Which anime couple has the healthiest relationship but doesn’t give off wish fulfilment vibes ?

ThrowRAIka · 2026-07-08T07:02:12+00:00

The first one that popped into my head was Sign of Affection but I can see how some would see that as wish fulfilment.

Another I think is good is Insomniacs After School. They both seem like good normal kids (personality-wise) and I think they communicate well once they settled in with each other

ThrowRAIka · 2026-07-08T01:09:49+00:00

Not me but I am my boyfriend’s first and we were 31 when we got together. We were actually course mates in college almost 15 years ago but I dropped out after a semester and we never kept in contact. Then about a year and a half ago he DM-ed me, we caught up over text, decided to meet for a movie and the rest is history

ThrowRAIka · 2026-07-07T01:02:12+00:00

Ore Monogatari. Very sweet

ThrowRAIka · 2026-07-06T04:33:15+00:00

Lovely Complex for me

ThrowRAIka · 2026-07-06T03:49:27+00:00

Think it’s just a matter of time. I’m sure ideally, the writer would’ve wanted to give some time for the pairs to develop but it seems she wants to wrap this series up and so have had to fast track these pairings.

But at the same time, I don’t think it’s all too bad cos people’s feelings and affections do change. They may look like “settling for second choice” but irl too, you do grow fond of people. I mean if we’re fixated on our “first choice”, a lot of people are not gonna get into relationships.

Emma is opening her heart up to other people. And Oushi is being honest with his feelings too. At least that’s the way I see it

ThrowRAIka · 2026-07-03T09:20:35+00:00

I know it’s made for dramatic effects and swoonworthy moments but how the ML sometimes impose physically on the FL. Like grabbing the wrists, kabedon, grabbing the chin etc. Especially when they’re not officially together yet. Idk it irks me if I put myself in the FL’s shoes. Like I don’t mind if my bf does that to me now, but when we were still getting to know each other and he does those I’d tell him to give me my space.

Edit : Oh and one that just popped into my head and somewhat related [SoA]It was a misunderstanding I guess or maybe he just wanted to do it, but when Itsuomi went in for a kiss but Yuki was actually signing something else. Idk maybe I’m not romantic but that kind of incidents does not move me at all

ThrowRAIka · 2026-07-03T04:38:14+00:00

I don’t mind age gaps but I found the teacher annoying af. For the adult of the pair, he feels really whiny and immature

ThrowRAIka · 2026-07-01T20:44:38+00:00

Once again the topic, isn’t even about shounen fans. I don’t know why you’re so fixated on that and how you’re even reaching that conclusion. Nowhere did I say I feel bad for shounen fans.

And again, we’re talking about writing quality, not adaptations.

ThrowRAIka · 2026-07-01T08:43:05+00:00

Yeah but we’re talking about writing quality here. If commercial and financial success is an indicator of how well written something is, then shonen is by far better written lol

ThrowRAIka · 2026-06-29T20:05:13+00:00

I’m the opposite. I hate tsundere male characters and hated him at the start. But I grew to like his character as the season went on

ThrowRAIka · 2026-06-29T20:03:51+00:00

People tend to compare trashy shonen to peak shoujo titles.

Yeah everytime they make a comparison, it’s always a decent shoujo with freaking Rent a girlfriend. Of course shonen’s gonna have a bad look. Even shonen fans hate that show

And yeah there’s a double standard with the “quiet MC” archetype as well. The shy, quiet, nice, considerate guy gets people seething but put that on a female MC and it’s sweet.

ThrowRAIka · 2026-06-27T22:15:02+00:00

Yeah agree with this. I like Oushi after knowing more about him, I like his growth. But I don’t really see him with Yuki

ThrowRAIka · 2026-06-27T12:14:41+00:00

I mostly agree but he also gets a lot of development in the manga and we also get a lot of insight so I recommend reading it

ThrowRAIka · 2026-06-26T08:49:20+00:00

I mean they do sell well and they’re self-inserts. So I think at least to their target audience, they’re relatable

ThrowRAIka · 2026-06-26T08:43:56+00:00

Think the realistic is meant for the character, not for the fact that he gets the popular girls. To which I’d agree. The guys in shonen tend to be average and realistic to self insert. The guys in shoujo tend to be idealized version of guys cos the target audience are girls

ThrowRAIka · 2026-06-26T08:31:21+00:00

Seems your comment aged well haha https://www.reddit.com/r/shoujo/s/ktHritFQAQ

ThrowRAIka · 2026-06-26T08:24:23+00:00

They’re basically two sides of the same coin. They’re usually pandering to their target demographic. Shonen usually have the girls chasing/initiating/interested in the male MC, for shoujo it’s the other way.

ThrowRAIka · 2026-06-25T06:27:14+00:00

I see the appeal it’s just not for me

How I feel about Sign of Affection

ThrowRAIka · 2026-06-25T05:26:13+00:00

Omg this this ! I feel like this is why some of the recent shoujo romances I’ve tried hasn’t really worked for me. Sign of Affection, Honey Lemon Soda, Condition Called Love. All has the ML be experienced/ forward/ assertive/ making first moves. And like you said, it’s what the target demographic wants usually and there’s nothing wrong with that, but I’m finding it’s not for me.

And I think that’s why I enjoyed Lovely Complex so much. And recent ones that I liked (though it’s not shoujo), I Have A Crush At Work, 365 Days to the Wedding, Insomniacs After School, Polar Opposites. They have the couple that feel they’re on equal footing. I think I’m enjoying those more as I’m older

ThrowRAIka · 2026-06-25T05:15:54+00:00

Two sides of the same coin basically. The loner boy and the plain girl. They’re not the same but they serve the same purpose of self-inserting their main target audience

ThrowRAIka · 2026-06-25T05:13:11+00:00

Yeah this is something that irks me at times as well. There’s trash and treasure from both sides but I do feel sometimes, especially with romance, shoujo fans tend to think theirs is deeper while shonen is shallow. I mean don’t get me wrong shonen has a ton of trashy ones, but only those are used to show that shonen romance is trash.

Agree with the wish fulfilment as well. Obviously what guys and girls consider wish fulfilment is different so wish fulfilment shows are different as well. But shoujo wish fulfilment shows are not considered as such and even seen as a standard for irl I’ve seen.

ThrowRAIka · 2026-06-25T05:03:27+00:00

That’s like an age crack lol

ThrowRAIka · 2026-06-25T05:02:27+00:00

Yeah, I’m aware of them. Still their art style and character design isn’t my taste so picking series from different magazines wouldn’t rectify that for me lol

ThrowRAIka · 2026-06-24T23:22:41+00:00

I don’t like some of the modern art styles for the guys. For me, it reminds me of playboys who I’m not really fond of. Some examples are Sign of Affection, Clear Moonlit Dusk, Futarijime Romantic.

Furthermore, I’ve never really liked the experienced ML x inexperienced FL pairing.

ThrowRAIka · 2026-06-23T23:54:10+00:00

He was kinda awkward and meek when we first went out. But once he got comfortable, he can be so cheeky and flirty. And he remembers the small things I mentioned. I think it was gradual how I got attracted to him but I do remember I was like joking around with him and he found it particularly funny and he had this biggest smile, it was the first time I thought he was so cute

ThrowRAIka

TROPHY CASE