10 Best Comedy Anime of All Time

Ah, comedy. One of anime’s best genres. Who doesn’t enjoy a good laugh from time to time? Whether it’s combined to create zany adventures, hilarious fantasies, silly romances, lighthearted action, hysterical sci-fi, slapstick slices-of-life, or witty parodies, comedy tends to mesh pretty well with most other genres. After all, one can’t take life too seriously. Sure, life may be full of ups and downs, but remembering to take a step back from stressors to relieve a bit of the anxiety and worries is important from time to time.

And that’s what these shows are all about! But while there’s definitely no shortage of fantastic comedic anime out there from the classic action-packed adventure Dragon Ball Z to the recent gourmet fan-favorite Delicious in Dungeon, there are just some anime comedies that really focus on creating the absolute most exceptionally hysterical plots, characters, and situations. So, which ones are so gut-busting that they’re really worth a watch by anyone, no matter what genres someone may typically prefer? These ones, of course!

1) Asobi Asobase

When Olivia, who looks like a foreign transfer student, playing “look-the-other-way” with her airhead friend Hanako Honda, begins to get on the nerves of fellow classmate Kasumi Nomura, Kasumi becomes annoyed to the point of being challenged into playing, too. When Kasumi wins the round, she demands Olivia tutor her in English and, in return, will teach Olivia different Japanese pastimes. Unbeknownst to Kasumi, Olivia isn’t actually a foreigner — she’s a blonde-haired, blue-eyed native who doesn’t know any English. With a trio making up the Pastime Club, daily hijinks and hilarious antics ensue.

Turning mundane day-to-day life into absurd chaos, there’s certainly never a dull moment with these girls. One could say the loose plot of Asobi Asobase can be summed up and dumbed down to just being about dumb girls being, well, dumb together.

Asobi Asobase can be streamed on Crunchyroll.

2) Uncle from Another World

After a near fatal accident with being hit by a truck, Takafumi Takaoka’s uncle, Yousuke Shibazaki, suddenly awakens after being in a coma after seventeen years. Spouting gibberish in an unknown language, Takafumi at first dismisses his uncle asserting that he’d been transported to a magical world called Gran Bahamal. But upon witnessing his uncle effortlessly recite an incantation that makes a cup of water hover in the air, Takafumi immediately inverses his opinion and invites his uncle to live with him. The two then team up and create a YouTube channel to showcase Yousuke’s magical abilities. As Takafumi acquaints his uncle with updated society and technology, Yousuke recounts his adventures in the other world to his nephew, who realizes just how many opportunities his uncle had ignorantly squandered in the magical world.

As a SEGA-obsessed “elder” otaku, Takafumi’s uncle, as silly and airheaded as he is, can be oddly relatable. Actually, so can Takafumi himself, having to constantly deal with his uncle’s obliviousness. So, if you happen to be in your early twenties to early thirties, this series’ comedy will certainly hit different.

Uncle from Another World can be streamed on Netflix.

3) The Disastrous Life Of Saiki K.

Kusuo Saiki has a gift for many supernatural abilities like telepathy and x-ray vision, but while others would kill to have such powers, Saiki instead finds his abilities to be more of a nuisance than a blessing. Although he aims to keep his powers a secret and just live an ordinary life, he tends to attract many inconveniences and unwanted attention. Constantly being thrust into others’ shenanigans, like those of empty-headed Riki Nendou and delusional Shun Kaidou, Saiki finds that ordinary life is far more difficult to achieve.

As much as many find superheroes and powers to be things of inspiration and amazement, akin to One-Punch Man, it’s hilarious when characters find having such abilities to just be a hindrance. But unlike Saitama searching for excitement to match his skills, Saiki refreshes the comedic take by trying (and failing) to just live a quiet life.

The Disastrous Life Of Saiki K. can be streamed on Netflix.

4) Dandadan

When feisty gyaru Momo Ayase defends the meek, geeky Ken Takakura, dubbed Okarun, from bullies throwing trash at the poor guy just trying to read his magazine, he follows after his new friend. Misunderstanding her intentions, he presumes Momo is also into aliens and the occult. Saying she’s not into aliens and UFOs but she does believe in ghosts prompts Okarun to chuckle that ghosts aren’t real. The two begin to argue their points on whether or not aliens or ghosts are the real deal. Thus, beginning their unusual, deepening friendship founded on the resulting, arguably more absurd, consequences – getting Okarun’s family jewels back from the very things they questioned existing.

Endeavoring to get Okarun’s golden testicles back from a sexually harassing ghost granny and avoiding aliens trying to steal human “bananas”, it’s no wonder why Dandadan is one of the most popular series currently with its hilariously witty storyline and characters.

Dandadan can be streamed on Netflix and Crunchyroll.

5) KonoSuba: God’s Blessing on This Wonderful World!

After dying a hilariously pathetic death out of sheer stress rather than being hit by what he thought was an oncoming truck, high schooler Kazuma Satou finds himself in an afterlife audience with the beautiful, obnoxious goddess, Aqua. Given two options — to either go to Heaven or be sent to a fantasy world — the shut-in NEET, of course, chooses the latter. He is also allowed to choose one thing to take with him, so he chooses Aqua, the goddess herself. Although being sent to another world as the future hero to defeat the Demon King seems like it would be full of adventure and wonder, Kazuma and the useless goddess actually end up spending much of their time working manual labor jobs and sleeping in a stable to just get by. Even so, their misadventure is only beginning!

Constantly subverting expectations, Kazuma being a character who truly could not care to follow typical tropes, and plenty of hysterical mishaps and escapades, KonoSuba: God’s Blessing on This Wonderful World!, or simply KonoSuba, is a comedy you definitely shouldn’t sleep on.

KonoSuba: God’s Blessing on This Wonderful World! can be streamed on Crunchyroll.

[RELATED: 5 Abridged Anime That Up the Ante for the Originals]

6) Ghost Stories

Having to chase their pet cat, Kaya, after moving to their late mother’s hometown, Satsuki Miyanoshita and her crybaby brother Keiichirou wind up in the local old schoolhouse. Not believing the rumors of the schoolhouse being haunted, they’re attacked by the demon Amanojaku. Upon finding a diary written by their late mother, Kayako, Satsuki attempts to banish the demon but only manages to trap it within their pet cat. Although the ghosts of the schoolhouse had once been banished years ago, it’s up to Satsuki and her friends, the pretentious Hajime Aoyama, the religious Momoko Koigakubo, and the pansy Leo Kakinoki, to keep them from creeping back.

The English dub version is actually the main appeal of the entire series, arguably especially out of context. When American producer Ste7en Foster got his hands on it, he chose to turn it into a comedy including adult humor, profanity, sexual references, and other offensive material.

Ghost Stories can be streamed on Crunchyroll.

7) Gintama

Edo, a city once home to the feudal shogunate of Japan, is now a puppet government after being invaded by an alien race, the Amanto. With the ban on swords in public, samurai have become a legend of the past. That is, except for one. Gintoki Sakata, brandishing a wooden sword, claims to be a samurai for hire despite the ban. But he isn’t alone. In his endeavor to help others, Gintoki stumbles upon Shinpachi Shimura, who becomes his apprentice, wanting to learn the way of the samurai, and Kagura, an alien girl who assists with her superhuman strength. The trio takes on freelance odd jobs at Yorozuya — emphasis on the capital ‘O’ Odd.

From fighting aliens to toilet humor to parodies on other familiar franchises, Gintama is sure to get a giggle. With high praise and many a fan, this classic has been at the top of the comedy genre charts since its debut in 2006, and with good reason.

Gintama can be streamed on Crunchyroll.

8) Kaguya-sama: Love Is War

Shuchiin Academy’s student body president, Miyuki Shirogane, and vice president, Kaguya Shinomiya, excel at their roles and academically, the epitome of admiration among their peers. Although they may be excellent at their high-ranking positions, they aren’t so capable of confessing their feelings for one another. No, admitting such feelings would be the same as losing one’s honor and pride. On this battlefield, they each strive to squeeze out a confession from the other. For whoever succeeds shall be declared victorious.

As they say, love is a battlefield. This series takes the “will they, won’t they” trope and twists it into a game of wits and formidability between the main love interests, often leading to ridiculous situations that become drawn out to extremely absurd measures.

Kaguya-sama: Love Is War can be streamed on Crunchyroll.

9) Spy x Family

As the neighboring countries Ostania and Westalis quietly plot against each other, spy Twilight takes on the alias of psychiatrist Loid Forger in the Ostanian city of Berlint to conduct intel. His target: the politician Donovan Desmond. The problem is Donovan only rarely appears at his son’s school, Eden Academy. In order to get closer to his target, Loid enlists Yor Briar, an unmarried city hall clerk, and Anya, his newly adopted daughter, who he enrolls at Eden Academy, to act as a normal, happy family. Unbeknownst to the spy, Loid’s new family hides their own secrets — Yor is actually an assassin known as “Thorn Princess” and Anya is a telepath secretly able to read others’ minds.

Although having a spy as a dad an an assassin mother is absolutely cool to Anya, she also takes it upon herself to fulfill her responsibilities as a telepath and keep their secrets safe and their family together. Which, for a young child, is a lot to take on. But nonetheless, Anya is determined, no matter what hilarious antics this leads the trio into.

Spy x Family can be streamed on Hulu and Crunchyroll where available.

10) Space Dandy

“Space Dandy: he’s a dandy guy — in space. He combs the galaxy like his pompadour on the hunt for aliens. Planet after planet, he searches, discovering bizarre new creatures, both friendly and not. These are the spectacular adventures of Space Dandy and his brave space crew — in space.” Dandy, along with his crewmates, QT, the outdated robot and cat-like alien Meow, explores space in their ship, the Aloha Oe, in search of strange, undocumented aliens in exchange for money. Often making pitstops at Dandy’s favorite diner, BooBies, the crew explores the perils of the galaxy, getting themselves into many misadventures in many strange places and even stranger encounters.00

If you’re searching for a show that not only excels in fresh comedy, but also in sheer wit and gorgeous, sometimes strategically fluctuating, artistic prowess, Space Dandy is for you. Although the first episode can be difficult to get through, this hilarious series is absolutely worth your time.

Space Dandy can be streamed on Crunchyroll.

---

What anime makes you laugh every time you watch? Let us know in the comments if you have a recommendation for a comedy series that’s sure to get a chuckle, perhaps even a guffaw, out of anyone!