Anime like Genshiken

NHK ni Youkoso!

Also known as Welcome to the N-H-K.

Studio: GONZO , Funimation
Status: Finished
Genres: Comedy , Drama , Psychological , Romance , Slice of Life

Satou’s life – or what’s left of it – is a paranoid mess of conspiracy theories and social anxieties. He’s terrified of the outside world; his apartment is overflowing with the remnants of cheap take-out food; and his retinas have been permanently scarred by a steady diet of internet porn. But maybe it’s not all his fault. After all, the nefarious N-H-K is out there, and they’re determined to turn society’s fringe-dwellers into a brainwashed lot of jobless, hopeless, futureless recluses.

Enter Misaki – a mysterious girl-next-door type who is Satou’s last chance to beat down his inner demons and venture out into the light of day. She’s ready to help him overcome his crippling phobias, but Satou would rather cower in his existential foxhole and pretend to work on the demo for his virtual sex game.

He’s afraid to face the world. She’s strangely desperate to fix a total stranger. Maybe together they can be normal.



Tags: Hikikomori , Rehabilitation , Otaku Culture , Male Protagonist , Conspiracy , Philosophy , Denpa , Suicide , Primarily Adult Cast , Coming of Age , Psychosexual , Tragedy , Disability , Video Games , Software Development , Heterosexual , Politics , Nudity , Yandere , Drugs , Trains

Otaku no Video

Also known as Otaku no Video.

Studio: Gainax , Youmex , AnimEigo
Status: Finished
Genres: Comedy , Drama , Mecha , Sci-Fi

Somewhat based on the real story of how Gainax was founded, Otaku no Video addresses all aspects of an otaku lifestyle. Ken Kubo is a young man living an average life until he is dragged into a group of otaku. Slowly, he becomes more like them until he decides to abandon his former life to become king of otaku —the otaking!

Mixed in are live-action interviews with real otaku, addressing every aspect of hardcore otaku life. Not only are anime and manga fans included, but also sci-fi fans, military fans, and other groups of Japanese geeks.

Tags: Otaku Culture , Meta , Philosophy , Parody , Historical , Male Protagonist , Primarily Adult Cast , Cosplay , Educational , Time Skip , Hikikomori , Magic

SHIROBAKO

Also known as SHIROBAKO.

Studio: P.A. Works
Status: Finished
Genres: Comedy , Drama , Slice of Life

Once upon a time, five girls made an animated film and it was so much fun that they pledged to get jobs in animation so that someday they could make another film together. Now, two years later, Aoi, Shizuka, Ema, Misa and Midori have learned the truth about the anime industry: it's not always fun, it's anything but easy, and having talent isn't always enough to open the right doors.

Which is why Aoi's overwhelmed by her job as a production assistant, Shizuka's waiting on tables between auditions, Midori's currently scriptless, Misa's switched to C.G., and Ema's working long hours as a key animator. Is it what they imagined? No. But are they ready to give up? Not just yet! Sometimes, when things happen in animation, they can happen in the most wonderful ways!



Tags: Work , Primarily Adult Cast , Drawing , Female Protagonist , Ensemble Cast , Meta , Otaku Culture , Educational , Office Lady , Primarily Female Cast , Coming of Age , Office , Acting , Cute Girls Doing Cute Things , Cars , Kuudere , Primarily Teen Cast

Wotaku ni Koi wa Muzukashii

Also known as Wotakoi: Love is Hard for Otaku.

Studio: A-1 Pictures , Aniplex , Fuji TV , Kanetsuu Investment , Christmas Holly , Dentsu , Ichijinsha
Status: Finished
Genres: Comedy , Romance , Slice of Life

Having slept through all four of her alarms, the energetic Narumi Momose finds herself running late for her first day of work at a new office. As she races to catch her train, she makes a promise to herself that none of her coworkers will find out about her dark secret: that she is an otaku and a fujoshi. Her plan goes instantly awry, though, when she runs into Hirotaka Nifuji, an old friend from middle school. Although she tries to keep her secret by inviting him out for drinks after work, her cover is blown when he casually asks her whether or not she will be attending the upcoming Summer Comiket. Luckily for her, the only witnesses—Hanako Koyanagi and Tarou Kabakura—are otaku as well.

Later that night, the pair go out for drinks so that they can catch up after all the years apart. After Narumi complains about her previous boyfriend breaking up with her because he refused to date a fujoshi, Hirotaka suggests that she try dating a fellow otaku, specifically himself. He makes a solemn promise to always be there for her, to support her, and to help her farm for rare drops in Monster Hunter. Blown away by the proposal, Narumi agrees immediately. Thus the two otaku start dating, and their adorably awkward romance begins.



Tags: Otaku Culture , Primarily Adult Cast , Josei , Office Lady , Female Protagonist , Video Games , Work , Episodic , Male Protagonist , Urban , Kuudere , Ensemble Cast , Heterosexual , Cosplay , LGBTQ+ Themes , Tsundere , Office , Athletics , Tomboy , Bisexual , Classic Literature

Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuuutsu

Also known as The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya.

Studio: Kyoto Animation , Lantis , Bandai Entertainment , Kadokawa Pictures USA
Status: Finished
Genres: Comedy , Mystery , Sci-Fi , Slice of Life , Supernatural

Kyon, your typical high school student, has long given up his belief in the supernatural. However, upon meeting Haruhi Suzumiya, he quickly finds out that it is the supernatural that she is interested in; aliens, time travelers and espers among other things. When Haruhi laments about the lack of intriguing clubs around school, Kyon inspires Haruhi to form her own club. As a result, the SOS Brigade is formed, a club which specializes in all that is the supernatural.

Much to his chagrin, Kyon, along with the silent bookworm, Yuki Nagato, the shy and timid Mikuru Asahina, and the perpetually smiling Itsuki Koizumi, are recruited as members. The story follows the crazy adventures that these four endure under their whimsical leader, Haruhi. The story is based on the light novels by Nagaru Tanigawa.

Note: This entry is for the original 14-episode 2006 airing. The series was further expanded and reordered into a 28-episode series in 2009.

Tags: School Club , Achronological Order , Urban Fantasy , Gods , School , Time Manipulation , Primarily Teen Cast , Meta , Aliens , Alternate Universe , Philosophy , Parody , Male Protagonist , Magic , Otaku Culture , Kaiju , Female Protagonist , Tsundere , Kuudere , Filmmaking , Ensemble Cast , Episodic , Unrequited Love , Baseball , Maids

Sono Bisque Doll wa Koi wo Suru

Also known as My Dress-Up Darling.

Studio: CloverWorks , Aniplex , Square Enix , Movic , TOKYO MX , BS11 , Studio Mausu
Status: Finished
Genres: Comedy , Ecchi , Romance , Slice of Life

High schooler Wakana Gojou cares about one thing: making Hina dolls. With nobody to share his obsession, he has trouble finding friends—or even holding conversation. But after the school’s most popular girl, Marin Kitagawa, reveals a secret of her own, he discovers a new purpose for his sewing skills. Together, they’ll make her cosplay dreams come true!



Tags: Cosplay , Otaku Culture , Fashion , Male Protagonist , Heterosexual , Primarily Teen Cast , Female Protagonist , Gyaru , Seinen , Photography , Slapstick , Coming of Age , School , Tsundere , Urban , Unrequited Love , Nudity

Kuragehime

Also known as Princess Jellyfish.

Studio: Funimation , Brain's Base , Asmik Ace , Sony Music Entertainment , Sakura Create , Fujipacific Music
Status: Finished
Genres: Comedy , Romance , Slice of Life

Plain, timid and obsessed with jellyfish, Tsukimi is a far cry from her idea of a princess. Her tepid life as a jobless illustrator comes complete with roommates who harbor diehard hobbies that solidify their status as hopeless social rejects. These wallflowers run a tight, nun-like ship, but their no-men-allowed-not-no-one-not-no-how bubble is unwittingly burst after Tsukimi brings home a rescued sea jelly and a beauty queen... who's actually a guy.

When the threat of losing their cozy convent inspires this glamour boy to turn the neurotic entourage into a portrait of success, will Tsukimi take her chance to bloom, or will she end up a hot mess?



Tags: Josei , Crossdressing , Female Protagonist , Primarily Adult Cast , Otaku Culture , Makeup , Slapstick , Primarily Female Cast , Found Family , Gender Bending , Femboy , Fashion , Ensemble Cast , Love Triangle , Heterosexual , Urban , LGBTQ+ Themes , Politics , Drawing

Gaikotsu Shotenin Honda-san

Also known as Skull-face Bookseller Honda-san.

Studio: DLE
Status: Finished
Genres: Comedy , Slice of Life

Honda-san is at war - with business, with out-of-print books, and with people who love manga! Who knew there were so many laughs to be found at the manga counter of a bookstore?! These are the day-to-day happenings that take place at a certain bookstore where the love of manga is abundant.



Tags: Work , Otaku Culture , Slapstick , Skeleton , Urban , Episodic , Autobiographical , Surreal Comedy , Primarily Adult Cast , Male Protagonist , Educational , Language Barrier , Shoujo

Lucky☆Star

Also known as Lucky☆Star.

Studio: Kyoto Animation , Lantis , Rakuonsha , Lucky Paradise , Funimation
Status: Finished
Genres: Comedy , Slice of Life

What’s the best way to eat dessert? Do twins really have a psychic connection? What kind of guys are into moe girls? These are the kinds of questions that float through the inquisitive mind of anime super-fan Konata Izumi. When she’s not lost in her favorite manga or logging hours in one of her online games, she’s debating the mysteries of the universe with the best friends a girl could ask for.



Tags: Cute Girls Doing Cute Things , Female Protagonist , Primarily Female Cast , Primarily Teen Cast , Ensemble Cast , Parody , Otaku Culture , School , Meta , Episodic , Coming of Age , Twins , Video Games , Philosophy , Tsundere , Kuudere , Cheerleading , Ojou-sama , Shounen , Shrine Maiden , Baseball

16bit Sensation: ANOTHER LAYER

Also known as 16bit Sensation: Another Layer.

Studio: Aniplex , Studio Silver , BS11 , TOKYO MX , Contents Seed
Status: Finished
Genres: Comedy , Slice of Life

Konoha Akisato is an illustrator that loves beautiful girls and bishojo games. Her dream is to become a super-popular illustrator, so she is working hard at a bishojo game production company, but reality isn't that kind... With the golden age of social network games in full force, Konoha's company isn't doing well, and she works as a sub illustrator, spending her days painting the backs of random background characters.

One day, the owner of a game shop gives her a classic bishojo game. With all her excitement over the golden age of bishojo games, she opens the package to "Dokyusei," and is enveloped by a bright light. Konoha then realizes that she just traveled back in time!

She ends up in the year 1992! It's the dawn of the bishojo game era! Konoha ends up working at a company called Alcohol Soft. Will she be able to think about, draw, and create all the beautiful girls she’s ever wanted?!

A story about a girl and her overwhelming love for beautiful girls—"Now, let's begin!"



Tags: Video Games , Software Development , Time Manipulation , Otaku Culture , Work , Female Protagonist , Drawing , Primarily Adult Cast , Historical , Anachronism , Aliens , Dystopian , Cute Girls Doing Cute Things , Age Gap