The BEST Anime of Winter 2024 - Ones to Watch

[@mothersbasement]

Huge thanks to Capcom for sponsoring the Ones to Watch! Get Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Trilogy today: gsght.com/c/hh5myh

[@Hi_Just_Fred]

Hoping they embrace more of their original franchises.

[@whizthesugoi]

aight who's going to make the first big hot chocolate with water or milk debate on this bad boy

[@xoso599]

@@whizthesugoi Good product bad company.

[@chrismeandyou]

A good season with many worth watching, but not a standout great one. Probably Metallic Rouge is my favorite because it reminds me of old 90s best anime era. Konosuba Season 3 in April will be ANIME OF THE YEAR.

[@Lumenaught]

"I am... THE LAAWW!"

[@AMVPunk]

"To anyone complaining that Delicious in Dungeon starts off too slow, just..." puts on sunglasses "....let it cook."

[@Doodlesthegreat]

I C wat U did ther

[@Gloomdrake]

My local library only had up to volume 4, which is a painful place to stop

[@ShadowWolfRising]

YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!

[@chloukscolor7905]

Oh damn, my condolences. It truly is a terrible place to stop! xD

[@efrainoctavio3506]

Dungeon Meshi it's like those Kirby memes about killing God

[@thesauteedonion]

The contrast between Dungeon Meshi and Made In Abyss is quite funny if you've read the manga and know that the two are actually much more similar than at first glance

[@RowanTS]

The deaf anime having more focus on the lips because of lip-reading etc. is such a brilliant stylistic choice to reflect character pov, that i think that decision alone might make me watch it.

[@nam430]

Thought it was because someone in the studiomade gay korean porn but hey what do i know

[@wiseforcommonsense]

Wow! I never made that connection

[@manelguise1789]

what is its name?

[@Hermititis]

​@@manelguise1789, 8:07 "A Sign of Affection"

[@youssefbencheikh8637]

​@@manelguise1789 A sign of affection

[@williambradley7824]

Here's a quick list, along with time-stamps and where-to-watch. CrunchyRoll (CR) 16; HiDive (HD) 1; Netflix (N) 1; Hulu (H) 1 - TOP 11 - 01) 03:09 - Delicious in Dungeon (N) 02) 05:20 - Metalic Rouge (CR) 03) 07:56 - A Sign of Affection (CR) 04) 10:07 - CHERRY MAGIC (CR) 05) 12:20 - The Witch and the Beast (CR) 06) 14:15 - Sasaki and Peeps (CR) 07) 16:55 - Slolo Leveling (CR) 08) 19:30 - Ishura (H) 09) 22:16 - Bucchigiri?! (CR) 10) 24:48 - Sengoku Youko (CR) 11) 26:42 - Bang Brave Bang Bravern (CR) - HONORABLE MENTIONS - 29:47 - 'Tis Time for Torture, Princess (CR) 30:17 - The Unwanted Undead Adventurer (CR) 31:01 - 7th Time Loop (CR) 31:35 - Villainess Lv.99 (CR) 32:05 - Fluffy Paradise (CR) 32:34 - The Wrong way to Use Healing Magic (CR) 33:15 - Chained Soldier (HD) 34:05 - Hokaido Gals are Super Adorable! (CR) 34:14 - Meiji Gekken: 1874 (CR)

[@awildmeow]

Underrated comment. I was trying to search hulk smash face anime and, uh, yeah it's not the name. Lmao!!

[@moose6781]

Thank you Kind Lad.

[@--julian_]

thank you

[@coryk2521]

You're a man of the people.🫡

[@paulinahorton8038]

🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾

[@TehPiemaygor]

I'm just gonna say it. Delicious in Dungeon is going to be fantastic. I've read the entire manga. It's amazing. Please, please, please don't sleep on this anime. It's more than just about cooking gourmet monster meals inside of a dungeon.

[@amiablereaper]

Delicious in Dungeon is unequivocally the best manga I have ever read. I did not consume this piece of media. It consumed me.

[@mitkitty]

Ive only read the first volume (bc i like having the physical copies and the series is a bit more expensive than others) but i absolutely adore it so far. The whole Living Armor episode had me so hyped, it really feels like solving a hard encounter in a TTRPG

[@darkpixel1128]

if you're still on the fence, I promise this is not a manga about food. Ok, not *only* about food.

[@lorenzomeulli750]

​@@darkpixel1128It's about food in the sense that's about everything related to food. Which essential means it's about the ecology of a weird megadungeon below the Earth that somehow has evolved in its own way.

[@Kometheus]

No that's literally all it is. It's the same as trash as the other monster cooking shows.

[@rysiskailepai]

Jeff: Meiji Gekken is mostly for Japanese history buffs Me: *currently writing my Masters thesis on Meiji Japan* well that was lucky

[@aino-kaisav5504]

You had me at Japanese history!

[@HurricaneDDragon]

It’s “Geoff”, not “Jeff”. Common mistake.

[@alterior8869]

Goodluck on your thesis man.

[@kellychuang8373]

Yes you can be right on that still can be enjoyable but then again anime is a risky gamble and not all titles can hit the mark even if it looks like it.

[@yu9506]

Thank you for giving “A Sign of Affection” the love it deserves!! As a junior VA in Japan who participated in this show (episodes 1 and 2), this really warmed my heart🥹 Thanks Geoff!

[@princessthyemis]

whoaa that's so cool!!!!!

[@ButterDragonFly]

Heck yea!! I wish you luck with pursuing the VA world!!! 🥳

[@MrGksarathy]

That's amazing!! Best of luck!

[@Aquaria942]

The link to your Shield Hero roast after you mention the atrocities of slave harems is the most underrated joke of the video

[@del-la-sol]

The sentence "There are 10 isekai this season" shouldn't make me as happy as it does. Then again, I am isekai trash.

[@dvillines26]

it looks like only a few of those isekai are actively bad, too.

[@Zerolink30]

Amen

[@biggusgeekus2561]

You aren’t isekai trash! You are an isekai collector’s item!

[@Unapologeticweeb]

​@@dvillines26mostly one most of them have some interesting twist then there is magic Saitama one shotting all his problem that might belong in the hottest trash of all time Category because litteral instant death magic sound as boring as it is

[@moesol292]

That type Of anime is just boring for me. Good on you

[@Nassifeh]

I was so, so ready to be performatively indignant about the absence of Bang Bravern from this list. I should have had more faith.

[@thomasffrench3639]

Same, because i literally just learned about it yesterday

[@Nassifeh]

​@@thomasffrench3639 I saw the first ep early (off the back off a truck, cough) and have been thinking about *almost* nothing else ever since.

[@valvadis2360]

Honestly same

[@groofay]

Yeah, Garnt's video and comments section prepared me for both this comment and its alternate timeline version.

[@thomasffrench3639]

@@groofay I feel like that comment section is going to a catalyst for the show’s popularity. It’s pretty insane as It literally came out of nowhere and now I’ve seen the first episode

[@jo0rd73]

I am totally here for Bang Bravern seemingly setting up a love triangle between two men and an alien mecha as earth is being invaded by other alien machines. We already have Bravern gushing over Isami, blushing when Lewis wanted to *ride him* and then uh the *ED* . I can tell it’s gonna be a lot of fun the whole way through.

[@flawedandnotperfect]

Last years season: YOU ARE MY SPECIAL 😈 This years season: Bling bang bling bling born 🕺🎶🗣️

[@setra_45]

TO THE NEXT TO THE ICHIBAN UE 💯💯💯🗣🗣🗣🔥🔥🔥

[@thomasffrench3639]

I can’t tell if you are making fun of Bravern or not

[@Torvinoid]

​@@thomasffrench3639it's referencing the intro to mashle

[@Caprineki]

That OP is better than most of the anime on this list and I'll die on that hill.

[@akatsukigajou1639]

​​​​@@Caprinekinah wrong all are better since its japanime and theres no h.b.o max velma included and theres no dying and your comment is a joke🤣

[@richatdastkey3555]

the key factor in me deciding to give Bravern a chance is the fact that his theme song is in universe canon playing while he battles 😂 you cant get any better than that

[@dracotias]

I went in expecting another "it's totally not Gundam"...Left with something closer to cheesy Saturday morning Sentai/Ultraman, I'm not disappointed.

[@nunyabiznes7446]

That was seriously the deciding factor for me as well

[@princessjellyfish98]

I actually really like the character designs in A Sign of Affection and especially the way they animated the mouths. It really helps emphasize that we're experiencing the world through Yuki's perspective, lip-reading along with her. Since anime as a medium doesn't usually overemphasize lip matching, it's a really wonderful detail. I'll also say, if you like A Sign of Affection I can HIGHLY recommend the manga "I Hear the Sunspot," which is a BL romance story with a deaf/HOH character and is similarly detailed in how it portrays disability and specifically diversity in the deaf community (I think there may also be a live action tv adaptation but I haven't seen it yet!). What a great year so far for shojosei in anime! And now we can look forward to Honey Lemon Soda too!

[@marleneflores5597]

Love I hear the sunspot!

[@BewareTheLilyOfTheValley]

Oh snaps, a manga I've actually read, for once 😂 (I don't usually like manga. In an ironic twist, the black and white images are often difficult for me to understand, especially when only an implied action is shown). However, I loved "I Can Hear the Sunspot," enough to buy multiple volumes (haven't checked in awhile if there are any more. I also think it had a spinoff series that I can't remember the name of, but I bought that as well). I remember the most a scene where one of the characters was hanging out with the main character who is deaf and their friends and as they signed to each other, he understood none of it. And as the reader, we were given zero captions as well. We too were left in the dark. That moment of now being the "outsider looking in" has really stuck with me all these years later.

[@aria6491]

I don't know why she has hearing aids though? It's very confusing to me, because in the text of the anime so far, they do not help her. Unless I've missed something?

[@princessjellyfish98]

@@BewareTheLilyOfTheValley I remember that scene! God that an amazing manga. The titling scheme for the sequels (at least in english) is a little confusing but the "spinoffs" are really a continuation of the main story from the first two and I can highly recommend them! The order after the first two is Limit 1-3, then Four Seasons which is the most recent and dives deeper into the romance aspect

[@BewareTheLilyOfTheValley]

@@princessjellyfish98 Yes, Limit were the books I have now! I didn't know of Four Seasons, so I'll have to add those to my collection, thank you for informing about them.

[@yundorphin]

Cherry Magic is a gem. The live action is also full of good feelings.

[@abraveastronaut]

"Where did this song come from!?" was the exact moment I knew Bravern was For Me.

[@trainerlyra3]

SO glad cherry magic made it onto this list, the drama is an absolutely iconic classic!!! i hope everyone has fun with it!!

[@Cesaryeyo]

I hadn't even heard of it and just have episode one a chance on a whim, the premise seemed like harem material which, as a gay man, is the opposite of my interests. Two minutes later and I'm like "oh, this is a gay thing, this is EXACTLY my interests!" I'm loving it.

[@theroofcat]

I literlly cheered when he said the title, I didn't know we were getting an anime

[@sopapopp]

can i just say. i've heard people talk about Cherry Magic a lot but until this moment i've never heard anyone mention the full title, I WASN'T EXPECTING THAT AT ALL-

[@missyllaineous]

Honestly im glad geoff talked about it, i probably wouldnt have given it a chance otherwise, and I enjoyed every episode

[@astralrumpus1891]

YAY DUNGEON MESHI MENTION! Ryoko Kui is a master of her craft, in my opinion. To all those new to Delicious in Dungeon, please give it a chance. It truly grows into a wonderfully made story, that builds on its world and characters in a satisfying way.

[@GrandiaKnight]

It's great. I really need to check out the manga

[@astralrumpus1891]

​​@@GrandiaKnight I really recommend you do! In the later chapters you can really see Ryoko Kui's art style evolve and grow. And even if the whole series is covered in the anime, her artwork is downright breathtaking at times. There's a lot of additional mini comics in each volume that develop the monsters/world more. Not to mention her 'Daydream Hour' drawings where you can see a lot of her own concept art and supplementary drawings for the series; those drawings really show how much she thinks on her characters and world outside of what you see implemented into the main manga.

[@Vespuchian]

Seconding this recommendation: it starts as a meal-a-chapter almost gag story about D&D characters and develops into one of the best fantasy stories I've read in the last decade. Kui's worldbuilding and attention to detail is phenomenal.

[@IDKLOL-qj7sl]

as a Golden Kamuy fan, I already knew I was gonna like another adventure/cooking story with a wide and varied cast of weirdos who get into shenanigans together. I had been meaning to check out the manga, and I still want to... it's just by happenstance that the anime got here first.

[@nutzor9594]

Yeah the "low stakes comedy" does not last. The story gets twisty and much more serious later on, though the cooking gimmick never gets dropped.

[@skeletor8951]

Genuinely surprised Weakest Tamer wasn't anywhere on this list. Its one of the few isekai to actually make me feel emotional in any capacity in its first episode, and its generally a pretty sweet show about a lifelong outcast child finding a sense of belonging with a likable protagonist, and another fresh isekai idea- her "past self" is basically just a voice in her head that chimes in once in a while about its reaction to things (such as screaming over her skinning small animals for food). And funnily enough the audience doesn't hear it, just a chime whenever it makes a comment and the main character reacting to that. Only downside to the show was it only reigning in its need to drop an exposition dump until halfway through Episode 1 and spending like 2/3 of the remaining runtime on her doing so to her new tiny slime friend.

[@Kuwagumo]

This! It's good, cute and interesting. I'll for sure keep watching it!

[@MadCatAttack123]

Same! I think the name of the show and the isekai tag does this one a grave injustice. The tone of the storytelling is almost like Frieren, the scenery and character animation is beautiful, and honestly the iseikai is barely noticeable. Strong recommend!

[@ericpeterson8732]

Yeah, I thought she had a smartphone or was on Bluetooth because of the one sided convo and constant dinging.

[@zotaninoron3548]

@@MadCatAttack123 I actually hate it more when they barely use the isekai element that it ends up being barely noticeable and completely forgotten like 3 episodes in. It means that it was completely superfluous and could have just been a fantasy story or what have you instead. It just feels lazy.

[@shadowcurtain]

Yeah people dont sleep on weakest teamer this season is full of sleeper hits since Spring is mega mega stacked

[@jgibson9989]

Sign of affection is a perfect, beautiful show... also I have that shoujo lower lip as a bearded man xD

[@SJK9000]

Normally I would consider playing with the space-time continuum to be highly unethical, but I 110% agree that Bravern shouldn't be slept on and you're doing a service to humanity by upending your video and time itself to spread the good word.

[@thomasffrench3639]

Where did that show come from? I literally just saw a bunch of people mentioning it in comments, and now I see it everywhere

[@MsSarahJosephine]

@thomasffrench3639 I don't know but OP speaks true - for the love of Braver GO AND WATCH It.

[@stephanieworkman5110]

-obsessively checks to see if Winter 2024 anime video is up yet multiple times a day: Oh wait, it’s actually up. Yay!

[@rogerelzenga4465]

yup in the spring of 2024....

[@Ken-cr1nt]

Bravern is one of the hidden gems.It's been a hit in Japan and I hope people give it a try. It's definitely a defition of chaos.

[@psyched1804]

Gonna say Mr. Villain's Day Off is also very cute and worth checking out.

[@isaac_marcus]

"You're that evil alien who wants to take over the world!!!" "No, it's Saturday" "???" My short synopsis

[@Axterix13]

It is definitely a bit slower paced though, compared to, say, the "Earth animals are cute" anime we just had. Which kind of fits the lazy day off theme.

[@kotek580]

I tried it with my SO and to be honest it WAS sort of meh? Like we both LOVED the idea of an EVIL boss having free time, but the panda jokes got boring extremely quickly and the constant repeating of "I'm on vacation" line got on our nerves

[@elisabethn2893]

Hot take that I kind of hate myself for: *The manga is better* The manga is absolutely Delightful and I've read it for years. But watching the first episode cramming in like 5 chapters just to fill out the time made it feel repetitive and I was kind of over it halfway through. I think this is a show that (while I love that it got animated!) would have benefitted from being 5-10 minute episodes like a Chis Sweet Home type of thing instead, letting the viewer decide if we want to watch a full 20 minutes or not.

[@CompSomAnichi]

@@elisabethn2893tbf could be a best of both worlds thing. Maybe it’s deliberately slower for the anime coz for me I like it as a weekly chill anime so the slowness I dont mind. Tho I can imagine the manga is funnier and has more punch. I should read it one time

[@ChibiRandom13]

I can't believe I hadn't heard about Metallic Rouge until now, its everything I'm into AND its studio bones. I'm so glad y'all make these videos

[@Adam-gm8xe]

The greatest anime of this season for me is simply Gushing over Magical Girls. From just the first episode of it, I knew that this would be the anime of this season. I don't know how you can not appreciate this kind of masterpiece, Geoff.

[@maxhaas5405]

its in the uncensored cut

[@dragonrenver]

don't worry, it will definitely be served in a hottest trash video, for those of acquired tastes.

[@seagoat3852]

I can only assume it was impossible to edit in any clips of the show without immediate demonetisation

[@Shtoops]

People are sleeping on it, I s2g. I unironically think the manga is primarily an exploration of teenage sexuality and what it's like to discover your fetishes when you're young. Especially in a place like Japan where female sexuality is in many ways highly discouraged I think it's very interesting to have such a series. The anime is honestly made worse for not being censored. It makes it feel more like porn then it does in the manga. Anyways, MahoAko 10/10, Yuri shall conquer the earth

[@thomasffrench3639]

@@Shtoopsoh shit, I heard the anime was crazier, but it’s sad that it conflicts with the themes of the original story

[@UNGGodYT]

7th loop isnt a bargain bin, it is misplaced there, it is super well made, so grab before they noticed the blunder!

[@mothersbasement]

Management has been notified

[@DangericeDreams]

These are the reviews I wait all season for. While I probably won’t check out most of these, it’s always great to hear what new shows are out there!

[@blank9433]

I second this , that's the main reason i am a subscriber to mother's basement tbh

[@Scorpiofrfr]

These videos are great to recharge my weeb batteries. But Migi to Dali last season was a MUST Watch

[@PandaKnight-FightingDwagon]

Agreed. I often use these to help me guage which shows I'm watching will be shows higher on the chopping block should I get overwhelmed

[@mothersbasement]

@TisScorpio yeah, I should really do a, like, hidden gems video highlighting cool anime like that which didn’t make the seasonal lists

[@Scorpiofrfr]

@@mothersbasement it was in the bargain bin. The show gets really good near the end tho. Last couple of episodes especially. You couldn't have known at the time.

[@ConvincingPeople]

Dungeon Meshi and Made in Abyss are weirdly similar in that they are both cooking-focused travelogues through menacing Freudian fantasy worlds adapted from niche but surprisingly popular and beautifully illustrated seinen manga written by people who've probably played a lot of Wizardry. The fact that they are tonally polar opposites just proves that this hyper-specific genre nobody previously knew existed has legs. :P

[@Homodemon]

Except one author is probably on a watchlist and the other clearly isn't...

[@holylight2428]

Ryoko kui is a certified western-rpg enjoyer, I love her art style so much.

[@viktormon]

@@holylight2428 I think I heard she had trouble finishing the last chapters of the manga due to Baldur's Gate 3 hahah

[@chrismeandyou]

Maybe that's why I do not like them both.

[@raitoiro]

They aren't even that different in tone, Made in Abyss has plenty of funny/light hearted moments, while Dungeon Meshi gets a bit darker and heavier in its second half.

[@phoenixaok]

So glad The Witch and The Beast was mentioned, as a manga reader I can guarantee things are going to get way crazier and super fun, we get to see Guideau beat up sooo many people (and kiss lots of witches

[@littlecoffeebean6744]

I’m all for Netflix jumping on this Anime train, because lately they have been releasing some bangers. Blue eye Samurai, ooku, and Komi were really good if you haven’t checked it out.

[@moozillamoo2109]

Yeah NF has turned into an anime powerhouse. I have long stopped watching its live-action crap. Would have canceled it except anime is so good.

[@johnnycash5858]

He hasn’t. Two videos on that Romona Flowers series but crickets on Blue Eye Samurai.

[@jonathanhamlet1942]

Yessssss absolutely love Blue Eye Samurai!!!!!!!❤ that shit is so good!

[@littlecoffeebean6744]

@@johnnycash5858super weird right? It’s so good!

[@GoodwillWright]

And not to mention Dorehedoro getting more seasons.

[@fanboy50]

1) I am so pumped for Dunmeshi getting an anime adaptation. It's already doing it justice so far. We eating good. 2) I can only assume at this point that you must have *something* about Apothecary Diaries in the pipeline, since it got functionally left off the Fall Ones to Watch (I know it was for practical reasons due to the way it aired) and it's still running. So I expected it to at least get a nod along similar lines to Freiren. And if you're not planning anything... it'd be cool if you maybe consider giving it a shot and/or some coverage, if you've got the time? I don't know the last time a show mugged me for my loose attention this hard.

[@zotaninoron3548]

Going into Bravern blind was such tonal whiplash. I don't think I've ever seen a show tone shift so hard in that direction before.

[@GreyFox23]

Also Bravern has awesome CG work. If Bones is flexing their 2D Animation, Cygames is definitely showing off their 3D.

[@shuriken05]

As someone who's also watched every episode of all the shows out so far, let me tell you... The "bargain bin" is full of pretty actually good shows.

[@fireblaze998]

i cant thank you enough for mentioning bang bravern. i had a literally sleeper to excited moment when bravern dropped out of the sky after going in blind. the trailer and synopsis were super misleading and i was worried it'd get overlooked. the robot sings his own theme, how could you not love it

[@nonsuchned94]

I'm really enjoying the melancholy vibe from the Weakest Tamer's first two episodes. Depending on where it goes, it could be a season highlight. For as adorable she (very unconvincingly pretending to be a boy} and her slime can be, there's definitely some darkness there.

[@grafja]

I gave this a chance because all of the other characters are adults so hopefully we get a more seinen-leaning show.

[@dvillines26]

yeah it has a really different vibe that I like. I feel like the scary, upsetting elements make the heartwarming stuff land better.

[@oshaapproved7612]

hard agree. I'm shocked its not in the list considering how well animated it is and how well the character has been written so far. I'm very interested in seeing where it goes.

[@ericpeterson8732]

Ditto.

[@LemmaEOF]

...as a manga reader hearing you call dungeon meshi "laid-back" and "low-stakes" gave me a bit of a shock lmao

[@mothersbasement]

Shhhh🤫 I wanna give people a chance to find out

[@LemmaEOF]

@@mothersbasement ah I see lmao

[@the_middle_twix488]

I’m so happy you gave some love to the dub cast of Delicious in Dungeon! That’s how I’ve been watching it and I love Emily Rudd & ProZD’s performance. Also shout out to Damien Haas as Laios he’s been crushing it.

[@MrJuakoHawk]

Thank you, I was sad to see that he skipped at least mentioning Damien's performance since he is embodying so well the wacky weirdo real vibe of Laios.

[@someone_one_one]

How did no one get it was gonna be super robo, it has brave in the title, TWICE!

[@Cesaryeyo]

In hindsight, the clues were there, but the title sounded like such nonsense that my brain didn't interpret it until it was too late

[@HenshinFanatic]

Yeah but it's "yuuki" rather than the more telling "yuusha". Explosive Courage Bang Bravern (Yuuki Bakuhatsu Bang Bravern).

[@tylermorrison9775]

Dude, I had no Idea that Emily Rudd was playing Marcelle!? Thats really cool, im glad shes finding ways further into the scene! Also as an old, withered Mecha Fan, seeing Bravern's genre flip from Real Robot to Super Robot brought a Yusha Brave shaped tear to my eye.

[@justinecourtneysgavel89]

Alrightio, here are your two bargain bargain-bin recommendations from yours truly! - Doctor Elise: While I have no knowledge of a source material, I have enjoyed the first two episodes VERY much! It has some very interesting hooks, and I'm excited to see how it plays out. So far, all the characters are very charming, and Elise is actually pretty refreshing in terms of isekai protagonists! If you enjoyed tearmoon empire, this is essentially that, but with way less tonal whiplash and focused on medicine. Also, if your favorite weirdly specific anime genre is "medical isekai," this is the show for you! I have been craving more since Parallel World Pharmacy, and this is hitting the spot. - The Weakest Tamer Began a Journey to Pick Up Trash: Two episodes in, and I ADORE it. This show does not hesitate to make you feel for the main character, getting you invested in her well-being right off the back. It's technically an isekai, but it's a VERY unique take on it. Ivy can hear and converse with her past life, who seems to have come from our world, but they're clearly separate individuals. We, as the audience, can't even hear Ivy's past life, nor do we even know their name. It's a very fresh take on reincarnation, and I enjoy it a lot! The major problem with it is the animation. Sometimes, it's absolutely gorgeous. Other times, you can count the frames on one hand.

[@Axterix13]

I like Doctor Elise as well, but I think it makes sense that it didn't make either list. It doesn't really stand out, and as far as "do-over" animes go, 7th Life pops more.

[@dvillines26]

Weakest Tamer was genuinely overlooked here and I have a feeling that won't age well.

[@PureStealth]

Must protect weak tamer girl and her cute slime 🥺

[@yeetman1344]

i think the lip thing in 'A sign of Affection' is to how much more she focuses on the lips due to lip reading or something along those lines

[@LydiaReneeDarling]

I never watch romance anime but Cherry Magic has been giving me all the wholesome I didn’t know I needed. Stellar recs per usual on this channel! 👏🏽

[@DestianoY]

the main gripe i have with sasaki and peeps is: why is all the girls underage??? with a middle aged MC i thought we are going to get many adult/mature waifus but instead all of the girls here are underage, wasted potential really.

[@Nassifeh]

Not that I don't think more representation of more mature women would be A++ fantastic, but I... don't think this is a harem.

[@goranisacson2502]

I am afraid the answer is "Japanese otaku". Sad and brief and disappointing as it may be to hear... sometimes the most obvious answer is the correct one.

[@Midtierman]

Salaryman loli, schoolgirl loli, magical girl loli, princess loli, and of course the overpowered lolibaba.

[@barbaros99]

20:10 *sigh* I really wish The Executioner and Her Way of Life would get a second season.

[@johnkula1536]

Same

[@Shtoops]

Executioner does this concept so fucking well. I'm not sure if you follow the books, but it gets really crazy (in a good way).

[@elifia]

I loved The Executioner and Her Way of Life so much. One of my favourite anime of 2022 for sure. Still hoping it will indeed get more seasons.

[@barbaros99]

@@Shtoops I have all the light novels that are on Bookwalker, but I still need to sit down and read them.

[@tronmanlos]

I watched this video for anime recommendations. I realized that I had a problem when you got to the end and I had already watched all the anime in the video.

[@ivanbluecool]

The dungeon food anime is fun to watch. Can't wait for it to get to the twist. One piece especially egg head looking amazing. Also they fixed female designs by giving them cake Overall I feel good about this year. Some manga I wanted to see as anime are getting released so it's all good

[@chaserseven2886]

what cake did they add? i only saw someone complain about the complainers

[@ivanbluecool]

@@chaserseven2886 go see the Lilith introduction. She is packing. Also yeah complainers and those who complain about the complainers can get annoying like the genshin impact community for example. I stay away from them like a plague

[@ivanbluecool]

@@chaserseven2886 the Lilith scene has it and that's saying something when we see how the manga goes with outfits.

[@chaserseven2886]

i didn't notice anything different@@ivanbluecool

[@dvillines26]

if you're mentioning One Piece it's worth noting that new OP, which has a strong claim on being not just One Piece's best OP, but one of the greatest openings of the last decade. it's an absolute triumph of animation.

[@isaac_marcus]

The thing I really appreciate so far about Lvl 99 Villainess is that, unlike most Otomisekai I've seen, the "villainess" isn't super sweet and then taking over the game's original harem for herself. It looks like she'll actually bond most closely with other people who weren't major figures in the game. Just feels refreshing. Also, the weakest part of Dungeon Meshi for me is that it's localized title is "Delicious in Dungeon". Nani the f**k is that? The direct translation of the title is Dungeon Food. They chant it like 3 times in the end of the first episode.

[@Gloomdrake]

Delicious in Dungeon isn’t a bad name

[@isaac_marcus]

@@Gloomdrake I fully disagree, at the least in comparison to all the many options they had available. It's not an actual translation of the title. It has the hanging adjective. It has twice as many syllables as "Dungeon Food/Meals" which actually are translations. If not a translated title, they could have gone with "Luncheons and Dragons" or "Dungeons and Delicacies", "Dungeons and Dining" for making the reference (and they do some of these in several other languages) I would even take "Delicacies in Dungeon" cause at least it's two nouns.

[@0xxi373]

The main male character in lv99 is not any of the harem characters and he’s just the best

[@Gloomdrake]

@@isaac_marcus I wouldn't say it's the best name, either, but it's not bad

[@roempoetliar7995]

lacking in good word play naming department

[@chakino9327]

I'm so happy you talk about Bang Bravern, such an underrated show!

[@almostfacsination]

i haven’t had the mental capacity to watch anime in a few seasons now, i’ve even stopped paying for my subscriptions for the time being, but i still watch these rundowns for the day i get that itch and enjoyment back. i’ve been looking forward to dungeon meshi for a good long while so it’s nice to know i have that as a pick me up when i’m up for it.

[@MissyV72]

I am so glad you covered Bravern, a friend was recommending it because I really like the VA who plays Bravern, and I decided to give it a shot, but it feels like a fever dream.

[@MyLiverismyEnemy]

I'm so glad you squeezed in Bravern. The juxtaposition of serious mecha, borderline gay partner pilots, and Bravern's literal Tokusatsu insanity is just plain *fun* . I think it's the show I'm most excited for every week so far.

[@dustincompton992]

Honestly The Wrong Way to Use Healing Magic is one of my favorites this season. You will both laugh and get hyped as you watch not-Izumi Curtis use protag-kun’s ability to use healing magic to somehow turn him into a berserker-packing Doom Guy.

[@dvillines26]

I don't understand how he could miss out singing the praises of Rose, she fucking rocks, best girl of the season.

[@DXDragon38]

Huh, I never would have heard of Bravern before this. Thanks for the Rec!

[@tiniestcyndaquil]

I sincerely appreciate the use of Fruits Basket OST in the background for Sign of Affection. Good shoujo recognizes good shoujo.

[@DankShamwow]

I watched Bravern based on your recommendation, and it made me laugh so hard that it caused me to have an asthma attack, and then my continued laughter made me continue wheezing and gave me one hell of a sore throat. 10/10 show would recommend.

[@CatOnACell]

i assume gushing over magical girls was tossed in the, "too dangerous to mention on KZbin without being peak fiction" bin. As the animators somehow made an even hornier version of the manga, that definitely crosses the H-line multiple times in order to ensure that everyone has to watch fluffy paradise afterwords to cleanse their souls.

[@Doodlesthegreat]

Well, that and he has to have _something_ to top the "Hottest Trash" video coming in a couple of weeks.

[@amiablereaper]

I knew from the moment I saw it thatahoako would be topping the trash heap this season. Fortunately, unlike some of the junk food MB normally serves up, mahoako actually has sfw footage to run while he talks.

[@brianpack5479]

Horny Utena best Utena. 'nuff said.

[@akatsukigajou1639]

​@@Doodlesthegreatnah

[@akatsukigajou1639]

​@@amiablereapernah

[@GeebusCrust]

Im glad you include where each show is streaming. Im tired of seeing a massive list of cool looking shows only to later realize half of them are on platforms i don't have

[@SwannyTheMike]

Oh shit, I'm gonna get magic powers this year!? Hot damn! Turning thirty while having done nothing with my life suddenly got way more appealing!

[@starlace6570]

That sentence totally sounds like a light novel title. Nice.

[@BohemianScandalous]

As a Dungeon Meshi reader, I am waiting with baited breath to watch people freak out about their comfort show suddenly getting real 2/3rds through

[@CyborgArmGun]

Cherry Magic manga reader: They do reciprocate AND THE STORY KEEPS GOING. also the OP Office lady is the best character. You're welcome.

[@r0kus]

Great season breakdown. Thank you. An anime that started later this season than its contemporaries is _The Weakest Tamer Begins a Journey to Pick Up Trash_ (Crunchyroll). The story is as odd as its straightforward premise-title. Combine a dash of isekai (although whoever that is is like a 3rd-tier character), a little tamer girl too weak to survive, and the weakest possible slime ever, and you get a remarkably touching and innocent story. It has a lot of unexpected depth. It deserves a spot on your Bargain Bin list, if not higher.

[@sirius_raspberry]

Not going into detail but the comparison between Delicious in Dungeon and Made in Abyss is actually a lot closer than you'd think

[@renatocorvaro6924]

These lists every season are super helpful for me. Thanks for consistently making them.

[@MarianaPall]

I THOUGHT BRAVERN WAS GOING TO APPEAR ON THE TRASH, DGSJABHSKWHWHXBJDJ! But yeah, it is based and fun.

[@Scarylaugther]

Appreciate the Ascendance of a Bookworm bits at the start, very excited for season 4 of the anime!

[@vustvaleo8068]

also Bang Brave Bang Bravern might be a spiritual successor to the Yuusha/Brave series anime which is made by a collaboration with Sunrise and the toy company Takara (now Takara Tomy) which was meant to replace Transformers after the franchise sold poorly in Japan during the 90's, Bravern's director Masami Obari also worked on the Yuusha/Brave series anime.

[@lackajaybee1342]

I appreciate a good number of your picks here, but I need to mention here to anyone trawling the comments that so far, in its two episodes, The Weakest Tamer Began a Journey to Pick Up Trash is both the most well-produced and emotionally touching isekai of the season. It is genuine quality that I would highly recommend.

[@ForeverTraitor]

Witch from Mercury and Bravern mentioned! Gay mecha is so back.

[@thomasffrench3639]

I bet that they saw G-Witch and was like “mecha is selling again, but we need gayness as well,”

[@ConvincingPeople]

The Witch from Mercury was for the girls, but Bravern is for *The Boys~* (Himejoshi/fudanshi solidarity forever.)

[@KingCasual1986]

@@ConvincingPeoplespeak for yourself. I’m a guy and I loved Witch from Mercury! It’s no G Gundam or Turn A Gundam but I had a good time!

[@ConvincingPeople]

@@KingCasual1986 Both "the girls" and "The Boys" are, in fact, gender-neutral and inclusive! :P

[@Jorlem25]

I just could NOT get into Delicious In Dungeon. The framing of "we need to rush to save my sister before her body is digested", to the point where they said they didn't have time to stop to pick up food on the surface in favor of rushing back to the dungeon did not mesh well with the leisurely hunting and cooking side. It definitely WANTS to be the laid-back, low stakes cozy comedy that was stated at 03:30, but the presented stake is not low, which made how laid-back the characters were at times just grate on me.

[@RotokEralil]

Sasaki and Peeps kinda gives me a our world version of "The Lords Coins Aren't Decreasing" vibe without the regressor aspect :)

[@ravenpotter3]

As someone who has finished the delicious in dungeon manga I can confirm how good it is. Without any spoilers, the ending leaves you full and satisfied like after a grand holiday feast with friends. There are no leftovers and what leftovers there are you are so satisfied with the meal you don’t mind. It is a story with world building that in my opinion rivals and is better than Made in Abyss… especially for the fact that all of the characters in dungeon Meshi are adults and there is no romance. It is truely a special series and each episode makes you hungry for more! Also I love how based in biology and science the world is. Humanity sees all as magic and just simply how it is. Yet like slimes are simple organisms that are like large cells and mimicks are like hermit crabs. Also the character design is amazing and I would reccomend to check out the creators blog where she posts a lot of art and spoilers. Her designs are so unique and feel so well rounded and real.

[@edwardfletcher7790]

It's only Winter for you Geoff !! It was 105°F (41°C) in Adelaide yesterday !!! 🤪

[@mothersbasement]

Pfft. Australia isn’t real.

[@CORV3TT33]

Wow, really? you must have had the heatwave we had last week out west...

[@edwardfletcher7790]

@@mothersbasement That weather was real enough for me 🤪

[@CesarLopez-nz4po]

Props to you dude. If my job was to watch all the new anime every season and then review, film, edit, etc. I'd be too unmotivated to do the actual work part. Just here to make sure you hear some appreciation because this is hard work and I love to watch your videos with my partner.

[@draakisback]

Sasaki and peeps had a fantastic first episode but then they started the anime bullshit with like 3 underage girls inexplicably attracted to our 35+ year old main character. With a lot of these "ones to watch" I'm going to wait until the end of the season to circle back and see if they are worth watching. I have like 20 plus anime on my list of potentially good shows, and there's no way that I have that kind of time with a full-time job. Anyway, solid list. There are so many that you did miss a few... Specifically, "weakest tamer" is both simultaneously heart breaking and wholesome if that's even possible. When the plot really gets going, they really take the time to build up a fairly nuanced world and set of characters. Also villainess level 99 has a really interesting meditextual spin on it; unlike a lot of "isekai based on game" shows, they explore how the video game is almost a misrepresentation of the events that happen in the world as a result of only seeing things from one perspective. There are a ton of plot points which technically follow the video game on the surface but have completely different implications because of the added context of a fleshed out world with real characters. I won't say anything else for the sake of not giving out any spoilers but I really enjoyed both books despite them being from a pretty well trodden genre. Weakest tamer has a to your eternity vibe in how it presents its world and characters.

[@Nassifeh]

I'd be more worried about the girls being attracted to the main character if the main character seemed to want to date anybody besides the bird.

[@draakisback]

@@Nassifeh I mean you're right for sure, it's still just annoying anime bullshit though

[@thomasedwards6641]

I agree he missed a few like Weakest Tamer his bargain bin had better choices for me, I have seen most of the ones he recommended and have already dropped 2 of them and 2 are on the bubble.

[@InAnotherCatsle]

Yeah, I dropped Sasaki and Peeps after episode 2. Absolutely unbelievable for his coworker to be 16, and nasty yandere vibes from the middle school neighbor. I looked up the manga, and it seems like every single girl he meets in the story will either be underaged or be drawn like a loli, and some of the girls will have extremely inappropriate feelings for him. Doesn't matter that he doesn't reciprocate, it is disappointing to have that be a significant plot focus in a story that is already overloaded with plot gimmicks.

[@ametabolicprocess]

"Delicious in Dungeon is fun, a laid back low stakes character driven comedy that feels like the coziest bits of your favorite JRPG thrown together" Manga readers: lol. lmao.

[@KingCasual1986]

Somebody show this video to Gigguk. He took one look at the trailer of Bravern that was SUPPOSED to be misleading and immediately said “not interested”!

[@Gloomdrake]

I haven’t seen that trailer. Why is it supposed to be misleading?

[@KingCasual1986]

@@Gloomdrake because it doesn’t show the Super Robot. Just the Real Robot military stuff.

[@Axterix13]

Well, the purpose of a trailer is to draw attention of people who would be interested in the show to the show. Making it misleading is... dumb. People who could be interested won't watch because you just lied and told them it wasn't for them, and those that do watch it then dump it because it wasn't what was promised. So, yeah, if they purposely made it misleading, the show deserves to fail for it.

[@KingCasual1986]

@@Axterix13 I don’t know about that. The show is pretty solid and given how mecha anime fans (including yours truly) are kind of starving for new content nowadays, I want the show to succeed so that we can keep the genre alive. They just need to release a new trailer with the twist included.

[@TheMFYeti]

Bruh, if I showed you a trailer full of romance, dancing, and flowers, but the actual end result is a brutal gorefest of a slasher film, I’m pretty sure that’s a shitty trailer, no matter if the creators did it “to be subversive”. It’s not a big brain move to intentionally make a shitty trailer - it just means you’re going to lose potential audience members who would actually want to watch what you’re making or piss off people who tuned in for one thing and you gave them something completely different.

[@stevelordofdarkness2340]

Villainess LVL 99 continues the trend of these repetitive Villainess stories having surprisingly unique and endearing leading ladies. Where Katarina Claes is a total dunce, Yumiella Dolkness is an absolute dork with only one facial expression-blank. Watching her interact with anyone is absolutely hilarious and it’s refreshing to see an OP protagonist that wishes for a simple life be smart enough to recognize that her mistakes have already closed off that path and just own up to their ludicrous power.

[@littlecoffeebean6744]

I love the fruits basket music in the background!! Ahhh Shoujo fans UNITE

[@courtneyp4784]

I watched Sign of Affection in one day from your recommendation.. it was SO good. I loved it!

[@princessthyemis]

SUNGWON CHO WAS THE VOICE OF KAGE!?!?!?!? no way!!!!! My jaw dropped when you said that! I finished the series just last week!! I loved it! I had no idea that was him!!!!! /pos

[@lordgamermon]

The fact that Doctor Elise was not even mentioned is a huge goddamn shame. Easily the black sheep of the season and I'd argue one of the best of the season.

[@Vaati1992]

02:57 Spice & Wolf is coming home from THE WAR!? Man, I bought the first season on DVD on the recommendation of the Desu Des Brigade (shout out to everyone who remembers that era of online video about anime!) That alone is enough of a reason to give this video a thumbs up! (I just hope there will be a dub and that J. Michael Tatum and Brina Palencia return for it)

[@ConvincingPeople]

Man, D2B, that's a blast from the past. Arkada is still going strong and doing the best work he's ever done, but the rest of the crew have largely dropped off the map. I think Prof still does stuff occasionally (although I never really followed him closely myself), but Vix has vanished from this side of the Internet (for frankly understandable reasons), and even Jacob has been pretty quiet aside from tweeting now and then (for even more understandable reasons, unfortunately).

[@CAPGOD1]

Thank you for the reference sheet. It's what I've always wanted

[@GlenYoung-yc5kw]

I'm surprised that "Gushing Over Magical Girls" (Hidive) wasn't mentioned. I guess that it might be the sleeper hit of the season.

[@gregoryfolsom7882]

Likely it's in the "I can't risk getting demonetized for talking about borderline H" vault.

[@Sarged40]

I was not expecting Geoff to pull out some Astrojax. I haven't seen that shit since middle school.

[@BorderJumper97]

"That's as many as five 2s..." - The Goat of Basements

[@Lillett_Realityapp]

I’m the one their making all the Villainess anime’s for, I love every one of them 😂❤

[@tusherabtahee9839]

I remember reading Biscuit Hammer one night a few years ago and then went on to binge all the rest of Mizukami's works over the next 24 hours. Not a single miss, Sengoku Youko was amazing and so was Spirit Circle.

[@HenriqueErzinger]

Sengoku Youko is his weakest, which makes it better than 90% of manga out there.

[@thomasedwards6641]

@@HenriqueErzinger I liked it more than Spirit Circle

[@AosorarisuUnedited]

Fair and nice, there is a few I missed as usual, but I have to ask. Where is "The Weakest Tamer Began a Journey to Pick Up Trash"? It is absolutely beautiful and having read the light novels, will be quite awesome to witness. Also no mention of the continued season of The Apothecary Diaries that is somehow still 5.0 with 98% of 67.6K voters. But I understand, that Ace Attorney sponsorship was worth the time and effort you put into it, I'll be getting that.

[@remigyfgrin8830]

I will call it "Delicious in Dungeon" when I am dead in the ground. The subtitles even translate "Dungeon Meshi" as "Dungeon Food" in the show

[@jukori]

I am so confused - where is 'The Apothecary Diaries' on this list?

[@KGibbs-pe4ed]

geoff never misses; i was just waiting for cherry magic and was extremely happy to see it on the list 👍 if you're interested in this summary, theres a live action drama thats very very good!

[@mitsurugi52]

Well, after seeing the Arc of Thrones clip go full Raiden with you throwing in "Rules of Nature" on top, I guess I have to watch it.

[@GinHindew110]

Sasaki and Peeps is incredibly fresh, not only because of the isekai commerce + secret psychic society, but because the MC is an older man trying to solve things peacefuly, and his ersonality is mostly an "already out of f*cks to give, but still in the game"

[@izofdoors4913]

Really glad you decided to make note of Bravern.

[@kevinkerwin4118]

Solo leveling is going to ve a letdown for people who pay attention and are hoping for character arcs. It's a simple power fantasy isekai adjacent plot that turns into something you never asked for. Very generic.

[@youssefbencheikh8637]

It was HEAVILY carried by the awesome fight scenes and now that they've the fight scenes meh it's really just painfully mid

[@CMTechnica]

It was already a letdown for me when I realized by the end of episode one that it’s a shitty real world fantasy setting. If it’s accurate to the source material I wouldn’t say it’s a let down in general, however.

[@trifurobert1349]

​@@CMTechnicaRead the manhwa , it s much better overall

[@0execute]

​@@youssefbencheikh8637he the Shadow Monarch now. If you know the whole god lore shit this feels like it's Heating up.

[@rexenoshi]

This didn’t age well 😂

[@jlnj0]

another banger best of, metallic rouge definitely on the plan to watch asap props to editor for the k-on intro cut and ost song choice 👌