Anime like Look Back

Chainsaw Man: Reze-hen

Also known as Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc.

Studio: MAPPA , Shueisha , Toho
Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Drama , Horror , Romance , Supernatural

Theatrical follow-up to Chainsaw Man.

Denji became “Chainsaw Man”, a boy with a devil’s heart, and is now part of Special Division 4’s devil hunters. After a date with Makima, the woman of his dreams, Denji takes shelter from the rain. There he meets Reze, a girl who works in a café.



Tags: Demons , Monster Boy , Urban Fantasy , Monster Girl , Male Protagonist , Tragedy , Urban , Heterosexual , Assassins , Henshin , Gore , Shapeshifting , Body Horror , Psychosexual , Coming of Age , Anti-Hero , Work , Shounen , Philosophy , Fake Relationship , Super Power , Female Protagonist , Love Triangle , Spearplay , Nudity , School , POV , Restaurant , Surreal Comedy , Swimming , CGI , Angels , Feet , Coastal ,

Hyakuemu.

Also known as 100 METERS.

Studio: Pony Canyon , Asmik Ace , TBS , GKIDS , ROCK'N ROLL MOUNTAIN
Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Sports

100 METERS follows Togashi, a track star who is born to run. As a kid, he is naturally gifted and wins every 100-meter race without effort. But in sixth grade, he meets Komiya, a transfer student who is full of determination but lacks technique. In teaching him, Togashi gives Komiya a new purpose: to win no matter what. Years pass by, and Togashi and Komiya meet again as rivals on the track and reveal their true selves.



Tags: Athletics , Rotoscoping , Philosophy , Male Protagonist , Coming of Age , Fitness , Time Skip , Primarily Male Cast , Outdoor Activities , Shounen , School Club , School

Fujimoto Tatsuki 17-26

Also known as Tatsuki Fujimoto 17-26.

Studio: ZEXCS , Lapin Track , 100studio , Studio Kafka , P.A.WORKS , Avex Pictures , GRAPH77
Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Comedy , Drama , Romance , Sci-Fi , Slice of Life , Supernatural

An anthology series adapting 8 short stories created by manga artist Tatsuki Fujimoto between ages 17 and 26.

1) A Couple Clucking Chickens Were Still Kickin' in the Schoolyard (Dir. Seishirou Nagaya, ZEXCS)
2) Sasaki Stopped a Bullet (Dir. Nobukage Kimura, Lapin Track)
3) Love is Blind (Dir. Nobuyuki Takeuchi, Lapin Track)
4) Shikaku (Dir. Naoya Ando, GRAPH77)
5) Mermaid Rhapsody (Dir. Tetsuaki Watanabe, 100Studio)
6) Woke-Up-as-a-Girl Syndrome (Dir. Kazuaki Terasawa, Studio Kafka)
7) Nayuta of the Prophecy (Dir. Tetsuaki Watanabe, 100Studio)
8) Sisters (Dir. Osamu Honma, P.A.WORKS)

Note: This anime had a pre-release world premiere at the "Global Stage Hollywood 2025" film festival on October 5, 2025. A general two-week theatrical run in Japan divided into two parts released on the same day October 17, 2025. The anime series later streamed worldwide in Amazon Prime Video on November 8, 2025.

Tags: Episodic , Anthology , Surreal Comedy , Urban Fantasy , Female Protagonist , School , Male Protagonist , Magic , Urban , Family Life , Found Family , Aliens , Heterosexual , Dystopian , Assassins , Coastal , Monster Girl , Shapeshifting , Gender Bending , Nudity , Mermaid , Vampire , Drawing , LGBTQ+ Themes , Language Barrier , Time Skip , Disability , Transgender , Shounen , Fugitive , Henshin , Space , Modeling , Kaiju

Eizouken ni wa Te wo Dasu na!

Also known as Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken!.

Studio: Science SARU , Crunchyroll , NHK Enterprises , Shogakukan , Warner Bros. Japan
Status: Finished
Genres: Adventure , Comedy , Slice of Life

First year high schooler Midori Asakusa loves anime so much, she insists that "concept is everything" in animation. Though she draws a variety of ideas in her sketchbook, she hasn't taken the first step to creating anime, insisting that she can't do it alone. The producer-type Sayaka Kanamori is the first to notice Asakusa's genius. Then, when it becomes clear that their classmate, charismatic fashion model Tsubame Mizusaki, really wants to be an animator, they create an animation club to realize the "ultimate world" that exists in their minds.



Tags: Drawing , School Club , Primarily Teen Cast , Primarily Female Cast , Female Protagonist , Urban , Otaku Culture , Surreal Comedy , Coming of Age , Educational , Cute Girls Doing Cute Things , Urban Fantasy , Filmmaking , Seinen , Tanned Skin , Ensemble Cast , Tomboy , Meta

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 , Philosophy , Educational , Seinen , Primarily Teen Cast , School Club , Transgender , Bisexual , Time Skip , Urban , LGBTQ+ Themes , Crossdressing , Femboy , Nudity

Ikoku Nikki

Also known as Journal with Witch.

Studio: Shuka , Pony Canyon , ABC Animation , Movic , TOKYO MX , BS Asahi
Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Slice of Life

Reclusive novelist Makio Koudai has always preferred the company of books—but when her sister and brother-in-law pass away, Makio unexpectedly becomes the guardian of her 15-year-old niece, Asa Takumi. As they navigate grief, clashing personalities, and the challenges of living together, the two slowly open their hearts to each other, discovering warmth, understanding, and the meaning of family.



Tags: Female Protagonist , Adoption , Coming of Age , Estranged Family , Josei , Family Life , Orphan , Parenthood , Found Family , Writing , Tragedy , Primarily Female Cast , Urban , School , Hikikomori , LGBTQ+ Themes , Heterosexual , Band

Liz to Aoi Tori

Also known as Liz and the Blue Bird.

Studio: Kyoto Animation , Animation Do , Kyoto Animation
Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Music , Slice of Life

Students and best friends Mizore Yoroizuka and Nozomi Kasaki prepare to play a complex musical duet, Liz and the Blue Bird, for oboe and flute. Though they play beautifully together and have been friends since childhood, Mizore and Nozomi find that with graduation looming and the duet proving difficult, their friendship begins to buckle under the pressure. Interspersed with their story is the fantasy tale of Liz, drawn like a storybook, contrasting with the crisp realism of the school.



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

Eiga Daisuki Pompo-san

Also known as Pompo: The Cinéphile.

Studio: CLAP , Kadokawa Pictures Japan
Status: Finished
Genres: Comedy , Drama

The manga depicts the craft of movie-making and revolves around Joelle Davidovich "Pompo" Pomponette, a talented movie producer who looks like a little girl.

Operating out of the movie capital "Nyallywood," Pompo has been shooting one B-grade entertainment flick after another that anyone would enjoy. One day, Pompo's "movie buff" assistant Gene spots a new script written by Pompo, and is moved by its exquisite story. In a fit of passion, he proclaims, "I want to see this as a finished work in theaters as soon as possible!"

However, Pompo tells him, "So you shoot this film." Thus, Gene takes on his first directing gig. Meanwhile, Natalie, an ordinary girl who just arrived in town with movie actress dreams, has been discovered by Pompo.



Tags: Filmmaking , Work , Acting , Educational , Foreign , Primarily Adult Cast , Coming of Age , Female Protagonist , Meta , Male Protagonist , Shoujo , Writing , Classical Music

Bakuman.

Also known as Bakuman..

Studio: J.C.STAFF , NHK , Media Blasters , NHK Enterprises , NYAV Post
Status: Finished
Genres: Comedy , Drama , Romance , Slice of Life

Moritaka Mashiro and Akito Takagi are pretty much foils of each other. Mashiro, an average 9th grade student but talented artist, and Takagi, an overall advanced 9th grader and aspiring writer. After great convincing, Takagi convinces Mashiro to join him in becoming the greatest mangakas Japan has ever seen. Takagi, with his gift of writing, hopes to become a successful mangaka, and Mashiro, with his gift of art, hopes to marry the girl of his dreams, Azuki Miho.



Tags: Work , Writing , Drawing , Coming of Age , Ensemble Cast , Male Protagonist , Heterosexual , Meta , Shounen , School , Primarily Teen Cast

Mimi wo Sumaseba

Also known as Whisper of the Heart.

Studio: Studio Ghibli , Tokuma Shoten , Walt Disney Studios , GKIDS
Status: Finished
Genres: Adventure , Drama , Romance , Slice of Life

During summer vacation, a schoolgirl named Shizuku, who longs to discover her true talents, observes an ordinary-looking cat riding by himself on the train. Intrigued, she decides to follow him. This chance encounter leads her to the mysterious Seiji, a boy who is determined to follow his dreams, and The Baron, a magical cat figurine who helps her listen to the whispers in her heart. Soon, Shizuku's exciting adventures carry her far beyond the boundaries of her imagination.



Tags: Coming of Age , Writing , Female Protagonist , Heterosexual , Shoujo , Animals , Fairy Tale , Primarily Teen Cast , School , Tsundere , Crossover , Cycling , Love Triangle , Kemonomimi , Band , Nekomimi , Unrequited Love