Movies and TV shows like Rascal Does Not Dream of Santa Claus

If you like "Rascal Does Not Dream of Santa Claus" you are looking for anime, psychological and emotional movies or TV shows about / with high school life, university, youth, adolescence, coming of age, friendship and campus themes of Animation, Comedy and Drama genre shot in Japan.
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Rascal Does Not Dream of Santa Claus (2025)
 8.1
 2K
Rascal Does Not Dream of Santa Claus (2025)
Original name: 青春ブタ野郎はサンタクロースの夢を見ない
Genre: Animation, Comedy, Drama, Fantasy, Romance
Country: Japan
TV show
Story: A quirky first-year student majoring in statistical science at a university in Yokohama. Unconventionally, he navigates life without a smartphone in this modern digital age.
Style: anime, psychological, emotional, romantic comedy, philosophical, adult animation, urban fantasy
Plot: high school life, university, youth, adolescence, coming of age, friendship, campus, slice of life, supernatural, japanese culture, urban, identity, bittersweet, melancholy, nostalgia, social commentary, school, college, supernatural power, college student, psychological drama, school life
Time: contemporary

Movie in categories

Most similar movies to Rascal Does Not Dream of Santa Claus

The list contains related movies ordered by similarity. Recommendation engine sorted out anime, captivating, romantic comedy and psychological films and TV series with plots about coming of age, slice of life, high school life, friendship, supernatural, youth and school mostly in Animation, Romance and Drama genres. Some movies like Rascal Does Not Dream of Santa Claus: Da Capo (2003), Summer Pockets (2025), Yano-kun's Ordinary Days (2025), Windy Tales (2004), Full Moon (2002). The matching attributes are highlighted in bold.
Watari-kun's ****** Is About to Collapse (2025)
Genre: Animation, Comedy, Drama, Romance, Thriller
Country: Japan
TV show
Story: Naoto Watari lives solely for his little sister, Suzushiro, until his chaotic childhood friend, Satsuki, storms back into his life. Without uttering a single word, her very presence ignites buried memories and unravels his rigid routine. As tensions ...
Style: emotional, melancholic, suspense, seinen, anime ...
Audience: teen drama
Plot: slice of life, coming of age, family relations, childhood trauma, high school life, moral dilemma, domestic drama, dark past, identity crisis, mute character, obsession, love triangle ...
Similarity:
100%
Rascal Does Not Dream of a Knapsack Kid (2023)
Genre: Animation, Drama, Fantasy, Mystery, Romance, Thriller
Country: Japan
Duration: 75 min.
Story: Finally, the day of Mai's high school graduation has arrived. While Sakuta eagerly waits for his girlfriend, an elementary schooler who looks exactly like her appears before him. Suspicious, and for all the wrong reasons... Meanwhile, Sakuta ...
Style: anime, psychological, captivating, emotional, touching ...
Plot: supernatural, life, friendship, secret, friend, love, high school, adolescence, relationships, coming of age, high school life, female protagonist ...
Similarity:
55%
Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions the Movie: Rikka Takanashi Revision (2013)
Genre: Animation, Comedy, Drama, Fantasy, Romance
Country: Japan
Duration: 96 min.
Story: Summary of the first season of the show, as seen from Rikka's perspective with new elements.
Style: anime, exciting, captivating, humorous, tense ...
Audience: teens
Plot: coming of age, youth, teenage love, high school, adolescence, high school life, teenage life, fall in love, school, everyday life, supernatural, imaginary ...
Place: japan
Similarity:
49%
Rascal Does Not Dream of a Dreaming Girl (2019)
Genre: Animation, Drama, Fantasy, Mystery, Romance, Thriller
Country: Japan
Duration: 89 min.
Story: In Fujisawa, Sakuta Azusagawa is in his second year of high school. Blissful days with his girlfriend and upperclassman, Mai Sakurajima, are interrupted by the appearance of his first crush, Shoko Makinohara.
Style: anime, emotional, psychological, heartfelt, romantic drama ...
Plot: high school life, supernatural, adolescence, relationships, high school, teen romance, youth, bittersweet, love triangle, coming of age, slice of life, identity ...
Place: japan
Similarity:
46%
Movie in collections
Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai (2018)
Genre: Animation, Drama, Fantasy, Mystery, Romance, Thriller
Country: Japan
Duration: 24 min.
TV show
Story: Puberty Syndrome—a rumored, mysterious syndrome that only affects those in their puberty. For example, a bunny girl suddenly appeared in front of Sakuta Azusagawa. The bunny girl's real identity is Mai Sakurajima, a teenage celebrity who is ...
Style: anime, feel good, sweet, colorful, light ...
Audience: teens, girls' night, teen drama
Plot: school, friendship, teenage life, youth, boyfriend girlfriend relationship, fall in love, family problems, siblings relations, ambition, lifestyle, friend, love triangle ...
Place: japan
Similarity:
45%
 5.7
 122
Da Capo (2003)
Genre: Animation, Comedy, Drama, Romance
Country: Japan
Duration: 598 min.
TV show
Story: Junichi Asakura lives with his adoptive sister Nemu in the crescent-shaped island of Hatsune Jima, a place where cherry blossoms bloom throughout the year. In this island, people have mysterious powers and attributes. For example, Junichi has the ...
Style: anime, funny, semi serious, satirical, entertaining ...
Audience: teens
Plot: friendship, magic, island, supernatural, high school life, harem, supernatural power, wizards and magicians, satire, self doubt, friends, supernatural ability ...
Similarity:
44%
 6.7
 476
Summer Pockets (2025)
Genre: Animation, Drama, Fantasy, Romance
Country: Japan
Duration: 24 min.
TV show
Story: Summer Pockets is set on an isolated, rural, and peaceful island on the Seto Inland Sea called Torishirojima, which has a population of about 2,000 people. The protagonist, Hairi Takahara, grew up in an urban setting, but after an unpleasant ...
Style: anime, melancholic, romantic drama, emotional, psychological ...
Plot: slice of life, summer, supernatural, island, coming of age, seaside, nostalgia, memory, bittersweet, beach, memory loss, small town ...
Place: fictional island
Similarity:
44%
Yano-kun's Ordinary Days (2025)
Genre: Animation, Comedy, Romance
Country: Japan
TV show
Story: Kiyoko Yoshida is an overanxious class representative who can’t help but worry about Tsuyoshi Yano, who sits beside her. Tsuyoshi comes to school covered in bruises, and as Kiyoko tends to him day after day, the two draw closer. Where will ...
Style: romantic drama, contemplative, emotional, realistic, melancholic ...
Audience: teens
Plot: slice of life, high school life, friendship, high school romance, daily life, high school, youth, coming of age, adolescence, unrequited love, bittersweet, healing ...
Similarity:
43%
Movie in collections
 7.1
 85
Windy Tales (2004)
Genre: Animation, Drama, Fantasy
Country: Japan
Duration: 25 min.
TV show
Story: While hanging out on the roof of her school, Nao Ueshima discovers a flock of flying cats. In her haste to snap a picture, Nao tumbles over the side of the building. But instead of plummeting to her doom, Nao is guided by an unseen force that allows ...
Style: anime, captivating, lighthearted, mystical, whimsical
Audience: teen drama
Plot: friendship, slice of life, school, school club, magic, adventure hero, supernatural power, curiosity, high school life, middle school, teenage protagonist, magic realism ...
Similarity:
43%
 7.7
 302
Full Moon (2002)
Genre: Animation, Comedy, Drama, Family, Fantasy, Romance
Country: Japan
Duration: 24 min.
TV show
Story: Twelve-year-old Kouyama Mitsuki was devastated when she was diagnosed with a malignant tumor of the throat. She had made a promise to the boy she loves that she would one day become a singer, but her illness made singing impossible. To make matters ...
Style: anime, emotional, heartfelt, inspirational, shoujo ...
Audience: pre-teens
Plot: singing, terminal illness, coming of age, bittersweet, hopes, perseverance, promise, youth, friendship, supernatural, longing, adolescence ...
Time: 2000s
Similarity:
41%
Gift: Eternal Rainbow (2006)
Genre: Animation, Comedy, Drama, Fantasy, Romance
Country: Japan
TV show
Story: The seaside village of Narasakicho is special in a number of strange ways. Crowned by an eternal rainbow, the village is rumored to grant all of its residents a once-in-a-life-time magic ability called a "gift". When two hearts are ...
Style: anime, captivating, teen, psychological, semi serious ...
Audience: teens, teen drama
Plot: high school, teen romance, high school student, high school life, adventure hero, adolescence, magic, teenage protagonist, teenager, magical, wizard, wizards and magicians ...
Similarity:
41%
At the Mercy of the Sky (2009)
Genre: Animation, Comedy, Drama, Romance
Country: Japan
TV show
Story: Sakura Ooyagi returns to his old hometown in order to start school at Sōei High School. On the first day, he runs into an old childhood friend: a junior named Mihoshi Akeno. As children, the two used to play together, with Mihoshi, or Mii-chan, ...
Style: anime, psychological, entertaining, captivating, lighthearted ...
Audience: teens
Plot: school club, slice of life, high school life, friendship, high school, teenage life, schoolgirl, relationships, school, teenager, lifestyle, socially awkward ...
Similarity:
41%
Natsu no Arashi! (2009)
Genre: Animation, Comedy, Romance
Country: Japan
TV show
Story: Thirteen-year-old Yasaka is a boy staying at his grandfather's house during his summer vacation. One day he entered a store and met Arashi, a beautiful sixteen-year-old girl working there. After trying to protect her from a man who claims to ...
Style: anime, entertaining, disturbing, captivating, atmospheric ...
Plot: friendship, teenager, supernatural, mysterious girl, summer, supernatural power, magic, youth, mysterious past, coming of age, slice of life, secrets ...
Time: 1950s, 60s
Similarity:
40%
Kannagi: Crazy Shrine Maidens (2008)
Genre: Animation, Comedy, Drama, Fantasy, Romance
Country: Japan
TV show
Story: An art student named Jin Mikuriya carves a statue from the wood of the Kannagi tree only to have the statue come to life in the form of a goddess, who has now taken over the statue. He and "Nagi" work together to destroy the impurities ...
Style: anime, disturbing, psychological, captivating, mystical ...
Plot: goddess, supernatural, spirit, god, high school life, protector, magic, young girl, slice of life, friendship, mythology, art student ...
Similarity:
39%
Black Rock Shooter (2012)
Genre: Animation, Action, Drama, Fantasy, Sci-Fi
Country: Japan
Duration: 25 min.
TV show
Story: On the first day of junior high school, Mato Kuroi happens to run into Yomi Takanashi, a shy, withdrawn girl whom she immediately takes an interest in. Mato tries her best to make conversation with Yomi, wanting to befriend her. At first, she is ...
Style: anime, psychological, contemplative, suspense, suspenseful ...
Plot: friendship, school, superpower, girlhood, alternate universe, adolescence, violence, fight, dual identity, youth, fate, high school life ...
Similarity:
38%
The Fragrant Flower Blooms with Dignity (2025)
Genre: Animation, Comedy, Drama, Romance
Country: Japan
TV show
Story: When the intimidating Rintaro meets the open-minded Kaoruko, the unlikely duo grows closer. The issue? Their neighboring high schools hate each other.
Style: anime, emotional, romantic comedy, shounen, romantic ...
Audience: teen drama
Plot: high school romance, high school life, opposites attract, high school, enemies to lovers, young adult, girls' school, adolescence, first love, friendship, coming of age, boys' school ...
Similarity:
38%
 6.6
 179
Kanon (2002)
Genre: Animation, Comedy, Drama, Fantasy, Romance
Country: Japan
Duration: 286 min.
TV show
Story: 7 years since Yuuichi Aizawa visited his aunt Akiko in her little northern town, he returns to uncover memories and secrets that have vanished from his head. He soon realises that something supernatural is happening, and that all of his new female ...
Style: anime, psychological, emotional, captivating, thrilling ...
Plot: slice of life, harem, small town, nostalgia, relationship problems, lifestyle, satire, male female relationship, relationships, family relations, amnesia, friendship ...
Similarity:
38%
Makeine: Too Many Losing Heroines! (2024)
Genre: Animation, Comedy, Drama, Romance
Country: Japan
TV show
Story: Meet the girls on the losing side of romance! First is Anna Yanami, the girl-next-door type who can’t say no to delicious food. Then there’s Lemon Yakishio, a beautiful and spirited athlete. Last but not least is Chika Komari, the cute yet shy ...
Style: anime, romantic comedy, feel good, lighthearted, tsundere ...
Plot: school, unrequited love, slice of life, rejection, high school life, everyday life, friendship, love triangle, young adult, harem, coming of age, teenage angst ...
Place: japan
Similarity:
36%
Movie in collections
Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions! (2012)
Genre: Animation, Comedy, Drama, Fantasy, Romance
Country: Japan
Duration: 25 min.
TV show
Story: Yuta has a problem. As one of the thousands of Japanese students afflicted with "chunibyo," a state where they're so desperate to stand out that they've literally convinced themselves that they have secret knowledge and hidden ...
Style: anime, exciting, humorous, touching, semi serious ...
Audience: teens
Plot: teenage life, teenage love, high school life, youth, school, coming of age, social relations, slice of life, young adult, school club, fall in love, adolescence ...
Time: 21st century
Place: japan, asia
Similarity:
36%
Here Is Greenwood (1991)
Genre: Animation, Comedy, Romance
Country: Japan
Duration: 30 min.
TV show
Story: When a young boy's fist love marries his brother, his last resort is to move into the dorms of the local school. Unfortunately, the school administration places him in the weirdest house on campus with an unusual roommate, and strange neighbors.
Style: anime, shoujo, sitcom, situational comedy, humorous ...
Plot: slice of life, coming of age, high school life, unrequited love, college, youth, dormitory, roommate, everyday life, male protagonist, friendship, bittersweet ...
Time: 90s
Similarity:
35%
Nekomonogatari (Kuro) (2012)
Genre: Animation, Comedy, Drama, Fantasy, Romance, Thriller
Country: Japan
Duration: 24 min.
TV show
Story: After surviving a vampire attack, Koyomi Araragi notices that his friend and savior, Tsubasa Hanekawa, has been acting strange. When he happens to cross paths with her on his way to a bookstore and sees she has a bandage on her face, he knows ...
Style: anime, captivating, enigmatic, disturbing, suspense ...
Plot: supernatural, vampire, possession, creature, teenager, supernatural power, vampire bite, friends, teenage life, fight, apparition, character study ...
Place: monogatari
Similarity:
34%
Shikimori's Not Just a Cutie (2022)
Genre: Animation, Comedy, Drama, Romance
Country: Japan
Duration: 23 min.
TV show
Story: Shikimori seems like the perfect girlfriend: cute, fun to be around, sweet when she wants to be… but she has a cool dark side that comes out under the right circumstances. And her boyfriend Izumi loves to be around when that happens!
Style: anime, captivating, romantic comedy, entertaining, disturbing ...
Audience: teens
Plot: relationships, high school life, adolescence, boyfriend girlfriend relationship, slice of life, school, love affair, heartwarming, young romance, young adult, high school romance, high school ...
Similarity:
34%
Abnormal Physiology Seminar (2011)
Genre: Animation, Comedy
Country: Japan
Duration: 12 min.
TV show
Story: Nanako Matsutaka is a normal university student, who happens to enroll in the Abnormal Physiology Seminar. She tries to keep her mental state sound, but other abnormal classmates start to influence her personality...
Style: anime, ecchi, satirical, seinen, semi serious ...
Plot: high school life, school, college, campus, relationships, male female relationship, teenage life, love affair, couple relations, teen romance, adolescence, teenage love ...
Similarity:
33%
Movie in collections
 6.4
 3K
maboroshi (2023)
Genre: Animation, Drama, Fantasy, Romance
Country: Japan
Duration: 111 min.
Story: A factory explosion plunges a small town into a timeless freeze, leaving teenage Masamune and his pals to grapple with a quickly collapsing reality.
Style: psychological, anime, thrilling, captivating, emotional ...
Plot: small town, time freeze, coming of age, youth, teenager, freezing, adolescence, time warp, problem, life is a bitch, friendship, young adult ...
Similarity:
32%
Hanamonogatari (2014)
Genre: Animation, Comedy, Fantasy, Mystery
Country: Japan
Duration: 25 min.
TV show
Story: After Araragi Koyomi graduated from high school, Kanbaru Suruga feels lonely because there's no one to talk about Oddities anymore. One day, she heard a rumor about Mr. Devil, who can realize people's wishes. She comes to meet that person, ...
Style: anime, semi serious, captivating, emotional, surreal ...
Plot: desire, loneliness, female protagonist, basketball, supernatural power, making a wish, wish fulfillment, supernatural ability, wish come true, female friendship, monologue, supernatural ...
Place: monogatari
Similarity:
32%
Skip and Loafer (2023)
Genre: Animation, Comedy, Drama, Romance
Country: Japan
Duration: 23 min.
TV show
Story: This country girl is ready for the big city! Well, at least she thought she was. Mitsumi's dream is to attend a prestigious school and make the world a better place. But when she finally gets to Tokyo, it turns out she isn't exactly ...
Style: anime, thrilling, satirical, captivating, semi serious ...
Audience: teen drama
Plot: school, teenage girl, friends, teenage protagonist, teenage life, slice of life, friendship, teenager, adolescence, satire, female protagonist, transgender ...
Place: japan, tokyo
Similarity:
32%
The Pet Girl of Sakurasou (2012)
Genre: Animation, Comedy, Drama, Romance
Country: Japan
Duration: 24 min.
TV show
Story: Sakura Dormitory is a dorm of the high school affiliated with Suimei University of the Arts (often shortened as Suiko), which hosts the strangest, most trouble-making students. After being kicked out of the normal dorm for keeping a stray cat, ...
Style: anime, touching, entertaining, humorous, stylized ...
Audience: teens
Plot: couple relations, high school life, slice of life, everyday life, couples, friendship, teenage life, youth, teenage love, love triangle, dormitory, friends ...
Time: 21st century
Place: japan, asia
Similarity:
31%
Girls Beyond the Wasteland (2016)
Genre: Animation, Comedy, Romance
Country: Japan
Duration: 24 min.
TV show
Story: Buntarou doesn't know what he wants to do in the future. He does not have any kind of dream that he wants to pursue, so currently he just spends his days hanging around with his friends. One day, his classmate Sayuki asks him if he wants to ...
Style: anime, semi serious, entertaining, captivating, disturbing ...
Plot: high school life, slice of life, school club, friendship, game, high school, coming of age, female protagonist, women, teamwork, friends, youth ...
Time: 2010s
Similarity:
30%
Monogatari Series: Second Season (2013)
Genre: Animation, Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy, Romance
Country: Japan
Duration: 25 min.
TV show
Story: Apparitions, oddities, and gods continue to manifest around Koyomi Araragi and his close-knit group of friends: Tsubasa Hanekawa, the group's modest genius; Shinobu Oshino, the resident doughnut-loving vampire; athletic deviant Suruga Kanbaru; ...
Style: anime, surreal, psychological, dark fantasy, psychological horror ...
Plot: mature, supernatural, vampire, urban, symbolism, friendship, ghost, coming of age, high school, identity crisis, high school life, mythology ...
Place: monogatari
Similarity:
30%
 7.0
 57
Absolute Boy (2005)
Genre: Animation, Drama, Fantasy, Mystery
Country: Japan
Duration: 25 min.
TV show
Story: Ayumu Aizawa who can't recall his childhood. He doesn't suffer from amnesia but his younger days are a mystery to him. When asked to spend the summer with his father in Tana, a rural town two hours away from his home in Tokyo, Ayumu ...
Style: anime, mysterious, entertaining, captivating, emotional ...
Plot: supernatural, coming of age, adolescence, youth, teenage life, countryside, teenager, village life, divorced parents, paranormal investigation, identity, small town ...
Similarity:
30%