The best thing about slice-of-life anime is the relatable stories that come from them. While most popular anime series are supernatural fantasies or action-packed adventures, slice-of-life series are about people's everyday lives and the trials and tribulations they have to deal with.
How the characters interact with their environment and how they push themselves to be better people is where slice-of-life action comes from. Many slice-of-life anime also have amazing relationships where characters protect and care for their loved ones. Some of the best storylines have come from someone saving the thing or person they care about most, which is why so many people love slice-of-life anime.
10 Tohru's Love Saves The Sohma Family From Ruin (Fruits Basket)
Fruits Basket is a go-to anime when people think about slice-of-life. It has some fantastical elements, including a family cursed to turn into animals, but the most important aspect of this series is Tohru's bonds with the members of the Sohma family.
Kyo and Yuki may get the most of Tohru's attention, but her kindness has saved many of the characters from their family and themselves. This includes Akito, who changes from the Sohma family's tyrant that verbally and physically abuses her family, to a person who wants to change for the better. It's Tohru's love for her friends that made that happen.
9 The School Life Club Survived By Working Together (School-Live!)
School-Live! may seem like a simple slice-of-life at first, but after the first episode, it becomes apparent that the series isn't about the daily lives of high school girls; it's about surviving the zombie apocalypse. Anyone would feel stretched entirely thin in this kind of situation, especially when they only have each other to rely on. However, it's the love the characters have for each other that helps them survive.
Even during the series finale when the school is completely overrun with zombies, the girls in the School Life Club stick together and make it out. Even their teacher, who died saving them from zombies, finds a way to help them after her passing. Ms. Megumi leaves behind clues about the zombie apocalypse, but also provides the vehicle they need to escape.
8 Menma Finds Peace (Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day)
Anohana is a beautiful slice-of-life series about grief and finding peace, which is especially hard for a group of teens who lose their friend in a tragic drowning accident when they were children. Even though the group of friends no longer talk to each other, it's obvious they still think of their dead friend Menma — especially Jinta, who is eventually followed by Menma's ghost.
Even though Jinta doesn't want to deal with a ghost from his past, he goes out of his way to help her find peace, including making up with his former friends. Together, they give Menma the send-off she deserves and come to terms with her passing.
7 Violet Created Connects Between People (Violet Evergarden)
Violet Evergarden isn't an obvious slice-of-life series since it discusses war and its damaging effects, but the daily life of a veteran trying to come to terms with her war crimes makes this series especially interesting. As a doll who writes letters for people, Violet is learning how to better express her own emotions by helping others.
Violet even helps a prince and princess find common ground before their marriage. She may not understand love herself, but she's helped others cope with grief and express themselves to their loved ones, which takes a lot of kindness and love.
6 Elias Gave Chise A Future (The Ancient Magus' Bride)
Chise thinks her life is over in The Ancient Magus' Bride when she sells herself into slavery, but luckily for her, the strange skull-headed mage Elias buys her. Their relationship isn't off to a great start considering Elias owns Chise, but Elias makes it clear that Chise is free to do as she pleases, which helps her trust and even love Elias.
Elias may not be in love with Chise when they first meet, but his intention to have her as his future bride is what saves her from her a terrible fate. She is able to have a future because of the feelings Elias feels towards her the moment he sees her. Without that connection, Chise probably would have ended up a slave with no freedom.
5 Hana Sacrificed Everything For Her Children (Wolf Children)
Wolf Children isn't just a movie about werewolves; it's also about a mother's love for her family. The death of her partner leaves Hana with no one but herself to turn to. She could have easily given up, but preserving her partner's legacy and creating a future for her children is too important to her.
She sacrifices her future and her home by moving to the country to keep her family safe and her children are able to flourish. Yuki and Ami may go down different paths in life, but they have the courage to follow their dreams because of the support and love their mother feels towards them.
4 Yatora's Passion For Art Helped Him Succeed (Blue Period)
A slice-of-life about painting isn't something fans get to see often in anime, but Blue Period does an excellent job at portraying an artist's daily struggles. It isn't easy for Yatora to change from a novice to an expert painter, but the love he has for art and making a piece that inspires people pushes him to go past his limits.
Considering how hard it is for students to get into top schools in Tokyo, it's a miracle that he manages to pass the entrance exam, but it's also his passion for art that helps him succeed. He could have given in to the pressure and given up, but he is far too stubborn to let go of the thing he loves doing.
3 Tsuneo Helped Josee Find Herself (Josee, The Tiger And The Fish)
Josee is a bitter person when she first meets Tsuneo in Josee, the Tiger and the Fish, but considering how limited her life has been, it makes sense for her to lash out at people more privileged than her. She wants to explore the world, but her limited mobility has left her isolated and sheltered from the world.
However, that changes when Tsuneo takes her out of her comfort zone and helps her explore the world around her. As they become closer friends, Tsuneo helps Josee find more confidence in her life and her art. It's thanks to his support and love that she's able to create her own story and go out into the world.
2 Food Is The Ultimate Love (Sweetness & Lightning)
Sweetness & Lightning is a super cute anime about a father raising his daughter while also dealing with the loss of his wife. Without his wife Tae, Kohei is struggling with daily tasks like making breakfast and entertaining his daughter Tsumugi. The family feels split down the middle, but love for cooking and food brings them back together.
Thanks to one of Kohei's students, Kotori, whose family owns a restaurant, Tsumugi and Kohei are able to bond by learning how to cook and exploring different dishes. They may fight every once in a while, but food always brings them back to each other.
1 Karasuno's Volleyball Team's Love Of Volleyball Helps Them Win (Haikyuu!!)
Haikyuu!! is mostly considered a sports anime, but since it follows team Karasuno as they go through school and train, it can definitely be considered a slice-of-life. While the bond the team has with each other is important, what really helps the boys win and improve is the love they have for the sport volleyball.
Hinata loves the game so much it's almost scary. He gets excited when other teams pose a challenge, and he'll push himself to the point of collapse if it brings his team to victory. Karasuno's desire to keep playing the sport they love is how they managed to beat Shiratorizawa under impossible odds.