Movies like Blue Flames (1989)
The best movies like Blue Flames (1989) are Fruits Basket -prelude- (2022), The Anthem of the Heart (2015) and Rascal Does Not Dream of a Dreaming Girl (2019). If Blue Flames hooked you with its romance and animation, these 30 similar films are what to watch next, and every pick says why it matches.
Quick picks
- Highest ratedA Silent Voice: The Movie (2016)8.4/10 from 4,767 votes
- NewestPatlabor EZY File 1 (2026)Released 2026
- In JapaneseFruits Basket -prelude- (2022)Also in Japanese
Fruits Basket -prelude- (2022)
Kyoko, who couldn't believe anything in the world and lived a desolate life, meets Katsuya Honda, who has been assigned as an educational trainee. She is at the mercy of Katsuya, who is rude and has a strong habit, and she is gradually attracted to her. However, she is disowned by her parents in the wake of an incident with her bad fellow. It's a punishment that I've been doing as much as I like. Katsuya appears in front of Kyoko who thinks so...
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both animation & drama
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Anthem of the Heart (2015)
A young girl had her voice magically taken away so that she would never hurt people with it, but her outlook changes when she encounters music and friendship. Will Naruse be able to convey the anthem of her heart?
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both animation & drama
Worth the HypeMovies like thisRascal Does Not Dream of a Dreaming Girl (2019)
In Fujisawa, Sakuta Azusagawa is in his second year of high school. Blissful days with his girlfriend and upperclassman, Mai Sakurajima, are interrupted by the appearance of his first crush, Shoko Makinohara.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both animation & romance
Absolute CinemaMovies like thisA Silent Voice: The Movie (2016)
Shouya Ishida starts bullying the new girl in class, Shouko Nishimiya, because she is deaf. But as the teasing continues, the rest of the class starts to turn on Shouya for his lack of compassion. When they leave elementary school, Shouko and Shouya do not speak to each other again... until an older, wiser Shouya, tormented by his past behaviour, decides he must see Shouko once more. He wants to atone for his sins, but is it already too late...?
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both animation & drama
Absolute CinemaMovies like thisClannad: The Motion Picture (2007)
Plagued by a seemingly endless stream of haunting dreams, Tomoya drifts through life with an almost overwhelming sense of anger and emptiness. Then, one fateful day, he meets the mysterious and beautiful Nagisa, and his world begins to change. While helping Nagisa revive the defunct Drama Club at their high school, Tomoya discovers that she has the same dreams. Their story starts beneath the cherry blossoms, but where will fate lead them?
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both animation & drama
Worth the HypeMovies like thisThe Stranger by the Shore (2020)
Abandoned after coming out, Shun befriends Mio just before he has to move. Years later, Mio returns with a confession. How will Shun feel?
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both animation & romance
Absolute CinemaMovies like thisPsychic School Wars (2012)
It's a new school year at the local Junior High School i Kamakura. The school year starts off with a new transfer student Ryoichi Kyogoku who joins the 8th grade class. He has been ordered to join the school, and use his special gift of telepathy and take over their school. This boy who happens to be handsome, and be a charismatic person, gains popularity, and using his powers takes over the entire school, except for Seki. This begins a war to regain their freedom for their school and themselves.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both animation & drama
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisOcean Waves (1993)
At Kichijōji Station, Tokyo, Taku Morisaki glimpses a familiar woman on the platform opposite boarding a train. Later, her photo falls from a shelf as he exits his apartment before flying to Kōchi Prefecture. Picking it up, he looks at it briefly before leaving. As the aeroplane takes off, he narrates the events that brought her into his life...
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both animation & drama
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisRascal Does Not Dream of a Knapsack Kid (2023)
Finally, the day of Mai's high school graduation has arrived. While Sakuta eagerly waits for his girlfriend, an elementary schooler who looks exactly like her appears before him. Suspicious, and for all the wrong reasons... Meanwhile, Sakuta and Kaede's father suddenly calls, saying that their mother wants to see her daughter. She was hospitalized because Kaede's condition had been too much for her to bear, so what could she possibly want now?
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both animation & drama
Worth the HypeMovies like thisBLUE LOCK THE MOVIE -EPISODE NAGI- (2024)
When apathetic gamer Nagi agrees to join his rich classmate Mikage in soccer, their partnership leads to the famous Blue Lock program — and to changes.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both animation & drama
Worth the HypeMovies like thisThe Garden of Sinners: A Study in Murder - Part 2 (2009)
In February 1999, a string of murders has Shiki Ryougi and Mikiya Kokutou on edge. These crimes share a disturbing resemblance to a similar set of homicides from 1995, when Shiki and Mikiya first met, and awaken a dark, murderous desire that has laid dormant within Shiki's soul ever since then.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both animation & romance
Worth the HypeMovies like thisKizumonogatari Part 1: Tekketsu (2016)
One day, Koyomi Araragi encounters the horrifying vampire, Kiss-shot Acerola-orion Heart-under-blade A.K.A. the "King of Apparitions." He saves the fatally wounded Kiss-shot by offering his blood at the expense of his own life as a human. Now Koyomi has to face the vampire hunters to retrieve Kiss-shot’s limbs which were taken by these hunters...
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both animation & drama
Worth the HypeMovies like thisFrom Me to You (2010)
Sawako Kuronuma looks miserable on the outside, but is actually a positive-minded girl, who looks up to Shota Kazehaya, a sociable and friendly boy. Perceiving Sawako's good intentions, he secretly has feelings for her. Sawako meets Kazehaya and makes her first friends, Chizuru and Ayane but in comes Kurumi proclaiming her love for him... Will Sawako and Kazehaya ever find out about each other's feelings?
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both romance & drama
Worth the HypeMovies like thisBelladonna of Sadness (1973)
An evil feudal lord rapes a village girl on her wedding night and proceeds to ruin her and her husband's lives. After she's eventually banished from her village, the girl makes a pact with the devil to gain magical ability and take revenge.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both animation & drama
Worth the HypeMovies like thisRevenge Porn: PAIN OF LOVE (2019)
Rei is a college student in the midst of finding a job. She confesses her love to Mikio, a senior whom she admires. Mikio soon demands that she perform perverted acts.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both romance & drama
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 animation & drama
Worth the HypeMovies like thisThe Girl from the Other Side (2023)
Once upon a time, in a far, faraway place, there were two lands. The world was divided into an inner land and an outer land. People feared the outer land, inhabited by eerie beings, the carriers of curse. One day, on the border to the inner land inhabited by humans, one such being finds a girl on heaps of abandoned dead bodies. The girl says her name is Shiva and shows affection to the "being" who found her, calling him "Teacher." This is a story of two people—one human, one inhuman—who linger in the hazy twilight that separates night from day.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both animation & drama
Worth the HypeMovies like thisOkko's Inn (2018)
12-year-old Oriko Seki, who lost her parents in a car accident, ended up living in her grandmother's Onsen Ryokan "Haru no Ya." With the ghost "Uribou" cohabitating with her and all the other odds, she ended up training to be a young female innkeeper. At first, she didn't like the training, but gradually felt her admiration for her title and began to train seriously. Thus, the growth of the young warrior Oriko begins.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both animation & drama
Worth the HypeMovies like thisStrobe Edge (2015)
Ninako Kinoshita has never been in love until an encounter with the school's most popular boy, Ren Ichinose, leads the two to befriending each other. Ren's patient and kind personality is a far cry from his unapproachable idol status at school, and soon Ninako falls in love with him. However, she must cope with the fact that he already has a long-time girlfriend.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama & romance
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisParadise Kiss (2011)
Hyasaka Yukari only wants one thing: to enter the college that her mom wants. One day, she meets an extravagant group that loves fashion. They were searching for a model and Yukari fits their ideal model. From now Yukari will know the world of fashion and modeling, and what she really wants.
Why it matches: Recommended by TMDB viewers · both drama & romance
Worth the HypeMovies like thisMohabbatein (2000)
At a prestigious all-male university, three friends seek love outside of the school grounds; at the same time, a newly-hired music teacher seeks to befriend and loosen up the militantly strict headmaster.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both drama & romance
Worth the HypeMovies like thisEureka Seven Hi-Evolution 1 (2017)
It all begins with the story that was left untold—the earth-shattering incident where Renton's father disappeared. With the mysterious pilot Eureka by his side, only Adroc Thurston could undo his own mistake, sparking the event that changed everything and earned him the title of a hero. Now, ten years later, Eureka lies in critical condition as Renton leaves the crew of the Gekko. But when he finds himself in the care of his father's old friends, he has a choice to make. Either stay with the loving family he's always wanted, or earn the love he seeks.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both drama & animation
Dance with Devils: Fortuna (2017)
Ritsuka Tachibana. She lives a calm and unchanging life. Ritsuka's older brother Lindo returns from studying abroad in the United Kingdom. Shikou Academy student council president Rem Kaginuki calls on the girl, and she begins having mysterious encounters with the student council members. Her life changed a little from that day, but Ritsuka expected nothing more. However, she comes home to find her mother collapsed with suspicious hooded men nearby. They were not human but devils, vampires, and exorcists seeking the Forbidden Grimoire. Ritsuka's former daily life crumbles around her, and she finds herself slowly becoming attracted to Rem, who helps her in her predicament. On the other hand, confusion deepens with regard to her brother who carries a secret. Ritsuka is unsure what path to choose as she finds herself at the center of a love story. (Source: ANN)
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both animation & romance
Show Me Love (1998)
Two teenage girls in small-town Sweden. Elin is beautiful, popular, and bored with life. Agnes is friendless, sad, and secretly in love with Elin.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both romance & drama
Worth the HypeMovies like thisJinsei (2025)
Our hero (voiced by rapper ACE COOL), called by a different name in each chapter of his life, becomes a J-pop idol, an outcast, a leader, and an oracle in this hundred-year chronicle spanning the past, present, and future. Through a chance encounter with a transfer student, he trains to become an idol, starting his search for self-identity and a journey toward greatness beyond superstardom. Written, directed, edited and entirely hand-drawn by newcomer Ryuya Suzuki over eighteen months, JINSEI (meaning “life” in Japanese) is an anime tour-de-force that announces Suzuki to the world as a bold new talent in independent animation.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both drama & animation
Freche Mädchen (2008)
Teenage best friends Mila, Hanna and Kati play matchmaker to their teachers while helping each other through their own budding romances.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both drama & romance
Patlabor EZY File 1 (2026)
The first of a 3-part theatrical series taking place in 2036, 38 years after the events of Patlabor on Television and The New Files.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both animation
Dragon Ball Z Side Story: Plan to Eradicate the Saiyans (1993)
Dr. Raichi is one of the only survivors of the Tuffles, a race that once lived on Planet Plant before the coming of the Saiyans. The Saiyans not only massacred the entire Tuffle race, but also stole their technology and conquered the planet, renaming it Planet Vegeta in honor of their king. Raichi managed to escape with a capsule and found refuge on the Dark Planet, a world at the end of the universe. His only wish is to eradicate the last remaining Saiyans.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both animation
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisCowboy Bebop: The Movie (2001)
The year is 2071. Following a terrorist bombing, a deadly virus is released on the populace of Mars and the government has issued the largest bounty in history, for the capture of whoever is behind it. The bounty hunter crew of the spaceship Bebop; Spike, Faye, Jet and Ed, take the case with hopes of cashing in the bounty. However, the mystery surrounding the man responsible, Vincent, goes deeper than they ever imagined, and they aren't the only ones hunting him.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both animation
Worth the HypeMovies like thisTJPW club eX: Chapter Pause (2026)
TJPW club eX: Chapter Pause was a professional wrestling event promoted by Tokyo Joshi Pro-Wrestling (TJPW). It was held on February 15, 2026 at Shinagawa Prince Hotel Club eX in Tokyo, Japan.
Why it matches: Similar story and style · both drama
Like Blue Flames and something else?
Blend two favourites and we’ll find the films in between.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best movies like Blue Flames?
The closest matches to Blue Flames are Fruits Basket -prelude- (2022), The Anthem of the Heart (2015) and Rascal Does Not Dream of a Dreaming Girl (2019). Below are 27 more, each with the reason it matches.
What should I watch after Blue Flames?
Start with Fruits Basket -prelude- (2022), the closest match to Blue Flames.
What is the highest-rated movie like Blue Flames?
A Silent Voice: The Movie (2016), rated 8.4/10 by 4,767 TMDB users.
What is the newest movie like Blue Flames?
Patlabor EZY File 1 (2026) is the most recent release on this list.
Are there Japanese movies like Blue Flames?
Yes: Fruits Basket -prelude- (2022), The Anthem of the Heart (2015) and Rascal Does Not Dream of a Dreaming Girl (2019).
How are movies similar to Blue Flames chosen?
First come films that Trakt’s viewers watch alongside Blue Flames, then TMDB’s recommendations and films it rates as similar in story and genre. Each pick says which signal put it there.