Best Girl Bands in Anime, Ranked

It is important to note that anime centering around idol groups will not be included. This removes titles such as Zombieland Saga from being added. This also removes anime that feature girls that put together bands, but are not the main focus of the anime.

Girl Band anime can provide a great slice of life setting. Both Jellyfish Can’t Swim in the Night and D4DJ First Mix did not make the cut, but they serve as great examples of a middle ground between a girl band anime and an idol one.

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7

Show By Rock!!

A Magical Girl Band Filled with Cute Visuals

• Studio: Bones
• Release: July 4, 2016
• Episode Count: 12
• Streaming Services: Crunchyroll

Show By Rock!! Is a mixing pot of many different ideas. It might not appeal to viewers looking for something similar to Bocchi the Rock! and K-On!, but it offers a lot of lighthearted and adorable fun — and gives fans of Japanese rock music a new anime to enjoy. The story focuses on a female protagonist who finds herself transported to another world with her body altered to now possess cat-like features.

Show By Rock!! can feel a lot like a blend between a lighthearted comedy and a magical girl anime tasked with fighting evil forces. There are plenty of transitions between different animation styles, from a more traditional 2D style to a 3D style that resembles small chibi figurines.

6

Carole & Tuesday

Emotionally Gripping Western Music Influences

A lot of anime revolving around a band composed of an all-female cast tends to lean towards a high school setting and be somewhat lighthearted. Carole & Tuesday completely breaks away from this mentality to deliver an emotionally charged journey through an exceptionally well-crafted world setting. This series is set in the same universe as both Cowboy Bebop and Samurai Champloo.

The band is composed of only 2 central characters who wish to write music in a world where the scene is completely dominated by AI compositions. The music in the show draws a lot of inspiration from western culture songs, and its music will resonate with a lot of creatively minded people. It is worth noting that the show can be very emotional at times, and many viewers will be moved to tears.

5

BanG Dream!

A Multimedia Juggernaut to Get Invested in

• Studios: Xebec, Issen
• Release: Janurary 21, 2017
• Episode Count: 13
• Streaming Services: Crunchyroll

This is a multimedia franchise with plenty of games, anime series, and more. There are many different bands with different sounds. This allows viewers to experience many different kinds of music, despite there being a general pop focus. This anime has a much bigger focus on music compared to others on this list, which are usually more character and story driven.

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This is due to many of the bands being based on real-life bands in Japan. It is still possible to get into this mixed media franchise, starting with the first season of the anime BanG Dream!, though some viewers might find this expanded universe a tad overwhelming. With so much to offer, it is easy to see why some viewers would place it among some of the best music anime out there.

4

Sound! Euphonium

High School Music Band Drama and Struggles

The slice-of-life anime world is dominated by high school settings, and this is for good reason. Many viewers are either in High School, or have already lived through it. This makes it a very relatable time in people’s lives filled with exploration and discovery. Most of the entries on this list all make heavy use of this setting, including Sound! Euphonium, also known as Hibike!

However, the cast of this anime is in the school music band rather than a rock/pop one. The lead protagonist is hesitant to put her all into reaching for nationals and instead just wants to enjoy herself. The pacing is done well, and many viewers will find themselves engaged in seeing what outcomes develop.

3

K-On!

A Shining Example That All Girl Band Anime Can Learn From

K-On! is everything this list’s readers are looking for in a girl band anime, and may be one of the best-known anime bands on it with plenty of J-pop and J-rock songs sung by a band of adorable girls. The girls in this band have a passion for music, and have clear goals they wish to achieve by honing their musical skills. While the show initially focuses on just 4 main characters, a new band member is added later on.

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Its biggest appeal is that the show does not take itself too seriously and is filled with the characters just goofing off a lot of the time. The pacing in each of these episodes is well paced, and all of this combines to make K-On! a very easy anime to both watch and rewatch.

2

Girls Band Cry

A Real Look Into How Hard Finding Balance Can Be

Girls Band Cry excels at giving its characters depth and making everything feel like it matters — even when they don’t. A lot of viewers might think the show is just using cheap 3D animation if they watch a couple seconds from certain scenes, but it picks dramatically into numerous visually captivating and engaging scenes.

The music is really good and can stand on its own without needing to be tethered to the franchise. The characters go through some of the real hurdles within the industry, such as juggling the real-life balance of school, band practice, a day-to-day job, and finding the energy to create music.

1

Bocchi the Rock!

A Fun and Frantic Anime With a Girl Band Esthetic

Bocchi the Rock could swap out music with any other activity, and it would still land perfectly. Its central character is very relatable to a lot of viewers for her social awkwardness, but still deeply passionate about the things that give her joy. The cast of characters are all very likable and unique in their own way.

However, they also shine through their chemistry with one another. The show dabbles in multiple comedic approaches from situational comedy, verbal statements, and stylized slapstick in the form of visualized inner monologs.

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