Anime like Yami no Matsuei

Uragiri wa Boku no Namae wo Shitteiru

Also known as The Betrayal Knows My Name.

Studio: J.C.STAFF
Status: Finished
Genres: Adventure , Drama , Fantasy

Sakurai Yuki is an orphan with a mysterious ability. Found near the fence of his current home, the Asahi Orphanage, Yuki strives for independence. The last thing he wants is to be a burden on anybody. His ability makes this nearly impossible, however; whenever he touches someone, he feel their emotions and see the darkness within their hearts and exactly what caused such darkness. Unable to control his ability, Yuki has often made insensitive blunders while trying to empathize with the person he feels pain for. Now, however, with death threats clouding his judgement and his ability increasing immensely, what will happen when a man claiming to be Yuki's older brother appears?

Tags: Shoujo , Amnesia , Urban Fantasy , Found Family , Super Power , Love Triangle , Philosophy , Magic , Demons , Male Protagonist , Tragedy , Ensemble Cast , Primarily Teen Cast , Primarily Male Cast , Superhero , Reincarnation , Orphan , Boys' Love , Suicide , Dissociative Identities , Agender , School , Femboy , Coming of Age , Twins , Bisexual , Tsundere , Kuudere , Anthropomorphism , Surreal Comedy , Gender Bending

tactics

Studio: Studio DEEN , Studio Izena , MediaNet , Manga Entertainment
Status: Finished
Genres: Comedy , Drama , Fantasy , Mystery

Ichinomiya Kantarou grew up with the ability to see demons, but was isolated and bullied by others who did not share the same gift. Instead, he became being friends with the demons, gaining a great attachment to their existence. One day, Kantarou was told about the strongest demon, the one known as the ogre-eating Tengu. Amazed by the news of his strength, Kantarou vowed to find this demon who was far stronger then any other, deciding to call him Haruka when he did so. Since this time, Kantarou searched far and wide for the ogre-eating Tengu with no luck, making his living by becoming a folklore writer and demon-buster. On a particularly job, Kantarou had finally found news of a nearby shrine supposedly the place where the ogre-eating Tengu was sealed.

Tags: Shoujo , Detective , Historical , Super Power , Male Protagonist , Youkai , Boys' Love , Exorcism

Aoi Bungaku Series

Also known as Blue Literature Series.

Studio: MADHOUSE
Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Psychological , Thriller

The series consists of adaptations of six modern classics of Japanese literature: Osamu Dazai’s No Longer Human (Ningen Shikkaku) & Run Melos! (Hashire Melos!), Natsume Soseki’s Kokoro, Ryunosuke Akutagawa’s Hell Screen (Jigoku Hen) & The Spider's Thread (Kumo no Ito), and Ango Sakaguchi's In the Forest, Under Cherries in Full Bloom (Sakura no Mori no Mankai no Shita).

No Longer Human (Ningen Shikkaku) - A high school student becomes lost and alienated. Despondent and aimless, he falls into a cycle of self abuse, depression and drugs that taints his life for years. Told in three chapters, each chapter deals with a different point in his life and the final chapter leaves him standing alone - an empty and hollow charicature of his former self.

In the Forest, Under Cherries in Full Bloom (Sakura no Mori no Mankai no Shita) - A love story between a 12th-century woman and a mountain bandit who abducts her.

Kokoro - A 1914 tale of a young man's life journey during the Meiji era. The work deals with the transition from the Japanese Meiji society to the modern era, by exploring the friendship between a young man and an older man he calls "Sensei". It continues the theme of isolation developed in Soseki's previous works, here in the context of interwoven strands of egoism and guilt, as opposed to shame.

Run Melos! (Hashire Melos!) - An updated retelling of a classic Greek tale of the story of Damon and Pythias. The most prominent theme of "Run Melos!" is unwavering friendship. Despite facing hardships, the protagonist Melos does his best to save his friend's life, and in the end his efforts are rewarded.

The Spider's Thread (Kumo no Ito) - The Buddha Shakyamuni chances to notice a cold-hearted criminal suffering in Hell. But this criminal did perform one single act of kindness in not stepping on a spider in a forest. Moved by this selfless act, Shakyamuni takes the silvery thread of a spider in Paradise and lowers it down into Hell, but it falls upon the criminal to seize the opportunity and pull himself out - if he can.

Hell Screen (Jigoku Hen) - A famous artist is commissioned by a great lord to create a series of paintings depicting scenes of the 'Buddhist Hell'. The artist is unable to paint scenes that he has not seen himself, prompting him to torture and torment the Lord's staff to create his imagined images of hell. His creative efforts taint the household, as the story descends into madness and destruction.



Tags: Classic Literature , Tragedy , Philosophy , Anthology , Historical , Suicide , Autobiographical , Urban , Primarily Adult Cast , Drawing , War , Gore , Trains , Politics , Rural , Demons , Ojou-sama , Female Harem , Writing , Fairy Tale , Afterlife , Delinquents , Psychosexual

Tokyo BABYLON

Studio: MADHOUSE , Animate , Movic , Sony Music Entertainment
Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Mystery , Supernatural

Subaru Sumeragi is the 13th head of the Sumeragi Clan and a most powerful onmyouji. Subaru is hired to exorcise a construction site, but his employer mysteriously died. The only suspect is a man who repeatedly walks away from situations in which he should have died. Then Subaru meets a young woman intent upon cursing the man, saying that he killed her brother. Subaru must figure out how his employer died and fight the evil spirits that are protecting the man with the help of his friend and twin sister, Seishirou Sakurazuka and Hokuto Sumeragi.



Tags: Magic , Urban , Urban Fantasy , Detective , Shoujo , Revenge , Male Protagonist , Police , Tragedy , Twins , Age Gap , Yandere , Female Protagonist , Boys' Love , Exorcism

Gravitation

Also known as Gravitation TV.

Studio: Aniplex , Studio DEEN , Ashi Productions , The Right Stuf International
Status: Finished
Genres: Comedy , Music , Romance

All Shuichi ever dreamed about was following in the footsteps of his pop idol, Ryuichi Sakuma and the band Nittle Grasper. Together with his best friend Hiro, Shuichi's formed a band called Bad Luck and they've even managed to get signed to a major recording label! Unfortunately, the studio deadlines are looming and Shuichi still hasn't finished the lyrics for any of the songs. What he needs is a little inspiration... but he's been running a little low in that department lately. While Hiro recommends finding a girlfriend, fate has other things in store for him...

Walking through the park late one night, Shuichi's latest lyrics flutter away and land at the feet of a stunning stranger that takes his breath away. Unfortunately, that mysterious stranger happens to be the famous novelist Eiri Yuki, who completely crushes the young singer by telling him he has "zero talent". Now, Shuichi's so annoyed that he's managed to finish his song just so he can find and confront Yuki once again. But, are his actions really motivated by anger, or has he actually fallen in love?



Tags: Boys' Love , Idol , Bisexual , Male Protagonist , Primarily Male Cast , Airsoft , Shoujo , Band , Crossdressing , Primarily Adult Cast , Tragedy

Gravitation OVA

Also known as Gravitation: Lyrics of Love.

Studio: Plum , Animate Film , Movic , Aniplex , Sony Magazines , The Right Stuf International
Status: Finished
Genres: Comedy , Music , Romance

Bad Luck's lead singer and lyricist, Shuichi Shindo, is a total wreck. With deadlines for the band's next album looming, the pressure is on, but the normally energetic Shuichi has become listless and fallen into a writing slump. It's all because Yuki - the great love of his life - has suddenly become cold and distant. Depressed and anxious, Shuichi doesn't want to think about lyrics - he just wants to know how to get Yuki to talk to him!

Now, thanks to Shuichi's big mouth bragging to the press about how talented he is, the band can't even hire someone else to write the lyrics for them. If they don't manage to break Shuichi out of his slump soon, it could mean the end of Bad Luck for good!



Tags: Boys' Love , Male Protagonist , Primarily Male Cast , Band , Shoujo , Kuudere , Idol , Primarily Adult Cast , Yandere

Monochrome Factor

Studio: Genco , A.C.G.T. , Maiden Japan
Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Supernatural

The story revolves around high school student Akira Nikaido, a typical slacker living a normal life. That is, until he meets the mysterious Shirogane, a man who suddenly appears and tells him that they have a destiny together. When Akira hears this, he is shocked and doesn't believe a word of it. Aya, a friend of Akira, forgets something in the school one night, and asks Akira to help her and go find it. He agrees, and while there, he gets attacked by a shadow monster. Shirogane convinces him that the balance between the human world and the shadow world has been distorted and that Akira must become a "shin"- a creature of the shadow world- in order to help restore the balance. The anime has shonen-ai themes which are completely absent from the manga.



Tags: Male Protagonist , Slapstick , Shoujo , Urban Fantasy , Age Gap , Boys' Love

Dance with Devils

Also known as Dance with Devils.

Studio: Brain's Base
Status: Finished
Genres: Romance , Supernatural

Ritsuka Tachibana has always been a good student, so she is completely shocked when she is suddenly summoned by the student council. And that's only the beginning; from there, her life is turned upside down as her mother gets kidnapped and Ritsuka gets drawn into a world of vampires and devils. Both groups are searching for the "Grimoire," a forbidden item allowing its owner to rule the world.



Tags: Demons , Musical Theater , Male Harem , Ensemble Cast , Primarily Teen Cast , Vampire , Female Protagonist , Primarily Male Cast , School , School Club , Kuudere , Tsundere , Yandere , Idol

Kaikan Phrase

Studio: Studio Hibari
Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Music , Romance

After the break up of their old band, guitarist Yuki & drummer Santa decide to form a new one. They recruit bass player Towa, young guitarist Atsuro, and after much persuasion, vocalist Sakuya. Together they form Lucifer and they struggle to make it in the music business, and also to stay together. As well, they have to deal with personal issues, such as parental objections, and watching their old bands succeed ahead of them. Sakuya is the most troubled band member, as he has to deal with his tragic past, and his relationship with teenaged lyricist Aine.


Tags: Shoujo , Band , Female Protagonist , Primarily Male Cast , Male Harem , Rock Music

Baraou no Souretsu

Also known as Requiem of the Rose King.

Studio: J.C.STAFF , Bandai Namco Arts , Hakuhodo DY Music & Pictures , Akita Shoten , Bandai Namco Live Creative
Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Drama , Supernatural

The Wars of the Roses grip medieval England as the houses of York and Lancaster vie for the throne. Richard is the third son of the Duke of York, who plans to take the crown. Richard wants nothing more than for this to happen, but this innocent wish will plunge England further into the chaos of war. Meanwhile, Richard is struggling with a battle far more personal.



Tags: Historical , Classic Literature , Tragedy , Politics , Boys' Love , LGBTQ+ Themes , Bisexual , Shoujo , Foreign , Ghost , War , Anti-Hero , Swordplay , Revenge , Male Harem , Transgender , Primarily Adult Cast , Age Gap , Time Skip , Medieval