Top Modeling Anime Recommendations

Sono Bisque Doll wa Koi wo Suru

Also known as My Dress-Up Darling.

Studio: CloverWorks
Status: Finished
Genres: Comedy , Ecchi , Romance , Slice of Life

High schooler Wakana Gojou cares about one thing: making Hina dolls. With nobody to share his obsession, he has trouble finding friends—or even holding conversation. But after the school’s most popular girl, Marin Kitagawa, reveals a secret of her own, he discovers a new purpose for his sewing skills. Together, they’ll make her cosplay dreams come true!



Tags: Cosplay , Otaku Culture , Fashion , Male Protagonist , Heterosexual , Primarily Teen Cast , Female Protagonist , Gyaru , Seinen , Modeling , Urban , Iyashikei , Photography , Slapstick , Makeup , Coming of Age , School , Unrequited Love

PERFECT BLUE

Also known as Perfect Blue.

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

Rising pop star Mima has quit singing to pursue a career as an actress and model, but her fans aren’t ready to see her go... Encouraged by her managers, Mima takes on a recurring role on a popular TV show, when suddenly her handlers and collaborators begin turning up murdered. Harboring feelings of guilt and haunted by visions of her former self, Mima’s reality and fantasy meld into a frenzied paranoia. As her stalker closes in, in person and online, the threat he poses is more real than even Mima knows, in this iconic psychological thriller that has frequently been hailed as one of the most important animated films of all time.



Note: The film received an early premiere at the Fantasia Film Festival on August 5, 1997.

Tags: Dissociative Identities , Denpa , Female Protagonist , Acting , Idol , Primarily Adult Cast , Work , Meta , Filmmaking , Philosophy , Tragedy , Gore , Nudity , Noir , Feet , Modeling

Sono Bisque Doll wa Koi wo Suru Season 2

Also known as My Dress-Up Darling Season 2.

Studio: CloverWorks
Status: Finished
Genres: Comedy , Ecchi , Romance , Slice of Life

When Marin Kitagawa and Wakana Gojo met, they grew close over their love for cosplay. Through interacting with classmates and making new cosplay friends, Marin and Wakana’s world keeps growing. New developments arise as Marin’s love for Wakana continues to be filled with endless excitement. In their ever-expanding world, Marin and Wakana’s story of cosplay and thrills continues!



Tags: Cosplay , Otaku Culture , Gyaru , Fashion , Makeup , Female Protagonist , Male Protagonist , Heterosexual , Crossdressing , Body Image , Photography , Urban , Modeling , Educational , School , Slapstick , Rotoscoping , Gender Bending , Chibi , Femboy , Mixed Media , Unrequited Love , Seinen , Iyashikei , Puppetry , CGI

Ore no Imouto ga Konna ni Kawaii Wake ga Nai

Also known as Oreimo.

Studio: AIC Build
Status: Finished
Genres: Comedy , Slice of Life

Kousaka Kyousuke, a normal 17-year-old high school student living in Chiba, has not gotten along with his younger sister Kirino in years. For longer than he can remember, Kirino has ignored his comings and goings and looked at him with spurning eyes. It seemed as if the relationship between Kyousuke and his sister, now fourteen, would continue this way forever. One day however, Kyousuke finds a DVD case of a magical girl anime which had fallen in his house's entrance way.



Tags: Otaku Culture , Heterosexual , Tsundere , Incest , Urban , Primarily Female Cast , Primarily Teen Cast , Writing , Male Protagonist , Kuudere , Cosplay , Coming of Age , Female Harem , Family Life , Chuunibyou , Love Triangle , Parody , School , Badminton , Modeling

Paradise Kiss

Studio: MADHOUSE
Status: Finished
Genres: Comedy , Drama , Romance , Slice of Life

Hayasaka Yukari is a typical high-school student who listens to her parents and attends school every day. As she starts to question her way of life, she encounters a group of fashion design students who have a clothing label known as "Paradise Kiss." The group needs to find a model to showcase their designs in an up-coming fashion show and decides to pick Yukari. Initially reluctant to be associated with this seemingly eccentric group, she eventually realizes they are really nice people. Furthermore, their passion and enthusiasm to follow their ideals make Yukari realize she has not been enjoying her life and thus motivates her to pursue her own dreams. The story follows Yukari as she gets involved in the group and eventually falls in love with the leader, George.



Tags: Coming of Age , Fashion , Josei , Makeup , Female Protagonist , Ensemble Cast , Modeling , Heterosexual , Love Triangle , School , Unrequited Love , School Club , Transgender , LGBTQ+ Themes , Mixed Media , Bisexual , Gender Bending , Boys' Love , Time Skip

Watashi ga Koibito ni Nareru Wake Nai jan, Muri Muri! (※Muri ja Nakatta!?)

Also known as There's No Freaking Way I'll Be Your Lover! Unless….

Studio: studio MOTHER
Status: Finished
Genres: Comedy , Romance

Renako Amaori is leaving her awkward and lonely junior high school life behind, determined to become a normal girl with normal friends in high school. Glamorous, confident Mai Ouzuka is Renako’s total opposite: wealthy, outgoing, and a literal fashion model. Against the odds, the two girls form an immediate connection. Renako thinks she may have found the best friend of her dreams…until Mai’s romantic confession sends her into a tailspin. Renako wants to prove to Mai that being BFFs is better than being girlfriends, but Mai is dead set on convincing Renako that they’re destined to be lovers. Let the love games begin!



Tags: Female Protagonist , Primarily Female Cast , Yuri , Female Harem , LGBTQ+ Themes , School , Primarily Teen Cast , Love Triangle , Polyamorous , Rehabilitation , Psychosexual , Nudity , Urban , Video Games , Yandere , Hikikomori , Coming of Age , Modeling , Seinen , Age Regression

Fujimoto Tatsuki 17-26

Also known as Tatsuki Fujimoto 17-26.

Studio: ZEXCS , Lapin Track , 100studio , Studio Kafka , P.A.WORKS , GRAPH77
Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Comedy , Drama , Romance , Sci-Fi , Slice of Life , Supernatural

An anthology series adapting 8 short stories created by manga artist Tatsuki Fujimoto between ages 17 and 26.

1) A Couple Clucking Chickens Were Still Kickin' in the Schoolyard (Dir. Seishirou Nagaya, ZEXCS)
2) Sasaki Stopped a Bullet (Dir. Nobukage Kimura, Lapin Track)
3) Love is Blind (Dir. Nobuyuki Takeuchi, Lapin Track)
4) Shikaku (Dir. Naoya Ando, GRAPH77)
5) Mermaid Rhapsody (Dir. Tetsuaki Watanabe, 100Studio)
6) Woke-Up-as-a-Girl Syndrome (Dir. Kazuaki Terasawa, Studio Kafka)
7) Nayuta of the Prophecy (Dir. Tetsuaki Watanabe, 100Studio)
8) Sisters (Dir. Osamu Honma, P.A.WORKS)

Note: This anime had a pre-release world premiere at the "Global Stage Hollywood 2025" film festival on October 5, 2025. A general two-week theatrical run in Japan divided into two parts released on the same day October 17, 2025. The anime series later streamed worldwide in Amazon Prime Video on November 8, 2025.

Tags: Episodic , Anthology , Surreal Comedy , Urban Fantasy , Female Protagonist , School , Male Protagonist , Magic , Urban , Family Life , Found Family , Aliens , Heterosexual , Dystopian , Assassins , Coastal , Monster Girl , Shapeshifting , Gender Bending , Nudity , Mermaid , Vampire , Drawing , LGBTQ+ Themes , Language Barrier , Time Skip , Disability , Transgender , Shounen , Fugitive , Henshin , Space , Modeling , Kaiju

BEATLESS

Also known as BEATLESS.

Studio: diomedéa
Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Drama , Romance , Sci-Fi

I believe in that smile. Even if you don't have a soul.

2105 A.D. Japan

The humanoid android hiE became part of people's life and was handling the things human could and couldn't do. Endou Arato, unlike his friends Kenko and Ryou who hate hiE, felt sympathy for hiE which are supposed to be just objects. One night, Arato suddenly gets assaulted by mysterious falling cherry blossoms that make hiE and machines run havoc. Will the cornered Arato be saved by the mysterious hiE Lacia...

Note: Includes Beatless Final Stage (eps 21-24).

Tags: Artificial Intelligence , Robots , Cyberpunk , Male Protagonist , Terrorism , Modeling , Heterosexual , Cohabitation , Politics , Love Triangle , School

Runway de Waratte

Also known as Smile Down the Runway.

Studio: Ezo’la
Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Slice of Life

Chiyuki Fujito has a dream: to become a Paris Collection model. The problem is, she's too short to be a model, and everyone around her tells her so! But no matter what they say, she won't give up. Her classmate, a poor student named Ikuto Tsumura, also has a dream: to become a fashion designer. One day Chiyuki tells him that it's "probably impossible" for him, causing him to consider giving it up...?! This is the story of two individuals wholeheartedly chasing after their dreams in spite of all the negativity that comes after them!



Tags: Fashion , Work , Family Life , Coming of Age , Male Protagonist , Female Protagonist , Shounen , Modeling , School , Nudity , Primarily Teen Cast

Shiguang Dailiren: Yingdu Pian

Also known as Link Click: Bridon Arc.

Studio: CMC Media
Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Mystery , Supernatural , Thriller

In order to save the deceased Cheng Xiaoshi, Lu Guang returned to the beginning and started anew along the path of destiny. However, a photograph carrying clues about Cheng Xiaoshi's parents appeared at the Time Photo Studio. To uncover the truth, Lu Guang, with a heart full of anxiety, went to Yingdu with Cheng Xiaoshi. Facing people with different purposes, such as the seemingly friendly popular model Xia Fei, the eccentric leader of Chinatown Vein, and the mysteriously appearing Liu Xiao... can Lu Guang break the destined dead end?



- The first episode aired with a runtime of ~65 minutes.

Tags: Time Manipulation , Super Power , Age Regression , Tragedy , Estranged Family , Urban , Foreign , Urban Fantasy , Primarily Male Cast , Body Swapping , Male Protagonist , Travel , Bisexual , Primarily Adult Cast , Crime , Photography , Martial Arts , Boys' Love , LGBTQ+ Themes , Guns , Espionage , Otaku Culture , Classic Literature , Modeling , College , Bullying , Basketball , Poker , Male Harem , Seinen

SoniAni: SUPER SONICO THE ANIMATION

Also known as Soni-Ani: SUPER SONICO THE ANIMATION.

Studio: WHITE FOX
Status: Finished
Genres: Comedy , Music , Slice of Life

Super Sonico is the mascot girl of the "Nitro Super Sonic" events held by Nitroplus. In her back story, she is already a photoshoot model, game character, and a musician, even as she studies as a college student.

Tags: Female Protagonist , Band , Episodic , Cute Girls Doing Cute Things , Modeling , Idol , Zombie , CGI

Shiguang Dailiren III

Also known as Link Click Season 3.

Status: Releasing
Genres: Drama , Mystery , Supernatural , Thriller

The third season of Shiguang Dailiren.

Tags: Body Swapping , Super Power , Time Manipulation , Male Protagonist , Primarily Adult Cast , Memory Manipulation , Espionage , Urban Fantasy , Crime , Photography , Foreign , Femboy , Martial Arts , Travel , Achronological Order , Modeling , Mixed Gender Harem

Hanazakari no Kimitachi e 2nd Season

Also known as Hana-Kimi Season 2.

Studio: Signal.MD
Status: Finished
Genres: Comedy , Drama , Romance , Slice of Life

The second season of Hanazakari no Kimitachi e.

Note: Hanazakari no Kimitachi e 2nd Season is streaming 1 week in advance of the TV broadcast on Prime Video and Crunchyroll beginning with episode 2 on July 2nd.

Tags: Boarding School , Female Protagonist , Crossdressing , Heterosexual , Bisexual , LGBTQ+ Themes , Shoujo , Male Harem , Primarily Male Cast , Boys' Love , School , Cohabitation , Athletics , Modeling

Tabisuru Nuigurumi: Traveling Daru

Also known as Traveling Daru.

Status: Finished
Genres: Adventure , Slice of Life

Daru, a cherished handmade stuffed toy, gets lost and separated from its owner one day when at the airport. Determined to find her again, Daru sets out on a journey around the world in search of her. As time passes, the girl begins to forget about Daru. Will Daru be able to find and see his beloved owner again?



Tags: Kids , No Dialogue , Travel , Modeling