Anime UK News Review of 2023 Part 1: Anime
There have never been so many new anime titles available to stream as in 2023 (or so it’s seemed) – but there have also been casualties due to the enormous pressure put on studios and their animation teams. Even so, Attack on Titan eventually came to an end. (Or… did it?) Jujutsu Kaisen stumbled and began to break apart at the seams. The new Bleach could still only be watched on Disney+ in the UK. Series came (seemingly) from nowhere and became overnight successes, such as [Oshi no Ko] and My Happy Marriage. With Netflix, Disney + and HIDIVE still competing with Crunchyroll in the absence of Funimation for audiences (although Amazon Prime has brought nothing new to the table this year), has this been a good year for anime enthusiasts?
And we’ll be ending 2023 with the first UK screenings in December of Hayao Miyazaki’s The Boy and the Heron. Is this the master’s final full-length anime? Never say never when it comes to Miyazaki and the now-legendary Studio Ghibli!
Streaming/Simulcast
Darkstorm
Normally when it comes to new anime, I’m rarely the type of person who has read the light novel or manga version it’s based upon first, I normally go into an anime blind, or the manga I read just don’t get anime adaptations. This year however, it happened to me twice! And luckily for me, both adaptations were great! Yuri Is My Job provided a very faithful anime that brought the complex characters and messy relationships to life, whereas My Happy Marriage anime took the strengths of its medium and made a version that hit the right plot notes of the manga whilst building the world that was lacklustre on paper. But which one was better? Whilst I loved both, it came down to which anime would I recommend? In the end, My Happy Marriage came out the winner. Whilst Yuri is My Job was faithful, it also just ‘ended’ with it left too open to make the season feel complete. The story is a long, slow-burning story so one season wasn’t going to cut it, and with no news of another season, it’s better just to read the manga. Whereas the first season of My Happy Marriage does end on an emotionally satisfying note, with room for more if needed. It also expanded on what the world feels and looks like to live in, with stunning animation and fantastic casting to back it up. It’s a series that deserves a second season, but also provided a very satisfying first season that they could have left it there and still have been proud of the work they produced.
Ian Wolf
The introduction to this article talks about the competition involving streaming services, with Crunchyroll still the dominant force when it comes to anime. Netflix, Disney+ and HIDIVE have been trying to make inroads, and there are services outside of the UK that are also making an impact, but annoyingly are still unavailable to we Brits (I’m looking at you Retro Crush). However, in the UK, anime is starting to have more of an impact with mainstream broadcasters. While ITVX still has some Anime Limited titles, this December sees the films of Makoto Shinkai making their broadcast debut on Film4.
However, for my top streaming choice I’m going with perhaps the most surprising stream of the year, as this December witnessed the BBC debuting an anime on its service, and televising it. The series in question being Pokémon Horizons: The Series. While only the first six episodes of the series have been made available so far, it’s still great to see the BBC taking such a bold step. The series has aired on TV too, being broadcast on CBBC. The corporation has also taken over streaming rights for older Pokémon series, with Sun and Moon episodes airing on BBC Two.
US viewers are going to have to wait until February for the series to become available on Netflix – although strangely, if you go to the Wikipedia article on the series, it says the English release date is the Netflix one, even though it is available in English right now, in the country that invented English.
Demelza
2022 was filled to the brim with adaptations of a series I already loved and introduced me to some new long-term favourites. So I certainly wasn’t going into 2023 expecting it to be anywhere near as good. However, this year has been better than I expected, thanks to returning champions like DanMachi, Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation, Horimiya, Bungo Stray Dogs and new series like [Oshi No Ko], The Dangers in My Heart and currently airing Shangri-La Frontier. While I was tempted to choose My Happy Marriage for this segment like Darkstorm, instead I’m going to pivot off in the direction of Frieren which has already aired 13 episodes at the time of writing. We all hope that our favourite shows will get adapted by a studio as mighty as Madhouse, but very few live up to how we imagine them to be when they make the jump from the pages of manga to the big screen. But in the case of Frieren, it’s everything I hoped for and so much more. The studio has approached it with a delicate hand, enhancing but not changing a great deal (which is the right move for an expansive fantasy series like this) while showcasing the whole thing with some fabulous animation and a wonderful soundtrack by composer Evan Call. If you’re looking for a story that’s more of a traditional fantasy without the isekai or RPG tropes that have made their way into so many these days – this is for you.
Cold Cobra
When it comes to newly airing anime this past year, I do feel bad that I haven’t really picked any new series up, at least any that stuck with me in a meaningful way, but what I did get was a whole load more of some of my favourite shows! While I definitely enjoyed returning shows like My Hero Academia, Bleach: The Thousand Year Blood War and at least Attack on Titan’s long drawn-out finale was good and ended the series on a high note after taking an age to get there, but what still hangs in my memory the most is the second and final series of Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch From Mercury.
The show is a really odd one that goes against the grain of what a Gundam show typically is but the writing of the lead character and the complex emotions she feels throughout the final half of the series really gripped me, and all the usual Gundam anti-war messaging and mobile suit fighting (and merchandise selling!) are all present and correct as well. It was the only show this year that whenever its stunning ending came up, I couldn’t believe 20-odd minutes had gone by and I was already looking forward to more.
Noemi10
Onosume
I don’t think there’s been a series this year other than [Oshi no Ko] that has really grabbed people’s attention to the point that everyone was talking about it. I think a lot of that was off the strength of its shell-shocking opening episode, giving us an introduction to a very interesting story and spin on the “reborn as …” trope. It’s not just the opening episode that makes this great though, as Aqua and Ruby’s quest for answers has so far been riveting as it slowly pokes away at the central mystery, while there’s also a lot to gain from it criticising the entertainment industry, where it’s not afraid to go to some dark places. Let’s also not forget that this is an anime about an idol, and even though it’s not specifically an idol anime as such, it still has some fantastic music, from Yoasobi’s massive hit Idol to tracks like Sign wa B and STAR☆T☆RAIN. The latter also gets brownie points for its attention to detail on taking the performance to Tokyo Idol Festival’s Sky Stage.
As a result, this has been my personal stand-out of this year and is the one I’d recommend watching if you’re catching up on some of the year’s hit shows over the holiday period.
I’d also like to give a shout-out to Season 2 of Vinland Saga. Although it was a very slow burn as it plodded through the arc surrounding Ketil’s Farm, it had a wonderful pay-off at the end. It’s just super interesting looking at how the pace of the story changes from Season 1, which offered a lot of chaos and violence, to here where it takes a lot more time to dig into the characters and takes a deeper look at those who are the victims of the brutality of that era of history. Fresh faces in the cast added a lot, and it was often shocking to see how each of them transformed over the course of the series.
If you’ve watched the first season and not the second, then I’d say definitely find the time to continue watching and don’t be put off by the change in pace. And if you haven’t watched either yet, get to it! Vinland Saga is a fantastic series and I’m looking forward to seeing more if we get a continuation into the next arc of the story.
HWR
2023 has been relatively solid from a seasonal anime perspective, with long-running series’ like Bleach: Thousand Year Blood War, Bungo Stray Dogs, DanMachi, and My Hero Academia continuing to impress alongside newcomers like Skip and Loafer and The Eminence in Shadow (now on its second season) which stood out amongst all the isekai, which nevertheless managed to generate some better offerings including Farming Life in Another World and Handyman Saitou in Another World. These were both seasonal highlights for me when they aired thanks, to their general atmosphere and characters.
If I had to pick the strongest anime of the year as a highlight, then I’d also have to choose Frieren, which might just be the best new anime I’ve watched in years, with the added bonus that an entire cour’s worth of episodes have already aired, which further aids my praise for this fantasy story. It’s hard to summarise just why I’ve enjoyed the series so much thus far, but if Berserk was the series that made me fall in love with fantasy anime, then it’s Frieren that’s reinforced just how that when in the right hands, from a studio and director perspective, that they can stand head and shoulders above many other equally impressive anime. I can’t wait to explore the remaining episodes as we head into 2024, which has caught up with me fast, I must admit!
Sarah
In spite of the seemingly unstoppable slew of anime titles (so many isekai!) appearing in 2023, very few stood out for me as must-watches – but those that really caught my attention were not always the big-hitting series. My stand-out watch of the year (apart from Frieren no Sousen which Demelza and HWR have already praised) was Kyo-Ani’s excellent Tsurune – The Linking Shot (HIDIVE). This continues the story of the young high-school archers and not only maintained the standard of the first series but, in introducing a new team of unconventional rivals in competition, considerably upped the ante.
OVERTAKE! (still running on Crunchyroll) shows every sign of matching Tsurune #2 but it could still go off the rails and mess up the ending. I’m confident it won’t and I’ll be recommending this series about F4 racing (and so much more!) in our Autumn Overview. Great characterization, a well-paced story and attractive, interesting character designs all work in the favour of this criminally overlooked slice-of-life sports anime.
(If I had to choose a third, it would be the delightful Skip and Loafer (Crunchyroll) which really does justice to Misaki Takamatsu’s ongoing slice-of-life manga about a quirky girl from a remote island community starting high school in Tokyo.)
Anime on DVD/BD
Demelza
Surprising no one if you read these regularly, this was another year where I bought very little in the way of anime on home video. With Crunchyroll releases being priced surprisingly high compared to their peers, I find myself priced out of their output, which is a shame! However, I did pick up the lovely Tsurune Season 1 collection from MVM and Anime Limited eventually released Ascendance of a Bookworm after many delays, so we’ll call that a win. However, the biggest surprise this year and the announcement that makes me happiest was Anime Limited announcing they were releasing Shirobako on home video. The series is one that seemed increasingly unlikely to ever make it to the UK, so of course I’m excited to see it not only be released here on Blu-ray but also in a collector’s edition. At the time of writing, it’s due for release on December 18th, but even if it gets pushed into 2024 (which wouldn’t be unusual) this will still be a highlight for me!
Onosume
In typical style, I did buy a lot of home video releases this year but didn’t really watch any of it! I think Anime Limited has had the stronger line-up between the main UK distributors, releasing several films that made waves last year like Pompo the Cinephile, some classic series and so-called “license rescues” and even more Love Live! and Gundam. Crunchyroll meanwhile seems to be in a weird place where its UK release slate is inconsistent, marketing is absent, and its prices sky-high. It’s a shame for collectors, but you do get the feeling that their priority is their streaming service and home video is an afterthought.
It is nice to see MVM still putting out a good range of shows though and are doing well with what they can grab out of Sentai’s catalogue. We had one of the best of these with Non Non Biyori being released in full this year, and it was fantastic revisiting this lovely, cosy little show about kids living and learning in their quaint Japanese country village. If you enjoy comfy slice of life shows, then this is definitely a must-buy.
HWR
Without exaggeration, Discotek Media are the best independent distributor working in the physical media industry today. Their output is eclectic and expansive, and this has allowed a variety of series’ to come from them, from heavy-hitting titles like Gunbuster, entire franchise rescues like City Hunter and Urusei Yatsura, and even streaming rescues like Aho Girl, Holmes of Kyoto, and Planet With. Their output has greatly shaped my viewing experience this year, filling in the gaps left by corporate buyouts shrinking release outputs and numerous delays from other distributors within the anime industry.
My highlights from their 2023 output includes the aforementioned Gunbuster release, which filled the disc to the brim with content (All the Anime used the same disc for their Collector’s Edition), and the Urusei Yatsura sets, which I never thought would see a re-release and offer great value. I’ll also shout out their release of IRIA Zieram The Animation, which I re-watched recently as it was a great-looking disc, and their work on the Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha series too, as following releasing the two films we’re now getting the first season of the anime as well!
I’ve no doubt that Discotek will have some heavy-hitters in 2024 as well, and their January releases next month are already getting off to quite a start, with highlights including Kurokami the Animation and Lovely Complex. I’m also looking forward to seeing what other live-action titles they will release under the Nihon Nights sub-label, as we’ve had some solid entries so far including Kinji Fukasaku’s Shogun’s Samurai The Yagyu Clan Conspiracy and live-action anime adaptations including Golgo 13 (starring Ken Takakura) and Another.
If you have a multi-region Blu-ray player then checking out this retailer is a no-brainer – for me Discotek were one of the key reasons I purchased one!
Sarah
My purchases this year – shamelessly – were Tsurune Limited Edition from MVM (lovely extras) and the two box-sets of Free! The Final Stroke Collector’s Edition (also lovely extras) because – well, I’m a completist and I’ve been with Free! since the start. So, Kyo-Ani all the way…
Anime Film Theatrical Screening
Darkstorm
We had a good amount of high-quality anime releases in cinema this year. I sadly missed most of them for a variety of reasons, so my choices come down to the two I reviewed for this site. My vote this year goes to Re:Cycle of the Penguindrum Parts 1 & 2; it’s very rare I get to re-experience a show I reviewed many years ago and in a new format (original review was TV, my new review was for the movie adaptation) but I’m glad I did. Not only did I get to experience a truly unique anime from the great Kunihiko Ikuhara all over again, but it made me really want him to make a movie-exclusive anime in the future, rather than just an adaptation of his TV work. I don’t know if he has plans in the future for that, but either way I’m glad Anime Limited gave the UK audience a chance to re-experience this story, with its themes of generational trauma, child abuse and terrorism that are still (sadly) relevant today.
Demelza
Apart from attending Scotland Loves Anime, I didn’t see a great deal of anime in the cinema this year. Partly because there were fewer releases I was interested in and partly because I got to see some stuff ahead of a wider release at last year’s SLA. But the one film I did make time to go see in the cinema was Makoto Shinkai’s latest – Suzume. While for me it didn’t hit the highs of Your Name or Weathering with You, it was as always a fabulous showcase of the director’s skills and showed that he won’t be pigeonholed into making romance movies forever. This was a lot more fantasy-focused, which I was sceptical of before seeing it, but looking back now I think it worked on the whole. Definitely one I am eager to re-watch, should we get an affordable Blu-ray release.
Onosume
It’s been great to see we are still getting a good range of anime films outside of the big bang Scotland Loves Anime weekend, with both Anime Limited and Crunchyroll getting a slice of the action.
Anime Limited brought us The First Slam Dunk, which despite adapting the final big game from the manga, also works brilliantly as a standalone affair, thanks to the way it intertwines the match with flashbacks and well written character moments that allow you to grasp the entirety of the story even if you’ve never read the source material. This impressed me a lot, and I found it very easy to get into its characters and the story it was trying to tell. It looked pretty good too, and I loved the sweeping, high-octane angle it gave the main basketball game.
Crunchyroll’s biggest film this year seemed to be Psycho-Pass Providence, the prequel film to the franchise’s third season which takes us through the events that put Season 1 lead Akane Tsunemori in jail. As the franchise has become increasingly difficult to follow as it chops and changes its narrative style, cast, and central themes, it was refreshing to return to Akane’s perspective where it’s been interesting following her moral choices as part of a very dystopian system. The main plot sort-of follows on from other pre-Psycho-Pass 3 entries, looking at Sybil’s ongoing expansion into other countries and its potential use in war, as a paramilitary group vies to create their own state. It’s a lot more consistent in its storytelling and tonally more in keeping with the franchise’s core values than the 2015 movie, and as a result I felt this one is a bit more enjoyable. The politics and intrigue are quite interesting as you have some power plays and manoeuvring, while there are plenty of strong action sequences. All in all. a pretty decent entry in the franchise.
Looking Forward to 2024…
Darkstorm
Another manga series I love, A Sign of Affection, is about to make its anime debut in January 2024, so we won’t have to wait long to see how that turns out! I’m also hoping that we’ll finally get news on Netflix (or at least someone else) licencing the Sailor Moon Cosmos movies, covering the final arc. The 2-part films came out earlier this year in cinemas, with Blu-ray on sale this month, so hopefully 2024 will bring Sailor Moon Crystal anime to a close to the West sooner rather than later.
Noemi10
I can’t wait for the release on Crunchyroll of Solo Leveling in the new year, which has already raised quite a bit of noise. The highly anticipated anime follows the release of other Korean series, such as A Returner’s Magic Should Be Special and Why Raeliana Ended Up at the Duke’s Mansion. I hope the success anticipated for the Korean-based series and the rapid increase in manhwa and webtoons, will push the streaming giant Netflix to look into creating more anime based on manhwa.
Ian Wolf
As a fan of CLAMP, it would be remiss of me not to mention the concluding part of Cardcaptor Sakura: Clear Card, the manga of which finished this December. It has been six years since the first anime series was broadcast, so I’m looking forward to its return.
When it comes to brand-new series however, the one I’m anticipating the most is the adaption of Demon Lord 2099, the light novel series by Daigo Murasaki, which combines cyberpunk with reverse isekai as an evil demon lord awakes to find his world has merged with Earth, leading to a magical cyber world in 2099 AD. The series is being animated by J.C.Staff.
Demelza
Looking to 2024, just like Darkstorm, I find myself excited for A Sign of Affection, but beyond that, there’s also A Condition Called Love, Wind Breaker, and Tis Time for “Torture,” Princess. It does seem like we’re starting to get out of the era of having loads of fantasy/isekai anime every season and instead, there’s been a solid scattering of romance series. In particular, it’s reassuring to see so many shojo titles finally get a chance to shine as it’s an underrated genre that deserves more attention.
Cold Cobra
While it’s still early days I can’t not mention the return of Dragon Ball to our screens; while far from the first anime I ever watched, Dragon Ball Z was definitely the series that turned me into a lifelong fan of not just shonen anime but anime in general.
Dragon Ball Daima is going in an odd direction, as it’s turning the whole cast into chibi, child-like versions of themselves with an actual in-universe explanation that a villain did it so they have to track this bad guy down and undo the “spell” to return to their normal forms, rather than it just be a funny side-story series like most chibi side series are. The change in size comes with a complete de-powering of the admittedly over-powered lead cast as well and what little footage we’ve seen shows Goku use his old “power pole” or “Nyoi-bo” staff from the original series, so there could be some fun to be had here. I mean, I’ll admit an adaptation of the two un-animated Dragon Ball Super manga arcs would’ve been more up my street (especially if they change the ending of the “Granolah the Survivor Arc” to something remotely satisfying…) but of course I’ll be watching every week regardless!
Onosume
There is a lot to look forward to in 2024 but the biggest one for me is probably Puella Magi Madoka Magica the Movie: Walpurgisnacht Rising. It’s incredible to think it’s been ten years since that ending in Rebellion and we are only now getting the long-awaited follow-up. The trailers released so far look fascinating so I can’t wait to see how events will unfold.
The third season of Love Live! Superstar is also scheduled to air next year (no firm date has been announced but I expect it to follow the previous seasons in getting a summer timeslot), and I am interested to see what they actually do with it, as it’s the first time in the franchise for an entry getting a third season. As such I’m being cautious on my expectations, as I don’t think it’ll be that different as it adds yet more members to the group (and loses what was Liella’s most promising rival in the process), but we shall see how it goes.
Elsewhere it was good to hear recently that we are getting a new generation of the Pretty idol franchise. while we also have new seasons for Blue Exorcist, Sound Euphonium and Laid Back Camp. If you ask me, it’s sounding like a good year for sequels then!
Sarah
It’s no secret that I’m looking forward to January and the anime series based on Yuu Morikawa’s manga Mr. Villain’s Day Off: even a villainous alien general, hell-bent on world domination needs a day off to recharge – and pandas. He really needs pandas.
Boys’ Love fans will be looking forward to the anime TV series based on Jyanome’s Twilight Outfocus which is about the activities of a high school film club: an ideal subject to be made into an anime! It will also be ve-ery interesting to see how the omegaverse BL series Tadaima, Okaeri makes the transition to anime later in the year; the manga by Ichi Ichikawa is warm-hearted and centres on one family, their little boy and their friends.
And – last, but not least – Cherry Magic! the TV anime series based on Yuu Toyota’s charming and very successful BL comedy is starting in early January on Crunchyroll.
