Anime has arguably never been stronger. Like Vegeta’s after reading power levels of over 9,000 in Dragon Ball Z, my scanner is shattering at the cultural force of animation in 2024. Megan Thee Stallion just dressed up as Starfire from the Teen Titans for Halloween. Hip-hop duo Creepy Nuts scored back-to-back number-one hits in Japan for their songs on Dan Da Dan and Mashle, and Olympic gold medalist Noah Lyles hid Yu-Gi-Oh! cards in his tracksuit this summer for good luck. The list goes on, but we nerds are finally winning.

This year’s anime slate is also fantastic so far. One Piece boasted a new animation style that reinvigorated enthusiasm for the 25-year-old (and counting!) story. Demon Slayer opened its third season with a mind-blowing one-hour special, and Dragon Ball finally returned for a new series. New titles such as Kaiju No. 8, Blue Box, and Delicious in Dungeon are sure to become fan favorites in no time. We’ll also see Chainsaw Man return by the end of the year, alongside North American streaming releases for the Haikyu!! and Blue Lock films.

Honestly, every new year feels like the best year in anime history. So until 2025 rolls around, check out our favorites from 2024 below.