Iyashikei, or “healing” anime, is a genre of anime that’s meant to soothe its audience with calming and often heartwarming stories. These shows are meant to be relaxing, something to be viewed after a long and stressful day.
While certain iyashikei titles like Laid-Back Camp and Natsume's Book of Friends are pretty well known, there are plenty of hidden gems waiting to be found as well. Below are a few lesser-known examples that fall under this relaxing genre.
My Roommate Is A Cat Is a Heartwarming Tale of Companionship
My Roommate Is a Cat tells two stories: that of Subaru, a writer suffering from crippling anxiety, and his recently adopted cat Haru. Each episode is initially told from Subaru’s perspective while the second half is told from Haru’s, giving viewers a good sense of the developing bond between both human and cat.
Subaru and Haru are still grieving the sudden loss of their own families, but they’re able to find comfort in each other and the many friends they make along the way. At its core, it’s a heartwarming series about learning how to properly grieve and opening up to new experiences and companionship.
My Roommate Is a Cat is available to stream on Crunchyroll and Funimation.
Poco’s Udon World Is a Touching Story of Single Parenthood
After returning to his hometown to attend his father’s funeral, Souta comes across a seemingly homeless child -- who turns out to not be human, but a tanuki. After offering him a place to stay, the titular Poco becomes very attached to Souta, who fits comfortably into the role of a parental figure for the young tanuki.
Poco's Udon World follows the highs and lows of Souta’s journey toward both adulthood and single parenthood, framing it in a way that’s surprisingly believable despite Poco’s supernatural origins. Oh, and there’s also udon. Lots and lots of lovingly animated, delectable looking udon.
Poco's Udon World is available to stream on Crunchyroll.
You and Me (Kimi to Boku) Is a Classic Young Adulthood Experience
You and Me follows a group of childhood friends: the kind-hearted Shun, the serious Kaname, and the laid-back twins Yuki and Yuta. They are later joined by the hyper-active Chizuru, a half-German/half-Japanese transfer student who manages to fit in snugly with the established group of longtime friends.
The five go through the remainder of their high school life falling in love, arguing and playfully ribbing each other. It’s the very essence of youth at its peak, right at the cusp between young adulthood and actual adulthood. It’s a slow-paced coming-of-age story where nothing much really happens, just boys being boys in the most wholesome way imaginable.
You and Me is available to stream on Crunchyroll.
Tanaka-kun Is Always Listless
The titular Tanaka is a very lazy boy whose main goal in life is to exert the least amount of effort as possible. He’s lucked out in somehow becoming best friends with the nicest guy in school, Oota, who is his opposite in almost every way. Where Tanaka is weak and apathetic, Oota is strong and driven. Somehow they work well as a contrasting duo and make for a unique set of protagonists.
They’re joined by Miyano, an excitable girl who idolizes Tanaka, her best friend Echizen, a delinquent with a hidden heart of gold, and Shiraishi, the seemingly perfect class representative. Each episode follows Tanaka and friends as they navigate through school life while Tanaka avoids as much work as possible and his friends somehow make do. Ultimately, nothing much happens -- and Tanaka wouldn’t have it any other way.
Tanaka-kun Is Always Listless is available to stream on Crunchyroll.
