What is this genre all about? The song performance on stage or acting in a theatre is a central part of the character's life in this anime type.
We present you the list of Performance anime you should watch right now.
Try our anime quiz: Anime Characters Guessing Quiz/Game
Top 20 Performance anime you should watch right now. [2026 List]
- 20. [Oshi no Ko]
- 19. Perfect Blue
- 18. PriPara
- 17. K-On!
- 16. Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu
- 15. Love Live! School Idol Project
- 14. Takt Op. Destiny
- 13. Sennen Joyuu
- 12. Joshiraku
- 11. Love Live! Superstar!!
- 10. Koi-ken!: Watashitachi Anime ni Nacchatta!
- 9. Kageki Shoujo!!
- 8. Pole Princess!!
- 7. The iDOLM@STER
- 6. Love Live! Superstar!! 3rd Season
- 5. Dance Dance Danseur
- 4. R-15
- 3. Love Live! School Idol Project 2nd Season
- 2. Hanayamata
- 1. Skip Beat!
20. [Oshi no Ko]
![[Oshi no Ko]](https://media.kitsu.app/anime/46170/cover_image/b6f21b20a7413da4930af6dff99877ad.jpg)
When a pregnant young starlet appears in Gorou Amemiya’s countryside medical clinic, the doctor takes it upon himself to safely (and secretly) deliver Ai Hoshino’s child so she can make a scandal-free return to the stage. But no good deed goes unpunished, and on the eve of her delivery, he finds himself slain at the hands of Ai’s deluded stalker — and subsequently reborn as Ai’s child, Aquamarine Hoshino! The glitz and glamor of showbiz hide the dark underbelly of the entertainment industry, threatening to dull the shine of his favorite star. Can he help his new mother rise to the top of the charts? And what will he do when unthinkable disaster strikes?
Note: Episode 1【推しの子】Mother and Children was pre-screened in advance in Japanese theaters on March 17, 2023. The regular TV broadcast begins on April 12, 2023. The first episode has an extended runtime of ~90 minutes.
Oshi no Ko has finished airing and it has 11 Episodes. It is also Known as: 【推しの子】, 【OSHI NO KO】, [Mein*Star], Favorite Girl, My Idol's Child, เกิดใหม่เป็นลูกโอชิ, Anak Idola, 【推しの子】Mother and Children, [Oshi no Ko] Mother and Children, 【MOJA GWIAZDA】, 我推的孩子
19. Perfect Blue
Perfect Blue revolves around the main protagonist, Mima Kirigoe, a member of a pop idol group named “CHAM!”. After evaluating her situation, she decides to give up her idol status to pursue a career as an actress, what she believes to be the next step in making a name for herself in the industry. However, one of her most hardcore fans, Me-Mania, is less than happy about the path she has decided to take.
Now reborn as an actress, Mima accepts an interesting role, ignoring her manager, Rumi Hidaka's reservations about it. While on set, strange things begin to happen to people who are involved with the film. As time goes on, Mima begins to break down mentally, struggling to distinguish fantasy from reality.
Will Mima be able to escape the grip of her stalker and turn in a break out performance, or will she descend into madness?
Perfect Blue has finished airing and it has 1 Episodes. It is also Known as: パーフェクト・ブルー, Perfect Blue
18. PriPara
Every little girl waits for the day she'll get her special ticket, one that will grant her entry into the world of PriPara (Prism Paradise). PriPara is a world of music, fashion, and daily auditions for a chance to become a pop idol. Laala Manaka's friends and classmates aspire to become idols, but her school forbids elementary school students from participating in the idol competitions.
Luckily, Laala is only interested in watching the idol shows. Yet somehow despite all this, she manages to bumble her way into the PriPara world, and debut as a fresh new talent. After being told all her life that she's too loud, Laala has finally found a place where she can be as loud as she wants and sing from her heart.
And not only that, but there's a possibility that she might be the legendary Prism Voice. Adventure, fashion, and music awaits as Laala climbs her way to the top, on her way to become the cutest and most beloved pop idol in the world of PriPara!
PriPara has finished airing and it has 38 Episodes. It is also Known as: プリパラ, Puri Para, Pri Para, PuriPara, Prism Paradise
17. K-On!
Hirasawa Yui, a young, carefree girl entering high school, has her imagination instantly captured when she sees a poster advertising the "Light Music Club." Being the carefree girl that she is, she quickly signs up; however, Yui has a problem, she is unable to play an instrument.
When Yui goes to the clubroom to explain, she's greeted by the other members: Ritsu, Mio, and Tsumugi. Although disheartened at Yui's lack of musical know-how, they still try to convince her to stay to prevent the club's disbandment. After playing Yui a short piece which re-ignites her imagination, they succeed in keeping their new member and guitarist.
Along with the tasks of school and homework, Yui begins to learn the guitar with the help of the other band members, experiencing many mishaps along the way. However, with the school festival drawing near and Yui getting stuck with her practice, will the Light Music Club be ready in time for their debut?
K-ON! has finished airing and it has 13 Episodes. It is also Known as: けいおん!, Keion, K-ON! Season 1
16. Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu
Yotarou is a former yakuza member fresh out of prison and fixated on just one thing: rather than return to a life of crime, the young man aspires to take to the stage of Rakugo, a traditional Japanese form of comedic storytelling. Inspired during his incarceration by the performance of distinguished practitioner Yakumo Yuurakutei, he sets his mind on meeting the man who changed his life. After hearing Yotarou's desperate appeal for his mentorship, Yakumo is left with no choice but to accept his very first apprentice.
As he eagerly begins his training, Yotarou meets Konatsu, an abrasive young woman who has been under Yakumo's care ever since her beloved father Sukeroku Yuurakutei, another prolific Rakugo performer, passed away. Through her hidden passion, Yotarou is drawn to Sukeroku's unique style of Rakugo despite learning under contrasting techniques. Upon seeing this, old memories and feelings return to Yakumo who reminisces about a much earlier time when he made a promise with his greatest rival.
Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu is a story set in both the past and present, depicting the art of Rakugo, the relationships it creates, and the lives and hearts of those dedicated to keeping the unique form of storytelling alive.
Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinju has finished airing and it has 13 Episodes. It is also Known as: 昭和元禄落語心中, Showa and Genroku Era Lover's Suicide Through Rakugo
15. Love Live! School Idol Project
Otonokizaka High School is in a crisis! With the number of enrolling students dropping lower and lower every year, the school is set to shut down after its current first years graduate. However, second year Honoka Kousaka refuses to let it go without a fight. Searching for a solution, she comes across popular school idol group A-RISE and sets out to create a school idol group of her own. With the help of her childhood friends Umi Sonoda and Kotori Minami, Honoka forms μ's (pronounced "muse") to boost awareness and popularity of her school.
Unfortunately, it's all easier said than done. Student council president Eli Ayase vehemently opposes the establishment of a school idol group and will do anything in her power to prevent its creation. Moreover, Honoka and her friends have trouble attracting any additional members. But the Love Live, a competition to determine the best and most beloved school idol groups in Japan, can help them gain the attention they desperately need. With the contest fast approaching, Honoka must act quickly and diligently to try and bring together a school idol group and win the Love Live in order to save Otonokizaka High School.
Love Live! School Idol Project has finished airing and it has 13 Episodes. It is also Known as: ラブライブ! School idol project, Love Live! School Idol Project
14. Takt Op. Destiny
Music is the light that illuminates people's hearts-- and that "light" was suddenly taken from the world. The world changed the night the black "Kuroya Meteorite" fell. Grotesque monsters known as D2 emerged from the meteorite and began to overrun the land and people. As the D2 were drawn to melodies people played, eventually "music" itself became taboo.
However, those who opposed the monsters appeared. They the "Musicart," girls who draw power from music. They possess the great operas and musical scores of humanity history and use them to defeat the D2.
Takt Op. Destiny has finished airing and it has 12 Episodes. It is also Known as: takt op.Destiny, Takt op. Unmei wa Shin Akaki Senritsu no Machi wo, Takt op. Destiny
13. Sennen Joyuu
At the turn of the millennium, Ginei Studio's dilapidated buildings are set to be demolished. Ex-employee and filmmaker Genya Tachibana decides to honor this occasion with a commemorative documentary about the company's star actress: Chiyoko Fujiwara, the reclusive sweetheart of Shouwa Era cinema. Having finally obtained permission to interview the retired starlet, an enamored Genya drags along cynical cameraman Kyouji Ida to meet her, ready to put his lifelong idol back in the spotlight once more.
Hidden in this secluded mountain retreat is a thousand years of history condensed into one lifetime, waiting to be narrated. Chiyoko's recollections take them on an illusionary journey through Japanese cinematic history that transcends the boundaries of reality; the saga of her acting career intertwines with her filmography, the actors in her life blend seamlessly with the characters on screen, and the present melds with the past. Though the actress may have retired at the height of her career 30 years ago, the curtain on her life's stage has yet to fall.
Millennium Actress has finished airing and it has 1 Episodes. It is also Known as: 千年女優, Chiyoko Millennial Actress, Sennen Joyuu Chiyoko
12. Joshiraku
An adaptation of a manga written by the author of Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei about group of girls who discuss random things and usually reach an unusual or humorous conclusion that's far from the initial discussion topic.
Joshiraku has finished airing and it has 13 Episodes. It is also Known as: じょしらく, Rakugo Girls
11. Love Live! Superstar!!
Yuigaoka Girls High School is a newly established school that lies between the Omotesando, Harajuku, and Aoyama neighborhoods of Tokyo. The story centers on its first batch of students. With no history, no upperclassmen or alumni, and no reputation, it is a school full of unknowns.
Five girls, among them Kanon Shibuya, have a fateful encounter with school idols. Kanon decides, "I love singing. I want to make something come true with song!" Many feelings converge upon a star that has only started to grow. The future is blank and full of possibility for these girls, and their story that everyone will make possible has only just begun. Soar with your wings, our Love Live!
Love Live! Superstar!! has finished airing and it has 12 Episodes. It is also Known as: ラブライブ！スーパースター!!, Love Live! Superstar!!
10. Koi-ken!: Watashitachi Anime ni Nacchatta!
Koi-Ken Love Research club member Kaede Wakamiya comments that being an idol must be extremely easy—a comment that irritates idol Nagisa Toyama. At the suggestion of her manager, all female members of the KoiKen club are invited to become an idol unit with Nagisa. Kaede then realizes that maybe being an idol isn't so easy after all...
Koi-ken!: Watashitachi Anime ni Nacchatta! has finished airing and it has 12 Episodes. It is also Known as: こいけん！～私たちアニメになっちゃった！～, Koiken!: Watashitachi Anime ni Nacchatta!
9. Kageki Shoujo!!
The Kouka Kageki Musical Drama Academy is a high school that teaches musical theater like that at the Takarazuka Revue, and splits its actresses into those who play male and female roles. Ai Narada is a former idol who becomes a musume-yaku (female role) actress and meets Sarasa Watanabe, a simple farm girl who is an otoko-yaku (male role) actress.
Kageki Shoujo!! has finished airing and it has 13 Episodes. It is also Known as: かげきしょうじょ!!, Opera Girl!, The Curtain Rises
8. Pole Princess!!
The story centers on Hinano, a very normal and mild-mannered 17-year-old girl. Since she was very young her grandmother ran a planetarium that Hinano loved, but one day Hinano found out that the planetarium would be closing down. Hinano worried about whether there was anything she could do for her grandmother and for the planetarium, and she coincidentally one day catches sight of a woman dancing on a pole under a starry sky. She gathers her friends and together they set up a stage in the planetarium to perform shows, and they jump into the world of pole dancing.
Pole Princess!! has finished airing and it has 7 Episodes. It is also Known as: ポールプリンセス!!, Pole Princess!!
7. The iDOLM@STER
THE IDOLM@STER follows 13 girls from the 765 Production Studio, whose sole goals is to become the top idols in the Japanese entertainment industry. Along with the laughs, struggles and tears that are inherently part of this journey, you will cheer for the girls of IDOLM@STER as they climb their way to the top!
THE IDOLM@STER has finished airing and it has 25 Episodes. It is also Known as: アイドルマスター, The Idolmaster
6. Love Live! Superstar!! 3rd Season
The third season of Love Live! Superstar!!
Love Live! Superstar!! Season 3 has finished airing and it has 12 Episodes. It is also Known as: ラブライブ!スーパースター!! 3期, Love Live! Superstar!! 3rd Season
5. Dance Dance Danseur
Danseur noble--a ballet dancer qualified to dance the role of the prince. Second-year junior high school student Murao Junpei was fascinated by ballet as a boy, but gave up on dancing after his father's death, as he had to become a man. However, one day, a beautiful transfer student named Godai Miyako appears before him. Miyako takes notice in Junpei's love of ballet and invites him to dance with her. Along with Miyako's cousin Mori Ruou, he begins his career as a full-fledged ballet dancer, with the aim of becoming the world's best dancer--the Danseur noble! Only those who have sacrificed everything are permitted to stand in the beautiful and harsh world of classical ballet. What will be the fate of a total beginner like Junpei?!
Dance Dance Danseur has finished airing and it has 11 Episodes. It is also Known as: ダンス・ダンス・ダンスール, Dance Dance Danseur
4. R-15
R-15 is about a boy, Taketo Akutagawa, who attends a school for geniuses: Inspiration Academy Private High School. Taketo is a genius novelist and writes erotica. Despite negative perceptions many people have of him, he aims to be at the top of his class and be recognized as the world's greatest writer.
R-15 has finished airing and it has 12 Episodes. It is also Known as: あーるじゅうご, R-15
3. Love Live! School Idol Project 2nd Season
Otonokizaka High School has been saved! Despite having to withdraw from the Love Live!, the efforts of μ's were able to garner enough interest in their school to prevent it from being shut down. What more, following the conclusion of the first, a second Love Live! is announced, this time on an even larger stage than before. Given a chance for redemption, the nine girls come together once more to sing their hearts out and claim victory.
However, with the end of the school year approaching, the graduation of the third years draws near. As they attempt to reach the top of the Love Live!, they must also consider their future and choose what path the group will take. Though the question of whether to continue without the third years or disband weighs heavily on the minds of its members, μ's must quickly come to an answer with graduation right around the corner.Love Live! School Idol Project 2nd Season continues the story of the girls as they laugh, cry, sing, and dance in their journey to determine the future of their group and conquer the Love Live! in their last chance to win with all nine girls together.
Love Live! School Idol Project 2 has finished airing and it has 13 Episodes. It is also Known as: ラブライブ! School idol project 2期, Love Live! School Idol Project 2nd Season
2. Hanayamata
Naru Sekiya is an average 14-year-old girl with average intelligence, average athleticism, and average talents. She once had hopes that starting high school would change all that. Unfortunately, the reality could not be further from the truth and she remains a wallflower. Why can't real life be like fairy tales where a handsome prince lifts a poor girl from obscurity and transforms her into a dazzling princess?
Her average student life changes when she meets a blonde girl dancing on top of a gate to a shrine. Naru assumes the girl is a fairy, but it turns out she's just a regular girl, too. But it also just so happens that she's a transfer student named Hana from America who fell in love with yosakoi, a type of dance, and came to Japan with the intention to start her own club! Excited that she's classmates with the girl she met the night before, Hana tries to recruit Naru to become the first member of the brand new yosakoi club. Too bad the thought of dancing in front of everyone terrifies her! Can Hana convince Naru to join the club? Will Naru fall in love with yosakoi? Find out in Hanayamata!
Hanayamata has finished airing and it has 12 Episodes. It is also Known as: ハナヤマタ, Hana Yamata
1. Skip Beat!
Bright, diligent, and yet naïve 16-year-old Kyouko Mogami works hard to support the career and dreams of her childhood friend, crush, and rising pop icon, Shoutarou Fuwa. Toiling endlessly at burger joints and tea ceremonies, the innocent Kyouko remains unaware that day in day out, all her tireless efforts have been taken for granted, until, one day, she finds out that her beloved Shou sees her as nothing but a free servant. Shocked, heartbroken and enraged, she vows to take revenge on the rookie star by entering the ruthless world of entertainment herself. As she steps into this new life, Kyouko will face new challenges as well as people who will push her out of her comfort zone.
Based on the best-selling shoujo manga by Yoshiki Nakamura, Skip Beat showcases the growth of a young woman who slowly unlearns how to work herself to the bone for the satisfaction of others and takes her future into her own hands instead.
Skip Beat! has finished airing and it has 25 Episodes. It is also Known as: スキップ・ビート！, Skip Beat!
