The mature evolution of shoujo, josei anime are defined by the topics they discuss as much as how they tackle them. Its stories and themes are adult in nature: relationships, the difficulties of keeping up with bills and caring for children, and the way people grow over time. Romance, sentimentality, and the hard realities of life as a grownup drive many of these anime. They're typically neither starry-eyed and naive nor hard-nosed and pessimistic.
Josei may target older women, but these series tend to have a much broader appeal since they usually tackle universal and adult-oriented themes. While by far the least catered to demographic by the anime industry, josei has quite a diverse lineup of options, including plenty of fantastic shows. The best josei anime are for anyone seeking three-dimensional characters tackling adult problems.
Here are a few criteria:
- To qualify, an anime must have a manga version published in josei magazines. Light novels/visual novels that do not have manga will not be included in the main rankings.
- Only shows, no movies.
Updated on March 28, 2025 by Mark Sammut: Winter 2025 is pretty much over, and it will not be remembered for its josei anime. Fortunately, a new season is right around the corner, which means a plethora of series are about to debut. While not defined by shows that cater to an adult female audience, the lineup has at least one josei anime.
Does Spring 2025 Have Any Josei Anime?
Winter 2025 was not particularly stuffed with josei goodness, at least when it came to shows 100% based on manga that cater to the demographic. However, the season had a few great female-led anime, and Ameku M.D., The Apothecary Diaries, Zenshu, I Have a Crush at Work, and Ave Mujica all warrant a watch in their own right.
Spring 2025 Anime Lineup: Where To Watch Every Series
My Hero Academia, Fire Force, and Wind Breaker are a few Spring 2025 anime airing on Crunchyroll, HIDIVE, Netflix, or other streaming services.
On paper, Spring 2025 does not seem to be much better than its predecessor, to the point that the lineup does not seem to have any josei anime. That said, there is one series that just about qualifies, and it is a pretty exciting one.
The Dinner Table Detective
The Dinner Table Detective
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- April 4, 2025
- Japanese Title
- Nazotoki wa Dinner no Ato de
- Studio
- Madhouse
- Based On
- Novel
- Creator(s)
- Tokuya Higashigawa
- Streaming Service(s)
- Amazon Prime Video
The Dinner Table Detective is covering so many bases for Spring 2025. Along with being the season's only anime that can be described as josei, it is also a rare entry in the mystery genre, which is lucky to get one or two new shows per season. Furthermore, the story revolves around adults rather than teenagers. The show is Madhouse's sole production of the season, following up the studio's fantastic work on Orb: On the Movements of the Earth and predating Frieren's return in early 2026. The Dinner Table Detective has all the makings to be one of Spring 2025's nicest surprises.
Reiko is a detective-in-training and also very, very rich. She takes on cases alongside her, also well-off, partner and her butler, with the latter arguably being better than the professionals at solving cases. Going by the trailer and premise, The Dinner Table Detective will likely lean heavily into comedy, delivering fun mysteries that do not take themselves too seriously. This series has been around for more than a decade by this point, going from novels to a josei manga and even receiving a TV drama in 2011. The anime is arguably a bit late to the dance, although a sequel novel series ended its run in 2024.
Now, let's go through the best josei anime ever...
17 Nina the Starry Bride
MyAnimeList: 7.36
Nina the Starry Bride
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- 2024 - 2025-00-00
- Japanese Title
- Hoshifuru Oukoku no Nina
- Studio
- Signal.MD
- Based On
- Manga
- Creator(s)
- Rikachi
- Number of Episodes
- 12
- Streaming Service(s)
- Crunchyroll
One of the few josei anime to air in 2024, Nina the Starry Bride showcases that the demographic is not married to adult protagonists but rather focuses on telling stories that can be enjoyed by adult readers. Nina, the female lead, is a young orphan who is pushed to play the part of Princess Alisha after the latter dies, a situation that comes with grave risks for not only the MC but also the nation in general.
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While dropping hints of a potential romance between the protagonist and her handler, Azure, the anime primarily focuses on Nina's attempts to adapt to her new life and the political machinations of two kingdoms that do not have a great relationship. Nina is the best part of the show.
16 Gokusen
MyAnimeList: 7.41
Gokusen
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- 2004 - 2004
- Network
- Nippon TV
- Studio
- Madhouse
- Number of Episodes
- 13
- Based On
- Manga
- Creator(s)
- Kozueko Morimoto
It's a cliché that every child has potential, and films and anime about teachers trying to draw out the potential in their students is a beloved trope. Gokusen unabashedly plays with that trope, but the show puts a spin on it: the teacher is the granddaughter of a Yakuza leader.
The art style leaves something to be desired, and the character design can fall on the generic side, but this is a great anime despite its weak aesthetics. Perhaps the show's greatest strength is its protagonist, a woman just as capable of beating the snot out of thugs as teaching a class full of rowdy youths.
15 Pet Shop of Horrors
MyAnimeList: 7.24
Pet Shop of Horrors
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- 2000 - 1999-00-00
- Network
- TBS
- Studio
- Madhouse
- Number of Episodes
- 4
- Based On
- Manga
- Creator
- Matsuri Akino
While josei may be organized and discussed as a genre, it is as much a style as anything, as this anime proves. Unlike some anime which are great but nonetheless generic, this one comes with a twist that its title makes obvious: Petshop of Horrors is horror.
This story of a mysterious petshop contains poignant themes about humanity and the darkness within, and josei fans shouldn't dismiss it simply because of its macabre trappings . To be sure, the series is dark, and those who don't care for horror in any form will want to give it a pass. Those who give it a chance, however, will be rewarded with a rich, detailed, and disturbing josei.
14 Saiyuki (Specifically, Reload Entries)
MyAnimeList: 7.36 (Saiyuki Reload)
Saiyuki
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- 2000 - 2001-00-00
- Network
- TV Tokyo, AT-X
- Directors
- Rion Kujo, Masaaki Kumagai, Chiaki Kon, Akira Iwanaga, Akira Shimizu, Toshio Matsuhashi, Hiroyuki Okuno, Kaito Asakura, Shigeki Hatakeyama, Mashu Itō
- Studio
- Pierrot, Platinum Vision
- Based On
- Manga
- Creator(s)
- Kazuya Minekura
- Number of Episodes
- 126
- Streaming Service(s)
- Crunchyroll
Saiyuki is a bit of a weird one, as the manga was originally released through a shonen magazine, only for the sequels to shift to a josei publication. Every anime season that has "reload" in the title is josei, while the original Saiyuki series is shonen. While that might sound complicated, newcomers should just start with the 2000 series and gradually make their way through each subsequent release. The anime seasons feature the same characters, following four adventurers as they go through multiple escapades that are somewhat inspired by literature. The end goal is to stop the resurrection of a demon, but that is just the primary motive and is mostly pushed to the side for smaller storylines.
Although nothing extraordinary, Saiyuki is generally entertaining, at least in a "turn off your brain" type of way. The four core characters are loud and somewhat static, but they generally fall short of being obnoxious. The animation improves considerably as the series progresses too.
13 My Next Life As A Villainess: All Routes Lead To Doom!
MyAnimeList: 7.45 (Season 1)
My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom!
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- 2020 - 2021
WHERE TO WATCH
- Japanese Title
- Otome Game no Hametsu Flag shika Nai Akuyaku Reijou ni Tensei shiteshimatta
- Studio
- Silver Link
- Based On
- Novel & Light Novel
- Creator(s)
- Satoru Yamaguchi
- Streaming Service(s)
- Crunchyroll
The vast majority of villainess isekai anime are based on light novels, and nearly all of them have manga adaptations. Unsurprisingly, they tend to be published in either shojo or josei magazines. For example, Villainess Level 99 and The Most Heretical Last Boss Queen have josei manga, and both anime are entertaining. If someone is specifically craving an OP isekai story, they should go with Villainess Level 99 since it might just feature the most powerful female lead in the genre.
My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom! Is arguably the most famous villainess anime and serves as a suitable entry point into this peculiar subgenre. Reincarnated as an otome game's villain who is destined for a bad ending, Catarina must carefully manage her relationships to ensure she avoids a death sentence. Leaning heavily into humor and featuring a likable protagonist who is regularly forced to use her wit to get out of tough situations, My Next Life as a Villainess is a delight. Season 1 is especially strong.
My Next Life As A Villainess: All Routes Lead To Doom! Could be regarded as a shojo anime, but the manga adaptation was published in Monthly Comic Zero Sum, which is generally associated with josei.
12 Polar Bear Cafe
MyAnimeList: 7.89
Polar Bear Cafe
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- 2012 - 2013-00-00
- Network
- TV Tokyo, TV Osaka, TV Aichi
- Directors
- Mitsuyuki Masuhara
- Japanese Title
- Shirokuma Cafe
- Studio
- Pierrot
- Number of Episodes
- 50
- Based On
- Manga
- Creator
- Aloha Higa
- Streaming Service(s)
- Crunchyroll
Anime needs more workplace comedies, and if they happen to feature anthropomorphic animals, then that's a bonus. Polar Bear's Cafe centers around a cafeteria's owner, Shirokuma, and the various colorful patrons that liven its seats. Consisting of unfiltered fluff, Pierrot's anime is slice of life through and through, with nothing resembling a cruel bone in its body. The characters are all generally likable, particularly the main trio of Shirokuma and his two friends, Panda and Penguin.
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Polar Bear's Cafe is just one of those shows that has the ability to permanently paint a smile on a viewer's face. The anime also lasted for an impressive 50 episodes, which is way more than the average slice of life or josei anime.
11 Kakuriyo: Bed And Breakfast For Spirits
MyAnimeList: 7.54
Kakuriyo: Bed & Breakfast for Spirits
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- 2018 - 2017
- Japanese Title
- Kakuriyo no Yadomeshi
- Studio
- Gonzo
- Number of Episodes
- 26
- Based On
- Light Novel
- Creator
- Midori Yūma
- Streaming Service(s)
- Crunchyroll
Josei is no stranger to intense drama or high-stakes, but not every story needs to go down that route. Kakuriyo: Bed and Breakfast for Spirits delivers exactly what its title advertises: a bed and breakfast for non-humans. Stuck under crippling debt, Aoi decides to make good use of her ability to see spirits by starting a nice little getaway specifically for them. Being human, she automatically garners distrust from her clientele, although that is nothing a warm bowl of ramen cannot fix.
Kakuriyo: Bed and Breakfast for Spirits is a warm blanket in anime form. Most episodes tell supernatural-themed slice of life stories free of anything resembling tension, allowing viewers to just immerse themselves in the show's cozy setting.
10 Mr. Osomatsu
MyAnimeList: 7.93 (Season 1)
Mr. Osomatsu
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- October 6, 2015
- Japanese Title
- Osomatsu-san
- Studio
- Studio Pierrot
- Number of Episodes
- 75
- Based On
- Manga, Osomatsu-kun
- Creator
- Fujio Akatsuka
- Streaming Service(s)
- Crunchyroll, YouTube
OK, this one is a bit of a weird josei recommendation. Mr. Osomatsu is based on Fujio Akatsuka's Osomatsu-kun manga, a shonen property revolving around six identical brothers. The sequel debuted in 2015 as an anime, with a manga adaptation launching a year later in You, a josei magazine. In 2018, the manga shifted over to Cookie, a shojo magazine. Consequently, Mr. Osomatsu is an anime original sequel to a shonen classic with a josei and shojo manga adaptation. So, which demographic is this series for? Honestly, it is for everyone and nobody. Mr. Osomatsu is an unapologetically over-the-top parody that turns the fairly "cute" sextuplets into six monsters who bring chaos everywhere they touch. The anime's comedy is somewhat similar to Gintama, albeit with generally darker humor that is more hit-and-miss.
Ultimately, Mr. Osomatsu cannot be recommended to people specifically craving josei stories. The anime has very little in common with the demographic's typical output, including featuring only "men" as protagonists. Totoko Yowai is the most prominent female character in the series, but she is very much a supporting figure who can disappear for multiple episodes at a time. As a sketch comedy, Mr. Osomatsu swings wildly from hilarity to painful cringe; however, when the jokes land, they land hard.
9 Paradise Kiss
MyAnimeList: 7.87
Paradise Kiss
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- 2005 - 2005-00-00
One of the more famous josei anime, Paradise Kiss explores the rarely touched-upon fashion industry through the gaze of Yukari, a female student who is recruited to be a model. The story stumbles a bit while setting up its main characters and core relationships, leading to a somewhat rough opening stretch of episodes; however, things improve significantly once the prep work is complete.
Even though somewhat exaggerated, the anime's characters are relatively grounded, at least when taking into account that they exist in a space that rewards overt passion and aggression. Yukari and George's relationship carries most of the show's emotional weight, and it follows an interesting trajectory.
8 Princess Jellyfish
MyAnimeList: 8.11
Princess Jellyfish
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- 2010 - 2010-00-00
- Network
- Fuji TV
- Directors
- Katsumi Terahigashi, Masahisa Koyata, Nanako Shimazaki
- Japanese Title
- Kuragehime
- Studio
- Brain's Base
- Number of Episodes
- 11
- Based On
- Manga
- Creator
- Akiko Higashimura
- Streaming Service(s)
- Crunchyroll
Five socially awkward teenagers grow up to be five socially awkward adults, leaning on the unbreakable bond of their friendship to make it through a world that doesn't appreciate them for who they are.
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Princess Jellyfish is about an unemployed otaku, and it's as cute and charming as one would expect. The characters and their relationships are the stars in this slice-of-life josei. What does being oneself look like when the world isn't accepting? Can love come to those who don't fit in? These are the questions Princess Jellyfish asks, and its answers are always worth it.