What is this genre all about? The anime takes place far from the any densely populated areas like cities, i.e. out in the suburbs, in the countryside with many fields and forests.
We present you the list of Countryside anime you should watch right now.
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Top 20 Countryside anime you should watch right now. [2024 List]
- 20. My Neighbor Totoro
- 19. Mahoutsukai no Yome
- 18. Goblin Slayer
- 17. Wolf Children
- 16. Mushishi
- 15. Hotarubi no Mori e
- 14. Shinsekai yori
- 13. Sankarea
- 12. Shuumatsu Train Doko e Iku?
- 11. Hyakushou Kizoku 2nd Season
- 10. Haibane Renmei
- 9. Summer Wars
- 8. Non Non Biyori
- 7. Shiki
- 6. Barakamon
- 5. Dagashi Kashi
- 4. Tensui no Sakuna-hime
- 3. Kumo no Mukou, Yakusoku no Basho
- 2. Natsume Yuujinchou Roku Specials
- 1. Kanokon: Manatsu no Dai Shanikusai
20. My Neighbor Totoro
Follow the adventures of Satsuki and her four-year-old sister Mei when they move into a new home in the countryside. To their delight they discover that their new neighbor is a mysterious forest spirit called Totoro who can be seen only through the eyes of a child. Totoro introduces them to extraordinary characters, including a cat that doubles as a bus, takes them on a journey through the wonders of nature.
My Neighbor Totoro has finished airing and it has 1 Episodes. It is also Known as: Tonari no Totoro, となりのトトロ, My Neighbour Totoro
19. Mahoutsukai no Yome
Hatori Chise has lived a life full of neglect and abuse, devoid of anything resembling love. Far from the warmth of family, she has had her share of troubles and pitfalls. Just when all hope seems lost, a fateful encounter awaits her. When a man with the head of a beast, wielding strange powers, obtains her through a slave auction, Chise's life will never be the same again. The man is a "magus,"a sorcerer of great power, who decides to free Chise from the bonds of captivity. The magus then makes a bold statement: Chise will become his apprentice--and his bride!
The Ancient Magus' Bride has finished airing and it has 24 Episodes. It is also Known as: 魔法使いの嫁, The Magician's Bride, Mahou Tsukai no Yome, Maho Yome, MahoYome, まほよめ
18. Goblin Slayer
"I'm not saving the world. I just kill goblins." Rumor has it that, in a certain guild in the middle of nowhere, there is an extraordinary man who has climbed all the way to the Silver rank just by killing goblins. At the same guild, a priestess who's just become a new adventurer has formed her first party... and the man who ends up rescuing that party when they get into trouble is none other than the Goblin Slayer.
Goblin Slayer has finished airing and it has 12 Episodes. It is also Known as: ゴブリンスレイヤー, Goblin Slayer
17. Wolf Children
Hana, a hard-working college student, falls in love with a mysterious man who attends one of her classes though he is not an actual student. As it turns out, he is not truly human either. On a full moon night, he transforms, revealing that he is the last werewolf alive. Despite this, Hana's love remains strong, and the two ultimately decide to start a family.
Hana gives birth to two healthy children—Ame, born during rainfall, and Yuki, born during snowfall—both possessing the ability to turn into wolves, a trait inherited from their father. All too soon, however, the sudden death of her lover devastates Hana's life, leaving her to raise a peculiar family completely on her own. The stress of raising her wild-natured children in a densely populated city, all while keeping their identity a secret, culminates in a decision to move to the countryside, where she hopes Ame and Yuki can live a life free from the judgments of society. Wolf Children is the heartwarming story about the challenges of being a single mother in an unforgiving modern world.
Wolf Children has finished airing and it has 1 Episodes. It is also Known as: Ookami Kodomo no Ame to Yuki, おおかみこどもの雨と雪, The Wolf Children Ame and Yuki
16. Mushishi
"Mushi": the most basic forms of life in the world. They exist without any goals or purposes aside from simply "being." They are beyond the shackles of the words "good" and "evil." Mushi can exist in countless forms and are capable of mimicking things from the natural world such as plants, diseases, and even phenomena like rainbows.
This is, however, just a vague definition of these entities that inhabit the vibrant world of Mushishi, as to even call them a form of life would be an oversimplification. Detailed information on Mushi is scarce because the majority of humans are unaware of their existence.
So what are Mushi and why do they exist? This is the question that a "Mushi-shi," Ginko, ponders constantly. Mushi-shi are those who research Mushi in hopes of understanding their place in the world's hierarchy of life.
Ginko chases rumors of occurrences that could be tied to Mushi, all for the sake of finding an answer.
It could, after all, lead to the meaning of life itself.
Mushi-Shi has finished airing and it has 26 Episodes. It is also Known as: 蟲師, Mushishi
15. Hotarubi no Mori e
Intrigued by the tale of a mountain god, six-year-old Hotaru Takegawa loses her way in the ancient forest while visiting her uncle. Exhausted and desperate for help, Hotaru is thrilled to find a masked forest spirit named Gin. She learns the hard way that she should not touch the boy, or he would disappear. In spite of this, Gin leads Hotaru out of the forest and warns her never to return when she promises to come again with a gift.
Paying no heed to his cautionary words, and despite being separated by both distance and planes of existence, Hotaru and Gin become close friends as she visits him every summer. However, their relationship and resolve are put to the test, when romantic feelings conflict with the one and only rule.
Based on Yuki Midorikawa's manga of the same name, Hotarubi no Mori e is a tale of friendship and compromise of two people who should never have crossed paths, as their lives become hopelessly intertwined.
To the Forest of the Firefly Lights has finished airing and it has 1 Episodes. It is also Known as: 蛍火の杜へ, Into the Forest of Fireflies' Light, The Light of a Firefly Forest
14. Shinsekai yori
Following a sudden outbreak of psychokinesis in 0.1% of the population, a rapid transformation swept the world. The godlike ability to manipulate matter remotely turned many power wielders to violence, inciting a long period of upheaval. Finally, after a chaotic era shaped by the rise and fall of oppressive regimes, the psychic humans were able to achieve a fragile peace by isolating their society, creating a new world bound by complex rules.
In the town of Kamisu 66, 12-year-old Saki Watanabe has just awakened to her powers and is relieved to rejoin her friends—the mischievous Satoru Asahina, the shy Mamoru Itou, the cheerful Maria Akizuki, and Shun Aonuma, a mysterious boy whom Saki admires—at Sage Academy, a special school for psychics. However, unease looms as Saki begins to question the fate of those unable to awaken to their powers, and the children begin to get involved with secretive matters such as the rumored Tainted Cats said to abduct children.Shinsekai yori tells the unique coming-of-age story of Saki and her friends as they journey to grow into their roles in the supposed utopia. Accepting these roles, however, might not come easy when faced with the dark and shocking truths of society, and the impending havoc born from the new world.
From the New World has finished airing and it has 25 Episodes. It is also Known as: 新世界より, Shin Sekai yori
13. Sankarea
Chihiro Furuya likes zombies. There’s something about the shambling corpses and blood that appeals to him on a visual level, and since childhood he longed to enter into a romantic situation with one. He gets his wish when he encounters Rea Sanka—the daughter of the school director—at the abandoned building he uses in an attempt to resurrect Baabu, the family cat, with a resurrection potion. Hoping to escape her awful home life, Rea consumes the potion and falls to her death, only to come back as a zombie?! Could this possibly be Chihiro's dream come true, or will it be a rude awakening?
Sankarea: Undying Love has finished airing and it has 12 Episodes. It is also Known as: さんかれあ, Sankarea
12. Shuumatsu Train Doko e Iku?
The anime's story is set in a town in a not-so-ordinary countryside, where a big and strange occurrence is happening to its residents. But a young girl named Shizuru Chikura has a strong desire to see her lost friend again. Shizuru and three other girls board an abandoned train, and they set out to the outside world, where survival is not certain. What awaits them at the last stop of the "Doomsday Train?"
Train to the End of the World has finished airing and it has 12 Episodes. It is also Known as: 終末トレインどこへいく？, Where Does the Doomsday Train Go?
11. Hyakushou Kizoku 2nd Season
The second season of Hyakushou Kizoku.
The Peasant Noble Season 2 has not yet aired. It will air on December 31, 2024. It is also Known as: 百姓貴族 第2期, Hyakushou Kizoku 2nd Season
10. Haibane Renmei
All Rakka remembers before emerging from her cocoon is the sensation of falling. Confused, she is welcomed into this new world as one of the Haibane, a group of youth with small gray wings and bright halos. Together, they live in the Old Home on the outskirts of Grie, a quiet town where wingless, halo-less people live.
There are many rules governing the world of Haibane Renmei: the most important one being that Haibane cannot go near or touch the massive walls that surround the town. Only beings known as Toga may come and go as they please.
Although her daily life is quiet, there is much Rakka and the other Haibane do not know, or are not allowed to know. Rakka will work through her own doubts and questions as she figures out what she is doing in this world, while working towards the goal of each Haibane: to get beyond the walls on their Day of Flight. But this is not a light task: failure means being branded as one who is Sin-bound.
Haibane Renmei has finished airing and it has 13 Episodes. It is also Known as: 灰羽連盟, Charcoal Feather Federation
9. Summer Wars
OZ, a virtual world connected to the internet, has become extremely popular worldwide as a spot for people to engage in a large variety of activities, such as playing sports or shopping, through avatars created and customized by the user. OZ also possesses a near impenetrable security due to its strong encryption, ensuring that any personal data transmitted through the networks will be kept safe in order to protect those who use it. Because of its convenient applications, the majority of society has become highly dependent on the simulated reality, even going as far as entrusting the system with bringing back the unmanned asteroid explorer, Arawashi.
Kenji Koiso is a 17-year-old math genius and part-time OZ moderator who is invited by his crush Natsuki Shinohara on a summer trip. But unbeknownst to him, this adventure requires him to act as her fiancé. Shortly after arriving at Natsuki's family's estate, which is preparing for her great-grandmother's 90th birthday, he receives a strange, coded message on his cell phone from an unknown sender who challenges him to solve it. Kenji is able to crack the code, but little does he know that his math expertise has just put Earth in great danger.
Summer Wars has finished airing and it has 1 Episodes. It is also Known as: サマーウォーズ, Summer Wars
8. Non Non Biyori
When Hotaru Ichijo transfers from a school in Tokyo to the tiny little Asahigaoka Branch School in the rural countryside, she should be experiencing major culture shock. After all, there are only three other girls in the school, and none of them are even in the same grade as her. But she quickly finds herself adjusting to spending her time with first grader Renge and the Koshigaya sisters, Natsumi and Komari, who are in the seventh and eighth grade, respectively. The Koshigaya’s older brother, the only male student, isn’t so hard to get along with either. Even if it is 20 minutes by bicycle to the only place that sells comics and the video store is ten train stations away, there’s something about the laid-back lifestyle that makes her feel right at home and comfortable. It’s a big change from the big city, but there are still plenty of new adventures to look forward to as Hotaru learns that “home” really is where the heart is in NON NON BIYORI.
Non Non Biyori has finished airing and it has 12 Episodes. It is also Known as: のんのんびより, Non Non Biyori
7. Shiki
Fifteen-year-old Megumi Shimizu dreamed of a glamorous life in the big city; however, her unexpected death in the quiet village of Sotoba marks the beginning of what appears to be a ferocious epidemic that turns the hot summer into a season of blood and terror. A young doctor named Toshio Ozaki begins to doubt the nature of the disease and comes to understand that to discover the truth, he must abandon his humanity. Meanwhile, Natsuno Yuuki, an antisocial youth from the city, is haunted by the sudden death of Megumi and must realize the pain of friendship in the face of his own tragedy. Toshio and Natsuno form an unlikely pair as they work together to save Sotoba before it transforms into a ghost town of vampires.Shiki, adapted from the horror novel written by Fuyumi Ono, goes beyond the average vampire story. It tells the tragic tale of survival in a world where one cannot easily distinguish between good and evil. Abandoned by God, the Shiki, as the vampires call themselves, have only their will to live as they clash with the fear of the paranoid/unbelieving villagers. Shiki explores the boundary that separates man from monster.
Shiki has finished airing and it has 22 Episodes. It is also Known as: 屍鬼, Corpse Demon
6. Barakamon
Seishuu Handa is an up-and-coming calligrapher: young, handsome, talented, and unfortunately, a narcissist to boot. When a veteran labels his award-winning piece as "unoriginal," Seishuu quickly loses his cool with severe repercussions.
As punishment, and also in order to aid him in self-reflection, Seishuu's father exiles him to the Goto Islands, far from the comfortable Tokyo lifestyle the temperamental artist is used to. Now thrown into a rural setting, Seishuu must attempt to find new inspiration and develop his own unique art style—that is, if boisterous children (headed by the frisky Naru Kotoishi), fujoshi middle schoolers, and energetic old men stop barging into his house! The newest addition to the intimate and quirky Goto community only wants to get some work done, but the islands are far from the peaceful countryside he signed up for. Thanks to his wacky neighbors who are entirely incapable of minding their own business, the arrogant calligrapher learns so much more than he ever hoped to.
Barakamon has finished airing and it has 12 Episodes. It is also Known as: ばらかもん, Barakamon
5. Dagashi Kashi
Out in the countryside stands a sweet shop run by the Shikada family for nine generations: Shikada Dagashi, a small business selling traditional Japanese candy. However, despite his father's pleas, Kokonotsu Shikada, an aspiring manga artist, adamantly refuses to inherit the family business.
However, this may start to change with the arrival of the eccentric Hotaru Shidare. Hotaru is in search of Kokonotsu's father, with the goal of bringing him back to work for her family's company, Shidare Corporation, a world famous sweets manufacturer. Although the senior Shikada initially refuses, he states that he will change his mind on one condition: if Hotaru can convince Kokonotsu to take over the family shop. And so begins Hotaru's mission to enlighten the boy on the true joy of delicious and nostalgic dagashi!
Dagashi Kashi has finished airing and it has 12 Episodes. It is also Known as: だがしかし, Dagashikashi
4. Tensui no Sakuna-hime
Spoiled harvest goddess Sakuna finds herself banished from her opulent celestial home to an island overrun with demons. In the untamed wilderness, she must rediscover her birthright as the daughter of a warrior god and harvest goddess by weathering the elements, fighting monsters, and cultivating rice, the source of her power. By her side in this forbidding place is her guardian Tama and a group of outcast humans. Together, these unlikely companions must join hands to tame both the soil and the demons of Hinoe Island.
Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin has finished airing and it has 13 Episodes. It is also Known as: 天穂のサクナヒメ, Tensui no Sakuna-hime
3. Kumo no Mukou, Yakusoku no Basho
In an alternate-reality 1974 Japan, the country is split, with the southern islands controlled by America and the northern lands claimed by the Soviet Union. Hokkaido, referred to as Ezo in Kumo no Mukou Yakusoku no Basho, decides to construct a tower into the sky designed by Ekusun Tsukinoe.
By 1996, Hokkaido Tower's construction is complete and three students of Aomori have big dreams concerning this tower. Hiroki Fujisawa and Takuya Shirakawa are considered child prodigies, and both harbor romantic feelings for Sayuri Sawatari, though neither of them would dare admit it.
When a drone crashes down, the two boys resolve to repair it and fly to the top of Hokkaido Tower. Assisting them is their boss at the military plant, Mr. Okabe. They name the drone Bella Ciela, but before their dreams of flying it are realized, Sayuri vanishes. Unbeknownst to them, her disappearance is related closely to the tower that the two dream of reaching.
The Place Promised in Our Early Days has finished airing and it has 1 Episodes. It is also Known as: 雲のむこう、約束の場所, Beyond the Clouds, The Promised Place
2. Natsume Yuujinchou Roku Specials
Two special episodes bundled with the fourth and fifth volumes of the Blu-ray/DVD.
Natsume's Book of Friends 6 Specials has finished airing and it has 2 Episodes. It is also Known as: 夏目友人帳 陸 特別編, Natsume Yuujinchou Roku Tokubetsuhen, Natsume Yujincho 6 OVA
1. Kanokon: Manatsu no Dai Shanikusai
With the arrival of summer and the school break, Chizuru, Kota, and the rest of their friends are lazily enjoying the warm weather. Chizuru flirts with Kota, Kota gets embarrassed, and Nozomu gets in the way. Tayura pines after Akane, Akane rebuffs Tayura, and a sexy good time ensues. The status quo isn't quite the same since the fox snared her prey, but the timeless boy-meets-girl tale lingers on.
Kanokon: Manatsu no Dai Shanikusai has finished airing and it has 2 Episodes. It is also Known as: かのこん ～真夏の大謝肉祭～, Kanokon R, Kanokon OVA
