Anime to Watch in the Winter 2023 Season

Lately, it's been much easier to find new princess anime series than Disney movies. Every three months, a slew of new anime shows are release, most of which blend fantasy worlds with reality, and there's almost always at least one new series about or related to princesses. The winter season has just begun, and I have discovered three shows that fall into what I would consider the princess genre. Since I have only watched the first episode of each, I can't speak for the quality of these shows to determine whether they will be worth sticking around for until the end the season, but I can say that this new season has a large variety to offer no matter what type of anime you enjoy.

First up is The Magical Revolution of the Reincarnated Princess and the Genius Young Lady. This is a yuri (girl love) anime that is way more fast-paced than Revolutionary Girl Utena, despite both shows having "revolution" in the title. In the first episode, the main character, Princess Anisphia, runs off with her brother's fiancée, Euphyllia, after he dumps her in a humiliating public display. Anisphia uses magic to create a flying broomstick that she uses for their getaway vehicle, which she was inspired to create through vague memories of airplanes from her past life. There is so much happening in the first episode of this show that I'm really not sure what to make of it. Not only can Anisphia memories of her past life be a whole show in itself, but we see so little of Euphyllia's personality in the first episode that I have no idea what she's like. Plus, the romance between the two girls is already so established by that single rescue act that it doesn't seem like there will be any time wasted on pining, second-guessing, or drama. This fast-paced method of storytelling has been the norm in anime for the past few years, often leaving very little plot remaining for future episodes, which is what happened with last season's Bibliophile Princess, a show fizzled out as fast as it started.

Next is Sugar Apple Fairy Tale, a series with a lovely art style and enchanting premise that may be in danger of building up a toxic relationship if it is not done properly. In an unusual turn of events, the series has a strong and stoic male fairy as the love interest for our petite candy-making heroine. Shall, a human-sized warrior fairy, is far from your average Prince Cornelius. He was brought up in a cruel world where fairies are treated like slaves and sold to the highest bidder. When the main character, Ann, seeks a bodyguard for her trip to a sweet-making competition, Shall convinces her to purchase him from a fairy shop. Though he is dripping with sexual tension, he treats Ann in a passive aggressive manner, constantly reminding her that she is in charge while making her very uncomfortable in the process. I'm curious to see where this series is going, but I stopped watching shows like Fena: Pirate Princess because of the way the love interest treated the main character. Right now, I can see their relationship going in a healthier or more toxic direction depending on what happens in the next few episodes.

The new season rounds out with yet another anime about an otome villainess swapping roles with the leading lady. Endo and Kobayashi Live! The Latest on Tsundere Villainess Lieselotte is the third anime I've seen with this premise over the past couple of years. The first was My Next Life as a Villainess: All Roads Lead to Doom! and the other from last season's anime lineup, I'm the Villainess, So I'm Taming the Final Boss. Despite its similarities, the latest entry in this unique and seemingly random genre still manages to introduce a new element. Instead of a character from the story remembering visual novel from a past life, Prince Siegward, the love interest in the game, hears the voices of a couple from the real world who are playing it. Of course, he believes these two modern-day gamer geeks to be gods, and they must decide how much information they should divulge to him without drastically altering the game's story. Using their knowledge of previous playthroughs, Endo and Kobayashi use their newfound gaming powers to steer Prince Siegward in the direction of the visual novel's villainess, Lieselotte, and unlock an entirely new ending that was never meant to be part of the its original gameplay.

All of these new anime series have unique premises that could go anywhere at this point. The one I'm most cautiously optimistic about at the moment is Sugar Apple Fairy Tale because I never could have imagined a show about a meek girl being protected by a sexy domineering fairy, but I can see things going in a potentially dangerous direction depending on how the story plays out. Magical Revolution is also a little concerning in that it feels like the show divulged its entire plot in the first episode, which many mean there isn't anything left to happen in it, something that has been the case for many modern anime series. Meanwhile, Endo and Kobayashi looks like pure hilarious fun, similar to a "Let's Play" video on YouTube except that one of the characters can hear the commentators. Which anime series are you most excited about this season? Let me know in the comments!