Simple yet captivating, Skip and Loafer is a slice-of-life anime with a refreshing approach to the high school experience. While the anime genre is mostly known for its bright, high-saturated colors and action-filled, fantastical plots, this show celebrates the ordinary, with its pastel toned design, sweet humor, and clean animation. The series is centered around the main duo Mitsumi and Sosuke, but it never skimps on their friendships with their group. In fact, despite the classmates’ different backgrounds, the show’s thoughtful introductions make it easy to see why they would all care for each other, even as we get to know their insecurities. Skip and Loafer feels like a hug from the childhood best friend you had (or the one that you wished you had) – the one who you hung out with after school, the one who inspired you, and the one that changed your life for the better. Every episode is just full of pure, simple joy.

Skip and Loafer does have a familiar plot, but the anime stands out because of its deep understanding of what makes its character tropes compelling. Mitsumi might be “not like other girls”, but that's because of her drive and her unconventional but important goal to address depopulation in her hometown. Shima might be the school’s popular boy, but both his genuine kindness and his distant demeanor are rooted in his troubled child actor history. Not to mention, hasn't every girl gone through the experiences and feelings of Mika, Yuzuki, and Makoto? This characterization, paired with their simple yet cute designs, makes it easy to root for the teens… and makes it so much easier to recall some childhood nostalgia.