The Best Romance Anime of the 2020s (so far)

Okay look, the 2020s have been completely owned by those giant shonen/fantasy adaptations. You know the ususal suspect: JJK, CSM, KNY, DDD, every other three-letter hype machine, and yeah, even Frieren snuck in there and stole everyone's heart. It's been non-stop action, crazy fights, and animation from ufotable and MAPPA that makes your eyes water from how good it looks. But something huge has been missing the whole time. And now, we finally got it. A non-action, completely ORIGINAL anime story that actually hits the same level of quality as those mega manga adaptations. No source material. No manga to carry it.

Love Through a Prism from Wit Studio, 20 episodes of pure slow-burn goodness. This thing absolutely nails the balance between really well-written characters, actual romance that feels real, and the whole "art is life" theme. None of those parts feel forced or shoved in, they all grow together so naturally it hurts in the best way. Wit Studio went full send on the visuals. The background art is stupidly gorgeous. We're talking some of the prettiest painted cityscapes and art studios I've seen in anime, and it makes total sense because the whole story is about people obsessed with painting. 1910s London looks so dreamy so real and lived-in, you kinda forget it's animated.

Quick semi-spoiler-ish thing that pushed this show over the edge for me: they actually pulled off the "villain becomes best friend" trope without it feeling cheesy or fake. The way they handle that character's arc is so clean and satisfying. No sudden 180, no dumb redemption bait, just gradual, believable change that actually makes the friendships hit harder. It's rare to see it done this well. Anyway, bottom line, If you love slow-burn romance that actually takes its time and doesn't rush the feelings, this is your show. If you want something set in a beautiful historical period (early 1900s London: gas lamps, fancy coats, rainy streets, art academies, the whole vibe), bonus points, like a big point since you simply can not name another anime ever that place in this period and this location (prove me wrong).

And if you're someone who's avoided romance anime forever because you're tired of the same loud, over-the-top Japanese high-school nonsense with tsunderes screaming, accidental boob grabs, and 50-episode misunderstandings… this is literally the only romance anime you need to start with. It just skips all that crap and gives you something mature, quiet, pretty, cute, and emotionally honest.

Lili (our Japanese exchange student who has to be top of her class or get dragged back home for an arranged marriage) and Kit (the classic cold, talented rich boy, who slowly melts) simply "just work" (don't fix something that's not broken type of dynamic). Their relationship builds through paintbrushes, late-night sketching sessions, awkward silences that turn into meaningful ones, and tiny moments where you can literally feel the shift. No screaming confessions in the rain. Just two people slowly figuring out they can't live without each other while also chasing their art dreams. It's refreshing as hell.

The side characters are surprisingly great too. Dorothy is an absolute sweetheart, Catherine is straight-up writing perfection, and everyone feels like they belong in this world. Visually, the way they use light, the color shifts in some eps, the little details in every classroom or foggy street, man... The soundtrack is elegant without being boring.

So yeah. If you're looking for the best romance anime the 2020s have dropped so far, it's this one. Hands down. Go watch Love Through a Prism. Give the first three episodes a real chance.

This is the best Romance anime of the 2020s, the best Wit Studio anime since Vinland Saga, and the best anime original story since odd taxi.

9.5/10