Top 10 Most Anticipated Anime of 2023

Edens Zero is a sci-fi adventure anime based on a manga series first released in 2018, created by the award-winning author and illustrator Hiro Mashima. The story is set in a universe where space travel is possible, and it follows Shiki Granbell, a young man raised by robots on a deserted amusement planet, who has the ability to manipulate gravity. Shiki leaves his home after meeting Rebecca Blue Garden and her companion Happy, embarking on a journey through the cosmos aboard the Edens Zero spaceship—a ship Shiki inherits from his ancestors. Together with his crew, they search for a mysterious figure known as 'Mother,' said to be the goddess of the universe.

Continuing the themes of friendship, family, and epic battles from Fairy Tail, Edens Zero takes these elements into a new direction as the truth about 'Mother' unfolds. The 'Mother' can only be saved in the Zero Universe, the nexus of all parallel universes. The crew uses Etherion to travel back in time to the Zero Universe, where they live altered lives with no memory of past events, preparing for their final showdown with Edens One. The first season of the anime was produced by JC Staff, directed by Shinji Ishihara. The second season premiered in April 2023.

DETAILS:

Author: Hiro Mashima

Directors: Shinji Ishihara, Yūji Suzuki, Toshinori Watanabe

Release Date: April 2023

Konosuba: An Explosion On This Wonderful World! is the latest addition to the Konosuba franchise, which has already been adapted into two full anime seasons and a movie. This spinoff series focuses on the chaotic Archwizard, Megumin. The story follows Megumin during her school days at the Magic Academy in her hometown, the Crimson Demon Village. Viewers will get a glimpse into her interactions with her rival/friend Yunyun and other students at the academy. She will also face unexpected troubles with the Dark God, and, most importantly, we will see how Megumin acquired the most powerful offensive magic in the world—Explosion Magic.

Unlike previous seasons, this spinoff, along with the upcoming third season of Konosuba, is produced by Drive, the studio behind the second season of To Your Eternity and the Uzumaki anime adaptation by Junji Ito. Just like the original series, this spinoff is based on the light novel titled Konosuba: An Explosion On This Wonderful World!. Before being adapted into an anime, the light novel was first turned into a manga. If you're curious about the story and can't wait for the anime release, you can always read the light novel or manga in the meantime.

DETAILS:

Author: Natsume Akatsuki

Director: Yujiro Abe

Release Date: April 5, 2023

Attack on Titan is a Japanese manga that has established itself as one of the most successful anime franchises of the past decade. Written and illustrated by Hajime Isayama, the series achieved both critical acclaim and commercial success. By September 2022, over 110 million copies had been sold, making it one of the best-selling manga series of all time. It has also won several prestigious awards, including the Kodansha Manga Award, the Attilio Micheluzzi Award, and the Harvey Award. Attack on Titan was named among the "Top 25 Anime of the 2010s" by Crunchyroll, and it has been featured in similar lists by IGN and Polygon.

Attack On Titan has been praised for its unique storyline, exceptional animation, diverse characters, and dark tone. Set in a world where humanity is forced to live within enormous walls to protect themselves from colossal humanoid creatures known as Titans, the anime follows Eren Yeager, who vows to eliminate the Titans after they destroy his hometown and kill his mother. The third and final season of the series will be released in two parts; the first part premiered in March 2023, with the second part set to debut later in 2023.

DETAILS:

Author: Hajime Isayama

Director: Araki Tetsurō

Release Date: March 2023

KonoSuba is one of Japan's most famous isekai anime franchises. The story revolves around Kazuma Satou, who is transported to a fantasy world featuring MMORPG elements. He forms an unusual adventuring party with a goddess, a powerful mage, and a crusader. Although Kazuma is granted a special item or ability for this new world, he chooses to bring Aqua along, only to discover her lack of competence. Aqua cannot return to the afterlife until the Demon King is defeated, so the two of them form a team and recruit two more members: Megumin, a mage obsessed with explosions, and Darkness, a masochistic crusader.

Konosuba is based on a spinoff from the original light novel series created by Natsume Akatsuki and Masahito Watari. This prequel series has been active for nearly a decade and is now being adapted into an anime to coincide with the 10th anniversary of the KonoSuba franchise. This spinoff shares both similarities and key differences with the main story, offering both new viewers and long-time fans an exciting way to explore this wonderful world when it streams later this year.

DETAILS:

Author: Natsume Akatsuki

Director: Takaomi Kanasaki

Release Date: April 2023

Jujutsu Kaisen is a highly popular Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Gege Akutami. Serialized in Shueisha's Weekly Shonen Jump since March 2018, the series has been collected into 22 tankōbon volumes as of March 2023. The story follows Yuji Itadori, an unusually strong high school student who becomes an apprentice jujutsu sorcerer at Tokyo Jujutsu High after accidentally becoming the host of Ryomen Sukuna, a powerful cursed spirit intent on regaining his physical form and conquering the human world.

The anime adaptation of Jujutsu Kaisen, licensed by Crunchyroll for streaming outside Asia, debuted with its English dub in November 2020. Following the release of Jujutsu Kaisen 0, a prequel film centered on a jujutsu sorcerer trainee named Yuta, the second season of the anime was announced and is set to release in July 2023. This new season will include the Gojo's Past arc, focusing on Satoru Gojo's second-year as a student at Jujutsu High, and the Shibuya Incident arc, which picks up the events following the first season's conclusion.

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Author: Hiroshi Seko

Directors: Sung Hoon Park, Gosho Zono

Release Date: July 2023

Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War is a Japanese anime television series based on Tite Kubo's manga Bleach and serves as a direct continuation of the Bleach anime. It has been ten years since the original Bleach anime aired, and while the series ran for over 300 episodes, it never fully adapted the storyline of Kubo's original manga. Instead, the anime introduced original 'filler' storylines to bridge gaps in continuity between the anime and manga.

The Bleach manga concluded in 2016 with a satisfying ending, while the anime wrapped up prematurely in 2014 with the lost Shinigami arc. However, with Bleach turning 20, the anime is now being revived with its final arc, Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War, which follows Ichigo Kurosaki into an epic battle against the all-powerful Yhwach. This new series is set to premiere on October 10 this year and will adapt the manga's final arc for viewers. If you're a devoted Bleach fan, this is undoubtedly one of the most highly anticipated anime releases of the year!

DETAILS:

Author: Tite Kubo

Director: Tomohisa Taguchi

Release Date: October 10, 2023

Demon Slayer is one of Japan's most popular manga series, written and illustrated by Koyoharu Gotouge. The anime adaptation has won numerous awards and is considered one of the best anime of the 2010s. With two seasons and the Mugen Train movie, Demon Slayer has solidified itself as a must-watch shounen series with plenty of adventures still to come. Fans of shounen anime won't want to miss the Swordsmith Village Arc, which introduces several Hashira and Demon Moons. Tanjiro Kamado and his friends visit a secluded village where the Nichirin swords are forged, where Tanjiro will encounter new allies and enemies.

The Swordsmith Village Arc doesn't focus on standout characters, a departure from seasons 1 and 2, although Tanjiro remains the central figure. Many new characters, including masked swordsmiths and the Mist Hashira, Michiro Tokito, along with the Love Hashira, Mitsuri Kanroji, will join Tanjiro in fighting demons. The most significant moment in this arc is the defeat of Ryutaro, the first of the Twelve Kizuki to be killed in over a century, sparking the assembly of the Upper Moons at the Infinity Fortress, which sets the stage for the Swordsmith Village arc.

DETAILS:
Author: Koyoharu Gotouge
Director: Haruo Sotozaki
Release Date: April 9, 2023

Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation Season 2 is one of the most anticipated and beloved anime releases of 2023. The story follows a jobless and hopeless man who dies after living a sad and reclusive life, only to be reincarnated in a fantasy world with his memories intact. Determined to live his new life without regret, he adopts the name Rudeus Greyrat. Originally published as a web novel on Shōsetsuka ni Narō and later adapted into a printed version by Media Factory, with illustrations by Shirotaka.

Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation has gained immense popularity and success, with the web novel topping Syosetu’s rankings. Since its expansion into a franchise starting in 2014, the series has sold over 10 million copies worldwide as of February 2022. The first season of the anime received critical acclaim from both critics and fans, being hailed as one of the best anime of 2021 and winning several awards. Following the success of season 1, season 2 of Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation has been eagerly awaited by audiences and is set to debut this year.

DETAILS:
Author: Rifujin na Magonote
Directors: Manabu Okamoto, Hiroki Hirano
Release Date: July 2023

One of the most anticipated spy-themed anime series of spring 2022 has finally been adapted into a full-fledged anime, becoming one of the most awaited shows of 2023. Spy X Family is set amidst the intense information warfare between the Westalis and Ostania empires. The story follows a top-tier spy from Westalis who must build a fake family for an undercover mission, unaware that his adopted daughter is a psychic and his wife, whom he agreed to marry, is a deadly assassin. Spy X Family has gained massive popularity, with fans raving about its finely balanced plot, quirky characters, and top-tier animation.

The anime adaptation of Spy X Family is produced by Wit Studio and CloverWorks, first airing on TV Tokyo and affiliate networks in April of last year. It is licensed by Muse Communication in Asia and Crunchyroll globally. The second season, featuring the remaining 13 episodes, is set to air later this year. With its heartfelt storylines and deep moral themes, Spy X Family is a multi-layered tale that perfectly blends a family comedy with thrilling action, mystery, and violence.

DETAILS:
Author: Tatsuya Endo
Director: Kazuhiro Furuhashi
Release Date: Season 2, October 2023

Bungou Stray Dogs is an anime adaptation based on the manga of the same name. Upon its release, the series gained widespread popularity in Japan, with over 4.1 million copies sold. Produced by Studio BONES, it made its debut on Tokyo MX and other networks. The anime follows Atsushi Nakajima, a man with the ability to transform into a tiger. He joins a group of individuals with supernatural powers, handling various tasks, from managing a business to solving mysteries and even working for the mafia. Bungou Stray Dogs is a prime example of a supernatural series featuring a team of uniquely talented individuals with distinct personalities.

The final episode of Bungou Stray Dogs season four wrapped up the Sky Casino Arc, with the Armed Detective Agency working to uncover the location of a missing item. As Atsushi finally discovers its whereabouts, the stage is set for Bungou Stray Dogs: Season 5 to kick off the Kamui Apocalypse Arc. Expect a large-scale battle with Kamui in the first few episodes of the next season. Bungou Stray Dogs can be classified as a thrilling mystery series, with its intriguing plot and exceptional characters. The detailed character development highlights both their exaggerated expressions and humorous traits.

DETAILS:
Author: Kafka Asagiri
Director: Takuya Igarashi
Release Date: July 2023