20 Best Yuri Anime, Ranked (2025)

Some of the best LGBTQ+ stories in anime are found in shojo ai or yuri, also called Girls' Love. Strictly speaking, yuri refers to series involving explicit girl-on-girl romantic relationships. However, some of these spell it out as a special bond between two female characters without clarifying if it's only platonic. As it happens to most anime sub-genres, some yuri series stand out among the rest for their quality.

Whether it is due to their relatable characters, their thoughtful reflection on the Japanese LGBTQ+ experience, or their excellent writing, these series are top-notch. Any yuri lover out there cannot miss classic series such as Maria Watches Over Us, Adachi and Shimamura, or Bloom Into You.

Updated on July 31st, 2024, by Mayra Garcia: Although Girls' Love isn't as popular as Boys' Love, the niche genre yuri still has a place in the heart of its true fans and its ranks include great anime series. Some of them focus on pure romance while others tell an even more complex story. This list has been updated to include even more great yuri anime currently available to watch.

20 The Many Sides of Voice Actor Radio Plays With The Introvert/Extrovert Trope

The Many Sides of Voice Actor Radio Rating Scores

Based on the light novel series by Kō Nigatsu and Saba Mizore, The Many Sides of Voice Actor Radio centers on Yumiko Sato, a gyaru high schooler, and Chika Watanabe, her quiet classmate. The two girls become co-hosts of a radio program, in which they pretend to like each other only to bicker all the time off-air.

The Many Sides of Voice Actor Radio follows a fan-favorite trope: the romance between a shy person and their effervescent significant other. The dynamic between Yumiko and Chika (and between their radio alter-egos, Yasumi and Yuhi) is enough to keep the viewers laughing and eventually swooning as they become closer.

19 Revolutionary Girl Utena Is A Classic

Revolutionary Girl Utena Rating Scores

As a young girl, Utena Tenjou received a rose-engraved ring from a traveling prince. This moment inspired her to become a prince herself. Revolutionary Girl Utena follows her, now as a teenager, as she goes through several duels to earn the hand of Anthy Himemiya, aka the Rose Bride of Ohtori Academy.

The thing with Revolutionary Girl Utena is that it doesn't fit one category, but draws from several subgenres to become an iconic piece. It is a yuri story, but it's also a magical girl anime, and a surrealist piece of art full of symbolism. Given this, the relationship between Utena and Anthy can be interpreted as romantic or not. It's a perfect option for anyone who wants their yuri to be more than just romance since it explores topics like gender, sexuality, and even platonic relationships — especially between women.

Revolutionary Girl Utena

TV-14

Drama

A tomboyish schoolgirl finds herself forced into repeated duels for another girl who has a role in a world revolution.

Release Date

April 2, 1997

Creator(s)

Yoji Enokido , Shin'ya Hasegawa , Kunihiko Ikuhara

Cast

Rachel Lillis , Sharon Becker , Amanda Goodman , Crispin Freeman , James Carter Cathcart , Roxanne Beck Raye

Main Genre

Action

Seasons

1

Creator

Kunihiko Ikuhara, Chiho Saitô

Production Company

TV Tokyo, Yomiko Advertising

Writers

Yoji Enokido

Streaming Service(s)

Crunchyroll

Franchise(s)

Revolutionary Girl Utena

Directors

Kunihiko Ikuhara

18 Gushing Over Magical Girls Is More Of A Comedy Than A Romance

Gushing Over Magical Girls Rating Scores

Also known as I Admire Magical Girls, and..., Gushing over Magical Girls follows Utena Hiiragi, a shy girl who admires magical girls. She's particularly fixated on Tres Magia, a trio of witches who protect her town. When Venalita, a mascot, gives her the chance to become a magical girl too, she becomes part of the villainous organization against which Tres Magia must go: Enormita.

Gushing over Magical Girls isn't a love story. Instead, it's a comedic anime series that happens to include women-on-women relationships. The series is a meta-commentary on the magical girl genre and its many stereotypes and tropes, so seasoned anime lovers will enjoy it plenty.

17 El Cazador De La Bruja Deserves To Be More Popular

El Cazador De La Bruja Rating Scores

In Mexico, an amazing marksman and great bounty hunter named Nadie meets an amnesic girl with superpowers, Ellis, and takes it upon herself to help her find the truth about her past. During this epic journey, their relationship blossoms into something romantic. El Cazador de la Bruja follows their journey.

Yuri fans who want to watch an epic series and not just a great romance will love El Cazador de la Bruja. This series is a bit niche, since it isn't as popular as other shows on this list, but it has it all: girls with guns, supernatural lore, exciting fight sequences, and a beautiful dynamic between the two girls.

16 Whisper Me a Love Song Is Pure Fluff

Whisper Me a Love Song Rating Scores

When Himari Kino confesses to Yori Asanagi that she loves her singing, Yori misunderstands her and assumes the younger high schooler is in love with her — a feeling she reciprocates. When it becomes obvious that this isn't the case, Yori does her best to make Himari fall in love with her.

Whisper Me A Love Song doesn't stand out because of its plot. It's a simple love story between two high schoolers. However, the characters and their relationships are adorable, so it's a very heartwarming watch, perfect for anyone who wants something cozy without much drama.

15 Citrus Details The Blossoming Relationship Between New Stepsisters

Citrus Rating Scores

Yuzu Aihara is an outgoing, fun-loving city girl who moves to a new town and quickly clashes with the conservative all-girls school she's now attending. She clashes the most with Mei Aihara, the student council president who's later revealed to be Yuzu's new stepsister, and the two tackle their confusing, blossoming feelings for each other.

Full of over-the-top drama, there's something endearing about Citrus and its cast, who all feel like people with real, complex issues. Yuzu's and Mei's personalities are incredibly different and watching them interact is entertaining. Many of Mei's actions seem confusing at the time but gain new meaning with later context.

14 Strawberry Panic Is A Simple Yet Cute High School Romance

Strawberry Panic Rating Scores

Based on Sakurako Kimino's eponymous manga, Strawberry Panic follows the students' daily lives at an all-girls institute. The 26-episode series centers specifically on Nagisa Aoi, a new fourth-year student who develops a romantic connection to Shizuma Hanazono, the school's Étoile or "star."

Strawberry Panic is a classic yuri anime focusing on the romance between Nagisa and Shizuma. It doesn't delve into other anime sub-genres but doesn't need them. Instead, it focuses on familiar themes of the high school experience that viewers will find relatable, such as friendship, crushes, and even the politics of social hierarchy. While it's certainly worthy of the list, its placement at the bottom allows for more renowned and established yuri anime.

13 Sasameki Koto Is A Comedy Centered Around Unrequited Love

Sasameki Koto Rating Scores

Sumika Murasame is a 15-year-old with a huge crush on her best friend, Ushio. Although Ushio is openly a lesbian, she only likes cute and shy girls. Unfortunately for Sumika, she isn't that kind of girl. Instead, she's confident, athletic, tall, and popular. Given this, Ushio only sees her as her biggest confidant.

Sasameki Koto is one of the best yuri anime with a simple premise: unrequited love. However, it's far from boring or overdramatic. Instead, it's one of the best romantic comedy anime ever, as Sumika often finds herself in funny situations as she tries to confess her feelings, as well as having the most outlandish daydreams about her friend.

Sasameki Koto

PG-13

Romance

LGBTQ+

The story takes place in a high school. The main character, Murasame Sumika is secretly in love with her best friend, Kazama Ushio. Kazama is interested in other girls for years but they often reject her. She is always looking for a girlfriend and hasn't realized that Murasame loves her.

Release Date

October 7, 2009

Cast

Hitomi Harada , Megumi Takamoto , Ayahi Takagaki

Main Genre

Anime

Seasons

1

Creator

Takashi Ikeda

12 Nine Girls Battle On The Stage Of Fate In Revue Starlight

Revue Starlight Rating Scores

Revue Starlight centers around Karen Aijou, as her childhood best friend Hikari suddenly transfers to her school. While trying to get close to her again, Karen gets wrapped up in magical Revues, where nine girls from the academy battle it out in one-on-one fights for the honor of being crowned the Top Star.

Four main relationships get fleshed out throughout Revue Starlight's run, and though it's never explicitly stated, it's incredibly clear these relationships are more than platonic. The girls of Revue Starlight grow closer to each other while fighting for their dreams, even against each other, and the emotional conflicts that arise from these battles make Revue Starlight an intense and enjoyable yuri anime.

Revue Starlight

TV-14

Romance

Battle Royale

LGBTQ+

Music

Starlight is a song and dance revue troupe loved throughout the world. Karen and Hikari make a promise to each other when they're young that one day they'll stand on that stage together. Time passes, and now the girls are 16 years old. Karen is very enthusiastic about the lessons she takes every day, holding her promise close to her heart. Hikari has transferred schools and is now away from Karen. But the cogs of fate turn, and the two are destined to meet again. The girls and other Stage Girls will compete in a mysterious audition process to gain acceptance into the revue.

Release Date

July 12, 2018

Cast

Momoyo Koyama , Haruki Iwata , Suzuko Mimori , Brittney Karbowski , Patricia Duran , Maggie Flecknoe

Main Genre

Anime

Seasons

1

Creator

Bushiroad, Nelke Planning, and Kinema Citrus

11 Sakura Trick Is A Colorful And Comedic Romance Anime

Sakura Trick Rating Scores

Haruka Takayama and Yuu Sonoda have been close friends since childhood and have plans to attend high school together but end up sitting at opposite ends of the classroom. Yuu quickly attracts attention due to her easygoing personality; sparks begin to fly between the two of them after Haruka's jealousy gets out of control and Yuu kisses her to ease her worries.

This newfound relationship between Yuu and Haruka brings new challenges, which they work through in Sakura Trick. It's a colorful and highly comedic yuri anime that makes full use of its characters, and the only thing that detracts from Sakura Trick being a higher-ranked yuri anime is its overuse of makeout scenes.

Sakura Trick

TV-14

Comedy

Romance

Haruka and Yuu are best friends. But after starting high school together and realising the need to meet new people, they decide to share a special moment most other friends would not: a kiss. From there, their relationship blossoms.

Release Date

January 9, 2014

Main Genre

Animation

Seasons

1 Season

Characters By

Haruka Tomatsu, Yuka Iguchi

Creator

Kenichi Ishikura

Producer

John Ledford, David Del Rio

Production Company

Hobunsha, Memory Tech, Pony Canyon,Studio DEEN, Tokyo Broadcasting System (TBS)

Number of Episodes

12 Episodes

10 Adachi And Shimamura Is A Wholesome, Slow-Burn High School Romance

Adachi And Shimamura Rating Scores

Adachi and Shimamura is a slow-burn romance between two high school girls who couldn't be more different. While Sakura Adachi is an introvert at heart, Hougetsu Shimamura knows her way around other people. Their opposite natures make it difficult for them to communicate their true feelings. Regardless, their friends-to-lovers journey is incredibly sweet.

Adachi and Shimamura explore their sexuality, but the series doesn't make it a dramatic storyline, which makes it incredibly cozy. This coming-of-age story is all about the two girls knowing each other, starting to care for each other, and eventually falling in love. Viewers get the chance to see it happen practically one day at a time, making this a well-paced and enjoyable yuri anime.

Adachi To Shimamura

TV-14

Romance

LGBTQ+

Adachi and Shimamura become friends, but soon new feelings blossom. They travel the sea of emotions as they learn each other's feelings.

Release Date

October 9, 2020

Cast

Akari Kitō , Miku Itō

Main Genre

Anime

Seasons

1

Creator

Hitoma Iruma and Non

9 Birdie Wing: Golf Girls' Story Is A Love Story Between Two Golfers

Birdie Wing: Golf Girls' Story Rating Scores

Birdie Wing: Golf Girls' Story tells the story of Eve and Aoi, two golfers with very different backgrounds and golf styles. Eve plays rough while Aoi plays smart; Eve plays underground games to earn money for her family, while Aoi does it as a professional career. However, these differences won't stop them from falling for each other.

Eve and Aoi have an "opposites attract" kind of connection that makes the story a passionate tale. Additionally, the two girls share the same intensity in the field, which is incredibly inspiring. Birdie Wing combines all the traits of a great sports anime with the tropes of an even better love story to make an unforgettable yuri anime.

Birdie Wing: Golf Girls' Story

TV-14

Eve, a mysterious golf renegade, and Aoi Amawashi, a golf prodigy, challenge each other and the golf world in Birdie Wing: Golf Girls' Story.

Release Date

April 6, 2022

Cast

Akari Kitō , Asami Seto

Main Genre

Sports

Studio

Bandai Namco Pictures

8 Yui And Tomoka Learn About And Support Each Other In Kase-San And Morning Glories

Kase-San And Morning Glories Rating Scores

Kase-San and Morning Glories tells the love story of Yui Yamada and Tomoka Kase, two high school girls with incredibly different interests. Yui is a shy girl with an affinity for gardening, while Tomoka is a popular tomboy. Despite being very different, the two fall in love, learning how to understand and support each other.

Everything about Yui and Tomoka's relationship is heartwarming, making Kase-San and Morning Glories a cute, colorful yuri anime with realistic characters. Although the pair face hardships over the OVA's just under sixty-minute runtime, it primarily focuses on Yui and Tomoka's wholesome relationship.

7 Bloom Into You's Characters Mature Together And Slowly Become Compatible

Bloom Into You Rating Scores

Yuu Koito, a girl who feels like she doesn't understand love, strikes up an uncommon friendship with Touko Nanami, a girl from her school. This prompts Touko, a second-year, to confess her feelings toward Yuu, who can't reciprocate them. Bloom Into You sees their bond turn into something romantic as Yuu learns more about Touko.

Bloom Into You stands out from other yuri anime because it is a serious take on romance. This series doesn't depend on drama to engage the viewer. Instead, it prioritizes fleshing out its characters. Although the characters are high schoolers, both Yuu and Touko are incredibly complex, and their bond depends partly on how they become compatible as they mature together. The symbolic title perfectly describes their budding relationship, and the fact that it takes its romance very seriously is more than enough to earn it a spot mid-list in the rankings.

Bloom Into You

TV-PG

Drama

Romance

Yuu has always loved shoujo manga and awaits the day she gets a love confession that sends her heart aflutter with bubbles and blushes, and yet when a junior high classmate confesses his feelings to her...she feels nothing.

Release Date

October 5, 2018

Main Genre

Animation

Seasons

1 Season

Characters By

Amber Lee Connors, Luci Christian, Brittney Karbowski

Creator

Jukki Hanada

Producer

John Ledford

Production Company

Troyca

Number of Episodes

13 Episodes

6 Aoi Hana Tackles Sexuality And Inner Conflicts Surrounding It

Aoi Hana Rating Scores

Aoi Hana, also known as Sweet Blue Flowers, centers on Fumi Manjōme, a lesbian first-year student who has recently reunited with Akira Okudaira, her childhood best friend. At the same time, Fumi is currently in the first stages of a budding romance with Yasuko Sugimoto, a popular senior.

Aoi Hana is a very complete coming-of-age story. Viewers will relate to Fumi's experiences with friendship and love, even if they aren't part of the LGBTQ+ community. It's one of the first yuri series to actually address the sexuality of its main characters and the inner conflict that comes from it, so it has better representation than many other yuri anime.

5 The Reincarnated Princess And The Genius Young Lady's Main Characters Fall In Love While Helping Each Other

The Magical Revolution Of The Reincarnated Princess And The Genius Young Lady Rating Scores

Fans of isekai will surely like Tensei Ōjo To Tensai Reijō No Mahō Kakumei. This series, also named The Magical Revolution of the Reincarnated Princess and the Genius Young Lady, tells the story of Anisphia, the princess of Palettia who loves inventing magical items, and Euphyllia, Anisphia's brother's former fiancée with a reputation to save. While helping each other out, they inevitably fall in love.

Tensei Ōjo To Tensai Reijō No Mahō Kakumei has been widely praised for its sweet take on Anisphia and Euphyllia's romance. The series steers away from fan service and avoids sexualizing them. Instead, it offers a lighthearted fantasy story with an intense emotional connection between its main characters.

The Magical Revolution of the Reincarnated Princess and the Genius Young Lady

Say

Adventure

Comedy

Anisphia concocts a plan to help Euphyllia regain her good name. Little do these two ladies know, however, that their chance encounter will alter not only their own futures, but those of the kingdom...and the entire world.

Release Date

January 4, 2023

Cast

Sayaka Senbongi , Manaka Iwami , Ai Kakuma

Main Genre

Anime

Seasons

1

Studio

Diomedéa

Number of Episodes

12

4 Bears Disguise Themselves As Humans & Infiltrate A School In Yurikuma Arashi

Yurikuma Arashi Rating Scores

Literally translated as "lesbian bear storm," Yurikuma Arashi takes place in a world where bears and humans once coexisted before a bizarre meteor storm caused bears to become violent. Two bears disguise themselves as humans, allowing them to sneak into Arashigaoka Academy, with a piqued interest in Yurikuma Arashi's main character, Kureha.

Throughout Yurikuma Arashi's run, Kureha stands up for her romantic relationship with fellow student Sumika, while growing closer to the two bears, who see Kureha as more than their next meal. Yuri Kuma Arashi is a surreal, often hard-to-understand but highly enjoyable yuri anime for those who take the time to analyze it.

Yurikuma Arashi

TV-MA

Romance

Science Fiction

LGBTQ+

Fantasy

Adventure

In a world of war between bears and humans, a young schoolgirl is sent on an adventure quest to find the origin of this conflict.

Where to Watch

• stream
• rent
• buy

Not available

Not available

*Availability in US

Release Date

January 5, 2015

Cast

Monica Rial , Alexis Tipton , Jamie Marchi , Miho Arakawa , Nozomi Yamane , Yoshiko Ikuta

Main Genre

Anime

Seasons

1

Creator

Kunihiko Ikuhara and Ikuni Gomamonaka

3 A Fantasy Plot Trickles Into Reality In Yuri Is My Job!

Yuri Is My Job! Rating Scores

After injuring the owner of Café Liebe by accident, Hime Shiraki has to cover some of her shifts. Turns out, Café Liebe is an immersive maid café experience, so Hime has to pretend to be a student at a fancy institute where students have close relationships that the customers can ship — the name of the series translates as Yuri Is My Job! As expected, slowly and steadily, this yuri plot in the café trickles into real life.

WataYuri, as the fandom calls it, has a bit more drama than necessary, but it stands out from other best yuri series for its meta-commentary. The customers' often out of line reactions to fan service roleplay at Café Liebe is a commentary on toxic fandoms' behavior and the most popular tropes in yuri (such as the senpai/kohai power dynamic). Anyone who likes to analyze tropes will enjoy this series' humor.

2 Destiny Of The Shrine Maiden's Protagonists Are Trapped In A Tragic Loop

Destiny Of The Shrine Maiden Rating Scores

Himeko Kurusugawa and Chikane Himemiya are two high schoolers at the Ototachibana Academy who are developing innocent emotions for each other. However, they're also the reincarnations of two shrine maidens — the solar and the lunar miko — whose tragic story is set to repeat again and again until the end of time unless they defeat the Orochi.

Destiny of the Shrine Maiden is one of the best yuri out there because its romance storyline is only the tip of the iceberg. This series combines magic, LGBTQ+ representation, Japanese mythology, and even mecha into one story pumped full of complex lore that could easily be expanded into a whole franchise.

1 Maria Watches Over Us Tells A Romance Between A Bashful Freshmen And The School's Star

Maria Watches Over Us Rating Scores

At Lillian Girl's Academy, a Catholic school in Western Japan, a whole generation of girls prepares for their future. This prestigious academy witnesses the wholesome romance between Yumi Fukuzawa, a bashful freshman, and Sachiko Ogasawara, the star student of the school.

Maria Watches Over Us is the blueprint when it comes to modern yuri anime. This series recovered several 19th-century tropes from the genre, such as the setting at a girls' academy, the big sister/little sister dynamic, and the obsession with religious imagery. If its importance in yuri history isn't enough to pique the viewers' curiosity, it's also a beautiful story with graceful art and wholesome characters. Taking all of that into consideration, there is no question why Maria Watches Over Us earns the top spot in the rankings when it comes to the best of the best in yuri anime.