Previously we talked about the more theme-based slice-of-life, but there are also more character focused slice-of-life. It’s not about what the story is but more who’s in it, what do they experience, and how they grow as time passes on. Let’s dive into those subgenres of slice-of-life and take a look see.

• Cute Girls Doing Cute Things

Round up some kawaii girls or guys and put them in a series of scenarios that leads to cuteness. The number one goal of these shows is to be charming. Shows like this can definitely be refreshing and enjoyable, and there’s a surprising amount of method to the genre. But what exactly separates the good from the bad?

The easiest way to answer this is by examining the show like Is the Order a Rabbit (Gochiusa). This show doesn’t just stand out because of its very cute girls doing very cute things, but because every single aspect of the series exists to be cute. The comedy is goofy and smile-inducing. The setting is quaint and comforting. The voice acting is chipper and lively. The background music is bubbly and jubilant. The character animation is endearing and adorable. It may very well be the cutest anime series in existence and all of that adds up to a refreshing and irresistible package.

Yet, the criticism does hold some water; if these shows are so similar to each other, why do we need so many of them doing the same thing? Just as with gag-driven series, way too many of these cute girl shows shoot themselves in the foot with that stubborn adherence to the same formula. We don’t want to watch the same character types in the same scenarios making the same jokes and reacting the same ways with a new gimmick each time.

For every cute girl show that really shines, there’s about ten mediocre ones crawling up each new anime season. The shows in this genre that stand out tend to be the really competent ones like Gochiusa, and the really creative ones like Tantei Opera Milky Homes.

• Character-driven slice-of-life

This particular subgenre of slice-of-life is the most difficult to explain. Whereas all the other categories outline are pretty loose with how they tell the story, these are shows are defined less by what is happening, but rather by the growth of one or more characters. The stories of these shows aren’t often characterized by high stakes or epic tangible conflict, but rather characters achieving something internally, be it through coming-of-age or just overcoming personal obstacles.

For example, the first episode of K-On and the last episode of K-On both take place in the exact same setting with the exact same characters, at first glance not much has changed. However, the characters that we know and love undergone a substantial evolution as a result with their experiences and relationships. Character dynamics oftentimes take center stage in this genre with several whole series being framed around relationship development.

Furthermore, while they’re more than free to let the emotions run as high as they deem necessary. it’s crucial for the genre that it remains grounded and relatable. Shows like Your Lie in April, Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinju and Hibike Euphonium lean so strongly toward theatrical melodrama and interpersonal conflict that we’re more inclined to consider them straight-up anime dramas. Whereas shows like Usagi Drop and Silver Spoon hit the perfect sweet spot.

Another thing that these shows require to be effective is an exceptional amount of depth. If a show’s character dynamics don’t feel genuine, it’s impossible for us to really believe in them, and if the conflict isn’t believable, then it’s impossible for us to relate to them. These shows are dependent on the relationship the audience builds with the cast. For this to happen, all of the series’ elements must stem from a relatability and emotions.

The thing that really sets these solely character-driven narratives apart from coming-of-age stories like Fooly Cooly is their radically different approach to character development. In most anime, character arcs usually take place the most grandiose fashion possible, and character development is usually accompanied by a big speech; with a character point to the sky and tells everyone how he/she will accomplish something.

Be that as it may, but real life doesn’t really work like that. Most people tend to undergo the most development during quiet moments of introspection in-between the hijinks, or sudden fleeting moments of clarity while looking through a photo album, or taking time-off to clear your mind and get away from it all. It’s this fundamentally different approach to writing that makes these shows so special. Utilizing a long-lost writing and storytelling technique known as ‘subtlety’. This is how they manage to connect with people on such profound and intimate level. It’s because they speak to the most human parts of us; our need to be valuable to the people around us, our instinct to nurture and protect, our believe in empathy in community, and of course, our desire to grow and better ourselves.

A character-driven slice-of-life series is one that doesn’t just portray life as its format, but by outright examines life as a theme itself, which is why it’s so easy to see parts of ourselves in them. Thus, slice-of-life despite of its fun and cute things, also gives valuable lessons which we can also reflect to our self. For example, through coming-of-age or overcoming personal obstacles of its character or to be short a self-development. If you interested to see and even experience the cute things and valuable lessons related to slice of life genre, you can try to play Memories, a story-based game which contains multiple story you can choose to grow together with its character of the story that you choose. You can download Memories for free through this link for Android and through this link for iPhone.