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Do you think it's a slice of life anime?
Yes
88.5%
185
No
5.7%
12
I don't know
5.7%
12
209 votes
May 5, 2023 1:59 PM
#1

Offline
Dec 2019
2894
I know that Nichijou basically means slice of life in Japanese, but I think this is an interesting topic.
My personal definition for a slice of life is "A story that focuses on the mundane parts of the characters' lives. Characters do things because they feel like it or because it's part of their daily routine. There's no unusual event or situation that's motivating the characters. It can take place in any setting and be combined with any genre. However, many genres tend to put their characters in unusual situations that they have to deal with, so it's sometimes hard to combine the genres. If a significant amount of the story is slice of life, then the whole story can be considered to be slice of life."

That said, Nichijou isn't always a slice of life anime. There are many scenes with unusual situations that force the characters to deal with the situation. For example, the principal fighting the deer isn't a slice of life scene. However, I think a lot of the scenes fit my definition (even if they are a bit over the top in their presentation), so I would call Nichijou a slice of life anime.

So, what do you guys think? Do you think my definition is fair? I've been thinking about it for a while. I think it works well, but there are extremes that make me question it. If a character "feels like" killing someone or if their daily routine involves killing someone, their story could fit in my definition, but I don't know of any stories that actually do something like that.
May 5, 2023 2:11 PM
#2
Baka himejoshi

Offline
May 2020
179
I truly believe it’s a slice of life anime, but at the same time it’s a subversion of slice of life conventions. Pretty much like Yuru Yuri, it introduces unrealistic elements into its narrative while also picturing them as something mundane for the universe it depicts.

In essence, if you define slice of life as something that never deviates from the common conventions of the world we’re living in, then you may argue that Nichijou isn’t slice of life. But if you take a look at most slice of life titles, you’ll discover that they depict some perfect world rather than the real one (though such shows/manga still exist, I admit). Still, if they can depict a “perfect world” which doesn’t exist, why can’t they also depict a “slightly crazy world” as well?

To me, slice of life isn’t about straightforward realism but about this sense of mundane everyday life, no matter how crazy the world is. A principal fighting a deer may look crazy, but it wouldn’t be something fundamentally unrealistic in my school years, for example. And the very fact that there is only one witness to those shenanigans that nobody would ever believe only enhances the sense of everyday life.

I really hope I made myself clear but sorry if I didn’t
Days without rants: 102
May 5, 2023 3:01 PM
#3

Online
Jul 2015
12398
Yes, it is. But it is also a comedy and it is known mostly for it.
It is totally possible to do both. Most shows actually do.

May 5, 2023 4:12 PM
#4

Offline
Sep 2020
203
Idk, it's a lot more bizzare and psychodelic than all the so called slice of life I know.
When I think "slice of life" what comes to mind are relaxing, not much going on, everyday situations kind of shows, not the drug trip that is Nichijou
Nino is the objectively superior one, don't @ me
May 5, 2023 7:03 PM
#5
Offline
Dec 2021
1739
It is a Slice of Life!
May 5, 2023 7:28 PM
#6

Offline
May 2021
2031
Yep.                                                                       
May 5, 2023 9:08 PM
#7
Offline
Mar 2022
6
nichijou literally translates to "daily life"
May 5, 2023 9:08 PM
#8
Offline
Mar 2022
6
so basically yes if bot why would they named it nichijou
May 5, 2023 10:27 PM
#9
Offline
Jan 2021
11
yeah? it's just an anime about totally ordinary days of highschool girls
May 6, 2023 12:01 AM

Offline
Aug 2020
1585
Its more a parody of the slice of life anime than an actual slice of life anime.
Keep scrolling
May 6, 2023 4:01 AM
Offline
Mar 2021
79
the main purpose is comedy and parody. it's the daily life of unusual and eccentric beings. not a classic slice of life in my opinion.

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It’s time to ditch the text file.
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