What anime is most like Chihayafuru?

Usagi Drop (Bunny Drop) (8.32) tops the list as the closest match to Chihayafuru on the Anime Codex rubric. Shared strengths in characters and animation — same Josei demographic.

How are "anime like Chihayafuru" picks chosen?

Each show is scored on six criteria. We rank every other title by how close its six-criterion profile is to Chihayafuru, preferring the same demographic — so the matches share what actually made Chihayafuru good, not just surface tags.

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Anime like Chihayafuru

These 12 shows score most like Chihayafuru (Josei) across all six Codex criteria — not just same-genre guesses, but the closest matches on the actual rubric. Ranked by how near their criterion profile sits to Chihayafuru.

The short answer

If you liked Chihayafuru, start with Usagi Drop (Bunny Drop) (8.32 out of 10) — the closest match to it on the Anime Codex six-criterion rubric.

Loved Chihayafuru? Start here

Usagi Drop (Bunny Drop)

Shared strengths in characters and animation — same Josei demographic.

8.32

Usagi Drop (Bunny Drop)

2011Top: Character 8.7

Shared strengths in characters and animation — same Josei demographic.

8.15

Paradise Kiss

2005Top: Character 8.5

Shared strengths in characters and animation — same Josei demographic, same studio.

8.66

Honey and Clover (Hachimitsu to Clover)

2005Top: Character 9.2

Shared strengths in characters and storytelling — same Josei demographic.

8.10

Kids on the Slope (Sakamichi no Apollon)

2012Top: Animation 9.0

Shared strengths in characters and animation — same Josei demographic.

7.85

Nodame Cantabile

2007Top: Character 8.5

Shared strengths in characters and world-building — same Josei demographic.

8.46

Journal with Witch

2026Top: Character 9.0

Shared strengths in characters and storytelling — same Josei demographic.

7.80

Princess Jellyfish (Kuragehime)

2010Top: Character 8.5

Shared strengths in characters and emotional themes — same Josei demographic.

7.43

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

2017Top: Character 8.0

Shared strengths in characters and storytelling — same Josei demographic.

8.50

Tongari Boushi no Atelier

2026Top: World 9.2

Shared strengths in characters and animation.

8.26

Mushoku Tensei

2021Top: Animation 9.3

Shared strengths in world-building and animation.

7.75

Black Lagoon

2006Top: World 8.5

Shared strengths in world-building and characters — same studio.

7.12

Ristorante Paradiso

2009Top: World 8.0

Shared strengths in world-building and emotional themes — same Josei demographic.

Related rankings

Best Josei anime Best anime by Madhouse Best 2010s anime

Keep exploring

Anime like Usagi Drop (Bunny Drop)Anime like Paradise Kiss Anime like Honey and Clover (Hachimitsu to Clover)Anime like Kids on the Slope (Sakamichi no Apollon)Anime like Nodame Cantabile Anime like Journal with Witch

FAQ

What anime is most like Chihayafuru?: Usagi Drop (Bunny Drop) (8.32) tops the list as the closest match to Chihayafuru on the Anime Codex rubric. Shared strengths in characters and animation — same Josei demographic.
How are "anime like Chihayafuru" picks chosen?: Each show is scored on six criteria. We rank every other title by how close its six-criterion profile is to Chihayafuru, preferring the same demographic — so the matches share what actually made Chihayafuru good, not just surface tags.