Amnesia is a reverse-harem anime revolving around a young lady whose name is unknown. After fainting, this girl wakes up in the back room of a maid cafe she works in, with no memory about her past, and without even recalling her own name. After two of her friends – Toma and Shin – walk her home, she meets a spectral boy, whose name is Orion. Orion apologizes to her, and explain that she lost her memory because of him, and swear to help her regain it. While struggling to understand what went wrong, and how to regain her memory, Heroine keeps fainting and each time she wakes up in a parallel world where her life goes differently each time. Her journey to discover why starts from there! Diabolik Lovers and Amnesia are both reverse-harem anime, and an adaption of otome games. The main female characters share the confusion and the fear of being put in a situation they don't clearly understand, surrounded by beautiful boys who pursue them. Both girls are shy, and quiet and sometimes really naive. As for the male characters, they have various personality types and struggle to be noticed by the heroine. For example Ayato Sakamaki – the third brother in Diabolik Lovers – is very similar to Ikki in Amnesia; both are very narcissistic and full of self-esteem. Even though the plots differ, viewers can find in Amnesia almost the same situations, and a similar character design. We think that fans of Diabolik Lovers are guaranteed to like Amnesia as well!

Yuuki Cross and Zero Kiryuu are prefects of the Cross Academy, which is a boarding school separated in Day Class, and Night Class. Yuuki and Zero's duty is to maintain the order as the classes rotate in the evenings. The only problem is that Night Class elites are beautiful vampires, so the task can prove very hard. Yet, Yuuki and Zero have to do their best and protect that secret from morning students. Yuuki has a crush on Kaname Kuran, the president of the night students' dorm, and she happily does her job as a guardian, being able to interact with him. On the other hand, Zero has a hidden crush on Yuuki and hates vampires with all his strength. Zero being her best friend, and Kaname a vampire she has a crush on, how will things evolve for Yuuki? That's how Yuuki's struggles begin, and how she will discover the biggest secret about her own life! Okay, Vampire Knight may not be a fully reverse-harem anime, as the characters that pursue the main female character aren't always so well inclined towards her, but still it shares with Diabolik Lovers a bunch of vampires obsessed with a girl. Both the female main characters, Yuuki and Yui, are somehow naive and find themselves in the position of doing nothing but being quiet and obey. Both these shows have a school setting, and a dark and Gothic theme. In Diabolik Lovers and Vampire Knight the main theme of drinking blood from the heroine is a repeating thing, and just how the six Sakamaki brothers fight over Yui, Kaname and Zero fight over Yuuki. Although the romance trait is obviously stronger in Vampire Knight, both show are enjoyable because of the feelings that slowly the various characters develop towards the heroine. If you like vampires and romance, both these shows are bound to satisfy you, as they share the same vibes all along.

Ema Hinata was an only child who, suddenly, found herself surrounded by thirteen – yes, thirteen – step-brothers. It happens one day, when Ema's single father falls in love and then marries Miwa Asahina, and Ema feels the need to make room for the newly-wed couple. So she moves into the so-called Sunrise Residence, and starts living with her new step-brothers. While living with her new brothers, Ema realizes how wonderful it is to live in a big family, surrounded by love and affection. As time passes by, though, she suddenly realizes that it's not exactly fraternal love what's growing among her and her step-brothers. That's how Ema's love troubles begin! As for the similarities that Brothers Conflict and Diabolik Lovers share, we can start saying that both are reverse-harem shows. In both these anime, there's the heroine who is forced by her father into a situation where she is surrounded by beautiful boys. The male characters, in both shows, have a big range of personality types, and rival each other to obtain the attention of the heroine. What makes these shows so similar, though, is the fact that they're both about brothers going all after just one girl, causing fights, and conflicts in the family. The characters are similar, and we can find triplets in both. Ema, exactly like Yui from Diabolik Lovers, is your typical shy and timid character, who doesn't actually know how to deal with the new environment, and so she goes with the flow of events. What's left to say? If you enjoyed Diabolik Lovers, just know that Brothers Conflict is its counterpart, with human characters instead of vampires!

Dance with Devils revolves around Ritsuka Tachibana, who has always been a good student. One day, with her big surprise, she is summoned by the student council and accused to be a troublemaker. However, her life take a turn for the worse when her mother gets kidnapped and she discovers a world of vampires and devils. The only ray of hope is her brother, Lindo, who returns from overseas and yet seems to hide something from her. When she finds out that both vampires and devils are after a “Grimoire” – an item allowing its owner to rule the world – and with her brother hiding something from her, she is desperate to know if there's someone out there she can really rely on, or trust. That's how Ritsuka's journey in a world filled with secrets begins! Diabolik Lovers and Dance with Devils have a lot in common. For starters, they both are reverse-harem anime adaptation from otome games. While in one the heroine deals with vampires, in the other one the heroine deals with demons. In both shows we find a girl and five guys surrounding her. These five guys have different personalities, but share a sadistic trait. What's more, they start to deal with the heroine just for their own personal profit, but start to have real feelings towards her. Ritsuka is very similar to Yui; she doesn't know what to do, who to believe in, nor how to move in the new setting. Well, it's exactly your perfect reverse-harem universe, where handsome guys turn out to fight one against each other to gain the heroine's attention. It's not a stretch, if you liked Diabolik Lovers, you will find Dance with Devils just as good, with the main difference being the presence of demons instead of vampires.

Yui Kusanagi is a high school girl who, one day, wakes up in a strange, yet beautiful school, in a wonderful place she cannot recognize. After going around searching for a clue, she is suddenly summoned by Zeus. Zeus explains Yui the situation, and her reason for being there. The one she is in, is a fake school where there are only few real students who are gods. Since six of them don't know what love is, and act selfishly, or have regrets about their past, Yui's task is to teach them what love means. That's how little Yui's adventure starts, surrounded by beautiful gods who will be taught by her, and will teach her what even she didn't know about love! Kamigami no Asobi and Diabolik Lovers are both two reverse-harem anime, involving a main female protagonist named “Yui”. Both Yui and Yui have to deal with guys who put them a lot of pressure, and since they're all so different from each other, in both these shows it's up to Yui to act differently according to the person she has in front of her. Even though Kamigami no Asobi is more on the drama side, it's clear as daylight how the two female characters have a lot in common, having to complete a task visually almost impossible for them. Both Yui and Yui are almost trapped into a specific place, and forced to complete their task. As for the male characters, aside the fact that they are all handsome and attractive, both in Diabolik Lovers and Kamigami no Asobi they start to fight with each other, and compete over the heroine who, on the other side, doesn't really know what to do and doesn't move towards someone specific. Both Yui and Yui have to deal with superhuman guys who act like brats, even if one Yui deals with gods, and one deals with vampires. If you liked Diabolik Lovers, but need something that is similar but without the horror trait, then Kamigami no Asobi is just what you're looking for!

It's 1860 and Chizuru Yukimura lives in Edo with her father, who is a doctor. When work takes him away from her and in Kyoto, they exchange letters. Suddenly, letters stop coming though, and Chizuru becomes overly worried. So she disguises herself as a man and leaves for Kyoto. Once in Kyoto, she gets attacked by a bunch of samurai and a seemingly inhuman man. She is saved by a member of the Shinsengumi, only to be taken to their base, be interrogated and then, possibly, killed. Luckily, though, even Shinsengumi members are looking for her father, so they all together will start cooperating, and Chizuru will come to bond with the Shinsengumi guys, coming to understand what love and friendship are. Even Hakuoki, same as Diabolik Lovers, is an anime adaptation from one of the most popular otome game. So obviously, it turned out to be a reverse-harem anime, just like Diabolik Lovers. Chizuru, same as Yui, is frightened; she finds herself almost killed by the Shinsengumi members, in a new setting that she doesn't know how to deal with. Exactly like Yui, she is shy, frail and suddenly surrounded by beautiful men. Shinsengumi members, same as the Sakamaki brothers in Diabolik Lovers, have different personalities, and each of them has his own way to interact with Chizuru. If Diabolik Lovers is about vampires, even in Hakuoki we can find a similar theme. In fact, Shinsengumi members obtain a power that turn them into creatures very similar to vampires, and guess what? They will need our heroine's blood! What else can we say? If you enjoyed Diabolik Lovers and crave for more, next step can be Hakuoki! You won't be disappointed.

In an era where pirates make a significant influence on land and sea, Gol D. Roger was the most prominent “Pirate King” to sail the Grand Line in search of One Piece. Upon his capture and death by the World Government, his last words invoked a challenge to the next generation of pirates. Among the challengers is Monkey D. Luffy, unlike the typical pirate persona, he quickly distinguished himself with the highest bounty to boot. Luffy and his Straw Hat crew, with missions of their own, dream of sailing the Grand Line in search of riches, fame and glory. Their adventurous spirits take them on an incredible voyage, with countless twists and turns. One Piece is the longest running anime I’ve experience thus far. I really enjoy the array of personalities in the Straw Hat crew. They are considerably different, which makes me wonder how they get anything done. Nonetheless, their animated characteristics are comedic, entertaining, and amusing.

Gon Freecss is determined to be the very best Hunter, in the hope of finding his father, who left him when he was an infant to become a Hunter himself. In becoming a Hunter, Gon must face perilous tasks and challenges, testing his strength and character. In completing the Hunter’s exam, Gon meets several people who grow to become his close friends, Leorio, Killua and Kurapika. Each with their own goals in mind after achieving their Hunter’s license, the four of them are always at each others’ sides. Throughout the anime, Gon, Leorio, Killua, and Kurapika encounter various characters, creatures and obstacles that prove to be more challenging than the next. Furthermore, they never lose sight of their ambitions, continuing to grow as skilled Hunters. Hunter x Hunter is an exciting, action packed anime leaving you at the edge of your seat. I was always kept wondering “what’s going to happen next?!” Gon, Leorio, Killua, and Kurapika each had their own stories to share, which kept the series constantly riveting.

Kuragehime (Princess Jellyfish) is the story of Tsukimi Kurashita and her four awkward, nerdy, and anti-social roommates, possessing a fascination and fixation with something strange, e.g., meat, older men, and of course, Tsukimi’s is jellyfish. Tsukimi and her roomies all live in a home in Tokyo with a strict ‘no boys allowed’ rule. Tsukimi moved to the big city with the dream of becoming an illustrator. Tsukimi’s world, along with the other girls, is greatly impacted when she meets a gorgeous ‘lady’ who is actually a guy name Kuranosuke, the alter ego of Kurako. Tsukimi and Kuranosuke are from vastly different worlds, but offer each other great advice, teaching each other the benefit of stepping out of one’s comfort zone and accepting yourself as you are. Kuragehime (Princess Jellyfish) was really fun to watch.

Clannad is the first part of the journey between Tomoya Okazaki and Nagisa Furukawa. The story follows a very misunderstood boy named Tomoya and his relationships with various people in his high school, particularly with Nagisa, with whom a friendship grows romantically over time . Tomoya first notices Nagisa when she alone shouts random things, catching Tomoya’s attention. Following that incident, Tomoya becomes more aware of Nagisa’s presence around school and finds out that she is actually a grade older but held back because she was often too sick to leave home. As Nagisa becomes more active, she dreams of reviving the school’s drama club. As such, Tomoya reluctantly helps along with four other classmates. While he interacts with his new companions, Tomoya realizes the intricate details of their lives, providing them guidance as needed and deepening their relationships. Clannad After Story is the sequel to Clannad, documenting Tomoya and Nagisa’s lives after they graduate high school and transition into adulthood. Their stories channel several joyous and heartbreaking moments, thus emphasizing the importance of family and close friends in time of need. Furthermore, a symbolic, illusionary world is intertwined into the plot, revealing to the main characters how to face their difficult situations out in the real world. Along with the storyline, what was captivating about these anime was the artistry for Clannad and Clannad After Story. They were both incredibly beautiful, delicate, and serene, complementing the story and genre. I really enjoyed both these anime. Moreover, I don’t usually cry watching shows or movies, but I fell victim with Clannad and Clannad After Story.

Fruits Basket is a story of 16-year-old Tooru Honda. Under the care of her grandfather, due to the death of her parents, he and her aunt decided to renovate their home to accommodate the growing family. As construction begins, Tooru’s grandfather asks if she has a place to stay for the time. She says yes even though she doesn’t. Being accustomed to fending for herself, Tooru decides to camp out in an area she thought was deserted. However, the secluded home nearby belongs to the most popular boy in school, Yuki Sohma, and his cousins, Shigure and Kyou. When the Sohmas stumble upon her tent, they offer her a place to stay in exchange for housekeeping services. She accepts their offer. During her stay, Tooru gains knowledge of the Sohma family curse, which transforms the members into animals of the Chinese zodiac, plus the cat. Normally, knowledge of this is erased, but the head of the family decides to keep her memory intact. Over time, Tooru grows closer to each member of the Sohma family, thus changing their views of the curse and life. In return, Tooru gains a sense of belonging, in an atmosphere where she appears so out of place. Fruits Basket is rated number one on my Top 5 Anime list because I can watch this series over and over again without getting sick of it, lol. Furthermore, Tooru’s outlook on life, despite the various circumstances she’s experienced, is very admirable and is something I strive for constantly. Throughout the good and bad, one must always have a positive outlook on the outcome; making the very best with what life deals you.

“Don’t judge a book by its cover!” Tell that to Sawako Kuronuma’s classmates! In the anime Kimi ni Todoke, Sawako’s appearance is often mistaken as the scary girl from the film “The Ring,” thus giving her the nickname, Sadako. The gossip about Sawako deters people from getting to know who she really is. Consequently, those who know her can say that she is opposite from this fictitious film character. Sawako is very timid, kind and sweet. As Sawako yearns for friends and a sense of fitting in, she is drawn to Shouta Kazehaya, the most popular boy. Incidentally, when Shouta starts talking to her, Sawako’s spirit is overjoyed. Over the course of time, Sawako and Shouta venture on to new endeavors, both individually and together. In comparing Kimi ni Todoke with Sukitte Ii na yo (Say "I Love You"), they share a similar character complex where the shy and outcast female lead seeks refuge in the popular, coveted lead male. Additionally, both opposing natures grow to embrace different aspects of life through each others’ perspectives.

Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun (My Little Monster) documents the growing relationship between the very isolated, distant and ice cold Shizuku Mizutani and the carefree yet emotional Haru Yoshida. Their relationship begins when Shizuku is tasked with delivering homework assignments to Haru’s house. As such, their romance proceeds slowly, but the two of them begin to discover new aspects of themselves and each other despite what others have observed. With each episode, this anime presents the needed close connections one must chance upon in order to develop and grow. In comparing Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun (My Little Monster) with Sukitte Ii na yo (Say "I Love You"), both are romantic comedies highlighting the buildup of a friendship among two opposites into something more. Also, My Little Monster and Say “I Love You” have strong, dynamic characters that provide significant support to an already fantastic storyline.

Nanami Takahashi begins her first year in high school. Mentally prepared, Nanami has her mind set that her school life will go as typically portrayed in teen movies, which consists of making tons of friends and gaining popularity rapidly. Further along, Bokura ga Ita revolves around the budding relationship between Nanami and Yano Motoharu, a boy from her school. Collectively, we journey through the struggles and joys of blossoming romance, drama, and comedy between Nanami and Yano. In comparing Bokura ga Ita with Sukitte Ii na yo (Say "I Love You"), the animation is very similar between the two, displaying very light and delicate artistry. Moreover, the development of the characters and storyline are very simplistic and easy to follow.

Hiyokoi highlights the adventures of Hiyori Nishiyama, a very shy and awkward girl starting off at a new school. Hiyori is quickly drawn towards the very attractive and charismatic Yuushin Hirose. In this three episode special, Hiyori and Yuushin navigate the school year before Christmas holiday. Additionally, these two very visually dissimilar characters provide an interesting and exciting plot. In comparing Hiyokoi with Sukitte Ii na yo (Say "I Love You"), again the element of “opposites attract” is demonstrated. Furthermore, there are components of realism to each story.

Misaki Ayuzawa is the first female school president in a school that newly transitioned from being all-boys to co-ed. As she is deemed “Demon President” by a majority of males at the school, she is not afraid to lay down the law and stick up for her fellow female classmates. Strong and strict, Misaki appears to be running the show. However, as she appears as nothing short of perfection among her schoolmates, she embarrassingly works part-time as a café maid in order to support her family. No one at her school knows about this shameful secret until the most popular boy in school, Takumi Usui catches her on her work shift. Caught in a bind, Takumi holds the power of whether to bring the president down or take advantage of the situation to get closer to her. In comparing Kaichou wa Maid-sama with Sukitte Ii na yo (Say "I Love You"), they share familiar aspect of characters falling in love with each other in very cute and funny ways. Also, the main characters share identically close personality traits.

Ao Haru Ride also known as Blue Spring Ride follows Yoshioka through her life in high school. Recognized as the “cute girl” in middle school, Yoshioka is on a mission to revamp her image due to the hate she received from her female peers and the popularity and awe from the boys. As such, Yoshioka is faced with the many issues and obstacles of being a teenager: love, romance, friendship, etc. On top of that, her new, contrasting image disrupts how she really is naturally. Correspondingly, her friend from middle school also joins her in high school, Kou Mabuchi. Kou’s appearance too has greatly changed from middle school. Taken together, Ao Haru Ride, channels Yoshioka and Kou discovering themselves and the development of their relationship. Ao Haru Ride (Blue Spring Ride) and Sukitte Ii na yo (Say "I Love You") both are about romance, friendship, school life and the triumphs and failures of each. They are also both heart-tugging, enjoyable anime that succeeded incredible manga. The stories mean for the audience to truly be engaged, really feeling what the characters do.

Don’t get fooled by the art and those pretty bright colors as this Mahou Shoujo is more than that. Drosselmeyer, wanting to give an ending to the fairytale “The Prince and the Raven” decides to take an actual duck to continue on with the story. Now, as a human, Ahiru learns that she can transform into Princess Tutu, at which point she can dance to relieve any disturbances of the heart. As time goes by, she finds out that she needs to find the broken pieces of the Prince’s heart in order to make him whole again, but not without being stopped by the Raven’s daughter, Princess Kraehe. Simply, Princess Tutu’s whole premise is “story within a story”. The beginning of Princess Tutu may not differ from some Mahou Shoujo clichés, but once you watch along, you’ll notice a darker turn of events, making the show more unique and very original. The visuals were stunning and the music was great, but the real gem of this anime is the great writing and execution along with its memorable characters. The complexity of the characters is superb. They are very believable and very likeable. I like how their beliefs and feelings are constantly played with and tested by the crazy Drosselmeyer who wants a tragic end for the characters. It’s wonderful to see that these characters break away from who they were supposed to be and create their very own “happily ever after”. The overall anime was good. But it was so unexpected that when the ending finally came, I felt betrayed and happy at the same time. Until now, every time I remember that ending, it still gives me that bittersweet feeling. I’m not saying the ending was unsatisfying, it is actually one of the best endings I’ve watched in an anime. The show incorporates ballets and gives off that fairytale atmosphere. It might put off some viewers at first, but give it a chance, and you’ll see the beauty of this majestic anime.

Air Gear focuses on the adventures of the hot-headed teenager Itsuki “Ikki” Minami as he aims to be at the top of the Trophaeum Tower by using air treks - high-end motorized roller skates -. I actually kept on pondering if I should put down Haikyuu!! for this selection or Air Gear. But as you can see, Air Gear won me over. I will admit that Haikyuu!! is my most favorite sports anime as of now, but after remembering Air Gear, I felt that this anime should be on my list! Call it feeling nostalgic or whatever, Air Gear takes this 4th place. As for some who know me personally, they would know that usually for me anime+harem+excessive fanservice= dropped anime. Well, surprise, surprise! This is one of the few cases where this simple rule wasn’t applied. Yes, there was a lot of fanservice here and there and to make things worse, this anime has a lot of typical shounen anime clichés. Weirdly enough, I didn’t notice it, well, sometimes that is. The fan service hasn’t really bothered me that much and as for the clichés, they were utilized in a different manner, developing it more to keep things interesting. I’m sure the main point that made me fall in love with this anime, is the concept behind those roller skates, and of course its quirky characters. Every time I see Ikki Minami riding on those air treks, I feel like I am flying with him. It’s funny, but this is one of those shows that I was so immersed in that I wished air treks were real. Not only that, I also like the idea behind the sport. It was well thought out. The show was so fun to watch! The moment I finished the anime, I immediately went straight to reading the manga. It’s an entertaining show that gives you a lot of that adrenaline rush. Just don’t expect any logic when it comes to the physics and science behind this anime.

The anime that opened the Horror and Psychological genre for me was Psycho Pass. Without this anime, I wouldn't have known titles such as Tokyo Ghoul, Ajin, Parasyte, Monster, Aoi Bungaku, Shingeki no Kyojin, Zankyou no Terror, and many more of the like. In a futuristic Japan, the country implemented the Sibyl System as a way of enforcing the law. It scans a person’s mental state to determine if said person could commit a criminal act. Join the new rookie officer, Tsunemori Akane, as she begins to unfold the truth behind the Sibyl System’s “perfect judgment”. As I have said earlier, Psycho Pass was an eye opener to other anime that didn’t really quite attract me before. The premise alone was enough to captivate me. Couple it up with nice soundtracks, animation, and distinctive characters and this show was a gold mine for someone like me who was new to this kind of genre. Although almost all of the main characters are captivating as they are, Makishima Shougo, the main antagonist of the show, really stood out for me. Makishima’s actions are indeed ruthless and inhuman, but once you hear his side of the story and his intentions, he does make a point. And then we have Kougami Shinya who has a great sense of justice but doesn’t believe that Sybil System is just. Because of that, he is ready to take justice into his own hands, albeit at the price of becoming a criminal. Lastly, we have the female lead, Tsunemori Akane, who is too idealistic. Her character drastically develops from an inexperienced officer to a more mature and solid character. Psycho Pass is a good watch, it shows us that even the so-called “perfect system” can have its flaws. There is also a thin line between good and evil that makes you question yourself about what truly is “Justice”.

Natsume Yuujinchou was written and illustrated by Yuki Midorikawa which was also known for the wonderful story behind Hotarubi no Mori e. Because of his ability to see youkai, Natsume Takahashi has isolated himself from people. He inherited the book of friends from his grandmother, which contains names of youkai that his grandmother bullied and teased. It is said the one who holds the book of friends has the control over the youkai, whose names were written in the book, thus the reason why Natsume is being constantly chased by these beings. Until the day he accidentally unleashes a powerful youkai named Madara, who then declared to act as Natsume’s bodyguard. Madara’s true intention is to get the book of friends, but as times goes on, he becomes so attached to the boy that even he begins to help Natsume on returning the names of the youkai albeit with its power diminishing. Natsume Yuujinchou is very simple. It is very episodic but each episode holds a beautiful meaning that can be reflective. When this anime was suggested by someone I knew, I was skeptical about it. I thought I might get bored of this and just sleep away. Fortunately, that didn’t happen, all thanks to our protagonist Natsume Takahashi. Natsume’s development as a character was absolutely captivating. As he interacts with different youkai, he becomes more open and becomes accepted for who he really is. This anime holds a special place in my heart because I somehow relate to Natsume on a personal level. Watching it really gave me some insights about myself and gave me a new, fresher perspective about family and how I need to open up to other people too. It’s really hard to explain how phenomenal this show was, but once you’ve begun to watch it, it’s hard to go back. A very emotional and inspirational anime for me to enjoy anytime.

Even before the anime came out and had gained a lot of fans, I was already a fan of its manga back in the day when it only had 12 chapters. Magi is very special to me because this was the 1st Shounen manga that I’d read. I also watched it grow, and really, I didn’t expect that Magi would someday become an anime with a fairly large fan base behind it. You could say I’m very proud of the author, Ohtaka Shinobu, who has come a long way. The story is loosely based on the classic tale of Arabian Nights. It centers around Aladdin and his adventures of being a Magi. Magi starts off very slow, but it uses this to introduce the abundant world of Magi and how these characters are woven to meet each other. Unlike other Shounen anime, Magi has this realistic tone despite it being a fantasy, supernatural anime. It discusses real issues like slavery, corruption, politics, and wars. Conflicts are usually nicely presented and resolved in an excellent way. Sometimes they can be solved through action packed fights, or some can be solved through diplomatic talks. Just like with my previous selections, the most endearing part of the anime has been its characters. Even with its wide array of characters, Magi never fails to flesh them out and give importance to them. Everyone has their own convictions, and really, it’s hard to follow who is good and evil when all of their ideals do make some sense. Magi is simply magical to me, It really is hard to pinpoint all the good things Magi has one by one because it has a lot! Of course, it has some minor flaws here and there, but I believe there are only a few. Though I admit that the anime did miss some important key elements in the manga and changed some scenes, nevertheless, I still enjoyed it. It has everything I want in an adventure anime. For me, Magi deserves to be my number one on this list.

Ritsuka Tachibana is your average, hard working student. To her surprise, she is called into a meeting by the student council, composed of a group of fine young men. Later on, Ritsuka finds out that her mother has been abducted. Additionally, various crimes and incidents follow this news, resulting in Ritsuka’s knowledge of the world of vampires and devils. Furthermore, the student council members are devils themselves and believe that Ritsuka has information as to the location of the forbidden “Grimoire,” an object coveted by both vampires and devils. Each side is fighting to obtain the Grimoire in order to rule the world. Dance with Devils and Brothers Conflict are similar because the female lead is targeted and desired by a group of males. The story and setting of each anime is vastly different, where Dance with Devils has a musical component in addition to a dark theme, and Brothers Conflict is more ‘Slice-of-Life’ and perhaps relatable. However, both offer a fantastic story development that leaves viewers guessing what will happen next.

Kamigami no Asobi is filled with tons of magic and fighting. It begins with a girl name Yui Kusanagi, who is at a shrine and is suddenly transported into another realm. In this alternate world, various young and handsome gods must learn the significance and value of humanity. As Yui is designated this difficult assignment to aid the gods, she must complete this mission within a year’s time. Otherwise they will all be stranded in that realm forever. In these reverse harems, Yui from Kamigami no Asobi and Ema from Brothers Conflict are propelled into unique and distinct situations that they aren’t accustomed to, but must quickly adjust due to unlikely forces. In both anime, there is a lot of romantic conflict and obstacles between the characters.

Diabolik Lovers is about Yui Komori. At her father’s request, Yui ends up living in a house that is full of vampires. Unaware of why she is sent there in the first place, Yui and the Sakamaki brothers all find out that she is meant to be their sacrificial bride. At the Sakamaki home, Shuu, Reiji, Ayato, Kanato, Laito, and Subaru each fulfill their love lust and blood thirst, while Yui remains a captive in their home. Yui is conflicted as to why her father would allow her to be treated as such. Now, Yui struggles with a new sensation pumping through her veins combined with the sorrow of being subjected to this type of treatment. In comparison, both anime involve a tender, kind hearted girl surrounded by a number of guys, who want her for their own personal gains. Ema Hinata from Brothers Conflict and Yui from Diabolik Lovers are roped into their situations by their fathers, thrusting them into completely different environments. Although the boys in Brothers Conflict seek Ema more romantically and passionately, the boys in Diabolik Lovers have a more malicious and dark way of acquiring Yui.

Amnesia is the story of a girl who loses her memories. Not only does the main character have no recollection of her past, she is plagued by a spirit named Orion, who was the reason why she lost her memories in the first place. Fortunately for our heroine, Orion helps her recover what she’s lost by helping her piece together people - a majority of them being handsome males -, places, and other various triggers. With many of her encounters, she slowly comes to find out who she is. The heroine from Amnesia and Ema Hinata from Brothers Conflict share similar timid personalities. They are both reverse harem based, where the female lead is surrounded by a swarm of males. Additionally, the heroine and Ema develop deep and personal relationships with each male they experience, providing a supportive quality and unique experience between each pair and for the main female protagonist.

Based on an otome game, Hanayaka Nari, Waga Ichizoku: Kinetograph is about Haru Asagi, who works as a maid for the Miyanomori household, one of the most powerful families of the early 1900s. Father Miyanomori decides it is time to retire as head of the family and wants to choose one of his six sons to take his place. Father Miyanomori does not tell his sons how he will go about this process, but suggests to his sons to prepare themselves and to stay on his good side. In this OVA, Hanayaka Nari, Waga Ichizoku: Kinetograph, highlights the former conflict in addition to the interactions between the Miyanomori brothers and Haru. Hanayaka Nari, Waga Ichizoku: Kinetograph and Brothers Conflict include one female lead with varied relations between a number of brothers. These anime, targeted towards a female audience, seek to make them wonder whom the female protagonist will choose in the end. Furthermore, Hanayaka Nari, Waga Ichizoku: Kinetograph and Brothers Conflict have comedy, romance, and dramatic themes.

Uta no Prince Sama is the story of various young talents enrolled at Saotome Academy, in hopes of reaching stardom through music. Surrounded by musical brilliance and artistry, the protagonist, Haruka Nanami attempts to make her way to the top of the industry, gaining six companions along the way. The progress through each episode demonstrates the journey of students training to become future idols. In comparing Uta no Prince-sama♪ Maji Love 1000% with Brothers Conflict, both have a female main character surrounded by a group of young men fighting for their attention. UtaPri and Brothers Conflict have vibrant characters, who all cast various personalities. Haruka Nanami from UtaPri and Ema Hinata from Brothers Conflict are both timid and introverted young ladies, but nonetheless talented and diligent, whether it is for studies or music composition. Haruka and Ema are also likeable girls with handsome men in their midst.

In an era where pirates make a huge impact on both land and sea, Gol D. Roger was historically the most prominent “Pirate King” to sail the Grand Line in search of One Piece. Upon his capture and death by the World Government, his last words invoked a challenge to the next generation. Among the challengers, Monkey D. Luffy who unlike any typical pirate, quickly distinguished himself with the highest bounty to boot. Luffy and his Straw Hats crew, Nami, Brook, Franky, Robin, Zoro, Sanji, Usopp, and Chopper, with missions of their own, dream of sailing the Grand Line in search of riches, fame and glory. Their adventurous spirits take them on an incredible voyage, with countless twists and turns. Nico Robin, the of the crew, has a style that reflects her surroundings and personality. Overtime, Robin has opened up, personally and with the Straw Hats, branching out into various outfits that don’t neglect her body type and her best features. Unlike her fellow female Straw Hat, Nami, whose choices in outfits are more risqué, Robin is a bit more reserved, with lots of cover-up pieces, button-down shirts, her signature cowgirl hat and orange shades. A lot of the time, most of her color palette remains solid, but she does venture into some subtle patterns every now and then.

Fate/stay night is the sequel to Fate/Zero, which follows Shirou Emiya, an average boy whose world is quickly altered by the supernatural battle of Servants competing for the Holy Grail. This anime is set ten years after the fourth Holy Grail war with the main characters being the offspring of the participants. With some knowledge on how Servant and Master must collaborate to produce the greatest chance of winning the Grail, Shirou is conflicted with the way this process works. The anime highlights Shirou’s struggle to become a noble warrior like his servant needs him to be and like his father was before him, or to set out to win the Holy Grail by what his heart deems to be right. From a legacy of mages, Rin Tohsaka has an exaggerated sense of importance and strength, both at school and in her path to win the Holy Grail with her Servant, Archer. Both Rin and Archer share identical outfits with matching crosses and bold red colors. Even though Rin has compiled several different ensembles throughout the anime, e.g., skirts paired with thigh-high socks, Rin always completes her look with something red.

The anime Nana is the story of two women named Nana, both 20 years old, who move to Tokyo to pursue their dreams. Nana Komatsu, also the narrator of this anime, is an adventurous spirit, who moves to the big city to be closer to her boyfriend, Shoji. Nana Osaki is an aspiring musician in a punk band that is slowly making its way to the top. They coincidentally meet on a train one day, unexpectedly bond, and later; end up as roommates. Nana captures the lives of these two women, joined by their name, as they live out their lives beginning new adventures. Nana Komatsu is a hopeless romantic, whisked away with the thought of true love with Shoji. Nana Komatsu’s character is very sweet and kind and as she develops, she becomes more adaptive and knowledgeable with her environment. The anime spotlights on her style utilizing delicate pastels, light-tone colors and flowing fabrics to symbolize growth and development. Additionally, Nana Komatsu’s attire collectively is very cute and feminine.

The anime follows Light Yagami, who one day stumbles upon a Death Note, a notebook enhanced with magical, yet evil power. The notebook was dropped by a shinigami named Ryuk, a god of death from the nether realm, into the world of the living. The power of the Death Note is invoked once an individual’s name is written down on a page, sentencing them to death. Further, the Death Note can also entail specifics on time, date, and how the individual will meet their demise. As Light is an incredibly intelligent young man, he’s become complacent with his life. By using the Death Note, he has found a spark of excitement, condemning to death people he deems “bad”. Misa Amane’s role in Death Note is pretty significant because of her massive crush and loyalty to Light. Following the theme of the anime, which is pretty dark and mysterious, Misa’s personality contradicts this, as she is sweet, adorable, and very bubbly. Thus, dressing in a gothic lolita style, Misa’s outfits and personality matches this particular setting perfectly. Misa is frequently seen with dark colors, contrasting her super blonde hair, often tied in pigtails. Since she is short, she wears tall heels and platforms paired with short skirts or dresses to give the illusion of long legs. Lastly, she wears herself loud and proud; so don’t forget to work that confidence!

Lovely★Complex is a story about Risa Koizumi, who literally stands above the rest of her classmates, in that she is unusually taller than your average Japanese school girl. At her high school’s opening orientation, she faces an embarrassing situation in front of the whole school. From that moment, she meets Ootani Atsushi, a boy comparably shorter than she is. As Risa and Atsushi catch each other’s attention from the start, they despise one another. However, as time went on, Risa and Atsushi become great friends, building a strong and personal relationship that later grows into something more. Lovely★Complex is an incredibly touching anime, capturing the positive element of opposite attraction and the heart wrenching unpredictability of rejection. Aside from Risa’s school uniform, she has an assortment of outfits to choose from. Risa’s more popular choices include layers, frills and embellishments, and accessories, such as scarves and hats. Risa also chooses colors that pop and normally doesn’t match. It is a style of her own and suits her flawlessly.

Shugo Chara chronicles a fifth grade student named Amu Hinamori. Amu recently transferred to a new school where the other kids already believe she thinks she’s better than them…perhaps too cool for school? Lol. However, this is not the case and Amu is actually really shy. One night, as Amu contemplates how much easier it would be to become the girl everyone thinks she is, she makes a wish to become the “cool and spicy” girl. The next morning, Amu is presented with three eggs representing her special guardians. Through this anime, Amu and her guardians, who possess supernatural powers, protect and help Amu combat her “would be” self and the person she truly is, on top of the complex of other guardians residing at Seiyo Elementary. Amu’s outfits are definitely wearable in real life because they consist of simple and fun pieces that are age appropriate. Amu has a lot of patterns to include plaids, stripes, and tons of accessories. She is regularly seen with thigh-high socks, boots, and/or platform shoes. To compliment what she’s wearing, Amu does her hair in a variety of ways.

In a world filled with magic, Fairy Tail follows a young girl name Lucy Heartfilia. In this magical world, magical guilds are recognized and certain groups have gained admiration and status due to participation in various missions and jobs. Lucy’s magic encompasses the use of keys to summon celestial beings. What is entertaining about her ability is that whoever she summons is often unpredictable in nature; sometimes they’re sassy or are love-lusting over her. Lucy has her heart set on the notorious Fairy Tail guild. She luckily receives her chance when she encounters one of its members, Natsu, and is offered membership. Fairy Tail accounts the journeys of Lucy and her guild-mates on a myriad of adventures. From this point on, Lucy works her hardest to be the best mage in the Fairy Tail guild. Lucy Heartfilia’s range of outfits consists of many short skirts and dresses. She sometimes wears shorts or formal dresses, but a majority of her pieces are meant to maneuver easily in and also show off her form. In addition, Lucy also has her hair pulled from her face, using hair accessories to make her outfits more attractive. Although wearing a bra as a shirt isn’t a common look to play off, Lucy wears lots of cropped tops, which are considerably the new trend these days. Her cropped tops make the belt pouch she holds her keys in more noticeable.

Steins;Gate is an intriguing and intricate anime documenting a group of people who stumble upon a time machine. After tampering with this time machine, these characters must face the consequences and repercussions that follow the disturbance of temporal space. Moreover, these individuals must learn the seriousness of one small detail creating a huge impact in the future. In addition to the amazing artistry, Steins;Gate’s storyline is, to a great degree, very involving, with countless twists and climaxes. Beauty and brains, Kurisu Makise is an intelligent young woman who graduated university at the age of seventeen. She continued her studies on the brain’s memory retention, which received much acclaim in the scientific community. Her style reflects her level of intellect and sophistication; khaki blazer, red tie, collared shirt, dark bottoms, and black dress shoes. Whether gearing up for a job interview or a night out on the town, Kurisu’s style is without difficulty and can be easily reproduced.

Golden Time follows Tada Banri, who suffers from amnesia after an accident on a bridge. While in recovery, Tada decides he wants to attend college and commits to doing so. Once enrolled, Tada meets an array of people, including Linda, a girl he knew before the accident, Mitsuo, a boy he befriends at college orientation, and Kouko, another individual from Tada’s previous “life”, who later grows close to him, as friends and romantically. Golden Time recounts Tada’s experiences with the many people he meets, how his relationships will develop with them, and how he must juggle the resurfacing memories from his past with the life he’s built in the present. Kouko’s closet carries lots of feminine clothing, such as sweater dresses flowy dresses, form-fitting dresses, cut-out/cold shoulders tops, and lastly, lots of heels! Kouko’s fashion sense looks like she just came back from Paris Fashion Week, where she is the first to sample out the latest trends. With the extroverted personality to boot, Kouko works these outfits and makes them even more gorgeous.

Your Lie in April follows the life of Kousei Arima, a piano prodigy and notably known as the “human metronome”. After the death of his mother, who played a significant part in his piano career, Kousei begins to suffer from an ailment, rendering him unable to hear the sound of his music. Because of this condition, Kousei stops playing piano. Two years later, this changes when Kousei meets Kaori Miyazono, who is a lively and effervescent violinist. With Kaori’s help, Kousei rediscovers his true passion for piano playing and the feeling he gets from doing what he loves. The characters are really intense and animated, causing the viewer to want to root for the success of Kousei and Kaori. Kaori’s style is a personal favorite because it is very vibrant and youthful. In Kousei’s life, Kaori becomes this “breath of fresh air”, and we truly believe her personality and style does this as well. As April is one of the months that distinguished the spring season, much of her color scheme consist of pinks, light tan, white and baby blue. Coincidently, April marks the blossoming of sakura, a token Japanese flora, symbolizing spring, rebirth and renewal.

Ouran Koukou Host Club takes place at Ouran Academy, an institution recognized and attended by the most wealthy and elite students. Haruhi Fujioka, however, is neither wealthy nor from an elite family, but was accepted by chance. As she enters the large and beautifully sculpted structures for the first time, Haruhi gets lost, stumbling into a music classroom where she meets the Ouran High School Host Club. Upon entry into this classroom, Haruhi breaks an incredibly expensive vase. Of course, unlike her classmates, Haruhi doesn’t have the means to fix or replace the vase, so she must work under the Host Club until her debt is paid. Ouran follows Haruhi and her adventures with the members of the Host Club and other highlighting characters. Ouran Koukou Host Club and Special A are both centered around a select part or a group of people that are “superior” to the rest of the students, in terms of abilities, qualities, or perhaps both. The characters in each anime are a variety of sorts, offering comedic elements to the storyline, as well as tons of surprises and twists. Additionally, Ouran and Special A are similarly upbeat and very uplifting, providing lots of enjoyment throughout every episode.

Nodame Cantabile centers on the beauty and elegance of classical music. The main characters are Shinichi Chiaki, a talented musician and Megumi Noda, a pianist. Shinichi dreams of becoming a world-class conductor, but unfortunately, must overcome his fear of flying in order to perform globally. Often recognized as a perfectionist and arrogant, Shinichi is highly critical of his own work and the work of others, nit-picking every error and flaw. Megumi, on the other hand, who also refers to herself as Nodame, is the complete opposite, constantly guided by her whims. However, when the time comes for Nodame to play and demonstrate her skill, Shinichi is in awe at her talent and performance. In Nodame Cantabile, we observe the differences between and individuality of Shinichi and Nodame and come to learn that they have amazing chemistry, which perhaps blooms into something more. In comparing Nodame Cantabile with Special A, Shinichi and Megumi, and Hikari and Kei are duos of extremely intelligent and gifted people. Both have characters coming from contrasting social backgrounds, but nonetheless work extremely hard to reach a high standard. Furthermore, the duos from both anime begin as opposing forces, but grow closer and collaborate together flawlessly.

Skip Beat! follows Kyouko Mogami and her infatuation with her childhood friend, Shou Fuwa. Shou desperately seeks to become a rising pop star and does anything and everything in his power to make his dream come true, especially taking advantage of Kyoko. Hanging behind his coattails, Kyouko works various odd jobs in order to support Shou, until one day, she realizes it was all for naught. As Kyouko becomes fully aware of Shou’s quest for fame and the ends to reach his goal, she vows revenge on Shou. As a product of her fury, Kyouko herself enters the entertainment industry in an attempt to bring down Shou. Skip Beat! and Special A are extremely similar in that the female leads in both anime exceed the expectations of their male counterparts. In turn, the ladies gain the respect and admiration they deserve from their guys. Kyouko and Hikari possess a very competitive nature and desire to surpass their competitors. They also slowly realize their true feelings and sentiments for the guys they are dueling with, often denying their emotions from the start.

In the anime Kimi ni Todoke, Sawako Kuronuma’s appearance is often mistaken for the scary girl from the movie “The Ring,” thus giving her the nickname, Sadako. Her ominous look stirs others to make up rumors and such, thereby decreasing her likelihood of having friends. Consequently, all the gossip about Sawako deters people from getting to know who she really is. In reality, those who know her can say that she is opposite from this fictitious film character. Sawako is very timid, kind and sweet. As Sawako yearns for friends and a sense of fitting in, she is drawn to Shouta Kazehaya, the most popular boy. Incidentally, when Shouta starts talking to her, Sawako is super excited and overjoyed. In following Kimi ni Todoke, we get a glimpse of Sawako and Shouta’s escapades, facing the challenges and triumphs of romance and adulthood, both individually and together. Kimi ni Todoke and Special A are comparable because of the romantic-comedy theme that takes place in a high school environment. Sawako and Hikari have a certain innocence and naiveté to them, where they are slow to realize any romantic notion by the male leads. Kimi ni Todoke and Special A also contain stories of romance from unlikely and normally contradicting personalities.

Misaki Ayuzawa is the first female student council president in an academy that recently transitioned from being all-boys to co-ed. Also recognized as the “Demon President” by a majority of boys at the school, Misaki is stern and strong and isn’t afraid to lay down the law, sticking up for her fellow female classmates. As Misaki demonstrates to be the model student, appearing above standard among her classmates, she has a tiny little secret. Misaki embarrassingly works part-time as a café maid in order to support her family. Keeping this under wraps, no one at her school knows about her shameful secret, except for the most popular boy in school, Takumi Usui, who catches her while working her shift. Caught in a bind, Takumi holds the power of whether to bring the president down or take advantage of the situation. Kaichou wa Maid-sama and Special A have characters with very similar dynamics and personas: the male leads are portrayed as close to perfect while the female leads are strong-minded and very determined, always trying to keep up. The artistry and character appearances also closely match one another. The relationships between Misaki and Takumi, and Hikari and Kei are both rivalrous and at the same time romantic.

Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun focuses on the blossoming relationship between the very isolated, distant and ice cold Shizuku Mizutani and the emotional and carefree Haru Yoshida. Shizuku and Haru’s relationship begins when she is tasked with delivering assignments to Haru’s home. The romance between them starts out slow, but progressively, the duo begin to discover new aspects of themselves and each other despite what others have observed about them. Collectively, Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun presents the close connections, whether perfectly matched or opposite attraction, couples need to chance upon in order to grow. Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun and Special A are identical because they both have romance and comedy that exists in a school setting. Shizuku and Hikari are both very hard working girls who put in all their efforts to surpass the boys they are involved with. Nevertheless, the boys seem to achieve more than them without any effort. Haru and Kei are both characters who fall for their female counterparts over time.

Our first recommendation is a returning entry, Kamisama Hajimemashita, an anime about a high school girl named Nanami Momozono. She wants a normal life but becomes homeless due to her father’s gambling problem. One fateful day, she saves a man from a vicious attack and in return he offers her to stay in his house. Without any other choice, Nanami accepts but soon finds out that the man she saved was actually a god, and by accepting to live there she has to take on the duties of the shrine. Nanami meets a powerful fox demon named Tomoe whose job is to help her become a deity, however their relationship isn’t as easy going as you’d expect, as they hate each other. Hoping to gain his trust and learn the ways of becoming a deity, Nanami soon begins to fall for Tomoe as they spend more time together. Kamisama Hajimemashita has a lot of similar qualities to Fruits Basket, which is why we had to include it back into the new list. The main quality of which is that they both center around a girl who has nothing and ends up finding a new home with special beings. It has a similar art style and light-hearted atmosphere; Nanami also looks similar to and has a personality that resembles Tooru’s. Both series have similar romance and involve the male characters looking after the protagonist, who develops feelings for them after initially not caring at all about them.

Our second choice on this list goes to Kobato., an anime series based on the manga by CLAMP. It is about a clumsy but sweet girl named Hanato Kobato who has a wish to go to a certain place, but in order to do so she must fulfill a mission. She has to fill a bottle with ‘healed hearts’ from people who have had their suffering hearts healed in-exchange for her wish. Kobato has no memories of her past and she is forbidden to fall in love with anyone she heals. A spirit named Ioryogi, a dog plushie that is tasked with helping Kobato, is being forced to help her in order to save his own friends held captive in the spiritual world and to return to his true form. Kobato sincerely tries to help everyone she meets to gain their love and admiration, and ultimately their ‘heart’. Kobato is quite similar to Tooru’s character because of their optimistic personalities and naivety. Both series have similar elements, touching upon fantasy, romance and drama. There is also an element of a curse in both series, which both protagonists have a strong desire to help the other characters relieve. Kobato. has a similar feeling to Fruits Basket that you just have to watch to understand, this is definitely a must watch if you enjoyed Fruits Basket.

The next similar anime on our list is Ouran Koukou Host Club, following the story of a high school student called Haruhi Fujioka, who enters a prestigious academy known as Ouran High School after receiving a scholarship. Upon entering the school, one day she finds herself accidentally encountering the Ouran host club in music room #3 whilst trying to find somewhere quiet to study. Haruhi gets mistaken for a boy because of her short hair and appearance, and when Haruhi tries to leave, she accidentally stumbles into an antique vase worth eight million yen. She becomes forced to do the duties of an errand boy to pay off the huge debt. The club has six male students that participates in club activities that include entertaining female ‘clients’. In time, Haruhi’s androgynous appearance lands her a promotion in becoming a full time male host. This way Haruhi can pay off her debt faster, though the deeper she dives into the glamorous life of a host, the more she is in danger of others finding out about her true identity. Ouran Koukou Host Club is similar to Fruits Basket in the way that it is a story about a normal girl protagonist surrounded by handsome guys. It also touches on very similar themes of comedy and love, and has the same kind of light-hearted feel. Both series have a similar art style and have many heartwarming moments. They both also feature many male side characters, each with their own problems that the protagonist tries to help with. If you enjoyed Fruits Basket, then you will most likely like Ouran Koukou Host Club.

Coming next is an anime called Starry Sky; this anime follows the story of a heroine named Tsukiko who enrolls at Seigetsu Academy where she is the only female in the entire school. This is because the school was formerly a boys-only school with an exclusive curriculum catered only for boys. Tsukiko happens to be the first and only girl to have joined the school. During her time at the academy she meets twelve boys who are actually the twelve zodiac animals personified into young men. During her time there, she learns about each of their stories and their unique personalities. This is represented through episodic arcs, where each couple of episodes focuses on Tsukiko’s interaction with a single character. Starry Sky also has a relaxed slice of life kind of atmosphere as with Fruits Basket. They both have a strong zodiac-related theme, and both feature protagonists that have a pure and innocent personality. With many sweet moments, Starry Sky is a unique kind of anime that is different from most; it has its own style in portraying the story that may not appeal to everyone’s taste.

Our second to last recommendation is Special A, which is an anime about a girl named Hikari Hanazono, who since a young age has been competing against a boy named Kei Takishima. When they were 6-years old, Hikari challenged Kei to a wrestling match, but lost. Ever since then she has sworn to beat Kei in everything they do, from school grades to sport competitions. In order to stay in the same league as Kei, Hikari follows him and enrolls into an elite school known as Hakusenkan. Kei holds the top place in the school rankings followed shortly by Hikari at second place. Though Hikari thinks of Kei as just a childhood rival and friend, she doesn't realise that Kei actually loves her and wants to have a different type of relationship with her. Whilst Hikari is constantly trying to defeat Kei in everything they do, Kei tries to find love within the madness of the relationship they have. Special A has a similar style to Fruits Basket in terms of romance and comedy. Hikari's personality is also quite similar to Tooru's in the sense that they are both hard working people who never give up and would wish for others’ happiness before their own. Both series are also quite alike in terms of the similar feeling that the story emits and the many sweet moments they show. They both center around a female protagonist that is oblivious but is essential to everyone else’s happiness and brings everyone together.

Our final recommendation is the anime Gakuen Alice, which is about a 10-year-old girl named Mikan Sakura who transfers to a prestigious school called Alice Academy, after following her best friend, Hotaru Imai, who transferred there. Mikan discovers that the school is actually an elite academy that specializes in training ‘Alices’, gifted people who have supernatural abilities. The school was built to train and protect individuals with powers, and only people who have the abilities may enroll. Mikan discovers that she too has an ability that allows her to enroll into the academy to see her friend once again. Mikan makes new friends with other ‘Alices’ and together with Hotaru, they uncover the secrets and mysteries behind some of the students, and within the academy. Gakuen Alice is unique in its story but has many elements that can be found in Fruits Basket, such as involving magic and romance. The protagonists in both series are the optimistic type but have a naïve side to their personality. Gakuen Alice is a sweet and heartwarming anime that also has a mixture of drama and emotional situations that will make you want to watch more.

Far in the future, war has reduced society to 6 exclusive cities. The government has a strong presence within everyday life in these cities, and the people are monitored constantly. The cities promote conformity and protect the peace that we soon see is all a lie. One night, teenage boy Shion, who is one of the elite people living in No. 6 city, finds a runaway criminal in his home. Nezumi is running from the government and seeks shelter with Shion. In return for Shion’s kindness, he and his mother are cast out of their elite lifestyle to live in a rougher side of their city. They get to know the real No. 6. A new light is shed on No. 6 city and the mysteries behind its societal structure. What is this city hiding from its people? Throughout No. 6 we can see the relationship between Shion and Nezumi grow into love. They started out as enemies not trusting each other, but by working together to solve the mysteries of No. 6, a bond is formed. Similar to Loveless, we can see a yaoi relationship that is trying to discover the activities of a suspicious organization. There is a supernatural element to this story as well, but we don’t want to give too much away. Just know that if you like Loveless, you will definitely enjoy No.6.

With strong yuri and yaoi relationships, a huge mystery element, magical powers, and children versus adults themes, Shinsekai Yori is sure to catch your eye if you enjoyed Loveless. Without giving too much away, the story revolves around a group of kids in a “different” world trying to learn and control their magical abilities. Unbeknownst to them, there is a threat lurking within the school that hides in the shadows, waiting to discipline any student that does not meet a social norm. When their friends begin to disappear, some of the children begin to question the adults around them and even the structure of their small society itself. In this anime we can see children coming of age and learning that the world is not really what it seems. The overall mystery is similar to Loveless in the sense that children are fighting against an organization which wants to hide all their secrets and induces amnesia on anyone who comes too close. This action-packed drama also explores the use of supernatural abilities, similar to Loveless. With many of the relationships in the story being either yuri or yaoi, you can definitely get your BL drama fix.

Did Loveless really make you want to watch a new, adorable yaoi anime? Well you can’t go wrong with Super Lovers. Recently released, the loveable nature of these characters will definitely satiate any cute, yaoi craving you might have. With an amnesia element in the storyline, this standard Boys Love anime also has an older character developing a relationship with younger male character, similar to Loveless. When Haru goes to visit his mother in Canada as a high school student, he meets a young Japanese boy, Ren, who his family later adopts. Ren is a wild child and needs Haru to show him how to live normally. They spend the summer together, strengthening their brotherly relationship before Haru has to return to Japan. Haru leaves, promising that they will live together in the future. But before that can happen, Haru gets into a car accident and loses his memory of his time with Ren. Years later, Ren comes to Japan to live with Haru and his other adoptive brothers and remind him of the close relationship they once had.

Earl Ciel Phantomhive is a young heir after his parents’ untimely death. The plot revolves around Ciel’s dark past and the circumstances that led him to gaining his new demon, butler Sebastian. The relationship between Ciel and Sebastian is one of necessity and mutual benefit. While performing the average duties of a butler, Sebastian also fights for Ciel to maintain order and search to reveal the mysteries of Ciel’s past. Kuroshitsuji is full of mystery, angst, and plenty of BL situations. Ciel is very similar to Ritsuka in Loveless. Both have amnesia and are searching for the reason they lost their loved ones. With older, gorgeous men being their helpers and guides, who can help but infer the budding relationships between the older and the younger. This anime has grown huge in popularity since its release in 2008, leading to several spin-off series and a live-action movie. People have fallen in love with the angst-filled relationship between young Ciel and the demon Sebastian.

Slacker high school student, Akira, is just killing time until one day he is approached by a suspicious man. Shirogane introduces himself as not being human, but declares that he is a shadow. During a midnight trip to the school later that day, Akira and his friends are attacked by shadow monsters. The group is rescued by the mysterious man Akira met earlier, who asks Akira to fight alongside him. Akira and Shirogane seal their contract with a kiss and Akira is transformed into a shadow-monster killing machine called a “shin”. He can only return to being a normal human with the help of another kiss from Shirogane. The balance of light and dark in the world is at risk, but with constant flirting between the characters, you definitely get the same vibe as Loveless. The main characters are required to stay together constantly and this can lead to some hilarious situations. Between the supernatural couple battles and the budding relationships, this show is full of innuendoes and mystery.

This is a darker themed anime about an orphan boy who has separated himself from everyone around him. The audience is thrown into the question of who is Yuki? It seems as though he is able to read people’s minds and learn their dark secrets once he touches them. When one of his classmates falls to the darkness in his heart, Yuki is saved by a silver-eyed man who promises to protect and never betray him. Why does this man seem so familiar to Yuki? What is the mystery surrounding his mentor, Kanata? Yuki has forgotten his past, just like Ritsuka in Loveless. Both have guides to help them remember what happened, and in Yuki’s case, who he really is. With so much potential for some yaoi angst between Yuki and this silver-eyed savior, you can’t help but root for their romance. After the first episode you will be dying to know the secrets of their past and Kanata’s plans for the future!

Suki na Mono wa Suki Dakara Shou ga Nai!!, or Sukisho for short, will not keep a fujoshi waiting when it comes to boy on boy action. Sora is, in his mind, an ordinary high school boy who gets attacked by his new roommate the first night he’s there! When Sora confronts Nao the next morning, he’s in for an even bigger shock! This is not the first time the two have met… When everyone in Sora’s life confirms he and Nao were childhood friends, he’s not sure what to make of the pink-haired boy who kissed him in the night and then denied the event taking place. But the two boys have another consciousness inside them: Yoru and Ran. These two try desperately to be together much to Sora and Nao’s frustration! Before they can hope to understand their own feelings though, they’ll have to understand their past together, which they might not want to remember. Sukisho and Gravitation both share a similar brand of comedy where completely crazy scenarios become all too common place for our main characters. From cross-dressing to the ridiculous demands of others, it seems turmoil is inevitable. Sora and Nao also have a rocky start to their relationship with constant fighting and bickering, much like Shuichi and Yuki. Both couples also have a huge network of friends and family involved with them, which is different from the usual dynamic of adding characters only to cause drama in the established relationship. While Sora and Nao share part of a dark past, it is Nao and Yuki who suffer far more and thus are more damaged. Both Sora and Shuichi are also victims to certain horrors, yet they keep a pretty positive outlook. No worries about a sad ending, though, as there is plenty of love and laughs in store!

Without any explanation, Keita is suddenly called to the prestigious high school BL Academy where only elite students with special talents are accepted. Thanks to his kind upperclassmen, Keita enjoys his new life filled with interesting characters. He’s even able to move past the fact that in truth… he himself has no talents to speak of. But his new friend Kazuki will stop at nothing to reassure Keita and keep him safe; even if it means hiding their past and the shady actions going on in the school. Gakuen Heaven is another comedy with some dark elements, and we definitely mean darker than a bad breakup. There is no lack of innuendo and cute moments, though like Gravitation, it’s not as explicit as some of the other titles out there. We are granted a huge cast full of personality that exists beyond simply being love rivals. Just as Shuichi grows closer with the people he meets in the music industry, so too does Keita form meaningful friendships with his new schoolmates. If you’re left wanting more, make sure to check out the dating simulator it’s based on!

Yuki has always had strange powers that allow him to see someone’s inner pain, a power he and others wish he did not possess. It seems more of a bother than anything, until he meets the Gion Clan, those with other exceptional abilities that wish for him to learn to control his powers under their guidance. Fighting alongside them is Luka, a quiet and powerful fighter, who only shows concern for Yuki. While the two have never met, Yuki can’t ignore an overwhelming urge to be by his side. He must leave his old life behind in order to battle Reiga and his army of Duras, creatures of darkness. As he goes, Yuki comes to realize this strange new life isn’t nearly as unfamiliar as it first seemed. Uraboku is definitely the darkest show on the list. While both Gravitation and Uraboku contain death and violence, there is a distinct lack of comedic relief in Uraboku. Both shows focus on a story outside of the relationship; Uraboku’s being the struggle to stop darkness from destroying the world. Both Shuichi and Yuki take on pain so they can protect the ones they love, not just their lovers. This story definitely shows more feeling than physicality, saving the action for the battle field. If you want a more mature boy’s love where the stakes are higher than a broken heart, look no further.

When Ritsu changes careers from literary editing to shoujo manga editing, the once confident man feels more lost than he did after his first love broke his heart… How fitting then, that his new boss is none other than Masamune himself! Ritsu decides to take this opportunity to focus on a new future while Masamune wishes to return to the past. Unfortunately for Ritsu, his boss is not only a shameless pervert hell-bent on getting back together, he’s also a genius in the field of editing. When his whole job revolves around love stories, what hope does he have to escape from this love himself? Ritsu and Masamune’s relationship is filled with the fighting and butting heads that made Shuichi and Yuki’s relationship so fun to watch. Just as Shuichi tries to move up in the world of music, Ritsu does his best to prove himself in the world of shoujo manga editing. One big difference is that Sekaiichi Hatsukoi, just like Junjou Romantica, focuses on three different stories. Ritsu and Masamune are the main couple, sharing space with other troubled lovers. Raunchier than Gravitation, this title has as many laughs as it has steamy scenes!

When Izumi and Ryouma meet 10 years after shooting a commercial together, Ryouma is overjoyed to see his costar! Izumi is less than happy at their reunion, considering that, still to this day, Ryouma thinks he’s a girl. Just as Izumi feared, Ryouma finds out and is horrified that the crush he’s been harboring for so long is for another male! Izumi is an otaku who hates the spotlight as it is, and this only solidifies his will to be a hermit mangaka (manga writer). Fate definitely has different plans for the boys as they’re pulled further into the entertainment industry and into each other’s arms! Tenderness replaces disgust, understanding overtakes anger, and there are stars in the boys’ futures! Love Stage is a super cute and fun story of two kids who start out feeling repulsed by each other and slowly find themselves falling in love. We have much of the same comedy we encountered in Gravitation, and a cast of characters that add depth to the story. Though Izumi doesn’t possess talent for his passions as Shuichi does, the two similarly get fired up and work hard to achieve their dreams. In the beginning, Ryouma harbors the same disgust Yuki felt towards Shuichi when Izumi is discovered to be male. However Izumi and Ryouma get lovely-dovey much more quickly. As it is a newer title, the artwork is much nicer than some of the older ones, and you can easily get lost in Izumi’s eyes!

Haru can’t believe the task his mother gives him; to rehabilitate a young wild boy who would rather be around wolves than people. Despite their incredibly tumultuous start, Haru’s patience wins over the untrusting Ren. Haru is like a big brother, and the older man promises Ren one day they’ll live together. When an accident causes Haru to forget his promise, and Ren entirely, the younger boy takes it upon himself to fulfil their oath. Even without his memory, Haru quickly returns to his old patterns of doting on and spoiling Ren. Haru’s brothers are reluctant to accept Ren as their new brother, but Haru works hard to achieve his dream of living with all of them. While Haru considers all his brothers to be precious, there’s something special about the bond he shares with Ren. The two must work out exactly the nature of their relationship with the pressure of their family upon them. Super Lovers focuses on family dynamics in an incredibly nontraditional family. Just as Shuichi would do anything for Yuki, even give up music, Haru is willing to give up a better paying job so he can be by Ren’s side. Like Gravitation, the younger lover gets into harm’s way due to a jealous individual and is rescued by Haru, whose love Ren was starting to doubt. While there is a fair amount of drama, hope is kept alive by absurd reactions and hilarious circumstances. The tender moments between the two are sure to get your heart beating! Check it out, and keep an eye out for season 2 announced for January 2017.

Hotarubi no mori e is the story of a little girl, Hotaru Takegawa who, curious to investigate on the mountain god of a tale story she had heard about before, ends up losing herself in a mysterious forest. Unable to find her way to go back home, in the very moment she gives up and starts to cry in desperation, a masked boy suddenly appears before her. His name is Gin and he is a fascinating spirit of the forest. Gin offer the little girl his help, provided that she’ll never try to touch him, or he would disappear. Once out of the forest, he warns her to not come back anymore, but Hotaru breaks the promise every summer, making their relationship become something more than a simple friendship. Conceived by the same author of Natsume Yūjinchō, Hotarubi no Mori e is the story of a simple girl who finds herself involved with the world of spirits. Just like Natsume, she has to go through the joy and hardness to be a human who can’t find her place in the reign of dead, but still that is incapable to live apart from it. Hotaru’s feelings for Gin are sweet and on the same time ephemeral, as Natsume’s friendship with the yōkai he wants to set free from the cage Reiko chained them into is. So, if you liked Natsume Yūjinchō, a story about simple but fragile, bitter bonds, then you should definitely give Hotarubi no Mori e a try!

In a world in which human race tries to peacefully co-exist with nature, there are hidden forces that inhabit another dimension and are able to interfere with humans’ slide of life. In Mushishi, these forces belong to insect-like creatures called Mushi, the nearest to the source of the existence, that are capable to change their appearance in all the forms existing in nature, such as plants and even diseases. Not much is known about these creatures, since only few people in the world are able to see them. These people are the Mushi-shi, experts of mushi, who investigate about their mysterious origin. Ginko, a man whose ocular orbit is strangely empty, is one of them. Asking himself what’s the meaning of life and mushi’s existence, he travels the world trying to answer the questions are tormenting him so much. As in Natsume Yūjinchō, also in Mushishi the element of the solitary struggle between the main character inner self and the meaning of the existence of strange creatures which only they are capable to see can be found. Ginko is a tormented young man who is searching for responses, a lonely human that can’t share his fate with normal people, who are unaware of the ghosts and spirits which surround them. He’s alive but his fate dragged him into the world of dead he got mixed up in and can’t run away from. Maybe the atmosphere of Mushishi is a little heavier than Natsume’s one, but you can’t lose this series if you like stories full of mystery, doubt and with a very meaningful plot.

Uchōten Kazoku is one of those anime that can really surprise its audience, being very particular in his genre. This story is, yes, about spirits and troubles, but it’s told by an original point of view, because this time is a tanuki’s family to talk about their life in co-existence with human beings. The tanuki in Uchōten Kazoku are able to shift their shape and mimic any kind of creature in the world, but they like to use their ability to change in human beings in order to observe their lifestyle from a closer perspective. The main character Yasaburō Shimogamo, son of a well-known tanuki family that spend their life carefree and taking care of a tengu, is the most curious of the all the members of his family about human. In particular, he’ll find himself dealing with Benten, a mysterious and ambitious woman, he’d like to be similar to. Uchōten Kazoku’s main character is what reminds of Natsume the most, in this anime. As the latter, Yasaburō suffers for being an outcast in a world full of cheerful tanuki. He doesn’t want to be mindless as the member of his family, but his blood force him to be the way he hates to be, making him a character divided between a nature he can’t get rid of and his desire to be human. A cute story you need to watch if you like stories about doubt and questions like Natsume is.

This anime is a charming story about a young girl, Makoto Saeki, and her fate as the heiress of a strange power that had been transmitted from mother to daughter for generations, in her family. This power allows Makoto to be able to see and converse with a fox-like spirit called Gintarō, that is the protector of the Inari Shrine where her family works. Although their differences, Makoto and Gintarō will do the best they can to help the people they love and care about to solve their problems. Despite Natsume, Makoto accepts her fate as a human being involved with the supernatural world, but just like him she’s the only one able to see and talk with a spirit and has to keep it a secret from others’, pretending to live a normal life. Her ability makes her a lonely heroine, who has no choice but to accept her burden and use her power to better herself and the people who are near to her. With its enthusiastic and fresh atmosphere, covered in mystery, this funny and sweet shojo anime will get you as the most comical parts of Natsume did.

Another anime that resembles Natsume Yūjinchō for his most carefree moments and simplicity is Fukigen na Mononokean, in which we find all the elements that made Natsume the masterpiece it is, such as cute, but still creepy spirits, school life, troubles and the struggle against persistent yōkai. Fukigen na Mononokean follows the events of Ashiya, a poor young student targeted by a puppet-like yōkai, which drained his energy so much he is forced to spend the first week of classes in the infirmary. What scares Ashiya the most is that no one but him can see the spirit, so he ends up asking for the help of Abeno, a tea shop owner, who instead of exorcising the thing, helps Ashiya to make his view of yōkai’s world wider. Fukigen’s main character Ashiya, like Natsume, feels touched by the yōkai’s past from the first episode and decide that, even if he doesn’t like them, he must do something to understand them, avoiding misjudging. And it can make possible this wistful atmosphere by using a combination of action, fun and moving stories, in which the hero gets involved into without even know why. That makes Fukigen na Mononokean a piece that Natsume’s fan should never miss.

xxxHOLiC is the story of Kimihiro Watanabe, a student who’s able to see supernatural beings that he hates to death. One day, while haunted by a demon, he ends up in a strange building where he meets Yuuko, a mysterious and attractive woman. Being somehow aware of Watanabe’s desperate condition, she proposes him a deal: she will help him get rid of his power to connect with the otherworld if he helps her with her unconventional shop, that exists to grant people’s wishes. Old but gold is exactly the best way to describe xxxHOLiC, an anime that no one who is fond for spirit and ghost stories should ignore. Not only because it’s by The Clamp and his concept and animation are terrific, but also because is a simple, but on the same time complex kind of story. Just like the spirits that inhabit Natsume’s world, xxxHOLiC ghosts show a vast range of emotions, that goes from sweetness to fear, from tenderness to cruelty. All of them has a traumatic past, that Watanabe is forced to be implicated with, despite his will. Accompanied by the strange Yūko, who can be, in a sense, comparable to Nyanko-sensei in her role of guide, Watanabe will act as the solitary hero of a world unaware of the existence of spirits. You should try this anime if you want to revive the adventures of Natsume from a very eclectic and superb narrated point of view!

Ai has an immense love for anything that’s adorable and sweet, but she also has a strong infatuation for her senpai who’s a well known figure in her school. Before Ai can come up with a clever way to confess her feelings for him, her aunt suggests that she help tutor her little cousin Nekota. After an incident that led Nekota to the hospital and Ai having to take care of him, Nekota finds himself falling in love with her over time. To Ai, this was just a normal thing that young children experience, but she soon finds herself slowly gravitating towards him as well, and her memories of senpai start to wane into the distance. Arina is truly known for her works that pay attention to relationships and tries to make the main lead unique, with a story direction that’s provoking. In Neko to Watashi no Kinyoubi, Ai is a young girl who is really stubborn in her ways and finds it hard to resist her senpai. Her senpai also has strong feelings for her as well, but because of Nekota’s sudden intrusion it creates somewhat of a gap between them and that’s where all the wacky stuff happens. The story gets funnier when Nekota can’t seem to resist Ai and throws himself at her demanding sex countless times, despite knowing she’s much older and they’re cousins. It’s certainly a different take on the more riveting works of Arina Tanemura’s library, but it’s random comedy paired with a love that by today’s standards is quite strange, is still a gem in its own right and we highly recommend reading it for the laughs.

Maron has a secret that her high school peers don’t know about. Maron maintains her pretty and innocent high school student demeanor throughout the day, but when the night arrives, she transforms into a demon slaying superhero named Kamikaze Kaito Jeanne, who is the reincarnation of Jeanne D’Arc (Joan of the Arc). This superhero job becomes a challenge for the young Maron as she not only must expel these demons from possessing paintings and rid of evil spirits, but the police aren’t too pleased with her and they claim that she’s the real culprit behind it all. To prove that she’s no criminal and is out to save the town from chaos, Maron pairs up with an angel named Finn, and the two fight together to battle evil during the night while she tries to maintain her image throughout the day. Arina really tries her best to keep characters interesting, whether it be their dark gripping story, or the main character’s passion to overcome obstacles while experiencing traumatic events in the past. In Kamikaze Kaitou Jeanne, we can certainly see some of that in terms of Maron and her determination to stop threats from further harming the town, but also has the tough obstacle of really sustaining her clean slate image in her daily high school life. She knows that if word gets out of her real agenda, it could cripple her reputation and put her in hot water. Not only does Maron deal with her own personal journey, but her encounters with many villains share a story of their own as well. You come to understand their purpose and even grow a liking to them because they have a good side that you’d never assume was there initially. With various plot twists along the way, and a fair amount of romance at times to keep you immersed, Kamikaze Kaitou Jeanne takes you on an adventure with a young girl trying to truly discover who she is.

Kyoko, despite being the princess of Earth in the 30th century, doesn’t want anyone to know of her true nature in fears that many may turn a blind eye to her. She makes a conscious effort to go to school in a normal manner like everyone else, and keeps a low profile to ensure she can focus on what she needs to do to climb the throne. The king issues an ultimatum to her which states that she can live out the life she desires, but must revive her twin sister Ui, who has been trapped in time ever since she was born. With this condition now weighing on her shoulders, Kyoko must now try to save her sister’s life from turmoil. What surprised many Arina fans of this series was that, compared to her more powerful pieces of work, Time Stranger Kyoko ended a little quicker than expected. That isn’t to say the series is terrible, but it certainly will feel as if the minute you pick it up to read, you’re hungry wanting more as it finishes very fast. Much of the characters in the story provide some lasting appeal and you’re overjoyed by Kyoko’s determination to recruit more warriors to fight by her side, so that she can ascend the throne with confidence. The story certainly carries the weight, but perhaps where things start to wander off is in the character backstory. We are greeted with a large variety of supporting roles which brought a lot of hype and excitement but over time, due to the volume count being comparatively low to her other works, we didn’t get an opportunity to see an overall shift in pace. In spite of that, Time Stranger Kyoko is still a must read for any fan of Arina’s work as she still maintains her very true essence in terms of a character who must struggle to come out of a dark past, in order to create a brighter future.

Haine is given away to the Otomiya family after a large monetary exchange was finalized between the two families. Now part of the Otomiya structure, Haine is given the role of student council at the prestigious Imperial Academy, a private school for the aristocracy. Despite having the credentials to belong on the student council, Haine finds it very challenging to deal with various students who have many secrets, with her president Shizumasa Togu being one of them. Haine is deeply in love with Shizumasa and has been since reading the picture book he wrote during his childhood. Now that she’s closer to Shizumasa than before, things start to change around her abruptly, as darker secrets start to unfold on their own. Haine starts to question her life as to why she’s in love with Shizumasa, and just why her parents sold her to begin with. Much of the story focuses primarily on the relationship between Shizumasa and Haine, while giving us a glimpse of how other characters play a role in the series. Tanemura loves to throw her readers off course and Shinshi Doumei Cross is no exception to her rule, taking you on an adventure throughout the well detailed story. While you might have a love hate relationship with Haine’s very air headed and stupid behavior, you start to better understand why she behaves the way she does once you dive deeper. At times you want to throw a table at her for her foolishness, but then find yourself laughing because you can relate to her random ways. Despite this, Shinshi Doumei Cross is sure to please you as it takes in various directions, there’s also some additional stories included in the manga, and with Tanemura’s notoriously clever approach to keep you guessing you’ll never grow bored as you read further into the plot.

Mitsuki has been very talented from a young age, and she’s grown to become a skilled singer. Her passion to sing grows each waking moment, but her dreams come tumbling down in front of her as she’s been diagnosed with a severe tumor in her throat, which prevents her from singing. Totally defeated by this tragic turn of events, she prays to the world and asks that she can somehow sing again and rid of this burden that’s taken away her one true love. One evening, that prayer was answered, as two shinigami appear in front of her and transform her into a young adult, giving a temporary recovery from her illness, which allows her to pursue her most cherished career as a singer. One notable thing that you’ll come to realize and admire in Tanemura’s work is that it’s very stylized and the art direction is pristine. In Full Moon wo Sagashite, you’re enamored by all of the wonderful artwork that really goes along well with such a touching story. As we stated earlier, Tanemura’s goal is to capture the attention of the reader with a tale that deals with tragedy, which then blossoms into a wonderful ending for the main character. Mitsuki had to deal with a very serious obstacle in front of her that would not only destroy her career, but perhaps place her life in danger as well. It’s so hard not to love Mitsuki because she shows so much determination and faith knowing that things will work out in the end. She never gave up on her dreams, and despite the major obstacle that lied in front of her, she managed to overcome it with the help of two special beings who helped change her life. We can all certainly relate to Mitsuki’s turbulent times because we’ve all had dreams come crashing down, but then by the grace of the gods and the universe, everything works out for us in the end. Arina Tanemura’s message in Full Moon wo Sagashite was very direct and made sure you understood exactly what was happening at every moment in Mitsuki’s life, so that you could close the book knowing you’ve taken something very valuable away from this incredible story.

Shigeta is a 24 year old woman who works at a bookstore while stressing constantly about her love life, which has been lacking for quite some time. The biggest obstacle that seems to be pressing her isn’t the world around her, but rather the world within. When it comes to dealing with the other sex, she just can’t seem to wrap her around it all, and so she lets go of herself and simply takes what she can get. Her lack of judgment often lands her in awkward scenarios, and her poor self esteem just doesn’t seem to favor her in any way. Everyone around Shigeta just seems to be maturing along with the times, but somehow she always finds herself falling behind and trying to maintain an image which she can’t seem to get a grip of. This story is true for many people in our society, not just women but men as well. With so many ideals and structured corporations with a cut throat approach to applicants, we can certainly feel Shigeta’s pain to associate herself with a society that’s constantly beating us down into submission, leaving us with very little to hang onto. Her willingness to change and rid herself of the inner struggles is what truly captivates you, as you root for her to get through it all, while sometimes shaking your head at her clumsy romantic choices.

Minami Fujii works for a reputable advertising agency and uses her talents to the best of her abilities. However, due to the constraints of working in a high paced environment and juggling her emotions pertaining to two of her colleagues, the pressure starts to weigh down heavily. She is in constant stress because on the one hand she wants to follow her heart, but then due to restraints in the workplace Minami has to deal with the harsh realities that haunt her. This romantic slice of life series looks at her life and how she learns to cope with the problems that plague her at work. Minami tries to juggle her work ethic but must also deal with her heart’s true intentions to find love. She runs back and forth trying to find solutions to her problems, while trying to dive deeper into relationships that she desires so badly. The story is quite common to reality because we all try to find balance in our lives when it comes to work and play. The more you continue to read into Minami’s turbulent life, the more you become a part of it all and it starts to feel more real as you ponder her struggles internally. Suppli brings you down from that idealistic pedestal and serves you a plate of truth that makes the plot of Suppli more powerful.

Ritsuka is one very troubled individual as he just can’t seem to recall any memories of his life. His mother can’t seem to wrap her around what’s happening, and so her stress turns into frustration demanding that he return back to his original self. The abuse continues over time, but it is his older brother Seimei who comes to his aid from his mother’s constant torment, and accepts Ritsuka’s new persona. Ritsuka comes to learn more truths about his older sibling, but due to unforeseen circumstances their connection was cut short. Shortly after the tragic event took place, an individual confronts Ritsuka claiming to be a friend of Seimei. He explains to Ritsuka about his actual identity, and that he and his brother are actually sacrifices in this dark and psychological tale of mystery. This story is all over the place and at first it seems very typical and manageable. However, over time the story begins to unfold in a way you never truly imagined it to and you’re thrown into a world that warps your mind the deeper you dig. You learn more about Ritsuka’s dark past and why everything is happening, but as you start to uncover more behind what’s transpiring it gets a bit scary to the point you may need to put the book down to wrap your head around it all. If you want to know just how his brother dies, why his name is actually loveless and how the rest pans out, be sure to definitely check this one out.

Teito has had a long and painful past, as he was teased frequently as an orphan and a slave. Fortunately Teito relied on his close friend Mikage to keep him from losing his sanity, while the two studied at the highly regarded Barsburg Academy. Teito also has magical abilities, but even these powers can’t prevent what he discovers that truly changes his life in an instant. There’s horrifying secret about the ruling empire and now it’s up to Teito to uncover more in this action adventure story that throws him into the pit of fire and must deal with the sinister Death God, and mysterious priests. Teito unlocks the power of zaiphon which is an extremely powerful magic ability that was bestowed upon him, however due to much of his past setbacks and emotional defeat he’s lost his trust in humanity. Due to these harsh treatments he suffered prior, he grows a cold exterior in a corrupt pseudo Catholic-themed world and the more you read into it all, your heartstrings are pulled at all of turmoil Teito went through. There’s plenty of action to keep you guessing, but Teito’s handsome exterior along with other good looking supporting roles, any Josei fan will certainly find themselves rooting for Teito on his journey for peace.

Nai travels in search of another individual named Karoku, with only a bracelet as his only clue as to his whereabouts. Gareki is notoriously known for pick pocketing and thieving to get by. Now these two are placed together in an eerie mansion where they’re framed for a crime and are now considered criminals being tracked down by security forces. Just as they thought that their lives wouldn’t get any more crazy, a very powerful defense agency appears before them and changes their lives forever. Nai and Gareki are set up and must now somehow dig themselves out of it with the help of an organization named circus. While there they meet up with two other individuals who they befriend and work together to uncover the dark truths about this organization. You come to uncover more behind each character’s pasts, but not all can be solved because you’re desperately trying to find Karoku since he has all of the answers. Each character is uniquely drawn out to provide different tastes and experiences which all come together to form a cohesive team, trying to unlock the mysteries of their existence. There’s not much romance in this series, but what will grip you is the strong fantasy element that will have your imagination racing.

With her new life awaiting her out of the college gates, Kumiko’s determined to set things straight in her new position as a math teacher at an all-boys school. Unfortunately for her, she was assigned to a class of students who were troublemakers and now had to clean up whatever mess they created. When the students start to get under her skin, she fights back with her own rebuttal and aggression that eventually gains her the respect from the students. However, behind this math teacher persona lies an even deeper truth that nobody on school grounds is aware of, and it’s that Kumiko is the heir to one of Tokyo’s most dangerous Yakuza clans. Gokusen is such a funny tale because it shares some resemblance to GTO’s Onizuka, who was also assigned to a classroom full of delinquents but then over time, gained the trust and respect of everyone for his devotion to teaching everyone valuable lessons. Like Onizuka, Kumiko had a pretty dangerous history and was notorious for being a troublemaker herself, which explains her aggressive style. Many josei fans will take a liking to Gokusen for it’s very stylized approach to storytelling, but also gives the female role a very strong and demanding role which you don’t get to see very often. A powerful young female who leads a class and not only becomes a role model for her students, but comes to understand herself as well through very funny experiences.

Yukari aims to make her parents proud by enrolling in college and becoming a successful role model in society. All of these dreams start to unravel, along with surprising turns of events that change her life forever. Not knowing what life would throw at her, Yukari is then kidnapped by an obsessive group of fashion artists named Paradise Kiss, who present her with a new world she’s unfamiliar with and must now come to terms with living the life of a clothing model. Instead of that geeky bookworm lifestyle she had planned to live, her life has transformed into something huge and now she must learn to cope with it all. Life has its way of turning what we imagine to be our reality, and really showing us the actual purpose that we must set out to live. In Yukari's scenario, things actually don’t end up so bad as she learns to enjoy where life has taken her. For many of us in Yukari’s position we often get angry at the world and think that it’s is trying to punish us for something, when in fact life is showing you what your heart’s truly asking for. Her parents insisted that she live a life in accordance to their rules as opposed to her own, which created a lot of anxiety for her. The Paradise Kiss group actually were the ones who saved her from her own misery, and introduced her into a world that brought out not only the best in her but also the truth.

Tsukimi Kurashita decided that the time would be right to pack all of her things, and move to Tokyo to become an illustrator. She’s a jellyfish otaku who finds herself living in women’s only apartment, and must share all of the utilities with other tenants. All of these quirky people have their own personalities, including NEETs, and others who have an extreme distaste for fashion calling themselves Amars. One day she encounters another young female who saves a jellyfish that’s about to die, but soon discovers that this young female isn’t a female at all but is actually a crossdresser who’s trying to evade his father’s inheritance. Tsukimi seems to portray what it’s like to be a girl in every possible way, which is why Kuragehime is a soon to be classic in the josei genre. She’s relatable, spontaneous, curious about her life direction, and dealing with a love life that makes your heart tremble with excitement. All of her wild adventures have you joyfully reading along, as she matures over time and shows readers just how fun life can be even with all of the challenges that surround us. She stays true to herself and doesn’t let her external environment govern her natural instincts to just be a strong woman.

Shinichi Chiaki has always wanted to live abroad and so he trusts his instincts, so that he can become a professional conductor like his mentor. Unfortunately his severe anxiety towards flying keeps his dreams grounded, and unable to take flight. As more and more of his classmates move onto bigger ventures, he starts to question his own life as to whether music is the right direction after all. On one fateful day he encounters a young woman named Megumi Noda, nicknamed Nodame, and grows an attraction toward her. Her lack of any skills in other areas is embarrassing, but when she touches the piano in Cantabile style, Shinichi’s eyes come alive with excitement once again. Nodame not only teaches Shinichi the greater values of life, but reminds him to continue doing what he loves most, no matter where he is in the world. You’re enamored by their very touching relationship and devotion to help each other to become greater versions of themselves, while making some fantastic music all at the same time. The story doesn’t throw you in various directions like other josei manga do, this one is just very clean cut and reminds us how important relationships are, and if you love something or someone don’t just give up and run away from it. Continue to pursue your passion no matter where you go, because it just might open doors that will take you much further than imagined.

Chihaya dreamed that her sister would become triumphant in the one thing she loved. Her view changes when Arata is introduced into her life and tells her that she must learn to develop her dreams on her own. Arata is a competitive player in Hyakunin Isshu, and Chihaya is completely blown away at how remarkably different he's playing it. After observing Arata’s playstyle, her passion to play reignites and she now dedicates much of her time to become the best at the game, and the queen of karuta. The relationship that you find between Arata and Chihaya is really fun and heartwarming because its two individuals who develop a strong friendship, which then turns into a long lasting passion that takes Chihaya well beyond her preconceived notions of not being able to compete at a high level like her sister. Arata was able to break down a psychological barrier that Chihaya had placed on herself, and tested the boundaries of her own abilities which led to her overwhelming success later on in the story. The whole moral of Chihayafuru is to constantly remind us to never give up on our dreams, and never forget those who helped you along the way to get there.

Narumi Takayuki and Hayase Mitsuki become friends because of Mitsuki’s friend, Suzumiya Haruka has a crush on Takayuki. As it turns out, Takayuki’s friend Taira Shinji and Mitsuki develop a close friendship while Haruka confesses to Takayuki. Unfortunately, things just aren’t easy. Takayuki and Haruka become intimate while at the same time, Takayuki and Mitsuki discover their own feelings for each other. There are few anime that are crafted quite as well as Kimi ga Nozomu Eien. Based off of the visual novel, Kimi ga Nozomu Eien takes you on a romantic tale of real human emotion as Takayuki battles himself to figure out which girl he should pick. Both Haruka and Mitsuki have their reasons for loving Takayuki, but can they handle the heartbreak that may come with it?

Nanami is new at her school and makes a bad impression when she calls her new friend by the wrong name, thanks to Motoharu, a popular boy who gave her the wrong name when she asked. While Nanami says she hates Motoharu, in fact, she might actually start to like him. If you are looking for a real teenage relationship with actual turmoil and real life problems, Bokura ga Ita is the anime to check out. Nanami has many insecurities and yet, Motoharu has his own fair share of personal problems combined that can really touch your heart strings. Yet, throw in the fact that Motoharu’s best friend, Masafumi, also loves Nanami and is always struggling in his pursuits of her, as well as, his friendship with Motoharu and you will find your heart being ripped out over and over again.

Kouyama Mitsuki is fighting throat cancer, which has robbed her of her dream to become an idol. One day, she meets two shinigami who are in charge of watching over her until death, except, Mitsuki isn’t supposed to be able to see them! Finding out that she will die within a year’s time, Mitsuki takes this as a sign she should pursue her dream of becoming an idol. The shinigami, Meroko and Takuto, decide to help her in her pursuit, but her dream may not be as simple as it seems. While Full Moon wo Sagashite may seem like an idol anime, it is actually a story about love, loss, and regrets. Mitsuki wants to pursue her dream of becoming an idol to fulfill her promise to a love once lost many years ago. Meroko and Takuto also have their own struggles, past and present, with love and loss. While we won’t comment on how happy the ending is, you will be put through an emotional rollercoaster in this intense story of lost love and forgotten pasts.

Humans once lived at the bottom of the sea until a number decided the surface was better and left to build a life there. As a result, these surface dwellers had their Ena taken away so they could no longer breathe underwater. As time passed, the tension between surface and sea dwellers increased. Today, Hikari, Mukaido, Chisaki, and Kaname are going to leave their home in the sea to attend school on the surface. They were met with hostility, but there was a boy named Tsumugu who actually loves the sea. As far as sad romance anime go, Nagi no Asukara utilizes time and personal growth to show the journey of love. It starts off with a very intense love-web between all of the characters, but after the timeskip, the web becomes even more convoluted. Characters will break hearts while others will do anything to get the love story of their dreams. There’s jealousy, regret, and guilt, and it is all oh so good!

Banri is a new student attending law school, but he has none of his past memories. During orientation, Banri meets Mitsuo who he gets along with instantly. However, as their lives connect and other people enter, life becomes more complicated whether or not Banri has his memories. Golden Time is a very popular anime that takes you through the course of an innocent love story starting from a point when both characters could care less about each other. As the anime goes on, you develop a bond with all the characters and can actually say you have a love for the main characters, yet it is at this point when things spiral out of control. Banri and Mitsuo have their own dramas, but Banri’s lost memories come back to bite him as his past life and new life join together, and Banri realizes that there was a love he lost which may end up making him lose his new love. Who do you think is the love he needs?

Androids called Giftia have been created to resemble humans in almost every way, except their lifespans are about 9 years and 4 months. Tsukasa has somehow managed to get a job at SAI Corp where they have created Giftia, but he is in charge of retrieving expired Giftia who have the possibility of becoming hostile. Tsukasa is given a Giftia partner, Isla, who is one of the best at retrievals. While they are an unlikely duo, Tsukasa finds himself falling for Isla, but her time is nearly up. Plastic Memories is best known for its sad romance because we see two characters who, against the odds, fall in love. Isla and Tsukasa pursue their romance despite the impending end that we all know will happen. Similar to our next anime, Plastic Memories depicts the story of a romantic relationship that we know is doomed to end, but in the present, they pursue their own happiness above all else.

Kousei spent his life under the strict and abusive guidance of his mother who drilled him on the piano, making him renown. However, after her passing, Kousei is left lost and unable to even hear the sound of the piano. It’s been two years since Kousei abandoned the piano, but when he meets the violinist Kaori, his whole world changes and he is finally able to pursue music again. As stated previously, Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso is a love story that we know will be tinged with sadness as Kaori battles her own illness while also charming the young Kousei, who has lost all hope in life. While Kaori helps Kousei with her exuberant energy, we all know what the end will bring. Kousei needs Kaori, who has touched his heart so tenderly after the loss of his own mother, which left him with less than nothing. Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso is a very tender story of love and while we know it has a sad ending, you cannot help but relish the happiness in the anime.

Many years ago, Himura Yuu is focused merely on his academics in school. That is until he meets Amamiya Yuuko, whom he has a past with. As Yuu unlocks unwanted memories from a distant time, he will discover more in the present time than he is prepared for. Then, set in the present, Kuze Shuuichi acts like a womanizer but prefers the company of no one. That won’t stop Hayama Mizuki, who is memorized by him after hearing him play the violin. Ef: A Tale of Melodies completely belongs on this list with its unique storytelling in two different time periods with the same characters. While the main characters seem to change, we get to see how time affects each character in the present. The romance between Yuu and Yuuko is tinged with regret, anger, and hate that really warps the love story in Ef: A Tale of Melodies. As you watch their story unfold, you are brought back into the present with Mizuki and Shuuichi, who are battling their own dramatic love story with impending doom, lost love, and broken hearts. Is there anything better than an intricate sad romance like Ef: A Tale of Melodies?

Tomoya and Nagisa have graduated high school and are joining together in holy matrimony to begin their blissful lives together. However, life just isn’t that easy. Tomoya must work hard to make ends meet, while at the same time, Nagisa’s illness is getting the best of her. They are determined to make it work, but things just don’t come easily. Clannad: After Story is an anime renown for its touching plot, strong themes, and horrible tragedy. You spent time getting to know other characters in Clannad, falling in love with them, and then come to Clannad: After Story to see everything end in misery. In a domino effect, each character is brought rock bottom to a place where light cannot break through, all of which are linked to their own love stories and hardships.

Jinta spends his time playing video games instead of going to school. One day, his childhood friend Menma begins to haunt him in order to get him to grant her wish, something she can no longer recall, but Jinta is not interested because Menma died already. However, Menma may be the key to bridging the gap that formed between Jinta and his childhood friends. They may finally be able to speak once more, but their goal is to allow Menma to rest in peace. Anohana is an anime that starts off fairly morbid upon the discovery that Menma has passed. As the anime progresses, you see how each character has been affected by the loss of Menma as children who were well acquainted with the idea of love. Anohana is another anime that has an intricate love-web that really grips you with the tragedy of loss and regret. How can you recoup a love that has already lost? What do you do with your friends who you have left behind because you could not cope with your guilty feelings? Can you even doubt that Anohana deserves #1 on our list?

While we usually try not to double-down on previously recommended shows, sometimes they’re so good that they’re worth mentioning twice. If it’s popularity ranking on most anime sites is any indication, then most readers should already know about this show, so this is for the uninitiated who are still missing out. The story takes place at the titular prestigious high school, Ouran Academy, and follows Haruhi Fujioka, a scholarship student who becomes a de-facto indentured member of the school’s strangest extracurricular activity after an expensive, vase-shattering accident. This show works on a lot of levels, and really rewards multiple viewings. From the endearing opening theme “Sakura Kiss,” to its bizarre but always earnest cast of host club members, the over-the-top freeze frames that candidly and hilariously break the fourth wall by summarizing the goings-on of the characters, the episodes clip by at a fast pace from start to finish. Under its saccharinely slick art style and popping color palette, the show addresses a lot of important social issues, such as gender identity and sexuality, privilege versus economic awareness, and what it means to truly embrace one’s self-identity, all wrapped up in a reverse harem package. It’s as close to essential viewing for fans of the genre as a show can get.

Ritsuka Tachibana has an ordinary-seeming life typical of high school students, until she is randomly called into an inquiry by the student council under the pretense of having broken school rules. All isn’t quite what it seems, as the questions have little to do with the rules of the school, and upon returning home to find her house broken into and her family injured, Ritsuka realizes she’s been pulled into something much bigger than a simple demerit on her record. She is, in fact, caught in a war between devils and vampires at her school, both of whom think she is the key to discovering a powerful, lost grimoire capable of giving either side the advantage they need to come out ahead in the conflict. Dance with Devils has plenty for fans of Vampire Knight. With its supernatural premise, it’s reverse harem of beautiful bishounen on either side of the conflict, and even nods to idol culture, the fact that it has a dark, atmospheric story with plenty of twists is just icing on the cake. It’s worth noting that it does have rather mature content, and may not be suitable for younger viewers, or those who are a bit squeamish about blood.

Based off of a popular otome game of the same name, Amnesia focuses on a young girl who wakes up in the back room of a café she apparently works at after startling dreams, who has no memories of her life up until that point. All she has is a cell phone with some contacts in it, and two of her friends, Shin and Toma, are called to get her home safely. After she arrives, she encounters Orion, an otherworldly boy that only she can see and hear, who explains that her amnesia is the direct result of his manifestation in her world. Feeling guilty, he vows to help her recover her memories, which is easier said than done, as she reacquaints herself with the handsome men that orbit her life. Amnesia combines expected elements from a visual novel, with a healthy dose of fantasy and mystery, combined with reverse-harem romance. While each episode often focuses on the individual men in her life, the dimension-transcending plot offers enough surprises to keep even the most seasoned veterans of the genre guessing as the main character picks up the pieces of her past.

Saiunkoku Monogatari is set in the fictional, titular empire of Saiunkoku, which is divided into eight provinces, each named after a different color. It centers around the life of Kou Shurei, a young girl born into a noble house that has fallen on hard times. Her father has a prestigious position at the Imperial Palace library, but makes so little money he struggles to make ends meet. Shurei teaches at temple and works odds jobs to help earn whatever additional income she can, to keep their family afloat. Although she’s happy to help out the family, she dreams of taking the imperial examination in order to take a governmental post, which women are forbidden to do. Her fortunes seem to take an upturn when the Emperor’s advisor approaches her with a proposition; a position as the Emperor’s consort for half a year, to rein in his untoward behavior and ignite his interest in politics. As she spends time at the Emperor’s side, she becomes embroiled in politics, and her passion for government reignites. Saiunkoku Monogatari blends elements of historical fantasy with comedy drama. The Emperor and other court officials create an interesting, reverse harem power dynamic unlike other shows. The show has surprising heart, and deals with the difficulty women face in trying to create change, paralleled by Shurei’s commitment to her country and the court.

In search of her missing father, Chizuru Yukimura takes a trip to Kyoto to search for news of his whereabouts. On the way, she is set upon by men who are torn apart by seemingly mindless killing machines, Rasetsu. In turn, they are defeated by Hajime Saito, a skilled member of a band of brave swordsmen that keep order in the city, the Shinsengumi. After Chizuru is taken back to the Shinsengumi headquarters, she learns the mysterious truth surrounding her father. A famous practitioner of western medicine, he was commissioned by the Bakufu to create the “Water of Life,” an elixir that bestows those who drink it with superhuman physical attributes, usually at the cost of their sanity. She agrees to assist the Shinsengumi in their efforts to contain the Rasetsu, as their path leads them into increasing danger. This particular reverse harem anime is based off of a popular series of otome games. The historical-fantasy setting is the perfect arena for this particular style of dramatic action, and although vampires are traded for samurai, the beautiful members of the Shinsengumi still go up against a supernatural foe with mysterious origins. With plenty of follow-ups, this series is sure to keep fans of the genre busy for a long time.

King Il is the pacifist ruler of Kouka, a fantastical country where he is beloved by the citizenry. Because of the kingdom’s peace, his only daughter, Yona, lives a carefree life, happily whiling away her days at Hiryu castle under the watchful eye of her companion and bodyguard, Son Hak. However, such an idyllic life was bound to come to an end. Her childhood sweetheart, Soo-won, visits the King under false pretenses, and commits the ultimate betrayal when he murders King Il in front of Yona, and grabs power for himself. Yona and Hak flee to Hak’s hometown, and begin a quest to reclaim her kingdom by seeking out the power of reincarnated dragons of legend. Akatsuki no Yona tells a surprisingly poignant story rarely found in the genre. While the show blends elements of drama, action and comedy expertly, it tells the story of one girl’s growth into adulthood as she comes to understand the harsh realities of life outside the palace walls, alongside with its cast of breathtaking bishounen warriors. A story fans of the genre would be remiss to miss out on.

Misaki Ayuzawa is the first female president at a school that recently transitioned from an all boys school to a co-ed one. As you can imagine, that isn't the most fun of jobs especially when you're dealing with a majority male population that tries its best to trample you in its testosterone. However, she manages to control them through her Akido techniques and swiftly became known as the Demon President. However, Misaki has a secret. Because of her poor family finances, she works part-time at a maid cafe to help pay the bills. Whilst she has managed to live a double life all this while, it is soon shattered when pretty-boy Takumi Usui walks in on her during a shift. Instead of revealing her secret, he decides to blackmail her so he can get closer to her. The two are similar in the sense that Kyouko and Misaki are both strong female leads that take control most of the time but tend to have vulnerable sides. They also tend to get into random hijinks with a particular guy because they can't stand him at all. And finally, they're both dense blockheads who can't sense when the love of their life is standing right beside them.

If you ask anyone in their school, Ryuuji Takasu is a delinquent that goes around intimidating people with his scary face and Taiga Aisaka is the cute mascot of the school. However, in contrast to their looks, Ryuuji is a gentle soul he spends much of his time helping around his house and taking care of his single mother when she's overworked while Taiga is a fiesty hot-head who goes around attacking people with a wooden katana. They soon discover that the other has a crush on their respective best friends, and form a pact to help the other capture their crushes. Nothing can go wrong, right? While thematically Toradora! and Skip Beat aren't the most similar, they are a very similar type of romance anime that rarely exists nowadays. They both deliver a close to realistic approximation of what romance in real life is actually like, and most of the time you can actually see that the characters really would react that way in a certain scenario. There and ups and downs and all arounds, but they'll eventually find a way.

Shinichi Chiaki is one of the most talented young musicians to ever grace the soil of Japan. He is a first class musician that pushes himself daily to the ever lofty goal of perfection. His dream is to one day play on the stages of Europe and showcase his talent to the world. Unfortunately, he is deathly afraid to fly on planes, so he is stuck in Japan. Megumi Noda is directionless piano student that fails in all aspect of managing herself. She doesn't really know what she wants to do most of the time and ends up playing the theme song for a children's show. When the two first meet, he gets annoyed with her. But when he hears her play, he becomes enraptured by her music. This does not change the fact that Chiaki doesn't want her as his neighbour, nor does he want her to be in love with him! The chemistry between Megumi and Shinichi are extremely similar to that of Kyouko and Ren. Megumi and Kyouko are ditzy, directionless air-heads that seem to move in seemingly random patterns. Ren and Shinichi are cool and skillful players of their art who have the greatest misfortune of being saddled with their respective girls. But what better to melt an icy heart?

Ever watched the movie "The Ring"? Remember that creepy central character that crawled out of the well and scared the pants of anyone who watched it at the time? Unfortunately for Kuronuma Sawako, all of her classmates remember. Though she tries her best to be a kind and sweet girl, she is often mistaken to be a serial killer because of her resemblance to the girl from "The Ring", leading her to be called Sadako by her classmates. However, Sawako doesn't want to give up. She tries her best to make friends and comes across Kazehaya Shouta the most popular guy in class who is well known to be extremely friendly and charming. When he starts responding to her advances, she figures that maybe she actually has a chance at friendship, and maybe something more. If you enjoyed the Shoujo-ness of Skip Beat and want more of that particular feeling, this is the anime for you. There aren't an abundance of similar elements, just the cut and dry ones like being a romance and having a likable guy plus girl to form a relationship. But the romance in both animes are realistic enough and they are both very Shoujo in their execution that you just can't miss this if you liked Skip Beat.

Hikari Hanazono and Kei Takishima met at the age of 6 when their pro-wrestling fathers introduced them to each other. With the assumption that she was the best around, she challenged Kei to a match and was trounced soundly by him. Ever since that point, she has been unable to defeat him in anything, from grades to the most innocuous of things like pole vaulting or fishing. In order to get more opportunities to defeat him, she has joined the same elite school that he did. The school, Hakusenkan, takes its students' rankings very seriously, and rewards the top few students with the distinction of Special A. This grants them privileges and luxuries that other students don't have, provided they can maintain their grades. Kei holds the first place and Hikari keeps trying to beat him from her second place. She'll keep trying, constantly unaware of his feelings for her. If you liked the boyish, dense and blockheaded character of Kyouko you'll definitely love Hikari because she's quite similar in that regard. She does everything in her power to excel and finally defeat him but she's completely oblivious of his feelings for her, just like Kyouko doesn't realise Ren loves her. Ren and Kei will do their best to take care of their girls, but it isn't really an easy task…

Princess Yona lives your typical princess life; she is enthroned in a palace of decadence and lives a life of luxury that normal people like us could possibly never experience within our entire lifetime. However, that all comes crashing down when her cousin Su-Won betrays her family by plunging a blade into the chest of the King. Yona is soon forced to flee the castle with her childhood friend Son Hak into the outskirts of their land Kouka, but is soon shocked to discover that her country isn't the idyllic land she thought it to be. Kouka seems to be wrought with poverty and and corruption, painting a sordid picture that she almost refuses to acknowledge. With naught but her childhood friend at her side, she must try her best to restore her country, or die trying. While it seems that the two anime couldn't be further apart, they are actually quite similar. Yona and Kyouko both start out with a love interest whom they deeply cherish that betrays them in one of the worst possible fashion. They are then forced to develop from the annoying twits that they were into fully mature women. At some point, they also meet another love interest that they initially dislike, but come to like over the course of the show. So with that said, just watch it.

The release of Pokémon Go has been one of the highlighting events to shake this year. As it is one of the most downloaded and profitable apps to date, it is fitting that we include one of the original characters on this list to cosplay. Pokémon, at its infancy in 1997, includes Misty, a sassy gal, determined to be the best water-type Pokémon trainer. Misty throughout the series, with Ash and Brock as her companions, acquires more knowledge of Pokémon and progressively develops as well. We believe that her outfit reflects her intrepid and cheeky spirit. Misty’s trademark outfit includes a yellow crop top tank, red suspenders, jean shorts, red sneakers, and an orange pack. As she is continually active with capturing Pokémon, battling various trainers, and traveling with Ash and Brock, what she wears encompasses ease and is acceptable for her active life. Misty is a great choice to cosplay because of her namesake in a highly classic and acclaimed series in the world of anime!

Hell Girl, for the most part, surrounds the concept of revenge, watching people reap what they sow and essentially getting their “just deserts.” Imagine if inflicting this punishment was possible by simply accessing a website to send your intended victim straight to hell. The concept in and of itself is extremely scary. This “Hell Correspondence” will call up Enma Ai, whose sole task is to ferry the chosen target to hell. As this is only the half of it, the remainder of this contract must be completed when the requesting person submits payment of himself or herself into hell as well. Yikes! Enma is a great choice to cosplay for this Halloween because of the swift and unforgiving nature of her job. The fear of death and damnation is something one does not look forward to when their time is up. This circumstance is heightened when someone as sinister and creepy looking as Enma is the one to bring you to your doom. Often seen with a floral kimono and piercing red eyes, she may appear harmless, but don’t be fooled, she is far from friendly.

Tomoki Sakurai’s peaceful life is forever changed when a strange, bright, white, meteorite-like object falls from the sky. As this entity lands on the surface, its appearance is angelic and adorable. The purpose and function of Ikaros, as she is called, is to find a being to call her master. As she gazes upon Tomoki, from that moment forth, servant and master experience a ton of craziness and shenanigans. As Heaven’s Lost Property is recognized for providing a great deal of fan service, Ikaros for cosplay, Halloween 2016, is no doubt an eye-catching and sexy choice. Her ensemble includes a white revealing bustier dress, thigh high socks, knee high boots and a set of angel wings. In combination with a look of innocence, Ikaros redefines the description of what a virtuous angel should look and act like.

Can you keep a secret? Misaki Ayuzawa’s part-time job as a café maid may seem embarrassing to her, but place the utmost confidence in Honey’s, as we are certain that this outfit is the one to choose for cosplay. As Misaki’s character in Kaichou wa Maid-sama! reflects her strong and stern demeanor, her maid attire contrasts this completely. The concept of maid cafés allows for patrons to be serviced at their whims and desires by loveable and charming maids, willing to please their “masters of the moment”. Maid cosplay is a common and timeless choice and we can think of no other maid to choose from than our favorite, Misaki! As maids have a reputation for alluring, with a short black dress, white apron, white headband and a “can-do attitude”, this maid ensemble is perfect because it is an enticing idea to have someone do whatever you want, so you can kick up your feet and relax. Ahh, this is the life!

Attack on Titan focuses on humanity’s struggle as they face these monstrous beings called titans, destroying and devouring the human race without reason. In an attempt to blockade the titans, mankind has built three enormous walls, where for a century, people have been able to live without trouble. One day, the peace is disturbed and the outer wall is breached. The people living within these walls are scared, as everyone scrambles to safety towards the center. However, there are those that believe their existence is worth fighting for and train to face the threat on humanity. As one of the three main soldiers in this anime, Misaka Ackerman is a very quiet and stoic individual. She has a very close bond with Eren because as children, he saved her life. As she is loyal to him, Mikasa joined the ranks to fight alongside him. She is extremely skillful, graduating at the top of her class and essentially is a paragon. Dressed in her combatant uniform, which includes a khaki jacket, white cargo pants, white button-up top, combat boots and her equipment, she sets herself apart from the others with a lovely feminine red scarf. Misaka is a great character to cosplay because of how awesome and ass kicking she is.

Tokyo Ghoul takes place in a time where humans and human-like beings called ghouls coexist. These ghouls possess superhuman abilities. As they can only eat human flesh, the ghouls are mercilessly hunted down by a government agency called CCG. Consequently, humans constantly fear becoming prey to these ghouls. In contrast, the ghouls face the challenge of living among humans, attempting to blend in. Engaging in the internal fight against instinct and external issues of avoiding capture by the CCG, Ken Kaneki, being from both worlds, demonstrates the difficulties and ease of each species. Touka Kirishima is a ghoul in the series, who can successfully balance living as herself among people. She is a significant character because of her accessibility to the ghoul community; as an informant and food supplier. Touka works hard at protecting her kind as well as establishing harmony with humans. However, don’t let her appearance fool you! She possesses superhuman abilities, in addition to her smart and perceptive attitude. Dressed in a school uniform, with her dark black eyes and piercing red pupils, her ominous look is fitting for Halloween. Touka’s sinister looks will definitely scare you off, as she is someone you would not want to run into in a dark, cold alley!

Cyan Hijirikawa from Show By Rock!! has a tremendous passion for music. Cyan is incredibly shy, but wants to join her school’s music club because of her love for music. In one attempt to sign up for the music club, she backs out, hanging her head low and burying herself in her phone app, Strawberry Heart. Harboring such musical talent, all of a sudden, Cyan is sucked into an alternate world called Midi City. Through her phone, Midi City is where music is profoundly critical to one’s life. Tragically, Midi City is faced with the problem of shadow monsters taking over musicians and music, where eventually they will become monsters as well. Cyan was intentionally sent to help destroy the shadow monsters for good. With the help of her Plasmagica bandmates, they set out to complete this mission, restoring musical bliss to Midi City. Cyan’s outfit is absolutely adorable! Cyan is a great choice to cosplay because her whole look is super cute. She wears cute cat accessories, a long sleeved navy dress, striped thigh high socks, and black mary janes. Additionally, she has her guitar/weapon, Strawberry Heart. Moreover, who wouldn’t want to be a rockstar and a hero in one?!

Overlord follows Momonga, a powerful wizard who is a part of a guild called Ainz Ooal Gown. As Momonga’s coveted virtual reality game comes to a close, due to it being shut down, he spends his final moments remaining in the server. As he observes the final countdown, something unexpected happens. Although the time is up, Momonga still remains in the game. However, the setting has vastly changed and the NPCs are fully involved with him, with developed consciousness as well. Eager to figure out this new development, Momonga tackles on this new adventure! In Overlord, Albedo is the highest-ranking NPC in the game and Overseer of the Floor Guardians of the Great Tomb of Nazarick. Albedo was not always as she was programed to be. As they were transported into the new world, Momonga made some administrative changes to her character, so that Albedo is now unconditionally in love and devoted to him. In appearance, Albedo wears a strapless, cold shoulder, cut-out dress, has black angel wings, and horns that kind of resemble a crown. Albedo is another fantastic choice for cosplay because of her otherworldly look paired with a touch of feminine elegance.

Dimension W is an exciting sci-fi, futuristic, action anime. Dimension W is a newly discovered fourth dimension. With a newfound technology called coils, humanity can now use an inexhaustible source of energy to power up robots that closely resemble people. However, our lead character, Kyouma Mabuchi, is skeptical of the usage of coils because of his affinity for classic and old school technology. As he is an independent contractor, his job entails retrieving these coils. Upon one of his missions, we run into Mira Yurizaki, an android. Mira is an interesting character that has been sheltered for more of her existence and must cope with learning how to interact with humans. Mira insists that she is human, despite having robotic mechanisms and equipment attached to her body. After a tragedy occurred in Mira’s life, she decides to join Kyouma and help him retrieve coils. As such, Mira’s look includes an interesting looking headpiece, yellow frill tank, pink biker shorts, and thigh high white boots. She also has a tail and technological markers all over her body. Mira would be an attractive pick for cosplay, adding a twist to the robot getup.

Bananya is a cute and carefree, optimistic, kitty in a banana. Bananya wants to become a chocolate covered banana and is obsessed with this idea. As many of us are guilty of watching kitty videos on YouTube, watching cats doing absolutely nothing but groom and play with random things, we can observe Bananya doing just as much; doing cute kitty things, all the while being in a banana peel. We feel that Bananya for cosplay for this Halloween is a simple and cute look to create. As there are various colors and characters of cats to choose from in Bananya, all that needs to be done is to choose your breed and pair this with a long yellow skirt or pants with some fabric that folds over! Silly and adorable, Bananya is so cute we at Honey’s “CAN’T EVEN!!!” Furthermore, Bananya is a choice that will definitely stick out!