There aren't too many good, realistic romance anime series out there. Many of the Blue Box is exactly that. At its core, it is a fresh, unique, simple series with lovable main characters and a realistic plot.

The series stars high school first-year Taiki Inomata as he decides to go after his crush, Chinatsu, a second-year student who isn't initially reciprocal of his feelings. After a series of unforeseen events, she moves in with Taiki's family to continue her dreams of taking her basketball team to nationals. On paper, it might not seem like a realistic premise, but the anime portrays it perfectly, leading to unrequited love, a good amount of struggle, and one of the best romances currently on Netflix.

Taiki Inomata Is Always Trying His Best

The Main Character is Genuine, Honest, and Humble

The core of a good romance anime is the main character pursuing their love interest. Taiki Inomata is a perfect protagonist in this regard, working his hardest in all aspects of his life to be a good person and someone worthy of his crush's affection. While Chinatsu focuses on basketball, Inomata is on the bton team, being one of the better players at his school thanksto his hard work, resilience, and ability to see the best in himself. When he tries to be the first person in the gym daily, there's always someone ahead of him: his crush, Chinatsu.

It makes for an interesting dynamic right from the first episode. Instead of getting intimidated and backing down, Taiki resolves himself to get even better at bton and get Chinatsu's attention. He's honest, humble, and an easy character to root for throughout the entire series. He's always willing to ask his friends for advice and even works closely with the best player currently on his team in an attempt to become better himself.

Great Love Triangle

A Good Love Story Conundrum

While Chinatsu and Taiki's relationship is great as it is, Blue Box's story is made even better with the addition of Hina Chono. She's been Taiki's close friend for some time and has developed a crush on him during the events of the series. She's impressive in her own right as well. She's arguably the most successful person in the school at rhythmic gymnastics, is incredibly beautiful, and works harder than most other people. She's also hilarious, close to Taiki, and someone who might just take Chinatsu's man before they can even get together.

The love triangle in Blue Box makes the series even better. Hina herself is a great character who is also easy to root for, and while Chinatsu doesn't have any flaws that make her unlikable, it's hard for any audience member to choose between the two girls. They both have enough solid qualities to make them great girlfriends for Taiki, adding some flair to the story.

While Taiki is fixated on Chinatsu, he might not be forever. He's one of the few characters in the series who isn't dazzled by Hina's beauty and ability. While most anime series with a love triangle have one character a lot better than the character they're competing with, there's a great argument to be had about both girls. Taiki has his hands full in the game of love, and nobody knows which girl he'll choose based on what the anime has shown so far.

Sports is the Perfect Medium

Bton, Basketball, and Gymnastics

The crux of Blue Box is the romance between Taiki, Chinatsu, and Hina. Underneath the romance, however, is an excellent sports anime filled with hope, determination, and, inevitably, loss. It's rare for a series to tackle two different genres so well, but Blue Box pulls it off with grace. There are three different sports at the forefront of the series: basketball, bton, and rhythmic gymnastics. Taiki's bton takes the most screen time of the three, but each sport is given the time needed to show off its high points.

Taiki's determination to become the best bton player he can be is a huge part of his character. It's what makes the people around him, mainly his love interests, so interested in him. He's hard-working, humble enough to accept defeat, and focused enough to find a way to win. Chinatsu's love of basketball is also a huge part of her character. That's the reason why she decided to stay with Taiki's family in the first place.

The Entire Cast Is Very Lovable

Taiki, Chinatsu, Hina, Kyo, and More

As both a sports and a romance anime, the characters in the series have a lot on their plates. Not only do they need to be in relationships or knowledgeable about them, but they also need to be good at their respective sport to add to the story. Each character in the series plays their role very well. Taiki is not only a romantic, but he's also a dedicated bton player with a ton of potential and a work ethic to match.

Chinatsu and Hina are great at their own sports as well. Beyond their athletics, they have unique characters that make them both stand out and add to their chances of becoming Taiki's girlfriend. Taiki's friend, Kyo, is a decent enough bton player who's always willing to hear his friend out and give him advice when he needs it. Kengo, Taiki's senpai and mentor, is both incredible at bton and also in a great relationship with another person who believes in their ion as strongly as he believes in his.

The characters in Blue Box don't just add to the story, they are the story. Their intricate lives, unique personalities, and respective goals make Blue Box the star-studded series that it is. Everyone in the story is relatable and lovable. Blue Box is an easy series to watch, and easily one of the best Netflix anime series currently on offer in both the romance and the sports categories.