The film "Kai to Otome to Spirited Away" has gained popularity for its mysterious depictions based on various urban legends and supernatural phenomena, and the appearance of many charming characters. There are probably many fans who enjoyed this film and became interested in supernatural and mystery works. Ghost stories have been popular in Japan since ancient times, and there is a history of many mysterious tales being loved. For this reason, even in modern times, there are many animation works that deal with supernatural phenomena and mysteries, and they have become a major genre in the Japanese anime world. So, this time, for fans who enjoyed this film, we would like to introduce animation works that have similar themes to this film. Even works with similar themes have different styles, so be sure to find one that suits your taste from among these works.
Monogatari Series
The first anime series we recommend to fans who enjoyed this work is the Monogatari series. Like "The Mysterious Maiden and the Spirited Away," this work depicts various supernatural phenomena and the characters who confront them, making it a very major work in the supernatural genre. It is a work that made the world aware of the existence of supernatural phenomena, so it can be said to be a work like the ancestor of this work.
An anime with a literary feel
This work was originally developed as a light novel, but even though it is a light novel, it has a strong literary taste and is highly praised by book lovers. The anime version follows these strengths while being an animated work with a very literary-like scene depiction, so if you are a fan of literary works, be sure to check it out.
Charming characters
In addition, as an animation work, this work is known for the many charming characters that appear, such as Hitagi Senjougahara, the heroine synonymous with tsundere, Tsubasa Hanekawa, who is famous as a cat-eared girl, and Nadeko Sengoku, who has established a solid popularity as a loose and fluffy female character.
Most recommended work
This work is not only known for the depth of its story as a supernatural phenomenon, but also for the charm of the female characters that appear and the depth of the psychological portrayal of the characters who play the role of enemy characters, making it a work that allows you to enjoy a very high quality story. If you are a fan who enjoyed this work, "The Mystery, the Maiden, and the Spirited Away," you will definitely enjoy this work, so if you want to enjoy a work with the same taste as "The Mystery, the Maiden, and the Spirited Away," we recommend that you watch this work first.
"Monster Incidents"
The second anime we recommend to fans who enjoyed this work is "Monster Incidents." This work also depicts strange beings that exist in modern society as monsters, and you can enjoy a story development in the same style as "Mystery, Maidens, and Spirited Away." Although it is a work that does not have many mystery elements, it is full of highlights as a work that features many fascinating monsters.
Interesting as a battle manga
In particular, the battle scenes in this work are meticulously drawn, making it a work that can be enjoyed as a battle manga. "The Mystery, the Maiden, and the Spiriting Away" is a work that focuses more on the process of solving mysteries than on battles, so I think that fans who like battle manga may find it lacking in some areas, but in that respect, this work is rich in battle scenes, so it can be said that it is a suitable work for fans who are interested in that kind of thing.
A work that even children can enjoy
The illustrations in this work are also cute, so even small children can enjoy it. The cute characters and thrilling battle scenes are excellent elements for a work aimed at children, and for fans who want to enjoy supernatural stories with their children, this is the perfect work.
Works that have recently been animated
Also, since this work was recently animated, it is still popular and can be said to be an easy-to-enjoy anime content. The animation level is also very high, as it is a recent work, so it can be said that it can be enjoyed without stress.
"Sengoku Youko"
The third anime we recommend to fans who enjoyed this work is "Sengoku Youko". Like "Kaii to Otome to Spirited Away", this work depicts mysterious beings lurking in everyday life as youkai, and you can enjoy a world view with a similar theme to "Kaii to Otome to Spirited Away". This work was also recently made into an anime, so there are probably many fans who have seen it.
Set in the Warring States period
Unlike the works introduced so far, this work is set in the Warring States period. Rather than urban legends lurking in modern society, it is a work that mainly depicts monsters and phenomena that have been familiar to people's lives since ancient times, so it is a perfect work for fans who like historical works. Historical figures also appear in the work, so it can be said that it is a work that can be enjoyed as a historical work.
Fantasy elements
In addition, this work also has fantasy elements, such as the power of monsters being used by humans. It can be said that this work has a similar style to One Piece, which is an interesting re-creation of a real pirate story as a manga work. If anything, it is a work that emphasizes entertainment over reality, so be careful about that.
Recommended for a wide range of ages
Thus, this work skillfully depicts elements for children, such as battle scenes and a fantasy-like setting, but also features maniacal historical figures, making it a work that can be enjoyed by adult history lovers as well. It is a work that can be enjoyed in a balanced way by both adults and children, so it is probably the perfect work for fans who want to enjoy a supernatural work with their children.
Natsume's Book of Friends
The fourth anime recommended for fans who enjoyed this work is "Natsume's Book of Friends." This work also depicts mysterious beings lurking in the everyday world as youkai, and like "Mystery, Maidens, and Spirited Away," it is a work where you can enjoy the interactions between the protagonist who interacts with the mysterious beings lurking in various everyday situations. This work focuses on the interactions with the youkai rather than the battles and solving the case.
Super long seller
Natsume's Book of Friends is a super long seller that has sold over 16 million copies. It has been serialized for a very long time, so there are probably many fans who have seen it at least once. Due to its long publication period, it is a work that is supported by a wide range of fans regardless of age, and is well-known for being enjoyable for a wide range of age groups.
Popular among women
This work is very popular among women due to its soft drawing style and the protagonist's androgynous face, and is recommended for female fans who enjoyed "Kaii to Otome to Spirited Away". Of the works introduced so far, this work is particularly popular with women, so if you are a female anime fan, please give it a watch.
Charming Yokai
Also, since this work mainly depicts interactions with the yokai, all of the yokai that appear are depicted as characters with attractive personalities. Rather than being enemy characters, they are characters who have a position similar to the Pokemon from "Pokemon" and the yokai from "Yokai Watch", so it seems to be a work that is also recommended for fans who want to enjoy a heartwarming everyday work.
Dororo
The fifth anime recommended for fans who enjoyed this work is "Dororo". This work is about the main character, Hyakkimaru, whose body has been taken over by a monster, going on a journey to defeat monsters in order to get his body back. It is set in the Sengoku period and depicts the battle between Hyakkimaru and various monsters. Among the works introduced so far, this is a particularly old work, and the touch of the drawings is quite peculiar, but it is also a work of historical value, so I recommend watching it once.
A work drawn by a legend in the world of manga
The author of this work is Osamu Tezuka, who is said to be the father of Japanese manga culture. Osamu Tezuka not only matured manga culture in Japan, but also produced the first television animation work with his own work "Astro Boy," making him the founder of both Japanese anime and manga culture. This work is one of the most popular works by Osamu Tezuka, so if you like anime and manga works, we recommend that you watch it once.
Can you get a human body? ?
In particular, this work focuses on whether the main character Hyakkimaru can obtain a human body, and the story unfolds in a very easy-to-understand way, making it a work that can be enjoyed. Due to the nature of the story, which is about collecting bodies, there are some pretty scary scenes, so it can be said that this is a work that is relatively aimed at adults among Tezuka's works.
Recently remade
Thus, this work "Dororo" is known as a work with a long history, but it was actually remade and broadcast as an anime just recently. It is a work that faithfully reproduces the modern and familiar illustrations, the easy-to-understand storyline unique to Osamu Tezuka's works, and the slightly eerie depiction of the setting unique to "Dororo", so if you are a fan who wants to enjoy this work, we recommend that you first watch this remake.
Onmyoji
The sixth anime we recommend to fans who enjoyed this work is "Onmyoji." This work depicts Abe no Seimei, who was active as an onmyoji during the Heian period, and the mysterious phenomena and demons unique to the Heian period, and is a work that allows you to learn about the culture of curses and Shikigami, which are unique to the Heian period. While it is a work that is well-researched for historical accuracy, it is also a work that is full of highlights as a work of fiction, so it is recommended not only for history buffs but also for fans who want to purely enjoy the story.
Based on a legendary novel
This work is originally a masterpiece by Baku Yumemakura, who is known for works such as "The Summit of the Gods," and is based on a novel that has gained enthusiastic popularity. Baku Yumemakura is highly regarded as a novelist, and the novel version is also enjoyable, so if you are a fan who is interested in this work and would like to enjoy the novel version, we recommend that you start with the novel version.
Connection with Yuzuru Hanyu
This is just a little bit of trivia, but one of the representative programs of Yuzuru Hanyu, who is known as Japan's national figure skater, is "Onmyoji." In fact, the music for "Onmyoji" is made up of the background music used in the live-action film version of this work. In this way, Abe no Seimei, played by Yuzuru Hanyu, has the same origin as Abe no Seimei, who is portrayed as the main character of this work.
The hurdle to viewing is somewhat high
As you can see, this work "Onmyoji" has many charms, but the anime version is exclusively distributed by Netflix, so it can be said that it is a work with a somewhat high hurdle to viewing among the works introduced so far. If you have a Netflix subscription, you can easily watch this work, so please enjoy the anime version of this work.
Summary
What did you think? This time, we have introduced animation works that are based on the theme of supernatural phenomena and mysteries, just like this work "The Mystery, the Maiden, and the Spirited Away". There are various types of animation works that deal with supernatural phenomena, so please find the one that suits you best and enjoy it.
