The Best Slice of Life Anime of Spring 2021

The Slice of Life genre is both a beloved and underrated one, rising in number season after season. Many viewers shy away from it due to its slow-paced nature, but a good Slice of Life anime can change one’s perception of the genre as a whole. This time around, Honey’s Anime brings to the plate those particular Spring 2021 Slice of Life anime that can become that turning point. If you enjoyed any, we hope you enjoy the rest as well!


4. Seijo no Maryoku wa Bannou Desu (The Saint’s Magic Power is Omnipotent)

A Slice of Life coated in the petals of romance, The Saint’s Magic Power is Omnipotent is a fantastic, lighthearted ride on the premises of a new world. We follow Sei Takanashi’s everyday life in a fantasy world, one which has deemed her a fake saint but has found herself unable to travel back to her former world. We take a front seat in Sei’s daily life and her effort to adapt to a foreign environment where common sense is blatantly new, magic exists, and her powers are far more than she bargained for.

Fortunately for Sei, Captain Hawke, and Yuri Drewes quickly become allies in her struggle to navigate the new laws to abide by, forming a close relationship that may very well transform into something more. A great combination of the isekai and Slice of Life genre, with intriguing yet comfortable moments along the way. And of course, a desire to see Sei move forward and accomplish her goals.


3. Tensura Nikki: Tensei shitara Slime Datta Ken (The Slime Diaries: That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime)

If you are already a fan of the main series Tensei Shitara Slime Datta Ken (That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime), there is no doubt you will come to enjoy this spin-off series as well! Reuniting with the characters we love, Tensura Nikki gives every character their light, letting us into their daily life interactions and circumstances. We go through everything happening behind the scenes that could not shine due to the fast-paced action plotline the main series focuses on. Rimuru and the crew learn to navigate the passing of every season, enjoying together the activities that give life to the town and its people, for instance, planting seeds in spring, a beach day in summer, harvesting festivals in autumn, and a Christmas party in winter! They are but examples of their fun everyday life as a new rising confederation! And the best part? Geld’s wholesome interactions with the young Goblin children. Just kidding, but it is the truth.

The Slime Diaries is a complete diary covering the passing of the seasons from the first year in which our adorable slime Rimuru built a new nation of monsters. We find this spin-off series a valuable contribution to the world-building of the main story, so if you were interested in getting to know the crew outside of the action scenes, there is no doubt this series will give you precisely that.



2. Super Cub

A tranquil work that presents enthralling yet subtle visuals, a delicate orchestration of sound direction, never forgetting a melancholic atmosphere throughout. Super Cub became the gem of the Slice of Life genre this season for many, a slow-paced, daily life anime that plays with its characters and snug storytelling to gently wrap us in the world it presents. Koguma is a girl whose bleak, gray-scaled life only knows of emptiness until one fateful encounter that changed her life: a Super Cub, yes, a Honda Super Cub. Fortunately, another rider, Reiko, takes her hand just enough for Koguma to become more confident in her decisions and open herself to life. Afraid at first and making mistakes along the way, we see softly spoken Koguma find joy in her every day, despite her darker background insinuated. With the passing of the episodes, new encounters, situations that would never have taken place in the first instance without her new Cub, we see color wiggle into Koguma’s life, slowly but surely. An encounter with a gray-scaled journey that ends in the pink vibrancy of cherry blossoms, a journey of finding meaning, self-esteem, and of course, Super Cubs!


1. Mashiro no Oto (Those Snow White Notes)

The one taking the prime spot on this list, an anime adaptation of a well-received manga: Those Snow White Notes. Although the genre is not Slice of Life alone, it is no surprise we have fallen for the masterful combination of it and the Music genre. Mashiro no Oto presents a fragrant original soundtrack that accompanies a moving story of self-worth, identity, and passion, all while managing the ups and downs in the life of the several characters it follows. Such as Setsu Sawamura, a shamisen player who has lost his sound after the passing of his mentor and grandfather, a legendary shamisen master. Unable to find his voice within his notes and his grandfather’s, Setsu makes the abrupt decision to move far from his secluded village to regain that which is now foreign to him. The creators took the time to showcase Setsu’s mentality and struggles as the principal fuel of the story, which is often hard to accomplish due to the many situations happening and the characters introduced. There isn't a time you feel him far from us and our reality, even if we are not musicians ourselves. Every new personality presented adds color variation to the different layers of the story, as we take their feelings upfront. If you are looking for a package that consists of bits of every other genre while covering itself with a beautiful Shamisen soundtrack playing in the background, Those Snow White Notes is your next fateful encounter!


Slice of Life is a precious genre that reminds us we need very little to create wonderful, moving stories which will remain close to us for decades to come. They are works that not only entertain and convey messages but allow us to learn from them and grow at our own pace. Fortunately for us, it is a genre that has seen massive growth in recent years, and it is a very much-needed addition every season.

Are you a fan of the genre? Did you enjoy the titles present on this list, or are you looking forward to watching them next? As usual, please let us know your thoughts in the comment section below!

by Mina Sandoval