Animated by studio GoHands, The Girl I Like Forgot Her Glasses is a lighthearted romantic comedy airing in the Summer 2023 anime season. It centers on a main duo of a shy boy and a bespectacled girl who often forgets her glasses at home. This leads to a series of hilarious and wholesome interactions that ultimately bring the two closer together.
Dynamics like these have become increasingly popular in recent years and have attracted a large number of fans. The appeal lies in the simple and cute premise that gives viewers a sense of comfort while watching the love between two middle schoolers bloom. It is aided by amusing comedy and expressive animation, bound to satisfy you after each episode. Here are a few anime that share some of these qualities that you can watch right now.
10 Tonari no Seki-kun: The Master of Killing Time
Tonari no Seki-kun is an anime with 7 minutes per episode, filled with comedic and clever scenarios. It covers the antics of a creative boy with intricate inventions and his curious classmate who can help but get distracted whenever he gets going. Whether it's dominoes, shogi, or origami, the inventive Seki never fails to make his classmate Yokoi interested.
Just like Kaede and Ai, the two sit beside each other and can help but get involved with themselves during school hours. They are both lighthearted series with interesting comedy and interactions, bound to get a reaction from you one way or the other.
9 Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions
With stellar animation quality, which is usually the case for shows handled by Kyoto Animation, Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions! is a hilarious and heartwarming anime. It follows a group of high school students who have suffered, or are still suffering, from a bad case of 8th grader syndrome. The show also centers on a male and female pair, with the delusional Takanashi Rikka always trying to drag the reformed Togashi Yuuta into her delusions.
Despite the somewhat rocky dynamic, both characters complement each other quite well and are a treat to watch on screen. Their relationship only deepens as the show progresses, and you can expect a deep dive into elements of love and romance.
8 Mysterious Girlfriend X
Mysterious Girlfriend X is a romance anime in a school setting, just like The Girl I Like Forgot Her Glasses. In both series, the male leads have to take care of girls with eccentric personalities, but though both girls are quirky, Urabe Mikoto is on a whole other level. Ai might be constantly spaced out and say weird things sometimes, but Urabe is notorious for feeding saliva to her male counterpart, Tsubaki, in order to share emotions.
It has a decent amount of comedy and fanservice, and the romance is unique and intriguing as the duo grows closer each time they exchange saliva. Though the show has a weird and off-putting premise, it addresses relevant relationship issues quite well and makes for an interesting watch.
7 The Duke of Death And His Maid
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Though situated in a fantasy setting, the Duke of Death and His Maid features interactions that would not be out of place in a middle school classroom. It follows the relationship between a cursed young duke that inadvertently kills anything he touches and a gothic maid who loves him despite his curse.
The maid, Alice, is fond of getting dangerously close to the duke and going as far as to tease him in most cases. She usually ends up leaving him flustered or embarrassed, but she genuinely cares for him and wishes to be by his side forever. It is a heartwarming romantic comedy, filled with wholesome interactions sure to tug at your heartstrings.
6 Teasing Master Takagi-san
One of the most popular “karakai” anime ever, Teasing Master Takagi-san, is an adorable story about two middle schoolers and the constant teasing one must endure. Takagi, usually the perpetrator of said teasing, knows so much about Nishikata that she can mess with him and get away with it unscathed. Though she is fond of this, however, there are more affectionate feelings that lie beneath her actions.
The two friends are classmates who sit beside each other and share many experiences. From school events to summer festivals, they always find opportunities to have fun and grow closer, even if Nishikata doesn’t realize it.
5 Dangers In My Heart
You may have read the synopsis for this anime and thought a male lead with sinister intentions would put you off; however, the show mostly does away with that about three episodes in. Ichikawa Kyoutarou, instead, is a shy and awkward middle schooler who isn’t great at expressing himself, especially when it comes to the girl he likes, Yamada Anna.
This is very similar to the circumstances of Komamura Kaede, as both male protagonists are also constantly flustered and embarrassed by their crushes. This is worsened by the fact that they have a knack for creating hilarious and awkward situations. The second season is set to premiere in January 2024, so if you can’t get enough, you don’t have to wait long for more content.
4 My Clueless First Friend
One of the less popular romantic comedies that aired last season, My Clueless First Friend, is an anime that deserves more attention. It explores the lives of two fifth graders, Nishimura and Takada, who form a special bond despite their contrasting personalities. The show presents an adorable and comical portrayal of the two mismatched friends and their everyday interactions.
Nishimura is a quiet girl perceived as gloomy, while Takada is an outgoing boy fascinated with the rumors surrounding her. Together, the two experience various situations that bring excitement to each of their lives. Like The Girl I Like Forgot Her Glasses, the series features a female lead with a problem and a male lead, though inadvertently, who is there to help.
3 Aharen Is Indecipherable
A cute and funny anime, Aharen is Indecipherable explores the relationship between a boy, Raidou, who overthinks everything, and a girl, Aharen, who is hard to read. Aharen is similar to Ai in that she is terrible at judging boundaries and is fond of getting too close to people. Both series have romantic subtexts and are set in a school environment, where most of their interactions take place.
The anime portrays the growth of Aharen and Raidou as they overcome their social problems and learn more about one another. Raidou may be a chronic overthinker, and Aharen may be indecipherable, but watching the two resolve their problems together is sweet and entertaining.
2 Kubo Won't Let Me Be Invisible
Nagisa Kubo and Junta Shiraishi are the two main leads in Kubo Won’t Let Me Be Invisible, forming an unlikely friendship. Kubo is a playful and friendly girl, while Junta is an unremarkable boy with very little presence. As a result, he oftentimes ends up being ignored by his peers and his teachers but not by Kubo.
Kubo makes it her duty to help Junta stand out more, going as far as calling herself his heroine. The two have a lot of fun and wholesome moments together, though most involve Kubo teasing Junta and making him do things he’s uncomfortable with. Kubo has his best interests at heart, though, and even more than that, she harbors special feelings for him.
1 Komi Can't Communicate
Komi Can't Communicate is a beloved series that had already garnered a large amount of popularity long before the anime premiered. Its main focus is on a girl, Komi, who has issues communicating but is helped out by her fellow classmate, Tadano. Together, the two embark on a journey to achieve Komi’s primary goal, to make 100 friends.
The journey, however, is not without romantic feelings from either side, as Tadano slowly begins to realize his feelings for Komi, and she also does the same. The anime is similar to The Girl I Like Forgot Her Glasses in that both series feature kind boys who aid their female classmates with disabilities, and both series are lighthearted with romantic subtexts.