Persona 4 is based on the best selling Atlus video game from the creators of the Shin Megami Tensei series. In this series, we follow protagonist Yu Nakamura as he moves to a new school in the country. He quickly makes friends and gets used to his new surroundings until he learns of mysterious murders happening at the school. Yu also catches wind of the mysterious Midnight Channel; a TV channel that on rainy nights at the stroke of midnight captures the image of the next person to die. Yu and his friends start to investigate the mysterious events happening in and around town, awakening latent powers called Personas and solving mysteries only to uncover new ones.

Directed by Seiji Kishi who brought the world Assassination Classroom, Persona 4 is a stylish and moody action mystery series. While there is comedy, the main draw is the very mysterious plot. The story can move at a pretty fast clip but it makes up for it with appealing teenage characters and positively stylish action scenes. The show inherits the game’s strong character writing where the evil baddies are manifestations of the teens’ inner psyches. Also, watch out for the teens’ funky powers called Personas because they are a real highlight.

This is a rec that shares the same director and studio as Haruhi and much like it, is based on a light novel series. It also shares a unique spin on the supernatural high school adventure angle. In the not so distant future, humans have gained the ability to see and interact with ghosts and spirits called phantoms. For the most part, the majority of these beings are harmless but every once in awhile they can become a threat. Enter the Phantom Hunters from Hosea Academy. These bright young students utilize their special powers in order to subdue and ward off wayward phantoms.

This show is a beautifully made light hearted romp that features fun characters, cute girls and crazy ghosts. Kyoto Animation, the same studio that produced Haruhi, once again provides stunning animation that seems more at home in a theatrical film than a mere TV show. The student’s powers range from Marvel Comics level hand to hand combat to being able to summon mythical beings with a sketchpad to literally INHALING low level spirits and consuming them! If you are looking for another lighthearted supernatural romp, you cannot go wrong with this one!

This show, based on the long running Kodansha comic follows high school punk Yamada who ends up one day accidentally falling on honor student Urara Shiraishi, kissing her AND SWITCHING BODIES. Turns out that Urara is a “witch”, one of many gal (and guy) students with special powers activated by smooching the other sex. Yamada, together with the wacky Supernatural Studies Club try to get to the bottom of the witches and their various powers.

Similarities with Haruhi are the crazy supernatural high school powers and all the comedy (and drama and romance) that unfolds. There is a myriad of interesting characters in the school and watching Yamada trying to get a handle on them all (and their powers) is tons of fun. Not only that, but the various witch powers help spice up the story as well. In addition to body switching, there is time travel, memory loss and even telepathy. Plus much like Haruhi and Kyon, you will fall in love with the odd but oh so sweet couple of Yamada and Urara.