Another Top 10 Feel Good Anime

Tragedy is something that we can all relate to, and just like any other person Rei tries to deal with it in his own way. After the loss of his family in an accident, he throws himself into the game of shogi, to the point where he blocks out all other potential relationships out of his life. However, when he finds himself in the company of three cheerful sisters and their grandfather, Rei soon discovers that there just might be enough room in his life for new connections as well as his passion for shogi.

After her romantic confession takes something of an unexpected twist, smitten schoolgirl Sakura discovers that her crush Nozaki is actually a well-renowned shojo manga artist who specialises in romance series…without actually ever experiencing love for himself. Before you know it, She finds herself working alongside the boy of her dreams on his manga, where their joint experiences with some pretty eccentric new friends, begin to affect both what’s on the page and their own lives.

They say never judge a book by its cover – So, never judge an otaku on first glance, because just like Onoda, they might end up surprising you. While initially distraught that his high school’s anime club has been disbanded, sweet but shy Sakamichi Onoda unknowingly has quite the talent when it comes to bikes. Drafted in by fellow cyclists, he soon finds himself as part of the Sohoku bicycle-racing club. For those who enjoy underdog stories with a creative twist to them, you’ll find one here as our hero burns rubber.

#7: “Non Non Biyori” Series (2013-15)

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Top 10 Feel-Good Anime Series

Sometimes stories about friendship, fun and innocence are just what the doctor ordered. In the remote village of Asahigaoka, the population is so small that there are only a handful of students who actually attend school. Upon transferring from the big city, Hotaru gets something of a culture shock as she and the other four students have to make up their own fun in such a vast rural area. Nonetheless, she soon finds that this new way of life may not be so bad after all.

Who would have guessed that the creative team who gave us the less than cheery Death Note would follow up with a tale about aspiring manga artists? After deciding to combine their artistic and writing talents, students Mashiro and Takagi launch themselves into the competitive world of manga, hoping to land their creations in Weekly Shonen Jump. With plenty of gags, rival mangaka, and romance on the line, this light-hearted series chronicles the highs and lows of what it takes to succeed in such an industry, all held together by messages of hope, positivity and dedication.

#5: “Free!” (2013-14)

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Top 10 Anime Moments that Live in Our Heads Rent Free

Guys, there’s nothing wrong with admitting you like this one, after all what’s not to love about four swimming buddies trying to navigate their way through life? Sure they all have the bodies of Gods, there are more than a few melodramatic moments, and there’s more sparkling than we’re usually comfortable with - but that’s all part of the charm. When it all boils down to it, Free is a series with a lot of heart and a lot of laughs.

#4: “Gundam Build Fighters” (2013-14)

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Top 10 Gundam Series

When browsing through the many, many series that hang under the Gundam banner, chances are you are going to find some awesome mecha battles a boatload of emotional trauma over the consequences of war. If you ever happen to be in the mood for the former along with an extra splash of wholehearted fun, then Sei and Reiji have got you covered. In a world dominated by Gunpla Building, Mobile Suits are now virtual tools to be used in possibly the most awesome competition ever conceived; giant robot fights! You could call this Gundam Lite, but it’s still kicks ass in its own way.

What could be more relaxing than a nice tour through the canal laden streets of Venice? How about a tour of Venice…on Mars! After the red planet is turned into the water-abundant world of Aqua, the titular Aria Company is set up to offer tourists beautiful gondola rides through the city of Neo-Venezia. With dreams of becoming a great tour guide, Akari strives to join Aria Company and prove herself as the best gondolier possible. With such a cheerful protagonist propelling us along, the series boast a delightful sense of serenity as one of the far more inventive takes on the slice of life genre.

Managing to bring beautiful animation and genuine character to the world of figure skating, the series follows Yuuri, who with one last chance at success on a global stage, finds his passion in the sport reinvigorated with the arrival and subsequent tutelage of his idol, Victor. Not only does this lead to some truly breath-taking performances we can’t help but marvel at, there’s also the little fact that the series is powered by one of the most endearing casts in recent memory.

Dreams can be painful to realize, especially when they involve literally reaching for the stars. Brothers Mutta and Hibito have always wanted careers as astronauts, but now in their adult years only Hibito has managed to make it a reality. However, despite his future looking more than a little bleak, Mutta is given a once in a lifetime opportunity to catch up to his sibling and follow his childhood dream. If life’s getting you down and you want to see something truly uplifting, then we more than recommend watching these two traverse the final frontier.