Anime like Anju to Zushioumaru

Kaguya-hime no Monogatari

Also known as The Tale of The Princess Kaguya.

Studio: Studio Ghibli
Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Fantasy , Romance

Okina is a bamboo cutter in ancient rural Japan. One day in the forest, he finds a tiny baby in the folds of a bamboo shoot. He brings the creature home to his wife Ounaa and they decide to keep her and raise her as a princess. She is clearly not of this world. Kaguya grows at an unnatural rate, soon maturing into an uncommonly beautiful young woman. Since Okina has now also found a cache of gold and treasure in the forest, every suitor wants Kaguya. But this is not a fairy tale of courtship and marriage.



Tags: Tragedy , Philosophy , Classic Literature , Fairy Tale , Female Protagonist , Historical , Family Life , Rural , Gods , Religion , Primarily Adult Cast , Amnesia , Heterosexual , Adoption , Agriculture , Travel , Unrequited Love , Horticulture , Calligraphy , Environmental , Coming of Age

Hakujaden

Also known as Panda and the Magic Serpent.

Studio: Toei Animation
Status: Finished
Genres: Adventure , Fantasy , Romance

As a young boy, Xu-Xian is forced to free his pet, a small snake. Unbeknownst to him, the snake is actually a young snake goddess named Bai-Niang and she is in love with him. Many years later, when they are both adults, the princess is magically transformed into a human and sets out to find her love. But the local wizard believes her to be a vampire, and banishes Xu-Xian from the village in order to save him. Xu-Xian's pet pandas Panda and Mimi set out to save him and bring him, in the process becoming leaders of an animal gang.



Tags: Historical , Fairy Tale , Foreign , Ancient China , Magic , Male Protagonist , Kids , Shapeshifting , Anthropomorphism , Musical Theater , Animals , Youkai , Tragedy , Afterlife

Chouyaku Hyakuninisshu: Uta Koi.

Also known as Utakoi.

Studio: TYO Animations
Status: Finished
Genres: Comedy , Romance

Uta Koi tells the "super-liberal interpretation" of the Hyakuninisshu anthology compiled during Japan's Heian period of 100 romantic poems from 100 different poets such as The Tale of Genji's Murasaki Shikibu.

Tags: Josei , Historical , Classic Literature , Heterosexual , Marriage , Unrequited Love

Inu-ou

Also known as Inu-Oh.

Studio: Science SARU , Asmik Ace , Aniplex
Status: Finished
Genres: Adventure , Music , Supernatural

Inu-Oh is born with unique physical characteristics. His parents cover every inch of his body with garments, including a mask on his face. One day, Inu-Oh meets a blind boy named Tomona, a biwa player. As Tomona starts to sing and play, Inu-Oh is amazed to discover he has an incredible ability to dance. The two become inseparable. Tomona and Inu-Oh start sharing their talent with audiences. Their performances quickly gain acclaim and draw crowds. But why is Tomona blind? Why was Inu-Oh born looking like he does? A story about a legendary artist from 14th-century Japan, who defied fate to forge his own destiny. An anime in the form of a rock operetta with spectacular music and dance sequences.



Note: The film received an early premiere at the 78th Venice International Film Festival on September 9, 2021.

Tags: Band , Musical Theater , Anachronism , Male Protagonist , Primarily Male Cast , Dancing , Rock Music , Historical , Disability , Tragedy , Curses , Crossdressing , Acting , Time Skip , Ghost , Samurai , Gore , Demons

Sekai Meisaku Douwa: Hakuchou no Ouji

Also known as The Wild Swans.

Studio: Toei Animation
Status: Finished
Genres: Fantasy

A japanese version of the tale with an evil wizard, a princess, the genie and of course no songs what so ever... Much more action and the characters are more complex and well developed.

Based on a story found in both "Tales of Hans Christian Andersen" and "Grimm`s Fairy Tales."

Tags: Magic , Historical , Foreign , Witch , Henshin , Fairy Tale , Snowscape , Royal Affairs , Animals

Sekai Meisaku Douwa: Hakuchou no Mizuumi

Also known as Swan Lake.

Studio: Toei Animation , Toei Video , Discotek
Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Fantasy , Romance

When Prince Siegfried spots a beautiful swan with a crown on its head, for some reason he feels compelled to follow it. He discovers that the swan is, in fact, a princess named Odette, who is under a wizard's curse that causes her to become a swan by day. The wizard, Rothbart, wants to keep Odette to himself, and the only thing that can break the spell on Odette is a man who truly loves her, with all his heart and soul...



Tags: Magic , Fairy Tale , Animals , Henshin , Heterosexual , Royal Affairs , Medieval , Love Triangle

Shounen Ninja Kaze no Fujimaru

Studio: Toei Animation
Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Adventure

It's a pretty basic story about a boy practicing the arts of ninjutsu, fighting evil and trying to find his mother.

Young Fujimaru got snatched away from his mother by an eagle and was rescued by a ninja named Sasuke who raised him and taught him ninja techniques.
Later Fujimaru embarks on a quest to find his mother, encounters his arch enemy and learns about a secret book that contains secret ninja arts.

The series is pretty old, but portraits loads of classic ninja techniques, like elemental manipulation (fire & wind), creating illusionary clones and breathing through a reed.

Tags: Swordplay , Shounen , Ninja , Male Protagonist

Wanpaku Ouji no Orochi Taiji

Also known as Orochi, the Eight-Headed Dragon.

Studio: Toei Animation
Status: Finished
Genres: Adventure

This anime film tells the story of the god Susanoo (as a cute boy), whose mother Izanami had passed away. He was deeply hurt by the loss of his mother, but his father Izanagi told him that once she had died, she had gone to the heavens. Despite Izanagi's warnings, Susanoo eventually sets off to find her. Along with his companions Akahana (a little talking rabbit) and Taitanbo (a strong but friendly giant from the Land of Fire), Susanoo overcomes all obstacles in his long, wonderous voyage. He eventually comes to the Izumo Province, where he meets a little girl, Princess Kushinada, whom he becomes friends with (He also thought she was so beautiful that she looks like his mother Izanami). Kushinada's family tells Susanoo that their other seven daughters were sacrificed to the fearsome eight-headed serpent, the Orochi. Susanoo was so infatuated with Kushinada that he decided to help her family protect her and slay the Orochi once and for all, as he, Akahana and Taitanbo prepare for the spectacular showdown . . .



Tags: Mythology , Dragons , Gods , Kids , Male Protagonist , Swordplay , Animals

Tatsu no Ko Tarou

Also known as Taro the Dragon's Son.

Studio: Toei Animation , Discotek
Status: Finished
Genres: Adventure , Fantasy

Patterned after Japanese art and silk screens, Taro, The Dragon Boy is an animated feature about Japanese mythology and cultures, focusing on Taro, a young boy who has to make a voyage to a distant lake to save his mother, who has been turned into a dragon.

Tags: Historical , Mythology , Animals , Dragons , Male Protagonist , Youkai , Work , Super Power

Kusuriya no Hitorigoto

Also known as The Apothecary Diaries.

Studio: Toho , OLM , TOHO animation STUDIO , Nippon Television Network , Imagica Infos , Dentsu , Shogakukan , Square Enix
Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Mystery

Maomao lived a peaceful life with her apothecary father. Until one day, she’s sold as a lowly servant to the emperor’s palace. But she wasn’t meant for a compliant life among royalty. So when imperial heirs fall ill, she decides to step in and find a cure! This catches the eye of Jinshi, a handsome palace official who promotes her. Now, she’s making a name for herself solving medical mysteries!



Tags: Female Protagonist , Medicine , Ancient China , Drugs , Historical , Detective , Conspiracy , Politics , Royal Affairs , Work , Foreign , Primarily Adult Cast , Adoption , Heterosexual , Episodic , Alchemy , Maids , Unrequited Love , Aromantic , Slavery , Makeup , Pregnancy , Food , Educational , Nekomimi , Chibi , Go , Suicide