Slice-of-life anime are a popular genre of anime that many seem to enjoy from the start, as seen with Handyman Saitou In Another World. After all, it's meant to be lighthearted and filled with people that have a certain sense of whimsy due to the fact that their situations are meant for an audience that wants to relax. Despite all that, many are also interested in Fantasy as a genre of anime. While we do have a bunch of Isekai's as the main topic of how fantasy is done, that's something that has been a staple and become commonplace to many people. However, then that brings up a statement regarding these two genres of anime. We need more slice-of-life anime like that focus on a character, but also provide a certain sense of relaxation along with the fantasy of being in another world to immerse yourself with.
Among many other fantasy anime, the genre that seems to get less talked about more often than not, are the Isekai's or fantasy anime that don't focus on a hero's journey or even on a grand adventure to save the world from an evil. Fantasy and slice-of-life are usually considered to be genres that are separated and only briefly crossing over when the subject revolves around either cooking or another handy skill and power. Not to say this is a problem, in fact it's completely serviceable to audiences who love that, but it does feel like there is a genre as well as a possible audience many studios are missing out on. The ability to enjoy something as small as either food, or just enjoying the world and how the people live their lives day in and day out is something that many should be able to experience as a genre.
A Few That Fit The Bill
There are thankfully two anime out there that both fit the Isekai genre, while also fitting a sense of slice-of-life in a fantasy world, providing everything most will love. For example, Handyman Saitou In Another World follows the new life of Saitou, a former handyman who finds himself in an adventurers group who are levels above him but rely on him and consider him irreplaceable due to his skills. Another anime that starts off with a similar premise and yet also has its own feeling of a slice-of-life anime is Campfire Cooking In Another World With My Absurd Skills, where Mukouda Tsuyoshi abilities surround being able to use and purchase ingredients from his world to use them as ingredients for food. Despite these two shows being focused on an Isekai premise, it manages to feel lighthearted as opposed to dark or filled with action.
While Saitou is a handyman in an adventurers group, the world is expanded upon gradually over the course of just experiencing his party's personalities and daily routines, along with other adventurers to show the living breathing world Saitou finds himself in. And while Mukouda Tsuyoshi is a simple man with a skill that allows him to get ingredients for campfire foods, the world and journey feels more lighthearted than anything else as a result of him and his party members enjoying the life they have. These two main characters are experiencing a slice of the fantasy life in which they live in, despite the fact that in their previous life they either felt unfulfilled or were taken for granted.
Why This Matters.
Many might be asking by this point why it matters. Slice-of-life anime is successful on its own, and Fantasy anime is usually connected to a narrative that focuses on action, magic, and journey's along with grand threats. So why exactly is it important to mix the idea of having lighthearted day-to-day life in the middle of a fantasy world that can have magical items and monsters? Because this allows the audience to learn and remember that even in another world, there are simply people that want to live a peaceful life in the world they call home. It may be fantastical to the audience, and it still is to many of them, but it also helps to see the characters take a relaxing day at home while cooking, or seeing friends discuss together about the best creatures of their world and why they consider those interesting. Even more than that however, it is important to be able to connect to people in the world that an audience witnesses, and slice-of-life fantasy anime is a genre that can mix in both ideas and unify them together.
Of course, this genre in it of its own is up for debate and dependent on the reactions of the audience for this sort of material to occur. Handyman Saito In Another World as a show is popular recently for many fans, and clearly this is not by coincidence. It's lighthearted and refreshing take on the Isekai genre as opposed to relying on being a power fantasy for those wanting to live through it. And even with how the main character isn't strong, Saito is useful to the party and has an immense advantage when it comes to lock-picking and handling other hobbies and skills of his own. Campfire Cooking In Another World With My Absurd Skills manages to add to that atmosphere and become refreshing to many people as well, which only further supports why the anime community needs more slice-of-life Fantasy anime. After all, if the audience can slowly but steadily gain an understanding of the day-to-day life of the people in the fantastic worlds, then they can relax and laugh at the enjoyment that most share when watching both genres.