If you’re in the anime community, you likely have a favorite series that stands out to you above the rest. Whether that favoritism stems from plot, world-building, or the character roster doesn’t matter; regardless, you want to make sure the on-screen adaptation is faithful to the source material, fluid, and eye-catching. A huge part of this process falls on the animation studio that handles the development and production of each series. Recently, we’ve seen studios like Mappa and Ufotable get a lot of popularity because of their work on hit series such as Attack on Titan or Demon Slayer.
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Though there are certainly big names in the industry, plenty of studios aren’t recognized as much for the quality work they produce. One such studio that isn’t always mentioned by name in animation conversation is CloverWorks. They’re known for many varied works, but to name a few: Spy x Family, Horimiya, Wonder Egg Priority, and Ace Attorney. This list will detail more of CloverWorks’ most notable anime series and detailing why you may want to give them a shot.
10) Persona 5: The Animation
Persona 5 is a popular video game franchise that revolves around a group of teenagers who enter an alternate plane of reality to change the outcome of the real world. It was brought to the screen in 2018 by the anime adaptation, Persona 5: The Animation. The series has 26 episodes in its original season, with an additional three episodes released later on. The anime explores themes of change, rebellion, and fighting against immorality.
In Persona 5: The Animation, we follow Ren Amamiya, a student who is falsely accused of assault and forced to switch schools. When Ren begins to attend the Shujin Academy, he discovers a place called the Metaverse: this realm is created by the warped desires of the human heart. Together with a group of teens, he forms the Phantom Thieves of Hearts, dedicated to infiltrating fortress-like structures called Palaces, that reflect adults’ warped wants; here, they steal Treasure, the core of Palaces, in the hopes of reflecting change in their reality and purifying the hearts of adults around them.
9) Wonder Egg Priority
Wonder Egg Priority is an anime that combines aspects of the magical girl genre with fantasy, action, and psychological horror. It was released in 2021 with a single season containing only 12 episodes, and an additional special episode was released individually. The series doesn’t shy away from darker themes such as mental health struggles, bullying, the consequences of trauma, and loss. Despite this, the bright colors and animation give a levity and contrast to the heavier topics discussed that make Wonder Egg Priority a compelling watch.
This anime is centered around Ai Ohto, a young girl who recently lost a friend to suicide. She receives a “Wonder Egg”— an egg that, when broken, reveals the statue of a person who must be protected and saved from the evil beings attempting to destroy them. Ai and a group of other girls must fight the physical manifestations of trauma in order to save the girls who committed suicide, and potentially return them to life. Throughout, the girls must also face their own problems and emotions while growing closer to each other and becoming a true team.
8) Wind Breaker
Wind Breaker is a recent anime that takes a new spin on the action genre. It first aired in 2024, and currently has two seasons, with the latest season debuting in April 2025. While Wind Breaker features a large amount of fighting sequences due to its plot, it doesn’t skimp on character development or overall plot. The series shows nuance to violence by using it as a way to showcase themes of protection, the importance of teamwork, and loyalty.
In Wind Breaker, the series protagonist is Sakura Haruka, a teenager who starts classes at Furin High School. Sakura’s appearance is a source of judgment and stereotyping from others; because of this, he decides to attend Furin due to its overwhelming reputation for being a rough school with a large number of skilled fighters attending. He’s taken into the ranks of the Bofurin— a delinquent group that takes on the task of protecting the town from harm. While Sakura’s initial desire is to fight his way up the ranks of the school, he quickly learns the importance of caring for and protecting others, as well as relying on his newfound team.
7) Darling In The Franxx
Darling In The Franxx is a science-fiction stylized anime that mixes in aspects of the mecha and romance genres. It aired for the first time in 2019 and had a single season containing only 24 episodes. Like many works in the genre, Darling In The Franxx deals with themes of humanity, dystopian ideology, and self-discovery. It begs the question of how an individual can experience genuine connection in a society plagued by a government that controls major aspects of daily life.
The anime is set in a post-apocalyptic society that’s been overtaken by a type of monster called Klaxosaurs. Humanity is relegated to living in Plantations, fortress-like cities that protect them from the outside world while controlling their movements. Children are signed up to pilot large mecha-creations, named Franxx, that are designed to fight the Klaxosaurs. We follow Hiro, a struggling pilot who is paired with Zero Two, a skilled pilot who boasts uniquely powerful capabilities in fighting with mecha machinery. The two must bond in order to successfully pilot their Franxx and remain alive, while discovering the secrets of their world and the truth behind the monsters outside their gates.
6) Horimiya
Horimiya is a series developed by CloverWorks and a standout in romance anime. The series first debuted in 2021 with two seasons. The second season, Horimiya: The Missing Pieces, came out in 2023 and adapted chapters from the manga storyline that hadn’t been included in season one. Horimiya falls under the romance genre but blends in themes of identity, self-acceptance and self-image, and social connection.
In the series, we follow two different characters in their conjoined journeys of learning about themselves and each other. Hori Kyoko is a smart, driven girl that spends her free time at home taking care of her younger brother and picking up after her parents’ slack. Miyamura Izumi is a quiet, reserved boy who secretly has tattoos and a rebellious streak outside of school. The two have a chance encounter that leads to them becoming friends and later, falling in love as they navigate high school and their own preferred identities.
5) Rascal Does Not Dream Of Bunny Girl Senpai
Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai is a coming-of-age anime that explores the nuances of growing up and coming into oneself. The anime aired back in 2018 with just one season; however, the series inspired three spin-off movies dealing with different themes the anime touches on and expands upon them. Most notable of these movies is likely Rascal Does Not Dream of a Dreaming Girl. This series is notable for its handling of topics such as puberty, peer pressure, social anxiety, and self-identity.
The plot of Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai centers around Sakuta Azusagawa, a high school boy who begins to encounter numerous girls at his school suffering from a strange affliction. This phenomenon is dubbed “Adolescence Syndrome” (alternatively, “Puberty Syndrome”); the syndrome is said to be triggered by the instability of teenagers during their adolescent years. Sakuta encounters Mai Sakurajima, his senior at school and a popular actress, who is invisible to everyone but him as a side effect of the syndrome. While hunting down answers to help Mai, the two become closer and discover more about each other and themselves in the process.
4) The Elusive Samurai
Fans weren’t truly prepared for the next anime adapting Assassination Classroom and Neuro: Spiritual Detective creator Yusei Matsui’s original work and how awesome it would be. Depicting Kamakura Shogunate scion Tokiyuki Hojo at the young age of eight and on the run as a bloody coup leads to his home being destroyed and his family massacred, the series defies its premise with an indomitable spirit and hilarious gags. It also had stunning animation, fully all-in on rendering the joy of motion in the spirit of an anime hero whose divine talent is evasion and escaping harm.
The series is breathtakingly beautiful, with its villains played up to humorous or even horrific extremes, and the animation is some of CloverWorks’ cleanest ever. It’s no surprise that The Elusive Samurai getting a second season is great news for fans craving excellent anime, especially as the manga continues its victory lap now as Matsui’s longest-running series to date. It’s a perfectly fun, joyful, yet deeply fascinating rendition of a violent transitional period in real-life 14th-century Japan, but using the magical realism of exaggerated accounts and Matsui’s wild imagination to make the story really pop for viewers.
3) Bocchi The Rock!
Bocchi The Rock! is a musical anime that portrays the story of an all-girl band as they navigate life and their mission for success. The series began back in 2022: there were additional movies, Bocchi The Rock!: Re and Bocchi The Rock!: Re: Re, that essentially recapped the anime itself. The anime showcased themes of self-identity and discovering yourself, with this aspect reflected in the songs used throughout the episodes. It also heavily emphasizes how important music is in uniting people and forging bonds with others.
Bocchi The Rock! follows Bocchi-chan, or formally Hitori Gotoh, an introverted teenager with a passion for playing the guitar. Despite her dreams of being in a band and making popular songs, Bocchi struggles in her personal life to make friends and connect with others. This changes when she’s recruited into Kessoku Band and forced to confront her social anxiety for rehearsals and live performances. Throughout the series, Bocchi learns how to make meaningful friendships and believes in her own skills, while her dreams of being a popular guitarist begin to come true.
2) My Dress-Up Darling
My Dress-Up Darling is a modern romance anime that first hit screens back in 2022. The anime had only 12 episodes in its initial season run; another season premiered in July of this year and can be streamed on Crunchyroll. This series focuses on both friendship and romance but also has themes of self-expression, the importance of genuine connection, and creativity. Both of the main characters are involved in hobbies that stress these messages and strengthen their bond with each other.
In My Dress-Up Darling, Wakana Gojo is a serious, introverted boy with a strong interest in creating Hina dolls (otherwise known as Hinamatsuri dolls)— a traditional style of doll-making that symbolizes prosperity and happiness. To contrast Gojo’s interest, popular student Marin Kitagawa spends her free time crafting cosplay. When Marin notices Wakana’s skill at making outfits for his dolls, she enlists his help in creating cosplay costumes for her, thus beginning a close friendship between the two opposite personalities, and later, an unlikely romance.
1) Spy x Family
Spy x Family is an extremely popular anime that’s taken the community by storm in recent years. It combines themes like found family, the consequences of secrecy, and acceptance. The anime first came out in 2022, to a stellar reception, thanks in no small part to the expert collaboration and workload balancing of Wit Studio and CloverWorks to animate the show. While Spy x Family has plenty of fight scenes and action sequences due to the main characters’ career fields, there are also aspects of comedy and romance sprinkled over the dark topics the anime juggles.
The plot centers around a master spy named Twilight, who goes undercover as Loid Forger; this mission involves creating a fake family to provide truth to his secret identity. Unbeknownst to Loid, his new wife Yor is a vetted assassin, and their shared fake daughter, Anya, possesses telepathic powers. The crafted family must infiltrate a school in order to get close to their target without alerting anyone to their ruse, while protecting their true identities from each other.
Are you a fan of any of these anime? Tell us which CloverWorks series is your favorite in the comments below.
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