8 Wholesome, Feel-Good Anime to Watch During Pandemic
All series with women protagonists, including stories centering queer and older-than-high school characters!
We’re a few months into the coronavirus pandemic now, and things have been extremely tough for many of us. With so much going on in the world, its been increasingly difficult to find the little positives in the day-to-day, even with things that once brought lots of joy before pandemic. One thing that’s been consistently there for me through this time, though, has been anime, and I’ve found myself gravitating towards a ton of more wholesome series to watch, each of which has honestly helped me a tremendous amount through this time. While I can’t say that watching anime is a one-size-fits-all solution to getting through pandemic, it’s definitely kept me grounded and going, and I wanted to write something up to recommend some of the series that I’ve particularly enjoyed these past few months.
Before I jump in to my list, it’s worth mentioning that I’ve tweeted a bit about some of these series in the past and what distinguishes this list from a more general listing of top wholesome anime is that I wanted to specifically pick series that aren’t filled with ridiculous amounts of fanservice, while centering women protagonists. Folks on Twitter have mentioned being tired of so many shows that just focus on characters in high school, so I made it a point to name a few shows that have older characters who have varying relationships with the workplace, whether they’re just starting to look for jobs, in the middle of it all, or newly out of work.
Just about all of these shows are from the “slice of life” genre, which is sort of an umbrella category for any anime that focuses on telling stories about just that — a slice of a character’s life, no matter how mundane. Whereas many mainstream shounen anime have arcs that are focused on conflict and a climax with an antagonist, these series typically focus on the day-to-day sorts of experiences that characters face as they live their lives. Often fans will joke that these series are “plotless”, instead focusing more on the internal developments and interpersonal relationships of these characters as they grow from series start to series end, and for me, this has been perfect for pandemic, when it’s so hard to experience these sorts of things in our own lives.
In terms of what makes these series wholesome, I was pretty loose about the definition, but at the very least, I chose anime where just about everyone could be described as a cinnamon roll — just really kind characters trying their best in an uncertain world. This is a list of stories filled with love, aspirations, and friendship, and not particularly popular ones, and I hope you get to enjoy them as I have!
Recovery of an MMO Junkie (2017)
First on the list is one of my favorite anime of all time, “Recovery of an MMO Junkie,” which focuses on a 30-something woman who has just quit her job and now spends her time playing an MMO (Massively Multiplayer Online) video game. I’ve tweeted at length before about why I love this anime, and it’s mainly for the reason that it’s a show that isn’t male gaze-y, that is filled with kindness and genuine care. Through playing the MMO, she finds friendship and love, and for the duration of the anime, we’re brought into a world free of online toxicity and relationship drama. We have characters that show a lot of warmth for each other, and the series touches on topics of online friendship, gender in games, work culture and burnout, and found family. Overall, it’s just really sweet and extremely cute in terms of the character interactions and art, and I absolutely recommend it, especially for anyone who has nostalgia for meeting and making friends from online games. Truly one of the most wholesome entries in my list, and one without a central antagonist, competition, or insurmountable obstacle to overcome. Just positive feels from start to end.
One note is that while I’d classify this series as a romance, I’d say the romance isn’t extremely heavy-handed or overly dramatic. Not to give too much away, but my only wish for the series is that I’d love to see it expand on the characters more after what happens in the final episode, and overall the series feels quite short (though also a good thing, since it never drags). I’d also love to write a separate piece that thinks about queer identity in relationship to this series and gender in online spaces.
10 episodes + OVA
Genre: Slice of life, romance-comedy
Where to watch: Crunchyroll, VRV
MyAnimeList Rating: 7.7/10 | My Rating: 8/10
Wotakoi: Love is Hard for Otaku (2018)
“Wotakoi” is another rare anime that focuses on characters who are past the high school age — this time featuring four otaku (a term that often refers to individuals deeply invested in anime/manga/anime-inspired video games) in the workplace. And when I say in the workplace, I really mean in the workplace, because much of this anime takes place in an office setting. As opposed to many romance anime, this one sees the main characters in a relationship right from the first episode, and we get to see them navigate relationship life, filled with awkwardness, comedy, and care for one another. We actually follow two separate relationships in the series, and all of the interactions are very light-hearted and enjoyable. If you’re expecting drama and conflict, this anime won’t have those for you — there’s no unrequited love, no love triangles, no breakups — just characters who work through their relationships in a grounded, not-over-the-top way. It’s a breath of fresh air compared to overly dramatic high school romances, and everyone in the show speaks their mind and is thoughtful to one another. If you yourself are a huge anime fan, some of the references and depictions of otaku life in the series will definitely be rewarding.
The only note I have about this series that might put some folks off is that it’s fully and truly a slice of life, even if it’s focused on two romantic relationships. Don’t expect burning love or infatuation with this series, it’s very upfront with what you get, and this can make the series feel extremely flat at times. If you’re like me and are burned out on incredibly dramatic romance anime, this is a good series to turn to for a change of pace. There’s truly no central conflict or big plot point in the show, though, so this may not be for everyone, especially if you know you’re looking for a fast-paced or eventful anime to watch.
11 episodes + OVA
Genre: Slice of life, romance-comedy
Where to watch: Amazon Prime
MyAnimeList Rating: 8.0/10 | My Rating: 7/10
A Place Further than the Universe (2018)
Have you ever watched an anime that completely fills you with hope for the world, for the kindness of people, and for chasing your dreams? “A Place Further than the Universe” is what I’d think of first if I had to name an anime that gives me hope, and as I tweeted, this is one of my top-rated anime of all time. This series focuses on four high school girls who attempt to find a way to Antarctica, against all odds, and it’s about chasing your dreams and never backing down. Central to the series are themes of friendship, loss, grief, and how we come to deal with each, intergenerationally. While the main four characters are high school girls, this show incorporates generational narratives since we get to follow the efforts of their parents’ generation and the women scientists who themselves fight hard to overcome their own obstacles in making it to the South Pole. It’s an extremely feel-good story about making the impossible possible, finding love in found family, and remembering the wonders of the world and the hope within it. What made it perfect during pandemic for me was the fact that I could live vicariously through them as they travelled to Antarctica, and the art in the show with the scenery that they come across is absolutely beautiful. I described this show as a Miyazaki film in series form, imbued with a sense of wonder and limitlessness.
Another aspect of this show that I absolutely love is the lack of dominant male voices — you don’t get much screen time or dialogue from men, and it’s a huge breath of fresh air away from the male gaze and fanservice that’s far too present in the male-dominated anime industry. There’s comedy and levity and unlike the previous entries on this list, this series doesn’t focus on romance. At the same time, this is the first series in this list to focus on elements of loss and grief and processing both, and you’re sure to cry happy tears by the end of the series (and likely, like me, many times throughout the series). The show isn’t nearly as much as an emotional rollercoaster or tearjerker like “Violet Evergarden” is, and instead opts for a far more comedic and grounded tone, but I’d say it’s just as good. If you want something that’s filled with hope, that never beats you down for it, this is an absolute must-watch.
13 episodes
Genre: Slice of life
Where to watch: Crunchyroll, VRV
MyAnimeList Rating: 8.6/10 | My Rating: 9/10
Smile Down the Runway (2020)
Following the trend of anime about following your dreams, “Smile Down the Runway” is about a high school girl who aspires to become a supermodel who will one day walk the Paris Fashion Show for her father’s fashion brand and a high school boy who aspires to pursue a career as a fashion designer. Both face seemingly insurmountable obstacles — she’s told by everyone around her that she’s far too short to ever be able to be a supermodel, and he’s faced with the reality of needing to work multiple jobs instead of going to fashion school in order to support his mother and three younger sisters. What’s immediately refreshing about this series is that while the two protagonists are of opposite genders, this anime doesn’t fall into the trope of shipping them as a romantic pairing — they stay friends throughout the series, who push each other on believing their respective dreams and never giving up, even when faced with hardship after hardship. This series differs from all of the entries before it on this list, because there is an explicit sense of rivalry in the show, and we watch our protagonists work towards their respective goals for the fashion show that covers the final few episodes of the series. There are genuine obstacles, struggles, and conflict in this show, but at the end of the day, it’s all about how the passion and love one has for their craft — whether it be designing clothes or modelling them — wins out. It’s about creating your own path even when everyone else tells you that you can’t possibly succeed, and while the characters do have to face harsh realities throughout the show, it never ends up with surrender or hopelessness. They each pull through in their own way and continue forward, despite the setbacks, and that’s one of the reasons I love this show so absolutely much.
I sometimes describe the show like a sports anime, except about the fashion industry, and if you’re a particular fan of high fashion and fashion design, this show will likely be very interesting for you. The show touches on topics of opportunity, innate talent versus hard work, poverty as related to work, and what you should pursue versus what you want to pursue in life. I was decently satisfied with the show’s conclusion (no spoilers!!), though it’s in a way more grounded than I expected, and I do wish this was a longer series that gave the characters more time to grow, especially with the final fashion show taking up so many episodes on its own. But if you want a show that follows the hopes, dreams, and hard work of its characters and keeps you hanging until the end to see if they succeed or not, this is definitely the show for you.
12 episodes
Genre: Slice of life
Where to watch: Hulu, Funimation
MyAnimeList Rating: 7.7/10 | My Rating: 8/10
Shirobako (2014-2015)
“Shirobako” is simultaneously very similar and very different to the other entries in this list, and the best way to describe it is that it’s an anime documentary about the anime industry itself. The show roughly follows five best friends from high school who promised each other that they would one day make an anime together, fast-forwarding to their actual lives working in the anime industry, as production assistant, voice actor, writer, animator, and 3D graphics artist. This is another rare anime that focuses on events in the workplace rather than in high school, and like other anime on this list, it’s about characters pursuing their dreams and what they love. However, unlike other anime on this list, Shirobako is definitely less focused on individual character development and more focused about the subject matter at hand — making anime. If you’re someone who’s absolutely curious about the complex process behind how an anime is made and how it involves dozens of different people working together to make it all possible, this is an incredible show that’s a love letter to the anime industry itself. But it doesn’t sugar-coat things, either. Making anime is hard, as the characters in the show realize, and it’s often filled with tons of seemingly impossible deadlines, exhaustion, and interpersonal dynamics in the workplace. This show is an extremely grounded look at the mundane elements of making an anime, which is why it feels like a documentary at times, though it’s filled with moments of comedy, hope, and excitement.
The main thing to note about this series is that while it does look at the passion and dreams of its characters, its true focus through and through is how the anime industry works. If you’re not at all interested in this as a subject matter, “Shirobako” is a skip. Very closely related to this anime is “Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken!” which follows three high school girls in their specific love of the animation aspect of making anime.
24 episodes
Genre: Slice of life
Where to watch: HIDIVE, VRV
MyAnimeList Rating: 8.4/10 | My Rating: 7/10
Sakura Quest (2017)
From the same producers of “Shirobako” comes “Sakura Quest,” which is one of the “working series” made by P.A.Works about just that — work. Whereas “Shirobako” was a documentary-like look at the anime industry, “Sakura Quest” starts off with a slightly more absurd premise: a recent college graduate from Tokyo unknowingly takes on a one-year job as the “queen” of a run-down tourist attraction called “The Kingdom of Chupakabura” in a small, rural town called Manoyama. Her job is to revitalize the once-popular town and attract more tourists, and while she initially dislikes the small town and wishes she were back in the city, she falls in love with the charm and sense of community of the town over time. We as viewers get to watch all the wacky sorts of things that she tries to get folks to come to Manoyama, and along the way we ourselves get to learn about and fall in love with the folks who live there. This series features characters who are adults of all ages and focuses as much on the motivations of every person in town as much as it does the actual plot of revitalizing the town. We get to especially learn about the four other women who the queen meets and recruits to revitalize the town with her, and they each have episodes dedicated to their own backstories, struggles, and relationships with each of the other people in the series. If you’re a fan of watching a group of friends working towards the same goal and taking on the various obstacles that come their way, this is a definite recommendation for you.
One thing worth noting about the series is that while I still categorize it with these other anime in terms of being wholesome and feel-good, the protagonists are faced with various obstacles throughout the series, some of which they do fail to overcome. Unlike series like “A Place Further than the Universe” where everything works out from start to end, “Sakura Quest” does explore themes of failure and giving up more than the others on this list. Overall, things do end up working out in the end, but it’s worth pointing out that this anime is a bit more grounded in the sense that not everything works out all the time. Though it’s hard, it’s still possible to confront what we see as failures in our lives and keep moving forward.
25 episodes
Genre: Slice of life, comedy
Where to watch: Funimation
MyAnimeList Rating: 7.3/10 | My Rating: 8/10
Bloom Into You (2018)
If you’re looking for a delicate, heart-felt queer romance, “Bloom Into You” is an absolute must-watch. While it’s true that this show is about the love between two queer high school girls, it wouldn’t be enough credit to the depth of the show to just call it a romance. It’s as much that as it is a coming-of-age story about self-realization and self-discovery when it comes to one’s romantic feelings, especially as it relates to queerness. While the protagonist is best described as being demisexual, we are also introduced to a character who is asexual and aromatic, which is absolutely rare in any media today.
Like “Wotakoi,” this series is not at all about love triangles and over-the-top drama, but moreso about the internal. It’s deeply thoughtful, wholesome, and introspective, and less about the external that drives the romance. The only thing is — if you’re looking for a spicy drama or a heated romance, this isn’t it. This is more of a slow-burn, muted approach at love, that’s more about the growth of our feelings and how we come to understand them as we fall in love. Personally, I don’t see this in romance anime enough (though I do enjoy extremely overdramatic and sappy stories), and “Bloom Into You” was a nice change of pace. It was also very nice to see a wlw (woman-love-woman) story that doesn’t overly sexualize the characters, doesn’t reduce their romance to fanservice, and doesn’t feel male-gaze-y. It’s cute and moving, even if the dialogue is sometimes awkward and abrupt.
13 episodes
Genre: Slice of life, romance, coming-of-age
Where to watch: HIDIVE, VRV
MyAnimeList Rating: 8.0/10 | My Rating: 7/10
Little Witch Academia (2017)
If J.K. Rowling has forever ruined Harry Potter for you and you’re looking for a great series about magic to replace it, look no further than “Little Witch Academia”. Truly, the best way to describe this series — which is the only non-slice of life on my list — is that it’s literally Harry Potter but with cute anime girls (and none of them are named Cho Chang). In fact, this story is only about anime girls — like “A Place Further than the Universe,” there’s almost no dominant male voice or character, and like all the other entries in this list, there’s no fanservice and no male-gaze-y elements to it. The show is super pure and super wholesome, and just reminds me of the fun and energy that I remember from watching cartoons growing up. If you’re a parent with kids in grade school, this is a show you could easily watch with them and enjoy together. Truly, this show made me remember the magic in magic.
In terms of what this show is actually about, it follows a magic-less protagonist who witnessed a magic performance from her idol, “Shiny Chariot”, as a kid, who has now grown up and decided to enroll in an all-girls magic academy. The first half of the show focuses on her determination to become as great as her idol against all odds, despite not having the magical prowess of the other witches. It’s a wacky and exciting coming-of-age story that’s filled with wonder and lots of laughs that’s constantly enjoyable. The back half of the anime completely raises the stakes (if you’re a fan of other Studio Trigger productions, such as “Kill La Kill” and “Darling in the Franxx,” you know exactly what I mean) and goes beyond the academy, with a deeper backstory for some of the characters and an incredible world-level conflict that results in some great action scenes (and palpable romantic tension between two older characters). And ultimately, we get to see how incompetent men are, while the witches come to save the day and the world. I love how over-the-top this show gets, how it always has great feel-good energy, and how there’s so much obvious queer romance all around. If you’re not a fan of slice of life anime and instead want something with a sense of adventure, wonder, and action, this would be my recommendation for you!
25 episodes
Genre: Magical fantasy, comedy, adventure
Where to watch: Netflix
MyAnimeList Rating: 8.0/10 | My Rating: 8/10
If you liked this list and/or would love to see me write more about anime, please do let me know by sending me a tweet at @WellsLucasSanto or leaving a comment by subscribing to my Substack. Subscribers get access to comment permissions and exclusive content, and your monthly subscription helps support me in being able to write more stuff like this! I also take writing commissions — feel free to inquire about these by contacting me directly if you know me, sending me a tweet, or sending me an email at wells[at]nyu[dot]edu!