What is your go-to Anime whenever you want to feel cozy and warm inside? I loved Toradora back in the day, and I am trying to find other anime like it. I also watched Golden Time and Horimiya, and they were both good as well!
Barakamon. Super cozy story of a man moving to a small island and learning/improving while interacting with the locals (and a bit of a rascal child). Great series. I’ve rewatched it several times.
The iyashikei sub-genre has always been a hard one to properly define. And there are plenty of debates whether a series belongs to it or not. But there is one thing that everyone can agree on for why their pick needs to be in there: because it makes them feel MAX COMFY.
So, I’d also like to recommend:
- Otaku Elf - cute shrine maiden antics. Elves are there in the real world. Why? It doesn’t matter!
- Flying Witch - everyday magic. No stakes, no pressure, just day-to-day happenings and witches and magic just happen to be real.
For me Nichijou, Hyouka
- Hidamari Sketch
- Lucky Star
- Non Non Biyori
- Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou
- Gochuumon wa Usagi desuka?
- Tanaka kun wa Itsumo Kedaruge
Hidamari Sketch is very underrated and is much less well known than it’s contemporaries like Lucky Star, but it’s basically the comfiest thing ever. Any CGDCT/SOL could work for this (Nichijou, Yuyushiki, Kiniro Mozaiku, K-ON!, …) but I specifically chose shows with a slower tempo.
Came here to say hidmari sketch if no one else had. But to add a lil more; the anime is created by shaft my OG favorite studio. They’re the makers of: bakemonogatari, modoka, 3 gatsu(march comes in like a lion), kino no tabi movie, maria+holic and some others that are popular but i didnt care for like sensie negima, nisekoi, and dance in the vampires bund.
I have been watching Sayonara Zetsubou sensei lately. Also Pani Poni Dash! is an interesting watch.
As someone already mentioned Mushishi; Natsume Yuujinchou is just so soft! I don’t know how else to explain it.
I am old, so 2000s Fruits Basket, as well, mostly, as I actually finished it. I’m really attached to Ritsuko Okazaki’s score. I haven’t finished the recent series, but the 7 or so eps I’ve seen, made me super happy, as I wanted a series that adapted the full manga, and it nailed a lot of what I remembered.
OK, one more, as rereading your post reminded me of another romance series: Wotakoi! Sadly a short anime, but the manga has good feels, too.