What Are Iyashikei Anime & How They Help You Relax

The ever-popular genres are often isekai, shonen, or action. But those soft moments when the sakura petals of Byakuya’s Shikai gently stroke his stoic, porcelain face before cutting through his opponent, the anticipation of a Titan crashing through a serene village, or Nanami dreaming of a beach in Kuantan, Malaysia before his tragic demise – some of us hope those transient moments could be the plot of a whole show. 

In between those who chase ikigai and tatakai are those who just hope for iyashikei which means ‘healing’. Animes in this genre often make us feel understood yet act as a vicarious, tranquil escape from the painful mundanity of life, here are some of our faves:

Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End

Toho Animation brought us one of the top anime of 2023-24, Frieren. Though primarily fantasy, it also possesses certain elements of iyashikei. The plot follows the elf mage, Frieren, and her quest to understand the human experience based on her past adventures with comrades to slay the Demon King. With a large focus on character development, personal growth, friendship, nostalgia, and introspection coupled with fantasy storytelling of magic, dragons, and sword fights, Frieren is an ideal marriage of spell-binding escapism and comfort.

Catch Frieren on Crunchyroll

---

Natsume Yuujinchou (Natsume’s Book of Friends)

An iyashikei anime that has owned the genre, Yuki Midorikawa gives us a culmination of supernatural entities and a peaceful atmospheric journey into the life of Natsume who can see spirits and yokai. His gentle demeanor and refreshing kindness shine through the gentle balancing act of having a normal life with school, adoptive parents, and friendship alongside the life of helping yokai with their problems. With an episodic exploration in the backdrop of soothing, silent depictions of the Japanese countryside, Season 7 of the anime is currently ongoing.

Stream it on Crunchyroll

---

Kino no Tabi (Kino’s Journey)

An oldie but a goodie, Keiichi Sigsawa’s Kino’s Journey can be perceived as the Dark Shadow of iyashikei. However, the meditative illustration of Kino’s travels with her snarky, talking motorbike –  Hermes in a fictional world, transports us to a deeper plane of thought. From scenic landscapes and unique cultures to meeting fellow travelers, each episode and chapter has philosophical conversations about humanity, morality, and life in a new country. Although it may seem like a far cry from iyashikei, it’s worth exploring the beauty of life through its brutal complexity.

Check it out on Netflix

---

The Masterful Cat Is Depressed Again Today

Revolving around the comical relatability of adulting with a corporate job and the endless cycle of chores, Hitsuzi Yamada’s protagonist Saku truly represents each of us. Watch her ace it all thanks to her savant cat housekeeper, Yukichi (unbeknownst to anyone) who liberates her from the mendokusai of life. Oozing with wholesome moments and the calm chaos she experiences every day, this anime’s light-hearted anecdotes, the joy of the weekend and dread felt on Sunday as well as the portrayal of Yukichi’s depression, provide an uplifting intricateness that will have a lot of us nodding like a bobblehead.

Watch it on Netflix

---

Mr. Villain’s Day Off

Unlike most villain-driven plots, Yuu Morikawa’s anime gives us a glimpse into the super chill life and the flipside of Warumono-san, an alien general of the Evil League tasked with wiping out all humans on Earth. Contrary to the dark premise, the anime’s relaxing music, vibe, and laidback narrative depict how Warumono-san spends his day off, from trying out new flavors of ice cream and visiting pandas at the zoo to cooking and other ‘so-called’ run-of-the-mill hobbies, serving as sweet reminders to enjoy the simple human pleasures of life. 

Tune into it on Crunchyroll

Unwind with one of these lulling stories at the end of a long day before we have to wake up and “do life” again.

---