Reza25 Best Josei Anime Tells Stories of Adult Women
Josei anime is a genre of anime targeted towards adult women. Josei anime often feature more mature themes and explore topics such as romance, relationships, career, and personal growth. The stories are usually character-driven, and the animation style tends to be more realistic and less stylized than other anime genres.
25 best Josei anime tells stories of adult women:
1. Nana
| Alt Name | ナナ |
| Studio | Madhouse |
| Year | Spring 2006 |
| Genres | Music, Slice of Life, Comedy, Drama, Romance, Shoujo |
Nana Osaki is an ambitious and strong-willed young woman who is the lead vocalist of a punk band called Black Stones. She desires recognition and fame more than anything else. On the other hand, Nana Komatsu is a young woman who tends to be impulsive. They meet for the first time when they both go to Tokyo to pursue their dreams. They then decide to live together. Despite their vastly different personalities, they become close friends.
2. Honey and Clover
| Alt Name | Hachimitsu to Clover |
| Studio | J.C.STAFF Co., Ltd. |
| Year | Spring 2005 |
| Genres | Romance, Comedy, Drama, Sci-Fi |
Honey and Clover is a josei anime series that premiered in 2005 and was produced by J.C.Staff. The series follows the story of a group of art students at an art college in Tokyo, focusing on the lives and relationships of five main characters: Takemoto Yuuta, Mayama Takumi, Morita Shinobu, Yamada Ayumi, and Hanamoto Hagumi.
3. Chihayafuru
| Alt Name | ちはやふる |
| Studio | Madhouse |
| Year | Fall 2011 |
| Genres | Game, Slice of Life, Sports, Josei, Drama |
Ayase Chihaya is a spirited girl who is interested in karuta competition, a card game based on Japanese poetry. Chihaya is introduced to the aggressive playing style by her childhood friend Wataya Arata. They soon become close friends and start playing together in a group with Mashima Taichi, Chihaya's childhood friend who is intelligent and athletic. However, in middle school, they were separated for some reason. As they start their new lives as high school students, they meet again.
4. Paradise Kiss
| Alt Name | パラダイス・キス |
| Studio | MADHOUSE Inc. |
| Year | Fall 2005 |
| Genres | Romantic, Drama, Comedy, Sci-Fi, School |
Paradise Kiss is a josei anime series that premiered in 2005 and was produced by the studio Madhouse. The series follows the story of Yukari Hayasaka, a high school student who is struggling with the pressure of her studies and her mother's expectations.
One day, she is approached by a group of fashion design students from a nearby art school, who ask her to model for their senior project. Yukari is initially reluctant, but she is drawn in by the group's passion and creativity. She begins to develop a close relationship with the group's leader, George Koizumi, a talented and enigmatic designer who is determined to make her his muse.
5. Nodame Cantabile
| Alt Name | のだめカンタービレ |
| Studio | Nodame Cantabile |
| Year | Winter 2007 |
| Genres | Comedy, Drama, Music, Romance, Slice of Life, Josei |
Chiaki Shinichi is a top student at Momogaoka Music Academy, known for his arrogant and talented demeanor. Although he studies piano at the academy, he aspires to become an orchestra conductor. Born into a family of musicians, he is talented in both piano and violin. On the other hand, Noda Megumi, or Nodame, is a piano student known for her messy and eccentric behavior. Although she is very talented, she can only play music that she has heard before and has difficulty understanding musical notation, which makes her considered a failure.
When Nodame and Chiaki accidentally meet, Nodame quickly falls in love with him. Because they live nearby, their relationship becomes closer. Along the way, they meet and befriend strange people like Mine, Masumi, and Stresemann. Thanks to Nodame, Chiaki gets the opportunity to lead the student orchestra and begins to receive good appreciation as an orchestra conductor.
6. Sakamichi no Apollon
| Alt Name | Kids on the Slope |
| Studio | Tezuka Productions, MAPPA |
| Year | Spring 2012 |
| Genres | Drama, Josei, Music, Romance, School |
In the summer of 1966, Kaoru Nishimi moved to Kyushu to live with his family. He was known as a model student who kept to himself. However, his life began to change after he met Sentarou Kawabuchi, who was known to have a bad personality. It was from him that Kaoru learned about jazz music and friendship.
7. Usagi Drop
| Alt Name | Bunny Drop |
| Studio | Production I.G |
| Year | Summer 2011 |
| Genres | Slice of Life, Josei |
When Daikichi returned home to attend his grandfather's funeral, he met Rin for the first time. Rin is his grandfather's illegitimate daughter from an unknown mother. All of Daikichi's relatives disliked the girl's presence and treated her like an outcast. Daikichi, who was disturbed by their behavior, decided to take care of Rin himself, even though he had no experience raising a child.
8. Princess Jellyfish
| Alt Name | Kurage-hime |
| Studio | Brain's Base |
| Year | Fall 2010 |
| Genres | Comedy, Drama, Romance, Sci-Fi |
Princess Jellyfish is a josei anime series that premiered in 2010 and was produced by the studio Brain's Base. The series follows the story of Tsukimi Kurashita, a young woman who is passionate about jellyfish and lives in an apartment complex called Amamizukan with other otaku women who share her interests.
One day, Tsukimi meets a stylish and fashionable woman named Kuranosuke Koibuchi, who helps her save a jellyfish from a pet store. Tsukimi is initially hesitant to interact with Kuranosuke, but she soon learns that Kuranosuke is actually a man who enjoys cross-dressing. Kuranosuke and Tsukimi become unlikely friends, and Kuranosuke helps Tsukimi and her roommates navigate their way through the challenges of adulthood and self-discovery.
9. Shirobako
| Alt Name | シロバコ |
| Studio | Sentai Filmworks |
| Year | Fall 2014 |
| Genres | Comedy, Drama |
Five members of the Kaminoyama school animation club are determined to create an amateur animated work and make it successful. After showcasing it to an audience at a cultural festival, they dream big of moving to Tokyo, getting a job in the anime industry and one day creating something amazing together.
Two and a half years later, two of the members; Miyamori Aoi and Yasuhara Ema, have landed jobs at an anime company, Musashino Animation. At first, everything seems to be going smoothly. However, they slowly realize that life in the anime industry is much harder than they thought.
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10. Fruits Basket (2019)
| Alt Name | フルーツバスケット |
| Studio | TMS Entertainment |
| Year | Spring 2019 |
| Genres | Comedy, Drama, Fantasy, Romance, Shoujo, Slice of Life |
After a family tragedy changes her life, Tooru Honda moves to a new home. Now she lives in the mysterious Soma family's house. When Tooru learns the secret of the Soma family members, they turn into zodiac animals.
11. Wotakoi: Love is Hard for Otaku
| Alt Name | Wotaku ni Koi wa Muzukashii |
| Studio | A-1 Pictures |
| Year | Spring 2018 |
| Genres | Romance, Comedy |
It's a romantic comedy story between Narumi, an office lady who hides her fujoshi lifestyle, and Hirotaka, a handsome man who turns out to be a game otaku.
12. March Comes in Like a Lion
| Alt Name | 3-gatsu no Lion |
| Studio | SHAFT |
| Year | Fall 2016 |
| Genres | Drama, Seinen, Slice of Life, Game |
Kiriyama Rei lost his family since childhood due to an incident, which left a deep wound in his heart. However, 17-year-old Rei only wants to focus on becoming a professional shogi player. One day, Rei, who lives alone in Tokyo, meets three sisters; Akari, Hinata, and Momo. Since then, Rei's life slowly begins to change...
13. Barakamon
| Alt Name | ばらかもん |
| Studio | Kinema Citrus |
| Year | Summer 2014 |
| Genres | Comedy, Slice of Life |
As a punishment for hitting a prominent calligrapher, Handa Seishuu is exiled to an island. Handa is a talented young calligrapher who used to live in the city and must now adapt to rural life with strange neighbors, such as a person who travels by tractor, unknown visitors who never use the front door, troublesome children who use his house as a playground, and so on.
14. Akatsuki no Yona
| Alt Name | Yona of the Dawn |
| Studio | Studio Pierrot |
| Year | Fall 2014 |
| Genres | Action, Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy, Romance, Shoujo |
Princess Yona lived in comfort and luxury. She resided in the peaceful Kingdom of Kouka, seemingly without any problems. However, suddenly Yona's father, the king, was betrayed and killed by his beloved cousin Soo-won. Yona's life was now in danger, forcing her to flee with her childhood friend and bodyguard, Son Hak. Yona realized that Kouka was not the ideal place she had imagined. Rampant poverty, disputes, and corruption made the idea of reclaiming the throne nothing more than a dream given by the current government.
This is the story of Yona's struggle to restore Kouka's glory by facing the new forces of the Kouka Kingdom.
15. Otona Joshi no Anime Time
| Alt Name | Kawamo o Suberu Kaze |
| Studio | The Answer Studio Co., Ltd. |
| Year | Winter 2011 |
| Genres | Drama |
Otona Joshi no Anime Time is an anthology anime series produced by Madhouse studio and premiered in 2013. The series consists of five episodes, each lasting 25 minutes and featuring stories that focus on the lives of adult women. Each episode has a different story and is not related to each other. The series is intended for adult audiences and tackles complex and diverse themes, such as love, friendship, family, and work.
16. Oji-san no Lamp
| Alt Name | おぢいさんのランプ |
| Studio | Telecom Animation Film |
| Year | Winter 2011 |
| Genres | Drama, Historical |
While playing hide-and-seek, a child discovers a strange object. Later, his grandfather tells him about the object and his own youth, and the story of the Westernization of Japan that changed everything.
17. Genshiken
| Alt Name | げんしけん |
| Studio | Palm Co., Ltd. |
| Year | Fall 2004 |
| Genres | Comedy, Romance, Sci-Fi |
Genshiken is a josei anime series that premiered in 2004 and was produced by the studio Palm Studio. The series follows the story of a college freshman named Kanji Sasahara, who is introduced to the world of otaku culture by a group of fellow students in the college's "Genshiken" club. The club is dedicated to the study and appreciation of manga, anime, and video games.
18. Nodame Cantabile
| Alt Name | のだめカンタービレ |
| Studio | J.C.Staff |
| Year | Winter 2007 |
| Genres | Comedy, Drama, Music, Romance, Slice of Life, Josei |
Chiaki Shinichi is a top student at Momogaoka Music Academy. He is known for being a talented yet arrogant person. Although he studies piano at the academy, he aspires to become an orchestra conductor. Born into a family of musicians, he has talent in playing the piano and the violin. On the other hand, Noda Megumi or Nodame is a piano student who is famous for her messy and eccentric behavior. Despite being very talented, she can only play music that she has heard and has difficulty understanding musical notation, making her considered a failure.
When Nodame and Chiaki meet accidentally, Nodame quickly falls in love with Chiaki. As they live next door to each other, their relationship becomes closer. Along the way, they meet and befriend strange people like Mine, Masumi, and Stresemann. Thanks to Nodame, Chiaki gets a chance to lead the student orchestra and begins to receive good appreciation as an orchestra conductor.
19. Kimi ni Todoke
| Alt Name | From Me to You, Reaching You |
| Studio | Production I.G |
| Year | Fall 2009 |
| Genres | Romance, School, Shoujo |
Kuronuma Sawako is often called Sadako due to her resemblance to the ghost in the movie "The Ring". According to rumors circulating at school, she can see ghosts and is believed to bring curses. However, despite her sometimes scary appearance, she is actually a sweet and innocent girl. Sawako is a kind girl who always tries to be friendly and helpful to her friends, but because she can't express herself properly, she often gets misunderstood and pushed away. Nevertheless, Sawako continues to try to make friends and always strives to be kind. Her motto is "One good deed a day".
When she starts talking to Kazehaya Shouta, her life slowly changes. Kazehaya is the most popular person in school. Kazehaya helps Sawako to interact and talk to many people. Despite many problems and obstacles that arise, they are able to overcome them and slowly develop feelings of love for each other.
20. Aoi Hana
| Alt Name | Sweet Blue Flowers |
| Studio | J.C.STAFF Co., Ltd. |
| Year | Summer 2009 |
| Genres | Romance, Drama, Sci-Fi |
Aoi Hana is a josei anime series that premiered in 2009 and was produced by the studio J.C. Staff. The series follows the story of Fumi Manjoume, a shy high school student who is still recovering from a breakup with her childhood friend.
Fumi reconnects with her old friend Akira Okudaira, who is now attending a different school. Akira introduces Fumi to a new group of friends and helps her come out of her shell. Along the way, Fumi discovers that she has romantic feelings for a girl named Sugimoto, who is a member of Akira's group.
21. Koi wa Ameagari no You ni
| Alt Name | Love is Like after the Rain |
| Studio | Wit Studio |
| Year | Winter 2018 |
| Genres | Romance, Seinen |
Tachibana Akira is a 17-year-old girl who rarely shows her emotions. She falls in love with Kondou Masami, the manager at the part-time job where she works. Her manager is 45 years old, divorced, and has a child.
Despite the significant age difference, Akira wholeheartedly loves her manager. And although Akira cannot explain why she is attracted to him, she believes that loving someone does not require a reason. One day, when it is raining, she takes courage to confess her feelings...
22. Moyashimon
| Alt Name | もやしもん |
| Studio | Telecom Animation Film Co., Ltd., Shirogumi Inc. |
| Year | Fall 2007 |
| Genres | Comedy, Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Supernatural, Drama |
Moyashimon is a josei anime series that premiered in 2007 and was produced by the studio Shirogumi. The series follows the story of Tadayasu Sawaki, a freshman at an agricultural university in Tokyo. Tadayasu has a unique ability to see and communicate with microbes, which are depicted as cute, anthropomorphic creatures.
As Tadayasu navigates college life, he uses his ability to help his friends and professors with various agricultural and scientific tasks. The series also explores the relationships between Tadayasu and his classmates, including his childhood friend Kei, the wealthy and eccentric Haruka, and the serious-minded Hasegawa.
23. Ristorante Paradiso
| Alt Name | リストランテ・パラディーゾ |
| Studio | David Production Inc. |
| Year | Spring 2009 |
| Genres | Sci-Fi, Drama, Romance |
Ristorante Paradiso is a josei anime series that premiered in 2009 and was produced by David Production. The series is set in Rome and follows the story of a young woman named Nicoletta, who travels to the city to confront her absent mother, Olga.
Nicoletta discovers that her mother is a prominent artisan at a restaurant called Casetta dell'Orso, which is run by a group of handsome older men who wear glasses and are referred to as "the gentlemen." Despite initial reservations, Nicoletta is drawn to the restaurant and its unique atmosphere. She eventually decides to work at the restaurant as an apprentice and learns about the art of Italian cuisine and the lives of the gentlemen who work there.
24. Natsume Yuujinchou
| Alt Name | Natsume's Book of Friends |
| Studio | Brain's Base |
| Year | Summer 2008 |
| Genres | Drama, Fantasy, Shoujo, Slice of Life, Supernatural |
Natsume Takashi has the ability to see spirits inherited from his grandmother, Reiko. After her death, Reiko bequeathed the Yuujinchou (Book of Friends) to her grandson. The Yuujinchou is a book that contains the names of the spirits that Reiko defeated. The spirits whose names are written in the Yuujinchou will obey the book's owner, and they will be bound to it until the owner returns their names to free them.
As Reiko's grandson, Takashi feels responsible for the spirits bound in the Yuujinchou. He begins to return the names of the spirits that come to him to free them. On his journey, Takashi is aided by Nyanko-sensei (Madara) as his guardian and guide. Along with encountering many spirits, Takashi begins to form friendships with them.
25. Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu
| Alt Name | Showa and Genroku Era Lover's Suicide Through Rakugo |
| Studio | Studio Deen |
| Year | Winter 2016 |
| Genres | Drama, Josei, Historical |
Yotarou is a former yakuza member who has just been released from prison and becomes interested in rakugo, a traditional Japanese comedic storytelling art. He is inspired by Yuurakute Yakumo, an amazing rakugo artist. Yotarou decides to change his life through rakugo and asks Yakumo to take him on as his apprentice.
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