Shinkai-likes
Despite the kaleidoscopic magic ingrained in everyday life, Hitomi Tsukishiro's monochrome world is deprived of emotion and feeling. On a night as black and white as any other, amidst the fireworks spreading across the sky, Hitomi's grandmother Kohaku conjures a spell, for which she has been harnessing the moon's light for 60 years, to send Hitomi back in time to the year 2018 when Kohaku was in high school. Hitomi's mission seems unclear, but her grandmother assures her that she will know when she gets there. Following a trip through time aboard a train driven by a strange yellow creature, Hitomi finds herself in stoic artist Yuito Aoi's room, and his drawings flood her world with color. What is Hitomi's purpose there, and why do Yuito's drawings return such breathtaking color to her drab world? [Written by MAL Rewrite]
As a wild youth, elementary school student Shouya Ishida sought to beat boredom in the cruelest ways. When the deaf Shouko Nishimiya transfers into his class, Shouya and the rest of his class thoughtlessly bully her for fun. However, when her mother notifies the school, he is singled out and blamed for everything done to her. With Shouko transferring out of the school, Shouya is left at the mercy of his classmates. He is heartlessly ostracized all throughout elementary and middle school, while teachers turn a blind eye. Now in his third year of high school, Shouya is still plagued by his wrongdoings as a young boy. Sincerely regretting his past actions, he sets out on a journey of redemption: to meet Shouko once more and make amends. Koe no Katachi tells the heartwarming tale of Shouya's reunion with Shouko and his honest attempts to redeem himself, all while being continually haunted by the shadows of his past. [Written by MAL Rewrite]
The rigorous city life of China, while bustling and unforgiving, contains the everlasting memories of days past. Three stories told in three different cities, Shikioriori follows the loss of youth and the daunting realization of adulthood. Though reality may seem ever changing, unchangeable are the short-lived moments of one's childhood days. A plentiful bowl of noodles, the beauty of family and the trials of first love endure the inevitable flow of time, as three different characters explore the strength of bonds and the warmth of cherished memories. Within the disorder of the present world, witness these quaint stories recognize the comfort of the past, and attempt to revive the neglected flavors of youth. [Written by MAL Rewrite]
With a new school year comes a new crowd of classmates, and for their final year of junior high, aspiring writer Kotarou Azumi and track team member Akane Mizuno end up in the same class. Though initially complete strangers, a few chance encounters stir an innocent desire within their hearts. A yearning gaze, a fluttering heart—the hallmarks of young love slip into their lives as fate brings their paths to a cross. However, though love is patient and love is kind, Kotarou and Akane discover it is not always straightforward. Despite the comfort they find in each other's company, heartache and anxiety come hand in hand with pursuing the feelings in their hearts. With the uncertainty of how the other truly feels as well as the competing affections of those around them, the road ahead is unclear. Even so, under the shining light of a beautiful full moon, Kotarou gathers his courage to ask Akane a single question, one that forever changes their quiet relationship. [Written by MAL Rewrite]
Yui "Cherry" Sakura expresses himself better through the haiku he writes and posts on the internet, even though no one gives it attention. While preparing for him and his family to relocate in August, he spends the summer working part-time at a welfare facility. Meanwhile, Yuki "Smile" Hoshino is a budding influencer who wants everyone to smile. However, she feels uneasy about the braces on her protruding front teeth and conceals her own smile using a disposable mask. After an accidental encounter with Cherry, Smile finds herself becoming a part-time worker at the same facility as him. Soon, the two assist a senile man, Fujiyama, in searching an old vinyl record he owns. Unable to remember its last location, he wishes to listen to it once more before his memories fade for good. Cherry and Smile only have the record's sleeve and the word "yamazakura" as clues, and their hunt in the hazy summer heat begins. [Written by MAL Rewrite]
Five years ago, gravity-defying bubbles with mysterious powers rained down upon the earth. After a huge explosion of uncertain origin, Tokyo became ground zero, with the city being enclosed in a gigantic bubble. As a result of this "Bubble Fall" phenomenon, the metropolis that was once the capital of Japan drowned in a gravity-bending sea; the government declared it a prohibited zone, and the residents abandoned it. Children orphaned by the Bubble Fall now squat illegally in Tokyo, partaking in dangerous parkour team battles across the city's dilapidated buildings. Hibiki—a talented ace in these games with the ability to jump between bubbles—claims he can hear sounds from the Tokyo Tower. Determined to uncover its mysteries, he sets off toward the source, but he falls into the waters below. A strange girl, whom he later nicknames Uta, saves him. But little does Hibiki know that Uta's appearance in his life will reveal the secrets behind the disastrous event that changed their world forever. [Written by MAL Rewrite]
Equipped with his passion for diving and admiration for marine biology, university student Tsuneo Suzukawa tries his best to juggle several part-time jobs to earn enough money to study abroad. But one night, in a fateful accident, he meets a girl in a wheelchair, driving his current path into a detour. The girl, Kumiko—who prefers to be called "Josee"—initially comes off as rude. Tsuneo, however, is then convinced by Josee's grandmother to take on the paid job to be Josee's caretaker. Despite being annoyed with her bossy demeanor, Tsuneo sees the opportunity to save more funds to support his academic dream. Nonetheless, after putting up with Josee's behavior for some time, Tsuneo tries to quit, only to discover Josee's dreams of traversing the outside world—to experience a life free from her crippling condition. Changing his mind, Tsuneo decides to accompany Josee in exploring the wonders that the world has to offer. Through their time together, the two begin to realize that the traits that bind them may be vital toward fulfilling their respective aspirations. [Written by MAL Rewrite]
Miyo Sasaki is an energetic high school girl who comes from a broken family consisting of her unconfident father and an overly invested stepmother, whose attempts at connecting with Miyo come across as bothersome. Seeing Kento Hinode as a refuge from all her personal issues, she cannot help herself from forcing her unorthodox demonstrations of love onto her crush. While Miyo is unable to get Kento's attention as herself, she manages to succeed by interacting with him in the form of a white cat, affectionately nicknamed "Tarou" by Kento. But Miyo soon realizes that she cannot help Kento with the various problems she overhears in her cat form and is now caught between two tough choices. Will she continue her relationship with him as a cat, or will she reveal her identity and risk what they have in order to help him as her human self? [Written by MAL Rewrite]
Naho Takamiya's first day of her sophomore year of high school is off to an uneasy start. After waking up late, she receives a strange letter addressed to her. However, the letter is from herself—10 years in the future! At first, Naho is skeptical of the note; yet, after witnessing several events described to take place, she realizes the letter really is from her 26-year-old self. The note details that Naho's future life is filled with regrets, and she hopes that her younger self can correct the mistakes that were made in the past. The letter also warns her to keep a close eye on the new transfer student, Kakeru Naruse. Naho must be especially careful in making decisions involving him, as Kakeru is not around in the future. With the letter as her guide, Naho now has the power to protect Kakeru before she comes to regret it once more. [Written by MAL Rewrite]
Kei Asai lives in the oceanside city of Sakurada—a town where the inhabitants are born with strange abilities. On the school rooftop one day, he meets Misora Haruki, an apathetic girl with the power to reset anything around her up to three days prior. While no one knows when she has reset, not even Haruki, Kei can retain everything before the reset thanks to his own ability: photographic memory. After they successfully help someone by combining their powers, they join the Service Club to aid others in their town. However, their club becomes involved with and begins completing missions for the mysterious Administration Bureau—an organization that focuses on managing the abilities in Sakurada and manipulating the town's events for their own ends. They may find out that there are more things at work in Sakurada than the machinations of the uncanny organization. [Written by MAL Rewrite]
High schoolers Mio Miyamasu and Arata Kishimo are childhood friends. Mio harbors feelings for Arata, but she lacks the courage to express them. Even when her friend Madoka asks if she is in love with Arata, Mio reluctantly declines and encourages her friend to pursue her own feelings for him instead. Later, while Mio and Arata visit a fortune-teller, the boy notices a strange phenomenon and tries to drag Mio out of the shop—much to her annoyance. As Mio begins to question her relationship with Arata, an argument erupts between them. That night, feeling guilty for what had occurred, Mio ventures into the rain to apologize to Arata and make her feelings clear. However, an accident along the way turns Mio's world upside down. [Written by MAL Rewrite]
In the Japan of the future, employing androids for various purposes is nothing out of the ordinary. However, treating androids on the same level as humans is frowned upon, and there is constant paranoia surrounding the possibility of robots defying humans, their masters. Those who appear too trustworthy of their androids are chided and labeled "dori-kei," or "android-holics." High school student Rikuo Sakisaka notices when his house droid, Sammy, starts behaving curiously—she has been leaving the house without his instruction. When he inspects the movement logs in her database, a cryptic line grabs his attention: "Are you enjoying the time of EVE?" Accompanied by his friend Masakazu Masaki, Rikuo tracks the whereabouts of his houseroid to a cafe called Time of Eve, where it is forbidden for customers to display prejudice against one another. The cafe, Rikuo realizes, is frequented by both man and machine, with no evidence to tell either apart. Each customer—from the cheerful Akiko, to a robot dangerously close to breaking down—has their own story and challenges to overcome. While Rikuo tries to reveal Sammy's intentions, he begins to question the legitimacy of the fear that drives humans to regard androids as nothing more than mere tools. [Written by MAL Rewrite]
In future Japan, in a time when android housekeepers have become commonplace, society strictly abides by the Three Laws of Robotics, which all androids must follow. Under the influence of the Robot Ethics Committee, androids are treated the same way as lesser technology, such as household appliances. However, a minority with an adoration for androids exists, categorized as "android-holics," and are shunned by the general public. Rikuo Sakisaka was raised to accept society's precept about androids, and is perfectly aware that they are not human. That is, until the day he discovers a strange message buried within the activity logs of his household android, Sammy. This leads him to Eve no Jikan, a cafe with only one rule that its patrons must adhere to: there must be no distinction made between humans and androids. Curiosity drives Rikuo to learn more about the shop, and he attempts to unearth the reason behind Sammy's peculiar behavior. [Written by MAL Rewrite]
Kaoru Touno's family is falling apart. After the death of a sibling and his parents' divorce, he no longer feels any peace at home. Following a heated confrontation with his father, Kaoru runs out of his house and finds himself before a mysterious tunnel, which pulls him in. Bewildered by what he sees inside, he rushes to the exit, picking up a bird that looks identical to his deceased pet on his way out. Upon emerging outside, Kaoru realizes that, despite him spending just a few minutes inside the tunnel, an entire week has passed. The bizarre experience leads him to remember the rumors of "Urashima Tunnel"—a passage that grants wishes in exchange for one's lifespan. Given the resurrection of his pet bird, Kaoru cannot help but wonder if another visit can help fix his messed up life. However, when he returns to the entrance of the mysterious tunnel, Kaoru realizes that he has been followed by Anzu Hanashiro, a new transfer student in his class. She also knows about the rumors and asks him to help her with an experiment—it turns out that she, too, has a wish that only the tunnel can grant. [Written by MAL Rewrite]
Ever since the death of his grandfather, Yasuji, Kousuke Kumagaya has grown distant from his close friend, Natsume Tonai. Having grown up together like siblings in the same apartment building, the two now find themselves at odds with one another due to Natsume's inability to let go of the past. This rift is further exacerbated by the news that their former complex will soon be demolished. Hearing about a ghost that is supposedly haunting the old complex, Kousuke's friends drag him into the demolition site to look around. When Kousuke finds that Natsume is also there, they get into an argument over an old camera that once belonged to Yasuji. This results in Natsume running off with it, but just as she is about to fall off the rooftop, a torrential downpour envelops the entire building, flooding the ground around it. The young children now find themselves drifting at sea with the apartment building acting as their ship. Unable to communicate with the rest of the world, Natsume and Kousuke must reconcile their differences if they want to stand a chance at finding their way home. [Written by MAL Rewrite]
The year is 2027, and the city of Kyoto has undergone tremendous technological advancement. Within the city live two classmates: Naomi Katagaki, a socially awkward and introverted boy; and Ruri Ichigyou, a girl with a cold personality who is often blunt with people. Despite sharing Ruri's love of reading, Naomi is afraid to approach her due to her unfriendly nature. One day, while out on a walk, Naomi witnesses a crimson aurora pierce through the sky for a brief moment before vanishing. Shortly after, he encounters a three-legged crow and a mysterious hooded man, who reveals himself to be Naomi from 10 years in the future, explaining that he has come to change an imminent tragic event that happens to Ruri soon after they start dating. Initially taking his words with a grain of salt, present-day Naomi follows his future self's instructions and starts getting closer to Ruri, determined to save her. Will he be able to change the future? [Written by MAL Rewrite]
It is said that fireworks can calm the souls of the dead. For Tomoya Sugisaki, Aoi Harukawa, and Ryou Kobayashi, fireworks are what allowed them to meet the Summer Ghost. Believed to be the spirit of a young woman who committed suicide, the Summer Ghost only appears in a specific area and can only be seen by those who are within arm's reach of death. Tomoya is a creative soul being crushed by his academic obligation to get into a good university. Aoi is a meek girl who is relentlessly bullied by her classmates. Ryou is a former basketball star who had to forfeit his passion following a grim diagnosis. The only thing these three have in common is their ability to see the Summer Ghost. The Summer Ghost is said to be able to answer any and all questions pertaining to death—something the three teenagers desperately want to know more about. Dissatisfied with their initial meeting, Tomoya sets out to find the Summer Ghost once again. But the more time he spends with the ghost, the more the mystery surrounding her existence unravels. [Written by MAL Rewrite]
The story follows three friends grappling with school, studies, and relationships. Kouki Uchiyama will play Takuya Amano, a boy who will move to Hokkaido after finishing middle school. Yui Ishikawa plays Haruka Kishi, Takuya's childhood friend. Daisuke Fujita plays Tsubasa Miyake, a mutual friend of Takuya and Haruka who attends the Eikoh Seminar school. (Source: Anime News Network)
On Christmas Eve, Hiro Hirono runs into Miyako Miyamura, a frivolous girl who "borrows" his bicycle in order to chase down a purse thief. After Hiro finds his bicycle wrecked and Miyako unconscious, the two unexpectedly spend their Christmas Eve together, and when they discover they go to the same high school, their accidental relationship develops even further. This sparks the jealousy of Hiro's childhood friend Kei Shindou, whose pure approach to life catches the eye of Kyosuke Tsutsumi, a womanizing photographer searching for the perfect shot. Elsewhere, Renji Asou, a boy who dreams of being a girl's knight in shining armor, has a chance encounter with Kei's twin sister—the overly shy Chihiro Shindou, who spends her time reading alone—at an abandoned train station. The two quickly become friends and eventually decide to write a novel together. However, when Renji discovers Chihiro's secret, a disability that causes her to have an eternally ephemeral memory, his childish ideals will be put to the test. Guided by two mysterious adults, these youths' relationships intertwine in a heart-rending tale of love, rejection, acceptance, and memories. [Written by MAL Rewrite]
In a story set years in the past, Himura Yuu is a studious and diligent young man intent solely on maintaining his top academic position at Otowa Academy. One day, he meets a mysterious girl named Amamiya Yuuko, who, to his surprise, recognizes him. Memories of a distant childhood, memories rather left forgotten... meeting Yuuko again will force Yuu to confront the regrets and sorrows of their collective pasts and presents. In the present, Kuze Shuuichi may seem like a womanizer, but upon closer inspection, is a man who would rather be left alone. Hayama Mizuki, however, is not the type of girl who would let him be, especially after hearing the beautiful sounds of his violin performance. As Mizuki attempts to become closer to him, Kuze attempts to push her away—the tale of their budding relationship is darkened with undertones of an imminent tragedy. [Written by MAL Rewrite]
During a summer vacation at her grandfather’s house, six-year-old Hotaru Takegawa gets lost in a forest rumored to be inhabited by spirits. While crying out in desperation, Hotaru is approached by Gin—a mysterious boy wearing a mask—who offers to help her. Overjoyed at the sight of another person, Hotaru runs to Gin with open arms only to be rudely fended off. However, she quickly learns the grave reason behind his behavior: a dreadful curse has been cast upon Gin. Should he ever be touched by a human being, he will disappear forever. Though Gin urges her to never return, Hotaru does the exact opposite, and before too long, the two become close friends despite his delicate situation. Nonetheless, as years pass and their mutual feelings grow stronger, Hotaru and Gin start struggling with the boundaries that destiny has set between them. [Written by MAL Rewrite]
One summer, Norimichi Shimada and his friends want to know if fireworks look round or flat from the side. They forge a plan to find the answer at Moshimo Festival's fireworks display. However, Norimichi finds himself conflicted when his classmate, Nazuna Oikawa, plans to run away from home and wants Norimichi to join her. When things go awry in their attempt to escape, a strange orb in Nazuna's possession gives them another chance at staying together. [Written by MAL Rewrite]
Masamune, a third-year middle school student, lives in a town where all the exits have been sealed off due to a sudden explosion at a steel mill, causing time to stand still. Residents are forbidden from making any changes and spend their suffocating days in the hopes of returning to normalcy someday. One day, Masamune's mysterious classmate Mutsumi guides him to the fifth furnace of the steel mill, where they encounter a girl who cannot speak and resembles a wild wolf. The meeting between the two girls and Masamune disrupts the balance of the world, and the unstoppable "impulse of love" from boys and girls tired of their daily lives begins to destroy the world. (Source: MAL News)
The anime tells the story of a boy named Akio and his encounter with a Hisuian Zorua. When he was younger, Akio's father taught him that people and Pokémon cannot live together. But Akio's interactions with the Zorua might offer a different lesson. (Source: The Pokémon Company)
With the divorce of his parents, seven-year-old Koyomi Hidaka makes the important decision to live with his father. As a researcher at the Japanese Institute of Virtual Science, Koyomi's father is involved in the investigation of the phenomenon of parallel worlds. Through his father's job, the young boy meets Shiori Satou, the daughter of another divorced researcher. Soon becoming friends, the two spend much of their childhood together. As Koyomi and Shiori grow closer together over the years, the two intend to marry in the future. However, their plan comes to a halt when their parents decide to marry each other. Now fated to being step-siblings, the two friends refuse to accept their new reality. Using their parents' research, Koyomi and Shiori escape to a parallel world to start their lives anew together, only to face repercussions that will put the very futures they strove for in danger. [Written by MAL Rewrite]
A world where it has been established that people routinely swing between slightly different parallel worlds... Koyomi Takasaki, who lives with his mother following his parents' divorce, enrolls in a local university prep school. Due to the atmosphere concentrated on studies and his social awkwardness, Koyomi is unable to make friends. One day, he is suddenly approached by his classmate Kazune Takigawa, who tells him that she has travelled from the 85th world where she and Koyomi are lovers. (Source: MAL News)
Liz's days of solitude come to an end when she meets a blue bird in the form of a young girl. Although their relationship blossoms, Liz must make a heart-wrenching decision in order to truly realize her love for Blue Bird. High school seniors and close friends Mizore Yoroizuka and Nozomi Kasaki are tasked to play the lead instruments in the third movement of Liz and the Blue Bird, a concert band piece inspired by this fairy tale. The introverted and reserved Mizore plays the oboe, representing the kind and gentle Liz. Meanwhile, the radiant and popular Nozomi plays the flute, portraying the cheerful and energetic Blue Bird. However, as they rehearse, the distance between Mizore and Nozomi seems to grow. Their disjointed duet disappoints the band, and with graduation on the horizon, uncertainty about the future spurs complicated emotions. With little time to improve as their performance draws near, they desperately attempt to connect with their respective characters. But when Mizore and Nozomi consider the story from a brand-new perspective, will the girls find the strength to face harsh realities? A spin-off film adaptation of the Hibike Euphonium! series, Liz to Aoi Tori dances between the parallels of a charming fairy tale, a moving musical piece, and a delicate high school friendship. [Written by MAL Rewrite]
