Weeb Report: Anime in Fall 2023

With the fall season of anime in 2023 just getting started, there are tons of exciting shows and movies releasing. From new beginnings to momentous conclusions, let’s dive into some of the most compelling shows to look out for! 

Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End

Frieren, on the middle left, pictured with some of her companions. | Soure: Crunchyroll

Animated by MADHOUSE, Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End is undoubtedly this season’s standout show. In its opening episode, the audience is placed in media res amidst a large celebration as a band of heroes return after defeating the world’s greatest evil, uncreatively named the Demon Lord. Among the ragtag group is our story’s heroine, Frieren, a powerful elven mage who, due to her race, has a lifespan that far exceeds that of humans. This means despite having lived for over a thousand years, she appears no older than a young adult. With the Demon Lord defeated, the world enters an era of peace, and our heroes must find their own paths in life. Generations pass, which to Frieren feels like just a blink of an eye, and she quickly comes face to face with the painful reality of the far shorter lifespans of the human heroes that accompanied her. Taking on a human apprentice as a friend of hers’ dying wish, she embarks on a new journey, trying to come to terms with humanity, death, and what it means to live.

Although the fight scenes it does have are amazing, Frieren certainly isn’t the most action-packed or grand show this season has to offer. But what it will provide is a story filled to the brim with pure, unadulterated emotion. So if you’re looking for a slow-paced fantasy journey that’ll make you bawl your eyes out, Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End might be exactly what you’re looking for!

Attack on Titan Final Season THE FINAL CHAPTERS 

Attack on Titan promotional poster with Eren pictured in the center. | Source: COMICBOOK

I don’t say it lightly when I say that Attack on Titan will likely go down as one of the greatest shows of all time. It tells the story of a humanity that has been forced to hide behind the towering walls of Paradis Island to escape the man-eating titans that surround them. However, humanity’s temporary peace ends when one day the Titans break through a layer of the walls, and humanity is forced to grapple with the challenge of what to do next. Following the story of Eren Yeager, Attack on Titan quickly develops over its four-season runtime into an enormous saga of victory, revenge, sacrifice, and betrayal as Eren and his friends try to navigate an increasingly mysterious world. 

When you have a show that has run for as long as Attack on Titan, you’ll inevitably have problems with it. But even though I may not be the biggest fan, I can’t help but acknowledge its merits. With some of the most intense fight scenes, expansive world-building, and grandiose moments in any anime I’ve ever seen, there’s truly nothing quite like it. This season, the much-anticipated final episode of Attack on Titan was released, bringing this decade-long epic to a fitting close. So if you’re looking for a gory action-packed thriller to binge that’ll keep you on the edge of your seat, then you might want to consider checking out Attack on Titan!

Apothecary Diaries

Maomao pictured on the right with Jinshi on the left. | Source: Anime Trending

A dark horse coming into the season, Apothecary Diaries has delivered a compelling take on the traditional Chinese historical drama. The story follows our titular character, Maomao, an apothecary living in the red-light district who is kidnapped and sent to work as a servant in the emperor’s palace. Although she tries to keep a low profile, her cunning observational ability and skills as an apothecary inevitably involve her in various issues around the palace. Peaking the interest of Jinshi, a powerful but mysterious man, she gradually begins to rise through the ranks of the inner palace, solving medical mysteries.

With a bit more of a light-hearted spin compared to the previous two shows on the list, Apothecary Diaries still tells rich stories exploring the politics and inner workings of the royal palace. With only a few episodes released, the larger direction that the anime decides to take remains to be seen. But if the manga has anything to tell us, it’s only bound to get better from here. So if you’re looking for a series that focuses more on telling episodic stories filled with mystery and emotional storytelling rather than long, overarching sagas, Apothecary Diaries might be the show for you!