Ever get hooked on a show with a super cool, but mysterious character? That’s what romance anime with aloof guys is all about!
These guys may seem cold on the outside, but there’s always more to the story. We’re talking fantasy worlds, futuristic settings, and tons of challenges these guys face. What’s even cooler is that they slowly warm up to love!
Let’s check out some anime where these ice kings find love (and maybe even warm up a bit along the way).
Arifureta: From Commonplace to World’s Strongest
Overview: Adapted from a light novel, the anime aired from July to October 2019, featuring 17-year-old Hajime Nagumo who, along with his classmates, is transported to a fantasy world.
Cold-Hearted Male Lead: Hajime Nagumo starts as an otaku with a weak transmutation skill, leading to his belittlement. After a betrayal and a life-threatening ordeal, his personality hardens, and he becomes focused on survival and returning home, gradually evolving into the world’s strongest.
Romantic Elements: Hajime’s journey is marked by the development of relationships, particularly with Yue, a vampire he meets in his struggles. Their bond grows as they navigate the challenges of this new world together.
Classroom Crisis
Overview: Set in a futuristic interplanetary setting, it follows the students and staff of the A-TEC class at an academy on Mars, who are part of a mega-corporation’s space aeronautics program.
Cold-Hearted Male Lead: Nagisa Kiryu, a new transfer student and chief of the patents division, initially appears to be cold and corporate-focused, tasked with disbanding the A-TEC division.
Romantic Elements: The story includes a love triangle involving Nagisa, Iris, and Mizuki. Iris and Mizuki compete for Nagisa’s affections, adding a romantic subplot to the series.
Kiznaiver
Overview: This 2016 anime explores an experimental program in a futuristic town, where students are connected by a system that makes them share each other’s pain, both physical and emotional.
Cold-Hearted Male Lead: Katsuhira Agata, the protagonist, is described as apathetic and “semi-emotionless,” mirroring the sin of Sloth.
Romantic Elements: The shared pain and experiences among the students, including Katsuhira, create intricate interpersonal dynamics and budding romantic feelings within the group.
Death Parade
Overview: An anime miniseries where the deceased are sent to bars in the afterlife to play Death Games that determine their fate in the afterlife.
Cold-Hearted Male Lead: Decim, the bartender and arbiter of the Quindecim bar, initially appears emotionless, as he is tasked with judging the souls of the deceased.
Romantic Elements: While the series focuses more on the psychological and moral aspects of the characters, Decim’s gradual understanding of human emotions adds depth to his interactions, hinting at potential underlying romantic tones.
Code:Breaker
Overview: A manga series turned anime, featuring high school student Sakura Sakurakōji and Rei Ōgami, a transfer student with mysterious powers.
Cold-Hearted Male Lead: Rei Ōgami, a special type of assassin known as a “Code: Breaker,” is characterized by his enigmatic and often ruthless demeanor.
Romantic Elements: The relationship dynamics between Sakura and Rei evolve throughout the series, intertwining with the overarching action and supernatural elements.
Kaze no Stigma
Overview: A light novel series adapted into a 24-episode anime, focusing on Kazuma Kannagi, a former heir to a flame-wielding family who returns as a master of wind technique.
Cold-Hearted Male Lead: Kazuma Yagami (formerly Kazuma Kannagi) is banished from his family for his inability to control fire and returns with a new identity and significant power, displaying a colder, more calculating personality.
Romantic Elements: The series develops a romantic subplot between Kazuma and Ayano, exploring the complexities of their evolving relationship amidst family feuds and supernatural conflicts.