Black Rock Shooter OVA - Recommendations

If you're looking for anime similar to Black Rock Shooter OVA, you might like these titles.

Puella Magi Madoka Magica

Puella Magi Madoka Magica

One night, Madoka has a terrible nightmare – against the backdrop of a desolate landscape, she watches a magical girl battle a terrifying creature, and lose. The next day, the teen's dream becomes reality when the girl – Homura – arrives at Mitakihara Middle School as a transfer student, mysteriously warning Madoka to stay just the way she is. But when she and her best friend Miki are pulled into a twisted illusion world and meet a magical creature named Kyubey, the pair discovers that magical girls are real, and what's more, they can choose to become one. All they must do is sign a contract with Kyubey and agree to fight witches that spread despair to the human world, and in return they will be granted a single wish. However, as Homura's omen suggests, there's far more to becoming a magical girl than Madoka and Miki realize...

7 votes

I agree

Reasons you might like Puella Magi Madoka Magica...

MugenNeS MugenNeS says...

Visually stunning and totally different outlook on their respected genres both series are far more than watchable. Each with a complex story that starts out hard hitting and grabs you tightly until the very end.

 

mikupinku mikupinku says...

In both anime friendship prevails, and the main characters fight for her best friend, living in an uncaring world. The fights are in a very similar scenario. If you liked one of them you must watch the other. I recommed both

 

Merginoch Merginoch says...

The art style are very similar, very beautiful. You're also going to like the original plots in both animes as they take different turns and twists throughout.

Archaeon Archaeon says...

Both feature the alter ego of a young girl fighting strange creatures in a surreal otherworld.

IDDKyewD IDDKyewD says...

If you like girls fighting eachother in weirdly abstract environments with dashes of school life tossed in, watch Madoka Magica. Stuff actually happens in it.

YuiYui YuiYui says...

Dark themes that involve girls of young ages in a journey against the world pretty much. The idea of another world, in Madoka Magic it's the secret world of the witches and in Black Rock Shooter it is where black rock shooter and friends fight and stuff along them lines. Both beautifully made anime and if you like one then you should like the other.

XMrNiceguyX XMrNiceguyX says...

Main reason for this recommendation is the focus on the gritty mood and action sequences set in a place which is clearly in a parallel space. Therer are clear cut lines between daily school life (reality) and action sequences (the abstract / another dimension) featuring the characters in flashy clothing. Additionally both shows have an all female cast with friendship (and slightly beyond) as a main running theme.

Main difference can be found in the somewhat more disjointed nature of the action and SoL scenes in Black Rock Shooter compared to the more symbiotic and relationship of such scenes in Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica. There is also the very explicit mahou shoujo theme in Madoka which might put you off, even though it's practicially the same to Black Rock Shooter.

Ga-Rei-Zero

Ga-Rei-Zero

Kagura and Yomi are two girls who have a bond that cannot be broken. While once they fought side by side against the supernatural forces that threaten the planet, fate had something different in store for these star-crossed companions. Yet to understand the present, one must first experience the past – a time before Kagura’s involvement with the Supernatural Disaster Prevention Agency. Always cheery and good-natured to a fault, the young Kagura first meets Yomi when she is invited into her home. Over time, the two battle malicious spirits and grow closer together – but soon, more terrifying foes begin to reveal themselves. A swarm of glowing blue butterflies and a mysterious stone are harbingers of darker things to come, and one thing’s for sure: Kagura and Yomi will never be the same.

3 votes

I agree

Reasons you might like Ga-Rei-Zero...

ValkyrianSteel ValkyrianSteel says...

It's simple. Two similar girls meet each other and become friends.  But as the story progresses both are torn apart and have to fight each other.  Although BRS has characters that have other world personalities, they are still somewhat similar.

Gavia Gavia says...

Both Ga-Rei -Zero- and Black Rock Shooter are slice-of-life animes rounded with dark action. While GRZ is more "realistic" and BRS is more poetic, the plots are extremely alike with nice day-by-day friendships turning sour through different series of events. That gives the series a similar impact emotionally.

Furthermore, both make use of the timeline where some of the late battles are seen early, but without letting the audience know what is really happening.

MrMetroid MrMetroid says...

Both have a storyline where the 2 main characters become very close friends but later one of them turns evil and the other one has to kill her. And coincidently in both animes the one that turns evil is a girl called Yomi

Soul Eater

Soul Eater

In a bizarre fantasy world, students known as meisters are trained at the illustrious Shinigami Weapon Meister University; but the tools they wield are no ordinary weapons! Each meister is paired with a human-like being who can transform into a weapon at will; and after defeating a pre-kishin - a human whose soul has darkened - the weapon eats the soul within it. A meister's ultimate goal is to collect ninety-nine pre-kishin souls and one of a witch so that his or her partner will become an all-powerful Death Scythe. Maka and her partner Soul Eater; Assassin Black Star and his partner Demon Blade Tsubaki; and Shinigami's son Death the Kid and his partners the Demon Twin Pistol Thompson Sisters each vie for their ultimate goal, but plenty of challenges and adventures lie in their way!

2 votes

I agree

Reasons you might like Soul Eater...

AuthenticFabrication AuthenticFabrication says...

Both offer nice fight scenes but also have a story of the characters' relationships. At first I was bummed that this was only a single hour long OVA and that was that. The characters were easy to get attached to and an hour was more than enough time to grow to love the story which accounts for my initial reaction. If you were offered one bite of the best food in the world, would you take it for what it's worth or pass it up completely?

RedCrossRobbery RedCrossRobbery says...

I didn't know what it was about BRS that reminded me of Soul Eater until I thought about it for a few mintues afterwords. Both Soul Eater and Black Rock Shooter take advatange of a "fish-eye lens"ish directorial device, and overall share similar animation styles. If you liked one, you may appreciate the other.

Shiki

Shiki

Encased by trees that are used to make grave markers, Sotoba is a village thought to be surrounded by death - a fact that soon literally becomes the case. One summer, a series of mysterious and untimely fatalities begins to plague the small rural town. With a higher than normal mortality rate for the time of year and each cause of passing remaining unknown, Toshio, the local doctor, and Seishin the temple’s vice chief monk become suspicious and take it upon themselves to investigate. However, as the deaths begin to pile up, more people begin to wonder just what is behind this sudden epidemic; could it have anything to do with the bizarre Kirishiki family that recently moved to the village?

2 votes

I agree

Reasons you might like Shiki...

RedCrossRobbery RedCrossRobbery says...

Although very different storylines, Shiki and Black Rock Shooter have very similar animation styles, and the entire time watching BRS, all I could think about was Shiki. It's the hair, mostly. It's a very simply shaded, but gorgeously colored design, with ridiculous (even for anime) shape at times.

Issengard Issengard says...

Both Shiki and Black Rock Shooter had amazing art styles that at first make you feel very uncomfortable with their weird looking eyes and hair but then you'll love them and want every anime to look like them.

Day Break Illusion: il sole penetra le illusioni

Day Break Illusion: il sole penetra le illusioni

Akari has always known two things: she’s a skilled fortune teller, and she has an uncanny knack for growing huge, healthy plants. But after experiencing a traumatic tragedy the girl soon discovers the true horror of the world: there exist evil spirits known as Daemonia that infect people’s hearts and grant their hosts wishes in exchange for a contract. After the wish is fulfilled, the human is turned into a murderous monster, and only Sephiro Fiore, a group of girls who wield the powers of the Elemental Tarot, can put a stop to them. As the bearer of the Sun card, Akari must join Sephiro Fiore and help take down those possessed by Daemonia, no matter the cost.

2 votes

I agree

Reasons you might like Day Break Illusion: il sole penetra le illusioni...

sothis sothis says...

While not identical plot-wise these two share a similar mood/feel and the 'other worlds' aspect has a similar aesthetic style as well. Fans of Black Rock Shooter looking for something more coherent story-wise will surely appreciate Day Break, the other way around won't be as strong of a recommendation except based on a gut feeling.

YuiYui YuiYui says...

Daybreak Illusion are both dark fantasy's based around a group of you girls....who in Black Rock Shooter fight against each other whereas in Daybreak illusion they fight against these momsters who take over a persons body. But even with this simple different the style of story is pretty similar and I think if you liked one then the you should enjoy the other one ^_^

School Days

School Days

When Makoto saw Kotonoha on the train one day, he fell in love at first sight. Luckily, his classmate Sekai’s nosy personality ensures him an introduction to his crush, and soon the two begin to date. However, Kotonoha isn’t the only one with eyes for Makoto - a fact that any horny teenager would be delighted with. With endless temptations, lies and heartbreak at every turn, Makoto and Kotonoha’s relationship will soon be put to the ultimate test...

1 vote

I agree

Reasons you might like School Days...

ChrystalChameleon ChrystalChameleon says...

For some reason, these two anime really reminded me of each other. Alright, School Days does not have any battle scenes and Black Rock Shooter doesn't have any ecchi. But the atmosphere was quite the same; it starts off (at least, the school part in BRS) all cute and happy, but turns darker and darker, and eventually, you're not sure or the series will have a happy end. If you liked BRS or School Days, you might want to check the other one out as well.

Supercell: Perfect Day

Supercell: Perfect Day

Years later, two girls relive their precious childhood memories together.

Tags

1 vote

I agree

Reasons you might like Supercell: Perfect Day...

shinakuma shinakuma says...

Both of these anime are based on concepts created by Supercell. Although Perfect day is a music video, it should be noted Black Rock Shooter started out as a song by as well, before becoming an OVA . Both have stunning animation and well created characters, fans of Supercell or just someone after a unique style of anime should check both out.

Angel Beats!

Angel Beats!

Death and reincarnation are inescapable, but what happens in between? Without warning and without his memories, a boy who only recalls his last name - Otonashi - wakes up next to a girl named Yuri who offers him a gun and tells him to shoot an angel. Assuming it must be a misunderstanding, Otonashi is then almost killed by the angel and is drawn into Yuri's army to battle to delay the beginning of his next life. Immortality is within reach, but if Otonashi remembers how he died, will he keep fighting or allow himself to vanish?

1 vote

I agree

Reasons you might like Angel Beats!...

shinakuma shinakuma says...

Both anime are full of action scenes, however the storyline behind Angel Beats gets fleshed out far more as it's spread over 13 episodes. But Black Rock Shooter still manages to reveal enough to get you interested in it's characters. Both anime also deal with circumstances involving friendship as well.

A fan of one may want to cheek out the other.

Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha The MOVIE 1st

Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha The MOVIE 1st

Takamachi Nanoha is a normal fourth-grader who feels a little useless and out-of-place with no purpose. Then one day, she saves a ferret, who turns out to be a mage from another planet who came to this planet to search for the jewel seeds. Nanoha agrees to help, but this task gets complicated when another girl arrives to steal them.

1 vote

I agree

Reasons you might like Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha The MOVIE 1st...

greyweather greyweather says...

Both the first Nanoha story and Black Rock Shooter are about two girls struggling to form a bond of friendship even as they are driven to combat each other with fantastic powers.

Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions! Depth of Field: Love and Hate Theater

Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions! Depth of Field: Love and Hate Theater

Mecha pilot Rikka Takanashi, a Major in the army, has been branded a deserter for refusing to follow orders that would endanger civilian lives. As she flees, she is confronted by her best friend and fellow soldier Sanae Dekomori. With the twin-tailed girl standing between her and freedom, Rikka must come to grips with defeating her dearest comrade - or risking her own life!

1 vote

I agree

Reasons you might like Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions! Depth of Field: Love and Hate Theater...

ZetsubouKaiji ZetsubouKaiji says...

Watch cute girls with unconventional character designs battle it out in short little bursts. There's little in the way of plot or exposition. There's just enough explanation to give the characters a reason to have flashy battles.