With shows like Dragon Ball or One Piece known far and wide, it's hard to deny the popularity of anime. Still, even the most action-oriented anime viewer can enjoy a simple story about the day-to-day lives of its characters. The slice of life anime genre can contain hilarious comedic moments, serious drama, and even a bit of romance — it all depends on what viewers are looking for.
Even if perhaps not as inescapable and popular as some other genres and themes, slice of life stories are eternal, with most seasons producing a few new shows that fit the bill. The anime industry will always have a place for wholesome tales about carefree schoolgirls attending their afternoon clubs or adults finding solitude in nature. Let's take a look at the best slice of life anime ever.
Updated June 11, 2024: Spring 2024 is nearly done by this point, and the season's best slice of life anime should come as no surprise to anybody remotely familiar with the genre. Still, the quarter has more to offer than just a highly-regarded sequel.
In a few weeks, Summer 2024 will start to roll out its shows, including a couple of slice of life series. Giji Harem will probably be the genre's standout offering for the season, although A Journey Through Another World: Raising Kids While Adventuring could be fun too.
Best Slice Of Life Anime Of Spring 2024
Winter 2024 was great overall, at least when it came to action, romance, and fantasy. Unfortunately, the same could not be said for slice of life anime. Mr. Villain's Day Off had to carry the genre nearly on its own, only receiving some minor help from The Way of Pon and a couple of slow-life fantasy anime.
Best Spring 2024 Anime To Watch, Ranked
KonoSuba, Demon Slayer, Kaiju No. 8, Laid-Back Camp, and My Hero Academia are all competing to be the best anime of the Spring 2024 season.
Spring 2024 is an improvement in this area, offering more quantity and higher quality. As the season is more than halfway done, Spring 2024's best slice of life anime have firmly planted their flags. Before getting to these highlights, here are a few good shows with slice of life elements that are not full entries in the genre:
- A Salad Bowl of Eccentrics
- The Fable
- Grandpa and Grandma Turn Young Again
- The Many Sides of Voice Actor Radio
- Spice and Wolf: Merchant Meets the Wise Wolf
Laid-Back Camp Season 3
- Japanese Title:Yuru Camp
- Start Date: April 4, 2024
- Where to Stream: Crunchyroll
- MyAnimeList Score: 8.30
After two seasons and a (non-canon) movie, Laid-Back Camp is already established as an all-time great slice of life anime, and the Spring 2024 sequel simply confirms that fact. Regardless of whether it is a viewer's favorite or least-favorite entry, season 3 is brimming with funny interactions, scenic locations, delicious-looking food, and camping tips. As usual, the episodes largely divide the characters up, with Rin (mostly) doing her own thing and Nadeshiko getting to spend more time with her sister. That said, the season seems to be setting up a coming-together for its final stretch of episodes, which should be fun.
Few shows demonstrate slice of life's therapeutic qualities as clearly as Laid-Back Camp. Season 3 moves at a slightly quicker pace than its predecessors and has a few fourth-wall breaks, a change that not everyone might love; that said, these points are just nitpicks. Otherwise, 8bit is crafting another charming, realistic, and soothing cour that does a fantastic job of highlighting the appeal of camping while highlighting a few locations in Japan. As always, the anime also loves to sprinkle in useful tidbits that highlight this activity's challenges and risks, particularly if campers are poorly prepared.
Tonari no Yokai-san
Tonari no Yokai-san has not drawn too much attention. The manga does not have a presence outside its home country, and slice of life's low-key nature can make it difficult for an unknown property to attract the spotlight. Still, LIDENFILMS' adaptation might hit the mark with people craving a cozy show with a supernatural twist and coming-of-age elements.
In a Japanese rural town, people live alongside youkai and other mythological entities. Utilizing an ensemble cast, the anime follows a select few folks as they lead their peaceful but still eventful lives. For instance, Buchio has just transformed from a standard card to a nekomata, a transition that has left him confused about his place in the world.
Tonari no Yokai-san's mystical touches are sprinkled naturally into the story, being presented as just an everyday occurrence. The supernatural beings are far more interesting than the human characters, and the anime does a great job of exploring their psyches and histories without taking a heavy-handed approach. Even with its rural setting and slow pacing, Tonari no Yokai-san is more intense than most slice of life anime, with there even being a few near-death sequences. While still fitting the genre, this show is not a great option for viewers craving a drama-free escape.
Welcome Home
Raising a family is not easy in the best of situations, and Welcome Home presents a fresh and relevant take on the process. In this universe, Omegas are people who can give birth regardless of their gender, and they are frequently the recipients of discrimination. Carrying scars from his childhood that he tries to conceal from his children, Masaki tries to make the most of every day while processing his lingering trauma.
Spring 2024 Anime – Episode Reviews, Lore Discussions, & Recommendations
Read previews, reviews, and discussions relating to the anime Spring 2024 season, including sections dedicated to My Hero Academia, Demon Slayer, etc.
Although touching upon mature themes, Welcome Home maintains a mostly wholesome and lighthearted tone. Supportive and communicative, Masaki and Hiromu make for a fantastic couple, and they are supported by a few interesting secondary characters. Their children (Hikari and Michiru) are the picture of innocence, and they help ground both of their parents. Boys Love anime do not come around all that often, and Welcome Home is shaping up to be among the genre's best efforts.
Now, on to the best slice of life anime ever...
28 Flying Witch
MyAnimeList: 7.50
Anime witches come in many forms, but they do not typically feature in low-key slice of life stories set in the normal world. Flying Witch bucks that trend by delivering a traditional entry in the genre, albeit one with a hint of magic. A witch-in-training, Makoto will be spending some time living with her family in Aomori, a peaceful town surrounded by nature. With the aid of her cousins and aunt, Makoto experiences the slow life as she continues her training as a witch, which largely plays out like a coming-of-age narrative.
Flying Witch does an impressive job of balancing the mundane with the fantastical, creating a universe that is one step removed from reality. The "witch" element takes a backseat for most of the season, with the focus being squarely on Makoto's everyday interactions with the larger community.
27 School Babysitters
MyAnimeList: 7.90
School Babysitters
- Japanese Title
- Gakuen Babysitters
- Release Date
- January 7, 2018
- Studio
- Brain's Base
- Number of Episodes
- 12
- Creator
- Hari Tokeino
While rare, a few slice of life anime start with a shot to the heart before settling down into a cozy rhythm for the rest of their run. School Babysitters opens with a backstory that would be considered tragic for a drama, let alone a comfy show about brothers babysitting their siblings at their school. Once that setup is out of the way, the series quickly transforms into a lighthearted and touching tale about familial love and friendship.
Featuring a cast primarily consisting of babies and their older brothers, School Babysitters does an admirable job of differentiating all of its characters, including its many toddlers. Along with providing an overabundance of adorableness, the anime is also consistently funny.
26 My New Boss Is Goofy
MyAnimeList: 8.02
After years of abuse at the hands of his boss, Momose finally quits and joins another company. At his new workplace, he is assigned Shirosaki as a supervisor, and Momose quickly realizes that his new senior is the complete opposite of his former boss. To his delight, he also learns that Shirosaki can be a bit silly at times, even if it is usually unintentional.
My New Boss Is Goofy is just a lovely workplace comedy. Momose is still carrying scars from his previous job, but he is in the ideal location to regain his confidence. All the central characters are endearing and likable, and the show has a cozy tone that complements its easy-going humor.
25 YuruYuri: Happy Go Lucky
MyAnimeList: 7.57 (Season 1)
A prominent slice of life subgenre is known as "cute girls doing cute things," and these anime generally deliver exactly what they advertise on the tin. Initially, YuruYuri comes across as a stereotypical example of this type of story; it brings together four girls with archetypal personalities and doesn't do a lot with them. At least, that is the case for most of the anime's opening season.
After that point, YuruYuri improves quickly and considerably. The show gets progressively weirder as it introduces more secondary characters who all seem to have a crush on each other. It is also consistently funny.
24 March Comes In Like A Lion
MyAnimeList: 8.38 (Season 1)
March Comes In Like a Lion is a fantastic series with gorgeous animation, realistic and relatable characters, and intelligent writing. While certainly worth recommending based purely on its quality, the show's depiction of depression and the first season's extensive focus on shogi means March Comes In Like a Lion might not be what everyone is searching for in a slice of life anime.
15 Great Anime That Tackle Bullying
Bullying is a common subject in anime, but few shows take on this issue as realistically, beautifully, and sensitively as these series.
The second season is particularly strong, but it is also emotionally draining. At times, March Comes In Like a Lion is more of a drama with slice of life elements than the other way around.
23 The Yuzuki Family's Four Sons
MyAnimeList: 7.90
In the aftermath of both of his parents' deaths, Hayato has been left to take care of his three siblings, who are all still in school. Struggling to carry the load that comes with this responsibility, the oldest son does not always manage to balance work and taking care of his brothers, although the latter try to help whenever they can. Fall 2023's most conventional slice of life anime, The Yuzuki Family's Four Sons has a fairly heavy premise, although the show itself is lighthearted and wholesome.
The four siblings all have distinctive personalities that bounce well off each other, and they are grounded in reality and are not presented as overly cute caricatures. The Yuzuki Family's Four Sons went somewhat unnoticed during its initial run, which makes sense since the story does not have much of a hook; however, the series has some pretty great all-around writing, and it even handles a few challenging themes well.
22 Komi Can't Communicate
MyAnimeList: 7.90 (Season 1)
Komi Can't Communicate's sophomore effort solidified the show's position among the best slice of life anime of the modern era. Due to experiencing intense social anxiety, Shoko Komi has spent most of her life alone, her silence misunderstood for aloofness and snobbishness. Determined to change things in high school, Komi sets out to make a hundred friends, a journey that commences when she befriends the unpopular Hitohito Tadano.
Komi Can't Communicate is an uplifting show that offers quite a realistic look into anxiety, particularly during its first couple of episodes. Komi and Tadano's relationship is sweet, and their friendship paves the way for quirkier characters to be introduced.
21 Lucky Star
MyAnimeList: 7.74
Released in 2007, Lucky Star's influence on the slice of life genre can still be seen today. This show helped write the blueprint on how to put together a modern "cute girls doing cute things" anime; consequently, the series can feel a bit uninspired if revisited today.
Slow-paced even for a slice of life anime, Lucky Star lives and dies by its characters. Konata Izumi is the anime's resident otaku and most popular figure, but the rest of the cast should not be dismissed either. Kagami's antagonistic personality is especially important for Lucky Star's humor. Just be warned, the first episode is not the anime's strongest.
20 K-On!
MyAnimeList: 7.85 (Season 1)
A classic, K-On! revolves around the daily lives of the Light Music Club's members. Although the anime is not devoid of memorable songs, music takes a backseat in favor of comedy in K-On! All the central girls are innately likable, and it is a pleasure to watch their friendships grow across the two seasons and movie.
K-On!'s popularity led to many imitators, so much so that the series can feel a bit by the numbers in this day and age. However, it is still one of the greatest slice of life anime of the last two decades.
19 Hyouka
MyAnimeList: 8.07
On the surface, mystery and slice of life do not seem like they could be congruent with each other. After all, the former tends to be high-stakes and packed to the brim with tension (and, more often than not, death), while the latter is synonymous with relaxing and trivial stories. Mystery anime are usually plot-driven, while slice of life shows tend to focus on their characters rather than a constantly forward-moving story. Somehow, Hyouka manages to harmonize these two genres so well that it is a brilliant representative of both.
Oreki just wants to do nothing. That is his daily ambition, and he is willing to put the effort into achieving it. However, he joins the Classics Club, a decision primarily fueled by the contagious energy of Eru, one of his schoolmates. Teaming up with two other friends, these students start tackling a wide range of school-based mysteries, most of which are fascinating but also rather inconsequential. Hyouka takes the best elements of the mystery genre and combines them with the easy-going nature of slice of life stories, finding a middle-ground that elevates both genres to great heights.
18 Daily Lives of High School Boys
MyAnimeList: 8.23
With "daily lives" right in the title, it's easy to see how this is a slice of life anime. Daily Lives of High School Boys follows the mundane daily adventures imagined by its three main characters — Hidenori, Yoshitake, and Tadakuni — who are just trying to find ways to keep themselves entertained. The skits can get silly and weird, but they never venture into fantasy territory.
The scenarios can range from an epic pretend RPG fight to anything else high school boys might think up. It's a lot of wacky fun and shows what life is like for those who let go now and then.
17 My Dress-Up Darling
MyAnimeList: 8.22
My Dress-Up Darling is wholesomeness captured in animated form. Revolving around the friendship between Marin Kitagawa and Wakana Gojou, My Dress-Up Darling has cosplay, positive vibes, and hints of romance stemming from a dynamic that feels genuine.
14 Romance Anime To Watch If You Love My Dress-Up Darling
While waiting for the second season of My Dress-up Darling, fans should check out these great romance anime.
Beautifully animated and irresistibly charming, this series knocks it out of the park, and the show's focus on cosplay helps it stand out from other slice of life anime with romantic overtones. The central couple's relationship develops quite a bit throughout the first season to coincide with their evolving relationship.
16 Bunny Drop
MyAnimeList: 8.35
After his grandfather passes away, Daikichi learns that his relative had an illegitimate child named Rin. This news comes as a shock to the entire family, who react by rejecting Rin at her father's funeral, prompting Daikichi to adopt the young girl.
Putting aside a heavy opening episode, Bunny Drop quickly slips into a heartwarming rhythm as it earnestly explores the blossoming relationship between Daikichi and Rin. A grounded tale about two people finding solace in each other, this anime is beautiful.
15 Wagnaria!!
MyAnimeList: 7.65 (Season 1)
Most people have worked a service industry job like in a restaurant in their lifetime. However, few have had such a wacky arrangement of coworkers wrapping them up in increasingly silly antics. How many kitchens have a floor chief that swings a katana around?
Wagnaria!! has highly laughable moments spliced in over a backdrop that almost anyone can identify with, making it incredibly satisfying to watch. It's certain to put a smile on anyone's face, and the characters are generally all likable. While the later seasons slowly evolve into romantic comedies with slice of life elements, the latter remains a central component throughout the full series.
14 Tanaka-kun Is Always Listless
MyAnimeList: 7.82
People live at their own speeds. While some folks are always on the go, others prefer to take things slow, and nobody takes things slower than Tanaka. Whether at home or school, this high school student is always on the verge of drifting away into a peaceful nap, and there is very little that anyone can do to light a fire under Tanaka. This anime is just pleasant, largely thanks to its protagonist. In real life, Tanaka's lethargy could be frustrating; however, watching him make the least of his anime existence is oddly calming and therapeutic.
Tanaka-kun is Always Listless has some light teen drama courtesy of a few crushes, but they rarely amount to any significant tension since they wash off the protagonist's back without significantly impacting him. The anime complements Tanaka's personality with an art style that uses soft colors, which enhances the story's relaxing tone.
13 Horimiya
MyAnimeList: 8.20 (Season 1)
Horimiya not only balances a few genres – romance, slice of life, and comedy – but it is capable of all of them. Its charming and relatable characters can easily win over the hearts of most viewers, and the original season holds up as one of the better shows of the 2020s so far.
Best Anime To Watch If You Love Horimiya
Horimya won over many viewers during its Winter 2021 season. Fans looking for other anime like it will find some excellent options out there.
It has some surprisingly spicy moments, although the show tends to lack the forced drama of other romances, making it surprisingly refreshing to watch. Season 2 is an even better slice of life option since it covers small, almost inconsequential events that are generally comedic.
12 Natsume's Book Of Friends
MyAnimeList: 8.31 (Season 1)
Capable of seeing Yokai, Natsume inherits a book from his grandmother containing the names of various spirits. This grants the book's owner control over the Yokai, making it a highly desirable commodity in the spirit world.
On the surface, Natsume's Book of Friends has all the trappings of an action series, just with one significant difference: Natsume decides to free the Yokai by returning their names. Except for an occasional dramatic burst courtesy of a flashback or an especially violent Yokai, Natsume's Book of Friends moves at a slow and calm pace. This anime is tranquil, touching, and elegant.
11 Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid
MyAnimeList: 7.95 (Season 1)
Who hasn't suddenly woken up from a night of drinking after climbing a mountain and meeting a dragon only to find the dragon now wants to serve them as a maid? The premise for the show is quite silly but Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid is more heartwarming than most other shows out there.
13 Fantasy Slice Of Life Anime To Watch If You Love Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid
Fans looking for a show that will hit the same mark as Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid in their minds will find these anime are perfect to seek out.
The show has an isolated and lonely programmer in Kobayashi, who slowly opens up as her household expands alongside the other dragons who slowly start coming to the human world.
10 Clannad
MyAnimeList: 8 (Season 1)
Based on a 2004 visual novel and known to occasionally inspire waterfalls of tears, Clannad and especially its sequel, Clannad: After Story, are cornerstones of the slice of life genre. The anime revolves around Tomoya Okazaki, a high school student who just has a knack for getting involved with girls who might have an issue or two.
The first season is a passable slice of life drama that does a decent job of establishing the main characters. Clannad: After Story follows Tomoya and Nagisa in their post-high school lives. Most slice of life anime capture a specific period of life, typically childhood or adolescence, but Clannad goes beyond that. It shows the characters growing, changing, finding love, and experiencing loss.
9 Girls' Last Tour
MyAnimeList: 8.21
Slice of life anime are synonymous with lighthearted, carefree stories that offer viewers much-needed escapes from their day-to-day struggles. Most of these shows take relatable existences and tweak them until they become their idolized selves. They envision schools without bullying, romances that never leave their honeymoon phases, and tightly-knit friend groups where disagreements rarely have consequences.
Girls' Last Tour is strange and entirely unlike the genre's typical representative. This is a slice of life post-apocalyptic show set long after humanity's fall, and there is no rising back up. The anime follows two girls as they try to make it through each day, with their goal being to reach the city's highest level. In reality, this ambition is just there to give them some vague purpose, and they are under no illusions that this journey will somehow pave the way to civilization's revival. Girls' Last Tour is sad, bleak, hopeless, funny, and unforgettable.