Starting this list off with another mobile game adaptation should be no surprise, with KanColle following the story of Fubuki joining the cast of Kanmusu (fleet girls) as the world struggles to retake control of the seas. The world is constantly threatened by the hostile Shinkai Seikan (Abyssal Fleet), the main antagonists for our central cast of fleet girls based out of the Chinjufu naval base.

If the premise was not apparent enough, KanColle’s main cast consists of anime girls who embody old warships’ spirits. Famous warships from history being anthropomorphised into moe anime girls epitomises what otaku culture is about, and KanColle plays into that strength the whole way through the series. This means that if you aren’t familiar with the game, KanColle is unlikely to grip you with its story, but you will have a fun time watching the slice of life aspects as the massive cast of fleet girls train to save the world.

A world where humanity is on the back-foot with the only hope for survival being cute anime girls with deadly weapons is nothing new to anime, and Assault Lily: Bouquet plays into this moe trope with all of its heart. The world has been under attack by the mysterious creatures known as the “Huge” for over five decades. Teenage girls, known as Lilies, with the magical abilities to power their CHARM weapons, are the last line of defence for humanity.

The amount of niche terminology in Assault Lily: Bouquet can be off-putting for new fans, but there is little to dislike about this anime once the jargon has become familiar. Following the vast cast of Lilies, as they embark on their training at the different Gardens (military bases), the anime presents a lot of nice slice of life snippets between the battles against the Huges trying to destroy the world. Riri, our main protagonist, assembles a legion around her hero Yuyu, and the colourful cast is full of enjoyable characters.

Azur Lane is an anime based on a mobile game of the same name, but with an anime original storyline that expands on the game’s setting. An alien force called the Sirens presents a threat to humanity that unites the four countries and allows for the development of the Azure Lane for improvement in modern warfare. However, this alliance is split in half along old World War Two lines with Iron Blood (Germany) and Sakura Empire (Japan) forming the Red Axis due to differing ideals with Eagle Union (America) and Royal Navy (Britain).

The game factions being split along World War Two alliances makes more sense when you realise the main characters are anthropomorphised warships, seeing classic war vessels portrayed as anime girls. This gives the anime a varied cast of anime girls representing different warships with the likes of Enterprise, an American aircraft carrier, and Belfast, a Royal Navy light cruiser. The moe characters and explosive battles make Azur Lane an enjoyable watch for casual fans and enthusiasts alike.

High school sports anime are often thrillfests full of action and high octane moments. Now imagine a high school sports anime, but with cute girls and tanks, and you’ve got Girls & Panzer. Girls & Panzer has the hype and teamwork presented in other sports anime in abundance, with the added bonus of cute girls corralling enormous machines of war across battlefields against each other.

Miho, our protagonist, comes from a family known for success in the “Senshadou” sport, but after a tragic event, she wants to leave the sport behind in her new school of Ooarai High, which has no tank programme. In typical anime fashion, the skilled out-of-practice prodigy is dragged back into the sport with a rag-tag team that achieves beyond their means.

The discipline of these girls in their teams to manoeuvre, outmanoeuvre, and enact the craziest of battleplans is extremely entertaining to watch, as their chemistry comes in clutch to take out tank teams with greater numbers and more sophisticated weaponry.

Stepping away from the action of our other recommendations, Girl’s Last Tour hits the dystopian ruins of war aspect present in Doll’s Frontline. The story of Girl’s Last Tour follows Chito and Yuuri, the last survivors in a war-torn city, as they scavenge for food and motor-bike parts whilst speculating about the world before them to pass the time.

The relationship between Chito and Yuuri is the cornerstone of Girl’s Last Tour as we follow the two in their journey in life, making mistakes along the way but always having each other to fall back on to keep their spirits high. Their quest to find hope in a desolate world is uplifting and endearing.

Gunslinger Girl is an older addition to this list, but the premise is so similar to that of Doll’s Frontline we just couldn’t avoid the comparison. Young girls are lifted out of bad situations by the Social Welfare Agency and trained to become assassins, often receiving operations for cybernetic enhancements for their deadly work. Yet, despite their training and body modifications, the girls are still just children at heart, dealing with adult situations that see them treated as nothing but tools for killing.

The similar premise of cybernetically enhanced girls taking on deadly situations puts Gunslinger Girl in line with Doll’s Frontline, but with a much darker and more realistic tone, moving away from the glam and flash of the action with a heavier focus on the retrospective feelings of our main characters. A dark watch, but with a thrilling mystery aspect that feels reminiscent of the world-building in Doll’s Frontline.