6 Anime Like Rolling☆Girls [Recommendations]

Apocalyptic stories have been a rising thing for all kinds of media works since the 2000s and a variety of anime take the chance to explore the theme. Rolling Girls is a series that not only takes on the apocalypse theme but adds on traveling and friendship along with it. Set in a dystopian future following the Great Tokyo War, all Nozomi Moritomo,—a "Rest”—a rookie of a local gang, wishes to do is to help out her childhood friend and role model, Masami Utoku, a self-proclaimed prophet leader with destructive superpowers known as a “Best” in the ongoing territorial dispute. However, when Masami ends up severely injured, Nozomi takes it upon herself to travel all over Japan and answer requests that were sent to her. While on her quest, Nozomi meets three girls named Yukina Kosaka, Ai Hibiki and Chiaya Misono. Together the quartet travel together on their motorcycles, meeting different people and getting into different kinds of trouble from territorial wars, to disagreements and even conspiracies.

The series brought on a different perspective into the dystopian theme while also mixing in a tale of friendship and a journey. Here are 6 anime similar to Rolling Girls.


Similar Anime to Rolling☆Girls

1. Kill la Kill

  • Episodes: 24
  • Aired: Oct. 2013 - Mar. 2014

Kill la Kill is a series that tells the tragic tale of one Ryuuko Matoi and her quest in search of her father’s killer. After entering into a prestigious high school, Ryuuko finds herself facing against the competitive hierarchy ruled by the powerful Elite Four, a group who gives certain students clothes called “Goku Uniforms.” Though Ryuuko ended up soundly beaten in a battle by one who wears such a uniform, she discovers a different kind of powered suit. With her own sentient and powerful suit “Kamui” by her side, this marks the beginning of Ryuuko’s path to the top and uncovering the mystery of her father’s death.

One of the main things that has the two on the same line-up is that they both an eccentric style of art to them and how much of an independant figure the main protagonists are. There are also the hierarchal ruling to take into consideration along with the fact that both protagonists ride motorbikes, seeing as it is part of the main themes of the series. When looking at both series side-by-side, the overall style of both series seem to mirror one another basically, the only difference is on the setting and the aspect of traveling

Kill la Kill Official Trailer


2. FLCL/Furi Kuri (Fooly Cooly)

  • Episodes: 6
  • Aired: Apr. 2000 - Mar. 2001

Here we have a rather wacky tale that tells a young boy and his wild ride of a journey into a world previously unknown to him. His name is Naoto Nandaba and he is a sixth grader who somehow manages to get himself into not so normal situations after a not so pleasant meeting with a pink haired, bass guitar-wielding psychopath by the name of Haruko Haruhara. Though the young boy wants nothing more than to live his life as normally as possible, such a wish is pretty much out of the question with Haruko around. Add to the fact that he has also been apparently dragged into a battle for supremacy and the idea of a normal life might as well be a dream for him.

FLCL is pretty much a much wilder and wackier version of Rolling Girls with a different setting to them. While FLCL has a more sci-fi take on things, both take on a battle for territory. In terms of art style there are some slight lines that can be drawn between the two. The fact that the main characters both having a motorcycle is a clincher for the two series. While FLCL doesn’t really focus on the idea of traveling and meeting new people it does take on the idea of adventure and the people learning new things and getting into different kinds of trouble.


3. Sora no Method (Celestial Method)

Rolling-Girls-dvd-300x397 6 Anime Like Rolling☆Girls [Recommendations]

  • Episodes: 13
  • Aired: Oct. 2014 - Dec. 2015

Sora no Method is a tale of an alien invasion managing to mix itself with the concepts of friendship and emotional struggle. This is a story that sets itself up in a small area named Kiriya Lake where an unusual saucer has taken up residence in the sky for a total of seven years. Over time people have grown weary of it, turned it into a tourist attraction and finally left it be. Now a former resident of the small town has returned and her name is Nonoko Komiya. With only vague memories of her time in the town, it is through the meeting of a spritely girl by the name of Noel does she slowly regain memories of a time where she had made wishes at an observatory along with her friends.

Having an all female cast and a slice of life tag are the major similarities to be said about Sora no Method and Rolling Girls. They both tackle emotional scenarios with serious backstories and a tale of friendship. While Sora no Method does not tackle on traveling to different areas of a struggle of dispute it does give way to supernatural phenomenon like Rolling Girls.

Sora no Method PV1



Any Anime Like Rolling☆Girls ?

4. Galilei Donna

  • Episodes: 11
  • Aired: Oct. 2013 - Dec. 2013

A story of three sisters named Hozuki, Kazuki, and Hazuki, descendants of Galileo with different personalities; it begins with the three of them suddenly being attacked by a mysterious organization after the “Galileo Tesoro.” Barely escaping on their airship the girls with little knowledge on what exactly is going on, set off. Though they do get into trouble, it isn’t as easy for the three of them to help each other out without being constantly in odds with one another. While they try to figure things out with each other, they also try to find the answers to the mystery of the organization and the Tesoro.

Both Galelei Donna and Rolling Girls tells a tale of an all female cast setting off on an adventure in a world that they didn’t know before. It tackles on friendship and struggles while taking on mysteries and enemies from all around. Basically both of them are adventure stories that tackle both emotion and action at the same time.


5. Kyousou Giga

  • Episodes: 10
  • Aired: Oct. 2013 - Dec. 2013

Within the the city of Kyoto lies a land where humans and youkai live together and no one ever dies. This place is called the “mirror capital” and is protected by three people, Kurama, Yase, and Myoue, who await the return of their parents. But one day, a young girl by the name of Koto enters into the city from another dimension; with her red eyes, it is not immediately sure whether she is human or youkai. Along with her younger brothers A and Un, they are in search of their mother and from their arrival. There is a change in the air of the peaceland as the newcomers set out in their search.

With eye-catching visuals and an eccentric and lively atmosphere, a regular anime viewer may say that there isn’t much in common between the two series at first glance. But looking within, there are a few points that can be checked between the two. There is an exploration of a new area, a mystery to solve and some action mixed in it as well. Overall, the series has good matching points to it that make it worth watching.


6. One Off

  • Episodes: 4
  • Aired: Aug. 2012 - Oct. 2012

Taking place during the early summer, this story tells of high schooler Shiozaki Haruno. A 17-year-old girl who loves her motorcycle, HONDA’s Giorno and longs for a vivid life in a city yet lives in remote highlands. As more people enter into her parent’s boarding house, however, things begin to change for her as they encourage her to step towards her dream.

There’s no struggle with gangs, or visually catching designs, but there is a girl and her bike along with her friends and learning new things. One of the main things about Rolling Girls was this concept and while the action and the visuals made things interesting to look at, it was the slice of life aspect that made Rolling Girls more different than usual.

One Off PV 1


Final Thoughts

There is always something interesting about seeing different themes and genres mixing together in anime. On paper, the idea of a group of girls traveling the country to fulfill different requests may not seem all that exciting but add the setting of a dystopian along with superpowered beings battling over territories? Now, that is a series worth taking a look at. Rolling Girls is just one of those series that, while not exactly high up in the ranks, does have its moments of emotional impact and drama to draw in people. Which other anime do you like that is similar to Rolling Girls? We’re happy to hear any suggestions or thoughts from you

by C.Y.S.