10 More Magical & Wholesome Endeavors!
Kiki’s Delivery Service is a heartwarming and peaceful film mixing magic with mundanity. It centers around a witch-in-training named Kiki and her cat companion Jiji. They flee to Kokiri Town so that Kiki can continue her training. She meets Osono, a kind-hearted person who offers her work and shelter. After completing numerous tasks for Osono, Kiki opens a courier service to learn independence and responsibility. While it doesn’t offer the most groundbreaking plot, many found its story peaceful and charming.
Fear not if you’re having trouble finding anime similar to Kiki’s Delivery Service! We’ve discovered 10 alternate shows that’ll give you a similar experience as Kiki’s Delivery Service.
Additionally, for each anime we’ve reviewed, we’ve included a link that allows you to view our full thoughts about the series to see if it’s worth your time.
So without further ado, we present 10 TV shows that should whet your appetite when you’ve finished streaming Kiki’s Delivery Service!
My Neighbor Totoro
Similarities – Adventure & Atmosphere
My Neighbor Totoro is a fantastical anime and one that’s animated by Studio Ghibli like Kiki’s Delivery Service. It has a magnificent world filled with likable characters and creatures of your wildest imaginations. It takes place in the mid-1900s and revolves around a father and his daughters Satsuki and Mei. They relocate to the countryside and Mei meets a small bunny creature in their yard.
This creature leads Mei into the forest where she’ll meet a giant forest spirit named Totoro. Satsuki finds Mei and Totoro in the forest, and the trio embarks on a magical journey.
Like Kiki’s Delivery Service, this anime screams child innocence and evokes harmonic energy. The plot isn’t complex but simple enough which makes it a great anime to show to your kids. Give this a viewing if you’re looking for another heartfelt adventure anime the whole family can enjoy.
Little Witch Academia
Similarities – Witches, Comedy, Drama
Little Witch Academia is an enjoyable witch-themed work from Studio Trigger, the studio that brought you special anime like Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, Kill La Kill, and others. This anime follows the journey of an aspiring witch named Akko who embarks on a magical journey with her friends Susie and Lotte. Like Kiki’s Delivery Service, this anime has an uplifting tone.
It also focuses on a young witch who wants to master her magical abilities. Both anime delve into the lives of their witch protagonists, their struggles, and how they use magic in their everyday lives. This creates a vivid and immersive world for fans to enjoy. Both anime highlights the importance of friendship and teamwork. This helps make their tales heartwarming and endearing to watch.
Although Little Witch Academia includes some harsh imagery occasionally, it’s mostly a feel-good show that will brighten anyone’s mood after a rough day. If you need another anime that will help you wind down after a challenging day, Little Witch Academia will do the trick.
Whisper of the Heart
Similarities – Atmosphere, Adventure, Characters
Whisper of the Heart is a colorful anime with a delightful atmosphere. In it, we follow two buddies named Shizuku and Seiji who bond over literature. When Shizuku learns more about Seiji’s passions, she embarks on a journey to secure a dream of her own. This is one of Hayao Miyazaki’s lesser-known projects. However, it focuses on Shizuku and Seiji’s daily lives like Kiki’s. It doesn’t offer a groundbreaking plot, but many will enjoy it for its simplicity.
The anime includes some fun mischief throughout the anime to keep viewers interested in completing it. Like Kiki’s Delivery Service, this anime offers grand themes about growing up, living life to the fullest, and being yourself. Whisper of the Heart feels more grounded than Kiki’s Delivery Service, though.
Nonetheless, if you’re after an anime from the same mind behind Kiki’s Delivery Service, you’ll wind up enjoying what Whisper of the Heart includes in its story.
The Secret World of Arriety
Similarities – Characters & Adventure
The Secret World of Arriety is another anime that features young girls embarking on a quest of self-discovery while navigating a world that is wondrous and challenging. Like Kiki’s Delivery Service, this anime focuses on the power of imagination. It showcases the protagonist’s love for the world around them and their dazzling imagination.
In The Secret World of Arriety, Arriety is a borrower, a tiny human who lives in a house’s walls. She’s fascinated by the human world and longs for adventure. This anime illustrates how one’s imagination and creativity can fuel a sense of desire to explore the unknown. This anime offers a splendid coming-of-age tale and involves characters overcoming the challenges of growing up.
Resilience, problem-solving, and independence are a few skills our characters will attain during their ventures. With its spectacular animation, great cast, and fun plot, The Secret World of Arriety is worth watching.
Ponyo
Similarities – Fantasy
Another anime with a female protagonist who goes through a soul-searching experience is Ponyo. It’s an anime many people can watch with others without worrying about it containing explicit content. In Ponyo, the titular character is a magical fish who longs to become human and discovers a world beyond her own. Both anime showcase the character’s transitions from childhood to adulthood.
These anime hone in on the importance of human connections. The lead characters form significant relationships and connections with others, relying on the support of family and friends to navigate their way through life’s problems. Ponyo’s relationship with Sosuke teaches her about love, family, and sacrifice. This shows how other humans can have a profound impact on one’s growth.
This anime has a whimsical and magical tone like Kiki’s Delivery Service. Their worlds are filled with enchanting characters and breathtaking locales. If you’re looking for an anime that showcases the beauty and wonder of the natural world with stunning visual effects and fantastical characters, check out Ponyo.
Mushishi
Similarities – Magical Realism
Mushishi is another anime that features magical realism elements that highlight the beauty and mystique of the natural world while exploring themes of independence, growth, and self-discovery. In it, we follow Ginko, a man who loves exploring different locales. At these places, Ginko shares his appreciation for nature and wants others to share a similar opinion.
Ginko’s interactions with these people evoke a similar sense of wonder as Kiki’s interaction with her area’s residents. The magical realism element shared in both series shouldn’t go unnoticed either. Despite Mushishi’s tale being grounded in real-world experiences, the supernatural creatures who inhabit this world add a mystical and wonderous quality to the story.
Similarly, Kiki’s Delivery Service has its story set in a world with witches, talking felines, and common humanoids. This provides adds a level of enchantment to this tale, making things more unique and engaging. Nevertheless, if you’re searching for another anime that will make you feel comfortable, check out Mushishi.
Flying Witch
Similarities – Witches & Slice-of-Life
Another comfy anime worth binging after Kiki’s Delivery Service is Flying Witch. Like Kiki, Flying Witch’s protagonist Makoto leaves her home with her cat Chito to seek knowledge and training at Aomori. This is a region known for having a sparkling natural setting and magical affinity. As she spends her life living with her second cousin in Aomori, Makoto will get roped into many humorous scenarios.
The activities vary on occasion. Sometimes Makoto will participate in harvesting and gardening, while in other instances she’s using her magic powers to resolve matters. Makoto receives some nice development throughout the anime, giving viewers reasons to follow and root for her character to succeed. Both anime have beautiful settings that create a tranquil atmosphere and a sense of wonder.
From its lush green hills to the multiple creatures and spirits she’ll encounter, you’ll feel enchanted by everything this anime offers. On top of its excellent incorporation of topics surrounding community and relationship-building, Flying Witch is a great anime to check out next.
Cardcaptor Sakura
Similarities – Characters & Magic
Cardcaptor Sakura is a well-beloved magical girl anime. It contains heartwarming characters, wonderful adventurous aspects, and a dash of romance to grab fans’ attention. Our tale revolves around Sakura, a girl who stumbles upon a mysterious book in her basement. This book happens to hold the magic Clow Cards. The cards fly out of the book and scatter across the world.
Suddenly, a small creature named Keroberos introduces himself to Sakura and hands her a wand that’ll help her secure every Clow Card before they wreak havoc on her world. Cardcaptor Sakura is another anime that explores themes of self-discovery and independence through the eyes of young female characters. As Sakura collects the cards, she’ll become more accustomed to her job and braver.
Establishing strong connections and relationships is integral to both characters’ journeys. In Cardcaptor Sakura, Sakura’s relationship with her friend, family, and animal pal, Keroberos, is significant in helping her grow as a person and Cardcaptor. For those seeking an anime with a “card of the week” type of plot with a side of romance, check out Cardcaptor Sakura.
Animal Crossing: The Movie
Similarities – Characters & Atmosphere
After the success of The Super Mario Bros. Movie, fans may be wondering if Nintendo’s other series have been adapted into other media forms too. Fortunately, Animal Crossing: The Movie is one of their IP that has received the anime treatment. The anime follows a protagonist who visits a new village full of animals who tackle human-themed jobs.
Like Kiki’s Delivery Service, Animal Crossing: The Movie takes place in a small environment that feels comforting and inviting. Our protagonist will meet all types of characters from the games like Tom Nook and Rosie, who feel more rounded and fleshed out. Our protagonist will tackle numerous tasks like Kiki, giving her a taste of responsibility.
The antics our protagonist gets roped into are hilarious and heartwarming. From attending festivals to helping her friends settle their differences, the spirit of the Animal Crossing franchise is captured heavily in this work. Give this anime a shot if you love great video game adaptations or cherish Kiki’s Delivery Service for its calm tone and excellent relationship-building aspects.
Wandering Witch: The Journey of Elaina
Similarities – Witches & Themes
Wandering Witch: The Journey of Elaina is a great adventure anime centered around a witch named Elaina who likes to travel to various territories to hone her skill as a witch. She’ll engage with numerous individuals from different cultures while attaining fabulous magical abilities. Similarly, Kiki leaves her home and opens up a courier service that allows her to travel to multiple locales.
Their shared focus on traveling highlights the concept of personal growth and finding oneself by encountering situations that are unfamiliar to them. Magic is commonplace in both works, but Elaina’s journey will have her learning countless skills so she can survive during her expeditions. Lastly, Wandering Witch delivers a world that’ll make viewers appreciate the world around them.
As Elaina travels to new locations, meets new people, and discovers new cultures, some folks may feel enticed to travel our world to see what secrets lie within it. If you’re up for an anime with nice animation and a great selection of characters, check out Wandering Witch: The Journey of Elaina.
So there we have it, our 10 anime/TV show alternatives to watch when you’ve caught up with Kiki’s Delivery Service!
What do you think of our picks? Do you agree? Are there any notable omissions? Let us know in the comments below!