While Christmas is a time for family in the West, Christmas is a holiday specifically targeted towards couples in Japan. Many restaurants offer themed menus and popular couple outlets will have massive sales in the spirit of giving that little bit extra. So, this holiday season, why not hunker down with a charming anime love story! Ore Monogatari's Christmas episode follows two friends of Takeo and Rinka's.

Takeo's friend (Kurihara) plans to confess but his overbearing personality rubs his date the wrong way, initially. Wanting to perform a grand gesture, he climbs the giant Christmas tree in the center of town to retrieve the star for his beloved. After he offers her this gift, she accepts and the two start dating. Finding love by being yourself is a strong theme throughout all of My Love Story!! Takeo in particular is ridiculed and judged because of his build but Rinko accepts him for who he is on the inside. Similarly, Kurihara is only accepted when he stops putting on a charade and acts like himself. Santa knows if you've been bad or good and My Love Story!! is a testament to the kind of honesty Old Saint Nick approves of.

Sakurasou has only one episode themed around Christmas (Windows and Lights on Christmas Eve) but its themes and narrative lend themselves very well to the spirit of the holiday. The Christmas episode plays out as one might expect. The gang makes their way into town to see the illumination and, after doing so, Sorata is thrilled to learn that he passed the preliminary exams for his next school. However, after returning home to see a disheveled Misaki sitting naked on the floor of the dorm, things take a turn for the worst. Earlier in the episode, Misaki finally confessed her feelings to Jin but was ultimately rejected. Sorata and friends try to console her as she wracks her brain trying to decipher what exactly is wrong with her.

We all must grow up eventually and Sakurasou's themes of moving on are prevalent throughout the entire series. After learning that Santa is not real, we cried for a little then moved on with our lives. Sakurasou's entire journey is leading up to eventual graduation where the tight-knit group will dissipate. Each member struggles to let go of the past but acknowledges that this must happen for them to become adults. With Christmas coming at the end of the year, it is the perfect time to start thinking of those New Year's resolutions. Sakurasou is an inspiring story that will break you down just to build you back up again!

Even some Pokémon veterans may be unaware of this hidden gem of an OVA. Back in the day before we had access to online streaming of hundreds of shows at the press of a button, many of us were forced to resort to purchasing prehistoric VHS tapes to watch shows not airing on television. One such collection is Pikachu's Winter Vacation. This is a catalog of several mini-episodes centered around Pikachu and friends as they frolic and play away from their trainers during Wintertime.

The first segment sees Pikachu and the gang decorating a Christmas tree with mixed results. The second is a light-hearted sledding adventure featuring a Kangashkan and her child. The third act is a jovial ice-skating session while the final portion of the OVA has the group shooting the breeze with Santa Claus! With so much attention placed on the trainers of the Pokémon world, it's always nice to see the lives of the Pokémon play out in these shorts. Pikachu's Winter Vacation is no exception and can tickle your nostalgia bone sufficiently should you choose to watch it this holiday season!

After suffering a devastating defeat during the Grand Prix Finale, Yuuri Katsuki returns from a life of stardom to his quaint family home. At the ripe age of twenty-three, Yuuri's window for excellence in the ice skating world will soon be closed. However, after a video of Yuuri performing an incredibly difficult routine (only ever performed by the five-time world champion Victor Nikiforov), Yuuri receives a new lease on life. Victor himself agrees to train Yuuri and the two begin their quest to make Yurri the best skater ever.

Yuri!!! on Ice isn't inherently about Christmas but the show itself is filled with winter wonderment. There is, however, a Christmas episode (episode ten) in which Yuuri attempts to buy a pair of gold rings as a Christmas/birthday present for Victor. This episode, coming so close to the end of the season, is one of the most exciting romantic climaxes of the anime. After Chris catches sight of the rings, he congratulates Yuuri and Victor on their wedding, while Victor corrects him (stating they are only engaged). Christmas miracles happen very infrequently but, for Yuuri, his gift seems to have come early this year.

Christmas can't all be snowfall and presents and Angel Beats is here to remind us of this fact. After awaking in a strange school campus only to be told he is, in fact, dead, Otonashi meets with the Afterlife Battlefront. Together with Yuri, the SSS wage war against the apparently evil Tenshi while trying to recover their lost memories of the time before they died. With the true meaning of Christmas being so rooted in Christianity, it isn't too surprising that a show about angels would appear on this list. However, episode seven titled "Alive" truly cements the show on this list. Otonashi, during a flashback, is seen ignoring his younger sister's doctor's advice and taking her to see a Winter illumination. As she thanks him for all that he's done for her, Otonashi thanks her; blissfully unaware that she had already passed away on his back.

While not intrinsically connected with Christmas, the wintery settings that blanket several of the later episodes of Angel Beats! definitely allot it a spot on this list. Christmas is such a jovial time of the year that we often forget the struggles people are going through all year round. For some, these do not simply disappear at the jingling of some bells but persist long into the following year. However, like Otonashi, we each have the power to give that special someone a gift to make them forget their troubles. If you enjoy a Winter-themed cry-fest then Angel Beats! can provide you with some Christmas heartache without much difficulty!
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Sword of the Stranger is an action-packed story of heartbreak. It follows the orphan Kotarou and his dog Tobimaru as they are being chased by a group of assassins. Luckily for the duo, they run into a ronin whose incredible skills might be able to save the two.

Again, this pick might surprise you, as the show throws in a decent amount of blood, which doesn’t quite fit in with Christmas. However, it does take place in the winter, and more importantly, conceptualizes and displays the ideas of self-sacrifice and giving. There are two scenes in particular that will warm even the coldest hearts during this movie. One is between the boy and his dog, in which the boy is willing to go to the end of the world to keep his pup by his side. The second is between the boy and the stranger which gives way to one of the most epic fight scenes in any anime.

A mix between light romance and economic intrigue, Spice and Wolf takes us throughout a medieval fantasy world. Specifically, the anime follows Kraft Lawrence and the crazy adventures that ensue after he meets the wolf goddess Holo. Between his calculating ways and her ancient wisdom, the two make for a great business duo as well as sparring pair, when it comes to wit.

You might be wondering why Spice and Wolf is on the list, and that’s a fair question. Similar to another entry that you’ll see on this list, Spice and Wolf has two aspects that allow it to be on this list. First off, a ton of the setting fits with the holiday spirit. There’s generally snow outside, and even when there isn’t, our heroes are generally forced into a warm hearty cabin or hall with a fire and drinks. These settings definitely create a sense of the winter spirit. The second is the game of give and take that Holo and Kraft play that creates an endearing environment of romance.

First things first, be sure to watch the 2006 version. You will probably regret watching the original from 2002. Now, Aizawa Yuuichi used to visit his cousin in the city all the time, but for seven years he was unable to. Arriving back in the city after so many years, he realizes that he can’t recall any of his memories about the town.

Yes, Kanon (2006) is a harem with several girls falling for our main character. That being said, the show properly takes care of each character and refuses to indulge in too many of the clichés that are inherent in harems. Thus, we find ourselves swimming through the tragic stories of the characters that we come into contact with rather getting stock characters. Through this method, our hearts open up to each character as we are led through drama and romance on a continuous basis.

Yoo Jin has been madly in love with Joon Sang for a long time. However, when he dies in an accident, Yoo Jin moves forward with her life by marrying her friend from childhood. Though at first comfortable with this choice, she soon meets someone that bares an uncanny resemblance to her lost love.

In terms of romance and heartfelt drama, Winter Sonata delivers on multiple fronts. Its gorgeous artwork allows the characters’ expressions to better affect the viewer as well as pushes people into the setting. Tied with the animation is the incredible voice acting of the cast (from the Korean drama this anime is based off) that deftly manipulates our empathy. Admittedly, there aren’t any laughs to be held in this anime, so it’s really only for those who can handle a tear jerker over Christmas.

Clannad follows the unlikely relationship that forms between Tomoya, a truant, and Nagisa, a girl whose sickness has kept her out from school. Though Tomoya does his best to avoid Nagisa at first, he soon finds her an integral part of his life and development. Though this relationship isn’t the only one in his life that is developing. There are a few other girls that vying for his affection.

Perhaps more heartbreaking than heartwarming, Clannad is one of those shows that brings about all the feels, which fits particularly well for Christmas and the winter season. Tomoya’s relationships can very much mirror relationship you have in your life. There’s the friend who particularly pushes you, the one who knows your past, and the one you want to help out. With each of these relationships, we receive tremendous insight into each person’s life and become deeply invested in him/her. It’s through this method that Clannad is able to pull at the viewers’ heartstrings and bring out every inch of emotion, which in turn makes you extremely grateful for all the relationships you currently have.

If your child was born on December 24th, you might be tempted to name him/her Santa. That’s what happened to the main character in Itsudatte My Santa!, and due to his parents’ whimsicality, he quite frankly hates anything that deals with Christmas. Well, his hate is put to the test after meeting Mai, a girl who is practicing to be a Santa.

So we have a character named Santa, a character training to be a Santa, and within their relationship a reflection of Charles Dicken’s A Christmas Carol. To put it more bluntly, a cold=hearted character, who despises Christmas, finds himself warming up to the Christmas season thanks to the endless kindess and jubilation of another. In the end, very few anime have as much Christmas-related imagery as Itsudatte My Santa!

Love Hina is one of those harems that often acts as a gateway into the anime world. As it follows Keitaro, a boy desperate to get into Tokyo University, ends up helping out at his grandmother’s hotel. Well, this hotel’s residents happen to be all female and their particular quirks generally leave Keitaro beaten or exhausted.

Now in this special OVA, Keitaro hears about a rumor that if you declare your love on Christmas Eve, then your love will come to fruition. Essentially, this OVA holds all the comic gold that derives from the eccentricities of all its characters that the anime has, but wrapped up in a more sufficient and heartwarming way. With the entirety of the animation being during the Christmas season and hopeful romance in the air, it’s a feel-good video for both you and the uninitiated to enjoy.

The hardworking college student Hana falls in love with a mysterious man who attends some of her classes, but does not actually go to the college. Their love blooms quickly, even after she finds out that he is half-wolf, and the two have two children, one boy and one girl. However, one night, Hana’s husband dies and leaves her in charge of two kids with the ability to change into wolves.

Depressing, but ultimately heartwarming is the best way to describe Wolf Children. This is because the importance of family and the undying love of a mother are the center pieces for the movie. These two points push past all the pain and suffering and show just how crucial a role family plays in all of our lives. Hana is everyone’s mother and she reminds us just how much our parents, but especially our moms, give to us each and every day. The animation also gets a couple bonus points for having gorgeous animation and some picaresque snow scenes that fit perfectly with Christmas.

Toradora is a show essentially about five high schoolers and the way their love lives intersect in a million and one ways. More specifically it’s about Taiga and Ryuuji who both have extremely negative reputations. Taiga is actually violent while Ryuuji simply scares people off with his looks. These two form an unlikely friendship and decide to help each other out, as each is the respective best friend of the other’s love interest.

Toradora will warm your heart as much as it will break it, which is why it has made this particular list. Friendship and its trials as well as the sacrifices needed to keep one intact are explored thoroughly in this anime. What’s particularly special about it though is the way in which relationships are destroyed and reconstructed throughout the entirety of the show as people restrain and release their desires. On top of that, the show’s plot reaches its climax when the characters are celebrating Christmas.

It’s Christmas Eve and we are introduced to three homeless people: Hans, Miyuki, and Gin. These three have the fun task of shifting through garbage on this most celebratory of nights, and to their great surprise they discover an abandoned baby. Unsure of what happened to land the baby in such a circumstance, the trio decides they will do whatever they can to find the child’s parents.

With an adventure that incorporates an unlikely group of heroes, the yakuza, and many other characters; Tokyo Godfathers is a beloved touchstone in the anime world. Each of the main characters are truly lovable humans with a penchant for self-sacrifice. The creator’s choice to view the world from their perspective served to provide a unique viewpoint for the story, as it forces our eyes to take in lifestyles that are usually covered up in the commercialized Christmas season.