It’s been a long year, and one of the bright spots is anime. From Crunchyroll, Hulu, Netflix, and HIDIVE, there were a lot of new series and new seasons that made distilling it down to the best 25 anime of 2024 an especially hard task for our anime section.
To wrap up a year of anime, we asked, But Why Tho? writing staff and editors to rank their best anime of 2024. Taking the rankings and the number of times that the anime appeared across the list, we came up with our best 25 anime across genre and platform 2024.
So, settle in and check out our Best Anime of 2024 below:
24. The Grimm Variations
Studio: Wit Studio
Where To Watch: Netflix
The Grimm Variations delivers an anthology experience that brings an assortment of unique entries. From horror and fantasy to techno-western, the series gets creative, putting unique, and sometimes disturbing, twists on the familiar tales of the Brothers Grimm like Little Red Riding Hood, Cinderella, and the Pied Piper. A variety of visual design choices manages to further give each story an identity all its own, helping to keep the audience wondering what the next story will bring.
With each episode delivering a self-contained story, The Grimm Variations keeps each tale succinct and focused. There is so much variety among them that the six-episode series is highly likely to provide something for anyone searching for an experience that is bold and fresh while not demanding a ton of their time. It’s a truly original hidden gem waiting for viewers to find it.
23. Dragon Ball Daima
Studio: Toei Animation
Where To Watch: Crunchyroll
Dragon Ball Daima’s new adventure takes Goku and friends into a whole new realm of adventure, where they have been robbed of much of their strength due to their transformation into children. The series unique circumstances allows an easy way for the series to scale back on the crazy power levels of its protagonists, making enemies easier to set up, as well as allowing the series to fit nicely between Dragon Ball Z and Dragon Ball Super.
Plenty of familiar elements will deliver loads of nostalgia for long-time fans, and the franchise’s latest outing delivers familiar humor and action at a steady pace. This is mixed nicely with a healthy dose of new content as the group’s journey to the Demon Realm introduces new elements to the history of the world.
22. How To Become Ordinary
Studio: Lapin Track
Where To Watch: Crunchyroll
Nothing is normal in the wonderfully peculiar How to Become Ordinary. As Jougorou Kobato tries to achieve an average life with his friend, Yuki Osanai, the two constantly face new challenges. From mundane, day-to-day mysteries to significant problems, constant circumstances continue to place Kobato into situations where he must insert himself into other people’s problems.
The series finds its immediate, unusual tone and pacing in the premiere, where we realize that these mysteries where Kobato plays detective aren’t as simple as they appear. From missing pencil cases to hot chocolate with no evident mess to clean up, minor issues are blown out of proportion and take bizarre paths to resolution. But beyond the off-kilter cadence, the series’ greatest triumph is its visuals. The abundance of wide shots helps create this alien quality, perfect for a show about people trying to fit in. And the cinematic 1.85: 1 aspect ratio heightens the simplistic yet effective beauty of the animation.
21. NieR Automata Ver 1.1a
Studio: A-1 Pictures
Where To Watch: Crunchyroll
The series painstakingly recreates some of the game’s most iconic fight scenes, not allowing any sense of the absurd to hold it back. Moments like the Opera Singer Battle, complete with waves of bouncing burgundy orbs filling the battlefield, are brought to life for fans to revel in. But while it adheres to the source material when needed, the show isn’t afraid to deviate when it sees potential to improve.
With a clear strive to honor the narrative’s core while expanding upon it in ways that build it up rather than detract, NieR Automata Ver1.1a manages to be a near-flawless adaptation. While its high success rate makes its stumbles feel all the more noticeable, they do little to diminish the depth of its meaning or the excitement of its battles.
20. Train to the End of the World
Studio:
Where To Watch: Crunchyroll
The journey of discovery and friendship at the core of Train to the End of the World is familiar. It would be easy to dismiss the series as walking a well-worn path. However, while the themes at its core are easily recognized, the adventure that fills the 12 episodes making up the story is filled with creative twists and turns that will have audiences unsure of what awaits them in each episode.
Train to the End of the World brings fun and meaningful character growth throughout its adventure. Even though there are times when the main cast can annoy, the charm, courage, and creativity on display allow the viewer to cherish their time with Shizuru, Reimi, Akira, and Nadeshiko more than enough to make up for a few small hiccups in the journey. If you find yourself longing for a magical journey of fun and meaning, I know a train ride you should definitely go on.
19. Beastars Season 3 – Part 1
Studio: ORANGE
Where To Watch: Netflix
What’s perhaps most fascinating, however, is the over-arching storyline as we hurtle towards the remaining episodes. Beastars has run the gamut of playing with allegorical thematic throughlines and has succeeded by not totally committing to one or the other. But the message remains vague.
At one point, Legoshi is told that sea creatures kill or be killed, and their remains feed smaller fish, often the ones preyed on. Maybe there will be no real message or neatly tied narrative bow. But it is intriguing to wonder how Beastars will wrap up so many threads and ideas. Will herbivores and carnivores live harmoniously? Or will carnivores be indulged and allowed to seek their instincts?
Beastars Season 3 Part 1 reminds us why the Netflix series is a ludicrous, addictive ride. There’s no stopping once you hit play, even with the narrative stumbles. It’s pure, nonsensical entertainment with a charismatic lead character. While the series leaves us on a major cliffhanger, the thrill of returning to this world remains.
18. My Hero Academia Season 7
Studio: BONES
Where To Watch: Crunchyroll
When we think of great anime, the first things that come to our mind are generally gorgeous animation, skillful voice acting, and big memorable moments that stick with the viewer long after the credits roll. However, there are other aspects of storytelling that we generally don’t think about as much as we should. Elements like pacing and how story elements are put together can hinder the aspects we love to talk about land. Despite My Hero Academia Season 7‘s masterful implementation of the former group, it is with the latter elements that it fails to find a proper footing.
My Hero Academia Season 7 delivers some great emotional beats and huge epic battles despite mismanaging some important elements of its narrative. It isn’t the flawless execution fans hoped for, but maybe the next season will be able to right the ship.
17. Wind Breaker
Studio: CloverWorks
Where To Watch: Crunchyroll
There’s something of a surprising comfort in the Wind Breaker Season 1. Based on the manga written and illustrated by Satoru Nii, there’s a grounding familiarity with aspects of the series adapted by CloverWorks. There’s a reason that, for so much of the season, the biggest comparison that came to mind is Haikyu!! And it all comes down to two key features. The first is the strong ensemble that grounds the larger-than-life and, frankly, ludicrous situations these characters find themselves in. The second is, obviously, the kinetic and eye-catching action sequences.
With threads of the found family trope woven throughout, the series becomes startlingly heartwarming. Despite all of the bloodshed and, at times, because of the bloodshed. These characters don’t exist in any sense of reality, and the series makes us accept that quickly. In this town, these students exist in a place where teachers, parents, and concussions simply don’t exist. And that’s fine because the characters, their dynamics, and how they approach fights make up for it.
It doesn’t hurt that the animation is gorgeous throughout. The character designs come to greater life through the animation (which can’t be said for every new adaptation), and the movement and fluidity are addicting. Each episode has a distinctive style that adds to the feeling of this world existing in a bubble. The streets they monitor have a spark of life of their own, their vibrant colors delivering a strong sense of place and tone.
16. The Witch And The Beast
Studio: Yokohama Animation Laboratory
Where To Watch: Crunchyroll
Drenched in a darkness, The Witch And The Beast is gorgeous fantasy, thrilling mystery, and features two protagonists that work incredibly well off of each other that you can’t help but keep rooting for them. Magic is deeply intrinsic in the world and can be found even in the air, with natural disasters having traces of magic. This allows the series to create a structure and order for its world that uses religion as intricately as it does magic.
The ensemble cast of characters in there series are all uniquely envisioned, gorgeous, and at times, haunting. The animation behind mangaka Kousuke Satake’s art is stunning and creates a world you can’t help but fall into. Packed with action and holding just a hint of romance, this is a series unlike anything else from 2024’s animation line up.
15. Bartender The Glass of God
Studio: Liber
Where To Watch: Crunchyroll
Standing at the center of Bartender: Glass of God‘s success is Ryu. The character manages to be everything he needs to be while still feeling realistic. He’s gentle and kind, while able to say no when necessary. How Terashima delivers Ryu’s many insightful observations is pure voice-acting gold. Many of the soft-spoken character’s pearls of wisdom are delivered in barely more than a whisper. This gentle delivery draws the viewer in, commanding them to focus on Ryu’s words far more than any authoritative order.
The series’s calm tone is further reinforced thanks to wonderful lighting and set designs. The Edenhall bar is small and cozy, lit with an amber hue that brings out an energy equal parts welcoming and calming. When Bartender: Glass of God goes to other locales, it manages to carry over the wonderful lighting while being subtle. This allows the low-energy tone to carry with the cast as they travel while not making the larger world feel muted.
Bartender: Glass of God delivers a slice-of-life story that is both relaxing and insightful. The compassion and attentiveness Ryu gives to each customer who walks through Edenhall’s doors comes with a warmth that can do as much good for the viewer as the character whose life is about to turn around.
14. Brave Bang Bravern!
Studio: CygamesPictures
Where To Watch: Crunchyroll
The tonal balance between serious and funny can be tricky. Brave Bang Bravern! does such a great job because it makes the jokes feel normal even though they are anything but. It is absurd that Isami has to go naked into a pile of goo inside of a giant robot. So it makes sense that they would make jokes about that. One of the robots is so desperate for pleasure that it wants to sleep with a human. That is such a wild thing, but with everything else going on it feels normal.
All of this is buoyed by a bopping musical score. The theme song is energetic and full of fun, and that carries over into the rest of the series. Bravern’s theme can be heard in the background during epic battles which keeps the tone from being overbearing. The brass blasting away in the background also makes the fighting even more epic.
Brave Bang Bravern! is a surprisingly charming and hysterical take on the mecha anime genre. It is full of great action and visual design that makes it a standout of the season. Hopefully, we get to see more of Isami and Lewis Smith’s relationship in a future season.
13. The Wrong Way To Use Healing Magic
Studio: Studio Add, Shin-Ei Animation
Where To Watch: Crunchyroll
With two distinct sides, one of The Wrong Way To Use Healing Magic Season 1‘s biggest strengths is its tonal balance. While the bulk of the series leans into the comedic, especially as Rose kicks Usato’s butt sometimes miles at a time, it knows when to get serious. The battle with the Demon King’s army is brutal. This raises the stakes for the series, making the viewer invest in the dangers that it builds up.
The Wrong Way To Use Healing Magic Season 1 delivers a unique take on the isekai genre. Centered around memorable characters, the show uses its original approach to healing magic to craft a great story. Even those who are over the isekai craze will enjoy it. It balances its fun and stakes, never having the two detract from each other.
12. The Elusive Samurai
Studio: CloverWorks
Where To Watch: Crunchyroll
When entirely in its element, The Elusive Samurai Season 1 is a visual feast. The character movements are kinetic yet cohesive, and how the series bridges seeming childhood harmony with jarring trauma helps capture the horror that Tokiyuki is witnessing. In one moment, he’s simply a child.
In the next, the last of his family and the only real hope of avenging his name. There’s a necessary severity to the tone when need be that makes sure to highlight the destruction and terror of war. The gravitas, charming characters, and bold visuals make for a gripping story of resilience.
11. Makeine: Too Many Losing Heroines!
Studio: A-1 Pictures
Where To Watch: Crunchyroll
More than anything, Too Many Losing Heroines Season 1 details the significance of community and friendship, especially during our adolescence when our connections are vital to our growth and ability to empathize. It takes itself seriously without succumbing to self-seriousness. With its wistful energy and charismatic characters, it balances its heart with humor and drama with levity. It’s a beautifully engineered genre cocktail.
Too Many Losing Heroines Season 1 is worthy of championing due to its laborious animation, pitch-perfect characters, and writing that both honors its teenage protagonists while highlighting their imperfections. Fit with a dreamy aesthetic, biting script, and observational heart, it’s immediately winsome. With an eye for subtleties that help embolden its world, it’s one of the year’s best anime.
11. Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War – The Conflict
Studio: Pierrot Films
Where To Watch: Hulu
Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War – The Conflict continues Bleach’s legacy as one of the Big Three. While I normally hate conversations about the Big Three, watching this season of Bleach makes it astoundingly clear why Tite Kubo’s series will always be considered one of the best (at least until we get to the ending, as most manga readers know).
That said, the animation in the closing episodes of the season is truly something to behold. Sure, others on this list may innovate, but here, there is a reclaiming of a familiar shonen style that feels executed in the best way possible. This is truly Pierrot Films’ best work. The series’ ability to get deep, dark, and never lose the pace-setting action is what solidifies it as one of the best of the year.
10. Negative Positive Angler
Studio: NUT
Where To Watch: Crunchyroll
If given the right time, space, and community, people have the capacity to heal. Such is the thematic core that laces through the visually offbeat Negative Positive Angler. A college-age student, already depressed and in debt, is given two years to live. Instead of getting the chance to succumb to numb acceptance and loneliness, he’s instead rescued by a group of unlikely friends who all bond over a shared interest: fishing.
The show is a delightfully tonal mismatch, embracing over-the-top character designs against naturalistic, detailed backgrounds. But despite the initial silliness, the series doesn’t forget its heart, crescendoing into a sublime final few episodes that dig deep into the trauma and fear these characters face. Episode 10 alone is a masterwork, showcasing the finely tuned artistry and how it comes forth in facial expressions that deliver as much impact as spoken dialogue.
9. Delicious In Dungeon
Studio: TRIGGER
Where To Watch: Netflix
The best part of this series is the fantastic world-building it does. The show goes to great lengths to develop the dungeon in which it takes place. Rather than merely a series of caverns with monsters waiting for adventurers to arrive, Delicious in Dungeon Season 1 crafts a living, breathing world for its heroes to explore. Magical monsters are given roles within their environments, and everything clicks together.
At the core of everything Delicious in Dungeon Season 1 does is its cast. The four main characters in the party are frequently the only characters in episodes. As such, they have to present strong and engaging interpersonal dynamics to keep the audience both entertained and invested in them. The show only succeeds at this sometimes.
8. Dead Dead Demons Dededede Destruction
Studio: Production +h
Where To Watch: Crunchyroll
That nitpick aside, as an introduction to the world of this latest anime series, Dead Dead Demons Dededede Destruction Episode 0 easily paints a picture of the danger that comes in the wake of the intruders. While it’s unclear whether or not the intruders are just as violent as the humans left behind, the different factions running things now are brutal and dangerous. With Nobuo’s single mission to find his daughter, there are enough stakes to get viewers invested.
7. The Apothecary Diaries
Studio: Toho Animation Studio, OLM
Where To Watch: Crunchyroll, Netflix
Along with the animation, The Apothecary Diaries Season 1‘s visuals leave a lasting impression thanks to its use of color. There is little subdued about palace life, and the colors that fill its world mirror that reality. Bright, vibrant reds, blues, and gold lead the way in making every costume and court look dazzling. There is never any doubt that wealth and power reside here.
With a wonderful main character, excellent narratives that hook the attention, and an impressive visual design, The Apothecary Diaries Season 1 gets a lot right. With only one major stumbling block in its cast, the show leaves the viewer with far more good memories than bad as the final credits roll.
6. Kaiju No. 8
Studio: Production I.G
Where To Watch: Crunchyroll
A rarity, Kaiju No. 8 centers on Kafka, a 32-year-old protagonist. A series about achieving your dreams at any age and resiliency, it also crashes through shonen stereotypes. While the back half of the season eases in pace and tension, Kafka holds strong, as does the animation.
Kaiju No 8 Season 1 is a solid start that lands the necessary climatic sequences. With strong central characters and fast-paced plotting, the series never loses interest, even in its less exciting episodes. By focussing on a
5. Ranma 1/2
Studio: MAPPA
Where To Watch: Netflix
Ranma 1/2 Season 1 delights in its bizarre settings but allows for genuine, heartfelt moments. Ranma might not always understand his feelings towards Akane, but the instances where he tries to cheer her up, work together with her, or protect her speak to his true emotions.
They might not recognize their mounting crushes on the other, but that makes it all the more sweet to us. For all that the series eschews realism, it finds sincerity in their relationship. They’re teenagers; of course, they aren’t going to be able to figure it all out immediately.
Bolstered by hyperkinetic action sequences and striking visuals, Ranma 1/2 (2024) Season 1 enchants us with its innate silliness. By maintaining the spirit of the original while updating the content and aesthetic, the series pulls off a near-perfect adaptation.
4. Blue Box
Studio: Telecom Animation Film, TMS Entertainment
Where To Watch: Netflix
The complexity that the show breathes into Hina is so well done that there are times when she completely steals the show. How she strives to get Taiki’s attention while still trying to respect his feelings for Chinatsu makes her an extremely empathetic character. She wants him to want her, but she is unwilling to hurt their friendship in the pursuit of her goal.
Blue Box Season 1 brings every strand of its plot together to craft something special. Its use of the twin pursuits of love and sports to enhance each other brings an amazing story to life. Populated with wonderful characters who demand you root for them, the show’s narrative will live on in the audience’s hearts long after the final credits roll.
Combined with a visual presentation that brings the softness of love and the intensity of sports to life, Blue Box Season 1 offers a near-flawless story for fans of high school romances.
3. A Sign of Affection
Studio: Ajia-do Animation Works
Where To Watch: Crunchyroll
Love and relationships come with challenges, especially in the real world. However, A Sign of Affection is a great reminder that love does not have to be harder than we make it. The series portrays a healthy relationship where effort and understanding are prioritized over conflict and miscommunication, offering a perspective that may feel very aspirational but is also attainable in the real world. Yuki and Itsuomi’s dynamic shows that even when life presents obstacles, a loving relationship can remain a safe and comforting space.
A Sign of Affection has undoubtedly earned its place as one of 2024’s best anime. Its ability to intertwine love, communication, and deaf representation makes it a standout for the year and the genre as a whole. It’s a love story that doesn’t just stay with you; it changes how you see connection and understanding in relationships. In a genre often filled with melodrama, this show offers a refreshing and inspiring take on what love can look like at its most pure and meaningful.
2. Frieren: Beyond The Journey’s End
Studio: Madhouse
Where To Watch: Crunchyroll
It’s hard to sum up Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End‘s narrative. On the surface of it, it’s simple. Frieren, out of a desire to see her friend Himmel again, takes on a quest to the distant land of Ende. There, legends have it, there is a place where one can commune with the souls of the dead. As one may guess, her journey becomes much more than that. As she travels with Fern, the duo finds themselves drawn into all manner of local problems. Through these tests, Frieren grows and appreciates Fern and the other companions they meet along the way.
While the bulk of Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End‘s story is focused on introspection, self-discovery, and the desire to get to know those around Frieren, it wouldn’t be a fantasy quest without combat. While it doesn’t happen frequently, when the staves come out and spells fly, Madhouse delivers some of the most gorgeous combat sequences around.
The wonder the series delivers in its use of magic isn’t limited to the battlefield, though. The veritable magicians at Madhouse manage to make every magic-infused moment breathtaking. Simply seeing Frieren hovering over the ground as she summons a field of flowers brings wonder and delight. The way the light shines and how fabric and hair alike whip in the wind during flight all bring a sense of majesty to the world’s magic. Magic isn’t just a toll here. It’s vibrant and glorious. Almost a character unto itself.
If you love gorgeous visuals and breathtaking music, watch this show. When you find yourself tired of the 8ooth isekai release, and you just want a fantasy that doesn’t involve falling into another world, watch this show. If you love fantasy that can use the experiences of a 1,000-year-old elf and make them relatable so that it can make us question our own life choices, watch this show. If you love great storytelling, watch Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End. You won’t be sorry.
1. DanDaDan
Studio: Science Saru
Where To Watch: Netflix, Crunchyroll, Hulu
But Science SARU doesn’t just nail adapting a serious (even if the egghead aliens are deeply unserious) subject matter, they nail Tatsu’s art style by mixing animation hyperstylized animation and simple outlines, using both to highlight the intensity of the action sequences.
Science SARU’s ability to consistently create vibrant and saturated sequences is captivating, to say the least. The animator’s ability to work in monochromatic and eccentric aesthetics creates a fantastic atmosphere and expertly matches the series’ intensity. With DanDaDan, they take on a familiar shonen sensibility and use the yokai and aliens to expand their repertoire. From the character and creature design by Naoyuki Onda and Yoshimichi Kameda, respectively, to the color design by Satoshi Hashimoto and Art Director Junichi Higashi, DanDaDan is animation excellence.
The depth of the animation across the first three DanDaDan episodes is clear. Knowledge of how to use blank space, grayscale, and expert compositing creates the most beautifully animated series of 2024. But all of that spectacle also boasts a strong emotional core that pushes beyond shonen assumptions and creates a masterpiece.
With so many strong titles in the anime world right now, here are a few of the honorable mentions that just missed the list for the Best Anime of 2024: My Happy Marriage, Shangri-La Frontier, and Bungo Stary Dogs. Did your favorites make the Best Anime of 2024 list? Did we leave one off? Let us know on social media @butwhytho.net on Bluesky.
Synopses for the Best Anime of 2024 list were taken from our previously written reviews or our writers.