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Total Recommendations: 74

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Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou
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Dosei Mansion
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Sci-fi slice-of-life! Both series are set in a future where things have changed immensely from the world that we know, but the new technology and way of life that are present don't exist to make things cooler or more dramatic; instead, they are about people living their everyday lives. Both series feature a relaxed pace and many panels that focus on the beauty of the world that the characters live in.

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Simoun
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11-nin Iru!
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A lot of science fiction falls into the trap of assuming that gender roles will work the same way even on settings that are completely different from our own reality. Simoun and They Were Eleven! both reject that assumption, giving their characters an opportunity to chose their own sex at some point in their lives. Each anime ends up doing pretty different things with that idea, but if you're interested in anime with some playing with and commentary on gender in an unreal setting, you'll probably enjoy them both.

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Thomas no Shinzou
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Senpai
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These two boys love stories have surprisingly similar premises: after the death of an almost-boyfriend, a male student meets an underclassman with a similar appearance (but very different personality) to their dead loved one. They end rather differently, though!

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Kodomo no Omocha
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Penguin☆Brothers
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Similar heroines -- enthusiastic and silly -- fight to change the structure of power among students in their respective schools. Each story is overall lighthearted and cutesy shoujo, but there are elements of very dark themes, particularly in the male leads' pasts.

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Kodomo no Omocha
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Cat Street
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Showbiz, but not in the fight-to-reach-the-top way that seems to be the norm! Sana of Kodomo no Omocha is a child star, and Keito of Cat Street was once one, but no longer. Here, movies and theatre play important roles without being the centre of the plots, and the character relationships and drama are enhanced, but never overshadowed, by this unique context. Kodomo no Omocha is thought of as a goofy series and Cat Street a more dramatic one, but as a matter of fact, the former has quite a few very dark moments and the latter is often lighthearted.

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Paradise Kiss
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Cat Street
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These mid-length shoujo titles both focus on an initially lost heroine who discovers herself and winds up in romantic drama along the way. More than that, though, they shine when it comes to their ensemble casts: groups of eccentric and talented high school students. The bonds of deep friendship are just as important as those of romance.

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Swan
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Hoshi wo Tsumu Donna
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An older (70s/80s) style, the struggle of one girl to be a successful ballerina, and oodles of drama!

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La Esperança
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Thomas no Shinzou
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A lot of BL manga was clearly influenced by the classics of the 70s, but La Esperança has been more obviously influenced than most. Like Heart of Thomas (and its spiritual siblings such as Kaze to Ki no Uta), it's set in a religious all-boys school and deals with the relationship between a cheery boy and a more negative one. The characters may not be the same, but the themes of hidden darkness, hope, and tragedy have a lot in common.

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Perrine Monogatari
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Ie Naki Ko
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The original novel Nobody's Girl was the spiritual successor to Nobody's Boy, and viewers of their respective anime series will find similarities as well. They are both fairly long series (51 and 53 episodes) from the 1970s, and have the same basic plots: heartwarming (sort of) orphan ends up going on a journey to find lost family and happiness. These often fun and cheerful shows are also full of tragedy and sadness (Remi more so than Perrine), and have honestly lovable characters that even those far older than the target audience will enjoy.

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Fushigi no Umi no Nadia
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Fractale
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These two series may be seem lighthearted and family-friendly, but they both have something to offer for audiences of all ages, and have similar tones of good clean fun with a more serious plot lurking in the background. Also: both are about a group of children and young teens who are swept up in some sort of adventure. Both take place in a world with elements of both our own world's past and the technology of the future. And the trio of villains in Fractale was almost certainly influenced by a similar trio in Nadia.

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Juu Ou Sei
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11-nin Iru!
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Sci-fi shoujo anime is rare, but at least what does exist is pretty good! While They Were Eleven! and Jyu Oh Sei are works from different decades and there are many stylistic differences, they're solid classics of the genre. Both have intricate worlds despite their short lengths, and their similar focus on character relationships just as much as battles or adventure will make them appeal to the same audience.

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Akachan to Boku
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New York New York
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While these two manga share the same mangaka, they're in some ways as different as night and day. Baby & Me is a cute slice-of-life story about a boy and his baby brother, while New York, New York is a drama about a gay couple. However, at their core, both are Ragawa at her best: touching stories about love in all of its forms, from dramatic romance to tender family love. The ending of New York, New York, in particular, after the drama quiets, could have been a side story to Baby & Me.

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Moyashimon
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Kuragehime
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One of the nice things about noitaminA is that it features such a wide variety of series that it can be hard to draw similarities between two of them. Kuragehime and Moyashimon, however, are an example of two that will almost certainly appeal to the same groups. Both are jousei series with a slice-of-life element, but not purely that; they also include comedy, drama, and a touch of romance. They both center around a group of (mostly) young adults who are somewhat offbeat, but also surprisingly complicated and interesting when the series calls for it. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, they both include elements of gender-bending that are more inspired by reality than the average series.

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Kizu darake no Tenshi-tachi
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Palepoli
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In some ways, these two 4coma manga have the same sense of humor. They're both offbeat, sexual, and sometimes gross, and fans of unusual adult humor will probably enjoy them both.

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IS: Otoko demo Onna demo Nai Sei
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Hikari to Tomo ni...: Jiheishouji wo Kakaete
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Both titles help the reader learn about a real medical condition that many people know nothing about through the story of a family. A child with this unusual condition is born to an unknowing family who slowly learns how to take care of them and love their differences, despite the trials they face for being different.

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Keroro Gunsou
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Makasete PET-kun
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Keroro is an alien invader while PET is a helper robot, but they have a lot in common. Both series star a strange new creature in a boy's life who has a purpose that is never quite fulfilled. Hijinks and mess-ups abound!

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Kodomo no Omocha (TV)
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Animation Seisaku Shinkou Kuromi-chan
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These two anime directed by Akitarou Daichi are both crazy looks into the entertainment industry with a similar hyperactive style and crazy sense of humor, including snarky commentary by bizarre little creatures in the foreground.

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Kimagure Orange☆Road
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Natsu no Arashi!
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Natsu no Arashi! is often said to have an oldschool feel, and Kimagure Orange Road is just the oldschool series it feels like. Both focus on a main character with an unusual supernatural/psychic power and their interactions with their "normal" friends, and for the most part can be described as "wacky situation occurs, hijinks ensue". They both, however, climax in a more serious plot, although KOR is definitely a romance while Natsu no Arashi! focuses more on non-romantic drama. Natsu no Arashi!, while recent, also has an aesthetic sense similar to KOR's, particularly when it comes to character designs.

If you liked
Kaze to Ki no Uta
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Zankoku na Kami ga Shihai suru
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In some ways, these epic boy's love tragedies feel like two notable shoujo mangaka's very different takes on the same subject. They deal realistically with childhood abuse and how it can affect a relationship, and follow the struggles of one of the leads to do just that.

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Kaze to Ki no Uta
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Thomas no Shinzou
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Tragic and gorgeous, Heart of Thomas and Kaze to Ki no Uta were written by roommates at around the same time and influenced by the same movies, and it shows. Most notable is their extremely similar subject matter: homosexual love in European boarding schools, circa 1900. In both, a young, idealistic boy transfers into a new school and is drawn to a more worldly and heavy-hearted student. They deal with the meaning of love in its various forms with almost ethereal words and art. Perfect choices for the reader interested in thinking about characters, their emotions, and what they mean in the reader's own lives.

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Banana Fish
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Kaze to Ki no Uta
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These highly-acclaimed shoujo manga may have vastly different settings and premises, but the dynamics of the main characters are very similar. Both have a talented but naive character that is drawn into an intense new world after a personal tragedy. This character (Serge in KazeKi; Eiji in BF) becomes close to another boy whose horrid past has made him broken and unapproachable (Gilbert in KazeKi; Ash in BF). They're both romantic (although BF only has romantic undertones) without being full of fanservice; and tragic without lacking hope that the leads will one day be happy.

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Shoujo Kakumei Utena
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Kaze to Ki no Uta
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Revolutionary Girl Utena may be most commonly compared to Riyoko Ikeda's works, but it was just as influenced by other works of the time, such as Kaze to Ki no Uta. Both begin with an idealistic lead making a life-changing decision to go to a notable boarding school, where they quickly bond with an unusual fellow student. The leads are both notable as different from the rest of the student body, although not always in a bad way. The two form an immediate bond, but are challenged by their differences in priorities and their personal demons. There is also a clear parallel between the villains, both of whom have a longtime bond with one of the leads, and both of whom are of notable position in the leads' schools. They both sexually manipulate much of the cast, and are honest threats to the well-being of the leads. Both have a reputation for their heavy homoerotic and/or homosexual content, but are notable for lack of yaoi and yuri cliches. They focus not on the specific nature of the leads' sexualities, but instead let their dynamic simply be what it is.

If you liked
Sora wa Akai Kawa no Hotori
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Pharaoh no Haka
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Historical shoujo taking place in similar times and settings, Pharaoh no Haka and Red River are notable for being historically accurate without seeming like history lessons. They're both epic adventure series, but with a distinct shoujo spin, and beautifully divide their focuses between their overarching plots and copious character development.

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Fushigi Yuugi
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Hanasakeru Seishounen
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In a lot of ways, these two long shoujo series are perfect for a very specific audience, and quite dull to the rest of the anime fandom. Shoujo fans that eat up soap opera-esque drama will fall in love with both of these series. Non-fans, however, will probably not get past more than a few episodes of either. Both are reverse harems (and never pretend not to be; it's obvious that most of the bishies surrounding the heroine are interested in her) but also include a complicated plotline. They're both very dramatic, often reaching melodrama territory, in all aspects, from story to characters to relationships. Finally, they both have some degree of oldschool feel: Hanasakeru Seishounen is based on a 1987 manga; Fushi Yuugi's is from 1992.

If you liked
Kaze Hikaru
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Kaze yo, Banri wo Kake yo
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These manga both tell the tale of a young girl who joins an army for the sake of her family. Clearly well-researched, these are perfect titles for shoujo fans who like historical titles, gender-bending, and a pinch of romance.

If you liked
Seiyou Kottou Yougashiten: Antique
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Ristorante Paradiso
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These two series set in restaurants have a lot more in common than just that. Both were specifically targeted at older viewers, resulting in older characters and more mature plots than your average anime; and both have a calm, slice-of-life feel with a bit of romance added for flavor.

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Aishiteruze Baby★★
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Akachan to Boku
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With similar premises -- a child or teen is suddenly forced to become a foster parent for a toddler -- these two series have a lot in common. They're both sweet and heartwarming, but aren't afraid to turn on the drama when need be. Also notable is the way they accurately portray small children.

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GetBackers
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Bus Gamer
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The similarities between these titles are a bit random but nonetheless very much there. Both series have an overall dark atmosphere but still inject a bit of comedy every so often. Plotwise, both involve a small group of men who go on some sort of retrieving mission. Finally, both are most worth watching for characters and their dynamics rather than any sort of plot or action they contain.

If you liked
Seiyou Kottou Yougashiten
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Kinou Nani Tabeta?
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Fumi Yoshinaga has found an interesting niche for which to write manga: boy's love for foodies. Both titles feature gay characters without focusing excessively on romance and shun yaoi cliches; and both have plots centering around food, complete with detailed and delicious descriptions.

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Pretty Face
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Akane-chan Overdrive
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Both series follow a teenage boy who, by bizarre circumstances, end up in the body of a girl, and they get into ecchi antics as they try to adjust to their new lives without messing up the former identity of the girl whose body they inhabit too badly. A wholly shounen comedic approach to the genderbending genre.

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