It is the year 2356 AD, 189 years after a shockwave from a distant supernova decimated the Earth. Since that fateful day, humanity has begun training for a final mission to protect the planet from the inevitable oncoming 2nd shockwave - a mission whose failure means the annihilation of mankind. For Katase and her friends, their training at the foundation Stellvia is just the beginning of an adventure that could lead to saving the world, or seeing its end...
The god Mauser delivered unto a world of magic a prophecy: if the Scrapped Princess is allowed to live, she will destroy the entire world. But the knight who was to kill her could not end the life of a newborn child, and so she lived. Fifteen years later, her adopted brother and sister have sworn to protect her, and together they travel from town to town, searching for a life she can't have.
Both of these series have a very similar feel -- they both have a sunny, cute, and slightly foolish protagonist that has to face very serious problems -- however, they both have close friends to help them.
Additionally, the animation and overall "feel" of the series seems stylistically very similar.
In a far and distant future, men and women have become mortal enemies. Each living on seperate planets, an interstellar war is being fought between the two very different peoples. Hibiki, a mere 3rd class worker, finds himself in the middle of a huge space battle, facing the nemesis of mankind: Womankind!
Both Vandread and Stellvia are about space, but both put an emphasis on the characters. To protect their friends everyone goes through trials so they can become stronger.
If you enjoy space anime then you might want to check out Vandread and Stellvia of the Universe. Both of these anime start out in a happy atmosphere, but as the series progresses it becomes more serious. They both have a good amount of comedy mixed in but Vandread tends to have a bit more ecchi. :P
Misaki Suzuhara is a young girl who traveled to Tokyo to live with a relative, but ended up becoming involved in the greatest game of all time: Angelic Layer! In this fast-paced competition, players customize dolls and fight them in arenas of all sizes, hoping to gain experience and perhaps win the greatest tournament of them all! With new friends to meet and new enemies to defeat, the best time of Misaki's life seems to be just beginning. Join Misaki as she struggles to be the best, even in the face of overwhelming odds...
The main characters of both series are very alike, both are unsure about failing and make mistakes because of it. They go through training while dealing with these hardships and make themselves stronger. Stellvia provides more story than Angelic Layer, though.
Angelic Layer and Stellvia of the Universe share the common lesson of working hard. The more you practice something and show what you can do the better you will become, no matter what anyone says! With a good group of friends by your side and your spirits high anything can improve and anything can happen.
In the early 21st century, insectoid organisms are invading the galaxy, searching for new stars to house their young. Mankind's only defense lies with space cadets such as Takaya Noriko, daughter of a celebrated admiral killed in battle, and Amano Kazumi, the top of her class. With their skill and the power of the mecha known as GunBuster, the girls must help fight to protect the galaxy from total annihilation...
More than the shared mecha theme, Stellvia and Gunbuster are similar in that both have a relatively humble female protagonist battling singlehandedly against forces of immense scope and importance; the notion that the character is being swept away by events that are beyond her control can be felt in both series. Also, the two anime share a kind of heartfelt sincerity that has so become so rare in today's anime.
In both series you can see High Scholl girls piloting an unique big mecha in space, overcome there fear and save the day so the human kind can still exist in the future
What happens when authority and consequence are removed? When the inmates truly run the asylum. On the spaceship Ryvius there are those who would fight for order, and many more who would fight to destroy it. Love, hate, anger, greed, avarice, and perhaps hope are the fuel for the Ryvius, and only one can save those who call it home...
Both Stellvia and Ryvius have characters that are put through "tough" situations. They are also both sci-fi themed and have the same sort of feel, although Ryvius is much more harsh. I believe that both are great shows and if you liked one you would like the other.