When you think of slice-of-lifeanime, you tend to conjure up images of youth, romance, and taking the next step in your chapter. As being a teenager tends to involve falling in love for the first time, we often see these series revolving around high school kids overcoming the complicated feelings that come with navigating these early romantic relationships.
It’s rare to come across a slice-of-life anime that doesn’t involve romance, although that doesn’t mean there aren’t any. Throughout the years, there have been several slice-of-life anime that have been released, telling tales of blossoming friendships and discovering one’s self-identity outside romantic entanglements.
10Barakamon
Discovering Who You Are
Barakamon tells the story of a man finding color in his life. Seishuu Handa is a 23-year-old professional calligrapher whose father sends him off to a retreat on Goto Island following an altercation with an elderly curator, who criticizes his work for being unoriginal.
When he arrives at Goto Island, he meets several villagers. With each interaction, Seishuu is able to find color in life and develop his own unique calligraphy style.
9A Place Further Than The Universe
Adventuring With Your Best Friends
A Place Further than the Universe is a heartwarming adventure anime. Mari Tamaki yearns to make the most out of her youth, but is afraid to step out of her comfort zone. One day, she meets Shirase Kobuchizawa, who has the goal of traveling to Antartica to find her mother, who disappeared three years ago.
Mari and Shirase band together on an adventure in the Antarctic. Joined by two other girls, Hinata Miyake and Yuzuki Shiraishi, the anime showcases their unique journey.
8Sakura Quest
Reviving The Tourism Of A Dying Town
Sakura Quest is a unique anime that follows the life of Yoshino Koharu, a young unemployed woman who is being turned down left, right, and center for jobs she applies for. However, she gets a lucky break after receiving an offer to join the tourism board of Manoyama Village, posing as their ‘queen.’
Yoshino accepts the offer and travels to Manoyama, believing she will help the economically struggling town for one day. However, she soon learns that they hired her in a case of mistaken identity and her contract is actually for one year. She decides to stick this job out and becomes the Queen of Manoyama.
7Laid-Back Camp
A Tale On Calming Travels
If you’re looking for an anime that involves peaceful stories and calming environments, check out Laid-Back Camp. High school student Rin Shima takes immense pleasure in camping by herself. One day, she comes across Nadeshiko Kagamihara, who asks her to join their school’s camping club.
We are then drawn into the adventures of Rin, Nadeshiko, and their fellow clubmates Chiaka Ōgaki and Aoi Inuyama, as they travel to various campsites across Japan. It is a chilled-out anime that showcases their daily lives camping.
6Hakumei And Mikochi
The Calming Daily Lives Of Two Mystical Creatures
Similar to Laid-Back Camp, Hakumei and Mikochi is an anime that is peaceful and calming. The main difference is that Hakumei and Mikochi is also a whimsical fantasy. The series is set in a magical forest inhabited by talking animals and people only a few inches tall.
It focuses on Hakumei and Mikochi and the lives of these tiny women living together in a house in a tree. While Hakumei is more masculine and tomboyish, Mikochi is ethereal and serene. Despite their differences, they co-exist happily.
5Sweetness And Lightning
A Heartwarming Tale Of A Single Father
Sweetness and Lightning is an adorable story about a single father and his daughter. Following the death of his wife, Kōhei Inuzuka is raising his daughter, Tsumugi, by himself. Ever since he was widowed, Kōhei has resorted to buying ready-made meals for his daughter.
However, following an interaction with one of his students, Kōhei decides to learn how to cook to make home-cooked, nutritious meals. While he is clumsy at the start, he is a willing learner. The series showcases Kōhei gaining formidable skills in the kitchen and his deepening relationship with his daughter.
4Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken!
Making A Successful Anime
Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken! is an anime about making an anime. Midori Asakusa is a huge anime fan and though she spends her days brainstorming ideas and settings in her sketchbook, she hasn’t yet taken the first step towards creating her own series.
However, when her best friend Sayaka Kanamori notices her immense potential, and it becomes apparent that their model classmate Tsubame Mizusaki wants to be an animator, the three band together to form an animation club. They work together to bring the world that exists in their minds to the real world.
3Flying Witch
The Mundane Life Of Witch Training
Usually, when ananime involves training a supernatural power, it is full of action and combat. Flying Witch is the opposite. Makoto is a young witch from Yokohama who moves with her relatives to Aomori as part of her witch training.
The series follows Makoto as she adjusts to her new life in Aosaki while accomplishing her witch training. As a witch who prefers potions to casting spells, she has a lot of training to do. As she meets new friends and gets closer to her relatives, she showcases her unique supernatural abilities, fostering a unique relationship with them.
2Shirobako
The Inner Workings Of An Animation Studio
Shirobako tells the tale of a group of friends that achieve their dream of working in the anime industry. In high school, Aoi Miyamori, Ema Yasuhara, Shizuka Sakaki, Misa Tōdō, and Midori Imai were members of the animation club. They promised that after they graduate, they will make it into the anime industry.
As adults, Aoi is a production assistant at Musashino Animation, Ema is an animator, Shizuka is a voice actress, Misa is a 3D graphics artist, and Midori is a writer. The series revolves around the work at Musashino Animation as the team juggles several important projects.
1Natsume’s Book Of Friends
Dealing With Yokai And Spirits
Natsume’s Book of Friends is a memorable supernaturalslice-of-life anime. It revolves around Takashi Natsume, a teenage boy with the ability to interact with yokai. When his grandmother passes away, he inherits the Book of Life, which contains the names of spirits subjected to her rule.
Several evil spirits attempt to harm Natsume to get their hands on this coveted book. He joins forces with a wolf-like spirit called Madara, who takes the form of an overweight cat, who offers protection from those trying to harm him. Madara also serves as Natsume’s advisor, helping him give back all the names in the book.
