Fall 2016 Preview!

Preview by Stilts

The original created to celebrate CGI studio SANZIGEN’s 10th anniversary is returning for a second season. Giants of the Star returns to a world where living weapons known as Bubuki can be used to control titans called Buranki, and defend against the kind of Buranki that can’t be controlled and would otherwise destroy the world. Protagonist Kazuki Azuma (Kobayashi Yuusuke) is returning, as are his friends, though this time it looks like Azuma’s sister Kazuki Kaoruko (Kanemoto Hisako) is going to have a serious role, though it’s unclear whether she’ll be a protagonist, antagonist, rival, or all of the above. The story will take place after the events of the first season, and will grapple with the explosive events of the battle on Treasure Island and what they mean for the world.

I love this baka of a show. Imagine me saying that with fondness, because while I can’t say the first season of Bubuki Buranki was always the smartest or most coherent anime, it was a lot of fun. This is a series where the CGI animation actually enhances the end product, because while it retains some (though not all) of CGI’s traditional pitfalls, its hyper kinetic action, lively expressions, and above all else the ACTION (worth saying twice) make for a trade-off I’m willing to make (think Aoki Hagane no Arpeggio: Ars Nova). The plot is just short of too jargon heavy, at least for me, though your mileage may vary. Its biggest weakness was in how frantic the plotting is—things happen, they don’t always make sense, characters react without seeming to be changed by events (first season main antagonist Banryuu Reoko (Han Megumi) and her crew being the notable exceptions), and most of it doesn’t seem to sink in. This is a spectacle series, more an animator’s showcase than a character-driven drama. It may not be deep, but it is fun, and there are worse things than that.

Preview by Passerby

Europe, 1939. Or rather, a continent very much like Europe in a year that may described as being the 1939th on certain calendars. The imperialistic nation of Germania (no relation) begins annexing and invading its neighbours, igniting a violent conflict that threatens to engulf the world. A world war, we could call it. Perhaps even the second of its kind. Come 1940, Germania turns its gaze south. Its next target for conquest is the Principality of Elystadt, which had heretofore remained neutral in the war. Fine (Hayami Saori), Princess of Elystadt, left with the burden of rule ever since her father was infirmed by illness, swears to defend her land and her people, but Elystadt has little with which to withstand the Germanian war machine except sticks and harsh language. Their last resort: witchcraft. And thus is a mythical witch awakened from long slumber, a woman named Izetta (Akaneya Himika). Izetta pledges her magic to fight in the name of the Princess of Elystadt, but it will be just her against an army of tanks and aeroplanes. There will be no more witches. She is the last of her kind.

Let’s stop pretending: Shuumatsu no Izetta is fantasy World War II, possibly the laziest one I’ve ever seen. The Principality of Elystadt is basically a bigger Liechtenstein, carved out of Austria. Germania is probably ruled by Nazis. They’re not really trying to hide it; this is WWII. WWII with a lisp. Also, witches. Yeah, that’s where the history becomes alternate history, but not actually too far-fetched, as far as spins on The War go, since Hitler’s fascination with the occult is a thing of infamy now. Being an original anime, I don’t know exactly how loose the historical details in Shuumatsu no Izetta are going to be, let alone what the story will really be, but if this is more like Junketsu no Maria, the history will be mostly a backdrop, and if it goes the Valkyria Chronicles route the history will diverge at some point and go weird places. Right now, the most we can do is make predictions based on staff, and I have some reservations. Director Fujimori Masaya is experienced, but more with works aimed at a younger demographic. As for Yoshino Hiroyuki on series composition…eh, I guess he’s done some good shows. Well, I can let a lot slide in the name of a realistic-looking historical military anime, as I’m sure fans of the niche can, and one with a twist can be interesting. I’m crossing my fingers.

Preview by Samu

WORKING!! ended last year with its third season, and it concluded on a high-note, leaving pretty much every fan of the series satisfied. The gags were still as funny as ever, the characters endearing as always, and all the major character arcs were wrapped up nicely. A few pairings even got confirmed, to the delight of many. We thought it was over…until we got the very recent announcement for WWW.Working!!. This web manga by the same author may seem like an attempt at re-capturing the magic of the original, but this actually came first of the two. If anything, WORKING!! is the spin-off of WWW.Working!!. Even though the setting is the same, sadly, the cast is different. Our new lead, Higashida Daisuke (Nakamura Yuuichi) is a stern-face first-year student who lives a peaceful life with his tiring and humourless family. But when his father’s company goes bankrupt he has to take up a part-time job at a nearby and familiar family restaurant: Wagnaria.

Long-time fans of WORKING!! may remember an April Fools’ joke from several years back that enraged viewers with a ‘special announcement’ – that announcement was for a season of WWW.Working!!, rather than the second season that many hoped for. Five years later, and we’ve got a complete adaptation of WORKING!! and an upcoming season of the original web-manga. It’s an exciting prospect, but I’m not getting my hopes up too high. There’s a fair chance this won’t match the hilarity we’d come to expect from the original cast. While it may look and sound and feel the same, we’ll have to wait and see how these new (or old) characters compare to those we’re familiar with. But as it’s penned by the same mangaka, I expect the same style of zany humour and bubbly personalities to fill our screens for this fall season.

Preview by Stilts

Based on the light novel series of the same name, Mahou Shoujo Ikusei Keikaku begins with a social game called The Magical Girl Raising Project which allows one in every ten thousand people to become a magical girl. Magical girls are gifted with extraordinary physical capabilities and looks, as well as special magical powers that set them apart from the rest of humanity. But one day, in a district with sixteen magical girls, the administrators announce that there are too many of them, and that they need to halve the number to solve a problem with magical energy. At first the girls compete to collect more magical candy than their rivals, but before long the rules become twisted and it becomes a murderous battle for survival.

Doing a dark take on a light genre is nothing new, and magical girls have gotten the brunt of that treatment. But just because it’s been done before didn’t stop me from taking note when I read the premise, so clearly there’s still a market. My big question is, how dark is this is going to get? Are they going to toe the line without descending into the darkness, or are we going full Gakkou Gurashi! spliced with Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica and Mirai Nikki? Either way could honestly work, though the promo videos don’t tip their hand either way, other than to show the vibrant character designs and a seiyuu cast that’s stacked with big names. I wasn’t able to get a hold of the light novels, so your guess may be better than mine. I’m curious, though, and while director Hashimoto Hiroyuki has only had one stint in the head director’s chair, and series composer Yoshioka Takao is more used to doing magical-fantasy-action-harem series, my interest continues unabated. A strong premise is a good start, but it’s all down to the execution. I suggest checking out the promo videos to decide whether you want to jump in.

Preview by Stilts

After over a year with no news on the promised second cour, Mahou Shoujo Lyrical Nanoha ViVid is finally back . . . or so I thought. This is actually an original work set in the same universe, with ViVid main characters Takamachi Vivio (Mizuhashi Kaori) and Einhart Stratos (Noto Mamiko) demoted to secondary characters—after they themselves took over from original Nanoha main characters Takamachi Nanoha (Tamura Yukari) and Fate Testarossa (Mizuki Nana)—in favor of two new girls: Fuuka Reventon (Minase Inori) and Rinne (Ogura Yui). Not much is known, other than promo videos that point toward themes of bullying and unhappiness, and a series tagline: “Thou shalt not be afraid, I am with you.”

Just when I was getting used to Vivio and Einhart, they switch main characters on me again. Coming from the mind of original Nanoha and DOG DAYS creator Tsuzuki Masaki, and helmed by reliable Seven Arcs director Nishimura Junji, it’s not like this team is new to the Nanoha universe. I just I’m reeling from another change in viewpoint, and I don’t know what else to think since they’re holding their cards close to their chests. Vivio, Einhart, and their friends aren’t entirely disappearing, though, which is more than I can say for Nanoha and Fate—they’re not even listed as characters, and this is the first Nanoha-related anime where Tamura Yukari and Mizuki Nana aren’t singing the OPs and EDs. From the promos I’d expect the same Nanoha magical combat, but with plotlines that sound more like Fate’s tortured story from the original seasons rather than the sports-focused battling of ViVid. Or I could be wrong! Maybe this is a Saki: Achiga-hen episode of Side-A situation. We really have no idea. I know I’ll be tuning in because I love Nanoha-style magical combat to death, and because I want to know what they have in mind. I just can’t help some disappointment, since ViVid was finally heating up. Hopefully ViVid Strike will be a worthy addition to the Nanoha universe.

Preview by Samu

STARISH are now full-fledged idols, as the story continues to follow the lead character and aspiring composer, Nanami Haruka (Sawashiro Miyuki), as she works with STARISH on a professional and potentially romantic level. Among those members are Ittoki Otoya (Terashima Takuma), a positive and energetic boy who loves singing more than anything; Hijirikawa Masato (Suzumura Kenichi), a piano player taking on his family business; Shinomiya Natsuki (Taniyama Kishou), a viola player with two very different personalities; Ichinose Tokiya (Miyano Mamoru), the idealistic brother of Haruka’s idol, Hayato; Jinguuji Ren (Suwabe Junichi), a flirtatious saxophone player; Kurusu Shou (Shimono Hiro), an energetic boy with an underlying heart condition; and Aijima Cecil (Toriumi Kousuke), the prince of Agnalolis. If you’ve been watching it up until now, you’re familiar with these characters and all their flamboyant and eccentric rivals. You can expect the same episodic switches between the male cast as they continue on their idol dreams.

I stopped watching Uta no☆Prince-sama♪ after the second season, mainly because I realised nothing was going to change. The characters may become better singers or more successful idols, but there’s no real progress in terms of character development or variety from episode to episode. You can predict how things are going to turn out at least 10 minutes before the ‘twists’ come, and you can expect it to be a happy ending every single time. Uta no☆Prince-sama♪ is likely to get as many sequels as Teekyuu at this point, which I’m sure is going to please fans of the games and previous seasons. It may not have enough variety to keep me entertained, but I know it’s got a dedicated audience, and I’m glad those viewers will be able to see their favourite male idols back on-screen once again.

Preview by Takaii

For fans of the original series, please forgive me. With the genre and subject matter a little out of my comfort zone, I never took it upon myself to read or watch the original Tiger Mask. That said, Tiger Mask W looks like an interesting attempt at modernizing the series while trying to maintain some of that old school feel that older fans are sure to appreciate. This time around the story revolves around Yashiro Taku and Umehara Yuichiro. The pair were friends who once trained together until their dojo was destroyed by the huge Global Wrestling Monopoly team. With both swearing to take revenge for their former gym, their paths drastically differed: Yashiro sides with the light and becomes the “New Tiger Mask” while Umehara dives into the darkness to become “Tiger the Dark”. The two enter the biggest ring yet as they attempt to take down the organization that’s controlling everything from the shadows.

For someone who doesn’t follow wrestling at all, Tiger Mask W actually did a great job at getting me excited. With a fairly wide cast of characters that all seem to have their own selling point, and a story that feels like something from an old-time cartoon, I was surprised by how I found myself rooting for this show’s success. Toss in the studio’s decision to combine classic cell animation with a touch of 3DCG and I can almost taste the nostalgia lover in me wanting to see it all in action. And for those wrestling fans out there who are curious how this anime will hold up, it looks like it has a strong foundation in a great manga that it’s drawing inspiration from, as well as backing from the New Japan Pro-Wrestling organization, which is the largest in Japan and second in the world only to the WWE. So, if you’re looking for a revival of a classic that just happens to revolve around the world of wrestling and a little bit of good vs evil, you just might want to check this one out.

Preview by Zephyr

One year after its debut, Iron-Blooded Orphans continues its run with a second season. A standalone series set in the “Post Disaster” (P.D.) timeline, Iron-Blooded Orphans takes place 300 years after a great war between Earth and its Outer Colonies. Known as the “Calamity War,” the conflict split the world into four economic blocs and led to the creation of Gjallarhorn, a military organization created to keep the peace. Despite rapid technological advancements in the years after however, it is found that Martians are continuing to live in impoverished conditions and remain entirely dependent on Earth for its economic development. Hoping to negotiate for Martian independence, a young aristocrat in Kudelia Aina Bernstein (Terasaki Yuka) enlists the help of civilian security company CGS. Taking advantage of a Gjallarhorn attack, CGS’s Third Army Division—consisting of mostly of orphaned children led by Orga Itsuka (Hosoya Yoshimasa) and Mikazuki Augus (Kawanishi Kengo)—launches a coup with the legendary Gundam Barbatos, leading to the creation of “Tekkadan.” With the first season following their successful delivery of Kudelia to Earth, the second season will continue the story of Tekkadan and their continued fight for survival. Nagai Tatsuyuki (Ano Natsu de Matteru, Honey and Clover II, To Aru Kagaku no Railgun) and Okada Mari (Hanasaku Iroha, Nagi no Asukara, Zetsuen no Tempest) will reprise their roles as director and series composer, with the original cast returning as well.

Given the lackluster reception for AGE and G no Reconguista, the Gundam franchise has seen better days. As a result, Iron-Blooded Orphans came with high hopes that it would be better than its recent predecessors, and I think it’s safe to say it was. Exciting bits of action combined with political intrigue and factional divides created a series that made you feel for the plight of its main cast, and at the very least, this was a journey that made you want to see how it ended—even if it may not have been the one that many wanted. Its character development could’ve benefited from a more deft touch, and it’s obvious that elements of the series suffered from the occasional stylistic clash between Nagai and Okada, but for all its flaws, this was a decent iteration for a franchise that’s desperately needed one not connected to the original Mobile Suit Gundam. Ultimately, you’d like to have something that’s more than “just good enough,” but it’s a step in the right direction that makes the series worth mentioning, and one would expect the sequel to possess similar quality.

Preview by Passerby

After a first season that didn’t light up the anime radar, and a second season that was mostly a sideshow distraction, from the land of surprisingly persistent sequels comes Show By Rock!! #, now one semitone higher. Actually, it’s not too surprising of a sequel since there’s quite a bit of money in this franchise. The company behind Show By Rock!! is Sanrio, of Hello Kitty fame, and if there’s one thing they know how to do it’s design unique characters and market them furiously. And so the quirky animal girls of band Plasmagica, along with all their original seiyuu, return once more. In the alternate Tokyo of MIDICITY, where music is everything, they’ll fight other bands for dominance. They’ll fight with the power of friendship to pursue their dreams. They’ll fight strange shadow monsters for…whatever reason. Look, it’s futile trying to summarise the plot of Show By Rock!!; it goes wherever its whims take it. You’ll want to check out the first season before watching this one anyway.

What a curious show Show By Rock!! was, starting with its aesthetics. It mixed more traditional hand-drawn animation with occasional pure computer-generated segments, with the former handled by BONES and the latter by Studio GOONEYS. It does play to the surrealism of the premise and the setting somewhat, but understandably it’s also the kind of look that may turn some viewers off; I won’t pretend that the switches between the two forms were not sometimes jarring, especially for those with less tolerance for CGI. If you can get over that, then Show By Rock!! is actually a fairly good looking show; the 3D stuff is professionally done, at least, and BONES quality is still BONES quality. And of course, with Sanrio involved a cute cast is guaranteed. Cute girls + neat action has always done well for anime (at least, for the magical girl genre) and Show By Rock should be a source of easy entertainment. Due warning though: as mentioned in the summary, the plot did go all over the place, so if what you seek from anime is clean, cohesive narrative, then Show By Rock! may not be for you; it doesn’t take itself nearly seriously enough for that. Regardless, you’d want to watch the first season so you won’t be totally lost for the second—and if you’ve already done that and liked it, you’re set. I see no indication that Show By Rock!! intends to reinvent itself.

Preview by Takaii

Based off of the trading card game from distributor Broccoli comes another ido-based show aimed at sweeping everyone off their feet. Set in a world where magic is used as an art form rather than for war, various establishments exist to train those skilled at magic, or “Artistas”, as they prepare them for a life in show business. Enter Aigasaki Ohana (Senbongi Sayaka), the main heroine of the show and the girl who everyone is trying to sweep off her feet. Also attending the prestigious Hoshinomori Private Magical Arts High School, she’s placed in the planning committee for the school’s yearly cultural festival. Through various situations she ends up with six other boys aiming to court her as they strive to become successful entertainers in the future. Come follow along as Ichijouji Teika (Umehara Yuuichirou), Suminomiya Aoi (KENN), Tatewaki Rintarou (Ono Yuuki), Anjou Louis (Hatano Wataru), Tsukushi Mone (Aoi Shouta), and Hibiki Kanato (Eguchi Takuya) strut their stuff as they try to win the girl of their dreams and put on the best Summer Festa Cultural Festival their school has seen!

For anime based off of collectible card games, it’s usually tough for me to dive deep into them (the game itself) because I can’t stand that feeling when you start a new game and are at an obvious disadvantage because of how these games work. Economics aside, I must say that for an idol anime, everything about Magic-Kun Renaissance leads me to believe it’ll be a fun watch. With catchy songs provided by Pony Canyon and Sunrise providing awesome animation and visuals, it feels like a male-idol fan’s dream. Toss in a set number of guys to take your pick from, all of whom have their own unique face, behavior, and style, and you have all the ingredients for a successful idol-based show. That said, I don’t know how all of that fares when you have the new season of Uta Pri also airing this fall. While it could be said that fans of the genre are pretty hardcore, I don’t know how much space they’ll have left in their hearts for another male-idol show. If you’re looking for another idol show that should have great music, stellar visuals, and a fairly well rounded cast, give Magic-Kyun Renaissance a glance. On a side note, there’s also a character who apparently likes to use lots of English (and is named Louis) and when I heard it, I instantly thought we had a male Mari. Take that how you will!

Preview by Takaii

Touken Ranbu is a story about saving the past from the evildoers who are trying to change it. In order to stop them, the spirits of ancient swords throughout Japanese history take the form of bishounens as they travel through time to prevent history from being rewritten. From tantos to uchigatanas, all the way to naginatas, all manner of weapons are striving to protect history. All of which happens in the form of an easy to play DMM game which also resembles another popular game that features historical Japanese naval ships as girls! All humor aside, Touken Ranbu has exploded in popularity over the past few years and it’s no surprise to see an anime (or two, we’ll get more into that in a second) finally being made for it. With a successful stage play and musical already out in the wild, it was only a matter of time until a more slice-of-lifey version of the game appeared.

With nearly nothing being revealed about the subject matter of the show, it’s tough to give any kind of recommendation if you haven’t already experienced what Touken Ranbu really is. If I were to summarize all the material that’s already come out, I would say that every spin-off has turned into something fun to watch and typically has a great soundtrack. Also, for those of you who are already fans and will be tuning in for at least the first few episodes, let me warn you that the more serious and intense version of your favorite sword boys won’t be out until next year when Ufotable releases their version tentatively named “Touken Ranbu”. If you’re looking for an anime that’ll have cute to really good looking guys that are all pretty good with swords (seeing how they’re all technically swords) and has a great track record of not producing boring things, I would not hesitate in recommending this one. Also, if you’re looking for a list of the swords who are going to be featured, check the list. Luckily for me, my bae Kashuu is always in so I have nothing to worry about.

Preview by Stilts

From the smartphone game company Happy Elements, in conjunction with Seven Arcs, comes the new original hybrid anime called Idol Memories. The story takes place in 2035 when virtual reality has evolved enough so that people can experience world travel and other events from the comfort of their own homes. In this world, live idol performances to a worldwide audience have become commonplace. This led to the creation of the Kanon Private Academy to train new idols. These idols compete to reach the top of the World Idol League. The anime will focus on six such idols, who make up the units StarRing and Shadow.

And by hybrid anime, I mean that half of every episode will be animated, while the other half will be live action. That plus the smartphone game company coming up with the ideas makes Idol Memories sound like either a cheap or mercenary endeavor, but it’s still an original series, which means it could go any which way. The cast and crew don’t exactly inspire confidence, with a newbie director and only one seiyuu of the main six with more than a handful of credits to her name. The character designs look fine and the animation is passable, so at least there’s that. Honestly, this feels like a show that those who are super into idol anime will watch, but which most others won’t bother with. And honestly? They haven’t given us reason to put more faith in them than that. That doesn’t mean it won’t be good! It totally could be. They’re just not giving any indication of depth, interesting ideas, or even if the music will be any good. Mainly it just looks like a vehicle for idol training montages, a VR gimmick that doesn’t arouse much interest, and a goofy masked villain right out of Sailor Moon. I’ll probably take a wait-and-see approach on this one personally.

Preview by Samu

The TV anime of 12-Sai. hit our screens earlier this year, and now we’ve got a second season on the way. If you missed out on this underrated gem, then take comfort that you’re in the majority, as this went under the radar of many anime fans when it turned out a lot better than the average viewer would give it credit for. Like the first season, this will continue the elementary school shoujo romance stories of the overlapping characters. The first season established the newfound love between two main couples: First is Ayase Hanabi (Kakuma Ai), a girly girl who is often bullied, and Takao Yuuto (Saito Soma), the most popular boy in class; but if you prefer something with a touch of tsundere tendencies, then there’s the romance between Aoi Yui (Kimura Juri) and Hiyama Kazuma (Horie Shun) instead.

There’s an undeniable charm to 12-Sai., especially if you’re a fan of these unabashed shoujo romances. With this second season you can expect a return to childish romances, innocent kisses, and a focus on the transitions of puberty that’s handled more maturely than almost any other anime out there. It’s important that we get a mature telling of these immature characters. More often than not, younger characters in anime are sexualised or just treated as younger siblings to the main characters, but the shift in focus is something that sets 12-Sai. apart from the crowd, even if the massive googly eyes may turn off hesitant viewers.

Preview by Takaii

For those of you wanting a slice-of-life that has a touch of nerdiness to it, look no further than Stella no Mahou. Following first year Honda Tamaki (Naganawa Maria) after she joins the SNS-Club, a club that focuses on making doujin, Stella no Mahou revolves around the lives of Tamaki and her clubmates as they try to start and complete their own self-made game!

Okay, I know you might be saying, “Takaii, that introduction paragraph was so short. Why should I even give this show a second of my time?” And I wouldn’t disagree about the first part, since I couldn’t get any concrete details and getting the manga shipped to me wouldn’t make it in time for the preview. If you thought the second part though, let me try to persuade you with all the good things I found while digging for information. Starting with what S in SNS stands for (dead fish eyes or 死んだ魚の目) to the four other girls in the SBS-bu, the magic of this show will definitely come from the way the cast interacts with each other both on a personal and a working level. For me, I’m hoping we get to see some of the drama that comes with working hand-in-hand with friends and the awkward situations that can arise from it. And seeing how the source material is described as a 4-koma without the gag part, I’m hoping we get some more serious moments sprinkled in-between all that slice-of-life goodness. On a side note, the cast for this show is so spot on that I personally would have watched it simply for them if I wasn’t doing research on it. With Yuuki Aoi being the stand out for me, you have one lesser known seiyuu and two newbies rounding out the cast (their voices seem to fit pretty well judging from the PV). All-in-all, if you’re looking for a slice-of-life that won’t bore you too quickly and has fairly fun subject matter, why not take a peek at Stella no Mahou?

Preview by Jig

Thrust into a future in the 2030’s, TRICKSTER -Edogawa Ranpo “Shounen Tanteidan” Yori- follows a group of young adolescent male detectives assembled under the tutelage of the mysterious Kogorou Akechi—a man as mysterious as he is intelligent. They routinely solve cases, both small and large. However, it happens that one day, member Hanasaki Kensuke (Osaka Ryota) stumbles upon a mysterious, silver-haired young lad by the name of Yoshio Kobayashi (Daiki Yamashita). Due to what can only be described as a “mysterious fog,” Kobayashi is incapable of dying, and isolates himself from all others—all the while wishing his own death. Hanasaki decides to extend an invitation to join the team, which is the first step in getting the two wrapped up in all sort of supernatural troubles.

I’m in full support of original anime, and TRICKSTER -Edogawa Ranpo “Shounen Tanteidan” Yori- seems fully intent on starting a franchise, as a tie-in manga is launched alongside the show. The previews convey a kind of dark, angsty, supernatural tone that I think will resonate with fans of a perhaps darker ilk of shounen. Much of the narrative’s emotional core will probably revolve around the two protagonists, who take the bulk of the previews’ screen time. The story will likely involve them helping each other overcome their inner demons. At the same time, though, I’m excited for some really intricate, twisted mystery, the likes of which we don’t get enough of in anime nowadays. The show is based on the mystery novels of Edogawa Ranpo, a prominent figure in Japan’s literary history. Think Hardy Boys, but oh so Japanese. This alone shows a lot of promise for some quality storytelling, if the series’ (admittedly loose) source material is this proven.

Preview by Jig

Welcome to the world of competitive middle school girls table tennis. Based on the manga of the same name, Shakunetsu no Takkyuu Musume chronicles the exploits of Kamiya Agari (Tanaka Minami), the number one ping pong player at on her middle school club team. She treasures her place at the top, and resolves to take herself all the way to nationals. Enter Tsumujikaze Koyori (Hanamori Yumiri), a recent transfer student who’s a peculiar, reserved kind of girl. However, she soon proves a major threat to Kamiya’s top ranking. Their rivalry takes center stage as the two are thrust into the crazy world of middle school girls ping pong.

I’m sorry, but this is awesome. The show obviously aims to be the next moe hit—“What should we do next with cute girls? Um, how about we get them to play ping pong?” Um, yes. I’ve always been a big fan of the sport, so no complaints here. It’s about time the moe trend comes into full collision with another flourishing genre in anime. Watching small cute girls become subject to kind of high-adrenaline balls-to-the-wall action is exactly what anime needs right now. The manga proves for a legitimately exciting read, as the action is genuinely engaging. Not to mention the characters are each lovable in their own, unique way. The preview seems to indicate that the animation will get the proper care it deserves—equal parts cheery and energetic—in order for the show to honor its potential.

Preview by Takaii

Centered around a young female ninja named Chidori (Minase Inori), Nobunaga no Shinobi is an adaptation based on a 4-koma gag manga that takes place smack dab during the Sengoku Jidai or Warring States period in Japan’s history. With Chidori’s life goal to become Nobunaga’s shinobi after he saved her from drowning in the river, the show dives into the various situations she faces as she strives to show Nobunaga her skills. Along the way we’ll also meet all the people who’re trying their best to help Chidori achieve her goal!

With nearly no information and only a few chapters of the source material available outside Japan, let me try to give you a comprehensive idea of how I think Nobunaga no Shinobi will turn out. Based off my impressions of episode 0 which was released during Anime Japan, as well as the few chapters I managed to obtain, this is probably going to be the kind of short show that appeals to those slice-of-life fans who also enjoy a little bit of Japanese history weaved into the story as they’re bombarded with well-timed jokes. But jokes alone don’t always make for a good show, and Nobunaga no Shinobi accentuates everything with a stellar cast that makes you want more with each passing minute. From the adorable Chidori (who grows up to be an epic shinobi) to the astute but warm Nobunaga (Hatano Wataru) (if you don’t know who Nobunaga is, go read a little), there are a handful of characters in-between who manage to play off of the pair’s dynamic to create something you only find in really compelling 4-koma gag manga. If there’s anything I can leave you with, let it be this: don’t let the artstyle of the anime sway you away. It does wonders with its style and manages to pack a lot of content in only a few minutes. Seeing how it only takes a few minutes to watch, why not give it a shot? (Disclaimer: I’m not 100% sure if this is a short anime, but episode 0 was and it feels like the format would fit the story well.)

Preview by Jig

All Sumeragi Matoi (Suwa Ayaka) wanted to do was live a normal life. After being separated from her mother at an early age, she’s lived with her grandparents—but now she finally gets to live with her father again. All she wants is to reside peacefully now. However, she’s friends with Kusanagi Yuma (Oozora Naomi), a shrine maiden-in-training, whose family has exorcised evil spirits for generations. One day the two stumble upon Kusanagi’s shrine in ruins, and her parents incapacitated. The only witness: a shady man who doesn’t seem to have all his marbles. Kusanagi reckless jumps into an exorcism ritual, and at the end of it, Sumeragi is suddenly granted the demon-banishing abilities of a god. She must use these powers wisely, if she’s ever to get back to living a normal life.

The premise seems a little bland and unpromising, but a quick look at the previews will show you that the series is anything but. Maybe I’m jumping the gun here, but the art direction for this series is gorgeous. Adorable, un-obnoxious character designs complement charming personalities, landscapes are adorned with stunning vistas and intricate clouds. Animation is also fluid, and unique between characters. The tone too promises something mysterious, suspenseful, but also full of life and energy among its main cast. There’s an all-around really pleasant vibe going on here—one which I think is integral to the potential quality of the show. I understand that good characters and story go beyond just pretty looks, and the premise still seems a little stale, but there’s a lot of potential here from just the previews alone. I was pleasantly surprised, and look forward to how the show turns out.

Preview by Guardian Enzo

There could hardly be a safer bet on this schedule full of crapshoots than this fifth-generation sequel in one of the most consistent (both in terms of quality and disc sales) franchises in anime history. It probably wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say I’ve spent more emotional capital on Natsume Yuujinchou than any other anime over the years if you look at it cumulatively. It’s one of the shows that’s hopelessly intertwined with my identity as an anime fan.

It’s sort of odd, then, that I feel somewhat ambivalent about “Go” – but I kind of do. Part of it may be that the fourth season was overall my least favorite (largely because it seemed to focus more on human problems and less on youkai, and rely more on traditional conflict-driven plot), yet ended so perfectly and in such elegiac fashion that it seems almost sacrilegious to add anything to it. Yet the manga is ongoing, and it is only right that the series should see completion in anime form – it’s been a big seller from the beginning and frankly, I think the anime transcends the manga. As with several other Brain’s Base properties, this one is moving to the new studio Shuka, but with most of the creative staff intact. Here’s hoping we get another Kogitsune episode this season.

Preview by Passerby

Nanba Prison: the premier correctional institution in all of Japan. Here, every prisoner is numbered, as is every compound where they are housed. To contain its hundreds of inmates, Nanba Prison boasts state-of-the-art facilities, elite staff, and most importantly, famously impregnable security. Well, impregnable in the same way the Titanic was unsinkable. The four prisoners of unit 13—Yuugo (Uemura Yuto), Uno (Kakihara Tetsuya), Nico (Kobayashi Daiki) and Rock (Shiozaki Ire) have little respect for the vaunted security of Nanba Prison, or rules in general, really, much to the chagrin of the much beleaguered security officer of unit 13, Sugoroku Hajime (Seki Tomokazu). Not that they want to actually escape; in prison they eat well, have warm beds, and are generally free to just goof around. Why are they here, anyway? In particular, Yuugo is a professional jail-breaker; no cell can hold him. If he’s in Nanba, it’s by choice. What is he looking for within its concrete walls?

Nanbaka is an adaptation of a digital manga, and the big difference between that and traditional manga is the use of colour. In Nanbaka‘s case, oh so much colour. You can see from the over-the-top character designs that somebody got a bit too excited with the palette, but that’s conducive to the general atmosphere. The chapters of Nanbaka I read for this preview were almost exclusively gag and character comedy, like an anime Hogan’s Heroes with a few less Nazis, and should be right up the alley of director Takamatsu Shinji. One might have thought that a show about life in prison would be darker, even outright embracing black comedy, but Nanbaka never goes so far. There’s certainly a plot in there somewhere, and potential for Nanbaka to play things more seriously, but that will be a long-term proposition. For now, the main draw of Nanbaka should be a cast of quirky characters in an uncommon anime setting, and the general fun that combination makes.

Preview by Samu

After spending most of their time and effort on the upcoming film, Koe no Katachi, Kyoto Animation returns with the second season of Hibike! Euphonium. Last year they told the story of the down to earth euphonium player, Oumae Kumiko (Kurosawa Tomoyo), and the dedicated trumpet prodigy, Kousaka Reina (Anzai Chika) as they joined the same high school band, got wrapped up in intense band drama, and formed a bond that danced between friendship and romance. It was a spectacle to the eye, the cast was ever-charming, and this second season looks to expand upon that and give focus to those side characters. The focus of the second novel pushes characters like Asuka and a yet-to-be-revealed Oboe player to the forefront as Kitauji High School works towards nationals where their competition is greater than any of them can imagine.

I blogged Hibike! Euphonium last year, and it’s up there as one of my favourite shows I’ve written about week-by-week. While I awarded SHIROBAKO the Best of 2015 award, if we were to rank based on personal favourites, then Hibike! Euphonium is the top anime of 2015 for me. This year has been even stronger, so it shall be interesting to see how this second season compares. Whatever happens, we can expect the same level of dedication to the finer details that KyoAni is famous for – they capture the little moments better than any other studio in the business, and their knack for breathing life into their characters and making them part of a lived-in space is perhaps their greatest strength. Even with the studio having to balance their time between this and Koe no Katachi, you can expect the same charm, humour, and drama to carry over. Yamada Naoko is a serious talent, and while she won’t be overseeing this production to the same degree as last year, you can expect that same style and flair. The only thing that could disappoint returning fans is the likely continuation of the shipping wars that dominated most discussions of the series. I expect that element of Hibike! Euphonium to also remain the same this coming season.

Preview by Passerby

Continuing on from spring 2016, the anachronistic crime action of Bungou Stray Dogs is back for a second season. In the first season, protagonist and professional unfortunate person Nakjima Atsushi (Uemura Yuto) is kicked out of his orphanage and is homeless and jobless until he meets and assists serial suicide committer Daiza Osamu (Miyano Mamoru). Through this connection Atsushi is recruited to join the Armed Detective Agency, a private investigation firm that employs individuals that possess supernatural abilities. It turns out that Atsushi has some power of his own, able to transform into a monstrous tiger, but this power is coveted by forces unknown. The season one cliffhanger has an international crime syndicate join the fray, and now Atsushi and the Armed Detective Agency find themselves at war with both foreign mercenaries and the local mafia, with superpowered individuals engaging in combat on all sides.

The first season of Bungou Stray Dogs started a bit slowly, carried mostly by its setting, an anachronistic blend of modern set design and retro costume design, and its colourful cast. Each major character of Bungou Stray Dogs is named after and inspired by a writer from the early 20th century, with the superpowers to match their theme. Why? I still don’t know, but it’s interesting, at least. If nothing else, Bungou Stray Dogs has style, which is perhaps expected from director Igarashi Takuya, screenwriter Enokido Yoji and the rest of the team at BONES, especially in the comedy which is strangely reminiscent of Ouran High School Host Club. What to expect from this second season? Well, Bungou Stray Dogs does seem to be the kind of show that builds bigger and bigger as it goes, so round two should be an even bigger blast. Even with this extra cour, though, it it does seem that it may be packing a tad too much material in too short a run, which is a problem that plagues many anime; some bumpy pacing may be unavoidable here and there. Otherwise, I would expect no less of the solid action series we got the first time around. It’ll be fun.

Preview by Stilts

If this show sounds familiar, it’s because it is in fact a spin-off of the popular Strike Witches series. Set in an alternate Earth during the time World War II would have happened, the Strike Witches franchise focuses on the world’s powers coming together to combat the mysterious alien invaders known as Neuroi. Since normal humans have no effect on the Neuroi, the military calls upon Witches, young girls who possess magical abilities. Equipped with special flying machines called Striker Units—along with animal ears and tails whenever they use their magic—the Witches fly through the air to fight the Neuroi. Rather than starring the girls of the 501st Joint Fighter Wing as the original series did, Brave Witches pivots to the 502nd Joint Fighter Wing based in the Empire of Orussia, who are trying to build on the 501st’s victories and liberate eastern Europe from the Neuroi threat.

I’ve long espoused the theory that most great works are a result of flawed genius, and when you try to pick them apart and make something similar, you never know if you’re going to get the flaw or the genius. Hopes were high going into Vividred Operation precisely because of its similarities and shared staff with Strike Witches, but they apparently got more flaws than genius. So why not just use the whole damn formula, and go with a spin-off instead? Spin-offs can feel cheap, almost like they’re cheating, but not this time. Western Europe might have gotten taken care of, but that’s not all the story there is to tell, and I like to see the occasional anime based in Eastern Europe for once. This is also one of those spin-offs that’s distinct enough from the original—I’ve seen no hint of any Strike Witches characters reappearing—that new viewers ought to be able to jump in here. My hope is that the secret sauce will be intact, and I haven’t seen anything (other than an appropriate dose of skepticism) that says it isn’t. I’m ready for more kemonomimi flying military girls and their improbable lack of pants. Hey—don’t mess with a winning formula, right?

Preview by Samu

Yuri!!! on Ice is an original sports anime that already has a reputation of pulling the legs of anime fans with misleading promotional material. With a name like Yuri!!! on Ice you would expect a show about borderline fantasy lesbian anime girls doing cute things on ice, right? That’s what many suspected, but they couldn’t have been more wrong. There is no yuri in this, other than our principal character, Katsuki Yuuri (Toyonaga Toshiyuki), a 23-year-old figure skater with a faint heart and a peculiar sense of rhythm. He carried Japan’s hopes on his shoulders to win the Gran Prix Finale, but suffered a miserable defeat. Yuri!!! on Ice follows his journey as he contemplates retiring after returning to his hometown, before he encounters the five-time consecutive world champion Viktor Nikiforov (Suwabe Junichi), who helps reinvigorate that spirit of sportsmanship to bring him back onto the ice where he belongs.

This MAPPA original may not be what many initially expected, but I think what we’re getting has a higher ceiling than anything aimed exclusively at otaku fans. Yuri fans are sure to hold a grudge against Yuri!!! on Ice until the end of time, especially since it seems to appeal more to the fujoshi demographic with its large cast of pretty boys. It may be an attempt to grab some cash from the popular sports anime of the current age, but there’s enough here to be hopeful for something poignant. Firstly, ice skating anime aren’t a common occurrence – the last time we got scenes of that nature were in Death Parade – so there’s not much to compare it to. Secondly, the director is Yamamoto Sayo, who is one of the best (female) directors in the industry, having helmed Michiko to Hatchin and Lupin the Third: Mine Fujiko to Iu Onna and also worked on Ergo Proxy, Samurai Champloo, and Space Dandy. Her resume is impressive and her visual flair is sure to make Yuri!!! on Ice one of the stand outs of this season.

Preview by Passerby

There seems to be something of a resurgence in the magical girl genre recently, and Flip Flappers is yet another entrant in this field. Of the many magical girl offerings this season, though, Flip Flappers may be the most traditional. As per anime law and custom, Flip Flappers’ magical girls come in twos. Papika (Ichimichi Mao) is the genki one. Kokona (Takahashi Minami) is the stroic one. The particular pieces of wish-granting Macguffin that they have been tasked with searching for are the Shards of Mimi, which are located in a perilous parallel dimension called Pure Illusion. But fear not for them! When faced with danger they are able to transform, granting them the power to surpass the surreal challenges of Pure Illusion.

The history and evolution of the magical genre is long and fascinating, but generally speaking they used to be coming-of-age stories, big metaphors for puberty, with the stories of young girls finding the power to overcome arbitrary obstacles inspiring confidence and optimism in the target audience of similarly aged children. Eventually the genre metamorphosed in the search for wider demographic appeal, and now it’s about…action-lesbians, I guess. And, of course, since save for perhaps super robots there are few genres as iconic as magical girls for the purposes of deconstruction, there have been many. What flavour of magical girl is Flip Flappers going to be? That’s hard to answer at this point, since Flip Flappers is an original anime, but do at least have a look at the PVs. They look chipper enough, but they also look good. At least the magic is there in some fairly eye-catching art and animation, with the relatively new Studio 3Hz continuing to prove that they can do quality work. Director Oshimaya Kiyotaka may be also be relative new in his role, but he has relevant animation experience that should serve him well. Yeah, I know I’m not giving you much other than, ‘Hey, it’s pretty!’ but there’s certainly enough style to be optimistic for now. With a gamut of magical girl shows running from deconstruction to parody this season, perhaps it’s worthwhile to keep an eye out on the one that seems to play it the straightest.

Preview by Stilts

Keijo!!!!!!!! is a sports betting/battling anime where the competitors’ main weapons are their breasts and butts. It stars Kaminashi Nozomi (Lynn), a seventeen-year-old gymnast who turns down the chance at an athletics college (and an Olympic future) in favor of entering the world of Keijo. Keijo is a hot new gambling sport where girls stand on a small floating platform and compete to push each other into the water, but they aren’t allowed to use their limbs. Thus: boobs and butts. Why does Nozomi want to compete in Keijo? Because her family is extremely poor, and she wants to make boatloads of money as fast as possible. Join her as she competes in the intense world of Keijo in order to bring wealth and fortune to her family.

Ah, the eight exclamation point title. Truly, a sign of a deranged mind. Keijo!!!!!!!1! is this season’s signature uber-shameless fanservice anime, sort of. It’s true that butts and boobs go flying all over the place, and occasionally swimsuits do get shredded, but I ended up cringing at the sight of soft body parts slamming into each other more than being titillated. It actually has a fairly strong shounen sports feeling to it, and the competitive spirit is a large focus. You’re still probably going to want to enjoy the sight of boobs and butts to really enjoy this one, but there might be a little more than just fanservice on offer. At least it’s honest enough to not hide what it is. In fact, it shouts it for all to hear!!!!!!!!

Preview by Samu

2014 was the biggest year for sports anime in recent memory, but this season is pushing 2016 to the front of the race. There’s a nice variety for sports anime fans this season – volleyball, ice skating, ping pong, wrestling, biking, water butt jousting, tennis – but All Out!! is giving us one that has never been done before: rugby. It follows the small but energetic Goin Kenji (Chiba Shouya), who after the entrance ceremony of Kanagawa High School goes out to join the rugby club with his classmate, Iwashimizu Sumiaki (Adachi Yuto), a tall, timid, and shy boy who has reservations about joining the club after his middle school experiences. Thus begins the story of beefcake high schoolers with incredible muscles, contrasting personalities, and worlds between them in terms of height.

All Out!!, like many sports anime of the current age, is likely to appeal more to its female viewers than male fans of the sport. If you’re to judge it by the demographic, this is actually published in a seinen magazine, but that doesn’t stop shonen sports series from being popularised by fujoshi. I’m all for it, but some will cry that there’s too much pandering even though rugby is a sport where you’d expect the players to have ripped muscles bulging through their tight shorts. From what I’ve read of the manga, it’s obvious that it’s going to appeal to those who just want to see some hot guys with cute personalities playing rough with each other, but similarly it has the same vibrancy and energy that makes Haikyuu!! so popular, and is sure to stir passion in any loyal sports fan. With 25 episode already confirmed, you can expect a solid adaptation, and with Madhouse behind the production it’s sure to be visually impressive as well.

Preview by Jig

As with the manga of the same name, Watashi ga Motete Dousunda follows the life of second year high school student Kae Serinuma (Kobayashi Yuu), who is an intense fujoshi. She secretly ships hard two of her classmates. However, after her absolute favorite anime character passes away, she becomes devoid of life—drowning in sorrow and refusing to eat. As a result, she begins to lose weight rather quickly, and soon enough, transforms into a stunning, beautiful girl. This draws the attention of four particular boys, as Kae is suddenly thrust into a reverse-harem.

Is the premise completely absurd? Oh you betcha. Does the show seem to even care? Nope. The biggest charm of Watashi ga Motete Dousunda is its utter cognizance. It’s completely aware of how ridiculous its premise and concept is, and totally runs with it. In the manga, the tone is appropriately humorous and a little bonkers. The jokes hit, especially for those in tune with the parodied genres. More so, the protagonist is far more likable as an individual than you might expect. She comes off as human—but not so much as to offset the tone of the series. I’m not saying this is the next great romance show of the century, but there’s a lot going on here that could take it past the mockery of its premise.

Preview by Stilts

“Was Sore ga Seiyuu successful enough to inspire a sub-genre?” “No, but Shirobako was.” Add in last season’s NEW GAME! and a handful of others, and there’s been a clear rise in industry-focused anime of late. Girlish Number is the latest to join their ranks. This multimedia project began this past March with a light novel series by OreGairu’s Watari Wataru, continued with a manga adaptation, and culminates (for now) with this anime. The story follows Karasuma Chitose (Senbongi Sayaka), a university student who aims to become a voice actress (seiyuu). It will feature her and other young women working in the voice acting business, and show the friendships and rivalries that develop.

It isn’t fun to know how the sausage is made when the sausage in question is, like, an actual sausage. For something we love, though? Like novels or comics or anime? Fans love to know how their favorite works got created, as the thousands of articles written by writers writing about writing prove. (I indulge frequently.) Girlish Number is one more such work, and if a closer look into the seiyuu industry appeals to you, watch Sore ga Seiyuu. What? It was written by an actual seiyuu, dammit! This strikes me as more of a cute-girls-doing-industry-things anime, much like last season’s NEW GAME! That’s not a knock on it, because I liked NEW GAME! a lot. Plus, the author of OreGairu on series composition? Sold! Now I know where those sidelong glances from the main character in the promo came from, which hint at more personality than a normal CGDCT heroine. Girlish Number doesn’t have the most innovative premise, but execution is everything, and it gives good reason to expect/hope for that. Plus, the character designs and animation are pretty. I’m going to watch, and I have a feeling that the worst case scenario is an enjoyable if forgettable show. And the best case? That could be quite a lot of fun indeed.

Preview by Jig

Shimazu Toyohisa (Nakamura Yuuichi) is a legendary warrior from Ancient Japanese history. While besting his ultimate foe at the Battle of Sekigahara, he is critically wounded. As he bleeds out, on the verge of death, he is suddenly transported to a hallway full of doors, and greeted by a curious, bespectacled man. He is thrust through the nearest door and taken to a fantastical world inhabited by great warriors just like him—whisked away from their own universes. They have been assembled for one purpose: to become a band of fighters called “Drifters,” and combat an opposing, villainous hive of similarly prestigious warriors dubbed “Ends.”

From the get-go, let me tell you: Drifters is absolutely gorgeous. The colors are dark yet fiery, the animation is stunningly fluid, characters and landscapes are intensely intricate. This is one fine-lookin’ piece of show lemme tell you. I also love how unashamedly ugly the character models are. Now, this isn’t a bad thing by any stretch of the imagination—just an indication that Drifters is wholly faithful to a dark, gritty, graphic, and even unsightly breed of show. It doesn’t seem afraid to get real dirty. Aside from that, the premise is pretty straightforward and something which easily lends itself to some really epic battles and large-scale action sequences. I’m not expecting anything cerebral or emotionally driven—the previews seem to indicate the level of adrenaline-fest this show will deliver. On that front, I do not think the Drifers will disappoint.

Preview by Zephyr

Two years after the culmination of its previous iteration, the WIXOSS franchise returns with a new stand-alone series in Lostorage incited WIXOSS. Like the original, WIXOSS will revolve around the popular in-universe trading card game of the same name, which had chosen heroines (“Selectors”) fighting one another with living cards (LRIGs) serving as their in-game avatars. Victories would allow one to make any wish come true, with three losses resulting in a curse instead. This time around however, Lostorage will focus on memories being the wager, with two new selectors named Suzuko (Hashimoto Chinami) and Chinatsu (Iguchi Yuka) as its heroines. Replacing Sato Takuya as the franchise’s director is Sakurabi Katsushi (episode director for Ano Natsu de Matteru and Toradora!), with Tsuchiya Michihiro (Cross Game, Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood) taking over for Okada Mari on series composition.

Having watched the original series with fellow tech resident Xumbra, I think I can speak for the both of us (and Zanibas) when I say that WIXOSS ended up a lot more enjoyable than expected. After all, it would’ve been easy to dismiss the series as a thinly-veiled advertisement for the TCG’s impending release, and this was a series we likely would’ve skipped if it weren’t for the involvement Sato Takuya and Okada Mari. Thankfully we watched the series despite our reservations, and we were rewarded with week after week of epic plot twists and dramatic climaxes. Almost every episode made us go nuts in one way or another, and with an endless amount of suffering on part of its heroines, WIXOSS turned out to be a trademark display of Okada’s writing style. The latter also meant that WIXOSS wasn’t a show for everyone, and this will likely remain true for this iteration as well—despite Okada no longer being involved. The flip side now is that there’s a new staff with a less expansive resume, and it’s one that replaces people I felt made the original worth watching in the first place. Ultimately, Lostorage is worth peeking at if you’re interested, but be sure to give it a few more episodes than the norm to run its course, and don’t be surprised if it’s something that doesn’t float your boat in the end.

Preview by Samu

Haikyuu!! is back! Get hyped! Though if you’ve watched the first two seasons, I probably don’t need to tell you that. But if you’re still not caught up on the biggest sports anime of the decade, then here’s all you need to know: the story is about two middle school rivals: the energetic, pint-sized spiker Hinata Shouyou (Murase Ayumu) and the scornful, gifted prodigy Kageyama Tobio (Ishikawa Kaito). Both of them want to be the best volleyball players in Japan, but just as they promise to defeat one another in the future, they end up in the same high school team, and have to work together to become the unbeatable setter-spiker duo. Over the course of fifty episodes we’ve seen them grow as kids and develop as players, and we’ve been introduced to a plethora or lovable characters – both teammates and rival players – and this ten-episode third season is set to focus on the biggest and most important game yet. Haikyuu!! is Weekly Shonen Jump’s second best-selling ongoing title after One Piece for a reason, so this is your chance to catch up for what may be the best season yet.

I had the pleasure of blogging Haikyuu!!’s second season, so if you want to read why I love the series so much, you just have to check out any of those posts to understand the passion that I, and many other fans, have for this volleyball series. It’s very rare that I like every character in a series, but that’s exactly the case here. The first season did a stellar job at introducing the cast and setting up their journey ahead, while the second season focused more on training and pushing these lovable rogues to potentially become the best players in their region. As someone who reads the manga every week religiously, I can say that the Karasuno vs Shiratorizawa match is one of the greatest games of any sports anime or manga I’ve experienced. Expect balls-to-the-walls action, characters being pushed to their breaking points, tears and turmoil, and the outstanding animation we’ve come to expect from Haikyuu!!. Not only is it my personal favourite sports anime, but it’s also easily the best-looking – so with all that in mind I can’t imagine this third season being anything less than spectacular.

Preview by Guardian Enzo

Unless the manga jumped the shark (and that seems very unlikely) the second season of Ajin should be a pretty sure thing with very few surprises. Excellent pacing, a well-crafted plot, lots of despair and off-putting CGI character animation seem to be sure bets here. Taken all together that should make Ajin one of the better shows of the Fall, animation issues aside. This is a good series, one of the better straight-up action thrillers of recent vintage when it comes to matters of writing. I appreciate a show that knows exactly what it wants to do and doesn’t waste time going about it.

Ajin has become quite a multimedia exercise, with tendrils in manga (where it all started of course), live-action films, and anime in theatrical, television and OVA format. It makes an interesting contrast with Shingeki no Kyoujin, another monster manga that’s of course even more popular. What makes these franchises hits in Japan? The combination of mystery, gore and despair clearly strikes a nerve, but Ajin goes about it very differently than AoT. Where that series is all about bombast and spectacle to the point almost of self-parody, Ajin is grounded in a reality not that immediately different from our own – and that’s where it draws its traction from. It’s a much emotionally cooler, more intellectual take on the genre.

Preview by Passerby

Giant robots are threatening Japan! Well, that just means it’s Tuesday. But who will save us from the mechanical menace this time? Music shall soothe the savage beast, apparently, for who should appear but Beethoven (Sugita Tomokazu) and Mozart (Kaji Yuki) in the flesh—or at least two flamboyant musicians who claim to be Beethoven and Mozart. It’s clear, though, that the two are no mere mortals; they call themselves ClassicaLoids, and have mysterious, music-based powers. Whomever they may be, and whatever their goals are, one thing is for certain: hijinks will ensue, especially when Bach (Kusunoki Taiten), Chopin (Toriumi Kousuke) and Schubert (Maeno Tomoaki) join the fray.

There’s pretty good business in digging up old stuff and processing it into new and exciting and salable stuff, and it goes double for TV. The precursor this time is classical composers, and what a strange basis for an anime there are. There was actually an RPG that starred Chopin, or rather Chopin on his deathbed dreaming of experience points and turn-based combat, and that ended up being a mostly legitimate allegory about death and mourning. Somehow, I don’t think ClassicaLoid is intending to go that direction. From the look of the preview material, ClassicaLoid will, at least to start, be a gag comedy, playing on the exaggerated eccentricities of historical figures. That’s probably the kind of thing director Fujita Yoichi (Osomatsu-san, Gintama) will do well with, though, especially when working with a star-studded voice cast. Overall, there are good vibes coming from ClassicaLoid. While we can only guess at the true form of this original series right now, the premise is weird enough to be interesting, and the talent is there in the staff. Comedy is subjective though, so give it a look and see if you laugh.

Preview by Jig

Based on the manga of the same name, Long Riders! follows first-year university student Kurata Ami (Touyama Nao), a girl with little to no athletic ability whatsoever. To say this girl is physically inept would be an understatement. However, one day the young lass stumbles upon a rinky dink old foldable bicycle in front of a train station. She falls in love. Subsequently, Kurata saves up enough dough to buy a bike of her own, afterwards joining up with her school’s club to meet other like-minded individuals (AKA other cute girls who like cycling).

In case you didn’t know, Yowamushi Pedal made cycling cool in Japan. Like, real cool. Seriously, the show single-handedly sparked a cycling boom across the nation, so it’s no wonder that someone put two and two together and placed cute little moe girls at the handlebars. From the promos, the show looks absolutely beautiful. Character designs are delectable, shading and lighting effects are masterfully rendered, and colors pop just the right amount without ever treading into obnoxiousness. It also seems as if the majority of screen time will be spent eating ice cream than actual biking in the same way that the girls of K-ON! are more concerned with drinking tea than playing in a band together. And to this, I have no complaints.

Preview by Jig

You ready for this one? Alright, here we go. A little more than half a century ago, a sudden case of insomnia struck the nation, keeping the populace perpetually awake for almost a week. The sleep-deprived went completely mad, so in order to combat the phenomenon, the world’s top scientists whipped up what they thought was a potential cure. However, all the concoction did was turn the patients into vampires, which man then went to war against—eventually succeeding. The vampires lived on though, which is where our story begins. Bloodivores follows Mi Liu (Akabane Kenji), ringleader of a bank robbery dubbed the “Child of Hope” as a result of being born from the union of a vampire and a human. He is subsequently transported to a prison, which he quickly discovers is birthplace of his vampire species. It’s up to his friends to find out the mysteries of the facility, as well as the vampire species as a whole.

Well that was a mouthful. Pretty bonkers, am I right? The show is based on a Chinese webcomic that I could not get access to, and no preview videos have been released. As a result, there really is nothing to go off but the premise itself. And oh boy what a premise. I’m sure that within the context of a properly paced television episode, it would come off as far more organic and sensible, but having it all laid out bare like that is a little odd. Just like a production we got last season, Bloodivores is a cross-nation collaboration—even boasting some of the same staff and crew. Both Japanese and Chinese studios are working together to produce the show, and if it ends up with the same quality as its predecessor, then maybe there isn’t much of a future for these joint projects. Hopefully Bloodivores can deliver on some solid storytelling and more refined production value if it wants to open the doors for Japanese-Chinese collaborations.

Preview by Passerby

Kiriyama Rei (Kawanishi Kengo) is a professional shougi—Japanese chess—player. This is quite the impressive feat for a 17-year-old high school student, but at the same time shougi has come to dominate his life. Rei’s parents and sister died when he was young and, unwanted by his extended family, he was eventually taken in by the patriarch of a shougi family. That’s right, a shougi family, one fanatically devoted to the traditions of the game, and where one’s worth is directly determined by shougi ability. There is one bright spot in Rei’s life though. By chance he becomes acquainted with some of his neighbours, the Kawamoto sisters: Akari (Kayano Ai), Hinata (Hanazawa Kana) and Momo (Kuno Misaki). Perhaps their warmth and friendship will provide Rei the mental support he could not get from a real family.

I know little about shougi, but I do love chess. Such a simple game, yet of so much depth, leading to it being a useful metaphor for just about anything. Such is the way of shougi as well, I’m sure, as it is for 3-gatsu no Lion (March Comes in Like a Lion), which has a simple premise but unfolds into a meaningful tale about people and their internal struggles. It’s the layered cast that does it, especially the quiet and introspective Rei, whose struggles both in the world of professional shougi and more personally with his family never fail to be poignant. Perhaps I don’t need to sell 3-gatsu no Lion very hard, and only need to tell you that it is an adaptation of an award-winning manga by the incomparable Honey and Clover’s own Umino Chika. Paired with Shaft and director Shinbou Akiyuki, though? That’s curious. Well, Shinbou is no stranger to drama, and in recent times has been trying to prove that he can hold himself together with titles like Koufuku Graffiti. I think even just the strength of the source, though, is enough to give 3-gatsu no Lion a strong recommendation. Look out for this one.

Preview by Passerby

There’s no such thing as the occult, right? Any kind of paranormal phenomenon has a much more rational scientific explanation, or turns out to be tricks of the light, or sheer coincidence. Still, that doesn’t stop Gamon Yuuta (Kaji Yuki), average high school student, from seeking out the occult and cataloguing such occurrences on his blog. Yuuta’s online efforts eventually lead him into contact with eight other singular individuals who are also interested in or are connected with the paranormal. It turns out, there is a lot more to the workings of the world than first meets the eye, and the the deeper Yuuta probes, the more apparent it becomes that he may be far out of his depth. Perhaps there are things that are simply better off remaining forever unexplained.

Occultic;Nine is an adaptation of the light novel written by Shikura Chiyomaru, best known for being the head of 5pb, the company that brought you such games as Chaos;Head, Steins;Gate, Robotics;Notes, and other titles with semicolons in them. Although Occultic;Nine engages in the same punctuation abuse, from what I gather it is specifically not set in the same universe as Steins;Gate and Robotics;Notes. Still, there is enough association for us to make some good guesses about how Occultic;Nine will play out. It will have urban mystery, it will have abuse of science, it will have a global conspiracy. It will also be, from what I can tell, a somewhat tricky adaptation, being a story with a large cast and told from many different perspectives. I’m not sure how well director Ishiguro Kyohei will handle that, though I’m sure those of you who enjoyed Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso more than I did have no worries. At the very least, the music is well accounted for with Yokoyama Masaru on board. Overall, I think Occultic;Nine is at least going to spark curiosity; I know Robotics;Notes fell short by the end, but it managed to be mostly interesting. Hopefully this semicolon installment reprise will do that, and perhaps more.

Preview by Stilts

Sengoku Choujuu Giga is an unusual anime. Utilizing a sumi-e (traditional Japanese ink painting) motif, it will depict either the daily life or historically important events in the life of Sengoku-era warlords, who will be depicted as animals. With a bevy of young actors (Fukazawa Taiga, Osamura Kouki), musicians (Takahashi Naoki, Imagawa Aoi), professional cosplayers (Mineta Hiromu), and even reporters (Takayasu Ohya) providing voices, the anime will joke about Japan’s history and the Sengoku warriors.

If you’re looking for something different, this might be the anime for you. The sumi-e motif is interesting, I wish there was more than a short promo video to see how it’s going to work, but the one we do have shows minimalist animation that kind of works since it’s far enough removed from realistic to seem stylish instead of lazy. As for the actual content, heck if I know how that’ll go. It sounds partially slice-of-life, partially comedy, and I have a feeling it’ll be light and airy more than anything else. I also have a feeling this will be fairly opaque to non-Japanese viewers, and that if you don’t know who the Sengoku warlords are, they probably won’t provide much background here. Sengoku era fans might want to check it out, at least. It certainly stands apart from the pack.

Preview by Takaii

Boy, if you’re looking for a whimsical slice-of-life that’s bound to leave you in tears by the end of it, you’ve found your show. Udon no Kuni no Kiniro Kemari revolves around the life of Tawara Souta (Nakamura Yuuichi), a 30-year old who’s about to discover just what it really means to live life. Hailing from the “udon prefecture” of Kagawa, he returns after his father (the owner of an Udon shop) passes away. Assuming he’d just be there to mourn and take care of the formalities, he instead finds a young boy named Poco (Kokido Shiho) hiding out in dad’s old shop. Through various circumstances and a little rain, Souta ends up taking Poco in and gives the kid a nice warm meal while washing him up – all the while slowly remembering his past and all the great memories he made as a kid. Come along as the two start to live together, meet and reconnect with others together, and grow as they learn from one another.

If you didn’t catch it, this story takes place in the Japanese countryside. Giving off some strong Barakamon or Flying Witch vibes, there isn’t a better setting for a story like this. In terms of actual story, you know that something good when it can get your emotions all riled up as soon as you start start reading the first chapter. Souta feels like the definition of someone who’s hit a rut and can’t seem to shake it off. Coming home and feeling the sting of both leaving and returning, he needs something to help restart his motivation. And that something comes in the form of an adorable kid named Poco who may or may not be a Tanuki. With Souta ending up in a situation where he takes care of Poco, he starts to remember various things from his childhood that help knock some sense into him. All of which turns into a hodgepodge of feels that hit you when you least expect it! In terms of studio, this one is being headed by Lidenfilms, who have had their hand in assisting various larger shows while only producing a few on their own. Overall I think Udon no Kuni has all the pieces to be a great slice-of-life and hopefully it becomes one.

Preview by Samu

In the mood for something a little different? Something of prestige and sure to provide a level of quality that only comes around once in a blue moon? Fune wo Amu is the latest Noitamina title, an anime adaptation of the best-selling and acclaimed novel by Miura Shoin, which was made into a 2013 film that won several awards, including the Japan Academy Prize for Picture of the Year, and was also selected as Japan’s entry for Best Foreign Language Film at the 86th Academy Awards. It’s a mature story that follows Majime Mitsuya (Sakurai Takahiro), an unsuccessful salesman with a passion for reading, and post-grad degree in linguistics. He gets noticed by dictionary editors who need a replacement for one of their workers who has to retire to look after his sick wife. Majime’s new goal as an editor is to produce a new dictionary: The Great Passage, to bridge the gap between people and the magic of words.

Fune wo Amu is an anime that non-anime fans are likely to appreciate most of all, as well as those who need different subject matter than we’ve come to expect each new anime season (idols, otaku stuck in fantasy worlds, moe slice of life, and everything in between). The last time an anime as unconventional as this appeared was Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu, which aired back in January. It turned out to be one of my all-time favourites; it treated its characters like real people and the attention to detail on the subject matter was astonishing. I expect that same level of storytelling in Fune wo Amu. It helps that the mangaka of Rakugo Shinjuu is the character designer here, but I also have confidence in the director, Kuroyanagi Toshimasa (Shounen Hollywood: Holly Stage for 49, Sukitte Ii na yo.), to deliver a drama that matches my expectations.