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Best Josei anime, ranked

Every Josei anime in the Codex, scored on six things that actually matter and ranked by weighted score (2000–2026). 18 titles, led by Honey and Clover (Hachimitsu to Clover) (8.66). Re-ranked automatically as scores change — no stale lists.

Honey and Clover (Hachimitsu to Clover)

Honey and Clover (Hachimitsu to Clover)

2005Top: Character 9.2

Journal with Witch

Journal with Witch

2026Top: Character 9.0

Usagi Drop (Bunny Drop)

Usagi Drop (Bunny Drop)

2011Top: Character 8.7

Chihayafuru

2011Top: Character 8.5

Paradise Kiss

2005Top: Character 8.5

Kids on the Slope (Sakamichi no Apollon)

Kids on the Slope (Sakamichi no Apollon)

2012Top: Animation 9.0

Nodame Cantabile

Nodame Cantabile

2007Top: Character 8.5

Princess Jellyfish (Kuragehime)

Princess Jellyfish (Kuragehime)

2010Top: Character 8.5

Recovery of an MMO Junkie (Net-juu no Susume)

Recovery of an MMO Junkie (Net-juu no Susume)

2017Top: Character 8.0

Ristorante Paradiso

Ristorante Paradiso

2009Top: World 8.0

Hataraki Man

2006Top: Themes 8.0

Saiyuki

2000Top: Character 7.8

Wotakoi: Love is Hard for Otaku (Wotaku ni Koi wa Muzukashii)

Wotakoi: Love is Hard for Otaku (Wotaku ni Koi wa Muzukashii)

2018Top: World 7.2

07-Ghost

2009Top: Character 6.5

Loveless

2005Top: World 7.2

7 Seeds

2019Top: World 7.0

Karneval

2013Top: Animation 6.5

Junjou Romantica

Junjou Romantica

2008Top: Cultural 7.0

Related rankings

Best Shonen anime Best Seinen anime Best Shoujo anime Best Kodomomuke anime

FAQ

What is the best Josei anime?: Honey and Clover (Hachimitsu to Clover) (8.66) ranks #1 among Josei anime on the Anime Codex rubric, which scores each show on story, characters, themes, world, animation and cultural impact.
How are these 18 Josei anime ranked?: Each show is scored 1–10 on six criteria, weighted by demographic, into a single Codex score. This page lists every qualifying Josei anime by that score and updates as the catalogue grows.