That became a trope because it was easier to animate. They didnt have to worry about having to render more people in frame. It also helped to show the boredom of going to school.
It's peaceful. It's so different from many other UA-cam channels that try to be loud, constantly happy, and otherwise energetic. There is a time and place for that, but that is not all the time.
I was really looking forward to this video, because Slice of Life is, I would say, my favorite genre of Anime. And now, thanks to you, I really know why. You found the right words to describe my feelings, while and after watching the different shows. As you said, it helps me to understand my own reality and life itself. Thanks for this!
beyond ghibli never disappoints, the intro is good by itself but knowing this channel of course it'll be more than just explaining slice of life as a genre in anime thank you so much for this upload!
Hi there your comments are wonderful 👌, I don't think we know each other here on UA-cam, I'm so sorry for invading into your privacy but if you don't mind I would really love to know more about you.
i've been hyping Silver Spoon for so long and no one i know has ever pressed to finish it because i guess it's too relaxed for them. but i have no one to talk to about how good it was... AND i feel so validated rn ty!!!!
Another great effort and it really paid off. I love Silver Spoon so thanks for reminding me that I need to go rewatch that one. I love slice of life and I think it's wildly underappreciated. I also love that you recommended shows that weren't just those bubbly little girls, there's so much more out there! I wonder if you'd ever do a director study for one slice of life director!
Holy shit dude. You really nailed this one, honestly great job overall I came across you only a few weeks ago but your essays and content as a whole are just great. Keep it up, don't lose the passion!
I stumbled upon March Comes in Like a Lion at the very beginning of the pandemic, and that show cracked my "top anime ever " list that is usually taken up with things like Bebop, Champaloo, Black Lagoon, and similar shows. Slice of life is like a good YA novel. It has a way of digging into you and not letting you go until you're finished.
I love K-on! it's one of my very first animes that I watched without subtitles for some time before I knew that other people also watched and loved Japanese anime! I watched the film when I was in college. I will be watching "sound! euphonium" for sure!!
I absolutely adore slice of life anime. They just feel so human, a celebration of the day to day, a celebration of life. They are not all happy and upbeat some can be quite thought provoking and dark, but all of them route themselves in the human experience in a way no other media does.
Slice of Life genre is my new found favorite. Built to hopefully be relatable to any viewer/reader. But I have to say, Sound Euphonium takes the top for me. The music is incredible.
Absolutely fantastic Joe! The middle part about Hibike Euphonium made me remember all the feelings that the show provoked in me when I first watched it. The relationship between Kumiko and Reina is one of the most unique, special and emotional relationships I've ever seen develop in a TV show, ever. Those two by themselves only, made me want to rush and hit the "next episode" button, and continue learning about how they would progress as friends, or as best friends, or as whatever was going on. It just was so interesting, yet felt so natural and akward and erratic at the same time, it felt human. I would have loved that you talked a bit about how good Kumiko's VA (Tomoyo Kurosawa) is, but I guess that doesn't fit in the scope of this video. However, the show is not brought down by the rest of the cast in any way, as they all have their own unique personalities and problems (that somehow end up going through Kumiko haha), which allows us to never get bored of the shiny duo. Barakamon was great too :) Other than that, I was amazed about the other two shows you showed, and I've written them down to watch them in the future. Genshiken in particular has sparked my interest! Good job again!
As a lover of anime who posts my own (short, written) reviews on anime on social media, I can't believe I have only just discovered your channel with its rich, nuanced, and moving explorations of anime as a form and of specific anime features and series. Thank-you for your beautiful reflections, insights, and affirmations. And this particular exploration of "slice of life" anime - one that gives anime lovers a tribe to which they can belong, where they previously thought themselves alone in the world - is especially relevant and welcome.
With so many of my favourite shows in the intro, I was so surprised that the 3 you focused on were the ones I've been putting off for the longest time (especially silver spoon!). Thanks for the motivation, I'm going to definitely start on silver spoon next!
thank you so much for making this video. you truly have put everything i feel about slice of life into the best words possible. for years, i felt suppressed and low and i always tried to find my escapism through anime, but i could never quite find the right ones till i finally landed on this video. i feel like as a girl, i should be better at expressing my feelings and thoughts, but it's as if that part of me was not nurtured enough when i was young. and when i heard how delicately and sensitively you made your points about slice of life even though you are a guy, it was really interesting to see how not all males are emotionally detached, and some are very tuned in with their thoughts and ideas and are very expressive. thank you for giving me a chance to unwind and just shed a tear while i tackle my busy life through my last year of high school.
I love Silver Spoon!! Just watched it a month ago and it easily became my 5th fav anime out of ~350 animes I've watched. Yuugo Hachiken and Aki Mikage's relationship is just great, I love how they compliment each other's weak spots. While other animes have grand and big premises, this anime tackles mundane and simple things as its topic. It didn't rely on breath-taking animations or cutesy anime characters but rather on its well-paced storyline, relevant plot, and well written characters (which I love). I played the anime as a background sound whenever I'm doing for like 2-3 weeks after I watched it just because I so much loved it, the last time I fell in love with anime this much was a few years ago when I watched Violet Evergarden back in 2018/2019.
Currently on a binge of this channel. Great analysis, wonderful movies, and quite possibly the most relaxing narration I've ever heard. I'd love to hear you do some videos on Satoshi Kon, particularly Millennium Actress. Cheers!
This is the kind of content I like to see. Your calm voice really does justice to the genre you're talking about. Great video, keep it up! P.S.: "The Girl Who Fell from the Sky" would indeed make a perfect ringtone as seen in one of the clips and I haven't realized that before
Beyond Ghibli never disappoints. You give vioce to feelings i can't usually describe. Thank you. Its also great to see all of my favourite anime discussed here.
Between you and Polyphonic, you are two of the most professional content made for/on youtube, and both of you guys deserve SUCH a bigger demographic viewing your content.
@@zam6877 Well, Genshiken is a manga where the Kujibiki Unbalance manga came out and had an anime adaptation. Therefore, that opening is from the adaptation of a manga in an anime that is an adaptation of a manga where is this manga that was adapted into anime. I don't even know if I said it right
A place to switch off from a normal day in life. It's just heartwarming. This is the first video i saw from you. I was really upset before clicking on this video but now, now i'm calm and kinda happy. Great video!
To anybody who feels nostalgic toward a particular Slice of Life anime (or any anime, really), be sure to see if there's a manga that came before it, and try giving that a shot. Back in the '00s, my friends and I really got into the anime adaptation of Honey & Clover, but it took me about a decade to finally sample the manga and learn that it has twice as much content and feels more at home in that slower, purer art style. Discovering that I could relive something beloved but now have twice as much of it felt like such an existential gift. Maybe anyone reading this message can find a gift of their own, too... ^‿^
The editing is phenomenal. I loved the clever transitions between the ends of the music, and how you managed to talk about one anime per song without compressing any of your thoughts. Your calm voice and profound Ideas are really calming.
I've been a fan of anime for more than 30 years....since I was a kid There's sci-fi like Akira, fantasy like the classic Spirited Away and horror etc but my favorite is slice of life with some fantasy. I'm eternally grateful for Studio Ghibli ❤️
just the scene of reina playing the trumpet across the school grounds made me tear up gdi and then my eyes just wouldn't go dry again reeee I love the video. great job
I'm 3 minutes in, and I've already learned so much. Sometimes there are Japanese films that make me think "why the hell is this like this?". Like recently, I saw Mirai and was so confused; it's mythological, and thematically big, but it's a tiny story, with tiny stakes, and not much structure. I don't know what you're about to go on to say, but I would like to mention that Japanese horror is usually about the smallest thing possible; family life.
I'm sort of new to your channel and I now this isn't your newest video but how you talk in this video is so raw, real and beautiful that I keep coming back to this video to shed a few bittersweet tears every now and then keep up the incredible work
I never thought I'd find someone who appreciate so much the SoL Genre as much as i do. The video is beautiful and your experience with this genre is really interesting. I'll watch the shows you talk about.
Listening this at almost 3 am, when all Is Quiet and the world sleeps. This moment Is my slice of life. And everything that has bring me here, to this awesome video, about just a moment, a moment of our lifes.
Awesome vid, glad to see Genshiken got the attention it deserves. It is an awesome show, and you really reminded me that it is time to rewatch it for the 3rd time.
This video made me have a realization. I very much like action packed, fantasy, adventure genres of anime. But honestly my favorites have always been the, what I now know as, Slice of life anime. All Studio Ghibli movies, coming of age, sad/emotional stuff, all touch me in some way. I always enjoy the moments in any anime when things just slow down for a bit. I could never really put my finger on what that was before how, but slice of life captures that perfectly
You don't have to appologize for time between releases if there all THIS level of quality. Your one of the few UA-cam channels in genuinely excited to watch. Keep up the good work!
i'm listening to as many of these during work and the narrator's voice is so soothing and easy to listen to. i've listened to recently released videos as well, but i wanted to take the time to say thank you so much.
Genshiken was exceptional! I watched it arguably way too early in my first year of high school and fell in love. It had such strong resonance with my own love of formerly marginalised anime and manga culture. Though I had many "superficial friends", I also had a very small group of friends who shared my interests and together, we would proudly walk from class to class displaying our colourful smut/yaoi/yuri manga on the top of our book piles (they were in Japanese so only one teacher knew what we were really reading ;D). I loved being myself around them and feeling as although we shared interests that were weird, they allowed us to be our authentic selves and find acceptance in that. As an aside, your voice is always so heavenly... Please narrate my life. lol XD
Hi there your comments are wonderful 👌, I don't think we know each other here on UA-cam, I'm so sorry for invading into your privacy but if you don't mind I would really love to know more about you.
I just happened upon this video which I hadn't seen, Joe, only to be amazed again! It was wonderful having you analyze the topic of Slice of Life through three of the series I personally love as well (especially Gin no Saji) ! Many kudos to you my friend...
I swear to god, the moment the Genshiken theme song started playing, a *huge* smile spread across my face. That pretty much sold me on this video instantaneously. I've been watching your stuff as background while I work on my senior thesis (animation major, yeet!) and it's been both entertaining and inspiring. Thank you very much!
I still not watch Genshiken but you makes me cry while explaining it. Because I can relate to it too much. 😭😭😭 Edit: To be honest I still didn't watch all the Anime you mentioned here. But I'm very excited to watch Silver Spoon because I already downloaded it and Genshiken because I want to know how much awesome it really is for us Anime lovers. ☺️😘
First video I've watched from this channel and immediately subscribed! Thanks for the eloquent breakdown of my favourite genre! I always thought slice of life was closer to reality because it portrayed everyday life rather than dramatic stories, but this was a refreshing look at how it can be watched as escapism.
Watching your videos feels weird, in a good way. Your voice triggers thought in my head and while my conciousness drifts off I still manage to absorb the message you're trying to convey and the will to watch the animes you recommend! It is a very unique experience that makes me wish you uploaded more often without losing any quality. Your writing is soothing and the voice that echoes it is golden!!
one of my fav slice of life anime is marmalade boy. It really showcased the melodrama of high school dating, and how complicated relationships can be. And showcases that you can't control who you fall in love with. And how family dynamic can shape who we are both good and bad.
Don't know if you're going to read this, but I think this video would go GREAT in a discussion about slice of life games, which are a bit rare. Animal Crossing, for example, I think perfectly fits in all the themes you talked about. It really is a slice of every day existence.
I love slice of life. It's a genre that just like you said watching a story of someone who can be relatable or completely living in a different world. For example I really like ocean waves it's a slice of life ghibli although I've never related to any other the characters it still felt nostalgic but the type of nostalgia that you never experienced I'm pretty sure theirs a name for that I think it's called anemoia a sense of longing for something you never experienced in the past. It just show how different we all are but in the same time how much we're alike.
I never realized how much is encompassed by the slice of life genre. Silver spoon is one of my favorite animes, i didn't even think it was slice of life. But i guess it makes sense.
Half way through the video, I've gotta say, this is the most touching video I've seen here Beyond. Gotta watch these Slices. Thanks alot BeyondGhibli !
I just wanna say that I really appreciate your videos and your content! Your input about a lot of these shows and movies are truly eye opening and a joy to listen to! Thank you!
Such an enjoyable and thoughtful video as always, thanks! Clannad/After Story was a great inspiration for me. It was painfully real, which made it so believeable how the characters could enjoy a simple life with neither glamour nor fantasy.
I loved how clear and concise this piece talked about something I love so dearly and often struggle to explain and this defend. For example, several times I found myself incoluntarily shouting "YES BITCH" and smacking the table hard enough to upset my drink (because Hibike and Silver Spoon are my faves). Thanks for making this!
Hm. I wonder if there's an option to love a video. Your careful articulation of the slice of life genre has unlocked a strange door within myself. Thank you.
Wow, just wow. Gotta say your content is amazing. You might just be my favourite anime channel on UA-cam, probably are. You described perfectly everything about slice of life and how they endear themselves to us, and as a lover of slice of life, it was just so nice that someone could put that feeling into words. Also loved how you said that slice of life is the purest form of escapism, really put things into perspective especially since a good friend of mine said he didn't like slice of life because he wanted "escapism, not more life". Amazing, keep it up!
Beautiful as always, nichijou and clannad are two of my earliest ventures into anime so slice of life always will be special to me and getting a little more insight into it is great.
I genuinely have an unhealthy obsession of analysing slice of life animes. Analysing how some moe anime girl handles loneliness through a stern but willing demeanour really helps me appreciate certain shows more than I already do and also help me deal with my own problems in life
The wait for this video was worth it ❤️ I have discovered another gem to watch, Thanks to you! And the way you present your video essays, beautiful and deep. Like I said, you have the best anime-based channel out of the rest on UA-cam. Please just keep making these videos. You have our support!
dont remember how i found your channel but, thanks for making these. you come across well versed and you take the time and effort in each vod. they feel like mini docs on anime and its something id feel comfortable showing to people who dont watch or only reference SG when talking about anime.
I just got an ad for an upcoming anime movie (Liz and the Blue Bird) without having to go through a Facebook ad or aninews site. This makes me feel like the future has arrived.
Another fantastic video from you, good sir! You really put a lot of passion and effort int your videos, and you have become one of my favorite UA-camrs right now!
It didn't seem like it at the time, but I guess I was lucky to have the weird nerdy friends that I did. In the late 80s we started going to comic book conventions, where I felt even more out of place being female. I was already a big fan of Starblazers, Robotech, Voltron and Battle of the Planets from when I was a kid. We started seeing tables full of white label VHS tapes, and bought anime bootlegged off Japanese laserdisks that way. At first they were not subbed or dubbed, we just watched them for the visual beauty & tried to figure out what was going on. I still remember the first three tapes I ever bought - Mani Mani, Robot Carnival and of course Akira. I was also into collecting Godaikin robots and Gundam and kaiju vinyl models, and sci fi conventions were a good way of getting that stuff. I lived 45 minutes by train from Manhattan, so my friends & I made regular trips there searching out anything Japanese, and being a port city, lots of good stuff was always flowing in straight from Japan. I remember when _Otaku No Video_ came out and we watched it, all looking at each other and being like, "are we...'okatu?'" We went to all the arcades and went home and played video games, watched anime, read comic books & manga and assembled models. I spent every dollar besides gas and junk food on that stuff. If you told me back then that anime would ever be as huge as it is in America as now, I never would have believed you, not in a million years. I'm 51 years old now and I love all that stuff the same as I ever did. My friends have all moved away and my husband just kind of puts up with my robot collection. I have a harder time relating to modern anime and often find myself going back to the older stuff to rewatch rather than get into something new. But there are good series, it just takes me awhile to figure out. Sometimes to me it seems like anime has oversaturated things and I actually find it difficult to relate to younger people into it nowadays. I probably sound like a know-it-all and people usually assume I'm a 15 year old boy, so I just don't really bother socializing online with anyone into anime unless I find someone closer to my age. I kinda feel like a relic, and to be honest, it's quite lonely.
I think most people are first introduced to anime from action series’. Then, as time passes, people mature and get older, and find that the fast paced shows they watched since childhood are missing something, and I think a lot of people find that “something” in SOL anime. In many ways, it’s the antithesis of action shows with a slower pace, and hardly any action at all. SOL shows that you don’t need any type of spectacle to make a good show.
So looking forward to Kumiko's third year as President of the Band. And thank you for the clips from Yuru Camp and Non Non Biyori and the others as well.
You know what had a strangely slice of life feel to it? The original season of Ranma 1/2. especially the filler scenes that focused on Akane's b-story more so than the original manga. As the first uncut anime I ever saw, all the way back in 1996, those moments struck me as odder than the magical transformations--there's an extended sequence of Akane and Ranma eating burgers and throwing wrappers at the trashcan, with elaborate shot compositions (a POV shot of Akane looking at her lap, another from behind one of the missed wrappers while Akane walks to it, bends down to pick it up, stands up, and then returns to her seat) and minimal cuts--but it also granted the show a grounded, palpable weight that was missing from pretty much every other animated show I had seen at the time, even the likes of BTAS. It was that portrayal of mundane, everyday life (in a show about a boy than can transform into a girl by being splashed with water), the audacity of shooting a scene as if it was live action, that initially hooked me on the medium of anime (it was not the only type I enjoyed, but it had an outsized influence on my tastes in anime, to the point that I've at times been too dismissive of more exaggerated and kinetic styles of anime like Studio Trigger's output, Yuasa's movies, and the bulk of battle shonen anime).
When I talk about anime with people, they often bring up the heavy action centered shows and bash slice of life. I think they miss the value in it, the value in feeling. Yes and action packed show can provoke emotions and feelings, but not in the same way slice of life can. My opinion might be slightly biased due to slice of life being the type of anime I typically watch, but it's made me feel things about my life that I hadn't really felt before. It's also made me remember feelings I had forgotten. Perhaps the best example of this is Yuru camp. Yuru camp is a show about highschool girls going out and experiencing the world of camping in Japan with varying levels of experience from each of the girls. While watching it as the characters experienced certain moments in camping, it reminded me of my own. I go camping semi frequently with my family and have since I was little. It encapsulates the feeling if waking up early to get to a campsite, the occasional long journey to get to your destination, the quiet before falling asleep, the cold mornings and nights, and perhaps my favorite the cooking and the fun. Every time I watch it I feel like going camping, I want to have those experiences again. I think if I ever get the opportunity, I'll go camping in Japan and try to visit the places the girls do and eat the food they eat. Another cool thing is how far based in reality the show and manga are. The staff at the places the girls visit are almost all real people you can meet at the places they work at. It's really cool to me how much detail goes into it. I think I'll watch the seasons that are out again soon, I'm still waiting on the subbed version of the movie to come out on the streaming services I use.
I don't know what it is about your videos, it could be your voice, your way with words, or maybe your editing technique, but I get quite emotional while watching them. It's like spending time with a close friend, or looking through a photo album from your childhood. I'm not entirely sure it is what you're doing but please keep it up.
Slice of life is my absolute favorite anime genre... In a strange way, the characters I met on slice of life's and slice of life dramas always stuck with me. Undoubtedly, characters from other genres are memorable, but I feel like I know the characters from these more mellow, realistic anime's.
Simply one of the best Voices on the Internet. So soothing and warm. Content was great too, love the Genre. P.S. Maybe you should think about making a Podcast as well. :-)
I'm brand new to anime & manga, only starting to watch it since late May of this year (2019). I didn't know anything about either art form prior to watching Haganai after becoming captivated by a fan art picture of Sena I found on Pinterest one day. I had only heard the rumors that Japan had been using animation for serious, "adult" purposes for decades, but had always been put off by the misconception that anime (I had never even heard of manga, yet) was nothing but robot sci-fi shows & weird porn. It didn't take long to clear up that lie! After being completely emotionally blasted and intellectually overcome by such shows as Haganai, Shuffle!, Rascal Does Not Dream of a Bunny Girl, & The Pet Girl of Sakurasou, I stumbled over Your Name and A Silent Voice, & now am hooked for life. I am constantly elated & devastated by the raw, unrelenting power of the absolutely breath-taking animation; smart, often mind-bending stories; & pure escapism of anime & manga. Thank you, Mr. O'Connell, for your brilliant synopses of this wonderful, but overwhelming & misunderstood art form. I find that your commentary on anime is as enlightening & refreshing as the anime you discuss & I look fwd to experiencing each new show & movie as you introduce them to me. Keep up the good work!
You put some Slice movies from Ghibli in the opening montage-"From Up On Poppy Hill", "I Can Hear the Ocean" and "Omoide Poroporo"--and I was hoping for a mention of my fav anime of all time, "Whisper of the Heart". But your choices are excellent. As a classical music announcer for years, I now want to see "Sound! Euphonium".
Idk if I'd call Whisper of the Heart Slice of Life. It is a great movie, but it's about working hard toward your greatest goal and getting inspiration from the small moments. It is literally about working hard at a career and the stresses of deciding your future-the opposite of Slice of Life, which revels in the now.
Is time to sit in the last chair in the classroom next to the window and watch the distance.
That used to be me. Sit next to the window and day dreaming while looking outside
@@sailorfan86 me too! when we had windows, that is. it was still the back corner whenever possible, though.
my high school didn't have windows in 90% of the classrooms but if it did I'm sure that would have been me
ok raizel! ;)
That became a trope because it was easier to animate. They didnt have to worry about having to render more people in frame. It also helped to show the boredom of going to school.
listening to your voice is like receiving a warm hug \^_^/
AdaraTheShallot So true!
It's peaceful. It's so different from many other UA-cam channels that try to be loud, constantly happy, and otherwise energetic. There is a time and place for that, but that is not all the time.
Bless him!
i agree
I was really looking forward to this video, because Slice of Life is, I would say, my favorite genre of Anime. And now, thanks to you, I really know why. You found the right words to describe my feelings, while and after watching the different shows. As you said, it helps me to understand my own reality and life itself. Thanks for this!
March comes in like a lion and Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinju are two of my favorites in recent years.
It depends on my mood tbh lol
"An Exploration of Slice of Life"
if you ask me its more like a love letter to slice of life
"And whether a pornographic parody captured the essence of what it was defiling." My favourite quote from this :D
beyond ghibli never disappoints, the intro is good by itself but knowing this channel of course it'll be more than just explaining slice of life as a genre in anime thank you so much for this upload!
I loved Clannad and Clannad after story, but I just can't watch them again. The stories are too heart breaking.
Anyone know what the intro song is? It's so calming
Hi there your comments are wonderful 👌, I don't think we know each other here on UA-cam, I'm so sorry for invading into your privacy but if you don't mind I would really love to know more about you.
i've been hyping Silver Spoon for so long and no one i know has ever pressed to finish it because i guess it's too relaxed for them.
but i have no one to talk to about how good it was... AND i feel so validated rn ty!!!!
TIL that I'm still not over "Sound! Euphonium". I was fighting back tears for the entire section.
Another great effort and it really paid off. I love Silver Spoon so thanks for reminding me that I need to go rewatch that one. I love slice of life and I think it's wildly underappreciated. I also love that you recommended shows that weren't just those bubbly little girls, there's so much more out there! I wonder if you'd ever do a director study for one slice of life director!
Holy shit dude. You really nailed this one, honestly great job overall I came across you only a few weeks ago but your essays and content as a whole are just great. Keep it up, don't lose the passion!
I stumbled upon March Comes in Like a Lion at the very beginning of the pandemic, and that show cracked my "top anime ever " list that is usually taken up with things like Bebop, Champaloo, Black Lagoon, and similar shows. Slice of life is like a good YA novel. It has a way of digging into you and not letting you go until you're finished.
I love K-on! it's one of my very first animes that I watched without subtitles for some time before I knew that other people also watched and loved Japanese anime! I watched the film when I was in college. I will be watching "sound! euphonium" for sure!!
I absolutely adore slice of life anime. They just feel so human, a celebration of the day to day, a celebration of life. They are not all happy and upbeat some can be quite thought provoking and dark, but all of them route themselves in the human experience in a way no other media does.
Slice of Life genre is my new found favorite. Built to hopefully be relatable to any viewer/reader. But I have to say, Sound Euphonium takes the top for me. The music is incredible.
One of my favorite animes ever is Honey & Clover. Go watch it guys, it’s a great slice of life.
it its
Yeah it is. ☺️
That 1st episode was amazing if you know what I mean
Absolutely fantastic Joe! The middle part about Hibike Euphonium made me remember all the feelings that the show provoked in me when I first watched it. The relationship between Kumiko and Reina is one of the most unique, special and emotional relationships I've ever seen develop in a TV show, ever. Those two by themselves only, made me want to rush and hit the "next episode" button, and continue learning about how they would progress as friends, or as best friends, or as whatever was going on. It just was so interesting, yet felt so natural and akward and erratic at the same time, it felt human. I would have loved that you talked a bit about how good Kumiko's VA (Tomoyo Kurosawa) is, but I guess that doesn't fit in the scope of this video. However, the show is not brought down by the rest of the cast in any way, as they all have their own unique personalities and problems (that somehow end up going through Kumiko haha), which allows us to never get bored of the shiny duo.
Barakamon was great too :)
Other than that, I was amazed about the other two shows you showed, and I've written them down to watch them in the future. Genshiken in particular has sparked my interest!
Good job again!
Totally agree with you! Just reading this made want to go watch hibike once again. Like I just have to do it right now
As a lover of anime who posts my own (short, written) reviews on anime on social media, I can't believe I have only just discovered your channel with its rich, nuanced, and moving explorations of anime as a form and of specific anime features and series. Thank-you for your beautiful reflections, insights, and affirmations. And this particular exploration of "slice of life" anime - one that gives anime lovers a tribe to which they can belong, where they previously thought themselves alone in the world - is especially relevant and welcome.
With so many of my favourite shows in the intro, I was so surprised that the 3 you focused on were the ones I've been putting off for the longest time (especially silver spoon!). Thanks for the motivation, I'm going to definitely start on silver spoon next!
thank you so much for making this video. you truly have put everything i feel about slice of life into the best words possible. for years, i felt suppressed and low and i always tried to find my escapism through anime, but i could never quite find the right ones till i finally landed on this video. i feel like as a girl, i should be better at expressing my feelings and thoughts, but it's as if that part of me was not nurtured enough when i was young. and when i heard how delicately and sensitively you made your points about slice of life even though you are a guy, it was really interesting to see how not all males are emotionally detached, and some are very tuned in with their thoughts and ideas and are very expressive. thank you for giving me a chance to unwind and just shed a tear while i tackle my busy life through my last year of high school.
I love Silver Spoon!! Just watched it a month ago and it easily became my 5th fav anime out of ~350 animes I've watched. Yuugo Hachiken and Aki Mikage's relationship is just great, I love how they compliment each other's weak spots. While other animes have grand and big premises, this anime tackles mundane and simple things as its topic. It didn't rely on breath-taking animations or cutesy anime characters but rather on its well-paced storyline, relevant plot, and well written characters (which I love). I played the anime as a background sound whenever I'm doing for like 2-3 weeks after I watched it just because I so much loved it, the last time I fell in love with anime this much was a few years ago when I watched Violet Evergarden back in 2018/2019.
Currently on a binge of this channel. Great analysis, wonderful movies, and quite possibly the most relaxing narration I've ever heard. I'd love to hear you do some videos on Satoshi Kon, particularly Millennium Actress. Cheers!
This is the kind of content I like to see. Your calm voice really does justice to the genre you're talking about. Great video, keep it up!
P.S.: "The Girl Who Fell from the Sky" would indeed make a perfect ringtone as seen in one of the clips and I haven't realized that before
Beyond Ghibli never disappoints. You give vioce to feelings i can't usually describe. Thank you. Its also great to see all of my favourite anime discussed here.
you voice is such a relaxing tenor and tone that goes along with the comfy tones of the material please...never stop
Between you and Polyphonic, you are two of the most professional content made for/on youtube, and both of you guys deserve SUCH a bigger demographic viewing your content.
Silver spoon is my favorite anime of all time it is amazing in my opinion, I enjoy it so much
I've never watched this type of anime, nor had any interest. The way you explain it changes my mind. I'm open to it now. I appreciate your passion.
Genshiken is a masterpiece in anime and manga. Recently, Spotted Flower has exploded my mind in good and bad ways at the same time.
Did Genshiken get a second season? Because it needs one
Has Ovas, Second season (Genshiken 2), and third season (Genshimen nidaime)
I checked out Spotted Flower on MAL, and the one review on there is putting it on blast. What do you say? Should I give it a read?
The anime within a anime with its own opening song was itself impressive
@@zam6877 Well, Genshiken is a manga where the Kujibiki Unbalance manga came out and had an anime adaptation. Therefore, that opening is from the adaptation of a manga in an anime that is an adaptation of a manga where is this manga that was adapted into anime.
I don't even know if I said it right
A place to switch off from a normal day in life. It's just heartwarming. This is the first video i saw from you. I was really upset before clicking on this video but now, now i'm calm and kinda happy. Great video!
Hey wanted to say thank you for being open and honest, also you made me cry with how you talked about Sound! Euphonium Thanks again!!!
Me too ;_;
My favorite slice of life has to be March Comes In Like a Lion
Your voice is nice. Like an old teacher explaining with patience and kind. Thank you.
To anybody who feels nostalgic toward a particular Slice of Life anime (or any anime, really), be sure to see if there's a manga that came before it, and try giving that a shot. Back in the '00s, my friends and I really got into the anime adaptation of Honey & Clover, but it took me about a decade to finally sample the manga and learn that it has twice as much content and feels more at home in that slower, purer art style. Discovering that I could relive something beloved but now have twice as much of it felt like such an existential gift. Maybe anyone reading this message can find a gift of their own, too... ^‿^
The editing is phenomenal. I loved the clever transitions between the ends of the music, and how you managed to talk about one anime per song without compressing any of your thoughts. Your calm voice and profound Ideas are really calming.
I've been a fan of anime for more than 30 years....since I was a kid
There's sci-fi like Akira, fantasy like the classic Spirited Away and horror etc but my favorite is slice of life with some fantasy. I'm eternally grateful for Studio Ghibli ❤️
just the scene of reina playing the trumpet across the school grounds made me tear up gdi
and then my eyes just wouldn't go dry again reeee
I love the video. great job
I'm 3 minutes in, and I've already learned so much. Sometimes there are Japanese films that make me think "why the hell is this like this?". Like recently, I saw Mirai and was so confused; it's mythological, and thematically big, but it's a tiny story, with tiny stakes, and not much structure.
I don't know what you're about to go on to say, but I would like to mention that Japanese horror is usually about the smallest thing possible; family life.
My Autobiography A Fanfic Mirai is so good. It beats my neighbor totoro in my opinion.
I'm sort of new to your channel and I now this isn't your newest video but how you talk in this video is so raw, real and beautiful that I keep coming back to this video to shed a few bittersweet tears every now and then keep up the incredible work
I never thought I'd find someone who appreciate so much the SoL Genre as much as i do.
The video is beautiful and your experience with this genre is really interesting.
I'll watch the shows you talk about.
Listening this at almost 3 am, when all Is Quiet and the world sleeps. This moment Is my slice of life. And everything that has bring me here, to this awesome video, about just a moment, a moment of our lifes.
Awesome vid, glad to see Genshiken got the attention it deserves. It is an awesome show, and you really reminded me that it is time to rewatch it for the 3rd time.
GHOSH A GUY MAKING A MASTERPIECE WHILE TALKING ABOUT MASTERPIECES. WAT BETTER WAY TO RESPECT AND HONOUR THE MASTERPIECES TALKED ABOUT? 🙂
This video made me have a realization. I very much like action packed, fantasy, adventure genres of anime. But honestly my favorites have always been the, what I now know as, Slice of life anime.
All Studio Ghibli movies, coming of age, sad/emotional stuff, all touch me in some way. I always enjoy the moments in any anime when things just slow down for a bit.
I could never really put my finger on what that was before how, but slice of life captures that perfectly
You don't have to appologize for time between releases if there all THIS level of quality. Your one of the few UA-cam channels in genuinely excited to watch. Keep up the good work!
no matter which video it is, it always hits the spot
i'm listening to as many of these during work and the narrator's voice is so soothing and easy to listen to. i've listened to recently released videos as well, but i wanted to take the time to say thank you so much.
Genshiken was exceptional! I watched it arguably way too early in my first year of high school and fell in love. It had such strong resonance with my own love of formerly marginalised anime and manga culture. Though I had many "superficial friends", I also had a very small group of friends who shared my interests and together, we would proudly walk from class to class displaying our colourful smut/yaoi/yuri manga on the top of our book piles (they were in Japanese so only one teacher knew what we were really reading ;D). I loved being myself around them and feeling as although we shared interests that were weird, they allowed us to be our authentic selves and find acceptance in that.
As an aside, your voice is always so heavenly...
Please narrate my life. lol XD
Hi there your comments are wonderful 👌, I don't think we know each other here on UA-cam, I'm so sorry for invading into your privacy but if you don't mind I would really love to know more about you.
I just happened upon this video which I hadn't seen, Joe, only to be amazed again! It was wonderful having you analyze the topic of Slice of Life through three of the series I personally love as well (especially Gin no Saji) ! Many kudos to you my friend...
I swear to god, the moment the Genshiken theme song started playing, a *huge* smile spread across my face. That pretty much sold me on this video instantaneously. I've been watching your stuff as background while I work on my senior thesis (animation major, yeet!) and it's been both entertaining and inspiring. Thank you very much!
Best definition of Slice of Life EVER:
"Hmm... Like nothing actually happens, but that's what so great about it?" - Marin, My Dress-up Darling
I still not watch Genshiken but you makes me cry while explaining it. Because I can relate to it too much. 😭😭😭
Edit: To be honest I still didn't watch all the Anime you mentioned here. But I'm very excited to watch Silver Spoon because I already downloaded it and Genshiken because I want to know how much awesome it really is for us Anime lovers. ☺️😘
Silver Spoon is basically an anime adaptation of Harvest Moon, and I love it!
First video I've watched from this channel and immediately subscribed! Thanks for the eloquent breakdown of my favourite genre! I always thought slice of life was closer to reality because it portrayed everyday life rather than dramatic stories, but this was a refreshing look at how it can be watched as escapism.
Watching your videos feels weird, in a good way. Your voice triggers thought in my head and while my conciousness drifts off I still manage to absorb the message you're trying to convey and the will to watch the animes you recommend! It is a very unique experience that makes me wish you uploaded more often without losing any quality. Your writing is soothing and the voice that echoes it is golden!!
one of my fav slice of life anime is marmalade boy. It really showcased the melodrama of high school dating, and how complicated relationships can be. And showcases that you can't control who you fall in love with. And how family dynamic can shape who we are both good and bad.
Don't know if you're going to read this, but I think this video would go GREAT in a discussion about slice of life games, which are a bit rare.
Animal Crossing, for example, I think perfectly fits in all the themes you talked about. It really is a slice of every day existence.
I love slice of life. It's a genre that just like you said watching a story of someone who can be relatable or completely living in a different world. For example I really like ocean waves it's a slice of life ghibli although I've never related to any other the characters it still felt nostalgic but the type of nostalgia that you never experienced I'm pretty sure theirs a name for that I think it's called anemoia a sense of longing for something you never experienced in the past. It just show how different we all are but in the same time how much we're alike.
I never realized how much is encompassed by the slice of life genre. Silver spoon is one of my favorite animes, i didn't even think it was slice of life. But i guess it makes sense.
Half way through the video, I've gotta say, this is the most touching video I've seen here Beyond. Gotta watch these Slices. Thanks alot BeyondGhibli !
I just wanna say that I really appreciate your videos and your content! Your input about a lot of these shows and movies are truly eye opening and a joy to listen to! Thank you!
You're incredible. Everytime I watch your videos I get some ghibli nostalgia even though it's not even about ghibli.. Very comfortable and calm voice.
just stumbled onto this video and it deserves soooo many more views this video was excellent
Thank u for the warm and plinky-plonky!! :D :P
Such an enjoyable and thoughtful video as always, thanks!
Clannad/After Story was a great inspiration for me. It was painfully real, which made it so believeable how the characters could enjoy a simple life with neither glamour nor fantasy.
a lot of people hate the first season, but without that first season, season 2 wouldn't have had the impact it had.
Wow I really want to check out Silver Spoon now thank you! Slice of life is becoming my favorite genre. It really does relax you!
I loved how clear and concise this piece talked about something I love so dearly and often struggle to explain and this defend. For example, several times I found myself incoluntarily shouting "YES BITCH" and smacking the table hard enough to upset my drink (because Hibike and Silver Spoon are my faves). Thanks for making this!
Hm. I wonder if there's an option to love a video. Your careful articulation of the slice of life genre has unlocked a strange door within myself. Thank you.
Wow, just wow. Gotta say your content is amazing. You might just be my favourite anime channel on UA-cam, probably are. You described perfectly everything about slice of life and how they endear themselves to us, and as a lover of slice of life, it was just so nice that someone could put that feeling into words. Also loved how you said that slice of life is the purest form of escapism, really put things into perspective especially since a good friend of mine said he didn't like slice of life because he wanted "escapism, not more life". Amazing, keep it up!
Thank you Abia! I'm so pleased you enjoyed this so much :)
@@BeyondGhibli wow thanks for the reply! I hope to see more of your content :)
Beautiful as always, nichijou and clannad are two of my earliest ventures into anime so slice of life always will be special to me and getting a little more insight into it is great.
I genuinely have an unhealthy obsession of analysing slice of life animes.
Analysing how some moe anime girl handles loneliness through a stern but willing demeanour really helps me appreciate certain shows more than I already do and also help me deal with my own problems in life
As always, this channel worth 1 million subscribers
The wait for this video was worth it ❤️
I have discovered another gem to watch, Thanks to you! And the way you present your video essays, beautiful and deep. Like I said, you have the best anime-based channel out of the rest on UA-cam. Please just keep making these videos. You have our support!
Dude I love what you said about Genshiken, that was beautiful
You've nailed another episode! Big thanks!
dont remember how i found your channel but, thanks for making these. you come across well versed and you take the time and effort in each vod. they feel like mini docs on anime and its something id feel comfortable showing to people who dont watch or only reference SG when talking about anime.
I wanted this video to never end
I just got an ad for an upcoming anime movie (Liz and the Blue Bird) without having to go through a Facebook ad or aninews site. This makes me feel like the future has arrived.
Another fantastic video from you, good sir! You really put a lot of passion and effort int your videos, and you have become one of my favorite UA-camrs right now!
It didn't seem like it at the time, but I guess I was lucky to have the weird nerdy friends that I did. In the late 80s we started going to comic book conventions, where I felt even more out of place being female. I was already a big fan of Starblazers, Robotech, Voltron and Battle of the Planets from when I was a kid. We started seeing tables full of white label VHS tapes, and bought anime bootlegged off Japanese laserdisks that way. At first they were not subbed or dubbed, we just watched them for the visual beauty & tried to figure out what was going on. I still remember the first three tapes I ever bought - Mani Mani, Robot Carnival and of course Akira. I was also into collecting Godaikin robots and Gundam and kaiju vinyl models, and sci fi conventions were a good way of getting that stuff. I lived 45 minutes by train from Manhattan, so my friends & I made regular trips there searching out anything Japanese, and being a port city, lots of good stuff was always flowing in straight from Japan. I remember when _Otaku No Video_ came out and we watched it, all looking at each other and being like, "are we...'okatu?'" We went to all the arcades and went home and played video games, watched anime, read comic books & manga and assembled models. I spent every dollar besides gas and junk food on that stuff. If you told me back then that anime would ever be as huge as it is in America as now, I never would have believed you, not in a million years.
I'm 51 years old now and I love all that stuff the same as I ever did. My friends have all moved away and my husband just kind of puts up with my robot collection. I have a harder time relating to modern anime and often find myself going back to the older stuff to rewatch rather than get into something new. But there are good series, it just takes me awhile to figure out. Sometimes to me it seems like anime has oversaturated things and I actually find it difficult to relate to younger people into it nowadays. I probably sound like a know-it-all and people usually assume I'm a 15 year old boy, so I just don't really bother socializing online with anyone into anime unless I find someone closer to my age. I kinda feel like a relic, and to be honest, it's quite lonely.
I'm a 48 year old woman who watches anime
@@tooldtovlogwelch7221 Awesome! What kind of anime do you like to watch?
From a viewer who regularly cycles through your videos for similar reasons, thanks for helping us see ourselves Joe
I've found my favourite UA-cam channel. Where were you all this time
I think most people are first introduced to anime from action series’. Then, as time passes, people mature and get older, and find that the fast paced shows they watched since childhood are missing something, and I think a lot of people find that “something” in SOL anime. In many ways, it’s the antithesis of action shows with a slower pace, and hardly any action at all. SOL shows that you don’t need any type of spectacle to make a good show.
You did it again... Need to watch this
Even though I'm knackered from Comic Con you made the 20 minutes fly past. Great video. Nice shots, editing and introspection as always :)
So looking forward to Kumiko's third year as President of the Band. And thank you for the clips from Yuru Camp and Non Non Biyori and the others as well.
You know what had a strangely slice of life feel to it? The original season of Ranma 1/2. especially the filler scenes that focused on Akane's b-story more so than the original manga. As the first uncut anime I ever saw, all the way back in 1996, those moments struck me as odder than the magical transformations--there's an extended sequence of Akane and Ranma eating burgers and throwing wrappers at the trashcan, with elaborate shot compositions (a POV shot of Akane looking at her lap, another from behind one of the missed wrappers while Akane walks to it, bends down to pick it up, stands up, and then returns to her seat) and minimal cuts--but it also granted the show a grounded, palpable weight that was missing from pretty much every other animated show I had seen at the time, even the likes of BTAS. It was that portrayal of mundane, everyday life (in a show about a boy than can transform into a girl by being splashed with water), the audacity of shooting a scene as if it was live action, that initially hooked me on the medium of anime (it was not the only type I enjoyed, but it had an outsized influence on my tastes in anime, to the point that I've at times been too dismissive of more exaggerated and kinetic styles of anime like Studio Trigger's output, Yuasa's movies, and the bulk of battle shonen anime).
SoL is the core principle of a story
it's virtually embedded into story telling
those "cool off" moments in shows are just the SoL parts
When I talk about anime with people, they often bring up the heavy action centered shows and bash slice of life. I think they miss the value in it, the value in feeling. Yes and action packed show can provoke emotions and feelings, but not in the same way slice of life can. My opinion might be slightly biased due to slice of life being the type of anime I typically watch, but it's made me feel things about my life that I hadn't really felt before. It's also made me remember feelings I had forgotten. Perhaps the best example of this is Yuru camp. Yuru camp is a show about highschool girls going out and experiencing the world of camping in Japan with varying levels of experience from each of the girls. While watching it as the characters experienced certain moments in camping, it reminded me of my own. I go camping semi frequently with my family and have since I was little. It encapsulates the feeling if waking up early to get to a campsite, the occasional long journey to get to your destination, the quiet before falling asleep, the cold mornings and nights, and perhaps my favorite the cooking and the fun. Every time I watch it I feel like going camping, I want to have those experiences again. I think if I ever get the opportunity, I'll go camping in Japan and try to visit the places the girls do and eat the food they eat. Another cool thing is how far based in reality the show and manga are. The staff at the places the girls visit are almost all real people you can meet at the places they work at. It's really cool to me how much detail goes into it. I think I'll watch the seasons that are out again soon, I'm still waiting on the subbed version of the movie to come out on the streaming services I use.
My favorite SOL so far is "Don't You Know? I'm Sakamoto!"
I don't know what it is about your videos, it could be your voice, your way with words, or maybe your editing technique, but I get quite emotional while watching them.
It's like spending time with a close friend, or looking through a photo album from your childhood. I'm not entirely sure it is what you're doing but please keep it up.
Great videos! You go down to the depths of the complexity of the characters by using your own experience.
Congratulations dude, you did an incredible job. This is some high quality video! Thank you, you made my day!
Your narrative voice is like a slice of life
this channel is so good.
Slice of life is my absolute favorite anime genre... In a strange way, the characters I met on slice of life's and slice of life dramas always stuck with me. Undoubtedly, characters from other genres are memorable, but I feel like I know the characters from these more mellow, realistic anime's.
Simply one of the best Voices on the Internet. So soothing and warm. Content was great too, love the Genre.
P.S. Maybe you should think about making a Podcast as well. :-)
I'm brand new to anime & manga, only starting to watch it since late May of this year (2019). I didn't know anything about either art form prior to watching Haganai after becoming captivated by a fan art picture of Sena I found on Pinterest one day. I had only heard the rumors that Japan had been using animation for serious, "adult" purposes for decades, but had always been put off by the misconception that anime (I had never even heard of manga, yet) was nothing but robot sci-fi shows & weird porn. It didn't take long to clear up that lie! After being completely emotionally blasted and intellectually overcome by such shows as Haganai, Shuffle!, Rascal Does Not Dream of a Bunny Girl, & The Pet Girl of Sakurasou, I stumbled over Your Name and A Silent Voice, & now am hooked for life. I am constantly elated & devastated by the raw, unrelenting power of the absolutely breath-taking animation; smart, often mind-bending stories; & pure escapism of anime & manga. Thank you, Mr. O'Connell, for your brilliant synopses of this wonderful, but overwhelming & misunderstood art form. I find that your commentary on anime is as enlightening & refreshing as the anime you discuss & I look fwd to experiencing each new show & movie as you introduce them to me. Keep up the good work!
You put some Slice movies from Ghibli in the opening montage-"From Up On Poppy Hill", "I Can Hear the Ocean" and "Omoide Poroporo"--and I was hoping for a mention of my fav anime of all time, "Whisper of the Heart". But your choices are excellent. As a classical music announcer for years, I now want to see "Sound! Euphonium".
Idk if I'd call Whisper of the Heart Slice of Life. It is a great movie, but it's about working hard toward your greatest goal and getting inspiration from the small moments. It is literally about working hard at a career and the stresses of deciding your future-the opposite of Slice of Life, which revels in the now.
great video, Beyond Ghibli.
gotta watch'em all :P
My life is crazy hectic and down right adventure filled and it’s fun
This video was just what I needed this week thanks 😀 oh and amazing