With the Winter 2024 season winding down, I can definitively state the following: sometimes anime is good. While this batch’s roster depth was solid, what really left an impression was just how strong its best shows were, with several that punched through the stratosphere. If there were two main trends this time around, it was that love was in the air, and fantasy-heads were feasting, meaning fans of romance and elves (and romance involving elves) have been quite well taken care of. Let’s run down the best of what this season has to offer.
Honorable Mentions
Ninja Kamui came bursting onto the scene with an action-packed premiere that showcased what director Sunghoo Park (Jujutsu Kaisen, The God of High School) is best at: drawing dudes beating the snot out of each other. This one is unapologetically dumb and violent in the best way possible, revolving around ninjas, revenge, and lots of bloodletting in a way that makes its connection to early 2000s ‘tude very apparent, which makes sense given it’s airing on Toonami. In short, if you’re into action anime and want a dosage of old-school cool, you don’t want to miss this.
’Tis Time for “Torture,” Princess may be based around a single gag, that the Princess can’t stop blabbing Imperial secrets to her Hellhorde “torturers,” who repeatedly get her to spill the beans by offering delicious food and wholesome fun, but man, it is very good at that joke. It’s remained hilarious thanks to great comedic timing and over-the-top visual humor while also becoming quite affecting through fleshing out our protagonist’s lonely upbringing and building up this lovable crew of supposedly “evil” monsters.
The action series Undead Unluck has steadily improved over its run, not only improving its central battles but also successfully elaborating on the fascinating backstory of this world and the people in it. At the heart of it all is our plucky protagonist, Fuuko, who’s found purpose and confidence alongside companions who have also been forced to deal with the consequences of their powers. David Production’s eye-catching direction has helped ensure this quest to kill God lives up to the hype.
5. A Sign of Affection
Thanks to its lovingly rendered visuals and empathetic tone, A Sign of Affection has proven itself a heartwarming romance story. It follows Yuki, a young woman attempting to broaden her horizons at college, as she navigates what it means to no longer attend her high school for deaf students. As someone who isn’t deaf or hard of hearing, I can’t fully speak to the quality of the representation here, but I will say that events are firmly presented from our protagonist’s point of view, delivering internal monologues and grounded details that convey the nuances of her experience. It never shies away from showing the challenges of her circumstances, mostly around how others unfairly try to shelter her, but it also doesn’t come across like she’s typecast into a particular role due to her deafness, as her arc is largely about the joy that comes from meeting new people and trying new things.
However, while Yuki was a compelling character from the first episode, as the series has continued, it’s done a much better job fleshing out her love interest, Itsuomi. Although he initially came across as too readily getting up in people’s personal space, these elements have eased up, and we’ve seen much more of why Yuki is interested in him. Specifically, we see how his love of learning languages, openness toward other cultures, and penchant for travel make him a perfect match for our protagonist. Plus, he’s hot (and considerate, too)! Between its soft color palette, lovingly animated sign language, and well-portrayed heroine, A Sign of Affection radiates good vibes.
4. Delicious in Dungeon
Delicious in Dungeon was endearing from the jump, combining D&D-esque spelunking with the tasty dishes of a food travelogue to serve up something quite unique. But as Laios, Chilchuck, Marcille, and Senshi journeyed deeper into this mysterious underworld to rescue their friend Falin, this quest has gained impact. As we’ve learned about the cast, this story has become much more than a series of colorful recipes, and glimpses into Marcille and Laios’ pasts have communicated just how much Falin meant to them, granting their mission an air of urgency. It also helped that this take on Tolkien and RPGs has its own compelling ideas, from the political dynamics between these different peoples to the emphasis on the carefully maintained ecological balance of the dungeon itself.
Oh, and the whole cooking part is quite fantastic, too. As our crew is forced to eat monster meat to survive, Senshi imparts his wisdom regarding dungeon cuisine, resulting in a variety of surprisingly mouth-watering meals brought to life via sizzling pans and juicy cuts of meat. As per usual, Studio Trigger is really flexing their animation prowess here, and on top of the tasty food voyeurism, they also deliver sharp visual humor and lively fight sequences. Based on what we’ve seen through the first half of its run, I’m very willing to let Delicious in Dungeon cook.
3. The Dangers in My Heart
Simply put, The Dangers in My Heart is one of the most affecting, adorable, bubbly rom-coms in a minute, building out its hot mess leads into people we can’t help but root for. It follows Kyotaro Ichikawa and Anna Yamada, two students who couldn’t be more different at first glance: Ichikawa is a gloomy, anti-social boy, and Anna is a tall, popular model. Although that sounds like fodder for boring male wish-fulfillment that’s common in many anime, the pair end up feeling like complete people in ways that justify this premise. Ichikawa nurses self-doubt from a previous incident that undercuts his confidence, while Yamada’s outwardly perfect appearance belies her own insecurities and flaws (and deep love of snacks). But thanks to their burgeoning relationship, they’ve each helped the other move past some of these hangups in scenes brought to life with explosive emotion.
Through the second season, Shin-Ei Animation has upped their game, as emotional cuts and the sentimental rush of the score deliver constant late-episode crescendoes that convey these characters’ soaring emotions. It’s tough to space out a will-they-won’t-they without introducing conflicts that feel contrived, but this series creates a consistent feeling of progression between this would-be couple. The somewhat off-putting elements from its first episode feel entirely in the rearview mirror at this point, and thanks to its bracingly honest depiction of adolescence and wonderful central pair, this one is an absolute delight.
2. Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End
Last season, Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End stole the show. Its first sixteen episodes were a melancholic look at what it means to live forever, as the elf Freiren reflected on her place in a changing world. It riffed on high fantasy tropes in compelling ways, not only interrogating its protagonists’ circumstances but also revealing a complicated setting, well-thought-out magic systems, and clever spins on what it means to be a hero. Although this second cour wasn’t as outright emotionally affecting as what came before, in large part because the last few episodes have switched gears into a tournament arc, it still slipped in interesting character moments and bittersweet recollections in between all of the fisticuffs, which thrived thanks to studio Madhouse’s tremendous work.
In a modern anime industry where most series that run for back-to-back seasons eventually hit a noticeable dip in animation quality, by contrast, this is among the most consistent productions I’ve ever seen. In fact, it’s gotten even more flashy as these duels have taken center stage, bringing to life earth-shattering displays of magical acumen that fully sell the destructive power of these incantations. And even if this stretch is a little less thoughtful than the show’s first half, it still sprinkles in rewarding development and compelling dynamics (while also doing the very fun thing of introducing a bunch of cool guys with colorful abilities). Through the end of its first season, Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End remains an easy recommendation.
1. The Apothecary Diaries
There are plenty of reasons why The Apothecary Diaries rose to the top of this strong lineup, but one of the most straightforward is how good it is at balancing episodic storytelling with its overarching ambitions. Week to week, we watch as our genius apothecary, Maomao, uses her deep knowledge of science and remedies to piece together mysteries within this fictionalized rendition of Ming Dynasty China’s imperial court. These whodunits are deeply entertaining in their own right, detailing complicated conspiracies and alchemic phenomena while offering ample room for our medicinal detective to flex her sharp wit. However, where they gain even more impact is in how these machinations not only connect to a greater plot but to implicit critiques of the power imbalances and misogyny that define this historical setting. For Maomao, cracking these cases is frequently the easy part, and the true difficulty comes from navigating an invisible web of royal court procedure and faux pas that could lead to her getting expelled (or much worse) if she makes even a minor misstep.
But while this setting can be oppressive, the series also highlights the ways the people trapped in this walled garden carve out little spaces for themselves. Maomao is a lovable medicine goblin who’s quickly become one of my favorite anime protagonists, and this story is so good at capturing her over-the-top glee at gathering herbs and crafting concoctions (especially poison). We see other people’s passions, wants, and loves—the things that persevere despite these stifling circumstances. Toho and OLM’s consistently beautiful backdrops further put us in this historical moment as the show deftly balances its many tones and political circumstances. I’m going to miss everything on this list, but I think the absence of Maomao’s weekly adventures will sting the most.
Elijah Gonzalez is an assistant Games and TV Editor for Paste Magazine. In addition to playing and watching the latest on the small screen, he also loves film, creating large lists of media he’ll probably never actually get to, and dreaming of the day he finally gets through all the Like a Dragon games. You can follow him on Twitter @eli_gonzalez11.
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