Do you have fun hanging with your friends at school, talking to your coworkers at work, and going out once in a while for some fun and food? Would you have guessed that watching someone else do just that would be just as fun? Slice of life is a genre of anime that takes the everyday things that you and I would do and turns it into some entertaining work of art! Mundane things like cooking a meal or going to your club can entertain you for hours on end. Yet, it's not these actual actions that pull us as viewers in. The best part about slice of life anime? The characters!
Yes, a lot of characters in anime are cliché or repetitive, but many of them do have their own quirks and charm. How else could slice of life anime be so popular? In no particular order, let me introduce you to my top 10 slice of life anime characters!
10. Tippy from Gochuumon wa Usagi Desu ka?
- Episodes: 12
- Aired: April 2014 - June 2014
Tippy may seem like such an unusual character to choose from amongst all of the cute girls working at the café, but Tippy is an unusual character that I just couldn't ignore. Tippy is not just all fluff, he's actually Chino's grandpa, the owner of the cafe, trapped in the body of a female rabbit! If that wasn't bad enough, Anko, a male rabbit, wants to make Tippy his girlfriend. I have heard that getting old can be tough, but there are limits to the trials that we should have to face, don't you agree?
From watching over his granddaughter at the café in the day to taking care of the bar with his son at night, Tippy has a lot on his plate. Despite all of his troubles, though, Tippy is the center of everything in that shop. Many lives have been affected by him and even though he's getting a bit old, he's still got a lot of work on his hands.
9. Doma Taihei from Himouto! Umaru-chan
- Episodes: 12
- Aired: July 2015 - ongoing
Who has watched Himouto! Umaru-chan without feeling even a little sympathy or even empathy for Taihei, Umaru's responsible older brother? He may seem a little straight laced and a killjoy at times, but he seriously cares for his little sister and continues to spoil her despite complaining about her brattiness. Siscon, anyone?
Taihei lacks any knowledge about video games, anime, and otaku culture, but he does his best for Umaru. OK, technically he's an enabler, but without him, Umaru wouldn't be who she is in the anime. The two characters make a great balance together from Umaru's spoiled persona to Taihei's uptightness. Without that balance, we couldn't enjoy Umaru as much as we do.
8. Nozaki Umetarou from Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-kun
- Episodes: 12
- Aired: July 2014 - September 2014
This anime is one of my favorites and it couldn't be what it is without Nozaki Umetarou. Although he seems kind of boring or two dimensional, but it's his single mindedness that makes him such a fun character. No matter what, all he thinks about is manga. However, it is his inexperience that makes him a crack up! He thinks practically, so he attempts to try out romantic situations in real life, but can't see what would make them romantic like a couple riding together on a bike!
I personally love his single mindedness! He'll allow his friends to sleep over just to observe them or make bento boxes to know what it is like to be a shoujo manga heroine. Umetarou lives solely for his craft which makes him so relatable since so many of us only focus on our own interests.
7. Kuroki Tomoko from Watashi ga Motenai no wa Dou Kangaetemo Omaera ga Warui! (WataMote)
- Episodes: 12
- Aired: July 2013 - September 2013
We all know someone like Tomoko. She thinks highly of herself and looks down on others. She secretly craves attention and the affections of guys, but is unable to actually speak to a boy so Tomoko calls other girls who can sluts and whores out of spite. Yeah, I'm sure at least one person came to mind, right?
However, she's the type of heroine that you can't help but cheer for. You can't actually hate her because you may sympathize with her. She's just one of those teenagers who hasn't figured out their place in the world yet. How many of us went through that? Tomoko is that part of ourselves that we just don't want to admit exists.
6. Hikigaya Hachiman from Yahari Ore no Seishun Love Comedy wa Machegatteiru (My Teen Love Comedy)
- Episodes: 13
- Aired: April 2013 - June 2013
Similar to Tomoko from Watamote, we all know someone like or were Hachiman at one point in our lives. He's that cynical character that talks bluntly to other people and is willing to be the bad guy to bring out the good in others. He may seem rough around the edges, but secretly, Hachiman cares. Can anyone relate? I know I can! Hachiman is a refreshing character compared to the other bland males in slice of life anime that are merely there to be the playthings of the women.
Hachiman isn't that lost character who is constantly learning things about everything. He observes and he knows. He knows what can help a situation and what makes people tick. He's a wallflower. Can't you relate? Isn’t there a Hachiman in all of us?
5. Seki Toshinari from Tonari no Seki-Kun
- Episodes: 21
- Aired: January 2014 - May 2014
Have you ever just sat in class and completely zoned out while the teacher droned on and on about some complicated mathematical equation or history? Yet, staring into space does not make the time go by faster at all. Seki Toshinari lives the school life that we wish we could live. With his imagination, he's able to burn time away.
We never even hear Toshinari speak, but in this anime short, he's surely to become your favorite character without fail. His antics are over the top! How does he not get caught? There's never a dull moment in class with Toshinari.
4. Hasabe Yutaka from Servant x Service
- Episodes: 13
- Aired: July 2013 - September 2013
If you have ever seen Servant x Service, you will probably agree with me that Yutaka is a genuine trooper. That seems weird to say but with Yutaka's easy going yet determined personality, you will agree. I found myself rooting for Yutaka throughout the series even though he comes off as a complete slacker. He's the worker you do want in your office though. He excels in everything without even trying!
It's not his achievements that really pull you in though. He's that goofy guy who wants to get girls' numbers for the sake of having them. Don't call him a playboy, though, he's only got eyes for one girl and even when he gets shot down time and time again, he won't stop to look for a loophole! Seriously, you have to love his drive, although his drive at work is completely misplaced in this workplace comedy.
3. Sensei from Denki Gai Honya-San
- Episodes: 12
- Aired: October 2014 - December 2014
If you haven't seen it yet, Denki Gai Honya-san is worth taking a look at. My favorite character is simply known by the title "Sensei" because she's an amateur mangaka, but don't get me wrong, all of the characters have their merits. Sensei may draw manga, but her real life experiences are non existent. She's that ignorant character who still has much to learn despite being an adult!
Sensei is always cutting it too close when it comes to her deadlines so watch out for her tantrums! She also scores negative points when it comes to her femininity. Yeah, don't ask for girl advice from her, but she is well aware of it and watching her freak out over her lack of girliness or shy away from her crush makes her adorable to watch. I bet we can all relate in one way or anotherer.
2. Bernstein Kirara from GJ-Bu
- Episodes: 12
- Aired: January 2013 - March 2013
There's a general love of cats among the otaku community. That's not to say that people don't like dogs, but it seems quite evident, especially in anime, that cats are adored. Well, how about cat-like people? Kirara is an adorable yet tall girl who has a cat-like personality and strange appendages on her head that appear to be cat ears! How cute is that?
Despite her cute appearance, Kirara is a force to be reckoned with. She has some sort of super human power and strength, but don't worry. Usually her powers are for good only. She has a very strong love of meat and can be seen constantly eating in GJ-Bu, but don't think that just because she has a lot that she is willing to share! It is a special privilege that only 1 person possesses. Don't be jealous, don't we all play favorites sometimes?
1. Izumi Konata from Lucky Star
- Episodes: 24
- Aired: April 2007 - September 2007
Speaking of favorites, it's time to name my all time favorite slice of life character! Lucky Star is just the epitome of slice of life. The characters are so much like normal high school girls and their everyday conversations and daily events, but it is Konata that I really love.
She's your basic otaku who may or may not have talent in some area, in her case its sports, but she likes to invest her time in more entertaining endeavors like playing video games, watching anime, and going to conventions. Konata cracks me up because if she starts thinking about a question, she'll continue to ask it to several different people hours after she first thought of the question, which reminds me so much of people in real life. My favorite part about Konata is how shameless she is. By that I mean she just doesn't care what others think; she'll boast of her hours spent playing MMOs and in the arcade even though she knows that the skills gained in her adventures are not as useful in real life. Konata is such a carefree spirit, you just have to love her.
Slice of life is not a genre for everyone, but if you love it, you have to love the characters that make it as light hearted as it is. Now, I haven't seen a lot of really popular series out there, so this list is fairly limited. Please, let me know who you would opt for this list!
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