The Best Anime Shows of 2023

Anime is now no longer relegated to the shadow realm inhabited by questionable characters, it has gone mainstream the world over. This year was marked famously by the curtains coming down on Attack on Titan (an anime that will be loved and hated by fans for ten years at least). At the same time, we warmly welcome new shows and returning favorites. Take your pick! Again, this is just a list, not a ranking of the best.

Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End

Studio: Madhouse

Elves live very long and lonely lives. After the passing of two of her human friends, Frieren, an elven mage realizes that the fleeting time she spent with her adventuring party has really changed her. Determined to understand her companions better, especially Himmel, she embarks on a journey to Aureole, The Land Where Souls Rest. Retracing the path of her previous adventure with new friends, Frieren slowly but surely finds the answer to her question of ‘what happens now?’ Poignant, thought-provoking, funny and bittersweet at times, Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End is an anime that feels like a warm hug from someone very dear to you who is no longer here.

Pluto

Studio: Studio M2

Isaac Asimov’s Three Laws of Robotics generally holds true for all depictions of replicants/robots/androids. One of which states “A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm”. From the mind of Naoki Urasawa who brought us Monster, we have Pluto. Europol robot detective Gesicht has a puzzling case on his hands, a series of murders around the world with both human and robot victims. Even stranger is that all signs point to a robot being the culprit. But that can’t be, because it goes against the laws of robotics right, right?

NieR:Automata Ver1.1a

Studio: A-1 Pictures

The anime adaptation of the hit video game that caused its players to go through an existential crisis is here. Despite the 1:1 adaptation of the first episode and the game’s prologue, the narrative takes a different turn going forward. Essential to a deeper understanding of the lore of the NieR universe and an interesting take on the game’s events, the anime provides a different lens to view the story. Do androids dream of electric sheep? 2b puts forth another question, one that ties to her Shakespearean name: 2b or not 2b?

TRIGUN STAMPEDE

Studio: Orange

Trigun remake? In 2023? The Humanoid Typhoon crashed and created havoc once more. This remake is more akin to a retelling of the 1998 anime Trigun, which in turn was adapted from the manga. With a completely different look and now animated entirely in 3DCG, Vash the Stampede is introduced to an entirely new generation. It’s a fresh look at the source material maintaining the spirit of the original. This space western, set in No Man’s Land, features Vash, a pacifist gunman on the run with a 60 million bounty on his head.

Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2

Studio: MAPPA

Do you watch JJK because you are depressed or are you depressed because you watch JJK? JJK is back and the second season is significantly less lighthearted than the first. Fans who follow both the manga and the anime are probably wearing their best funeral suits and watching with rapt attention as Gege Akutami evilly tortures their favorite characters. Fans are now delusional and creating their own headcannons to escape the terrible tragedy that is taking place in JJK chanting: Gege when I catch you Gege! Are you purchasing a ticket to Shibuya?

Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War – The Separation

Studio: Pierrot

Everything that happens is according to Aizen’s plan and so Bleach returned with its second cour of the Thousand Year Blood War Arc. Being part of the Big Three of anime, Bleach needs no introduction. Flawlessly animated, Bleach TYBW shows us why it is the pinnacle of the Shounen genre.

Tengoku Daimakyou (Heavenly Delusion)

Studio: Production I.G

An…odd post-apocalypse anime. It manages to be lighthearted but significantly darker than, say, The Last of Us. It has two storylines; in one, a group of children live safe and sheltered behind large walls, and terrible monsters lurk beyond it. Meanwhile in the second, in the outside world, a girl named Kiruko takes a job to escort a young boy Maru to a place called ‘Heaven.’ And so, they wander the hellscape that is the world in search of Heaven. The juxtaposition of these two storylines is so stark, adding to the atmosphere of the show. There’s a certain sense of unease and mystery that draws you into its world.

Jigokuraku (Hell’s Paradise)

Studio: MAPPA

A group of convicts on death row are given a chance at freedom — they must venture to a mysterious island which is rumored to have an Elixir of life. The only problem is that no one who’s gone there has returned alive. Gabimaru the Hollow, a ninja with a virtually indestructible body is among these convicts; believing this to be his one chance at freedom to reunite with his wife, he jumps at the chance. Jigokuraku’s plot is interwoven with an interesting mix of Japanese mythology, Taoism and Buddhism coupled with its unique intricate art style and fluid animation this is one anime that shouldn’t be missed.

Skip to Loafer (Skip and Loafer)

Studio: P.A. Works

On the surface, Skip and Loafer seems generic and wildly improbable in real life. Smalltown, plain-looking Mitsumi moves to Tokyo in order to pursue her dream and strikes an unlikely friendship that blooms into a romance with a handsome popular Sousuke who used to be a child actor. However, that’s not exactly what’s going on here. Mitsumi and Sousuke are polar opposites in every way; where she’s ambitious, frank and determined, he’s laid back, elusive and a people-pleaser who’s meandering through life, looking a little lost. Despite it all, Mitsumi and Sousuke click in a very platonic and grounded way that doesn’t feel forced at all. There’s a strong supporting cast as well, each with their distinct place carved out in the pastel world of Skip and Loafer. This anime (and manga) is perhaps one of the most realistic takes on navigating not just high school, but life in general. It makes you really think what it’s like to be in someone else’s shoes and why they seem the way they are.

Kimi wa Houkago Insomnia (Insomniacs After School)

Studio: LIDENFILMS

Insomnia is a fairly common sleep disorder. Ganta Nakami and Isaki Magari have nothing in common whatsoever, aside from the fact that they are both plagued by sleepless nights. A chance meeting at their school’s abandoned astronomy club observatory (the ideal place to sleep) is the start of a kinship that blooms under the vast expanse of the stars in the night sky. As they restart the astronomy club, they realize that tackling their struggles is a whole lot easier, together. This slice of life show along with its charismatic protagonists, is wholesome and tender and moves at the pace of the stars slowly fading from the night sky, signalling the coming dawn. It also has some of the most breathtaking night sky visuals ever animated.

Oshi no Ko

Studio: Doga Kobo

There is no beating around the bush, the premise of Oshi no Ko is weird, at least by normal anime standards if you aren’t an avid follower of Truck-kun’s victims. A doctor and his idol fan girl patient are reborn as the twins of rising star idol Ai Hoshino. While life is idyllic in the beginning, tragedy soon strikes as Ai is murdered by a deranged fan. Consumed by the need for revenge, it is up to Aqua (the reincarnated doctor) to avenge his mother’s death. Oshi no Ko keeps a good balance of suspense, humor and drama. But where it really shines is in the depiction of idol culture in Japan, which can be even applied to celebrities worldwide. Fame and stardom are common enough wishes for many in the age of social media but there is always an ugly underside to it. Toxicity can come from fans, colleagues, people you love or trust, sometimes even yourself. Oshi no Ko certainly doesn’t shy away from shining the spotlight on such issues.

Migi to Dali (Migi & Dali)

Studio: Geek Toys, CompTown

Keeping up with the theme of vengeful twins next on this list is Migi & Dali. If idol culture isn’t your cup of tea but the twins from The Shining is your preferred choice of poison, then this is the show for you. While not tapping into the horror genre, this anime leans into mystery with a side of comedy. The Sonoyamas decide to adopt a seemingly well-behaved, angelic child named Hitori (which means a single person/alone). Ironically, Hitori is actually a façade created by identical twins Migi and Dali who want to solve the mystery behind their mother’s death.

Undead Girl Murder Farce

Studio: Lapin Track  

Set during Belle Époque era, in a world where the supernatural coexist with the humans, a disembodied head solves crimes. A pair of private detectives from Japan — consisting of Aya Rindou, a yokai whose head is carried in a birdcage by her half demon assistant Tsugaru Shinuchi — traverse through Europe to recover the pieces of Aya’s body, along with the culprit who got them into this predicament. During the course of their travels, they end up solving cases that come their way. If you are a fan of gothic horror mysteries and interesting character designs or disembodied talking heads, then this needs to be on your list.

Attack on Titan: Final Season – The Final Chapters

Studio: MAPPA

Speaking of disembodied heads, this list cannot be complete without the fan favorite decapitated, beloved idiot — Eren Yeager. Frankly AoT shouldn’t even be on this list since it is a given that nearly everyone has watched this, but how can one refuse Eren’s final request to be on the forefront of your mind for ten years at least?