Drama (2768)

Plot-driven stories focused on realistic characters experiencing human struggle. Because drama stories ask the question of what it means to be human, the conflict and emotions will be relatable, even if the settings or characters themselves are not. Here, you will see humanity at its worst, its best, and everything in between. Simply having a serious tone, dramatic moments, or evoking tears does not equal Drama. If the narrative focuses on eliciting emotional reactions rather than on characterization, then it is melodrama and not Drama. Slice of Life and Drama are incompatible by definition.

Jinzou Ningen Kikaider The Animation

Jinzou Ningen Kikaider The Animation

Jinzou Ningen Kikaider The Animation

Oct 16, 2000 to Jan 8, 2001 | 13 eps | Publishing

Legend of Duo

Legend of Duo

Legend of Duo

Oct 27, 2004 to Dec 1, 2005 | 12 eps | Publishing

Nurse Angel Ririka SOS

Nurse Angel Ririka SOS

Nurse Angel Ririka SOS

The Evil Forces of Dark Joker are closing in on our planet after having destroyed the beautiful planet of Queen Earth. Now, 10 year old Moriya Ririka, with the help of her childhood friend Seiya and the mysterious Kanon, must transform into the Nurse Angel and find the elusive Flower of Life, the only way to defeat the evil forces. The Flower of Life, that once bloomed all over the Earth, is where no one thought it ever would be. And Ririka must make the hardest decision of her life in order to acquire it and rid the universe of evil once and for all.
(Source: ANN)
Jul 7, 1995 to Mar 29, 1996 | 35 eps | Publishing

Suzuka

Suzuka

Suzuka

Teenager Yamato Akitsuki has moved from the Hiroshima countryside to Tokyo to begin his high school career. In return for room and board, he has agreed to help his aunt and cousin run their bathhouse and the adjacent girls-only dormitory where he will be staying. On his way to meet his relatives, he passes by a local high school track and is mesmerized by a high jumper practicing her technique.

Later on, Yamato finds out that the high jumper is not just another resident of the dorm, but is also his neighbor. Suzuka Asahina is a heavily scouted track and field athlete who is attending the same high school he is enrolled in. A perfectionist by nature, Suzuka is put off by Yamato's clumsy and carefree attitude and finds it difficult to be near him.

Determined to win her over, Yamato joins the track team after discovering his hidden talent for sprinting. Through his interactions with the track team, his classmates, and the ever-inebriated college students in the dorm, Yamato finds the resolve to become a better athlete and a more suitable companion to Suzuka, even if it means pushing himself to the point of exhaustion.

Jul 7, 2005 to Dec 29, 2005 | 26 eps | Publishing

Gantz 2nd Stage

Gantz 2nd Stage

Gantz 2nd Stage

Despite having seemingly returned to their normal lives, Kei Kurono, Masaru Katou, and Kei Kishimoto are forced back into the lethal game after Gantz's recent activity. The black sphere continues to summon recently deceased people to fight alien invaders. And having survived the two previous encounters, the trio are more than prepared for the upcoming missions.

As they progress through the tournament's stages, the three proceed in their attempt to earn 100 points, which is said to be the only way to leave the parallel dimension for good. However, with the constant onslaught of alien invaders and the threat of imminent death, they must first focus on the task at hand—immediate survival.

Aug 26, 2004 to Nov 18, 2004 | 13 eps | Publishing

Final Fantasy VII: Last Order

Final Fantasy VII: Last Order

Final Fantasy VII: Last Order

With reports of monsters terrorizing the reactor at Mount Nibel, the Shinra Electric Power Company dispatches their elite fighting force SOLDIER to investigate. Accompanied by fellow SOLDIER First Class Zack Fair and a small contingent of company guards, the war hero Sephiroth is to assess the condition of the Mako reactor at the behest of the company. In Nibelheim, the village that the reactor powers, Sephiroth discovers the source of the monsters and the origins of Shinra's legendary Jenova Project.

Running through the woods months later, Zack is no longer the hero he once dreamt of becoming. He flees from the General Affairs Department of the Shinra Electric Power Company, better known as the Turks, who desperately seek to bury the evidence living within the two.

Sep 14, 2005 | 1 eps | Publishing

Gun x Sword

Gun x Sword

Gun x Sword

Van, a lanky and apathetic swordsman, is on a journey to kill the murderer of his fiancé. The only characteristic he has to go by is that the murderer has a claw for an arm, hence the murderer being referred to as The Claw Man. During his travels, Van happens to pass through the city of Evergreen, which is defending itself from bandits who aim to rob the city of its treasury. It is in this city that Van meets Wendy Garret, a timid young girl who is looking for her kidnapped brother. When the city pleads for Van's assistance to defend it, he refuses, claiming it has nothing to do with him and thus leaves the city on its own to deal with the peril. Soon after, Van comes across the raiding bandits himself and they eventually tick off the swordsman to a degree where he takes action against them for his own personal vendetta. Surprisingly, Van learns that the bandits had ties with The Claw Man, and in kidnapping Wendy's brother for a reason they did not disclose. After the bandits are dealt with easily, Van and, much to his chagrin, Wendy continue the journey in search of The Claw Man. Little do they know, however, that The Claw Man is involved with something more atrocious than either could fathom.

Jul 4, 2005 to Dec 26, 2005 | 26 eps | Publishing

Kurenai no Buta

Kurenai no Buta

Kurenai no Buta

After a curse turned him into a pig, World War I ace Marco Pagot becomes Porco Rosso, a mysterious bounty hunter who takes down sky pirates in the Adriatic Sea. He whiles away his days on a secluded island, rarely leaving other than to collect bounties or to visit the beautiful Gina, a songstress and owner of the Hotel Adriano.

One day, while traveling to fix his faulty engine, Porco Rosso is gunned down by a young American hotshot named Donald Curtis. Thrilled at the possibility of fame, Donald boldly declares that the flying pig is dead. Not wanting to disappoint Gina, Porco Rosso flees to the famous Piccolo S.P.A. airplane company and takes out a massive loan in order to repair and improve his fighter plane. There, he is surprised to find that the chief engineer of Piccolo S.P.A. is the 17-year-old Fio Piccolo, who hungers for a chance to prove herself. With Fio's improvements, Porco Rosso prepares to challenge Donald officially and regain his honor.

Jul 18, 1992 | 1 eps | Publishing

Natsu-iro no Sunadokei

Natsu-iro no Sunadokei

Natsu-iro no Sunadokei

May 21, 2004 to Jul 23, 2004 | 2 eps | Publishing

Legend of Basara

Legend of Basara

Legend of Basara

In a small village, twins are born: a boy, Tatara, and a girl, Sarasa. The prophet Nagi declares that Tatara is the chosen one who will free Japan from the tyrannical rule of the King and his four sons. But when the ruthless Red King slays Tatara, Sarasa must take on her brother's name and responsibilities and embark on a quest to free Japan and deliver vengeance to the Red King.

(Source: ANN)
Apr 3, 1998 to Jun 26, 1998 | 13 eps | Publishing

Koi Kaze

Koi Kaze

Koi Kaze

Saeki Koushirou works as a wedding planner, but his own love life is in shambles. His background makes it difficult for him to commit himself wholeheartedly to love. The child of a divorced couple, he lives with his father. He has a mother and a sister, but he has not seen them in years. After being dumped by his girlfriend, a chance encounter with a female high school student shakes Koushirou's calm and awakens new feelings in him—but he learns that the girl is in fact his sister, who will now be staying with his father and him. Yet, the feelings in Koushirou's heart...

(Source: ANN)
Apr 2, 2004 to Jun 18, 2004 | 13 eps | Publishing

Juubee-chan: Lovely Gantai no Himitsu

Juubee-chan: Lovely Gantai no Himitsu

Juubee-chan: Lovely Gantai no Himitsu

Jiyu Nanohana is an ordinary schoolgirl until she runs across a scatterbrained 300 year old samurai who tells her that she is the reincarnation of Yagyu Jubei. With the help of the "Lovely Eyepatch" she transforms into the legendary swordsman whenever she needs to use his awesome fighting ability, which she needs to do quite often as a rival clan is dead set on conquering Yagyu to satisfy an old family grudge.
(Source: ANN)
Apr 6, 1999 to Jun 29, 1999 | 13 eps | Publishing

Kaleido Star

Kaleido Star

Kaleido Star

The Kaleido Stage is known throughout the world for captivating audiences with its amazing acrobatics, innovative routines, and extravagant costumes and sets. It is a place for guests to believe in magic, and Sora Naegino wants nothing more than to be a part of that magic—by becoming an acrobat for the famed circus herself.

To realize her dream, she travels from Japan to California to audition for a place in the group. However, Sora learns that she needs much more than her natural talent to bring joy to the faces in the crowd. She quickly discovers just how difficult it is to be a professional performer where the stakes—and the stunts—are higher and mistakes spell danger! To put on performances worthy of the Kaleido Stage, she will need to endure rigorous training, unconventional assignments, fierce competition, and the antics of a mischievous spirit named Fool.

Can Sora reach new heights, make new friends, conquer her fears, and surpass her limits to become a Kaleido Star?

Apr 3, 2003 to Mar 27, 2004 | 51 eps | Publishing

Fullmetal Alchemist: The Conqueror of Shamballa

Fullmetal Alchemist: The Conqueror of Shamballa

Fullmetal Alchemist: The Conqueror of Shamballa

In desperation, Edward Elric sacrificed his body and soul to rescue his brother Alphonse, and is now displaced in the heart of Munich, Germany. He struggles to adapt to a world completely foreign to him in the wake of the economic crisis that followed the end of World War I. Isolated and unable to return home with his alchemy skills, Edward continues to research other methods of escaping the prison alongside colleagues who bear striking resemblances to many of the people he left behind. As dissent brews among the German citizenry, its neighbors also feel the unrest of the humiliated nation.

Meanwhile, Alphonse continues to investigate Edward's disappearance, delving into the science of alchemy in the hopes of finally reuniting with his older brother.

Jul 23, 2005 | 1 eps | Publishing

Kumo no Mukou, Yakusoku no Basho

Kumo no Mukou, Yakusoku no Basho

Kumo no Mukou, Yakusoku no Basho

Hiroki Fujisawa and Takuya Shirakawa harbor admiration for two things in their life: their classmate Sayuri Sawatari and the vast Ezo Tower that stands boundlessly across the Tsugaru Strait. Fascinated by the limitless structure beyond their reach, Hiroki and Takuya begin constructing an aeroplane from a fallen drone they discovered—naming it the Bella Ciela—to fulfill their dream of one day reaching the sky-scraping top of the tower. Later joined by the girl they love, Hiroki and Takuya promise Sayuri to fly with her to the seemingly otherworldly top together. However, Japan has suffered a North-South partitioning that has fueled conflict near the base of the tower, which marks the border between the America-controlled Southern islands and the Northern lands occupied by the Soviet Union.

Further along, Sayuri suddenly disappears, and Hiroki and Takuya never see her again. Unbeknownst to them, she fell victim to a sleeping disorder that left her comatose for the past three years. Although Hiroki and Takuya later learn about Sayuri's condition, they also discover that the girl's unconscious state is oddly linked to the same tower the trio had promised to conquer together.

Nov 20, 2004 | 1 eps | Publishing

Magic Knight Rayearth

Magic Knight Rayearth

Magic Knight Rayearth

Hikaru Shidou, Umi Ryuuzaki, and Fuu Hououji are strangers brought together by fate when they meet during a seemingly normal field trip to Tokyo Tower. Accompanied by a great flash of light, they hear a mysterious woman's plea to save "Cephiro," and the junior high heroines are suddenly swept away by a giant flying fish. Afterwards, they arrive in an unknown land, where they encounter a man called Master Mage Clef.

Clef informs the girls that they were summoned by Princess Emeraude to fulfill their destinies as Magic Knights, restoring peace and balance in Cephiro. The formerly lively and peaceful land has been in disarray ever since High Priest Zagato imprisoned the princess, who acted as Cephiro's pillar of stability. The Magic Knights reluctantly accept Clef's words as truth and embark on a journey to save Cephiro from the clutches of evil.

Oct 17, 1994 to Mar 13, 1995 | 20 eps | Publishing

RG Veda

RG Veda

RG Veda

The fearsome warrior Taishaku-ten rebelled against the world-ruling gods three hundred years ago and began his own oppressive reign. His dominion remained unchecked for years—until one day, the blind prophet Kuyou prophesied that warriors known as the Six Stars and a child of the vanished race called Ashura would defeat Taishaku-ten.

Ashura, marked by his pointed ears and golden eyes; Yasha-ou, a robust warrior; and four other Stars prepare to challenge Taishaku-ten. In order to do so, they must journey across tarnished landscapes and battle monstrous demons that have plagued the land. But as the wheels of fate turn, Ashura and Yasha-ou must find the sixth Star before it is too late.

Jun 1, 1991 to Jun 21, 1992 | 2 eps | Publishing

Juubee-chan 2: Siberia Yagyuu no Gyakushuu

Juubee-chan 2: Siberia Yagyuu no Gyakushuu

Juubee-chan 2: Siberia Yagyuu no Gyakushuu

Three hundred years ago, in the frigid land of Siberia, Jubei Yagyu engaged in a fierce battle with Kitaretsusai of the Northern Yagyu clan. The duel was costly, as his daughter Freesia was frozen in suspended animation. As a result of global warming in the present day, Freesia breaks free from her icy grave and moves to Japan as a middle school transfer student, where she befriends Jiyuu Nanohana. Little does Jiyuu know that Freesia is targeting her to acquire the coveted Lovely Eye Patch, which Freesia believes is rightfully hers.
(Source: ANN)
Jan 8, 2004 to Apr 1, 2004 | 13 eps | Publishing

Hachimitsu to Clover Specials

Hachimitsu to Clover Specials

Hachimitsu to Clover Specials

Two side stories:

Chapter L (or chapter 25) about Lohmeyer/Romaiya senpai.

Chapter F (or chapter 26) about Miwako finding ways to make fun of Yamazaki.

(Source: momento)
Dec 23, 2005 to Feb 24, 2006 | 2 eps | Publishing

Harukanaru Toki no Naka de: Ajisai Yumegatari

Harukanaru Toki no Naka de: Ajisai Yumegatari

Harukanaru Toki no Naka de: Ajisai Yumegatari

Whisked away to the land of Kyou, Akane learns that she is the Ryuujin no Miko, and meets the Hachiyou, her protectors. They must defeat Akuram, a demon who wants to destroy Kyou using the power of Azusa, a woman who has the power to absorb human energy. If Akane and the Hachiyou cannot defeat Akuram and bring peace to Kyou, Azusa'a power will destroy the humans.

(Source: ANN)
Mar 27, 2002 to Jan 23, 2003 | 2 eps | Publishing

Air in Summer

Air in Summer

Air in Summer

An extension of the summer-arc in the Air TV-series, showing more of what happened during Kanna's, Ryuya's and Uraha's journey to find Kanna's mother.
Aug 28, 2005 to Sep 4, 2005 | 2 eps | Publishing

Shoujo Kakumei Utena

Shoujo Kakumei Utena

Shoujo Kakumei Utena

Years ago, a tragic incident befell a young princess when both her parents died. Devastated, it seemed nothing would calm this poor soul. However, a prince traveling through the area came to see the princess, hoping to cheer her up. After wiping her sorrowful tears, the prince gave her a ring carrying a rose emblem and told her as long as she holds onto the ring, they are destined to meet again. The event leaves a deep impression on the girl, Utena Tenjou, leading her to become a prince herself.

Years later, Utena attends Ootori Academy, recognized by the same rose emblem as her precious ring's. There, attracted by the scent of roses, she witnesses Anthy Himemiya tending the flowers, accompanied by the Student Council President Touga Kiryuu and Vice President Kyouichi Saionji, who seem to be arguing over Anthy. While Utena thinks nothing of the occurrence, the Student Council gathers to discuss an important matter.

Subsequently, a misunderstanding leads to Utena being dragged into the world of Duelists—those with rings similar to her own. The Duelists fight for the ownership of the Rose Bride, Anthy Himemiya, who is said to possess great power. Wanting to prove her capabilities as a prince, and enraged that Anthy is being wronged and objectified, Utena resolves to fight against the Duelists to save her from the cruel fate.

Apr 2, 1997 to Dec 24, 1997 | 39 eps | Publishing

Shoujo Kakumei Utena: Adolescence Mokushiroku

Shoujo Kakumei Utena: Adolescence Mokushiroku

Shoujo Kakumei Utena: Adolescence Mokushiroku

All eyes are on Utena Tenjou, a mysterious transfer student to Ohtori Academy. But Utena's eyes seem to be fixed on one familiar face that stands out among the rest—Touga Kiryuu, Utena's childhood friend. Touga knows of Utena's past and possesses knowledge of the Mark of the Rose, a set of unique rings worn by those who compete for the hand of the Rose Bride. The Rose Bride, Himemiya Anthy, belongs to whomever wins her in a duel, and the one that wins all the duels is said to be given the power to bring revolution to the world. Utena is drawn into the duels, but Touga and their complicated history together may end up unraveling everything. Nothing is as it seems in this retelling of the original anime series.

Aug 14, 1999 | 1 eps | Publishing

Weiß Kreuz Glühen

Weiß Kreuz Glühen

Weiß Kreuz Glühen

Koua is an academy that brings Japanese's most talented people and students together. The mission is to train talented people to bear the world's future leadership. However, recently, the suicide rate in the academy is increasing and there is hardly any information being released to the public.

Fujimiya Aya is sent to infiltrate this school carrying out criminal investigation and disguise himself as a teacher. In fact, actually, there is a connection between Koua academy and the global terrorist activities that are frequently occur. Therefore Persia assigns Hidaka Ken and Kudou Youji as well into this mission to solve the truth and connection of the incident behind Koua academy.

(Source: AniDB)
Nov 28, 2002 to Mar 20, 2003 | 13 eps | Publishing