10 Anime Romances That Moved Way Too Fast To Be Realistic

Anime excels at crafting compelling and often fantastical narratives where the rules of the real world are delightfully suspended for the sake of drama. A common trope in the romance genre is the rapid acceleration of a relationship, often skipping months or years of traditional courtship in favor of an immediate, intense bond. Whether through a marriage proposal in the first episode or an instant coupling after a dramatic rescue, these stories prioritize emotional connection over realistic pacing. This list examines animated series where the central relationship moved from strangers to deeply committed partners at an exceptionally fast rate. The speed of these romances often provides the very conflict and comedy that drives the overarching plot forward.

‘Tonikawa: Over the Moon for You’ (2020)

The story of Nasa Yuzaki and Tsukasa Tsukuyomi begins with one of the most abrupt relationship starts in anime history. After Nasa is nearly killed in a traffic accident, he immediately confesses his love to the mysterious girl who saves him. She accepts his proposal of becoming a couple, but only under the very specific condition that they get married right away. This foundational leap into matrimony makes this Seven Arcs production stand out for its wholly unrealistic speed. The series focuses on the daily life of the two newlyweds who are essentially strangers, bypassing all traditional dating and courtship phases.

‘A Couple of Cuckoos’ (2022)

This romantic comedy centers on two high school students, Nagi Umino and Erika Amano, who discover they were switched at birth. Their parents quickly devise a scheme for the two teenagers to get married, ensuring both families stay connected to the children they raised. The main pair is forced into a secret engagement and mandatory cohabitation immediately upon their initial meeting. The anime, a collaboration between Shin-Ei Animation and SynergySP, plunges the protagonists into an absurd, committed relationship from the very first episode.

‘Love After World Domination’ (2022)

The core premise of this romantic series involves the leader of the heroic Freezing Sentai Gelato 5, Fudo Aikawa, falling in love with Desumi Magahara, the villainous Reaper Princess. This Project No.9 anime wastes no time establishing their secret relationship, as the two mortal enemies begin dating during their ongoing battles. They sneak away from their respective organizations, a superhero team and an evil secret society, to go on awkward, mundane dates. Their instant and forbidden pairing presents a comical yet highly unrealistic start to a romance, prioritizing affection over global conquest.

‘Boarding School Juliet’ (2018)

This romantic comedy is a direct homage to Shakespeare’s star-crossed lovers, immediately establishing a forbidden romance between two rival school faction leaders. Romio Inuzuka of the Black Doggy House and Juliet Persia of the White Cats House are bitter public enemies who begin a secret relationship. Romio confesses his feelings to Juliet in the debut episode, and she accepts, instantly moving their dynamic from constant conflict to clandestine partnership. The entire LIDEN FILMS production hinges on the immediate, over-the-top stakes of their hidden-but-official pairing.

‘My Little Monster’ (2012)

Shizuku Mizutani, a high-achieving student focused only on her grades, is sent to deliver class printouts to the notorious delinquent Haru Yoshida. Haru, who is a complete social outcast with volatile emotions, immediately latches onto Shizuku after this simple act of kindness. The very next thing he does is declare her his friend and immediately follows it up with a direct confession of love. This Brain’s Base series establishes the tumultuous push-and-pull of their connection right from their initial, emotionally unbalanced meeting.

‘Say “I Love You.”‘ (2012)

The main character Mei Tachibana has spent 16 years avoiding friendship and romance due to a past betrayal, keeping her distance from everyone, especially the popular students. Yamato Kurosawa, the most sought-after boy in school, becomes inexplicably interested in her after she kicks him. In a dramatic gesture to protect her from a stalker, Yamato kisses Mei on the very first night they spend together, quickly catapulting them into a relationship. The ZEXCS production immediately moves past the slow emotional thaw usually required to win over such a guarded heroine.

‘Darling in the Franxx’ (2018)

In a post-apocalyptic world where children pilot giant mechas, the protagonist Hiro is a boy who feels worthless after failing to bond with a partner. He quickly encounters Zero Two, an elite hybrid soldier known for her “Partner Killer” reputation. In a moment of crisis, she invites him to pilot her mecha, and their intense emotional and physical partnership is forged in an instant battle. This anime, co-produced by Trigger and CloverWorks, frames this single moment as the immediate and defining start of their complex, world-saving love story.

‘Golden Time’ (2013–2014)

The story follows college freshman Banri Tada, who has lost all his memories of his life before high school due to a past accident. He meets the dazzling and aggressively possessive Koko Kaga, who initially appears to be chasing another student. Within the first few episodes, Koko shifts her focus entirely to Banri, launching an overwhelming and serious pursuit that quickly results in them starting a formal relationship. This J.C.Staff series features a romantic timeline where the amnesiac protagonist enters a new, committed bond before he can even fully rediscover his own identity.

‘Tada Never Falls in Love’ (2018)

Mitsuyoshi Tada is a quiet high school student whose life is defined by his passion for photography, having never experienced the feeling of love. He meets Teresa Wagner, a cheerful foreign exchange student who quickly becomes lost after arriving in Japan. This Doga Kobo original anime features the two characters meeting and becoming intensely intertwined remarkably fast, with Teresa even enrolling in his school and joining his club the very next day. Their rapid emotional connection is presented as a sudden, destined force that immediately overwhelms the protagonist’s previously reserved nature.

‘The Pet Girl of Sakurasou’ (2012–2013)

Sorata Kanda is a regular high school student living in the infamous Sakura Dormitory, an asylum for the school’s most eccentric and high-maintenance students. When the stunningly talented but completely helpless Mashiro Shiina moves in, Sorata is immediately assigned the role of her personal caretaker, or “pet handler.” This compulsory, intimate cohabitation, as animated by J.C.Staff, forces a rapid, deep bond of dependency and romantic tension between the two leads. The sheer speed and nature of their domestic pairing is incredibly compressed for a realistic emotional build-up.

Which of these fast-paced couples do you believe had the best chemistry despite their quick start in the series?