Wooper: At this point in the lifespan of Star Crossed Anime, we publish whatever we want, whenever we want. Sometimes that means timely season previews and first impressions, other times it means unscheduled standalone pieces (like Lenlo’s recent Ancient Greek Love article) – and sometimes it means a six month delay in getting an Anime of the Year post out the door. In order to dismiss the memory fog caused by that postponement, we did a bit of rewatching before sitting down to write our contributions, and what we found was that 2023 had more to offer than just the obvious picks, even if one show in particular stood head and shoulders above the rest (despite the short stature of its protagonist). Click through to read our thoughts on that series and plenty of others – including some honorable mentions – and rest assured that next year’s AOTY post won’t take nearly as long to release!

Worst of the Worst

Worst Show: The Fire Hunter

Lenlo: God, where do I even begin for The Fire Hunter. Everything about it was set up to be good. An experienced, if odd director. A decent studio held back more by their subject matter than their ability to animate/produce a show. It even had one of the best OPs of the year, a stunning, beautifully styled, brightly colored example of what the show could have been. And instead? Instead we got one of the most nonsensical, frustrating, disasters of a production I’ve seen in a long time. Fire Hunter clearly had vision, it wanted to do things differently, it wanted to stand out. But it ended up doing so for all the wrong reasons, ending up an absolute mess that failed in narrative, visuals, audio, name a metric and Fire Hunter managed to screw it up. It only hurts so much because of what it could have been.

Runner-up: KAMIKATSU, for new lows of abysmal animation, excessively dull characters, uninteresting world building, and just one of the overall worst premises this side of ecchi.

Biggest Disappointment: Zom 100

Mario: Zom 100 gained our attention with its provocative, and above all fun, take on the well-worn zombie genre. It’s a show about a man who is burned out by the demands of corporate work, to the point that he functions like a zombie, and all it takes is for the real zombie apocalypse to break out for him to feel like he’s truly free. It’s a neat concept, but sadly Zom 100 ran out of steam after two episodes. Just as the series checks off activities on protagonist Akira’s bucket list, it also checks off many of the genre’s tired tropes. Visit a hot spring with the girl you like? Check. Become the hero of your own story? Check. In addition, the supporting cast is bagful of generic archetypes, from the best friend who loves to go nude (what!) to a ninja foreigner with a love for Japanese culture (duh). It says something that our staff nominated two different characters from Zom 100 as the worst of last year (the winner is just down below). For every refreshing step it took in the first episode, it’s such a shame that the show was content to go down the beaten path.

Runner-up: ATTACK ON TITAN: THE FINAL CHAPTERS, for worming its way out of a complicated endgame by hitting the Idiot Protagonist button.

Worst Character: Kanta Higurashi

Wooper: Spike and Vicious. Light and L. Reinhard and Yang. Anime is full of relationships between foil characters, whose significant differences serve to highlight not just the traits that make them unique, but the ones that make them so similar. Just because this trend is part of the language of anime, however, doesn’t mean you should throw caution to the wind and write “the main character, but evil” into your story. Unfortunately, that’s exactly what happened in Zom 100 beginning with episode 9. Kanta Higurashi closely mirrored series protagonist Akira Tendou: they both attended the same college, hated the state of their lives just before the zombie apocalypse, created bucket lists in the wake of the outbreak, and formed quartets of like-minded people to help fulfill their dreams. The difference, of course, was that while Akira wanted to do fun stuff like “pig out at a nice sushi restaurant,” Kanta’s notebook included such wishes as “fuck up society” and “turn everyone I hate into zombies.” This blunt force characterization made Kanta utterly uninteresting, so when it came time for him to be humanized in the finale, his backstory of antisocial joblessness landed with all the grace of a decapitated head. This show had already passed its expiration date before Kanta’s introduction, but he was the straw that broke the zombie’s back.

Runner-up: HELCK (HELCK), for being the most boring caricature of a hero possible and ruining an otherwise decent adventure story.

General Categories

Best Individual Episode (TIE):
Vinland Saga #22 / Skip and Loafer #9

Lenlo: Back to back with episode 21, the 22nd episode of Vinland Saga’s second season, titled “The King of Rebellion”, is not only one of my favorite episodes of the year, but possibly of anime at large. It’s simultaneously a poignant condemnation of war and violence in all their forms, for all their reasons, and a sad acceptance of the flawed nature of man and how even the greatest among us can’t stop the waves of the ocean, even for but a moment. Yet at the same time it’s hopeful, showing us how we can improve, how we can make the conscious choice to be better than our base instincts, how if we wish to improve the world and create paradise on Earth, we must do so from the bottom up, saving and bettering the worst of us along the way, forgiving rather than falling into violence. The philosophies of the episode aren’t perfect, Vinland Saga makes it clear that these are just the first steps necessary. But it makes it clear that no one is above salvation, no one is ever so far gone that they can’t strive better themselves, and those around them. It’s so hard to condense my feelings for this episode into a single paragraph, so instead I recommend you go read my post on the episode instead. Suffice to say though, I can’t think of a more deserving episode than this.

Wooper: There’s no conflict to speak of in Skip and Loafer’s ninth episode, which is split between Mitsumi’s all-too-brief summer vacation and her return to high school in Tokyo. That calmness is a large part of its appeal, especially in its morning montage of Ishikawa Prefecture, the silence of which is only punctuated by the sloshy sounds of Mitsumi snacking on watermelon slices. All of her scenes back home give this story a wonderfully relaxing quality, but what makes it one of the year’s best is how Mitsumi’s rejuvenation equips her to bolster her friend Shima’s spirits. Her last-minute offer of extra squid crackers is such a simple gesture, but for someone struggling with self-doubt, it makes a world of difference, and provides a thoroughly heartwarming ending to a quietly memorable episode.

Best OP/ED: “Anytime Anywhere” (Frieren ED1)

Lenlo: I can’t imagine how hard it was to take the core concept of a show like Frieren, how the passage of time affects Frieren differently and separates her from those around her, giving her a different view of the world and those within it, and condense it into a minute and a half music video. Yet that’s exactly what “Anytime Anywhere” does. Depicting the lives of the lesser lived races, in all their colorful variety and personalities, as beautiful flowers. How they grow, bloom and wilt, are preyed upon by demons like a doe would grass. All within what, to Frieren, must seem like the blink of an eye. Meanwhile she remains unchanging, watching the seasons pass and the flowers change, but the landscape of the world they occupy stays the same. That is… until she finds ones that mean something special to her and her alone, flowers that brighten her life in ways none had before and which she will distinctly miss when they pass, finally causing her to look more closely and see each flower for the unique existence it is. It’s a beautiful ED, and while it was a hard fight for first place, I can’t deny “Anytime Anywhere” has something special.

Runner-up: “INNOCENT ARROGANCE” (Heavenly Delusion OP), for representing the disorder of its post-apocalyptic setting with aggressive guitars and frenetic imagery.

Best Animation: Frieren

Wooper: With every year that passes, it feels as though TV anime directors become more and more ambitious, pushing for elaborately drawn scenes that will get their series noticed in an increasingly crowded marketplace of attention. This focus on jaw-dropping set pieces results in hundreds of spectacular sequences hitting the airwaves each year, but amidst all of that hype, it’s nice to soak in a show with fundamentals that are just as strong as its peaks. In 2023, Frieren was that show, as producer Yuuichirou Fukushi assembled a cross-generational team of talented animators to bring its characters to life. Some episodes passed without a single combat spell being cast, allowing body language specialists to work their magic within the series’ tranquil mood. In others, effects wizards got a chance to shine as Frieren and Fern fired off their particle-heavy Zoltraak spell or manipulated the elements around them. Action experts had numerous opportunities to flex their muscles, as well, be it in Stark’s airborne duel with a dragon or any of the various clashes within the mage exam arc. Watching this show each week, it seemed like there was nothing its crew of animators couldn’t do, making them the perfect fit for a work in the boundless fantasy genre.

Runner-up: SCOTT PILGRIM TAKES OFF, for somehow taking an IP I thought already had a great adaptation and taking it to a whole new level, in a whole new medium.

Best Background Art: Frieren

Amun: You’ll hear me gush about Frieren plenty, but let’s take a moment to appreciate an often unheralded hero of anime: background art. Without quality background art, worlds can feel flat and repetitive. Viewer immersion suffers, leaving fans dissatisfied without quite knowing why. Thankfully, Frieren absolutely nails the backgrounds. With a perfect balance of depth, a light color palette, and constant variation, the background art maintains a sense of whimsy and adventure without ever being distracting. Every scene is crafted with just the right amount of detail—never overwhelming, but always rich enough to draw you in. It’s this meticulous attention to the environments that allows the cast’s hijinks and personalities to shine even brighter. Frieren is unmistakably a labor of love, evident in every scene, every tree, and every perfectly crafted detail. The backgrounds aren’t just scenery; they amplify the quality of the story, enhancing the entire experience. It’s this level of care and craftsmanship that helps make Frieren a truly enchanting series.

Runner-up: HEAVENLY DELUSION, for elevating the usual post-apocalyptic setting with a meticulous eye and a sense of irony – the contrast between the city ruins and conservative dome compliments both worlds really well.

Best Soundtrack: Frieren

Wooper: Yes, it’s another production win for Frieren, and not necessarily the most hard-earned one, as Evan Call’s score sits comfortably within a long line of fantasy soundtracks. All the usual styles and sounds are here: tinkling harps and softly-plucked lutes for the more intimate scenes, string sections in minor keys to generate suspense or signal impending misfortune, rousing flutes and percussion for celebrations or to foreshadow victory. Their familiarity doesn’t take away from their beauty, but neither does it win the show any points for originality. What’s exceptional about Frieren, however, is the way it uses music to transition between scenes, especially whenever it links one of its protagonist’s many flashbacks with the events of the present day. Violins or choral vocals may swell as characters say goodbye in one era, then gracefully return to their original volume as Frieren remembers them in another. Mandolins and pan flutes are used to weave the series’ many montages into the fabric of their respective episodes, to wonderful effect. And the soundtrack always takes its time ramping up to its loudest moments, leading the viewer by the hand rather than pushing them from behind. It’s not innovative, but it’s exceptionally well-implemented, and that’s worth celebrating in itself.

Runner-up: BLUE GIANT, for depicting the evolution of a young jazz trio with performances ranging from amateurish to exquisite.

Best Voice Actor: Taku Yashiro

Lenlo: There were a lot of things wrong with Undead Murder Farce, so much so that I never actually got around to finishing the review for it. One thing is for certain though, Taku Yashiro’s work as Tsugaru Shinuchi was not one of them. Together with Tomoyo Kurosawa as Aya, these two carried the show on their backs. The fast moving witty banter, the showmanship, the sheer personality dripping from every word and inflection every time they opened their mouths. I could listen to these two, and more specifically Taku, talk for hours. It’s a shame they were tied to such an otherwise lackluster show, because their chemistry deserves a much larger stage than what Undead Murder Farce could provide. I can only hope for the best for their careers moving forward, because I would listen to them talk again in a heartbeat.

Runner-up: TOMOYO KUROSAWA, for her naturalistic and understated approach to her character (Skip and Loafer’s Mitsumi Iwakura), in a field where others tend to “go big or go home” in their approach.

Best Character: Mitsumi Iwakura

Wooper: Mitsumi Iwakura is a standout among standouts. Within her seaside hometown, she’s viewed as a prodigy; at her high school’s entrance ceremony, she delivers a speech on behalf of the freshman class; among her peers in Tokyo, she develops a reputation as a studious yet approachable girl. She naturally assumes the best of people, befriends nearly everyone she meets thanks to her affable disposition, and frequently offers encouragement to those in need. “So what’s the catch?” you may be thinking. That’s the thing – there isn’t one! Mitsumi’s worst traits include naivete, awkwardness, and poor fashion sense, all of which Skip and Loafer spins into amusing extensions of her effortless charisma. She’s so lovable, in fact, that the series frequently depicts her as different members of the animal kingdom, using cats, mice, and even a lesser anteater as stand-ins for her human form at various points. Some anime fans, misled by their primary school composition classes, believe that fictional characters can only be believable or worthwhile if they have a fatal flaw. I can only assume those people have never watched Skip and Loafer, because Mitsumi is exhibit A in the case for consummately good-hearted protagonists.

Runner-up: FRIEREN, for pulling off the best depiction of a long lived character experiencing time at a different rate than all of those around them that I’ve seen in years.

Best Cast: Skip and Loafer

Mario: This past year offered its fair share of great ensemble casts in anime such as Pluto, Heavenly Delusion, Scott Pilgrim, Oshi no Ko and Vinland Saga, just to name a few. But more than any other show, I feel Skip and Loafer is the most worthy winner. The show takes a naturalistic approach to its characters, where the emphasis is not on their arcs but on the interactions between them. It helps that every character has grounded personalities and mannerisms, and moreover they bounce off each other extremely well. Mitsumi’s naive but serious outlook is a neat contrast to Shima’s friendly but distant demeanor. Other supporting cast members like Aunt Nao-chan and all of Mitsumi’s classmates leave their mark on the show, too. There are many small moments within these 12 episodes where the characters come to understand one another a little better. Each of these act as delightful treats along the way to the series’ conclusion, and the already charming world of Skip and Loafer becomes all the brighter for it.

Runner-up: VINLAND SAGA S2, for its steady handling of a big ensemble cast that gives the majority of them a meaningful development arc.

Genre & Format

Best Comedy: Spy x Family S2

Amun: With how many splits and half-seasons we’ve had from Spy x Family, it’s hard to believe that this was just season 2. There’s definitely been some uneven footing from this series, but I’d say Spy x Family is at its best when focusing on the adults in the family, not the children. And Season 2 had the lion’s share of its content in the cruise ship arc, with Yor as the main lead – making it my favorite season to date (which, as another writer points out, means it only beat out one, but my point still stands). Snappy action, with just the right amount of Anya comedy, made this arc a success – even more, it highlighted what I consider the crux of the show’s conflict: can members of the underworld ever hope for a normal family life? I mean it’s in the title – and Spy x Family shines when that dilemma comes to the forefront (not the nonsense of a second grade slice of life – you’re more James Bond than Usagi Drop, so just relax). The side stories didn’t detract from the overall story, and honestly, if Spy x Family just stays out of its own way, it’s guaranteed a top ten yearly spot from me every time.

Runner-up: THE 100 GIRLFRIENDS WHO REALLY LOVE YOU, for daring to boldly go where no man (in many ways) has gone before and pushing the boundaries of what it means to be a harem anime.

Best Action: Scott Pilgrim Takes Off

Mario: Much of the success of this long-awaited expansion of the Scott Pilgrim universe lies in the fact that it doesn’t adhere to the franchise’s existing template. Instead, it does things its own way, offering not a reboot but a re-contextualization of the original story. By throwing these now-familiar characters off script and seeing how they react, we get to see new sides of them that weren’t present in the original. The show also serves as an interesting fusion of anime and western comic book styles, and the latter sensibility comes across well in animated form, especially during the fight scenes. From the comic book “sound effects” to the dynamic setpieces and cool characters’ special moves, Scott Pilgrim Takes Off offers something fresh, and even more resonant, to this franchise.

Runner-up: TRIGUN STAMPEDE, for giving us the most dynamic 3D action of the year, coupled with a rollercoaster ride of a narrative, all wrapped up in a classic IP.

Best Drama: Frieren

Mario: You could bill Frieren as a fantasy show, or an adventure show (it’s what the gang does, right?), but there’s also no denying that Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End is more than capable of delivering effective dramatic moments. The drama in this show is not so much about conflict – rather, it comes in the form of tender moments of reflection, of accepting the passage of time and coming to appreciate the brief time that people have together. As its characters lives’ reach their end, they start to learn and appreciate the meaning in making these tiny moments together count. Frieren might be a story about an elf, but it’s also unmistakingly humane and grounded with human feelings.

Runner-up: VINLAND SAGA S2, for taking us through the lowest points of a man’s life and bringing us out the other side in a beautifully emotional manner.

Best Original Show: Buddy Daddies

Wooper: There may not have been an all-time great original anime in 2023, but Buddy Daddies was solid enough that all four of us recognized it for this category. It didn’t take long for the absurdity of its premise (two hitmen raise the daughter of one of their targets) to give way to a fun family-themed slice of life series, albeit one where the ugliness of the adults’ occupation reared its distracting head every now and then. Little Miri was undoubtedly the star of the show, with her squeals of delight and pouts of displeasure warming both the audience’s hearts and those of her two “papas,” meticulous planner Kazuki and disorganized sniper Rei. As the two men took steps toward fatherhood and away from their violent pasts, we were treated to Miri’s first day of preschool, her first trip to the zoo, and her first Sports Day, all of which were terribly cute. This was one of the year’s better-looking shows, too, with colorful art direction by rising star Miho Sugiura and reliable animation across its entire run. It certainly wasn’t perfect, suffering from tonal dissonance whenever its two worlds came too close to overlapping, but Buddy Daddies was nevertheless one of the year’s most enjoyable source-less series.

Runner-up: BANG DREAM! IT’S MYGO, for bringing music and drama into one neat package, with knockout musical performances and many emotional confrontations that can bring well-earned tears and heartbreak.

Best Movie: Blue Giant

Wooper: Director Yuzuru Tachikawa reportedly took saxophone lessons for two years during the production of Blue Giant in an effort to better understand the instrument’s challenges. Combined with his gift at depicting mental landscapes (as seen in his previous work, Mob Psycho 100), that experience provided the basis for the film’s wild performance scenes, which play with color and perspective the same way a seasoned jazz musician plays a free-flowing solo. Not every on-stage moment is equally thrilling (some employ 3DCG models that are best described as “competent”), but when the film is at its best, it moves like nothing else I’ve ever seen. That’s not to say that Blue Giant is all art and no heart; on the contrary, its tale of three young musicians battling their way to the top of the Japanese jazz scene is nothing if not inspiring. Rookie drummer Shunji struggles for months to earn the approval of his bandmates, while the generationally talented saxophonist Dai possesses a clear-eyed bluntness that pushes the group to new heights. But it was the complacent prodigy Yukinori who won my heart midway through the movie, hitting reset on his career as a pianist and composer in search of genuine inspiration. This film will inspire you to dig your long-neglected high school instrument out of your closet, too – just don’t expect to see sound and hear color the way these characters do.

Runner-up: KAGUYA-SAMA: THE FIRST KISS THAT NEVER ENDS, for landing a difficult plotline in a way that lived up to fans’ expectations – while maintaining the whimsy and unpredictability the show is known for.

Honorable Mentions

Lenlo: One Piece – Wano Arc

I’ll admit, I’m cheating a bit with this one since Wano has stretched across the last three years. But 2023 saw the arc come to a close, and I couldn’t not talk about it. I’ve been sour on One Piece for a while, I wasn’t happy with the time skip, Haki is a deeply flawed power system, and Toei seemed content to give the series little more than peanuts for its production. But Wano… Wano changed all of that. For the first time in years One Piece was one of the best animated things on television, and once it entered the final stretch of the arc it became one of the best directed too, consistently I might add. Week after week, for months, One Piece hit us with scenes like putting Wano on his back, Yamato talking about Luffy with Ace, or the charge of Onigashima. It even gave us one of my favorite OPs of the year in Sekai no Owari. And there’s so much more than this, One Piece went on a tear for a year and a half, revitalizing the series in a way I never thought possible after the decade of mediocrity we had been getting since the time skip. Suffice to say, I know this may not be for everyone, not all of y’all enjoy action shounen as much as I do. But Wano somehow felt like a fresh start for an anime that’s been airing non-stop for the last 25 years, and that’s deserving of praise.

Wooper: Mars Express

Mars Express is French rather than Japanese, but since we scrapped the Best Foreign Animation category to make the post a bit shorter this year, I wanted to highlight it here, as it’s the sort of film that fans of sci-fi anime won’t want to miss. The script is clearly inspired by Ghost in the Shell, with hacking, brain duplication, and biocybernetic tech playing significant roles in the story. Its sardonic protagonist Aline Ruby likely sprouted from a seed planted by GitS’s Motoko Kusanagi, as well, but Aline’s struggle with alcoholism and her personal connection to one of the movie’s antagonists make her far more than a clone character. Whether she and her robotic partner Carlos are engaged in one of the film’s fast-moving combat sequences or doing hologram-assisted investigative work, the film never stops tossing out glimpses of a potential cyberpunk future, many of which were new to me despite being a fan of the genre. And then there’s the cerebral conclusion, which really shouldn’t be spoiled, but I’ll offer a hint by saying that fans of a certain depressive mecha franchise may find it somewhat familiar. Mars Express moves fast and ends controversially, but if you can keep up and keep an open mind, you’ll be rewarded with one of the best adult animated features of the decade thus far.

Mario: Pluto

I originally planned to feature my favorite under-the-radar pick, Mou Ippon, for this HM. However, given that we didn’t mention Pluto anywhere else, I guess that show is “under the radar” enough for me to give it the spotlight here. From its inception, Pluto was the brainchild of two of the most famous names in manga: Osamu Tezuka and Naoki Urasawa. (It’s fitting that Tezuka’s most famous creation, Astro Boy, would appear in Pluto, being the child of two famous scientists with different approaches.) The show tackles the big theme of the distinction, if any, between robots and humans in a future where robots have become so advanced that they can experience authentic emotions: love, grief, trauma and ultimately, hatred. It’s within this context that Pluto explores its cast, who all have different personalities and motivations, yet one way or another are all connected in a web of mysteries. The show also comments on the terror of war, and the trauma it causes for those left behind. As this is a reinterpretation of Astro Boy’s “The Greatest Robot on Earth” story arc, I also plan to check out the original (episodes 24-25 of the 1980 version) to see where its inspiration came from – and I urge you all to give it a chance as well.

Amun: DanMachi S4 Part 2

Run from it, dread it, but Amun will find a way to sneak in plugs for his pet anime, DanMachi. And boy, did 2023 bring us a nice one! I’ll be the first to admit, Season 4 Part 1 had some fantastic moments (Bell’s first fight with Juggernaut)…and a few questionable ones (we’re going to just completely erase from our memories anything to do with the the hilariously poorly drawn executions or anything involving that CGI mess with the twin element dragon). But Season 4, Part 2 is the Ryu arc – and it’s a banger. “Astrea Family” is one of the best episodes of the series and concludes one of the larger backstories hanging over the characters. No lie, there’s a bit of suspension bridge effect going on here, with a bit of service (come on now, this is DanMachi), but the intensity, the horror of being lost, the delirium and half-dead fights – all this delivered what I consider a proper dungeon experience: not the joy of advancing and overcoming adversaries in a safe growth mentality, but the desperation of survival when thrown into a situation way beyond your ability. That’s interesting character growth that you don’t see in every (or really almost any) other adventure/isekai. On a personal note, while I’m still on team Ais (and probably will always be), Ryu definitely moved into second place off this season. Stick around, since this year’s upcoming arc I’ve heard is quite spicy, so I’m looking forward to potentially popping back out of retirement for it.

Top 10 Anime of 2023

Here’s a link to our individual ballots, so you can see how we settled on these ten shows in this particular order. Let’s go!

10. Migi & Dali

Lenlo: I won’t lie, Migi & Dali is weird, and it isn’t a show for everyone. The comedy can be off putting, the tonal shifts annoying, and the mystery unsatisfying. That’s certainly how some of the other writers here felt! But for me, for people for whom it works, it hits all the right places. The comedy lightens the show, keeping things from getting too dark, while simultaneously never letting us know what’s a joke and what isn’t. The tonal shifts keep us on our toes, never jumping so far as to take us out of the scene, but also not allowing us to grow too comfortable with what we are watching. And the mystery becomes a well thought out murder/revenge story with just enough hints and breadcrumbs to allow the audience to guess what will happen next if they are paying attention. All of this wrapped up with an OST I still have on my playlist to this day. It isn’t perfect, it gets a little weird even for me in a lot of places. But as a whole package I enjoyed it a great deal, and the fact that it’s a complete story goes a long way towards its place on this list.

9. Undead Unluck

Lenlo: Undead Unluck got a far better adaptation than I think anyone really expected for it. It boasted some of the best episodes of the entire Fall and Winter seasons, like 4’s “Do You Love the Change in Me?”, 7’s “Dream”, and 21’s “Memento Mori”. When Undead Unluck was firing on all cylinders, it was one of if not the best thing airing on TV, delivering beautifully animated and directed stories that hit me where it hurts. The problem though, and what places it so far down this list despite all of that, is the inconsistency of it all. Undead Unluck just couldn’t keep it up, the previously praised production falling apart or the narratives pacing grinding to a halt. Combine that with the occasional mediocre character, incomplete story arcs that cut-off halfway through until we get another season, and a mostly uninspired OST, and you have a show with incredible highs and disappointing lows. Still, we thought those highs outweighed the lows, earning it a place on this list.

8. The Apothecary Diaries

Amun: It’s funny, I was thinking in the Fall of 2023 that in any other season Apothecary Diaries would be the clear winner. This isn’t a knock against Apothecary – it’s a testament to how insanely strong this season was. We gush about the other show later, so for now let’s take a look at Momo and friends. This is something of a genre crosser for me, since I don’t usually enjoy historical-ish anime – but I do love a good detective show, mixed in with some science and political intrigue. Writing this blurb out, I realized how hard it is to put Apothecary Diaries in a box. It’s way more fun than the stuffy historical samurai shows, but it’s also a more constrained timepiece than most mysteries, with a larger overarching story that keeps viewers engaged. I mean, there’s a little bit of something for everyone here – great outfits, solving all manners of mysteries (ranging from small inconsistencies to large scale conspiracy and murder), backstabbing/maneuvering, and a “eunuch” pretty boy who can topple kingdoms with a smile. The main cast really shines through, as the juxtaposition of the pleasure district and the rear palace shows how these two worlds, which look so far apart, are really quite similar. This is definitely a show with layers, and it’s not that slow of a burn either – quite a lot happens every go around. I know this brief plug doesn’t do Apothecary half the justice it deserves, but it’s a series that I’m eagerly awaiting the return of – along with our favorite poison (I mean, medicine) taster.

7. Spy x Family S2

Mario: The second season of Spy x Family followed the success of its predecessor with just the right mix of comedy and action to keep it entertaining all the way through. Anya still carried her weight with silly childish schemes and delightful facial expressions, and the family dynamic remained as solid as possible. While many could point out that the show leaned much more on the “Family” part than the “Spy” part in the first half, the Cruise arc realigned the balance between these two factors and gave Yor a much-needed stage to shine. It was a nice change of scenery for a family where everyone contributes in their own ways. While the show’s side characters were a bit hit-or-miss this season, the stellar production along with the charisma of its cast made it another winning season for Spy x Family.

6. Insomniacs After School

Amun: As you’ll hear me discuss later, Frieren is my favorite show of 2023 (and currently of all time). However, before I knew about Frieren, Insomniacs After School stole my heart in the spring of 2023. As someone who indulged in nocturnal urban exploration in his youth to battle insomnia, this show hits very close to home. The sleeping through each day to wander around at night in empty streets – Insomniacs captured that perfectly (even better than Call of the Night, which did a great job as well). Coupled with the astronomy/astrophotography (which I also love) and an ED that I voted as best song of the year, there were too many good things here to ignore. Getting rained out, running away, all the feelings of disappointment, the highs and the lows – that’s youth, picture perfect. The romance is well done, the struggles and victories are heartfelt. Also, the season finale does not disappoint! I know the nostalgia factor is strong here, but art and anime aren’t a statistical exercise – it’s about how it makes you feel. Insomniacs After School certainly has me there.

5. Vinland Saga S2

Lenlo: I remember back when Vinland Saga season 1 first aired, there were a fair number of complaints around how Thorfinn remained static throughout the season, how he felt like a side character in his own show. Every time I heard them I had to remain silent, had to plead patience knowing what was coming, why the story was presented how it was. And now that it’s here, I couldn’t be happier with what we were given. We got to watch a man pull himself up from the deepest darkest pit imaginable, watch him go from hating himself and how he spent his life to dedicating it towards something greater than himself, all while continuing the same themes and story from the first season. Thorfinn’s journey is one of the best I’ve ever had the joy to read, and watching it animated was just as great as I could have hoped. It’s honestly difficult to imagine a better adaptation than what we were given here, and while I would have preferred it higher on the list (I had it first myself), I’m content with it landing in the Top 5 of the year.

4. Scott Pilgrim Takes Off

Lenlo: This may be the most unexpected entry on his list, as I think a number of people believe Scott Pilgrim to be a western production. Animated at Science Saru and directed by Abel Gongora however, the only things coming from the West are the IP and the English Dub. Well and some of the executive producers, but we aren’t counting those. No, what we got was a complete reimagining of the Scott Pilgrim story from Ramona’s perspective, a “What If” scenario takes us beyond the early stages of their romance and shows us who they become as they grow up, and how that affects their relationship. It’s a new, creative way to look at these characters, a treat for fans of the comics or movie who always wanted just a little bit more. Combine that with all of the original movie actors coming back to dub their characters, really hitting us with that nostalgia, and you have the makings for one of the most unexpectedly fun, action packed, emotional romps of the year. It’s still tied down a bit by some convoluted time travel shenanigans, and if you don’t have a pre-existing connection to the IP I can see it falling by the wayside a bit. But if you ever enjoyed the original movie or comics, I highly recommend you give this a shot. It’s an absolute blast.

3. Heavenly Delusion

Mario: Whereas our two top shows are in my comfort zone, Heavenly Delusion was the most ambitious and fearless project that 2023 had to offer. Unlike Masakazu Ishiguro’s previous work And Yet The Town Moves (which I also adore), this show adapts a much darker tone in storytelling and setting. And from a production standpoint, the show’s execution is top-notch; it features detailed post-apocalyptic backgrounds, it looks and sounds incredible and the animation is highly expressive. But most of all, the show blends its two separate storylines into a surprising conclusion. It has many twists and turns that you won’t see coming, and even after you’ve reached the end, it requires multiple viewings to pick up details and connect the dots. It helps that Heavenly Delusion employs a “show-don’t-tell” approach and doesn’t try to explain its core mysteries or even the characters’ motives. Every event that unfolds adds up at the end, and each reveal sinks its teeth to the heart of the dark mystery even more. The tendency to push boundaries costs the show from time to time, especially with regard to several harrowing incidents in the last two episodes – but it’s a small price to pay for a show that refuses to give us an easy way out, in the best possible sense.

2. Skip and Loafer

Wooper: Rare is the high school series that makes me wish I could return to my teenage years. Most anime with that particular setting pigeonhole themselves by surrounding their protagonist with potential romantic partners, or hyper-focusing on an extracurricular activity, making them feel too calculated by half. Skip and Loafer avoids these pitfalls by concerning itself with the meat and potatoes of high school life: making friends and maintaining your GPA (plus preparing for the culture festival – it’s set in Japan, after all!). Of course, it’s more fun to observe the development of friendships than it is to watch characters schedule out their study time, but this show’s attention to the realities of education is part of what makes it feel like an ideal high school experience. It’s not entirely drama-free, but Skip and Loafer’s cast is largely made up of thoughtful kids who both give and receive kindness with each episode. It creates a world where the student council secretary and her erstwhile romantic rival can not only study together, but bond through sleepovers and trips to the zoo, and where the prettiest and the gloomiest girls in class can become best friends. It’s a world I might have liked to live in, though I was never given the option; fortunately, I can revisit these 12 slices of high school anime perfection whenever the mood strikes me.

1. Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End

Amun: Atop the glorious mountain of excellent seasonal anime from 2023 shines the star: Frieren. Full disclosure here: Frieren is currently my favorite anime of all-time. I know, I know – we barely know each other, how can I be so sure? Won’t I just be hurt again by a sub-par second season like One Punch Man? Gentle reader, I am ready to be heartbroken again. Frieren is the complete package: fantastic visuals, brilliant characters, and an immersive world that draws you in. More than that is the hard-hitting premise: what is the meaning of the time that we spend together – and how do you learn to appreciate the here and now. Frieren nails every note – I was thinking back to what I would change in the season, and the only thing I could come up with was ONE five-second scene of Fern’s facial expressions. With a cast of quietly complex characters who you watch grow, you cheer for, you cry with – this is my anime right here. In fact, I would have finished writing this blurb sooner, but I got sidetracked with rewatching some of the best episodes…which ended up being pretty much all of them. Frieren might not be for everyone (cough, cough, Lenlo), but given the support on our writer’s year end ballot, it certainly scored highly with us – and presides over my favorite anime list, wearing a well deserved crown.