Most Wholesome Anime

There are many genres of anime, from action to fantasy. Viewers enjoy mechas fighting and protagonists wielding massive weapons to defeat a great evil; however, sometimes people just want to sit back and watch something wholesome. When it comes to relaxing in front of the screen, some of the most feel-good anime tend to fall under the categories of comedy, romance, and slice of life. These often have less fan service and conflict appears in the form of everyday issues or comedic misunderstandings.

The best wholesome anime are a fresh change of pace from the high stakes and death-defying action sequences that define the most popular series. Suffice it to say, these shows strive to leave viewers satisfied after seeing their characters enjoy life and their relationships blossom.

Updated on November 30, 2024 by Mark Sammut: After a long, grueling day, nothing hits the spot like a lighthearted fluffy anime. With everything going on in the world, there is no such thing as too many wholesome shows. Consequently, two more series have been added as recommendations.

1 My Love Story!!

The Ultimate Romance

A few exceptions notwithstanding, most romance anime are wholesome. Sure, they might take forever to get to the point, but they usually consist of cute interactions with a hint of comedy, character development, and some minor melodrama. My Love Story!! represents the genre at its peak wholesomeness, and the story also does not waste too much time in bringing together its main couple.

Takeo is the ultimate guy friend, but he has not had much luck with the ladies. Comparatively, his closest friend, Makoto, tends to be very popular with the opposite sex. One day, Takeo saves a girl named Rinko from a molester (which is probably the least wholesome thing that happens in the anime), and they start a friendship that blossoms into a romance.

Takeo and Rinko are completely head-over-heels in love with each other, and their scenes never fail to get that point across. Makoto is also a fantastic friend who always has Takeo’s best interest in mind, and the same can be said in reverse. Except for a couple of dramatic moments, My Love Story!! is always exclusively a feel-good romance.

2 Bunny Drop

A Heartwarming Story Of A Middle-Aged Man Becoming A Guardian To His Grandfather’s Daughter

If there’s anything recent entertainment media has confirmed, it’s that the parent-child dynamic elevates the emotion present in any given scenario. Many shows, movies, and video games have upped the emotional stakes with this dynamic, so it’s nice to see shows like Bunny Drop focus entirely on this dynamic without any other distractions.

Watching the reluctant Daikichi slowly become a father for Rin as they share many memorable experiences makes for a great time that quickly endears fans to the duo. The cute and funny scenarios these two find themselves in form the heart of Bunny Drop, making it an easy pick for fans who want to check out a simple and wholesome anime.

3 Barakamon

Watching Seishu Regain The Love Of His Craft Is A Touching Experience

Barakamon is a comedic slice-of-life anime about the calligrapher Seishu Handa and his humorous interactions with other characters. The story starts when his writing is criticized as being too strict, and he travels to an island in an attempt to find his style. While there, he meets many villagers on the island and their interactions are funny and heartwarming.

This anime shows how opening up to people, letting go, and taking a break can benefit someone. The interactions between Seishu and the hyperactive kid Naru impose a sense of family into the story, such as helping the younger child with homework. The people of the island are a key example of how important a loving support system can be, how impactful random acts of kindness are, and that the term ‘family’ doesn’t need to remain limited to blood relations.

4 School Babysitters

A Slice-Of-Life Anime With Many Hilarious Moments

School Babysitters is a comedic slice-of-life anime. Three brothers are left homeless when their parents suddenly die. Two are in high school and one is a preschooler. The chairwoman of an academy takes them in, giving them free housing and school if they help with the school’s daycare center.

This show is about taking care of one another. The normally strict chairwoman shows her soft motherly side to the boys, while the older boys make sure that their little brother is always taken care of. The show enforces the values of compassion, charity, and selflessness, which turns it into one of the most wholesome watches in the show.

5 Natsume’s Book Of Friends

A Lighthearted Show About A Boy Who Can See Yokai

Natsume is one of the most endearing protagonists that fans can appreciate, with this boy being unfairly marginalized by everyone around him because of his ability to see yokai. After finding his grandmother’s Book of Friends, he decides to track down and help the yokai listed here.

This slice-of-life tale has some tense moments, but the show’s lighthearted nature is what will convince most people to stick around. The bullied yokai make for interesting characters whom Natsume helps out every step of the way.

6 Bocchi The Rock!

An Introverted Girl Whose Aspiration To Become A Rockstar Slowly Becomes A Reality

Social anxiety is a tough topic to cover in any anime, which is what makes Bocchi the Rock! so appealing. Hitori Goto dreams of being a rockstar despite being incredibly shy, but her friends help her overcome this issue time and time again.

It helps that Hitori actually has great skills as a rockstar, and only needs a stage and some confidence to show what it’s all about. The anime’s humor and writing have been highlighted repeatedly as some of the very best the genre has to offer.

7 Spy X Family

The Fictional Forger Family Displays Love And Adoration

Spy X Family is one of the more unique shows in recent times that has exploded in popularity. The show focuses on three people who are hiding their identities from each other while pretending to be a happy family. Lloyd is a secret agent called Twilight who works for Westalis and has to form a family to maintain his secret identity. This leads to a hilarious chain of events as he decides to become a father to Anya, who is a telepath.

To make things even more entertaining, Twilight also decides to get a fake wife called Yor Briar… who is an assassin. What follows is a hilarious series of events as all three members of the family try their hardest to hide their true identities, engaging in some funny hijinks along the way. It’s an extremely entertaining show, and it’s easy to see why it has such a dedicated fanbase that is finally overjoyed to see the second season airing after a lengthy wait.

8 Tanaka-kun Is Always Listless

Shows How Friends Can Help Uplift And Elevate Each Other

Apathy is a very common issue that has been plaguing many people for quite some time now. The idea of not finding joy in anything and deigning to put any effort into living life can make for a really serious show… so fans are glad to see Tanaka-kun is Always Listless take a more lighthearted approach to things.

Tanaka is a funny protagonist in his own right, but the real heart of this show is Ohta. His unwavering loyalty to a friend who doesn’t wear his heart on his sleeve is easily one of the best parts of the show, and watching the two form an unbreakable bond makes for a truly heartwarming tale.

9 Non Non Biyori

The Definitive Iyashikei Anime

Filled with beautiful scenery and moving at a glacial pace that succeeds in being relaxing rather than tedious, Non Non Biyori represents the iyashikei slice of life genre at its absolute best. The show follows a group of girls who live in a tiny village in the countryside, one so small that they all attend the same class despite being different ages.

Technically, Non Non Biyori does not contain many notably wholesome moments, at least not ones that are emotional or represent major character milestones. With nothing significant happening, the girls just lead their normal (and somewhat idealized) lives. This recommendation is primarily inspired by the show’s tone, pacing, and vibe.

10 K-On!

A Group Of Girls Bond After Joining Their High School Music Club

K-On! is easily one of the most popular anime on this list by a country mile, and it’s easy to see why this is the case. The premise of this title is pretty simple, with a group of high-school girls joining the music club to save it from dissolution.

Watching these characters bond and become friends while honing their musical talents is a joy to watch. It seems like a run-of-the-mill show, but great character development and wholesome storylines help it stand out from the rest.

11 A Place Further Than The Universe

A Wholesome Story About Following One’s Dreams

The idea of four girls going to Antarctica to fulfill their wildest dreams sounds like a completely far-fetched concept that wouldn’t work in the slightest. However, it’s the amazing heart present in A Place Further than the Universe that makes it such a successful series in its own right.

The four main girls are all pretty likable in their own right, having their motivations and fears that are explored throughout the series. It’s a truly heartwarming show that any fan of wholesome anime will have a great time with.

12 Tamako Market

A Lighthearted Show Revolving Around A Mochi Shop

Mochi is one of the most popular food products in Japan, and a show that’s majorly focused on a mochi shop is bound to be a fascinating watch indeed. Such is the case with Tamako Market, where Tamako Kitashirakawa takes over her family mochi shop following a series of circumstances.

She meets an interesting talking bird who loves mochi so much that he becomes overweight and stays in the mochi shop, adding his comedic flair to the mix. Tamako Market is a calming and fun show that fans will have a great time watching.

13 The Quintessential Quintuplets

A Student Becomes A Private Tutor To A Group Of Quintuplets

Futaro is a smart student who becomes a tutor for a group of quintuplets as he helps them from an academic perspective while also becoming an important part of their lives. The icing on the cake is that Futaro recites these stories through flashbacks, where it’s revealed that he’s tying the knot with one of these characters, making the narrative even more compelling.

Each member of the Nakano family that Futaro tutors comes with their own set of quirks and personalities. This makes every episode a treat, as the characters in The Quintessential Quintuplets find themselves in numerous funny shenanigans and heartwarming moments. While harem stories are not usually synonymous with wholesome anime, this series proves it can be done.

14 Laid-Back Camp

The Simple Act Of Camping Opens The Floodgates For Wholesome Moments

There’s something extremely zen about camping that makes it such a worthwhile and engaging endeavor. The idea of settling down in the heart of nature for a while and just enjoying a break from the normal hustle-and-bustle of city life makes camping such a relaxing activity. So, it’s only a given that an anime focusing on exploring different playgrounds can have quite the allure for obvious reasons.

This is why Laid-Back Camp makes for such an engaging watch. The show has its fair share of amazing moments, with the backdrop of camping allowing characters to come into their own as interesting personalities who bond throughout the anime in a manner that is truly wholesome in every way. Viewers who want something different with their anime viewing experience should look no further than Laid-Back Camp.

15 How to Keep a Mummy

The Unbreakable Bond Between A Human And A Baby Monster

Is there such a thing as too adorable? Well, if it exists, How to Keep a Mummy will find it. The slice of life series has a simple premise: teenagers take care of cute baby monsters. That’s pretty much everything, and it is a delight. Like so many wholesome anime, How to Keep a Mummy sets the scene by establishing that the protagonist’s father is very irresponsible, a fact showcased by Sora receiving a “gift” that happens to be a living, breathing mummy. Fortunately, Mii-kun is the most precious mummy to ever be wrapped up in bandages, and they quickly form a sweet parent-child dynamic.

Before long, How to Keep a Mummy begins to match Sora’s friends with other mini-mythical creatures, be it an oni or a dragon. While they do kind of look like plushies, the monsters have well-defined personalities, so they are not just there to be cute. The human characters are likable as well, even if they are ultimately forgettable.

16 Anima Yell!

The Power Of Cheer

While not extremely common, a handful of cheerleading anime exist, and they are generally OK picks for fans of the sports formula. For the most part, they are low-stakes, with the focus being primarily on the characters’ passion rather than tournaments (although the latter is often part of the equation). Out of all these series, Anima Yell! is the most wholesome, and it revolves around a protagonist who simply wants to brighten up people’s days through cheer.

Kohane does not care all that much about the actual routines, and her love for cheerleading lies in people’s reactions to the performances. Her innocence inspires a plethora of other girls to join her cheer club, and their friendships take center stage above any overarching story. Anima Yell! is nothing amazing, but it is cute.

17 Komi Can’t Communicate

Documents A Shy Girl’s Struggles And Victories In Trying To Communicate With Others

An anime that became massive, Komi Can’t Communicate’s simple premise and heartwarming characters made it an instant hit. Viewers loved the wholesomeness of the interactions and how Komi slowly came into her own as a nice, endearing character courtesy of the friends who helped her along the way.

Many episodes focus on social anxiety, something that many people are familiar with. Thankfully, Komi isn’t alone in these instances and manages to open her heart to the people who genuinely want her to succeed and make friends, despite the unnecessary attention she receives.

While mostly wholesome,
Komi Can’t Communicate
has one character that comes close to ruining it.

18 March Comes In Like A Lion

Seeing An Introvert Become More Comfortable In His Skin Is A Joy To Witness

The idea of feeling like a burden and being unwanted by everyone around is a feeling that many people have experienced at one point. This is the ordeal that professional shogi player Rei Kiriyama is going through. He has faced his fair share of tragedies early on in his life that have scarred him for good.

March Comes in Like a Lion is an excellent show for fans who love positive character development, and seeing the introverted Rei slowly come into his own and make friends will lead to viewers feeling all warm and fuzzy inside. Rei’s friendship with the Kawamoto sisters constantly produces charming and wholesome scenes, all the while coming across as grounded and realistic.

While containing plenty of wholesome moments,
March Comes in Like a Lion
tackles themes like bullying and depression, and it takes them seriously.

19 Monthly Girls’ Nozaki-kun

A Romantic Comedy With Many Misunderstandings And Lighthearted Moments

Monthly Girls’ Nozaki-kun is a romantic comedy about high school student Chiyo Sakura and her crush on classmate Umetarou Nozaki. Nozaki is a famous manga artist and when Sakura says she wants to be with him, he thinks she’s a fan and invites her over to help him with some of his drawings. After that, to get closer to him, she works as his assistant. Along the way, she meets quirky classmates and comedic events occur. All the while, Sakura hopes that her help will make Nozaki realize her feelings for him.

Many misinterpretations make this anime funny while touching on underlying themes of relationships and romance. It shows how easy it is to misunderstand people and the value of helping others. This wholesome anime teaches viewers about loving someone despite their flaws, which is a real-world lesson that many people should ideally learn in a society that is rife with judgemental opinions and the like.

20 Horimiya

A Fun Romantic Show With Its Fair Share Of Hilarious And Endearing Moments

Hori-san to Miyamura-kun also known as Horimiya, is a romantic comedy anime. It follows the contrast in the appearances of the two characters when they are at school or not. Kyoko Hori is bright and popular at school, but she’s dressed down at home. Izumi Miyamura is her gloomy nerd classmate who, at home, has lots of tattoos and piercings. The two agree to keep each other’s secrets and as they learn they have things in common they become closer.

This wholesome anime is comedic, romantic, relaxing, and entertaining. It emphasizes the importance of not caring what others think and being one’s true self. It teaches about honesty, love of both others and oneself, friendship, and how to open up to people. With how much negativity people can be exposed to, this anime is a great way to purge these feelings to make way for a better and more positive experience.