For those who adore age-gap love stories, we’ve curated a collection of anime like A Girl & Her Guard Dog that will make your heart melt.
If you haven’t seen it yet, this anime follows Isaku, the yakuza granddaughter who is being raised by him after her parents’ death. Like any other teen girl, she yearns for a normal high-school life and love. However, her plans take an unexpected turn when her devoted guardian, 26-year-old Keiya, enters high school with her, armed and ready to shield her from the challenges of both teenage life and her family’s criminal ties.
A Girl & Her Guard Dog embodies the essence of a classic shoujo-inspired spicy anime, and the good news is that there’s a plethora of other series sharing similar themes and visuals for fans to savor.
10. Please Teacher!
Please Teacher! is a classic romantic anime that aired in 2022, making it the oldest anime on this list. The series follows Kei Kusanagi, a high school student who looks younger due to a mysterious illness. He unexpectedly meets Mizuho Kazami, his new teacher, who happens to be an alien on an Earth observation mission.
To conceal her identity, they marry, sparking comedic and heartwarming adventures as they deal with their unusual relationship while keeping it hidden from their classmates.
Fans of A Girl & Her Guard Dog who are comfortable with the age-gap theme of the anime will still find elements of romance, comedy, and unusual romance in Please Teacher! that make it an enjoyable watch.
9. The World is Still Beautiful
In a lush and magical world, Princess Nike of the Rain Dukedom is blessed with the incredible ability to control the weather. When she is sent to marry the Sun King, Livius I, ruler of the Sun Kingdom, she finds herself in a political marriage that seems bound for turbulence. However, as she gets to know Livius, she discovers there’s more to him than meets the eye…
In both A Girl & Her Guard Dog and The World is Still Beautiful, you’ll find age-gap romances. However, The World is Still Beautiful has a male MC who is the younger member of the couple—a less common dynamic in romantic anime.
8. The Garden of Words
Another anime with unconventional romantic relationships like A Girl & Her Guard Dog is The Garden of Words. This touching movie clinched the 2013 Kobe Theatrical Film Award and garnered awards at esteemed festivals such as the Fantasia International Film Festival and the Stuttgart Festival of Animated Film.
The story centers around Takao Akizuki, a high school student who finds solace in a garden during rainy days. There, he meets Yukari Yukino, a mysterious woman who shares his refuge. Their chance meetings in the garden lead to unexpected emotional connections as they seek shelter from life’s challenges and form a unique bond that transcends age and circumstance.
7. My Very Own Hero
Masahiro Setagawa is a bullied teenager who gets saved by Kousuke Ohshiba, known as the “Bear Killer,” and things change.
A year later, he attends high school, along with his former friend, with Kousuke as their math teacher. He sees Kousuke as his hero, but things get complicated when Kensuke’s childhood friend, Asaya Hasekura, comes back with feelings that go beyond friendship.
Similar to A Girl & Her Guard Dog, My Very Own Hero also features a couple with an age gap that challenges traditional norms in matters of the heart. While it belongs to the shounen-ai genre, it could find a place in the hearts of those who appreciate sincere storytelling and distinctive character connections.
6. Blend S
Blend S brings the laughs and cuteness for a few reasons. First off, it’s got a hilarious mix of diverse, quirky characters working in a café where they act out different roles, leading to funny and sometimes absurd situations. Moreover, the characters are super cute and endearing.
Although Blend S is making fun of the age gap romances that are popular in girls’ manga with Dino always getting arrested for showing his affection to Maika, it still serves up a dose of wholesomeness and lightheartedness that fans of A Girl & Her Guard Dog can enjoy.
5. Inu x Boku SS
With almost half a million fans on MAL, Inu x Boku SS follows Ririchiyo, a high school girl who struggles with social skills and finds it hard to speak her mind. She’s under the protection of Miketsukami Soushi, a 22-year-old Fox Spirit who has sworn his life to keep her safe.
At first, it appears that there’s more to his dedication and his attitude towards his job than meets the eye. As the story progresses, secrets begin to unravel, revealing the complexities of their relationship and pasts, adding much-needed depth to the story.
4. Sing “Yesterday” for Me
Another romance anime where a teen girl develops feelings for a man in his 20s, much like A Girl & Her Guard Dog, is Sing “Yesterday” for Me.
After graduating from college, Rikuo Uozumi takes a job at a convenience store, expecting mundane days. However, his routine changes when two girls enter his life: the eccentric Haru, who keeps a pet raven, and Shinako, his former classmate and crush.
3. After the Rain
After the Rain is your typical age-gap romance anime, which is a central element of A Girl & Her Guard Dog. It follows Akira Tachibana, a 17-year-old high school girl who, after an injury, finds herself working at a restaurant. There, she falls in love with her 45-year-old manager, Kondo.
Although the age gap between Akira and Kondo is much bigger compared to Isaku and Keiya, fans who enjoy stories that defy traditional norms of love and connection are still likely to find this anime appealing.
2. Higehiro
Higehiro is among the newest additions to the popular ‘joshi kousei’ genre. The story follows Yoshida, a 26-year-old salaryman who meets a high school girl named Sayu living on the streets after running away from home. Despite her initially offering her body in exchange for a place to stay, Yoshida decides to take her in and provide her with a safe place to live.
The series received praise for its handling of sensitive and potentially controversial subject matter, particularly the relationship between Yoshida Sayu. Instead of giving the viewers a one-dimensional portrayal of an older man and a younger girl, it also explores their personal growth and healing.
1. Koikimo
A successful and attractive businessman falls in love with his sister’s best friend, despite the age difference between them.
If you have a soft spot for the age-gap charm of A Girl & Her Guard Dog, get ready for Koikimo to sweep you off your feet. This anime tosses the tired old romance clichés aside and serves up a fresh, one-of-a-kind story that’ll leave you hooked from the start.
While Koikimo has dedicated fans, some viewers might find it creepy not only because of the age gap but also because of the extensive wooing portrayed in the story. However, it’s essential to note that the anime intentionally challenges these perceptions and sparks discussions about love and societal norms.
