The Japanese anime industry features plenty of excellent franchises in every cinematic genre there is, meaning there’s an anime series for everyone out there. Some fans love shonen-style action with magic and monsters, such as Jujutsu Kaisen and My Hero Academia, while others prefer romance series like Fruits Basket or horror like Another. Other anime fans would rather watch something more grounded and enjoy a series that doesn’t rely on magic, aliens, or science fiction to tell a great story.
These “realistic” anime series take place in the real world, using realistic characters and conflicts to create a compelling narrative from beginning to end. Sports series are an example of this, such as Haikyuu!! and Slam Dunk, and for fans less interested in sports, a variety of romance, drama, and slice-of-life anime series stand out as the best realistic anime that don’t need jerseys and sports stadiums to drive the plot.
A Silent Voice & 9 Other Realistic Coming-Of-Age Anime
Anime Coming-of-age anime tales like A Silent Voice and Silver Spoon provide relatable experiences and great character development for viewers.
10 Blue Period Shows the Joy and Struggle in Making Modern Art
Blue Period
Bored with life, popular high schooler Yatora Yaguchi jumps into the beautiful yet unrelenting world of art after finding inspiration in a painting.
- Release Date
- October 2, 2021
- Cast
- Johnny Yong Bosch , Amber Lee Connors , Chris Smith
- Seasons
- 1
- Studio
- Seven Arcs
- Creator
- Tsubasa Yamaguchi
- Number of Episodes
- 12
Blue Period Scores:
- MyAnimeList: 7.81
- IMDb: 7.7
- Anime Planet: 4.03/5
Blue Period is a realistic anime series that’s all about the inspiring power of modern art, as the Picasso reference in the title would suggest. Blue Period follows the everyday life of Yatora Yaguchi, a teenage boy who decides practically overnight to become an artist, a fine way to express himself on a canvas for all to see. The challenge is for Yatora to figure out what’s in his soul and express it in a compelling, memorable way.
Yatora isn’t just painting and drawing for fun, either. He has a serious goal in mind: to get into the prestigious University of Tokyo’s art department. That means Yatora must work hard and catch up to all the other talented artists his age so he can stand a chance of getting into his dream college. It will be a formidable challenge, but it’s worth it, and art will fire up Yatora like nothing else can. Blue Period may star an underdog, but it also focuses on the woes of being an artistic prodigy, since being labeled a young genius isn’t all fun and games.
9 My Dress-Up Darling is All About the Magic of Cosplay
My Dress-Up Darling
Traumatized by a childhood incident with a friend who took exception to his love of traditional dolls, doll-artisan hopeful Wakana Gojo passes his days as a loner, finding solace in a room at his high school.
- Release Date
- January 8, 2022
- Seasons
- 1 Season
- Characters By
- Hina Suguta, Shoya Ishige, AmaLee
- Creator
- Shinichi Fukuda
- Production Company
- Aniplex, CloverWorks, Square Enix Company
Everything We Know About My Dress-Up Darling, Season Two
My Dress-Up Darling was one of the best romance anime of 2022, and it’s now gearing up for a second season. Here’s everything to know about it.
My Dress-Up Darling Scores:
- MyAnimeList: 8.2
- IMDb: 8.0
- Anime Planet: 4.26/5
My Dress-Up Darling is a wonderful and realistic romantic comedy anime for anyone who likes shows about opposites attracting. My Dress-Up Darling blends a goofy romance story with the joys of cosplay, giving it some mildly educational scenes as well. Fans will learn much more about how costumes are made and worn, such as dresses, contact lenses, wigs, makeup, shoes, and much more.
Protagonist Wakana Gojo is a timid but diligent boy who likes making clothes for dolls, so when his genki girl classmate Marin Kitagawa needs a new tailor to make cosplay, Wakana is her first pick. Between Wakana’s tailoring skills and Marin’s confidence with cosplay photo shoots, the two of them will make a great duo and show the rest of the cosplay community how it’s done. Marin loves dressing up in Wakana’s expertly crafted costumes, and it just might lead to true love along the way.
8 Monster is Naoki Urasawa’s Best-Known Work as a Cool Crime Thriller
Monster
Dr. Kenzo Tenma, an elite neurosurgeon, finds his life in utter turmoil after following his conscience to operate on a small boy named Johan.
- Release Date
- September 28, 2005
- Cast
- Liam O’Brien , Karen Strassman , Richard Epcar , Keith Silverstein
- Seasons
- 1
- Studio
- Madhouse
- Characters By
- Naoki Urasawa
- Creator
- Naoki Urasawa
Monster Scores:
- MyAnimeList: 8.88
- IMDb: 8.7
- Anime Planet: 4.22/5
Monster is an excellent seinen anime series that has action and thriller elements without relying on the supernatural or literal monsters to tell a gripping story. Monster begins in 1960s West Germany, where the young Dr. Tenma, a Japanese brain surgeon, operates on a patient named Johan Liebert. Johan was a boy who suffered a bullet wound to the head, and against all odds, Dr. Tenma saved his life.
To Dr. Tenma’s horror, Johan Liebert is actually a monster — a dangerous person who will commit all kinds of crimes with the life that Dr. Tenma saved. Johan flees not long after getting surgery, and years later, Dr. Tenma must somehow deal with the monstrous young man who’s still on the loose, which must no doubt weigh heavily on the doctor’s mind. He saved that monster and now he must do something about it.
7 A Silent Voice Is About Two Troubled Teens Trying to Communicate and Overcome Trauma
A Silent Voice
A young man is ostracized by his classmates after he bullies a deaf girl to the point where she moves away. Years later, he sets off on a path for redemption.
- Release Date
- October 20, 2017
- Studio
- Kyoto Animation
- Cast
- Saori Hayami , Miyu Irino , Yui Ishikawa , Megumi Han
- Runtime
- 130 minutes
A Silent Voice Scores:
- MyAnimeList: 8.93
- IMDb: 8.1
- Anime Planet: 4.49/5
A Silent Voice is widely recognized as one of the best anime movies out there, a heartfelt story of bullying, redemption, and second chances between two troubled teenagers. A Silent Voice is a realistic high school story that actually begins in the characters’ past when Shoya Ishida bullied his deaf classmate Shoko Nishimiya in 6th grade. Shoya later paid the price for his cruelty and became widely ostracized, but now, as a 12th grader, he wants to make things right.
In the main events of A Silent Voice, Shoya desperately strives to reconnect with Shoko and make amends for what he did, driven by genuine remorse and goodwill. Shoya’s challenge isn’t just to get Shoko to understand and trust him; he must also convince his classmates that he’s changing for the better, and most of all, Shoya must prove to himself that he’s worth Shoko’s forgiveness.
6 Bocchi the Rock! Challenges a Shy Girl to Join a Musical Band
Bocchi the Rock!
Hitori “Bocchi-chan” Goto is a lonely high school girl whose heart lies in her guitar; she meets Nijika Ijichi and joins “Kessoku Band.”
- Release Date
- October 8, 2022
- Cast
- Yoshino Aoyama , Sayumi Suzushiro , Saku Mizuno , Ikumi Hasegawa , Maaya Uchida
- Main Genre
- Comedy
- Seasons
- 1
- Studio
- CloverWorks
- Franchise
- Bocchi the Rock!
- Characters By
- Aki Hamaji
- Creator
- Aki Hamaji
- Distributor
- Crunchyroll
- Main Characters
- Hitori Goto, Nijika Ijichi, Ryou Yamada, Ikuyo Kita, Seika Ijichi
- Producer
- Shota Umehara
- Production Company
- CloverWorks, Aniplex
- Story By
- Aki Hamaji
- Writers
- Aki Hamaji , Erika Yoshida
The Real-Life Guitars & Drums From Bocchi the Rock! – And Where to Buy Them
Music enthusiasts can easily find and play the instruments in Bocchi the Rock! if they know where to look.
Bocchi the Rock! Scores:
- MyAnimeList: 8.8
- IMDb: 8.3
- Anime Planet: 4.33/5
Bocchi the Rock! made its debut back in the Fall 2022 anime season as a delightful, hilarious, and surprisingly resonant comedy anime with strong musical themes. Even in that competitive anime season, Bocchi the Rock! stood out thanks to its quirky combination of silly yet realistic elements, from the stylish rock music to the heroine’s incredibly shy personality.
In Bocchi the Rock!, protagonist Hitori Gotoh spent a few years practicing the guitar in her bedroom and gained a loyal following on the Internet. Now Hitori is pushing herself to form or join a musical band in person, and one by one, she will meet musically gifted girls her age who are ready to rock and roll with her. But getting a band together is just the start; Hitori’s new band must also learn to play together and actually put on a great performance at the local music club.
5 Komi Can’t Communicate Shows a Timid Girl Making 100 Friends at School
Komi Can’t Communicate
An elite and aloof schoolgirl is in fact severely withdrawn and anxious about communicating with others. An ordinary schoolboy befriends her and helps her to open up and talk with people.
- Release Date
- October 21, 2021
- Cast
- Aoi Koga , Gakuto Kajiwara , Rie Murakawa , Rina Hidaka
- Seasons
- 2
Komi Can’t Communicate Scores:
- MyAnimeList: 7.88
- IMDb: 7.7
- Anime Planet: 4.06/5
Fans of romance, comedy, and slice-of-life anime series will definitely have fun with Komi Can’t Communicate, a simple but delightful anime with goofy yet grounded characters. No matter their personality quirks or silly hairdos, the students shown in Komi Can’t Communicate are realistically written with relatable flaws, insecurities, and dreams.
The protagonist is Shoko Komi, a total dandere who didn’t have a single friend growing up due to her overwhelming social anxiety. In high school, Shoko has resolved to make 100 friends to enrich her social life and prove that she can overcome any challenge. Her classmate, the plain yet empathetic Hitohito Tadano, will empower her and show her the way of friendship at the wacky Itan High School.
4 Maid-Sama! Pairs Up a Maid Tsundere With a Mysterious Blond Boy
Maid Sama!
Ayuzawa Misaki serves as the student council president at Seika High. However, unbeknownst to her classmates, she works part-time as an employee at a Maid Cafe. Usui Takumi, a boy from her school, discovers this secret.
- Release Date
- April 2, 2010
- Cast
- Monica Rial , David Matranga , Leraldo Anzaldua , Nobuhiko Okamoto
- Seasons
- 1 Season
- Creator
- Hiro Fujiwara
- Production Company
- Geneon Universal Entertainment, Hakusensha, J.C. Staff, Movic, Tokyo Broadcasting System (TBS)
Maid-Sama! Scores:
- MyAnimeList: 8.0
- IMDb: 7.9
- Anime Planet: 4.21/5
Maid-Sama! is a popular romance anime based on a shojo manga series of the same name. Even if the anime adaptation didn’t finish the manga’s story, Maid-Sama! is still a popular and entertaining watch for fans of realistic romance and drama. In this story, Misaki Ayuzawa is a tough, responsible, and hot-tempered girl with a good heart who always works hard to support her impoverished family. More specifically, Misaki works at a maid café, a fact she hopes to conceal from her classmates.
Misaki’s life will take a wild turn when the popular blond Takumi Usui starts showing an interest in her. Misaki may find Takumi obnoxious, and Takumi will tease her more than a little, but he does care for Misaki, and the two of them will develop surprisingly strong chemistry as bull-headed lovers.
3 Toradora! Launches a Tricky Love Square in a High School Setting
Toradora!
Toradora tells the tale of Ryuji (dragon) and Taiga (tiger) helping each other confess to their crushes.
- Release Date
- October 2, 2008
- Seasons
- 1
- Studio
- J.C. Staff
- Number of Episodes
- 25
Toradora! Is Still One of the Greatest Romance Anime After 15 Years
Inspiring several ripoffs while perfecting age-old archetypes and tropes, Toradora! is still the gold standard when it comes to romantic comedy anime.
Toradora! Scores:
- MyAnimeList: 8.07
- IMDb: 8.0
- Anime Planet: 4.16/5
Toradora! still stands as one of the best high school romance anime out there, and it doesn’t even need gratifying harems or supernatural elements to tell an incredible story. When Toradora! begins, the good natured Ryuji Takasu and the tiny tsundere Taiga Aisaka each have a crush on the other’s best friend, and they agree to help each other find true love. Then a tricky love square takes shape and Ryuji and Taiga realize they are falling for each other, despite their differences.
Along the way, Ryuji and Taiga will each prove that everyone’s impressions of them are wrong. Ryuji may have the scary eyes of a punk, but he’s actually a gentle, nurturing boy who likes helping people. Taiga, meanwhile, is widely feared but is actually insecure about herself, something she’s desperate to keep hidden. Taiga and Ryuji will learn the truth about one another and support each other however they can, to the point they’ll even run away together if other people won’t accept their love.
2 Wotakoi: Love is Hard For Otaku is a Delightful Office Romance
Wotakoi: Love Is Hard For Otaku
A gaming otaku and a fujoshi reunite for the first time since middle school at work.
- Release Date
- April 12, 2018
- Cast
- Miyuki Sawashiro , Tomokazu Sugita , Arisa Date , Kent Itō
- Seasons
- 1
- Creator
- Fujita
Wotakoi: Love is Hard For Otaku Scores:
- MyAnimeList: 7.93
- IMDb: 7.5
- Anime Planet: 4.16/5
Wotakoi: Love is Hard For Otaku is a great anime for fans who want to watch a high-quality office romance anime rather than yet another teen romance or comedy in high school. The four main characters in Wotakoi are all 20-something office workers who all love geeky otaku culture, but they don’t want their co-workers to know, so they keep it a secret from everyone except each other.
The four friends will then start falling in love, partly based on their mutual love of otaku culture such as cosplay, games, anime, and manga. Falling in love will also bring out the best in those four geeks, making them more confident and open-minded as they explore each other’s worlds outside the office. Protagonist Narumi Momose, in particular, is insecure about her otaku hobby after an ex-boyfriend scorned her for it, so that makes her arc doubly compelling — and perhaps relatable, too.
1 Your Lie in April Shows the Healing Power of Music
Your Lie in April
A piano prodigy who lost his ability to play after suffering a traumatic event in his childhood is forced back into the spotlight by an eccentric girl with a secret of her own.
- Release Date
- October 9, 2014
- Cast
- Natsuki Hanae , Ayane Sakura , Ryōta Ōsaka
- Seasons
- 1
- Studio
- A-1 Pictures
- Creator
- Naoshi Arakawa
Your Lie in April Scores:
- MyAnimeList: 8.64
- IMDb: 8.5
- Anime Planet: 4.31/5
Your Lie in April has a well-earned reputation for being a total heartbreaker of an anime, but it’s not all tears and tragedy. Despite its grim story elements, Your Lie in April has strongly optimistic and warm themes of friendship, love, hope, and the joy of making music. 14-year-old Kosei Arima is a piano prodigy who suffered at his stern mother’s hands, creating mental scars that prevent him from hearing piano notes when he plays.
Kosei is just about to give up when he meets a lively blonde girl named Kaori Miyazono, who plays the violin and other instruments in whimsical, creative ways to express herself. Kosei and Kaori will then strike up a charming friendship, with Kaori encouraging Kosei to rekindle his love of music and thus put some happiness back into his life.
