Slice of Life is what required if you're tried of your hectic daily routine and needed some rest. Connor doesn't understand because he can't rest his brain on anime, needing to be engaged constantly instead of tuning out and let it flow. Also, Joey is correct. The Slice of Life ANIME is primarily aimed at the office worker demographic.

I think you missed another big part of slice-of-life's appeal. It's comforting for introverts and social outcasts who are too afraid to socialize with people, so self-inserting themselves into a wholesome fictional friend group is the next best thing for them.

The fact that watching SoL stresses Connor out is the least surprising thing I've heard all year. I think it's well established at this point that the man's got some serious ADHD lmao

i genuinely feel SoL shows require that calm mindset There is a reason why its slowly getting that attention because most of these people who just want this relaxation and a place to feel home. yes, action, comedy and romance sure can be fun to watch, But SoL is the moments which alot of people want when they are mentally or physically exhausted.

Japan: “my 9-5 job is so hectic and oppressive, and with no escape in sight, so I just want to watch an anime about some calm mundane shit” The West: “my 9-5 job is so hectic and oppressive, I just wanna watch a show where a protag overcomes his mundane life and beats the shit out of his oppressors” I feel like there is a big cultural divide in the kind of escapism that is valued in the west vs Japan. I think the idea of “breaking free from mundanity” is way more popular in the west, and the idea of “reaching a relaxing and harmonious mundanity” is more popular in the east.

I know this gonna get buried in the comment section but I have to write this about SOL. It's about the subtleness and simplicity of human perspective, mindsets and their interaction - meeting new people, getting out of ones comfort zone, falling in love, that little progress but wholesome effort that the protagonist made, those remarkable lines that just hit you in the spot, those every little but wholesome things that just makes your soul warm. It's not all about the epic fight scenes and sh*ts, sometimes it's just better to see how people manage to live their lives and see how they handle it at the end.

Joey: "Listening to us may be like a slice of life to some people." Ah damn, he's right. I listen to this when I want to turn my brain off because nothing actually happens here and there's no drama (other than chicken breast supposedly tasting like chicken thighs smh).

SoL is truly a genre for men of culture

Garnt: *Accepts slice of life anime* Joey: 🤗 Connor: 🤦

To me SoL is incredibly character focused and character driven. It relies on the viewers to find the characters interesting and relatable, for the characters to be well-written, or both. The plot to any SoL anime can be "boring", but if the characters are good then the lack of an exciting story can be overlooked quite easily.

Glad to see that Garnt is slowly coming around to the slice of life genre (though I'm not really sure if I can forgive the K-On slander, lol). It's definitely not the kind of anime that will appeal to everyone, but as a long-time SoL / CGDCT fan, I love what it has to offer; namely, cozy vibes, a touch of anemoia, and a unique brand of escapism that I don't really get from other genres of anime.

I lived a boring life and sol gives me a glimpse of the fun that I missed out on in my youth, it soothes my soul at times and other times it saddens me, it just puts my emotions on hyperdrive

It's a break from the action and drama, also cute girls doing cute things warms the souls.

Joey's band practice: K-On Grant's band practice: Bocchi the Rock

That's why I absolutely love shows like k-on! non non biyori, Barakamon, miss Kobayashi's dragon maid and bocchi the rock. even though they're not popular like shonen anime, they have this feel of comfort, humour and satisfaction that keeps me to watching more of it.

What I love about SoL is that its close to being replicated IRL. Since i was little, I was being challenged by some of my relatives that cartoons/anime is "impossible", "only for kids", "and will not be applied IRL" etc. Watching SoL feels like I can do the things the characters can do & can be more close to a character who has no super powers. Examples being brought up like Yuri Camp & A place further than the universe pushed me to do camping trips & giving me a dream to travel to Antartica. Watching Clannad AS made me dream of a family that I will not regret, etc.

“It’s fun doing nothing” I agree “So, in a way, it’s fun watching characters experience those same moments of doing nothing” You’ve lost me…

The thing about slice of life is not that they got "no story", but the stake they need to overcome is simply terribly low compared to, let's say shonen series like becoming a hokage in Naruto for example. In slice of life, the stake they need to overcome is like: "buying a limited sale fluffy pudding in the convenience store" hence the name of the genre, slice of life. This is also the reason why the main demographic are people with a lot of stress because even a small thing like "buying your favorite bath bomb" can be a challenge for them.

SoL is my top genre. I got into it very young because everyday life was boring for me. It’s great if you’re into comfy, cozy show that focuses on friendship or family. I love it because it always sends a message that life can be fun no matter your scenario. You could be in rural Japan or a bustling office worker in the metro. It doesn’t have to be supernatural.

Joey: listening to us may be like a slice of life for people Me: *zoning listening while eating dinner* ah I see

Garnt: i could never watch slice of life shows like k-on Also Garnt: Bocchi the rock is the best anime of the season. our boy has come so far 😭

yuru camp put me on that SOL rush now it easily became my favorite genre. if i just wanna watch some chill SOL, yuru camp, daily lives of highschool boys, kakushigoto, barakamon type of shows are the ones i watch. if i want a more character focused, drama, type of slice of life, clannad, sangatsu, hibike, mushishi mob psycho (more on shounen) are the type of shows i watch. there are so much layers in slice of life shows that it's so hard to explain why i love this genre so much

It's not for everyone. To many people it is the immersive nature of it all. it is just something to sit back and relax with.

Connor's disappointed that Silver Spoon wasn't Animal Farm.

The Japanese countryside, at least the idyllic version that’s depicted in anime reminds me a lot of small town or suburban life in ehe US as well. So I think it legitimately hits upon universal themes. I’ve personally never been to Hokkaido, but I assume growing up there isn’t a whole lot different than Wisconsin, Wales, or Schleswig-Holstein

I very much like SoL. Sometimes it just calms your soul. Sometimes it makes you wanna go camping, fishing, cycling, or anything. Sometimes it makes you pick up a new hobby, like playing a guitar, DiY, or even shogi. We can have actions stuff in other media, but only anime and manga really takes an unconventional stuff as camping, fishing, etc as a whole show.

Connor's the type that screams "DO SOMETHING! ANYTHING!! JUST...SOMETHING!!!" at a slice of life anime he has to watch.

SoL is what you need to purify your soul and just feel wholesome. Its a catharsis that puts a smile on your face

I get that Garnt is probably just in the mood of appreciating Japan's vibe, but every city in the world has a vibe of its own. For example, I live in Taipei but I like the vibe in Soho London too.

Am I the only one that thinks it's a bit dismissive to say nothing happens in SoL? There are things that happen in the story, they're just not big world ending threats. They tackle everyday challenges & you relate to their struggles. But in most SoL anime the characters do grow in some way so it's not like absolutely nothing is happening. & in anime where that is the case normally you are watching to relax or for the character interactions. For example Kobayashi, most eps are just random but you watch as she grows closer to Tohru & Kanna. By the end she grows from someone who'd rather be alone to relishing the bond she's created with her found family. Even more chill SoL like Yuru Camp you see how Rin similarly only viewed camping as a solo endeavor slowly appreciates camping as a group because of Nadeshiko. While I admit this isn't like groundbreaking achievement in writing lmao it is still nice to build a connection to these characters & watch as they go on their journey through life. Even with a story where "nothing happens" that's the point. The character interactions & vibes are what guide you through it. Idk I just think it's not insane to understand what people get out of it even if you don't necessarily like it yourself.

It can be. Some people crave tension, action or comedy. So you need to have the right mindset for slice of life.

I wasn’t bored during My Dress Up Darling and Bocchi the Rock. I’ve never watched SoL prior but those two made me smile like a little shit.

I think Connor is very much in the mindset of it has to be engaging because I am always engaged when I watch. But slice of life is all about disengaging. Detaching yourself from the stuff going on in life to just relax and enjoy just existing with the characters.

My favorite genre is Iyashikei. It is a sub-genre of slice of life, portraying characters living out peaceful lives in calming environments, and is intended to have a healing effect on the audience. Why am I telling you this? I only found out recently that I love these kind of shows. It was then I thought "Wait, I watched this anime, so that's why its familiar!" Whenever I watch it, I always feel in awe, always having a calming feeling. Sure it's not for everyone, but I sincerely recommend watching it whenever you feel down, love slice-of-life or just in a mood to watch. These are just a few anime I recommend: Non Non Biyori, By the Grace of the Gods, Senko-san, Yuru Camp, Tanaka-kun. There's a lot more that you can search. Edit: Thank you so much for your recommendations! I'll add them to my list :D

I don't watch a whole lot of anime but when I do, it's almost always exclusively in the iyashikei genre. ARIA the Animation is one of my go-to iyashikei shows. It's so chilled out and calm and even the OPs are super relaxing. Aside from Spirale from the Origination, I won't skip the OPs on ARIA. Another go-to is Natsume for me. It's not as relaxing as something like ARIA but it's still generally pretty chill and I love all the youkai friends Natsume makes. I tend to skip the episodes dealing with the human conflicts as far as Nartori and the one exorcist line whose name I can't remember. I just don't find those episodes relaxing and generally there's no repercussion for skipping them. Especially when I've seen every season like 3-4 times.

I'm 31 and can't really watch Shōnen anime anymore. I just want to relax and take it easy, SoL is perfect for me. It's why Flying Witch, Non Non Biyori, and Isekai Shokudou are way up there on the list of my favorite Anime.

I get Connor 100%. Watching slice of life feels very different than hanging out on a calm afternoon in the fall with your friends and no responsibilities. A lot of people will consider the time and attention it takes to watch a show/consume a piece of media. They feel like they should get a return on their investment or they're wasting their life, whereas having a chill day outside never evokes that feeling and stimulates their senses in a way that watching a TV show doesn't. You can also apply this idea to other facets of watching anime. I'm guessing that Connor also wouldn't be the sort of person who just decides to randomly try out an anime they've never heard of to see if they like it. With that being said, I think the closest thing to what Joey and Garnt are describing would be like laying down and watching a rerun of your favorite cartoon as a kid, with nothing else to do. I can definitely relate to those days.

I have met a person just like Connor who doesn’t like story in games nor SoL, and they were very competitive (almost like an athlete). 9:30 I believe when he says “something is preventing me from enjoying it” it’s the thought of optimization and constant progression mindset that causes a person to crave for constant stimulation. Connor, as he was very good in Chess, seems to be a person who likes to strategize and test his skills. And I feel such people really hate wasting time or resources, when they can see an optimal path. The problem is sometimes the irritation can be triggered not just by their own actions but also by watching others wasting their potential. I think if Connor wants to understand SoL or stories, he has to learn that not optimizing something doesn’t mean it’s wasting stuff.( At least I thought so for the person I met)

I always love watching people doing their things, farmers plowing their fields, blacksmiths doing their blacksmithing things, carpenters doing their carpentry things or 9-5 workers going home from work quite late at 9pm with a cigarette and a bottle of coke. SOL makes me feel like that..

SoL is my favorite anime genre when I first got into anime. The anime that aired on TV are mostly shonen stuff, but I never actually enjoy those shows. Then when I first learn how to watch anime on the internet (illegally) I found Super Sonico the Animation, and I enjoy that show (definitely for it's SoL genre and not other thing). And I like their songs too, that also send me to a Japanese music rabbit hole. After that, I'm just going from site to site to find what other SoL anime that people would recommend.

It seems like slice of life anime appeals to the same senses as watching Friends, HIMYM, the office or whatever, for the 10th time. Watching it the first time, sure, maybe they’re funny, each episode has a mini plot, maybe there’s even an overarching plot, so you’re engaged. However, watching it for the 10th time, you know all of the plot points and the jokes. At that point you’re just watching familiar people going through life. I almost don’t know anybody who watches slice of life anime, but having one or two sitcoms as comfort shows you watch over and over is SUPER common (at least where i live). Just thought the comparison was interesting as slice of life gets stigma, but these sitcoms are the most watched shows we have

I have ADHD and sometimes I can't watch action anime because it is over stimulating for me. I always found slice of life to be calming and easy to watch. I also grew up in the middle of nowhere so the pacing of slice of life reminds me of summers as a child playing outside

I used to just not watch anything more than action shonen series but overtime, I have really grown to enjoy slice of life shows. There is the also the fact that loads of anime now don't have to follow these hero/villian centric stories and I am just watching way more shows in general. So, the variety also helps to make me like the genre more.

While Slice of Life isn't my main cup of tea, I always appreciate it when there's one that catches my eye. Also, like Garnt said, it's oddly nostalgic, although I do get that odd sense of nostalgia from other genres or pieces of media as well.

I can't believe Connor is thrashing Silver Spoon just like that. The audacity of him not knowing how the manga readers waited for years to get the conclusion of the story 😑. I get it that SoL isn't for everyone though

Man is village-life different when drinking is legal at sixteen! My memories starting at fourteen are drinking in ruined castles and beautiful hillsides or drinking in basements playing X-Box.

I'm a huge romantic and slice of life just give me the romances and experiences I crave without actually seeking them out sometimes It also makes me want more, that nostalgic feeling love gives you is what slice of life moments create I thinks

This is also why I am so excited for the Grace of the Gods season 2

I love how Garnt unconsciously wiped his hand on his shoulder after shaking Joey's hand 😂

The difference between a good slice of life and a bad one is progression/growth. Stuff actually happens. They join a band and do their first live performance with future goals.

For me, slice-of-life, is life. It brings that revitalisation at the end of the day in a really calming way that many of us need. In that, I don’t think it will ever go out of fashion.😌❤️

Clannad is masterpeace, it isn't slice of life, it is life

Sol is just wholesome too, no stress of some character being killed off 😂

I will say, even though slice-of-life is not necessarily my go-to genre, I absolutely adore the Aria series. I feel like it's the epitome of what a slice-of-life Anime should be like. It has a really relaxing and memorable music score, a serene and gorgeous setting (my personal favourite in all of Anime), the characters are likeable and have good growth and no other Anime feels like it transports me to another world better than this series. It makes you wish the real world was like this series, with its setting and the nice people in it. Because of that, it makes you feel so good and warm inside and it makes you forget the problems and bad stuff that's happening in the real world. It's easily one of my favourite Anime ever.

I don't know why a lot of people mistake Slice of Life and iyashikei. Yes iyashikei is a slice of life but not all slice of life are iyashikei. There are a lot of entertaining slice of life out there. Kobayashi, Beck, Beastars, Danshi Kokousei to name a few.

I love most genres, slice of life is, well, aside from the emotional heavy bits of some like sangatsu no lion and all, just pure comfy

They really take it seriously when they say "and occasionally anime"

Does Mushishi count as iyashikei? It's not slice of life but it is iyashikei (anime that is meant to be healing). If it does then it is the best iyashikei, I honestly wished it never ended.

You guys have discovered meditation via slice of life

It's enjoying the simple and little things in everyday life ❤️

I've been watching anime for a long time, but I'm not really sure how people define SoL nowadays. It's such an all encompassing genre, that it seems like it applies to so many different types of shows now. Kind of like the Drama genre. Like Clannad in the thumbnail for example. When I think of Clannad, I think of it as being mostly comedy, romance, and drama rather than SoL. Plus it has the whole supernatural dream sequence plot point. But there are some episodes, especially in the first half where the romance and drama elements take a back burner to the comedy/SoL moments. Another would be Asobi Asobase. It's SoL/Comedy but often times it feels like the Comedy part is the main focus. There aren't a lot of shows that I can think of where it's purely SoL or where the SoL part is the main focus. The only ones that come to mind are shows like K-On or Do It Yourself. Usually shows where the main focus is on some kind of specific activity, career, hobby, etc. I don't think I'd be able to say "I like/dislike" SoL because of that. Unless you get really specific about the type of show you're talking about, the genre just feels way too broad to do that.

Sometimes Action and explosions aren't Having some peace of mind Is good too Slice of life is somewhat of a peace maker at least to me

Yuru Camp is god tier SoL Never felt cozier watching an anime

the way Connor feels about SoL is me with Battle Shounen

I've always enjoyed a bit of Slice of Life. Granted the last one I can remember really investing in is Azumanga Daioh which is like almost 20 years old now

I didn't even know what Connor's opinion on slice of life was, and somehow I still knew what his reaction was going to be, ha

Back in my Anime Honeymoon phase, I would be soooo drawn into Slice of Life. Nowadays, I am more drawn to College/Grown-Up Slice of Life/Dramas about missing out/missed connections from back when the characters were in high school. Something like that. (I can't do harems anymore, I want something more reality based. Harem makes since if you are a Top G, but....an everyday average convience store clerk who meets up with an high school friends from years ago, and catches up...I like those a lot nowadays.) Oh, and no more high school shows for me, there are a few shows with no high school involved that takes place in what appears to be modern japan. I cherish those: "Golden Time, Rent A Girlfriend, Science and I fell in Love....I forgot the other one's...but you get it." (Just very limted high school scenes where the main characters are office workers/college/scientists/drinking buddies.)

Not every story has to have earth shattering event happen. That would be predictably boring

SoL seem like the equivalent of comfort food, and comfort food is often tied to childhood memories. if you can't take a walk through the woods, or go on a hike easily because of a 9 to 5 then I get the appeal, but as long as I can take a calming stroll SoL has not purpose in my life.

I don't think it is. SOL is mindfulness. It's like meditation. Every single human being could benefit from learning to calm their mind, relax, and focus on the present.

Slice of life you definitely need to be in the correct mood to watch it and going into a slice of life anime not expecting it to be a slice of life is probably the worst thing.

Came here making sure no one is disrespecting Clannad

I wouldn't call SoL an acquired taste per se, at least no more than any other genre. People just enjoy different things. While I typically don't find myself watching much SoL, I think people trying to frame them as inherently lesser than action focused or plot driven narratives are being silly. Action or an intricate plot doesn't inherently make a story more meaningful or even engaging. Personally speaking, I find characters to be the most important aspect of storytelling. I could enjoy a story solely consisting of characters just shooting the shit as long as they're well-written enough to make it interesting.

SoL is what you watch when you just want to take a deep breath and go "wow, that was nice." No hype, no suspense or mystery. Just gentle smiles

I wouldn't be in as good of a place as I am without Non Non Biyori

Slice of life is probably my main genre at this point 🤣

Slice of Life anime is great if you just wanna chill after a hard days work.

Sol is hit or miss genre. It's my favourite genre yet i don't know how many times i felt sleep while watching sol anime.

Slice of life is only anime I watch now a days.

Once again Joey and Garnt embodying the "Trash Taste" aspect of this podcast.

i grew up in a very violent and chaotic environment, i have had literal sword fights, i get cold sweets, if my sister is in the house on her own for to long, thinking someone will break in and do something, i like slice of life because it's the opposite, and gives me a chance to live true a different prospective

Slice of life is age restricted, is too hardcore

I love SoL. It’s just for taking it all in and learning about the character. There are even some SoL + isekai anime that are good

**how can Someone Enjoy SOL Anime!** Zoro: because Nothing Happens

First, we should what a Slice of life is and what it isn't, for example, i've just watched "My dressed up darling", i think that would a Slice of life (a +16 or +18 one), i liked it, but still had the feeling that something was missing on the story, i don't know, i need it a problem or something bad happening on the story, any way i liked it and i'm looking forward to the next season. On the other hand, we have something like Clannad (1 and 2) (i say Clannad because the thumbnail), i don't think that both animes are the same kind of slice of life, not even close. In Clannad and AfterStory, we have the main story, and secondary stories, in all of them there are problems to solve, meanwhile the main story develops as well as the characters and their feelings. In Clannad for example, you can be watching the end of AfterStory and still missing some things to fully understand the story. Saying all this, all of them can be enjoyable. I started this slice of life, drama and romance genres with Violet Evergarden, then Your Name and lots of similar films, then Clannad (for me, the best one in all these kind of genres), Orange, Kimi ni todoke, Re-Life, Bocchi the Rock (hilarious) and My dressed up darling. I don't understand the people who hate these genres, i spent my all childhood watching Drangon Ball every time after schoold days, same with Pokemon, how could i hate a genre that make me understand that Anime is more than just fights, violence and science fiction anomalies. Nowadays, with 26 years old, i prefer watching something closer to reality (it might contain science fiction, but not a lot).

Isn’t The Peanuts and Hey Arnold! also part of the slice of life genre?

I just got one thing to say don’t anyone ever slander K-ON I absolutely love K-ON and I’m a big fan of slice of life in general

Watching SoL is the anime equivalent of swinging in a hammock. but I STILL do not why Clannad is classified as SoL when it's so damn dramatic.

I enjoy it for the tranquil peace of mind

0:29 lmao I’m dying 🤣🤣🤣

Sol is just relaxing to wacth it lets your mind feel relaxed from all the trouble the world

I like SoL because I was neglected as a child and it gives me a sense of escape in comfort when I watch it. I'm joking, I wasn't neglected THAT bad. It was just a little, hahahahahaha.

I mean, podcasts are literally SoL, just a bunch of blokes sitting around doing nothing shooting the shit. Theres no training arc that they are going through to defeat whatever nameless demon lord there is, they are just chilling talking about the day.

SoL anime makes my life feel like crap. I'm a normal teenager in high school and all i ever do is study these days. Watching these fictional characters enjoy their high school lives by working on what they like makes me kinda jealous of their lives. Also, in most romance animes the characters basically do nothing which is also makes me jealous cuz like im working hard here everyday while these people are enjoying doing nothing. Even tho they are Non - Existent beings they still make me feel that way. What im getting at here is that SoL anime are a bit unrealistic. Regardless, i still enjoy them! That was my opinion.

I watch slice of life because Crunchyroll premium is cheaper than going somewhere and doesn’t consume an entire free day or require friends which is great for me because I work two jobs on top of studying for a mechanical engineering degree so I have neither friends nor free time.

"Komi Can't Communicate" is a great Slice of Life.

iyashikei is the best anime genre ❤

Pretty much not too unlike the Hideaki Anno quote about how after meeting his wife he didn't become less of an otaku, but that more non-otaku things have been added to his life.

I wouldn't mind seeing Gigguk cover fruits basket.

As a former slice of Life anime enjoyer who MORBED into a high school romance anime fan I would say yes.