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Shows Like The Real Thing

If you enjoyed The Real Thing, are likely to find resonance in stories that questions the purpose and weight of our choices all while offering targets the intellect with complex, multi-layered ideas. Carefully balances character depth with narrative flow makes this a compelling continuation of these themes.

Mood Breakdown
Runtime Cluster

Standard feature-length experiences.

Viewer Fit

Best for fans of who appreciate concise storytelling.

Top Picks

Tomodachi Game
7.5

Tomodachi Game

2022

After his class' school trip fund is stolen, Yuichi and his best friends are abducted to play a debt repayment game; there is more than money on the line, as their bonds are tested with dark secrets and a lingering question of who is behind it all.

Tell Me Lies
7.5

Tell Me Lies

2022

When Lucy Albright and Stephen DeMarco meet at college, they are at that formative age when seemingly mundane choices lead the way to irrevocable consequences. They quickly fall into an addictive entanglement that will permanently alter not only their lives, but the lives of everyone around them.

Aoi Bungaku Series
6.8

Aoi Bungaku Series

2009

An animated adaptation of six classical Japanese literature pieces, including No Longer Human (Ningen Shikkaku) and Run, Melos (Hashire, Melos) by Osamu Dazai, Kokoro by Natsume Souseki, Hell Screen (Jigoku Hen) and The Spider's Thread (Kumo no Ito) by Ryunosuke Akutagawa and In the Forest, Under Cherries in Full Bloom (Sakura no Mori no Mankai no Shita) by Ango Sakaguchi.

AnoHana: The Flower We Saw That Day
8.2

AnoHana: The Flower We Saw That Day

2011

When Yadomi Jinta was a child, he was a central piece in a group of close friends. In time, however, these childhood friends drifted apart, and when they became high school students, they had long ceased to think of each other as friends. One of the friends from that group, Honma Meiko, now has a wish she asks Jinta to fulfil. The problem is, she can't remember what her wish is anymore.

Burn the House Down
7.1

Burn the House Down

2023

After her mother took the blame for a tragic fire 13 years ago, Anzu plots revenge by working as a housekeeper under a pseudonym for her icy stepmother.

True Tears
6.1

True Tears

2008

Shinichiro is a student living in what would be a dream come true for most high school boys, but for him is mostly a frustration. A well liked girl in school named Hiromi has lived in his house for a year along with his family. Her father was a close friend of the family, and when he died they immediately took her in. She is popular and well liked, always smiles, is talented in sports- but Shinichiro knows there must be tears inside her. Having an artistic tendency, he makes watercolours of her and thinks about wishing to ease her tears. Yet he cannot bring up the nerve to talk to her even in his own home. She, too, is quiet and withdrawn in their house, quite unlike at school. Shinichiro is also distracted by teasing from his friend Nobuse for watching Hiromi from afar, a curse of bad luck from a strange girl named Noe, and being forced to perform Muhiga dancing. By helping Noe he hopes to ease his own problems, yet he seems to have difficulty helping himself.

Minato's Laundromat
7.5

Minato's Laundromat

2022

Akira Minato, a middle-aged coin laundry owner, befriends Shintarō Katsuki, a high schooler. Their bond deepens as Shintarō learns about Akira's identity.

Touch
9.2

Touch

1985

Twins Kazuya and Tatsuya, and their neighbor Minami have played together since they were children and built an unbreakable bond. But with puberty, the twins realized something: Minami is a girl, and three is a crowd. As the trio tries to preserve their relationship, Kazuya's pledge to make Minami's dream come true by taking her to Koshien with his baseball pitching skills makes the slackerish Tatsuya wonder about himself, and his own goals. But Minami has another dream she wants fulfilled, and as the twins continue to push themselves, with Minami in the middle, a life-changing tragedy leads one twin down a path he once never would've considered...

More Shows Like The Real Thing

Love and Lies
6.4

Love and Lies

2017

In a futuristic society, Japan has implemented a complex system referred to as "The Red Threads of Science" to encourage successful marriages and combat increasingly low birthrates. Based on a compatibility calculation, young people at the age of 16 are assigned marriage partners by the government, with severe repercussions awaiting those who disobey the arrangement. For Yukari Nejima, a teen that considers himself average in every way, this system might be his best shot at living a fulfilling life. However, spurred by his infatuation for his classmate and long-time crush, Misaki Takasaki, Yukari defies the system and confesses his love. After some initial reluctance, Misaki reciprocates his feelings in a moment of passion. Unfortunately, before the two can further their relationship, Yukari receives his marriage notice. He is then thrown into a confusing web of love and lies when his less-than-thrilled assigned partner, Ririna Sanada, becomes fascinated with his illicit romance.

Please Teacher!
7.9

Please Teacher!

2002

Kusanagi Kei, a high-school student living with his aunt and uncle, has an encounter with a female alien. This alien is revealed to be a new teacher at his school. Later, he is forced to marry this alien to preserve her secrets. From there, various romantically-inclined problems crop up repeatedly.

Good Morning Call
6.7

Good Morning Call

2016

A high school girl finally gets her own apartment, but she has to share it with the most popular boy in school. No one can know they're living together.

Kindaichi Case Files
8.0

Kindaichi Case Files

1997

Kindaichi Hajime may look dumb, but he is one of the smartest you will ever see. He encounters mysteries after mysteries with his good friend, Miyuki, and he swears to solve them in the name of his grandfather, which was a great detective.

Dark Gathering
7.0

Dark Gathering

2023

The story centers on Keitarou Gentouga, who has the ability to be a spirit medium. In junior high school, he got someone else wrapped up in a spirit possession incident, and he has been a shut-in for more than two years. As he reintroduces himself to society as a private tutor, he meets a genius girl named Yayoi Houzuki. Yayoi is instantly able to tell that Keitarou has skill as a spirit medium, and she invites him to go with her to a haunted location. The two then start their journey capturing evil spirits.

Ikebukuro West Gate Park
6.2

Ikebukuro West Gate Park

2020

The story revolves around 20-year-old Makoto, who frequently gets involved in highly dangerous situations, usually against his own judgment. Along for the ride are his best buddies Shun, Masa, and Takashi, the enigmatic leader of a local gang in Ikebukuro.

Tokyo Love Story
8.2

Tokyo Love Story

1991

Nagao Kanji who comes from Ehime Prefecture joins Heartsports company located in Tokyo, where he met lovely and sunny Akana Rika. The love story begins.

Hotaru no Hikari: It's Only a Little Light in My Life
7.2

Hotaru no Hikari: It's Only a Little Light in My Life

2007

Hotaru works for a famous interior design company. It's a glamorous job, but Hotaru's private life is totally the opposite of glamorous. She lives alone, and when she isn't working, she's mostly lazing about her rented house in training wear. She's really not interested in doing anything, much less dating. "I'd rather lay around than fool around," is her motto. One day her landlord's son comes to inspect the rental property, not knowing that someone is living there. He is shocked at the mess, but not as shocked as Hotaru, as he turn's out to be her fastidious boss, Takano.

The Perfect Insider
6.5

The Perfect Insider

2015

Souhei Saikawa is a college professor who is obsessed with genius Shiki Magata’s work. He, Moe Nishinosono, and a group of his other students plan a retreat to the remote island where Magata currently resides, which may put them in danger’s way...

Ai Yori Aoshi
7.6

Ai Yori Aoshi

2002

Kaoru is a college boy with everything going for him. He lives in a mansion with his beautiful fiancé, Aoi, all his roommates are babes, and they all have the hots for him. There’s just one hitch: due to family complications, Kaoru and his beloved have to keep their engagement a secret. As he gets tangled in countless steamy situations, can Kaoru overcome temptation and stay true to the lovely Aoi?

My Love Mix-Up!
8.0

My Love Mix-Up!

2021

Aoki has a crush on Hashimoto, the girl in the seat next to him in class. But he despairs when he borrows her eraser and sees she's written the name of another boy—Ida—on it. To make matters more confusing, Ida sees Aoki holding that very eraser and thinks Aoki has a crush on him!

School Days
6.4

School Days

2007

A rumor states that if you take a photo of someone you like with your cellphone and keep it hidden, they'll fall for you. Will Makoto win his love by taking a picture of Kotonoha without anyone knowing?

Why These Shows Are Similar

These recommendations share core qualities with The Real Thing (2019): Drama and Mystery themes, similar pacing, and comparable production quality. NoBadPicks uses TMDB collaborative filtering, genre matching, and AI analysis to surface series most likely to resonate with fans of The Real Thing.

See full details for The Real Thing (2019)

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