10 Anime to Fill the Void After 'My Dress Up Darling'

One of the most enjoyable, heartwarming, and romantic anime series of 2022 so far follows a teenage dollmaker who dreams of perfecting his craft and a girl who loves anime and cosplay but has no idea how to create her own costumes.

My Dress Up Darling might sound strange on paper, but it's an addictive and wholesome series that's taken the anime world by storm. The lovably clueless Wakana Gojo and the gorgeous and kind Kitagawa Marin are memorable characters who aren't afraid to be their authentic selves, and the romance that blossoms between them are unlike you've seen before in the anime realm.

Unfortunately, the anime's first season ended earlier in the year without an official confirmation on the horizon that a second season is on the way. It's likely to happen based on the show's massive popularity, but anime fans know not to count their chickens before they hatch. So while you're waiting for more episodes, you could read the manga, or watch a little something to tide you over. Here are 10 anime series to watch to fill the void after the end of My Dress Up Darling.

Sakuta Azusagawa lives a seemingly normal life, right up until the day he sees idol Mai Sakurajima, dressed in a bunny outfit, in a local library. No one can see her except for Sakuta, which opens up into a bizarre investigation into a phenomenon called "Adolescence Syndrome," a mysterious illness that's been plaguing Mai, Sakuta, and a number of others. The two continually become closer and closer while the world is unable to see Mai, and the series revolves around unraveling why Mai has disappeared from the world, and why Sakuta is the only special person fated to continue to see her after her "disappearance."

Hori-san to Miyamura-kun, known as Horimiya, follows high schoolers Kyoko Hori and Izumi Miyamura, a couple who unite from two opposite ends of the social spectrum. Hori is a bubbly and popular kid who looks after her younger brother Souta, while Miyamura is a tattooed, piercing-laden student who's always quiet and shy. The pair recognize each other for their true selves one day, seeing through the show they put on at school, and begin to grow closer. They're completely different people after school, and this becomes the basis of a very close relationship that blossoms into a romantic one. It's everyday life seen through the lens of two very lucky lovebirds who end up finding each other.

High schooler Futaro Uesugi is down on his luck and needs some cash. When the opportunity to tutor the rich Nakano family presents itself, he jumps on it. As their tutor, he has to make sure five different sisters, each with their own personality, end up graduating from high school. They all view him as an annoyance and a stranger, but somehow Uesugi must work through their icy exteriors to get them to learn, improve their grades, and maybe even form friendships…if a relationship doesn't come of it first. Which quintuplet will Uesugi match with in the end? You'll have to watch and find out.

Wotaku ni Koi wa Muzukashi, also known as Wotakoi, centers on office worker Narumi, who hides her status as an anime and video game lover from her friends at work. Her childhood friend, Hirotaka Nifuji, is just like her in nearly every respect, as he also enjoys similar hobbies and denounces the advances of just about every woman who's interested in him. They ebb and flow as boyfriend and girlfriend and otaku who can't stop obsessing over their hobbies, but as the title of the anime suggests, love is hard for otaku, as we see that philosophy play out time and time again throughout the series. Don't worry, though. They're still absolutely perfect for each other.

Kimi no Todoke: From Me to You is a sweet romance that follows the chemistry blossoming between creepy high school freshman Sawako Kuronuma (nicknamed Sadako after the Ring movies by her classmates) and popular student Shota Kazehaya. Sawako looks unapproachable and terrifying, which nets her the reputation of being a ghost and cursing people. But she's actually very kind and unassuming and just wants to help people. When she meets Kazehaya, he opens her eyes again to the idea of having friends and even being in a relationship. And slowly but surely, the two fall in love.

Kaichou wa Maid-Sama, or Maid Sama!, centers on high school student Misaki Ayuzawa, who's the only female student at the formerly all-boys school Seika High. Now that it's co-ed, Mizaki is doing her best to whip the boys into shape so the girls filtering in can feel safe and supported. She's an uptight, boy-hating force who acts as a sign of hope for the girls, and as such has something of an ominous reputation at school. That's why, when it's discovered she has a sweeter, softer side to her while working at a maid cafe, she has to fight to keep classmate Takumi Usui from spreading her secret all around the school. It'd be mortifying if everyone knew the tough-as-nails Misaki was actually working as a maid!

Naoto Hachioji is a quiet high school student who only wants to be left alone so he can work on his manga in his free time. That all changes one day when a younger student, Hayase Nagatoro, finds and reads his manga, and takes a perverse liking to him. Calling him "Senpai", Nagatoro teases Naoto relentlessly, sometimes in an overtly sexual manner, as he cowers and shies away. This teasing escalates into a full-on crush, with Nagatoro continually forcing Naoto out of his comfort zone. What starts as Nagatoro being an annoying force who can't leave Naoto alone blossoms into a romance that you can't get enough of, which is a sweet twist for what could have been a frustrating story about unrequited love.

Ryuji Takasu is a high school student who tries to look friendly and approachable, but his eyes always make him look like a delinquent. That makes his love life a bit of a non-starter. One day, he runs into the school's "most dangerous" girl, Taiga Aisaka, who's the best friend of the girl he's got a crush on. Taiga is volatile and angry, with the nickname "Tiger", and she dislikes Ryuji. But she has a crush on Ryuji's best friend. With this knowledge, the two try to navigate relationships with the other's best friend, arranging to help with their respective crushes. Of course, this devolves into a relationship between the two, and if you've seen any romance anime, you can probably guess where this all goes.

Two loners, Hachiman Hikigaya and Yukino Yukinoshita, are very different people. Still, they come together to offer advice as part of their school's Service Club. The pair work together to make a difference in other students' lives. But they aren't exactly approachable or "helpful" in the eyes of the populace. Hachiman has "dead fish" eyes and he can barely interact with people. Yukino is a rich girl who has little empathy or kindness. Eventually, the two warm up to each other, but not before becoming entangled in a hilarious series of adventures that find them trying to help others and their efforts backfiring on them.

Arata Kaizaki is a 27-year-old NEET who stays at home, lies about having a full-time job, and only manages to work short shifts at the convenience store. He's offered a job one day by the mysterious Ryo Yoake, but he has to participate in an experiment called "ReLIFE", which will make him look 10 years younger and have him live out his high school days again as a regular student. This is in an effort to "fix" Arata, and everything that's gone wrong with his life, but of course, as is usually the case with anime like these, that only starts to cause more problems than it fixes as he falls in love with student Chizuru Hishiro and plenty of awkward situations ensue.