One of the reasons I love anime so much is the sheer variety. Whether I’m in the mood for an epic fantasy, a dramatic space opera, or a just a good ol’ romantic comedy, I can usually find something I like. Sometimes though, when I come home from a too-long day at work or need to chill because I’m stressed or upset, I’m after nothing more than calm and soothing – something to convince me, at least for a little while, that the world is actually a nice place where things inevitably work out for the best.
It’s in these moments that I start browsing my collection of iyashikei titles. Now an entire genre in its own right, iyashikei describes ‘healing’ anime – shows that tend to have little (if anything) in the way of conflict and which emphasize the small but precious joys of life: everyday friendships, the kindness of random strangers, and the beauty of the natural world. Plot-wise, often nothing much of consequence happens in these sorts of titles, mostly because their main purpose is to have the audience relax to a quietly comforting story – the sort where happily-ever-after doesn’t even need to exist because every day is already rewarding enough. Probably the most well-known example of an iyashikei anime is Aria, a utopian science-fantasy and slice-of-life series about a trainee gondolier. However, there are also outliers of the genre that are darker or more bittersweet, such as Mushishi and Haibane Renmei, or shows take a far heavier comedy or absurdist angle like Tanaka-kun wa Itsumo Kedaruge and Shirokuma Café.
The timing of this blog post is no coincidence. For various reasons it’s been a rough past couple of months, and I expect plenty of people are likewise glad to see the back of 2016. And so while the following isn’t quite my top 5 list of iyashikei anime, it is my top 5 list of go-to anime for when I’m feeling bitter and cynical about the world – soul-soothing pick-me-ups that I just know will make me want to go hug some trees and/or sob happily into my pillow after viewing.
5. Non Non Biyori
I tend to separate iyashikei from out-and-out moe anime in my mind, mostly because the former seems to focus more on things like lovely scenery and calming background music, while the latter’s appeal lies more in its ultra-cutesy cast and obligatory high school backdrop. Non Non Biyori is a near-perfect marriage of the two; yes, it’s basically a show about cute girls doing cute things, and a little of that happens at school. However, the cast is wide enough to include an elementary school kid and a couple of adults, and the flat-out gorgeous visuals highlight the surrounding countryside rather than zooming in on short skirts, so I consider it an excellent balance. There’s little to no drama or romance to be seen here – this is 95% slice-of-life, with some light comedy here and there just to keep things from getting overly dull. Said comedy is thankfully all derived from character quirks and the incredibly rural setting as opposed to being slapstick or fanservice-based, which for me is a major bonus.
4. Kamichu!
You haven’t experienced easygoing until you’ve seen Kamichu!. The cast of this show are so supremely laid-back that everyone’s reaction to the main character quite literally turning into a Shinto god overnight is basically, “Oh, that’s nice.” Yes, really. This show leans more towards having a light and breezy supernatural feel than a straight out fantasy one, with a hint of romance on the side. Mostly though it’s another slice-of-life story, which despite some of the plot points (Yurie is a new god, her best friend Mitsue often gets possessed by the god from the local shrine, and her cat Tama shares its body with the poverty god) is one of the most peacefully cheerful anime I’ve ever had the pleasure of watching. Oh, and for people who like their anime with a bit of historical flavour, Kamichu! is set in the mid-80s in the real-life location of Onomichi in Hiroshima, and faithfully depicts a number of actual landmarks that are still around today.
3. My Neighbor Totoro
Nearly all of Studio Ghibli’s works leave me with a clean and optimistic feel, like they’ve somehow just gently washed all the bitterness out of me by the time I’m done watching, but My Neighbor Totoro takes the cake. It’s still my absolute favourite anime film of all time for that reason – there’s simply no beating it in terms of calming atmosphere and innocent charm. The kids are awesome, the adults are awesome, and the existence of Totoro clearly makes the world a better place; if Totoro was a real creature (and I so deeply wish it was), then having one around would probably mean the very concept of stress would be a foreign one. Oh, and to all those people who insisted on riding the death-subtext train, you can back off – the official word is in, and Totoro ain’t no death god.
2. Usagi Drop
And now we move from the “Aww, isn’t that lovely” to the “I have to cry now because it’s just that damn beautiful” side of things. While Non Non Biyori, Kamichu!, and usually even My Neighbor Totoro give me a nice case of the feels but stop short at actually moving me to tears, Usagi Drop manages to take things that one step further. I must have re-watched the show at least half a dozen times now, and I haven’t stopped needing to reach for the tissue box yet – not because it’s sad mind you, but because it makes me so blissfully happy and comforted. Six-year old Rin is mind-blowingly adorable while still realistic enough to make me think of her as a real person, Daikichi is the very epitome of good parenting despite not technically being a father (and oh how that makes for some heartfelt drama), and pretty much everything about Usagi Drop seems intentionally designed to make me feel as though the world truly is that humane and compassionate a place.
1. Natsume Yuujinchou
It was a close one, but Natsume Yuujinchou wins out over Usagi Drop in this particular instance, if for no other reason than there’s only 11 episodes of the latter and over 50 of the former. Spread out over currently five seasons, this supernatural drama is a bit different from the other titles on this list because some fairly harrowing events do actually take place, and the series therefore deals with some heavy issues at times – bullying, loneliness, abandonment, and death being some of the more prevalent ones. Ultimately though, it’s because all this is portrayed with such sensitivity that the show is so beautiful to watch. The emotional payoff, particularly when it comes to Natsume’s character growth, is worth every second of it and more. The other great thing about Natsume Yuujinchou is that there’s plenty of much lighter content to be had as well, so if I’m not feeling quite up to having a cry than I can easily switch to a mellower episode. Add to this the ever-awesome Nyanko-sensei, one of the best anime mascot characters of all time, and we have ourselves a clear winner.
Question of the post: Regardless of whether it fits the traditional iyashikei mold, what’s your go-to anime for when you’re after something touching and feel-good?
OTAKU LOUNGE 
Silver spoon definitely 🙂 And some Kyo Kara Maou and Gintama episodes.
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Yeah, Silver Spoon’s definitely a relaxing series. I never really got into Gintama, but maybe I’ll try again someday.
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Wholeheartedly agree with the list. And I think Flying Witch could find a place somewhere in a longer list of the same theme.
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I wanted to like Flying Witch – on paper at least, I should have adored it – but I gave up watching due to sheer boredom. I never managed to put my finger on why, because I’m normally all over slower-paced, slice-of-life shows with supernatural or fantastical themes, but… yeah, it just did nothing for me. That said, I can definitely see how plenty of viewers would find it a very relaxing show.
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I think Usagi Drop would take my number one spot, with maybe Kamichu or Silver Spoon right behind. Wasn’t there something recent set on Shikoku too? I haven’t seen it yet, but that must be fairly relaxed as well.
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Ah, Udon no Kuni no Kiniro Kemari/Poco’s Udon World. Definitely one to put in the relaxing category, yes. It ended up being a little too slow even for my tastes, but I do love that it’s set on Shikoku. I’d like to see more of that in anime in general.
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I haven’t seen some of these but will definitely be have to look into them since my husband and I love Iyashikei. I’ve been reading Natsume but haven’t watched much. My current favourites are Flying Witch and Sweetness and Lightning (which I guess isn’t quite Iyashikei but pretty close… Especially for a foodie like me). I love Totoro… All of Miyazaki’s movies sort of have a “healing” effect on me.
Thanks for a great post!
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I didn’t get into Flying Witch – for whatever reason, it just didn’t do anything for me despite my normally adoring shows like that – but I did quite enjoy Sweetness and Lightning. It sounds like the Natsume anime would be right up your alley; I thoroughly recommend it! 🙂
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I just love Kurage no Shokudou. It has a mystery, lovely graphics and interesting characters. It was touching and optimistic at the same time. I also enjoyed Doukyuusei, a warm and simple story with a bit unusual animation plus one of the most beautiful ending songs (in my opinion). And there’s Koe no Katachi on my “to watch” list.
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I liked Doukyuusei as well, and likewise, Koe no Katachi is on my own to-watch list. I’ll have to put Kurage no Shokudou there too – it sounds like something I’d really enjoy. 🙂
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Natsume is definitely my feel good anime of choice.
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Yup, there’s no surpassing that one for me in the feel-good anime department either.
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Yuyushiki was like this for me when I watched it with how pleasant and meandering it was; Flying Witch is great too. Hetalia can be fun and innocent at times.
Nichijou might be a bit over-the-top/frenetic compared to the rest of the series being mentioned, but it is definitely wonderful and good.
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I know a lot of people seem to either love or hate Nichijou, but I just thought it was kinda average? I didn’t mind watching it and thought it had some nice/funny/charming moments, but on the whole I had other stuff I wanted be watching instead. Maybe someday I’ll give it another try though.
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I’ve got a soft spot for Aria and Amanchu, myself.
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I like Aria, but it’s not one of my top faves. Still yet to try Amanchu, but it’s on the ever-increasing to-watch list.
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Is there a reason why this list is biased towards shows set in the countryside?
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You’re right – with the exception of Usagi Drop, which I think is set in a relatively major city in or around Nagoya, the rest of these shows are set pretty rurally. I didn’t consciously base any of my choices on that, but I do think I tend to find slice-of-life shows set in the countryside more relaxing than the same kinds of shows set in urban areas. Plus, I lived in very rural Japan myself for a few years… and they were, for the most part, a fairly relaxig few years, so it’s entirely possible that I’ve developed a bias.
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Hey, it’s not a bad bias to have in the slightest! I might have it too. I simply adore Barakamon.
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I was thiiis close to putting Barakamon on the list. It’s a lovely show. 🙂
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I’ve seen all of these shows/movies with the exception of Kamichu! so I’ll likely jot that down as a future watch possibility after seeing it here with the others. While I personally don’t love any of the other shows, they certainly were entertaining in some aspects and definitely fall under this category you’re writing about. In answer to the question – I’d say Mushishi. Yes it can be more melancholic and even eerie in some episodes but it’s the pangs of happiness and sadness that make it feel so genuine and conjure up that ‘feel good’ atmosphere for me. My go-to, heartfelt show for sure. Thanks for sharing.
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I personally love Mushishi myself. While I’m not sure I’d call it uplifting in the way these other titles feel to me, I do think it’s a very soothing anime for exactly the reasons you’ve described. So while it’s not exactly my go-to series when I need cheering up, I know just what you mean when you say it’s still an oddly feel-good one.
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Kamichu is my best. That Opening, I make a point of listening to it if ever I wake up on a sunny nice day. What wins it over Natsume Yuujinshou is that the writing is so so so good, full of subtleties and nuances, and funny as hell. Yuujinchou kind of drags its “why I’m so lonely” brand over 4 seasons and I don’t like many of its joke.
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I normally don’t like long-running anime, so 4 seasons would usually be way too long for my taste, but Natsume is an exception. I feel that the writing is solid enough and the themes of loneliness spaced out evenly enough that I don’t get annoyed by the repetition, but I understand where you’re coming from.
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Howl’s Moving Castle, Spirited Away and Princess Mononoke are always my choices even though they have quite a bit of action probably because they’ve been some of my favorites since childhood, though I completely agree with you on Natsume Yujinchou and it’s one of my favorites as well.
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As far as Ghibli goes, I can never go past Totoro for an ultra feel-good experience (and it’s probably my favourite Ghibli film generally speaking too), but I do have an enormous soft spot for Howl, Spirited Away, and Princess Mononoke as well. 🙂
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My top feel good anime has got to be Tsuritama! 😊 There’s truly something relaxing, fun and heartwarming about it.
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I did enjoy that one. It took me a while to get into but once I did, I found it a pretty fun (and yes, often weirdly relaxing) ride.
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I would say Hyouka, Poco’s Udon World and My Love Story
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All nice choices. Poco was a little slow even for my tastes – mostly it seemed like an extended version for Kagawa and rural Japan in general – but I can certainly see why it would make a great feel-good title. Ore Monogatari was adorable, and Hyouka is still one of my favourite anime shows of all time.
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This piece put words to my own internal reasoning as to why anime like this often make me cry as well. As much as crying is cleansing in itself, so many of these iyashikei series have a purifying feel to their stories, smoothing out all the aches of everyday life.
This was a lovely piece to read, and it had something especially important to me – learning something new. I never knew these laid back anime were called iyashikei before now. So thanks for that too 😊
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‘Cleansing’ is a really great word for it. Perhaps iyashikei titles make me cry exactly because of that innate quality – especially with titles like Natsume Yuujinchou, it puts those aches of everyday life on display and then soothes them, and you can’t really have one without the other.
Anyway, really glad you enjoyed this post so much, thank you for commenting. 🙂
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Totoro is definitely one of my favorites mainly because it was my childhood. It reminds me of myself and my sister. It always brings a smile to my face.😊
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I think my first Ghibli movie was actually Spirited Away – I didn’t end up watching Totoro until my late teens, at least. I love both dearly, but Totoro still tops the list for me. 🙂
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