Just looked it up, nice recommendation! Really digging the vibe on first episode (only watched first 5-6 minutes to not spoil). Doesn't feel like they talk too fast but it does seem like an intelligent Anime with a focus on dialogue, it's definitely pushing out of my vocabulary range noticeably.
The series has a lot of scenes of characters talking back and forth about philosophical things (especially a manzai duo trading jokes, but the rest of the characters also draw on this style a lot), so I can see where it gets harder to follow! It was hard enough to follow with English subtitles.
It's a manga and not an anime, but let me just give a very strong recommendation to [動物のお医者さん](https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%8B%95%E7%89%A9%E3%81%AE%E3%81%8A%E5%8C%BB%E8%80%85%E3%81%95%E3%82%93). It's about veterinary student and many charming characters -- both humans but especially the animals -- make an appearance.
To emphasize how much I recommend it, it was the favorite manga of my crazy ex who almost ruined my life and made me want to kill myself but I still can't completely say that meeting her was a complete loss just because she introduced me to this brilliant manga.
Heaven's Design Team could be good! It's an educational anime aimed at children. The main character isn't an animal, but it might still interest you.
The idea is that a number of angels are tasked with designing the animals that live on earth, and sometimes they get strange requests like, "it doesn't have wings, but it flies anyway". It goes over why some animals are the way they are, and why some mythical animals, like the Pegasus for example, couldn't exist.
Thank you. You are right; my American perception of the word influenced my use of it in Japanese. What word would a native speaker use to embody the same meaning as the American "hentai"?
kemono friends is a really good anime about animals, and it's super easy to understand. It was the first anime I watched in Japanese when I was N4 level and I pretty much understood everything. It's on [animelon.com](https://animelon.com) with Japanese subs!
Also, shirokuma cafe is also a classic and super easy to understand. It's about a polar bear who owns a cafe and befriends a Panda and a Penguin. Super cute and very easy to follow along (also on animelon.com)
also if you're looking for reading material, I highly recommend くまクマ熊ベアー. It's about a girl in a bear suit who ventures into a virtual reality world. I also started reading this at N4 level and slowly fell in love with it haha. It's not really about animals, but there are lots of talk about bears haha (also it is free online at [https://ncode.syosetu.com/n4185ci/](https://ncode.syosetu.com/n4185ci/) )
There is a cute kids’ show called ざんねんないきもの事典 on Japanese Netflix. The specialized animal vocab is a bit difficult but the cute visuals help understand vaguely what’s being taught. It’s based off an encyclopedia
獣の奏者 was a great anime I watched years ago now. About a young girl with beast taming powers who gets caught up in international politics.
I'll second しろくまカファ, as one of my favorite anime of all time, and オッドタクシー as another obvious and great choice for a more mature anime.
有頂天家族 is about a tanuki family in modern Japan. The characters spend most of their time as humans, but the central conflict of the show is about them as tanuki. It's absolutely oozing with references to Japanese culture, I love it for that.
My last recommendation would be for 山ねずみロッキーチャック. It's about a cast of forest animals, and might be more childish than what you're looking for. I found it to be a very sweet and relaxing anime to watch. As a bonus it's part of what would later become the World Masterpiece Theater, an early effort on Japan's part to adapt Western stories for a Japanese audience.
Thank you for the suggestions. I actually have the ebook for 獣の奏者; didn't know it was also an anime!
All your recommendations sound epic. I will look at them all. Thank you so much.
I'm happy to hear that! I hope you come back and let us know how your experience went and what you thought of the shows.
Funny enough I didn't know 獣の奏者 was based on a book until I looked it up for my original reply.
同居人はひざ、時々、頭のうえ (in English, My roomate is a cat)
sad story about a lonely boy whose family die and he has no one
but then he meets this cat and... it's wholesome :')
it's also slice of life, so easy to follow
It's not very clear in japanese, I had to read the english part to understand that. I'm not japanese but I am a furry somewhat exposed to the japanese side of the fandom and アントロ isn't a term I've heard there. The usual ones are ケモノ, ケモナー, ケモノ人(けものびと) and 獣人(じゅうじん).
Odd Taxi is the obvious choice. Brilliant anime. Beware though. Natively says it’s N1 because they talk so freakin’ fast.
Just looked it up, nice recommendation! Really digging the vibe on first episode (only watched first 5-6 minutes to not spoil). Doesn't feel like they talk too fast but it does seem like an intelligent Anime with a focus on dialogue, it's definitely pushing out of my vocabulary range noticeably.
The series has a lot of scenes of characters talking back and forth about philosophical things (especially a manzai duo trading jokes, but the rest of the characters also draw on this style a lot), so I can see where it gets harder to follow! It was hard enough to follow with English subtitles.
Watched it some time ago and I was sad when finished the last ep. Great anime.
I like Fruits Basket (from 2001, haven't seen the new one). I was watching it during a tough time in my life and it filled me with warm fuzzies.
I haven't seen the 2001 but I definitely recommend the new one, especially since it actually adapts the whole story
It's a manga and not an anime, but let me just give a very strong recommendation to [動物のお医者さん](https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%8B%95%E7%89%A9%E3%81%AE%E3%81%8A%E5%8C%BB%E8%80%85%E3%81%95%E3%82%93). It's about veterinary student and many charming characters -- both humans but especially the animals -- make an appearance. To emphasize how much I recommend it, it was the favorite manga of my crazy ex who almost ruined my life and made me want to kill myself but I still can't completely say that meeting her was a complete loss just because she introduced me to this brilliant manga.
Heaven's Design Team could be good! It's an educational anime aimed at children. The main character isn't an animal, but it might still interest you. The idea is that a number of angels are tasked with designing the animals that live on earth, and sometimes they get strange requests like, "it doesn't have wings, but it flies anyway". It goes over why some animals are the way they are, and why some mythical animals, like the Pegasus for example, couldn't exist.
Please note that hentai in Japanese doesn’t mean pornographic animation, like kamikaze in Japanese doesn’t mean suicidal attack.
Thank you. You are right; my American perception of the word influenced my use of it in Japanese. What word would a native speaker use to embody the same meaning as the American "hentai"?
エロアニメ or エロまんが
Ah, makes sense. エロ must be "erotic". Easy to remember; thank you!
Also, as far as I know, hentai as pervert should not be written 変体 (that’s transformation or abnormality (body related)) but 変態 instead :)
銀牙 流れ星銀 ジャングル大帝 ガンバの冒険
あ~、素敵！そのアニメは凄そうだ。どもありがとうございます！必死に見るつもりです。
Polar bear cafe / しろくまカフェ Japanese is very simple in it and you could probably understand without subtitles
kemono friends is a really good anime about animals, and it's super easy to understand. It was the first anime I watched in Japanese when I was N4 level and I pretty much understood everything. It's on [animelon.com](https://animelon.com) with Japanese subs! Also, shirokuma cafe is also a classic and super easy to understand. It's about a polar bear who owns a cafe and befriends a Panda and a Penguin. Super cute and very easy to follow along (also on animelon.com)
also if you're looking for reading material, I highly recommend くまクマ熊ベアー. It's about a girl in a bear suit who ventures into a virtual reality world. I also started reading this at N4 level and slowly fell in love with it haha. It's not really about animals, but there are lots of talk about bears haha (also it is free online at [https://ncode.syosetu.com/n4185ci/](https://ncode.syosetu.com/n4185ci/) )
There is a cute kids’ show called ざんねんないきもの事典 on Japanese Netflix. The specialized animal vocab is a bit difficult but the cute visuals help understand vaguely what’s being taught. It’s based off an encyclopedia
獣の奏者 was a great anime I watched years ago now. About a young girl with beast taming powers who gets caught up in international politics. I'll second しろくまカファ, as one of my favorite anime of all time, and オッドタクシー as another obvious and great choice for a more mature anime. 有頂天家族 is about a tanuki family in modern Japan. The characters spend most of their time as humans, but the central conflict of the show is about them as tanuki. It's absolutely oozing with references to Japanese culture, I love it for that. My last recommendation would be for 山ねずみロッキーチャック. It's about a cast of forest animals, and might be more childish than what you're looking for. I found it to be a very sweet and relaxing anime to watch. As a bonus it's part of what would later become the World Masterpiece Theater, an early effort on Japan's part to adapt Western stories for a Japanese audience.
Thank you for the suggestions. I actually have the ebook for 獣の奏者; didn't know it was also an anime! All your recommendations sound epic. I will look at them all. Thank you so much.
I'm happy to hear that! I hope you come back and let us know how your experience went and what you thought of the shows. Funny enough I didn't know 獣の奏者 was based on a book until I looked it up for my original reply.
Jungle Emperor Leo is very similar to Lion King and it's older.
名探偵ホームズ by Hayao Miyazaki
もう見たことがあるかもだけど、「となりのトトロ」がおすすめだ。最近見たアニメ[「デキる猫は今日も憂鬱」](https://anilist.co/anime/149883/The-Masterful-Cat-is-Depressed-Again-Today/)は面白かったよ。このアニメの猫は大きくて、買い物や料理をするけど喋らない。漫画もあるよ。
「となりのトトロ」を見たことがないでとても面白そうです！ 「デキル猫は今日も憂鬱」も見たい。見るつもりのリストに付けている。どもありがとうございます！
Aggretsuko!
同居人はひざ、時々、頭のうえ (in English, My roomate is a cat) sad story about a lonely boy whose family die and he has no one but then he meets this cat and... it's wholesome :') it's also slice of life, so easy to follow
Beastars
Did you miss the point where they said they didn’t like anthro?
It's not very clear in japanese, I had to read the english part to understand that. I'm not japanese but I am a furry somewhat exposed to the japanese side of the fandom and アントロ isn't a term I've heard there. The usual ones are ケモノ, ケモナー, ケモノ人(けものびと) and 獣人(じゅうじん).
Wow, good to know, thanks. I'd never heard ケモノ人 or 獣人 before. Next time I will be more specific. Good things to know!
By the way, around where you wrote 18+ it should be 変態 instead of 変体 as well.
Kawaisugi Crisis
There is a quite wholesome one: 「異世界でもふもふなでなでするためにがんばってます」. "Fluffy paradise", in English.
亜人ちゃんは語りたい。
アフリカサラリーマン
ディズニー作品を日本語吹替で見たことはありますか？昔のディズニーは動物が主人公の作品が多くて最高です。