15 Animes Similar to Semi And Magic Cube

Semi and the Magic Cube is a Korean short-form fantasy adventure where a mathematically gifted girl time-travels inside a puzzle-like cube to thwart a villain’s dark sorcery. Beneath the educational veneer lie three crowd-pleasing pillars: a rules-based power system (math spells), a resolute underdog heroine who grows into her talent, and frequent subversions of expectation as lessons become high-stakes battles.

The 15 titles below echo those qualities yet remain criminally overlooked. From experimental art styles to cleverly gamified power rules, each show deserves more attention from viewers who enjoyed Semi’s mix of brains, heart, and surprise twists.

1. Link Click (2021)

• Streaming: Crunchyroll / Funimation
• Episodes: 12 + ONA specials
• MAL Rating: 8.8
• Studio / Staff: Haoliners; director Li Haoling; won “Best Animation” at China’s Golden Dragon Awards1.
• Plot: Two photographers enter a client’s past by “diving” into a snapshot, altering events within strict time limits.
• Why It’s Similar: – Tight rule-bound time travel powers – Episodic missions that spiral into a larger conspiracy – Underdog duo solving problems with intellect, not brute force.

2. World Trigger (2014)

• Streaming: Crunchyroll / Hulu
• Episodes: 99 (3 seasons)
• MAL Rating: 7.6
• Studio / Staff: Toei Animation; manga by Daisuke Ashihara.
• Plot: When alien “Neighbors” invade, a low-rank trainee joins a defense agency whose weapons run on quantifiable “Trion” energy.
• Similarities: – Detailed power metrics – Strategic battles where teamwork beats raw strength – Main squad nicknamed “the useless four” rise from ridicule to respect.

3. The Silver Guardian (2017)

• Streaming: Crunchyroll
• Episodes: 24 (split cour)
• MAL Rating: 6.0
• Studio / Staff: Haoliners / Emon Animation.
• Plot: A penniless genius gamer is transported into a shut-down MMORPG and must clear dungeons to rescue his classmate.
• Similarities: – Game-logic magic cube levels – Underdog hero relying on puzzle-solving – Chinese-Korean co-production with short 13-min episodes like Semi.

4. Lost Song (2018)

• Streaming: Netflix
• Episodes: 12
• MAL Rating: 7.2
• Studio / Staff: LIDENFILMS × Dwango; musical direction by Yusuke Shirato.
• Plot: Two girls wield elemental “spirit songs” that can heal or destroy, entwining their fates amid war.
• Similarities: – Music-based spell system with clear rules – Female leads discovering hidden potential – Mid-series narrative flip overturns expectations.

5. Niko-ichi (2023)

• Streaming: HIDIVE
• Episodes: 10
• MAL Rating: 7.1
• Studio / Staff: Studio Comet; director Junichi Yanagita.
• Plot: Twin inventors build modular “cube mechs” whose abilities change depending on configuration, entering rogue-tech tournaments.
• Similarities: – Literal cube mechanics – STEM-flavored battles – Light-hearted tone masking serious stakes.

6. Somali and the Forest Spirit (2020)

• Streaming: Crunchyroll / VRV
• Episodes: 12
• MAL Rating: 7.8
• Studio / Staff: Satelight & HORNETS; director Kenji Yasuda.
• Plot: A golem guardian escorts a human child across a monster-ruled world before his life-span ends.
• Similarities: – Parent-child mentorship like Semi & Professor Y – Exploration of fantastical realms with lesson-oriented arcs – Undercurrent of imminent loss.

7. Puzzle & Dragons X (2016)

• Streaming: Funimation (sub), YouTube (official)
• Episodes: 89
• MAL Rating: 6.3
• Studio / Staff: Studio Pierrot; tie-in with GungHo’s game.
• Plot: A boy partners with a living dragon gem, mastering color-coded orb combos to restore balance.
• Similarities: – Educational puzzle mechanics drive combat – Colorful, younger-skewing presentation – Growth from novice to “Dragon Caller.”

8. The Ones Within (2019)

• Streaming: Hulu / Crunchyroll
• Episodes: 12
• MAL Rating: 7.0
• Studio / Staff: Silver Link; director Shin Oonuma.
• Plot: Viral streamers awaken inside a reality-game where clearing bizarre stages is the only escape.
• Similarities: – Stage-clearing cube rooms – Meta-game rules & penalties – Cast must cooperate despite clashing egos—echoing Semi’s team dynamics.

9. Kemono Jihen (2021)

• Streaming: Funimation / Crunchyroll
• Episodes: 12
• MAL Rating: 7.4
• Studio / Staff: Ajia-do; mangaka Shō Aimoto.
• Plot: A stoic outcast boy joins a detective agency solving monster incidents using hybrid beast powers.
• Similarities: – Underdog orphan protagonist – Power system tied to folklore biology – Case-by-case structure that feeds a wider plot twist.

10. Majin Bone (2014)

• Streaming: Toei Animation YouTube (free)
• Episodes: 52
• MAL Rating: 6.4
• Studio / Staff: Toei; card-game origin.
• Plot: Teens fuse with digital “bone” armor representing celestial beasts to defend Earth.
• Similarities: – Codified transformation rules – Emphasis on statistics & strategy – Merchandise-backed yet story-driven, like Semi’s edutainment roots.

11. Scissor Seven (2018)

• Streaming: Netflix
• Episodes: 30 shorts + specials
• MAL Rating: 8.0
• Studio / Staff: Sharefun Studio; nominated for Annecy Cristal award.
• Plot: An amnesiac barber moonlights as a bargain assassin wielding telekinetic scissors, stumbling into a power war.
• Similarities: – Fast comedy punctuated by sudden high-stakes battles – Stylized cut-out animation – Lead’s hidden potential shocking stronger foes.

12. Ranking of Kings (2021)

• Streaming: Crunchyroll / Funimation
• Episodes: 23
• MAL Rating: 8.6
• Studio / Staff: WIT Studio; Best Drama—Crunchyroll Awards 2022.
• Plot: Deaf prince Bojji, deemed powerless, undertakes a journey to claim his throne, armed only with agility and heart.
• Similarities: – Ultimate underdog arc – Subverts fairy-tale tropes with brutal politics – Soft watercolor art hides intense moral dilemmas.

13. Digimon Universe: App Monsters (2016)

• Streaming: Crunchyroll
• Episodes: 52
• MAL Rating: 6.9
• Studio / Staff: Toei; writer Yoichi Katō (Yo-kai Watch).
• Plot: AI “Appmon” born from smartphone apps grant partners coded abilities to combat a rogue singularity.
• Similarities: – Tech-centric power taxonomy – Educational nods to algorithms – Cube-like data chips evolve creatures—mirrors Semi’s magic cube.

14. Kyba’s Labyrinth (2024)

• Streaming: Disney+ (Asia)
• Episodes: 8
• MAL Rating: 7.3
• Studio / Staff: Studio Colorido spin-off; director Yuta Murano.
• Plot: A shy coder awakens inside his own labyrinthine program where each “room” teaches physics via boss battles.
• Similarities: – Lesson-driven fantasy – Cube-room structure – Character growth through scientific problem-solving.

15. School Babysitters (2018)

• Streaming: Crunchyroll / VRV
• Episodes: 12
• MAL Rating: 7.8
• Studio / Staff: Brain’s Base.
• Plot: Two orphaned brothers join a high-school daycare club, navigating emotional hurdles while caring for toddlers.
• Similarities: – Focus on mentorship & responsibility mirroring Semi-and-Y dynamic – Gentle subversion—slice-of-life that tackles grief with sincerity – Underrated heart-warming narrative.

Why These Anime Work for Mentioned Anime Fans

Each pick pairs structured power rules with improbable heroes and narrative curveballs, just as Semi turns math lessons into time-bending showdowns. Whether through photographs, app data, folk songs, or modular cubes, they champion ingenuity over brute force and surprise viewers with tonal shifts. Dive in and you’ll find the same spirit of discovery—and a fresh roster of hidden gems waiting to be solved.