Anime like Piano no Mori (TV)

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 , Classical Music , Coming of Age , Rehabilitation , Male Protagonist , Female Protagonist , Unrequited Love , Heterosexual , School , CGI , Philosophy , Tomboy , Suicide , Shounen , Slapstick , Football

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 , CGI , Tsundere , LGBTQ+ Themes

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

Carole & Tuesday

Also known as Carole & Tuesday.

Studio: bones , flying DOG , Fuji TV , Hakuhodo DY Music & Pictures , BS Fuji
Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Music , Sci-Fi

Fifty years have passed since mankind began migrating to the new frontier: Mars.
It's an age where most culture is produced by AI, and people are content to be passive consumers.

There's a girl.
Scrapping a living in the metropolis of Alba City, she's working part-time while trying to become a musician. She's always felt like something is missing.
Her name is Carole.

There's a girl.
Born to a wealthy family in the provincial town of Herschel City, she dreams of becoming a musician, but nobody around her understands. She feels like the loneliest person in the world.
Her name is Tuesday.

A chance meeting brings them together.
They want to sing.
They want to make music.
Together, they feel like they just might have a chance.

The two of them may only create a tiny wave.
But that wave will eventually grow into something larger...



Tags: Band , Female Protagonist , Cyberpunk , Artificial Intelligence , Urban , Politics , Tanned Skin , Foreign , Dystopian , Post-Apocalyptic , Drugs , Rotoscoping , Gender Bending , LGBTQ+ Themes , Terrorism , Bisexual , Homeless , Clone , Agender , Anachronism

Given

Also known as given.

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

Tightly clutching his Gibson guitar, Mafuyu Satou steps out of his dark apartment to begin another day of his high school life. While taking a nap in a quiet spot on the gymnasium staircase, he has a chance encounter with fellow student Ritsuka Uenoyama, who berates him for letting his guitar's strings rust and break. Noticing Uenoyama's knowledge of the instrument, Satou pleads for him to fix it and to teach him how to play. Uenoyama eventually agrees and invites him to sit in on a jam session with his two band mates: bassist Haruki Nakayama and drummer Akihiko Kaji.

Satou's voice is strikingly beautiful, filling Uenoyama with the determination to make Satou the lead singer of the band. Though reticent at first, Satou takes the offer after an emotional meeting with an old friend. With the support of his new friends, Satou must not only learn how to play guitar, but also come to terms with the mysterious circumstances that led him to be its owner.



Tags: Band , Boys' Love , Male Protagonist , Primarily Male Cast , LGBTQ+ Themes , Coming of Age , Primarily Teen Cast , Suicide , Tragedy , Rehabilitation , Cute Boys Doing Cute Things , Urban , School , Josei , Bisexual , Rock Music , Ensemble Cast , CGI , Basketball , Tsundere

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

Given Movie

Also known as Given The Movie.

Studio: Lerche , BLUE LYNX
Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Music , Romance

The film centers on the love relationship among the band's bassist Haruki Nakayama, drummer Akihiko Kaji, and Akihiko's roommate and ex-boyfriend Ugetsu Murata.



Tags: Love Triangle , Band , Boys' Love , Male Protagonist , Primarily Male Cast , LGBTQ+ Themes , Primarily Adult Cast , Bisexual , Josei , Rock Music , Tragedy , CGI

Koe no Katachi

Also known as A Silent Voice.

Studio: Kyoto Animation , ABC Animation , Kodansha
Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Romance , Slice of Life

After transferring into a new school, a deaf girl, Shouko Nishimiya, is bullied by the popular Shouya Ishida. As Shouya continues to bully Shouko, the class turns its back on him. Shouko transfers and Shouya grows up as an outcast. Alone and depressed, the regretful Shouya finds Shouko to make amends.



Tags: Disability , Bullying , Rehabilitation , Language Barrier , Coming of Age , Suicide , Tragedy , Male Protagonist , Primarily Teen Cast , School , Time Skip , Heterosexual , Female Protagonist , Urban , Shounen

BECK

Also known as Beck: Mongolian Chop Squad.

Studio: MADHOUSE , Marvelous Entertainment , Starchild Records , Funimation , Asatsu DK , Kodansha
Status: Finished
Genres: Comedy , Drama , Music , Slice of Life

Tanaka Yukio, better known by his nickname Koyuki is a 14 year old who feels disconnected from life in general. Through the act of saving a mismatched dog, he meets guitarist Minami Ryuusuke, and becomes involved in Ryuusuke's new band BECK. Koyuki's life starts to change as the band struggles towards fame.


Tags: Band , Coming of Age , Urban , Rock Music , Ensemble Cast , Heterosexual , Primarily Male Cast , Male Protagonist , Bullying , School , Female Protagonist , Gyaru , Shounen , Hip-hop Music , Love Triangle , Baseball , Swimming

Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu

Also known as Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinju.

Studio: Studio DEEN
Status: Finished
Genres: Drama

The story revolves around a mature prisoner who was released on good behavior during Japan's Shouwa Genroku era (1960s to early 1970s). He is called Yotarou by others, a term that means an "anti-hero" or a "dim-witted man." When he returns to society, he starts a new life in rakugo (comic storytelling). Touched by Yakumo's role as the "grim reaper," he asks the master to take him in as an apprentice. Most of the season delves into Yakumo's own past during World War II and the years afterward.



Note: The first episode aired with a runtime of 48 minutes as opposed to the standard 24 minute long episode.

Tags: Rakugo , Acting , Tragedy , Historical , Primarily Adult Cast , Josei , Male Protagonist , Love Triangle , Time Skip , Disability , Meta , War , Suicide , Elderly Protagonist , Primarily Male Cast