Best Slice of Life Anime of 2020

In a secluded forest far from human settlement, a solitary child named Ryouma Takebayashi lives. His unusual hobby is raising various types of slimes as pets. Though still young, he has a robust build and a natural talent for magic, gifts from a past life filled with hardship. Three gods granted him this new beginning so he can fully appreciate life's joys. After three years of peaceful isolation, Ryouma's path crosses with people who will change his world. When he helps soldiers tend to a wounded comrade, they convince him to accompany them to visit the local ducal family in a nearby town. Agreeing, Ryouma begins a journey to experience the wider world beyond his forest home.

In the world of Nekopara, Kashou and Shigure Minazuki live with six catgirls. Chocola and Vanilla assist Kashou at his bakery, La Soleil, whereas Coconut, Azuki, Cinnamon, and Maple accompany Shigure throughout her day-to-day life. During a routine trip, Chocola discovers a lone green-haired kitten in a park and decides to bring her home. The kitten is welcomed into the Minazuki family and given the name Cacao. With this new member, the household continues its usual activities, promising an even livelier atmosphere.

In a gathering of the Outdoor Activities Club, Nadeshiko Kagamihara, Aoi Inuyama, and Chiaki Oogaki discuss what it means to be a true Yamanashi resident. Chiaki mentions the Yamanashi Kids' Stamp Rally, which Nadeshiko hasn't heard of. This rally involves visiting key sites throughout the prefecture and collecting stamps, with a full year's supply of Minobu steamed buns as the grand prize for those who complete the challenge. Captivated by the prospect of winning such a generous food reward, Nadeshiko decides she wants to join in. Follow the Outdoor Activities Club as they explore Yamanashi prefecture, collecting stamps and uncovering the area's hidden gems.

In "Asteroid in Love," a childhood promise made during a stargazing encounter binds Mira Kinohata and Ao Manaka together. Though their time together was brief, Ao shared his passion for astronomy with Mira, explaining the mysteries of planets orbiting distant stars. Before parting, Ao noted that while a celestial body was named after Mira, none existed for him. In response, Mira vowed to discover and name a new asteroid in Ao's honor. Years later, Mira's enthusiasm for astronomy remains strong. When she enrolls at Hoshizaki Academy, she attempts to join the Astronomy Club but discovers it has merged with the Geology Club to form the Earth Sciences Club. To her joy, she reunites with Ao within this club. Alongside their new clubmates, Mira and Ao work to fulfill Mira's childhood promise. But will discovering a new asteroid prove as straightforward as they hope?

At Nijigasaki High School, a school idol club exists but has yet to gain significant recognition for its potential. The club's debut performance, while initially overlooked, unexpectedly attracted a large audience, capturing the attention of students Ayumu Uehara and Yuu Takasaki. Motivated by what they saw, Ayumu and Yuu decide to join, only to discover that the club has recently been dissolved. Refusing to give up, Ayumu persuades Yuu to assist her in reviving the school idol club, aiming to recreate the captivating shows they once witnessed. In "Love Live! Nijigasaki Gakuen School Idol Club," the newly formed group works to bring back former members and recruit new ones. As they take their initial steps toward the dream of becoming idols, the question remains: can these girls achieve stardom?

Hina Tsurugi moves to a quiet coastal town, looking forward to enjoying the peaceful scenery of the sea. At her new school, she meets Yuuki Kuroiwa, an older student who invites her to go fishing with him. During one trip, Hina accidentally hooks an octopus that lands on her, making her panic because she is afraid of bugs and large animals. She asks Yuuki to take it off. He uses this chance to convince Hina to join the school's Breakwater Club, where members focus on catching and eating seafood. At first hesitant, Hina slowly starts to enjoy the club's activities. As time passes, her feelings about fishing change, and she begins looking forward to the fun times she spends with her club friends.

As the year draws to a close, Kokoa Hoto and her fellow cafe waitresses keep enjoying various celebrations and activities. Meanwhile, Chino Kafuu together with her middle school friends, the kind-hearted Megumi Natsu and the energetic Maya Jouga, start considering their future and picking a high school to attend. In "Is the Order a Rabbit? Bloom," heartwarming connections and thrilling adventures intertwine, prolonging the cheerful daily life of the cafe staff.

Ino Sakura moves to Tokyo to join Fruit Tart, an idol group made up of Roko Sekino, a former child star; Hayu Nukui, a struggling musician; and Nina Maehara, a model waiting for her debut. After settling into their shared dormitory, the Mouse House, they are immediately confronted by a massive debt of one hundred million yen, which threatens to dissolve the group and leave them without a home. Determined to succeed in the competitive idol world, the members aim to create their own music and achieve fame. They receive support from Hemo Midori, a seasoned idol and an ardent fan of Sakura, who joins the team. Together, they commit to becoming popular while keeping their experiences fun and unforgettable.

Third season of One Room.

In 1989, after the upheaval of a previous World War in Hinomoto, the nation begins its recovery through groundbreaking technological progress. Innovations like aircraft, gasoline engines, and geomagnetic technology have transformed transportation, rendering traditional railways seemingly outdated. Yet, a spirited group known as the "Raillords" is committed to restoring the railways' former glory. Composed of dynamic young women who serve as human control units for various railway lines, the Raillords gather in Ohitoyo City for the annual Raillord Summit. Led by Suzushiro of Manoka Railways, these individuals work together to spark a revival in rail transport, aiming to usher in a new era for the railroad industry.

In the Third Street neighborhood, a group of animals regularly embark on various small adventures. Tama Okamoto, a curious cat, often goes missing from home, prompting his owner to put up missing posters. Tama, however, takes advantage of these chances to check in on his wandering animal friends in the area. Together with his best friend Pochi Yamada and the wild stray cat Nora, these creatures take on human-like forms to hang out, stir up trouble, and most importantly, enjoy themselves.

After school one afternoon, Rin Shima spots an odd three-wheeled motorcycle parked outside her house. Asking her father about it, she finds out it is a replacement while her regular moped receives its yearly maintenance. Since she has a camping trip planned for the next day at Yatsugatake, Rin has no choice but to take the three-wheeler. Setting off on her trip, she realizes the ride feels smoother but the routes are unfamiliar, altering the nature of her journey.

Fourteen-year-old Masaki Hinaoka has never really cared about surfing, even though his best friend Nalu Tanaka lives and breathes it. That changes one morning when he spots a blond boy gliding effortlessly over the waves. Struck by the boy’s grace and skill, Masaki suddenly wants to try surfing himself. The newcomer, Shou Akitsuki, gladly helps Masaki take his first steps. Despite not being able to swim, Masaki shows surprising natural talent from the very beginning, impressing everyone around him. He improves quickly and enters a local competition, where he encounters other gifted surfers with distinct styles and personalities. This experience only intensifies his ambition. But a sudden tragedy threatens to crush his goals. With encouragement from his new friends, Masaki stays determined to face even the most powerful waves.

For a bored teenager seeking thrills, rock 'n roll often remains the only escape. Lacking skill, funds, and even a complete drum kit, a notorious trio of high school delinquents nonetheless believe they are fated for musical greatness. Their mission involves impressing their sole friend Aya, evading a rival gang, and, above all, jamming. Animated almost entirely by director Kenji Iwaisawa and featuring a lead performance by Japanese alt-rock icon Shintaro Sakamoto, ON-GAKU: OUR SOUND delivers a unique interpretation of Hiroyuki Oohashi's manga. With pitch-perfect deadpan humor, the film offers a highly original spin on the beloved slacker comedy genre: a lo-fi buddy film capped by a blaring musical finale that will have you demanding an immediate encore.

Set one century after the 21st-century world collapsed from environmental ruin and resource exhaustion, the narrative centers on four girls employed at PARK. This establishment, modeled after an actual Harajuku shop, operates under the theme of "Fashion × Otaku × Creation."

The "Dream School Grand Prix" is announced, a competition to determine the best idol school among five institutions in the Aikatsu world. In this event, leading idols from each school compete against each other on stage. Noel Otoshiro, a newly debuted idol from Dream Academy, is chosen to participate. With hopes and ambitions on the line, a new series of stories begins, leading these idols toward a brilliant future.

Second season of Watanuki-san Chi no.

A short animated series showcasing the everyday activities of the Seiin High School Men's Volleyball Club, originally shared on the 2.43 Twitter account.

In a small rural town in Maine during the late 19th century, we encounter Rebecca, a spirited and lively ten-year-old who is one of seven children. After her father's death, life becomes increasingly difficult, and Rebecca is sent to live with her aunts, Miranda and Jane. She finds comfort in the kindhearted Jane but struggles under the stern and harsh criticism of Miranda. One day, Miranda scolds Rebecca for wearing a pink dress that Jane had sewn by hand. When Miranda insults her father, Rebecca loses her patience and storms out of the house in anger.

A commemorative animated film for the 50th anniversary of the Senba Center Building. Based on the manga "A Manga in the Semba Center Building" by You Machida. One day, mangaka You Machida receives a commission to illustrate the Semba Center Building, which is marking its 50th anniversary. This is the tale of a gentle conversation over four days between a manga artist who has previously battled depression and the Senba Center Building, a kind-hearted, aged commercial complex that has stood for half a century in the heart of Osaka.

A comedic 2020 spin-off of Hulaing Babies (studio Gaina), the slice-of-life series centered on girls who aspire to be hula dancers. This "Petit" spin-off presents the Hulaing Girls in brief comedic sketches.

The girls form a hula club, but the COVID-19 pandemic brings their activities to a halt. The narrative follows the various safety measures adopted to curb the spread of the virus.

The Pickles the Frog character from Nakajima Corporation has inspired stuffed animals, picture books, and many other types of merchandise. In the character's fictional background, he was born on June 1, 1994, in "qua mei dou" (a pun on Tokyo's Kameido district) in France.

Sequel of Taeko no Nichijou.

A slice-of-life TV anime with short episodes from 2020-2021, based on Tarō Yabe's essay manga. It depicts the daily interactions between a landlady and her tenants in an apartment building.

The "Chibi Godzilla" project was launched to mark the 65th anniversary of Toho's Godzilla franchise. These animated shorts depict the everyday life of Chibi Godzilla, who resides in the home of office worker Satomi.

These short anime episodes, which are a spin-off of the Kamen Rider Zero-One television series, depict the everyday lives of the characters presented in a super deformed art style. Originally, these episodes were made available on the Toei Tokusatsu Fanclub (TTFC) application.

The narrative follows hero pair teams known as "Patraisers," made up of "Sugars" and their supporting "Patrons." These Patraiser teams work to "reinvigorate people's frozen hearts." The "main story" videos concentrate on one specific Patraiser pair: the Sugar Asahi Yuga and his Patron Ryouya Nekoyashiki. Meanwhile, the "side story" videos depict their everyday routines and the lives of the other characters. Note: This entry contains Episode 0, which had a runtime of 15 minutes. It aired in two formats: a 41-episode series with 7-minute shorts, and a combined 11-episode series with 26-minute episodes containing identical content. Each episode of the combined version comprises four parts of the original.

A young man who has left his parents' home follows the path of a customs officer. And what lies ahead is...

In 2018, the LINE sticker set Poccolies sparked a series of anime shorts. These stickers follow Patsuhiko, a bright and sincere boy living on Pokkori Island, together with his friends: Ham, who is smart and mysterious, and Kangaroo, a dependable older brother figure. The set captures their day-to-day adventures.

About a girl who loves cute things so much that her daily routine is finding them.

Second season of Lalalacoco.

The story follows the titular Grandma as she tries to understand the true meaning of the Japanese word "mottainai" after her son asks her what it means and she cannot answer. "Mottainai" is a commonly used exclamation that roughly translates to "what a waste!", expressing regret over wastefulness. In the narrative, the Grandma investigates the meaning and importance of this concept.

The second season of Ooya-san to Boku.

The adventures of Chocolate Usagi-chan, Kurumi Risu-kun, and their family and friends unfold in the village of Sylvania.