Otome Isekai has been booming, and while we never quite tire of the tropes, given the guilty pleasure that they are, with the new year comes a new take on the genre: Endo and Kobayashi Live! is finally getting an anime adaptation! While reincarnation, body-swapping, and getting stuck in otome games are all part of the OI wheelhouse, Endo and Kobayashi Live! brings all the same goodness with a fresh take.

For starters, the villainess Lieselotte from the game Magikoi isn’t really a villainess, just a very intense tsundere. Second, she’s pretty much in the dark because this anime isn’t derailed by her or the protagonist. Rather, the male lead, Prince Siegwald, is at the wheel and he’s being guided by what he calls gods: aka high school broadcasting club students, Endo and Kobayashi, who happen to be playing Magikoi and providing commentary. Don’t get it yet? Well, it seems that Endo and Kobayashi happen to be playing an OI game, however, for some reason the male protagonist of the game seems to be able to hear them. Thus, this soft-hearted duo decides to make use of this newfound power(trip) to save the villainous Lieselotte as they see her as not a villainess but for what she truly is: an adorable tsundere. And through their guidance, they hope to clear all the misunderstandings around her to save her from the death flags and bad endings coming her way.

Sounds, unlike anything you’ve seen, huh? We can honestly say the same, which is why we’re kicking off our Top 5 for Winter 2023 with what appears to be a hilarious rom-com OI!

Everyone needs some feel-good vibes whether it’s through some laughs or rosy romance. So of course, our Top 5 can’t be complete without at least one rom-com. Cue Tomo-chan is a Girl! Yes, it sounds absurd even to us but hear us out. Jun and Tomo-chan have been the best bros since way back when. They play rough, they spar, they laugh, and they always have each others’ backs… they’re practically inseparable. However, in true rom-com fashion, Tomo-chan is totally in love with the extremely dense Jun. To make things worse, the extremely dense Jun thinks the tomboy Tomo-chan is a dude!

It’s a classic boy meets girl-next-door story with a boy mistaking a girl for a boy twist. With a rom-com as absurd as this, you can bet that we’re waiting with bated breath to see how just exactly how Tomo-chan aims to escape the bro-zone, and we wouldn’t be surprised if you are too! It’s literally all laughs with this one.

The Master of the Macabre needs no introduction. With past adaptations of his work like the Junji Itou Collection and Tomie, you’d think Junji Itou has been covered enough. However, nothing could be further from the truth. With this fresh new adaptation of Junji Itou’s 20 most chilling horror stories, Winter 2023 is sure to leave you shivering and shaking with the Japanese Tales of the Macabre.

From tried and tested favourites like Tomie to never-been-adapted tales like The Hanging Balloons, this new anthology already has all of us at Honey’s Anime at the edge of our seats and we can’t wait to check out Netflix’s ONA adaptation of some of the most genre-defining horror stories in anime.

Spy anime seems to really be having its moment lately, especially since the success of Spy x Family. Another adaptation to add to the odd list of comedic adventure spy anime is Spy Classroom.

In a world ruined by war, spies are the most effective tactic in furthering government agendas, and beautiful Lily is one such spy in training. Unfortunately, Lily has zero chance of graduating in spite of her top scores in written exams due to her dismal performance in practicals. Thus, when presented with the opportunity of an ‘Impassable Mission’ she jumps at it— working with elite spies seems like a once-in-a-lifetime chance to prove herself. However, as the truth behind the impassable mission comes to light and she gets to know the other odd spies' mysterious mission leader, Lily realises she seems to have bitten off way more than she can chew. What’s a girl to do?

This anime gives us a mix of Spy x Family and World’s Finest Assassin vibes and honestly, we’re so here for it!

Space opera western seems to be an oddly specific genre. However, anime connoisseurs will tell you that it’s quite unlike anything you’ve seen (except maybe Star Wars) and also a hotbed for quality content. Whether it’s Space Dandy, one of the Jojos, or Cowboy Bebop, there’s always something to enjoy. And one of these old-school heavyweights is getting a reboot! That’s right, Trigun is back as Trigun Stampede, and so is the badass OP space cowboy, Vash the Stampede.

A new spin on a beloved classic, the reboot seems to have all the best bits of the OG but elevated with all the slick animation that comes with being a MAPPA production. The Human Typhoon (Vash)— aka pacifist who ironically has a reputation for being the most destructive man on the planet— is back, as is Meryl Stryfe as a reporter trying to get the scoop on the notorious Vash (rather than as an insurance agent this time). Not to mention some great new characters like Robert De Niro (yes, we know).

Honestly, we at Honey’s Anime are excited to see where this reboot takes us, and wherever it goes, we’re sure all the OG humour and action is sure to follow, much like Meryl following Vash.