10 Anime Like ‘Grand Blue’ To Watch Next

If you’ve just finished Grand Blue (also known as Grand Blue Dreaming), you’re likely suffering from two things: a sore stomach from laughing and a sudden, inexplicable urge to drink “Oolong tea” (that may or may not be flammable).

Grand Blue succeeded because it wasn’t just about diving; it was about the chaotic, booze-fueled absurdity of college life and the bonds formed between “idiots.” If you’re looking for that same brand of high-octane comedy and exaggerated facial expressions, here are 10 anime to watch next.

1. Daily Lives of High School Boys (Danshi Koukousei no Nichijou)

If Grand Blue is the definitive “college guys being dudes” anime, this is the high school equivalent. It follows a trio of friends—Tadakuni, Hidenori, and Yoshitake—as they navigate the mundane realities of life with an absurd amount of dramatic flair.

• Why it’s like Grand Blue: It focuses on the ridiculous chemistry of a male friend group. There is no overarching plot; it’s just pure, relatable comedic skits.
• Key Vibe: Group dynamic, dry wit, and “guys being idiots.”

2. Prison School (Kangoku Gakuen)

Fair warning: this one is much more “ecchi” (racy) than Grand Blue. However, it shares the same DNA when it comes to extreme situations and high-stakes misunderstandings. Five boys enroll in an all-girls school and end up in a school prison after a peeping incident.

• Why it’s like Grand Blue: It uses intense, cinematic animation for the most ridiculous tasks, and the friendship between the boys is surprisingly wholesome despite the perverted premise.
• Key Vibe: High-stakes comedy, brotherhood, and visual exaggeration.

3. Asobi Asobase: Workshop of Fun

Don’t let the soft, pastel opening credits fool you. This show is a fever dream. It follows three middle school girls who form a “Pastime Club,” but their games usually devolve into screaming matches and slapstick violence.

• Why it’s like Grand Blue: It is the undisputed king of hideous facial expressions. When the characters lose their cool, their faces contort into the same nightmare-fuel masks seen in Grand Blue.
• Key Vibe: Pure absurdity and “ugly-laugh” humor.

4. Gintama

Often cited as the “King of Comedy” in anime, Gintama follows a samurai in an era where aliens have taken over Japan. It breaks the fourth wall constantly and parodies everything in existence.

• Why it’s like Grand Blue: It masters the art of the “straight man vs. the idiot” dynamic. The characters frequently find themselves in semi-nude, chaotic situations that escalate for no logical reason.
• Key Vibe: Parody, meta-humor, and a massive cast of weirdos.

5. The Disastrous Life of Saiki K.

Saiki is a powerful psychic who just wants to be left alone to eat his coffee jelly. Unfortunately, he is surrounded by the most eccentric classmates imaginable who refuse to give him a moment of peace.

• Why it’s like Grand Blue: The rapid-fire comedic timing is world-class. Like Iori in Grand Blue, Saiki often acts as the exhausted narrator reacting to the madness around him.
• Key Vibe: Fast-paced, character-driven, and sarcastic.

6. Konosuba: God’s Blessing on This Wonderful World!

While this is an Isekai (fantasy world) anime, the character dynamics are identical to Grand Blue. Kazuma is a “trash” protagonist who is stuck with a goddess who is useless, a mage who can only use one spell, and a knight who can’t hit anything.

• Why it’s like Grand Blue: It’s a show about a group of terrible people who actually care about each other. It mocks the tropes of its genre the same way Grand Blue mocks the “sports/diving” genre.
• Key Vibe: Dysfunctional friendship and subverted expectations.

7. Hinamatsuri

A high-ranking Yakuza member, Nitta, finds his life turned upside down when a psychic girl in a capsule literally falls on his head. He ends up becoming her reluctant father figure.

• Why it’s like Grand Blue: It balances heart-wrenching sweetness with some of the most bizarre, deadpan comedy ever animated. The “adults acting like children” energy is very present here.
• Key Vibe: Wholesome chaos and deadpan delivery.

8. Great Teacher Onizuka (GTO)

An oldie but a goodie. Onizuka is a 22-year-old former biker gang leader who decides he wants to be a teacher. He’s crude, loud, and inappropriate, but he’s exactly what his troubled students need.

• Why it’s like Grand Blue: Onizuka feels like the spiritual older brother of the Peek-a-Boo Diving Club members. It captures that “seize the day” energy through a lens of delinquency and humor.
• Key Vibe: Retro style, “cool” losers, and life lessons hidden in jokes.

9. Golden Boy

This is a 6-episode OVA from the 90s about Kintaro Oe, a “traveling student” who takes on various part-time jobs and learns “lessons” along the way (usually while obsessing over women).

• Why it’s like Grand Blue: The physical comedy is legendary. Kintaro’s facial expressions and his sheer commitment to his own delusions will feel very familiar to fans of Iori and Kohei.
• Key Vibe: Iconic 90s humor and over-the-top reactions.

10. Nichijou: My Ordinary Life

Nichijou takes everyday situations—like a principal wrestling a deer or someone dropping a piece of salmon—and animates them with the budget and intensity of an Avengers movie.

• Why it’s like Grand Blue: It thrives on shock humor. You never know where a scene is going, and the payoff is usually a visual explosion of absurdity.
• Key Vibe: Surrealism and high-budget slapstick.

Pro Tip: If you specifically loved the “college drinking” aspect of Grand Blue, you might also enjoy Tatami Galaxy, though it’s much more artistic and philosophical than a straight-up comedy!