Highlights
- Dive into office romance manga for a mature twist on love and relationships beyond high school cliches.
- Experience the ups and downs of office romances with well-written plots and characters in these manga series.
- Some office romance stories, like
Majo-senpai Nippou
, incorporate fantasy elements, offering a sweet escape for readers.
As school days come to an end, many start their adventure as adults as professionals in an office setting. Of course, romance will never die, even in a stressful environment like in the workplace.
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Many mangakas also use this opportunity to appeal to a much more mature audience, which is also often associated with the genre of Josei, a category of manga marketed to women, typically 18-30 years old. These specific audiences may be bored with high school romance with pubescent teenagers because they cannot relate to it anymore. Luckily, many well-written office manga romances will satisfy the craving for something fresh and intriguing.
7 Dakishimete Tsuideni Kiss Mo
MyAnimeList Score: 6.86
This story revolves around Asahina, a regular office worker who has to face the harsh reality of being in a complicated but sweet relationship, and her journey towards her desired marriage. As fate would have it, she fell in love with an employee at her workplace. But to her surprise, he is several years younger than her, with an eight-year difference.
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Despite this, they try everything in their power to make the relationship work, with the question of how Asahina will get her happy ending. This manga offers a realistic depiction of what it is like to be a 30-year-old woman who is ready to settle down and finally be in a committed relationship but is faced with obstacles along the way.
6 Kake Kara Hajimaru Sayonara No Koi
MyAnimeList Score: 7.02
- Art: Watanukimen
- Story: Porun
A romance story involving bets is definitely not a new thing in the shoujo genre with high school characters. However, how will it play out in an office setting? This manga tells the story of Nao, who one day overheard her colleagues making a bet with Satomura that he could make Nao fall in love with him.
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Nao herself is known as a strict and stern worker who is infamously known as the Ice Iron Lady. Ironically, all this time Nao has a secret crush on Satomura, and she’s willing to take this bet as a chance to make Satomura fall for her for real. The question remains about how Nao will reach her goal in the end. This manga has been adapted into an 8-episode series that aired in 2023, starring Yamazaki Hirona as Nao and Koseki Yuta as Satomura.
5 Dekinai Futari
MyAnimeList Score: 7.02
Another manga that was adapted into a live-action TV series, Dekinai Futari tells a story about Nao Shirafuji and Takahito Kurose who were once lovers turned enemies. Their journey starts with the fierce rivalry between them in their company, in the sales department. They fight and bicker like no other, but actually, they have a history together.
8 Romance Manga With Purposefully Flawed Protagonists
In fiction, as in real life, everybody has their flaws. These romance manga feature less-than-perfect protagonists who find a way to make it work.
They dated and broke up in high school. As the plot progresses, it is explained that the break-up was caused by the hurtful words that Kurose said during their first experience. Will their story end with just being mortal enemies? This manga will keep readers on edge with an intriguing plotline and rich character backstories.
4 Majo-senpai Nippou
MyAnimeList Score: 7.55
- Story & Art: Mochida Maka
Ready for a fluffy story that blends the office setting with fantasy? Majo-senpai Nippou will give readers butterflies and comfort, the perfect light read to ease busy minds and the hustle and bustle of reality. Naoto Misono is a hard worker who is also the calm and collected type.
On the other hand, Shizuka Hoshino is his senior at work, who is honest, easy to read, clumsy, and the top of it all, a witch! Although Hoshino always seems all over the place, she always makes sure to go out of her way to help Misono. Before he even knows it, Naoto falls for this coworker of his. However, he has to face many obstacles coming their way, like her overprotective brothers and love interests.
3 Koori Zokusei Danshi To Cool Na Douryou Joshi
MyAnimeList Score: 7.69
- Story & Art: Tonogaya Miyuki
Another light read to pick up for a relaxing and calming night. Himuro belongs to a supernatural race that can cause blizzards and lower the temperature of his surroundings when he is overwhelmed with his emotions.
The blizzards even pile up on the office floor, causing his coworkers to also have to deal with it. The cause of this change of emotions? It is his one and only crush, Fuyutsuki, a coworker of his, who never fails to make Himuro’s heart skip a beat. The plot is fairly simple, but the simpleness is what makes this manga a delight, with its sweet story and cute characters.
2 Ase To Sekken
MyAnimeList Score: 8.16
- Story & Art: Yamada Kintetsu
Asako always struggles with body sweats and odor, although she works for a high-class manufacturer of women’s cosmetics, including soap and body care. When she was a kid, she used to get bullied by the mean girls in her school, causing her to be very cautious about her smell. To avert this crisis, she always takes her time to constantly wipe her sweat and does everything in her power to prevent any unwanted smells.
However, unbeknownst to her, Koutarou, a fragrance genius in their company, falls head over heels with Asako’s natural sweat and smell. He begs Asako to let him smell her, as he says, for research purposes. Ase to Sekken is a fascinating story about perfumery and an office romance, filled with interesting plot lines and great character development.
1 Wotaku Ni Koi Wa Muzukashii
MyAnimeList Score: 8.36
A relatable story for otakus, especially fujoshis! Wotaku ni Koi wa Muzukashii tells the story of Narumi Momose who appears to be a plain Jane, but she actually loves idols, games, manga, anime, and everything related to boys’ love. In real life, she is just a normal office worker, but in secret, she is scared to be perceived as gross due to her hobbies.
She then confides in her childhood friend, Hirotaka Nifuji, who is also a gaming otaku. One day, he suggests Narumi date someone who is at the same frequency as her. But who will understand her completely without any judgment? Is Hirotaka the person? The story of Narumi perfectly captures what it feels like to be a professional who secretly harbors little quirks and predilections.
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Romance loves a good tragedy, especially when it befalls the protagonist of a story like it does with these excellent anime and manga romances.
