2024 Spring Premiere Digest

Licensing frustrations aside, there are a number of titles to look forward to this season.

Which shows do you review? 

We don’t review shows that are direct sequels, shorts, or (generally) for very young children. Anything not licensed and/or immediately available is off the table as well; series that are dropped in batches (the binge/Netflix model) won’t receive a premiere review but are eligible for recommendations at end of season. Shows with late release dates will be reviewed separately from the digest.

While shows may change category as they continue to air, for ease of reference this is the order that will be used when discussing shows on our mid-season and wrap-up podcasts. Please note that any shows released in batches/by cour rather than weekly will not be discussed on the mid-season podcast.

How do you write the reviews?

Alex, Vrai, Lizzie, and Caitlin split the majority of shows, with Cy and Toni stepping in to pinch hit. The titles were divided by each reviewer’s preferred workload and choice.

Once we have more funding, we’d like to change our current model to provide a wider range of perspectives on more episodes. We’re a long way from that goal, but it’s been a personal wish of ours since launch and we hope to make it happen someday.

What do your reviews focus on? 

This varies by writer to some extent (some of us are more focused on visuals, others on narrative, and so forth), but as a feminist site it’s of course essential that we raise any issues of intersectional feminist interest.

When you read an AniFem review, you’re likely to learn about female character designs, queer representation, analogies to real-world marginalization, and so on. If you think we missed something, please comment under the review and let us know!

Why do you categorize them?

The purpose of these reviews is to give you, our readers, information to help you decide if you want to try a show. There’s greater access to anime than ever before, and we want to help you find series you can truly love, without wasting your time on a show that contains an automatic deal-breaker, be that fanservice, queerphobia, the sexualization of children, and so on.

Individuals can find value in any series, and we will never lead a boycott of a particular show, but we want to make it easier for you to get the most out of your limited time. In our digest, feminist-relevant themes and ideas take precedence, with overall narrative quality coming second and personal preference a distant(ish) third.

Premieres that seem to contain progressive themes are at the highest end and those featuring regressive ideas (or out-and-out hatefulness) are at the lowest. We expect some disagreement and welcome debate, so if you have any objections to our lists then by all means let us know in the comments!

I found a show I’m interested in! Where can I watch it?

This will vary depending on where you live, but you can browse Yatta-Tachi’s Spring 2024 Premiere Chart for the legal streaming sites carrying each series. Check to see if a show is available in your region!

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Spring 2024 Premiere Digest

The following titles are organized by categories, then alphabetically. Note that, because of the way premiere dates are staggered, we’ve had the chance to watch multiple episodes of some series. To give you a fuller picture of how much information we were working with when creating these rankings, we’ve marked how many episodes of each show we’ve seen.

Feminist potential

Premieres that so far seem to be addressing progressive ideas or themes and executing them competently. Please check individual reviews for more detailed content warnings.

• A Condition Called Love (Episode 1): Romance with an emphasis on figuring out boundaries as an inexperienced teen.
• Whisper Me a Love Song (Episode 1): Yuri romance about a miscommunicated “love at first sight.”
• YATAGARASU: The Raven Does Not Choose Its Master (Episodes 1-2): a fantasy political drama that spends its first episode focusing on a varied cast of female characters, and seems intent on splitting its screentime and plot intrigue between its male and female leads.

It’s… complicated

Similar to the above category, but in addition to all those possible feminist themes, the show may be biting off more than it can chew or in danger of fumbling its chosen themes.

• Jellyfish Can’t Swim in the Night (Episodes 1-2): A group of teen girls chafing against societal expectations who come together to make music; first episode includes jarring fanservice.
• Spice and Wolf: MERCHANT MEETS THE WISE WOLF (Episodes 1-2): a story about gods, economics, and how traditions are homogenized and stamped out by greed and religious colonization; the second episode finds yet more excuses to get the heroine’s clothes off, which is uncomfortable even if the camera doesn’t specifically sexualize her.
• Tadaima, Okaeri (Episode 1): Great normalized depiction of gay parenting, but some caution as omegaverse stories can fall into writing ABO as a new version of determinative traits based on gender/sexual roles.

Neutral zone

Very little to warn folks about, but also not a ton of progressive ideas to chew on so far either.

• Astro Note (Episode 1): Very keen that you know it’s a Maison Ikkoku homage…with a sci-fi twist.
• The Banished Former Hero Lives as He Pleases (Episode 1): Not awful to its female cast but plagued with production issues.
• Bartender: Glass of God (Episode 1): Reboot of a beloved series about human dramas crossing through a bar.
• Chillin’ in Another World with My Level 2 Super Powers (Episode 1): Clears the extremely low bar of having an isekai protagonist who’s anti-slavery.
• The Fable (Episode 1): Yakuza parody about a hitman having to lie low or face deadly consequences.
• Go! Go! Loser Ranger! (Episode 1): Super sentai parody about a mook who gets tired of losing and decides to beat the heroes at their own rigged game. 
• HIGHSPEED Étoile (Episode 1): Disappointedly executed womens’ racing series.
• KAIJU No.8 (Episode 1): The slick, high-caliber action title of the season. 
• The Many Sides of Voice Actor Radio (Episode 1): Mainly suffers from a lack of chemistry between its leads thus far.
• Mission: Yozakura Family (Episode 1): “We have Spy x Family at home.” (It’s fine, but unmemorable).
• Oblivion Battery (Episode 1): Painfully irritating baseball series with weird character designs.
• Tonari no Yokai-san (Episode 1): A gentle supernatural drama about navigating change and building community.
• Tonbo! (Episode 1): A jaded man mentors a middle school girl who’s also a golfing prodigy.
• Train to the End of the World (Episodes 1-2): Surreal post-apocalyptic road trip show about girls looking for their lost friend.
• Vampire Dormitory (Episodes 1-2): Throwback “secret crossdresser at a boys’ boarding school” romance, also with vampires.
• WIND BREAKER (Episode 1): Delinquent with a heart of gold has to start over at a new school.

Yellow flags

Premieres that weren’t actively hateful at the premise level, but still raised some noteworthy caveats or concerns.

• As a Reincarnated Aristocrat, I’ll Use My Appraisal Skill to Rise in the World (Episode 1): Mainly bland, though much is unintentionally implied by the “aptitude sensing” conceit.
• Gods’ Games We Play (Episode 1): Gaming/gambling series with light fan service.
• Grandpa and Grandma Turn Young Again (Episode 1): The title is the premise, with a side sprinkling of incest jokes.
• THE NEW GATE (Episode 1): a game-world isekai with a bland yet pervy protagonist where prominent female characters are introduced cleavage-first.
• A Salad Bowl of Eccentrics (Episode 1): frequent fanservice of a 20-year-old and skeevy camerawork around a 13-year-old sour what could have been a fun reverse isekai mystery show. 
• Studio Apartment, Good Lighting, Angel Included (Episode 1): Exceptionally bland, very gender role-heavy take on the “magical girlfriend” genre. 
• Unnamed Memory (Episode 1): Contractual agreement-to-lovers fantasy series with a shaky start since she can’t actually refuse the contract.
• Viral Hit (Episode 1): A kid starts getting beat up on camera to pay his mom’s hospital bills, but any commentary gets lost in toxic masculinity pretty quick.

Red Flags

A whole lotta yikes.

• I Was Reincarnated as the 7th Prince so I Can Take My Time Perfecting My Magical Skill (Episode 1): A lot of low-key but uncomfortable leering at both the very young protagonist and his maids.
• Mysterious Disappearances (Episode 1): Mystery horror show with a compelling and complex female protagonist who unfortunately is leered at and sexualized by the camera, the co-protagonist, and the virgin-fetishizing narrative.
• Re:Monster (Episode 1): Another isekai power fantasy where women only exist as sexual objects, some implicitly as sex slaves.

Anime was a Mistake

We had to make a whole category for pedophilia and slavery apologia, and this is it.

• An Archdemon’s Dilemma: How to Love Your Elf Bride (Episode 1): a story about a mage with a crush on the enslaved, abused woman that he purchases as property, framed as a goofy rom-com.