The Best Shojo Anime Of All Time (June 2024)

While Western anime fans may recognize far more iconic shonen shows, shojo series are still immensely popular all over the world. Shojo anime tend to target younger female audiences but can have amazing stories for anyone of any age or gender to enjoy.

Even though some of the best shojo anime are stereotypical romantic stories, many break the mold by exploring deeper emotional stories and unique themes. Similar to shonen, this demographic is a lot more diverse than might initially appear to be the case, and the best series cover a spectrum of genres, tones, character archetypes, and even settings. Rare as they can be in this day and age, shojo anime will (hopefully) always have a place in the industry.

Updated June 16, 2024 by Mark Sammut: Spring 2024 is almost at a close and will not be remembered for its shojo anime. Still, the season does not completely ignore the demographic.

An anime must be based on a manga published by a shojo magazine to be considered.

Best Spring 2024 Shojo Anime

Nearing its end, the Spring 2024 anime season has been all-around solid. Most of the highly-anticipated sequels have lived up to expectations, while the “big” new names like Wind Breaker have been worthy additions to the anime industry. Depending on what somebody is craving, they should be able to find a show that fits their interest. Want an action-packed fantasy epic? Demon Slayer, Kaiju No. 8, and I Was Reincarnated as the 7th Prince so I Can Take My Time Perfecting My Magical Ability are easy recommendations. Craving a relaxing slice of life or slow life story? Then, check out Grandpa and Grandma Turn Young Again, Laid-Back Camp Season 3, or Welcome Home. Feel like a good laugh? KonoSuba, Mission: Yozakura Family, and A Salad Bowl of Eccentrics are all pretty funny.

As diverse as its selection is, Spring 2024 has very few shojo anime; in fact, only two airing anime are adaptations of demographic-appropriate manga. One of them is Vampire Dormitory, which is among the season’s weaker offerings. The story follows a girl who gets into a contract with a vampire, although the latter thinks she is a guy. While by no means awful, Vampire Dormitory is mostly just forgettable.

Now, to be fair, Spring 2024 has a couple of shows that might hit the mark with shojo fans, even if they are technically not part of the demographic. Before getting to the best shoujo anime of the season, let’s go through a few recommendations to help fill in the weekly watch schedule:

• Girls Band Cry – One of a few girls’ band shows airing this season, this original anime has fallen through the cracks due to not airing on a Western streaming service. That is unfortunate, as Toei has put together an emotional tale about friendship and dreams.
• Jellyfish Can’t Swim in the Night – A fantastic original anime with a bizarre name, this series follows four girls as they form an online group that highlights each of their passions and creativity. With very likable characters and a realistic tone, Jellyfish Can’t Swim in the Night is shaping up to be among Spring 2024’s best anime.
• Whisper Me a Love Song – A yuri romance about a first-year student trying to understand if her “love” for her senpai is romantic. This anime is slow but charming.
• Laid-Back Camp Season 3 – Yuru Camp is for every demographic.
• Sound! Euphonium 3 – With mature storytelling, a primarily female cast, and stellar animation, this sequel deserves more attention.
• The Many Sides of Voice Actor Radio – An engaging look into voice acting through the lense of two girls who are slowly becoming friends as they work on a podcast together.

A Condition Called Love

Except for Vampire Dormitory, which is unfortunately not great, A Condition Called Love is the “big” shojo anime of Spring 2024. Based on a relatively popular manga, the adaptation has gotten a fair amount of attention, although it has arguably been overshadowed by a few of the season’s other romance stories. Spice and Wolf: Merchant Meets the Wise Wolf was always going to hog the limelight, and an argument could be made that An Archdemon’s Dilemma: How to Love Your Elf Bride and Grandpa and Grandma Turn Young Again have also eclipsed A Condition Called Love, at least when it comes to (fairly) wholesome romances.

So, is A Condition Called Love worth watching? Well, it is complicated. On the surface, the anime tells a conventional love story about a guy, Saki, who falls deeply in love with Hotaru, a girl who is not experienced with romance. They try “dating” as a test run, before eventually taking the next step. This all sounds innocent and cute on paper, but Saki’s actions can be off-putting. Due to a fear of abandonment, he is rather aggressive in his pursuit of Hotaru, including love bombing and invading her place of work. Saki also tends to treat everyone else poorly, especially guys who happen to be friends with Hotaru. These moments define their relationship, and they can make things uncomfortable.

Now, A Condition Called Love does not romanticize Saki’s action or present it as a positive, which is something that cannot be said for every romance anime that centers around a less-than-healthy relationship. However, the show waits quite a while to challenge this behavior; furthermore, the current season will likely end before adapting the manga chapters that really start to improve Saki and Hotaru’s romance. Consequently, the anime is difficult to recommend in its current state.

Now, on to the best shojo anime ever…

17 Sugar Apple Fairy Tale

MyAnimeList: 7.44 (Season 1)

Except for a select few, seasonal shojo anime are almost always overshadowed by shonen or seinen properties, a fate that befell Sugar Apple Fairy Tale twice in the span of a year. Part 1 aired in the same period as Vinland Saga Season 2, Tomo-chan is a Girl, and The Angel Next Door Spoils Me Rotten; meanwhile, Part 2 existed alongside Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2, Bleach, Bungo Stray Dogs 5, Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation, and Zom 100. Compared to those shows, Sugar Apple Fairy Tale is fairly unknown, which is a shame as the series is good enough to share the spotlight with at least a few of those names.

The anime takes place in a fantasy world where humans live alongside fairies, although they are not exactly on good terms. Fairies are generally treated like property by most humans, a dynamic that Ann – a young girl who hopes to follow in her mother’s footsteps and become a Silver Sugar Master – has no intention of replicating when she buys Challe, a warrior fairy. Season 2 continued to strengthen the pair’s friendship, all the while revealing new layers to this universe’s thought-provoking social structure. Ann is a great lead, and she is supported by almost exclusively memorable characters.

16 My Happy Marriage

MyAnimeList: 7.82

Akumi Agitogi’s My Happy Marriage has found success in a variety of forms since debuting as a light novel, and the anime adaptation is shaping up to be another triumph. Beautifully animated by Kinema Citrus, the Netflix-exclusive series is almost great enough to warrant a one-month subscription on its own, although people on the fence should probably wait until the full season is on the streaming service. Set during the Meiji Restoration era, the story revolves around an arranged marriage between Miyo Saimori and Kiyoka Kudou, two people who both have their baggage. Since the death of her mother, Miyo has lived in fear and isolation, a state-enforced by her uninterested father, domineering stepmother, and cruel half-sister. Forced to internalize the belief that she is worthless, the young woman’s mental scars are obvious.

Miyo is presented by her parents as a potential bride for Kiyoka, a military figure who has a reputation for scaring away his finances. Rejection would spell the end of the line for the protagonist, and while everyone expects that outcome, reality opts to take a different road. Miyo and Kiyoka slowly but surely hit it off, with the latter falling for the former. Heartwarming and tender, their relationship has blossomed into a beautiful love story that feels timeless. My Happy Marriage also has a supernatural element that further ties the leads together.

15 Maid Sama!

MyAnimeList: 8.01

Although fairly dated in places, this minor classic is still a big name in the shojo scene, and its strengths are timeless enough to mask some of its weaknesses. As her school’s student council president, Misaki runs a strict regime, particularly with guys. While most boys try to stay as far away from her as possible, Takumi Usui does the exact opposite, and he starts to visit the maid café that employs Misaki as frequently as possible.

Maid Sama! knocks its humor out of the park, and both Misaki and Takumi are big personalities who complement each other beautifully. Most of the time, the student council president comes across as a force of nature who is constantly pushing past her limits to help her family; on the other hand, Takumi is effortlessly cool.

14 Kimi Ni Todoke: From Me To You

MyAnimeList: 8 (Season 1)

Kimi ni Todoke: From Me to You is a romance anime about the friendship between an ostracized girl and her popular schoolmate. Sawako shares a striking similarity to The Ring‘s Sadako, something that her classmates notice and underline. As she is generally shy, the girl struggles to make friends and escape the unfair stigma placed upon her. However, things begin to change when Sawako attracts the attention of the charming Shouta.

Kimi ni Todoke has awesome characters and a good blend of drama and comedy. While the central romance moves a bit too slowly, Sawako and Shouta are still adorable together.

13 Yona Of The Dawn

MyAnimeList: 8.03

Mizuho Kusanagi’s Yona of the Dawn has been running since 2009, and it is firmly established as one of the best shojo manga on the market. Pierrot’s anime adaptation does not warrant the same level of praise, but that has largely to do with the fact the series only covers a small portion of the source material. When analyzed solely on the quality of the adapted content, Yona of the Dawn is pretty great.

Set in a small nation caught between more powerful countries, Yona is the sheltered princess of the realm’s king. A shocking coup leaves the girl on the run, with her only companion being Hak, her bodyguard. At this point, the princess sets out to find four mythical warriors who will help her reclaim the throne and unite the kingdom. Yona is forced to mature quickly as she begins her transformation from pampered royalty to a capable warrior.

12 Skip Beat!

MyAnimeList: 8.08

After doing everything to support her boyfriend’s goal to become famous, Kyouko Mogami is crushed when Shou reveals that he has been simply using her. Rather than wallowing in self-pity, the protagonist embarks on a quest for revenge that involves taking the entertainment business by storm, an endeavor that introduces Kyouko to the handsome but stock Ren.

Skip Beat! has one of the best protagonists in shoujo anime. Energetic, likable, and hilarious, Kyouko is a force of nature who dominates every scene. She is also accompanied by two great male leads courtesy of Shou and Ren.

11 Sailor Moon

MyAnimeList: 7.73 (Season 1)

“Fighting evil by moonlight, winning love by daylight, never running from a real fight, she is the one named Sailor Moon!”

With one of the catchiest theme songs of all time, no fan of anime that grew up in the 90s hasn’t seen or at least heard of Sailor Moon. The adventures of the Sailor Scouts are iconic, so whether fans watched the original or the recent retelling of the story in Sailor Moon Crystal, they will surely remember this legendary adventure. Although there are superior Magical Girl anime out there, Sailor Moon is undoubtedly the most popular and (arguably) influential, and while some aspects of the original series have not aged well, the show is still overall charming.

10 Cardcaptor Sakura

MyAnimeList: 8.16 (Original Series)

The original Cardcaptor Sakura came out all the way back in 1998 and has proven its staying power with its sequel, 2018’s Clear Card. Sakura’s adventures to recapture the mystical Clow Cards are light-hearted and fun while featuring a rivals-to-lovers romance that isn’t the usual cheesy affair found in other shojo anime.

The show generally bucks magical girl tropes (there aren’t even transformation sequences) and offers something unique to fans of the genre. And, the series has stood the test of time well, provided viewers are not put off by romances between young characters. Still, the comedy, drama, and even action are all top-notch.

9 A Sign Of Affection

MyAnimeList: 8.27

In most seasons, A Sign of Affection would be hands down the best romance anime; unfortunately, it aired alongside the second season of The Dangers in My Heart, an all-time great addition to the genre. However, that should not take anything away from Ajia-do’s anime, which was also fantastic.

A hearing-impaired college student, Yuki has led a sheltered life so far. One day, she has a meet-cute with Itsuomi, a guy who loves nothing more than to visit other countries and learn languages. As they feel an almost instant spark, they both take steps to get to know each other better. This chance encounter starts a wholesome romance about two people desperate to expand their worlds to make room for each other.

A Sign of Affection features a refreshingly older cast than most romance anime, and they generally act their age. While not completely devoid of tension, the story is generally cute and uplifting, largely thanks to Itsuomi and Yuki’s irresistible chemistry.

8 Kamisama Kiss

MyAnimeList: 8.10 (Season 1)

Who hasn’t suddenly found themselves suddenly homeless, saved a man from a dog, and then suddenly become a God? Kamisama Kiss is a romantic comedy with a dash of the supernatural that takes this wild premise and turns it into a fun and playful romp.

Nanami’s adventures with the fox spirit Tomoe are almost reminiscent of Inu Yasha but far more refined than that iconic show. The series has also inspired multiple OVAs showing just how much fans wanted more of this amazing story.

7 Ouran High School Host Club

MyAnimeList: 8.16

Ouran High School Host Club takes the main cast with incredibly stereotypical character archetypes and slowly grows them throughout the show. It also tackles many themes about gender and presentation as Haruhi is forced to become the errand “boy” of the host club after breaking a vase worth eight million yen.

The show came out in 2006 and its popularity is still going strong, which serves as a testament to its characterization and humor. The latter is especially great, cementing Ouran as one of the funniest anime comedies of all time.

6 Revolutionary Girl Utena

MyAnimeList: 8.20

Winner of the Best TV Animation Award in 1997, Revolutionary Girl Utena was one of the first mainstream anime with lesbian romance to hit Western audiences and it did so with a serious splash. The series’ reliance on surrealism and symbolism to tell its coming-of-age story has resonated with viewers to this day.

Utena’s adventures at the Ootori Academy throw her into sword-fighting duels, gaining a surprise fiancee in Anthy, and a mysterious hidden mission to “revolutionize the world.” It is incredibly satisfying to observe the mystery slowly unfold. The Adolescence of Utena movie is also worth watching as an alternative retelling of the series.

5 The Rose Of Versailles

MyAnimeList: 8.33

This anime is over forty years old yet is still one of the best historical shojo anime of all time. The Rose of Versailles alternate history of the events leading up to the French Revolution is just as good today as it was back in 1979.

The romance between Oscar François de Jarjeyes and her childhood friend Andre is powerful, with the two not only being from different social classes but Oscar having been raised “as a male” to be the leader of the royale guard. The Rose of Versailles tackles many themes of sexual and gender identity, finding one’s place in the world, and brings everything to the table that fans of historical dramas have come to love.

4 Nana

MyAnimeList: 8.54

“Say, Nana… Do you remember the first time we met?”

The story of how the lives of the naive Nana Komatsu and punk-rock vocalist Nana Osaki intertwine is one of the most iconic in all of shojo anime. Viewers are likely to identify with the characters as they watch them deal with romance, heartbreaks, and all the challenges that life throws at them.

The only unfortunate part about Nana is its ending, as the manga was put on indefinite hiatus in 2009 when author Ai Yazawa fell gravely ill and had a difficult recovery. In 2022, the mangaka provided an update on the possibility of continuing the story.

Nevertheless, the anime is worth watching, with the show providing 50 episodes of high-quality material. Both main characters are extremely well-defined, and their personalities are gradually expanded through their charming and realistic friendship.

3 Banana Fish

MyAnimeList: 8.48

Released as part of Akimi Yoshida’s 40th-anniversary commemoration project, Banana Fish is not what most shojo fans might expect from the anime genre. How many shojo anime cover a boy raised by a mafia boss and unravel a mystery involving the Iraq War? Just one — Banana Fish.

The show also covers darker themes than most shojo anime like drugs, PTSD, sexual assault, and more. Make sure to check out some content warnings before giving Banana Fish a watch since it can be triggering. Importantly, the show handles these themes well and without pulling any punches, all the while telling a captivating tale brimming with tension and heartbreak.

2 Natsume’s Book Of Friends

MyAnimeList: 8.31 (Season 1)

When Takashi’s grandmother passes down a Yuujinchou, known as a Book of Friends, his entire life turns upside down. Natsume’s Book of Friends follows his adventures as he tries to avoid being hunted down by the yokai who have had their spirits brought under his grandmother’s control in the past.

At least he doesn’t have to do it alone as he has a cat spirit and self-proclaimed bodyguard Madara by his side. This supernatural slice-of-life anime is one of the shojo greats for good reason, and it should be checked out by any anime fan. Similar to something like Mushishi, Natsume moves at a fairly slow pace and ventures into iyashikei territory. While the premise suggests action, the anime rarely features any high-octane sequences, instead preferring to focus on quieter but still important moments. Natsume gradually grows in confidence as the story progresses, and it is heartwarming to watch unfold.

1 Fruits Basket

MyAnimeList: 8.22 (Season 1)

While the original Fruits Basket series began airing back in 2001, a proper adaptation of the manga commenced in 2019, before coming to an end in the Spring of 2021; however, an epilogue eventually came out too. Fruits Basket is arguably the most beloved shojo anime of all time, one that represents the demographic’s range, maturity, and complexity.

The story follows Tooru and her life while living at the Souma house. She discovers that each person who lives there when hugged by someone of the opposite gender turns into one of the animals from the Chinese zodiac and that there is a dark curse that causes this to happen. The show is filled with romance and drama that are built on intra- and interpersonal struggles. Tooru’s journey throughout the three seasons is powerful and defined by self-discovery, and the same can be said for the Souma family’s core members. Boasting stellar animation, impeccable writing, and endless heart, Fruits Basket is a masterpiece of any demographic.