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This was definitely one of my favorite animes from 2023. It's difficult to explain in a synopsis; Oshi no Ko is not just an anime about idols as it seems at first sight, but a psychological drama about the entertainment industry. It's an emotional rollercoaster. It features deep and complex characters with inner struggles, great animation and OST, excellent storytelling, awesome character arcs, and thrilling plot twists. Oshi no Ko criticizes the dark side of social networks and the entertainment industry in general. For this, some people have compared it to Satoshi Kon's Perfect Blue, but I think they approach this in different ways. ... It also makes allusions to real-life incidents in Japan related to entertainment industry like the case of the child actress Mana Ashida, also it portrays issues that content creators and anyone related to social media can relate to. The first season is just 11 episodes. The first episode is perhaps one of the best anime episodes ever, possibly on par with the first episode of Attack on Titan, and I'm not exaggerating.

The story is from Aka Akasaka, the same author of Kaguya-sama: Love is War which is also an excellent show. It's even confirmed that both stories share the same universe and are slightly related. The obsession of the author, Aka Akasaka, is about how damaging the masks we use to lie to each other in society are, but also how damaging the lies we tell ourselves can be. Kaguya-Sama and Oshi no Ko are like two sides of the same coin. Like light and shadows.

Recently, I read that the OST composer for "Frieren" is the same as that for "Violet Evergarden." That makes sense because, in some ways, they have similar vibes, but "Frieren" is not as sad; it's more mellow. "Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End.", was one of the most beautiful, profound, and emotive anime from this year, a real masterpiece.
Perhaps it is the best non-isekai anime in the high fantasy genre. High fantasy typically refers to a world inspired by Tolkien and Norse Mythology, featuring elements like elves, magic, dragons, and dwarves (like the usual Dungeons and Dragon adventure ). I think the key concept of ... this story is nostalgia for a past that has gone by and will never return (and in that way is similar to "Cowboy Bebop"), but also the realization that time passes much faster than we believe. All this is portrayed from the perspective of one of the best and adorable non-human characters I've seen, the long-lived elf Frieren. This is not your typical adventure story; here, the hero's party has already defeated the Dark Lord, and we see how life continues afterward, exploring how the years pass and precious memories begin to fade. It's about the regrets of not sharing more time with our friends and the people we loved.