Haikara-san ga Tooru Movie 2: Hana no Tokyo Dai Roman

The animes have different art styles and general nuances, [also one is a 2 part movie and the other a 12-episode anime], but they're set in the Taishou era, with the looming threat of the Great Kanto Earthquake disaster. The characters are vastly different, one could say almost opposites, but both animes deal with arranged marriage, developing young love and hardships developing one's character. Both have strong female characters, but Benio is more of a tomboy while Yuzuki is more of a caring-mother type character. The male characters have almost nothing in common, apart from being from prominent families. Shinobu from Miss Modern is clearly the ikemen type, while Tamako from Taishou Fairytale is a gloomy young boy with a slightly disabled arm who is in the process of re-discovering himself. At some point both thiink they don't deserve the FL, but it's really her decsion to make too. The female support character in both works gives off similar feelings of a strong independent woman that has tension in their friendship with the female lead due to her fiance. Well, you won't find a Ramaru in every anime, so sorry, none of that here really. Miss Modern has more of a josei-feel to it, while Taishou fairytale feels more like a shoujo. But I supposed they're similar enough if you're starved for some more of the same type of work. Be warned, in Taishou Fairytale; the romance is slow, almost non-existent, there is more than one annoying character, severals ide-characters seems more dashing than the main FL and ML, the art is unique and not a very popular style. Yet I find myself thinking of the one after watching the other. Love prevails, but I feel empty inside after realizing once again how devastating the disaster was. I supposed both have bitter-sweet endings in a way. read more 

Both of these stories have a historical setting in that very interesting period where women wore modernized kimono and sometimes Western (Victorian!) fashions. Both heroines are equally plucky and independent, in love with a soldier. Zakuro's setting has more folklore and fantasy elements, but very similar vibes overall. 

A stubbornly plucky heroine who is a borderline tomoboy, of "average" looks, but otherwise impressively talented? Check. Be ready for those melodramatic shoujo plot twists, and for all the male leads to be somehow inclined to help/be in love with our single-minded girl. If you felt Haikara-san was too short and fast paced, treat yourself to Glass Mask. 

SPOILER The plot of this movie is very much the same one of Mermaid Melody Pure. The main male love interest is thought possibly dead, is rescued by a physically sick lady, main male has amnesia, they get together, he eventually sees his old real love interest but doesnt realize at first, new sick love interest is aware and keeps saying things like "stay by my side, I need you" and manipulates the emotions of the main male. TLDR; super frustrating to watch. But in a good way. You know what is going to happen, but it still enthralls you. The movie is better than the show in the aspect of you are frustrated for less amount of time. read more