For our ongoing series of articles depicting the best anime, our attention this time turns to parody. From hilarious references to nonstop slapstick, these comedic series pull off all the stops to get a laugh out of you. Of course, if we’ve missed any of your favorites, feel free to comment below and we’ll get them added on!
No-Rin
Despite our protagonist entering an environment that’s far different from her previous lifestyle, this show offers some incredible educational value. This show can teach people how farming works and shows our characters participating in numerous farm-related activities from taking care of livestock to planting crops. Comedy and educational value aside, No-Rin offers a wonderful romance between its idol Ringo and its male protagonist Kousaka. Although these two encounter their road bumps along the way, fans will enjoy following Kousaka and Ringo’s relationship as the series continues. This is a great series that beautifully tells a story of what it means to follow your passion, and should be watched by everyone regardless of its farming themes.
One Punch Man
While My Hero Academia feels like an homage to superheroes, One Punch Man aims to poke fun at the whole superhero genre. This show follows the life of an overpowered superhero named Saitama who can defeat anyone he encounters with one punch. Saitama’s undergone incredible training to achieve this power, but finds it boring. Saitama does not find fighting and beating people easily fun or exciting. However, Saitama receives a life-changing opportunity after he meets a cyborg named Genos who informs him about the Hero Association. Learning that he can gain a following and meet more powerful heroes, Saitama accompanies Genos to the association in hopes of gaining back his fighting spirit. While the show follows a lackadaisical protagonist, its fights beg to differ. The visuals and animation put into these physical exchanges are impeccable and jaw-dropping. You’ll find yourself immersed in One Punch Man’s world and characters. The heroes and villains Saitama meets have distinct designs and fighting abilities. No fight or scene ever looks bland or feels boring in this show, despite is parodic intent. If you’re looking for an over-the-top thrill ride with beautiful fights and wonderful characters, One Punch Man’s worth a watch.
Mr. Osomatsu
As stated earlier, this show is a bizarre roller coaster worth binging and watching for its humor alone. If you’re looking for a simple comedic show that lacks complexity, I’d suggest giving Mr. Osomatsu a shot. While this show offers a narrative to some degree, many fans will adore it for its non-stop jokes, sketches, and parodies. Our tale follows six identical siblings named Osomatsu, Karamatsu, Choromatsu, Ichimatsu, Juushimatsu, and Todomatsu. Despite having different personalities and feats, they all share the same degree of laziness, lacking the motivation to obtain a job. Even when they get opportunities, they’re automatically rejected due to their quirky personalities. Despite their poor living situation, these brothers love to tackle different activities from picking up girls to play games with each other. Although they’ll try anything to improve their social standing, these brothers will encounter numerous obstacles that come with being sextuplets.
Gintama
Looking for a samurai-themed anime that can deliver epic fights and endless laughs, Gintama has you covered. This series knows how to balance its humor and action well. You’ll find yourself giggling at the show’s many jokes while finding yourself invested in the series’ serious-toned story arcs. The humor you can expect from this anime ranges from hilarious slapstick to parodies of well-acclaimed shōnen anime like Dragon Ball and Naruto. While its characters all have a funny bone, you’ll get to peer into their darker and serious routes as the show continues. While the anime spans over 100+ episodes, you’re guaranteed to walk away from this show feeling satisfied. Our tale focuses on the life of Gintoki, a reckless samurai who runs the Yorozuya. This is a business where Gintoki tackles numerous quests for cash. During his quest, he’ll meet many friends and encounters a slew of enemies from aliens to gang members.
Hetalia Axis Powers
Hetalia Axis Powers (Hetalia) is a comedic anime about politics and the world nations. This is an anime for those that don’t want to spend time reading a history textbook or watching a documentary. This personifies the world’s nations as handsome anime boys who simply like to fool around and have fun. For instance, Hetalia takes the controversial and brutal parts of history and replaces them with a lighthearted humorous jokes and sketches that are accurate to the source material it’s parodying. Likewise, the way it personifies these heartbreaking historical situations isn’t downright cruel or unforgivable. It simply wants to poke fun at world leaders and show viewers how mundane life can be if everyone would get along. If you’re looking for an incredible parodic anime that tackles world history and controversial moments of the past, check out Hetalia Axis Powers.
Pop Team Epic
Pop Team Epic is a hilarious anime full of memorable jokes, parodies, and more. There isn’t really a plot to follow in this show, but fans can expect to follow the zany antics of its protagonists Popuko and Pipimi. Despite its cartoon-like art style, this show isn’t for children. The characters in this anime delve into many absurd and mature territories with their jokes and gags. From jokes about harassment and assault to parodies of beloved anime genres, this show feels like the anime equivalent of pop culture memes. Despite Popuko and Pipimi having similar outfits, these two harbor different personalities. For example, Popuko’s more anger-prone whereas Pipimi’s calmer. However, it’s their clashing personalities and characteristics that make Pop Team Epic a funny show to watch.
Lucky Star
Lucky Star is Kyoto Animation’s answer to parody. Like the others show listed here, this one doesn’t feature any complex themes or a plot. This anime simply follows the daily activities its protagonist Konata and her friends indulge in. Whether that’s playing video games or attending slumber parties, these girls know how to have fun. That said, Lucky Star features an episodic story structure. Each episode offers a new challenge or activity for our characters to tackle. The interactions between Konata and her friends are priceless and fun to follow. Konata and Kagami’s dynamic is the best this show has to offer though. This is because Konata’s more of a laid-back slacker whereas Kagami’s more of a hardworking individual. Fans will enjoy watching their back-and-forth arguments on screen. That said, the humor in this show ranges from witty jokes to hilarious facial reactions. There are some occasions when Konata will poke fun at some of Kyoto Animation’s other works, like The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya. If you’re looking for a show with an episodic structure and relaxing atmosphere, check out Lucky Star.
Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt
There have been many magical girl anime that aimed to change fans’ opinions on the sub-genre. From Madoka Magica to Yuki Yuna as a Hero, many have delved into deconstructing the formula shows as Sailor Moon and Cardcaptor Sakura popularized in the 90s. That said, Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt delivers a parodic take on magical girls. From its raunchy humor to its cartoon-like art style, this show is an endless thrill ride that’ll get your heart pumping. It doesn’t retain its cartoon-like art style forever. There are moments when the series gives its cast more anime-looking designs. However, those scenes only take place when the show wants to get dirty. Nevertheless, this anime spends time fleshing out its world and characters. There are some episodes dedicated to developing these characters into more mature women. The girls also gain special weapons that are tailored to their personalities and identities. The villains they encounter also scale from low to high from a power standpoint.
Slayers
Off the bat, Slayers is a parody of the fantasy, action, and adventure genres. This anime won the hearts of many fans at the time. This is a series known for its profane comedy, friendly characters, and questless storyline. This is a show fans adore for its characters’ interactions rather than the plot. Our tale follows Lina, a powerful sorceress who travels the world and steals goods from thieves. One day, she gets ambushed by some bandits she stole from, but before she can pummel them, a heroic swordsman named Gourry arrives. Thinking she’s a damsel in distress, Gourry confronts the assailants to rescue her. He defeats them and escorts Lina to Atlas City. Unknowingly, Lina finds an insanely powerful item among her stash of stolen goods. With two mysterious men in pursuit of her prized relic, Lina and Gourry must prevent these evil doers from getting their hands on this magnificent item. As stated earlier, this show leans more into its humor than aiming to provide fans with a genius plot. Where most fantasy protagonists get themselves in some hilarious antics on occasion, Lina and Gourry’s lives are entirely laughable. Instead of wanting to save their world, they’d rather locate a treasure that’ll make them the richest pair of all time. It’s the emphasis on its comedy that sets Slayers apart from other magical works.
Carnival Phantasm
Carnival Phantasm is a cross-over parodic anime of hilarious proportions. In it, we follow characters from the Melty Blood, Fate, and Tsukihime series as they indulge in many activities that are nonsensical and comedic. This series is garnered toward fans of those series’ characters, but those who’ve never watched all of them will find this show entertaining. That said, this show offers Type-Moon fans many easter eggs, jokes, and homages to all the works involved. Fans will love seeing their favorite characters from these series interact with each other. Even though they’re participating in goofy activities, fans will notice that the character’s souls remain intact. Everyone plays a satisfying role in this show and will make you laugh. If you’re a fan of game shows or cross-overs and need something that will brighten your day, consider checking this anime out. So, there we have it, our picks for the best parody anime through the years! What do you think of our picks? Do you agree? Are there any notable omissions? Let us know in the comments below!
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