Best School Anime

Bombing the trigonometry final, taking a dodgeball to the face, realizing one’s crush is infatuated with the quarterback — experiences like these can sour students towards school. Yet for all the stress that it can bring, school can be magical. It has its glorious moments: making friends, nailing classwork that once seemed impossible, and summoning the courage to step out on stage and be the best Hamlet that 200-person auditorium has ever seen. That makes it all worth it.

Whether elementary, high school, or college, the schools in these anime become breeding grounds for new experiences. They draw shy characters out of their shells, test the mettle of the bravest jocks, and once in a while even force fierce rivals to consider becoming friends.

Sports anime are going to be omitted.

Updated March 11, 2025, by Mark Sammut: Winter 2025 is nearing its end by this point, and the season has plenty of school-based shows, which is the case for pretty much every quarter. Three more of the best school anime have been added to this discussion, including a supernatural-themed one that is currently airing its second season.

35

Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai

Weird Title Aside, This Is A Pretty Good Supernatural-Themed Drama

The definition of “don’t judge a book by its cover,” Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai is a pretty great teen drama that does not lean into fanservice all that much, despite the title implying that is the case. The anime revolves around a male student named Sakuta who, one day, sees his classmate, Mai, walking through a library in a bunny suit. To his surprise, nobody else reacts. The two end up learning about Adolescence Syndrome, manifestations based on a person’s insecurities. After Mai, Sakuta winds up helping a bunch of other girls going through similar things.

Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai mostly takes place in a school, but it does venture away from that setting on occasion. While the supernatural syndrome is not that interesting of a concept, the anime works due to Mai and Sakuta’s relationship, with the characters being likable individuals who come together to create an even stronger couple.

34

The Dangers in My Heart

A Boy And A Girl Meet In A School Library

Romance anime are fairly common, so newcomers must be truly special to stand out from the crowd. While starting relatively slowly, The Dangers in My Heart builds momentum throughout its first season, culminating in a strong conclusion that perfectly sets up a fantastic sequel. Ichikawa is a loner with some rather dark fantasies, most of which revolve around his popular classmate named Anna. However, one day, he stumbles across the model as she is eating in the library, a meeting that sets the stage for a beautiful friendship that eventually morphs into something more.

Initially, The Dangers in My Heart might seem to be just another basic wish-fulfillment fantasy about an average guy who, for some reason, attracts the attention of the school idol. Fortunately, the anime proves to be much more than just that, with both Ichikawa and Anna being three-dimensional figures with well-defined fears, passions, and depth.

Despite qualifying as a school anime, The Dangers in My Heart is primarily about its core relationship. Season 2 does not spend too much time at the school.

33

Dandadan

Romance, Aliens, And Ghosts

Dandadan is everything. Want romance? Watch it. Want comedy? Watch it. Want action? Watch it. Want creative monster designs that take inspiration from sci-fi and mythology? Watch it. It is all-around brilliant and an easy recommendation for nearly everyone. That said, describing it as a full “school anime” seems a bit incorrect. For one, the characters often wear clothes besides their school uniforms, which must be an automatic disqualification.

In all seriousness, Dandadan spends a fair amount of time at Momo and Ken’s high school, with some of the most important moments happening inside the building. The lovable protagonists not only meet at school but their blossoming friendship is also echoed by their interactions with other students. Dandadan might not be a traditional school anime, but it is one of the best anime that occasionally takes place in a school.

32

Grand Blue Dreaming

Time For Deep-Dive Into College Life

The vast majority of school anime are set in high school, with middle school taking second place. Frankly, college barely ever gets spotlighted, to the point that even stories that would make more sense with older students age them down so they are in high school. Grand Blue Dreaming is not only set in college, but it embraces the setting with every fiber of its being. This is 100% a college comedy, which means a lot of drinking.

Focusing on two college students who find themselves joining the Diving Club, the anime is an absolute laugh-riot, as long as the style of humor clicks with a viewer. Fortunately, Grand Blue Dreaming does not hide what type of comedy it is, so the first two episodes should be enough for most people to decide whether this show is for them.

31

Toradora

Easy To Get Invested In

In a rollercoaster ride of love, hate, and emotional growth, Toradora is an excellent slice-of-life slash romance anime for both hard-core fans and newcomers to those genres. Ryuuji, a misunderstood loner with a bad reputation, begins to butt heads with the famous pipsqueak ruffian Taiga, known as the palmtop tiger.

What starts as a charged rivalry quickly turns into a loyal friendship, and then more. Ryuuji discovers more about himself while Taiga learns to handle her emotions better. Toradora has laughs, cries, and some of the best character storylines in anime, and is well worth the watch.

A High Octane Collection Of Genres

Full Metal Panic! will have watchers scratching their heads at exactly what this anime is about. Mixed with a hodgepodge of genres from mecha to slice-of-life, Full Metal Panic! can give viewers a bit of whiplash. The spin-off series Full Metal Panic? Fumoffu! is just as wild a ride, with more variety in the story.

The main characters are Chidori Kaname, a secret military asset attending high school; and Sousuke Sagara, a highly trained soldier ordered to protect her at all costs. The daily lives of these two are unpredictable. Sosuke can not turn his lethal prowess off against average everyday students, and Chidori can’t have a normal high school day to save her life.

29

Irregular At Magic High School

Magic Makes High School That Much Weirder

In a world where magic is used for everything from cleaning to military operations, some schools seek to groom and nurture the innate magical power of young students. In the first magic school, Tatsuya Shiba is an enigmatic loner who finds himself constantly enthralled in the social-political climate of his peers.

Having a high skill of magic and a mystery skill, Tatsuya quickly becomes the talk of the town when he’s thrust into the spotlight. However, he must make sure that his new-found popularity does not expose his after-hour activities. Irregular at Magic High School is also set to get a sequel this year.

28

Hyouka

The Bonds Of True Friendship

Oreki has very little interest in being noticed as he’s starting his freshman year in high school. He tries to keep to himself, lives an ordinary, mundane life, and saves his energy for his later years.

This plan is completely thrown off the rails when his sister drags him into saving the Classic Club which places him among the group’s small roster where spontaneous and overzealous adventures ensue and change Oreki’s view.

27

My Teen Romantic Comedy Snafu

How A Hopeless Loner Finds A Place To Belong

Hikigfaya is a typical loner who has little interest in people or things that he believes conform to societal norms. Having a very harsh worldview that states that love and friendship are fabrications that people full of themselves believe in, he spends most of his time alone and avoids any type of social interaction possible.

However, Hikigaya’s world is flipped upside down when he is reprimanded for writing an insensitive essay that lands him as the newest member of the Volunteer Service Club. Hikigaya is overwhelmed with a number of new responsibilities and a new social life he didn’t ask for. My Teen Romantic Comedy Sanfu is a true diamond in the rough that will wow many slice-of-life anime fans.

26

Kakegurui

A High-Stakes School Anime

Hyakkao Private Academy is a highly esteemed school for the best and brightest in the country on the surface, but behind closed doors, it is a separate world of debauchery and addiction. With the entire student body dominated by gambling which shapes the hierarchy, students sometimes bet their freedom in order to climb the social ranks.

The established order is threatened when Yumeko Jabami, a seemingly innocent new student shakes things up with her lust for playing against high stakes and dethroning the top brass among the debt-filled hallways of the school.

25

Mashle: Magic And Muscle

A Muscle-Brain Heads To A Magic School

Mashle successfully rides the Harry Potter wave by gifting viewers with a hilarious anime parody of the renowned Wizarding World. Mash’s goal of becoming Easton Magic Academy’s next Chosen One seems impossible, considering the boy doesn’t have a magical bone in his body. However, he somehow makes up for this with pure, brute strength, hand-delivered by his incredibly muscular physique.

Mash’s hilarious adventures at the Hogwarts-inspired establishment are fueled by cream puffs, friendship, and not much in-depth thinking. Basically, if One Punch Man’s Saitama swapped places with Harry Potter, what would that anime school life look like exactly? Well, Mash has the answer.

24

Toilet-Bound Hanako-kun

A School Haunting

Toilet-Bound Hanako-kun is based on a pretty popular Japanese urban legend, the idea that a school has seven mysteries/hauntings/etc. In the case of Kamome Academy, these seven mysteries refer to spirits who haunt the halls and can warp reality if they choose. Hanako is not only the seventh mystery but also in charge of the other spirits, with his role being to protect humans from supernatural threats. However, he is quite mischievous, often at the expense of Nene and Kou, two students who end up forming a partnership with Hanako.

Despite having a fairly child-friendly aesthetic, Toilet-Bound Hanako-kun does an admirable job of blending comedy, action, mystery, drama, and even light horror elements, crafting a whole that is quite unlike anything else out there and should be able to satisfy viewers of most ages. A few moments aside, most of the anime takes place in Kamome Academy.

23

A Silent Voice

A Beautiful Story Of Growth

Arguably the best school anime of all time (especially if viewers are looking for a tearjerker) follows the heartbreaking tale of two kids dealing with the traumas of their past. Shōya Ishida is not a bad apple per se, but he gets caught up in the hype of trying to fit in and mercilessly bullies the new deaf transfer student alongside his ruthless classmates. Unfortunately, he takes things way too far and causes Shōko to transfer schools, while Shōya is harshly cast aside by his peers.

Overwhelmed with shame, regret, and rejection, Shōya decides to take his own life, but fate has other plans in store. After miraculously reuniting with Shōko, the melancholic young man turns all his energy towards redemption but learns the hard way that actions are more powerful than words.

22

Tomo-Chan Is a Girl!

Awkward Romance At Its Finest

This redheaded rough-houser is so far from complying with gender-specific social norms that most people mistake Tomo-chan for a boy. While this has never really bothered her, now that those dreaded hormones have kicked in, Tomo is crushing hard on her childhood bestie. The problem is that he thinks of Tomo as “one of the guys,” and fails to notice her infatuation with him.

Tomo follows some misguided advice and endeavors to emphasize her so-called femininity and is met with one uncomfortable disaster after another. Meanwhile, her status at school is steadily on the rise, as Tomo gathers plenty of admirers, boys and girls alike, satisfying those LGBTQ+ tastebuds in the process.

21

Komi Can’t Communicate

Cute And Homey Slice-Of-Life

Many high school anime series explore the romantic comedy genre; however, Komi brings something truly unique to the table. This main protagonist rarely utters a word, and yet still manages to steal everyone’s heart. She is the undisputed Class Goddess of Itan Private High School.

Considering her dazzling beauty, most assume that Komi is the coolest, most confident kid around. Only one person pays enough attention and uncovers the turmoil within. Tadano realizes that poor Komi is battling with crippling social anxiety and is overwhelmed by constant panic attacks. With compassion and grace, he figures out a way to communicate with the selectively mute girl and helps Komi live her best life with fun, friends, and a few flirtations.

20

Classroom Of The Elite

A Cold, Calculating Main Character

Ayanokoji doesn’t have a care in the world. And yet, his cold disinterest in pretty much everything, combined with his genius intellect, turns him into a top contender at Koudo Ikusei Senior High School, without so much as breaking a sweat.

This prestigious Academy redefines the term “elite,” as it homes some of the wealthiest students in anime history (besides, perhaps the Kakegurui kids.) Ayanokoji and his fellow scholars are pitted against each other with the most random assortment of tests, that seems more focused on the youngsters’ manipulation abilities than actual academics (not that anyone’s complaining). With such staggering financial incentives, they certainly are a motivated bunch, and most characters are more than willing to stab a few backs along the way. Refreshingly, Ayanokoji is not an exception.

19

ReLIFE

A Second Chance At Youth

Even a person who has lived life to the fullest is likely to have their share of regrets about mistakes made and opportunities missed. The protagonist of ReLIFE has more than his share, having lived 27 years without having any accomplishments or relationships to be proud of. Kaizaki would do anything for a second chance to get things right.

That chance unexpectedly comes along when Kaizaki gets an unusual job offer: test a new medication that makes the patient look like their younger self again. Kaizaki jumps at the chance and returns to high school. ReLIFE is a surprisingly sympathetic and heartfelt anime about trying to get things right, and while its premise could’ve easily gone astray, the writing keeps things mostly grounded throughout.

18

The Melancholy Of Haruhi Suzumiya

A Deep Story Under The Surface

Kyon, a student at North High School, has given up his fascination with the supernatural. His fascination is awoken again, however, by Haruhi, a classmate with a fixation on time travelers, aliens, and other otherworldly and supernatural figures. The two established a club called the SOS Brigade to investigate these strange phenomena.

Using the school club trope as a jumping-off point, The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya actually has some pleasant twists that keep it from being more of the same old thing. The true identity of those around Kyon and Haruhi, as well as secrets about Haruhi herself, help build the show’s world in interesting directions.

After completing the series, make sure to watch The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya. It is incredible.

17

From Me To You

Wonderful Coming-Of-Age Story

15-year-old high school freshman Sawako Kuronuma has always struggled to make friends because she looks like the villainous Sadako from The Ring horror franchise. Others brand her with that cruel nickname and shy away from her, not giving the timid girl a chance to how sweet she is.

When Sawako meets Shouta, the most outgoing and popular boy in class, she is immediately drawn to his kindness and ability to be the center of attention. The romance that flourishes between the two is delicately and beautifully portrayed. From Me to You succeeds as much in its depiction of young love as it does with Sawako’s emotional evolution as she grows closer to other students in this exquisite slice-of-life anime.

2024’s third season is only available on Netflix.

16

Monthly Girls’ Nozaki-Kun

Light-Hearted Romance

Chiyo has a crush, and it seems too good to be true when she learns that her crush Nozaki is a famous artist who wants to use their relationship as inspiration for his romantic manga. After a series of misunderstandings, Chiyo winds up as Nozaki’s manga assistant, working side by side to help him in the hope that he will one day appreciate the depth of her feelings.

It might not have the most breathtaking visuals, but Monthly Girls’ Nozaki-kun is a funny, self-aware anime. It doesn’t rely on fanservice to attract viewers and doesn’t use cheap plot gimmicks to keep them.