Uzaki-chan is an overly energetic college student that still hangs out with and pesters her high school senpai Shinichi Sakurai, just to make sure he does not appear alone or weird to his classmates. In reality, Uzaki-chan Wants to Hang Out! is a RomCom anime about two goofballs in love that can not seem to spit the words out to each other.
Being set in college gives Uzaki-chan Wants to hang Out! a mature theme to work around, mentioning the likes of drinking, working, and life beyond education, which is refreshing for anime but gives our two characters more depth than just high school sweethearts. That is why we have compiled a list of other romance anime that hit on similar themes, be it a setting beyond high school, or the main couple that shares a unique dynamic with hilarious chemistry.
Similar Anime to Uzaki-chan wa Asobitai! / Similar Anime to Uzaki-chan Wants to Hang Out!
1. Ijiranaide, Nagatoro-san (Don’t Toy with Me, Miss Nagatoro)
- Episodes: 12
- Aired: April 2021 - June 2021
Don’t Toy with Me, Miss Nagatoro is a RomCom that builds entirely around a unique relationship dynamic between our two main characters, Nagatoro Hayase and Hachiouji Naoto. The dynamic of our central couple, as the title suggests, is that of teasing or bullying as Nagatoro enjoys poking and prodding Naoto constantly to see his reaction. A typical sadodere character, Nagatoro hides her interest in Naoto by pushing his buttons leading to a romance developing between the two.
Much like Uzaki-chan Wants to Hang Out!, Don’t Toy with Me, Miss Nagatoro illustrates a relationship that develops from one end towards a reluctant senpai before their socially awkward exterior is broken down. The relationship dynamic that develops is one of entertaining teasing built on mutual understanding of each other.
Ijiranaide, Nagatoro-san Official Trailer
2. Aho Girl (AHO-GIRL)
- Episodes: 12
- Aired: July 2017 - September 2017
Yoshiko Hanabatake is not the brightest high schooler in the world, and her obsession with bananas just compounds the essence of an absurd lack of prospects. The only person to keep her in check is Akuru “A-kun” Akutsu, Yoshiko’s childhood best friend who is a studious model student and has no issue knocking sense into his friend.
Yoshiko and A-kun have such a similar relationship to Uzaki-chan and Shinichi that we had to include Aho Girl on our list. Annoying their male best friend to no end with eccentric antics, often resulting in awkward outbursts and comedic situations, like misunderstood screaming in public by Sakurai to Uzaki-chan, or A-kun whacking Yoshito with a book for disturbing kids in public.
Aho Girl Official Trailer
3. Dagashi Kashi
- Episodes: 12
- Aired: January 2016 - April 2016
A strange, but interesting premise for an anime RomCom setting, Dagashi Kashi removes our usual love story from education and plants it in the rural Japanese candy store. Our picturesque rural store is run by the eccentric You Shikada, however his son, Kokonotsu Shikada wants nothing to do with peddling sweets and instead dreams of becoming a manga artist. Enter Shidare Hotaru, arriving from a mega-corporation to win You Shikada to her family’s sweet-making company but only under the condition that Kokonotsu takes over his family’s store.
Dagashi Kashi is a strange RomCom anime, with the unusual setting taking us away from the standard high school format, instead giving a rather unique insight into the world of Japanese sweets as Kokonutsu and Hotaru compete in silly challenges as they grow closer. Hotaru’s constant pestering of “Kokonutsu” is exactly like that of Uzaki and Sakurai, with the two characters giving off the same smug vibe in comparison to their socially awkward love interest.
Dagashi Kashi Official Trailer
Any Anime Like Uzaki-chan Wants to Hang Out! / Any Anime Like Uzaki-chan wa Asobitai! ?
4. Wotaku ni Koi wa Muzukashii (Wotakoi: Love is Hard for Otaku)
- Episodes: 11
- Aired: April 2018 - June 2018
Wotakoi: Love is Hard for Otaku dropped in Spring of 2018 and made a splash as a new romance anime that has a strange setting. Narumi and Hirotaka are childhood best friends working at the same company, but they both hide their true selves from their coworkers. Hirotaka is a gaming otaku and Narumi is a fujoshi, meaning they both understand each other well despite completely different interests.
A love story in anime being set in an adult setting is not that common, and it is nice to see that since Wotakoi’s adaptation in 2018, more anime have been exploring mature settings, like the office or college. This setting for Uzaki-chan with our love interests working in the cafe, and Wotakoi being set in an office, allows for newer character dynamics that their colleagues bring. Hanako and Tarou are a good example in Wotakoi, the sort of older couple trying to guide the new love birds whilst figuring out love themselves. Similarly, Uzaki and Sakurai are constantly watched over by their friends Ami and Itsuhito who seem destined to couple up during their matchmaking for our main characters.
Wotaku ni Koi wa Muzukashii Official Trailer
5. Senpai ga Uzai Kouhai no Hanashi (My Senpai is Annoying)
- Episodes: 12
- Aired: October 2021 - December 2021
Workplace romances make for interesting anime, and My Senpai is Annoying is a perfect example of shows that were adapted after Wotakoi to show adult romance settings. The story follows the below average in height Futaba Igarashi as she holds down her sales job for a while thanks to the help of her larger-than-life senpai Harumi Takeda.
Senpai and Kouhai to romantic love interests is not an entirely new concept in RomCom anime, but placing the dynamic in the workplace adds a unique aspect as Igarashi and Takeda help guide each other. Much like Uzaki and Sakurai, the main couple have comically contrasting characteristics, such as one being socially reserved compared to an outgoing extrovert. However, Takeda in My Senpai is Annoying is a huge athletic man with an outgoing personality in contrast to Sakurai who is athletic in Uzaki-chan Wants to Hang Out! but has an introverted personality. It is nice to see the traditional energetic female protagonist flipped with a male taking the social initiative.
Senpai ga Uzai Kouhai no Hanashi Official Trailer
6. Soredemo Ayumu wa Yosetekuru (When Will Ayumu Make His Move?)
- Episodes: 12
- Aired: July 2022 - September 2022
When Will Ayumu Make His Move? is a sweet RomCom anime that follows middle school kendo champion, Ayumu Tanaka, as he begins his high school journey into club activities - not into kendo, but joining the unofficial shogi club. Ayumu has one goal, falling in love with the shogi club president - and only member, Urushi Yaotome. However, instead of confessing his love immediately after meeting, Ayumu determines to only confess once he has beaten Urushi fairly in a shogi match.
Much like Uzaki-chan Wants to Hang Out!, we follow a couple that are clearly hiding feelings for each other, with Ayumu and Urushi feeling they can not confess until things are perfectly aligned. The same can be said for Uzaki and Sakurai, as the two clearly act and get on as a couple but refuse to finally confess throughout the anime. This dynamic in a RomCom anime is entertaining for viewers, but in a frustrating way as audiences want something to develop over the series.
Soredemo Ayumu wa Yosetekuru Official Trailer
Final Thoughts
Uzaki-chan Wants to Hang Out! is an excellent RomCom anime, blending the comedic dynamism of a couple that will not confess, with wholesome moments like the two falling asleep together between classes. Throughout this list, we have put together six anime we feel encapsulate a similar vibe, some more comedic and others more mature fitting the adult relationship of Uzaki and Sakurai. Have you watched any of these anime? Are there any others that you would recommend for fans of Uzaki-chan? Let us know in the comments!
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