Made in Abyss: Mezameru Shinpi

Those cute, round-eyed character designs might seem inviting, but Made in Abyss has always been a series that lures you in with wonder and then makes you feel things you weren't prepared for. This movie, Mezameru Shinpi, picks up right where the second season left off, following Riko, Reg, and Nanachi as they push even deeper into the Abyss, a colossal chasm filled with ancient relics, nightmarish creatures, and a curse that punishes anyone who tries to climb back out. New faces show up early on, including characters named Tepaste and Cravagli who hang around an adventurers' tavern called Katsuraku-tei, and the setup immediately reminds you that this world has layers, literally and figuratively. Kinema Citrus is back handling animation, which means the environments will look gorgeous right up until something terrible happens in them. The soundtrack has always been one of the best in anime, and that haunting atmosphere is a huge part of why this series sticks with you. If you liked the slow creeping dread of The Promised Neverland or the way Puella Magi Madoka Magica weaponized its cute aesthetic, this is in that same lane but with even more elaborate world-building. Fair warning though: the gore theme tag is there for a reason. This series doesn't pull punches, and heading deeper into the Abyss has never meant things get easier. Go in knowing that, and you'll appreciate what it's doing.