So we turn to anime to see what kinda gut-busting material it has to offer us. And just to make sure we don’t go too crazy and pull a Kill la Kill, we’ll be looking at slice of life comedies in this list. Here are our top slice of life comedy choices that might just cure your depression, or help you realize some depression you never knew you had. Note: if you’re looking for a broad ranking of the best comedy anime of all time, we have that list right here for ya.
15. Daily Lives of High School Boys
I can’t say whether I love this show because I too am a boy and was in high school at one point in my life, or because I just have a very sensitive tickle bone. But either way, I enjoyed myself. The title can easily serve as a synopsis, as that is truly all this show is about: a bunch of boys learning what hormones are, getting into trouble, and the occasional stick fight. There are no supernatural elements so the humor is always right in that sweet sweet “relatable zone” our entire generation loves so much.
14. Asobi Asobase
Asobi Asobase is also just your regular high school flick. However, its appeal is on the completely opposite side of the spectrum compared to the previous pick. This show is just absurd, and the humor is in your face, over the top, and I will be darned if I’ve ever seen a punchline coming. Just to give you a taste, let me say that one of the protagonists has a butler who follows her around everywhere and can shoot a laser beam out of his butt. Not high-brow humor, but it certainly gets the job done.
13. The Disastrous Life of Saiki K.
In this show it’s not just the humor that’s absurd, but rather the entire universe. This is because our protagonist, Saiki, basically has godlike powers. What does he do with said powers? He goes to school and does his very best to stay away from his friends, while occasionally teleporting around, flying, maybe punching a ghost, it’s all fair game. Because of the setup of the show, you really never know what the next episode entails. And trust me, sometimes it gets really weird.
12. The Pet Girl of Sakurasou
This is just one of those shows that could basically be placed in any setting, and use any plot device and still be good. In other words, it is extremely character-driven. And the dynamic they have is top notch. The plot boils down to a dorm life experience, but each resident sticks out from the norm. So we have a playboy, an anti-social programmer, and probably most importantly: a cat-like girl genius. The selling point is on that last part, as the second she laches onto our protagonist it becomes as hard for us to stop watching as it is for him to leave that dorm.
11. Haven’t You Heard? I’m Sakamoto
Men only want one thing, and it’s to be Sakamoto. He is literally the pinnacle of human evolution and is perfect in every way. You’d think that there would be a big “but” after that statement that introduces the plot device, but no, he is just perfect. Sakomoto is, however, extremely extra in everything he does. And will make a mundane experience, like waking to school, as exciting as an Olympic sport. The show is extremely over the top. But only in regards to Sakamoto, which actually works perfectly for a comedy series.
10. Saint☆Onii-san
This is one of those shows where I can’t help but be surprised that no one came up with this idea sooner, because it is absolute gold. Okay, I guess South Park kind of had a similar schtick… Jesus Christ and Buddha are roommates and living in modern day Japan. How does that not just hook you in immediately? I’ve found that you’ll get the most kicks out of this show if you know a thing or two about both religions. But there are enough general jokes to carry you through if you don’t care much about religion at all.
9. Senyuu.
This one is a pocket pick of mine that I always pull out when a friend comes over and we want to kill an hour or two. It’s an extremely short series of, well, shorts centred around a man and his grand adventure to save the world. The show takes shots at absolutely every anime adventure trope. And it does so brilliantly, never allowing for a dull moment. I can confidently say that it’s funny for all ages, excluding that one pedo old guy who’s there for whatever reason… but if you ever want to get a few giggles out and don’t feel like committing to a long series, try Senyuu.
8. Tanaka-kun is Always Listless
Have you ever had one of those days where you woke up and just kind of regretted it a little, because now you actually have to go out and be a human? If so, then this show should be right up your alley. As the name might suggest, the main driving force of the show is Tanaka and his absolute determination to not do anything noteworthy, ever. However, his friends don’t quite get his enlightened outlook on life and try to make him do things he might find interesting. He usually doesn’t, but god knows it’s entertaining to watch.
7. Kiss Him, Not Me
Half the reason why I picked up this show for this list is just because the main heroine lost half her body weight out of sadness, all because her favorite anime character died… I miss Kamina. The other reason for this pick is the fact that this is every fan-fiction writer’s dream: trying to trick straight men into falling in love with each other, even though they were initially interested in you. And be honest, you kind of want to know whether she succeeds in her BL quest.
6. Isekai Quartet
Speaking of fan-fiction, what if characters from famous isekai shows all went to high school together? Wouldn’t that be fun? Answer is, absolutely. There’s just something so fascinating about seeing Kazuma interact with Subaru, or Ainz, or little girl Hitler. The show also likes to poke fun at the genre as a whole, showing off some of the more ridiculous tropes as well as making references to the respective shows. The art style is very chibi-esque so you can really detach it from the gloom these kinds of shows (cough Re:Zero) usually have.
5. The Devil as a Part-Timer
A friend once told me that they would rather burn in Hell than work at a fast-food place. Well the jokes’s on that guy, because Satan is flipping burgers as we speak. That introduction might make the show sound absurd and over the top, but it’s actually rather tame. The character’s are isekai’d from a fantasy world and posses some power, but the backbone of the show is literally them getting a day-job and trying to pay rent. It just works in all of the right ways.
4. Food Wars!
I can’t tell whether I’m alone on this, but I found Food Wars to be absolutely hilarious. The first season at least. I mean, it is the most literal food porn you’ll ever see in anime. And the cast has some real winners. Most notably Souma, Megumi, and Hinako. It also has that shounen aesthetic so not only will you get a few laughs, but you’ll also get pure hype whenever a Shokugeki is about to take place. Some might even call it the best of both worlds.
3. KonoSuba
KonoSuba is, in my opinion, a slice of life hiding under the mask of adventure. Because when you really think about it, nothing major happens in the show. It’s just a bunch of goofballs messing around and getting eaten by frogs. The shining light, of course, being Kazuma. For being one of the few characters in anime to be realistic. There is no real honor code. In this case it’s not all about the nakamas we made along the way, and he will absolutely drop kick you if you mess with him too much. So even if some of you might fight me on the slice of life part, I sincerely doubt anyone would deny that the show is hilarious.
2. Merman in my Tub
I’m starting to realize that I have a thing for short anime series, as this one is also about an hour long in total. It’s an extremely chill and funny show that boils down to “man finds merman and decides to keep him in his bathtub”. And that’s all the show needs. Said merman is an absolute troll and can’t help but either tease the protagonist, or bring half of the Pacific Ocean into the house so that he doesn’t get bored. Both great choices.
1. Grand Blue
And since we’re already on the topic of water, I would like to finish the list off with Grand Blue: a show that both makes me want to drink, and never drink again, all at the same time. In a shocking turn of events, the show actually takes place in college. And it showcases all the tomfoolery that seemingly every college student (but me) does on a regular basis. It can get absurd at times, as extreme emotions are portrayed by people entering Titan forms. But the show has its serene moments as well.
