10 best anime to watch when bored

Anime is a popular form of entertainment that offers an escape into fascinating fictional worlds filled with intriguing characters and stories. When boredom strikes, anime can serve as the perfect antidote.

This medium’s incredible capacity for worldbuilding and character development is a significant reason for its international popularity. Whether facing occasional boredom or a prolonged period of ennui, anime presents the ideal solution.

This article recommends 10 of the best anime to watch during dull moments in life. From action-packed battles to hilarious comedies, these selections will transport viewers to enchanting worlds that banish boredom.

Can’t stand boredom? Watch anime like Death Note, Mob Psycho 100 to beat it

1. One Punch Man

One Punch Man (Image via Madhouse, J.C. Staff)

Few anime concepts are as absurd yet gratifying as One Punch Man. This action comedy follows Saitama, an unremarkable bald man who trained so hard that he can defeat any enemy with a single punch. However, the lack of challenges leaves him extremely bored.

The show satirizes tropes commonly found in superhero stories and broader anime. Despite his world-class strength, Saitama gets almost no recognition due to his nondescript appearance. Meanwhile, flamboyant heroes become celebrities while possessing weaker abilities than Saitama.

With dynamic fight animation, hilarious comic timing, and an exceptional soundtrack, One Punch Man offers a deadpan superhero parody coupled with spectacular action showdowns. Beyond the surface-level laughs, this anime is perfect for when you're bored, providing a thoughtful superheroes deconstruction that is sure to chase away your boredom.

2. Naruto

This immensely influential ninja action saga remains renowned for its exhilarating battles, profound themes about purpose and morality, and well-developed characters.

Naruto stars its titular character, a mischievous young orphan ostracized by society for harboring the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox, which once threatened his village. It chronicles Naruto’s journey alongside fellow ninjas as they strive to hone their skills and overcome adversities.

Naruto seeks recognition from his peers while pursuing his dream of becoming the Hokage, the leader of his village. With well-choreographed fights and affecting drama, Naruto evolves before viewers' eyes from an attention-seeking prankster to one of the most respected leaders in his world over more than 720 episodes.

3. Death Note

The suspenseful cat-and-mouse thriller Death Note centers on Light Yagami, a gifted high school student who obtains a supernatural notebook that allows him to kill anyone by writing their name in it. Believing humanity must be saved from evil, Light adopts the name "Kira" and initiates a dramatic spike in criminal deaths.

The authorities recruit the enigmatic master detective "L" to uncover Kira’s identity and capture this elusive assailant. What ensues is an intense battle of wits as Light and L strive to reveal one another's secrets.

Featuring intricate plotting and complex moral themes, Death Note offers an addictive cerebral viewing experience. The mental chess match between two brilliant adversaries keeps the thrill and uncertainty alive until the very end.

4. Spy x Family

Spy x Family (Image via Wit Studio & CloverWorks)

This smash-hit anime to watch when bored follows the super-spy Twilight, who must create a fake family to infiltrate an elite private school for a vital mission. He unknowingly adopts an orphan girl capable of reading minds and later marries an assassin named Yor, all while being unaware of each other’s secrets.

Hilarity and wholesome fun ensue as this makeshift family of underground operatives deceives those around them while gradually bonding. Witty humor and over-the-top action permeate this charming series alongside touching family themes.

As threats loom in the shadows, endangering Twilight’s mission, the new bonds this pretend family forms are put to the test. Spy x Family seamlessly blends multiple genres into a highly entertaining viewing experience perfect for passing the time. Eccentric characters and heartfelt bonds make it endlessly fun.

5. Assassination Classroom

Assassination Classroom (Image via Lerche)

In this offbeat series, a mysterious tentacled creature destroys part of the moon and threatens to do the same to Earth by the end of the school year. Until then, he offers to become a teacher, helping students assassinate him in exchange for instruction.

Thus begins the absurd scenario of junior high misfits in "Class 3-E" training daily to eliminate their teacher, Koro-Sensei, a jovial monster who can fly at Mach 20 speeds. Despite clear instructions to kill their bizarre sensei, the students slowly warm up to him as he mentors them with care and skill.

With plenty of slapstick comedy and action balanced alongside emotional character moments, it makes for a quirky, feel-good watch. The students’ journey toward graduation, while preparing to assassinate their cherished teacher, whom they don’t actually want to kill, results in plenty of laughs and tears.

6. Mob Psycho 100

Created by acclaimed manga artist ONE (also behind One Punch Man), Mob Psycho 100 follows the withdrawn middle schooler Shigeo “Mob” Kageyama, who possesses dangerously powerful psychic abilities. Despite his incredible powers, Mob prioritizes controlling his emotions to prevent accidental destruction.

However, Mob becomes involved with a questionable psychic consultancy run by an eccentric con artist named Reigen. As Mob navigates adolescence, he encounters various threats to his family, friends, and city, which cause his emotions and psychic powers to gradually unleash.

With impressive animation sequences and insightful commentary on ambition, self-improvement, and adolescence, Mob Psycho 100 makes for a thoughtful, visually stunning show. Mob’s character growth into self-acceptance and assertiveness results in great payoffs.

7. Cowboy Bebop

This revered sci-fi anime to watch when bored follows the misadventures of a ragtag crew of bounty hunters aboard their spaceship, Bebop, which includes Spike, Jet, Faye, Ed, and Ein. Blending aesthetics from Western and Eastern cultures, it is set in a future where humanity has colonized various planets.

Cowboy Bebop episodically depicts this dysfunctional found family of space cowboys chasing wanted criminals across the solar system for reward money that always seems to slip away. Despite eking out a living this way, the crew of the Bebop seem most concerned with finding their purpose in life.

Featuring stylish visuals, fluid action animation, vibrant worldbuilding, and one of the most iconic soundtracks, Cowboy Bebop has firmly cemented its exalted status. Its atmospheric setting, cool characters, high-quality animation, and referential stories still hold up tremendously, solidifying its reputation as an all-time great.

8. Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood

Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood (Image via Bones)

After a botched forbidden Human Transmutation experiment leaves brothers Edward and Alphonse Elric without their bodies, they embark on a dangerous military-led conspiracy that conceals dark secrets behind alchemic science.

Seeking the mythical Philosopher’s Stone to reverse their disastrous mistake, Ed and Alphonse confront morally compromised state leaders who exploit the brothers’ abilities to consolidate power.

It features meticulous worldbuilding and unforgettable characters. Ranking among the most celebrated anime ever made, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood presents an emotionally charged narrative about sacrifice, ambition, and redemption.

9. Demon Slayer

Demon Slayer follows kindhearted Tanjiro, whose family is slaughtered by demons, leaving his sister Nezuko as the sole survivor – but she has been turned into a demon. Vowing to restore her humanity, Tanjiro joins the Demon Slayer Corps to hunt for the demon responsible, hoping to cure Nezuko.

Set in early 20th-century Japan, it features stunning animation that showcases lush environments and terrifying demonic threats. Beyond the impressive fight sequences, Demon Slayer tugs at heartstrings through Tanjiro’s compassion and dedication to safeguarding Nezuko's humanity.

With its captivating storyline, relatable themes about familial bonds, and unique anime aesthetic, Demon Slayer casts an irresistible spell of entertainment. Viewers become deeply invested in sympathetic characters while witnessing spectacular sword battles.

10. KonoSuba

When Kazuma Satō dies in an embarrassing way, he gets reincarnated by the useless goddess Aqua in a fantasy world that resembles an RPG. The foolish goddess also teleports with him, offering minimal battle support against the demon king’s invading army.

Unable to defeat weak enemies on his own, Kazuma befriends a hot-tempered mage named Megumin, who can only cast explosions once per day. They later meet a masochistic crusader named Darkness, and the incompetent adventuring party KonoSuba is born!

This comedic isekai parody delivers a stream of jokes that mock game mechanics, anime tropes, and its useless lead characters. With Kazuma and his affiliates constantly bickering and failing against even the simplest monsters, KonoSuba offers endless laugh-out-loud moments guaranteed to chase away boredom.

Conclusion

Anime is a wonderfully diverse medium that provides boundless entertainment for every taste and mood. The shows described here, covering comedy, action, drama, and the supernatural, demonstrate anime’s captivating breadth. All of these series promise to eliminate boredom, transporting viewers into exciting fictional worlds where they can journey alongside engaging characters.

So, the next time boredom arises, consider checking out these anime, which are guaranteed to banish monotony and catapult you into vibrant escapism. From KonoSuba's wild comedy to Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood's epic drama, anime’s storytelling makes boredom vanish.