# Good "slice-of-life"/"realistic" anime?



## Saturosias (Aug 1, 2013)

First off, I know there's this thread:
http://gbatemp.net/threads/anime-3.292163/
And I'm tired of seeing the same anime/cartoons circlejerking it to the top of so many lists simply because they were _*dubbed*_ for American television. Pokémon, in my experience, is the only anime that has ever been "better" with a dub. I'd consider Game of Thrones (though not an anime) to be "realistic" in a sense, as the plot doesn't rely on miracles or incredible coincidences to advance -- many things are inherently related.

I also use the term "realistic" loosely for lack of a better word -- I just meant that in a character way, as in the anime doesn't just stick to cliches and tweak them a little bit (i.e. Kanon -- male protagonist, wants to help everyone, has amnesia and his memories are the "key to everything", all the girls are helpless and have tragic stories, bla bla bla).

My favorite anime is, without a doubt, Clannad + After Story. It's the only one that got me (call me a little girl, I guess) emotionally involved enough to actually cry at multiple plot apexes. ef - A Tale of (Memories/Melodies) was also pretty damn good. I was told "Toradora!" was considered similar in tone, but I found that everything it dealt with was... relatively trivial. There was (idk if spoiler? just incase)



Spoiler



no dealing with death -- one of the most prevalent, important themes in much of... everything, and it was the reason I liked SAO _*at first*_ -- and pointlessly dramatic scenes, much reminiscent of Angel Beats.


I'm not necessarily looking for an anime with a happy ending (Grave of the Fireflies was excellent, as was Elfen Lied), but rather one that at least develops its characters significantly and branches out over multiple themes as opposed to just linear "comedy" (FLCL, not bashing it, it's great, just not what I'm looking for right now)  or "romance" (Zero no Tsukaima was awful, I don't know why people recommend it so frequently, #flatIsJustice I guess).


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## Cortador (Aug 1, 2013)

Space brothers. Definitely check it out. Shed some tears watching that.


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## Saturosias (Aug 1, 2013)

Cortador said:


> Space brothers.


 
I see it's on-going (I think), do I go by the Themes in *this Wiki article* if I wanted to break it into "seasons"?


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## Rydian (Aug 1, 2013)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chi's_Sweet_Home
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yotsuba&!
Those?


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## Cortador (Aug 1, 2013)

I am still episode 20, so I don't really know much about breaking into seasons. From what i have seen so far, it has some stop points throughout the plot, but it's very minimal.


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## Jax (Aug 1, 2013)

My Ordinary Life (Nichijou)

Just kidding, it's not ordinary AT ALL!
But it's one of the funniest animes I've ever seen!


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## mysticwaterfall (Aug 1, 2013)

For comedy, Azumanga Daioh and Genshiken are both good slice of life.


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## mrtofu (Aug 1, 2013)

deleted


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## Geren (Aug 1, 2013)

Welcome to NHK! gives a fresh perspective about many real life issues. Highly recommend you to look into it.


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## Ericthegreat (Aug 1, 2013)

Saturosias said:


> First off, I know there's this thread:
> *too big*


Watashi ga Motenai no wa Dou Kangaete mo Omaera ga Warui! (a great currently airing anime comedy/slice of life)
I will also +1 welcome to the nhk.

Also might I recommend you download a eroge(erotic but great visual novel (not really a novel it is a anime where you make decisions like a vn tho)) named School Days HQ, if you are into that sort of thing.


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## Saturosias (Aug 1, 2013)

Ericthegreat said:


> eroge(erotic but great visual novel (not really a novel it is a anime where you make decisions like a vn tho)) named School Days HQ, if you are into that sort of thing.


 
Might you know if it's similar to Muv-Luv? I don't mind if there's eroge, while I don't pursue it either, but if the story aside is good I might try it.


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## Ericthegreat (Aug 1, 2013)

Saturosias said:


> Might you know if it's similar to Muv-Luv? I don't mind if there's eroge, while I don't pursue it either, but if the story aside is good I might try it.


It is pretty much the greatest eroge ever(slice of life anyway). Just download it, if you are ok with eroges then you are missing out. jast usa version is the official sub/uncensored (also only one that prob isnt dead)


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## Hells Malice (Aug 1, 2013)

I am damn surprised to see someone who has actually watched Ef.
I thought I was the only one. (have both on bluray...so gorgeous)



WatchGintama said:


> Anohana
> Steins;gate


 
I'll second both of those.
Both utterly fantastic in their own way.


As for my suggestions...
Heaven's Memopad (Kamisama no Memochou)
Kobato (? maybe. I'd call it slice of life, but anything Kobato does is hardly normal...)
Usagi Drop


Other than that, off the top of my head, I can't think of any slice of life with strong stories that you haven't already mentioned.


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## Saturosias (Aug 1, 2013)

Ahh, thanks for the suggestions, I guess I'll have my hands full for a while checking those out :3

Side note, are there any anime review sites that aren't, well... either run by 12-year-olds or heavily biased reviewers? Like, there's this one guy I stumbled across on YouTube (he's admittedly not the most entertaining, but very direct imo) that actually goes in-depth in his reviews and explains exactly _*why*_ he [dis]likes a particular area of an anime. _*[below is relevant but rant-ish, just explaining why I "don't just Google a site"]*_


Spoiler



This is in stark contrast to where you see people mass-upvoting crap like SAO (I don't want this to turn into a flame thing, this is obviously just _*my*_ opinion about SAO, it was bland and threw around "gaming" terms & fanservice to get pubescent viewers) just because _*"everyone else"*_ watches it. I looked at stuff like "T.H.E.M. Anime Reviews", but they throw around 5-star ratings to about 20% of the animes listed there, and stuff like this for Ouran HSHC:


> the episodes seem to consist of nothing but what would usually be deemed as "*filler episodes*." _*But that is what made Love Hina so popular*_ [..]


It's just one example of Stockholm Syndrome at work on those kinds of sites, and the stuff that makes drivel like Fairy Tail so popular.


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## Pong20302000 (Aug 1, 2013)

Ericthegreat said:


> Watashi ga Motenai no wa Dou Kangaete mo Omaera ga Warui!


 
watching that series as it goes myself with the other half and we both enjoy it

others ive watched recently and enjoyed with the other half:
The "Hentai" Prince and the Stony Cat. (dont judge it on the name, its really good)
The Pet Girl of Sakurasou


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## Ericthegreat (Aug 1, 2013)

Pong20302000 said:


> watching that series as it goes myself with the other half and we both enjoy it
> 
> others ive watched recently and enjoyed with the other half:
> The "Hentai" Prince and the Stony Cat. (dont judge it on the name, its really good)
> The Pet Girl of Sakurasou


I also liked liked the hentai prince and the stony cat (its not a hentai btw) but I didnt recommend it cause he said he is looking for something realistic.


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## Pong20302000 (Aug 1, 2013)

Ericthegreat said:


> I also liked liked the hentai prince and the stony cat (its not a hentai btw) but I didnt recommend it cause he said he is looking for something realistic.


 
was it me of was the ending sad at points

have you seen "The Pet Girl of Sakurasou" or "Sankarea" both very good

its hard to hold everything in when the emotions run high
its like GOD DAM IT MAN HOLD IT IN
other half sitting there like a rock


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## Ericthegreat (Aug 1, 2013)

Pong20302000 said:


> have you seen "The Pet Girl of Sakurasou" or "Sankarea" both very good


I've heard of sankarea, ill look into them ty.


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## The Catboy (Aug 5, 2013)

Squid Girl, one of my personal favorite anime.


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## Joe88 (Aug 5, 2013)

Pong20302000 said:


> was it me of was the ending sad at points
> 
> have you seen "The Pet Girl of Sakurasou" or "Sankarea" both very good
> 
> ...


ep 23 broke me...


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## Apache Thunder (Sep 3, 2013)

I think the only slice of life Anime that I've ever watched is Clannad maybe. But I've recently picked up Watamote. Not sure if that would be your cup of tea though. I recommend against trying to binge watch it. I learned that the hard way.  Wish I had picked it up sooner. 

As for how realistic Watamote is....Well that's hard to say. Perhaps there's some exaggerations here and there. But overall it doesn't seem to have all the typical anime tropes from the typical bad anime (that I am keen to. I'm not a heavy anime watcher, so certainly if there are some more settle references, I would likely not notice them) and all the side characters (thus far) seem to be realistic. Tomoko really is the only abnormal one in the show but that is by design so not really a negative.


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## Cyan (Sep 3, 2013)

I didn't see this thread before.
I'll post some I watched:

Series
Usagi drop (I know, already mentioned, but you REALLY should watch this one if you want slice of life) : a 30 year old guy getting his nieces at home after her father's death, with every implied changes in his life (children care, etc.)
Piano : A girl who want to learn piano
Aku no Hana : psychological harassment between two students
Eve no Jikan : When Cyborg hide to human that they have self awareness.
Fuujin Monogatari
K-on : Student creating a Light Rock club at their Girl's school.
Fuyuu no Sonata : (this one is based on a Korean Drama. I didn't watch it)
Paradise Kiss : a girl joining a strange group, which happen to be a stylist students and she's asked to be their model. (Prequel to Gokinjo Monogatari)
Gokinjo Monogatari : Following the sister of the previous series's main character.
Ikoku Meiro no Croisee
Someday`s Dreamers (with some magic world theme)
Nodame Cantabile
Peach Girl
Rec
Sora no Oto (too bad, not enough world's detail. Same setting/character design as K-on)
Space brothers (currently airing, there's no real seasons, it's just a following story)
Natsume Yuujinchou (I don't know if you can consider this one as slice of life. It's a slice of life of a student who can see spirit world and japanese folklore's spirits)


You might also like the annual "Young Animator Training Project." since 2011: 4 short animations sponsored by big animation studios.

More sport oriented :
Touch, Slow step, Cross game, etc. (all work from Mitsuru Adachi)
Major
Hikaru no go


Movies/OVA:
Mimi wo Sumaseba (Ghibli)
From Up On Poppy Hill (Ghibli)
Umi ga Kikoeru (Ghibli)
Grave of the Fireflies (again)
huu, in fact a lot of Ghibli's 

Hoshi no Koe
5 Centimetres per Second
Kotonoha no Niwa

Hotarubi no Mori e (same genre as Natsume Yuujinchou)
Kimi no Iru Machi
Colorful
Rain Town


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## Sop (Sep 4, 2013)

Cyan said:


> I didn't see this thread before.
> I'll post some I watched:
> 
> Series
> ...


Aku no Hana is weird.


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## sharred (Sep 4, 2013)

Pokemon, the best anime ever


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## Foxi4 (Sep 4, 2013)

Ghost in the Shell - both the movies and the Stand Alone Complex/2nd Gig series. It's realistic in the sense of not having any magic and whatnot - it's merely a look into the grim, somewhat cyberpunk future.


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## RikuCrafter (Sep 4, 2013)

Minami-ke! First season is brilliant, as was the fourth. I love the second and third, but admittedly I see why others don't.


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## Cyan (Sep 4, 2013)

Sop said:


> Aku no Hana is weird.


yeahh, it sure is.
I had difficulty to continue watching it, but not for the animation/design, more because of the theme (I don't like Hijime, harassment, people abusing other people)
And to finally found ... "End of Part 1, To be continued" Noooooo, no more of that story.


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## Bake (Sep 4, 2013)

Never really understood what the hell "slice of life" is.

But uh... Monster is pretty realistic. Does that fit in here?


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## Cyan (Sep 4, 2013)

slice of life is story based on a character, mostly from real world locations/country/town (it could be imaginary locations too), living their own life with their own problem.(not fantasy, Sci-fi, surnatural, monsters, etc.)
A student in love with his teacher (Piano)
A guy taking care of a kid because her father died (Usagi drop)
A girl meeting a boy who want to become luthier (Mimi wo sumaseba)
Two brothers aspiring to become astronauts, following their training at JAXA, NASA, etc (Space brothers)
An orphan kid who need to sell lanterns to earn money and survive, while electricity is starting to be available to everyone (Ojii-san no Lamp)


It's not about saving the world, or killing a villain, it's about simple, every day's problem or happiness that people could have in their life. You follow a part/slice of their life.

Of course you could say "any story is a part of the protagonist's life". but it's more like a genre, no ennemies, no world to save, no goal to reach, etc. it's just following few days of someone's "boring life"


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## Veho (Sep 5, 2013)

Surprisingly enough, Windy Tales. Yes, despite the premise, it's a slice of life anime. One of the sliciest. Yes, it's about a bunch of people who can (sometimes) control the wind, but the story doesn't revolve around that. There is no overarching plot, there is no conspiracy of airbenders bent (hah!) on world domination, there are no antagonists, no enemies, no fights, nothing. It's just the daily lives of several people. And it's really good, and nice, and relaxing, and the art style is very unusual, and I sincerely recommend it.


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## Cyan (Sep 5, 2013)

ah yes, I list it with the japanese name
Fuujin monogatari = Windy tales

I'll also add that it has nice and relaxing sound track, I listen to it occasionally.


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## Theconejo (Sep 5, 2013)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kids_on_the_Slope

Super short(12-13 ep if i remember), but pretty awesome. Revolves around a couple of kids who become friends with the basis of music, Jazz specifically. I'm not really musically inclined or anything but the selection + animations were great together.


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## Veho (Sep 5, 2013)

Cyan said:


> ah yes, I list it with the japanese name
> Fuujin monogatari = Windy tales


I missed it, sorry. I just searched the page for "wind" and when I didn't find it I posted it myself.


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