Romance is an overarching theme in anime. Regardless of the genre, there is often at least one couple for fans to root for in any given show. These couples also tend to be responsible for some of the best, most romantic lines in anime.
The most heartwarming quotes speak to the truths about love. They reveal how strong romantic feelings can be, and highlight how much a character feels for another person. The quotes can be heartbreaking or uplifting, but their overall romantic messages still point to the heart of love. Anime characters may not always say, "I love you," directly, but these anime quotes convey the same sentiment.
10 Shizuku Tsukishima (Whisper Of The Heart)
Shizuku Tsukishima is a normal high school girl until she meets Seiji Amasawa. His beautiful violin and the music he plays inspire her to finally sit down and write a story like she has always wanted to do. As Seiji tells Shizuku that he's going to Italy to learn from a violin-making master, Shizuku decides to take his absence to realize her dream. As proof of her resolve, Shizuku says, "When I've written a story. I'll be sure to show you first."
While this quote may not seem romantic on the surface, its meaning goes much deeper. For Shizuku, writing a book is her life's one goal. Not only has she always thought about it, but her admiration for Seiji and his passions compels her to follow his example. Shizuku wants Seiji to be as enamored with her and her goals as she is with his. Therefore, it is important that of all the people in her life, Shizuku wants to share her greatest accomplishment with Seiji first.
9 Saki Hanajima (Fruits Basket)
Fruits Basket has many romantic couples and quotes to melt fans’ hearts. But one of the most prominent utterances comes from one of the characters who is not romantically involved, Saki Hanajima.
Hanajima wisely says, “If you love someone, he could make you sad. He could even make you feel lonely sometimes. But that someone can also make you happier than you'll ever be...” With only three sentences, Hanajima highlights how love is often a choice. There is a lot of risk and struggle in romance, but there is also the potential for an even greater reward. Love isn’t always perfect, but when things are good, love is priceless.
8 Victor Nikiforov (Yuri!!! On Ice)
Victor Nikiforov set out to help Yuri Katsuki regain his passion for skating, but never expected to be moved himself. After training Yuri, Victor realizes that Yuri has had a much greater effect on his life than he anticipated. Reflecting on his time with the younger skater, Victor muses, “Yuri's life and love have opened up a brand-new world for me, one I never knew existed."
In this moment, Victor realizes that he’s not ready to retire, and he needed to find passion in skating again, just as he had taught Yuri to do. Watching Yuri rediscover his zeal helps Victor rediscover his inspiration as well. This new sentiment allows Victor to cement his feelings for Yuri and allows him to finally find happiness in his life again.
Edward Elric and Winry Rockbell have already shared a long history by the end of Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. They have also held much affection for each other, which prompts Edward to finally pop the question to Winry by saying, “Equivalent Exchange! I’ll give half of my life to you, and you give half of yours to me!”
While his declaration is heartfelt and well-meant, it is Winry’s response that makes the exchange great. After some exasperated words at Edward’s expense, Winry replies with, “How about I just give you my whole life?” In one sentence, Winry summarizes what all love should be. Romantic love means giving all of oneself to another without holding anything back.
6 Spike Spiegel (Cowboy Bebop)
Spike Spiegel is known for his roguish personality, which makes his feelings for his fellow syndicate affiliate, Julia, all the more surprising. However, Spike describes how he came to be in love and how it changed his life in this heartfelt quote: "I thought I was invincible. Then I met some girl. I wanted to live, I started to think like that; for the first time, I was afraid of death. I had never felt like that before."
Although their love was forbidden, Julia gave Spike something worth fighting for. Spike felt for Julia so deeply that he almost became a different person. No longer did he harbor a devil-may-care attitude. Spike wanted to live so that he could be with Julia for as long as he possibly could - even if their relationship would be punished by Vicious.
5 Sophie (Howl's Moving Castle)
Having successfully received his heart once again, the great wizard Howl Pendragon laments at how much his reacquainted heart weighs on him. His companion, Sophie, smiles at him and acknowledges that "A heart's a heavy burden."
With this quote, Sophie accurately explains how anyone's emotions can feel debilitating at times. Many people would like to remove their hearts and remain unfeeling - as Howl did. Thankfully, however, Sophie helps Howl regain his heart so that he can feel deeply again. By saying her quote, Sophie points out that love and connection take effort, but also that Howl is not alone in his new, emotional endeavor.
4 Rintaro Okabe (Steins;Gate)
Steins;Gate's timelines are a complicated web of events. Despite this, Rintaro Okabe and Kurisu Makise manage to fall in love. Although they know they have to fix the timelines to save their loved ones, Okabe promises Makise that his love is enduring, saying, "No matter which love line, what time, or where I am, I will always love you. I'll say it one more time, I love you."
Okabe has a more uncertain future than most, but his declaration of love is one of the most endearing in anime. This is especially true considering all the paths Okabe and Makise have crossed to be together. Okabe and Makise help viewers see that, when it comes to love, there are no obstacles that can't be overcome.
3 Hideki Hinata (Angel Beats)
Yui and Hideki Hinata are both members of the Afterlife Battlefront. Having both died tragic deaths, Yui and Hideki have a lot they missed out on when they were alive, and Hideki helps Yui live out her dreams - including being proposed to.
With utter sincerity, Hideki tells Yui, "If I can meet you again, against the six billion-to-one odds, even if you can't move, I'll marry you." Hideki's hopeful message that he and Yui might have a future after all is touching. Most of the Afterlife Battlefront have mixed feelings about what happens after they leave the school, but with this one quote, Hideki puts faith in Yui - and everyone else - that they all can still have romance and happy endings in the future.
2 Taki Tachibana (Your Name)
Taki Tachibana and Mitsuha Miyamizu are an unusual pairing as they are separated not only by distance but time as well. Fearing that he will lose Mitsuha again, Taki vows to her that he will find her again so that they can finally be together, saying, “I wanted to tell you that… Wherever you may end up in this world, I will be searching for you.”
Considering how much Taki and Mitsuha have been through to make their second chronological in-person meeting happen, this promise means everything. They have already cheated time and death to talk to each other, and with this new vow, Taki promises to continue searching through time to find her and fall in love with her again.
1 Akihiko Kaji (Given)
Akihiko Kaji has many complicated romantic relationships, but none so complex as the one he has with Ugetsu Murata. Though Kaji seems confident in his love life, his reminiscence of his first love seems much more torturous.
As scenes play from Kaji’s past in high school, his voice overdubs the montage. This gives the first true glimpse of Murata in action playing the violin as Kaji says, "I thought love would be softer, sweeter, and kinder. I found out with my first love that those thoughts were just a happy delusion. Falling in love with someone is something much more violent, like having your flesh ripped apart.” Kaji’s raw take on true love is so visceral that it almost seems gut-wrenching. But for anyone who has had such intense feelings for another know that his words couldn’t be more true.
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