By now, the Spring 2023 anime season is well underway, with nearly every title having aired at least one episode, so fans can now compare them to see which series had the strongest start. It's too soon to decide what will be the #1 anime of the entire season, but based on their premiere episodes, it's clear which ones are in the lead.
The Winter 2023 anime season was merely mediocre, while Spring 2023 is already wowing anime fans with new and returning anime that may rank among the best titles of the entire year, as suggested by their respective premieres. If these four anime can keep up their momentum and follow through, they will almost certainly become industry legends by the time summer rolls around.
Oshi no Ko Is a Breakout Smash Hit
Author Aka Akasaka, creator of Kaguya-sama: Love Is War, has another hit on his hands with the new Oshi no Ko anime. Based on the ongoing manga of the same name, Oshi no Ko is an amusing, tragic, heartbreaking and fascinating look into the brutal and twisted pop idol industry through the eyes of a rural doctor who got reborn as his favorite idol's child. Oshi no Ko's massive 90-minute premiere episode was practically a feature-length movie, establishing its central themes and key characters in great detail, including their complex psychological profiles. With its intriguing tone, engaging subject matter and sharp writing, Osho no Ko has burst out of the gate as one of Spring 2023's biggest anime titles with its oversized premiere episode.
Demon Slayer's Double-Length First Episode Got Fans Hyped
Demon Slayer has long since established itself as an instant shonen anime classic, with its first season making huge waves back in 2019 with its strong emotional core and next-level animation techniques. The Mugen Train movie and action-packed Season 2 kept the hype going, and not even the borderline scam Swordsmith Village movie could dampen everyone's spirits for Season 3. Iffy movies aside, Season 3 promises to expand Demon Slayer's lore and cast of characters in cool new ways, from introducing new Upper Moon characters to meeting the love Hashira, Mitsuri Kanroji, and the mist Hashira, Muichiro Tokito. Season 3's double-length premiere episode had plenty of exciting content to get fans pumped for future episodes, including a tense meeting of Muzan's Upper Moons and an intriguing mystery concerning Yoriichi Tsugikuni and Muzan's quest for the blue spider lily.
A Galaxy Next Door Launched a Sweet New Seinen Romance
Anyone who needs a break from the Spring 2023 season's action and drama can savor A Galaxy Next Door, a subtly excellent new romance anime that handles itself with aplomb. Like Bakuman and Monthly Girls' Nozaki-kun, this sweet seinen anime is all about the tough but rewarding process of drawing manga, complete with some light reverse-isekai elements with the mysterious Shiori. The male lead, Ichiro Kugo, is determined to support his family with his moderately successful manga title, and he's also in for some wholesome, tasteful wish fulfillment with Shiori, a kind and loyal assistant who comes from the tribe of supernatural Star-People. The first episode did a fine job setting all this up, giving romance fans something new to chew on while also adding some mystery about Shori to keep viewers engaged.
Mashle: Magic And Muscles Is an Enchanting New Parody Shonen Series
Mashle: Magic and Muscles became a highly anticipated anime late last year when its trailers aired, and the first episode didn't disappoint. Right away, Mashle has proven to be a hilarious, stylish, well-animated and surprisingly deep shonen anime that combines the aesthetic of Harry Potter with the societal themes of My Hero Academia, all with a Saitama-style protagonist in Mash Burnedead. Episode 1 established everything that makes Mashle such an enchanting story, including its themes of societal injustice and faith in oneself, great comedy, fancy magic, a strong emotional core and off-beat but likable characters -- most of all Mash himself. Now Mash is enrolled at Easton, his own Hogwarts, and he has everything to prove not just about himself but also the merits of proper exercise and the power of friendship.