Yuri used to mean a handful of school dramas from the 2000s. Now the genre includes a Gundam series, a Kyoto Animation film and a spy comedy. That makes it hard to know where to start, so here's the board: 12 yuri and girls'-love anime ranked by SenpaiRanks consensus score, with studio, length and where each one streams. It follows our shōjo and josei rankings.
Quick answer
According to SenpaiRanks, the best yuri anime is Liz and the Blue Bird (7.84), Naoko Yamada's 2018 Kyoto Animation film, narrowly ahead of Lycoris Recoil (7.83) on Crunchyroll and the classic Maria-sama ga Miteru (7.76). The best pure romance series is Bloom Into You (7.72) on HIDIVE, and Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury (7.55) is the biggest mainstream title in the genre. If you want something lighter, start with WATATEN! (7.16) or Sakura Trick (6.97).
The ranked list
1. Liz and the Blue Bird (Liz to Aoi Tori) — 7.84
Kyoto Animation · 2018 · film. Naoko Yamada's spin-off of Sound! Euphonium follows two oboe and flute players in their last year of high school. Mizore and Nozomi's relationship is told mostly through glances and footsteps, and it builds to a duet that resolves everything without anyone saying it out loud. It's the quietest film on the list and the best one. Check the show page for current streaming options.
2. Lycoris Recoil — 7.83
A-1 Pictures · 2022 · 13 episodes. Teenage government assassins working out of a café. The action is good, but people stay for Chisato and Takina, whose partnership is the emotional center of the show. Streams on Crunchyroll.
3. Maria-sama ga Miteru — 7.76
Studio Deen · 2004–2009 · four TV seasons. This is the classic. The series follows the soeur mentor system at an all-girls Catholic school, and much of what later yuri anime does comes from here. Our board scores the 2009 fourth season highest, but start with the first season. Check the show page for current streaming options.
4. Bloom Into You (Yagate Kimi ni Naru) — 7.72
TROYCA · 2018 · 13 episodes. Yuu has never felt romantic attraction to anyone. Touko, the student council president, falls for her because of that. It's the most honest romance on the list. The anime adapts about half of Nio Nakatani's manga, so read the rest when you finish. Streams on HIDIVE.
5. Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury — 7.55
Sunrise · 2022–2023 · 2 seasons of 12 episodes. The first Gundam TV series with a female lead, and its central couple, Suletta and Miorine, is canon. Corporate warfare, a school setting and mobile suit duels. It's also the easiest way into Gundam for newcomers. Streams on Crunchyroll.
6. Revue Starlight — 7.38
Kinema Citrus · 2018 · 12 episodes. Theater students fight in an underground stage battle for the top role. It's openly influenced by Utena. Watch the TV series first; Revue Starlight: The Movie (2021) scores 7.98 on our board, higher than anything here, but it needs the series as setup. Streams on HIDIVE.
7. Strawberry Panic — 7.26
2006 · 26 episodes. Three girls' schools, one shared dorm and the Étoile election. It's dramatic and unapologetically genre, and it helped define mid-2000s yuri. Check the show page for current streaming options.
8. Simoun — 7.20
Studio Deen · 2006 · 26 episodes. Priestesses who pilot flying machines in pairs, in a world where everyone is born female and chooses a sex at 17. It's ambitious, strange and still underrated. Check the show page for current streaming options.
9. WATATEN!: an Angel Flew Down to Me — 7.16
Doga Kobo · 2019 · 12 episodes. A shut-in college student falls for her little sister's friend and bribes her with sweets. It's the comedy pick, and the Precious Friends film (7.43) is a good follow-up.
10. Adachi and Shimamura — 7.14
Tezuka Productions · 2020 · 12 episodes. Two high schoolers skip class together in a gym loft, and one of them falls much harder than the other. Adachi's inner monologue is the reason to watch. Streams on Crunchyroll.
11. Sweet Blue Flowers (Aoi Hana) — 7.13
J.C.Staff · 2009 · 11 episodes. Takako Shimura's manga about two childhood friends reconnecting, told with watercolor softness. It's the most grown-up show here. Check the show page for current streaming options.
12. Sakura Trick — 6.97
Studio Deen · 2014 · 12 episodes. Light, sugary and unashamedly about kissing. Twelve short episodes you can watch in an afternoon.
Where to start
If you want one perfect romance, watch Bloom Into You. For action, start with Lycoris Recoil or The Witch from Mercury; Witch is also on our mecha ranking. For a single evening, watch Liz and the Blue Bird. Then try Maria-sama ga Miteru to see where the genre comes from. Our romance board and Kyoto Animation ranking have more.
Think Bloom Into You deserves first place? Rate it on the show page and the board moves.
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Frequently asked questions
Q: What is the best yuri anime?
A: Liz and the Blue Bird ranks first on SenpaiRanks at 7.84, just ahead of Lycoris Recoil (7.83) and Maria-sama ga Miteru (7.76).
Q: What is the best yuri romance anime?
A: Bloom Into You (Yagate Kimi ni Naru) is the top pure romance at 7.72. It streams on HIDIVE.
Q: Is The Witch from Mercury a yuri anime?
A: Its central relationship between Suletta and Miorine is canon. It's the most widely watched mainstream series with a girls'-love couple at its center.
Q: Where can I watch Lycoris Recoil?
A: Lycoris Recoil streams on Crunchyroll.
Q: What is a good yuri anime for beginners?
A: Bloom Into You for romance, Lycoris Recoil for action, or WATATEN! for comedy. All three are 12–13 episodes.