Christmas 2022 is almost here to knock at our doorsteps and that calls for the need for good content recommendations to keep us all accompanied on the upcoming cold winter night, all cuddled up in our cozy blankets with mugs filled with hot chocolate warming out palms. Taking care of your interests if you’re not one to head out for parties and would rather kick back and relax your time alone, we’ve curated a list of some feel good anime for you to catch up on during this time.
Here’s a list of some anime, either featuring Christmas in their backdrop, or highlight the snow-capped environs, or in some cases merely an anime that will drown you in all the feels. Get your popcorn and tissues ready, because we’re in for an emotional ride!
Feel-Good Anime to Watch on Christmas 2022
Winter Sonata (Fuyu no Sonata)
Inspired by the kdrama of the same name, this is the ultimate nostalgic throwback to a time two decades ago, when the same actors from the drama were brought back to voice the animation characters with Japanese subtitles onscreen. Falling head over heels for Joon Sang during her youth Yoo Jin’s love story is broken off as a tragedy unfolds.
Post the accident, she marries her childhood friend, but life throws yet another challenge her way as she comes across her old love’s lookalike. Taking a rather unique turn with the main love story featured therein, the show focusses on the interactions between grown-ups and isn’t centred around a high school setting.
Playing out the melodramatic trope in angsty love stories, the anime comes full circle with mature characters and an attractive soundtrack, putting it class apart from other shojo counterparts. It’s bound to leave you in tears, gathering all your emotions during the holiday season.
Your Lie In April
Leaving a cautionary note right at the beginning – this anime is not what it seems. Its initial vibrant and blasts of colours on the screen are deceptive and soon lead us into the sombre reality of its characters. A rather emotional tale that falls back on visions of family and friendship love, this one is is guaranteed to leave you teary-eyed while feeling so many emotions at the same time once you’re done watching it.
Having led an unstable and traumatic childhood, Kousei Arima, a prodigy pianist, distances himself his art. However, his introduction to the extraordinary, one-of-a-kind Kaori Miyazono, who too plays the instrument, changes everything. On being asked by Kaori to become her accompanist, Kousei is compelled to face the fears of his past.
Even years after having watched this anime, I still can’t express the rollercoaster of feelings I experienced while watching it the first time around. Know that feeling when your throat gets choked after witnessing too overwhelming that tears running down your face can’t offer you any consolation alone? That’s how this anime will leave you, just you wait for the second half of the season.
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The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya
The Christmas-specific anime is based on the light novel of the same name and is covers the week before the holiday, wherein Kyon has to face a life-changing incident related to his SOS brigade. The other few members have either vanished or don’t remember him. Presenting a plot-twisting storyline filled with romantic moments, the movie, specifically, focuses on Kyon’s journey about tracing the path back to his friends as he’s the only one with old memories in mind.
Following the sci-fi trail, this anime film will keep you guessing till the end as the main character faces a moral conflict, digging deeper into an existential question, thus implementing a good character development. Unlike the series, the titular character Haruhi isn’t the main focus of the film, but it’s a great watch for the time, especially with the themes it covers in a heartwarming manner.
Toradora
Available for streaming on Netflix, here comes the classic tsundere Ryuji who unexpectedly befriends the tiny yet intense next door girl Taiga. Together they help out each other in actualising their love stories and in making confessions to their crushes.
The unlikely bond between these characters makes way for a romantic comedy anime and soon wraps you in its charm. Keeping you invested in both the characters and the plot, this title is a must-watch as it offers a roster of characters that equally balance out each other and the growth portrayed in them as well as their relationship with each other is a plus.
It may not be flawless, but despite its issues, it still comes across as a warm choice for this time of the year with majorly likeable characters in sight.
Whisper of the Heart
Another commonly watched anime around this time on Netflix is Whisper of the Heart following the 14-year-old Shizuku Tsukishima, who discovers that her books have often been issued under Seiji Amasawa’s name. Shizuku’s love for reading and literature in general goes deep, and so, she’s easily intrigued to find the person with the same interests as her, as she eventually carves out a path for her dreams.
The unique Ghibli movie provides the viewer with relatable and endearing characters that don’t fall under the stereotypical rom-com category. A great attention is paid to the evolution of the children’s psyche, especially the girl, who learns to hold her own as the narrative unfolds further.
Romantic Killer
Anzu has it all to keep her content and satisfied – her cute cat, chocolates and video games. She leads her single life, while vicariously living through dating simulation games without any interest in the real world’s offering of love. Her life becomes topsy turvy when a new video game comes alive and a match-making wizard turns the situation all around.
The trailer doesn’t justify the depth and complexity of this slice of life anime and its characters. Everything from the beginning to the end is packed in such a way that it transcends every other stereotype incorporated in harem or reverse harem anime. Anzu, the anti heroine is one of the most relatable and realistic female characters of anime yet. With only one season out on Netflix, this is a must watch, regardless of the season or time of the year.
Heading into it, I didn’t expect it to represent the gravity of human relationships, putting friendships first and even. It even circles around a serious issue with grave sensitivity without romanticising any aspects of the concept. The holiday season asks for stories related to warm friendships , and Romantic Killer delivers them on all accounts, leaving you awestruck of how open-minded and heartening an anime can be.
Yuri On Ice
Although a sports anime, I had to include this title on the list as well owing to the visuals of the winter landscape that persist throughout the episodes while a goofy storyline and characters make for a time well spent. Most essentially drawing a portrait of the sport that is figure skating, the series brings out the various characters’ love for it, while accentuating the beauty contained in it.
The anime has been appreciated and praised even by actual figure skaters, highlighting that it paints an accurate image of the sport while detailing out the nuances and complexity held within it. The soundtrack and score are other factors that draw in the audience with how delicately they accompany the figure skating choreographies.
As far as the storyline is concerned, it focusses on the hardships faced by the Japanese figure skater Yuri Katsuki after the Grand Prix Final, and his eventual run-in with his role model, the figure skating champion Victor Nikiforov and another passionate player Yuri Plisetsky. Both Yuris then contest for the Figure Skating Grand Prix again with Victor coaching Katsuki, with their relationship’s subtext often accepted by the audiences as a pro LGBT move. (Available on Crunchyroll for some countries)
Clannad
Tomoya Okazaki’s coming-of-age storyline as an average high schooler, with no interest in his setting whatsoever, puts the focus on his final school year, when he meets five girls. Soon, their problems become his own, as he helps untangle them, which eventually plays into his life post his graduation as well.
Viewers share mixed reactions for the series to this date, however, the slice-of-life elements fused with the romantic strings of the story make it an appropriate watch for Christmas. There are some unrealistic bits present therein that may seem far-fetched to many, but it’s an anime after all. Leading with poignancy, the show is a warm portrayal of friendships that the main character makes along the way, and at a time like this, that’s all that matters.
Tokyo Godfathers
Yet another title intrinsically linked to the Christmas theme is Tokyo Godfathers, available on Netflix. Following the events of a Christmas Eve, three homeless people come across an abandoned child, left with a key and a note, and attempt to search for its parents while meeting with several hurdles on their way.
Fleshed out as a family-focussed movie, it brings out some complex set of characters along with traditional mentions of the holiday in the backdrop and soon breaks out its series of plot twists that’ll keep you hooked.
If anything, the film is quite enjoyable and though it starts off a bit slow, you need to stay put till the end because it’s one of the good films out there, relying on one’s spirit for adventure.
Which of these anime have you already watched and love? Which other anime titles are your go-to options for this season to feel at ease? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section.
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