Here is anime’s best offering this year, so far 

Let us talk about the best anime to come out of 2023, so far.

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba exceeded every expectation. The Entertainment District Arc (Season 3) pits Tanjiro Kamado against two Upper-Rank demons. It also introduces two more Hashira (Muichiro Tokito the Mist Hashira and Mitsuri Kanroji the Love Hashira).

The animation is out of this world. Like season two, the third season is one long fight, but you learn so much about the Hashira, and a surprising twist occurs at the end.

I’m hesitant to mention Ranking of Kings: The Treasure Chest of Courage, because the first season was a masterpiece. The Treasure Chest of Courage is a collection of short stories that occur during Prince Boji’s training in the underworld, shortly before the third act of the first season.

I don’t know who they made these side stories for, because they bored me to tears. But that should not discourage you from giving them a shot. Just lower your expectations.

Hell’s Paradise is awesome. The anime follows Gabimaru, an infamous ninja assassin that undertakes a perilous journey to a mystical island to retrieve a magical elixir that grants eternal life.

But Gabimaru is merely one among numerous convicts the emperor has deployed on the mission. The winner receives a full pardon for his crimes.

Gabimaru is determined to succeed because it means returning to his loving wife alive. But the island is hell on earth, inhabited by grotesque creatures fighting tooth and nail to kill them all. And unfortunately for Gabimaru, turning back is not an option.

Accompanying each convict is an executioner waiting to kill them if they disobey the emperor’s commands. People watch Hell’s Paradise for the crazy action, crisp animation, and bizarre monster designs.

I can’t bring myself to endorse Mashle: Magic and Muscles, but it would not be fair to leave the show off this list because people love it. The anime is basically Harry Potter. They have parodied every aspect of J.K. Rowling’s franchise, from the school to the characters and even the game of Quidditch.

Here’s the twist. The protagonist has incredible strength but no magic. While his fellow students practice their spells, Mash goes to the gym and pumps iron. Mashle: Magic And Muscles is not bad. I would call it average. However, it has a passionate fanbase.

Summer Time Rendering has great potential. Shinpei, the protagonist, returns home to bury his childhood friend, Ushio, who supposedly drowned. But Shinpei is not convinced that Ushio’s death was an accident.

Summer Time Rendering initially resembles a romantic slice-of-life. But it takes several unexpected turns. If you like supernatural thrillers with exciting cliffhangers, this is the show for you. Should I say it? Okay; Vinland Saga Season 2 was good.

Yes, the show changes drastically. Gone is the insanely violent Viking saga from the first season. Thorfinn is older and wiser. That psychopathic revenge-fueled kid from previous years is gone.

This new Thorfinn is kinder and gentler. He regrets the lives he took during his childhood, which is why he rejects violence
in all its forms. So naturally, the second season is slower and less action-oriented. But the story is excellent. That said, season 2 feels like a completely different show.

I will be that annoying guy and say the Blue Lock manga is better than the anime. However, the adaptation is still one of the most electrifying shows you will watch all year (if you haven’t read the manga).

I have not seen the Trigun reboot (Trigun Stampede). After Samurai X, I am far from optimistic. But I have heard plenty of praise for the show. I may check it out in a few weeks. These are the best anime I have come across so far in 2023. What about you?

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