Summary
TheSpring 2024 animeseason is largely over at this point, and plenty of anime have left their marks. As always, the lineup includes sequels and new properties, with the former hogging most of the attention. Still, there are more than a few newcomers that have the potential to become hits, potentially spawning sequels later down the line.
Spring 2024 covers most of the popular genres and demographics, even if the selection is not split evenly. Regardless of personal preferences, most fans should be able to find a story that suits their needs. However, if someone is not sure what to start with, they can check out the following recommendations that represent thebest Spring 2024 anime.
Updated May 26, 2025, by Mark Sammut:TheSummer 2024 anime seasonis starting to roll out, so it is time to countdown Spring 2024’s best anime.
This article’s last cutoff date wasJune 28, 2024. At this point, the rankings are generally done since most shows have concluded their runs.
Here are a few more criteria:
Honorable Mentions
While not granted separate entries, the followingSpring 2024 animedeserve honorable mentions as they might scratch an itch other shows cannot reach:
Partly due to its Disney+/Hulu exclusivity,The Fablehas not attracted too much attention. Even going beyond its streaming platform, the anime was always destined to be an acquired taste due to its dark humor, mature themes, and stiff animation. The latter takes some getting used to, but it fits the story’s grounded tone fairly well, even if the adaptation compares poorly to the source material’s art.
As engaging as it has been, the anime does not come close to matching the brilliance of Katsushisa Minami’s manga. Consequently, newcomers should try to read the latter. If that is not possible for whatever reason, the series is not a terrible alternative.
The Fablefollows a hitman and his driver as they are forced to lie low for a year, which involves moving into an Osaka safe house run by the yakuza. Renamed Akira, the hitman knows nothing but the job, and his deadly precision is so legendary that he is a mythical figure in the underworld. Meanwhile, Yoko, the driver, gets bored quickly and loves to mess with men.
Although initially quite silly due to both Akira and Yoko’s shenanigans,The Fablegradually morphs into more of a thriller with splashes of humor. The anime takes its setting very seriously, particularly its depiction of the yakuza and their cutthroat nature.
Sentai is a staple of Japanese entertainment, and it has some presence in Western countries due to the popularity ofPower Rangers.Go! Go! Loser Ranger!turns this genreon its head by going down the route ofThe Boys, turning the traditional “heroes” into vicious monsters who are still adored by the public. More than a decade after the Dragon Keepers annihilated an invading force, the latter’s footsoldiers are forced to put on weekly sham fights against the domineering heroes. Sick and tired of this public torture, a footsoldier called D decides to infiltrate the Dragon Keepers and tear them down from the inside, a mission that puts him squarely in the belly of the beast.
Dark, intense, and funny,Go! Go! Loser Ranger!takes full advantage of its inspired premise, delivering an engaging story with a sympathetic protagonist and deliciously terrifying villains. The Dragon Keepers, both the heroes and the overall organization, are shrouded in mystery, which has made for a gripping journey as D (and the audience) slowly peels back the layers. The latter half of the series mostly focuses on D’s trials to get into The Dragon Keepers, which led to the introduction of various other cadets who are also trying to break through. While pretty entertaining in spots, particularly when the Blue Dragon Keeper became involved, this arc was fairly repetitive and predictable. The story introduced a lot of characters at once, and most of them ended up getting lost in the shuffle.
Date a Liveis way better than it has any right to be, and that has been the case for most of the anime’s run. Building on its very strong predecessor that introduced Phantom, the fifth season has, so far, delivered a sense of scale that matches the previous arc, with Shido, the Spirits, and especially Kurumi engaging in what is effectively an all-out war against DEM (and AST) in preparation for a battle against the Spirit of Origin.
Obviously, any series that is in its fifth season cannot be recommended to newcomers, andDate a Liveis far from an exception. While still containing the occasional slice-of-life harem moment, the anime is nowadays focused on its overarching story and action sequences, both of which are strong enough to carry the show. Shido’s complicated history with the Spirit of Origin is also spotlighted in Season 5’s first half, paving the way to an action-packed and consequential final stretch of episodes.
Isekai tends to attract hate for its overreliance onbasic power fantasies.That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slimefits that descriptor like a glove, but it also serves as a prime example of this type of story’s appeal when executed to near perfection. Rimuru’s journey to bring peace to monster-kind is predominantly defined by a carefree tone that only sporadically dips into tense situations. Even though season 2 had some shocking moments, things largely worked out for the Jura Tempest Federation.
Season 3 maintains this course of balancing political intrigue with well-animated action, and the ever-expanding hero worship revolving around Rimuru. Like in the previous cours, the protagonist acts as a glue that brings together a wide assortment of more interesting and charismatic characters, be it Diablo or the Demon Lords. As the arc progresses,Reincarnated as a Slimefurther highlights Otherworlders, mainly through Hinata’s attempts to balance her responsibilities as a saint and her rocky dynamic with Rimuru.
Although still pretty good overall,Reincarnated as a Slimehas stumbled somewhat compared to its previous seasons, to the point of establishing itself as the weakest isekai sequel of theSpring 2024 anime season.
One of the more unusual debuts of Spring 2024,Shuumatsu Train Doko e Iku?envisions a version of Japan that has been turned upside down by the introduction of 7G. The system’s launch messed with the fabric of reality, turning each town and city into an absurdist nightmare; for instance, Agano’s villagers are doomed to become animals when they turn 18. A group of girls who only know this small town’s strange circumstances decide to go on a trip when they see one of their friends in another city’s newspaper. Therefore, they jump onto a train and head out into thepost-apocalyptic unknown.
Train to the End of the Worldis charming and refreshingly peculiar, and it is constantly raising questions that will hopefully lead to fun answers. Boasting a lighthearted tone while still taking its premise seriously, EMT Squared’s anime delivers thrills, laughs, and suspense. Even though the girls have a destination in mind, the story’s main appeal is all the wacky towns they encounter along the way, many of which slip into subgenres like zombie horror. From mushroom-influenced cultists to miniature warfare, every stop is otherworldly in the best possible way.
Simultaneously one of thebest Spring 2024 animeand also its most disappointing,Jellyfish Can’t Swim in the Nighthit the ground running with a stellar opening five episodes. In that period, the series carefully set up four charming protagonists – Kano, Mahiru, Mei, and Kiui – driven by a desire to express themselves artistically. They form JELEE, a project centering around Kano’s idol pedigree but also building on the skills of the other girls. As the characters worked towards their debut, the anime settled into a fun rhythm with splashes of tension, along with some fairly strong yuri undertones.
Just to be crystal clear,Jellyfish Can’t Swim in the Nightis good and worth watching; however, at one point, it seemed destined for greatness. Unfortunately, the story lost its way during its final stretch of episodes, culminating in a rushed finale that seemed like a cliff-note version of what should have happened. At times, Doga Kobo appeared unsure whether to commit to a coming-of-age drama or a Cute Girls Doing Cute Things slice of life, resulting in a series that flip-flopped between the two. While the final three or so episodes heightened the drama, the anime did not leave itself enough room to bring the story to a fully satisfying conclusion.
It also did not help thatGirls Band Crymostly covered the same ground asJellyfish, just better.
Boku no Herohas been a staple of shonen anime for nearly a decade, and it has been a bumpy ride at times. Following a generally good first three seasons,My Hero Academiahit a slump during its fourth and fifth entries, only to roar back with the Paranormal Liberation War and Dark Hero arcs. Season 7 finds Bones' superhero anime entering its endgame, starting with the short but intense Star and Stripe arc. Ultimately, this will lead into the ongoing Final War arc, by far the longest saga in the manga.
At this point, every viewer knows where they stand when it comes toMy Hero Academia. Season 7 finds the heroes completely on the back foot as they try to protect a Japan overrun with villains while lacking a symbol capable of motivating the terrified masses. Compared to most of season 6, Deku is finally surrounded by the rest of Class 1-A, a situation that should hopefully allowMHA’s support characters to shine for the first time in quite a while.
The first couple of episodes of theSpring 2024 animeseason revolved almost entirely aroundStar and Stripe’s battle with Shigaraki, a short but powerful encounter that served as something of a sequel to All Might and All for One’s season 3 fight. After that, the season moved on to a traitor arc, the last puzzle piece that mostly exists to set the stage for the final war arc. Now, that is in full swing, and it will extend into the Summer 2024 season.
While one of the biggest anime of Spring 2024,My Hero Academiaseason 7’s quality is entirely dependent on the Summer episodes. The final war arc needs to be a success, and it has gotten off to a mixed start so far.
AsBlack Butlerloves to make fans wait for new anime entries, they need to be worth it when they arrive. Fortunately, the source manga is consistently great, so the adaptations tend to be of high quality. Spring 2024’sKuroshitsuji: Kishuku Gakkou-henseems to be continuing that good form, at least going by the currently available episodes. CloverWorks is a great match forBlack Butler, with the studio delivering gorgeous animation that fits the story’s gothic nature.
At the behest of the queen, Ciel infiltrates a school that houses the children of Britain’s most powerful and wealthy families. Recently, the students have started to distance themselves from their parents, refusing to even leave the academy; consequently, Ciel is hoping to get close to the school’s four Prefects since they are likely at the heart of this strange mystery. Oh, and Sebastian is supporting his master by becoming a staff member.
As always, Ciel and Sebastian are the stars of the show here. Although still more intelligent than most, the former feels a bit out of his comfort zone, especially as he is still trying to come to grips with Weston College’s politics. Conversely, the demon butler is just enjoying the ride, which makes for a hilarious and entertaining watch. As the pair gradually unravel the academy’s mysteries, they will encounter enemies and perhaps even a couple of unexpected (or unwanted) allies. Also,Ciel got to (socially) slap down an arrogant con boy at one point, which was just delightful.
As the mystery unraveled,Black Butlerthrew out a few twists that mostly expanded on ideas introduced in previous arcs. While logical for the most part, the Public School arc’s ending was not particularly exciting.
Beginning late but with a bang,Demon Slayerhas entered the Hashira Training arc. With demons lying low for the moment, current and retired Hashira are taking it upon themselves to train the more inexperienced soldiers, all in preparation for an upcoming decisive conflict against Muzan and his remaining Upper-Rank killers. Opening with a double episode, the new season has already done a fine job of establishing the stakes of the present arc while also shining a spotlight on the Stone Hashira, who will be a major player moving forward.
Similar toMy Hero Academia,Demon Slayeris a known quantity by this point, and the Spring 2024 season will not hold too many surprises. The show will deliver stylish action, simple but effective storytelling, and polarizing humor that will test someone’s patience for Zenitsu. That isDemon Slayer’s formula, and it has been proven to work. To its credit, this season has opted to shine a more intimate light on the Hashira, expanding their backstories in an attempt to grant them additional emotional weight. Considering the previous arc consisted of nothing but fights, this shift was required to reduce the change of audience fatigue; more importantly, the story is very much in the calm before the final storm stage.
Demon Slayerprimarily focuses on the Hashira training the rookies during this arc, which starts to get slightly dull since so many of the no-name Demon Slayers have the same personality.
Sometimes, simplicity is the best policy.Wind Breakerfollows Haruka Sakura, an angry teenager who has always been an outcast through no fault of his own. Finding solace in violence, Haruka joins Makochi’s notorious Furin High School in the hopes of facing off against strong fighters. However, he quickly learns that the town and school have changed considerably in recent years thanks to Furin’s Bofurin gang working to keep the streets safe. While battles are still common, Haruka might have to accept that he cannot be an island.
Wind Breakerhas a shonen-standard protagonist and a delinquent-fueled setting that is hardly breaking new ground for action anime. However, tropes are inescapable for a reason: when done right, they work. Haruka is easy enough to like, and he is surrounded by characters who help balance out his angry outbursts. Also, CloverWork’s animation is great, both in the quiet moments and the well-choreographed fight sequences.
For its first major conflict,Wind Breakerset up a neat 5v5 competition pitting Furin’s heavyweights against another school’s strongest members. Driven by conflicting ideologies, these fights should help showcase the strengths of the main characters, along with just being satisfying. All of Furin’s fighters have gotten great moments to shine, and even a few of Shishitoren’s students have been proven to have more depth than initially seemed to be the case. Crucially, the action sequences are spectacular.
