Anime like Anju to Zushioumaru

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

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

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: Fairy Tale , Historical , Foreign , Magic , Male Protagonist , Kids , Shapeshifting , Animals , Musical Theater , Youkai

Inu-ou

Also known as Inu-Oh.

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

Musical fantasy film based on Hideo Furukawa's Heike Monogatari: Inu-Ou no Maki (Tales of the Heike: Inu-Ou) novel.

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: Anachronism , Band , Musical Theater , Primarily Male Cast , Male Protagonist , Dancing , Tragedy , Disability , Historical , Rock Music , Acting , Time Skip , Samurai , Demons , Gender Bending

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

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: Medicine , Female Protagonist , Historical , Drugs , Foreign , Detective , Ancient China , Conspiracy , Politics , Royal Affairs , Work , Primarily Adult Cast , Adoption , Heterosexual , Alchemy , Maids , Unrequited Love , Tragedy , Slavery , Food , Aromantic , Asexual , Episodic , Chibi , Go , Seinen

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 , Heterosexual , Henshin , Animals , Fairy Tale , Royal Affairs , 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: Shounen , Swordplay , Ninja , Male Protagonist