ei Tanaka, Yuki Morita, Kozo Kaiho

Except for a select few, seasonal shojo anime are almost always overshadowed by shonen or seinen properties, a fate that befell Sugar Apple Fairy Tale twice in a year. Part 1 aired in the same period as Vinland Saga Season 2, Tomo-chan is a Girl, and The Angel Next Door Spoils Me Rotten; meanwhile, Part 2 existed alongside Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2, Bleach, Bungo Stray Dogs 5, Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation, and Zom 100. Compared to those shows, Sugar Apple Fairy Tale is fairly unknown, which is a shame as the series is good enough to share the spotlight with at least a few of those names.

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The anime takes place in a fantasy world where humans live alongside fairies, although they are not exactly on good terms. Fairies are generally treated like property by most humans, a dynamic that Ann – a young girl who hopes to follow in her mother’s footsteps and become a Silver Sugar Master – has no intention of replicating when she buys Challe, a warrior fairy. Season 2 continued to strengthen the pair’s friendship, all the while revealing new layers to this universe’s thought-provoking social structure. Ann is a great lead, and she is supported by almost exclusively memorable characters.

22

My Happy Marriage

MyAnimeList: 7.74 (Season 1)

Akumi Agitogi’s My Happy Marriage has found success in a variety of forms since debuting as a light novel, and the anime adaptation is shaping up to be another triumph. Beautifully animated by Kinema Citrus, the Netflix-exclusive series is almost great enough to warrant a one-month subscription on its own, although people on the fence should probably wait until the full season is on the streaming service. Set during the Meiji Restoration era, the story revolves around an arranged marriage between Miyo Saimori and Kiyoka Kudou, two people who both have their baggage. Since the death of her mother, Miyo has lived in fear and isolation, a state enforced by her uninterested father, domineering stepmother, and cruel half-sister. Forced to internalize the belief that she is worthless, the young woman’s mental scars are obvious.

Miyo is presented by her parents as a potential bride for Kiyoka, a military figure who has a reputation for scaring away his finances. Rejection would spell the end of the line for the protagonist, and while everyone expects that outcome, reality opts to take a different road. Miyo and Kiyoka slowly but surely hit it off, with the latter falling for the former. Heartwarming and tender, their relationship has blossomed into a beautiful love story that feels timeless. My Happy Marriage also has a supernatural element that further ties the leads together.

21

Maid Sama!

MyAnimeList: 7.99

Although fairly dated in places, this minor classic is still a big name in the shojo scene, and its strengths are timeless enough to mask some of its weaknesses. As her school’s student council president, Misaki runs a strict regime, particularly with guys. While most boys try to stay as far away from her as possible, Takumi Usui does the exact opposite, and he starts to visit the maid café that employs Misaki as frequently as possible.

Maid Sama! knocks its humor out of the park, and both Misaki and Takumi are big personalities who complement each other beautifully. Most of the time, the student council president comes across as a force of nature who is constantly pushing past her limits to help her family; on the other hand, Takumi is effortlessly cool.

20

School Babysitters

MyAnimeList: 7.90

Ready for an overload of adorableness? School Babysitters delivers exactly what its title promises: Brothers taking care of their younger siblings at a school daycare. That might not sound fascinating, but this anime is pure fluff in the best possible way. The episodes are a warm blanket that coddles viewers, allowing them to escape reality while watching the cuteness unfold.

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Apart from the main duo’s oddly dark backstory, School Babysitters is a tension-free slice of life ripe with lovable characters. The anime manages to balance a relatively big cast well, even succeeding in giving the babies enough personality so they come across as people rather than just mascots.

19

The Yuzuki Family’s Four Sons

MyAnimeList: 7.88

Similar to shonen with male protagonists, the vast majority of shojo anime feature female leads; however, exceptions exist. As its title suggests, The Yuzuki Family’s Four Sons revolves around four siblings who end up having to take care of each other after their parents pass away. As the oldest, Hayato has to shoulder most of the responsibility of caring for his brothers, a role that is a lot to take for somebody who has only recently entered the professional grind and is also grieving the death of his parents.

The Yuzuki Family’s Four Sons is a realistic slice of life about family, communication, and love. Most episodes simply chronicle the boys’ everyday lives, highlighting how their unique situation has changed their perception of “normal.” While containing a few heavy moments, the anime is fairly light and uplifting, so it is hardly a constant downer.

While the leads are male, The Yuzuki Family’s Four Sons has fantastic female supporting characters. In fact, the best (short) storyline focuses on Uta, a girl who becomes self-conscious when a boy points out that she doesn’t meet traditional gender norms. The anime handles this subject well.

18

Lovely Complex

MyAnimeList: 8.03

Lovely Complex

Release Date

2007 – 2007

Network

TBS, MBS, CBC

Directors

Konosuke Uda

Lovely Complex is a pretty prototypical shojo romance anime. Risa is unusually tall for a Japanese girl, while Otani is unusually short for a Japanese boy. The story very much leans on the concept that opposites attract, and their physical differences are played up for both comedic and dramatic purposes. While never taking itself too seriously, Lovely Complex recognizes that both leads feel self-conscious about their sizes, and it treats this anxiety with respect.

After having her confession rejected, Risa makes it her mission to convince Otani that she would be his perfect girlfriend, as he cannot see her as a potential partner. A few serious moments aside, the journey is primarily driven by laughs, as both characters have big and fun personalities. While arguably overstaying its welcome a bit, Lovely Complex is just a cute little romance comedy.

17

Yona Of The Dawn

MyAnimeList: 8.03

Yona of the Dawn

Release Date

October 7, 2014

Directors

Kazuhiro Yoneda

Writers

Shinichi Inotsume

Mizuho Kusanagi’s Yona of the Dawn has been running since 2009, and it is firmly established as one of the best shojo manga on the market. Pierrot’s anime adaptation does not warrant the same level of praise, but that has largely to do with the fact the series only covers a small portion of the source material. When analyzed solely on the quality of the adapted content, Yona of the Dawn is pretty great.

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Set in a small nation caught between more powerful countries, Yona is the sheltered princess of the realm’s king. A shocking coup leaves the girl on the run, with her only companion being Hak, her bodyguard. At this point, the princess sets out to find four mythical warriors who will help her reclaim the throne and unite the kingdom. Yona is forced to mature quickly as she begins her transformation from pampered royalty to a capable warrior.

16

Sacrificial Princess and the King of Beasts

MyAnimeList: 7.94

Sacrificial Princess and the King of Beasts

Release Date

2023 – 2023

Network

Tokyo MX

Directors

Shigeki Awai, Kenichi Nishida, Teppei Takeya, Yasuo Iwamoto, Makoto Sokuza, Kiyotaka Kantake, Shinpei Nagai, Yuki Morita, Yoshiyuki Nogami, Kozo Kaiho

Sacrificial Princess and the King of Beasts can leave a somewhat negative first impression, at least for those who have consumed a lot of underwhelming beast/human romances. In a world where humans and beasts share a fragile peace, the former are forced to sacrifice one of their own to the latter’s ruler every few years. As a young child, Sariphi learns she is destined to be a sacrifice, a revolution that warps her mind as she surrenders to the fact that she was born to die. However, when the day finally comes for her to meet the king of beasts, Leonhart, Sariphi learns that not everything is as it seems. Love gradually blooms and Sari finds herself acting as a queen of beasts, a role not everyone wants her to fulfill.

Telling a satisfying and complete story, Sacrificial Princess and the King of Beasts is surprisingly nuanced, not only in its exploration of both Sari and Leonhart’s psyches but also in its political themes. As a romance, the anime can be slightly off-putting due to the leads’ age gap, but they are good characters individually. Sari is particularly fantastic.

15

Dear Brother

MyAnimeList: 7.85

Dear Brother

Release Date

1991 – 1992

Network

NHK BS1

Directors

Osamu Dezaki, Fumihiro Yoshimura, Hideki Hiroshima, Takuo Suzuki, Shinichi Matsumi, Yutaka Satoh, Kazuo Nogami, Kazuya Miyazaki, Toshiya Shinohara, Yusaku Saotome

A shojo anime classic from one of the demographic’s all-time great authors, Dear Brother can be somewhat difficult to watch nowadays, and that goes beyond the fact it is not readily available on a North American streaming service. The animation is dated but impressive for the era, while the story is both fantastic and also kind of exhausting. Set in an all-girls school that is somewhat ruled by a sorority, Dear Brother seeks to present a realistic look at adolescence, which involves allowing characters to be just straight-up awful.

Touching upon themes like jealousy, manipulation, abuse, and bullying, Dear Brother is one of the more mature shojo anime of all time. It does not provide many easy or even satisfying answers to the dilemmas it presents, making for a viewing experience that can be frustrating. However, the writing is consistently great.

14

Skip Beat!

MyAnimeList: 8.07

Skip Beat!

Release Date

2008 – 2009

Directors

Kiyoko Sayama

Writers

Mayori Sekijima

After doing everything to support her boyfriend’s goal to become famous, Kyouko Mogami is crushed when Shou reveals that he has been simply using her. Rather than wallowing in self-pity, the protagonist embarks on a quest for revenge that involves taking the entertainment business by storm, an endeavor that introduces Kyouko to the handsome but stock Ren.

Skip Beat! has one of the best protagonists in shoujo anime. Energetic, likable, and hilarious, Kyouko is a force of nature who dominates every scene. She is also accompanied by two great male leads courtesy of Shou and Ren.