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Neko's Long Overdue Animation Recommendations of 2023!
a year ago
Well it might be later than even my previous expectations, but I got my list primed at last, so if you find yourself needing something to watch, here's a list of some of the best stuff I saw from last year, apologies it so late thie time around.
- This list is just Animation, both western and japanese varieties.
- Of those, the list will contain both films and TV Shows.
- Everything listed here has to have started in 2023, if it's a show continuing into it's second season in the past year, it won't be on the list, as always. But it might have been on a past one so you can backlog it.
- This is my own personal list and I haven’t watched everything this year. There's a lot I've missed out on at this point, and even though it's May now there's still more to watch that I didn't get around to (I heard good things about Scavenger's Reign! I'll try to get to that at some point.
As with last year, I give my list placements, a trailer for the show or film in question, and the way to watch it at the moment.
10. Suzume - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g0JMPkn7Wuo - It's the end of the world again with Makoto Shinkai once more, though we still get quite a pleasent road trip through Japan even with all the disasters, a great and weird cast with a fun mystery to solve on what is causing all these doors to appear, depending on your region Suzume might be Netflix, so go check it out there if it is.
9. My Adventures with Superman - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nI9uUv6AdoY - Some good Superman to enjoy, one thing I really like about this version is it's takes on Clark, Lois and Jimmy, forming a power trio that work great together. You have some spectucular fight animations here as well, the only downside I'd probably say is the villains are a bit lacking (Still some fun ones in there though, just not all of them hit the mark, hoping season 2 knocks it out of the park with all of them.) You might be able to find this on Adult Swim, and Season 2 is about to start real soon.
8. Nimona - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_fuHRyQbOc - The journey this film took to be developed is a film of itself, so it's great to see how well it turned out in the end. I don't think all the side characters work, espicially some of the humor, but the main cast is exceptional and the story is also really strong. One of the best final acts of the year, fun visuals and Nimona's shapeshifting leads to some great animated sequences. You can find Nimona on Netflix.
7. Scott Pilgrim: Takes Off - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dLvRvqByxUI - You ever get presented with something you weren't really expecting but still find it amazing when you get it? That's Scott Pilgrim: Takes Off in a nutshell. A great character dive into all the cast members of Scott Pilgrim with a lot of fun surprises along the way, some of the actors maybe better at acting than VA, but this is just one of the most fun and unique projects from last year, you can find Scott Pilgrim Takes Off on Netflix.
6. Blue Eye Samurai - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJ1yQn17lbE - The most mature entry on my list. Blue Eye Samurai follows the journey of revenge Mizu goes through in Edo Japan. The animation makes it look like an water painting at times, with some of the best animated action year long, its wide varied cast you will love and despise as the show expects you to and the stories are some of the years most gripping. Looking forward to seeing more of Mizu's tale soon, you can find Blue Eye Samurai on Netflix.
5. Frieren: Beyond Journey's End - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iwr1aLEDpe4 - It's the anime of the year for a reason. Frieren follows the titular characters tale 1000 years after she's saved the world. She's seen it all and beyond, leading to one of the best new characters of the year. Gorgeously presented show with one of the most bespoke fantasy worlds built in the year. I don't want to spoil too much of this one as it's best you discover this yourself. You can find Friern: Beyond Journey's End on Crunchyroll.
4. Spider-Man: Across the Spiderverse - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqGjhVJWtEg - There were some lofty heights set with Into the Spiderverse, and Across matches them, exceeds them in some areas. No other films look like these, with others trying to come close with their own renditions but still feel a few years behind. There's a staggering amount of Spiderman to enjoy in this for anyone that's a fan of the character or even newcomers, my only complaint is that it's a part 1 of a two part story and we are still waiting on Part 2. You can find Spider-Man: Across the Spiderverse on DVD, Blu Ray and most streaming services to rent.
3. Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D0E4YkDwLzA - As fun as Spiderverse is, it wasn't my favourite Marvel property of the year, that goes to Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur. Lunela Lafeyettes escapades in heroism are great fun with Devil also being a truly great chracter in his own regards, the highlights are always the musical sequences each episode has. If nothing else, do check a compilation of the music numbers this show has on youtube, otherwise you can check it all out on Disney+
2. The Boy and The Heron - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5khm-VjEu4 - This might be Miyazaki's last film, this might not, it's still a masterpiece either way. One that will fill your mind with so many thoughts and theories on this world and tale Miyazaki has left us with. Trying to puzzle it out and build our own tower of thoughts. I think it's due for a home releaes soon, so keep your eyes out for that.
1. Puss In Boots: The Last Wish - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RqrXhwS33yc - Here's where staggered releases does, what was probably a lot of peoples favourite 2022 animated film lands on my 2023 list since it came out so late in the UK. Well, it's here anyway. There's not much that needs to be said that hasn't already been said for this film. It's Hilarious, it's cast of characters is exceptional, visually delightful, tackles some heavy subject matters exceptionally, it's an all timer. Go Buy it, rent it, watch it however you can if you haven't already, and if you have, do it again!
Well, that took longer to expect, already got some 2024 candidates ready to go, until the end of year for that list though at earliest. Still a few more birthday pictures to roll through, so hoping to post them up for you soon.
- This list is just Animation, both western and japanese varieties.
- Of those, the list will contain both films and TV Shows.
- Everything listed here has to have started in 2023, if it's a show continuing into it's second season in the past year, it won't be on the list, as always. But it might have been on a past one so you can backlog it.
- This is my own personal list and I haven’t watched everything this year. There's a lot I've missed out on at this point, and even though it's May now there's still more to watch that I didn't get around to (I heard good things about Scavenger's Reign! I'll try to get to that at some point.
As with last year, I give my list placements, a trailer for the show or film in question, and the way to watch it at the moment.
10. Suzume - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g0JMPkn7Wuo - It's the end of the world again with Makoto Shinkai once more, though we still get quite a pleasent road trip through Japan even with all the disasters, a great and weird cast with a fun mystery to solve on what is causing all these doors to appear, depending on your region Suzume might be Netflix, so go check it out there if it is.
9. My Adventures with Superman - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nI9uUv6AdoY - Some good Superman to enjoy, one thing I really like about this version is it's takes on Clark, Lois and Jimmy, forming a power trio that work great together. You have some spectucular fight animations here as well, the only downside I'd probably say is the villains are a bit lacking (Still some fun ones in there though, just not all of them hit the mark, hoping season 2 knocks it out of the park with all of them.) You might be able to find this on Adult Swim, and Season 2 is about to start real soon.
8. Nimona - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_fuHRyQbOc - The journey this film took to be developed is a film of itself, so it's great to see how well it turned out in the end. I don't think all the side characters work, espicially some of the humor, but the main cast is exceptional and the story is also really strong. One of the best final acts of the year, fun visuals and Nimona's shapeshifting leads to some great animated sequences. You can find Nimona on Netflix.
7. Scott Pilgrim: Takes Off - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dLvRvqByxUI - You ever get presented with something you weren't really expecting but still find it amazing when you get it? That's Scott Pilgrim: Takes Off in a nutshell. A great character dive into all the cast members of Scott Pilgrim with a lot of fun surprises along the way, some of the actors maybe better at acting than VA, but this is just one of the most fun and unique projects from last year, you can find Scott Pilgrim Takes Off on Netflix.
6. Blue Eye Samurai - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJ1yQn17lbE - The most mature entry on my list. Blue Eye Samurai follows the journey of revenge Mizu goes through in Edo Japan. The animation makes it look like an water painting at times, with some of the best animated action year long, its wide varied cast you will love and despise as the show expects you to and the stories are some of the years most gripping. Looking forward to seeing more of Mizu's tale soon, you can find Blue Eye Samurai on Netflix.
5. Frieren: Beyond Journey's End - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iwr1aLEDpe4 - It's the anime of the year for a reason. Frieren follows the titular characters tale 1000 years after she's saved the world. She's seen it all and beyond, leading to one of the best new characters of the year. Gorgeously presented show with one of the most bespoke fantasy worlds built in the year. I don't want to spoil too much of this one as it's best you discover this yourself. You can find Friern: Beyond Journey's End on Crunchyroll.
4. Spider-Man: Across the Spiderverse - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqGjhVJWtEg - There were some lofty heights set with Into the Spiderverse, and Across matches them, exceeds them in some areas. No other films look like these, with others trying to come close with their own renditions but still feel a few years behind. There's a staggering amount of Spiderman to enjoy in this for anyone that's a fan of the character or even newcomers, my only complaint is that it's a part 1 of a two part story and we are still waiting on Part 2. You can find Spider-Man: Across the Spiderverse on DVD, Blu Ray and most streaming services to rent.
3. Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D0E4YkDwLzA - As fun as Spiderverse is, it wasn't my favourite Marvel property of the year, that goes to Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur. Lunela Lafeyettes escapades in heroism are great fun with Devil also being a truly great chracter in his own regards, the highlights are always the musical sequences each episode has. If nothing else, do check a compilation of the music numbers this show has on youtube, otherwise you can check it all out on Disney+
2. The Boy and The Heron - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5khm-VjEu4 - This might be Miyazaki's last film, this might not, it's still a masterpiece either way. One that will fill your mind with so many thoughts and theories on this world and tale Miyazaki has left us with. Trying to puzzle it out and build our own tower of thoughts. I think it's due for a home releaes soon, so keep your eyes out for that.
1. Puss In Boots: The Last Wish - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RqrXhwS33yc - Here's where staggered releases does, what was probably a lot of peoples favourite 2022 animated film lands on my 2023 list since it came out so late in the UK. Well, it's here anyway. There's not much that needs to be said that hasn't already been said for this film. It's Hilarious, it's cast of characters is exceptional, visually delightful, tackles some heavy subject matters exceptionally, it's an all timer. Go Buy it, rent it, watch it however you can if you haven't already, and if you have, do it again!
Well, that took longer to expect, already got some 2024 candidates ready to go, until the end of year for that list though at earliest. Still a few more birthday pictures to roll through, so hoping to post them up for you soon.
