We’re just about at the end of 2024, so it’s the perfect time to review some of our favourite anime that came this year. There’s much to go through, including movies and works from non-Japanese studios that could still be considered anime due to the art style.

The list isn’t in any specific order; it’d be a little too difficult to say which anime is better than others. However, these are definitely some of the best to launch this year.

You can find anime on various streaming services, including Crunchyroll, Prime Video, Disney+, and Netflix. It’s worth mentioning that I didn’t include any following seasons (like season 2 of Blue Lock). I also love the series Frieren, it’s absolutely amazing, but it started in 2023.

Ninja Kamui

This science fiction ninja anime, directed by Sunghoo Park, has amazing combat scenes and gets pretty intense.  The first couple of episodes set the scene for a ninja using ninjutsu fighting against sci-fi ninja enemies; however, he eventually embraces some science fiction fighting styles to fight fire with fire.

The show gets a little too crazy and out of control, but it definitely has a lot of very strong moments.

Ninja Kamui is available on Prime Video via StackTV.

Go! Go! Loser Ranger!

What if the Power Rangers weren’t the good guys? Thirteen years before the start of the anime, the Villainous Army of Evil attempted to invade Earth but was defeated by the Super Sentai ‘Divine Dragon Rangers’. The army was nearly wiped out, all but the foot soldiers, who could transform into anyone and anything.

The Dragon Rangers want to continuously show how strong they are, so they force the foot soldiers to transform into ‘Monster of the Week’ villains and have shows where they beat new villains each week.

One of the foot soldiers is tired of the status quo and aims to take down the Dragon Rangers from the inside.

The show is funny and has an interesting premise, with some twist and turns and action. Check it out on Disney+.

Suicide Squad Isekai

I’m a huge fan of the DC animated universe. DC puts out great live-action TV shows, animated series and movies, despite their live-action movies. Amanda Waller sends the squad Harley Quinn, Clayface, Deadshot, Peacemaker and King Shark to a magical world filled with magic and monsters. Watch these classic DC villains fight against dragons, orcs and DC villains that should stay a mystery until you watch the series.

Unfortunately, Suicide Squad Isekai isn’t available to stream in Canada, but you can purchase the season on Apple TV—I watched it via YouTube.

Elusive Samurai

Elusive Samurai focuses on the eight-year-old Tokiyuki Houjou, the successor to the Kamakura shogunate. While this kid is pretty elusive and doesn’t want to do any of his responsibilities, he’s betrayed by Takauji Ashikaga, his clan’s hero.

This anime is beautiful, and only some characters show superhuman abilities. The show is pretty violent as well, and even shows kids getting injured, but it’s not nearly as bad as shows like Promised Neverland or Made in Abyss.

Elusive Samurai is available on Crunchyroll.

The Witch and the Beast

In a magical world, Ashaf and his partner Guideau end up looking for a way for Guideau to return to his true form, a masked “beast” that Ashaf carries in a casket on his back. Guideau’s soul was placed in a woman’s body by an infamous witch who cast a curse on them. However, every time Guideau kisses a witch the spell is broken momentarily and Guideau is able to his soul return to the masked beast to fight enemies.

This sounds really strange, I know; however, The Witch and the Beast is interesting and has an air of mystery.

The Witch and the Beast is available on Crunchyroll.

Ranma 1/2

Ranma 1/2 explores the story of the martial arts fighter Akane who is betrothed to a man name Ranma Saotome. Akane; however, hates most men and think that she can be a better martial arts fighter than any man. In fact, though most of them at her school are in love with her since none of them can best her in battle, they can’t take her hand in marriage. So when Akane learns she’s betrothed she’s incredibly angry, but she meets Ranma, a pink-haired girl, and a panda. Turns out while training in the cursed springs in China, Ranma falls into the spring of a drowned girl and his father fell into the spring of a drowned panda. Now whenever they get soaked by cold water they are transformed into a girl and panda.

This is super weird, I’m aware, but a really fun anime, and I would totally give it a shot anyways.

Ranma 1/2 is available on Netflix.

Kaiju No.8

Okay, so picture a world where there are Kaiju monsters (like Godzilla and Mothra) destroy Japan literally all the time. In a world like this, a new Japanese Anti-Kaiju Defense Force is created, and our protagonist, Kafta, has always wanted to be a part of it since his town was destroyed by kaiju as a kid. Unfortunately, Kaiju gets turned into a half-kaiju and secretly fights Kaiju as part of the JADF with his new powers while also hoping no one, except his friend Reno, finds out about his secret.

Kaiju No.8 has an underlying mystery alongside beautifully animated combat, a fun cast of characters and more.

Kaiju No.8 is available on Crunchyroll.

Delicious in Dungeon

Do you love cooking but also anime? Delicious in Dungeon is an amazing combination of this genre. Delicious in Dungeons follows the story of Laios, Chilchuck, Marcille and Senshi as they try to save Laios’ sister, Falin, who was eaten by a dragon in the dungeon. While she’s already dead, she can likely be revived if the dragon doesn’t digest her. Dragons are reptiles and take a while, so the party takes time to get to the sixth floor of the dungeon and hopefully save Falin. On the way, Laios and Senshi cook monsters so they don’t have to worry about purchasing supplies as they rush to the bottom floor.

Delicious in Dungeon is beautifully animated, incredibly funny, has a fun cast of characters, and can help people learn to cook—just use real meat instead of monsters.

Delicious in Dungeon is available on Netflix.

Solo Leveling

Solo Leveling is based on a South Korean web novel written by Chugong. It explores the life of Sung Jinwoo, who finds himself the weakest dungeon diver ever. When he and his party nearly get wiped out, and he makes the ultimate sacrifice, a mysterious program called the System chooses him to become the only dungeon diver who can level up and get stronger. He soon becomes the Shadow Monarch and is turned into a necromancer who can control the dead. It’s super cool, and I got the opportunity to speak with Aleks Le, the English voice actor for Sung Jinwoo.

Check out my interview here, and if you want to watch Solo Leveling the series is on Crunchyroll.

Dandadan

Last but certainly not least, Dandadan focuses on two teenagers fighting yokai and aliens. The series stars Momo Ayase, a high school student who believes in ghosts and Okraun, who believes in aliens. They are both right that ghosts and aliens are real and that the two protagonists learn how to fight against them.

This anime is crazy. It’s beautifully animated, has fun characters, and has a Jujustu Kaisen or even Naruto vibe. It will be a hit, and I want to tell you more about it, but I don’t want to leak anything.

Check out Dandadan on Netflix or Crunchyroll. Although I watched it in English with subtitles, and the best experience for watching it like this is on Crunchyroll.

Other Recommendations: 

• Blue Lock Season 2 – might be my favourite anime ever now, check it out on Crunchyroll
• Bleach Thousand Year-Blood War Season 3 – great continuation of Bleach, check it out on Disney+
• Demon Slayer Season 4 – check it out on Crunchyroll
• My Hero Academia season 7 – check it out on Crunchyroll

Worth Mentioning: 

Jentry Chau vs the Underworld and Twilight of the Gods are both in the anime style, but I wouldn’t officially call them anime. However, check them out on Netflix; they are both amazing and fun to watch in their own ways.

Fate/Strange Fake was an amazingly animated movie based on the Fate universe. It was great, and I re-watched the movie over and over again. Now, it’s a series. Unfortunately, I haven’t seen it yet since the first episode aired on December 31st. Either way, I’m incredibly excited for the latest in the Fate series.

Image Credit: Viz Media