When it comes to the subject of artistic endeavor, there isn’t much anime like Blue Period. The anime focuses on a bored person finding out the passion of their life a little late in the guy but going with it regardless is something not many stories touch open. But the stories that do that are a cut above others and are worth the watch once in a lifetime.
Blue Period comes under the category of Coming Of Age Genre, which is done by many authors in different mediums and remains one of the best genres to date. We have compiled this list based on this genre and the similarity that it shares with Blue Period.
Anime Like Blue Period
The list below is not ranking. They are written randomly. And we have tried to keep the action-based out as much as possible because they tend to be the main focus rather than the character growth. Regardless, without further ado, below is the list of great animes that are like Period.
If you have anime recommendations of your own, feel free to comment below what anime you think is like the coming-of-age art anime blue period in the comments below. So without further ado, let’s look at the first entry in the list.
1. Bakuman:
When it comes to an anime like Blue Period, which focuses on the journey of a character as an artist, Bakuman is one of the best ones out there in the medium. Similar to Blue Period, Bakuman focuses on the journey of youngsters in the world of art and how it defines them as a person as they meet challenges unlike no place else.
However, while Blue Period has one main protagonist, Bakuman has two of them, and they are a duo who must work together to achieve their dreams. Moritaka and Makito are two high school students who have set their sights on becoming Mangaka and fulfilling their promises to their friends. The story is written by the authors of Death Note.
2. Barakamon:
Despite the similar name to our first entry, Barakamon is fundamentally different from Bakamon on many levels. This one is a story of an artist sent to a village to get over his creative block and work on his calligraphy. Seishu Handa is a man renowned for his calligraphy in the country, but he has lost one fundamental trait of an artist, his work has no artistic appeal.
They all are workpieces that are meant to impress judges and get high praise. But, one of the appraisers rates his work unoriginal, and Handa ends up punching him in the face. This led to his father sending him to a village that was filled with diverse people who unknowingly helped him find his style.
3. Shirobako:
When it comes to craft and its pursuit, they are multiple areas with many peculiarities. Blue Period focuses on painting and the challenges that come along the way. But with Shirobako, the story focuses on things that a lot of anime fans will enjoy. The story focuses on a group of friends who were part of the animation group when they were in high school and had hopes of becoming animators in the future and making their anime. Fast forward to the present, they are all in the same industry and have a job in the anime field. But, the challenges they mainly face are that of time and talent management while also taking care of themselves.
4. Chiyafuryu:
The main character of the series, Ayase, is a lot like Yataro as she has no aspirations on what to do in life. She is supportive of her sister’s aspiration to become a model in the future, but for herself, she has no goal or what to do in life. She shouldn’t either, as she wasn’t even in middle school when she was introduced. However, her life takes a different direction as she is introduced to the world of Karuta after meeting Arata. Arata teaches her the ways of Karata and gives her something to aspire to as she grows up. This series also popularised Karata sports in Japan, and in that sense, it is similar to Slam Dunk in popularising the sport.
5. Clannad:
Clannad is one of the most beloved franchises out there. Every fan of anime has come across this series once in their time of viewing and has only fallen in love as they come to learn about the series. But, the story’s conclusion in Clannad: After Story is what makes this franchise beloved among fans. Adapted from a Visual Novel, the story follows the life of Tomoya, who is stuck in a town without life, but few question the state of their life and the city they live in.
While in Light novel, the story has a branching where Tomoya ends up with one of the heroines. The anime has more focused and centers around Tomoyo’s relationship with Nagisa and their future together in Clannad: After Story. The franchise has a unique take on Coming of Age that isn’t seen anywhere else.
6. Ranking of kings:
Ranking of kings does not get enough recognition, but when it comes to a protagonist who go out of there to find out about themselves, no Boji is one of the top characters in all of literature. Boji is the first prince of a giant who was afflicted with a curse upon birth that made his body small and weak. On top of that, he couldn’t listen or talk, making him unfit to be the king of the next ruler of the kingdom. He goes on a journey, along with his newly found companion Kage, who form an unlikely friendship to find a place for themselves in a world that is secretly governed by the Tyrant Gods.
7. The Boy and the Beast:
Ren is a boy turned orphan after his mother died. He has no idea how to live and escapes from his relatives’ home into the streets of Shibuya. He has nothing on him and is soon forced to live on scraps as he has nothing on him. This changes when he meets a man who asks him to be his disciple to help him become the king of his kingdom.
Kumatetsu is one of the candidates who is selected to be the king of the beast world along with Iozen. He is suggested by the present ruler to find a disciple to increase his chances of becoming the king. Kumatetsu leaves for the real world, where he finds an orphan names Ren and the story of the two begins.
8. Anohana:
Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day is one where we can’t tell much, or it will lead to heavy spoilers. All you need to know is this is a coming-of-age story of six friends who grow up to shoulder responsibilities and grow up as a person as time goes on. The anime has a total of 11 episodes, with one season and a movie. There is also a live-action adaptation of the series that came out in 2015.
9. Beck:
Not to be confused with Beck, the artist, the story is a music drama that takes us on a journey of a rock band that was formed by a group of teenagers in their high school. Though it is common among Rock bands to go through multiple phases of splitting up and getting back, we never get the full story on our end. This manga shows us almost everything about Rock Band, along with how the characters in the series change throughout that, making it unique. You will be shocked to learn the kind of things you will get to learn, but the biggest part of this story is how the coming of age is told uniquely and differently through the medium of music and drama. Anyone who longs to be an artist will find this helpful as well.
10. Bocchi! The Rock :
Another Rock band anime series on the list where the character pursues the art in hopes of finding their true self. But where all the other main characters of the series focus on personal and higher than lofty ambitions to become an artist, Bocchi is down to earth. Being an outcast for most of her life, she took on music after she learned that she could be recognized if she played music for a band.
This makes her relatable as a character as it is a thing everyone goes through throughout their life. Moreover, the show is one of the best Comedy shows out there and is ending up in the top 10 recommendations for the comedy genre. We are hoping this one gets sequels because we are so hooked on it!
Also Read: 38 War Anime Shows To Watch – Recommendations
11. Hibiki Euphorium:
Continuing with the music-related coming-of-age stories in the list, the Kyoani music Euphorium is a story that had become one of the greatest hits of the studio. Focusing on the traditional high school setting with a high emphasis on the characters’ ambition for music. Like many of the entries on the list, this too is about coming together as a team and playing music at a higher venue.
The difference here is the kind of music that is being used in this series, the concert band music. It is the genre you won’t see much in anime, and the music genre remains one of the unexplored territories in the medium. Even if you are just a fan of Kyoto Animation, you will come to love the music quality the story offers.
12. Mob Psycho 100:
Mob Psycho 100 was defined as an anime that changed the medium in its entirety and remains influential. The story is one of the easiest to get into when you are looking for a coming-of-age story that has it all. Super Powers, humor, and wholesome moments make you root for Mob as he grows up. Mob or Kageyama is a guy who can achieve everything with the powers he has, but they are not at all helpful when it comes to his crush looking his way. So Mob decides to become a person who is worthy of her attention and can go out with her. And to do so, he joined the body improvement club to live his high school life to the fullest. But with his great powers comes great trouble, always.
13. Oregairu:
Oregairu as an anime is a lot of things. Running for a span of three seasons, the franchise has made its place among fans as one of the best high school anime to date. The series focuses on a trio of characters who are going through puberty but have a philosophical twist to it. The main characters Hacchiman’s quotes can be found all over the internet as inspirational, or sometimes too practical, wallpapers for you to save. The main focus of the story is these three working to find that one thing that will help them grow as a person and help them with the challenges ahead in life.
14. Silver Spoon:
If you are a fan of Full Metal Alchemist Brotherhood, you will love this series as it is authored by the same author. While the alternate reality of alchemy focused and the consequence of playing god in the realm of mortals, the Silver Spoon series is much down to earth. Our Main character has enrolled in a school of agriculture as a decision to get away from his family once he failed to enter a big school. Though he is unsure of what to do in life, he starts to gain clarity as the series goes on. He goes from being close and grumpy to an empathetic individual who thinks for the well-being of others and comes over his shortcomings.
15. Nana:
Nana was the best-selling commercial movie before Your Name came out. The plot focuses on two women named Nana who happen to meet at the train on their way to the big city. One of them wants to make it big as a singer, the other wants to find true love in the city bustling with activity. The two had are opposites of each other but come to find common ground the more they talked. The two moved into the same apartment after moving to Tokyo. Though they had a great time together, their respective lives put their friendship as they start to drift apart from each other.
16. March Comes in Like A Lion:
This series is considered the best manga of all time among the Japanese fan base. They put this series above One Piece and the reason for that is simple, the coming of age is close to the heart and anyone can relate to it. Coming from the author of Clover and Honey, the series focuses on Rei who is a renowned Shogi player of his generation. He became orphaned when his parents and family died in an accident leading him to be taken in by the Koda family, friends of his father in Shogi. Rein soon becomes his disciple and faces challenges like longing and his place in the family and his part as the brother with whom he shares the house.
17. Hanasuka Iroha:
A rather underrated tale but one many will love if they ever give it a chance. Ohana is a high schooler whose mother has eloped and is forced to shift to the countryside to her grandmother whom she hardly knows. Her Grandmother takes her in under one condition, she has to work for her at the inn to pay for her residing there. She is met with challenges in shifting to country life along with a new working routine as she works to get along with her associates in the place at her grandmother’s inn. She will be facing challenges unlike she has seen before but this time she has the love and support (although strict) grandmother.
18. Shinsekai Yori:
Shinsekai Yori or From the New World is a novel adapted anime that takes place in the far future where the world has people that have psychic powers called Canto. The story focuses on a group of five children who attend school to learn more about their powers along with other norms that come with them. But, how it differs in comparison to others is how it switches genre in-between and goes from a coming-of-age story to a dark dystopia, where the kids learned things they shouldn’t and come to face threats from the very world they live in. The story was later adapted into manga after the popularity of the anime, it covers the novel in detail with its two-year run.
19. Romeo and the Black Brothers:
Now this one is a heartwarming tale that shows anime in a different time was something else entirely. Based on the novel The Black Brothers, the story focuses on the life of Romeo who lives a peaceful life in a swiss village. But his family takes a downfall when a man named reaper sets his eyes on Romeo and decided to buy him for Chimney sweeping, Romeo’s life never remained the same. The Reaper forces his family’s hand to sell and in the end, they had no choice but to let him go. Romeo promises to return to the village and reunite with his family but he will come across hardships that will only be going back harder. And throughout all these trials his life is at mortal risk and death becomes imminent in Romeo’s life.
20. Kino’s journey:
Another classic anime that was revived for season two in 2021 for the second season. The show focuses on Kino and her journey in the world with her talking motorbike Hermes. She travels to different places throughout her life and discovers what makes the world beautiful. But the beauty of the world is all but a myth as she comes to learn firsthand the brutality and violent nature of the world. For the safety of her travels she carries a gun with her all the time, she describes the world as it is nothing more nothing less. She has a strict rule of not staying at a place for more than three and two nights.
Also Read: 14 Crime Anime Shows To Watch That Will Blow Your Mind!
21. Those Snow White Notes:
Back to an art-related coming-of-age story, and this one focuses on yet another niche that none have heard of. Those Snow White Notes of Mine focuses on the story of Setsu who is coming to terms with his Grandfather’s death. He was an exceptional Shamisen player, renowned throughout japan for his ability to convey his emotions with just one instrument. With nothing but Shumetsu at his side, Setsu sets out on a path to becoming a renowned player and finds out something that he could call his own. The anime came out in 2021 and was one of the standouts of the Spring season despite being a niche not many know in the international audience.
22. Honey and Clover:
Another series by the author of March Comes in Like A Lion. This time the focus is on a group of art academy students that share the same dorm and are on an endeavor with their daily lives along with the things they want to do for themselves. The series got an anime adaptation by JC staff( though the studio has a mixed reputation, this series is one of the good ones that they put out) along with its sequel. The series also got adapted for a live-action movie in 2007. If that wasn’t enough, the series was popular it also got a TV adaptation due to its simple yet colorful story.
23. Tsuritama:
One of the oddballs in the list as it uses the Science fiction genre to tell a coming-of-age story. Tsuritama translates to a Fishing bowl and is related to the main character of the series. Yuki is a shy and isolated guy who never got to close relationships with people due to his grandmother’s nature of work that didn’t let them stay in one place for too long. When the two come back to his grandmother’s hometown for a while, their home is invaded by a self-proclaimed alien who announces that he will be living there. Yuki’s grandmother accepts under one condition which the alien(Haru) merrily accepts and proceeds to play with Yuki. Yuki is not happy with the presence of Haru but his days of the fishing bowl come to an end even sooner as he meets more people in her grandmother’s hometown.
24. A Letter to Momo:
Shifting from sci-fi to supernatural, a letter to Momo is about a character who learns to come to terms with her father’s death. Momo had a good relationship with her father but a fight broke out between the two and that was the day he died. Now all that is left of him is a letter to her that starts with ‘Dear Momo’. Momo’s mother leaves Tokyo with her to their hometown where they are met by relatives and help them settle into rural life. On one particular night, Momo meets some Yokai in the attic of the place she is staying in. Through her new encounter, she will get the help she needs to overcome her father’s death.
25. Run with the Wind:
A sports anime (we didn’t put that many on the list) about a group of college students who are aiming to be top in the inter-college tournament. There is one big problem, no one is at the level they can run and win the coming tournaments except two people. Kakeru is a former elite runner who got grouped into the club activity after he was convinced to join the club by Haiji who recognized his skills in sprinting when he was shoplifting. Haiji not only expects Kakeru to join but help the club come out as the top shop before the inter-college tournament arrives.
26. FLCL:
One of the wackiest series to this date. The series made a name for itself by just being an OVA of six episodes, a feat no anime has achieved to this day. The series has gone inspired the likes of Chainsaw Man, especially Makima and even Haruhi Suzumiya. The series itself takes inspiration from Neon Genesis Evangelion and many other things. The plot of the series is so convoluted that it is hard to make a summary or put a short synopsis. But we can guarantee this about the show, it is a wild ride that is unlike any you will ever see.
27. Kids on the Slope:
We haven’t covered any Jazz on the list so here goes. Kids on the Slope follows the life of Kaoru who has shifted to a rural city due to his father’s work conditions. He is intelligent but introverted and doesn’t have a deep connection with any of his former classmates. One thing that has remained constant throughout his life is his love for Jazz. His new school has a delinquent who happens to love jazz as much as he does. The two form a friendship over mutual interest and frequent the local jazz store to get their hands on jazz music. The Jazz is owned by none other than the family of their classmate who got interested in talking with the two as she was infectious about their love for Jazz.
28. Hajime no Ippo:
Another Sports anime on the list, and this one is one of the evergreen anime that holds up to this day. Ippo is an introverted guy who is always busy helping his mother with the family-owned fishing charter business. This led to him being a loner and outcast; as such, he attracted bullies who were more than willing to laugh at his demise. Things got out of hand one day and they beat him badly, and he almost fainted with injuries.
A middle-weight boxer comes to the scene to help the fainted Ippo and takes him to his boxing to treat his injuries. When Ippo wakes up, he is distressed and frustrated, and when he is asked to take out his anger on the sandbag, he doesn’t hesitate. And that’s when he learned to admire the sport and decided to become a boxer.
29. Golden Time:
The only seinen anime in the list, and for a good reason. The anime was well received among the romance community, and while the genre is less prevalent than it used to be, the anime still holds. That is because how the main character, Tada Banri, is going through different stages in life after a memory of his days in high school. He enrolled in a private law college to further his studies and make new memories for himself. Not knowing anyone, he is confused as to where to go when he meets a kindred soul on the opening day of college. This led to the chain of events that led him to find the love of his life and even find his memories of the past.
30. One Week Friends:
Another anime that deals with memory loss but this time more severe. Yuki has a crush on beautiful yet cold Kaori, who is distant from everyone in the class. He works up the courage to ask to just be friends but is rejected multiple times. But in those attempts, he learned about Kaori not being as distant or cold-hearted as she had been made out in the class. She was much sweeter and, to an extent, what a normal girl would be, which made him fall for her even more.
But on the fifth day of talking to her, she tells him to forget all about her cause she will do the same starting next week. He is important to her response, but when the next week comes, he understands what she meant, and decides to be friends with her until she can no longer forget him.
Also, Read 13 Anime Like Doraemon That You Can Watch To Get The Same Feel!
31. Ashita no Joe :
Third and last sports anime on this list. Much like Hajime no Ippo, the story focuses on boxing as a sport to tell the story but with way different circumstances. The story is about Joe, who is thrown into a world of hooligans and boxing after he commits a crime. His hard upbringing and rough times make it hard for him to stay in prison, and he soon ends up fighting one of the hooligans in the facility.
This led to him being transferred to maximum security prison, where he had to deal with even more troubles than before. But it all changes when he meets a certain boxing prodigy in the ring. One thing leads to another, and Joe finds himself in the world of professional boxing as he encounters old foes and learns to mend the emotional wounds throughout his journey. Megalo Box was a reimagining of the series in a futuristic setting as a part of Ashita no Joe’s 50th anniversary.
32. Maison Ikoku:
We have quite a lot of romance plus a slice of life on the list, and this one is no exception. The story is about a shy and introverted Godai who lives in an apartment complex where he is pushed around by the other tenants. While he is not outspoken and revolting against their behavior towards him, he had enough and decides to leave the place for good.
Though, he changes plans midway when he meets a beautiful woman, Kyoko, who declares she will be the new manager of the place. For Godai, it was love at first sight, and he decided to stay at the place to confess his feelings to Kyoko. He learns later that Kyoko is a widow whose husband died soon after the marriage. Empathetic to her loss yet moved by her beauty, he falls for her more and more.
33. The forest of Firefly Lights:
This one is a piece of art even by anime standards. While all the series mentioned in the list are adapted works of long forms of fiction(except one), the forest of fireflies is adapted from the one-shot manga of the same name. And for those reasons, we do recommend reading manga before watching the anime or at least reading the manga because the story is not long, to begin with.
The story follows Hotaru, who got lost in a forest inhabited by the forest spirit and is home to many Yokai. She is escorted out by a yokai named Gin whom she gets closer to the more she spends time with him. Gin remains ageless, but Hotaru grows older and starts to develop feelings for each other, but they can never touch each other or Gin will forever disappear.
34. Descending Stories: Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinju:
We have covered Shonen, Shoujo, and Seinen; it’s time we cover the least talked about demographic in the anime industry, Josei. Rokugo has been among Japanese women since time immemorial and it is not hard to see why this anime can captivate the intended audience. But, do not think it is not for you, for the story’s take on the art form rivals Blue Period and the characters who go to lengths to realize their art.
The historical series tells the story of the newly released prisoner who was taken into the apprenticeship by the prestigious Rakugo performer who hopes to pass down his skills and art to the new student. The story shows how Rakugo storytellers struggled to gain fame and their lives on how they came to know the craft. There are quite a few Rakugo-inspired mangas these days, so if you want a shonen approach to it, you might want to try Akane-Banashi.
35. Carole and Tuesday:
Last but not least, Carole and Tuesday follow the titular characters who are out to follow their dreams in the music industry. The series is an original work and is a combined work of several studios. It got a manga adaptation soon after the anime was aired. There is a bit of sci-fi and space involved, which broadens the scope of the story in ways unimaginable.
Tuesday is the runaway daughter of a prominent politician who wants more from her life. Along the way, she meets Carole, who just became jobless and aimed to make a living in music this time. Together the two will set the world ablaze with their performance. The show is original, with artists coming from around the globe to give their music to the series. It has a total of 24 episodes which ended on a cliffhanger, and given the worldwide popularity of the series, it might get a sequel sooner than later. But given how busy Studio Bones is with My Hero Academia anime this season, it might not be soon enough…
