What is To Love Ru?#
To Love Ru (also known as Love Trouble) is a blend of comedy, drama, and romance. The story follows Rito, a high-school boy who struggles to confess his feelings to his crush, Haruna-chan. His life takes a chaotic turn when Lala, a barely clothed girl from another planet, suddenly appears in his bathtub, sparking a series of events that lead to a classic harem scenario.
If you enjoy school-life settings mixed with aliens and a heavy dose of fanservice, this is the series for you. You can watch the anime on Prime Video to dive into Rito’s chaotic world.
Is the Anime Really Finished?#
Whether the story is “finished” depends on how much of the narrative you want to experience. While there are multiple anime seasons and sequels, including the Darkness series, the story continues in the written medium.
For those who want a complete conclusion, the anime alone may not be enough. There is a substantial amount of source material, including the original manga and the To Love Ru Darkness manga. Notably, the franchise remains active; news from January 2023 indicates that the To Love Ru manga received a new 1-shot, suggesting that the story continues to evolve beyond the animated adaptations. To get the full picture, we highly recommend you buy the manga.
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Themes and Audience Appeal#
To Love Ru is specifically tailored for fans of the ecchi and harem genres. Its primary appeal lies in the comedic tension created by Rito’s interactions with various girls and the imaginative elements brought in by Lala’s alien origins.
Key themes include:
- School Life: Much of the drama and comedy take place within a high-school setting.
- Romance & Comedy: The core of the show is the romantic tension and the absurd situations Rito finds himself in.
- Fanservice: The series is well-known for its explicit visual humor and fanservice elements.
For collectors who love the characters, you can buy To Love Ru merchandise to show your support for the series.
Recommended Watch Order#
Navigating the To Love Ru universe can be confusing due to the mix of sequels, side stories, and different “Darkness” iterations. You can refer to the relationship tree below the article for a visual guide, but here are the best paths forward:
Release Order#
If you want to experience the series as it originally aired, follow this path:
- To Love-Ru (2008)
- To Love-Ru (Side story, 2009-2010)
- Motto To Love Ru (2010)
- To Love Ru: Darkness (2012)
- To Love-Ru -Trouble- Darkness (2012, 2013, 2016)
- To Love Ru: Darkness (2015)
Completionist Order#
For those who want every single piece of content, we recommend the release order but ensure you include all the To Love-Ru -Trouble- Darkness side stories and sequels released between 2012 and 2016, as these provide additional context to the Darkness arc.
The “Source Material” Path#
If you are a fan who doesn’t mind switching formats to get the most complete story, we suggest:
- Watch the initial anime run (up to Motto To Love Ru).
- Transition to the original manga to fill in gaps.
- Read the To Love Ru Darkness manga for the expanded plot.
- Watch the Darkness anime adaptations to see those moments animated.
Whether you are starting with the anime or jumping straight into the manga, To Love Ru offers a lighthearted, high-energy experience for fans of the genre.
To Love Ru • manga • 2006-04-25 (serialized in Weekly Shonen Jump)
└─(adaptation)→ To Love-Ru • anime • 2008-04-03
└─(side story)→ To Love-Ru • anime • 2009-04-03 to 2010-04-02
└─(sequel)→ Motto To Love Ru • anime • 2010-09-17 (Advanced screening)
└─(sequel)→ To Love Ru: Darkness • anime • 2012-10-05 to 2012-12-28
└─(side story)→ To Love-Ru -Trouble- Darkness • anime • 2012-08-17
└─(related)→ To Love-Ru -Trouble- Darkness • anime • 2013-08-19
└─(sequel)→ To Love-Ru -Trouble- Darkness • anime • 2016-07-04
└─(sequel)→ To Love Ru: Darkness • anime • 2015-07-06
└─(sequel)→ To Love Ru Darkness • manga • 2010-10-04 (serialized in Jump Square)
