Why it’s popular: Ignore the cringe title. What seems like an edgy loner fantasy (a boy fantasizes about murdering his popular classmate) quickly becomes the most tender, realistic middle-school romance ever animated. The female lead, Yamada, is a tall, chaotic model; the male lead, Kyotaro, learns that vulnerability is not weakness. Manga advantage: The manga’s early chapters are rougher, but the art improves drastically. The anime rearranges events for better pacing—both are essential.