Do you ever have those days between writing your midterm essays and memorizing vocab words when you just don’t have it in you to study? So do I. And sometimes, a break is just what you need. So here are some of my recommendations for cute, funny, and/or inspiring anime to push you through that slump! Enjoy!
#1) Bananya
(Credit: Crunchyroll)
Imagine a banana, but when you peel it, out comes… a cat? Yes, Bananya is the story of cats who live in bananas and just trust me, it’s one of the most adorable things you will ever see. Every episode focuses on Bananya and his friends as they go on strange and hilarious adventures around the house while the humans aren’t looking (seriously, in one episode they get stuck in the refrigerator), and the best part is that each episode is only three minutes long! You can watch the whole twelve-episode series in just over half an hour, including opening and ending credits.
Length: 12 episodes, 3 minutes each
Where to watch: Crunchyroll
If you liked it, watch…: Chi’s Sweet Home, Barakamon
#2) Aggretsuko
(Credit: Netflix)
Retsuko (25, single, Scorpio) doesn’t exactly have an easy work life. She has a boring office job with obnoxious coworkers and a boss who is a literal chauvinist pig. So how does she cope? She screams out her feelings in death metal songs at a karaoke bar. Aggretsuko is funny, sweet, and relatable as it follows Retsuko’s stumbles through work, friendships, and romance, and you’ll want to cheer her on the whole time. And fun fact, the series is created by Sanrio, the same company behind Hello Kitty (which means that if you enjoy it, merchandise isn’t hard to find).
Length: 10 episodes, 15 minutes each
Where to watch: Netflix
If you liked it, watch…: Skull-Faced Bookseller Honda-san, Wotakoi: Love is Hard for Otaku
#3) A Place Further than the Universe (Sora Yori mo Tooi Basho)
(Credit: Crunchyroll)
Four adventure-hungry girls go on an expedition to Antarctica. It may seem like a simple premise, but it’s simultaneously a sweet and funny slice-of-life comedy and a deep, emotional, and unpredictable story about friendship, growing up, and stepping out of your comfort zone, leading plenty of people to call it the best anime of 2018. And as a bonus, the visuals are stunning and the music is beautiful, too.
Length: 13 episodes, 23 minutes each
Where to watch: Crunchyroll
If you liked it, watch…: Laid-Back Camp, K-On!
#4) Tsuritama
(Credit: Crunchyroll)
On the island of Enoshima, fishing brings three socially awkward teenagers and a twenty-something with a duck together as they go on wacky adventures and eventually save the world from aliens. I watched this show on a whim when I got sick last summer, and I’m so glad I did. Like A Place Further than the Universe, it’s a story about friendship, specifically the friendship between people who are typically misunderstood, and the adorable art style only enhances that. You’ll laugh, you might cry, but your heart will feel a little bigger when it’s over. Eno! Shima! Don!
Length: 12 episodes, 23 minutes each
Where to watch: Crunchyroll, Hulu If you liked it, watch…: Mawaru Penguindrum, Arakawa Under the Bridge
#5) Haven’t You Heard? I’m Sakamoto (Sakamoto Desu Ga?)
(Credit: Crunchyroll)
Sakamoto is special because it’s absolutely absurd. The titular Sakamoto is the king of his high school class, able to get past any obstacle or attempt at sabotage with a flip of his hair and a one-liner that makes every girl in school swoon on the spot. The show is over-the-top to the point where you can’t think about it too much, making it the perfect fix when you need to turn your brain off at two in the morning after a long night of studying (I can attest to this firsthand).
Length: 12 episodes, 24 minutes each
Where to watch: Crunchyroll, Hulu
If you liked it, watch…: Cromartie High School, Handa-kun
#6) Mob Psycho 100 (Season 1)
(Credit: Crunchyroll)
Mob Psycho 100 is the story of Mob, an eighth-grader with immense psychic powers controlled by his emotions, and his adventures exorcising spirits with his fake-psychic boss, Reigen. I can’t describe it in a way that makes it seem like the most intriguing show in the world, but trust me, it’s really good and probably the one I’d most recommend on this list (…well, along with what’s coming next). The comedic moments are hilarious, the characters are charming and fun (especially Reigen), the action is animated beautifully, and the opening theme will be stuck in your head for months. When you’re done with the first season, the second season is currently airing and it’s even better than the first, but it gets very heavy very quickly, so it may not be the best midterm fare.
Length: 12 episodes, 24 minutes each (Season 2 has 13 more)
Where to watch: Crunchyroll, Funimation Now
If you liked it, watch…: One Punch Man, My Hero Academia
#7) Run with the Wind (Kaze ga Tsuyoku Fuiteiru)
(Credit: Crunchyroll)
I’m going to take a little more time with this one, because Run With the Wind is the show I chose to spend my midterm season with this semester, and it’s quickly become one of my favorite anime in recent years. I think it’s something everyone should at least try out; it might not end up being your thing, but you might fall in love with it like I did, and trust me, it will be worth it.
Run With the Wind is the story of a ragtag college track team as they try to qualify for and compete in the Hakone Ekiden marathon, and when I say “ragtag”, I mean that literally. The team is made up of the ten residents of a shabby off-campus apartment building, all of whom run at wildly different levels. These ten main characters (eleven if you count Nira, the dog who acts as the series’ mascot) are the highlight of the series by far: They’re in different years with different majors and they go through a wide variety of struggles, from letting go of high-school failures to quitting smoking to finding a job after graduation. Seeing them work hard and overcome those obstacles is what gives this series its charm. Adding onto that, throughout the series, they all discover their own motivation for running, and by the end, none of them are doing it just to win. My personal favorite character is Shindo, the sweetest business major you’ll ever meet, who’s driven by the goal of stepping out of his comfort zone to do something new and meaningful but struggles with juggling all the responsibilities he’s taken on as a member of the team. The past few episodes have been heart-achingly relatable, and I’m not ashamed to admit that I cried on the orchestra bus a few weeks ago because of it (You’ll understand when you get there, but who wouldn’t cry at episode 20?)
And while you’re watching, make sure to keep one ear out for the amazing soundtrack! The show’s composer, Yuki Hayashi, is one of my biggest musical inspirations.
Length: 23 episodes, 23 minutes each
Where to watch: Crunchyroll
If you liked it, watch: Haikyuu!!, Tsurune (or any other sports anime, there are tons out there)