The end of the Winter 2024 anime season is here, and all across the Internet, anime fans are preparing to watch the final episodes of the series they’ve loved for the past few months. Let’s look back at all the times anime made us laugh or cry during the current anime season!
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Time to Say Goodbye to the Winter 2024 Anime Season
You never know how a new anime season will unfold. Some shows that seemed great might drop off after a few episodes, while shows that no one thought would be popular can surprise us with great characters or waifus. This has been a great anime season, with something for every fan to enjoy. Let’s look at the shows fans will be sad to say goodbye to!
Today Is the Final ‘Frieren Friday’
One show that exploded in popularity was Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End. It’s the story of the immortal elf mage Frieren and all the people she meets over the course of her life. This show had it all: complex characters that resonated with fans, non-linear storytelling, beautiful animation, a ridiculously good soundtrack, and a theme song by Yoasobi.
Literally everyone I know watched Frieren. My son and his wife watched it. My daughter, studying at university in San Diego, is watching it. My friend and his young daughter don’t miss an episode. This anime has brought the world together in a way I’ve not seen since AnoHana or Madoka Magica. I’m positive its compelling story and characters will prove to be a gateway anime that will bring in many new fans in the coming years.
One thing I’ve noticed blogging about anime for 27+ years is that anime with two cours will generally have a much deeper impact on anime fans than 1-cour. 12- or 13-episode anime series are generally forgotten by fans soon after the final episode airs, but if you can hold fans’ attention for 24 episodes, then you’ve really achieved something that will stick around. I’m sure we’ll be seeing Frieren memes for the foreseeable future.
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Will Anna and Koutaro Start Dating This Anime Season?
Another anime I’ve totally been loving is The Dangers In My Heart. It’s the story of a height-challenged junior high school boy Koutaro, who’s got a crush on the tall and beautiful Anna Yamada. In true romance anime fashion, she’s in love with him too. Will they find a way to confess to each other and finally become a couple?
How Will The Apothecary Diaries End?
Another anime that won the hearts of many fans was Kusuri no Hitorigoto, about an apothecary living in the Imperial court in ancient China. Will Maomao find a way to be with Jinshi? Fans will be on the edge of their seats!
Read why I was wrong about The Apothecary Diaries in this blog post!
Another Goodbye This Anime Season, as Dungeon Meshi Ends
Another really enjoyable show from the current anime season was Delicious in Dungeon. Netflix brought the beloved manga to the screen and managed to get everything right. Will the party find a way to resurrect Falin? More importantly, will we get a juicy fan service scene in the final episode?
Read why Dungeon Meshi was basically the perfect anime in this blog post!
Goodbye to Ecchi Magical Girls
Another awesome anime we’ve all been enjoying is Gushing Over Magical Girls. This anime has a surprisingly enjoyable story and engaging characters despite being all about sexy fan service. When will we get an anime that’s as much fun as this?
Another Sad Goodbye: Chibi Maruko-Chan
It’s been an especially emotional anime season for another reason, as fans processed the sad passing of legendary manga artist Akira Toriyama. But a few days after his passing, we lost another beloved name in the anime industry. TARAKO was the voice of Chibi Maruko-chan, and she died at the age of 63 after a long battle with illness. This legendary anime has been airing since 1990 and has 1500 episodes, and it regularly wins ratings of 40% or more. The final episode voiced by TARAKO airs this Sunday, and will probably be watched by the entire nation.
Thanks for reading this blog post about all the happy and sad moments we experienced together during the Winter 2024 anime season. As Frieren shows us, just because something ends doesn’t mean the journey is over. Tell us which series you enjoyed in the comments below!
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Happy New Year from your Friend in Japan, J-List! We hope 2026 is a year of happiness and peace for you. To get things off right, we’re having a huge site-wide New Year’s Sale through Jan. 6, giving you $15 off all in-stock products. Start browsing now!
