There is something special about the slice of life anime. These anime are simple so they can be watched by anyone, anytime. Slice of life anime usually has ordinary humans spending their usual days so it can be something that we can relate to. These anime have either comedy, romance, etc., depending on which ones you watch. In this top list, we will be listing the 20 best slice of life anime that are a must-watch. Check out our top list section for more exciting lists.
Shounen anime are fun to watch but sometimes you’re in the mood for something lighter to take your mind off from daily life stress. That is when slice of life anime come in handy. Most of them are so wholesome they’ll make you get butterflies in your stomach. There is usually some comedy in slice of life anime that would keep you smiling for minutes straight. The best slice of life anime are those that are so good that you don’t ever forget them.
If you’re an Otaku, you might also like to see our list of best wholesome anime or top comedy anime.
1. Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day
Anohana is a slice of life anime that is sure to bring tears to your eyes but develop an important place in your heart forever. Anohana is the story of five childhood friends who became distanced after the sudden death of their friend, Menma.
Jinta Yadomi is spending his summer at home playing video games when he starts seeing Menma there. He thinks he’s hallucinating but Menma insists that its really her and she wants him to fulfill her last wish. The anime then follows the story of Jinta as he reunites with his other childhood friends to put Menma’s soul at peace. As they meet each other, unsaid feelings and internal conflicts are brought forward.
2. Hyouka
Around 8 years have passed since the release of this anime and it remains to have a huge fanbase. Hyouka is an anime with fun characters and wonderful animation by Kyoto Animation. What sets it apart from other anime is that it also has mystery involved. Even if you’re not a fan of SoL, you are sure to love Hyouka because of how entertaining it is throughout.
Hyouka follows the story of a high school student named Hōtarō Oreki. He has one rule that is to only do someone when it is really needed and remain average although he is smart. However, things change when he is forced to join the Classical Literature Club by his sister’s request to save it from disbandment. Then, Oreki meets a charismatic girl named Eru Chitanda who finds out his Oreki’s talent for solving different types of mysteries.
3. Nichijou – My Ordinary Life
Nichijou is one of the funniest anime ever made. It’s so famous you probably have at least seen it on internet memes you haven’t watched the anime. The art style is different yet so cute to perfection as expected of Kyoto Animation.
There is nothing complex about this anime. It focuses on the daily life of a trio of high school girls who are childhood friends. Their life is ordinary but there is something funny and interesting going on each day. All three of them have a wacky hobby or secret. There are weird elements such as a robot caretaker called Nano and Sakamoto a talking cat. There are a lot of extraordinary things in the ordinary life of these girls.
4. K-on
K-on is an anime that focuses on the Light Music Club in the Sakuragaoka High School. Yui Hirasawa is confused about which club to join so she joins the Light Music Club with the hope to learn how to play musical instruments. But she is unable to play any instrument and decides to leave. But the club faces a risk of disbandment due to fewer members.
The group does everything to convince Yui to stay and after playing a piece for her, Yui becomes passionate and chooses to stay. From that time onwards, the club members are seen doing all kinds of fun, goofy things, playing some music, and making the most out of their day. K-on is a simple yet entertaining anime filled with cuteness.
5. Barakamon
Barakamon is an anime that’ll make you fall in love with the slice of life genre. It is unexpectedly good and has a unique storyline that delivers an important message, “accept failure and learn to change”. Barakamon follows the story of Seishuu Handa a talented, but narcissistic calligrapher. His life turns upside down when a veteran says calls his art piece is unoriginal. This causes Seishuu to burst with anger.
Seishuu’s father then as a punishment sends him to Goto Island. Now, Seishuu must learn to adjust to this new rural environment, release his mistakes, and develop the inspiration for his artwork. However, Seishuu’s life is not quiet and alone like he had imagined the rural area to be. Instead, he always has noisy children, old men, and wacky neighbors coming over to his place. Making his life more difficult than he had expected.
6. Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid
Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid is a fantasy slice of life anime filled with lots of adorable characters and hilarious moments. Miss Kobayashi’s drunken night turns her life upside down as she invites a homeless Dragon to stay at her place. The next day, the Dragon transforms into a cute, young girl called Tooru and requests Kobayashi to let her work as her maid to pay off her favor.
With a lot of convincing, Kobayashi agrees to her offer. But Tooru is more trouble than help because her “dragon-like” ways of doing house chores are far from normal. However, Tooru’s reason for being on the earth is more complicated as more eccentric mystical creatures keep showing up at Miss Kobayashi’s home because of Tooru’s presence. Even then, Kobayashi and Tooru become closer to each other and soon the surprising secrets behind the lives of Dragons begin to unveil to Kobayashi.
7. My Dress-Up Darling
My Dress-Up Darling is the most recent anime on this list as it was released in January 2022. This anime is a romance, comedy, and ecchi Slice of life anime that has gained a lot of popularity. It anime revolves around the unique friendship of Wakana Gojou and Marin Kitagawa. Gojou’s secret hobby is sewing clothes for dolls. One day, his popular and beautiful classmate Marin finds out about his exceptionally good sewing skills and asks for his help in making her cosplay costumes.
As Gojou and Marin work together, they become closer to each other. My Dress-Up Darling is a stunningly animated series that focuses on cosplaying and comedy with a mix of romance. It is a wholesome anime that is worth the hype.
8. March Comes in Like a Lion
Although March Comes in Like a Lion is a slice of life anime, it focuses on serious issues such as depression and loneliness which is why it may not be for everyone. But it is worth watching because it will make you value many important things in your life. This is a beautifully written and animated anime that has very relatable characters.
The anime follows the story of a 17-year-old professional shogi player named Rei Kiriyama. Rei faces a lot of pressure from the shogi community and his adoptive family. Due to this, he moves into an apartment alone. But Rei doesn’t take care of his health and has a reclusive personality so he stays alone. Things change when Rei moves to an apartment in Tokyo where he starts living with his grandfather and a trio of sisters living with him. The oldest sister, Akari becomes like a motherly figure to Rei. She realizes he is a normal teenager even if he is a pro shogi player. She starts looking after him and becomes determined to help him fight loneliness.
9. Wotakoi: Love is Hard for Otaku
Most slice of life anime have a high school or urban setting but Wotakoi is different as it focuses on the romance between office workers. Only a few characters are shown in this anime but each of them is memorable. Narumi Momose gets late on the first day of her new office and promises herself to not let anyone know that she’s an Otaku and Fujoshi.
But her plan fails when she finds her middle school friend, Hirotaka Nifuji also being at the office. She planned to keep it hidden from everyone else but when Hirotaka asks her if she’ll be coming to Summer Comiket in the office, two more people find out her secret. Luckily, those two colleagues are also Otaku. When Narumi and Hirotaka later go out, she tells him about her breakup because her boyfriend didn’t want to date Fujoshi. That is when Hirotaka proposes to her and their relationship and moments of awkward romance begin.
10. Toradora
Toradora is one of the most popular romantic slice of life anime. It has a well-written plot, characters, and has excellent animation. It is a short series of only 25 episodes and is filled with lots of humor that keeps the audience engaged. The anime follows the story of two high school students, Taiga and Ryuji.
Ryuji has a soft personality while Taiga is completely opposite as she is short-tempered and has a feisty personality. Surprisingly, Ryuji and Taiga have a crush on each other’s best friends and they decide to help each other with their crushes. Although their attempts usually don’t turn out well and they end up in weird romantic situations.
11. ReLIFE
ReLIFE is an underrated slice of life anime that deserves more appreciation for being amazing. It also deserves a second season since the first ended with a cliffhanger. This anime follows the story of a 27-year-old man named Arata Kaizaki. He’s pretty much failing in life as he’s unable to stick to a job and is confused.
His life turns around when he meets Ryou Yoake from the ReLife Research Institute. He gives him a pill and after consuming it, Ryou wakes up as a 17-year-old. Ryou becomes a test subject and has to attend high school as a transfer student for one year. ReLIFE follows the journey of Ryou as he faces difficulties in adjusting to his new lifestyle. Ryou now must do this without repeating his past mistakes and also understanding his classmates.
12. Usagi Drop
Usagi Drop was released in 2011 but it remains to be a popular slice of life anime. That is thanks to its well-written source material and an excellent animation by Production IG. Since it is a seinen anime, it is better enjoyed for those in their 20s and onwards.
Usagi Drop follows the story of a 30-year-old bachelor named Daikichi Kawachi. Daikichi has a job but no future plans. When his grandfather passes away, Daikichi visits his home to pay respect. There he sees a six-year-old girl in that home named Rin. Surprisingly, she is his grandfather’s illegitimate daughter. Since she has no caretaker, Daikichi decides to take her in. The anime follows the journey of Daikicihi as he learns to adapt to his new fatherhood lifestyle and raise Rin in the best possible way.
13. Non Non Biyori
If you love anime set in the countryside, then you will truly enjoy watching Non Non Biyori. The anime takes place in the small town of Asahigaoka which looks like boring countryside to some people but it is totally the opposite of that. The town has only one school with a total of five children enrolled in it. Each student is of different age.
There were four girls initially studying in the school but things change when a fifth-grade student named Hotaru Ichijō moves in there. She is more mature than the other children but adds a new combination to this group of charismatic girls. This is a wholesome anime that follows the daily life of these girls as they make the most out of their lives in this small town.
14. Mushishi
Mushishi is a must-watch slice of life anime, especially for those who also love seinen anime. Mushishi is more of a serious anime as it focuses on understanding the meaning of life. This anime is a mix of ecology and fantasy. It focuses on Mushi, a basic life form that exists without any purpose. There is less known about Mushi except that they can mimic things such as plants and even rainbows.
The anime follows the story of Ginko, a Mushishi. Mushishi are those that research the Mushi. The anime follows Ginko’s journey as he follows any hints that can be linked to Mushi. By doing so, he intends to find out the purpose behind their existence, their abilities, etc.
15. Daily Lives of High School Boys
This is one of the funniest slice of life anime ever. Also, it’s very relatable to our teenage days. This anime revolves around the daily lives of a trio of teenagers, Yoshitake, Tadakuni, and Hidenori. They study in an only boys school called Sanada Nord high school.
This trio does all kinds of things to pass their time. Such as telling each other scary stories, or trying out bras and girls’ clothes. In their wild imagination, there is lots of drama in their lives but in reality, it is an ordinary life of high school boys goofing around and trying to have those unexpected moments of romance.
16. Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions!
This is another famous rom-com slice of life anime that you have probably heard about at least once. Filled with adorable high school characters, lots of goofiness, comedy, and young romance, Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions is a one-of-a-kind anime.
The anime follows the story of a high school student named Yuuta Togashi. When he was a child, he had a disease named “chuunibyou”. That is when a person believes they have superpowers. He became embarrassed about it as he grew up and came to a high school far away to move away from his past. But his past knocks back on his door when his new classmate Rikka Takanashi arrives. She has the chuunibyou disease and often brings back the embarrassing past of Yuuta. The anime follows the everyday struggles of Yuuta as has to cope with Rikka’s childishness.
17. The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya
This is another Kyoto Animation anime on this list so you can guess that this one is going to be good too. The anime follows the story of a high school student named Kyon who doesn’t believe in aliens, time travelers, etc. However, he befriends a girl an eccentric girl named Haruhi Suzumiya. She strongly believes in the existence of supernatural beings.
Kyon encourages Haruhi to start a paranormal investigation club. So, Haruhi starts a club with three other members, and Kyon enlisted. The club investigates any possible alien or time traveler activity. Each member of the club is weird in their own way. The anime follows the daily life and adventures of these members.
18. Wolf Children
Wolf Children is a heart-touching slice of life anime film. Wolf Children is an anime that shows in a beautiful way that you can make it through life’s hardest times with patience and hard work. It follows the story of a college student named Hana who falls in love with a wolfman.
They have two children together but her husband passes away when the children are still young. The anime follows the journey of Hana as she moves to the countryside to raise her wolf children. She struggles to manage finances and look after her children who suddenly transform into wolves. Life isn’t easy for Hana and she has no past experience with wolf-human hybrids. But she still manages to do her best.
19. Natsume’s Book of Friends
Natsume’s Book of Friends is a supernatural slice of life anime. It follows the story of a young boy named Takashi Natsume. He has always been chased by spirits which only he can see called “Youkai”. One day, he finds out that he has inherited a powerful book from his grandmother that has trapped multiple Youkai.
Natsume is accompanied by a feline spirit called “Madara”, who is his only companion as Natsume has always been lonely. Natsume decides to free all the Youkai trapped by the book by returning their names. The anime follows his difficult yet calming journey of freeing the spirits. Each of these Youkai has a powerful background story that makes this anime even more interesting.
20. Tamako Market
Tamako Market is a 12-episode comedy slice of life anime filled with cuteness, love, and mochi. Each character in this anime has a unique personality and character design, all of it animated by Kyoto Animation. The anime is set in the Usagiyama Shopping District where there are many business owners. Tamako Kitashirakawa is from a family of mochi bakers. One day, a strange bird, Mochimazzwi meets Tamako and tells her that it’s from a distant land looking for a bride for their country’s prince.
But everyone feeds him so many mochis that he becomes too overweight to fly back and starts living with Tamako. A side love story is also booming as Tamako’s childhood friend, Mochizou Ooji is in love with her but their fathers are mochi rivals. In between this simple, mochi-filled story happens a lot of fun and entertainment.
21. Tanaka-kun is Always Listless
Tanaka-kun is Always Listless has the simplest plot and that is what makes it so entertaining. One more thing that makes this anime so amazing is that it is based on an actual school in Hiroshima. The anime revolves around a high school student named Tanaka.
He is always super lazy and he wants to do nothing other than sleeping and relaxing. Although he slowly does realize that his behavior affects the people around him. Luckily, his friend Oota always looked after him trying to get his tasks done. But sadly, one thing or another prevents Tanaka from having his calm peaceful days.
22. Yuru Camp
Yuru Camp is one of the most relaxing slice of life anime. Beautiful colorful scenery and camping are the words that describe this anime. Rin Shima is a young girl who chooses to camp alone in Mount Fuji to spend her days. Her alone time is the most precious to her.
But Rin’s alone camping time turns into camping of two when Nadeshiko Kagamihara gets lost and ends up taking refuge at Rin’s campsite. Although their introductions are too quick, they get along with each other well. Watching the girls warming themselves in front of the firewood and eating ramen is so calming. Even after their camping ends, the two hope to camp together once again.
23. Working!!
Working!! Is another addition of a workplace comedy anime on this list. This anime is based in the Wagnaria restaurant located in Hokkaido. Sōta Takanashi is a high school student who has a liking for cute things so he is unable to refuse Popura Taneshima when she asks him to work as a waiter at Wagnaria.
There are all kinds of eccentric staff members in this hotel. One of his colleagues wields a katana, one is a sadistic person, the chef is very intimidating, and there’s a female staff member with an intense fear of men. Each of these staff members makes the experience at Wagnaria much more hilarious. The anime follows the daily happenings and romance at Wagnaria. Each day there is something new going on that would keep you laughing throughout the episode.
24. Azumanga Daioh
Azumanga Daioh is a classic slice of life anime. Around 20 years have passed since its release but it has kept its popularity. The anime focuses on the students of a high school and two teachers. All the students have eccentric personalities. Tomo Takino is a tomboy, Koyomi Mizuhara is short-tempered, Sakaki who has looks intimidating but is very gentle. Often gets bitten by pets although she loves them.
Each of these contributes to making the everyday life at high school filled with chaos and adventures. This anime is lighthearted and has a lot of foolishness and fun going on. The anime covers the journey of the girls from freshman year till graduation. But what’s best about this anime is the realism as each girl had flaws and insecurities of their own as well.
25. Aria the Animation
This anime takes place in the year 2031. The anime focuses on Neo-Venezia, a place on Mars. Earth was given the name “Man-Home” while Mars was now called “planet of water” because of the melting of its ice. The protagonist is Akari Mizunashi, a tour guide for Neo Venezia.
The anime follows the adventures of Akari as she learns more about this beautiful unique city. Aria the Animation is a wonderful slice of life anime that focuses on optimism and innovation. It is set in a world free from conflict and that is why it is so relaxing.
We hope you enjoyed reading this list. If you love anime, you check out our list of cutest anime elves or top seinen anime
