When it comes to ridiculousness and humour, these shows have everything beat.
When it comes to anime, comedy is definitely an underrated genre, which seems almost criminal. Laughter is one of the purest expressions of emotion and always fills us with positivity. April Fool's Day is one of the best examples of this, when everyone engages in silly pranks to make fun of their friends and family. This April Fool's Day, why not invite your friends to watch any of these anime series and laugh until you cry?
Ghost Stories dub
Image: Pierrot
Although there are some funny moments here and there, Ghost Stories, based on Toru Tsunemitsu’s manga is by no means a comedy. So what makes it a comedic gem? The English dub, of course! The story goes that the dub voice actors of the show were told to ad-lib during recording, and ad-lib they did. It made a mediocre but enjoyable show into a dark comedy gem whose plot had little similarity with the original. If you enjoy controversial comedy, then there is no better time to enjoy this disastrous masterpiece than now.
Haven't You Heard? I'm Sakamoto
Image: Studio Deen
Before the ex-hitman Sakamoto, there was another Sakamoto: a handsome, bespectacled, genius high school student whom everyone loves. Feeling jealous of how cool he is, some of his male classmates try to set up traps to embarrass Sakamoto. However, the aloof and smart boy always defeat them with his levelheadedness, seemingly becoming even more perfect and cool. Based on Nami Sano’s manga, this farcical comedy is a must-watch for everyone.
The Devil is a Part Timer
Image: White Fox
You’ve heard of normal people being Isekaied into fantasy lands and gaining unimaginable power. But have you ever heard of powerful fantastical beings coming to modern-day Tokyo and losing all their powers? Well that’s precisely the plot of Satoshi Wagahara’s novel series and its anime adaptation. After two of his demon generals are killed by heroes, Lucifer and his remaining companion Alciel flee through a gate that leads them to modern-day Tokyo. Devoid of all their powers, the two demons take up part-time jobs to survive. Their story is both hilarious and endearing as they try to get used to the modern world.
Life Lessons with Uramichi Oniisan
Image: Studio Blanc.
Every working adult knows how much keeping up appearances matter in the professional space. But once home, we can finally let our real personalities take over. Gaku Kuze’s manga and its anime adaptation follows the 31-year-old former gymnast Uramichi Omota, who is the host of a children’s exercise regimen show. Forced to keep up a smiley, upbeat persona at work, Uramichi lets out his real, jaded, cynical, and tired self the moments the cameras are off. The journey of him and his equally tired co-workers is relatable and funny.
Azumanga Daioh
Image: J.C. Staff
The anime adaptation of Kiyohiko Azuma’s manga series has little to no plot. This comedic slice-of-life focuses on Chiyo Mihama, a child prodigy who has to share a class with students five years older than her. She makes five friends, each of them quirky in her own way, and makes her way through high school life. The comedy in this series comes from the absolutely bizarre scenarios like Chiyo taking out both her pigtails from her head and an alien saying "Goodmorning every-nyan!” (a meme almost everyone has seen on social media). If you want a break from the real world and enter an absurd reality, Azumanga Daioh is the series for you.
Daily Lives of High School Boys
Image: Sunrise
This is one of the shows where the story is exactly what the title says. Based on Yasunobu Yamauchi’s manga, it follows three high school boys, Tadakuni, Hidenori, and Yoshitake. Hidenori always has some crazy plans, which the two of his friends often follow and end up in trouble. There are a lot of coming-of-age elements in the series, although it focuses mostly on teenage boy shenanigans. Interesting characters and farcical comedy make the series a delight to watch for everyone.
Grand Blue Dreaming
Image: Zero-G
One of the newer additions to the group, Grand Blue Dreaming is adapted from Kenji Inoue’s manga series of the same name. Iori Kitahara starts his college in the Izu Peninsula by the sea and starts in the room above his uncle’s diving shop. There, he meets the local diving club members, who seem more interested in drinking and partying. As Iori gets involved with them, we are taken on a hilarious journey featuring eccentric characters and funny plot devices. Although there are some adult elements in the anime, it will definitely make you laugh. A second season of Grand Blue Dreaming is coming out after seven years this July!
Nichijou
Image: Kyoto Animation
If you love the absurdist nature of Azumanga Daioh, Nichijou is a show that takes it one step further. Adapted from Keiichi Arawi’s manga, the series follows several residents of the Tokisadame town. The protagonists Yuki, Mio, Mai, Nano, and the talking black cat Sakamoto make an impressive group. The humour of the series stems from its outlandish situations, which makes even the most mundane day-to-day life a farcical adventure. Whether it be an explosion when someone gets bitten by a dog or the principal body-slamming a deer, Nichijou has it all. And it will never let you get bored.
The Disastrous Life of Saiki K
Image: J.C. Staff/ Egg Firm
If Saiki Kusou was a shonen protagonist, he would probably be one of the top strongest characters in all of anime. But what happens when such a godlike person ends up in a slice-of-life comedy? Adapted from Shūichi Asō’s manga, this anime centers around Saiki, a pink-haired boy who was born with extreme supernatural powers. Saiki has everything - telepathy, telekinesis, teleportation, psychokinesis, time control, and much more. But he only wants to live as a normal high school boy and not get into problems. As more and more colourful friends start flocking him, the quiet Saiki gets involved in shenanigans that require his godlike powers. The unique premise and absurdist comedy of the show makes it a hilarious watch.
Gintama
Image: Sunrise
Based on Hideaki Sorachi’s manga, Gintama is one of the most popular anime shows despite its ridiculous plot progression. It’s set in an alternate Edo-period (now Tokyo) where the country has been invaded and conquered by aliens. With their swords taken, the samurai who fought against the aliens are left without a job. However, freelance samurai Gintoki Sakata does odd jobs instead. He is joined by his apprentice Shinpachi and an alien girl Kagura. The three embark on bizarre adventures during their freelance jobs and try to save the earth. Despite having a serious premise, the anime is anything but; it’s filled with jokes, absurd scenarios, parodies, and so many fourth wall breaks that it’s become a running gag. The anime has 367 episodes and several movies, which should keep you busy for a long time.
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