Top 20 Romance manga you should read right now. [2026 List]

20. Yaoshenji

In his past life, although too weak to protect his home when it counted, out of grave determination Nie Li became the strongest Demon Spiritist and stood at the pinnacle of the martial world. However, he lost his life during the battle with the Sage Emperor and six deity-ranked beasts.

His soul was then brought back to when he was still 13 years old. Although he's the weakest in his class with the lowest talent, having only a red soul realm and a weak one at that, with the aid of the vast knowledge which he accumulated from his previous life, he decided to train faster than anyone could expect. He also decided to help those who died nobly in his previous life to train faster as well.

He aims to protect the city from the coming future of being devastated by demon beasts and the previous fate of ending up destroyed. He aims to protect his lover, friends, family and fellow citizens who died in the beast assault or its aftermath. And he aims to destroy the so-called Sacred family who arrogantly abandoned their duty and betrayed the city in his past life.

Tales of Demons and Gods is currently publishing and has Chapters. It is also Known as: Yaoshenji

19. Dandadan

Ghosts, monsters, aliens, teen romance, battles...and the kitchen sink! This series has it all! Takakura, an occult maniac who doesn't believe in ghosts, and Ayase, a girl who doesn't believe in aliens, try to overcome their differences when they encounter the paranormal! This manga is out of this world!

Dandadan is currently publishing and has Chapters. It is also Known as: ダンダダン, Dan Da Dan, DAN DA DAN

18. Kininatteru Hito ga Otoko ja Nakatta

Kininatteru Hito ga Otoko ja Nakatta depicts the love story between a high school girl and her classmate who she mistakes as a guy outside of school. They eventually bond over their shared taste in rock music.



Note: Kininatteru Hito ga Otoko ja Nakatta began as a web comic released on the author's Twitter account since April 10, 2022, and published in print by Kadokawa since April 19, 2023.

The Guy She Was Interested in Wasn't a Guy At All is currently publishing and has Chapters. It is also Known as: 気になってる人が男じゃなかった, The Person She Fell For Wasn't A Boy, Ki ni Natteru Hito ga Otoko Janakatta, Kinninaru Hito ga Otoko Jyanakatta, Green Yuri

17. Kaoru Hana wa Rin to Saku

This story takes place in a particular town with two infamous schools in constant dispute: Chidori High, a boys' school predominantly attended by low-class students with damning grades, and its neighbor Kikyo Girls' High, with most of its female students coming from wealthy and prestigious families. One day, high school second-year Rintaro Tsumugi, a fierce-looking but gentle-minded student at Chidori, is helping at his family's patisserie when he encounters a female customer by the name of Kaoruko Waguri. Rintaro enjoys his time with Kaoruko, as she doesn't judge him for his appearance, but this blissful peace is quickly disturbed when Rintaro makes the discovery that Kaoruko is actually a student at Kikyo. This revelation marks the beginning of the two's strenuous tale, as they fight against the limitations placed upon them by their schools and surroundings in an attempt to find their own path!

The Fragrant Flower Blooms With Dignity is currently publishing and has Chapters. It is also Known as: 薫る花は凛と咲く, Kaoru Hana wa Rin to Saku

16. Ao no Hako

Taiki Inomata is on the boys' badminton team at sports powerhouse Eimei Junior and Senior High. He's in love with basketball player Chinatsu Kano, the older girl he trains alongside every morning in the gym. One Spring day, their relationship takes a sharp turn ... And thus begins this brand-new series of love, sports and youth!

Blue Box has finished publishing and it has 250 Chapters. It is also Known as: アオのハコ, Ao no Hako

15. Horimiya

At school, Kyouko Hori is known for being smart, attractive, and popular. On the other hand, her classmate, the boring, gloomy Izumi Miyamura tends to get painted as a "loser fanboy." But when a liberally pierced and tattooed (not to mention downright gorgeous) Miyamura appears unexpectedly on the doorstep of secretly plain-Jane homebody Hori, these two similarly dissimilar teenagers discover that there are multiple sides to every story...and person!



Notes:
-Includes 20 extra chapters.
-The 17th volume got released on July 18, 2023. This was 2 years after its original ending. This new volume included 10 extra chapters.

Note: Chapter count includes 20 extra chapters.

Horimiya has finished publishing and it has 152 Chapters. It is also Known as: ホリミヤ, Horimiya

14. Koe no Katachi

Shoya is a bully. When Shoko, a girl who can't hear, enters his elementary school class, she becomes their favorite target, and Shoya and his friends goad each other into devising new tortures for her. But the children's cruelty goes too far. Shoko is forced to leave the school, and Shoya ends up shouldering all the blame. Six years later, the two meet again. Can Shoya make up for his past mistakes, or is it too late?

A Silent Voice has finished publishing and it has 64 Chapters. It is also Known as: 聲の形, The Shape of Voice

13. Bu Dang Tiangou Hou, Wo Cheng Le Yiwan Shen Hao

Lin Xinben was just your ordinary simp. After getting dumped, he received the Shenhao System, which gave him billions to spend right away! But the painful part is that he must spend that money on girls! Oh well, in order to put the money use, Lin Xin will embark on a strange journey of revenge, by becoming a godly playboy!

From Simp to Billionaire: The Rise of a Divine Tycoon is currently publishing and has Chapters. It is also Known as: After Improperly Licking a Dog, I Became a Billionaire

12. My Bias Gets on the Last Train

"Meeting her on the last train again today, if only I could talk to her!"

College student Lee Yeowoon works late and takes the last train every night. Each time, he runs into Shin Haein, a woman carrying a guitar. As if by chance, as if by fate, the two keep meeting and discover that their favorite artist is the indie musician "Long Afternoon." They gradually grow closer, and so the story begins.

My Bias Gets on the Last Train is currently publishing and has Chapters. It is also Known as: My Bias Gets on the Last Train

11. Oosaki-san to Komori-san

A pure love story between two people with a 50cm height difference and mismatched appearances and personalities.

The new part-timer is... a child!?!?

Osaki-san is tall and has a poker face, making her seem intimidating at first glance, but she's actually shy and kind. The new employee who comes to Osaki-san's workplace is Komori-san, who is only 147cm tall and very friendly.

These two, who are complete opposites in appearance and personality, find themselves drawn to each other...!? Osaki-san is clumsy and a crybaby, yet a go-getter, and Komori-san is oblivious, laid-back, and a gentle, introverted type. What will become of the love between these two, who are complete opposites and have a 50cm height difference...? This is the first installment of a hilarious and heartwarming survival-of-the-fittest (?) romantic comedy about these two quirky girls.



Note: Originally self-published on the author's Twitter, it was later acquired by Kadokawa who released the first volume on May 11, 2026.

Oosaki-san to Komori-san is currently publishing and has Chapters. It is also Known as: 大崎さんと小森さん, Oosaki-san to Komori-san

10. Boku no Kokoro no Yabai Yatsu

Ichikawa Kyoutarou, a boy barely clinging to the bottom rung of his school’s social ladder, secretly believes he’s the tortured lead in some psychological thriller. He spends his days dreaming up ways to disrupt his classmates’ peaceful lives and pining after Anna Yamada, the class idol. But Kyotaro’s not nearly the troubled teen he pretends to be…and it turns out Anna’s a bit odd herself!



Notes:
- Winner of the Tsugi ni Kuru Web Manga 2020 Award.
- Nominee for the 2020 Manga Taisho Award.

The Dangers in My Heart is currently publishing and has Chapters. It is also Known as: 僕の心のヤバイやつ, The Bad Part of My Heart, BokuYaba, 我心里危险的东西, 내 마음의 위험한 놈

9. My New Girlfriend Is Not Human?

My New Girlfriend Is Not Human? is currently publishing and has Chapters. It is also Known as: Meine neue Freundin ist kein Mensch?, ¿Mi nueva novia no es humana?, Ma Nouvelle Copine N'est Pas Humaine ?, Pacar Baruku Bukan Manusia?, Moja nowa dziewczyna nie jest człowiekiem?, Minha nova namorada não é humana?, Yeni kız arkadaşım insan değil mi?, Моя нова дівчина — не людина?

8. Kaette kudasai! Akutsu-san

Timid Ooyama keeps to himself at school, and he certainly never gets involved with Akutsu Riko, a delinquent as buxom as she is notorious. But when she turns up at his apartment out of the blue, what’s he supposed to do, kick her out? She’s gorgeous! And scary! But things get complicated when Akutsu asks to stay the night, then starts turning up over and over again after school–reading Ooyama’s manga, sprawling out on his bed, and digging up his smut stash. Why exactly is she claiming his life as her hangout?! She makes it clear there’s no way she could possibly like him, but the teasing threatens to boil over into something more in this sexy yet adorable slice-of-life rom-com!

Please Go Home, Akutsu-san! is currently publishing and has Chapters. It is also Known as: 帰ってください！ 阿久津さん, 求妳快走吧，阿久津！, Please Go Home, Akutsu-san!, Yankee Musume, ヤンキー娘

7. Tomo-chan wa Onnanoko!

Boyish high school girl Aizawa Tomo finally manages to tell her childhood friend Jun that she’s got a crush on him. Unfortunately, her confession goes right over his head—he didn’t even realize she was a girl until junior high, and even now, Jun still thinks of her as a bro! How can Tomo-chan possibly convince him otherwise and win Jun’s heart?



Notes:
- Originally published daily on Twi4. The volume release compiled the series into 51 chapters.
- Includes 8 sets of bonus pages, where each set is considered a chapter; each volume contains a set.

Tomo-chan is a Girl! has finished publishing and it has 961 Chapters. It is also Known as: トモちゃんは女の子!, Tomo-chan ha Onna no Ko!, Tomo-chan wa Onna no Ko!, 智酱是女生！

6. Super no Ura de Yani Suu Futari

At age forty-five, office worker Sasaki has had enough of the corporate grind. His only solace is smoking-and the friendly smile of supermarket cashier Yamada. When Sasaki can't find Yamada after a particularly trying day, a striking woman invites him to smoke with her. The despondent man thinks he's made a new smoking buddy in the cool, teasing Tayama, but Sasaki doesn't realize he already knows her!



Note: On June 23, 2022 it was announced that the manga got licensed by Square Enix. It started being published in the magazine Big Gangan on August 25, 2022.
Winner of the Next Manga Award 2022 in the Web Manga Category.

Smoking Behind the Supermarket With You is currently publishing and has Chapters. It is also Known as: スーパーの裏でヤニ吸うふたり, A Story About Smoking at the Back of the Supermarket, スーパーの裏でヤニ吸う話, Super no Ura de Yani Suu Hanashi, Behind the Supermarket, Smoking with You.

5. Cool na Doukyuusei no ◯◯ Nengo…

The Cool Classmate ◯◯ Years Later... is currently publishing and has Chapters. It is also Known as: クールな同級生の◯◯年後..., The Cool Classmate XX Years Later..., Cool na Doukyuusei no Nengo…, クールな同級生の年後...

4. Himaten!

High school home ec expert Tenichi earns extra money with a part-time job cleaning houses. But one day, Himari, the owner and model of the popular cosmetics brand Hima Riz, transfers into his class. Say hello to some company president girl x house-cleaner boy romantic comedy hijinks!

Hima-Ten! has finished publishing and it has 96 Chapters. It is also Known as: ひまてん!, Himaten!

3. Kaguya-sama wa Kokurasetai: Tensai-tachi no Renai Zunousen

As leaders of their prestigious academy’s student council, Kaguya and Miyuki are the elite of the elite! But it’s lonely at the top… Luckily for them, they’ve fallen in love! There’s just one problem—they both have too much pride to admit it. And so begins the daily scheming to get the object of their affection to confess their romantic feelings first… Love is a war you win by losing.



Notes:
- The first 10 chapters were published in Monthly Miracle Jump. It switched to Weekly Young Jump starting with Ch. 11, with the chapter count being reset. This entry still includes the first 10 chapters from Miracle Jump.
- Winner of the 65th Shogakukan Manga Award for "Best General Manga" category in 2019.

Kaguya-sama: Love is War has finished publishing and it has 281 Chapters. It is also Known as: かぐや様は告らせたい～天才たちの恋愛頭脳戦～, Kaguya Wants to be Confessed To: The Geniuses' War of Love and Brains

2. Tsuihousareru Tabi ni Skill wo Te ni Ireta Ore ga, 100 no Isekai de 2-shuume Musou

Ed was given the crazy test of having to get expelled from 100 Hero parties in 100 different worlds before he could return to his original world. Finally a mysterious and divine entity said that he had achieved all the conditions to return to his original world.

However, as a final condition he is asked “Look at the fate of one of these exile worlds after you left.” and he is shocked by what he sees.

“Okay, I’ll do it! I’ll go down to these 100 worlds again and be banished with a good feeling!” Ed takes on a new challenge to make full use of the super-powerful “Exiled Skills” that were granted each time he was exiled, and this time ensure they all have happy endings.

Only this time he is accompanied to these 100 worlds by a former companion…

I Got a New Skill Every Time I Was Exiled, and After 100 Different Worlds, I Was Unmatched is currently publishing and has Chapters. It is also Known as: 追放されるたびにスキルを手に入れた俺が、100の異世界で2周目無双, Unmatched in 100 Different Worlds — I Gain a New Skill Every Time I Get Banished

1. Cheonhajeil Daesahyeong

A senior disciple from a countryside martial academy returns as the world’s best! Dragged into a brutal political war, senior disciple ‘Hyeok Musang’ didn’t return after the bloody war ended. No one knew whether he was still alive for 5 years.

Upon barely returning to his hometown, he found his Dragon Tiger Martial Academy being persecuted and destroyed by a third-rate gang.

He thought he could live peacefully with his fellow members after winning the war but seeing the miserable state of his master and fellow disciples, he was filled with anger and guilt.

With the return of the senior disciple, everyone thought things would get better but only for a moment. Things were still happening in his hometown of Yangzhou County. Was the war really over? The head disciple raises his sword against the dangers threatening his Dragon Tiger Martial Academy.

Cheonhajeil Daesahyeong is currently publishing and has Chapters. It is also Known as: Unparalleled Senior Brother, 天下無双大師兄, 天下第一大师兄, 天下第一大師兄, World’s Greatest Senior Disciple