10 anime to watch if you like Higehiro

Higehiro tackles the sensitive subject of relationships with substantial age gaps. This anime follows the lives of Yoshida, a young adult, and Sayu, a teenage runaway. After taking Sayu into his home, Yoshida helps her navigate various hardships.

Their bond develops into a meaningful, platonic relationship that explores themes of support and emotional growth. If you were drawn to this thought-provoking anime, consider exploring 10 other series that also deliver compelling human stories spotlighting personal growth and intergenerational relationships.

Some of these series feature controversial age-gap couples like Higehiro, while others focus more on mentors guiding youths. Either way, these anime picks handle mature themes around people discovering themselves and forging connections.

10 anime for fans of Higehiro

1) Usagi Drop

Usagi Drop tells the story of Daikichi, a 30-year-old bachelor who suddenly becomes the guardian of Rin, his grandfather's illegitimate 6-year-old daughter.

Faced with an abrupt entrance into parenthood, Daikichi struggles but grows exponentially by selflessly nurturing Rin. This slice-of-life anime highlights the natural bonds that form through caretaking, mirroring the nurturing aspects of Yoshida and Sayu's relationship in Higehiro.

It illustrates personal growth in adulthood spurred by accepting responsibility for a child's well-being. The sweet dynamic makes viewers think more deeply about familial love.

2) Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day

Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day (Image via A-1 Pictures)

This drama anime focuses on a group of teenagers who have grown apart after the tragic childhood death of their friend Menma. One summer, Menma's ghost mysteriously reappears to one friend, Jinta, insisting he grant her wish so she can move on. This forces the estranged friends to reunite.

While Anohana does not involve a significant age difference, it shares with Higehiro an exploration of healing through interpersonal bonds and confronting past trauma. Both anime use emotional depth to depict how connections can mend broken spirits.

3) My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU

My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU (Image via Brain's Base, Studio Feel)

Oregairu, as it's nicknamed, follows Hachiman Hikigaya, a cynical high schooler who views life and relationships with bitterness and negativity. Through his experiences with a cold and logical classmate, Yukino, in a club that helps others, Hachiman gradually learns to have more faith in people.

Here, the central pairing has less of an age gap but still showcases a compelling dynamic between two teens overcoming emotional barriers. With well-developed characters and a thoughtful exploration of human nature through Hachiman's eyes, this anime offers depth similar to Higehiro.

4) Kokoro Connect

This supernatural drama explores five high schoolers bound together by randomly swapping bodies. As the friends experience life from each other's perspectives, they expose their deepest insecurities and develop intimacy, both for better and worse.

Like Higehiro, Kokoro Connect delves into complex relationship dynamics and personal growth, framed by the challenges of adolescence. Seeing different perspectives forges connections but also surfaces substantial personal issues. The mix of comedy and drama provides an impactful narrative.

5) March Comes in Like a Lion

March Comes in Like a Lion (Image via Shaft)

A coming-of-age drama, this anime follows Rei Kiriyama, a 17-year-old professional shogi player plagued by depression stemming from a fractured family and bullying.

He meets Akari, a kind woman who becomes an emotional support alongside her two lively young sisters. Rei's bond with Akari is nurturing and familial, reflecting the emotional support seen in Yoshida and Sayu's dynamic in Higehiro.

Both anime explore the healing effects of meaningful relationships for individuals struggling with emotional isolation.

6) Toradora!

This popular rom-com features Ryuuji and Taiga, two high schoolers who appear delinquent but are actually kind at heart.

Through wacky schemes to help each other romance their crushes, they eventually realize they are perfect for one another despite being total opposites. The focus on personal growth and the evolving friendship-turned-romance between these two teens offers a heartfelt dynamic.

Fans of Higehiro may enjoy the emotional depth in Toradora!, even though its themes differ slightly.

7) Clannad: After Story

Clannad: After Story (Image via Kyoto Animation)

This emotional drama continues the youthful romance between Tomoya and Nagisa into early adulthood as the two marry and build a life together through hardships related to family, health, and coming of age.

While it differs in themes from Higehiro, Clannad: After Story tackles the complexities of growing up and the intricacies of loving relationships. It is a heavy yet heartwarming exploration of two souls helping each other mature and connect more deeply despite profound challenges on their path.

8) ReLIFE

When 27-year-old Arata fails at life, he gets a second chance to restart by mysteriously reliving high school for one year. However, he must take an experimental pill that reverses him to age 17 again.

As he navigates high school and befriends his earnest classmate Chizuru, Arata's perspective on what maturity means transforms. ReLIFE shares themes of personal growth and coming of age with Higehiro.

While it explores age differences in a unique context, its focus lies more on introspection and second chances rather than caretaking.

9) Erased

This sci-fi thriller follows Satoru, a 29-year-old struggling manga artist who possesses a strange ability that allows him to return to the past to prevent deadly accidents.

When his mother is murdered, Satoru revives at age 10 to unravel the mystery behind her death and protect his loved ones in the era he relives. The protective bond between the adult-minded Satoru and his young classmate Kayo offers a poignant relationship.

Though different in premise, both Erased and Higehiro explore how compassion and responsibility can lead to emotional healing.

10) Welcome to the NHK

When Tatsuhiro, a 22-year-old depressed hikikomori shut-in, meets Misaki, an 18-year-old girl claiming she can cure him, he is drawn into her unusual methods to have him reintegrate into society.

As they support each other through immense personal issues, the two lost souls slowly heal together. This psychological anime provides another complex bond rooted in overcoming personal struggles.

NHK delivers a thoughtful narrative for fans who enjoyed Higehiro’s exploration of darker themes.

Conclusion

If you liked Higehiro for its soulful relationships that prompt reflection and growth, these 10 anime titles should resonate. They feature coming-of-age themes, psychological depth, unconventional connections, and captivating characters in dramatic narratives that linger long after watching.

Give these meaningful anime series a try next. With impactful storytelling centered around self-discovery, mutual support, and gradual evolution through life's complexities, fans of Higehiro will find these shows hit all the right notes as well.