With the increasing number of anime being added to the slice-of-life genre, many have slipped through the cracks along the way. Many older anime have been forgotten by fans, while newer ones were overshadowed upon their release. Yet, these lost anime deserve to be watched and recognized as some of the best anime stories.
From humorous shows with a kaleidoscope of comedic randomness to ones that teach hard lessons of life, several rare gems are must-sees for any anime fan. These wholesome stories are perfect for viewers looking for heartwarming anime that they may have missed when the shows were first released.
Updated by Alexandra Locke on April 8, 2023: Silce-of-life anime are some of the most beloved. Their calm, realistic stories inspire fans to live their lives to the fullest. Though there are many popular slice-of-life anime, there are even more that have been forgotten by time and by viewers. Since there are so many great, forgotten shows, this article has been updated to remind audiences of some of the best forgotten slice-of-life tales.
19 Tsuki ga Kirei
Tsuki ga Kirei is a heartfelt tale of young love and the lengths people will go to be with their heart’s desire. Kotarou Azumi and Akane Mizuno discover this firsthand as they fall in love just before high school. The two work hard to improve their passions and strive to attend the same high school, so they can be together.
Tsuki ga Kirei gives viewers an exclusive look at how two people fall in love for the first time. Though there are bumps along the way, Kotarou and Akane continue to prove how much they love each other, and always support one another in their endeavors. This forgotten show deserves to be seen by more fans who love romance with an adorable couple at its heart.
18 Nichijou
The anime Nichijou is a comedic classic most known for its outlandish scenes that have been used in a variety of internet memes and videos. The show follows the daily lives of the people who live in the town of Tokisadame with a bit of central focus being on the characters Nano, Yuko, Mio, and Mai.
The humorous antics of the episodes are as random as the characters themselves. From a principal who likes to suplex deer to an elementary school-age teacher. There are many quirky characters to love in this anime.
17 Tsuredure Children
Tsuredure Children is an anthology anime that follows numerous high school couples in various stages of their relationships. Some are already dating, or have confessed their feelings, while others hide their emotions away. This adorable anime is not only hilarious for the romantic shenanigans the teens get themselves into but also for its accurate portrayal of first love.
The episodes are on the shorter side, and there is no anime-adapted ending to the tale, but it is nevertheless an enjoyable slice-of-life offering. This show is full of heartwarming connections and cringey moments that will have fans remembering their first loves when they were young.
16 A Lull In The Sea
A Lull in the Sea centers around four middle school kids from the underwater city, who have to attend class on land after their middle school closes. Unfortunately, sentiments between the people of the sea and the people of the land are not great, and the four are met with mixed reactions from their classmates. The students must then decide whether they belong on the land, in the water, or somewhere in between.
This touching story of overcoming prejudice and romance is sure to entice any slice-of-life fan. The animation is gorgeous, and the story is deeply moving. Fans of burgeoning love stories should watch A Lull in the Sea.
15 Daily Lives Of High School Boys
Daily Lives Of High School Boys is a coming-of-age story that revolves around Hidenori, Yoshitake, and Tadakuni. The trio’s eccentric adventures at Sanada North High School involve questionable moments of wearing girls’ outer garments as well as undergarments to moments where their intelligence levels are put to the test.
The boys also have overactive imaginations where normal moments may look like a classic RPG setup or involve giant robots. The hilarity that ensues throughout the series is almost endless.
14 Azumanga Daioh
The comedy anime Azumanga Daioh follows the lives of a small group of girls attending a high school in Japan. There is the secret lover of cute things Sakaki, the child prodigy Chiyo, the ever-competitive Tomo, the sometimes mature Yomi, and the country space cadet Osaka. There are also the two main teachers, Yukari and Minami, who often find themselves mixed up in awkward situations together or with the girls themselves.
The story covers a variety of weird moments at school and after, such as Sakaki trying to make friends with the neighborhood cat regardless of how many times she is bitten or trying different tactics to get rid of Osaka’s hiccups.
13 Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions!
the anime Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions! This phase of life is referred to as “chunibyo” and Yuuta has done his best to leave it behind him. His desire is strong enough to make him attend a high school far away from anyone who remembers his chunibyo persona, the Dark Flame Master.
However, that dream begins to crumble upon meeting his new over-the-top chunibyo classmate Rika, who brings a whirlwind of delusional troubles and fun into his life. Though he is resistant to her at first, not wanting to associate himself with chunibyo life anymore, Yuuta finds himself being drawn back in by the girl with the cursed eye.
12 Play It Cool, Guys
Play It Cool, Guys is a new anime, but one that audiences have not heard much about. However, for those who have seen it, it is a hilarious tale of klutzy male characters who always try to be cool, but end up failing miserably. Each of them handles their mistakes differently, but none of them can escape the embarrassment of their actions.
The art is light and cute, and the episodes are only a few minutes long. This slice-of-life is perfect for fans on the go who want something light to watch in between their busy schedules. Its endearing characters and charming aesthetic make it one of the cutest slice-of-life anime.
11 ReLIFE
ReLIFE follows Arata Kaizaki, a NEET down on his luck after resigning from his previous distressing job. Faced with an uncertain future, Arata is approached by someone who allows him to repeat his time as a high schooler, so he can fix some of his past regrets. With nothing to lose, Arata accepts and is transformed into a teenage body again.
This anime is a heartfelt look into the eyes of someone struggling with adulthood. Though he has to repeat high school, Kaizaki finds himself making more informed decisions than in the past, and even acquiring some good friends in the process. Fans of slice-of-life anime, romance, and science fiction are sure to love ReLIFE – even if many fans have forgotten it
10 K-On!
The slice-of-life school anime K-On! is best known for the original music that was made for the series along with the sweet funny moments of the Light Music Club members. The club was close to being disbanded until Yui came along and after a lot of persuasions joined the club. The story follows the daily lives of the members as they work together to write songs and learn how to perform together as the music group After-School Tea Time.
The story also shows their supreme slacking off skills which include random trips and afternoon tea. Their teacher and sponsor Sawako often participates as well in slacking off which sometimes gets her into trouble.
9 A Little Snow Fairy Sugar
Saga lives a very organized life in the anime A Little Snow Fairy Sugar. However, her routine is suddenly thrown into chaos upon meeting the snow fairy named Sugar. This young season fairy along with her friends, Salt and Pepper, are on a mission to find something known as a Twinkle. They must find these Twinkles to help their magic flower grow which will lead to them becoming full-fledged season fairies.
Sugar’s childish and selfish behavior often upset Saga, but they learn to work through their differences as they try to figure out what a Twinkle is. This is an adorable anime that many fans may not know about, but should watch if they like cute stories.
8 Teasing Master Takagi-San
Teasing Master Takagi-san is a tale as old as time. A boy and a girl have feelings for one another and show their affection by teasing each other. Unfortunately for Nishikata, Takagi always seems to get the better of him. Ever determined to one-up her, Nishitaka concocts increasingly elaborate pranks. Yet the more he tries, the more he finds himself falling for her easy charms.
This short and sweet anime about young love should be a hit for any slice-of-life fan. There is plenty of romance and humor, while also sprinkling in enough drama to be entertaining. It is an easy, feel-good watch for anime audiences looking for something lighthearted.
7 Silver Spoon
Silver Spoon is an anime adaptation of a manga series by Fullmetal Alchemist creator Himoru Arakawa about a city boy who attends an agricultural high school. Yuugo Hachiken hopes to find a fresh start at his new high school after suffering extreme burnout from his preparatory middle school.
Due to Arakawa’s background, this anime is full of farming techniques. Plus, it highlights many of the harsh realities of farm life. Though school is tough for Hachiken, he develops lifelong friends with people who ensure he does not fall behind. Hachiken faces many personal struggles but manages to overcome them by discovering himself and finding places where he belongs.
6 Tamako Market
While the main story of the anime Tamako Market appears to focus on Tamako herself, the story extends beyond her to the daily lives of the tight family-like community of business owners who live in the Usagiyama Shopping District. The story begins shortly after Tamako finds a talking bird by the name of Dera who claims to be a royal from a distant land and is looking for a bride for his prince.
Dera’s mission is quickly sidelined after he becomes obsessed with the mochi that Tamako’s family business makes and becomes quite obese making him unable to properly fly. His mission becomes more of a blur as his new life blooms as the shopping district’s mascot.
5 Barakamon
Handa is known for being a rapidly rising star in the world of calligraphy, but that changes after he loses his cool and punches an older artist for calling his work unoriginal. As punishment, his father sends him to the rural outskirts of Goto Island which proves to be quite different from his city life in Tokyo.
However, what Handa first sees as a curse soon turns into a blessing. His art style begins to bloom into something uniquely different thanks to the help of the quirky residents he tried to avoid at first. He also learns things about himself and life that never occurred to him while living in Tokyo in Barakamon.
4 Hyouka
Hyouka is a unique anime that is not widely known. Despite this, it is a wonderfully intriguing story about a Literature Club whose members solve school mysteries together. At the heart of the club are Hotarou Oreki and Eru Chitanda. Oreki is as apathetic as characters come, but Chitanda’s vivacious tenacity ensnares Oreki into helping her with anything she asks.
This mystery anime is a quiet slice-of-life that has a healing romance in it as well. The cases the club solves are well-written, and the art by Kyoto Animation is, as always, stunning. Fans looking for a different kind of slice-of-life show should watch Hyouka.
3 Gamers!
Gamers! is a criminally underrated anime full of sidesplitting scenarios and hilarious miscommunications. When Keita Amano is approached by the popular Karen Tendou to join the gaming club, he refuses based on the fact that he solely plays games for fun and not to win. However, what he does not realize are Karen’s growing feelings toward him, and the anguish she puts herself through to get him to notice her obvious crush.
The cast of this show does an incredible job of bringing the characters to life in a way that is both comical and relatable. Clifford Chapin’s Tasaku Uehara is particularly hilarious as the de facto voice of reason in the chaos that becomes a love square. Fans of outrageous romantic comedies would be remiss in not rediscovering this forgotten title.
2 Sakura Quest
Sakura Quest is a breath of fresh air for fans of the slice-of-life genre, especially for older fans who may have trouble relating to the typical schoolgirl characters. The story begins with a focus on Yoshino who is a recent graduate in desperate need of a job. She finds herself in the town of Manoyama after accepting a job as the Queen of the Kingdom of Chupacabra which leads to a job on the Tourism Board.
The story’s focus switches to that of the women of the Tourism Board as they work together to revivethe overall culture of the town while working through their own challenges. Though these women are adults, they still learn many life lessons while working on the Tourism Board.
1 Recovery of an MMO Junkie
The romantic slice-of-life anime Recovery of an MMO Junkie centers around Moriko who after much success decides to quit her corporate job to fully embrace the reclusive life she has always wanted. Not long after quitting, she begins playing a new MMO game where she makes a male hero character that she names Hayashi and eventually meets a healer girl named Lily who she becomes good friends with online.
Little does Moriko know that the person playing Lily is a handsome man by name of Yuuta Sakurai who happens to be the stranger she bumped into at the local convenience store. Though they know each other online, they are unaware of how much their lives will become intertwined.