2024 has been full of new major hits for anime fans. Solo Leveling and Dandadan are two strong candidates to become long-lasting anime franchises.
Dragon Ball Daima gathered attention and, though some fans don’t like how much this show feels like Dragon Ball GT, it is the last franchise product with Toriyama’s signature, and Toei is treating it as such. The series was apparently not produced with a sequel in mind, but there is still a chance it can get a movie or a second season.
Jujutsu Kaisen and Demon Slayer aired their respective sequels and left fans eagerly waiting for what’s next.
But apart from the major hits, a lot of good anime has been released this year, and they don’t always get the spotlight they deserve. With that in mind, here’s a list of some of the best anime that were maybe obfuscated by other series, but are definitely worth watching.
11. A Sign of Affection
A Sign of Affection adapts the homonymous manga by Suu Morishita that’s been running in Kodansha’s Dessert shoujo magazine since 2019.
The story follows Yuki Mitose, a hearing-impaired young woman at the university. Her world is silent and small, at least until she meets Itsuomi Nagi, a friend of her best friend. Nagi can speak many languages, but Japanese sign language is not one of them. Despite living in almost completely different worlds, Yuki and Nagi start getting closer to each other.
This is a cute romance that tackles important subjects, like accessibility. In this sense, it’s a bit similar to A Silent Voice, but maybe with less drama.
10. Sengoku Youko
Sengoku Youko is set at the beginning of the Sengoku period in Japan (1454-1568), but it doesn’t aim to be a factually accurate story.
Yokai fox Tama and her brother Jinka travel the world to purge all evil beings, be they human or supernatural beings. During their journey, they meet samurai-in-training Shunsuke Hyodo and Shakuyaku, a girl with supernatural powers who was part of an experiment performed by monks.
The original manga is penned by Satoshi Murakami, creator of another underrated show, Planet With. The series was animated by White Fox (known for Re:Zero), delivering solid animation quality.
9. Orb: On the Movements of the Earth
Orb is inspired by Nicholaus Corpernicus, and set in a fictitious version of 15th century Poland, when anyone who suggests scientific ideas that oppose the “C religion” are persecuted for heresy.
In this scenario, Rafal is a young man studying astronomy, helping Hubert to research the movements of the Earth. But the inquisition discovers this research, taking Hubert into custody. However, Rafal decides to continue Hubert’s research, despite all the risk it involves.
Orb is easily the most underrated Netflix anime in 2024. It’s a provoking series about philosophy, science, and its political implications, especially in a confessional State. Despite the inspiration for the setting, do not take this as an accurate portrayal of the Middle Ages.
8. Spice and Wolf: Merchant Meets the Wise Wolf
Spice and Wolf is a long-lasting franchise. The anime remake came more than 10 years after the first adaptation of the novel series, and it has been living up to the original story.
Set in a world inspired by medieval Europe, it centers on Kraft Lawrence, a merchant who travels from town to town, aiming to one day be able to start his own shop. One day, he meets Holo, a wolf-like girl who is actually the deity of harvest.
However, the local people haven’t been devoting themselves to gods lately, as they started employing advanced techniques to their crops, which makes her disappointed and lonely. Holo then decides to join Lawrence in his travels.
This series is not action-packed, but it shines when it comes to characters and plot development. Also, this might be the best show to learn a few economical concepts. A second season has been announced.
7. Go! Go! Loser Ranger
What if the Power Rangers decided to humiliate their former enemies in front of the public? That’s the premise of Go! Go! Loser Ranger. When an evil alien army attempted to take control of the Earth, they were defeated by the Dragon Keepers squadron.
After beating the higher-ups, the rangers decided that foot soldiers should reenact their defeat in front of a crowd every Sunday. Foot Soldier D, however, is tired of this humiliation, so he decides to secretly join the Keepers squadron in order to defeat them.
This Super Sentai/Power Rangers parody is a hidden gem, and a new season is set for April 2025.
6. Girls Band Cry
Most people probably thought of trying to join the music industry during their teens. Nina Iseri is a high school student who has this dream, but she is focusing on making her way to a good university. However, her first day at a new school doesn’t go very well.
By chance, she meets Momoka Kawaragi, a talented guitarist she admires. They end up joining for a street performance, and Momoka then proposes forming a band. Despite the long and winding road ahead, together they will do everything they can to reach their dreams.
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This is an original anime by Toei and also their first big musical project, and a somewhat down-to-earth plot. Those who like Bocchi the Rock are likely to enjoy this series as well.
5. Elusive Samurai
Another anime inspired by history was released this year. Elusive Samurai focuses on Tokiyuki Hojo, a real-life nobleman who lived in Japan during the 12th century. The Hojo clan was in power during that period, but is overthrown by the Ashikaga clan. Tokiyuki is able to escape, but ends up as the sole survivor of his family.
In the story, a priest, Yorishige Suwa, believes Tokiyuki will be a great hero, and encourages him to avenge his family. Despite the inspiration in real history, the anime should not be taken as anything similar to a biography.
With brilliant direction and beautiful animation, this show knows the perfect balance between adventure and comedy, but it hasn’t garnered the attention it deserves with the international public, maybe because it’s inspired by a not well-known part of Japanese history. In Japan, on the other hand, the anime boosted manga sales, and it’s flying off the shelves.
4. Twilight Out of Focus
Twilight Out of Focus doesn’t have a main plotline, telling the story of three different couples. The stories tackle mature themes like fear of discrimination, and also sexual assault, in a mature way.
This is a BL anime about gay people learning to love each other in mostly healthy relationships. There are no big plot twists or anything like that, but it’s good for those who want to see some romance.
It’s somewhat similar to Sasaki to Miyano, although sensible people to themes like sexual assault might as well avoid it.
3. Sword Art Online Alternative: Gun Gale Online
After six years, Sword Art Online Alternative anime finally returned for a new season. As the title suggests, this is a spin-off focused on new characters and on an “alternative” to Sword Art Online (which is the name of a game in-story).
Since Sword Art Online players were trapped inside the game (the plotline of the original Sword Art Online series), people lost interest in VR games, fearing a similar incident could happen. But this trend changed when SAO developer company launched a new game, called AmuSphere.
In this context, Karen Kohiruimaki begins playing a VR game called Gun Gale Online that allows her to build her own short character. She plays it so much that she becomes one of the strongest players in the game. But in real life, she is shy and complexed about appearance, especially her abnormal height.
This one is Sword Art Online in its best form and requires no previous knowledge of the original series.
2. Fate/strange Fake: Whispers of Dawn
Fate is a long-lasting franchise with many story ramifications. This usually makes people wary of how to start watching the series. Fate/strange Fake tells an alternative story that requires no knowledge of any other Fate media.
It actually started as April’s Fool prank of a Fate/stay night story set in the US (initially titled Fate/states night), and later became an official light novel series. In Fate, there are Mages who summon Servants to fight in battles called the Holy Grail War. The Third Holy Grail War took place in the middle of the 20th century, and an American organization has been trying to copy it, but seemingly has failed.
However, this event draws the attention of other Mage organizations, who send people to investigate this apparently fake war.
Whispers of Dawn is a prologue movie to the anime series that will debut on December 31, 2024, and is also a great Fate for starters.
1. Whisper Me a Love Song
Yuri/GL fans have been lucky these last years, with a lot of yuri manga/novel getting adapted into anime, or even original anime with romance between girls, like Gundam: Witch from Mercury, being released.
Whisper Me a Love Song tells the story of high school students Himari Kino and Yori Asanagi. On her first day at school, Himari watches Yori’s band performance and falls in love with it.
Yori, who is inexperienced when it comes to romance, wants Himari to actually fall in love with her, not with her music. The story explores their bond, especially through their love for music.
This has been a well-acclaimed manga in the yuri community for some time. Despite some production issues, this one is worth watching.
In the meantime, read more about the five questions Dandadan Season 2 needs to answer, when One Piece is coming back, and check out our list of the best TV shows of 2024.
