Minare Koda, a restaurant worker, frequently goes out drinking at night to blow off steam. One night after a bad break up, she rants about her misery to a stranger. The next day at work, she is shocked to hear her rant broadcasted on the radio. This stranger, it turns out, is radio show host Kanetsugu Matou. She rushes over there to confront him and talks on air about her reasoning for the rant. Recognizing the talent it takes to smoothly convey your words on air, Matou lands her as a host of a late-night radio talk show that covers amusing narratives from Sapporo.
You know what they say – real life is boring. But shows about real life? Well, those are often the most relatable of all. If you are looking for more anime recommendations like Wave Listen to Me, then head on down below.
Anime Like Wave Listen to Me
For Fans of Mundane Life Issues
Sing “Yesterday” for Me
After college, unsure of what to do with his life, Rikou gets a job at a convenience store. There he becomes visited by a high school drop out with a pet crow as well as has rekindled feelings for a senpai that visits the store one day. This is the story of the growth of several individuals as they take their first steps into adulthood.
Both series follow characters that are going through an awkward transitional phase in their life. A quarter-life crisis, if you will. However, while Sing “Yesterday” for Me has a distinct emphasis on romantic issues, Wave Listen to Me is more of a general life focus.
ReLife
Arata Kaizaki is an unemployed 27-year-old that has thus far been living with the financial support of his parents and part-time jobs. After leaving his first job after only three months, he has not been able to find proper work. However, after a night of drinking with his friends, he meets a mysterious man that offers a drunk Arata a pill that will turn him 17 again so that he can redo a year of his youth, all expenses paid. Will Arata find what he needs to live a happy life after one year in high school again?
While there is a bit of a twist to ReLife, both shows go talk about issues of those not so much old yet, but not exactly wise yet either. ReLife is about rehabilitation while Wave is more ranting.
Honey and Clover
Honey and Clover follows a group of college students who meet Hagumi, an artist with a tremendous amount of talent that transfers to their school. From there on, Honey and Clover tells stories about the joys of falling in love, the pain of letting go, and the journey to discovering who you really are.
Young people problems. Young people problems everywhere and in every shape and form. Honey and Clover has more romance to it, but it does cover other struggles as well.
For Fans of Workplace Comedies
Hataraki Man
Working for a magazine company, Hiroko Matsukata is a woman that puts everything into her job. Known as a strong, straight-forward woman, she often goes into Hataraki (working man) mode. Despite her success at work, her life lacks romance, primarily because her boyfriend is as hard a worker as she is.
Both series are about hard working women on the hustle. They also happen to be a bit more abrasive than one is one usually sees in anime women, which is nicely refreshing.
Servant X Service
Servant x Service follows three new civil servants in the city of Mitsuba. Each character is driven by their own personal motivations, but never-the-less they are encouraged to work hard for the city even if it is a thankless job.
Wave Listen to Me is all about ranting on the city, her life, her job, and everything in between. Servant x Service is without the rants, but civil service workers have much to complain about. Their lives are difficult and not excessively rewarding.
Working
Due to his love of cute things, Souta Takanashi ends up taking a job at the Wagnaria family restaurant in Hokkaido at the behest of the small and cute Popura Taneshima. However, while he enjoys doting on Popura, he must stay on his toes while working with his more eccentric colleagues.
Working is definitely more of a comedy compared to the comedic drama that is Wave Listen to Me, but both are about young people working their jobs and struggling to come to terms with various problems.
For Fans of Feisty Females
Sakura Quest
In the wake of a national movement during a Bubble economy period, a small town decides to revive its tourism program and hires five women as travel ambassadors. As this series follows them for a year, we learn of the trials and tribulations that come with trying to reinvigorate a small town.
Both shows feature female main characters that are hard workers, but often perform their roles thanklessly. Sakura Quest has its serious moments, but there is a distinctly lighter air of comedy to the series. Still, both main characters are fierce and hard working.
Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid
Miss Kobayashi is a programmer that lives alone in her apartment. However, one day a giant green dragons ends up on her doorstep and transforms into a women in a maid outfit. Apparently Kobayashi had gotten drunk one night and ended up saving this dragon. Now, dragon Tooru intends to repay her debt through housework.
While Kobayashi’s isn’t exactly as feisty in temper, her seriousness and maturity while surrounded by comical dragons is very similar to to Koda’s.
I Can’t Understand What My Husband is Saying
Although he is an otaku and she is a casual-smoking, social-drinking office lady, Hajime and Kaoru fell in love and got married. Now they must learn how to cohabitate together despite a few odd habits on both ends.
While Wave Listen to Me is not about otaku, the main character remains a similar working lady like Kaoru. The difference is that Koda has worse luck with love.
Do you have any more anime recommendations like Wave Listen to Me? Let fans know in the comments section below.
