If you liked
Jujutsu Kaisen
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...then you might like
D_Cide Traumerei the Animation
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While I was watching "D_Cide Traumerei" it reminded me a bit of "Jujutsu Kaisen" for several reasons: -they're both about teenagers fighting monsters which arise because of people's negative emotions -there's an evil group in both taking advantage of vulnerable people and their emotional state -the protagonists in both are a high school boy forced into a situation that he must fight said monsters -both shows are action based with each character having a unique power/weapon -the characters in both shows dress with a lot of swag (especially the ending of JJK) The animation styles are quite different in the two shows, but if you're a fan of supernatural action anime you might like to check them out.
If you liked
Naruto
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...then you might like
Rekka no Honoo
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"Naruto" and "Flame of Recca" are very similar shounen action shows that have too many similarities to name, but even so just so you get an idea: -both are about a secret society of ninjas -plot centers around a protagonist who was born but orphaned/abandoned by his parents and houses a powerful but nefarious spirit inside of him -focuses on multitude of characters all aiming to be the Hokage or top ninja -have long tournament arcs If you enoyed one you'll probably enjoy the other.
If you liked
Rekka no Honoo
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...then you might like
Yuu☆Yuu☆Hakusho
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"Flame of Recca" is well-known for resembling "YuYu Hakusho" a bit too much, almost to the point of plagiarism. Various similarities include: -the protagonist (Yuusuke/Rekka) a hotheaded loudmouth with a strong sense of justice -their side kick, who is a simple-minded delinquent who starts out as a rival but later becomes the mc's friend (Kuwabara/Domon) -much less analogous, but you have two other main characters who fight with the protagonist, the amoral anti-hero (Hiei/Tokiya or Fuuko) and the cool mysterious guy (Kurama/ possibly also Tokiya) -nearly identical first episodes, where the protagonist dies or is seriously injured, then is resuscitated by his love interest -more than half of both shows runtime is taken up by a tournament arc, which itself is very similar; the protagonists are forced to participate and the tournament is heavily rigged against them -very similar art styles and action sequences -were made by the same studio (Pierrot) and have the same director (Noriyuki Abe) "Flame of Recca" and "YuYu Hakusho" are both very pure shounen actions shows, with most of the plot just being fight after fight. "YuYu Hakusho" is a lot longer, and in my opinion has better characters & emotional moments, while "Flame of Recca" has more romance & fanservice but I personally think has a considerably poorer story quality. If you enjoy one you'll probably enjoy the other.
If you liked
Ranma ½
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...then you might like
Igano Kabamaru
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Igano Kabamaru is sometimes described as Ranma ½ + Naruto with an extra dose of stupidity, and after seeing these anime I must definitely agree. Some other similarities Igano and Ranma share: -they are both a mixture of marital arts & comedy -both shows are named after the titular main character -very similar styles of humor, often slapstick, often at expense of mc -both Igano/Ranma are forced to be marital artists by their granddad/dad -both are paired up with a Tsundere girl Mai/Akane -these anime both came out in the 80s -although mostly comedic, they have an odd touching or serious few episodes If you like Ranma ½, you will probably like Igano Kabamaru. Ranma ½ is a lot longer and has more fanservice, whereas Igano Kabamaru makes more use of Japanese puns in its humor and is a bit wackier.
If you liked
Suzume no Tojimari
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...then you might like
Suki demo Kirai na Amanojaku
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Both "Suzume" and "My Oni Girl" are supernatural adventure films that have come out in the early-mid 2020s. Some similarities they have include: -they both involve our protagonists going on a journey around Japan, aided by many friendly people along the way -the protagonists reach their initial objective by the mid point of the film, but this results in a much bigger challenge that needs to be overcome in the finale -the events in the two films revolve around unusual weather phenomenon caused by supernatural means, such as massive earthquakes in "Suzume" and snowstorms in the summer in "My Oni Girl" -both have good production values and moments of great animation, although there are also times you can tell they overused CGI In conclusion both are family-friendly adventure films with a similar vibe and storylines. If you enjoyed watching one you'd probably like the other.
If you liked
Serial Experiments Lain
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...then you might like
Perfect Blue
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Both "Perfect Blue" and "Serial Experiments Lain" are psychological anime from the late 90s that have garnered a bit of a cult following both inside the anime community and a bit in broader culture as well. Some similarities include: -both deal with a female protagonist losing her grip on reality -both are ahead of their time in addressing the dangers posed by the internet & social media -similar art styles -some rather unorthodox and avant-garde storytelling techniques used in both -somewhat confusing yet satisfying endings "Serial Experiments Lain" is more sci-fi centered while "Perfect Blue" is more psychotic and mentally oriented with more violence & sexuality. Still both are very influential animes and well worth checking out.
If you liked
Solo Leveling
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...then you might like
A Ranker's Guide to the Good Life
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Both "Solo Leveling" and "Ranker's Guide to Live an Ordinary Life" are very similar manhwas that share a lot common, including: -both stories take place in modern Korea where supernatural "gates" spontaneously appear and from which monsters come forth -there are people who fight these monsters known as "hunters" -these hunters are ranked S, A, B, C, D, E, F. -our main character in both is an initially unassuming who is awakened as a S/top ranked hunter -said main character often tries to hide the fact that they're overpowered -similar art style and action sequences in both manhwas -both protagonist have younger sibling(s) they look to protect A main difference is that while there's some comedy in both, "Ranker's Guide to Live an Ordinary Life" takes itself far less seriously, and "Solo Leveling" is much more well known. Fans of one of these manhwas will probably like the other.
If you liked
Shinryaku! Ika Musume
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...then you might like
Shikanoko Nokonoko Koshitantan
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"My Deer Friend Nokotan" and "Squid Girl" are both absurd gag comedies involving a human/animal girl coming into society and causing havoc. Some other similarities include: -a very meme opening which is catchy but also gets annoying -similar characters, whose primary characterization revolves around a gag -pretty similar styles of humor, which usually revolves around the main character misunderstanding or being misunderstood by those around them The main difference is that "Squid Girl" takes place on the beach while "My Deer Friend Nokotan" is more of a school anime with school-related jokes. If you like one you'll probably like the other though.
If you liked
Yawara!
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...then you might like
Ayane-chan High Kick!
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Both are retro anime about a high-school girl who utterly dominates (and is pressured to participate in) a combat sport (judo/kick-boxing) that she cares nothing about. The main difference being that Yawara is over a hundred episodes long while Ayane-Chan's High Kick was cancelled after only two.
If you liked
Kareshi Kanojo no Jijou
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...then you might like
Horimiya
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The 1990s romcom "His and Her Circumstances" (also known as Kare Kano) has a lot in common with the more recent "Horimya". Both are high school romances that take a more grounded approach to exploring the character's relationships. Other similarities include: -very similar art styles and character designs. -the main male and female characters are rather similar in personality. -similar jokes and comedic style, mix of slapstick and situational comedy. -both start off focusing mainly on the two main characters, and gradually as the story goes on include more and more the supporting characters and their backstories until its almost not about the main duo anymore. -in the two stories the main couple "do the deed" although in both its just a brief scene of them sleeping together. Overall "Horimiya" has much better production and has a great opening song, while "His and Her Circumstances" has a better story and character development in my opinion. The latter also has more serious moments in the second half. If you like one it is highly probably you'll like the other.
If you liked
Psycho-Pass
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...then you might like
Id:Invaded
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Psycho-pass and Id:Invaded are two rather similar futuristic animes about the police using software and criminals to hack into people's subconsciousness and solving/preventing crimes form happening. Other similarities include: -the male lead (Kougami/Sakaido) is a criminal who has been wronged by the system -the female lead (Akane/Koharu) is a naive rookie detective but who grows in confidence as the show goes on -the antagonists in both has their identity hidden for large chunks of the runtime, but manipulates others to do their will -the plot revolves around the detectives enlisting criminals to solve the crimes of other criminals -in both there is something sinister behind the technology that allows for them to solve crimes -no romance in either and relatively little fanservice, Id:Invaded has barely any and while Psycho-Pass has some it is still lower than your average anime -both are mysteries that require paying attention to detail form the viewer In conclusion these two anime share a lot in common, while Id:Invaded does have some violence and frightening scenes, Psycho-Pass is far more gruesome and graphic in its violence so it may be suited towards older audiences. Both these animes are also quite similar to the 2002 live action film Minority Report, if you're a fan of any of these works you'll probably enjoy the other two.
If you liked
Area 88
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...then you might like
The Sky Crawlers
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The Sky Crawlers and Area 88 are both anime that revolve around fighter pilots being forced to partake in a conflict. Looking deeper, they also share many things thematically: -in both anime the main character wrestles w/ the dilemma of fighting in a meaningless conflict -there are journalists present in both covering said conflict, not just how war is fought but how war is perceived -both have a unconventional conclusion, one which is neither happy nor sad but true to their respective themes -if you're into airplanes and flying, those sections of these anime are very well animated, especially the dogfights between the warplanes -both have some romantic subtext but no outright romance Some differences would be that the Area 88 OVA is a lot older. Area 88 also has a movie and television series versions, but from what I understand they're all similar and this recommendation extends to those iterations of Area 88 as well. In short if you enjoyed The Sky Crawlers you probably would also enjoy Area 88 and vice-versa.
If you liked
Giniro no Kami no Agito
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...then you might like
Ooyukiumi no Kaina: Hoshi no Kenja
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Two lesser-known films that both have a lot in common, including: -occur in a fantasy world where water is scarce -idea of trees being the source of life -themes of humans vs nature & environmentalism -villains who are far more technologically advanced than the protagonists -boy and girl from two different worlds who are romantically attracted to one another -lots of CGI (in the case of Ooyukiumi no Kaina the whole series in animated this way) -the Japanese title includes the name of the male protagonists The main difference is that "Giniro no Kami no Agito" is a standalone film, while "Ooyukiumi no Kaina: Hoshi no Kenja" is a continuation of an anime series. Aside from that there should be enough similarities that fans of one could enjoy the other.
If you liked
Naruto
|
...then you might like
Jujutsu Kaisen
|
Depending on your perspective, Jujutsu Kaisen either takes inspiration from, or rips-off, from other popular shounen anime. In particular Jujutsu Kaisen borrows heavily from Naruto, just to name a few similarities: -the protagonist (Naruto/Itadori) is a hot-headed but good-natured boy with colorful spiky hair and a has an evil demon residing within him -his mentor (Kakashi/Gojou) is an irresponsible dude whose supper-power is contained in his eyes and thus always wears an eye-cover. -their companion (Sasuke/Fushiguro) is gloomy, dark-haired guy, who harbors a dark secret and whom the evil spirit wants to posses. -the villain (Orochimaru/Sukuna) is an evil immortal deity who wants to possess the protagonists -similar power systems, everyone has an intrinsic ability, but you have to channel your energy, train hard, believe in yourself etc. -nearly identical story structure: first episode about the protagonist getting rescued and discovering his power, then a few episodes dedicated to a mission, then a tournament arc that inevitably gets hijacked by the antagonists. -the ninjas/jujutsu sorcerers are mostly grouped in groups of 3, two boys and a girl. Could go on but you get the idea. If you're a fan of shounen action show odds are you probably would like either anime.
If you liked
Midnight Secretary
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...then you might like
Majo no Biyaku
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Both "Midnight Secretary" and "Spell of Desire" have the same author and very similar storylines, came out in the same magazine etc. They have a lot in common, including: -very similar art style, especially how the eyes and bodies are drawn -similar page and panel layout, dialogue structure etc -the main character's names all start with the letter K -Kaoruko & Kaya are pretty much the same character, this damsel-in-distress whose main defining feature is that they're infatuated with dude (Kaname/Kyouhei) -Kaname & Kyouhei are pretty much the same character, the too cool bad boy whose abuse & possessive but for some irrational reason the ladies love him -nearly identical story arcs: good girl meets bad boy, forced together because of supernatural stuff, first she hates him, then gets madly in love with him, etc. While "Spell of Desire" is about witches and "Midnight Secretary" is about vampires, the whole purpose of the supernatural in both series is simply to bring the main characters together. Overall this two manga series (and anything else written by Tomu Ohmi it seems) are nearly identical and if you've read one you've pretty much read them all.
If you liked
Kokoro ga Sakebitagatterunda.
|
...then you might like
Sora no Aosa wo Shiru Hito yo
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Both "Her Blue Sky" and "Anthem of the Heart" are films from the mid 2010s and were both written by Mari Okada, so there are plenty of similarities. -the animation and character designs are very similar in both, in fact the main characters (Aioi and Jun) look almost identical. -they both involve characters overcoming past trauma, and in both films the caste is working to put on a musical performance. -as they were both written by the same person, the plot structure is similar in the two. -there's romantic elements, but I wouldn't say that's the main focus. -they're both stories about overcoming grief and following your dreams, with a slight supernatural element mixed in. Personally I felt conflicted about the conclusion of both "Her Blue Sky" and "Anthem of the Heart" but at the same time I enjoyed these films and found them touching, if you liked one maybe the other is worth seeing.
If you liked
Da Nao Tiangong
|
...then you might like
Nezha Nao Hai
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Both "Dao Nao Tiangong" and "Nezha Nao Hai" are Chinese animated movies from the 70s/60s and share many things in common. -they're both made by the same studio and are rather similar in art style -the plot of both involves someone from earth going up to the heavenly realm and kicking the gods' butt in fights -there is a lot of music and dancing in both While neither is overly special in my opinion, if your interested in early Chinese animation one or both of these films might be appealing to you.
If you liked
Uchiage Hanabi, Shita kara Miru ka? Yoko kara Miru ka?
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...then you might like
Natsu e no Tunnel, Sayonara no Deguchi
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"Natsu e no Tunnel, Sayonara no Deguchi" and "Uchiage Hanabe" are two summer films that share a fair bit in common, both in visuals and storytelling. -they both take place in the summertime in a costal small town in Japan -the protagonists are high school students and have similar personalities and character designs -the plot of both are romances with a supernatural twist involving time-travel -the endings are a bit similar in the two films -they both have awesome ending songs Personally I really liked "Natsu e no Tunnel", and I really didn't like "Uchiage Hanabi", but that's just my opinion. They both give off a similar vibe so if that's your thing you might want to check one or both of them out.
If you liked
Maison Ikkoku
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...then you might like
Aishang Ta de Liyou
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Both "Maison Ikkoku" and "The Girl Downstairs" are romance dramas that take place in college, the character designs are pretty similar too. -the protagonists are both male college students who have trouble expressing their romantic feelings. -the main love interests are both women with long black hair who live in the same building as the male protagonist. -the main love rival and past girlfriend of the protagonist are women with short brown hair. -there's also a girl w/ red hair who lives in same building with the others and also acts as a love rival, although Akemi in "Maison Ikkoku" is more for comic relief. -in addition alcohol is a big plot device in both, with characters frequently partying and getting drunk, then saying/doing stupid things that progress the story. There are plenty of differences of course, the main being that "The Girl Downstairs" is currently airing right now (Spring 2023) while "Maison Ikkoku" came out more than 37 years ago. All said though, they both give off the same kind of vibe.
If you liked
Ima, Soko ni Iru Boku
|
...then you might like
Green Legend Ran
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"Now and Then, Here and There" (NTHT) and "Green Legend Ran" (GLR) are so incredibly similar it honestly borders on plagiarism at times. They have multiple things in common, including: -they share the same studio (AIC), and as a result have similar character designs, music, color pallets -both came out in the 90s, GLR in '93 and NTHT in '99 -the plot of both revolve around a desert wasteland where water is a scarce resource that is fought over -There is a girl with blue hair (Lala-Ru/Aira) that has a supernatural connection to nature/water -We have the overly enthusiastic protagonist (Shu/Ran) who is always chasing after the girl -Both worlds are ruled by an evil tyrannical government, but also the rebels are just as brutal and immoral -The ending of the two is nearly identical There are some minor differences, while both are thematically dark, GLR has a few comedic moments while NTHT is downright tragic & depressing. Also Shu in NTHT is a strict optimistic pacifist while Ran in GLR is more pragmatic and very willing to use violence. NTHT is also a lot better produced that GLR, which came out 6 years earlier. That said the similarities between the two are clear as day and if you enjoy one you'll certainly enjoy the other.
If you liked
Texhnolyze
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...then you might like
Cyberpunk: Edgerunners
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Texhnolyze and Cyberpunk: Edgerunners came out about 20 years apart, but they still have many similarities, both in terms of themes, story structure, and visuals. -they both are set in a bleak & hopeless Cyberpunk dystopian world. -the background for our protagonist (Ichise/David) are not too different, they lose their parents at a young age, grow up poor, then get into a though situation which requires getting cybernetic implants and as a consequence they get involved in an illegal organization. -both deal with the mental and physical consequences of transhumanism and of augmenting your body with mechanical parts, your have cyberpsychosis in Cyberpunk and being texhnolyzed in the titular show. -the finales are almost the same, protagonist fights his way into the enemy's headquarters to rescue female companion. -both are pretty bleak and nihilistic. No spoilers but they don't leave you feeling happy. Of course there are plenty of differences too. Texhnolyze is much slower paced and has more philosophical feel to it, while Cyberpunk: Edgerunners is more action packed and fast paced. While I personally wouldn't say I'm a big fan of either work, if you like Cyberpunk anime with dark vibes I think you would probably appreciate both of these shows.
If you liked
Green Legend Ran
|
...then you might like
Kujira no Kora wa Sajou ni Utau
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While they were released many years apart, "Green Legend Ran" and "Children of the Whales" have many similarities, including: -they both take place in a desert environment -both have pretty intricate and complex world building -the plots of the shows are kicked into gear by a boy finding a strange girl with blue hair -there's a conflict between two races of people, with one seeing the other as inferior -even on the "good guy's" side, there are a lot of adults with evil intentions On a much more subjective note, both these anime gave me a similar feeling that's kind of hard to describe. Both "Green Legend Ran" and "Children of the Whales" have this sort of amateurish and flawed feeling to them, yet at the same time have this sort of rustic charm because of it.
If you liked
Taifuu no Noruda
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...then you might like
Tenki no Ko
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Both "Typhoon Noruda" and "Weathering with You" are stand alone movies, and they are pretty similar too -the plot of both involves Japan being hit by a unexplained weather catastrophe -there is a mysterious girl who is the cause of the weather in both -said girl is the love interest of the protagonist and wears a symbolic necklace -protagonist in both films has to reconcile with another character to save the girl There are some differences, Typhoon Noruda takes place in rural Japan while Weathering with You takes place in Tokyo. Also I thought the former was a bit rushed, while the latter had a longer runtime. But they both have nearly identical plots and the animation is also very similar in both.
If you liked
Tsuki ga Kirei
|
...then you might like
Hakubo
|
Tsuki ga Kirei and Hakubo have a lot in common, including: -Both are mostly drama-free highschool romances -The character designs in both are pretty similar -They both involve a girl with a specific hobby (running/violin) and a boy with a different interest (literature/painting) -The ending is kind of similar in both If you're a fan of more realistic type romances involving high school students then these are two anime you might want to check out. Personally I though Tsuki ga Kirei was better.
If you liked
Kidou Senshi Gundam
|
...then you might like
Ginga Reppuu Baxingar
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Both Baxingar and Gundam are Mecha TV shows from the late 70s/early 80s and have many similarities -they are both about two militaries fighting each other in space, with the protagonists being originally based on earth -both are named after the main mech, which is made of composite parts that come together -the character design for the main protagonist is pretty similar in both -characters in both have wacky names & nicknames -the way politics and conflict play out is pretty similar in the two -both have annoying kids that stick around for much of the runtime Obviously Gundam is by far the more popular show, and it is also a lot better in terms of animation (even though it was released earlier) and story structure. If you're a fan of retro mecha anime perhaps you'd like to check out one of both of these series.
If you liked
Tsuki ga Kirei
|
...then you might like
Cider no You ni Kotoba ga Wakiagaru
|
Word's Bubble Up Like Soda Pop and Tsuki ga Kirei have a bit in common and give off the same vibe -I won't say it's similar, but the artstyle in both is unique in the same way, especially how the outlines and linework is done -both are romances were the couple first meet in an awkward situation -the protagonist in both rely on cellphones to communicate with each other -while the male protagonist (Cherry/Azumi) is an only child who likes literature, the female protagonist (Smile/Akane) has sister(s) who give them advice -the female protagonist's family's decision to move is what triggers the climax in both anime The two anime definitely have their differences, but they both give off a similar wholesome feeling.
If you liked
Black Magic M-66
|
...then you might like
Relic Armor Legaciam
|
Black Magic M-66 and Relic Armor Legaciam are both OVAs from 1987. They both share a lot in common. -the plot of both is spurred by an old man's military experiment going wrong -this aforementioned experiment results in the military targeting the scientist's granddaughter -the second half of both take place in a cyberpunk influenced city environment -as they came out during the same time, the art styles are pretty similar Overall Black Magic is more military-themed and has some comedic moments, while Relic Armor Legaciam is more sci-fi and mecha-themed and has fewer laughs. Still the two are a lot alike and if you saw one you might want to consider the other.
If you liked
Shinseiki Evangelion
|
...then you might like
Shoujo Kakumei Utena
|
Revolutionary Girl Utena and Neon Genesis Evangelion are both well-known anime from the late 90s. Although the art style is very different, the two animes have a great deal in common. -both follow a monster/fight of the week style format for most episodes -psychological themes are common in both, and they are full of surreal imagery & symbolism -there's a secret cabal (NERV/Seele/End of the World) controlling things being the scenes -both have an animal character (Pen Pen the Penguin/ChuChu) for comedic relief -lots of weird & strained brother-sister, father-son relationships in both -no spoilers but both shows take a bizarre turn in by the end If you're a fan of late 90s anime with heavy psychological and philosophical undertones you might like to check one or both of these shows out.
If you liked
Hoshi no Koe
|
...then you might like
Byousoku 5 Centimeter
|
"Voices of a Distant Star" and "5 Centimeters per Second" are both films made by Makoto Shinkai early in his career, and thus they have a lot in common both thematically and visually: -they both have to do with a long-term relationship and two individuals drifting apart over time -the music is very similar in both, emotional piano-based tunes -the animation is also very similar, stunning background art, although the way the people are animated is a little unpolished -the endings of both films are similar, end on a bit of a sad/bittersweet note While "Voices of a Distant Star" is science-fiction and "5 Centimeters per Second" is far more realistic, there are plenty of similarities between them. If you like one you'd probably like the other one as well.
If you liked
Mononoke Hime
|
...then you might like
Hoshi wo Ou Kodomo
|
"Children Who Chase Lost Voices" bears a strong resemblance to many Studio Ghibli films, especially "Princess Mononoke" -the majority of both take place in a mythical natural world -both these worlds are guarded by mythical creatures -the antagonists in both series are aiming on upsetting the natural balance of things in hope of attaining immortality/bringing back the dead -Shin and Ashitaka are pretty similar,, both come from native cultures, have a horse/deer companion, and have a strained but protective relationship with the female protagonist -both mythical worlds have evil spirits that have been corrupted by their hatred for humanity -both deal with the theme of man vs nature In conclusion Children Who Chase Lost Voices and Princess Mononoke are a lot alike and viewers will probably notice many similarities between the two movies.