2024 is in the books and that means it’s time to look back fondly (or not so fondly) on the year and to determine what my personal favorite anime was from the past 365 days.
As always, when it comes to editorials such as this, I have to put the disclaimer out there that this is based on what I have personally watched so if your personal favorite show didn’t make the cut, it’s because I either dropped it or I didn’t watch it. If you have your own choice, feel free to let me know in the comments below.
As customary, let’s take a look at the past winners!
2023: Boku no Kokoro no Yabai Yatsu
2022: Yofukashi no Uta
2021: Tokyo Revengers
2020: ID:Invaded
2019: Dororo
2018: Violet Evergarden
2017: Made in Abyss
2016: ERASED
2015: Death Parade
2014: Your Lie in April
2013: Kill la Kill
2012: Shinsekai Yori
2011: Steins;Gate (also my Anime of the Decade)
2010: RAINBOW: nisha rokubou no shichinin
So, which show will be joining this prestigious list? Well, first… let’s take a look at all of the shows I watched this past year and then I’ll go over the rules.
Solo Leveling
Chiyu Mahou no Machigatta Tsukaikata
Boku no Kokoro no Yabai Yatsu S2
Akuyaku Reijou Level 99: Watashi wa Ura-Boss desu ga Maou dewa Arimasen
Metallic Rouge
Boku no Hero Academia S7
Girls Band Cry
Hananoi-kun to Koi no Yamai
Sasayaku You ni Koi wo Utau
The New Gate
Wind Breaker
Yoru no Kurage wa Oyogenai
2.5 Jigen no Ririsa
Mayonaka Punch
Tower of God S2
SHY S2
Dead Dead Demon’s Dededededestruction
FAIRY TAIL: 100 YEARS QUEST
Gimai Seikatsu
Mob kara Hajimaru Tansaku Eiyuutan
Shikanoko Nokonoko Koshitantan
Tokidoki Bosotto Russiago de Dereru Tonari no Alya-san
VTuber nanda ga Haishin Kiri Wasuretara Densetsu ni Natteta
Make Heroine ga Oosugiru!
Dandadan
ReZERO S4
Sword Att Online Alternative: Gun Gale Online S2
Compared to 2023, the list of shows I watched, or attempted to watch, wasn’t as long but there were quite a lot of bangers in there! As customary every year, I will not be picking shows that have had a sequel season. Only shows that were standalone or had their first season are eligible
The reason is that I like to pick something new. That means, yes, there are sequel seasons in this list that could overtake my pick (BokuYaba S2 aka the greatest romance anime of all time… feel free to fight me on that) but I don’t think it’s fair. That’s why I only choose shows that either aired their first season or are just a one-and-done show.
With that in mind, here are my Top 5 Anime of 2024.
5. Wind Breaker
Youth going around and kicking the crap out of each other for territorial supremacy is one of my guilty pleasure genres. Other shows like Tokyo Revengers and Durarara!! are among some of my favorites in this genre, although those offer some sort of twist. Wind Breaker doesn’t do that.
There’s no time travel, urban myths, or people who can throw vending machines and light poles with ease. Instead, it’s just a great story about a boy named Sakura who thought that in order to get the respect he deserved, he needed to prove he was the strongest and do it alone. Slowly he realizes that you don’t have to be alone and strength doesn’t necessarily mean how physically tough you are. The story is simple, yet very well executed and it made me keep coming back for more!
4. Dead Dead Demon’s Dededede Destruction
Inio Asano is my favorite mangaka and I was very happy for him that despite writing multiple series and one-shots, this was his first-ever anime adaptation and they picked a good one! Asano is known for his dark take on life and doesn’t shy away from adult humor. You get all of that and more here as it looks at how Tokyo copes with an alien mothership hovering above the city, the animosity humans have towards the invaders, the sad and cruel situation the invaders were put in, and more!
Most of the story revolves around two main characters, Kadode and Oran, as they come across an invader and learn much about everything that’s happening. There are so many layers to this show and story that it’s almost impossible to properly explain it. It’s something that has to be watched and experienced first-hand as there is twist after twist after twist at all levels of the show. It truly is one of the masterpieces of 2024!
3. Dan Da Dan
I might incur the wrath of the Dan Da Dan community for not putting this as Anime of the Year; however, there are two shows (in my opinion) that are head and shoulders above what, I felt to be, an excellent series. Dan Da Dan opens up with some of the biggest WTF moments of the year only to spiral into every major genre you can think of from action to drama to comedy to romance, and more.
While it has the makings to be a “complete package” anime, I just can’t put it at number one simply because it falls into the same trap that every other hyped anime does… it’s just an over-the-top show. Typically, over-the-top shows tend to be very popular (i.e. Chainsaw Man, Jujustu Kaisen, Demon Slayer, etc.) They get a lot of attention and, therefore, I feel that attention can sway people into automatically pinning it as AOTY… especially when it just finished airing at the end of the year and is fresh in people’s minds. I’m not taking away from how good Dan Da Dan is by saying this but you have to admit it… it’s just the newest and latest shiny thing that has your attention right now and because of that, Dan Da Dan might just seem better than it actually is.
It’s still a great show… otherwise, I wouldn’t have put it on this list, but there are two others that I think were better.
2. Days with My Stepsister
Everyone rolled their eyes when they first saw this show and I think because of shows like Domestic Girlfriend, the whole “they’re not blood-related” romance genre kind of succumbed to a certain type of stereotype. Days with My Stepsister takes that stereotype and executes it right in front of you, forcing you to pay attention to why it’s different.
First off, the show presents itself in a wholesome way. A mother and daughter move in with a father and son after they marry and they need to adjust to their new lives. They are respectful of each other’s boundaries, and they want to be helpful to one another but they also don’t want to get in each other’s way. What we have here is a realistic look at the awkwardness of suddenly having a new sister/mother enter your life and vice versa. How do you deal with it? How do you cope with it? How does your life change? How can you make sure things stay as close to the same as they were before and how can you do all of that while remaining as respectful as possible? This is what the show tackles and as Yuta and Saki try to figure that out, slowly and naturally their feelings for one another develop. It’s not a love-at-first-sight situation nor is it a “I loved you before our parents got married” situation either. It’s presented in a realistic way and the show uses silence masterfully to force you to pay attention to every word.
Truth be told, this was very VERY close to being picked as my AOTY but there was one show that did just a little bit more that took that spot…
I give you my 2024 Anime of the Year…
1. Girls Band Cry
Okay, so Girls Band Cry isn’t as serious as Days with My Stepsister but I think it tells a more complete story, has more fleshed-out characters, and also dials in the drama but in a different way. Nina has a falling out with her parents so she moves to Tokyo in hopes of finding a way to live on her own. She meets Momoka, a singer she admires, and wants to form a band with her… except Momoka is about to call it quits for good and move away. After some convincing Momoka reluctantly agrees. They bring in Subaru, a drummer who wants to play music and not follow in her grandmother’s footsteps in becoming an actress, and two freelancers who are trying (and struggling) to build a following in Too and Rupa. Together, they seek to overcome their personal troubles, whether it’s proving a parent wrong, getting the courage to confront a grandparent, proving their way of music was the right path to their former band, or realizing that perfectionism isn’t going to be achievable in a harmonious way. Their journeys are individual but also taken together as a whole.
There are ups and downs… nothing is perfect and there are more tough times than good. Sometimes to resolve an issue, you have to let someone be… other times, you need to strongarm them into seeing reason. Whatever the case may be, you see five girls who just came together to form these bonds and be there for one another so that their journeys can be completed all while trying to prove that they have what it takes to set the world on fire through music.
Couple the amazing character development with an absolute banger of a soundtrack and you have a recipe that was good enough for me to consider it my Anime of the Year!
Until next year… look forward to what’s to come in 2024 and enjoy anime, everybody! Meanwhile, I’ll be dodging hate comments for not putting Solo Leveling in my Top 5.
Ja ne!
