Bombing the trigonometry final, taking a dodgeball to the face, realizing one's crush is infatuated with the quarterback — experiences like these can sour students towards school. Yet for all the stress that it can bring, school can be magical. It has its glorious moments: making friends, nailing classwork that once seemed impossible, and summoning the courage to step out on stage and be the best Hamlet that 200-person auditorium has ever seen. That makes it all worth it.

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Whether elementary, high school, or college, the schools in these anime become breeding grounds for new experiences. They draw shy characters out of their shells, test the mettle of the bravest jocks, and once in a while even force fierce rivals to consider becoming friends.

Updated on February 7, 2024, by C.M Edwards: No era has promise like the youth of tomorrow going from home to school and back again with all the adventures that happen in-between. School life can be uneventful until a crush turns into a story of tragedy or a close group of friends fall apart due to life's circumstances. Anime the focus on this era-romanticizes the endless possibilities of the easy-going lives of students who have yet to set out on their own journeys and are still finding themselves. School anime can focus on many types of genres and can scratch the itch of mystery fans, romance fans, and action fans alike. With new anime released each season, here are more school anime that everyone should watch.

25 Irregular At Magic High School

Magic Makes High School That Much Weirder

tatsuya and his sister
  • Streaming On: Netflix
  • Studio: Madhouse

In a world where magic is used for everything from cleaning to military operations, there are schools that seek to groom and nurture the innate magical power of young students. In the first magic school, Tatsuya Shiba is an enigmatic loner who finds himself constantly enthralled in the social-political climate of his peers.

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Having a high skill of magic and a mystery skill, Tatsuya quickly becomes the talk of the town when he's thrust into the spotlight. However, he must make sure that his new-found popularity does not expose his after-hour activities. Irregular at Magic High School is also set to get a sequel this year.

24 Tokyo Majin

Students Vs. Demons

tokyo majin cover
  • Streaming On: Crunchyroll
  • Studio: AIC Spirits

Tatsuma is a senior in high school and when a strange occurrence erupts in the heart of Tokyo, he and several other classmates acquire special powers. Tatsuma becomes close with the mixed crew, and they take it upon themselves to protect the city from the rise in Oni appearances.

Tatsuma and his friends take on dangerous monsters and other individuals gifted with powers in martial arts action-packed fights to the death.

23 Another

A Murder Mystery With A Supernatural Twist

Another
Another

Creator
Yukito Ayatsuji
Studio
P.A. Works
Number of Episodes
12
Streaming Service(s)
Crunchyroll

Another is a mind-bending story that unfolds a mystery of spontaneous deaths, a cursed class, and ghosts from the past. Kouichi transfers to a new school and is instantly met with suspicious reactions from his classmates.

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Soon after his arrival, mysterious deaths begin to plague his class with the rumor of a curse which places him at the center. Kouichi befriends a girl no one else seems to be able to see and the two tumble down the rabbit hole in an attempt to find the truth.

22 Hyouka

The Bonds OF True Friendship

tv-shows-hyouka
Hyouka
Slice of Life
Mystery

Creator
Honobu Yonezawa
Studio
Kyoto Animation
Number of Episodes
22
Streaming Service(s)
Crunchyroll

Oreki has very little interest in being noticed as he's starting his freshman year in high school. He tries to keep to himself, lives an ordinary, mundane life, and saves his energy for his later years.

This plan is completely thrown off the rails when his sister drags him into saving the Classic Club which places him among the group's small roster where spontaneous and overzealous adventures ensue and change Oreki's view.

21 My Teen Romantic Comedy Snafu

How A Hopeless Loner Becomes More

My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU with Hachiman Hikigaya in his school uniform
My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU
Comedy
Romance

Creator
Wataru Watari
Studio
Brain's Base, Feel
Number of Episodes
38
Streaming Service(s)
Amazon Prime Video , HIDIVE

Hikigfaya is a typical loner who has little interest in people or things that he believes conform to societal norms. Having a very harsh worldview that states that love and friendship are fabrications that people full of themselves believe in, he spends most of his time alone and avoids any type of social interaction possible.

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However, Hikigaya's world is flipped upside down when he is reprimanded for writing an insensitive essay that lands him as the newest member of the Volunteer Service Club. Hikigaya is overwhelmed with a number of new responsibilities and a new social life he didn't ask for. My Teen Romantic Comedy Sanfu is a true diamond in the rough that will wow many slice-of-life anime fans.

20 Kakegurui

Addictive Character Personalities

Yumeko in Kakegurui: Compulsive Gamer
Kakegurui

Creator
Homura Kawamoto
Studio
MAPPA
Number of Episodes
24
Streaming Service(s)
Netflix

Hyakkao Private Academy is a highly esteemed school for the best and brightest in the country on the surface, but behind closed doors, it is a separate world of debauchery and addiction. With the entire student body dominated by gambling which shapes the hierarchy, students sometimes bet their freedom in order to climb the social ranks.

The established order is threatened when Yumeko Jabami, a seemingly innocent new student shakes things up with her lust for playing against high stakes and dethroning the top brass among the debt-filled hallways of the school.

19 Mashle: Magic And Muscle

Bronze Over Brains

mashle anime teaser
Mashle: Magic And Muscles
Action
Fantasy
Comedy

Studio
A-1 Pictures
Streaming Service(s)
Crunchyroll

This addition to the Spring 2023 line-up successfully rides the Harry Potter wave by gifting viewers with a hilarious anime parody of the renowned Wizarding World. Mash's goal of becoming Easton Magic Academy's next Chosen One seems impossible, considering the boy doesn't have a magical bone in his body! However, he somehow makes up for this with pure, brute strength, hand-delivered by his incredibly muscular physique.

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Mash's hilarious adventures at the Hogwarts-inspired establishment are fueled by cream puffs, friendship, and not much in-depth thinking. Basically, if One Punch Man's Saitama swapped places with J.K Rowling's golden boy, what would that anime school life look like exactly? Well, Mash has the answer!

18 A Silent Voice

A Beautiful Story Of Growth

Shoko and Shoya, the protagonists in the anime A Silent Voice, pose on a bridge over a river with cherry blossoms
A Silent Voice

Release Date
September 17, 2016
Director
Naoko Yamada
Studio
Kyoto Animation

Arguably the best school anime of all time (especially if viewers are looking for a tearjerker) follows the heartbreaking tale of two kids dealing with the traumas of their past. Shōya Ishida is not a bad apple per se, but he gets caught up in the hype of trying to fit in and mercilessly bullies the new deaf transfer student alongside his ruthless classmates. Unfortunately, he takes things way too far and causes Shōko to transfer schools, while Shōya is harshly cast aside by his peers.

Overwhelmed with shame, regret, and rejection, Shōya decides to take his own life, but fate has other plans in store. After miraculously reuniting with Shōko, the melancholic young man turns all his energy towards redemption but learns the hard way that actions are more powerful than words.

17 Tomo-Chan Is a Girl!

Awkward Romance At Its Finest

tomo-chan
Tomo-chan Is a Girl!

Creator
Fumita Yanagida
Studio
Lay-duce
Number of Episodes
13
Streaming Service(s)
Crunchyroll

This redheaded rough-houser is so far from complying with gender-specific social norms that most people mistake Tomo-chan for a boy. While this has never really bothered her, now that those dreaded hormones have kicked in, Tomo is crushing hard on her childhood bestie. The problem is that he thinks of Tomo as "one of the guys," and fails to notice her infatuation with him.

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Tomo follows some misguided advice and endeavors to emphasize her so-called femininity and is met with one uncomfortable disaster after another. Meanwhile, her status at school is steadily on the rise, as Tomo gathers plenty of admirers, boys and girls alike, satisfying those LGBTQ+ tastebuds in the process!

16 Oshi No Ko

A Wild Ride Of Reincarnation

Oshi no Ko E4 Aqua and Ruby at school
Oshi No Ko

Creator
Aka Akasaka
Studio
Doga Kobo
Number of Episodes
11
Streaming Service(s)
HIDIVE

Ai Hoshino and her twins surprisingly took the world by storm with their groundbreaking debut in Spring 2023. Episode 1 of Oshi No Ko (aka My Star) elevated J-Pop anime's status with extensive viewership, kicking highly celebrated Shonen series such as Demon Slayer and One Piece to the curb!

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The reincarnation twist to the Idol setting certainly gives the show and Isekai feel; however, without overpowering the entertaining themes of Aqua and Ruby's story. The performing arts industry is a lot tougher than one might think. Saving Ruby from facing the same tragic fate as their mother is Aqua's top priority, even if that means enrolling at the irksome Youtou High School, full of elite stars in the making and established young celebrities.

15 Komi Can't Communicate

Cute And Homey Slice-Of-Life

Komi standing nervously with her friends Nejima and Tadano
Komi Can't Communicate

Creator
Tomohito Oda
Studio
OLM
Number of Episodes
24
Streaming Service(s)
Netflix

Many high school anime series explore the romantic comedy genre; however, Komi brings something truly unique to the table. This main protagonist rarely utters a word, and yet still manages to steal everyone's heart. She is the undisputed Class Goddess of Itan Private High School.

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Considering her dazzling beauty, most assume that Komi is the coolest, most confident kid around. Only one person pays enough attention and uncovers the turmoil within. Tadano realizes that poor Komi is battling with crippling social anxiety and is overwhelmed by constant panic attacks. With compassion and grace, he figures out a way to communicate with the selectively mute girl and helps Komi live her best life with fun, friends, and a few flirtations.

14 Classroom Of The Elite

A Cold Calculative Main Character

main charcters
Classroom of the Elite

Creator
Shōgo Kinugasa
Studio
Lerche
Number of Episodes
25+
Streaming Service(s)
Crunchyroll , Funimation

Ayanokoji doesn't have a care in the world. And yet, his cold disinterest in pretty much everything, combined with his genius intellect, turns him into a top contender at Koudo Ikusei Senior High School, without so much as breaking a sweat.

This prestigious Academy redefines the term "elite," as it homes some of the wealthiest students in anime history (besides, perhaps the Kakegurui kids.) Ayanokoji and his fellow scholars are pitted against each other with the most random assortment of tests, that seems more focused on the youngsters' manipulation abilities than actual academics (not that anyone's complaining!) With such staggering financial incentives, they certainly are a motivated bunch!

13 Musaigen No Phantom World

Friends, Magic, And Laughs

No Phantom World

Number of Episodes

Studio

Genre

13

Kyoto Animation

Comedy, Fantasy

The star of Musaigen no Phantom World is Haruhiko, a student at Hosea Academy who uses his artistic abilities to summon and seal phantoms. Haruhiko is pretty OP, and his drawing power is a fun and unusual twist on more conventional shonen tropes, but the appeal of Musaigen no Phantom World doesn’t end there.

Haruhiko, Mai, Ruru, and the other characters are all entertaining in their own way, and the show itself is a good mix of action, comedy, and fan service. The art style is excellent, and the fights are genuinely exciting, two qualities that already elevate the series above most of its competitors.

12 ReLIFE

A Second Chance At Youth

ReLIFE
ReLIFE

Creator
Sō Yayoi
Studio
TMS Entertainment, Double Eagle
Number of Episodes
17
Streaming Service(s)
Crunchyroll

Even a person who has lived life to the fullest is likely to have their share of regrets about mistakes made and opportunities missed. The protagonist of ReLIFE has more than his share, having lived 27 years without having any accomplishments or relationships to be proud of. Kaizaki would do anything for a second chance to get things right.

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That chance unexpectedly comes along when Kaizaki gets an unusual job offer: test a new medication that makes the patient look like their younger self again. Kaizaki jumps at the chance and returns to high school. ReLIFE is a surprisingly sympathetic and heartfelt anime about trying to get things right, and while its premise could’ve easily gone astray, the writing keeps things mostly grounded throughout.

11 The Melancholy Of Haruhi Suzumiya

A Deep Story Underneath The Surface

The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya

Number of Episodes

Studio

Genre

14

Kyoto Animation

Comedy, Mystery,

Kyon, a student at North High School, has given up his fascination with the supernatural. His fascination is awoken again, however, by Haruhi, a classmate with a fixation on time travelers, aliens, and other otherworldly and supernatural figures. The two established a club called the SOS Brigade to investigate these strange phenomena.

Using the school club trope as a jumping-off point, The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya actually has some pleasant twists that keep it from being more of the same old thing. The true identity of those around Kyon and Haruhi, as well as secrets about Haruhi herself, help build the show’s world in interesting directions.

10 From Me To You

Wonderful Coming Of Age Story

Shota and Sawako walking side by side in From Me To You
Kimi Ni Todoke: From Me To You

Creator
Karuho Shiina
Studio
Production I.G
Number of Episodes
38
Streaming Service(s)
Crunchyroll

15-year-old high school freshman Sawako Kuronuma has always struggled to make friends because she looks like the villainous Sadako from The Ring horror franchise. Others brand her with that cruel nickname and shy away from her, not giving the timid girl a chance to how sweet she is.

When Sawako meets Shouta, the most outgoing and popular boy in class, she is immediately drawn to his kindness and ability to be the center of attention. The romance that blossoms between the two is delicately and beautifully portrayed. From Me to You succeeds as much for its depiction of young love as it does for Sawako's emotional evolution as she grows closer to other students in this exquisite slice-of-life anime.

9 Monthly Girls' Nozaki-Kun

Light-Hearted Romance

Five characters from Monthly Girls' Nozaki-Kun standing in front of an ornate building
Monthly Girls' Nozaki-kun

Creator
Izumi Tsubaki
Studio
Doga Kobo
Number of Episodes
12
Streaming Service(s)
HIDIVE

Chiyo has a crush, and it seems too good to be true when she learns that her crush Nozaki is a famous artist who wants to use their relationship as inspiration for his romantic manga. After a series of misunderstandings, Chiyo winds up as Nozaki's manga assistant, working side by side to help him in the hope that he will one day appreciate the depth of her feelings.

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It might not have the most breathtaking visuals, but Monthly Girls' Nozaki-kun is a funny, self-aware anime. It doesn't rely on fanservice to attract viewers and doesn't use cheap plot gimmicks to keep them.

8 Great Teacher Onizuka

Guiding Youth Into The Future

Onizuka in the streets of Tokyo in Great Teacher Onizuka
Great Teacher Onizuka

Creator
Tooru Fujisawa
Studio
Pierrot
Number of Episodes
43
Streaming Service(s)
Amazon Prime Video , Crunchyroll

Onizuka is a 22-year-old virgin, pervert, and former member of a biker gang. After a chance meeting convinces Onizuka that he should become a teacher for the influence that role will grant him, he (barely) earns his teaching degree at a second-rate college.

Fortunately, when the time comes to teach, Onizuka discovers that he actually has a conscience. Instead of preying upon his pupils, he starts scheming on their mothers while teaching students life lessons with his own brand of unorthodox methods. Great Teacher Onizuka invigorates classwork and learning in ways that few anime do, even if Onizuka himself is a highly suspect role model in what is certainly not an anime for kids.

7 Angel Beats!

Heart-Wrenching Adventures

Angel and Yuri standing back to back holding weapons in Angel Beats
Angel Beats!
Action
Fantasy
Drama

Studio
P.A. Works
Number of Episodes
13
Streaming Service(s)
Crunchyroll , Funimation

Some high schools are more unconventional than others, such as the afterlife high school in Angel Beats! proves. 13-year-old Otonashi dies, loses all memories of his life, and arrives in the afterlife only to be immediately enrolled in high school.

Things get even more complicated for Otonashi when a girl named Yuri invites him into the Afterlife Battlefront. She leads this organization in battle against Angel, the student council president, a girl with magical powers. The story is all over the place, and its short 13-episode run leaves some plots unresolved, but Angel Beats! is a fun romp through a very different kind of school, a significant departure from most offerings of the genre.

6 Nichijou

Hilarious And Random Comedy

Nano, Hakase, and Sakamoto from Nichijou
Nichijou - My Ordinary Life

Creator
Keiichi Arawi
Studio
Kyoto Animation
Number of Episodes
26
Streaming Service(s)
Crunchyroll

Even with the best teachers, classes, and cafeteria food, school can be a miserable experience without friends. Nichijou is about the lives of three high school friends, Mio, Yuuko, and Mai, whose lives become entangled with an eccentric trio: the young genius Hakase, her talking cat Sakamoto, and Hakase's robot caretaker Nano.

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The action veers from pedestrian activities (joking with friends on the walk to school) to the surreal (watching the principal suplex a deer in the school courtyard). When Nichijou gets weird, it gets very weird. It's for the best because most of the best moments come when the series dives into the surreal.