Anime like Princess Sara

Romeo no Aoi Sora

Also known as Romeo and the Black Brothers.

Studio: Nippon Animation
Status: Finished
Genres: Adventure , Drama , Slice of Life

Romeo, a young boy living in the Alps of Italian Switzerland, signs a contract with a shady individual to pay for his sick father's doctor, who will take him across the mountains to Italy, to Milan, where he will be sold as a chimney sweep's helper. Thus begins Romeo's journey, amidst abuse and violence, during which he will form lasting and deep bonds with other child chimney sweeps, coming to form a fraternity called "The Black Brothers," who will all learn to help each other in times of need.

Tags: Primarily Child Cast , Historical , Kids , Tragedy , Male Protagonist , Foreign , Work , Class Struggle , Philosophy , Urban , Coming of Age , Classic Literature , Bullying , Survival , Primarily Male Cast , Gangs , Slavery , Fugitive , Tomboy , Adoption

Alps no Shoujo Heidi

Also known as Heidi, Girl of the Alps.

Studio: Fuji TV , Nippon Animation
Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Slice of Life

After becoming an orphan, Heidi is forced to live with her grandfather Öhi, who lives in the Alps. She learns he's a very bitter man who only accepted by force to take her in. But Heidi's kindness may be able to open his heart. Together with the shepherd Peter and invalid Klara, she has lots of adventures.



Tags: Classic Literature , Rural , Foreign , Rehabilitation , Female Protagonist , Historical , Kids , Primarily Child Cast , Coming of Age , Animals , Urban , Family Life , Agriculture , Orphan , School

Ie Naki Ko Remi

Also known as Remi, Nobody's Girl.

Studio: Nippon Animation , Fuji TV
Status: Finished
Genres: Adventure , Drama , Slice of Life

Remy, a cheerful and tender-hearted girl, lives with her mother in a French country town. One day her father returns to the town after a long period working away from home in a city. Her father tells Remy that she isn't their real daughter, and Remy is almost sold to an evil slave trader. It is Vitalis, a strolling entertainer, who helps Remy. Vitalis discovers her talent for singing and decides to take her in with his troupe.



Tags: Classic Literature , Historical , Coming of Age , Philosophy , Found Family , Travel , Survival , Kids , Female Protagonist , Foreign , Work , Tragedy , Animals , Episodic

Onii-sama e...

Also known as Dear Brother.

Studio: NHK , NHK Enterprises , Tezuka Productions
Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Psychological

Before leaving her cram school, Nanako Misonō asks one of the teachers if they can become pen-pals. The teacher, Takehiko Henmi, is reluctant at first, but eventually accepts the offer. The story is narrated through the letters sent from Nanako as she enters Seiran, a renowned private high school for girls only. There she encounters many difficulties as an ordinary middle-class girl invited to the prestigious Sorority, the most traditional and sophisticated club on campus..



Tags: Shoujo , Tragedy , School , Ojou-sama , Bullying , Coming of Age , Primarily Female Cast , Boarding School , Female Protagonist , LGBTQ+ Themes , Yuri , Tomboy , Drugs , Suicide , Villainess , Trains , Basketball , Heterosexual

Akage no Anne

Also known as Anne of Green Gables.

Studio: Nippon Animation
Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Slice of Life

Anne is an orphan full of imagination. When she arrives at her new home she learns that sometimes you have to be a sensible person too; at the same time her unique character changes, or at least attracts, the people around her. The story covers Anne's growth from about eleven to seventeen years old as she makes friends, goes to school and studies. At a difficult point in her life, Anne will have to make a hard choice and perhaps find a new dream.

Tags: Coming of Age , Classic Literature , Female Protagonist , Historical , Family Life , Rural , Adoption , Orphan , Time Skip , Foreign , School , Tragedy , Iyashikei , Religion , Primarily Female Cast , Kids , Agriculture , Primarily Child Cast , School Club , Musical Theater , Tsundere , Trains , College , Elderly Protagonist

Les Misérables: Shoujo Cosette

Studio: Nippon Animation
Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Slice of Life

Based on the famous classic novel Les Miserables.

Being a single mother is hard in early 19th Century France. When young Cosette was traveling with her mother trying to find a job and a place to live, they were always shunned away because very few employers hire single mothers. When she is promised with the prosperity of working in the big city, Cosette is separated from her mother in the hopes a caretaker will watch over her while her mother earns some money. Unfortunately this was a trick and the caretaker is a corrupt man who makes Cosette his indentured servant. Then the kind mayor of the town that Cosette makes her new home in sees how winds of change are so detrimental for children and families, and decides to do something about it.



Tags: Historical , Classic Literature , Coming of Age , Tragedy , Bullying , Female Protagonist , Heterosexual , Foreign , Time Skip , Inn , Fugitive

Glass no Kamen

Also known as Glass Mask.

Studio: Eiken , Studio Jack
Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Romance

Kitajima Maya, a 13-year old girl with a talent for acting, was discovered by the reclusive actress Tsukikage. The story follows Maya's growing up, intense training, overcoming challenges, and evolving into the foremost actress of her generation (she is about 20 so far). Maya's greatest rival is Himekawa Ayumi, the beautiful daughter of a famous movie couple. They ultimately vied for the most sought-after role - the "Crimson Goddess". An equally important subplot Maya's relationship with the handsome and ruthless entertainment mogul Hayami Masumi, who secretly became her number one fan, but misunderstandings and bad-timing obstructed their romance...



Tags: Acting , Shoujo , Female Protagonist , Work , Age Gap , Classic Literature , Ojou-sama , Coming of Age , Heterosexual

Ai no Wakakusa Monogatari

Also known as Tales of Little Women.

Studio: Nippon Animation , Saban Entertainment
Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Slice of Life

Meg, faithful and gentle, Jo, independent and energetic, Beth, quiet and shy, Amy, amiable and precocious–the four sisters live vigorously and happily at home with their gentle mother while waiting for their father to return from the Civil War. Helping each other, they challenge their fates and grow up to become wonderful women.

Tags: Classic Literature , Historical , Family Life , Foreign , Primarily Female Cast , Travel , Coming of Age , Writing , Female Protagonist , Tsundere

Himitsu no Hanazono

Studio: NHK , Gakken , NHK Enterprises , Aubec
Status: Finished
Genres: Drama

Mary Lennox recently became an orphan because her parents died from a cholera epidemic in India so she was sent to live in England with her uncle. However, her uncle is a very distant man who talks to noone so she is left alone in the mansion with nobody to play with. Soon she meets a friendly servant boy named Dicon and his older sister Martha and they soon become good friends. Later on she discovers a secret garden and hopes it will bring happiness to her new family, including her cousin Collin who is crippled.



Tags: Kids , Classic Literature , Female Protagonist , Foreign , Disability , Ojou-sama , Historical , Animals

Konnichiwa Anne: Before Green Gables

Studio: Nippon Animation
Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Slice of Life

The story of what happened to Anne Shirley before she was adopted.

Tags: Classic Literature , Historical , Tragedy , Coming of Age , Family Life , Travel , Kids , Bullying , Primarily Child Cast , Time Skip , Female Protagonist , Orphan , Foreign , Twins