25 Best Anime with Love Triangle/Polygon Romance: Love Gets Complicated

This series, also known as Oregairu, revolves around Hachiman Hikigaya, a self-proclaimed loner who views the world through a lens of biting sarcasm.

When he gets roped into joining the Service Club, he meets Yukino Yukinoshita, a cold yet brilliant classmate, and Yui Yuigahama, a sweet and cheerful girl hiding her insecurities.

On paper, Yukino seems perfect for Hachiman, they share similar jaded worldviews. But Yui offers warmth and acceptance that challenges his defenses.

But deep down, I still think Hachiman and Saika would make the perfect couple. Yes, Saika, my favorite trap and the ultimate dream girlfriend. Just kidding… maybe.

Beneath their trio’s dynamic lies a complex, realistic love triangle, where each character hides their vulnerability behind sarcasm, aloofness, or fake smiles.

The triangle here isn’t just about “who ends up with who,” it’s about how people misunderstand each other, the fear of rejection, and emotional self-preservation.

What makes Oregairu special is its refusal to spoon-feed romance. It’s a slow-burn exploration of vulnerability, making every subtle glance or half-smile feel like a triumph.

My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU info (MAL):

• Alternative Title: Yahari Ore no Seishun Love Comedy wa Machigatteiru.
• Episodes: 12
• Released: Spring 2013
• Studios: Brain’s Base
• Genres: Comedy, Romance
• Themes: Love Polygon, School
• Score: 8.0 (MAL), 7.9 (IMDb)

Where do we even begin? Fruits Basket is a masterpiece of character-driven storytelling wrapped in zodiac curses and emotional trauma.

Tohru Honda, our kind-hearted protagonist, finds herself living with the mysterious Sohma family, including the hot-headed Kyo and the calm, princely Yuki.

Their personalities (and zodiac transformations) couldn’t be more different, but both are drawn to Tohru in ways that challenge their own brokenness.

The love triangle evolves beautifully across the series as we watch these characters grow, confront their pasts, and open their hearts.

It’s a love triangle that prioritizes healing over rivalry, making every emotional payoff feel earned. And the supernatural setting adds just the right amount of spice.

Fruits Basket info (MAL):

• Alternative Title: Fruits Basket (Zenpen) (2019)
• Episodes: 25
• Released: Spring 2019
• Studios: TMS Entertainment
• Genres: Drama, Romance, Supernatural
• Themes: Love Polygon, School
• Score: 8.21 (MAL), 8.6 (IMDb)

Watch Fruits Basket trailer:

While it leans into harem territory, it’s also considered a love polygon, as the male lead ends up choosing only one of the quintuplets.

The story follows Fuutarou Uesugi, a grumpy honor student hired to tutor the Nakano quintuplets, five identical sisters with wildly different personalities.

As Fuutarou spends more time with them, hints of romance begin to surface, but here’s the catch: none of the sisters know which one he might have feelings for, and vice versa.

The mystery of who Fuutarou truly loves (and which quintuplets saved him in the past) keeps fans buzzing, especially since every sister has moments that make you root for her.

Beyond the romantic chaos, the show shines through its humor, the sisters’ bonds, their rivalries and their character development.

Each sister brings a unique dynamic: tsundere, shy, mature, playful, or stubborn, and fans love to debate who the “best girl” is. No need for a debate, Ichika is clearly the best girl in the series.

For anyone who enjoys wholesome yet chaotic romances, The Quintessential Quintuplets delivers plenty of charm and suspense.

The Quintessential Quintuplets info (MAL):

• Alternative Title: 5-toubun no Hanayome
• Episodes: 12
• Released: Winter 2019
• Studios: Tezuka Productions
• Genres: Comedy, Romance
• Themes: Harem, School
• Score: 7.63 (MAL), 7.6 (IMDb)

Watch The Quintessential Quintuplets trailer:

A newer entry that’s already stealing hearts.

Blue Box follows Taiki Inomata, a badminton prodigy secretly crushing on Chinatsu Kano, a basketball star who moves into his house (don’t worry, it’s a wholesome setup).

As they grow closer, a third character starts complicating things. Taiki’s best friend, Hina, has loved him for years but can’t compete with his tunnel vision for Chinatsu.

The romantic tension here is deliciously slow-burn, with Taiki balancing sports rivalry, academic pressure, and the guilt of unintentionally stringing Hina along.

It’s a love triangle that feels refreshingly grounded, no grand gestures, just the ache of “what if?”

Blue Box info (MAL):

• Alternative Title: Ao no Hako
• Episodes: 25
• Released: Fall 2024
• Studios: Telecom Animation Film
• Genres: Romance, Sports
• Themes: Love Polygon, School, Team Sports
• Score: 8.24 (MAL), 7.9 (IMDb)

Watch Blue Box trailer:

First loves don’t always get second chances… unless you’re Futaba Yoshioka. In middle school, she fell for Kou Tanaka, only for him to vanish after a tragedy.

When they reunite in high school (now with a different personality and a new name, Kou Mabuchi), Futaba’s determined to reconnect… until she discovers Kou’s now dating someone else.

Enter the triangle: new characters develop feelings, emotional walls go up, and misunderstandings bloom.

This anime captures the awkwardness and intensity of teenage love, especially when you’re trying to figure out who you are, while also wondering who’s worth letting into your heart.

Blue Spring Ride info (MAL):

• Alternative Title: Ao Haru Ride
• Episodes: 12
• Released: Summer 2014
• Studios: Production I.G
• Genres: Romance
• Themes: Love Polygon, School
• Score: 7.63 (MAL), 7.5 (IMDb)

Watch Blue Spring Ride trailer:

Fake relationships, childhood promises, and a literal key around someone’s neck, Nisekoi is peak rom-com chaos.

Raku Ichijo, the son of a yakuza boss, pretends to date Chitoge Kirisaki, the daughter of a rival gang leader, to keep peace between their rival gangster families.

Problem is, Raku’s still hung up on his childhood crush, Kosaki Onodera… who just happens to be Chitoge’s new best friend.

Add in a mysterious childhood promise, more girls with matching lockets, more girls again, and constant misunderstandings, and you’ve got yourself a love triangle… or love chaos.

It’s messy in all the best ways, and the chemistry between characters is downright addictive.

Nisekoi: False Love info (MAL):

• Alternative Title: N/A
• Episodes: 20
• Released: Winter 2014
• Studios: Shaft
• Genres: Comedy, Romance
• Themes: Harem, School
• Score: 7.56 (MAL), 7.2 (IMDb)

Nana is the classic of messy, grown-up love triangles. It’s unpredictable and complex.

Nana follows two women with the same name who couldn’t be more different: one’s a free-spirited rocker, the other a naive hopeless romantic.

As their lives intertwine through music, so do their relationships, and the love triangles that emerge are painfully realistic.

Betrayals, messy decisions, longing, and regret, it’s all here. You’ll see characters at their most vulnerable, and sometimes most selfish. But that’s what makes it so compelling.

Nana doesn’t sugarcoat anything, and it hits like a breakup you weren’t ready for.

Nana info (MAL):

• Alternative Title: N/A
• Episodes: 47
• Released: Spring 2006
• Studios: Madhouse
• Genres: Drama, Romance
• Themes: Adult Cast, Love Polygon, Music
• Score: 8.56 (MAL), 8.5 (IMDb)

Who knew a poetry card game could be this intense?

Chihayafuru follows Chihaya Ayase, a girl obsessed with karuta, a competitive sport based on classical Japanese poetry.

Her childhood friends, Taichi Mashima, and Arata Wataya, the prodigy who ignited her passion for karuta, form a triangle where ambition and affection collide.

Taichi’s quiet devotion vs. Arata’s inspiring influence creates a tension that’s as much about personal growth as romance.

Unlike most love triangles, this one doesn’t dominate the story but enriches it (romance is not the main focuses).

It’s subtle, but if you’re paying attention, the romantic tension is everywhere.

Chihayafuru info (MAL):

• Alternative Title: N/A
• Episodes: 25
• Released: Fall 2011
• Studios: Madhouse
• Genres: Drama, Sports
• Themes: Love Polygon, School, Strategy Game
• Score: 8.18 (MAL), 8.1 (IMDb)

Talk about awkward setups. In a school program meant to simulate marriage life, high schoolers Jirou and Akari are paired as pretend spouses.

The twist? Jirou’s crushing on his quiet classmate Shiori, while Akari’s obsessed with her childhood friend Minami.

Yet, as they fake domestic bliss, cooking together, sharing a “bedroom,” their act starts feeling alarmingly genuine.

The show’s humor shines in their bickering and accidental intimacy, but it’s the gradual shift from annoyance to affection that steals the show. You know, enemies-to-lovers vibes.

More Than a Married Couple, But Not Lovers info (MAL):

• Alternative Title: Fuufu Ijou, Koibito Miman.
• Episodes: 12
• Released: Fall 2022
• Studios: studio MOTHER
• Genres: Romance
• Themes: Love Polygon, School
• Score: 7.59 (MAL), 7.5 (IMDb)

Watch More than a Married Couple, but Not Lovers trailer:

Otaku culture meets romantic comedy in this ode to dating sim tropes.

Tomoya, a self-proclaimed otaku, wants to make the ultimate dating sim game. So naturally, he recruits a team of beautiful girls who are also potential love interests.

The love triangle (or four) is between the chill and “boring” Megumi, tsundere childhood friend Eriri, and the aloof-but-talented Utaha.

It’s a clever parody of harem-style setup, but with surprisingly clever writing and emotional depth. Also, don’t forget Saekano’s self-aware humor and its clever take on otaku culture.

But it’s Megumi’s deadpan charm and Tomoya’s obliviousness that truly steal the show, tying it all together with a unique, refreshing dynamic.

Saekano: How to Raise a Boring Girlfriend info (MAL):

• Alternative Title: Saenai Heroine no Sodatekata
• Episodes: 12
• Released: Winter 2015
• Studios: A-1 Pictures
• Genres: Comedy, Romance, Ecchi
• Themes: Harem, Otaku Culture, School
• Score: 7.47 (MAL), 7.0 (IMDb)

If you prefer your love triangles served with maximum chaos, School Rumble is a comedy goldmine.

This love triangle (actually, it’s more like a love pentagon) is less about who ends up with who and more about the comedy of not confessing.

Tenma is crushing on Karasuma, the most oblivious guy alive, while Harima, our bad boy with a soft heart, is hopelessly in love with Tenma.

Throw in a quirky cast of side characters (each with their own crushes), and you’ve got a rom-com that’s more about absurdity than romance.

It’s light, unpredictable, and packed with ridiculous misunderstandings that’ll leave you giggling.

School Rumble info (MAL):

• Alternative Title: N/A
• Episodes: 26
• Released: Fall 2004
• Studios: Studio Comet
• Genres: Comedy, Romance
• Themes: Gag Humor, Love Polygon, School
• Score: 7.88 (MAL), 7.8 (IMDb)

Revenge has never been this romantically charged.

After being betrayed by her childhood crush, Kyoko Mogami vows to become a superstar to crush him, only to stumble into a rivalry (and maybe more?) with Ren Tsuruga, the industry’s top heartthrob.

The triangle here is a slow-motion car crash of pride and pettiness: Kyoko’s obsession with vengeance vs. Ren’s growing fascination with her fiery spirit.

The show’s crackling chemistry and Kyoko’s unhinged comedic rage make it a must-watch for fans of enemies-to-reluctant-lovers chaos.

Skip Beat! info (MAL):

• Alternative Title: N/A
• Episodes: 25
• Released: Fall 2008
• Studios: HAL Film Maker
• Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance
• Themes: Love Polygon, Showbiz
• Score: 8.07 (MAL), 7.8 (IMDb)

Golden Time isn’t your typical high school rom-com. It’s set in college, so the drama hits a little more grown-up.

Golden Time follows Banri, a law student with amnesia, as he falls in love with the bold and possessive Kouko, while also wrestling with lingering feelings for a girl from his pre-amnesia life

This love triangle is less about choosing between two people and more about identity, memory, and whether love can overcome the ghosts of who we used to be.

Banri’s struggle to reconcile his past self with who he’s becoming adds layers to his relationships, and Kouko’s growth from clingy to self-assured is a triumph.

Golden Time info (MAL):

• Alternative Title: N/A
• Episodes: 24
• Released: Fall 2013
• Studios: J.C.Staff
• Genres: Drama, Romance
• Themes: Adult Cast, Love Polygon
• Score: 7.74 (MAL), 7.5 (IMDb)

What do you get when you throw five friends into a supernatural setup where they randomly swap bodies and start experiencing each other’s feelings?

You get Kokoro Connect, where the love triangle tension gets multiplied by emotional exposure.

At the center is the triangle between Taichi, Iori, and Himeko, friends who are forced to confront uncomfortable truths about themselves and each other.

The love triangle here sneaks in and escalates fast, especially as secrets spill and the characters literally walk in each other’s shoes.

It’s intense, personal, and will have you screaming at your screen as the emotional dominos fall.

Kokoro Connect info (MAL):

• Alternative Title: N/A
• Episodes: 13
• Released: Summer 2012
• Studios: SILVER LINK.
• Genres: Drama, Romance, Supernatural
• Themes: Love Polygon, School
• Score: 7.73 (MAL), 7.4 (IMDb)

This series feels like your typical summer romance anime at first, group of friends making a film together before high school ends, but then sci-fi suddenly enters stage left.

Kaito, the main character, falls for the mysterious transfer student Ichika, but his childhood friend Kanna quietly harbors feelings for him too.

The love triangle (or more like a love web) is handled with a gentle touch, and it really nails that bittersweet coming-of-age vibe.

The show balances lighthearted teen antics with existential stakes, asking whether love can transcend worlds or if it’s doomed by time and space.

Waiting in the Summer info (MAL):

• Alternative Title: Ano Natsu de Matteru
• Episodes: 12
• Released: Winter 2012
• Studios: J.C.Staff
• Genres: Drama, Romance, Sci-Fi
• Themes: Love Polygon
• Score: 7.40 (MAL), 7.0 (IMDb)

Art school, unrequited love, and way too many feelings. Honey and Clover is like a quiet, contemplative thunderstorm of emotion.

This slice-of-life series revolves around a group of college students figuring out life, art, navigating young adulthood… and love triangles abound.

Takemoto, Morita, and Mayama all deal with unrequited love in their own way, particularly around the quietly enchanting Hagumi.

The show’s bittersweet tone and focus on unanswered love make it achingly relatable. It’s less about who “wins” and more about how love shapes us, even when it’s not returned.

Honey and Clover info (MAL):

• Alternative Title: Hachimitsu to Clover
• Episodes: 24
• Released: Spring 2005
• Studios: J.C.Staff
• Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance
• Themes: Adult Cast, Love Polygon, Visual Arts
• Score: 7.98 (MAL), 6.4 (IMDb)

Warning: this one hurts. Scum’s Wish is the anti-romance romance anime.

Hanabi and Mugi are in love with other people, but they start a physical relationship to cope with their unrequited crushes.

As they spiral deeper into their facade, they find themselves entangled in a web of emotional manipulation, jealousy, and unspoken truths.

The triangle here isn’t about who ends up with who, it’s about the pain of unrequited love and the ways people cope (and fail) to fill the void.

It’s raw, messy, and brutally honest. If you want something dark and introspective, this is it. But make sure to only watch it once.

Scum’s Wish info (MAL):

• Alternative Title: Kuzu no Honkai
• Episodes: 12
• Released: Winter 2017
• Studios: Lerche
• Genres: Drama, Romance
• Themes: Love Polygon, School
• Score: 7.09 (MAL), 6.7 (IMDb)

And now for something… undead.

When zombie-loving Chihiro accidentally brings the beautiful Rea back from the dead, things get weird. Like, really weird.

The love triangle forms between Chihiro, zombie-Rea, and his childhood friend Ranko, who’s got her own feelings simmering.

It’s part horror, part tragic romance, and surprisingly emotional considering, you know, one of the leads is decomposing.

Sankarea: Undying Love info (MAL):

• Alternative Title: N/A
• Episodes: 12
• Released: Spring 2012
• Studios: Studio Deen
• Genres: Comedy, Horror, Romance, Supernatural, Ecchi
• Themes: Love Polygon
• Score: 7.27 (MAL), 6.7 (IMDb)

Switching gears, Orange is a more emotional, introspective take on love triangles with a sci-fi twist.

When Naho receives letters from her future self urging her to protect new transfer student Kakeru, she finds herself torn between her growing feelings for him and the knowledge that he might not be around much longer.

Naho, our main girl, receives letters from her future self urging her to save a new classmate, Kakeru, from a tragic fate.

As she grows close to Kakeru, she finds herself torn between her growing feelings for him and the knowledge that he might not be around much longer.

Meanwhile, Suwa, her childhood friend, harbors his own feelings for Naho.

It’s a deeply bittersweet triangle, where love comes with sacrifice, and every action carries weight.

If you like your romance with a side of tears and time travel, Orange is a must-watch.

Orange info (MAL):

• Alternative Title: N/A
• Episodes: 13
• Released: Summer 2016
• Studios: Telecom Animation Film
• Genres: Drama, Romance, Sci-Fi
• Themes: Love Polygon, School, Time Travel
• Score: 7.36 (MAL), 7.6 (IMDb)

Oh boy, Domestic Girlfriend is the definition of messy. It’s unpredictable who the main guy will end up with, and the relationships are so complex (and often controversial).

Natsuo has a crush on his teacher… then ends up sleeping with a girl he just met… who turns out to be his future stepsister. And yes, both girls are now living with him.

Yep. It’s a love triangle with family drama, forbidden love, and all kind of messiness.

This anime leans hard into scandal and emotional whiplash, and while not everyone will love the tone, the triangle (or triangle within a triangle) is undeniably addictive.

People either love this series for its sheer audacity or hate it for the same reason. Just don’t blame us if you yell at the screen every five minutes.

Domestic Girlfriend info (MAL):

• Alternative Title: Domestic na Kanojo
• Episodes: 12
• Released: Winter 2019
• Studios: Diomedéa
• Genres: Drama, Romance
• Themes: Love Polygon, School
• Score: 6.64 (MAL), 6.8 (IMDb)

This one flies under the radar but deserves way more love.

Just Because! is a quiet, realistic high school romance about missed chances and second tries.

It follows a group of high school seniors navigating their last-chance romances as graduation looms, and the awkwardness that comes with unspoken feelings resurfacing.

The show’s muted realism and focus on quiet moments of love like texts left unsent, and glances across a classroom make it a love letter to the ache of “almost” and “what ifs.”

Just Because! info (MAL):

• Alternative Title: N/A
• Episodes: 12
• Released: Fall 2017
• Studios: PINE JAM
• Genres: Drama, Romance
• Themes: Love Polygon, School
• Score: 7.23 (MAL), 6.9 (IMDb)

Mecha, post-apocalyptic drama, and a love triangle that’s… complicated.

Hiro, a pilot deemed “defective,” bonds with Zero Two, a half-human hybrid who’s as dangerous as she is alluring.

The problem? His short blue-haired childhood friend (*DAMN IT, it’s always them), Ichigo, isn’t ready to let him go.

The show’s sci-fi backdrop heightens the emotional stakes, as Zero Two struggles with her humanity while Ichigo desperately tries to protect Hiro.

While it’s a solid action-romance story, the quality of the ending is up for debate. Some even suggest stopping at Episode 15 for a more positive and satisfying experience.

Darling in the FranXX info (MAL):

• Alternative Title: N/A
• Episodes: 24
• Released: Winter 2018
• Studios: A-1 Pictures, Trigger, CloverWorks
• Genres: Action, Drama, Romance, Sci-Fi
• Themes: Mecha
• Score: 7.19 (MAL), 7.3 (IMDb)

This is a love polygon wrapped in a fantasy-like setting.

In a world where humans live both on land and underwater, childhood friends Manaka and Hikari grapple with their feelings as they attend school on the surface.

The triangle forms between Manaka, Hikari’s secret crush, and Tsumugu, a land boy who bridges their worlds.

The show explores culture clash, growing up, and the inevitability of change, with romantic feelings blossoming and overlapping in beautifully messy ways.

The love triangle between Hikari, Manaka, and Tsumugu is just one of many tangled in this visually stunning story that asks if love can survive between different worlds.

A Lull in the Sea info (MAL):

• Alternative Title: Nagi no Asu kara
• Episodes: 26
• Released: Fall 2013
• Studios: P.A. Works
• Genres: Drama, Fantasy, Romance
• Themes: Love Polygon, Urban Fantasy
• Score: 7.94 (MAL), 7.3 (IMDb)

What if you could redo your 20s? Remake Our Life! blends time travel with second chances.

Kyouya goes back ten years to relive his college years and take a different path in life.

Along the way, he becomes close to talented women, especially Nanako and Shinoaki, forming emotional bonds that are tied not just to romance, but to creative growth and regret.

As he changes their futures (and his own), the love triangle grows more complicated. The story blends time-travel drama with a creative journey full of bittersweet romantic “what-ifs.”

Remake Our Life! info (MAL):

• Alternative Title: Bokutachi no Remake
• Episodes: 12
• Released: Summer 2021
• Studios: feel.
• Genres: Drama, Romance
• Themes: Adult Cast, Time Travel
• Score: 7.39 (MAL), 6.9 (IMDb)

Infamous. Controversial. A cautionary tale of what happens when a love triangle goes nuclear.

Makoto starts out liking one girl, then hooks up with another, and then proceeds to treat everyone terribly. Yes, it’s really like that.

What starts as a typical high school romance spirals into absolute chaos, and a truly shocking ending.

Watch this one only if you’re in the mood for dark drama and emotional destruction. It’s unforgettable, for better or (mostly) worse.

School Days info (MAL):

• Alternative Title: N/A
• Episodes: 12
• Released: Summer 2007
• Studios: TNK
• Genres: Drama, Romance
• Themes: Harem, School
• Score: 5.51 (MAL), 5.9 (IMDb)

Love Triangles: A Beautiful Mess Worth Watching

There’s a reason we keep coming back to love triangles in anime. They stir up emotions we can’t ignore; hope, heartbreak, jealousy, longing, and force characters to grow (or crash and burn).

Whether you’re here for the heartwarming moments or the chaotic drama, love triangles give romance anime that extra oomph.

And if you’ve ever found yourself torn between two characters or yelling “JUST CHOOSE ALREADY,” well… congratulations. You’re one of us now.

So, which triangle made you scream at your screen? Got a favorite I didn’t mention? Drop it in the comments, let’s keep the conversation (and the shipping wars) going!