Anime like Nodame Cantabile

What is Nodame Cantabile about?

Studio: J.C.STAFF
Status: Finished

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: Primarily Adult Cast , Josei , Heterosexual , College , Classical Music , Female Protagonist , Male Protagonist , Band , Slapstick , CGI , Tsundere , LGBTQ+ Themes

Where to watch?

No streaming links available

Hachimitsu to Clover

Also known as Honey and Clover.

Studio: J.C.STAFF , Nomad , Genco , Viz Media , Asmik Ace , Dentsu , Discotek , Fuji TV
Status: Finished
Genres: Comedy , Drama , Romance , Slice of Life

Takemoto Yuuta, Mayama Takumi, and Morita Shinobu are college students who share the small apartment. Even though they live in poverty, the three of them are able to obtain pleasure through small things in life. The story follows these characters' life stories as poor college students, as well as their love lives when a short but talented 18 year old girl called Hanamoto Hagumi appears.

Tags: Coming of Age , Male Protagonist , College , Primarily Adult Cast , Heterosexual , Josei , Love Triangle , Unrequited Love , Primarily Male Cast , Drawing , Chibi , Kuudere

Where to watch?

Crunchyroll

RetroCrush

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

Where to watch?

Crunchyroll

Hulu

Bilibili TV

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Sakamichi no Apollon

Also known as Kids on the Slope.

Studio: Dentsu , Fuji TV , Tezuka Productions , Toho , DAX Production , Sentai Filmworks , MAPPA , Sony Music Entertainment , Hanabee Entertainment
Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Music , Romance , Slice of Life

The beginning of summer, 1966.

Because of his father's job situation, freshman high school student Kaoru Nishimi moves by himself from Yokosuka to Kyushu to live with relatives. Until then, Kaoru was an honor roll student who tended to keep to himself, but meeting notorious bad boy Sentaro Kawabuchi starts to change him. Through his devil-may-care classmate, Kaoru learns the attractions of jazz and finds the first person he can call a "friend". He also discovers how much fun it is to play music with a pal.

Other characters include Sentaro's kind childhood chum, Ritsuko, who is the daughter of a record shop owner; the mysterious upperclassman, Yurika; and Brother Jun, the much-admired leader among their peers. Set against the backdrop of a seaside town with a scent of American culture, this series is a drama about young people coming into their own, crossing each other's paths, and finding friendship, love, and music!

Tags: Coming of Age , Band , Love Triangle , Josei , Jazz Music , Male Protagonist , Heterosexual , Found Family , Primarily Male Cast , School , Rural , Religion , Historical , Primarily Teen Cast , Unrequited Love , Age Gap , Time Skip

Where to watch?

Crunchyroll

HIDIVE

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Piano no Mori (TV)

Also known as Forest of Piano.

Studio: Gaina
Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Music

A tranquil tale about two boys from very different upbringings. On one hand you have Kai, born as the son of a prostitute, who's been playing the abandoned piano in the forest near his home ever since he was young. And on the other you have Shuuhei, practically breast-fed by the piano as the son of a family of prestigious pianists. Yet it is their common bond with the piano that eventually intertwines their paths in life.

Tags: Coming of Age , Time Skip , Outdoor Activities , Teacher , Philosophy , Male Protagonist , Educational , Foreign , Classical Music , Urban , Bar , Primarily Male Cast , Seinen , Bullying , CGI

Where to watch?

Netflix

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Kono Oto Tomare! 2

Also known as Kono Oto Tomare!: Sounds of Life Season 2.

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

The second season of Kono Oto Tomare!

Despite their best efforts during the Kanto Region Music Festival, the Koto Club is hit with the harsh reality of their poor performance. In the face of disappointment, they still decide to hone their skills and set sight on their next target.

Tags: School Club , Heterosexual , Ensemble Cast , Coming of Age , Primarily Teen Cast , School , Band , Male Protagonist , Shounen , Delinquents , Bullying , Primarily Male Cast , Female Protagonist

Where to watch?

Hulu

Crunchyroll

Netflix

YouTube

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Ao no Orchestra

Studio: Nippon Animation , NHK , NHK Enterprises
Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Music

Hajime Aono was a prodigy violinist until he grew jaded with playing the violin due to personal reasons. Now in his third year of middle school, he struggles to decide his academic path. One day in school, he meets Ritsuko Akine, a hotheaded novice violinist who wants to enroll in a high school with a distinguished orchestra club. When he finds himself getting closer to Ritsuko and being brought back to the world of violinists, time starts moving again for him.

This is the beginning of a youthful drama where sounds and hearts alike resound in harmony.

Tags: Band , Male Protagonist , School Club , School , Primarily Teen Cast , Seinen , Bullying , Classical Music , CGI , Estranged Family

Where to watch?

YouTube

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Piano no Mori

Studio: MADHOUSE , Sony Music Entertainment
Status: Finished
Genres: Adventure , Comedy , Drama , Music

Amamiya Shuuhei moves from Tokyo to the country side due to his grandmother's bad health. His father is a famous pianist and Shuuhei has taken strict piano lessons since he was very young, aspiring to follow in his footsteps. In school, he is teased by his classmates and is dared to play the piano in the forest. This piano is said to be cursed: if you play it, no sound will come. After school, Ichinose Kai, a boy in the same class, takes Shuuhei to the forest. When Shuuhei tries to play he fails, but Kai plays a wonderful song.

This is the beginning of a strong friendship, and a story of two very different boys developing their skills as musicians.

Tags: Primarily Child Cast , Classical Music , Male Protagonist , Coming of Age , Primarily Male Cast , School , Bullying , Rural , Seinen

Where to watch?

No streaming links available

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Hibike! Euphonium

Also known as Sound! Euphonium.

Studio: Kyoto Animation , Pony Canyon , Lantis , Rakuonsha
Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Music , Slice of Life

Spring in the first year of high school. Kumiko, a member of the brass band in junior high school, visits the high school brass band club with classmates Hazuki and Sapphire. There, she comes across Reina, her former classmate from junior high. Hazuki and Sapphire decide to join the club, but Kumiko can’t make up her mind. She recollects her experience with Reina at a competition in junior high school.

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

Where to watch?

Crunchyroll

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Chihayafuru

Also known as Chihayafuru.

Studio: MADHOUSE , VAP , Nippon Television Network
Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Romance , Slice of Life , Sports

Chihaya Ayase is a girl who has spent most of her life simply supporting her sister in her model career. That changes when she meets a boy named Arata Wataya, a talented karuta player who recognizes Chihaya's potential to become a great player herself. As Chihaya takes on a new dream of becoming Japan's best karuta player, she is soon separated from her karuta playing friends, Taichi Mashima and Arata Wataya, as they grow up. Now in high school, Chihaya still continues to play karuta in the hope that she will one day meet her friends again.

Tags: Karuta , Female Protagonist , School Club , Coming of Age , Love Triangle , Josei , School , Heterosexual , Ensemble Cast , Primarily Teen Cast , Unrequited Love , Athletics , Bullying , Slapstick , Tomboy , CGI

Where to watch?

Crunchyroll

Bilibili TV

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Skip to Loafer

Also known as Skip and Loafer.

Studio: P.A.WORKS , DMM.com , Kodansha , Crunchyroll , NetEase Games , Kansai TV , BS Asahi , A-Sketch
Status: Finished
Genres: Comedy , Romance , Slice of Life

This country girl is ready for the big city! Well, at least she thought she was. Mitsumi’s dream is to attend a prestigious school and make the world a better place. But when she finally gets to Tokyo, it turns out she isn’t exactly prepared for city life. Luckily, she runs into Shima, a sweet and handsome classmate who becomes her first friend! Can she make it in Tokyo with Shima by her side?

Tags: School , Female Protagonist , Primarily Teen Cast , Coming of Age , Urban , Heterosexual , Seinen , Iyashikei , Acting , Transgender , Rural , Coastal

Where to watch?

Crunchyroll

Bilibili TV

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