25
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Looking for lighthearted action anime
I've been watching Sakamoto Days and I'm looking for something similar to it. I like how it has violence and stuff but it's not sad or grim. another example is Spy x family. even better if it has colourful animation like those two
Konosuba is mostly a fantasy show playing on tropes from RPGs and fantasy anime.
But it tends to go heavy on sex jokes in a way that makes it hard to recommend without a heads up.
The Way of the Househusband. It has a lot of similarities with Sakamoto Days (ex-Yakuza that wants to live an honest life). It's rated lower because of the animation quality but I think it's still watchable and the story is really funny. It's on Netflix.
I love this show and it's so easily consumable. As far as the animation is concerned, they are purposefully going for a manga style. I understand that may not be appealing to everyone though
Yeah the very low framerate style was really distracting to me.
I wasn’t able to deal with it personally. Made a note to read the manga at some point and moved on.
I really hope that they make more seasons.
Frieren! I usually don't like this kind of medieval fantasy, but Frieren is such a great anime it doesn't even mater. It's a lot about people and relationships, slow paced, some conflicts but never too stressful. Can't recommend it enough.
Frieren is really good but I can't think of it as lighthearted, lol. The series is so sad, or at least often dips into a very bittersweet tone.
At least for the first several episodes, I also wouldn't call it "action" either. It's very melancholic for sure, but it's also quite slow - that's not a bad thing, but it's certainly not an "action" anime in my thinking.
Admittedly, I'm only like 5-6 episodes in.
Yeah, the action part will come a bit later. But it'll never be too intense, whole season is very slow paced.
As an aside, I’m a bit annoyed at how it seems that character driven dramas tend to turn into battle anime. As much as I have been enjoying the latest run of the Re:Zero anime, it really feels like it just entered a metaphorical tournament arc with how much action it has. Though I really shouldn’t complain because the fights are still advancing the character growth and plot, which isn’t always the case with your average shonen anime.
The only downside is that neither the anime nor source manga have finished, if OP doesn't want to get into another waiting game. I'm super impatiently waiting for next season next year.
Otherwise it's way up up up there among my all time favorites, despite not yet being finished. Greatest slow burn romance, I would say.
Thanks for the suggestion, I'll check it out. I actually read the first few chapters of the manga but then the anime came out so I dropped the manga. but haven't watched it. it definitely seems to fit my description
I love Frieren!
I highly recommend it as well.
It's surprisingly funny at times and full of character, with some cool moments as well - but also poignant, thought provoking, and reflective.
Vibes-wise it's more chill and feels like a timeless tale of adventure.
How dumb are we talking, and what's the tolerance for sad moments?
One Punch Man or Mob Psycho 100 probably? Recently, Dandadan also has some similar vibes.
If we go lighthearted enough the type of action changes. If you want a greater focus on the comedy aspect of it I have other recomendations.
I was going to recommend Bang Brave Bravern as well, but it's a lot of ... gesticulating it's a lot. And if we're going to go action shounen though, I can't not recommend Dan Da Dan (unfinished), esp since OP enjoys colourful animation and action
great suggestions! but I've already watched them and I love all of them. I think you understand what I wanted pretty well, I'd appreciate it if you have more suggestions like that
Ranma 1/2 - perhaps slightly slow for modern standards, martial arts themed slapstick romance, very warm fuzzy.
Hmmm maybe have you seen Cells At Work and Cells At Work: Code Black? Learn human biology while you watch your cells awkwardly make sincere connections in a busy world, in between them violently dismboweling germ invaders!
Because you specified light-hearted, I want to gently caution that there are a few series that begin as great rowdy fun which turn into serious mind melt, full blown depression, or lore that goes way too deep. I won't give names for fear of spoilers though. So feel free to ask here for spoiler free thumbs up / down on a prospective series, if you're not in a mood for emotional rug pull. Some sadistic creators specifically use cute art to lure people in before polluting their minds with soul darkening horror. Looking specifically at you with disgust,
There are also light hearted classics which don't have a lot of violence, such as Azumanga Daioh, Nichijou, Chii's Sweet Home, Horimiya, Monthly Girls' Nozaki Kun, and Daily Lives of Highschool Boys.
I'd be cautious around trying to watch the original Ranma ½ series, as there are nude scenes which could fall afoul of regional CSAM laws if they outlaw nude illustrations of minors (Ranma Saotome is 16 in the series.)
But the remake showing on Netflix should be fine to watch.
I specifically do not want romance, it just doesn't interest me. I'll check out the others though. cells at work sounds interesting, I haven't watched it. and yeah I've heard of... that anime you mentioned. I'm saving it for later, I'll definitely watch it sometime just not now 😅.
Thanks
Seconding Cells At Work. It's a lot of fun, and seeing what you learned in bio class in such a unique way is a blast.
Mashle is a gag action manga about a boy born with absurd physical prowess in a world that runs on magic. It's a lot of dumb fun and the opening for the second season is extremely catchy.
My friend and I were hanging out.
We'd never seen it, but he asked if I wanted to check out Mashle and I was a bit "Ehhhh" about it but did anyways.
I'm glad I did.
Got past the first few episodes and it was hilarious. Def surprised me.
I like One Punch Man (OPM) too, but this is like the OPM of Harry Potter and other magic tropes - but much more focused on comedy than OPM.
I has a ton of references to other magic media as well (sometimes very directly lol).
That's not to say it doesn't have a plot, action, etc. - it does and it's still very entertaining in those aspects as well.
Violent:
Dungeon Meshi (2024) [Trigger]
While not as lighthearted, the drama is balanced by eating and fun with monsters.
Ben-To (2011) [David Production]
Fun take on people fighting over discounted konbini ben-to in the evening.
Full Metal Panic? Fumoffu! (2003) [Kyoto Animation]
Lighthearted bonus season of an ancient show where hidden war for the future of earth clashes with high school norms. Watchable standalone or from the start. It's fun.
Ansatsu Kyoushitsu (2015) [Lerche]
School for young assassins.
Non-violent:
Anime about anime production with lead learning the ropes of herding cats. Can play bingo matching characters in the show to your colleagues at work.
I loved Full Metal Panic when I first saw it in highschool.
Rewatching it as an adult, it's so sad how the protagonist is clearly suffering from extreme PTSD. Poor kid can't get a haircut without worrying the barber is going to kill him, and people are treating him like shit for being too jumpy.
And the " teen girls are bioweapons " is deeply concerning as well, watching as an adult.
Not sure what are you getting at. There is a guy as well, brother of the captain. They are not bioweapons, but rather seem to posses some implanted knowledge of unknown origin.
I never read the manga but my understanding is that there's a whole subplot almost completely unmentioned in the show, about people randomly knowing how to build specific ultra high tech machines.
Hinamatsuri - great comedy - kid with superpowers ends up living with Yakuza
The Fable - it has some dark undertones but the series is mostly comedy about legendary hitman so I think you may like it
Golden Kamuy - This series has one of the best character writing mixed with some crazy comedy. It can get dark at times but the tonal shifts are handled really well. Just please don't be discouraged by the CGI bear in first season. It's literally the only glaring flaw I can point out in this series and it's only prevalent in the first season.
Undead Unluck - it has some romance but generally the series is focused more on wacky interactions between super-abled people trying to kill each other. It has some great battles paired with ridiculous humor
Baki Hanma - Very over-the-top martial arts anime that can get quite brutal and gory, but none of it is particularly sad or tragic, at least in the case of the 2018 series.
Hajime no Ippo - Incredibly good boxing anime/manga series, but with a caveat. The three seasons that were released (The Fighting, New Challenger and Rising) only cover about a quarter of the overall manga, which is on Chapter 1485 (and counting.) Blame Madhouse and MAPPA for their tendencies to only do one really good season of an anime and then fucking off to other projects.
More along the lines of Spy x Family but still not all that close, I always appreciate a chance to recommend Mahoujin Guru Guru, a loving parody of classic JRPGs. Originally a manga that started in the early '90s right in the middle of the boom, there's both a '90s anime and a new adaptation from 2017. I've only seen the latter but it's a fun "save the world from evil" kind of adventure.
You know, I considered mentioning it yesterday and thought it was too much of an acquired taste. I agree, it's silly as hell but great!
God of High School perhaps?
I'm a bit hesitant to go all out with this recommendation since it's been a while since I saw this, so perhaps someone can corroborate.
But... I recall that even as the scope of the show expanded rather rapidly per episode, it never felt like it was tackling any super heavy material. Grandiose maybe, but never melancholic or demure. It was an easy watch throughout.
It's also balls to the wall action from start to finish, and with MAPPA animating the show you know you're in for some good food.
Really action heavy, though not surprising with the plot.
It's short too. 13 episodes and the entire thing is a wrap.
Sunred (it's so old, full eps are on Youtube) - Sentai parody anime with a "red power ranger" protagonist who's a semi-retired bum, but he's still super strong and always beats the "villains" who are very polite and law-abiding citizens other than constantly fighting the protagonist. Fun little 10-min episodes
Love After World Domination - another sentai parody, in this one the "red power ranger" protagonist and the cute villainess are secretly dating so they have to pretend to fight in front of the other rangers and villains
Campfire Cooking in Another World with My Absurd Skill - Isekai parody similar to Dungeon Meshi-- each episode has a recipe-- but more lighthearted. Protagonist is able to summon cooking ingredients from modern convenience stores.
The Vampire Dies In No Time - an extremely weak vampire, his cute armadillo, and a hotheaded vampire hunter become unlikely allies protecting the city from one absurd vampire monster after another
Thinking about it more, I think
could fit the bill too.