Best Slice Of Life Anime

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 November 6, 2024 by Mark Sammut: As the Fall 2024 season has skipped the one-month mark, this is the perfect time to highlight its best new slice of life anime.

Best New Slice Of Life Anime Of Fall 2024

Fall 2024 has been brilliant so far, and the season seems set to maintain that momentum. Dandadan, Re:Zero, Bleach, Blue Box, Dragon Ball Daima, Ranma ½, Shangri-La Frontier, DanMachi, Orb: On the Movements of the Earth, Demon Lord 2099, and Rurouni Kenshin: Kyoto Disturbance are all really entertaining and generally great, and they cover quite a spectrum of themes and genres. While some of them incorporate slice of life elements (Ranma ½ and Blue Box, specifically), they ultimately fall under other categories like comedy and romance.

Still, Fall 2024 has a couple of shows that qualify as full-blown slice of life stories. In terms of sequels, Natsume’s Book of Friends has returned with another batch of excellent episodes. Love Live! Superstar!! has bounced back after a confused season 2, delivering a pretty good entry that might rival the original core.

When it comes to new series, there are a couple of options. The Stories of Girls Who Couldn’t Be Magicians is primarily fantasy, but it does have a slice of life aspect to it. Tono to Inu has an adorable corgi and is free to watch on YouTube, although the episodes are only two minutes. Kinokoinu Mushroom Pup is kind of all over the place, to be honest, but the anime does try to tackle serious topics like grief. Despite having a dark opening episode and a premise that does not gel that well with the slice of life genre, Negative Positive Angler has now settled into a relaxing and wholesome tone as the protagonist gradually grows fond of fishing.

Let’s take a look at Fall 2024’s best slice of life anime.

How I Attended an All-Guy’s Mixer

How I Attended an All-Guy’s Mixer is very much a romcom, which might not be what everyone craves from their slice of life anime; that said, the series is structured around fairly mundane and self-contained events that are mostly free of melodrama or tension. Putting aside the crossdressing factor, the series is primarily about three couples who are slowly transitioning from friendships to relationships. Although not exactly divided into skits, each episode is segmented into different events that often involve laughs, flirting, and some light awkwardness.

Like any slice of life story, How I Attended an All-Guy’s Mixer shines due to its characters, who are all charming and have well-defined personalities that set them apart from each other. The girls crossdress due to working at a bar that specializes in that type of experience, and they opt for wildly different personas that complement not only each other but also the three main guys.

Now, on to the best slice of life anime ever…

29 Pseudo Harem

MyAnimeList: 7.88

Along with being perhaps the most adorable romance of 2024, Pseudo Harem is also a pure slice of life that is relentlessly endearing. Rin very clearly has a crush on her senpai, Eiji, but she is not quite ready to directly reveal her interest. Therefore, she uses her acting talent to portray manga trope characters, effectively becoming a one-waifu harem.

Although likable, Eiji is very oblivious, and he does not seem to pick up on Rin’s obvious clues. Despite obvious romantic subtext, Pseudo Harem mainly just chronicles Rin and Eiji’s daily interactions. Their relationship has a bit of forward momentum, but their interactions are mostly just cute and funny.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.