Best anime of 2024

It’s once again that time of year when we look back at all the anime we’ve watched over the past 12 months instead of going out and touching grass. It’s also that time of year when we come to an important conclusion – grass is overrated. But anime isn’t, and here are our top picks of 2024.

10. Villainess Level 99: I May Be the Hidden Boss But I’m Not the Demon Lord

Villainess Level 99 started off strong, delivering a first-episode bait-and-switch of such epic proportions we were left wondering if we were even watching the right show. This lightweight isekai followed Yumiella Dolkness, the character that our unnamed protagonist found herself reincarnated as within the world of the otome game she was playing.

With terrifying level 99 powers, she spent most of the series trying to convince everyone around her that she’s not some demon come to kill them all, with much hilarity often ensuing. Watching Yumiella flex on her haters was always satisfying while watching the awful CGI was always excruciating. Villainess Level 99 served up little beyond the isekai standard fare but did so with a whole lot of heart and charm, and we enjoyed our time with this fun little show.

9. Gushing over Magical Girls

We told you not to watch it. We told you it was basically hentai with extra steps. We warned you it would get you on some sort of watch list. But did you listen? No, no you did not. You watched it. And then thousands of you went out and bought the Blu-ray to watch it again in all its uncensored glory. We’re disappointed. But also impressed at your commitment to degeneracy.

Much in the same way that Madoka Magica subverted the whole magical genre and its tropes, so too did Gushing, albeit in the most depraved ways imaginable. The series saw magical girl superfan Utena Hiragi given the chance to become a magical girl. Naturally, she jumps at the chance, except it turns out that she’s now one of the baddies. And her powers are all to do with bondage. And she’s actually a massive pervert – so the show’s fans can certainly relate. So far, so filthy.

Then you realise that the animation is actually really good. And the soundtrack kind of slaps. And then the plot kicks in, and by then, it’s too late, and you’re fully committed. Yes, we liked it; no, we’re not proud of that, and yes, we will be watching season two when it comes out. For the plot, you understand…

8. Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation Season 2 Part 2

Mushoku Tensei first appeared back in 2021 and immediately impressed with its world-building, diverse range of characters, and spectacular battles. Previously a 34-year-old shut-in, our protagonist dies in modern-day Japan and is isekai’d into a full-on fantasy world as baby Rudeus Greyrat, albeit with his fully developed adult mind. He quickly shows an aptitude for magic, and the story grows from there at an impressive pace.

We’ve always enjoyed Mushoku Tensei – we’re big fantasy and isekai fans in equal measure, and this show does not disappoint when it comes to delivering the goods that we all want to see. However, each subsequent season has fallen short of its predecessor, and none have ever managed to match up to what the first season delivered. The most recent offering had a very slow start that made it hard to get into and ultimately dulled the overall experience of Season 2 Part 2. It’s still a very good isekai, but this wasn’t Mushoku Tensei at its best.

7. Demon Slayer: Hashira Training Arc

We’d expect the moon and stars to fall from the sky before we’d expect to see a year without a new Demon Slayer entry, and so it was once more. The story of demon slayers Tanjirou, Inosuke and Zenitsu fighting against horrific man-eating monsters in spectacular fashion remains one of the biggest anime offerings in recent times. The battles and animation are simply on another level, and studio Ufotable never misses, delivering visuals that leave your eyeballs sweating. The soundtrack always goes hard, the characters are larger than life and full of personality, and the story is always loaded with emotion.

The Hashira Training Arc was a short and sweet slice of Demon Slayer goodness that saw our trio training with the mighty Hashira, the greatest of all demon slayers, to become strong enough to take on the show’s big bad, Muzan Kibutsuji. An eight-episode training arc might sound dull, but there was more than enough to keep us invested throughout, and the last episode was sensational, setting everything up perfectly for the upcoming movie trilogy. It’s not the very best that Demon Slayer has to offer, but it’s got enough of the good stuff to keep fans happy.

6. Ranma 1/2

Watching Ranma 1/2 in 2024 was not on our bingo sheet, but here we are. A reboot of the much-loved ’80s anime, itself based on the much-loved ’80s gag manga, the show follows martial arts student Ranma Saotome. While on a training trip to China, he and his dad, Genma, fall into a couple of cursed pools, and now whenever they get hit with cold water, Ranma turns into a girl, while his dad turns into a Panda (hot water turns them back). This is problematic enough on its own, but the situation is made even more complicated by the fact that Ranma has been arranged to marry Akane Tendo, one of the daughters of Gennma’s friend. If that sounds like a wacky premise, you are not prepared for how crazy things get in Ranma 1/2.

This show is genuinely laugh-out-loud funny, and its situations and characters feel like they get more and more absurd from episode to episode. It’s not just straight-up goofball comedy, though, because, with all the main characters well-versed in martial arts, there are outrageous fights aplenty. With MAPPA at the helm, these battles never disappoint, but what really sets Ranma 1/2 apart is its unexpected, fluid, changing art styles, which make you feel like you’re watching manga in motion. Beyond the action and comedy, there’s real growth and character development here, and genuine heart at the centre of its sweet love story. There’s a lot more depth to Ranma than meets the eye, and it was a delight.

5. Mashle: Magic And Muscles The Divine Visionary Candidate Exam Arc

Season one of what is essentially Harry Potter and the Gym of Many Weights was far more entertaining and endearing than it had any right to be, and season two really ramped everything up to the next level. Born into a world of magic where those unable to wield it are seen as outcasts, Mash Burnedead makes up for his lack of magic by getting really, really jacked. He’s so strong, in fact, that his sheer might is mistaken for magic, and he’s able to defeat every enemy and overcome every obstacle that stands in his way.

It’s a very silly show that runs on the power of friendship (and muscles) while at the same time showing a whole load of heart that makes it impossible not to enjoy. The action is always awesome and over the top, and the show’s cast of characters is colourful, to say the least, but immensely lovable with it. Big fun, big silly, big muscles – we loved it. Also, hands-down, the best opening of 2024, and if you disagree, you’re wrong. So there.

4. Solo Leveling

We went into Solo Leveling expecting a by-the-numbers power fantasy. What we got was… a by-the-numbers power fantasy. But, damn, did it go hard. Based on the Korean manhwa, we’ve got portals to fantasy dungeons popping up, and only people with newly-awakened magical powers, hunters, can go and defeat the monsters within. E-rank hunter Jinwoo Sung is pretty much the weakest around until a near-death dungeon encounter leaves him as the only human capable of levelling up his powers.

Weak nerd becomes super-OP chad is the fantasy of so many teenage boys, so it’s easy to see Solo Leveling would be so popular. And while this show doesn’t really do anything new, what it does, it does so well that you can’t help but enjoy every single minute of every single episode.

The pacing is absolutely on point, and the action comes thick and fast with just enough time for plot development, but it’s A-1 Pictures’ eye-popping visuals that turn this show into an absolute roller coaster. The battles are just so good, so awesome, and so spectacular, that you’re on the edge of your seat all the way through. Every episode feels like it’s five minutes long, and every episode leaves you hungry for more with some of the most expertly crafted cliffhangers we’ve ever experienced. It might be cool to hate what’s popular. It might be cool to consider yourself above a show as simple as this, but you know what’s cooler than both of those things? Enjoying Solo Leveling, because it’s just that good.

3. Kaiju No. 8

From every teenage boy’s fantasy to everyone’s adult nightmare. The realisation that your dreams will always be just that, you’ll never match up to others, and you’re a failure. That is the reality of Kafka (Oh, what’s this? MASSIVE foreshadowing?!) Hibino. In the world of Kaiju No. 8, monster attacks are a regular occurrence, but Kafka isn’t part of the ultra-cool Defence Force that fights them because he isn’t good enough. Instead, he’s on the clean-up squad that gets rid of the monster corpses left behind after every battle. But all that changes when Kafka meets his ambitious new coworker, Reno Ichikawa, who has dreams of joining the Defence Force. And then, when Kafka suddenly gains kaiju powers of his own, he decides to join Reno in applying to the Defence Force one more time, aided by the powers he must keep hidden.

Kaiju No. 8 really is an exceptional show. Kafka is very relatable and incredibly lovable, and there’s depth and emotion to this story. The action is awesome, the characters are diverse and memorable, and the show grabs you and refuses to let go, with a plot that amps up the tension and throws countless twists at you. It’s intensely engaging, entertaining, and just a great anime.

2. Look Back

This one almost passed us by, but we’re so glad we found it because Look Back gave us our most emotional hour of 2024. A single, short, standalone movie, it follows fourth grader Ayumu Fujino, a manga artist for her school’s newspaper. When she agrees to let shut-in student, Kyoumoto also draw for the paper, her unknown rival’s incredible artwork inspires her to improve until she eventually just gives up, unable to match her skills. Then, a chance encounter reveals that Kyoumoto had been inspired by Ayumu all along, and the two team up to pursue their dreams of manga stardom.

What follows is a breathtakingly beautifully animated offering from Studio DURIAN and Chainsaw Man creator, Tatsuki Fujimoto. It’s a coming-of-age story about friendship, passion, and the unstoppable desire to create. It is heart-warming and heartbreaking, tragic and inspiring in equal measure. Look Back will leave you sobbing long after its credits have faded to black and will linger long after most other anime is forgotten. Simply beautiful.

1. Dandadan

And so, we come to the end of our list and our favourite anime of 2024. There were a lot of great shows that we loved so very much, but Dandadan just did everything on another level. Popular high-schooler Momo Ayase believes in ghosts; nerdy loner Ken Takakura believes in aliens. Neither believes in the other phenomena, so they set out to prove each other wrong. Except it turns out that both ghosts and aliens exist. And what ensues is 12 episodes of absolute chaos. And we loved every minute of it.

You never know where this show is going or what it’s going to throw at you next, and the pace never lets up. Every episode is packed to bursting point with so much action, and so many crazy twists and turns – there’s just so much going on all the time. The animation is wild, and the art style and direction are just masterful, while every episode feels so thrilling and different. It’s so fresh, so fun, and so goofy. There’s a chase sequence that will leave you in awe, an episode that will leave you in tears, and a last-episode cliffhanger that will leave you hungry for more. There’s just so much to love about this show. It gives you everything you could possibly want, does everything so well, and showcases anime at its very best. And that’s why it is our best anime of 2024.

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