Shōjo is having a moment. Red River just passed the halfway mark of its 24-episode run on September 30, and a brand-new Magic Knight Rayearth from TMS premieres October 7. Classic shōjo manga is getting re-adapted faster than at any point in the last decade, which makes this the right week to answer the obvious question: which shōjo anime are actually the best, and where can you stream them?
Quick answer
According to SenpaiRanks, the best shōjo anime on our consensus board are Fruits Basket: The Final (8.88), NANA (8.18) and Ouran High School Host Club (8.02), followed by Natsume's Book of Friends (7.98) and Kimi ni Todoke (7.94). Every pick below is adapted from a manga that ran in a shōjo magazine (*Hana to Yume*, LaLa, Margaret, Cookie and friends), ranked by its SenpaiRanks consensus score. Most of the list streams on Crunchyroll, with Netflix, Hulu and HIDIVE covering the rest depending on region.
The ranked list
1. Fruits Basket: The Final — 8.88
TMS Entertainment · 2021 · 13 episodes. The closing season of the 2019 remake, and the reason the whole franchise sits at the top. Start with the 2019 first season, not the 2001 version, because this is the only adaptation that finishes Natsuki Takaya's story. Streams on Crunchyroll, Hulu and Netflix depending on region.
2. NANA — 8.18
Madhouse · 2006 · 47 episodes. Two women named Nana share a Tokyo apartment, and Ai Yazawa's punk-band drama does the rest. It's the most adult show on this list, and it overlaps our music anime ranking. Crunchyroll, HIDIVE, Hulu or Netflix by region.
3. Ouran High School Host Club — 8.02
Bones · 2006 · 26 episodes. A scholarship student breaks an expensive vase and works off the debt in a host club. The parody of shōjo tropes still lands two decades later. Crunchyroll, Hulu, Netflix and Tubi.
4. Natsume's Book of Friends — 7.98
Brain's Base · 2008 · 13 episodes in season one, with six more seasons after it. Quiet yōkai episodes that work as a comfort watch. Crunchyroll and Netflix.
5. Kimi ni Todoke — 7.94
Production I.G · 2009 · 25 episodes. Sawako gets mistaken for a horror-movie ghost and slowly makes her first friends. The slow pace is the point. Crunchyroll, Hulu, Netflix.
6. Skip Beat! — 7.94
Hal Film Maker · 2008 · 25 episodes. Kyoko enters showbiz to get revenge on the idol who dumped her, and it's the funniest show on this list. The anime stops well short of the manga. Crunchyroll.
7. Yona of the Dawn — 7.85
Studio Pierrot · 2014 · 24 episodes. A sheltered princess turns into a fugitive leader. Good for viewers who want shōjo with real action. Crunchyroll, Hulu.
8. Lovely★Complex — 7.84
Toei Animation · 2007 · 24 episodes. A tall girl and a short boy keep insisting they're just a comedy duo. Very Osaka, very funny. Crunchyroll.
9. Maid-Sama! — 7.83
J.C.Staff · 2010 · 26 episodes. The student council president who rules her school works a secret maid-café shift. We cover it in more depth in our Maid-Sama! where-to-watch guide. HIDIVE, Hulu, Netflix.
10. Kamisama Kiss — 7.81
TMS Entertainment · 2012 · 13 episodes. A homeless high schooler suddenly becomes a land god and gets a fox familiar who resents her. Our Kamisama Kiss guide explains where the OVAs fit. Crunchyroll, Hulu, Netflix, Prime Video.
11. Princess Tutu — 7.81
Hal Film Maker · 2002 · 38 episodes. A duck becomes a ballerina in a fairy tale that knows it is one. It's an anime original and the deepest pick here. HIDIVE, Prime Video.
12. My Love Story!! — 7.77
Madhouse · 2015 · 24 episodes. A huge, kind-hearted lead and a romance with no misunderstanding arc. Crunchyroll, HIDIVE, Hulu, Netflix.
On air now and coming next
Red River (Tatsunoko Production, 24 episodes) adapts Chie Shinohara's time-slip epic, and it's early on our board at 6.48 while it's still airing. The ANN episode 13 review went up September 30. Our Red River premiere guide has the streaming details.
Magic Knight Rayearth (2026) starts October 7 and runs two straight cours. Its ranking board opens once it airs. Our Rayearth watch order explains how the 1994 series, the OVA and the new show connect.
What didn't make the cut, and why
Revolutionary Girl Utena (7.70) and Sailor Moon S (7.50) narrowly missed the top 12. Both live on our magical girl ranking, and Sailor Moon has a full watch order. Chihayafuru and Paradise Kiss were left out on purpose because they ran in josei magazines, and they'll get their own board. Most of the 90s picks also appear in our 80s–90s anime ranking. For romance in general, see the best romance anime board, and for what's airing right now, see what to watch this fall.
Frequently asked questions
Q: What is the best shōjo anime of all time?
A: On SenpaiRanks' consensus board it's Fruits Basket: The Final (8.88), ahead of NANA (8.18) and Ouran High School Host Club (8.02).
Q: What does shōjo mean?
A: It's a demographic label, not a genre. Shōjo anime adapt manga from magazines aimed at teenage girls, such as Hana to Yume, LaLa, Margaret and Nakayoshi. Romance is common, but the category also includes action (Yona of the Dawn) and fantasy (Princess Tutu).
Q: Where can I watch shōjo anime?
A: Crunchyroll carries most of this list. Netflix, Hulu and HIDIVE cover NANA, Maid-Sama!, Princess Tutu and others, depending on region.
Q: Is Fruits Basket 2001 or 2019 better?
A: The 2019 remake. It adapts the whole manga across three seasons, while the 2001 version stops early with an anime-original ending.
Q: Is NANA shōjo or josei?
A: It ran in Shueisha's Cookie, which is a shōjo magazine, although the story reads older than most of the genre.
Q: What new shōjo anime are airing in fall 2026?
A: Red River is still airing, and Magic Knight Rayearth (2026) premieres October 7. Both are on the fall 2026 ranking.