9 addictive anime series to take your mind off your troubles

1. Barakamon

• Japan, 2014
• Comedy.
• Duration: 12 episodes.
• IMDb: 8.2.

In the late 1990s, the so-called healing boomThe social construction of consumer needs: A case analysis of the ‘healing boom’in Japan / Takeshi Matsui - the response of art and the press to the economic crisisThe 1990s in Japan: A Lost Decade / Fumio Hayashi, Edward C. Prescott and national tragedies of 1995. The people needed solace, and in the anime, they became the Iyashikei trend, which literally also translates as “healing”. Iyashi is a sub-genre of lifestyle stories. There is no drama in it, a minimum of conflicts, and indeed events in general. The characters smile and learn Zen, live in harmony with themselves and nature.

Barakamon is one of the representatives of the genre. Its minimalist plot is imprisoned for calm contemplation. The professional calligrapher Hando reacted aggressively to criticism of his work and was exiled to a modest village on a secluded island. Hando is accustomed to the noise of Tokyo, although he has spent most of his life at home alone with the brushes. Moving to the wilderness is not easy for a guy. But you don't have to worry about the hero: the inhabitants of the village, for whom the visit of a calligrapher from Tokyo is a very noticeable event, will not let Hando get bored and write hieroglyphs alone. This is the story of becoming and growing up in a small world cut off from civilization. The path of the spoiled Hando will be comical and necessarily happy.

2. Witch flight

• Japan, 2016
• Fantasy, comedy.
• Duration: 12 episodes.
• IMDb: 7.2.

This is anime will be a consolation for those who are used to walking on the navigator even to the nearest store. Know that you are not alone. The young witch Makoto also hears the phrase about the three pines more often than her own name.

Makoto moves in with relatives in a quiet town to learn the art of magic. However, instead of knowledge, Makoto collects trouble. The girl suffers from topographical disorientation, she is always lost and gets into awkward situations, but she does it with a zero level of tragedy. And along with Makoto, the brother of a young witch, her sisters and a black cat familiar get into trouble.

The anime seems to be about magic, but most of the series is devoted to quite everyday topics. Makoto makes new friends, looks for a lost cat, has fun with his brother and sisters, and gets used to life on a farm. And only during breaks he flies on a broomstick and receives owl mail, delighting fans of the magical setting. Lamp art with incredible landscapes, no hint of vulgarity and a drama-free plot - a full house for a sticky weekend.

3. outdoor camp

• Japan, 2018-2021.
• Comedy, adventure.
• Duration: 28 episodes.
• IMDb: 8.1.

High school girls go hiking - the plot is more for a drawing than for a series. But this is the secret of the "Camp": a hypnotic picture of clear lakes, green mountains and soft fogs embraces the viewer with comfort and makes you forget about the real world.

By the way, all the fabulous landscapes from this anime actually exist. The heroines travel to real campsites in Japan and share quite applicable tips about life in a tent. They will show, among other things, how this tent put and what to pack with you in a hiking backpack. To make it easier for viewers to associate themselves with the heroines, the author of the manga added a new one to the company: Nadeshiko still does not know much about camping, but already endlessly loves spiritual adventures in nature.

4. Hakumei and Mikochi

• Japan, 2018.
• Fantasy.
• Duration: 12 episodes.
• IMDb: 7.2.

A task for experienced rangers: multiply 9 centimeters of cuteness by two and add them with love for nature and its gifts. The answer will be Hakumei and Mikochi, midget girls who live peacefully in a small house inside a large tree.

The anime is about tiny people. They saddle birds, use the help of insects, cook something incredibly tasty from natural ingredients - they live in harmony with nature. And they never seriously quarrel - why, if you can enjoy every minute in the world of beautiful forests and lakes. The backgrounds in the anime are painted and drawn so masterfully that you want to pause the already unhurried shots and view them as if in a gallery.

5. Celestial Design Department

• Japan, 2021.
• Fantasy, comedy.
• Duration: 12 episodes.
• IMDb: 8.1.

Especially suitable for those who right now are making the hundredth edit from the client to the project. True, it's one thing to change the blue background to blue for the banner for the third time. Another is to create a test version of animals to populate the Earth and understand that the client is God.

The opening tells that the Creator got tired by about the fifth day of his great creations: he came up with land, water, plants, sky, light and stars, and invited contractors for animals. The celestial design department is responsible for the development of fish, birds, mammals and reptiles - all the variety of fauna was invented by these guys. Instead of project managers in anime, there are angels. Through them, the client says “Approved!” on his divine and sends another successful zoo-making to the expanses of the planet.

The creators of the series explain the anatomy of real animals through sketches by celestial designers. They tell why elephants have big ears, what a horse and a bat have in common, and why sea otters are so cute. And also - why dragons in life would explode from the inside, and unicorns would not pass the test for evolutionary ingenuity. A good option to escape from melancholy and enlighten in zoology.

6. Cafe "At the Polar Bear"

• Japan, 2012
• Comedy.
• Duration: 50 episodes.
• IMDb: 8.1.

White bear emigrated from Canada to the Japanese outback and opened a cafe near the zoo. The tables in the gastroberlog are never empty - among the regular visitors, long conversations about life are regularly conducted by Penguin, Lama and lazy Panda. There are also people in the cafe. For example, the hardworking waitress Sasako. Watching orange sunsets, listening to puns from the Polar Bear, basking in a cozy, sunny atmosphere - for this it is worth spending a couple of evenings with the series.

7. Dr. Stone

• Japan, 2019-2021.
• Fantasy, adventure, action.
• Duration: 35 episodes.
• IMDb: 8.3.

There is both drama and story-driven puzzles - an option for those who want to be distracted, but not turn off the logic. This is one of those anime that you can watch in one gulp without stopping. And it's not so much about cliffhangers, but about a brisk pace and an even more brisk idea: it's time post-apocalypse, and only a high school student can save humanity, petrified for thousands of years, obsessed with science.

Make soap out of shells, conquer an entire village with a bowl of ramen, and build a power plant out of rocks and sticks - clippings from this anime can be shown in OBJ classes at school. Ready instructions for survival in a world that has fallen back to the level of a planet overgrown with greenery. The picture pleases precisely with the simplicity of the material: stone, water, fire, earth, wood - the world of "Doctor Stone" is primitive and beautiful in its primitiveness. There is only one problem - the strongest will try to establish power in the wild jungle, and the main character will have to fight for the evolution of a new humanity.

8. Natsume's notebook of friendship

• Production: Japan, 2008-2017.
• Fantasy, drama, comedy.
• Duration: 74 episodes.
• IMDb: 8.1.

The adventures of a sad high school student with a cute cat - at first glance, just a cozy anime in which it is easy to find a new crash. But Natsume is no ordinary schoolboy, and his cat is an extremely rare breed.

The hero sees otherworldly beings, and Madara's pet is not a cute fluffy, but a powerful demon. He was imprisoned in a statue of a chubby cat and got so used to this form that after his release he decided to remain a cat. By the way, it was Natsume who rescued Madara from the stone, for which he was rewarded with the loyalty of a demon and the opportunity to walk a great ancient creature on a leash. Because of his superpower, Natsume is very lonely and needs a friend. Especially in a new place: the main character was orphaned as a child and moves to a foster family at the beginning of the series. The boy is loved and sincerely taken care of, but fantastic creatures arrange a hunt for the sad schoolboy.

There is something to cry about in the Notebook, so it is difficult to attribute this project to iyasha. Stories about demons and ghosts are quite capable of touching even the demanding caretaker.

9. K‑On!

• Japan, 2009–2010.
• Comedy, music.
• Duration: 41 episodes.
• IMDb: 7.8.

The faces of the high school girls from K-On! are probably familiar even to ardent opponents of anime. In 2009-2010, it was easy to meet Yui, Mio, Ritsu, Tsugumi, and Azusa on social media avatars - cheerful girls from the school's Light Music Club.

Modern series about teenagers are filled with action and sometimes excessive drama. In reality, most teenagers live normal lives. Movies, gaming, lessons, walks around the neighborhood after school, fun at the mall or at the home of those who are lucky enough to send their parents to the country - these are the usual teen scenarios. And in "K-On!" the heroines do just that: they study, drink tea, walk a lot, joke and occasionally perform on stage as part of their musical group.

In anime, there is not only a hidden meaning, but also a plot as such: the girls just live their carefree teenage lives. Slow storytelling and soft graphics "K-On!" plunge into a nostalgic trance those who remember the school with a smile.