Sarazanmai

Very similar style (same director) telling very different stories, but a lot of the themes are carried across both. Interesting characters with their fair share of drama and problems to sort out. Both like to sometimes be abstract with some of the story telling, leaving lots up to interpretation.  

Both series focus on a trio of youths who have found themselves in inexplicable, otherworldly challenges that they have to overcome while utilizing the power of friendship. The shows have similar styles and relatively lighthearted tones to them. The biggest difference is that there is a lot more focus on buttholes in Sarazanmai as compared to Tsuritama. 

Sarazanmai and Wonder Egg Priority definitely give off the same vibe, they both have a weird premise but give off very clear and inspiring messages.  

One word: connections. The circumstances which the main characters are dragged into force them to find out more about each other - whether they like it or not. As their relationships grow and change, they come face to face with what it means to be truly connected with others. 

Done by the same studio they both have a vividly colourful art style that is both very expressive but also playful. Another similar note is the fact that they both start off with somewhat crude humor that you have to look past to see a compelling story that has twists that you never see coming and even at times threatens to bring a tear or two. The moment I watched Sarazanmai the first thing that came to mind was Punchline so if you were able to see past the crude nature of panties and kappa butt problems you'll find a very enjoyable and compelling anime. the twists though friend...the twists are a killer read more 

Eva tackles some similar themes to Sarazanmai, albeit with a much different tone. There's a pretty heavy amount of focus put on dysfunctional relationships, need for human connection, and the difference between caring about someone and using them for self validation.  

-transformations, desires, bizarre, fun, aestheticl, and great soundtracks (especially ending song)  

Both shows are Ikuhara type shows that are zany art house pieces, tons of symbolism, and flashy transformation sequences and battles. If you enjoy one, you'll probably enjoy the other! 

Also made by Ikuhara, basically the male version of YKA. Third in a sort of loose spiritual trio starting with Mawaru Penguindrum, which I like to call The Box Trilogy. 

Very bright and colourful and deals with Japanese mythology and quirky and weird animation and characters.  

Both stories are about boys who turn into Supernatural creatures, and both deal with heavy themes. Shinsekai Yori is a bit more of a melancholic psychological character study, whereas Sarazanmai is a trippier story about the connection between three boys but at the heart of it both are about three boys and their connections - as well as how their past effects their present. The main character has complex feelings about a sibling in both, as well. 

Samurai Flamenco is similar to Saranzanmai in how both had well-represented LGBT+ characters but also a confusing (albeit very entertaining) plot and frequent changes in tone. Same vibes all around. 

Both series... - deal with connecting a group of friends into a deeper friendship through supernatural experiences - have the characters deepest secrets and inner desires get exposed, generating conflicts among the group - feature specific character development of each group member in detail - don't hesitate to adress controversial topics like difficult family backgrounds, guilt, self-doubt and sexuality - pretty much accept the supernatural / surreal situation they are confronted with and rather portray how the main characters deal with it - have a small amount of lgbtq+ representation without seeming forced 

Both stories are about three boys who can turn into a supernatural creature. That's about all the similarity, because Ghost Hound doesn't have any of the comedy, gag, colours, or happiness Sarazanmai has. 

TL;DR: Gay and unhinged (in the best way possible) Seriously though, they share a LOT in terms of plot structure and format. Transforming to enter another world and change people's hearts, facing serious real world issues, and being VERY queer and horny most of the time. Even the musical numbers! It's absolute camp, best enjoyed with popcorn and friends. If you relate to the queer experience and/or you want to watch hot anime men absolutely serving, check out both of these shows.  

Both of these anime are episodic, and carry the same elements and dialogue from episode to episode. Recurring animations and lines foreshadow themes and plot points while also making use of humor. Both are 11 episode noitaminA shows within the 'coming-of-age' genre. Sarazanmai is a bit more character driven where the Tatami Galaxy relies heavily on its unique brand of storytelling. Both shows are animated well and contain aspects of magical realism. Each series also has fans that will tell you much though is required to appreciate them. 

Both shows use a bizarre asthetic to islustrate many complex themes and deliver some sort of message with it in a really unique way that you won't find anywhere else 

Sarazanmai and Hoshiai no Sora tell character stories full of dark moments underneath a colorful, light exterior conflict. Sarazanmai has the adventures of the main trio discovering soccer and fighting as cute kappas, Hoshiai no Sora claims to be a story about a fallen-off soft-tennis team recovering their status and strength. But the real story is underneath these exteriors, driven by character backstories and outside traumas they need to overcome. 

- Both deal with a group of teenagers using supernatural powers they don't understand - Both deal with difficult choices about friendship and the character development (doubt, selflessness, sacrifice, love) this creates. - Sarazanmai's protagonists pretty literally are magical boys - Both feature cute supernatural beings which may be a villain - Both feature a gentle homosexual love story - In both the cast has at least one magical girl in full traditional regalia - Sarazanmai's director Kunihiko Ikuhara is a famous magical girl genre innovator (Sailor Moon, Utena) - Both have surreal animation sequences and a avant-garde, high quality, modern animation style - Both have an excellent soundtrack 

Both have LGBT characters and a complex story that is discovered throughout each episode. Though the tone of No.6 is darker than Sarazanmai. The element of music is also present in No.6. 

These shows teach the characters life lessons with the help of small animal companions. While the directing style and general mood is often quite different (Udon being much more cutesy and Sarazanmai being... well... Sarazanmai), they give me similar vibes in terms of how the characters grow and learn more about themselves through the help of these small companions (or by becoming the companions). They are primarily about people dealing with and overcoming their past; things that they would rather keep closely guarded in their hearts that are forced out into the open for them to wrestle with.  

Both these anime have bright, vivid colours with elements of magical realism and move quickly through their stories. Both feature issues with the interpersonal relationships between the leading group of guys. There is a lot of bl subtext (or just text in the case of Sarazanmai). Both can be quite silly at times, though Sarazanmai has more of a magical universe and SK8 is more realistic. Both are lots of fun and fast-paced. 

Both series are weird...in a surprisingly enjoyable way. Not something you see every season... Both have some transformation scenes.... 

Kunihiko Ikuhara wrote and directed both of these shows and deploys many of the same stylistic tricks; repeating structures and stock footage, off-beat fairytale storytelling tropes, and in-depth psychological examinations of its characters. Both shows deal with cultural expectations and queer themes. They are also both superb :) 

>Sarazanmai is basically a magical boys anime but weirder >Both deal with monster-like villains who are people with desires >Theme of love/desire >Weirdness and comedy in both >Mascot that gives them the power >Themes of friendship > Both have evil organisation with similar powers >cute anime boys in both The difference is that Sarazanmai has lot of metaphors and deals with dark themes while Binan Koukou is light hearted 

They both have surreal art styles, lighthearted yet metaphorical plots that are open to interpretation, and characters with believable emotions and struggles. Also, a theme in both shows is learning to genuinely accept and express oneself.  

family dynamics and lots of talk of bonds/relationships with people. both somewhat lighthearted style but with with a fairly heavy dash of drama. Lots of weird antics and interesting world dynamics ft. mythological creatures, kappa, tanuki, and tengus. i took similar approaches to both, where even if the characters seem to have weird and illogical thought processes, you just kinda gotta shrug and accept that there is an emphasis on symbolism and story elements rather than their actions in response to certain events. For example there are many times i was annoyed by the main character being friendly with the antagonists in uchoten kazoku, but i understand why because of the type of anime its trying to be. both have enough action or events to keep you interested, but u rly gotta just not ask question with either of them and go win the flow or you might get annoyed haha read more 

Both series focus on the importance of bonds and defeating the evil in peoples' psyche. A good portion of both series take place in an alternate world. Sarazanmai is a bit on the wackier side, but many of the core messages and themes of these series are the same.  

Both of these shows emphasise accepting ones' faults and admitting hard secrets in order to forge bonds. Both play up the power of friendship trope. Additionally, in both cases, the protagonists enter an alternate world to fight the evil in peoples' minds. 

Both anime features Butts as their main element of their story, and takes a ridiculous premise in the most serious ways possible.  

Okay I'll be honest I just want to do this because my brain made the connection and I find it incredibly funny. Despite many obvious difference, I think there's a surprising amount of similarities between the core character dynamics of Zexal and Sarazanmai. In particular, I think Yuma's relationships with Shark and then Kite are very similar to Kazuki's relations with Toi, I think Kazuki's backstory and Shark/Kite's backstories share some strong similarities, and I think Kite's relationship with Hart is rather similar to Kazuki's relationship with Haruka. Without spoilers, I think there's similar issues of betrayal that eventually pop up in both shows, and of the main character(s) fighting to save/redeem their friend(s). We even have a strange mystical advisor in both (Astral/Keppi). Finally, the topic of family and getting corrupted/torn apart for the sake of your family or someone you love comes up in both (Toi/Chikai or Reo/Mabu, and Kite/Hart/Dr. Faker or Vetrix and his sons) Sarazanmai's core theme of connections also reminds me of the way Yuma believes in connecting to people through duels, and how he grows closer and befriends the many people he duels against in the show. Plus, there's also a similar concept of collecting things through repeated fights -- in Sarazanmai, it's collecting dishes, while in Zexal it's collecting number cards. I also think both shows have some very charismatic/memorable villain, antagonist, or antihero characters that end up stealing the spotlight at times. Finally, I think both shows build up to really cool/intense final arcs but don't quite manage to pull it off and (without spoiling anything) conclude on similar notes in regards to character death/sacrifices and general tone/emotion. ...yeah I really just wrote all that. read more