
The Fragrant Flower Blooms with Dignity(2025)
When the intimidating Rintaro meets the open-minded Kaoruko, the unlikely duo grows closer. The issue? Their neighboring high schools hate each other.


Chiyuki Fujito was going to be a professional runway model until she stopped growing. Poor Ikuto Tsumura is not even sure if he wants to be a fashion designer because of his family responsibilities. Faced with overwhelming adversity, they need to decide if their dreams are worth pursuing. It’s not impossible – they’ll just have to be creative in how they get there!

Yumiri Hanamori
Chiyuki Fujito (voice)

Natsuki Hanae
Ikuto Tsumura (voice)

Ai Kayano
Kokoro Hasegawa (voice)

Yui Ishikawa
Honoka Tsumura (voice)

Hibiku Yamamura
Aoi Tsumura (voice)

Hikaru Akao
Ichika Tsumura (voice)

Ryohei Kimura
Toh Ayano (voice)

Ayaka Fukuhara
Kaoru Kizaki (voice)

Kohei Amasaki
Ryuunosuke Eda (voice)

Keiko Han
Youko Takaoka (voice)
Smile Down the Runway is a animation, drama series that first aired in 2020 exploring themes of work, model student, based on manga, fashion, shounen, anime. Created by Touko Machida, it stars Yumiri Hanamori, Natsuki Hanae, Ai Kayano. Chiyuki Fujito was going to be a professional runway model until she stopped growing. Poor Ikuto Tsumura is not even sure if he wants to be a fashion designer because of his family responsibilities. Faced with overwhelming adversity, they need to decide if their dreams are worth pursuing. It’s not impossible – they’ll just have to be creative in how they get there!
Discover shows like Smile Down the Runway — ranked by similarity and community votes
We found 15 shows similar to Smile Down the Runway
If you enjoyed Smile Down the Runway, you'll love these handpicked recommendations. Each title below shares similar themes, tone, and storytelling style. Our algorithm analyzes genres, keywords, creator filmography, and cast connections to find the closest matches. Whether you're looking for the same emotional depth, narrative structure, or visual style, these picks are curated to deliver the best viewing experience for fans of Smile Down the Runway.

When the intimidating Rintaro meets the open-minded Kaoruko, the unlikely duo grows closer. The issue? Their neighboring high schools hate each other.

Kyotaro Ichikawa, a boy barely clinging to the bottom rung of his school's social ladder, secretly believes he’s the tortured lead in some psychological thriller. He spends his days dreaming up ways to disrupt his classmates' peaceful lives and pining after Anna Yamada, the class idol. But Kyotaro's not nearly the troubled teen he pretends to be…and it turns out Anna's a bit odd herself!

Moritaka Mashiro and Akito Takagi are pretty much foils of each other. Mashiro, an average 9th grade student but talented artist, and Takagi, an overall advanced 9th grader and aspiring writer. After great convincing, Takagi convinces Mashiro to join him in becoming the greatest mangakas Japan has ever seen. Takagi, with his gift of writing, hopes to become a successful mangaka, and Mashiro, with his gift of art, hopes to marry the girl of his dreams, Azuki Miho.

When a certain man is released from prison, he knows exactly where he's heading first. After falling in love with a traditional comic storyteller's rendition of the story called "Shinigami," he is determined to become his apprentice. The performer, Yakumo, has never taken an apprentice before, but to everyone's surprise, he accepts the eager ex-prisoner, nicknaming him "Yotaro." As Yotaro happily begins his new life, he meets others in Yakumo's life, including Yakumo's ward Konatsu. Konatsu was the daughter of a famous storyteller, and Yakumo took her in after her father's tragic death. Konatsu loved her father's storytelling, and would love to become a performer in her own right—but that path is not available for women.

The Sacred war tale that took place during the 18th century is now unveiled. Tenma, Alone and Sasha, three orphans living their childhood protecting each other and then separated at diferent ages made a pact to meet again. Find themselves again connected but now in roles they never saw as posible. Pegasus, Hades and Athena. Its now time to fight but destiny can be bitter since war between Athena and Hades forces can put old friends and families face to face.

Keitaro and his childhood sweetheart make a promise to be accepted at and to meet each other at the prestigous Toudai University before she moved out of his life. About a decade later, Keitaro has become an artist and a daydreamer, having ranked 27th from the last in the national practice exam. When his grandmother leaves the all-girls dormitory, he becomes the residential manager and soon meets up with two Todai applicants who may have been that sweetheart, since he`s forgotten her name. Then there the other tenants like young Shinobu who was in despair until Keitaro helped her, Motoko the swordsmaster who sees men as evil distractions, Su Kaolo the genius child inventor and the sneaky Kitsune.

A young drifter named Joe Yabuki wanders through the slums of Tokyo, but when the local ruffians try to give him a hard time he teaches them a rough lesson with his fists. The spectacle sparks a gleam in the eye of an old drunk who happens to be watching—Danpei Tange, a failed boxer and former coach who sees something special in the boy. He pleads with Joe to train with him off, but the cocky young fighter brushes him. Later, though, when Joe is arrested and put in a juvenile detention facility, he realizes that he’s going to need to hone his raw fighting skills if he wants to survive. Thus is born a partnership that might just take Joe all the way to the top…

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.

Shikimori seems like the perfect girlfriend: cute, fun to be around, sweet when she wants to be… but she has a cool dark side that comes out under the right circumstances. And her boyfriend Izumi loves to be around when that happens!

It's a gorgeous, spacious mansion, and four handsome, fifteen-year-old friends are allowed to live in it for free! There's only one condition—that within three years the guys must transform the owner's wallflower niece into a lady befitting the palace in which they all live! How hard can it be? Enter Sunako Nakahara, the agoraphobic, horror-movie-loving, pockmark-faced, frizzy-haired, fashion-illiterate recluse who tends to break into explosive nosebleeds whenever she sees anyone attractive. This project is going to take more than our four heroes ever expected: it needs a miracle!

"If you blush, you lose." Living by this principle, the middle schooler Nishikata gets constantly made fun of by his seat neighbor Takagi-san. With his pride shattered to pieces, he vows to turn the tables and get back at her some day. And so, he attempts to tease her day after day, only to find himself victim to Takagi-san's ridicule again sooner than later. Will he be able to make Takagi-san blush from embarrassment even once in the end?

High school girl Maika Sakuranomiya has trouble finding a part-time job because of how scary she looks when smiling. However, she is scouted one day by Dino, the manager of the café Stile where its waitresses play unique traits such as tsundere and younger sister. Maika is given a sadist trait because of her looks and has to adopt a dominant and cruel persona when servicing customers, particularly masochist ones.

Eiji Kitahama joins the drama club with dreams of having a harem like the ones from his favorite manga. Rin Nanakura, an underclassman, finds herself crushing hard on Eiji, and tries on different personas in his presence to win him over. No matter how she acts, one thing is certain—her feelings for Eiji continue to grow stronger. Will she ever be able to tell him the truth and be herself?

New student Haruhi stumbles on the Ouran High School Host Club, an all-male group that makes money by entertaining the girls of the school.

Nicknamed "Sadako" for her spooky appearance, high schooler Sawako begins to break out of her shell when she befriends popular boy Kazehaya.