The grand gesture in which one or both of the partners confess their undying love for the other is the pinnacle of every romance anime. It’s difficult enough to say those three words in real life, but these anime love confessions are in a whole other league.
Given that they are a beloved cliché and that the audience is aware that the protagonists will eventually end up together, these love confessions never fail to have a huge impact on the genre. Fans can’t wait to see who will reveal their emotions and finally get us all out of the painful pining period.
The buildup and tension leading up to the long awaited, “I love you” hits you right in the heart. This list will take you on a rollercoaster of emotions, from sweet to hilarious, and even heartbreaking love confessions that will have you giggling and kicking your feet, and maybe even wiping a few stray tears as you relive some of the best confessions ever.
10Love, Chunibyo and Other Delusions
Rikka’s confession is as unique as the entire premise of the show. It unfolds during an emotional confrontation, with Rikka using a metaphor from their shared chunibyo language to express her desire to form a lover’s contract with Yuuta. His response, in the same chunibyo style, marks a pivotal moment in their relationship as he asks Rikka to be his girlfriend. This heartfelt moment, steeped in their shared language and understanding, and the entire build-up to it, warms you from inside out. Most importantly- the pinky finger interlock!!!
9My Love Story with Yamada-kun at Lv999
Yamada isn’t boyfriend-material because he has trouble understanding feelings. However, Akane falls for him in spite of this knowledge. Getting mixed signals, Akane nervously asks Yamada if he likes her, to which Yamada responds in the gentlest way, a silly smile on his face, commenting on how his feelings got found out.
Yamada tells Akane he likes her and promises to remind her in case she forgets it. Akane realizes, in hindsight, that Yamada has been telling her about his feelings with his actions for a long time. Yamada’s sincere response wins the series the best confession of 2023, perfectly capturing the essence of an unanticipated (not really) love and the gentle description of emotional vulnerability.
8Horimiya
Horimiya stands out in the realm of high school romantic comedies for its realistic portrayal of teenage relationships. An absolute cult classic and loved by everyone for the more realistic approach to teenage love, Hori and Miyamura are not just fictional figures, but relatable individuals with feelings that mirror our own. They shared an unspoken connection, which inevitably led to romance and Miyamura’s shy facade gives way to a bold proposal to Hori. His confession was casual and clear, which shows how convinced he was.
When Hori falls ill, Miyamura’s gentle care for her and his heartfelt confession of love reveal the depth of his emotions. His promise to stand by her, no matter what, is not just a turning point in their relationship, but a raw and honest expression of their love. This emotional depth in their relationship is what truly engages the audience.
7Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai
One of the most compelling aspects of Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai is the characters’ emotional odyssey and their unfiltered honesty. Mai Sakurajima, who is only visible to Sakuta due to Adolescent Syndrome, a condition that materializes emotional struggles as supernatural occurrences, is a poignant example of this.
Sakuta has been trying to help Mai become visible again, but it looks like he’s about to fail. In a last-ditch effort to maintain his ability to see her, he screams that he loves her in front of their school. This public declaration of love is a pivotal moment in the show, as it not only solves the problem of Mai’s invisibility but also signifies a significant development in their relationship, finally making her visible again.
6Tamako Market
Growing up next to each other in Tamako Market, Mochizo and Tamako’s friendship eventually blossomed into love. The childhood friends had a hot and cold relationship but never realized they took each other’s company for granted.
Mochizo realizes his feelings and decides to act on them, blurting out, “I love you.” His confession was affirming and absolute, and it caught Tamako off guard. He knew he had to say it and prepare for the consequences, which was disappointing at the time, but thankfully, Tamako realizes her feelings and confesses in the cutest way possible, through their childhood cup phones.
5Your Lie in April
I apologize, but I had to. This might be one of the saddest confessions on the list. Why? Spoiler Alert: One of them is dead. Over the past few months, Kousei and Kaori have bonded over their shared love of music. After experiencing a creative drought due to the trauma of his mother’s abuse and death, this enabled Kousei to resume playing music. In the interim, it enabled Kaori to fulfill a long-held ambition prior to her demise from a grave illness.
Kousei finds a letter at Kaori’s funeral explaining how she was inspired to pursue music after she heard him play the piano for the first time as a little boy. Moreover, it eventually made her to fall in love with him. She’s gone, therefore Kousei can’t accept her feelings, but her soul will always be with him as long as he plays music.
4Kaguya-sama: Love is War
Kaguya-sama: Love is War is a story of two individuals engaged in a high-stakes battle of wits, each trying to outmaneuver the other into confessing their feelings first. After three seasons of near-misses and intense emotional turmoil, the moment of their confession finally arrives, and it’s a relief and a satisfaction that fans have been eagerly waiting for.
By the end of Season 3, both of them have started to realize that if they don’t want to lose their chance at romance, they’ll have to actually admit their true feelings. Ironically, they both decide to confess at the school’s cultural festival, but things keep getting in the way for Kaguya. However, Shirogane successfully executes his plan, unleashing a bunch of heart-shaped balloons from the roof, telling Kaguya that the balloons represent his feelings for her. Kaguya kisses him then, saying the kiss did the same thing. Those who sat through three seasons of their shenanigans know what this moment was truly worth.
3Your Name
After Taki and Mitsuha start swapping bodies, they end up falling in love. But since they exist in different timelines and Mitsuha’s time stops shortly after the swapping starts, thanks to a giant meteor hitting their town, their love seems doomed. However, Taki’s determination to save Mitsuha leads to a crucial event-the successful evacuation of the town.
As the movie nears its conclusion, Taki and Mitsuha finally come face to face. This long-awaited meeting becomes a poignant moment of confession. Taki, in a heartfelt gesture, inscribes ‘I love you’ on Mitsuha’s hand. Mitsuha, on the verge of reciprocating, is interrupted, underscoring the depth of their feelings.
While it may have seemed more practical for them to exchange names, such information was constantly being erased by magical means. However, what remained steadfast was their love. It was their unwavering feelings that guided them through time and space, ultimately leading them to each other.
2Kimi Ni Todoke
When Sawako Kuronuma, a social misfit, meets popular boy Shota Kazehaya, her life gradually improves. As he helps her to come out of her shell, she realizes how much he has helped her. What she doesn’t recognize right away is that her feelings for him are romantic. When she does, her anxiousness compels her to confess to him via a halfway-closed door. It’s impossible not to be moved by the image of Sawako attempting to communicate the depths of her emotions, especially because we know Kazehaya has been down bad for her since the day one.
Kazehaya’s response is equally powerful. He doesn’t just accept her confession, he embraces her. Later, he boldly announces his feelings for her in front of the whole school. This bold admittance, while initially overwhelming for shy Sawako, is also genuinely thrilling and confirms the intensity of Kazehaya’s feelings.
1Fruits Basket
Despite all the ups and downs, Kyo and Tohru’s mutual feelings were obvious in all the little moments they shared. However, their respective emotional problems, deeply rooted in guilt and self-doubt, prevented them from admitting their love. Kyo unfairly blamed himself for Tohru’s mother’s demise, a burden that weighed heavily on his heart. Tohru, on the other hand, felt guilty about loving anybody more than her deceased mother, a feeling that often overshadowed her own desires.
When Tohru first attempts to confess, Kyo’s harsh words cut her off. It’s only after a life-threatening incident and a hospital discharge that Kyo finally opens up about his feelings. This confession brings a profound sense of relief, marking the end of their emotional turmoil and the beginning of their shared love.
Kyo’s confession is not just another expression of love in Fruits Basket but highlights something far more significant. It’s a realization of deep love that Kyo has been denying himself. At first, Kyo decides to keep distance from Tohru because of his curse, but he realizes that his love for her runs too deep for him to give up on her. He runs after her when Tohru gets discharged from the hospital and instantaneously leans to kiss her despite knowing that he’ll turn into a cat. This act of courage, of finally letting someone love him, is what breaks the curse.
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