Housework can be overwhelming and, in the world of anime, plenty of characters just don't want to do it. Because this can include a variety of chores, from cooking and cleaning, as well as tasks like sewing, shopping, or managing the household budget, usually specific tasks are highlighted as being a burden for a character.
While this is a staple of lazy characters, sometimes characters don't like housework because they are overwhelmed with their job or schoolwork, meaning this trait is shared with workaholics and slackers alike. And just because a character is actually willing to work around the house doesn't mean they enjoy it. Likewise, someone who is terrible at cooking or sewing, for example, might be blissfully unaware of their lack of finesse and actually enjoy these tasks.
10 Sailor Moon: Usagi Is Willing To Help, She's Just Not Good At It
In Sailor Moon, Usagi's favorite class is said to be Home Economics, but she isn't too talented with the subject. She normally slept during sewing lessons and any attempts she makes to use a needle lead to her stabbing herself repeatedly. She is also shown to be willing to cook and even go food shopping, but most food she makes tastes disgusting. One of the few times she actually managed to prepare something delicious, when she made curry for Chibiusa's class, it still looked terrible.
Some fans think this might be a holdover from when she was Princess Serenity, as she would presumably have had servants taking care of things for her. Fortunately, that will likely be the case again when she becomes Neo-Queen Serenity.
9 Sailor Moon: Eventually, Minako Just Stops Trying
Similar to Usagi, Minako is shown to be just as graceless when it comes to housework. Early episodes showed her to be more than willing to help out, like when she tried to play nurse for her friends during an influenza outbreak. Unfortunately, every place seemed worse off than before she arrived and she practically tortured her friends.
Later episodes where she and her friends get involved with some volunteer activity, which sometimes involved domestic tasks like sewing, usually had her dump the work on the other girls, almost making Usagi look hardworking by comparison. Likewise, an early episode showed she liked knitting, but later became just as proficient as Usagi when it came to sewing.
8 Doraemon: Nobita Has Laziness Down To An Art Form
In Doraemon, Nobita has essentially perfected laziness to an art form: he naps so much during the day, that he rarely sleeps at night, causing him to wake up late anyway. Likewise, he uses Doraemon's gadgets to help with daily activities, which often include household chores. Granted, one story ends with him learning to appreciate housework when he learns that Shizuka is impressed with his rival Dekisugi's cooking skills and hints she wants that in a husband.
Similarly, Gian is also shown to be a terrible cook, but as mentioned, this isn't because he hates cooking. He actually enjoys it, but he just has too much confidence in his skills.
7 Detective Conan: Ran's Parents Are Lucky To Have Her
In Detective Conan, Kogoro is a lazy alcoholic who essentially expects his daughter Ran to keep house for the both of them. Luckily for him, she's a talented cook and is good at managing the family's finances. Considering Conan's also the one who solves cases for him, it's a wonder that he can do anything for himself.
Ran's estranged mother Eri was also said to be a terrible cook, to the point where an argument over how inedible her food was - after an already heated incident - is partially the reason she's estranged from her husband.
6 Atashin'chi: Mikan Likes To Complain, But Rarely Steps In To Help
In Atashin'chi, Mikan is quick to complain about the way her mother cleans house, but rarely helps out, even when asked. She and her brother Yuzuhiko are busy with schoolwork, but unlike him, Mikan is known for being lazy and rarely studying. Yuzuhiko also at least seems willing to cook and clean up after himself. However, as seen during a story in which her mother gets sick, Mikan is capable of helping around the house when needed. She also technically likes sewing, but usually reserves her talent for teddy bears.
She might take after her mother, who seems to have mixed feelings when it comes to housework. She is talented when it comes to budgeting and seems to enjoy cooking and shopping, and she'll happily do errands with a song. However, she's also willing to drop everything to meet with her friends, watch television, or take a nap when she feels like it.
5 Himouto! Umaru-Chan: Umaru Just Makes Her Brother Do Housework For Her
In Himouto! Umaru-chan, Umaru Doma seems supernaturally adept at being lazy, to the point where she can practically shapeshift into a smaller version of herself while she goofs off at home.
Umaru is a talented student, as well as a gifted gamer, but she usually expects her brother to take care of the housework for her. She'd rather just watch anime and play games, and if she doesn't get her way, she'll just complain until her brother gives in. That said, there is a way to force her to do chores: she'll do anything to keep up her goody-goody image in front of anyone besides her brother.
4 Fruits Basket: Shigure's Room Is A Mess Even After The House Is Cleaned
In Fruits Basket, Tohru is invited to stay with the Sohma family and repays this kindness by cooking and cleaning for them. Exactly how bad the house was beforehand varies from version to version, but the manga especially portrays Shigure's room as a "sea of decay."
In fact, even after Tohru cleans up the house, Shigure's room still remains an utter mess. Regarding the other members of the household, Yuki, in spite of his polite appearance, is terrible at cooking and cleaning and is generally lazy at home, while Kyo is at least adept at cooking, but doesn't have any real inclination to do much around the house.
3 Ranma 1/2: Akane Is Too Impulsive To Learn How To Cook Or Sew
It's a running joke in Ranma 1/2 that Akane fails at any household task, whether it's cooking or sewing. The former is even more humiliating for her because most of her rivals for Ranma are professionals in the field: Ukyo works for her family's okonomiyaki cart, and Shampoo excels at cooking while also working for her grandmother's Chinese restaurant.
To rub salt in the wound, Ranma himself is actually a decent cook and is implied to be a bit of a neat freak. Given his lazy father, it's tempting to think he's had to take care of himself at a young age. All in all, it's implied that Akane doesn't have the patience to learn to cook properly.
2 Ultra Maniac: Nina's Foster Mother Is Lucky To Be Married To A Warlock
In Ultra Maniac, Nina is a witch staying in the Human World, living with a pair of foster parents. Her foster mother is a mortal while her husband is a warlock.
This actually comes in handy because, while she does try, Nina's foster mother fails to properly perform any housework, especially cooking. Having a husband with magical powers sure comes in handy, as he can fix any mess with a wave of his hand. Sometimes, Nina's cat Rio has to step in to help her.
1 Cinderella Monogatari: The Duchess Uses Housework As A Punishment
In Cinderella Monogatari, Cinderella's evil stepmother, the Duchess, has forced her into becoming the household drudge while her father is away on business, and regularly gives the girl more errands if she feels like punishing her, all the while reminding the girl she's lucky to be in her good graces.
Of course, one could make the argument for Cinderella herself. She does cook and clean for her evil family without complaint, but she also marries the prince at the end of the story so she doesn't have to. Not to mention, there's plenty of episodes where she delegates her chores to her little animal friends and her fairy godmother.