When I think of shoujo anime, the first thing that pops to mind is the ooey-gooey cheesy shows I watched growing up. Most often, the overarching plot involved a romance between the main character and one or more love interests, with plenty of longing and angst, interspersed with cute comedic beats and genuine heart-fluttering moments. These shows are not only nostalgic because, for the most part, they came out in the early 2000s — they are also nostalgic because they capture the intensity of feeling that comes along with being young.

Whether you’re looking for a blast from the past, or seeking out a show that’s new to you but brings the butterflies back to your stomach, check out these top 10 nostalgic shoujo anime on this list.

10. Shugo Chara

Fifth-grader Amu Hinamori is seen by her classmates as a cool, calm and collected character, but really, she just hides behind this image to disguise her shyness. One night, she wishes for a way to express her true self, and in the morning, wakes to find three eggs in her bed, which hatch into “guardian characters.” These characters give her special abilities, but also encourage her to embark on a journey of self-discovery so that she can better use her powers. She joins the secretive Guardian Club at school, which is full of kids who also have guardian characters. Together, they fight against the evil Easter Company, which corrupts people’s hopes and dreams into “X eggs.”

At its heart, this is a sweet story about self-expression and learning how to discover and harness your creative powers. You would think that the romance would likewise be lighthearted and sweet, but it’s surprisingly complex. The show starts out with a classic love triangle — Amu is torn between Tadase, her elementary school’s prince, and the older bad-boy Ikuto — but let’s be real. There’s no competition. Ikuto wins out every time. He’s a morally gray character with a complicated backstory, and the love story between him and Amu has surprisingly compelling stakes. If you want a silly anime that’s cute and sweet but also is not afraid to push the romantic conflict to its limit, Shugo Chara might be for you.

9. Uta no Prince-Sama

Pretty, pretty boys, and a lot of them. That’s the selling point for this show. The main character Haruka is an aspiring composer attending a music school, but she soon finds that this particular music school is special because it has a whole bunch of hot men vying for her attention. These men are all aspiring idols who’ve also come to the music school to receive training and work with the high-level composers and lyricists, including Haruka. There’s a small problem, though — the school has a strict no romance policy! Gasp! Of course this doesn’t stop the boys from flirting shamelessly with Haruka.

Naturally, with so many characters to contend with, each tends to fall into a certain “type” and not venture very far beyond that in terms of development. It’s still fun to root for certain pairings, though — my personal favorite was Masato Hijirikawa because I obviously love a brooding loner. On top of all that, the opening song absolutely slaps. If you’re seeking a pretty-looking anime with lots of fluffy romantic intrigue and an upbeat pop-y soundtrack, check this one out.

8. La Corda d’Oro

In a very similar vein to Uta no Prince-Sama, this show takes place at a music school and follows one girl being pined after by multiple men. However, in my opinion, the characters are slightly less bland in this version, and the show ups the interest with a little sprinkling of magic. Kahoko Hino, our main character, can’t actually play an instrument until she encounters the fairy Lily, who gifts her with a magic violin that allows her to play any tune she’s heard before as long as she plays it with all her heart. At first, she’s not all that into it, but as time passes and her emotional connection with the music grows, she finds that she really enjoys playing.

Her connection with music also allows her to help out her men, each of whom has his own emotional problems. Many of the men fall for her because of this, but she’s generally pretty oblivious. Pining ensues. My favorite, and probably the general fan favorite, is Len Tsukimori, who also plays the violin. Unlike most of the other characters, he has a compelling backstory, and again, he fits into my favorite brooding loner trope. And, just like UNPS, the opening song slaps. If you want a reverse harem love story with likable characters and an obvious front-runner in the romance race, La Corda d’Oro may interest you.

7. Chihayafuru

Unlike many other shows on this list, Chihayafuru doesn’t place much focus on romance, instead using the traditional poetry game karuta as the plot’s anchor. It also has much more well-rounded characters, each of whom has their own strengths and weaknesses within karuta that are echoed in their wider lives. It’s fun to root for these characters during their tournaments, and it’s also interesting to learn more about them as they interact with each other in everyday life. At the same time, the tournament scenes can occasionally get a bit repetitive.

There is certainly still a romantic element to this show, however — another classic love triangle, this time between the protagonist Chihaya Ayase and her two friends, Taichi Mashima and Arata Wataya. Because these characters have such long histories together, the dynamics between them are constantly shifting and changing so that there is never any super clear answer as to what kind of a relationship they have to each other. If this kind of drawn-out will-they-won’t-they is your thing, you will probably enjoy Chihayafuru.

6. Ouran High School Host Club

This classic anime is just about the definition of a nostalgic shoujo anime, so it’s almost an obligation to have it on this list. Haruhi Fujioka, a scholarship student in a school full of rich kids, one day stumbles across the “Host Club”, where pretty boys entertain women. During her visit, Haruhi breaks an expensive vase, and makes a deal with the boys to pay off the expense by working for them — at first as an “errand boy,” but later as a host, when the boys discover that she’s a natural at charming women.

Despite the show’s extremely homoerotic undertones, Haruhi still has plenty of fun romantic interactions with the boys. I would categorize the show as a romantic comedy, and by far the best dynamic is between Haruhi and the club’s president, Tamaki Suoh. Despite his princely exterior, Tamaki loves to vy for Haruhi’s approval, and even though she often puts him down with snarky comments, they clearly have a real affection for each other. If you’re looking for a comedic show with a subtle underlying critique of the rich — and fun romance! — Ouran High School Host Club is for you. Though, let’s be real — you’ve probably already watched it.

5. Sekai Ichi Hatsukoi

Speaking of homoerotic undertones, how about some very explicit homoerotic overtones? The show follows the stories of three gay couples falling in love. The first and most prominent couple features Ritsu Onodera, an easily flustered editor who comes to work at Marukawa Publishing and somehow ends up relegated to the shoujo manga section, though he usually works on literature. His boss Masamune Takano is at first quite mean to him, but an unlikely romance begins to flame between them, fueled by an earlier interaction between the two that Onodera at first has trouble remembering.

This anime is quite a lot spicier than many of the others on this list — you have been warned. Takano’s unerring pursuit of Onodera tends to walk the line of a bit too unerring, and the tension between the two characters is blistering at times. That being said, I found it hard to look away. This is more of a guilty pleasure show that isn’t for everyone, but if you enjoy a LOT of angst and a healthy dose of sexual tension, Sekai Ichi Hatsukoi might just be for you.

4. Special A

Another classic of the genre, Special A follows two characters, Hikari Hanazono and Kei Takishima, who are the best at literally everything. Both of them are also extremely competitive, so they’re constantly duking it out to see who can win increasingly ridiculous contests. But will the competitive spark between them give way to a romantic spark?? Spoiler alert — it definitely will.

Five side characters join Hikari and Kei in “Special A,” the class that contains the top seven students at their school. These characters are all also ridiculously talented in some way, and each gets their own fleshed-out story, including a secondary romance plot. The show is all good fun, but also includes some interesting discussion of where competition should end and compassion should begin. I’d recommend to anyone who enjoys secret longing and overachievers.

3. Yona of the Dawn

This fantasy anime takes place in the kingdom of Kouka, where the princess Yona leads a happy and sheltered life. This life soon falls apart, however, when her father, the king, is murdered, and Yona must flee her home with her trusted bodyguard Hak. From there, she goes on a journey to find a way to gain back her kingdom and becomes a bit of a badass on the way. The plot is fast-paced and juicy, the romance is extremely sweet, and the fantasy world is well-constructed. Yona of the Dawn is a pleasure to watch, and I would recommend it to pretty much anyone.

2. Monthly Girls’ Nozaki-Kun

We’ve covered a lot of different tropes in this list, and Monthly Girls’ Nozaki-Kun takes them all and turns them on their head. The innocent and shy Chiyo Sakura has a big old crush on a boy in her class, Umetarou Nozaki, but when she tries to confess to him, he misunderstands and presents her with an autograph. She soon comes to find that Nozaki is actually a manga author who writes under a pseudonym, and she’s drafted to help him work on his manga, which leads to many discussions of typical romance manga tropes.

The romance between the two main characters is mostly played for laughs, but there is a genuine question of whether they’ll end up together. The comedic introduction of new side characters, each of which parodies a trope, is the main focus of the show, but the underlying romance is a nice thread tying the series together. I found this very satisfying and fun to watch, and I’d recommend it to anyone who’s experienced with romance anime and looking for something fresh and new.

1. Kaichou Wa Maid-Sama

Much like Special A, Kaichou Wa Maid-Sama features two characters who are super competitive and good at everything — except one of them has an embarrassing secret. Misaki Ayuzawa is seemingly the perfect student and works hard as class president to improve conditions for female students in her newly co-ed high school, but on the side she works in a maid cafe to help her family make ends meet. Meanwhile, Takumi Usui is a popular boy who seems to be coasting through life, leaving many broken hearts in his wake. When he stumbles across Misaki’s humiliating side hustle, though, he doesn’t tell the school as she believed he would, and even protects her from other classmates. Whatever could be his motivations?

Ayuzawa is a great main character, fierce and hardworking, admirable all the way down to her core, and Usui is the perfect match for her, pulling her back whenever she goes overboard and taking care of her whenever she needs help. This show has countless sweet and funny moments, and the romance is absolutely perfect. You must watch this.

Whether you’ve seen these shows a million times or they’re new to you, it might be time to give them a (re)watch. They’re each fun in their own way, whether they’re comedic, sweet, or sexy, with the added bonus of a healthy dose of nostalgia. Each and every one of these series has a special place in my heart — maybe yours has room for them, too!

For more lists, check out our other top lists here at Cat with Monocle.