Let's start this ranking with a couple made of two totally different guys. Shintarou Midorima is a problem kid, seriously addicted to horoscope – to the extent that he acts following what it says – and with a few problems at befriend people. Midorima has a lot of self-esteem and he is a “megane”, which means that he is actually the serious guy you would expect him to be. Next to him, as a basketball partner and close friend, there's Takao. Takao is easygoing and cheerful, and enjoys playing basketball but he doesn't feel the same need to crush his opponents as Midorima does. Takao is what Midorima really needs; in fact, Takao is always the one to persuade Midorima into doing fun things, or into positive thinking. It's impossible to not imagine something going on between them. They are close enough to bicker over trivial stuff, and yet Takao is always doing what Midorima wants him to do, in spite of complaints. Takao is very comfortable around Midorima, so much so that he calls him “Shin-chan” in a very friendly way. Even though Midorima seems not to enjoy the nickname too much, and Takao keeps on teasing Midorima non-stop, is clear as daylight how these two have a very deep bond. That's what made them one of the most loved and shipped couple by the fandom!

Let's go on with a potential couple that is often seen as “dramatic” by the fandom. The reasons why these two make shippers cry is easy to explain. But let's start from the beginning and talk about their characters and their past. Aomine is a boy that truly loved playing basketball, and he was a member of the “Generation of Miracles”, together with Midorima, Kise, Murasakibara, Akashi and Kuroko. He was outgoing and friendly, and loved to fool around with his two best-friends Kise and Kuroko. He kept training, and became stronger day by day so one day he realized that playing basketball wasn't fun anymore; no opponent could defeat him and so it became boring to him. On the other side, there's Kise. Kise is a very friendly and outgoing boy, the only one who actually tried to befriend every member of the Generation of Miracles, even though they ignored him most of the time. Aomine and Kise have a controversial and yet painfully wonderful relationship; Aomine was the one who inspired Kise to play basketball. Kise was amazed at Aomine's skills, and when he realized that he couldn't copy his style, Kise realized that it could become an interesting challenge and so he joined the team. Split in different high schools, now Kise and Aomine find themselves as opponents. Kise frequently reminds how they used to play one-on-one during Teikou Junior High, or how they hang out together after school. Kise still admires Aomine, and even though he wants to defeat him, at the same time he doesn't want to see his “idol” lose. If it wasn't enough to make you understand what these two share, we can add how Aomine punched Haizaki in the face, when Haizaki wanted to take revenge against Kise! Even though they can no longer admit it, they still share a close friendship. Probably it's their shared past, and Kise's admiration towards Aomine, or the fact that Aomine was easygoing and friendly back then, but this is one of the best couple that shippers enjoy fantasizing on!

Here's a sweet pairing made only for Kuroko's Basketball true lovers! Kiyoshi was the founder of the basketball team of the Seirin High School. When he first met Hyuuga and saw how tall he was, and discovered he was into basketball, he tried to coerce him non-stop to join the team. After a few failed attempts, Kiyoshi managed to have Hyuuga join the team. That was the beginning of a true and long lasting friendship. Kiyoshi is very smart, mature and kind. He is caring, and towards his teammates he acts a bit as an older brother. Maybe because he founded the club, but he has the feeling that he has to protect it with all his might. Hyuuga is the captain of the team, and a very composed and collected person. Although Hyuuga usually acts coldly towards Kiyoshi, who is basically always smiling, it's made clear that they are very, very close. Maybe because they are the older ones, and have started the club together, but they are a bit like the “mother and father” in the fandom. It's not a stretch, it is enough to think how they act and how they keep on trying to cheer up the younger teammates. Not only that, even the way they interact with each other makes shippers think of a husband-wife relationship. They are so far the most cute and lovable pairing, as they are foils and understand each other even without speaking.

It's time for the most eccentric pairing to appear. We're referring to Murasakibara and Himuro as an “eccentric” duo right because of their characters. Both of them have somehow a split personality. Let's explain it; Murasakibara is abnormally tall for his age, and act like he doesn't care about playing basketball, stating that he only plays it because he is good at it. He only wants to eat snacks, and is very childish and sadistic at times. Himuro, instead, acts in a very mature way. He looks composed, cool and level-headed. There's a flip side for both of them! Murasakibara doesn't want to play to his fullest ability because he feels that if he did, he may hurt his opponents or even teammates because of his huge size. Himuro, on the other hand, can become very manipulative and cunning. The point is: Murasakibara has the talent, but doesn't want to use it; Himuro envies Murasakibara's talent and doesn't tolerate naturally “gifted” people who don't give their best. Himuro is the person Murasakibara get along better with, and the both of them are basically always together. Himuro manages to drag Murasakibara along to watch matches together. It's impossible to forget how during the match Seirin vs. Yosen, Himuro punched Murasakibara and cried in his face, stating clearly how he hated when talented people didn't put efforts into things. Himuro's tears moved Murasakibara so much so that he started to play seriously and possibly discovered how much he actually enjoyed playing basketball. They'd be the perfect couple for real, these two.

Here we are with the first position. The couple made of the “shadow”, which is Kuroko, and the “light”, Kagami. He and Kuroko are on the opposite sides, from their style of playing, to their way of acting. Their characters are opposite as well. Kuroko has a straightforward personality, and he is a hardworking almost unnoticeable boy. Kagami is ambitious, stubborn, determined and hot-headed. Maybe it's pointless to mention, but right because of their differences, they complete each other, starting from their style of playing, to their characters. They met when they entered Seirin High School, and made a promise: to become the number one players in Japan. To achieve this goal, they need to cooperate and do their best together. Their relationship turned out to be simply amazing. While playing, they understood each other just too well, and it was Kuroko himself who defined their friendship as “shadow and light”, that, by definition, are things that cannot disregard each other. Even though Kuroko's attitude manages to make Kagami mad sometimes, they have a bond that is very strong. Kuroko often thinks of Kagami, and they hang out together even off court. They can understand each other's problems, and can alternately become the driving force to motivation. Then again they share their feelings, and are comfortable while talking to each other. Kuroko admires Kagami, and Kagami considers Kuroko the most reliable of his teammates. With what we just said, it's simply impossible to think of Kagami, without Kuroko and vice versa. Shipper around the world consider them as the most beautiful and the most naturally shippable couple... And with what we just told you about them, tell us if it isn't true!

YunYun is this gorgeous wizard babe with an unusually revealing outfit that we get to meet in the OVA. She acts super shy, girly, and silly, which makes a striking contrast with her sexy looks. As Kazuma says, it is almost impossible to look at YunYun’s face and pay attention to her while she’s speaking because all of the attention is drawn to her huge oppai. In fact, Yunyun’s delightful breasts can even be compared to Wiz’s, which is already saying much. But this lovely girl with a mesmerizing figure is much more than just boobs. YunYun is Megumin’s sworn rival. As such, she is constantly stalking Megumin in order to find the opportunity to challenge her, which always ends up with the funniest and most bizarre situations, just like the two playing strip jankenpon (rock, paper, scissor).

Unfortunately, Chris doesn’t really get a lot of screen time but considering what she’s done, we can’t forget about her and we should build her a freaking monument. That’s right, Chris is the enthusiastic and skillful thief who teaches Kazuma the steal skill. Needless to say, that skill has provided us with countless laughs and good times. Of course, Chris is a bit surprised to see the way Kazuma uses this skill to steal female underwear instead of more valuable items (although panties do have their own particular value). However, she is not as innocent and defenseless as the rest of the girls. Chris is actually a little mischievous girl, and her way of paying Kazuma back for his naughtiness is quite funny too. Chris takes it out on Kazuma by exposing him publicly and letting everyone know how much of a pervert he is. Yup, public humiliation can be the funniest and most effective way of fighting pantie thieves.

The lovely and sexy Luna is the Innkeeper and quest-giver at the Axel guildhall. She’s a most cheerful and optimistic girl who teaches adventurers all they need to know about quests, rewards, and leveling up. Luna is also the first girl on the show to leave us breathless for her humongous breasts. Still, such a bright and sweet character may appear as a bit dull at first (not even huge boobs can save you from that). However, later on in the show we find that Luna has one of the funniest running jokes on the show. Her job, as we said, is giving rewards after a successful quest, although with Kazuma’s terrible fortune, these rewards usually come with an unfortunate turn of events that make Kazuma want to die and never be reborn again. Luna excels at bringing Kazuma down every time he does something right. For instance, when Kazuma’s party was awarded 300 million eris for defeating Beldia, Luna gave them an even larger bill for the repairs of the city wall. Easy comes, easy goes.

Every fantasy story needs a great and invincible hero, right? Well, our main character Kazuma is definitely not it, but we do have the antithesis of Kazuma which is Kyouya Mitsurugi, also known as the handsome swordsman. Kyouya is just another guy like Kazuma who was thrown into this world of fantasy after dying. Unlike Kazuma of course, Kyouya made the wise decision of taking with him a magical sword of unlimited power (instead of an incompetent goddess). Kyouya has since been living the good life and he is now admired throughout the kingdom thanks to what he was able to achieve with this cheat sword. Sadly for Kyouya, everything went south when he met Kazuma (he appears to have that effect on people’s lives), since out of his big ego, Kyouya lowered his guard allowing Kazuma to steal his sword and hit him on his big head. Few things are funnier than watching this knight in shiny armor being loathed by the girls, beaten with his own sword and humiliated over and over again. Besides, his face when he’s told that his sword has been pawned is priceless. XD

Beldia is a Dullahan and one of the Devil King’s generals. He takes shelter near Axel town, which drives some of the monsters away from that area affecting the amount of available quests. With a lot of free time and no monsters around to lay waste to, Megumin goes out with Kazuma to find a suitable place for her to unleash her destructive magic, which to our amusement ends up being the castle in which Beldia is residing. Eventually, Beldia comes up to Axel city gates to find out who has been constantly attacking him day after day. He leaves after daring Megumin to face the dangers of his castle in a week’s time. What’s so funny about this is that he has to show up again at the city because he was stood up on. What’s even more, during that week, Megumin never stopped casting her explosive magic on Beldia’s castle. Poor headless knight, however intimidating he may be, nobody respects him. Although he probably had it coming for all those times he threw his head at Wiz’s feet in order to look under her skirt.

Wiz is yet another of the many inept and unsuccessful characters in KonoSuba. She is a timid and innocent (although very well-endowed) girl who runs a failing magic shop in town and helps lost souls find their way to the afterlife. Wiz is so girly and fragile that it’s really shocking to find out she’s actually a powerful lich wizard and one of the Devil King’s generals. Despite her fiendish descent however, Wiz uses her powers to help innocent people; as well as to produce some of the most hilarious scenes in the show. In the most difficult situations she may resort to her drain touch, sucking Kazuma dry but not in the way he’d like. Clearly, it’s an impossible task to keep your mind out of the gutter with this babe around.

As we all know, a good fantasy show cannot be complete without an adorable loli such as Megumin. She’s the arch wizard in Kazuma’s party and a very powerful one. In fact, Megumin is the most powerful wizard in the whole town, having earned the title of “crazy little girl” among other adventurers. Obviously, Megumin had to have a weakness (otherwise she wouldn’t be in Kazuma’s party), which is the fact she can only use one spell a day, after which she faints. The funny thing about Megumin is that she actually has a lot of potential but she’s so stubborn that she refuses to learn any type of magic other than Explosion. Megumin is just so obsessed with this magic that she has to use it every day, even if it is against some poor headless guy’s castle.

Darkness is by far one of the funniest, sexiest and most perverted characters in KonoSuba, which is already saying a lot if we consider the amount of babes, perverts, and ridiculous people who inhabit Axel town. Darkness’ real name is Lalatina Dustiness Ford, and she’s the paladin in Kazuma’s party. She is an honorable warrior who has sworn to protect the weak in the name of her family even at the cost of her own dignity and sexual integrity. Of course, none of Darkness’ enemies actually want to abuse her or anything like that (or at least they do not say it out loud) but she has such a dirty mind that she believes everyone wants to get kinky with her. And Darkness just loves fantasizing about all that kind of sadistic practices. It’s like she’s begging for someone, whether it’s Kazuma or an enemy, to kidnap her and do all kind of nasty things to her. We just don’t know what to think about this anymore. Seriously, is it sexy, awkward or unsettling? Well, at least we know it’s damn funny!.

Oh Aqua, our precious goddess of blue hair and transparent mini skirt! Aqua is the main heroine of the show and a goddess in charge of sending recently deceased people into this wonderful world of fantasy. That is, of course, until she meets Kazuma and, to her misfortune, ends up joining him on his new adventurous life. Still, we all know how karma is a bitch, and Kazuma’s brilliant idea of taking a goddess with him finally backfires when he realizes she’s of little use. Aqua turns out to be a pain in the ass for Kazuma instead of the heroine he expected. In fact, Aqua is probably the worst partner you could possibly ask for to go on quests or adventures. This sorry excuse of a goddess is actually a silly, whiny, childish and rude little girl who doesn’t have a better idea than spending all of her skill points from leveling up on useless party tricks. Needless to say we can’t possibly hate Aqua, since watching her driving Kazuma mad all the time is freaking hilarious. Plus, we are really grateful for all the fan service she provides. :P

And finally we have the great hero of the show! Or should we say anti-hero? Kazuma Satou is not really a noble warrior or a talented mage of any kind. He starts as an introverted gamer boy with a bit of bad luck and, even though he improves in many ways along his path as adventurer, he essentially remains as a wimp throughout the show. Clearly, that is what makes Kazuma so funny. He’s not the typical brave and admired hero. Instead, Kazuma is the average Joe who’s just trying to get by in this world full of dangers. Of course, as the big pervert he also is, Kazuma is constantly trying to make the most of his new life by taking advantage of his female party members in the naughtiest and most ridiculous ways. Kazuma loves using his steal skill to take girls’ underwear or making YunYun and Megumin play strip rock, paper, scissor. Kazuma’s perversion always gets him in the craziest and most hilarious situations. Although if there’s anything funnier than watching him venture into the Succubus “special shop”, then that is watching him getting bit in the ass all the time due to his misdeeds and his never ending bad luck.

Heavy Object takes place in Alaska, in a future where mankind developed massive war machines. These titular “Objects” render other militarized weapons of land and sea practically obsolete. Common knowledge is that only other Objects can destroy an Object, which results in wars between humanity’s four factions foregoing continent-spanning, bloody engagements in favor of being settled in one-on-one duels between Object pilots. When two run-of-the-mill soldiers, Qwenthur and Havia, prove that Objects can be destroyed by conventional means and a little bit of willpower in order to save their friend Milinda, the rules of war change drastically. They find themselves in the middle of increasingly dangerous missions, with incredibly high stakes, where failure and success are the difference between life and death. Although Heavy Object has a more serious tone than Active Raid, it has plenty of similarities to keep fans happy. There’s tons of action-packed mecha combat, a moody, sci-fi future environment, and a compelling cast of comrades who must come to trust each other while embroiled in battle.

After the catastrophic conflict of World War III resulted in the decimation of infrastructure in many of the world’s most powerful nations, an extra-national governmental body known as the General Management Control Office created an experimental city designed to be a utopia, called Olympus. Inhabited by humans, cyborgs, and genetically engineered humans dubbed “Bioroids,” with increased physical capabilities and decreased emotional capacity that control all administrative functions throughout the city, Olympus isn’t the idyllic place imagined by all of its inhabitants. Following the suicide of his wife, Calon has become fed up with the repressed societal expectations in place in Olympus, and conspires with a known terrorist, A.J, to shake up the status quote by taking down Central Management. Things get stickier when he learns that A.J’s agenda isn’t as benevolent as his own, and they come to the attention of the ESWAT Counter-Terrorism unit. Another police-oriented anime, Appleseed, as well as its more modern iterations (which have similar themes, and focuses) is an obvious recommendation for fans of Active Raid. It has a strong leading female character with an awesome mech-like sidekick, and its sci-fi future setting is an excellent stage for the action, which often questions what it means to truly be human.

An oldie but a goodie, Patlabor takes place in a near-future (humorously, around the year 2000) where much of the physical labor required by humanity is done by human-operated robots, called “Labors.” As with any powerful tool, it can be used for evil as well as good, and the Tokyo Metropolitan Police armed itself with a fleet of Patrol Labors (Patlabors) to fight fire with fire whenever a bold criminal steps out of line. However, the Second Special Vehicles Division isn’t exactly the heroic policing body the citizens of Japan expected. A rather motley crew of police men and women, one of whom loves robots a bit too much, another who is obsessed with guns, a husband on a short leash by his wife, and a surprisingly kind giant of a man, the Second Division has its work cut out for them, as the collateral damage caused on their missions is almost criminal in and of itself. The similarities to Active Raid are quite obvious but are worth mentioning. The sci-fi setting is the perfect environment for the comedy inspired by the misfit police force to play out. There’s also plenty of mecha action to keep fans of the genre coming back for more. With a remake right around the corner, now is the time to jump in!

Rail Wars! takes place in an alternate history where Japanese railways were never privatized, and go by the name of Japanese National Railways. Because of the stalwart leadership of the Japanese government, the rail lines flourish and become greater than ever. The story follows the journey of everyday high school student Naoto Takayama, who dreams of spending his days relaxing as a train driver. In order to accomplish this goal, he enters their training program, only to be placed into the railway security force for on the job training. He has to deal with everyday inconveniences that accompany train travel, the machinations of an extremist group that seeks to privatize the railways, as well as the eccentricities of his vivacious fellow trainees. Rail Wars! is perfect for fans of Active Raid who like their cop-based action comedy with a hefty helping of ecchi. Although there aren’t any towering mechs in the mix, the chemistry between its central cast of characters is enough to charm any fan of the genre.

In the Warring States Period of Japan, an alien force called Efy Dolgh invades Earth using robotic drones and giant mechs. Unlike anything they had ever seen before, the people of Japan dubbed them “oni,” as they fell victim to devastating superior technology. However, the brave Yukihime, along with her samurai retainer Kennosuke, manage to steal one of the alien mechs, which they dub the “Black Relic,” and mount a successful counter offensive that results in a massive explosion, and the disappearance of Yukihime. Fast forward to 21st century Japan, where the Black Relic is unearthed during construction of the Kurobe Dam. The UN decides to study the powerful mech when the Efy Dolgh returns to resume their offensive. However, when Yukina accidentally triggers the Black Relic and releases a suspended Kennosuke, she is pulled onto the front lines of Earth’s fight for survival. Kuromukuro has a lot to enjoy for fans of Active Raid. It is a sci-fi, mecha anime with plenty of action, vibrantly captured. It’s worth noting that it eschews the comedy found in other entries on the list for a more mature take on the genre.

Due to the devastating effects of global warming, accelerated by the calamity of World War III, most of Earth’s cities are submerged by the oceans. In the rubble of the few cities still inhabitable by mankind, private military organizations are responsible for providing infrastructure and protection for the remnants of humanity. In Fort Daiva City, the Arqon Global Security corporation is the law of the land. Facing threats of terrorism, as well as rampant crime in the tumultuous post-war period, the danger is only compounded by unmanned, AI-controlled Bug Mechs that were utilized during the war before going rogue. It’s up to the “Blademen” in Arqon’s elite military unit, Viper, to utilize its versatile Maneuver Blades, humanoid mechs that double as motorcycles, to keep the citizens safe. A military squad-based sci-fi anime set in an alternate future, Viper’s Creed is sure to be a hit for fans of Active Raid. The human drama that stems from the tension between the private military and the general public in the post-war period plays out in explosive battles between human and robot, and is sure to keep viewers on the edge of their seats.

Ryuji Takasu has an intimidating face and this often scares his school mates. They often shy away from him after labelling him as a delinquent. In actuality, Ryuji is actually a gentle, peace loving clean freak with a penchant for house work. On the other side of the story, Aisaka Taiga is a small sized girl and wields a wooden katana. She has a fiery temper and is known throughout the school as the Palmtop Tiger. As these two cross paths one day, their fates will change. Committed to helping each other get their crushes, this romantic comedy shows their endeavours and the efforts that they put in! Yahari and ToraDora are similar in the respect that both share a high school setting. At some point, Yahari talks about high school love to a great extent while the premise of high school love occurs in ToraDora throughout the series. In Yahari, Hachiman is a social outcast who has a problem blending into the social construct within the school. In ToraDora, all of the main characters are weird in their own ways and although they may have friends, they still have issues fitting in. In fact, both main characters share a common trait - their sanpaku eyes and that made everyone around them distant themselves from them. ToraDora is also a light hearted rom-com to enjoy such that if you enjoyed Yahari, you can find the same atmosphere and similar characters in it!

Arata Kaizaki is a 27 year old NEET. After losing his job due to unknown circumstances, Arata is approached by a representative from the ReLIFE Laboratory. With the promise to revert his age to that of a high schooler, a chance for a job interview and his 1 year of living expenses, Arata is left without much options. He takes up the offer and sets about his high school life. Along the way, Arata touches the lives of the various friends he made and even improved on it. However, at the end of the 1 year, all of them will forget about him. It is up to him to make this 1 year redo of his life the most meaningful one ever and to find the answer to living a much more fulfilled life in the future. ReLIFE shares many aspects with Yahari. Although ReLIFE is set in a more positive atmosphere, it discusses about the high school life and the essence that is youth - vibrant and full of energy. Originally introduced as flawed characters, both characters from their series shows a significant improvement due to the environment that they are placed. Both are altruistic in nature and will willingly help others despite appearing otherwise. The romance factor has always been a sideline plot in the beginning but slowly picks up in the later episodes, providing for a more diverse and fulfilling story.

Spiritual encounters, oddities and paranormal activities are normal occurrences in the world of Bakemonogatari. The main character of the series, Koyomi Araragi is a survivor of a vampire attack during Golden Week. After being saved by a mysterious man who goes by Oshino Meme, Araragi aids other characters afflicted by oddities by referring them to Meme. One such individual is the weightless Senjougahara Hitagi. Araragi immediately sought the help of his benefactor once again to cure Hitagi of her problem. Who will Araragi run into next and will he be able to save them from their oddities? Bakemonogatari had always been an abstract anime. Similar to Yahari, it utilizes soliloquy to explain the character's thoughts and actions. If anything, the whole anime is interesting in the way that every aspect of the story is explained through Araragi's mind. Both characters are champions of the mind and philosophers - the anime is never boring due to their inner monologues alone. Both deals heavily on the psychological genre which makes it extremely captivating and engrossing.

Like every fantasy world game gone wrong, Subaru Natsuki was trapped and isolated into a world beyond the boundaries of normalcy. It wasn't long before he had to fend off a group of bandits with a bag of groceries. As luck would have it, he runs into a mysterious girl named Satella. To return her the favour, he agrees to accompany her in her search as well. Little did they know, that a darker force is behind them the whole time and it wasn't long before they were assassinated. Just as though it was all over, Subaru awoke to the same scene as when he had first met her. Will he eventually solve the mystery of his predicament? The characters of both stories shares similar viewpoints. Subaru is basically Hachiman if he were to be stuck in a ridiculous scenario. In both animes, there will always be a fair share of light hearted scenes but it does not mask the true plot of the story. Eventually when the situation gets very tense, the plot thickens. If you're looking for an anime to keep you engrossed in watching it as well as an anime that is both light hearted and serious at the same time, give Re:Zero a try!

Tomoko Kuroi is a hikikomori who spends all of her time at home playing dating sims. Due to this, she expects her high school life to proceed along successfully after the numerous experiences she has in the field of dating. She steps up to the challenge of being the most popular girl in high school. However, she soon realises that the real world is nothing like her beloved dating sims. The real world is still fraught with mysteries that she is unaware of. Join Kuroi as she tries to overcome her social anxiety with her ridiculous antics to become the most popular girl in school. WataMote highlights the same issues of society just like Yahari. While Yahari emphasizes on group dynamics and the general problem of society, WataMote emphasizes it on a personal level on how an individual face troubles blending in. Kuroi is a bona fide social outcast with an apparent lack of social skills. WataMote battles the sad truth of loneliness while Yahari is more on the side of isolation. Nevertheless, both series makes you question the constructs of society and the pressure it places on the introverts and outcasts. If you like to question about society just like in Yahari, definitely give WataMote a try. It's a tad bit different in terms of the concepts discussed but the overall message is similar.

Eita Kidou is a hard working student who loves nothing else but to study. His goal is to secure a scholarship in order to become a doctor in the future. As his parents abandoned him to pursue their love for each other, he is against the notion of love and even sees it as a distraction. That is until Eita suddenly receives a confession from Masuzu Natsukawa, a beautiful girl and the new transfer student. In reality, she finds love just as much as a hassle as him and only confessed to him such that others will stop asking her out every day. Cunning and manipulative, she even threatened to release Eita's personal journal should he betray her. The quiet days of Eita is soon over with these new developments. Both characters in both series share the same kind of monologue and thought inducing ideals. They are forced to join a school club and be part of something that they never ever wanted to be a part of in the first place. The deuteragonist also happens to be a sharp tongue and cunning girl (also tsundere) who often keeps the main character in check. Both series are centralized in high school as well with the plot gearing towards self-improvement during the teenage years. Both series are light hearted, has the familiar high school setting atmosphere and your occasional humorous situation like a typical rom-com anime.

Starting this list is the team captain’s sister, Akagi Haruko. If it weren’t for her, Sakuragi probably wouldn't have been interested in basketball. Though she has had an open crush on Rukawa since junior high school, she still encourages Sakuragi and is always there to acknowledge his achievements. In addition to getting Sakuragi interested in basketball, she does give him other advice. Prior to high school, she played on the girls’ team in junior high school so she has an understanding of the fundamentals that Sakuragi needs. One move that she teaches him is a layup (which Sakuragi calls a commoner’s shot), and it actually benefited him in later games. As the school year went on, Haruko participates as an assistant manager to the team giving more direct support as both a cheerleader and bringing her court experiences in offering some tips.

Next on this list is Ryonan High School’s team captain and center, Uozumi Jun. He shares a friendly rivalry with Shohoku’s center and captain, Akagi. They share numerous similar physical qualities not with just their height, but with their expressions to the point that Sakuragi gives him the nickname, Bosuzaru, or Boss Monkey. Just like Akagi, when he first started playing, he wasn’t that good to the point that he almost quit. Thanks to the encouragement of this coach, he re-dedicated himself to the game. Due to being the tallest center in Kanagawa prefecture, he is very excellent on defense and a master rebounder. Unfortunately, Uozumi has numerous mental weaknesses. He is easily provoked which causes him to foul and has been benched to keep him from being fouled out or has been fouled out altogether. And like other real life famous centers such as Shaq and Wilt Chamberlain, he has an awful free throw percentage. But just like in the game and in life, you have to take the good with the bad.

Mitsui was an ace player in his junior high days and was the MVP in the junior high league as a shooting guard who specializes in 3-point shots. He was so good he could beat Akagi, a much taller player at one-on-one. Even though he could have accepted basketball scholarships at other prestigious schools, such as Ryonan (even Ryonan’s coach tends to be repeatedly bitter about not getting the likes of Mitsui and Rukawa). It was a chance encounter with Coach Anzai that inspired him to play for Shohoku after inspiring him to get back into the final seconds of the championship game and win after nearly injuring himself. Because of this incident, Mitsui has the utmost respect for Coach Anzai and tends to get upset whenever Sakuragi plays with Anzai’s face or belly whenever he gets excited. After entering high school, an unfortunate injury in practice sidelined him and even after his recovery, he quits the team to become a gang member. But after reuniting with Anzai and remembering why he came to Shohoku, he shows shame for his actions and begs to come back onto the team. He goes as far as cutting his hair to show that he’s a new man. Despite being away from the court for over a year, he shows no signs of losing his edge at scoring from the 3-point line. The only negative affect his absence from the court and practice he shows is his lack of stamina, especially in the second half of the game. This goes as far as passing out on the court! Thankfully, his talents have given his team the need to catch up whenever they’re down more than 10 points.

From Ryonan High School, we have Sendou Akira, the team’s ace. Like Rukawa, he is a well-rounded offensive player. He can go mono-e-mono, and he knows how to coordinate his team members as if he were a point guard. With his excellent coordination, he is good at faking with his layups which led to his team’s victory in a practice game with Shohoku. Even though he has a very aggressive playing style that shows results, Sendou is a very nice guy but his work ethic is rather questionable since he tends to show up late just because he wants to chill. If you can’t beat him one-on-one, then you got to make it two-on-one which was the key to beating him and winning the official game in the prefecture finals.

From Shoyo High School, we have Fujima Kenji. In addition to his position as the team captain, due to his school not having any adult capable of properly coaching the team, Fujima also serves as their official coach on the bench. Due to his dual responsibilities, he rarely plays on the court so he can properly coach his players while they play. He only plays ball when he feels it is necessary. Thanks to his responsibilities as a coach, he is very mature and comes across as a paternal figure to his team. But beyond his mind and charisma, you put a ball in his hands, the man has skills you can only dream of despite being relatively smaller compared to the other players in the series. The only player capable of rivaling him man-to-man is Kainan High School’s, Maki.

Representing Kainan High School, one of the best teams in the nation, is the team captain and point guard, Maki Shinichi. Maki has excellent coordination not for his offense but is also capable of reading his opponent’s intentions and knows how to get them to foul in his favor. He has all-around skills on both offense and defense. His skills are crazy to the point that it took four Shohoku players to defend him. Not only is he amazing as just an individual player, he knows how to utilize his team to get the victory. Just like any other character, Sakuragi will always have a reason to comment on a character’s appearance and tends to tease Maki that he looks like an old man, which has gotten under his skin. However, Maki returns the favor by teasing that Akagi looks older than him, showing his sense of humor. He comes to acknowledge Shohoku and Ryonan as worthy opponents, but he sees Shoyo High School and their team captain and point guard, Fujima, as his true rival.

Yes, Sakuragi is the main character, but makes number 4 because even by the end of the anime, he still has yet to reach his full potential while he is still barely blossoming throughout the series, but we can't deny his universal appeal. Upon entering high school, a sweet girl named Haruko notices that he has great potential and encourages him to try basketball. Wanting to impress her, he decides to do so. However, he doesn't know the basic common sense of basketball, such as dribbling. In addition to Haruko acknowledging his capabilities, the team captain (who happens to be Haruko’s brother), Coach Anzai and Ayako (the team manager), take him under their wing and bring him up to speed. Some individuals like Sakuragi may naturally have the genetics to be an excellent athlete at any sport, but you can't play until you know the fundamentals and put into training. Though his initial failures frustrate him, as it would anyone, his motivation to be better than Rukawa and impress Haruko encourages him to put in the dedication, and he gradually shows improvement. As he progresses and contributes to the achievements for his team on the court, he begins to genuinely love the game for what it is and not for the sake of impressing girls. Thanks to his tutelage under Akagi, he begins to specialize in rebounds like other real life power forwards, such as Dennis Rodman and Charles Barkley. Another assisting asset is his amazing cardio, which has been of benefit in the later half of the games. While superior players that could beat Sakuragi would tire out, Sakuragi’s arguably God-given stamina would play a role in either getting his shot in or shutting down the other team. In addition to showing and having the same rebounding abilities of the previously mentioned power forwards, he also exhibits their infamous bad boy traits by playing aggressive and being called on technicals.

So who is the mastermind behind Shohoku? It would be Coach Anzai himself. Though his very rotund build would make you think otherwise, he is an excellent and inspiring coach. Prior to coaching high school (long before the events of the series), he was a university coach and was known to be a very strict disciplinarian. However, a fallout with a former student who quit his team to play in America, to fail there (then resulting in his suicide), made him change his ways. When it came time to teach Sakuragi how to shoot, he demonstrates that even in his advanced weight and age, he still has the skills to literally take Sakuragi to school and makes it look fun. Not only is he a great coach, he is an excellent motivator. He demonstrates this quality in a flashback of Mitsui’s when he first met him in a game back when he was in junior high. When Mitsui made an unfortunate fumble, Anzai approaches him and tells him that if he gives up, then that’s the end of the game. This inspires Mitsui to get back and win the game. The meeting with Anzai then inspired Mitsui to join Shohoku. In addition to this pep talk, this phrase became the subject of a book showing how impacting this series is in Japan. Thanks to Anzai, people can learn that whenever you give up on anything in life, that it truly signals the end. So, don’t give up!

Second, on this list, we have Shohoku center and team captain, Akagi Takenori, or nicknamed Gori by Sakuragi. In conjunction with his position, he is the tallest member of the team. He has been playing basketball since childhood and is passionate about the game. Like Sakuragi, even though he possesses the appropriate build of a basketball player, his skills were not up to par and was easily getting outplayed by Mitsui during his freshman year. In his three years in high school, Akagi works hard to improve his skills. Not only does he become the team captain, but one of the top three centers in Kanagawa prefecture. Unfortunately, his work ethics don’t rub onto other interested members and many fail his training regimen. Unlike his teammates, who are academic underachievers, Akagi is one of the top students in school. Putting his serious manner aside, he recognizes Sakuragi’s potential and puts up with his antics to teach him some of the defense fundamentals he needs to know as a power forward, such as blocking and rebounding. Akagi has an imposing presence, which makes him a great defense player on the inside and has a monster dunk when on the offense.

At number 1, we have Sakuragi’s teammate and rival, Rukawa Kaede, one of the prototypical genius rivals you see in countless Shounen titles. Like Sakuragi, he also has the DNA to be the amazing player that he is but already has the skills. Prior to entering high school, he was already a seasoned player being the top ace at his junior high school. Thanks to his experience, he makes easy work of Sakuragi in one-on-one. Even though he is an amazing player on the court and can be a ball hog, in all other aspects of his life he is relatively lazy. He is always sleeping, even while riding his bike to school! He actually turned down a scholarship to play at Ryonan simply because it was too far and chose Shohoku because it was the closest school to his home. He personally can't stand Sakuragi but deep down inside, he knows that he has the potential to be a great player. Even though their relationship tends to be tense for the majority of the series, when the time calls for it, they are an unstoppable combination, such as when they double-teamed Sendou of Ryonan. Like Chicago Bulls legend Scottie Pippen, Rukawa plays the position of small forward and along with his real life counterpart, they both run like a point guard, attack the board like a power forward, and swish the net like a shooting guard. With Rukawa’s offensive abilities and Sakuragi’s defense and rebounding skills, if they can put their differences aside permanently, they could win the national championship.

In Junjou Romantica, Misaki finds himself in a bind when his college exam tutor ends up being Akihiko Usami, a very cool and attractive man who is a popular novelist and his brother's best friend. The problem is that Usami is famous for writing novels on young boys in love, and that doesn't seem to sit too well with Misaki, especially since one of the names is of his older brother. After some odd romantic encounters however, Misaki is now confused about his own feelings since he now finds himself developing feelings for Usami, and from here the laughter begins in this yaoi romance comedy. What makes Junjou Romantica such an amusing piece of work is that it taps into the realm of our sexual desires, but does so in a light hearted way, introducing random characters who create a fantastic chemistry to keep you engaged. The other two stories Junjou Egoist, and Junjou Terrorist are all equally funny since each story is interconnected, adding a greater sense of depth pertaining to the random love relationships that each main character encounters in their own respective story. You'll find yourself laughing at just how naive these characters are, and come to enjoy them for their really quirky and man-child personalities.

Love stories always have their twists and turns, which is what adds such a wonderful flavor to the overall connection between the characters. Sakura is madly in love with Nozaki-kun but struggles to find the courage to confess how she feels. Nozaki-kun, who assumes that she's just another fan, brushes her off gently without much thought. To Sakura's surprise however, Nozaki-kun then invites her over to his house and is now put in a position that she never imagined she'd be in, and from here all of the hilarity begins as we see a woman battling with her inner emotions in this crazy romance comedy. We all can relate to Sakura in many ways since it can be difficult at times to express how you truly feel to someone. Emotions can always be a tricky one to handle, and we can see just how uncomfortable and on edge Sakura gets when she's around Nozaki. Her random attempts to grab his attention, while stuttering over every word makes you chuckle as you can understand her efforts to being honest, but tripping over herself every time she tries. It's a world of back and forth in this emotional roller coaster ride of events, but is such a thrill ride because Nozaki is just so naive, while Sakura throws constant messages at him but just can't get him to receive them all.

In Nisekoi, Raku comes to find out that he's now the heir to a powerful yakuza organization, but would rather just live out his life as a regular high school student, enjoying the peace and quiet atmosphere of his youth. Things start to heat up however when he encounters a young woman named Chitoge Kirisaki, who not only is a violent individual but her looks are strikingly beautiful. His life now takes a turn for the worse as he now must deal with not only his school and personal life, but this super hot transfer student who has entered his life. Throughout the story you come to discover that Raku isn't in dire straights due to Chitoge's looks, but that she's actually the daughter of a rival gang boss. This creates a lot of tension but that is exactly what makes this manga so funny to read. Every time Raku tries to express himself, it always leads to some awkward situation because any wrong move and he knows his life may be in danger. He's split between whether to fall in love with Chitoge or fall into a coffin if he mistreats her, so it's a constant back and forth between the two as they try to be more open with each other. As you'll see throughout the chapters, things get so much more exciting but we'll leave it up to you to find out why.

Hirunaka no Ryuusei follows the life of Suzume Yasuno, a young country girl who must now embark on a new journey to Tokyo, as her father must transfer to the bustling city. She decides to stay with her uncle but along the way, she gets lost and bumps into a mysterious young man. This young man seems to know her uncle and so he leads her towards the location, but little does she know that this very same man will end up being more than just a guide whenever she's lost, as she soon discovers that he's her homeroom teacher. From here the adventure begins for Yasuno on her discovery of love, school life, and more in this fantastic romcom! Hirunaka no Ryuusei is quite popular among many because its story is full of climatic events that somehow come crashing down at random times, leaving you cracking up over their mistakes. Much like our previous entries, each story in the manga is a thrill ride, always throwing you in different directions in hopes that someone finally falls in love and actually stays in love. Each story teaches us the importance of never giving up, and that when the pieces fall apart try to put them back together to fall in love again. Author Yamanori expresses the truth of love in that, all relationships come with heartache and when that occurs, we must learn to move forward and grow. All of this is tied in with a lot of laughs as we see young and confused kids who are merely trying to discover themselves in this world we call life.

Shizuku is one of those students who takes great pride in their school grades, but when she makes the crucial mistake of sending her lesson notes to classmate Haru, he comes to assume that they're friends. Soon after the two begin to slowly know each other and realize that neither are in the same realm. Haru is a troublemaker who only wants to have fun, while Shizuku only cares about herself and is cold hearted at times. Somehow Haru finds the courage inside to confess his feelings to Shizuku and from there the tale of love and hate begins! There's much to laugh about in this series because you have two completely different personalities coming together to create one explosive package of fun. They say opposites attract and it's promoted quite frequently throughout the series, as the two are always clashing but then make it up with cute flirtatious behavior. Feelings are always fleeting and so the two are always attempting to seek truth in their everyday endeavors, with a constant back and forth of childish banter along with playful gestures to keep the reader entertained at all times. Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun is sure to amuse you with an array of lovable characters, but also make you reminisce over your past love experiences too.

Nishitaka is constantly teased by his classmate Takagi and he vows that one day he'll get her back for tormenting him. He attempts to tease her at every opportunity but her wits are no match for him, finding himself at the bottom of the barrel yet again. It now becomes Nishitaka's purpose to turn the tables and ensure that he can embarrass Takagi-san before she can manage to retaliate in this hilarious slice of life romcom. We've all been there before, where there's just someone in our class who finds pleasure in teasing people and you're just that one lucky contestant they've chosen. The two of you eventually argue and bicker, trying to come up with ways to outwit the other, while coming to realize just how much you truly like this person. This innocent love story is weird, funny, and uplifting as it shows us just how important it is to just let go of ourselves and to just laugh at life. The best relationships are the ones where there are no holds barred, both individuals can just be free like the children we truly are, and express ourselves openly without feeling possessed by the other.

It's always nice to be admired and loved by others, and for Yanagi this life is just another day in the office. He's smart, wealthy, and is very well kept when it comes to his appearance. Kujou however just doesn't seem to be impressed by all of this as she's quite the opposite in character, and yet somehow breezes by Yanagi in academics and sports. This doesn't sit quite well with Yanagi as he vows to change his luck around by constantly battling Kujou wherever she goes. Every school she enrolls in, so too does Yanagi, as he now tries to come up with clever ways to out play her in the romantic comedy of Last Game. Competition is everywhere and despite it not being very fun at times, the relationship between Kujou and Yanagi is very fun to pay attention to. The two have their own straightforward personalities and it's never a dull moment when Yanagi desperately tries to steal her spotlight, but fails miserably in his attempts. Their back and forth reminds us of Bugs Bunny and Coyote, as each time the Coyote thinks his plans have finally worked, they surprisingly backfire on him resulting in huge blunders and Bugs getting away laughing.

We all have that side of us that nobody should know about, and for Hori that very same feeling holds true to her. As fate would have it however, every secret will eventually be revealed as Hori builds an unexpected friendship turned relationship with her classmate Miyamura, in this romantic comedy about two individuals who learn to open up and uncover the truths within. Horimiya is a popular series for good reason, and it's because of the incredible chemistry that we see between Hori and Miyamura. At first we're sort of confused by everything that's unfolding in the story, but are then invited into a world of secrecy that then turns into a world of openness that creates such a beautiful charm. It's laughable because we all seem to think that we can keep a secret sealed in the inner depths of our hearts. However when you run into someone who you just can't seem to take your eyes off of, you find yourself opening up without much thought and somehow by the wheels of destiny, the two of you click instantly. That's what you'll experience in this wonderful manga, as we witness two young souls embrace one another and come to realize their differences while embracing their similarities.

Otomen looks at the life of the handsome yet outspoken Asuka, who has a strong love for shoujo manga, baking, and sewing. His mother on the other hand isn't too fond of his decision making, claiming that it's too feminine and that he should become more of a man. So he decides to take up Kendo and Karate and grows to become the masculine image that his mother envisioned. However Asuka can't seem to shake off the past, and his old personality starts to reveal itself over time. Now he must fight the urge to reveal his true self, while discovering new love in his life. There's nothing wrong with a grown man tapping into his more feminine side, because let's be real here, we all were conceived by a woman! Perhaps for Asuka he took it a bit too far, but in the end it truly helps him as he finds someone who he cares about. Ryo is someone who is the complete opposite of Asuka, as she doesn't find interest in the girly things, but the two really start to click because they help guide one another along the way. Their pairing is funny because it's not what you'd think, considering how Asuka is the one who prepares meals, while Ryo would rather sit back and watch action flicks to pass the time. This is what brings the charm to the series, simply because it's not what you'd expect but in truth it's everything you'd find enjoyable and exciting.

The name of the manga doesn't sound anything like a romcom, but you'll be surprised by how much you'll discover in our number one pick. Black Bird is a very popular series which made its debut in 2006 with very positive reception, and stars Misao Harada as the main lead. Harada is one of the very few who can see the interconnectivity between mythical and magical worlds but would rather live a normal high school life, and fall in love with someone. The problem however is that she is constantly being chased by demons, who want to marry her and desperately try to hold her back while she eagerly tries to move forward. The relationship that Harada has is just all over the place, as she vows to change her life for the better by leaving the demon realm and being human, but her reality just can't let her go. She grows jealous of all of her classmates who all have relationships but then by fate is thrown into a situation where she's saved by another demon named Kyo, who she initially had feelings for when she was younger. Kyo however is now her homeroom teacher and so now she's in a tight bind as to whether she expresses her true feelings, or ends up being devoured by demons. Doesn't too funny at first, but once you start to see how air headed Harada is in her approach to conveying her feelings, you'll laugh at her attempts and slip ups along the way.