Summary

Stop me if you’ve heard this one before - two main characters have a meet-cute and fall in love somewhat unexpectedly. Their relationship hits a few rough patches here and there, but they move past it all and wind up together in the end. This is how romance stories typically go in just aboutevery medium they are toldin. Well, anime seems to understand this formula, employing it, while also incorporating interesting wrinkles that, more often than not, leave viewers wanting more.

The older the anime is, though, the more likely it may have one, two, or a number of things baked into it that would benefit from a redo. It could be something as simple as fixing up its animation, but there also could be a problem at the core of the show’s premise that, if changed in a remake, could make the show perfect for viewers in a modern age.

1

26

Steaming Services

Amazon Prime Video

His and Her Circumstancesis a wonderfully fresh take on the class rep trope that is common in anime. This time, though, both parties are in the position, with the show focusing on a one-sided rivalry between them, as well as the philosophical nature of what amounts to a Tsundere’s denial of their love.

This anime was directed by Hideaki Anno, ofNeon Genesis Evangelionfame. As such, on top of things like the interesting depictions MC Yukino’s perceived grandeur, there are many gorgeous establishing shots throughout the show. Something that would benefit from the type of facelift that the rebuilds ofEVAgot not too long ago.

Number Of Episodes

13

This would be a tricky remake, as the premise is problematic, with not only an age gap to deal with but a weird power dynamic between a teacher and his student. The core of the show is one that romance anime fans could get behind, though, as it’s a love that persists against all odds.

If it were remade, the sentiment of this anime could still remain intact, while pushing the ages of the main characters a bit forward. Instead of a teacher and his student, maybe it could be a man and a woman with diametrically opposed professions. Surely both new and old fans wouldn’t mind a bit of progress with their romance.

27

Streaming Services

Crunchyroll, Amazon Prime Video

Romance plots between humans and AI are nothing new, but sinceChobits, there have been a fair number of nuanced takes on the idea, like in the acclaimed American film,Her,starring Joaquin Phoenix. It’s clear that a newChobitsanime would benefit from years offurther sci-fi advancement.

Series written by the author collective CLAMP were known to have a lot of fun, and sometimes fairly small, crossovers between their series. WhileChobitsdidn’t get as much of this as series likexxxHolicandTsubsa: Reservoir Chroniclesdid, a remake of it, as well as the entire CLAMP lineup, would benefit from the hindsight of shared universes like that of the MCU.

Shows with bite-sized episodes that all focus on different themes or gags have to strike an intricate balance between the genres they strive to portray.School Rumbledoes exactly that, making viewers laugh out loud with its often absurdist humor, while still offering a ton of surprises in its romantic drama elements.

At its core,School Rumbleis a sketch show, which is something that would go over very well with today’s infatuationwith short-form content. Breaking new episodes out into YouTube shorts, or even TikTok clips would help the show bring in hoards of new fans.

24

Apple TV

Main character, Kaoru, has escaped the machinations of his traditional Japanese family, but it would seem destiny has other plans for him. This leads him toget embroiled in a harem, at the forefront of which is Aoi, a girl who’s loved him since childhood.

The anime itself really has nothing special going on in terms of animation or style. Frankly, it looks a lot like many other shows from the time, with the biggest offender being its bland character designs. But that’s something that could be remedied fairly easily in a remake to accompany its truly special story.

101

InTatchi, known in English asTouch,love blooms on the pitcher’s mound.The show focuses on a love triangle between twins Tatsuya and Kaguya Uesugi, as well as Minami Asakura, as they enter the throes ofhigh school and intramural baseball.

Luckily, the iconic artwork of Mitsuru Adachi doesn’t need to be fussed with too much. In fact, that instantly recognizable 80s style would surely make a remake of this story stick out within the countless rom-coms that dominate each season these days. Just a thorough brush-up on the animation itself is all it would take to make this one a home run.

Maison Ikkoku

Originally a manga created by one of the masters of romantic comedy, Rumiko Takahashi,Maison Ikkokutells the complicated love story of Yusaku Godai and his property manager, Kyoko Otonashi. It’s an engrossing story, even when many of the most important story beats arepredictably kicked off by misunderstandings.

The show has seen a number of remasters, rereleases, and even movies in its time. However, what it could, no doubt, benefit from is a concerted effort to cut out the fat of the original 90+ episode run. That being said, this is an otherwise timeless classic that, frankly, doesn’t need much else done to it.

Peach Girl

Momo Adachi is by all intents and purposes a Gyaru, evenif it’s not her intention. Of course, this comes with the many highs and lows of that life, which inevitably includes being involved in a classic love triangle with a few handsome guys. Unfortunately, this leads to a bit of jealousy in Momo’s “friend,” Sae, who spends the series further complicating things.

While not terribly old, a lot of early to mid-2000s anime were often released looking stiff, and as a result, a little plain. That is to say, a look at the show’s animation with modern sensibilities would be a welcome fix. There is also the sequel manga,Peach Girl Next, that has yet to be animated and could be incorporated into this new show, making a remake of the original anime a no-brainer.

Crunchyroll

This classic yaoi focuses on the love story between a famous author, Yuki, and a fledgling musician, Shuichi. Throughout the series, Shuichi attempts to break down Yuki’s emotional walls, all the while shooting for his own goal of hitting itbig in the music scene.

It’s relatively short, but it’s the type of “boy love” story that U.S. publisher Tokyo POP played a large part in popularizing in the West, meaning a remake of the anime in this day and age would go over even better. It also would give creators the opportunity to actually animate the entire story of Gravitation, as the original show only covered about the first half of the manga.

While a bit dense in its French naming conventions, the core ofMaria Watches Over Usis rooted in the relationships that are formed between the series' characters who all attend a Catholic school. These relationships range from the official to the romantic, and everything in between, while never feeling taboo, despite the story’s setting.

A reboot of this anime would just make sense. The series started as a light novel that continued on until 2012, meaning that there is a wealth of content that neither the manga nor the anime ever touched. Besides, a retelling could give creators an opportunity to give the show a bit more direction, as the original was more focused on characters than anything else.