There are times when media manages to capture the essence of something. Whether it be an energy, emotion, or something else, there is something out there relating to that specific thing. Having ‘recently’ graduated high school, I felt it was right to look back on a show that captures some of that youthful energy.

The Daily Lives of High School Boys, or Danshi Koukousei no Nichijou in Romanized Japanese, is an anime that aired in 2012 is just as its title says, the daily lives of high school boys. The show chooses to focus on the comedic and goofy nature that is often associated with teenage boys. The series follows a cast of boys through an anthology leading to their graduation.

Oftentimes, when looking back to reflect, people look towards their ‘youth’, which primarily consists of their early teens. This reflection focuses on those fond memories of the past, of fun and happiness, those that helped form them into who they are, whether they acknowledge it or not.

The Daily Lives of High School Boys follows a group of characters through their fun misadventures in their high school lives, whether that be alone in their room or together at a party. The diversity in characters and setting allows for a more realistic and overall relatable experience.

As you must have gathered, this show is a comedy where the humor is, for the most party, character driven. The interactions of the characters, whether it be socially or environmentally, are the set up and punchlines of jokes.  The seemingly mundane can become boisterous, because of the imagination and energy the cast has.

While it is obvious that this show has a very targeted demographic, that doesn’t mean that it is only enjoyable by them, nor is it only relatable to them. Those who lived through youth differently can still find something in this show, whether it just be laughs or small reminders, it is that feeling that makes it great.

Because of the diverse nature of characters and personalities, between the main cast of boys and the side characters, there is almost always some sort of insert available for the audience to live through. In fact, there is even a regular spin off in each episode following a group of girls that reflect those of the boys, building off of the set up and humor in the episode, oftentimes providing a second punchline.

I’m well aware that this type of content isn’t for everyone, so as a preface, if you bother watching it and don’t like the first episode, you should stop there. The rest of the show follows a similar format of shorts to that of the first episode.

Personally, I find The Daily Lives of High School Boys to be a great source of entertainment and sometimes even nostalgia. The show manages to give off a youthful energy that is sure to draw in any willing watcher, letting you relive youth through their eyes.

With that being said solid 8/10 maybe even 8.5/10 would recommend.