Movies like Space Brothers (2012)
The best movies like Space Brothers (2012) are Always - Sunset on Third Street (2005), Ping Pong (2002) and Beyond the Boundary: I'll Be Here – Future (2015). If Space Brothers hooked you with its comedy and drama, these 30 similar films are what to watch next, and every pick says why it matches.
Quick picks
- Highest ratedThe Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya (2010)7.9/10 from 301 votes
- Newest100 METERS (2025)Released 2025
- In JapaneseAlways - Sunset on Third Street (2005)Also in Japanese
Always - Sunset on Third Street (2005)
In 1958 postwar Tokyo, the residents of a humble Third Street neighbourhood struggle, dream, and grow together as rapid modernisation transforms their lives beneath the shadow of the newly rising Tokyo Tower.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both comedy & drama
Worth the HypeMovies like thisPing Pong (2002)
As children, the introverted Smile was being bullied by a gang of kids until the brash Peco comes by and chases all of them them away. Peco then takes Smile under his wings and teaches him how to play the game of ping pong. From there a life long best friend relationship comes into existence between these two polar opposite kids.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both comedy & drama
Worth the HypeMovies like thisBeyond the Boundary: I'll Be Here – Future (2015)
The battle is over, and they can go about their normal lives now... or so they thought. With no time to rejoice after miraculously saving Mirai from Beyond the Boundary, Mirai lost all her memories. Akihito, now a high school senior, starts to avoid Mirai thinking it’s for the better. Not aware of Akihito’s feelings, Mirai tries to get closer to Akihito. Then, someone who knows of Mirai appears in front of the two. With Akihito’s troubles in vain, Mirai once again sets forth on a battle that forces her to look within.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama & comedy
Worth the HypeMovies like thisBakuman (2015)
Moritaka Mashiro doesn't want to follow in the path of his uncle who worked as a manga artist, but ultimately died because of exhaustion. Moritaka Mashiro figures he will graduate from school and work at an office. Things change though when falls in love with a girl at school. The girl, who hopes to become a voice actress, tells Moritaka they can marry, but only after they both achieve their dreams. Moritaka then teams up with fellow classmate Akito Takagi to publish their first manga.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama & comedy
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisBeyond the Boundary: I'll Be Here – Past (2015)
It all began quite suddenly. Akihito, who appears human but is actually half yomu with the power to quickly heal himself, sees a freshman girl who appears ready to jump from the school rooftop. The girl, Mirai, who has the ability to manipulate blood, which is unique even among members of the spirit world, continues to fight her isolation. Akihito decides at that moment to save Mirai, but disturbing events soon begin to unfold.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama & comedy
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisRanma 1/2 the Movie 2: Nihao My Concubine (1992)
With the Tendos, the Saotomes, Ryoga, Shampoo and Ukyo misinterpreting Tatewake Kuno's invitation to his two loves, Akane and 'The Pig Tailed Girl', to try his new yacht, a whole new episode of chaos begins in the already unstable lives of the Saotome/Tendo clan. A mysterious shadow kidnaps first Akane's sister Kasumi, then continues on until all the girls disappear. All except everyone's favorite hydrotranssexual.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both comedy
Absolute CinemaMovies like thisBleach the Movie: Fade to Black (2008)
A strange disturbance in the World of the Living sends Ichigo and Kon to the Soul Society, where the Seireitei has been devastated by an explosion of reishi and Rukia is missing. Stranger still, none of the Soul Reapers remember Ichigo, and they think he’s the one responsible for the destruction. Now on the run, Ichigo is forced into a lonely battle in order to find Rukia and stop the real culprits!
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama
Worth the HypeMovies like thisMai Mai Miracle (2009)
Inspired by her grandfather's stories, young Shinko embarks on wild flights of fancy about the history of the little town she lives in. But dreams can't fend off the realities of growing up.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama
Worth the HypeMovies like this100 METERS (2025)
A gifted runner trains a determined but unskilled classmate, unaware he's creating a rival who will challenge him on the track for years to come.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama
Worth the HypeMovies like thisDoraemon: Nobita's Chronicle of the Moon Exploration (2019)
After being mocked for believing that rabbits live on the Moon, Nobita uses one of Doraemon’s gadgets to create a hidden lunar kingdom. Accompanied by a mysterious new classmate named Luca, Nobita and his friends travel to the Moon’s far side, where they discover children with extraordinary powers and become drawn into a dangerous conflict that reaches far beyond Earth.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both comedy
Worth the HypeMovies like thisNapping Princess (2017)
Japan, 2020, a few days before the opening of the Tokyo Olympics. Although she should be studying for her final exams, Kokone, a schoolgirl who lives in a small town with her widowed father, a mysterious and talented mechanic, falls asleep often, anywhere, anytime, entering, over and over, a dream-world where a squad of fantastic motorized contraptions fights against magic, a world close to reality where she will find out the keys of her true past.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisDragon Ball: Curse of the Blood Rubies (1986)
The great King Gurumes is searching for the Dragon Balls in order to put a stop to his endless hunger. A young girl named Pansy who lives in the nearby village has had enough of the treachery and decides to seek Muten Rōshi for assistance. Can our heroes save the village and put a stop to the Gurumes Army?
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both comedy
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisLonely Castle in the Mirror (2022)
Shy outcast Kokoro has been avoiding school for weeks when she discovers a portal in her bedroom mirror. She reaches through and finds herself transported to an enchanting castle where she is joined by six other students. When a girl in a wolf mask explains that they have been invited to play a game, the teens must work together to uncover the mysterious connection that unites them. However, anyone who breaks the rules will be eaten by a wolf.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama
Worth the HypeMovies like thisCrayon Shinchan the Movie: Fast Asleep! The Great Assault on the Dreaming World (2016)
One night, the Nohara family were enjoying a pleasant dream, when suddenly a big fish appeared in their dreams and ate them. The next morning, Hiroshi read in the newspaper that everybody in another town had the same nightmare as him, but it seemed to have ended. But Hiroshi also heard the same dream from Misae, Shinnosuke, Himawari and even Shiro. They were surprised and thought if the same thing is happening in Kasukabe too. In kindergarten, on telling others about his nightmare, Shinnosuke was surprised to know that everybody too had the same dream. Then a mysterious girl named Saki was transferred to Futaba Kindergarten and joined Shinnosuke's class. Everyone in the class, including the rather inactive Bo-chan, were all excited and happy on seeing her. But Saki had a cold attitude and didn't get along well.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both comedy
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisStewie Griffin: The Untold Story (2005)
The maniacal baby of the Griffin family, Stewie, meets his future self. In doing this he discovers that his future image is not what he has anticipated because of a near death experience.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both comedy
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisCrayon Shinchan the Movie: My Moving Story! Cactus Attack! (2015)
The Noharas must survive a hoard of man-eating killer cacti after Shin-chan's father relocates the family to Mexico for work.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both comedy
Worth the HypeMovies like thisDoraemon the Movie: Nobita's Little Star Wars 2021 (2022)
During summer vacation Nobita picks up a small rocket containing Papi, a palm-sized alien president escaping rebels on his home planet Pirika.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both comedy
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisDream 9 Toriko x One Piece x Dragon Ball Z Super Collaboration Special!! (2013)
A two-part crossover special featuring characters from Dragon Ball Z, One Piece and Toriko.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both comedy
Worth the HypeMovies like thisDoraemon: The New Record of Nobita's Spaceblazer (2009)
Nobita finds a passage to a spaceship in another dimension. With their new friends, he and Doraemon fight the cruel leader of an exploited planet.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both comedy
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya (2010)
A week before Christmas, Kyon wakes up in a world where the SOS Brigade doesn't exist. Mikuru and Yuki don't recognize him, and Haruhi and Itsuki seem to have vanished.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama
Absolute CinemaMovies like thisMaria Watches Over Us (2010)
Yumi Fukuzawa is an ordinary first year student at Lillian Girls' Academy. By chance Yumi meets second year student Sachiko Ogasawara, who is a candidate to become a Red Rose. Sachiko later offers her rosary to Yumi Fukuzawa which signifies she will become an older sister to Yumi. Meanwhile, Yumi, who already looks up to popular Sachiko, is perplexed why she is picked. A festival named "Cinderella" then approaches, which is run by the Yamayuri Council. Conflicts between the older and younger sisters soon begins ...
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both comedy & drama
High School Family (2027)
Kotaro Ietani, a young boy whose heart is filled with anticipation for his new high school life. On the morning of the entrance ceremony, what awaited him was an unbelievable sight—. "Starting today, your dad is a high school student, too!" Appearing in a school uniform is his 45-year-old father, Ichiro. What's more, his mother Shizuka, his younger sister Haruka, and even his beloved cat Gomez have all become his classmates at the same school! The unprecedented school life of the Ietani family, where every single member has become a high school student, now begins.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both drama & comedy
Coming SoonMovies like thisWho Are You Really? (2019)
"A socially anxious college student reluctantly heads to a party attempting to make new friends. Nande Walters directs “Who Are You Really?”, an experimental portrait of insecurity characterized by a raw, youthful energy. Anya walks into the room and immediately feels like everyone is judging her. Eventually she strikes up a conversation with a young man, but neither really knows what to say and it doesn’t go anywhere. After struggling through the awkward night, she’s surprised to learn that an extroverted friend didn’t fare much better. Walters is only 19 years old, one of the youngest we’ve ever featured on NoBudge, and her film is the work of an artist still learning her craft but she clearly knows the feeling she’s after and captures it with pops of style and a touching closing monologue." -Kentucker Audley
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both drama
Ryoma! The Prince of Tennis (2021)
Inspired by his tennis champion father, Ryoma is determined to take his game to the next level and train in the US. But in the middle of an intense tennis battle to save his classmate Sakuno from dangerous villains, they somehow find themselves transported back to the past, just as Ryoma’s father is about to undertake his final championship match at the US Open – when he was mysteriously forced to retire.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both comedy
My Brother Loves Me Too Much (2017)
Setoka Tachibana is a female high school student who has confessed her feelings to other boys 12 times, but has been rebuffed each time. Her older brother Haruka Tachibana cares for his younger sister deeply, but he keeps secret from her that they are not blood related. One day, Setoka's first love Takane Serikawa appears after many years and approaches her.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both comedy
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisGhost in the Shell 2: Innocence (2004)
Cyborg detective Batou is assigned to investigate a series of murders committed by gynoids—doll-like cyborgs, which all malfunctioned, killed, then self-destructed afterwards. The brains of the gynoids initialize in order to protect their manufacturer's software, but in one gynoid, which Batou himself neutralized, one file remains: a voice speaking the phrase "Help me."
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both drama
Worth the HypeMovies like thisSay 'I Love You' (2014)
Mei Tachibana is a high school student. Due to a traumatic incident when she was a kid, Mei has been unable to make friends or have boyfriends. By mistake, Mei then injures the most popular male student named Yamato Kurosawa. Somehow, Yamato Kurosawa likes Mei Tachibana and tells everyone unilaterally that Mei is his friend. One day, Yamato Kurosawa saves Mei Tachibana from a stalker by kissing her. From that kiss, their love story begins.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both drama
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisCapricorn One (1977)
In order to protect the reputation of the American space program, a team of NASA administrators turn the first Mars mission into a phony Mars landing. Under threat of harm to their families the astronauts play their part in the deception on a staged set in a deserted military base. But once the real ship returns to Earth and burns up on re-entry, the astronauts become liabilities. Now, with the help of a crusading reporter, they must battle a sinister conspiracy that will stop at nothing to keep the truth hidden.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both drama
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisSand Chronicles (2008)
A young girl named Ann moves with her mother to her mother's hometown after her parents go through a divorce. There, Ann meets her first love Daigo Kitamura. Daigo helps her get used to life in the country. Ann even gets through her mother's suicide.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both drama
Seitokai Yakuindomo the Movie 2 (2021)
The cast is back and ready to quip! In this companion film that follows season 2 of the zany, irreverent Seitokai Yakuindomo anime series, the student council must again grapple with a mix of double-entendres and doubly potent teen hormones.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both comedy
Like Space Brothers and something else?
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Frequently asked questions
What are the best movies like Space Brothers?
The closest matches to Space Brothers are Always - Sunset on Third Street (2005), Ping Pong (2002) and Beyond the Boundary: I'll Be Here – Future (2015). Below are 27 more, each with the reason it matches.
What should I watch after Space Brothers?
Start with Always - Sunset on Third Street (2005), the closest match to Space Brothers.
What is the highest-rated movie like Space Brothers?
The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya (2010), rated 7.9/10 by 301 TMDB users.
What is the newest movie like Space Brothers?
100 METERS (2025) is the most recent release on this list.
Are there Japanese movies like Space Brothers?
Yes: Always - Sunset on Third Street (2005), Ping Pong (2002) and Beyond the Boundary: I'll Be Here – Future (2015).
How are movies similar to Space Brothers chosen?
First come films that Trakt’s viewers watch alongside Space Brothers, then TMDB’s recommendations and films it rates as similar in story and genre. Each pick says which signal put it there.