2023 saw the start of many new manga full of possibilities, as well as the end of a lot of great ones. While 2024 is sure to bring a whole new generation of manga and anime to get excited about, it's important to take the time to look over the past year and celebrate what's come to an end.
Romance manga is one of the most popular and abundant genres in manga and anime, with plenty of fun new romance manga starting and ending every month. While not all of them are winners, there are plenty of romance manga that ended this year that are still worth checking out. Here are the best romance manga that ended in 2023.
10 Best Seinen Romance Manga, Ranked
These seinen romance manga are definitely worth the time investment for fans of the genre.
8 Sakura, Saku
MAL Score: 7.37
- Written & illustrated by Io Sakisaka
- Published in Bessatsu Margaret
- 9 volumes
Kind-hearted Saku Fujigaya has always felt like a character in the background. However, when a kind stranger helps her after she faints from a bout of anemia, Saku decides to live a life helping others as much as possible. One thing she has never been able to do is find the person that helped her in the past — until she finds out that they might go to the same school she does.
Sakura, Saku is written by Io Sakisaka, who is famous for having written Ao Haru Ride and Strobe Edge. Fans of her previous work will surely enjoy her most recent romance series.
7 Ima Koi: Now I'm In Love
MAL Score: 7.40
- Written & illustrated by Ayuko Hatta
- Published in Bessatsu Margaret
- 9 volumes
In middle school, Satomi Mizusawa was unable to confess her feelings to the boy she liked, leaving her heartbroken. She resolves to be more bold the next time she falls in love so that she never goes through that again. Her chance finally comes when Kazuma Yagyu saves her from a creep on the train, prompting her to push to be closer to him.
Ima Koi is a classic school romance manga about a shy girl doing her best to be outgoing. Fans of the author's previous work, Wolf Girl and Black Prince, might find this series fun even if it takes a different track with its premise.
6 A Galaxy Next Door
MAL Score: 7.44
- Written & illustrated by Gido Amagakure
- Published in Good! Afternoon
- 6 volumes
Ichiro Kuga is a young manga artist struggling to take care of his two younger siblings alone. He hires a beautiful and mysterious assistant named Shiori Goshiki, who seems a little strange and unaccustomed to the modern world. Ichiro accidentally pricks himself on a strange thorn on Shiori's body, and soon learns that Shiori is from a special clan of people, and that she must marry whoever is pricked by her thorn.
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A Galaxy Next Door is a cozy romance manga with a hint of science fiction on the side. Fans of the author's previous work, Sweetness & Lightning, are sure to enjoy this more romance-focused storyline.
5 Shikimori's Not Just A Cutie
MAL Score: 7.54
- Written & illustrated by Keigo Maki
- Published in Magazine Pocket
- 20 volumes
Yuu Izumi is possibly the unluckiest person in Japan, constantly getting into accidents, mishaps, and complications. The only person capable of keeping Izumi out of trouble is Miyako Shikimori, his girlfriend. Strong, confident, and popular, Shikimori helps Izumi get out of trouble while also building him up as a person.
Shikimori's Not Just a Cutie is a lighthearted romantic comedy about a girlfriend that's a little different from the norm. The series is perfect for fans of worry-free, lighthearted rom-coms.
4 Love Of Kill
MAL Score: 7.57
- Written & illustrated by Fe
- Published in Monthly Comic Gene
- 13 volumes
Bounty hunter Chateau Dankworth encounters hitman Song Ryang-ha while on a mission, and immediately becomes the target of his affections. Chateau finds Ryang-ha annoying, but becomes interested in him once she realizes he knows the past that she has forgotten.
Love of Kill is a romance story mixed with thrilling action and intriguing mystery. The relationship between Ryang-ha and Chateau is a little problematic, but the mystery of their past connection keeps the story interesting.
3 Even If You Slit My Mouth
MAL Score: 7.62
- Written & illustrated by Akari Kajimoto
- Published in Shonen Jump+
- 11 volumes
Even If You Slit My Mouth is a supernatural romance story between a human and a yokai. The series revolves around the two main characters trying to accomplish their separate goals, with plenty of hijinks in between.
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Despite often being action heavy, even shonen anime can have romance in them, and these series are the best.
As a slit-mouthed woman, Miroku used to strike fear in the hearts of all who saw her. However, now that yokai have become less prevalent in the modern day, her influence is waning. She must marry into the family of Koichi Sano in order to maintain her existence. Koichi makes a deal with Miroku: if she manages to surprise him before he turns 18, he'll end the engagement; but if he makes her fall in love with him, the marriage will go through.
2 365 Days To The Wedding
MAL Score: 7.64
- Written & illustrated by Tamiki Wakaki
- Published in Big Comic Spirits
- 11 volumes
When the JTC Travel Agency announces its intentions to open a branch in Irkutsk, employees Takuya Oohara and Rika Honjoji are desperate to avoid being assigned to such a remote location. When they realize that their interests align, they decide to pretend to be engaged in order to avoid being transferred.
365 Days to the Wedding is a fake marriage rom-com centered around two characters who are incredibly inexperienced in romance. While they start off being rather distant towards each other, they slowly become close over the course of their fake engagement.
1 Insomniacs After School
MAL Score: 8.45
- Written & illustrated by Makoto Ojiro
- Published in Big Comic Spirits
- 14 volumes
Ganta Nakami and Isaki Magari share a problem: they suffer from insomnia, meaning that they struggle to get enough sleep every day. Finding kinship with each other, the two decide to restart their school's astronomy club, giving them a place to share their worries and deal with the circumstances that caused their insomnia.
Insomniacs After School is a cozy coming-of-age romance story between two characters suffering from the same condition. While the romance between the two leads is a slow burn, watching them support and help each other through hardship is a delight of the series.
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The winter 2024 season is full of great romance anime. Here's a look at which ones to check out.