Best Josei Anime

Highlights

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• Michiko & Hatchin is a dynamic and action-packed josei anime that follows the thrilling adventures of the rebellious Michiko and her young ward, Hatchin. Set in a colorful and vibrant Brazil-inspired world, the series explores themes of family, love, and redemption. With its strong female leads and unique setting, Michiko & Hatchin is a refreshing addition to the josei genre.

The mature evolution of shoujo,

josei anime

are defined by the topics they discuss as much as the manner in which they tackle them. Its stories and themes are adult in nature: relationships, the difficulties of keeping up with bills and caring for children, and the way people grow over time.

Romance, sentimentality, and the hard realities of life as a grownup drive many of these anime. They’re typically neither starry-eyed and naive nor hard-nosed and pessimistic. Josei may target older women, but these series tend to have a much broader appeal. The

best josei anime

are for anyone seeking three-dimensional

characters

tackling problems just as deep.

Updated on October 20, 2023 by Mark Sammut:

Fall 2023 is currently airing and, as usual, the season largely ignores the josei demographic. That said, there are a couple of shows that might be able to scratch a similar itch. Frieren is shaping up to be something truly special, presenting a mature tale on the classic hero’s journey. While it has yet to debut, The Apothecary Diaries should also be a good pick for josei fans. The Ancient Magus’ Bride and The Saint’s Magic Power is Omnipotent are also decent options, as is Shy. Still, if someone wants great josei anime, they must turn to the past.

18


Raven Of The Inner Palace

As 2022 produced roughly five josei anime, describing

Raven of the Inner Palace

as the year’s best offering is faint praise, especially since all the other shows were forgettable. The anime also aired during the packed Fall 2022 season that contained the likes of

Chainsaw Man

,

Mob Psycho 100 III

, and

Bocchi the Rock!

, making it even harder than usual for the niche series to stand out. Despite all that,

Raven of the Inner Palace

was good enough to leave a lasting impression, and it is arguably the

best new josei anime

of the 2020s so far.

Based on Koko Shirakawa’s light novels, the story takes place in Ancient China and revolves around the relationship between the eponymous Raven Consort, Liu Shouxue, and the new Emperor. Capable of seeing spirits and putting them to rest, the former has led a life of isolation within the Ye Ming Palace, where she acts as an advisor to the ruler. While largely treated as a powerful tool, Liu gradually and reluctantly builds a rapport with the young Emperor following his successful revolt.

Raven of the Inner Palace

has two strong leads, a refreshing setting, and a strong sense of mystery and history.

17


The Gokusen

It’s a cliché that every child has potential, and films and anime about teachers trying to draw out the potential in their students is a beloved trope.


Gokusen


unabashedly plays with that trope, but the show puts a spin on it: the teacher is the granddaughter of a

Yakuza

leader.

The art style leaves something to be desired, and the character design can fall on the generic side, but this is a great anime despite its weak aesthetics. Perhaps the show’s greatest strength is its protagonist, a woman just as capable of beating the snot out of thugs as teaching a class full of rowdy youths.

16


Polar Bear’s Cafe

Anime needs more workplace comedies, and if they happen to feature anthropomorphic animals, then that’s a bonus.

Polar Bear’s Cafe

centers around a cafeteria’s owner, Shirokuma, and the various colorful patrons that liven its seats. Consisting of unfiltered fluff, Pierrot’s anime is slice of life through and through, with nothing resembling a cruel bone in its body. The characters are all generally likable, particularly the main trio of Shirokuma and his two friends, Panda and Penguin.

Polar Bear’s Cafe

is just one of those shows that has the ability to permanently paint a smile on a viewer’s face. The anime also lasted for an impressive 50 episodes, which is way more than the average slice of life or josei anime.

15


Kakuriyo: Bed And Breakfast For Spirits

Josei is no stranger to intense drama or high-stakes, but not every story needs to go down that route.

Kakuriyo: Bed and Breakfast for Spirits

delivers exactly what its title advertises: a bed and breakfast for non-humans. Stuck under crippling debt, Aoi decides to make good use of her ability to see spirits by starting a nice little getaway specifically for them. Being human, she automatically garners distrust from her clientele, although that is nothing a warm bowl of ramen cannot fix.

Kakuriyo: Bed and Breakfast for Spirits

is a warm blanket of an anime. Most episodes tell supernatural-themed slice of life stories free of anything resembling tension, allowing viewers to just immerse themselves in the show’s cozy setting.

14


Paradise Kiss

One of the more famous josei anime,

Paradise Kiss

explores the rarely touched-upon fashion industry through the gaze of Yukari, a female student who is recruited to be a model. The story stumbles a bit while setting up its main characters and core relationships, leading to a somewhat rough opening stretch of episodes; however, things improve significantly once the prep work is complete.

Even though somewhat exaggerated, the anime’s characters are relatively grounded, at least when taking into account that they exist in a space that rewards overt passion and aggression. Yukari and George’s relationship carries most of the show’s emotional weight, and it follows an interesting trajectory.

13


Only Yesterday

Studio Ghibli, famed makers of

My Neighbor Totoro,


Kiki’s Delivery Service,

and

Princess Mononoke

may specialize in cute, whimsical films beloved by children, but the studio is no less capable of creating more mature works of art.

While it isn’t spirit-crushing like

Grave of the Fireflies,

Only Yesterday


is aimed at josei audiences. Watching the protagonist look back on her youth, seeing her childhood exploits through the knowing eyes of adulthood, is an experience quite unlike anything else in the Studio Ghibli catalog

,

and that’s a shame because it’s brilliant. Sweet but not saccharine, melancholic but not depressing,

Only Yesterday

is a testament to the power of animation and mature storytelling alike.

12


Pet Shop of Horrors

While josei may be organized and discussed as a genre, it is as much a style as anything, as this anime proves. Unlike some anime which are great but nonetheless generic, this one comes with a twist that its title makes obvious:


Petshop of Horrors


is

horror

.

This story of a mysterious petshop contains poignant themes about humanity and the darkness within, and josei fans shouldn’t dismiss it simply because of its macabre trappings

.

To be sure, the series is dark, and those who don’t care for horror in any form will want to give it a pass. Those that give it a chance, however, will be rewarded with a rich, detailed, and disturbing josei.

11


Ristorante Paradiso

The first thing that distinguishes


Ristorante Paradiso


is its setting: unlike most anime, which take place either in Japan or a different world altogether, this series is set in Italy.

Ristorante Paradiso

takes full advantage of this setting, to the point that Italy becomes as much of a character as the rest of the class. Another massive point in the show’s favor is its art: from top to bottom,

the show’s aesthetic is clean, delicate, and beautiful.

Yes, the series is about food, but more than that it’s about the life of a restaurateur and what it means to devote oneself to one’s craft.

10


Hakuoki: Demon Of The Fleeting Blossom

An adaptation of an otome game,

Hakuoki

has almost become one of the cornerstones of the josei anime world. With a few seasons and movies under its belt, the series has clearly struck a chord with a lot of people, and it is not difficult to understand why. Set during the 19th century,

Hakuoki

follows Chizuru, a girl who dresses as a guy and gets involved with the Shinsengumi. Chizuru’s primary goal is to find her father, but she ends up involved in a conflict that is much bigger than just herself.

Otome origins typically suggest a priortization on romance, and while love is certainly in the air,

Hakuoki

has a lot more to offer than that. The series works well as a historical fantasy piece, and its male leads are fully fleshed out individuals rather than just potential partners for Chizuru. On their own, none of

Hakuoki

‘s seasons or movies are all-time greats, but when taken as a whole, the show is comfortably one of the

best josei anime

ever.

9


Michiko & Hatchin

Can an anime about an escaped criminal be cute? Thanks to


Michiko & Hatchin,


viewers know the answer is a resounding “yes.” Directed by Sayo Yamamoto, the visionary behind

Lupin the Third,

this anime is an unexpectedly heartfelt look at the friendship between an escaped criminal and the young girl whom she kidnaps/rescues from an abusive foster family.

Stylish action adds bursts of excitement to the series, but even were it all to be stripped away, the series would ride high on the wave of its nuanced character development and emotional arcs.

Michiko & Hatchin

is that good.

Michiko & Hatchin

is an anime original and not based on a josei manga, but the story fits the demographic.

8


Princess Jellyfish

Five socially awkward teenagers grow up to be five socially awkward adults, leaning on the unbreakable bond of their friendship to make it through a world that doesn’t appreciate them for who they are.

Princess Jellyfish


is about an unemployed otaku, and it’s as cute and charming as one would expect. The characters and their relationships are the stars in this slice-of-life josei. What does being oneself look like when the world isn’t accepting? Can love come to those that don’t fit in? These are the questions

Princess Jellyfish

asks, and its answers are always worth it.

7


Kids On The Slope

Set in 1966,

Kids on the Slope

follows three students who connect through a shared passion for

music

and a few teenage crushes. In many ways, this anime tells a rather traditional coming-of-age story, which is hardly a bad thing. These shows live and die by not only the strength of their characters but also whether their relationships’ highs and lows feel earned.

Kids on the Slope

is convincing in both regards.

Directed by Shinichiro Watanabe, the anime is spectacular on a production level. The animation is warm and beautiful, while the soundtrack lives up to the director’s other works like

Cowboy Bebop

.

6


Bunny Drop

At the most basic level,


Bunny Drop


is an anime about what it’s like to raise a child: the funny and uplifting moments as well as the awkward and painful ones. That the girl, Rin, is possibly the illegitimate child of Daikichi’s own grandfather is a complicating factor.

When Daikichi’s family refuses to help the girl and announces their intent to put her up for adoption, Daikichi knows there’s only one thing he can do to make sure the girl is safe. The father-daughter relationship between Daikichi and Rin is tremendously well-executed, and the composition, humor, and direction of every scene make

Bunny Drop

that much more wonderful.

5


Shouwa Genroku Era Comic Storytelling

Shouwa Genroku Era Comic Storytelling


is a story about friendship that revolves around a subject that most western viewers have never heard of. Rakugo is a traditional form of Japanese storyteller in which a single performer tells and enacts a story while never rising from their seat.

If watching someone sit and tell a story sounds dull,

Shouwa Genroku Era Comic Storytelling

is here to give evidence to the contrary. It’s an anime that celebrates an underrated cultural treasure. Best of all, unlike other anime that only are superficially about art, this series explores the rakugo art form as fully as it can.

4


Honey And Clover

Living in tight quarters with people much different from oneself might not be a pleasure, but at least it’s an experience that fosters personal growth and plenty of comedy.

That’s the slice-of-life premise upon which


Honey and Clover


is based: five young people attend the same art school, three live in the same apartment building, and love triangles and heartbreak ensue. This series does better than almost any other josei at capturing exactly how convoluted the emotional lives of adults can be.

Honey and Clover

is a messy, emotionally complicated series, but it remains warm and inviting throughout.

3


Nodame Cantabile

Based on a manga by Tomoko Ninomiya,

Nodame Cantabile

follows two music prodigies who could not be any more different. Chiaki comes from a prestigious college and aspires to be a conductor, but his aggressive and unlikable demeanor threatens to derail his career. Conversely, Megumi Noda is a free spirit who generally ignores standard practices in favor of feeling the music, and she believes cleaning is not a requirement.

Nodame Cantabile

takes these two polar-opposite personalities and smashes them together, creating a hilarious and often sweet dynamic. The

best josei anime

tend to take a realistic look at relationships, and this series is no exception. While their basic circumstances and goals might not be particularly common, Chiaki and Nodame’s romance develops naturally and faces relatable challenges.

2


Yuri!!! On Ice

Another stellar josei from

Lupin the Third

director Sayo Yamamoto,


Yuri!!! on Ice


is about, of all things, competitive ice skating.


Rich and seamless animation extracts the maximum amount of heart and intensity from every moment, and given the characters’ passion for their sport, there’s no shortage of drama.

While there’s no shortage of fan service, it’s never allowed to overpower the plot, and the focus remains where it should be: on the rich saga unfolding on and off the ice. One doesn’t have to be a fan of the sport to fall for

Yuri!!! on Ice

and the cast of lovable oddballs in this underrated anime.

Yuri!!! On Ice

is not based on a josei manga, but the anime fits the demographic.

1


Chihayafuru

Chihayafuru


is a josei classic, but that doesn’t mean it’s any less terrific than it was in 2013 when the English sub first appeared. The Japanese card game “karuta” is at the center of the action, and the game sequences are somehow as exciting and nerve-wracking as most shonen battles.

Chihaya Ayase’s infectious love of the game is mirrored by that of her friends and competitors.


The animation is soft and dreamy, the perfect complement to Chihaya’s style. The plot is simple, but the characterization is so fantastic it doesn’t matter.

Chihayafuru

is one of josei anime’s best.

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