The Best Anime of 2023 (So Far)

Though we're already more than halfway through 2023, anime has hit its peak. Exciting arcs of Jujutsu Kaisen, Demon Slayer, and Vinland Saga are currently more than enough to fill fans' time, but we also have inventive and charming originals such as Buddy Daddies and Hell's Paradise in our queue.

The culminating adventure of One Piece’s massive Wano arc also hit just as Netflix did the impossible by creating a beloved live-action adaptation of the series. It's an unheard-of success story for what is also the most popular manga series of all time, and I'd be dying to know how many new fans of the adaptation have since started the 1,000+ episode series. It's safe to say that 2023 has certainly bested the previous year of anime.

If that wasn't exciting enough? We'll see a truly shocking new direction for Pokémon as the series says goodbye to Ash after 25 years. Bleach: Thousand Year Blood War will round out a series decades in the making, and Attack on Titan: The Final Season may just finally receive its last batch of episodes. So get ready to never look away from your TV, folks. Because 2023 is another excellent year for anime.

Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury

Though Mobile Suit Gundam is one of the longest-running anime in the mech genre, The Witch from Mercury works as a jumping-on point for anyone interested in getting in a massive robot and fighting someone.

The Fire Hunter

Created by Junji Nishimura (Ranma ½) and Mamoru Oshii (Ghost in the Shell), The Fire Hunter follows a fantasy Japan sent back to feudal society and the humans who protect the world from the new, mysterious Flame Demons.

Golden Kamuy

The ongoing treasure hunting series continues in Part Four of the Golden Kamuy anime, following two unlikely partners in search of a massive stock of gold. The map is tattooed on the backs of dangerous prison escapees, meaning that tracking them down and tracing their tattoos in the only way to find the golden cache.

Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead

If you were about to turn into a zombie, what would be on your bucket list? Forming that list is what's on Akira Tendo's mind after the apocalypse begins, coinciding with his new, zombie-like corporate job. Acting both as a commentary of the end times and the nature of boring, cyclical work life, Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead has a surprising amount of heart. Netflix even has a live-action adaptation debuting this August.

Bleach: Thousand Year Blood War, Part 2

Bleach fans have been waiting a long time for this moment. Now, the anime is finally gearing up for its big finale. Titled "Thousand Year Blood War," the final arc of Bleach sees Ichigo Kurosaki and his band of Soul Reapers finally bring the fight to Yhwach—the father of all Quincys.

One Piece: Season 20, Wano Country Arc

One Piece is a mountain of a series. Watching all 170+ episodes of Season 20 so far is like climbing Mount Everest with your eyes—and there's still 19 other seasons before it. Usually, I'd recommend that people just read One Piece to save time, but the animation team has really stepped its game up for the final battles of Wano.

Ranking of Kings: Season Two, The Treasure Chest of Courage

Ranking of Kings, the story of a tiny prince who learns to rule through kindness instead of fear, was one of the most unexpectedly amazing anime of last year. Returning with a little capsule collection of short stories to continue the (mostly) bookended story, the little prince is back for more adventures in his adorable kingdom—and I couldn't be any happier.

Mashle: Magic and Muscles

For anyone done with Harry Potter, may I present to you the latest in wizard school hijinks. It's called Mashle: Magic and Muscles, and it follows a kid who goes to magic school even though he possess no magical abilities of his own. Can he prove that will and determination are stronger attributes that being born with an innate leg up?