Fall 2026 is a sequel-heavy season, and almost none of it is written for adults. That makes this a good moment to go back to josei, the manga demographic aimed at grown women: stories about jobs, grief, rent, art and love after school ends. We already ranked shōjo and left Chihayafuru and Paradise Kiss out on purpose, because they belong here.
Quick answer
According to SenpaiRanks, the best josei anime are Usagi Drop (8.18), Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu: Sukeroku Futatabi-hen (8.12) and Nodame Cantabile (8.09), followed by Chihayafuru 2 (8.07) and Honey and Clover II (7.99). Every entry is adapted from a manga that ran in a josei magazine such as Feel Young, ITAN, Kiss, Be Love or Chorus, and the list is ordered by each show's SenpaiRanks consensus score. Crunchyroll carries most of it; Wotakoi is on Prime Video, and the rest rotate by region, so each show page lists where it streams right now.
The ranked list
1. Usagi Drop — 8.18
Production I.G · 2011 · 11 episodes. A 30-year-old salaryman takes in his late grandfather's six-year-old secret daughter, and the show is about the boring, lovely work of raising her. The anime adapts only the first half of the manga, and that's the half you want. Crunchyroll in most regions.
2. Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu: Sukeroku Futatabi-hen — 8.12
Studio DEEN · 2017 · 12 episodes. The second season of the best show about performance ever animated. Start with season one (8.08), which tells the story of two rival rakugo storytellers across postwar Japan. Crunchyroll.
3. Nodame Cantabile — 8.09
J.C.Staff · 2007 · 23 episodes. A perfectionist conductor-in-training and a messy piano genius at a Tokyo conservatory. The Paris and Finale seasons hold the same level, and it sits comfortably next to our music anime ranking. Check the show page for current streaming.
4. Chihayafuru 2 — 8.07
Madhouse · 2013 · 25 episodes. Competitive karuta played like a contact sport. Watch season one (7.94) first; season three (8.03) holds the level. All three seasons stream on Crunchyroll.
5. Honey and Clover II — 7.99
J.C.Staff · 2006 · 12 episodes. Art-school students fall for the wrong people and slowly work out what they want to do with their lives. Season one sits at 7.77; the second season is where it hurts. See the show page for streaming.
6. Princess Jellyfish (Kuragehime) — 7.76
Brain's Base · 2010 · 11 episodes. A jellyfish-obsessed otaku and her all-woman boarding house fight a redevelopment plan, with help from a cross-dressing politician's son. A comedy that takes its misfits seriously. Crunchyroll.
7. Wotakoi: Love is Hard for Otaku — 7.69
A-1 Pictures · 2018 · 11 episodes. Office workers dating as adults who still game and go to conventions. The most rewatchable short show on the list. Prime Video.
8. Paradise Kiss — 7.62
Madhouse · 2005 · 12 episodes. Ai Yazawa's fashion-school drama, set in the same universe as NANA. Stylish, and less sentimental than you'd expect. Streaming varies by region; the show page has the current list.
9. Gokusen — 7.22
Madhouse · 2004 · 13 episodes. A yakuza heir teaches the worst class at a boys' school. The live-action drama is better known, but the anime holds up. Check the show page.
10. Ristorante Paradiso — 7.20
David Production · 2009 · 11 episodes. A Roman restaurant staffed entirely by older men in glasses. Very slow and very warm, and it pairs well with our food anime ranking. Crunchyroll.
How to pick
Want something that hurts? Pick Usagi Drop or Honey and Clover. Want a performance show that builds toward something? Pick Rakugo Shinjuu, Nodame or Chihayafuru. If you want a short comedy, go with Wotakoi or Princess Jellyfish. For more boards like this, see the best seinen anime, the best slice-of-life anime and the best Madhouse anime, since three entries here are Madhouse productions.
These positions move with community votes. If you think Rakugo should be first, rate it on its show page and the board updates.
Frequently asked questions
Q: What is josei anime?
A: Josei means anime adapted from manga aimed at adult women, usually serialized in magazines like Kiss, Feel Young, Be Love or ITAN. The stories tend to cover work, relationships and adult life rather than school.
Q: What is the best josei anime?
A: On SenpaiRanks' consensus board, Usagi Drop ranks first at 8.18, followed by Rakugo Shinjuu: Sukeroku Futatabi-hen at 8.12 and Nodame Cantabile at 8.09.
Q: Is Chihayafuru josei or shōjo?
A: Josei. The manga ran in Kodansha's Be Love, a josei magazine, even though its main characters are in high school.
Q: Where can I watch josei anime?
A: Crunchyroll carries Usagi Drop, Rakugo Shinjuu, Chihayafuru, Princess Jellyfish and Ristorante Paradiso. Wotakoi streams on Prime Video. Older titles rotate by region, so check each show's page on SenpaiRanks.
Q: How does SenpaiRanks rank anime?
A: Every show has two scores. Consensus measures how widely it's liked and Quality measures how well it holds up. Both come from aggregated ratings plus community votes you can add yourself.