Announcements for the upcoming anime adaptation of The Guy She Was Interested in Wasn’t a Guy At All (also known as “Green Yuri”) are getting everyone excited, but what if you can’t wait until January 2027 to get your yuri anime fix? Or, for those reading from the future, when Green Yuri has already been released, where can you go for more of the good stuff? We’re here to calm those jitters with our top ten recommendations for women who love women (WLW) Japanimation!
We’ll be listing off not only those that include explicit lesbian romance, but also those with sapphic undertones, for those who love the sweet tension of implication. Oh, and this isn’t a ranked list in any sense — just because one show comes ahead of another in this list, don’t take that as an indication of quality. Now, there’s no need to grab your skates; let’s check out some yuri that isn’t on ice!
Whisper Me a Love Song
Let’s start with an anime that shares Green Yuri’s music focus. Whisper Me a Love Song (Sasayaku Yō ni Koi o Utau/ささやくように恋を唄う) is the story of Himari Kino and Yori Asanagi. When Himari sees Yori playing in a band on her first day of school, she is overcome with admiration. She blurts this out to Yori, who takes it as a romantic confession. Even after the misunderstanding is set right, Yori is set on winning Himari’s heart.
Critics praise the show for its fun and funny vibes in a story that’s both sweet and innocent while having some genuine stakes in the relationships between the main characters.
Bloom Into You
Next, one of the most beloved yuri anime on the market. This 2018 adaptation of Nio Nakatani’s manga of the same name (Yagate Kimi ni Naru/やがて君になる) has been required viewing for sapphic audiences since its release. The story focuses on Yuu Koito, a high school student who dreams of someone confessing their love to her. But when a boy does, she’s surprised to realize that she feels nothing for him. When she sees another student, Touko Nanami, turn down a love confession of her own, she becomes determined to befriend her, thinking that she can relate to her situation — and their friendship grows into something more.
Fans rave about the show’s delicate and nuanced exploration of the main characters’ psychology and inner lives. Critics also highlight its careful use of known yuri genre tropes — embracing some while rejecting or inverting others. A great watch for yuri newbies and experts alike.
Adachi and Shimamura
If you enjoyed Bloom Into You, then you’ll probably enjoy Adachi and Shimamura. Noted by CBR for their similarities, this show (adapted from Hitoma Iruma’s light novels) follows schoolmates Sakura Adachi and Hougetsu Shimamura. After they spend the day together while skipping class one day, Sakura falls head over heels for Hougetsu — while Hougetsu is pretty sure she’s just made a really good friend.
Like Bloom Into You, this series is praised for the introspection made by the lead characters, as well as for its slow-burn approach to the romance between them as they grow closer and closer. Don’t skip this one!
Maria Watches Over Us
Another slower slice of life in a school setting, Maria Watches Over Us (Maria-sama ga Miteru/マリア様がみてる) is one of the most popular and enduring yuri works of the past few decades. Beginning as a short story in 1997, this story does not have a main “plot” as such, but rather focuses on the lives of students at the Lillian Girls’ Academy, a fictional all-girls Catholic school.
The show is highly invested in purity and delicacy, with characters using highly formal language and showing a respect for one another typically associated with traditional Japanese education for ladies. The relationships between the ladies are similarly carefully and quietly explored: although the young ladies do form romantic relationships, they are not affirmed as such through a kiss or declaration of love. An anime where the emphasis is on subtextual love, this is one for those who like to sip and savour a cup of tea.
I’m in Love with the Villainess
This is a stand-out not only in the yuri space, but also in the now-vast isekai (alternate world) genre. Based on a series of light novels, I’m in Love with the Villainess (Watashi no Oshi wa Akuyaku Reijō/私の推しは悪役令嬢) sees main character Rei Ohashi die from overwork. She is then reincarnated as Rae Taylor, the main character of her favorite otome-game, with several men that can be romanced. Since Rei is a lesbian, she instead decides to break the rules of the game and chase her real crush: Claire François, the game’s villainess!
Isekai works very rarely depict same-gender relationships, making this show something of a rare gem. Audiences appreciate Rae’s audacity and straightforwardness in her pursuit of Claire, a contrast to the softly-softly approach that yuri media can sometimes default to.
Gushing Over Magical Girls
Sticking with the fantasy angle, Gushing Over Magical Girls (Mahō Shōjo ni Akogarete/魔法少女にあこがれて) is more or less what it sounds like: an anime about a fan of magical girls. What sets this yuri apart from others, though, is the unique twist that our protagonist, Utena Hiiragi, is gifted with magical powers not to help her beloved superheroines Tres Magica, but instead becomes their archnemesis, Magia Baiser.
The show is a fan-favorite not only due to the twist that the fan becomes an enemy, but also because Utena, after fighting the Tres Magica, discovers her sadistic side, resulting in some Brazen Domination Scenes, Man. Despite this, there are no explicit lesbian relationships in the show, just other explicit… activities. A fun watch, but perhaps only for those who like their yuri with lashings of fan-service — literally. See our full review here.
Bad Girl
For something with a fun gimmick, we turn to 2025’s Bad Girl. Based on Nikumaru’s four-panel manga, Yuu Yuutani is the archetype of the good girl. She gets perfect grades, helps old people cross the road, and even gives her father a shoulder rub and a drink when he gets home from work. But since Yuu’s crush, Atori Mizutori, is the school’s disciplinary officer, she decides that in order to get her attention, she has no choice but to become a bad girl.
The fun of this anime is that despite Yuu’s best efforts, she’s such a good person that she has difficulty even conceiving of bad things to do. Some of her “nefarious deeds” include taking a sip of plum tea on the bus or paying for a bottle of water using ten ¥10 coins. The other half is that she is utterly oblivious to the fact that Atori is clearly into her. With mild pet-play themes, it might also appeal to fans of Gushing Over Magical Girls. Read our impressions here.
Jellyfish Can’t Swim in the Night
Let’s slow down a little bit with an anime that has sparked discussion in online WLW spaces. Jellyfish Can’t Swim in the Night (Yoru no Kurage wa Oyogenai/夜のクラゲは泳げない) is a show about four talented young people — artist Mahiru Kozuki, former idol Kano Yamanouchi, Vtuber Kiui Watase, and pianist Mei Kim Anouk Takanashi — who form the creative and musical group JELEE.
Although there is no “confirmed” lesbian relationship in the show, many fans infer sapphic feelings between some of the characters. Most notably, when Kano kisses Mahiru when the latter takes up art again, or when supporting character Koharu tells Mahiru and Kiui that she has had breast implants, Mahiru vocally expresses her desire to look at them. Fans also point to Kiui’s declaration that they are gender fluid, with their VTuber persona Nox Ryugasaki being a part of the masculine aspect of their persona.
Sakura Trick
Another four-panel manga adaptation, this 12-episode show is an animated expression of the sentiment, “absence makes the heart grow fonder.” Haruka Takayama and Yu Sonoda, who have been best friends for years, are even placed in the same class in high school — but their desks are on opposite sides of the room. To make sure they don’t drift apart, they decide that the obvious solution is to kiss each other. In secret. Whenever they get the chance.
While the premise may sound like little more than an excuse to have girls kiss each other, many critics felt that the romantic relationship depicted wasn’t exploitative — especially when compared to other ecchi manga of the time of its release. The portrayal of characters whose flaws — jealousy, impetuousness, and insecurity, among others — are as central to their depiction and relationship as their love has also been highlighted. A romantic comedy for anyone who likes a pair of messy bitches.
Yuri Is My Job!
Yuri Is My Job! (Watashi no Yuri wa Oshigoto Desu!/私の百合はお仕事です!) follows Hime Shiraki, a self-centered high schooler who begins working at a theme cafe after accidentally injuring the manager. The cafe is part theater, with all the waitresses acting as students at the fictional all-girls Liebe Girls Academy. Hime becomes attracted to Mitsuki Yano, who, in her role as a student, adores and dotes on Hime. After the show is over, however, Mitsuki seems to despise her.
An adaptation of the manga of the same name by Miman, part of the appeal of this concept cafe-set comedy is the way that it plays with both the real and performed relationships of the characters. However, it is also a fun send-up of the genre of yuri as a whole — and like any good parody, it is a good example of the very thing it is making fun of. As such, while you’ll get the most out of this if you’re already literate in yuri works, anyone should be able to get a kick out of Yuri is My Job! Check out our more detailed thoughts here.
More Yuri Anime to Watch
There we have it, ten of the best! But there’s still more yuri content out there for you to enjoy. For those looking for a snapshot in time when it comes to yuri anime, why not check out our 2025 favorites? You can also check out yuri news and our reviews here. If you prefer to get some mileage out of your reading glasses, why not check out our guide to our top ten yuri manga? Some of them will be the originals of the anime here — compare and contrast!
Additional reporting by Ariel S.
