Josei is what you get when shoujo characters grow up: more adult relationships, messy careers, and problems you can't solve with a school festival. *Honey and Clover* is a standout, tackling art school burnout, unrequited love, and that drifting feeling in your twenties. The tone shift toward bittersweet realism makes it feel totally different once you've lived a little.
Prefer manga? Best Josei manga
Makio Koudai has always lived life on her own terms. While she maintains a small circle of friends and a steady career as a novelist, she is very introverted and indifferent to social norms. Her relationship with her older sister Minori suffered as a result—her sister's constant...
Even after having risen to the utmost rank of shin'uchi, Yotarou struggles to find his own identity in the world of rakugo. Caught between his master's teachings and the late Sukeroku's unique style, his performance lacks an important ingredient—ego. And while his popularity...
Yotarou is a former yakuza member fresh out of prison and fixated on just one thing: rather than return to a life of crime, the young man aspires to take to the stage of rakugo, a traditional Japanese form of comedic storytelling. Inspired during his incarceration by the...
Winning the high school team tournament was a great accomplishment for the Mizusawa members. Each of them has made great strides in improving themselves, and the victory symbolizes how far they have come. But after accomplishing one goal, their individual aims are within reach....
Daikichi Kawachi is a 30-year-old bachelor working a respectable job but otherwise wandering aimlessly through life. When his grandfather suddenly passes away, he returns to the family home to pay his respects. Upon arriving at the house, he meets a mysterious young girl named...
Introverted classical pianist and top student Kaoru Nishimi has just arrived in Kyushu for his first year of high school. Having constantly moved from place to place since his childhood, he abandons all hope of fitting in, preparing himself for another lonely, meaningless year....
Shinichi Chiaki is a first class musician whose dream is to play among the elites in Europe. Coming from a distinguished family, he is an infamous perfectionist—not only is he highly critical of himself, but of others as well. The only thing stopping Shinichi from leaving for...
Shinichi Chiaki is quickly making a name for himself as the principal conductor of the revitalized Roux-Marlet Orchestra, and Megumi "Nodame" Noda has made leaps and bounds as a pianist at the Conservatoire de Paris. However, tensions mount between the two as Nodame feels left...
Back from his journey across Japan, Yuuta Takemoto reminisces about his college life so far. He has matured significantly since his second year and is motivated to move forward. Feeling more confident than ever before, he finally confesses to Hagumi Hanamoto, the girl he has...
Ever since her late mother took her to an aquarium when she was young, Tsukimi Kurashita has been obsessed with jellyfish, comparing their flowing tentacles to a princess's white dress. Now living with five other unemployed otaku women, 19-year-old Tsukimi spends her days as a...
Situated near the local zoo and owned by the charismatic polar bear Shirokuma, Shirokuma Cafe is a popular spot for animals and humans alike, allowing them to sit back and relax after a hard day of work. Whether it's a cold beverage or the latest item on his menu, Shirokuma...
On her way home from school, Yukari Hayasaka is approached by a weird-looking guy who starts looking at her body intently. He's got blond spiky hair, a spiked choker, and multiple piercings on his ears and face. She wants nothing to do with him, and runs away, only to bump into...
Second part of two Hakuouki movies.
The diligent high school freshman Akira Kagiura and his senior Taiga Hirano have been roommates for half a year. Kagiura used to be anxious about his future dormitory life, but thanks to his energetic senior looking out for him, he has come to feel content and at ease. As he...
Disguised as a boy, young Chizuru Yukimura leaves her quiet home and heads to Kyoto in search of her missing father—a medical doctor by the name of Koudou. She soon learns that the volatile capital city is a dangerous place to be in as she is ambushed by a pair of ronin while in...
Rumors about a potential plot to dismantle the Shinsengumi by setting fire to their headquarters have spread amok. As most of the talk stems from an inn in Shimabara, the Shinsengumi place trust in Chizuru Yukimura for help with the investigation. Disguised as a geisha, Chizuru...
Bundled with the special editions of the manga's 7th and 8th volumes. When a certain man is released from prison, he knows exactly where he's heading first. After falling in love with a traditional comic storyteller's rendition of the story called "Shinigami," he is determined...
Once upon a time, there were two rival kingdoms that did not get along. Every day, they argued over insignificant matters. When a dispute over removing dog waste ultimately turned into a war, God swiftly intervened and directed the two nation's leaders to exchange the most...
Taeko Okajima is a 27-year-old, independent woman who spent her entire life in Tokyo. Looking to unwind from the rush of the big city, she decides to visit her family in the country to help out during the harvest. On the train there, Taeko vividly recalls her memories as a...
Uta Koi tells the "super-liberal interpretation" of the Hyakuninisshu anthology compiled during Japan's Heian period of 100 romantic poems from 100 different poets such as The Tale of Genji's Murasaki Shikibu.
Kumiko Yamaguchi is smart, enthusiastic, and ready to start her dream job as a math teacher at Shirokin Academy. But as her first day opens on atrocious students and cowering teachers, Kumiko realizes that the all-boys high school is a cesspool of delinquents with no intention...
Hino Kahoko goes to a summer training camp to play the violin with all the members who participated in the concours. Also known as "La Corda d'oro - Special Episode 26"
San and Mayu are two schoolgirls living in Okinawa during the closing months of the Pacific War. Together with their classmates, the two friends are drafted into the war effort as nurses for wounded soldiers. When ordered to die for their country, the remaining members of the...
Seiso Academy is a prestigious high school that sorts students into two majors: General Studies, characterized by distinct grey uniforms, and Music Studies, characterized by pristine white uniforms. While rushing to class one morning, General Studies student Kahoko Hino has a...
On the dusty streets of the castle town Dayah in the Fortna Kingdom, a young orphan named Nina steals for survival. Experiencing one tragedy after another, she has little to hope for in her life. Believing it best for Nina, her closest friend, Saji, hands her over to Second...
Right now, Journal with Witch holds the #1 spot with a 8.72 on MAL. Makio Koudai has always lived life on her own terms.
MyAnimePulse tracks over 161 josei anime — from 90s classics to shows airing this season. This list focuses on the 25 highest-rated.
If you've never watched josei anime before, Journal with Witch, Descending Stories: Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinju, and Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinju are all safe bets. They're highly rated for a reason — any of them will hook you.
