I’m supposed to be watching Planetes episode 18 Debris Section, The Last Day right now but I’ve had a brain draining week [1] and simply can’t face the effort required [2].
For much of the last week I’ve been resorting to comfort anime, shows that don’t involve too much effort, which I can let roll over me without worrying too much.
The Story of Saiunkoku (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
I suspect most fans have a list of these anime that are their go-tos when they just need to relax. My list includes Card Captor Sakura, ARIA (all three seasons), Maria-Sama ga Miteru [3] , and right at the minute The Story of Saiunkoku.
These are the shows that are always high on the rewatch list for me. I suspect that Bodacious Space Pirates will soon make that list as well.
So as a query to my readers [4], what are your comfort anime?
What are the shows you go to for pure relaxation in stressful times?
[1] Short version: I’m juggling production support for a new release with analysis for future releases, and some other troubleshooting. Current attention span: SQUIRREL!
[3] Although for the life of me I still can’t say why that one makes the list.
Related articles
- Bodacious Space Pirates: The Hanabee Blu-Ray Part 1 (piratesobg.wordpress.com)
- Thirty Days of Planetes – Day 1: Outside the Atmosphere (piratesobg.wordpress.com)
Pirates of the Burley Griffin 
CCS, definitely. And maybe one of the early episodes of any shonen anime, before the main characters power up and/or get emo.
I’m expecting that CCS will be a popular choice. 🙂
There was a time pre-ARIA when it was the only choice for me.
I’m intrigued by your mention of the shonen anime though, any particular reason for that? Or any specific series?
Just stumbled upon this post, but couldn’t resist to leave a comment:p
Most comforting anime(anime with high replay value if it interpret correctly) (lets give a top 5)
1.Angel Beats: wow, if I ever need like a boost or relaxing, I want to watch this.
2.Hanasaku Iroha: I like Ohana very much as a character. The look and feel of this series is also spot on.
3.Clannad(AF): love the characters, especially Nagisa. One of the best around.
4.Oreimo: yes it is not the most profound series. But I like the setting and the characters. Cliché or not, I like it.
5.hmmm which one on 5. I’ve rewatched the previous ones a few times already(stopped counting, but thats my guess:p). I think I’ll put K-ON on 5, cute girls doing cute stuff is and remains fun:p
I hope you enjoy the rest of the blog. 🙂
Some interesting choices there. I wouldn’t have picked Angel Beats due to the angst levels, but I can easily see the attraction of Hanasaku Iroha.
I’m rather looking forward to the Hanasaku Iroha movie, even if it is an insert instead of the sequel I was hoping for.
I keep seeing positive mentions of Clannad, I really do have to check that out some time. Oreimo and K-ON are also titles that I haven’t seen, but also ones that I’ve been wary of (for various reasons).
Both? Psh! Google Reader says you have at least 4 people subscribed through Google Reader.
Personally … “I can hear the Sea”/”Ocean Waves” would be my number 1 re-watcher. I’ve re-watched “They were 11” a couple of times but the rigid role models have been wearing at me. “Moribito” and “Twelve Kingdoms” (first & third stories) of course. “Anime Runner Kuroumi” is up there too as is “Karou Phantom Memory”. Not forgetting “Spirited Away” and “Howl’s Moving Castle” as well.
I also have a list of shows that I would like to see again and that may eventually make it onto my favourites if I like the re-watching. Shows like “RahXephon”, “Ride-Back”, “Gosick”, “Angel Beats”, “Eden of the East” and others that I cant bring to mind right now.
That may be so but I’m doing well if even one shows up to comment. 🙂
Most of the movies work for me, but it is interesting that you go to movies for comfort viewing. I think I prefer the flexibility of the shorter episodes in TV series, whilst also having the length to keep me relaxed for a week or three.
Seirei no Moribito is a bit of a surprise – I see that as quite a deep series, and one that may well get a Thirty Days series from me in a couple of years. I would look to Moribito for solid rather than comfort viewing.
Definitely surprised by Angel Beats, but then whilst I enjoyed it I wasn’t all that impressed. More here: https://piratesobg.wordpress.com/2012/02/05/angel-beats-2010/
(I will grant that Angel Beats has an awesome opening song).
Comfort viewing tends to be when I’m off sick and Maureen isn’t around. Not that I believe she objects to any of the above. Scholastic has published two novels from the Moribito series. If you haven’t read them acquire them or borrow them from me.
Comfort viewing for me usually involves seeing the main character grow and triumph against the odds.
I’ll certainly be interested in borrowing those novels, possibly at SwanCon?
I’m beginning to pick the difference in our relative tastes at this point. I certainly appreciate shows with character growth, in fact I adore it, but it isn’t a requirement when I just want to switch off and relax.
Hence whilst ARIA is ideal for me, I suspect it wouldn’t work for you to the same extent. In the other direction I Can Hear the Sea is one I have to be in the right mood for*, but I can again see the attraction for you.
*That said I Can Hear the Sea is a film I greatly appreciate when I am in the mood.
K-ON and Oreimo weren’t animes I was wary about. I try to avoid people who only hate on a series. I experience a series on my own terms. If the genres are in line with my own personal preference, I might try it out. But to each his own right. I would still recommend to pick up Clannad at least.
In the case of Oreimo I’m concerned about the subject matter with the implied incest being more than a little disturbing.
K-ON just never really caught my interest, but with the persistent popularity is something that I might look at eventually.
That incest topic is really exaggerated and isn’t that present. It mentions some tension between them but it’s not the focus of the series. That is one big misconception.
K-ON is within a genre that has to fit you. If it doesn’t, then maybe you shouldn’t watch it.
Toradora is at the top of that list for me. You already know how much I enjoy it, and I can watch it almost any time.
Genshiken and Kanon are also among my “comfort anime.”
I have only seen Toradora once, so it is too early to tell if it will make my list. It is definitely good enough to be a keeper though (another, and much larger list).
I’ve seen Kanon get mentioned a couple of times in different circumstances. I’m not ready to hunt it down just yet, but it is coming on to my radar.
I don’t think I’ve heard of Genshiken before, is there anything in particular that makes that a comfort anime for you?
Thanks for the comment, this post is proving to be a good way to fish for recommendations. 🙂
Oh gosh, Genshiken is a wonderful series. It’s a show about an anime club that somehow manages to be romantic and charming, in addition to humorous. I like it because I can watch almost any episode and be fully entertained without really needing to watch previous shows (there are no arcs, even if there is progression and development in the series). I also find the series just imminently rewatchable, moreso than most any other series I own.
By the way, the next season of the series will be animated sometime this year, several years after the last, so now would be a good time as any to dive in. 😉
Thanks for the recommendation, I’ll have to look around for it at some point.
Of course I may want to get my “To Review” pile to something less than Leaning Tower of Pisa levels first… 😉
My “To Watch” list is over 100 strong, so I know what you mean!
hrm.
i read more than i do Anime, but i do have anime.
i just can’t remember names, at least not correctly. there’s the one i call “Chio!” which is something like “Anzamia Doya High” or… i don’t know. i should hate it, but i adore it.
there’s El Hazard, but someone stole it from me. sigh.
um… i know there are others i re-watch, Witch Hunter Robin, for instance. but… i can’t think of anything aside from Ranma 1/2 that really falls into “comfort”
because Tenchi pisses me off anymore, sigh.
Do you mean Azumanga Daioh? I’ve heard of it, but it hasn’t interested me.
El Hazard the Magnificent World is an excellent choice.
yes, thank you. that’s exactly what i meant [i over-empathize with Chio, the weird too-smart much younger than everyone kid. that was my life, for a while, except i was – and still am – poorer than dirt]
and that’s because El Hazard? is just excellent in GENERAL 😀 i wish i could find another copy, sigh.
CCS is definitely one of mine as well. I believe I’ve watched it 4 times already! But outside of that, I don’t rewatch too many anime. Still I would definitely consider some of my favourites as perfect for rewatching to unwind like Rose of Versailles, Juuni Kokuki, or Laputa: Castle in the Sky. That list is not exhaustive and Saiunkoku would also be on that list. I probably should go rewatch it sometime soon, actually. It’s been too long. :3 I haven’t seen the other two on your list, but I do have the first volume of the Aria manga and I can see the potential for a nice soothing series there.
Twelve Kingdoms is a bit of a surprise, I tend to have to pay attention to that one. I haven’t seem Rose of Versaiiles, but I have heard of it.
You haven’t seen ARIA? Really? Here you go: http://youtu.be/RSF8lsB2jpw
What are you going to replace Google Reader with?
Oh, so you meant more like a zone out anime. I guess I’m odd in the sense that I don’t really zone out when I watch even when I relax. I guess the closest to that would be how I watch shounen anime. I tend to just have a good time with them without thinking too hard about them since most of them are rather simple stories at their core. They are kind of my guilty pleasure. I grew up on action movies, so I tend to like a good fight scene and as a result, I enjoy watching most shounen shows. :3 You have to pay attention in Rose of Versailles too. There is a lot of political stuff that could easily go over your head if you don’t pay attention. ^__^;;;
That video seems to be unavailable for me. 😦 Although I promise to remedy my lack of Aria soon. I need a good slice-of-life anime, so Aria will be perfect. 🙂
Zone out anime is a good term for it. 🙂
It is odd that the Aria video isn’t available for you. It is in Australia so I assumed that it would be everywhere.
You’re also the second person (see Tokyojupiter above) to mention shounen anime, so that’s interesting.
Oh, hey, this post exists!
This question’s a little bit tough for me when it comes to newer shows, just because I haven’t been re-watching things much recently, but there are definitely certain shows that I watch when I just want something fun: Slayers (probably my favorite anime despite all its flaws), Nichijou (preeeety sure I’ll have to import the DVDs and get a multi-region player once I finish my degree; I will have no choice), Martian Successor Nadesico (I apparently find giant robots relaxing?), Hanasaku Iroha, Full Metal Panic Fumoffu, Bodacious Space Pirates (I really need to pick up the DVDs…), Chuunibyou Demo Koi Ga Shitai, and I’m positive that there are others that I’m just not thinking of.
Allison & Lillia will probably join the list when I get a chance to re-watch it. At the moment, the DVDs are in a different country than I am.
Not only does this post exist, it is #2 with a bullet for the 1st quarter of 2013. Given that it only had 20 days to get there, that’s not bad. 🙂
Slayers I can see working this way, especially the early episodes of silliness before the serious plot kicks in.
Hanasaku Iroha I’ve only seen once, but I have to agree that the potential is definitely there for that one to join my list.
A couple of choices that I haven’t seen, and I’m iffy about Martian Successor Nadesico as there are some angsty backstory issues there.
Thanks for the comment.
Nadesico can get angsty, but I think the combination of the show’s silly moments and my familiarity and associated family memories with the show make at least a portion of it relaxing for me.
That sounds entirely fair and reasonable to me.
At this point I think I’d change my list somewhat. I’d probably take Chuunibyou off (second season has a love triangle and very rarely do I find triangle drama relaxing) and maybe add Crest of the Stars/ Banner of the Stars (ahaha, it’s a military sci-fi war drama…I think it’s the pacing that makes it relaxing for me. The pacing and the shots of space) and Kimi ni Todoke (a nice pastel shoujo with sweet characters).
And, uh…most of the Pretty Cure franchise. Which I started watching last year because I felt the need for something bright and colorful and full of friendship and got really into because my year got increasingly stressful and awful and badtimes. There are a couple seasons that are a bit blandly executed and one that is frustrating to watch because the writing is awful and the great elements are wasted, but most seasons I found very comforting.
And I have tragically not seen any of the shows on your list other than Bodacious Space Pirates but am planning on watching CCS soon, so perhaps that will make my list in the future.
I can see Crest of the Stars working, unfortunately I never got the chance to watch the sequels. Although I heard they were excellent.
Kimi no Todoke I keep hearing about, and I might try and track that down at some point.
Given your description I can see the attraction of Pretty Cure even if it doesn’t appeal to me. That said, I think it might make even CCS better for you. I believe that there might even be remastered CCS blu-ray out there (which I may have considered ordering…)
At this point I’m increasingly tempted to add Girls Und Panzer to my list because: FUN! 🙂 Sadly, AKB0048 is also getting there because: MUSIC! 🙂
I…may have actually ordered the CCS blu-rays as a birthday present to myself after hearing so many good things about it from multiple friends…
Oh, that reminds me, I should really rewatch Girls Und Panzer. And, like, check out AKB0048 at all. Hmm, maybe I’ll do that now…
Please let me know what the CCS blurays are like, particularly wrt extras. I have the original subtitled DVDs, but those were fairly light on for extras, and a remaster might be worth it.
And, yes, rewatching Girls Und Panzer never gets old. There’s always something ELSE to livetweet like the awesomeness of the Ducks / Volleyball Team. 🙂
As mentioned on G+ – El Hazzard, early Ghibli, and (oddly) Iria. And not forgetting YKK (whichever way you want to translate the title). I also have a special place for “Sheena, get in the glowing green square” Shinesman.
YKK is where I go when I want to relax, though.
I’ll repeat my G+ response then. 🙂 Thanks for commenting here as it adds to the consolidated discussion.
Hmmm. Iria IS an interesting choice. I would generally consider that one that needs to have attention paid to it.
I can definitely see the appeal of YKK, although it didn’t work as well for me. That slot is pretty much owned by ARIA for me.
Shinesman I’ve only seen once or twice (I do have it in the collection), so I’d need to look at it again to reassess it.
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