TheWinter 2023 anime seasonis almost at an end. In fact, shows likeDon’t Toy with Me, Miss Nagatoro 2nd Attack,The Angel Next Door Spoils Me Rotten, andThe Fire Hunterhave already aired their finales, and most series will conclude their runs before the end of March. Even though it probably will not go down as an all-time great, the season has nevertheless produced its share of memorable shows that will be discussed for years to come.
With over 40 anime airing during Winter 2023, keeping up with everything can be borderline impossible. Furthermore, some series take a few episodes to really find their groove; by the time these anime get good, they might have already been dropped from a viewer’s rotation. Consequently, let’s take a look at thebest anime of Winter 2023that are worth binging now that the season is nearly complete.
The cutoff date for this week’s selection ofWinter 2023 animeis July 09, 2025. Also, only shows or sequels that started airing in this season will be considered, eliminating Fall 2022 continuations such asMy Hero Academiaseason 6 andBlue Lock.
Japanese Title
Kubo-san wa Mob wo Yurusanai
Maou Gakuin no Futekigousha: Shijou Saikyou no Maou no Shiso, Tensei shite Shison-tachi no Gakkou e Kayou 2
HIDIVE
Crunchyroll,VRV
A number of Winter 2023 anime have been delayed. Shows likeNieR:Automata Ver1.1aandUnite Up!have returned from their hiatuses, but the same cannot be said forKubo Won’t Let Me Be InvisibleandThe Misfit of Demon King Academy 2The latter two are indefinitely delayed, while the former is set to return in April 2023. Due to their statuses, these three series will not be in contention for thebest anime of Winter 2023.
Where to Stream
Crunchyroll,Funimation,VRV
Winter 2023 is quite giving when it comes toidol anime. Continuing from Fall 2022,IDOLiSH7 Third Beat! Part 2is among the genre’s strongest seasons in a long time, and it is not without company.Unite Up!has lost some steam due to a delay, but the anime is still a fairly interesting and grounded look into the industry.Technoroid: Overmindis, admittedly, not that great, butD4DJ All Mixis more than good enough to pick up the slack.
The CG anime sets itself apart by concentrating on idols backed by DJs, with the story introducing a couple of different girl groups. The current season finds the girls trying to stage an event per month, a process that involves creating new songs revolving around timely themes. Like its prequel, 2020’sD4DJ First Mix,All Mixis fairly laid-back, almost feeling like a slice of life at times. While typically ending with a performance, most episodes are driven by the characters' charming banter rather than their drive to be the best of the best.
Two of the biggestanime of Winter 2023fall under the sci-fi umbrella:NieR:Automata Ver 1.1aandTrigun Stampede. The former has managed to exist alongside its source material rather. A-1 Pictures adaptation suffered a setback when its fourth episode was delayed for a couple of weeks, causing the anime to lose most of its early momentum. Since returning on June 06, 2025,Ver 1.1ahas maintained a reasonably high standard of quality.
The story revolves around a seemingly endless war between androids and machines. The former fight for humanity’s sake, while the latter have started to ape some human behavior. 2B and 9S are advanced YoRHa androids who are sent to help the resistance, although their mission quickly becomes ambiguous.Ver 1.1ahas largely stuck toNieR:Automata’s story, albeit with a few flourishes that expand on some aspects that are only touched upon in the game.
Crunchyroll,Funimation
The Vampire Dies in No Timemight not be Madhouse’s most well-known or acclaimed series, but the comedy anime is consistently amusing. The first season laid the foundation for Draluc and Ronald’s formula, as the vampire and hunter learn to live with each other. As entertaining as the two leads are, the anime’s supporting characters steal the show, something season 2 seems to recognize since the series is now basically an ensemble sketch comedy.
RELATED:Hilarious Anime Like The Vampire Dies In No Time
Each episode is divided into two or three skits, and the weirder things get, the better. Draluc and Ronald might be the most “ordinary” characters in this universe, and they act as great straight men for wackier personalities such as Fukuma, Yomotsuzaka, and Handa.The Vampire Dies in No Timeis not a groundbreaking or once-in-a-lifetime show, but it is a fun Winter 2023 anime that can bring a smile to a viewer’s face.
The Fire Hunterhas been strange so far. The series envisions a world where humans burst into flames when close to fire, and most towns are barely managing to scrape by. Fire hunters are tasked with defeating monsters who contain an energy source, and they are accompanied by dogs. When a fire hunter dies saving a young girl named Touko, she accepts responsibility for the deceased man’s dog and agrees to journey to the capital in search of his family.
Signal.MD’s anime is a mixed bag. The show has an eye-catching art style that pops off the screen but is held back by occasionally subpar animation.The Fire Hunter’s world-building is fantastic, painting a clear picture of a desperate society on the brink of annihilation; however, a lot of this information is delivered via underwhelming exposition dumps. Characters like Touko and Koushi are well-written and multi-layered, but they are also not big personalities. While not perfect,The Fire Hunter’s positives outweigh its negatives, and season 2 has been confirmed.
15Bofuri: I Don’t Want To Get Hurt, So I’ll Max Out My Defense. Season 2 (-2)
Itai no wa Iya nano de Bougyoryoku ni Kyokufuri Shitai to Omoimasu. 2
While there are plenty of anime about characters trapped in video game worlds, stories that remove the “trapped” part are relatively rare.Bofurifollows Maple as she starts her video game career by diving into a VR MMORPG called New World Online at the behest of her friend, Sally. In order to avoid getting hurt, Maple focuses solely on leveling up her defense stat, a decision that breaks the game and transforms the rookie into a powerhouse.
RELATED:Bofuri: Strongest Characters, Ranked
Season 2 continues to chronicle Maple, Sally, and their friends' virtual journeys as they explore new layers, discover exciting loot, and take on bosses. Due to its premise,Bofuriis naturally devoid of any real tension since the worst that can happen is a quick respawn or a wasted session. Consequently, the anime opts for a relaxed tone that highlights its likable characters. ThisWinter 2023 animeis the ultimate comfort food.
Trigun Stampedehas struggled to step out of its cult classic predecessor’s shadow, Madhouse’sTrigun. Orange’s new series is a more faithful adaptation of Yasuhiro Nightow’s shonen manga, although that does not necessarily translate to a superior experience. Putting aside comparison tothe ’90s series,Trigun Stampedeis undeniably one of Winter 2023’s most visually stunning shows; in terms of animation, the anime stands alongsideLand of the Lustrous, Orange’s CG masterpiece.
Vash the Stampede has a reputation for bringing destruction with him, which makes him a target for bounty hunters on Noman’s Land. Despite his villainous reputation, in reality, Vash is a kind soul who is incapable of hurting a fly. However, his brother is another story entirely.
In a season overflowing with fantasy stories,Sugar Apple Fairy Talehas been somewhat lost in the shuffle. This is a shame, especially since the J.C.Staff anime is trying almost single-handedly to satisfy Winter’s shoujo quota. In this universe, humans and fairies co-exist, although the former treat the latter as slaves. Ann Halford aspires to craft silver sugar like her recently deceased mother, and she hires a fairy bodyguard named Shall Fen Shall to accompany her on this journey. Due to suffering a lot at the hands of humans, Shall does not take Ann at her word when she says she will set him free once their job is done.
Sugar Apple Fairy Taleis built entirely on the strength of Shall and Ann’s friendship, and both of these characters are well-defined as individuals. Earnest but slightly naive, Ann has good intentions, which put her at risk of being manipulated; however, she quickly learns from her terrible experiences. On the other hand, Shall starts out as cold but steadily warms up to Ann, while still retaining a mistrust for humans at large. Their story has been enchanting and memorable.
Filling in Winter 2023’s teasing quota,Don’t Toy with Me, Miss Nagatoro 2nd Attackhas completed its transition into a wholesome romantic comedy. While the opening season’s debut episode can leave a bad impression due to Hayase’s overzealous bullying of her senpai, Naoto, the anime quickly softens the girl’s mean-spiritedness. Since then, she has come across as annoyingly playfully rather than unnecessarily aggressive.
RELATED:The Most Highly Anticipated Anime Series Of 2023
Ending on a really sweet note, season 2 is a contender for Winter 2023’s most wholesome anime, something that might have seemed impossible after the pilot episode. It is not just that Hayase stops treating her senpai like a punching bag, but Naoto also undergoes a lot of growth. In some ways, he is one of the most realistic protagonists in anime rom-coms. While he feels nervous around Hayase, he does not let that stop him from pursuing his interests.
Hulu
Starting exactly from season one’s conclusion,Tokyo Revengers: Christmas Showdownfinds Takemichi returning to a future that is somehow worse than ever before. Once again, the timid protagonist is forced to go back in time to try and change the Tokyo Manji Gang’s trajectory, hopefully saving Hinata’s life in the process. This time, Toman is on a direct collision course with Black Dragon, a violent biker gang governed by a vicious and manipulative leader.
RELATED:Great Anime Like Tokyo Revengers
Christmas Showdownhas generally offered more of the same; consequently, if someone hated the first season, the sequel is unlikely to change their mind. Well-meaning but frequently ineffective, Takemichi is a divisive figure who can be very frustrating. The anime also loves to highlight the protagonist’s fragile nature to a fault, with most episodes involving a moment when Takemichi receives a few punches to the face. Popular characters like Draken and Mikey have taken a backseat in season 2 as well, although this has permitted people like Chifuyu and Kisaki to get more time in the spotlight.
Tokyo Revengersis a high drama series that can be very entertaining, provided someone tolerates Takemichi and does not mind suspending their disbelief.
In/Spectreseason 1 had a lot of things going for it: awesome protagonists, great dialogue, and interesting stories. However, the third arc overstayed its welcome to such an extent that it damaged the cour’s overall quality. So far, season 2 seems to have fixed its predecessor’s pacing issue. In a world where humans unknowingly exist alongside spirits, Kotoko Iwanaga serves as a bridge between the two. Yokai (and sometimes humans) turn to the human girl to help them solve their dilemmas, and she is insightful, sharp as a knife, and witty.
Season 2 is currently on its third arc, and the show has yet to produce anything resembling a miss. Along with being fascinating in isolation, each saga has been relatively different as well, ensuring things do not get repetitive.
