8 Most Iconic Valentine’s Day Anime Episodes, Ranked

Discover the 8 most iconic Valentine’s Day anime episodes. Explore how they rank amongst each other as well.

8 Most Iconic Valentine's Day Anime Episodes, Ranked
Milly as seen in the anime (Image via Studio Sunrise)

Anime excels at creating episodes centered around special occasions, with Valentine’s Day being no exception. This commemoration of love creates the perfect backdrop for heartfelt confessions, romantic misunderstandings, and hilarious hijinks. Many series use this event to help develop their main characters, which unsurprisingly makes memorable moments for fans.

Hence, here are the eight most iconic Valentine’s Day anime episodes. These episodes don’t necessarily feature heartwarming romance but rather leave a lasting impression on viewers.

8) Code Geass – R2 Episode 12 

8 Most Iconic Valentine's Day Anime Episodes, Ranked
Lelouch and Shirley as seen in the anime (Image via Studio Sunrise)

Code Geass is primarily a political thriller with psychological elements, but its Valentine’s Day episode comes as a much-needed relief in between all the drama. It started when Milly declared Cupid Day in celebration of love. On this occasion, girls could become the girlfriends of boys whose hats they stole.

More importantly, those who stole Lelouch’s hat got an increased club budget. This kicked off a hilarious game of cat and mouse, where the charismatic protagonist was on the run. It led to a series of misunderstandings that created an unusual yet engaging Valentine’s Day episode.

7) Toradora – Episode 23

Taiga as seen in the anime (Image via J.C. Staff)
Taiga as seen in the anime (Image via J.C. Staff)

In contrast to Code Geass’ lighter take on Valentine’s Day, Toradora offers a more emotionally weighted one. While Taiga and Ryuuji’s relationship had been built mostly on playful banter, the occasion of Valentine’s Day created a crossroads.

Taiga was undeniably in love with the protagonist but refused to acknowledge her feelings. This frustrated Minori, who wanted her friend to chase happiness. The episode also lent insight into Ryuuji’s mindset, as he also hid his feelings similar to Taiga.

This created a poignant, bittersweet, yet intriguing experience for viewers. It helped them view the internal struggles faced by others for expressing their true feelings.

6) Nisekoi – Season 2 Episode 6

Kosaki and Chitoge as seen in the anime (Image via Studio Shaft)
Kosaki and Chitoge as seen in the anime (Image via Studio Shaft)

Nisekoi is a fan-favorite harem anime featuring Raku and the women in his life. Valentine’s Day marked the height of the tensions between all his love interests attempting to give him their chocolates.

While Tsugumi and Marika gave him their sweets in unique ways, Chitoge and Kosaki struggled much more. This led to a heartwarming bonding as they worked together to make chocolates. 

By the end, they presented him with their creations, taking strides in their romantic developments. Nisekoi’s Valentine’s Day episode shone a light on its entire main cast, flaunting the distinctive nature of each one of them. 

5) Fruits Basket – Season 1 Episode 10 

The main cast on a double date as seen in the anime (Image via TMS Entertainment)
The main cast on a double date as seen in the anime (Image via TMS Entertainment)

Fruits Basket’s Valentine’s Day highlights the themes of the rest of the series. It shows off elements of comedy and romance as well as emotional healing. 

The episode’s focus is a double date featuring Kyo, Kagura, Tohru, and Yuki. While Kyo was hesitant initially, he couldn’t refuse when Tohru shared her excitement. Watching Tohru enjoy her day out after all the hardship was a rewarding scene for the fans.

Later on in the episode, we also see a momentary breakdown of Kyo as well as Tohru helping him back on his feet. This scene foreshadowed their entire relationship for the rest of the show and their eventual romantic development. Therefore, Fruits Basket took advantage of its Valentine’s Day episode to emphasize friendship, family, and the warmth of human connection.

4) Ore Monogatari – Episode 20 

Rinko as seen in the anime (Image via Studio Madhouse)
Rinko as seen in the anime (Image via Studio Madhouse)

Ore Monogatari is a heartwarming series following the budding relationship between a friendly giant and the girl he likes. While the journey of the two of them sharing their love for each other is not straightforward, we get to see several cute and endearing and cute moments between them.

The Valentine’s Day episode is the best example of this, where we see Takeo eagerly awaiting his chocolates. While he did not receive them till the end of the day, he was overjoyed when Rinko personally gave him his sweets. This joyful moment celebrated love in a charming and funny way.

3) Oregairu – Season 2 Episode 12 

The main cast as seen in the anime (Image via Studio feel.)
The main cast as seen in the anime (Image via Studio feel.)

Oregairu takes a unique new approach on Valentine’s Day, being both enjoyable and tense. This episode of the series majorly followed the main cast as they attempted to make chocolates together. Characters like Yukino initially struggled but managed to pull it off with the help of those around her.

Hence, this episode helped in developing characters, with a lot of playful teasing between Hachiman and the girls. However, it also ended with the unspoken drama between Yui, Yukino, and Hachiman, realizing that their feelings of love couldn’t remain reserved forever. 

As a result, Oregairu’s Valentine’s Day episode is not just about traditional romance. It speaks on the difficulty of expressing romance, the fear of change as well as missed opportunities.

2) Kimi ni Todoke – Season 2 Episode 1 

Valentine's Day Anime Episodes
Shouta and Sawako as seen in the anime (Image via Production I.G.)

Kimi ni Todoke is the epitome of slow-burn romance, and its Valentine’s Day episode is a masterpiece of subtle emotions. Rather than simply focusing on the romantic aspect of the day, the series placed more emphasis on the light struggles faced by Sawako when preparing her gifts.

From cute concerns such as putting too many decorations on the cake to finding excuses to give the present to Shouta, it left viewers grinning throughout. However, the tone of the episode shifted towards its latter half, showing the inner turmoil faced by Sawako.

It ended on a serious note, which may leave a sour taste in viewers but is also extremely realistic. Hence, Kimi ni Todoke’s Valentine’s Day episode excels at combining both comedy and drama.

1) Komi Can’t Communicate – Season 2 Episode 10

Valentine's Day Anime Episodes
Komi as seen in the anime (Image via Studio OLM)

Despite being the most recent anime to release compared to the other titles on this list, Komi Can’t Communicate has already become one of the best in the romcom genre. A major reason for this is its quirky cast, mainly featuring the socially anxious Komi and her biggest supporter, Tadano.

The Valentine’s Day episode of the series perfectly showcased this, displaying all characters interacting and sharing their appreciation for each other. Komi going out of her comfort zone and giving chocolates to her classmates led to a lot of comedic moments.

However, the highlight came when Komi waited till the end of the day to muster up courage and give Tadano his chocolates. This showed how special he was to her, as well as her growth, thanks to his help. It marked an important stage in their relationship where they were developing from friends to something more. 


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