What is this genre all about? Since college/university students are typically at least eighteen years old, with stories covering mature everyday life topics, you will find the college setting quite often in seinen and josei anime.
Topics that can now be covered - as compared to High School settings - are higher education (i.e. coping with higher intellectual stress), the more adult party life (i.e. alcohol, smoking, sex), the issues of daily life vs. studying - especially when having to work to pay for bills, and finally the possible friction between those in and out of college.
We present you the list of University anime you should watch right now.
Try our anime quiz: Anime Characters Guessing Quiz/Game
Top 19 University anime you should watch right now. [2024 List]
- 19. Golden Time
- 18. Grand Blue
- 17. Uzaki-chan wa Asobitai! ω
- 16. The Tatami Galaxy
- 15. Paradise Kiss
- 14. Nodame Cantabile
- 13. Bakuman. 2nd Season
- 12. A Day Before Us
- 11. Free!: Dive to the Future
- 10. Boukyaku Battery
- 9. A Day Before Us 2nd Season
- 8. Honey and Clover
- 7. Genshiken
- 6. Long Riders!
- 5. Kaze ga Tsuyoku Fuiteiru
- 4. A Day Before Us ZERO
- 3. Ai Yori Aoshi
- 2. Blue Thermal
- 1. Tokyo Daigaku Monogatari
19. Golden Time
Due to a tragic accident, Banri Tada is struck with amnesia, dissolving the memories of his hometown and past. However, after befriending Mitsuo Yanagisawa, he decides to move on and begin a new life at law school in Tokyo. But just as he is beginning to adjust to his college life, the beautiful Kouko Kaga dramatically barges into Banri's life, and their chance meeting marks the beginning of an unforgettable year.
After having a glimpse of college life, Banri learns that he is in a new place and a new world - a place where he can be reborn, to have new friends, fall in love, makes mistakes and grow. And as he begins to discover who he was, the path he has chosen leads him towards a blindingly bright life that he will never want to forget.
Golden Time has finished airing and it has 24 Episodes. It is also Known as: ゴールデンタイム, Golden Time
18. Grand Blue
After moving out on his own to a seaside town, Iori Kitahara makes a college debut he never anticipated. A new chapter of his life unfolds, full of diving with beautiful girls and shenanigans with a gaggle of lovable bastards! Idiot-expert Kenji Inoue and au naturel authority Kimitake Yoshioka bring you a glorious college tale filled with booze-fueled antics!
Grand Blue Dreaming has finished airing and it has 12 Episodes. It is also Known as: ぐらんぶる, Grand Blue
17. Uzaki-chan wa Asobitai! ω
Second season of Uzaki-chan wa Asobitai!
Uzaki-chan Wants to Hang Out! ω has finished airing and it has 13 Episodes. It is also Known as: 宇崎ちゃんは遊びたい！ω, Uzaki-chan wa Asobitai! ω
16. The Tatami Galaxy
One autumn evening at a mysterious ramen stand behind the Shimogamo Shrine, a lonely third-year college student bumps into a man with an eggplant-shaped head who calls himself a god of matrimony. Meeting this man causes the student to reflect upon his past two years at college—two years bitterly spent trying to break up couples on campus with his only friend Ozu, a ghoulish-looking man seemingly set on making his life as miserable as possible. Resolving to make the most out of the rest of his college life, the student attempts to ask out the unsociable but kind-hearted underclassman Akashi, yet fails to follow through, prompting him to regret not living out his college life differently. As soon as this thought passes through his head, however, he is hurtled through time and space to the beginning of his years at college and given another chance to live his life.
Surreal, artistic, and mind-bending, Yojouhan Shinwa Taikei chronicles the misadventures of a young man on a journey to make friends, find love, and experience the rose-colored campus life he always dreamed of.
The Tatami Galaxy has finished airing and it has 11 Episodes. It is also Known as: Yojouhan Shinwa Taikei, 四畳半神話大系, Yojo-Han Shinwa Taikei, Yojou-Han Shinwa Taikei, Yojohan Shinwa Taikei
15. 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
14. Nodame Cantabile
Shinichi Chiaki is a first class musician whose dream is to play among the elites in Europe. Coming from a distinguished family, he is an infamous perfectionist—not only is he highly critical of himself, but of others as well. The only thing stopping Shinichi from leaving for Europe is his fear of flying. As a result, he's grounded in Japan.
During his fourth year at Japan's top music university, Shinichi happens to meet Megumi Noda or, as she refers to herself, Nodame. On the surface, she seems to be an unkempt girl with no direction in life. However, when Shinichi hears Nodame play the piano for the first time, he is in awe of the kind of music she creates. Nevertheless, Shinichi is dismayed to discover that Nodame is his neighbor, and worse, she ends up falling head over heels in love with him.
Nodame Cantabile has finished airing and it has 23 Episodes. It is also Known as: のだめカンタービレ, Nodame Cantabile
13. Bakuman. 2nd Season
With the serialization of their new manga, "Detective Trap," the writer-artist team, Akito Takagi and Moritaka Mashiro, better known by their pseudonym Ashirogi Muto, are one step closer to becoming world-renowned mangaka. For Mashiro, however, serialization is just the first step. Having promised to marry his childhood sweetheart and aspiring voice actress, Azuki Miho, once his manga gets an anime adaptation, Mashiro must continue his to popularize Ashirogi's work. A tremendously competitive cast of ambitious mangaka—including the wild genius, Eiji Niizuma; the elegant student, Yuriko Aoki, and her older admirer and partner, Takurou Nakai; the lazy prodigy, Kazuya Hiramaru; and the abrasive artist, Shinta Fukuda—both support and compete against Ashirogi Muto in creating the next big hit.
As they adjust to their young and seemingly untested new editor, the dynamic duo struggle to maintain their current serialization, secure the top stop in Shounen Jack, and ultimately, achieve an anime adaptation of their manga. With new rivals and friends, Bakuman. 2nd Season continues Takagi and Mashiro's inspiring story of hard work and young love.
Bakuman. 2 has finished airing and it has 25 Episodes. It is also Known as: バクマン。2ndシーズン, Bakuman Season 2
12. A Day Before Us
During a rain shower, college student Ha Eun encounters a young man named Yeon Woo who has an umbrella. As the tent above them is about to burst apart from the heavy rain, she latches onto Yeon Woo in order to shield herself.
Not realizing that what she had just done was embarrassing she tries to ignore Yeon Woo the rest of the time.
Little does she know, he's the friend of her best friend, Yeo Reum who is a bright faced and childish young woman. Annoyed by the fact that she keeps coming across the neutral faced and quiet Yeon Woo she tries her best to stand up for herself in front of the quiet man.
Meanwhile, a shy man named Kim Wook is also good friends with Yeo Reum and also has a secret crush on her and keeps on staring at her sweet lips. But, being shy and awkward around her, he does his best to hide his secret but, such a thing isn't as easy as it seems.
As these two stories clash together, what will happen to them all in the end? Will love flourish and bloom, or, will they just keep on ignoring each others hearts?
A Day Before Us has finished airing and it has 10 Episodes. It is also Known as: A Day Before Us
11. Free!: Dive to the Future
In the new series, Haruka, who is attending college in Tokyo, meets Asahi again and reawakens his memories from his middle school years, including those of Ikuya. Makoto is working toward a new dream while he is in Tokyo together with Haruka. Rin has an unexpected meeting in Sydney. As they await their new futures, will they see a new fight ahead? Or will they instead confront the past they left behind?
Free! Dive to the Future has finished airing and it has 12 Episodes. It is also Known as: Free!-Dive to the Future-, Free! 3rd Season
10. Boukyaku Battery
The story follows a group of baseball players who after having quit playing baseball are reunited by fate after enrolling in the same university. At the time the university did not have a baseball team, so the group who have previously faced off against each other throughout the years. Form a team and start playing once again, reviving their passion for the sport.
Boukyaku Battery has finished airing and it has 1 Episodes. It is also Known as: 忘却バッテリー, Jump Special Anime Festa 2020
9. A Day Before Us 2nd Season
2nd season of A Day Before Us.
A Day Before Us 2nd Season has finished airing and it has 15 Episodes. It is also Known as: A Day Before Us 2nd Season
8. Honey and Clover
Yuuta, Takumi, and Shinobu share a six-tatami room apartment with no bath. The rent is low and it's perfect for poor college students such as themselves. Shinobu is a mysterious, quirky person, who does things on a whim. Takumi is passionate both in work and love, and Yuuta is a simple person with simple dreams and desires. That is, until he meets Hagumi, a petite girl with enormous amount of talent. Hagumi is fondly called Hagu by Shuuji, who serves as Hagu's guardian. Hagu meets Ayumi, nicknamed Ayu, and they become close friends almost instantly. Meanwhile, Ayu falls for one of the boys...
The joys of falling in love, the pain of letting go, discovering one's self, and finding the courage to move on—these are some of the things that the characters in Hachimitsu to Clover experience as they take part in the play staged by fate.
Honey and Clover has finished airing and it has 24 Episodes. It is also Known as: Hachimitsu to Clover, ハチミツとクローバー, HachiKuro, Honey & Clover
7. Genshiken
Sasahara Kanji is a college freshman who decides to join a student society to share his hidden thoughts on manga, anime and gaming.
When he first visited Genshiken, short for "Gendai Shikaku Bunka Kenkyuu Kai" (Society for the Study of Modern Visual Culture), his groundless pride was destroyed by the plotting of Madarame, a sophomore student in Genshiken, but he still couldn't admit that he is an otaku.
However, as he participates in society activities such as visiting dojin (private publishing) shops and anime festivals, and hangs out with other society members Kosaka (a hardcore otaku despite his extreme eccentricities and good looks), Kosaka's girlfriend Kasukabe Saki (who isn't really an otaku), Ohno (a cosplayer) and the others, he opens his mind and resolves that he will make his way into the otaku world. With their help, Sasahara slowly adjusts to otaku life in Genshiken.
Genshiken has finished airing and it has 12 Episodes. It is also Known as: げんしけん, The Society for the Study of Modern Visual Culture
6. Long Riders!
Ami Kurata, a first-year university student who has no athletic ability, suddenly falls in love with a folding bicycle after seeing it in front of a train station. Inspired by her newfound love, she starts saving up to buy a bicycle and to learn cycling.
Long Riders! has finished airing and it has 12 Episodes. It is also Known as: ろんぐらいだぁす！, Longriders!
5. Kaze ga Tsuyoku Fuiteiru
One chilly March day, Kansei University fourth-year Kiyose Haiji (Haiji) encounters Kurahara Kakeru (Kakeru) running uncommonly fast through the streets at night and forces him into living at the Chikusei-so (AKA Aotake). Haiji has a dream and ambition. He became discouraged after suffering an injury in high school, but he wants to run again. He wants to participate in the Hakone Ekiden and show off the running ability he's been pursuing. He has only one year left to turn that dream and ambition into reality.
Run with the Wind has finished airing and it has 23 Episodes. It is also Known as: 風が強く吹いている, Kaze ga Tsuyoku Fuiteiru
4. A Day Before Us ZERO
Two high school pals live together?
Yeo Reum and Wook... What the hell happened between them?
(Source:A Day Before US Youtube Channel)
A Day Before Us ZERO has finished airing and it has 19 Episodes. It is also Known as: A day before us 3rd season
3. Ai Yori Aoshi
Kaoru Hanabishi, a college student who lives alone, met a beautiful but bewildered girl dressed in a kimono at a train station. He volunteered to guide her way to the address she was looking for, which happened to be in his neighborhood, but turned out to be an empty lot. Not knowing what to do next, Kaoru invited the devastated girl to his apartment and asked for any additional clues to her destination. She supplied him with a photo of two children whom Kauru immediately identified as himself and Aoi Sakuraba, his childhood friend. It turned out that the girl in front of him is Aoi Sakuraba herself, his betrothed fiancee who came all the way to Tokyo to marry him. Her revelation was not only surprising but also reminded the deepest part of Kaoru's memory for why he left the Hanabishi family in the first place.
Ai Yori Aoshi has finished airing and it has 24 Episodes. It is also Known as: 藍より青し, Bluer Than Indigo
2. Blue Thermal
The story centers on Tamaki Tsuru, who was on sports teams throughout her entire school life until high school, but is instead seeking an active romantic life once she enters college. However, a turn of events puts her on the path to joining her university's glider club at college.
Blue Thermal has finished airing and it has 1 Episodes. It is also Known as: Blue Thermal: Aonagi Daigaku Taiikukai Koukuu-bu, ブルーサーマル, Blue Thermal
1. Tokyo Daigaku Monogatari
Based on long running manga by Tatsuya Egawa (Golden Boy). It tells the tale of final-year high-schooler, Murakami Naoki who falls for Mizuno Haruka as they make university entrance exams preparations.
Tokyo Daigaku Monogatari has finished airing and it has 2 Episodes. It is also Known as: 東京大学物語, Tokyo University Story
