Slice-of-life anime typically follow a normal life, providing a comforting and cozy viewing experience. At times, drama or strange situations can occur, but for the most part, slice-of-life anime are exactly what their name is; a slice out of someone’s life.
There are a lot of slice-of-life anime out there, and deciding which one to watch next can be hard. Here, you can find some of the best slice-of-life anime of all time. While these anime may involve other genres, such as romance, this is not the ‘main’ genre.
2016 to 2018
Seasons/Episodes
2 seasons (44 episodes)
First up on our list, we have March Comes In Like A Lion. This anime follows Rei Kiriyama living in the Tokyo metropolis. Here, he lives by himself, plays shogi (professionally), and spends time with the Kawamoto family.
This anime delivers a perfect view into his life and the emotional struggles that Rei is going through. Rather than having a lens over the show, romanticizing life in the big city as a professional shogi player, we get to see both the good and the bad. Overall, this is a great show if you want to watch character development without a heavy romantic subplot.
2006 to 2007
1 season (47 episodes and 3 recaps)
Nana is a widely popular anime following two young adults who both happen to be named Nana. After both moving to Tokyo, the two move in together. This show takes us on a journey through both of their lives as we witness love, heartbreak, and friendship.
Of course, Nana expertly lets us become familiar with these characters before throwing some drama our way. Instead of being picture-perfect protagonists, both Nanas are completely human and as such, make mistakes. Nana is another great anime that paints a real picture of ordinary life.
2018 to 2024
2 seasons (25 episodes and 5 OVAs)
The third season is currently airing as of publication.
Taking a break from serious slice-of-life anime, we have Laid-Back Camp. This anime is exactly what the name suggests; a laid-back camping trip with a group of high school girls. In fact, this anime is also “Iyashikei”, which is essentially something meant to create a healing or soothing effect.
Whether you want to sit back and unwind or calm your nerves, Laid-Back Camp is the perfect anime to watch. On top of relaxing vibes, Laid-Back Camp has great animation, making it worth the watch.
2017 to 2022
2 seasons (25 episodes and 2 OVAs)
There are two additional ‘seasons’, which consist of a bunch of shorts (287 in total)
Dragons don’t sound very slice-of-life-y, but hear us out. Ms. Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid follows the titular Kobayashi as she deals with Tohru, who is her live-in (dragon) maid. Throughout this show, we see typical life as an office worker in Japan and fun outings around the city, as well as beautifully animated dragon fights.
This is my personal favorite slice-of-life anime!
Each character in this show has their own unique personality, and each dragon character also has a sizable dragon form that makes an appearance from time to time. Ms. Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid perfectly blends together daily life, fantasy, comedy, andeven a hint of romance!
2023
1 season (12 episodes)
Skip and Loafer hovers on the border between slice-of-life and romance, but ultimately favors the slice-of-life aspect. In this show, we get to watch Mitsumi and Sosuke meet and become friends. While there are hints of romantic love in the air, this anime really develops the platonic relationship between the two.
Overall, Skip and Loafer is a cute and wholesome show to watch if you just want to sit back and smile at the screen. Coming in at just 12 episodes, it’s also very easy to binge this entire show in a day or two.
2013
1 season (12 episodes and 1 OVA)
Next up, we have No Matter How I Look at It, It’s You Guys' Fault I’m Not Popular!. Is this name too long for you? Don’t worry, most people just call this show ‘WataMote’. This slice-of-life comedy follows Tomoko Kuroki, who has apassion for otome games.
Tomoko is a bit weird, but that doesn’t make her any less lovable. In WataMote, we get to see her try and break out of her shell and socialize with others. As a comedy anime though, things don’t go according to plan in the funniest of ways.
2012 to 2013
1 season (24 episodes)
Like WataMote, The Pet Girl of Sakurasou is another anime where the main female character is kinda strange. This show takes place in the Sakura Dormitory, which is known for housing troublemakers. We land here after the protagonist, Sorata Kanda, is forced here after being kicked out of his previous dorm.
Here, Sorata meets Mashiro Shiina, who happens to be aworld-famous mangaka. Of course, Mashiro is also the ‘pet girl’ in question, so it’s up to Sorata to take care of her.
2022 to 2023
Wit Studio and CloverWorks
2 seasons (37 episodes and one movie)
Since its release in 2022, Spy x Family has remained immensely popular. This show follows a family that consists of a spy, an assassin, and a telepath. Together, the three form a little family that’s anything but normal, especially as Anya is the only one who knows all three identities.
In addition to risking their lives, we get to see the daily family life of these three, as well as the humorous plights of Anya as she attends school and tries not to fail. Even in the most outrageous of situations, we still see a family come together and move forward in the world.
