I was able to start a few new anime series this week, in time for spooky season; here are five shows you should be watching.
Jujutsu Kaisen, One Piece, Spy x Family...those will be trending anime series for a long time. But sometimes, every otaku or anime fan needs some new series that are off the beaten path. This is why I started watching this list of new anime shows, and chosen the top five that resonated with me the most. And no, this is not hyping up the typical popular shows like Boruto or Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba. Essentially, my criteria for this list was what stood out amongst the rest in terms of spectacular visuals, ingenius storytelling and smart writing, and bringing in a unique take to its genre.
1. Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End (Madhouse)
This was probably one of the most visually striking new anime series on my list here. It blended some Studio Ghibli/Hayao Miyazaki film environment art styles. The wonderful storytelling matched the beautiful art style too! It takes place in a fantasy world, following a four person party: Frieren the Elf Mage, Himmel the Hero, Heiter the Priest and Eisen the Warrior.
The story recounted their 10-year adventure together, as the characters reminisced about their journey. However, as decades fly by and the team members begin to die of old age, only Frieren really did not age since she is an elf. So, she decides to live on and figure out how to continue living on without her friends. It definitely gave me Violet Evergarden vibes from the first episode. This is an awesome choice for those who enjoy watching heavily story-driven shows—sort of like To My Eternity or The Ancient Magus’ Bride.
2. Dead Mount Death Play (Geek Toys)
Dead Mount Death Play was probably one of the most shocking new anime series to start because it really drew me in on doing the reverse-isekai trope (isekai’s usually have someone from our modern day time die and be reincarnated in a fantasy/other world). Essentially, a really strong knight known as the Calamity Crusher tried to take down a powerful necromancer called the Corpse God. As the knight kills the Corpse God, he realizes he is reincarnated in a modern day guy’s body who he immediately learns is named Polka Shinoyama.
Adding to this reverse isekai moment, Polka seemed to have been assassinated with a slash across the throat, and now the body has a new soul. The Calamity Crusher must now figure out the modern-day world while figuring out the truth behind his reincarnation to another world. This is an intriguing show for anyone who wants something more mature and thought-provoking. The visuals for the spellcasting was also quite dazzling and intricately animated. The best part is that part one of Season 1 is already out, containing 12 episodes.
3. The Family Circumstances of the Mismatched Witch (A-Real)
This one was probably the funniest and light-hearted anime series I started and loved immediately. Check out the Top 5 Anime Series to Start in October 2023 article for the detailed synopsis. Long story short, a witch named Alyssa found a random child in a basket in the forest one day, and named and raised the child called Violet. 16 years later, the child grew a lot bigger than her mom—making the running gag of the series that the villagers think Violet is the adult and her mom is her apprentice.
The parent and child mix-up gag has definitely been a trope that withstands the test of time, as long as it brings something different each time. This one did that by blending the mishaps and missteps of witchcraft and magic, all within the slice-of-life tropes of a mother trying to raise her daughter as best as she can. This is a perfect show for those looking for something wholesome, cute and comedic.
4. Shangri-La Frontier (C2C)
Shangri-La Frontier contended with The Family Circumstances of the Mismatched Witch on the comedic aspect, but did a better job being an anime series that can contain dynamic action sequences with the comedy. The story kicked off introducing high school student Rakurou Hizutome whose sole drive is beating trash video games (games with bugs, horrible AI allies, etc.). When he beats one of the worst made games of all-time, he visits his local video game shop to find the next trash game. However, the store worker suggested he play a new, “god-tier” VR RPG game called Shangri-La Frontier (SLF).
Rakurou quickly enjoys himself from the loading screen to spawning in because he is finally experiencing what a near-perfect game feels like. As an expert gamer, he also has to hide his identity. So, his game avatar within SLF looks quite ridiculous. He decided that a bird mask would be suitable on his almost naked body. The picture of the show kinda spoils it but that is what captivated me. This was probably the most well-rounded anime series on this list. I felt like the intro music was awesome; the action was well-structured; and the comedic beats were nothing too zany.
5. Shy (8bit)
Shy was definitely the most interesting new anime series from this season that I wanted to check out because of its initial similarities to My Hero Academia. Although, based on the first episode, I found it to have more darker undertones in its storytelling choices. In a world on the brink of World War III, peace was made possible when each country had a hero to represent themselves and keep global order. Japan’s hero is a young girl named Shy because she is shy, and even her real identity Teru Momijiyama is still very shy in her regular school life.
Despite being a shy person, Teru is super strong and can leap great heights. Like some of the MHA heroes, she uses support items to maneuver better in tricky situations—such as her thrusters on her back. I was impressed at how the first episode balanced the encouraging moments of a new hero breaking out, and the hero learning through failure. Shy brought a lot of lore and smart writing, and not making the protagonist too OP. The animation of her hero transformation was also fire! This would be my definite watch for those craving some MHA content, but with a twist.
Bonus Feature — Firefighter Daigo: Rescuer in Orange (Brain’s Base)
Firefighter Daigo: Rescuer in Orange was my favourite down-to-earth anime series to start. It reminded me of Space Brothers a lot because it looks to be about three characters who have become firefighters for the Tokyo Fire Department. But, the story goes back-and-forth with the current day disaster and their time training when they were younger and first in the Tokyo Fire Department training. I felt the educational aspect and drama really added to the tension and suspense for what was happening in the incident in their version of a modern-day disaster in Tokyo.
The time-jumping seems like a cool storytelling element, nothing really unique, but definitely a great way to break up the main story and get to learn more about the three main characters. The three protagonists (Daigo, Shun and Yuki) brought a diverse outlook to this firefighting tale. While it may be the most grounded narrative on this list, it is compelling to see the training and technical aspects of what firefighters train and do on the job—which we may take for granted at times.
There were numerous new anime series to sift through, and some close contenders to include on this list. Let us know which series you are enjoying from the fall season lineup!
