15 Anime Recommendations to Kill Time During Quarantine Days

Writer: Shokiのdango | Illustrator: Shokiのdango

Netflix series are one thing to watch in this quarantine days to past time. Sure, it’s quite fun, but wait until you’ve watched Anime. The Japanese animation industry has created quite a lot of good series AND movies, known not only in Japan, but globally by followers around the world. Anime has been a global sensation since the era of globalization and for those of you missing out and don’t know where to start, we got you some recommendations! For people who’ve watched anime before, do not worry, our recommendation list contains your mainstream Animes to the not-so-popular hidden gems you may not know yet! These Animes will bring you through a journey full of action, suspense, heartwarming romance, tear-jerking dramas, high paced comedy, and much more than you can imagine. Without further ado, we present you our 15 Anime recommendation to watch while waiting for the end of the world at home!

進撃の巨人 / Attack on Titan (2013-2018)

Genre: Action, mystery, fantasy

Episodes: 59 (3 seasons)

Humanity was forced to hide behind a ring of enormous walls for the last hundred years, in fear of man-eating giant humanoid creatures called titans. However, their peaceful days are suddenly over, as a colossal 60 meters tall titan breaches the wall, forcing them to fight for survival against the titans. This anime is not only filled with gorgeous visuals and fight-scenes but also riddled with suspenseful mysteries. What are the titans? Where do they come from? Who built the walls? No one can be trusted. Get ready for a suspenseful epic that'll keep you at the edge of your seat! Tighten your grips! Don't fall off, or you'll end up as dinner tonight.

(P.S. Season 4 will premiere in Fall 2020)

約束のネバーランド / The Promised Neverland (2019-present)

Genre: Psychological thriller, mystery

Episodes: 12

The Grace Field House is an orphanage inhabited by orphans living happily as a family with their caregiver, "mama". The children are required to take routine tests and obey their caregiver's rules very strictly, but they get to play together and roam around outside the house, as long as they stay inside the fences. Three oldest siblings grew suspicious as the kids that were being "adopted" one by one could never be contacted after leaving the orphanage. One day, they sneaked to the gates during an adoption, only to discover the cruel fate that was waiting for them all. If you're looking for a mystery thriller that just wraps your whole body in suspense, then join the siblings as they hide in fear and plan an escape from their beloved mama and this twisted orphanage.

(P.S. Season 2 will premiere in Fall 2020)

Made in Abyss (2017)

Genre: Adventure, dark fantasy, sci-fi

Episodes: 13 + 1 sequel movie

The town where our young protagonist lives in surrounds the Abyss, a mysterious hole going deep into the earth. Although filled with deadly creatures, the Abyss harbors valuable artifacts, incentivizing the townsfolk to venture down into it. However, the deeper one goes, the harder it is for them to return, as "the Curse of the Abyss" causes deadlier effects for those who descend into the lower regions of the Abyss. Get ready for a thrilling and gruesome adventure, as our 12 years old protagonist bids farewell to her friends to depart into the Abyss with her newfound robot friend in a quest to find her long lost mother. This anime has gorgeous visuals and beautiful soundtracks. It seems fun and lighthearted at first, but it gets really dark really fast, so be warned before deciding to watch it.

(P.S. Season 2 will premiere in Fall 2020)

D-Frag (2014)

Genre: Comedy, Slice of Life

Episodes: 12

A delinquent boy, the leader of a school gang, was forced to become a member of the game development club after being threatened. Their daily activities include the boy trying to get out of the club, and the members trying to make him stay. Slowly the boy realized that he might actually like being in the club. While concept-wise it doesn’t stand out that much from other animes, all of its elements combined make for a terrific comedy with great storytelling. If you like gamer girls and high school delinquents, try watching this Anime.

男子高校生の日常 / Daily Lives of High School Boys (2012)

Genre: Comedy, slice-of-life

Episodes: 12

The story follows the everyday life of a group of high school boys in Japan, trying to pass time in their ordinary mundane days. Filled with intense drama, giant robots, true RPG reenactment, and true love, of course. If you're looking for some laughs to relax for a bit in these hard times, this show is perfect. Maybe you can even do a group call and watch it together with your bros from your own homes. Lol. Seriously tho, the fast-paced jokes and setup are hilarious. It's filled with insightful satire and relatable characters. Give yourself a nostalgic trip back to the fun high school days, and for a brief moment, just forget your stress about job-hunting, GPA, and all the cancellations happening lately. Have fun~

かぐや様は告らせたい ～天才たちの恋愛頭脳戦 / Kaguya-sama: Love is war (2019)

Genre: Slice of life, comedy, Romance

Episodes: 12

When two introverts try to confess their feelings to each other, it turns into an intense mind game to corner each other into confessing first. This highlights the relationship between Miyuki Shirogane and Kaguya Shinomiya, president and vice president of their academy student council respectively. In this love battlefield, both are desperately trying to make the other say the words they want to hear and emerge victoriously. This is the ultimate tsundere vs tsundere showdown. Many people (read: I) relate to this anime, as it depicts how sometimes people are reluctant to say things, while when they actually say it, it goes a lot better than they have expected. For you introverts out there, who are waiting for the right time to confess, just do it! For those of you who like comedy, and romance, and love (who hates love?), this anime is for you. Not to mention Fujiwara Chika, the secretary of the student council who appears in the story occasionally. Best girl, fight me!

(P.S. Season 2 will premiere on Spring 2020)

ヒナまつり / Hinamatsuri (2018)

Genre: Comedy, Slice of life, Supernatural

Episodes: 12

This one starts quite absurdly, with a giant unknown capsule suddenly appearing out of nowhere in the living room of a Yakuza member. Inside was a young girl named Hina, who remembers nothing besides her name. Nitta, the Yakuza member whose apartment was intruded by Hina’s capsule, could do nothing but become Hina’s caregiver. The anime follows the daily lives of this spoiled peculiar girl and the caring father-like Yakuza member. I should also mention Anzu, who is Hina’s rival from their universe of superpowered young girls. Occasionally, they will show Anzu’s story, who is also stranded on earth, but unlike Hina who landed upon a rich Yakuza member, she must live a harsh life on the streets with the homeless and work her way to happiness. A bit of emotional heartwarming scenes amid a disastrous yet comedic series of events. If you love dad-like gangsters, spoiled young kids occasionally being nice, and very nice kids not getting what they deserve, this one's for you. Hina will make you laugh your heads off, while Anzu will make you cry your heart out. It is truly a wholesome anime.

あそびあそばせ / Asobi Asobase (2018)

Genre: Comedy, Slice of life

Episodes: 12

Follows the daily mischiefs of the “Pastime club” Trio: Hanako, a noisy airhead; Olivia, the transfer student who faked knowing English; and Kasumi, the silent loner of the class. From playing traditional games, babysitting a baby, trying on make-up, checking out new cafes and meeting students from other schools. While it may sound mundane and basic, the Pastime club will turn it into an experience you can’t miss. This show doesn’t deliver their comedy through dialogues and interactions alone, rather they utilize the visual medium excellently with absurd reaction faces and over the top response to things. If you like high pitch screaming, and absurd faces, this is an Anime that will satisfy you.

Kokoro Connect (2012)

Genre: Slice of life, Romance, Drama, Supernatural

Episodes: 13

My number one feels like trip anime alongside Anohana, Your Lie in April, Your Name, and every sad anime ever. It tells the story of a group of students who banded together and created the Student Cultural Society to accommodate their different interests which did not fit any other clubs at the school. One day, a strange supernatural phenomenon occurred when the members suddenly switched bodies. After that, another strange phenomenon happened to them. These incidents brought them closer together, knew each other better, and ultimately, grew a stronger bond of friendship. The fights, the issues, and the conflicts are actually pretty common in other animes but the delivery of it using the medium of supernatural occurrences creates a fresh feel and a new perspective on the issues. If you're interested in relationship-breaking supernatural phenomenons, this one's for you. Plus, try watching and guess who will end up with who. I was disappointed.

のだめカンタービレ / Nodame Cantabile (2007-2010)

Genre: Romantic comedy

Episodes: 49 (3 seasons)

In his fourth year at Japan's best music university, an elite musician from a distinguished family has an unexpected encounter with a pianist. Listening to her play for the first time left him in awe. It was flavourful, very distinct from the classical melodies he's used to hearing. He then finds this messy eccentric pianist living right next to him, and the girl quickly falls in love with him. While dealing with her crazy antics, with her help, he grew to understand and appreciate more of his peers' musical abilities. This series is not like many other romantic comedy anime, as it takes place in a music college, instead of a high school. If you're a music lover, you'll find the series' appreciation for music very pleasing, as not much musical anime really shows much passion for the music itself. To conclude, Nodame Cantabile is a breath of fresh air, for it's more mature yet whimsical take on love and life.

Beastars (2019)

Genre: Psychological drama

Episodes: 12

This is a story about a society of animal people. Throughout history, the tension between the herbivores and meat-eating carnivores has always kept the animals uneasy, especially due to predation incidents that occur from time to time. As a large carnivore, our young grey wolf protagonist tries his best to lay low and act timid, opposing a carnivore's naturally aggressive instinct. However, he always finds himself relying on that innate strength that he loathes so much, trying to fight for his ideals and loved ones. This anime is a masterful metaphor of how society views normalcy and deviance. How everyone is born into a set of expectations, and what happens when we betray those expectations. The characters in the story are grounded and relatable, each with their own struggles in self-discovery and moral ideals.

(P.S. Season 2 will premiere in Fall 2020)

3月のライオン / March Comes in Like a Lion (2016-present)

Genre: Slice-of-life, psychological drama

Episodes: 44 (2 seasons)

This anime revolves around the life of a middle-school professional shogi player. As a young prodigy, he faces enormous pressure from the community and his adoptive family. That’s when the timid 17-year-old boy decides to move alone into an apartment in Tokyo. Soon after arriving there, he meets a very warm family of 3 sisters living with their grandpa and several adorable cats. From them, our protagonist finally shares a strong familial bond that he never had before. The story progresses as he deals with growing up, his complex, often troubling emotions, and relationships with others. This anime is a slow-burner drama series that manages to beautifully portray all the complexity and nuance of the human mind with its masterful animation and sound design. It’s a show about how society, relationships, and a career can influence and change a person.

空よりも遠い場所 / A Place Further Than The Universe (2018)

Genre: Slice of Life, Adventure

Episode: 13

This is an anime about high school girls trying to make their way to Antarctica. While it wasn’t smooth sailing from the beginning, the girls persisted on their way to the frozen continent. The anime really shows how the girls grow through the problems they face along the way. In addition to your regular Moe stuff, you can see these girls achieve something amazing. I personally like how the anime isn’t your regular slice of life. Instead, it takes you places(Antarctica to be specific). If you like adventure, cute girls, and achieving their dreams, this anime is for you. This anime is so heartwarming, it causes the snow caps in Antarctica to melt.

あの日見た花の名前を僕たちはまだ知らない / The Flower We Saw That Day (2011)

Genre: Drama, Slice of Life

Episodes: 11

Or Anohana, as it's more commonly referred to, mainly tells the story of Jinta and Menma, a pair of childhood friends. Menma who died years ago came back to Jinta's visions. At first, he thought that it was only hallucinations but Menma wouldn’t fade away. From there Jinta and his friends (also Menma’s friends) gather to try to figure out how to set Menma free. This is a story about coping with the loss of a loved one. Every character in the anime has their own trauma over the loss of Menma, each coping differently, and in the anime they are trying to let go of their sorrow. This is for people who want to cry buckets. For you who like drama, crying alone in the night, and great opening and ending songs, I highly recommend this. By the time you finish this anime, you’ll be weeping just from hearing the iconic ending song.

Clannad: After Story (2008)

Genre: Slice of life, drama

Episodes: 24

This is a sequel, but you don't need to watch the original Clannad series before watching this one. The story begins where your everyday high school romance series ends. The teenage couple finally graduates and experiences the struggle and hardship of entering adulthood. This heart-wrenching drama focuses on the value of family, as one of the most precious bonds we have in this world. Prepare a box of tissue before watching this tear-jerking series, and please refrain from running to your family and hugging them while frantically sobbing your heart out. Remember, we should be social-distancing.

We hope that our recommendation can satisfy your need for a refreshing binge during your quarantine days. School is soon to start so don’t get too carried away and watch responsibly! Remember you still got life even if it's stuck in a 6 tatami room waiting for the pandemic to end while listening to professors’ lectures. Last but not least, drink water, wash hands, stay at home, study Japanese, call your friends and family, most importantly stay healthy and be happy!