Clubs are a staple of high school anime. Shows such as Haikyuu! and Free! follow sports clubs, while many slice-of-life anime examine more niche areas of interest, such as the art club in Don't Toy With Me Miss Nagatoro!, the classic literature club in Hyouka, and the cheerleading club in Anima Yell!
A lot of anime feature wacky and brilliant clubs that every fan would love to join, such as the fishing club in Diary of Our Days at the Breakwater. There is an endless list of clubs that shows could cover, but the best shows bring out the best in these clubs and show the audience everything that they have to offer.
Earth Sciences Club - Asteroid In Love (2020)
Asteroid in Love follows Mira and Ao, two childhood friends who adore space and promise to discover an asteroid together. In high school, Mira and Ao merge the underappreciated astronomy and geology clubs together to create the Earth Sciences Club and undertake studies in both space and rocks.
The show is surprisingly thorough with its depiction of astronomy, geology, and asteroid photography, taking the students to space camp at an aerospace exploration agency later in the series. Each member of the club has a specific goal in mind, and they complete tasks around the school such as organizing a children's stargazing event.
Pottery Club - Let's Make A Mug Too (2020-)
After the death of her mother, Himeno moves to the city with her family so they can start a new restaurant, which is decorated with various unique mugs. Himeno's mugs catch the eye of classmate Mika, who introduces her to the pottery club, which Himeno's mother was a member of. Himeno decides to continue her mother's legacy and make pottery, with various hijinks and mishaps along the way.
Pottery is a unique skill that is often featured in media, from Community to Ghost, but not very often in anime. Let's Make A Mug Too is a wholesome anime with cute characters, a unique concept, and a slow pace that makes the show very easy to watch.
SOS Brigade - The Melancholy Of Haruhi Suzumiya (2006-2009)
One of the best KyoAni anime, Haruhi Suzumiya follows the adventures of the SOS Brigade, also known as the Spreading Cheer to Our Student Body Brigade or Spreading Excitement All Over the World with Haruhi Suzumiya Brigade. Although not an official school club, since they have no teacher to sponsor them and the student council refuses to recognize them, the group was created by Haruhi to search for aliens, time travelers, and espers, with the goal of having fun with them.
Haruhi unknowingly has world-altering powers that sometimes make mundane events into life-threatening ones. Her Brigade members help keep her calm and focused, especially Kyon. Although the club is dangerous at times, the fun of their activities such as making a movie would entice anyone to join Haruhi in her cause.
Host Club - Ouran High School Host Club (2006)
Haruhi Fujioka attends the prestigious and insanely rich Ouran Academy, and one day accidentally knocks over a priceless vase in the Host Club's clubroom. To repay the club, Haruhi is forced to work as a host, forming bonds with her fellow hosts and classmates along the way.
The Host Club welcomes young women into their clubroom and waits on them hand and foot, entertaining them with music, food and drink, and various seasonal events such as tea making. To be in this club, a member has to be handsome and likable among the other students, in order to increase the club's popularity.
School Living Club - School-Live! (2015)
One of the best anime about zombies, School-Live! follows four girls that live at school to avoid the incoming zombie apocalypse surrounding them. Yuki's method of coping with the horrors surrounding her is to slip into a delusion that the girls are still at school, attending classes and hanging out, so while School Living Club activities are mainly prioritized around survival, Yuki needs supportive club members that can help her.
If the audience was suddenly dropped into a zombie apocalypse, the School Living Club would be a great club to join, as they prioritize survival over fighting, unlike other zombie shows such as Highschool of the Dead. The club is also one of the few that has an adorable mascot, the dog Taroumaru, and club members that will fight to keep their friends alive.
Happy Around! - D4DJ First Mix (2020)
At Yoba Girls' Academy, many students participate in DJ-idol units, a club that puts on a performance using a mixture of dancing/singing idols and DJs on stage. There are so many of these units that there is a monthly contest over the school intercom to showcase the best DJ units and songs of the month. These clubs are dedicated and resilient, putting their all into each song to achieve greatness.
Happy Around! is a perfect club/idol unit to join if you have an interest in composing music, singing, dancing, costume design, or even video animations, as this style of unit uses video and audio to create a memorable performance. Their usual musical style is a mixture of J-Pop and dubstep, creating light-hearted beats for the audience to dance along to.
Far East Magical Napping Society Summer Thereof - Love, Chunibyou, & Other Delusions (2012-2014)
A great anime currently streaming on Netflix, Chunibyou follows Yūta, an ex-chunibyou, and Rikka, a current one, as they form the Far East Magical Napping Society Summer Thereof to accommodate Rikka's Eighth Grader Syndrome delusions and their various friends, such as Kumin who wants to create a Napping Club for sleeping at school.
The range of activities this club gets up to is extensive, such as offering to clean the school swimming pool but ending up having fun instead. Rikka is a fun character to follow and the club would absolutely never be a boring place to spend time.
Film Club - Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken! (2020)
Eizouken follows the adventures of three students working together to create short animated films. In its depiction of crunch times, hard work, and persistence in every project, Eizouken gets the animation industry right. Most importantly, the Film Club relies on teamwork and each of its members' special skills. This is a pretty exclusive club since the three members are so close to one another, but a new special skill wouldn't go amiss in this group of lovable misfits.
The Film Club faces opposition from their school, such as the student council's constricting rules, but the club would be amazing friends to have, especially the terrifying Kanamori who might protect you as long as you pay your debts.
Outdoor Activities Circle - Laid-Back Camp (2018-)
A super chill anime, Laid Back Camp follows Nadeshiko and Rin, along with the Outdoor Activities Circle, as they participate in camping activities together. The club frequents hot springs and camping grounds, and they cook simple, warm meals together that look mouth-wateringly delicious even when animated.
The anime benefits from great humor and beautiful animation, especially of the landscapes that the club visits. Members of this club would ideally love being outdoors, would be able to set up equipment, would love traveling to different places, and would be confident enough to set out on an adventure either alone or with a group.
Quiz Bowl Circle - Fastest Finger First (2017)
Satoshi is a bookworm who eats lunch at the library to avoid human contact. After bumping into his classmate Mari in the library, he learns about the Quiz Bowl, a quiz competition that Mari takes very seriously. The Quiz Bowl is not as easy as it seems, as the characters have to predict questions and answer correctly every time even if they buzz in early. Satoshi and Mari grow closer and get to know the other quirky members.
A quiz club would be very attractive to fans of trivia and shows such as University Challenge. While knowledge is important, strategy is even more so, as contestants must outsmart their opponents and clue into what questions may be asked.