362 Best Lighthearted Movies to Watch (Page 17)

For the unfamiliar, isekai is the fantasy subgenre where a character is transported into a different world. Usually, this is just one transfer, with an everyday character being transferred to a more fantastical world. Doctor Elise isn’t just a reverse isekai– with a surgeon transported to medieval royalty– it also happens to be a double isekai– the titular doctor was initially royalty in the same country before her stint as a medical doctor. While we don’t get to see Elise’s growth as a surgeon, it’s refreshing to see an isekai anime celebrate the simple privileges of ordinary modern life, namely the medical knowledge that we take for granted, and the lack of absolute power that corrupts most characters. The ridiculously successful surgeries might be the ludicrous fantasy that drives Doctor Elise, but it’s lovely to see knowledge and power used for the common good, rather than the superiority complex common in isekaied protagonists.

Genre: Animation, Sci-Fi & Fantasy

Actor: Daisuke Ono, Hiro Shimono, Megumi Han, Satoshi Hino, Soma Saito, Yohei Azakami, Yoshimasa Hosoya, Yui Ishikawa

Rating: TV-14

For a series designed to keep young children still for 10 to 12-minute chunks, Dew Drop Diaries is refreshingly thoughtful—not to mention better-crafted than other things you could be showing kids of the same age bracket. Despite the relative simplicity of the show's animation (and certain elements that repeat in every episode), this is a dynamically directed series with a solid core group of voice actors who manage to be sweet without becoming irritating or patronizing. To be clear, this isn't an educational show made to lecture young viewers, but a fun, light family fantasy that makes the act of helping with everyday tasks seem like an adventure and an opportunity for creativity. Dew Drop Diaries never tries to force itself to be cool, which is exactly what makes it cool.

Genre: Animation, Kids

Actor: Scarlett Estevez, Spencer Moss, Sydney Mikayla, ViviAnn Yee, Zehra Fazal

Rating: TV-Y

Many fantasy K-dramas stick to the serious side, but Destined with You feels more lighthearted as it starts off with a light jab at the handsome grim reaper trope with SF9’s Rowoon. The show honors many of modern-day fated love tropes, and sometimes makes fun of it, but the series does it in a way that’s grounded in its characters and setting. The show first introduces the main duo as individual people, specifically, characters working with and for the public at large. Because of their jobs, Destined with You acknowledges the modern-day systems we use to deal with day-to-day injustices, but also provides the fantasy of having a second recourse in witchcraft. With the show’s pairing, there’s a hope that one way or another, the two could meet halfway.

Genre: Comedy, Drama, Sci-Fi & Fantasy

Actor: Ha Jun, Jo Bo-ah, Lee Pil-mo, Rowoon, Yura

Director: Nam Ki-hoon

Rating: TV-MA

It jumps out at you, all the vibrant illustration styles that the show evokes: The Amazing World of Gumball, Gravity Falls, and others, in a vaguely vaporwave aesthetic. Its use of horror tropes and spirits is made friendly for kids—a cute pug being central to the plot and all—but there is enough here to say that it’s generally for older kids, 7 and up. Its portrayal and representation of LGBTQ+ struggles is done gently, and one of the best aspects of the larger narrative. An expectation of a haunted house fantasy adventure series for kids won’t betray curious audiences, but there’s more fun to be had than the title implies.

Genre: Animation, Kids

Actor: Alex Brightman, Emily Osment, Kathreen Khavari, Kody Kavitha, Miss Coco Peru, Zach Barack

Rating: TV-Y7

Two things stand out most. First, the animation style, which looks like a cute combination of various multi-textured elements like online avatar profiles, claymation, and origami and construction paper cutouts. Second is the voiceovers, which sound very candid and raw as if the creators had prioritized bullet points, and had visual elements and script polishing come in later. The pseudo-documentary approach and “rough” production feel exciting and fresh, and truly tie all the individual parts together. This could've just as well been a silly live action concept, but its serene nature and aesthetic stand out perfectly as an animated series.

Genre: Animation, Kids

Actor: August Nuñez, Blue Chapman, Honor Calderon, Kirikou S'hai Muldrow, Michael Ren

Rating: TV-Y7

It’s a Hallmark welcome from the get-go, as we open to a flashback of the day a family breaks apart, then quickly transitioning to present time with workaholic Abby and all her work drama. The lines are universally cheesy, stiff, and generally atrocious (and that’s with the Hallmark consideration). There is some sincerity and gentleness to the handling of the parents’ separation, as well as the family side of the drama. But the same can’t be said for the reconnection of the two ex-lovers. The three sisters’ dynamic is arguably the biggest spark the show produces, which is a shame given it’s a tertiary priority compared to the lovey dovey story.

Genre: Drama, Romance

Actor: Andrew Francis, Barbara Niven, Brendan Penny, Diane Ladd, Emilie Ullerup, Jesse Metcalfe, Laci J. Mailey, Laci Mailey, Meghan Ory, Robert Buckley, Treat Williams

Rating: TV-PG