Ranked roundup
The best series of 2023
25 ranked · updated August 2026
From the quiet, melancholic reflections on mortality to the visceral intensity of post-apocalyptic survival, the best series of 2023 redefined storytelling across genres. These narratives masterfully explore the complexities of human connection, the weight of regret, and the resilience required to navigate worlds both magical and unforgiving.
How this ranking works
Ranked by a Bayesian-weighted score combining each title's average rating and rating count (minimum 100 ratings to qualify, weighted toward titles with more votes), filtered to series released in 2023.
Frieren: Beyond Journey's End
Frieren earns the top spot for its profound, meditative exploration of time and the lingering, bittersweet nature of human memory through an immortal lens.
Explores: Mortality, The Value of Time, Regret and Remembrance.
The Last of Us
Neil Druckmann
The Last of Us secures its place by grounding its brutal, dystopian survival narrative in a deeply moving and authentic portrayal of found family dynamics.
Explores: Survival, Found Family, Moral Ambiguity.
The Apothecary Diaries
The Apothecary Diaries stands out for its sharp, analytical approach to medical mystery, blending clever court intrigue with a refreshing, unconventional protagonist.
Explores: Ingenue, Poison, Court intrigue.
Blue Eye Samurai
Amber Noizumi
Blue Eye Samurai is defined by its relentless, visually striking pursuit of vengeance that masterfully interrogates themes of identity and societal discrimination.
Explores: Revenge, Identity, Discrimination.
My Demon
Choi A-il
My Demon succeeds by balancing its high-stakes supernatural premise with a charming, character-driven exploration of forced proximity and the vulnerability of romantic connection.
Explores: Contract Marriage, Forced Proximity, Enemies to Lovers.
Adventure Time: Fionna & Cake
Adam Muto
Adventure Time: Fionna & Cake leverages its multiverse-hopping structure to deliver a sophisticated, existential coming-of-age story centered on redemption and personal growth.
Explores: Self-Discovery, Existential Threat, Redemption.
The Good Bad Mother
Sim Na-yeon
The Good Bad Mother excels by using a tragic, life-altering accident to facilitate a poignant, second-chance examination of complex mother-son relationships.
Explores: Mother-Son Relationship, Amnesia, Second Chance.
Death's Game
Ha Byung-hoon
Death's Game earns recognition for its creative, high-stakes premise that uses the cycle of multiple lives to explore themes of punishment and moral redemption.
Explores: Suicide and Second Chances, Punishment and Redemption, Multiple Lives.
Scavengers Reign
Charles Huettner
Scavengers Reign is a masterclass in existential dread, utilizing a uniquely imaginative alien ecosystem to create an immersive and unsettling survival horror experience.
Explores: alien ecosystem, existential dread, body horror.
Mashle: Magic and Muscles
MASHLE: MAGIC AND MUSCLES effectively subverts fantasy tropes by pairing a hilarious underdog story with a lighthearted, action-packed parody of magic academy conventions.
Explores: Magic Academy, Underdog, Fish Out of Water.
Moving
Park In-je
Moving distinguishes itself by weaving intense superhero action into a grounded, emotional narrative about the heavy burdens of family secrets and hidden identities.
Explores: Superpowers, Hidden Identity, Family Secrets.
Twinkling Watermelon
Jin Soo-wan
Twinkling Watermelon is celebrated for its harmonious blend of musical passion and time travel, offering a heartfelt look at deaf culture and generational connection.
Explores: Deaf Culture, Musical Prodigy, Time Travel Paradox.
Bloodhounds
Jason Kim
Bloodhounds delivers a gritty, high-octane noir experience that emphasizes the power of solidarity and moral fortitude against the backdrop of systemic financial exploitation.
Explores: Underdog Story, Financial Crime, Debt.
The Dangers in My Heart
The Dangers in My Heart captures the awkward, tender nuances of adolescence through a slow-burn romance that expertly navigates the complexities of hidden feelings.
Explores: Unrequited Love, Hidden Feelings, Social Outcasts.
Silo
Graham Yost
Silo commands attention through its claustrophobic, high-stakes mystery, effectively building tension around deep-seated institutional conspiracies and the dangerous pursuit of absolute truth.
Explores: Conspiracy, Social Control, Hidden Truth.
【oshi No Ko】
A standout among the best series of 2023.
Explores: Reincarnation, Show Business, Dark Secrets.
One Piece
Matt Owens
A standout among the best series of 2023.
Explores: found family, relentless optimism, superpowered combat.
Campfire Cooking in Another World with My Absurd Skill
A standout among the best series of 2023.
Explores: transported to another world, cooking, isekai cooking.
The Amazing Digital Circus
Gooseworx
A standout among the best series of 2023.
Explores: Virtual Reality, Existential Dread, Loss of Identity.
Fellow Travelers
Ron Nyswaner
A standout among the best series of 2023.
Explores: Forbidden Love, Homophobia, Political Persecution.
Lessons in Chemistry
Lee Eisenberg
A standout among the best series of 2023.
Explores: Gender Inequality, Scientific Ambition, Social Conformity.
My Happy Marriage
A standout among the best series of 2023.
Explores: Arranged Marriage, Hidden Powers, Self-Discovery.
A Time Called You
Kim Jin-won
A standout among the best series of 2023.
Explores: Grief, Reincarnation, Doppelganger.
Hell's Paradise
Yuji Kaku
A standout among the best series of 2023.
Explores: Redemption, Moral Ambiguity, Survival.
See You in My 19th Life
Lee Na-jeong
A standout among the best series of 2023.
Explores: Past Lives, Childhood Love, Fate.
Common questions
What are some highly-rated fantasy series released in 2023?
Highly-rated fantasy series from 2023 include Frieren: Beyond Journey's End, which explores mortality, and Adventure Time: Fionna & Cake, which features a multiverse-hopping adventure. Other notable mentions include the supernatural romance My Demon and the magic academy parody MASHLE: MAGIC AND MUSCLES.
Are there any good mystery or thriller series from 2023?
Yes, 2023 featured several compelling mysteries and thrillers. The Apothecary Diaries offers a historical medical mystery set in a royal palace, while Silo provides a dystopian science fiction mystery centered on a conspiracy within an underground society.
What are some popular Korean dramas from 2023?
Popular Korean dramas from 2023 include The Good Bad Mother, which focuses on family dynamics, the reincarnation drama Death's Game, the superhero drama Moving, the musical drama Twinkling Watermelon, and the noir-inspired boxing action series Bloodhounds.