Anime/Manga - Discuss Japanese cartoons and comics here; NO CULTURE WAR DOOMPOSTING!

  • Want to keep track of this thread?
    Accounts can bookmark posts, watch threads for updates, and jump back to where you stopped reading.
    Create account
Girls Last Tour and anything produced by Tsukimizu has brought me nothing but despair and sadness. I still highly recommend it.
 

A few weeks ago, we opened a poll to find our about our readers’ favorite anime in the iyashikei genre. Generally referred to as “healing anime”; these are titles considered to have a calming or therapeutic effect on viewers. Typically this attributed to a focus on relaxing, conflict-free activities and settings, but it’s a very subjective distinction, and there are many possible reasons a title could be considered to be “healing”.

By now, responses have slowed down sharply after nearly 600 votes, so it’s time to compile the results. These are the top 20 most popular out of the 40 possible choices in the poll:

20. Sweetness & Lightning (7 votes)
19. Tanaka-kun is Always Listless (8 votes)
18. After School Dice Club (9 votes)
17. Girls’ Last Tour (10 votes)
16. My Roommate Is A Cat (11 votes)
15. New Game!! (12 votes)
14. School Babysitters (13 votes)
13. Kamichu! (14 votes)
12. Barakamon (15 votes)
11. Tonikawa: Over the Moon for You (18 votes)
The Helpful Fox Senko-San
10. The Helpful Fox Senko-San (19 votes)
Restaurant to Another World
9. Restaurant to Another World (26 votes)
Natsume's Book Of Friends's Book Of Friends
8. Natsume’s Book Of Friends (27 votes)
Mushishi
7. Mushishi (31 votes)
Flying Witch
6. Flying Witch (32 votes)
Non Non Biyori
5. Non Non Biyori (33 votes)
Laid Back Camp
4. Laid Back Camp (45 votes)
Azumanga Daioh
3. Azumanga Daioh (55 votes)
Aria
2. Aria (57 votes)
K-On!
1. K-On! (65 votes)
The top 3 results aren’t too surprising. K-on and Aria very popular and Azumanga Daioh is considered by many the big one that first popularized the genre. Some may be surprised that Mushihi didn’t make the top 5, but it seems to have slipped out of favor since its debut in the oughts. Girls’ Last Tour may be the biggest surprise; it gets a lot of critical praise and has a pretty vocal fanbase in healing anime circles, but as far as our voters are concerned, it only ranked #17.

Were you surprised by any of the other results? Was there an unmentioned title you feel should have made the list? Let us know in the comments!

——————————————————————

The funny thing is that I already watch half of these, but it’s nice to see Yuru Camp and Non Non Biyori in the top five of these. Though, I’m surprised not a lot of people watch Mushishi and Flying Witch. The latter I managed to find out was just off of randomly looking up anime compilation videos online, where as the former was recommended to me a few years back on Goodreads when I was listing my reading goals on books I read at that time.
Would Mushishi, Natsume, or Girl's Last Tour really count as "healing" anime? The first two are more like slow supernatural anthologies while the latter has a pretty melancholy feel, not counting the manga.

Putting them alongside Gakuen Babysitters and K-on feels a bit misleading, imo. That being said, Barakamon is great and more people should watch it.
 
Would Mushishi, Natsume, or Girl's Last Tour really count as "healing" anime?
Haven't seen Natsume or Girls' Last Tour, but Mushishi is relaxing for a supernatural anime that sometimes delves into the creepy. That's why it counts as a healing anime, because it's soothing, and also because it's soothing, it's not meant to be binged. It's just something you sit back and relax with a cup of tea, so you watch an episode or two as you sip. Bonus points if you watch it with headphones on because the soundtrack is phenomenal.
 
Would Mushishi, Natsume, or Girl's Last Tour really count as "healing" anime? The first two are more like slow supernatural anthologies while the latter has a pretty melancholy feel, not counting the manga.

Putting them alongside Gakuen Babysitters and K-on feels a bit misleading, imo. That being said, Barakamon is great and more people should watch it.

Girl's Last Tour anime being a healing one is fine, since the tone is overall hopeful for the post apocalypse setting.
 
Oh yeah, I rarely see people talk about that isekai restaurant anime. It's not exactly revolutionary but it's indeed pretty relaxing as it's just all sorts of fantasy people from different backgrounds coming together to appreciate our food.
 
Non Non Biyori is probably my favourite of those listed overall but I'm glad Flying Witch made the top 10 even if the anime only covers the first few volumes of the manga, which is now up to 10 volumes in Japan.

I'm glad that Tanaka-kun is Always Listless (another spring 2016 anime that only covered a few volumes of a much longer manga, just like Flying Witch) and Kamichu! (anime-original though it did get a manga spin-off that takes place in a slightly-different timeline) also made the top 20.
 
surprised to see after school dice club anywhere mentioned at all.
wouldn't exactly call it iyashikei tho, think stuff like recovery of an mmo junkie would be more fitting.
 
Recently been on a Natsume Ono binge after remembering my enjoyment of the ACCA 13 anime, there's just something really nice about their works. I read through House of Five Leaves in one sitting and just loved it, the cast was a lot of fun to read with the development of the MC Masa being simply amazing. Currently reading through the ACCA 13 manga and it's just as enjoyable as the anime. Would really recommend both series if anyone wants a more laidback series with adult casts, though I know the unique art style might throw some people off (I personally like it a lot). After I finish up ACCA 13 I'll probably check out Ristorante Paradiso (everything I've seen about this series makes me think it's the author channelling their silver fox fetish at MAX, not that I'm complaining) and some of their other short series. If anyone has an authors that are similar in feel/style please let me know.
house-of-five-leaves.jpg
220px-ACCA_Volume_1_Manga_Cover.jpg
29095309._SX318_.jpg

To go a long with that I also started watching the House of Five Leaves anime which has been gorgeously animated so far, though I have heard it doesn't cover the full series unfortunately. Sucks since I'd have loved to see Masa and the gang from the last volume, I'll at least hope it has a decent conclusion. Opening is pretty great too.
mpv-shot0008.jpg
Can confirm. Not into shojo per say, but fruits basket, ouran, and sailor moon are my go-to's tbh.

Speaking of ouran, I started re-watching it tbh. I needed it right after finishing Jujutsu Kaisen (which I recommend tbh) and god a LOT of shit flew over my head when I was a kid with Ouran. So so SO much.
It's really charming and I remembered bits and pieces, but everything hits differently but it's a fun re-watch to take a break from shounen stuff.
I got Haikyuu S3 on the back burner, it's getting pretty good, still got to touch my Naruto pile, but I'll probably finish Ouran before I get back to those tbh.
Hell, I even got my mom into Ouran and she's finding it enjoyable too tbh.

I don't want a s2 of it however contrary to my last post. When I finish the anime I'll just go for the manga or something. I feel if it needed a S2 it should've happened around the time frame it came out, I feel if it got one now something would be missing.
I sadly have to agree on Ouran s2 even though I'd love the later parts of the manga animated, it would have a hard time capturing the same charm. It might work if they got back the same director as they have great comedic timing and a really unique style (ex. the giant arrows for comedic emphasis were also used in their other works like soul eater and bungou stray dogs).

It's also pretty guaranteed that even if it did somehow get one it wouldn't get the same dub cast (which is the only way I've ever watched the show) for various obvious reasons.
 
Haven't seen Natsume or Girls' Last Tour, but Mushishi is relaxing for a supernatural anime that sometimes delves into the creepy. That's why it counts as a healing anime, because it's soothing, and also because it's soothing, it's not meant to be binged. It's just something you sit back and relax with a cup of tea, so you watch an episode or two as you sip. Bonus points if you watch it with headphones on because the soundtrack is phenomenal.
I guess, it's been 6 years since I last watched it, so maybe it was softer than I remember. I do still listen to the OST though. Still doesn't feel right seeing it bunched up with K-on and Tanaka-kun. If I'm in the mood for K-on, its a much different feeling.

Natsume is great btw, its a somewhat softer, more shoujo-esque supernatural series.
 
Has there been anyone on this thread that ever read manga from the ending to all the way to the beginning?

I think I might try that one day just for the laughs.
Ooh... that'd be interesting.

Speaking of things going backwards, I've been trying to watch Touka Gettan, but I had heard it was aired backwards so I thought "What if I watched it backwards?" And I don't know if that's the right thing to do or not lol.
 
The lack of Hakumei to Mikochi on the list is a crime against humanity and good food, it's as effective as YuruCamp at putting me in a good mood.
The best lazy way to describe Hakumei to Mikochi would be a wholesome version of Made in Abyss. Pure potato faces and no creepy torture!
 
I find it interesting how simply interesting cover design can get me to pick up a new series that I've heard nothing about. Recent example of this is getting into picking up the physical release of Phantom Tales of the Night which I don't see talked about online at all which is a shame, surprised me a lot to see Yen Press start putting it out. The covers are absolutely gorgeous in my opinion and I'm glad they made me impulse buy because I've been really enjoying the story so far. Series is another in the supernatural genre of mysterious business owner helps people with their problems for a price (this one specifically wants their secrets) except this guy is a much more villainous character than say Yoko from xxxholic in that he doesn't really care what happens to the one he "helps" as long as he gets his end of the bargain.
630f985bfbd546e4736ffd340a1f9200.png

l.jpg
2.jpg
51aw00fkh9L._SX346_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg
828077._SX360_QL80_TTD_.jpg
8ed86b8ab6b81c124c75d3c58bba9b0a_xl.jpg
9781975317461.jpg
9781975324216.jpg
I prefer more out there styles, just lends to the vibe and lets the artist lean into their vision. No good examples lately sadly.
I've read some recent stuff that I find goes a bit outside the norm I'm used to, your comment actually helped me remember one I was reading that I forgot the name for.
Name is Rojika to Rakkasei and is a quite out there post-apocalyptic series that takes place in a creepy Moomin-esque world. Complete at 3 volumes.
222836.jpg

I'm a big fan of picking up a manga at random and realizing it's done by an author I like because they have such a unique style to them.
 
Back
Top Bottom