We all love animals, and anime is no different. There are tons of different kinds of animals in anime, and it can be hard to know which one to watch. That’s why I’ve put together this list of the top 21 animal anime series!
They are chosen based on popularity, what genre they are, audience ratings, etc. So take a look at this list, grab your popcorn, and enjoy watching your favorite animal in the protagonist role!
21. Ox-Tales
- Logline: Farmhouse of Olly the Ox.
- Year: 1987
- Genre: Comedy
- Studio: Telescreen
Looking for a fun anime with all animal characters? Ox-Tales is the answer. At first glance, it seems like a typical retro anime with a “talking animals” theme.
As it turns out it’s anything but that. This anime features uncanny animal relations that are tied together with wacky humor.
Synopsis
Olly is a red-colored mature ox who runs a farmhouse of his own. Actually, it is not just a farmhouse but a home for big animals like lion and elephant who lives in harmony with each other.
Each episode features a different incident from the lives of Olly and his mates.
20. Kawauso Labo
- Logline: Ottimo the otter has a hard time keeping up with his mates.
- Year: 2019
- Genre: Comedy
- Studio: Kachidoki Studio
Since you have landed in the realm of anime where everything is about animals, you aren’t allowed to skip the wittiest creatures known as the Otters.
This show does a great job teaching kids about conservation, protecting wildlife, and respecting other cultures.
Synopsis
Kawauso Labo is a fun anime for people of all ages. It is based on the life of an otter named Ottimo and his chronicles in the riverbed.
The characters are very well developed and the plot is surprisingly complex for a children’s show. The animation style is very cute and colorful which can be hard to find in recent anime shows.
19. Gan Gan Ganko-chan
- Logline: Gen’s new life as a farmer.
- Year: 2016
- Genre: Comedy, Sci Fi
- Studio: 10Gauge
Gan gan Ganko-Chana is a funny, lighthearted animal anime that will be a perfect fit for those looking to watch a light-hearted animal anime in action.
There is nothing really deep about the story. It’s one of those anime that can go on in your head as you’re watching it being funny and entertaining.
Synopsis
Gen is a young boy who lives on the family farm with his mother and father. After a tragic accident where he lost his best friend, Gen starts to think about how life would be without animals.
The way of life he has known for so long is suddenly called into question. Suddenly, his new job as a farmer becomes more complicated than it should be. All of this starts to change when they get a new neighbor!
18. Norakuro-Kun
- Logline: Mr. Kinoshita’s new tenants are two detective dogs.
- Year: 1987
- Genre: Comedy, Mystery
- Studio: Studio Pierrot
Norakuro-Kun is another anime classic that depicts humans and animals coexisting in a fantasy world. It features an animal as an MC. Its animation may not be the best in its league but the story definitely stands out.
Synopsis
Kinoshita Family lives in a three-story house. To make some extra money the house owner, Mr. Kinoshita decides to rent out the second floor.
To his surprise, their new tenant is no other than a talking dog named Norayama Kuroyoshi and his grandson Norakuro. Two of them look forward to using this newly rented apartment as the office for their detective agency.
17. Pui Pui Molcar
- Logline: A story of guinea pigs that can turn into cars.
- Year: 2021
- Genre: Comedy
- Studio: Shin-Ei Animation
Pui Pui Molcar is a very weird kind of animal anime. It is a sweet mix of animation and reality.
The anime is made with keeping kids in mind, but being an adult, I enjoyed it quite much and suggest you give it a try.
Synopsis
In a fantasy world where humans can enter into genuine ping which transforms into a cute vehicle and them to their destination. It’s just a feast of cuteness for the viewers.
16. She and Her Cat: Everything Flows
- Logline: A story of a beautiful relationship between the cat and her owner.
- Year: 2016
- Genre: Romance, Slice of Life
- Studio: LIDENFILMS, LIDENFILMS Kyoto Studio
It’s a slice-of-life series that is so realistic it will tug at your heartstrings. There are no major plot twists, but it’s always interesting to see what they do each day.
The only bad thing about it is that it’s a small animal anime with just 4 episodes.
Synopsis
“She and Her Cat: Everything Flows” is a series about a woman and her cat. The two have been together since forever.
But as the owner grows up, she has to deal with the challenges of life and her dear cat is with her always. The anime show chronicles their day-to-day life.
15. Sherlock Hound
- Logline: The story of Sherlock Holmes reimagined in the dog world.
- Year: 1984
- Genre: Action, Adventure
- Studio: Gallop, TMS Entertainment
My love for Sherlock Holmes started when I was a little kid. I spent hours reading all of the different stories and watching shows on TV.
They always made me excited to be a detective someday! When I found out there was an anime about a talking dog Sherlock Holmes…I had to watch it. And to be honest I wasn’t disappointed.
Synopsis
The show is about an English detective dog named Sherlock Hound who solves mysteries with his trusty assistant, Watson (a big blue dog).
In every episode, they get a new case from Inspector Blunt about someone who has been wrongfully accused. And of course, our two brilliant detectives solve the mystery in the end with their use of logic and deduction.
14. Damekko Doubutsu
- Logline: Daily life of a couple of useless animals.
- Year: 2005
- Genre: Comedy, Slice of life
- Studio: Magic Bus
Damekko Doubutsu is quite a unique animal anime in its approach to character design. The show has funny-looking animals with human faces.
It is fun comedy anime series that focuses on friendship and accepting each other’s flaws and living life to the fullest.
Synopsis
Urano is a useless fox, who comes across a forest filled with other useless animals. He falls in love with a cheetah at first sight and decides to stay.
But will he will able to win her heart or the other animals in the forest will make him go crazy.
13. Tama & Friends
- Logline: Daily adventures of cats and dogs.
- Year: 1988
- Genre: Adventure
- Studio: Group TAC
For those who have been living under a rock, Tama & Friends is an anime about the adventures of Tama and her friends. The show also has great animation for what it is–a kids’ show that makes no effort whatsoever to be anything more than that.
The anime is original, silly, and just plain adorable! It’s certainly worth checking out if you like cute animal anime or stories that are light-hearted without being too childish.
Synopsis
The story is about the daily life of Tama, a cat, his friend Pochi, the dog along with their other cat and dog friends. They also have their human form.
Every episode follows the new adventures of these friends as they try to have a great time together.
12. Polar Bear Cafe
- Logline: Life in a cafe run by a Polar Bear.
- Year: 1988
- Genre: Comedy, Slice of life
- Studio: Studio Pierrot
It’s been a long time since I felt so much joy watching an anime. Polar Bear Cafe may be the most heartwarming animal anime I’ve ever seen.
It’s hard not to love this show, which isn’t just cute and funny but also touches the heart of its viewers.
Synopsis
Polar Bear Café is a slice of life, comedy series about a cafe run by a polar bear. This show follows the daily lives of the employees and customers of the café.
The show features different aspects of Japanese culture like art, food, and entertainment.
11. Mikan Enikki
- Logline: Adventures of a super-intelligent kitten.
- Year: 1992
- Genre: Comedy, Romance
- Studio: Nippon Animation
Mikan Enikki is a great animal anime for someone who adores little kittens. It is a fun show revolving around a kitten and its owner.
It is worth the watch if you’re a fan of slice-of-life anime or just want something light and cute.
Synopsis
Mikan is a little kitten who was abandoned and adopted by Tomu Kusanagi and takes really good care of him.
Tomu soon discovers that Mikan is a genius kitten that can walk, talk, read, and even enjoys the taste of alcohol.
10. Poyopoyo
- Logline: Daily life of Payo, the cat with the Sato family.
- Year: 2012
- Genre: Comedy, Slice of Life
- Studio: Studio Deen
I’ll be honest with you, when I first started watching this anime, I was expecting it to be boring and not be any good.
But, Poyopoyo grew on me in the third episode and it got really good! This anime is perfect for people who love cute animals or a lighthearted story that will make you laugh.
Synopsis
The show focuses on the daily life of the cute and funny young girl named Moe Sato who finds a cute round cat and names him Payo.
As time passes whole Sato family gets attached to Payo and together they have a lot of fun adventures and enjoy every.
9. Tottoko Hamtaro
- Logline: A sweet story of a group of adventurous hamsters.
- Year: 2000
- Genre: Comedy, Adventure
- Studio: TMS Entertainment
If you’re looking for an anime that will cheer you up or just want something easy to watch that won’t take much effort on your part, then I recommend giving this show a try!
Synopsis
Tottoko Hamtaro is a series about a super adorable hamster named Hamtarou, who forms a group with other hamsters in its locality.
Together they go about their days, playing games, exploring nature, and visiting every fun place! When his friends find themselves in trouble, he’s there with the help.
8. Wolf’s Rain
- Logline: A challenging journey of a wolf and his friends to find the promised land.
- Year: 2003
- Genre: Action, Adventure
- Studio: Bones
Wolf’s Rain is perfect for anyone who loves post-apocalyptic stories or wants to learn to see a wolf’s anime!
Though the wolves in this anime also have a human form which they predominantly use, it got plenty of wolf action so I decided to put it on this list.
Synopsis
The show follows three wolves: Tsume, Hige, and Toboe. They embark on a journey to find Paradise, a utopian land only wolves could find.
But some sinister forces want to reach that place before anyone and a conflict is imminent.
7. Aggretsuko
- Logline: A depressed red panda founds comfort in death metal music.
- Year: 2016
- Genre: Comedy, Slice of Life
- Studio: Fanworks
In some ways, Aggretsuko can be viewed as an analogy for the current situation in Japan’s workforce where many people have been overworked and underpaid.
If you love animals, comedy, or just need something that will make you laugh then Aggretsuko is for you!
Synopsis
This series is about a red panda who works as an office associate at a company. She is treated badly at work and her colleagues often take advantage of her kind and madest nature.
All this mistreatment leads her to become an “angry” singer, releasing her frustration with the world through death metal karaoke sessions, that too all in her mind.
6. Brand New Animal
- Logline: Michiru life turns upside down when she turns into a beastmen.
- Year: 2016
- Genre: Action, Fantasy
- Studio: Trigger
Brand new Animal or BNA is a very popular animal anime that moves away from the cute and fun genre and shows the gritty side of the world.
It is a power-packed show that keeps you engaged at all times and immerses you in its fantasy world.
Synopsis
In a world where there is a conflict between the humans and the beastmen (half human-half animal), the beastmen are treated poorly by humans.
Michiru, a human girl who suddenly turns into a beastman finds herself in the middle of this conflict and is clueless about the future.
5. Chi’s Sweet Home
- Logline: A story of a small kitten and her loving human family.
- Year: 2008
- Genre: Comedy, Slice of Life
- Studio: Madhouse
Chi’s Sweet Home is a kitten named Chi. It features adorable animals, adorable dialogue, and adorable situations.
If you’re looking for something that’s heart-warming and will leave you feeling good, this is the perfect series for you!
Synopsis
Chi is an abandoned kitty who is adopted by a boy named Youhei and his family. They cherish Chi very much and together they make good memories and enjoy every moment.
The family makes new friends, goes through crazy adventure, and love each other.
4. Silver Fang
- Logline: A story brave dog looking to avenge his father.
- Year: 1986
- Genre: Adventure, Action
- Studio: TV
You may regret skipping this one if you are a dog lover. It is one of few animal animes that are targeted towards an audience of all ages.
It may lack the punch of animation and looks a bit fuzzy. However when it comes to storytelling, character development, and soundtracks, the anime scores a straight 10/10.
Synopsis
Gin is a brave dog who saw his father getting killed by a monstrous bear.
He vows to kill the bear and sets out on a mission to search for strong dogs to form a team and fight the battle of their life against the bear who has never been defeated.
3. Beastars
- Logline: A story about anthropomorphic animals struggling to live together.
- Year: 2019
- Genre: Drama
- Studio: Orange
Based on a Japanese manga of the same name Beastars anime has gained massive popularity after releasing on Netflix.
The world of Beastars is one where nature has been unraveled. This is an exciting series with a lot to offer for both adult and child audiences. It’s action-packed, but also has story arcs that include comedy and action.
Synopsis
The Beastars anime is about all the animals of the world—from dogs and cats to pandas and bears- All living with a human body with an animal head. In this anthropomorphic society, tension starts to escalate between different species.
The show centers on a disgraced wolf named Loius who takes on the task of bringing back the world to perfect harmony.
2. My Roommate is a Cat
- Logline: Subaru gets an accidental roommate in form of a cat.
- Year: 2019
- Genre: Comedy, Slide of Life
- Studio: Zero-G
If you ever had an animal friend in your life you are going to love this one. This anime is for the people who find themselves more comfortable around cats and dogs than humans.
It runs on basic plots having deep meaning. It might not be the perfect cliffhanger type show that gets you hooked throughout but it is definitely a gem if you love animals, especially cats.
Synopsis
This anime follows the life of a 23-year-old struggling novelist named Subaru Mikazuki. She wants to make friends, but she’s shy and thinks that she’ll never be as popular as her sister.
One day, she finds a stray cat on the way home from school and takes it in as a pet. But soon enough, her new feline roommate goes from being cute and fluffy to being an outright nuisance: stealing food, clawing furniture, and kneading all over the house.
1. Odd Taxi
- Logline: Humble and naive Hiroshi gets involved in a missing girl case.
- Year: 2021
- Genre: Mystery
- Studio: O.L.M
Finally on the number one spot is an anime that is overly underlooked and an underrated gem. If you have come this far searching for a perfect anime with an animal protagonist, I do not want you to miss this one.
The anime lives up to its title. It is odd and weird in every sense. Not many people get to explore this side of Japanese anime. So if you are reading this, consider yourself to be lucky and get rolling this anime on your favorite OTT.
Synopsis
After dogs, cats, otters, and a bunch of other animals we finally move to our next animal protagonist- Hiroshi Odokawa, the walrus.
Hiroshi Odokawa drives a taxi for a living and makes fairly good money to lead a decent life. He loves his job and enjoys talking to strangers along his journey.
His cheerful life turns into gloominess when one day he gets suspected as a kidnapper in a missing schoolgirl case.
