Animes set in rural Japan

Key takeaways

• Anime set in rural settings offers a refreshing change of pace from urban settings, showing different sides of Japan.

• Show how mushi-shi and No no Biyori highlight the simple life and communities in small towns.

• These series explore personal growth, Japanese folklore, and the pleasures of rural life in a relaxed and charming way.

There are many things that make a good anime: good characters, a great soundtrack, and cool settings, to name a few. Most shows take place in a metropolis, with Tokyo being a popular centre. However, there are also some really impressive shows that take things slow and find their setting in more rural settings.

These shows tend to be slower paced and try to highlight a different side of Japan. For fans of these types of shows, there are some real gems that show the simple life and the communities that make it up. rural japan.

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mushi-shi

The relationship between humans and the world around them

The term ‘Mushi’ is somewhat obscure and few, except the Mushi-Shi, understand it. The story of this series focuses a lot on the adventures of Ginko, a traveler who is endlessly interested in the Mushi and what makes them what they are.

mushi-shi is a slow movie that takes place in several small towns and shows a quieter side of Japan. Ginkgo meets Mushi in different ways and the show’s episodic style makes it particularly easy to digest.

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Dororo

The Hyakkimaru Tragedy

Dororo was written by none other than Osamu Tezuka, the man often cited as the father of manga. The story, a true tragedy, tells the story of Hyakkimaru, a boy condemned to remain without a body due to the sacrifice of his family.

While the action and gore are the focus, many viewers may miss the setting which, while taking place in feudal Japan, focuses on smaller communities and the reality of people’s lives there. There was a Dororo remake in 2019 with updated footage that is easily accessible to most, so it’s probably the best place to start with this series.

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Hanasaku Iroha: Bloom for Tomorrow

A contrast image

Flowers for tomorrow is about Ohana Matsumae, a young teenager living in Tokyo who suddenly has to change her life and move to her grandmother’s inn in the countryside.

The beauty of this show is in the contrast between Ohana’s life in Tokyo and the more serene environment she moves into and the people she meets. They make her life richer, and as she understands what it takes to help out at her grandmother’s inn, she can truly realize what it means to stand on her own two feet. The good thing is that this is not something she has to do alone, since she has an entire community behind her.

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Silver Spoon

All about life on the farm

After his extraordinary work in Full Metal AlchemistHiromu Arakawa introduced the world to an underrated series, Silver Spoon. Following Yuugo Hachiken, who decides to escape the pressures of his ultra-competitive school, he enrolls in an agricultural school in Hokkaido.

Silver Spoon is, at its core, a coming-of-age story about personal growth, the dangers of too much pressure, and some of the harsh realities of rural life. It does so with some light-hearted comedy while also showing bravery in tackling some more serious issues.

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Dagashi Kashi

A sweet show about sweets

Dagashi Kashi came out in 2016 and was a niche show about a boy living in a small traditional community whose family runs a candy shop. One day, he meets the eccentric Hotaru Shidare, who is kind of a sweet geek.

The two meet while Hotaru tries to convince Kokonotsu to take over her family’s business. The program may be an acquired taste for some as it really focuses on sweets, but it’s as healthy as they come.

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Higurashi: when they cry

Small Town Horrors May Be the Scariest

While the countryside can be a great vehicle for slow-moving stories of love and community, it also lends itself as a medium for horror, as there can also be something terrifying about a small town. In when they cryThe horror takes its time, but once it shows its face, it gets very dark, very quickly.

The show is told in multiple arcs and focuses primarily on Keiichi Maebara, whose new friends in a small village might be hiding something sinister from him.

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Natsume’s Book of Friends

A story about friendships between humans and spirits

Natsume’s Book of Friends This is Takashi Natsume, whose grandmother was famous in the spirit world, generally known as Youkai. When Natsume meets Madara, a powerful spirit, the two form a pact.

Natsume’s Book of Friends is a small story set in a local community and pays special attention to Japanese folklore and some of the local customs. It’s one of those shows that makes it really easy to watch and is a solid slice of life.

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No No Biyori

A true look at rural life

No no Biyori It might be the best-known of the shows about rural Japan, having burst onto the scene in 2013 and has had plenty of time to gain an audience. It is about Hotaru, who moves to the village of Asahigaoka, a small community, where she enters a school with only four other students.

No no Biyori It really dives into rural life in a small Japanese town and the joys that locals can bring to the life of a city dweller, and vice versa. The characters are charming and the show is very heartwarming.

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barakamon

Maybe rural exile isn’t so bad

barakamon is about village life, but it features one of the best heists ever animated in history, all in the first episode. Seishuu Handa, who threw the punch, is more or less exiled to a small island to think about what he’s done.

Handa, who initially curses her destiny, eventually falls in love with rural life, especially after meeting the irrepressible Naru. The show also features a beautiful opening song by Super Beaver. Soon, Handa has formed bonds with the townspeople and becomes a much better person.