Be warned, this post is rife with SPOILERS.

Although it might be considered cliché to talk about romance on Valentine’s Day, this is Otaku Crush, the site where anime fans can meet other anime fans, so I think it is only fitting that love and confessions be discussed. As a tribute to this holiday, I wanted to share some of my favorite confession scenes.

Also incidentally, this list has a good deal of overlap with my “Best Couples” list. Should you be surprised?

TOP 10 FAVORITE CONFESSIONS IN ANIME AND MANGA

From Domon Kasshu to Rain Mikamura

Mobile Fighter G Gundam

Though declared the strongest fighter in the universe, by Domon’s own words his most difficult battle is putting into words his true feelings. Domon’s teary confession is so heartfelt that it frees Rain from the grip of the Devil Gundam, with their combined love so strong that it tears a hole in the Devil Gundam and saves humanity, literally.

From Ohtani Atsushi to Koizumi Risa

Lovely Complex

Risking tearing apart their close friendship, Risa originally professed her love for Ohtani, only to get rejected not once by him, but twice. This makes it all the more surprising when Ohtani sneaks in a kiss amidst fireworks, clearly showing that his feelings had grown into something more.

From Li Shaoran to Kinomoto Sakura

Cardcaptor Sakura

Although he knew his own feelings for a long time, it is only after an intense battle in which Sakura finally became the true master of the Clow that Shaoran gathers the courage to express his love for her. The anime and manga differ a little, but either way we truly learn that the greatest symbol of love is the teddy bear.

From Tsubaki Akira to Urabe Mikoto

Mysterious Girlfriend X

Eager to prove just how he feels about Urabe, Tsubaki takes out his most valued possession, a photograph of the girl he liked in Junior High, cuts it into pieces, and throws it over a bridge. Though normally reticent, Urabe takes Tsubaki’s actions to heart, showing an enormous display of emotion as only Urabe would.

From Takemoto Yuuta to Hanamoto Hagumi

Honey and Clover

Takemoto, after challenging himself to ride his bike from Tokyo all the way to the northernmost tip of Japan, realizes what is really important to him and upon returning to Tokyo confesses to Hagu. His confession, a simple “I love you” and nothing more, is short, sweet, and goes a long way in showing how much Takemoto has grown

From Arima Souichirou to Miyazawa Yukino

His and Her Circumstances

To Miyazawa, scoring highest on the latest exam proved her superiority over Arima, but to him it was just another reason why she was wonderful. His simple and elegant confession totally takes Miyazawa by surprise, though unsurprisingly things only get more complicated after that.

From Mamiya Chiaki to Konno Makoto

The Girl Who Leapt Through Time

A peaceful bike ride together is the perfect moment for Chiaki to confess to Makoto, but what really makes this moment is Makoto’s reaction. Worried that Chiaki’s confession would change their friendship forever, she uses her newly-found time travel abilities to try and prevent that perfect moment… over and over and over again.

From Hayami Akito to Kurata Sana

Kodomo no Omocha

When Akito’s brilliant idea to express his feelings by saying “I don’t hate you” does not get the message across, he takes advantage of a spilled drink to sneak in a kiss on Sana. Guy that he is, Akito’s immediate reaction is to nonchalantly blame a flabbergasted Sana for moving her face too close.

From Eureka to Renton Thurston

Psalms of Planets Eureka SeveN

After a long period apart and a great deal of soul-searching on both sides, Eureka and Renton reunite while caught in the middle of an intense aerial battle. Eureka is so excited to tell Renton her true feelings that she ends up quiet and blushing, but a warm embrace from Renton shows that no words are needed.

From Sasahara Kanji to Ogiue Chika

Genshiken: The Society for the Study of Modern Visual Culture

Sasahara manages to express his interest in Ogiue, but the fact that the both of them are complete otaku makes his confession ten times more awkward than normal. Still, that is the charm of their relationship, and despite stumbling over his words Sasahara manages to show Ogiue just how caring he really is.

So those are my favorites. If you’ve got your own favorite confessions, or even ones you’d like to have seen in your favorite shows, drop a comment and tell the world!