Perceptual experiences of actions irrelevant to the narrative – such as a character sitting in a chair – are described with naturalistic detail in order to share the experiences with the reader (Roquet, 95-98). The stories are comfortably familiar, while also containing touches of mystery that aren’t meant to be resolved but to simply exist as mysteries. Words and phrases are kept seamlessly simple yet general enough to lack a concrete particularity. Drawing from the ambient music of Brian Eno, he argues that ambient literature aims through a light and transparent literary mode “to generate calming moods and to provide a space to think relatively free from outside affective manipulation.” (Roquet, 90) From its diction to its stories, ambient literature carries a balance between ambiguity and transparency. In the discussion of iyashi-kei‘s literary domain, Paul Roquet coins the defining term “ambient literature”. Evidently, this is very much in line with the type of consumption expressed in the forums slice of life anime is seen as a way to escape from the hectics of other media and one’s day to day life, into a space of calm. It was a form of personal “mood regulation”, a tool through which to bring variation to one’s emotional everyday (Roquet, 88-89). These products offered a break from the rest of the contemporary Japanese media landscape, by providing a personal space isolated from the affections of other commodities. From iyashi-music, to iyashi-books and -magazines, to iyashi-television and -DVDs, to various types of therapy, all promised the provision of a sense of “calm” to the consumer. Literally translating to “healing-type”, iyashi-kei emerged as part of a wider iyashi-trend (or “healing boom”) in mid-1990s Japanese market culture. What better way to start examining this quality than by looking at the subset that has “relaxation” as pretty much its mission statement: iyashi-kei. Rather than simply absence, it would be safe to say that slice of life contains a certain quality that actively evokes the viewer’s sense of relaxation. Otherwise the same itch would be scratched from just watching paint dry on a wall. Obviously there is more to it than that though. The relaxation thus lies in the absence, in the quality of nothingness. The genre is here first and foremost valued for its lack, for what it isn’t it isn’t one of conflict that requires emotional investment, and it isn’t filled with high-octane action or dramatic twists and turns. In short: slice of life is enjoyed as something calm and easy on the senses, that serves as a nice breather between more demanding activities. Alternatively, one uses it as a change of pace from other shows that are more plot- and action-oriented. In a lot of the forum threads, a certain context for viewing habits of slice of life is frequently described: one comes home after a long and stressful day at work or school, and just sits down and watches something that doesn’t require too much energy. The article will therefore be structured accordingly, exploring each of these categories by both covering the empirical material and expanding on it with examples of analysis and scholarly material. The information from these threads is diverse and varied, but can generally be comprised into three main categories: relaxation, characters, and relatability. Based on empirical information from forum threads that discuss topics like “What is the appeal of slice of life?” and “What makes a good slice of life show?”, it examines the basis for enjoyment for fans and consumers of the genre. The following article is an attempt at answering these questions. Why is that? What is it about this seemingly esoteric approach to storytelling that attracts so many people, both in and outside of Japan? What appeal lies in the portrayal of the everyday? Ever since the emergent waves of iyashi-kei and nichijou-kei in the late 1990s to mid-2000s – not to mention the exploding popularity of The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya (2006) – slice of life has been one of the most prevalent and defining staples of modern anime and manga. With such unconventionality at its core, one would assume that its market is limited to the realm of obscure avant-gardism, with a small underground cult following as its only audience. Indeed, it goes against pretty much everything normally recognized as fundamental facets of engaging storytelling. Like an anti-narrative mode it embraces a seeming plotlessness, resulting from a meandering non-directionality and a lack of high-stake events. As such it completely lacks any form of conventional dramatic structure there is no goal driven by a conflict, and no act division led by buildup and catharsis. Defined by the portrayal of regular everyday life, it has uneventful mundanity as its narrative center.
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