Winter 2024 anime is almost coming to an end as we enter April within the next 7 days
With a mixed plate of anime from all sorts of genres like:
- Fantasy.
- Slice of life.
- Romance.
- Isekai.
- Action.
- Shounen.
And others, some anime have become very popular (Frieren), while others have flown under the radar despite their underrated quality.
Let’s talk about that.
1. Unwanted Undead Adventurer
This is an anime series I feel has flown under the radar with few people noticing it, or bothering to notice it.
It’s almost as if nobody knows about it in a public sense.
The anime is about Rentt, an adventurer who is average by his own claims. He trained hard for 10 years straight, crafting his swordsmanship only to be eaten by a rare dragon in the dungeons.
He’s then reborn as a monster in human skin essentially, with all his memories intact (he’s still in the same world, it’s not an Isekai).
The irony of his position is he now has the potential to reach his goals of becoming a high ranking adventurer while struggling with his physical changes, the fear of people finding out he’s now a monster, and taking comfort in the very few people who accept him in spite of his changes.
The pacing is slow some might feel, but it’s paced just right in my eyes and it moves at a peaceful speed that feels relaxing, laid back, and chilled to watch.
The introspection of Rentt as he struggles with his newfound powers and having to do things like hide his face is written in such a way that few anime shows can be directly compared to its style.
I’d say the biggest standout feature of this anime is Rentt’s relationships as it plays a key role in the progression, the emotions, the tragic events that take place, and his own personal development as he struggles forward with his head held high.
2. Villainess Level 99
This is an Isekai anime series with a female lead, and for an anime that’s not just Isekai but female lead, it surprised me this winter 2024 season.
First of all, most Isekai regardless of the protagonist’s gender never do well in the sense that they’re not masterpieces or even worth thinking about after they finish.
Villainess Level 99 follows Yumiella Dolkness (or Eumiella) who ends up in the game she played so she knows the story and the events that take place. But certain things (at least in the anime) change slightly.
Yumiella being an introvert and being detached from harsh criticisms or the opinions of others makes her interactions with other characters entertaining without the need to play up the comedy.
Her eventual relationship with Patrick, an eventual important character in the story (more so than the game she played) adds a touch of wholesomeness and of course, comedy since Yumiella is so dense and absent-minded.
Characters like Eleonora also add to the progression and the story of Villainess Level 99 with her overly positive but infectious attitude and likeable personality that makes her hard to dislike.
This is an Isekai series that has no business being this good and yet here I am praising it. The writing strikes a balance that I haven’t seen in similar Isekai and the protagonist plays a big role in that despite her being overpowered.
3. Undead Unluck
Fuuko Izumo, like others in this anime, has the power to negate things or affect themselves. In Fuuko’s case, this meant her “Unluck” caused others to have bad luck if they had physical contact with her, even if it meant just touching her hand. This leads to the tragic event of losing her parents.
Every character has a tragic event based on their powers, and each power is explained with “un”, meaning unrepair, undead, undo, unchange, unstoppable, etc. It’s a clever and consistent concept.
Undead Unluck is my favourite of the winter 2024 season by far. Admittedly, this is an anime like Fairy Tail in the sense that it has “fan service” moments early on for about 3 or so episodes that may turn people off.
But there is a purpose to the fan service and it does lead to some of the absolute best Shounen writing I’ve ever seen, especially when compared to NEW Shounen series.
Yes, that means I’m saying it’s better written than Jujutsu Kaisen, and especially Demon Slayer which has no business being in the same conversation in the first place.
From start to finish the anime tells an important story and ties up a lot of plot points (and holes) that may not make sense at first, but once you get to the end of season 1, will be blown away by how it all comes together.
Not to mention how it is cleverly written in such a way you can’t even wrap your head around where the story may lead because it’s purposely jumbled up in a way that sparks curiosity, rather than the opposite.
Undead Unluck is a mixture of My Hero Academia, Kill La Kill, Gurren Lagann, and Fire Force. Its art style, fighting, aesthetics, story, characters, and sometimes over dramatic scenes is why I’d compare it to those anime.
4. Urusei Yatsura 2024
Urusei Yatsura’s return from the 1980s has been one of the best highlights when it comes to anime that is being reborn and recreated.
There was the version that was released back in 2022 or so, and that series brought back that old-school comedy and made it shine again in the modern day.
The 2nd season of that remake (2024) is now doing the same thing again, and it’s doing it better than many probably expected since not all remakes go so well.
Lum, the original “waifu” from the early 1980s is back with her mannerisms, the original who started the “daaarling” catchphrase long before Zero Two did.
Then there’s Ataru and his nonsense in the anime, or “skirt-chasing” as they like to say.
Shinobu, the original cliché female character who likes whatever she can get when it comes to “hot” guys.
Then there is the rest of the cast which includes Sakura, the original “hot” teacher that all the anime boys fancy.
Urusei Yatsura 2024 is showing the world why it’s the original OG of all these cliches and parodies we now see in modern rom com anime or similar shows.
5. The Witch & The Beast
This anime, similar to Unwanted Undead Adventurer, is a slow one in the beginning.
I’d say it’s even slower as far as wondering if the anime will get better, or even if the anime is worth watching at all.
The “beast” part of the title relates to the main blonde-haired female character and her secret weapon we’ll say. Her partner, a wise man who plans every move before he makes it, is who ultimately makes this anime as entertaining as it can be.
The “witch” part of the title relates not just to the anime’s story, but the fact the main characters hunt witches and are after a particular witch they’re trying to find.
Action-wise, I won’t say this anime will blow you away with its fight scenes but that in my eyes is not what makes this anime worth watching. It’s the dialogue, the characters, the chemistry, and the story.
In this way, it’s like Monogatari, but to compare it directly I’d say it has elements of Owari No Seraph, Blue Exorcist, D. Gray Man, or something along those lines.
6. Sengoku Youko
The last anime I’ll mention from the winter 2024 anime season is Sengoku Youko. This anime is being produced by Studio Whitefox, the same studio behind Akame Ga Kill, Steins Gate, and Jormungand.
This anime, unlike others, has more than 37+ episodes from the beginning, which is unheard of these days. It takes you back to the Shounen of the 2000s or 1990s.
Sengoku Youko is about a half human and a fox. Both rely on each other to survive but Youko has the goal to make positive changes in the world relating to discrimination, racism, conflict, and hatred.
While she seems delusional at times, she’s more motivating, inspiring, and forward-thinking with a touch of commitment that makes her character so likeable.
Jinka, her partner, due to his past, has a hard time connecting or respecting humans but with the help of Youko, he makes the effort to change and he’s a key player in many of the anime’s battles for survival.
Shinsuke, the human character, starts out weak and in true shounen style begins to get stronger and he comes from a genuine place of struggle, especially in a world filled with Katawara (supernatural beings) and other creatures.
With so many episodes it’s only likely for this anime to keep getting better, but some people have written it off despite the fact other similar anime are also slow starters (remember Naruto)?
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In the end, this ending winter 2024 season has a lot of anime, but these shows are the most underrated in my eyes.
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