23+ Best Anime Like CLANNAD: After Story

If you loved CLANNAD: After Story, chances are you'll really enjoy Your lie in April, Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day and the others too. They share that same energy—whether it's the intense Drama, Romance, Slice of Life, Supernatural, or just the vibe that keeps you hooked. While you wait for the next episode to drop, it’s the perfect time to explore something new that still feels familiar. These picks aren't just similar—they're fan favorites for a reason, and they might just become your next obsession.

1. Your lie in April

Synonyms: KimiUso, השקר שלך באפריל, Bugie d'aprile, 四月是你的谎言

Piano prodigy Arima Kousei dominated the competition and all child musicians knew his name. But after his mother, who was also his instructor, passed away, he had a mental breakdown while performing at a recital. This resulted in him no longer being able to hear the sound of his piano playing. Two years later, Kousei hasn’t touched the piano and views the world without any flair or color. He was content at living out his life with his good friends Tsubaki and Watari until, one day, a girl changed everything. Miyazono Kaori is a pretty, free spirited violinist whose playing style reflects her personality. Kaori helps Kousei return to the music world and show that it should be free and mold breaking unlike the structured and rigid style Kousei was used to.

2. Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day

Synonyms: AnoHana, We Still Don't Know the Name of the Flower We Saw That Day., אנוהאנה: הפרח שראינו ביום ההוא, อาโนะฮานะ ดอกไม้ ความทรงจำ และมิตรภาพ

Jinta Yadomi and his group of childhood friends have become estranged after a tragic accident split them apart. Now in their high school years, a sudden surprise forces each of them to confront their guilt over what happened that day and come to terms with the ghosts of their past. (Source: NIS America)

3. Maquia: When the Promised Flower Blooms

Synonyms: SayoAsa, さよあさ, Maquia - Decoriamo la mattina dell'addio con i fiori promessi, Maquia - Eine unsterbliche Liebesgeschichte

The people of Iorph live far away from the lands of men, weaving the happenings of each day into a fabric called Hibiol. They live for centuries while maintaining their youthful appearance. Maquia, an orphaned Iorph girl, lives her life in an oasis surrounded by friends, yet somehow feels “alone”. But the tranquil lives of the Iorph are shattered in an instant when the Mezarte army invades their territory on a dragon fleet, seeking the blood that grants the Iorph long life. Maquia manages to escape, but loses her friends and her home in the chaos. She then encounters an orphaned baby who is “alone”. Maquia raises this boy "Ariel", with the help of some new friends. But as the era changes, the bond between Maquia and Ariel changes too, amidst a backdrop of racial tensions between the Iorph and the Mezarte. This is a story of irreplaceable time, woven by two lonely people who can only find solace in each other. (Source: Eleven Arts)

4. Angel Beats!

Synonyms: エンジェルビーツ, פעימות מלאך, الملاك الوحش, Ангельские ритмы

Otonashi wakes up in the afterlife to find out he has no memories of his life before death. Desperate to survive in a war that could yield another unfortunate fate, he joins the SSS in the battle against Angel, whose very mission is to destroy all inhabitants of this afterlife. As Otonashi struggles to recover his memory and learn more about this world, he finds that not all is as it had seemed. (Source: Funimation)

5. Kanon (2006)

Synonyms: Kanon Remake, Kanon 2006

As a young child, Aizawa Yuuichi had often visited his cousin in the city. However, something drastic happened to keep him away for seven long years. Now, Yuuichi returns, his memories of those days are simply gone. Settling into the wintry town, Yuuichi comes across several young girls, all of whom are connected to his past. As he befriends them and continues to interact with them, the long forgotten memories from his childhood begin to resurface...

6. March comes in like a lion Season 2

Synonyms: Sangatsu no Lion 2, מרץ מגיע כאריה 2

The second season of 3-gatsu no Lion. Now in his second year of high school, Rei Kiriyama continues pushing through his struggles in the professional shogi world as well as his personal life. Surrounded by vibrant personalities at the shogi hall, the school club, and in the local community, his solitary shell slowly begins to crack. Among them are the three Kawamoto sisters—Akari, Hinata, and Momo—who forge an affectionate and familial bond with Rei. Through these ties, he realizes that everyone is burdened by their own emotional hardships and begins learning how to rely on others while supporting them in return. Nonetheless, the life of a professional is not easy. Between tournaments, championships, and title matches, the pressure mounts as Rei advances through the ranks and encounters incredibly skilled opponents. As he manages his relationships with those who have grown close to him, the shogi player continues to search for the reason he plays the game that defines his career.

7. Violet Evergarden

Synonyms: ויולט אברגרדן, فيوليت, 紫罗兰永恒花园

A certain point in time, in the continent of Telesis. The great war which divided the continent into North and South has ended after four years, and the people are welcoming a new generation. Violet Evergarden, a young girl formerly known as “the weapon”, has left the battlefield to start a new life at CH Postal Service. There, she is deeply moved by the work of “Auto Memories Dolls”, who carry people's thoughts and convert them into words. Violet begins her journey as an Auto Memories Doll, and comes face to face with various people's emotions and differing shapes of love. There are words Violet heard on the battlefield, which she cannot forget. These words were given to her by someone she holds dear, more than anyone else. She does not yet know their meaning but she searches to find it. (Source: Anime News Network)

8. Air

Synonyms: Air TV

Yukito Kunisaki is on a journey in search of the Winged Maiden who was bound to the sky centuries ago, after hearing an old childhood tale from his mother. As Yukito shows his puppet show to people in an attempt to make some money, he finds himself in a small town in which he did not expect to stay very long. However, when he meets an unusual girl named Misuzu, things take a drastic turn as he is invited to stay with her. By staying in the quaint town, Yukito soon becomes friends with the locals. As he gets to know them better, he learns of their problems and decides to help, putting his search for the Winged Maiden on hold. With his search on hold, and his growing attachment to Misuzu and the small town, will Yukito ever find the Winged Maiden, or is she closer than he thought? [Written by MAL Rewrite] Note: Includes episode 13, Soushuuhen (Summary).

9. Fruits Basket The Final Season

Synonyms: Furuba, Fruba, フルバ, Fruits Basket Season 3

After last season’s revelations, the Soma family moves forward, but the emotional chains that bind them are not easily broken. Unable to admit why she wants the cure, Tohru wrestles with the truth, aware that time is running out for someone close. And a secret still lurks that could break another’s heart. But hope is not lost—a clue to the curse is found. Could their imprisonment’s end be near? (Source: Funimation) Note: This season premiered on Funimation and AnimeLab on March 20, 2021. The Japanese broadcast started two weeks later on April 6, 2021.

10. A Silent Voice

Synonyms: The Shape of Voice, A Voz do Silêncio, A Forma da Voz, La Forma della Voce

After transferring into a new school, a deaf girl, Shouko Nishimiya, is bullied by the popular Shouya Ishida. As Shouya continues to bully Shouko, the class turns its back on him. Shouko transfers and Shouya grows up as an outcast. Alone and depressed, the regretful Shouya finds Shouko to make amends. (Source: Eleven Arts)

11. Little Busters! Refrain

Synonyms: None

Riki Naoe and his teammates have finally formed a complete baseball team for the Little Busters. When the Little Busters reunite, there's a strange sense of déjà vu, as the personal mysteries and idiosyncrasies that have permeated the game coalesce into something unexpected. As the team members fall into their roles, the pieces of the puzzle begin to fall into place. And as Riki learns the secrets behind his narcolepsy, a stunning truth about this world will be revealed, one that will change everything. Will the game continue into extra innings, or will it be called before the final player goes to bat? Riki made the team and his teammates came, but the next pitch may throw everyone in LITTLE BUSTERS! REFRAIN!(Source: Sentai Filmworks)

12. I Want to Eat Your Pancreas

Synonyms: Quiero Comerme tu Páncreas, Voglio mangiare il tuo pancreas, Je veux manger ton pancréas, Vull menjar-me el teu pàncrees

Spring time in April and the last of the cherry blossoms are still in bloom. The usually aloof bookworm with no interest in others comes across a book in a hospital waiting room. Handwritten on the cover are the words: "Living with Dying." He soon discovers that it is a diary kept by his very popular and genuinely cheerful classmate, Sakura Yamauchi, who reveals to him that she is secretly suffering from a pancreatic illness and only has a limited time left. It is at this moment that she gains just one more person to share her secret. Trying to maintain a normal life as much as possible, Sakura is determined to live her life to the fullest until the very last day. As her free spirit and unpredictable actions throw him for a loop, his heart begins to gradually change. (Source: Aniplex USA)

13. Little Busters!

Synonyms: LB!

When tragedy struck Riki Naoe as a child, he was rescued from grief over his parent's deaths when four other kids "recruited" him for their group—the "Little Busters." Now in high school, Riki and the other Busters are still fast friends, and though their vision of being heroes for justice may have faded, they'd still do anything for each other. Which is why Riki is now on TWO special missions. The not so secret one: recruiting new members so the Busters can form a baseball team. Preferably FEMALE recruits, as the current dude/babe ratio is an inconvenient 4 to 1. The OTHER mission, though... That's the strange one. Because Riki and Rin, the group's singular girl, are receiving odd messages, delivered by cats, concerning the existence of a "secret world" and assigning them tasks they have to complete. Were their youthful dreams of being crusaders not so fanciful after all? Or is there something even more vital at stake? Between steeling his courage to talk to girls, dealing with his own narcolepsy and facing his feelings concerning Rin, Riki may just need the strength of a superhero to solve the ultimate mystery of the Little Busters! (Source: Sentai Filmworks)

14. Wolf Children

Synonyms: The Wolf Children Ame and Yuki, Los Niños Lobo, Les Enfants loups, Ame & Yuki, Wilcze Dzieci

The theme of the film is the love between parents and children. The story covers 13 years and begins with a 19-year-old college student named Hana who encounters and falls in "fairy tale-like" love with a "wolf man." After marrying the wolf man, Hana gives birth and raises two wolf children—an older sister named Yuki who was born on a snowy day, and a younger brother named Ame who was born on a rainy day. The four quietly lived in a corner of a city to conceal the existence of the "wolf children," but when the wolf man suddenly dies, Hana decides to move to a rural town far removed from the city. (Source: Anime News Network)

15. Plastic Memories

Synonyms: Plamemo

This story takes place in a future not too far away when androids that look exactly like humans begin to spread across the world. The android production company SA Corp. produced Giftia, a new kind of android that has the most amount of emotion and human-like qualities out of any other model ever seen. However, due to problems in technology, the androids have a service life, and once they pass that, they... Well, it gets pretty bad. For this reason, SA Corp. creates a terminal service in order to retrieve Giftia that have gone past their service life. A new employee at the terminal service named Tsukasa Mizugaki forms a team with the Giftia Isla to retrieve the other androids, but... (Source: Anime News Network)

16. Fruits Basket (2019)

Synonyms: Fruits Basket (Zenpen), Furuba, Fruba, フルバ

Tohru Honda thought her life was headed for misfortune when a family tragedy left her living in a tent. When her small home is discovered by the mysterious Soma clan, she suddenly finds herself living with Yuki, Kyo, and Shigure Soma. But she quickly learns their family has a bizarre secret of their own: when hugged by the opposite sex, they turn into the animals of the Zodiac! (Source: Crunchyroll)

17. March comes in like a lion

Synonyms: Sangatsu no Lion, Un marzo da leoni, מרץ מגיע כאריה, أسد آذار

Rei Kiriyama is a 17 year old boy who recently started living alone, financed by his salary as a professional Shogi player. Despite his independence, however, he's yet to mature emotionally, and his problems continue to haunt him in his daily life. His relationship with his adoptive family is strained, and he has difficulties interacting with his fellow high school students. Meanwhile, his professional career in Shogi has entered a slump. Burdened with the heavy expectations placed upon him, his wins and losses are fluctuating as his record and progression into the ranks begin to stagnate. Acquainted with Rei are the three Kawamoto sisters: Akari, Hinata, and Momo. Unlike Rei, they live happily in their modest home, which they warmly welcome Rei into as if he were one of their own. He frequently visits the family, interacting with them and receiving the kind of care and affection he never quite had while under his foster home. This is the story of Rei's triumphs and failures, relationships new and old, and his growth as a person. (Source: TV Tropes)

18. A Lull in the Sea (Nagi-Asu: Nagi no Asukara)

Synonyms: NagiAsu, Nagi no Asu Kara: Calmaria do Mar, Nagi no Asukara: Calma en el mar

Since long ago, human civilization had lived on the ocean floor. However, there were many humans who wanted to live above the surface and they moved to land creating a fundamental separation between the two. After their school closes down, four 14-year-old middle school students from the sea village, Shioshishio, have to attend Mihama Middle School on the surface. What follows is their struggles to adjust to a new environment and the relationships between the sea and land people, while dealing with their own newfound feelings that have just started appearing with the end of their childhood. (Source: Wikipedia)

19. Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai

Synonyms: AoButa, 青春猪头少年不会梦到兔女郎学姐, Негодник, которому не снилась девушка-кролик, Этот глупый свин не понимает мечту девочки-зайки

There's a rumor about a mysterious phenomenon called "puberty syndrome." For example, Sakuta Azusagawa is a high school student who suddenly sees a bunny girl appear in front of him. The girl is actually a girl named Mai Sakurajima, who is Sakuta's upperclassman who is also a famous actress who has gone on hiatus from the entertainment industry. For some reason, the people around Mai cannot see her bunny-girl figure. Sakuta sets out to solve this mystery, and as he spends time with Mai, he learns her secret feelings. Other heroines who have "puberty syndrome" start to appear in front of Sakuta. (Source: Anime News Network)

20. Planetarian: Storyteller of the Stars

Synonyms: Planetarian Movie

An adaptation of the visual-novel by Key, 'Planetarian: Hoshi no Hito' combines the story of the original work with an expansion that extends the narrative with content from the 'Hoshi no Hito' light-novel sequel. In the future after much of the world has been devastated by nuclear and biological warfare, a young scavenger or 'Junker' exploring a quarantined and abandoned city comes across a service robot still faithfully awaiting customers in the rooftop planetarium of a department store. Against his pragmatic instincts he helps the robot repair the planetarium's projector: a decision which will change both their fates. (Source: Anime News Network)

21. Rascal Does Not Dream of a Dreaming Girl

Synonyms: 青ブタ, Ao Buta , 青春猪头少年不会梦到怀梦美少女, Этот глупый свин не понимает мечту девочки-зайки. Фильм

In Fujisawa, where the skies are bright and the seas glisten, Sakuta Azusagawa is in his second year of high school. His blissful days with his girlfriend and upperclassman, Mai Sakurajima, are interrupted with the appearance of his first crush, Shouko Makinohara. For reasons unknown, he encounters two Shouko's: one in middle school and another who has become an adult. As Sakuta finds himself helplessly living with the Shouko's, the adult Shouko leads him around by the nose, causing a huge rift in his relationship with Mai. In the midst of all of this, he discovers that the middle school Shouko is suffering from a grave illness and his scar begins to throb... (Source: Aniplex USA)

22. Toradora!

Synonyms: Tiger X Dragon, 龙与虎, النمر والتنين, ยัยเสือใสกับนายหน้าโหด

Ryuuji Takasu is a gentle high school student with a love for housework; but in contrast to his kind nature, he has an intimidating face that often gets him labeled as a delinquent. On the other hand is Taiga Aisaka, a small, doll-like student, who is anything but a cute and fragile girl. Equipped with a wooden katana and feisty personality, Taiga is known throughout the school as the "Palmtop Tiger." One day, an embarrassing mistake causes the two students to cross paths. Ryuuji discovers that Taiga actually has a sweet side: she has a crush on the popular vice president, Yuusaku Kitamura, who happens to be his best friend. But things only get crazier when Ryuuji reveals that he has a crush on Minori Kushieda—Taiga's best friend! Toradora! is a romantic comedy that follows this odd duo as they embark on a quest to help each other with their respective crushes, forming an unlikely alliance in the process.

23. Fruits Basket -prelude-

Synonyms: The Story of Kyoko and Katsuya, 今日子と勝也の物語, Kyouko to Katsuya no Monogatari, Fruits Basket Movie

Before there was Tooru and Kyou – there was Katsuya and Kyouko. Discover the turbulent beginning of Tooru’s mom’s dark past, and the man who breathed new hope into her. Watch the evolution of their love story and the birth of the Honda family, as this chapter completes the full adaptation of the heartwarming Fruits Basket story. (Source: Crunchyroll)

24. Welcome to the N-H-K

Synonyms: Welcome to the NHK, Welcome to the N.H.K., 欢迎加入NHK！, Bienvenue dans la NHK

Satou’s life – or what’s left of it – is a paranoid mess of conspiracy theories and social anxieties. He’s terrified of the outside world; his apartment is overflowing with the remnants of cheap take-out food; and his retinas have been permanently scarred by a steady diet of internet porn. But maybe it’s not all his fault. After all, the nefarious N-H-K is out there, and they’re determined to turn society’s fringe-dwellers into a brainwashed lot of jobless, hopeless, futureless recluses. Enter Misaki – a mysterious girl-next-door type who is Satou’s last chance to beat down his inner demons and venture out into the light of day. She’s ready to help him overcome his crippling phobias, but Satou would rather cower in his existential foxhole and pretend to work on the demo for his virtual sex game. He’s afraid to face the world. She’s strangely desperate to fix a total stranger. Maybe together they can be normal. (Source: Funimation)

If you're anything like me, once you finish something amazing like CLANNAD: After Story, you're left wondering—what now? Luckily, there’s a whole world of stories out there that give off the same energy, whether it’s the intense fights, emotional backstories, or just that feeling of being completely hooked. The titles like Your lie in April, Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day... I’ve shared aren’t just similar—they feel right. They hit that same nerve that made CLANNAD: After Story special in the first place. Of course, everyone’s taste is different, but I really think you’ll find something here that pulls you in. And hey—if you’ve got a favorite that didn’t make the list, I’d love to hear about it. I’m always looking for my next obsession.