I don't know why, but something about his channel is so comforting. Singlehandedly got me back into watching anime after abandoning it a few years back just from how disgusting , riddled with misogyny, and fanservice-y it could be at times, especially in what is considered mainstream "good anime". if not for this channel, I would've never seen Utena, Cardcaptor Sakura, or have rediscovered by tweenage love for Sailor Moon. Thank you so much for everything 😊
Yea honestly I’ve just decided to ignore the shounen genre for a while and all the new shows I watch to be of other genres cause it’s just so problematic
I've always thought of it as "being" (as a verb, but also as a state of existing). Much like the Mushi themselves, there's no antagonism, or really conflict. The mushi are, much like the people, just living their lives. They don't intend harm on the humans any more than Ginko's cure is an attempt to kill the problem-causing mushi. Everything is simply existing, and Ginko serves to mediate the conflict whenever human nature and mushi nature begin interfering with each other.
Mushi-shi is an essential staple for my mental health I've probably watched both seasons 6 times now. So glad to see someone else that knows my mans walking around ancient Japan in a polo shirt exists 🥰
Mushi-shi is one of my favourite types on anime. I tend to get the same calming feeling in my chest when I watch other atmospheric "monster of the week" series like xxxHolic. I use to call them "Little Shop of Horror" series, despite the horror aspect being little to none, but I don't know if there is a name for these supernatural horror-like iyashike.
Mushi-shi got me through the deepest throes of grief when my cat suddenly passed away. It means so much to me and it makes me happy to see others appreciate it's beauty too.
A healing Anime/Manga for me throughout the last years has been the criminally unknown series "Hakumei to Mikochi - Tiny Little Life in the Woods". Especially the episodes/chapters that focus on exploring and recreational hobbies have such a calming vibe. Can't recommend it enough.
I would definitely count "Girl's Last Tour" as a healing atmospheric anime; it's in a similar vein to Yokohama Shopping Log, but more melancholy. The only mark against it I would give as a healing show IS that pervasive sense of quiet sadness, since it's in a post-apocalyptic world that feels very big and empty. But it makes the small moments of joy between the two main characters even more impactful; like when they find sugar to make treats, set up cans in a rain shower for music, and find a small robot who is taking care of the last living fish in an abandoned factory. I'd really recommend it to anyone who hasn't seen it!
Mushi-shi was the anime that got me through a period of burn out, one of the few things that actually soothed my anxiety, breathing exercises be damned. I can't recommend it enough.
In japanese culture due to always being isolated on an island when in media a character is facing the sea, it's often used as a metaphor that the character cannot escape the turmoil of the situation, so instead of running away, you accept the conditions of the situation and make the best of it. If you take a looking glass and investigate Japanese culture, you'll find this mindset in alot of decisions
100% my healing anime is March comes in like a Lion for me, having a main character who is also depressed having things slowly but surely get better just gets me, along with the beautiful animation and soundtrack.
I was gonna say that too, it’s seeing someone I can relate to being loved and cared for… just how his negative self talk is proven wrong time and time again, two separate lives entangling and healing each other
An anime that gives me a sense of comfort is Kino's Journey. Yes, it has some dark episodes, but Kino's calmness and her "observe without judging" philosophy is comforting to me. As for Moomins, love them too although I prefer the books to the anime. The Books and the Comic strips are basically two different continuities and while I appreciate things from the comic strip, I prefer the books. And the anime is sort of a middle ground between the two of them, which is okay, I can see why they did that. But for a book-puritan like me it just jives me the wrong way at times. But I realise that it's purely a subjective thing and I won't look down on people or say that they are wrong if they prefer the anime to the books. You drink your Earl Grey, and I'll drink my cup of green tea instead. Also, fun fact, Thingummy and Bob were originally named Tofslan and Vifslan and their special way of talking was that they added -sla as a suffix to words, like "Goodsla" for good etc. The -n at the end of their names is the Swedish way of making a specific, like "the" is used in english. "Hemulen" is more correctly translated as "The Hemul", and Tofslan and Vifslan as "The Tofsla" and "The Vifsla". This is important because it gives a pretty good hint on what the two are based on: The author TO-ve Jansson and her lover VI-vica Bandler. The King's Ruby being a symbol for their forbidden love. While Thingummy and Bob is just a bad pun on the word Thingamabob. Which, okay, is a way to show that the two are very close, not to say inseparable, and I doubt the translator did get the nuance and reference in the original name. Still, it is lost in translation. And Bob does gender one of them as male, when are in effect genderless in the original (they are never given any pronouns in the Swedish version, but if I remember correctly they're male and female in the english translation). Which is partly why I don't like the english translation of Finn Family Moomintroll. It's still a good book, but damn is Elizabeth Portch's translation a poor and lazy one, even past the Thingummy and Bob part. There are a lot of instances where she mixes up the characters so that a line or action made by one character in the original is said or done by another character in the book. Parts of dialogue are erased and just made into descriptions, adjectives are unnecessarily added and, well, how you can manage to translate Trollkarlen (Literally "The Magician" or "The Wizard") into The Hobgoblin is just beyond me.
I was hoping someone would remember kino’s journey! I watched it lot through junior high and I just love Kino and her interactions. She has a very captivating demeanor to me too. I also love Haibane Reimei
bit of a stretch, but imo Princess Tutu is at least 33% a healing show. While it's got a proper drama / more development than a typical iyashikei, the first half of both cours are mostly episodic healing sessions between Tutu and the prince's emotions. Also strong agree with Violet Evergarden (too much drama to be an actual healing show, but in a similar vein as Tutu) and Haibane Renmei (closer fit to iyashikei vibes) recs from other commenters!
It's kind of an obvious one, but it has to be said that Aria is some REALLY good healing material. I recommend anyone who hasn't tried Aria and is gravitating towards this genre to at least give it a try.
Ahh so glad you’re back! You briefly mentioned it, but my favorite healing anime is for sure Natsume Yuujinchou. The way Natsume slowly heals and grows is just so comforting and hopeful to me and it balances the heavier themes with a lot of lighter scenes and humor. Plus the nature is super pretty!
@@_____________a_a Well it depends, do your parents like post-war emotionally-charged stories? This is one of those stories where you need some real life emotional nonsense in your past to relate to. Personally I watched it alone because it is easier for me to cry alone and to get the most out of this anime you are going to need to be in the place and mindset to want to ugly cry.
I am so glad you’re bringing mushi-shi to your audiences that might not know it, it’s been such a comfort for years now but I rarely see anyone talking about it. Even I found it by accident while scrolling through everything on anime lab. Thank you for showing it on your channel
Being Swedish, I grew up with watching Moominvalley, the Swedish dub had a Finnish accent to them and it made them stand out from all other children's programs at the time (the 90's). Anytime I come across people on the internet that raves about Moominvalley it hits me kinda weirdly, but in a good way.
Yes, someone remembers Haibane! I watched it back when it was still relatively new by the ancient method of sharing fansubbed anime on DVDs. Having only watched mainstream and vintage series before, I fell head over heels for its atmosphere of calm of the mundane life and emotional turmoil. Slightly sapphic relationship between Reki an Rakka also helped 😌 Imo it's the best series of Yoshitoshi Abe, even though usually it's the Serial Experiments Lain that gets the attention.
A work colleague described a vague sense of unease when they watched it ("I don't trust that series!"), apparently fearing that something b~a~d would happen, sooner or later. This surprised me greatly during (and after) having seen it. It's no Moomin, but Haibane Renmei felt like soothing, mellow sunshine in comparison to, say, Serial Experiments Lain. Or maybe like a slighly more upbeat Kino's Journey.
@@Reubel I did feel it too back in the day. There's much unknown and the way backgrounds are painted in slightly sepia tones gives the feeling of upcoming storm.
hakumei to mikochi is a beautifully animated and absolutely adorable anime about two very tiny girls who live together in the forrest and just go through life. I remember a lot of people talking about it when it came out but nowadays barely anyone mentions it so you might even consider it a hidden gem
the manga keeps going way beyond the anime, so it might be picking up where the anime leaves off. The art in it is detailed and atmospheric all the time, the anime was able to do it justice
The only series I can think of like this is Silver Spoon. It's been a really long time since I last watched it but I remember loving it a lot. It's basically about a rich kid who didn't grow up on a farm or anything going to an agriculture school with a bunch of other kids who did grow up on farms and stuff. It had a lot of comedy and there was a bit of a romance with the main character and another girl, but my favorite episodes were the one where the main character goes to his love interests family farm and meets her family members and helps around in the farm and the episode where he names a baby pig and takes care of it knowing it'll eventually be eaten anyways.
Over winter break I rewatched both seasons of Yuru Camp, a "cute girls doing cute stuff" show about camping with a particular focus on food and the joys of traveling. It's like hot chocolate in anime form and I'd recommend it to everyone!
Yotsubato and Natsume Yuujinchou are my favorite iyashikei series. I haven't watched Mushi-shi, but it's been on my list for a while. I'm so glad there's a name for healing stories because these are the kinds of stories I want to write. Also Sangatsu no Lion. It's interesting that I'd never heard of these shows and was super into melodrama and intense emotions until I experienced trauma. I started becoming concerned with this "phobia of emotions" I had when I no longer wanted to watch new shows that I deemed "too much." Shows like Natsume were instrumental in healing from that trauma. I got to watch people who were healing in their own stories or living life peacefully in a way I wished I could. I'm getting reacquainted with the melodrama that I loved now that I'm in a healthier place. I just watched Arcane- a show full of trouble, drama, intrigue, and trauma- and I ate it all up. I'm glad that I got to discover these healing shows along the way.
Totoro was my first anime media I ever watched. To this day, as a 29 year old man, the music still bring me to tears. As for healing anime, fruits basket i know isn't actually of the genre, Is one of my favorites. The healing of trauma the show covers is the very definition of catharsis. It shows that despite your background, you can heal. Please watch the new series if you haven't, be warned there is cases of physical abuse and assault in the show so please if that is distressing to you, skip it.
Damn how much i miss noralities. Receiving a notification of a new video was definitely exciting. I saw few of their videos multiple times, sometimes listened like a podcast. Miss your contend and personality a lot
Thanks for finding the name iyashikei. I liked Mushishi for that fascinating calm atmosphere. I highly recommend Yuru Camp, it's so relaxing and sweet. Makes you want to prepare camping gear and go on a trip!
One anime I found comforting is K-On! As someone who was really lonely throughout high school, it was soothing to see those girls spend time together was healing in the sense that it felt they were my friends too.
An anime that I found a lot of comfort in was Yuru Camp/Laid Back Camp. It's literally in the title, lol but its just a bunch of cute girls enjoying camping ,whether alone or together, in Japan during the winter. The anime is so pretty imo, and the music is heartwarming and melancholic to me. I 100% recommend it to those who want to just relax and turn off their brain.
Restaurant to Another world is such a comfort show for me- and it’s kinda self explanatory. But somehow so wonderful in its name and premises. It centers on a restaurant whose door opens to another world to enjoy the food of the amazing cook and the relationship the customers and staff have with each other.
Genuinely think mushi-shi was one of the things that saved my 2020. I got diagnosed as being both schizotypical and autistic, and the worry of it being "weird" and being outside of the norm made me extremely anxious. but when i started watching and seeing ginko, who's so distant of what is considered common but is still genuinely considered kind and nice, if a bit strange, comforted me immensely. Wonderful show
@@brinks4042 The 2-episode YKK OVA from 1998 is here: th-cam.com/video/_3_dBxBi84I/w-d-xo.html&pp=ygUHeWtrIG92YQ%3D%3D But I haven't been able to find the early 2000s Quiet Country Cafe.
That scene in Yokohama, when they watch all the street lights turn on at night, made me cry. I wasn't even sad. I just got pulled into the moment. I had only heard of this anime through a friend and was binging manga/anime reviews one morning and was like, "Oh! that cute robot story my friend told me about, now I can get an idea of what it's about!" Me [watches that scene uninterrupted because the reviewer decided to add it for effect and to convey what he was talking about]: cries uncontrollably at something I've never seen in my entire life lol. That scene touched me like the anime Violet Evergarden only ever could. To my surprise, the robot girl also cries in that scene (I had tears in my eyes before they even show how emotional she gets herself, which is so unexpected, because they portray it as a scene that is strictly meant to cause wonder and awe). In that moment, I appreciated that I had someone (fictional as she was) totally sympathizing with what I felt. It was beautiful. Just seeing it in your review makes me all teary eyed again. That emotion stays with you, sincerely. It definitely made an impact on me and is why I like stories that are just all about this type of narrative and atmospheric expose.
I would wholeheartedly recommend Super Cub from last year. It’s a typical “discovering a new hobby” type anime, centred around motorbikes, except unlike almost any other anime of its kind, it finds its levity not in humour (the show is almost entirely humourless), but in the tiny victories of a depressed girl. The progress of the show is almost painfully incremental, but it’s immensely heartening to see how the one small step the MC took snowballed into all kinds of positive effects. My second favourite anime of last year, and something I haven’t seen the likes of in a long time.
I would 110% recommend Haibane Renmei for your watchlist if you're interested in this genre. That sort of calm, safe, simple setting is key to the show's progression, because the characters being given a safe environment allows them to introspect on themselves, which is the real heart of the series. Color palettes are very muted and earthy, which I personally love a LOT, and though it touches on some rather dark subject matter (grief, depression, self-harm), it does so in a way that is wholly compassionate and interested in healing. There's a lot of time dedicated to showing these characters in their day to day lives. I think one of my favorite sequences in the whole series is one close to the end of the series, where the main cast goes into town during the New Year celebration and gives other characters they've interacted with special bells handmade out of nuts, in gratitude for their being there for them.
I would count Violet Evergarden as iyashikei. It absolutely makes me feel healed and comforted, even when it makes me cry. In a post-war country, as a survivor, Violet needs to know what love is. To understand love, she helps people write letters to their loved ones. You run into dozens of people in different situations, see beautiful landscapes, and enjoy lovely quiet moments. Even if they've lost the ones they loved, there's still hope in their letters.
My personal favorite show for Healing is actually a Chinese anime, The Legend of Luo Xiaohei, which recently got a prequel movie. In the main series, the episodes are very short and mainly consist of a little girl and the magical cat she just adopted adapting to their new lives together and bonding as friends, along with her "normal" best friend and her adopted magical Big Brother, who serves as a guide for the others in the strange world they are now introduced to. While there are moments of tension in the different arcs, for the most part the atmosphere is very relaxed and calm. The backgrounds are gorgeous, and the animation is fluid and clean. Not to mention there are a number of moments where it just makes me bust out laughing. 10/10 highly recommend.
This was a lovely episode. I’ve been thinking a lot about the iyashikei genre in recent years, especially considering the surge popularity in soothing or relaxing video games in recent years like “Animal Crossing” to the point that there’s been several “Wholesome Directs” devoted to the topic. It makes me wonder if we will see more international flavours to the “healing” genre, and whether they will find success with mainstream audiences. I also *really* hope that someone licenses the “Yokohama Shopping Log” manga at some point, or at least the OVAs. They’ve been on my “dream license” list for a *long* time now.
Natsume's Book of Friends is my favorite healing show- it has plot and some mildly scary moments, but the focus on Natsume's recovery from his traumatic childhood and building connections with others really resonates with me. There's this episode, I wouldn't say it exemplifies the series but it still sticks with me. Natsume is out on an errand for the couple who are taking care of him and after a misadventure with a baby fox spirit, he comes home to find that the thing he went to pick up was a mug that had been special ordered for Natsume. I donno what it is about it but even now it's still in my mind.
Iyashikei is such an interesting genre because they can take normally horrifying and depressing situations, such as living in a post-apocalyptic world, and making them relaxing and soothing. A good example of this is Girls' Last Tour, which is about two girls who are possibly the only two humans left on Earth after an unknown apocalypse and are living day-to-day trying to survive on whatever they can. Even though that sounds really depressing (and it is), it somehow manages to be pretty bittersweet and wholesome at time, as the story focuses primarily on the relationship and interactions between the two girls, which are really sweet and sometimes very funny. They are really close to each other and their heartwarming relationship sort of balances out the bleakness of the premise.
Sweetness and Lightning was such an adorable and endearing anime. Not just about about cooking, but also about the struggles and joys of being a parent.
~"Exactly how the world came to be this way is significantly less important than the people and how they choose to live in it." ~ is such a sweet, succinct version of ~“I wish it need not have happened in my time," said Frodo. "So do I," said Gandalf, "and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.”~
Much Mushi-shi love! I always feel like this series gets overlooked in it's many great aspects. It's a chill series, but so very interesting and engaging at the same time.
Moomin is my comfort show, I love it so much. When I'm having a bad time I know I can turn to the Moomins and feel better, at least a little. Not to mention the fact that they're so kind... It's such a healing atmosphere, such a healing world. I love it so much.
One of my favorite iyashikei anime is kiyo in kyoto (also called maiko-san chi no makanai-san). It's about two girls who moved from Aomori to Kyoto in order to become maiko (a geisha or geiko in training). One of them decides it's not for her and becomes the house cook instead. It's typically broken up into three segments about different dishes or snacks, with many also focusing on the life of a maiko. It's a wonderful look into japanese culture and cooking that I always enjoy. The CG animation could put some people off, but they have some beautiful hand-painted backgrounds are just stunning!
One I recommend that's a rather obscure anime but is probably one of my favorite shows of all time, is Bartender. Bartender is more like an anthology series that's about people who are weary of the world and who then find clarity by drinking the right cocktail from a master bartender. It's very flowery in it's dialogue and love for drinking, but if you are cool with those things then you get a very emotional, educational, and life-affirming show that's got some really fantastic music. It only exists on youtube with subtitles, but I highly recommend it.
Sketchbook Full Color’s is a cute, restful slice of life series with a neurodivergent coded main character (and arguably several other characters could be read as neurodivergent too) and fair bit of natural scenes and goofy cute cats. It definitely fits this restful genre and is a treat for those of us on the autism spectrum (representation is nice). It’s my spouse’s favourite series.
Wow, I didn't know that there was a name for this! I think I've consumed everything in this genre over the years. Barakomon is a great one for me as an artist - an exiled calligrapher gets sent to Okinawa where he befriends the islanders and falls in love with calligraphy again. Very wholesome. Mushi-shi got me through the deepest throes of grief when my cat suddenly passed away. It means so much to me and it makes me happy to see others appreciate it's beauty too.
Mushishi is such a good show. I actually nearly cried just listening to the opening song in full for the first time. (I was living away in Germany at the time.) Excellent video as always!
It feels so good to know this kind of feeling has a name. I also have been looking for more of this kind of media as it brings me peace and sometimes even it just motivates me to live, so thank you. It's not anime but I guess I know now why we all love Pride & Prejudice (2005) so much. And lately, I've been asking myself why do I like those vlogs of people just going thru their day, not saying much or anything at all, just them there living. I thought I was just losing my time watching nothing again but they do make me feel better so I guess now I know why haha. Great video
Thank you. Really, thank you. I enjoy each and every one of your vids, and I’m so very grateful for your wonderful diction and kindness you bring with them all. Makes me feel very at ease. Love and hugs to you and to all 🤍
HELL YEAH MUSHI-SHI. Mushi-Shi was one of the first animes that I watched with my middle school anime club, I kinda miss it so I'll probably rewatch it soon :>
I'm so glad I got to discover this specific genre of anime through your video! I always wondered if there was a name for it lol. A great calming, atmospheric anime with a focus on nature and cooking I recommend is Yuru Camp. It has become my go-to comfort anime. Everything from the soundtrack to the setting to the comedy and cooking is sooooo calming for me.
liking this video not only because i like it and want to go back to it to see what anime to watch, but also to look at the comments from time to time to get new recommendations :)
This channel feels really safe for me and i couldn't wait for the anime recommendations. As for a safe healing anime, to me, Yuru Camp is one I like to visit during the fall and winter.
I absolutely love you for mentioning Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou! I've only known the OVA for a few months and am currently reading the manga but it already is one my favorite works of fiction! In that short time it had enough of an effect on me that I'm now making my motorcycle license because of how the author portrayed his love for them in the manga. And for members of the "clinical addiction to overgrown ruins" club, this is an absolute must watch/read!
I still need to finish the second season of Mushishi. Basically one of those situations where something is *SO* good that you stop watching it, because your subconscious is trying to protect you from having to come to terms with the fact that, "once you finish, it will be over."
Acchi Kocchi has been a healing anime to many of my friends and me over time. It is just good fun and good laughs while still giving time to slow and and look around.
I think I've been gravitating to these types of media as well, not because of covid necessarily, but maybe more because of capitalism. Some video games that I've played recently are A Short Hike, Firewatch and Sable, all of which I highly recommend for people wanting to play stress-free, healing games. In terms of anime, I first leaned towards Your Eternity expecting it to be like Mushi-Shi but was disappointed at the amount of action and false high stake situations that followed after the brilliant episode 1, then I tried Odd Taxi due to its calm and witty dialogue, but then that series got turned into a high stakes thriller by the second half (still a great show), so then I eventually decided to gravitated towards Ghibli films instead, and they've since been the only anime I've watched the entire past year barring a couple others. I highly recommend Takahata's Ghibli films like Pom Poko and Only Yesterday, especially the latter because it involves the main character moving from the cities to the countrysides for some personal healing. What I particularly appreciate about Takahata is he doesn't rely on some act 3 climactic action sequence for his movies like Miyazaki does. If a Takahata film has a particular tone in the first 30 minutes, it will have that tone for the entirety, he won't pull a "Mei getting lost" or "Kiki having to save the day" to create an adrenaline boosting finale, he's far more subdued, consistent and focused on his themes.
I’m not into these sorts of Anime, but I appreciate nature’s portrayal and intimate moments in more upbeat shows. The calm moments in BEASTARS and JOJO: Golden Wind’s beautiful backgrounds + OST are examples of this.
Thank you for making this cute and relaxing video. :) "Yokohama Shopping Log" now has 3 out of 5 total manga volumes in English. I'm so happy this series with its ever-cheerful protagonist is finally getting the attention it deserves!
One of my favorite manga recently has been Giant Spider and Me, a simple story about a girl and the giant spider who cook together in a vaguely post-apocalyptical world. While there isn't much in terms of story, and only has three volumes, the art is amazing and the recipes it features are delicious. I've reread it more than any other series in these last two years, I'd highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys simple cooking-based iyashikei!!
I know mushishi is generally pretty well regarded, but i never see it talked about much anywhere and it's been my comfort series since i was 8. its so heartwarming to see it recommended by one of my favorite anitubers, thankyou so much !!
Oh, I do adore Emiya Menu! Also, beautiful anime such as Mushi-shi just gives you such a warm feeling simply by the art style. I love these videos of yours, and each one gives me such hope. Thank you, and congrats on the 100k!
You know, I can’t even comment with my favorite series along these lines because you touched on the three major ones that mean a great deal to me. The only reason that Moomin isn’t also on that list of top favorites is simply because I haven’t had a chance to watch it yet, but the style of Moomin (especially the comics) has had an immense impact on my own art, so it tracks that it would fall in line with those other three all time favorites of mine. So thank you for the rec and for the reintroduction to the term iyashikei- I’ll definitely be looking up more to enjoy! PS: if anyone wants more iyashikei Ghibli films, give Whisper of the Heart and Only Yesterday a try. They’re both vastly underrated, but they never fail to soothe me and make me feel like everything will be okay :)
I have so many!! Flying Witch, Life is Like a Cocktail, Yuru Camp, Restaurant to Another World, Bookseller Honda, Sweetness & Lightning, Usagi Drop, Non Non Biyori, Natsumes Book of Friends, Wakakozake!!! This is my favorite genre and I love to just sink into them wrapped in a fuzzy blanket with a cup of tea.
Never heard of the first one, thanks! One I'd like to add to the list: Non Non Biyori. It's a sweet, fun, calming anime about the everyday lives of four girls living in the countryside of Japan. The landscape is beautiful and despite there being "nothing" to do they always find a way to pass the time together. For me, it invokes that very special feeling I had when I was younger and spent summer break with my friends :)
Absolutely thrilled to see mu-shishi on this list. That anime would leave me staring at walls after episodes in the weirdest calm I have ever experienced, there's just... something so soothing (and sometimes unsettling) about it. I like how it doesn't gloss over loss, but doesn't center it either. Its just calm. Thank you for a wonderful video, as always!
HOLY MOLY I NEVER KNEW YOKOHAMA SHOPPING LOG HAD AN ANIME!!! watchlist updated! also I'm delighted you talked about mushishi, which is an anime I don't hear being talked abt a lot, especially in the healing genre it belongs to! It's been my absolute favourite AND comfort show since 2015, and you definitely did it justice, mentioning its most essential and compelling aspects! thank you!
oh also! another series that i'd consider Iyashikei is kino's journey(jap: kino no tabi), specifically it's earliest adaptation from 2003! centering around a travelling lad called kino and her hilarious talking motorbike hermes, they discover country after strange country, and experience adventures there while being confronted with various big philosophical questions - I can compare it to mushishi in it's pace and animation style, but it also stands on its own with the unique, very earthy color palettes and strange old tv effect that's ever present! there ARE some more upbeat moments like fights in there as often conflict is being addressed in the countries, but it balances out with the quiet moments of kino just... travelling. existing. living in the moment.
I really love Yuru Camp and I think it really embodies the iyashikei genre with its emphasis on spending time in nature and I guess cooking camping food. You should watch it!
I legitimately had no idea that Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou had an anime. It was my favorite manga for such a long time starting about 9 years ago, and still has a special place in my heart. Thank you so much for this video.
Honestly, these types of anime are so comforting. I took a job far away from my hometown, my family, and friends. I get a little sad sometimes, but the show Moomins is really helpful. Same with My Neighbor Totoro. The nostalgia hit, and the themes really help.
Your my comfort YTer since I've been going through grief so your videos always seem to cheer me up in someway! My Neighbor Totro is a ultimate favorite! As when I was watching it I never felt so happy.
Came here for more like Mushi-shi. Thanks for educating me on this sub-genre! I started out watching anime for the positive messages in Fruba (original) and Kenshin (sorry, I know the author is problematic). Then I got into Kino’s Journey, Casshern Sins, then yokai stuff because I read a lot of folk tales and comparative folklore. And then found Mushishi and felt like I had arrived at home safely after a long, productive day. Just nice. I found Natsume Yuujinchou and enjoyed it as well. Can’t wait to check out Yokohama Shopping Log - it sounds great. Nausicaa has some great nature scenes too, speaking of things set after the world is wrecked.
Ayooo the queen is back! Seeing stardew and harvest moon mentioned brings peace to my heart. I practically grew up with harvest on snes and I'm practically immersed on stardew as an adult. Thank you for explaining the term for these "comfort food " types of media haha. Stay safe out there!
My Neighbour Totoro is actually one of the many anime I watched during Ramadan 2021, and I'm gonna be honest it was probably the best anime to choose during that time. It was very comforting, and it got me into Studio Ghibli. Most of the other anime I watched during Ramadan were vastly different Yokohama Shopping Log's a very good one as well, I watched it in like June or July and I really didn't want it to end that shortly lol. Still will probably put it on the "anime to watch next Ramadan" list with Totoro again, and other anime like Heidi.
The Adventures of Moominvalley was such a comfort show to me. When quarantine first happened, I would watch it after going on a neighborhood walk. At that time, the official moomin channel had made all the episodes available on TH-cam. The stories were usually easily resolved which brought me comfort through the pandemic. The characters were also nice and all the travelling helped my wanderlust. Now some of the episodes have been taken down and I'm not sure I'll be able to finish it but I appreciate what it did for me two years back.
I LOVE YKK (Shopping Log, as you put it), and have been hoping you'd bring it in some time. Esp. the manga. Just going around a beautiful world and seeing things. One fascinating thing is that every year of publication is a year in-universe. So while the old people characters barely age, and Alpha doesn't age at all, you can contrast it with the few young characters growing up.
Ahhhh I'm so happy you mentioned Mushishi! It was one of the first animes I've ever watched, although when I watched I was pretty immature and honestly only watched because someone I liked recommended it to me. But now I can watch it and just feel nostalgic and peaceful. Thank u so much for this lovely video :)
I love Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou! I saw it for the first time last year and was blown away. These past two years have felt like a constant apocalypse, yet I’ve sort of gotten used to it. I still manage to eat dinner every night, and could maintain living. Even with its unavoidable constant presence, my life isn’t about covid. Because of that, Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou really spoke to me. Seeing the continuing of daily life after the floods hit heavy in our situation. The scene with the stoplights continuing to work after their original purpose died out was such a brilliant allegory and legitimately made me cry.
I'm really happy you mentioned Mushi-Shi! I've seen images for it but wasn't sure what it was since I've never seen anyone talk about it. But it seems up my alley! Thank you!
My suggestion the Healing pile: Sherlock Hound. It’s an old TMS anime that Miyazaki worked on before starting Studio Ghibli. It is just the right mix of chill atmosphere and fun adventure. Also, the English dub is absolutely essential. Whoever played Prof. Moriarty legit deserves an Oscar. Even better, the whole thing is up on TH-cam!
I found Yokohama Shopping Log through a Kenny Lauderdale video a while back and it just feels like another part of my life, like a location I can visit when things are overwhelming
I don't know why, but something about his channel is so comforting. Singlehandedly got me back into watching anime after abandoning it a few years back just from how disgusting , riddled with misogyny, and fanservice-y it could be at times, especially in what is considered mainstream "good anime". if not for this channel, I would've never seen Utena, Cardcaptor Sakura, or have rediscovered by tweenage love for Sailor Moon. Thank you so much for everything 😊
Right?? I had the same experience. It feels like I'm reconnecting with my younger self, finding all these new and old gems. Really grateful!
Yeah, they do have that healing factor, and they stayed headstrong even after the backlash
Lol u gave been watching shouen that why
Yea honestly I’ve just decided to ignore the shounen genre for a while and all the new shows I watch to be of other genres cause it’s just so problematic
I absolutely love this channel even though it is problematic sometimes.
I’ve always described Mushishi as being like horror, except the emotion it evokes is wonder, not fear or disgust
Awe, literally.
Nice
I totally agree 😃
I've always thought of it as "being" (as a verb, but also as a state of existing). Much like the Mushi themselves, there's no antagonism, or really conflict. The mushi are, much like the people, just living their lives. They don't intend harm on the humans any more than Ginko's cure is an attempt to kill the problem-causing mushi. Everything is simply existing, and Ginko serves to mediate the conflict whenever human nature and mushi nature begin interfering with each other.
If I could like this comment harder, I would. haha
Mushi-shi is an essential staple for my mental health I've probably watched both seasons 6 times now. So glad to see someone else that knows my mans walking around ancient Japan in a polo shirt exists 🥰
Mushi-shi is one of my favourite types on anime. I tend to get the same calming feeling in my chest when I watch other atmospheric "monster of the week" series like xxxHolic. I use to call them "Little Shop of Horror" series, despite the horror aspect being little to none, but I don't know if there is a name for these supernatural horror-like iyashike.
Mushi-shi got me through the deepest throes of grief when my cat suddenly passed away. It means so much to me and it makes me happy to see others appreciate it's beauty too.
A healing Anime/Manga for me throughout the last years has been the criminally unknown series "Hakumei to Mikochi - Tiny Little Life in the Woods".
Especially the episodes/chapters that focus on exploring and recreational hobbies have such a calming vibe.
Can't recommend it enough.
Yes. Finally, I found that someone who watched it.
I still need to watch the anime, but the manga is *fabulous*.
@@tonicwater1234 I agree, I'm also collecting the manga of Hakumei and Mikochi.
Yessss, this is such a gem!
I would definitely count "Girl's Last Tour" as a healing atmospheric anime; it's in a similar vein to Yokohama Shopping Log, but more melancholy. The only mark against it I would give as a healing show IS that pervasive sense of quiet sadness, since it's in a post-apocalyptic world that feels very big and empty. But it makes the small moments of joy between the two main characters even more impactful; like when they find sugar to make treats, set up cans in a rain shower for music, and find a small robot who is taking care of the last living fish in an abandoned factory. I'd really recommend it to anyone who hasn't seen it!
That rain song ending has got to be one of the best sequences in anime.
Mushi-shi was the anime that got me through a period of burn out, one of the few things that actually soothed my anxiety, breathing exercises be damned. I can't recommend it enough.
In japanese culture due to always being isolated on an island when in media a character is facing the sea, it's often used as a metaphor that the character cannot escape the turmoil of the situation, so instead of running away, you accept the conditions of the situation and make the best of it.
If you take a looking glass and investigate Japanese culture, you'll find this mindset in alot of decisions
In such a harsh social environment that often makes you incredibly isolated and stripped of your individuality I totally get your point
100% my healing anime is March comes in like a Lion for me, having a main character who is also depressed having things slowly but surely get better just gets me, along with the beautiful animation and soundtrack.
I was gonna say that too, it’s seeing someone I can relate to being loved and cared for… just how his negative self talk is proven wrong time and time again, two separate lives entangling and healing each other
An anime that gives me a sense of comfort is Kino's Journey. Yes, it has some dark episodes, but Kino's calmness and her "observe without judging" philosophy is comforting to me.
As for Moomins, love them too although I prefer the books to the anime.
The Books and the Comic strips are basically two different continuities and while I appreciate things from the comic strip, I prefer the books. And the anime is sort of a middle ground between the two of them, which is okay, I can see why they did that. But for a book-puritan like me it just jives me the wrong way at times. But I realise that it's purely a subjective thing and I won't look down on people or say that they are wrong if they prefer the anime to the books. You drink your Earl Grey, and I'll drink my cup of green tea instead.
Also, fun fact, Thingummy and Bob were originally named Tofslan and Vifslan and their special way of talking was that they added -sla as a suffix to words, like "Goodsla" for good etc. The -n at the end of their names is the Swedish way of making a specific, like "the" is used in english. "Hemulen" is more correctly translated as "The Hemul", and Tofslan and Vifslan as "The Tofsla" and "The Vifsla". This is important because it gives a pretty good hint on what the two are based on: The author TO-ve Jansson and her lover VI-vica Bandler. The King's Ruby being a symbol for their forbidden love. While Thingummy and Bob is just a bad pun on the word Thingamabob. Which, okay, is a way to show that the two are very close, not to say inseparable, and I doubt the translator did get the nuance and reference in the original name. Still, it is lost in translation. And Bob does gender one of them as male, when are in effect genderless in the original (they are never given any pronouns in the Swedish version, but if I remember correctly they're male and female in the english translation).
Which is partly why I don't like the english translation of Finn Family Moomintroll. It's still a good book, but damn is Elizabeth Portch's translation a poor and lazy one, even past the Thingummy and Bob part. There are a lot of instances where she mixes up the characters so that a line or action made by one character in the original is said or done by another character in the book. Parts of dialogue are erased and just made into descriptions, adjectives are unnecessarily added and, well, how you can manage to translate Trollkarlen (Literally "The Magician" or "The Wizard") into The Hobgoblin is just beyond me.
I was hoping someone would remember kino’s journey! I watched it lot through junior high and I just love Kino and her interactions. She has a very captivating demeanor to me too. I also love Haibane Reimei
bit of a stretch, but imo Princess Tutu is at least 33% a healing show. While it's got a proper drama / more development than a typical iyashikei, the first half of both cours are mostly episodic healing sessions between Tutu and the prince's emotions.
Also strong agree with Violet Evergarden (too much drama to be an actual healing show, but in a similar vein as Tutu) and Haibane Renmei (closer fit to iyashikei vibes) recs from other commenters!
Princess Tutu is healing in the same way a bone often grows back stronger after you break it. Lmao
It's kind of an obvious one, but it has to be said that Aria is some REALLY good healing material.
I recommend anyone who hasn't tried Aria and is gravitating towards this genre to at least give it a try.
yesss was gonna comment this too such a good show!
Aria is my favourite anime ever, it feels like the definition of healing
Ahh so glad you’re back! You briefly mentioned it, but my favorite healing anime is for sure Natsume Yuujinchou. The way Natsume slowly heals and grows is just so comforting and hopeful to me and it balances the heavier themes with a lot of lighter scenes and humor. Plus the nature is super pretty!
I second this! I got my mom hooked on that when she was going through a hard time and it brought her a lot of peace and joy.
I third this!! One of my all-time favorite series
A series that I love Violet Evergarden. I simultaneously bawl my eyes out and watch in awe at how beautiful the show is, very cathartic.
I read the name and got misty-eyed. The show is fantastic.
I see that you are a fellow man of culture.
Yes, thank you, you know how hard/rare it is to find someone admit their love for Violet Evergarden
I’ve never seen it but am interested. Would this be a good anime to watch with your parents?
@@_____________a_a Well it depends, do your parents like post-war emotionally-charged stories? This is one of those stories where you need some real life emotional nonsense in your past to relate to. Personally I watched it alone because it is easier for me to cry alone and to get the most out of this anime you are going to need to be in the place and mindset to want to ugly cry.
I am so glad you’re bringing mushi-shi to your audiences that might not know it, it’s been such a comfort for years now but I rarely see anyone talking about it. Even I found it by accident while scrolling through everything on anime lab. Thank you for showing it on your channel
Being Swedish, I grew up with watching Moominvalley, the Swedish dub had a Finnish accent to them and it made them stand out from all other children's programs at the time (the 90's).
Anytime I come across people on the internet that raves about Moominvalley it hits me kinda weirdly, but in a good way.
It's minnow season. *just leaves*
Same here! And it definitely belongs on this list.
It might be a bit strange but for me, Aggretsuko is one of the most calming and cathartic shows in my eyes
one of my favourite nature-y comfort anime is definitely Haibane Remei, whilst it can get very depressing at times, its also just beautiful
Yes, someone remembers Haibane! I watched it back when it was still relatively new by the ancient method of sharing fansubbed anime on DVDs. Having only watched mainstream and vintage series before, I fell head over heels for its atmosphere of calm of the mundane life and emotional turmoil. Slightly sapphic relationship between Reki an Rakka also helped 😌 Imo it's the best series of Yoshitoshi Abe, even though usually it's the Serial Experiments Lain that gets the attention.
A work colleague described a vague sense of unease when they watched it ("I don't trust that series!"), apparently fearing that something b~a~d would happen, sooner or later. This surprised me greatly during (and after) having seen it. It's no Moomin, but Haibane Renmei felt like soothing, mellow sunshine in comparison to, say, Serial Experiments Lain. Or maybe like a slighly more upbeat Kino's Journey.
@@Reubel I did feel it too back in the day. There's much unknown and the way backgrounds are painted in slightly sepia tones gives the feeling of upcoming storm.
hakumei to mikochi is a beautifully animated and absolutely adorable anime about two very tiny girls who live together in the forrest and just go through life. I remember a lot of people talking about it when it came out but nowadays barely anyone mentions it so you might even consider it a hidden gem
the manga keeps going way beyond the anime, so it might be picking up where the anime leaves off. The art in it is detailed and atmospheric all the time, the anime was able to do it justice
The only series I can think of like this is Silver Spoon. It's been a really long time since I last watched it but I remember loving it a lot. It's basically about a rich kid who didn't grow up on a farm or anything going to an agriculture school with a bunch of other kids who did grow up on farms and stuff. It had a lot of comedy and there was a bit of a romance with the main character and another girl, but my favorite episodes were the one where the main character goes to his love interests family farm and meets her family members and helps around in the farm and the episode where he names a baby pig and takes care of it knowing it'll eventually be eaten anyways.
Over winter break I rewatched both seasons of Yuru Camp, a "cute girls doing cute stuff" show about camping with a particular focus on food and the joys of traveling. It's like hot chocolate in anime form and I'd recommend it to everyone!
omg yes ! i love that anime
Yotsubato and Natsume Yuujinchou are my favorite iyashikei series. I haven't watched Mushi-shi, but it's been on my list for a while. I'm so glad there's a name for healing stories because these are the kinds of stories I want to write.
Also Sangatsu no Lion. It's interesting that I'd never heard of these shows and was super into melodrama and intense emotions until I experienced trauma. I started becoming concerned with this "phobia of emotions" I had when I no longer wanted to watch new shows that I deemed "too much." Shows like Natsume were instrumental in healing from that trauma. I got to watch people who were healing in their own stories or living life peacefully in a way I wished I could. I'm getting reacquainted with the melodrama that I loved now that I'm in a healthier place. I just watched Arcane- a show full of trouble, drama, intrigue, and trauma- and I ate it all up. I'm glad that I got to discover these healing shows along the way.
Totoro was my first anime media I ever watched. To this day, as a 29 year old man, the music still bring me to tears. As for healing anime, fruits basket i know isn't actually of the genre, Is one of my favorites. The healing of trauma the show covers is the very definition of catharsis. It shows that despite your background, you can heal. Please watch the new series if you haven't, be warned there is cases of physical abuse and assault in the show so please if that is distressing to you, skip it.
I was actually thinking about your channel a couple of days back! Saw this on my feed and INSTANTLY clicked!
Damn how much i miss noralities. Receiving a notification of a new video was definitely exciting. I saw few of their videos multiple times, sometimes listened like a podcast. Miss your contend and personality a lot
Thanks for finding the name iyashikei. I liked Mushishi for that fascinating calm atmosphere. I highly recommend Yuru Camp, it's so relaxing and sweet. Makes you want to prepare camping gear and go on a trip!
One anime I found comforting is K-On! As someone who was really lonely throughout high school, it was soothing to see those girls spend time together was healing in the sense that it felt they were my friends too.
An anime that I found a lot of comfort in was Yuru Camp/Laid Back Camp.
It's literally in the title, lol but its just a bunch of cute girls enjoying camping ,whether alone or together, in Japan during the winter.
The anime is so pretty imo, and the music is heartwarming and melancholic to me.
I 100% recommend it to those who want to just relax and turn off their brain.
Restaurant to Another world is such a comfort show for me- and it’s kinda self explanatory. But somehow so wonderful in its name and premises. It centers on a restaurant whose door opens to another world to enjoy the food of the amazing cook and the relationship the customers and staff have with each other.
Genuinely think mushi-shi was one of the things that saved my 2020.
I got diagnosed as being both schizotypical and autistic, and the worry of it being "weird" and being outside of the norm made me extremely anxious. but when i started watching and seeing ginko, who's so distant of what is considered common but is still genuinely considered kind and nice, if a bit strange, comforted me immensely.
Wonderful show
Yokohama Shopping Log is one of my favorite series! I'm glad to see it getting some love :D
where can you watch the show?
@@brinks4042 The 2-episode YKK OVA from 1998 is here: th-cam.com/video/_3_dBxBi84I/w-d-xo.html&pp=ygUHeWtrIG92YQ%3D%3D
But I haven't been able to find the early 2000s Quiet Country Cafe.
That scene in Yokohama, when they watch all the street lights turn on at night, made me cry. I wasn't even sad. I just got pulled into the moment. I had only heard of this anime through a friend and was binging manga/anime reviews one morning and was like, "Oh! that cute robot story my friend told me about, now I can get an idea of what it's about!"
Me [watches that scene uninterrupted because the reviewer decided to add it for effect and to convey what he was talking about]: cries uncontrollably at something I've never seen in my entire life lol. That scene touched me like the anime Violet Evergarden only ever could. To my surprise, the robot girl also cries in that scene (I had tears in my eyes before they even show how emotional she gets herself, which is so unexpected, because they portray it as a scene that is strictly meant to cause wonder and awe). In that moment, I appreciated that I had someone (fictional as she was) totally sympathizing with what I felt. It was beautiful.
Just seeing it in your review makes me all teary eyed again. That emotion stays with you, sincerely. It definitely made an impact on me and is why I like stories that are just all about this type of narrative and atmospheric expose.
thank youuuuuuu needed some chill anime because some are too sad or “stressful” for the times lately! 😭
I would wholeheartedly recommend Super Cub from last year. It’s a typical “discovering a new hobby” type anime, centred around motorbikes, except unlike almost any other anime of its kind, it finds its levity not in humour (the show is almost entirely humourless), but in the tiny victories of a depressed girl. The progress of the show is almost painfully incremental, but it’s immensely heartening to see how the one small step the MC took snowballed into all kinds of positive effects. My second favourite anime of last year, and something I haven’t seen the likes of in a long time.
Super Cub is the bomb
I would 110% recommend Haibane Renmei for your watchlist if you're interested in this genre. That sort of calm, safe, simple setting is key to the show's progression, because the characters being given a safe environment allows them to introspect on themselves, which is the real heart of the series. Color palettes are very muted and earthy, which I personally love a LOT, and though it touches on some rather dark subject matter (grief, depression, self-harm), it does so in a way that is wholly compassionate and interested in healing. There's a lot of time dedicated to showing these characters in their day to day lives. I think one of my favorite sequences in the whole series is one close to the end of the series, where the main cast goes into town during the New Year celebration and gives other characters they've interacted with special bells handmade out of nuts, in gratitude for their being there for them.
I would count Violet Evergarden as iyashikei. It absolutely makes me feel healed and comforted, even when it makes me cry. In a post-war country, as a survivor, Violet needs to know what love is. To understand love, she helps people write letters to their loved ones. You run into dozens of people in different situations, see beautiful landscapes, and enjoy lovely quiet moments. Even if they've lost the ones they loved, there's still hope in their letters.
My personal favorite show for Healing is actually a Chinese anime, The Legend of Luo Xiaohei, which recently got a prequel movie. In the main series, the episodes are very short and mainly consist of a little girl and the magical cat she just adopted adapting to their new lives together and bonding as friends, along with her "normal" best friend and her adopted magical Big Brother, who serves as a guide for the others in the strange world they are now introduced to. While there are moments of tension in the different arcs, for the most part the atmosphere is very relaxed and calm. The backgrounds are gorgeous, and the animation is fluid and clean. Not to mention there are a number of moments where it just makes me bust out laughing. 10/10 highly recommend.
This was a lovely episode. I’ve been thinking a lot about the iyashikei genre in recent years, especially considering the surge popularity in soothing or relaxing video games in recent years like “Animal Crossing” to the point that there’s been several “Wholesome Directs” devoted to the topic. It makes me wonder if we will see more international flavours to the “healing” genre, and whether they will find success with mainstream audiences.
I also *really* hope that someone licenses the “Yokohama Shopping Log” manga at some point, or at least the OVAs. They’ve been on my “dream license” list for a *long* time now.
the manga is getting localized!
Seeing this get posted just made my day 1000% better
your videos definitely give me iyashikei vibes. every time you say "everything's gonna be okay," i can literally feel stress melt off of me. thank you
Natsume's Book of Friends is my favorite healing show- it has plot and some mildly scary moments, but the focus on Natsume's recovery from his traumatic childhood and building connections with others really resonates with me. There's this episode, I wouldn't say it exemplifies the series but it still sticks with me. Natsume is out on an errand for the couple who are taking care of him and after a misadventure with a baby fox spirit, he comes home to find that the thing he went to pick up was a mug that had been special ordered for Natsume. I donno what it is about it but even now it's still in my mind.
Iyashikei is such an interesting genre because they can take normally horrifying and depressing situations, such as living in a post-apocalyptic world, and making them relaxing and soothing. A good example of this is Girls' Last Tour, which is about two girls who are possibly the only two humans left on Earth after an unknown apocalypse and are living day-to-day trying to survive on whatever they can. Even though that sounds really depressing (and it is), it somehow manages to be pretty bittersweet and wholesome at time, as the story focuses primarily on the relationship and interactions between the two girls, which are really sweet and sometimes very funny. They are really close to each other and their heartwarming relationship sort of balances out the bleakness of the premise.
I absolutely loved Girls Last Tour.
Sweetness and Lightning was such an adorable and endearing anime. Not just about about cooking, but also about the struggles and joys of being a parent.
~"Exactly how the world came to be this way is significantly less important than the people and how they choose to live in it." ~
is such a sweet, succinct version of
~“I wish it need not have happened in my time," said Frodo. "So do I," said Gandalf, "and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.”~
Much Mushi-shi love! I always feel like this series gets overlooked in it's many great aspects. It's a chill series, but so very interesting and engaging at the same time.
Moomin is my comfort show, I love it so much. When I'm having a bad time I know I can turn to the Moomins and feel better, at least a little. Not to mention the fact that they're so kind... It's such a healing atmosphere, such a healing world. I love it so much.
One of my favorite iyashikei anime is kiyo in kyoto (also called maiko-san chi no makanai-san). It's about two girls who moved from Aomori to Kyoto in order to become maiko (a geisha or geiko in training). One of them decides it's not for her and becomes the house cook instead. It's typically broken up into three segments about different dishes or snacks, with many also focusing on the life of a maiko. It's a wonderful look into japanese culture and cooking that I always enjoy. The CG animation could put some people off, but they have some beautiful hand-painted backgrounds are just stunning!
One I recommend that's a rather obscure anime but is probably one of my favorite shows of all time, is Bartender.
Bartender is more like an anthology series that's about people who are weary of the world and who then find clarity by drinking the right cocktail from a master bartender. It's very flowery in it's dialogue and love for drinking, but if you are cool with those things then you get a very emotional, educational, and life-affirming show that's got some really fantastic music. It only exists on youtube with subtitles, but I highly recommend it.
Sketchbook Full Color’s is a cute, restful slice of life series with a neurodivergent coded main character (and arguably several other characters could be read as neurodivergent too) and fair bit of natural scenes and goofy cute cats. It definitely fits this restful genre and is a treat for those of us on the autism spectrum (representation is nice). It’s my spouse’s favourite series.
Love this so far. Btw you swapped the chapters for My Neighbor Totoro with Yokohama Shopping Log. Just wanted to let you know ♡!
Wow, I didn't know that there was a name for this! I think I've consumed everything in this genre over the years. Barakomon is a great one for me as an artist - an exiled calligrapher gets sent to Okinawa where he befriends the islanders and falls in love with calligraphy again. Very wholesome. Mushi-shi got me through the deepest throes of grief when my cat suddenly passed away. It means so much to me and it makes me happy to see others appreciate it's beauty too.
Mushishi is such a good show. I actually nearly cried just listening to the opening song in full for the first time. (I was living away in Germany at the time.)
Excellent video as always!
It feels so good to know this kind of feeling has a name. I also have been looking for more of this kind of media as it brings me peace and sometimes even it just motivates me to live, so thank you. It's not anime but I guess I know now why we all love Pride & Prejudice (2005) so much. And lately, I've been asking myself why do I like those vlogs of people just going thru their day, not saying much or anything at all, just them there living. I thought I was just losing my time watching nothing again but they do make me feel better so I guess now I know why haha. Great video
I'm so glad you included Polar Bears Cafe, it's so soothing
good news, they did release a translated version of Yokohama shopping log on August 2nd
Thank you. Really, thank you. I enjoy each and every one of your vids, and I’m so very grateful for your wonderful diction and kindness you bring with them all. Makes me feel very at ease. Love and hugs to you and to all 🤍
HELL YEAH MUSHI-SHI. Mushi-Shi was one of the first animes that I watched with my middle school anime club, I kinda miss it so I'll probably rewatch it soon :>
I'm so glad I got to discover this specific genre of anime through your video! I always wondered if there was a name for it lol. A great calming, atmospheric anime with a focus on nature and cooking I recommend is Yuru Camp. It has become my go-to comfort anime. Everything from the soundtrack to the setting to the comedy and cooking is sooooo calming for me.
liking this video not only because i like it and want to go back to it to see what anime to watch, but also to look at the comments from time to time to get new recommendations :)
This channel feels really safe for me and i couldn't wait for the anime recommendations.
As for a safe healing anime, to me, Yuru Camp is one I like to visit during the fall and winter.
Love Mushi-shi! Based on your recommendation I'll be looking for Yokohama Shopping Log too.
Please make more of these, I enjoyed it so much! 🌼
I absolutely love you for mentioning Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou! I've only known the OVA for a few months and am currently reading the manga but it already is one my favorite works of fiction! In that short time it had enough of an effect on me that I'm now making my motorcycle license because of how the author portrayed his love for them in the manga. And for members of the "clinical addiction to overgrown ruins" club, this is an absolute must watch/read!
For people looking for something on the lively side of healing shows I can recommend "Eizouken ni wa Te wo Dasu na!"/"Keep your hands off Eizouken" 😊
I really love seeing ruins overtaken by nature
Really appeals to my desire to destroy the world
Dude sweetness and lightning was the best slice of life manga I have ever read
I still need to finish the second season of Mushishi.
Basically one of those situations where something is *SO* good that you stop watching it, because your subconscious is trying to protect you from having to come to terms with the fact that, "once you finish, it will be over."
This channel has been everything I have needed lately - thank you Noralities!
Acchi Kocchi has been a healing anime to many of my friends and me over time. It is just good fun and good laughs while still giving time to slow and and look around.
It’s hilarious. I love Mayoi because she’s just batshit crazy.
Ah a classic. A feel good story about friend and relationships.
The moomins were something i watched back in the 90s i think when i was a kid and i remember loving it a lot😊
My dad recommended Mushi-Shi years ago right before he died but I couldn't remember it's name. I'm so glad I found this video!
I think I've been gravitating to these types of media as well, not because of covid necessarily, but maybe more because of capitalism. Some video games that I've played recently are A Short Hike, Firewatch and Sable, all of which I highly recommend for people wanting to play stress-free, healing games.
In terms of anime, I first leaned towards Your Eternity expecting it to be like Mushi-Shi but was disappointed at the amount of action and false high stake situations that followed after the brilliant episode 1, then I tried Odd Taxi due to its calm and witty dialogue, but then that series got turned into a high stakes thriller by the second half (still a great show), so then I eventually decided to gravitated towards Ghibli films instead, and they've since been the only anime I've watched the entire past year barring a couple others.
I highly recommend Takahata's Ghibli films like Pom Poko and Only Yesterday, especially the latter because it involves the main character moving from the cities to the countrysides for some personal healing. What I particularly appreciate about Takahata is he doesn't rely on some act 3 climactic action sequence for his movies like Miyazaki does. If a Takahata film has a particular tone in the first 30 minutes, it will have that tone for the entirety, he won't pull a "Mei getting lost" or "Kiki having to save the day" to create an adrenaline boosting finale, he's far more subdued, consistent and focused on his themes.
I’m not into these sorts of Anime, but I appreciate nature’s portrayal and intimate moments in more upbeat shows. The calm moments in BEASTARS and JOJO: Golden Wind’s beautiful backgrounds + OST are examples of this.
your video's are always so wonderful and gentle, they're interesting soft fluff for my soul and I love them!
Thank you for making this cute and relaxing video. :) "Yokohama Shopping Log" now has 3 out of 5 total manga volumes in English. I'm so happy this series with its ever-cheerful protagonist is finally getting the attention it deserves!
One of my favorite manga recently has been Giant Spider and Me, a simple story about a girl and the giant spider who cook together in a vaguely post-apocalyptical world. While there isn't much in terms of story, and only has three volumes, the art is amazing and the recipes it features are delicious. I've reread it more than any other series in these last two years, I'd highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys simple cooking-based iyashikei!!
I know mushishi is generally pretty well regarded, but i never see it talked about much anywhere and it's been my comfort series since i was 8. its so heartwarming to see it recommended by one of my favorite anitubers, thankyou so much !!
Oh, I do adore Emiya Menu! Also, beautiful anime such as Mushi-shi just gives you such a warm feeling simply by the art style. I love these videos of yours, and each one gives me such hope. Thank you, and congrats on the 100k!
Emiya best wife.
You know, I can’t even comment with my favorite series along these lines because you touched on the three major ones that mean a great deal to me. The only reason that Moomin isn’t also on that list of top favorites is simply because I haven’t had a chance to watch it yet, but the style of Moomin (especially the comics) has had an immense impact on my own art, so it tracks that it would fall in line with those other three all time favorites of mine. So thank you for the rec and for the reintroduction to the term iyashikei- I’ll definitely be looking up more to enjoy!
PS: if anyone wants more iyashikei Ghibli films, give Whisper of the Heart and Only Yesterday a try. They’re both vastly underrated, but they never fail to soothe me and make me feel like everything will be okay :)
I have so many!! Flying Witch, Life is Like a Cocktail, Yuru Camp, Restaurant to Another World, Bookseller Honda, Sweetness & Lightning, Usagi Drop, Non Non Biyori, Natsumes Book of Friends, Wakakozake!!! This is my favorite genre and I love to just sink into them wrapped in a fuzzy blanket with a cup of tea.
A new genre name to add to my library
Never heard of the first one, thanks! One I'd like to add to the list: Non Non Biyori. It's a sweet, fun, calming anime about the everyday lives of four girls living in the countryside of Japan. The landscape is beautiful and despite there being "nothing" to do they always find a way to pass the time together. For me, it invokes that very special feeling I had when I was younger and spent summer break with my friends :)
Absolutely thrilled to see mu-shishi on this list. That anime would leave me staring at walls after episodes in the weirdest calm I have ever experienced, there's just... something so soothing (and sometimes unsettling) about it. I like how it doesn't gloss over loss, but doesn't center it either. Its just calm.
Thank you for a wonderful video, as always!
HOLY MOLY I NEVER KNEW YOKOHAMA SHOPPING LOG HAD AN ANIME!!! watchlist updated! also I'm delighted you talked about mushishi, which is an anime I don't hear being talked abt a lot, especially in the healing genre it belongs to! It's been my absolute favourite AND comfort show since 2015, and you definitely did it justice, mentioning its most essential and compelling aspects! thank you!
oh also! another series that i'd consider Iyashikei is kino's journey(jap: kino no tabi), specifically it's earliest adaptation from 2003! centering around a travelling lad called kino and her hilarious talking motorbike hermes, they discover country after strange country, and experience adventures there while being confronted with various big philosophical questions - I can compare it to mushishi in it's pace and animation style, but it also stands on its own with the unique, very earthy color palettes and strange old tv effect that's ever present! there ARE some more upbeat moments like fights in there as often conflict is being addressed in the countries, but it balances out with the quiet moments of kino just... travelling. existing. living in the moment.
I really love Yuru Camp and I think it really embodies the iyashikei genre with its emphasis on spending time in nature and I guess cooking camping food. You should watch it!
I legitimately had no idea that Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou had an anime. It was my favorite manga for such a long time starting about 9 years ago, and still has a special place in my heart. Thank you so much for this video.
This was awesome.
Others I would put on this list as well is David the Gnome and Fruits Basket
Honestly, these types of anime are so comforting. I took a job far away from my hometown, my family, and friends. I get a little sad sometimes, but the show Moomins is really helpful. Same with My Neighbor Totoro. The nostalgia hit, and the themes really help.
Your my comfort YTer since I've been going through grief so your videos always seem to cheer me up in someway!
My Neighbor Totro is a ultimate favorite! As when I was watching it I never felt so happy.
Came here for more like Mushi-shi. Thanks for educating me on this sub-genre!
I started out watching anime for the positive messages in Fruba (original) and Kenshin (sorry, I know the author is problematic).
Then I got into Kino’s Journey, Casshern Sins, then yokai stuff because I read a lot of folk tales and comparative folklore. And then found Mushishi and felt like I had arrived at home safely after a long, productive day. Just nice. I found Natsume Yuujinchou and enjoyed it as well.
Can’t wait to check out Yokohama Shopping Log - it sounds great.
Nausicaa has some great nature scenes too, speaking of things set after the world is wrecked.
Ayooo the queen is back!
Seeing stardew and harvest moon mentioned brings peace to my heart. I practically grew up with harvest on snes and I'm practically immersed on stardew as an adult. Thank you for explaining the term for these "comfort food " types of media haha.
Stay safe out there!
This is exactly what I’ve been needing lately
My Neighbour Totoro is actually one of the many anime I watched during Ramadan 2021, and I'm gonna be honest it was probably the best anime to choose during that time. It was very comforting, and it got me into Studio Ghibli. Most of the other anime I watched during Ramadan were vastly different
Yokohama Shopping Log's a very good one as well, I watched it in like June or July and I really didn't want it to end that shortly lol. Still will probably put it on the "anime to watch next Ramadan" list with Totoro again, and other anime like Heidi.
The Adventures of Moominvalley was such a comfort show to me. When quarantine first happened, I would watch it after going on a neighborhood walk. At that time, the official moomin channel had made all the episodes available on TH-cam. The stories were usually easily resolved which brought me comfort through the pandemic. The characters were also nice and all the travelling helped my wanderlust. Now some of the episodes have been taken down and I'm not sure I'll be able to finish it but I appreciate what it did for me two years back.
I LOVE YKK (Shopping Log, as you put it), and have been hoping you'd bring it in some time. Esp. the manga. Just going around a beautiful world and seeing things. One fascinating thing is that every year of publication is a year in-universe. So while the old people characters barely age, and Alpha doesn't age at all, you can contrast it with the few young characters growing up.
Ahhhh I'm so happy you mentioned Mushishi! It was one of the first animes I've ever watched, although when I watched I was pretty immature and honestly only watched because someone I liked recommended it to me. But now I can watch it and just feel nostalgic and peaceful. Thank u so much for this lovely video :)
I love Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou! I saw it for the first time last year and was blown away.
These past two years have felt like a constant apocalypse, yet I’ve sort of gotten used to it. I still manage to eat dinner every night, and could maintain living. Even with its unavoidable constant presence, my life isn’t about covid.
Because of that, Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou really spoke to me. Seeing the continuing of daily life after the floods hit heavy in our situation. The scene with the stoplights continuing to work after their original purpose died out was such a brilliant allegory and legitimately made me cry.
I'm really happy you mentioned Mushi-Shi! I've seen images for it but wasn't sure what it was since I've never seen anyone talk about it. But it seems up my alley! Thank you!
My suggestion the Healing pile: Sherlock Hound. It’s an old TMS anime that Miyazaki worked on before starting
Studio Ghibli. It is just the right mix of chill atmosphere and fun adventure. Also, the English dub is absolutely essential. Whoever played Prof. Moriarty legit deserves an Oscar. Even better, the whole thing is up on TH-cam!
I found Yokohama Shopping Log through a Kenny Lauderdale video a while back and it just feels like another part of my life, like a location I can visit when things are overwhelming
This video in and of itself was a healing experience :)