Seeing me say that this seemingly new romance, which doesn't even have an adaptation yet, is "the greatest romance of all time" might sound insane. But Fragrant Flower is different. Out of the 100+ romance animangas I've read and watched, this one has something special, and I know exactly what it is. Almost every romance you'll encounter in the anime space feels like it's trying to accomplish the same thing: two people meeting, falling in love, and getting together, with some fanservice and love triangles mixed in. Obviously, there are exceptions, but overall, that's what the genre is—bland and designed to keep you consuming, hoping you'll find the diamond in the rough. Well, this is that gem.

The story follows two schools, Chidori Public High School and Kikyo Private Girls' Academy, with the male lead and female lead attending their respective counterparts. "Chidori Public High School is known as the bottom-feeder, lower-ranked school where all the 'morons' gather. This school has a strong rivalry with Kikyo Private Academy, an all-girls prestigious school for young ladies. Their rivalry is so intense that Kikyo closes the curtain to avoid seeing Chidori."

Rinatou is a "scary on the outside but sweet on the inside" type of guy who works at his family's local cake shop. The story begins when he meets a young girl at his cake shop who coincidentally attends his rival school. He's caught off guard when his seemingly rough and mean appearance doesn't faze this girl, as she invites him to sit next to her. Their love story progresses fast but doesn't feel rushed. It's perfectly paced and the moments that are supposed to matter, matter. They understand each other and it feels like a real relationship compared to most of what you'll see in the genre.

This small introduction speaks volumes about the story. It’s not the "friends to lovers" or "enemies to lovers" type of tale you might expect. It's also about the respective friend groups of the leads, who, despite attending completely polar opposite schools, realize that the differences they believed they had might not be as big as they first seemed. I feel like this description alone gives you an insight into the feeling of hope you get while reading it.

The main reason I think that this is the best romance of all time comes down to many factors, but to keep it simple, it's the authenticity. You feel like a better person while reading this and encourages you to go look beneath what you see on the surface. The friends, leads, and parents are all understanding people who respect their connections and truly want to see the people they know succeed.

This is a MUST-read.