Fall season is finally here, and a new wave ofanimeis hitting the community, some more anticipated than others. While this year had many diverse series scheduled for release, it is in this season that many of the biggest and most hyped anime will be making their grand entrance.
September to November has featured the most popular series for many years, with last year boasting hits likeFrieren: Beyond Journey’s End,Apothecary Diaries,Spy X Familyand more. 2022 had even bigger series likeChainsaw Man,My Hero Academia,Mob Psycho 100, andBlue Lock. Fortunately, this year does not break this tradition, and it will close out the year with bangers.
Shangri-La Frontier
Cast
Rakurō Hizutome, a high school student known for mastering poorly made games, takes on the challenge of a highly rated VR MMORPG. Diving into the complex and immersive world, he bypasses tutorials and jumps straight into action, uncovering hidden secrets and formidable monsters along the way.
High school student Rakurou Hizutome has a peculiar hobby of playing poorly made games—ones that are unbalanced or are filled with so many bugs that make them borderline unplayable. The few who share his hobby might recognize him by his in-game name, Sunraku. For his next game, Rakurou is recommended Shangri-La Frontier, a popular and well-received virtual reality game as a breather from the terrible games he has been playing recently.
Once he boots up the game, Rakurou decides to sell off most of his starting gear to gain extra money, leaving himself with only a pair of boxers, a bird mask, and some weapons. He is instantly hooked as he meticulously levels up his avatar. However, after encountering some intimidating monsters, he realizes that he may have underestimated the challenge that a mainstream game can offer. As Rakurou progresses, he must draw on all the skills he has perfected from his previous gaming experience. Before long, Sunraku’s eccentric playstyle takes Shangri-La Frontier by storm.
Shangri-La Frontierwas a well-animated anime spanning 25 episodes, and the fact that it has come back only one year later can only mean the scheduling for the anime was great, which explains its quality.Very few series execute video game mechanics quite like this series, with excellent combat and interesting characters to boot.Shangri-La Frontieris a sleeper hit and is the perfect anime for any fan of video games and MMORPGs.
9Ranma 1/2
August 14, 2025
After the recent conclusion of the second season of Rumiko Takahashi’sUrusei Yatsuraremake, fans can now look forward to the spotlight shifting to the mangaka’s next popular series, Ranma 1/2. The upcoming anime adaptation of this 1990s classic promises to impress with its stunning new visuals that enhance the beloved art style fans have grown to cherish.Studio Mappa, known for producing hits likeJujutsu KaisenandChainsaw Man, will bring this highly anticipated anime to life, and the sneak peek looks promising already.
Incredibly, the entire original cast of the series will be returning to reprise their roles, so fans will be sure to be hit with nostalgia. There have been many remakes over the years, and Ranma 1/2’s new anime could solidify itself as one of the best based on the commitment from the staff to stay true to the heart of the series.
Sword Art Online
Sword Art Online is an anime series that follows protagonist Kirito as he and thousands of others become trapped in a virtual reality MMORPG where death in the game means death in real life. Kirito must navigate this perilous and immersive world to find a way to escape, facing numerous challenges and building alliances along the way. The series explores themes of survival, friendship, and the blurring line between reality and fantasy.
Sword Art Online: Gun Galemay not be part of the main and iconic story, but it stands as a great spinoff that captures everything great about the original series. Following a six-year hiatus, fans can look forward to continuing the adventures of Karen. After season 1 successfully introduced the world, this upcoming season promises to delve even deeper into the storylineand feature the strategic battles that make this anime so captivating and thrilling.
The main voice actors will be coming and Studio 3Hz, the studio behind the incredible first season will be taking charge once again. Masayuki Sakoi will take the helm and direct the season again, and Yousuke Kuroda will be in charge of the script. This is an exciting season, and while Sword Art Online: Gun Gale isn’t the biggest anime in this fall, it still has great potential and is worthy of a watch.
Blue Box
Taiki Inomata, a junior high student at Eimei Academy, is a dedicated badminton player with a crush on Chinatsu Kano, a star basketball player. Their paths intertwine in unexpected ways when Chinatsu moves in with Taiki’s family. Balancing sports, school, and budding feelings, Taiki aims to prove himself worthy of her admiration while striving for Nationals.
One of the better titles inShonen Jump’s current lineup,Blue Boxis a moving story about two athletes dealing with love and sports and is a must-watch for any fan of romance. The anime looks great from the visuals that maintain the manga’s ethereal art, and the backing of TMS Entertainment gives fans great hope that the series will be done justice. In a season packed with great action series,Blue Boxoffers a drama and character-interaction-filled story that deserves a look.
Surprisingly, this season will have 25 episodes and go on for 2 cours, approximately 6 months. In a year full of 12-episode seasons, this is a great chance of pace, and Blue Box provides a great alternative to fans who want to invest in the long run. And the series will certainly hook you in all the way through, and become one of the new best sports anime.
Blue Lock
Blue Lock is a sports-centric animated series based on the manga series of the same name. The show follows the Japan Football Association trying to recover from their poor showing in the 2018 FIFA World Cup by hiring a football genius, Ego Jinpachi. With his new intense training regimen, Jinpachi invites the best football players in Japan to compete to become the team’s new star player - and high school student Yoichi Isagi may be exactly who he’s looking for.
After taking the world by storm in 2022 and makingBlue Lockthe best-selling of 2023, the anime is back and comes off a successful theatrical run for its movie. Adapting the best and most exciting arc of the series, the U-20 Match, there is a lot of hype and buzz for the series. While thelatestBlue Locktrailer has made fans concerned about the animationquality, the season has many things going for. From the visuals, incredible plot line, and composition,Blue Lockseason 2 is one anime fans have to look out for this fall.
The Best-Selling Manga Of 2023 Proves the Surprising New Genre Dominating Shonen
Blue Lock dominating this year’s best-selling manga is proof that sports manga isn’t just bigger than ever, it’s becoming shōnen’s crown jewel.
What makes this match the best is the drama that comes alongside it. From the family drama of Itoshi and Rin, Chigiri dealing with his injury, Bachira finding his true self, Barou unleashing his true ego and more, there is a lot of heart in this arc that proves whyBlue Lockisone of the best sports anime.
Uzumaki: Spiral into Horror
Uzumaki: Spiral into Horror is an adaptation of Junji Ito’s acclaimed manga, directed by Hiroshi Nagahama. The series unfolds in the town of Kurôzu-cho where inexplicable events related to spirals plague the inhabitants, leading to terror and madness. Highlighting the psychological and supernatural, the show follows high school student Kirie Goshima and her boyfriend, Shuichi Saito, as they confront the spiraling horrors that engulf their town.
Adult Swim has enjoyed success in the anime industry this year withNinja Kamui, and theanime adaptation of Junji Ito’s Uzumakicould be even bigger. The anime opted for black-and-white visuals, and from the trailer, it has done an incredible job of replicating the manga, which is filled with iconic panels and shots. After the long hiatuses of the project,fans will be rewarded for their patience with an anime that truly does the source material justice.
Unfortunately, theonly flaw withUzumaki’sanime is the episode count, which could cause pacing problems and rush through the source material. The only way to avoid this is if the episodes are longer than the standard 24-minute episodes, but this is unlikely and will only be revealed when the season starts.
For the return ofone of the best series the isekai genre has to offer,Re: Zero Starting Life in Another Worldseason 3 is a huge event for the community given how long fans have had to wait. The series is getting a big roll-out too, with episode 1 being 90 minutes and will be screened in theaters. Furthermore, the plot takes a spike in quality asthe setup for the best arc inRe: Zerohas been concluded, andthe long-awaited time skip and royal selection will start.
Focusing on arc 5, this season will see Subaru, Emilia, Crusch and the Felt Camp in the Watergate City. This don’t go according to plan, however, as a huge conspiracy by a cult leader leads the city to be overtaken, and Subaru must unite the factions and camps within to liberate them. Another action-packed and bloody season, Re: Zero is back to show why it is in the talks for the best isekai ever.
Bleach: Thousand Year Blood War
Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War is a sequel series to the popular anime from creator Tite Kubo. This anime follows Ichigo and his friends as they investigate why people are disappearing while trouble arises in the Soul Society. The first season was released in 2022 and has been critically acclaimed since its beginning.
Titled The Conflict, cour 3 is poised to deliver an intense and climactic showdown between the Quincies and Soul Reapers. Building on the incredible first two parts, the committee has teased new scenes and a thrilling trailer, hinting at a season that could surpass even the First Invasion. Fans can look forward to many Bankai reveals, the deepening of the series' lore, and electrifying battles.Bleach: Thousand Year Blood Warseason 3is gearing up to take over the internet once again, and it’ll be interesting what the creator, Tite Kubo, comes up with to make the source material even better.
While the director has revealed that the season will feature much more use of CGI, the staff have already displayed their competency with 3-D animations in past episodes, so there is nothing to worry about. Furthermore, characters like Ukitake and Uryu will most likely be getting original scenes, fixing their underutilized characters. Overall, this cour has a lot more stuff happening than the last so it will very likely exceed the bar set and will show why this arc is so beloved.
Dragon Ball DAIMA
Dragon Ball Daima sees Goku and his allies inexplicably shrunk into miniature forms, prompting a journey to the Demon Realm. This animated adventure, part of the Dragon Ball franchise, explores their mission to solve the mystery and restore their original statures. Released in October 2024.
The 40th anniversary of the legendaryDragon Ballseries spawned a new original season from the late Akira Toriyama, and it’s a trip back in time, literally. The series will focus on the main cast in their child forms and working to find who turned them into it and recovering their old bodies. Many staff members and cast who made the anime special will be returning toDragon Ball Daima, and from the trailer, it will be an action-packed adventureworthy of being a continuation of the legendary franchise.
The artist of the first opening song of Dragon Ball will be returning to perform on DAIMA.
Dragon Ball: Daimais the last thing Akira Toriyama created before his unfortunate passing, so it is much more sentimental than ever before, given how fans will see what he worked hard for while being sick. Although the series has not been given the marketing it deserves, it is still going to be very big and will be watched by the millions changed by this legendary mangaka.
Dandadan
Two high school students, embroiled in a wager to prove the existence of ghosts or aliens, encounter daunting paranormal threats, acquire superpowers, and possibly discover love. The series blends supernatural elements with personal dynamics as the protagonists navigate their newfound abilities and unexpected challenges.
Very few series receive as much promotion and marketing as Shonen Jump’sDandadan, and this series deserves all the eyes on it. Not only is the plot as unique as it can get, the characters and romance are top-notch, with Okarun and Momo being a generational couple. The series not only received a theatrical run but will also be available to stream on Netflix, Crunchyroll, and Hulu. This vibrant and colorful anime is the biggest anime of Fall 2024, and anime watchers can expect this series to be all over their feeds.
From the studio behindDevilman Crybabyand the upcomingThe Ghost in the Shellremake, this series is a wacky action that features hilarious adventures, fantastic battles, great character dynamics, and more, and it is no wonder it is being pushed so hard.
