My Love Story!!

Built like a brick wall — tall, muscular, and looking like he belongs in a fighting anime rather than a romance — Takeo Gouda is a total sweetheart, the type who'd rescue a kitten from a tree and then cry about how cute it was. His problem? Every girl he's ever liked has fallen for his best friend Makoto Sunakawa instead, who happens to look like a typical shoujo heartthrob. Then one day Takeo saves a girl named Rinko Yamato from a creep on the train, and she starts showing up in his life. Naturally, Takeo assumes she's into Suna, because that's how it always goes for him. So he tries to play wingman for the two of them while quietly dealing with his own feelings. The whole thing is this warm, genuinely funny 24-episode TV series by Madhouse where the romance doesn't rely on miscommunication dragging out for 20 episodes — it finds its heart early and then just lets you enjoy watching these people be good to each other. The friendship between Takeo and Suna is honestly one of the best parts. If you liked the earnest energy of Kimi ni Todoke or the unconventional couple dynamic in Lovely★Complex, this hits a similar spot. Fans of Toradora will also find a lot to love here. It's the kind of show that leaves you feeling genuinely better after watching it.