In this writer’s oh so humble opinion, spring is usually when some of the best anime comes out, with the fall season coming right after in quality. It isn’t always true; just like with American television, there’s anime seasons where nothing good comes out and surprises in the summer and winter are the pleasant reprieve from continuously airing series. However, last spring gave us some of 2022’s most popular series — Spy x Family, Ya Boy Kongming!, as well as a number of generally fun series, like Fanfare of Adolescence, Aharen-san wa Hakarenai, and Birdie Wing (which is actually getting a second season starting in April). So, there’s lots of hope for 2023’s spring roster!
It also goes without saying that as one of the big seasons, the spring anime lineup is usually pretty long, even when you cut out returning series. In the 2023 roster, Demon Slayer, Dr. Stone, Tokyo Mew Mew New, and The Ancient Magnus’ Bride are all returning for new seasons, leaving the rest of the lineup to new series. But which ones should you watch? To help you answer that question, take a look at these seven upcoming anime that are looking promising.
7 Mashle: Magic and Muscles
Perhaps the most anticipated of the new releases this spring is Mashle: Magic and Muscles, which tells the story of the magically ungifted Mash Burnedead. In order to restore normalcy to his life and prevent people from finding out that he is less than magical, he enrolls in the Easton Magic Academy and vows to become a Divine Visionary so people like him will finally have a place in a society of witches and wizards. Surrounded by elite students, Mash has to use his muscles to overcome all the magic around him and maybe make some friends and change along the way! This action-comedy is a perfect fit for fans of fantasy series like Harry Potter and Black Clover that are looking for a few more laughs than those series provide. If this is an adventure that sounds up your alley, make sure to mark your calendars for its premiere in April.
6 Skip and Loafer
Calling all slice of life fans! Skip and Loafer, another anticipated title for the season, has you covered. Bright and ambitious, Iwakura Mitsumi is ready to hurry up and change the world, and her first step towards that goal is going to high school in Tokyo. However, the big city isn’t exactly like her quiet hometown; all her studying didn’t prepare her for making friends and surviving the hustle and bustle of life in a major city. Luckily, she makes fast friends with a boy named Shima Sousuke. It’s a regular opposites attract story for them…but is that enough to help her succeed? Heartfelt, hilarious, and maybe a little romantic, this coming of age story will be easy to watch for fans of the genre when it premieres on April 4.
5 Ao no Orchestra (Blue Orchestra)
Violin prodigy Hajime Aono has lost his passion. Upset by his parents' divorce and living out a vow to quit the violin, he heads to high school with no ambitions or plans. After an accident in gym class lands him in the nurse’s office, he hears the melody of a violin again, though it isn’t quite as polished as he’d like. Here he meets amateur violinist Ritsuko Akine, who, like Aono, is often alone due to a rumor that she’s a bully. Seeing an opportunity, a teacher pairs them together so Aono can teach Akine to play the violin. Aono isn’t happy with the arrangement, but after he spends more time with Akine, he begins to enjoy her company and even starts playing the violin again. A musical drama about handling trauma and discovering purpose and passion, be sure to find the melody when this series begins on April 9.
4 The Dangers in My Heart
There’s a slang term in Japanese that many anime fans are familiar with: chuuni, or chuunibiyou. The translation, roughly, is “second year syndrome,” and it’s used to refer to preteens — particularly middle schoolers — who think they’re really special or edgy to the point of being cringeworthy (as we all were at that age). This is the correct term to describe the protagonist of The Dangers in My Heart, Kyoutaro Ichikawa. A middle schooler that harbors darkness and violence in his heart, Ichikawa sets his eyes on a target: the popular and bubbly Anna Yamada. However, one day Ichikawa sees Yamada in the library eating sweets, and ends up talking to her. The two begin to talk more and more, and Ichikawa’s violent thoughts are replaced with friendship. A fluffy comedy about the awkwardness of middle school and the difficulty of friendships and feelings, keep this on your radar and tune in when it begins on April 2.
3 Dead Mount Death Play
Fantasy, action, and magic unite in Dead Mount Death Play, an isekai anime about Shinoyama Polka, a boy who is suddenly thrown into the aftermath of a battle before a hero and a necromancer god. Admittedly, not much has been released about this anime, minus a pretty badass trailer that promises knights, reanimated skeletons, dark magic, and a healthy dose of cheesy edginess. Fans of dark fantasy, isekai, and the edgy titles of the 2000s and early 2010s will most likely find themselves at home with this series, which premieres this April.
2 My Home Hero
How far would you go to protect someone you love? This is one of many questions posed by My Home Hero, which follows ordinary salaryman and father, Tetsuo Tosu, and how he was thrown into the world of syndicated crime. Upon learning that his daughter, Reika, has been abused by her boyfriend, Nobuto, Tetsuo tries to get to the bottom of the situation. However, he discovers that Nubuto isn’t just an abuser; he’s a member of a criminal family who is only with Reika to get money from her wealthy grandparents, and he has a history of killing his girlfriends. Fearing for his daughter’s safety and filled with anger, Tetsu kills Nobuto and with his wife’s help, he hides the body. However, things don’t end there. Now he must navigate a world of crime to keep his family safe. A controversial and perfectly paced psychological thriller, this is an exciting and tense series in a sea of slice of life and shounen titles. Prepare for the suspense when it premieres in April.
1 Insomniacs After School
Another slice of life series, Insomniacs After School isn’t quite fluff, nor is it quite a drama. It does begin with the death of a student from the Astronomy Club, but the story is really about two students: the grouchy Ganta and the laid-back Isaki. They both struggle with insomnia that they feel the need to hide from others, and a chance meeting brings them together. They manage to find a kindred spirit in one another, and they begin meeting in the school’s abandoned observatory. Starlit conversations, new friends, and coping with a multitude of issues are all on the menu for this school life series; if that’s your cup of tea, keep an eye out for its premiere in April.