Thomas Storai 
Thomas takes a retrospective look back at the biggest hits of 2023 to share his top 10 TV series of the year!
It’s that time of the year again when we make lists. Undoubtedly, 2023 has been an amazing year for television. But let’s not forget, it’s also been a year of struggle in Hollywood with the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes. Thankfully, they both got the deals they deserved to be paid fairly for their work. Without writers and actors, there wouldn’t be any film or series. So, which series made it to my top 20? Let’s find out!
20 – ONLY MURDERS IN THE BUILDING (SEASON 3)
Only Murders in the Building season 3 continues to capture the magic that makes this series so special. It delivers another captivating murder mystery, smart comedy and a dash of drama. The trio Steve Martin, Martin Short and Selena Gomez is as good as ever and this time they’re joined by Meryl Streep who was perfectly cast!
19 – POKEMON CONCIERGE
Pokémon Concierge breathes new life into this beloved franchise. It is a soothing and sweet slice of life that explores the Pokémon world from a different perspective. It tells an engaging story about Haru who embarks on a self-discovery journey as the new concierge of the ‘Pokémon resort.’ And the stop motion animation is absolutely adorable!
18 – WHY DIDN’T I TELL YOU A MILLION TIMES?
Why Didn’t I Tell You a Million Times? is a deeply touching story about love and grief while also being a compelling crime drama. The leading trio deliver layered performances. This series once again reminds us that Takeru Satoh is an incredibly talented actor.
17 – NETFLIX’S BLACK KNIGHT
Black Knight is a dark and serious post-apocalyptic series with a tremendous work done on the VFX to bring this world to life. It is a thrilling and action-packed ride with a lot of surprises. Kim Woo-bin leads a brilliant cast with Kang Yoo-seok who brings a bit of fun to lighten the mood. This is undoubtedly one of the best series of 2023 so far.
16 – JACK O’ FROST
Jack o’ Frost is a poignant tale about falling in love all over again. It will hold your attention all the way through. Kyoya Honda and Kosuke Suzuki both deliver heartfelt performances. The two have a wonderful on-screen chemistry. This series also has heartwarming and striking visuals. Undoubtedly, it is a must-watch. Whether you like BL or you are just into romance or drama, I think anyone can enjoy this series.
15 – TRIGUN STAMPEDE
Trigun Stampede is an epic and explosive series. It is a fun ride with great action. As usual with Vash, he is an instant favorite, you cannot get enough of him. Undoubtedly, this is the best CG work in Japanese animation, truly impressive on every level. This new version of Trigun does justice to the original work. It gives the spotlight to the two brothers Vash and Million Knives exploring their origin story.
14 – PENDING TRAIN
Pending Train is a touching series about human interactions and how a group of people learns to come together. It uses a post-apocalyptic setting to tell this universal story. The main trio brilliantly leads this talented ensemble cast. Yuki Yamada delivers an heartfelt portrayal of his character’s inner struggles. While Eiji Akaso is simply perfect as this everyday person who steps up to be the leader. On top of that, this series has impressive visuals and a wonderful score composed by Takashi Ohmama. The hopeful ending is exactly what we need right now. All the episodes are now streaming on Netflix, so get some tissues for the tears and press play!
13 – SILO (SEASON 1)
Apple TV+ has found another scifi gem with Silo. It’s a compelling post-apocalyptic series with complex characters. It’s also visually impressive. Apple knows exactly how to make big series feel like a proper film. Rebecca Ferguson shines as the lead and she is surrounded by an excellent secondary cast.
12 – TSURUNE (SEASON 2)
Tsurune makes a triumphant return. A compelling story, endearing characters and impressive visuals. It feels so good to see these characters again. Undoubtedly, this has been an exceptional season and I truly hope that this isn’t the end. There is definitely more story to be told with these characters.
11 – I CANNOT REACH YOU
I Cannot Reach You is the most heartwarming BL of the year. It’s a sweet and touching story about first love. Kentaro Maeda and Haru Kashiwagi both deliver heartfelt performances. They have a truly wonderful on-screen chemistry. Moreover, Leo Matsumoto once again plays a supporting character in a BL. He delivers a sweet performance as Yui Hosaka. Leo is a talented actor and I do hope that next time, he will get his own BL series.
10 – MY BEAUTIFUL MAN (SEAON 2)
My Beautiful Man season 2 is an excellent follow-up to the first season that captivated our attention. It further explores the relationship between Hira and Kiyoi now that they are a couple. This season balances the right amount of fun, sweet and poignant moments. Yusei Yagi and Riku Hagiwara deliver brilliant performances. Undoubtedly, this is one of the best J-dramas of 2023.
9 – THE LAST OF US (SEASON 1)
The Last of Us is a grim and gritty post-apocalyptic adventure. It’s a fantastic video game adaptation that is also able to do its own thing. Episode 3 is definitely one of the best episodes of American television and also the most heartbreaking one. Nick Offerman and Murray Bartlett both deliver touching and heartfelt performances in that episode. The leads of the series Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey are brilliant. Despite seeing her for a limited time, it is great to see Anna Torv in a series again.
8 – MONARCH: LEGACY OF MONSTERS
Apple TV+ never disappoints with their series. Monarch: Legacy of Monsters is seriously awesome. It’s visually impressive and honestly the biggest series we have ever seen. Having Godzilla looking as glorious as in the films is quite an achievement. We are introduced to several new monsters that all look just as realistic. The CG work is breathtaking. But, I am also impressed that they actually shot in Japan, it’s not everyday that a US production does that. Visually, it makes a difference because you can tell when it’s really Japan and when it’s the Americans’ vision of Japan like it happens too often in films.
Moreover, Monarch has a compelling story and characters we actually care about. The Monsterverse has definitely learned from its past mistakes. The human drama is what should be at the center and then comes the monsters who influence the characters’ story like in Godzilla Minus One. This is exactly what this series does and this is why it is the best chapter of the American Monsterverse.
It also has a great cast. Anna Sawai is really good as the lead character who is still reeling from her trauma of the Godzilla attack in San Francisco. In fact, I didn’t expect a Monsterverse series to have its main character being a LGBT character, this makes me so happy! Ren Watabe is equally as good. Add Kiersey Clemons to the mix and you get an awesome trio! I think it was a brilliant idea to cast Wyatt Russell and Kurt Russell to play the same character at a different time period. Honestly, this works so well.
7 – PLAY IT COOL, GUYS (LIVE-ACTION)
Play It Cool, Guys is a fun and feel-good slice of life about cool but clumsy guys. It is a series filled with both great comedic moments and sweet moments. Each character has his own storyline, goal and struggle that will make you care for them. It’s a perfect cast, everyone was the right pick for their respective character. But, the real highlight is Takumi Kawanishi from JO1. He really nails it as Souma. It’s a difficult role as his character laughs everytime he fails but Takumi makes it feel so natural. It really works. Takumi delivers a heartfelt performance. He is really joyful as Souma while also bringing some depth to his character.
6 – THE BAD BATCH (SEASON 2)
The Bad Batch season two is absolutely amazing. This is an essential piece of Star Wars and one of the best animation seasons Lucasfilm has made so far! It is visually breathtaking! The story gets quite dark but still remains very much entertaining and full of heart. It is packed with action, emotions, and some humor too. You are in for a lot of surprises. It is so good to see our beloved characters again.
5 – ONE PIECE (SEASON 1)
One Piece is a joy to watch from start to finish with striking visuals. This great adventure is a lot of fun with plenty of action while at its heart, it is a character-driven story. The series takes its time to properly introduce and develop each character from Luffy’s crew. Everyone in the main cast is absolutely fantastic. Iñaki Godoy shines as Luffy. He brings so much energy and captures exactly who the character is. He is Monkey D. Luffy. But the real scene stealer is Mackenyu as Roronoa Zoro. This is perfect casting.
For fans of the manga and/or the anime, this is a new way to experience the story. But for people who never watched the anime, this is a good starting point into this franchise.
4 – HEARTSTOPPER (SEASON 2)
Heartstopper Season 2 is even better than Season 1. It continues to be this incredibly sweet and wholesome series celebrating queerness. While being uplifting and heartwarming, season 2 is also more mature. Undoubtedly, Joe Locke and Kit Connor are the highlights of this talented young cast, bringing the same vulnerabilities that they brought to their characters in season 1, this time going further as the material itself is more mature. Plus, they share this charming on-screen chemistry. Once again, it is one of the best series of the year. It’s truly a series that matters. And it is with great pleasure that I am looking forward to the next season.
3 – I WILL BE YOUR BLOOM
I Will Be Your Bloom is a poignant and uplifting series about the rise to success of a boy band. It also has a wonderful and meaningful LGBT representation. This is a series that deserves your attention. On top of that, it has a fantastic ensemble cast and features J-pop songs that will make you dance and sing through the night. 8LOOM will win your heart without a doubt.
This series aired at the end of 2022 in Japan on TBS but it was released in 2023 on Netflix for international audiences.
2 – STAR WARS: THE MANDALORIAN (SEASON 3)
The Mandalorian season 3 is the best season of this series yet. It’s epic and bigger in scale diving further into the Mandalorian culture while expanding on the world-building of the New Republic era. It’s full of surprises and gives Bo-Katan the spotlight she deserves.
1 – STAR WARS: AHSOKA (SEASON 1)
Ahsoka is the Star Wars Rebels sequel we were all waiting for. Undoubtedly, this is the best Star Wars series. From start to finish, this has been a blast. This series is Dave Filoni’s masterpiece. It doesn’t feel like watching a series but it feels like watching a film. Ahsoka truly feels cinematic. Dave Filoni has once again delivered on every level, he is the king of Star Wars. Rosario Dawson shines as Ahsoka Tano, she IS the character. Natasha Liu Bordizzo and Mary Elizabeth Winstead are both respectively perfect as Sabine and Hera. Seeing the Ghost crew in live-action is a dream come true. With the slow pace, it takes the time to re-introduce our beloved characters while introducing them to a new audience and also setting up this new chapter in the Star Wars franchise.
What are your best TV series of 2023? Leave a comment below and share your thoughts. We’d love to hear from you.
Collectables and Anime Editor for Future Of The Force.
Star Wars expert and Japan connoisseur.
