Anime like Ao no Orchestra

Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso

Also known as Your lie in April.

Studio: A-1 Pictures , Aniplex , Dentsu , Fuji TV , Kodansha , Aniplex of America , Kansai TV , KYORAKU
Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Music , Romance , Slice of Life

Piano prodigy Arima Kousei dominated the competition and all child musicians knew his name. But after his mother, who was also his instructor, passed away, he had a mental breakdown while performing at a recital. This resulted in him no longer being able to hear the sound of his piano playing. Two years later, Kousei hasn’t touched the piano and views the world without any flair or color. He was content at living out his life with his good friends Tsubaki and Watari until, one day, a girl changed everything. Miyazono Kaori is a pretty, free spirited violinist whose playing style reflects her personality. Kaori helps Kousei return to the music world and show that it should be free and mold breaking unlike the structured and rigid style Kousei was used to.

Tags: Tragedy , Disability , Primarily Teen Cast , Coming of Age , Classical Music , Rehabilitation , Male Protagonist , Female Protagonist , Philosophy , Love Triangle , Heterosexual , School , Suicide , Tomboy , Shounen

Hibike! Euphonium

Also known as Sound! Euphonium.

Studio: Kyoto Animation , Pony Canyon , Lantis , Rakuonsha
Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Music , Slice of Life

Spring in the first year of high school. Kumiko, a member of the brass band in junior high school, visits the high school brass band club with classmates Hazuki and Sapphire. There, she comes across Reina, her former classmate from junior high. Hazuki and Sapphire decide to join the club, but Kumiko can’t make up her mind. She recollects her experience with Reina at a competition in junior high school.



Tags: Band , School Club , Female Protagonist , Coming of Age , School , Primarily Teen Cast , Primarily Female Cast , Ensemble Cast , Unrequited Love , Classical Music , LGBTQ+ Themes , Love Triangle

Kono Oto Tomare!

Also known as Kono Oto Tomare!: Sounds of Life.

Studio: Platinum Vision
Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Music , Romance , Slice of Life

In the story, Takezou is the last remaining member of the koto club, a club dedicated to the traditional Japanese string instrument. If he doesn't find new members, the koto club will be terminated. One day, Takezou is alone in the club room when a student barges in and demands to join. The student is delinquent Chika Kudou, a guy who even scares delinquent upperclassmen at other schools.



Tags: School Club , Coming of Age , Ensemble Cast , Tsundere , Male Protagonist , Heterosexual , Primarily Teen Cast , Delinquents , Band , Bullying , Shounen , Primarily Male Cast , Kuudere

Mashiro no Oto

Also known as Those Snow White Notes.

Studio: Shin-Ei Animation , DMM music
Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Music

Sawamura Matsugorou is a shamisen player of legendary talent. Upon his death, his grandson, Sawamura Setsu, lost his ability to play. Having lost his beloved sound, Setsu finds himself in Tokyo in search of a new sound to love. Tachiki Yuna, who works at a club, hooks him up with a gig to play there as a warm up act. Setsu imbues the sound of his shamisen with his many thoughts and feelings he has of others, still searching for his own sound and his own feelings.



Tags: Musical Theater , Coming of Age , Male Protagonist , School Club , Shounen , Urban , School , Tragedy

Nodame Cantabile

Studio: J.C. Staff , Dentsu , Genco , Kodansha , Fuji TV , Magic Capsule , Sony Music Entertainment , Fujipacific Music , Trilogy Future Studio
Status: Finished
Genres: Comedy , Drama , Music , Romance , Slice of Life

Shinichi Chiaki is a first class musician whose dream is to play among the elites in Europe. Coming from a distinguished family, he is an infamous perfectionist; not only is he highly critical of himself, but of others as well. The only thing stopping Chiaki from leaving for Europe is his fear of flying. As a result, he's grounded in Japan.

During his 4th year at Japan's top music university, Chiaki happens to meet Noda Megumi; or as she refers to herself, Nodame. On the surface, she seems to be an unkempt girl with no direction in life. However, when Chiaki hears Nodame play the piano for the first time, he is in awe at the kind of music she plays. To Chiaki's dismay, Nodame moves into the apartment next to his and finds out that she is head over heels in love with him.

Nodame Cantabile tells the story of Chiaki and Nodame, as they not only learn to deal with each other, but learn lessons from one another as they strive for the top of the musical world.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Tags: Josei , Primarily Adult Cast , Heterosexual , College , Classical Music , Female Protagonist , Male Protagonist , Band , Slapstick , Tsundere , CGI , LGBTQ+ Themes

Blue Period

Also known as Blue Period.

Studio: Seven Arcs , DMM music , Kodansha , DMM pictures , Mainichi Broadcasting System , Bit Grooove Promotion , Netflix
Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Slice of Life

The studious Yatora leaves a dry life of study and good manners behind for a new passion: painting. But untethering yourself from all your past expectations is dangerous as well as thrilling…



Note: The anime premiered on Netflix on Sep 25, 2021 in Japan. The TV broadcast started on Oct 2, 2021.

Tags: Drawing , Coming of Age , Male Protagonist , School , Primarily Teen Cast , Educational , Seinen , Philosophy , School Club , Time Skip , Bisexual , Transgender , LGBTQ+ Themes , Crossdressing , Femboy , Nudity

BanG Dream! It's MyGO!!!!!

Also known as BanG Dream! It's MyGO!!!!!.

Studio: SANZIGEN , Bushiroad , Ultra Super Pictures , Horipro , Good Smile Company , TOKYO MX
Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Music , Slice of Life

The best way to fit in at a new school? Start a band! Anon has just transferred to Haneoka Girls’ Academy where girl bands are all the rage. But she started school late, so there aren’t many girls left to recruit. Then she meets her first friend and Haneoka’s misfit, Tomori, who’s hesitant to join. Still, Anon is determined to persuade Tomori and experience the true power of friendship and music.



Tags: Band , Female Protagonist , Rock Music , Full CGI , Primarily Female Cast , Primarily Teen Cast , Disability , School , Found Family , Ensemble Cast , Tragedy , Yuri , Kuudere , POV , Ojou-sama

Sakamichi no Apollon

Also known as Kids on the Slope.

Studio: Dentsu , Fuji TV , Tezuka Productions , Toho , DAX Production , Sentai Filmworks , MAPPA , Sony Music Entertainment , Hanabee Entertainment
Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Music , Romance , Slice of Life

The beginning of summer, 1966.

Because of his father's job situation, freshman high school student Kaoru Nishimi moves by himself from Yokosuka to Kyushu to live with relatives. Until then, Kaoru was an honor roll student who tended to keep to himself, but meeting notorious bad boy Sentaro Kawabuchi starts to change him. Through his devil-may-care classmate, Kaoru learns the attractions of jazz and finds the first person he can call a "friend". He also discovers how much fun it is to play music with a pal.

Other characters include Sentaro's kind childhood chum, Ritsuko, who is the daughter of a record shop owner; the mysterious upperclassman, Yurika; and Brother Jun, the much-admired leader among their peers. Set against the backdrop of a seaside town with a scent of American culture, this series is a drama about young people coming into their own, crossing each other's paths, and finding friendship, love, and music!



Tags: Coming of Age , Band , Love Triangle , Josei , Male Protagonist , Jazz Music , Heterosexual , Found Family , School , Rural , Historical , Primarily Teen Cast , Primarily Male Cast , Age Gap , Religion , Time Skip

3-gatsu no Lion

Also known as March comes in like a lion.

Studio: Shaft , Aniplex
Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Slice of Life

Rei Kiriyama is a 17 year old boy who recently started living alone, financed by his salary as a professional Shogi player. Despite his independence, however, he's yet to mature emotionally, and his problems continue to haunt him in his daily life. His relationship with his adoptive family is strained, and he has difficulties interacting with his fellow high school students.

Meanwhile, his professional career in Shogi has entered a slump. Burdened with the heavy expectations placed upon him, his wins and losses are fluctuating as his record and progression into the ranks begin to stagnate.

Acquainted with Rei are the three Kawamoto sisters: Akari, Hinata, and Momo. Unlike Rei, they live happily in their modest home, which they warmly welcome Rei into as if he were one of their own. He frequently visits the family, interacting with them and receiving the kind of care and affection he never quite had while under his foster home.
This is the story of Rei's triumphs and failures, relationships new and old, and his growth as a person.



Tags: Coming of Age , Rehabilitation , Shogi , Seinen , Family Life , Found Family , Estranged Family , Male Protagonist , Board Game , Philosophy , Tragedy , Bullying , Primarily Adult Cast , Food , Trains

Hibike! Euphonium 3

Also known as Sound! Euphonium 3.

Studio: Kyoto Animation , Kyoto Animation , Pony Canyon , Bandai Namco Music Live , Rakuonsha , ABC Animation
Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Music , Slice of Life

The third season of Hibike! Euphonium.

Kumiko's third year finally begins! With the concert band at Kitauji High School over 90 members, Kumiko is now the president and does her best with her final high school club activities to try to win her long-desired gold at nationals.



Tags: Female Protagonist , School Club , Band , Coming of Age , Classical Music , Primarily Female Cast , Primarily Teen Cast , Bisexual , Yuri , School , Time Skip , LGBTQ+ Themes