Best Drama Anime of 2020

What was supposed to be a reunion marking the start of peaceful days quickly falls apart when Subaru Natsuki and Emilia come back to Irlam village. Seeing the destruction caused by the disasters called Sin Archbishops, Subaru plunges into hopelessness as his power to redo proves useless. While the group heads to the Sanctuary looking for answers, Subaru unexpectedly meets the Witch of Greed—Echidna. Caught in her wild pace, he is forced to delve into the spirals of past and future. Meanwhile, several mysterious threats turn their attention to the Sanctuary, foretelling a terrible fate for the unfortunate people trapped inside. Eternal contracts, past sins, and unreciprocated love will collide and sink into a river of blood in the second season of Re:Zero kara Hajimeru Isekai Seikatsu. Driven to the edge of despair, how long can Subaru's determination to rescue those he cares about endure?

A tower exists that summons selected individuals, referred to as Regulars, with the promise of fulfilling their deepest desires. Whether those desires are wealth, fame, power, or something beyond all of that—everything awaits those who reach its summit. Twenty-Fifth Bam had spent his entire life knowing only a dark cave, a ragged cloth, and a distant, unreachable light. Then a girl named Rachel appeared to him through that light, and his whole world changed. They became close friends, and Rachel taught him many things about the world outside. But when she told him she had to leave to climb the Tower, his world fell apart. Vowing to pursue her no matter the cost, he fixed his gaze upon the Tower—and a miracle took place. This is how the journey of Bam begins: a boy not chosen by the Tower, but who opened its doors on his own. Such beings are called Irregulars—entities that have shaken the very foundations of the Tower every time they have entered it.

Several years after the Great War ended, the radio tower in Leidenschaftlich is still under construction, and the growing prevalence of telephones is beginning to reduce the need for Auto Memory Dolls. Yet Violet Evergarden's fame only increases, thanks to her unbroken string of successful letter-writing assignments. But sometimes, the very thing you yearn for remains stubbornly out of reach. The Violet Evergarden Movie follows Violet as she deepens her understanding of emotions and the true meaning of love. Simultaneously, she clings to a faint hope that the man who once told her, "I love you," might still be alive, despite the many years that have gone by.

One year has elapsed since Tooru Honda started residing at the Souma house, during which time she has forged deeper bonds with Shigure, Kyou, and Yuki. She has also drawn nearer to the rest of the family, learning of their ancestral secret and assisting them with various personal struggles. Yet, as her connection to them strengthens, Tooru begins to suspect that this hidden truth is far darker than she initially believed. As summer arrives, Tooru is invited to spend her days with the Soumas, particularly Kyou and Yuki. Although she longs for a relaxed holiday, her close ties with the two boys and the family may lead to complications. As intimacy grows, their carefree moments are interrupted by lingering hardships and past emotions that resurface. The Eternal Banquet soon approaches, requiring the zodiac members to fulfill their duties under the watchful eye of the unsettling Akito Souma. With the banquet nearing and numerous emotions demanding resolution, Tooru must face the question of whether her life with the Soumas will stay tranquil or if she will become trapped in an inescapable predicament.

Having bonded through shared grief, the weary Nanachi accompanies Riko and Reg as they venture deeper into the Abyss. They face the Sea of Corpses, the fifth layer and the deepest point from which one can return without losing their humanity. Standing in their way is the masked sadist Bondrewd, whose gruesome laboratory acts as a final barrier for those seeking to go further. The sociopathic scientist intends to exact a heavy toll from Riko’s group. Haunted by Bondrewd’s past cruelty, Nanachi struggles with intense inner turmoil upon his reappearance. The group discovers that Bondrewd’s sole vulnerability is Prushka, an impulsive girl who claims to be his daughter. Riko, Reg, and Nanachi befriend Prushka and collaborate with her to thwart her father’s schemes and reach the sixth layer of the Abyss.

University student Tsuneo Suzukawa has a deep passion for diving and marine biology, and he works multiple part-time jobs to save up for studying abroad. His plans take an unexpected turn after a chance encounter with a girl in a wheelchair. The girl, Kumiko—who insists on being called "Josee"—initially comes across as rude and temperamental. When Josee's grandmother offers Tsuneo a paid position as her caretaker, he reluctantly accepts, seeing it as a way to boost his savings for his academic goals. However, Tsuneo grows increasingly frustrated with her bossy attitude and considers quitting. It is only then that he learns of Josee's own hidden dream: to experience the outside world and live a life unhindered by her physical limitations. Changing his mind, Tsuneo decides to stay and help Josee explore the wonders beyond her confined world. As they spend time together, both begin to understand that the very qualities that connect them might hold the key to achieving their individual aspirations.

Yuusuke Yotsuya has always disliked Tokyo, but he holds a particular resentment for the people living there. He would rather thrive in a virtual world than attempt to get along with those around him. One day after school, he notices the popular athlete Iu Shindou talking to Kusue Hakozaki, a girl who rarely attends school due to illness. However, when he looks away from the pair and then back, they have seemingly vanished. Moments later, Yotsuya finds himself falling through the air, and the world around him starts to transform. Plunging into a vast pool of water, the first thing he sees upon regaining his senses is an array of enormous monsters. He soon learns that Shindou and Hakozaki have pulled him into a game world, and he must complete a quest within 14 days. One key difference sets this world apart from the real one: as long as one party member remains alive, any dead member will be resurrected after 30 seconds. Faced with a series of quests that grow progressively harder over time, Yotsuya, Shindou, and Hakozaki struggle to uncover the mystery behind this baffling game world.

Rikuo Uozumi has largely given up on a promising future, drifting through a dead-end job at a convenience store in Tokyo after finishing college. His dull routine gets shaken up when the eccentric Haru Nonaka bursts into his life, frequently stopping by his workplace to strike up a friendship. When Rikuo finds out that Shinako Morinome, a former college friend and the object of his affection, has returned to the area, he tries to reignite their connection. But Rikuo is unaware that Shinako is weighed down by painful memories from her past that prevent her from reciprocating his feelings. Meanwhile, as Haru gradually reveals herself to Rikuo, he realizes that she, like him, is living alone and yearns to break out of her comfort zone into an uncertain tomorrow. The past lingers stubbornly in the mind, and the future stays just out of reach. At a crossroads where their lives intertwine, these three individuals come to understand what it means to release the emotions of yesterday and welcome the changes that a new day brings.

In a world inhabited by demons, cyclopes, and other fantastical beings, humans stand apart as the outcasts. Prone to anger, the human race waged a war that nearly wiped them out. The few humans who remain are viewed as a delicacy, existing only to be hunted and devoured. One day, a golem—a wandering guardian of nature—comes across a lone human child while on patrol. Moved by her spirited nature, he takes the girl, named Somali, under his protection. Together, the two set out on a journey to find Somali's parents and bring her home.

Wearing an eye-catching outfit and carrying an odd demeanor, Hina Satou constantly declares herself to be the Norse god "Odin." When she encounters a boy named Youta Narukami, she uses her power to see the future to warn him of a disaster that will bring about the end of the world. However, as a teenager caught up in his own concerns, Youta struggles to accept such an unbelievable claim. Forced to accompany her on her escapades, he witnesses the accuracy of Hina's abilities firsthand and comes to understand that she truly possesses the gift of foresight. Yet, despite her insistence on being a deity, Hina remains a child who longs to witness and enjoy all the wonderful things life has to offer. With only 30 days left before the world's end, Hina, Youta, and their companions move forward to build unforgettable memories they will hold dear forever.

According to whispers, if a young girl makes a pact with a white fairy, it will fulfill any wish she desires. In return, she becomes a magical girl and must risk her life to defeat terrifying and vicious witches. Iroha Tamaki, a gentle middle schooler from Takarazaki City, proves these tales are real. Armed with a magical crossbow and the power to heal wounds, Iroha searches for the labyrinths where witches lurk and eliminates them before they can attack humans. However, Iroha cannot recall her wish, and even Kyuubey, the white fairy himself, seems unaware of what she asked for. One day, Iroha hears about a city where "magical girls can be saved," and finds herself boarding a train to Kamihama City at sunset. Unfortunately, she learns that the witches there are significantly stronger than usual. After veteran magical girl Yachiyo Nanami is forced to rescue her, Iroha swears never to return. But when a chance meeting with a tiny Kyuubey seems to stir faint memories, Iroha feels compelled to explore the mysterious city despite the peril.

The heavens tremble, thunder roars, and Xie Lian returns with an apologetic smile—once more! Eight hundred years ago, he was a revered martial god, the Crown Prince of Xianle. Now, he ascends to the heavenly realm for a third time, reduced to a lowly scrap-collecting deity with no devotees. On his first assignment, Xie Lian wanders alone under a dark, moonlit sky. A gentle figure in red guides him through the woods. But as suddenly as he appears, the man dissolves into a cloud of silver butterflies. Xie Lian later discovers this mysterious stranger is Hua Cheng, the Crimson Rain Sought Flower, a Ghost King feared by both gods and demons. Before Xie Lian can unravel why Hua Cheng would aid a heavenly official, he encounters San Lang—a young man who knows much about the Ghost King and the forgotten Crown Prince. San Lang chooses to accompany Xie Lian on his quest to uncover the secrets of the past.

In the 16th century, the city of Florence flourishes with cultural and creative revival during the Renaissance. Arte, a noble-born young woman, dreams of becoming an artist and contributing to this rebirth of civilization. However, after her father's death, she loses the only person who believed in her passion for art. Now expected to marry a nobleman and live as a refined housewife without disgracing her family name, the headstrong Arte refuses to accept her fate and steps into the streets searching for a master artisan who will take her on as an apprentice. In her quest for a mentor, Arte confronts harsh reality when she is completely rejected for being a female artist. No one believes women are capable of fine craftsmanship, so none are willing to accept her. Fortunately, a renowned artisan named Leo is persuaded to take her as his disciple, since he has none anyway. And so Arte’s new life begins, far from the comfort of her noble upbringing. As an apprentice, she must earn her keep while tackling various challenges on the difficult path to becoming a full-fledged master artisan.

Chiyuki Fujito, the daughter of a modeling agency owner, dreams of walking the runway for her father's agency at the prestigious Paris Fashion Week. Despite her striking appearance and natural talent, she faces a major obstacle: her height. At just 158 cm even after entering high school, her childhood goal seems impossible to achieve. On the other hand, Ikuto Tsumura is a high school student with a gift for designing clothes. However, lacking the financial means to pursue formal training, his aspiration to become a fashion designer remains nothing more than a distant fantasy. When fate brings Chiyuki and Ikuto together, the fading hopes in their hearts are rekindled. The two make a pact to defy convention and forge their own unique paths in the fashion industry.

Ikebukuro is a district filled with a variety of businesses and gangs. Among them is Makoto Majima, the well-known "troubleshooter" who acts as a mediator between conflicting groups. Makoto has a deep understanding of every aspect of the bustling Tokyo neighborhood and works to keep the peace with the help of the G-Boys, who support him in his mediation efforts. Led by the charismatic and merciless Takashi Andou, the G-Boys are the most powerful gang in all of Ikebukuro. But when the new faction known as the "Red Angels" starts encroaching on G-Boys territory, immediate conflict erupts between them. With numerous enemies both outside and within the G-Boys, navigating the streets becomes increasingly challenging for Makoto. As he continues to resolve problems, he gradually uncovers a conspiracy that could spark a full-scale war and endanger the entire district of Ikebukuro.

Minare Koda works as a restaurant employee and has just gone through a painful breakup. One night, drunk and heartbroken, she vents her frustrations to a random stranger—Kanetsugu Matou, the director of a radio station in Sapporo, Hokkaido. The following day at her job, Minare is horrified to hear a recording of her drunken rant being broadcast on the radio. Panicked, she rushes to the station to stop it. In the confrontation with Matou, a series of events leads to her delivering an unplanned live talk, explaining her fierce, inebriated remarks. With her energetic voice, she speaks smoothly without hesitation, and Matou recognizes this as raw talent. Under Matou’s guidance, Minare quickly becomes a late-night talk show host, covering amusing stories set in Sapporo, all while juggling her day job and personal life to get by.

Continuing directly from the first season, Juzo Inui, also known as Gun Slave Unit Device 13, now possesses Rosa's data. While it appears that various parties want it—either to expose its contents or eliminate it—the truth is that nobody actually cares about it. Wachowski, the head of the anti-Extremist terrorist group Spitzbergen, pressures Tetsurō into using Harmony to force Juzo to eliminate Gun Slave Unit Device 7, an operative working for Berühren. Juzo does eventually clash with Seven, but amid the corruption and betrayals, Berühren remains the one pulling all the strings.

In a realm filled with magic and monstrous creatures, Krylancelo Finrandi and his foster sister Azalie Cait-Sith were once brilliant sorcery students, child prodigies at the renowned Tower of Fangs. But a catastrophic experiment twists Azalie's body, leaving her trapped in the shape of a dragon. The Tower's elders—more concerned with protecting their own reputation than the safety of their pupils—drive the transformed Azalie away and conceal the event. Furious, Krylancelo leaves on his own, adopting the alias "Orphen" and swearing to restore Azalie to her original form. Five years later, Orphen's mission has hit a dead end. A sudden meeting brings him face-to-face with Azalie once more, yet he still lacks the means to change her back. And with a hostile band of sorcerers pursuing her, he may be running short on time. The past and present converge as Orphen searches for a way to rescue Azalie from their former mentors and comrades.

Richard Ranasinghe de Vulpian, a young and handsome British jeweler with an extensive knowledge of mineralogy, runs a small shop in Japan. One night, Seigi Nakata, a righteous college student, rescues him from drunks who were bothering him because of his appearance. After learning what Richard does, Seigi hires him to appraise a pink sapphire ring left by his late grandmother. Seigi soon becomes a trusted part-time employee at Richard's shop. Together, the pair handle various jewel-related requests from a diverse range of clients. Gradually, they uncover the hidden motives and emotions tied to each gem, working to understand and connect with the small stories behind every piece of jewelry.

While the Chosen Children and their Digimon partners enjoy a peaceful life in the human world, Taichi Yagami and Yamato Ishida, along with their friends, work to preserve this hard-won tranquility. Bound by this shared duty, they each begin moving toward a future that lies beyond their roles as Chosen Children. Yet, this transition is halted by the arrival of Menoa Bellucci, an American professor specializing in Digimon research. She reports that numerous Chosen Children worldwide have fallen into comas, with their Digimon partners missing. Menoa’s findings suggest that a new type of Digimon is responsible: Eosmon, which lurks within the depths of the internet. To overcome this threat, the group must bridge the growing distance between them and unite for one final mission.

Miu Takigawa prefers to remain invisible, hiding behind her bangs as she navigates life with quiet resignation. Despite her shy and reserved nature, which makes interacting with customers at her part-time job difficult, she works hard to provide for her mother and her beloved younger sister, Haru. Her quiet existence is upended when a letter arrives from the entertainment company GIP, informing her that she has been selected as a candidate for their new project. Miu accepts the offer and travels to the meeting point, where other candidates summoned by similar letters begin to gather. Soon after, the girls are taken by a manager to an opulent, hidden facility. There, they learn they must obey the absolute commands of a mysterious entity known as "The Wall." On December 24, 2016, the idol group 22/7 is set to debut, launching into the spotlight regardless of whether Miu and her fellow members feel prepared for the performance.

Veludo Way is a street renowned for its countless performances and street acts, drawing in spectators who enjoy watching professional actors. After receiving a mysterious letter, Izumi Tachibana goes to the venue once home to Mankai Company, a theater troupe her father directed that was popular in the past. She discovers the building is about to be sold off due to overwhelming debt. At the last moment, she persuades the debt collector to give the group another opportunity. He agrees, but sets three conditions: the troupe must successfully stage their debut show within a month, the four all-male sub-troupes must be reestablished, and the debt must be cleared within a year. Additionally, Izumi must take on the role of director. With no time to spare, Izumi quickly assembles five members for the Spring Troupe: Sakuya Sakuma, an energetic high school student; Masumi Usui, a boy who has a crush on Izumi; Tsuzuru Minagi, an aspiring playwright; Itaru Chigasaki, a mature working adult; and Citron, a friendly foreigner. Despite their lack of acting experience, it falls to Izumi to train and prepare them for a performance that can bring Mankai Company back to its former brilliance.

Following their performance at the Black or White event, idol group IDOLiSH7 has reached the peak of their popularity, with offers for concerts and other work arriving daily, bringing joy to the seven members and their manager. However, as their fame grows, Riku Nanase's health begins to decline under the strain of the demanding schedule. With the renowned idol duo Re:vale taking an interest in the group and the reopening event of the Zero Arena on the horizon, IDOLiSH7: Second Beat follows IDOLiSH7 as they strive to adapt to the difficulties of idol life and confront their personal struggles, all while continuing to meet the expectations of their beloved fans.

Following unexpected earthquakes that struck Kumamoto Prefecture, Natsuna Keyaki lost touch with her closest online friend, Itsuki. Armed only with a sketched landscape, Natsuna travels from Tokyo to Kumamoto in search of her. While lost in a rural part of the disaster-hit region, Natsuna meets a policeman and a lively middle school student named Izumi Chiba. Together with her welcoming family, Izumi gives Natsuna a place to stay and guidance to aid her mission. With these kind locals supporting her at every turn, Natsuna draws nearer to uncovering what became of Itsuki.

After the Summer Troupe's performance concludes, Izumi Tachibana must recruit five actors for the next sub-group, the Autumn Troupe. Fortunately, enough candidates show up for the auditions: Banri Settsu, a skilled but arrogant jack of all trades; Juuza Hyoudou, a tough-looking delinquent with a passion for acting; Taichi Nanao, a man hoping to win over girls through theater; Omi Fushimi, a college student, amateur photographer, and excellent cook; and Sakyou Furuichi, a yakuza member with a past connection to the Mankai Company. However, with virtually no teamwork and multiple crises threatening the play's success, Izumi soon realizes this troupe may be even trickier to manage than she expected. Can she bring them together in time for their first performance?

A certain thrill from a live festival he attended as a child has stayed with Ren Nanahoshi, and he has been chasing that feeling ever since. Now a first-year university student, he stays away from making friends and practices singing alone, still hoping to recapture that adrenaline rush. A chance meeting at a karaoke box brings him together with Yuuto Goryou and Wataru Matoba—both are impressed by his voice and have been looking for bandmates. They want Nanahoshi to become their vocalist. Nanahoshi initially turns down their repeated invitations but changes his mind after watching them perform live and joining in on stage. With the carefree Rio Kikyou and passionate Banri Shiroishi also on board, the five boys form "Argonavis" and aim to headline the Destiny Rock Festival. As they start working together as a band, they confront the various challenges and hardships that come with chasing stardom.

A Masuda Ryuuji movie about two Tyrannosauruses.