Best tv shows like Area 88: The Blue Skies of Betrayal
Last updated March 2024
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Plot Summary:
Compilation of Area 88 Acts I-III. A pilot struggles to retain his humanity when he is shanghaied into a mercenary jet fighter force.
IMDB Rating: 7.7
IMDB Votes: 469
Genere: Animation, Action, Drama, War
Country: Japan
Duration: 200 min
Plot tags: anime, shounen, vintage
Best tv shows and movies like Area 88: The Blue Skies of Betrayal (1985):
Similar in 78%
Yomigaeru Sora – Rescue Wings (2006)
Plot Summary:
Yomigaeru Sora - Rescue Wings - is a Japanese anime series produced by J.C. STAFF which aired on TV Tokyo in 2006. The main character is 2nd Lieutenant Uchida Kazuhiro, a helicopter pilot in a search and rescue wing of the Japan Air Self Defense Force. A live-action movie adaptation was produced in 2008, with the original Japanese premiere on 2009. Two manga series were also written, having different storylines but based on the overall theme of SAR squads and personnel. The real life JASDF Komatsu Air Base hosts a search and rescue wing in addition to two fighter wings with F-15J's and T-4's as portrayed in the anime. JDS Haruna, on which Hongou lands on to refuel in Episode 3, is a real ship of the JMSDF.
IMDB Rating: 6.8
IMDB Votes: 64
Genere: Animation, Drama, Romance, War
Country: Japan
Duration:
Plot tags: anime, captivating, disturbing
Similar in 85%
Gun Frontier (2002)
Plot Summary:
Sea Pirate Harlock and Tochiro try to find a lost clan of Japanese immigrants in this Westerns style version spin off.
IMDB Rating: 6.4
IMDB Votes: 125
Genere: Animation, Action, Comedy, Drama, Sci-Fi, Western
Country: Japan
Duration: 25 min
Plot tags: anime
Similar in 78%
Silver Fang 1 (1986)
Plot Summary:
Silver Fang is the story of the incredible bear puppy Silver. The old man, Takeda Gohie, coach Silver. One day meetings Silver some wild dogs in the mountains, which recruits willing fighting dogs that will be in the showdown against the bear, Akakabooto. Silver never forget Akakabootos smell when it was the bear that killed his beloved father when they came face to face with each other. As Silver encounters the wild dogs leader, he is shocked to head resembles his father, Riki, to the point. Riki had amnesia when he fell down the gap in the fight against Akakabooto. Just before the confrontation and struggle against the bear, it occurs to Riki that Silver is his own son.
IMDB Rating: 8.9
IMDB Votes: 3000
Genere: Animation, Action, Adventure, Drama, Horror, War
Country: Japan
Duration: 25 min
Plot tags: anime, retro, shounen
Similar in 85%
The Cockpit (1993)
Plot Summary:
A World War II anthology film based on Leiji Matsumoto's Battlefield manga. Kawajiri's Slipstream follows a Luftwaffe pilot on his mission to protect Germany's trump card: the world's first atomic bomb. Imanishi's Sonic Boom Squadron explores the last hours of an Yokosuka MXY7 Ohka pilot on August 6, 1945. Takahashi's Knight of the Iron Dragon tells the story of two Japanese soldiers in Leyte as they attempt to keep a promise.
IMDB Rating: 7.2
IMDB Votes: 338
Genere: Animation, Drama, War
Country: Japan
Duration: 72 min
Plot tags: anime, anthology
Similar in 89%
Area 88 (2004)
Plot Summary:
The adventures of a young pilot in a war torn country. Shin Kazama was duped into singing a three-year contract at Area 88, a secluded mercenary air force base. Determined to earn $1.5 million to buy his way out of the obligation and return home, killing becomes second nature to Shin as he quickly rises to the top rank at Area 88. He begins to question whether he is still fighting for survival, or like his fellow mercenaries, for the sheer excitement and camaraderie of battle.
IMDB Rating: 6.8
IMDB Votes: 140
Genere: Animation, Action, Drama
Country: Japan
Duration: 23 min
Plot tags: anime
Similar in 82%
Whistle! (2002)
Plot Summary:
Everybody has a dream, and for Shou Kazamatsuri, that dream is simple: he wants to be the best soccer player he can possibly be. Although he is not very good at the game and he's not very tall.
IMDB Rating: 7.9
IMDB Votes: 35
Genere: Animation, Action, Drama, Sport
Country: Japan
Duration:
Plot tags: anime
Similar in 90%
CARDFIGHT!! VANGUARD (2021)
Plot Summary:
Third-year middle school student Yu-yu Kondo lives in Kanazawa city of the country of Kaga. Being unable to reject requests, Yu-yu often gets caught up in his sister's hobbies. When Yu-yu could no longer bear it and ran away from home, he was saved by Megumi Okura. Megumi invites Yu-yu to the Night Amusement Park "Wonder Hill" where her friends gather. The amusement park is where many youths of the Vanguard-centric group "Team Blackout" gather. And this is how Yu-yu encounters Vanguard and was drawn in by the appeal of Vanguard and the world and friends he had never seen before.
IMDB Rating: 6.0
IMDB Votes: 28
Genere: Animation, Action
Country: Japan
Duration:
Plot tags: anime, shounen
Similar in 87%
Saint Seiya Omega (2012)
Plot Summary:
A spin-off based on the Saint Seiya series.
IMDB Rating: 5.8
IMDB Votes: 662
Genere: Animation
Country: Japan
Duration: 23 min
Plot tags: anime, shounen
Similar in 75%
The Tale of Outcasts (2023)
Plot Summary:
Wisteria is an orphan girl living in a corner of the British Empire at the end of the 19th century. Her life is desolate and bleak–until she encounters Malbus, a powerful but equally lonely immortal being with a furry appearance, hounded by hunters. Together, Wisteria and Malbus roam the Empire–populated by humans and human-like beasts–in search of a place where they can live together in peace.
IMDB Rating: 6.1
IMDB Votes: 175
Genere: Animation, Action, Fantasy
Country: Japan
Duration:
Plot tags: anime, shounen
Similar in 84%
The Kingdoms of Ruin (2023)
Plot Summary:
Witches were once respected for the wisdom and magic they gifted to humans. But with the rise of the Gear Expansion era, the new science community deemed them as enemies who hindered the progress of society. Thus began the slaughter of all witches, including one who had mentored a human boy named Adonis. After witnessing her death, Adonis vows to bring bloodshed and terror to the human race.
IMDB Rating: 7.0
IMDB Votes: 507
Genere: Animation, Action, Drama, Fantasy
Country: Japan
Duration: 24 min
Plot tags: anime, shounen, dark fantasy, 2d animation, urban fantasy
Similar in 76%
Initial D: Fourth Stage (2004)
Plot Summary:
Takumi Fujiwara continues his undefeated racing streak, touring the mountain passes of Japan with rival driver Keisuke Takahashi as a part of ex-racer Ryosuke Takahashi's racing team: "Project D".
IMDB Rating: 8.2
IMDB Votes: 1000
Genere: Animation, Action, Drama, Romance, Sport
Country: Japan
Duration:
Plot tags: anime
Similar in 75%
Giant Killing (2010)
Plot Summary:
Giant Killing follows a ragtag bunch from East Tokyo who are struggling in Japan's top football league. Nearing the bottom, they have lost 5 matches in a row which hasn't done much to team morale. Even with the fan's turning their backs on the team, it seems as if the end is near. East Tokyo United can only blame their coach right now. However, their Coach is going to do something drastic to prove to his team and fans, that against the biggest club in the nation, he can make this team win.
IMDB Rating: 7.6
IMDB Votes: 280
Genere: Animation, Drama, Sport
Country: Japan
Duration:
Plot tags: anime
Similar in 83%
Mazinkaiser SKL (2010)
Plot Summary:
Mazinkaizer SKL (マジンカイザースカル Majinkaizā Sukaru?) is a Japanese OVA spinoff of Go Nagai's Mazinkaiser, which was in itself a spinoff of Mazinger Z. The first episode was released on November 27, 2010 and was first screened on November 27, 2010. It also has a novel adaptation serialized in ASCII Media Works' Dengeki Hobby Magazine and a manga adaptation published in the mobile phone magazine Shu 2 Comic Gekkin. Like Shin Mazinger Shougeki! Z Hen, characters and references to other works of Go Nagai appear in this series.
IMDB Rating: 6.3
IMDB Votes: 127
Genere: Animation, Action, Sci-Fi
Country: Japan
Duration: 27 min
Plot tags: anime, mecha
Similar in 83%
Giant Robo: The Day the Earth Stood Still (1992)
Plot Summary:
An adolescent with the ability to control a looming war-golem becomes entangled in the Experts of Justice's fight against the infamous group Big Fire.
IMDB Rating: 7.9
IMDB Votes: 481
Genere: Animation, Action, Comedy, Drama, Fantasy, Sci-Fi
Country: Japan
Duration: 45 min
Plot tags: anime, mecha, futuristic
Similar in 78%
The Pilot's Love Song (2014)
Plot Summary:
In order to uncover the "end of the sky," as spoken of in ancient mythology, Kal-el Albus is sent to Isla, an island in the sky. There he attends Cadoques High's Aerial Division, where he enjoys a carefree life with his schoolmates. That is...until a surprise attack by the air tribe drags Isla into a bloody war.
IMDB Rating: 7.1
IMDB Votes: 123
Genere: Animation, Action, Adventure, Drama, Fantasy, Romance
Country: Japan
Duration:
Plot tags: anime, romantic, captivating, entertaining, disturbing
Similar in 83%
Yukikaze (2002)
Plot Summary:
Thirty-three years ago, an alien force known as the "JAM" invaded Earth through a dimensional portal over Antarctica. Earth's forces managed to drive the JAM away to a distant planet designated as "Fairy". While the majority of Earth's population is unaware of the JAM's presence, the war continues on Fairy, where Rei Fukai is an SAF (Special Air Force) pilot assigned to pilot "Yukikaze"—an advanced reconnaissance fighter plane equipped with a near-sentient A.I. that detects the presence of the JAM within its path.
IMDB Rating: 7.2
IMDB Votes: 352
Genere: Animation, Action, Adventure, Drama, Sci-Fi, War
Country: Japan
Duration: 47 min
Plot tags: anime, exciting, tense, captivating, suspense, psychological
Similar in 83%
Aoharu x Machinegun (2015)
Plot Summary:
When Hotaru moves into a new apartment alone, there's a mysterious man standing nearby the apartment. Hotaru decides to confront the man, who turns out to live in the neighboring apartment. The next day at school, Hotaru's best friend Kanae tells Hotaru that a host tricked her out of her money. When Hotaru goes to confront the host, he happens to be none other than Hotaru's neighbor, Masamune?!.
IMDB Rating: 6.7
IMDB Votes: 216
Genere: Animation, Action, Comedy, Drama
Country: Japan
Duration:
Plot tags: anime, shounen, super sentai
Similar in 81%
Jojo's Bizarre Adventure (1993)
Plot Summary:
Based on the long-running manga by Hirohiko Araki, the first OVA series follows Josef Joestar and his 17-year-old grandson Jotaro as they attempt to finish the family blood feud against the immortal vampire Dio. Josef and Jotaro have gathered several mystical warriors each with powers representing one card from The Stand (a variation of Tarot cards), with Jotaro having powers over the strongest Stand - the Star Platinum. Dio himself has gathered Stand warriors and together they face off for the sake of Jotaro's mother Holly and domination of the world.
IMDB Rating: 7.7
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Animation, Action, Adventure, Drama, Fantasy, Horror
Country: Japan
Duration:
Plot tags: anime, cult classic, shounen, campy
Similar in 88%
In the Heart of Kunoichi Tsubaki (2022)
Plot Summary:
The isolationist Akane Clan, composed of an all-girls body mainly consisting of young kunoichi in training, has a code to which they all must adhere: "As men are dangerous beings, interacting with them is forbidden." Kunoichi Tsubaki, the leader of the Dog Squad, is an excellent trainee with a promising future, but she has started to experience a strange feeling in her heart... whenever the subject of boys is brought up.
IMDB Rating: 6.4
IMDB Votes: 182
Genere: Animation, Comedy, Drama
Country: Japan
Duration:
Plot tags: anime, shounen
Similar in 76%
Moyashimon (2007)
Plot Summary:
Follow the life of Tadayasu Sawaki as he enrolls in an Agricultural University and learn about bacteria and viruses that he alone can see with the naked eye.
IMDB Rating: 7.2
IMDB Votes: 202
Genere: Animation, Comedy, Drama
Country: Japan
Duration: 24 min
Plot tags: anime
Similar in 83%
Sola (2007)
Plot Summary:
Sola is a Japanese work originally conceived by Naoki Hisaya with original character design by Naru Nanao. Sola is a mixed media project, first unveiled through the prologue of the manga featured in the Japanese manga magazine Dengeki Daioh on December 21, 2006, published by MediaWorks. The manga, which is illustrated by Chako Abeno, ended serialization on February 21, 2008. The manga has been licensed for distribution in North America by Broccoli Books with the first volume being released in June 2008. A short drama CD which also served as a prologue to the series was released at Comiket 71 in December 2006, and a second drama CD was released in May 2008. An anime version aired in Japan between April and June 2007; the anime contained thirteen episodes, and two additional DVD-exclusive episodes followed. The anime was licensed by Bandai Entertainment for distribution in North America in a subtitle-only box set of all fifteen episodes. The title, Sola, is close in pronunciation to the Japanese word sora. At the end of 2007, Japanese anime fans voted Sola as the best anime of the year.
IMDB Rating: 6.8
IMDB Votes: 195
Genere: Animation, Action, Drama, Fantasy, Romance
Country: Japan
Duration:
Plot tags: anime
Similar in 90%
Helck (2023)
Plot Summary:
Three months have passed since the Demon Lord was struck down, and the Demon Realm is holding a tournament to select his replacement. The leading contestant is Helck, a human hero who claims to hate his own kind. Some aren't happy with the idea of a human becoming the next Demon Lord—especially Vermilio the Red. She wants nothing more than to protect demonkind and prove Helck to be their enemy, even if she has to rig the competition to do it!.
IMDB Rating: 6.8
IMDB Votes: 163
Genere: Animation, Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Country: Japan
Duration:
Plot tags: anime, shounen
Similar in 87%
Zenki the Demon Prince (1995)
Plot Summary:
Zenki is a Japanese manga series written by Kikuhide Tani and illustrated by Yoshihiro Kuroiwa. It was serealized in the Shueisha publication, Monthly Shōnen Jump from 1992 to 1996. Zenki was adapted into a fifty-one episode anime television series in 1995 by Studio Deen and also spawned five video games. Enoki Films handles the English language version of the anime.
IMDB Rating: 6.6
IMDB Votes: 171
Genere: Animation, Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Country: Japan
Duration: 22 min
Plot tags: anime, corny
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Ragna Crimson (2023)
Plot Summary:
Ragna teams up with the enigmatic Crimson to stand against the dragons menacing the world. Although Crimson’s motivations are mysterious, his goal and Ragna’s perfectly align, and together they’ll vanquish the dragons once and for all.
IMDB Rating: 7.3
IMDB Votes: 419
Genere: Animation, Action, Adventure, Drama, Fantasy, Mystery
Country: Japan
Duration: 24 min
Plot tags: dark fantasy, anime, shounen, 2d animation
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The Dangers in My Heart (2023)
Plot Summary:
Kyotaro Ichikawa, a boy barely clinging to the bottom rung of his school's social ladder, secretly believes he’s the tortured lead in some psychological thriller. He spends his days dreaming up ways to disrupt his classmates' peaceful lives and pining after Anna Yamada, the class idol. But Kyotaro's not nearly the troubled teen he pretends to be…and it turns out Anna's a bit odd herself!.
IMDB Rating: 7.9
IMDB Votes: 1000
Genere: Animation, Comedy, Drama, Romance
Country: Japan
Duration: 23 min
Plot tags: anime, shounen, romantic comedy
Similar in 81%
Macross Zero (2002)
Plot Summary:
Taking place one year before the events of the original Macross series, Macross Zero chronicles the final days of the war between the U.N. Spacy and anti-U.N. factions. After being shot down by the anti-U.N.'s newest fighter plane, ace pilot Shin Kudo finds himself on the remote island of Mayan, where technology is almost non-existent. While Shin stays on the island to heal his wounds, the tranquility of the island is shattered by a battle that involves the UN's newest fighter - the VF-0.
IMDB Rating: 7.6
IMDB Votes: 1000
Genere: Animation, Action, Drama, Sci-Fi
Country: Japan
Duration: 35 min
Plot tags: anime, mecha, suspenseful, stylized, exciting, bleak, serious, adult anime, seinen, futuristic
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Big Order (2016)
Plot Summary:
Ten years ago, a child wished for the destruction of the world. Now, a group of people has the ability to grant their wishes depending on their power. They are called "Order User." Before these great people who have the power of "Order," one person excels the most with the ability to rule and conquer the world and turn people into puppets when it is in his jurisdiction. This power belongs to Hoshimiya Eiji, who is also responsible for the destructive phenomena that happened exactly ten years ago.
IMDB Rating: 4.8
IMDB Votes: 385
Genere: Animation, Action, Drama
Country: Japan
Duration: 24 min
Plot tags: anime, exciting, stylized, captivating, suspense, disturbing, manga, shounen
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Kingdom (2012)
Plot Summary:
Kingdom (2012) In the Warring States Period of ancient China (475-221 BCE), Shin and Hyou are war-orphans in the kingdom of Qin. They dream of one day proving themselves on the battlefield. One day, however, Hyou is taken to the palace by a minister. Winding up on the losing side of a power-struggle, Hyou manages to return to the village, barely alive. Shin then meets a boy who closely resembles Hyou, Ei Sei. For now he is the king of Qin; later he will become the emperor Shi Huangdi.
IMDB Rating: 8.5
IMDB Votes: 3000
Genere: Animation, Action, Drama, History, War
Country: Japan
Duration: 25 min
Plot tags: anime
Similar in 89%
The Princess and the Pilot (2011)
Plot Summary:
The war between the Levamme Empire and the Amatsukami Imperium has been raging for years. In the midst of this struggle, the prince of the Levamme Empire declares his love for Juana del Moral and vows to end the war in one year, as part of his marriage proposal. When the Amatsukami catch wind of this, they assault the del Moral residence, targeting Juana's life. As a last-ditch effort to bring the prince his bride, the San Maltilia Airforce employs a mercenary of mixed blood—a bestado—to fly Juana to the prince in secret.
IMDB Rating: 7.0
IMDB Votes: 1000
Genere: Animation, Action, Adventure, Drama, Family, Romance, War
Country: Japan
Duration: 99 min
Plot tags: anime, exciting, sincere, romantic, serious, captivating
Similar in 84%
Lucifer and the Biscuit Hammer (2022)
Plot Summary:
Everything about college student Amamiya Yuuhi is average: grades, looks and his blasé outlook on life. So what happens when he awakens one day to a talking lizard, who informs him that there is a gigantic hammer in outer space, poised to split the Earth into pieces, and requests his allegiance in the fight against the forces of evil? Pretend it never happened! Unfortunately for Yuuhi, a little bit of coercion in the form of a super-powered princess prevents him from returning to his mediocre life-as-usual. In the adventure of his lifetime, Yuuhi will join forces with the unpredictable princess and seek out a motley crew of companions to fight back against an evil mage and his horrifyingly powerful homunculus before the Biscuit Hammer destroys the planet!.
IMDB Rating: 5.4
IMDB Votes: 183
Genere: Animation, Action, Adventure, Comedy, Drama, Fantasy
Country: Japan
Duration:
Plot tags: anime, psychological, seinen