Anime like Abenobashi Mahou☆Shoutengai

FLCL

Also known as FLCL.

Studio: Gainax , Production I.G , Starchild Records , Funimation , GANSIS
Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Comedy , Mecha , Sci-Fi

Naota is a detached sixth grader afflicted by the pangs of puberty. He's fooling around with his brother's ex-girlfriend when a crazed girl on a motor scooter runs him over, brains him with a bass guitar, and moves into his house. This pink-haired girl, Haruko - who claims she's an alien - hurls Naota into the middle of a mega-corporation's secret agenda. Oh, and now giant battling robots shoot from his skull. Mix in mind-bending animation and tunes that echo through your cerebellum to top off the trip that will have you falling hard for FLCL.



Tags: Coming of Age , Surreal Comedy , Male Protagonist , Age Gap , Psychosexual , Meta , Philosophy , Robots , Slapstick , Primarily Teen Cast , Denpa , Love Triangle , Aliens , Parody , Heterosexual , Mopeds , Vore , Amnesia , Guns , Female Protagonist , Kaiju , Urban , Gods , Episodic , Super Robot , Body Horror , Real Robot , Nudity , Baseball , CGI

Kill la Kill

Also known as Kill la Kill.

Studio: Aniplex , Trigger , Dentsu , Kadokawa Shoten , Mainichi Broadcasting System , Ultra Super Pictures , Movic , Aniplex of America
Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Comedy , Ecchi

After the murder of her father, Ryuuko Matoi has been wandering the land in search of his killer. Following her only lead—the missing half of his invention, the Scissor Blade—she arrives at the prestigious Honnouji Academy, a high school unlike any other. The academy is ruled by the imposing and cold-hearted student council president Satsuki Kiryuuin alongside her powerful underlings, the Elite Four. In the school's brutally competitive hierarchy, Satsuki bestows upon those at the top special clothes called "Goku Uniforms," which grant the wearer unique superhuman abilities.

Tags: Henshin , Female Protagonist , Revenge , Nudity , Parody , Surreal Comedy , Class Struggle , Dystopian , Super Power , Tomboy , Aliens , Coming of Age , Primarily Teen Cast , School , Military , Anti-Hero , Cult , Psychosexual , Villainess , Incest , Bullying , Philosophy , Ensemble Cast , School Club , Tokusatsu , Delinquents , CGI , Gore , LGBTQ+ Themes , Tragedy , Orphan , Tsundere , Meta , Cosplay , Yandere , Cheerleading

Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann

Also known as Gurren Lagann.

Studio: Gainax , Aniplex , Konami , Half H.P Studio , Bandai , Bandai Entertainment , Aniplex of America
Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Comedy , Drama , Mecha , Romance , Sci-Fi

In a far away future, mankind lives underground in huge caves, unknowing of a world above with a sky and stars.

In the small village of Jiha, Simon, a shy boy who works as a digger discovers a strange glowing object during excavation. The enterprising Kamina, a young man with a pair of rakish sunglasses and the passion of a firey sun, befriends Simon and forms a small band of brothers, the Gurren Brigade, to escape the village and break through the ceiling of the cave to reach the surface, which few believe exist.

The village elder won't hear of such foolishness and punishes the Brigade. However, when disaster strikes from the world above and the entire village is in jeopardy, it's up to Simon, Kamina, a girl with a big gun named Yoko, and the small yet sturdy robot, Lagann, to save the day.

The new friends journey to the world above and find that the surface is a harsh battlefield, and it's up to them to fight back against the rampaging Beastmen to turn the tide in the humans' favor! Pierce the heavens, Gurren Lagann!

Tags: Super Robot , Coming of Age , Found Family , Dystopian , Male Protagonist , Post-Apocalyptic , Primarily Adult Cast , Space Opera , Tragedy , Travel , Space , Class Struggle , War , Time Skip , Aliens , Politics , Desert , Anthropomorphism , Heterosexual , Outdoor , Henshin , Military , Animals , Alternate Universe , Guns , Cosmic Horror , Shounen , Urban , Nudity , CGI , Love Triangle , Suicide , Swordplay , Boys' Love

Heppoko Jikken Animation Excel Saga

Also known as Excel Saga.

Studio: J.C. Staff , Victor Entertainment , Funimation
Status: Finished
Genres: Comedy , Sci-Fi

Excel Saga is a one-of-a kind work of art that can only be described as the ultimate parody of anime. From the opening credits - a rather odd spoof of Japanese pop videos - to the ending song featuring Menchi the dog singing/barking a plaintive ballad while a human interpreter translates for viewers, nothing is sacred in the world of Excel Saga.



Tags: Parody , Meta , Surreal Comedy , Slapstick , Female Protagonist , Kuudere , Tokusatsu , Robots , Henshin , Animals , Guns , Assassins , Shounen , Amnesia , Musical Theater

Sonny Boy

Also known as Sonny Boy.

Studio: MADHOUSE , BS Asahi , Shouchiku , Marui Group
Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Mystery , Psychological , Sci-Fi , Supernatural

It’s an ordinary summer vacation...except for the fact that Nagara’s high school has mysteriously drifted into another dimension. As the students begin to develop strange new powers, will they work together to survive the alien environment and find a way home, or will their newly formed factions and rivalries turn on each other?



Note: The first episode received an advance release on YouTube on June 19, 2021. The regular TV broadcast started on July 16, 2021.

Tags: Alternate Universe , Philosophy , Denpa , Super Power , Survival , Coming of Age , Primarily Teen Cast , Isekai , Achronological Order , Meta , School , Cosmic Horror , Male Protagonist , Episodic , Tragedy , Baseball , Heterosexual , Rotoscoping , Gods , Religion , Animals , Desert , Suicide , Space

Dandadan

Also known as DAN DA DAN.

Studio: Science SARU , Mainichi Broadcasting System , Science SARU , Shueisha , Dentsu , Aniplex , Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions , Aniplex
Status: Releasing
Genres: Action , Comedy , Drama , Romance , Sci-Fi , Supernatural

This is a story about Momo, a high school girl who comes from a family of spirit mediums, and her classmate Okarun, an occult fanatic. After Momo rescues Okarun from being bullied, they begin talking. However, an argument ensues between them since Momo believes in ghosts but denies aliens exist, and Okarun believes in aliens but denies ghosts exist.

To prove to each other what they believe in is real, Momo goes to an abandoned hospital where a UFO has been spotted and Okarun goes to a tunnel rumored to be haunted. To their surprise, they each encounter overwhelming paranormal activities that transcend comprehension. Amid these predicaments, Momo awakens her hidden power and Okarun gains the power of a curse to overcome these new dangers! Their fateful love begins as well!?

The story of the occult battle and adolescence starts!



Notes:
Worldwide premiere of Episode 1 before the Japanese television premiere occurred at Anime Expo July 6, 2024.
Episodes 1-3 titled as DAN DA DAN: FIRST ENCOUNTER was pre-screened in advance in theaters on August 31, 2024 in Asia, September 7, 2024 in Europe and September 13, 2024 in North America. The regular TV broadcast began October 4, 2024.

Tags: Urban Fantasy , Youkai , Ghost , Aliens , Primarily Teen Cast , Surreal Comedy , Super Power , Female Protagonist , Shounen , Tragedy , Male Protagonist , Heterosexual , Henshin , School , Gyaru , Cult , Love Triangle , Zombie , Nudity , CGI , Achronological Order

Back Arrow

Also known as BACK ARROW.

Studio: Aniplex , Studio VOLN , BANDAI SPIRITS , BS11 , ABC Animation , Movic , Legs
Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Adventure , Fantasy , Mecha , Sci-Fi

Lingalind is enclosed by the Wall. The Wall covers, protects, cultivates, and nurtures the land. The Wall is God. One day in Edger, a village on the outskirts, a mysterious man named Back Arrow appears. Arrow has no memory, but he claims that all he knows is that “I came from outside the Wall.” Arrow tries to go beyond the Wall to regain his memories but is pulled into one conflict after another.



Tags: Super Robot , Male Protagonist , CGI , War , Tokusatsu , Slapstick , Ensemble Cast , Henshin , Dissociative Identities , Tragedy , Nudity

Little Busters!: Refrain

Also known as Little Busters! Refrain.

Studio: J.C. Staff , Key , Sentai Filmworks , Warner Bros. Japan , Visual Arts
Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Mystery , Supernatural

Riki Naoe and his teammates have finally formed a complete baseball team for the Little Busters. When the Little Busters reunite, there's a strange sense of déjà vu, as the personal mysteries and idiosyncrasies that have permeated the game coalesce into something unexpected. As the team members fall into their roles, the pieces of the puzzle begin to fall into place. And as Riki learns the secrets behind his narcolepsy, a stunning truth about this world will be revealed, one that will change everything. Will the game continue into extra innings, or will it be called before the final player goes to bat? Riki made the team and his teammates came, but the next pitch may throw everyone in LITTLE BUSTERS! REFRAIN!



Tags: Coming of Age , Tragedy , Alternate Universe , Urban Fantasy , School , Afterlife , Time Manipulation , Found Family , Memory Manipulation , Bullying , Baseball , Amnesia , Ensemble Cast , School Club , Kuudere , Time Skip

Ixion Saga DT

Also known as Ixion Saga DT.

Studio: Brain's Base
Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Comedy , Fantasy

The game and anime follow Kon Hokaze, a boy who embarks on a journey from our world to an alternate world known as Mira, which is full a mysterious energy known as Alma. After saving Princess Ecarlate from attackers, he soon finds himself in the middle of a struggle around Alma.

Tags: Isekai , Parody , Male Protagonist , Transgender

Flip Flappers

Also known as FLIP FLAPPERS.

Studio: Studio 3Hz , Infinite , Happinet , Hakuhodo DY Music & Pictures , GAGA , Lantis , Medicos Entertainment , AT-X , Sotsu , BS Fuji , TOKYO MX , Ray
Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Adventure , Comedy , Fantasy , Mahou Shoujo , Psychological , Sci-Fi

As a middle school student, Cocona has been trying to decide what to do with her life. Magical Girl, however, wasn’t a career path that she’d ever considered. When suddenly a strange girl named Papika thrusts her into a secret organization called Flip Flap, Cocona’s outlook does a radical flip-flop. Her views start to change when she is dragged into an alternate dimension called Pure Illusion where she’s charged with gathering crystal shards and fighting strange creatures. Now, between running missions and facing off against a rival organization, Cocona doesn’t have much time to consider alternate career choices. What are these shards, and why is gathering them so important? There’s a mystery to be solved and multiple worlds to be saved in FLIP FLAPPERS!



Tags: Coming of Age , Female Protagonist , Henshin , LGBTQ+ Themes , Meta , Yuri , Magic , Primarily Female Cast , Surreal Comedy , Memory Manipulation , Super Power , Cult , Dissociative Identities , Time Manipulation , Isekai , Episodic , Tragedy , Age Regression , Twins , School , Love Triangle , Tsundere , Surfing , Parody , Yandere , Super Robot , Heterosexual