Hanasaku Iroha - Recommendations

If you're looking for anime similar to Hanasaku Iroha, you might like these titles.

Chihayafuru

Chihayafuru

Chihaya Ayase is a famous beauty at her school, but she’s far from a conventional girl. Three years ago in her final year of elementary school, Chihaya and her friend Taichi became infatuated with the card game, Karuta, after connecting with a lonely boy named Arata Wataya. But when the trio graduated from elementary school, they each went their separate ways but shared one common goal: to excel in the game and meet each other at the national championships. Now, Chihaya is attempting to share her passion for the game by creating a competitive Karuta club at school, but when she reunites with Taichi it seems that maybe she’s the only one with the intention of fulfilling their childhood promise...

10 votes

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Reasons you might like Chihayafuru...

Himitsu Himitsu says...

Chihayafuru and Hanasaku Iroha both sell you on their characters. The characters direct the whole story and you will most likely love them. Another exceptional thing about both anime is how they bring you into their world and atmosphere. If they want you to feel happiness, angst, loneliness, whatever feeling- they can do it. I think Hanasaku Iroha and Chihayafuru have strong characters. If you like one, I definitely recommend the other. Hanasaku Iroha boasts consistent beautiful animation while Chihayafuru is quite engaging and educational (I didn't know anything about Karuta before watching this).

bentobox bentobox says...

Both are slice-of-life titles that explore what it means to have dreams, goals, and asipirations and the hard work required to achieve them.  Both have touching love stories and beautiful animation quality.

ndesi62 ndesi62 says...

Both series share a beautiful, very tradtional aesthetic, not just in the gorgeous animation but also in more subtle, thematic ways. The delicate, but strong sense of romance is also incredibly successful. What really shines in both series, though, are the main characters. Ohana and Chihaya are perenially optimistic, cheery, friendly, and most importantly, cause everyone around them to be the same. Watching either of their adventures is nothing short of sheer joy and pleasure.

elliottmarshal elliottmarshal says...

Both these series center around a girl coming of age and recognizing her dream. Both feature love triangles, but not in an obscene or over the top way. Both stories are played out against a tranditional Japanese setting. Both have really beautiful animation with exqisite details and character designs! 

juwia juwia says...

The main protagonist from both animes are very similar. They both have the same passion and desire to do the best they can for their respective goals. Although we cannot directly relate with their aspirations, we are able to live vicariously through their storylines. They both have non-mainstream artwork and a bit of a traditional Japanese touch. 

snivets snivets says...

The main characters, Chihaya and Ohana, are both extremely spunky female characters. Their positive thinking influences the people around them, and they both must learn to deal with setbacks and failures. If you like either one of these big personalities, check out the other.

mustache mustache says...

They both are innocent and funny. Overall I enjoyed Hanasaku Iroha more I think than Chihayafuru but it was still good I think. If you liked Hanasaku Iroha then I think you should give Chihayafuru a shot because the main characters are both girls though the protagnist in Hanasaku Iroha seems more capable than Chihaya in Chihayafuru, its still good. If you like Chihayafuru I would say to watch Hanasaku Iroha because it is similar in that innocent and in my opinion it drew me in more than Chihayafuru but at least I think you will enjoy it.

NatsuIgneel95 NatsuIgneel95 says...

Well both series is Slice of Life but the different of the both series is Chihayafuru is about Karuta and Hana-Saku Iroha is about hot spring...both anime will seems boring if you only see first episode but after that it will get interesting

YuiYui YuiYui says...

Two series that focus on some of the more traditional side of Japan, Karuta in Chihayafuru and running a traditional inn in Hanasaku. Both show clear slice of life elements and and quite light to watch, if you enjoyed the characters and exploration of the more traditional side of one of these anime then I would recommend the other xx

subparalien subparalien says...

Both of these animes brought to you by: young people working hard and finding their place in the world. Work hard every day to become the person you want to be and it pays off.

Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day

Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day

Long ago, young Meiko Honma tragically died and her tight-knit group of friends, shaken by the event, drifted apart. Now, ten years later, Meiko has re-appeared as a ghost that only Jinta, the former leader of the gang and an avid shut-in, can see. All she desires is for Jinta to fulfill her final wish so that she can move on to the afterlife, but with no memory of what it was, it’s up to the teenager to gather his former friends and discover what will allow his beloved friend to rest in peace. With so many feelings left unsaid, can this group work out their strife and help the ghost of the girl they once adored?

5 votes

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Reasons you might like Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day...

pinkparfait pinkparfait says...

Though they both have very different stories, Hana-Saku Iroha and Ano Hi Mita Hana no Namae o Boku-tachi wa Mada Shiranai are both anime with beautiful animation, deep stories and characters, and touching moments. They are not your average run of the mill "moeblob" anime. Instead they are both anime with unique stories that will both make you laugh and think about your own life.

mesugo mesugo says...

Though they have very different storylines, the characters really touched me in the same way. This made me cry more than Hanusaku Iroha, but I really, really enjoyed it. 

Madoka Madoka says...

Though both are somewhat differant there is some simularites.

For starters there both quite Unique, Hanasaku is possibly one of a kind Slice of Life whilst for a Drama Ano Hana is also very out of the ordinary.Both anime's deal with characters dealing with emotions and life its self. Ohana is left to figure out her feelings for her childhood friend and how new life whilst understanding the concept of work and conflicts which may come with it whilst in anohana Jintan is left to deal with the death of his childhood friend who is now in front of his very eyes, and he must figure how to let her truly be put to rest in peace whilst facing other friends and there feelings.

Both anime are very thourough in character developments and both have a strong impact of emotion left behind. Both also feature a strong feeling op or ed. And during the start of Hana-saku you will find your self feeling very sorry for the character whlst a simular emotion will arise in Anohana early on and around the mid point. I think its a assured thing if you like one of these you should enjoy the other.

Worosei Worosei says...

I'll add into the recommendation.

I'm not sure if it is just because they aired in the same year, but both is about the characters coming to terms with who they are and what they want to do with their lives as they are all forced to interact with each other. 

Both dealing with this in a slice-of-life manner and having a focus on romance without being romance animes. 

freppo freppo says...

Both anime have beautiful animation and the stories center much around friendship and love. They also share a strong story telling that really let's you in on each character and their feelings.

Spirited Away

Spirited Away

Chihiro and her family are on their way to their new home, when they discover an abandoned amusement park. After Chihiro's family mysteriously turn into pigs, she is thrown into a surreal world of magic and fantasy. Join her as she struggles to survive in the bathhouse of the gods, ruled by an evil witch who has stolen not only her name, but her way back to the real world.

4 votes

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Reasons you might like Spirited Away...

Rilkar Rilkar says...

Both shows are about a girl who moves to a new place and starts working for the first time. And both of them discover how hard life is along the way. If you like one you should watch the other.

bunnylovesanime bunnylovesanime says...

In both Spirited Away adn Hanasuka Iroha you get a story about a girl who learns more about herself through hardwork while dealing with a mean older woman. In both stories you also get useless parents, a hot spring that is older, and a look at friendship. It is safe to say if you like one you will like the other.

Qplayer Qplayer says...

Both anime are coming of age stories characterized by excellent animation and round, dynamic characters. They both take place at traditional Japanese inns which provide a "modern life meets the past" feel to the story.

SoulEaterQUEEN SoulEaterQUEEN says...

Both stories focus on character development of the main character as a coming of age tale.

They start off not knowing much about the world in terms of working/maintaining a community -- and later on developing strong wills to follow through their ordeals.

Also, there is hidden romance in both -- both not being central to the plot. Lastly, the secondary characters have similar interactions between the main characters where they are not accepting of them first but later on they become part of the community.

I definitely experienced the same good feeling from both and I never thought I would after seeing many many animes!

Clannad

Clannad

Tomoya Okazaki is a third-year high school student who is generally bored with life and doesn't take his studies, future, or anything else seriously. One day, however, he meets a lonely-looking girl in the school courtyard, Nagisa Furukawa. She explains to him the source of her loneliness: she had missed a lot of the previous school year and thus is repeating her third year; everybody that she knew has already graduated, and she is lonely. Tomoya is rather indifferent at first, but decides that he has nothing better to do and spends increasingly more time helping Nagisa restore the school drama club. As his relationship with Nagisa grows, Tomoya begins to open up to various other people around the school as well...

4 votes

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Reasons you might like Clannad...

DaddyOwO DaddyOwO says...

For the main characters gender is completely different and setting is different they both experiance there own problems while also helping others with there problems. Clannad is far sadder then Hana-Saku and isn't always has happy. Clannad can be funnier and alot less corny but Hana-Saku can still be a wonderful anime.

jypsel jypsel says...

Hanasaku Iroha and Clannad are both animes that feature a variety of characters in the high school age.  They are both Slice-of-Life about a girl who is trying to make her dream come true.  They are both feel good anime that have the same sort of "feel" to them: that feel being the happy-go-lucky aura slice-of-life tends to have.  Each character in these anime are aiming to achieve something and form friendships and relationships in the meantime.

ashenry ashenry says...

Both have a very similar feel. a high school slice of life. I think if you liked one you would really like the other.

leahleah leahleah says...

Overall I find Hana-Saku Iroha more enjoyable because I found Clannad moved too slow for me. That said, The ending of Clannad (Afterstory) made it all so worth it and has one of the most memorable endings.

Haibane Renmei

Haibane Renmei

A young woman quietly falls to the earth, escorted by a solitary crow. This sort of dream, as many other before have dreamed, comes just before being reborn as a Haibane, a charcoal-winged angel. On the outskirts of the walled-in city lies Old Home, a haven for Haibane to study, live, and learn, while waiting for their chance to ascend to the heavens and escape the confines of their new world. Rakka is the newest inhabitant of Old Home who wants nothing more than to remember her past and discover the secrets of her kind. Together with Reki, Kuu and plenty of other new friends, Rakka will laugh, explore, and search for the meaning of their existence in the process.

3 votes

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Reasons you might like Haibane Renmei...

Uriel1988 Uriel1988 says...

In both, a girl is suddenly thrown into a completely new setting where she must learn to adjust to a very different set of circumstances and people than she's used to. After which she learns some lessons about things like finding your path in life and that everything that begins must also come to an end someday.

Worosei Worosei says...

They both deal with the main lead girl being thrust into a new environment and being made to work. 

Haibane Renmei is by far the more 'serious/mature' of the two animes by being a lot more philosophical. It is also fantasy/sci-fi based. 

Hanasaku Iroha is much more comical, light-hearted and fun. Both are enjoyable in its own right though. 

subparalien subparalien says...

These are both coming of age stories. Hana-Saku Iroha is probably the more typical of the two anime, making use of well used character types. Nevertheless, it is a good story. Haibane Renmei is soft, lovely and painful.

Tari Tari

Tari Tari

Wakana Sakai was involved in music, but gave it up one day. Konatsu Miyamoto loves singing and can't be torn from it. Sawa Okita would do anything for her closest friends. They laugh, they fight, they worry, they love... Through their very ordinary lives, little by little the girls learn to move forward. Sometimes they feel as if they can't go on alone, but as long as they have their friends, they believe they'll make it someday. Wakana, Konatsu, Sawa, and the music they make in their ensemble weave a tiny but dazzling story of the power of music.

3 votes

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Reasons you might like Tari Tari...

discospider discospider says...

While both of these shows are from the same studio and have the same art, they also have similar characters and plots. They both revolve around girls who put into new situations and groups of people. These protagonists, while fresh and new to their situations are very optimistic and are try to help everybody else despite their lack of willingness. 

snivets snivets says...

The main characters in Tari Tari and Hana-saku Iroha are cut from the same cloth. If you're interested in a story that revolves around an energetic, positive young woman who wants to help the people around her, check these two out.

ohanachan ohanachan says...

I LOVE THIS ANIME!!! ITS SO UNIQUE!! ROLLERCOASTER OF EMOTIONS!!! THIS IS SOOO NOT YOUR TYPICAL ANIME! I RECOMMEND THIS ANIME!! YOU ALL SHOULD WATCH THIS!!

Squid Girl

Squid Girl

Incensed at the damage done to the sea and its wildlife at the the hands of humanity, Squid Girl rises from the depths of the ocean to enslave humanity! Her mission proves more difficult than it first seems, however, when she gets dragooned into working at the Aizawa beach restaurant. Will the easily distracted, blissfully ignorant, and slightly thick Ika-Musume convert her managers' humble house into her base? Will she use the power of her mighty tentacles to bring all of humanity to heel? Or will she at least learn how to properly wait tables?

2 votes

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Reasons you might like Squid Girl...

Rilkar Rilkar says...

Both shows are about a girl who moves to a new place and starts working for the first time. And both of them discover how hard life is along the way. If you like one you should watch the other.

CannedBread CannedBread says...

Both Squid Girl and Hana-Saku Iroha are about girls who begin to work for the first time. The main characters are somewhat similar in that they are both very determined.

Bakuman.

Bakuman.

Moritaka Mashiro feels as if life is passing him by; with no dreams or motivation, he trudges through day-to-day life. One day, after leaving his notebook behind, he returns to school and finds the smartest guy in class, Takagi, waiting for him. Takagi is happy to return the book, but on the condition that Mashiro agrees to become a mangaka with him. Though Mashiro initially declines, he soon reconsiders when he discovers that the girl he likes, Azuki, dreams of becoming a voice actress. And after promising that she can have the lead role if their manga is ever adapted into an anime, he suggests that they get married once they are both successful! Shockingly, she agrees to the proposal and Mashiro and Takagi embark on their quest to become manga artists.

2 votes

I agree

Reasons you might like Bakuman....

annalisebee annalisebee says...

These two anime have very different plots, settings, and characters. Reading the descriptions of each anime, it might not look like they have much in common at all.

However, both anime are essentially about people who are growing up and working towards a dream. They are similarly paced, and relationships between the characters feel similar. If you enjoyed the feeling and themes of one anime, you'd probably enjoy watching the other one as well, and hopefully enjoy the ways in which they are different!

theonus theonus says...

Though the storylines differ in many ways there are some powerful mainstays at hand that make this recomendation a must.

1) Protaganist is separated from the person they love, and dive headlong into their work

2) While the type of work is well-known, the intricacies and details of each is shown in detail, and not near as glorious as some would believe.

3) The stubbornness of the protaganists is a great trait, that sometimes gets them into trouble.

4) The depth of the other characters shows the great abilities of the writers, and we are able to emotionally connect with their hearts.

As I said before, there may not be a lot that connects these anime, but the feeling I got from them was quite the same. I loved them both in their own way.

NieA Under 7

NieA Under 7

In the future, aliens coexist freely with mankind on Earth. One such alien is NieA, a lazy yet spirited girl who wastes away her days while living with the studious Mayuko. And life isn't easy... Mayuko is always short on food money, the spa where she works is about to go bankrupt and Mayuko's alien-crazy friend Chiaki is obsessed with NieA. 

2 votes

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Reasons you might like NieA Under 7...

Nocturnalgloria Nocturnalgloria says...

Both anime follow a high school girl who works in an old fashioned place that is very much a part of Japanese heritage: in Hanasaku it is a traditional inn and in Niea a bath house. Struggling for survival while facing the competition of modern rivals and still trying to remain genuine give a thrust to the plot.

With that said, Niea is considerably random and full of oddball comedy while Hanasuku is stocked with well balanced drama. Try to put these titles side by side for a different take on the same original plot-line.

Luemi Luemi says...

Both of these anime are about a girl who lives in a bathhouse that's going through hard times financially, and they are both slice of life (although NieA Under 7 has lots of Sci-Fi aspects as well). They are both fairly slow paced and character driven, and I got a similar feeling watching each of them, so I think that if you enjoyed one you will enjoy the other as well.

Natsuiro Kiseki

Natsuiro Kiseki

Natsumi, Saki, Yuka, and Ringo are best friends. They've grown up in an old agricultural town, experiencing everything together, both happy and sad. But one summer, they are visited by a miracle.

2 votes

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Reasons you might like Natsuiro Kiseki...

AirCommodore AirCommodore says...

Though the beginning episodes of both of these series make them seem like dramas, both eventually settle into a more episodic slice-of-life routine. As such, they feel much less fluffy and meaningless than most slice-of-life series. If you liked the feel-good atmosphere or hard-earned friendships in either of these series, you'd probably like the other.

Ashsforever Ashsforever says...

They are both trying their best to achieve a goal. Both animes were really heartwarming and shared a lot of relative content,