As 2023 has long since ended, there is ample time to reminisce on what proved to be a great year for anime. Each season had at least a couple of memorable shows across a spectrum of genres and themes. Romance, comedy, isekai, action, horror, sci-fi, and drama all produced their share of new representatives, and while most of them were not all-time greats, the good generally outweighed the bad.
However, thebest 2023 animewere far better than just “good,” and these series could very well be remembered as modern classics in a decade. Whether looking to cry, laugh, or fist-bump in excitement, the year’s greatest efforts should have most viewers covered.
Updated July 30, 2025 by Mark Sammut:TheWinter 2025 seasonis almost done, with Spring 2025 starting in a few weeks. Consequently, this could be the perfect time to catch up on some older anime that were initially skipped over. Two more 2023 anime have been added, and they are both set to receive sequels over the coming year.
Here are a few criteria:
Honorable Mentions
2023 was such a strong year for anime that highlighting every worthwhile show would be nearly impossible. The following series came very close to earning a spot among thebest anime of 2023:
One of the most highly anticipated2023 anime,Hell’s Paradiseperhaps struggled to live up to the hype, which makes sense as the shonen manga was a slow-burner that exploded in popularity during its second half. While not setting the world alight, MAPPA’s first season is still an above-average action show with some light horror elements sprinkled in.A sequel is already confirmed for Winter 2026, which will hopefully build on its predecessor’s foundation to create something more than just above average.
An array of convicts are sent to a mysterious island, Shinsekyo, in search of an elixir rumored to provide immortality, and they are effectively in a battle royale to determine who will earn freedom by finding this item. However, Shinsekyo’s inhabitants are not exactly the most hospitable, and the invaders quickly find themselves engaging in battles that go well beyond the norm. While close to an ensemble cast, the story primarily revolves around Gabimaru, a convict, and Sagiri, his handler.Hell’s Paradiseblends mystery, action, and adventure well, and the audience gradually learns more about the island alongside the main characters. Gabimaru and Sagiri are likable enough, and their camaraderie built on necessity but also budding respect carries the anime nicely.
Spy x Familyhad a fantastic 2022, establishing itself as one of the most exciting newcomers of the year. In 2023, the anime continued its momentum with a sequel season and movie, both of which were relatively well-received. That said, the shine has slightly faded, an outcome arising from a few factors. For one,Spy x Family’s novelty has worn off to an extent, which is to be expected. Secondly, and arguably more importantly, the story can feel rather static, with the characters being largely stuck in a routine that lends itself well to episodic comedic antics but undermines the main plot’s forward momentum.
Ultimately,Spy x Familyis a comedy with some actionand political intrigue. Episodes primarily seek to provide a few funny moments featuring the family members, and they largely maintain the status quo. Loid’s mission has barely advanced at all since season 1, which could be disappointing depending on a viewer’s expectations. However, season 2 is still pretty entertaining, with good animation, lovable characters, and a Yor-focused arc that finally gave the assassin something to do.
Dr. Stoneset itself apart from other shonen animeby focusing on intelligence over strength. Thousands of years after most of the world was turned into stone, Senku breaks free of his rocky prison and sets out to speed-run humanity’s development, a process that attracts support and resistance from both the people he revives and the natives who have made Earth their home.
New Worldis arguablyDr. Stone’s best overall season, one that introduces a fun initial goal (sailing the sea), a refreshing setting (Treasure Island), memorable villains (Ibara and Mozu), and lore revolving around Senku’s father. The Fall 2023 part was particularly strong and presented the Kingdom of Science with its hardest challenge yet, culminating in a pretty great final few episodes.
That said,Dr. Stonedoes not feel as fresh as it used to. During this season, Senku’s scientific experiments mostly ignore reality, at least when it comes to their production. As such, the protagonist’s achievements seem closer to supernatural feats than logical developments. Still, the show is fun.
A half-oni, maid, and detached head travel across Europe solving mysteries that deal with the supernatural while occasionally running into figures like Sherlock Holmes, Arsene Lupin, Moriarty, and Aleister Crowley.Undead Murder Farcesounds too ridiculously awesometo be anything but a disappointment; however, the anime completely lives up to its incredible premise. While there is an overarching storyline that is a ton of fun, the series is mainly split into a series of (mostly) self-contained cases that explore fiction staples like werewolves and vampires.
Undead Murder Farceworks primarily due to the strength of its core characters, a trio of personalities who are larger-than-life and complementary to each other. Despite being reduced to just a head, Aya is still a force to be reckoned with as a genius detective who seems capable of solving any case. She is backed by Shizuku, a maid with a rifle, and Tsugaru, a half-oni who tends to act before he thinks and loves to get into fights. All three characters are memorable enough to carry shows on their own (especially Aya and Tsugaru), and they are incredible together.
2021’sHorimiyadid not need a follow-up, at least in the sense that it had a fairly satisfying conclusion. However, the show struggled somewhat when it shifted focus away from Hori and Miyamura, particularly during the second half of the season when the secondary characters took center stage. While likable enough, they were not developed enough to warrant such attention, especially at the expense of a likable and entertaining couple.
So,The Missing Piecesis both unnecessary and a must-watch. Rather than a proper sequel, the 2023 continuation focuses on chapters from the manga that were not unadapted by the first season. These episodes cover inconsequential moments that are not vital for Miyamura and Hori’s romantic story, creating a season that is far more scattershot and unfocused thanHormiya. However,The Missing Piecesis not only great in isolation but also elevates its predecessor by shining a light on a few underdeveloped couples. Also,as a slice of life, this season is arguably better than the first. It is funnier too.
The embodiment of starting strong and ending on something of a whimper,Zom 100: Bucket List of the Deadarguably had the best opening episode out of any2023 anime. This segment was so good that it could act as a standalone short movie, making for arguably a more memorable overall package than the full show. Production issues also contributed to the anime’s loss of momentum, especially since thefinal three episodes were delayed by roughly three months. By the time they arrived,Zom 100was old news.
That said,Zom 100’s first episode was incredible and should be watched by pretty much everyone, even people who are not interested in horror comedies or zombies. To avoid spoilers, let’s just say a zombie apocalypse breaks out, throwing the protagonist’s life into disarray. However, his reaction to this end-of-the-world scenario is a bit unusual. Beautifully animated, hard-hitting, and with a great payoff,Zom 100produced a near-perfect 20 minutes of television.
Just to be clear, the rest ofZom 100is enjoyable and offers a decent mix of humor, action, and drama. It just settles into a familiar rhythm.
Is It Wrong To Try To Pick Up Girls In A Dungeon?,akaDanMachi, has never had a bad arc, but the anime slightly lost its way after a very strong opening season. With a renewed focus on dungeon exploration and a storyline revolving around one of the most popular secondary female characters,DanMachi 4was a return to form after two decent but polarizing entries. WhilePart 1laid the groundwork for Bell and Ryuu’s life-or-death journey, the second half executed its predecessor’s promise, delivering 11 episodes of non-stop tension that served to reaffirm the dungeon’s danger level.
Putting aside the great action and gripping b-plot that showcases most of the Hestia Familia’s key party members,Part 2still belongs to Bell and Ryuu. Their relationship blossoms beautifully throughout the arc, enabling both of them to shine as warriors while also revealing more vulnerabilities than ever before.DanMachiis something of a harem, and this season promoted Ryuu to the top girl.
Regardless of what might seem apparent at a glance,Buddy Daddieshas very little in common withSpy x Family, beyond the fact they both involve found families and are generally fantastic. Rei and Kazuki are hitmen who wind up taking custody of Miri, a young girl who arrives in Tokyo in search of her father (just as he is killed by the duo). This predicament mostly stems from a series of misunderstandings, making theanime seem like a goofball comedyduring its opening couple of episodes. However, the tone shifts as the story progresses and begins to tackle more serious themes relating to parenthood,
Rei, Kazuki, and Miri make for a brilliant trio, and they are each allowed to shine throughout the season. The more emotional and affable of the two killers, Kazuki takes to the father role quicker than Rei; however, the latter’s growing fondness for his new daughter is among the show’s strongest arcs. Finally, Miri is a delight and shockingly realistic, at least by anime standards. She is charming, precious, and naive; conversely, she can be unreasonable, hard-headed, and innocently mean-spirited.
Thanks to the2024 sequel,The Dangers in My Heartis firmly established as one of the best romcom anime of all time. Although not as great as its successor, the 2023 entry does a fantastic job of developing Anna and Ichikawa’s friendship in a way that feels genuine, at least compared to many other romance stories.
The anime starts by showcasing Ichikawa at his unflattering worst, with the isolated teenager imagining ways to hurt his classmates. As off-putting as these flights of dark fantasy can be, they subside within a few episodes and are replaced by more conventional daydreams; importantly, Ichikawa’s feelings for Anna are obvious from the start, and he feels an instinctive desire to support her happiness.
Anna is also great. A model with a bubbly personality, she could easily have come across as a wish-fulfillment reward for the male lead’s growth, making her feel like a glorified plot device. Thankfully, Anna is a well-written character who goes on her own journey throughout both seasons (especially the sequel, but she is already three-dimensional in the 2023 entry).
Sci-fi anime has become an oddly rare breed. 2023 produced just a few entries in the genre, and only a handful of those shows were worth watching.Dr. Stone: New Worldwas dependably entertaining, andMobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercurywas almost great but failed to stick the landing.Edens Zerowas fine,Trigun Stampedefeatured some of the year’s best animation, and16bit Sensation: Another Layerdeserved more attention.
Then, there wasHeavenly Delusion, 2023’s most fascinating seasonal sci-fi anime. Based on a challenging seinen manga, the story brings to life a version of Earth that has not recovered from a global trauma, carving out a survivalist world where humans live in fear of Man-Eaters. The anime covers two timelines, with the main one following Kiruko and Maru as they search for a place called Heaven. The other plot thread revolves around a research facility that carries out experiments on children. While loosely connected for most of the season, both storylines feature smart world-building, complex characterization, and a sense of constant dread.
Heavenly Delusionis not an easy watch. Along with a few horrifying sequences that will stick in someone’s mind long after they finish the show, the anime reinforces this feeling of helplessness, suggesting that Kiruko and Maru’s journey is not only futile but could also lead to hell. That said, the leads develop a strong bond that brings a hint of warmth to the otherwise cold world.
