Solo Leveling, The Dangers in My Heart, and Classroom of the Elite are all contenders for the best Winter 2024 anime.
The Winter 2024 anime season is underway, bringing with it more than 30 series across a range of genres, themes, and streaming platforms. While perhaps not as overflowing with big names and sequels as some recent seasons, this quarter is not lacking in quality or variety either. Winter 2024 is especially interested in action, comedy, and isekai stories, all of which have multiple representatives that are worth checking out. Although not as plentiful as some other genres, romance anime might steal the spotlight throughout this quarter.
With close to 500 episodes airing each season, keeping up with everything is close to impossible; consequently, narrowing the options slightly can help get someone started. Let’s take a look at the best anime of Winter 2024.
5 :The Wrong Way To Use Healing Magic
With 10 shows covering the theme, Winter 2024 is not devoid of isekai anime. These types of stories are clearly popular, but the concept’s overexposure makes it difficult to get excited over new stories since they tend to recycle the same few tropes. While that holds for some of the season’s offerings, Winter 2024 has quite a few isekai anime that go against convention. Even though the adaptation has not gotten off to a stellar start, My Instant Death Ability is So Overpowered should be the ultimate anti-isekai tale, at least if it sticks to the source material’s comedic tone. Sasaki and Peeps is shaping up to be a bizarre blend of clichés that stretch beyond isekai, while Ishura takes place in a world where visitors are somewhat commonplace.
Then, there is The Wrong Way to Use Healing Magic, which follows a high-school student who is accidentally summoned to another world by a kingdom in need of heroes. Dragged along with two exceptional schoolmates, Ken Usato learns that he has an affinity for healing magic, a development that grabs the attention of Rose, a peculiar mage who leads the Rescue Squad. Unfortunately for Ken, his new master’s training methods are the stuff of nightmares.
The Wrong Way to Use Healing Magic provides a neat twist on the isekai formula, and Ken is shaping up to be a pretty decent protagonist. More importantly, the show has been hilarious so far, with Rose’s arrival producing almost non-stop laughter. Hopefully, the anime will maintain its early momentum.
4: Classroom Of The Elite 3
Building on the 2022 season, Classroom of the Elite is back to finish adapting the light novel’s first-year arcs. The Winter 2024 cour dives straight into the Mixed Training Camp saga, a storyline that sees Tokyo Metropolitan Advanced Nurturing School’s classes heading to an inn where the students are blended into groups. Forced to interact and work with people they once considered enemies, this training exam should present the ideal opportunity for fresh dynamics to emerge.
Season 3 is still setting up its stakes, and this arc’s main driving force and challenges have yet to be established; however, there are plenty of fascinating pawns on the table. Kikyou Kushida’s dual personality should continue to inspire tense meetings with Suzune, while Kakeru Ryuuen is unlikely to take his fall from grace quietly. Class 1-A’s Arisu is primed to take a more active role moving forward, with her sights set on Class 1-B’s Honami. Lastly, there is Ayanokouji, who seems to be finally in a situation he cannot fully control.
3: Solo Leveling
Without question, Solo Leveling was the most highly anticipated Winter 2024 anime. Based on arguably the most popular manhwa of all time, the adaptation needs to knock almost everything out of the park if it wants to meet expectations, and A-1 Pictures has mostly hit the ground running. That said, Solo Leveling‘s first episode mostly focused on setting up the world through some fairly heavy-handed exposition, resulting in an enjoyable but weirdly-paced opener that would have benefited from being a two-parter. Still, even if it mostly acted as a tease of things to come, the content was generally good.
After gates to fantastical worlds started to pop up around the world, people began to develop special abilities, leading to the rise of the hunter profession. Split into ranks determined by their powers, hunters have no forward momentum; consequently, an E-rank member like Sung Jin-woo is destined to remain weak. While on a mission in a D-level gate, a group of hunters decide to venture down a secret passage in search of riches. This proves to be a mistake.
2: A Sign Of Affection
Winter 2024 loves a good romance, and A Sign of Affection has all the pieces to be a great one. A deaf college student, Yuki Itose has a meet-cute with the well-traveled Itsuomi Nagi while on a train, and she finds herself hoping to see him again. Luckily, her friend happens to know him, and they wind up going to his workplace; more importantly, Yuki gets the courage to ask for his contact information.
A Sign of Affection has two instantly likable protagonists. Yuki is charming and refreshingly direct, all the while still showing nerves as she is not accustomed to feeling these sorts of emotions. Meanwhile, Nagi comes very close to being slightly too perfect, but his wholesome interest in Yuki is just endearing.
1: The Dangers In My Heart Season 2
The Dangers in My Heart was one of 2023’s best romance anime, and season 2 could very well be better than its predecessor. Anna and Kyotaro’s relationship has completely transitioned from awkward banter to heartwarming camaraderie built on support and mutual respect.
While they are not quite “dating” yet, the story does not downplay their appreciation for each other, while still acknowledging they are both trying to come to terms with the overwhelming feelings they are experiencing. Even without the romance angle, Anna and Kyotaro’s friendship is admirable.
