Old romance anime that need remakes

Key recommendations

  • Anime romance often follows a predictable formula with interesting twists and turns, leaving fans wanting more.
  • Some iconic romance anime may benefit from remakes to update the animation or modernize the stories.
  • Rebooting classic romance anime with tweaks like age changes or shared universes can bring in new and old fans.



Stop me if you've heard this one before – two main characters meet – cute and fall somewhat unexpectedly in love. Their relationship hits a few rough patches here and there, but they get through it all and end up together in the end. This is how love stories usually go in almost any medium in which they are told. Well, the anime seems to understand this formula, using it while incorporating interesting twists that more often than not leave viewers wanting more.

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There are a lot of great romance anime out there. These romantic stories are sure to tug at the heartstrings of any anime fan.

However, the older the anime, the more likely it has one, two, or more things that could benefit from a remake. It could be something as simple as fixing its animation, but there could also be an underlying problem with the show's premise that, if changed in a remake, could make the show perfect for modern-age viewers.


1 His and her circumstances

It has a slightly dated art style


release date

October 2, 1998

seasons

1

Studio

Gainax, JCStaff

Creative

Masami Tsuda

Number of episodes

26

Steaming services

Amazon Prime Video

His and her circumstances it's a wonderfully fresh take on the underclassman trope that's common in anime. This time, however, both sides are on the stand, with the show focusing on a one-sided rivalry between them, as well as the philosophical nature of what amounts to a Tsundere's denial of love.

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This anime was directed by Hideaki Anno, of Neon Genesis Evangelion fame. As such, in addition to things like interesting depictions of MC Yukino's perceived grandeur, there are many wonderful establishing shots throughout the show. Something that would benefit from the type of facelift whose reconstruction Eve received not long ago.


2 My wife is a high school girl

It involves a troubled marriage

release date

July 2, 2005

seasons

1

Studio

madhouse

Creative

Hiyoko Kobayashi

Number of episodes

13

This would be a complicated remake because the premise is problematic, with not only an age gap to deal with, but also a strange power dynamic between a teacher and his student. The core of the show is one that fans of romantic anime can root for, though, as it's a love that persists against all odds.


If it were to be remade, the feel of this anime could remain intact while pushing the ages of the main characters forward a bit. Instead of a teacher and his student, maybe it could be a man and a woman with diametrically opposed professions. Certainly fans new and old alike wouldn't mind a little progress with their romance.

3 Chobits

It would benefit from today's popularization of shared universes

release date

April 2, 2002

Studio

madhouse

seasons

1

Creative

CLAMP

Number of episodes

27

Streaming services

Crunchyroll, Amazon Prime Video


Romantic plots between humans and AI are nothing new, but since then Chobitsthere have been many nuanced interpretations of the idea, as in the acclaimed American film, they, starring Joaquin Phoenix. It is clear that a new Chobits the anime would benefit from years of further sci-fi advancements.

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The series written by the CLAMP writing collective have been known to be a lot of fun and sometimes quite a bit between their series. while Chobits i didn't get as much from it as the series xxxHolic and Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicles did, a remake of it, as well as the entire CLAMP line, would benefit from the hindsight of shared universes like the MCU's.

4 The school rumble

It would be perfect for short content


Shows with bite-sized episodes that all focus on different themes or gags have to strike a tricky balance between the genres they're trying to portray. The school rumble does just that, making viewers laugh out loud with its often absurd humor while still offering plenty of surprises in its romantic drama elements.

At its base, The school rumble it's a sketch show, which is something that would go over well with today's penchant for short content. Running new episodes in YouTube shorts or even TikTok clips would help the series attract hoards of new fans.

5 You have Yori Aoshi

Character models need a touch up

release date

April 10, 2002

seasons

1

Studio

JCStaff

Creative

Kou Fumizuki

Number of episodes

24

Steaming services

Apple TV


The main character, Kaoru, has escaped the machinations of his traditional Japanese family, but it would seem that fate has other plans for him. This causes him to become involved in a harem, headed by Aoi, a girl who has loved him since childhood.

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The anime itself has nothing special in terms of animation or style. Honestly, it's a lot like a lot of other shows of the time, its biggest offense being its bland character design. But this is something that could be fixed quite easily in a remake to accompany its truly special story.

6 Tatchi

It could use the upgrade in its animation


release date

March 24, 1985

seasons

1

Studio

Group TAC

Creative

Mitsuru Adachi

Number of episodes

101

In Tatchiknown in English as Touching, love blooms on the pitcher's mound. The show focuses on a love triangle between twins Tatsuya and Kaguya Uesugi, as well as Minami Asakura, as they enter the throes of high school and intramural baseball.

Fortunately, Mitsuru Adachi's iconic artwork doesn't need to be fussed with too much. In fact, that instant 80s style would certainly make a remake of this story stand out among the countless rom-coms that dominate every season these days. Just a thorough refinement of the animation itself is all it would take to make this a home run.

7 Maison Ikkoku

The number of episodes could be reduced


Maison Ikkoku

release date
March 26, 1986

seasons
4

Studio
Studio Deen

Creative
Rumiko Takahashi

Number of episodes
96

Originally a manga created by one of the masters of romantic comedy, Rumiko Takahashi, Maison Ikkoku tells the complicated love story of Yusaku Godai and his property manager, Kyoko Otonashi. It's an engaging story, even when many of the story's most important beats are predictably set off by misunderstandings.

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The series has seen a number of remasters, re-releases and even movies in its time. However, what it could undoubtedly benefit from is a concerted effort to trim the fat of the original 90+ episode run. That said, this is an otherwise timeless classic that honestly doesn't need much else.

8 The peach girl

An example of 2000s anime lacking in animation quality


Momo Adachi is by all accounts a Gyaru, even if it's not her intention. Of course, this comes with the many highs and lows of that life, which inevitably includes getting involved in a classic love triangle with a couple of handsome guys. Unfortunately, this leads to a bit of jealousy in Momo's “friend” Sae, who spends the series complicating things further.

While it wasn't terribly old, a lot of anime from the early 2000s were often released looking stiff and a bit plain as a result. I mean, a look at the show's animation with modern sensibilities would be a welcome fix. There are also sequel manga, Peach Girl Nextwhich has yet to be animated and could be incorporated into this new show, making a remake of the original anime a no-brainer.

9 Gravity

The public would be more receptive to this kind of show


release date

October 4, 2000

seasons

1

Studio

Studio Deen

Creative

Maki Murakami

Number of episodes

13

Steaming services

Crunchyroll

This classic yaoi focuses on the love story between a famous author, Yuki, and an elderly musician, Shuichi. Throughout the series, Shuichi tries to break down Yuki's emotional walls, while also pulling for his own goal of achieving it on the music scene.

It's relatively short, but it's the kind of “boy love” story that American publisher Tokyo POP was instrumental in popularizing in the West, meaning a modern-day anime remake would do even better. It would also give the creators the opportunity to actually animate the entire story of Gravitation, since the original series only covered the first half of the manga.


10 Mary Watch over us

There are tons more easy novels to adapt

release date

January 7, 2004

seasons

1

Studio

Studio Deen

Creative

Oyuki Konno

Number of episodes

13

Steaming services

Amazon Prime Video

Although a bit dense in its French naming conventions, the core Mary Watch over us is rooted in the relationships that form between the show's characters who attend a Catholic school. These relationships range from official to romantic and everything in between, never feeling taboo despite the setting of the story.


A reboot of this anime would make sense. The series started as a light novel that continued until 2012, meaning there is a lot of content that neither the manga nor the anime ever touched. Plus, a retelling could give the creators a chance to give the show a bit more direction, since the original was more character-focused than anything else.

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