With the new anime season in full swing its time for us to give you our early impressions on many of the series airing this season. From Science fiction to fantasy, from high adventure to slice of life, our Winter Anime 2024 Round-Up touches on something for everyone. Enjoy!
Metallic Rouge (Metarikku Rûju)
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Animation Studio: Bones
Synopsis: Rouge Redstar and her partner Naomi search Mars for a group of androids called The Immortal Nine. But mysteries abound as the duo dive deeper into the truth of the prey.
What Works: Metallic Rouge centers its narrative on the great chemistry of its leading duo. The two play off each other wonderfully. Combined with the slowly revealed secrets kept in the larger plot this series delivers lots of depth.
What Doesn’t: With the action taking a backseat to the narrative, this entry on our Winter Anime 2024 Round-Up may develop a bit too slowly for some anime fans who might show up looking for more action than this series is willing to commit to.
Odds of Success: High
Check out our episodic coverage here.
Cherry Magic! Thirty Years of Virginity Can Make You a Wizard (Sanjusai made Dotei Da to Mahotsukai ni Nareru rashii)
Animation Studio: Satelight
Synopsis: Adachi’s 30th birthday as a virgin came with the oddest gift—the ability to read the mind of anyone he touches. Pondering what to do with this mysterious power, he gets a lead when he accidentally reads his colleague Kurosawa’s mind. Turns out the handsome hotshot of the sales team has got a thing for him! How will Adachi respond to overhearing these affectionate thoughts?
What Works: Everything about Adachi finding out Kurosawa’s feelings and thoughtfully addressing them is gold. Adachi is the perfect blend of awkward and considerate. The series is a BL with adults that are actively working to make each other comfortable, keep each other safe, and navigate a first romance together.
What Doesn’t: The pacing is extremely slow, especially for a series where the romance is known from Episode 1, but now that the confessions have happened, this shouldn’t be an issue anymore.
Odds of Success: high
Check out our episodic coverage here
Tales of Wedding Rings (Kekkon Yubiwa Monogatari)
Animation Studio: Staple Entertainment
Synopsis: When Satou follows his childhood friend Hime to another world, he becomes her groom and the prophesied Ring King. Now he must gather all five rings and the brides that accompany them to save the land from the Abyssal King.
What Works: This series uses its peculiar setup to take an interesting look at love, affection, and what those ideas mean. It sets up a narrative that looks to explore how personal desires can clash with larger responsibilities.
What Doesn’t: While this fantasy/harem story uses its core premise to ask interesting questions, it is also more than willing to use it for cheap jokes and gratuities nude scenes.
Odds of Success: Low
The Daily Life of the Immortal King (Xian Wang De Richang Shenghuo)
Animation Studio: Pb Animation
Synopsis: The students of Faction 60 are thrown into danger once again when their school becomes the target of the Four Elements Faction. How will Wan Ling and his friends manage to juggle school, fun, and faction-saving hijinks into another school year?
What Works: The unique humor and charm that has made this series great since season one returns with new twists and unexpected moments giving fans even more to cheer for and laugh about.
What Doesn’t: While some new elements are introduced in this season, it is by and large the same core concept as before. If seeing Wan Ling fool others into not believing he is a God-level cultivator was getting tiring to you by last season, this one probably won’t win you back.
Odds of Success: High
Ragna Crimson
Animation Studio: Silver Link.
Synopsis: The war against the Dragons is in full swing as Ragna and Crimson align themselves with the Silverware Princess in defiance of the latest Dragon attack.
What Works: The emotional stakes from the entire cast always feel ratched up to eleven in this action fantasy. This compels the viewer to feel invested in the conflicts that play out in each episode.
What Doesn’t: While this entry in our Winter Anime 2024 Round-Up dives deep into its characters, some of these personalities become noticeably one-note.
Odds of Success: Moderate
Solo Leveling (Ore daki Level Up na Ken)
Animation Studio: A-1Pictures and Production I.G.
Synopsis: When portals start appearing around the world, a new class of individuals known as hunters step forth to keep humanity safe from the monsters that live on the other side. Jinwoo Sung is the weakest of these hunters. Nonetheless, he strives to do his part to keep people safe while making an honest living. But when a mission goes horribly wrong he finds he may have become the strongest hunter of them all.
What Works: Solo Leveling’s notable element of this series is its brutal combat. The series cuts Jinwoo and his fellow hunters no breaks when the threats turn deadly. Fantastic animation brings every battle to life with vivid clarity.
What Doesn’t: Jinwoo’s single-minded focus on simply getting stronger so he can power through any foe gets a bit repetitive. The battles, while visually stunning, often lack any elements of greater interest in how they play out.
Odds of Success: moderate
Check out our episodic coverage here
The Unwanted Undead Adventurer (Nozomaru Fushi no Bôkensha)
Animation Studio: Connect
Synopsis: Rentt Raina was a low-rank adventurer doing menial missions for a living. But when a mysterious new passage appears he finds himself confronted with a dragon. Rather than suffering the death he expects, Rentt finds himself transformed into an undead version of himself. Can he go on adventuring in his new state?
What Works: Rentt’s new lot in life gives the adventurer a fresh perspective as he discovers how important things can be beyond how big a monster you can slay. This exploration delivers some heartfelt moments for the character as he carves out a new place for himself in his adventuring community.
What Doesn’t: The combat moments that play out in this Winter Anime 2024 Round-Up entry are serviceable at best. No moment of action or danger ever leaves any memorable impact from a visual stand point.
Odds of Success: moderate
The Witch and the Beast (Majo to Yajû)
Animation Studio: Yokohama Animation Lab
Synopsis: Guideau is a young woman who was cursed by a witch, forced to carry a dark secret. Ashaf is a tall, soft-spoken man with a coffin strapped to his back and secrets yet untold. Together they venture across the land on their quest for vengeance. Appearances can be deceiving, and each step could be their last. In a dark fantasy filled with adventure, will unlikely heroes find the vengeance they seek?
What Works: While the characters are standouts, it’s the attention to building out the magical world in this dark fantasy that really puts The Witch And The Beast in an other tier this season. Add in the gorgeous animation and how it handles both beauty and the grotesque is stunning.
What Doesn’t: If you come to the series for Guideau and Ashraf every episode, you won’t get that. With a case of the week format, they aren’t always the center of the series.
Odds of Success: high.
Check out our episodic coverage here.
My Instant Death Ability is Overpowered
Animation Studio: Okuruto Noboru
Synopsis: Yogiri Takatou is transported with his class to another world where they are gifted with powers and tasked with becoming Sage Candidates. But while he is left behind as bait for a dragon, it turns out he has the most powerful ability of all: an instant death ability that can slay anything!
What Works: The series’ exploration of the limits of Yogiri’s ability as well as when he is and isn’t willing to use it provides some interesting moments of character exploration.
What Doesn’t: The series tries to lean a fair amount on its action. This can prove troublesome when your main character is so ridiculously overpowered as Yogiri.
Odds of Success: Low
Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End (Sôsô no Furîren)
Animation Studio: Madhouse
Synopsis: The party has arrived in Äuberst so Frieren and Fern can take the First Class Mage Exam. But it seems like the challenges may not just come from the other examinees as the mage behind the test is someone from deep in Frieren’s past.
What Works: Everything. The animation is gorgeous, the world-building is handled skillfully, and every character gets a chance to shine as the narrative pays out at a pitch-perfect pace.
What Doesn’t: nothing
Odds of Success: Extremely High
Check out our episodic coverage here.
Banished from the Hero’s Party, I Decided to Live a Quiet Life in the Countryside (Shin no Nakama ja Nai to Yuusha no Party o Oidasareta node, Henkyou de Slow Life Suru Koto ni Shimashita)
Animation Studio: Studio Flad
Synopsis: While Red and Rit continue to strive for their quiet life in the countryside, now with Ruti and Tisse staying with them, it looks like the larger world has other plans for them. As the new hero makes their way to their sleepy little town, a conclusion could upend their quiet life in the country.
What Works: The charm of the core cast remains intact as the season sets out on its new story.
What Doesn’t: Five episodes in and not much has happened in that new narrative. While the story does feature its stars living a quiet life in the country, it can only tease a coming threat so long before it gets worn out.
Odds of Success: low
Check out our episode one review here.
A Sign of Affection
Animation Studio:Ajia-do Animation Works
Synopsis: Yuki Itose is just a typical student dealing with the pressures of college. She is struggling one day on the train when an upperclassman named Itsuomi Nagi helps her out. As he gradually opens a new world to her, Yuki develops feelings for Itsuomi. A pure love story begins to grow.
What Works: The romance between Yuki and Nagi isn’t just cute to watch, but they respect each other. It’s also one of the few examples of an anime making manga panels even better—especially because of the animation of the sign language. There is also an intention to detail to make sure that Yuki is just as strong as any shojo protagonist.
What Doesn’t: The love triangle of it all was frustrating in the manga, and it continues to be here.
Odds of Success: High
Check out our episodic coverage here.
Sengoku Youko
Animation Studio: White Fox
Synopsis: Hyoudou Shinsuke is a would-be swordsman who comes across a pair of demon siblings who seek to maintain peace in the world. He soon finds himself caught up in their quest as they are brought face to face with the many dangers of their world.
What Works: The story uses its trio of main characters and their journeys to explore the prejudices that exist between demons and humans, and why keeping the peace between the two groups can be more difficult than it first seems. This approach creates an intriguing core narrative for the series’ journey.
What Doesn’t: Many of the characters are fairly basic in their personalities. This leaves the interesting narrative concept less than interesting participants to see it play out with.
Odds of Success: low
Check out our episode one review here.
Chained Soldier (Mato Seihei no Slave)
Animation Studio: Seven Arcs
Synopsis: When Yuuki Wakura finds himself attached to the 7th Anti-Demon Squad his world gets turned upside down. But this is his only chance to become the hero he’s always dreamed of being, no matter how awkward it might get.
What Works: The series crafts an interesting setting and core premise for its protagonists and their fight to keep the earth safe.
What Doesn’t: If you shy away from fan service you should write this one off immediately. While there are times when the series uses these elements to some narrative ends, it is all too happy to throw some extra T&A around for little more than cringe.
Odds of Success: Moderate
Check out our review of the first five episodes here.
Bottom-Tier Character Tomozaki (Jaku-chara Tomozaki-kun)
Animation Studio: Project No.9
Synopsis: Tomozaki continues his quest to become a god-tier player in the game of life.
What Works: Tomozaki continues to deliver a relatable central character for fans to root for.
What Doesn’t: While the first season focused on social skills like reading a room’s energy, this season is centered on manipulating that energy. This gives many of the lessons Tomzaki learns a more underhanded feeling than what fans saw in the first season.
Odds of Success: low
The Apothecary Diaries (Kusuriya no hitorigoto)
Animation Studio: Toho Animation Studio and OLM
Synopsis: Simple Apothecary Maomao is drawn into the mysteries and political strife of the inner courts of the imperial palace.
What Works: Maomao’s charm as a character, along with her deductive reasons that see her through the show’s regular mysteries alone is enough to craft a compelling narrative. Combine these with wonderful visuals and a larger narrative that is equally intriguing and you have a series with lots of potential to succeed.
What Doesn’t: While Maomao is a fantastic character, some of her supporting cast struggle to stand shoulder to shoulder with her.
Odds of Success: High
Check out our episodic coverage here.
Mashle: Magic and Muscles
Animation Studio: A-1 Pictures
Synopsis: Mash continues to tackle every obstacle set before him head-on as only he can in his quest to become a Divine Visionary.
What Works: Some of the series’ visual humor still manages to land, despite much of it being overused.
What Doesn’t: With predictable characters and plots that often fall flat, there is little that doesn’t fail to deliver in this fantasy series’ attempts to be funny.
Odds of Success: low
Check out our review coverage here.
The Wrong Way to Use Healing Magic (Chiyu Mahô no Machigatta Tsukai-kata: Senjô o Kakeru Kaifuku Yôin)
Animation Studio: Studio Add and Shin-Ei Animation
Synopsis: When Usato is accidentally transported to another world with his two friends, he discovers he can use healing magic. He then finds himself undergoing grueling training as the realm prepares for war with the Demon King.
What Works: The unique approach to healing magic along with the fantastic cast of characters helps this entry in our Winter Anime 2024 Round-Up stand out from the slew of recent isekai that anime constantly offers.
What Doesn’t: Some of the core elements of the story feel too played out, especially when compared to the creativity seen elsewhere in the plot.
Odds of Success: High
Check out our review of the first five episodes here.
Delicious in Dungeon (Dungeon Meshi)
Animation Studio: TRIGGER
Synopsis: To rescue their friend from being digested by a dragon in the heart of the dungeon, Laios, Marcille, and Chilchuck must rush back into the dungeon to save her. But if they are to get there in time, they will have to feed themselves on the monsters the dungeon is infested with.
What Works: Lots of charm and creativity appear in this series as it explores its cast and how they can survive feasting on the monsters in the dungeon.
What Doesn’t: The show’s initial urgency quickly fades into the past as the party takes leisurely breaks to cook up veritable feasts for themselves. This can lead to clashes between what the series says is important, and what the characters’ actions say is.
Odds of Success: Moderate
Check out our episodic coverage here.
And there you have our early thoughts on 17 series in our Winter Anime 2024 Round-Up. I hope this helps you find a new favorite to enjoy!
