10 Books/Manga Like Love Hina
Love Hina is an award-winning romantic comedy manga written and illustrated by Ken Akamatsu. The manga’s known for delivering relatable characters, an amusing plot, and well-detailed artwork. It got serialized in Kodansha’s Weekly Shonen Magazine from October 1998 to October 2001. It collected 14 volumes worth of content for fans to purchase.
If you’re in the mood for more romantic comedy manga that offers a similar vibe, fear not! We’ve gathered together 10 books/manga to check out when you’ve caught up with Love Hina. Of course, if you feel we’ve missed any of your favorites, do comment below and let us know!
Nisekoi – Naoshi Komi
Similarities – Themes, Romance, Characters
Niseko is what happens when you add mafias and comedy to a romance tale. It’s a gripping tale with splendid turns and humor that will keep you invested. In it, we follow Raku, a mafia-born child who must assist his group by dating a rival mafia leader’s daughter named Chitoge. Through this relationship, Raku will maintain peace between both associations.
Nisekoi and Love Hina share similar characters and storytelling. Both involve boys reuniting with females who they promised to be together with in the future. However, Nisekoi focuses more on this sub-plot more than Love Hina does. Many of the cast share similar personalities despite looking and being different age-wise.
The humor between both works is identical. Expect a lot of exaggerated facial humor, slapstick, and witty banter to ensue between the characters in Nisekoi. As with other harems, expect Raku to have a difficult time focusing on his romance with Chitoge. Give this a read if you’re looking for something amusing and touching.
Magical Teacher Negima – Ken Akamatsu
Similarities – Themes & Comedy
Magical Teacher Negima may not look like it shares anything in common with Love Hina, but underneath its magical exterior lies a story with comedic value, harem components, and substantial themes. Our tale follows Negi, a wizard who wants to locate his missing father and help people using magic. To complete the latter, Negi becomes an English teacher at a Japanese middle school.
After a female named Asuna notices his magician identity, Negi must do whatever it takes to prevent his female students from blabbering off about his secrets. Love Hina and Magical Teacher Negima were created by Ken Akamatsu, so it’s best to expect the same witty humor from Love Hina to crop up in this tale. From jokes to banter, there’s a lot of hilarity in Magical Teacher Negima that’ll keep you invested in its tale.
Additionally, Magical Teacher Negima cast is as vast as Love Hina’s. Each character feels different from each others regarding appearance, personality, and motive. Magical Teacher Negima delves into themes like self-discovery and growth like Love Hina. Readers will enjoy seeing Negi overcome his internal issues to become a skilled wizard and leader.
If you’re after a magical adventure series that captures Love Hina’s comedic and charming qualities, check out Magical Teacher Negima.
Ai Kora – Kazurou Inoue
Similarities – Romantic Comedy
Need another funny manga with a protagonist that’s more raunchy than Love Hina’s Keitaro, Ai Kora should suffice. Ai Kora is about Hachibei, a boy who craves romance and seeks the perfect companion. Throughout the series, Hachibei finds himself falling for every girl he sees. Each one has a unique personality, motive, and trait that makes them alluring to him.
This manga is filled with witty dialogue, hilarious gags, and comical timing that’ll make readers laugh hysterically. Some instances can feel overly absurd from Hachibei becoming a maid to him assuming the role of a detective to find a woman’s underwear. Not all of its humor will land with everyone, but those who can tolerate ecchi content will find this to be an amusing read.
Mahoraba – Akira Kojima
Similarities – Large Cast, Comedy, Themes
Have you ever moved to a new location filled with rambunctious neighbors? If so, Mahoraba’s Ryushi understands your pain. In this romantic comedy series, we examine Ryushi’s life as he attempts to create the best picture book ever. Unfortunately, his apartment complex houses quirky inhabitants who he won’t see eye to eye with at first.
Eventually, Ryushi will value their company but he’ll have to undergo wacky scenarios to reach that point. This manga offers a well-rounded cast with diverse characteristics. Some like to party hard while others prefer keeping to themselves. Readers will find the characters entertaining when they see their different personalities clash with each other.
Mahoraba delves into similar themes of self-discovery and personal development. Unlike other entries on this list, Mahoraba’s cast is young adults who are still learning how to function in society. They’ll contend with challenges that will have them confronting their fears and weaknesses. This will aid them in their growth, leading to some exciting scenarios you don’t want to miss.
If I See You In My Dreams – Noriyuki Yamahana
Similarities – Plot, Romance, Comedy
Finding one’s significant other can be difficult. Fuguno, this series’s protagonist, knows that firsthand. He’s a 24-year-old businessman who can’t catch a break with romance. His life takes a turn for the better when he meets Nagisa. She happens to be in a similar situation to himself, and Fuguno becomes infatuated with her.
If Fuguno wants to become Nagisa’s soulmate, he’ll have to defeat other suitors and escape awkward situations if he plans to escape his lonely predicament. This series offers similar awkward and ecchi humor as Love Hina. Many folks will laugh hysterically at Fuguno’s attempts to avoid any strange interactions with Nagisa. Both stories offer a fun supporting cast that’s worth following.
The side characters have distinct personalities and add more entertaining components to the narrative. Both stories offer similar plot structures, so it’ll be easy for readers to transition between Love Hina to this. If you’re looking for a funny romance series to read after Love Hina, If I See You In My Dreams is worth checking out.
Pastel – Toshihiko Kobayashi
Similarities – Slice of Life, Characters, Comedy
Pastel is a heartwarming slice-of-life manga that explores the everyday life of Mugi, a teenage boy who meets a girl named Yuu. Like, Love Hina, Pastel does an excellent job of creating a charming and relatable setting that makes readers feel as though they are a part of the characters’ lives. From funny misunderstandings to touching moments of self-discovery, Pastel is a tale about youth and love.
Mugi and Yuu are complex and flawed individuals, making their romantic journey feel genuine and meaningful. From their awkward first interactions to their gradual growth as individuals, the story is filled with moments that resonate with readers and helps them become invested in their relationship.
Like Love Hina, the secondary characters in Pastel play a nice role in shaping the narrative and helping our protagonists grow. From Mugi’s quirky friends to Yuu’s supportive family, the story is packed with richly drawn and realized characters that help Toshihiko Kobayashi create an active world readers will feel immersed in.
Maison Ikkoku – Rumiko Takahashi
Similarities – Characters, Romance, Comedy
Maison Ikkoku, a classic romantic comedy anime and manga, is an excellent example of a genre that shares many quirks with Love Hina. The story revolves around a young man named Yusaku who falls for a beautiful landlady named Kyoko. Like Love Hina, Maison Ikkoku features a charming cast of characters, hilarious situations, and romantic tension.
Rumiko Takahashi’s known for creating works that will make readers laugh and smile. The story is filled with witty and lighthearted moments as the characters navigate the ups and downs of their relationships. Whether it’s Yusaku’s misadventures in love or Kyoko’s struggles to come to terms with her own feelings, the story is full of great humor that’ll make you happy.
This romance is not always straightforward. There are many misunderstandings and outside interferences that will complicate things. The slow burn of the romance only makes the payoff all the more satisfying though. This is an exceptional work many people will adore for its cast, humor, and heartwarming segments.
The Café Terrace and Its Goddesses – Kouji Seo
Similarities – Harem, Comedy, Ecchi
The Café Terrace and Its Goddesses is a story about a boy named Hayato. He wanted to sell his deceased grandmother’s rundown café but learns it’s home to five women who argue that they’re her family. Not wanting to upset the women, Hayato plans to work alongside them to keep it open. However, their journey won’t be a simple one.
Like Love Hina, this tale offers a vast amount of ecchi content. You can expect many raunchy misunderstandings and embarrassing segments to take place in this work. Hayato’s not a wimpy character, but his snarky personality may not appeal to folks. However, he feels like a realistic portrayal of modern young adults who lack discipline and think they know everything about life.
Nonetheless, the story has a calm tone and lacks drama. Nonetheless, many fans will find themselves wanting to ship specific characters together as with any other romance-themed story. In addition to having pleasing character designs and a decent storyline, you’re bound to find something enjoyable about this tale.
Monthly Girls’ Nozaki-kun – Izumi Tsubaki
Similarities – Romantic Comedy
Monthly Girls Nozaki-kun is a fantastic romantic comedy manga. It has many similarities with Love from its humor to its depiction of romantic relationships. The story follows Chiyo as she tries to win the heart of her love interest Nozaki. After a brief misunderstanding, Nozaki welcomes Chiyo as his manga assistant. This sets off a chain of absurd situations that’ll leave you giggling and smiling.
Like Love Hina, Monthly Girls Nozaki-kun boasts a diverse and likable cast of characters. Each character has their own quirks and personalities that play off each other to comedic effect. This tale explores the various tropes and clichés of the romantic comedy subgenre in a self-aware and engaging way. This approach adds a layer of depth and enjoyment to this amusing tale.
Overall, this is an excellent manga with a great cast of unique characters and enjoyable humor. It may not be as raunchy as Love Hina, but it has a lot of heart put into it that many will adore.
Toradora – Yuyuko Takemiya
Similarities – Diverse Cast & Romance
Toradora is an amusing romantic comedy with great tension, character development, and jokes. The story is about the unlikely alliance between a short-tempered girl named Taiga and a kind-hearted boy named Ryuji. Their interactions are rife with comedic misunderstandings and mishaps that’ll keep readers engaged and laughing through the manga.
Like Love Hina, Toradora effectively incorporates a diverse cast of characters who give the story depth. Each character in Toradora has their own distinct personality and backstory, which enables the reader to invest in them emotionally. The investment pays off as the characters, particularly Taiga and Ryuji, develop into mature people.
Furthermore, Yuyuko Takemiya implements great pacing and well-timed dramatic reveals to create a heightened sense of romantic tension that’s like Ken Akamatsu’s handling of it in Love Hina. You’ll be on the edge of your seat as the romance between Taiga and Ryuji blossoms into something worthwhile. With its diverse cast, wonderful pacing, and nuanced storytelling, Toradora is a must-read for anyone who loves great romantic comedies.
So there we have it, our 8 books/manga to check out after you’re caught up with Love Hina.
What do you think of our picks? Do you agree? Are there any notable omissions? Let us know in the comments below!