Higehiro is one of the most viewed anime of the year 2021. While controversial, it has a cute romantic story that keeps us hooked to the show. If you’re looking for more anime similar to Higehiro: After Being Rejected, I Shaved and Took in a High School Runaway, this list is perfect for you.
Higehiro is primarily a romantic slice of life that takes us through the life and daily hurdles that the characters face. An interesting dynamic develops between the male protagonist, who is an adult. Rejected by his crush, his boss at work, he drinks away all the subsequent sorrow. In a drunken stupor, he allows a high school student, Sayu, to stay at his place. The character development in this anime is enjoyable to view, and it gets wholesome and heartwarming from time to time. We’ll be taking a look at many more shows that have these qualities. So without any further ado, let’s jump right into the top 10 best anime similar to Higehiro.
10. After the Rain
- Episodes: 12
- Studios: Wit Studio
- Genres: Slice of Life, Drama, Romance, Seinen
- Aired: Jan 12, 2018, to Mar 30, 2018
Dealing with human feelings and their complications in the political setting of today’s world can be challenging. After the Rain gives a very pragmatic look at how a relationship between an adult man and a high school girl would progress. We follow the life of Akira Tachibana. She was a high school track runner but left the field and hasn’t been able to run after a severe injury. While she is considered attractive by many classmates, she hasn’t given away her heart to anyone yet.
However, she does have a crush on the manager of Garden Cafe, the place where she works part-time. The man is 45-year-old Masami Kondou. Akira develops the courage to ask Masami out. But what happens next?
9. Koikimo
- Episodes: 12
- Studios: Nomad
- Genres: Comedy, Romance
- Aired: Apr 5, 2021, to Jun 14, 2021
Ryou Amakusa is a wealthy and genius man who has been in many relationships throughout the years. He is what one would call a typical playboy. However, the womanizer finds himself unexpectedly falling in love with a girl. He first met her on a rainy morning, when he was saved by the beautiful high school student, Ichika Arima, after falling from a flight of stairs.
As if being played by Cupid himself, he encounters the girl yet again. And she happens to be a friend of his little sister. Ryou seizes the opportunity in hopes of winning over Arima’s heart but instead ends up creeping her out. However, being shut down by her only lightens a new fire in him, and soon he is on a path to attain her love. Where will this path lead him? And what awaits for him at the end of it?
Koikimo also tells the love story of an older man with a young girl. It follows a similar comedic route like Higehiro, using awkward situations to bring about laughs. Koikimo shows a rather creepier version of the romantic dynamic.
8. Bunny Drop
- Episodes: 11
- Studios: Production I.G
- Genres: Slice of Life, Josei
- Aired: Jul 8, 2011, to Sep 16, 2011
If you found the parental and protective bond between Sayu and Yoshida to your liking, then Bunny Drop might be the anime for you. It focuses more on the caring and protective relationship of the man who takes a girl in. Except, there’s nothing romantic about their relationship in Usagi Drop.
30-year-old Daikichi lives alone and works at a respectable place. Chaos sets into his aimless life when his grandfather suddenly passes away. When he heads over to his grandfather’s house, he learns of Rin, his grandfather’s illegitimate daughter. While all the relatives are unkind and think of her as a shameful mark on the family, Daikichi is angered by their behavior towards the innocent little girl.
In order to give her a home and keep her safe, the single man takes in Rin. Without any childcare experience, it isn’t going to be easy for Daikichi to go about taking care of the small girl, but he is ready to take on any challenge that might come his way.
7. Sing “Yesterday” for Me
- Episodes: 12
- Studios: Doga Kobo
- Genres: Slice of Life, Drama, Romance, Seinen
- Aired: Apr 5, 2020, to Jun 21, 2020
Sing “Yesterday” for Me follows the same concept of a young girl falling for an older guy. Both animes have a melancholy feeling to them but occasionally also have comedic moments. Of course, at the core, both are romantic.
Rikuo is a college graduate, living a monotonous life working part-time at a convenience store. When his old college friend and crush, Shinako, moves back in town, he is delighted and hopeful to get into a relationship with her. However, she is reluctant to be with him as a result of her painful past. This is when he starts to get closer, with a frequent customer at his store, a high school dropout, Haru.
He learns that she, like him, is living alone and wants to step out of her comfort zone. The lives of these three youngsters are closely connected. However, when they reach crossroads, they will have to learn many lessons that come along their way.
6. ReLIFE
- Episodes: 13
- Studios: TMS Entertainment
- Genres: Slice of Life, Drama, Romance, School
- Aired: Jul 2, 2016, to Sep 24, 2016
Arata Kaizaki is having a hard time in his life. Everyone around him considers him to be a loser, and he is failing at his job. One night, he meets a man who introduces himself as an employee from the ReLife Research Institute. He offers Arata a pill, promising to change his life for the better. The pill’s ability takes Arata on a long journey. His body is turned into that of a high school student, and he must now relive his school days.
What he first believes would be easy turns out to be very challenging. He is unable to score well in his tests with his rusty memory, and his old body is unable to keep up with the physical exercises of the teenagers. We follow the challenges, physical and emotional, personal and professional, that come up into Arata’s life as a result of taking the pill.
If you’re looking for an innovative story with romance and feel-good moments, ReLIFE is great for you. It has lots of character development and will leave you thinking about its lessons. It’s a great mixture of entertainment, comedy, exciting drama, romance, and wholesomeness.
5. Koi Kaze
- Episodes: 13
- Studios: A.C.G.T.
- Genres: Drama, Psychological, Romance, Seinen, Slice of Life
- Aired: Apr 2, 2004, to Jun 18, 2004
In this anime, we follow the story of the wedding planner, Saeki Koushirou. Despite his occupation, his own love life isn’t very great. Because of a complicated past, he hasn’t been able to find the right person to commit himself to a relationship. He lives with his father, away from his mother and sister, after his parents’ divorce. An incident that left him broken.
Saeki’s melancholic life changes when he comes across a high school girl. This encounter awakens new feelings and changes his life for the better. However, he soon learns that this girl is his sister, who is going to move in with his father and him. However, his feelings for her don’t seem to be going anywhere. As you might notice, the story of a high school girl who lives with an adult man is an integral part of Koi Kaze, and if you enjoyed it in Higehiro, you can experience it yet again with this anime.
4. The Garden of Words
- Episodes: 1 (46 min.)
- Studios: CoMix Wave Films
- Genres: Slice of Life, Psychological, Drama, Romance
- Aired: May 31, 2013
This anime, like Higehiro is well-liked because of the wholesome relationship that the protagonists have and how it develops with time. Moreover, the dramatic scenes and method of storytelling in The Garden of Words are similar to that of Higehiro.
In this anime, we follow the story of Takao Akizuki. He is an aspiring shoemaker who sits in a garden after deciding to skip classes one rainy morning. In the garden, he meets a beautiful yet mysterious woman, Yukari Yukino. He offers to make her new shoes, and with time, the two meet several times.
Unknowingly, the exchanges that these two share help alleviate each others’ worries. They form a unique and beautiful bond. However, their bond is put to the test as the rainy season comes to an end.
3. Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai
- Episodes: 13
- Studios: CloverWorks
- Genres: Comedy, Supernatural, Drama, Romance, School
- Aired: Oct 4, 2018, to Dec 27, 2018
Bringing in more wholesome relationships and an exciting concept into this list is Bunny Girl Senpai. This anime hit the right note with many fans. It tells the story of Sakuta, your average high school boy who finds his third-year classmate, Sakurajima, in a library, wearing a bunny costume. Nobody in the library or at school seems to be paying attention to her.
When he approaches the peculiarly dressed girl, he learns of her predicament. She is going through something called Puberty Syndrome. She was once a well-known actress who slowly faded from her on-screen fame due to mysterious reasons. Now, she faces extraordinary consequences of her decisions, as she seems to be fading from existence, invisible to everyone around her. We follow Sakuta as he helps her and other girls who are also going through the mysterious syndrome.
2. Bottom-Tier Character Tomozaki
- Episodes: 12
- Studios: Project No.9
- Genres: Drama, Romance, School
- Aired: Jan 8, 2021, to Mar 26, 2021
The best player of a game called Tackfam in Japan is a student named Fumiya. However, unlike his gaming personality, he is a complete amateur in real life. When Fumiya meets another top-tier player of the game, he is shocked to find out that she is his popular and extroverted classmate, Aoi Hinami. She is leading a life entirely different from his.
We follow the story of these teenagers as they try to figure out the meaning of living a normal life together. Aoi, surprised after discovering that the best player is so unskilled at living life, plans to help him live his life to the fullest. She helps him look at life like the most important game ever, and gives him tasks like social interaction to help him come out of his shell. Bottom-Tier Character Tomozaki is a great anime to check out if you’re looking for something with a wholesome relationship and an excellent lesson to top it off.
1. Domestic Girlfriend
- Episodes: 12
- Studios: Diomedéa
- Genres: Drama, Romance, School, Shounen
- Aired: Jan 12, 2019, to Mar 30, 2019
If you’re looking for taboo relationships, fanservice, and some softcore ecchi scenes, make sure you give Domestic Girlfriend a try. Termed as a “dumpster fire,” this show is considered so flawed that you can’t look away from it. It follows the story of a high school student, Natsuo. He has a deep-seated crush on his class teacher. Unfortunately, his love for her has no road to the future.
However, a chance encounter with another classmate resulted in him hooking up with the girl. But this relationship ended just as soon as it began. Without any time to think about what just happened, Natsuo is hit with the shocking news that his widower father plans to remarry. Soon, his new stepmother brings her two daughters to live along with them. To Natsuo’s surprise, his new stepsisters are his teacher and the girl he hooked up with. The story goes into further depth, as Natsuo is conflicted between his feelings and his relationship with his teacher. Hilarity and lots of raw emotions are exposed when the lives of these three are intertwined uniquely.
This anime is a must-watch if you’re looking for something exciting that deals with controversial topics but also brings wholesome romantic moments and feelings. The character development has lots of focus in both, Higehiro and Domestic Girlfriend, and this makes them really satisfying to watch.
Honorable Mentions-
- The Aquatope on White Sand
- Blend S
- Rec
- Scum Wish
- Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid
- Your Name.
- Golden Time
- Horimiya