Get ready. I will enlist the 30 best drama anime! The Anime world is filled with almost everything that an entertainer requires. Its genres are equally popular, from romance to fantasy and action to thriller. People who love the drama genre are interested in the details of the characters, the plot, how the dialogues have been written, and the major twists and turns.
Read Also: 30 Best Psychological Anime To Watch
Drama always brings rides full of emotions, and that’s where a viewer finds himself entangled with the anime. Watching only solid action without any relation to the plot or characters is not likable for many. Therefore they prefer this genre combined with their favorite ones to make it more realistic and relatable.
30. Kokoro Connect
This is the story of five students who create their own special group and name it StuCS. Their lives changed when two friends named Yui and Aoki swapped bodies. They were not the only ones who experienced the phenomenon; all group members experienced body-switching with each other.
This ultimately creates a lot of drama as they learn about each other’s secrets. The elements of the supernatural add extra charm to the story. How the friends face the situation is worth watching. It intrigues the readers throughout the end, making it the best drama anime effortlessly.
29. Toradora
If you enjoy watching romance anime with sweet moments accompanied by a lot of drama, don’t miss this one. This is the story of Ryuuji and Taiga. Ryuuji is known as a delinquent because of his tough looks though he is deep down, a gentleman.
On the other hand, Taiga is unlike other girls, and people fear her anger. One day they realize that both are in love. Hold on! They love each other’s best buddies! This incident marks the beginning of their friendship, where they try everything possible to win their crush.
While trying to win others, they end up winning each other. The way the duo understands each other is worth praising. Their chemistry is full of humor, charm, romance, and drama.
28. Rascal Doesn’t Dream Of Bunny Girl Senpai
The anime highlights a mythical puberty syndrome that occurs in teenagers mostly, and Mai Sakurajima happened to be its victim. Due to the syndrome, Mai gets invisible. No one realizes her presence until Sakuta sees her in a bunny girl outfit near the library.
Where no one believed that such a syndrome existed, Sakuta was the one who believed in her. The boy decides to help Mai get over it. Each day brings something new into their life, where Sakuta learns more about the disease, and it reveals that Mai is not the sole victim of it. There is drama, comedy, romance, fantasy and a lot more!
27. Charlotte
What if you get the power to take over people’s minds and bodies? What would be the first thing that you would do? Yuu is blessed with the ability to take over anyone anytime but for a short duration.
He mainly uses this ability to cheat and pass exams. One day, Nao Tomori from Hoshinoumi Academy gets to learn about his ability and offers him to join her academy. Nao reveals that they are a group of people blessed with abilities who try to stop all the ability users who misuse their powers.
The story then follows their journey of stopping those who abuse their powers. The humor and supernatural make it the best drama anime to binge-watch.
26. Clannad
Tomoya was living a monotonous life, and he never liked school. Therefore he used to skip school very often. One day he meets a girl named Nagisa, who used to exclaim the name of her favorite things for the sake of motivation.
He instantly finds her interesting, and fate plays its part by bringing them closer. They became good friends quickly, and Tomoya learned that Nagisa dreamed of creating a school drama club.
Tomoya got something entertaining in his life, all thanks to Nagisa. He decided to help her achieve her dream. Not just that, Tomoya met a few other girls and solved their life problems. The story is simple, and it’s a good watch you are looking for a sweet love story. If you like the slice-of-life genre combined with drama, you’ll enjoy watching this one.
25. Puella Magi Madoka Magica
The anime is filled with thrill, suspense, action and drama. The anime highlights the life of two friends named Madoka and Sayaka. They were living a happy, satisfied life till they met a mysterious talking cat named Kyubey.
The cat offered them to be magical girls; in return, he would fulfill their one wish. Meanwhile, the girl meets a new transfer student Homura who tries to stop them. She was herself a magical girl and never wanted them to be one because their life was nothing less than hell.
The story progresses when Sayaka agrees to the offer, and within no time, she dies. Her tragic death shattered Madoka, but Homura tries to stop her from taking any action. The anime is filled with mystery and gets better with each passing episode.
It highlights the difficulties a magical girl must go through each day. Now why Homura stops them from being a magical girl and why Kyubey forces them to be one is one of the major twists of the anime. It is only 12 episodes long, so make sure to binge-watch it.
24. From Me To You
This is the story of a girl named Sawako who has always been despised for her resemblance with a fictional character. Because the character was frightening, people always assumed her to be the same, though she was the nicest.
All her life, Sawako wished to live normally by befriending people. Her life changes for good after encountering a cheerful and lovely boy named Shouta. She has always admired him and wanted to be like him.
Shouta proved to be life-changing for her as Sawako started making friends after getting influenced by him. On the other hand, she was unaware of the fact that her presence changes Shouta too. It’s a sweet, simple story involving drama and romance, which should not be missed.
23.The Ancient Magus Bride
If you like fairy tales, you will fall in love with this sweet romance drama. Chise Hatori is our female lead who has lived a life of slavery. Unfortunately, she never received the love of her family and was waiting for someplace she could call home.
Her life changes when Elias, aka the magus, buys her and vows to make her bride. He brings Chise to his place, and the experience for Chise is nothing less than a fairy tale filled with magic.
A lot of magical moments await Chise that she is completely unaware of. The story is extremely beautiful, filled with charm and love. As it is a drama, you can expect some ups and downs and some frustrating moments. However, they oy make the story engaging. It’s indeed the best drama anime filled with magic!
22. Great Teacher Onizuka
This is one of the most epic anime series of all time. It will effortlessly bring smiles to your face and force you to roll on the floor laughing. The story follows the life of a guy named Eikichi Onizuka, who dreams of being the best teacher in the country.
It is not because he wants to change the world or has a love for kids but because he wants to marry a teenage girl (XD). He succeeds in getting a job and lands in the Holy Forest Academy. There he gets to teach the infamous class 3-4.
The students of the class never let any teacher stay there for longer. However, Onizuka vowed to face all their challenges with courage. The teacher surprises everyone with his fun-loving and cool nature.
The way Onizuka solves the issues of suicide and bullying is worth praising. Seeing the bond between the students and Onizuka is nothing less than a visual treat. The anime is very much refreshing as it has a unique concept. It’s one of the most popular and best drama anime.
21. Orange
We all are curious about our future, don’t we? At some point in our lives, we all have wished to get advice from our future selves, and this anime beautifully highlights this idea. Naho is our protagonist whose life changes when she receives a letter.
My friends the letter wasn’t an ordinary one but from her future self. As expected, she doesn’t believe it at first, but soon she finds it true. Her future self warns her about the regretful decision she might make.
The story is simple yet intriguing and highlights the journey of Naho, where she tries to make the best possible decisions. There is a lot of drama and romance, and science-fiction elements add charm to it.
20. Fruits Basket
What’s better than a romance anime that engages the audience with the best twists and turns. You’ll definitely find the most well-developed characters. This is the story of a girl named Tohru. She lives a tough life being shelterless after moving from her grandfather’s house.
Having no place to live, she lived in the jungle when the Sohma family offered her support. After moving into their house, she learned about the secrets they had kept for years. The Sohma family was cursed, and if they get touched by the opposite gender, they would turn into animals.
After knowing their secret, Tohru decides to help them in each way possible. There she meets Kyo, and their love chemistry is adored globally. Fans started shipping them right from the beginning, and their relationship’s ups and downs added charm to their chemistry. Trust me not just the sweet story but the anime is full of memorable characters. Get yourself ready for to watch the dramatic and romantic life of school students.
19. From The New World
This is a classic anime that involves almost everything that can entertain an Otaku, including mystery, horror, sci-fi and supernatural. In this anime, we follow a group of friends blessed with supernatural psychic powers.
These friends try to solve mysteries and help people with the use of their abilities. Each one has a different personality, which intrigues the viewers a lot. Watching these amazing characters find ways to protect people and fight against the odds is fun. The way they learn the harsh realities of society and about the evils surrounding people is simply thrilling.
18. Kiznaiver
The anime follows the life of a boy named Katsuhira, who lost his sense of pain. He usually stays quiet and introverted, which makes the others bully him. His life takes a new turn when he and his friends are forced to join a system called Kizuna System, where they are required to work as kiznaivers.
Their lives change from that moment onwards as they get so linked to each other that if one experiences an injury, all the members will experience the same pain. Now they must do something to find the solution to their everyday problems. Each day brings something new and more challenging to the heroes. Each passing episode gets more and more intriguing to watch. It’s indeed one of the best drama anime with a bonus of having handsome characters and cute girls..
17. 91 Days
This is one of the best revenge stories. It highlights the life of a boy named Angelo, whose family was murdered by a mafia named Vanetti. Having no one to call family, he moves on by changing his identity. Now he goes by the name Avilio. After a few years, Avilio gets the chance to take revenge for the death of his loved ones.
Meanwhile, he gets a mysterious letter in which the writer asks him to return to his hometown. The twists begin when he meets and befriends Nero, the son of Vanetti. There is a lot of action, suspense, and drama, so don’t worry and rest assured that you will be entertained throughout.
16. Death Parade
This anime captivates the audience immediately with its thrilling and suspenseful plot. The story revolves around a bar where people, after death, enter. In this bar, only a pair of people can enter, and they are asked to play some dangerous games.
The bar owner is mysterious and strict in dealing with the people. Based on their game results, they are sent to either void or given a new chance to live. Each episode brings something new, but things change for the bar owner when he meets an amnesiac man. Trust me, you’ll find it one of the best drama anime. The tension in the anime is similar to any high-stakes gambling matches.
15. Golden Time
While talking about best drama anime we can’t forget adding this to the anime list.This is the story of Banri, a good looking boy who is experiencing amnesia and has lost his memories. After befriending a girl named Mitsuo, he tries to move on in life. However, the entry of a girl named Kougo into his life changes everything.
Watching him explore the world and make new friends is refreshing. The story isn’t as simple as it seems. It’s full of drama, romance, and comedy. Imagine a person exploring the world and trying to find his identity; won’t the journey be worth watching?
14. Your Lie In April
How many of you can easily watch sad love stories? If you like getting emotional, then you’ll love watching this masterpiece. In this one, we follow Kousei, who once was a piano prodigy. However, after the sudden demise of her mother, he lost everything.
No matter how much he tried, he couldn’t hear the piano sound. Kosei changed completely, living a monotonous life after the incident. Things change when he befriends a violinist named Kaori. With her support, he starts getting back whatever he had lost. Their chemistry will effortlessly make you emotional. Whether they end up together or not is the story’s major twist that I can’t reveal.
13. Angel Beats
Thi anime entertain the viewers with supernatural, drama, and a complex story. The anime highlights the lives of people after death. Yuzuru is a 17-year-old student who opens his eyes to a place between life and death.
All the people who died untimely are placed in a high school. All of them decide to rival against gods for their wrongdoings toward them. These students refuse to move on to the next phase, i.e., the afterlife. The anime is full of twists and turns, and the viewers are enjoy every bit of it. It also has good comedy, and the suspense doubles the charm. The initial few episodes might be boring to you, but the plot improves with each passing episode.
12. Violet Evergarden
This is the story of Violet, a girl who has always been used as a tool to perform certain tasks. She was so naive that she couldn’t understand the meanings behind human emotions, so she lived a hollow life.
A man named Gilbert changed her life for good when he left her, saying the three magical words (I LOVE YOU). Unfortunately, poor Violet didn’t know the meaning behind those words. When she starts working in the postal services, her work demands her to be well acquitted by human emotions.
While converting human thoughts into words on paper, her emptiness fills. Her self-discovery journey is worth watching as it is full of ups and downs. I bet you will fall in love with Gilbert. You will see a heartwarming bond between the leads. Not gonna lie, the slice of life anime vibes makes it more beautiful.
11. Plastic Memories
This is the story of a sweet boy, Tsukasa, who couldn’t perform well in college and therefore faced trouble getting a good job. After many challenges, he finally gets a job in the SAI corporation famous for creating androids called Giftias. These androids are almost like humans but with a short life span of around 9 years and a few months.
During his job, he encounters an android named Isla. Things get tough for the boy as he develops feelings for Android. Unfortunately, Isla doesn’t have much time to live. There is a lot of drama in the anime that engages the audience until the very last episode. So have a good watch.
10. Made In Abyss
If you like watching adventure anime filled with suspense, you will love watching Made In Abyss. It revolves around a girl named Riko who aspires to follow her mother’s footprints, who was a top-level adventurer.
She dreams of exploring the depths of the abyss where dangers lurk occasionally. Each letter of the abyss brings something new. Though exploring the abyss is not a problem, unfortunately, those who choose to go down they can’t return.
The deeper one dives, the harder it gets to return to earth safely. Riko encounters a robotic boy named Reg and starts her adventures with him. Watching Riko going deep down will push you toward the edge of your seats.
9. Seraph of the End: Vampire Reign
The story takes us to a world where humanity fears viruses and vampires. A virus wreaks havoc in the world where many people above 13 lose their lives. In times of chaos, vampires vow to protect humanity at the cost of drinking their blood.
That is how humanity gets enslaved by the vampires. Following the orders of vampires was nothing less than hell. The main characters, Yuuichirou and Mikaela, vow to escape this brutal reality. However, they face difficulties on their way and lose some precious people. Later the anime follows the revenge story of Yuuichirou.
8. Mushoku Tensei
This is the story of a 34-year-old man who died living a monotonous sad life. The story highlights his second life as Rudeus Greyrat, where he gets everything he lacked in his past life. He was now in a world where magic and swordsmanship were as common as breathing.
Apparently, he was a kid, but in reality, he was a middle-aged man. This is what brought the element of humor to the anime. The beginning of the episode highlights Rudeus learning magic and becoming so fine that he becomes a prodigy at a very young age.
The middle of the anime highlights the entry of some evil guys who create havoc and chaos all around, which becomes hard for Rudeus to face. There is romance as well, which makes the anime intriguing to watch. Anime beginners must give this one a shot
7. Tokyo Magnitude 8.0
This is one of the most heartbreaking and emotional drama anime I have watched so far. The story follows the lives of two siblings named Mirai and Yuuki. Their family conditions were not so satisfying, and Mirai was extremely frustrated. When she and her brother go to Odaiba, they experience one of the most brutal moments of their lives.
As the title suggests, the siblings experience an earthquake magnitude of 8.0. To top it off, they were far from home. The duo struggles to find a safe place, and luckily they meet a woman who helps them. The anime is all about their ups and downs and the circumstances that the earthquake victims have to go through. If you like thrilling and breathtaking scenarios, this one is the perfect watch.
6. The Rising Of The Shield Hero
Who doesn’t know about this popular anime? It is some of the best isekai anime that has entangled the viewers with its engaging plot and strong characters. Those who like action, adventure, drama and fantasy can be glad to find this one.
This anime follows the life of a student named Naofumi who, along with 3 others, gets summoned to a game-like world. The summoner demands they fight against the villains to protect their world.
Everyone enjoyed great weapons except him. Naofumi was a shield hero, and everyone disliked him from the beginning. No one believes that a shield hero is strong enough to protect them.
Naofumi experienced the worst-case scenarios where he was humiliated, accused, betrayed, and disrespected to the point where he lost hope. There was nothing left in his life when he bought a slave Raphtalia.
He never treated her like a slave; their bond was the most precious. She was the one who brought light to his dark life, and things started to change for good. The duo joined the battles and protected the people who made Naofumi gain all he lost.
There is action and much drama that glues the viewers through the end. The initial episodes of the anime are extremely frustrating, but make sure to watch them.
5. Fullmetal Alchemist
This is the story of two alchemist brothers who wish to bring their dead mother back to life. The only way to bring the dead ones back is believed to be human transmutation which is highly forbidden.
Despite knowing the consequences, the duo performs it and ends up losing their body parts. One loses its limbs while the other it’s the whole body. Now the brothers wish to bring their bodies back; without them, living a normal life is impossible.
They learn that a philosopher’s stone can sort their problems, and they start their journey to find it there. The anime is one of the most popular and is famous as watch worthy worldwide.
4. Vampire Knight
If you like vampire love stories filled with drama and supernatural elements, you will love this one. Yuki Cross and Zero are responsible for maintaining discipline in the academy. The academy is mysterious as it entertains the humans in the morning and the vampires at night.
Things change for Yuki when she meets a handsome vampire named Kaname Kuran, who once saved her life from a vampire attack. She starts developing feelings for the boy, and Kaname loves her like none.
However, their love life gets complicated with ups and downs, and it gets difficult to know who she will end up with, either Zero or Kaname. So, my friends don’t ship any couples right from the beginning to avoid heartbreaks!
3. To Your Eternity
This is one of the saddest, suspenseful and adventurous stories. In this anime, we follow the orb changing its form into a stone, then an animal and finally into a human. Someone mysterious sent it to earth and kept his identity hidden.
Whenever someone dies, the MC can take its form. After taking the form of a human, he met multiple individuals and was named Fushi. He learned a lot from each one of them. The way the orb was groomed and evolved throughout the anime is extremely satisfying to watch.
The anime has a very unique concept, and it’s full of twists and turns. With each passing day, Fushi learns something new. The story gets more intriguing with the entry of some evil species called Nokers, who wish to take over the world.
2. Blast Of Tempest
This is the story of a boy named Yoshino who dates his best friend’s sister, Aika. Everything was running smoothly till her girlfriend died out of the blue. This comes as a shock to Aika’s brother Mahiro, and he vows to find the murderer.
Yoshino adds pets and things as it is and tries to move on with life. However, one day, a mysterious girl attacks her, but luckily, Mahiro saves him in time. The twists are revealed, and we learn that Mahiro seeked a witch’s help to find the murderer, and now the witch is in trouble.
The witch’s brother tries to get hold of her power; therefore, Mahiro must save her in time. The duo tries their best to protect the witch. Meanwhile, they wish to unveil the mystery of Aika’s death.
1. Attack On Titan
This is the best anime that is popular and is liked by everyone, whether they are drama or action lovers. The plot of AOT is worth praising. It’s filled with drama and action. The anime highlights a world where people live in fear of giants called Titan, who feed on human flesh.
To protect themselves, humans have built strong large walls surrounding them. Unfortunately, when one of the wars breaks out, Titans create havoc, amidst which people lose their lives and loved ones.
Among all this, Eren Yeager lost his mother. He and his friend Mikasa Join military afterward, where they train to fight against the Titans. However, it is not easy for mere humans to compete against giants; therefore, the twists begin when Eren transforms into a Titan himself. This was just the beginning of the story that kept getting more and more intriguing with time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Apart from the big 3, one should watch Demon Slayer, Attack On Titan, and Death Note.
Although anime is hugely popular worldwide, it’s the most popular in Japan.
Conclusion
Finally, we are done with the list of best drama anime. All of them are popular for different reasons, and I bet you will enjoy watching them. Some are famous for their action, while others are famous for engaging twists and turns. Watch them, and let me know your thoughts in the comments.
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