Mirza Aaqib Beg
Anime, like other forms of entertainment, has various genres like action, romance, and science-fiction. Interestingly, a lot of these countless genres recount a story with high school as the backdrop. And why not? After all, the biggest group of anime fans are teenagers. So, it is understandable that creators try to make movies and shows for their target audience. Over the last decade, we have seen several great teenage anime, and therefore, the task of selecting the top anime ever was a very difficult one. We still tried our best. Here’s the list of best high school anime of all time. You can watch many of these on Crunchyroll, Funimation, Hulu, Netflix, or Prime.
25. Komi Can’t Communicate (2021 -)
̌Shouko Komi is wildly popular at her high school, and the fact that she barely talks to anyone just feeds into the never-ending cycle of gossip that makes her even more famous. Although she seems perfect to everyone, Komi interestingly struggles with crippling anxiety and a communication disorder that makes it almost impossible for her to have a normal social life. When her classmate Hitohito Tadano learns about Shouko’s struggles, he vows to help her make as many friends as he can. ‘Komi Can’t Communicate‘ follows the hilarious drama that unfolds as the two friends grow closer and slowly develop an emotional bond. The series is great for light-hearted entertainment and is one of the best high school shows you can watch. You can stream the series here.
24. Sasaki and Miyano (2022)
Yoshikazu Miyano is mighty impressed by his upperclassman Shuumei Sasaki when he protects his friend from bullies. But his feelings soon change dramatically as Sasaki persistently breaks his boundaries and sometimes even appears to follow Miyano around. This continues until one day, the two start getting closer to each other over their shared interest in boys’ love manga. ‘Sasaki and Miyano’ revolves around the relationship that the titular protagonists end up forming following their first meeting and subsequent conflicts. It is a heartwarming love story that is ideal for fans looking for shows with same-sex relationships. The anime is accessible for streaming on Funimation.
23. My Dress-Up Darling (2022 -)
Unlike other high-schoolers his age, Wakana Gojou spends most of his time alone, focused on mastering the art of making Hina dolls, following in his grandfather’s footsteps. But since he knows that people around his age will make fun of him if they come to know about his hobby, he decides to keep it a secret. Everything is going perfectly until the beautiful and famous Marin Kitagawa learns about Wakana’s secret and reveals her own obsession with cosplay. ‘My Dress-Up Darling‘ is primarily focused on the relationship that the duo form after they get to know each other’s eccentric hobbies. While they help each other, Wakana and Marin also try to make sure that no one finds out about their growing emotional bond. You can watch the show here.
22. Bocchi the Rock! (2022 -)
‘Bocchi the Rock!’ follows the eccentric titular protagonist who learns to play guitar to deal with her emotional turmoil. Her life takes an unexpected turn when she is invited to join a band by the outgoing drummer Nijika Ijichi. Along with bassist Ryou Yamada and guitarist Kita, Nijika and Bocchi try to find happiness in their shared love for music while trying to balance their high school days. All episodes are available here.
21. The Girl I Like Forgot Her Glasses (2023)
Kaede Komura is in love with his airheaded classmate, Mie Ai. All he desires is that they talk to each other one day and become friends. His wish finally turns out to be true when Mie forgets her glasses at home and needs Komura’s help, even with her basic needs. This eventually becomes a habit as Mie Ai continues to forget her glasses almost every day after that, and the two start to get romantically attached to each other. You can watch the show here.
20. Sukitte Ii na yo. (2012)
‘Sukitte Ii na yo.’ or ‘Say I Love You’ follows Mei Tachibana, a teenager who doesn’t like socializing with people. She is afraid of getting hurt by them. This attitude towards friendships and relationships, in general, started when Mei was still a child. Her friends, or rather she thought they were her friends, betrayed her and blamed her for the death of a classroom pet. Since then, she has remained isolated and does not try to make friends. But following an unexpected encounter, the popular student Yamato Kurosawa finds her interesting and wants to be her friend. But Mei tries to reject his advances. Well, one thing leads to another, and after one incident, Mei starts reciprocating slowly, and their relationship strengthens. But will the unlikely friendship help her get over the childhood trauma? You can watch anime here.
19. Tonari no Seki-kun (2014)
‘Tonari no Seki-kun’ is a comedy anime based on the Japanese manga written by Takuma Morishige. Seki-Kup is a high schooler who never pays attention in class and is usually preoccupied with things that have nothing to do with his class. Yokoi is a girl who sits near him. She often gets invested in things Seki-Kun does, like making a mini-golf course on his desk or making paper shogi pieces go to war. Due to this, she always gets in trouble with the teacher, but the two seatmates do not give up on their mischievous and hilarious antics despite all the punishment. You can stream the show here.
18. Koe no Katachi (2016)
Shouya Ishida is a boy who likes to kill boredom by doing cruel things to others to make fun of them. So, when a deaf girl named Shouko Nishimiya transfers to his class, he and all his classmates start making fun of her. This makes Shouko’s mother angry, and the school is notified of the bad behavior. But rather than the class getting ridiculed, Shouya is singled out and blamed for the bullying. Shouko later transferred out of school. This leaves Shouya no chance of redemption. His classmates keep on pointing fingers at him. Now, in the third year of school, Shouya decides to meet Shouko to make amends for his childish stupidity that caused so much pain to her and her family. You can watch the anime here.
17. Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei (2014)
‘Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei’ introduced viewers to a world where magic was once thought to be imaginative and the subject of fictional stories and fairy tales. But now, it has been discovered and is used as everyday technology. First High School is an academy that teaches students magic. They take an entrance exam that grades the students. Based on the grades, the students are divided into two groups. The ones with higher grades are the ‘Blooms’ and are meant to take on the first course. The ones with average marks end up in the ‘Weeds’ category and are meant to take the second course. The story focuses on two siblings, one highly skilled and the other not so much, or rather it appears to be. The skilled one easily makes it into the ‘Blooms,’ but the other one is sent to ‘Weeds,’ but his impressive abilities cannot be hidden for long. You can watch the series here.
16. Sakurasou no Pet na Kanojo (2012)
‘Sakura-sou no Pet na Kanojo’ follows Sorata Kanda, a cat lover who is willing to go to any lengths to help them. But there is a strict policy against cats in his dorm. Unable to give them up, Sorata has to move to the satellite dorm known as the Sakura Hall until he manages to get rid of the cats. This dorm is famous for its eccentric members. After moving there, Sorata gets acquainted with people like Kamiigusa Misaki, Mitaka Jin, Ryuunosuke, Aoyama Nanami, and Shiina Mashiro. He needs to get used to his new lifestyle in this dorm until he can find owners for the cats, completely clueless that his decision to change rooms will turn out to be life-changing. You can watch the series here.
15. Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso (2014)
‘Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso’ follows the life of Kousei Arima, who is a skilled pianist. But after the death of his mother, he couldn’t bring himself to play the instrument again. Enter Kaori Miyazono, a talented violinist who has an optimistic outlook on life that uplifts people around her. She is bright and cheerful and the perfect person to bring Kousei out of his depressive state and help him focus on music again. With Kaori by his side, Kousei begins to play again and slowly moves on with his life, but things may not be as bright and positive as they may appear as Kaori is keeping a dark secret from her friends. You can watch the show here.
14. Kimi no Na wa. (2016)
The concept of this movie isn’t new but it has executed it quite better than most shows/movies. The film is based on the idea- ‘What if you woke up in someone else’s body?’. The anime revolves around Mitsuha Miyamizu and Taki Tachibana. Mitsuha lives in a rural area and dreams of living in Japan’s bustling capital, Tokyo. Taki is a boy who is living Mitsuha’s dream life and aspires to be an architect. One morning, both of them wake up to find that they are not themselves anymore but rather have switched bodies. The movie showcases their new lifestyle while they try to return to their old families and figure out what really led to their confusing state. You can watch the movie here.
13. Another (2012)
‘Another’ is a horror-themed thriller anime that keeps the viewers on the edge of their seats. The show revolves around Yomiyama North Middle School, where a girl named Misaki died many years ago. Kouichi Sakakibara is a teenage boy who transfers to this same school and is assigned the same class as Misaki. He soon finds out that the class is shrouded in a gloomy atmosphere. What’s odd is that there is a girl named Misaki with an eyepatch in the class. The students try to treat her as if she doesn’t exist. Despite caution from classmates and Misaki herself, Kouichi starts getting close to her. All episodes are accessible for streaming here.
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12. Danshi Koukousei no Nichijou (2012)
‘Danshi Koukousei no Nichijou’ or ‘Daily Lives of High School Boys’ is an anime that showcases the daily lives of high school boys. Every episode of the series brings in a new set of adventures in the life of three close high school friends, Hidenori, Yoshitake, and Tadakuni. They love to discuss topics ranging from robots to intense romance, which is understandable for boys of that age. The show is really funny and has some great jokes. For anime fans who like unnecessary ecchi moments, this is a good choice for them. You can stream the anime here.
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11. K-Project (2012)
This anime is based on the concept of Kings. They are unique humans who have superhuman abilities. They become heads of a clan and recruit clan members. Kings also need to take care of their clansmen and protect them when needed. Yashiro Ishana is a high school student who has an ordinary life. But after the murder of Tatara Totsuka, a member of HOMRA, everything changed. The video of his murder went viral, and the killer seems to bear a close resemblance to Yashiro. The red clansmen of HOMRA are not the ones to take the death of one of their own members lightly and send assassins to hunt down Yashiro. Will Yashiro be able to survive this ordeal? You can stream the anime here.
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10. Highschool of the Dead (2010)
‘Highschool of the Dead’ is a good choice if you want to watch an anime set in high school with ecchi elements. Also, if you love watching zombie-themed shows, then this one may be an entertaining watch for you. In a zombie-infested Japan, the undead have risen, and the country is slowly falling into utter chaos. Amidst all this, a group of high school students is trying to survive this zombie apocalypse. Takashi Kimuro is one of those students. He had to kill his best friend after he was bitten by a zombie. Now, he is with Rei, who was the girlfriend of his now-dead best friend. He promises to protect her even if he has to put his life in danger, and luckily, he meets other fellow survivors on the way. The anime is accessible for streaming on Hulu.
9. Kimi ni Todoke (2009)
‘Kimi ni Todoke’ follows Kuronuma Sawako, a shy and timid girl, but her classmates unfortunately always misunderstand her. Her physical appearance helps fuel this misunderstanding because Sawako has a close resemblance to the ghost girl from the horror flick ‘The Ring.’ Her peers have even nicknamed her Sadako. Sawako just desires to live a normal life and have friends she can spend time with. A popular boy named Kazehaya Shouta catches her eye, but will he ever show interest in her? In a strange turn of events, he starts talking to Sawako, but can they become friends? The anime is accessible for streaming here.
8. Angel Beats! (2010)
Otonashi is a teenager who dies suddenly and meets a gun-wielding girl named Yuri, who tries to help him get used to his afterlife. He also tells him that she is the leader of a group named Shinda Sekai Sensen, which is fighting against an evil girl named Tenshi. But Otonashi doesn’t really believe Yuri. Even after joining the SSS, he finds himself unexpectedly drawn to Tenshi. You can watch all the episodes on Crunchyroll.
7. Great Teacher Onizuka (1999)
‘Great Teacher Onizuka’ revolves around a Biker gang leader named Onizuka. He wants to leave his gangster life behind and aspires to become the greatest teacher. What brought him to have such a noble aim, you ask? Well, the reason isn’t as noble as you think it is. Yup, what else did you expect? Anyway, the task isn’t going to be simple as the delinquent seems to enjoy creating problems for their fellow colleagues, and his students aren’t going to make his job any easier. But Onizuka undergoes a surprising change and helps his fellow students embrace the dark realities of life courageously. You can watch the classic anime here.
6. High School DxD (2012)
Issei Hyoudou is a run-of-the-mill pervert who is killed on his first date with a fallen angel. Luckily, his story does not end there as the teenager is saved by the beautiful Rias Gremory, a devil. Now, Issei is her slave and needs to do her bidding. ‘High School DxD’ is for anime lovers who love shows with sexually provocative scenes that also have a good premise. The series is accessible for streaming on Funimation.
5. Sakamoto desu ga? (2016)
‘Sakamoto desu ga?’ is a high school comedy anime. Sakamoto is an intelligent, handsome, athletic guy who appears to be perfect on the surface. So, on the first day of school, he captures everyone’s hearts, and girls instantly begin to fall for him. It marks the beginning of his misadventures that teaches him several life-changing lessons.
4. Baka to Test to Shoukanjuu (2010)
Well, anime can turn a seemingly normal concept into a fantasy genre weird storyline. This anime follows Akihisa Yoshii, who studies in a school that experiments with the summoning of mythical beasts. The school has a strict ranking system with consequences. If you are a highly skilled student and have good grades, then you are in the A-level group, which gets the best perks the academy has to offer, from beautiful and comfortable seats to air-conditioned classrooms. But if you are on the other end of the spectrum, things can go pretty bad very fast. The seats are bad, and there’s no air conditioning or respect. Akishisa is obviously in the F grade and strives to get to the higher tiers to get the advantages. You can stream the series here.
3. ReLife (2016)
Arata Kaizaki is a hopeless 27-year-old man whom everyone deems a failure. He keeps changing jobs and seems to have no aim in life. But one encounter with a researcher, Ryou Yoake, from ReLife research institute, changes everything. She requests him to take a mysterious pill that will change his life forever. He takes it and wakes up as a 17-year-old. Now, he must study at a high school for a year as he is being subjected to the experiment. Ryou is supposed to keep an eye on him. But one thing hasn’t changed as he is still a loser. He flunks his tests and can’t get used to any rules. Can he make his days in school count now that he has been given a second chance? The anime is accessible for streaming here.
2. Orange (2016)
‘Orange’ follows Naho Takamiya, a teenager who receives a strange letter from her future self. Yup, future Naho does not have good news for her younger self. The letter details that Naho’s future is pretty regretful, and she wants the present Naho to fix things up by following the letter as a guide. Also, the letter talks of a boy named Kakeru, for whom Naho needs to keep an eye out since he isn’t there in the future. She needs to save him and make her future better. You can stream the show here.
1. Mightiest Disciple Kenichi (2006)
Kenichi is weak and often gets picked on by others. But in spite of training and becoming strong, he indulges himself in self-help books rather than a physical workout. But after he is challenged by a delinquent at a karate club, he needs to learn to fight if he wants to continue coming to the dojo. He gets help in a place known as Ryouzanpaku, where he meets various masters from different martial arts disciplines. The training is rigorous to the point that Kenichi wants to quit. But his willpower and love for his classmate Miu, who also happens to live in the dojo and is a great martial artist herself, makes him continue and become stronger. Will he conquer his weakness and liberate himself from his fears? You can stream the series here.
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