Best Anime About NEETs

Anime tackles many different social and economic issues underneath the surface; however, there are some instances where this issue is at the forefront of the series. Poverty, consequences of war, and even grief are scenarios that anime delve into and dissect while still being a joyful form of entertainment. A frequent focus of anime is mental illness; there are many series that tackle numerous facets of how illnesses like depression or anxiety affect people and how they cope or adapt to having such an issue.

More often than not, these series are comedies, and the characters in these series are recluses or NEETs (not in education, employment, or training) that are very manic or stoic individuals that become inconvenienced by seemingly simple tasks. There are several series that highlight this as the forefront of the anime while bringing fans along on a ride to recovery or a wacky adventure. Here are some of the best anime about NEETs.

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Updated September 15, 2024 by C.M Edwards: In Japan, there is a phenomenon where young adults or teenagers become disillusioned with the outside world due to mental illness or trauma. These individuals recede from society and usually become shut-ins, or what the Japanese call NEETs. Anime commonly tackle this phenomenon and explores these individuals fully, bringing their struggles to light. Sometimes, in anime, NEETs are the focus of jokes, but are still treated with respect in the story. Quite a few anime revolve around NEETs and their daily lives, some even turning them into mythical heroes in isekai anime. Anime fans of all types can find some way to connect with NEET characters and find value in their stories. Here are more of the best NEET anime to watch.

14 Heavens Memo Pad

Even A NEET Needs Some Excitement

• Studio: J.C Staff
• Number Of Episodes: 12
• Streaming On: HiDive

Narumi appears to be a well-adjusted young man progressing through high school, but in reality, he is very disjointed from the rest of the world. Unable to relate with his peers due to an unstable childhood, Narumi feels out of place even when he's alone.

After being dragged into a club he has no interest in, he encounters the infamous hacker, Alice. Finding something interesting for the first time, Narumi walks further down the rabbit hole of Alice's life and her secret investigation business. When two NEETs begin to work together, Pandora's box opens, and chaos ensues.

13 Battle Programmer Shirase

Being Alone Isn't All Bad, But Everyone Needs A Little Adventure

• Studio: AIC
• Number Of Episodes: 15
• Streaming On: HiDive

Shirase is an incredibly brilliant computer engineer able to navigate the web like it was a simple puzzle. Unfortunately, Shirase does not use his skills to earn a living, instead, he works for free doing services to stop cyber crimes. Shirase confines himself to his home, and every employer that requires his service is shocked to see his living arrangements compared to his skill. With minimal effort, Shirase is an unmatched cyber sleuth who can overpower entire teams of hackers. Battle Programmer Shirase is a quirky and goofy series that fans of Nichijou will enjoy.

12 Osomatsu-San

A Family Of Lovable Do Nothing's

Six identical brothers all inhabit the same home, refusing to step out into the world and become upstanding members of society out of pure laziness. With a rare mix of personalities, each brother gets lured into wacky antics of trying to survive without having to work or put in any effort.

Fans will quickly get attached to each brother and their particular brand of eccentric personality traits and enjoy the whimsical adventures along the way. Osomatsu-san is a somewhat raunchy comedy series that views an enabled NEET lifestyle from many points of view with unique characters throughout the series.

11 Occult;Nine

Obsession Leads To A Series Of Mysterious Events

• Studio: A-1 Pictures
• Number Of Episodes: 12
• Streaming On: Crunchyroll

Yuuta is a below-average teenager who runs a blog that disproves supernatural occurrences that happen in the city. Along with his best friend, Ryouka, Yuuta becomes enthralled in a series of otherworldly events that pulls him and several others down a dark rabbit hole of mystery, murder, and the occult. Together, this rag-tag group of strangers must work together to get to the bottom of whatever dark force is pulling them closer and closer to ruin.

10 No Game, No Life

Clocking Out On Life To Take On A God In Another World

Bother, and Sister Sora, and Shiro are two NEETs pulled into another world where the god of games is ruling over a domain with an iron thumb. Together, the sibling decides to take on the god of games, beat him at his own creation, and replace him as the domain's rulers.

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Both Sora and Shiro have eccentric personalities and little motivation to do anything other than play video games all day, so when the chance comes to do it forever, they jump at the opportunity. No Game No Life is a great isekai anime that many anime fans will enjoy.

9 Good Night World

A Mind-Bending Adventure About Trauma And Accountability

• Studio: NAZ
• Number Of Episodes: 12
• Streaming On: Netflix

Good Night World comes across as a simple Isekai anime, until real-life problems begin to cause both the video game world and the real world to disappear. Arima is a typical NEET who has thrown his future away and dove head-first into the most popular MMO in the country. Trying to escape his tyrannical family, Arima finds a new one in the game and devotes himself to them.

The lines begin to blur as Arima's reality distorts, and he can't figure out what's real and what's not. When the curtain finally falls and the game he loves goes on a killing rampage, he's the only one who can stop it.

8 I Can’t Understand What My Husband Is Saying

Opposites Attract, Because Love Comes In All Forms

I Can’t Understand What My Husband is Saying is a comedic series following a loving couple who are polar opposites in their relationship. Tsunashi, Kaoru voiced by Tamura Yukari, is a cute, hard-working, and well-rounded office worker with an outgoing attitude and a little bit of a drinking habit.

Juse, Nozomu voiced by Sakai, Toshifumi is a hyper Otaku who shuts himself in his room all day and supports himself by writing an online blog. The series follows the lovebirds down the road of a happy, somewhat chaotic marriage as they deal with the challenges of learning each other's quirks and learning to accept them.

7 The Wallflower

One Bad Day Can Be The Breaking Point

The Wallflower follows Nakahara, Sunako, a young girl scorned by unrequited love. Voiced by Takaguchi, Yukiko, Sunako confesses to her crush and is rejected based on her appearance. She then decides to reject and hate all forms of beauty and shuts herself inside her room, becoming infatuated with all things occult.

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The series shifts into a somewhat reverse harem when Sunako is forced to live in her aunt's mansion with several boys whose mission is to turn her back into a “proper lady”. Thus starts a wave of adventures as Sunako becomes less abrasive and finds herself again with the help of her new friends.

6 BToom!

Even Someone With No Skills Can Be Useful

• Studio: Madhouse
• Number Of Episodes: 12
• Streaming On: Crunchyroll, HiDive

BToom! Follows Sakamoto, Ryouta, an unemployed, uninspired teenager who has no aspiration or worthy achievements other than being one of the best players in a popular game called “Btoom!”. Ryouta finds himself transported to a deserted island where someone has recreated his favorite game in real life and placed him right in the middle of it.

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Now he must survive with the help of another player, Himiko before other players in the game kill him. BToom! Is brutal and sometimes visceral with very extreme situations, so watchers should be prepared for sensitive material.

5 Rozen Maiden

Healing Is A Process

• Studio: Studio Deen
• Number Of Episodes: 13
• Streaming On: HiDive

Rozen Maiden is a fascinating series following a young boy named Sakurada, who has been traumatized by his school life and decides to stay inside making online purchases, never needing to leave the house.

One day a mysterious package is sent to him, and his life is forever changed. He’s asked to wind up a doll, and upon doing so, the doll comes to life, and Jun is drafted into a competition between the Rozen Maidens to claim the title of Alice, become a real person, and meet their creator. This pulls Jun back into the world in a way he never thought possible as more and more dolls begin to appear.