Anime and manga centered around the art of creation can give us a fascinating peek into the creative process. Imagine learning from the very people who bring these incredible worlds to life! Although these shows take some creative liberties and shouldn’t be seen as the ultimate authority, they serve as an awesome jumping-off point for exploration.
Some of these series follow ambitious young creators. Take, for instance, The Pet Girl of Sakurasou, where a group of high school students gears up for their future careers in the anime industry. In Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken!, we join a school club on their exciting quest to make their very own anime. On the flip side, there are shows like Shirobako that offer a tantalizing glimpse into the professional world, giving us an insider’s view of a fictional yet realistic anime studio.
Regardless of where the characters are in their creative journeys, their boundless enthusiasm and unwavering motivation are an absolute joy to behold.
1. Monthly Girls’ Nozaki-kun
When Chiyo Sakura musters up the courage to confess her feelings to Umetarou Nozaki, she encounters a major setback – he’s unbelievably clueless. He completely fails to grasp that she’s actually asking him out and instead assumes she’s just another fan of his shojo manga, hoping to become his assistant. Without realizing it, Chiyo finds herself unintentionally trapped in a job she never signed up for. Surprisingly though, it’s not all that terrible.
In fact, being pulled into this unexpected role brings her closer to Nozaki, which is a silver lining. Additionally, she has the opportunity to encounter a multitude of wonderfully peculiar individuals and gain valuable insights into the manga creation process.
2. Shirobako
Shirobako stands out from the rest of the shows on this list because it gives us a deep dive into the anime industry itself. It follows the journey of five young women who are all trying to make their mark in different areas of the anime world. Aoi Miyamori, the main character, takes on the role of a producer, while her friends pursue careers in voice acting, animation, and story writing, among other things. The show provides an in-depth exploration of how all these different pieces come together to create an anime, all through the eyes of Aoi.
3. Kakushigoto
Kakushi Gotou, a manga artist, has gained fame for his fan service and risqué humor. All was well until he became a father to a little girl named Hime. Determined to shield her from his unconventional profession, Kakushi goes to great lengths to maintain the façade of a regular office worker, even involving his assistants in this charade.
However, there’s an even deeper secret lurking within their family, waiting to be unraveled.
4. Bakuman
Moritaka Mashiro has always dreamed of following in his uncle’s footsteps and becoming a manga artist. However, after a devastating personal tragedy, he decides to set his sights on a more practical path – becoming a salaryman.
One day, Moritaka’s classmate Akito Takagi discovers his artwork and proposes a collaboration to create a manga together. Initially hesitant, Moritaka eventually agrees when he realizes that their manga could potentially be turned into an anime series, giving his crush Miho Azuki the opportunity to become a voice actor.
Driven by their ambitious goals, these two middle schoolers make a firm resolve to become the best manga creators in the world.
5. A Galaxy Next Door
Ichiro Kuga, a passionate manga artist, finds himself overwhelmed by the challenges he faces in his daily life. Juggling tight deadlines, financial difficulties, the departure of his assistants, and the responsibility of caring for his younger siblings, he is also grappling with the emotional pain caused by his father’s passing.
However, a glimmer of relief shines through when Shiori Goshiki enters the picture as a potential assistant. Her exceptional skills and expertise bring some much-needed ease to Ichiro’s workload. Yet, as things start to fall into place, they also become more complex. Shiori possesses an otherworldly aura that sets her apart from the ordinary. To add to the intrigue, she astonishingly claims to be engaged to Ichiro himself!
6. Comic Girls
Comic Girls takes place in a dormitory specifically designed for female manga artists, many of whom are teenagers. One of the main characters, Kaoruko Moeta, also known as Chaos, aspires to create manga centered around teenage girls. However, due to her lack of social interaction, her stories end up being dull and uninspiring. In an effort to break her out of her shell and enhance her creativity, her editor suggests she stay at this dormitory.
At the dormitory, Chaos encounters a shonen manga artist, a fellow shojo creator, and a teenage girl who specializes in writing erotica for adult women. The dynamic between these four girls is nothing short of chaotic, but it brings forth a lot of enjoyment and excitement.
7. Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken!
Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken! takes us on an inspiring journey through the world of amateur animators. Midori Asakusa is a true anime enthusiast who deeply appreciates the power of this art form in bringing imaginative realms to life. Her ultimate dream is to create her own captivating anime. However, Midori’s whimsical aspirations are complemented by her best friend Sayaka Kanamori’s practical mindset and remarkable talent for fundraising.
The dynamic duo finds a new ally in Tsubame Misuzaki, a professional model who secretly harbors a passion for sketching the human figure rather than pursuing her modeling career. Together, they establish an animation club at their school and embark on the exciting adventure of producing their very own anime.
8. The Pet Girl of Sakurasou
Sorata Kanda, an ordinary boy, finds himself transferred to Sakura Hall, a dorm renowned for housing peculiar troublemakers. Despite their oddities, Sorata forges strong bonds with his new housemates because they all share a common pursuit of their artistic dreams. This newfound camaraderie provides Sorata with the courage to chase his own aspirations.
While Sorata aspires to break into the video game industry, his fellow residents at Sakura Hall are focused on making their mark in the anime and manga sectors. Mashiro Shiina, a brilliant artist, faces familial pressure to follow a more traditional path, but her true passion lies in creating manga. Misaki Kamiigusa, on the other hand, possesses exceptional talent as an animator, while Jin Mitaka, an aspiring writer, postpones a relationship with Misaki until he matches her level of skill. Meanwhile, Sorata’s friend outside of Sakura Hall, Nanami Aoyama, strives to become a voice actress.
The beauty of this series lies in witnessing these characters define their dreams and strive to achieve them.
9. Girlish Number
Now that Chitose Karasuma is in college, she’s all set to live an exciting life. So, she decides to boldly venture into a training center for aspiring voice actors. Surprisingly, despite her impolite behavior, she manages to secure a job. The catch? It’s at a company run by her own brother.
Confident in her abilities, Chitose expects to skyrocket to fame right away. However, she finds herself continually landing minor roles. If she truly wants to achieve success, she quickly realizes that talent alone won’t suffice. Developing some people skills is going to be crucial.
10. Sekai Ichi Hatsukoi: The World’s Greatest First Love
Ritsu Onodera is a literary editor with big ambitions. However, there’s one obstacle in his path – his father, who happens to own a publishing company. Determined to prove himself on his own merits, Ritsu makes the difficult decision to leave his father’s company and join another one. His hope is to work in the literary department and advance his career.
But, as luck would have it, things don’t go as planned. Instead of the literary department, Ritsu finds himself working as a manga editor. It’s a whole new world for him, filled with tight deadlines and increased pressure.
To make matters even more interesting (or complicated), Ritsu discovers that the editor-in-chief of this new company is none other than Masamune Takano – Ritsu’s first love. Their relationship didn’t work out in the past, causing Ritsu to swear off love altogether. But now, Masamune is determined to win Ritsu’s heart all over again.
In this unexpected twist of fate, Ritsu must navigate the challenges of the manga industry while also facing the unresolved feelings he has for Masamune. Will he be able to resist falling in love once more, or will Masamune’s persistence break down his walls?
11. Seiyu’s Life!
Futaba Ichinose is a passionate voice actress on a mission to pursue her dreams. Her days are filled with auditions and networking attempts, as she strives to make a mark in the industry. Along her journey, she crosses paths with two individuals facing similar challenges. One is Rin Kohana, a young actress, and the other is Ichigo Moesaki, an aspiring idol who believes she hails from a distant planet.
These three budding talents form a tight-knit support system, providing solace and encouragement during the hurdles they face in their respective careers. However, as Futaba navigates her way towards her dream job, she begins to question whether the support of her friends will be enough to help her overcome the imminent performance review that lies ahead.
