Tomo-chan is a Girl! is the latest rom-com anime from Lay-duce, starring the gruff yet lovable tomboy, Tomo Aizawa. When she begins to harbor romantic feelings toward her oldest friend, she desperately tries to figure out a way to let him know the truth, only to find her own lack of experience stymying her efforts at every turn. It’s absolutely adorable and a ton of fun, and might open up your imagination to a new genre. With that in mind, here are 5 anime like Tomo-chan is a Girl! All recommendations are subject to local availability.
5 Best Anime Like Tomo-chan wa Onnanoko!
Monthly Girls Nozaki-kun
When the chirpy Chiyo Sakura confesses her love to her schoolmate, Umetarou Nozaki, he immediately invites her over to his place. Seems a bit extreme, however it’s a classic case of misunderstanding, as he interpreted her enthusiasm as a request to become his assistant. Now, she’s stuck touching up manga illustrations while trying to figure out how to clear up the confusion.
Although Sakura and Aizawa obviously have quite different personalities, they find themselves in a similar situation, smitten with a boy who seemingly doesn’t have a clue in the world. Every time she thinks Nozaki is opening his heart to her, it turns out he is actually just seeking real-world clarification for potential manga storylines.
Thematically, it’s a great match for Tomo-chan, and the impasse between its main characters is a constant, hilarious delight. Be sure to check out Monthly Girls Nozaki-kun on Crunchyroll and HIDIVE.
Lovely Complex
Wherever she goes, Risa Koizumi is likely to catch attention. The first reason for this is that she is taller than average, and the second is that she is incredibly brash. Subtlety is not wasted on this young lady, that’s for sure.
Her most hated rival is Atsushi Otani, a diminutive classmate with whom she is constantly butting heads. Their statures couldn’t be more different, and yet their fiery temperaments are in lockstep, making their quarrels an amusing display to their peers. Another thing they have in common: they’re both desperate to capture their first love, and totally unequipped to seal the deal.
Lovely Complex is the embodiment of the Japanese word “genki”. Its most direct translation is of liveliness, or energy, and this anime exudes that in all of its colorful, wacky glory. It’s not as nuanced as Tomo-chan, but with equally as enjoyable a tomboy butting heads with equally as stubborn a frenemy, you’re sure to be hooked. Lovely Complex is over on Crunchyroll.
Wotakoi: Love is Hard for Otaku
Narumi Momose is your average office worker with your average dark secret: she is a closeted otaku. The last time her colleagues discovered this, it was so traumatic that she was forced to change employers. She thinks that she has the fresh start she so yearned for, until she discovers that her childhood friend — and fellow otaku — Hirotaka Nifuji works at the same company.
Just like Tomo-chan, Wotakoi explores the notion of old acquaintances beginning to look at each other in a different light. The difference is, they actually end up dating after the first episode, which makes for a change of pace. It allows us to watch the quirky nature of their pairing play out, with plenty of heartwarming moments to enjoy.
Completely irrelevant, but Monster Hunter also pops up in this anime. Not a reference, not even an imitation. Actual Monster Hunter. It’s a neat touch. Anyhow, Wotakoi: Love is Hard For Otaku can be found on Amazon Prime.
Yamada-kun and the Seven Witches
Continuing the trend of unlikely couples springing from unexpected sources, we pivot towards an anime where the MC’s share a kiss right from the get-go. Whoa, that’s a twist! Are they closeted lovers who had been pining for each other for years? Nope, they just happened to inadvertently lock lips while falling down the stairs together. That hasn’t happened for me yet, but I eagerly take a dive down as many staircases as I can to maximize my chances.
Making things even stranger, this causes the pair, delinquent Ryuu Yamada and the studious Urara Shiraishi, to swap bodies. As it turns out, there is a magical power attached to this action, and they are completely befuddled as to how it happened, or how to reverse it.
Seven Witches is a mystical harem anime, distancing itself from Tomo-chan’s more straightforward one-on-one dynamic, but Yamada has a few similarities with the object of Aizawa’s affection, Junichirou Kubota. They’re both passionate individuals who aren’t above getting physical when the situation calls for it. Though Yamada is more obviously a knucklehead, Kubota can be pretty dense, himself. You can be the judge when you investigate Yamada-kun and the Seven Witches on Crunchyroll.
Ouran High School Host Club
*Hey! If you don’t know anything about Ouran High School Host Club, you might want to jump past this entry and watch it for yourself. The way the first episode plays out is one of anime’s most excellently executed twists, so going in completely spoiler-free is highly recommended.*
Tomo-chan isn’t the only person on this list who has troubles getting in touch with their feminine side. When the reserved bookworm Haruhi Fujioka accidentally breaks an expensive vase in the high school music room, the dapper members of the Host Club insist the debt be paid off through labor.
Fujioka begrudgingly signs up to serve tea and exchange pleasantries with the swooning girls who visit, and proves to be a natural… despite the fact that she is a girl herself!
Considered one of the preeminent tomboys in anime’s echelons, Fujioka turns out to be quite the layered, fascinating character. The events surrounding her are quite silly and often rather weird, yet she soldiers on, diligently working to repay her debt. There’s not a lot out there quite like Ouran High School Host Club, but you can discover it for yourself via Crunchyroll.
With the above selections, you’ll hopefully get a better idea of anime that are like Tomo-chan is a Girl! If you’re on the prowl for more suggestions, consider our guide to anime that are like Don’t Toy With Me, Miss Nagatoro or peruse the links below.
