02 Nov Seven Cozy Slice-of-Life Anime for You to Watch This Weekend
I literally can’t believe I’m about to type this, but Daylight Savings is happening this weekend. Why we’re still doing this, I have no idea, but here we are. As much as I long for fall and cooler (well, colder) weather, I am almost never ready for it by the time it flings itself onto the scene. I mean, it was still summer weather right up until about three nights ago. But hey, I’m not complaining. In fact, this is the perfect weekend for a cozy slice-of-life anime marathon.
Let’s call it self-care.
Hubs and I love a good shonen anime, but with this time and weather change, I feel like I want to gather the blankets, make some tea, and catch up on some of my favorite slice-of-life anime series. That means some alone time since Hubs is not a fan of the slower anime.
Although, I bet any one of you IRL money that he will find his way next to me on the couch with his laptop pretending to “work” while sneaking long looks at the television trying his best not to give himself away by asking questions about the characters.
Who wants to place bets?
If any of you are also up for some adorable characters just living their best anime lives, then I’ll share seven slice-of-life anime that are just perfect for this cozy season. A couple of them may even have a slightly spooky tinge because I am not quite ready for spooky season to be over, yet. But first,
What is a slice-of-life anime?
Slice-of-life anime are light-hearted stories with carefree characters that take place in everyday recognizable settings that give viewers and fans much-needed escapes from real life.
You’re basically following the characters around while they live their lives.
The characters in slice-of-life anime go through experiences that seem mundane in nature and sometimes even a bit random, but you soon find yourself forming emotional ties with them as you follow along on their day-to-day lives. They are charming, funny, and endearing, and some of the situations are even often recognizable, while also a bit unrealistic.
Life may move a bit slower in these stories, but the plots do not. You can still find some elements of fantasy, romance, drama, and comedy in most slice-of-life anime. This is what makes this genre so great to watch in my opinion.
Real life without the trauma, am I right?
The cozy aspect of slice-of-life comes from a kind of nostalgia you feel when watching. These anime are warm and feel good to watch, and they lack fight scenes and difficult moments. Or what I like to call, imaginary stress.
We have enough stress IRL, I don’t need it in my anime, too. I’m glaring at you, Attack on Titan.
Seven Cozy Slice-of-Life Anime for You to Watch This Weekend
- The Ancient Magus’ Bride
- Fruits Basket (2019)
- The Ice Guy and His Cool Female Colleague
- Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid
- Interviews with Monster Girls
- That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime
- Romantic Killer
These aren’t in any type of order by favorites or anything, so watch them in whatever order you’d like. I have added more categories so you’ll know which elements can be found in each series.
The Ancient Magus’ Bride
A kind-of spooky, kind of dark, but mostly cozy slice-of-life anime
I may be biased when I talk about this anime, but it may actually be my favorite.
Except that Black Butler is my favorite. And My Hero Academia. oooh! And Blue Period.
Okay, so maybe I have way too many favorites. But this one is definitely high on my list.
I can’t say why I picked up this manga in the bookstore. Something about the cover called out to me. It was weird with rich colors, lots of plants, and a gothic undertone. Plus there was a strange if not seemingly curious character with a goat skull for a head in a suit. Having tea with a perfectly human girl. Obviously I was going to pick it up, and I did. I devoured the manga in one day and then discovered that there was an anime. And even though I continue to fill my shelves with the volumes as soon as they’re released, I watched the entire first season in one sitting. I was hooked.
The girl on the cover, Chise, is in a sad place in her life where she has given up. And this is where she meets Elias Ainsworth. He finds her, purchases her, and then breaks the chains, inevitably freeing her from her past all in one amazing chapter. That’s all I will tell you because you’ll meet more amazing characters and learn more about both hers and Elias’ pasts and then go along with them as they figure out life together. This is definitely a fantasy slice-of-life with a bit of mystery, a good amount of humor, a dark undertone, and a lot of heart.
Fruits Basket (2019)
Fantasy and friendship in one cozy slice-of-life anime
Fruits Basket is also based off a manga, but I didn’t read it until after I’d started the anime. This was so long ago that I remember the books better than the manga. Since then, they’ve released a new adaptation of the anime that is more accurate than it’s earlier version.
As the first episode opens, Tohru Honda is living in a tent because of a family tragedy. She attends school just like a normal student her age, so no one knows of her misfortune. Until she is discovered by the Soma clan, a mysterious family possessed by animals of the zodiac. She is invited to live with them and we follow along as she learns more about their family, her family, and how they’re tied to each other. It’s a sweet story of acceptance and friendship and can be classified as a romantic supernatural comedy with just a tinge of darkness.
The Ice Guy and His Cool Female Colleague
A charming love story and cozy slice-of-life anime
This anime wasn’t at all what I pictured when I saw it on Crunchyroll. So I went into it without really knowing what it was about. I put on my headphones to watch the dubbed version while sewing my costume for MomoCon.
A quick note about Subbed and Dubbed Anime
Anime can be watched in two different ways: subbed (subtitled) and dubbed. Subbed anime is when you watch the anime in it’s original language (usually Japanese) and read the subtitles in your language. Anime that has been dubbed is watched in the viewer’s preferred language using voiceover. Audio dubbing is when the original dialogue of a television show or movie is replaced with dialogue in a different language.
Which is better – subbed or dubbed?
There has been much debate (both comedic and serious) over which is better, but I believe they both serve their purpose. Personally, I prefer to watch anime in its intended language (subbed). In my opinion, the original language conveys more emotion and soul, and I like to get a sense of the character’s emotions through the voice actor. Most times, the English voice actors just don’t do it for me. With some exceptions, of course (I’m looking at you, J. Michael Tatum, Steve Blum, and every character in My Hero Academia!). However, watching subbed anime requires my full attention and focus so I don’t miss what’s being said. With dubbed anime, I can do other things while watching, much like when I watch regular television in English.
So as the first episode started, I imagined a cold boss with a female assistant and the shenanigans that would ensue from a potential office romance. But as I got further into this adorable slice-of life romantic story, I realized that it was really about a potential office romance between colleagues. But with a cold twist.
You see, Fuyutsuki-san is on her way into the office for her first day of work, but finds Himuro-kun with his feet literally frozen to the ground outside the building. Not knowing that they’re going to be coworkers, she kindly offers him tea to help him thaw out so he can get to work on time. Sounds far-fetched, I know, but Himuro is a descendant of a snow spirit and his emotions can make snow flurries or snow blasts, depending on the situation. And his crush on Fuyutsuki means cold blasts and adorable office scenarios.
This slice-of-worklife is just as endearing as it sounds with every bit of romantic comedy and fantasy that you fit into a series.
Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid
A ridiculously endearing cozy slice-of-life anime
I can’t even remember how this happened. More than likley, I went into the day thinking, ‘I want to watch something I wouldn’t normally watch’ and chose this. It’s a whole mood. But the laughing that came from just the first couple episodes was an unexpected surprise.
Miss Kobayashi (first name unknown although Reddit already figured it out lol) is a normal programmer working in a hectic office. One morning after a drunken excursion through the woods, she opens her apartment door to an actual dragon who transforms into a human woman in a maid outfit and reminds her that they met the night before and that she was now going to stay there. After much refusal, Kobayashi finally decides that Tohru can stay at her home and work as her personal maid. Tohru absolutely agrees because she is, after all, in love with Kabayashi. Of course, Tohru can neither cook or clean so that’s an adventure in itself.
Not only is she a terrible, if not endearing, maid – Tohru also attracts other dragons and monsters because of her presence. Soon another dragon named Kanna appears and after more shenanigans Kobayashi decides to become her guardian and soon sees their little unit as a family. Now we follow the three of them through everyday life as they learn to live together and make new friends.
Outside of the ridiculousness of its premise, Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid is an amazing story of friendship, loyalty, and finding family in strangers. It is hilarious. I laughed so hard. But it is also very charming and will get all in your feels.
Interviews with Monster Girls
An unexpected warm and cozy slice-of-life anime
In this world, demi-humans are learning to live among humans as society slowly accepts their presence. Demis (as they are commonly called) even attend school, and this is where we meet Tetsuo Takahashi, the biology teacher who is fascinated by demis. As he meets three new demi-human students at the high school where he teaches, he reaches out to them to learn more about their natures. His curiosity quickly turns to genuine concern for his students’ well-being and he strives to learn all he can about them so that he can understand them and help make their lives better.
As adults, we have been tainted by life and trained to see the potential and inevitable harm that can come from relationships between adult males and school-age girls. I mean, should there even be ‘relationships’ between these very different age groups? Maybe not in some situations and it really depends on the intent of the people involved. And this is a concern that is mentioned briefly in this anime. But the thing I loved most about this slice-of-life supernatural comedy was how sweet and innocent it was. Is there a succubus at the school? Absolutely. Does anything inappropriate ever happen? Never. Tetsuo is always respectful and mindful of every female he encounters, and because of this, they all form an unbreakable bond of trust and mutual respect.
I had no idea where this anime was going when I started watching it. I wasn’t even sure that I was going to finish it. But I’m glad I got to experience the short story of these charming and relatable characters.
That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime
A fantastical but heart-warming cozy slice-of-life anime
Don’t judge an anime by it’s slime
If I were to judge an anime from just it’s title, many would not pass the test. I mean, really? A slime? So for months, every time I saw this anime on Crunchyroll I made fun of it. Nope, never gonna watch an anime with such a stupid premise for a story. And how can I even get attached to a slime, anyway. I need to feel some connection to the characters in my anime, after all.
I was so very wrong about this anime. Just the wrongest kind of wrong. Rimuru Tempest is every bit as adorable as an actual slime can be and there is nothing I dislike about this anime. Except of course that I need more of it.
Don’t prejudge this anime like I did. I would have hated to miss out on this. Its world will draw you in and you’ll become attached to the characters in ways you didn’t think possible. Even hubs saw this and was immediately drawn in. It was the action that caught his attention, but he stayed for the charming character development.
As a human, Rimuru, or Satoru Mikami, is reincarnated into a fantastical sword and sorcery world of monsters, mages, and humans. As a slime. I know. I almost stopped watching after he died. But he’s a special slime who then goes on to survive in this new world with the help of his mage, his new skills, and his desire to make a better world of monsters just like him. The thing about this anime, is that it is a decent mix of slice-of-life and fantasy with a touch of fan-service, a good dose of comedy, and even some great fight scenes. All in all, you follow these characters around as they live and work towards their goal of a better monster world.
Romantic Killer
An absolute clichéd but hilariously cozy slice-of-life anime
This anime is a bit different in that it is mostly a romantic comedy. But the fantasy is still mixed in with comedy in this exceptionally unrealistic slice-of-life. Anzu is minding her own business and living her best unromantic life. And by unromantic, I mean that she has no desire to even think about boys when she has video games, her beloved cat, and chocolate. And she immerses herself in all three of them, daily. That is, until a tiny love wizard-cupid named Riri appears and just about forces her to play along by taking her three greatest loves from her. In return, Anzu’s life is turned into the ultimate rom-com cliché where way too many manga-esque situations continue to happen.
When I say hijinks ensue, I think I almost peed myself laughing at some point. The situations Anzu finds herself in are so ridiculously hilarious that you almost feel stupid laughing so wholeheartedly at her expense. Poor thing. But it’s safe to say that in the end, everyone wins. I’m so glad I found this anime, even if I stumbled onto it through Netflix.
I hope you can catch one or all of these because I really loved them and want others to experience them, as well.
Seven Cozy Slice-of-Life Anime I Haven’t Seen
I have a working list of seemingly-cozy slice-of-life anime that I haven’t seen and hope to watch before the year is over. Hopeful but doubtful.
- Flying Witch
- My Dress-Up Darling
- Komi Can’t Communicate
- Farming Life in Another World
- Kotaro Lives Alone
- Howl’s Moving Castle
- Natsume’s Book of Friends
- A Centaur’s Life
- The Maid I Hired Recently is Mysterious
- Campfire Cooking in Another World with My Absurd Skill
This list keeps growing, but if any of you have seen any of these, please tell me below what you thought. I’m growing more and more fond of cozy slice-of-life anime as a genre and think they’re perfect for the season.
As the seasons change, I’ll come back with more recommendations and reviews. What would you like me to review next?
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