Best Fall 2023 Anime

The Fall 2023 anime season is here, bringing with it roughly 40 new episodes per week. Basically, if someone feels like watching some Japanese animation, they will not struggle to find it. And, if they are specifically craving fantasy stories, they will not be left hungry. In fact, the quarter is so overflowing with medieval-style fantasy content that shows might threaten to blend together, at least stylistically; however, some series will naturally rise to the top.

There are only so many hours in the week, and not everyone will be able to watch every Fall anime as it airs. As such, they might wish to prioritize a couple of series. To help create that shortlist, here are the best Fall 2023 anime that are worth adding to (most) schedules.

8 Goblin Slayer 2

Considering its opening episode provoked a wave of controversy, Goblin Slayer has not really warranted all that much discussion since then. That is not to say the series is terrible, as it is quite good overall, but rather that it has played things surprisingly safe. Season 2’s opening episode upheld this trend by being enjoyable but not necessarily spectacular. Still, Goblin Slayer‘s average is high enough to guarantee quality.

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At the adventurer guild, the eponymous Goblin Slayer encounters a wizard boy who shares his hatred for goblins. However, the young mage’s arrogant and aggressive demeanor garners him no friends, although Orcbolg does try to extend a friendly hand. In the meantime, Priestess needs to team up with more inexperienced adventurers to prove she is ready to be promoted to a silver rank.

Goblin Slayer dedicated its opening episodes to introducing the wizard boy. Ultimately, this decision will pay off once this new character starts to mature and, hopefully, becomes less unlikable.

7 Dr. Stone: New World Part 2

Dr. Stone is a reliably entertaining shonen anime. At this point, fans know exactly what to expect from the series, and the New World saga should continue to deliver on that promise. Senku and a few select members of the Kingdom of Science are stuck on Treasure Island, and they must find a way to revive their petrified companions while remaining undetected.

With decent humor, endearing protagonists, and creative solutions, Dr. Stone has hit the ground running for its Fall 2023 cour. The anime will likely complete the Treasure Island storyline during this season, setting things up for the final stretch of arcs.

6 Uma Musume: Pretty Derby Season 3

The horse girls are back, and things are heating up as Kitsana Black finds herself trailing behind a fierce rival. Weird as this show’s core concept is, Uma Musume: Pretty Derby is ultimately a fairly conventional sports anime that touches upon genre-standard themes of hard work, innate talent, and friendship. Even if it started as an advertisement for a gacha game, the adaptation has regularly delivered high-quality storytelling courtesy of consistently strong characterization, which is impressive considering the anime’s huge cast.

Similar to season 2, the Fall 2023 entry promotes a supporting character into the lead role: Kitasan Black. Tokai Teiou, the former protagonist, serves as something of a role model to the young horse girl, who is talented but far from unbeatable. It is still too early to definitely say whether Kitasan Black will work as a main character, but she has certainly blasted out of the gate.

5 Ragna Crimson

Launching with a double episode, Ragna Crimson is based on a popular shonen anime that leans into dark fantasy territory. Fall 2023 is really not lacking in these sorts of series, but Silver Link’s anime has so far done enough to stand out from the crowd. In a world where humans live in fear of dragons, hunters exist to try and even the odds. Ragna is one such hero, although he is not particularly impressive and is utterly overshadowed by his partner, the genius Leonica.

One day, the dragons decide to stop playing with their food and massacre a few human cities. On the verge of death and desperate to save Leonica, Ragna accepts an offer of power at any price. Now, the protagonist sets out to kill every dragon to ensure Leonica’s future.

4 Spy x Family Season 2

Spy x Family is simply a delight. Despite featuring a premise that has the world’s future on the line, the anime generally maintains a silly and lighthearted tone. It is a comedy with hints of action, and the latter tends to come with a heavy helping of slapstick. Season 2 looks set to offer more of the same, with Anya’s leading the charge in terms of humor.

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One criticism of the original season was Yor’s presence since she received far less attention than Anya or Loid. While still too early to definitively state that this issue has been fixed, season 2 has so far done a good job of emphasizing all three leads.

3 The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, Really Love You

100 Girlfriends is the ultimate harem manga/anime. After being rejected for the 100th time, Rentarou heads to a shrine to pray for a change of fortune in high school, a request heard by the local god. The latter shows up to inform Rentarou that he will meet 100 soulmates at school, and he has to satisfy all of them to, basically, save their lives.

Unsurprisingly, 100 Girlfriends parodies harem tropes, to the point that some of the humor’s success rate is dependent on a viewer’s familiarity with the genre. However, the series is still worth watching without that data since Rentarou is a fantastic protagonist who is genuinely hilarious. The few girls introduced so far are also likable, which is not something that can be said for every harem anime.

2 The Eminence In Shadow Season 2

The Eminence in Shadow started 2023 on a high note and looks set to end the year in the same way. Isekai’d to another world, Cid has been living his best life as Shadow, the leader of a mysterious organization that seeks to pull society’s strings from behind the curtain. The thing is, Cid seems to believe that his subordinates are just playing along, a misunderstanding that produces its share of laughs despite requiring audiences to suspend their disbelief.

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At the behest of a red moon, Cid heads to the Lawless City, a horrifying hellscape filled with the worst of the worst. Murderers and thieves roam the streets, and they are just small fries compared to the folks who rule this metropolis. More importantly, Cid learns about the Blood Queen, a legendary vampire who is due to awaken from a long slumber.

Blending world-building, action, and comedy, The Eminence in Shadow is shaping up to be an all-time great isekai anime. Although a lot of fun, season 1 was heavily carried by Cid since the rest of the characters had to fight for screentime; hopefully, season 2 will develop a stronger core cast.

1 Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End

Launching with four episodes, Frieren has a head start over the season’s other shows, but it would still be Fall 2023’s best anime if only the first episode had aired. The eponymous elf once formed part of a heroic party that defeated the demon king, triggering a new era of peace.

Due to her long life compared to humans, Frieren kept her companions at arm’s length, and she only came to realize her folly half a century later at her friend’s funeral. With an apprentice (Fern) by her side, Frieren decides to retrace her former party’s journey in the hopes of connecting with their memories. Along the way, she plans to pick up as many spells as possible, including one that could allow her to speak to her deceased friends.

Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End has everything someone could want in a fantasy anime: gorgeous visuals, endearing characters, and a sense of whimsy. It is still early days, but this anime could prove to be one of the year’s very best shows.