7.1 / 10 (based on 526 reviews)
Living together with the girl he love should be a dream for Nakagami, but the reality is closer to a nightmare. At school, Hiromi is kind and popular. But at home, she is a completely different person. How can he unlock her heart?
Genre: Animation, Drama, Romance
Main Cast: Asami Shimoda, Yuka Iguchi, Makoto Ishii, Kaori Nazuka
Creators:
Directors:
Writers:
1 season, 13 episodes
Shows Most Like Turû tiâzu (2008)
3D Kanojo Real Girl (2018)
6.9 / 10 (based on 916 reviews)
Hikaru Tsutsui is a quiet, unassuming high school student who forsakes the company of his classmates to spend his time reading manga, playing video games, and watching anime. Hikaru is perfectly content to dwell in his 2D world, until one day he’s assigned to clean the school pool with the beautiful Iroha Ikarashi, and she confesses her feelings to him. Will Iroha’s affection draw Hikaru out of his shell?
Genre: Animation, Comedy, Drama, Romance
Main Cast: Teppei Uenishi, Yû Serizawa, Sayaka Kanda, Reina Ueda
Creators:
Directors:
Writers:
2 seasons, 24 episodes, 22.0-minute runtime
Purasutikku Memorîzu (2015)
7.3 / 10 (based on 2454 reviews)
After failing his college exams, 18 year old Tsukasa Mizugaki is offered a position at the renowned SAI corporation due to his father’s connections. SAI corporation is known for its production and management of androids that possess human emotions called ‘Giftia’. Tsukasa’s position is in the terminal service department where their main job is to recover Giftias that are close to their expiration – it is a graveyard in every sense. To make matters worse, Tsukasa is offered to work with Isla, a female Giftia who was never given any responsibility other than serving tea to coworkers.
Genre: Animation, Drama, Romance, Sci-Fi
Main Cast: Yasuaki Takumi, Sora Amamiya, Chinatsu Akasaki, Sayuri Yahagi
Creators:
Directors:
Writers:
1 season, 13 episodes, 24.0-minute runtime
Nagi no Asukara (2013)
7.4 / 10 (based on 1271 reviews)
Long ago, humanity lived in the sea, but some humans longed to go to land and eventually left the sea behind. Now in present day, the two human types co-exist though their thinking has become as separate as they places they have lived. When their school in the sea is closed, Sea Dwellers Hikari Sakishima, Manaka Mukaido and their friends have no choice but to attend the school on land but due to a special encounter, their lives gain a new twist.
Genre: Animation, Drama, Fantasy, Romance
Main Cast: Natsuki Hanae, Mikako Komatsu, Robbie Friedman, Nicole Gose
Creators:
Directors:
Writers:
1 season, 26 episodes, 23.0-minute runtime
Saenai hiroin no sodatekata (2015)
7 / 10 (based on 1365 reviews)
Aki,a highschool otaku work to support his game making. With remarkable luck, he bumps into Kato, the most beautiful girl he has ever seen. Naturally, the meeting twists his life into a complicated relationships.
Genre: Animation, Comedy, Drama, Romance
Main Cast: Yoshitsugu Matsuoka, Saori Oonishi, Kiyono Yasuno, Ai Kayano
Creators:
Directors:
Writers:
2 seasons, 25 episodes, 24.0-minute runtime
Kokoro Connect (2012)
7.4 / 10 (based on 2468 reviews)
The five members of the Cultural Research Club – Taichi Yaegashi, Iori Nagase, Himeko Inaba, Yui Kiriyama, and Yoshifumi Aoki – encounter a bizarre phenomenon one day when Aoki and Yui switch bodies without warning. The same begins to happen to the other club members, throwing their daily lives into disarray. At first the five students find some amusement amidst the confusion, but this unwarranted connection also exposes the painful scars hidden within their hearts. As their calm lives are shattered, the relationships between the five students also begin to change…
Genre: Animation, Comedy, Drama, Mystery, Romance
Main Cast: Takahiro Mizushima, Aki Toyosaki, Miyuki Sawashiro, Hisako Kanemoto
Creators:
Directors:
Writers:
1 season, 17 episodes
Gôruden taimu (2013)
7.6 / 10 (based on 4031 reviews)
Banri Tada is a freshman at a Tokyo law school. After an accident, he suffers severe memory loss. Despite the incident, he befriends fellow freshman, Mitsuo Yanagisawa, which leads him to the beautiful, yet obsessive, Kouko Kaga.
Genre: Animation, Comedy, Drama, Romance
Main Cast: Yui Horie, Makoto Furukawa, Mike Haimoto, Ai Kayano
Creators:
Directors:
Writers:
1 season, 24 episodes, 24.0-minute runtime
Just Because (2017)
6.9 / 10 (based on 767 reviews)
Four highschool kids are ready for their university life,but with a new transfer student it all changes.
Genre: Animation, Drama, Romance
Main Cast: Aoi Ichikawa, Karin Isobe, Taishi Murata, Yuna Yoshino
Creators:
Directors:
Writers:
1 season, 12 episodes, 23.0-minute runtime
O Maidens in Your Savage Season (2019)
7.3 / 10 (based on 798 reviews)
The girls in a high school literature club do a little icebreaker to get to know each other: answering the question, “What’s one thing you want to do before you die?” One of the girls blurts out, “Sex.” Little do they know, the whirlwind unleashed by that word pushes each of these girls, with different backgrounds and personalities, onto their own clumsy, funny, painful, and emotional paths toward adulthood.
Genre: Animation, Comedy, Drama, Romance
Main Cast: Brittney Karbowski, Gareth West, Juliet Simmons, Natalie Rial
Creators:
Directors:
Writers:
1 season, 12 episodes, 24.0-minute runtime
Tsuki ga kirei (2017)
7.8 / 10 (based on 2149 reviews)
A romance forms between two shy third year middle school students.
Genre: Animation, Drama, Fantasy, Romance, Thriller
Main Cast: Shoya Chiba, Konomi Kohara, Rie Murakawa, Amber Lee Connors
Creators:
Directors:
Writers:
1 season, 13 episodes, 24.0-minute runtime
Kishuku Gakko no Juliet (2018)
7.2 / 10 (based on 789 reviews)
“To Love, or not to Love” Juliet Percia and Inuzuka Romio are archenemies. They lead two high-school dormitories the “Black Dogs” and the “White Cats” from two rivaling countries. Both factions are dead set on defeating the other to gain control over the island they have to share. Beneath the feuding exterior, however, Percia and Inuzuka long for love and peace for their budding relationship.
Genre: Animation, Action, Comedy, Drama, Romance
Main Cast: Yuki Ono, Ai Kayano, Ayane Sakura, Yû Shimamura
Creators:
Directors:
Writers:
1 season, 12 episodes, 24.0-minute runtime
Yahari ore no seishun rabukome wa machigatteiru. (2013)
7.9 / 10 (based on 7494 reviews)
About an antisocial high school student named Hikigaya Hachiman with a distorted view on life and no friends or girlfriend. His life change when he was forced to enter the “Volunteer Service Club” by his teacher.
Genre: Animation, Comedy, Drama, Romance
Main Cast: Cat Thomas, Melissa Molano, Takuya Eguchi, Saori Hayami
Creators:
Directors:
Writers:
3 seasons, 40 episodes, 24.0-minute runtime
In the world of television, some shows slip under the radar, quietly amassing a dedicated following while never quite breaking into the mainstream spotlight. “Turû tiâzu” (True Tears), which aired in 2008, is one such gem. This anime series, while not as widely recognized as some of its contemporaries, offers a poignant and beautifully crafted narrative that deserves a closer look.
The Essence of “True Tears”
At its core, “True Tears” is a story about human emotions, relationships, and the complexities of growing up. It follows the life of Shinichiro Nakagami, a high school student with a passion for drawing and an unspoken love for Hiromi Yuasa, a girl living with his family due to her own family’s tragic circumstances. The narrative weaves through the intricacies of unrequited love, familial bonds, and the search for one’s identity, all set against the backdrop of everyday life.
Characters That Breathe
One of the show’s strengths lies in its characters. They are meticulously crafted, with each one presenting a unique blend of strengths, weaknesses, dreams, and fears. Shinichiro, for example, is not your typical protagonist. He’s introspective, artistically inclined, and struggles with expressing his feelings. Hiromi, on the other hand, encapsulates the turmoil of a girl who has lost her family, living with the burden of gratitude and the pain of unspoken love.
The Supporting Cast
No character in “True Tears” is there just to fill space. Aiko Ando, Miyokichi Nobuse, and Noe Isurugi, among others, play pivotal roles in the narrative, each adding depth and perspective to the story. Noe, in particular, stands out with her unique outlook on life and her quest to regain her “true tears,” offering a fresh and intriguing subplot that intertwines with the main storyline in unexpected ways.
A Visual and Auditory Feast
“True Tears” is not just a narrative triumph; it’s a visual and auditory experience. The animation, produced by P.A. Works, is stunning, with detailed backgrounds, expressive character designs, and a palette that complements the mood of the story. The show’s use of lighting and color to convey emotion is particularly noteworthy, creating an atmosphere that pulls the viewer into its world.
The soundtrack, composed by Hajime Kikuchi, underscores the emotional landscape of the series. From the opening theme “Reflectia” by eufonius to the hauntingly beautiful background scores, the music of “True Tears” enhances the storytelling, adding layers of depth to the narrative.
Themes and Messages
“True Tears” delves into themes that resonate on a universal level. It explores the idea of finding one’s true self amidst the expectations and pressures of those around us. The series also tackles the concept of emotional honesty, highlighting the courage it takes to confront one’s feelings and the consequences of keeping them hidden.
The show’s take on relationships—romantic, familial, and platonic—is nuanced and realistic. It doesn’t shy away from the messiness and complications that come with human connections, presenting them in a way that is both relatable and thought-provoking.
Why It Stands Out
In a genre filled with high school romances and slice-of-life dramas, “True Tears” distinguishes itself through its storytelling and character development. It avoids the pitfalls of melodrama, instead opting for a more subtle, grounded approach to its narrative. The series doesn’t rely on over-the-top scenarios or clichés to move the story forward; instead, it finds strength in the quiet moments, the unspoken words, and the gestures that reveal more than words ever could.
Personal Anecdotes and Examples
I remember watching “True Tears” during a particularly rainy week, which somehow added to the experience. The sound of rain against the window pane seemed to echo the emotional storms the characters were going through. There’s a scene where Shinichiro and Noe share a moment under an umbrella, and it felt as if the rain outside was in perfect sync with the rain in the show. It was one of those moments where art and life seemed to blur, leaving a lasting impression.
Another aspect that struck me was the show’s portrayal of the creative process. Shinichiro’s struggle with his art, using it as an outlet for his emotions, resonated with me. It was a reminder of how art, in any form, can be both a refuge and a way to confront our deepest fears and desires.
Conclusion
“True Tears” is a show that deserves more attention than it gets. It’s a beautifully crafted series that touches on the complexities of the human heart with sensitivity and grace. For those who appreciate character-driven narratives, stunning animation, and stories that delve into the intricacies of human emotions, “True Tears” is a must-watch. It’s a reminder of the power of storytelling and the emotional depth that animation can achieve. In a medium often dismissed as being for children, “True Tears” stands as a testament to the maturity and sophistication that anime is capable of delivering.