Coming-of-age anime focus on the transition from childhood to adulthood, during which one inevitably faces a variety of changes and new feelings. Change is never easy to adjust to, especially when dealing with other external factors, such as new environments or peculiar situations that are hard to speak about, but it's not impossible either, and these shows realistically depict all facets of the process.

This period is also typically characterized by the earnest desire to explore one's identity and discover one's likes, dislikes, fears, and passions. Especially when considering all the new situations and questions that are sure to arise, it becomes obvious that such a journey is seldom easy, but true growth and development never come without facing a few challenges, a fact that the protagonists of these stories understand better than anyone else.

10 Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day

Jinta Yadomi's peaceful life is suddenly interrupted when the ghost of Meiko Honma unexpectedly shows up, asking him to reunite their old group of friends and grant her forgotten wish. This task proves to be rather difficult, as Jinta and his friends drifted apart after Meiko's death, unable to process the idea of being together without her. Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day follows their story as they make amends with the past and forgive themselves and each other, in an attempt to make their long-gone friend happy. This, in turn, allows them to finally start living freely again, after having their time frozen for so long.

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9 Kids on the Slope

Kids on the Slope is a heartfelt story of friendship and growth, following three different characters who are brought together by their passion for music, particularly jazz. The story revolves around Kaoru Nishimi, a top student who has always had trouble fitting in and making friends, Sentarou Kawabuchi, a supposedly fearsome delinquent who proves to be extremely kind-hearted and genuinely enamored with jazz, and Ritsuko Mukae, Sentarou's childhood friend and the daughter of a record shop's owner. Thanks to the time they spend together, the three discover not only each other but also themselves, growing and maturing together, and learning about the complexities of love.

8 Chihayafuru

Chihayafuru is a unique josei sports title following three main characters and their relationships not only with each other, but also with karuta, a competitive game that that requires exceptional memory and agility. The titular Chihaya Ayase is a girl who initially had no dreams of her own, wanting nothing but to see her older sister succeed in her modeling career, until she met Arata Wataya, a talented karuta player who introduced her to the sport. Arata, Chihaya, and Taichi Mashima, Chihaya's childhood friend, all grapple with various questions and feelings as they grow up, especially once they're separated, occasionally stumbling on the path to self-discovery.

7 Wandering Son

Growing up involves a lot of questioning and self-discovery, often in terms of one's gender and sexuality. As far as the anime medium goes, few shows explore this topic earnestly better than Wandering Son does. The story revolves around two of the best LGBTQ+ anime characters, Shuuich Nitori and Yoshino Takatsuki, who struggle with their gender identity. Yet it is exactly this shared discomfort that allows the two to become friends and share their woes and concerns with each other, as they embark on the difficult journey of understanding and accepting themselves, as well as navigating puberty and the pressures of society.

6 Silver Spoon

Silver Spoon revolves around Yuugo Hachiken, who, tired of the pressure and expectations of his family, embarks on a new journey by himself, attending a boarding school. This is how he ends up in the Ooezo Agricultural High School, located in the Hokkaido countryside, where he is confident he can succeed in spite of his disinterest in agriculture, knowing himself to be hard-working and responsible. However, he soon finds himself to be out of his depth, surrounded by peers who are much more familiar with the world of farming. Yet it is exactly this challenging life that seems to finally give him a purpose and an understanding of his own dreams.

5 A Lull in the Sea

There are few ways that indicate growth and development as clearly as a time skip, and that's exactly the narrative device that A Lull in the Sea employs. The story takes place in a world where all humans initially lived on the ocean floor, but some chose to live on the surface, which gradually led to a rift between the two. Now, as their school closes down, four children of the sea are forced to attend the one on the surface, where they are sure to face discrimination. Further adding to their trouble, they are also in the midst of growing up, learning about new feelings, and grappling with change and some of the most confusing relationships in anime.

4 Nana

Nana is quite different from other entries on this list, and indeed most anime shows in general, as it features an adult cast. It follows two titular heroines who leave their respective hometowns and meet by chance in Tokyo, where Nana Komatsu goes in pursuit of romance, and Nana Osaki in search of musical stardom. They couldn't be more different, but they manage to strike up an unlikely friendship, and their fates become intertwined. Though they are both adults by the time they start living together, the two Nanas continue to grow and develop during the show, only later reaching a point of genuine maturity and proper self-understanding.

3 March Comes In Like A Lion

Although many may envy him due to his status as an elite shogi player who managed to become a professional as early as middle school, March Comes In Like A Lion's Rei Kiriyama is far from blessed, with his talent being more of a burden than anything. Rei had a traumatic childhood, never managing to form a real bond with his adoptive family, which is why he grew to be isolated and lonely, struggling with depression. However, after moving to Tokyo by himself and meeting the warm-hearted Kawamoto sisters, he finally finds the family he's always wanted and learns to open himself up, growing and maturing along the way.

Related: 10 Best Found Families In Anime

2 From the New World

With most other coming-of-age stories being grounded and often positive, From the New World easily stands out by taking place in a more complex Sci-Fi world and featuring dark and mature themes. The story takes place in a world where humanity was changed by the sudden outbreak of psychokinetic powers, with peace only being achieved through the self-isolation of those with powers. However, a group of kids that attend one such psychic school end up learning more than they were supposed to, struggling not only with their own process of growing up and accepting their future, but also with the mysteries of the world that surrounds them.

1 Tsuki ga Kirei

Tsuki ga Kirei is a classic tale of adolescent love, complete with all of its inherent innocence and uncertainty. The story primarily follows Akane Mizuno and Kotarou Azumi, two middle school students who slowly but surely fall in love with each other, though other characters are also given just as much attention and time to develop, allowing viewers to observe multiple different ways of perceiving and experiencing adolescence. Even in the best of cases, true love seldom comes without heartache, and that couldn't be made more clear, as Akane and Kotarou often struggle with understanding and expressing their feelings. This realistic portrayal is what makes it one of the best romance anime.

Even in the most grounded and ordinary of settings, growing up is still a complex process, and self-discovery is always difficult. Adding other factors into the mix, such as the fantastical ones that describe some of these stories, or the realistic trauma and struggles that their protagonists are facing, only further complicates things. However, in spite of all the obstacles they had to overcome, and all the difficult feelings they had to tackle, the leading characters of these stories were able to truly develop, establishing the status of their titles as some of the best coming-of-age anime ever.