In a year filled with more than a few breathtaking series, the best anime of 2023 left an impact that can’t be denied. What made 2023 such a special year for the medium is the wide variety of incredible anime produced. From reboots of beloved classics, continuing shonen giants, and completely original stories, 2023 was one of the strongest years for anime in recent memory.
What made the year so remarkable for the industry is just how many new anime forged their own path. Far from relying on tried and true formulas, 2023 was a year of experimentation. Even many of the reboots or adaptations weren’t afraid to use anime’s unique strengths to enhance already remarkable stories. 2023’s best anime are all unique series that accomplish their goals with aplomb.
10 Trigun Stampede Breathes New Life Into a Classic Franchise
Produced by Studio Orange & based on the banga By Yasuhiro Nightow
Produced by Studio Orange, Trigun Stampede was initially released with apprehension and concern from fans of Yasuhiro Nightow’s original manga, and for fans of the original anime from 1998. From the flashy new character designs to the noticeable absence of the beloved fan-favorite character Milly, the anime community at large didn’t know how to feel about this new installment of the Trigun franchise. Thankfully, Trigun Stampede excelled in not only capturing all the charm of the original story but took its cast of iconic characters on an exciting journey to redefine who they are, and where they come from.
Utilizing Studio Orange’s signature animation style that seamlessly blends 3D animation with all the sensibilities of traditional 2D art, rapid-fire action, a gorgeous soundtrack from Tatsuya Kato and genius direction from Kenji Muto, Trigun Stampede has made its mark, and with season 2 officially announced, Vash the Stampede’s adventure is just beginning. – Anna Williams, Anime Editor
Watch On Crunchyroll
9 The Apothecary Diaries is a Fresh New Take on Mysteries
Produced by OLM & TOHO Animation Studio and based on the light novel by Natsu Hyuuga & Touko Shino
Something of a dark horse from 2023, The Apothecary Diaries managed to earn itself a cult following after it began streaming on Crunchyroll during the Fall 2023 season. Maomao, the young daughter of an apothecary, has been pulled away from her everyday life and sold to work for the imperial court as a maid, choosing to hide her extensive knowledge of medicinal practices to remain under the radar. The show takes a turn when Maomao is able to solve the mystery behind the emperor’s children’s sudden illness, and she’s promoted to a lady-in-waiting serving the emperor’s favorite concubine. Being something of a mystery series, Maomao continues to solve different mysteries affecting the emperor’s court through her extensive knowledge of medicine, poisons, and other practical skills.
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Maomao from The Apothecary Diaries might be obligated to solve palace mysteries, but her way of resolving problems makes her unique.
Being adapted from an underrated light novel series with a devoted following, The Apothecary Diaries captures the energy of old school “cozy mystery” novels and repackages it as a charming royal drama. Maomao’s easygoing yet guarded personality makes her an entertaining protagonist to follow throughout the events of the story, and the relationships that she builds with the other members of the court, especially with Jinshi, who often employs Maomao to solve the various mysteries in the palace, are as endearing as they are entertaining. – Anna Williams, Anime Editor
Watch On Crunchyroll
8 Oshi no Ko Completely Reinvented Idol Anime
Produced by Doga Kobo and based on the manga by Aka Akasaka and Mengo Yokoyari
The anime industry has no short supply of idol anime, and while the genre has its own list of classics, few of them have had the same meteoric impact as Oshi no Ko. What starts out as a simple anime following the idol Ai and her adoring fans quickly grows into something far stranger and far more interesting. Through Ai, viewers are given an in-depth look at the idol industry’s many ups and downs. More than just uncritically supporting the institution of idols and their fandom, Oshi no Ko doesn’t hesitate to show the psychological ramifications fame can have on young people.
As soon as the feature-length premiere episode dropped, it was clear that Oshi no Ko was something special. That first episode was so well received and beloved that Oshi no Ko even dethroned Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhoodas My Anime List’s highest-rated anime. With its exploration of idol culture, the vicious potential of social media, and the costs of fame, Oshi no Ko set itself apart from other idol anime. Even attempting a story tackling so many themes and ideas is bold. The fact that Oshi no Ko pulls them off is a testament to the team at studio Doga Kobo. – Evan Mullicane, Lead Anime Editor
Watch On HIDIVE
7 One Piece Is The Rightful Flag Bearer Of Anime In The World
Produced by Toei Animation, based on the manga by Eiichiro Oda
The fact that an anime that has been around for 25 years was consistently mentioned throughout 2023 inside and outside the community for its stellar quality is reason alone to look at One Piece with the reverence it deserves. While in 2023 most of the attention was on Netflix’s live-action adaptation, the One Piece anime has produced its best episodes ever, bringing the monumental Wano Arc to conclusion in a fashion that fans could not help but appreciate. One Piece‘s renewed focus on high-quality animation pushed the boundaries of the genre in terms of art, while also staying faithful to Eiichiro Oda’s story and even positively expanding it at some points.
One Piece is the best-selling manga of all time, one of the best-selling literary works in history, and a global juggernaut that expands across a multitude of media. All that considered, its long-running anime has a lot of pressure to excel, in a landscape that keeps producing impressive new series. In 2023, the One Piece anime proved that it’s more than up to the task of representing the entire genre worldwide. The Wano Arc was already one of the best stories ever told in manga, and the anime not only did it justice, but produced something so good that it will remain the benchmark of anime adaptations for years to come. – Francesco Cacciatore, Anime Editor
Watch on Crunchyroll
6 Skip and Loafer is Slice-of-Life at its Finest
Produced by P.A. Works, based on the manga by Misaki Takamatsu
A colorful high school slice-of-life, Skip and Loafer follows the budding relationship between Mitsumi Iwakura, a “country bumpkin” living in Tokyo for the first time, and a born and raised city boy named Sousuke Shima. Being a new student at a prestigious high school, Mitsumi has worked hard to plan out her picture-perfect future and will stop at nothing to ensure that nothing gets in her way. Unfortunately for her, life has other plans for her, and she ends up getting lost trying to find her way on the very first day. In a stroke of luck, she runs into Sousuke, who’s found himself in a similar situation. Despite her misfortunes, Mitsumi finds an unexpected friend in Sousuke, and the rest of the series focuses on their “opposites attract” relationship dynamic.
While slice-of-life anime can often be seen as unimpressive or boring, Skip and Loafer is infectiously entertaining. Its core cast of characters all possess complex personalities, and the series works hard to build on and even subvert many of the character-writing tropes that plague the genre. Plus, the animation quality is beautifully slick, with a light pastel color palette and an almost storybook art style to draw audiences in. – Anna Williams, Anime Editor
Watch On Crunchyroll
5 Scott Pilgrim Takes Off is a Thoughtful Reinvention of a Beloved Franchise
Produced by Science Saru and based on the graphic novel series by Bryan Lee O’Malley
There’s a world where a Scott Pilgrim anime took the easy approach of straight-up adapting the much-loved graphic novel. It is a blessing that is not the world Scott Pilgrim Takes Off was made in. Ending episode 1 with an absolute bombshell that changes the franchise forever, Scott Pilgrim Takes Off is a thoughtful reinvention of the franchise. Instead of primarily following Scott (though he does get his share of screen time), Science Saru’s updated take on the franchise follows Ramona. This change in perspective is a masterstroke, allowing series creator Bryan Lee O’Malley to reexamine the world he created almost two decades ago.
Even putting aside the ways that Takes Off complicates or questions aspects of the original series, it is also a relentlessly funny and entertaining show. The returning cast from the movie haven’t missed a beat in the decade since they first played their characters. Lucky for them, each character also has more to do in the new series. Introspective, funny, and sincere to a fault, Scott Pilgrim Takes Off is the target every anime reboot or reinterpretation should aim for. – Evan Mullicane, Lead Anime Editor
Watch On Netflix
4 My Happy Marriage is the Year’s Best Shojo Romance
Produced by Kinema Citrus, based on the original light novel by Akumi Agitogi
2023 has sparked something of a renaissance for shojo anime, with more series being adapted – and having adaptations announced – than fans have seen in the last decade. One of the best examples of this was My Happy Marriage, which aired on Netflix during the Summer 2023 anime season. The series follows Miyo Saimori, a young woman whose life is laced with misfortune. After the death of her mother, Miyo’s new stepmother quickly pushes her into the shadows, treating her as nothing more than a servant. She’s eventually summoned by her father and told that she’s been arranged to marry Kiyoka Kudou, a nobleman and head of the Kudou family.
Despite his upbringing, Kiyoka has a reputation for being a cruel, cold, and dismissive man who’s dismissed every one of his previous partners. Being desperate for a new life, Miyo takes her chances with the mysterious Kiyoka and discovers there’s much more to him than meets the eye. A fairy tale fusion of stories like Cinderella and Beauty & the Beast, paired with gorgeous animation and likable leads, My Happy Marriage is an incredible adaptation of Akumi Agitogi’s original story. Being a shojo romance, My Happy Marriage has reignited the hope anime fans have had for years that the demographic would begin receiving series made with dedication and love. – Anna Williams, Anime Editor
Watch On Netflix
3 Frieren Is The Perfect Answer To The Isekai Mania
Produced by Studio Madhouse and based on the manga by Kanehito Yamada and Tsukasa Abe
Perhaps the greatest achievement of Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End is that it proves that the Fantasy genre is not necessarily synonymous with isekai. The popularity of stories about ordinary people suddenly transported to other worlds – built around RPG rules – has greatly overshadowed “pure” Fantasy anime that are not isekai, which has a great tradition with classic works such as Record of Lodoss War or Slayers. Frieren not only revitalized the genre thanks to its popularity, but also proved that shonen anime don’t need a quick and frenetic pace to be good. With powerful storytelling and Madhouse’s literally enchanting visuals, Frieren claimed the n.1 spot on MyAnimeList.
Frieren still plays with many of the tropes around which isekai are based – the “hero” who gathers a party to defeat the evil “Demon King” – but rather than having to make constant references to the real world or to a “game system”, its pure Fantasy nature allows it to focus on what’s most important for any story: the characters. Frieren is a beautiful and moving exploration of deep themes such as companionship, death, and loneliness, told through relatable and compelling characters. Its slow pace allows viewers to truly get invested in the internal journey of Frieren, Stark, Fern, and Sein, as much as in their physical journey to Paradise.– Francesco Cacciatore, Anime Editor
Watch on Crunchyroll
2 Vinland Saga Proves That Anime Is More Than Entertainment
Season 1 produced by Wit Studio, Season 2 produced by MAPPA, based on the manga by Makoto Yukimura
The Vinland Saga manga by Makoto Yujimura proves that manga deserves to be considered literature, and the anime adaptation has only reinforced the perception and value of this true gem. Set in 11th-century Europe, Vinland Saga begins as a bloody tale of war and revenge, just as most fans would expect from a historical shonen series, but it quickly evolves into one of the most compelling denunciations of war and conflict that can be found in the genre and outside. In fact, while many fans fell in love with the exciting and brutal battles shown in Season 1, the true story of Thorfinn begins after that, when he is sold as a slave, which was the author’s original idea for the character, then changed after the intervention of an editor.
The decision was absolutely correct. Season 2 of Vinland Saga focuses on Thorfinn – who has lost all will to live after the man responsible for his father’s death was killed in front of his eyes, depriving him of his revenge – and his journey to renouncing violence completely. However, this can only happen because Thorfinn comes to understand the suffering and tragedy he caused as a pillaging and murdering Viking, and accepts to bear all that suffering, without letting it crush his soul. Vinland Saga‘s perfect mix of slow pace (Season 2 is jokingly known as “the Farmland Arc”) and traditional action allows it to deliver its powerful message in the best possible way, making this series a true modern classic. – Francesco Cacciatore, Anime Editor
Watch on Crunchyroll
1 Pluto is 2023’s Best Anime
Produced by Studio M2 and based on the manga by Naoki Urasawa and Takashi Nagasaki
In a year filled with anime titans, Pluto stands above the rest as 2023’s greatest achievement in anime. Though the series is ostensibly a reinterpretation of the classic Astro Boy storyline The World’s Strongest Robot, it is so much more than that. Pluto uses the already strong basis of Osamu Tezuka’s story to tell a rich and thought-provoking story about guilt and the power of humanity. To see Pluto take six relatively minor characters like the strongest robots from Astro Boy and make all of them deeply compelling is like watching a magic trick, with the payoff being just how well-connected each is on a thematic level.
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All of that comes with the source material of the original Pluto manga though. Instead of just resting on a strong basis, Studio M2 made bold creative decisions with the visuals, leading to some jaw-dropping moments that are only possible in anime. The depiction of the titular Pluto deserves particular praise. With film-quality animation, a moving score, and a story rich with thematic depth, no series deserves the title of 2023’s best anime as much as Pluto. – Evan Mullicane, Lead Anime Editor
