Ryuuichi and his baby brother Kotarou find themselves orphaned after their parents left on a trip and died in a plane crash. The two of them end up at the doorstep of an old woman who is chairman to a prestigious school. She has taken them into her home and given Ryuuichi the job of babysitter at the school’s onsite daycare.

Gakuen Babysitters has to be one of the best winter 2018 anime like Miira no Kaikata in that it shares a similar feeling in which our main character finds themselves the unwitting guardian to a child (well, Mii is like a child). Ryuuichi ends up having to be the sole support for his little brother, Kotarou, and finds that that means being more than the person who changes his diapers. Ryuuichi has to be the pillar of support for Kotarou and that is something he might not have thought of at all before that accident. Let’s not forget that Ryuuichi doesn’t get many chances to grieve over his parents’ loss either with this responsibility on his shoulders! However, it’s also a heartwarming adventure to see how Ryuuchi and Kotarou need each other and how much they are willing to do for each other in each episode. Ryuuichi may be older but these children are about to teach him a bit more than ever before.

One day while out, Youhei and his mother come across a petite kitten named Chi. While their home does not allow cats, they bring Chi back to live with them and even move homes in order to properly house the new member of their family. This is the story of a small kitten named Chi and her daily life with her new family and the many friends they all make.

Chi’s Sweet Home is a sweet anime about a little kitten who finds a new home, much in the same way Mii does upon meeting Sora. Like Mii, Chi is forced to adapt to his new family and along the way, they meet many new people who help enrich Chi’s life. Let’s not forget how completely adorable Chi is, much like Mii! How could your heart not melt watching Chi first run away and try to find her way back home and then eventually becoming at home with her new family? She’s such a cutie!

Tawara Souta has gone to his childhood home in the countryside, away from the chaos that is his home in Tokyo, and is reminiscing about times past as he rummages through artifacts of his childhood. As he explores the building formerly owned by his father and used as an udon restaurant, Souta encounters a small boy sleeping in the mess left behind. The boy initially appears to be a homeless boy in need of shelter, so Souta feeds him and clothes him. However, the boy turns out to be anything but normal as he sprouts a pair of ears and a tail with which Souta is able to identify him as a tanuki with the ability to shapeshift! It is in Udon no Kuni no Kiniro Kemari that Poco, the tanuki boy, and Souta learn to live together and provide the companionship that the other was lacking. With Poco by his side, Souta is able to tackle the small nuances of his past including the harsh relationship he shared with his father in order to find a better future.

When it comes to magical, child-like creatures, one cannot help but remember Udon no Kuni no Kiniro Kemari. Poco is a magical tanuki, but for some reason, he takes on the form of a young boy. Much like Mii, Poco has a child-like personality and becoems rather attached to Souta the way Mii does Sora. As you continue through the anime, Poco and Souta become each other’s lifelines and cannot seem to fathom life without each other. It’s their makeshift family that really gets us right in the feels, but of course, we cannot forget just how precious Poco is!

Takahashi Tetsuo is a high school biology teacher who is fascinated by half-human, half-monster beings that have recently integrated into normal society. These beings are commonly known as “Demis”. While they may be part of society, not much seems to be known about Demis, and with several Demi students in the school, Tetsuo finds that this might be his chance to study Demis more and learn more about them. This is when Tetsuo begins his interviews with the various demis in his school to learn that perhaps these demi students are not quite as different as everyone believes.

You may think this one is quite the stretch, but really, Demi-chan wa Kataritai is a great anime like Miira no Kaikata. Sora and Tetsuo are similar in that they are both very familiar with these supernatural beings; For Tetsuo, it’s Demis. They both begin to interact with said supernatural beings and learn more through observation as opposed to the myths of these living beings. And likewise, both Mii and the Demis become attached to Tetsuo and Sora. While Demi-chan wa Kataritai is meant to have a bit of fan service (not too much), it’s obvious that these are two slice of life titles featuring a bit of the supernatural!

There is a small black cat that was nearly killed at one point. Taking pity on the cat, a vampire gave the cat his blood and now, the cat is a vampire too known as Nyanpire! Nyanpire was brought in by a sweet girl named Misaki who has given Nyanpire a home and now Nyanpire likes to say “Give me blood nya.”

Nyanpire the Animation is a short anime featuring a cute cat named Nyanpire who just wants your blood! Like Mii, Nyanpire is a cute little creature of the supernatural persuasion. Of course, you know you’re not going to watch Nyanpire the Animation for its plot but for the cuteness that is Nyanpire, much like why you watch Miira no Kaikata. If you watch Miira no Kaikata for all of the cute stuff and not for the story, you may want to consider adding Nyanpire the Animation to your list so that you can just cat the cuteness of Nyanpire (and all of his cute cat friends) without any of the boring plot!

Ren is a young boy of only nine years who has lost both of his parents in one form or another and lacks a real family, even from his own extended family. It is at this point that we find Ren running away to forge a life of his own in Shibuya. In the realm of Shibuten, Kumatetsu is a warrior feared for his strength and power but not well respected by his peers. Kumatetsu expects to receive the role of Lord after the current Lord retires, but he has not ever been able to manage a disciple. It is at this point that we have both Ren and Kumatetsu meet.

Bakemono no Ko is a rather serious take on a similar concept as Miira no Kaikata. The relationship between Ren and Kumatetsu is rather heartwarming as they both end up changing each other’s lives in such a short expanse of time. For those who really appreciate the familial feeling that is briefly noted in Miira no Kaikata, you will enjoy the relationship between Ren and Kumatetsu as they develop further into something short of father and son. Don’t think that this will have the same feeling as Miira no Kaikata, but you can expect a little bit more comforting and heartwarming than Miira no Kaikata with a rather sufficient ending enough to satisfy even the pickiest person.