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 18 University anime you should watch right now. [2026 List]
- 18. Seishun Buta Yarou wa Santa Claus no Yume wo Minai
- 17. Golden Time
- 16. Grand Blue
- 15. Uzaki-chan wa Asobitai! ω
- 14. The Tatami Galaxy
- 13. Honey and Clover
- 12. Nodame Cantabile
- 11. Paradise Kiss
- 10. Genshiken
- 9. Bakuman. 2nd Season
- 8. Genshiken OVA
- 7. Umi ga Hashiru End Roll
- 6. Free!: Dive to the Future
- 5. Blue Thermal
- 4. White Album
- 3. Aoki Honoo
- 2. Genshiken Nidaime
- 1. Genshiken 2
18. Seishun Buta Yarou wa Santa Claus no Yume wo Minai
Sequel to the film Seishun Buta Yarou wa Randoseru Girl no Yume wo Minai.
After encountering various girls going through Puberty Syndrome, Sakuta Azusagawa's high school days have come to a close, and he is now a university student. He enrolls at a university in Kanazawa-hakkei alongside his girlfriend Mai Sakurajima, a nationally famed actress. Off campus, he stumbles upon an out-of-season miniskirt Santa. Precognitive dreams, an anonymous online singer, poltergeists buzzing on social media... A mysterious tale with enigmatic phenomena surrounding girls with wavering hearts starts again. Puberty continues...
Rascal Does Not Dream of Santa Claus has finished airing and it has 13 Episodes. It is also Known as: 青春ブタ野郎はサンタクロースの夢を見ない, AoButa, 青ブタ, Rascal Does Not Dream: University Student Arc, Rascal Series: University Arc, 青春ブタ野郎 大学生編, Seishun Buta Yarou: Daigakusei-hen
17. 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
16. Grand Blue
When Iori Kitahara heads off to college, he decides to live at his uncle's dive shop in Izu named Grand Blue. Iori is looking forward to experiencing college life amidst the roar of the waves, the blazing sun, and his cute cousin who lives with him! However, Iori runs into a group of tough guys playing strip rock-paper-scissors, and ends up joining Peek-a-Boo, the college's diving club!
Grand Blue Dreaming has finished airing and it has 12 Episodes. It is also Known as: ぐらんぶる, Grand Blue
15. 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
14. 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
13. 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
12. 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
11. 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
10. 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
9. 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
8. Genshiken OVA
It's the start of a new year for the Genshiken crew, and that means recruiting new members. Always a dreaded task, The Society for the Study of Modern Visual Culture manages to get Chika Ogiue pushed onto them from the Manga Club. With her introduction of "I'm Ogiue and I hate otaku," this year certainly will be anything but boring.
Genshiken OVA has finished airing and it has 3 Episodes. It is also Known as: げんしけん OVA, The Society for the Study of Modern Visual Culture OVA
7. Umi ga Hashiru End Roll
Umiko, a grandma, realizes that she has the same desire to make movies as university student Kai—and soon she enrolls in Kai's film school!
"It's not the movies you like…you like watching the people watching the movies."
Just what are you going to do with the rest of your life? It's the question you'll always have to answer, no matter your age. Umiko Chino is a 65-year-old retired woman in mourning for her late husband. Remembering how they used to watch films together, Umiko goes to the movie theater for the first time in years, where she meets Kai, an attractive, ambiguous young man who studies filmmaking at a nearby art school.
They would seem to have nothing in common, except for this—both of them sometimes like to look more at the way the audience reacts to a movie than the movie itself. Kai believes Umiko has the same deep desire he possesses to experience how people respond to something they made… and challenges her to stake the rest of her life discovering that thrill.
Soon Umiko surprises herself by enrolling in the same film school as Kai. But sailing into this new sea, she's suddenly inside the currents of her fellow students' lives, a much younger generation that she struggles to understand, driven by their own passions and their own relationships. Who's really experienced at life, and is it old age or observation that brings wisdom? And does what you're looking for change when you look with your eyes instead of through a camera lens…?
The Credits Roll into the Sea has not yet aired. It will air on December 31, 2027. It is also Known as: 海が走るエンドロール, Umi ga Hashiru End Roll
6. 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
5. 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
4. White Album
Can a relationship between a regular college student and an idol singer survive? That is the question that White Album tries to answer. Touya Fujii is a normal college student with normal worries—namely balancing his classes and his job he works to pay for school. He is also concerned about the amount of time he has to spend with Yuki Morikawa, or rather, the lack of it.
Being an up and coming idol singer, Yuki has concerns of her own. Even though she's not yet as popular as experienced veteran Rina Ogata, Yuki is turning heads and landing interviews on television. This should be a good thing, but not everyone is happy about the attention she receives from the media and from Rina. The idol industry is surprisingly cutthroat, and rival singers have their eyes on Yuki.
While it may seem exciting to watch your girlfriend on television, how does Touya really feel about all this? Between the challenges associated with Yuki's career and other people that Touya meets at his university, their relationship may not last…
White Album has finished airing and it has 13 Episodes. It is also Known as: ホワイトアルバム, W.A.
3. Aoki Honoo
Ryuuichi is a high-school student tired of living in a small town with small people. He's determined to claw his way to the top of Tokyo, and he'll use any woman he can to do it.
Aoki Honoo has finished airing and it has 1 Episodes. It is also Known as: 青き炎, Blue Flames, Aoi Honoo
2. Genshiken Nidaime
Another college semester begins and the returning members of Genshiken attempt to recruit new club members. Three new members join the club, attracted by Ogiue's BL drawings. She welcomes the new members but fears the club will become a "fujoshi" haven for yaoi fans and is getting a bit too far removed from its original purpose.
Genshiken Second Season has finished airing and it has 13 Episodes. It is also Known as: げんしけん 二代目, The Society for the Study of Modern Visual Culture, Genshiken Second Generation
1. Genshiken 2
The Society for the Study of Modern Visual Culture, otherwise known as Genshiken, is now under the charge of a more confident Sasahara. Things have changed in between semesters, and the otaku club now has a new otaku-hating member named Ogiue. Sasahara's initial goal of starting a doujin circle and selling those fan-made magazines at the next Comic Festival becomes a reality, but reality is a cruel master... who apparently crossplays. Afterward, the club is abuzz with talk about Tanaka and Ohno's relationship, which takes a hesitant step forward.
Genshiken 2 has finished airing and it has 12 Episodes. It is also Known as: げんしけん2, Gendai Shikaku Bunka Kenkyuukai 2
