Yet another remarkable and over-achieving year for the anime industry has come to an end. As the clock races towards a new year, it’s time to reflect on the highest rated anime of 2023 that delivered a standout performance, sparked discussions, and planted an unforgettable memory in the minds of anime geeks around the world.

From the boundless and thought-provoking journey of “Frieren” to the epic conclusion of “Attack on Titan”, the year will be remembered for the diversity and excellence it presented creatively. In this article, we’ll take a look at some of the highest rated anime of 2023 on MyAnimeList. So, without further ado, let’s get started.

10. Dr. Stone: New World Part 2 (MAL Rating: 8.36)

The third season of Dr. Stone takes the excitement to new heights, especially the second cour that seamlessly carries over from its stellar previous installment. With fresh faces joining the adventure and spilling secrets behind petrification teased since day one, the series maintains its gripping momentum.

One of the intriguing aspects of this part is the unexpected increase in violence, dropping off the show’s initial “nobody dies” impression. Intense battles, ingenious solutions, and the characters remain a significant highlight of this part, making it the highest rated anime of 2023.

9. Eminence In Shadow Season 2 (MAL Rating: 8.49)

General consensus says Eminence in Shadow is one of the highest rated anime of 2023, even though it’s a series that works for all the wrong reasons possible. The anime continues to effortlessly blend top-tier meta-satire with blatant storytelling, allowing it to be one of the most easily enjoyable anime in history.

Cid and the Shadow Garden’s visit to the Lawless City in Season 2 is an almost perfect experience of an already good prequel with craziness being amped up even further, sending the anime into heights yet unseen by the masses of isekai trash that pours out year on year.

8. Bungo Stray Dogs Season 5 (MAL Rating: 8.66)

Not one but two seasons of Bungo Stray Dogs dropped in the year 2023, both being equally splendid and stupendous. But, the fifth season takes the anime to another level with its overwhelming odds and grueling battle against a formidable enemy who can control reality itself.

The drama only builds as episodes go on as new characters step up and each episode presents a well-animated fight scene. Seeing the fact that no one knew what the end had in store for the viewers was definitely an exciting moment, and it was overall once again another thrilling season.

7. Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War Part 2 (MAL Rating: 8.71)

Thousand-Year Blood War continues to exude the status of a passion project, carrying out all the production feats in the second part of the arc as well. Needless to say, it is an adaptational work of art that undeniably elevates an already great source material with its own strengths.

Whether it’s Nodt vs. Rukia, Kenpachi vs. Gremmy, or Ichibei vs. Yhwach, the series produces amongst the best large-scale dynamic battle sequences. To top it off, the anime original scenes introduced in this part flesh out even more astounding things that fans never had a chance to see in the manga.

6. Oshi no Ko (MAL Rating: 8.72)

Oshi no Ko is prodigious in its visual representation, and it can be seen in its feature film-length debut episode that took the internet by storm. From the beginning, the story takes its characters very seriously and puts emphasis on gravely exploring what it means to be a pop idol or be in the entertainment industry.

There’s a surge of several emotions while watching this anime as it has lots of ups and downs that can induce hatred, happiness, and sadness at the same time. Without any doubt, Oshi no Ko is an exceptional masterpiece of a debut series and deserves to be on the list of highest rated anime of 2023.

5. The Apothecary Diaries (MAL Rating: 8.79)

On the surface, The Apothecary Diaries appears to be rather dull pseudo-historical and oriental culture-themed anime, but it’s an assortment of several incompatible ideas (brothels, medical mysteries, royal harem, etc.) that work very well together to infuse humor and lightheartedness into the storyline.

While initially episodic, the series first focuses on establishing the characters and their network of relationships and gradually converges toward an overarching story. And the best part of all, the protagonist Maomao herself who is an absolute delight to follow in her mad medicinal adventures.

4. Vinland Saga Season 2 (MAL Rating: 8.80)

Before calling it an underwhelming sequel, one should realize that the first season was only the prologue of this epic tale, and it’s Season 2 where the “real” story begins. In fact, the second season has much better animation, soundtrack, voice acting, and storyboard which is magnificent throughout the season.

Despite having a lot less action and more attention to the juxtaposition of two characters – Thorfinn and Canute – in this season, MAPPA stepped in for WIT and gave an absolute masterclass. Thanks to their impeccable direction and extra-added anime original content, the series received significant praise.

3. Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2 (MAL Rating: 8.93)

One Piece fans will surely not agree, but a major part of 2023 belongs to Jujutsu Kaisen. With the release of the much-awaited Shibuya Incident arc this year, the series has gone far past the normal bounds of anime and has become cinema in the purest sense of the word.

Several episodes of this season are listed as the best anime episodes of 2023 on IMDb, and nothing in the show so far even compares to how immaculately animated and choreographed the duals are. The soundtrack, direction, and action storyboard in Season 2 are second to none and it’ll take a huge deal to beat it.

2. Attack on Titan: Final Season – The Final Chapters (MAL Rating: 8.94)

Hajime Isayama’s generation-defining series Attack on Titan bid adieu this year with a compilation of two 1-hour specials, going down in television history as the highest rated anime of 2023. While the penultimate of the series is a grand spectacle of rumbling, the second act is a cinematic farewell to a decade-long show.

The sound-mixing and bittersweet moments perfectly elevate the significant scenes and chill-giving intricate dialogues in the anime. Every aspect of this special is executed with a level of excellence and MAPPA did everything to improve on the source material, making it the modern era’s greatest TV finale.

1. Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End (MAL Rating: 9.14)

Adventure is not always about chasing a goal or accomplishing something grandiose instead it can be much more meaningful and enlightening. Frieren’s unique and moving premise does the same as it focuses on the titular character’s journey delving deep into philosophical themes rather than dwelling too much in the past.

The story chronicles Frieren, an elf mage who once shared a great adventure with Himmel the Hero and his group, but never realized how precious those moments were until they faded away. Years later, she embarks on a new journey, following the footsteps of her former companions and seeking to understand her own heart and the hearts of others.

Which one of the following highest rated anime of 2023 is your favorite? Feel free to comment down your thoughts and make sure to recommend some other anime like the ones listed above, also don’t forget to share this article with your fellow otaku friends.

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