10 Best Enemies To Lovers Anime

The best enemies-to-lovers anime excel at portraying one of the most beloved tropes among audiences. Not all couples begin with love at first sight – any of them feel nothing but anger toward their future partner at first, until becoming closer makes them both realize that they’re more than what they appear.

Enemies-to-lovers stories, more than anything, adore love that’s based on intense and passionate feelings and, eventually, fully cemented by deep trust and understanding. In some cases, the couples overcome years of bad blood to be with one another. Sometimes, no one knows you more intimately than your closest enemy.

15 Maid Sama!

Based on the Manga by Hiro Fujiwara

Usui represents the complete opposite of Misaki and what she hates most as president of the student council: someone carefree who doesn’t care about the rules or the school. However, this changes when he discovers that she works in a maid cafe, something that could ruin her reputation and position. However, Usui, instead of divulging it, becomes more interested in her and begins to constantly bother her.

Despite this rocky start, Misaki and Usui combine perfectly with each other, and although Usui puts her through embarrassing and very comical situations, he always ends up helping her in everything he can and is always there for her. Also, even though Misaki spends all her time trying to evade him, deep down she likes that Usui is there for her and ends up developing strong feelings for him, sparking a very tender romance.

14 Nisekoi

Based on the Manga by Naoshi Kami

Raku and Chitoge’s fathers are gang leaders on the verge of an all-out war. The only thing keeping the war at bay is the fact that their heirs are hopelessly in love. The catch, though, is that Raku and Chitoge actually can’t stand each other, and are faking their relationship to trick their dads.

Nisekoi combines the fake dating trope with the enemies-to-lovers trope perfectly. Despite being one of the best anime about the mafia, it stays lighthearted and fun throughout. Raku and Chitoge go from constantly bickering to realizing that they’ve genuinely come to enjoy being around one another all the time.

13 The Magical Girl and the Evil Lieutenant Used to Be Archenemies

Based on the manga by Cocoa Fujiwara

MahoAku follows Byakuya Mimori, an unconventional magical girl who sees her mission of protecting the world as just another part-time job and who must face a demonic organization represented by Mira. However, Mira falls in love at first sight with Byakuya, seriously affecting her motivation to dominate the world.

The Magical Girl and the Evil Lieutenant Used to Be Archenemies
’ author, Cocoa Fujiwara, also previously wrote the popular series
Ino x Boku SS.

Mira then becomes the most obvious example of being trapped between love and duty, though love always wins as he can’t find in himself to do something against the adorable, helpless, and overworked Byakuya. So, instead of planning strategies to destroy humans and conquer the earth, Mira just looks for ways to give food to Byakuya, who has a low income and is financially abused by his highly questionable familiar. Byakuya also became fond of the evil boss, slowly blooming an innocent and fluffy romance between them.

12 Princess Mononoke

Original Anime Movie by Studio Ghibli

Technically, Ashitaka insists upon not being anyone’s enemy: one of the most charming princes in anime is determined to help both the humans of Iron Town and the spirits of the forest. As far as San, the vengeful daughter of the wolf god is concerned, this makes him just as much her enemy as any other human.

However, as they both discover, life is more complicated and more beautiful than that. Both of them save each other’s lives repeatedly over the course of the movie as the stakes climb higher. By the end, though San still can’t forgive humans for their crimes against spirit-kind, she decides that she can and will return Ashitaka’s love.

11 The Devil Is A Part-Timer!

Based on the Light Novels by Satoshi Wagahara

The Devil King and the Hero of Justice are enemies by nature. The Hero, Emilia, follows Sadao Maou through an interdimensional portal he escaped through intending on vanquishing him for real. Instead, she winds up just as powerless as he is, befriending him instead as they both learn how to build a life on Earth.

The deepening romantic relationship between Maou and Emilia is expanded upon more in the light novels. However, the seeds of it are very clearly planted in the current anime. Forced to live normal lives and think for the first time about what they want for themselves, the two quickly learn that they work much better as partners than as opponents.

10 Space Patrol Luluco

Original anime by Studio Trigger

Space Patrol Luluco is all about high-energy space shenanigans. Perhaps naturally, not one, but two of the central relationships of the show are enemies-to-lovers. These include Luluco’s parents, Keiji and Lalaco, and Luluco’s romance with her beau, Nova.

Part of Luluco’s exposition in the first episode is how Lalaco ran out on them after a fight with Keiji and stole all their stuff, and it’s still unclear where any kind of settled family life fit into the passions of a space cop and space pirate. However, they will chase each other all over the galaxy out of love. Similarly, it’s Luluco’s love that gives the Nothingling Nova emotions, and when he is lost, Luluco swears to search forever until she finds him, despite how he has betrayed her in the past.

9 Maoyu

Based on the Light Novels by Mamare Touno

In many of the best fantasy anime, the forces of evil and good battle one another to the death. But here, the sworn enemies – a human Hero and the reigning Demon Queen – agree that not only are things not that black and white, but their war is doing neither side any good. They must work out a way to find true peace while keeping their relationship a secret.

The longer the Demon Queen and Hero work together, the more they learn from each other. Hero fully accepts the way his people take advantage of his outrageous strength, and must learn guile to make them listen to him. Demon Queen is perpetually threatened by warlike fellow demons and her own ancestors, and relies on the strength of her promise with Hero to keep confident.

8 Masamune-kun’s Revenge Proves Love Can Change a Vengeful Plot

Based on the Manga by Hazuki Takeoka

Masamune can be considered a story as the ugly duckling since, as a child, he was a chubby and unattractive boy, but this changes when he grows up, becoming handsome and thin, which is the motivation for his change, taking revenge on Adagaki Aki. Aki made fun of Masamune because of his body and rejected him in a very ruthless way, so his purpose became to make her fall for him and then cruelly break her heart.

However, the line between Masamune’s feelings and his revenge begins to blur as he slowly discovers Aki’s virtues and her personality. Likewise, Aki becomes interested in him even though she doesn’t want to admit it, struggling with her feelings. Although it might seem cliche, the anime shines thanks to its charismatic characters showing an unconventional romance between weird opposite poles that keeps viewers thrillingly wondering if Masamune will ever fulfill his revenge.

7 Whisper Of The Heart

Original Anime Movie by Studio Ghibli

Shizuku Tsukishima and Seiji Amasawa are one of the best Studio Ghibli couples, and also one of the few that are explicitly romantic. However, it takes them the full movie to admit it. After reading Seiji’s name in the check-out cards of all her library books, Shizuku has a romantic fantasy of who he is, which is promptly shattered when they actually meet.

Animator Yoshifumi Kondō directed
Whisper of the Heart
: his sole directorial credit before his passing in 1998.

Seiji and Shizuku have a knack for getting on each other’s nerves. But the more time they spend together, the clearer it becomes that they are also one another’s greatest support. Their deepening love and admiration gives them the courage they need to take risks and pursue their dreams, no matter how frightening or difficult the journey is.

6 Cardcaptor Sakura

Based on the Manga by CLAMP

In Cardcaptor Sakura, Sakura Kinomoto and Syaoran Li begin as rivals since both are candidates for heirs of the Clow Cards, although Syaoran’s hostile treatment and hostility are unilateral towards Sakura, since she considers him a friend from the beginning, and he always rejects her. However, they begin to work together to capture the different cards, competing both to be the best card captor, and for Yukito’s attention.

Cardcaptor Sakura: Clear Card
season 2 was announced to be in production in 2023, but there isn’t an official release date yet.

Although they become true friends, after achieving their goals, Syaoran begins to develop feelings for Sakura, which blossom into an innocent and adorable relationship that makes them one of the most beloved couples in anime. Syaoran constantly worries about Sakura’s well-being, striving to protect her from the danger she is subjected to due to her immense powers, and the two continue to grow in their relationship in the sequel Clear Card.

5 Romeo X Juliet

Written by Reiko Yoshida and Based on the Play by William Shakespeare

Juliet Fiammata Ars de Capulet has lived her whole life in hiding, until her true identity is revealed to her on her sixteenth birthday. After Lord Montague usurped the throne in a bloody coup, Juliet was left as the sole survivor of the royal family. Now, she’s determined to end the oppression of Neo Verona.

One of the best anime based on classic literature – quite loosely, in this case – centers around the most famous star-crossed lovers in history. In this production, both clans are more explicitly antagonistic, with the Montagues massacring the Capulets and Juliet attacking them in disguise for revenge. Nevertheless, Juliet finds herself falling for Romeo Montague, her sworn enemy, and the polar opposite of his father.

4 Love After World Domination

Based on the Manga by Hiroshi Noda and Takahiro Wakamatsu

The title says it all, really. Fudou Aikawa, leader of the superhero team defending the world from villains, and Desumi Magahara, top general of the world’s most dangerous villains, are secretly in love. They must keep their relationship secret as they and their loved ones continue to battle it out.

Fudou is characterized by his strict adherence to justice and self-discipline, making his instant head-over-heels love for Desumi particularly meaningful. Desumi herself was raised to be a powerful villain, and her relationship with Fudou is her first step towards deciding how her own life will go.

3 Toradora!

Based on the Light Novels by Yuyuko Takemiya and Yasu

Ryuji Takasu and Taiga Aisaka definitely got off on the wrong foot on their first day of school. After an extended comedy of errors that involves home invasion and attempted murder, they agree to help one another win the other’s best friend, who they have crushes on. But in the process, they realize that the person they might really belong with is each other.

In all the best episodes of Toradora!, Ryuji and Taiga’s clashing personalities drive the show’s screwball comedy. Both of them struggle with how others perceive them versus who they really are. What makes Toradora! really excel is that it pulls off its most sincere moments just as well as its goofiest ones.

2 Kaguya-sama: Love Is War

Based on the Manga by Aka Akasaka

Kaguya-Sama is the pinnacle of enemies to lovers, since they take the dynamic to another level, turning their love into psychological warfare. Although they both didn’t get along at first, Kaguya and Shirogane later fall deeply in love with each other; however, their pride and social status prevent them from confessing their feelings, so they hatch intricate plans to make the other fall before them.

In this thrilling rivalry where the dignity of each one is the most important thing, even though they are geniuses, the lovers act like adorable idiots. The anime shows fun mind games and exaggerated humor but at the same time presents charming moments that subtly weave the relationship of Kaguya and Miyuki, who fight not only against each other but against their own insecurities. Additionally, the anime presents another couple that enters into the same dynamic, Miko and Ishigami.

1 Food Wars!

Based on the Manga by Yuuto Tsukuda and Shun Saeki

The main concept of this anime is elite (and often extreme) cooking, and a major theme is the clash between what is considered high- and low-class dining and the “correct” method of cooking and culinary education. Nowhere is this more evident than in the central relationship between Souma Yukihira and Erina Nakiri.

In everything he does at Tootsuki Academy, diner chef Souma is determined to prove the worth of his cooking, which Erina is horrified to discover she finds amazing. As they constantly compete against and try to impress one another, both of them realize they have a lot to learn about their chosen art and their rival. Some of the wildest dishes ever cooked on Food Wars! symbolize the growth of their relationship and highlight the heavy implications of their feelings for one another. All of this adds up to Food Wars! having the greatest enemies-to-lovers relationship in anime history.