The best anime adaptations of light novels in 2024 offer fans something new to appreciate about their favorite titles. Great light novel anime adaptations put to motion epic scenes fans fell in love with in ways their imagination can’t. Other adaptations expand on light novels for a richer story, or rearrange events to present information in a logical way.
Note that this list covers Winter 2024 until August 15. It alsoonly covers adaptations on their first season, so while heavyweights like Mushoku Tensei have new seasons,shows that started before the 2024 anime season won’t be on the list. New titles will be added to the list as the year progresses and more light novel adaptations finish airing.
Volumes In Japanese
7
Lloyd was tortured to death by an aristrocrat, but that wasn’t what truly upset him. What made him sad was that he didn’t have time or power to do what he loved best: study magic. But reincarnating as the seventh prince of the kingdom means this total magic freak can truly explore the mystic arts.
Notably, Lloyd looks markedly different fromI Was Reincarnated as the 7th Prince so I Can Take My Time Perfecting My Magical Ability’s illustrations. Even the manga version has more fanservice by the ten-year-old protagonist. Still,the anime captures7th Prince’s surprisingly detailed magic system.7th Princeals poured all its budget into high-octane, visually-impressive fight sequences that made logical use of the aforementioned magic system.
5
Shoshimin Seriesfollows Jogoro and Yuki, two teens who’d love to be as mundane as their classmates. However, Jogoro’s intellect and skills, plus Yuki’s troubled past, along with extraordinary events, threaten their attempt at having a slice-of-life.
Shoshimin Seriesis technically a novel series, which means it’s longer than the average light novel series, and with slower and more complex writing. This complexity translates into Osanai and Kobato’s lavishly animated struggle to be normal, andits languid pacingthat may alienate viewers used to gratification of any kind every few minutes.
Studio Lapin Track also has a track record of tackling adult themes with quirky presentations, having previously worked onSarazanmai,Re:cycle of the Penguindrum, andUndead Girl Murder Farce.Shoshimin’s geneology is apparent with its animation and sense of unease always lurking in the background.
Volumes In English
At a glance, Rishe Weitzner doesn’t seem exceptional. She’s but a noble engaged Crown Prince Dietrich, who condemns her to exile for a suite of crimes. Little does everyone know that this is Rishe’s seventh time trying to escape her death loop, and that this is the first time she’s ever caught the eye of a neighboring kingdom’s crown prince.
7th Time Loop: The Villainess Enjoys A Carefree Life Married To Her Worst Enemy!skips details covered by the light novel in exchange for shining an even bigger light on Rishe.7th TIme Loopis a wish-fulfillment anime for female-identifying folk who want to watch girls instead of boys pull off cool gambits, except with a pretty solid story.
4 (as of May 2024)
The Wrong Way to Use Healing Magicis as unexpectedly funny as Ken Usato finds new ways to (mis)use his healing magic. Not that Ken has a choice, as his trainer Rose hones him into becoming an overpowered warrior by using his healing magic the wrong way.
WhileHealing Magicappears to be a generic isekai, the setting and its isekai trio have quirks that makethe anime fun to watch. Itsuse of healing magicand its place in the world Ken and co. are summoned to is unique and touches on ideas seldom fully explored in other works.
The Weakest Tamer Began a Journey to Pick Up Trashis undoubtedly cute, but it bears heavy topics and a dark emotional past for its protagonist. Ivy wasclassified as starless, a big enough taboo that she was used as a scapegoat by her town’s corrupt leaders for their misfortune. Only a child, she was forced to run away on threat of death.
The anime greatly amplifies Ivy’s emotional journey and relief at finding people who want her to live. Although it only covers the first part of her journey, the anime also does a great job conveying the light novels’ heavy slice-of-life feeling.
八咫烏
Yatagarasu: The Crow Does Not Choose the Lordfollows three characters in the court serving the Mountain God. Wakamiya, second son to a concubine, faces threats as he is selected to become heir instead of more legitimate heirs. Asebi discovers cruelty as she competes with three other court ladies to become Wakamiya’s wife. And in the periphery is Yukiya, one of many people able to transform into crows, bumped up from his country bumpkin life to Wakamiya’s side.
LikeShoshimin Series,Yatagarasuis also a novel series, which means their anime adaptations are the most accessible form of these stories. Fortunately,Yatagarasu’s anime illustrates the court drama and fantastic elements that made thisfantasy-historyseries popular enough to sell over a million copies in Japan.
What happens if too many high-class, slice-of-life and romance heroines get rejected? According toToo Many Losing Heroines!,these heroines gravitate towards a total nobody. That total nobody happens to be Kazuhiko Nukumizu, who just wants to wallow in his romance novels.
Shockingly enough,Too Many Losing Heroines!focuses on the friendship formed by the three girls and Kazuhiko. He also bears witness to the girls still pining for their crushes even after their failed confessions. Kazuhiko almost feels like a vessel for viewers to see the girls’ life post-rejection, but when the cute-girls-doing-cute-things anime is well-animated, it’s worth the minutes.
Alisa Mikhailovna Kujou, or Alya, doesn’t think her classmate and puppy crush Masachika Kuze understands Russian. Unfortunately for her, Masachika can understand Russian, and all her thoughts and doting thoughts of him. And so goes Alya and Masahika’s schooldays, when Alya’s not busy with student council duties and Masahika’s not wrapped up with shenanigans.
Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russian’s charm lies with Alya’s charm and Masahika’s narration of their daily life. This translates to the anime’s portrayal of Alya’s problems with self-expression and the wacky hijinks Masahika gets into. Romcom fans may want to try a few episodes for a quick shot of fluff, humor, and good tsundere action.
24
Considered a classic by light novel and anime enthusiasts,Spice and Wolfis back with an updated look.Spice and Wolf: Merchant Meets the Wise Wolftakes on the same light novel premise right down to its meticulous presentation of economics, trade, and emotional trauma. Holo and Kraft still have thesame great chemistrythat partly madeSpice and Wolfsuch an enduring work.
Spice and Wolfhas long since concluded and has volumes out in English. For fans who want more of the world, Kraft and Holo’s child Myuri has her own series.Wolf & Parchment: New Theory Spice & Wolftracks her stowing away on the same boat as Tote Col, a young boy who worked for Kraft and Holo, as he ventures to join the clergy.
Solo Levelingstarted as a web novel but gained worldwide attention through its webtoon form.As an anime, it lives up to the high-octane action that captured millions of readers online. When a scene has budget, the animation is more than rapid teleportation, random blood splatters, and blade flashes. There’s action choreography, cool creature animation, and satisfying death sequences.
Although quite serious, the portal fantasy series is unintentionally hilarious at times, thanks to its edgy revenge plot and Sung Jin-Woo’s personality. Because the alternate world fantasy series is already complete, fans will have a lot of action, and astronomical escalation, to look forward to.
