What is this genre all about? Media targeting women roughly 18-40
We present you the list of Josei anime you should watch right now.
Try our anime quiz: Anime Characters Guessing Quiz/Game
Top 19 Josei anime you should watch right now. [2026 List]
- 19. Ikoku Nikki
- 18. Higeki no Genkyou to Naru Saikyou Gedou Last Boss Joou wa Tami no Tame ni Tsukushimasu. Season 2
- 17. Kirio Fanclub
- 16. Higeki no Genkyou to Naru Saikyou Gedou Last Boss Joou wa Tami no Tame ni Tsukushimasu.
- 15. Mignon
- 14. Paradise Kiss
- 13. Koori Zokusei Danshi to Cool na Douryou Joshi
- 12. 30-sai made Doutei da to Mahou Tsukai ni Nareru Rashii
- 11. Zutaboro Reijou wa Ane no Moto Konyakusha ni Dekiai sareru
- 10. Chihayafuru
- 9. Otome Game no Hametsu Flag shika Nai Akuyaku Reijou ni Tensei shiteshimatta...
- 8. Otome Game no Hametsu Flag shika Nai Akuyaku Reijou ni Tensei shiteshimatta... Season 2
- 7. Kuragehime
- 6. Hyakki Yakoushou
- 5. Hoshi Furu Oukoku no Nina
- 4. Chihayafuru 2
- 3. Chihayafuru 3
- 2. Debu to Love to Ayamachi to!
- 1. Koroshi Ai
19. Ikoku Nikki
Reclusive novelist Makio Koudai has always preferred the company of books—but when her sister and brother-in-law pass away, Makio unexpectedly becomes the guardian of her 15-year-old niece, Asa Takumi. As they navigate grief, clashing personalities, and the challenges of living together, the two slowly open their hearts to each other, discovering warmth, understanding, and the meaning of family.
Journal with Witch has finished airing and it has 13 Episodes. It is also Known as: 違国日記, Different Country Diary, Foreign Country Diary
18. Higeki no Genkyou to Naru Saikyou Gedou Last Boss Joou wa Tami no Tame ni Tsukushimasu. Season 2
Second season of Higeki no Genkyou to Naru Saikyou Gedou Last Boss Joou wa Tami no Tame ni Tsukushimasu.
The Most Heretical Last Boss Queen: From Villainess to Savior Season 2 is currently airing and will have Episodes. It is also Known as: 悲劇の元凶となる最強外道ラスボス女王は民の為に尽くします。Season2, The Most Heretical Last Boss Queen Who Will Become the Source of Tragedy Will Devote Herself for the Sake of the People, Lastame
17. Kirio Fanclub
For Aimi and Nami, the answer is to cry tears of joy for being able to pinpoint at a distance the object of their affections, Kirio, from a single toot. These are the kinds of deep, philosophical questions the two friends/rivals in romance pose to each other to prove their love for this boy who hardly seems to know they exist. That won’t stop them from conducting nightly rituals to entice him into their dreams, though, or listing out what exactly they like about him, down to the very last organ. But when push comes to shove, will they choose their hilarious friendship over a shot at love?
Kirio Fanclub is currently airing and will have Episodes. It is also Known as: 霧尾ファンクラブ, Kirio Fanclub
16. Higeki no Genkyou to Naru Saikyou Gedou Last Boss Joou wa Tami no Tame ni Tsukushimasu.
Pride Royal Ivy is only eight years old when she realizes that she’s been reincarnated, destined to become the future wicked queen and final boss of an otome game. She’s got it all in this new life: razor-sharp wit, boss-tier powers, and influence over the kingdom as crown princess. Determined to sow despair and destruction across the land, she… Wait, what kind of a rotten future is that?! Princess Pride decides to drop the maniacal villainess plan and protect the male love interests instead, cheating her way to saving everyone she can! Will this final boss end up earning the adoration of her kingdom?
The Most Heretical Last Boss Queen: From Villainess to Savior has finished airing and it has 12 Episodes. It is also Known as: 悲劇の元凶となる最強外道ラスボス女王は民の為に尽くします。, LasTame
15. Mignon
Mignon is an original BL anime from South Korea. The animation follows a complex and exciting story of drama and desires. It revolves around a boxer named Mignon, and a vampire doctor Young-on Oh, who find solace in the presence of one another through an aggressive and romantic affair.
Mignon has finished airing and it has 12 Episodes. It is also Known as: Mignon
14. Paradise Kiss
Third-year high school student Yukari Hayasaka has no time for frivolous things. She needs to study hard and attend cram school so she can do well on her university exams. She doesn't care which university she gets into; she just wants to leave the town she's grown bored of. Too bad her parents have other opinions on the subject.
One day, while Yukari is walking down the street, a guy with multiple piercings and bleached hair flags her down. Suspicious of the stranger, she tries to get away from him but fails and ultimately ends up meeting his friends: a group of third-year fashion design students at a prestigious art school. They want her to be their model for their final project, but Yukari thinks it will only get in the way of her studies. But the more she gets to know them, the more she grows to admire the way they go after their dreams. Will modeling for this eccentric group of would-be fashion designers give Yukari a much-needed push to strive for her own goals? And what about her attraction to the group's leader, George Koizumi? Can a relationship between them work? Watch Paradise Kiss to find out!
Paradise Kiss has finished airing and it has 12 Episodes. It is also Known as: Paradise kiss, ParaKiss
13. Koori Zokusei Danshi to Cool na Douryou Joshi
Himuro-kun is a living descendant of the Snow Woman from Japanese folklore. But anytime he's around his eccentric yet kind colleague, Fuyutsuki-san, he totally freezes up! Despite the snowstorm of love that rages on in his heart, and her complete cluelessness, will he take a step forward or stay frozen in place?
The Ice Guy and His Cool Female Colleague has finished airing and it has 12 Episodes. It is also Known as: 氷属性男子とクールな同僚女子, Koori Zokusei Danshi to Cool na Douryou Joshi
12. 30-sai made Doutei da to Mahou Tsukai ni Nareru Rashii
Adachi's 30th birthday as a virgin came with the oddest gift—the ability to read the mind of anyone he touches. Pondering what to do with this mysterious power, he gets a lead when he accidentally reads his colleague Kurosawa's mind. Turns out the handsome hotshot of the sales team has got a thing for him! How will Adachi respond to overhearing these affectionate thoughts?
Cherry Magic! Thirty Years of Virginity Can Make You a Wizard?! has finished airing and it has 12 Episodes. It is also Known as: 30歳まで童貞だと魔法使いになれるらしい, 30-sai made Doutei da to Mahou Tsukai ni Nareru Rashii
11. Zutaboro Reijou wa Ane no Moto Konyakusha ni Dekiai sareru
Marie, the second daughter of a poor baron’s household, is treated like a servant by her parents. Even at Marie’s birthday party, her beautiful elder sister, Anastasia, is the star. Outside, Marie bumps into Count Kyuros Granado, who falls for her at first sight. Yet, due to a misunderstanding, the Count proposes to Anastasia. After a tragic accident, Marie must marry the count instead!
Betrothed to My Sister's Ex has finished airing and it has 12 Episodes. It is also Known as: ずたぼろ令嬢は姉の元婚約者に溺愛される, Loved by Her Sister's Former Fiancée
10. Chihayafuru
Chihaya Ayase, a strong-willed and tomboyish girl, grows up under the shadow of her older sister. With no dreams of her own, she is contented with her share in life till she meets Arata Wataya. The quiet transfer student in her elementary class introduces her to competitive karuta, a physically and mentally demanding card game inspired by the classic Japanese anthology of Hundred Poets. Captivated by Arata's passion for the game and inspired by the possibility of becoming the best in Japan, Chihaya quickly falls in love with the world of karuta. Along with the prodigy Arata and her haughty but hard-working friend Taichi Mashima, she joins the local Shiranami Society. The trio spends their idyllic childhood days playing together, until circumstances split them up.
Now in high school, Chihaya has grown into a karuta freak. She aims to establish the Municipal Mizusawa High Competitive Karuta Club, setting her sights on the national championship at Omi Jingu. Reunited with the now indifferent Taichi, Chihaya's dream of establishing a karuta team is only one step away from becoming true: she must bring together members with a passion for the game that matches her own.
Chihayafuru has finished airing and it has 25 Episodes. It is also Known as: ちはやふる, Chihayafull
9. Otome Game no Hametsu Flag shika Nai Akuyaku Reijou ni Tensei shiteshimatta...
After hitting her head particularly hard one day, Duke Claes' daughter suddenly recalls all the memories of her past life: that of a teenage Japanese girl. Just before her untimely death, this girl recalls playing an otome game... that is exactly like the world she's living in now!
She is now Katarina Claes, the antagonist of the otome game, who nastily hounded the protagonist until the end. Knowing all the possible outcomes of the game, she realizes that every single possible route ends with Katarina being murdered or exiled! In order to avoid these Catastrophic Bad Ends, she has to use her knowledge of the game and her own wiles, starting with breaking off this engagement with the prince...
Will Katarina survive while making her way through this world, where bad flags trip at every turn?
My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom! has finished airing and it has 12 Episodes. It is also Known as: 乙女ゲームの破滅フラグしかない悪役令嬢に転生してしまった…, Hamefura
8. Otome Game no Hametsu Flag shika Nai Akuyaku Reijou ni Tensei shiteshimatta... Season 2
Second season of Otome Game no Hametsu Flag shika Nai Akuyaku Reijou ni Tensei shiteshimatta...
My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom! Season 2 has finished airing and it has 12 Episodes. It is also Known as: 乙女ゲームの破滅フラグしかない悪役令嬢に転生してしまった…Ｘ, Hamefura 2, My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom! X, Otome Game no Hametsu Flag shika Nai Akuyaku Reijou ni Tensei shiteshimatta… X
7. Kuragehime
Tsukimi and her wallflower friends are hopeless nerds with bizarre hobbies. Their crippling social anxieties keep them from setting foot outside the all-girl apartment complex they inhabit, but a late night jellyfish rescue mission and the arrival of a “Stylish Girl” are about to turn their lives upside down!
Princess Jellyfish has finished airing and it has 11 Episodes. It is also Known as: 海月姫, Kurage-hime
6. Hyakki Yakoushou
Ritsu inherited his sixth sense from his grandfather, along with a demon guardian named Blue Storm. Strange things just seem to happen around these two, and it's left to them to get to the bottom of all these mysterious events. Each story is independent but features recurring characters you'll come to know and appreciate as they, each in their own way, try to deal with things 'not of this world'.
Hyakki Yakoushou is currently airing and will have Episodes. It is also Known as: 百鬼夜行抄, Selected Pandemonium, Hyakki Yakoushou, Tales of a Hundred Ghosts Traveling by the Night, Hyakkiyakou Shou, Beyond Twilight, Le Cortège des cent démons, La Corte dei Cento Demoni
5. Hoshi Furu Oukoku no Nina
Nina had a rough start to life, stealing to survive—and eventually being sold into slavery by her own brother. But to her surprise, her captor, Prince Azure, ordained that she would live the life of a princess...specifically, that of the recently deceased princess-priestess, Alisha. But despite her changing fortune, Nina won't give up her old life without a fight...and Azure might just be the one to finally match her wits. But how much can she trust Azure? And can she stop the feelings budding in her heart, knowing she must eventually marry another...?
Nina the Starry Bride has finished airing and it has 12 Episodes. It is also Known as: 星降る王国のニナ, Hoshi Furu Oukoku no Nina
4. Chihayafuru 2
Chihaya Ayase is obsessed with developing her school's competitive karuta club, nursing daunting ambitions like winning the national team championship at the Omi Jingu and becoming the Queen, the best female karuta player in Japan—and in extension, the world. As their second year of high school rolls around, Chihaya and her fellow teammates must recruit new members, train their minds and bodies alike, and battle the formidable opponents that stand in their way to the championship title. Meanwhile, Chihaya's childhood friend, Arata Wataya, the prodigy who introduced her to karuta, rediscovers his lost love for the old card game.
Chihayafuru 2 has finished airing and it has 25 Episodes. It is also Known as: ちはやふる 2, Chihayafull 2
3. Chihayafuru 3
Third season of Chihayafuru.
“I’m not letting go of my dreams! I’m gonna be the queen!”
They put everything on the line to taste the glory. Chihaya and Mizusawa High School karuta club teammates, including those who just joined, spend the summer of their sophomore year competing at the National Tournament.
In the team competition, they beat the seemingly invincible Fujisaki High School to make Mizusawa High School the champion for the first time. In the individual competition, Taichi wins the B Level while Arata wins the A Level.
The right finger that Chihaya injured in the team competition has healed from the successful surgery. She’s ready to join the Fujisaki High School summer camp with Taichi.
They set their eyes on beating the reigning queen and put up with the brutal training from their advisor Sakurazawa, but the discovery of one fact might dash their hopes of playing.
Meanwhile, Arata learns that having his own team will open up new opportunities, so he sets off to establishing one.
A new rival, an unpredictable future, and the dream of becoming the queen. “Chihayafuru 3” overflows with the passion and devotion of the karuta club high school students!
Chihayafuru 3 has finished airing and it has 24 Episodes. It is also Known as: ちはやふる 3, Chihayafull 3
2. Debu to Love to Ayamachi to!
"This is the punishment for a fat, ugly girl like me falling in love with someone as beautiful as you..." Yumeko had a mountain of complexes about herself. Then, a terrible accident befalls her. Though somehow saved from the brink of death, Yumeko wakes up a completely different person. "This is...me...?! I'm SO cute!!" Those around her can't hide their surprise and wonderment at this 180°change... But, Yumeko's new hyper-positive attitude starts to change her surroundings, too. Worries and complexes can affect anyone, and Yumeko will chop right through those of her various supporting characters!! In love, work, friendship... And an attempted murder case?! This frenzied romantic comedy will leave you bubbling with energy!
Plus-sized Misadventures in Love! is currently airing and will have 12 Episodes. It is also Known as: デブとラブと過ちと！, Debu to Love to Ayamachi to!
1. Koroshi Ai
The silent and stoic Chateau Dankworth is a bounty hunter. Her target: Son Ryang-ha, a notorious killer known for killing 18 high-class officials in a single night. To this day, his murders remain swift, efficient, and bloody. However, after Son Ryang-ha overpowers Chateau in their first encounter, he reveals his own intentions: he too is after her, aiming for her heart.
Son Ryang-ha's attempts to catch her eye are quite unique, to say the least. He offers gifts to her in the form of her current targets, tied up and battered, and will do anything to spend more time together. Reluctantly, Chateau goes along with this act, and so begins the cat-and-mouse game of love between two killers.
Love of Kill has finished airing and it has 12 Episodes. It is also Known as: 殺し愛, Koroshi Ai
