Anime films have the remarkable ability to not just entertain audiences with flashy action or spectacular visuals but also make them laugh until their sides hurt. Comedy anime movies have perfected the art of keeping viewers in stitches through masterful humor and creative animation with lovable characters.
Whether it’s wacky parodies, witty dialogue, or perfectly-timed physical comedy, the best comedy anime movies showcase different varieties of humor while delivering nonstop fun. Read on for our picks of the 10 most hilarious anime comedies guaranteed to brighten your day with smiles and belly laughs.
From zany adventure stories to thoughtful satires, this diverse list of comedy anime movies has something to tickle the funny bone of just about every anime fan.
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10 must-watch comedy anime movies
1) The Night Is Short, Walk On Girl
This madcap adventure follows an unnamed girl known only as "The Girl with Black Hair" as she embarks on a wild night of drinking and partying. Along the way, she has several crazy encounters, including run-ins with supernatural beings and an overly persistent senior who keeps proposing to her.
The movie's comedy stems from the absurd and surreal situations the girl finds herself in over the course of one chaotic night, including a dance-off competition judged by a group of stone Buddha statues.
With its creative visuals, inventive gags, and endearing female lead, The Night Is Short, Walk On Girl makes for a fun and refreshing alcoholic romp.
2) My Neighbors the Yamadas
For a grounded yet amusing take on family life, try Isao Takahata’s cult classic My Neighbors the Yamadas. Using simple cartoony art and snapshot vignettes, Takahata captures the daily comic misadventures of the average suburban household, the Yamadas, through small talk, petty arguments, and minor domestic disasters.
Minimalist animation hides nuanced characterization, as routine moments like dinner reveal the Yamada parents struggling with their rambunctious kids. Witty dialogue and impeccable comic timing sell the humor from small squabbles over newspaper sections to dramatic meltdowns over damaged merchandise.
But the film also radiates wholesome familial warmth to balance out the funny dysfunction. Equal parts hilarious and heartfelt, My Neighbors the Yamadas uncovers delightful laughs from life’s mundane frustrations via masterfully observed moments crafted by one of anime’s true directing giants
3) Gintama: The Final
One of the best comedy anime movies, 2021's Gintama: The Final, perfectly encapsulates the series' successful blend of science fiction, samurai action, absurdist comedy, and self-referential meta-humor.
Much of the laughs come from main character Gintoki and his fellow "Yorozuya" odd-jobber friends getting up to all kinds of goofy antics even in the face of an alien invasion threatening their beloved city of Edo.
Packed with tons of in-jokes for loyal fans plus plenty of slapstick humor and silly sight gags to entertain newcomers, Gintama's farewell film goes all out to deliver thrilling action spectacles alongside sidesplitting chaotic comedy.
4) Crayon Shin-chan: The Adult Empire Strikes Back
The foul-mouthed pint-sized protagonist of the long-running series headlines this anarchic 2001 film filled with irreverent gags and knowing satire aimed at both kids and adults.
Here, Shin-chan discovers that all the grown-ups, including his parents, have been influenced by a nostalgia-driven cult tied to a retro-themed amusement park called the 20th Century Expo, masterminded by two mysterious figures.
Crayon Shin-chan: The Adult Empire Strikes Back gleefully demolishes taboos and pokes fun at authority figures through the ignorant-yet-wise perspective of a silly kindergartener. The shameless and shockingly mature humor will crack up older audiences while the cute design and silly hijinks appeal to children.
5) Project A-ko
Considered one of the most influential comedy anime movies, 1986's Project A-ko combines science fiction, action, and several varieties of comedy, including slapstick, parody, and romantic situations.
The plot revolves around three schoolgirls with distinct personalities—one an absent-minded super-powered heroine, another her naive and devoted friend, and their wealthy, genius human rival blessed with enhanced intelligence
As the three get caught up in escalating comedic scenarios pitting them against aliens, criminals, the military, and more, the movie showcases fast-paced physical comedy along with meta-commentary mocking common conventions seen in similar anime at the time.
6) Konosuba: Legend of Crimson
A feature film entry in the popular fantasy comedy series Konosuba, 2019's Konosuba: Legend of Crimson revisits the central quartet of dysfunctional heroes and parodies the "stuck in an RPG world" genre trope by depicting their characters as entirely incompetent and ill-equipped to handle actual combat or magic use.
When they arrive at Megumin's hometown, a village of powerful magic users threatened by a chimera named Sylvia, much farcical disaster and chaotic hilarity soon follow.
Relying on sharp character-based humor, mocking typical combat fantasy archetypes, plus plenty of fan service visual gags and manga-style exaggerated reactions, Konosuba: Legend of Crimson delivers an absurd and uproarious good time.
7) Welcome to the Space Show
This 2010 sci-fi adventure offers imaginative world-building and fantastical visuals to complement its regular stream of slapstick comedy and gentle character-based humor, making it a delight for all ages. The plot follows five kids who meet and befriend an alien dog named Pochi.
When his spaceship gets damaged, they all embark on an interstellar journey to Pochi's planet, where hilarity ensues. Blending cute character designs and fluid animation with laugh-out-loud gags from cultural misunderstandings, Welcome to the Space Show also parodies social customs and sci-fi tropes.
The end result is a charming, family-friendly serving of comedy dressed up with big-scale adventure trappings.
8) Porco Rosso
Master animator Hayao Miyazaki brings his signature touch to this 1992 adventure comedy focusing on Porco Rosso, a former fighter pilot now making his living as a freelance bounty hunter chasing air pirates.
However, Porco has been mysteriously transformed into an anthropomorphic pig, which causes no shortage of amusing reactions whenever he makes public appearances. Lighthearted humor arises from Porco's grumpy, cynical attitude, contrasting with his goofy and downright weird physical situation.
However, the movie also incorporates slapstick comedy and witty banter stemming from his fierce rivalry with a hotshot American pilot named Curtis. Along with parodying stereotypical machismo in action stories, Porco Rosso entertains with reckless dogfights and chase scenes, where laughs match the thrills.
9) Penguin Highway
A refreshingly original coming-of-age story, 2018's Penguin Highway incorporates mystery and speculative fiction elements while centering around a precocious fourth grader named Aoyama investigating the sudden mysterious appearance of penguins in his sleepy suburb.
As the inquisitive youngster attempts to puzzle out this unexplainable phenomenon through inventive pseudo-scientific theories, several comedic scenes unfold via his classroom experiments gone awry or enthusiastic fact-finding missions.
Sweet, silly, and imaginative without ever talking down to its audience, Penguin Highway portrays the innocence, curiosity, and occasional awkwardness of childhood through a playful yet thoughtful lens.
10) Lu Over the Wall
Anime legend Masaaki Yuasa brings his unique, energetic,c surreal directorial style to this cheerful part-music story, part-fantasy adventure. Middle schooler Kai forms an unlikely friendship with an upbeat mermaid named Lu when she starts dancing to the songs performed by Kai and his classmates.
But prejudice from superstitious townspeople threatens Kai and Lu's special bond. Full of hummable musical numbers, Lu Over the Wall frequently uses Lu's quirky movements and reactions to human society for laugh-out-loud reaction shots, plus plenty of dance-fueled physical comedy.
Similarly, the conflict with the close-minded villagers skewers intolerance through satirical absurdity. With such breezy, fun-loving whimsy all wrapped up in delightful animation and catchy songs, Lu Over the Wall encapsulates feel-good entertainment at its best.
Conclusion
As these diverse comedy anime movies prove, Japanese anime films have mastered the art of keeping viewers in stitches through clever writing, iconic characters, and optimal use of the animated medium for exaggerated humor.
From riotous slapstick to thoughtful satire and everything in between, the best comedy anime movies represent the entire emotional and storytelling spectrum while ensuring nonstop smiles and big belly laughs.
So gather some friends or enjoy a solo viewing party and immerse yourself in the hilarious and heartwarming world of anime comedy with this must-see selection of all-time greats guaranteed to brighten your day.
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