#recovery of an mmo junkie

[metalandmagi]

Romance Anime Starter List

I don’t know about you guys, but I’m sick and tired of seeing “Top ___ Best Anime of All Time” lists that are nothing but shounen. So, with "My Happy Marriage" getting a little attention from the anime community, I wanted to put together a list of some romance anime that I consider good “starters” for the genre. Because if I were just now becoming an anime fan, I’d think all there was to offer was shounen action series.

And by “starters” I mean basic stuff that’s not too…out there, and actually involves the characters getting together instead of just harems or using romance as a side plot (sorry Ouran High School Host Club and My Next Life as a Villainess). 

So if you’re new to anime and want stuff that’s not just guys beating the shit out of each other (which is also fun, don’t get me wrong), here are some basics.

Taisho Maiden Fairy Tale- When the pessimistic Tamahiko Shima loses all function in his right arm, his family sends him away to live in the mountains with the cheerful, hard working Yuzuki Tachibana…who was purchased by the Shima family to pay off her family’s debts and basically act as a caretaker/future bride for Tamahiko so they’d never have to deal with him again. It’s a more cheerful version of My Happy Marriage (without the supernatural stuff), except in this one, the guy is the one who has massive self-esteem issues and an abusive family. There are still very serious themes, but ultimately it’s not meant to make you cry every episode. I swear it’s so good, but nobody watched it!

Horimiya- A slice of life in which pretty and popular high school queen bee Hori, finds out her quiet, unassuming classmate Miyamura is hiding piercings and tattoos that could get him expelled. The two gradually find out more about each other and get together in the most realistic way I’ve seen depicted in an anime. It’s also fucking hysterical and genuinely emotional.

Recovery of an MMO Junkie- Another slice of life that focuses on two adults who meet in an MMO game without realizing they also know each other in real life. I don’t want to say much more than that. It’s adorable, and the main character is so relatable it hurts.

Love with Yamada-kun at Level 999- Speaking of MMOs, this is a newer series about Akane Kinoshita, a college first year who’s reeling from a bad break up. In an attempt to get back at her ex, she winds up meeting Akito Yamada, a popular gamer who happens to be in her guild in the MMO they both play at an IRL meetup. The two go from acquaintances to something more as they keep running into each other. Even more relatable main characters and just wholesome relationships all around.

Snow White With The Red Hair- A fantasy in which an apothecary named Shirayuki (meaning, you guessed it, “snow white”) runs away from her home in order to escape becoming the concubine of her town’s prince. While fleeing, she is rescued by Zen, the prince of a neighboring country, and she ends up becoming an herbalist to repay him. It's super cute with some genuinely swoon worthy moments and a couple that just works so well together. I have a habit of comparing this to Akatsuki no Yona, even though the two aren’t really that alike. This is more romance driven while Akatsuki no Yona is more of a serious historical fantasy with romance elements (Yona manga is amazing, but the anime barely scratches the surface, so that’s why I didn’t include it).

Sasaki to Miyano- When the shy, easily flustered Miyano meets Sasaki, a cool “delinquent” upperclassmen, the two end up bonding over manga…specifically BL manga. That’s right, Miyano is a fudanshi, but due to his small stature and somewhat feminine appearance, he’s constantly trying to convince others that he’s not interested in having his own love story where he’d be reduced to a stereotypical doe-eyed uke. But as Sasaki and Miyano spend more time together, they realize that what they have is more than friendship, and they have to come to terms with their own perception of gay relationships. This is my favorite romance of all time. It’s a slow burn, but boy is it worth it. Their relationship is so natural and realistic, just like Horimiya. Just two people hanging out and bonding over things the way people do in real life!

Given: The story of some boys in a band with trauma. Enough said. It's great. Go watch it.

Bloom Into You- Yuu Koito is a high school girl who’s been waiting her whole life for her own perfect romance to start…but when she receives a confession, she realizes she doesn’t know how to respond when she’s just not into the guy. And then she gets another confession…this time from the cool student council president Touko Nanami, who basically jumpstarts her lesbian awakening. Very cute story about how we perceive the concept of love vs actually feeling it. Also has a canonically aro/ace side character, so that’s a win for me. Another show like this is Adachi to Shimamura (but I honestly don’t remember much about it. It just didn’t stick with me as much).

Ore Monogatari- Takeo Gouda is a tall, bulky high school first year with a sensitive heart of gold. He wants nothing more than to find his own true love, but most girls are intimidated by his enormous stature, and they end up falling for his conventionally attractive friend instead. That is, until he meets the tiny, adorable Rinko Yamato. He falls in love instantly, but he’s sure she’s interested in his best friend like everyone else, so he vows to help get them together, even though his heart is breaking. Peak himbo behavior. Pure of heart, dumb of ass.

Yuri on Ice- Yes it’s the gay figure skating anime everyone knows. And yes it’s a fucking romance, okay? I will die on this hill. The romance between Viktor and Yuri is just as important as the plot!

Kaguya-sama Love Is War- Two insanely smart high school students both have a crush on the other, but since they’re…you know…high schoolers, neither of them wants to admit it first. So they come up with increasingly convoluted plans to get the other to confess first. This will go down as one of the best of all time. It’s a hilarious yet poignant modern classic.

Fruits Basket- I’ve talked about it before and I’ll talk about it again. A romance “comedy” that slowly morphs into a drama about a girl named Tohru who finds herself living with the mysterious Sohma family after her mother dies. Little does she know, the Sohmas are the victims of a  (somewhat silly, but ultimately tragic) curse that she must fight to break. Even though I’m more into it for the family drama, the romance is still top tier and plays an important role in the story. This is my second favorite anime of all time, and it’s a classic for a reason. If anyone hasn’t watched it yet, GO WATCH IT! IT WILL RIP YOU TO SHREDS!

Blue Box- A sports romance about an aspiring badminton player named Taiki Inomata who has a massive crush on the girls basketball team's star player Chinatsu Kano. Through a twist of fate, the two end up living together and having to hide it from the rest of their classmates, all while Taiki tries to work up the courage to ask Chinatsu out. It's so sweet and wholesome, and it's a great blend of sports anime and romance that can appeal to anyone who is more hesitant to get into the romance genre. The animation is also so freaking gorgeous!!!!

365 Days To The Wedding- A workplace romance between the two most awkward people you could possibly imagine! The story takes place at a travel company that is about to open a new branch in Alaska, but because our two main characters are...like I said...very awkward, they come up with a plan to avoid being sent to work at the new branch...by telling their boss they're getting married. Because they wouldn't want to split up a married couple by making one move away, right? As ridiculous as the premise sounds, hilarious shenanigans ensue, but there's also a surprising amount of serious discussions about romance and marriage. The main characters also have major autism coding, so if you're looking for a neurodivergent romance, this is it. (There's also an episode that involves a princess wanting to give up the throne to pursue a life with her girlfriend!)

And now for some honorable mentions that didn't quite fit into the regular list:

Ride Your Wave- A movie about a surfer who falls in love with a firefighter……and I’m not going to say any more than that. Go into it blind. If you like stuff like Your Name, this is a good one to watch.

Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-kun- A comedy about a high school girl who finds out the upperclassman she has a crush on is actually a shoujo manga artist, and no matter how she tries to confess to him, he just never gets it.

The Ice Guy and His Cool Female Colleague- A slow burn slice of life that focuses on a guy with ice powers who has a crush on his coworker. That’s it. That’s the show. When I say slow, I mean SLOW. It’s perfectly cute and fluffy, but my god does it take forever to get anywhere with these two.

Skip to Loafer- A high strung, small town girl decides to go to high school in Tokyo, where she meets a variety of classmates, including the laid back Sousuke Shima. The unlikely pair become friends, and soon enough, she starts to feel something more than friendship. The only reason I didn’t include it in the main list is because they don’t get together by the end of the first season, but it’s still really cute (also canonically trans character for the win!?)

So that’s my starter list. And no, I didn’t include Toradora, even though it’s a classic. I know it’s blasphemous, but I like it more as a comedy than a romance. It kinda lost me with the ending. But anyway, maybe someone will find something they like. Or maybe you'll just want to roast me and my picks 😅

[animefeminist]

Press Start to Begin Again: Mental Illness, Adulthood, and Recovery of an MMO Junkie

Content warning: Discussions of suicidality, suicidal ideation, and trauma.

Spoilers for Recover of an MMO Junkie

This is, in the simplest way, a piece about an adult falling apart and nearly succeeding in the most horrific way. In truth, I didn’t expect to be here to write this piece. I expected there to be a eulogy for me that I’d never read, an obituary of kind thoughts for those who would survive me. I expected to be “the late” right now. I expected to be in memoriam.

Instead, I’m writing this perspective piece from my apartment, from a desk that no longer resides in my bedroom, from a room with a view of the sea and a chain of islands. I’m writing this because I’m alive. Also, because as of November 18th, 2024, I am no longer employed.

My time as a socially productive adult is done, at least right now. My bank account dwindles under the oppressive weight of adulthood. I spend my days mostly inside, tackling weekly job hunts while trying to return order to an apartment that is a living record of my major depression. I look out my window, watch the barely wavering sea, wait for the specific hiss of the electric buses whizzing by. Occasionally, I pick up a mask, put on my coat, and leave to fantastical places like Trader Joe’s, Daiso, Walgreens, or the local indie bookstore. These mundane acts are how I measure my days.

But there’s something new now to fill my mind. Now, I’m measuring my life in thoughts about Recovery of an MMO Junkie. After all, since I’m here, I might as well tell this story in Anime Feminist tradition: through the lens of feminism and Japanese pop culture.

Read it at Anime Feminist!

[chaztalk]

This is for the anime that aren’t officially shoujo/josei, but they likely could pass as one.

[ruanbaijie]

✤ BANANA MILK ✤

@animangacreators challenge 17 ✧ amc café ↳ a fast-paced animanga

[sukifoof-art]

i know its unlikely that any of u have seen net juu no susume BUT its one of my most favorite shows and yuuta is one of my most favorite characters just in anything ever <3 she is so girl <3<3

[couldtransitionsaveher]

YUTA SAKURAI from RECOVERY OF AN MMO JUNKIE

JUSTIFICATION:

"This anime is about her playing as a girl online and falling in love with someone else who plays as a guy (who I submitted to the trans masc blog lol)" - Anonymous

Reminder: Submissions are always open! Submit here!

Did you make your daily click today?

[basedkikuenjoyer]

Recovery of an MMO Junkie was a fun little seinen sweetie got into more than me. Not to say I didn't like it, he just really liked it. Lady had a high pressure job, says fuck it I'mma be a NEET for a while. Gets sucked into an MMO. Plays as a sexy dude. Runs into a guy from her old job playing a cute girl. They come together.

It's a sweet little series. Light and fluffy and the romance is good. I love the guy's friend coming into the game as a buff muscle mommy. Reminded me a bit of that Felicia Day youtube show. The Guild. Nice if you want soft romance.

[could-transition-save-him]

Moriko Morioka from Recovery of an MMO Junkie

Reasoning: This anime is about him playing as a boy online and falling in love with someone else who plays as a girl online (who I'm submitting to the trans femme blog lol)

[anisongoftheday]

Recovery of an MMO Junkie Opening

Saturday Night Question by Megumi Nakajima

[bestofmyideas19]

[nocturneeros]

==FANDOM LIST==

anime/shows/movies

♥ My Hero Academia ♥ Lego Monkie Kid ♥ Pokemon ♥ Ranking of Kings ♥ Recovery of an MMO Junkie ♥ Slashers ♥ Hunter x Hunter ♥ The Amazing Digital Circus ♥ Hazbin Hotel & Helluva Boss ♥ Murder Drones ♥ Miscellaneous anime! Just ask! I'm always willing to watch more, or may have just forgotten to tack it onto here!

video games

♥ Octopath Traveler II ♥ Pokemon ♥ Piofiore ♥ Cupid Parasite ♥ Spiritfarer ♥ Stardew Valley ♥ Jack Jeanne ♥ Detroit: Become Human ♥ FNAF ♥ Huniepop/Huniecam ♥ Call of Duty ♥ Like anime... just ask! I'm always willing to either play a small game or watch a playthrough! I also might have forgotten to tack it on!

books/manga

♥ Heaven Official's Blessing ♥ Ask!

misc.

♥ Creepypasta ♥ EverymanHYBRID ♥ SCP ♥ Ask!

[doyouknowthisanime]

Do You Know This Anime?

[animefeminist]

Chatty AF 219: Recovery of an MMO Junkie Retrospective

Caitlin, Cy, and Anime Herald’s Samantha get together to look back at a unique anime featuring adult romance and the consequences of burnout, Recovery of an MMO Junkie!

Episode Information

Date Recorded: November 16th, 2024 Hosts: Caitlin, Cy, Samantha

Episode Breakdown

0:00:00 Intro 0:02:20 Synopsis 0:03:48 The why 0:06:05 The controversy 0:11:15 Relatability 0:24:05 Similarities to Isekai 0:36:45 The gender of it all 0:44:02 Queering het 0:46:20 Koiwai 0:50:03 Moriko’s presentation 0:56:08 Final thoughts 1:01:19 Outro

[animangapolls]

[hanamimi2]

Morioka Valentine Lingerie commission

NSFW version here

[zelinxia]

If you’re like me who’s been obsessed with Recovery of an MMO Junkie (Netojuu no Susume) long after the anime ended in late 2017, it has been a fantastic time for fans!

Kokuyo Rin, the creator of the original webcomic, recently shared a summary of what the intended ending was going to be. Morioka and Sakurai do get together, and it’s revealed they get engaged sometime shortly after. She also drew some additional art as well!!

She was able to buy back the copyright and now posts all the webcomic on pixiv, free and accessible worldwide!!

It was rejoicing because the comic was on hiatus in 2015, and then cancelled in 2018 due to health concerns. Lovely to see she’s recovering well and feeling lots of love and support from netojuu fans!