I think it’s pretty safe to say that most of us here want to live like anime — as much as possible anyways. And if you don’t, you should!
So, after finding some rather disappointing lists on how to ‘live like anime,’ I decided that it was time for us to step up and help inspire you to live your best life.
In this article:
- Go to a Karaoke Room
- Learn Some New Skills
- Get Competitive
- Go on a Journey
- Visit Some Hotsprings
- Make a Bento
- Go to a Cafe
- Get a Kotatsu
- Check Out an Izakaya
- Attend a Festival or Convention
- Get Some Ramen
- Play an MMO
- Find a Nice View
- Listen to Kawaii Pop
Go to a Karaoke Room
One of the most anime-like experiences you can have is going to a karaoke room.
The main reason is because of how similar they actually are compared to how they’re depicted in anime.
There are plenty of karaoke rooms available in the US and they’re usually pretty fun and affordable.
Not to mention a lot of them will be BYOB, so you can grab some sake (if you’re of age) and some good food and make the night that much better.
If you haven’t tried them before, keep them in mind to make your next night out more like an episode of anime.
Learn Some New Skills
One thing that a ton of animes have in common is that the main character has one particular skill that they excel at.
Sometimes it’s entirely unique and only turns out to be useful in fantasy, but a lot of shows are also centered around very attainable skills like cooking, gaming or programming (anything, really).
And while skill sets like cooking may not always sound the most exciting, try to think of it this way: once the MC gets good enough at anything, that’s usually when the show starts.
We didn’t watch Soma learn to cook for 15 years before Food Wars started, the show started when he was already talented in the field, and ready to cook in an epic way.
So don’t expect life to suddenly turn around after your first Youtube tutorial. But with just a little time and effort, you can get better at basically anything you want! And that’s when your life can become more like an anime.
Get Competitive
If you’re already skilled at something, be it a video game, skydiving, or anywhere in between, then you’ve got a great opportunity to make your life more like an anime.
It could be as simple as challenging a friend to a game of Yu-Gi-Oh, or aiming to break the top 1000 in your favorite online game, but the key here is the challenge.
Not much else makes life as exciting as the moment you’re locked in battle with a foe fighting for a win to boost your rank.
Go on a Journey
Most of us don’t have the means to just pick up and leave on a lengthy or expensive journey, but doing just what you can is still worth it.
Don’t get held up thinking you need to save up your whole life just to eventually take your dream vacation, go live in the moment while you can!
Whether it’s just camping right down the street, or taking a road trip to try some awesome ramen, getting out of your normal environment every once in a while can be just what you need to make life more exciting and fulfilling like an anime.
Visit a Hot Spring
If you’re looking for a trip that can scratch that anime itch, visiting a hot spring is an amazing experience that might be easier to obtain that you think.
Most people don’t realize this, but the US actually has over 1600 different hot spring and thermal pools with quite a few of those being swimmable.
While most won’t have the exact ambiance of a Japanese onsen, there is plenty of variety and a lot to discover.
A quick web search can turn up more relevant options near you, but in the mean time here’s a list of 25 of the nicest hot springs for bathing in the US.
Make a Bento
Learning to cook even one simple Japanese inspired dish can be a truly rewarding experience, but I especially love to prepare a cute, anime-inspired bento and have a picnic.
It may seem difficult if you don’t cook much, but keep in mind that there are many different types of bento — some much easier to make than others.
We’ve made a board on pinterest here if you need bento ideas!
Really any dish inspired by anime will do, but bentos can be especially fun to make for yourself or a friend.
Go to a Cafe
There are all kinds of cafes around, and a lot of them have some real anime vibes.
If you like slice of life or seinen anime/manga, just a nice cafe in general can really set the mood.
Some headphones and a coffee, cake or parfait make for a peaceful experience akin to some of my favorite scenes in anime.
You might also be surprised to know that there are actually cat cafes, internet cafes, and other themed establishments scattered around the US.
A quick search for these terms on the web can show you how close some are to you, though they’re usually in bigger cities.
But hey, even if the one you want to visit isn’t too close to you, there’s another great idea for a simple road trip with friends.
Check out an Izakaya
If you aren’t familiar with the term, an Izakaya is basically just a Japanese-style bar that usually serves sake and late night small bite food (like karaage or takoyaki).
A lot of cities have at least a few of these around, and while they can be a bit pricey they are usually well worth it.
Get a Kotatsu
https://www.instagram.com/p/B909nKOgFnR/
This one is a must for anybody that has the means to get one and truly wants to live day to day inspired by anime.
Basically, a kotatsu is a form of table that has a blanket attached to the table top usually with a heater underneath.
They are fun, cozy, and really fit the anime aesthetic. Get one and friends will be dying to come over and watch anime under your comfy bed-couch.
You can buy them pre-made or make them yourself!
Attend a Festival or Convention
Just like with Hotsprings, there are quite a few Japanese events that go unnoticed by most every year in the US.
Lantern festivals, anime conventions and even Cherry Blossom Viewing festivals all go on each year in the US. Some are really large and can be expensive if you don’t live in the area, but I was surprised at how many smaller anime conventions there are in the US each year.
Take a look at this list of the anime conventions taking place each year
Eat Picture Perfect Ramen
Now this one almost goes without saying, but I’ll say it anyways — go get yourself some instagrammable ramen!
If you’re at all partial to ramen, this one is a must if you can find a renown ramen shop within a reasonable distance.
The point isn’t necessarily to post pictures of it, but everybody deserves to at least try some ramen so photogenic that it looks like it was pulled straight out of an anime.
Play an MMO
Another easy pass-time to get into from popular genres of the past decade is Massive Multiplayer Online games, or MMOs.
Let’s face it, we’re probably not going to get isekai’d and nobody is going to show up and grant us superpowers or hand us a Deathnote. So what’s the next best? MMOs!
In an MMO you have the chance to ‘live’ as a character version of yourself and make real friends, go on virtual adventures, and even rise through the ranks of a guild.
As tech gets better, so do games. In my opinion, we aren’t too far out from virtual reality MMOs (VRMMORPGs) and that’s when things will really start to resemble 90’s and 2000’s anime IRL.
Find a Nice View
If you grew up in an anime, you’d probably be the type to eat your lunch or skip class on the school rooftop, right? I know I would be.
Well, while that’s not usually a real option, getting (safely) up to a high point or rooftop with a nice view is a wonderful way to cultivate the feeling that we sometimes yearn for when watching our favorite shows.
Listen to Kawaii Pop
If you haven’t already, try checking out what people call ‘Kawaii Pop’ or ‘Kawaii Future Bass’ that has gotten popular in recent years.
These genres are uniquely inspired by anime, kawaii (cute things) and gaming, and they can really inspire an anime-like feel in your daily life.
If you haven’t heard any of this music before, you can start out by checking out bands like Snail’s House or Yunomi, or check out this Kawaii playlist I made for you on YT.
Well, that’s it for our list on how to live like anime. But, if you want even more inspiration on how to live like anime, here’s a pixel art gallery about life in Japan that I’ve gotten inspiration from time to time
