Two high school students brought together by their unrequited love for another, Mugi and Hanabi act out a relationship to distract themselves from their broken hearts. With Hanabi’s love and homeroom teacher Narumi pining for Mugi’s love and music teacher Akane, Hanabi and Mugi have a very specific pain in common. Trying to navigate their hopeless feelings while comforting and using each other leads them into very dangerous territory.

Kuzu no Honkai is a very dramatic anime with much less humor than Rent-a-Girlfriend but touches on similar themes. Circumventing traditional relationships for a ‘bandaid’ relationship of sorts brings about its own problems as well as unique solutions. Mugi and Hanabi pretend to be in a romantic relationship much like Chizuru and Kazuya because it allows them to seek solutions and comfort without drawing unwanted attention from those around them. Akane and Mami share a similarly manipulative personality masked by their sweet-girl façade. Hard but necessary truths are learned in both shows.

Junichi’s girlfriendless, virgin life is changed forever when his fellow incel friends force him to ask out the super-hot gyaru (gal) in their class, Yukana. Despite rumors, Yukana is no pervert and no easy score yet she finds herself taken with Junichi’s inability to hide his true intentions. While initially hoping only to score, Yukana’s acceptance of Junichi’s perversions despite her refusal to have sexual relations with him makes him want to be truly loyal… but what’s with all these girls throwing themselves at him suddenly??

A super funny show surrounding a very understandable dilemma… wanting to lose your virginity and be like the other guys. Junichi is somehow a wimpier version of Kazuya with both being lonely and resentful of happy couples. If it weren’t for both guys’ friend groups intervening, the story couldn’t progress as far as it does. With a super hot girl holding all the cards, this comedic anime is a close contender to Rent-a-Girlfriend!

Yuu has felt despondent ever since realizing her love of romance only exists for novels and stops when it comes to reality. She feels removed from society until meeting her beautiful senpai Touko who also has never felt the pangs of love. Yuu feels like she’s finally met someone like her until Touko reveals her new-found feelings for Yuu! With Touko wanting to cherish these new feelings and Yuu hoping to understand love itself, the two enter a relationship of convenience, playing at true romance.

A more serious take on a one-sided relationship, Yagate Kimi ni Naru is a beautiful show that challenges just how important traditional romantic relationships are. Much like Rent-a-Girlfriend, it’s the very unconventional nature of their relationship that allows the partners to bare their all and to know exactly what is wanted and expected of them. If you want a girl on girl anime where one partner is acting in a romantic way with someone who benefits from their specialized act, then this anime will move you!

Fuutarou is a know-it-all nerd who happens upon female transfer student Itsuki at lunch one day. He completely brushes her off when Itsuki mentions she could use help studying. Turns out, the only way for Fuutarou to pay off his family’s debt is to not only tutor Itsuki but her 4 other sisters as well!! After being so callous, no amount of groveling will redeem himself in Itsuki’s eyes. How can Fuutarou hope to help them all graduate when they’re always running away and refusing his help??

Neither Itsuki nor Fuutarou particularly want to pursue this tutor/student relationship but outside familial factors make them at least keep up pretenses similar to Kazuya and Chizuru with their grandparents. With little sister Raiha’s smile on the line, Fuutarou wants to do anything he can and Itsuki is reluctant to make such a cute little girl sad. Itsuki at least agrees to study without Fuutarou and allow him to collect his money. Both Itsuki and Chizuru seem to have a weak spot when it comes to someone else’s family. 5-Toubun no Hanayome is also a slowly-building harem anime with several cute girls eventually seeing the appeal of the main character as he progresses in the story.

As the Red Threads of Science supported by Japanese society pair up 16-year-olds for their most ideal matches, not all teenagers are keen on their mandated partnering. Yukari confesses his feelings to Misaki who seems willing to reciprocate until Yukari gets his assigned partner, Ririna. Ririna has no use for a system that ignores personal feelings but finds herself obsessed with the possible relationship between Yukari and Misaki. With hidden feelings and motivations, the love and lies binding the three will change their lives forever.

With similar themes of relationships on the surface masking true feelings, the characters of Koi to Uso are going through the motions of romance on the surface in order to accomplish their own goals. There are a few funny bits that come with the awkwardness of arranged relationships while going through puberty. But there’s also a deep examination of what makes life and love worthwhile as well as deep introspection. Ririna is a placeholder for Misaki as Yukari’s partner much like how Chizuru is Mami’s replacement. The three are very much intertwined and involved with each other, though the relationship between Rririna, Misaki, and Yukari is much more positive.

Erika is determined to become a popular and enviable girl and fabricates a handsome boyfriend to make her ‘friends’ jealous. After being forced to show some sort of proof he exists, she uses the image of someone she has no idea goes to their school but is also very popular! Forced to confess and face ridicule or implicate a total stranger, Erika begs for help from the seemingly nice Kyouya. The black-hearted prince drops his good-boy act only to Erika and delights in her struggles and forced servitude to protect her secret. While the two are only using each other, they find themselves slowly becoming more attracted to each other.

While it’s not for work, Kyouya is working overtime as a devoted boyfriend so Erika can save face. Instead of getting money for his troubles, he gets the sadistic joy of watching her suffer for her lies. She starts off pretty demanding of Kyouya similarly to how Kazuya begged Chizuru to lie for him far beyond normal dating sessions. Yet they both develop real feelings for the people they formally misunderstood and used as tools. Kyouya and Chizuru may seem cold but a lot of that has to do with protecting themselves from being taken advantage of. It’s a super funny anime that also pulls at your heartstrings!