Anime fans have always gravitated toward humorous series. Comedy anime allow audiences a chance to escape their troubles and laugh out loud at countless ridiculous shenanigans. However, the very best (and funniest) anime are series that know when to get serious. Even if these anime are comedies, they still allow for more somber moments to help audiences learn more about the characters.

Sometimes, these shows are simply an amalgamation of many different genres. Fans can watch these anime knowing that there will be a balance of moods and themes. These series may make audiences laugh out loud, but they also offer space for more somber moments to shine through as well.

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10

The Apothecary Diaries Mixes Mystery and Tragedy Into the Perfect Potion

Stream On Crunchyroll

The Apothecary Diaries is allegedly a romantic show – even if Maomao has been avoiding Jinshi’s feelings like a plague. However, it is mostly an anime of intrigue as Maomao and her friends uncover various plots and enigmas in and around the palace. Some of these mysteries are simply intriguing, but others are much more serious.

The very first mystery Maomao solves involves an extremely vicious illness that causes a particularly tragic death. There are also more deaths and more dangerous plots throughout the anime. Plenty of hilarious moments and comedic romantic situations abound in The Apothecary Diaries, but the more tragic aspects stand out all the more because of the brilliant writing of the series.

The Apothecary Diaries

Release Date

October 22, 2023

Directors

Norihiro Naganuma, Akinori Fudesaka

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9

Yuri!!! On Ice Skates Through a Powerful BL Story About Self-Worth

Stream On Crunchyroll

Yuri!!! On Ice is a beautiful anime about finding self-worth within the figure skating community. Yuri Katsuki is down on his luck until he is pushed into greatness by his coach and long-time idol, Victor Nikiforov. Victor and Yuri have great chemistry together, as they play off each other’s personalities to create a hilarious partnership. Adding the young Yuri Plisetsky to their party only brings more comedy to their training.

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With that said, Yuri!!! On Ice isn’t afraid to delve into more serious topics of self-esteem and letting loved ones down. Yuri particularly struggles with body image and feels like he’ll never be able to skate and his peers. Thankfully, each of the skaters lifts each other up to create a timelessly heartwarming anime that is also sure to make its audience laugh.

Yuri!!! On Ice: The Complete Series

Release Date

October 6, 2016

8

Silver Spoon Digs Deep Into the Harsh Realities of Farm Life

Not Currently Streaming

Silver Spoon is a fantastic slice-of-life anime that not only entertains but informs. The original story of Yuugo Hachiken’s time at Oezo Agricultural High School was created by Hiromu Arakawa, who wrote the story based on her childhood on a dairy farm. Yuugo isn’t as savvy about the ways of farm life, and his friends are more than eager to correct his actions as he humorously attempts to do all the things the other kids grew up learning.

On top of Hachiken’s shenanigans, there is a deeper heart to the story. Many harsh realities come along with farm life, including letting go of beloved animals and giving up dreams to help the family. These moments are offset by the anime’s humor, but they are there to remind audiences that farm life is a truly serious business. Silver Spoon is such a great anime because it handles all these topics flawlessly, losing none of the comedy along the way.

7

My Love Story!! Lets Its Hero Shine in the Sweetest Way

Stream On Crunchyroll

My Love Story!! is a heartwarming anime about two starkly opposite people falling in love. Many funny moments happen between Takeo Gouda and Rinko Yamato because of their varying heights and differences in temperament. However, the series also has more harrowing moments as well.

These tenser scenes help viewers to see how kind and noble Takeo is. He saves many people throughout My Love Story!!’s run, including his pregnant mother at the end of the series. Takeo and Rinko even met because he was saving her from being assaulted on a train. My Love Story!! – though a comedy – uses stressful situations to help its characters shine.

My Love Story!!

Release Date

April 9, 2015

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6

Spy x Family Masters the Art of Perfectly Timed Tension

Stream On Crunchyroll

Spy x Family is an espionage comedy through and through. The countless hijinks that Loid Forger and his cover family get into are nothing short of hysterical. Anya – the daughter – is especially funny for her naive thinking and childish scheming. However, when it’s time for the story to get serious, Spy x Family does an excellent job of putting the mischief on hold to give the serious moments their space.

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Whether it’s Yor’s fight to the death with a band of other assassins, or Damian Desmond’s fear of abandonment, Spy x Family does its due diligence to allow these plotlines time to breathe. The anime is mostly a comedy, but it’s these moments of intensity and emotion that help Spy x Family become one of the most loved anime in recent years.

Spy x Family

Release Date

April 9, 2022

Directors

Kazuhiro Furuhashi, Takahiro Harada

Writers

Kazuhiro Furuhashi, Ichirō Ōkouchi

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5

Yona Of The Dawn Weaves Political Intrigue Into Its Epic Story

Stream On Crunchyroll

Yona of the Dawn seems like a typical romantic comedy anime on its surface. A naive princess is suddenly surrounded by several handsome men and is forced to travel with them while they all fall for her. However, Yona of the Dawn also looks into political intrigue and shows that there aren’t always clear “good and bad” sides when it comes to the world of politics.

Yona of the Dawn has many hilarious moments, but they are brilliantly countered by the unrest in the Koka Kingdom. Yona also deals with increasing amounts of turmoil, knowing that the man she loved murdered her father and is now helping to make the country they love better. For a Reverse-Harem shojo anime, Yona of the Dawn exceeds audiences’ expectations by adding complex themes on top of the romantic comedy to make it a singular viewing experience.

Yona of the Dawn

Release Date

October 7, 2014

Directors

Kazuhiro Yoneda

4

More Than a Married Couple, But Not Lovers Explores the Highs and Lows of Young Love

Stream On Crunchyroll

More Than a Married Couple, But Not Lovers leans more toward the comedy side of the anime genre. However, that doesn’t mean that it is without its more somber moments. Jiro Yakuin and Akari Watanabe – though paired together as a married couple for a school project – agree to help each other win their crushes over. Yet, the more comedic romantic hijinks they encounter together, the more their feelings change.

Akari, in particular, has many more serious scenes as she struggles with her intense feelings for Jiro. She knows he has liked someone else for a long time, which makes her feel guilty and selfish for wanting to keep him to herself. The anime has its humorous and more salacious moments, to be certain. But the scenes where the characters muddle through their strong emotions make this series so enjoyable. Fans looking for a hilarious romantic comedy with a helping of heartbreaking scenes are sure to enjoy More Than a Married Couple, but Not Lovers.

3

Aggretsuko Tackles the Real Struggles of Work and Life Balance

Stream On Netflix

Aggretsuko is a unique anime from Netflix. The series follows anthropomorphic animals who work in the accounting department of a major company. One such worker is Retsuko, who sings Death Metal music in her spare time to de-stress. The story is an outlandish look at life in the workplace while also adding romance and darker themes of career burnout.

Aggretsuko uses its cartoony style to touch on several serious topics, especially in later seasons. Stalkers, cooking books, lay-offs, and so much more are all tackled in this adorably animated anime. The central idea of the show may focus on Retsuko’s singing and dating life, but that doesn’t stop the rest of the characters from experiencing their own hardships and troubles surrounding family, work, and love.

Aggretsuko

Release Date

2018 – 2022

Directors

Rarecho

Writers

Rarecho

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2

Recovery Of An MMO Junkie Delves Deep Into Mori Mori’s Anxiety and Depression

Stream On Crunchyroll

Recovery of an MMO Junkie is a laugh-out-loud Josei anime that hits close to home for a lot of older anime fans. Moriko “Mori Mori” Morioka’s struggle to find relevancy and belonging is a stark reality for many who feel like they are stuck in their jobs. Thankfully, she is surrounded by a great group of guild-mates who show her she is valuable no matter what she chooses for a career. Her handsome love interest, Yuuta Sakurai, helps her with this.

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Recovery of an MMO Junkie is an awkward romantic comedy at its core, but it also focuses a lot on Mori Mori’s struggle with self-worth. The anime expertly depicts Mori Mori’s anxieties but doesn’t linger on them too long. The story also allows and Lily (Mori Mori and Sakurai’s avatars) time to talk things through, since both of them are worn out by corporate life. Recovery of an MMO Junkie allows for the perfect balance of hilarity and seriousness that helps audiences get a more in-depth look at the characters while still enjoying all their shenanigans.

Recovery of an MMO Junkie

Release Date

October 6, 2017

Cast

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1

Dandadan Blends Genres Flawlessly to Deliver a Truly Unique Anime Experience

Stream On Crunchyroll & Netflix

Dandadan is one of the most recent hits from the end of 2024. It took the world by storm with its gorgeous animation and endlessly likable characters. Dandadan is also lauded for being a series that doesn’t stick too strictly to one genre. Rather, Dandadan is a combination of several that all have their place and time throughout the anime.

Dandadan certainly has plenty of uproarious moments, from Turbo Granny’s various antics to Okarun and Momo’s playful bickering. With that said, Dandadan isn’t afraid to portray some truly tragic plotlines. The Acrobatic Selkie’s story alone has fans still talking about how heartbreaking her story was. Moments of outright horror are also embedded into this anime, as with the mysterious figure that seems to haunt Jiji at night. Dandadan is a well-rounded anime that keeps all its genres in balance to create a truly unique series.

Dandadan

Release Date

September 13, 2024