Very early in my anime journey, I already knew Slice of Life was one of my favorite genres. As much as I love my over-the-top battle shonen, I can always go for a comedy or a down-to-earth show just to get to know the characters.

Little did I know that Slice of Life went beyond goofy, romantic comedies. In fact, one of the best subgenres—at least for me—is iyashikei, the relaxing, wholesome kind of Slice of Life, which has since become my personal favorite.

Aria the Animation (Season 1) is still one of the best Slice of Life anime out there in terms of pure, feel-good, relaxing vibes.

Right from the first episode, we get a strong sense of the unique setting, clearly based on Venice and its gondola tours. We’re also introduced to our protagonist, Akari Mizunashi—who has since become one of my personal favorite characters—and how she helps minor character Ai tone down her snarky, negative attitude into something more appreciative of the world around her.

That episode alone showed me why Akari is one of my all-time favorite female protagonists. Normally, I’m not always into the overly optimistic, Pollyanna types, since they can sometimes feel too perfect or artificial. But Akari, despite seeming like that on the surface, feels completely genuine. You can tell from the ridiculously cheesy yet surprisingly thoughtful way she talks that she truly loves the world and her job. There’s a reason why both the characters in-universe and the fans adore Akari so much.

Aria the Animation may be a simple Slice of Life with a weird gondola touring premise—people may say “nothing ever happens”—but Akari takes what could have been a boring setup and makes you want to dive into the world and the random minor characters throughout Neo-Venezia.

Of course, the side characters are just as interesting, from the tsundere Aika to the socially awkward genius Alice, and Akari’s mentor, Alicia. The introduction of the six main female gondoliers does a great job of setting up the journeys they’ll go on in Seasons 2 and 3.

Season 1 probably has the least amount of character development and emotional moments, which might feel a bit too slow for some people.

But for me, when I think of a single season of anime that’s just pure, wholesome, relaxing Slice of Life—the kind I can throw on anytime—it’s Aria the Animation.

The next two seasons lean more into character development and even some supernatural weirdness, which adds to the charm, but Aria the Animation (Season 1) is more than enough to check out if you want to see if the series' vibe is for you.

If you're like me and love wholesome, chill shows where the protagonist makes you appreciate the little things in life, you’ll love Aria the Animation. If not—if you check out the first three episodes and it’s not clicking for you—you can probably drop it.