10 Best Anime About the Meaning of Life

While anime can be a form of mindless entertainment, we end up learning about something new more often than not. For example, some series motivate us to achieve our dreams, while others provoke us to think in a more daring and unique way. In this article, we will look at 10 anime that talks about real-life issues and explore the meaning of life. Through their characters, these shows will allow you to look at life from a different perspective and even inspire you to find some meaning in your own. So without further ado, let's get started!

10. 3-gatsu no Lion (March comes in like a lion)

• Number of seasons: 2
• Year: 2016
• Watch it here: AnimeLab, Crunchyroll, Funimation, Netflix

The anime centers on Rei Kiriyama, an elite shogi player. The boy is under immense pressure from both the shogi community and his family due to his early success. As a result, he travels to Tokyo on his own, seeking independence from his complicated family life. Rei encounters a trio of sisters soon after his arrival, and they form a unique familial relationship with him.

3-gatsu no Lion is the story of Rei's triumphs and failures in the world of shogi and in the real world, where he learns to develop relationships and maintain them — both new and old.

The anime starts with Rei waking up, doing the bare minimum, and leaving his apartment listlessly. The boy's existence is fragile as he moves on with his life alone. However, his interactions with the three sisters help his visage grow clearer as time passes. This anime might not be a masterpiece, but it is life-changing. 3-gatsu no Lion will help you understand yourself better and prioritize what's really important in life.

9. Tatami Galaxy

• Number of seasons: 1
• Year: 2010
• Watch it here: Crunchyroll, Netflix, Funimation

The smallest of events can indeed change the course of your life, and that is precisely what The Tatami Galaxy is all about.

The plot revolves around an unidentified third-year university student in Kyoto, Japan, and his several lives and misfortunes. Each episode begins with him pursuing something ridiculous while his friend, Ozu, manages to sabotage everything. The viewers are exposed to many different characters during the protagonist's journey around the Tatami Galaxy, and in each life, a different story unfolds.  While each story appears to be unconnected at first glance, there is a pattern revealed by the end.

Tatami Galaxy sets the stage with fantastic characters and graphics. It also sets a light and funny tone peppered with important themes. Through the unnamed protagonist who lives many lives, the anime highlights the importance of each choice in life. In just 11 episodes, Tatami Galaxy manages to make us laugh and think with its incredibly unique storytelling, and it is definitely a must-watch.

8. A Place Further Than the Universe

• Number of seasons: 1
• Year: 2018
• Watch it here: Netflix 

A Place Further Than the Universe is a beautiful anime that follows the captivating journey of four girls in search of something great. With grand dreams and ambitions of their own, Mari, Hinata, and Yuzuki are spurred on by Shirase's desire to search for her mother in a place further than the universe itself 一 Antarctica.

The sense of adventure in the show is something that is rarely experienced in anime. From the beginning to the end, it is absolutely beautiful to see the girls face problems and overcome them while also learning from their hardships. The characters are full of life and are constantly experiencing something new and memorable that will profoundly affect them in the future.

Watching these four girls taking their youth in their hands and deciding to find meaning in life and working towards it is awe-inspiring.

7. Silver Spoon

• Number of seasons: 2
• Year: 2013
• Watch it here: AnimeLab, Funimation

The series centers on Yuugo Hachiken, a hard-working and studious boy who wishes to live apart from his family. So, with the beginning of a new academic year, he enrolled in Ooezo Agricultural High School, a boarding school located in the Hokkaido countryside.

While Hachiken was originally confident that his knack for studying would help him succeed at this university, he was quickly proven wrong. Here, he is forced to mingle and compete with talented classmates who have been living on farms their entire lives and discover the hardships that come with farm life. From taking care of the horses to doing strenuous labor, Hachiken will have to strive hard to find a place amongst others who are already acclimated to the hard agricultural environment.

Silver Spoon is a beautiful anime that everyone should watch at least once. It depicts the difficulties of adjusting to a new environment and venturing beyond one's comfort zone. Furthermore, it highlights how not having a goal in life makes one feel inadequate. Watching Hachiken go from worrying about finding a dream to simply enjoying his life on his own terms is cathartic, to say the least.

6. ReLIFE

• Number of seasons: 1
• Year: 2016
• Watch it here: Crunchyroll 

ReLIFE follows 27-year-old Arata Kaizaki, a hopeless man who bounces around from one job to another after quitting his first company. His unremarkable existence takes a sharp turn when he meets Ryou Yoake, the ReLife Research Institute member. The latter offers Arata an opportunity to change his life for the better with the help of a mysterious pill.

After taking it, Arata awakens the next day to find that his appearance has reverted to that of a 17-year-old. Now part of a unique experiment, he must attend high school as a transfer student for one year. While Arata initially believes it will be a cinch due to his life experience, he is proven horribly wrong as he can't keep up with the new school policies that have cropped up in recent years. 

ReLIFE follows Arata's struggle to adjust to his hectic new lifestyle and avoid repeating his past mistakes. This anime is filled with important lessons such as cherishing relationships and making the most of life.

5. Mushishi

• Number of seasons: 2
• Year: 2005
• Watch it here: Funimation, Hulu

Mushishi is a collection of short stories based on East Asian mythology and folklore. Instead of gods, devils, and spirits, we're dealing with "Mushi," the world's most fundamental living forms. They exist without any objectives or intentions and are unconstrained by the concepts of "good" and "bad."

Ginko, a "Mushishi," is in charge of dealing with these lifeforms. He travels from town to town, seeking unusual cases and assisting those who have been afflicted by mushi.

Mushishi is episodic in nature, with no overarching plot. The themes of the self-contained stories differ, but they are all beautifully crafted and linked with Ginko at heart. The episodes deal with human drama and familiar emotions, with a touch of the natural and alien world thrown in for good measure.

Despite their briefness, the stories are unique, compelling, and full of life. With its rich writing, enchanting audio, and visuals, Mushishi truly is a delight to watch.

4. Space Brothers

• Number of seasons: 2
• Year: 2012
• Watch it here: Crunchyroll, Google Play, Apple TV

Mutta and Hibito Nanba, two brothers, witness what they assume to be a U.F.O. traveling towards the Moon. As a result, both brothers decide to pursue careers as astronauts, with the younger aiming for the Moon and the elder going for Mars.

At first impression, Space Brothers appears to be nothing more than a space anime, yet it is so much more. It's a realistic journey of discovering your life's purpose, getting lost, and rediscovering your passion. The animation vividly depicts the Nanba brothers' life as they work to realize their ambition, no matter how many detours they have to take along the road.

What makes Space Brothers more fascinating is the immense detail put into making it as realistic as possible. The mangaka’s research is evident in every scene and setting, leaving the viewers in awe. While the anime remains a comedy at its core, serious themes related to the occupation and its effects on families are thoroughly explored.

Space Brothers is a criminally underrated anime that will inspire you to find meaning in your life and never let it go.

3. Shinsekai Yori (From the New World)

• Number of seasons: 1
• Year: 2012
• Watch it here: Crunchyroll, HIDIVE 

Shinsekai Yori is one of the highest-rated series of all time, despite its sluggish tempo and extensive information dump. The appeal of the anime can be attributed to its world-building and insane potential.

The narrative is set in a future utopian Japan where a small percentage of the population possesses a particular ability known as psychokinesis. We follow the growth and development of a group of five youngsters who live in a community with strict rules. They quickly learn to question their privileges, as well as the destiny of others who are “less” fortunate.

Shinsekai Yori blurs the distinction between people and animals and shows prejudice and discrimination in people in a way that has never been seen before. The anime is elevated to a classic because of the heavy themes of good and evil, finding meaning in one’s life, and many more. 

2. Welcome to the N.H.K.

• Number of seasons: 1
• Year: 2006
• Watch it here: Funimation 

Welcome to the N.H.K. centers on a 22-year-old college dropout who has been a hikikomori for over four years. In his isolation, he has become obsessed with a variety of strange conspiracy theories. Still, one, in particular, has won him over: the theory that the evil conspirator behind his NEET status is the Nihon Hikikomori Kyokai (N.H.K.), an evil and secret organization dedicated to spreading hikikomori culture.

This psychological anime follows Tatsuhiro as he tries to break free from N.H.K.'s nefarious schemes, all while fighting to leave his apartment and find work. Tatsuhiro's chance encounter with the enigmatic Misaki Nakahara may herald a turn of events for him. Still, it also brings the unavoidable consequence of having to confront his greatest fear—society.

1. Gintama

• Number of seasons: 10
• Year: 2006
• Watch it here: Crunchyroll, Hulu, V.R.V. 

Gintama takes place in a quasi-historical Edo that has been invaded by the Amanto, aliens from outer space. Unfortunately, the nation's strongest warriors are no match for the alien technology, and in an effort to prevent another uprising, humans have been banned from carrying swords.

Meet Sakata Gintoki, a former samurai with silver hair who runs Yorozuya (odd jobs) from his rented second-floor apartment. Accompanying Gintoki in his jack-of-all-trades line of work are Shinpachi Shimura, a boy with glasses as his identity, and Kagura, a member of the strongest race in the world. With frequent run-ins with the police, joui rebels, and masochistic assassins, Gintama will never fail to make you laugh, cry, and everything in between.

Despite being a comedy series, Gintama has meaningful themes that will positively impact your life. It will teach you that one should live beautifully until the end instead of thinking of a beautiful ending.