The latest season of anime is largely wrapped up, and it’s clear this was one of the more stacked lineups in recent memory. For starters, Netflix had a strong outing with two standouts that told complete stories in a single run, a rarity in a medium where adaptations barely ever reach the end of their source material. We also had a few excellent debuts that will hopefully get the follow-ups they deserve, alongside some long-running continuations that kept strong. Frankly, it was such a deep collection of shows that I had to drop many solid productions that I would have stuck with during a weaker season (shoutouts to My New Boss Is Goofy, Tearmoon Kingdom, Stardust Telepath, Power of Hope ~Precure Full Bloom~, and Shy, to name a few). Let’s count down the series that helped end 2023 with a bang.
10. Dr. Stone: New World Part 2
Dozens of episodes in, Dr. Stone continues to be an entertaining little anomaly. While its over-the-top antics conform to a boatload of Shonen Jump tropes, this one stands apart thanks to its protagonist and his methods. Instead of relying on his ability to throw hands, Senku utilizes a bounty of scientific knowledge to get through the many obstacles that come his way in this antiquated world. In the latest run, our brainiac and the rest of the Kingdom of Science continue to investigate why most of humanity was turned to stone thousands of years ago, prompting a face-off against an enemy force that controls a vestige of this petrification technology. Although I admittedly prefer when the series is more focused on highlighting human ingenuity as our group re-develops forgotten technologies to improve people’s lives, it’s still quite satisfying when they use this knowledge to outsmart malicious foes, as they do here. The latest season of Dr. Stone continues to apply battle-shonen logic to educational programming, and the results are a blast.
9. Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2
Jujutsu Kaisen’s second season has been defined by extremes, both in its storytelling and the ups and downs of its production. This latest stretch has focused on the “Shibuya Incident,” where our protagonists fight to survive amidst an influx of powerful curses in a procession of life-or-death showdowns. At their best, like in the stunning Episode 37, “Red Scale,” these battles are defined by creative cinematography and bold aesthetic decisions that draw us into the desperate mental spaces of these combatants. However, just as often, noticeable drops in animation quality demonstrate the highly publicized issues that plagued this production. These visual problems matter so much here because this arc is ostensibly a big fight scene, and without flashy presentation to hammer things home, some episodes simply don’t hit that hard. On the writing side, things also feel somewhat inconsistent, and on top of the series’ usual over-reliance on proper noun jargon, this stretch attempts to pack in so many shocking deaths of fan favorites in such a short period that its nonstop parade of cruelty eventually becomes a little numbing. There are still plenty of highlights and moments of humanity that make this run stand out, such as when the main characters’ beefy bro comes to the rescue, but it’s clear this animation team should have been given the time and improved working conditions they deserved.
8. Undead Unluck
Undead Unluck has quickly proven to be one of the more quietly bonkers action anime in recent memory. Similar to Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure before it, this series is about duels between opponents with outlandish abilities, resulting in puzzle-box battles that are as much about brains as brawn. But perhaps even zanier than these powers is how its worldbuilding slowly reveals the extremes of this setting, nonchalantly dropping exposition bombs that carry all sorts of fascinating implications. We continue to follow Andy and Fuko, a pair who come into the crosshairs of an enigmatic organization that hunts down “Negators,” people who can nullify the rules of reality. David Productions and director Yuki Yase capture these negation abilities through idiosyncratic editing and layouts that convey the strangeness of these metaphysical powers while also heightening the juicy melodrama surrounding its characters. Although this one was visually impressive from the jump, perhaps the biggest point of improvement is that it’s done a much better job building out the relationship between Andy and Fuko, pairing down the disconcerting “gags” between them in the process. With that unfortunate bit largely tossed aside, the show has continued to build on its avant-garde animation and intriguing premise to deliver an exciting action romp.
7. I’m In Love with the Villainess
While it starts off a little rocky, I’m in Love with the Villainess has a lot of charm. The story follows Rae Taylor, who as the title implies, is head over heels for the villainess of her favorite otome game, Claire François. After dying and becoming reincarnated in the world of this visual novel, she sets about to protect her crush from an unfortunate future that she’s seen play out in the game. Although many recent series have shared elements of this setup (My Next Life as a Villainess, Endo and Kobayashi Live!, etc.), this one differentiates itself through its refreshingly frank and empathetic portrayal of LGBTQ+ issues, which while more common in certain manga and light novel circles, is still depressingly rare in anime.
Specifically, while Rae can initially come across as a lot, this story alludes to her previous struggles with living in an exceedingly heteronormative culture and eventually reveals that some of her over-the-top antics are actually a defense mechanism she’s built up to avoid heartbreak. In addition to the slowly building romance between its leads, it has also introduced some interesting political circumstances around its feudal setting that feel like a ticking time bomb. Unfortunately, this is very much a show that excels thanks to the strength of its source material rather than because of this adaptation itself, which is dragged down by some relatively stiff animation. But despite some visual hiccups, I’ve become deeply invested in this central relationship, and I’m very much hoping for a second season so we can see the continuation of this courtship.
6. The Ancient Magus Bride Season 2, Part 2
While The Ancient Magus’ Bride can be undeniably understated, it continues to consistently build toward beautiful moments that affirm the growth of its characters. As Chise has begun attending “The College,” a school for sorcerers and mages, she’s slowly befriended other troubled members of this academy, many of whom are caught up in the machinations of their influential families. Although the first half of this season had to get through a lot of table setting to establish this new backdrop and large cast, the latest stretch has made good on this setup through cathartic payoffs. We watch as our heroine uses the confidence she’s gained to pay back the kindness she’s been shown, helping others heal from trauma in the process. The series’ subdued pacing and matter-of-fact presentation make these sudden emotional swells all the more powerful. The Ancient Magus’ Bride continues to show that even though the systems that govern its shadowy world are cruel and magic can be a double-edged sword used to heal or harm, these characters continue using their powers to help each other come out the other side of this darkness.
5. Spy x Family Season 2
To the surprise of exactly no one who watched the first 25 episodes of last year’s hit comedy Spy x Family, the latest season is just as gut-busting and heartfelt as what came before. We continue to follow the Forgers, a “phony” family that consists of Loid, a spy working for this setting’s Western equivalent in a Cold War-styled stand-off, Yor, an assassin for the Berlint government, Anya, an adorable goblin child who has telekinetic powers, and Bond, a dog that can see the future. The previous season excelled because of its proficiency at combining creative jokes, stylish action sequences, and wholesome family bonding into a consistently charming package, and the latest arc ticks these same boxes. As Yor takes on a dangerous mission aboard a cruise ship, she’s dismayed to learn that Loid and Anya are aboard the same vessel, forcing her to put up a façade as she battles a procession of deadly killers. It’s a stretch that embodies the series at its best, full of frantic gags and plenty of everyone’s favorite assassin demolishing her opponents in thrilling fashion. Like a master of disguise, Spy x Family continues to switch between its many masks with great success.
4. Scott Pilgrim Takes Off
Despite what the marketing suggests, Scott Pilgrim Takes Off is not a shot-for-shot remake, but a meta reimagining of Scott Pilgrim vs. the World that tells a (mostly) new story. The result is a delightful animated series that approaches this narrative from a new perspective. Following the movie’s established beats through the first episode (Scott Pilgrim [Michael Cera] must defeat Ramona Flowers’ [Mary Elizabeth Winstead] seven evil exes before he can date her), it doesn’t take long until Scott Pilgrim Takes Off deviates from the tale we know. The main difference is that in this rendition, we largely follow Ramona as she confronts her previous significant others and tries to piece together why events have gone off course. It synthesizes a transmedia whirlwind as it brings back the movie’s cast and evokes the comic’s art style through creative bursts of animation. Most importantly, it retains the underlying tone and messaging of what came before as it successfully reenvisions this story with Ramona at center stage. In the end, it manages to do something tricky, transposing a more than decade-old tune while barely missing a beat.
3. The Apothecary Diaries
Combining court politics with weekly medical-themed mysteries, Apothecary Diaries crafts a tantalizing concoction elevated by its immensely charming lead. Set in a fictionalized rendition of Ming-dynasty China, we follow Maomao, a young apothecary who is kidnapped and forced to work in the Imperial Palace as a servant. While she initially tries to keep her head down to avoid the dangers of being involved with the royal court, she can’t stop herself from solving a series of enigmatic illnesses, which raises her profile considerably. Watching Maomao use her abundance of scientific knowledge to deduce ailments and shady happenings delivers the same satisfaction brought when hyper-competent detectives piece together a case, making for a thoroughly captivating ride. And more than its twists and turns, these conundrums reveal the struggles of those living in the rear palace as our poison-loving heroine shows her soft side for fellow victims of this oppressive system. Maomao meets many companions and adversaries turned allies, and thanks to delightful dynamics between the cast, there’s a lot more here than just dour conspiracies and diseases. Toho Animation Studio and OLM further place us in this historical setting through gorgeous background art and consistently lavish animation that renders medical procedures and intimate gestures with care. Altogether, it makes for a potent mixture.
2. Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End
Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End continues to cast a spell through its gorgeous presentation and considerately portrayed party of weirdo adventurers. We follow Frieren, a several thousand-year-old elven mage forced to reconsider her disaffected outlook as she reflects on her previous quest and embraces her new role as a mentor. While its fantasy backdrop might make one assume this tale is all about slaying monsters and slinging spells (don’t worry, that’s here too, and it’s lavishly animated), its greatest strength is how it endears us to this cast. At its core, what makes this tale so moving is its ability to peel back the layers of these characters as they interrogate their memories and learn from those they’ve been forced to leave behind, resulting in a barrage of well-earned tear-jerker moments.
These scenes are elevated by one of the most aesthetically impressive adaptations in recent memory, buoyed by Keiichirō Saitō’s gentle direction, smart visual choices like the use of film grain and cohesive color compositions, and Evan Call’s affecting but not overbearing score. And if that all wasn’t enough, its setting is full of well-considered nuances that make it much more than another Tolkien knock-off. If I have a misgiving, it’s that the series might be falling into tedious tropes around “evil” fantasy races, but I’m holding out hope that this is a fake-out born from its protagonists’ biases. If it can maintain its introspective tone and impressive execution, Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End will cement itself as a genuinely magical reimagining of well-trodden material.
1. Pluto
Despite a widely celebrated body of work, only a handful of Naoki Urasawa’s beloved manga have made the jump to the small screen. One of these few adaptations is Pluto, a murder-mystery reimagining of the seminal Astro Boy, and the results are dazzling. It follows a detective named Gesicht as he unravels a case that invites questions about the personhood of androids and ties into the scars of an unjustified war. On its face, many of this story’s ideas have been interrogated ad nauseam, stretching as far back as when Asimov first penned the laws of robotics, but where it differs is in its execution. While science fiction can often feel as cold as these machine lifeforms’ chrome exteriors, this tale focuses on the warmth found in the buzzing circuity beneath. In half an episode or less, we’re endeared to the trials and tribulations of seven robots in the crosshairs of a rogue killer as flashbacks reveal a horrible conflict etched into their unchanging digital memories. The winding mystery at the center of the story smartly connects anti-war sentiment and ruminations on artificial consciousness, and while there is a lot to keep track of, the propulsive pacing of Gesicht’s investigation keeps everything focused. It all makes for a beautifully constructed work of sci-fi that, much like the robots at the center of this story, is full of humanity.
Elijah Gonzalez is an assistant TV Editor for Paste Magazine. In addition to watching the latest on the small screen, he also loves videogames, film, and creating large lists of media he’ll probably never actually get to. You can follow him on Twitter @eli_gonzalez11.
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