The 7 Best Anime to Watch This Christmas

Christmas is a festival where you can spend time with your friends and family, and what better way to have fun than to watch interesting anime? There are several anime that offer a wide range of genres, and quite a few of them match your holiday mood. Whether it’s heartwarming stories or romantic comedies, anime provides a cozy escape during the festive season. While Christmas-themed anime are rare, many series feature special Christmas episodes that highlight the festive season.

Whether it’s a movie, an entire series, or a single episode, there’s a treasure trove of Christmas anime waiting under this metaphorical tree, ready to deliver all sorts of delightful surprises. The holiday season is the perfect time to relax and nothing beats snuggling inside a blanket and watching your favorite anime. So, if you’re looking for an anime that perfectly fits the Christmas-y vibe, we’ve got you covered.

Tokyo Godfathers

A Christmas anime list without Tokyo Godfathers will just be incomplete. This heartwarming film by Satoshi Kon portrays the holiday theme through self-discovery, compassion, and forgiveness. Despite being set on Christmas, the film doesn’t portray traditional festivities but focuses on the struggles of lesser privileged individuals during the holidays. Tokyo Godfathers offers a refreshing and thought-provoking take on the season’s meaning. The film centers around three homeless people who discover an abandoned baby on a freezing Christmas night. The crying child is wrapped in blankets, along with a note asking someone to take care of her.

They also find a bag containing clues to her parents’ whereabouts. Hana, who has always dreamed of being a mother, insists they keep the baby. They name her Kiyoko, meaning “pure child.” However, they realize they can’t provide a loving and safe home for Kiyoko while being homeless. After taking care of the baby for one night, they set out on a quest to reunite her with her parents.

Hana wishes to meet Kiyoko’s parents and ensure that the child will grow up in a safe and happy place. The trio’s journey has several moments of kindness, forgiveness, and hope, all of which reflect the spirit of Christmas. Each of the three main characters, Hana, Miyuki, and Gin, have a troubled past. Throughout the movie, they share their experience and explain why they ended up living on the streets. However, they soon find their determination to do something good and begin their personal growth and healing.

Kaguya-sama: Love is War – The First Kiss That Never Ends

Kaguya-sama: Love is War is one of the best romcoms following Miyuki Shirogana and Kaguya Shinomiya. They attend the prestigious Shuchiin Academy where the two are often regarded as the perfect couple by students. Miyuki is a transfer student and is considered a genius for having the highest grades in the country. Despite having an ordinary background, Miyuki is looked up to as a role model in a school attended only by the elite class.

He even rose through the ranks of the Student Council President. On the other hand, Kaguya, the Vice President of the Student Council, is the daughter of the Shinomiya family. They are the owners of a massive business conglomerate known as the “Shinomiya Zaibatsu.” They have significant economic influence on the country. The two appear to have no romantic interest in one another. However, after spending so much together, they developed feelings for one another, but neither was willing to confess.

Hence, begins their daily antics of the Student Council as no side is ready to yield. Kaguya-sama is episodic and the latest movie, The First Kiss That Never Ends, takes place during Christmas. The film centers around the events following Kaguya and Shirogane’s first kiss during the School Festival in Season 3. The film delivers the quirky humor of the characters, balanced with heartwarming moments. It’s a perfect mix of romance and laughs and is just a cozy and fun Christmas watch.

Kids on the Slope

Kids on the Slope is one of the most underrated musical romance anime by Studio MAPPA and Tezuka Productions. This mini-series is a heartwarming coming-of-age story set in 1960s Japan. Directed by Shinichiro Watanabe, best known for directing Cowboy Bebop and Samurai Champloo, Kids on Slope wonderfully combines jazz and classical music. Because of his father’s job, Kaoru Nishimi keeps transferring schools, so he is unable to befriend people for long.

As a result, he grows shy and introverted, but his life turns upside down when he moves to a small town in Kyushu. He befriends Sentaro Kawabuchi, a mischievous boy with a love for jazz, and Ritsuko Mukae, a cheerful girl who works at her family’s record store. Kaoru is only trained in classical piano, while Sentaro loves to play the drums. After convincing Kaoru how amazing jazz is, the duo will often hold practice sessions in the basement of Rtisuko’s record shop.

Through music and his love for Ritsuko, Kaoru embraces his new life and the freedom granted by jazz. Episode 9 of Kids on the Slope takes place during the holiday season. Even though Christmas isn’t the focus of the episode, it does evoke the holiday spirit with a festive vibe. Amid the holiday season, the characters deal with emotional conflicts as the episode sets the stage for major developments in their relationships and personal journeys.

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The Disastrous Life of Saiki K

Anime with pure nonsensical humor, like The Disastrous Life of Saiki K, with an engaging story, will always be fun to watch, no matter the occasion. This anime revolves around Saiki Kusuo, a high school student with many powerful psychic abilities. He can use telepathy, psychometry (reading objects’ histories), telekinesis, x-ray vision, time travel, clairvoyance, and the list is endless. However, despite his extraordinary powers, Saiki just wants to live a peaceful and normal life, as he hates being the center of attention.

His abilities are a double-edged sword. While he uses them to get out of dire situations, he also stays at risk of getting discovered. Even if Saiki tries to avoid people, he is surrounded by a colorful group of classmates who make his life chaotic. The series is episodic as we navigate Saiki Kusuo’s disastrous life. The series has several exciting episodes, including Episodes 7 and 16, which take place during Christmas.

However, only a small part of the episode is Christmas-themed, as Saiki comes to find his self-proclaimed friend Nendo celebrating Christmas with his parents. The episode later moves on to the New Year celebration as Saiki’s family visits the shrine, where he comes across a lot of classmates. Additionally, Episode 16 features another Christmas celebration, as Saiki volunteers after being half-forced by his parents to act as Santa Claus and distribute gifts to the neighborhood kids.

Black Butler

Set in Victorian-era London, Black Butler follows 12-year-old Ciel Phantomhive, heir to the prestigious Phantomhive family. He goes through countless hardships at a young age: his loving parents were murdered, his mansion burned, and he was kidnapped and tortured by a mysterious cult. Bent on finding his family’s murderer, Ciel forms a contract with Sebastian, a demon who acts as his butler and takes care of his every need. Sebastian will do everything he can to help Ciel get his revenge.

However, in exchange, he will consume Ciel’s soul once the latter’s revenge is complete. The anime is structured around several arcs and standalone episodes, which centers around mystery cases and Ciel’s allies. Despite the considerably dark setting, the series provides comic relief when needed. A lot of the episodes are set during colder months or feature grand parties that capture a holiday vibe reminiscent of historical Christmas traditions.

Season 1, Episode 10 takes place during the holiday season and includes festive elements. The episode begins with Ciel and his servants preparing for a Christmas party at the Phantomhive mansion as they are busy getting everything ready. Additionally, Sebastian organizes an ice-skating trip for Ciel and Elizabeth, Ciel’s fiancée. Lizzy brings her cheerful energy to the episode and tries to lighten Ciel’s mood by encouraging him to join in the fun. Ciel, as usual, is hesitant to embrace the holiday spirit due to the painful memories of his past. The episode is bittersweet as it balances moments of joy and sadness.

My Neighbor Totoro

While My Neighbor Totoro isn’t a Christmas-themed movie, it highlights warmth and kindness, making it a heartwarming experience. Totoro and the magical forest creatures create a sense of wonder and joy that aligns beautifully with the holiday spirit. The plot centers around ten-year-old Satsuki and her four-year-old sister Mei. They move to an old, rustic house in the country with their father so the family can be closer to the hospital where their mother is recovering from a long-term illness.

The house is mysterious as the girls discover small, soot-like creatures known as Susuwatari (soot sprites), which signal the magical elements of their new surroundings. One day, while exploring the woods near their home, Mei encounters a rabbit-like creature (a Chibi Totoro) and follows it into the forest. She finds a secret place and stumbles upon a massive and friendly forest spirit named Totoro, who lives in a camphor tree. She falls asleep on Totoro’s huge belly.

However, when she is found later by Satsuki and their father, she is unable to locate Totoro again, which makes her wonder if it was all a dream. My Neighbor Totoro is considered one of the best Studio Ghibli films known for its storytelling, gorgeous visuals, and timeless appeal, making it a classic for audiences of all ages.

Gintama

When it comes to humor, parody, and unconventional storytelling, Gintama is truly one of a kind. Aliens called Amanto invaded Edo-period Japan and overthrew the shogunate. Japan, which was once known as the Land of Samurai, has banned the use of swords upon orders from the Amanto. This crushes the pride of the samurai class and leaves them obsolete. Despite the oppression, the society adapts to coexist with the aliens and creates a bizarre world blending traditional Japanese culture with futuristic technology.

The story follows Gintoki Sakata, a silver-haired samurai, and his eccentric friends who take on all kinds of jobs to make ends meet. Although Gintama features episodic comedies, it also focuses on dramatic story arcs every once in a while. The series has a few episodes that reference the holiday in hilarious and often nonsensical ways, making it a fun watch for the season. Episodes 37, 200, and 201, in particular, take place during Christmas highlighting the anime’s signature humor and parody.

Additionally, Episodes 137, 237, 238, 249, and 250 also take place during the holiday season that offers a refreshing alternative to the sentimental holiday shows. Despite its comedy and irreverent tone, the anime often focuses on heartfelt themes of friendship and loyalty, highlighting the holiday spirit. The bond between Gintoki and his group (Shinpachi, Kagura, and others) is one of the best examples of a “found family” trope, making it a relatable and warm choice for Christmas.