The year saw a wide range of unconventional anime, from emotional stories about ghosts (ep 7 of Dandadan) to delinquents teaching the philosophy of life (Wind Breaker). There was much to look forward to in the year and shows like Solo Leveling and Thousand Year Blood War followed through. While big releases like One Piece and Demon Slayer have been constant, they have been left out to list some smaller anime films/shows that deserve the spotlight. Here are the best anime releases of 2024;
The Apothecary Diaries
Set in a historical world of kings and queens, the show follows Maomao, a young apothecary who is kidnapped and sold into servitude in the emperor's palace. She there gets a chance to work with a minister/officer, who plans to use her ability to close unusual cases in and around the palace.
Wind Breaker
The show follows a first-year student named Haruka Sakura who enrolls in Furin High School, a school known for its students who resolve conflicts through physical strength. While it is an unusual show about delinquents fighting, it focuses on themes like the meaning of life, loyalty, brotherhood and more.
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Dandadan
The blend of sci-fi and horror in the show has turned it into one of the highest ranked debuts of the year. It follows Okaru and Momo Ayase, two high school students who are forced to believe in aliens and magic (ghosts) as they come face to face with newer phenomenons every other day.
Frieren: Beyond Journey's End
The part two of the show was released in 2024, though it was different than the melancholy tone of season 1, it continued to rank highest, due to great writing, and direction. While it does continue on the simple tone of the story, the characters have engaged in more fights turning it into a typical action anime. It follows an Elf, who long past (100s of years) her hero's journey is trying to keep their memories alive while also making new ones with newer companions.
Delicious In Dungeon
The show follows a group of adventurers who explore a dungeon to rescue a fallen sister from a dragon. Season two brought a new element to the show which caught the attention of anime fans. Apart from high stakes, the show is best known for its wholesome plot, which explores how the adventurers manage to scavenge food in the inhabitable environment of the Dungeon.
Thousand Year Blood War
Bleach follow-up season saw a new release this year, and it continues to remain top top-ranked show year after year. The series follows a soul reaper who has to take own the Quincy king before he destroys the balance between our world and the afterlife, ending all essence of life in itself.
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Look Back
The film tells the story of Ayumu Fujino, a young manga artist who is driven by rivalry and friendship with a reclusive classmate and strives to improve her craft. Apart from its art style, the emotional theme of the film with a time travel element added charm to the plot making it a fan favourite.
Solo Leveling
The show based on a webtoon aka Manhwa became a fan favourite thanks to its strong characters and world-building which also matched its crazy animation. It follows Sung Jin Woo, in a world where portals opened up on Earth bringing out monsters, but it also brought powers to humans turning them into hunters. Unfortunately, Sung Jin Woo in weakest hunter to ever exist, until he gets a second chance at his deathbed.
Sign Of Affection
Based on a manga of the same name, the show follows the story of a deaf girl who wishes to see the world and falls for a guy out of her league. In turn, he falls for her, as he wants to see the world she belongs to, through her eyes. The adorable art style and characters, made it a fan favourite this season.
Mashle
The show became an overnight success after the opening sequence of the show by Creepy Nuts went viral. The show follows the story about a young man named Mash Burnedead who attends Easton Magic Academy despite lacking magical abilities. Mash is physically strong but lives in a world where magic is everything, still, he aims to show that muscle can beat magic.