While I love anime that I can get super invested in, sometimes it’s okay to watch an anime that is merely there to pass time. I know what you’re thinking: ‘Aren’t all anime technically a time pass?’ To which I’d say, no. Sure, watching anime itself is a hobby, something you do because the series happen to be interesting and engaging. But sometimes, you don’t want to binge through an intense arc filled with heroes and monsters. Sometimes, you just want to chill during a break at work or while having dinner alone. 

And that’s where time pass anime come in! What that means is that you have shows that are just light hearted, without a lot of consequences. There is rarely an overarching plotline and the series itself is usually low stakes. But that doesn’t make them any less engaging. If anything, it’s like a comfort watch, something you do to pass the time and ground yourself before you have to go do something. And as someone who loves watching casual anime, time pass anime are a very specific category. 

Most of the time, the word ‘time pass’ insinuates that you’re just watching something for the hell of it, and that you don’t really care about the characters or the story that is going on. Which, that is true to an extent. But as someone who has a lot of responsibilities and can’t make time for serious anime binging everyday, time pass anime are life savers. Because the little moments of respite I do get in between work and chores, I can use them to watch anime that are fulfilling even in bite sized amounts.

Now, I am aware that people can pace themselves when it comes to intense anime. But sometimes, we could all use a breather, something that we don’t have to take too seriously and just enjoy it for what it is. And if you’re someone like me, you understand the importance of just shutting your brain down and watching a slice-of-life anime to pass the time. So today, let’s curate a list of the best time pass anime out there for when you’re burnt out, in yet another segment of Get Ranked!

Skull-face Bookseller Honda-san is a manga created by Honda based on their own experiences being an employee at a bookstore. Honda, who is the clear narrator and protagonist of the story, is represented by an anatomically correct human skeleton, hence the title name. You would think there is a lot more to the manga than that, but genuinely, it is just a love letter to books in general. Honda is incessantly charming, talking about how she manages the comic book and art section in the store, hence working with a lot of foreign releases without really knowing much of the English language herself. But it also dives into how a bookstore is actually managed, with insights that are genuinely knowledgeable. 

It’s clever; it’s quirky and generally adorable. Skull-face Bookseller Honda-san might make you think the setting it’s in is bland, without much excitement. But people find joy in their mundane jobs, beauty in everyday things they do. And I think the casual nature of how Honda talks about everything really adds to the series’ charms. And hey, bookworms will always find books interesting.

Which is funny, because the original Lucky☆Star is actually a four comic strip, akin to Sunday comics in the newspaper. Like, there wasn’t much story there. But then the manga did come out and the anime adaptation absolutely exploded, back in 2007. It follows four high school girls, Konata Izumi, known as the lazy otaku, Tsukasa and Kagami Hiiragi, twins with opposing personalities and Miyuki Takara, a very polite and kind hearted individual. All four girls barely have anything in common, but they do love to talk. Whether it’s about their studies, food, general life or even otaku culture, there is no topic too broad for any of them to have an opinion on. And this chemistry between them is what leads to a beautiful, if eccentric, friendship. 

Honestly? It’s just a slice-of-life comedy high school anime that references some very popular things from the time. And I think that is exactly what makes Lucky Star so special. If you grew up on the internet in the late 2000s as a weeb, there was just something so inexplicably charming and sweet about the anime, and its magic is hard to find anywhere else. 

How Heavy Are The Dumbbells You Lift revolves around a group of high school girls, but the main character is Hibiki Sakura who, much like me, is a profound foodie. What can she say, she’s a growing girl and she needs the calories, damn it! But of course, too much of a good thing leads to bad things and soon, Hibiki finds herself gaining unhealthy weight. So, when the glimmering Silverman Gym opens up nearby, Hibiki thinks it’s the perfect time for a little lifestyle change! Though she does exercise on and off at home, a gym would put her on a regular routine. And when she meets the trainer at Silverman Gym, Naruzo Machio, her crush on him seals the deal. Though, she quickly learns gymming is no joke. Especially when she finds the usually quiet student council president, Akemi Soryuin, absolutely geeking out over muscles. Hibiki might be in over head for a bit, but being healthy and fit is the journey she is committing to! 

It’s surprising how informative How Heavy Are The Dumbbells You Lift is. Like, it actually goes into the mechanics of what exercise is the difference between building muscle and losing weight. There’s no weird conversation about food shaming or anything, just a genuinely healthy and fun discussion of why regular exercise is good for you. It’s brilliant!

Space Dandy is actually the brainchild of Masahiko Minami and Shinichiro Watanabe. Yes, that Watanabe. And it’s definitely a wild child entry. The protagonist, Dandy, is a gun slinging, pompadour flaunting bounty hunter who is on the hunt to find new and strange aliens and collect the payout on them. All so that he can happily spend more time at his favorite place in the entire universe called (Lord help me) BooBies. Flanked by his feline friend, Meow, and a very articulate robot assistant named QT, Dandy roams the stars aboard the Aloha-Oe. However, none of them know that Dandy is actually being heavily pursued by the Gogol Empire. Dr Gel, a higher up, believes that Dandy might be hiding a secret association with some reality bending elements that can end the universe as we know it. But does Dandy know that himself? 

Look, it’s just hilarious. There is no serious plot, the pitch itself is insane and it’s just a funky little Space Opera with some of the most out-there animation you’ll ever see. Watanabe really wanted this to be an experiment and so everything, from the music to the episode layout, is just balls-to-the-wall crazy. 

Meet Langa Hasegawa: A high school student who has moved from the wintery slopes of Canada to the sunny skies of Okinawa, Japan. After the death of his father, Langa finds himself aimless, his attention only peaked when a boisterous red head named Reki Kyan who is known for his skateboarding skills across their school. An unlikely bump into each other finds Langa and Reki becoming fast friends. It’s here Langa learns that Reki is but one of many participating in the underground skateboarding subculture that has swept Okinawa. And one day, Reiki scores an invite to the most elusive skateboarding gathering in the city, only known as ‘S’, where everything goes. There are no rules, skaters play no holds barred and you can challenge some of the very best to duels known as ‘Beefs’. So, when Langa finds himself in the middle of one, by pure mistake, you’d think he flounders. Except, with a little guidance from Reki and his own pro-snowboarding skills, Langa puts everyone into awe. And catches some unwanted attention, in the form of the most sadistic skater in the entire game, only known as ‘Adam’. Of course, not all of the pro-skaters are bad, as proven by the likes of ‘Joe’ and ‘Cherry’. But could Langa and Reki survive the avalanche that is coming their way?

I’m making it sound way more serious than it actually is. The actual plot reminds me a lot of one of my favorite series growing up, Beyblade, but if you made it way more Homoerotic. The episodes are just a flurry of dynamic colors and animation, the characters are super cool and everything is hyperbole. Honestly, the voice acting here is what really sold the show. It’s downright genius.

Being an introvert is extremely tough, especially when you’re a teenager and everyone expects you to be a bumbling social butterfly. Which is what happened with Hitori Gotō, an anxious girl who can’t do social interactions to save her life. And so, inspired by her dad, she decides to pour all her frustration into learning the guitar, thinking maybe that would help her make some new friends and maybe, just maybe, she might even get to play in a band. Eventually, she starts uploading her covers, going by the moniker ‘guitar hero’ and actually gets a decent following online, but followers don’t mean friends. However, all of that changes one day, when Nijika Ijichi asks Hitori to help her out when the guitarist in her band, Kessoku, decides to run out on them right before their first show. Can Hitori swallow her stage fright and step up to help a possible new friend in need? 

It’s got girls in a band! What more do you need? Again, there is just something so relatable about Bocchi The Rock, considering how I also grew up. As a fan of both rock music and anime, as well as someone who suffers from extreme anxiety and has problems making friends, Bocchi The Rock’s strength lies in its earnestness. 

Wakana Gojou’s life has always centered around art and beauty. As the grandson and apprentice to a Master Hina Doll Maker, Gojou dedicates himself to the craft. From painting intricate details to sewing the most perfect outfits for each of his creations, Gojou aims to become just as good as his grandfather someday. However, that doesn’t leave a lot of room for a social life in high school. While his peers are more into the modern trends, he feels like his own hobby would be the source of humiliation. And so, he lives his life on the lonesome, that is until Gojou encounters Marin Kitagawa, his classmate and the literal embodiment of a glitter bomb. As passionate, fun-loving and gorgeous as she is, you’d think there’s nothing that would interest Marin about Gojou. That is, until she sees how talented he is at sewing and ends up revealing her own secret hobby: Cosplaying! And so, turns out their interests do align, helping them get closer to each other, one cosplay at a time!

I am an avid cosplayer myself, so My Dress-Up Darling has been a hoot and a half to experience. I mean, yeah, it’s a little heavy on the fanservice but Marin is such a breath of fresh air when it comes to female protagonists, and Gojou compliments her energy so well. And hey, there’s actually some solid cosplaying tips in the show. Wild, right?

Narumi Momose is your average 20-something: She is hard working, a corporate slave to capitalism and absolutely not rocking the dating pool. But she hides a very dark secret that might make things much, much harder if it comes out. And that secret is the fact that Narumi, a working adult, is a huge Otaku. Even worse, she is a Fujoshi who loves going to comic cons and spending all her money on Doujins. And for a while, she was safe from ever having that come out in the open.

That is, until her childhood friend, Hirotaka Nifuji, started working at her workplace. But then, Hirotaka casually asks her if she’s going to attend the Summer Comiket during drinks and the cats out of the bag. Luckily, their audience were also the only other Otakus in the office, so it isn’t too bad. But when Narumi complains about her love life being affected by it later on, Hirotaka suggests she date yet another Otaku. Specifically, him because he will cherish her, support her and be super helpful when they play Monster Hunter? Unhinged pitch, but a man has got to shoot his shot, right? Luckily, Momose actually says yes, and the two start dating! But will love be hard for the Otakus?

Listen, when I say I want more adult relationships and office work romances in anime, this is what i mean! Wotakoi: Love Is Hard For An Otaku is literally us getting a glimpse into the life of two people, who end up vibing really well because of their shared interests. And that’s it. There is no conflict, no love triangles, no drama whatsoever. 

Polar Bear Cafe is about, well, a cafe that is run by a Polar Bear! Really, that’s it. Okay, admittedly it’s about Panda, a clumsy little guy, who starts frequenting the cafe and becomes friends with grumpy Penguin and Polar Bear, the proprietor of the place. The series chronicles their everyday life, with Polar Bear being a kind and hard-working soul that loves making bad puns and connecting with the people he meets. His joy in life is just having this open space where everyone feels comfortable and happy. Sasako, his ever dutiful employee, makes sure everything is running smoothly, while taking part in shenanigans that lazy Panda might find himself trapped in. Whether it’s ill-advised love conquests, celebrating special moments or trying new things (like taking a casual trip to Grizzly Bear’s Bar), their day-to-day is a new adventure, just waiting to unfold. 

When I say this series was my sole source of serotonin for three months straight, I kid you not. Like, it was just insanely wholesome to watch, while having some genuinely thoughtful moments. The entire vibe of the series is calming, you can pick up any episode and it’ll be a complete story. And it’s adorable, to boot!

Welcome to Nobu – a lovely little Izakaya in Tokyo, where the food is lovingly made, alongside beer on tap and various other goods that are traditionally offered in a Japanese Pub setting. Think fried goodies alongside Japanese comfort eats, all crafted by the experienced owner and chef, Noboyuki Yazawa, and served with warmth by the welcoming waitress, Shinobu Senke. But just like every hidden gem in the food world, this unassuming Izkaya hides a secret. Because as it turns out, Nobu has the ability to exist in two places at once. So while you are in bustling Tokyo at first, Nobu actually opens up in Aetheria, a city in a parallel world where the people don’t really have much knowledge about the exotic goods that Nobu offers. But the world is a big place, and thanks to a little magic, the fair people of Aetheria get to taste culinary classics from around the world, and beyond! 

There’s just something so comforting about a series that is completely focused on something like food, without going the Food Wars! route of course. Isekai Izakaya doesn’t have a bombastic story or plot twists. It’s really just about exploring the food culture that is prominent in Japan, with some of the dishes coming straight from actual restaurants that you can go to in real life. It’s super interesting and, hey, if you love watching anime food reels on TikTok, you would love Isekai Izakaya!   

---

So, while the anime on this list won’t get your heart pumping erratically, they are some of the best anime that I’ve continued to watch in my down times. Just because they are great for passing the time, doesn’t mean that these anime aren’t memorable. Let us know if you have a comfort anime you watch to pass the time!

---