While action may be a spectacle and drama can be intriguing, sometimes the best anime are laid-back slice-of-life series. Slice-of-life is an absolutely pivotal genre in anime, as it can show the small intricacies of day-to-day life that be affirming. Sometimes, after a difficult day, nothing beats unwinding with a great slice-of-life anime.

While slice-of-life is its own genre, it is certainly a diverse one. Slice-of-life anime can be about school life, city life, rural life, and can even have a slightly mystical twist. More than just simple though, all these series can almost be healing as their more peaceful nature shines through. The best laid-back slice-of-life anime are peaceful enough to make fans forget the world and their problems for a little while, and sometimes, that's exactly what's needed.

35 Gakuen Babysitters

Anime series by Brain's Base, Based on the Manga By Hari Tokeino

Gakuen Babysitters is as heartwarming as it gets, effortlessly delivering emotional depth. The anime is packed with poignant moments, humor, and lovable child characters, highlighting the joys and challenges of caring for others. Gakuen Babysitters stands out with its soothing tone, focusing on themes of family, love, and personal development, making it a wonderful choice for those who enjoy uplifting, feel-good narratives.

Gakuen Babysitters centers around Ryuuichi and his younger sibling Kotarou, who are welcomed by a strict chairwoman after the death of their parents. In return, Ryuuichi assists in managing the school's daycare, looking after charming young children.

34 Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day

Original Anime Series By A-1 Pictures

Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day is a 2011 anime series by A-1 Pictures about a former friend group fractured by the death of a young girl named Menma. Deeply affected by the ing of his friend, group leader Jinta has become a shut-in who is unsure of where to go with his life. That all changes though when the ghost of Menma appears to not only get Jinta out of his shell, but to also push their former friend group back together.

All of that may seem like a lot for a series that's supposed to be laid-back, and while it can occasionally be, Anohana's focus is far more on healing through the lingering effects of tragedy. This healing makes Anohana an incredibly relaxing watch even when the series delves into deeper topics. Anohana is one of the best anime series of all time, so it's no wonder it would rank among the best slice-of-life series too.

33 Fruits Basket (2019)

Anime series by TMS Entertainment, Based on the Manga By Natsuki Takaya

The Fruits Basket manga is one of the most beloved Shojo romance series of all time, and its 2019 adaptation more than lives up to that pedigree. The series follows a girl named Tohru whose world is turned upside down after the death of her mother. After living in a tent in a forest near her school, Tohru is eventually taken in by the eccentric Sohma family. Though the Sohmas have many problems, their biggest is that they are all cursed to turn into one animal of the Chinese Zodiac whenever they experience extreme emotions.

Though character conflict is naturally at the heart of the series, Fruits Basket's pastoral setting and lovable cast still make it quite a relaxing watch. Any fan of Shojo owes it to themselves to watch Fruits Basket, making it a perfect slice-of-life series.

32 Tanaka-kun is Always Listless

Anime By Silver Link, Based on the Manga By Nozomi Uda

Tanaka-kun Is Always Listless captures the essence of relaxation and functions as a comfort anime, with the protagonist's attitude encouraging viewers to relax alongside him. The series offers a calming, feel-good journey, highlighting relatable themes about finding joy in simple moments and friendships. Its light-hearted vibe, combined with endearing characters and a laid-back sense of humor, makes it a perfect slice-of-life anime for those seeking a soothing, uplifting viewing experience.

The narrative focuses on Tanaka, a high school student who is constantly fatigued and unmotivated, frequently gliding through life with little initiative. His closest friend, Ohta, assumes the responsibility of looking after Tanaka, making sure he stays healthy and helping him avoid difficulties.

31 Polar Bear Café

Anime By Studio Pierrot, Based on the Manga By Aloha Higa

Polar Bear Café is exactly what it says in the title, a series about a polar bear who runs a café frequented by animals and humans alike. Two of the cafe's regulars are a well-meaning but not terribly smart panda who enjoys ordering bamboo and a penguin who is good friends with Polar Bear.

Polar Bear Café's studio, Pierrot, is also the studio responsible for anime such as Naruto and Bleach.

What immediately stands out about the series is the striking designs of its three lead animals. Contrasted with far more anime-esque character designs for the human characters, the three main animals' realistic designs always make them seem hilariously out of place in the anime. There is something inherently comical about Polar bear, with his real polar bear proportions, wearing his apron and serving coffee. All of this means that Polar Bear Café is a consistently hilarious low-stakes show that's always an easy watch.

30 Hyouka

Anime Series By Kyoto Animation, Based on the Classic Literature Club series by Writer Honobu Yonezawa

One of Kyoto Animation's best anime series, Hyouka is a slice-of-life mystery series centered around a young man named Houtarou. Houtarou lives by the philosophy of energy conservatism, the idea of drifting through life with the least amount of effort as possible put into all tasks. Unfortunately for Houtarou, his life is changed after he's forced to the school's literature club and is repeatedly asked to solve the problems of fellow club member Chitanda. This eventually spirals into the whole literature club investigating the mystery of Chitanda's uncle, who disappeared.

Mystery and slice-of-life might not seem like they go together, but Hyouka is an absolutely cozy series that's easy to get lost in. The characters are all incredibly well-fleshed out, making the cast easy to care about. Overall, Hyouka is one of the few mystery anime that will leave fans less tense after watching an episode.

29 Silver Spoon

Anime series by A-1 Pictures; Based on the manga by Hiromu Arakawa

A-1 Pictures' Silver Spoon is centered around Yuugo Hachiken, a studious young boy who enrolls in an agricultural school after failing to get accepted into his high school of choice. While Hachiken goes into his new school expecting an easy workload, he ends up having to work even harder than he thought, and he and his friends all end up richer for the experience from it.

Silver Spoon was created by Hiromu Arakawa of Fullmetal Alchemist fame, and the shift to slice-of-life did nothing to diminish her abilities as a writer. Far from the action and intrigue of Fullmetal Alchemist, Arakawa pulled from her own background growing up on a farm for Silver Spoon, thus giving it a definite air of authenticity, and just like Fullmetal Alchemist, Silver Spoon has Hiromu Arakwa's keen eye for character writing to create a cast that's nothing but endlessly entertaining.

28 Blue Period

Anime series by Seven Arcs, Based on the manga by Tsubasa Yamaguchi

Very few anime and manga are as motivational as Blue Period, and this series is bound to reignite a fire inside of a viewer despite how relatively normal it is. It focuses on a young boy venturing into a completely new world and working hard to become great at it. Forming new friendships, and rivalry, and making new great memories, Blue Period shows the beauty and struggles of highschool life in an expert way.

The narrative centers around Yatora Yaguchi, a diligent high school student who, despite excelling academically, experiences a sense of emptiness. His encounter with painting stirs an intense and unforeseen enthusiasm for art, motivating him to aim for a future at the esteemed Tokyo University of the Arts, even though he lacks prior experience and faces societal pressures.

27 Natsume's Book Of Friends

Anime series by Shuka; Based on the manga by Yuki Midorikawa

Shuka's Natsume's Book of Friends is about the titular Natsume, a young man who can talk to spirits called yokai. After the death of his grandmother, Natsume is given an incredibly valuable book containing the names of more than a hundred yokai who were previously in the service of Natsume's grandmother. Natsume makes it his mission to nullify the contracts of each spirit in the book so that they can move on to the afterlife.

While it does feature more than a few evil yokai that require a bit more effort to confront, Natsume's Book of Friends is quite calming with its focus on nature and healing, and it ends up being a relaxing series to watch more often than not. As strange as it sounds, an anime about ghosts and spirits can still be one of the best laid-back slice-of-life-anime.

26 Komi Can't Communicate

Anime series by OLM, Inc.; Based on the manga by Tomohito Oda

OLM, Inc.'s Komi Can't Communicate focuses on a girl named Komi who becomes popular in high school due to her seemingly stoic beauty. Despite the attention she gets though, Komi's apparent stoicism is actually due to difficulties in communicating with others. Together with an average-appearing boy named Hitohito Tadano, Komi makes it her goal to break out of the shell of anxiety and make 100 friends.

What makes Komi Can't Communicate so great is how effortlessly it balances its differing tones. Komi Can't Communicate always knows how to complement its comedic moments with its more serious character-driven ones, so Komi's growth and management of her social anxiety never feels too heavy-handed or too much like a joke. It ends up as one of the best explorations into social anxiety because of it, and with the great character interactions surrounding it, it's a great slice-of-life series from start to finish.