The best anime of 2023

When it comes to anime in 2023, fans are literally spoiled for choice. Just like their OPs, there have been a metric ton of quality series to watch; a reflection of what anime as a medium has evolved into. Deciding the best anime of 2023 means looking at these changes in the medium as well as thinking about the series’ themselves. In many ways, this year was the biggest year for anime yet. At the same time, this year feels like just the beginning of even more.

Anime has changed in 2023

What was once difficult to watch at all is now easily available at our fingertips. Even the more recently improved status quo has evolved quickly. While Crunchyroll remains the go to for anime (whether we like it or not), other streaming services have stepped up to challenge this crown. Netflix has not only begun to move away from insisting upon holding series like Godzilla SP or Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure hostage and embrace simulcasting, but it’s putting significant effort behind adapting anime. Disney has leveraged its ownership of Hulu to bring series that may otherwise not make it out of Japan, though they could stand to at least try to market them. Even HiDIVE, despite the struggles its had internationally, has continued to expand its catalog, and undoubtedly gained more viewership in 2023 thanks to Oshi No Ko‘s first season.

The end result of this growth is that there is more anime than ever to watch; which is great because it means we get more anime, but also brings complications. Studios, particularly MAPPA, came under fire in 2023 for treatment of its animators. Multiple series such as Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead had to delay episode releases for various factors, including the remaining specter of COVID-19. Those concerned about the conditions of animators won’t be too pleased to see the United States continue to expand its influence in the medium, particularly in the form of Netflix’s deal making.

However, 2023 brought with it many quality anime in spite of the struggles. New original anime found footing right alongside the Shonen Jump all stars. Long gestating projects finally saw release, while adaptations prepped in secret surprised us all. Miyazaki returned to film. Really, there were too many quality series for one person to see, but together the InBetweenDrafts writers have been able to select the fifteen best anime of 2023. That’s right, there were too many to only do ten!

15. Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch From Mercury Season 2

The Witch From Mercury made me sob in the best way possible. From the prologue episode to the finale, each episode pulled on my heartstrings. Suletta is a character that I fell in love with the moment I saw her on my screen. Her personality was so cute compared to the world around her and I found myself cheering her on the whole time. If I had to pick one thing about the series that I loved the most, it would be watching Suletta and Miorine’s relationship grow.

Throughout the series, the two of them go from strangers to kind of friends to lovers — they’re lovers at the end of the series and I don’t care what anyone else has to say about it — in such a natural way. It almost felt like we were watching something that we shouldn’t be because it’s such an intimate relationship between the two. Their relationship combined with the overarching plot that Suletta is at the center of had me hooked the entire time. [Kayla Chu]

Watch Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch From Mercury on Crunchyroll.

14. Overtake!

A miraculous little show defined by the evident passion for the subject matter behind the scenes, Overtake! is one of the year’s biggest surprises. A character drama disguised as a Formula 4 sports anime, the series follows high schooler Haruka, who dreams of taking the number one spot on the podium, and Kouya, a photographer who hasn’t been able to take a picture of a person since a tragedy over a decade ago. How their lives and subsequent personal journeys intersect beautifully depicts the effect our passions can inspire others, with the most remarkable example of the series arriving in its towering, emotionally poignant ninth episode that deals in tragedy, heartache, and catharsis in equal measure.

Emboldened by graceful animation that’s as reliant on nuanced framing to indicate a character’s mental state — from shaking hands to faces reflective off of smooth surfaces — as it is the fluidity of the 3D animation on the race track, Overtake! stuns. The races are breathtaking, especially when given the perspective of Haruka and other F4 drivers, but their growth, separate from the sport, makes it one of the best. [Allyson Johnson]

Watch Overtake! on Crunchyroll.

13. Mashle: Magic and Muscles

For an anime with such a maniacal, goofy title, Mashle: Magic and Muscles is…well, maniacal and goofy, but also painfully, wonderfully brilliant and relevant. It’s not often an anime gets to be a full-length, full-effort response video to one woman’s mission to completely demolish her reputation as a once-cherished author of magic-school books, but here we are.

Mashle centers around a high schooler named Mash (get it, Mash and muscle? Get it?!) who was born without magic in a world where most people can do magic. Hold on, Deku apologists, Mash isn’t your typical super-school protagonist getting by in the anime version of Hogwarts. Turns out he’s so abnormally, manga-page-breaking strong in just sheer muscle power, he can swiftly vanquish the toughest of foes and gloriously enough to pass it off as magic.

It’s a bonkers premise, but also one that kicks copious ass, complete with a stunningly splendid OP (“Knock Out” by Taiiku Okazaki) that can even get a TERF’s heart pumping. Come for the silly Harry Potter and shonen satire, stay for the heartwarming hilarity and plenty of cream puffs. [Jon Negroni]

Watch Mashle: Magic and Muscles on Crunchyroll.

12. Dr. Stone: New World

The saga of Senku and his Kingdom of Science finally piecing together the origin of the blast which cast all the life of the world into stone continues to be a serotonin boost of a romp in season 3. For the first time, Dr. Stone is able to explore the secrets of the inciting incident of the series. That’s not the only secret in New World.

This season is one where every character shines; as the whole main cast find themselves in a new and scary situation. The science gets more complex, the plot more twisted, and the humor more absurd as well. Senku himself is pushed further than ever as well, as not even science alone could prevent the sheer force of the opponent he’s facing. The end result is a much more tactful and unified Kingdom on the edge of the brave new world Senku and friends are looking to create. [Evan Griffin]

Watch Dr. Stone: New World on Crunchyroll.

11. Scott Pilgrim Takes Off

It’s distressing how the conversation about Scott Pilgrim Takes Off was about whether the series is an anime to begin with, because it’s the Most Anime an anime could be. Takes Off is best compared to Evangelion and for good reason – Science Saru and original writer Brian Lee O’Malley completely break down and rebuild the indie comic darling into something greater than it ever had been – and that story was already something beloved. 

I’m a fan of the phrase “cultural vandalism,” which is exactly what happened with Scott Pilgrim Takes Off. By allowing himself a new perspective, O’Malley gives the anime a chance to provide every player in Scott’s precious little life with a new life of their own; particularly Ramona Flowers, who gets to evolve past a goal for nerdy half-grown boys and become her own hero.   

The series would be worth celebrating without them but the inclusion of the Edgar Wright film’s cast and the music stylings of Anamanguchi helps tie Takes Off together with all other incarnations of Scott Pilgrim in a way that a multiverse story could only pray to. At all times this series is a celebration, a commentary, and a conclusion. [Travis Hymas]

Watch Scott Pilgrim Takes Off on Netflix.

10. Buddy Daddies

A show that I (and what I suspect might be plenty of other viewers as well) initially wrote off as a Spy x Family knock-off – two assassins inadvertently end up with a young girl they are forced to raise – Buddy Daddies instead turned out to be an masterfully written show that was equal parts hilarious and moving and somehow the most underrated. Initially unequipped for the task, the codependent opposites of Rei and Kazuki find their lives changed in surprising ways by the chaotic, adorable and hilarious Miri.

The show balances moments of poignant drama and spy-based action with slice of life wholesomeness and never leans too far in either direction, in the process creating a portrayal of a found family who learn just how much their lives were lacking before they came together. With a finale that is immensely satisfying in how it ties everything together, Buddy Daddies is a must see not only for fans of action, comedy and slice of life, but for any anime fan who wants to see what at first seems to be a simple and straightforward story morph into a show that will constantly leave you on the edge of your seat. [Quinn Parulis]

Watch Buddy Daddies on Crunchyroll.

9. Tsurune – The Linking Shot

It’s hard not being emotional about sports anime, and Tsurune – The Linking Shot really takes the title. The thing with Tsurune is that there are moments sprinkled throughout each episode that makes you go through every emotion you have. Each and every episode reminded me that even in defeat, there is growth. That thread started in season one, but was doubled down on in season two.

The way Kazemai team’s narrative arc was told throughout The Linking Shot was impressive to say the least. It made me want to hug each and every member of the team when the final results of Minato and Shuu’s match were revealed. If that’s not the beauty of sports, then I don’t know what is. Tsurune might be a sports anime on the surface, but it’s so much more than just that. It reminds us why we love sports so much and why we love the bonds that form between members of the same team. [Kayla Chu]

Watch Tsurune: The Linking Shot on HiDIVE.

8. Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End

Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End is one of the best anime of 2023 for me. As someone completely new to the series, it checked every box I have when it comes to checking out a new anime. Frieren, as a character, is everything I love to watch. She’s powerful, a bit of an airhead, and at the end of the day, she continues to learn more about herself. The whole story is focused on her growth through the years after her and the adventuring party defeat the demon king, which is something I haven’t seen before.

I love that she outlives the rest of her companions because it adds a layer of angst that hits just right — especially when the realize just how much Himmel cared for her. Each episode had me sitting there thinking, “do I have to watch her go through this every time?” which only made me want to watch the next episode even more. The journey we go on with Frieren is one that I will gladly go on again and again. [Kayla Chu]

Watch Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End on Crunchyroll.

7. Pluto

Pluto is a demonstration of what it means to be inspired. An adaptation of Naoki Urasawa’s award winning adaptation of the father of manga himself Osamu Tezuka, Pluto had literally decades worth of creative groundwork laid for it – and it lives up to that lofty expectation. To call Pluto a dark reimagining of one of Tezuka’s most iconic story arcs is missing the point, but it does make the political and horrifying aspects of “The Greatest Robot on Earth” clear as day. This spin is just as poignant today, with the nightmare occurring in Gaza, as it was when the manga was commentating on the US and its allies’ invasion of Iraq in the 2000’s. 

If that wasn’t enough, Pluto also threads a compelling mystery between its various robots, their makers, friends, and family that makes each episode more tantalizing than the last. Pluto is just as powerful without the context of knowing that it is effectively an Astro Boy reimagining – a testament to how creatives can not only inspire and move us, but can inspire themselves to build on each other’s creations; from Tezuka influencing Urasawa, to Urasawa inspiring Studio M2, to us. [Travis Hymas]

Watch Pluto on Netflix.

6. Spy x Family Season 2

Second seasons of positively reviewed CloverWorks anime can be a bit of a gamble (no, I have not forgotten The Promised Neverland) and while the beginning of Spy x Family’s second season might be a bit too slice of life like, it does get to the good stuff soon enough. Primarily focused on the Forgers finding themselves on a cruise, the story finds the right moment to flip the roles that Loid and Yor have played up to this point. This time around, she’s the one on a secret mission and he’s left to care for the ever crowd pleasing Anya. 

This role reversal comes at a perfect time for Spy x Family’s production, giving the action scenes a needed punch up as Yor’s a much more physical character than the gun toting Loid, and his relationship with both Yor and Anya were in need of proper complication – something this season delivers in strides. Those slice of life bits serve their purpose too as they give the growing supporting cast chances to adventure without disrupting the main mission, in particular a character-deepening camping trip for Anya’s primary target Damien carries hints of just how complicated he could make Operation Strix. [Travis Hymas]

Watch Season 2 of Spy x Family on Crunchyroll and Hulu.

5. Oshi no Ko

This anime should not work. Oshi no Ko needed a feature-length first episode just to try to sell its complicated set up, but really sold that pitch. Doga Kobo expertly adapts Aka Akasaka’s murder mystery/entertainment inside baseball/slice of life/reincarnation/romance manga without lacking in any of those elements. That extended rug pull of a first episode is a ballsy play, but by doing so Oshi no Ko gets to spend the rest of its episodes on the more interesting part of the tale – Aqua and Ruby Hoshino trying to make peace with their second lives and the mother they lost in the only ways they know how.

Aqua in particular could have easily been insufferable as the entertainment industry’s Light Yagami, but Oshi no Ko knows exactly when to deploy his “all according to keikaku” persona and when to pull out one of the other equally well rounded cast members to put him in a different light. Even the reincarnation aspect – in which both Hoshino siblings were once fans of their future idol mother – works significantly better than it has any right to be as the two’s past lives don’t unlock perfection but complicate their personalities further. [Travis Hymas]

Watch Oshi no Ko on HiDIVE.

4. Hell’s Paradise

In one of the best-looking anime of the year, Hell’s Paradise offers us a suicide squad story in which criminals, each paired with their own guard/executioner, get sent to a mysterious island with the task of finding the fabled elixir of life. The show is an overwhelming feast for the senses, one where vibrant green forests clash with the grays of burned-out towns as creatures usually associated with religious symbolism perform acts of nasty violence that spray the screen in pools of deep red blood.

While the surface may sell the violent imagery, what will really hook you is the cast of characters who endear themselves through the sheer willpower required of them to survive even their few hours on the island – the series keeps the stakes high and leaves you with the feeling that no character is safe from a violent and gory end – and features a protagonist who is somehow both a lovable and catlike wife-guy as well as an infamous emotionless killer. Relentless paced and full of unpredictable narrative twists, Hell’s Paradise is a must see of any fan of action anime. [Quinn Parulis]

Watch Hell’s Paradise on Crunchyroll.

3. Trigun Stampede

Orange, the studio who brought us Netflix’s Beastars, won over the hearts of fans of Tokuma Shoto’s shonen sci-fi manga that encapsulates the early days of the adult-swim era of anime’s infiltration to the west. While 3D anime is still a contentious format for the medium, Trigun Stampede makes a great case for the technique with its sense of scale, its fluid action, unique camera movement and action staging that achieves things that just couldn’t be accomplished with 2D Cel animation.

Using the hindsight of a completed manga, and nostalgia for Madhouse’s classic ‘98 series, Orange finds themselves in a unique position to reinvent the story of Vash the Stampede as a character in a more serialized format and delve into his backstory with Millions Knives from episode one. Where we’ll go from here is unclear, but the finale taking place in the megacity of July has left new and old fans waiting for season two (and the return of Milly Thompson) with bated breath. [Evan Griffin]

Watch Trigun Stampede on Crunchyroll.

2. Skip and Loafer

Infused with the bubbly energy of youthful enthusiasm of all things new, Skip and Loafer exceeded expectations. Based on the manga from writer and illustrator Misaki Takamatsu, the series follows high schooler Mitsume who has left her hometown in the country to attend school and live in Tokyo with her aunt. The series celebrates youth and the connections we’re able to make if we allow ourselves to be open and earnest.

We see this as Mitsume develops tight friendships, especially with Shima who is the opposite of Mitsume as a people pleaser, whose laid back attitude is meant to hide due to not knowing what he wants in life. Their opposing personalities make for some of the most charming moments of the series as both inspire the other. The animation is expressive, from the vibrant colors to the softly drawn lines, perfectly suiting the characters down to even the unique shading of blushes that strike lower on the cheeks than what we’re used to in animation. Slice-of-life at it’s very best, watching the show is an ensured mood booster. [Carly Johnson]

Watch Skip and Loafer on Crunchyroll.

1. Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2

Well, now us anime only watchers know what manga readers mean when they say “Jujutsu Kaisen hates you”. 

With Season 2 split into two major arcs, we catch a glimpse of the world that Jujutsu Kaisen once was with Gojo and Geto’s schooldays in Hidden Inventory, compared to the mad dash funeral dirge that is the infamous Shibuya Incident. Gege Akutami’s manga has made a name for itself as a deconstruction of the shonen genre, and as MAPPA’s studios crumble, so too does the genre they lay claim to perfecting in the modern era.

Even looking at the OPs of each half of the season alone tell a fascinating dichotomy of the fantasy that Gege denies his fandom, and the utter desecration of Tokyo and fan favorite characters in such succession that would make George R.R. Martin blush. Jujutsu Kaisen’s stunning, overwhelming and explosive animated action beats will end with a pin drop and leave viewers utterly hopeless waiting for the next week’s funeral procession as we chant “You Are My Specialz” in mourning. [Evan Griffin]

Watch Season 2 of Jujutsu Kaisen on Crunchyroll.

---

Images courtesy ©SOTSU/Sunrise/MBS; ©KADOKAWA・TROYCA/Overtake！Production committee; Hajime Komodo/SHUEISHA, MASHLE Committee; Kome Studio, BOICHI/SHUEISHA, Dr.Stone Project; Netflix; ©KRM’s HOME / Buddy Daddies Committee; ©Rieko Hyuga, Horupu Publishing/WOWOW; ©Kotoko Ayano, Kyoto Animation/Tsurune II Production Committee; Oshi no Ko images courtesy of HiDIVE; © Kanehito Yamada, Tsukasa Abe/Shogakukan/“Frieren” Project; ©YUJI SHAKA/SHUEISHA, TWIN ENGINE, MAPPA; Yasuhiro Nightow, SHONENGAHOSHA / TRIGUN STAMPEDE Project; © Gege Akutami/Shueisha, JUJUTSU KAISEN Project; ©Misaki Takamatsu,KODANSHA/”Skip and Loafer” Production Committee