Drama anime and manga
The guide lists 889 titles tagged drama. The genre peaked in the 2000s (236 titles). Studios with the most drama titles: Nippon Animation (23), Sunrise (18) and Toei Animation (17). It often comes paired with romance, fantasy and science fiction.
Best-known drama anime
- Mobile Suit Gundam SEED 2002
- Neon Genesis Evangelion 1995
- Code Geass Lelouch of the Rebellion 2006
- Puella Magi Madoka Magica 2011
- Gankutsuou: The Count of Monte Cristo 2004
- BanG Dream! Ave Mujica 2025
- BanG Dream! It's MyGO!!!!! 2023
- Love Hina 2000
- Anohana 2011
- Love Live! School Idol Project 2013
- Armored Trooper VOTOMS 1983
- Marvel Anime 2010
- Anne of Green Gables 1979
- Nagi-Asu: A Lull in the Sea 2013
- My-Otome 2005
- The Jungle Book 1989
- Oshi no Ko 2023
- Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha 2004
- Wolf's Rain 2003
- Heidi, Girl of the Alps 1974
- Future Boy Conan 1978
- Rurouni Kenshin 2023
- Ronja, the Robber's Daughter 2014
- Martian Successor Nadesico 1996
- Death Parade 2015
- Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress 2016
- Nobody's Boy: Remi 1977
- Super Dimension Cavalry Southern Cross 1984
- Speed Grapher 2005
- Space Runaway Ideon 1980
Best-known drama anime films
- Spirited Away 2001
- Princess Mononoke 1997
- My Neighbor Totoro 1988
- Howl's Moving Castle 2004
- Grave of the Fireflies 1988
- The Wind Rises 2013
- Suzume 2022
- The Cat Returns 2002
- The Boy and the Heron 2023
- Whisper of the Heart 1995
- 5 Centimeters Per Second 2007
- Yu-Gi-Oh!: The Dark Side of Dimensions 2018
- Pom Poko 1994
- Evangelion: 2.0 You Can (Not) Advance 2009
- Only Yesterday 1991
- When Marnie Was There 2014
- Evangelion: 1.0 You Are (Not) Alone 2007
- Pokémon: Lucario and the Mystery of Mew 2005
- The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya 2010
- From Up on Poppy Hill 2011
- A Silent Voice 2016
- Wolf Children Ame and Yuki 2012
- The Garden of Words 2013
- Harlock: Space Pirate 2013
- Pokémon 3: The Movie 2000
- Mirai of the Future 2018
- Children Who Chase Lost Voices 2011
- Evangelion: 3.0 You Can (Not) Redo 2012
- Millennium Actress 2001
- The Place Promised in Our Early Days 2004
Best-known drama manga
- Frieren 2020
- Death Note 2003
- The Apothecary Diaries 2017
- Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba 2016
- Hellsing 1997
- Love Hina 1998
- Elfen Lied 2002
- Tokyo Mew Mew 2000
- Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind
- Vampire Knight 2004
- The Record of a Fallen Vampire 2003
- Monster 1994
- Oshi no Ko 2020
- Touch 1981
- Nana 2000
- Black Lagoon 2002
- The Rose of Versailles 1972
- School Rumble 2002
- Aria 2002
- Land of the Lustrous 2012
- The Ramparts of Ice 2020
- Chobits 2000
- Chrono Crusade 1998
- Planetes 2001
- Wotakoi: Love is Hard for Otaku 2014
- Your Lie in April 2011
- Kodomo no Jikan 2005
- Black Jack 1973
- Candy Candy 1975
- A Sign of Affection 2019