Every three months we hear comments about how each season is filled with more sequels, and about the lack of originality and how anime is just going downhill. Well it’s about time that anime comes back in full force with something for everyone, which it is as we welcome back spring! Spring has traditionally been known as a good season for anime, and this year is no exception. We’re not just getting any ol’ sequels, but sequels to the best anime from 2013: Shingeki no Kyojin and Uchouten Kazoku! Along with these chart-toppers are several classics like Naruto sequel Boruto and Natsume Yuujin-chou. And it doesn’t end there. We also welcome back recent favorites like Boku no Hero Academia and Saenai Heroine no Sodatekata, as well as new adaptations from Kabukibu! and Clockwork Planet. There’s no denying it, I’m super hyped up for this season, and you probably are as well, so let’s just see jump straight into the preview.
As a quick reminder, most entries are divided into two paragraphs:
- A brief introduction to the series and its premise, often with the starring cast of characters.
- The writer’s impressions, expanding on the plot and highlighting specific points of interest.
As always, please see below for definitions of our Expectation Levels. Remember, these reflect our own subjective excitement level for each show, and they do not necessarily reflect how shows will pan out. For more information, check out the Overall Impressions section at the bottom, which includes an expanded explanation of each category and a list of all shows by expectation level.
Disclaimer: Back in ye olde year of 2012—which was HALF A DECADE ago—previews were done by a single writer, Divine. Since none of the current writers are as crazy awesome as he, we’ve divided them up among our staff (Cherrie, Guardian Enzo, Pancakes, Passerby, Samu, Stilts, Takaii, and Zephyr) in order to maintain the quality of this preview. We will try to point out what appeals to us in each series, in the hope that it will help you determine if it coincides with your tastes.
Disclaimer #2: Please note that this list does not reflect all the series airing this coming season. It is meant to be as comprehensive as possible, but omissions have been made for shows that stray from the anime norm or seem to be oriented toward young children. Please check out MOON PHASE for complete listings, syoboi for specific air times, and Fansub DB for a list of potential sources for each series.
P.S. I want to give a huge thank you and shout out to all the lovely readers who continue to support our site! You guys are seriously amazing and even though we don’t get paid, and we work our asses off and a lot of us don’t sleep nearly enough—we feel your appreciation through the interwebs and we’ll continue to strive towards delivering quality content for you. I’d like to thank the writers as well for putting up with me (and my ridiculous demands and timelines) as we put this preview together. Passerby, Takaii, Stilts, Zephyr, Pancakes and Enzo continue to write the content as I basically sit on my butt all day doing nothing. Thanks to Xumbra for providing the excellent videos, and Samu and Zephyr for the lists of shorts and movies you see at the bottom. It’s officially been five years since Zephyr and I started writing for RC, so happy anniversary to us and here’s to many more to come! CHEERS!
Technical Note: The chart below is ordered by the date and time that the shows premiere. The links in the schedule will take you to a series’ corresponding entry and the “Top” links on the right will bring you back. You can also use the back/forward buttons in your browser to jump between links you’ve clicked. All times are given in a 24-hour, relative-day format where times are extended to show which day they belong to. For instance, Friday morning at 1:30AM would become Thursday at 25:30 to show that the episode aired late Thursday night.
* Jump to OVA/Movies or Short Series List.
The glorious Bones adaptation of the Weekly Shounen Jump smash hit is back with a second season! My Hero Academia is one of the rare anime that’s based on western superhero traditions, though after that it’s stirring shounen action to the core. Taking place in a world where 80% of the population have “Quirks” (superpowers), the story follows a wimpy now-high schooler named Midoriya “Deku” Izuku (Yamashita Daiki). Izuku goes to U.A. High School, the #1 Hero Academy in the world, which is surprising since he’s one of the 20% who were born without a quirk! But that didn’t stop him from dreaming of becoming a hero, even when the path seemed hopeless. Then one day Izuku’s life took a turn, when he was caught by a deadly villain and saved by the #1 Hero, All Might (Miyake Kenta). All Might saw something in him, and together they embarked on a journey of Izuku becoming the hero he always dreamed of—and that’s only the beginning. Plus Ultra! When Samu previewed the first season, he called Boku no Hero Academia the Next Big Thing, and he was right. Very much in the tradition of your One Pieces, Dragon Balls, and Narutos, Boku no Hero Academia is a shounen battle story full of hot-blooded action. What separates it from the pack is a relatively simple premise—it’s Earth, but everyone has superpowers!—and some of the best execution I’ve seen in years. It’s not that the wimpy nerd becoming a hero is a new story, but it’s one that it’s easy to see ourselves in, and the battles—the battles! The first season was a masterclass in tension, reversals, justified twists, and well-earned victories. But it’s more than that, as this is a series that’s able to take a bully like Bakugou Katsuki (Okamoto Nobuhiko) and treat him with more nuance than you’d expect. I went into the first season skeptical of the hype, but like One-Punch Man, the hype was deserved (though for different reasons). With Director Nagasaki Kenji and his staff at Bones back for the Sports Festival arc, I have no trouble recommending this series. Hardened cynics will scoff, but if you’re still a nerd at heart, Boku no Hero Academia will call to you. Answer it, and watch.
|
|||||||||||||||
At some stage the average anime viewer will have watched Sword Art Online. It is the quintessential “trapped in another world” show, and one that has spawned a plethora of imitators. One of those eager recruits is Gin no Guardian. Heralding from the Chinese manhua Yin Zhi Shou Mu Ren, Gin no Guardian starts off like every other story: with the typical high school student Riku Suigen (Fuuyama Jun). Without relatives and working part time, Suigen’s unassuming appearance hides but one redeeming feature: the ability to win at any game. Naturally (and of course), only Suigen’s adopted sister and fellow classmate Riku Lin (Saitou Yuka) knows of Suigen’s gaming mastery, and it is this ability that Suigen must utilize to rescue his sister when Lin is suddenly and inexplicably kidnapped. Investigating a unique gaming device left behind for him by Lin, Suigen finds himself pulled into and trapped in a mysterious gaming world where the only way out—and the only way to Lin—is by fighting against those who seek to win. At his expense. It’s hard not feeling dubious when looking over Gin no Guardian. This show screams “seen it all before,” between Suigen’s Sora-level gaming skills, the SAO-esque plot, and the well-worn—and not so subtle—damsel in distress trope. Gin no Guardian makes no qualms about its influences, nor tries pretending it’s something greater than pure wish fulfillment. Nevertheless, these types of stories can easily prove entertaining, so long as the basic concept is well-executed. Working in Gin no Guardian’s favour is its production. Studio Emon is a literal unknown with no prior animation work, but the studio is Japanese and suggests Gin no Guardian will likely attempt to cater to Japanese audiences, particularly given the lack of accompanying Chinese dub. Considering fellow manhua adaptations like Reikenzan retained their Chinese quirks wholesale, any move to facilitate better translation of Chinese idioms and cultural practices into an anime format is definitely welcome. Provided director Ookura Masahiko can match such production with a decent adaptation of Gin no Guardian’s story, there’s no reason this show cannot be an overall success. With so many unknowns, anyone liking these types of shows should give it a shot just for the potential. Who knows, Gin no Guardian could be the next big alternate world anime.
|
|||||||||||||||
Four years after its initial debut, Wit Studio returns with a second season of Isayama Hajime’s Shingeki no Kyojin. As with the original, the series takes place in a world where monstrous creatures known as Titans have put humanity on the brink of extinction. In order to survive, the last of humanity created a city surrounded by walls larger than even the greatest of Titans, ushering a hundred years of peace. The sudden arrival of a new Colossal Titan leads to the destruction of the city’s outer walls, and the horrors of the past are revisited as a full-scale attack commences. Having survived the initial onslaught, two children—Eren Yaeger (Kaji Yuuki) and Mikasa Ackerman (Ishikawa Yui)—find themselves in the center of the fight for humanity as they join the Survey Corps, a military branch in charge of exploring and reclaiming territory outside the city’s protective walls. With the discovery of a new power and a victory against a long-standing nemesis at the end of the first season, Eren is once again deployed to the front lines to fight against a new horde of Titans approaching the city. After its first season in 2013, Shingeki no Kyojin became one of the most popular and recognizable series of the last decade, rising to fame on the backs of its blade-wielding protagonists, nightmare-inducing enemies, and dramatic plot twists. This was a series whose opening sequence alone inspired a wave of memes and recreations, and it blew up to a point where it was impossible not to stumble onto something Titan related even if you weren’t watching the show. We all knew a second season was inevitable, and now that it’s back with Wit Studio and a familiar staff (led once again by Tetsuro Araki of Death Note fame), there’s no reason to expect anything but continued success for a franchise that earned most of its accolades, or at least made it easy to see why it was so well liked. Needless to say, this is as close to a must-watch as you can get, though you’d do well to catch the first season before you do, and to steer clear of looking anything up due to the sheer amount of spoilers out there.
|
|||||||||||||||
Fantasy games have been a plentiful source of anime adaptations of late, and nothing quite says animated fantasy like A-1 Pictures. Their latest offering is Granblue Fantasy, an adaptation of a mobile RPG produced by Cygames notable for its anachronistic turn-based battles and a hefty bit of accompanying promotional media. Although information on the story is sparse, the general premise revolves around an adventurous teenage boy named Gran (Ono Yuuki) and his talkative dragon buddy Vyrn (Kugimiya Rie). One day on the island of Zank Tinzel, the two discover Lyria (Touyama Nao), a girl desperately fleeing from the powerful military entity that is the Eleste Empire. Eleste seeks nothing but total domination over the world of the heavens, and for that purpose previously imprisoned and studied Lyria because of her ability to control seishoujuu (worldly beasts). Taken with Lyria, Gran decides to partner with her and flee from the Eleste Empire together, guided by no more than a letter left from Gran’s father stating to wait for him on the island of the stars, Istalusia. Game adaptations, and especially mobile game adaptations, are hit or miss, and even though we have received some excellent ones lately (Shingeki no Bahamut, Zestiria), they are still more exception than rule. A-1 Pictures is also a studio with a fair bit of infamy, whether from its SAO days or recent flops like Qualidea Code. There’s also the relative inexperience of director Itou Yuuki to consider, whose primary work was on Mahou Shoujo Lyrical Nanoha ViVid. While possessing a large and loyal following, when combined with the rumours of this adaptation being 4 cours (!!!), it’s hard to deny a hefty amount of skepticism. Nevertheless, some positives do exist. There is lovely promotional artwork out, hinting at Granblue running artistically along the same lines as Grimgar, especially given the pleasing character designs of Kokoro Connect’s Akai Toshifume. Gran’s VA Ona Yuuki also does duty as Higashikata Josuke from Diamond is Unbreakable, and then there’s Nobuo Uematsu, who composed the music for none other than Final Fantasies VI-X. There’s talented staff here, which if Granblue Fantasy can properly utilize, could turn this show into an entertaining fantasy game adaptation.
|
|||||||||||||||
Girls, magic, and secret experiments—combinations of these are nothing new, and this season continues the trend with Alice to Zouroku. Adapted from the manga of the same name, it follows the young, naïve Sana (Ohwada Hitomi) in a world she knows nothing about. Bestowed with Alice’s Dream—the ability to make any thought real, no matter the laws of nature—Sana was locked away from birth, and experimented on for the possibilities her ability entailed. That was until she escaped one day, however, leaving behind her terrible past for a brand new world. Hopelessly lost and woefully ill-equipped to handle her powers alone, Sana soon encounters the stubborn and uptight florist Zouroku (Ootsuka Akio), a stuffy old man caring little for Sana’s asocial behaviour. Lecturing Sana on the necessities of social grace, Zouroku ends up taking the rambunctious girl under his wing in a meeting which will not only change Sana’s life, but that of the world. At face value Alice to Zouroku doesn’t look like much. This concept is already well explored, with Flip Flappers and Shuumatsu no Izetta only the latest examples of girl(s) from evil laboratories with supernatural powers. Nevertheless, there are a few things here which raise hopes. Zouroku’s fatherly personality and old age largely precludes any romance, hinting toward a paternal slice-of-life tone similar in theme to the Usagi Drop anime and Mahoutsukai no Yome. While action is certainly not out of the question given Sana’s origins, I have a feeling Alice to Zouroku will emphasize heartfelt development and touching moments over any serious battling, a show more about personal discovery than incessant conflict. With director Sakurabi Katsushi’s eclectic experience with Flying Witch and Lostorage Incited WIXOSS a good fit for such a concept, I bet this show will produce more charm than initially expected. If you have an interest in fantasy or more “mature” slice-of-life-esque shows, I’d give this one a shot. Alice to Zouroku could be one of this season’s big surprises.
|
|||||||||||||||
Kazuya Kagami (Sanpei Yuuko) is as vanilla as they come. Another faceless middle schooler, ordinary in every way, Kazuya strolls through life, ever the unassuming boy. Yeah, he might have desires and a fantasy or two, but Kazuya is not one to let such primal male urges get in the way of the socks n’ sandals life. That is until the stunning, kimono-clad Kiriha (Oozora Naomi) crashes the party. Spiritually born from the obi sash of Kazuya’s late mother, Kiriha decides Kazuya is no man for her, and sets out to correct his jejune ways. By force. Taking up residence with Kazuya, Kiriha eats and sleeps with our mortified hero, doing everything possible to mend his ways. Such radical changes naturally attract the attention of big sister Kasumi Kagami (Taketastu Ayana), and before long even childhood friend Chikaishi Chisato (Shibasaki Noriko) starts sniffing around Kazuya. Couple that with Kiriha’s old friend Kukuri (Kubo Yurika) joining the party alongside the well-endowed sorceress Kokuyou (Mastui Eriko), and a swath of other beautiful girls, and Kazuya’s bland life will never be the same. I must admit, I had fun reading up on this one. A decade old—and still ongoing—manga, Tsugumomo is your ubiquitous comedy-harem, although not as derivative as you may think. Compared with the likes of say Rokujouma or Kore wa Zombie Desu ka?, Tsugumomo takes a quasi-parody tone, gorging on the fan service and ecchi cornucopia before busting out the action scenes. And what action scenes they are. If one enjoys (or can get past) the comedic titillation, Tsugumomo yields a half decent story of spirits, partners, and exorcists not unlike Sousei no Onmyouji. The primary concern is that Tsugumomo’s format may not translate well into anime. Its heavy fan service will likely invite the white bars of doom considering its airing block, while the underlying plot—the other PLOT—may not advance far if this is a one-season affair. Given studio Zero-G has no experience with similar series and Kuraya Ryouichi is brand new to the director’s chair, it’s a crap shoot whether we receive an unforgettable experience, or just another harem. Nevertheless, for those adoring these types of shows I’d still give this one a spin. After all, a little comedic fan service never hurt anyone.
|
|||||||||||||||
Based on the original manga by Doraemon co-creator Motoo Abiko, AKA Fujiko Fujio A, Warau Salesman is getting its second anime adaptation after 25 years. Yes, the last anime, which ran 103 episodes, ended in 1992, with the manga running from 1968-1971—nearly half a century! Talk about blast from the past. Warau Salesman revolves around Moguro Fukuzou (Genda Tessyo), a traveling salesman who seeks out struggling individuals and promises them a better life, if only they follow his advice. However, should Moguro’s clients cheat him, refuse to rely on his advice, or—worse yet—deny that they received assistance at all, he will punish them by using their reliance on his aid against them. With their lives ruined, a satisfied Moguro leaves to seek out more potential clients. Look y’all—not all salesmen are bad. I’m a salesman, it’s how I make ends meet since books and blogging don’t pay well. Not all of us are the malign individuals fiction would have you believe! Though in this case, perhaps that’s closer to the truth, at least if Moguro is done wrong. Warau Salesman has the feeling of a monkey’s paw tale, or at least an encounter with one of those magical strangers who you do NOT want to screw with. This is a darker take on human nature, suffused with black humor, in contrast to the Doraemon series that put the two-person mangaka team Fujiko Fujio on the map. If black comedy is your thing, check it out—we only get so many anime that are anywhere close to the genre, so it wouldn’t be wise to let one pass. For everyone else, this has a pedigree that has stood the test of time. Perhaps there’s a reason for that.
|
|||||||||||||||
After a twelve episode run and two OVAs after that, Starmyu is back for its second season! For those of you out of the loop, Starmyu is a story about five somewhat talented students and their struggles as they try to make their way into the prestigious music department of Ayanagi Academy. Long story short (spoiler alert), the five make it through their first year, overcoming all the obstacles that stood in their way. However, in this second season, the Academy isn’t done trying to make things difficult, and presents a new challenge for all of its returning students. With last year’s goal being to get into the musical department, this year’s is to prove your worth by competing against your fellow classmates for five spots in the legendary musical Shadow & Lights. Performing alongside former leaders who are about to step down, it’ll take everything our boys have to make it there. I’ll be honest, in a wave of idol shows it takes a lot to stick out and Starmyu’s first season just didn’t do it for me. But just because it wasn’t the show for me, that doesn’t necessarily mean it won’t be the show for you! Especially if you haven’t been burned out by everything that’s come out since Starmyu aired. Essentially, if you’re looking for a slightly atypical school life show that integrates music into all of its storytelling while trying to sneak in some chuckles, this could be the show for you. That said, it’d probably be a good idea to catch up on the first season plus the two OVAs since things will be picking up right where they left off.
|
|||||||||||||||
Anime used to sell toys? Who would have imagined? Frame Arms were a line of plastic robot model kits made by the company Kotobukiya, and Frame Arms Girls are those Frame Arms as… girls. And now you know what this show about. In Frame Arms Girl, Gennai Ao (Hikasa Yoko) is an ordinary high school girl (who’s very proud of her ordinariness), until one day when she receives a parcel incorrectly delivered to her home. Inside is a miniature robot, a Frame Arms Girl, named Gorai (Kaho Narumi). Gorai is equipped with an advanced AI and Ao, being the one to accidentally activate Gorai, is tasked with looking after and teaching the AI. Eventually, Ao receives more packages in the mail with more robots, and begins to take part in the Frame Arms Girl competitive battle. Remember that Centurions cartoon? No? Wow, I’m old. Well, how about that Busou Shinki show? Not that either? Because of the mediocrity? Okay, then… how about Angelic Layer? Or Gundam Build Fighters? Turns out, there’s actually a lot of shows about action figures fighting, and some of them can even be considered good. Frame Arms Girl, though? Can’t be as sure for this one. Although neither director Kawaguchi Keiichiro (Hayate no Gotoku, Sket Dance) nor series composer Mieno Hitomi (Noragami, Amanchu!) are lightweights, the premise of Frame Arms Girl sounds rather uninspiring. Now, trying to give your toys personality is a worthy cause and a good way to engage customers, but as far as anime goes, there’s a certain lack of meat. And if you’re not a fan of CGI, then the news is even worse, because from the PV it seems like all the titular Frame Arms Girls will be 3D constructs, specifically of the kind that makes the entire show look cheap. Still, ‘military mecha girls’ is the anime trifecta (and now with bonus high school student!), so the appeal for any potential viewer is apparent right there. Just temper your expectations about the action. I’ll go into this show expecting a light, slice-of-life, cute-girls-doing-cute-things anime. And occasionally, they’ll shoot each other to remind you to buy the merchandise.
|
|||||||||||||||
So you like girls, magic, and magical battles. You also have a dwindling backlog and no idea when the next fix is arriving. What to do? You breathe a sigh of relief, because Rokudenashi Majutsu Koushi to Akashic Records has you covered. Based on the similarly long-named manga, Rokudenashi centers on the Alezano Empire’s School of Magical Arts and a part time teacher named Gren Reiders (Saito Soma). Unlike his eager coworkers and ambitious student body, Gren has no desires besides sleeping the next class block through. Teach, enlighten, show the way? That’s what the textbook and study hall is for. Naturally it does not take long before a talented student in Sistina Fiebell (Fujita Akane) takes affront at Gren’s slobbery, challenges him to a magic duel, and unceremoniously kicks his ass. While student-induced humiliation is a good excuse for early retirement, a terrorist attack on the school saves Gren from such decision making. Jumping in to save his students, Gren is forced in the heat of the moment to reveal his true colours and the fact that he—and his teaching position—aren’t all they seem to be. It should be no surprise that Rokudenashi is your typical battle school story. It’s got the girls, the self-insert male character, the magical battles, and the political intrigue giving the whole concept a reason to be. What is intriguing regarding Rokudenashi, however, is Gren’s role. Rather than your ubiquitous male transfer student, Gren is a teacher with a personality similar to the laid back Junichirou from Denpa Kyoushi. Instead of the usual comedic harem hijinks, Rokudenashi possesses a more “mature” tone born from Gren’s position in the story hierarchy. Helping reinforce this difference is Gren’s power, or rather lack of it. Unlike similar characters with their ridiculous special abilities, Gren is not particularly overpowered—although he is intelligent—and only shows strength when serious, giving room for development often difficult when the main character already possesses the magic touch. Fans of Rakudai Kishi no Cavalry and Ikki’s tale of redemption will definitely be at home here. Provided director Kazuto Minato can properly utilize these thematic components and LINDENFILMS does not slouch in the animation department, Rokudenashi has all the pieces for a good little show. Considering the rarity of “unique” battle school series, any attempting to push the mold deserves some attention.
|
|||||||||||||||
Boy, Oushitsu Kyoushi Haine is definitely not your typical show. In a far away kingdom there lives a royal family that has five sons, four of whom will probably never see the throne. However, the king of this kingdom is a rather enterprising one and has a very progressive idea: make sure all of his kids are fit to rule, just in case. Which is actually pretty difficult when you realize that four out of his five kids have such “strong” personalities that it’s a miracle they were able to make it to their teens without killing each other. However, even with such a crazy group of sons, the king has found the perfect person for the situation. Haine (Ueda Keisuke) is a mysterious scholar from afar that’s been invited be become the royal tutor, and it’s his job to turn four misfits into men fit to be kings. Overall, I think Oushitsu Kyoushi Haine is going to be a really fun show, especially if you’re able to get used to its distinctive art style. If I were to describe this show as concisely as possible, I’d call it Haine and the Four Misfits. Essentially you have Haine, an overpowered scholar who can do just about anything, but has the patience and dedication to conform to the kids he’s teaching. But by kids I mean the king’s four younger sons, Licht, Leonhard, Bruno, and Kai, all of whom have completely different personalities, and unique problems to go along with them. Together, the characters make for some uniquely funny moments that manage to hit the entire spectrum of laughs. Also did I mention that everything takes place in somewhat medieval times in an obviously German area? Overall, I think there’s something here and I’m hoping it can come to fruition.
|
|||||||||||||||
After selling over 220 million copies worldwide throughout its illustrious 15-year run, Kishimoto Masashi’s Naruto manga concluded with its 700th chapter in 2014. Under Kishimoto’s supervision nearly two years later, Kodachi Ukyou (script writer for Boruto: Naruto the Movie and Gakkou Gurashi!) and Ikemoto Mikio came together to create its sequel in Boruto: Naruto Next Generations. With Naruto now the seventh Hokage, the story now focuses on his son Boruto, and the newest generation to inherit the will of fire. With years of peace ushering in rapid changes for the village, Boruto finds himself facing never before seen challenges as he attempts to win the recognition of his legendary father and carve a path for himself. Having adapted Naruto and Naruto: Shippuden, Studio Pierrot returns to adapt, with Abe Noriyuki (Arslan Senki, Bleach, Kuroshitsuji: Book of Circus) and Yamashita Hiroyuki (animation director for Naruto Shippuuden and The Last: Naruto the Movie) leading as Chief Director and Director respectively. Sanpei Yuuko and Kikuchi Kokoro will reprise their movie roles as Boruto and Sarada. With the recent influx of sequels and continuations with alternative casts, it’s only fitting that Boruto arrives as a mixture of both. The question is what to expect, and it’s hard to say given that the manga just finished adapting the Boruto: Naruto the Movie portions of the story, meaning there’s nothing new to go on aside from a few additional scenes. The fact that the movie provided a solid start for Boruto was a good thing, but between the differences in artistic style, backdrop, cast, and the manga’s controversial opening scene—it’s difficult to make an argument for Boruto being a must watch. Having an established backdrop may work against Boruto rather than for it, and it’s easy to see how quickly fans of the original could sour on the series if it gives unfavorable endings to some of the prequel’s characters—especially since it isn’t being done by Kishimoto himself. This is a series that I feel fans should be watch given the franchise’s history, as long as viewers go in with knowledge of the original and the expectation that it could be a hit or a huge miss.
|
|||||||||||||||
Have you been looking for a show to scratch that supernatural mystery itch? Well look no further—Sagrada Reset might be the show for you! Taking place in the small town of Sakurada, the premise revolves around a small quirk that Sakurada’s residents have: more than half (specifically the teenagers) of its residents have some type of “special” power. Ranging from basic things like the ability to send telepathic messages all the way to something crazy like having the power to reverse time up to three days, just about every type of power you could think of probably exists somewhere. Which is precisely why there exists a group called the administration bureau that monitors and controls the use of these powers. Underneath the Administration bureau is a small group of people who use their abilities to execute missions on behalf of the bureau. Which is where our two protagonists, Haruki Misora (Hanazawa Kana)—who has the ability to rewind the world back three days—and Asai Kei (Ishikawa Kaito)—who has the ability to remember everything even after time has been rewound—come in. At first glance Sagrada Reset reminded me a lot of Charlotte, which filled me with doubt and questions about whether a show like this really needed to exist. But after taking a dive into the material and getting a feel for what kind of tone it was trying to set, I left feeling a ton better and kind of wishing that Charlotte went down the path that Sagrada Reset did. With the focus split between creating the air of mystery and watching Kei and Misora learn more and more as they try to solve whatever task they’ve been assigned, it takes the basic “kids have powers and need to save the world” idea and gives it some real substance in both the character and plot departments. In essence, if the premise caught your eye or you’re another disappointed Charlotte viewer, I’d give Sakurada Reset a chance.
|
|||||||||||||||
Sakura Quest will hopefully be another P.A. Works masterpiece, with a plot revolving around people doing real life work in a real life place. In Sakura Quest’s case, we’re diving into the tourism industry, or more specifically the attempt to revitalize small rural towns through tourism! Revolving around main character Koharu Yoshino (Nanase Ayaka), who is your typical girl from a small rural village who moves to the city but ends up back in the boonies, the story focuses on the struggles she and a myriad of characters face trying to find the magic of living away from the hustle and bustle of the city. Besides Yoshino we also have her coworker Shinomiya Shiori (Ueda Reina) who is the very definition of a small town girl, a fortune teller named Angelica (Mori Nanako), and even a NEET named Oribe Ririko (Tanaka Chiemi). All of whom plus more come together to tell Sakura Quest’s story. If you were to ask me how I felt about a show trying to tackle Japan’s tourism industry before P.A. Works did Shirobako, I’d probably give you an awfully negative answer, though with the hope that it would succeed because shows that break the mold and are at least somewhat good end up being really fun to watch! But in the post-Shirobako era, I’m looking at Sakura Quest with some really positive eyes. And while I can’t comment much on the specifics of the story since there’s not much hard information out there, the staff—or specifically the person in charge of supervising the script, Yokotani Masahiro—fills me with an abundance of hope. It’s exciting to know they worked on Hataraku Maou-sama because you could say that show has a similar premise to this one, with that show’s story jumping from a medieval fantasy setting to a modern one. All in all, things are looking good for Sakura Quest!
|
|||||||||||||||
An adaptation of the manga, Busou Shoujo Machiavellianism centers on the Private Aichi Symbiosis Academy and its peculiar “corrective” role. You see, this school allows the girls to carry weapons, all in name of self defense. While originally intended to repel the predatory male hordes, nowadays the academy’s armed female populace simply functions to reform problematic students, led by an upstanding group of sword-wielding girls called the Supreme Five Swords. Normally the academy’s “correction” policy is reasonable enough, but for any unfortunate male enrollee, only two options exist: expulsion or crossdressing. These are the choices presented to the delinquent Nomura Fudou (Hatanaka Tasuku) upon his arrival, but as the Supreme Five Swords quickly discover, this guy has no intention of obeying the rules. Battle school stories and domineering girls are nothing new for most anime fans. These are your seasonal bread and butter, always guaranteed to draw a crowd. At first glance Busou Shoujo certainly does not break from this mold. It has the all-girls co-ed school, a mysterious male transfer student, and a “unique” thematic quirk—armed females in this case—driving the plot. What sets this one apart from competitors is the structure. Unlike the more conventional examples (i.e. Taimadou Gakuen 35 Shiken Shoutai), Busou Shoujo is a comedic shounen at heart (think Needless). The school setting and harem elements are simply icing for humorous one-liners, flirtatious banter, and some surprisingly well-thought out battles. The main man Nomura personifies this concept, hilariously teasing the girls like a seasoned professional before engaging in some seriously badass fist fighting—don’t expect a Prison School-esque masochist here. While the girls themselves are more cookie cutter in personality, there is enough archetypal variety throughout to keep things amusing, particularly resident tsundere Rin Onigawara (Takada Yuuki) who looks—and acts—like a deranged, man hating Char Aznable. Considering Silver Link is animating and has experience with similar series (Rakudai Kishi no Cavalry), good production values are a reasonable expectation, although the pacing/development is a big unknown thanks to director Tachibana Hideki’s less than stellar directing history. Provided Busou Shoujo doesn’t take too many adaptation liberties and diligently sticks to the source material, this one could easily become a fun little action-comedy.
|
|||||||||||||||
It’s the third year of junior high. New year, new opportunities. Boy meets girl. Azumi Kotarou (Chiba Shouya) is the president of the literature club, mostly because he aspires to be a writer. He’s been living in this town since he was born, as did his parents before him, and their parents before them. Mizuno Akane (Kohara Konomi) is a member of the track-and-field club, mainly because she just loves running. She hasn’t been in this town for long; her father moves around a lot for work, and drags the rest of his family with him. So, the boy and the girl aren’t very alike. But they meet. For the first time, they’re in the same class. Perhaps some affection will spark. But how about Hira Takumi (Tamaru Atsushi), the president of the track-and-field club who’s had a poorly disguised crush on Akane since they were first years? Or Mishio Shinatsu (Murakawa Rie), Akane’s friend, who seems like the happy-go-lucky sort but may be using that to disguise an envious streak? Ah, it’s the full-bloom of adolescence all around, and this last senior year may be the start of something for all of them. A lot of original series go out of their way to be vague and uncommitted (watch me flail about with ID-0 later), but Tsuki ga Kirei (As the Moon, So Beautiful.) takes the cake. How much story can you really make out in that summary paragraph? Well, since it is an adolescent romance it could very well be just teenagers being teenagers for a dozen episodes. Some speculation: I’ve heard a story of a Japanese scholar who insisted that saying, ‘I love you,’ out loud is too immodest, and that an euphemistic, ‘The moon is beautiful tonight,’ should be used instead, so I guess Tsuki ga Kirei could be an anime about… poor communication? Take a look at the PV. Has a Shinkai Makoto vibe to it, doesn’t it? So I’m guessing… there’s going to be heartbreak? Whatever we’re getting, the important thing is that it’s done well. Director Kishi Seiji and screenwriter Yakihara Yuuko both have fairly solid resumés, and have even worked together before (on those Persona 4 adaptations, of all things). There’s also been a dearth of straight romance anime in modern times, and original ones are the stuff of fable, so maybe Tsuki ga Kirei will score enough points just for that. The story may still be vague for now, but perhaps it’s the kind of vague that inspires you to find out more.
|
|||||||||||||||
Remember the snazzy artificial worlds of No Game No Life? Author Kamiya Yuu, buddying with Himana Tsubaki, took the concept and ran with it in the new light novel Clockwork Planet, now being adapted to anime this spring. 5 billion years earlier than anybody expected, the Earth died. It simply ran out of life. Whoops. But the humans on it weren’t going to roll over that easily. Their planet may be dead, but they can rebuild it. They have the technology. And so, based on the work of an anonymous engineer, all of Earth’s systems were replaced with clockwork. The gravity, the atmosphere, and even life—such are the Automata, clockwork robots, some so advanced that they are almost indistinguishable from humans. When an Automaton girl (Kakuma Ai) falls out of the sky and into the life of gifted high school student Miura Naoto (Nanjo Yoshino), it pushes him into a life of adventure, one based on a very simple idea. The entire planet is now a man-made machine. Machines break, machines can be fixed. And any machine man makes, man can also control. The main draw of Clockwork Planet is definitely its setting. You can tell simply by the title. It’s selling a planet, made of clockwork. That’s cool, right? If you’re anything like me, you love steampunk robots, and when hearing of a Clockwork Planet you got instantly excited. I’ll qualify it now: this story is not quite enough punk, and is definitely lacking in the steam. And on the robot side, Clockwork Planet is more fantasy than hard sci-fi; the science is of the Warhammer 40k school, where the secrets to all the cool technology is inexplicably lost forever. Also, it’s bollocks. But, hey, chances are it’d be a fun show regardless. From the volume of light novel I’ve read, about half of it is action-adventure, half of it is intrigue, and half of it is wish-fulfillment romantic comedy, which doesn’t add up to one but should align well with the experience of director Nagasawa Tsuyoshi (Haiyore! Nyaruko-san, MM!) and series composer Sugihara Kenji (Himouto! Umaruchan, Hajime no Ippo). Or at least the rom-com should work; the PV doesn’t really show off a lot of action, so perhaps that’s not where the wow factor is. The music sounds impressive, though. Overall, even if it’s not hardcore science fiction there’s a lot of appeal in this show, and if you’re looking for entertainment this season, Clockwork Planet packs it in spades.
|
|||||||||||||||
Traditional Japanese arts have served as a good wellspring for anime over the years, spawning a multitude of shows spread across numerous genres, including Joshiraku, Chihayafuru, and Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu. Proving that the school club life is not immune from such influences is Kabukibu. Adapted from the light novel, it focuses on the friendly and outgoing first year high school student Kurogo Kurusu (Ichikawa Taichi). Kurogo’s sole passion in life is kabuki (traditional Japanese theatre), and upon entering high school his dream is to join a club of like-minded peers. When no such club greets him upon his arrival, Kurogo decides to make one himself, but it proves difficult when few students are interested and the teachers openly dismiss the idea. Nevertheless Kurogo perseveres, dragooning his introverted, tech wizard friend Tombo Murase (Umehara Yuuichirou) into a search for willing recruits. Will Kurogo succeed? Not even Kurogo knows for certain, but he’ll be damned if he will give up on his dreams that easy. If just for their novelty, art-themed anime usually prove interesting. As Shouwa Genroku proved, pairing an obscure Japanese art with a powerful story and thoughtful execution can yield surprising results. While Kabukibu takes a more lighthearted tone considering its “club life” structure, there’s no reason a similar art-inspired tale of discovery is not possible here. Considering Kurogo must start from scratch, we can likely expect a thorough exploration of kabuki and its quirks, a welcome break from the usual club life plots. Given Studio DEEN is
|
|||||||||||||||
Legends tell of supernatural death gods that have jurisdiction over human life. Each one has possession of a magical notebook. If a person’s name is written into that notebook, then within 24 hours that person will… have to kiss? Yes, in Renai Boukun, instead of shinigami we have Guri (Aoyama Yoshino), a meddlesome cupid armed with a magical ‘Kiss Note’. She accidentally writes in it the name of normal high school student Aino Seiji (Ono Kensho), so she goes out to convince him to kiss somebody, because if he does not Guri will die. Luckily, there’s a prime candidate available, a girl Seiji already has a crush on named Hiyama Akane (Numakura Manami), who’s already secretly crazy for Seiji. Unluckily, she’s crazy for Seiji in the psychopathic axe murderer way. So Seiji’s love life doesn’t go quite how he’d imagined it, especially when Guri decides she wants a slice of that hot man-meat as well, and Akane doesn’t take well to competition. Much to Seiji’s exasperation, hijinks ensue. I hesitate to actually describe Mihoshi Megane’s manga Renai Boukun (The Very Lovely Tyrant of Love) as a romantic comedy. There’s very little actual romance within the main cast, owing to the fact that they are all completely dysfunctional. For comedy, of course. As you can probably tell by the summary, much of Renai Boukun is parody, which means it really is not allowed to take itself very seriously. In fact, it’s at times outright lunacy, which is great fun, of course, but the good thing about Renai Boukun is that it tries to go a bit beyond that and juxtaposes its crazy with saner relationships to make a point about both. It’s not the kind of show that can do too much navel gazing, sure, but at least there’s some substance to go with the laughs. And laugh I think you will, as long as director Nigorikawa Atsushi manages to infuse the kind of frenetic energy that makes anime a great medium for comedy. Sure, he’s a relative newbie, but he’s being supported in the script department by veteran writer Takahashi Natsuko, so I think it’ll go well. If you’re looking for a dose of comic sociopathy this season, this is where you’ll get it.
|
|||||||||||||||
Hinako Note is the story of Sakuragi Hinako (Ichimichi Mao) as she transitions from a life in rural Japan to the hustle and bustle of Tokyo. As a shy girl who isn’t great at speaking, she decides that when she reaches Tokyo she’ll join the Theater Club to improve both herself and her ability to speak with people. However, when she reaches her boarding house she finds out that it’s also a secondhand bookstore! And before Hinako even gets a chance to browse around, she meets a girl named Natsukawa Kunia (Tomita Miyu) who not only lives there but also like to eats books! Okay, that might not be much of an introduction, but before you run from this show let me try to persuade you to stay. While I haven’t been able to find many specifics, if the promotional material is anything to go by I think there’s a chance for this show to be pretty good. Incorporating a mix of slice-of-life moments and school-life, the quirky part of incorporating both theater elements and girls who enjoy eating books feels like an opportunity for something special to happen. When it comes to the people behind production, they have experience on similar projects that lead me to believe this could go well. With two directors, one from Spice and Wolf and the other from Haganai, combined with the scriptwriter from Kyoukai Senjoy no Horizon and the music composer from 3-gatsu no Lion, what more could you ask for on paper? That said, names on paper can only go so far and if I’m being honest, it feels like this one could be awfully polarizing depending on how the adaptation goes. In any case, I’ll definitely give this one a shot because I really want to see girls eating paper in anime form.
|
|||||||||||||||
Twin Angel Break is celebrating the 10th anniversary of the Twin Angel franchise, which began in 2006 with their first Kaitou Tenshi Twin Angel pachislo (slot machine for pachinko parlors) game. The story centers around two third-year middle school girls who fight evil as Twin Angels. There’s Angel Rose Amatsuki Meguri (Ichimichi Mao), who’s always cheerful, somewhat pushy, and yearns to be on the side of justice; Angel Sapphire Kisaragi Sumire (Kayano Ai), an aloof, socially challenged girl who was raised in the strict Kisaragi household; and Miruku-chan (Kugimiya Rie), the hedgehog who is ordering them to fight. The girls disagree, but as they work together, little by little they become friendlier with each other. As far as adaptation of slot machine franchises, this anime doesn’t look bad. Which I realize isn’t saying much. From what I can tell of the promo videos, the animation is clean and lively enough, though who knows what’ll happen when it airs. It’s sporting a good seiyuu cast with peppy OP/ED and a staff with experience in the franchise, for whatever that’s worth. The premise isn’t anything to write home about, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’ll be bad. For a fluffy magical girl show, it’s looking fine. Fans of the genre, or anyone looking for something fluffy and sugary-sweet, might want to give it a chance. As for me, I’ll probably wait to see if it gins up a bunch of praise before I dive in.
|
|||||||||||||||
Following in the footsteps of Rakuen Tsuihou, Toei Animation returns with another all 3DCG original in Sekaisuru Kado. Also known as KADO: The Right Answer, the series focuses on Kojirou Shindou (Miura Hiroaki), an expert negotiator and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Director-General of Policy Planning. During a routine trip, Kojirou finds himself engulfed by a giant cube in the sky along with the plane’s 251 passengers. As he disembarks within the cube, a humanoid alien calling himself Yaha-kui zaShunina (Terashima Takuma) arrives, declaring to all of Japan that he will now proceed to intervene in their internal affairs. His sudden declaration forces Kojirou to act as an intermediary between Yaha-kui and Tsukai Saraka (Ichimichi Mao), an international negotiator sent to represent the Japanese government. As they discuss the reasons for his intervention, the race against time begins to determine the nature of his intentions, the amount of trust they can place in an alien’s words (he calls himself an “Anisotoron”), and the nation’s next steps. Murata Kazuya (Code Geass, Eureka Seven, Suisei no Gargantia, Tokyo Magnitude 8.0) will lead the way as director, with Noguchi Kouichi bringing in his 3DGI expertise from Rakuen Tsuihou as producer. Given the lack of notable original science fiction series over the past few years, Sekaisuru Kado is a series I find myself quite interested in. The fact that it’s entirely 3DCG might be a turn off for some, but given the story potential, KADO should be worth watching for fans of the genre. Negotiations in and of themselves tend to bring an element of drama, and the arrival of an alien with unknown intentions adds uncertainty that mixes mystery, intrigue, and the potential for explosive twists. Having Murata Kazuya as director only helps given his recent work on another, well-loved sci-fi original in Suisei no Gargantia, and I can say that I’m actually excited to see how this pans out. I haven’t heard much about script writer Nozaki Mado aside from his work on a seemingly well received light novel, and production issues are a potential hurdle since this is Toei’s first full-3DCG broadcast, but given that they’ve supposedly completed the first four episodes already, things could go smoother than anticipated. Here’s hoping the execution matches the expectations.
|
|||||||||||||||
It’s hard to find a more legendary series than Berserk. A widely popular grimdark fantasy, Berserk tells the struggles of Guts (Iwanaga Hiroaki), the “Black Swordsman,” a former mercenary who swore revenge following the betrayal of his close friend and companion Griffith (Sakurai Takahiro). Branded with a deadly curse by his former compatriot, Guts must persevere in a corrupted world filled with malevolent spirits, demonic forces, and malicious evils, all drawn to his cursed presence. It is a harsh and cruel existence with no peaceful end in sight, yet against all odds Guts continues forward, determined to let nothing get between him and his sworn vengeance. Following from summer 2016’s adaptation of the Conviction arc, Berserk continues its story this season with the Hawk of the Millennium Empire arc, and potentially events beyond. Berserk is to anime fans as baseball is—was—to the Chicago Cubs. This series is one of Japan’s most tragic adaptation failures, a story with a tenaciously loyal following even through several manga hiatuses and multiple adaptation letdowns. Many hoped beyond hope that Berserk’s return to anime in 2016 would finally see its redemption, but alas the ironic, cursed trend only continued. While previously untouched material was adapted, Berserk’s latest offering was plagued with excessive plot editing/condensing, confusing choice of studio/director, and some questionable application of 3DCGI. Although Berserk’s last run did see some improvement over time, given that Millepensee remains in the production seat alongside Teekyuu director Itagaki Shin, significant structural changes are unlikely, and any chance for a faithful adaptation remains questionable. While expectations are likely—and rightfully—low for this season, there’s always the chance to pull a rabbit from this hat, and anyone interested in Berserk should not pass up another opportunity to see previously unadapted material in anime form. Considering another go at a Berserk anime is unlikely anytime soon, we might as well enjoy what we have, warts and all.
|
|||||||||||||||
The unexpectedly awesome adaptation of a mobile card game (yes, really) Shingeki no Bahamut is getting a second season this spring—and into summer, as the adventure keeps rolling for two cour. Set ten years after the dragon Bahamut nearly revived and destroyed the world, we return to a world of humans, gods, and demons—only, the state of things has drastically changed. Humans in the royal capital are amassing wealth, the demons are enslaved to the humans’ will, and the gods have lost power due to a decrease in piety. The world’s balance has been thrown off, and it’s here that we meet Nina Drango (Morohoshi Sumire), a lively girl who’s come to the capital as a bounty hunter. She’ll join returning characters such as the irrepressible rogue Favaro Leone (Yoshino Hiroyuki), his eternal frenemy Kaisar Lidfard (Inoue Go), and many more as the adventure begins anew. The original Shingeki no Bahamut was an object lesson in not judging a book by its source. Anime based on card games don’t have a great track record—at least, the ones not aimed at 12-year-olds—but lo and behold, Bahamut was fantastic. The card game roots were nodded at early on in a way that actually made sense, and then they got out of the way for a Western-esque fantasy gods vs demons epic. That would have been enough, but add to it the incomparable Favaro, who is just the right kind of rascal, and it was great! With Virgin Soul, there’s hope that they can bottle lightning twice, though it’s more up in the air than with some other sequels, since the original story came to a close and they’ve got to start nearly from scratch. The good news is that it’s a chance for improvements. The original heroine was . . . fine, I guess, though I’ve forgotten almost everything about her. With the surviving cast all back, there’s a chance for Nina to shine where what’s-her-name did not. (My main concern? Insufficient Favaro in the promo videos. Favarooo!) Sequels like this are always a gamble, since the first season could have been a fluke. That’s just a gamble I’m willing to take. They’ve earned that much.
|
|||||||||||||||
Anime comedies don’t get much more consistent – and underrated – than Brain’s Base’s take on Takahashi Rumiko’s Kyoukai no Rinne. It’s pretty much ignored in the Western fandom and doesn’t generate disc sales, though the TV ratings are pretty good (as witness it getting a prime Saturday evening timeslot for the third straight series). All Rinne does is deliver the laughs, week after week and season after season. It’s a comedy that never has to try too hard to be funny, and reflects Takahashi’s supreme confidence and ease in her own writing. And in any given anime season (and this one looks to be no exception) good comedies are likely to be a scarcity – and ones as reliably good as Kyoukai no Rinne should be appreciated. We received the interesting news that there would be an “important announcement” concerning Takahashi-sensei next month, and with the third season already on the schedule it seems very possible this could be that Kyoukai no Rinne is going to end its manga run. If so, that would mean we’re likely to see some sort of definitive anime ending with this season (though there’s too much remaining material for a thorough adaptation in two cours). If I have any specific hope for this season (likely to be the final one, but then I’ve thought that about all of them) it’s that there’s less focus on Rinne-kun’s poverty – heck, maybe he even has a bit of good fortune for a change…
|
|||||||||||||||
Stories are amazing things. They make us laugh, cry, and experience new things we have never gazed on before. Stories can pass on knowledge, preserve our histories, and provide visions of many potential futures. Stories codify the human experience, encouraging us to reach out and explore the world around us. But what happens if those stories aren’t just exaggerated or imaginary? What if they actually exist in a world apart from our own? Would the characters of those stories, possessing a will of their own, see themselves as we see them? How would they perceive us, their creators? When a revolution sweeps through the worlds of our collective imagination and a call for punishment in the “land of the gods” arises, humanity quickly learns that its creations are more real than we could have ever imagined. When all of us can literally imagine our stories into existence, just what will be the consequences be? Everyone, say hello to spring’s big anime original. Although there’s not much info circulating about Re:Creators, what we have gives some serious encouragement after last season’s epic anime original flop in Hand Shakers. Re:Creators’ claim to fame is a story supposedly penned by Black Lagoon’s Hiroe Rei, buoyed by director Aoki Ei who oversaw Fate/Zero and Aldnoah.Zero. Combine that with Aldnoah.Zero animators TROYCA and we are either looking at something amazingly fantastic, or a glorious disaster in the making. Part of what makes Re:Creators so intriguing in this regard is the chaotic character cast. We have Madoka-esque magical girls, mecha, fantasy knights, and a dieselpunk loli paladin among other eclectic character types, topped off—of course—by the ever reliable, introverted male main character Souta Mizushino (Yamashita Daiki). So much has the potential to go wrong here, but when you have almost every genre thrown together around a plot that outright encourages artistic liberty, it’s hard not being interested. Spring may already be stacked, but Re:Creators could easily become the most discussed of them all. With a staff and story this crazy, you can be sure this one—good or bad—will be remembered long after it airs.
|
|||||||||||||||
While it’s premise may sound familiar, I can assure you that the substance behind Eromanga Sensei holds this title tightly together. Revolving around the life of Izumi Masamune (Matsuoka Yoshitsugu) and Izumi Sagiri (Takahashi Minami), who are family by law but not by blood, things start out pretty rough between the two. Because of circumstances out of their control the two end up living with each other, except Sagiri is the definition of a hikikomori (someone who doesn’t leave their home, except in this case its Sagiri never leaving her room). Trying to make the best out of things, Masamune tries his hardest to get Sagiri out of her room, to no avail. In between making food and doing his sister’s laundry, Masamune is also a fairly successful light novel author who works closely with a mystery artist that illustrates everything for his books. All of these elements collide one day when Masamune ends up watching his mystery artist stream and notices that the meal he just cooked for Sagiri is sitting right behind him. Overall, I rather enjoyed my time researching the source material for Erosensei. Its premise feels a little cheesy on paper, but in practice it isn’t too shabby. The main protagonist Masamune does a good job at keeping a level head throughout the various situations he’s thrown into. Add in a fairly colorful cast of side characters that range from a high-tension class representative to a cute-on-the-outside-but-devil-on-the-inside rival author for Masamune, and there’s no shortage of ways for the plot to keep our attention. If I were to dive a little deeper and really pick what kept me reading though, I think it’d have to be the hints of a deeper narrative about family. You have Masamune discovering just what it really means to be a sibling while Sagiri tries to overcome her past to see Masamune as a brother. It’s something that, when it works, really helps drive everything home. All in all I think this show will be able to stand on its own, and if the team behind the adaptation manages to retain some of magic that happens between Masamune and Sagiri (not that kind dangit), I think we’ll have a pretty good gem on our hands.
|
|||||||||||||||
In a season pretty heavily weighted towards sequels, Uchouten Kazoku’s may just be the one I’m most looking forward to (and among the most surprising). The first season placed #6 for me in a very decent 2013, and would have been even higher after about 9-10 episodes – the ending was a bit indifferent, but there are individual eps here that rank among my all-time favorites (the one telling the story of the Shimogamo patriarch in flashback made me weep harder than almost any anime ep I can remember). Like most good anime “The Eccentric Family” tanked on disc, but it’s the popularity of Morimi Tomihiko’s novels that’s responsible for this sequel. Given that there’s plenty of Morimi’s material left to adapt and that the staff is mostly unchanged (Higaki-sensei is new on series composition, but has an exemplary track record) there’s absolutely no reason to think this cour won’t be every bit the gem the first was. Uchouten Kazoku is at heart a love story about families, and I have a special weakness for those – and it’s been a good year for heart-driven tanuki anime already, as any fan of Udon no Kuni knows. This is also one of the best anime in recent memory when it comes to depicting the sublime magic that is Kyoto (a place native Morimi-sensei clearly loves deeply – as do I). This may just be my favorite P.A.Works series ever (it’s a dogfight with True Tears), yet it’s surely most unlike any other show they’ve done. PAW, tanuki, Kyoto, Morimi – what’s not to love?
|
|||||||||||||||
Spring 2017 is robot season, isn’t it? Well, it is now, because here comes more robots, this time IN SPACE! In the future, humans are expected to venture further and into increasingly hazardous places in search for resources. Like asteroids, for example. It’s the future, we’re mining those things. But there’s issues with oxygen and heat and dying in the dark void of space. Hence I-Machines, robots designed to operate in extreme environments. Mining Gundams, more or less, and their use has become commonplace; so commonplace, in fact, that students go out of their way to train in their use. Ordinary high school student Mikuri Maya (Tsuda Minami) was doing just that, until she got tangled up in a (SPACE!) pirate incident. She ends being taken in by an excavation company spaceship, and further involved with the I-Machines. Heads up: ID-0 is 3D CGI. That said, studio SANZIGEN has made a name making computer-generated anime (Aoki Hagane no Arpeggio, Bubuki Buranki), and if they’re not going to do it well, nobody can. Still, even if you’re fine with the 3D, what is ID-0 actually going to be about, as a show? Since it’s original, it’s hard to pin down, and the PV and its theme song give the impression that it’s just going to be a lighthearted, cute-girls-doing-cute-things anime, the cute things being something to do with robots IN SPACE. That can’t all there is to it, though, right? They’ve got Taniguchi Goro (CODE GEASS) in the director’s chair, and the much accomplished Kuroda Yousuke (Boku no Hero Academia, Honey and Clover) on series composition, so maybe there’s more to ID-0 than meets the eye? It does happen, sometimes, that an original anime plays coy with what it’s actually about (I’m looking at you, Classroom Crisis), and that’s usually a sign that it knows what it’s doing. I have no idea about ID-0, though. It’s tempting to check this one out just to look for a bluff.
|
|||||||||||||||
Sorry boys and girls, this isn’t the Re:Zero sequel you’re looking for. Zero kara Hajimeru Mahou no Sho is the latest light novel adaptation taking advantage of anime’s fantasy craze. In Zero kara’s world magic is a widespread, but cultish practice, leading to terrible circumstances for a kindhearted half-human, half-beast mercenary (Koyama Tsuyoshi) only wishing to become fully human once again. Shunned by society as a “fallen beast” and detesting magic users for ignoring his plight, our mercenary eventually stumbles across the haughty, rambunctious witch Zero (Hanamori Yumiri), who possesses the capability to aid our suffering warrior, but for a price: he must aid her in her search for the Book of Zero, a magical tome capable of destroying the world. Teaming up the witch for the chance of salvation, the nameless mercenary ventures forth with Zero to find this mysterious book, both guided only by the magician name “Number Thirteen.” As this unlikely duo quickly discovers, however, they are not the only ones after the Book of Zero and its destructive potential. Another year, another season, another anime with zero in its name. Japan sure loves its numbers and fantasy, and Zero kara certainly offers up both in spades. On the surface there’s nothing particularly remarkable here, we have the usual high fantasy magic coupled with some world ending magic and the variety of extras (witches, beastmen, magical books) powering the setting. Zero is your typical lascivious anime female lead, while the mercenary with no name looks and acts like an alternate version of Guin from Guin Saga. To Zero kara’s credit, however, its central plot of search and redemption does deviate from the usual “save the world” theme and hearkens back to when Hitsugi no Chaika was all the rage. While Zero kara will probably play second fiddle to the more anticipated Shingeki no Bahamut, with White Fox of Re:Zero fame animating good things can be expected, even if this show is Hirakawa Testuo’s first serious stint as director. Considering the cast, crew, and plot, anyone with an interest in fantasy should consider seeing what Zero kara has in store. Given how most recent fantasy shows never venture far from the script, it’s possible that something good can emerge from these admittedly humble origins.
|
|||||||||||||||
At first glance you could say that Fumumenkei Noise is your typical love triangle story, and you wouldn’t be wrong. But if you dive past the surface, there’s a lot of substance behind this love triangle. When Fumumenkei Noise opens, we’re introduced to our main characters Arisugawa Nino (Hayami Saori) and Sakaki Momo (Uchiyama Kouki), neighbors who are good friends with each other and sing with each other through their bedroom windows. Growing up, they get closer and closer until one day Momo and his family suddenly disappear. Unbeknownst to Nino, Momo and his family moved away due to family problems. Heartbroken and ridden with grief, she wears a facemask that covers her mouth to mentally help her stop from screaming. This goes on until one day when she meets another boy named Yuzu (Yamashita Daiki) and regains some semblance of peace in her life. Finding common ground in music with Yuzu composing songs and Nino bringing them to life with her singing, the two quickly become friends and Yuzu gives Nino the nickname Alice. Things don’t stay happy for long though when Yuzu also suddenly disappears but leaves a note for Alice. Feeling depressed but positive, Nino vows to keep singing as loudly as she can in hopes that Momo or Yuzu will hear her voice and reunite with her one day. Overall, I have pretty good expectations for Fumumenkei Noise. Its premise on paper didn’t grab me at first, but in practice it really got my attention to the point where I had to forcibly stop myself from reading too much. Now, let me preface that with a warning that this may not be the show for those of you who can’t stand romances that develop slowly. The common tropes are alive and well, and there are moments where you wish you could leap into your screen and shake the characters. However, if you’re okay with all of that and are looking for a romance-based show that also throws in some music to help accentuate everything, this may be the anime for you!
|
|||||||||||||||
Sometimes have to do things you don’t like. In SukaSuka’s case, that means working together with a small group of extremely powerful girls called Leprechauns who wield ancient weapons needed to defeat creatures so powerful they literally obliterated the human race within a year of their first appearance. Backtracking a little, five hundred or so years before the start of SukaSuka there existed a world just like ours ,except with a little more magic and diversity (elfs, orcs, etc) sprinkled in. That is, until one day when mysterious creatures simply known as Beasts appeared and started to literally devour everything in their path. With countries and even oceans disappearing right before everyone’s eyes, the people of earth rallied together to fend off impending doom. Unfortunately things didn’t pan out so well, and everyone living on the surface was driven to the skies in order to preserve their species from being obliterated—all of whom made it, except for the humans, who eventually became extinct. That is, until one day when it all came full circle with our protagonist, Willem (Arai Ryouhei). He’s the last living human, who was awoken from an icy slumber and now works alongside the human weapons that protect the skies from the beasts down below. Whew, was that an introduction or what? I can see the adaptation for SukaSuka being either wildly successful or a big disappointment. The material itself is rich with detail that moves somewhat slowly, giving us plenty of details to help build the world. But they say that the devil is in the details and I feel like this is exactly where the adaptation could stumble. With a big draw being the “fatherly” interactions that Willem has with the girls he ends up meeting because of certain circumstances, I can see everything turning sour if the adaptation messes that up. That said, even with my skepticism and caution, I think things will go well so long as the adaptation can bring the world of SukaSuka to life. So if the fantasy genre is your thing and you’re okay with a little bit of moe (this is speculation based on the promo material), keep this one on your list!
|
|||||||||||||||
In a season where the uncertainty principle reigns supreme for the bulk of the schedule, there’s reassuring predictability in the sequels. And they don’t get much more reassuringly predictable than Natsume Yuujinchou. The sequels always come (sometimes they take longer than others), they always produce, and they always sell pretty well. I don’t necessarily watch this series because I want to be surprised, but I’m rarely so happy to get exactly what I expect. And perhaps most importantly, I’m almost never disappointed. There have been a few changes at the margins of the franchise – Shuka has poached the series from Brain’s Base, and Omori Takahiro has ceded day to day control of the franchise to Kotomi Deai (though the “Roku” staff has not been officially confirmed). And there’s no denying that the art and animation has slipped a bit with the change. But the content remains remarkably consistent, and even as the manga continues apace there’s a sense we could be somewhere in the final act of the story soon. My fond hope for S6 is that we at last get another Kogitsune episode – he was in the OP for S5 and even got his own high-priced figurine, so the producers are cruelly stringing us along. Between the new season and the two new special episodes, we have 14 shots at it…
|
|||||||||||||||
One of the smartest romantic comedies of 2015 makes its return this season. Yes, it’s Saenai Heroine no Sodatekata, now one semitone lower. When we were last here we were following the story of Aki Tomoya (Matsuoka Yoshitsugu), high school student and dedicated otaku, who had little interest in anything outside of his hobbies and raising money to fund them, until one day he had a chance encounter with a mysterious girl. So enraptured was he that he was inspired to create a dating sim game immortalising that girl as its heroine. It turned out, though, that the mystery girl was actually from Tomoya’s school, in his class, and Tomoya just never noticed her before. The truth of Kato Megumi (Yasuno Kiyono) is that she does not stand out in any way and is not ‘heroine’ material in the slightest. But Tomoya wasn’t going to let something minor like reality crush his fantasy; he’ll mold reality to fit his fantasy instead. He’ll change Megumi into the perfect heroine of his dreams—even if it’s perhaps not her who actually needs fixing. I freely admit that I have a soft spot for clever shows, and How to Raise a Boring Girlfriend is consistently, even self-indulgently clever. Not just in its meta-fictional nature (being an anime about making a game about itself), but also in its wit (starting with the pun in this sequel’s title), owing largely to Maruto Fumiaki, the author of the original light novel, the series composer of the anime, and the writer of its script. Many light novel adaptations and fanservice harem comedies have a tendency to get trapped in the same derivative plots and cookie-cutter characters, and Saekano—a light harem novel comedy in its own right—knows that. That’s why it leans towards satire, always poking fun at the tried conventions of the genre. The cleverness of Saekano, though, is not in the deconstruction, but in the reconstruction—in not just ridiculing the genre, but redeeming it. It starts with the characterisation; if you want less characters in anime to just be a check-list of attributes, then you’ll be pleased that Saekano invests time in a cast that are, above all, actually people. The light novel has recently ended, so we may even get a semblance of resolution. With the same team returning to take on this second season, I’m sure Saenai Heroine no Sodatekata ♭ will continue to deliver all the good things it did the first time around, with the usual wink and grin.
|
|||||||||||||||
It’s time to bathe in sin with the anime portion of Hobby Japan’s multimedia project about sexy demon lords (not to be confused with the similarly named manga by Suzuki Nakaba). The story will follow Lucifer (Kitamura Eri), the prideful archangel who defies God and is cast down into Hell as a fallen angel. On her way to hell, Lucifer meets a high school girl on Earth named Totsuka Maria (Toda Megumi), who gives her a helping hand. Once in Hell, Lucifer meets Leviathan (Fujita Akane), who tells her about the Seven Deadly Sins, the seven Demon Queen rulers of Hell of which Leviathan is a member (representing envy). After the Seven Deadly Sins seal Lucifer’s power, she goes on a journey with Maria and Leviathan to defeat them. This series could do with a whole lot more information, because the information we currently have is contradictory. There are seven demon queens, each representing a sin, but Lucifer is one of them (representing pride), even though she just got there. And why is a high school girl traveling to Hell (presumably) to help a fallen angel? It also isn’t clear whether this will be an action series or what, though that seems implied. What I do know is that the character designs are clearly intended as a big draw, and if you like busty (save one) devil girls, this is your jam. I’ve also heard that there will be 14 characters songs, with each episode featuring one or more, so the seiyuu cast—which is formidable—is another selling point. I’d say your affinity for scantily-clad demon girls and your level of seiyuu nerdery are the biggest clues of whether you should watch this—score high on either, and give it a shot. Past that, I don’t know what to think. There’s not enough information around to tell you more.
|
|||||||||||||||
Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon?: Sword Oratoria is an adaptation of the light novel spin-off of the main DanMachi series. Which goes to show how popular the main series is. Still set in the city of Orario, commonly known as “Dungeon” for its huge underground labyrinths, and still full of adventurers supported by gods, the story this time focuses on an alternate viewpoint: that of Aiz Wallenstein (Oonishi Saori), AKA the Sword Princess, the strongest swordswoman in town. The tale begins with Aiz and her allies once again exploring the dungeon, braving crumbling dragon’s corpses and an irregularity that creeps every closer to the party—only for Aiz to meet a boy. “Um, are you OK?” In the Labyrinth City, the contrasting stories of the boy and the girl intersect. DanMachi is a series I initially underestimated. The original’s premise seemed odd—looking for love, in a deadly dungeon?—and everything else seemed paint-by-the-numbers. What I got was better than that. The worldbuilding seemed designed to make a video gamey world feel “real” without losing the lighthearted tone—no Hai to Gensou no Grimgar here—but hell, it worked. I ended up enjoying it far more than I expected, and regretted not blogging it. With the PoV switching from lovable oaf Bell Cranel (Matsuoka Yoshitsugu) to the far more competent Aiz Wallenstein, I’m psyched to see the high-level aspects of the dungeon. Plus, seeing how their worlds intersect from the other side should be cool. J.C. Staff is animating again, with the same series composer (Shirane Hideki) and a new director (Suzuki Youhei). This is still a magical-fantasy-action-harem anime—though, this time from one of the heroines point of views instead of the harem lead, which makes for a fun wrinkle. I don’t know how well it’ll stand apart from the main series, or if it even should, but for fans of DanMachi, it’s an easy sell. More Aiz-tan is always a good thing.
|
|||||||||||||||
Before modern anime as we know it, there was Tezuka Osamu, the great manga auteur who gave us medium defining works like Astro Boy (aka Tetsuwan Atom), and before Astro Boy, there was ATOM: THE BEGINNING, a prequel that fills in the events that lead to the boy robot capturing imaginations around the world. And leading to ATOM itself (we’re in full prequel fever over here) was the Great Catastrophe, an imaginatively named… catastrophe. That was great. It’s actually something of a hush topic, and information about both its cause and magnitude are strictly suppressed. But from its decimation of infrastructure and the population sprang a revolution in robotics research as civilisation rebuilt rapidly. Five years later, into this world steps Tenma Umatarou (Nakmura Yuuichi) and Ochanomizu Hiroshi (Terashima Takuma), two young researchers in a university robotics lab. They’re both currently without fame or accomplishment, but they do have a robot: the A106 (Inoue Yuuki). Its rough exterior belies an advanced AI that, for the first time in human history, can learn, grow and, ultimately, decide what it means to be a machine, and what it means to be a human. With the summary out of the way, some pedigree: while authorship of the the original ATOM: THE BEGINNING manga is credited to Kasahara Tetsuro, it’s also written by (or at least editorially controlled by) Tezuka Osamu’s son, with help from Yuuki Masami of Birdy the Mighty fame. Perhaps something of a Miyazaki Goro to the Miyazaki Hayao, the Christopher to the J.R.R., but at least we can rest assured that somebody is watching over the legacy of Astro Boy. From this line of tradition comes something of a more old-school science-fiction; while ATOM: THE BEGINNING is a prequel and thus its robots aren’t as sleek, it retains a strong foundation of idealism that a lot of sci-fi doesn’t care to indulge in today. That is, much like Astro Boy, the main appeal of ATOM as a prequel is to trial that worldview. This is embodied in the human leads, who not only entertain with their Holmes and Watson dynamic, but also come to robot design from two different angles. Tenma is more the engineer, aiming to transcend human limitations with the ultimate machine. Ochanomizu is more the philosopher, more concerned with creating a compassionate AI. How do these two visions eventually come together to create Astro Boy? Well, that’s the story of ATOM: THE BEGINNING.
|
|||||||||||||||
Air Date | Title | Series Synopsis |
---|---|---|
03/11 | Buppu na Mainichi | ぶっぷな毎日 http://www.ktv.jp/buppu/ AniDB, ANN Encyclopedia, MyAnimeList, syoboi, Wikipedia |
The story of a cat who lives with ten dogs. The story takes inspiration from real-life singer Makihara Noriyuki and his pets. |
03/25 | Yume Oukoku to Nemureru 100 Nin no Ouji-sama 夢王国と眠れる100人の王子様 http://short.yume-100.com AniDB, ANN Encyclopedia, MyAnimeList, syoboi, Wikipedia |
The first of two adaptations, this one a monthly short release about “The Dream Kingdom and the 100 Sleeping Princes”, starting in March and running until December. |
04/02 | Souryo to Majiwaru Shikiyoku no Yoru ni… 僧侶と交わる色欲の夜に… http://soryo.w-anime.com AniDB, ANN Encyclopedia, MyAnimeList, syoboi, Wikipedia |
A woman reunites with her first love at a class reunion, who has now inherited his family’s shrine. Their coming together leads to a drunken night… and romance ensues! Expect things to get hot here. |
04/04 | Cinderella Girls Gekijou | シンデレラガールズ劇場 http://cingeki-anime.com AniDB, ANN Encyclopedia, MyAnimeList, syoboi, Wikipedia |
Cinderella Girls returns in chibi forms. If you’ve been missing this group of idols, then this is your change to watch their cute super-deformed antics. |
04/05 | Love Kome: We Love Rice | ラブ米 -WE LOVE RICE- http://love-kome.com AniDB, ANN Encyclopedia, MyAnimeList, syoboi, Wikipedia |
Do you love rice? Well here we have anthropomorphized rice, in the form of five high school boys who aim to prove the deliciousness of the dish. |
04/05 | Makeruna!! Aku no Gundan! | まけるな!! あくのぐんだん! http://akunogundan.com AniDB, ANN Encyclopedia, MyAnimeList, syoboi, Wikipedia |
A group of aliens are heading to Earth to wreck destruction, but when their ship vanishes upon arrival they start taking part-time jobs to fund their mission. |
04/07 | Ani ni Tsukeru Kusuri wa Nai! | 兄に付ける薬はない! http://fanworks.co.jp/news/20170306/ AniDB, ANN Encyclopedia, MyAnimeList, syoboi, Wikipedia |
A digital manhua adaptation about sibling rivalry and love, about a sister who regularly abuses her brother as he constantly teases her. |
04/08 | Nobunaga no Shinobi: Ise Kanegasaki-hen 信長の忍び~伊勢・金ヶ崎篇~ http://nobunaga-no-shinobi.com/index.html AniDB, ANN Encyclopedia, MyAnimeList, syoboi, Wikipedia |
A continuation of the two-cour short about an adorable ninja girl who is deadly despite her appearance. Expect more comical and dangerous adventures, as per her master Nobunaga’s request. |
04/12 | Kenka Banchou Otome: Girl Beats Boys 喧嘩番長 乙女 -GIRL BEATS BOYS- http://kbo-anime.com AniDB, ANN Encyclopedia, MyAnimeList, syoboi, Wikipedia |
An adaptation of otome game of the same name, where a girl is visited one day by a twin brother she never knew she had. He asks that she go to school in his place, but he goes to an all boys school! |
04/12 | Room Mate http://oneroom-anime.com AniDB, ANN Encyclopedia, MyAnimeList, syoboi, Wikipedia |
Identical in premise to the One Room that aired last season. This time expect a first-person perspective of three attractive pretty boy roommates. |
April 2017 | Sekai no Yami Zukan | 世界の闇図鑑 http://www.tv-tokyo.co.jp/anime/yamizukan/ AniDB, ANN Encyclopedia, MyAnimeList, syoboi, Wikipedia |
This anime will be in an omnibus short format that’ll chronicle stories of the strange and bizarre in our world, including UFOs, cryptids, curses, and ancient civilizations. |
Release Date | Title | Notes |
---|---|---|
03/10 | Mahoutsukai no Yome: Hoshi Matsu Hito | 魔法使いの嫁 星待つひと http://magus-bride.jp/ |
Episode 2 of 3. |
03/17 | Ansatsu Kyoushitsu: 365-nichi no Jikan Movie | 劇場版 暗殺教室 365日の時間 http://www.ansatsu-anime.com/365days/ |
BD/DVD Release. |
03/17 | Days OVA http://days-project.jp/ |
Bundled w/ LE manga Vol. 21. Episode 1 of 2. |
03/22 | Natsume Yuujinchou Go Tokubetsu-Hen | 夏目友人帳 伍 特別編 http://www.natsume-anime.jp/ |
Bundled w/ BD/DVD Vol. 4. Episode 12. |
03/23 | Hozuki no Reitetsu OVA | 鬼灯の冷徹 OVA http://www.hozukino-reitetsu.com/ |
Bundled w/ LE manga Vol. 24. |
03/24 | Gabriel Dropout Yukemuri Ryojo-hen OVA | ガヴリールドロップアウト OVA http://gabdro.com/ |
Bundled w/ BD/DVD Vol. 1. |
03/24 | Kidou Senshi Gundam Thunderbolt Second Season 機動戦士ガンダム サンダーボルト 2 http://gundam-tb.net/ |
Episode 1 of 4. |
03/29 | Amanchu! OVA | あまんちゅ! OVA http://amanchu-anime.com/ |
Bundled w/ BD Vol. 7. |
03/29 | Kubikiri Cycle: Aoiro Savant to Zaregoto Tsukai クビキリサイクル 青色サヴァンと戯言遣い http://zaregoto-series.com/ |
Episode 5 of 8. |
03/29 | Strike the Blood II | ストライク・ザ・ブラッドⅡ http://www.strike-the-blood.com/ |
Episode 5 and 6 (of 8). |
03/31 | Haifuri OVA | ハイスクール・フリート OVA http://www.hai-furi.com/ |
Episode 1 of 2. |
04/04 | Ao no Exorcist OVA | 青の祓魔師 OVA http://www.ao-ex.com/ |
Bundled w/ manga Vol. 19. |
04/07 | Ajin OVA | 亜人 OVA http://gentei.kodansha.co.jp/ajin/ |
Bundled w/ BD/DVD Vol. 10. Episode 3 of 3. |
04/13 | Monster Musume no Iru Nichijou OVA | モンスター娘のいる日常 OVA https://monmusu.tv/ |
Bundled w/ LE manga Vol. 12. Episode 2 of 2. |
04/26 | Kubikiri Cycle: Aoiro Savant to Zaregoto Tsukai クビキリサイクル 青色サヴァンと戯言遣い http://zaregoto-series.com/ |
Episode 6 of 8. |
04/26 | Strike the Blood II | ストライク・ザ・ブラッドⅡ http://www.strike-the-blood.com/ |
Episode 7 and 8 (of 8). |
04/26 | Natsume Yuujinchou Go Tokubetsu-Hen | 夏目友人帳 伍 特別編 http://www.natsume-anime.jp/ |
Bundled w/ BD/DVD Vol. 4. Episode 13. |
04/28 | Gekijouban Trinity Seven: Yuukyuu Toshokan to Rekinjutsu Shoujo 劇場版 トリニティセブン -悠久図書館〈エターニティライブラリー〉 と錬金術少女〈アルケミックガール〉 http://movie.trinity-7.com/ |
BD/DVD Release. |
05/17 | Days OVA http://days-project.jp/ |
Bundled w/ LE manga Vol. 22. Episode 2 of 2. |
05/17 | Koe no Katachi | 聲の形 http://koenokatachi-movie.com/ |
BD/DVD Release. |
05/19 | Terra Formars OVA | テラフォーマーズ OVA http://terraformars.tv/bugs2/ |
Bundled w/ LE manga Vol. 21. |
05/24 | Haifuri OVA | ハイスクール・フリート OVA http://www.hai-furi.com/ |
Episode 2 of 2. |
Spring 2017 | Himouto! Umaru-chan OVA | 干物妹!うまるちゃん OVA http://umaru-ani.me/index.html |
Bundled w/ LE manga Vol. 10. |
I bet no one really reads this outro, but I’d like to point out some things anyway since this season has a lot of great material in it. First of all, despite all the angry cries every season about the vast amount of sequels, there’s only about a dozen (out of the 37 featured shows we previewed), of which about half of them are highly anticipated. That’s a huge win for spring as it proves that we’re getting a good variety of new adaptations, original series, and the sequels that we are getting are well-received. That says a lot, especially when we’ve waited as long as four years for some of the series to be animated again. And if you’re specifically interested in seeing something different and original, there are plenty of new options for you as well. If you haven’t found something, I suggest you go back to the top of the list and scroll through again! Don’t judge an anime by its key visual art and remember that we’re always free to give recommendations as well.
As for the rundown, we arrived at these levels by convening our regular (and reliably shady) “anticipation council,” which still consists of Passerby, Zephyr, and Stilts. While we’ve gone to great lengths to be as objective as possible, perfect objectivity isn’t a real thing and even the most well-considered predictions can prove themselves wrong in a hurry. Take these with a grain of salt. Every full feature anime on our preview gets one of five anticipation levels (from high to low), and hopefully this will save you some time scrolling if you only want to get to the good stuff.
Note: Lists are sorted in alphabetical order.
The Rundown:
High expectation shows give us reason to believe they have the makings of a very good series that should appeal to the widest audience in their given genres. If you consider yourself a “casual” fan who only gets your toes wet every season by watching the “best” shows (i.e. popular ones that generate the most buzz), then these are the ones we feel you should keep an eye out for. We’re also expecting good things from these shows, so if they fall short, disappointment is understandable.
- High Expectations: Boku no Hero Academia 2nd Season, Shingeki no Kyojin Season 2, Uchouten Kazoku 2
Moderately High expectation shows are ones that came close to joining the High expectation crowd, but missed out due to one or two elements that gave us concern. The series underpinnings are generally strong, but there is just something that keeps us from putting all our hopes and dreams on these shows. They still have most of the makings of very strong series, so if you watch only the “best” shows but want more than what the High category provides, keep an eye out for these as well.
- Moderately High Expectations: Alice to Zouroku, Atom: The Beginning, Clockwork Planet, Dungeon ni Deai wo Motomeru no wa Machigatteiru Darou ka? Gaiden: Sword Oratoria, Natsume Yuujinchou Roku, Re:Creators, Saenai Heroine no Sodatekata ♭, Sagrada Reset, Sakura Quest, Seikai Suru Kado, Shingeki no Bahamut: Virgin Soul
Moderate expectation shows, also known as “True Moderate”, don’t provide any immediate indication that they’ll be amazing in retrospect. This is often the case with shows that fall into one of anime’s overused plot devices, which most people, particularly self-proclaimed critics, will perceive as mediocre at best. However, in many of our experiences these shows still provide a great deal of entertainment and may turn out a lot better than they appear. They’re good for “regular” fans who are aware of all these tropes and don’t mind seeing them used in different settings. Personal tastes come heavily into play, so your mileage will vary.
- Moderate Expectations: BORUTO -NARUTO NEXT GENERATIONS-, Eromanga Sensei, Fukumenkei Noise, Gin no Guardian, Granblue Fantasy The Animation, Hinako Note, ID-0, Kabukibu!, Kyoukai no RINNE 3, Oushitsu Kyoushi Haine, Renai Boukun, Roku de Nashi Majustu Koushi to Akashic Records, Shuumatsu Nani Shitemasu ka? Isogashii desuka? Sukutte Moratte Ii desuka?, Tsugumomo, Tsuki ga Kirei, Warau Salesman NEW, Zero kara Hajimeru Mahou no Sho
Moderately Low expectation shows don’t seem to be aspiring to much, but it’s hard to call them bad exactly. They might focus on senseless humor or fanservice, but there’s often at least one element that elevates them above other members of their genre. Once again, personal taste comes heavily into play with these shows, because if they’re part of one of your favored genres then chances are you’ll enjoy them no matter what. Just don’t expect them to break the bank with originality.
- Moderately Low Expectations: Berserk, Busou Shoujo Machiavellism, Frame Arm Girls, sin Nanatsu no Taizai, Starmyu Season 2, Twin Angel BREAK
Low expectation shows don’t seem to be striving for much and choose to focus on more frivolous aspects such as senseless humor and fanservice. That doesn’t mean they’re the bottom of the barrel and shouldn’t get any consideration, but simply that you need to keep in mind what kind of show it is. Generally only “avid” fans will be interested in seeing what these have to offer, because they’re already watching all the better shows.
- Low Expectations: N/A
Niche shows break away from the norm by being slower-paced, extremely dark/grotesque, or even controversial. In most cases these shows are oriented towards older audiences or those who feel that anime has become far too repetitive and want something different. Shows of this category tend to be highly under-appreciated, but can turn out to be hidden gems for that very reason. Includes some works oriented toward younger audiences.
- Niche: N/A
Established shows are generally long-running manga/anime series, geared towards younger viewers who are already fans of them. A commonality is that they all air early morning on weekends or well before midnight on weekdays so that “normal” people can watch them. They aren’t very dependent on expectations, but a love for never-ending shows and a willingness to get into all the material that’s out if they’re completely new to you. Shounen series fall into this category, hence why we treat them differently.
- Established: N/A
Yay Team RC!
I’m almost at 7 fuuuu
what is with the older RC Origin fans? 🙂
Takaii is the true OG =D
Sneaks in and out in the background*
If you want an OG, have Omni or Divine come in and say hi.
…Today’s actually the first time I’ve visited this place since Omni left.
Huh.
I remember the days when Omni and Divine ran the show exclusively, ah the good ol OOH G days.
Damn this season is crazy. Usually I’m only interested in 3 or 4 shows but I already found like 15 I wanna try out.
Now you know my pain. I went through the list, checked off everything interesting, and then realized it’s over half the season lol.
Who needs free time anyways 😛
Here’s my list
-Seikaisuru Kado
-Rokudenashi
-Renai Bokun
-sin Nanatsu no Taizai
-Granblue Fantasy
-Danmachi Sword Oratoria
-Busou Shoujo Machiavellianism
-Hero Academia S2
-Alice to Zouroku
-Tomica Hyper Rescue
-Clockwork Planet
-Atom the Beggining
-Frame Arms Girl
-Shuumatsu
-Twin Angel Break
-Sagrada Reset
-ID-0
-Zero Kara
-Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS
-Re:Creators
-Shingeki no Bahamut Virgin Soul
Will continue:
-LWA
-Heybot
finnaly one person here know yu gi oh VRAINS existed.
I always like the season previews here as compared to other sites like LIA that only preview the elite shows they plan on watching. Gives a neutral preview of each show and lets US decide whats worth watching.
Hmm… From the looks of it, only 2 shows for me this time around… SaeKano & SnK…
I’ll see if I’m interested in watching the rest once everybody’s done being the beta-testers but like I’ve said just now, there’re only 2 that I’m lookin’ forward to.
Plus, I’ve got a bunch of animes from the past that I need to finish up, and to add to that my own creative works that need due attention as well, and yeah there ya’ have it. Seasonal Japanese animes of the now, YOU, and I, we’re breaking up with me taking all your money. Cha-CHEENG!
Can’t stand around looking at stuff that come off as unappetizing when I can make my own ‘stuff’ even more appetizing than the rest of the entrees. HAH!
Alright, 0400 hours… Kizumono 3 film in a few hours as well with buds, gotta get some shut eye…
Remember folks, why settle for the suck when one can make greats? Am I right or AM I right?
GEHHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHHAHAH!!!!!!!
Git gud Nippon, git gud
2. Only two. No anime season has ever looked as bad as this one.
Alice to Zouroku
Sagrada Reset
Sakura Quest
Tsuki ga Kirei
Fukumenkei Noise
Saenai Heroine no Sodatekata ♭
Eromanga Sensei
They all look interesting enough to check out the rest stays the same as every season.
Hero Academia, Titan, Saekano, Clockwork Planet, Sword Oratoria… just to start anyway. I’ve been needing a season like this for a while. Though that promo poster for Hero Academia is confusing since I don’t recognize the large background character from the manga? I really hope they aren’t going to have filler villains.
Sequels (For better or for worse)
Shingeki no Kyoujin
Saekano
Starmyu
Kyoukai no Rinne
Very interested
Hinako Note
Sakura Quest
Somewhat Interested
Eromanga Sensei
Alice to Zouroku
Sagrada Reset
Tsuki ga Kirei
Might give it an episode
Roku de Nashi
Frame Arms Girl
Not too excited for this season. It’s been a few years since the number of shows I initially wanted to check out was this low
I’m looking forward to this season’s line up.
It really surprised me that Shingeki no Kyojin 2 is coming just, what, 1 season after Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress? Two seasons?
A full year. Kabaneri started on spring of last year
Uchouten Kazoku 2
That is all.
So far I only interested in 3 anime :
Shingeki no Kyojin Season 2 : 4 YEARS?! But finally the hype continues!
Sakura Quest : A working slice-of-life focused on tourism. If you like Shirobako then this show is for you.
Re:Zero Kara Hajimeru Mahou no Sho : Interesting fantasy premise.Will check out later :
Clockwork Planet
Ah the RC Preview…always messed up my plan to watch list every season xD Too bad I haven’t watch the first Uchouten Kazoku, it looks and sounds awesome.
Definitely watching:
Alice to Zouroku (adventure genre with an old man and a loli? I’m in)
Clockwork Planet
Shuumatsu Nani Shitemasu ka? Isogashii desuka? Sukutte Moratte Ii desuka?
Definitely checking first few eps:
Hinako Note (Another character that eat books after Amano Tohko of Bungaku Shoujo? I’m in for this character alone)
Saenai Heroine no Sodatekata ♭
Probably will watch:
Dungeon ni Deai wo Motomeru no wa Machigatteiru Darou ka? Gaiden: Sword Oratoria
Natsume Yuujinchou Roku
Re:Creators
Sagrada Reset
Sakura Quest
Tsuki ga Kirei
Zero kara Hajimeru Mahou no Sho
Oushitsu Kyoushi Haine
There is some speculation that the second PV for ID-0 (cute girls doing cute things) is misleading because of how little it matches up with the other promotional material.
I will watch Tsugumomo but I don’t expect it to live up to the manga.
any reason all of Enzo’s “to-watch” choices aren’t included whatsoever?
He didn’t fill out the list we use, so they weren’t included. No other reason.
Sorry – mea maxima culpa.
There are only a few that I will be definitely watching: Uchoten Kazoku 2, Sakura Quest and Natsume Yuujonchou Roku. I will check out Sagrada Reset, Tsuki ga Kirei, Clockwork Planet, and Atom: The Beginning.
And I am eagerly awaiting the release of Koe no Katachi (A Silent Voice).
Awww come on… Berserk on “Expectation Level: Moderately Low”??
Not for lack of strength in the source. It’s all from the adaptation.
I may be in the minority but I loved this last season of Berserk. I looked forward to it each week.
@ornehx: Pretty much what Stilts’ said. Source – no problem, but the adaptation… ugh. Some were irritated that it skipped one arc (forget the name), but that didn’t bother me too much give SO MUCH material left and while not superfluous, that one arc didn’t add THAT much IMO. Opinions on that will vary. The visual quality though… awful CGI, characters didn’t look right/close enough to source (or first season adaptation(, the direction at times was wonky, even the “clang” sound some viewers found irritating. In short, there were a number of Berserk fans who posted just how much they HATED the 2016 adaptation.
So I can see why “moderately low” expectations were given though perhaps one could argue higher based upon source. Then again, frankly wouldn’t surprise me if some say “low expectations”. Some definite hate for 2016 adaptation out there.
@Karmafan: That’s cool, glad you enjoyed it. I was NOT happy with the visual presentation, but like the series/manga and didn’t hate the 2016 adaptation enough to stop watching.
Clockwork Planet….NieR: Automata and 2B? lol
Well I really wished when I share to Facebook this page wouldn’t show a blank image as share attachment…
Looks like I’ll be watching four shows this season if all goes well!
– Titan S2 (because I feel obliged to watch even after Eren’s mom got killed)
– Alice to Rozoku (if it’s not Usagi Drop extreme and the trailer’s playing the ending song I’m in)
– Tsuki ga Kirei (I like the final year vibe here)
– Eromanga Sensei (totally in already because of theme songs and Oreimo author)
I didn’t know FB didn’t attach an image? I know when you share on Twitter, it shares fine. Let me take a look at the plug-in and see what we’re doing wrong =( Thanks for bringing it up!
My formula of a great spring anime season:
1 part of a Western-influenced hit that made a non-quirk a hero
1 part full of Titan-slashing units
2 tablespoons of fantasy and an experimental type of comedy
A block of some new ‘Hokage moves’
A scoop of a robot boy’s hopeful prequel
It’s good to me. (Can you guess which is which?)
_P.S. I’m continuing YowaPeda S3._
Regarding Fukumenkei Noise, I prefer shoujo series where the romance takes time to develop. The semi-recent trend, where two people who are pretty much strangers get together in the first chapter, has been quite an annoyance.
Second seasons aside, my personal high expectations would be:
Sagrada Reset – David Production have produced gems with their work on the JoJo franchise and Planetarian, though I wasn’t too sold on the Monster Hunter series they adapted. Not that I am familiar with the source material of Sakurada Reset, but I’ve heard fairly good things about it from people I know who do. Perhaps the comparisons with Charlotte are not be warranted considering that Charlotte was written on the fly by Jun Maeda after suffering budget cuts, in addition to being deprived of a much needed second cour, whereas Sakurada Reset has an established source material.
Sakura Quest – P.A Works are truly excellent, but I just realised something. They will be splitting time and resources between Sakura Quest, and Uchouten Kazoku S2. This high expectation is more or less provisional, given my optimism in the post-Shirobako era as described in the preview for PA Works to pull off unconventional stories about obscure professions, also including Hanasaku Iroha’s hot springs now that I think about it. Let’s hope they haven’t bitten off more than they can chew.
Tsuki ga Kirei – Quite the gamble considering Studio Feel’s inconsistent track record, producing quality shows like Oregairu S2, as well as the huge disappointment of ‘In Search of the Lost Future’. The premise of Tsuki ga Kirei sounds fairly generic, but because quality of characterisation and human interactions are what I value the most, I’m relatively excited based on the potential for either of these to go really well.
Definitely, will watch:
Attack on Titan
My Hero Academia
Uchouten Kazoku
Interested In:
Sakura Quest
Sagrada Reset
Atom: The Beginning
Alice to Zouroku
Kabukibu!
Clockwork Planet
Re:CREATORS
In general, there’s a decent number of shows I’ve got on my “Trial/3 Episode Rule” list in no small part because I like fantasy genre and there are a number of those this season. That being said, this isn’t a particularly strong season for me either in terms of highly anticipated shows.
Not airing this season, but anyone know what’s up with Fate/Grand Order? We got one OVA last season, but is that it?
A few shows/comments:
– Granblue Fantasy: All I know from reading comments here and elsewhere that it’s based on a high fantasy RPG phone game and apparently spawned a ton of hentai doujinshi. High fantasy show (a genre I like) so I’ll give it a shot.
– Re: Creators: Agree with preview that this looks to be a high risk/high reward type show though I’m a bit optimistic. Seen some good buzz on this elsewhere and the concept is interesting. One of the more anticipated shows for me this season.
– Berserk: Yeah, I know. I like the manga and while definitely not good, I didn’t hate last season as much as some so ended up watching to the end. That being said, would LOVE massive improvement/ditch the godawful CGI among other things. From the review, that doesn’t seem likely. :< Other than that, disagree some with Pancakes about the first adaptation long ago. Maybe not ideal, but I thought it was pretty good and don't recall much, if any, criticism for the first/original adaptation. It stayed pretty true to the source IIRC, and maybe not the best visual quality, but eh, good enough. I'm sure Berserk fans would have loved to have the same level of adaptation quality for Berserk 2016 vs. what we got. I would.
– Dungeon ni Deai… Gaiden: Sword Oratoria: Yeesh. These super long titles. Liked DanMachi and liked Aiz Wallenstein in particular (her group was fun as well) so easy choice for me. Question I have is timeline. Is this before DanMachi takes place?
– Alice to Zouroku: Honestly, first thing I thought when I read "experimentation on super power girls in some (assuredly evil) lab when one escapes…" is Elfen Lied. Looking more closely, probably nowhere near as dark and bloody… I think. My guess is more lighter fare revolving around FL learning not all people are bad and how to fit in society while stodgy old gramps learns to lighten up a bit.
– Clockwork Planet: Not the biggest sci-fi fan, but enjoy some of it. Anyone else get a Dears/Chobits vibe just from the premise?
– Tsugumomo: Read some positive comments here & elsewhere. Comedy, supernatural/fantasy, etc. so fits some genres I like and not against an ecchi show = try it out.
– Shingeki no Kyojin Second Season: Not the biggest SnK fan, but a strong visual action romp (when no dips in visual quality). If I approach it as "popcorn"/summer blockbuster type fare should be a good ride.
– Shingeki no Bahamut: Virgin Soul: I'll be honest. I do not have the high opinion that some have for the first season. Early on? It was good. Not great, but good. In fact, by Ep. 02 or 03 I actually recommended it. However, Around Ep. 06 or so, IMO the first season started to go downhill. I'll leave it at that. This is very borderline whether I'll even try it, but on the list right now because I did like the first season early on.
My understanding is that Sword Oratoria takes place in parallel with the main DanMachi timeline. It just uses the alternate (Aiz) PoV. So, like the Railgun Sister’s Arc compared to the same Index arc.
@Stilts: Thanks for the info. That’ll work & looking forward to the show.
My Hero Academia S2
Shingeki no Bahamut: Virgin Soul
Uchouten Kazoku S2
Natsume S6
Four potential AOTY in one season. That doesn’t happen too often.
Japanese fans most looking forward to:
1)Titan S2
2)Eromanga-sensei (likely because of Oreimo’s author making it)
3)Saenai Heroine S2
4) Natsume S6
5)Hero Academia S2
6)Sword Oratoria
7)Boruto
“Remember that Centurions cartoon? No? Wow, I’m old.”
I remember. (“Man and Machine! Power Xtreme!” Also…déjà vu, I feel like you mentioned it before…) And I also remember another similar sci-fi cartoon from the same era called Sky Commanders.
*ahem* Anyway…
Will definitely watch:
– Shingeki no Kyojin season 2 – No more needs to be said, save for this: “Will season 2’s opening song top the catchiness of ‘Guren no Yumiya‘?”
– Granblue Fantasy – Saw the first two preview episodes back in the Winter 2017 season, and I liked the rather “old-school” visual aesthetic to this series. Also… “Holy s**t, the amount of fanart for this budding franchise is just as large as Kantai Collection!”
– Saenai Heroine no Sodatekata Flat – Pretty much an “obligation watch” at this point, though I’m not holding my breath on the anime’s season ending being faithful to the LN ending. (I’ll be glad to be proven wrong on that, though…)
Picked up thanks to the preview, subject to “three-episode rule”:
– Roku de Nashi Majutsu Koushi to Akashic Records – I’ve been meaning to watch Rakudai Kishi no Cavalry, Gakusen Toshi Asterisk, Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance, and Trinity Seven–shows that (at first glance) seem to have a similar premise as this show. And to be honest, I’d love to know what would be the best gateway anime among those shows for this particular genre.
But since I haven’t seen those shows yet (OK, maybe a short bit of Trinity Seven), I’m not as weighed down by expectations about this relatively new (anime-wise) series. Perhaps I can get around to watching all those aforementioned series after this…
– Frame Arms Girl – Sure, why not?
– Shuumatsu Nani Shitemasuka? Isogashii Desuka? Sukutte Moratte Ii Desuka? – The character design reminds me of Hoshino Yumemi from the planetarian visual novel. Also, the shorthand for the series (SukaSuka) might induce a chuckle from Russian (or Russian-speaking) anime fans.
OVAs, movies, and other shorts:
– Kidou Senshi Gundam Thunderbolt season 2 – Still haven’t seen the December Sky movie, but it’s good to see this back.
– Hai-Furi OVAs – If only to see if Wilhelmina will pay a visit.
– Monster Musume no Iru Nichijou OVA 2 – I’d love a hook for a second season, though.
– And while I don’t know if it will be out this month or the next (on home video/net streaming) and is not included on the list, Uchuu Senkan Yamato 2202: Ai no Senshi-tachi. (Probably justified as it’s still showing in theaters…)
Wanted to pick up, but…:
– Eromanga Sensei – I was initially interested in the premise and it also helps that the brother and sister are not blood siblings (trope)… HOWEVER, it’s from the same author as OreImo, and considering the backlash the aforementioned series got from fans regarding its ending, let’s just say I’d rather avoid getting burned a second time. But hey, if you guys want to watch, go for it.
Man, and I thought I’d only pick a handful of shows (and I now regret not picking up Kobayashi-san Chi no Maid Dragon). Only time will tell which shows will turn out to be hidden gems and which shows will be flops…
Come, let us sit around and be old together.
Added some episode counts and the poll on the side =)
Am I the only one who thought SnK second half was disappointing compared to the first half ?
I actually only watched the show for the animation and at least an explanation of why there are Titans to begin with. I actually didn’t care for any of the characters except for Levi and the Potato Girl lol
Considering that many are attracted to the grim atmosphere of the show, the second half of season 1 certainly felt less grim which made everything felt a little stale emotionally over time, but we’ll just have to wait and see…
2 things I liked about the show : the fact that characters got killed easily which is not something you see everyday on other shows , the other thing was ” Normal humans versus titans ” which was refreshing since every other show had some form of supernatural power seeded inside the protagonist
both of those elements got kicked off the show in the later half of the show
Translation in progress:
1) “characters got killed easily which is not something you see everyday on other shows”
Outcome: Equal opportunity death. Plot armor unused. #Realism
2) “Normal humans versus titans”
Outcome: Magic unused. Supernaturalism illogical. #Realism
Verdict:
#Realism #inb42ndHalf #RealismFTW
Response:
Verdict concurred.
Thanks for the Preview as always.
Looking forward to:
Roku de Nashi Majutsu Koushi to Akashic Records
Dungeon ni Deai o Motomeru no wa Machigatte Iru Darouka Gaiden: Sword Oratoria
Saenai Heroine no Sodatekata ♭
Re:CREATORS
Zero kara Hajimeru Mahou no Sho
Tsugumomo
Gin no Guardian
This season I watched (from start till end) : Seiren,Fuuka,Masamune-kun,Kuzu no Honkai,elDLIVE
Next season First plan : AOT2,Granblue,Renai Boukun,saenai2,7sin,DanMachi2
Fall 2016 I watched nothing.In 2016 I believe I watched less than 10 anime.For this year first season I watched 5 anime.So I hope I watch more than 15 titles in this year.
Thanks for the preview! This season is packed. Will I even have time for everything…
Another promising season, with some great sequels (Boku no Hero Academia, Saekano, Uchouten Kazoku, Bahamut, Titans obviously too) and many other interesting ones. Love reading previews here, as season by season I find anime I might not decide on if not these seasonal posts, so it will be busy April to check some of them.
Definetly watching/Sequels (so excited these 3!)
Boku no Hero Academia
Shingeki no Kyoujin
Uchouten Kazoku
Somewhat Interested
Sakura Quest
Clockwork Planet
Sekai Suru Kado
Eromanga Sensei
Shuumatsu Nani Shitemasuka? Isogashii Desuka? Sukutte Moratte Ii Desuka?
Might give it an episode
Alice to Zouroku
Renai Boukun
Re:Creators
Zero kara Hajimeru Mahou no Sho
While the total count of series I wrote down is higher than I expected, I am not very confident I’ll watch many of them. Looks like the three sequals I’m watching will carry this season.
I haven’t really thought about this anime season, I have no idea what to watch. But I love fantasy, slice of life, romance etc sooo.
Now to find a handful of shows that aren’t terrible to watch..
lol what’s with this season with this attractive long list!! I guess I won’t be sleeping much and get drowsy at work.
That’s what I thought too… lots of late nights for me 😛
Jeez this is looking like a crazy good season! I’m most pumped for S2 of Boku no Hero Academia and Shingeki no Bahamut; hopefully they’ll live up to or surpass their first seasons! Is it just me or is the harem genre back in force? I was seeing a ton of magical high school harems on the list. Anyway, there’s so much that looks good I’ll probably wait until the end of the season to see if it’s good before watching, once more my backlog will get even more overlogged.
One of these may surprise me. Which one will it be? With Iron Blooded Orphans coming to a close, I might need something new.
I’m glad you guys are still giving props to Divine, dude was a ledge
He’s still around =) and I’m sure he’ll be glad to hear that people still remember him haha!
We still poke him from time to time for stuff/fun. XD
I (and like three other people on the planet) am so glad Kyoukai no Rinne is back.
It’s hard to sell people on this show, but for people who haven’t watched it:
Imagine someone gave Larry David (Seinfeld writer) a lifetime supply of LSD and told him to make an anime that took place in high school and had some vague supernatural BS happening. That’s this show. There’s only three decent people in the series: Rinne, his cat, and Sakura. Rinne–a half-human/shinigami–is hardworking, homeless, and constantly screwed over by everyone around him. (His dad steals from him and takes out loans in his name, and everyone somehow blames Rinne for his dad’s crimes.) Sakura is so disinterested in everything around her I feel like she might have Asperger’s. Everyone else is either unrepentantly mean or just superficial to the point of non-functionality. The plot’s nonsensical and side characters die all the time for incredibly stupid reasons. (Okay sometimes the dead people’s backstories are sad.)
The show seems like a cynical inversion of bad anime tropes. It’s not deep by any standard, but it’s consistently funny.
You’re not alone in liking Rinne. I’m glad it keeps getting more seasons.
Saenai season 2 and Attack on Titan season 2 are the only interesting shows.
And the Strike the Blood OVAs.
As always, thank you guys for all your hard work!
Definite Watch:
*Boku no Hero Season 2
*Sagrada Rest (Already was interested but HanaKana!)
*Sakura Quest
Interested/Will Check Out:
*Gran Blue Fantasy
*Alice to Zouroku
*Tsuki ga Kirei (The first token “this preview convinced me to try it anime”)
*Clockwork Planet
*Re:CREATORS (A reverse isekai story should be interesting)
*Eromanga Sensei (The second token “this preview convinced me to try it anime”)
*Fukumenkei Noise
Will Wait to See What Others Think:
*Kabukibu!
*Renai Boukun
*Seikai Suru Kado (May bite the bullet and watch if I can get over CGI)
*ID-0 (Again, if I hear good things and can get past the CGI)
And then of course there are the several sequels to things I would watch if I had watched the first season. If I can’t get into the summer class i want I may binge both Shingekis and Saekano so I can join in on season 2.
Thank you for this season preview, i was refreshing RC so often just for it. You did a good job with presenting all upcoming anime series 🙂 anyway, i was counting for more interesting new anime, i mostly wait for sequels and its rather unlikely that anything else will positively surprise me and will keep me waiting every week for new ep.
Thanks for your continued support =) I know, we’re often very late with the season previews but as long as people still find it useful, we’ll see keep at it ^^
@Cherrie: The RC season previews are definitely useful. Even if I check out some anime season chart, I always check out the RC season preview. After doing so, never fails that I make some adjustment to my initial watch list.
Thanks to you and everyone else for the hard work.
@daikama: I’m glad they still provide value despite all the other lists out there =) We try and give readers something more than just the typical synopsis and impressions.
Nah I can confirm what OP said. Even as an avid anime watcher (who watches 20+ shows/season) I can confirm that RC offers the most comprehensive season previews & End of the Year awards.
I usually do make an initial list with one of the anime charts – but i appreciate the objectivity and comprehensiveness that RC always provides & as such my seasonal lists are never finalised until after RC’s previews are released.
Samu and Zephyr are actually two of my favourite “critics” and I quote them quite often.
Keep up the great work RC.
– Jimmykudo3000
So sad that SukaSuka is only 12 episodes…at least confirmed. =( Was hoping it would get at least 2 cour, since there’s only 5 novels to cover, yet they are full of content.
Is KyotoAni making any animes this season or did I miss it?
Normally their time slot is on Wednesdays so no, nothing from them this season =(
Boku no Hero Academia 2nd Season
Shingeki no Kyojin Season 2
Granblue Fantasy The Animation
Alice to Zouroku
Boruto: Naruto Next Generations
Sagrada Reset
Sakura Quest
Tsuki ga Kirei
Clockwork Planet
Renai Boukun
Berserk
Shingeki no Bahamut: Virgin Soul
Re:Creators
Eromanga Sensei
Uchouten Kazoku 2
Zero kara Hajimeru Mahou no Sho
Fukumenkei Noise
Natsume Yuujin-Chou Roku
Saenai Heroine no Sodatekata ♭
sin Nanatsu no Taizai
>Lots of Sequels (not many I’m overly hyped for – lot of middling sequels)
>No KyoAni, Madhouse, Shaft, Production IG, or ufotable.
>Seems like a middling season, bereft of much promise, maybe something will surprise me
>Looking @ you Zero Kara..
Atom: The Beginning this season is being produced by Production I.G. and two other studios.
Omoshiroo~ooku naa~aai yo no nakaaa~
Omoshirokuuu~ sureba ii sa~
I never thought Uchouten Kazoku would get a sequel, this is great news! This spring is going to be wonderful!
Expectations for this season:
Boku no Hero Academia
Gin no Guardian???????????
Shingeki no Kyojin
GRANBLUE FANTASY??????????
Tsugumomo?????????????????
Roku de Nashi Majutsu Koushi to Akashic Records??????????
Sagrada Reset
Busou Shoujo Machiavellism
Tsuki ga Kirei
Clockwork Planet
Seikai Suru Kado??????????
Shingeki no Bahamut: Virgin Soul
Re:CREATORS
Zero kara Hajimeru Mahou no Sho
Shuumatsu Nani Shitemasuka? Isogashii Desuka? Sukutte Moratte Ii Desuka?
sin Nanatsu no Taizai?????
Dungeon ni Deai o Motomeru no wa Machigatte Iru Darouka Gaiden: Sword Oratoria
Finally Saekano returns! Finally SnK returns! Finally Dungeon ni Deai… oh wait… yay anyway!
“Clockwork Planet” and “Shuumatsu Nani Shitemasuka? Isogashii Desuka? Sukutte Moratte Ii Desuka?” – All aboard the hype train! Please be super awesome 🙂
Thanks as always, guys.
YU-GI-OH VRAINS
HOPEFULLY IT WILL DO WHAT ARC-V DIDN’T AND THAT’S NOT SUCK HALFWAY THROUGH
Can anyone enlighten me if the 2 episodes of Granblue Fantasy which were streamed in winter were the first 2 episodes of the main season or if they are related in a different way?
They should have been the first two episodes of the actual series yes, so assuming they continue as they should, this season will continue directly or just not include that part during this run.
Ok thanks.
Natsume, as the moon so beautiful, sakurada reset, granblue fantasy, my hero.
I’d like to highlight Roku de Nashi, because the underlying story is actually pretty serious stuff. Add to the mix a teacher who is a cross between GTO and Trinity Nine’s male lead, and several pretty good female lead characters, and the show has the potential for an excellent (not so) guilty pleasure.
Let’s see if one of the RC writers bites 🙂
Yes! Saekano is back, and Natsume is back.
All in all this season looks to be a more interesting one with more interesting shows here and there.
By the way Saekano novel hasn’t ended just yet. It’s just that Maruto announced the series is going to have two more volumes to finish it up, one with “Girl’s side” extra episodes and the other is the grand finale of the main story.
@GRANBLUE FANTASY The Animation
There are warm feelings while watching it, feeling like home, like warmth, like bonds, like jrpg (i admit oldschool)
Yes, i give this anime my attention of the 3 episodes check.. but right now, the feelings are alright
comparing with old jrpgs i know:
Show Spoiler ▼
Looking forward to Sword Oratoria, and hoping they don’t skimp over the parts already covered by the previous series. One of the interesting things about Oratoria is getting that second perspective on events you thought you already know all about. That and Best Goddess.
Other than that, I’ll be checking out Clockwork Planet and BNH2, and continuing with Little Witch Academia, which I imagine will still be the top AOTY candidate at the end of the season.
Why isn’t Quan Zhi Gao Shou on the list of shows?
It is a badass anime. Probably one of the best one this season ranking high up there with AoT 2 and Berserk. I can understand not covering it, but for it to not even be mentioned, you guys are missing out on a great anime.
and soon an new Season are being born… i am curios what we get