Over the years, these year-end wrap-up posts have taken a variety of shapes and forms. In the past, I\u2019ve enjoyed making list of my top shows of the year. But in a year where few airing television anime really moved me, I thought I\u2019d forgo that formality by telling you all 28 (more or less) new things I watched in order to provide a more thorough chronicle of my anime-watching activities.<\/p>\n
Hopefully it\u2019s enjoyable and not too tedious!<\/p>\n <\/p>\n I promise this isn\u2019t just my contrarian streak rearing its head again or just about what the show did with Nobara<\/a>. If nothing else, Jujutsu Kaisen<\/em>\u2018s Shibuya Incident Arc is yet another example (see: Eromanga Sensei<\/em>) that pure sakuga power isn\u2019t enough to make an entire show good, as impressive as the artistry (under horrific circumstances<\/a>) was. I won\u2019t say it was all a waste when we got some very pretty sad Miwa content for a minute or two, but it is a shame, at least from my perspective as someone who cares about anime holistically as well as its component aspects.<\/p>\n Similar to Jujutsu Kaisen<\/em>, the fifth season of Bungo Stray Dogs<\/em> simply ended up feeling like a lot of noise for very little payoff. Add to that the show\u2019s painful insistence on ending every single week with a cliffhanger and you end up feeling as if there\u2019s not a whole lot to keep watching for, especially with a lot of the cast (including my favorite, Kyouka) on the periphery despite allegedly being involved in the action. I was happy when it was over.<\/p>\n What started out as a pretty entertaining Harry Potter<\/em> derivative with some truly baffling directorial and adaptation choices ended up petering out in a disappointing way by the end of the overlong season. Twists like Oliver murdering one of the teachers almost out of the blue and having a secret army made the opening half feel deranged (that\u2019s a compliment), but standardization takes over in the second half and the modest production shows its limits.<\/p>\n The fourth season of Bungo Stray Dogs<\/em> featured a more interesting immediate conflict than the one that followed and offered the excitement of brand-new characters (my favorite was the hyper violent tiny Hunting Dog girl, although I could have done without her being in love with her superior) and more unique environments for the various shenanigans. In retrospect, it\u2019s actually kind of surprising how flat the following season managed to be when the set-up was as strong as it was. I was actually pretty hyped about things at the end of this season, but it all came to naught.<\/p>\n Where the first season of Sugar Apple Fairy Tale<\/em> was whimsical, cute, and heart-warming, I think the main problem of the second season was the lack of a clear journey for Anne to take. The arc-based structure simple didn\u2019t offer enough interesting conflict and took much slower pacing, to its detriment. On top of that, the addition of Gladice as a villain who contributed little to either Anne or Challe\u2019s stories (existing really only for himself and as an arbitrary barrier) hurt things. Goes to show the importance of obstacles feeling natural and connecting to characters\u2019 evolution!<\/p>\n The first non-airing show of the list, the Banner of the Stars<\/em> OAV is mostly a disappointment for how it moeifies and girlfriend-ifies Lafiel. While it\u2019s actually a fairly satisfying conclusion to Jinto\u2019s fraught relationship with his home planet, I found its visual and textual characterization of Lafiel intolerable compared to the more distant yet more characterfully affectionate version of her from the previous three series. You will simply not tempt me with moe Lafiel. I won\u2019t bite.<\/p>\n I think we all knew that the return of The Devil is a Part-Timer!<\/em> wasn\u2019t going to live up to the fun and games of the original, but it\u2019s a bit sad how true those expectations ended up being. I actually liked this part of the return better than the first part, as the Ente Isla material offered a new storyscape for our familiar characters to engage with. Emilia is still cute, Nao Touyama\u2019s Chiho is still delightful, and Suzu is still great, but sadly the weak production never really let Ashiya, Maou, or Lucifer shine the way fans would have wanted. At least they\u2019ll never take S1 from us.<\/p>\n Blue Lock<\/em> finished up in the winter 2023 season, so I count it as a 2023 anime. From the show\u2019s amusing insinuation at its very beginning that Ronaldo wasn\u2019t egotistical enough to the entertaining battle shounen tropes applied to my favorite sport, Blue Lock<\/em> was solid entertainment all the way through. It certainly stretches belief if you know anything at all about football in real life (growth definitely does not come in such immediate spurts), but some of the inherent tension and appeal in the sport comes through. Good fun!<\/p>\n Spy x Family<\/em> has always been something I\u2019ve enjoyed, but never something I\u2019ve loved, so as much as I appreciate its various aspects, it was never going to rank highly in my list of things from the year. As cute as Yor and Anya are, I actually think Loid is both the show\u2019s funniest and most interesting character, but rarely has he been used to his full potential. It is to SpyFam\u2019<\/em>s credit, though, that its inventiveness and the sheer quality of execution on its premise still hasn\u2019t worn out its welcome. Not an easy thing for any comedy to do!<\/p>\n A rough year for sequels, which populate almost the entirety of this list\u2019s bottom third. In\/Spectre<\/em>, at least, isn\u2019t here for a drop in quality so much as just being what it is: a perfectly serviceable adaptation of a manga I\u2019ve already read. There\u2019s no new material here for me to get my teeth into, so instead I spent most of the show thinking about how unique In\/Spectre<\/em> is in the modern anime landscape and how much it must owe its existence in animated form to Kotoka\u2019s cuteness and wit. I\u2019d probably recommend the manga over the anime for the better art, but there\u2019s nothing really to complain about here other than the fact that a more healthy industry could have done more with such an odd duck of a show.<\/p>\n After a couple of seasons that failed to live up to the first, Danmachi<\/em> S4 managed to get back to form with a much tenser, more focused season. Bell and Ryu\u2019s harrowing adventure definitely runs right at the edge of actually making you believe one of them (Ryu) might not make it, which frankly is a wonderful achievement in a show like this where Bell has been chock-full of hand-of-god survival. The other good thing about it is that the narrowed cast allows Bell\u2019s natural chemistry with the shows\u2019 other characters to shine through\u2014enough so that even blushy Ryu in the end feels earned.<\/p>\n A show I definitely thought could have ended up much higher on this list, Undead Murder Farce<\/em>\u2018s shift from amusing Monogatari-<\/em>like mystery talk into more adventuring\/battling material ultimately proved to make it less engaging overall. The clever and amusing banter that characterized the first couple arcs never fully left, but as the focus shifted more toward resolving the larger plot, it did feel as if the dialogue became more of a plot vehicle than anything else. The ever-expanding cast likewise had an adverse effect. No regrets about watching it, but I\u2019m left with a vague sense of something missing.<\/p>\n Regrettably, my long-term memory of GaoGaiGar Final<\/em> is the scene where Gai and Mamoru both intone their epic, important reasons for existing, only for Mikoto to follow them both up by going, \u201cI exist to support you, Gai!\u201d It\u2019s the kind of familiar sexism that exists in a lot of yelly, male-focused anime, but rarely is it so obviously, harshly made into literal in-show dialogue. I actually came to love Mikoto quite a lot (childhood friends, you know), so the scene left a bad taste in my mouth and, obviously, has stuck with me. That said, there was some good giant robot action, although I think I preferred the end of the TV series more.<\/p>\n Unlike the Shibuya Incident arc, Hidden Inventory was like, actually good. It still winds up being kind of pointless considering that Geto had already died in the flashback movie and that he wasn\u2019t even really resurrected in Shibuya Incident! It was just some brain curse (or evil sorcerer?) using his body! So getting to see the actually fairly compelling description of what led Geto to forsake jujutsu society (and the murder of a non-combatant high school girl) basically is meaningless. But I didn\u2019t know that at the time, so I won\u2019t let the schlock of the following arc ruin the good of the preceding one for me.<\/p>\n I have no shame in saying it. I think Rentarou is wrong. I think Karane is the best girlfriend. As cute as Shizuka is and as incredible addition to the cast as Kusuri is (insanely overloaded with gimmicks), there\u2019s something pure and beautiful in the undiluted, concentrated levels of tsundere that Karane offers. You may not have noticed like I have, but tsunderes really aren\u2019t in vogue these days the way they used to be. For the most part, they\u2019re either toned down or preferred to other, less inherently interesting tropes. So 100Kano<\/em> has my thanks for bringing the tsundere back. We as a society needed this. As for the show as a whole? Yeah, it\u2019s fun and good to watch. Thumbs up even if the horny bits did basically nothing for me.<\/p>\n Speaking of things brought back into vogue, did we really get an original mecha anime in 2023 (even if the mechs were 3D)? And Synduality: Noir<\/em>\u2018s first season wasn\u2019t even like, serious mecha anime. It was actually pretty goofy, which matched the goofy designs of the robots themselves. This isn\u2019t to say there was a lot that was new here, but sometimes bringing back the vibes of anime past has its own fresh appeal. There\u2019s something almost Gurren Lagann<\/em>-esque in the tone of Synduality<\/em>, but Synduality<\/em> also has a Sheryl Nome expy (she sings while in the robot!!!!). Yes, Sheryl Nome, the one archetype that\u2019ll make me switch my allegiance from the childhood friend character. RIP Ellie. You didn\u2019t deserve yet another L..<\/p>\n I wrote a blog post<\/a> after the first episode of SukiMega<\/em> that more or less sums up my feelings on this dumb, lovable show in its entirety. Basically, everyone who wrote the show off for its visual presentation after episode 1 (except for those who had motion sickness) were just cringe clout chasers dunking on an easy target and deliberately ignoring the charms for internet points. Having seen how warm and hilarious the full show was, I find myself even more disgusted in those people. SukiMega<\/em> is deeply charming once you accept that its very premise is an absurd gag that the show treats seriously because its funnier that way. Both Mie and Komura are adorable and fun, and I simply won\u2019t tolerate any further slander of them.<\/p>\n Does anyone else remember Run with the Wind<\/em>? Although most of the similarities between the two of them are fairly superficial (sports show about boys), what\u2019s not superficial is excellence of their writing. Overtake!<\/em> isn\u2019t overly emotive, except when it counts, and its restraint along with its sharp characterization and excellent control over its plot elements makes for solid, engaging watching every episode. I particularly enjoyed the Belsorriso subplot, as well as the non-traditional relationship between Kouya and Sae-chan (I\u2019ll marry her if he won\u2019t). It\u2019s a shame the show won\u2019t get the plaudits it deserves; in terms of overall craft, it\u2019s probably a top 3 TV anime production of the year along with Frieren<\/em> and Skip & Loafer<\/em>.<\/p>\n I sang the OP while at karaoke in Japan. GAO GAO GAO GAO GAO GAO GAO GAI GAR!!!!<\/a> While some of the weekly stuff, especially in the first half of the show, gets a little tedious when you\u2019re watching the show in batches, once the paradigm shifts with the defeat of the Four Machine Kings, GaoGaiGar<\/em> kind of just goes berserk in terms of action and fun until it ends. It makes for a very good watch, and getting to sing the banger OP at the beginning of each episode and \u201cSea of Stars\u201d at the end of every episode just makes the experience that much better. DIVIDING DRIVEEEEEEEERR!!!!<\/p>\n What a delight this show was! From its unique setting to enjoyable characters to offbeat plot, Last Exile<\/em> is the kind of anime that makes you happy you watch anime. It\u2019s not as if the narrative is some sort of masterwork, but the sheer novelty of everything that happens makes the show feel like its creators were basically cramming every idea they could think of into the runtime. I personally love that kind of bursting, bustling style and the collection of quirky yet not-fully-filled-out characters. The ideas ripple out, and that\u2019s the real charm of Last Exile<\/em>. It\u2019s invigorating and it\u2019s fun to watch things that feel like the creators are as excited to show you what else they\u2019ve come up with as you are to watch it.<\/p>\n I seriously loved the first season of Sugar Apple Fairy Tale<\/em>. Early slavery stuff notwithstanding, the relationship that evolves between Anne Halford (great name) and Challe is equal parts adorable, heartwarming, and just plain nice. At times I was reminded of shoujo anime great Shirayuki-hime<\/em> thanks to Anne\u2019s identity as a craftswoman. Although sometimes the obstacles placed in front of her seemed arbitrary, I appreciated that Anne for the larger part overcomes problems largely thanks to her own hard work and persistence. Challe usually simply provides emotional support, so she never feels overrun or diminished as a character. And when they due cute shoujo romance things\u2026 ooooo baby, that is sweet as a sugar apple confection.<\/p>\n A nine-episode OVA from Kyoto Animation, Munto<\/em>\u2018s TV installment is a true treat of its time. Produced in 2009, it\u2019s characterized by a script that doesn\u2019t bother to explain too much (except when it decide it\u2019s time for the exposition episode), characters who are more sketches of ideas than fleshed out entities, and a dual-world story that lets you enjoy both KyoAni\u2019s trademark grounded world-building in the real world and some very nice magical action in the Heavens. I probably like the show more as a time capsule of 2000s anime more than anything else, but that\u2019s more than enough to make it one of my favorite things I watched this year.<\/p>\n We\u2019re now into the section of the post where we\u2019re talking about things that are good enough that they could be rightfully considered as the best of their year. Skip & Loafer<\/em> is one of those anime where the writing and the animation production are highlights in their own ways while also complementing each other beautifully. It\u2019s a pretty show visually, and the way it treats its characters is pretty, too. The only thing you could possible hold against it is that it\u2019s only part of a story, and that it feels less like a entity with its own gravity than just the creme of the seasonal\/yearly crop. But being at the top of the yearly pile isn\u2019t anything to sniff at.<\/p>\n In Banner of the Stars II<\/em>, everything that has been building since the very start of the three-season series comes together. This main problem? Jinto and Lafiel are separated for most of the season! It all pays off in the end, despite the fact that the opening of the season telegraphs that something tragic might happen (especially if you have a young impressionable mind like mine). We still get a decent chunk of their interactions, but we get even more of them thinking about how they wish the other was there. I guess the pining has its own charm, but there\u2019s nothing better than Jinto and Lafiel bantering back and forth. Even a romantically charged reunion just doesn\u2019t have the spark that their situationally restrained chirping has.<\/p>\n From the director of Glasslip<\/em>, it\u2019s Fire Hunter<\/em> (Hikari no Ou<\/em>)! For most that would probably not be the greatest selling point, but for me<\/a>\u2026 Junji Nishimura\u2019s idiosyncratic directorial style is all over this production, and I really can\u2019t get enough of it. The odd marriage of source material from a novel, a setting very from what\u2019s currently in vogue in anime, and the sketchy, spaced out storytelling makes for an anime that is genuinely fascinating to watch. It helps, too, that the depth of the setting from the novel shines through in the world\u2019s weird creatures and mythology. There\u2019s so much to be intrigued by, and Nishimura makes unraveling a journey of its own. I was delighted the whole way through.<\/p>\n I think that Dynazenon<\/em>\u2018s predecesor, Gridman<\/em> is probably the better anime from a technical, craftsmanship perspective. But I like Dynazenon<\/em> more, and that\u2019s primarily due to its cast. Where Gridman<\/em> is cerebral and somewhat detached, Dynazenon<\/em> is warm and intimately involved in its characters. I particularly liked the way it handled Yume\u2019s arc and the slow unveiling of the details of her sister\u2019s untimely death\u2014and, even more, the way Yomogi was allowed to come alongside and support her. Then, we had Chise\u2019s little arc of learning to love herself, Koyomi\u2019s growth, and even Gauma\u2019s backstory. The robot-kaiju fights are fun, but having characters you love involved in them makes them that much better. Just a great show.<\/p>\n Mathematically, I believe having Yamada-kun<\/em> here as the highest ranked 2023 anime on the list, makes it AOTY by default? Not exactly what I expected when I started writing this all out, but the simple reality is that I loved<\/em> this show. Akane is endearing and just mature enough not to feel babyfied, while Yamada turning out to have actual reasons for being as reserved as he is makes him so much more compelling than he would be otherwise. They\u2019re just a perfect couple, and Yamada\u2019s boyish joy at Akane\u2019s confession completely won me over. I\u2019ve often said that my favorite romances are those where the relationship evolves out of a true friendship, and despite Akane\u2019s initial recognition of Yamada\u2019s good looks, that\u2019s exactly what this feels like. Morio Asaka just has my number, I guess.<\/p>\n Lafiel appears in the first episode of Crest of the Stars<\/em>, but it takes a few episodes before the show really reveals its hand. Romance anime aren\u2019t exactly a rare breed, but romance anime with this particular combination of sci-fi trappings, socially (or royally?) restrained flirting, and offbeat adventuring are one of a kind. Or maybe three of a kind, since this is the first of a three-season show. Perhaps my favorite part is the way Jinto and Lafiel\u2019s uneven path toward their physical destination provides the grounds for their evolving relationship; the adventure is as much between the two of them and their coincidental alliance than as it about them trying to reach safety.\u2002I could watch these two forever.<\/p>\n If Crest of the Stars<\/em> is the wind up, Banner of the Stars<\/em> is the pitch that hits you right in your romantic banter-loving guts. All the work that Crest <\/em>does to endear Jinto and Lafiel to you as individuals and as a couple with unparalleled chemistry pays off in ways both large and small. Take your pick of the numerous scenes\u2014Lafiel pretending to be jealous of Jinto talking with Ekurya, Lafiel going back into the ship to save Jinto from certain death, and so on. Oh, and we also get some extremely good Spoor content on the side, which is possibly the only justifiable reason to turn the camera away from the absorbing cinema that is Lafiel and Jintos\u2019s restrained yet deeply affectionate conversations (although the two idiot brothers are pretty good too). Impeccable talking anime that also has space battles.<\/p>\n Yeah, 86<\/em> is that good. The first half of the show offers a compelling, emotional reflection on the responsibility of the individual within systems of injustice, capped by Lena\u2019s tangible action\u2014her assertion that using the mortars will only get her court-martialed, not killed, still sticks with me\u2014and an escape that is as cathartic as it is symbolic. The second half is less cohesive but somehow no less powerful, perhaps in part due to the fact that it seems to realize there are more ways to connect with viewer\u2019s emotions than just killing off characters. The final reunion between the remaining Spearhead members of Handler One is one of the most satisfying earned conclusions I\u2019ve seen, despite the fact that we don\u2019t even see Lena\u2019s journey in full. All in all, 86<\/em> is a show that I could see myself adding to a top shows list someday in the future (if I ever update it again)\u2014and that\u2019s about the highest praise I can give any anime.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/mageinabarrel.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/eighty-six-red.png\")
<\/a><\/figure>\n30. Jujutsu Kaisen S2 (Shibuya Incident Arc)<\/em><\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n29. Bungo Stray Dogs S5<\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n28. Reign of the Seven Spellblades<\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n27. Bungo Stray Dog S4<\/em><\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n26. Sugar Apple Fairy Tale S2<\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n25. Banner of the Stars III (OAV)<\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n24. The Devil is a Part-Timer!<\/em> S2 (Part 2)<\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n23. Blue Lock<\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n22. Spy x Family S2<\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n21. In\/Spectre S2<\/em><\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n20. Danmachi S4<\/em><\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n19. Undead Murder Farce<\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n18. GaoGaiGar Final<\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n17. Jujutsu Kaisen S2 (Hidden Inventory Arc)<\/em><\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n16. 100 Girlfriends<\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n15. Synduality: Noir<\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n14. The Girl I Like Forgot Her Glasses<\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n13. Overtake!<\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n12. GaoGaiGar<\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n11. Last Exile<\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n10. Sugar Apple Fairy Tale<\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n9. Sora wo Miageru Shoujo no Hitomi ni Utsuru Sekai (Munto TV)<\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n8. Skip & Loafer<\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n7. Banner of the Stars II<\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n6. Fire Hunter<\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n5. SSSS.Dynazenon<\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n4. My Love Story with Yamada-kun at Lv999<\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n3. Crest of the Stars<\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n2. Banner of the Stars<\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n1. 86<\/h2>\n