My StepMother’s Daughter Is my Ex, or rather, Mamahaha is a comedy/romance anime series; the series is being animated by Studio Project No.9, known for its beautiful visuals and well-drawn characters.
Studio Project No.9 is also responsible for creating some of my favorite anime series, such as Higehiro (which is included in this list) and And You Thought There Was Never A Girl Online.
Keep reading this list, and you’ll find a lot of anime like MamaHaha.
Series’ Synopsis
Irido Mizuto and Yume Irido had a relationship during middle school, but they were forced to break up due to their family circumstances.
But as fate would have it, they are reunited once again in high school after their single parents decide to tie the knot.
However, their relationship isn’t what it used to be; now, being step-siblings, they must learn to behave like siblings and not former lovers.
My Thoughts
There is no doubt that most of us were attracted to the series due to the initial trailer and title.
However, the series is catchy; it is enjoyable to watch as it caters to both light romance and ecchi fans.
Regarding the list, I picked the anime series which had some similarities with characters who were either step-siblings or competitive.
So, here are my top anime that are similar to MamaHaha (My Stepmother’s Daughter Is My Ex).
14. Skilled Teaser Takagi-San
- Genre: Comedy
- Episodes: 24
Takagi-san does seem like an ordinary anime on the surface, with a fairly decent story and average characters; however, the anime is far more enjoyable than it seems.
I adore this series more than I should, and you will understand if you watch it.
Similarities
Both characters deeply care for each other but don’t reveal their true feelings.
They both tease one another only to get a reaction from the other person, and of course, the female lead is the one to start.
Both characters have lots of cute and caring moments with each other outside of school, be it in their home or outside.
Synopsis
Nishikata is your average high school student who lives an ordinary life at school, he and Takagi-san are always teasing one another with their creative ways, with Takagi-san always taking him by surprise.
Nishikata often gets frustrated after being teased by Takagi and seeks to take revenge on her but always ends up failing horribly.
Their continued back n forth evolves into a beautiful friendship where they both don’t want to be away from each other.
13. The Duke of Death And His Maid
- Genre: Drama, Supernatural
- Episodes: 12
The duke of death is a fairly decent anime series to watch, the visuals are beautiful, characters are well done and the overall environment of the show is quite relaxing.
Similarities
Both characters live in the same house and have a similar character dynamic, with the guy being quiet most of the time and the girl being the talkative one.
The girl often seduces the guy into confessing his feelings to her. Both characters have lots of cute and ecchi moments whenever they’re alone.
Synopsis
The protagonist of the series has been cursed by a witch since he was a child; every living thing he touches slowly withers away before his own, so he lives alone in his family mansion with his butler.
However, his life soon changes for the better when a beautiful maid arrives at his mansion, begins to take care of him, and also becomes his first true friend.
She also loves to tease him to get either a reaction or a confession out of him by wearing revealing clothes or straight up lifting her skirt.
12. A Sister’s All You Need
- Genre: Comedy, Romance
- Episodes: 12
I can’t describe how much I adore this series; it was such a pleasant experience going through the lives of these writer characters.
Seeing them interact with each other and living a peaceful life was something I needed to relax.
While the series’ title suggests a brother-sister situation in the show, there really isn’t.
Similarities
Both male characters have aloof personalities, and the female MC often tries to seduce the male MC with her charms and sexiness.
Both Male MCs have romantic feelings toward the girl but hide it on the surface yet care deeply.
While MamaHaha has a clear brother-sister relationship between characters, the relationship between Itsuki and Nayuta comes off quite similar.
There are lots of similar relaxed vibes between the two shows with a hint of fan service to entertain the fans.
Synopsis
Itsuki is a writer with a sister complex, and most of what he writes is plain weird because it is solely written for people who also have a creepy sister complex.
His social circle solely consists of writers, illustrators, animators, and studio managers. Among those friends, we have Nayuta Kani, who is also a novelist and has a giant crush on Itsuki because he inspired her to become a novelist through his writing.
The series is basically a look into the life of novelists and how they spend their time together.
11. Don’t Tease Me, Miss Nagatoro
- Genre: Comedy
- Episodes: 12
Don’t Tease Me, Miss Nagatoro is a series I initially disliked due to the absurd premise of the series, and while the series was terrible at first, it did get better after each passing episode.
Similarities
The apparent similarity would be that both characters often tease one another to get a reaction out of them.
And while both characters have feelings for each other, they try to hide their feelings so as not to seem weak.
Lots of ecchi moments between the two characters, which the female MC often initiates.
Synopsis
Hachiouji Naoto is an average high school teenager who is always by himself in the school’s library and works on his manga.
He’s often visited by his Kouhai, Nagatoro, who loves to tease the poor senpai to a point where it’s not even fun anymore.
However, as they spend more time together, a sort of friendship develops between the two, and Nagatoro begins caring for her senpai.
10. Maid Sama!
- Genre: Comedy, Romance
- Episodes: 26
Maid Sama is another excellent shoujo series that compels the female audience (and also some boys); the series is extremely enjoyable, with lots of cute and romantic moments set in a high school setting.
Similarities
Both male characters are always there to protect the female mc; both characters of them are caring toward each other.
While it’s true they both have feelings for each other; they don’t openly admit to those feelings.
The girl often goes overboard with trying to prove herself to be better, which often leads to being exhausted and guess who’s there to take care of her.
Synopsis
Misaki is the newly elected student council president of the Seika High School, a school mainly compromised of male students, so her goal is to make a better environment for the girls.
And despite her already hectic schedule with doing house chores and handling a part-time job at the maid cafe, she works tirelessly to the point of exhaustion.
Misaki has given up all hopes for dating because she has a hard time trusting men, that is until she meets Usui, the most popular boy in their school.
9. Higehiro
- Genre: Drama, Romance
- Episodes: 13
The only reason I added Higehiro to this list is due to the striking resemblance between the female characters.
Higehiro is another beloved anime series, and I highly recommend you try it.
Similarities
There are similar relaxed vibes in both series, and there are lots of caring moments between the two characters.
The supporting characters are frankly my favorite; they make the series wholesome and worth watching.
Synopsis
Yoshida-san is an ordinary salary man living an uneventful life, he has a crush on his senpai. One day after confessing his feelings and getting rejected, he spends the night drinking booze with his friend.
On his way back to his apartment, he encounters a cute female protagonist who is looking for a place to spend the night, and Yoshida who is completely under the influence of alcohol, says yes without hesitation.
Also Read: Anime Similar to Higehiro
8. Horimiya
- Genre: Romance
- Episodes: 12
Horimiya is my most adored anime series; everything about the series is done so perfectly that it makes my heart jump.
I’m adding this series because I find the school environment and supportive friends somewhat similar.
Similarities
There aren’t a lot of similarities in terms of the questionable premise of the series. However, both shows have a similar feel to them.
Both characters have a similar situation, with the girl being popular with the boys and girls alike and the boy being a loner.
The supporting characters in both series are adorable; they go out of their way to help each other and make everything better.
Synopsis
The story is about Izumi Miyamura, who is the quiet guy in class, and Kyoukou Hori, the popular girl in the entire school.
Both of them act the complete opposite of how they are in school, with Miyamura dressing up like a gentle delinquent and Hori, who is always too busy with house chores to go out with her friends.
After unexpectedly meeting each other outside of school, they’re taken by each other’s opposite personalities.
7. Osamake
- Genre: Comedy, Romance
- Episodes: 12
In a world where less than decent anime with a love triangle are always in demand, we have Osamake, a story about taking revenge over petty reasons.
The characters are bland with no real personality, and every plot seems forced.
Similarities
There is a very complex relationship between the two characters, both of them like each other and want the other to confess.
The characters in both anime are somewhat competitive and don’t want to lose to their rival.
Both characters had a history before becoming high school friends, and they still had lingering feelings for each other.
Synopsis
Maru is a famous child actor who has given up acting due to personal reasons; he rejects girls left and right because he has a giant crush on the famous school idol, Kachi.
He plans on confessing his feelings to her, but after learning that she already has a boyfriend, he gives up hope until his childhood friend Shida (who has a crush on Maru) suggests that they take revenge on her by breaking up her relationship.
6. Just Because!
- Genre: Romance, Slife of Life
- Episodes: 12
I can’t think of a better series to suggest than Just Because! there are many similarities between the two shows with just an average high school environment, characters struggling to build new relationships, and going over what they had before.
Similarities
In both anime, the characters have lingering feelings from their past when they used to be together.
Characters who are separated due to reasons beyond their control are brought back together unexpectedly.
Both shows have a similar school environment with supportive characters.
Synopsis
The series follows Izumi, who has never been able to stay in a town for long due to his father’s business; changing school and starting has been pretty normal for him.
However, at the end of his third year in high school, he relocates back to his hometown, where he meets his old friends and a girl named Natsume, who he previously had feelings for.
5. Masamune-Kun’s Revenge
- Genre: Romance, Comedy
- Episodes: 12
Masamune-Kun’s Revenge is just another cliche anime series with over-the-top characters and a somewhat decent storyline.
The series is heavily drama oriented with pretty visuals; it’s enjoyable on the surface.
Similarities
Both main characters had a history together before they entered the same high school.
Both characters are always in a struggle to make the other person confess their feelings.
Both these characters aren’t in love at first and act mean but soon develop feelings for each other.
Synopsis
Masamune harbors a grudge toward his childhood friend Aki who used to make fun of him when they were kids, calling him “piggy” because of his fat appearance.
But he’s come a long way from that scrubby little child to a handsome teenager, and everyone girl wants to be with him; however, his only desire is to take revenge on Aki.
He transfers into Aki’s school with the goal of making her fall in love with him only so he can shoot her down, but who is to say that his feelings won’t change.
4. Domestic Girlfriend
- Genre: Drama, Romance
- Episodes: 12
Domestic girlfriend is one of the most controversial anime; the series has a somewhat similar environment, with the characters being in a relationship before becoming step-siblings.
However, MamaHaha is a light romance and not as intense as Domestic Girlfriend.
Why It Is Similar
Both main characters were involved in a relationship before they became step-siblings.
Both characters have feelings for each other, but they hide them and provoke the other into confessing.
There are lots of cute and ecchi moments between the two characters.
Series Synopsis
Natsuo Fujii is an ordinary high school boy with a giant crush on his teacher; he dreams of being with her until one day both of them become step-siblings as their parents decide to tie the knot.
On a completely different note, spends his first time with a random girl he meets at a mixer but little does he know, she is the younger sister of the woman he loves and also her new step-sibling.
3. Kiss x Sis
- Genre: Comedy, Ecchi
- Episodes: 12
I personally don’t watch series like these, so don’t rope me into being a creep. I basically picked this series because of the suggestions of fans from various websites.
The series has a similar premise with the guy loosing his mother and his father marrying into a family where he ends up with a step-sister or two in this case.
Similarities
The series is full of sexual tension between the main character and his step-sister(s), with them seducing him every chance they get.
In both anime, characters are involved in a strange sexual relationship with their step-sibling.
Synopsis
After the passing of Keita’s mother, his father marries a family where he ends up getting two step-sisters who soon began to lust for him, trying to win over his heart.
His goal while studying to enter the same high school as his sisters is to resolve the issue between the step-sibling and either pick one step-sister or reject them both.
However, his step-sister aren’t the only one lusting over him.
2. Kaguya Sama: Love is War
- Genre: Psychological, Romance
- Episodes: 25+
Kaguya-Sama is another top-tier series with an average plot but some fantastic characters, and the comedy is top-notch.
There is also a similar back n forth between the main characters about making the other person confess their feelings.
Similarities
Both characters have mutual romantic feelings toward one another, but they try not to act on them.
They think of creative ways to make the other person confess their feelings almost always backfires.
Despite their rivalry, both of them care deeply for each other and make an effort to make the other person happy.
Synopsis
The representatives of the student council are acknowledged by the entire school of the prestigious Shuchiin Academy.
The student council president, Miyuki Shirogane, and the vice president, Kaguya Shinomiya, are deemed the perfect couple by the entire student body. However, it isn’t completely different from what it seems.
It’s true both of them have feelings for each other, but neither one of them wants to admit it; they spend most of their time coming up with clever ways to make the other person confess.
1. A couple of Cuckoos
- Genre: Comedy, Romance
- Episodes: 24
I’d say A Couple of Cuckoos is an enjoyable anime series despite it being a love triangle; the visuals are beautiful, character designs are similar, and their character settings aren’t that far apart.
I finished the series in one sitting, and I did enjoy watching it.
Similarities
Both characters started having feelings for each other before they were officially put into a strange predicament by their parents.
It’s pretty clear both couples have feelings for each other, but they hide it and make the other confess first.
There is a very similar character setting with the guy being conservative about his feelings and the girl is popular among the boys.
Both characters have some intense moments of sexual tension throughout the series.
There is also a young sister to the male mc, and after learning they’re not related by blood, decides to take action.
Synopsis
Nagi Umino and Erika Amano are the complete opposite of each other; Nagi is a brainiac high school student who is always at the top of his class, while Erika is a social media model and popular among the boys.
Both of them were brought together after their parents learned they were switched at birth, and now they decide that both kids should get engaged so both parents can be with their rightful children.
While both of them are hesitant and reject the idea of them being in a relationship, only time will tell where they go from here.
