10 More Emotionally-Impactful Works!
Even if you’re a prodigy, life will find a way to make you feel miserable. March Comes In Like A Lion follows Rei, he’s an elite shogi player who carries enormous pressure on his back. When three girls enter his life, Rei realizes that life might be worth living. This anime demonstrates a deep understanding of mental health issues and Rei comes off as a likable protagonist.
Fear not if you’re having trouble finding anime similar to March Comes In Like A Lion! We’ve discovered 10 alternate shows that’ll give you a similar experience as March Comes In Like A Lion.
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 March Comes In Like A Lion!
Chihayafuru
Similarities – Characters, Atmosphere, Themes
Chihayafuru is an interesting sports anime with a focus on competitive Karuta play. It’s a fun activity many people of all can enjoy. After seeing Chihayafuru’s cast participate in the sport, you’ll wind up wanting to take a stab at it for yourself. With a bunch of dramatic and romantic elements stuffed into this show, this is a work many shouldn’t write off.
It involves a girl named Chihaya joining the Shiranami Society to become the next Queen of Karuta. She’ll have to compete against many other competitors for this title. Like March Comes In Like A Lion, Chihayafuru delves into Chihaya’s path of maturity as she overcomes the multiple obstacles and challenges in front of her.
She’ll compete in many national championships, she’ll adopt new strategies which will help her develop her craft. This anime explores themes involving self-discovery, perseverance, and the pursuit of excellence. Both anime have engaging visuals and soundtracks that will capture their similar and distinct themes well. For those looking for another story with great characters and a heartwarming atmosphere, check this out.
A Silent Voice
Similarities – Themes
A Silent Voice is a great anime that’ll make you laugh, smile, and cry. It provides excellent commentary on bullying and follows a protagonist like Rei who embarks on a quest of self-discovery and self-loathing. By their conclusion, you may wind up wanting to forgive yourself for your past mistakes to defeat any psychological burdens that reside in your brain.
Our tale revolves around Shouya and Shouko. Shibuya bullied Shouko so much that she winds up transferring schools. Shouya’s crude acts follow him into his high school years. At this point, Shouya vows to make amends for his mistakes by finding Shouko and apologizing to her. What starts off as a nice friendship spirals into something more pure by the anime’s conclusion.
This is a great anime to share with your family to spread awareness of mental health issues. Both anime tackle sensitive topics concerning it well and many will appreciate them for it. The animation in A Silent Voice is as impeccable as you can expect from an anime that went to theaters. From its soft animation style to its pastel colors, you’ll feel the anime’s warmth pop out at you.
Ping Pong The Animation
Similarities – Coming-of-Age Stories
Ping-pong may not be everyone’s favorite sport, but seeing people swat at a ball at intense will get anyone excited. Ping Pong The Animation may not have the most gripping art style compared to other anime, but it’s one of those series you should go into with an open mind. It’s about two friends named Peco and Smile. They’re gifted ping-pong players with clashing ideologies.
One day, someone humiliates Peco, causing him to lose his passion for ping pong. As for Smile, he’s no longer determined to play because of his rowdy coach. We examine these proficient players’ lives as they struggle to find meaning in the sport they’re incredibly talented at. Like March Comes In Like A Lion, Ping Pong The Animation sets its sports aside to hone in on its cast and their growth.
Furthermore, Ping Pong The Animation’s storytelling can feel touching at points. You’ll see Smile and Peco get placed in scenarios that will motivate them to become capable and stronger people. While the art style’s uncanny, this anime’s animation is fluid and leads into action-centric segments that will leave you speechless.
Blue Period
Similarities – Characters
Blue Period tells the story of a high schooler named Yatora. A painting inspires him to pursue an artistic career, but he’ll need to overcome multiple obstacles to achieve his dreams. From convincing his parents to improving his artwork, Yatora has his work cut out for him in this anime. Like March Comes In Like A Lion, Blue Period’s another anime centered around someone chasing their dreams.
Rei and Yatora involve themselves with many people who’ll challenge them or help them strive to become better individuals. These characters receive great development over time, and you’ll enjoy comparing their final iterations to their early beginnings. Blue Period touches upon themes like courage, hard work, and determination too.
These aspects are relative to real life, allowing the anime to connect with people who may not be art-savvy. For those looking for a great story brimming with motivational scenarios and fun characters worth following, check out Blue Period.
Your Lie In April
Similarities – Characters, Drama, Themes
Your Lie In April is an excellent music anime that will hit home with March Comes In Like A Lion fans. It tackles loss and shows how much of an impact this feeling can have on people who’ve experienced it. It’s about a dispassionate pianist named Kousei, who can’t seem to get into the groove of the activity since his mother’s passing.
Fortunately, he meets Kaori, a skilled violinist who will reignite the love he had for the instrument. This story’s well-written and filled with scenery that will fill you with enjoyment and sadness. It tackles themes like self-acceptance and depression well, allowing viewers to share them with friends or family members who might be enduring similar issues in real life.
Kousei and Kaori’s connection is built-up well over time. You’ll love seeing the two interact with each other and learning more about what makes them who they are. Purchase yourself a box of tissues while watching this anime though. There are many scenes in here that will kickstart your waterworks.
Honey and Clover
Similarities – Drama & Themes
Honey and Clover is an incredible anime that will make you laugh, cry, and recall your childhood memories. In Honey and Clover, we follow Takemoto, an art student who wants to find his purpose in life. He’ll endure multiple relationship challenges and struggle to find his place in the world like Rei from March Comes In Like A Lion.
This anime also explores themes of family and its impact on the characters’ lives. The Honey and Clover cast develops family relationships with unexpected people despite their differences. Similarly, Rei finds a sense of family and support through the Kawamoto family’s kindness. Both anime have an excellent understanding of mental health and emotional struggles.
Many characters cope with issues such as depression and insecurity in Honey and Clover. Seeing how they’ll overcome these saddening scenarios will make viewers feel inspired and amazed by their progress. Lastly, Honey and Clover have excellent animation and imagery that feels emotionally impactful.
Barakamon
Similarities – Slice of Life
Barakamon is a captivating family tale with an artistic touch. It involves a novice calligrapher named Seichuu getting sent to the Goto Islands for his poor behavior. Although he doesn’t find anything appealing about this island, he plans to create a unique art project while he’s here. However, Seishuu must cope with his neighbors’ quirky personalities.
Seishuu undergoes a self-discovery character arc like Rei. He finds himself struggling with his craft and reputation and seeks to find himself on the Goto Islands. Through his interactions with his neighbors, Seishuu will learn to accept himself and his numerous flaws. Viewers will adore seeing Seishuu form connections and learn valuable life lessons from them.
It’ll make the audience grow a personal attachment to him and everyone he involves himself with. Furthermore, Barakamon has great animation and imagery. Its lush, scenic environments capture the characters’ emtoional states and the Goto Islands’ peaceful atmosphere well.
Kids On The Slope
Similarities – Characters & Themes
Kids On The Slope is an emotional music-themed tale about two musicians named Kaoru and Sentarou. These two deals undergo a lot of internal and external struggles during their strive for excellency. Like Rei, Kaoru struggles to find his place in his world. He struggles to fit in at school and find his identity. It isn’t until he meets Sentarou that his life becomes more active and intruiging.
Sentarou isn’t the only character Kaoru will establish close relations with. He’ll be building bonds with other characters like Ritsuko who’ll help him overcome his struggles and grow. Their dynamic harbors similar energy to the Kawamoto family’s supportive stance toward Rei.
This results in Rei and Kaoru learning from their relationships and developing because of them. For those craving a story with another protagonist who must overcome his past hardships to attain a brighter future for himself, watch Kids on the Slope.
Hyouka
Similarities – Characters
Hyouka gave fans something different to chew on from Kyoto Animation. This anime dabbles more into mystery and suspense than other slice-of-life and romantic works under their catalog. In it, we follow Oreki a lazy high schooler who gradually grows out of his shell and becomes more involved with the world around him.
Similarly, Rei is a lonely person who learns to open up to others and form meaningful relationships that will push him toward a happier existence. Furthermore, Oreki and Rei learn to appreciate the complexity of human relationships through their interactions with others around them. Both anime can come across as contemplative with their storytelling.
Some mysteries Oreki and his friends tackle can feel mundane and deep. This will evoke similar vibes to how March Comes In Like A Lion examines Rei’s inner turmoil and struggles with mental health. Of course, Hyouka’s animation is top-notch, allowing viewers to take in the anime’s splendid visuals to see how it’ll elevate its areas of suspense and wonder.
Clannad: After Story
Similarities – Characters, Drama, Slice of Life
Clannad After Story is the title of Clannad’s second season. It has stronger character moments, delves into its cast’s adult lives, and includes enough emtoional content to make you cry for days. In it, we follow Tomoya and his friends as they tackle life after high school. He’ll tackle problems that’ll remind him of his father’s struggles and will fail to protect those he holds closest to himself.
The anime’s visuals and animation look more detailed than in the first season. There are several close-ups and shots that bring out the characters’ internal emotions, leading to unforgettable sequences that will last with you for a lifetime. Like March Comes In Like A Lion, this anime tackles themes regarding family, mental health, and trauma.
This helps Clannad After Story’s story feel more impactful and relatable to newcomers. If you’re searching for another anime that will tug at your heartstrings like March Comes In Like A Lion did, check out Clannad After Story.
So there we have it, our 10 anime/TV show alternatives to watch when you’ve caught up with March Comes In Like A Lion!
What do you think of our picks? Do you agree? Are there any notable omissions? Let us know in the comments below!
Hey Kristen, I hope you find some of these recommendations to your liking this Summer. =D
I loved ‘March Comes in Like a Lion’ and ‘Your Lie in April’ – thank you! More for my Summer watch list :)