15 Animes Similar to 17 Rent-A-Girlfriend

Rent-A-Girlfriend (Kanojo, Okarishimasu) follows college student Kazuya Kinoshita, who navigates romantic chaos after hiring a rental girlfriend, Chizuru Mizuhara. The series blends harem dynamics, comedic misunderstandings, and character growth amid fake relationships. Despite its popularity, many underrated anime share similar themes—complex relationships, emotional vulnerability, and romantic subversions—yet remain overlooked.

These 15 titles deserve attention for their unique takes on love, identity, and personal evolution, often surpassing mainstream hits in narrative depth.

15 Underrated Anime Similar to Rent-A-Girlfriend

1. Tying the Knot with an Amagami Sister (2024)

• Streaming: Crunchyroll
• Episodes: 24
• Plot: Orphaned Uryū Kamihate must marry one of three shrine maidens to inherit Amagami Shrine, leading to chaotic bonding efforts. His academic ambitions clash with the sisters’ reluctance, creating a blend of humor and heartfelt growth.
• Similarities: Mirrors Rent-A-Girlfriend’s harem structure and male lead torn between obligation and genuine connection. Both use comedic tension to explore emotional vulnerability.

2. Hokkaido Gals Are Super Adorable! (2024)

• Streaming: Crunchyroll, HiDive
• Episodes: 12
• Plot: Tokyo transplant Tsubasa Shiki bonds with Hokkaido native Minami Fuyuki, whose bold personality reshapes his view of relationships amidst snowy backdrops and platonic harem elements.
• Similarities: Shares Rent-A-Girlfriend’s “main girl dominance” trope and male protagonist hesitancy, using slice-of-life charm to offset romantic rivalry.

3. Bottom-Tier Character Tomozaki (2021)

• Streaming: Crunchyroll
• Episodes: 27
• Plot: Antisocial gamer Tomozaki is mentored by popular classmate Aoi to navigate real-world social dynamics, blurring lines between manipulation and self-improvement.
• Similarities: Parallels Kazuya’s growth from insecurity, using gaming metaphors for relational struggles. Both feature strong female leads driving male development.

4. Love and Lies (2017)

• Streaming: Amazon Prime Video
• Episodes: 12
• Plot: In a state-controlled society, Yukari Nejima is assigned a fiancée but secretly loves Misaki Takasaki, defying dystopian mandates for authentic connection.
• Similarities: Echoes Rent-A-Girlfriend’s theme of fabricated vs. real relationships, with high-stakes emotional conflict and love-triangle tension.

5. Majikoi: Oh! Samurai Girls (2011)

• Streaming: HiDive
• Episodes: 12
• Plot: Genius strategist Yamato Naoe navigates a school dominated by female fighters while hiding feelings for top warrior Momoyo Kawakam.
• Similarities: Combines harem tropes with a hesitant protagonist, akin to Kazuya’s indecision. The action-comedy balance mirrors Rent-A-Girlfriend’s tone.

6. My First Girlfriend Is a Gal (2017)

• Streaming: Funimation, Crunchyroll
• Episodes: 10
• Plot: Junichi Hashiba dates self-proclaimed “gal” Yukana Yame, confronting societal judgments and his own insecurities about their contrasting personalities.
• Similarities: Focuses on societal perception of relationships and the male lead’s self-doubt, reflecting Rent-A-Girlfriend’s exploration of authenticity.

7. A Condition Called Love (2024)

• Streaming: Netflix
• Episodes: 12
• Plot: High schooler Hotaru Hinase enters a trial relationship with Saki Hananoi, whose obsessive behavior stems from past trauma, challenging idealistic romance.
• Similarities: Deconstructs romantic idealism like Rent-A-Girlfriend, emphasizing emotional baggage and flawed characters.

8. Romantic Killer (2022)

• Streaming: Netflix
• Episodes: 12
• Plot: Gamer Anzu Hoshino is forced into a real-life dating simulator, confronting magical interference and reluctant suitors while protecting her single lifestyle.
• Similarities: Subverts harem expectations with a proactive female lead, contrasting Kazuya’s passivity while retaining comedic romantic entanglements.

9. Golden Time (2013)

• Streaming: Crunchyroll, HiDive
• Episodes: 24
• Plot: Amnesiac Banri Tada rebuilds his identity in college while drawn to Koko Kaga, whose obsessive past complicates their budding relationship.
• Similarities: Explores memory, identity, and love triangles with Rent-A-Girlfriend’s dramatic flair, prioritizing emotional depth over comedy.

10. TONIKAWA: Over the Moon for You (2020)

• Streaming: Crunchyroll
• Episodes: 12
• Plot: Genius Nasa Yuzaki marries mysterious savior Tsukasa Tsukuyomi after a life-threatening incident, navigating newlywed life with supernatural twists.
• Similarities: Focuses on unconventional relationship foundations and gradual emotional intimacy, avoiding harem tropes while emphasizing commitment.

11. Love Hina (2000)

• Streaming: RetroCrush, Tubi
• Episodes: 24
• Plot: Failure-prone Keitaro Urashima manages an all-girls dormitory while pursuing a Tokyo University promise, sparking chaotic romantic mishaps.
• Similarities: Pioneered the “accidental harem” trope Rent-A-Girlfriend employs, blending slapstick humor with protagonist growth.

12. Cherry Magic! (2024)

• Streaming: Crunchyroll
• Episodes: 12
• Plot: 30-year-old virgin Adachi gains mind-reading powers, uncovering colleague Kurosawa’s secret crush and redefining his views on love.
• Similarities: Uses supernatural elements to explore social anxiety and genuine connection, paralleling Kazuya’s emotional transparency struggles.

13. The Magical Girl and the Evil Lieutenant (2024)

• Streaming: HiDive
• Episodes: 12
• Plot: Former enemies Mira and Byakuya navigate workplace romance after a magical truce, blending action with “will-they-won’t-they” tension.
• Similarities: Merges genre parody with romantic slow-burn, akin to Rent-A-Girlfriend’s balancing of comedy and heartfelt moments.

14. A Couple of Cuckoos (2022)

• Streaming: Crunchyroll
• Episodes: 24
• Plot: Academic rivals Nagi Umino and Erika Amano discover they were switched at birth, forced into同居 (cohabitation) while untangling familial secrets.
• Similarities: Features Rent-A-Girlfriend’s fake-relationship trope and comedic misunderstandings, with a focus on identity-driven conflict.

15. Mr. Villain’s Day Off (2024)

• Streaming: Netflix
• Episodes: 12
• Plot: A villainous commander finds solace in pandas and small joys during his days off, revealing hidden humanity beneath his antagonistic facade.
• Similarities: Contrasts Rent-A-Girlfriend’s romantic focus but shares its theme of hidden vulnerability behind performative roles.

Why These Anime Work for Rent-A-Girlfriend Fans

These series resonate by dissecting modern relationships through unconventional lenses. Like Rent-A-Girlfriend, they prioritize character-driven growth over plot convenience, whether through Uryū’s academic-harem balance in Amagami Sister or Anzu’s anti-romance defiance in Romantic Killer. They also embrace narrative subversion: Golden Time replaces harem chaos with amnesiac drama, while Cherry Magic! uses fantasy to dissect social anxiety. Critically, each retains comedic sincerity, using humor to humanize flawed protagonists—from Kazuya’s desperation to Tomozaki’s gaming-to-reality whiplash. For fans seeking deeper emotional stakes or fresher takes on love tropes, these titles offer underrated gems that innovate within the genre.