While Western anime fans may recognize far more iconic shonen shows, shojo series are still immensely popular all over the world.Shojo animetend to target younger female audiences, but they can have amazing stories for anyone of any age or gender to enjoy.
Even though some of thebest shojo animeare 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.
An anime must be based on a manga published by a shojo magazine to be considered.
Updated on Jul 28, 2025, by Mark Sammut:The Summer 2025 season is about to start, and the lineup has exactly zero shojo anime. Yes, this year has been pretty awful for the demographic, with barely any shows qualifying. Consequently, I’ve added two classics as recommendations (Glass Mask and Kodocha) to provide something else to watch.
For the upcoming season, the following anime might hit the mark, but they are not shojo:
Except for a select few, seasonalshojo animeare almost always overshadowed by shonen or seinen properties, a fate that befellSugar Apple Fairy Taletwice in a year.Part 1aired in the same period asVinland Saga Season 2,Tomo-chan is a Girl, andThe Angel Next Door Spoils Me Rotten; meanwhile,Part 2existed alongsideJujutsu Kaisen Season 2,Bleach,Bungo Stray Dogs 5,Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation, andZom 100. Compared to those shows,Sugar Apple Fairy Taleis 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.
Akumi Agitogi’sMy Happy Marriagehas 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 Marriagealso has a supernatural element that further ties the leads together.
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 attempt to stay as far away from her as possible, Takumi Usui does the exact opposite, and he starts to visit themaid café that employs Misakias 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.
Ready for an overload of adorableness?School Babysittersdelivers exactly what its title promises:Brothers taking care of their younger siblings at a school daycare. That might not sound fascinating, but this anime is pure fluff in the best possible way. The episodes are a warm blanket that coddles viewers, allowing them to escape reality while watching the cuteness unfold.
Apart from the main duo’s oddly dark backstory,School Babysittersis a tension-free slice of life ripe with lovable characters. The anime manages to balance a relatively big cast well, even succeeding in giving the babies enough personality so they come across as people rather than just mascots.
Similar toshonen with male protagonists, the vast majority of shojo anime feature female leads; however, exceptions exist. As its title suggests,The Yuzuki Family’s Four Sonsrevolves around four siblings who end up having to take care of each other after their parents pass away. As the oldest, Hayato has to shoulder most of the responsibility of caring for his brothers, a role that is a lot to take for somebody who has only recently entered the professional grind and is also grieving the death of his parents.
The Yuzuki Family’s Four Sonsis a realistic slice of life about family, communication, and love. Most episodes simply chronicle the boys' everyday lives, highlighting how their unique situation has changed their perception of “normal.” While containing a few heavy moments, the anime is fairly light and uplifting, so it is hardly a constant downer.
While the leads are male,The Yuzuki Family’s Four Sonshas fantastic female supporting characters. In fact, the best (short) storyline focuses on Uta, a girl who becomes self-conscious when a boy points out that she doesn’t meet traditional gender norms. The anime handles this subject well.
Lovely Complexis a pretty prototypicalshojo romance anime. Risa is unusually tall for a Japanese girl, while Otani is unusually short for a Japanese boy. The story very much leans on the concept that opposites attract, and their physical differences are played up for both comedic and dramatic purposes. While never taking itself too seriously,Lovely Complexrecognizes that both leads feel self-conscious about their sizes, and it treats this anxiety with respect.
After having her confession rejected, Risa makes it her mission to convince Otani that she would be his perfect girlfriend, as he cannot see her as a potential partner. A few serious moments aside, the journey is primarily driven by laughs, as both characters have big and fun personalities. While arguably overstaying its welcome a bit,Lovely Complexis just a cute little romance comedy.
Mizuho Kusanagi’sYona of the Dawnhas been running since 2009, and it is firmly established as one of thebest shojo mangaon 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 Dawnis 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.
Sacrificial Princess and the King of Beastscan leave a somewhat negative first impression, at least for those who have consumed a lot of underwhelming beast/human romances. In a world where humans and beasts share a fragile peace, the former are forced to sacrifice one of their own to the latter’s ruler every few years. As a young child, Sariphi learns she is destined to be a sacrifice, a revolution that warps her mind as she surrenders to the fact that she was born to die. However, when the day finally comes for her to meet the king of beasts, Leonhart, Sariphi learns that not everything is as it seems. Love gradually blooms and Sari finds herself acting as a queen of beasts, a role not everyone wants her to fulfill.
Telling a satisfying and complete story,Sacrificial Princess and the King of Beastsis surprisingly nuanced, not only in its exploration of both Sari and Leonhart’s psyches but also in its political themes. As a romance, the anime can be slightly off-putting due to the leads' age gap, but they are good characters individually. Sari is particularly fantastic.
A shojo anime classic from one of the demographic’s all-time great authors,Dear Brothercan be somewhat difficult to watch nowadays, and that goes beyond the fact that it is not readily available on a North American streaming service. The animation is dated but impressive for the era, while the story is both fantastic and kind of exhausting. Set in an all-girls school that is somewhat ruled by a sorority,Dear Brotherseeks to present a realistic look at adolescence, which involves allowing characters to be just straight-up awful.
Touching upon themes like jealousy, manipulation, abuse, and bullying,Dear Brotheris one of the more matureshojo anime of all time. It does not provide many easy or even satisfying answers to the dilemmas it presents, making for a viewing experience that can be frustrating. However, the writing is consistently great.
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 inshoujo 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.
