A new season of anime is about to start, and these are among the ten best anime to stream in April 2023. The winter 2023 season was another standout season of anime among standout seasons of anime. New shows like Trigun Stampede and The Magical Revolution of the Reincarnated Princess and the Genius Young Lady became major hits in their own right, and old favorites like Attack on Titan and Vinland Saga returned with new content that was stellar from start to finish. Even Pokémon finally closed the book on Ash and Pikachu and move on to a brand-new story, entirely.
The spring 2023 season is bound to have just as much to watch as winter, and these are the 10 best anime to stream starting from April 2023. As is typically the case, everything listed here can be streamed on Crunchyroll, Hulu, Netflix, and other streaming services, although some might not be available at the same time as others. Also, it should be noted that the following list is focused on new anime premiering in the spring, so anything ongoing from previous seasons won’t be discussed at length.
10 Pokémon Horizons: The Series
The first anime to discuss is the new Pokémon anime, Pokémon Horizons: The Series. With Ash and Pikachu officially retired as the protagonists of the anime, the anime is going through a soft reboot focused on two new protagonists, Liko and Roy, and the mysteries surrounding Liko’s pendant and Roy’s Pokéball. Just from the trailers, Horizons appears to be more story-based than the old anime, so right off the bat, it’s going to be a different experience entirely and, with any luck, well worth the watch.
Unfortunately, there are no updates yet on how or where English Pokémon fans can watch the new series. Pokémon Horizons premiers on April 14th in Japan.
9 Hell’s Paradise: Jigokuraku
Two years after its original announcement, Hell’s Paradise: Jigokuraku is finally set to premiere this season, and there’s plenty to be excited about. The original manga struck a similar chord as Jujutsu Kaisen and Chainsaw Man for being a dark shonen with incredible fight scenes and both gorgeous and grotesque artwork, and what’s even better is that Studio MAPPA, also responsible for Jujutsu Kaisen and Chainsaw Man, is in charge of Jigokuraku, as well. If the same love and care that went into Studio MAPPA’s previous works is put into Jigokuraku, then the anime is sure to more than live up to the reputation of the manga.
Hell's Paradise is currently available to stream on Crunchyroll!
8 Mashle: Magic And Muscles
A lot of quality anime are known to come straight from the pages of Weekly Shonen Jump, and Mashle: Magic and Muscles is no exception. The manga has long been a hit with readers for being an irreverent parody of shonen manga, all topped with a magic-based premise that reads like a surprisingly entertaining crossover between Harry Potter and One-Punch Man. Mashle’s anime is the perfect chance for its parody stylings to reach a wider audience, and with any luck, it’ll become an even bigger hit for it.
Mashle: Magic and Muscles releases on April 8th and will be available to stream on Crunchyroll!
7 Konosuba: An Explosion On This Wonderful World!
Konosuba: God’s Blessing on This Wonderful World! was one of the standout hits of the 2010s for how effectively it skewered the tropes of JRPGs and isekai stories, and this spring, the anime is finally being continued with Konosuba: An Explosion on This Wonderful World! As the title implies, the show is a spinoff story focused on the breakout character Megumin and is set to tell her origin story, a perfect follow-up to the 2019 movie’s increased focus on Megumin’s character. It’s still unknown when the official third season of Konosuba will be released, but a spinoff focused on Megumin should be the perfect way to tide things over.
Konosuba: An Explosion On This Wonderful World! releases on April 5th and will be available to stream on Crunchyroll!
6 Dr. Stone: New World
After a two-year hiatus, Dr. Stone is finally back with its third season, Dr. Stone: New World. Following where the anime left off, Senku and the rest of Ishigami Village and their associates will be venturing out to sea to further explore the world and try to solve the mystery of the mass petrification. While the manga ended over a year ago, there’s still plenty to enjoy from seeing the brilliant moments of the series brought to life, so New World is bound to have as much to offer people as the seasons to precede it.
Dr. Stone: New World releases on April 6th and will be available to stream on Crunchyroll!
5 The Ancient Magus’ Bride Season 2
The Ancient Magus’ Bride won over fans and critics alike for its unique fantasy setting and spectacular character work, and it’s finally getting a second season this spring. Season 2’s story should continue to explore Chise and Elias’ developing relationship and Chise’s powers, and the manga still going strong after almost ten years is a testament to the success of that formula. The one downside to season 2 is that it’s another anime Wit Studio was unable to continue, but Studio Kafka is returning from the OVA series, and with how much they were able to add to the series, there shouldn’t be anything to worry about regarding quality.
Season 2 of The Ancient Magus' Bride will be available to stream on Crunchyroll on April 6th!
4 Oshi No Ko
Another great new anime to watch in the spring season is the idol anime Oshi no Ko. The series is a tale of human drama with supernatural elements that puts the most unsavory aspects of the entertainment business on full display, all of which is best shown in the brutal first-act twist that perfectly sets the tone for the series. Oshi no Ko is the latest series by Aka Akasaka, the author behind Kaguya-sama: Love is War, so while it’s not a necessity, anyone who was a fan of that series should find plenty to enjoy here.
Oshi no Ko releases on April 12th and will be available to stream on Crunchyroll!
3 Yuri Is My Job!
Another spring anime definitely worth keeping an eye on is Passione and Studio Lings’ Yuri Is My Job! The story revolves around its protagonist, Hime Shiraki, being forced to work at a cafe with the gimmick of the waitresses roleplaying as girls with sexual tension towards one another, and as the title would imply, the girls do end up developing genuine feelings throughout the story. Yuri Is My Job! is being painted as a nice romantic comedy with a focus on same-sex relationships, and something like that is always great to see, especially since it isn’t the only yuri anime people can watch in 2023.
Yuri Is My Job! comes out on April 6th on Crunchyroll!
2 Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch From Mercury Part 2
After a brief break in the winter 2023 season, Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury is finally returning with its second cour. Following the end of the first cour, the series is set to have an uptick in drama as more focus is given to the conflict between Earthians and Spacians, not to mention the fallout of Suletta killing someone in front of Miorine and what that might do to their relationship. All of that should be great to see, and if the series can maintain the same level of animation from its first half, then the show will be set to end on an incredibly high note.
Part 2 of Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch From Mercury will be available to stream on Crunchyroll on April 9th!
1 Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba Season 3
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba has been one of the biggest anime series for years, and season 3 is set to finally premiere this spring. Demon Slayer season 3 will cover the “Swordsmith Village arc” of the manga, and people can expect the same high level of quality there that’s become the norm for Ufotable, especially when this is likely going to be the penultimate season of the show.
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba Season 3 premiers on Crunchyroll on April 9th, with its Netflix release coming on May 1st!
With heavy hitters like Demon Slayer and Pokemon premiering alongside potential new hits like Mashle or Yuri is my Job! this season is set to have an incredible amount of great anime to watch. Luckily for fans, some of the best anime to stream in April 2023 are pretty easy to find.