When Ms. Kim set out to design the cover of “Fresh Complaint,” a 2017 story collection by Jeffrey Eugenides, a writer she had long admired, her desire to impress him got in the way at first, she said.

Sharyn Anderson-Campbell and Tiera Sprauve offer uplifting stories that celebrate self-acceptance and mental health.

These anime didn’t just entertain; they made viewers think, feel, and sometimes even question their own lives. But as these ...