If we had to live without anime and manga, The RIOTUS Anime Lotus Society would pick a portal and “isekei” ourselves into a better world. The shows below—listed in alphabetical order so your brain doesn’t implode—are some of the reasons we don’t need to hop universes. Which is good, because our multiverse passports are not in order. We’ll stay here, for now, and give you our list of the anime we couldn’t stop watching in 2024:
–
CAMPFIRE COOKING IN ANOTHER WORLD WITH MY ABSURD SKILL
(Biggest Surprise)
We know it dropped in 2023 but we’ve got shoulders as wide as Kendrick’s, therefore it didn’t happen until we watched it earlier this year. It might’ve started with Delicious in Dungeon but the craving wasn’t filled until we (Alex, Philip and Sherin) watched Campfire Cooking in Another World with My Absurd Skill. For us, it’s goofier and more endearing than that more popular epicurean epic fantasy anime. The grandmamas say we all have our special gifts, but we need to check the teapots if the grannies had “summoning an interdimensional online grocery store” on their Bingo cards. They also warned us about the wolves but we’d gladly roam the countryside with a legendary beast named Fel or fall for a carnivorous blob named Sui. So cute and… slimy! (Sherin)
—+—
If you are a fan of side quests and mildly stress-free adventuring with good taste this show rings all the bells. (Philip)
Watch Campfire Cooking in Another World with My Absurd Skill Season 1 on Crunchyroll
and it’s official, Season 2 has been announced
–
DAN DA DAN
How can one anime be so many incredible things? Dan Da Dan is a romance like Kagome and Inuyasha. It’s wildly absurd like FLCL. There’s some dark paranormal alien chicanery popping off like a swirl of X-Files and Parasyte with a pop rocks topping. The animation is stretchy and kinetic and bizarre. And it’s as addictive as spicy Shin Ramen. Mangaka, Yukinobu Tatsu and animation studio Science Saru ate with this one. (Sherin)
—+—
Dan Da Dan is one of the most exciting anime adaptations. From creator Yukinobu Tatsu, this is a high school romantic comedy mixed with alien abductions, occult happenings, and cryptid hunters all in one series. The art of this title is what really grabs people; it’s slick, detailed, and dynamic, along with really fantastic character designs. The aliens look weird, and ghosts and cryptids look weird and impressive. The art also does a tremendous job of building tension and an uncomfortable creepiness. Before the series dropped, I said “Y’all need to get into this early because Dan Da Dan is up next and going to be a major hit.” I got that right. Reading or watching Dan Da Dan is a great time, and I can’t wait to watch the full season. That’s a lot, coming from me because I don’t like watching adaptations of series I read regularly. (Julian)
—+—
A wonderful breakout star of science weird and the occult that enhances and advances anime visuals and storytelling. (Philip)
DAN DA DAN is currently simulcasting on Crunchyroll and more
–
DRAGON BALL DAIMA
Dragon Ball DAIMA is the last canon story from the creator Akira Toriyama, a man so important to modern pop culture we are all living in. I love that Daima celebrates all of Dragon Ball on its 40th anniversary, from little Goku having a ball with his power pole and flying Nimbus, and I love it. (Julian)
Dragon Ball DAIMA is currently simulcasting on Crunchyroll and more
–
FRIEREN: BEYOND JOURNEY’S END
If you’re one of those people who wait for your friends to clear a level of a game before you explore it and you’re into epic fantasy, then come and sit by Frieren’s campfire. Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End is the life you live after you save the world that gives your heroics meaning. (Sherin)
Watch Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End Season 1 on Crunchyroll
Season 2 is confirmed
–
KAIJU NO. 8
A stand-out Anime, for me, this year is Kaiju No. 8. A manga I’ve been reading since its release in the summer of 2020. The story of Kafka Hibino, an early 30-something man who works as a Kaiju clean-up professional who then, after an accident, becomes a Kaiju superman. With crisp visuals, character designs, and fantastic animation by Production I.G. adapts the Shonen Jump manga fantastically. The voice acting is also terrific, and I’m glad people took the time to watch this and make it one of the new super hits in the anime world. (Julian)
—+—
A 33-year-old man, who failed his monster squad admission test for years, becomes a Kaiju-hybrid and then he’s good enough. Damn it, irony! This old-man battle shonen really has us in a chokehold. (Sherin)
Watch the entire Kaiju No. 8 Season 1 on Crunchyroll
Season 2 premieres in 2025
–
LAID-BACK CAMP
Whether it’s the campfire cooking experiments, impromptu haircuts, or miniature dog tents, everything in Laid-Back Camp is designed to make you feel all warm n’ fuzzy. The group of campers keeps growing with love and unabashed enthusiasm for the outdoors, bringing each colorful personality together for delightful adventures in the beautiful Japanese countryside. This comforting slice-of-life anime is one you’ll keep coming back to and S3 already feels right at home. Laid-Back Camp highlights the simple pleasures of diving into nature—and how those experiences are best shared with friends. (Alex)
Watch Seasons 1, 2, and 3 of Laid-Back Camp on Crunchyroll now
Season 4 was announced last month!
–
ONE PIECE
I think the current people working on the long-running One Piece anime took it personally when they announced the new early anime remake: The One Piece, because of the way this orginal show’s animation has leveled up. This past year made it so watching the anime is interesting for Manga readers like me. They are cooking over at TOEI and making Oda proud. (Julian)
Watch all of 1122+ episodes of the original One Piece anime on Crunchyroll now
new episodes return in April 2025
–
QUALITY ASSURANCE IN ANOTHER WORLD
(Best Surprise)
Quality Assurance in Another World immediately yanks you by the collar and shoves you into a fantastical realm of monstrous mystery. The unlikely group adventure is a tried and tested trope and, in terms of quality assurance, this show certainly delivers. (Alex)
Watch Quality Assurance in Another World Season 1 on Crunchyroll
–
SHANGRI-LA FRONTIER
Shangri-La Frontier is a fiery contender in the video game anime genre that keeps on leveling up—make sure you’re locked in and ready to play with this one. (Alex)
Watch Seasons 1 of Shangri-La Frontier and start Season 2
on Crunchyroll now
–
SOLO LEVELING
When being a loser pays off in spades—that’s Solo Leveling. (Philip)
Watch Season 1 on Crunchyroll
Solo Leveling Season 2 -Arise from the Shadow- premieres in January 2025
–
THE APOTHECARY DIARIES
If this anime had a face I’d hug it. In The Apothecary Diaries, Mao Mao is the heroine I didn’t know I needed. Fierce, skilled, and sharply analytical with goblin tendencies. Once she teams up with Jinshi, a ‘flower boy’ with secrets, the medical mysteries and the cuteness don’t stop. But life in this version of Imperialist China isn’t always sweet, which is why it’s helpful that poison is Mao Mao’s Roman Empire. (Sherin)
Watch Season 1 of The Apothecary Diaries on Crunchyroll right now
(and prove to Philip it is top-tier)
Season 2 premieres January 10, 2025
–
UZUMAKI
(Episode One)
While the ending, the second episode, the third episode, and the latter production of the Uzumaki adaptation left much to be desired, the effort to bring one of the most mind-boggling horrors since Hideo Nakata’s Ringu (aka The Ring) to screen is worth a respectable viewing. Afterward, watch Junji Ito Maniac: Japanese Tales of the Macabre from 2023, especially “Whispering Woman” and “Tomb Town”—I mean, if you already have insomnia. ‘Cause sleep don’t matter. (Philip)
Watch Uzumaki on Adult Swim
Junji Ito Maniac: Japanese Tales of the Macabre is streaming on Netflix
–
WISTORIA: WAND AND SWORD
The spells and monsters thrill with captivating art and animation, turning each fight scene into an epic showdown. And out of the bloodthirsty battles rises a multi-faceted and charming hero worth rooting for. Come for the monster brawls, stay for the great character development; the students and professors of Rigarden have a whole world of lessons waiting for you in Wistoria: Wand And Sword. (Alex)
Watch Wistoria: Wand And Sword on Crunchyroll
Season 2 is currently in production
–
Hidden Gems
Tonari no Yokai-San – It takes a village to raise a child and a truly magical one to raise yōkai—and Tonari no Yokai-San quickly welcomes you in as the place to be. (Alex)
Tadaima, Okaeri – An Alpha and Omegaverse gay family slice-of-life. Awww, Am I still allowed to uwu? Because UWU. (Sherin)
Ramen Akaneko – A cat cafe run by talking cats and the human woman who brushes/grooms their fur. So soothing. (Sherin)
All on Crunchyroll
Other Picks
Just because we didn’t re-list them here doesn’t mean we’ve lost the plot. The following anime picks are so obvious they’re featured all over this site already, but that’s what makes them ELITE! The Elusive Samurai (Season 2 announced), WIND BREAKER (Season 2 premieres April 2025), Jujutsu Kaisen (the Culling Game Arc release date is still unknown), Spy x Family (Season 3 announced), Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba (final season to be released as a trilogy of films)