Just about anyone who has ever uttered the word, “anime” has heard of Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex (referred to as GITS from here on out). A quick look at the series shows that it’s a futuristic police drama set in the nearby future, about three decades away, where the lines of man and machine have been blurred. However, with the rise of great technology, abuse of said technology is on the rise by terrorists and criminals. GITS follows Major Kusanagi and her team referred to as section 9 as they serve to stop these crimes and track down criminals. The most popular track by far written for this series has to be “Inner Universe” sung by Origa. Yoko Kanno wrote this track by running together quick beats to give it a fuzzy, extraterrestrial feeling which you can hear in the opening notes and if you listen closely throughout the song. She does this in many other songs throughout the series giving it a slightly futuristic forward sound. Run Rabbit Junk, Stamina Rose, Home Stay etc etc. The other cool part about Inner Universe is that it’s sung in Russian, Latin, and English. The lyrics within it as well reference people struggling to find identities within a society that has rapidly become so mechanized that they are disassociated from each other almost automatically. “Rise,” the opening for season two, is also sang Russian and English, and again with lyrics about being a soldier and rising up to right the good fight. The ending songs, “Lithium Flower” (S1) and “Living Inside the Shell” (S2), were also written by Yoko Kanno. She also collaborated with many, many artists to create the soundtracks for the two seasons and the movie. In fact the OP for the movie Solid State Society features Origa singing with the now disbanded group Heartsdales right before they broke up! Some favorites that she worked with for GITS are Steve Conte and Tim Jensen. Recommended Songs: Inner universe Beauty within us Run Rabbit Junk Player I can’t be cool

I’m pretty much sure the users of the internet would come to my home and burn my house down to the ground if I somehow missed including this show in this list. Well good thing I didn’t forget!! Macross Frontier is actually a remake of the original Super Dimension Fortress Macross which originally aired in 1982. It paints a future about 47 years beyond the original series where people are now looking at integrating with another race which creates new problems such as politics, drama, and of course, action. The series takes off when a reconnaissance mission goes awry and is destroyed by an alien mecha known only as the Vajra. The new United Nations is called in to find this problem and solve it. It is mind-blowing how popular the music is for this series. It should be noted that the combined sales of all the albums and singles totals over 900,000 and ALL singles and albums linked to this show, according to the research I did, charted within the Top 3 spots on the Oricon Charts. (Similar to the American Billboard Charts) Wow! Yoko Kanno’s reach doesn’t stop there. This show also showcased now relatively popular J-pop Singers May’n and Megumi Nakajima. Both of these artists were given their shots at fame because of Macross Frontier and Yoko Kanno. Kanno again in this series relies on her large orchestra to make her sounds come together. You can hear this quite well in “Vital Force.” “Diamond cross” is another great example of how Kanno creates songs to be placed towards the end of the series giving it a sense of closing as you listen. All in all this amazing series has spawned 6 full albums and 9 singles. This is quite a lot considering this is a one season show with two movies! Recommended Songs: Diamond Crevasse Northern Cross Obelisk Universal Bunny Vital Force

Where do I even start? Cowboy Bebop has to undoubtedly be one of the most popular anime of all time, if not the best known of all time. This show follows Spike Spiegel and Jet Black, a pair of bounty hunters that work closely with the law to bring in criminals for that cold hard cash! Endless with intrigue and action, Cowboy Bebop is loved by countless fans. Let’s get right into it. Almost all music for this show is credited to a band named The Seatbelts. However, this was a band painstakingly arranged and carefully plotted by Yoko Kanno herself. She arranged this band to have countless members from Japan and internationally. Steve Conte and Tim Jensen, famous now from their GITS songs, made their appearance here as well. Over 80 musicians are credited with having been a part of The Seatbelts!! Wow! The main focus of the music here was from a Jazz background, hence the imagery of the series. Tank!, for example, relies heavily on the big band jazz style with Latin influences, a fantastic saxophone solo, and there’s even bongo drums in the song as well. The Real Folk Blues is unique due to it being one of the few songs in the whole series that uses Japanese at all. The show itself tends to use more instrumental tracks with very limited vocals. This series has spawned a total of 9 albums! One cool fact is that Yoko Kanno was actually told by the director, Shinichirou Watanabe, exactly how he wanted the music to sound for Cowboy Bebop. She ignored him and instead wrote a bunch of music and handed it in suggesting where it should be used within the series. Watanabe was so surprised that she deified his orders that he actually used the music for the first half of the series because the second half had not been produced yet. However, Kanno, with no reference materials went ahead and wrote extra music for the whole series. The second half of the series features the music that she wrote that they had not originally requested. How cool!! Recommended Songs: Tank! Bad Dog no Biscuits Cosmos The Real Folk Blues

This list would not be complete without naming Wolf’s Rain on it!! Wolf’s Rain is an incredibly tragic, post-apocalyptic anime about, you guessed it, wolves. It tells the story of a world where wolves have been hunted to near extinction. However, they can smell a lunar flower. Should they be able to find the person who is the embodiment of that flower, she can lead them to paradise. The wolves disguise themselves as humans and travel across many towns and landscapes in search of the flower and paradise. The number one comment I see for this series in regards to music, is that this show would be nothing if it was not for Yoko Kanno writing the entire OST. Of course it’s going to be a hit when she brings out her aces such as Maaya Sakamoto, Steve Conte, and Ilaria Graziano. Gravity Features Maaya Sakamoto’s vocals. This soundtrack was actually recorded in Brazil, Japan, the US, and Poland. Kanno pulled out all the stops here to make this one. Something to note though about the music this time around, is that it is more somber. For example, “Gravity,” is a piano driven song and “Pilgrim Snow” is a slower harp based song meant to evoke slower and calmer feelings while still being somber. Not out of left field, but definitely not something that you will hear often. Songs like “Stray” are definitely a step away from the slower, sadder songs, but there aren’t many that are quick like it. “Stray” also features my favorite singer that she has worked with, Steve Conte. Stray is also noted for its lyrics that tie into the series characters. Recommended Songs: Cloud 9 Gravity Heaven’s not Enough Tell me what the rain knows Stray

Kids on the Slope is on this list for one reason alone; Yoko Kanno and Shinichiro Watanabe (Cowboy Bebop, Macross Frontier) reunite! Kids on the slope takes a look at the evolution of jazz in 1960s Japan. Kaoru moves from Yokosuka, a navy base in Tokyo to a tiny, remote city in Kyushu. Before he came, he was an perfect student. Now that he is in Kyushu, he becomes a shut-in. He does chance on meeting Sentaro, Ritsuko, and Junichi (brother Jun) among others and through them they discover that they can all play jazz music together. Together, they journey through high school. I think that Kanno really really really really really likes Jazz music the best. Cowboy bebop, easily one of her best achievements, was very heavy on jazz and since she reunited with Watanabe here, of course, it’s all jazz! This show is actually very true to the history of jazz and samples from various artists within the genre. I was quite shocked to find out that most of the songs in the show are actually very famous, well known songs. Art Blakey, Milt Jackson, Chet Baker, Horace Silver, are all very famous jazz performers, and the list doesn’t stop there! The best part is that each episode is names after a famous song by a jazz artist. Which is then usually played by the characters in the series! If you have an appreciation for what real jazz sounds like, then this is the show for you. Yoko Kanno’s musical genius with Watanabe’s directional genius makes Kids on the slope a true gem. Recommended Songs: Moanin Sumemrtime Someday my Prince will come Lullaby of Birdland

Aquarion Evol is actually the sequel to the 2005 hit anime series Genesis of Aquarion. Well… what I should say is the distant sequel. This show is set 12,000 years into the future. The people living on the planet Vega are now under attack from the people of the nearby planet of Altair who have had all women die due to a strange disease. Altarians are now attacking Vega and kidnapping women to save their own race. Sora must use his hidden power to save his new friend Mikono and his planet. Aquarion Evol and Genesis of Aquarion both feature Yoko Kanno’s genius behind the musical production. Yoko Kanno wrote basically everything for this series as well, and just like with Macross Frontier, she took AKINO from the group bless4 and made her as well as the band itself famous! Bless4 contains Akino, but she has also debuted as a solo artist. In this series again though, Kanno relies on her powerful orchestra to bring a musical delight to our ears. Songs like “Fragments of Eve” keep the beat upbeat, moving and fast while working in the vocals of AKINO to keep you entertained. She does try to give us a bit more of a dark/somber track with “Altair Invasion.” Looking at the series and what it is about, it makes sense that this track would be aptly named so. The series also has some fantastic songs reworked from the old series that are placed into the new one as well. For example, if you listen closely to “Genesis Carnival” you can hear the melody from Aquarius, but now arranged for an organ! Recommended Songs: Fragments of Eve Kimi no Shinwa ~ Aquarion Dai 2 Shou~ Genesis of Aquarion Genesis Carnival

Although this anime is not classified as being the same genre as K-On!, it does explore the similar concept of rebooting a school club that is in danger of being shut down permanently, due to a lack of members. The protagonist, Okazaki Tomoya, is known as someone who does not particularly care for his grades or the process of making friends. At this point, it becomes apparent to the audience that he is not a member of any club, as he finds them to be somewhat pointless. However, his life is turned right-side up when Furukawa Nagisa, a girl who was sick and unable to graduate on time, meets him at the top of a hill before their first day of school. When he learns of her past and her passion to start up the Theatre Club, as well as her zest for acting, he decides to help her recruit more members in an attempt to help her reach her dream. Despite the fact that Clannad is a lot more emotional than K-On!, it does have plenty of humorous moments that make the audience feel as though this story could have actually taken place at some point in time!

Another anime produced by KyoAni, Amagi Brilliant Park is a story about creatures from another world who have come to Earth and set up an amusement park, wanting to fill the hearts of their customers with delight and warm memories. Unfortunately, their diligence and desire to put a smile on their customers’ faces is threatened when they don't have enough money to maintain the park. This is where Kanie Seiya plays his role as protagonist. He is first introduced as being cornered by Sento Isuzu, a girl who holds a customised rifle and threatens to shoot, unless he agrees to come with her on a “date.” As Kanie slowly learns about Amagi Brilliant Park, other aspects of the anime are revealed and ultimately, the theme park that was originally in danger of being permanently shut down is given a bright future filled with hope. Each of the main characters of this anime has a fruitful background that evidently justifies why their personality is the way it is. Within the many layers of entertainment that Amagi Brilliant Park provides to viewers as well as characters in the anime, there is an idol group comprised of four girls who — you guessed it! — sing upbeat songs and have multiple dance numbers as their act in the amusement park. Each of their personalities somewhat resemble those of the girls in K-On!, making them a kind of carbon copy. There are certainly many moments in which you will laugh, whether it is due to a character’s dialogue or action, or even tiny plot twists that are found in this thirteen-episode anime. From the very first episode, you will be enchanted by this anime’s magical nature!

With similar concepts as K-On! in terms of wanting to keep an aspect of school alive through music, Love Live! School Idol Project is an anime about a high school that comes very close to going under due to a lack of students who apply there. There are three different districts in which this anime is set, one of the districts being Akihabara, infamously known as “Electric City”. Not wanting her school to perish, Kousaka Honoka decides to form an idol group in the hopes that she, along with eight other girls, will become popular and attract a large number of prospective students for the new year. Kousaka Honoka is similar in just a few ways to K-On!’s Hirasawa Yui: they both want to work hard to achieve a goal with the help of their friends. Their personalities are generally lovable and admired by their friends and other people surrounding them, although Honoka is slightly more driven in her pursuit for her goal. While the issues of K-On! are not as problematic as Love Live! School Idol Project, the whole ‘reviving an aspect of school’ trope is definitely common, and surely enough, this anime that is fast-paced in its pursuit will suck you right in!

Another anime centered around school clubs, this particular one focuses on the activities of the protagonist Akaza Akari after she enters middle school and reunites with her two childhood friends who happen to be in the Amusement Club. Akari joins the Amusement Club with her friends after she finds that the club she originally intended to join, the Tea Club, had been halted. Ultimately, these girls sit at the tea room facility, despite being the Amusement Club. The girls’ days are mostly free from reaching a goal and have no real purpose, although the humour and friendships are very much like K-On! and definitely gives off the same vibe!

Unlike the majority of anime, The iDOLM@STER was originally a raising simulation and rhythm video game series created by Bandai Namco Games. It was such a huge sensation amongst its fans that it was turned into an anime that tells the story of thirteen girls who aspire to be idols and are trained to be as such. Although this anime focuses more on the ‘idol’ aspect as opposed to the ‘school club’ aspect that exists in K-On!, both of these anime consist of bonds between the characters that are strong enough to help them through their struggles with wanting to achieve a common goal. Cute, funny, and musical, The iDOLM@STER is sure to wow you with its glamor as well as explore the relationships between idols as well as their producers and rivaling production companies.

Different in its pursuit towards comedy, Uta no Prince-sama: Maji Love 1000% is a story that revolves around a girl, Nanami Haruka, who enrolls into a prestigious performing arts school, hoping to work together with an agency of her dreams after graduation. Of course, the simple fact that the school is prestigious is enough to tell the audience that there are already numerous composers and idols around her, causing her to feel intimidated. With a cast that consists of males who are drop-dead gorgeous, the musical aspect of this anime is certainly unique. Once you start, you can’t get out of this one! Haruka’s ambition despite the fact that she can’t read music like the rest of the students at the school is admirable, and very much like Hirasawa Yui’s desire to play the guitar in K-On!. While Uta no Prince-sama: Maji Love 1000%, very much like K-On!, focuses on the musical aspect of the plot, this anime is not a slice-of-life and therefore, the sequence of events are much more fast-paced!

First on our list is Teekyuu 5. As you might have already guessed, this is the fifth season of the Teekyuu series, which tells the story of a hopeless all-girls tennis team. This show combines Slice of Life with lots of comedy and school elements. It is based on a 2012 manga and has gained enough popularity to produce multiple sequels. Teekyuu’s girls are a little bit quirky and unique, but that’s what adds so much charm to the story. The show itself focuses rather on the interaction between the different characters and their personal development than on the storyline. If you are a fan of school stories and club dynamics, then you should check Teekyuu 5 out. Of course, this anime also caters towards all sports fans, especially tennis enthusiasts.

Non Non Biyori is a show for those of you that are done with reality and just want to escape to the perfect world of anime. The second season Non Non Biyori Repeat continues the story of Ichijou Hotaru and her friends and takes them and the viewers on new adventures. This story is set in the countryside where student Hotaru just recently moved in with her parents. The girl finds herself in a completely new environment and has to adapt to her new lifestyle. Like Teekyuu, this show deals with friendship and the developing relationship between the main cast. Non Non Biyori Repeat is an uplifting Slice of Life anime that does not try to stand out with slapstick humor or lots of special effects. It is a slow and quiet show that will most likely capture the hearts of its viewers.

Wakaba*Girl goes out to all the fans of Japanese pop culture and current fashion trends. It focuses on a group of girls that dare to fall out of the usual patterns - heroine Wakaba Kohashi is all about the crazy style of the Japanese “garyu” subculture while her friends like BL stories or are simply unique in their own way. This show combines typical Japanese school girls with modern fashion trends. It perfectly depicts the two sides of modern Japan and how traditional values exist together with rebellious behavior - Wakaba*Girl certainly promises to be interesting. I would definitely advise girls interested in pop culture to check this show out, since this Girls Only anime portrays the daily lives of Japanese girls.

This show with a funny-looking name adds two new episodes to the already unique Yuru Yuri Nachuyachumi!. The first season is often acclaimed to have some of the cutest and most lovable characters in the anime universe, so why not give it a try? This anime revolves around four girls who set out on daily adventures as part of their amusement club. What you can expect from this show is seeing a group of adorable girls encountering new things while enjoying their time together. Most importantly, the story never feels too forced or unnatural - it has a good flow and the humor fits each situation perfectly. The upcoming episodes will continue this old pattern, so be ready for new adventures together with these lovely girls.

Working!!! is the third season of the Working!! series. Its fun characters and charming storyline have captured the hearts of many fans. The new season will bring you back to the family restaurant in Hokkaido and its weird employees. The Working!! series has always been a down-to-earth show whose main strengths are the characters and their great sense of humor. The story is based on a manga written and illustrated by Karino Takatsu and got enough recognition to not only be adapted into an anime but also to earn two sequels. This fact alone should already be reason enough for you to give Working!!! at least a try. It is the must-watch Slice of Life show of this season.

Many of us have been introduced to the world of Seiyuu through Miho of Bakuman. Now this unique profession gets its own show: Sore ga Seiyuu focuses on the ups and downs of Japanese voice-acting and how a group of girls strives to make their dreams come true. Sore ga Seiyuu is a highly anticipated show since it gives an insight into an important part of Japanese culture. The original manga gained a big fanbase in a small amount of time with its humorous insights into the daily lives of voice actors. It also promises a lot of friendship, motivational speeches and girls power, so definitely give this show a try.

Did you ever wonder how a beautiful and popular girl acts like at home? Well, Himouto Umaru-chan can give you the answer you were looking for - but it will be different from what you might expect. This anime shows the two faces protagonist Umaru has. In public she is a popular and flawless girl, but at home she turns into a lazy, good-for-nothing type of sister - much to the despair of her own brother. This is a show that all of you with siblings should be able to relate to. It depicts the relationship between brother and sister as well as the dynamics of a family. This show is a must-watch for all fans of family dramas.

This series is another visually stunning reverse harem anime based on a visual novel. It focuses around a female character who struggles to overcome adversity, and has many twists and turns throughout the plot. This series is a bit darker at times than Uta no☆Prince-sama♪ Maji Love 1000%, but has many similar elements. The heroine of this series wakes up on a morning just like any other, only to find she has no memories at all. The first person she encounters is a boy who calls himself Orion, who appears to be invisible to everyone else. He informs her that he is to blame for her lost memories, and vows to help her retrieve them. The series follows her quest to reclaim her identity along with these lost memories, which proves to be no easy task.

This anime features a cast of bishounen, a tenacious female protagonist, and a dose of humor similar to Uta no☆Prince-sama♪ Maji Love 1000%. Another similarity is that over the course of one day, the main character’s life is turned on its head. Ema’s life is pretty average. Average, that is, until her mother re-marries, bringing thirteen new brothers into her life. To make matters more complicated, the series follows the blossoming romantic tension between Ema and her new in-laws, and the drama that ensues.

This is another anime based off a visual novel. The main character is an average girl, surrounded by a cast of bishounen. Through a turn of luck, this girl finds her mundane life totally transformed, without a dull moment in sight. Ange's life is turned on its head. Suddenly, she finds herself bearing the responsibility of the Etoile. What this means, is that she is tasked with essentially saving the universe. Luckily she has the support of nine elemental guardians to aid her on her quest. Can she rise to the challenge that has been set before her and save the Cosmos of the Holy Beast? Angelique: When the Heart Awakens is pretty similar to Uta no Prince-sama, mostly in the reverse-harem theme where the males in the show begin to fall in love with Ange's.

This is another anime that takes place is a school setting, has a strong female lead, and a very interesting plot. It also features of a cast of interesting characters who undergo significant development as the story progresses, with many episodes providing more information on their backstories. Haruhi Fujioka doesn’t quite fit in at her new school. She’s having difficulty making friends, and even gets mistaken for a boy. It doesn’t help that she manages to accidentally break an antique vase belonging to the famous host club. Not to worry, they come up with a plan for her to earn the money to replace it back, but there’s a bit of a catch.

This is an additional series that features strong reverse-harem anime elements, and a strong female protagonist. Additional similarities can be found in the school setting the show takes place in, as well as the show’s strong aesthetic appeal which is another strength that it shares with Uta no☆Prince-sama♪ Maji Love 1000%. Yui is forced to transfer to a new school. It sounds like a dream - her roommates are six gorgeous men. However, there's a catch to everything - they're not quite human. And if being surrounded by vampires didn't make her new life complicated enough, they're after her blood. High school isn't supposed to be easy, but Yui is in for a heck of an interesting ride.

Another anime that features a female protagonist who combats adversity to make a name for herself in show business featuring music, as well as romance. This anime is a bit more dramatic than Uta no☆Prince-sama♪ Maji Love 1000%, but shares many of the same qualities. Kyoko is an encouraging friend, and encourages her friend Shou to pursue his dreams of music – that is until she hears him insult her, and a friendship quickly turns into a rivalry. The road to the top is full of twists and turns in this engaging series that will keep you guessing, and rooting for Kyoko all the way as she strives to see her name in lights and prove Shou wrong.

Let’s start this list with the best dead yet alive musician I know of - Brook from One Piece. I just had to pick the skeleton with the big afro and the unique style, even though he most certainly would be annoying during long tours. His table manners and corny jokes are terrible, but he definitely knows how to play the violin and create certain moods. Besides, having a violin playing skeleton in your band would certainly attract a lot of people to your concerts.

I have to admit it - I have had a crush on Nana since the first time she appeared on screen. She is the definition of a true rock star: the spiky hair, the dark outfit, the grumpy look on her face. Just everything on her screams punk and rock. A band with her as a member would certainly become famous. Also, Nana has experienced both love and pain. She is aware of what she has been through and knows a lot about human relationships. Even though she might look cold and unapproachable at first, she is a great friend and team player. Once you earn her trust you can be sure that she won’t leave you. It’s qualities like that that matter most when you want to find a valuable band member.

Next up is a girl from the most recent anime on our list. Similar to Nana, Reina seems to be a cold and composed person who wouldn’t do great as a team member. However, this is only a façade - Reina has proven to be a great addition to the brass band club of Hibike! Euphonium. Despite her young age Reina already acts like a true professional. It’s not only her attitude and the way she creates music, but also her technical abilities. Coming from a family with a history in music she has been practicing starting from a young age. That is part of the reason why you can be sure that Reina will always treat music with a certain amount of respect and try to perform to her full potential.

Let us continue with a truly gifted child prodigy. Kaori not only has a good heart but also outstanding abilities when it comes to playing the violin. Her playing style reflects her personality and you can never be sure of how she’s going to perform next. What made me chose her as a potential band member was the way she helped Kousei return to the piano after giving up on it completely. The free-spirited girl was strong enough to make him change his mind completely. I can only start imagining how motivating and inspiring it would be to have her as a fellow band member. With her instinctive and cheerful nature she could get anyone back on their feet again.

When it comes to Uta no Prince-sama there are a lot of people you can choose from as potential band members. They are all talented, charismatic and good-looking. However, if I had to pick just one guy out of all of them it had to be Tokiya Ichinose. Even though the whole main cast, including the female lead of course, is talented I have the feeling that Tokiya is the most dedicated to his work. Not only that, but he takes music seriously. He tries his hardest to succeed, not only to become famous but especially in order to be the best at what he’s doing. Tokiya might doubt himself from time to time but his attention to detail and his perfectionism are his main strengths. He would be a great person to be in charge of a band.

What better addition to a band is there than the motherland of classical music? The beautiful small country of Austria, represented in Hetalia as a nerdy boy, would add a traditional touch to any band. It is true that not a lot of people call themselves fans of classical music, but I would still add Austria as a member. He does not only have the necessary expertise, but also understands the long history of music. He could contribute beautiful piano and violin pieces as well as remind band members of the technical aspects of composing music. He is a truly talented addition to any band.

T.K. is a true performer. I wouldn’t go as far as to say he is a musician or talented at what he’s doing, but he certainly has the right attitude. He would be part of my band just to keep the spirits up and to give us a rock star image. Just imagine going on a tour together with T.K.; not only would it be relaxed and incredibly fun but also entertaining. You cannot predict what he is going to do next and this would certainly make for a great adventure. And even though I am sure that he would not be a great musician, he at least knows how to pull off standing on a stage without knowing what’s going on. T.K. is probably the most fun person to start a band with.

Is Gajeel a musician? No. Can he play an instrument? No. Is he musically talented? Definitely not! Would I still want to be in a band with him? Oh yes! It is true that Gajeel is usually seen in his natural element, namely getting into fights and pestering others, but eventually the viewer becomes witness to his terrible singing abilities. Dressed in a white suit he performs a unique song that earns him the hate and disrespect of his audience. Why would I want to be in a band with a person like him? Because he manages to keep his cool and continue performing no matter what the audience throws at him. Also, it would be fun to not care about the quality of the music but sing your heart out - even though it sounds terrible.

I usually don’t pick two characters from the same anime for one list, but in this case I just couldn’t resist. T.K. is hilarious and a great addition to any group of friends. Iwasawa, on the other hand, has actual talent. Not only that, but she is filled with passion for music. Writing songs together with her must be a wonderful experience. Her personal backstory has touched me the most out of all the characters in Angel Beats!. Even though she has such a tragic past and had to suffer through a lot of personal issues, music was always her way out. Being around her will certainly show you the power of music and what it feels like to be truly devoted to it. Iwasawa is not only an outstanding character with an incredibly strong personality, but also a talented singer songwriter.

Last up and top choice on our list is the quirky and unique Megumi Noda from Nodame Cantabile. Like most characters above she combines a bright and uplifting personality with outstanding musical talent. What sets her apart from the others is her special way of creating music. Megumi has created a unique style for herself. She puts all of her feelings, her emotions and her personality into every piece she plays. She does not aim to become the best pianist out there or pursue music in order to become rich and famous. Her aims are pure and even though she is amazingly skilled she will play the simplest songs just to make herself and those around her happy. Being in a band with Megumi would never get boring as well as always remind you of the true nature of making music.

Adapted from a visual novel, Kimi ga Nozomu Eien (KimiNozo for short) tells the story of four best friends: Narumi Takayuki, Hayase Mitsuki, Suzumiya Haruka, and Taira Shinji. Friendship grew to love however and after a shocking incident that befell the group, their lives changed throughout the years. KimiNozo is a story of love, friendship, betrayal and shows how love can easily sway one's heart.

Right off the bat, the first thing that makes KimiNozo similar to NANA is the rather complicated relationships of the characters. Komatsu Nana has a few guys in her life — the married man, the college sweetheart, and the rockstar. Was the college sweetheart cheating on her or was it just a misunderstanding and her blowing things out of proportion? Will she continue rejecting him and move on with the other guy she met?

These are tough decisions for one girl to make. Same goes with the characters of KimiNozo — Will Takayuki continue loving Mitsuki after years of being together or will he abandon her because he made a promise to Haruka back when they were young? Will Mitsuki give up because Haruka is her best friend or fight in the name of love? Ugh, that last line was cheesy…

After dropping out of college, 22-year-old Tatsuhiro Satou is living his life as a shut-in. He is lazy, rarely leaves his room, sleeps 16 hours a day and spends the rest of the day getting annoyed by his loud neighbor. He didn’t ask for this lifestyle and then discovers that a mysterious group called the NHK is the reason why he became a hikikimori.

But then one day, he met a young girl named Nakahara Misaki and his life starts changing for the better... or does it? Is this young girl his saving grace or is she a secret agent of the NHK out to keep his life a living hell? Welcome to the NHK.

Welcome to the NHK doesn’t focus on romance like NANA or KimiNozo, but it does share the portrayal of relatable human interaction and how fragile it is. Satou is a good example of a real shut-in living his life in seclusion. His life is miserable and he is in no way a superhero nor does he have magical powers like you see in anime.

He’s just a normal guy who had lost his way and blames an organization he didn’t even know existed for his shortcomings. He will not meet a love interest with magical powers nor does he have friends to cheer him up. The people he meets are the same as him — sociopaths struggling with their lives.

Depressing list, don’t you think? Not to worry, the next one will bring a smile to your face!

Kimi ni Todoke is a shoujo anime with a similar art style as NANA (piercing eyes, guys with shoulders wider than a chalkboard, etc.). That’s it. Now on to the fourth anim—Right, right.

Kimi ni Todoke tells the story of Sawako Kuronuma who longs to make new friends in high school. But because of her resemblance to the ghost from the “The Ring”, and because people often mistake her timid demeanor for maliciousness, she has earned the nickname “Sadako.”

Enter Kazehaya Shouta, the kind and popular guy in class. He is Sadako’s inspiration to try harder to make friends. Sawako’s school life slowly changes as she and Shouta become friends and like every romance story out there, love starts from that friendship.

The story is lighthearted, very funny, yet heart-warming. The character development and the relationships are the anime’s strongest point. Yeah, the character development is sorta less complex and often predictable, but the characters are so colorful and very relatable. Especially Ume-chan. I can relate to her in many ways and I like her so much I often cheered for her, the “bad guy,” more than Sawako. Don’t misunderstand me, Sawako is a great female lead, but I just can’t ignore Kurumizawa Ume’s charm. Go, go, Ume-chan!

Honey and Clover tells the story of art students Takemoto Yuuta, Mayama Takumi, Morita Shinobu, Yamada Ayumi, and Hanamoto Hagumi as they go about their colorful and often chaotic lives.

This is the liveliest anime on the list. Don’t be fooled by Shinobu’s crazy antics and funny reactions, like every show on this list, Honey and Clover is filled with relatable characters and stories. Whether it’s Yuuta finding love for the first time, Takumi doing his best to finish college while dealing with is love life, Ayumi struggling with her unrequited love, or Hagumi dealing with rejection and slowly earning friends, it’s a ride you’ll be glad to go on. And despite being the oddest oddball of the bunch, Shinobu is always there to provide comedic and moral support to his friends. Dammit, Morita-san!

Takasu Ryuuji is a nice guy, but due to his intimidating eyes, people only see him as a delinquent and so he’s totally hopeless about his chances at making friends, never mind getting a girlfriend. On his first day as a second-year highschool student, he is happy to be in the same class with his best pal Kitamura Yuusaku and his crush Kushieda Minori. However, he unwittingly bumps into Aisaka Taiga, the school’s “most dangerous animal.”

Despite having the seemingly typical cast of stereotypes in an average high school romance setting, Toradora! ends up telling a mature story with characters that are not who they seem. Much like everything on this list, Toradora! is chockful of great characters, love triangles, friendships and break-ups – even more so than NANA.

If you ask me, Kawashima Ami is my favorite character in the show. At first, she’s this egotistic supermodel and as the show goes on, her perspective and attitude changes after meeting with the other cast like Taiga, Ryuuji and especially Minori. If you watched Toradora! when it aired in 2008-2009, I’m sure you know the nickname fans gave her — Ami-bro.

12-year-old Kouyama Mitsuki has big dreams of becoming a singer. One day, she made a promise with a boy named Eiichi that one day, when they meet again, they will have both fulfilled their dreams. Unfortunately for Mitsuki, she is diagnosed with a growth on her throat and if left untreated, the tumor will take her life. However, she refuses to be treated because in doing so, she will forever lose her ability to sing and fulfill her promise to the boy.

As her last days pass by, she is visited by two soul takers (shinigami), Takuto and Meroko to prepare for her departure to the afterlife. Refusing to give up, Mitsuki shows her resolve and passion to sing and convinced Takuto to help her. With his powers, and with some reluctant support from Meroko, they push Mitsuki to pursue her dreams by giving her a temporarily healthy body. Will Mitsuki fulfill her dream as a singer and meet Eiichi or will she fail and succumb to her illness?

Don't be fooled by the kiddy nature of the art style and mahou shoujo-esque idol story because Full Moon wo Sagashite is a story about growing up, self discovery and fighting against all odds so you can reach your dream. Full Moon is very similar to NANA in many ways — the main character is a singer pursuing her career and tries to catch up to the person she holds dear.

Mitsuki meets friends and rivals along the way and she has to deal with a shaky love triangle between her and the shinigami pair, Takuto and Meroko. And of course, there's the music. While the track list is small compared to other idol anime, it compensates by how powerful each song is. Sung by MYCO with music by Changin' My Life, each song has a purpose, a meaning in terms of the story and Mitsuki herself.