Best tv shows like Kino's Journey
Last updated March 2024
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Plot Summary:
In this 13-part mini-series, Kino and her talking motorcycle Hermes travel around the world, visiting different countries for three days each in order to learn about each one.
IMDB Rating: 8.3
IMDB Votes: 3000
Genere: Animation, Adventure, Drama, Fantasy, Sci-Fi
Country: Japan
Duration:
Plot tags: anime, psychological, thought provoking, road movie, adult animation, deep, serious, stylized, super sentai, queer cinema
Best tv shows and movies like Kino's Journey (2003):
Similar in 77%
Kino's Journey: The Beautiful World - The Animated Series (2017)
Plot Summary:
Destination is a state of mind. A tale of one girl and her bike and the road ahead. Kino wanders around the world on the back of Hermes, her unusual, anthropomorphic motorcycle, only staying in each country for three days. During their adventures, they find happiness, sadness, pain, decadence, violence, beauty, and wisdom. But through it all, they never lose their sense of freedom. They discover that because of the world's imperfections, it is actually a thing of beauty.
IMDB Rating: 7.2
IMDB Votes: 710
Genere: Animation, Adventure, Drama, Fantasy
Country: Japan
Duration: 23 min
Plot tags: anime, road movie, thought provoking, serious, stylized
Similar in 90%
Planetes (2003)
Plot Summary:
In the year 2075, mankind has reached a point where journeying between Earth, the moon and the space stations is part of daily life. However, the progression of technology in space has also resulted in the problem of the space debris, which can cause excessive and even catastrophic damage to spacecrafts and equipment.
IMDB Rating: 8.1
IMDB Votes: 4000
Genere: Animation, Drama, Sci-Fi
Country: Japan
Duration: 25 min
Plot tags: anime, serious, captivating, futuristic, exciting, tense, suspense, suspenseful, psychological, adult animation
Similar in 78%
Tegami Bachi: Letter Bee (2010)
Plot Summary:
Apparently abandoned by his mother, orphan Lag Seeing is taken as a "letter" by "Letter Bee" Gauche Suede to a town where his aunt raises him. His affection and admiration for Gauche give Lag the ambition to become a Letter Bee himself, carrying mail through the dangerous wasteland between towns on his world. When he becomes a teenager, he makes the trip to the capital to take the examination to become a trainee Letter Bee. En route, he meets the strange, powerful girl-like creature Niche, who becomes his "dingo," a Letter Bee's travelling companion. Lag yearns to find his mother, and discover why she abandoned him, if she did.
IMDB Rating: 7.3
IMDB Votes: 76
Genere: Animation, Adventure, Drama, Fantasy
Country: Japan
Duration:
Plot tags: anime, philosophical, thought provoking, suspense, futuristic, iyashikei
Similar in 83%
Future Boy Conan (1978)
Plot Summary:
Post nuclear future. Earth has been almost completely submerged by oceans. Indastria, an hyper-technological isle, is the new world capital. Conan is the only survived boy in the attempt of a bunch of astronauts to escape the earth when nuke bombs were falling. Based on The Incredible Tide by Alexander Key.
IMDB Rating: 8.8
IMDB Votes: 5000
Genere: Animation, Adventure, Comedy, Drama, Family, Fantasy, Sci-Fi
Country: Japan
Duration: 24 min
Plot tags: anime, apocalyptic, uplifting, manga, touching, feel good, serious, vintage, whimsical
Similar in 85%
No. 6 (2011)
Plot Summary:
In the near future, most of mankind now lives in a handful of city states. There, for the privileged elite, life should be perfect. But for young Sion, life has become a nightmare since letting a strange boy spend the night in his apartment. Banished to the outskirts of the city, Sion now finds himself in worse danger as his inquiry into a new series of mysterious deaths results in his being arrested on suspicion of murder! Now, on the run, the two young men have only one chance at survival.
IMDB Rating: 7.4
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Animation, Adventure, Drama, Romance, Sci-Fi
Country: Japan
Duration:
Plot tags: anime, yaoi, atmospheric, bleak, stylized, exciting, serious, futuristic, psychological, josei
Similar in 89%
Figure 17 (2001)
Plot Summary:
Figure 17 Tsubasa & Hikaru is an original anime series created by Genco and OLM, Inc. and directed by Naohito Takahashi. The series featured character designs by Yuriko Chiba and music by Toshihiko Takamizawa. The series is unusual due to it having an hour time slot per episode rather than the standard half hour time slot.
IMDB Rating: 7.8
IMDB Votes: 118
Genere: Animation, Adventure, Drama, Fantasy, Sci-Fi
Country: Japan
Duration: 780 min
Plot tags: anime, psychological, captivating, disturbing
Similar in 89%
Gasaraki (1998)
Plot Summary:
Gasaraki is a mecha anime television series produced by Sunrise. It was directed by Ryousuke Takahashi, who also co-created the series along with Sunrise and was assisted by Goro Taniguchi. The screenplay was written by Toru Nozaki. The series centers on Yushiro Gowa who pilots a bipedal weapons system known as a TA, short for Tactical Armor. Much of the initial plot is driven by means of news reports. Set in the near-future the series is formed around political narratives that concern a fictional war between the US and the fictional Middle Eastern country of Belgistan. An influential Japanese family, the Gowa, produce a bipedal weapon, the TA. When US military forces attempt to seize the capital they are systematically wiped out by what appear to be rival TAs. The Gowa Family seizes this opportunity to demonstrate their weapon system, and civilian pilot Yuushiro Gowa and the military squad to which he is attached are deployed to Begilstan. There, he meets rival TA pilot Miharu, with whom he seems to share a deep spiritual bond. The series has a mix of futuristic and historical narratives and includes elements of Japanese culture, such as Noh and Shinto, rigid family hierarchies, corruption of government by Zaibatsu and Samurai appear throughout the series.
IMDB Rating: 6.5
IMDB Votes: 300
Genere: Animation, Action, Adventure, Drama, Sci-Fi
Country: Japan
Duration: 625 min
Plot tags: anime, mecha, rough, bleak, serious, futuristic, suspenseful, stylized
Similar in 76%
Violet Evergarden (2018)
Plot Summary:
The war is over, and Violet Evergarden needs a job. Scarred and emotionless, she takes a job as a letter writer to understand herself and her past.
IMDB Rating: 8.4
IMDB Votes: 28000
Genere: Animation, Drama, Family, Fantasy, Romance, Sci-Fi
Country: Japan
Duration: 24 min
Plot tags: anime, psychological, touching, captivating, serious, melancholic, reflective, stylized, manga, harsh
Similar in 89%
Time of Eve (2008)
Plot Summary:
The future, probably Japan. Robots have long been put into practical use, and androids have just come into use. Influenced by the Robot Ethics Committee, it's become common sense for people to treat androids like household appliances. Their appearance – indistinguishable from humans except for the ring over each android's head – has led some people to empathize unnecessarily with androids. Known as "android-holics", such people have become a social problem. Rikuo, a high school student, has been taught from childhood that androids are not to be viewed as humans, and has always used them as convenient tools. One day, Rikuo discovers some strange data in the behavior records of his family's household android, Sammy. Rikuo and his friend Masaki trace Sammy's movements, only to discover a mysterious café that features a house rule that "humans and robots are to be treated the same".
IMDB Rating: 7.8
IMDB Votes: 1000
Genere: Animation, Drama, Sci-Fi
Country: Japan
Duration: 15 min
Plot tags: anime, adult animation, seinen, detective
Similar in 82%
[C] The Money of Soul and Possibility Control (2011)
Plot Summary:
Kimimaro works two jobs to make ends meet. He could go from pauper to prince in a parallel world called the Financial District—if he’ll invest his future as collateral in a dangerous game. Winning gets you more wealth, but losing could erase you from existence. When the destructive forces at play compel Kimimaro to confront the most powerful player, can he save the real world from total collapse?.
IMDB Rating: 6.6
IMDB Votes: 520
Genere: Animation, Action, Fantasy, Mystery, Sci-Fi
Country: Japan
Duration: 23 min
Plot tags: anime, exciting, serious, captivating, stylized, psychological, suspense
Similar in 79%
From the New World (2012)
Plot Summary:
Born into a world 1000 years in our future, Saki and her friends live in utopia. Not only is their idyllic community overflowing with resources, but technology is obsolete, thanks to a magical power that grants the ability to materialize anything. However, when Saki discovers a lost artifact, the facade is shattered! Faced with a startling truth about their town, Saki and her companions face dangers they never knew existed, and their choices may change the fate of everyone.
IMDB Rating: 7.9
IMDB Votes: 4000
Genere: Animation, Action, Adventure, Drama, Fantasy, Horror, Mystery, Sci-Fi
Country: Japan
Duration: 25 min
Plot tags: anime, exciting, tense, captivating, enigmatic, suspenseful, psychological, psychedelic, mecha, adult animation
Similar in 82%
Last Exile (2003)
Plot Summary:
A richly romantic action-adventure fantasy, set in a world where retro-futuristic vehicles permeate the skies. Against this lavish background are the lives of young and heroic van ship sky porters - Claus and Lavie - who are forced to take on the mission to deliver a mysterious girl, Alvis, to the battle ship Silvana. Before they know it, they become entangled in an aerial adventure between two countries gripped in an eternal war of magnificent air battleships.
IMDB Rating: 7.8
IMDB Votes: 4000
Genere: Animation, Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Sci-Fi
Country: Japan
Duration:
Plot tags: anime, serious, captivating, manga, futuristic
Similar in 76%
The Sacred Blacksmith (2009)
Plot Summary:
This show is based on the light novel series by Isao Miura of the same name. Cecily Campbell is the only child of the famous Campbell family. When her father passes away she joins the prestigious Knight Guards to honour her family's legacy. Soon Cecily encounters a strange young man with a unique sword and an even more unique fighting style. Cecily learns that the man is Luke Ainsworth a blacksmith with a very mysterious past. Soon Cecily and Luke become comrades, of sorts, and together with blacksmith's assistant, Lisa and the Demon Sword of Wind, Aria they embark on many adventures together.
IMDB Rating: 6.5
IMDB Votes: 517
Genere: Animation, Adventure, Drama, Fantasy
Country: Japan
Duration: 24 min
Plot tags: anime, exciting, captivating, suspense, entertaining, serious, stylized
Similar in 79%
Casshern Sins (2008)
Plot Summary:
Casshern Sins is a reboot of the classic anime series Casshan, produced by Tatsunoko and animated by Madhouse. It premiered in Japan on October 1, 2008, following a sneak preview of the first episode at Otakon 2008 in Baltimore, Maryland. The series completely discards the continuity presented in the original Casshan anime series, in which Casshern was a cybernetic superhero battling the evil robotic forces of Braiking Boss in a post-apocalyptic Earth.However, one could argue that this series could actually function as a prequel to the original Casshan series, as the events in Casshern Sins actually lead to events similar to that of the start of Casshan. In Casshern Sins, Casshern is presented as a cyborg subordinate of Braiking Boss who was ordered to assassinate the savior of mankind, and has thus doomed the Earth to ruin. Casshern Sins made its English broadcast premiere on Funimation Channel on December 21, 2010. A manga adaptation is published in Jive's Monthly Comic Rush Magazine.
IMDB Rating: 7.0
IMDB Votes: 924
Genere: Animation, Action, Adventure, Drama, Sci-Fi
Country: Japan
Duration: 24 min
Plot tags: anime, exciting, captivating, mecha, tense, suspense, depressing, rough, epic, serious
Similar in 84%
Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic (2012)
Plot Summary:
This story is about the flow of fate and the battle to keep the world on the right path. Aladdin is a boy who has set out to explore the world after being trapped in a room for most of his life. His best friend is a flute with a djinn in it named Ugo. Soon enough, Aladdin discovers he is a Magi, a magician who chooses kings, and he was born to choose kings who will follow the righteous path, battling against those who want to destroy fate. Follow his adventures as he meets others from 1001 Arabian Nights, like Ali Baba and Sinbad, and fights to keep the balance of world in check!.
IMDB Rating: 7.8
IMDB Votes: 5000
Genere: Animation, Action, Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy
Country: Japan
Duration: 25 min
Plot tags: anime, exciting, captivating, stylized, serious, manga, shounen
Similar in 78%
Haibane Renmei (2002)
Plot Summary:
A dream of falling from the sky...and then birth. Rakka is born from a large cocoon into the Old Home, greeted by a group of females with small wings on their backs and shining halos above their heads. Soon Rakka’s own wings grow, a halo is placed on her head and she is told that she must work in the nearby town of Grie. She soon realizes that the town and the entire world they live in are confined behind the Wall, a tall, impenetrable wall that none except the mysterious Toga are allowed to exit.
IMDB Rating: 8.0
IMDB Votes: 4000
Genere: Animation, Drama, Fantasy
Country: Japan
Duration: 25 min
Plot tags: anime, touching, emotional, serious, psychological, thought provoking, melancholic, adult animation, deep, seinen
Similar in 80%
Glass Fleet (2006)
Plot Summary:
A tyrannical Emperor has his grasp over the galaxy. The rebels outnumbered and outgunned try to locate the mythical Glass Fleet that once served the true ruler. They do find one of the royal descendants, now a space pirate.
IMDB Rating: 6.9
IMDB Votes: 83
Genere: Animation, Adventure, Sci-Fi
Country: Japan
Duration: 24 min
Plot tags: anime, exciting, serious, stylized, suspense
Similar in 89%
Xenosaga: The Animation (2005)
Plot Summary:
4000 years have passed since humanity abandoned Earth. Forced to fight an alien form of life, Gnosis, mankind developed KOS-MOS - a battle android with amazing capabilities. When a ship carrying android is being attacked, KOS-MOS gets activated and save its creator, Shion Uzuki. But KOS-MOS doesn't want to listed her orders and executes some unknown plan. After their ship destroyed Shion and her companions find themselves thrust into the middle of a battle with Gnosis, U-TIC Organization and their own superiors. Battle with no clear sides.
IMDB Rating: 6.1
IMDB Votes: 190
Genere: Animation, Action, Adventure, Drama, Fantasy, Sci-Fi
Country: Japan
Duration: 300 min
Plot tags: anime, mecha, exciting, serious, suspenseful, bleak
Similar in 81%
Last Hope (2018)
Plot Summary:
After causing the near extinction of mankind seven years ago, genius scientist Leon Lau must now fight the ecological disaster he unwittingly created.
IMDB Rating: 5.7
IMDB Votes: 497
Genere: Animation, Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
Country: Japan
Duration: 24 min
Plot tags: anime, mecha, exciting, suspenseful, psychological, thought provoking, futuristic
Similar in 80%
.hack//SIGN (2002)
Plot Summary:
hack follows several young players as they navigate the vast, mysterious MMORPG known as “The World” – a place, it turns out, that is sometimes impossible to leave.
IMDB Rating: 6.8
IMDB Votes: 1000
Genere: Animation, Action, Adventure, Drama, Fantasy, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: Japan
Duration: 25 min
Plot tags: anime, suspenseful, stylized, psychological, serious, cyber, whimsical, cyberpunk anime
Similar in 87%
Bubblegum Crisis: Tokyo 2040 (1998)
Plot Summary:
Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040 is a Japanese anime series produced by Anime International Company and funded by ADV Films. A retelling of the 1987 original video animation Bubblegum Crisis, the series premiered on TV Tokyo on October 8, 1998 where it ran for 26 episodes until its conclusion on March 31, 1999. Toshiba EMI released the episodes on both VHS and Laserdisc across 13 volumes, each containing two episodes. The first volume was released on January 21, 1999; the final volume was released July 26, 2000. The series was later released on DVD, however the Japanese versions were simply the American DVD releases encoded to play for Region 2. Set in 2039-2040.
IMDB Rating: 7.1
IMDB Votes: 892
Genere: Animation, Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: Japan
Duration: 29 min
Plot tags: anime, cyber, exciting, bleak, serious, futuristic, suspenseful, stylized, fast, mecha
Similar in 86%
Serial Experiments Lain (1998)
Plot Summary:
Strange events begin to occur as a withdrawn girl named Lain becomes obsessed with interconnected virtual realm of "The Wired".
IMDB Rating: 8.1
IMDB Votes: 16000
Genere: Animation, Drama, Horror, Mystery, Sci-Fi
Country: Japan
Duration: 316 min
Plot tags: psychological, anime, surreal, mind bending, atmospheric, bleak, serious, cyber, psychological horror, manga
Similar in 86%
Galaxy Express 999 (1978)
Plot Summary:
In the distant future, people are able to take on artificial bodies and achieve immortality. A poor orphan, Tetsuro Hoshino, strives to obtain a mechanical body for the triple incentive of eternal life, of revenge (his mother was gunned down by machine men) and to fulfill her dying wish (that he acquire a mechanical body to live forever, and not die like her). He plans to board the Galaxy Express 999, a space train that comes to Earth once a year, and head to the Prometheum, a planet that gives out machine bodies for free. To his surprise, Maetel, a mysterious woman who resembles his mother, selects him as her companion aboard the 999. And thus begins Tetsuro's trip through the stars, where he encounters incredible worlds and makes many friends. But as he travels with Maetel, he witnesses the hardships of mechanical life and wonders, is it worth it? And what secret is the inscrutable Maetel hiding?.
IMDB Rating: 7.8
IMDB Votes: 511
Genere: Animation, Adventure, Drama, Sci-Fi
Country: Japan
Duration: 24 min
Plot tags: anime, exciting, bleak, serious, futuristic, suspenseful, stylized, vintage, 2d animation
Similar in 89%
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood (2009)
Plot Summary:
Edward and Alphonse Elric's reckless disregard for alchemy's fundamental laws ripped half of Ed's limbs from his body and left Al's soul clinging to a cold suit of armor. To restore what was lost, the brothers scour a war-torn land for the Philosopher's Stone, a fabled relic which grants the ability to perform alchemy in impossible ways. The Elrics are not alone in their search; the corrupt State Military is also eager to harness the artifact's power. So too are the strange Homunculi and their shadowy creator. The mythical gem lures exotic alchemists from distant kingdoms, scarring some deeply enough to inspire murder. As the Elrics find their course altered by these enemies and allies, their purpose remains unchanged – and their bond unbreakable.
IMDB Rating: 9.1
IMDB Votes: 191000
Genere: Animation, Action, Adventure, Comedy, Drama, Family, Fantasy, Sci-Fi
Country: Japan
Duration: 24 min
Plot tags: anime, exciting, serious, manga, stylized, humorous, crying, deep, adult anime, shounen
Similar in 89%
Deltora Quest (2007)
Plot Summary:
The evil Shadow Lord has taken control of the kingdom of Deltora and has driven the land and its people into misfortune and suffering. Lief, the son of a blacksmith, has just turned sixteen and is entrusted, along with his two companions Barda and Jasmine, with an important mission: to retrieve the stolen seven magical stones that once reunited within the Belt of Deltora, will bring power to the true heir of Deltora and give him the power to free the kingdom from the tyranny of the Shadow Lord. There is just one problem; the seven stones have been scattered all across Deltora and currently reside in the hands of seven wicked men who are not easily willing to give them up.
IMDB Rating: 7.1
IMDB Votes: 285
Genere: Animation, Adventure, Family, Fantasy
Country: Japan
Duration:
Plot tags: anime, exciting, serious, stylized
Similar in 86%
Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's (2008)
Plot Summary:
Many years in the future after the exploits of Yugi Mutou, Domino City has become a shadow of its former self: Neo Domino City. There lies a strong divide between the rich and the poor, and bridging that gap proves to be difficult. Neo Domino seems fit to entertain itself with a wild new event called "Riding Duels", the newest form of playing the ever popular Duel Monsters card game. Enter Yusei Fudou, a young man who lives on the edge of the law, making his own rules. His desire to reclaim what is rightly his from an old friend turns into much more than what he and many of his newfound companions called "Signers" would have ever bargained for.
IMDB Rating: 6.9
IMDB Votes: 2000
Genere: Animation, Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Sci-Fi
Country: Japan
Duration:
Plot tags: anime, exciting, futuristic, suspenseful, stylized, serious, shounen
Similar in 90%
Gatchaman (1972)
Plot Summary:
Science Ninja Team Gatchaman is a five-member superhero team that is composed of the main characters in several anime created by Tatsuo Yoshida and originally produced in Japan by Tatsunoko Productions and later adapted into several English-language versions. It is also known by the abbreviated name Gatchaman. The original series, produced in 1972, was eponymously named Kagaku Ninja Tai Gatchaman and is most well known to the English-speaking world as the adaptation titled Battle of the Planets. The series received additional English adaptations with G-Force: Guardians of Space and ADV Films' uncut 2005 release. Tatsunoko also uses the official translation Science Commando Gatchaman, as shown in numerous related products and media. Because the English-language versions are notoriously inconsistent not only with one another but also with the original Japanese series, viewers most familiar with the English versions often experience some confusion upon re-examining the series after a long hiatus. The original 1972 Kagaku Ninja Tai Gatchaman series was followed by an animated film, two sequel series, Gatchaman II, and Gatchaman Fighter. In the 90's, episodes from both series were dubbed into English by Saban as Eagle Riders. In 1994, the original series was remade as a condensed OVA series.
IMDB Rating: 7.8
IMDB Votes: 817
Genere: Animation, Action, Adventure, Drama, Fantasy, Sci-Fi
Country: Japan
Duration: 25 min
Plot tags: anime, super sentai, cyber, exciting, serious, stylized, mecha
Similar in 89%
Wolf's Rain (2003)
Plot Summary:
In some distant future, it's common knowledge that all wolves have been extinct for 200 years. However, it seems this is false as wolves have not disappeared but rather have taken human form. Kiba, a lone wolf, wanders into a city, trying to sniff out the Lunar Flowers that are supposed to lead whoever follows the scent to paradise. The source of the smell is Cheza, a girl who sleeps in what appears to be suspended animation in a lab. She and the wolves are drawn to each other, and Kiba hopes to find paradise once he finds the source of the scent of Lunar Flowers. However, once Kiba finds Cheza, she is kidnapped by a mysterious person called Darcia, and his search begins anew. Before he leaves the city, he meets 3 other wolves, Tsume, Hige and Toboe. All four wolves have very different personalities and ideas, and their friendliness towards each other is a little rough around the edges. However, they soon band together to continue to search for paradise.
IMDB Rating: 7.9
IMDB Votes: 8000
Genere: Animation, Action, Adventure, Drama, Fantasy, Sci-Fi
Country: Japan
Duration: 701 min
Plot tags: anime, serious, exciting, atmospheric, manga, apocalyptic, enigmatic, futuristic, psychological, deep
Similar in 80%
Neon Genesis Evangelion (1995)
Plot Summary:
At the turn of the century, the Angels returned to Earth, seeking to wipe out humanity in an apocalyptic fury. Devastated, mankind's last remnants moved underground to wait for the day when the Angels would come back to finish the job. Fifteen years later, that day has come... but this time, humanity is ready to fight back with terrifying bio-mechanical weapons known as the Evangelions. Watch as Shinji, Rei, Asuka and the rest of the mysterious shadow agency Nerv battle to save earth from total annihilation.
IMDB Rating: 8.5
IMDB Votes: 81000
Genere: Animation, Action, Drama, Sci-Fi
Country: Japan
Duration: 24 min
Plot tags: mecha, anime, psychological, serious, exciting, twist ending, ambiguous ending, thought provoking, bleak, manga
Similar in 87%
Akame ga Kill! (2014)
Plot Summary:
Young Tatsumi travels to the capital of the Empire in order to earn money for his starving people and encounters a world of unimaginable depravity, dominated by the ruthless Prime Minister who controls the child Emperor. Tatsumi is recruited by Night Raid, a group of assassins dedicated to eliminating corruption by mercilessly killing officials and privileged nobles.
IMDB Rating: 7.8
IMDB Votes: 29000
Genere: Animation, Action, Adventure, Comedy, Drama, Fantasy, Thriller
Country: Japan
Duration: 24 min
Plot tags: anime, suspense, serious, tense, captivating, exciting, manga, humorous, seinen, shounen