Returning to Anime? The Best Anime Series of 2019 That You Missed

Been away from anime for awhile? We understand. You go out
and have your life, anime will always be waiting for you when you come back.
They always come back. If you are finally coming back and stopped watching
sometime in or before 2019, here are all the best anime series that you missed
and definitely should go back and watch.

Dr. Stone

One day, all of humanity was engulfed in light and
mysteriously petrified. After a few millennia, two high schoolers awaken and
find themselves in a wild world. These two set out to cure those still frozen
and kick start civilization.

Dr. Stone grabbed people with the power of science and made
a show where you were less interested in any fighting and more interesting in
watching the main character invent things. When the world starts at zero, it is
awesome to watch the characters make huge leaps in technology all without the
glory of the internet or even written knowledge.

Demon Slayer

After the death of his father, Tanjirou has taken up the
role of the man of the home, supporting his mother and five siblings. However,
after selling charcoal in town, he returns to tragedy. All his family was
brutally slaughtered, save for one of his sisters. Unfortunately, she has been
attacked by a demon and mingled their blood, turning her into a demon as well.
However, she still shows signs of humanity, thrusting Tanjirou onto a quest to
find a way to change his sister back and preserve what is left of his family.

Demon Slayer took the world by storm in 2019, and even now
after the first season is over, the fandom is still raging and growing. The
heady combination of interesting fighting techniques with UFOtable’s
notoriously flashy animation really set the hooks in deep. However, the
character stories are not to be overshadowed either.

Dororo

In order to become indomitable on the battlefield, a samurai
lord barters his son’s organs away to 48 demons and then abandons him. However,
his son doesn’t die. Instead, a medicine man saves him with primitive, but
lethal prosthetics that allow him to hunt down the demons and regain his organs
for an eventual battle with his father.

As a remake of an ancient series, Dororo had big shoes to fill. However, all it had to do was use modern animation and tell that same, still-good story. It did that. It introduced even pretty long time fans like me to a classic series in a shiny new package.

The Rising of the Shield Hero

The stories tell of four heroes summoned from another world – the sword, spear, bow, and shield heroes who will prevent calamity. With darkness bearing down on them, the Kingdom of Melromarc summons these heroes from modern day Japan. For otaku Naofumi Iwatani, unfortunately he is labeled the shield hero, the weakest of the group. Worse yet, betrayal sees him labeled as a criminal and outcasted. With hatred and vengeance consuming him, he sets forth to grow strong.

2019 threatened to drown us all in isekai series. Like seriously. Stop it. However, Shield Hero was one isekai series that momentarily redeemed the genre because it started in such an unexpected way. The main character is brought to this new world, and suddenly made out to be a villain. It was interesting to watch him struggle, even if his struggles did get ridiculous after awhile.

Astra Lost in Space

Each year, the students of Caird High School are placed in
groups for Planet Camp. When group B5 land at their camp site, they are
engulfed by a mysterious sphere of light that transports them into the middle
of space, 5,000 light years away from home. After discovering an old space
ship, they begin their very long journey home.

This is one of those series that you can really get into and promptly forget. Not because it was average, but because it actually had a conclusive ending after only one season. This nice, self-contained story started out with an interesting premise and an even more intriguing mystery. It told its tale and had the bravery to give itself a satisfying ending. If you liked the TV show Lost in Space, this is pretty much that.

Fire Force

A phenomenon has started overtaking mankind – one where
people spontaneously combust and turn into destructive fire demons called
Infernals. To fight these demons, special fire forces were established full of
those with dedication and powers to control fire. This is the story of Fire
Force 8 and their newest recruit – Shinra, who aims to become a hero and
discover the truth behind the Infernals.

While having the unfortunate lot of starting right around the KyoAni arson attack, Fire Force still managed to shine. It had all the quirks that people expected from the series creator who also made Soul Eater, but brought with it a refreshing new plot about a world threatened to be consumed by fire. The fire animation and the sound used for the flames (the most underappreciated part) really carry this series to greatness.

Beastars

This is a world of anthropomorphic animals where carnivores
and herbivores live side by side with each other. At Cherryton Academy, young
wolf Legoshi is a member of the drama club. While he is often called menacing
due to his appearance, he wouldn’t hurt a fly. When one herbivore classmate is
killed and devoured, Legoshi finds himself as the primary suspect.

You look at this series and, well, you know what sort of person it is aimed at. However, when you watch it, you get something unexpectedly dark and weirdly addicting. The animation can be…distracting at times, but the plot is what the non-furries enjoy this show for.

Vinland Saga

Ravaging every land they touch, Vikings have become renowned
for their thirst and talent for violence. Thorfinn, a son of a great Viking
warrior, spends his childhood on the battlefield in order to reap his vengeance
on his father’s murderer.

Vikings! It is a violent series about manly Vikings fighting each other. It is also a good adaption of the manga. As a Berserk fan, I am so jealous.

O Maidens in Your Savage Season

The girls of the literature club have recently been reading
sexually charged pieces of literature. This combined with a newfound interest
in adult relationships sends each member spiraling off into the world of sex
and intimate relations.

This series is one of those nice series aimed at young women
anime viewers. It shows that yes, girls can be perverts and have feelings about
sex too. It is essentially watching a bunch of young girls navigate puberty and
make their first of many relationships. Sometimes very cringy, but almost
always hilarious. Right up until it is touching, anyway.

The Promised Neverland

Grace Fields House is a home for orphans. However, even though
they have no blood families, they are all one big family. That is, until the
age of twelve when they are adopted out. The kids also know that they are not
allowed outside the fenced yard, but one day, two children break that rule.
They then discover that the children who are “adopted” are actually subjected
to something much darker.

You know, a great way to make a successful anime is to start it off with a really intriguing mystery. This series, combining young children juxtaposed with a horrific potential fate presents many mysteries. You watch, excitedly gripping the edge of your seat, to discover answer. You know the best part, though? It is pretty adept at answering the questions too. Not all mystery series can boast that.

Kaguya-sama: Love is War

Considered a genius, Miyuki Shirogane leads the student
council in his prestigious school. Alongside his beautiful and wealth vice
president, Kaguya Shinomiya, the two are regarded as the perfect couple despite
no romantic relationship. The truth is, however, they both have feelings for
each other, but neither can confess. This is the battle of two people trying to
get the other to confess first!

There are a lot of romance series out there where two people
struggle to confess, but none of them are like this one. Love is War is part
romance, but larger part comedy. You get some of those touching moments, but
most of the time it is pure hilarious frustration. Furthermore, because both
characters are so likeable, you don’t mind whomever wins the bout of the day.

My Roommate is a Cat

Subaru is a novelist, and not very good with people. He’s
been alone since his parent’s death, but one day while praying at their grave,
a cat comes and eats his offering. Deciding to take it home, he now is
shouldered with a cat, and this stray is shouldered with caring for a human who
can barely care for himself.

Most anime seasons come with a chill series that you watch and then soon forget. This was the chill series of 2019 that stayed with me. It is about a guy and his cat, each thinking they are taking care of each other. You see the guy’s point of view where he grows past an old trauma with the help of the cat, and you see the cat’s point of view where she takes care of the guy like she used to take care of her siblings.

Domestic Girlfriend

Natsuo is in love with his teacher Hina. In order to try and
forget his feelings, he goes to a mixer and meets a girl named Rui. Oddly
enough, she asks him to do her a favor – to have sex with her. He does so, but
soon he is faced with a unique problem. His father has remarried and he now has
two new stepsisters that he knows too well – Rui and Hina.

Domestic Girlfriend is literally like watching a car crash happen. You can’t look away from it and you know it is going to end up in tears. Two girls, cute in their own ways, love the same guy that is now their step brother. It is a show that isn’t afraid to bring the sex element into the show because they realize that it makes things so much more complex compared to just lewd hand holding.

The Quintessential Quintuplets

As his family is in some serious debt, Fuutaro Uesugi is a
serious penny pincher. However, his great grades have landed him a higher than
normal paying tutor job. The problem is that his five wards, all sisters, are
dumb as door nails and think he is a complete idiot. However, to get his pay,
he has to think of a way to get these five unique girls to study and learn.

It looks like your generic harem show, and in some ways it is, but it isn’t afraid to take a sledgehammer to some tropes. The best part of the series is it hold a wedding in front of you, but it really keeps which sister playing the bride a mystery. There is no one obvious main girl in this romance, even if you think there is, and that is so refreshing.

Do you have any more anime series from 2019 that you would
recommend? Let returning fans know in the comments section below.