The Best Anime Kisses of All Time, Ranked: What Tops the List? Are they romantic or passionate? Find out with this comprehensive ranking of 11 classic anime kisses.
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Anime is known for being action-packed, wacky, and incredibly whimsical, but there's one thing that every series or movie seems to do well: deeply emotional moments that end with a long-awaited kiss. Kissing in anime has become a perfected art form, and most leave anime fans squealing with excitement because the two love interests FINALLY kissed.
Some of the best kisses in anime were years in the making and became treasured moments, while others occur relatively frequently over the course of the series but leave us as self-conscious as the person receiving them.
Let's take a look at this list of the best anime kisses that have lit up our screens.
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11. Kyo & Tohru (Fruit Basket)
This wholesome comedy anime (with its very sad moments) follows Tohru and her adventure with the cursed members of the Sohma family. She meets Kyo shortly after learning of the Sohma curse. Tohru is delighted to learn that he is the Zodiac Cat and tries to become friends with Kyo.
Although he refuses at first, Kyo eventually becomes closer to her and the two become more comfortable in each other's presence. Tohru doesn't even run away when she sees Ky's true self, determined to stay by his side even if she's afraid.
When Tohru learns that he is destined to be locked away, she becomes anxious and desperate to break his curse. This leads her to slowly realize that she has fallen in love with Kyo. Fans had to watch Kyo face many emotional challenges and ultimately overcome his curse to be with Tohru.
All the anticipation of their eventual kiss makes this one of the most romantic kisses of all time. But, of course, the fact that shortly after their kiss, they become the most loving and affectionate couple anyone could hope to see.
10. Kirito & Asuna (Sword Art Online)
Sword Art Online is an action anime that follows the story of Kirito, one of many people who gets stuck in a video game that kills you if you die in the game. While fighting against enemies, he encounters Asuna, one of the other main characters, with whom he will later form a group and who will help him defeat the 1st floor Boss.
Throughout the anime, they work together more and more and slowly develop feelings for each other. Eventually, Asuna realizes her feelings after Kirito almost dies and decides to take some time off so they can spend time together. But to do so, one of Asuna's guildmates demands that Kirito's combat prowess be tested.
When she learns that her guildmate has betrayed the small group, she rushes towards them at speeds that shouldn't be possible and attacks her traitorous guildmate, but can't bring herself to attack him. The traitor takes advantage of her indecision and almost kills her, but Kirito reacts in time, although this action costs him his hand.
Asuna breaks down after the fight, realizing that her indecision nearly got them both killed, and tells Kirito that she will stay away from him to prevent him from getting further hurt. In response to her tears, Kirito kisses her passionately, determined not to lose her, and Asuna melts into the kiss. After this sweet kiss, Kirito confesses his feelings to Asuna, and the two become engaged later that night.
Their first kiss is one of the most emotional in the anime, but it remains as sweet as ever and is definitely one of the best since it leads to their eventual marriage.
9. Nagisa & Mizuki (Classroom Crisis)
The kiss between Nagisa and Mizuki is one of the most beautiful kiss scenes in anime.
This sci-fi romantic comedy follows the adventures of A-TEC – a specialized class in a mega-space aeronautics corporation named Kirishina Corp – and more particularly of Nagisa Kiryū.
He is sent to disband A-TEC, but the class fights him every step of the way, and he is ultimately swayed by their efforts and does what he can to keep A-TEC alive. But, unfortunately, this puts him in dangerous situations.
When the Kiryu Yuji tries to get him killed by stabbing him, they put him in a rocket to the Coldwood which will kill him on impact. Luckily, Mizuki, an energetic girl that Nagisa initially didn't like, and her best friend Iris save him.
Nagisa and Mizuki slowly develop romantic feelings for each other, which Mizuki's brother does not approve of, and the two share a sweet kiss after Nagisa breaks down. The way she comforts him is both heartbreaking and heartwarming.
8. Mei & Yamato (Say “I love you”)
Say “I Love You” is a sweet romance anime that follows the story of a high school couple. Mei Tachibana is a stoic girl who thinks the worst of people because of her past and is quite clumsy but also very observant and honest. Yamato Kurosawa, on the other hand, is a popular boy who developed a protective nature after feeling guilty for not doing anything when his childhood friend was bullied.
When Mei meets Yamato, she kicks him, wrongly assuming he is a bad guy, and continues with her day.
However, Yamato finds her fascinating and decides to try to pursue a friendship with her, despite the fact that Mei clearly wants nothing to do with him, and gives him her phone number. Although she doesn't use it at first, an incident with a stalker pushes her to make a quick decision, and Yamato doesn't hesitate to run to her aid. He pretends to be her boyfriend and kisses her to discourage the stalker, not realizing that he stole Mei's first kiss. The kiss leaves Mei shocked, and the two begin dating.
If their first kiss isn't the most romantic, Yamato's future love confession more than makes up for it. Mei believes his feelings for her aren't real. Determined to prove otherwise, Yamato begins giving her lots of kisses, explaining the meaning of his kisses before kissing her properly. These kisses mark the beginning of their romantic relationship and they eventually get married.
It's one of the sweetest kisses in anime and it might make you laugh.
7. Yuji & Shana (Shakugan no Shana)
Originally a light novel series written by Yahichiro Takahashi, Shakugan no Shana tells the story of Yuji Sakai, a high school student who accidentally finds himself involved in a fight between the forces of balance and imbalance, meeting Shana in the process.
Yuji is an indecisive and easy-going student who often puts the well-being of others before his own, which troubles Shana when they first meet. He is optimistic but has a fatalistic outlook on his life, given that his role as Torch could easily kill him. Later in the series, he becomes more ruthless by accepting help from the wrong person.
Shana started out as a cold and uncaring person, focused only on her duty. She slowly began to open up and eventually fell in love with Yuji after seeing him give up his existence to save others. She is very intelligent and an incredibly gifted warrior who has compassion for those she loves.
They both share one of the best kisses in anime. Yuji made bad decisions throughout the anime in order to give Shana a future where he would be by her side. She fights and defeats him before forgiving him and telling him she still loves him. The two eventually share their first kiss as they fly through the air, creating one of the most romantic scenes in anime.
The kiss scene is brilliant, not only because of the stunning visuals, but also because the deep love they developed for each other throughout the anime series helped them overcome all their difficulties .
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6. Misaki & Usui (Kaichou Wa Maid-sama!)
Misaki Ayuzawa was the former student council president of her high school, often referred to as “Demon President”. She was previously an encouraging and helpful daughter, but after her father left the family, she became critical and biased towards men. Due to her family's debt, she works part-time in a girls' cafe.
Takumi Usui is the most popular boy in his high school and is admired by everyone. However, she is a relatively indifferent person who spends her free time irritating Misaki after discovering that she works at Made Latte.
The two share many hilarious and awkward moments, but their kisses are absolutely adorable. The first one they share is on the roof of a school right before Usui jumps down to retrieve a photo and help him keep his secret.
However, their last one is the most romantic. After winning a competition, they confess their love for each other and give each other one of the best anime kisses of all time. The scene is simple, but the two are dressed in Romeo and Juliet costumes while the pyrotechnicians return the kiss.
The kiss is even stronger as they marry ten years later. They are one of the best couples introduced in an anime, and their love story continues to be as entertaining as the first time.
5. Miyamura & Hori (Horimiya)
Kyouko Hori is the most attractive girl in her high school. She is very energetic and hard-working, and does her best to create a happy atmosphere for those around her. She has a rather violent mindset that mainly manifests itself when she is nervous, embarrassed, or handling a cotton swab (her friends and family fear her for this reason).
She is a bit of a sadomasochist, but only when it comes to Miyamura, asking him to be violent with her, and she is often seen jealous, which often results in some very funny scenes. At first, she is jealous of Miyamura talking to girls, but later she doesn't really care and is more worried that he might fall in love with a man, informing him that she is agreement that he loves another woman but not a man.
Izumi Miyamura, on the other hand, is a shy person. He is initially seen as gloomy and pessimistic, but he is very friendly and laid back, although he may resort to violence if he deems it necessary.
They both have the best kisses in the anime, especially when Kyouko starts hitting him when he kisses her for no reason. They make an adorable couple, and the anime adaptation of the Japanese manga does a great job of portraying their entertaining young love.
4. Zen & Shirayuki (Red-Haired Snow White)
Shirayuki is an optimist with a strong will and a bright personality. She is kind and compassionate but sometimes overworks herself to the point of illness and is willing to do anything to prove her point. She has a good knowledge of medicine and prefers to do things the right way, which usually results in dangerous encounters. She is also easily flustered when Zen flirts with her.
Zen Wistaria is easy-going and takes care of everyone who works under her, considering them friends. He takes his title of prince very seriously, even if he has a habit of sneaking out of the castle. He is not quick to anger and generally keeps his cool, but when it comes to Shirayuki, he becomes easily embarrassed and sometimes jealous.
Their kiss in the tower is one of the cutest kisses in anime. A worried Zen arrives at the tower, terrified that Shirayuki was hurt because of him, and she admits that she wasn't going to persist, thus proving that she completely trusts and supports Zen. . He is overcome with feelings of pride and relief and simply embraces her.
This is truly one of the best kisses in anime.
3. Haru & Shizuku (My Little Monster)
At the beginning of the anime, Haru Yoshida appears very intimidating and violent; however, it soon becomes apparent that this aggression is just a facade and that he is actually quite innocent and clueless. A traumatic incident has made it difficult for him to communicate with people, and his social skills could be better. He is, however, friendly and means well in everything he does. He's very intelligent, even if he doesn't really try, and he's incredibly protective of those he loves. Unfortunately, he can be very jealous at times, which usually makes him possessive and violent.
Shizuku Mizutani is very studious and can be quite apathetic towards her classmates. She hopes to one day be like her mother, which drives her to work hard and become socially inept and emotionally withdrawn. These traits appeared at a young age when she did not react to the death of her pet. Additionally, she is quite naive towards people, which becomes evident when she does not realize that Kenji Tamagucci is trying to show her affection until he outright admits it.
Haru and Shizuku's first kiss is hilarious, especially because she has no idea what's going on and he doesn't seem perturbed at all, even though he later claims he loves her.
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2. Sophie & How (Howl's Howl's Moving Castle)
Howl's Moving Castle has a beautiful animation style in a fictional world and is one of the best romance anime. It tells the story of Sophie, a young hat maker transformed into an elderly woman by a witch who curses her after entering her shop. At first, she lacks self-confidence, but after being cursed, she proves that she has a strong will and is less afraid of what people think of her. Sophie can be impulsive, and when she does something wrong, her attempts to rectify her mistakes are not always successful. However, she is very compassionate and has her own magical abilities, which she does not realize until much later.
Howl Pendragon is one of the most powerful wizards in the world who spreads rumors about himself to stay isolated. He had a natural gift for magic and was quite powerful. Unfortunately, he had a habit of courting and then dumping women, including the Witch of the Waste, who placed a curse on him. Howl is a hermit who occasionally works for the king's army but avoids contact with people as much as possible.
Sophie and Howl share the sweetest romance of any couple in anime, and their final kiss is one of the best moments in the film adaptation. After all their challenges and struggles, the two share a sweet kiss, healed of their curses, as the castle slowly drifts away.
1. Victor & Yuuri (Yuri!!! on Ice)
Yuuri is “the figure skater with the biggest glass heart in the world.” His gentleness of heart makes him prone to depression, especially if he fails. He is very calm and easily embarrassed, but also very competitive. After receiving training from Victor, he developed greater self-confidence and was able to brush aside insults from other competitors. His anxiety during competitions often made him appear more self-centered, but with Victor's help, he began to pay more attention to those around him.
Victor Nikiforov is very charismatic and naturally flirtatious. He is a skilled figure skater and pushes himself to improve his skills, but off the ice he is very easy-going and doesn't really listen to orders. Victor can be airheaded and often forgets things, but he is also self-conscious. He's not the best person to cry in front of, he's usually very blunt or offers an awkward method of comfort, but he has good intentions and is very comfortable on the ice.
Yuuri and Victor have an adorable romance, sharing one of their first kisses on the ice after Yuuri's skating. Yuuri rushes over to Victor, happy that he did so well, and Victor jumps on top of him with a kiss, knocking them both to the ground in his excitement.
The much-awaited kiss sent the internet crazy when the episode aired. The kiss was made even better when Yuuri and Victor revealed that they were engaged a little later.
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