Madhouse

The studio that gave anime "Death Note" and the original "Hunter x Hunter" adaptation has spent the Togashi-hiatus years without a new "Hunter x Hunter" season to lean on, yet still produced "Frieren: Beyond Journey's End," a slow, melancholic fantasy that became one of the most critically praised series of its year without relying on spectacle. That's consistent with Madhouse's whole history — prestige source material handled with restraint rather than maximalist action staging.

We think Madhouse's identity has always been about trusting quieter, more literary material to carry a season, which is a harder sell to streamers than action-forward franchises but has aged better critically than almost anything built purely for hype. The thing to watch is what Madhouse does once "Hunter x Hunter" eventually resumes in earnest, since the studio's ability to juggle a nostalgia-driven revival against newer passion projects like "Frieren" will say a lot about its next decade.