The year is coming to a close, and so we’re looking back at all the media we’ve engaged with, in an effort to find the best, or maybe even our favorite. And today, we’re looking at a list of our favorite anime from 2023.
Well, a selection of our favorite anime, managed by me. Hi, I’m Eric. I’ve been working on getting an anime beat going here, none of which would have been possible without the hard work of writers and contributors. It’s an area that doesn’t seem wholly outside our purview, and as games overlap even more with the medium, it only feels natural. And it only feels right to open with a recognition of that work.
Throughout this year, we dabbled in ideas, whether those were listicles, news beats, or longer-form features. It’s something we hope to continue building up in 2024, but for those who have already been enjoying the pieces, thanks!
When it came to organizing a list, I bounced a few selections off the aforementioned motley crew of writers and considered what the standouts were. While this is by no means comprehensive—I promise, I’ll get around to Vinland Saga at some point—I hope this list gives you an inkling of what’s been good to watch this year, and maybe gives you something to watch over the holidays with loved ones. Or maybe just by yourself. Really depends on the vibe you’re setting.
Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2 (Hidden Inventory/The Shibuya Incident)
This entry shouldn’t be a huge surprise, considering the first season of Jujustu Kaisen was already stellar enough to get me interested in the source manga. And The Shibuya Incident has been excellent; seeing these big, crushing, heartbreaking battles play out in full motion has been a spectacle. But I’m going to kick it off with a little controversy: my heart lies with the Hidden Inventory arc.
In just a few episodes, Mappa created an incredible adaptation of a brief but powerful prequel arc. The JJK team perfectly captures the relationship between Satoru Gojo and Suguru Geto, the tragedies that strain and alter their worldviews, and the culmination of all this that become crucial for both Jujutsu Kaisen 0 and the events in Shibuya.
Really, Hidden Inventory stole the show for me. But all of Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2 has, thus far, lived up to its potential and then some.
Oshi no Ko
I cannot stress this enough: if you know nothing about Oshi no Ko, you need to watch its first episode. Skip the rest of this blurb, go boot up the feature-length introduction, and enjoy falling down the rabbit hole.
Doga Kobo’s anime, based on Kaguya-sama author Aka Akasaka’s manga, is a bright but bewildering plunge into the drama and intrigue of the idol industry in Japan. It effortlessly weaves a murder-mystery into a reincarnation story, into a full-blown look at the harmful effects of social media, popularity, idolization, and the tireless pursuit of one’s ambitions over all else.
The first season adapts some fantastic material, and I’m curious to see what reception is like as we move forward into some big events in a likely second season. But either way, the first episode Oshi no Ko alone is not to be missed.
Hell’s Paradise
There is a place called paradise, and there exists the secret to eternal life. There is a hell, and there resides monsters, ready to unspeakably curse and doom any who dare enter. In Hell’s Paradise, these places are one and the same; and the unseen emperor decrees that several of the fiercest, most vicious criminals set for execution be sent to the island, along with a designated watch-dog executioner, to find him eternal life or die trying.
It’s already an interesting set-up, but the core of Hell’s Paradise is the duo of Gabimaru, ultimate wife-guy ninja who can withstand blades and blaze alike, and his appointed executioner, Yamada Sagiri. The way they learn to trust each other, while dealing with the horrors of Paradise, is compelling. And good heavens, the body-horror and art at work in Hell’s Paradise is gorgeous.
Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch From Mercury
Though it kicked off in 2022, this was the year where The Witch From Mercury brought it all home, and did so fairly well. There was a Fire Emblem: Three Houses-like divide, where we suddenly went from “school phase” of battles and Suletta accidentally falling into a chivalric knight role for her betrothed Miorine, to the more large-scale war we usually expect from Mobile Suit Gundam.
While it wasn’t the easiest shift, I think the way Witch From Mercury tackles its various views on space politics and the threat of the ever-advancing arms race worked really well. If you ever wanted a show that could deftly juggle war with school-life drama, this is it.
Also, Suletta x Miorine is canon, the finale locks it in, and we all know it.
The Apothecary Diaries
What if Sherlock Holmes had to solve cases using only medicine and intuition? I know I just described House, but it’s also an apt description for The Apothecary Diaries, a mixture of drama and mystery set in a fictionalized version of 15th century China. Maomao, torn from her home and sent to work in the back palace for the emperor’s concubines, gets drawn into court intrigue as her apothecarial talents are discovered.
The mystery and general setting are both highlights of the show. But I think The Apothecary Diaries really hooked me with how it uses those mysteries around the ailments to tell fascinating tales. It’s the type of episodic mystery show I can get lost in, and Maomao makes for a very compelling lead too.
Scott Pilgrim Takes Off
When it was announced Science Saru would be making a Scott Pilgrim series, I was curious what that’d look like. The movie and comic seemed to cover the bases well enough. So it piqued my interest when I heard that, really, this was the Rebuild of Scott Pilgrim, to use an Evangelion metaphor.
Scott Pilgrim Takes Off starts off mostly beat-for-beat, until it suddenly shifts into an entirely different story. This might have felt jarring for those not expecting it, but man, it worked for me. This sudden shift, as well as centering multiple characters rather than just Scott, works so well. Rather than planets in Scott’s orbit, each character gets incredible room to expand and grow in this new tale.
A highlight of the year for me is a jam session, between newfound bass player Knives and drummer Kim. It’s simply a gorgeous piece of music and animation, centered around the feeling of unrehearsed, spontaneous collaboration that melds and flows together. It’s a welcome new lens on the Pilgrim-verse, I think.
Pluto
Naoki Urasawa’s Pluto would have been a gargantuan task for any anime studio. A classic from a storied author, Studio M2 was trying to take this reimagining of the classic Astro Boy storyline and turn it into a Netflix series, preserving all of its melancholy, power, and emotion. And good heavens, they did it.
Pluto is a heavy watch, especially in this age. Urasawa explores the questions of life and individuality amid the robots being hunted, one-by-one; the series dives into politics and conflict, flashing back to harrowing memories of overseas war that feel all too relevant today. It actively challenges so many of its characters and beliefs.
Put plainly, Pluto is a must-watch, in my opinion. The technical achievement here is one thing, and I love the animation work. But everything, from the adaptation of the manga’s themes to the way the frame moves through the space, really made Pluto a memorable end-of-year surprise for me.
Heavenly Delusion
I’ve frequently described Heavenly Delusion as The Last of Us meets the first season of Westworld. In one storyline, we follow Kiruko and Maru, a bodyguard and client searching Japan for “heaven” amid the post-apocalyptic ruins, often haunted by “maneater” monsters. And in another, we see the daily lives of children in an isolated school, grappling with everyday problems while pondering what might be outside their walls.
How do these link up? Do they link up? That’s part of the fun of Heavenly Delusion. But to paint this as a Westworld-like story with suspense as its only pillars wouldn’t paint the whole picture. Heavenly Delusion is also about the interpersonal relationships across both storylines. The schoolchildren, like Tokio, grapple with changing lives and feelings they don’t understand. Kiruko and Maru cope with the horrors of the ruined world, while growing closer on their journey.
I do have to warn you, this particular series comes with a hefty dose of content warnings for violence, gore, sexual assault, and more. It’s very direct in how it displays the possible cruelties this world could inflict. But underneath that, there’s a beating heart of compelling adventures and those who find strength in each other, even as the world falls apart around them.
Zom100: Bucket List of the Dead
Say hello to one of my biggest surprises of the year. When I first heard the pitch for Zom100, I thought it sounded novel, at the least: Akira Tendou is in his 20s and wasting away his life for a company that doesn’t respect him. He works hard, but still receives constant verbal abuse and little to show for any part of his droll, lifeless, zombified existnece.
Then, a zombie outbreak happens. For everyone else, this is Hell on Earth. But for Akira, he’s free. No more work. No more obligations. The collapse of society means society’s pressures—to waste away as a cog in the machine—are suddenly gone.
In what can only be described as an explosion of joy and relief, he concocts a bucket list of things he wants to accomplish before succumbing to the plague enveloping the world. Over time, he gathers a band of friends, encouraging them all to experience the breadth of what life can offer now that its burdens have been lifted.
I was expecting a lighthearted, no-thoughts-head-empty zombie-action romp. While Zom100 is fun and filled with great action, it’s also an incredibly energizing story about chasing your dreams. Heck, it’s inspirational. Every episode reminds me that there’s so much to do and experience in this life, and one should embrace that like Akira. I genuinely cannot recommend this show enough, to anyone who’s ever felt burnt-out or zombified in their routines.
Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End
Once I watched the first episode of Frieren, I knew this was an all-timer for me. Frieren, an elven mage, is returning home with her adventuring party after 10 years on the road, questing and eventually defeating the Demon King. For them, it’s a significant chunk of time; for her elongated lifespan, it’s a blip.
The years keep going by, and Frieren is content to do what she’s always done: simply wander in search of new magic. But the passing of a close friend finally forces her to come to grips with mortality. Not her own, necessarily, but of the people she’s come to care for. So, she starts a new journey, retracing the steps of her old party’s trip, and helping others along the way.
Frieren can be both emotionally devastating and beautifully enlightening. Yes, it is a melancholic tale about the regrets we face when someone you care for is no longer here. It’s also a reminder, much like other entries on this list, to cherish the moments you have with those around you, now.
In so many ways, Frieren feels like it bucks a lot of what I would normally expect. It’s high fantasy and certainly has some outright incredible fight scenes, but so often, Madhouse will simply let shots linger. Little motions are given so much weight. The animation alone, especially in a recent ballroom scene, is an achievement in its own right.
Can you make up for lost time? Or do you simply have to hold on to memories, carrying them with you, trying to honor who you can? Frieren explores these topics with nuance and depth, making for a long road-trip north that I don’t want to see end anytime soon.
