Drama is a fantastic genre because it contains some of the best character development in anime. Drama anime characters deal with difficult love problems, Class issues, mental and physical health issues, grief, and other issues. Drama, rather than simply placing its characters in these situations, shows how they respond and how they change as a result. Things aren’t always doom and gloom, though; the best drama anime has its share of comedic moments.
With so many wonderful drama anime available, it’s difficult to say which is truly the best.Whatever you’re looking for, if you enjoy drama, this list has something for you.
1. Your Name
Mitsuha Miyamizu, a high School girl, wishes to live the life of a boy in Tokyo, a fantasy that contrasts sharply with her current life in the countryside. Meanwhile, Taki Tachibana, a high school student juggling a part-time job and dreams of a career in architecture, lives a busy life in the city.
Mitsuha awakens one day in a room that is not her own and finds herself living her dream life in Tokyo—but in Taki’s body! Taki, on the other hand, finds himself living Mitsuha’s life in the humble countryside. In search of an explanation for this strange phenomenon, they begin to look for one another.
Kimi no Na wa. is centred on Mitsuha and Taki’s actions, which begin to have a dramatic impact on each other’s lives, weaving them into a fabric held together by fate and circumstance.
2. Attack on Titan
Centuries ago, monstrous humanoid creatures known as Titans slaughtered humanity to near extinction, forcing humans to hide in fear behind massive concentric walls. What makes these giants truly terrifying is that their desire for human flesh appears to be motivated by pleasure rather than hunger. To ensure their survival, humanity’s remnants began to live within defensive barriers, resulting in a century without a single titan encounter. That fragile peace is quickly shattered when a colossal Titan breaches the supposedly impregnable outer wall, reigniting the battle for survival against the man-eating abominations.
Following a horrific personal loss at the hands of the invading creatures, Eren Yeager dedicates his life to their abolition by enlisting in the Survey Corps, an elite military unit that combats the merciless humanoids outside the walls. Eren, his adopted sister Mikasa Ackerman, and his childhood friend Armin Arlert join the Titans’ brutal war and race to find a way to defeat them before the last walls fall.
3. Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood
After a horrifying alchemy experiment fails in the Elric household, brothers Edward and Alphonse are thrust into a terrifying new reality. Ignoring the alchemical principle that prohibits human transmutation, the boys attempted to resurrect their recently deceased mother. Instead, Alphonse’s body disintegrated, while Edward lost a leg and then sacrificed an arm to keep Alphonse’s soul in the physical realm by binding it to a hulking suit of armour.
Pinako Rockbell and her granddaughter Winry come to the brothers’ aid. Winry, a biomechanical engineering prodigy, makes prosthetic limbs for Edward out of “automail,” a tough, versatile metal used in robots and combat armour. After years of training, the Elric brothers set out on a journey to find the Philosopher’s Stone, a powerful gem that allows an alchemist to defy the traditional laws of Equivalent Exchange.
As Edward becomes an infamous alchemist and earns the moniker “Fullmetal,” the boys’ adventure draws them into a growing conspiracy that threatens the fate of the world.
4. Steins;Gate
Rintarou Okabe, an eccentric scientist, has a never-ending thirst for scientific discovery. Rintarou establishes the Future Gadget Laboratory with his ditzy but well-meaning friend Mayuri Shiina and his roommate Itaru Hashida in the hopes of creating technological innovations that perplex the human psyche. Despite their lofty claims, the trio’s only notable “gadget” is a microwave with the mysterious ability to turn bananas into green goo.
However, when Rintarou decides to attend neuroscientist Kurisu Makise’s time travel conference, he encounters a series of strange events that lead him to believe that the “Phone Microwave” gadget is more than meets the eye. Rintarou, who appears to be able to send text messages into the past using the microwave, experiments with the “time machine,” attracting the ire and attention of the mysterious organisation SERN.
Rintarou and his friends are in constant danger as a result of the novel discovery. He is fighting a battle not only to save his loved ones, but also against his deteriorating sanity, as he works to mitigate the damage his invention has caused to the timeline.
5. Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion
The Holy Empire of Britannia is establishing itself as a dominant military nation in 2010, beginning with the conquest of Japan. After being renamed Area 11 following its swift defeat, Japan has seen significant resistance against these tyrants in an attempt to regain independence.
Lelouch Lamperouge, a Britannian student, is caught in the crossfire between the Britannian and Area 11 rebel armed forces. He escapes, however, thanks to the timely appearance of a mysterious girl named C.C., who bestows Geass, the “Power of Kings,” on him. Recognizing the vast potential of his newfound “power of absolute obedience,” Lelouch embarks on a perilous journey as the masked vigilante Zero, leading a merciless onslaught against Britannia in order to exact final vengeance.
6. A Silent Voice
Shouya Ishida, an elementary school student, sought to beat boredom in the cruellest ways as a wild youth. Shouko Nishimiya, who is deaf, transfers into his class, and Shouya and the rest of his class bully her for fun. When her mother informs the school, he is singled out and blamed for everything that has happened to her. Shouya is at the mercy of his classmates now that Shouko has transferred out of the school. Throughout elementary and middle school, he is heartlessly ostracised, while teachers turn a blind eye.
Shouya, now in his third year of high school, is still haunted by his youthful transgressions. He sets out on a journey of redemption, hoping to meet Shouko again and make amends for his actions in the past.
The heartwarming story of Shouya’s reunion with Shouko and his honest attempts to redeem himself, all while being haunted by the shadows of his past, is told in Koe no Katachi.
7. Toradora!
Ryuuji Takasu is a gentle high school student who enjoys housework; however, his intimidating face often leads to him being labelled as a delinquent. Taiga Aisaka, on the other hand, is a small, doll-like student who is anything but a cute and fragile girl. Taiga, armed with a wooden katana and a fiery personality, is known as the “Palmtop Tiger” throughout the school.
An embarrassing mistake brings the two students together one day. Taiga has a crush on the popular vice president, Yuusaku Kitamura, who also happens to be his best friend, which Ryuuji discovers. But things get even crazier when Ryuuji admits to having a crush on Taiga’s best friend, Minori Kushieda!
Toradora! is a romantic comedy that follows this odd couple as they set out to help each other with their crushes, forming an unlikely alliance in the process.
8. Angel Beats!
Death is one of many mysteries that have baffled humanity since the dawn of time. The burning question of what happens to the soul after death, however, is quickly answered by 17-year-old Yuzuru Otonashi. He discovers the unsettling truth of the afterlife after waking up with no previous memories in a dimension between life and death.
This strange dimension, shaped like a high school, is intended to house those who died untimely deaths. Feeling wronged by God during their earthly lives, the students at the school have formed the Afterlife Battlefront, a rebellious faction determined to oppose their god-like student council president, Kanade “Angel” Tachibana. Yuri Nakamura, the group’s leader, recruits Otonashi in their fight against Angel in order to gain control of their own lives. Otonashi, however, questions the morality of their actions and goes behind enemy lines to understand the opposing side of their common fate.
9. Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World-
When Subaru Natsuki walks out of the convenience store, the last thing he expects is to be ripped from his everyday life and thrust into a fantasy world. Things aren’t looking good for the befuddled teen, who is attacked by some thugs not long after his arrival. He is quickly beaten to a pulp, armed only with a bag of groceries and a now-ineffective cell phone. Fortunately, a mysterious beauty named Satella, who is on the hunt for the person who stole her insignia, comes across Subaru and saves him.
Subaru offers to assist in her search to thank the honest and kindhearted girl, and later that night, he discovers the location of what she seeks. But, unbeknownst to them, a much darker force stalks the pair from the shadows, and Subaru and Satella are brutally murdered just minutes after discovering the insignia.
However, when Subaru awakens to a familiar scene—confronted by the same gang of thugs, meeting Satella all over again—the mystery deepens as history inexplicably repeats itself.
10. Neon Genesis Evangelion
Fifteen years after the Second Impact, the world faces a new threat: monstrous celestial beings known as “Angels” invade Tokyo-3 one by one. Despite using the most advanced munitions and military tactics, humanity is unable to defend itself against the Angels. NERV, a mysterious organisation led by the cold Gendou Ikari, is the only hope for human salvation. NERV employs giant humanoid robots known as “Evangelions” to combat the Angels with cutting-edge advanced weaponry and Absolute Terror Fields.
Shinji Ikari, Gendou’s 14-year-old son, returns to Tokyo-3 after years of being abandoned by his father. Shinji fights a never-ending internal battle against the deeply buried trauma caused by his mother’s death and his father’s emotional neglect. Shinji’s life is forever changed after meeting 29-year-old Misato Katsuragi, a high-ranking NERV officer who shows him a free-spirited maternal kindness he has never experienced.
Shinji is forced into action after a devastating Angel attack, and Gendou reveals his true reason for inviting his son back to Tokyo-3: Shinji is the only child who can pilot Evangelion Unit-01, a new robot that syncs with his biometrics. Despite the brutal psychological trauma caused by piloting an Evangelion, Shinji defends Tokyo-3 against the angelic threat, completely unaware of his father’s dark schemes.
11. Death Parade
Most people will either go to Heaven or Hell after they die. Death, however, brings a select few to Quindecim—a bar where only pairs of people who die at the same time can enter. Decim, an enigmatic figure who also serves as the arbiter, is present at the bar. He judges those who end up at Quindecim by challenging them to a life-or-death game. These games determine whether or not the patron’s soul will reincarnate into a new life or be cast into the void, never to be seen again.
From darts and bowling to fighting games, each patron’s true nature slowly emerges as they wager their souls. Though his methods remain unchanged, the unexpected appearance of a black-haired amnesiac forces Decim to reconsider his own decisions.
12. Violet Evergarden
After four long years of conflict, the Great War came to an end; fractured in two, Telesis slowly began to flourish once more. Violet Evergarden, a young girl raised for the sole purpose of decimating enemy lines, was caught up in the carnage. She was hospitalised and maimed in a bloody skirmish during the War’s final leg, leaving her with only words from the person she loved the most, but no understanding of what they meant.
Violet begins a new life working at CH Postal Services after a falling out with her new intended guardian family. There, by chance, she witnesses the work of a “Auto Memory Doll,” which transcribes people’s thoughts and feelings into words on paper. Violet is moved by the idea and starts working as an Auto Memory Doll, a trade that will take her on an adventure, one that will reshape the lives of her clients and hopefully lead to self-discovery.
13. Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day
Jinta Yadomi lives quietly as a recluse, avoiding school and instead spending his days at home playing video games. Meiko “Menma” Honma, his childhood friend, appears one hot summer day and begs him to grant a forgotten wish. He ignores her, which irritates her, but he doesn’t care. After all, Menma died many years ago.
Jinta initially believes he is hallucinating due to the summer heat, but he is later convinced that what he sees is the ghost of Menma. Jinta and his childhood friends grew apart after her untimely death, but they are brought back together as they try to rest Menma’s spirit. Will they be able to find the strength to help not only Menma, but themselves, move on after reliving their pain and guilt?
14. Charlotte
Yuu Otosaka would be an ordinary high school student if it weren’t for his ability to take over people’s minds and bodies. Despite the fact that it only lasts for five seconds at a time, Yuu’s mysterious power allowed him to cheat his way to the top of his class and into a prestigious high school, where he continues his deception.
His shenanigans are eventually put to an end by Nao Tomori, the Hoshinoumi Academy’s headstrong student council president, who sees through his deception.
Nao coerces Yuu into transferring to Hoshinoumi and joining the student council. Hoshinoumi Academy is a covert institution for adolescents with supernatural abilities, with the student council tasked with tracking down those who abuse their abilities.
The group sets out to find and protect new ability users from harm, with Yuu reluctantly assisting in council affairs. However, as they investigate the abilities further, they become entangled in far more complicated matters than they could have imagined.
15. Golden Time
Banri Tada suffers from amnesia as a result of a tragic accident, erasing his memories of his hometown and past. However, after meeting Mitsuo Yanagisawa, he decides to leave and start a new life at law school in Tokyo. But, just as Banri is settling into college life, the beautiful Kouko Kaga unexpectedly enters his life, and their chance meeting marks the start of an unforgettable year.
Banri discovers that he is in a new place and a new world after experiencing college life—a place where he can be reborn, make new friends, fall in love, make mistakes, and grow. And as he begins to realise who he is, the path he has chosen leads him to a blindingly bright life that he will never forget.
16. Elfen Lied
Lucy is a “Diclonius” human, born with a short pair of horns and invisible telekinetic hands, which makes her a victim of the government’s inhumane scientific experimentation. However, when an opportunity to flee presents itself, Lucy, corrupted by confinement and torture, unleashes a torrent of bloodshed as she flees her captors.
During her breakout, she suffers a crippling head injury, which leaves her with a split personality: a harmless child with limited speech capacity. In this state, she comes across two college students, Kouta and his cousin Yuka, who unknowingly take in an injured fugitive, unaware of her murderous tendencies. This act of kindness will transform their lives, as they are soon drawn into the shadowy world of government secrecy and conspiracy.
17. The Rising of the Shield Hero
The Four Cardinal Heroes are a group of ordinary men from modern-day Japan who have been summoned to the kingdom of Melromarc to save it. Melromarc is a country besieged by the Waves of Catastrophe, which have ravaged the land and brought disaster to its citizens for centuries. To defeat the Waves, the four heroes are given a sword, spear, bow, and shield. Naofumi Iwatani, an otaku, is cursed with the role of “Shield Hero.” Naofumi is mocked and belittled by his fellow heroes and the people of the kingdom because of his lacklustre offensive abilities and personality.
When the heroes are given resources and comrades to train with, Naofumi sets out with Malty Melromarc, the only person willing to train alongside him. However, he is soon betrayed by her and falsely accused of taking advantage of her. The people of Melromarc then begin to discriminate against and hate Naofumi for something he did not do. Naofumi embarks on his journey of self-improvement and reputation-building with a raging storm of hurt and mistrust in his heart. Later on, however, the difficulty of being on his own sets in, so Naofumi purchases Raphtalia, a demi-human slave on the verge of death, to accompany him on his journey.
As the Waves approach the kingdom, Naofumi and Raphtalia must fight for the kingdom’s survival and protect the people of Melromarc from their fate.
18. Clannad: After Story
The sequel to the critically acclaimed slice-of-life series Clannad, Clannad: After Story, begins after Tomoya Okazaki and Nagisa Furukawa graduate from high school. They go through the emotional ups and downs of growing up together. Unsure of his future path, Tomoya discovers the value of a strong work ethic and the strength of Nagisa’s support. They push forward to confront their personal problems, deepen their old relationships, and form new bonds because of the couple’s dedication and unity of purpose.
Time passes in the Illusionary World as well. As winter approaches, the Illusionary Girl and the Garbage Doll are confronted with a difficult situation that reveals the World’s true purpose.
Clannad: After Story is an impactful drama based on Key’s visual novel and produced by Kyoto Animation. It emphasises the importance of family and the struggles of adulthood.
19. Kakegurui
Unlike many other schools, Hyakkaou Private Academy prepares students for life after high school. Because many of the students are the children of the world’s wealthiest people, the academy has its own quirks that set it apart from the rest. By day, it is a regular school that teaches history, languages, and other subjects. But at night, it transforms into a gambling den, where they learn how to deal with money and manipulate people. Money is power; those who win the games are at the top of the school.
Yumeko Jabami, a seemingly innocent and beautiful transfer student, is eager to dive into Hyakkaou’s specialised curriculum. She, unlike the others, plays for the thrill of the gamble, and her borderline insane gambling style may bring too many new cards to the table.
20. Made in Abyss
The Abyss is a gaping chasm stretching down into the earth’s depths, filled with mysterious creatures and relics from a long time ago. How did it come about? What is at the very bottom? Countless brave individuals known as Divers have attempted to unravel the mysteries of the Abyss by fearlessly plunging into its darkest depths. Those who remain on the surface revere the White Whistles, the best and bravest of the Divers.
Riko, the missing White Whistle Lyza the Annihilator’s daughter, aspires to be like her mother and explore the depths of the Abyss. However, as a new Red Whistle, she is only allowed to explore its uppermost layer. Despite this, Riko has a chance encounter with a mysterious robot dressed as a young boy. She names him Reg, and he has no recollection of the events that led up to his discovery.
Certain that the technology used to create Reg must have come from deep within the Abyss, the two decide to venture into the chasm in order to recover his memories and see the bottom of the great pit for themselves. They are, however, unaware of the harsh reality that is the true existence of the Abyss.
21. Howl’s Moving Castle
That jumbled piece of architecture, with its hissing steam and creaking joints, and smoke billowing from it as it moves on its own… That castle is home to the magnificent wizard Howl, who is infamous in Sophie Hatter’s small town for both his magical prowess and for being a womaniser. Sophie, the plain daughter of a hatmaker, has little hope for the future and is content to work hard in the shop.
Sophie’s simple life, however, takes an exciting turn when she becomes entangled in a disturbing situation and the mysterious wizard appears to rescue her. Unfortunately, despite the brief encounter, the vain and vengeful Witch of the Waste—in a fit of jealousy caused by a previous disagreement with Howl—casts a curse on the maiden, turning her into an old woman.
Sophie must accompany Howl and a slew of eccentric companions—from a powerful fire demon to a hopping scarecrow—in his living castle on a perilous adventure as a raging war tears their kingdom apart.
22. Vinland Saga
Thorfinn grew up hearing stories about old sailors who had travelled the seas and arrived in the legendary land of Vinland. It’s said to be warm and fertile, with no need for fighting—not like the frozen village in Iceland where he was born, and certainly not like his current life as a mercenary. His new home is war. Despite the fact that his father once told him, “Nobody can accuse you of having enemies. There is no one it is acceptable to hurt “Thorfinn realised as he grew that nothing could be further from the truth.
With each passing year, the war between England and Denmark worsens. Death has become the norm, and the viking mercenaries are relishing it. Allying with either side will result in a massive shift in the balance of power, and the Vikings are content to make a name for themselves and take whatever spoils they can. Thorfinn must exact his revenge on Askeladd, the man who murdered his father, in the midst of the chaos. The only paradise for the vikings appears to be the ongoing era of war and death.
23. Guilty Crown
The Apocalypse Virus spread across Japan on December 24, 2029, the day colloquially known as the “Lost Christmas,” killing its citizens and plunging the country into complete chaos. In an effort to restore order, the UN dispatches the GHQ to assist with the crisis by containing the outbreak while removing all political autonomy. A decade later, the country is still under their control, unable to escape their draconian rule.
Frustrated with the state of the country, the Funeral Parlor resistance group seeks to free Japan from the GHQ. The group, led by the charismatic Gai Tsutsugami, plots to steal a vial containing the “Void Genome” in order to further their goals.
The vial ends up in the hands of internet vocalist Inori Yuzuriha, who becomes the target of the GHQ’s Anti-Bodies forces. She seeks refuge in a warehouse after having nowhere else to go, where she meets Shuu Ouma, a socially awkward high school student who is a huge fan of her music.
Shuu is drawn into the conflict the moment he saves Inori, and the Void Genome shatters in his hand, bestowing the “Power of the Kings” upon him. Shuu must now fight to liberate Japan from its cruel oppressors while learning how to control his magnificent new ability.
24. Tokyo Revengers
Takemichi Hanagaki’s second year of middle school was his happiest time. He had respect, a solid group of friends, and even a girlfriend. However, that was twelve years ago. He’s now a nobody: a washed-up nonentity mocked by children and constantly forced to apologise to his younger boss. A shocking news report about the Tokyo Manji Gang’s brutal murder of his only girlfriend, along with her brother, only adds insult to injury. Takemichi flashes back to that same day twelve years ago, when he was still dating Hinata Tachibana, half a second before a train ends his pitiful life for good.
Takemichi meets Hinata’s younger brother after being forced to relive the day that started his downward spiral. He admits to his apparent death without thinking before flashing back to the past. Before mysteriously returning to the future, Takemichi urges him to protect his sister. He is, miraculously, not dead. Even stranger, the future has changed. Takemichi appears to be able to change the course of time. Takemichi decides to fly through time to change the course of history in order to prevent his ex-tragic girlfriend’s death at the hands of the Tokyo Manji Gang.
25. ReLIFE
After being dismissed as a hopeless loser by those around him, 27-year-old Arata Kaizaki bounces around from one job to the next. His unremarkable existence changes dramatically when he meets Ryou Yoake, a member of the ReLife Research Institute, who offers Arata the chance to change his life for the better by taking a mysterious pill. Arata accepts it without hesitation and awakens the next day to discover that his appearance has reverted to that of a 17-year-old.
Arata quickly discovers that he is now the subject of a one-of-a-kind experiment and must attend high school as a transfer student for one year. Though he initially believes it will be a breeze due to his superior life experience, Arata is proven horribly wrong on his first day: he fails all of his tests, is completely out of shape, and is unable to keep up with the new school policies that have emerged in the last ten years. Furthermore, Ryou has been assigned to observe him, much to Arata’s chagrin. ReLIFE follows Arata’s struggle to adjust to his hectic new lifestyle and avoid making the same mistakes he made in the past, all while learning more about his classmates.
26. Classroom of the Elite
Koudo Ikusei Senior High School appears to be a utopia. The students have unrivalled freedom, and it is highly regarded in Japan. The reality, however, is less than ideal. Four classes, A through D, are ranked in order of merit, with only the top four receiving preferential treatment.
Kiyotaka Ayanokouji is a student in Class D, the school’s worst class. There, he meets the unsociable Suzune Horikita, who believes she was placed in Class D by mistake and wishes to advance all the way to Class A, and the seemingly friendly class idol Kikyou Kushida, whose goal is to make as many friends as possible.
While class membership is permanent, class rankings are not; students in lower ranked classes can move up in rankings if they outperform those in higher ranked classes. Furthermore, there are no restrictions on the methods that can be used to advance in Class D. Can they overcome the odds and reach the top of this competitive school?
27. Monster
Dr. Kenzou Tenma, an elite neurosurgeon who recently married the daughter of his hospital’s director, is well on his way up the hospital’s hierarchy. That is, until one night when a seemingly insignificant event alters Dr. Tenma’s life forever. While preparing to operate on someone, he receives a call from the hospital director instructing him to switch patients and perform life-saving brain surgery on a famous performer. His colleagues, fiancée, and the hospital director applaud his achievement; however, as a result of the switch, a poor immigrant worker dies, causing Dr. Tenma to have a moral crisis.
When a similar situation arises, Dr. Tenma stands firm and chooses to operate on the young boy Johan Liebert rather than the town’s mayor. Unfortunately, Dr. Tenma’s decision has serious consequences, including the loss of his social standing. Dr. Tenma’s position is restored following the mysterious death of the director and two other doctors. He is released because there is no evidence to convict him, and he goes on to become the hospital director.
When Dr. Tenma saves the life of a criminal nine years later, his past returns to haunt him—once again, he is confronted with the monster he operated on. He must now embark on a pursuit to atone for the devastation caused by the one he saved.
28. Plastic Memories
Tsukasa Mizugaki, eighteen, has failed his college entrance exams, but after pulling some strings, he lands a job at the Sion Artificial Intelligence Corporation. SAI Corp is responsible for the development of “Giftias,” highly advanced androids that are nearly indistinguishable from normal humans. Giftias, on the other hand, have a maximum lifespan of 81,920 hours, or approximately nine years and four months. Tsukasa’s station, Terminal Service One, is in charge of collecting Giftias that have reached their expiration date before they lose their memories and become hostile.
Tsukasa is quickly partnered with a lovely Giftia named Isla after joining Terminal Service One. Despite her petite stature and calm demeanour, she is a Terminal Service veteran and considered the best in Giftia retrievals. But time is ticking, and Tsukasa must confront his feelings for Isla before it’s too late. Nothing lasts forever, no matter how much someone desires it.
29. 5 Centimeters Per Second
What happens when two people fall in love but aren’t meant to be together? Takaki Toono and Akari Shinohara were childhood friends who were torn apart by circumstances beyond their control. They promise to keep in touch, and while the passage of time widens the gap between them, the chain of memories remains ever-present.
Byousoku 5 Centimeter is a romantic drama about the monotonous and harsh reality of long-distance relationships. Takaki and Akari, trapped in the past and unable to create new memories, cling to the hope of seeing each other again. They go about their daily lives half-heartedly, harming both themselves and those around them.
30. Blue Spring Ride
Futaba Yoshioka was an attractive and popular middle-schooler who was well liked by the opposite sex but despised by the girls. Nonetheless, she was able to dismiss all of that because the only opinion that truly mattered to her was that of Kou Tanaka, a classmate with whom she once shared a rain shelter, followed by a number of other priceless and significant memories. She even made plans to meet with the quiet and innocent boy at the summer festival, but a simple misunderstanding, followed by Tanaka’s subsequent disappearance, left her walking the halls of her school friendless.
Futaba, who is now in high school, is not your typical adolescent girl. She avoids all unwanted attention and, instead of acting cute and feminine, only stands out through her tomboyish behaviour and dishevelled appearance, determined to become a class favourite this time. But her world is soon turned upside down when the only boy she’s ever liked unexpectedly reappears in her life—except he now goes by the name Kou Mabuchi, and it’s not just his name that has changed.
31. Orange
Naho Takamiya receives a letter in the mail one morning that claims to be from herself ten years in the future. The letter describes a series of events that are scheduled to occur that day. Naho initially believes it is a prank, but when the letter mentions a transfer student named Kakeru Naruse, who actually transfers into her class later that day, she is forced to believe its contents.
As Naho reads on, her future self expresses several regrets, urging Naho to make the right decisions now. Somehow, all of these regrets seem to be related to Kakeru, and with the burden of knowing that the boy will not be with her and her friends in the future, will Naho be able to make the perfect choices that will change what appears to be fate?
32. Weathering with You
Tokyo is currently experiencing rain showers, which appear to be disrupting everyone’s normal pace to no end. In the midst of this seemingly endless downpour, Hodaka Morishima, a runaway high school student, arrives, struggling to support himself and eventually landing a job at a small-time publisher. At the same time, Hina Amano, an orphan, is looking for work to support herself and her younger brother.
Both fates are intertwined when Hodaka attempts to save Hina from shady men and decides to flee together. As a result, Hodaka discovers Hina has a strange yet amazing power: she can summon the sun whenever she prays for it. Hodaka sees the potential of this ability in light of Tokyo’s unusual weather. He suggests that Hina become a “sunshine girl,” someone who clears the sky for people when they are in need.
33. Kokoro Connect
When five Yamaboshi Academy students realise there are no clubs where they can fit in, they form the Student Cultural Society, or “StuCS” for short. Taichi Yaegashi, a die-hard wrestling fan; Iori Nagase, an unsure optimist; Himeko Inaba, a cool computer genius; Yui Kiriyama, a petite karate practitioner; and Yoshifumi Aoki, the class clown, make up the club.
Aoki and Yui have a strange incident one day when, without warning, they switch bodies for a short period of time. As this supernatural occurrence occurs at random among the five friends, they realise it is more than just a game. They soon discover each other’s hidden secrets and emotional scars, which could end up tearing the StuCS and their friendship apart.
34. I Want To Eat Your Pancreas
The aloof protagonist: a bookworm who is deeply disconnected from the world in which he lives. He has no interest in others and is certain that no one has any interest in him. His story starts when he discovers a handwritten book titled “Living with Dying.” He quickly recognises it as the secret diary of his popular, bubbly classmate Sakura Yamauchi. She then tells him about her pancreatic disease and how she knows her time is running out.
Her terminal illness is only known to her family; even her closest friends are unaware. Despite this revelation, he has no sympathy for her plight, but caught in the currents of Sakura’s persistent buoyancy, he eventually agrees to accompany her for the rest of her days.
As the two polar opposites interact, their bond grows stronger, intertwining through their daily decisions. Her unpredictability and apparent nonchalance disrupt the protagonist’s impassive flow of life, gradually opening his heart as he discovers and embraces the true meaning of living.
35. The Garden of Words
Takao Akizuki, an aspiring shoemaker, skips class on a rainy morning in Tokyo to sketch designs in a beautiful garden. This is where he first meets Yukari Yukino, a beautiful yet mysterious woman. Takao continues to meet with Yukari throughout the rainy season, offering to make her new shoes, and the two are able to alleviate the worries hidden in their hearts simply by being together. Their personal struggles, however, have not completely vanished, and as the end of the rainy season approaches, their relationship will be put to the test.
36. Beastars
An uneasy tension exists between carnivores and herbivores in a civilised society of anthropomorphic animals. This mutual distrust reaches a boiling point at Cherryton Academy after a predation incident kills Tem, an alpaca in the school’s drama club. Tem’s friend Legoshi, a grey wolf in the stage crew, has been a target of suspicion and fear his entire life. In the immediate aftermath of the tragedy, he continues to hide his menacing traits, much to the chagrin of Louis, a red deer and the drama club’s domineering star actor.
Louis assigns Legoshi to lookout duty when he sneaks into the auditorium to train Tem’s replacement for an upcoming play. That night, Legoshi meets Haru, a white dwarf rabbit who is despised by her peers. His growing feelings for Haru, complicated by his predatory instincts, force him to confront his true nature, the circumstances surrounding his friend’s death, and the undercurrent of violence that pervades the world around him.
37. The Girl Who Leapt Through Time
Makoto Konno is in her senior year of high school and is unsure what she wants to do with her life. Makoto’s life abruptly changes when she accidentally discovers that she is capable of literally leaping through time, in between enduring the pressures of her teachers and killing time with her best friends.
Toki wo Kakeru () Shoujo follows Makoto as she experiments with her newly discovered power. However, she quickly discovers the hard way that every choice has a consequence, and time is far more complicated than it appears.
38. Banana Fish
Aslan Jade Callenreese, also known as Ash Lynx, was a runaway taken from the streets of New York City and raised by the mafia’s infamous godfather, Dino Golzine. Ash, now 17 and the leader of his own gang, begins looking into the mysterious “Banana Fish”—the same two words his older brother, Griffin, has muttered since his return from the Iraq War. However, his investigations are hampered when Dino sends his men after Ash at an underground bar where he hides.
Skip, Ash’s friend, introduces him to Shunichi Ibe and his assistant, Eiji Okumura, two Japanese photographers covering American street gangs. Shorter Wong, one of Ash’s allies, calls to warn him about Dino, interrupting their conversation. Dino’s men soon storm the bar and kidnap Skip and Eiji in the ensuing chaos. Now, Ash must find a way to save them and continue his investigation into Banana Fish, but will his history with the mafia stop him?
39. To Your Eternity
An Orb, only known as It, is cast to Earth to be observed from a distance. It is capable of changing forms from the beings whose reflections it captures, first becoming a rock and then, as the temperature rises, moss.
It doesn’t move until a wolf at death’s door passes by on a snowy day. When It assumes the animal form, It gains consciousness and begins to wander with no clear destination in mind.
It soon encounters the wolf’s master—a young boy who is waiting for his tribe to return from a paradise rich in fish and fruit in the south. Despite his loneliness, the boy hopes that those he holds dear in his memories have not forgotten him and that he will be reunited with them one day.
The boy desires to explore new surroundings and decides to abandon his home with It in order to find the paradise using the traces left behind by his tribe. What will become of the boy, however, with a severely injured body and no sight of his elder comrades?
Fumetsu no Anata e depicts the story of an immortal being experiencing humanity and meeting various types of people in various locations throughout time.
