Shinsekai yori takes place in a Japan 1000 years from now, and revolves around five children: Saki, Satoru, Shun, Maria and Mamoru. These kids live in a utopian village: the water is clear, it's full of nature, and people seem to get along very well. This is but one side of the coin, as that utopia is bound to come crashing down as, due to some circumstances, the five kids discover about the outbreak of psychokinesis that can make people become monsters. Furthermore, the sad truth about the bloody past that brought mankind to that point will be unveiled in front of their very eyes, through the disappearances, one after the other, of their friends.

Shinsekai yori is a full-fledged friendship anime, as we see a group of friends very fond of each other, while they face together something bigger than them. As they grow up, they'll go through hardships, and even confront with the tragic loss of important people. The only one thing that remains unchanged through years of struggles to survive is their bond, which is stronger than anything, and in spite everything.

Yuuki Hase is a 16-year-old boy with a crush on Kaori Fujimiya. The girl, though, is one unsociable fellow, and when Yuuki manages to muster all the courage to ask her if she wants to be friends, Kaori's answer is no. Thing is, due to an accident during middle school, Kaori suffers a memory loss: in a few days she begins to forget the people she met. Yuuki wants to be more than a one-week friend to Kaori, though, and will put all his efforts into that mission!

Isshuukan Friends has a light feel, sprinkled with a little melancholy as Kaori keeps losing her memories, and Yuuki tries every week to befriend her, with determination and willpower. We follow the daily routines of these two teenagers, as they begin to interact with each other, and get to know each other step by step. It is a friendship anime that deserved a mention here, because it teaches an important lesson: give your all for an important friend, even when the situation seems desperate.

Humans are split in two sides: those who live underwater, and those who live on the surface. Hikari Sakishima, Manaka Mukaido and their childhood friends – Chisaki Hiradaira and Kaname Isaki – live underwater, but attend a school on the surface. By chance, this group of friends comes to know Tsugumu Kihara, a boy from the surface. The lives of these friends are bound to change, as they'll face the discrimination from the people on the surface, and their personal struggles of growing up.

Nagi no Asukara is a friendship anime that went a bit, unfairly unnoticed. This is a coming of age story, revolving around a group of friends who discover more about the society they live in. What's more, they will deal with sad truths, and despicable lies, learning how nothing is the way it seems. Nagi no Asukara wields the important message that friendship knows no boundaries, and that's why we think that it more than deserved a mention here.

Katsuhira Agata is the perfect target for bullies, since his sense of pain has vanished altogether. Every day, the bullies extort money from him, after beating him to a pulp. Some circumstances bring Katsuhira, his childhood friend Chidori, and four other teenagers to become “Kiznaivers”: according to the Kizuna System project, the six of them will be connected through pain, so if one feels pain – either physical, or emotional – all the others will be struck with the same amount of agony. So, they are forced to face their inner demons, and become friends, and allies.

Kiznaiver is a wonderful show, where each character has a strong and defined personality, that clashes with the others. So, in the beginning, we have six teenagers who argue a lot, but as the show goes by, they finally manage to understand one another. When the situation becomes dangerous, then, they are forced to feel and comprehend one another's pain: a situation that will make their bond stronger. After all, Kiznaiver takes its name from the Japanese word “kizuna”, that means “bond” in English. No wonder friendship has the most important role in this show!

Moritaka Mashiro is an aspiring illustrator; Akito Takagi is an aspiring writer. They share one dream: to create a popular manga series. That's how these two teenagers decide to join forces and fight for their dream. Mashiro wants to follow his uncle's steps and become a famous manga artist, then he wishes for his crush – an aspiring voice actress – to voice one of the characters he drawn. Takagi wants to help Mashiro in order to see his own stories take form. Little they knew about the hardships of the world of manga: the sky-high competition with other artists, the tight schedules, and so on. Determined to make their dream come true, they'll give their best!

Bakuman is a show where the high morals of friendship are highlighted from beginning, to end. In fact, in this show, the border between friendship and rivalry is always blurry, and foes eventually become friends. This show starts with two boys who become best friends, and embark together on a difficult dream. Yet, hardships don't scare them; on the contrary, they find new strength in them as long as they are there for each other. Bakuman is a friendship show that we highly recommend, all the more if you enjoy slice of life anime based on reality!

Naho Takamiya is a 16-year-old high school girl who one day receives a strange letter sent by herself from ten years in the future. Even though, in the beginning, Naho thinks it's just a prank letter from her friends, much to her surprise what is written in that letter happens for real. Naho Takamiya from ten years in the future is a woman full of regret: according to the letter, Kakeru, the new transfer student, won't be with them in the future. Naho from the future wishes for Naho to change that part, otherwise she will be full of regret as well.

Orange revolves around a group of friends who have to avoid a tragedy. As day by day they keep getting closer to Kakeru and discover what an amazing person he is, they struggle to save him. This is a very emotional, and touching show, as it wields dark themes; yet, the important message it sends is to always fight for a friend in need, even when that friend doesn't want your help.

Hachimitsu to Clover revolves around five friends who are college students. As they are about to enter the adult world, they still move uncertain steps toward their future, and struggle to understand themselves. Shinobu, Yuuta and Takumi share a little room for poor students, with no bath. Hagumi is a talented artist with doll features, and Ayumi is an older sister-like girl whose love is not reciprocated. Their lives are bound to change, and their paths are bound to part, but not their bond.

As you can see by these premises, Hachimitsu to Clover is a full-fledged friendship anime, and when it hits, it hits hard. In fact, this story is more mature, and the relationships depicted are not idealized. It totally deserved a mention, as we see how their lives keep getting intertwined, and their friendship evolves, changes as the years go by, and by the end of the show we have five adults whose lives part ways with the memory of those days together. If you still haven't watched it, it's time to give it a shot!

Nijiiro Days revolves around four high school boys – Nacchan, Mattsun, Tsuyo-pon, and Kei-chan – as they struggle through their teenage years. Each totally different from the other, these four friends have a constant in their lives: their solid friendship. Supporting each other in every situation, together they overcome every hardship. Among girls who don't reciprocate their feelings, delusional romances, low grades, and class trips nearing tragedy, their lives go by!

Nijiiro Days is a bit non-conventional as a friendship anime, as our protagonists are a group of male friends and the focus is right on their friendship. Yet, it deserved a mention, as throughout the entire show we see the brotherhood keeping them together. It's amazing to see how they back each other up in every possible way, and how they can be sincere with each other without being afraid. If you enjoy comedy, too, Nijiiro Days will make you crack up!

Monkey D. Luffy is a 17-year-old boy, who loves adventure, and wants to become the Pirate King. When he begins his journey bound to lead him to the greatest treasure – the One Piece, belonged to Gol D. Roger – Luffy meets interesting people, and his pirate crew keeps growing. Together with his crew headed for the Grand Line, Luffy will solve mysteries, and beat other pirates blocking their way to the One Piece!

One Piece doesn’t even need an explanation as to why it has our second position in a friendship anime ranking. This show is purely based on friendship, and bonds among the crew. Throughout the entire show, the main theme of friendship is shouted by Luffy in basically every circumstance, and the main concept of “nakama” (“friend”) is what dictates Luffy's every action. It is enough to simply think that in the darkest moment of his life, Luffy managed to go on only thinking about his crew. Tell us if it didn't deserve a mention here!

Takashi Natsume is an orphan, who changed family year after year, because every relative found him weird. Actually, Natsume can see the yokai – spirits – just like his grandmother Reiko could. The tables turn exactly when he finds the Book of Friends belonged to Reiko. The notebook is full of the names of yokai, and when Natsume meets Madara, alias Nyanko-sensei, he will start a journey bound to give to all those spirits whose name is in that book, all their names back. By doing so, Natsume will start to learn the spirits' loneliness, which is very similar to his.

Natsume Yuujinchou deserves our first position as it revolves around a boy who developed a cold attitude toward others, meant to protect himself from being hurt. Yet, life gives him the chance to open up to people and spirits, and in the blink of an eye Natsume's life becomes full of friends, humans, and spirits. Each of them is ready to lend him a helping hand in time of need, and Natsume will finally come to know the joy and happiness of friendship. Give it a shot, because Natsume Yuujinchou is a real masterpiece of its kind!