Anime is a diverse universe, with different genres and ever-growing industry. There is an increase in number of people consuming anime in recent years. Predominantly, the anime directors were usually men, but recently there is a growing number of female directors in the industry. Women directors have directed amines in different genres like fantasy, fiction, romance, and many more. This has helped to break down the gender stereotype in the anime industry by putting forward the female perspective in the genre. These amines should be appreciated by the viewers. So, here is the compilation of anime directed by female directors.
1. Free!
Free! is an anime released in 2013 and directed by Hiroko Utsumi. The story revolves around a high-school student, Haruka Nanase. Haruka Nanase is a gifted swimmer in Iwatobi swim team. He then meets his childhood rival, Rin Matsuoka, who has also joined the team. As the swim team trains for the tournament, the rivalry between the two escalates. But, later in the story they understand each other and resolve their enmity, and help each other grow.
2. Btooom!
Btooom! is an action anime released in 2012 and directed by Kotono Watanabe. The story revolves around an unemployed man entered into a videogame. Ryota Sakamoto is a 22-year-old unemployed man who lives with his mother. He is also the ace player of the videogame named Btooom. One day he woke up in a deserted island, confused with his sudden change, he saw a man and asked for help. The man, in return threw a bomb towards him. He then realizes that he was inside his favorite game, Btooom! There, he meets Himiko, who was his in-game wife. The story progresses as both try to reveal the reality of the game.
3. The Way Of The Househusband
The Way of The Househusband is an action-comedy anime released in 2021 and directed by Kon Chiaki. The anime series is the adaptation of the manga of the same title. The series tells the story of a former Yakuza member named Tatsu, who has now become a househusband to support his career-oriented wife. The story shows his encounters with his other Yakuza members in unexpected places, also his intimidating looks and personality contradicting with his househusband chores which brings out a comic element in the series.
4. Young Black Jack
Young Black Jack is an anime released in 2015 and directed by Mitsuko Kase. The story revolves around a man named Kuroo Hazama, a brilliant surgeon with a dark past. He wanted to leave behind his past and make his name in the medical industry. He is a skilled surgeon and is known for performing seemingly impossible surgeries. Further in the story, we see as he gets entangled with some student riots, war and corruptions which make him question his integrity.
5. Michiko & Hatchin
Michiko & Hatchin is an action amine released in 2008 and directed by Yamamoto Sayo. The story revolves around a woman named Michiko Malandro, who escaped prison in a fictional South America. She then goes to rescue her former lover’s daughter, Hana Morenos, from her abusive foster parents. The story progressed as they are in the journey to attain their freedom while escaping the police.
6. A Place Further Than Universe
A Place Further Than Universe is an adventure anime released in 2018 and directed by Atsuko Ishizuka. The story revolves around a girl named Mari Tamaki, a second-year high school student, who is always curious about different thing. She then realizes that she has not lived her life to the fullest. She then meets Shirase Kobuchizawa, a girl from the same class. Shirase is shy and quite girl. She has saved money to go to Antarctica to find her missing mother, who disappeared in her last expedition. Mari, Shirase, and two other friends joined her on the trip to find her mother in Antarctica.
7. A Silent Voice
A Silent Voice is an anime released in 2016 and directed by Naoko Yamada. The series shows the story of a boy named Shoya Ishida, who bullied a transfer deaf student named Shoko Nishimiya in his elementary school. Shoya and his friends were bullying Shoko, which forced her to consider transfer again. When the principal got to know about the bullying, Shoya’s friends shifted all the blame on him. Eventually, he moved to a different school but his reputation of a bully did not leave him in his middle school. He was treated as an outcast in his middle school. He even tried to end his life but wanted to apologize to Shoko before ending his life.
8. Liz And The Blue Bird
Liz and The Blue Bird is an anime released in 2018 and directed by Naoko Yamada. The story revolves around two friends named Mizore and Nozomi. Mizore is an introverted girl, in the final year of high school. She is also a part of the music band and plays oboe. Her best friend is Nozomi, and she only interacts with Nozomi and not with other band members. On the other hand, Nozomi is an extroverted girl who is friends with everyone in the band. She is the flutist of the music band. Further in the story, we see some misunderstandings in their relationship and how they resolve it.
9. K-On!!
K-On!! Is an anime released in 2009 and directed by Naoko Yamada. The story revolves around a group of girls who join the high school music club to save it from dissolving. This is another masterpiece by Naoko Yamada. The second season of the anime was also released in 2010. The anime series received many awards, including, Best TV Animation Awards 2010 at Tokyo Anime Awards, Best Television Awards at 2010 Animation Kobe awards, and many more.
10. No Game No Life
No Game No Life is a sci-fi anime released in 2014 and directed by Atsuko Ishizuka. The anime series revolves around the life of two step-sibling, named Sors and Shiro. Both have detached themselves from the outside world and only focus on gaming, and have no social life other than that. They are aces in playing video games. One day they recived an offer to live in a world of video games, they thought it a joke and accepted it. They were then summoned to the reality where everything around them was like a video game. There were same rules to live in the video games and all the players have to follow it.
