Comedy might be a common genre in the entertainment world, especially anime, but it is equally underrated. The beauty of humour lies in the art of storytelling, which is only possible through character-building and excellent writing.
In the anime realm, comedy is usually merged with other genres such as horror, mystery and action. The best example would be Death Note and One Piece. But what makes a good standalone comedy anime? The answer to the question is zany characters, absurd situations and unexpected twists.
Whether you are looking for plots with alternate worlds, magical powers or a rom-com filled with funny moments, our curation of the best comedy anime series should be right up your alley. Scroll away!
15 best comedy anime series you must add to your watchlist for a hilarious binge
1. Gintama
IMDb rating: 8.7/10
Director: Chizuru Miyawaki
Voice cast: Tomokazu Sugita, Daisuke Sakaguchi, Rie Kugimiya
Number of seasons: 9
Based on a manga: Yes
Gintama stands out by successfully blending comedy with a compelling and intense storyline. The series skilfully incorporates amusing easter eggs from Japanese and Western culture throughout. As the series progresses, the storyline becomes intricate yet the comedic moments are constantly present.
Set in the Edo era, where a city is overtaken by extraterrestrial beings known as Amanto, the anime series revolves around the samurai Gintoki Sakata. He operates as an independent contractor in his shop with his companions Shinpachi Shimura and Kagura. Together, they provide a diverse array of services to tackle different assignments and miscellaneous tasks.
2. Kaguya-sama: Love is War
IMDb rating: 8.5/10
Director: Mamoru Hatakeyama
Voice cast: Aaron Dismuke, Aoi Koga, Makoto Furukawa
Number of seasons: 4
Based on a manga: Yes
Have you wondered what Death Note would be like if it was a rom-com? Well, all you need to do is binge-watch Kaguya-sama: Love is War.
The story primarily revolves around the intellectual rivalry between Miyuki Shirogane, the president of the student council and Kaguya Shinomiya, the vice president. Both teenagers engage in a battle of wits, each attempting to coax a confession from the other, as they perceive a confession as a defeat in the game of love.
3. Kotaro Lives Alone
IMDb rating: 8.4/10
Director: Tomoe Makino
Voice cast: Rie Kugimiya, Cherami Leigh, Kayleigh McKee
Number of seasons: 1
Based on a manga: Yes
Kotaro Lives Alone is an excellent option if you are new to anime and want to watch something light-hearted and humorous.
Kotaro Sato, a four-year-old, moves to a new apartment building and discovers his neighbour is Shin Karino, an aspiring manga artist with multiple setbacks in his career. Kotaro lives by himself and appears not only self-sufficient but also more well-adjusted as compared to his unconventional neighbours.
4. Spy x Family
IMDb rating: 8.3/10
Director: Kazuhiro Furuhashi
Voice cast: Takuya Eguchi, Atsumi Tanezaki, Alex Organ
Number of seasons: 2
Based on a manga: Yes
Spy x Family features remarkable characters, each of whom brings a distinct style of humour, making a case for the interesting dysfunctional family dynamic storyline.
Twilight, an expert spy, takes up the identity of a psychiatrist named Loid Forger to construct a fabricated family as a disguise to investigate the inner circle of the influential political leader Donovan Desmond. However, little does Loid know that his seemingly simple wife Yor is a secret assassin known as the Thorn Princess. Adding another layer of complexity to the plot, their innocent daughter, Anya, possesses telepathic abilities.
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5. Bocchi the Rock!
IMDb rating: 8.3/10
Director: Aki Hamaji
Voice cast: Yoshino Aoyama, Sayumi Suzushiro, Saku Mizuno
Number of seasons: 1
Based on a manga: Yes
Bocchi the Rock! has been hailed as the best slice-of-life comedy anime series of 2022, making a strong case for its credibility and the story it has to offer.
Hitori Gotō is an extremely anxious person, who suffers from social awkwardness and aspires to be a rock musician despite her obstacles. She also hopes to form friendships in the future. Her chance arrives when Nijika Ijichi asks her to join the newly created Kessoku Band, providing her with an opportunity to follow her dreams.
6. The Disastrous Life of Saiki K.
IMDb rating: 8.3/10
Director: Hiroaki Sakurai
Voice cast: Hiroshi Kamiya, Daisuke Ono, Nobunaga Shimazaki
Number of seasons: 2
Based on a manga: Yes
Kusuo Saiki, a high school student, possesses a variety of psychic powers like psychokinesis and teleportation that he strives to keep hidden from his peers. Throughout the anime, Kusuo faces everyday situations where he subtly utilises his powers to overcome obstacles. Along the way, he encounters characters, each with their own issues. Nevertheless, Kusuo cleverly employs his psychic abilities to solve these problems discreetly.
Like Kotaro Lives Alone, The Disastrous Life of Saiki K. comprises separate episodes with different stories featuring supporting characters and bringing the humourous element in eccentric situations.
7. My Dress-Up Darling
IMDb rating: 8/10
Director: Keisuke Shinohara
Voice cast: Hina Suguta, Shoya Ishige, AmaLee
Number of seasons: 1
Based on a manga: Yes
My Dress-Up Darling‘s plot focuses on the art of cosplay and is filled with a combination of romance and comedy tropes.
Wakana Gojo, a high school student, aspires to become a kashirashi, a skilled craftsman specialising in creating traditional Japanese Hina dolls. Despite his passion for the craft, he struggles to keep up with the latest trends and feels like an outsider among his classmates. The popular students, particularly Marin Kitagawa, belong to a different social sphere. However, everything changes when Marin unexpectedly reveals a secret to Wakana, leading to a collision of their contrasting worlds.
8. A Salad Bowl of Eccentrics
IMDb rating: 7.8/10
Director: Masafumi Satô
Voice cast: Yuka Maihara, Hayato Kimura, Ayako Mitani
Number of seasons: 1
Based on a manga: Yes
Love when characters from different periods or timelines find themselves in the modern world? A Salad Bowl of Eccentrics has it all. This comedy anime is for those looking for a show you can binge-watch to unwind amid your busy schedules.
Sōsuke Kaburaya, a struggling detective, crosses paths with Sara Da Odin, a princess possessing magical abilities from a different realm. Their chance encounter turns them into roommates, allowing Sara to adapt to contemporary Japan quickly. Livia Do Udis, a female knight from Sara’s world, also lands in Japan, embracing a humble lifestyle and unexpectedly finding joy in her new surroundings.
The show follows the adventures of these two characters in their new world while exploring how it impacts Sōsuke’s life.
9. Grand Blue Dreaming
IMDb rating: 7.8/10
Director: Shinji Takamatsu
Voice cast: Yuma Uchida, Ryohei Kimura, Hiroki Yasumoto
Number of seasons: 1
Based on a manga: Yes
Iori Kitahara eagerly anticipates his fresh start on the Izu Peninsula as he embarks on his college journey, residing above his uncle’s diving shop, Grand Blue. However, his world is turned upside down upon encountering the local Diving Club, a rowdy bunch of muscular men more focused on revelry and nudity than actual diving. Despite his efforts to keep his distance, Iori is quickly drawn into their escapades, all while his cousins introduce him to the joys of exploring the underwater world.
Grand Blue Dreaming is a coming-of-age anime series, featuring a heartwarming tale of growth portrayed through beach gatherings and witty banter among friends between Iori and his friends.
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10. Daily Lives of High School Boys
IMDb rating: 7.8/10
Director: Daigo Matsui
Voice cast: Risa Hayamizu, Junko Minagawa, Ami Koshimizu,
Number of seasons: 1
Based on a manga: Yes
The anime series is based in the made-up town of Sanada and follows the lives of three young boys, Tadakuni, Yoshitake, and Hidenori, all second-year students attending Sanada North High School. Outside of their academic responsibilities, these friends spend their free time engaging in creative activities such as imaginative role-playing, engaging in in-depth conversations about out-of-the-box topics and exploring various unconventional ideas.
What sets Daily Lives of High School Boys apart from the regular teenage boy-centric stories is that they depict them as they are. In this case, hilarious antics and weird ideas.
11. Delicious in Dungeon
IMDb rating: 7.8/10
Director: Yoshihiro Miyajima
Voice cast: Kentarō Kumagai, Sayaka Senbongi, Asuna Tomari, Hiroshi Naka
Number of seasons: 1
Based on a manga: Yes
Delicious in Dungeon promises a feast of fantasy, adventure and culinary delights, packed with amusing moments.
Laios is a resolute adventurer leading his party into a dangerous dungeon to save his sister, Falin, who has fallen victim to a fearsome dragon. Stripped of supplies, Laios, along with his companions Marcille and Chilchuck, sets on a quest for survival and resurrection.
They follow a unique approach wherein they embrace their inner chefs and cook delicious meals, feasting on dungeon monsters, from slimes to dragons.
12. Konosuba: God’s Blessing On This Wonderful World!
IMDb rating: 7.8/10
Director: Takaomi Kanasaki
Voice cast: Sora Amamiya, Jun Fukushima, Rie Takahashi
Number of seasons: 3
Based on a manga: Yes
Konosuba: God’s Blessing On This Wonderful World! is one of the best comical anime series in the isekai genre.
Kazuma Satou is transported to a fantasy realm infused with MMORPG (multiplayer online role-playing game) features after his death. There, he assembles an eccentric adventuring party comprising a goddess, an archwizard and a crusader, each with their quirks and flaws.
13. The Devil is a Part-Timer!
IMDb rating: 7.5/10
Director: Naoto Hosoda
Voice cast: Yôko Hikasa, Jessie James Grelle, Tia Lynn Ballard
Number of seasons: 2
Based on a manga: Yes
As the name suggests, The Devil is a Part-Timer is quite literally about a devil who is working part-time at a fast food restaurant, creating a laugh riot throughout.
When satan lands in present-day Tokyo, Japan, he somehow loses his supernatural powers to return to his original world. Lacking any practical skills, he is compelled to earn a living by flipping burgers at a fast food chain.
14. The Way of the Househusband
IMDb rating: 7.3/10
Director: Chiaki Kon
Voice cast: Kenjirô Tsuda, Shizuka Itou, Kazuyuki Okitsu
Number of seasons: 1
Based on a manga: Yes
The Way of the Househusband is yet another hilarious anime series, where a gangster leaves his criminal past behind to work as a stay-at-home homemaker.
Tatsu, a notorious and dreaded yakuza leader known as the Immortal Dragon, leaves his criminal past to support his kyariaūman wife, Miku. This comedy anime series comprises separate episodes, each portraying comical situations. These situations often revolve around the stark contrast between Tatsu’s ordinary domestic duties as a stay-at-home husband and his intimidating personality and appearance. He frequently encounters former yakuza acquaintances and rivals, leading to humorous confrontations and scenarios.
15. Uncle from Another World
IMDb rating: 7.3/10
Director: Shigeki Kawai
Voice cast: Takehito Koyasu, Jun Fukuyama, Feodor Chin
Number of seasons: 1
Based on a manga: Yes
Uncle from Another World is another classic example of a series revolving around an individual acquiring magical abilities and transporting to a different universe or alternate reality. While this genre tends to be a bit more serious, this show takes a comical approach.
In modern-day Japan, Takafumi Takaoka retrieves his uncle who has just come out from a 17-year-long coma following a truck accident. Surprisingly, the uncle demonstrates proficiency in casting magical spells and reveals that he was transported to an alternate realm. Takafumi invites his uncle to reside with him and together with his childhood friend, Sumika Fujimiya, he assists the uncle to adapt to modern society, all the while witnessing his recollections of the otherworldly realm.
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(Hero and feature image credit: IMDb)
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
– Which is the best comedy anime series of all time?
Gintama, Grand Blue Dreaming, A Salad Bowl of Eccentrics and Uncle from Another World are some of the best anime series.
– Which is the best comedy anime series available to watch on Netflix?
Kotaro Live Alone, The Way of the Househusband and Spy x Family are some of the best comedy anime series available to watch on Netflix.
