2023's BEST, WORST & Most CURSED Anime

2023's been a WILD year for anime, and I watched almost all of them. These ones stuck with me the hardest... one way, or another...

#anime #2023

Bored Kizunape art was drawn by Aaron Schmit

Chapters:
00:00 Intro
03:03 This One Goes to Eleven
04:16 Best Anime 1
07:32 Best Anime 2
10:33 Best Anime 3
14:16 Best Anime 4
16:55 Best Anime 5
19:41 Best Anime 6
23:23 Best Anime 7
26:24 Best Anime 8
28:37 Best Anime 9
31:59 Best Anime 10
35:26 Anime of the Year
39:32 5th Worst
44:06 4th Worst
46:12 3rd Worst
49:21 2nd Worst
53:34 Worst Anime of 2023
56:15 5th Most Cursed
58:41 4th Most Cursed
1:02:08 3rd Most Cursed
1:06:20 2nd Most Cursed
1:09:52 Most Cursed Anime of 2023



Validate me!


In the depths of his Mother's Basement, Geoff Thew creates videos analyzing the storytelling techniques of anime and video games. He has been named the number one Worst YouTube Anime Reviewer by The Top Tens.

[morganqorishchi]

When Geoff was talking about getting his girlfriend more into Jujutsu Kaisen than he is, my mom squealed a little, paused the video, and told me, "Your dad got me into Star Trek like that. I'm telling you, these two are *definitely* getting married!" So Geoff, when that happens, just know 1. my mom called it and 2. she would happily send you a wedding gift.

[fionashampine]

My favorite thing about Zom100 is how hopeful and genuine it is. A lot of zombie media is all, "humanity is the real threat, everyone is dangerous and out to get you". But Zom100 says, "Yeah, some people suck, but if you show kindness to people, a lot of them are going to show kindness back".
It's just really life affirming and positive and I really like that

[Mrinsecure]

This list of good anime is so good that Apothecary Diaries didn't even make the list, and I can't even be mad, despite the fact that "3rd Century Chinese Sherlock Holmes where Sherlock is a young female poison-obsessed apothecary and Watson is a eunuch(?) scribe working in the Imperial Harem" is such a good premise on its own that the high-tier animation and voice acting is just icing on the cake.

[bryanna-]

following "I didn't Include Vinland Saga 2 because I haven't seen it" with "My number 11 is a harem anime" is an incredibly bold move sir, I respect you for that alone.

[Becvar]

Heavenly Delusion is one of those rare examples of visual media where it actually GETS BETTER on subsequent watches, because of how much more you understand about what's happening. Far too often the reveals make rewatching a chore, rather than a reward.

[Ash_Wen-li]

With Vinland Saga, Pluto, Frieren, Apothecary Diaries, Heavenly Delusion, Oshi no Ko, JJK and many more, this year was absolutely STACKED with good shows

[Veecy]

Hearing you say that the first episode of Oshi no Ko ends with "the mother of all rug pulls" and that you couldn't talk about it without spoiling it made me finally decide to stop the video right then and watch the first episode of this show that everyone keeps hyping up. In other words, I managed to go into the show completely spoiler-free and I was absolutely shocked. Thanks.

[RedPandaLesbian]

I was legitimately heartbroken when zom100 went on an indefinite hiatus as it was one of my favorite anime of the year. I was SO relieved when they finally announced the return on Christmas ✨

Frieren is still my personal anime of the year though, it was just such a masterpiece of effective storytelling and pacing and character study. My absolute ideal fantasy story told with absolutely stunning art and animation

[dramallamaabq]

I humbly request a "Disney Anime You Must Watch" list. It looks there are genuine masterpieces are on there that are dying on Didney Ploos

[Dae-D-Ellis]

I for one appreciate that over half the video is about you talking about stuff you actually liked. Worst and Cursed may be the bait, but hearing about things you really enjoy is the real treat

[Mangacide]

Me;casually: "Oh so it's astroboy"
Geoff: "It's astroboy"
Me; less casually: "I WASN"T EXPECTING TO BE RIGHT"

[Pedro-yrfl]

Kamikatsu is something else

That fucking real farming footage put through a filter with the anime head on top is just gold

Also the manga art is gorgeous definitely worth a chance

[IronDino]

Thank you for mentioning Zom 100 and how it inspired you to resume writing your novel. I've experienced the same with my own novel, and I feel like that might be just what I need to jumpstart my own motivation again.

[rambbler]

I can't not sing the praises of the Apothecary Diaries. I've been a fanatic following the Manga and Light Novel for a while and nearly screamed when I found out it was getting an anime this year. It has not been a disappointment.

Extra mentions to other adaptions I was looking forward to, The Reason Why Raeliana Ended Up at the Duke's Mansion and The Sacrificial Princess and the King of Beasts.

[ravindrarambarran]

The thing that really gets me about zom 100 is that its a show that highlights the struggle of overworked employees while it had to be canceled largely because its studio was overworking its animators

[Champiness]

46:21 had me legitimately hyped for a few seconds about my imagined prospect of a 2023 anime that had shamelessly cribbed its premise from Jim Carrey’s _Liar Liar_ and just hoped nobody would notice

[bobbenson]

I really admire your willingness, and ability, to sit through anime that I figuratively throw through a window within an episode or two. My patience has worn very thin with some of this stuff. With the number of great anime we saw, at least we could turn to high quality to wash that taste out of our brains. Thanks for being so funny and so on point with your criticism, may you have more success next year. And please, please don't put yourself through anything like marathoning 7 Deadly Sins ever again.

[LemmaEOF]

I really wish Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury wasn't as slept on outside of Japan. Hand-drawn mecha are so rare nowadays and WfM deserves so much more credit and appreciation than it got for how beautifully-detailed every single fight scene is, along with incredible character writing and animation on top of an *aggressively* anti-capitalist story.

[Wraither_]

Geoff, I got to the Frieren section and thought how beautiful it looked and after I heard you praise it, I had to check it out. I binged every episode so far in one sitting. Immediately had to come back and thank you. One of my new all time favorites. So thank you!

[kaitlynmorgan]

Also gotta bring up skip and loafer. I never seen such realistic high schoolers being portrayed and mistumi makes be wanna be a better person everytime i see her. Go watch it right now if you haven't