Winter 2023 is behind us and as we prepare for the upcoming spring and season of love, we at Anime Corner News decided to pick our favorites of the past season. As always, this is just a fun little list picked by our writers and contributors since we leave the picking of the Anime of the Season to the voters on our polls.
Keep in mind that this list was chosen by some of the Anime Corner News writers (and dev) and that it in no way represents hard facts – it is simply our own opinions written down for fun. There is no ranking (of the anime or the writers) and the titles below are not in a particular order. So without any further ado, let’s see what the ACN team enjoyed the most this season!
Trigun Stampede excelled on all fronts of both storytelling and animation. What was once originally looked down upon for its 3D animation ended up becoming one of the best anime series I’ve ever had the pleasure of witnessing. While the Winter 2023 season had its fair share of great series, Trigun Stampedeleaped well above the rest of the pack to me. And despite not once making it in the top 10 for our polls, the fans that did watch it will always appreciate the incredible work that Studio Orange put into making this gem of an anime series.
Bungo Stray Dogs was amazing this season! Every episode was very thrilling to watch and I can’t even start to describe how crazy of a roller coaster ride it was. The supernatural action, the mystery, the mind games, the intense emotions (oh gosh, the emotions), and how it all just develops throughout everyone’s own stories – it’s incredible and so very well-written. Sometimes I know I can’t keep up with all the literary metaphors and whatnot, but I really like how the story is clever like this. The ability to blend the past and present is what makes its narrative so compelling. And even after four seasons, it continues to deliver.
I actually also admit that I really enjoyed Sugar Apple Fairy Tale too with its light-hearted romance (and cough, Challe), but perhaps my nostalgia is also what makes Bungo Stray Dogs the one for me this season. As a light novel and manga reader many years ago, nothing can describe the joy of seeing these pages wonderfully transformed into animation with voices and music. It is an absolute treat, and I cannot wait for the new season.
In such a drama and romance-filled season, nothing stands out more in blending the two genres together other than The Magical Revolution of the Reincarnated Princess and the Genius Young Lady. Almost every aspect of the show broke the limits of my expectations – the animation was surprisingly stunning, the voice acting was phenomenal, the characterization was immensely engaging, and the writing was paced in such a great manner. Whenever Shingo Tamaki was at the helm of storyboarding and directing the episode, the quality was beyond what I can imagine. Sayaka Senbongi and Manaka Iwami also put out soulful performances as Anis and Euphie, which made me sympathize with the characters even more.
While I still believe that Onimai had a better production overall, the writing of The Magical Revolution made this series my anime of the season. It’s not just the chemistry between Anis and Euphie that made me love the series but everyone in the cast had such an impact on me, especially Algard who had the best story in the anime. Studio Diomedea isn’t well known for its flashy visuals and excellent pacing, however, they outdid themselves with this one.
The first installment of Attack on Titan’s finale was not technically a TV anime but we did get about three episodes worth of content in it. I forgot how much I love this series and seeing the story slowly come to an end after ten years is amazing. A big plus for Hange’s spotlight moment.
Not having watched many shows this season, VINLAND SAGA Season 2 was an easy pick. Despite a lack of action, I enjoyed seeing Thorfinn’s growth as a character and his interactions with Einar in the new season. While it feels like the first part only set up what’s coming in the second, I can still confidently call it my anime of the Spring 2023 season.
I was tempted to give The Angel Next Door Spoils Me Rotten my pick for the top anime of Winter 2023, but Trigun Stampede really caught me by surprise. I watched the anime from the perspective of someone who isn’t familiar with the original anime or the manga, and it still managed to capture my heart.
The beauty of Trigun Stampede wasn’t just about one single aspect of the series, it was everything it had to offer. From how the setting and places were properly depicted, the actions scenes so fluid (thanks to the mastery of those at Studio Orange), as well as the storyline and music blending together to create this season’s masterpiece. Watching the series made me relate especially to Vash and his pacifist mindset. There was something bittersweet about his journey that was so relatable on a deeper level that I couldn’t help but gush over even irrelevant speeches he did. And how could I forget? The opening “TOMBI” by Kvi Baba was one of my favorite theme songs from last season. Not only it was such a bop, but its lyrics really spoke to Vash’s personality and desire to continuously save others – even if it costs him his life.
And that’s it from us! Once again, these are just titles that we enjoyed and think deserve praise. Until next time!
What was your favorite anime of the Winter 2023 season?