January 29, 2024 by metatron13

My Best Anime of 2023

It’s that time of the early year for me to share my list of best anime for 2023. This list consists of the best of the best of what I’ve watched from last year. Again, note that these are anime that I’ve seen, and so if you have you’re favorites and they aren’t here, it simply means that they aren’t on my viewing list. Spoilers will come so be ready for them…

At number twelve, I have “The Eminence in Shadow”. Technically, there are two cours of this for 2023. One was the continuation of the first season which carried over from 2022. The other was released in the fall of last year. In any case, Cid/Shadow and his harems (yes there are two, actually) had a very entertaining year for Shadow Garden. It’s unsurprising that this is one of the more popular isekai nowadays. As per isekai trope, Cid/Shadow is totally op, and that’s fine for this genre. Me? I prefer my isekai main characters to just be moderately powerful. Nonetheless, this is entertaining enough to make the tail end of my list.

At number eleven, I have “Dr. Stone”. This was an excellent split cour season of Senkuu, and the rest of the Kingdom of Science. I dare say that the third season is just as good as the second. And, if all indications are correct, the next season (last?) might just be even better. The mystery of the petrification ray that affected the world was discovered. Now it’s time to get to the source. But, I’m getting ahead of myself. This third season was a perfect mix of what make this anime so entertaining: science, action, comedy, and mystery. I’ll keep saying it: this is an anime you can use to teach science class. Just don’t let your students do the experiments here without your guidance, if not at all.

At number ten, I have “To Your Eternity”. Ah, Fushi, this was a good season for you. After all the heartache you felt from season one, here in season two you get to fight back. Fushi also finds out that long lost friends can be brought back by his power. I told you there’d be spoilers. Fushi finally puts the Knockers in their place, and he gives his longtime perished friends the second life they deserve. It’s almost like Fushi has some form of Messiah Complex. That is completely true. The end of season two makes me wonder how they can proceed with season three. This was the perfect ending already. I hope the third season will be only better for Fushi.

At number nine, I have “Jobless Reincarnation”. This second season is basically the story of how Rudeus, and Sylphy find each other. Not a lot of action here. More of Rudeus trying to solve his erectile dysfunction. Lo and behold, the cure is Sylphy, a childhood friend, and former student. Let there be no illusion that this is an ecchi anime, but it’s also one of the best fantasy isekai around. I’m hoping that part two of the second season which comes out this year will have all the action missing from the first cour. Still, Rudeus’s challenges are entertaining enough to put him higher on my list than the three anime that came before “Jobless Reincarnation”.

At number eight, I have “Apothecary Diaries”. I have one word for you that makes this anime worth the watch: Maomao. This smart, witty, charming, and pretty main character of this series is the engine that makes this anime roll. It’s historical fiction set in Imperial China. Maomao plays the apothecary/super sleuth within the walls of the Outer Palace. The image above of her is Maomao as she got older. Right now she is in her adolescent stage…maybe? I can’t wait for her to completely bloom into that beauty. Jaws will drop. But, if you don’t have the smarts, you have no chance with her. Take note, Master Jinshi.

At number seven, I have “Pluto”. This is “Astroboy” if you added a bit more layered storytelling, and emotional hooks. You can watch “Astroboy”, and still you’d have a different experience when you watch “Pluto”. ”Astroboy” is a classic. “Pluto” adds to the lore, and makes the original even better. Don’t be mistaken though. “Pluto” can stand on its own. This is the only science fiction anime on my list, and it deserves to be here with around one hour for each of its eight episodes. The irony is transparent: robots that are more human than humans. It also has a lot of modern commentary about war, and discrimination. Heavy topics for an emotionally heavy series. Add the beautiful anime, and it all adds up to this anime’s charm.

At number six, I have “Demon Slayer”. The magnum opus of Ufotable is at the middle of my list with its beautiful animation, and action. This is a straightforward fantasy anime, and it truly lives up to the hype. When “Demon Slayer” ends, it will be a sad day for a lot of anime fans. Be glad it happened. Also, be glad Mitsuri didn’t get married. Otherwise, we wouldn’t have our beloved Love Hashira. New season is already coming this year so be ready for more of Tanjiro’s adventures.

Is It Wrong To Try To Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon?

At number five, I have “Danmachi”. The fourth season was outstanding enough to be my best anime of the winter season of 2023. You can fight me on this: Bell Cranel, and Ryuu Lion belong together. Forget about Ais, Bell. Elves are pretty much in nowadays as you will see further on my list. Besides, you can’t go wrong with choosing Ryuu Lion who has the same seiyuu as Yor Forger. I mean, that has to mean something, right guys? Back me up here.You can’t go wrong with the action, and animation here as well. It really is a headscratcher that J. C. Staff took this long to figure out how to make this series great. Now I’m spoiled. I want MORE.

At number four, I have “Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War“. Studio Pierrot went back to its biggest gun, and considered by many to be one of the big three of modern anime. Funny though that we don’t see a lot of Ichigo in this season. That’s alright because it allowed the other characters to shine. This just shows that “Bleach” is not a one trick pony. Or one Bankai series. Or…you get what I mean. A plus factor is that you even don’t have to review what came before “Thousand-Year Blood War”. Start with these new seasons and you’re good enough to enter Soul Society.

At number three, I have “Oshi No Ko”. The biggest surprise for me this season, all I had going for me was that Ai Hoshino would be voiced by legendary seiyuu Rie Takahashi. That’s it. I mean, Rie couldn’t possibly choose a bad project now, could she? I was crossing my fingers with that thought. Studio Doga Kobo has only come out with one anime that I watched, and that wasn’t really top tier. ”Oshi No Ko” is top tier. The gamble paid off for me. A cross between a reincarnation, and idol anime, “Oshi No Ko” is also a social commentary of the idol/entertainment scene in Japan. The animation is gorgeous, and in spite of some funny moments this is a serious anime. It also has one of the best opening songs for an anime in 2023. Check out “Idol” on Spotify if you don’t believe me.

At number two, I have “Jujutsu Kaizen”. The best anime of studio MAPPA for the year is also a consecutive cour series. I’ve always loved double cour anime. There are fewer and fewer of these that come out lately. That is a bonus for one of the best modern supernatural anime. You get the background of Gojou. You get to see his friendship and falling out with Getou. You get the Shibuya Arc. You get to see the death of…ah-ah that would be telling too much. Watch out already for the third season. With all the action and plot hooks resolved in season two, there are already tugs for what is to come in season three. And yet, there isn’t enough supernatural power for “Jujutsu Kaizen” to be at number one. Well, my number one anime knows how to hide in plain sight…

At number one, I have “Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End”. I suppose there are a lot of people by now who are sick and tired of hearing just how great “Frieren” is. I. DON’T. CARE. If you aren’t watching this master elven mage, and her laid back adventures yet, you are missing out on one of the GREATEST anime of all time. Studio Madhouse has been quiet for a couple of years now. “Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End” puts them back on the competitive map by leaps and bounds. This anime is at the top of my anime list by a mile from its nearest competitor. Sure there was a quiet anticipation. It wasn’t going to be bad. But, I didn’t expect it to be this seminal anime that will be talked about for years to come. And just like Frieren herself, this anime will just look like it blends in the crowd. Don’t be fooled. Behind that nonchalant demeanor is a powerhouse anime that can give you all the magic you need for over a thousand years. After you use that power, you can sleep the entire day to recharge just like Frieren.

So, that’s my list for 2023. Agree with me? Disagree with me? Let me know in the comments. Thank you.

September 23, 2023 by metatron13

Top Ten Anime of Summer 2023

The summer season is top heavy with some great returning and new anime. That doesn’t mean that I didn’t get my fill of anime to watch. In fact, there was more than enough anime this season to keep me entertained. So, here is my list.

At number ten, I have ‘Helck’. This anime adaptation of the manga is a long time coming, and fans of the manga will surely appreciate this anime adaptation. Helck is a human who wants to be the next Demon King. Sounds a bit off, right? However, he has a gripe with the human kingdom, and that is the reason why he wants to be king: to overcome the humans. Of course, he has to prove himself to the demon populace including Vamirio aka Anne. Not only does Helck win the demon populace over, but he also is slowly winning over Anne’s trust. ‘Helck’ has a good mix of action, comedy, and fantasy. It can be a bit over the top most times, but that’s part of this anime’s charm.

At number nine, I have ‘Dark Gathering’. This is from OLM studios which is the same studio that came up with ‘Summertime Render’. Yayoi is a young girl who hunts the supernatural. Keitarou is an older boy who sees the supernatural. Eiko is around the same age as Keitarou who is cursed (like Keitarou) by the supernatural. Together they form a Scooby Doo-like Mystery Machine group that hunt down real supernatural threats. ‘Dark Gathering’ is primarily a horror anime with a dash of comedy. Even so, the comedy is rather dark. Yayoi is a nice protective friend to be around so long as you can accept her creepiness. This is as good a supernatural anime to watch this season as it gets.

Oliver, Nanao and their classmates of the Kimberly Magic Academy

At number eight, I have ‘Reign of the Seven Spellblades’. Think of Harry Potter, but with swords. That is the backdrop of this anime. The central characters are Oliver with his secrect mission, and Nanao a samurai with a unique ability. Together with their classmates, Michela, Katie, Pete, and Guy, the group go through the trials of studying, and surviving in Kimberly Magic Academy. Adding to the story are the mysterious seven spellblades which are regarded as the most powerful sword spells in all magic. Two of the characters mentioned know one each of these spells so far. Which ones? Watch the anime to find out.

(From Left to Right) Shizuku, Aya and Tsugaru

At number seven, I have ‘Undead Girl Murder Farce’. Boy did this anime slip under my initial viewing list. I was lucky enough to catch up with two episodes out, and it didn’t disappoint. Imagine a world where supernatural entities exist in the Victorian age. Now put three supernatural investigators from Japan into the mix. The lead character, Aya, is an immortal detective with only her head. Her assistant is Shizuku who is more bodyguard than maid. Then add Tsugaru, an immortal near invincible Oni to the mix, and you have a pretty entertaining mystery supernatural anime. ‘Undead Girl Murder Farce’ is a smart enough anime to make my summer top ten.

At number six, I have ‘My Happy Marriage’. I gambled on watching this anime. I rarely watch historical fiction. More so if the anime is romantic historical fiction. I’m happy I have the ‘three episode rule’ because this anime took off with the second episode for me. The kicker for me that made me continue watching ‘My Happy Marriage’ is that it has supernatural elements that weave seamlessly into the historical fiction. Some critics say that Kudou is just too perfect of a character. He’s not. He has his flaws though they are not prominent. Miyo on the other hand has so many red flags that her relationship with Kudou sort of balances out. Though, the central part of the story revolves around the mystery of Miyo’s parentage, and lack of supernatural ability…to a point. What do I mean? I can’t say much without spoiling it for those who haven’t seen the anime yet. I will say this, don’t let one of the best new anime of the summer slip through your fingers.

(From Left to Right) Yahiko, Sanosuke, Kenshin and Kaoru

At number five, I have ‘Rurouni Kenshin’. It didn’t take a lot to watch this remake by Liden Films of a seminal, and classic anime from the 90s. Add a stellar seiyuu cast which includes Rie Takahashi, and this was a no-brainer for me. It’s not just the nostalgia…it’s the message. Anti-war, kindness over force, change for the better…all of the above and more are the reasons why this anime is top notch for me. Of course, when you hear Kenshin say ‘Oro’, and see him being ‘bullied by Kaoru, you tend to realize that there is more to life than swordfighting. Oro?

At number four, I have ‘Zom 100: Bucketlist of the Dead’. This is the best new anime of the summer in my list. It’s about zombies, and the apocalypse that follows. The irony in this anime is apparent. Akira is a zombie slave in the corporation he works for prior to the zombie apocalypse. It is only during the apocalypse that he decides to live his life by coming up with a list of 100 things he wants to do before he becomes a zombie. The anime is full of dark humor, and can be pretty morbid most times. The first anime of Bug Films hits a home run, and this elevates expectations for other properties. There’s a live action movie of this that covers around untile episode seven of this anime. Keep going or you’ll miss Beatrix. If you don’t, then you’ll really be brain dead.

Jobless Reincarnation Promotional Poster

At number three, I have ‘Jobless Reincarnation’ aka ‘Mushoku Tensei’. I’m a bit disappointed that this anime isn’t higher on my list. It’s still pretty good, but not as good as the first season. For one, the second season has a standard opening sequence unlike the first season which incorporates the opening song to the introduction of the story. That, and the fact that we see a lot of ’emo’ Rudeus which can be a drag sometimes, and number three is just the right spot for ‘Jobless Reincarnation’. Highlights are the meeting of Sylphy, and Rudeus (somewhat), and the investigation of the mystery of the mass teleportation in season one. For ecchi fans, there’s enough of Elinalise Dragonroad to go around, if you know what I mean.

At number two, I have ‘Jujutsu Kaizen.’ The arc that everybody has been waiting to see is here: the history of Gojou, and Getou’s relationship. Also, you get to see Gojou pre-blindfold which I’m sure will make feminine anime fans swoon. The second season is getting better and better, and we are blessed with a two consecutive cour season. The Shibuya arc is already ongoing. So, if you want to see just how much MORE Gojou is op, here’s your chance. Not to mention, we get to see Mei Mei with voice actress Kotono Mitsuishi. ❤

At number one, and the best anime of the summer, I have ‘Bleach: Thousand Year Blood War’. We don’t see a lot of Ichigo, but we do see a lot of the other characters around. This is the strength of ‘Bleach’. This anime has not let up since its return with beautiful animation, excellent storytelling, and well-paced action. Too bad this season is only one cour long. I’m not sure if it’ll be the number one anime of the year with shows like Oshi No Ko going toe-to-toe with it. That’s a discussion for another time. For now, ‘Bleach’ is king of the summer hill. Engage Ichigo at your own peril.

So that’s my list. Agree with me? Disagree with me? Let me know in the comments.

January 23, 2023 by metatron13

My Returning Anime List of 2023

The anime season of 2023 is well underway, and there are some returning anime that I am looking forward to watching. These are anime that are coming back for a new season, or anime that get the benefit of a remake. I have an interesting mix here so let’s get this list going, shall we?

I’ll get these two out of the way: “Trigun: Stampede” and “Rurouni Kenshin“. Both anime are based on legendary 90s anime. Both have some controversy coming into 2023.

With “Trigun: Stampede” it’s the updated animation style and Vash’s hair. Yeah that change in hairdo has a lot of longtime fans in an uproar. Though the new anime can be enjoyed without watching the first installment, this new version of Trigun is pretty good, and can stand on its own merits based on the small sample size I’ve seen so far. This has already started in the winter season, and I’m sticking around to see where this story goes.

The new adaptation of “Rurouni Kenshin” has its share of controversy as well. The mangaka Nobuhiro Watsuki was arrested, and admitted to having in his possession child pornography DVDs in 2017. Now the uproar to boycott Watsuki’s work goes all the way back to his new Hokkaido Arc in the manga, and extends to the promotion of the live action movies. The clamor has been revived to boycott this new adaptation. In spite of the controversy, I’m all in with this anime. Let’s see if Kenshin, and company can add new followers to its existing fandom.

Chise, and Elias are back for the second season of “Ancient Magus Bride”. It’s been six long years for this anime to return, and many (myself included) have been waiting patiently for its return. Many of the main seiyuu cast are returning though Wit Studio is no longer animating this second season. Instead we have Studio Kafka handling the reigns of the new season. Kafka handled the OVA of “Ancinet Magus Bride” that came out last year, and if that’s any indication this will be another beautiful season. It’s already slated for an April 6 release in what is looking like a very entertaining spring season. More on that next.

Adding more excitement to the spring season is “Konosuba: An Explosion of this Wondeful World”. More Konosuba is good, and this new anime based on the original Konusuba centers on Megumin. Studio Deen is replaced by Drive for the animation chores, but Rie Takahashi is returning as Megumin with a new supporting cast of characters. So far, there is no mention of Kazuma or Aqua making an appearance in this series. I’m excited to see Megumin get into trouble on her own though.

Speaking of anime returning in the spring season, you can add season three of “Dr. Stone” to the list. A short film released last year sets the stage for the third season, and Senkuu will be crossing the high seas in search for answers to the stone transformation that affected the world. This is one of those anime that you can use if you’re teaching science classes. Add some action, and intrigue with the science; and you have the makings of an anime to look forward to viewing.

(From Left) Zenitsu, Inosuke, Tanjiro, and Nezuko

If the spring of 2023 isn’t stacked enough them maybe “Kimetsu No Yaiba” aka “Demonslayer” adding to the list of anime coming out in April will convince you otherwise. Now on its third season, I’m hoping that “Demonslayer” combines the storytelling of the first season with the animation of the second. Also, I hope this is a two cour season, and not one. With Tanjiro’s quest to repair his broken sword, I’m expecting this to be the cream of the crop for the spring. Of course, there is always room for surprises.

“Spy Family” is another upcoming anime that is scheduled to have not just its second season, but an anime movie in 2023. Wit Studio, and Cloveworks are still doing the animation. The same seiyuu cast is returning as well. There are no exact release dates for both the second season, and the movie though if it follows the pattern from last year, the second season should come out in the spring as well (what was I saying about the spring season being stacked?). Waku, waku.

Also on my returning list is “Our Last Crusade or the Rise of a New World”. This is one anime that I was watching that I didn’t expect to have a second season. I enjoyed this Rome and Juliet fantasy anime, but I wasn’t sure it was good enough to validate a return. I’m not complaining. Silver Link is returning to animate the second season. No release date yet, but this did come out in the fall of 2020. So I’ll be waiting eagerly when more news of this drops.

I love my fantasy anime, and “Goblin Slayer” season two is set to return in 2023. No release date yet. Silver Link has been replaced by Liden Films as the animation studio. It’s been five years since the first season. It’s been three years since the movie. In spite of the title, you don’t want to mess around with the slayer. True his specialty is goblins, but that doesn’t discount his skill. The anime also doesn’t hold back on the violence, and sadistic nature of goblins in the anime. I’m hoping this drops in the fall season, but we’ll see.

I only have four anime left on my returning list, and “Classroom of the Elite” season three is one of those three. It’s good to know that we don’t have to wait another five years to get a season three. Lerche will still be animating the new season, and since this has consistently come out druing the summer, I’m expecting the third season to follow suit. Follow the adventures of Ayanokouji as he unintentionally (or not) increases his harem while maintaining his low profile in an ultra-competitive high school. Yeah, I’m looking forward to more of his shenanigans.

We’re now down to my top three heavy hitters of 2023 returning anime. This brings me to “Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War” second season. This was my top anime of 2022 , and with the way it ended with the first season, you can be sure that there will be more explosive episodes by Studio Pierrot. I’d expect nothing less from Ichigo’s return in the spotlight. This is coming out in July. Guess what else is coming out in July for a heavyweight fight?

Not to be outdone, MAPPA is bringing the second season of “Jujutsu Kaizen” in July of 2023. Do you smell what I smell? Yep, it’s a heavyweight fight between two popular supernatural shonen anime. The wily veteran anime vs. the new breed. This will be fun, and it will only benefit the fans. Maybe we’ll get to see Itadori and Okkotsu together in the new season? Here’s wishing. This was was top anime of 2020. So the summer season will be truly supernatural.

Finally, to complete the trifecta, I have “Mushoku Tensei” aka “Jobless Reincarnation”. Rudeus and company are my top anime of 2021. I don’t know when this is coming out. There is no fixed date yet. Wouldn’t it be fun if it came out during the summer as well? Though it most likely will come out in the fall. With this anime’s return, I have my top anime of the past three years duking it out this year. I’ll worry about rankings by this year’s end. For now, I’ll just enjoy this list of returning anime of 2023.

How about you? Which anime are you excited to see returning? Let me know in the comments.

January 16, 2023 by metatron13

My Best Anime of 2022

So here we are at the beginning of a new year, and in the middle of the first month. Still good enough time for me to come up with my top ten anime of 2022. If you’re curious about my top fall anime of 2022, you can find it here. There are a couple on that fall list that make it to my Best Anime of the Year list. Which ones exactly? Read on to find out…

At number ten, I have ‘Lycoris Recoil’. A lot of people will remember this year for A-1 pictures because of ‘Kaguya Sama’. That anime is not on my list which would probably get the ire of many slice of life fans. ‘Lycoris Recoil’ is good enough to make my top ten, and as I always say, original anime have a special place in my heart. That’s not to say Chisato, Takina, and the rest of the staff of Cafe LycoReco are not entertaining. In fact, this dramedy of an anime is quite good, and reminds me a lot of how I was surprised with ’86‘. The second season is imminent, and it’s more of a question of ‘when’ than ‘how’. I’m looking forward to seeing more of Chisato dodging bullets with her spanking new heart.

At number nine, I have ‘Kimetsu No Yaiba’ aka ‘Demonslayer’. Arguably the anime with the best fight scene of the year, Ufotable continues not to disappoint with ‘Demonslayer’. My biggest complaint with this anime is that it only has one cour as compared to the first season’s double cour. That’s probably one of the reasons why Tanjiro and the rest of the demonslayers make it only to number nine on my list. With the new year, we are getting a season three of ‘Demonslayer’, and my hope is it holds up more in storytelling to season one with the much improved animation of season two. Let’s see what happens as Tanjiro tries to reforge his broken sword.

At number eight, I have ‘My Dress-Up Darling’. One of my surprise anime of 2022, I took a risk on this, and it lived up to the hype. Marin and Gojo have a very loyal manga following, and I’m glad to join them in the anime. This is yet another beautiful anime by Cloverworks which continues to impress with the eclectic nature of the properties under its wings. This romcom is a cosplayer, and phtographer’s dream come true. It’s also one of those anime wherein the good guy attracts the best girl of the 2022. Gojo, and Marin are lucky to have each other in their lives. How they decide to properly express their feelings towards each other is something that many fans are looking forward to happening…while getting a ton of laughs along the way.

At number seven, I have ‘Ya Boy Kongming!’. When you combine an isekai with an idol anime, this is what you get. The mentor-mentee (father-daughter?) relationship of Kongming, and Eiko is just downright inspiring to see. Kongming uses his knowledge of battle tactics ala Sun Tzu to help Eiko realize her dream of becoming a successful performer. The road to stardom is wrought with many challenges, and Kongming has so far provided the answers to each one of them Eiko faces. Needless to say, ‘Ya Boy Kongming!’ has one of the best set of anime songs of the year. Just like ‘My Dress-Up Darling’, I’m looking forward to seeing Eiko succeed in achieving her dream.

At number six, I have ‘Summertime Render’. Now this is one anime that was on my radar, but still caught me by surprise. Composed of two consecutive cours, this masterpiece from OLM will reward you for sticking around. It’s not that it didn’t have good episodes to start. It’s that in order to get to the better episodes you had to endure the good ones. Sounds confusing, right? Well, the biggest initial concern with me was that Shinpei was a bit wimpy at the beginning. It took me time to understand that it was all part of the beautiful development of the character into manhood. Albeit, man enough to be a match for the alpha female that is Ushio. If you like time travel, and myster anime, then this is the best one of the year for me.

At number five, I have ‘Made in Abyss’. It took five years for a second season of this anime to come out. Though a movie came in between, I needed a better fix deep into the Abyss with Riko, Reg, and Nanachi. Is it possible for the second season to actually be better than the first, and yet ‘Made in Abyss’ will most likely not win as many awards in the second season? I think that’s going to be the case. There are just so many excellent anime this year. That shouldn’t discredit the excellence that you find in the best Kinema Citrus anime of the year. There is news circulating that a new season is coming up, and I’m wondering how that will happen with just a few chapters left from the source material to animate. ‘Made in Abyss’ will make you sad, and sadder some more before providing you the hope it shares by season’s end. It’s pretty standard by now for the adventures of Riko as she searchers for her mom. Here’s hoping she finds her alive with a little help from Reg, and Nanachi.

At numbe four, I have ‘Ousama Ranking’ aka ‘Ranking of Kings’. Just like Cloverworks, Wit Studio has shown with this tale of deaf-dumb Bojji that it has a wide range of animation approaches. I’ve been rooting for Bojji since 2021, and this has carried over to last year. More so, the second cour of ‘Ousama Ranking’ puts Bojji and Kage in a more favorable position than the first. Bojji is really a character to my mind that’s worth rooting for. Sure Bojji is a prince, but that just underscores how misereable, and sad his live is to begin. There is no better anime on my list to inspire you in achieving greater heights in spite of overwhelming challenges than this one. Long live Bojji!!!

At number three, I have ‘Chainsaw Man’. Highly anticipated, and highly hyped, this anime lived up to the expectations. Though there’s something about studio MAPPA and its penchance for supernatural anime. Is it a coincidence that they made both ‘Chainsaw Man’ and ‘Jujutsu Kaizen‘? I think not. The big difference between Denji, and Itadori is that Denji is a true blue antihero. I’ve said this before already, Denji’s needs are very basic: food, women, and lodging. Can you blame him though? With an upbringing like his, it’s no wonder Makima can manipulate him the way she does. This also has my vote for best music of 2022. Of all the thirteen songs there is not a one worth ignoring. It’s just a question of choosing your favorite. No word yet on season two, but that is a sure as Reze appearing soon.

At number two, I have ‘Spy Family’. The Forger family was my frontrunner to be my anime of the year for 2022 but fell a bit short. Not its own fault, but rather due to the surprise, and excellence of what is at my number one spot. For now, let’s focus on ‘Spy Family’ which is a masterpiece of both Cloverworks (My Dress-Up Darling), and Wit Studio (Ousama Ranking). It’s really unfair to have a version of Bojji in Anya, Marin in Yor to combine with the suave super spy that is Loid Forger. There is no greater family anime on my list. There’s already a new season set for this year to go along with a movie. More Spy Family is always good. Also, more Anya means more peanuts.

At numer one, I have ‘Bleach: Thousand year Blood War’. A while a go I mentioned that ‘Made in Abyss’ took five years for the second season to come out. In the case of ‘Bleach’, it took studio Pierrot over ten years to come up with the latter portion of Ichigo’s saga. I was just happy to have this anime back with little expectation of it being good. Surprise, surprise…it has gone well beyond what I expected. Cinematic animation. Excellent Storytelling. Hightened Anticipation. Whatever those creators from Pierrot ate while making ‘Bleach’, keep feeding it to them. And, it appears that the best is yet to come. This makes ‘Bleach’ my Best Anime of 2022.

Do you agree with me? Disagree with me? Tell me what you think in the comments.

January 10, 2023 by metatron13

My Best Fall Anime of 2022

Welcome to my VERY late top anime of the fall season. I usually do this in the sixth or seventh episode mark. In fact, the rankings here are based on seventh episode viewings. In spite of that, I’m sticking to my guns with this list. So let’s begin so I can start writing my best anime of 2022 soon after.

Yang, Reinhard and Their Supporting Cast

At number ten I have ‘Legend of the Galactic Heroes’ from Production IG. This is a remake of one of the best space opera anime of all time. Personally, I prefer ‘Space Battleship Yamato’ over this. But, this doesn’t discount the fact that this is a pretty good anime. Good enough to make my top ten list for the fall season. I’ve always liked how General Yang and Emperor Reinhard do everything that they can to outwit each other in the galactic combat arena. Each is an excellent strategist in his own right. There will be more of this coming in the future. So if you like space operas without the mecha, you should look into this anime.

At number nine I have ‘Reincarnated as a Sword’. This is my father-daughter anime of the season with Shisou the intelligent teacher sword playing protective doting father to Fran, the black cat with a dream of evolving. This is a stereotypical isekai with Shishou being the overpowered reincarnated character. This anime is fun to watch, and Fran is just such a cute character to root for. Second season is already in the works. More of Fran, and Shishou is good.

At number eight I have ‘Urusei Yatsura’. I have a hidden agenda for supporting this anime. Sure it’s a Rumiko Takahashi classic. Sure it’s a remake. Because of this, I’m hoping that this will open the door for a remake of Ranma 1/2. This is no discredit to ‘Urusei Yatsura’. This is the root of all the wackiness that all other Takahashi works have to offer. Seriously though Ataru should open his eyes. Lum is easily the most attractive character in the series. That’s partly what makes this anime so funny. It’s got a full year cour as well so expect this anime to be around for a while. There’s only one other anime on my list that will be around as long. I’ll get to that much later.

At number seven I have ‘The Eminence in Shadow’. Shadow/Cid reminds me of what would happen if you combined Batman with the Venom Symbiote. The result is a VERY overpowered isekai character who creates two sets of harems for himself. One comes from the organization he helped create: Shadow Garden. The other harem comes from the group of fangirls who fall for poor ‘weakling’ Cid. This is an anime worth watching if only to hear the line: ‘I am atomic’. I also watch this anime all the way to the end because of the puzzle images of the female characters in the story. This anime shouldn’t be in the shadow of your anime list.

At number six I have ‘Mob Psycho’. This is the last season of this anime, and it is a fitting end to the adventures of Shigeo Kagayama aka Mob. I’m wondering who will take the banner of representing Studio Bones with ‘Mob Psycho’ ending. There’s a lot of drama here, and confessions from many characters. It’s hard to see such a great anime end, but it couldn’t have ended any better. Still, it wasn’t enough for ‘Mob Psycho’ to break into my top five. Primarily because of the anime at number five…

At number five I have ‘Bocchi the Rock’. When I first heard about this anime from Cloverworks, it radiated so much ‘K-On!’ vibes. True to form, ‘Bocchi the Rock’ is the second coming of ‘K-On!’ This might be sacrilege, and I do love ‘K-On!’, but it even does so many things a lot better. I ended up cheering for Bocchi aka Hitori Gotou to overcome her social anxiety. And she overcomes her difficulty a lot earlier than Komi. ‘Bocchi the Rock’ also has an excellent set of anime music that I love to listen to again, and again. This is one of the surprise anime of the fall season for me. I didn’t expect it to make my top ten yet here it is.

At number four I have ‘Golden Kamuy’. This is also the last season of ‘Golden Kamuy’, and it joins ‘Mob Psycho’ in waving goodbye. I’m not a big fan of historical fiction, but ‘Golden Kamuy’ is an exception to that. Never underrated but sorely underappreciated, the factual elements mixed with the quest of Asirpa, and Sugimoto to find the lost gold make this anime rank high on my list. Note that this is a mature viewer anime with some adult themes. Regardless, this is one of my favorite anime to watch whenever it’s around. Sadly, the anime got delayed mid-season because of the death of one of the production staff members. The silver (golden?) lining there is that I get to enjoy this anime a bit longer before it ends.

At number three I have ‘Spy Family’. My pick for anime of the year when it came out falls short of number one for the fall season. The entertainment value of ‘Spy Family’ has plateaued, and the reason why I could not put it at number one for the fall season. It’s still pretty good, and funny nonetheless. How could you not adore the Forger Family? This is a masterpiece by Wit Studio and Cloverworks. There’s already news of a new season coming in 2023, and a movie. If you aren’t watching this anime yet, it’s high time you join the peanut gallery. Anya would even join you.

At number two I have ‘Chainsaw Man’. This was a much heralded, and anticipated anime of the fall season. It didn’t disappoint. Studio MAPPA has another winner here on the heels of ‘Jujutsu Kaizen‘. There are a lot of similarities between ‘Chainsaw Man’ and ‘Jujutsu Kaizen’. The big difference is the mature content, and dark comedy that you find in ‘Chainsaw Man’. MAPPA pulled out all stops with ‘Chainsaw Man’ providing it with a different ending song for each of its episodes. That’s not to say the opening song is nothing to crow about. I keep saying this…Denji reminds me of Pepe Samson from the novel, ‘Mass’ by F. Sionil Jose. His needs are very basic. He’s your heroic anti-hero if that makes any sense. This would’ve been my number one anime of the fall season if not for a surprising returning anime…

At number one I have ‘Bleach: Thousand Year Blood War’. I was happy to see the return of ‘Bleach’ after a loooong hiatus. Whatever it looked like, I was going to watch it. Imagine my surprise when studioe Pierrot apparently pulled out all the stops to provide us a cinematic masterpiece for EACH of the episodes that have come out. WOW. If you’re worried that there are too many episodes to jump into this anime, don’t worry. You can start watching form the first episode of ‘Bleach: Thousand Year Blood War’, and not worry about what came before. It’s also going to be sticking around a while with a set year cour episode list. Ichigo and the rest of Soul Society are back; and back with a vengeance.

Agree with my list? Disagree? Let me know in the comments.

Obskura And Then Some

Where I write my thoughts on mostly geeky pop culture stuff that interests me…and then some.

Tag Archives: Bleach