Like many, Parn is a knight of humble origins. He grew up in a remote village, where his only worry was a nearby band of goblins. He was ostracized by the townsfolk for the damaged reputation of his father, a supposedly dishonored knight who Parn remembers as a brave and noble man. He leaves the village with his best friend, seeking adventure and the truth behind his father’s past. Parn is considered a free knight, in service to no land or liege, but rather the cause of justice. He adventures with a somewhat ragtag group of companions who respect his leadership, and understand the nobility in his heart that guides them. Time and again his wields his sword to save those he encounters from their perilous plights, regardless of status; his sword serves both noble kings and humble peasants alike. Although he searches for answers to his father’s past, he never forgets where he came from, or how he was raised.

Arawn is proof that reputation doesn’t necessarily make the knight. At the beginning of the series, he is known as The Great Demon King, long dead, to be resurrected by the evil sorcerer, Drwc for his own dastardly deeds. To accomplish this, Drwc attempts to sacrifice Riannon, the astral seer from the Gael tribe. Upon reawakening as a human, and seeing the despair and distress in Riannon’s heart, Arawn flips the script, and ends Drwc and his evil ambitions once and for all. Tears to Tiara is heavily inspired by Dark Age mythology, and as such, Arawn is a fallen angel, banished by his peers for his compassion towards mankind, which was instilled by his adoptive “father,” Myrddin. After becoming the unwitting, de-facto chieftain of the Gael tribe, Arawn engages in a war for justice against the evil Empire, who seek to subjugate and destroy others like them. Throughout the course of the story, Arawn proves time and again that his valor is matched only by his divine abilities, as he defends those closest to him despite the risks involved to his once-immortal form.

Claymore is set in an island nation with 47 districts (much like Japan) where humans are plagued by shape-shifting monsters called Yoma, who feed on the terrified populace. They are protected by Claymores, half-human half-Yoma hybrids possessing super-human strength and abilities (as well as giant swords, claymores), but are fated to eventually succumb to their demonic instincts. The show follows a Claymore named Clare, who saves a young man name Raki from a Yoma who has slain his family and devastated his village. Clare is a silver-eyed witch of the lowest rank, which belies her true abilities. Her origin story is much like that of Raki, as she was saved from a life of savagery as a Yoma by her mentor Teresa, another Claymore. When Teresa was struck down, Clare’s thirst for revenge and justice, two sides of the same coin, became her reason for living. She battles tirelessly to improve her abilities, and although she appears cold and aloof, her passion often breaks through her veneer, especially when it comes to the safety of her friends. As she proves to her enemies time and again, she isn’t to be underestimated.

Before rising to fame during the events in the game, Flynn Scifo and Yuri Lowell were initiate knights in the Niren Corps. Having grown up in the lower part of the empire, essentially slums, they learned the true disparity between the happy but downtrodden citizens of the lower empire, and the frivolous excess of the noble class above. They decided to do their best to rise above their circumstances, by training to become knights and fight for justice. At the heart of the friendship between Flynn and Yuri is an ideological conflict representative of the knighthood, and society at large. Yuri is tired of bureaucracy and wants results. Flynn is the classic white knight who proves discretion is the better part of valor; by the books, and willing to throw himself into the center of any battle to keep his comrades safe. But because of his rigid ideology, innocent people suffer, and he remains trapped inside the system that has created such a vast gap between the wealthy and poor in the first place. However, his tireless efforts to do what is right allow him to rise up in the ranks of the knighthood, and offer him the opportunity to enact real change.

Ikki Kurogane has the poise and grit required of a true knight. In a world where knights are evaluated on their magical abilities, a man devoid of magical ability like Kurogane develops a reputation that dishonors his clarity of mind, and swordsmanship. Dubbed “the worst one” by his peers, it’s up to Kurogane to shake up the status quo, and change the system by proving that a knight is more than raw ability. Ikki Kurogane has unrivaled abilities in combat, and is able to conquer fierce competitors through careful consideration of his opponent’s abilities and character, before going all out on the offensive with his killer technique. But the most shining quality he displays, besides his refusal to accept the expectations of others, is his willingness to support those close to him, and help them in their times of need. This is proven time and again through his patience in dealing with Stella, the way he cheers on his sister, and the way he assists the swordswoman Ayase, despite her ulterior motives. He is a knight in heart and in deed, and is always willing to rise to a challenge.

Queen’s Blade is another show that revolves around a tournament. This time, the tourney is the titular Queen’s Blade, held every four years in the capital city to determine who will become the next in line of powerful, gorgeous monarchs. While the civil stability of such a system is dubious, it provides plenty of opportunity for true warriors to prove their knightly valor. One such warrior is Leina. As the middle sister of the aristocratic Vance Family, she forfeits her role as heir in search of adventure, in the hopes of living up to the legacy of her mother, a famed warrior in her own right. She joins the tournament donned in glorious silver armor, with her longsword, Evindil. She more than holds her own in the tournament, and when the series scope advances beyond the confines of the tournament, she travels the land with cause, aiding those in need, and eventually assisting in a rebellion against an evil monarch.

In the long running series, Fairy Tail is the name of a daffy guild of wizards known for the collateral damage involved in getting the job done. When protagonist Lucy leaves home and is invited into the guild by the dragon-like wizard Natsu, she becomes part of a ragtag band that takes on any job in the name of good. Whether it’s breaking up criminal cartels, busting the heads of illegals guilds, or defeating demons summoned by the dark wizard Zeref, they’re the crew for the job. Especially the red headed, vivacious, ever-changing armored wizard Erza Scarlet. As a sword mage, she has access to an incredible array of martial skills and equipment that make her swordplay seem, well… magical. Her slender figure belies the incredible strength she can bring to bear, and her reflexes combined with her keen intellect and magical prowess make her a force on the battlefield not to be underestimated. Off the battlefield, she maintains a strict standard of discipline befitting her role as a knight. She has a powerful sense of justice, buoyed by the sense of pride she feels in the work that she does with her fellow guild members.

True knights are able to maintain their sense of justice despite the circumstances in a world gone mad, and none demonstrate this better than the black knight of Pars, Daryun. His ability in battle has earned him a fearsome reputation and the respect of his fellow officers, and his combat instincts nearly saved his fellow knights their gruesome end on the battlefield, after the cruel betrayal of Kharlan. Nearly. Following the defeat at the hands of Lusitania, Daryun fights with every ounce of valor available to ensure the safety of the crown prince, Arslan, to whom he swore a sacred oath of loyalty. Despite his thirst for vengeance, which fills the hole left in him by defeat and loss, he demonstrates his loyalty to the fallen kingdom and prince time and time again. Fortunately for Arslan, he has a one-man army on his side, seeking justice and aiding him on his quest.

Code Geass is set in an alternate-reality Earth where there are only three major superpowers vying for dominance; The Holy Britannia Empire, The Chinese Federation, and The European Union. Britannia gains the upper hand in the conflict when they deploy a new combat weapon in order to subjugate Japan, the Autonomous Armored Knights, which are giant mechs capable of great destruction. It was during the war in Japan that Suzaku Kuruugi, son of the, then, prime minister, learned the true cost of peace. Because he believed that it would help peacefully resolve the conflict, he murdered his father, paving the way for Britannia’s occupation. His misunderstanding of the conflict caused him intense guilt, but also ignited a desire to truly stop the war, and improve the lives of the people for his oppressive adoptive nation. Suzaku, like other characters on the list, refuses to compromise his moral integrity, and believes that it is possible to change corrupt systems from within, by putting people with a strong sense of justice in positions of power. As the series progresses, Suzaku loses sight of the morals he once held so dear, and finds himself on the business end of his own moral code. He is proof that even the whitest knight can be tarnished by the grim reality of war.

The lore of Fate/stay night is dense and complicated. Without over explaining the premise, know that it’s set in a world where magical warriors compete in the Holy Grail War. The warrior declared the winner is granted their deepest wishes. While the premise of the show is a simple tournament, the world feels alive and lived-in, and explores mature themes, all through flashy combat befitting spell-slinging swordsmen. Or swordswomen, in the case of Saber, aka Arturia Pendragon. Her background is inspired by Arthurian legend, and she more than lives up to her namesake. While her appearance in the show is timely, and in the service of the main protagonist Shiro, underneath her quiet demeanor is a heart of a lion, which manifests itself on the battlefield. Although her looks match her swordsmanship, she views herself as a knight first and foremost. She is relentless in her pursuit of the Holy Grail, much like King Arthur himself, as she sees it as her only way to do right by her kingdom.

The first category of kouhai is probably the most well-known one: kouhai at school. Here, the hierarchy is obvious since all students are supposed to respect their upperclassmen. These kouhai are especially prone to developing feelings for their senpai, since they are older, seem to have everything figured out and are the kings and queens of the school.

Our first kouhai is Chiyo from Monthly Girls' Nozaki-kun who is everything you’d expect a kouhai to be: innocent, excited, gullible and committed to always give her best. So it should come as no surprise that she takes up the courage to confess her feelings to Umetarou Nozaki, her mysterious and cool high school crush. He, however, is as oblivious as only a guy can be and thinks she is a fan of his Shoujo mangas. But that won’t stop our energetic Chiyo and she decides to become Nozaki’s assistant in order to make him realize her feelings. Let’s see how that will work out for her. In this anime you get to see how senpai/kouhai relationships work for students. At school, Nozaki, Mikoto and Chiyo attend the same grade which puts them eye to eye. However, when it comes to Nozaki’s work the guys are clearly more experienced than Chiyo. This gives them the right to command the girl around and leave all the tedious tasks like buying coffee or cleaning up to her. In a way, schools are very unique environments with their own rules and hierarchy systems that do not necessarily have to translate into the student’s private lives. If you want to see a stereotypical kouhai character, especially combined with a high school setting, then you should check out Monthly Girls' Nozaki-kun. Not only will it teach you more about Japanese hierarchy, but also entertain you with its hilarious jokes.

Graduating from college doesn’t mean your kouhai days are finally over. On the contrary, once you join a company your climb up the social ladder starts all over again. There will be new senpai, new struggles and a lot more tasks that fall to you as a newcomer. Let’s meet a kouhai working at an extraordinary workplace, shall we?

Working!! is one of the most well-known Slice of Life shows when it comes to depicting the everyday struggles of a crazy workplace. Thankfully, main character and lover of everything cute and adorable Takanashi seems to fit right in. This story is set in a typical family restaurant in the northern island of Hokkaido, Japan. The setting is however the only thing that is typical about this show since the main cast is as diverse and unique as they come. We have a waitress who is terrified of men, a violent manager, a woman wearing a katana and a 17-year-old girl with a height complex. Does Takanashi have what it takes to join their world? Since Takanashi is the newest staff member he obviously has to adapt to his new situation and learn all the tricks and tips of his coworkers. Especially at the beginning of the anime you get to see how a senpai is supposed to mentor his kouhai and teach him everything he needs to know. That not only includes whatever Takanashi needs to know about being a server, but especially everything he needs to know about his eccentric coworkers. What makes this story so interesting though is the hilarious relationship between Takanashi and Popura. Due to her experience she is obviously his senpai, but that is about everything that Takanashi respects about her since Popura is a short high school student who looks more like a small kid than a girl who is about to graduate. Comedy is ensured and you, as a viewer, get to realize that some senpai/kouhai relationships are more complicated than others.

Schools and companies make it easy to categorize between kouhai and senpai. But there are situations where no one gives you the official title of kouhai, yet you still know that there are people who you need to respect. Usually this hierarchy comes down to who has more experience and who can teach you something valuable. So let’s introduce one more kouhai character who will show you that there are senpai in all parts of life, even in magic.

All fans of dark shows with unexpected twists and turns should already know about this little gem. If not, you are definitely missing out on a great show. Madoka Kaname is your typical school girl: she loves her family, enjoys spending time with her friends and keeps wondering about what her future will look like. But everything changes when new people step into her life. The first one is Homura Akemi, a mysterious transfer student. The second one is Kyuubey, a mythical being who promises Madoka to fulfill her deepest wish. And the last one is Mami Tomoe, a magical girl who will soon become Madoka’s teacher and mentor. You could argue that being a magical girl is a profession and Madoka should therefore be included in the previous category. But it is not simply the techniques of hunting witches that Mami teaches Madoka and her friend Miki. She wants to show them her world and make them understand what they have to give up in order to become like her. In a way, Mami teaches Madoka more about life than any of her teachers ever have. Also, even though Madoka understands that Mami has a lot to teach her, she also knows that there are things she needs to do by herself. This is the best case scenario where a kouhai will first listen to all the advice he or she is given and then go on to make independent decisions. There is a point where every kouhai needs to let go and do his or her own things. Madoka shows the transformation of being thrown into a world she knows nothing about to becoming better than her senpai has ever been. A truly outstanding kouhai.

Set in Shanghai in 1931, global conflicts start to reach a fever pitch. With secret complex conspiracies afoot, nations all over the world are in danger of destroying each other and themselves. Enter Sakurai Agency; a secret Japanese intelligence agency whose spy ranks are filled with clairvoyants, telepaths and other ability users. These agents are charged with unraveling the tangled plots that threaten the world and eliminating them. This one is probably the most similar of the list. Set in the 1930s like Joker Game, Night Raid also brings us a highly skilled spy agency that is basically in charge of finding out all the secret plots that threaten peace and somehow foiling them. The difference between D Agency and Sakurai Agency is only that the agents of Sakurai have superhuman powers. This is another Military and Historical show with a bit of Super Powers in the mix that you’ll surely enjoy if you like Joker Game!

In 1968, during the Vietnam War, a young mysterious medical student shows unbelievable skills with the surgical knife. He gets involved in situations where his abilities become known and he gains notoriety in certain circles. He sees himself involved with dangerous and shady characters, all in the name of medicine and the Hippocratic oath he aims to take at the end of his studies. That’s if the criminal underworld and corruption don’t get in his way. Set a little later in history, Young Black Jack focuses on Kuro Hazama as he pursues his medical career during the Vietnam War. Even though he is not a spy, he sees himself involved with dark secrets and conspiracies as well as corruption and blackmail. And while we only follow Kuro as opposed to a group of young men, he is incredibly skilled at his craft, much like the spies in Joker Game are, except it’s medicine. Despite the differences, I believe Young Black Jack has a more similar feel to Joker Game than Baccano!, which is also set in the 1930s and is our next entry!

In the early 1700s, alchemists discover the secret of immortality and its cost on board of the Advena Avis. Jump ahead to the 1930s in New York and we have Szilard, a scientist, and his assistant Ennis who are looking for missing bottles of the immortality elixir. The Flying Pussyfoot is about to start its journey from Chicago, and there’s a war amongst Mafiosos. Somehow, thanks to a couple of thieves, Isaac and Miria, all these people and events will connect and there will be consequences! At first glance, the only thing Baccano! And Joker Game have in common is the 1930s. However, we also have highly skilled characters, like Felix Walken who is an assassin, acrobat and train conductor. Baccano! is a Historical, Mystery Seinen with a good dose of badass characters that will keep you entertained until the next episode of Joker Game. And, it also has a similar soundtrack!

Golgo 13 a.k.a. Duke Togo is an incredibly skilled assassin with an unknown past. He is a talented marksman, cold and calculating and always gets the job done. As long as he is offered the right amount of money, he will take jobs from anybody. Oh, and of course, he’s a ladies’ man! The Golgo 13 manga is actually the longest running manga still in production and its main character has been referred to as a darker James Bond. Golgo 13 isn’t necessarily a spy, though he needs the skills of one, and if he’s being compared to James Bond, you know he has the talent and the moves. Like the spies in Joker Game he knows how to woo a lady (or several!) and he is cold and ruthless when it comes to completing his mission. Golgo 13 is realistic and a bit darker than Joker Game, and it’ll give you your dose of intrigue and action with a punch!

Rainbow takes place in 1955 and it follows the story of 6 young teenage delinquents who get sent to Shounan Special Reform School on serious criminal charges. In the prison, they meet an older inmate, Rokurouta Sakuragi, who is a former boxer and guides them through their tough life in prison. Together they aim to survive the abuse and humiliations they are put through and then try to piece their lives together after completing their sentences. Rainbow is most definitely not a spy anime. However, we do have a group of young boys whose life situations have gotten them into a lifestyle that is less than average. Through training and cooperation, they grow together and develop to face the next stage of their lives. It is also set in the 1950s so it has that historical feel to it too. It gets pretty dark though, so just keep that in mind.

Far in the future, wars are no longer fought by infantry. Giant round tanks with multiple high tech weapons called Objects do all the fighting. Qwenthur Barbotage and Havia Winchell are two young men who are part of the 37th Mobile Maintenance Battalion and support the Legitimate Kingdom’s Object, the Baby Magnum. During a battle, they are confronted with an Object with only their camo fatigues and standard issue weapons. The way they deal with the situation will change the face of warfare and their lives. Ok, so this one is not set in the past and it doesn’t involve a group of boys. But what it does have is tense international relations, conspiracies, spies here and there and highly skilled boys who can get out of almost any situation possible. Qwenthur and Havia both have pretty cushy pasts compared to some of the boys in Joker Game or Rainbow, but they still support each other, learn and develop to continue on the path life has put them on.

Hyouka is the story of Houtarou Oreki, a very Tanaka like character, who trades an energetic spirit for calm and repose. His total opposite, Eru Chitanda, is active, expressive and curious, much like Miyano in Tanaka-Kun. Houtarou ends up joining the classics club, and gets plunged into uncovering a long-standing school mystery. Tanaka-Kun has had it's episodes feature self-contained stories albeit with overarching character developments, all with a calm and collected main character and it's here where the biggest similarities wit Hyouka lie. Hyouka is also very visually stunning, perhaps more so than Tanaka-kun which is a good looking series in it's own right now.

Minami-ke follows the Minami sisters: Haruka, Chiaki and Kana. This is a Slice of Life series to the bone, with no real overarching plot to speak of. Most of the series takes place at the various schools of the sisters or at home. Among the sisters, Kana is the energetic and outgoing one while Chiaki is the more mild-mannered one. Meanwhile, Haruna's personality is a happy medium between the two. This series really is a show about nothing in it's lack of a dramatic arc, but instead manages to make the most mundane thing into something hilarious much like Tanaka-kun. It's interesting to see how they can turn the most basic parts of life into great gags. It's SoL style makes it a perfect segue from a 4koma adaptation like Tanaka-Kun. The episodic plot-line deals with the random, everyday occurrences in the sisters lives. This is a great comedy, with a warm, comfortable aesthetic and art-style, just like Tanaka-kun.

Tonari no Seki-Kun is about high school student Yokoi, and the relationship with her classroom neighbor, Seki. Seki has an incredible ability for focusing his efforts on what he's not supposed to, and creating elaborate distractions during class-time. However, Yokoi's imagination also plays a huge role in the interplay between the two. Seki could just be moving around some shogi pieces, and Yokoi can imagine an all out battle between feuding samurai. However, Seki-kun's elaborate distractions never seem to land him in hot water, and Yokoi instead gets in trouble. Like Tanaka Kun, Tonari always tries to get it's gags through subtle variations to mundane situations. It's also easily digestible, with just 7 minute episodes, and though Tanaka Kun is a standard length series, both are fun SoL comedies throughout.

Flying Witch is also currently airing alongside Tanaka-Kun, and I found the two very similar right from the onset. It's the story of Makoto Kowata, a 15 year old from Yokohama and a witch. She leaves the big city to move in with relatives in Aomori, the northern tip of Honshu, and begins studying in being a witch. It's there she lives with cousins Kei and Chinatsu, who show her the ways of rural life. Flying Witch and Tanaka-kun are both slice of life comedy series, but the comparison doesn't just end there. The way the scenes in Tanaka-Kun always focus on the atmosphere to really draw you into the way Tanaka is feeling, the same care for atmosphere is taken in Flying Witch. Moreover, the sense of humor is also alike, with a lot of very laid-back gags that are still quite funny. They both have such a calm, relaxed demeanor in how the episodes are structured, and Flying Witch seems to bring characters in and out of the story in a similar episodic way we see in Tanaka-kun. If you like Tanaka, Flying Witch is definitely up your alley.

Non Non Biyori takes place in Asahigaoka, a small rural village and focuses on the only actual class in the only actual school in town. In it, we have 4 students of different ages from the witty and curious Renge, siblings Suguru and Komari and finally the mischievous Natsumi. The arrival of a 5th student, the Tokyo born and highly mature Hotaru, rounds out the cast. The characters all go about their daily lives and examine the daily life when you live in the countryside. Non Non Biyori and Tanaka-kun share the same director, Shina Kawatsura. They're also both Silver Link shows and a lot of the same staff worked on both series. I think I can see a lot of Non Non Biyori in Tanaka-kun, and not just for the standard stuff like both being SoL School comedies. Non Non Biyori was very focused on having engaging characters, and telling a heartwarming story. The characters are also similar in that they're all pretty normal people but maybe have one out of the ordinary aspect about them. For example, Tanaka has his listlessness, and Renge from Non Non Biyori, has her unusual pool of knowledge, beyond what you would expect of a 5th grader. In a way, Tanaka-kun and Non Non Biyori are creative siblings, so be sure to check out both.

K-on! Just like Non Non Biyori and Tanaka-kun , has a focus on having engaging, memorable characters. The series follows Yui Hirasawa as she joins the school's light music club. Yui wants to learn the guitar despite not knowing anything about it and having no musical experience. But through the friendships she starts with her fellow club members, Mio Akiyama, Ritsu Tainka, Tsumugi Kotobuki and later, Azusa Nakano, she develops as a musician and a person. While a lot of K-On! Is just pure episodic fun, there is a lot of overarching character development going on with a subtle and slow progression. K-on! Is all about disparate people coming together and forging life-long bonds, and the strengths of it's friendships between different personalities remind me heavily of Tanaka and Oota.

The protagonist in Junjou Romantica is a naive boy whose name is Misaki Takahashi. He is an 18-year-old boy who is just preparing to enter university, but as his grades are very low, his older brother tries to help him by calling his best friend – Usami Akihiko – and have him be Misaki's tutor. As reluctant as Misaki can be, he accepts his help. The situation gets worse when, due to his job, Misaki's brother has to move in another city. That's when Akihiko, who is a famous writer, offers Misaki a place to live, with one condition: he can freeload at his home, but has to do all the house chores. By living together, little by little, Misaki and Akihiko's relationship evolves. Akihiko falls in love with Misaki, while Misaki, even though he tries to deny it, grows very fond of Akihiko as well. That's when their love story begins! To see what makes Junjou Romantica and Super Lovers so similar is very easy. First of all, Misaki is an orphan that had his brother providing for him, giving up to his studies; that's basically what happens in Super Lovers as well. When Haru's parents die in a car accident, Haru starts working to provide for their brothers, dreaming to some day live together with them. The huge age gap between Akihiko and Misaki, is similar to the age gap between Haru and Ren. What's more, Haru and Akihiko share a similar character, as they keep on jumping on their beloved ones unannounced. At the same time, Misaki and Ren share the same reactions to those attacks; in fact they look reluctant in the beginning, even though they have a deep feeling for the other party as well. Moreover, Misaki and Akihiko starts living together due to some circumstances; the same thing happens in Super Lovers. When the twin brothers graduate from high school, and Ren comes back from Canada, Haru rents a house where they can finally start a new life all together, as a family. Maybe it's pointless to point it out, but these two shows share a shounen-ai theme, and both have a drama and a comedy trait as well. What are you waiting for? Your next step after realizing that you like Super Lovers has to be Junjou Romantica!

Let's go on with another little kid, with a broken home. When his older brother, Seimei, is killed Ritsuka Aoyagi is left with an insane mother to take care of, as his only family. Tables turn when Ritsuka moves to a new school, and meets a mysterious guy whose name is Soubi Agatsuma. Soubi shows an entirely new world to Ritsuka; the world of the “Fighters”. Basically, a fighting pair is created whenever two people share the same fighting name, and the two fight together. One is the “sacrifice”, while the other is the “fighter”, meaning that while one attacks, the other defends. As Soubi and Ritsuka get to know each other better, Ritsuka discovers that Soubi and Seimei were a fighting pair, as they shared the same name – “Beloved”. With Ritsuka wanting to know more about his older brother's past, and Soubi wanting to discover the truth behind his murder, the two will start fighting together, in spite not sharing the same name – Ritsuka's fighting name is “Loveless”. Although Loveless has a more serious tone with it, we can't deny some similarities with Super Lovers. For starters, we find in both the shows a tragedy that starts a concatenation of events drawing two, or more people closer. In Loveless it's the death of Ritsuka's older brother; in Super Lovers it's the car accident that killed Haru's parents. Another important thing that these two shows share is the age gap between the main protagonists, and the bond they share while taking care of each other. What's more, little by little the relationship between Ritsuka and Soubi evolves. Ritsuka starts to feel something deeper for Soubi, while Soubi sees the unforgotten Seimei every time he looks at Ritsuka. The same thing happens in Super Lovers, as the relationship between Haru and Ren evolves from simple brotherly love, to something deeper; so it's clear as daylight that these two shows share a shounen-ai element. Although Loveless has a more serious orientation, and has a supernatural thematic with it as well, we can assure you that you will like it, just how you like Super Lovers!

Let's talk about this show that just started airing and is bound to be a little masterpiece among the shoujo shows! Shounen Maid is a story revolving around an elementary school boy, named Chihiro Komiya. He is just your common elementary school boy, energetic and cheerful. The situation turns for the worse when his mother suddenly dies. Chihiro is left without a home, without relatives and with no clue about what to do. That's the moment when a man, Takatori Madoka, shows up in front of him. Madoka claims to be his uncle, and offers Chihiro a place to stay, with the promise to take care of him. Chihiro refuses right away, but the moment he steps in his uncle's huge home and realizes in what dirty state the house is, he starts to clean it, following what his mother had taught him. That's the moment when Madoka will come up with another offer; that Chihiro will live with him, doing the housework in exchange! Even in Shounen Maid we find a tragedy that begins to draw other people closer. In fact, just how the death of Chihiro's mother draws closer he and Madoka, the death of Haru's parents draws closer the four brothers. In Shounen Maid we find a new setting for the little Chihiro, who will find himself living with his uncle; at the same time, Ren in Super Lovers will find himself living with his new brothers. Moreover, Chihiro and Madoka have a huge age gap; that same age gap can be found between Ren and Haru. Both these show are amazingly good because, even though they start from a tragedy, they turn out to have some comedy parts that can start some very hilarious moments. Plus, Madoka and Haru share some similar character aspects, like for example the fact that they seem to be almost always smiling and happy-go-lucky. So, what are you waiting for? Go add this show to the must-see of this season, and you won't be disappointed!

This time, let's talk about a show that is funny and relaxing this time! The undisputed protagonist this time is Izumi Sena, a boy blessed by good luck. In fact, he was born in a family of stars as both his parents are famous actors, and his older brother, Shougo, is the leader of a famous band – the Crusherz. In spite the premises, though, Izumi Sena has only one passion: Magic Girl LalaLulu. Izumi is a major otaku who just started university, dreaming to become a famous mangaka someday! When he was little, he was coerced by his parents to appear on a TV commercial. Ten years after, when he is forced to re-appear in a TV commercial, he reunites with the boy who co-starred with him back then, Ryouma Ichijou. That's the moment when is wonderful otaku life changes drastically, as Ryouma falls in love with him, mistaking him for a cute girl! Love Stage!! and Super Lovers share the same shounen-ai themes. Even though the background is totally different, we can clearly see some similarities in these two shows. Let's start with the relationship that Izumi shares with his brother Shougo. Well, Shougo has a brother complex, in fact he pampered his little brother, and treats him as a little fragile thing to be protected. Just like that, Haru does the same with his twin brothers first, and with the little Ren later on. Shougo and Haru share this same trait, as they are madly in love with their brothers. As for the couple, Ryouma and Izumi interact the same way Haru and Ren do. Although when Ryouma discovers that Izumi is a boy, after he overcomes the shock, he tries hard to have Izumi fall in love with him. So he starts to support Izumi and his dream of becoming a mangaka. Their relationship is similar to the one shared by Haru and Ren as Izumi, exactly like Ren, is very reluctant in the beginning. This is just a facade, though, because both Ren and Izumi actually are very fond of the other party as well. It's not a stretch, if you like Super Lovers and its atmosphere, Love Stage!! can give you a laughter and a relaxing time all the same!

Let's go on with a dark anime involving gods of death! This story revolves around a 26-year-old guy, Asato Tsuzuki, who died in mysterious circumstances and now works as a god of death for the Jouhcho organization. His job is to assure the dead to their own realms, and even though he works as a god of death since a long time, he still couldn't manage to find a partner who stuck with him until the end – as the gods of death work as a pair. The situation changes when he finally finds another partner. Hisoka Kurosaki is a 16-year-old serious and stubborn god of death that will help Asato with the investigations related to a twisted serial killer named Muraki Kazutaka. As the story goes on, they will discover the truth behind their past, and their relationship will grow closer. What makes Super Lovers and Yami No Matsuei so similar is easy to see. For starters, in Yami No Matsuei we can find the same shounen-ai themes that we find in Super Lovers. The relationship between Hisoka and Asato is very similar to the one between Ren and Haru. The huge age gap between the two is the first thing that we can notice, but there's more to it. Ren and Hisoka are younger than Asato and Haru, and yet they are way more mature and serious than the older ones. In fact, we can almost feel that it's Hisoka's role to act as an older brother for Asato, exactly how we feel the same with Ren. That aside, although Yami No Matsuei has a horror trait with it, both the stories of our protagonists start with a tragedy. That same tragedy allowed Hisoka and Asato to grow fond of each other, exactly how it happened for Ren and Haru. While Yami No Matsuei seems to be darker than Super Lovers, they sure are similar. So make sure to give Yami No Matsuei a shot, if you're enjoying Super Lovers!

Let's close this list with this amazing show, born as a manga from the wise Abe Miyuki's pen as well as Super Lovers, and adapted into an anime later on! This story revolves around Shino Inuzuka and Sousuke Inukawa, two boys who died when their village was turned into ashes, but managed to come back to life due to some circumstances. Together with them, as a family, there's a cute girl named Hamaji, who shares with both of them a past where she lost everything. Shino and Sousuke share the same peony-shaped birthmark. Their situation turns for the worse when the Church shows up, forcing them to find the mystical gems and the other six people who share that same peony-shaped birthmark, if they don't want to face a terrible destiny. That's how Shino and Sousuke's adventure begins, in search of the other six people with whom they'll form the Eight Dogs of the East! The similarities between Super Lovers and Hakkenden are more than clear. First of it all, they both were born from Abe Miyuki's pen. Although Hakkenden is a shoujo, we can't deny the reality of the deep relationship between Sousuke and Shino. Shino is trapped in the body of a 12-year-old boy ever since he was saved by death, so we can see the same brotherly love between an older brother taking care of the younger one. In fact, Sousuke, Shino and Hamaji grew up together as a family in an orphanage. Different situations, but the theme of the family is very strong in both these shows. What's more, Super Lovers and Hakkenden start both with tragic past events. Those happenings allowed our protagonists to deepen the nature of their relationship, and to take care of each other. With similar art styles, same thematic, and born from the same mangaka before being adapted into anime, who is enjoying Super Lovers, will love Hakkenden all the same! Even though their genre is different, some bromance elements will pop up here and there; despite the basic drama element, the comedy parts will keep everything on the right balance. Just trust us, and you won't be disappointed!