The world is dominated by the Empire of Britannia, which has set it’s sight on Japan. Britannia swiftly overpowers the Japanese forces with it’s Knightmare frames, and occupies the Country. Japan’s identity and right’s are swept away, and the area is dubbed Area 11. Lelouch Lamperouge is an exiled Britannian prince, who find the power of Geass, the power to dominate the will of one person, and plots to bring down Britannia. Code Geass and Gundam Tekketsu are similar in that both shows have protagonist’s that are mostly children. Lelouch Lamperouge might be a different type of character than Mikazuki and Orga, but they seem to be similar enough in that they have some deep, secret pasts and are trying to liberate an area from foreign rule. Code Geass also had a lot of intense, factional plots and counter plots, with individuals vying for control of different groups trying to exert their will on the grand picture of things. Definitely a show Gundam Tekketsu fans should watch.

It’s been long since that humanity faced it’s greatest threat, the threat of the Gauna, which consumed earth. Sidonia, a huge ship with a city in it’s hulls, drifts through spaces. Nagate Tanikaze, raised in the underground of Sidonia, trains to pilot a Garde, and fight Gauna to protect Sidonia. Knights of Sidonia has some of the best Mecha action scenes in the last couple of years. The 3d might take a little getting used to, but this series makes as good of use of it as any other out there, with ‘camera’ movement and panning shots that really showcase what 3d animation can do. They also have a real sense of stake, and you feel at any moment that a main character might lose their life. The story and character development also majorly picks up in the series second season.

Rygart Arrow is an ‘Unsorcerer’, a one in a million person who can’t harness energy from Quartz stones which are being used as an energy source for everything in the world. Rygart is looked down upon for his lack of ability by the rest of the world. However, this enables him to pilot an ancient golem, which becomes essential when his country Krisna is invaded by neighboring Athens. Break Blade is a TV series but there’s also a series of movies that are adapated from the same Manga. If you like Gundam Tekketsu, you’ll enjoy the setting and world design of Break Blade, which is full of the same feuding factions and individuals caught between them as Gundam. Break Blade also uses traditional hand-drawn animation for it’s Mechs, just as we see in Gundam Tekketsu. It’s a technique that, sadly, seems less and less common. So if you like hand-drawn Mechs like the good ol’ days, check out Break Blade.

Fossil Fuels on the earth have run dry, and Humaity has aligned itself into 3 main factions which eath have an orbital elevator with which to generaGute energy. Those nations left out of these pacts are left to widespread mistrust, and conflict. Seemingly out of nowhere, an organization called Celestial Being appears which seeks to forcibly prevent war using their mobile suits, the Gundams. The Gundams are extremely powerful, however, taking on the whole world might be more than they can chew. Beyond the obvious similarity, they’re both Gundam shows, there’s more that connects Gundam Tekettsu and Gundam 00. Mikazuki and Setsuna F. Seiei, the central character of Gundam 00 are very similar personalities. The setting of the world is also similar, with the Earth in Gundam 00 and Gundam Tekketsu split up in to large macro-nations or economic blocks. It’s probably the best original gundam series to come out in the last 10 years, and Gundam Tekketsu will have done well for itself If it can approach it in quality.

Kamina and Simon live in Jeha village, and dig tunnels endlessly. Kamina though, desires a better life beyond in the surface and an escape from their dark, dreary and cramped environs. Simon finds a mysterious drill and mysterious robot called Lagann, when suddenly the beast men show up, who rule the world above, and put the entire village in danger. Kamina, Simon and their friend, Yoko, must fight the beast-men and reclaim the world above for humanity. Kamina and Simon have a type of relationship that has some similarities between Mikazuki and Orgus. At the very least, you can tell they deeply care about eachother and look to eachother a lot when a decision needs to be made. It also has the plotline of trying to throw off an occupying power. There’s a much different tone and atmosphere, but TTGL is definitely a must see for all Mecha fans and if you like Gundam Tekketsu you should watch TTGL.

After a dimensional gate was found on the moon to Mars, and a energy substance called Aldnoah was discovered which made life on Mars possible, the Kingdom of Vers was established which ruled over the red planet. Earth and Vers, which have already fought a long, brutal war are on the brink of a new conflict. The plot follows Inaho Kaizuka, a young recruit for the earth forces, Princess Aseseylum, who want’s peace between earth and vers as well as her attendant, Slaine Troyard. Aldnoah Zero’s biggest strength is the initial conception of it’s world. Mars is resource starved and want’s to take over the Earth Sphere to flourish. The Aldnoah drive gives the Vers forces a huge technological advantage, but they’re outnumbered by the Earth Forces. It’s kind of a more extreme example of how the original Mobile Suit Gundam balance of power in the early days of the one year war. There’s lots of plots, counter-plots and scheming, similar to Gundam Tekketsu, and good mecha battles as well. The writing is shoddy at that times, but you will come to care for some of the characters and their fates.

Akaza Akari is finally reunited with her childhood friends, Funami Yui and Toshinou Kyouko at an all girls' school, where they have started the Amusement Club in the tea ceremony club's old clubroom. Yoshikawa Chinatsu arrives at the clubroom but is shocked to find out that the tea ceremony club has disbanded. When the three explain to her what happens, Chinatsu decides to join the club. This is the story of the Amusement Club and their silly antics drinking tea, playing games, and fawning over each other while forgetting about the main character, Akari. While the third season is airing this season, Yuru Yuri never fails to entertain. It features an all female main cast like Gochuumon wa Usagi Desu Ka?? minus Tippy, and follows their everyday lives as they go to school, hang out on holidays, and attend club "activities". While Gochuumon wa Usagi Desu Ka?? is set mainly in a cafe, Yuru Yuri is usually set in the tea ceremony club room. You have characters that fawn over each other and other characters who hide their feelings a little better. An added bonus for some but not a deal breaker for others is the yuri fan service, as the name implies, that will either make you laugh or whatever else you do with yuri.

Everyone thinks the countryside is boring, but in Asahigaoka, there are 5 students who bring color to the countryside. Miyauchi Renge may be the youngest, but she's got wit and personality. The Koshigaya siblings including Suguru, Komari, and Natsumi have their quirks that will surprise you. It is with the recent addition of Ichijou Hotaru from Tokyo who adds a touch more adult-like maturity to this group of rambunctious country kids. With these 5 kids, they keep Asahigaoka from being a complete bore. A clear similarity between Non Non Miyori and Gochuumon wa Usagi Desu Ka?? is the clear idolization of Komari by Hotaru. Hotaru has a (scary) obsession over Komari similar to how Sharo idolizes over Rize. Also, you have to admit that Chino and Renge seem similar in personality, age, and appearance. Although there is nothing quite significant or exciting about Asahigoaka, it's the characters that really bring it to life.

Oomiya Shinobu is a 15 year old girl who is back in her home country of Japan after a homestay in Great Britain. Shinobu does relish her time in Great Britain still. She receives a letter from a girl from her host family that reads: "Shinobu, I'm coming to Japan!" This is the story with a mix of Japan and England, and the lives of Shinobu, Alice, and their friends. Friendship is clearly reflected in Kiniro Mosaic, especially as Shinobu adjusts to having her Japanese friends and English friend in the same school, but it's not just her. Alice must also learn that her friends can have friends, too, as she finds out what it means to have multiple best friends. The relationship between Alice and Shinobu is very similar to Chino and Cocoa's. While Cocoa gushes over Chino constantly, Shinobu also fawns all over Alice, but in the end, Alice and Chino are both lost without their other half. Actually, Shinobu is very similar to Cocoa; she's absent-minded, clumsy, and child-like as well as obsessive, though Shinobu obsesses over England while Cocoa obsesses over little sisters. In fact, many of the other characters share similar characteristics to the characters from Gochuumon wa Usagi Desu Ka?? If you are looking for an anime with a similar tone and feel, but with a different setting a plot, this may be a great pick-me-up after Gochuumon wa Usagi Desu Ka??

Hirasawa Yui is a simple girl with no cares, but when she comes across a poster for the Light Music Club, she decides she wants to join even though she doesn't have any musical experience! The club consists of Ritsu, Mio, and Tsumugi who are trying to recruit members to keep the club from disbanding, so they convince Yui to stay despite her inability to play an instrument. When they perform for her, however, Yui becomes determined to join the club and be the new guitarist. Now, they have to teach her how to play the guitar while she juggles school and homework, all in time for their musical debut! There's no doubt that Yui is similar to Cocoa. They are simple, carefree characters who also seek out their niche. For Yui, it’s guitar while Cocoa's is coffee art. K-On! is a good anime to start watching for those who enjoy some light music, silly characters, and big dreams involving playing music on stage. These girls will warm your heart with their tea and cake, and steal the show with their determination.

Yonomori Kobeni is just a normal high school girl, but when she turns 16, she finds out that she has an arranged marriage with a boy named Mitsumine Hakuya. Hakuya and his sister Mashiro come to live with Kobeni, her sister, and her mother so that Kobeni can learn more about Hakuya. The more time she spends together with the Mitsumine siblings, the more Kobeni learns that these two are no ordinary kids and there's a past that Kobeni long forgot about. Mikakunin de Shinoukei may have some notable differences from the anime on this list like one of the main characters being male and some mystery in the plot, but it is still a good anime to consider if you are a fan of Gochuumon wa Usagi Desu Ka?? Kobeni is very similar to Chino in that she is a dependable young girl who manages to take care of as much as possible all on her own. Her big sister Mashiro is like Cocoa due to the fact that they both share an intense obsession with little sisters. You may want to consider watching this anime if you are a fan of a little mystery, romance, and some supernatural elements as well.

Shinomiya Kyouya finds himself as the (forced) newest addition to the GJ club in a room of a former building of his school. The club leader Mao may be small but she's got some attitude, but her little sister Megumi is a bipolar angel. Shion's an eccentric genius with more genius siblings than common sense and Kirara is some sort of cat-like creature who is always hungry! This club is a little strange, but it's never boring! Centered around the GJ club, GJ-bu is a fun anime revolving around the life of poor Kyouya, who got roped into the club. The characters are all quite eccentric, much like in Gochuumon wa Usagi Desu Ka??, but they all have their own stories to tell. You'll have some fun with GJ-bu as they drink tea, mess around, and try figure out what exactly the GJ club is all about. Why go home when you can join the GJ club?

Starting off a list of anime that are like Tiger and Bunny with an adventure fantasy anime perhaps doesn't seem promising. But, when you consider the cast and staff involved in the production of Shingeki no Bahamut: Genesis, similarities reside in more than just what meets the eye. Both Tiger and Bunny and Shingeki no Bahamut: Genesis share the same director, Keiichi Sato, and many of same voice actors, such as Masakazu Morita, Go Inoue, Hiroaki Hirata, and Tsuda Kenjiro. With this creative team, Shingeki no Bahamut: Genesis both sounds and, through its smooth transitions between drama, comedy, and drama, narratively feels like Tiger and Bunny. Along with Kotetsu T. Kaburagi and Barnaby Brooks Jr.-esque chemistry between the main characters, Favaro Leone and Kaisar Lidfald, this anime is also great for those who like the bromanc-y aspects of Tiger and Bunny. For those unfamiliar with this anime, Shingeki no Bahamut: Genesis follows the story of Favaro Leone and Kaisar Lidfald, two bounty hunters that share a long history with one another, as they are thrown into a battle between gods and demons. Faced with the possibility of world destruction, Favaro must protect the mysterious girl Amira to prevent the release of the terrible Bahamut.

Taking into consideration the “superhero” part of Tiger and Bunny, we have Tentai Senshi Sunred, an anime that takes an “everyday life” spin on the superhero narrative. Much like how Tiger and Bunny tries to situate heroes in an everyday context by making them paid company employees, Tentai Senshi Sunred depicts the average life of the power ranger-like Sunred, job searching and all. Comedic and heartfelt, Tentai Senshi Sunred is perfect for those who want a more homely version of Tiger and Bunny. Set in Kawasaki City, Japan, this series follows the story of Sunred, an unemployed hero mooching off his long time girlfriend, Kayoko. Yet, Sunred’s days are not always filled with lazing around Kayoko’s apartment. Occasionally, General Vamp, Sunred’s long time enemy, calls out Sunred to fights in the local playground. That is, when General Vamp isn’t busy trading recipes with Kayoko or volunteering in the community.

Much similar to Tentai Senshi Sunred, Samurai Flamenco depicts the story of a hero’s everyday life. Well, that is, at least for the first five episodes. Rather than sticking to one genre, Samurai Flamenco plays the genre bending game hard, bouncing from horror to action to even Boys Love all within 21 episodes. Nonetheless, Samurai Flamenco resembles Tiger and Bunny in the way it attempts to push the possibilities of superhero stories along with its depiction of man-to-man friendship between Hidenori Goto and Masayoshi Hazama. As previously mentioned, Samurai Flamenco genre bounces. The phrase, “you have to see it to believe it,” might be the most apt when describing the show. For the sake of simplicity, Samurai Flamenco is the story of Hazama Masayoshi as he attempts to be a superhero. Along the way, he befriends the local police officer, Goto, and saves the world.

The notorious summer hit, Kekkai Sensen made waves with its superb cinematography and animation quality along with its better-late-then-never finale. With its dazzling visuals and music, it might be easy to forget this show takes place in America, or more specifically a city formerly known as New York City. Tiger and Bunny also takes places in a city reimagining New York City, the famous Stern Bild City. Taking this in mind, both shows best exemplify the ultimate superhero city, or in other words, urban spaces that need salvation. With this, along with its characters that wield superpowers, we have a show best-suited for Tiger and Bunny fans. Kekkai Sensen takes place in Hellsalem’s Lot, a city formerly known as New York City, after the opening of a portal to the “Beyond.” In this city, the young Leonardo Watch, blessed (or perhaps cursed) with the “All Seeing Eyes of God,” joins Libra, a quasi-order enforcement organization for the “Beyond.” As a part of Libra, Leonardo soon finds himself in pinches well beyond his imagination.

Currently airing with much critical acclaim, One Punch Man is another superhero anime that takes its common sense, everyday life feel to the max. For those who enjoyed the lighter moments of Tiger and Bunny, One Punch Man more than meets the quota of laughs due to its enigmatic protagonist, Saitama. While we have not yet seen all this show has to offer, we can at least expect more superhero action smashed between such mundane everyday worries as grocery shopping or trying to kill a mosquito. For those who have not yet tuned in to what can be the hit series of the Fall season, One Punch Man is the story of Saitama, a superhero that can take out anything with only one punch. But, even with his OP status, Saitama still has his struggles, such as finishing his fights to make it in time for limited-time-sales at the market

Last but not least, we have Gangsta. This perhaps is not the most expected recommendation for anime like Tiger and Bunny, but let’s consider again Tiger and Bunny’s backdrop. Watching Wild Tiger and NEXT friends in action is all fine and well, but when we consider that the basis of Hero TV lies in the history of discrimination of NEXT, Tiger and Bunny takes a whole different flavor. Taking this into consideration, Tiger and Bunny also generates questions about discrimination and the role of media. Gangsta is also an anime that deals with the aftermath of discrimination against those with super human powers. From this angle, Tiger and Bunny and Gangsta share a common backdrop, albeit with a different execution. Gangsta centers on the lives of Worick Arcangelo and Nicolas Brown, two “Handymen” in the infamous town of Ergastulum. A mix of a mafia, crime, and action anime, Gangsta might be a little heavier than Tiger and Bunny. For those interested in the more philosophical and social questions undergirding both shows, though, Gansgta might be the anime for you.

In Tiger & Bunny we’ll find, just like in OPM, a guild of several heroes who fight to protect peace but mostly for fame and self-gain. Some humans known as NEXTs are born with special abilities and become heroes. Their heroic acts are broadcasted by “Hero TV”, a popular reality show. These heroes have sponsors and they earn hero-points and reputation based on their heroic performances. Very much like in One Punch Man, the image of the hero is quite distorted. In both shows, most heroes are far from being the selfless guardians of peace we would normally expect. They are instead something like marketing tools or media products, much like rock stars. Tiger & Bunny pokes fun at the whole concept of hero with a most acid humor while exploring the more human and ordinary side of a superhero’s alter ego.

Don’t be deceived, there are at least two big lies on the title of this show. Samurai Flamenco is yet another show that makes fun of those who serve justice in tights. Masayoshi Hazama is a young male model with a strong sense of fashion and justice. At night, he goes out in his superhero outfit to fight the forces of evil as the bold Samurai Flamenco. The only problem is, other than his determination and thirst for justice, he has no special abilities whatsoever. What’s even more ridiculous, since he first has to make a name for himself as a hero, he only deals with minor crimes. And by minor I mean things like people taking out the garbage too early or too late. This show shares many of the elements that make OPM our favorite show of the current season. Samurai Flamenco has more action than you would expect on a comedy of this kind. But most importantly, it deals with the true meaning of being a real hero and a keeper of justice. Join this night vigilante on his awkward attempts to become the greatest and most noble hero ever!

Overlord was without question one of the revelations of the recent Summer 2015 season. It tells the story of Momonga, one of the most powerful players in the world of Yggdrasil, a popular MMORPG which is suddenly shut down one day. Instead of logging out, Momonga’s user remains logged in and he soon realizes he has mysteriously become his own avatar. The game has now become his reality and he can interact with NPCs (non-playable characters) like they are real people. Momonga then sets out on a quest to learn everything he can about the new (and infinitely more interesting) reality that engulfed him. With this purpose in mind, he decides to sign in at the heroes’ guild and make a name for himself. Unlike the other titles on this list, Overlord is not really a comedy (although it does have some funny scenes). It is however, the most similar show to OPM I could possibly think of in terms of the lead character being completely overpowered. Momonga is a lvl.100 player with an endless repertoire of magic abilities, facing lvl.1 and lvl.2 soldiers. You do the math. If what you love so much about OPM is watching the good guy abusing and destroying his enemies without even a sweat, then Overlord is definitely the show for you. It has loads of action and a good guy bully. What more could you ask for?

“This is a story about the conflict between good and evil which takes place in the city of Kawasaki”. It’s also probably the funniest hero show on this list. The main character is a rude, mean and violent power-ranger-looking hero who is very often seen arguing with his wife. The hero, Sunred, is hardly ever seen performing any heroic acts other than fighting monsters who attack him on a daily basis just for being an ally to justice. These villains belong to Florsheim, a criminal organization led by General Vamp. The funny thing about them is that they are very polite and well-intended. These villains are so nice in fact that they don’t mind helping Sunred and his wife move into a new house. Sunred is in a way as overpowered as OPM’s lead character. Sunred may not be as powerful as Saitama, but he doesn’t need that much power to defeat his enemies with one punch since the Florsheim villains are utterly useless and pathetic. They just can’t stop embarrassing themselves. Just like OPM, Tentai Senshi Sunred is a parody of the hero fighting evil and leading an ordinary life. Episodes are only 13-minute long, so try it out! You won’t be disappointed.

Gintama needs, of course, little introduction. It’s an all-time classic and many people’s favorite. The story is set in a feudal Japan where aliens, futuristic technology and weird creatures are commonplace. The law in this Japan prohibits the use of swords, which takes many samurais out of the job. That’s where our eccentric heroes, Gintoki, Kagura and Shinpachi come in. These three young troublemakers can’t stand the idea of having a regular and boring day job. Instead, they take jobs solving any kind of problems, from finding lost kittens to fighting criminals. Most of the time, you’ll see them having trouble getting money for the rent or fighting each other over the little food they can afford. Both in OPM and Gintama, the lead characters are not nearly what we would expect of them as heroes. Gintoki is not precisely the noble and heroic samurai we are used to seeing on samurai shows like Rurouni Kenshin. He’s quite rude and seems to care very little about others. And his female disciple, Kagura, isn’t much better. She has the filthiest mouth and she’s often seen picking her nose. Chances are you’ll have a blast with this bizarre comedy full of action that parodies the heroic samurai lifestyle.

Satan, the Demon Lord, ruler of all demonic and evil creatures on the Demon Realm, had his mind set on conquering the land of Ente Isla to cover the world with darkness. Now he works part-time making burgers and doing customer service at MgRonald’s. That’s right, the devil is literally a part-timer! Everything went down when the Hero Emilia Justina appeared and defeated the Demon Lord’s army, forcing him to flee with his right hand, Alciel, to the human world. Unfortunately for Satan, he lost most of his magical powers when he arrived to the human world. Now, Sadao Maou (Satan’s human name) and Alciel have to get by working and paying bills like average people. That is until they regain their magic to go back to Ente Isla and reclaim their kingdom. Hataraku Maou-sama is a brilliant comedy in which our evil protagonist is not as evil as we would expect. He is in fact really polite with customers and co-workers at his job, which makes this show so easygoing and silly. Still, Sadao Maou is decided to regain his full power back and conquer the world… one burger at the time. Hataraku Maou-sama is similar to OPM in more than just being silly and hilarious. Both main characters strive for glory and fame. They both have great powers (only that Maou lost most of his and has trouble getting them back). And both Saitama and Maou are failures as the super beings they are. Saitama can’t manage to become a famous hero in spite of his tremendous abilities, just like Maou can’t rise up in the world of humans despite being a Demon Lord.

Chiyo-chan is in love! But there is a problem; her crush could not see her advances. It is not because he is feigning ignorance, he IS ignorant! The biggest irony here is that Chiyo's crush is none other than Nozaki-kun, a successful mangaka whose hit series happens to be, you guessed it, a romance themed manga. This anime is a good combination of slice of life and rom-com as both complements each other so well with viewers having a jolly good time while at the same time leaving them wistful of the pain of unrequited love. This anime shares many common elements, for example, the plot lines. Girl gets together with boy to develop manga, girl and boy gets closer, love blossoms. The plot lines is so easy to describe, it fits into a single sentence! That is why Gekkan Shoujo reminds you of Saekano as both employ a simple story line to portray love and comedy, effectively making them hit rom-com titles. Next is the variety of unique characters with their own unique' personality. Every character introduced has a specific quirk to them that you can't help but laugh at their folly. I won't spoil much of the anime for you but the characters are definitely something to look out for!

Imagine if Megumi Kato had a voice and is more vocal about it. That's Oregairu. The MC in this anime is Hikigaya Hachiman or goes by his nickname "dead fish eye" because that's exactly who he is. Hikigaya-kun is a pragmatic, matter of fact kind of person and emotionless. His reasons for wanting to be a bear is I quote: "The bear is a lone wolf, he finds no shame in living alone and feels proud for it" His deliberate acts to shun away from society makes you sympathize with him but leaves you feeling helpless even though you know it is reality and you gradually just have to accept it. He also strongly resembles Megumi as both employs deadpan humour to humour us. Hikigaya is just a more negative, vocal Megumi and a more NOTICEABLE character in the anime (jab intended). This anime is also set in a high school setting with Hikigaya going about his daily life and presenting his views in matter of fact way that is simply irrefutable. He is a social outcast and spares absolutely no effort in trying to improve the situation and instead, take it with his usual matter of fact stance of the circumstances and accepting it. In the end, he leads a boring life which many of us do coincidentally, myself included. This is clearly a strong characteristic of Megumi whom as mentioned, both utilizes deadpan humour to successfully make us laugh. Thank you Male Megumi!

Keima is just your everyday video game freak who only goes to school for the sake of attendance and plays his portable games in class to the annoyance of his school teachers. Keima is the typical Brilliant but Lazy Anti-hero trope and he knows it! At times he deliberately pokes fun at his characterisation by delivering his infamous catchphrase: "Reality is just a shitty game!" as well as claiming never failing one of his iconic 'captures' In the same way that Saekano's characters are self-aware of their role in the anime even going to the extent of breaking the fourth wall at times, so too does the main character from Kami Nomi. Kami Nomi delivers the same blend of unique characters as Saekano. There will be a central character representing a typical typecast and by utilising the aforesaid character, deliberately poking fun at their style. The series further added more juice to the plot by parodying Gal Games and it's relation to the otaku culture.

“A club of social misfits with unique personalities”. Sounds familiar? Well, that's the setting for the anime next on our list, D-Frag. This series is about a club called the Video Game Creation Club. Kazama Kenji was unwillingly roped into the said club and forced to participate in the activities of the series main heroines. Of course in anime, nobody normal will compel another human being to join them. The characters all have otaku traits imbued in them. Therefore, the main nature of the comedy in this anime is on the subculture that we love and live by - the otaku culture. It shares many similar traits with Saekano in that both have a fair bit of otaku humour in it with the characters being self-aware of their typecast as well such as the ever famous - tsundere and then poking fun at it. Viewers will feel right at home and in their comfort zone as the jokes and punchlines that is made all evoke a sense of familiarity which appeals to us as - let's face it, who else would know what tsundere is and the fact that there are THREE genders: Male, Female and Hideyoshi.

Boku wa Tomodachi ga Sukinai is an anime of a club that was established for the purpose of making friends. Known as the Neighbour’s Club (Rinjinbu), the club is a vast collection of many different kinds of character including our MC, Hasegawa Kodaka. He has blond hair which gives off the impression of a typical delinquent which makes people fear him. This anime has a fair bit of romance elements as well such as the relationship between the MC and the two heroines – Sena and Yozora. These two alone reminds you of Eriri and Utaha respectively, for they are always at constant war and forever bickering with each other. Very much like Saekano, this anime places much emphasis on the building of relationships in a small circle of friends with very interesting and comical results. Instead of creating a visual novel game however, this anime goal is for everybody in the circle to make friends. It is kind of obvious they are in a circle and more or less on good talking terms already, but these are just some of the silly things you can expect from this anime.

Lastly, this is an anime which shares Saekano tendency to exploit the otaku culture and make an effective comedy out of it. I'm talking about Oreimo. Kirino Kosaka is your typical closeted otaku. She is deemed to be perfect by everyone as she has many outstanding qualities such as being athletic, scoring high grades and being a model as well.However deep down she is an otaku at heart and being unable to suppress her feelings anymore, decides to share her world with her brother. The common ground for the both of them still lies at the heart of the otaku culture and both derive most of their humour through the satire of the subculture which gives us once again, the warm sense of familiarity that we love and understand. This anime is a rom-com after all. The difference with OreImo and Saekano however, is the romance factor. Whereas Saekano delves much into the comedic side instead of the romance, Oreimo puts more focus into the romance side; hence there is more character development in this anime.

Renton Thurston is a 14 year old boy living in the sticks. He wants to be an aircraft pilot and drive a giant robot. In this world, Robots or mecha, “lift” and drift through the air. Fortunately for Renton, a giant robot comes crashing out of the air one day with a girl inside. Eureka is her name and she can’t say a lot. Suddenly, they are attacked but somehow Renton knows how to get in the robot with Eureka and fight back. His actions catch the eyes of Holland, the leader of a mercenary group, and Renton’s idols, Gekkostate. He is invited to join them and accepts setting off for a new world of action, romance, betrayal, and giant robot fights. Eureka Seven and Comet Lucifer actually end up the same on multiple pages. There are giant robots and giant robot fights. Both Eureka and Felia have blue hair. The male leads both clearly have some sort of romantic interest in their female counterparts. Next is the unique point that both robots in each respective series, need both or can use two pilots, a.k.a. the main characters. Both are also set in semi-far distant futures where advanced technology is all around them, but the buildings and what not, are not as advanced. Eureka Seven is a classic and you will not be disappointed in checking it out!

Britannia is a great and mighty nation bent on world conquest. Within one month, due to their advanced robot technology, they destroyed Japan and demoted it to area 11. Lelouch is a prince in exile. He was banished from his home country to live in Area 11. One day, he happens to meet a mysterious woman named C.C., who gives him the power of Geass. Through it, Lelouch is able to take control of others for his bidding and achieve his dream of destroying the Britannia Empire from the inside out! For comparisons between Comet Lucifer and Code Geass, again both are set in the future where better technology is readily available, but some archaic forms of technology still persist. There are of course giant robots and plenty of mecha fighting. Both are about high school aged male characters who are given a special power by a mysterious female. The difference though is that C.C. and Felia are two different people.

The story for Fractale is set a few hundred years into the future. The world is ruled by something called “fractale.” It is something that is like a delivery service. Clain is the main character and he lives with doppels of his parents. Dopples are holograms that appear to be his parents. Clain meets a girl one day named Phryne and befriends her. She runs away though in the middle of the night. She leaves behind a pendant though that turns into a doppel names Nessa. Clain leaves with Nessa and to find the secret of the Fractale system and why it rules the world. For parallels with Comet Lucifer, Fractale has quite a few. A mysterious girl is just dropped into his lap much like how Felia is in Comet Lucifer. Again we have a world that is set in the future and while some newer aspects of the series exist, there are still older elements like fashion and some machines or buildings that are outdated. People in a group are also after Clain, Nessa, and Phryne much like how Felia is now being pursued by an organization. All in all, this is a great one to watch as well! Check it out!

Simon lives in an underground village. They never go out to see the sun for fear of being attacked by robots controlled by beastmen. So in the future, humans now dig into the Earth’s crust to expand their village. Fortunately, one day Simon finds a robot hidden underneath the ground. At the behest of his friend Kamina, he turns it on. It comes to life and suddenly beastmen attack the village! Simon somehow defeats it with the help of Kamina and a new gun-slinging heroine named Yoko, to see the world of stars and sky above them. They set off on a journey to defeat these beastmen and find out more about their own home world. Gurren Lagann, much like Comet Lucifer has the same “mysterious underground robot” theme going for it. And when Nia is finally introduced, she is just like Felia in her inability to communicate or know anything about herself. There of course are giant robot fights as well as pure doses of comedy. Curry is a good joke at the beginning of Comet Lucifer and Gurren Lagann has ones here and there. It has the adventure plot as well as the gathering of people/friends much like how Comet Lucifer does. Albeit, Comet Lucifer, so far has done it on a smaller scale, it still exists. Anyway, check Gurren Lagann out for what is considered a genre defining series of it’s time!

Zoids is a mecha anime but it took a different spin on the giant robot anime genre by making the robots into animals. One day while being chased by two strangers riding in zoids, Van runs into an abandoned factory searching for a place to hide. Inside he finds a dinosaur-like organoid Zoid named Zeke and a strange girl floating in a chamber. He breaks her out and makes a run for it because he’s still being chased! Outside, there is a giant, ruined lion robot zoid called a Lyger Zoid. This new dinosaur looking like robot, which Van names Zeke, shoots off in a bolt of light and fuses with the robot! Zeke fixes the Lyger Zoid completely and the girl introduces herself as Fiona. She wants to find the Zoid Eve, so Van, Fiona, and Zeke set out on their adventure! Zoids is a bit of a unique anime as stated above in that it didn’t focus so much on the traditional role of a robot by giving it a different form and different personality. It still, however, has plenty of points that match up with Comet Lucifer. Both have a running theme of a mystery girl and her companion. Zoids has Fiona and Zeke while Comet Lucifer has Felia and Mo Rikita. Both are obviously about robots and mecha. True, that Zoids probably has a bit more action than Comet Lucifer, but don’t let that discourage you! Also, Zeke/Mo Rikita both have very sassy personalities as well. Enjoy!

Ryuji Kisaragi leads a fairly normal life. He goes to school. He studies. That’s about it. One day though, his cousin Eriko returns to pick up a relic in a box so that it doesn’t get sold on the black market. They manage to do so, but inside of the box is a girl? Rose is her name and she’s a red dragon girl. Ryuji decides to protect her and uses her power as one of the strongest breakers in the world, to fight back against the organization that wants her. With Dragon Crisis, it’s not so much of a focus this time on robots, but on the underlying plot. Someone is clearly trying to get Felia and the robot back in Comet Lucifer. The same goes for Rose in Dragon Crisis. The shows still do have plenty of action though, albeit through different mediums. There is also the plot structure of a boy who finds a girl mysteriously and needs protecting. All in all, this is a great show to watch as well!

Let’ start this show of with Ookiku Furikabutte, an anime that shows you the importance of perseverance and teamwork in sports. Ren Mihashi loves baseball and everything related to it. In middle school, he was an active member of the baseball club, but after constant bullying by his own teammates he swears to give up the sport altogether. Now that he enters high school the possibility to join a team appears again. Can Ren leave the past behind and trust his new team members as well as himself? What stands out about this show is how much it focuses on the interaction between the different team members and how their relationships influence the game. Just like in Haikyuu!!, you get introduced to all of the characters and slowly start understanding how their personalities reflect in their sport. You follow a step by step process that shows how the club turns from being a group of individuals into one team.

If you are tired of seeing characters that are already outstanding at sports, then you should give Baby Steps a try. This show will accompany you on the journey of a guy that seems to be a hopeless case. Maruo Eiichirou is an honor student who is used to excelling at everything he does. He is smart, dedicated and seems to have everything - with the exception of proper physical exercise. With his endless dedication he decides to join a tennis school and starts on a journey to overcome this new challenge. Along the way, he might even find something else that he is passionate about besides studying and cramming for exams. Just like Haikyuu!!, this show shows the progress of the protagonist getting involved in sports from beginning until the end. Protagonist Eiichirou, or Ei-chan, is not an ace at sports or has any prior knowledge at playing tennis. This fact does not only grant lots of funny scenes, but also makes the viewers root for him and actually care about all of his small achievements. Baby Steps is a must-watch if you enjoy the heart-warming side of Haikyuu!!.

Next up are our charming boys from Free!, the swimming anime that has captured the hearts of its viewers in next to no time. Swimming is all Nanase Haruka cares about. The endless freedom it grants him is overwhelming and already in elementary school he and the other members of his swim club win a local tournament. They have to part ways soon after, only to be reunited in high school. However, Haruka’s former team member Rin has surpassed his abilities and isn’t afraid of letting him know. Haruka’s passion is triggered once more and he swears to start a new swimming team to defeat his former friend. The main cast of both shows feel similar, in the way that all characters are likeable without feeling too forced. More importantly, both shows talk about rivalry and how it pushes athletes to improve themselves every single day. This kind of relationship between enemies that stands somewhere between love and hate can be seen in both Haikyuu!! and Free! and makes for a dynamic main cast that keeps the storyline going.

Chances are high that if you are not particularly into sport shows you haven’t heard of Yowamushi Pedal. But that doesn’t mean that this gem doesn’t deserve some credit. Enrolling in high school only means one thing for otaku Onoda Sakamichi: being able to join the anime club and finally being surrounded by people that share his nerdy passions. Unfortunately, he has to find out that the club has disintegrated and is lacking interested people. At the same time, Sakamichi’s classmate and cyclist fan Shunsuke wants him to join their cycling club after seeing him ride his bike at an insane speed. Will the otaku give up his passion for anime to join the world of cycling? What struck me as most similar to Haikyuu!! is the fact that Yowamushi Pedal also shows great character development as the protagonist advances on his journey. Sakamichi makes a full turn and gets immersed into a world that is completely new to him. Next to more serious scenes, this anime will make you laugh like no other and show you how much your hobbies and passions really define you.

After swimming, cycling and tennis it’s time for another baseball show that will immerse you into the dynamics of sport clubs. The viewers follow Sawamura Eijun whose life changes when he meets pro catcher Miyuki Kazuya. Motivated by his great skills Eijun decides to enroll in the same school, an elite baseball academy called Seidou. He believes in his own abilities, but are they good enough to let him survive in this highly competitive world he is about to join? Similar to Haikyuu!!, you will get to know all of the major characters, not only the protagonist. Just like in sports, every person counts for a good anime and that’s what makes this show so great. You will see a group of boys come together and try to find out how to become the best baseball team out there. Both main characters of Diamond no Ace and Haikyuu!! are driven by passion and you cannot help it but feel with them on their adventures.

Picking a top recommendation for this list was easy - when it comes to the dynamics and lightheartedness of the storyline, no other show matches Haikyuu!! just like Kuroko no Basket. Kuroko Tetsuya was an infamous basketball player in middle school. It wasn’t necessarily his skills that got him that title, but the fact that his appearance is plain enough to allow him to go unnoticed in games. Now in high school, he meets Kagami Taiga who seems to be Kuroko’s opposite with his outstanding skills and tall build. With their unique traits combined they embark on a journey to defeat the best players out there. Kuroko no Basket came out of nowhere and became a great hit in no time. It is true that the storyline itself promises lots of new obstacles and opponents, but it’s really the combination of the main cast that makes this show so great. Just like Haikyuu!! you will see that no player is perfect and everyone has to work on their own shortcomings. But by teaming up with other people and working together you are able to defeat even the strongest players. Our top recommendation!

Sakura Trick is the story of two high school girls, Haruka and Yuu who go to a high school which is about to close down in a few years, making them among the last students to enter the school. They share something more than just friendship between them – a kiss that will strengthen their relationship even further. What similarities do Sakura Trick and Valkyrie Drive share? Let’s see... the most obvious one has to be that in both anime, we have a lot of kissing between girls and these kisses cause their relationships to grow stronger, beyond those of mere friendship.. Even though they are similar in a lot of ways, Sakura Trick can be a little more soft on the ecchi part compared to Valkyrie Drive: Mermaid.

The story of Seikon no Qwaser is about super warriors who have the ability to use weapons of their choosing based on which element the possess. But with this power a warrior’s stamina gets drained and the only way to get their stamina back is by the liquid substance which the Qwaser’s female partner possesses. Seikon no Qwaser and Valkyrie Drive: Mermaid share some sexual similarities. For example, both anime use a sexual way to power up their weapons. If grown men breastfeeding doesn’t make an anime stand out then what does? But anyhow, they don’t just do this to power up the weapons. They also do it in order to get their energy back when they have used it for fighting. Both anime have many scenes with nudity and some pretty awesome fighting scenes.

This anime takes place in a far off land were a tournament is held through which the land’s next queen is chosen by the victor. To make it into this tournament, the women have to be top-notch when it comes to fighting. Both anime have the style of showing a lot of nudity especially when it comes to breasts. Even though this is a big element in both anime, they have the similarity of featuring many strong warriors. Where these anime meet is in how little clothing/armor the characters seem to be wearing even though these women are strong fighters. The female fighters of course have some armor when battling, but other than that we have two over-the-top ecchi-style anime.

Toujou Basara is a first year high school student and his world will soon be forever changed when his dad suddenly asks him if he wants a little sister. His energetic dad had more news, he’s getting remarried and plans to bring home two attractive step sisters for Basara. But who could’ve guessed that Mio and Maria’s true persona is that of the new demon lord and a full-blown Succubus? These anime are similar because of the strong ecchi style they share and the similarity in terms of action scenes in both anime. Other similarities include the union that two characters make to become a stronger team. The main plot in both anime are similar because of the strong focus on the ecchi theme they both share.

Freezing takes place in a world where the planet has been attacked by aliens called the Nova. The anime is about Kazuya Aoi who enlists in a special training school for the only weapon-based system that can take down the Nova. The Pandora are what fight against the aliens and they need a female and male partner who work together to take down the aliens. Freezing and Valkyrie Drive: Mermaid are two anime which both share the similarity of being about two characters fighting together somehow. Another one would be that they share a cast full of strong women with armor. Of course, the biggest thing the two anime have which make them similar is the big focus on the ecchi interactions. And this goes without saying, but they also have lots of fan service.

This anime is set in an era where breasts are everything and if you’ve got ‘em you are basically promised to be rich, popular and on top of the world. But if you don’t have big breasts you are not even worthy of being called human. The Manyuu clan has a secret scroll which reveals the secret of how to grow big and beautiful breasts and that is why the clan helps to train the future girls to have big breasts. Let’s get to the similarities between these two anime, shall we? They both have a big focus on the ecchi genre. Especially when it comes to big breasts. Another element which Manyuu Hikenchou and Valkyrie Drive: Mermaid share is the fact that even though a lot of the focus is on the ecchi theme, we also have a big focus on the action part.

Mikado Ryugamine is convinced by his friend to move to Tokyo. He had been fascinated with the stories about street gangs and the fast-paced live there. His first day there he runs into the legendary “Black Rider”. This mysterious person is known to ride around the city with no head underneath his helmet. This meeting is just the first strange thing to happen to him. Soon, Mikado’s life intersects with those of some of the most dangerous people in Ikebukuro. Their experiences and perspectives shed light on a bigger picture of what’s taking place in Tokyo’s downtown district. This series is similar to K: Return of Kings because they both have a main character (Durarara has Mikado and K has Yashiro Isana) who seems to daydream a lot. He appears to be extremely naïve and doesn’t understand a thing about the world and dangerous around him. However, this is just one facet of the character. Deep down they are actually more sophisticated and hide some secrets. Two smaller similarities are the setting and storytelling. Both anime have a setting that is full of life and beautiful to look it. They have so much personality that they almost feel like a character in the story. Also, both shows use multiple points of view to progress the narrative. Durarara uses about ten or so characters to tell the story through each of their perspectives. K uses “Shiro”, his close friends, and some of the Kings to shed some light on the murder and the politics taking place within the different colored clans.

Black Butler takes place in Victoria-era Europe. A young boy, Ciel Phantomhive, has just suffered the terrible loss of his parents. They were murdered in front of him and now he’s being held tortured. Just before his death, he made a promise to a demon. The demonic entity takes on the form of a human and calls itself Sebastian Michaelis. It has promised to help Ciel seek revenge for the atrocities he has suffered. For the time being, he disguises himself as Ciel’s butler. This butler displays unbelievable skill in everything he does, from the minutest housekeeping task to taking down London’s worst criminals. All of this is of little concern for Sebastian. His focus is on what happens once these missions are completed and he has fulfilled his obligation to Ciel. Because once that’s done, he can take the young boy’s soul. This is the first anime on the list that displays a “fragile” main character who is protected by a highly skilled person (or demon in this case) with black hair. It’s similar to Shiro and Kurou’s relationship. However, in K the protected person (Shiro) is actually stronger, once he regains his memories.

Karneval focuses on Nai Muhinyi and his search for his long lost friend, Karoku. Along the way he meets Gareki, a highly intelligent thief, who plans on using Nai for his own personal gain. After becoming wanted criminals, the two of them run into members of the country’s defense organization, Circus. It’s at that point that they are introduced to an intricate world of supernatural abilities and their journey truly begins. Here we have the second anime on the list that shares a relationship among two young men who happen to have white and black hair. Though, I will say Nai looks more albino (because of his red eyes) than any of the other white haired protagonists. Karneval has Nai and Gareki while K has Shiro and Kurou, whose names literally mean white and black (respectively). Not only are the hair styles similar, but both sets of characters also share a VIP and bodyguard type of relationship. On top of that, Karneval and K take place in realities that allow for magic and supernatural beings to exist. These magic abilities lead to certain power struggles and shaky alliances among multiple organizations. In this show, the major parties are Circus (the government’s defense division) and Kafka (an illegal genetic research group). Kafka’s brand of “evolution” causes people’s bodies to change drastically and for them to lose their minds. Circus’ aggressive tactics against criminals threatening the government lead them into direct conflict with Kafka time and time again.

The detective duo of Nice and Murasaki, better known as “Hamatora”, frequently use Café Nowhere as their base of operations. The live in a world filled with a few special people known as Minimum Holders. These special few have supernatural abilities that people refer to as “small miracles”. This duo uses their abilities to capture criminals around town. Their latest case has forced them to cross paths with a serial killer that the police force has been looking for. The search for the serial killer is a catalyst that leads them down a road of conspiracies and scandals. The Red Clan from K uses a small bar, HOMRA, as their base so they can meet up, hang out, and discuss official clan business. In Hamatora, Nice and Murasaki use Café Nowhere in a similar fashion. It’s not just the two of them that meet up there. They have a small team of people who are part of their P.I. business and they each have unique abilities and talents. Besides the comfortable confines of wooden bar counters and bar stools, this action packed anime also takes place in a world where groups are using their powers in a struggle for power.

In the near future, 2046, there is a young boy Haruyuki Arita. He doesn’t have a good social life with other students at school. He is very timid and is often bullied. He finds solace in playing virtual reality games. There he displays more confidence and the ability to devise strategies when needed. One day, he is approached by the Vice-President of the student council. This young girl, Kuroyukihime, convinces him to download an app and join her within the game. He becomes her subordinate and helps her achieve her dream of defeating the 6 Pure Colored Kings and to meet the creator of Brain Burst. Both anime look cool and have fighting between different kings that represent different colors. It’s a simple similarity but it’s pivotal to both anime. K uses different colored clans while Accel World has different colored Legions. Each legions consists of Burst Linkers (players) led by a Level 9 Kings. Kuroyukihime and Shiro share another similarity, though they are both Kings of their reality they separate themselves from the other Kings. This is true at first, they initially aren’t involved with politics between current clans or Legions. But, they come back and put themselves in the middle of the groups. That’s when the action really begins.

Baccano centers on American Mafia groups fighting for power in the 1930’s. Besides the gangs, there are also terrorists and serial killers running around town causing mayhem. Baccano shares a fictional universe with Durarara. Also, it tells its narrative in a similar manner to Durarara and K. It uses a variety of characters who share their perspective on the matter at hand. Baccano, just like Durarara, shares a setting dynamic with K and that is the fighting of gangs for dominance. Something else they have in common is the storytelling technique of starting in the middle of a hectic situation. As the show progresses, you learn why the characters are opposed to each other or have alliances. Once the origins the main characters are revealed that’s when everything falls into place and you can see who was behind certain lies and betrayals. Not only that, Shingo Suzuki was involved in both projects. In K he is the Director and Character Designer. In Baccano, he is the Animation Director.

Holo is a powerful wolf deity who is celebrated and revered in the small town of Pasloe for blessing the annual harvest. Yet as years go by and the villagers become more self-sufficient, Holo, who stylizes herself as the "Wise Wolf of Yoitsu," has been reduced to a mere folk tale. When a traveling merchant named Kraft Lawrence stops at Pasloe, Holo offers to become his business partner if he eventually takes her to her northern home of Yoitsu. The savvy trader recognizes Holo's unusual ability to evaluate a person's character and accepts her proposition. Now in the possession of both sharp business skills and a charismatic negotiator, Lawrence inches closer to his goal of opening his own shop. However, as Lawrence travels the countryside with Holo in search of economic opportunities, he begins to realize that his aspirations are slowly morphing into something unexpected. Spice and Wolf shares a number of similarities to Utawarerumono. Firstly, both anime feature a human animal hybrid female lead character, as Kuon in Utawarerumono is half cat and half human female. They also both recount the journey of a male and female pair of companions that begin in a rural countryside village and subsequently travel to a major capital in search of work and economic gain. Simliarly to Krafts partial dependence on Holo, Haku needs the assistance of Kuon on many occasions. However eventually Haku’s own set of unique abilities lead to trade and work opportunities for the pair. If the dynamic relationship between Kuon and Haku was your favourite part of Utawarerumono, Spice and Wolf is a great choice for your next anime.

At a time when the balance of nature still held the civilizations of mankind in thrall, young prince Chagum has been accused of being possessed by an evil spirit: the water demon, which once perished at the hands of the emperor 100 years ago. This could possibly mean great misfortune, not only for the Imperial family, but for the entire world as well. Court advisers only see one solution. Chagum must be put to death by his own father's hand. His salvation is in the form of Balsa, a spear woman and mercenary from Kanbal, the kingdom across the mountains. Her skills are legendary, and although reluctant, she is held by a mysterious vow to save eight souls before she dies. Can she fend off an entire empire and make Chagum her eighth soul? Moribito shares the theme of a strong female lead character in the case of Balsa that becomes the guardian and protector to a male character in peril. Utawarerumono and Moribito also shares a historical fantasy setting that has many hints of classical Japanese and oriental aesthetic. Characters in both animes wear traditional clothing aswell as building design and references to onsen (hot bath) and sake (alcohol) culture. Both anime series feature a large and well rounded cast, with few characters lacking in development and sufficient depth. If you enjoyed the historical fantasy of Utawarerumono, then Moribito is the anime for you.

Nakajima Youko is your average somewhat timid high school student. One day, a strange man named Keiki appears before her, swearing allegiance. Before she could properly register what was happening, demon-like creatures attack Youko and her friends, after which they are pulled into a different fantasy world wear modern technology is non existent. Separated from Keiki, Youko and her friends must do whatever they can if they wish to survive in this new world. 12 Kingdoms shares a fantastical world with a basis in east Asian history and mythology. Many of the creatures referenced and customs seen pay tribute to the Chinese and Asian heritage much like the world of Utawarerumono. 12 Kingdoms also features a strong female protagonist in Youko that is capable of battling and protecting her friends both through her courage but also her intelligence much like Kuon. Both 12 Kingdoms and Utawrerumono feature plots that give a detailed depiction of the ruling of a kingdom and the economic effects this has on not only its own populace but on the rest of the world. If you enjoyed the kingdom world building of Utawarerumono then 12 Kingdoms will take you to another world.

Arslan Senki is a revival of a 1990’s OVA series based in a historical fantasy world, loosely drawing from Middle Eastern and Christian/Templar period history. In the prosperous kingdom of Pars lies the Royal Capital of Ecbatana, a city of splendor and wonder, ruled by the undefeated and fearsome King Andragoras. Arslan is the young and curious prince of Pars who, despite his best efforts, doesn't seem to have what it takes to be a proper king like his father. At the age of 14, Arslan goes to his first battle and loses everything as the blood-soaked mist of war gives way to scorching flames, bringing him to face the demise of his once glorious kingdom. However, it is Arslan's destiny to be a ruler, and despite the trials that face him, he must now embark on a journey to reclaim his fallen kingdom. Arslan Senki, much like Utawarerumono features a well developed fantasy world that is grounded in references to real period history, customs and battle. A primary theme throughout Arslan is the focus on the right to rule as a king and what makes an individual worthy of the responsibility. In Utawareurmono, the mythical and seemingly eternal emperor and his interest in Haku will be a running theme throughout the anime’s current arc. It is heavily hinted that he or his closest companions will have a large part to play in the future ruling of the kingdom, much like young Arslan and his multiple antagonists and rivals to the throne. As a main character, Arslan shares a number of similarities to Haku, primarily in his lack of physical ability and his reliance on his companions during battle. Arslan, much like Haku instead relies on his ability to charm and win the hearts of specialists in many different areas. So if you enjoyed the theme of historical kingdoms with a journey to change the ruling status qou, Arlsan will help scratch that itch.

By its eleventh expansion pack, the massively multi-player online role-playing game Elder Tale has become a global success, having a following of millions of players. However, during the release of its twelfth expansion pack: Novasphere Pioneers, thirty thousand Japanese gamers who are all logged on at the time of the update, suddenly find themselves transported inside the game world and donning their in-game avatars. In the midst of the event, a socially awkward gamer called Shiroe along with his friends Naotsugu and Akatsuki decide to team up so that they may face this world which has now become their reality along with the challenges which lie ahead. While initially, Log Horizon seems to have more in common with Sword Art Online than with Utawarerumono, once you pass the initial exposition, the rich fantasy world is something fans of the latter anime will certainly find appealing. Log Horizon features a well crafted and detailed fantasy world that feels like a living, breathing ecosystem of people and fantastical creatures working side by side towards common goals. Log Horizon is not heavily action orientated and instead focuses on the relationships of its characters and in their need to survive economically in this new life much like Kuon and Haku spend their time. Protagonist Shiroe is not a fighter or especially skilled but he does possess a strong intellect that enables him to develop new ideas for the group that benefits them all. This is much like Haku using his ability to learn and study to benefit the group in an economic sense rather than in a physical hero type role. If you enjoyed the focus on world building and daily living to survive from Utawarerumono, then we recommend losing yourself in the virtual world of Log Horizon.

Maoyuu May Yuusha was developed by the same director and animation studio as Spice and Wolf, so there is little surprise it will also appeal to fans of Utawarerumono. After a long and treacherous journey, our Hero finally arrives at the Dark Lady's castle only to find himself being asked for help. The Hero explains how the war that the demons have brought upon the humans have killed thousands and put more in misery. The queen of demons however argues that this war has made the human society band together as one and showed empirical evidence how it has increased population, increased production, boosted economy and improved society overall. Furthermore, she explains to the Hero that ending this war will result in a civil war that will produce more bloodshed than there ever was. The Hero, convinced that the only way to bring peace, relatively speaking, is to join forces with the Dark Lady, agrees to help with her plans! Maoyuu features an intriguing fantasy world mixing the believable with the mystical. The main character Yuusha (Hero) is a human in this fantasy world whereas his female foil and partner is a non-human magical being much like Kuon in Utawarerumono. The emphasis in Maoyuu is not on constant action like many of the anime’s contained in this list, but planning, strategy and daily economic life of its people. The Hero and Dark Lady are unlikely lovers but Maoyuu makes there interaction and romance feel genuine rather than forced in for the excuse of ecchi alone. There are moments of fan service, in particular the camera pays a lot of focus on Dark Ladies breasts, however her character is well developed and rounded enough that this plays into the viewer feeling the same desire as the Hero. This is very similar to Kuons role in Utawarerumono, she is frequently naked as she has a penchant for hot baths, however it never feels overly sexualised. They are both female characters that are comfortable with their sexualities and are more empowered and desirable as a result. If you enjoyed the cross species romance from Utawarerumono then Maoyuu will give you an equally relatable love story.

With her boyish looks and laid back attitude, Riko Kuruhashi is considered the wild, rebel of Fujisaki Girls Academy, but the popularity this brings her doesn’t hold a candle to that of flawless student council president Natsuo Maki. With such different personalities, it would take something pretty big to bring the two together, for example, seeing said president kissing her pillow in the student council room. To ensure her secret is kept from the world, Maki ropes Riko into joining the student council in addition to her newly devised “Love Lab”, where she plans for the two of them to practice everything from holding hands, to doing strange things to pillows. Love Lab has the same silly humour and yuri elements as seen in Yuru Yuri, only with a lot more crazy. Maki has a habit of taking otherwise normal situations, most of which involve drinking tea in the student council office, and making them downright bizarre. Despite the main casts of the shows having fairly different personalities, the two share very similar themes and atmospheres, no doubt helped by their all-female casts and school settings. Love Lab is great if you’re after some laid back fun, but want something a bit more up-beat than the gentler ride of Yuru Yuri.

Welcome to the Rabbit House Café, where there’s delicious coffee, a variety of teas, and cute waitresses. After moving to the café for a homestay, Cocoa quickly takes up her role as new waitress and owner’s daughter Chino’s big sister, though Chino would have something to say about that. Along with Rize, another part-time waitress, and their friends Sharo and Chiya from nearby café’s, follow the girls as they go about their daily business, from serving customers to visiting hot springs. One of the big charm points of both Yuru Yuri and Gochuumon wa Usagi Desu ka is the moe, round faced character designs and cute clothes to match, making both series very pleasant to watch. Both have a strong focus on silly, slapstick humour along with their comedy duos, in the form of Yui and Kyouko, and Chino and Cocoa. On top of that, although not quite as obsessive as Chinatsu, Sharo’s girlish adoration of Rize is heart-warmingly adorable to watch. With the next series of Gochuumon airing this season, now is the perfect time to give it a shot.

Moving up to high school can be a pretty scary experience, but having some good friends by your side sure makes it a whole lot easier, even if they are particularly skilled at driving you up the wall. After starting high school Yui, Yuzuko and Yukari decide to join the Data Processing Club, which seems to mostly involve googling different animals and poking fun at their teacher, “Mom Sensei”. As with any school girl slice-of-life anime you can expect a lot of hanging around the club room, mind-blowingly silly puns and, much to Yui’s displeasure, a bit of yuri fan service. Both Yuyushiki and Yuru Yuri have us following a seemingly ordinary protagonist, and she tries to deal with the somewhat strange friends that surround her. Yui’s character in Yuyushiki bears a striking resemblance to Yuru Yuri’s, Yui, in terms of personality, being the sensible and mature, but adorable when embarrassed. To add to that Yuzuko and Yukari are like Yuru Yuri’s Kyouko split into two people, one clever, one ditzy, and both lovable yet relentlessly annoying. Despite its much smaller cast, if you enjoyed Yuru Yuri, it’s hard to go wrong with Yuyushiki.

Wanting to have more good memories of high school isn’t unusual, but when Haruka and Yuu decide that sharing a kiss is the best way to do it, things get understandably more complicated. Sakura Trick centers around six high school girls and their relationships, ranging from best friends to something much more intimate. With everything from nosy older sisters to their own confusion getting in the way, the series is filled with an abundance of both hilarious and awkward situations. Sakura Trick is something recommended to those who want a true yuri anime, rather than the light-hearted joking between friends seen in Yuru Yuri. Both share a very silly sense of humour, with much of the show focused on the whimsical daily lives of the cast, and so make for a very relaxing watch. If you want to see what real yuri looks like along with a bit of silly humour, Sakura Trick is definitely worth a watch.

Azumanga Daioh follows the daily lives of a group of high school girls, each with their own quirks, as they proceed to do fairly ordinary high school things. Like all slice-of-life anime though, despite it’s simple premise, Azumanga Daioh brings a lot of laughs, as the girls somehow make the ordinary into the extraordinary on a regular basis. With a varied cast, from grade skipping, child prodigy Chiyo, to tall, dark and unusually quiet cat lover Sakaki, Azumanga has its good share of stories to tell. Despite its lacking in the yuri department, Azumanga Daioh shares a very similar premise to Yuru Yuri, if with slightly more eccentric humour. Both having such a large cast, there’s a variety in the characters and situations which makes every episode feel fresh and each joke as funny as the last. Despite its age, as a purely slice-of-life comedy anime, still really shines so if you went to Yuru Yuri for the laughs the Azumanga is a great pick up.

Hoping that her castanet abilities are up to par, high school freshman Yui Hirasawa, decides to join the school’s light music club, only to find that they were really hoping that she could be their lead guitarist. Thankfully other members Mio, Tsumugi and Ritsu are there to lend a hand as Yui tackles the task of getting her guitar skills up to a reasonable level before the club’s first concert. An inevitable candidate for any slice-of-life related list, despite K-On’s yuri only existing inside Mugi’s head, it’s the show’s laid back, easy going nature that make it and Yuru Yuri feel so alike. The two share a very similar comedy style, with the characters constantly playing off each other, along with the Manzai (straight man & funny man) style used by Yui and Kyouko, and Ritsu and Mio. If you enjoyed Yuru Yuri but somehow managed to avoid watching K-On, now would be a good time to start.

One day Ayato Amagiri transfers into a new school at the invite of the student council president. He sees something fall from a building one day and jumps from a very large distance into a room via an open window to give the fallen item back. He steps in and there is Julis-Alexia van Riessfeld in nothing but her underwear. She blasts him with magic to get him away and he remains unscathed until she finds him. She challenges him to a duel. The duel is awkwardly cut short when they are attacked by something. Eventually the dust settles and they move on. This school is the grounds for the “Star Wars Festival” (no, not that one) and the students are part of a generation called the “Starpulse Generation” who are trying to establish their school as the supreme one. Welcome to the greatest magical school battle anime the world has seen! In comparison to Chivalry of a Failed Knight, there are actually quite a few similarities. Both series have hot headed female main characters. In fact they are so hot, they wield fire based magic. (See what we did there?) Julis and Stella are both royalty as well! Both main male characters catch both of the female characters in very compromising positions in the first episode. Chivalry of a Failed Knight and The Asterisk War are harem, comedy, action, and sci-fi among others! There is also the important fact that both shows are centered around school lives of students participating in festivals to be labeled as the most powerful. If the plot/characters were not different, you would think that this is the same show! If you like Chivalry of a Failed Knight, then you will like The Asterisk War as well!

Welcome to the future where magic now flourishes alongside technology. After World War III, the world has four superpowers and Japan is one of them. After magicians and magic uses becoming rarer and rarer, Japan creates special schools where only those who can use magic go. There they are separated into two different levels; Weed and Bloom. Bloom is for the smart students while Weed is for the lower level students (...!?). Two siblings transfer to the school, Shiba goes to the Weed courses while his sister, Miyuki, goes to the Bloom courses. However, Shiba is proving himself to be a bit too intelligent for the program that he is rolled in. Things are starting to change at the school too! What is going on here? Between Chivalry of a Failed Knight and The Irregular at Magic High, there are quite a few parallels. First off the bat, both of these anime take place in school settings. Next, you have a magic system existing in modern day society as well. There is also the part that the main characters are supposedly weak, but they end up unexpectedly more powerful than people realized. Both of the guys who are supposedly the lowest levels in the school live with/share a room with the smartest/best female students in the room. There’s also the brother/sister relationship that sometimes is a bit questionable. Especially in Chivalry of a Failed Knight. You will enjoy this show though for sure, so check it out!

Kamito Kazehaya is unique beyond all unique individuals. In the world he lives in, only women who are maidens and pure of heart can form contracts with spirits. However, he is the first male in 1000 years to make a contract with a spirit. So he is invited to come join a prestigious Mage academy. One day, he peeps at a girl named Claire while she’s taking a bath. He then furthers his wrongdoing by then forming a contact with a spirit that she was preparing to get for herself! Something has to be done and so she decides to make him her contracted spirit. What does fate have in store for Kamito? There are some parallels here between Chivalry of a Failed Knight and Blade Dance of the Elementals. Both are in a school setting within a special academy. Kamito and Ikki both are regarded as “unique” individuals. Ikki because he’s Rank-F and Kamito because he actually managed to make a contract with a spirit. Also, Claire and Ikki have a lot in common do to with both having bad reputations. A festival is introduced to find who is the strongest in both series. The most obvious one is that both Stella and Claire are hot-headed fire users! This is an enjoyable show if you like Chivalry of a Failed Knight.

Kanata Age lives in the magical wizard city of Mitsuogan. Did we neglect to mention that this city is floating in the sky? Well it is. Humans were driven off the surface of the Earth and into the sky due to invading magical insects with heavy armor. Here, they hone their skills and learn how to fight the insect menace. Kanata is given a team of three female sky wizards to train. He was once regarded as the top ace of the academy but now he has mysteriously been branded a traitor. He has fallen from grace and now has to teach these girls who are at the bottom of the school’s ranking, how to fight and win. Can he do it? Oddly, while this show does sound like it can be more slice of life, it’s actually very action based similar to Chivalry of a Failed Knight. Sky Wizards Academy, much like Chivalry of a Failed Knight, utilizes multiple genres; action, sci-fi, future, comedy, school life, and romance to name a few. Unlike the above listed shows, both main characters are labeled as failures, and while they are powerful, they don’t flaunt it, nor are they the dense main characters that need to be shown the way. However, when it comes to it, they don’t have any problems hesitating to get things done. Sky Wizards Academy is great for those who enjoy Chivalry of a Failed Knight and want a good laugh while getting another dose of OP main characters, action, magic, and a bit of a harem!

In Akane Academy, students, also referred to as saviors, study to hone their magic skills. They are divided into Shirogane and Kuroma. Shirogane control magical weapons while Kuroma use defense magic. They hone their skills to fight off creatures called the Metaphysicals, that attack humans around the world. Moroha Haimura transfers into the school but he’s like no other student they have ever had before. He is a reincarnation like everyone else in the school, but he has been reincarnated as both Shirogane and Kuroma. Now he has to find his way in this world and somehow succeed in honing not only his skills but protecting those around him. World Break and Chivalry of a Failed Knight both have the magic, sci-fi, future, action, and school themes going for them. Both shows also utilize very OP main characters who are not only cool-headed, but for the most part, both Ikki and Moroha do not flaunt their abilities. There is a bountiful amount of action and magic as well, so you’re set! Check it out!

Tor (Tooru) is out for blood. Someone has killed his sister and revenge is consuming him. He enrolls at an academy for Blazers, people who can use their souls to make weapons to fight for peacekeeping missions. Tor finally gets the chance to try his power out and form a weapon one day. However… it’s not a weapon that he makes, it’s a shield. With absolute Duo, we have Tor living with a female in his room much like Ikki and Stella. They both use magic from their souls to summon weapons to fight. Ironically, the weapons in Absolute Duo are called Blaze, while the weapons in Chivalry of a Failed Knight are called Blazers!? Both shows are in a school setting and, much like with Ikki and Stella, Tor and Julie are not only paired up, but also very OP together. Check it out for more action, magic, and sci-fi!

While attempting to find a place of solace to study, scholarship student, Fujioka Haruhi, accidentally stumbles upon the host club of Ouran High School, dedicated to alleviating the boredom of the rich female students of the school. At the host club, Haruhi breaks an expensive vase worth billions of yen so Haruhi ends up having to work off the debt as the host club's dog. Due to a mix of natural charm and attractiveness, Haruhi is soon promoted to a host to pay off the debt, but here's the thing: Haruhi's actually a girl! Now she must hide her secret from the patrons of the host club or be forced to pay off the debt with the rest of her life! In Ouran High School Host Club, you get to enjoy watching the extravagance of the rich students of Ouran High, but with the inclusion of Haruhi, you also get to watch these rich students learn about things "commoners" use. If you love the way the girls in Shomin Sample marvel over instant ramen, you'll love the way these carefree students react to things like instant coffee. If you enjoy watching rich students learn about commoners, Ouran High School will be a great anime to catch.

Hino Akiharu was adopted by his uncle's family after he lost his parents, so as not to be a burden, he entered Hakureiryou High School, a free boarding school where students are trained to be butlers. Unfortunately, his delinquent-like appearance keeps most of the ladies at bay. Then, Akiharu runs into an old childhood crush, Saikyou Tomomi while at Hakureiryou High School. Akiharu attends Hakureiryou High School for the money, similar to the reason why Kimito is at his school. Akiharu also has to cope with the extravagant lifestyles of the students of his school. Akiharu is also mistakened as a pervert, but at least castration isn't a threat hanging over his head!

Mihama Academy is the home of "fruits" that have fallen a little too far from their trees. Here resides 5 female students who have complicated pasts which have them living within the confines of Mihama Academy. Kazami Yuuji enrolls as the academy's first male student, but his role is more than just to add a little testosterone into the mix. Will he be able to save the girls of Mihama Academy, or will his own history prevent him from finding salvation? Grisaia no Kajitsu is another harem, but it is on a more serious note than Shomin Sample. While Kimito teaches the girls of his high school about commoners, he does change the lives of certain individuals much the way Yuuji does at Mihama Academy. Everyone has their own circumstances, and at a female dominated school like Mihama, Yuuji is placed as the first male student to bring salvation to the others and teach them about life. Yuuji changes the lives of the girls at his school.

Monsters are real and with the passing of the Cultural Exchange Between Species Act, they are trying to assimilate into our society. Kurusu Kimihito has been volunteered as part of the program to host a monster in his home. His home isn't large, but with the he soon finds himself the roommate of affectionate lamia, Miia whom he has to teach how to get along in society. Interspecies breeding is against the law, but it makes it worse when sexy monsters are living in the same home as a hormonal teen. Is control but an impossible dream? Monster Musume no Iru Nichijou is a harem anime in which Kimihito must take care of monster girls and teach them about human life. Except, intimate relationships with the girls is strictly prohibited! Kimihito is forced into his situation, but he just has to cope with the circumstances. Although the story is different, the overall situation is quite similar to Shomin Sample!

Infinite Stratos (IS) is an armed, powered exoskeleton that was engineered in Japan that only women can operate.However, it is discovered that Orimura Ichika, a 15 year old boy, can operate an IS. Ichika soon finds himself in a new training school filled with girls who are eager to find out more about him! Much like in Shomin Sample, Ichika finds himself forcibly in a school where the student populace is all female, and this female population has an unending fascination with Ichika. Despite their talent and ability, all of the girls worship Ichika and fawn over him, but Ichika really just has to learn how to properly fight using the Infinite Stratos and has no time for female distractions. With his sister watching his back and girls knocking at his door, how's Ichika going to have a peaceful high school life?

If moving to a new school wasn't enough, add on the fact that you just can't make friends and you're miserable! Hasegawa Kodaka just can't make any friends because of his appearance and naturally blonde hair, which makes many people misunderstand him. One day, he runs into ill-tempered classmate, Yozora who was talking with an "air" friend, Tomo. They both realize that they have no friends, so they decide to start the Neighbor's Club to make more friends. Boku wa Tomodachi ga Sukunai (Haganai) is a harem anime that focuses on the building of friendships between Kodaka. Many harem anime tend to have the same character types, but Boku wa Tomodachi ga Sukunai and Shomin Sample share a similar character type that isn't common in harem anime. Both Yozora and Aika have a desire to make friends, but they both only cling to the main characters and pretend like they are fine without others even though all they want to do is make friends. Haganai shows a story of a group of high schoolers who just want to make friends like everyone else.

The world is dominated by mutant beasts called Limbeekoon, or filth monsters. To survive, the human race lives in huge mobile cities, called Regios. In one academy city, where students learn how to fight, Layfon Alseif is hoping for a new beginning to move on from his past. However, it’s not so easy as students of the new academy recognize Layfon for both his skills and his history. Joining the 17th Military Arts Platoon, Layfon must come to terms with the powers he’s been imbued with Both Chrome Shelled Regios and AntiMagic Academy deal with post apocalyptic situations where the main character is joining a military unit in an academy that’s seen better days. There are some differences between them, but they both have very similar concepts as a whole. Also similar is the emphasis on gunplay and action in both shows. Finally, they both have a host of strong, likeable female characters too boot.

Strike the Blood follows Kojou Akatsuki, a vampire and a Sword-Shaman apprentice Yukina Himeragi who’s tasked with observing him. They both reside in the Demon District in Itogami city, an man-made island in the Japanese Archipelago where monsters live freely. Kojou is suspected of being the fourth progenitor, an extremely powerful vampire who only exists in legends. Yukina and Kojou befriend each other, and Yukina develops some feelings for Kojou. Strike the Blood is another series where magical and supernatural beings interact with the modern world. Similar to AntiMagic Academy, there’s a lot of ecchi comedy and romance vibes from this show. Both Strike the Blood and AntiMagic Academy have a lot of female characters juxtaposed to the male MC. Some of the character designs feel similar as well. It’s definitely the mix of action, supernatural elements and ecchi that 35th platoon fans would find enjoyable.

In the ‘Great Disaster’, Japan has been thrown into total disorder by the onmyouji, a type of magic-wielder which were historical civil-servants who specialized in magic and spirits. Harutora Tsuchimikado was born, without any magical ability, into an onmyouji family. Harutora’s mundane life is interrupted when Natsume, from the same family, appears and asks him to fulfill his childhood promise to become her shikigami (familiar). Both Tokyo Ravens and AntiMagic Academy deal with worlds where the supernatural has strongly altered the fabric of life. Harutora is similar to Takeru in that they’re both guys who, initially may be lacking in ability, end up being pretty able with some female characters in the mix. Tokyo Ravens is more influenced by Japanese history, culture and folklore, which gives it a distinct flavor. However, they’re still similar urban fantasies that fans should check of one show should check out the other.

The human world has been given the gift of magic, which has made life into a near utopia. However, there are some that are unable to use the gift of magic, Norma, and they are detested, and outcast. Angelise, a popular princess, is discovered to be a Norma and ripped away from her previous life. Forced into battles on Paramails, Ange must fight dragons from another dimension to seek out an existence for herself. But the truth behind Dragons, Norma and the world at large looms on the horizon. Like AntiMagic Academy, Cross Ange has conflict between magic users and non-magic users, but Cross Ange flips the script, with the magic users being the dominant power. Cross Ange is mostly similar to 35th platoon in terms of story, ecchi content, and some characters. While Cross Ange’s MC is a female, she’s surrounded by a cast of competent heroines who have a fun, diverse set of personalities similar to the 35th platoon. The two MC’s are also similar in that they really have to develop themselves as fighters and leaders, and then eventually get caught up in a battle against forces larger than they might have expected to begin with.

Human knights, who call themselves Blazers, are capable of using magic. Ikki Kurogane is one such Blazer, but sadly for him, his magic ability is exceptionally weak. In his academy, he is known as the ‘worst one’, the weakest of all the students. Through some mishaps, he ends up in a duel with Princess Stella Vermillion, an A-rank student with exceptional abilities. With Stella and Kurogane slated to be roomates, the situation could be awkward… Rakudai Kishi no Cavalry is airing in the same season as anti-magic academy, and there’s a lot of comparable things between them. The concepts are remarkably similar, there’s a school, action-fantasy format, and the MC’s are both looked down by their fellow students, be it for being unskilled or being old-fashioned. There’s also some harem and ecchi elements as well. It’s got an likable and relatable male-lead and his female counterpart is just as fun to watch as well.

Humanity is forced to retreat to aerial cities because of an infestation of magical armored insects on the land. To defend itself, the human race places it’s hope in ‘Sky Wizards’ to battle these insects. Kanata Age was once a highly respected Sky Wizard, however, he is now considered a traitor and is assigned to a class of a new unit to lead 3 troubled girls, all with some skill, but also serious faults. So the story and concept of Sky Wizards is close, almost frighteningly so to AntiMagic Academy. However, this is another show with a fantasy, action element that deals with a male MC leading and turning around a failed combat unit. There’s a lot of cute girls and harem elements to make the waifu battles as fun as the real battles in the show. It’s definitely something to try if you like AntiMagic Academy’s harem and action elements.

An unsettling string of murders has taken place. Young school girls have been killed, chopped up, and placed into boxes. The story follows Shutaro Kiba. He is a private detective who has been hired by one of the victims’ mothers. He receives help from his colleagues and friends. Together they solve this bizarre case and seek justice. Though Mouryou no Hako makes use of the supernatural and has a bit more thought-provoking dialog, this intellectual thriller shares some similarities with Subete ga F ni Naru. For example: everything shown in flashbacks and mentioned by the characters is important. Though it may seem negligible at first it, it ties back to who the murderer is and their motivation. The dark atmosphere also contains some characters that seem fated to solve the mystery. In Moryou those characters are Kiba, Chuuzenji Akihiko, Enokizu Rejiro, and Sekiguchi Tatsumi. In Subete they are Professor Saikawa Souhei and Nishinosono Moe. The professor seems to be one of Magata Shiki’s biggest admirers. He can easily identify with her thought process and philosophy. Moe is infatuated with the professor so much that she went and visited Magata on the secluded island. She was one of the last people to have a conversation with her. So, it appears as if they are somehow connected to Magata’s death and were meant to discover her corpse.

Kazuya Kujo is a young man studying abroad at Saint Marguerite Academy. In that town, there are plenty of ghost stories and urban legends, but one stands above them all. The Queen Berry is a haunted ship that has a long history and was tied to a series of bloody murders during the First World War. Though Kazuya generally ignores the ghost stories, his eccentric friend, Victorique, loves the morbid tales. Her curious nature and extremely logical approach to problems has allowed her to solve some of the town’s most puzzling mysteries. One case leads to an elaborate dinner on the Queen Berry. This sets in motion events and connections that will uncover a much more dangerous issue than the individual cases they have been solving. The first thing that GOSICK shares with Subete is the atmosphere. Both shows have a dark tone and pacing that seems to weigh down the characters and story. An underlying sense of the supernatural surrounds them at all times. There are also female geniuses in both shows. GOSICK has Victorique while Subete has Shiki and Moe. Moe shares some personality traits with Victorique. Both can be rudely blunt, they react with quick whips when frustrated, and they have feelings for their male counterparts (though Moe is much more overt about hers).

Lain Iwakura is a fourteen-year-old girl who has trouble using even the most basic technological gadgets. One day she and other girls from her school receive a cryptic email from a fellow classmate that recently committed suicide. As if that wasn’t strange enough, when Lain opens the email she is introduced to a virtual world known as the Wired aka the Internet. From there, she has her world turned upside down. Cyberspace bombards her with bizarre messages and imagery that stretches her notions of existence and reality. And she comes into contact with people and events that force her to question what is an “identity” or “consciousness”. Lain plays various roles depending on the situation at hand. The show slowly reveals different sides of this aloof genius that the audience would have originally not believed. It’s difficult to pinpoint who she really is and what her motives are. It’s very similar to how Magata Shiki is portrayed early on in Subete. Though she doesn’t come off as aloof or naïve, she does keep her cards close to the chest, so to speak. Her facial expressions and probing questions reveal nothing of what she’s thinking or feeling. All you know for sure is that you can’t take anything she says at face value. There is a deep meaning in her words and even deeper meaning to her actions. Like Subete, Serial Experiments Lain utilizes atmosphere and philosophical thoughts concerning programming and computers. However it amps them up exponentially. Where Subete contains short esoteric dialogues about programming and consciousness, Serial takes those thought experiments and puts them in-plain-view. Lain (and the viewer) grapples with what she is shown and how it conflicts with what she (and the viewer) thought to be real.

Shoutarou Tatewaki is a high school boy who spends a lot of time with a very beautiful woman in her mid-20’s. The woman’s name is Sakurako Kujou and she has a strange fascination with bones. Shoutarou accompanies her on various cases where she uses her talent to analyze the remains of victims to uncover clues and ultimately solve cases. This is another mystery anime that happens to be airing this season as well. An interesting similarity to Subete is that they both have adult protagonists (Sakurako and Saikawa) and a sidekick in their teens. Plus, the main character, Sakurako-san, is prone to childish tantrums which mirror the personality trait that Moe has in Subete. Moe is very intelligent and mathematically gifted, but she behaves immature at times just so she can have the attention of those around her. Though both anime have a pair working together to piece together clues, Sakurako delves more into “how” cases are solved. By that I mean the show focuses more on forensics and the step by step process for analyzing evidence that leads to a suspect.

Ranpo Kitan starts out in a typical middle school where some unsolved murders have occurred. Akechi Kogorou is a young genius detective who comes in to investigate the cases. He gains the admiration of one of the students, Kobayashi Yashio. The middle schooler volunteers to become Akechi’s assistant. The two work together to get to the bottom of the puzzling investigation. Besides having a murder case that most of the anime on this list share, this show spends a fair amount of time using symbolism and imagery to discuss topics such as chaos theory and algorithms. Additionally, both shows highlight the dark side of human nature and twisted sexual relationships. These are the primary similarities with Subete. But, there are a few others. Such as a dark tone and intense atmosphere. It uses these to throw some “shock value” into some of the episodes. But Ranpo does a good job of balancing it out with some comedic moments and brightly animated scenes as well.

Two men have managed to steal an atomic weapon from a secure facility. Calling themselves “Sphinx”, they proceed to execute successful terrorist attacks throughout Tokyo. What’s more, they leave cryptic messages about the places they will hit next. The police slowly start to piece together who these two individuals may be. But, they are always a step behind them. Paranoia spreads and a larger conspiracy starts to come into view. Are these two really out to destroy the government and murder thousands of people? Or might there be something else that these two men are after? This is an interesting anime that differs from the others on the list. This is does not have a detective storyline or follow a mystery genre format. That’s because the leading characters are actually the ones committing the seemingly vicious acts of terrorism. You’re not trying to solve how they’re executing their plans, because they show you what they’re doing. Instead, you’re taken on a journey of their past and shown their motives. Subete uses this story telling technique as well. Each episode we are given snippets of what really took place on the night Shiki’s parents were murdered. Other ways the shows are alike: both take place in contemporary times, there are genius characters in both, the character designs are very similar, and the cinematography looks uncannily close between the two. These are psychological thrillers that deal with child prodigies and traumatic events that take place early in their adolescence.

Set in a world where humanity lives underground after fleeing the wrath of an evil overlord, the Spiral King, who rules with an iron fist and uses humanoid beast men to enforce his will. A young digger named Simon dreams of once again breathing the fresh air under a blue sky on the Earth’s surface. But a dream is all it is, until one day, while digging with his rowdy older brother Kamina, he discovers a drill-shaped key that brings to life a small robot, and everything changes. They find their oppressive but relatively peaceful lifestyle at risk when their village is attacked by beastmen piloting larger versions of the mech, gunmen, and are forced to defend it at all costs. Gurren Lagann is great for a lot of reasons. It’s an action-packed anime with a lot of stylish flair, fistfuls of action, and a great sense of humor. While the show doesn’t necessarily take itself too seriously, there are plenty of emotional, character-driven moments that help accelerate the plot. It has plenty to offer fans of several genres, especially fans of Heavy Object.

Full Metal Panic! is a nice blend of both slice-of-life and robot-centric war anime. The series focuses on a covert anti-terrorist group, Mithril, who want desperately to protect the somewhat pushy Japanese high school girl, Kaname Chidori. To do so, they send a member of their organization, Sousoke Sagara, to enroll in the high school and keep watch over her. The heart of the show is the interaction between its two lead characters, just like Heavy Object. While Sousoke has lived a military life and is no stranger to combat, he’s never had to navigate the complicated, nuanced social minefield that is high school. Even though his mission is to protect Kaname, she often protects him in her own way, bossily guiding him through school life. On top of their relationship, the show features an expansive cast of memorable characters, as well as plenty of exciting combat scenes that help accelerate the plot, and help it clip along at a pace welcome for fans of Heavy Object.

From outer-space to Edo-era Japan, Katanagatari is the story of Togame, a military strategist who is on a journey to collect twelve legendary swords, wielded by dangerous warriors, for the shogunate. To do so, she enlists the reluctant help of Yasuri Shichika, the son of an exiled war hero who quietly runs a fighting school with his sister on a remote island, under the caveat that he must fall in love with her. While the change in setting might seem jarring for fans of Heavy Object, the tone of the show will suit them perfectly. This show is unique for several reasons; unlike most anime, the episodes have a whopping fifty minute run time, and makes the most of it by oozing its unique style. While the aesthetic ensures that there is plenty of slick, candy-colored, sword swinging action, the length and infrequency of episodes put a greater emphasis on the show’s storytelling, and so it is the relationship between Togame and Shichika that does most of the heavy lifting. There are plenty of laughs and heartfelt moments as they travel to the four corners of the country, and their relationship develops, which is part of the reason why it is so appealing for fans of Heavy Object.

In the 70s, mankind discovers an alien gateway on the surface of the moon. They are able to utilize this technology to colonize Mars, and it isn’t long after settling they discover increasingly sophisticated alien technology. The settlers on Mars covet the technology for themselves, and cut themselves off from the rest of humanity by establishing the Vers Empire. In the midst of the war between the Earthbound and the Vers Empire, the gate is destroyed, leading to an uneasy ceasefire between them. The main story takes place fifteen years later, when an assassination attempt on the princess of the Vers Empire reignites the flames of war. The story has an ensemble cast of characters on both sides of the conflict. While the tone is a little heavier than that of Heavy Object, fans will feel right at home with the heart-pounding action and slick, computer-aided robot battles. Out of combat, the characters of the show contemplate the true cost of the war in which they’re embroiled, and the reasons they keep fighting.

If you’ve somehow missed this show despite its meteoric rise to popularity, Cowboy Bebop tells the story of Spike Spiegel. A former hitman turned “cowboy” in a future in which mankind has colonized most of space, and established a contract-based bounty hunting force to supplement the Inter Solar Space Police. Partnered with his former officer friend, Jet Black, the pair scour the galaxy for big scores and pick up a few more members of their rag tag bounty hunting outfit, including damaged vixen Faye Valentine, socially awkward savant Edward, and a genius Corgi. The show utilizes a non-linear form of storytelling, with episodes often taking a “case of the week” style arc influenced heavily by different genres of music, which makes it perfect to hop on at any time, just like Heavy Object. Peppered throughout is the overarching plot involving Spike’s rival, Vicious, a member of Spike’s former crime syndicate and rival in a deadly love triangle. The action is as stylish as it is visceral, whether it’s a high-speed chase through the farthest reaches of space, or the bone-crunching kung-fu taking place on the ground. Episodes encompass a wide variety of mature themes, but comedic beats prove the show doesn’t take itself too seriously, which will make fans of Heavy Object feel right at home. Like other entries on the list, when the credits roll, it’s the characters you’ll be thinking about after.

An anime that needs no introduction, Neon Genesis Evangelion is a post-apocalyptic sci-fi show that cemented the mecha-genre as the heavy-hitter its known as today, and is perfect for fans of Heavy Object and the genre itself. The story of Evangelion takes place after a cataclysmic event known as the “second impact,” and focuses on teenager Shinji. He is recruited by his father into a special military force called NERV, who battle giant monsters called Angels in bio-mechanical mechs called Evangelion, which are specially synched to their respective pilots for maximum combat efficiency. The fate of mankind rests in the hands of Shinji and his ragtag collection of fair-weather and sincere allies. While the show is best known to Western audiences for its unique take on the mecha genre, due to its interesting cast of characters, complicated examination of character motivations, and religious themes and imagery, its complex story is accompanied by plenty of edge-of-your-seat action. If you’re a fan of the genre, or a fan of Heavy Object, you’ll be sure to feel Evangalion’s influence once you familiarize yourself with it. If you’ve somehow overlooked it, stop what you’re doing (well, finish the article) and give it a look. You won’t be disappointed.

Noragami Aragoto continues in its second season, which focuses more on Yato's rival Bishamon (I recommend watching the first season if you haven't), who is on a mission to finally put an end to the hatred that had boiled inside of her through Yato's past actions. This supernatural, action adventure takes place in a separate world where, much like Fate/stay night, uses a variety of spiritual magic alongside well developed character plot to give the viewer a great visual experience. Both anime focus on the use of spiritual guardians to overcome the enemy. Fate/stay refers to them as masters, while Noragami uses the term Shinki to define the same purpose. Both shows start off with an immediate taste of action, which is enticing since this encourages you to tune in more to what happens next. Yato and Shirou both share the same path where they both want to prove their innocence while helping to destroy the evil inside them and around them. If you love high octane action with beautiful production quality, use your spiritual energy and jump on in to Noragami Aragoto.

Mirai Nikki is a supernatural thriller produced by Kadokawa shoten, which stars a young boy named Yukiteru who soon discovers that his habit of conversing with imaginary friends through his cellphone (his diary), eventually becomes a fearful reality. By fate, Yukiteru is confronted with a girl named Yuno who he becomes quite fond of throughout the series. This close relationship however eventually becomes a survival game, where both Yukiteru and Yuno must eliminate their enemies while using their equipped diaries, that allow them to assist one another in this fierce battle conducted by God himself. The winner is rewarded with the throne, becoming the ultimate leader of the universe. Very similar to Shirou in Fate/stay night, Yukiteru finds himself having to confront the one person he cares about and eventually has to fight them for his own survival. In Fate/stay night, Rin and Shirou had to make the sacrifice to battle one another to overcome the evil casters that guarded the way. Both Yukiteru and Yuno find themselves having to not only risk their own lives to survive, but eventually come together to defeat the twelve enemies that are pursing them for the throne. The holy grail was the goal of Fate/stay night while the holy throne is what Yukiteru aims to grab in this action packed supernatural thriller. If survival is your game, then don't hesitate to check out Mirai Nikki to see who finally claims the ultimate throne of the universe.

Based off of the popular novel series written by Nasu Kinoko, Kara no Kyoukai stars Ryougi Shiki, who comes to realize that after a severe car accident, she possessed the supernatural power, eyes of death perception, which allowed her to foresee death and to kill anything by destroying its origin. In this action fantasy anime, we see Ryougi on a road of survival, to discover the true origins of her supposed dual life while battling against numerous enemies wielding only a knife in hand. With a number of adaptations and various movies to savor your taste buds, Kara no Kyoukai is sure to bring excitement to anyone who enjoys the game of survival. Akin to Fate/stay night, Kara no Kyoukai is an anime based off of survival while working together with various other characters to discover the true intent behind the enemies plans. Both anime represent the game of death philosophy, where the main character must do whatever it takes to stay alive, while formulating ideas with various characters throughout the story to find the best solutions. At every corner, their life is at stake with every enemy out on a mission to stop them in their tracks. Both Shirou and Ryougi's future are in their hands, and must avoid death if they intend to discover the origin behind their mysterious abilities. If you enjoy action packed survival, with a taste of adventure, then be sure to check out Kara no Kyoukai.

In a world where survival is the only means to live, Ryouta finds himself in the midst of a game of death, where every choice he makes can either make or break his entire existence. In Btooom, we see Ryouta being transported from the video game world which he loved, onto a mysterious island filled with killers out for his head, and their own survival. An unknown individual sought out to recreate the ultra violet btooom, and equipped every player with heavy explosives called BIM. His video game fantasy soon turns into a harsh reality, as he now must use the power of the embedded crystal in his hand, equipped with various tools of his own to not only escape this island, but to stay alive. Fate/stay night runs the same race with regards to how the main character must survive through an onslaught of various battles, by using fused weapons on their bodies. Both Shirou and Ryouta are in the midst of an incredible game of death, where each of them are pitted up against various enemies while discovering the reason behind their turbulent journey. Both anime take place in a mysterious world where they must eventually find their way out by teaming with up other characters to put a stop to the evil at hand. Both Ryouta and Shirou rely on a guardian, or partner, to help aid them on their survival quest. Himiko plays a major part in the story much like Rin, who establish a close relationship with the main character on a race to the top. If you enjoyed Fate/stay night then stop playing games and check out btooom!

Blassreiter is a sci-fi action anime which takes place in a fictional Germany. Joseph Jobson, the main protagonist is out to destroy the outbreak of biochemical creatures called “Demoniacs”, which have the ability to fuse with most technological advancements, such as motorbikes, and greatly intensify the overall performance of the vehicle. XAT, which stands for Xenogenesis Assault Team are the ones who eventually help to secure peace from the destruction of the Demoniacs, but to also discover the truth behind their unknown abilities. It's Joseph's job to survive while at the same time learning how to control the biochemical curse that lives within him. While Fate/stay night isn't sci-fi by any means, Blassreiter gives us a taste once again of sheer production quality with regards to action sequences. You're immediately greeted with a great intro, and well detailed character plot similar to Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works. The similarities lie in the fact that both have a lot to do with “fusing” in the sense that, Shirou fused with his swords to become stronger, while Joseph and the Demoniacs are able to fuse with various tools to enhance their own strength. Furthermore, both Joseph and Shirou are on a road to survival, where every decision they make could potentially threaten their lives. Using the powers bestowed to them, they are destined to seek out the truth while using every bit of their energy to restore balance. If you enjoy a lot of flare and special effects, then fuse with your mouse and check out Blassreiter.

Last on the list is another great anime called Blood Lad. This is another supernatural action style anime very similar to Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works. Blood Lad stars Staz, who is the boss of vampires in the demon world, but has no intention to seek blood from the human race. Staz comes across a teenage girl named Fuyumi, who mysteriously found herself in this new universe. Staz finds himself allured by Fuyumi and befriends her. This friendship soon turns deadly however, as Fuyumi is killed by a monster while Staz had his back turned. This unfortunate death led Staz to fight for the sake of Fuyumi to bring her back to life. While Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works explained the details of Shirou's revelations, Blood Lad explains the story of friendship and how important it is to protect the ones you care about. Both do incorporate the use of fusing with ones own weapon to help defeat the enemy while seeking truth and forming close bonds. You can clearly see a very close resemblance in terms of character with Shirou and Staz, in that they have a strong passion to help protect those around them, without much care for their own well being. That being said, you learn to love both characters due to their very clear intent to seek clarity and to survive at all costs. If you loved Shirou in Fate/stay night, then you'll love Staz in Blood Lad. Check it out.

GOSICK is probably the most similar anime to Beautiful Bones. GOSICK follows the story of a genius mystery solving girl, Victorique, and her reluctant partner, Kazuya. Victorique, is a chibi sized genius who seeks fun in solving crime. With Kazuya, she is able to see the world outside her confined one and help her brother, an actually detective, with his crime solving. The anime focuses a lot of the main character and her remarkable ability to see through murder and mystery, making her a heroine worth fawning over. Unexpected friends form a detective duo in this anime which is reminiscence of Sakurako-san and Shouta. Boy and girl pair like Sakurako-san, GOSICK features a interesting main lead that are intrigued in solving mystery. Not to mention, both Sakurako and Victorique have a childish side that balances their character and gives depth to the secrets that will unravel throughout the anime. With each case solved, more pieces of the main character is revealed to their partner. Ultimately, there is much development from both female character which is the main fold of both anime.

Death Parade tells the story of dead people and their encounters while in the state of limbo (between void and reincarnation). In this middle point, the dead meet with a bartender, Decim, who will engage them in a game to unveil their true colours which will in turn judge their eternal fate. One day in his regular activities, Decim meets a mysterious black haired lady who stirs up his routine. Death Parade is an anime that displays similar themes with Beautiful Bones. Reason being the both anime’s dealings with death of regular people and their lives. Just like Sakurako’s investigation, Death Parade likes to tell why and how these people died. Figuring out people’s death and the story behind Quindecim, the bar, puts Death Parade in the realm of mystery albeit it approaches it from a more supernatural aspect.

Ranpo Kitan: Game of Laplace is an anime set in a middle-school where several murder mystery occurs. Yoshio Kobayashi meets Kogorou Akechi, a genius young detective, in school. There, they form a friendship and Kobayashi begins assisting Akechi in their murder solving adventure. As a tribute to the famous Edogawa Rampo (Japanese Mystery Novelist), this anime draws many inspiration from Rampo and his prized creation Kogoro Akechi (similar name as the main character in Game of Laplace). Game of Laplace is definitely similar to Beautiful Bones as the anime’s art both aesthetically focus on bones and butterfly themes. Both anime have gorgeous drawing when it comes to bones and are very respectful towards the dead. Moreover, Akechi is also an intelligent character like Sakurako and the two are gifted in terms of solving mystery.

xxxHolic is a anime about the supernatural world and characters that are given with the ability to see or communicate with the supernatural beings. The story begins with Kimihiro Watanuki’s encounter with a mysterious woman, Yuuko Ichihara. With these two’s abilities to connect with supernatural beings and the dead, they both become accomplices that help assist mysteries surrounding these beings. On the shallow end, Yuuko’s appearance resembles Sakurako’s greatly. They are both beautiful black-haired women with pale white skin. Moving on to deeper territories, both characters are intelligent and mysterious, yet quirky. Their relationships with their assistant is also quite similar. Although xxxHolic doesn't focus on mystery of murder cases as much as Sakurako’s story, the anime resemble each other in odd ways. xxxHolic deals with the deceased and learns their story from these supernatural beings while Sakurako-san deals with death and its dead body which draws closer to reality. In a sense, xxxHolic is Beautiful Bones set in the supernatural realm.

The Perfect Insider is another anime that started airing in Fall of 2015. This anime features Souhei Saikawa, a professor, and Moe Nishinosono, his unlikely partner. These two collaborate to uncover the mystery behind the gruesome death of a genius programmer Shiki Magata. As people are getting murdered around them, the two attempt to figure out the killer before it’s too late. This anime is definitely one for the mystery lover. Similarly to Sakurako-san, Souhei Saikawa is a skilled mystery solver who is paired with Moe, a sidekick that pushes him beyond his abilities. This anime is also pretty gruesome in terms of its murders, just like Sakurako-san. However, The Perfect Insider tries to tear at every layer of mystery slowly, making its reveal more satisfying. While Sakurako-san solves a mystery per episode, The Perfect Insider only focuses on one murder case and stretches its investigation for an entire season. Nevertheless, its entertaining if you’re into a deeper research than Sakurako-san. Also, it’s nice to switch between two anime as we come to the conclusion of both seasons.

The final similar anime will be Hyouka, an anime about high-schoolers who are intrigued with figuring out simple daily life mysteries. The story focuses on four high-schoolers that are part of the same club, Classics Literature Club. The anime’s relation to mystery storytelling does run weaker than of Sakurako, nevertheless, it is still a lighthearted anime that includes friends working together to solve a puzzle. Main character, Houtarou Oreki, resembles Sakurako in this anime with his high ability to figure out things. While his personality leans toward a laid-back and bordering lazy side, when he’s invested in a mystery, he deals to find out its resolution, just like Sakurako. Though this anime includes three other main characters, they make a great team just like Sakurako and Shouta. Both anime features an obsession with telling the stories of people behind the mysteries while simultaneously allowing the main characters to find out more about themselves.

With dreams of becoming a high priest so as to help others, you can imagine Akuto Sai’s disappointment after being told that he’s destined to become the next Demon King. Understandably his classmates are a bit wary of him as well, although he has drawn the attention of a few of the girls around school. Now, one or two of them might be trying to kill him, but a harems a harem right? Join Akuto in his efforts to prove that Demon Kings aren’t always the bad guys, and in doing so maybe pick up a few cute girls along the way. Although Testament is a bit more full on, both shows’ main purpose is to provide ecchi fan service, which they do an excellent job of. Testament and Ichiban Ushiro no Daimaou both feature a main character who is incredibly strong, but also has negative assumptions made about them, despite their desire to fight for good. For that same reason they both also have a number of delightful female followers, who just won’t leave them alone. The two shows have so much in common that if you liked Testament it would be hard to find a reason not give Ichiban Ushiro no Daimaou a watch.

How to tell if a date is going badly: she turns out to be a fallen angel and brutally murders you. After such a poor night out, perverted teenager Issei Hyodo is lucky enough to get resurrected by the voluptuous devil Rias Gremory, who also happens to be the most popular girl in school, and president of the Occult Research Club. Now part of Rias’s peerage, Issei has to adapt to his new life as a devil, though fortunately the harem gathering around him does make it much easier. Despite some differences in character dynamics, High School DxD and The Testament of Sister New Devil: BURST feel very alike in terms of atmosphere, genre and fan service. The main difference between the two is that High School DxD can come off as whacky at times, when the fan service reaches peak levels, however both still have some excellent story driven moments and action scenes. Although High School DxD’s fan service isn’t quite as borderline-hentai as Testament’s, it’s still pretty high level and often more frequent. Much like Ichiban Ushiro no Daimaou, High School DxD is so similar to The Testament of Sister New Devil that if you like one, you will almost certainly enjoy the other.

Your average teenage pervert, it all starts going downhill for Ryousuke Kaga after he meets beautiful shinagami Lisara Restall. As it turns out, he’s only got three months to live. Thankfully Lisara offers to help him stay alive, but only in exchange for his help keeping her in the mortal world. Unfortunately that involves letting her drain all his perverted energy, which sure makes reading ecchi magazines a whole lot less fun. Dakara Boku wa H ga Dekinai is yet another show based around demons which shares a lot of similarities with Testament. Once again, the ecchi levels are off the charts, with both our protagonists having a host of cute girls surrounding them, who are always finding themselves in awfully lewd situations. Although not quite as intense as Testament of Sister New Devil, Dakara Boku wa H ga Dekinai has some great fight scenes and fan service, and is a great pick up if you find yourself running out of cute devil girls (which can be a serious problem).

There are many things about Arata Kasuga that even he doesn’t understand, the main one being how he managed to cause a Breakdown Phenomenon that destroyed his entire hometown. Now attending the Royal Biblia Academy, Arata is determined to learn more about his power, and find his missing cousin Hijiri, who might be the only person who can tell him what really happened that day. To that effect, the school headmaster advises him to gather the Trinity Seven, the school’s seven most powerful mages, to aid him, and as luck would have it they all also happen to be beautiful young girls. As with Testament, Trinity Seven once again gives us our insanely overpowered protagonist, and a swathe of girls who cling to him like metal to a magnet. One of the surprising things about both series, is that unlike our usual harem leaders, these guys are totally up for it. This mixes things up a bit with the character dynamics, making them both not quite as repetitive as some ecchi series can be. With a stronger focus on plot than some of the series in this list, Trinity Seven is a great series if you want something more than just fan service.

Despite living with three of the galaxy’s princesses, being constantly chased by an unstoppable assassin, and being harassed by numerous other girls at school, Rito Yuuki does a pretty good job of living a normal life. In fact the biggest problem he has is being unable to confess his feelings to his crush, Haruna Sairenji. Third princess Momo however, has much bigger plans for Rito, harem plans. Because if you go by space rules then technically polygamy isn’t a problem. Both Testament and Motto To Love-Ru are currently some of the highest quality ecchi anime about, with excellent animation and art. Testament’s Maria and Momo from To Love-Ru are like two peas in a pod, both constantly keeping our protagonists on their toes in their harem creation plans. Although both feature very different stories, if you went to Testament for the fan service, then Motto To Love-Ru will certainly not disappoint. To add to that, with its sequel To Love-Ru Darkness and Darkness 2nd already out, there’s plenty of ecchi to go around.

Killing the God of War comes with some responsibilities attached, the weight of which Godou Kusanagi is really feeling after suddenly finding he has become a Campione, a God Slayer. With his new title, Godou is expected to take care of troublemaking Gods, a task easier said than done. But as a host of attractive young ladies begin to show an interest in his new found power, things suddenly start to look up. Acquire super powers, get girls: there’s definitely a pattern here. Both Testament of Sister New Devil and Campione see our main protagonists using their immense powers to stop evil, and acquire harems. Campione’s theme of old gods keeps the show feeling fresh, but still very similar to Testament in its genre and contents. Much like Testament, Campione includes a bucket load of ecchi fan service, excellent magical battles and a solid enough plot to keep things interesting. Campione is great if you want something a bit more light hearted, although we’d still advise doors closed, headphones on.

Denpa Kyoushi is a story about a young man who is lost along his way in life, but soon discovers a wonderful chance to use his genius skills to educate those around him. Junichirou was known by his peers to be gifted in physics, but soon after graduating from college, he lost all interest in what he had loved most, science. He devoted his life to becoming a NEET (or YD as he likes to consider himself) which his younger sister didn't find very alluring, and so she desperately tried to convince Junichirou to teach physics at his old high school, to use his wonderful gift and share it with others. After witnessing a bullying and saving a girl from further harm, Junichirou realizes that perhaps this direction was one which he could prosper in. In GTO, Onizuka also comes from somewhat of a struggle where his past life had led him into trouble, and didn't get him anywhere. But he soon discovers that he could use his life experiences as a tool to teach others the value of knowledge, but more importantly life itself. Both Junichirou and Onizuka are gifted in their own right, using their prowess to overcome the past gripes that they had, and using those experiences to teach others to follow their own heart. These anime focus primarily on one important thing and that is one should never give up in spite of ones pasts, and use their talents to help inspire others to become the greatest in their own lives. If you like a little slice of life with a pinch of humor, then check out Denpa Kyoushi.

Assassination Classroom is a wonderful anime that embraces much of what GTO had to offer, which was unconventional teaching methods, mixed with valuable nuggets of information that the viewer could definitely take with them. A mysterious creature has sliced the moon into what is now a crescent, and eventually finds himself on Earth with a much more challenging task: teaching junior high school students. The students realize that this same monster who is threatening their existence, equipped with the extraordinary talent of traveling at mach 20, is now their teacher. It tells a wonderful story of a teacher who helps his pupils sharpen their skills in order to overcome the oppressive education system, while also guiding them towards a better life for themselves. Because GTO was released before Assassination Classroom, we can assume that creator Yuusei Matsui had some inspiration from this wonderful classic. GTO embraces the importance of self teaching, where one must learn to overcome the inner darkness to finally find the fuel to burn the flame to their own success. Both anime take place in a hostile school environment where just about anything can happen, while the main character works hard to help educate their pupils to become better students in not only the classroom, but life. With very deep philosophical reminders thrown into the mix throughout the series, Assassination Classroom and GTO are wonderful school anime that really demonstrate how important it is to learn from your peers. Check it out.

Continuing with the ongoing trend of school anime and the plot surrounding a character with a hidden talent to educate, we now are going to discuss Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei. Nozomu always seems to find himself dealing with bad luck at every corner he turns. This despair somehow leads him into a high school where much like himself, the students deal with their own misfortunes which now Nozomu has to confront and overcome. This great story demonstrates that the greatest teacher in our lives is not the one who holds the book, but rather the one who holds the key to unlocking the inner champion we have inside. Nozomu and Onizuka share a very similar tale in which both main characters come from a very turbulent background, filled with despair waiting at every turn. They both however find solace in teaching, which they then use to help bring clarity to the students around them. The theme follows the direction of being in school, where the premise of the anime is to entertain you but also educate you. The latter seems to be more of the primary focus, as we notice Nozomu growing as an individual himself, while his pupils grow to love and respect him for his wonderful ways of teaching, much like Onizuka. If you truly were inspired by GTO, then don't hesitate to watch Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei.

Prison School was one of Japan's most popular anime for the summer of 2015, where it showcased five characters, who find themselves in despair and have to deal with the risk of being expelled from school for a crime they were framed for. Kiyoshi and four other males have enrolled into Hachimitsu Private Academy, an all girls private school filled with women out to pursue their dreams. This is a first in the history of the Academy as males were never given right to step foot on the premises. This dream soon turns into a fateful nightmare, where Kiyoshi and his four other comrades must deal with the truth that awaits them inside. The theme of GTO was to show direction, despite coming from a tough upbringing, and to educate those around the main character. The characters in Prison School take all of what Onizuka was and split him up into five different beings. All five characters experience much of what Onizuka did in the beginning, which was that they were brought into a very hostile school environment and had to find the right solutions to get them out. Takehito who is seen as the polar opposite of Kiyoshi, is the philosophical mastermind who uses his wit and charm to outsmart his enemy, but eventually educate them all at the same time. Both anime share a defining purpose: work together and educate one another and despite what we have all been through, knowledge is what will lead the way towards prosperity. If you love a lot of comedy and seeing characters overcoming obstacles in wonderful ways, then definitely check out Prison School.

Gokusen follows the life of Kumiko, an aspiring teacher who comes from a dark world of Yakuza. Being an heir to the most prominent Yakuza group Oedo, she has to keep this a secret from everyone. She enrolls into Shirokin Gakuen Private School in hopes that she can keep her past a secret and focus more on the passion she always desired, to become the greatest math teacher. These anime are almost entirely similar in that both Onizuka and Kumiko come from a very dangerous gang upbringing and are looking to become the greatest at what they love doing, teaching. The story becomes even more similar as both characters are put into a classroom full of troublemakers (and funny enough very similar classroom numbers) and its their goal to gain the respect and admiration from their pupils. Onizuka had to deal with a lot of drama from his subordinates and classmates due to him being a new teacher, but much of these issues did not rattle him. The very same tale arose for Kumiko as her students tried everything to rattle her cage in hopes to have her resign. This wonderful story of personal struggles, passion for teaching, and finding direction are what make Gokusen captivating to watch. Both characters display a goal to help educate those around them, which help bring everyone together. If you loved GTO, Gokusen will not dissappoint.

I My Me! Strawberry Eggs is a great classic anime about a young man with hopes of becoming an athletics teacher, while having to withhold the secret of his personal life from his students. After graduating from college, Amawa found it challenging to land a job in the field he loved. He eventually comes across a local middle school but is again stricken with an unfortunate event, as the principle of the school strictly forbids male teachers, as she feels most men lack the drive and passion to work. This motivates and triggers an idea as he returns to his landlord asking to assist him in becoming a cross dresser so that he could have the opportunity to do what he loves best. The plot of both GTO and I My Me! Strawberry Eggs is that both main characters have somewhat of a personal struggle which then leads into personal triumph. Onizuka and Amawa have discovered their passion for teaching, but are then confronted with an obstacle which they both have to overcome. This prevents them from exposing their true background, but also gives them the opportunity to pursue the one thing they hope to achieve, becoming the greatest teacher. Throughout this anime we see that over time, both characters learn to accept their pasts, and also gaining the love and respect for their students as they had hoped for. A very inspiring treat for those who enjoy a tale of trials and tribulations into triumph. Check this one out!