Sometimes high school isn’t as fun as we’d like. At times like this, the  best thing to do is coop up in a blanket and watch some slice of life! For those who are unfamiliar with this genre of anime, slice of life portrays the day to day life of a character or ensemble in a world largely similar to our own. With that settled, here are a handful of lighthearted and entertaining slice of life anime to put a smile on your face. 

Nichijou: My Ordinary Life

A group of high school students, a young scientist and her cyborg maid and their talking cat go about their mundane yet lives.  

Nichijou virtually owns chaotic humor. At face value, the storylines in this comedy are very unassuming, following events such as adopting a cat or walking to school. Yet, Nichijou manages to make these ridiculous yet realistic without underplaying or overplaying the comedy. It’s this mastery of comedy that has made this anime the face of slice of life.

SpyxFamily 

An undercover spy in enemy territory, an assassin trying to avoid suspicion, and an orphaned telepath in need of a better home. Together, they form the guise of a typical family. But when powerful elements like a long-winded territorial war or terrible (potentially life-threatening!) cooking skills come into play, how will the makeshift family respond?

In a perfectly balanced mish-mash of Slice of Life, comedy, and action, this popular anime knows the way to your heart. SpyxFamily’s main cast of characters each have their unique charms that has earned each and every single one of them a global fan base. That just makes it even more heartwarming when our characters grow past their harships and find joy in one another.

Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid

Kobayashi finds herself living with Toru, a dragon Kobayashi saved and offered a home on a drunken night. Toru, to show her appreciation, decides to work as Kobayashi’s maid. Before they know it, they can’t imagine a life without each other. 

Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid is brilliant in so many ways. The beautiful and unique art, the well-written protagonists, outsmarting archetypes with quality representation and diversity, and it lies within the soul of the anime: the chemistry between Kobayashi and Toru. Both grow to be far more than their stereotypes suggest, progressing from their love for each other above all else. That’s what makes Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid one of the most wholesome anime out there.

Barakamon

When a short-tempered perfectionist’s work is critiqued by an accomplished professional in his field, he retreats to the country-side to perfect his craft. He expects quiet, peace, and solitude. Instead, he gets days full of his neighbors, their rampant, havoc-wreaking selves and children, and endless amounts of chaos. But maybe that’s what he’s been missing all along.

Barakamon is an extremely underrated anime that gets far less attention than one would think. It’s ridiculous, extremely hilarious, painfully relatable, and still it has its balance of sentimental elements. As the audience, it warms your heart to see the originally cold-hearted protagonist open his heart up to his many neighbors. Especially because some his neighborhood children unapologetically wreak havoc on his home, and even unintentionally ruin his art. Yet, he still he ends up going out of his way to make sure they are safe. 

Tsurezure Children

A group of classmates navigate through the tiny, yet catastrophic, perils of high school romance and the troubles that ensue. 

Tsurezure children is nothing but warm fluff and comedy. It’s a refreshing and realistic take on high school romance. It encapsulates the awkwardness of asking someone out for the first time or being rejected (best wishes to those who relate), the embarrassing experience of fumbling your first kiss, and — -something many romance shows don’t show — -the abundant patience and slow pace a relationship may take. The relatable aspects of this anime just make it funnier (and more painful) to watch. However, rawness of the characters and their emotions manages to tug at your heartstrings and leave you feeling all fuzzy inside. Bonus point! The couples in this show have very different dynamics and personalities. You’re bound to love at least one of the, if not all.

Himouto Umaru-chan

Umaru is a perfect student. She’s smart, she’s popular, she’s pretty; she’s everything you would ask of a typical golden girl. Well, that’s just a persona. When Umaru’s at home with her brother, she reverts to her original form: a onesie wearing manga and gamer fanatic with ridiculous (literally) hamster-like proportions. 

Himouto Umaru-chan is ideal for a “no thoughts, head empty” mood, keeping to the purpose of the whole genre that is slice of life.It utilizes a non-chronological format with short snippets that make them especially easy to follow. The anime manages to pack these little snippets to the brim with Umaru-style chaos, a wholesome warmth, nerdy gamer action and the exemplary shut-in lifestyle — don’t we all wish we could slack and slay? It’s perfect for a quick serotonin boost or if you’re on a tight schedule.