Like Wolf’s Rain, Ginga Legend Weed offers the viewer fur-raising, battles with fast, heart pounding action, as well as loveable characters. Weed, a young pup who has never met his father, comes under the care of an English Setter named GB following the death of his mother. GB is bent on getting the young Weed, to Futago Pass, a dog utopia deep in the Ou Mountains, to reunite him with his father, Gin. The adventure is only just beginning as the two find that Ou has been turned into a canine wasteland by a four-legged beast that was once a dog. The duo join forces with other dog-soldiers lead by a German Shepard named Jerome, to combat the savage, gene-manipulated canine monster (after his escape from a scientific lab). This is only just a taste of the action as Weed and his canine friends battle other power-hungry dogs, twisted cannibalistic baboons, as well as a militarized Russian, German Sheppard hell bent on conquest (among others!). Every episode will have you itching for more as you follow the pack on their quest for survival, freedom, and above all, peace. Wolf’s Rain and Ginga Densetsu Weed have similarities in plot that are hard to match, not just in regards to canine battles but also in the noble characters and the search for a place where they belong. As they fight tooth and claw, both Wolf’s Rain and Ginga Densetsu weed are ultimate outcast stories; just don’t expect to see any shape-shifting humans!

Although different in tone, Spice and Wolf is also about a canine journey in quest for paradise. While the slower paced action is a little different from Wolf’s Rain, the deeply involving story and admirable characters make the two series very similar. After the village she has blessed with fertile harvests has advanced and abandoned its old traditions, a wolf goddess, Holo, begins a search for her own paradise. The goddess takes human form and enlists the help of a traveling merchant, Kraft Lawrence, to help her find a new home in the snowy mountains to the north where she can live in peace. Their quest becomes a journey that allows the two to learn from each other as the goddess meets with the practical care of the human merchant. His love and attention come to show her a side of humanity she’d come to think had all but disappeared. But even with the help of Kraft, will the goddesses’ wild nature threaten her very survival? In both Wolf’s Rain and Spice and Wolf, we find were-creatures in worlds they no longer belong in. Both Kiba and Holo find their wild nature conflicting to the passion they feel within them and the need to fit in. It is only through the redeeming power of their other halves that they can find the paradise they are searching for. Be it through the help of a mythical psychic like Cheza, or through simple things that make us human, like Lawrence. At heart, Spice and Wolf is also a story about persecution; as Holo’s feral nature puts her at risk of being tracked and hunted down by a very powerful enemy, the church. In both Wolf’s Rain and Spice and Wolf, the characters must overcome formidable opponents and come to terms with their true wild nature in order to survive.

Although no wolves are involved in this futuristic thriller, the action packed journey as well as the tone and the atmosphere make Ergo Proxy and Wolf’s Rain, very similar. While they may seem unrelated at first glance Ergo Proxy shares the common theme of survival in an barren apocalyptic landscape removed from the outside world. Twists and turns at every corner, Ergo Proxy is set in a futuristic barren land where man is confined to domed, sterile, robotic super-cities. A series of brutal murders committed by robots infected with a computer virus leads detective Re-I Mayer in a search for truth and justice. Wolf’s Rain and Ergo Proxy are deeply physiological, dark, enthralling and equally just as exciting. Both stories follow the heroes as they try to make meaning out of their existence in a world they no longer belong in. Like Wolf’s Rain mysterious, philosophical undertones, Ergo Proxy will leave you scratching your head wondering if anything can survive, not just the world, but also reality itself. Harsh circumstances of apocalyptic proportions that force Kiba and his pack to make decisions and adjust to a changing landscape of diminishing possibilities are key elements that are mirrored in Ergo Proxy’s twists. Every possible dead-end that one could imagine in a futuristic quest for super technology is explored in this action packed thriller. Can apocalyptic technologies that doom humanity to a diminished existence result in anything but death, disorder and destruction? What and who, is really human, and who can you trust?

For those howling at the moon for more wolves, darkness and gore, Okami Kakushi is the perfect mystery that will keep you at the edge of your seat. In the remote city of Jouga, all is not what it seems. Tales of giant wolves that once lived in the old city are rumoured to still haunt those parts. When people start vanishing with no explanation, Kazumi Hiroshi, a new resident to the city, starts to wonder if what he is being told is true, or if something more sinister is at work. In the meantime, he must adjust with moving to a new town and caring for his wheelchair-bound sister. All the while his father’s focus is set on writing the perfect story about the giant wolves. Behind the scenes, a group in wolf’s masks led by a mysterious masked female wielding a crescent-moon shaped scythe, roams the night in search for victims to soothe her blood thirst. Who is she and what is behind her need for bloodshed? Are the stories that surround the mysterious old part of town true? Or is the blood thirst due to the darkest nature of humanity? As his curiosity leads him to uncover the mystery, our unlikely hero may be getting in way over his head. This hyper real super-tale offers all the gore and so much more. Both Okami Kakushi and Wolf’s Rain delve in the hunting down of creatures and people that no longer fit the status quo. In a fight for truth, a piece of paradise, or just peace, the stories enthral you in the parts of our nature we often try to escape. While Wolf’s Rain delves into the darker side of humanity, with Okami Kakushi, expect to go even darker (until all you see is the black of night, the red of blood and the silver of the moon on the reflection of Wolf’s masks!). The only difference between them is who’s doing the hunting.

Although there is also no mention of shape shifting werewolves in this tale, Witch Hunter Robin has the same apocalyptic tone, as well as the heart pounding supernatural storyline that is equally as engrossing as Wolf’s Rain. Although the styles differ, the two can be said to inhabit the same parallel (and paranormal) universe. The ultimate witch-hunt is underway when STN-J, the Japanese sect of a secret organization in charge of hunting down witches who misuse their power, gets a new member. Questions begin to mount as the witch-hunt swells into an all out battle that could engulf the entire organization. For Robin, a witch herself, the need to balance her powers with her responsibilities as a witch hunter becomes a balancing act that may overcome her very need to subdue her power. The treatment of the witches incarcerated and the very nature of her duties come into question as Robin becomes increasingly weary of the organization she once found herself working for. Fear of being labelled a witch and hunted down herself, Robin must take a stand or risk facing persecution. Both Wolf’s Rain and Witch Hunter Robin deal with characters coming to terms with their supernatural abilities. By merely trying to survive, the characters face organizations, (like STN from Witch Hunter Robin) or people (like Quent the werewolf hunter from Wolf’s Ran) designed and trained to kill them. In their need to assimilate, their fight brings them head to head against a world that seeks their annihilation.

The classic and now iconic super-adventure, Inuyasha, is one we are sure you can’t miss! The story begins when Inuyasha, a half dog-demon teams up with Kagome Higurashi, a 15-year-old girl from Tokyo (who travels back in time by falling down her family’s well to feudal Japan). Be ready for a wild ride as you delve into the realm of spirits, demons, and dark curses that will pique your otherworldly desires for spellbinding plots and characters to match. Ostracized by demons and humans alike, the unlikely duo embark on an epic adventure to try and recover the magical Shikon Jewel. This powerful device is sought after for it’s magical properties, pieces of which are scattered throughout Japan. The pair will stop at nothing until they are able to recover every piece, fighting off monsters and demons (some of them their own), along the way. A flurry of violence, romance and magic mix in a fantastical world brimming with over-the-top action that will keep you coming back for more; as its 2010, 26 episode revival left us salivating. A truly thrilling series that beckons the viewer into worlds of enchantment and possibility, if you sleep on Inuyasha, you are truly missing out! Although Wolf’s Rain is different in tone and setting, the adventure and action are a match. Aside from the obvious wolf correlation, expect loads more magic, and a few less tears. While Kiba and the pack face supernatural apocalyptic feats, Inuyasha has Kagome as his better half, which makes the duo a pack of their own. Like Wolf’s Rain, expect to see all the mishaps that come with being part feral beast; you simply won’t need that box of tissues as readily available this time.

Right off the bat, just from the first two words in the title, you can tell where this one is going. The father, Haruki Kizaki has four daughters, in which two of them stayed with him and the other two went with their mother after their separation. Ayame Kizaki, notices that her father is lonely due to his wife leaving him recently, so she comes up with a dangerous idea to fill the void, and take place of her mother’s old position. It sounds like things just got taken up a couple notches in that household! Instead of the father taking advantage of his daughters, like in Oni Chichi, we have it flipped, and the daughters are trying to please their “papa” as best as they can. With that idea in mind, I’d like to point out that one of his daughters by the name of Hyouka, has an almost identical personality and mindset towards her father as the lead female, Airi in Oni Chichi. It stems from her general disgust and hatred towards her father for being a “perv”. Hyouka, even has the twin tails hairstyle and the only difference is her pale-purple hair and brown eyes. School scenes are present in this hentai, as well as sharing the father x daughter incest that is present in Oni Chichi. This was produced by PoRO the same company that is famous for producing Oni Chichi. Without question, you can feel and see some of aspects they have in common, especially in the animation department. The other thing to note is that you don’t get the feeling that the daughters are out to rape their dad; they just simply want please him. If you’re interested in seeing what it would be like to have the roles nearly reversed check this one out, it shouldn’t disappoint.

Almost immediately into this hentai you will notice that it shares the same school surrounding as Oni Chichi. The school receives a couple of new transfer students by the name of Shizuka Takai and Satsuki Wakao. Both girls seem to be appreciative of the teacher, Takashi Yamada, while they are in the vice-principal’s office. However that quickly comes unglued, after a photoshoot from the girls, when they are informed by Takashi that he will be their attendant. It turns out they are also part-time models, initially, unbeknownst to Takashi. Disappointed by the vice-principal’s decision, Shizuka brings out the lion inside of her. She starts to belittle Takashi in many ways. It isn’t long after that the h-scenes start to happen, starting with the pleasant Satsuki. JK to Inkou Kyoushi 4 has no drugs or weapons to dangle over the girls to have sex with the teacher. One of the females is simply willing to do so, while the other is foul-mouthed and has no intention on being seduced by the teacher, for a good portion of the anime. Like a few of these hentai on this list, it was produced by PoRO. It seems like this studio has a similar theme with their anime and in comes in the form of rape in a school setting. The animation design is what you would come to expect from PoRO, which is what we feel to be top notch. The situations and the h-scenes are of high quality and we feel you should check this one out.

This is the longest hentai on this list, running at four episodes in length. This one also possesses one of the more intriguing storylines of the bunch. Atsuko Takagi, recently moved to a new town to seek new employment, in particular a job as a teacher at a high school. She does everything by the book and treats her students with such kindness. Until one day, she walks into her classroom and finds non-consensual photos of her undressing, pinned up for the students to survey. Atsuko, confused naturally, wonders who took those scantily clad shots of herself. She quickly establishes that living in this town is going to have some major consequences. This hentai has an interesting dynamic to it, and it might put some of the audience’s mystery solving skills to the test, even if just for a little bit. Machi Gurumi no Wana does have the teacher x student relations; except in this case it’s a female teacher getting blackmailed and/or tricked into have sex with her students to keep her job. If word got out, of these lewd photos, she would be removed promptly from her position. So she has to do her best to keep the classroom morale high, in particular the headmaster’s son, Kenji. It only escalates from there and students start getting blackmailed for sexual favors. As the series moves on, it does get away from the school environment, and takes a slightly different route. However, both Atsuko and her younger sister Yui continue to take the brunt of the blackmail. This also includes father x daughter incest, which is something prevalent in Oni Chichi.

D-Spray is one of three on this list that isn’t produced by PoRO. It noticeably looks different from most of the other anime on this list. Its setting is darker than Oni Chichi and the females in this OVA are more mature. The story revolves around the idea of a lazy employee named, Daisuke Saionji who is told by his co-worker to meet with the head of research to try out this new product that she has. Reiko, the head of research wants Daisuke to use this aphrodisiac on the female employees to test its effectiveness. Already just from that plot summary, you can see that it uses an aphrodisiac, just like Oni Chichi to take advantage of females. That’s really the only thing these two share in common. The story is quite different and it does not take place at school in any way. Granted, the one thing that is comparable is the driving force for both of these anime. If it wasn’t for those sprays being created, we would’ve had an entirely different setup to these h-scenes. The animation is passable, but we feel that it’s not on the same level as some of these others.

The entire premise of this hentai is about discipline and punishment of students at a high school, who have broken the rules, according to main disciplinary Joutarou Shimohei. You know that feeling sometimes, when you see someone for the first time and you feel uneasy? This male teacher is a prime example of that. He is mighty creepy, and it’s the first male on this list that really didn’t sit well with us. This anime brings it back to the school setting, but it plays out a bit differently than Oni Chichi, in that it’s not about a father using an aphrodisiac to have sex with his daughters. It’s simply just having someone of power above them and “punishing” the females for their wrongdoings. As you can probably imagine, this anime has a dark tone to it. In fact, it’s probably the darkest of the hentai on this list. It’s specifically because of the premise and the events leading up to the h-scenes. The h-scenes aren’t much different than what has already been put on this list, but the situations prior to them are what can really fuel hatred for this chemistry teacher, Joutarou. On the other hand it can also bring even more pleasure to the scenes for some viewers, if that’s what they’re into, of course. The animation is solid and the females are really cute. Just be warned you might loathe this guy by the time you’re finished with this hentai. We know we did just minutes in.

The plot in this one is centered on a physical education teacher who has a lust for having sex with his students. After achieving what he wanted to do, Inui Yoshiyuki, decided to leave that school and find one that could offer him a bit more, in regards to female activity. Conveniently enough, he found himself working at an all-females school. The opening gives us Kiyoka Suzumoto, the student council representative, introducing herself to the new teacher, Inui. Immediately after that, we get a gripping line “I respected him as a teacher…” You could tell right then and there, he had lustful eyes for her and that was merely just a foreshadowing event. Fast-forward a short time later and he offers Kiyoka, a “new sports drink”, figuring she could use it after doing all these tasks, that are asked of a representative. She politely declines, but he insists, so she accepts it. While in the Student Council room, we see that she has drank it; to her realization, it’s not what was advertised. Imagine that?! What it did was make her hot and horny beyond belief. Just from that opening scene alone, we were able to piece together several similarities to Oni Chichi. We have the lead male using a liquid that tricks girls into compromising situations, à la the mist in Oni Chichi. No, the teacher is not the step-father of the girls that he has h-scenes with, but Inui, employs several tactics to get what he wants, including potential blackmail and drugs for the female students he sees in the school. With all that said, it’s worth a checkout if you’re into that type of fantasy.

Far from the perfect straight A student, Louise happens to be a spell caster with a somewhat difficult time handling her magic. Her shortcomings have consequently earned her the nickname “Zero Louise”. As a test, she must summon a familiar (or servant) that will aid in her magical workings but instead, to her dismay, she mistakenly summons a normal Japanese boy. Both Louise and Saito refuse to work with each other as they both feel shortchanged, as she cannot perform another summoning spell and he cannot return to his normal life. Just like Ash Blake, Louise is the school’s outcast and some would say just a plain old zero. While their individual searches leave them confused and bewildered, what both characters are truly searching for is that magical element that could dissolve their angst and alleviate their confusion. In a twist of events, the main characters in both stories end up finding their power in stubborn, albeit cute, little packages. Both Louise and Ash require the help of unlikely sources that take the shape of a little girl, Eco (from Dragonar Academy) and a little boy, Saito (from Zero no Tsukaima). Eco and Saito allow Ash and Louise to change their perspective and realize what is truly important; only through that lesson can they reach their full potential and attain their true power, hidden within.

In a world separated by three thin veils, demons, sorcerers, and humans dwell in their respective realms. Although the humans are unaware of the constant havoc wreaked between the god’s and demon’s ongoing battles (as most of the fighting takes place in the other dimensions), Magician’s Academy is a tale that follows an up-and-coming sorcerer who inhabits more than just one world, beginning with (yep, you guessed it) another summoning exam gone awry. Magical mishaps abound when Takuto’s failed summoning spell results in the appearance of a girl named Tanorette. This small girl is in fact a potential half-demon/goddess who possesses a lethal dose of magical mana, with enough power to lay waste to the entire country. But, to Takuto’s relief, Tanorette is unyieldingly loyal and consequently pledges her allegiance. All the while, a behind the scenes plot, in fear of Takuto’s immense power, is hatched to thwart his efforts and wipe him out of existence. Just like Dragonar’s Academy, this tale deals with big things that come in small packages (this time the packages being unassuming girls with loads of power, be it magic or dragon rage). Both series explore themes related to coming to terms with one’s willpower and strength, and claiming those things for oneself. In Magician’s Academy, Takuto was deemed to be too dangerous as his power was seen as a liability, on the other hand, Ash Blake is seen as the only one who can summon himself to wield the power needed to defeat certain enemies in Dragonar Academy. Regardless, the two end up being outcast by their abilities and respective magical powers. Both series offer viewers a similar curriculum that includes all the fire, action, and energy that makes Dragonar Academy so thrilling.

Following the tragedy of his parent’s passing after a space shuttle disaster and the impending threat of an asteroid impact wiping out all life on Earth, we find Jin Kamishina. The series unfolds as Jin finds himself uncovering mysteries regarding his family’s death while trying to survive the impeding annihilation of the planet. After uncovering a dragon egg under the ocean, the International Solarsystem Development Agency, or ISDA, creates a weapon or (Dragonaut) to combat the asteroid’s potential wrath, but this celestial Molotov is just one of Earth’s concerns as Earth-bound dragon creatures begin to wreak havoc on their collision course with the planet. Jin’s fate becomes entangled with the enigmatic appearances of a sensuous half-humanoid/half-dragon being, named Toa. But who really is this female dragon being who has taken human form? Despite their backgrounds, our unlikely duo must fight the odds and try to survive, at the same time though, could an explosive revelation lead to their destruction? While both Dragonar Academy and Dragonaut (obviously) deal with the mythical power of fire-breathing creatures and how to control them, there are key elements that link the two even further. Both stories enlist unlikely duos in the union of a human male and a female dragon-being that has taken on a humanoid form to communicate with their male counterpart. The focus of Dragonaut shifts when you realize the sheer force and brute power of the winged beasts will not be tamed. Only the main characters in both series can summon their own will to save their respective worlds, as they try to sift through a world on the verge of becoming cinders. Be it against evil-doers in control of dragons like Ash in Dragonar Academy, or from the apocalyptic power of extra-terrestrial dragon-like beings hailing from their asteroid home, like Jin in Dragonaut. Perhaps both Dragon Academy and Dragonaut can be said to inhabit the same dragon universe (whose one to say); the only difference is that in Dragonaut: The Resonance, the dragons have turned on the humans trying to harness their power, and they may have already won.

Like Dragonar Academy, Dragon Crisis begins with an unsuspecting, seemingly normal high school boy whose life is uprooted when his second cousin Erika decides to pay him a visit. The tale unfolds as they both seek a relic box from a nefarious character also known as a black broker. Eventually, they end up finding the box and unleashing a red dragon girl named Rose. Unfortunately, they’re not the only ones after her. In order to protect their newfound friend and ally, both Erika and Ryuji decide to take a stand against the black organization as Ryuji uses his latent powers as a relic handler. Both Dragon Crisis! and Dragonar Academy share the same theme of a dragon embodied in the form of a little human girl, although their wild nature proves to be too much for their handlers to do just that (handle them). In order to do this, both Ash (in Dragonar Academy) and Ryuji (in Dragon Crisis!) must search within themselves for the power they possess. Dragon Crisis! sees Ryuji as he tries to protect Rose from the world, while Dragonar Academy’s girl-dragon, Eco, does most of the protecting herself. In the end, both stories are about boys who share a love for a special little dragon girl that is truly their wilder half. This is classic anime: non-complicated magic, action, mystery, and dragons, what more could we ask for?

Boasting a wide array of larger than life characters including adolescent 165 year-old elves, a millennium-old demigoddess, a sorcerer’s apprentice, and a rampaging dragon to boot. Gate follows Yoji, a newly promoted JSDF officer, who investigates the peculiar going-ons of the ‘other world’. As a portal opens in Ginza, one of Tokyo’s central districts, the Japan Self Defense Force or JSDF manages to thwart the army’s advances. But questions quickly arise as to the very nature of the beings that inhabit it and how they got there in the first place. Walls between the worlds blur and combatant legions heralding from this otherworldly dimension threaten to endanger Tokyo. In this series, there’s no shortage of fast, fun, swooping through the air in a gust of wind, kind of action. Like Dragonar Academy, Gate involves an all-star cast of mythical beings that clash in epic battles. This time it’s between Japanese special forces who collide with legions from other realms. Like Dragonar Academy, Gate boasts a slew of fairy creatures; but in both, dragons are still the wildest, most misunderstood, and most dangerous of them all. In both series, there’s no shortage of fire breathing dragons with twisted appetites for destruction and mayhem. The poignant difference between the two series is that, in Gate, JSDF is able to eventually pacify the mythical realm’s inhabitants but seeks to subdue and ultimately control them, while Dragonar’s two-winged beasts remain allies who fight alongside their human counterparts, still retaining their wild nature.

Although an oldie, it’s nonetheless still a goldie and a must see if you really want a healthy dose of dragon’s breath and searing fire. Like Ash Blake in Dragonar Academy, Orphen follows Krylancelo and Azalie, two up and coming student sorcerers attending one of the land’s most prestigious magic schools. One fateful day, Azalie’s experimentation goes awfully wrong as one of her spells rebounds and transforms her into a grisly dragon nicknamed Bloody August. In an act to upkeep the prestige of their institution, the Tower of Fang Elders, however, deny the incident and claim that she is indeed dead. Five years later, we find Krylancelo in search for the Sword of Baltanders, one of the artifacts needed to redeem his long lost, beloved friend Azalie to her former self and take a stand against the Tower of Fang Elders. Fighting the forces of evil may be a common theme among many stories, but when you have dragons on your side, whether they were born that way or accidentally morphed into being through magic, the results can be problematic. While both stories involve prestigious academies, and both also deal with female dragons, Orphen is in a way a reversal of Dragonar Academy. In Dragonar Academy (the latter), Ash is expecting a fire breathing dragon pal to tame, but unexpectedly gets Eco, a little dragon girl. On the other hand, Azalie, from Orphen, is a young girl herself who inadvertently becomes something unexpected, a dragon. In a way both stories deal with the illusion of appearance, its irony and fateful consequences. Through the transformation of characters into beings that are unexpected, the series embark on different journeys that lead our characters in a fight towards fulfilment and redemption.

When Yukiya Anase was in high school, he helped out a stranger. Now four years later, while in university, Yukiya finds himself bought by that same stranger at an auction his cousins sells him at…. for 120 million yen. The stranger turns out to be Somuku Kanou, and Okane ga Nai tells the story of their unlikely relationship. Because Yukiya cannot pay Somuku back the 120 million yen he was purchased with, he is forced to have sex with Somuku in return for 500,000 yen each time to try to buy back his eventual freedom. The first and most obvious similarity between Okane ga Nai and Boku no Pico is the age difference between the two main characters. While it is not as wide of a gap as in Boku no Pico, Yukiya is clearly still much younger than Somuku. He thus still finds himself at the mercy of an older and much more experienced lover, just like Pico is. The sex is also less than consensual in both anime, with Yukiya clearly doing it for the money to try to pay Somuku back for buying him. Finally, in both anime the uke, or submissive partner, is drawn in a very feminine and soft style, whereas the seme, or dominant partner, is much more masculine.

Shounen Maid Kuuro-kun: Tenshi no Uta is about Kuuro, a boy sold into slavery by his own father to pay back his family’s debts. Kuuro finds himself as not just any ordinary slave, but a slave forced into the role of being a boy maid. Of course, Kuuro ends up doing much more than cleaning – his role of being a “maid” is mostly just him wearing a female uniform. The rest of his duties revolve around the sexual gratifications of his new master, and doing whatever he wishes. Like Okane ga Nai, and of course like Boku no Pico, Shounen Maid Kuuro-Kun is a shotacon yaoi. Kuuro is just a boy, and much younger than his master in the story. He is also placed into the submissive position of uke, much like Pico is, though Kuuro finds himself in even more compromising, borderline-BDSM situations. Pico is depicted as a more feminine and soft character, and Kuuro is drawn in the same way. His effeminate role is highlighted even more by his character always being in the cross-dressing situation of wearing a maid uniform. Shounen Maid Kuuro-kun may only be one episode, but if you like a very clear and defined seme/uke kind of hentai, this is definitely one you’ll want to check out!

Loveless starts off with Ritsuka Aoyagi losing his older brother, and being left alone with only his insane mother – and now, Soubi Agatsuma, a man who claims to have been his brother’s best friend. As the plot unfolds, Ritsuka discovers that Soubi and his brother had a relationship as “Fighter” and “Sacrifice” for an organization called Septimal Moon, which is responsible for his brother’s death. But now, Ritsuka has to be the Sacrifice in his brother’s place, as he and Soubi try to solve the mystery of his brother’s murder. If there is another boys love story that most anime fans have heard of (besides Boku no Pico of course!), it’s Loveless. With 12 episodes and a fully formed, intriguing plot, Loveless has a devoted following despite its age. The eight year age difference between Ritsuka and Soubi is similar to the one between Pico and Tamotsu, and their relationship with Soubi being in a caretaker position to Ritsuka is also very close to Pico and Tamotsu’s. While Loveless is not a hentai, but rather a softer shounen ai, it may not have the sex you’re be looking like in Boku no Pico – but if it’s the relationship between the characters, and the story of an unlikely romance developing, that you like, then Loveless is exactly what you need.

In Enzai, the main character is a young boy named Guys, who finds himself in quite a bad situation in 19th century France. Originally arrested for the small crime of stealing candy, he finds himself accused and imprisoned for the murder of a man he doesn’t even know! Thus, Guys finds himself in a dirty, dark prison where he is forced to endure many punishments – most of which are forced sexual acts and rape by the men there. Enzai is certainly much darker than the fluffy story of Boku no Pico, and the setting is very different. Many of the themes, however, remain the same – the characters in the sexual situations are males with a large age gap between them, and the younger one is forced into the submissive role. The detective who arrests and convicts Guys is a man named Guildias, and he regularly fills the role that Tamotsu filled of being the dominant person in the relationship. If you liked the idea behind Boku no Pico, but found the story too light-hearted for your interests, then check out Enzai instead! While the background of the characters is the same, the delivery is much more intense and dark if you’re looking for something more extreme.

Papa to Kiss in the Dark is the most “taboo” of all the anime on our list of 6 Anime like Boku no Pico. The main character, Mira Munakata, is a first year high school student who is in love with his own father, Kyousuke. The two have not only a romantic, but also a sexual relationship with one another. On top of their relationship, Mira’s best friend, as well as the son of the woman Kyousuke is rumoured to marry, have fallen in love and are pursuing Mira! Thus, Mira finds himself surrounded on all sides by various love interests and sexual situations, and the drama of dealing with his father’s potential marriage and the discovery that Mira himself might actually be adopted. Like all the anime on our list so far, Papa to Kiss in the Dark is a shotacon yaoi, so you can continue to expect a young boy with an older and more experienced male in sexual and romantic situations – just like Boku no Pico. Unlike several of our other entries, though, Papa to Kiss in the Dark features a more romantic, happier, and consensual relationship between the main characters, which is closer to the relationship that Pico and Tamotsu have. Despite their age difference – and in the case of Mira and Kyousuke’s bloodline – they learn to love one another, similar to the relationship that develops in Boku no Pico. It’s also a comedy, too, so you can expect some laughs along the way! If that lighter romance is what really captured you watching Boku no Pico, and you’re looking for something else a bit happier and funny, try Papa to Kiss in the Dark!

Finally, we bring you Sensitive Pornography. In this OVA, there are actually two stories, but we are going to focus on the first one because it is the closest to Boku no Pico. It tells the story of two mangaka, Seiji Yamada and Sono Hanasaki, and their romance together. But what makes it different from the average romance is that there is a ten year age difference between Seiji and Sono! Sono, a hentai writer, was Seiji’s favourite manga artist, and Seiji mistakenly confused Sono for being female. However, even after he learns that Sono is another boy, he can’t help falling in love with him all the same. Sensitive Pornography is the final shotacon yaoi on our list of 6 Anime like Boku no Pico, and again, one of the main similarities is the extreme age difference between the main characters. Also like Boku no Pico, and like Papa to Kiss in the Dark as well, Sensitive Pornography treats the relationship in a more romantic and light-hearted way. This hentai is another comedy, so you can expect to at least smile, if not laugh, as Sono and Seiji’s relationship develops. If you liked the tone of Boku no Pico, then you will enjoy what Sensitive Pornography has to offer you as well.

Set in Shanghai in 1931, global conflicts start to reach a fever pitch. With secret complex conspiracies afoot, nations all over the world are in danger of destroying each other and themselves. Enter Sakurai Agency; a secret Japanese intelligence agency whose spy ranks are filled with clairvoyants, telepaths and other ability users. These agents are charged with unraveling the tangled plots that threaten the world and eliminating them. This one is probably the most similar of the list. Set in the 1930s like Joker Game, Night Raid also brings us a highly skilled spy agency that is basically in charge of finding out all the secret plots that threaten peace and somehow foiling them. The difference between D Agency and Sakurai Agency is only that the agents of Sakurai have superhuman powers. This is another Military and Historical show with a bit of Super Powers in the mix that you’ll surely enjoy if you like Joker Game!

In 1968, during the Vietnam War, a young mysterious medical student shows unbelievable skills with the surgical knife. He gets involved in situations where his abilities become known and he gains notoriety in certain circles. He sees himself involved with dangerous and shady characters, all in the name of medicine and the Hippocratic oath he aims to take at the end of his studies. That’s if the criminal underworld and corruption don’t get in his way. Set a little later in history, Young Black Jack focuses on Kuro Hazama as he pursues his medical career during the Vietnam War. Even though he is not a spy, he sees himself involved with dark secrets and conspiracies as well as corruption and blackmail. And while we only follow Kuro as opposed to a group of young men, he is incredibly skilled at his craft, much like the spies in Joker Game are, except it’s medicine. Despite the differences, I believe Young Black Jack has a more similar feel to Joker Game than Baccano!, which is also set in the 1930s and is our next entry!

In the early 1700s, alchemists discover the secret of immortality and its cost on board of the Advena Avis. Jump ahead to the 1930s in New York and we have Szilard, a scientist, and his assistant Ennis who are looking for missing bottles of the immortality elixir. The Flying Pussyfoot is about to start its journey from Chicago, and there’s a war amongst Mafiosos. Somehow, thanks to a couple of thieves, Isaac and Miria, all these people and events will connect and there will be consequences! At first glance, the only thing Baccano! And Joker Game have in common is the 1930s. However, we also have highly skilled characters, like Felix Walken who is an assassin, acrobat and train conductor. Baccano! is a Historical, Mystery Seinen with a good dose of badass characters that will keep you entertained until the next episode of Joker Game. And, it also has a similar soundtrack!

Golgo 13 a.k.a. Duke Togo is an incredibly skilled assassin with an unknown past. He is a talented marksman, cold and calculating and always gets the job done. As long as he is offered the right amount of money, he will take jobs from anybody. Oh, and of course, he’s a ladies’ man! The Golgo 13 manga is actually the longest running manga still in production and its main character has been referred to as a darker James Bond. Golgo 13 isn’t necessarily a spy, though he needs the skills of one, and if he’s being compared to James Bond, you know he has the talent and the moves. Like the spies in Joker Game he knows how to woo a lady (or several!) and he is cold and ruthless when it comes to completing his mission. Golgo 13 is realistic and a bit darker than Joker Game, and it’ll give you your dose of intrigue and action with a punch!

Rainbow takes place in 1955 and it follows the story of 6 young teenage delinquents who get sent to Shounan Special Reform School on serious criminal charges. In the prison, they meet an older inmate, Rokurouta Sakuragi, who is a former boxer and guides them through their tough life in prison. Together they aim to survive the abuse and humiliations they are put through and then try to piece their lives together after completing their sentences. Rainbow is most definitely not a spy anime. However, we do have a group of young boys whose life situations have gotten them into a lifestyle that is less than average. Through training and cooperation, they grow together and develop to face the next stage of their lives. It is also set in the 1950s so it has that historical feel to it too. It gets pretty dark though, so just keep that in mind.

Far in the future, wars are no longer fought by infantry. Giant round tanks with multiple high tech weapons called Objects do all the fighting. Qwenthur Barbotage and Havia Winchell are two young men who are part of the 37th Mobile Maintenance Battalion and support the Legitimate Kingdom’s Object, the Baby Magnum. During a battle, they are confronted with an Object with only their camo fatigues and standard issue weapons. The way they deal with the situation will change the face of warfare and their lives. Ok, so this one is not set in the past and it doesn’t involve a group of boys. But what it does have is tense international relations, conspiracies, spies here and there and highly skilled boys who can get out of almost any situation possible. Qwenthur and Havia both have pretty cushy pasts compared to some of the boys in Joker Game or Rainbow, but they still support each other, learn and develop to continue on the path life has put them on.

Hyouka is the story of Houtarou Oreki, a very Tanaka like character, who trades an energetic spirit for calm and repose. His total opposite, Eru Chitanda, is active, expressive and curious, much like Miyano in Tanaka-Kun. Houtarou ends up joining the classics club, and gets plunged into uncovering a long-standing school mystery. Tanaka-Kun has had it's episodes feature self-contained stories albeit with overarching character developments, all with a calm and collected main character and it's here where the biggest similarities wit Hyouka lie. Hyouka is also very visually stunning, perhaps more so than Tanaka-kun which is a good looking series in it's own right now.

Minami-ke follows the Minami sisters: Haruka, Chiaki and Kana. This is a Slice of Life series to the bone, with no real overarching plot to speak of. Most of the series takes place at the various schools of the sisters or at home. Among the sisters, Kana is the energetic and outgoing one while Chiaki is the more mild-mannered one. Meanwhile, Haruna's personality is a happy medium between the two. This series really is a show about nothing in it's lack of a dramatic arc, but instead manages to make the most mundane thing into something hilarious much like Tanaka-kun. It's interesting to see how they can turn the most basic parts of life into great gags. It's SoL style makes it a perfect segue from a 4koma adaptation like Tanaka-Kun. The episodic plot-line deals with the random, everyday occurrences in the sisters lives. This is a great comedy, with a warm, comfortable aesthetic and art-style, just like Tanaka-kun.

Tonari no Seki-Kun is about high school student Yokoi, and the relationship with her classroom neighbor, Seki. Seki has an incredible ability for focusing his efforts on what he's not supposed to, and creating elaborate distractions during class-time. However, Yokoi's imagination also plays a huge role in the interplay between the two. Seki could just be moving around some shogi pieces, and Yokoi can imagine an all out battle between feuding samurai. However, Seki-kun's elaborate distractions never seem to land him in hot water, and Yokoi instead gets in trouble. Like Tanaka Kun, Tonari always tries to get it's gags through subtle variations to mundane situations. It's also easily digestible, with just 7 minute episodes, and though Tanaka Kun is a standard length series, both are fun SoL comedies throughout.

Flying Witch is also currently airing alongside Tanaka-Kun, and I found the two very similar right from the onset. It's the story of Makoto Kowata, a 15 year old from Yokohama and a witch. She leaves the big city to move in with relatives in Aomori, the northern tip of Honshu, and begins studying in being a witch. It's there she lives with cousins Kei and Chinatsu, who show her the ways of rural life. Flying Witch and Tanaka-kun are both slice of life comedy series, but the comparison doesn't just end there. The way the scenes in Tanaka-Kun always focus on the atmosphere to really draw you into the way Tanaka is feeling, the same care for atmosphere is taken in Flying Witch. Moreover, the sense of humor is also alike, with a lot of very laid-back gags that are still quite funny. They both have such a calm, relaxed demeanor in how the episodes are structured, and Flying Witch seems to bring characters in and out of the story in a similar episodic way we see in Tanaka-kun. If you like Tanaka, Flying Witch is definitely up your alley.

Non Non Biyori takes place in Asahigaoka, a small rural village and focuses on the only actual class in the only actual school in town. In it, we have 4 students of different ages from the witty and curious Renge, siblings Suguru and Komari and finally the mischievous Natsumi. The arrival of a 5th student, the Tokyo born and highly mature Hotaru, rounds out the cast. The characters all go about their daily lives and examine the daily life when you live in the countryside. Non Non Biyori and Tanaka-kun share the same director, Shina Kawatsura. They're also both Silver Link shows and a lot of the same staff worked on both series. I think I can see a lot of Non Non Biyori in Tanaka-kun, and not just for the standard stuff like both being SoL School comedies. Non Non Biyori was very focused on having engaging characters, and telling a heartwarming story. The characters are also similar in that they're all pretty normal people but maybe have one out of the ordinary aspect about them. For example, Tanaka has his listlessness, and Renge from Non Non Biyori, has her unusual pool of knowledge, beyond what you would expect of a 5th grader. In a way, Tanaka-kun and Non Non Biyori are creative siblings, so be sure to check out both.

K-on! Just like Non Non Biyori and Tanaka-kun , has a focus on having engaging, memorable characters. The series follows Yui Hirasawa as she joins the school's light music club. Yui wants to learn the guitar despite not knowing anything about it and having no musical experience. But through the friendships she starts with her fellow club members, Mio Akiyama, Ritsu Tainka, Tsumugi Kotobuki and later, Azusa Nakano, she develops as a musician and a person. While a lot of K-On! Is just pure episodic fun, there is a lot of overarching character development going on with a subtle and slow progression. K-on! Is all about disparate people coming together and forging life-long bonds, and the strengths of it's friendships between different personalities remind me heavily of Tanaka and Oota.

The protagonist in Junjou Romantica is a naive boy whose name is Misaki Takahashi. He is an 18-year-old boy who is just preparing to enter university, but as his grades are very low, his older brother tries to help him by calling his best friend – Usami Akihiko – and have him be Misaki's tutor. As reluctant as Misaki can be, he accepts his help. The situation gets worse when, due to his job, Misaki's brother has to move in another city. That's when Akihiko, who is a famous writer, offers Misaki a place to live, with one condition: he can freeload at his home, but has to do all the house chores. By living together, little by little, Misaki and Akihiko's relationship evolves. Akihiko falls in love with Misaki, while Misaki, even though he tries to deny it, grows very fond of Akihiko as well. That's when their love story begins! To see what makes Junjou Romantica and Super Lovers so similar is very easy. First of all, Misaki is an orphan that had his brother providing for him, giving up to his studies; that's basically what happens in Super Lovers as well. When Haru's parents die in a car accident, Haru starts working to provide for their brothers, dreaming to some day live together with them. The huge age gap between Akihiko and Misaki, is similar to the age gap between Haru and Ren. What's more, Haru and Akihiko share a similar character, as they keep on jumping on their beloved ones unannounced. At the same time, Misaki and Ren share the same reactions to those attacks; in fact they look reluctant in the beginning, even though they have a deep feeling for the other party as well. Moreover, Misaki and Akihiko starts living together due to some circumstances; the same thing happens in Super Lovers. When the twin brothers graduate from high school, and Ren comes back from Canada, Haru rents a house where they can finally start a new life all together, as a family. Maybe it's pointless to point it out, but these two shows share a shounen-ai theme, and both have a drama and a comedy trait as well. What are you waiting for? Your next step after realizing that you like Super Lovers has to be Junjou Romantica!

Let's go on with another little kid, with a broken home. When his older brother, Seimei, is killed Ritsuka Aoyagi is left with an insane mother to take care of, as his only family. Tables turn when Ritsuka moves to a new school, and meets a mysterious guy whose name is Soubi Agatsuma. Soubi shows an entirely new world to Ritsuka; the world of the “Fighters”. Basically, a fighting pair is created whenever two people share the same fighting name, and the two fight together. One is the “sacrifice”, while the other is the “fighter”, meaning that while one attacks, the other defends. As Soubi and Ritsuka get to know each other better, Ritsuka discovers that Soubi and Seimei were a fighting pair, as they shared the same name – “Beloved”. With Ritsuka wanting to know more about his older brother's past, and Soubi wanting to discover the truth behind his murder, the two will start fighting together, in spite not sharing the same name – Ritsuka's fighting name is “Loveless”. Although Loveless has a more serious tone with it, we can't deny some similarities with Super Lovers. For starters, we find in both the shows a tragedy that starts a concatenation of events drawing two, or more people closer. In Loveless it's the death of Ritsuka's older brother; in Super Lovers it's the car accident that killed Haru's parents. Another important thing that these two shows share is the age gap between the main protagonists, and the bond they share while taking care of each other. What's more, little by little the relationship between Ritsuka and Soubi evolves. Ritsuka starts to feel something deeper for Soubi, while Soubi sees the unforgotten Seimei every time he looks at Ritsuka. The same thing happens in Super Lovers, as the relationship between Haru and Ren evolves from simple brotherly love, to something deeper; so it's clear as daylight that these two shows share a shounen-ai element. Although Loveless has a more serious orientation, and has a supernatural thematic with it as well, we can assure you that you will like it, just how you like Super Lovers!

Let's talk about this show that just started airing and is bound to be a little masterpiece among the shoujo shows! Shounen Maid is a story revolving around an elementary school boy, named Chihiro Komiya. He is just your common elementary school boy, energetic and cheerful. The situation turns for the worse when his mother suddenly dies. Chihiro is left without a home, without relatives and with no clue about what to do. That's the moment when a man, Takatori Madoka, shows up in front of him. Madoka claims to be his uncle, and offers Chihiro a place to stay, with the promise to take care of him. Chihiro refuses right away, but the moment he steps in his uncle's huge home and realizes in what dirty state the house is, he starts to clean it, following what his mother had taught him. That's the moment when Madoka will come up with another offer; that Chihiro will live with him, doing the housework in exchange! Even in Shounen Maid we find a tragedy that begins to draw other people closer. In fact, just how the death of Chihiro's mother draws closer he and Madoka, the death of Haru's parents draws closer the four brothers. In Shounen Maid we find a new setting for the little Chihiro, who will find himself living with his uncle; at the same time, Ren in Super Lovers will find himself living with his new brothers. Moreover, Chihiro and Madoka have a huge age gap; that same age gap can be found between Ren and Haru. Both these show are amazingly good because, even though they start from a tragedy, they turn out to have some comedy parts that can start some very hilarious moments. Plus, Madoka and Haru share some similar character aspects, like for example the fact that they seem to be almost always smiling and happy-go-lucky. So, what are you waiting for? Go add this show to the must-see of this season, and you won't be disappointed!

This time, let's talk about a show that is funny and relaxing this time! The undisputed protagonist this time is Izumi Sena, a boy blessed by good luck. In fact, he was born in a family of stars as both his parents are famous actors, and his older brother, Shougo, is the leader of a famous band – the Crusherz. In spite the premises, though, Izumi Sena has only one passion: Magic Girl LalaLulu. Izumi is a major otaku who just started university, dreaming to become a famous mangaka someday! When he was little, he was coerced by his parents to appear on a TV commercial. Ten years after, when he is forced to re-appear in a TV commercial, he reunites with the boy who co-starred with him back then, Ryouma Ichijou. That's the moment when is wonderful otaku life changes drastically, as Ryouma falls in love with him, mistaking him for a cute girl! Love Stage!! and Super Lovers share the same shounen-ai themes. Even though the background is totally different, we can clearly see some similarities in these two shows. Let's start with the relationship that Izumi shares with his brother Shougo. Well, Shougo has a brother complex, in fact he pampered his little brother, and treats him as a little fragile thing to be protected. Just like that, Haru does the same with his twin brothers first, and with the little Ren later on. Shougo and Haru share this same trait, as they are madly in love with their brothers. As for the couple, Ryouma and Izumi interact the same way Haru and Ren do. Although when Ryouma discovers that Izumi is a boy, after he overcomes the shock, he tries hard to have Izumi fall in love with him. So he starts to support Izumi and his dream of becoming a mangaka. Their relationship is similar to the one shared by Haru and Ren as Izumi, exactly like Ren, is very reluctant in the beginning. This is just a facade, though, because both Ren and Izumi actually are very fond of the other party as well. It's not a stretch, if you like Super Lovers and its atmosphere, Love Stage!! can give you a laughter and a relaxing time all the same!

Let's go on with a dark anime involving gods of death! This story revolves around a 26-year-old guy, Asato Tsuzuki, who died in mysterious circumstances and now works as a god of death for the Jouhcho organization. His job is to assure the dead to their own realms, and even though he works as a god of death since a long time, he still couldn't manage to find a partner who stuck with him until the end – as the gods of death work as a pair. The situation changes when he finally finds another partner. Hisoka Kurosaki is a 16-year-old serious and stubborn god of death that will help Asato with the investigations related to a twisted serial killer named Muraki Kazutaka. As the story goes on, they will discover the truth behind their past, and their relationship will grow closer. What makes Super Lovers and Yami No Matsuei so similar is easy to see. For starters, in Yami No Matsuei we can find the same shounen-ai themes that we find in Super Lovers. The relationship between Hisoka and Asato is very similar to the one between Ren and Haru. The huge age gap between the two is the first thing that we can notice, but there's more to it. Ren and Hisoka are younger than Asato and Haru, and yet they are way more mature and serious than the older ones. In fact, we can almost feel that it's Hisoka's role to act as an older brother for Asato, exactly how we feel the same with Ren. That aside, although Yami No Matsuei has a horror trait with it, both the stories of our protagonists start with a tragedy. That same tragedy allowed Hisoka and Asato to grow fond of each other, exactly how it happened for Ren and Haru. While Yami No Matsuei seems to be darker than Super Lovers, they sure are similar. So make sure to give Yami No Matsuei a shot, if you're enjoying Super Lovers!

Let's close this list with this amazing show, born as a manga from the wise Abe Miyuki's pen as well as Super Lovers, and adapted into an anime later on! This story revolves around Shino Inuzuka and Sousuke Inukawa, two boys who died when their village was turned into ashes, but managed to come back to life due to some circumstances. Together with them, as a family, there's a cute girl named Hamaji, who shares with both of them a past where she lost everything. Shino and Sousuke share the same peony-shaped birthmark. Their situation turns for the worse when the Church shows up, forcing them to find the mystical gems and the other six people who share that same peony-shaped birthmark, if they don't want to face a terrible destiny. That's how Shino and Sousuke's adventure begins, in search of the other six people with whom they'll form the Eight Dogs of the East! The similarities between Super Lovers and Hakkenden are more than clear. First of it all, they both were born from Abe Miyuki's pen. Although Hakkenden is a shoujo, we can't deny the reality of the deep relationship between Sousuke and Shino. Shino is trapped in the body of a 12-year-old boy ever since he was saved by death, so we can see the same brotherly love between an older brother taking care of the younger one. In fact, Sousuke, Shino and Hamaji grew up together as a family in an orphanage. Different situations, but the theme of the family is very strong in both these shows. What's more, Super Lovers and Hakkenden start both with tragic past events. Those happenings allowed our protagonists to deepen the nature of their relationship, and to take care of each other. With similar art styles, same thematic, and born from the same mangaka before being adapted into anime, who is enjoying Super Lovers, will love Hakkenden all the same! Even though their genre is different, some bromance elements will pop up here and there; despite the basic drama element, the comedy parts will keep everything on the right balance. Just trust us, and you won't be disappointed!

Danshi Koukousei no Nichijou follows the everyday life of Tadakuni, Hidenori and Yoshitaki, three totally ordinary boys attending an all-boys high school. Their wild imaginations are anything but ordinary. These kids can turn any aspect of everyday life into a theatrical scene or even into a cross-dressing experiment. Things get quite wild and ridiculous indeed. Danshi Koukousei no Nichijou is a school comedy just like Sakamoto Desu Ga. It has many of the same ingredients, especially the over-the-top humor. Both shows take ordinary and insignificant events to turn them into the most absurd and hilarious situations. Plus, there’s a very similar scene in both anime, in which the characters play volleyball while discussing everyday topics.

Cromartie High School is an oldie but goldie. It follows the school life of Takashi Kamiyama, a new student at the Cromartie Academy. At Cromartie Academy, most of the students are juvenile delinquents. Takashi, being the only behaving student, is naturally thought of as the toughest kid in school, following the logic that only the toughest would enroll in a school full of criminals. Just like Sakamoto Desu Ga, Cromartie High School is a school comedy featuring constant ridiculous situations, among the most notable we could mention the participation of Freddie Mercury (yup, believe it). What make these two quite similar though, are the similar situations in which both main characters, Sakamoto and Takashi, find themselves. In the same way, Sakamoto is put in the spotlight for being, well… perfect, Takashi is the center of attention for being the tough, good guy. Plus, the two shows have the same kind of absurd humor.

Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei is the story of the everyday life of high school teacher, Nozomu Itoshiki. Nozomu is extremely emotionally unstable, for which he’s constantly trying to commit suicide. Fortunately for us (since we want Nozomu around to keep making us laugh), destiny always mocks him by finding new ways to trump his attempts of suicide. What’s even crazier is that Nozomu high school class is filled with students with even more emotional problems than him. Sayonara is another school parody comedy, which has a lot in common with Sakamoto Desu Ga. This show in particular has a rather dark way of producing humor. However, it does so in a similar fashion to Sakamoto Desu Ga, by spiraling ordinary conversations out of control and into ridiculousness. Both shows step in and out of the realm of the absurd just as abruptly as a high school student offers her teacher 50 yen for changing his name to “Pink Supervisor” only instants after finding him hanging from a tree. It doesn’t make any sense whatsoever, I know; but that’s what’s so funny about these shows!

Prison School was one of 2015’s highlights as regards comedy anime. It’s the story of Kiyoshi, Gakuto, Shingo, Andre and Joe, the only high school boys attending a former all-girls academy. On their first week at school, they’re caught peeking on the girls baths, so they’re locked away in a prison inside the school. Soon, the boys will find that being in an all-girls school is not what they had dreamed. Prison School is a very popular show that will crack you up just as easily as Sakamoto Desu Ga. It’s also a school comedy, although Prison School has strong ecchi elements and many of the jokes are quite dirty. However, Prison School shares the same kind of humor as Sakamoto Desu Ga in many ways, by exaggerating ordinary things and characters’ reactions to the point of making mountains out of molehills (such as Andre’s unforgettable nipple hair that was compared to a tree swaying to the wind).

Hoozuki no Reitetsu tells the everyday life of the King of Hell, Lord Enma’s, secretary, Hoozuki. Hoozuki’s a demon in charge of the management of Hell, and he does a pretty good job. Hoozuki has to face troubled souls and manage Hell’s employees as well as the 272 sections of Hell on a regular basis. This is clearly not an easy job, but it can be way funnier than you’d expect. Hoozuki, the main character in Hoozuki no Reitetsu is similar in many ways to Sakamoto. Hoozuki is a rather serious man (well, demon actually) who takes his job and everything else quite seriously. Everyone worships him for being so successful. Just like Sakamoto, Hoozuki shows little emotion and a lot of indifference towards his pairs, which makes him look cool and awesome. Unlike Sakamoto Desu Ga, Hoozuki no Reitetsu is a supernatural comedy instead of a school one. However, they have a very similar way of producing humor. Both have completely ridiculous characters, many of which think a lot of themselves at first only to end up being humiliated by the main character. Similarly to Sakamoto Desu Ga, Hoozuki no Reitetsu exploits humor through the social interactions of its main character.

Arakawa Under the Bridge is a downright bizarre romantic comedy. It follows the life of Kou Ichinomiya, a young man raised in a high-class family who owes his great success in life to his family motto: “never be indebted to anyone” (Lannister alert!). One day Kou falls off a bridge and is saved by a weird homeless girl. In return for saving his life,she asks him to live with her under the bridge. This is how Kou begins a new life surrounded by the most peculiar characters. Arakawa Under the Bridge is a seinen romantic comedy with less romance than you’d expect and much more WTF! In the same way that Sakamoto can fly through the air in the middle of a hurricane to save a small bird, anything (and I mean anything!) can happen in this show. The humor centers in over-the-top gags as well. Probably the biggest similarity between the two shows is found in the main characters, Kou and Sakamoto, which are both cool, successful, and envied by others (although Sakamoto is flawless, while Kou is far from it).

Humans were almost killed to extinction, many centuries ago, by the massive humanoid beings known was titans, who seem to eat humans for sport. This created fear that drove humans into hiding behind massive walls, erected to keep the Titans out. A century passed since the walls were erected and the humans have lived in relative peace, but one day, their fragile peace is destroyed by a colossal titan who breaks through the outer wall, allowing other titans to enter the first circle. With the loss of someone dear to him, Eren Yeager vows to protect mankind from the hands of the titans by joining the Survey Corps, a military unit who ventures beyond the walls to kill the titans. However, with this decision, Eren soon learns there’s more to him than he ever knew before. If you weren’t expecting it, then you’re insane because there’s no way we wouldn’t include Koutetsujou no Kabaneri on our list! Ikoma and Eren Yeager share the same ambitious ideals, hoping to help the humanity by destroying the monsters that plague their world despite their own inadequacies. In contrast to the Tsuranukizutsu are the blades that Eren must use to cut into the titans. Instead of a locomotive, Eren uses a 3D maneuver gear. There seems to be no end to how similar Koutetsujou no Kabaneri is to Shingeki no Kyojin, but the biggest similarity of all can be found once you start watching. Enjoy!

Bearing the resemblance to humans, blood thirsty ghouls have blended into society in the city of Tokyo, feasting on the flesh of unsuspecting humans. The presence of these vicious ghouls has led the humans in Tokyo to live in constant fear. It is here that we meet Kaneki Ken, a shy bookworm, who has finally asked out his crush, Kamishiro Rize, a girl who seems to love books as much as he does. Unfortunately for Kaneki, Rize is not who she seems. It is because of Rize that Kaneki finds himself a half-ghoul and half-human, struggling to fit into society. Taking another setting in which humans live in fear of a monstrous entity, Tokyo Ghoul is an anime not to be missed. Tokyo Ghoul shows us the two sides of society: one of humans and the other of ghouls. Humans kill ghouls in order to survive, but ghouls consume humans in order to live. Is there a real difference? While both parties fight for their own survival, we witness that both sides have their downfalls, but it brings into question the morality of the situation at hand. Much like in Koutetsujou no Kabaneri, where Ikoma faces discrimination as a Kabaneri, half human/half kabana, because people only see the side that harms humanity, many ghouls face discrimination merely for what they are. Tokyo Ghoul is an anime about monsters, but in the end, who is the real monster?

By the year 2021, humans have been driven behind walls by the infectious virus “Gastrea” that has cost mankind many lives. Gastrea monsters can only be killed by a weapon made out of a special metal called Varanium. Although many efforts have been made to protect mankind from Gastrea, female children are born infected, thus they are given the title “Cursed Children”. However, it is these Cursed Children that have the power to fight Gastrea monsters. The Cursed Children, as Initiators, team up with a Promoter, someone who is meant to lead and protect them, to defeat the Gastrea monsters the plague mankind. It is in Black Bullet that we follow Satomi Rentaro and his Initiator, Aihara Enju, as they fight together to help mankind. Another powerful anime to catch is Black Bullet, which may not seem similar to Koutetsujou no Kabaneri at first due to its cute art style, but let’s take a deeper look into the anime. Both Black Bullet and Koutetsujou no Kabaneri are set in worlds facing imminent doom from monsters that are destroying the human race. However, the only ones who can save the humans are half human/half monsters as well as humans equipped with specialized weapons. While Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress is still new, we get to witness in Black Bullet how Cursed Children are treated regardless of how they can help humanity. Black Bullet shows us how fear can turn anyone into a monster, more so than the actual “monsters” that the Cursed Children are viewed as. In Koutetsujou no Kabaneri, we see how the humans react upon seeing a kabaneri. In Black Bullet, we see the actions of humans who are ruled by fear and ignorance.

If you could never die, what would you choose? Seventeen years ago, Ajin were discovered on the continent of Africa. It is said that Ajin possess supernatural abilities and are immortal, however they bear the resemblance to humans. Just what was the purpose of Ajin? Although Ajin have been reported internationally, many people do not believe they exist, believing them to be a rare entity that you only hear of in passing. That’s how it starts for our protagonist, Kei, but soon, Kei will find himself more involved with Ajin than he ever imagined. Ajin is a recent anime from winter 2016 that’s turning heads as it takes a look at the darker side of humanity. Much like the humans in Koutetsujou no Kabaneri, humans in Ajin are quick to turn in anyone who is deemed an Ajin, although it is for personal gain rather than personal safety. Yet, it is in both series that we get to see the weakness in many humans as they cower from an unknown being, in favor of their own greater interest despite the good that person may have had in their lives. Watch as good people fall and how they manage against the discrimination and fear.

It is the year 2071 and the world is nearly in ruins thanks to the monsters only known by Aragami. Fenrir was founded to destroy Aragami with the help of “God Arcs”, which are weapons created from the cells of Aragami. Once, God Arcs could only be kept in one form, but new God Arcs have been created capable of changing forms from a gun to a blade. And their wielders are known as God Eaters. Yet another anime that is not to be missed is God Eater, an anime that plays off the similar plot line of a post apocalyptic world where humans are fighting for survival against monsters, the Aragami. We have a main character, Lenka, who is driven to eradicate the monster menaces that are the Aragami. To fight against the Aragami, however, one must be armed with a God Arc, which is created specially in order to kill Aragami. If you’re looking for an anime that is similar to Koutetsujou no Kabaneri with its post apocalyptic setting and struggle for survival, yet incorporates more militant tactics, you may want to give God Eater a try.

Every human older than the age of 13 has been wiped out by a mysterious virus allowing vampires, who once hid, to enslave the human race. In exchange for their blood, the vampires promise to protect the remaining humans. It is here that we meet our protagonists: Hyakuya brothers Mikaela and Yuuichirou who have bonded together with other children to create a makeshift family. Dissatisfied with the way humans are treated as livestock by their vampire overlords, Mikaela begins to think of a means to escape. The plan ends in massive manslaughter only to have Yuuichirou survive and find a place amongst the Moon Demon Company, a militia with the goal of eradicating the vampires from Japan. In an effort to avenge his family, Yuuichirou has worked hard to join the Japanese Imperial Demon Army, but little does he know what awaits him. Owari no Seraph is another anime that is set in a post apocalyptic world, however humans do not face imminent death. Rather, they live their lives as cattle to be feasted upon by their vampire protectors. Yuuichirou is our ambitious hero with dreams of saving the world from the grasp of the vampires, but he can only do so with the use of specialized weaponry created to kill the vampires. Yes, there is no doubt that Owari no Seraph is much like Koutetsujou no Kabaneri, but it does not feature a single protagonist who experiences both sides. Instead, we have two protagonists who are able to show us, without discrimination, how both the vampires and the humans operate. We get to see how both parties take on this war for humanity, but you can only find out by watching.

Noragami is a supernatural anime about Yato, a shrine-less god in modern Japan, looking for loyal followers to fund a fancy place that he can call home. He fulfills odd jobs for a godly five yen—think five cents. For many of these jobs, Yato fights off phantoms with his companion Yukine, who transforms into a katana. Noragami Aragoto is Noragami’s second season, which expands on the basic story of Noragami, presenting more character development for Yato and even delves into the turbulent world of gods and spirits. Beyond the crisp and clean animation that we’ve come to expect from Bones, Noragami’s second season delivers dark and complex themes of human existence and a need for belonging, intertwined with flashy fight sequences. Dramatic and emotional plot points are interposed with lighthearted humor that makes an overall entertaining experience. This is exactly where it is similar with Bungo Stray Dogs: the presentation. Mixing a modern setting with otherworldly elements, both series can keep us on the edge of our seats while also delivering laughs through interesting characters, dynamically brought to life by great voice actors.

Bungo Stray Dogs can be translated from Japanese to “Literary Masters Stray Dogs.” With a tiny bit of digging or some intimate knowledge of Japanese literature, you’ll realize that many characters are named after famous, usually Japanese, authors. For example, the charismatic Dazai Osamu is named after a famous author of one of the most popular novels in Japanese history, No Longer Human, which is also the name of the character’s special ability. Even some of his character traits come from the man himself or his semi-autobiographical characters. Dazai, the author, was thought to be obsessed with the theme of suicide, which often appeared in his works and ultimately became the end to his life. This may bring new light to some of the amazing personalities and even more amazing special talents of the Armed Detective Agency and their territorial rival, the Port Mafia. Yes, the author Nakajima Atsushi wrote about a weretiger, and Kunikida Doppo was indeed a poet famous for naturalism. Similarly, Tanizaki Junichiro, also named after a famous author, wrote Chijin no ai, which became known in English as Naomi, the name of its sexually aggressive titular character. Such leanings are seen in the Bungo Stray Dogs character Tanizaki Naomi, who relentlessly pursues her brother. Such deep connections to Japanese literature aren’t a first for anime. In 2009, Madhouse produced anime adaptations of some modern classics in Japanese literature, including Dazai Osamu’s No Longer Human. The Aoi Bungaku series also includes works from Akutagawa Ryunosuke, if that name rings a bell. Watching Aoi Bungaku will give you a closer adapted look at the works of these two great authors. With dark but intoxicating storylines, you’ll discover an interesting perspective on these literary masters, who became inspirations of the main men of Bungo Stray Dogs and their supernatural abilities.

Blood Blockade Battlefront will appear very similar to Bungo Stray Dogs straight from its synopsis. Easily excitable but otherwise normal, Leonardo Watch is very much down and out in Hellsalem’s Lot, formally New York City, until he finds himself becoming involved with Libra, a strange crew of supernatural humans who use blood battle techniques, which look just as flashy as the flashy names that describe them. Leonardo Watch also has his own supernatural ability: the “All–seeing Eyes of the Gods.” He joins Libra in their fight against evils that have entered NYC from the Beyond. Much like Bungo Stray Dogs, each character stands out in his or her own right, with striking personalities and abilities. The leader of Libra, Klaus von Reinherz, could be best buds with Kunikida Doppo in personality and fashion. Klaus has many funny interactions with his more eccentric troublemaker coworker, Zapp Renfro, who becomes somewhat of a mentor to the younger Leonardo. An assertion in Bungo Stray Dogs is absolutely correct for Blood Blockade Battlefront: People with supernatural abilities are a little off. Libra is a much bigger and better funded operation than the Armed Detective Agency, but a fun mix of characters brings a lot of laughs intertwined with the gorgeous action sequences, not surprisingly, also produced by Bones.

Okay, we swear this is the last Bones produced anime for this list, but they really know what their doing with this kind of story. Takigawa Yoshino is an average high school boy, but one day his world is turned black. His girlfriend Aika is murdered. His girlfriend’s brother Fuwa Mahiro disappears, only to literally pop back into his life, now wielding magical power granted to him by a sorceress. Yoshino is ready to leave his town behind, as Mahiro embarks on a path of vengeance over his sister’s death. Yet, Yoshino just can’t leave Mahiro be. He turns back to help his friend and also uncover the truth around Aika’s death. There is a lot of beautiful action and beautiful boys, but it would be a shame to say that’s all that these two have in common. Bungo Stray Dogs and Zetsuen no Tempest are worlds that are inexplicably ruled by the supernatural. Nonetheless, there is also a strong logical framework in which the characters live. Nakajima Atsushi feels abandoned by the world and often feels undeserving of companionship due to his unfortunate past. Likewise, Yoshino is haunted by feelings of loss and futility. Will both of these tragic characters be able to resolve their pasts? O, if such a destiny comes to pass!

Unlike most on this list, Kyousou Giga is not necessarily similar to Bungo Stray Dogs in plot, in which a young male protagonist joins a personality-diverse team of almost crazies with supernatural powers. The main character of Kyousou Giga is a teenage girl named Koto, who crash-lands into a world inside a picture while chasing a black rabbit. Koto is an orphan, similar to Atsushi-kun, and she eventually finds a family within the picture. Here, Kyousou Giga is an opposing reflection of Bungo Stray Dogs, because Koto is the eccentric one and ends up having her pseudo-caretaker getting mixed up in her own group of crazies. You’ll find a particular stylistic similarity with Bungo Stray Dogs, namely the use of title cards used as captions in the first episode. In Bungo Stray Dogs, these name cards are similar to writing grids that Japanese students use for composition. In Kyousou Giga, the name cards are in the style of traditional calligraphy. Where Bungo Stray Dogs pays homage to modern Japanese literature, Kyousou Giga pays homage instead to Japanese folklore and stories in the Buddhist tradition. The similarities don’t stop there! The series has a lot of heavy and entertaining fight scenes, mixed in with deep personal conflicts of heart, and topped off with giant helpings of humor. Now, which does that sentence describe, Bungo Stray Dogs or Kyousou Giga? That’s right! It describes both! Kyousou Giga is a good series to help you with your Bungo Stray Dogs withdrawal and give you all the giddy feels you’re dying for.

Durarara is a fan favorite here at Honey’s, just like Bungo Stray Dogs! Seriously though, they have more similarities than that little superficial fact. In the modern Japanese town of Ikebukuro, there are strange supernatural happenings getting all the kiddies excited. With rumors of growing gangs and a headless female biker, Ryuugamine Mikado finds himself moving to the big city in search for a more exciting life. This, of course, is different from Atsushi in Bungo Stray Dogs, who only wishes for a calm life and a comfortable amount of money to live on. Yet, both of these protagonists find themselves getting involved in the supernatural and having a much bigger role than they imagined in the happenings of their respective cities. While we peek into the lives of a headless horseman turned biker or an unreasonably strong bouncer, who really needs anger management, we are met with some pretty eye-enticing action scenes; but, much like Bungo Stray Dogs, Durarara really shines in its comedic attitude. We can’t help but laugh with and root for all of the many interesting characters in this anime. As an added bonus, if you’ve found yourself the newest fan of Dazai Osamu’s voice actor, Miyano Mamoru, we have some great news for you! Miyano is also the voice of Mikado’s best friend, Kida Misaomi. In a similar fashion to Dazai, Kida-kun introduces Mikado to all the interesting things and people in his new home.

This anime just finished up not too long ago, so you might already be familiar with this, if not here is what it’s about. A high school student by the name of Kazuma Satou was on his way home from a video game store, eager to play his new game. However before he could enjoy that game, he had a tough decision to make. After a heroic choice made on his part, he tragically ends up dying. He soon reawakens in the afterlife and is given an option from an attractive female by the name of Aqua, to either go straight to heaven or be sent to a new world to take down a demon king. This starts young Kazuma on an adventure of a life time (literally). Instantly from watching this anime you’re going to see a strong connection between the main character and his RPG video game. Not only does he choose to be a shut-in, but he’s also enamored into that genre, just like the main character, Hideki Nishimura from Netoge no Yome wa Onnanoko ja Nai to Omotta? Another quick turnout for this anime is, the harem aspect that Kazuma quickly finds himself in after he decides to take Aqua with him to this new world. It’s not a bad way to go about given his situation; it’s something Hideki knows all too well. Finally, Kazuma’s connection with his games leads him to implement strategies and other choices that he can take and use in this new world he now has to deal with. Who would have thought that his extensive time gaming would lead him to be better prepared for this journey in the afterlife?

Here we are with another anime that just ended in April! Phantasy Star Online 2 was recently released in Japan on the PS4 on April 20th of this year and it had been on the PC as early as 2012. Fans of that game series won’t even need to watch the entire anime to correlate the resemblance it has with Netoge no Yome wa Onnanoko ja Nai to Omotta? The characters are faced between real life and a video game world. Both main characters of their respected anime have a girl chasing after them. A lot of the action in both anime take place in-game and tell some compelling stories between the party and peers. They both also include a gaming club, in order to grind out and achieve a higher level in-game. If you’re unfamiliar with the game or the anime, we’ve got you covered *ahem*. Itsuki Tachibana is a perfect high school student in almost every way. He gets exceptional grades, he has perfect attendance, and the only thing he didn’t involve himself with was this game called Phantasy Star Online 2. He never considered himself to be a gamer in any way, but that all changed one day when he attracted the attention of student council president Rina Izumi. She recruits him to become the vice president of the student council and to keep an eye out on the student body that is playing Phantasy Star Online 2. Because she is so busy, she wants to know from Itsuki if the game is affecting them negatively. The only catch is, he will now have to learn how to play in order to accomplish that goal Rina set him up with.

This anime is based around a distinctive individual by the name of Kodaka Hasegawa, who recently transferred to a new high school. It wasn’t long before he was labeled a “delinquent” and feared from his fellow peers because of his unique blonde hair and tough looking face. One day he meets a female student by the name of Yozora, who has a bad temper and imaginary friend. As you can imagine, she doesn’t have too many friends herself. So they decide that it would be in their best interest to form a club. Thus the “Neighbors Club” is born and both Yozora and Kodaka add new members along the way in hopes to finally make some new friends, using this club as fuel. Boku wa Tomodachi ga Sukunai or Haganai for some, has a lot of the same qualities from Netoge no Yome wa Onnanoko ja Nai to Omotta? For starters, the atmosphere from the high schools and school clubs are fixtures for both series. The Neighbors Club has some variety to the subject matter and it’s not limited to, but does include gaming. For instance, in Haganai there are times when the club is playing an RPG and it shifts their perspective right into the game world, as if they were actually fighting in it. Both anime carry the harem aspect down splendidly, however Haganai to this point has more ecchi moments. They both experience a gender bending situation throughout. Akane Segawa, for instance has a male character in-game but is a female in real life, unbeknownst to Hideki, initially. In Haganai a large portion of the show has a certain club member who is categorized as a male in stories and games, but they later find out it was not what they had imagined.

Virtual reality has advanced immensely by the year 2022 and a new virtual reality RPG was created by the name of Sword Art Online. “NerveGear”, a technology known to allow it’s users to take control of their avatar in-game by just mere thoughts. The majority of this anime takes place in the game world and depicts their characters in a similar fashion to Netoge no Yome wa Onnanoko ja Nai to Omotta? Kazuto Kirigaya, a gaming enthusiast was fortunate enough to get his hands on the beta for the game. It seems all well and good, until he realizes that you are not able to log out of the game until you have completed all one hundred levels. What’s most alarming is that if Kazuto dies in the game, he will die in real life. What an undesirable position he finds himself in! Like most of these anime on this list; Sword Art Online took its source material from a light novel. Netoge no Yome wa Onnanoko ja Nai to Omotta? was no different in that regard. While Sword Art Online is less comedy driven, both anime present some excellent fantasy-action in their respected games. Kazuto Kirigaya and Hideki Nishimura, may be playing their games under a different set of circumstances, but undoubtedly you feel the same sense of unity and teamwork throughout. If you’re seeking another harem, Sword Art Online is well suited to fit your needs.

Kyousuke Kousaka considers himself to be an average guy, in terms of looks and grades. His overachieving little sister Kirino, doesn’t care too much for her brother. As they got older, they happened to grow apart from each other. One day, he bumped into his sister and found an ero-game inside a different game case and much to his astonishment; it was a part of his sister’s collection. When Kyousuke confronts Kirino about it, all she can do is tell him to keep her otaku life secret from everyone at school. I mean, she’s a professional model after all; she can’t let her peers know of her nerd life. The certain attitude and willingness to keep her nerd life separate in school, is very reminiscent of Akane Segawa from Netoge no Yome wa Onnanoko ja Nai to Omotta? They both shun the otaku life at school but in reality, they love it very much. They seem to thrive on their double-life personas. Both girls have a tsundere-like personality towards the other main characters, Kirino to Kyousuke and Akane to Hideki. Those similarities can’t go unnoticed. The other critical comparison is the understanding that Kirino has between the real world and the fictional world of her ero-games, which she makes her older brother play. Both anime also deliver offline-meet ups, giving a sense to the audience where these anime are heading.

Yuuta Togashi, a high school teen, who used to have delusions of being a “Dark Flame Master” was quickly isolated from the rest of his peers, when most of them found him to be an oddity. Yuuta tried to put the past behind him and wanted to start fresh at a new school. What he encountered was a teenaged girl by the name Rikka Takanashi, who also happens to share similar delusions. With that, Yuuta struggles to fight off a dark past that he thought was history. So let’s bring some clarity to everyone. We have both male and female teenagers who can’t distinguish properly between reality and fantasy. Does that sound familiar? If it doesn’t, it should! Both Ako and Hideki share that mindset, Hideki to a lesser extent but it’s still present. Misapprehension is not the only thing Rikka shares with Ako. They both have very comparable hair color to one another. Continuing with the likeness between anime, a school club and harem are relevant to each story. The universal theme between the two is strongly emphasized in the main characters mind-sets about their distinct misunderstanding of reality and fantasy.

After the invention of the “Infinite Stratos” powered exoskeletons, the world became quite a different place, with the units only able to be piloted by women and the offensive capability of countries increasingly vastly. After an unusual encounter with an IS unit, it’s discovered that Ichika Orimura is the only male in the world capable of piloting one, after which he is whisked away to the renowned Infinite Stratos Academy. As the only male in a school full of girls, expectations are high, as are the chances of misunderstandings. With childhood friends, hopeful classmates and stubborn rivals appearing, all the form of beautiful girls, Ichika’s time at the IS Academy is sure to be an interesting one. Before even finishing the first episode of Hundred, Infinite Stratos came to mind. Although men are able to use the Hundred weapons, the fact that every character introduced so far has been female makes both shows feel incredibly similar. The protagonists seem unable to walk three steps before tripping over a new member of their harem. On top of that, the battles with the Hundred and IS units play out in much the same way, as although the IS units are much larger, the weapons they use are very similar. Although the girls so far haven’t been incredibly similar, the harem aspect is very strong in both series, so if you’re watching Hundred for the girls then Infinite Stratos won’t disappoint. Additionally the important ecchi element is present in both shows, though it’s fairly softcore, and the focus is more on making the girls seem cute than anything else. If you want a show that does basically what Hundred does, just more, then Infinite Stratos is a great watch.

Prince of the fallen Arcadia Empire, Lux messes up while trying to retrieve a purse and finds himself falling into the women’s baths of the Royal Knight Academy. Fortunately his fall is broken by a very naked Lisesharte Atismata, princess of the New Kingdom of Atismata, who is understandably not too happy about his intrusion. After challenging Lux, the “weakest undefeated”, to a Drag-Knight duel, he ends up becoming the Academy’s latest male student. Much like Infinite Stratos, Saijaku Muhai no Bahamut is based around a school training in the use of “battle suits” that only women are normally able to operate. So as before, the almost entirely female cast is definitely a point in Bahamut’s favor. Along with that, the series starts off with a remarkably familiar duel between the main protagonist and the school’s top girl. We’ll give you three guesses to work out how that ends. Both have a good amount of ecchi, fan service moments, though Saijaku Muhai no Bahamut’s art is certainly the better of the two, from the first steamy bath scene, to the satisfyingly tight combat suits the girls wear. In addition to the art, Bahamut’s story feels more solid than Hundred’s as well, with the story progressing fairly quickly, but still managing to introduce the majority of Lux’s harem with ease. If your weekly dose of Hundred fan service and cute girls isn’t enough, then Saijaku Muhai no Bahamut can easily fill that void.

After the appearance of humans with special abilities, known as Genestella, schools like Seidoukan Academy were created to train young ability users. A new student at Seidoukan, Amagiri Ayato starts off his school life with style, by accidently peeping on Julis Riessfeld changing. A princess and powerful fire user, Julis challenges him to a duel so she can kick his ass, which is fair enough really. Along with the appearance of a teasing student council president, a childhood friend, and damsels that need rescuing, it might be a while before Ayato gets around to his true objective: finding his missing sister. With its second cour currently airing, Gakusen Toshi Asterisk is one of the more recent and popular harem shows, and rightfully so, with a kick ass sound track, pretty art and, amusing characters. While not the most original of concepts, Gakusen Toshi Asterisk gives us the same fun and easy to watch entertainment that Hundred does, with some cool battles, cute girls, and a well-paced story to keep things moving. If you’ve not already, why not catch up on the first cour now, so you can keep up with the second cour’s latest episodes as they air this season. We promise it’ll be worth your time!

Blazers, humans capable of using magical powers to materialize weapons. Ikki Kurogane is a new student at Hagun Academy, an academy for Blazers, and one of the worst students at that, an F rank Blazer. After catching one of the academy’s A ranks, Stella Vermillion, undressing, she’s quick to challenge him to a duel, with the winner taking ownership of the loser. But Ikki isn’t quite the F rank weakling everyone thinks he is, which Stella’s about to find out the hard way. Plot look familiar at all? Not only did Rakudai Kishi no Cavalry and Gakusen Toshi Asterisk air in the same season, but the two were known for their incredibly similar plotlines, so you can see where we’re going with this recommendation. Much like Gakusen Toshi Asterisk, Rakudai Kishi no Cavalry shares the same battles, plot themes, and fan service as Hundred. On top of that, the first episode duel with the school’s “queen” shows up again. Though don’t let all that fool you, Rakudai Kishi no Cavalry gets a little bit darker than the other shows listed so far, and is more of a romance than a harem despite the number of cute girls. There’s even another male character amongst the main cast, which in these kinds of shows is generally the signal for “we’re taking this plot kind of seriously”. A solid series all around, Cavalry is ideal if you’re after something like Hundred, but with a little bit more substance, and a little bit less ecchi.

In a world where magic is as real as science, those with the ability to use it, magicians, hold tremendous power over those who cannot. Tatsuya Shiba, a magician whose powers cannot be measured by normal methods, has just enrolled at the prestigious First High School, along with this sister Miyuki. After being assigned to the Second Course for weaker magicians, questions begin to rise when Tatsuya’s true strength surfaces, as in-school quarrels get out of hand, and outside forces start causing trouble. If you love watching over powered protagonists kick ass, few shows do it better than Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei, with Tatsuya going from zero to hero, and beyond with no apparent difficulty. Another school based sci-fi show, like Hundred, Rettousei spends most of the series outside of boring classes, and more time handling bad guys and terrorist organizations. Although certainly featuring some fan service, Rettousei focuses more on plot and character development, with a decent sized cast and enough time to establish a solid story in its 26 episode run. Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei feels like the school, sci-fi anime that so many recent series want to be. Although it certainly has a more serious feel compared to Hundred, Rettousei is definitely a show any fan of the genres will enjoy.

Throughout the world there are humans who retain memories of their past lives called Saviors. Able to use Ancestral Arts known to their previous selves, Saviors serve to protect the world from evil creatures known as the Metaphysical. Moroha Haimura is one such Savior, now attending Akane Private Academy and trying to piece together broken and half formed memories of his past self. But with the appearance of a girl who was once his ancestor’s little sister, and another who’s quick to get cozy with him, it becomes evident that Moroha had no one past life, but two. While Seiken Tsukai no World Break focuses on magic rather than science, it has a very similar set-up to Hundred with an amnesia ridden protagonist, a school for groups of special ability users, and an invasion of dark creatures. In fact the first few episodes play out like a fantasy version of Hundred, with duels, a protagonist surprised by his incredible powers, and girls in need of saving. One of the most notable differences is actually the show’s harem, with both series having quite different character designs for their main heroines. In terms of ecchi, World Break isn’t quite as intense as Hundred, although significant fanservice is certainly present, with tight battle suits and ample chests a frequent sight. Seiken Tsukai no World Break focuses a lot on action and fight scenes, so if you’re into awesome magic and epic battles with mythical creatures, World Break might be the show for you.

Britannia has become the hegemony in 2010; Britannia’s first conquest is Japan beginning with renaming the country to Area 11 and stripping the freedoms from the Japanese, but many rebels continue to resist. Lelouch Lamperouge is a Britannian high school student who also happens to be the exiled prince of the Holy Empire of Britannia. He comes across C.C., a strange girl who gives him the Geass “Power of Kings.” With this Geass, Lelouch will venture out as the masked rebel, Zero, to gain vengeance against the Holy Empire of Britannia. There is no end to how Code Geass and Big Order are familiar. Lelouch is given a supernatural ability that gives him the power to bend a person’s will, much like Hoshimiya Eiji. With his Geass, Lelouch wants to make the world a better place for his younger sister. As Zero, Lelouch also becomes the figurehead for the rebellion. Do you see the resemblance to Big Order? As the story of Code Geass delves in further, we see what it takes to lead a rebellion, how to change the tide in politics, and what happens if mistakes are made. You may not realize it, but it’s not easy leading a resistance.

Amano Yukiteru spends much of his time alone, writing in a cell phone diary or talking to imaginary friends Deus Ex Machina, the god of time and space, and his servant, Murmur. One day, Yukiteru discovers that Deus Ex Machina is actually a real deity who has brought Yukiteru into a game of life and death over the crown for the next god of time and space. Armed with only a future diary, Yukiteru must fight to survive against the other 11 future diary holders. Among them is Yukiteru’s stalker, Gasai Yuno, who decides that she’s in charge of Yukiteru’s safety. And Yuno is willing to do just about anything for Yukiteru. Not only are both Mirai Nikki and Big Order produced by the same company, they follow a similar plotline. Yukiteru faces a power struggle over the title of god of time and space which is essential to the function of the world, while Big Order centers around a power struggle between Eiji and the existing regime which could change everyone’s lives. Yukiteru and Eiji also both have female companions who have odd personalities and a rather strong thirst for blood. As an added similarity, Yukiteru looks similar to Eiji while Yuno looks eerily similar to Rin. Mirai Nikki isn’t for the feint of heart, however, as there are darker tones and gruesome scenes in this anime, but Mirai Nikki isn’t an anime you want to miss out if you can stomach it.

Ten years have passed since the Apocalypse Virus, also known as “Lost Christmas,” led to the nation’s downfall under GHQ, a military force determined to take order. The only resistance to the GHQ is a guerilla group called Funeral Parlor with Tsutsugami Gai to spearhead the resistance. One day, Yuzuriha Inori, a special member of the resistance, meets Ouma Shuu giving him the “Power of Kings.” Although Shuu did not ask for the gift, he must now learn to use it to save the future of Japan from the GHQ as a member of Funeral Parlor. The bases of Guilty Crown revolves around the event “Lost Christmas” which has set a chain of events leading to a fight for power between Funeral Parlor and GHQ, which is very similar to the foundation of Big Order’s plot. Also, Shuu is given the power which can ultimately change the direction of the battle. However, Guilty Crown has a very dark tone the deeper the story goes and the viewer gets to witness what power does to some people. As lives hang in the balance, we are faced with the question: “How do you decide who's worth living?”

Demi-humans called Ajin were discovered seventeen years ago in Africa. Ajin possess immortality as well as supernatural abilities while bearing the same resemblance to humans, but no one knows what their purpose is. Many regard Ajin as myths or news stories, including our protagonist, Kei, but Kei is in for a big revelation. There is no doubt that Ajin is very similar to Big Order. There are characters with the power to control shadow monsters and revive in both Big Order and Ajin. Even Kei’s sister is sick, much like Eiji’s sister in Big Order. In Ajin, for Kei who has just discovered his new found powers, Kei is fighting for his life and finding out what it truly means to be human.

Leonardo Watch is content with living a rather boring life with his family while pursuing his love of photography. One day, Leonardo receives the “All-Seeing Eyes of the Gods” at the cost of his own sister’s eyesight. To help her, Leonardo goes to what was formerly known as New York City, Hellsalem’s Lot which is full of monsters from another dimension. Here, Leonardo joins LIBRA, a group of rather strange superhumans who work to maintain the order in Hellsalem’s Lot. Now, Leonardo is living a rather unusual life venturing through the oddest place on Earth. Much like Big Order, Leonardo’s sister is debilitated and he wants to make things better for her. With his new power, Leonardo ventures out with an eclectic group of super beings, as Eiji does, to bring order to Hellsalem’s Lot. Both main characters also go through a somewhat similar situation involving their sisters when gaining their new found powers and the fact that the world changed during that process is another similarity with each other.

Ciel Phantomhive is a young boy who is regarded as “The Queen’s Guard Dog” due to the fact that he settles some rather gruesome events in England per Her Majesty’s order. By Ciel’s side is Sebastian Michaelis, a butler with extraordinary abilities who seems a bit too extraordinary for a butler. There lies a secret in Ciel’s past that led to him to form an agreement with a demon, Sebastian, to attain revenge in exchange for Ciel’s soul. Now, Ciel and Sebastian work together as master and servant to find all the pieces to Ciel’s past. Ciel is chasing after a person who has destroyed his future by messing with his past, however much like Eiji, there seems to be more to Ciel’s past than he seems to know. However, Ciel seals his future by signing a contract with a demon to gain a supernatural entity, Sebastian, to help Ciel attain his goal. While Big Order is still new, Kuroshitsuji evolves into a tale much darker than you can imagine. There is countless bloodshed, wicked murderers, and mysteries that may be better hidden. Kuroshitsuji is a tale of revenge, but there is so much more to revenge than the act itself.

First up on this list is Kill la Kill which offers action, comedy and ridiculous fighting scenes in one show. Ryuuko Matoi is driven by her goal to take revenge on the person who killed her father. Her path leads her to Honnouji Academy, a place that is ruled by power and authority. Equipped with a massive scissor blade and an outfit that grants her special powers Ryuuko is ready to take on anyone standing in her way and find the one responsible for her father’s death. Kiznaiver and Kill la Kill are both creations of Mari Okada from the animation studio Trigger, so you can already expect that they are similar in some ways. It’s not only the fact that both shows have high school settings, but they both combine drama with comedy and top it off with lots of action. Kiznaiver and Kill la Kill could be common school anime, but manage to stand out with their special charm. Kill la Kill is our first recommendation!

Mekakucity Actors is loved by its fans, but how can it compare to Kiznaiver? This story starts with otaku and shut-in Shintarou Kisaragi leaving his room and stumbling into the busy streets outside his safe home. What should have been a quick trip turns into something bigger when he runs into a group of young people calling themselves "Mekakushi Dan”. Mekakucity Actors will slowly introduce you to each of these characters as they spend more time together. The selling point of Mekakucity Actors is without a doubt its distinctly unique character design. It isn’t afraid to stand out and in a way resembles the freshness of Kiznaiver. Both shows put a lot of effort into their characters and the way they are presented to the audience. Also, Mekakucity Actors has a similar mix of action, comedy, supernatural and a little bit of Sci-Fi to offer so chances are high that if you like one of the two shows you will also enjoy the other one.

We hope you haven’t forgotten about Charlotte yet, the hit show of summer 2015 and our next recommendation on this list. High school student Yuu Otosaka is a loner with a special power; for a couple of seconds he is able to take control over the bodies of the people around him. Too bad that he doesn’t use this power for a greater purpose, but for his own selfish reasons. But his ruthless days are about to end when he meets Nao Tomori who recruits him to join her group of other gifted people. A great adventure is about to begin. We have a high school setting, a supernatural theme and two main heroes who are introduced into a new world. But these resemblance points are not necessarily the reason we had to include Charlotte on this list. It is more the interaction between the main characters and how they slowly grow closer to one another that connects the two shows for us. Fans of high school stories that also have a deeper storyline will enjoy this one!

We’re continuing the theme of high school stories and moving on to the afterlife with Angel Beats!. What happens after we die? It’s a question we all have, but high school boy Otonashi might actually have an answer. He wakes up on a school campus he has never seen before only to find out that he has died. Now he is about to join a group of rebellious and equally dead students in their fight against an enemy that is greater than all of them: God himself. Angel Beats! is a crazy mixture of cute character design with a high school story and a rather dark theme. The main cast of this show reminded us of the Kiznaivers which also couldn’t be more different from each other. Both groups have to work together and in between fun scenes and light-hearted moments you actually get to reflect on the greater meaning behind the storyline. If you enjoy good comedy, but also want something to think about, then check out this show.

There is one show that has been compared to Kiznaiver more than any other and that show is Kokoro Connect. Set in a typical high school, this is the not-so-typical story of the members of the Cultural Research Club. Without warning, the students start switching bodies with no control over when or where it will happen. Besides making for some hilarious situations, this experience also reveals some hidden secrets and feelings and the group of friends has to decide whether this will drive them apart or bring closer together. You might have already guessed it, but what makes this story so similar to Kiznaiver is the fact that it revolves around a group of students who are connected in a special way. In both anime the main cast is first pushed together by an external force and then has to find a way to work things out as a group. Kiznaiver could be described as a more adventurous and action-filled version of Kokoro Connect, so check it out if that’s what you are looking for in a good show.

Last but definitely not least we have the most recent show on this list with Nanatsu no Taizai. In this heroic journey you are thrown into a fantastic world filled with kingdoms, knights and other heroes. In a strategic move, a group of fighters called the Holy Knights were able to take control over the Kingdom of Liones and start a tyranny. The only one who can stop them are the Seven Deadly Sins, a group of legendary knights. Can princess Elizabeth find and unite them in time? Already in the very first episode of Kiznaiver the Seven Deadly Sins are mentioned. While they are not one of the main aspects of the show, they are still used to describe the different personalities of the main cast. Nantsu no Taizai takes this idea a step further and turns these sins into actual people. Either way, both shows have a unique set of people that are thrown into constantly new situations which require them to work together as a team. Nanatsu no Taizai shows you how we can work together despite our differences and is thus our final recommendation.

Let's get this list started with Another! This story revolves around a high school boy named Kouichi Sakakibara, whose life is shaken when he has to move from Tokyo to Yomiyama to live with his grandparents, as his father had to move to India due to his job. As Kouichi misses the first three weeks of school, because of a health problem, his new classmates go visit him to the hospital. There, Kouichi meets Misaki, a strange girl with an eye patch. When he finally starts going to school, he realizes that Misaki is one of his classmates. The strange thing, though, is that nobody seems to be able to see her, and whenever he asks the other about Misaki, no one seems to know her. Not knowing exactly what's going on, Kouichi decides to get closer to Misaki, to discover the truth firsthand. Did we talk about mystery up above? Well, Another has plenty of mysteries! It shares with Mayoiga a very eerie atmosphere and a lingering sensation that something bad is going to happen any moment. As in Mayoiga our protagonist, Mitsumune, and the others want to start a new life, for Kouichi a new life begins without him wanting it. During both these shows a lot of bad things keep on happening: people disappearing, people dying, strange visions. What's more, all the characters, struck with fear, start accusing each other in the attempt to find the culprit. Even the two protagonists are very similar: Kouichi and Mitsumune, they both try to get closer to the most suspicious of the girls, Misaki and Masaki. Although Another has a horror orientation, these two shows manage to keep you glued to the screen as you want to know how the situations will be resolved. If you are enjoying Mayoiga, but feel brave enough to watch something even stronger, give Another a try!

Higurashi No Naku Koro Ni revolves around a high school student – Keiichi Maebara – who suddenly moves in the little village of Hinamizawa and befriends his cute female classmates. His life goes on peacefully, and Keiichi thinks he has found a very nice place to live in. In fact, he sticks to his classmates and joins all the activities they do as well. Suddenly, though, the situation turns for the worse. After the annual Watanagashi Festival, a festival held to thank Oyashiro-sama – the local god – he discovers a series of terrific events happened for the last four years, related to that festival. After that moment onward, other horrific events start happening, and a bitter truth strikes him: his classmates may not be what they really seem. There are a lot of similarities shared by Higurashi No Naku Koro Ni and Mayoiga. First of it all, everything starts from a situation that could be somehow normal; Maebara moves from the city to a village, exactly how in Mayoiga they move to the countryside. Then, the initial idea of it being a calm and peaceful place gets spoiled by some inexplicable happenings. The characters, in both these anime, show a side of them that suddenly changes when their psyche is being tested. The atmosphere is eerie; it starts one way, but suddenly the viewers get the feeling that something is wrong with the entire background. Both villages, Nanakimura and Hinamizawa, are full of strange legends and have a creepy folk song. What's more, in both these shows there are a lot of fear inducing situations, like people dying, or disappearing. As like Another, Higurashi has a horror trait with it, but the atmosphere and the situations are very similar to the ones in Mayoiga, so if you like one, you will like the other for sure!

Let's go on with Danganronpa: The Animation and its protagonist, Makoto Naegi. After winning a lottery as the “Ultimate Lucky Student”, he gained the chance to attend the Hope's Peak Academy. This is a high school that only accepts elite students, who once accepted, receive a title describing their own talents and skills. Makoto Naegi, though, is just an ordinary boy who won that title by chance, so he is overly happy to attend that rumored high school, that will give him a bright future. The moment he steps into the Academy, he faints; when he wakes up, he realizes that he is trapped into the school, with no way out. When he and the other 14 students meet the school president – Monokuma, a little bear – he makes a scary announcement: they will be able to graduate only if they will manage to kill one of their classmates, without being discovered! Danganronpa and Mayoiga share the initial idea of a new hope. In Danganronpa is the idea that the elite school will give all the students a bright future, while in Mayoiga is the idea of a new life. In both these shows we find more characters, with different personalities, who don't agree with the other party's way of thinking, starting fights over and over. Of course, the creepy atmosphere is another trait they share, as suddenly the viewers have the strange feeling that the lucky chances the characters were given, are just hiding something else. In both the situations, all the characters have to find a way to sort things out, by cooperating and accepting the other party's way of thinking. As like in Mayoiga, even in Danganronpa there are murders, crazy characters and inexplicable happenings that will make you wonder what is going on. All the characters will have their psyche tested, and they will be put into situations that will shake them at the core. So, the mystery and drama traits are exactly the same you can find in Mayoiga. If you are liking Mayoiga's themes, then, you are bound to like Danganronpa as well. Why don't you give it a try?

Let's move on with a mystery anime revolving around a professor named Souhei Saikawa and his assistant, Moe Nishinosono. The story begins with the two protagonists wishing to meet the genius programmer Shiki Magata. She has been living isolated for fifteen years on a solitary island, since she was a 13-year-old, due to the fact that she killed her parents. Due to her intelligence, Shiki Magata is admired by professor Saikawa, but a shocking truth will unravel in front of him and his assistant. When they arrive to the island, and finally are about to meet Shiki Magata... They find a corpse and get caught up into a series of murders. As for the similarities that Subete Ga F Ni Naru shares with Mayoiga, we need to go deeper this time. In both these anime there's a new start; in Mayoiga there's this trip from the city, to the countryside, while in Subete Ga F Ni Naru there's this strong willing for both Saikawa and Nishinosono to meet the genius programmer, so much so that they decide to go to that solitary island to meet her. So, different backgrounds, but still something that start from a very normal situation only to get worse later on. As for the mystery part, just how in Mayoiga we find the unsettling atmosphere, the eerie sounds and visions that allow the viewers to perceive that there's something wrong, the same happens in Subete Ga F Ni Naru. In fact, when Saikawa and Nishinosono find a corpse, and start to investigate, there's a crescendo of suspense that make the viewers wonder how everything will be solved and if it is even possible to be solved. In both these shows we find people who are put in a corner, and struggle to keep themselves sane. Even though Subete Ga F Ni Naru has psychological and philosophical traits with it as well, it's not a stretch to say that it will give you the same feeling you have while watching Mayoiga!

Let's talk about this wonderful masterpiece born from Sanbe Kei's pen and adapted into an anime that gained a great popularity among viewers! This is a story revolving around a guy named Satoru Fujinuma, with a strange power that brings him back in time by few minutes, whenever a tragedy is about to happen, to allow him to fix it. Satoru calls his power “revival”. When a tragedy strikes him, his mother's killed and he is the prime suspect, his power sends him 18 years back in time. He soon realizes that probably his mother's murder is connected to the abduction and murder of his lonely classmate, Kayo Hinazuki. Satoru starts to work for that purpose, trying hard to save his friends and his mother's lives, only to discover a shocking truth that will change his life forever! Athough Boku Dake Ga Inai Machi has a strong supernatural trait with it, it's clear as day that it has some similarities with Mayoiga as well. First of it all, both these shows are mystery and drama genre. Then, let's talk about the atmosphere surrounding the characters. In Boku Dake Ga Inai Machi, the viewers have this constant feeling that whatever Satoru does, can turn out to be the wrong decision, with no time to fix it back anymore. So there's this anxious feeling that will keep the viewers glued to the screen, strongly cheering for Satoru. At the same time, in Mayoiga we find the same unsettling feeling, given by the fact that all the characters have absolutely no clue about what's going on, so it's like they're moving blindly in a setting that they don't know and anything bad can happen any moment. What's more, in Boku Dake Ga Inai Machi, bad things happened to children, who were abducted and killed by someone. Even when Satoru will go back in time for the first time, it'll happen again. At the same time, in Mayoiga there are people disappearing, leaving the viewers with a lot of questions about whom, or what made them disappear. As for the background, just how in Mayoiga they start a new life somewhere else, equally Satoru finds himself 28-year-old, in the body of a 10-year-old child, starting from the beginning his childhood. What else can we say? It's about time you catch up Boku Dake Ga Inai Machi, over all if you're enjoying Mayoiga right now!

Let's close this list with a masterpiece come from a successful novel, written by Yusuke Kishi and adapted into an anime later on. This story takes place in Japan 1000 years from here, and revolves around the lives of five children: Saki, Satoru, Shun, Maria and Mamoru. They grow up in a quiet village, in the 66° district of Kamisu. Their village is like a utopia: full of vegetation, full of clear water, with breathtaking views and the sounds of the nature. Due to some circumstances, though, the utopia comes down crushing and unveiling them the sad truth. In fact, not only they discover about the sudden outbreak of the psychokinesis that can make people become violent and destructive, and a real danger for other people's lives, but they also will finally discover the truth behind the bloody past that brought mankind to that point. They will begin their adventure, trying to save their friends from a world on the verge of the downfall! If in Mayoiga the characters want to live in a utopia and for that purpose they join the tour, in Shinsekai Yori they start from a utopia that falls down bit by bit. Everything in Shinsekai Yori is unsettling and eerie; in fact the viewers will expect the worse to happen from the first episode. The disappearing people theme here is strong; what's more, and what's very distressing, is that when in Shinsekai Yori someone disappears, suddenly no one can remember about that person anymore. The same unsettling sensation the viewers can feel in Mayoiga, for example when a certain character is suspected to be dead and disappearing. As like in Mayoiga, even in Shinsekai Yori we can find characters that try to get along, but keep on bickering because of their differences in character. The setting is very similar as well; even though Nanakimura is an abandoned village, it is very similar to the 66° district of Kamisu in Shinsekai Yori. Even though Shinsekai Yori has a horror and supernatural trait with it, it shares with Mayoiga the same drama and mystery orientation, as the viewers will keep on wondering what's going on and will remain glued to the screen until the end. Well, what are you waiting for? It's time to catch up with Shinsekai Yori as well!

Shirokuma Café is the story of one Canadian white bear who was once picked up from an iceberg by a human couple. Shirokuma has opened up a cafeteria by a zoo after quitting his old job. Although Shirokuma has no contact with his family in Canada, the customers at the café now act as Shirokuma’s family. Everyone, from humans to animals, are drawn to Shirokuma’s café, keeping it packed, because of Shirokuma’s charismatic personality. Not only is the protagonist a bear, much like Kuma Miko’s Natsu, Shirokuma Café shares the life of a Shirokuma who creates an unusual family blended with humans and animals alike. Although everyone is different, they create a support system for Shirokuma, similar to the way Natsu and Machi do for each other. They share laughs, stories, ambitions, and their hopes for the future. Shirokuma Café and Kuma Miko show that families come in all shapes and sizes, but that doesn’t make them any less of a family.

Welcome to the countryside of Asahigaoka where it may appear boring, but is home to five students who, despite their age differences, go to school together. Miyauchi Renge may be the youngest, but Renge is clever and her catchphrase is: “Nyanpasu!” The Koshigaya siblings consist of three kids: Suguru the silent 9th grader, Komari the 8th grader, and Natsumi the rather mischievous 7th grader. Lastly, our newest arrival is Ichijou Hotaru in the 5th grade who moved from Tokyo and seems a bit mature for her age. Here we get to see just how extraordinary the countryside really is. Non Non Biyori is a slice of life anime set in the rural countryside, much like Kuma Miko. Although everyone equates the country to boredom, Non Non Biyori shows that it is everything that you make of it. In Kuma Miko, we have Machi who wants to move to the city, in Non Non Biyori, we have Hotaru who is moving to the Asahigaoka from the city. We can compare Machi’s determined attempts at moving to the city to Hotaru’s attempts to adapt to the countryside. Perhaps, the countryside isn’t so bad? Well, we do have fun kids like Renge, Suguru, Komari, and Natsumi while Kuma Miko has Natsu. There are a lot of antics going on in the countryside. How could anyone ever say the countryside is dull?

Tamako was raised on mochi; she knows everything that has to do with it! Tamako spends her free time creating new types of mochi for her family’s mochi shop, Tama-ya. Unfortunately, life is more complicated outside of mochi and Tamako is going to need the help of her best friends Midori and Kanna to figure things out. Life only gets more complicated when it comes to love and her best guy friend, Mochizou who runs the rival mochi shop in the shopping district. Now, there’s a bird that speaks Japanese entering Tamako’s life. Just how will she be able to handle it all? Tamako Market is a slice of life anime that follows Tamako as she grows up, much like Machi. Tamako discovers she cannot live a peaceful life and has to make hard decisions, which Machi must do as a miko and a maturing young girl. Not only are our main characters the same, both Kuma Miko and Tamako Market have talking animals! How can anyone forget Dera? Tamako Market takes on a slightly more serious approach than Kuma Miko as Tamako’s life becomes more complicated, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy them all the same.

Doma Umaru is beautiful, elegant, graceful, intelligent—Umaru is the perfect high school girl. When Umaru goes home and the front door closes behind her, Umaru is another person entirely. At home, Umaru is cloaked with a hamster hoodie and becomes a chibi who is just too lazy to do anything including any of the housework. Umaru only has time for junk food, video games, and anime, while forcing her onii-chan, Taihei to take care of the rest. Umaru isn’t always at home, but when she hangs out with her friends or competes against her rival, Sylphinford, Umaru knows just how to have fun. Himouto! Umaru-chan is just a comedy about the life of a teenage girl who just wants to do what she wants, just like Machi. Umaru may not have the responsibilities that Machi does, but she sure has the determination. Taihei acts as Natsu and must rein in Umaru and attempt to teach her the right ways. Taihei and Umaru bicker the same way Machi and Natsu do, but in the end, they are both always there for each other. Himouto! Umaru-chan is a great anime for laughter and enjoyment!

Handa Seishuu is good looking, skilled, and youthful. To top it off, Seishuu is a narcissist and a calligrapher. Seishuu has won an award for one of his works, but a seasoned calligrapher deems it unoriginal, setting Seishuu on a downhill course. Seishuu is sent to the Goto islands to reflect on his actions! As Seishuu adapts to the rural lifestyle, he attempts to find inspiration in between all of the fujoshi students, noisy children, and old men that drop in to visit. While he may want to get his work done, Seishuu is learning more than he ever imagined in this rural town. In Kuma Miko, Machi had her heart set on moving into the city, while Seishuu wants to get out of the countryside to get back to his work. However, as time progresses, Seishuu sees there’s more to the countryside than meets the eye, which we see Machi slowly realizing. The countryside may seem boring, but both of our protagonists are learning the true benefits of living in it. Barakamon may seem like the serious type, but don’t let the plot fool you. There’s plenty of laughs to be had and some slice of life fun for all of your Kuma Miko fans!

Hoto Cocoa was looking for her new boarding house when Cocoa comes across the Rabbit House café. Eager to cuddle with all the rabbits, Cocoa enters only to find that it is an ordinary café with a single rabbit named Tippy, a strange rabbit that hardly acts like one. Kafuu Chino is the young girl who works in the café. As it turns out, the Rabbit House is the same boarding house Cocoa will be living in and working as the new waitress. From work to school, Cocoa is getting used to her new life in a new town, making interesting friends and learning about customer service all in the Rabbit House. Lastly, we have Gochuumon wa Usagi Desu Ka?, a slice of life anime that revolves around the lives of young school girls and a talking rabbit. Sound familiar to you? Cocoa is much like Machi with her perseverance, hard headedness, and the way she expresses her emotions. When Cocoa wants something, she will not falter! Gochuumon wa Usagi Desu Ka? follows a similar plot, but the story is set in a coffee shop. Cocoa makes new friends, finds new rabbits, and tackles her new life. It’s a story of how Cocoa grows up and it couldn’t be more enjoyable.

In its second attempt at an anime adaptation, Hunter x Hunter sits alongside My Hero Academia as one of Weekly Shounen Jump’s most popular series. Although, referring to the much absent former as ‘weekly’ does sound odd. In a world where power is latent and must be unlocked through life’s challenges, the two series share many a similarity as characters grow through battle. It doesn’t hold the same sort of stylistic charm as HeroAca does, but what Hunter x Hunter brings to the table is certainly valuable. With Gon and Killua, they travel the land, getting attached to various character driven adventures, many of which focusing on a core concept. Whether it be a tournament arc, gangsters in New York or an RPG inspired adventure, the series is constantly prepared to reinvent itself in avoidance of becoming at all repetitive. With an ever growing cast, the anime’s structure is something to be admired, taking the time to adapt even the smallest moments in the manga into something special.

My Hero Academia couldn’t have come at a better time. With the combination between hype for Captain America: Civil War and last year’s One Punch Man, superhero stories have never been more popular. As many will be aware, One Punch Man acts more as a parody of these sort of stories, based around the idea that he has become so strong that he never gets to have the awesome battles that we see in My Hero Academia. However, even though these fights end quickly, the action animation is among some of the best in years. With Space Dandy director Shingo Natsume taking up the helm, many of the same faces are back to deliver their own unique styles in this absolutely crazy production. Technically under Studio Madhouse, the staff is compiled from faces all over the industry, even including Bones and Dogakobo animators. If you haven’t seen it yet, get ready to sit back and be stunned by impressive spectacle with some laughs along the way.

Superheroes aren’t dead and both Gatchaman Crowds and My Hero Academia make an attempt to modernize the concept, but in different ways. My Hero Academia has looked at superheroes and imagined a world where it has become the norm, opposed to the classic idea of these people are special and to be revered. However, Gatchaman Crowds has imagined a world not too divorced from our own, where a collective entity of people can make up a superpower in itself. The greatest villains within Gatchaman Crowds aren’t the aliens that appear to induce havok, but rather society itself. In the first season, people could take control of avatars known as CROWDS which were strong enough to take over cities and cause chaos. Becoming an ongoing conversation throughout the show, the cast of Gatchaman superheroes eventually fall into conflict in the second season. Much like My Hero Academia, there’s a conversation about power to be had and whilst Gatchaman certainly goes deeper, both are valuable contributions to a culture around superheroes.

Both being a part of the new age of Weekly Shounen Jump, they both boast a large cast of characters training to defeat their respective opponents. As relationships start off tense, both shows feature rivalries growing into new friendships and some brilliant moments of the underdog getting their chance to really shine. It’s interesting to note that three of the magazine’s most popular new series have an anime this year with Shokugeki no Soma getting a second season later this year. Assassination Classroom is part “Let’s kill our teacher because he’s a world destroying monster” and part “Our teacher is actually a really cool dude”. I’d try to use actual genre tags, but very few actually fit the narrative of this ridiculous series. It’s a bizarre concept that manages to capture you with its emotional resonance through assassination.

Concrete Revolutio is one of the best series of 2015 and it works to evaluate heroism to its core values and puts superheroes into an entirely different context than we’re used to. Like My Hero Academia, it’s a series about superheroes, but once again, one that goes deeper into the issues. In a way, Concrete Revolutio is the anti-thesis to My Hero Academia, where superpowers are something that are feared rather than aspired to. ConRevo follows the Superhuman Bureau, a team of superhumans working to regulate and protect superheroes whilst acting in the interests of the government. With a constant conflict between an idealistic justice and a real world compromised justice, it’s not afraid to ask viewers the hard questions and force them to watch the outcome of their choices. There is no correct answer in Concrete Revolutio. An ideal justice is flawed and a real world compromise restricts freedom. The only way you’ll find out where you stand on the issues is to watch it.

Whilst a superhero show like My Hero Academia and a mecha such as Gundam Build Fighters don’t seem like they’d even be in the same ballpark when it comes to similarity, you’ll find that the narrative pacing and style has a lot in common. Both directed by Kenji Nagasaki and written by Yosuke Kuroda, this was the dream team for My Hero Academia’s adaptation. Gundam Build Fighters exists within a world where model robots based on Gundam can come to life and be controlled by anyone. However, whilst our protagonist, Sei Iori is good at building Gunpla, he’s terrible at controlling them and constantly loses battles. But everything turns around for him when an alien named Reiji appears, teaming up with Sei to uncover the mysteries behind the Plavsky Particles and win the World Tournament. It’s a fantastic series and it’s got a really strong grasp on the character relationships involved and always takes the opportunity to give us those really human moments.

Kiki’s Delivery Service is perhaps the closest you can get to what Flying Witch is hear to achieve. Both featuring witches trying to fit into the real world, they share a profound sense of charm as reality becomes magical before our eyes. Both protagonists are sent off on their own to become better witches and better people, although Kiki’s Delivery Service is more interested in the idea of independence in this coming-of-age story. As a classic from Studio Ghibli’s Hayao Miyazaki, if you haven’t watched it already, you should be ashamed. I’m surprised you can show your face in public, having not seen this movie. It’s a wonderful simple tale with absolutely beautiful spectacle as Kiki flies through the city in search of her place in the world. As a family experience, she is a joy to watch with her old-fashioned politeness and hilarious naivety. I’ve heard many claims that it’s the best Miyazaki film and whilst I don’t agree myself, I can certainly understand why.

It’s always wonderful when we get a series that I can compare to Non Non Biyori. As one of the most delightful slice of life series out there, anything within the same ballpark as this show is worthy of high praise, something Flying Witch should be receiving by the truckload. The “let’s move to the country” story isn’t hugely rare, but those that attempt it usually end up hitting the nail on the head in their approach to slice of life series. In the same way that Makoto introduces magic to Aomori, the world of Non Non Biyori is already shown as magical through the eyes of the children that explore it. With a similar comedic timing, Non Non Biyori revels in its slow pace, taking the time to allow us to see the world of country life as something foreign, yet comforting. Like Flying Witch, it has a warmth to it that you just won’t find in other locations.

Much like Non Non Biyori, Barakamon also takes place out in the country, far from everyday conveniences. However, in this case, the setting has the narrative goal of helping cartographer, Sei Handa find inspiration for his work. Just like travelling to the country helps Makoto with her witch training, Handa finds a new love for art with the help of the neighbourhood kid, Naru. In many ways, Naru is similar to Flying Witch’s Chinatsu in that they are hilariously hyperactive, optimistic and most importantly, constantly awestruck. There’s never any cynicism coming from Naru. If you caught a big fish, you can guarantee she’s going to be the most excited out of anyone to see it get reeled in. And it’s that sort of optimism that we don’t get to see in reality and thankfully Barakamon works to substitute in a little slice of happiness into our sad depressing lives.

As one of the most iconic shows under the P.A. Works show brand, Hanasaku Iroha represents everything that makes the studio’s output great. With an incredibly similar style of comedy within a similar setting, it’s the perfect show to jump straight onto when Flying Witch hits its inevitable conclusion. It may not have the magical element that drives Flying Witch’s narrative, but the character dynamics at play and the protagonist are just as lovable. As we join Ohana on her trip to her grandmother’s hot spring inn, she’s a compelling and interesting enough character for us to genuinely hate anyone who does her wrong whilst loving those that give her a chance in this unfamiliar environment. With art by Kazuki Higashiji, one of the best art directors in the business, Hanasaku Iroha’s world never stops being compelling as every environment draws us in. It’s a series that is beautiful in every sense of the word as Ohana works to dispel any malice and bring the staff of the Kissuiso Inn together.

If you’re enjoying Flying Witch (Why else would you be looking at this list), then you may be looking for other simulcasts to keep you going through the week. Tanaka-kun is Listless shares the same pace of comedy, giving jokes time to breath with a strong emphasis on physical comedy that’s not slapstick. Most importantly, it’s relaxing. Just as I watch Flying Witch just before I go to sleep, I do the same for Tanaka-kun as each episode completes its story, leaving us with a satisfying conclusion each time. Like most of us back in high school, Tanaka can’t stay awake in class. However, instead of him being yelled at by a teacher, his classmates and friends just accept it as a part of who he is, with his best friend Oota carrying him from class to class whilst he sleeps. It’s charming, hilarious and relaxing all at the same time, especially when the rest of the cast start to get introduced, turning it into far more than just a one joke show.

Would you look at that? Another series about a witch in training! Whilst Flying Witch and Little Witch Academia have similar character premises, the way they’re delivered is entirely unique stylistically and narratively. With many of the picks on this list being relaxing comedies, this is one for those that are just looking for something with magic and comedy. Because there’s nothing relaxing about Little Witch Academia, employing the hyperactive cartoonish comedy that we expect from the Studio Trigger animation team. With our energetic witch-in-training, Akko at the helm, this short twenty minute film takes us on adventure as she tries to prove that she has what it takes and uphold the name of her hero, Shiny Chariot, a magical performer. This journey takes her on an adventure deep into the school’s dungeons and into the sky to fight a dragon, showing up the school bully. There’s not a single second of Little Witch Academia that isn’t heartwrenchingly lovable and you’d be doing yourself a disservice by deciding not to watch it.

Dr. Kenzou Tenma works in Europe as a renowned brain surgeon. Kenzou is highly praised and looked upon as one of the greatest young minds in the field. He has a beautiful fiancée and is just about to get promoted, but one day, Kenzou must decide between saving the life of the mayor or of a small boy. Ignoring the advice of those around him, Kenzou is compelled morally to save the boy. Soon after, a string of murders amongst the surgeons leads Kenzou to question his decision as all the clues point to the boy he saved. Now, Kenzou must figure out who the little boy is and if he really has something to do with the killer. If gripping mysteries are your cup of tea, Monster will surely quench your thirst. Monster if a fan favorite when it comes down to anime mysteries and it will not disappoint Sherlock fans out there! From murder mystery to a boy who challenges our main protagonist, Kenzou, there is no end to how gripping Monster can be! You’ll soon find yourself floating alongside Kenzou, attempting to solve the puzzle before he can, but is it really as easy as Sherlock makes it out to be?

The story of Sakurako-san no Ashimoto ni wa Shitai ga Umatteiru follows Tatewaki Shoutarou who meets Kujou Sakurako. Shoutarou is just a high schooler, but his world changes when he comes across the bone-loving Sakurako who is a bit eccentric. Together, they come across a series of cases that require Sakurako’s great ability to analyze bones. Sakurako-san no Ashimoto ni wa Shitai ga Umatteiru follows the same style as Sherlock in which each episode displays a new case in which we must attempt to unlock the case. Sakurako, much like Sherlock Holmes himself, is capable of discovering every clue down to the smallest detail, after everyone has already made their own assumptions. Using her power of analyzing, Sakurako is able to reveal what is the most likely scenario, but should she ever be wrong, Sakurako will quickly turn her assumptions around to get the right conclusion. Sakurako is also quite eccentric making her a difficult one to converse with. Does she sound like Sherlock Holmes to you?

A Death Note allows Shinigami to kill anyone so long as they can see the face of the victim and write their name down. Ryuk, a bored shinigami, decides to give a human a Death Note to see what would happen. Yagami Light is the highly intelligent young man who comes across the Death Note. He is disgusted with the current state of the world and tries out the Death Note on a criminal. When Light discovers that the Death Note works, he wants to use it to rid the world of criminals. The police soon catch on and believe there is a serial killer on the loose targeting criminals, so they recruit the help of a brilliant yet eccentric young man only known as L. If we were ever to turn Sherlock around and view the entire situation from the viewpoint of James (Jimmy) Moriarty, it would follow something like Death Note (without the supernatural powers and good Samaritan mindset). The main similarity to Death Note and Sherlock would be the battle of wits that ensues throughout both series as we root for one side (usually the side that we see the world from). If you love a thrilling battle of wits between prodigies, you will more than enjoy Death Note. It’s a never ending competition between the youngest and most intelligent minds!

Kudou Shinichi is an expert detective at the budding age of seventeen. While pursuing two suspicious men, Shinichi witnesses illegal activity. After catching Shinichi, they drug him with an experimental substance and leave him for dead. Shinichi is astonished to discover that not only is he alive, his body has reverted back into that of a seven year old! With his intelligence preserved, Shinichi keeps his state a secret from everyone. Working under the alias of Edogawa Conan, Shinichi is determined to keep solving cases while also looking for a cure to his condition. Detective Conan features young Shinichi who, much like Sherlock Holmes himself, is able to find the smallest clue in a crime scene to discover what truly happened. Shinichi uses the same power of deduction that Sherlock Holmes uses to uncover the truth in every mystery. Much like Sakurako, Shinichi is capable of backtracking if his assumptions are wrong, to come to the proper conclusion. Hell, Shinichi pays homage to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle by utilizing “Conan” as his alias. Now, this is an anime worth watching for many Sherlock fans out there!

Using the Sibyl System, each citizen in Japan is able to have their mental state examined to determine their criminal intent or “Psycho-Pass”. Anyone found with criminal intent is dealt with by Inspectors and their Enforcers, who were once Inspectors who developed a criminal intent and must work for Inspectors in exchange for their freedom. Tsunemori Akane is a conscientious woman who wants to carry out justice fairly, but she must work alongside Enforcer Kougami Shinya. While working, Akane learns of the errors with the Sibyl System which has her in a mental battle between what justice truly is and if the Sibyl System can truly keep people safe if it is corrupt. Psycho-Pass may not seem similar to Sherlock, but let us consider a few things. First off, when a crime is committed, we have no knowledge on who the criminal might be since their Psycho-Pass checks out alright so our protagonist, Akane, led by Shinya, must figure out the mystery on her own. Each crime committed has not provided many clues yet somehow, Akane and Shinya are able to eventually figure out the criminal. Then we have our antagonist who just can’t seem to be shot down. Psycho-Pass is quite clearly very similar to Sherlock, although it does have a darker tone that sets it apart as it criticizes the idea of a “utopia” and how the government treats its “criminals”. Psycho-Pass is not just a mystery, it is a statement on a utopian regime that may be more corrupt than we believe. If you love Sherlock, but also love darker stories, Psycho-Pass is one series that is for you.

Narumi Ayumu is the younger brother to Kiyotaka who was once regarded as a renowned detective and pianist. One day, Kiyotaka disappeared leaving only a clue about “The Blade Children”. It’s been two years and there have been a series of murders and incidents that are related to the Blade Children. Ayumu teams up with the school journalist, Yuizaki Hiyono, to unlock the mystery. Right from the start you have one clue: The Blade Children. While the following events unfold before you, you get to enjoy witnessing Ayumu and Hiyono unlock the mystery that is Spiral: Siuri no Kizuna. Along the way, much like Sherlock, you get to see just how all of the events affect their lives and how Ayumu changes. Not only is it about the mystery, it’s about the evolution of Ayumu and how he is able to converse with others. Ayumu may not be as awkward as Benedict Cumberbatch’s Sherlock Holmes, but we get to see just how he changes all the same.

Being a single parent to your own child is hard enough as it is but how about taking care of a child that is not even yours? Meet 30 year old Kawachi Daikichi who went to his grandfather’s funeral only to find out that his already dead grandfather has an illegitimate child named Kaga Rin whose mother is unknown. To make things worse the family argues who will take the child as they do not like the obligation that comes with it. Feeling pity towards the hazel nut girl and to his utter disgust from his family, Daikichi took it upon himself to adopt little Rin not knowing that being a parent isn’t so easy at all. Wolf Chldren and Usagi Drop presents the hardships and responsibilities of being a single parent. Hana and Daikichi both slowly learns how to take care of their own children and in turn this kids learn from them. You will basically see how this two adults change themselves into parenthood. If you want some light slice of life anime, better watch this and bask in the cuteness that is Rin.

Better ready your tissues for this one because this anime will really make you cry. Seriously, take my advice. Following the end of Clannad, Tomoya Okazaki couldn't be more happier, after all his girlfriend Nagisa Furukawa has become his lawful wife, supporting each other for better or worse, and in sickness and in health, maturing together into adulthood. But Tomoya didn’t saw it coming that death do us part will come earlier than what he expected when his wife succumbed to her illness after giving birth to their daughter Ushio. You could say Hana and Tomoya’s experiences are very much alike. Both fell in love in their school days, had a child, dealt with the death of their spouse and trying to know the ways of how to be a parent. But unlike Hana who used her husband’s death to be more stronger for her children, Tomoya had some difficulty coping up with the death of his wife, leaving his daughter behind with her grandparents. It took some time before he faces Ushio again and the way they support and heal each other is truly bittersweet. Clannad: After story is much more dramatic and more heavier than Wolf Children but give it a try, it’s worth it.

After the death of her father, Miyaura Momo with her mother moved into the remote island of Shio bringing with her the latter that her father left containing only two words “Dear Momo”. As she tries to adjust living in the countryside, Momo discovers that her new home includes three Yōkais whom she can only see. Through befriending them, she learns what truly is the meaning behind of her late father’s letter. They are very similar in a way that both mothers are faced with taking care of their offspring alone because of the death of their respective husbands. Both mothers also decided to move in the country side to start their new life there. Although Wolf Children focuses heavily more on how to be a single parent to their child, Momo e no Tegami focuses more on how a child accepts the death of her father. It also shows the coming of age of Momo as how Ame and Yuki did in Wolf Children. She learns to accept her former mistakes, learns from it and became more open to the people around her.

Who doesn’t know Totoro? If you haven’t watched this yet then you are greatly missing a lot as this is surely one of the greater master pieces of Studio Ghibli. Two sisters Satsuki and Mei found themselves in a new home in the countryside with their father Tatsuo Kusakabe. This is so they can live near their mother, Kusakabe Yasuko,who is in the hospital battling her own illness. As the two girls enjoy the wonders of rural life, they meet Totoro and together they go on an exciting adventure and meet more other mythical creatures along the way. Both shows are set in the countryside where the parents move in with their children for personal reasons. Since Tatsuo Kusakabe’s wife is in the hospital, he currently has to take the responsibility on himself of looking after their children like Hana. Being parents of two children, they are very caring and loving who encourages their kid’s curiosity and imagination. The show also depicts the bond of two siblings, much like Ame and Yuki but in this case Satsuki and Mei, as they grow up. Want some magical adventure? This is an anime that you surely wouldn't want to miss.

Ah~ Another movie from the powerhouse Studio Ghibli. The story of Kaguya-hime no Monogatari is based on the folktale of the Bamboo Cutter. An old bamboo cutter from the rural area found a tiny girl in a glowing bamboo shoot and decided to raise her as their own with his wife. As the child grows abnormally fast gaining precious friends, the bamboo cutter finds gold and expensive silk in the same fashion as he found the little girl. Believing it as a sign from the heavens, he took his family and ventured out to the capital forcing his adoptive daughter to leave her friends and start grooming her fit for nobility. She was thus known as Princess Kaguya but even though a princess, she feels trapped and caged in her new environment. The most prominent similarity of these two anime is that both shows how to be a parent to a non-human child. Hana took care of two werewolf children while the bamboo cutter and his wife took care of a child from the moon. All parents would do anything to give their child a better life and this plays well with Hana and the Bamboo cutter very well. Hana at some point became too overprotective with Ame for she fears that he will leave her. As for the Bamboo Cutter, he made Kaguya into a princess believing that is her fate. Ame and Kaguya felt restrained and wanted freedom to do what they want, so Hana and the Bamboo cutter had to learn to let go and let their children be who they really are. The Art in this anime is definitely amazing and superb! You should check it out!

If you were given a chance to reincarnate, wouldn’t you be so lucky? Our protagonist was given that chance when Purupuru told him he was lucky for being chosen to reincarnate again. But things comes with a price, through unwilling but unable to refuse, he has to be in the body of 14 year old Kobayashi Makoto who committed suicide just recently. He must help change the life of Kobayashi so the tragedy won’t happen again while trying to remember his greatest sin. This anime tackles more about the true essence of a family like how Wolf Children does. In Colorful, each family member has to change themselves and correct their mistakes they had before to make their family work again. Hana also reflects Kobayashi’s mom who both greatly showed their motherly love and concern for children. Hana who let her her children forge their own path, Kobayashi’s family gave Makoto a chance to choose what he likes and listened well at his intentions for his future. Colorful is a wonderful film that showcases the importance of family, friends and appreciating ones life.