Japan has many of its own cultural holidays like Tanabata and Obon, but in recent decades, it’s become more common for Japanese people to celebrate Western holidays as well. Of course, the vast difference in cultures means that these occasions look quite a bit different when Japan is in charge! Just in time for White Day (which we’ll get to in a bit), let’s check out some Japanese twists on Western holidays!
This season, we’ve been blessed with a slice-of-life anime about six adorable catgirls (plus an anime-exclusive kitten) who work at a cake shop and live out their shiny happy days together. It has a few oddly-placed ecchi moments, and the degree to which the catgirls have agency over their own lives is a mystery that may never be solved, but Nekopara is overall an entertaining “cute girls doing cute things” show that promises to be a hit. If you’re enjoying it this season, why not check out these six other anime that capture the same feline flavor? This is 6 Anime Like Nekopara!
When inexperienced gamer Kaede starts up the VRMMORPG New World Online, she puts all of her points into defense so she doesn’t have to take any damage. It seems like a rookie mistake to max out only one stat, but she uses her wits and complete disregard for standard gameplay conventions to excel as the Great Shielder Maple. With her childhood buddy Sally and the new friends she meets along the way, Maple forms her own guild and has a grand time adventuring in the most unorthodox way possible. If you’re enjoying the carefree charm of Bofuri this season, why not check out these six other shows about protagonists who eschew the typical hero’s journey? This is 6 Anime Like Bofuri: I Don’t Want to Get Hurt, so I’ll Max Out My Defense!
Despite its scatological name, Toilet-Bound Hanako-kun isn’t a gag series full of potty humor. It’s actually the charming tale of how an occult-loving high schooler named Nene meets Hanako-kun, a ghostly boy with a mysterious past who keeps the rest of the school’s apparitions in line with his wicked cunning and trusty kitchen knife. When she becomes indebted to him, Nene agrees to be his assistant—thus begins her new life of investigating supernatural rumors, saving her friends from wayward spirits, and learning more about the elusive Hanako-kun himself. This show has been criminally underwatched so far, so let us show you why you NEED to watch Toilet-Bound Hanako-kun!
BOFURI: I Don't Want to Get Hurt, so I'll Max Out My Defense (or Bofuri for short) is the latest in a long line of isekai anime coming down the pipe recently. However, unlike so many other forgettable shows, this anime is well worth a watch because of its precious protagonist who breaks all of the normal conventions of the genre in the name of having a good time. Here’s why you NEED to watch Bofuri!
Do you like catgirls? If you’re a tried and true anime fan, that’s hardly a question! This new series, based on the visual novels and OVA of the same name, follows the six adorable catgirls of the Minaduki family as they play, explore, and work at the café La Patisserie Soleil. Along the way, they adopt a stray kitten named Cacao and go on all kinds of charming adventures. But there’s more to this series than just cute catgirls doing cute catgirl things, and you might not expect what it is. Here’s why you NEED to watch Nekopara!
