Not all good comedy anime will make you laugh out loud. Some will make you chuckle because they are heartwarming or romantic, while others will make you think or question things through their social humor and commentary. There are even some so dark, they’ll make you wonder whether or not you should be laughing at all. Many of these series are adapted from manga. You can check out my top comedy manga for even more recommendations.
Comedy is subjective, and because humor varies from person to person, I included a wide range of comedy sub-genres on this list to account for this. From gag humor and romantic comedies to dark and horror-filled comedy anime, this list has something for everyone.
These anime are all available to watch now on an anime streaming service. At the time of this post, Crunchyroll has the most comedy anime on its platform. I did a comprehensive review of Crunchyroll, and the pros and cons of the service, if you’d like to learn more. Also, be sure to check out our list of the best anime on Crunchyroll for even more comedy anime recommendations.
That all being said, here are the best comedy anime you can watch!
Dorohedoro
If dark humor is your thing, Dorohedoro is a must-watch. Dorohedoro is set in a grim world that’s full of gruesome fights, terrors, blood, and gore. But despite its sometimes heavy tone, this series has a refreshing sense of humor and lovable characters that make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside.
In addition to being funny, Dorohedoro has an engaging storyline that’s full of adventure and excitement. The story follows Caiman, a lizard-headed man that has no memory of his past. He teams up with his friend Nikaido, owner of a small restaurant called the Hungry Bug, to track down the sorcerer responsible for his transformation. The story follows their lives in a strange world called the Hole, but a new set of adventures await them in a place known as the Sorceror’s World.
While I don’t think the CGI was done as flawlessly as in anime series like Beastars, the backgrounds were some of the best I’ve seen in an anime and MAPPA captured Dorohedoro‘s unique style. The animation is absolutely stunning, but it’s how they were able to bring the unique world of Dorohedoro, as well as its colorful cast of characters, to life on screen that impressed me most. All in all, Dorohedoro is an incredibly weird and lovable series that’s funny because of its dark humor and over-the-top gore.
You can watch Dorohedoro now on Netflix!
Komi Can’t Communicate
Komi Can’t Communicate follows high school student Komi Shouko, who can’t even talk to people she already knows, let alone make friends. Since everyone mistakes her crippling social anxiety for cool reserve and she is unable to utter a single word, Komi fears she is doomed to be alone forever, but even so, she still dreams that one day she can make some friends. She may be closer to achieving her dream than she thinks, though, thanks to the help of her classmate Tadano.
With a colorful cast of characters and the perfect balance of slice-of-life and comedy, Komi Can’t Communicate is a fun and entertaining watch. It’s one of the funniest anime series I’ve seen as well, but as with most comedy anime, whether or not you’ll enjoy Komi Can’t Communicate will depend on your sense of humor and what makes you laugh. If you are someone who loves anime that makes use of over-exaggerated faces and expressions as a means of comedy, you will enjoy this series.
Despite its humorous nature, Komi Can’t Communicate has its fair share of heartwarming moments as well, especially as you see her open up and connect with others, which makes it that much more lovable. It’s one of the newest comedy anime releases you can watch, but it’s also one of the best.
You can watch Komi Can’t Communicate now on Netflix!
My Dress-Up Darling
Anime like My Dress Up Darling depicts characters with hobbies that many viewers can relate to, making it easy to connect with the series. The story follows two characters who are passionate about their hobbies—Marin Kitagawa who loves to cosplay and Wakana Gojou who loves to make hina dolls. When Marin finds Gojou in the sewing room at school one day, she discovers his talent for sewing. She enlists him to make her next cosplay outfit, pushing him out of his comfort zone and into a new world. Humor ensues out of this relationship and our MCs differing personalities, but it’s the comedic misunderstandings that occur between our characters that will make you laugh the most.
What makes My Dress Up Darling so endearing is that it isn’t just a romance story. It’s about individuals who are passionate about their hobbies and bond over them, and a romance blossoming out of that connection only feels natural. There are some ecchi moments in this series, but they serve a purpose. Rather than simply being there for appeal, they add to the story’s romance and comedy.
The show has a nice balance of funny and heartwarming moments, but what’s most important is the message it gives—unapologetically be yourself regardless of what anyone thinks. You can watch My Dress-Up Darling now on Crunchyroll!
Kill la Kill
With its offbeat humor and over-the-top characters, Kill la Kill is both fun and exciting to watch. And while it is a lot to take in and gives you sensory overload, it doesn’t come across as overwhelming and overdone. If you are looking for a fast-paced, no-filler watch, Kill la Kill is just what you are looking for.
Kill la Kill follows the students of Honnouji Academy, who don unique garments called Goku Uniforms, which grant them incredible powers. The school is under the iron-fisted rule of Student Council President Satsuki Kiryuin and her devoted subordinates, the Elite Four, who treat the rest of the student body as “pigs in human clothing.” One day, a wandering schoolgirl named Ryuko Matoi arrives at the academy. Determined to make Satsuki, who seems to recognize Ryuko’s Scissor Blade, reveal information, Ryuko confronts her. However, an unforeseen event takes place.
It is important to note that there is a lot of fan service in the series, and if that’s not something you are typically into, I implore you to try and look past it. If you don’t, you are going to miss out on all the action, in addition, to Kill la Kill‘s amazing storyline. Yeah, it’s absolutely insane and racy, but it’s all done in a funny and endearing way that is sure to have you hooked if you give it a chance.
Buddy Daddies
Buddy Daddies is about a duo of skilled assassins, known for never letting their targets escape, who unexpectedly find themselves taking in a four-year-old girl. The cool and fiery pair embark on a new chapter of their lives as they attempt to balance family life with their newfound innocent and adorable companion. Despite their expertise in assassination, they struggle with the challenges of raising a young child.
Their lives become even more hectic as they continue to accept assassination jobs while juggling their parental duties. To add to the chaos, it turns out that the little girl is the secret love child of a ruthless mafia boss they had previously eliminated. One crucial question remains: can they successfully navigate life as assassins and caretakers?
While it’s lighthearted and sweet, Buddy Daddies also tackles more complex topics, such as parenting and child abandonment. In this way, Buddy Daddies reminds me a lot of another series on this list, Kotaro Lives Alone. The adults learn a lot from the kids in each series, but the kids learn and gain a lot from the adults too. Given the nature of their content, these series can be sad at times, but they are heartwarming and humorous as well.
Much of the humor in Buddy Daddies come from the interactions between the main characters, who are assassins, and the little girl they take in. She essentially disrupts their bachelor lifestyles, and they are suddenly pushed into the world of fatherhood. One of the MCs is more resistant to change than the other. He wants nothing other than to play video games and relax on his time off, and the introduction of a child suddenly flips his life upside down. They both have to navigate the dangerous nature of their job while taking care of a child, and this makes it all the more interesting.
Bocchi the Rock!
Bocchi the Rock is a sleeper anime hit of 2022 that later on would rise in recognition to become the smash hit of the year. As someone who is typically a fan of anime with music as a theme, like Beck and Given, I knew this one would interest me, but I didn’t know just how much. Not only is the music incredible, but the humor in this series is top-notch as well. And then there are the characters, who are some of the most relatable I’ve seen in anime to date.
Bocchi the Rock follows Hitori Gotoh, nicknamed “Bocchi-chan,” a shy girl who begins playing guitar in middle school. She wants to be in a band, but she can’t find anyone to play with until she meets Nijika Ijichi, the drummer of Kessoku Band. With their help, she begins making friends and forming relationships with people who are important to her.
I love anime that see our main characters bonding through a common passion, but it’s how these characters grow as a band as well as individuals that make this series stand out the most. CloverWorks (Spy x Family, My Dress-Up Darling) is the studio behind the anime and they did an incredible job at bringing this one to life on screen. The visuals and character designs are great, the comedic timing is on point, and the emotional moments are expertly conveyed too.
If you are looking for an anime that will warm your soul, you’ll want to check out Bocchi the Rock! You can stream it now on Crunchyroll. Bocchi the Rock! is adapted from the manga by Aki Hamaji. It was announced at Sakura-Con 2023 that Yen Press is printing Bocchi the Rock! with English translation.
Romantic Killer
Romantic Killer was released in the Fall 2022 anime season and it’s one of my favorite Netflix originals. The series follows Anzu, whose life has been turned upside down by a match-making wizard named Riri that looks like a teddy bear. Suddenly, Anzu is stuck in a real-life otome game. In order to get her to focus on romance, Riri takes away Anzu’s three favorite things: Her cat, video games, and chocolate. Infuriated by this, Anzu vows to thwart Riri’s plans, but this becomes increasingly more difficult as a cast of attractive guys enters her world.
I related with the main character, Anzu, because my cats and video games, especially my cats, are two things that I can’t live without. If someone came in and took them away from me, I wouldn’t be happy either, so I immediately connected with the story. I found Anzu to be a refreshing rom-com protagonist. She doesn’t care about what people think, but it’s her sense of humor that captivated me the most.
Anzu is always trying her best to look unattractive and unappealing to these guys, so she doesn’t give in to Riri’s plot, and this adds to the comedy, but of course, things don’t always end up going according to her plans. The facial expressions are hilarious in this series too.
Romantic Killer is a charming parody that’s aware of the tropes that exist within a number of different series from otome to rom-com and reverse harems. Said tropes are used as a means of comedy, but it’s done in a lighthearted, harmless way that fans of rom-com or otome will enjoy. Because of this and more, Romantic Killer is one of the funniest series I’ve seen in a while and it’s one of the best anime on Netflix right now!
The Eminence in Shadow
The Eminence in Shadow is one of the most unique isekai I’ve ever watched because it not only is aware of the many tropes that exist within isekai, but it also makes use of them in an interesting way—by using said tropes as a means of comedy. The Eminence in Shadow is a self-aware isekai that pokes fun at the genre in a lighthearted, humorous way, and it’s one of my favorite new isekai to release to date. It’s a parody of sorts of isekai, but I don’t want this to cheapen the series in any way, because it has a good story as well.
The Eminence in Shadow follows Cid Kagenou, who is reincarnated into a fantasy world, but instead of becoming the standout main character or the flashy hero in this story, he decides to be an eminence in shadow, a puppeteer in the shadows that’s pulling the strings, instead.
In order to achieve his goals, he does his best not to stand out and appear as unassuming and unthreatening as possible when in all reality he is very strong. He leads a secret organization called the Shadow Garden, whose main goal is to destroy the Cult of Diablos, a secret cult that Cid makes up to get people to follow him and give his organization a common enemy to fight against.
Little does he know, though, the Cult of Diablos is actually real. The fact that Cid is unaware of this, while his followers are adds even more humor to this story. I personally find The Eminence in Shadow to be one of the best isekai to release to date thanks to its striking animation and amazing story. The supporting cast is also great and there’s some good character development throughout the series that make it well worth the watch.
You can watch The Eminence in Shadow on HIDIVE!
Kotaro Lives Alone
Kotaro Lives Alone is one of the most heartwarming and funny anime I’ve watched to date, but it’s also heartbreaking to watch at times given the nature of its content. The story follows Kotaro, a child who lives on his own due to unfortunate circumstances. But even though he’s very much a child, Kotaro is wise beyond his years and teaches valuable lessons to the residents of his apartment building—who are much older than he is.
While Kotaro’s kindness and warmth towards the residents may seem one-sided at first, in actuality, they are mutual. The residents act as guardians of sorts for Kotaro; he gains something from them just as much as they gain something from him. As their relationships grow over the course of the season, you see that Kotaro—who is not close with his family—chose a family of his own.
As a result of his upbringing, Kotaro feels like he has to be strong no matter what. Through his interactions with his schoolmates though, Kotaro learns from their example that it’s okay not to be strong all the time—sometimes it’s okay to act like a kid, to let loose, and have fun with his friends. They also learn lessons through Kotaro, who teaches them to appreciate what they have. It’s also these interactions that add a lot of comedy to the series.
Kotaro Lives Alone is an incredible anime that will make you appreciate the people around you and the little things in life. Even though it delves into complex issues, Kotaro’s positive attitude and the colorful residents are always there to warm your heart. If you are looking for a series that’s full of laughs, but will move you as well, you’ll want to check out Kotaro Lives Alone on Netflix!
Ouran High School Host Club
Ouran High School Host Club is a quirky romantic comedy that follows Haruhi, a financially disadvantaged girl attending a prestigious school for the affluent, who finds herself compelled to pay off a staggering $80,000 debt. To do so, she must work for the school’s most luxurious club—while masquerading as a boy. She grows closer to the hosts of the club and learns a lot about herself, as well as the extravagant members, in the process.
With animation by Bones, who is also known for their work on Mob Psycho 100, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, and Bungo Stray Dogs, Ouran High School Host Club is beautifully animated. The color palette is striking, the composition of the scenes is impactful, and the character designs by Kumiko Takahashi (Cardcaptor Sakura, Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn) are incredible as well. And then there are the settings and the backgrounds, which are thoughtful and add even more to the story.
Much of the humor in this series is thanks to the cast of characters, all of which have interesting personalities and are lovable in their own ways. It’s heartwarming to watch the bonds that form and I really enjoyed watching these characters develop over the course of the episodes. Ouran High School Host Club is one of my top shojo anime of all time, but it’s also one of the most witty and unique series I’ve ever watched. It’s a refreshing rom-com, it does a lot of things from humor to romance well, and it’s one of the most feel-good series you can watch on this list.
Hinamatsuri
Hinamatsuri by Masao Ohtake is a sci-fi comedy anime about a Yakuza member, who takes in a girl named Hina that has telekinetic abilities. You can only imagine the comedy that ensues from a Yakuza member living his best bachelor life, like Nitta, who suddenly becomes a parent overnight to a middle school girl, let alone one with unpredictable as well as destructive powers. He has to change his way of living now that she’s in his life, which adds humor to this story, but this also makes it a heartwarming read.
As with many series on this list, one of Hinamatsuri‘s strengths is its characters and the dynamics between them. You have a main group of characters that interact with one another, but this manga does a great job of focusing on their individual journeys as well. As a result, you really see them come together but also grow individually. Hinamatsuri doesn’t spend too much time focusing on one character, which is refreshing, but there’s also a strong sense of family as you watch this band of misfits bond together.
The series is very episodic too, which is common in comedy series. It’s very slice of life in the way that it follows the everyday lives of the characters, but of course, Hina, as well as a few others, mix things up with their powers. All in all, this one is as endearing as it is funny.
If you like dry humor and stories about Yazuka members doing everyday things albeit with an anything but ordinary girl, you’ll enjoy Hinamatsuri!
SKET Dance
SKET Dance, which is adapted from the manga by Kenta Shinohara, is one of the funniest anime I’ve ever watched. The story follows a group of high schoolers in a club called Sket Dan that take on a series of requests and jobs submitted by their fellow students. Kind of like Odd Jobs in Gintama but set in a school, and the relatedness here makes a lot of sense given that Kenta Shinohara was an assistant of Hideaki Sorachi, the creator of Gintama, at one point in time.
This doesn’t mean SKET Dance doesn’t stand apart on its own, though. It’s definitely different, but I love the two for similar reasons. Since Gintama is my top comedy anime of all time, I was in search of something that would fill the gap in my heart and SKET Dance was just what I needed, filling the void I had and then some for a fun, enjoyable comedy that also has its fair share of heartwarming moments and a cast of characters that you can help but love.
The characters are just incredible. How they interact with one another, how different they are personality-wise yet how well they complement one another is another highlight of this series. SKET Dance is humorous and made me laugh more times than I count, but it will make you tear up a lot also. It just hits all the right notes for me and it is one of the best comedy anime to release to date.
Ya Boy Kongming!
Even though it’s one of the brightest stars of 2022, Ya Boy Kongming! is still an underrated comedy anime. It follows the adventures of Kongming, a historical figure who was known as the “God of War” during his time in China, who’s been reincarnated. The series begins with him being transported to modern-day Japan, where he meets an aspiring and talented musician and singer named Eiko.
Eiko’s music moves Kongming, he becomes a massive fan of hers, and later on, he becomes her manager or as he calls it, her “tactician”. What follows is a comedic but also touching journey of a girl, who has lofty dreams, and a man, who wants nothing more than to help her achieve them.
It’s comedic, but also intriguing, to watch a brilliant mastermind and strategist like Kongming use what he learned and experienced from his days in the Three Kingdoms Period and apply them to modern-day problems. The way in which he interacts with this new world is incredibly entertaining, but it’s his connection with those around him that makes Ya Boy Kongming! hit all the right notes.
Ya Boy Kongming! has a lot going for it—likable characters, including our protagonist, amazing music, and an overall endearing and warm tone that makes it easy for anyone to get into the series. You can watch Ya Boy Kongming! now on HIDIVE!
KonoSuba -God’s blessing on this wonderful world!
In KonoSuba: God’s Blessing on This Wonderful World!, our MC, Kazuma Satou, is a high school shut-in that loves playing video games. One day, he dies in a freak accident, but he is given a new life in a fantasy world and is tasked with defeating the Demon King. He and his party of companions, Aqua, Darkness, and Megumin, embark on a new journey full of adventure and misadventure together.
KonoSuba: God’s Blessing on This Wonderful World! follows your typical isekai story setup. It follows our characters as they journey across this world and take on requests, but it does so in a unique, satirical way. It is a parody and it’s full of comical moments that make it a fun and humorous read.
The best thing about KonoSuba: God’s Blessing on This Wonderful World!, though, is its characters and their dynamic as a group. All of the characters in KonoSuba are quirky and endearing in their own ways. Darkness is a masochist. Megumin is obsessed with blowing everything up with her powerful explosion magic. Aqua tends to act first and think about the consequences later. This unexpected band of misfits bond together over their journey, making it a heartwarming read, but they also get into a lot of absurd situations along the way, so you never know what trouble they are going to get into next.
KonoSuba is one of the most hilarious anime I’ve ever watched, but it’s also one of the most hilarious isekai manga I’ve read, up there with the likes of The Eminence in Shadow. While it will mostly make you laugh, it will also touch your heart in unexpected ways as you watch the characters grow closer and develop over the course of the series.
Daily Lives of High School Boys
For those who are in search of a shorter comedy series that still packs a punch, you’ll want to check out The Daily Lives of High School Boys. It’s a gag-humor anime that’s set in school and it follows the daily lives of three high school students, Tadakuni, Hidenori Tabata, and Yoshitake Tanaka. Needless to say, there are a lot of funny moments and situations that occur in this one.
Much of the humor in this anime comes from our main characters and their interactions with one another, but the hilarious situations they find themselves in and the people they meet make this one a comedic watch as well. It’s somewhat slice of life given that it follows their daily lives, which makes it an episodic but also relatable story, but the things they get themselves into in The Daily Lives of High School Boys are absolutely absurd.
If you are looking for a simple yet good comedy anime that’s episodic, you can’t go wrong with The Daily Lives of High School Boys.
Beck: Mongolian Chop Squad
Beck, also known as Beck: Mongolian Chop Squad, is an incredible slice-of-life story that follows a rock band, the struggles they encounter on their way to “making it”, and the responsibilities and relationships they juggle alongside the band. Beck does an incredible job at conveying the difficulties that come with being a musician, like how hard it is to get your name out there, but it also expresses the joy that comes with following your passion and it celebrates the camaraderie that is built between the members of this band.
In addition to the band dynamic, Beck highlights the relationships the members build outside of the band as well (this is where some romance comes in) and the hilarious antics these members get into, so it’s a well-rounded story that not only takes a look at their lives in the band but outside of it also. Beck has strong characters, and the interactions between them are what makes this series shine, but it also balances comedic and serious moments well.
When it comes to manga about music or coming-of-age stories, none do it quite as well as Beck. It’s a classic that’s underrated for how incredible it is, but even more so than that, it’s one of my favorite anime of all time. It’s one that will make you laugh, but it will connect with you as well.
Welcome to the NHK
In Welcome to the NHK, our MC, Sato, is consumed by anxieties and conspiracy theories, convinced that the sinister N-H-K is plotting to transform society’s outcasts into a horde of hopeless shut-ins. Enigmatic Misaki might have the key to helping Sato conquer his fears—if she can coax him out of his metaphorical foxhole and encourage him to confront the world.
Out of any series I’ve ever watched, Welcome to the NHK is the one that made me say, “Should I be laughing at this?” the most. Its humor is definitely an acquired taste, but if you are a fan of dark humor, like I am, you will absolutely love this anime. It adapts the manga of the same name, and I highly recommend checking out, in addition to the anime, if you have yet to do so.
You can watch Welcome to the NHK now on Crunchyroll!
The Disastrous Life of Saiki K.
The Disastrous Life of Saiki K is a comedy anime set in a school and it is one of my favorites to ever release. This one really captured my attention because our main character Kusuo Saiki has psychic powers, and the list of what he can do with his abilities is long.
He’s an incredibly overpowered main character yet feels no need to use them, and he’s trying to keep this all a secret from his classmates, which only adds to this story’s humor and charm. If you have yet to check this one out, it is somewhere in the vein of Hinamatsuri and Mob Psycho 100 for me, so if you enjoy anime like these, The Disastrous Life of Saiki K is most likely right up your alley.
One thing I love about The Disastrous Life of Saiki K is its pacing. It’s fast-paced, but nothing feels rushed, because the events that happen in this anime occur in Saiki’s everyday life. Since life is unpredictable, so is The Disastrous Life of Saiki K. That’s actually probably one of the best ways to describe the series: Unpredictable, because you never know what’s going to happen next whether it be in regards to the story or its humor. Despite it being unpredictable, the comedic timing in The Disastrous Life of Saiki K. is spot on.
It’s just one of those really feel-good, never fails to cheer me up types of series and it has a special place in my heart because of this. You can watch The Disastrous Life of Saiki K now on Netflix!
Grand Blue Dreaming
Grand Blue Dreaming is by far the most hilarious comedy manga I’ve ever read, but it’s also one of the funniest anime I’ve watched as well. It has made me laugh out loud more times than any other series, and on many occasions, made me cry from laughter. The humor in this one is absolutely absurd and downright ridiculous but in the absolute best way possible.
Some may waver on picking up Grand Blue Dreaming, because they think it’s about diving, and while it is, it’s more so a comedy than sports anime. This series is about partying as much as it is about diving, so there’s a lot of drinking as well as goofing off that goes on in the episodes.
The story follows our main character Iori Kitahara, who moves in with his Uncle at his diving shop to go to college. He’s all starry-eyed and optimistic about his new life and he is ready for a fresh start. He has plans to meet college girls and live his life to its fullest. But things aren’t as glamorous as he planned when he arrives and sees a group of naked men playing rock paper scissors with a hilarious twist in his Uncle’s diving shop. Later on, he ends up joining the diving club, who do as much partying as they do diving. He gets wrapped up in their antics, which amps up the comedy even more.
I want to talk about the faces and expressions the characters make in this series. They are absolutely hilarious and get me every single time. There are few series that knock this out of the park as much as this one, although Spy x Family, thanks to Anya, and Prison School are up there for me also. That being said, when it comes to slapstick humor, none do it quite as well as Grand Blue Dreaming.
It has perfect comedic timing, top-notch animation, great character dynamics, and more. It will make you laugh more times than you can count, but, as you head beneath the surface and explore these beautifully animated and rich underwater worlds, it awes and awakens something within you as well.
One Punch Man
One Punch Man follows Saitama, one of the strongest main characters in all of anime. Because nothing and no one can beat him, he struggles with ennui and depression. He heads out in search of a foe that will rival him, but this proves to be more of a challenge than he expected.
One Punch Man is somewhere between comical and badass, and this gives it an interesting edge that makes it a true force to be reckoned with. As far as heroes go, Saitama is the most overpowered I’ve come across, and while some anime with an unbeatable hero can lose your interest over time, One Punch Man does not.
If you are worried that this is just going to be another run-of-the-mill, overpowered superhero story, don’t be. It is done well conceptually, and paired with its humor and interesting supporting roles, you’ll see why it’s unique.
Saitama’s immense strength, boredom, and unbeatable record are what cause him to seek out a good fight, and it’s those interactions and scenes that make One Punch Man as entertaining and comical as it is. The fact that almost everyone fails to take him seriously is another part of the comedy that makes this series shine.
GTO
GTO or Great Teacher Onizuka is one of my favorite comedy anime. Even more so than that, though, GTO is one of the all-time greats in anime that, despite first being released in the late 90s, still rivals series released today. If you like comedy series that are funny but also have a good message, GTO is a must-see. The facial expressions that the characters make in this series are some of the funniest I’ve ever seen too.
A big reason why GTO is so funny is our main character Eikichi Onizuka. Whether it’s his antics or mannerisms, his facial expressions, or the situations he finds himself in, Onizuka adds a lot of humor to this story. But, as you’ll learn over the course of the chapters, he’s so much more than the “funny guy”. Onizuka is a former gang member who becomes a teacher—and he’s the toughest, roughest, and brashest teacher you’ve ever seen.
He’s not afraid to break all the rules to reach his students, who are wild delinquents that are hard to teach let alone please. But he really connects with them on a deeper level and, with the help of his unconventional teaching methods, gets through to them one by one.
GTO is as fun as it is thought-provoking. More so than that, it’s a lesson in how a series with simple elements can be just as meaningful and worthwhile as one with complex ones. What it offers more so than anything though is heart and soul.
Asobi Asobase – workshop of fun –
Asobi Asobase – workshop of fun is an endlessly entertaining and hilarious comedy series that follows three girls, Olivia, who fakes being American despite not being able to speak English, Kasumi, who appears serious and intellectual but has a dark side, and Hanako, a girl from a rich family that can’t quite fit in with the norm. One day at school, they decide to form a “Players’ Club”, where they spend time together doing a number of hilarious and unexpected things. If I could describe this series, it would be “absolute shenanigans”. The comedy in Asobi Asobase is downright ridiculous, in the best way possible.
You never know what to expect next from the characters in Asobi Asobase. Their facial expressions are hilarious, but it’s their wild and out-there personalities that make this one such a fun and comedic watch. Each new day, and each new club meeting, will have you laughing out loud. I can’t tell you how many times this series brought me to tears from laughter.
If you like series, like Daily Lives of High School Boys, which follow the daily lives of its characters and their hilarious antics, or enjoy series like Kill la Kill that have offbeat humor, you’ll want to check Asobi Asobase out!
Nichijou – My Ordinary Life
Nichijou – My Ordinary Life follows three regular girls as they experience life’s most significant lessons through trial and error. At the same time, a pint-sized professor complicates the existence of a robot seeking a normal life. However, normalcy is far from achievable in a town where salmon rain from the sky. The only constant you can rely on is your peculiar friends, who never cease to surprise you with their eccentricities.
Nichijou – My Ordinary Life‘s animation and style are a lesson in how sometimes simple is better, but its characters, and their lives, are anything but simple. They get into some pretty absurd and out-there circumstances, so you never know what’s going to happen next in this series, and this makes it all the more exciting to watch.
Since it follows the daily lives of its characters through a comedic lens, Nichijou – My Ordinary Life is a lot like Daily Lives of High School Boys, but it also reminds me of Gintama at times, because it blends humorous and lighthearted moments together well and it’s absolutely bonkers in the best way possible. If you enjoyed either, you’ll want to check out Nichijou – My Ordinary Life!
Mob Psycho 100
Mob Psycho 100 is adapted from the manga of the same name by ONE, who you may also know as the writer of One Punch Man. The story follows Shigeo, a socially awkward but kind-hearted boy that has psychic abilities. He takes up an apprenticeship with Reigen, the owner the Spirits and Such Consultation Office and self-proclaimed “Greatest Psychic of the 21st Century”. Little to Shigeo’s knowledge, though, Reigen is a fraud.
The fact that our main character, who has genuine psychic abilities, has a mentor, who is a fraud is funny itself. But, it’s Shigeo’s unassuming nature, and the absolute ridiculousness of his power-up, that adds a lot of humor, but also excitement, to the series. Shigeo’s interactions with his classmates, especially the members of the Body Improvement Club, are hilarious as well.
When Shigeo’s suppressed emotions reach a breaking point, he unleashes an overwhelming amount of psychic energy. Shigeo’s abilities definitely make him strong, but what makes him such an OP anime character is the fact that he explodes when his emotions reach 100%. In the series, this is shown with a percentage bar marked “Shigeo’s Progress Towards Explosion” and when that bar reaches 100% all hell breaks loose. Part of Mob’s strength is that people underestimate him, and when they finally realize how powerful he is it’s much too late.
The animation in Mob Psycho 100 is amongst the best I’ve seen. Bones, known for Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, Ouran High School Host Club, My Hero Academia, and more, is one of my favorite studios, but they really outdid themselves this time around with Mob Psycho 100. On top of being one of the most visually-striking series I’ve ever watched, it’s one of the most action-packed and hilarious series I’ve ever watched as well.
Spy x Family
Spy x Family is a story about an immensely charming family that is anything but typical. The father Loid aka Twilight is a spy, the mother Yor is an assassin, and the daughter Anya is a telepath. They were all brought together by Twilight because he needed a family to complete a mission that requires him to infiltrate the highly prestigious Eden Academy to get close to his target Donovan Desmond.
This is a family of mysterious misfits that share more in common than they realize; Each with secrets of their own that make for an interesting dynamic, and this in turn, adds a lot of humor to the dialogue and interaction between them. And of course, there’s the fact that Anya knows everyone’s secrets but keeps this a secret as well that makes this scenario that much more comical.
As far as characters go, Spy x Family features a lot of interesting and likable personalities. Loid and Yor are two of my favorites, but Anya is the shining star of the bunch with her funny expressions and remarks. I’ve lost track of the number of times I laughed out loud due to Anya’s facial expressions alone.
Spy x Family has made me laugh more times than I can count, but it’s also moved me as well. I feel deeply connected to the plight of its characters, which keeps me emotionally invested in the series. A big part of its appeal is its thrilling and dramatic scenes, but its story keeps you hooked as well. Wit Studio and CloverWorks, who are two of my favorite animation studios, did an amazing job bringing Spy x Family to life on screen. It’s one of the best manga-to-anime adaptations I’ve seen to date.
Kaguya-sama: Love is War
Kaguya-sama: Love is War is one of the most hilarious anime I’ve ever watched and it never fails to make me laugh. Over the course of the episodes, you’ll watch the main characters Kaguya and Shirogane battle it out, trying to convince each other to confess their love. In some ways, watching them is like witnessing a chess match between two highly talented and intelligent individuals, but with added drama and theatrics that spice things up.
I personally enjoy the series because it has a humorous premise, and you have to love the irony of the whole series. For Kaguya and Shirogane, admitting their love for one another would be like admitting defeat to the other, but in reality, they’d both win in the end. But, it’s their stubbornness and unwillingness to admit their feelings that give the manga its purpose, and this adds humor to its premise. In addition, you have other personalities like Yuu Ishigami and Chika Fujiwara that bring a lot to the table as well.
The mind games between the two are reason enough to watch this anime. Watching them behind the scenes as they struggle to hold back their love for one another is also endearing and heartwarming to watch. Apart from all of that, the animation is top-notch as expected from the studio behind it, A-1 Pictures (86, Your Lie in April).
The thing I appreciate the most about Kaguya-sama: Love is War is that it feels like a complete original. With it being a rom-com, it could have very easily fallen into the same tropes that other series commonly do, but it doesn’t feel rehashed in any way. It’s the series’ humorous and unique take on love, though, that makes it one of the best!
Gintama
Gintama is episodic, but it also has an overarching story that ties everything together. The story follows Gintoki and his friends at Odd Jobs, who take on a myriad of different requests. It’s set in the Edo period, but aliens called Amanto have taken over, so it is set in a unique and interesting world. Despite being set in a futuristic setting, it is very much rooted in history, and our MC, who’s a samurai, further hones this in.
A lot of people love Gintama because of its humor, including me, but to say that Gintama is just a comedy would be doing it a disservice. Even though the series’ absurdness and its sense of humor are a large part of its appeal and success, Gintama has so much more to offer.
Gintama gets serious later on, and while its main character Gintoki is a lovable dope, he’s a complete badass as well. It’s a well-balanced series that is chock-full of sidesplitting as well as action-packed moments, but it has relatable characters and heartwarming scenes that will connect with you on a deeper level too. Gintama is set in a unique, sci-fi world, but it also has a wonderful sense of humor, perfect comedic timing, and an incredible cast of characters. On top of being my favorite comedy anime to ever release, Gintama is one of my favorite anime of all time.
These are the best comedy manga to release so far! As new comedy anime is released, we will continue to update this post, so stay tuned for more recommendations. Read manga as well? Check out our top comedy manga recommendations. There are more hilarious series you’ll want to check out on that list!
