Top Autobiographical Anime Recommendations

Hotaru no Haka

Also known as Grave of the Fireflies.

Studio: Studio Ghibli
Status: Finished
Genres: Drama

In the aftermath of a World War II bombing, two orphaned children struggle to survive in the Japanese countryside. To Seita and his four-year-old sister, the helplessness and indifference of their countrymen is even more painful than the enemy raids. Through desperation, hunger and grief, these children's lives are as heartbreakingly fragile as their spirit and love is inspiring.



Tags: Tragedy , Survival , Orphan , War , Family Life , Historical , Primarily Child Cast , Autobiographical , Rural , Military , Homeless , Female Protagonist , Male Protagonist , Educational

Look Back

Also known as LOOK BACK.

Studio: Studio Durian
Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Slice of Life

Ayumu Fujino is a fourth grader who draws a manga strip for the school newspaper. Her art makes her the star of the class, but one day she's told that Kyomoto, a student who refuses to come to school, would also like to submit a manga for the paper...



Tags: Drawing , Female Protagonist , Tragedy , Coming of Age , Primarily Female Cast , Otaku Culture , Time Manipulation , Hikikomori , Work , Meta , Rotoscoping , Autobiographical , School , Shounen

Uchuu Patrol Luluco

Also known as Space Patrol Luluco.

Studio: Trigger
Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Adventure , Comedy , Romance , Sci-Fi

The show takes place in Ogikubo, which is the name of the specially designated area in space in the Milky Way where Earthlings and aliens can live together. Luluco is a female middle school student who lives with her father, and no matter where she is, Luluco is a common, "super normal" girl. As she is living her normal life, one day the mysterious transfer student ΑΩ Nova abruptly appears before her. That meeting will change Luluco's fate.



Tags: Space , Parody , Coming of Age , Female Protagonist , Surreal Comedy , Crossover , Primarily Teen Cast , Henshin , Aliens , Meta , Police , Super Power , Autobiographical , Tokusatsu , Guns , Heterosexual , Kuudere , Work , Pirates , Monster Girl , Estranged Family , School , Philosophy

Aoi Bungaku Series

Also known as Blue Literature Series.

Studio: MADHOUSE
Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Psychological , Thriller

The series consists of adaptations of six modern classics of Japanese literature: Osamu Dazai’s No Longer Human (Ningen Shikkaku) & Run Melos! (Hashire Melos!), Natsume Soseki’s Kokoro, Ryunosuke Akutagawa’s Hell Screen (Jigoku Hen) & The Spider's Thread (Kumo no Ito), and Ango Sakaguchi's In the Forest, Under Cherries in Full Bloom (Sakura no Mori no Mankai no Shita).

No Longer Human (Ningen Shikkaku) - A high school student becomes lost and alienated. Despondent and aimless, he falls into a cycle of self abuse, depression and drugs that taints his life for years. Told in three chapters, each chapter deals with a different point in his life and the final chapter leaves him standing alone - an empty and hollow charicature of his former self.

In the Forest, Under Cherries in Full Bloom (Sakura no Mori no Mankai no Shita) - A love story between a 12th-century woman and a mountain bandit who abducts her.

Kokoro - A 1914 tale of a young man's life journey during the Meiji era. The work deals with the transition from the Japanese Meiji society to the modern era, by exploring the friendship between a young man and an older man he calls "Sensei". It continues the theme of isolation developed in Soseki's previous works, here in the context of interwoven strands of egoism and guilt, as opposed to shame.

Run Melos! (Hashire Melos!) - An updated retelling of a classic Greek tale of the story of Damon and Pythias. The most prominent theme of "Run Melos!" is unwavering friendship. Despite facing hardships, the protagonist Melos does his best to save his friend's life, and in the end his efforts are rewarded.

The Spider's Thread (Kumo no Ito) - The Buddha Shakyamuni chances to notice a cold-hearted criminal suffering in Hell. But this criminal did perform one single act of kindness in not stepping on a spider in a forest. Moved by this selfless act, Shakyamuni takes the silvery thread of a spider in Paradise and lowers it down into Hell, but it falls upon the criminal to seize the opportunity and pull himself out - if he can.

Hell Screen (Jigoku Hen) - A famous artist is commissioned by a great lord to create a series of paintings depicting scenes of the 'Buddhist Hell'. The artist is unable to paint scenes that he has not seen himself, prompting him to torture and torment the Lord's staff to create his imagined images of hell. His creative efforts taint the household, as the story descends into madness and destruction.



Tags: Classic Literature , Tragedy , Philosophy , Anthology , Historical , Suicide , Autobiographical , Urban , Primarily Adult Cast , Drawing , War , Gore , Trains , Politics , Rural , Demons , Ojou-sama , Female Harem , Writing , Fairy Tale , Afterlife , Delinquents , Psychosexual

Kimitachi wa Dou Ikiru ka

Also known as The Boy and the Heron.

Studio: Studio Ghibli
Status: Finished
Genres: Adventure , Drama , Fantasy , Supernatural

While the Second World War rages, the teenage Mahito, haunted by his mother’s tragic death, is relocated from Tokyo to the serene rural home of his new stepmother Natsuko, a woman who bears a striking resemblance to the boy’s mother. As he tries to adjust, this strange new world grows even stranger following the appearance of a persistent gray heron, who perplexes and bedevils Mahito, dubbing him the “long-awaited one.”



Tags: Fairy Tale , Animals , Coming of Age , Autobiographical , Isekai , Anthropomorphism , Shapeshifting , Urban Fantasy , Tragedy , Adoption , Philosophy , Male Protagonist , Time Manipulation , Historical , Rural , Age Regression , War , Archery , Bullying

Gaikotsu Shotenin Honda-san

Also known as Skull-face Bookseller Honda-san.

Studio: DLE
Status: Finished
Genres: Comedy , Slice of Life

Honda-san is at war - with business, with out-of-print books, and with people who love manga! Who knew there were so many laughs to be found at the manga counter of a bookstore?! These are the day-to-day happenings that take place at a certain bookstore where the love of manga is abundant.



Tags: Work , Otaku Culture , Slapstick , Skeleton , Urban , Episodic , Autobiographical , Surreal Comedy , Primarily Adult Cast , Male Protagonist , Educational , Language Barrier , Shoujo

Hadashi no Gen

Also known as Barefoot Gen.

Studio: MADHOUSE
Status: Finished
Genres: Drama

It's the summer of 1945. 3 years have elapsed since the war between Japan and USA began. Gen is a young boy living a struggling yet satisfying life in the city of Hiroshima, that has been strangely spared by the bombing taken in almost every other Japanese City. Food is scarce, and Gen's family is suffering from severe malnutrition, which endangeres his pregnant mother. There isn't much spare time as Gen and his little brother Shinji help their father and mother at work and try to make sure their family survives the tought times. Little do they know, what the Americans have in store for the city of Hiroshima and as of the 6th of August 1945, their lives are about to change dramatically.



Tags: Historical , Tragedy , War , Autobiographical , Gore , Body Horror , Male Protagonist , Primarily Child Cast , Nudity , Educational

Mai Mai Shinko to Sennen no Mahou

Also known as Mai-Mai Miracle.

Studio: MADHOUSE
Status: Finished
Genres: Adventure , Drama , Slice of Life

The story is set in 1955 in Kokuga, Hofu City, Yamaguchi Prefecture.

One thousand years ago it was the site of the ancient capital, Suo no Kuni, and traces of the Heian Period (year 794-1185) are passed down to us in the form of ruins and historical place names.

The protagonist is Shinko, a third grade elementary school student, who was born and raised in one of the town's venerable families. She is a little girl whose characteristic is a strange curl on her forehead (she calls it her "Mai Mai"), and her love for playing in the fields. On the other hand, her secret joy is to imagine and to daydream about the world of one thousand years ago. Her fantasies travel far into the days of the Heian Period…

One day, a girl called Kiiko transfers from Tokyo and enters Shinko's class. This girl from the big city has difficulty feeling at home in this small town, but gradually her friendship with Shinko deepens.

Before long, the two of them become engulfed in a strange incident of one thousand years earlier...?!

Tags: Primarily Child Cast , Rural , Historical , Female Protagonist , Tragedy , Coming of Age , Family Life , Autobiographical , Yakuza , Kids , Suicide

Hadashi no Gen 2

Also known as Barefoot Gen 2.

Studio: MADHOUSE
Status: Finished
Genres: Drama

Three years have passed since the bombing of Hiroshima and Gen is now a fourth-grader. Hiroshima is still a ruin, and Gen must scrounge for scrap metal to help keep himself and his remaining family fed, but at least commerce has returned to the land. As his mother gradually grows ill from radiation sickness, Gen and Ryuta befriend a group of orphans led by a tough-nosed older child and including a girl who still bears ugly burn scars from the day of the bomb. An old man suffering from depression is also drawn into the group as they come together to support each other and form a makeshift family. Reality is still harsh, however, as many orphans still die lonely deaths and the grim reminders of what happened linger everywhere.



Tags: Historical , Tragedy , Autobiographical , Male Protagonist , Primarily Child Cast , Shounen , Educational

Ushiro no Shoumen Daare

Also known as Who's Left Behind?.

Studio: Mushi Production
Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Slice of Life

Kayoko is a young girl in 1940, just starting first grade. She's a bit of a crybaby, which is no secret to those around her. She loves playing with friends and singing cute schoolyard chants, and occasionally having fun with her three older brothers. Her mother is pregnant, and so she looks forward to being a big sister, only partially understanding the responsibility that might bring. Meanwhile, the war effort is growing, and it`s only the natural thing to do to be patriotic and support the country...

Kayoko goes so far as to contribute her favorite dolly, whose materials could help build explosives. Time passes, and as she grows older, Kayoko sees how the war has affected her life and those around her. Nothing can prepare her for 1945, however, and the bleak times that are soon to come. Based on original creator Kayoko Ebina's real life experience during World War 2 on Showa era.



Tags: Historical , War , Female Protagonist , Autobiographical , Tragedy , Family Life , Coming of Age , Survival , Time Skip

Chibi Maruko-chan

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

Momoko Sakura is an elementary school student who likes popular idol Momoe Yamaguchi and mangas. She is often called "Chibi Maruko-chan" due to her young age and small size. She lives together with her parents, her grandparents and her elder sister in a little town. In school, she has many friends with whom she studies and plays together everyday, including her close pal, Tama-chan; the student committee members, Maruo-kun and Migiwa-san; and the B-class trio: 'little master' Hanawa-kun, Hamaji-Bu Taro and Sekiguchi-kun. This is a fun-loving and enjoyable anime that portrays the simple things in life.



Tags: Family Life , Shoujo , Chibi , Female Protagonist , Episodic , Primarily Child Cast , Historical , Autobiographical , Slapstick

Hyakushou Kizoku

Also known as Hyakusho Kizoku-the farmer's days.

Studio: Pie in the sky
Status: Finished
Genres: Comedy , Slice of Life

"If they have no water, then let them drink milk."

Before becoming a manga author, Hiromu Arakawa was a farmer for seven years in Hokkaido. She raised cows, grew vegetables, feared bears and got jerked around by squirrels! She worked all year long from morning to night without any breaks - and it was tough! If you read the manga, you'll understand. Farmers are cool!! The author of Fullmetal Alchemist presents her life of blood, sweat and laughter in comic (and now in anime) form!!



Tags: Rural , Agriculture , Shoujo , Educational , Autobiographical , Animals , Female Protagonist , Aliens , Space , School , Economics , Dystopian

Madogiwa no Totto-chan

Studio: Shin-Ei Animation
Status: Finished
Genres: Slice of Life

This engaging series of childhood recollections tells about an ideal school in Tokyo during World War II that combined learning with fun, freedom, and love. This unusual school had old railroad cars for classrooms, and it was run by an extraordinary man-its founder and headmaster, Sosaku Kobayashi--who was a firm believer in freedom of expression and activity.

In real life, the Totto-chan of the book has become one of Japan's most popular television personalities--Tetsuko Kuroyanagi. She attributes her success in life to this wonderful school and its headmaster.

The charm of this account has won the hearts of millions of people of all ages and made this book a runaway bestseller in Japan, with sales hitting the 4.5 million mark in its first year.



Tags: Autobiographical , Disability , Kids , Rural , War , School , Tragedy

Araiguma Rascal

Also known as Raccoon Rascal.

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

The 11 year old Robby North and his friend Oscar live in Wisconsin. During fishing they hear a shot. A racoon-mother was shot. Robby takes the baby of this racoon with him and cares for it. The boy names the racoon Rascal.



Tags: Rural , Autobiographical , Foreign , Male Protagonist , Animals , Historical , Classic Literature

O-Hoshisama no Rail

Also known as Rail of the Star: A True Story of Children.

Studio: MADHOUSE
Status: Finished
Genres: Drama

A young Japanese actress remembers her war childhood in Korea. Her father goes to fight, her baby sister Miko dies of typhoid, her beloved Korean maid Ohana is fired due to a mistake which could cost Chiko her life... By and by Chiko realizes that the country is being ruled by the Japanese and the Koreans are persecuted. When the war ends, the Koreans chase the Japanese rule and the roles change. Now Chiko's family is unwanted. But then the Russians come and this is the end. They have to burn all the pictures to avoid all suspicions... even Miko's picture. But when the Russians come to their house, they decide to flee over the 38th Parallel towards freedom. A group of men, women, children struggles along the mountains, led by the light of the North Star. Along the way they meet a Korean man, who is willing to help them to escape the Russian soldiers although his family was killed by the Japanese.



Tags: Historical , Autobiographical , Foreign , Fugitive , Tragedy , War , Family Life , Language Barrier

Jigazou

Also known as Self Portrait.

Status: Finished
Genres: Comedy

This extremely brief film was Osamu Tezuka's answer to a challenge presented to the leaders of the international animation community to create animated self-portraits.




Tags: Autobiographical

Hyakushou Kizoku 2

Studio: Pie in the sky
Status: Finished
Genres: Comedy , Slice of Life

The second season of Hyakushou Kizoku.

Tags: Agriculture , Shoujo , Autobiographical , Female Protagonist , Rural , Work , Animals , Meta , Family Life

Aru Nihon no Ekaki Shounen

Also known as A Japanese Boy Who Draws.

Status: Finished
Genres: Drama

An experimental animation and documentary about the life of a boy who wants to become a manga artist.

Tags: Autobiographical , Meta , Drawing , Coming of Age , Work , Rotoscoping , Otaku Culture

8-gatsu no Symphony: Shibuya 2002-2003

Also known as Symphony in August.

Status: Finished
Genres: Music

Based on the autobiography of the singer Kawashima Ai. The name of the book is "Saigo no Kotoba (The Last Words)" and it follows Kawashima Ai's life after her mother's death.
The story chronicles her journey to make her dream come true to be a singer and, among other things, how she used to perform for free on Tokyo's streets.

Tags: Autobiographical , Adoption , Female Protagonist , Urban , Tragedy

Eikoku Ikka, Nihon wo Taberu

Also known as Sushi and Beyond.

Studio: Fanworks
Status: Finished
Genres: Comedy , Slice of Life

Inspired by a book on Japanese cuisine written by British food writer Michael Booth, this family oriented foodie anime runs the gamut from chanko to yakisoba, and almost everything in between. Booth becomes obsessed with Japanese cuisine after reading about it, so he and his wife and their two young boys travel the length of Japan over three months, devouring everything in their way. If you're curious about okonomiyaki, or fearful of natto, you'll definitely enjoy this fun, light-hearted trans-national food voyage!



Tags: Food , Educational , Autobiographical , Agriculture , Flash