It might be fair to say that the past few years have been difficult for many people. Pandemics, rising living costs, financial instability, government upheavals—these are stressful times. Given the circumstances, no one is especially surprised to learn that readers have been seeking out escapism in their books. For some readers, that escapism takes the form of epic quests and amazing adventures. For others, horror novels become that outlet because the terrible things that happen on those pages are controlled and contained in a way that real life horrors are not.
But some readers find that as stressful as real life. They want a real escape. Something comforting and low stakes. In the Western literary SFF tradition, that subgenre has taken the form of cozy SFF. But English-language literature doesn’t have a monopoly on these kinds of stories. In manga, this type of story is known as slice of life.
Slice of life is a huge manga category. It spans all genres and takes on different forms. A slice of life manga can be episodic with each chapter being self-contained. Or there can be a larger plot but it takes place in the background while the mundane, everyday things are emphasized and pushed to the forefront. Regardless, there’s a slice of life manga for everyone. Even in the science fiction and fantasy genres.
If this is what you’re needing during the colder seasons, here are some slice of life SFF manga to get you started.
The Savior's Book Cafe Story in Another World Vol. 1
Isekai is major manga genre. It’s the Japanese equivalent to portal fantasy in the Western literary tradition, although it has its own conventions and tropes. A quick glance at anime from the last decade, though, will demonstrate how popular it is. The most common storyline is that someone—generally a man—gets hit by a truck and wakes up in another world.
In this other world, he either develops powers, uses innate skills, or some combination of the two. He goes on adventures, fights bad guys, and gets a few girlfriends along the way. But there’s a counterpart to this male power fantasy that features female leads, and The Savior’s Book Café Story in Another World is the perfect encapsulation of that.
Here, Tsukina is a book-loving, thirtysomething office worker who gets summoned to another world to become its savior. She wants none of that. It’s stressful and a lot of work, after all. Instead, she uses her newfound magical abilities to open a book café. Who can blame her?
My Cat Loki, Volume 1
This one’s for the pet lovers. Ameya grew up with his cat. Their long relationship created a strong bond. In fact, Ameya didn’t even consider his cat a pet. He viewed the feline as his brother. Unfortunately, the inevitable happened because the lifespan of a cat isn’t as long as that of a human. The death sent Ameya into a tailspin, and he subsequently shut himself off for years. Given that he’s an artist, this depressive spiral is tragic in more ways than one.
Then, on a rainy day, he meets a feisty stray cat in the park and his life opens up again. An interesting aspect of this manga is that the cats aren’t depicted as animals but rather as cat-human hybrids, emphasizing Ameya’s perspective, reinforcing the surreal angle of this series.
Saint Young Men Vol. 1
Saint Young Men is a buddy comedy like you’ve never seen before. Jesus is the Son of God. Buddha is the Enlightened One. They’re both central figures of major world religions. They also want a vacation from their responsibilities. It turns out that helping humanity for thousands of years gets tiring. Shocking.
Because this is a manga, Jesus and Buddha decide to room together and rent an apartment in modern-day Tokyo. It’s a true slice-of-life manga where two significant religious figures navigate everyday life from tourist attractions to operating basic kitchen appliances.
The Saint's Magic Power is Omnipotent (Light Novel) Vol. 1
Another entry in the female-led isekai genre, The Saint’s Magic Power Is Omnipotent introduces us to Sei, an office lady who quite literally dies of overwork. There’s some commentary here for why female leads of isekai stories tend to die from overwork, but that’s another discussion for another day.
Sei wakes up in another world, but it turns out she’s not the only one. A younger, prettier woman also arrives at the same time. In a traditional isekai story, it’s usually a teenager who gets summoned to another world to become that world’s savior. The ruling figures in this world believe the same thing and consider Sei to be a useless extra.
She thinks this means she can be sent home, but the mages in this world aren’t so confident that the younger woman is really their much-desired saint, so they want to keep Sei around as insurance. This leads to her having lots of time on her hands, resulting in the development of new recipes, potions, and cosmetics.
Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End, Vol. 1
If you’re an anime fan, you’ve probably heard of Frieren. The first season of the anime was critically acclaimed and immensely popular, with the second season set to premiere in mid-January. If you’re not an anime fan, Frieren is the story of what happens after the Demon King is defeated, told through the perspective of a near-immortal elven mage.
Frieren, the titular character, was a crucial member of the hero’s party that killed the Demon King. But the rest of the party is human, which means they will age, grow old, and die. And when death comes for the party’s leader, Frieren discovers the frailty of human life. Because while she may have spent only ten years on that epic quest to kill the Demon King—the blink of an eye for an elf—that journey left a mark on her.
Now, she chooses to learn more about humanity and life. That’s the beauty of this series. Yes, there’s a slow burn, low simmering plot in the background. Yes, there are amazing fight scenes. Yes, it’s about the long-running conflict with demons. But ultimately, it’s a manga that celebrates humanity, the small moments in life, and seizing the day before it passes you by.
