[Slice of Life Winter 2017] Like Nichijou? Watch This!

Everyday, many of us deal with the rut of monotonous, dull routines. For some, these things can’t be helped, while some brave few can settle with dropping it all abruptly on a quick getaway of some sort. As such, there are only two ways of managing such dreariness: one is to mope and complain, or two, looking at the bright side of it all. In the following anime, that is what many of these cheery characters do, and they do it with a dramatic flair. Using three choice anime, we introduce to you, an exciting division of recommendations, solely to give you all a sampling of current flavors based on popular previously aired anime. So, with that being said: Let’s get it started!


About Nichijou (Nichijou – My Ordinary Life)

  • Episodes: 26
  • Aired: April 2011 – September 2011

Nichijou centers on the lives of three friends, Mio Naganohara, Yuuko Aioi and Mai Minakami, and their seemingly unvaried high school lives. Additionally, we also watch the daily ongoings of a child genius, the Professor; her robot, Nano; and their cat, Sakamoto-san. Joined with these components, there are also elements of outlandishness and excessive antics, drawing out much excitement to their monotonous lives. In this somewhat relatable, simplistic anime, we watch these characters experience the triumphs and woes of school, work, people drama, and so much more. In addition to this group of five, we also see how their lives turn out a little more interesting, with a ton of zanier and over-the-top characters along the way.

Liked Nichijou [Slice of Life Winter 2017]? Watch Kobayashi-san Chi no Maid Dragon!

  • Episodes: 9+
  • Aired: January 2017 – Ongoing

One day in her ordinary life, Kobayashi and a dragon, Tohru, meet in the mountains. Agreeing that Tohru can stay at her house in a drunken conversation, Kobayashi realizes what she’s done the next day and turns Tohru away. As Kobayashi is feeling some kind of guilt, or perhaps a sour stomach, she holds to her word and tells Tohru to stay, on a few conditions. Can this dragon maid clean? Do laundry? Greet people? Cook? Watch and see how Tohru acclimates to the chores of humanity, additionally bringing her squad of friends to Earth, how Kobayashi helps Tohru and friends along the way, and lastly helping Kobayashi see a new way of living.

Three Major Similarities Between Nichijou and Kobayashi-san Chi no Maid Dragon

1. “Like, Realizing Stuff”

In both Kobayashi-san Chi no Maid Dragon and Nichijou, we observe progression and growth within the main characters. Although the girls take on varied approaches, they overall and collectively begin to accept each other’s flaws and strengths, as well as their originality. Furthermore, this validation demonstrates that changing oneself is not required for friendship, finding rewards in shared activities and priceless memories.

2. Similar Animation Style

Kobayashi-san Chi no Maid Dragon and Nichijou are created by the same studio, Kyoto Animation, so naturally the art style presented is very similar. Both series contain a lot of vibrant colors, with details in the characters, their environment, and action sequences. How Kyoto Animation depicts our characters’ lives in Japan really portrays a close representation of how the scenery truly is here, using rich and warm colors to describe the light-hearted atmosphere of the series.

3. This Is Madness!

In comparing Kobayashi-san Chi no Maid Dragon and Nichijou, we can easily spot the storylines’ focus on comedy. Each episode of both series contains a funny element that’ll leave you wondering “what will they think of next?!” Even more so, they take this quality to the next level. For example, in Kobayashi-san Chi no Maid Dragon, Tohru, Kanna, Lucoa and Fafnir bring on the most epic dodgeball game ever played by dragons, literally killin’ it. In Nichijou, we also see such silliness when Principal Shinonome of Tokisadame High extreme wrestles with a deer…yes, a deer! Overall, as these anime have been categorized as “slice of life”, the sequence of events throughout each series illustrates out of this world, outrageous and extraordinary circumstances.



Liked Nichijou? Watch Urara Meirochou!

  • Episodes: 9+
  • Aired: January 2017 – Ongoing

“Labyrinth town is home to the diviners, known as urara, who wield a mystical power. Troubled wanderers make their way here to seek guidance. Girls of at least 15 years of age aiming to become urara pass through the gates of this town, with hearts full of dreams”

Urara Meirochou captures the story of four young ladies, Chiya, Kon, Koume, and Nono, on their adventures in becoming legendary first rank uraras. As these girls received their letters of apprenticeship, they grow even closer as friends, and on some occasions, rivals. The girls also journey towards discovering their magical specialty, such as reading tea leaves, tarot cards, fortune papers and dousing, just to name a few. As they gain more knowledge and skills, our girls are in for a taxing experience. However, their enthusiasm and passion proves that they make each and every encounter an unforgettable one.

Three Major Similarities Between Nichijou and Urara Meirochou

1. Fan Service

In Urara Meirochou and Nichijou, we observe some episodes containing a touch of fan service. Saturated with sexualized situations, with boobs, panties, and skimpy outfits, our girls are caught in the most compromising positions, solely to excite and entice viewers. When most of the time these scenes are available only for a brisk moment, catching viewers off guard, these anime somehow find a way to integrate these generous visuals into an episode’s synopsis. In the case of Urara, we see some fan service when the girls learn “mole divination”. In Nichijou, although not as frequent as Urara, we are dealt with the constant pop-up of yaoi manga drawings in class sporadically throughout the series. Even though both can benefit without it, viewers can’t deny the fan service when it’s there.

2. Do You Believe in Magic?

Even though Urara Meirochou’s foundation is surrounded with magic and enchantments, it was surprising to see that a few episodes in Nichijou focused on elements of the supernatural, such as channeling a medium, a chain of bad luck revealing bad omens, exorcisms, and a talking crow and cat. Adding this spellbinding component to daily life draws excitement and mystery, expressing to us that some situations that occur don’t offer a rational explanation.

3. My Brain Hurts From Studying Too Much!

Everyone can relate to this reasoning. When you’re at school or training too hard for an exam, it feels like your brain is going to explode with knowledge! Whether or not all the information you’ve reviewed sinks in, Urara Meirochou and Nichijou are both anime that include our characters being in a learning environment, either as a requirement, or trying to achieve a personal goal. With our characters developing and blossoming in more areas than one, the path to success doesn’t come easy, as our characters must constantly practice, review notes, and ask for help in order to grow personally and as a group.

Final Thoughts

We hope this article gives you a little sample of what types of comedic slice of life anime exist among the countless genres out there! Sticking to the theme of ordinary life, whether or not these titles are your cup of tea, we recommend you give them a shot, adding some spice to your normal routine. As there are so many other choices, let us know if you agree with these picks. Furthermore, feel free to leave your suggestions and comments below! Thanks and enjoy!
Kobayashi-san-chi-no-Maid-Dragon-225x350 [Slice of Life Winter 2017] Like Nichijou? Watch This!

Writer

Author: Eva B.

Hello! I’m Eva. I was born and raised in San Francisco, California. I’ve lived in Texas, Kentucky, and will soon be living in Japan! I’m a recent college grad with an MS in Justice Studies; a considerable feat in my life. When I’m taking a break from work/studies, I enjoy a variety of anime, passing a lot of time binging episodes alongside my husband. I also take pleasure in spending time with my two dogs and two cats, hiking, yoga, computer/video games, reading, and trying new cuisines. I’m pretty shy, so writing here has been a great outlet for me to come out of my box.

Previous Articles

Top 5 Anime by Eva B.



Recommended Post

Kobayashi-san Chi no Maid Dragon - Winter 2017

Recommended Post

Urara Meirochou - Winter 2017

Recommended Post

6 Anime Like Urara Meirochou [Recommendations]

Recommended Post

6 Anime Like Nichijou [Recommendations]