Anime like Chouyaku Hyakuninisshu: Uta Koi.

Chihayafuru

Also known as Chihayafuru.

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

Chihaya Ayase has spent most of her life supporting her sister’s model career. When she meets a boy named Arata Wataya, he thinks Chihaya has potential to become a great karuta player. As Chihaya dreams of becoming Japan's best karuta player, she is soon separated from her karuta playing friends. Now in high school, Chihaya still plays karuta in the hope that she will one day meet her friends again.



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

Heike Monogatari

Also known as The Heike Story.

Studio: Science SARU , Asmik Ace , Dentsu , Fuji TV , bilibili , Pony Canyon , BS Fuji
Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Supernatural

A young orphan named Biwa is taken in by the powerful Taira Clan—also known as the Heike—after their leader witnesses her extraordinary psychic abilities. Unfortunately, what she predicts is a future of bloodshed, violence, and civil war. Inspired by the 12th-century epic tale Heike Monogatari.



Tags: Tragedy , Politics , Classic Literature , War , Historical , Philosophy , Military , Religion , Samurai , Suicide , Ghost , Female Protagonist , Orphan , Conspiracy , Archery , Time Skip , Tomboy , Adoption , Ships , Transgender

Kaguya-hime no Monogatari

Also known as The Tale of The Princess Kaguya.

Studio: Studio Ghibli
Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Fantasy , Romance

Okina is a bamboo cutter in ancient rural Japan. One day in the forest, he finds a tiny baby in the folds of a bamboo shoot. He brings the creature home to his wife Ounaa and they decide to keep her and raise her as a princess. She is clearly not of this world. Kaguya grows at an unnatural rate, soon maturing into an uncommonly beautiful young woman. Since Okina has now also found a cache of gold and treasure in the forest, every suitor wants Kaguya. But this is not a fairy tale of courtship and marriage.



Tags: Classic Literature , Philosophy , Tragedy , Fairy Tale , Female Protagonist , Historical , Family Life , Rural , Religion , Gods , Amnesia , Primarily Adult Cast , Travel , Agriculture , Adoption , Unrequited Love , Heterosexual , Horticulture , Environmental , Calligraphy

Genji Monogatari Sennenki

Also known as Millennium Old Journal: Tale of Genji.

Studio: Tezuka Productions , TMS Entertainment
Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Romance

Born from a much loved, but lowly ranked concubine, Genji Hikaru is called the Shining Prince and is the beloved second son of the Emperor. Although he cannot be an heir to the throne of his father, Genji spends his life surrounded by every pleasure and love. And yet, his one longing in love is something that even the power of an Emperor can never give him.



Tags: Historical , Classic Literature , Primarily Adult Cast , Male Protagonist , Tragedy

Chihayafuru 2

Also known as Chihayafuru 2.

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

Now in their second year of high school, Chihaya and her friends share all the fun and worries that come with welcoming underclassmen to the team as they face tough rival schools. The passion of the Mizusawa Karuta Club burns hotter than ever, but with the same refreshing, youthful mood carrying over from the first season.



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

Oooku

Also known as Ōoku: The Inner Chambers.

Studio: Studio DEEN , Netflix
Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Romance , Slice of Life

In Edo period Japan (1603 to 1868), a strange new disease called the Redface Pox has begun to prey on the country's men. Within eighty years of the first outbreak, the male population has fallen to a quarter of the total female population. Women have taken on all the roles traditionally granted to men, even that of the Shogun. The men, precious providers of life, are carefully protected and the most beautiful of the men are sent to serve in the Shogun's Inner Chambers.



Note: The first episode has a runtime of 1 hour and 18 minutes.

Tags: Matriarchy , Historical , Pandemic , Politics , Tragedy , Royal Affairs , Gender Bending , Samurai , Male Protagonist , Primarily Adult Cast , Shoujo , Crossdressing , Acting , Heterosexual , Female Protagonist , Achronological Order , Swordplay , LGBTQ+ Themes , Parenthood , Suicide , Tsundere , Religion , Matchmaking , Disability

Saraiya Goyou

Also known as House of Five Leaves.

Studio: Manglobe , NIS America Inc. , Doga Kobo , Xebec
Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Mystery

Masterless samurai Akitsu Masanosuke is a skilled and loyal swordsman, but his naïve, diffident nature has more than once caused him to be let go by the lords who employ him. Hungry and desperate, he agrees to become a bodyguard for Yaichi, the charismatic leader of a group calling itself “Five Leaves.” Although disturbed by the gang’s sinister activities, Masa begins to suspect that Yaichi’s motivations are not what they seem. And despite his misgivings, the deeper he’s drawn into the world of the Five Leaves, the more he finds himself fascinated by these devious, mysterious outlaws.



Tags: Seinen , Samurai , Male Protagonist , Historical , Primarily Adult Cast , Crime , Primarily Male Cast , Oiran , Swordplay , LGBTQ+ Themes

Genji Monogatari

Studio: TV Asahi , Group TAC , Asmik Ace , Nippon Herald Eiga , Asahi Shimbun
Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Romance

Based on the literary work of Shikibu Murasaki, The Tale of Genji is a story of the Emperor`s second son born by a courtier. Made a commoner, he served as a retainer to the court.

Tags: Historical , Classic Literature , Politics , Male Protagonist

Inu-ou

Also known as Inu-Oh.

Studio: Science SARU , Asmik Ace , Aniplex
Status: Finished
Genres: Adventure , Music , Supernatural

Musical fantasy film based on Hideo Furukawa's Heike Monogatari: Inu-Ou no Maki (Tales of the Heike: Inu-Ou) novel.

Inu-Oh is born with unique physical characteristics. His parents cover every inch of his body with garments, including a mask on his face. One day, Inu-Oh meets a blind boy named Tomona, a biwa player. As Tomona starts to sing and play, Inu-Oh is amazed to discover he has an incredible ability to dance. The two become inseparable. Tomona and Inu-Oh start sharing their talent with audiences. Their performances quickly gain acclaim and draw crowds. But why is Tomona blind? Why was Inu-Oh born looking like he does? A story about a legendary artist from 14th-century Japan, who defied fate to forge his own destiny. An anime in the form of a rock operetta with spectacular music and dance sequences.



Note: The film received an early premiere at the 78th Venice International Film Festival on September 9, 2021.

Tags: Band , Musical Theater , Anachronism , Male Protagonist , Primarily Male Cast , Dancing , Historical , Tragedy , Disability , Rock Music , Acting , Time Skip , Samurai , Demons , Gender Bending

Maiko-san Chi no Makanai-san

Also known as Kiyo in Kyoto: From the Maiko House.

Studio: J.C.STAFF , NHK , NHK Enterprises
Status: Finished
Genres: Slice of Life

Kiyo and Sumire came to Kyoto from Aomori Prefecture, dreaming of becoming maiko. But after an unexpected turn of events, Kiyo starts working as the live-in cook at the Maiko House. Their story unfolds in Kagai, the Geiko and maiko district in Kyoto, alongside their housemate maikos. Kiyo nourishes them daily with her homecooked meals, and Sumire strives toward her promising future as the once-in-a-century maiko.



Note: Each episode was released on the fourth Thursday of each month. One episode usually features three chapters.

Tags: Food , Primarily Female Cast , Female Protagonist , Iyashikei , Educational , Full CGI , Cute Girls Doing Cute Things , Work , Makeup , Shounen , Coming of Age