On This Day in Anime

Twenty-five years ago, viewers said goodbye to one of the most eccentric roommate dynamics in anime history. The series followed Mayuko, a dirt-poor student trying to survive in a sleepy town, and NieA, her freeloading, chaotic alien roommate.

Produced by Triangle Staff, the 13-episode series earned a 6.89 score for its distinct, laid-back atmosphere. It successfully blended the soothing vibes of an iyashikei slice-of-life with underlying themes of social class and isolation.

Today, the show is remembered as a fascinating period piece of early-2000s television. It eschewed the explosive sci-fi tropes of its era to find beauty in the mundane details of boiling bathwater and sharing space with someone completely different.