The Anime Corner News (ACN) team is back to fulfill the seasonal tradition of sharing their favorites from the Fall 2024 anime season. As always, this list is not a ranking (of the anime or the writers) and does not represent hard facts – it is simply our own opinions written down for fun. And so without further ado, let’s see what the ACN team enjoyed:
Negative Positive Angler – JP
Anime and fishing are directly responsible for my continued existence on this godforsaken rock. So, I appreciate an anime about fishing even when it doesn’t fully meet my expectations. And that’s the case with Negative Positive Angler. Even though I have plenty of gripes about it, it’s my favorite new show of the season. I wish it had been more consistent with its plot, and I’m still upset that they never really covered the different kinds of reels/rods. I also wish the character art had been more appealing. But, despite all of that, this was the show I enjoyed the most. It had plenty of enjoyable moments, and it was appreciated seeing fishing basics be touched upon. It’s definitely a show I’ll rewatch plenty of times in the future.
However, I’m going to cheat on my Anime of the Season pick and include two shows. I’ll do so whenever a long-running show airs alongside newcomers since I don’t think it’s fair to compare them, especially when one of the long-running shows is one of my favorites, like DanMachi. This was the one show I made sure to watch the day it aired. I’m usually averse to hero-type shows. Yet DanMachi captivated me from its first season. It’s able to eloquently blend everything from a pure-hearted MC, to tender moments, heavy action, and lewdness. Season 5 followed that tried-and-true method and made it all the better.
DAN DA DAN – Tamara
I knew DAN DA DAN would be a hit the moment I read the first volume of the manga. But, the anime adaptation went above and beyond. Science SARU makes sure everything they do is unique in a way and this was no exception. Everything from the character writing to theme songs and even the random jokes was perfectly executed.
I had my doubts when Jiji was introduced but they managed to pull it off by throwing in the humor. Wasn’t a big fan of the creepy aliens, but I think it fits the story well. Overall, I can’t wait for the second season. 
Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War Part 3 – Brett
I’ll be honest – Fall 2024 has been a letdown for me. Compared to last year when Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End was lighting up my screen with phenomenal music, acting, visuals, and storytelling, the end of 2024 is trickling to a sad, sputtering stop. A metaphor for the year itself, I fear. That said, out of the final anime to grace our screens this year, I have been continually pleased by Bleach: TYBW Part 3 and the sheer love that Studio Pierrot puts into every episode.
Far and away my favorite “OG” anime, Bleach is on a generational comeback, managing to revive interest in the “Big Three” and even outclass the children and grandchildren series it inspired. Sure, anime storytelling has evolved since the Thousand-Year Blood War arc hit the shelves a decade ago, but Tite Kubo’s legendary designs, coupled with Studio Pierrot’s distinctive lighting choices make for delightful screenshots and enjoyable watching. If nothing else, seeing devilishly handsome (and mastermind schemer) Sosuke Aizen back on-screen is worth the price of admission alone.
365 Days to the Wedding – Dali
Anime romcoms sometimes seem to forget that adults also meet and fall in love and that not every person finds love in high school. Therefore, I am always happy to watch a romance anime set in a mature setting.
Not only does 365 Days to the Wedding tackle the difficulties of a love story in an office setting, but it also does so with a lovable cast of characters while depicting believable office relationship dynamics. All of this made 365 Days to the Wedding an enjoyable watch, but what makes it exceptional is the main couple, who are a very nice mix of relatable, cute, and lovable as well as quirky in a way that enhances their dynamic while allowing for comic relief. 365 Days to the Wedding is one of the best romance animes to come out this year, and it is my anime of the season.
Orb: On the Movements of the Earth – Eric
Orb: On the Movements of the Earth may not have the amazing animation of so many other anime from this fall such as Bleach or Mecha-Ude, but it’s the Fall 2024 poster child for the argument that a great story can trump great production. A historical drama based around religion and astronomy with fantastic plot twists that possess the capability of making the viewer love every new character it introduces? I’m almost 600 anime deep and have never seen anything like it.
The manga, with below-average artwork, won awards for a reason because the story is just that damn good. Orb should not just win Anime of the Season for Fall 2024, it should win “Best Adaptation” at the yearly awards as well. Another studio MADHOUSE gem and we still have an entire second cour to go.
Puniru Is a Kawaii Slime – Bushido
In this article, I defined my Anime of the Season as entertainment which has kept me most curious to know every week until the end. As my fellow writers’ picks go, this season has shown us wonderful shows. For me, it was Puniru Is a Kawaii Slime that won me. Puniru the slime recognizes themselves as Kawaii and goes on to be more Kawaii. Especially because a middle school boy Kotaro Kawai, who happened to create Puniru in this world when he was little, stopped calling them in the way. The reason will be revealed as the story unfolds. Other than the Kawaii comedic story, you can enjoy a lot of looks Puniru transforms, the voice actress’s skills (Yu Sasahara also sings the opening and the ending songs as the character, and the latter is a covered song, Ado’s “Show”), and unique characters around them in 12 episodes. Oh, the anime is getting a sequel so the number should go up. Thank you for reading my pick, and hopefully you can give it a chance!
You can skip this paragraph because I just want to tell a side story: Puniru is a Kawaii Slime was not originally on my watchlist and was added in a unique way. I usually check my anime on the Japanese streaming platform, Niconico, but it was unavailable there. Simply, it wouldn’t make it on my anime list, but the tides turned when the anime (all 7 episodes at the time) was suddenly added to the library in the middle of the season. It turned out to be a good hook on the platform where most shows update every week for free and previous episodes become paid content. That’s how Puniru Is a Kawaii Slime started to grow on me.
Love Live! Superstar!! Season 3 – Ken
I’ve been a Love Live! fan for almost a decade, and seeing another generation’s anime conclusion has once again left me in tears. This time, however, the journey with Liella felt more special than ever. Starting with just five members, the first season of Love Live! Superstar!! took me by surprise at how amazing it was to the point that it became my Anime of the Year in 2021. While the second season didn’t quite meet the bar set by the first, the third season not only redeemed the second season and surpassed the first, but it may as well be the best season across any Love Live generation.
Love Live! Superstar!! Season 3 elevated the franchise’s storytelling so much. Each Liella member’s story was well-fleshed out beautifully. What I love the most about the narrative is that it wasn’t just about the graduation, another school-saving arc, or winning the Love Live competition. Instead, it was also about leaving behind a legacy. School idols aren’t just about singing, dancing, and being cute—they inspire fans and pave the way for future idols. And Love Live! Superstar!! Season 3 exactly did just that: to make everyone believe and dream. There are no other titles that resonated with me this season which is why Love Live! Superstar!! Season 3 was an easy pick as my top anime this fall 2024 season.
BLUE LOCK Season 2 – Marko
I definitely didn’t think I’d be writing this at the start of the season, but BLUE LOCK Season 2 ended up being the anime that brought the most entertaining watch on a weekly basis. It may be due to the lack of much competition (or me just not watching enough shows), though I think more of it is just me preferring a soccer story to the more “serious” ones.
I enjoyed both DAN DA DAN and BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War, and they clearly had a significantly higher level of production. However, BLUE LOCK Season 2 managed to make the big moments stand out despite everything and slowly redeemed itself as it got into the latter half. It finally peaked with the finale, which finally gave us a glimpse of the true potential and made me certain that I didn’t enjoy anything more this season (not even the incredible Orb: On the Movements of the Earth).
DAN DA DAN – Carla
She believes in ghosts, he believes in aliens, and me? I believe in love at first episode. With the perfect blend of humor and horror, DAN DA DAN comes as a uniquely fun and bizarre anime that is too enjoyable not to appreciate. I read the manga before this so I was excited to see how Science SARU would take it as their own. As it turns out, I absolutely loved it! From the music, animation, voice acting, the playful color choices, the wild turn of events, the interesting trivia, and so forth. As much as my romcom-fangirl-self enjoyed Yakuza Fiance, I think this shonen wins it for me. Picking my top Anime of the Fall 2024 season was easy — DAN DA DAN just has so many iconic and unforgettable moments.
And that’s it for ACN’s top picks from the Fall 2024 anime season! What was your favorite? The new year is here and the Winter 2025 anime season is officially starting! Make sure to check out the teams’ seasonal reviews. Don’t forget to also vote for your favorites on our weekly polls! Happy New Year!
Featured Image:
©Yukinobu Tatsu/SHUEISHA, DANDADAN Production Committee
© Uoto / Shogakukan / “Orb: On the Movements of the Earth” Production Committee
© TITE KUBO / SHUEISHA, TV TOKYO, dentsu, Pierrot
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