More than any other season that I can remember, spring 2024 is filled to the brim with returning anime series, from the near and not-so-near past! From classics being remade from the beginning to favorites getting a new season, this season has a little of everything, for everyone. So, without further ado, let’s get into this!
That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime Season 3
While it might have been a while since we’ve seen Rimuru Tempest on our screens, the prime slime has kept very busy over the last couple of years. In 2021, fans were treated to the delightfully silly spinoff The Slime Diaries. The staff followed this up with an original movie in 2022 titled Scarlet Bond and finally a 2023 OVA series titled Visions of Coleus. At the close of the second season, however, Rimuru had gained even more power than he had ever imagined having as a slime, while tensions surrounding the Jura Tempest Federation were still high. The third season of this returning anime promises to pack even more action and intrigue.
As someone who has been following this anime since season one (though admittedly it took a while for this one to grow on me), I’d love to see the third season go all in with the world-building. Season two did a fantastic job of selling the audience on the politics of the rival groups and their trade networks. If fans could get even more of that sweet world-building, this will continue to be a shining beacon for other isekai to follow.
Jobless Reincarnation Season 2, Part 2
Jobless Reincarnation returns to the airwaves after a two-season break! In the second season of this hit isekai, Rudeus is now a teenager and is traveling the world searching for his mother. I also heard something about a substory involving erectile dysfunction?
Regardless, this is a series that many fans have been waiting with bated breath for. Jobless Reincarnation continues to be a series that I can’t get away from. In my social circles, so many people continue to praise its characters and story. The series is only up to 36 episodes so far and, with the next cour set to premiere in just over a month, now is the perfect time to zip over to Crunchyroll and catch up on this fantasy adventure!
Demon Slayer: To The Hashira Training
All the pieces of Demon Slayer are right. The animation from ufotable is continually visually arresting and stunning to look at. The music from Yuki Kajiura is some of her best work in years. And the voice acting from both Japanese and English casts continues to be top-notch, so there’s no reason this series shouldn’t keep making its production committee tons of money for many years into the future. This season’s returning anime will cover the 15th and 16th volumes of the manga when it premieres late this spring.
Konosuba Season 3
KonoSuba is back for another season in April! It’s going to bring all the same weird gags that fans have come to expect and love! Following the success of last year’s An Explosion on This Wonderful World, the primary KonoSuba cast will reunite for more adventures after a multi-year break.
The last time we saw a full television series for this franchise was back in 2017 from Studio DEEN. This was followed by a movie (Legend of Crimson) produced by J.C. Staff. Since then, the anime portion of the franchise has been mostly quiet. It’s worth noting the animation for this season is produced by studio Drive (who has been quietly making a name for themselves over the last eight years since their founding).
My Hero Academia Season 7
As with previous seasons of My Hero Academia, the seventh season will begin with recap episodes (four, to be exact). After that, however, the plot will pick up fiercely. This adaptation will start with the 34th volume of the manga, which features the introduction of more new characters and an evil plot hatched by All For One to steal a special reality-bending quirk.
While I’m sure that some people would rather this returning anime just jump right into the new material, I’m glad that fans are getting four recap episodes to start things off. The universe of My Hero Academia is so vast that if you looked away for even one season, you missed out on a ton of plot and character development.
With the manga’s climax fast approaching, now is not the time to let your interest in this series wane. Trust me, stay strong and keep watching.
Spice and Wolf
Out of all the returning series premiering in April, Spice and Wolf is the one I never thought we’d get to see. Even the original creator said in interviews that the two seasons we got over a decade ago were all we were ever going to get. It’s funny how time changes things.
Spice and Wolf has been beloved by many since studios Imagin and Brain’s Base put out the first two seasons in 2008 and 2009, respectively. If you’re unfamiliar with this series about fictional medieval economics, you missed out on a treat. Taking place in a fictional area loosely based on early Europe, the main character is a traveling merchant named Kraft Lawrence. While traveling through an area known for worshipping the wise wolf goddess Holo, he meets a young girl claiming to be the goddess herself! After sufficiently proving her identity, the pair begin traveling together. They slowly form a bond that is more than friends but not quite lovers.
While Spice and Wolf may not sound impressive, many of us have sincere hopes that this new remake from studio Passione will change your mind.
Black Butler: Public School Arc
Black Butler is another series that has laid dormant for far too long. The last time we saw Ciel Phantomhive and his butler Sebastian was in 2017 in the Book of the Atlantic movie. After a few years’ break, the dark supernatural drama is coming back with a new studio and new animation style.
Until this point, A-1 Pictures has always been the one to produce the animation for this franchise. Here, however, studio Cloverworks is taking over the animation production. Will this pay off for the series? It’s hard to say at this point but I know that this will be appointment viewing for me.
Laid Back Camp Season 3
One of the best iyashikei to ever iyashikei, Laid Back Camp is returning for a third season. There isn’t much to say about this comfy slice of life; Nadeshiko discovered her love of camping during the first season and made some new friends who share her love of the outdoors. This has been the overarching theme of the series so far with some good gags thrown in for levity.
What I love the most about this wholesome returning anime series is how it has inspired others to take up a new hobby. A quick Google search will bring up many examples of people who decided to go camping simply because they watched this series and thought it looked like a fun time. Between the calming music and the beautiful atmosphere, this series should be on everyone’s weekly radar.
Duke of Death Season 3
Famed and beloved studio J.C. Staff have been riding this series hard for the last couple of years, putting out new seasons annually since 2022. While some fans may not like the entirely computer-generated animation employed by The Duke of Death and His Maid, it’s hard to deny that this series has a quiet charm. That’s probably why it’s managed three seasons of anime.
A quiet love story between a man and a woman who can’t touch each other. The Duke of Death is a fantastic metaphor for the emotional walls that we put up around ourselves to keep our hearts and emotions safe from harm. While this series likely won’t be named Anime of the Year by anyone, with this being the last season, it’s more than worth checking out how this series will end.
Bartender
While I did not see the original Bartender anime until well after it had aired, I couldn’t be more excited for the remake. It’s coming soon. Bartender was a fantastic adult slice-of-life series featuring a seemingly mystical bartender who can create the perfect drink to fit any mood or occasion. The question hanging over everyone’s minds is if the remake will capture the spirit of the original. My gut tells me that they can and they will. Bartender is more than just an alcohol-themed anime. This is an anime that will soothe and heal your soul with every episode.
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Now you have a good idea of what returning anime we’ll see in April. Sound off in the comments letting us know what you’re excited to see next month!
And remember, you can always find many great anime products from the J-List store, including this useless goddess nendoroid!
