15. Restaurant to Another World (Isekai Shokudo) 

Nekoya is a popular restaurant open in the Tokyo shopping district. It specializes in making Japanese-style Western dishes. However, it’s closed on Saturday for one big secret: on the “Day of Satur”, doors to other worlds open and lead various characters into the restaurant. The owner has done this for years ever since his grandpa first opened it. Every day he’s always serving wizards, beastmen, and even dragon women their favorite dishes. Then one day he comes across a homeless demon and offers her a waitress job. 

I accidentally came across this while I was Googling for another anime of a similar name “Japanese Food from Another World” (Isekai Izakay Nobu). Both have one thing in common: serving Japanese dishes to someone not from our world. 

Although Nobu’s door only opens to a medieval dimension. Nekoya has many doors opening for many worlds. And are still doing so to this day! 

Japanese food is mouth-watering. Anime doesn’t hold back on it. Every episode features a different dish that you’ll want to try! 

This anime gave me a new appreciation for chicken katsu bowls! I’ve eaten it before. But after watching the anime, I savor every bite now. 

While I adore all the characters (especially the super hot Lizardman Gaganpo), it’s the women that make the anime interesting!

We have Aletta, the demon who you just want to give a hug to. Her world discriminates against her kind, which is why she is first introduced as homeless. And hungry. 

Throughout the series, she works as Nekoya’s waitress and does a wonderful job in customer service! Her bubbly attitude and trying new recipes will warm your heart!

Then there’s Sarah Gold (who may or may not have been inspired by Lara Croft). She’s a treasure hunter, and her introduction has her slaughtering a bunch of goblins no problem. 

When she finds the door her grandfather once entered, we get treated to her much gentler side. On account of how much a minced meat cutlet dish can do! 

And then there’s Kuro, aka “the Black Dragon of Death” in her dimension. She’s what introverts are like when they finally leave their comfort zone. 

While the series only lasted 12 episodes (f*ck you, whoever decided this), the final few provide us background on Kuro: lonely, uncertain, and refusing to make human contact for fear of doing what her name implies. 

However, she ends up getting a waitress job at Nekoya (which gets her paid in curry dishes). And the time she spends there, we get a look at how this change brings serious character development. 

She and Aletta are practically BFFs. And the owner becomes something of a big brother/father figure to her. Kuro finally found her life.

As someone who thinks Food Wars is overrated, mean-spirited, and just confusing, this is a gentle, feel-good equivalent (again, f*ck the person who decided to only have 12 episodes).

Order some curry katsu first before sitting down to watch this. 

14. Nyanko Days 

Tomoko is a shy girl whose high school year is already starting friendless. Thankfully, she has her three cats for comfort. Her cat-loving personality does win over her class’ most popular girl, who is equally ecstatic since she has a cat of her own! Thus Tomoko’s kitty-filled world gets a little bigger! 

This is another one of those anime that is overloaded with cuteness. You think that humanized cats were something weird, right? (like that god-awful 2019 Cats movie starring Taylor Swift)

But the anime actually manages to make humans with cat ears adorable! Well, first off, they are in chibi form. Second, no noses to enhance the cuteness. 

It’s simply an anime about a girl who slowly begins finding herself a new friend. The only thing that makes it more interesting is the talking, humanesque cats. 

By the way, one whole-ass season is only 30 minutes. There was a lot of potential for the anime to carry a character plot. Like we are introduced to a majority of characters that are just there for filler. 

And then the anime ends with the lovely theme music and we’re left to wonder: Is that really it? Did the company who made this just not give a f*ck?  

I want more adventures of Tomoko and her cats! I want to know more about her school life! I want to see more with her rich bestie and the supposed “antagonist” the show just randomly gave!  

13. Somali and the Forest Spirit 

A world ruled by spirits, goblins, and all sorts of creatures. Humans are scarce and practically extinct. For one forest golem who has seen it all, he is surprised to discover a lone human girl. Suddenly, he makes it his mission to find others of her kind. What started out as a bodyguard task slowly turns into a father-daughter relationship.  

First off, Japan has a bad habit of writing manga where a guy adopts a little girl...then later marries her when she’s of age. This is one of those rare times where I’m actually glad an anime only remains 12 episodes.  

Because if we went all the way to a season 2 and that sh*t actually got animated, I will forever pretend this anime never existed. Like Thanos-snapped. 

Thankfully, this is just a sweet father-daughter duo between a golem and a little human girl. 

It is another one of those anime where humanity is on the brink of extinction and the world is run by creatures. Sometimes anime like that doesn’t sit well with me. I watched Senko Academy, and it was AWFUL.  

The relationship between Golem and Somali here will give Pixar fans that same wholesome feel they got from Sulley and Boo. Every episode features Golem performing some kind of fatherly duty while Somali is always clinging to him.  

You will go AWWW every time they hold hands while on the next adventure. 

12. Uchitama?! Have you seen my Tama? 

An anime revolving around the lives of pets and their chaotic adventures. Except we’re looking through two different versions, and the other one involves them as humans with animal ears. Kawaii!  

Does this anime scream furry? Or maybe anime fans prefer to simp over a person with dog ears? 

Either way, this anime is cute and sexy. We watch because it has cute animals. We stick around because those animals turn into hot, attractive humans.

Not really much of a plot going. Just basic day-to-day experiences for Tama and his crew. What more is there to explain about this anime? 

Just watch it! It’s cute!  

11. Gourmet Girl Graffiti 

Middle-schooler Ryou is a great cook. But her taste has seemed to go down along with her passion. Ever since her grandmother passed away, cooking just doesn’t seem the same. It’s not filling. When her cousin comes to attend school in the city, Ryou finds her food-filled world more appetizing. Because the best way to sate an appetite for life is eating with others. 

Again, I would choose any food-based anime over Food Wars. And this is one of them. 

What got me hooked was how Ryou’s love for cooking pays homage to a late relative. As someone who lost her mother around Christmas of 2015, food brought memories. 

Ryou’s lack of passion for fun and flavor is her way of still grieving over her grandma. During 2016, I got emotional every time I passed by a Burger King because I remember what my mom would always order there (chicken sandwich and onion rings). 

The course of the anime is Ryou being with different people, starting with her cousin. She brings back the joys of cooking. 

Taste. Smell. And just being there to fill the void. 

Just like me. I started exploring more with food. And eating with others is just as amazing. 

I will say that the anime goes KIND OF overboard with the “foodie fan-service”. Like every time someone tastes something, they make it look like potential hentai thumbnails. 

There are some slightly perverted scenes and dialogue in this anime. Ignore that and just enjoy the food.  

Just focus on Ryou slowly realizing that no one is truly alone. And that she finally has someone eating at her table again. 

10. Laid-Back Camp 

Love camping? Well, for a bunch of high school students, they get the opportunity to find and explore various campsites. It’s a competition to find who can find the most landmarks, and gather the most stamps. Winning group wins a large supply of steamed buns. Adventure? Friendship? And food? Sign me up! 

It takes a special kind of wholesome anime to get on my list of Must Watches. And thank god this isn’t one of those stupid anime with idiot/annoying characters and perverted jokes.

Umaru-chan was one of those anime with dumb gimmicks and a lot of asshole-ry. This is it’s nicer, gentler cousin who only wants to be friends and bake you cookies. 

All the characters are likable and add their own depth to this show that’s made of sweet dreams. Working together. Going to new places. Having fun.  

As someone who mostly dislikes camping, I might give it another shot after watching this. 

9. Chi’s New Address 

Meet Chi, a sweet little kitten with a big heart. She lives with the Yamadas, who treat her as both a pet and a child. Her days are filled with new things to discover. Friends who love and will protect her. And a lot of hilarious hi-jinks with the humans!  

Kawaii anime at its best!  

As someone who owns three cats, this is cuteness overload! Chi is an adorable kitty that, despite the trouble she can cause, is someone you just can’t stay mad at!

Her simplistic design already won me over. The animation and design of the human characters are an absolute win. (Sometimes dot eyes are better than big, glassy, eat-your-soul ones) 

Remember in the first series of Pokemon when Ash’s Pokemon got lost on an island, along with Team Rocket’s own Pokemon? I love how much more personality they have when given their own spotlight.  

That’s exactly what this anime does. A balance between seeing the lives of humans. Then seeing the lives of animals. And sometimes they share the spotlight together. 

8. Bananya 

Bananya is a mysterious cat that lives inside a banana. You never know if a bunch of bananas sitting on your kitchen table is merely fruit or something far sweeter. When humans aren’t around, these cats come out of their banana disguises to come out and play! 

I discovered this franchise sitting next to the Pusheen Cat merch at a Box Lunch. They were honestly adorable (although not as much as Pusheen). 

I didn’t even know about the anime until I streamed on VRV. It’s about as slicey-lifey as wonder bread.  

If you watched this and a YouTube cat video at the same time, you wouldn’t even tell the difference (even though one’s dressed like it’s going viral in a Peanut Butter Jelly Time video). 

There really is no plot. You have a bunch of kitties hopping around on their stems (did I forget to mention the main setting is a kitchen?).  

It’s honestly the perfect anime to watch when you're doing something else and need audio to keep you going. The narrator feels like a great person to have a conversation with.  

If there’s one thing I really don’t like, it’s some of the characters. Bananya is the MC, and, of course, he’s likable. But then we got the stereotypical girly cat Bananyako whose only role is that she’s the main girl. And she makes everyone know about it.  

All she does is talk about makeup. How “beautiful” she is. And having a crush on the other character Long-Haired Bananya (who is even more egotistical).  

I really don’t see these characters as even remotely close to friends. Just a bunch of banana-cats who live in the same kitchen.  

But then no plot means nothing to stress over, right? They’re just there for serotonin! 

7. PriPri Chii-chan!! 

Kind, always helpful girl Yuuka one days discovers a tiny creature stuck in a whole. She rescues it and takes it home. Touched and relieved she didn’t experiment on him, Chii-chan gives his loyalty to her. Thus begins a beautiful friendship between two characters from two different worlds. One from the surface. One from underground. Their lives are never boring. And more often than not, humans and creatures find a friendship just as wonderful as Yuuka and Chii-chan’s.  

If you think Ash and Pikachu had a great friendship, watch this. When you think of anime BFFs, you’ll be thinking of Yuuka and Chii-chan.  

I am a sucker for cute anime that involves humans meeting creatures that really don’t mean any harm. After watching Goblin Slayer for the first time and absolutely hating myself, this was a relief.  

You have Yuuka, who is what gives us hope for humanity. Whenever someone is in need of help, she will not hesitate to do so. So when she suddenly discovers this weird, round creature stuck in the ground, she doesn’t run away or mess with it (like a certain YouTuber who found a dead body and vlogged about it). She helps it.  

Like finding a lost animal. She makes sure Chii-chan is clean, warmed, and well-rested. She even goes as far as washing his garment while sewing him a new one. So of course Chii-chan swears undying loyalty to Yuuka! She just saved his life and practically spoiled him upon first meeting! 

As the episodes progress, we get introduced to other characters.  

There’s Ucchan, an alien who crashed on Earth. Like Chii-chan, Yuuka took her in. While we have no idea if the adorable alien will ever return to her planet, she has found her home. She’s every bit as sweet and helpful as Yuuka. And just like Chii-chan, she gives undying loyalty to her too.  

And then there’s Joe-kun. He’s like a badass Keropi. Adventure-prone. Violent. And always so soft whenever Yuuka’s attention is on him (he has it bad for her).  

The human cast are just as interesting. Their interactions with characters like Chii-chan give us a vision of what good humanity is.  

In most media, we humans are depicted as assholes when we come across non-human creatures who really mean no harm. We just end up taking their lives for granted, going as far as dissecting and experimenting just to see how they work.  

Or, you know, the other way around. Where creatures, devoid of all emotion, just kill people for sh*ts and giggles.  

But this anime calms me. It gives me what I often dream about human-nonhuman interactions (and I’m not just talking about a person having a dog).  

There’s no threat. No bad-mouthing. No violence. The characters just listen and understand each other.   

This is the peace I want to see if we ever come across a situation like this. Whether it be aliens. Or adorable underground dwellers.  

6. Asteroid in Love 

When she was little, Mira met a boy named Ao at a campsite. Together, they went stargazing where she discovered a star with the same name as herself. However, Ao has no star with his name. Before parting, she promised him one day they would meet again, and find a star to name after him. Years later, while attending high school, Mira learns that the astronomy club and the geological club have merged into the earth science club. And she ends up meeting Ao again---who turns out to actually be a girl! 

Say what you want, there is no lesbian romance in this despite the descripton. And in anime, it’s really easy to mistake gender.  

Every episode features the girls learning more from their combined groups. At first, Mira isn’t happy that the astronomy club she was joining is merged with another club, something she has no interest in. But then trying new things is the trope of this entire series.  

A lot of scenes center around her and Ao. And no, once again, NOT lesbians.  

Their time together when they were little kids at a campsite was short-lived, so Mira didn’t have a lot of time getting to know Ao. Now in the same school and club, she knows the real Ao.  

And just because she’s not a boy doesn’t make their friendship any less different than before. I mean, maybe she might be a little disappointed, but she got over it really quickly by the first episode! 

A great watch if you want to see wholesome friendship mixed with a love of stars.  

5. Azumango Daioh 

A group of high school girls fill their days with the craziness of their personalities. You got one who’s a 10-year-old genius. Another who’s a loose canon. And one who sparks a lot of lesbian crushes which she is unaware of. If you think their nuts, just look at the teachers (one of them possibly perverted).  

This was one of the first forms of anime I discovered in the early 2000s. It made me want to keep away from all anime.  

But then as I got older and this slowly came to mind, I gave it another chance.  

It’s still retarded. But a good laugh.  

I won’t lie. 2 of the 3 main teachers suck. We got one who’s super competitive and super petty when her nicer, prettier best friend gets adoration from their students. And a male teacher who makes it very clear he often imagines female students undressing. 

Then we got the main high school girls. Who are all crazy.  

Except for maybe Chiyo. Ten-years-old. Adorable. And a genius.  

Tomo is definitely the one you have to look out for. She’s one feisty bitch.  

There’s one thing I do remember from this anime that added to the sheer ridiculousness: the short scenes involving the ONE GUY.  

He’s a random high school student that often pops up just for filler. Or to bring some focus to the male classmates if not for a moment. He has no real role except for maybe a few lines.  

I still prefer him over Professor Pervert. 

4. If My Favorite Pop Idol Made It to the Budokan, I Would Die 

Being an idol is hard, especially for shy, low-ranked member Maina of the newbie idol group ChamJam. Fortunately for her, she does have a fan: former average woman Eripiyo who dedicates her life to Maina and her group. She’s so obsessed with her favorite idol. She constantly buys merch. Takes on countless jobs in order to watch every concert featuring ChamJam. And makes it her duty to ensure Maina’s well-known to everyone.  

I am not a huge fan of anime centering on idols. Because that stuff is so overrated and the songs are almost never good. That’s why opening and endings theme songs are more popular. Because they’re actually catchy.  

However, the title is what made me give it a chance. And it did not disappoint.  

I know the music world can eat people up. That’s why it takes Justin Bieber balls to live in it. But for girls like Maina, it’s nerve-wracking. I had actually felt her anxiety every single time she and her group went on stage.  

And what’s even more relatable? How sometimes life doesn’t always feed your expectations.  

ChamJam is barely recognizable compared to other idol groups. Granted, they’re somewhere in the middle with a few hundred fans. But still pretty small when they got other, more experienced groups taking the spotlight before them.  

I personally felt this one. Because sometimes I feel like my talents don’t get the best results either. Like someone uploads a Tik Tok of themselves bobbing their head like an idiot to “M to the B” and get millions of views. And then someone else does it, and the video only gets 200 views in 3 days.  

But then there’s this thing called progress. Sometimes your Tik Toks won’t get the results you hope for. Other times, the results are better than you imagined. 

And that’s what Maina and ChamJam experience during the first season. They know they still have a long way. But they have people who really do like them and support them.  

You might think Eripiyo is just an annoying, semi-protagonist whose only role is to represent obsessive fandoms. But she is actually an example of someone who genuinely does support her favorite group. 

Like us.  

We’re all part of a fandom. And we show our love for it whenever we get the chance. And don’t deny that someone of us wouldn’t go above and beyond the things Eripiyo does in the anime (I sure am not).  

So this is the one idol-centric anime that I highly recommend you watch. You’ll be staying by ChamJam’s side all the way.  

3. Gal and Dino 

After a drunk night, Kaeda ends up bringing a dinosaur home. Now it lives with her like a roommate! But maybe it’s not a bad thing. After all, her new friend is quickly picking up on human things!  

When I read the title, I didn’t know what to expect. Well, actually, I expected one thing, but that’s too gross to write about.  

And *cough*unfortunately*cough* this isn’t that kind of anime.  

The series did introduce me to the Japanese word “gyaru”, which mostly consists of fashion (like bringing early 2000s to 2021). And fashion is a big deal in this series because the main female is showing her dino companion how to work it.  

If I had to choose between Kaede or Dino, obviously the latter. That goofy face is what got me hooked to this anime in the first place! And he keeps that expression throughout every episode! 

There is some sweet wholesomeness in this rather spontaneous series. Dino interacts with other people. Like Kaede’s best friend. The sweet old lady with the cats. Kaede’s ex.  

And Dino wins them all over! Just like he won over watchers like me!  

I don’t know what Funimation had in mind when this anime was being made. But no doubt Dino is their finest creation. If not, the poster boy for their company.  

2. Tamagotchi!!  

Join Mametchi and his friends all around the world of Tamagotchi! Whether it’s cleaning the classroom for their beloved teacher. Teaching siblings how to be brave. Or learning how to make really good donuts. Never a dull moment! 

I had one of these in the early 2000s. It died and I got bored of it.  

I never even knew the toy came with an anime. I honestly thought only Pokemon could have that privilege.  

One day I was on YouTube, and then suddenly there’s a movie. With actual characters.  

Not wanting to spoil anything, but a human in another world, especially one that is Tamagotchi, is everything to me. And I hope to god there’s a sequel somewhere down the line for this franchise. (Actually, it did have a sequel, but I’m just hoping for more movies. I mean, Sailor Moon keeps getting films, and that anime is overrated and missing the point) 

I used to think the characters in the toys were lifeless. Boring. Nothing to be excited over. And 2000s kids were just easy to please.  

But the anime gives these once 8-bit characters personalities we can easily fall in love with. Mametchi is my favorite among the cast. Brilliant-minded. Super helpful. And completely modest. It’s no wonder most of the girls in his class adore him!  

Close second favorite is Kuchipatchi. He had nothing going for him in his toy line until they finally made him the lovable dumbass in the anime. Like a Kronk to Mametchi’s Izma.  

The toys are still around. Probably because millennials want a taste of the 90s/2000s back. They still suck in my opinion.  

But this anime, it’s everything. Like Pokemon everything.  

1. By the Grace of Gods 

Ryoma was once a miserable, lonely man who died an embarrassing death. However, three gods have taken sympathy on him, and offer to reincarnate him in another world. Now transformed into an 8-year-old, Ryoma lives in a magical realm where he has powers. And living in a forest with his many slimes. With the gods’ blessing, they watch as he finally lives his life of relaxation, fun, and happiness. After three years, Ryoma comes across the first ever people since his reincarnation. This one meeting will make his world much bigger than he ever thought in his previous life.  

When I first saw the description, I didn’t know what the anime was going to give me. I mean, the fact there would be slimes in it made me think it would be like “That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime” (which is a badass anime).  

I didn’t know what to expect because a middle-aged man was going back to being a kid!  

But then after watching the first three episodes, I realized: this is exactly the anime that I needed.  

That everyone needed.  

You have sweet Ryoma who doesn’t let his past life taint with his new one. And carrying on the knowledge of his adulthood to make things easier in his new world. As a former worker of a black company, he won’t allow anyone to suffer the same experience.  

Knowing Japan has a high suicide rate, especially among office works, it was pretty dark seeing Ryoma nonchalantly tell the audience about his life. His mother died and he ended up being alone. The company he works for is corrupted and abuses him. He barely has any sleep and is practically dead inside before even dying.  

Those moments still get mentioned throughout the first season. But they merely are just after-thoughts that Ryoma brings when he decides to open his own business.  

What I really love about this anime is how he opens his heart to everyone. Even the toughest of characters.  

In a world where adventurers view slimes as disgusting and useless, Ryoma gathers and cares for them like his own pets. And in return, they protect and fight for him. As he does the same for the people that came into his life.  

Can I also add that when he was looking for new hires, he took in two former assassins?  

He’s not afraid. And he’s definitely not going to let anyone’s past get in the way of their future. Much like himself. 

He even applies modern-world benefits that are very rare in the time his new world lives in. He gives days’ off. Vacations. Even free room and meals!      

Every time I watch an episode, my heart feels with warmth because Ryoma is so loved! And he spreads that love to all those around him, even the hardest of hearts! 

Which is exactly why this is #1 on the list.  

You can take your Boruto crap and suck on a Titan’s butthole. I’m going to chill in front of my computer and watch a boy and his slimes! 

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