In this Guide, we will recommend the best drama animes and a complete list of dramatic animes and their sub-genres. Yes, drama animes are not as boring as you might think; many are action-packed, comedic, or mysterious. But what are drama animes?
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What are Drama Animes?
Drama animes strongly emphasize the emotional development of their characters. Whether experiencing the protagonist’s emotional turmoil, witnessing heated character interactions, or exploring a passionate romance, any anime that humanizes its characters by highlighting their flaws qualifies as Drama.
Some may say that Drama animes are of the Slice of Life genre, but those animes are nothing more than everyday life. Others believe that Drama Animes are similar to Soap Operas, but that is also a wrong generalization.
Most successful Shounen animes, full of action and powers, fit into the Drama genre; for this reason, we will divide this article into sub-genres to prevent you from getting lost when viewing the article’s recommendations.
Others believe that drama animes are those that make you cry. We already have a list of sad animes. I do not disagree that the animes in this article may also bring a tear, but they are emotional scenes, not sad ones.
The Best Action and Adventure Drama Animes
I don’t know if it’s due to their fame, but according to MAL and Anime-Planet, most of the top-ranked animes are action Shounen animes, and I personally agree that the dramatic weight of the plot is much stronger than in other genres.
Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood
One of the most exciting and dramatic Shounen animes of all time. The backstory and entire plot captivate you and fill you with emotion from start to finish. The way the characters are approached, their involvement in the story, everything is thrilling.
The drama begins with two brothers who lost their mother and try to resurrect her using Alchemy. In this process, the younger brother ends up losing his body, the older brother loses his arm, and binds his younger brother’s soul to a suit of armor.
After these events, the two brothers embark on a journey to find the Philosopher’s Stone with the goal of recovering their bodies. They enlist as military Alchemists and get involved in a conspiracy that aims to destroy the entire country.
Hunter x Hunter
Another super frenetic and exciting anime that manages to handle dramatic situations well. It is among my favorites, and its position in drama animes competes for the top. An anime with lots of action, in addition to exciting and sad situations.
The anime tells the story of a boy named Gon who embarks on a journey to find his father. He aims to pass a test called the Hunter Exam, where only a few who pass gain privileges such as a diplomatic passport, money, and opportunities.
During this exam, Gon meets other main characters who accompany him on his journey throughout 148 episodes in a work considered a pillar of Shounen Jump. The anime is so good that it also received two adaptations, one by the incredible Mad House.
Boku no Hero Academia
Another dramatic and exciting anime with several seasons and overwhelming popularity. The work tells the story of a young boy who dreams of being a Superhero but has no powers in a world where 70% of the population has some ability.
One day, he meets the world’s most famous Superhero named All Might, who sees something in the boy and promises to pass on his Super Power and make him his successor. The boy gains such a strong power that he needs a lot of training to use it without hurting himself.
He enrolls in a renowned Hero school and begins his adventure in an apparently generic school anime, but which actually becomes a great dramatic and exciting work, involving a bit of everything: comedy, action, and some clichés.
Charlotte
This anime has action, slice of life, and drama; it is on the Shounen list for dealing with Super Powers. The anime has a rather strange evolution; it is quite short with 12 episodes, but it was enough to leave me emotional and questioning things.
Very few boys and girls have an early start with special abilities. Yuu Otosaka is one of those boys who uses his ability without others knowing, in order to lead a satisfactory school life.
Then, one day, a girl named Nao Tomori suddenly appears before him. Their meeting reveals the fate of those with special abilities. In order to avoid this fate, the young people come together on a mission.
Other Shounen Drama Animes
To conclude this category, we will list some animes considered Shounen with action that appear among the top on MAL and Anime Planet. If they are on the list below, it’s because they are good:
- Steins;Gate…
- Demon Slayer;
- Hajime no Ippo;
- Made in Abyss;
- Cowboy Bebop;
- Gintama;
- Erased;
- GTO;
- Parasyte;
- Tate no Yuusha;
- Noragami;
- No Game no Life;
- Kaguya-sama;
- Suzumiya Haruhi;
- Seishun Buta;
The Best Dramatic Drama Animes
Dramatic drama animes are animes that really focus on Drama, making the viewer reflect on life, cry, or feel emotions about others’ lives. This is the definition that most people have of Drama Animes. We also recommend watching Shoujo Animes, which usually have a lot of drama.
Violet Evergarden
Violet Evergarden is one of the drama animes with the best animation ever produced. The scenery, characters, environment, sounds, and colors are beautiful enough to move you to tears. The anime also has an emotional and dramatic story.
Violet Evergarden tells the story of a girl who was used as a weapon of war but, not knowing what to do with her life, ends up becoming a letter writer, learning a bit about the world and some emotional situations that letters provide.
Each episode has its own dramatic and emotional story; many cry in each episode. The anime also has a sad and romantic backstory. The anime is available on Netflix and has OVAs and Movies.
Ano Hana
The story revolves around a group of childhood friends who had separated after one of them dies in a tragic accident. Ten years later, the group reunites because of the ghost of the deceased girl, Menma.
The ghost of Menma appears with a slightly older appearance to the group’s leader, who had distanced himself from society, asking for his help to rest in peace. The anime deals with themes such as drama, friendship, and unity.
Considered one of the saddest animes of all time, making any grown man cry. Its full name is quite long; it is called Ano Hi Mita Hana no Namae wo Bokutachi wa Mada Shiranai.
Angel Beats
A boy who only remembers his last name – Otonashi – wakes up next to a girl named Yuri, who offers him a gun and tells him to shoot an angel. Assuming it must be a misunderstanding, Otonashi is almost killed by the angel and is drawn into Yuri’s army to fight to delay the start of his next life.
Immortality is within reach, but if Otonashi remembers how he died, will he continue fighting or allow himself to disappear? Angel Beats is another very popular anime for being sad and emotional, with romance and everything else.
Shigatsu wa kimi no uso
Kousei Arima is a piano prodigy and quite well-known by others in this field. One day, his mother passes away, and the boy, very shaken, suffers some consequences from this trauma and stops playing the piano.
He begins to see the world entirely in a melancholic tone and also cannot hear the sound of the piano, despite his hearing being in perfect condition. Watch one of the most beautiful and saddest animes of all time.
Another twist happens in his life when Kousei meets Kaori Miyazono, an energetic violinist who brings color to his life and helps him move forward. What will happen in this dramatic story that will bring you to tears?
Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinju
The anime presents a traditional story of the Japanese art of storytelling, Rakugo. It takes place in two different periods, has many mysteries, and a truly captivating and interesting story that popularized its genre.
When a small thug is released from prison, he is determined to change his life by becoming an apprentice to the great rakugo master Yakumo VIII, inspired by his performance of “Shinigami” during his incarceration.
Surprisingly, the old man agrees to train him and takes his new apprentice to his own home to live, giving him the name “Yotaro,” a classic word used in rakugo that means “fool.”
Yakumo has much to teach about the art of rakugo, but he and his assistant Konatsu—a hot-headed young woman whose father was also a famous storyteller—are difficult people with a shared dark past. Yakumo refuses to train her, claiming that the world of rakugo is no place for women, and Konatsu vows to kill him, claiming that Yakumo murdered her father!
Other Dramatic Animes
Below, we will list other popular drama animes that deserve attention:
- Shigatsu no Lion;
- Clannad;
- Natsume’s Book;
- Fruits Basket;
- Usagi Drop;
- Kono oto tomare;
- Orange;
- Plastic Memories;
- Ore Monogatari;
The Best Drama Anime Movies
Many dramas are represented in emotional movies. See some below:
Kimi no na Wa
Mitsuha and Taki are two strangers living completely different lives. But when Mitsuha wishes to leave her mountain town for the bustling city of Tokyo, they connect in a bizarre way.
She dreams that she is a boy living in Tokyo, while Taki dreams that he is a girl from a rural town he has never been to. What does their new connection mean? And how will it bring them together? Watch one of the most successful animated films worldwide.
Koe no Katachi
After transferring to a new school, a deaf girl, Shouko Nishimiya, is bullied by the popular Shouya Ishida. As Shouya continues to bully Shouko, the class turns their backs on him.
Shouko transfers, and Shouya grows up as a pariah. Alone and depressed, the remorseful Shouya seeks out Shouko to make amends. How does the union of the two change both their lives? An emotional drama film with a touch of romance that you must watch.
Kimi no Suizou wo Tabetai
An unnamed protagonist finds a diary in a hospital. The diary belongs to his classmate, a girl named Sakura Yamauchi, who reveals that she has a terminal pancreatic disease and only a few months to live.
Sakura explains that the protagonist is the only person besides her family who knows about her condition. The protagonist promises to keep Sakura’s secret. Despite their completely opposite personalities, the protagonist decides to stay with Sakura during her last months.
Other Dramatic Anime Movies
- Tenki no Ko;
- Hotarubi no Mori;
- Grave of the Fireflies;
- Kotonoha no Niwa;
- Byousoku 5 Centimeter;
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