Anime like Genji Monogatari

Tenshi no Tamago

Also known as Angel's Egg.

Studio: Studio Gallop , Studio DEEN , Studio Hibari , Tokuma Shoten
Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Fantasy , Psychological

In a desolate and dark world full of shadows, lives one little girl who seems to do nothing but collect water in jars and protect a large egg she carries everywhere. A mysterious man enters her life... and they discuss the world around them.



Tags: Philosophy , Dystopian , Religion , Lost Civilization , Mythology , Post-Apocalyptic , Tragedy , Cosmic Horror , Angels , Female Protagonist , No Dialogue , Urban Fantasy , Amnesia , Coming of Age , Survival , Foreign , Fairy Tale , Tanks , Body Horror

Ginga Tetsudou no Yoru

Also known as Night on the Galactic Railroad.

Studio: Group TAC , TV Asahi , Nippon Herald Eiga , Asmik Ace , Asahi Shimbun
Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Fantasy , Mystery

What is true happiness? For Giovanni, the answer is as far away as the stars. Mired in hardship, the young kitten faces problems that should be unknown to someone his age. At school, his classmates mock and ridicule him, and after the bell rings, Giovanni toils at a job to earn enough money for bread. Then at home, instead of being taken care of by his mother, he must take care of her. The sole bright spot is that of the Festival of Stars, where he hopes to run into Campanella, his only friend. When they finally meet up, however, it isn't while looking up at the stars, but rather traveling amongst them... as the Galactic Railroad whisks the two away for parts unknown!



Tags: Afterlife , Trains , Philosophy , Classic Literature , Anthropomorphism , Primarily Animal Cast , Travel , Astronomy , Space , Animals , Tragedy , Religion , Mythology , Male Protagonist , Kids , Cosmic Horror , Bullying , Historical

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 , Adoption , Heterosexual , Agriculture , Travel , Unrequited Love , Horticulture , Calligraphy , Environmental

Heike Monogatari

Also known as The Heike Story.

Studio: Science SARU , Asmik Ace , Dentsu , Fuji TV , bilibili , Pony Canyon , BS Fuji
Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Supernatural

A young orphan named Biwa is taken in by the powerful Taira Clan—also known as the Heike—after their leader witnesses her extraordinary psychic abilities. Unfortunately, what she predicts is a future of bloodshed, violence, and civil war. Inspired by the 12th-century epic tale Heike Monogatari.



Tags: Tragedy , Politics , Classic Literature , War , Historical , Philosophy , Military , Religion , Samurai , Suicide , Ghost , Female Protagonist , Orphan , Conspiracy , Archery , Time Skip , Tomboy , Adoption , Ships , Transgender

Shisha no Sho

Also known as The Book of the Dead.

Studio: SLOW TIDE
Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Supernatural

When a young noblewoman, Iratsume, falls into a trance after copying Buddhist sutras and walks to a remote temple that women are forbidden to enter, she stirs up the ghost of the executed Prince Otsu. Otsu's ghost then mistakes Iratsume for one of her ancestors, a young woman who came to watch his execution. The beautiful face of this young woman was the last thing the Prince saw before he died, and his ghost cannot rest while her face haunts his sleep.

Tags: Religion , Historical , Puppetry , Stop Motion , Ghost

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

Hitsuji no Uta

Also known as Sheep's Song.

Studio: MADHOUSE , Group TAC
Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Horror

Kazuna's family has a history of suffering from a disease that creates an uncontrollable vampire-like thirst for blood. Knowing none of this, Kazuna was sent to live with the Eda couple as a child. As the sickness begins to show signs of being present within himself, he comes into contact with his older sister, Chizuna, who has been suffering from it since early childhood. Knowing that the sickness incurs a heavy weight upon those that suffer from it, Chizuna tries to ease her brother's burden, to help him learn to control his urges, but...



Tags: Vampire , Heterosexual , Achromatic , Denpa , Incest

Mononoke: Karakasa

Also known as Mononoke The Movie: The Phantom in the Rain.

Studio: Twin Engine , EOTA
Status: Finished
Genres: Fantasy , Horror , Mystery , Psychological , Supernatural

Asa and Kame strike up an immediate friendship when they arrive at the same time for their first day of duty at the Ooku, the splendid pleasure palace housing the harem of Lord Tenshi. The two young women are there to join the many hundreds of other maidservants—men are barred from entering, with immediate beheading the price of trespassing. It soon becomes clear that behind the luxurious lifestyle and ritualized routines of the Ooku lie sinister schemes and cynical rivalries. Meanwhile, a mysterious wandering potion-peddler known only as the Medicine Seller subtly insinuates himself into the Ooku, just as an uncanny, otherworldly menace begins to reveal itself.



Tags: Youkai , Ghost , Primarily Female Cast , Exorcism , Historical , Tragedy , Primarily Adult Cast , Bullying , Male Protagonist , Suicide , Female Protagonist , Royal Affairs , Cosmic Horror , Samurai , Matriarchy , LGBTQ+ Themes , Calligraphy , Writing

Hi no Tori: Houou-hen

Also known as Phoenix: Karma Chapter.

Studio: MADHOUSE , Kadokawa Shoten , Project Team Argos
Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Fantasy

The story is about two characters, Akanemaru, a sculpture genius, and ex-burglar Gao whose only purpose in life is sculpting, and how they struggle with the fate to compete with each other over their capacity and talent.



Tags: Historical , Primarily Adult Cast , Male Protagonist , Tragedy , Mythology , Gods , Reincarnation

Hi no Tori: Yamato-hen

Also known as The Phoenix: Chapter of Yamato.

Studio: MADHOUSE , Kadokawa Shoten , Project Team Argos
Status: Finished
Genres: Drama

Based on Tezuka Osamu's original work portraying life based on the myth of Yamatotakeru.

Tags: Historical , Rural , Tragedy , Male Protagonist , Mythology , Gods