ANIME REVIEW | Spring 2023 Returning Series
Spring 2023 wasn’t just packed with plenty of new anime; they also managed to squeeze in a bunch of returning favorites! From science-loving weirdos and the sweetest couple around to a certain king-to-be, there was a lot that the anime world had to offer. Which returning favorites knocked it out of the park, and which managed to get a mere bunt? Let’s find out…
The Ancient Magus’ Bride: Season Two (Part One)
It took nearly six years, but Chise and Elias are back! And this time, The Ancient Magus’ Bride is heading to College! No, there isn’t any wacky shenanigans like you’d expect from a National Lampoon movie, but it does give Chise a chance to grow as a better magic user. New spells, new creatures, new enemies, and even some new friends and colleagues arrive in Chise and Elias’s world, all with the beauty and wonder one would expect from a Guillermo del Toro production. While it takes a couple of episodes to get its leggings again, Season Two of The Ancient Magus’ Bride proved yet again why it’s one of the most imaginative fantasy series around.
FINAL GRADE:
The Ancient Magus’ Bride can be viewed on Crunchyroll. It has been licensed by Crunchyroll.
Demon Slayer: Swordsmith Village Arc (Season Three)
An entire season of Demon Slayer focused on the making of Tanjiro’s new sword? It may sound eyebrow-raising, but the "Swordsmith Village Arc" managed to deliver more of ufotable’s groundbreaking animation and fight sequences, on top of some big moments in the franchise. However, the show suffered from some pacing issues when the focus was taken off of Tanjiro and Nezuko, with Muichiro’s backstory feeling too stretched out at times. Thankfully, Demon Slayer knew how to get itself back on track, with the series continuing to one-up its past episodes (and even movie) when Tanjiro and the rest of our heroes dealt with the Upper Rank demons with style and wanton violence aplenty!
FINAL GRADE:
Demon Slayer can be viewed on Crunchyroll, Funimation, and Netflix. It has been licensed by Aniplex of America.
Dr. STONE: New World (Season Three, Part One)
The Kingdom of Science has made plenty of waves, and their quest to find platinum to make the more of the revival fluid brings them to an island filled with new friends and plenty of enemies. With it being Dr. STONE, much of the series is focused on the way science brings Senku and the gang closer to their goal of world revival. Scenes involving the creations of plaster, remote control cars, and an ear transmitter delivered the smarts and hilarity that has made this shonen series a must-watch. It may have left us on a cliffhanger, but the first half of Dr. STONE’s third season is enough to get anyone excited for what’s to come!
FINAL GRADE:
Dr. STONE can be viewed on Crunchyroll and Funimation. It has been licensed by Crunchyroll.
EDENS ZERO: Season Two
Shiki, Rebecca, Happy, the rest of the EDENS ZERO cast find themselves on space fortress Belial Gore, run by the notorious Drakken Joe. At first, the situation is dire, with almost the entire crew wiped out by Joe. However, a new Ether Gear power within Rebecca allows her to jump back into time, giving her and the crew another chance to take down Drakken Joe once and for all. It’s an arc that delivers a great mixture of action, comedy, and drama, all of it with Hiro Mashima’s trademarked style. While it still has a way to go before catching up to Fairy Tail’s greatness, EDENS ZERO looks to be sailing through the stars with plenty of confidence.
FINAL GRADE:
EDENS ZERO can be viewed on Crunchyroll and Netflix. It has been licensed by Netflix (Season One) and Crunchyroll (Season Two).
Kuma Kuma Kuma Bear Punch! (Season Two)
A big part of the appeal of Kuma Kuma Kuma Bear is Yuna and her battles. The sight of her slaying monsters and baddies while wearing an adorable bear suit was a mixture of both silly and kind of badass. Alas, most of the missions in this second season are more on the laid-back side, ranging from buying goods and foods to playing with young friends/fans. It’s a relaxing watch, but for a second season with the word “Punch” in its title, it really lacked that namesake.
FINAL GRADE:
Kuma Kuma Kuma Bear can be viewed on Crunchyroll and Funimation. It has been licensed by Crunchyroll.
Ranking of Kings: The Treasure Chest of Courage
Taking place during the events of Ranking of Kings’s first season, The Treasure Chest of Courage offered different looks into some of the more memorable characters. We see how Kage and Bojji grew during their trainings, as well as witnessed the bravery of Hiling and Miranjo’s journey towards redemption. There isn’t much new here that we didn’t witness in the first season, but its finale does set the stage for its upcoming big screen debut. If you enjoyed the first season of Ranking of Kings, you’ll find some good things about it, even if the scenes on hand don’t delivering anything too surprising.
FINAL GRADE:
Ranking of Kings can be viewed on Crunchyroll and Funimation. It has been licensed by Crunchyroll.
TONIKAWA: Over the Moon For You: Season Two
If you want a how-to guide to being a good couple, Nasa and Tsukasa’s newlywed story is all you need. Of course, being teens, they still need to learn a lot about what it takes to be a proper couple. As such, Season Two of TONIKAWA has the duo learning what actually goes into a wedding, raising a kitten, proper kissing etiquette, and expressing desires. All of it presented with Kenjiro Hata’s trademark humor, making every moment of TONIKAWA’s second season cute, hilarious, and — above all — relatable.
FINAL GRADE:
TONIKAWA: Over the Moon For You can be viewed on Crunchyroll. It has been licensed by Crunchyroll.
Any returning shows we missed? Got a different opinion? Comment below with your thoughts on the returning anime of Spring 2023!
Promotional consideration provided by Crunchyroll.
