Shows like Hanaori-san Still Wants to Fight in the Next Life

Why this fits: Hanaori-san Still Wants to Fight in the Next Life makes a former dark lord’s grand self-image funny against his awkward school life, and Trapped in a Dating Sim has the same dry pleasure in a reluctant hero refusing to act heroic. Leon’s deadpan complaints cut through the romance-game chaos, though his world gets much more action-heavy.

• isekai comedy
• game-world satire

Why this fits: Hanaori-san Still Wants to Fight in the Next Life turns old rivalry and romantic feelings into dry school comedy, a pleasure Kaiju Girl Caramelise shares through a heroine trying to hide what she feels. Her quiet social awkwardness can suddenly become kaiju-sized chaos, making this romance warmer and much more spectacular.

• awkward romance
• former villain
• school life

Why this fits: The fun in Hanaori-san Still Wants to Fight in the Next Life comes from proud characters losing their composure around an old rival, and Young Ladies Don’t Play Fighting Games finds comedy in that same kind of rivalry. Its elegant schoolgirls drop their manners when competition takes over, with fighting-game showdowns replacing Hanaori-san’s romantic tension.

• fighting games
• girls school