Posted by 
With 2024 officially over – and me running incredibly late (life sucks at times!) – now comes the moment that many of you have been waiting for. It’s time for Random Curiosity’s annual foray into annoying everyone with our questionable opinions, the Best of Anime 2024 post! Unlike previous years this was a one-off solo effort so apologies in advance if some (read: much) bias winds up showing through. I didn’t quite manage to catch everything, but made sure to watch entries that made a serious clamour within the anime community. Please feel free to be brutally honest while giving constructive feedback. And if something was picked you disagree with don’t hesitate to voice your opinion – best of posts are always subjective!
Continuing from 2022, there are numerous categories in the following areas: Production, Miscellaneous, Genre, and Notable Others. Due to lack of series candidates, my own time limitations, and/or the belief that not enough shows were watched to make an informed decision about specific genres, some categories present in previous years were ommitted. Without further ado, let’s get started!
Disclaimer: As always, disclaimers abound. Please keep in mind that “best” is subjective. What’s best for us isn’t necessarily best for you, and that’s perfectly fine. This list shouldn’t be taken as some kind of inviolable truth, but rather the opinions of those involved who had too much time on their hands and spent it conjuring up a list of picks based on all the anime they watched. Naturally, our choices will be influenced by our own tastes, experiences, and personal impressions. Before you go bashing one of our choices, please make sure you’ve at least seen it and know where we’re coming from. Finally, all we ask is that you respect our opinions and the opinions of others in the comments, just like we respect yours. Thank you.
Disclaimer #2: The choices in this post are not reflective of the opinions of all Random Curiosity writers. They are solely the opinions of myself (Pancakes), save for where otherwise noted. Thank you for your understanding.
Note: For a show to be considered, it has to have met the requirements outlined in the Reader’s Choice Poll. Also be aware OVAs/movies were excluded this year in part due to lack of entries.
Visuals
Visuals and fluid movement. It’s all about the quality of what we see on screen and what impressed us the most. To a certain degree, character designs and overall art style fall into this category too.
Much like the dominating showcase for action Kimetsu no Yaiba continues the trend of monopolizing the visual category. Ufotable has somewhat come to define mainstream anime visuals with this series, emphasizing fluid motion, fusing 2D and 3D artwork, and placing many of its best examples in larger set pieces exemplifying everything that makes anime, well, anime. While the nature of the latest arc didn’t fully play to the strengths Kimetsu no Yaiba brings to the table, the visuals continue remaining stunning and I doubt few will argue ufotable knows how to bring out the best elements and make the show sing. Considering just how damn consistent it’s been over the years few series deserve the victory more.
Winner: Kimetsu no Yaiba
Honorable Mentions: Rurouni Kenshin, Boku no Hero Academia
Story
As the somewhat polar opposite to what’s on the surface, here we’re looking at depth and what captivated us from start to finish. You don’t need amazing visuals to tell a good story, so it’s about the original material (if any) and the screenwriter’s adaptation of it here. Good cliffhangers that keep you on the edge of your seat week after week suggest the series is doing something right, whereas filler-esque showings don’t.
The lack of intricate tales somewhat made 2024 easy for identifying story favourites, though when it comes to winners few could really match Dungeon Meshi. This fantasy had all the key pieces: comedy, tragedy, mystery, and a good dose of suspense for spice. The best part however definitely lay in execution; a simple plot of rescue turned into a more grandiose and introspective affair, with the gradual reveals, well-time cliffhangers, shrewd foreshadowing, and excellent character interactions all coming together to yield a tale only gaining strength and interest as time went by. Although lacking the distilled suspense or major tension of more typical category winners, Dungeon Meshi highlights how consistency and smart writing goes a long way to capturing interest, especially when that writing translates into an adaptation nailing what makes the source material so fun. When it comes to following stories in anime, there’s very few things better defining a winner.
Winner: Dungeon Meshi
Honorable Mentions: Sousou no Frieren
Soundtrack
What would a series be without the music to help set the mood and tone? A good soundtrack enhances the power and emotions behind scenes in such a way that you start associating imagery with the music unconsciously, regardless of whether it’s cheery, inspiring, or heartfelt. Lasting impressions say a lot, plus it just has to sound good too.
Albeit already a winner in 2023, Sousou no Frieren’s spillover made it very difficult not to award the soundtrack honours again courtesy of how well Evan Call’s efforts went into transforming the story. Faint piano melodies and melancholic compositions went a long way to defining the tragedy of time permeating Sousou no Frieren, while grandiose orchestral arrangements meshed added to the hectic flair the various magical fights and duels displayed. The main selling point though was undeniably the quiet moments; quaint adventuring and introspective musing was laced with simple string works, amplifying the emotions of serenity, happiness, and sadness arising from the veritable walk through Frieren’s life. Is it the absolute best music to grace an anime? Of course not, but it’s a further example showing how well-composed music and soundscapes can significantly elevate the strength of the accompanying visual material. Never underestimate how powerful a good bit of music can be.
Winner: Sousou no Frieren
Opening & Ending Sequence
Whether for its originality or ability to showcase what a series has to offer, opening sequences are always fun to watch. We tend to look forward to new ones and the songs that will be featured in them, and sometimes get a glimpse at what’s coming up in the show too (for better or worse). Here, the focus is on the sequence itself, even though the song may play a part in making it memorable.
Unlike opening sequences, endings don’t strive to draw the viewer in and get them psyched up about the episode that’s coming up. Instead, they’re an outro to what you’ve just seen and may highlight a specific aspect/emotion of the series, though sometimes they’re completely irrelevant to the actual story and are just an outlet for sheer fun/comedic value. Whichever the case, there are certain sequences that we enjoyed more than others.
Winner: 「Bling-Bang-Bang-Born」 by Creepy Nuts (Mashle)
As far as anime OPs go 2024 was the year of Creepy Nuts. Dandadan‘s OP in Otonoke of course is the obvious example – because Dandadan – but I’d wager a few also overlooked the earworm gem that is Mashle’s second season OP. What is lacking in invested animation is more than made up for by Bling-Bang-Bang-Born’s ridiculous catchiness, pairing a very appropriate beat with a melody line catching you hook, line, and sinker; after all, there’s a reason it also wound up making the rounds for vtuber and comedy covers both. Arguably the key for this one coming out on top however is how well it accentuates Mashle’s feel; hip-hop fusion meets slapstick humour, catchy lyrics synergize with the utter chaos that is Mash and his abilities. Tack on the animation sequences too highlighting just what to look forward to and no shocker it did exactly what an OP is meant to do. When it comes to anime openers unique always comes out on top.
Winner:「Nobody」 by OneRepublic (Kaijuu 8-gou)
With EDs usually being the more subdued and emotional counterpart to hectic and energizing OPs, it might seem funny having OneRepublic’s Nobody topping the 2024 list, but hey, it’s hard denying its impact. There’s not that many examples of such Western pop rock in the space for example, let alone ones which play to the lighthearted and happy-go-lucky times gracing many of Kaijuu no. 8’s moments. The soft, pastel artwork and gentle animation in particular helped build on the overall lyrical message, while the act of Konomi effectively going through the past added a bit of melancholic bite later on knowing some of the events happening through the season. Overall made for a nice outro highlighting all the key facets of Kaijuu no. 8 without being overbearing or excessively emotional in the way some EDs can be. And hell, cannot overlook the fact it’s even an American group doing the honours in the first place.
Character (Male and Female)
Branching away from strictly picking series and focusing on some specifics is the idea behind the miscellaneous section. The first one is our favorite character, who won his or her way into our hearts for whatever reason. The criteria here is somewhat loose, but with numerous options in a single series, multiplied by almost a hundred in the past year, it’s actually quite difficult to pick one above all others. Be that as it may…
Undeniably going to be a questioned choice given – spoiler alert – what comes next in My Hero Academia land, but as far as all around male character packages go few in 2024 can come close to Deku for the payoff achieved after numerous seasons. This was the climactic year for My Hero Academia after all, with the setup for and commencement of several key showdowns, none more important than Deku’s battle with Tomura and All for One given its central role to the entire story. From nervous Quirkless student to the accepted and battle-tested inheritor of One for All’s legacy, Deku epitomizes long-term shounen development in a way that never comes across as artificial or forced, and with this past season especially, gets a payoff worth all those years before. Sure, it’s not the last My Hero Academia we’re set to see given the upcoming finale season, but if there’s one character emphatically showing what struggle can yield and refine Deku is without a doubt it.
Winner: Midoriya Izuku – Boku no Hero Academia
While one could easily cop out and hand Nezuko a follow up win here (because now-talkative demon cutie pie) or go as far as to hand Fern or Maomao victory for sheer meme reach, in the end the prize must go to Kana for her dramatic display in Oshi no Ko’s second inning. From largely memetic cutie pie and thinly veiled tsundere we got a quite vivid and expressively pint-sized box of troubles, with Kana’s backstory meshing with her own doubts to yield some concentrated internal struggles in addition to more nuanced character growth. It effectively was Kana coming into her own and recognizing her own abilities, ensuring in part that she learned to accept and embrace who she is inside. The last few episodes of the Tokyo Blade arc are pretty much the case study for why Kana retains a strong following, and while arguably not to the comedic level elf girls and apothecary students have displayed, sometimes emotion really does carry the day. After all, few can compete with those very distinctive eyes!
Winner: Arima Kana – Oshi no Ko
Emotional Moment
The emotional moment of the year is defined by strong, persistent, and bold feelings. They can be torrents of happiness, pangs of regret, or the deepest reaches of agony and suffering, but the winner is the one which made us feel for the character alongside them and get just a bit of what they’re going through.
Plot Twist
For plot twist of the year, we’re looking for a sudden unexpected turn of events in the story that caught us off guard and delivered sheer shock value. It’s that “WTF” moment that has people talking about it for the next few days, regardless of whether or not anyone found it agreeable.
Death
This may be part of a plot twist or something you see coming a mile away, but we’re concerned about the impact the death has on the story and us as viewers. Well-executed screenplay leading up to it may play a big part, but there are also cases where a character dies so suddenly that we’re left in complete disbelief. In both cases, it’s the lingering impression we’re basing our selection on.
Action
Action, action, and more action! The action genre ranges anywhere from shounen-crazed series to war-filled mecha shows. For battles, choreography plays a huge role, so that was definitely taken into consideration.
Action is always driven by vivid visuals and wild budgets, so no major surprise the heavy hitters dominated this category as always. Boku no Hero? Kimetsu no Yaiba? Kaijuu 8-gou? Hell might as well even throw Dungeon Meshi in there for some of its set pieces. Much in the usual fashion though Kimetsu no Yaiba ekes out the win because when it comes to vivid and lavish few (if any) do it better than ufotable with this series. Even for a season solely devoted to the ubiquitous shounen training interlude – i.e. less fighting than normal – the sequences we got remained visually impressive and show how shrewd choreography, busy animation, and bold, colourful art goes a long way towards imbuing fun and addictive action. Oh and let’s not forget about all the cash being flung at it to make it possible either. In short ufotable’s baby is as its baby does, and you can bet the next round of Kimetsu no Yaiba will similarly find itself at the top of the action pile.
Winner: Kimetsu no Yaiba
Honorable Mentions: Dungeon Meshi, Kaijuu 8-gou
Romance
Emotion-filled romance at its finest. The relationship between characters and the emotions involved are the appeal, and the main criteria for selecting a series here. A sentimental story is always good, with tear-jerking scenes being a plus. This is the series that had the best romantic mood from the character interactions to the big confession.
Given how the year played out is anyone even remotely surprised Bokuyaba wound up stealing the show? Sure we had plenty of romcoms and harem maelstroms to choose from, tangential romances in the form of Spice and Wolf, and hell arguably even Dandadan if you squint a bit following up in the rear. Yet few could rise to level Bokuyaba gave us from start to finish. This one nailed the angsty, uncertain, and often internally confusing feel of teenage romance, with Kyoutarou slowly yet surely coming to grips with his interest in Anna while Anna herself, in her all awkwardly adorable charm, learns to open up and embrace the offer at hand. The minimal drama and organic maturation of the two’s relationship especially helped keep things moving at an excellent pace, and with equal parts comedy and sweetness to balance out the romance Bokuyaba turned into a true genre juggernaut defining the start of the year. As far as romance goes there’s no surer victor.
Winner: Boku no Kokoro no Yabai Yatsu
Honorable Mentions: Giji Harem, Shinigami Bocchan to Kuro Maid, Make Heroine ga Oosugiru
Drama
A lot of good series out there depict an emotion-filled story where the romance comes secondary, if at all. Strong depictions of friendship and in challenging situations can really draw a viewer into the story and start making them sympathize with the characters. It’s a bit of an all-encompassing genre, but only a handful of series really pull viewers in with their screenplay.
Normally drama is a quiet category year over year, but we certainly got a major haul in 2024 with the offerings on tap. Besides Oshi no Ko roaring through summer, a more nuanced Sousou no Frieren started off the year while the combined musical might of Hibike Euphonium and Girls Band Cry provided a measure of variability. It made for a seriously difficult choice (Girls Band Cry in particular deserves attention), but if considering the full experience then Oshi no Ko must once again come out on top. Not hard seeing why: we got some major internal struggles for key cast as part of the Tokyo Blade arc, key development on the part of Kana, and – even more critically – the first real taste of tracking down the one responsible for Ai’s tragic death. Pretty much a pure drama mill through and through, and with the excellent production values on top, one whose victory is well-deserved. Just have to see if the third season can keep the momentum going strong.
Winner: Oshi no Ko
Honorable Mentions: Girls Band Cry, Sousou no Frieren
Historical
History is not just the particular clothing worn or a significant event or two, but a whole way of life that both influenced and was influenced by the issues, innovations, and values of the times. Noteworthy shows in this category incorporate a particular historical setting not just because it’s cool, but because it has actual bearing on the story. The history presented must also demonstrate knowledge of and respect for the time period.
With Rurouni Kenshin and Chi technically carrying over into 2025 it made for a quiet year history-wise; after all, is anyone going to deny Kusuriya no Hitorigoto the rightful spot on top? From the on-point settings, clothes, and general nature of the imperial Chinese court to the more apothecarial aspects of Maomao’s intended work, Kusuriya no Hitorigoto nicely meshed a period piece premise with a more mystery of the week story and some succinct dramatic elements to yield one hell of an anime when taken together. It shows how history can often work best when used as thematic inspiration and tone setting over any rigid adherence to accuracy, especially when given a suite of characters appropriate for the veritable sandbox. This is one historically-influenced work deserving of its accolades, and there’s no denying the upcoming second season is bound to dominate in 2025 as well.
Winner: Kusuriya no Hitorigoto
Honorable Mentions: Meiji Gekken: 1874
Horror/Thriller
The best horror shows are those that incite visceral feelings of shock, fear, and pulse-pounding dread. Gore is not a necessity for this genre, as there’s always psychological thrillers that are just as gripping if not more. However, those that can provide both an unsettling atmosphere and a good scare are even better.
Much like last year true horror series were an endangered species for 2024, but as with then it was easy finding an appropriate victor in Kaii to Otome to Kamikakushi. While not to the pedigree (or degree of bloodshed) of 2023’s Dark Gathering, the same themes of body horror, psychological tension and drama, and a strong focus on internal character struggles were present in excess, transforming a largely paint by numbers occult work into a fun bit of urban horror. The willingness of the series to also elaborate on its various spirits and mysticism at play was to its credit, the nature and backstory of Ren and Oto additional welcome pieces to the overall monster of the week flair. And hey, if Sumireko was driven more by her assets than any real defining character quirk, I doubt few will be caught complaining! Just goes to show that for horror sometimes simplicity rules the day.
Winner: Kaii to Otome to Kamikakushi
Honorable Mentions: Dandadan, Tasuuketsu
Mystery
Who doesn’t love a good mystery? Thought-provoking storylines that keep inquisitive viewers watching and speculating on where things are headed? Yes, please. They don’t necessarily have to have a horror element to them either, as all we’re looking for here is a blend of detective/crime fiction.
For the much same reason Kaii to Otome to Kamikakushi handedly took the horror spot Tasuuketsu wound up securing mystery: a very nice package properly emphasizing the genre. No matter the glaring defects plaguing the show (one side-effect of the death game premise these days it seems), Tasuuketsu did nail the mystery aspect with a ludicrous premise, ridiculous twists and turns, and a story kept just vague enough and with enough moving parts to mitigate any serious predictions. Mysteries after all thrive on the unknown, their success determined by how well they keep the reveal hidden while teasing its truth, and Tasuuketsu more than handled that requirement from start to finish. Further evidence indicating how even the most flawed of works can still find their charm if looking in the right places.
Winner: Tasuuketsu
Honorable Mentions: Kaii to Otome to Kamikakushi
Supernatural
Supernatural is undeniably a sub-genre of fantasy. But where you’ll typically see dragons and wizards in traditional fantasy, a supernatural story usually has a greater footing with our reality — which also includes realistic historical setting. It typically takes on a darker tone and specifically highlights supernatural creatures or happenings as being far from the accepted norm.
Given how 2024 played out is it any real surprise Dandadan would walk away with this category? This show after all fused a perfect mix of occult classics, teenage romance, and ridiculous(ly) good comedy into a veritable whirlwind of hilarity. You had the urban myths, the alien invasions, hell even the spiritual powerups, all accompanied with some excellent animation and overall production values. And then you topped it with a perfect main pairing in Ken and Momo who ran the gambit from side-aching banter to cutesy and endearing romance. There’s a reason this one wound up sweeping the fall ratings, and if this season was any indication, the upcoming sequel should offer plenty more to keep the fun going. I dare say 2025 needs look no further for its own supernatural winner.
Winner: Dandadan
Honorable Mentions: Kaii to Otome to Kamikakushi, Sengoku Youko
Sci-Fi
When it comes to science fiction, a futuristic world with advanced technology, robots, space travel, and superhuman abilities is the usual connotation. However, that’s not the only setting that fits this genre. Sometimes all a series has to do is play up a single sci-fi aspect and do it well to go down as an excellent sci-fi series.
Sci-fi continues its low-key featuring this past year with only a handful of series really representing the genre – yet a grouping which certainly rises to the level of impressive. Ignoring genre straddlers like Dandadan (don’t worry, that’s what the supernatural category is for), we got everything from the ridiculous (and hilarious) Mecha Ude to a more conventional (genre-wise) Metallic Rouge and even some seriously good surprises like the fantasy fusion Maou 2099. The winner though? Still Kaijuu 8-gou. This one simply had the complete package, from solid production values to tight scriptwriting and pacing up to and including a simplistic plot not leaving much for confusion or misunderstandings. And nothing says fun like battling giant monsters too. I doubt many will take it as the best example of what sci-fi can do, but as far as popcorn entertainment in the genre goes few could match its stride or impact. Sometimes all you need to win is to offer a full meal deal.
Winner: Kaijuu 8-gou
Honorable Mentions: Metallic Rouge, Maou 2099
Fantasy
Where science fiction seeks to explain the remarkable happenings of its universe via technology and logic, fantasy is less concerned with that. Wizards, dragons, and Tolkien-esque adventures are what usually come to mind, but those aren’t mandatory. As long as the focus is less on what makes the world tick and more on using magic and wonder to tell a story, it’s probably a fantasy tale you’re looking at.
Even ignoring the usual isekai tsunami clogging the proceedings, this past year was hell to choose a winner from courtesy of Dungeon Meshi and Sousou no Frieren. Both of these juggernauts are winners for fairly obvious reasons, from the funky, cooking-infused adventuring chic of Dungeon Meshi to Sousou no Frieren’s sombre and emotional swing through aging and change. I’d honestly give both of them the crown here if I could, but if forced to pick one it would be Dungeon Meshi for providing the slightly better all-around experience. Whether it be the hilarity of Laios and friends or the more serious (and humbling) plot involving Falin’s rescue, this was one slow burn fantasy which in its latter half turned into a real binge watch worthy endeavour. And being a Trigger series too, well, let’s just say that was a major help with things. Make no mistake, it’s only a hair’s breadth difference with Sousou no Frieren, but Dungeon Meshi as a whole shows exactly why fantasy remains the go-to genre for craziest – and most entertaining – of stories.
Winner: Dungeon Meshi
Honorable Mentions: Sousou no Frieren, Spice and Wolf, Tensei Shitara Slime Datta Ken
Comedy
The ability to make you laugh until you cry – that’s probably the number one criteria when selecting a comedy of the year. From everything to sheer stupidity, quirky characters, and timely comedic pauses to perverted fun, elaborate setups, and witty jokes, it’s the lighthearted nature and humorous entertainment value of these series that we love.
While easy to hand Dandadan the victory here, if going by pure laughs and gags Konosuba must once again claim the day. It’s hard faulting this series after all, as between the excellent – and still improving – banter and chemistry of its main cast we have some seriously strong voice acting making for a better overall experience and side busting laughs. Probably the deal sealer though is Konosuba’s growing maturity in terms of story; this season weaved a lot of its humour into a larger plot involving Darkness, and with it helped enhance many of the strengths which made it such an isekai breakout to begin with. Make no mistake, it won’t be humour for everyone (truly the curse of comedy), but Konosuba can always be relied on the provide the laughs. A lot of them.
Winner: Kono Subarashii Sekai ni Shukufuku wo!
Honorable Mentions: Dandadan, Shikanoko Nokonoko Koshitantan
Slice of Life
A laid-back series with no reliance on heavily gimmicky plot devices nor a constantly progressing storyline is what this genre stands for. The character interactions themselves in an otherwise “normal” setting are the highlight, along with any incidental humor that results from them. A lot of times, they’re just really cute and innocent happenings, and that’s exactly what makes a good slice of life series.
Slice of life is always an underlying feature in numerous shows over the seasons – doubly so in isekai and fantasy – yet 2024 also happened to feature a few being true representatives of the genre. Yuru Camp of course is most obvious, but in terms of sheer staying power none comes close to Natsume Yuujinchou Shichi. Besides following up to an already strong season back in 2017, Natsume Yuujinchou’s latest round once again featured plenty of simple adventures, youkai shenanigans, and heartwarming gentleness. This is one series which exemplifies best the interest slice of life generates and the reason so many watch it, and the fact it’s done so now for over seven seasons – and with excellent production values to boot – is proof enough that the material and execution are top class. If there was ever a well-deserved winner for this category Natsume Yuujinchou is without a doubt it.
Winner: Natsume Yuujinchou Shichi
Honorable Mentions: Yuru Camp Delta
Sports
This category seeks to celebrate the competitive past times many of us cherish—at least, the animated equivalents of them. Chances are you’re no Roger Federer or Lebron James, but that doesn’t mean we can’t imagine ourselves as him or enjoy watching people like him play, and this category seeks to include those series that gave us a great take on a particular sport, with bonus points given to quality animations, insight into mental aspects of the game, and other athletic intangibles.
The sports works the past year made for a relatively simple decision this time around, in part from how badly the obvious contenders tripped on rakes. Blue Lock’s second season after all face planted hard in the realm of animation and its still-shot, slide-like presentation enough to detract from its material. MF Ghost? Struggled to match a story with overall expectations. And Highspeed Etoile, well, went for cute girls first and sports racing second. The benefit to all of it though is that it highlights the real workhorse in Ooi Tonbo. While a relatively unassuming golf series at a glance, it’s one with charm and, most importantly, one with no serious gimmicks. Ooi herself after all had to work hard at her skill, but the nature of it made for a more grounded story and lots of interesting development. And that’s before getting into how the series treats golf and makes watching it fun experience.Ooi Tonbo is an excellent example highlighting how sports shows don’t need a lot of flair or shounen shticks to stand out from the crowd – they simply need heart and a bit of shrewd execution.
Winner: Ooi Tonbo
Honorable Mentions: Captain Tsubasa
Category Defying
Also known as the Jinrui wa Suitai Shimashita Memorial Award, this is the category for those shows that deserve to be on this list, even if we don’t have a clue where they should go. Many series cross into multiple genres, which is why you see shows being featured in multiple categories in this section. These series defy genre. They twist and squirm, evading our attempts to label them and are just themselves, as well as good. This is the category for shows that deserve recognition, even if we aren’t rightly sure what they were.
Honestly the category defying winner was pretty much decided the moment Mahou Shoujo ni Akogarete graced our screens in early 2024. After all, how best to improve magical girls? Ecchi? Sure. Deconstruction? In part. Flipping from magical girl signatory to evil combatant club signup? Why not. And yes, we got all that blended together. It is Mahoako’s unabashed usage of its fusion which made it come out on top, from the crazy S&M undertones meeting overt ecchi scenes to a comedic focus on effectively tormenting magical girls over any sort of serious storyline. Add on top some excellent – and hilarious – character development on the part of Utena and Sayo especially and what is pure and raw fanservice quickly acquires some interesting psychological tangents to explore as things get going. Sure, titillation is as titillation does, but Mahoako is a prime example indicating how off the wall ideas and unconstrained execution can go a long way towards turning the most stereotypical works into addictive entertainment.
Winner: Mahou Shoujo ni Akogarete
Honorable Mentions: Mashle
Most Underappreciated
There are numerous shows out there that people don’t watch or continue watching because they’re so fixated on what’s unanimously popular. We make a point of watching and covering series that tend to be overlooked, so this is intended to highlight the series that more people should have checked out but probably didn’t.
It might seem funny seeing Girls Band Cry pop up here, but if any show deserved some credit for outperforming expectations this one would be it. Starting life as a veritable Bocchi the Rock clone (even if technically in the works before Bocchi), Girls Band Cry wound up taking a more mature and grounded direction, replacing social introversion and associated comedy with more poignant personal issues and the challenges of chasing dreams. What especially helped was the impressive voice acting strength of the cast – all brand new seiyuus – and what wound up being some damn good 3D animation from Toei; never once did this show feel half-assed, never once did it come across as brittle or excessively melodramatic. Was the story perfect? No, but given how every piece came together the overall work was plenty to yield a solid bit of adult drama. It’s always a blast in anime when the sum of the parts beats out the whole.
Winner: Girls Band Cry
Honorable Mentions: Mayonaka Punch
Biggest Disappointment
The pitfall of excessive hype and anticipation for anything is the disappointment that results when things don’t meet expectations. With regards to anime, this is doubly true when a series has precedent established by its original and a sequel falls incomparably short. At times it’s only a small letdown, but sometimes we’re left wondering what we did to deserve sitting through it. We’re not looking for the worst series of the year here, but the biggest disparity between expectations going in and way the series turned out.
Every year always has its swath of disappointments, however few arguably can top that of Blue Lock. With how strong the first season was to have the second effectively get stifled by production was a major shock, in part from just how stilted it wound up being. Fluid animation and vivid choreography, you know, the things which make for very interesting viewing experiences? Wholesale replaced with veritable slideshow displays akin to Shuumatsu no Walküre. While Blue Lock did course correct in this regard towards the end, by then the damage was done and a good chunk of the fun of its central premise was lost in the wake of streamlined production. It goes to show how critical animation and related elements are in a visual medium like anime, for without them much of the feel and impact of the source material gets quickly overshadowed. No matter how interesting the soccer-flavoured psychological tensions of Blue Lock may be, they would’ve been even better if production could have matched the intent.
Winner: Blue Lock
Greatest Trainwreck
When you expect something to be good, only for it to turn out bad, that’s one thing. When you expect something to be messy, and it embraces said messiness in spectacular fashion – be it extreme technical production issues or overarching storyline, that’s when you know you’ve got a trainwreck on your hands
Although more slow rolling than immediate descent into the cliffside depths, Unnamed Memory certainly took the cake for everything you don’t do with a light novel adaptation. From a solid opening and intriguing romance-fuelled premise, the show soon removed the breaks, locked the steering wheel, and hit the gas hard enough to make the whiplash feel like second nature. Hacking and slashing soon led to significantly condensed developments, character changes and plot climaxes becoming mere moments where other shows would give them entire episodes. And the kicker? Many of the critical elements needed to power the upcoming second season and its more consequential developments were lost in this maelstrom. No matter how much we like our trainwrecks to be glorious and fun, as Unnamed Memory shows sometimes the outcome is simply more tragic than enjoyable.
Winner: Unnamed Memory
Best Anime 2024
The be-all, end-all of the year. This pick is always a hotbed of controversy, so here’s the exact criteria we used to make it: if we were to meet an anime fan for the first time and they were to ask us to recommend a show that aired in 2018, what would it be? Without knowing the person’s tastes, we would naturally default to the show that did the most things right, one that had wide appeal and deserved it, that had superb animation and told its story well, and above all else, that we enjoyed. The winner of this category should be a high anticipation show that supremely deserved it, or a dark horse that blew everyone out of the water. This is subjective as hell, but you can find a list of our best picks below.
It’s cliché to say choosing the year’s best anime is hard – but 2024 was hard. Besides Sousou no Frieren dominating traditional fantasy we had Dungeon Meshi giving a fantastic comedic take on adventure, Oshi no Ko arguably topping its first season, and then Dandadan providing plenty of proof why you never write these posts up before the fall season has concluded. While I could easily give the award to any of them, if going purely by impact, execution, and good old-fashioned interest Bokuyaba must get the 2024 prize for showing us one of the best romcoms to date.
Although true romance (especially teenage romance) isn’t what one normally thinks of for chart toppers, Bokuyaba overcomes such preconceptions thanks to its mix of simplicity and personality. Anna and Kyoutarou are two incredible peas in a pod after all, each sharing very similar emotions, very similar fears, and for all the differences in lives lived, very similar desires to break their respective molds. Their various meetups, hanging out, and otherwise quintessential teenage moments made for some incredibly heartwarming scenes, especially when looked back on in hindsight where it’s realized none never felt forced or contrived. This was a romance which really nailed the pacing and progression, using its comedy in smart ways to bring its main duo together without it ever feeling artificial. It’s not to say what we got is perfect of course – some will dislike the occasional fanservice moments sprinkled throughout for example – but to have a romance with very little melodrama and hyperbolic misunderstandings is a major win in its own right. And let’s not overlook how well the art and voice acting went into making this story a blast to follow too!
No matter how much the harem life and melodramatic plots may continue dominating modern anime romance, Bokuyaba is a prime example indicating it doesn’t all have to be the same. If only for its force of effort and overall execution, this one is the most deserving of 2024’s highest accolades.
Winner: Boku no Kokoro no Yabai Yatsu
Reader’s Choice – Favorite Anime 2024
Your choice for 2024. With everyone allowed to pick up to five series, we have a pretty nice spread of results. In exchange for finding out if there was one series that everyone would’ve picked with a single vote, we have a much better idea of the other ones you enjoyed. The top choice was pretty unquestionable though, since it was good enough to make it into the majority of your top 5 picks.
The Top 5:
Sousou no Frieren – 11.06%
Dandadan – 9.30%
Dungeon Meshi – 6.81%
Kusuriya no Hitorigoto – 5.19%
Kaijuu 8-gou – 4.52%
Here are the full results.