7 Best Romantic Anime Movies To Watch After Makoto Shinkai’s Suzume

By Zoe Zeng on 18 Jun 2023

Did you manage to catch the box office hit Suzume no Tojimari (better known as Suzume) while it was in theatres? Those who are familiar with director Makoto Shinkai’s previous works — which includes the worldwide sensation Your Name — would have already expected the mind-blowing visuals and spectacular storyline present in Suzume.

While the high quality of animation certainly takes centre stage, we can’t help but crave more of the star-crossed romance between its main characters. After all, there’s nothing like the catharsis of watching a romantic movie at the end of a long work week!

Which raises the all-important question: what is there to watch next? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. Read on for seven romantic anime movies to add to your watchlist.

#1 Weathering With You (2019)

Photo from CoMix Wave Films

Like Suzume, Makoto Shinkai’s Weathering With You explores yet another aspect of nature: rainfall. When highschool student Hodaka runs away from his rural home to Tokyo, he falls for Hina, a girl who is able to manipulate the weather. The pair decide to monetise her ability, but find that power always comes at a cost. While the plot of Weathering With You is more simplistic than Suzume’s, the youthful and magical romance between the main characters make it a gem that’s worth watching.

#2 5 Centimeters per Second (2007)

Photo from CoMix Wave Films

Another one of Makoto Shinkai’s masterpieces, 5 Centimeters per Second has quite the reputation for being a tearjerker, so make sure you have your tissues ready! This coming-of-age film follows Takaki and Akari, childhood friends who attempt a long-distance relationship after being torn apart by reasons beyond their control. The film is set between the 1990s to the late 2000s, making it a nostalgic experience for many viewers in their 20s and 30s.

#3 Princess Mononoke (1997)

Photo from Studio Ghibli

From its hauntingly beautiful soundtrack to the imaginative way that its forests are portrayed, there are many reasons why Princess Mononoke is one of the best Studio Ghibli movies ever produced. The film’s daring and compassionate hero, Prince Ashitaka, leaves his village to search for a cure after he falls victim to a demon’s curse. During his adventures he meets Mononoke, a warrior princess who serves as a messenger and avenger of the forest gods. Their romance is thrilling, bittersweet, and tests the boundaries that separate humans from their natural surroundings.

#4 To the Forest of Firefly Lights (2011)

Photo from Brain's Base

When Hotaru got lost in the forest as a child, she was saved by Gin, a mysterious boy wearing a mask. As the two become friends, Hotaru learns that Gin can never be touched by a human — or he will disappear forever. To the Forest of Firefly Lights is only 45 minutes long, perfect for those days when you just can’t shell out 2-3 hours to watch a regular-length film.

#5 Maquia: When the Promised Flower Blooms (2018)

Photo from P.A. Works

While we are on the topic of forbidden and impossible love, Maquia: When the Promised Flower Blooms is another great pick for viewers who enjoy such stories. Maquia hails from a race of immortals whose homeland is invaded for their magical blood. While on the run, she saves an orphaned human child, Ariel, whom she raises as her own. As the years fly by, Ariel grows into a wonderful young man and feelings blossom between them despite Maquia’s inability to age.

#6 A Whisker Away (2020)

Photo from Netflix

By day, Miyo is a boisterous middle school student with an unhappy home life. By night, she magically transforms into a cat to visit Hinode, the classmate she has an unrequited crush on. As the line between Miyo’s double life begins to blur, she has to make a decision between escaping into a relaxing life as a cat, or facing all her problems by remaining human. Lovers of cats will especially adore this playful, magical movie about young love and what it means to be human.

#7 Violet Evergarden: The Movie (2020)

Photo from Kyoto Animation

Since the end of the war, ex-child soldier Violet has managed to learn about human emotions and become a successful letter-writer — but she is still unable to move on from her beloved Major Gilbert’s death. Complete with dazzling visuals and a breathtaking soundtrack, the final instalment of the highly-raved Violet Evergarden series certainly lives up to all the hype! While this movie serves as a finale to the anime episodes and is best watched in that order, it has a standalone plot that makes it watchable for first-time viewers.