There is a plethora of anime series to watch for children and adults. While there are some series that are rated PG, PG-13, or R, there are also excellent series rated G that contain no offensive language, violence, or nudity. While some of the PG or R-rated series may have thought-provoking narratives, there are various G-rated anime series that may have a similar impact on the audience.
Regardless of age and gender, you can enjoy anime series because it is primarily created as a form of escape from reality. Anime is where imagination and creativity are limitless. We have compiled a list of anime with varied genres and storylines which are suitable to watch at school with peers.
First of all, school is a big part of our lives since it acts as the foundation for our youth. It primarily shapes how we become later in life. It prepares us for most of what the world has to offer. So, to make the most out of our school life, let’s run down a list of nostalgic and comedic high school anime.
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Daily Lives of High School Boys
The series is a slice-of-life comedy directed towards the younger audience to reminisce about the good old days and for cherishing our youthful days. It is primarily just slapstick comedy and deadpan humor. It has no specific storyline to follow, although it is mostly based on school, and it involves a lot of high school friends and mutuals.
Mostly involving the young teenagers of Sanada North High School, an all-boys school, the series follows the hilarious misadventures of three young lads. This trio is undoubtedly imaginative and has a bizarre idea of entertainment, ranging from chasing an imaginary RPG villain to meeting with a fellow high school girl on the riverbanks.
The first episode starts with our three main protagonists: Hidenori Tabata, the relatively more competent guy with limitless RPG imagination. Yoshitake Tanaka, the dumb friend who likes taking the initiative in any mischief and prank, and Tadakuni, the shy and calm friend who mostly gets scolded.
- Directed by: Shinji Takamatsu
- Genre: Comedy, Gag Humor, School
- IMDb Rating: 7.8/10
- Studio: Sunrise
- No. of episodes: 12
- Release Date: January 10, 2012
- Where to Watch: Crunchyroll, Funimation
Also Read: 13 Hilarious Anime That Will Leave You in Stitches
Wasteful Days of High School Girls
The series focuses on Tanaka and her best friends, Kikuchi and Saginomiya. They have left middle school and meet up again at the same high school. High school is meant to be a fresh start for most of the youngsters. Similarly, Tanaka has high hopes for the coming year as a freshman.
Tanaka starts with a boring day, and she wants to do something quirky. She decides to give peculiar nicknames to her classmates and wants a similar name for herself. She also wants to have a boyfriend by the end of her high school days, which now seems highly unlikely as she goes to an all-girls school.
Kikuchi is an aspiring manga artist and shows us her dorky side, while Sagunomiya is a rather calm person with a monotonous life to live. On the other hand, we meet interesting supporting characters who are as hilarious as the trio. Some absurd incidents take place, and some are hilarious, but it is nonetheless an enjoyable comedic piece of art that would resonate with most high school girls.
- Directed by: Takeo Takahashi, Hijiri Sanpei
- Genre: Comedy, Gag humor, School
- IMDb Rating: 7.4/10
- Studio: Passione
- No. of episodes: 12
- Release Date: July 5, 2019
- Where to Watch: N/A
Also Read: 47 Anime Like Holo no Graffiti: Best Comedy Anime Recommendation.
Nichijou- My Ordinary Life
A trio of high school girls- Mio, Yuuko, and Mai- is excited to start high school and have a peaceful life ahead. But that can’t be possible. Their lives are intertwined with interesting and abnormal characters. Nothing in their everyday life is normal, and it only gets weirder as you see a robot caretaker and a talking cat.
Things get even weirder when you see their principal trying to catch a deer and then having a knockdown battle with it. Even weirder when you see a talking crow bites one of the high school girls. This world is a hilarious one to live in but also a mysteriously ridiculous one.
Yuuko seems to be the only sane person who cannot seem to wrap her head around the absurdity of their world and questions her genius friend Hakase about her robot caretaker Nano and the talking cat Sakamoto.
Although Yuuko is also considered stupid by Mio, Yuuko seems to be the one having the worst luck out of all. It is an enjoyable series to watch with classmates, which could develop even stronger bonds.
- Directed by: Tatsuya Ishihara
- Genre: Gag humor, School, Comedy
- IMDb Rating: 8.3/10
- Studio: Kyoto Animation
- No. of episodes: 26
- Release Date: April 3, 2011
- Where to Watch: Crunchyroll, Funimation
Also Read: 41 Anime Like Nichijou To Watch
Skip and Loafer
A young girl from a small village has big dreams. To accomplish these big dreams, Mitsumi Iwakura decides to shift to a prestigious high school in the big city of Tokyo. Tokyo is known to be a hustling busy city that never sleeps. Mitsumi is determined to navigate through the big obstacles she’ll face in the city of Tokyo to finally achieve her dream.
Mitsumi meets a young cheerful handsome boy named Sousuke Shima. She gets lost on her first day of high school and gives up on trying. But with the help of Sousuke, she finds her way to the school, and she gives an awesome speech on the stage.
She may look fearless, but she is very self-conscious. But in the end, she believes she has room to grow, and she strives to be the best version of herself.
Although it focuses on Mitsumi and her journey to becoming a good citizen of Japan by being disciplined and determined, it also subtly shows a wholesome romance between Sousuke and Mitsumi.
The series is a good one to watch with classmates, and it may even motivate you to study harder and live a brighter life. Shouldn’t we all strive to become like Mitsumi- a career-driven and compassionate young person?
- Directed by: Kotomi Deai
- Genre: Romantic Comedy, Slice of Life
- IMDb Rating: 7.9/10
- Studio: P.A. Works
- No. of episodes: 12
- Release Date: April 4, 2023
- Where to Watch: Crunchyroll
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Some anime series are light-hearted ones with not much depth to the characters and the plot. Besides these, there are some anime series that would highly motivate you towards your goal in school and also provide good and in-depth characters with unique and pragmatic features.
The shows may seem monotonous and filled with cliche plots and dialogues, and characters. But the truth is these series, despite the cliche storylines, are excellently executed with beautifully flawed characters. Read more to find out.
Haikyu!!
A young aspiring volleyball player named Hinata is daring enough to want to beat the volleyball prodigy Kageyama in the future. The two main characters of the show, Hinata and Kageyama, have differing opinions on volleyball as a sport. Little do they know that their interaction would lead to so much more success for the two of them in the future.
Hinata and Kageyama are well-written characters who show great resilience and character development throughout the series. The Karasuno high school volleyball team has some insanely gifted young individuals in it who possess great skills.
These high school boys are surely on the right path to success. Each team member has a good and definite backstory that tells us how determined each one of them is.
The rival teams also have such great players, which are all well-written characters of the show. All the plot directs to is the importance of great friendship and maintaining it for days to come, and that one’s true abilities are polished only by the influence of one’s environment and beliefs.
- Directed by: Susumu Mitsunaka, Masako Sato
- Genre: Comedy, Coming-of-age, Sports
- IMDb Rating: 8.7/10
- Studio: Production I.G
- No. of episodes: 85 + 5 OVAs
- Release Date: April 6, 2014
- Where to Watch: Crunchyroll
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K-on!
A young girl with lost thoughts and a dream to do something big during high school meets classmates who are looking for a guitarist.
The Light Music Club is where dreams become reality, and music is just an escape from reality. Yui Hirasawa is determined to learn how to play guitar just so she can join the club and have the best high school life she has always dreamt of.
The band is excited to play together at festivals and maybe even abroad(as we see in the movie). Each member seems to be equally passionate about music and the club.
Mio Akiyama on the bass, Tsumugi Kotobuki on the keys, Ritsu Tainaka on the drums, and their junior Azusa Nakano on the guitar, the band is complete with Yui Hirasawa on the lead guitar and as the main vocalist of the group.
The series gets you through tough times when you think of giving up on your hobby just because you think you can’t possibly progress. This is the type of series that focuses not only on the importance of teamwork but also sheds light on the importance of content and determination from within.
And it is a great series to watch with fellow music enthusiasts at school, and perhaps, who knows, you could start a band of your own and maybe hold a mini-concert.
- Directed by: Naoko Yamada
- Genre: Comedy, Music, School
- IMDb Rating: 7.8/10
- Studio: Kyoto Animation
- No. of episodes: 39 + 2 OVAs
- Release Date: April 3, 2009
- Where to Watch: Crunchyroll
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My Hero Academia
The series focuses on Izuku Midorima, who has the strong urge to become a hero, but he is unfortunately not naturally gifted with powers. Worry not.
The mighty legendary superhero All Might has passed down his power to Midorima. This is only because Midorima is so determined to become a hero in the eyes of others that he willingly would give his life to save others.
Besides the main character Midorima, we have quite a bunch of interesting supporting characters who play as big a role as Midorima in the Hero Academy.
The names are Katsuki Bakugou, Ochako Uraraka, Tenya Iida and Shouto Todoroki. These characters are well-written and equally have a reasonable backstory as to why they want to become a Hero.
Some other non-hero students who equally steer the plot are All Might, the teacher Aizawa and the star Endeavour. A little sneak into their past tells us these are strong people who have seen the worst, but there’s more to come. Some interesting antagonists are Tomura Shigaraki, Toga, and Dabi, who also have equally tragic stories that have turned them into the way they are.
- Directed by: Kenji Nagasaki, Tomo Okubo, Masahiro Mukai
- Genre: Shounen, School, Superpower
- IMDb Rating: 8.3/10
- Studio: Bones
- No. of episodes: 138 + 8 OVAs
- Release Date: April 3, 2016
- Where to Watch: Crunchyroll, Funimation, Netflix
Also Read: 36 Must-Watch Children’s Japanese Dramas: Discovering Japan’s Gems
Assassination Classroom
Another powerful and inspiring story about students who work their butts off for a greater and brighter future, Assassination Classroom is an awesome anime series with awesome main characters and supporting characters. These stories will leave you wanting more.
The main characters of the series are Nagisa, the killer student of Classroom 3-E, and their octopus teacher Koro Sensei.
Koro Sensei may at first seem like the purest evil character who seems to enjoy teaching kids and has murderous intent. But that’s not the case. He met a tragic fate, and he’ll have to accordingly destroy the world once he completes his term as an octopus alien-like creature.
It was an accident, after all. But what’s even more interesting is that these students have to learn from him and also how to assassinate him.
Koro Sensei teaches them his flaws and his strengths, and in return, they have to kill him before he destroys the world. The series shows us the great impact a teacher can have on us only if we obey them and form a good bond.
- Directed by: Seiji Kishi
- Genre: School, Supernatural, Action, Comedy
- IMDb Rating: 8.0/10
- Studio: Lerche
- No. of episodes: 47 + OVA
- Release Date: January 10, 2015
- Where to Watch: Crunchyroll, Funimation, Amazon Prime Video
Besides some series, anime movies are also a great way to bond with classmates. These movies are heart-warming and feel-good types and have a good and realistic story that will help students strive to become better human beings.
Following are the movies that deal with much more mature and darker themes which teach us the way of life and society’s ugly functioning.
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Grave of the Fireflies
The movie tells the tale of two siblings, Seita and his younger sister Setsuko, who struggle to survive in the aftermath of the World War II nuclear bombing in Japan.
The world knows the history, and it is cruel and deadly. The duo finds their way somehow to safety, but it is dangerous and lethal. The innocence is gone, and they have to face the harsh world that is in front of them.
In the aftermath of the bombing of two Japanese cities, the adjacent cities were also badly affected, if not at large. Seita is a young boy who has to look after his sister even when they get separated from their family.
Setsuko is a naive child who doesn’t know better. The movie is just about them and the tragedy that hundreds of people may have probably, and realistically speaking, faced back when this happened. The movie is based on a short story by Akiyuki Nosaka.
Grave of the Fireflies is a powerful movie that talks about the ugly and harsh truth of war. It is a subtle play at the massive damage that the American bombings have inflicted upon the innocent lives who only got caught in the war.
Some scenes may be visually disturbing, but that is the reality. A must-watch for growing students who should be made well aware of such heinous crimes humans are capable of.
- Directed by: Isao Takahata
- Genre: War, Tragedy, Drama, Historical
- IMDb Rating: 8.5/10
- Studio: Studio Ghibli
- Release Date: April 16, 1988
- Where to Watch: N/A
Also Read: 50 Anime Movies Like Grave of the Fireflies To Watch
A Silent Voice
Another depressing anime movie that talks about serious themes like school violence and lack of self-worth. A Silent Voice is an excellent movie to watch with school peers because it may or may not be relatable to students, but it sure sends a strong message to growing kids and adults alike.
This could be seen as a message to the bully or to the ones who witness the bullying but do nothing about it, which is as bad as the one perpetrating it.
Ishida is a bully who doesn’t seem to show any remorse towards his deaf classmate Nishimiya. He isn’t the only one; his classmates also join in on the bandwagon. But later, things change, and Nishimiya leaves the school, and Ishida is bullied by others.
Ishida eventually wants to apologize to Nishimiya and wants to get rid of the guilt that he has had for so long years. Nishimiya, although he seems to recover from the past, is at first hesitant to meet him.
The movie highlights the ever-lasting impact bullying can have on a person, be it the victim or the perpetrator or, perhaps, even the witness.
Although the movie is an adaptation of a manga, the movie itself feels a little flawed and incomplete. Besides this, the writing is thought-provoking and is firm with the fact that every story isn’t supposed to be black and white; there are oftentimes grey areas and characters.
- Directed by: Naoko Yamada
- Genre: Drama, Bullying
- IMDb Rating: 8.1/10
- Studio: Kyoto Animation
- Release Date: September 17, 2016
- Where to Watch: Netflix
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The Girl Who Leapt Through Time
The young high school girl Makoto Konno is a cheerful one. She realizes that she has these superpowers that allow her to mess with the time continuum. And this happened right when she was struggling to decide what to do in the future after graduation.
She only thought about passing the school exams and doing only one thing the whole day- killing time with her friends and doing the most nonsensical pranks.
Life seems fun when she can control time, but every time she uses it, she doesn’t know that it affects the lives of others around her negatively. Although unaware of this, she later comes to learn this fact through her friend and classmate Chiaki, who also happens to have similar power.
The Girl Who Leapt Through Time is a beautiful story of time- how it should not be messed with. Life shouldn’t stop; it goes on with or without you. You shouldn’t try to change what has been done.
The movie is an excellent one and is a great one to watch with classmates. The future may be unpredictable, but you must go on forward, which is precisely what the movie is all about.
- Directed by: Mamoru Hosoda
- Genre: Drama, Romance, Science-fiction, School, Time Travel
- IMDb Rating: 7.7/10
- Studio: Madhouse
- Release Date: July 15, 2006
- Where to Watch: N/A
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The Garden of Words
Makoto Shinkai puts out the best films to ever exist, and it is always so visually striking and beautiful. The Garden of Words is essentially a film based on loneliness as a concept that can be born into much deeper relations like friendship and, perhaps, even love.
The story is about a lonely aspiring artist Takao who happens to meet Yukari under a shed only on rainy days. This is undoubtedly unplanned, and with each passing day they meet, the two begin to form a strong connection that deprives them of their loneliness.
The two strangers-turned-lovers are a bit awkward with each other at first and have one thing definitely in common: they are lonely, but they enjoy it. The story concentrates more on their actions and less on their words.
A movie told through actions is precisely what The Garden of Words even if it’s ironic to have “words” in its title. Although it was a brief movie, it gave us so much to digest, and perhaps, we may never forget the message: a longing for someone in solitude is also bliss.
- Directed by: Makoto Shinkai
- Genre: Drama, Romance
- IMDb Rating: 7.4/10
- Studio: CoMix Wave Films
- Release Date: May 31, 2013
- Where to Watch: Amazon Prime Video, Netflix
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