Here’s a show that was recommended to me at a convention I attended. I always enjoy when people talk to me and suggest shows to watch, as it is a nice way to branch out and check out shows I won’t instinctively pick on my own. Daily Lives of High School Boys is a comedic slice-of-life show starring three high school friends as they live their daily lives.

So normally I start with the story, but the reality is the story is the title. It’s quite literally the daily lives of the high school boys featured in the show. It’s not a story-heavy kind of show, as it focuses more on each episode having a series of standalone adventures from these characters. Some of them are based on exaggerated daily life events, from going to school, kicking a can, impressing girls, and more. Each episode contains several adventures, each lasting a few minutes. Some of them are one-off skits that don’t have any further reference in the season, while others are recurring gags that you’ll see several times. This non-formulaic approach makes the layout of each episode a surprise, and the element of unpredictability adds to the entertainment value.

However, that’s not the only unpredictable element of the show. The characters, as in how they act, what they say, and even who they act like, have a random feel to them. Everything they do is exaggerated to be hyper serious, but these moments are interrupted by unexpected tonal shifts, which are timed perfectly to be hilarious. The moments are most often daily life events, but some are clearly inspired by common anime tropes or shows. It felt like it was rewarding me for watching so many different types of anime, as I was able to really see where they were going with some of their gags because of it. Some of the shows they reference include Gundam, Full Metal Alchemist, and even One Piece.

While most of the skits are a mixture of serious and humorous lines, others are just full-on fourth wall breaks. Sometimes, between adventures, you’ll get a word from their sponsor, which is just a fourth wall break where the characters reference that they are knowingly in an anime. Sometimes those gags are in the adventures themselves as they note some of the stuff they are doing are gags, while other times you have characters noting why they are not the stars of the anime.

So really, this is a hard show to discuss in detail as it isn’t a detailed show. What makes it hilarious is its element of unpredictability. You’ll get adventures with sudden tonal shifts for comedic purposes, moments that are just ridiculous from start to finish, over-exaggerated stories that normally would be mundane, and so much more. It’s a nice show to just sit back and relax without the need to focus on the details. It’s hilarious, charming, and has so many references that it’s a reward for long-time anime fans.