Anime like Sanzoku no Musume Ronja

Karigurashi no Arrietty

Also known as The Secret World of Arrietty.

Studio: Studio Ghibli , Walt Disney Studios
Status: Finished
Genres: Adventure , Drama , Fantasy

Arrietty, a tiny but tenacious 14-year-old, lives with her parents in the recesses of a suburban garden home, unbeknownst to the homeowner and her housekeeper. Like all little people, Arrietty remains hidden from view, except during occasional covert ventures beyond the floorboards to "borrow" scrap supplies like sugar cubes from her human hosts. But when 12-year-old Shou, a human boy who comes to stay in the home, discovers his mysterious housemate one evening, a secret friendship blossoms. If discovered, their relationship could drive Arrietty's family from the home and straight into danger.



Tags: Rural , Family Life , Classic Literature , Female Protagonist , Coming of Age , Work , Iyashikei , Horticulture , Interspecies

Eden

Also known as Eden.

Studio: Qubic Pictures , CGCG Studio Inc. , Netflix
Status: Finished
Genres: Adventure , Sci-Fi

Thousands of years in the future, a city known as “Eden 3” is inhabited solely by robots whose former masters vanished a long time ago. On a routine assignment, two farming robots accidentally awaken a human baby girl from stasis questioning all they were taught to believe -- that humans were nothing more than a forbidden ancient myth. Together, the two robots secretly raise the child in a safe haven outside Eden.



Tags: Artificial Intelligence , Female Protagonist , Full CGI , Family Life , Robots , Post-Apocalyptic , Environmental , Coming of Age , Real Robot , Found Family , Tanned Skin , Memory Manipulation , Lost Civilization

Kemono no Souja Erin

Also known as Erin.

Studio: Production I.G , Trans Arts , NHK Enterprises
Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Fantasy

In the land of Ryoza, the neighboring provinces of Shin-Ou and Tai-Kou have been at peace. Queen Shinou is the ruler of Ryoza and her greatest general, Grand Duke Taikou, defends the kingdom with his army of powerful war-lizards known as the "Touda." Although the two regions have enjoyed a long-standing alliance, mounting tensions threaten to spark a fierce civil war.

Within Ake, a village in Tai-Kou tasked with raising the Grand Duke's army, lives Erin, a bright girl who spends her days watching the work of her mother Soyon, the village's head Touda doctor. But while under Soyon's care, a disastrous incident befalls the Grand Duke's strongest Touda, and the peace that Erin and her mother had been enjoying vanishes as Soyon is punished severely. In a desperate attempt to save her mother, Erin ends up falling in a river and is swept towards Shin-Ou.

Unable to return home, Erin must learn to lead a new life with completely different people, all while hunting for the truth of both beasts and humanity itself, with tensions between the two regions constantly escalating.



Tags: Coming of Age , Tragedy , Animals , Conspiracy , Female Protagonist , Veterinarian , Environmental , Politics , Philosophy , Boarding School , Matriarchy , Teacher , Time Skip , Rural , War , Adoption , Historical , Kids

Akage no Anne

Also known as Anne of Green Gables.

Studio: Nippon Animation
Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Slice of Life

Anne is an orphan full of imagination. When she arrives at her new home she learns that sometimes you have to be a sensible person too; at the same time her unique character changes, or at least attracts, the people around her. The story covers Anne's growth from about eleven to seventeen years old as she makes friends, goes to school and studies. At a difficult point in her life, Anne will have to make a hard choice and perhaps find a new dream.

Tags: Coming of Age , Classic Literature , Female Protagonist , Historical , Family Life , Orphan , Rural , Adoption , Iyashikei , Found Family , School , Time Skip , Foreign , Tragedy , Agriculture , Religion , Primarily Female Cast , Kids , Body Image , Horticulture , School Club , Primarily Child Cast , Trains , Tsundere , Musical Theater , College , Elderly Protagonist

Tonari no Totoro

Also known as My Neighbor Totoro.

Studio: Studio Ghibli , Studio Fantasia , Walt Disney Studios , GKIDS
Status: Finished
Genres: Adventure , Fantasy , Slice of Life , Supernatural

Follow the adventures of Satsuki and her four-year-old sister Mei when they move into a new home in the countryside. To their delight they discover that their new neighbor is a mysterious forest spirit called Totoro who can be seen only through the eyes of a child. Totoro introduces them to extraordinary characters, including a cat that doubles as a bus, takes them on a journey through the wonders of nature.



Tags: Family Life , Primarily Child Cast , Rural , Youkai , Wilderness , Female Protagonist , Urban Fantasy , Kids , Gods , Primarily Female Cast , Iyashikei , Environmental , Horticulture

Tanoshii Moomin Ikka

Also known as Moomin.

Studio: Telescreen BV , TV Tokyo
Status: Finished
Genres: Adventure , Comedy , Fantasy , Slice of Life

In the remote and mysterious Moomin Valley live the Moomin trolls, gentle and peaceful creatures. Young Moomin and his family experience many strange adventures, both magical and mundane. Based on the children's stories by Tove Jansson.



Tags: Iyashikei , Family Life , Outdoor Activities , Rural , Kids , Episodic , Classic Literature , Anthropomorphism , Tomboy , Philosophy , Travel , Witch , Pirates , Dragons , Amnesia , Coastal , Mermaid , Aliens , Drawing , Ships , Writing , Acting , Police , Monster Boy , Aviation , Fishing , Snowscape , Ghost

Alps no Shoujo Heidi

Also known as Heidi, Girl of the Alps.

Studio: Fuji TV , Zuiyou Eizou
Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Slice of Life

After becoming an orphan, Heidi is forced to live with her grandfather Öhi, who lives in the Alps. She learns he's a very bitter man who only accepted by force to take her in. But Heidi's kindness may be able to open his heart. Together with the shepherd Peter and invalid Klara, she has lots of adventures.



Tags: Classic Literature , Rural , Foreign , Kids , Rehabilitation , Female Protagonist , Historical , Primarily Child Cast , Coming of Age , Animals , Urban , Family Life , Agriculture , Philosophy , Orphan , School

Juuni Kokuki

Also known as The Twelve Kingdoms.

Studio: Studio Pierrot , Sogo Vision , Discotek
Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Adventure , Fantasy , Supernatural

Nakajima Youko is your average somewhat timid high school student. One day, a strange man named Keiki appears before her, swearing allegiance. Before she could properly register what was happening, demon-like creatures attack Youko and her friends, after which they are pulled into a different world. A world unlike what she has ever known. Separated from Keiki, Youko and her friends must do whatever they can if they wish to survive in this new world.

Tags: Isekai , Female Protagonist , Coming of Age , Politics , Language Barrier , War , Conspiracy , Tragedy , Kingdom Management , Youkai , Swordplay , Bullying , Anthropomorphism , Shapeshifting , Magic , Shrine Maiden , Royal Affairs , Shoujo , Tanned Skin , Military , Alternate Universe , Chimera , Travel , Fugitive , Survival , Crossdressing

Porphy no Nagai Tabi

Also known as The Orphans of Simitra.

Studio: Nippon Animation
Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Slice of Life

Porfy, his younger sister Mina, and their parents live a humble but happy life in the Grecian countryside. They've just started running a gas station, much to Porphy's joy, and it seems like only good things are in store for their future. However, a huge earthquake changes all that, leaving Porfy without a home or a family -- sans Mina, who seems to have disappeared in the commotion. Now, Porfy is determined to find his sister and be able to live together happily again.

Tags: Kids , Historical , Foreign , Cars , Rural , Coming of Age

Les Misérables: Shoujo Cosette

Studio: Nippon Animation
Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Slice of Life

Based on the famous classic novel Les Miserables.

Being a single mother is hard in early 19th Century France. When young Cosette was traveling with her mother trying to find a job and a place to live, they were always shunned away because very few employers hire single mothers. When she is promised with the prosperity of working in the big city, Cosette is separated from her mother in the hopes a caretaker will watch over her while her mother earns some money. Unfortunately this was a trick and the caretaker is a corrupt man who makes Cosette his indentured servant. Then the kind mayor of the town that Cosette makes her new home in sees how winds of change are so detrimental for children and families, and decides to do something about it.



Tags: Historical , Classic Literature , Coming of Age , Female Protagonist , Foreign , Bullying , Tragedy , Heterosexual , Dystopian , Class Struggle , Time Skip , Police , Inn , Military , Found Family , Fugitive , Love Triangle , Male Protagonist , Guns , Animals , Marriage , Religion , Prison