Looking for anime like a whisker away?
“A Whisker Away,” the mesmerizing Japanese animated film directed by Junichi Sato and Tomotaka Shibayama, takes us on a captivating journey through the struggles of truth and affection.
The story follows the spirited Miyo Sasaki, who transforms into a cat named Tarou to get closer to her beloved Kento Hinode.
As we immerse ourselves in the whimsical world of “A Whisker Away,” we can’t help but yearn for more anime that evoke the same enchantment and heartfelt emotions.
If you were captivated by the magic and quirkiness of “A Whisker Away” and are seeking similar anime to embark on a wondrous adventure, then we got you.
From “Weathering With You”, and “The Anthem Of The Heart”, to “Spirited Away”, Here are the 15 best anime like a whisker away (Nakitai Watashi wa Neko wo Kaburu).
So, let’s get started.
15. Drifting Home
Childhood friends, Kosuke and Natsume, whose bond became strained after Kosuke’s grandfather passed away.
During summer vacation, Kosuke and his classmates explore the “ghost housing complex” they used to play in.
There, they discover Natsume and hear about a mysterious boy named Noppo.
An argument breaks out and a heavy rainstorm hits.
When the storm clears, they find the housing complex adrift in the middle of the ocean.
14. Penguin Highway
Aoyama is a smart and curious fourth-grader who is obsessed with preparing for adulthood.
But when a colony of penguins suddenly appears in his town, he’s thrust into a wild adventure that he never saw coming.
With the help of his friends, Aoyama sets out to solve the mystery of the penguins’ arrival, using scientific methods to uncover clues.
But the more they discover, the more questions arise, leading them down a rabbit hole of mind-boggling wonders.
13. Weathering With You
Hokoda, a freshman in high school, flees his secluded island home for the bright lights of Tokyo.
But the bustling city quickly drains his wallet and spirit.
Trapped in a cycle of loneliness and rain-soaked days, he lands a job at an occult magazine.
Then fate intervenes when he crosses paths with Hina, a spirited girl with incredible power, she can stop the rain.
As they become friends, Hina’s gift attracts attention and sets off a chain of events that will change their lives forever.
12. Kiki’s Delivery Service
Kiki is a young witch who must leave her home to begin her witch training.
Armed with her mother’s broomstick and her cat Jiji, she arrives in a coastal town, hoping to find a warm welcome.
But instead, she’s met with a cold reception.
Homeless and struggling to find her place, Kiki starts to doubt herself.
That is until she meets the kind-hearted Osono, who offers her a place to stay.
Determined to make her own way, Kiki starts a delivery service and embarks on a journey of self-discovery, with the help of new friends.
11. Josee, The Tiger, And The Fish
Tsuneo is a free-spirited university student with a thirst for adventure.
Josee, on the other hand, is a sheltered young girl who has spent most of her life inside due to her physical limitations.
Their paths cross one day when Tsuneo stumbles upon Josee and her grandmother on an evening walk.
Despite their vastly different backgrounds, the two strike up an unlikely friendship.
As they spend more time together, they learn to see the world through each other’s eyes and discover that life is full of surprises, even for those who thought they’d seen it all.
10. To the Forest of Firefly Lights
Lost and alone in the woods, six-year-old Hotaru is saved by Gin, a gentle and mysterious youkai.
But their friendship is bound by a curse that forbids physical contact between them, and as Hotaru grows up, she finds herself struggling with the complicated emotions that come with a relationship that defies the laws of nature.
As she navigates the challenges of adolescence, Hotaru must confront the harsh reality that while she changes and grows, Gin remains the same, forever frozen in time.
9. The Girl Who Leapt Through Time
Makoto Konno is your average high school student with a rebellious streak until one day she discovers she has the ability to time travel.
At first, it’s all fun and games as she uses her power to fix small mistakes and have a little extra fun, but soon she realizes that her actions have unforeseen and deadly consequences.
As she tries to navigate the complexities of time travel, Makoto must learn to face the weight of her choices and their impact on the people she loves.
8. Natsume’s Book of Friends: Ephemeral Bond
Natsume, a boy who can see spirits, reunites with an old classmate Yuuki, who brings back painful memories of a certain Youkai.
Meanwhile, Natsume meets Yorie Tsumura, who knows much about his grandmother, Reiko.
While interacting with Yorie and her family, a mysterious Youkai appears in town.
A “Youkai seed” latches onto Nyanko-Sensei and grows into a fruit tree, causing him to split into three.
As Natsume investigates, he must also deal with the consequences of meddling with the world of spirits.
7. The Anthem Of The Heart
Jun was once a bubbly girl until one hurtful remark she made tore her family apart.
Now, her words are sealed away and she lives in silence, avoiding attention. But fate has other plans when she’s chosen to join the “community outreach council” and cast as the lead in their musical.
With the help of her new friends, Jun rediscovers her voice and learns to confront her past, proving that even the quietest voices can make a difference.
6. Wolf Children
Hana’s story is one of unexpected love, loss, and motherhood.
After falling for a man who was secretly a wolf, she found herself raising their two unique children alone.
Fearing society’s judgment, they escaped to the countryside where Hana learned to raise her wild offspring.
The journey was tough, but Hana embraced the challenges and watched her children grow stronger with each passing day.
5. A Silent Voice
Shouya Ishida, the popular kid in school, finds a new target for his bullying when Shouko Nishimiya, a deaf girl, transfers to his class.
But as Shouya relentlessly bullies her, the rest of the class turns on him, and Shouko is forced to transfer again.
Years later, a lonely and guilt-ridden Shouya seeks out Shouko to make amends for his past behavior.
4. Whisper Of The Heart
Whisper of the Heart is a charming and heartwarming story from the renowned studio Ghibli, about a young girl named Shizuku who is on a journey of self-discovery.
Along the way, she meets a mysterious cat who leads her to a magical world and a charming shopkeeper’s son.
As Shizuku explores her passion for writing and falls in love for the first time, she learns about the complexities of growing up and finding her own path in life.
3. Your Name
Two teenagers, Mitsuha and Taki, lead completely different lives in Japan.
But when they start experiencing random switches in their bodies, waking up in each other’s lives, they become inexplicably linked.
As they try to uncover the truth behind their strange connection, they begin leaving messages for each other to navigate their respective lives.
But as their bond grows stronger, the mystery deepens, and they must race against time to find each other before they lose their connection forever.
2. Spirited Away
Chihiro and her family stumble upon an abandoned amusement park, and things take a bizarre turn when her parents are transformed into pigs.
Trapped in a strange and surreal world, Chihiro finds herself in a magical bathhouse for the gods, ruled by an evil witch who has taken her name and her only way back to reality.
1. The Cat Returns
After rescuing a cat, Haru is surprised to find herself surrounded by a parade of graceful felines.
Little does she know, she has saved the prince of the Cat Kingdom and is now engaged to him!
Desperate to escape this bizarre situation, Haru enlists the help of The Baron and Muta from the Cat Bureau.
But when their efforts fail, Haru is whisked away by a horde of cats.
Now she needs to avoid becoming a cat herself and find her way back home.
