Preview by Stars

Every season needs its underdogs, and on that count Ahiru no Sora is here to provide. Kurumatani Sora (Kaji Yuki) may be a little shorter than your average basketball player, but what he lacks in height he makes up for with guts and determination. Unfortunately, the basketball club at his high school has long fallen to delinquents of varying talents with little to no passion for the sport. If Sora can reinvigorate his teammates, however, you better believe they’ll be a force to reckoned with on the court.

While the premise might seem well trodden, it’s the charm of the characters and style that are the real draw here. There’s a quirky, off-beat humor to the series that harkens back to older classics like Slam Dunk!, aided by the look and feel of Hinata Takeshi’s character designs. In the manga, the sketchy fluidity and shading give the impression of movement, as though they’re just waiting to jump and sprint and dribble across the page. With this animated adaptation hitting the screens fifteen years after its initial release, Ahiru no Sora is shaping up to be a fun callback to the bygone days of pompadours and grit.

Preview by Pancakes

In a peaceful world with no trouble in sight, everything changes when the monstrous Nemesis appear from the sky and wreak destruction. As the Nemesis destroy all in their path, the young and brash Seth (Hanamori Yumiri) vows revenge against them after they ravage his hometown, promising to find and eradicate Radiant, the rumoured Nemesis homeland. Assisted by his Infection (a magical mark borne by those fortunate enough to have survived a Nemesis’ touch), Seth sets out to become a magician wholly skilled in Nemesis elimination, but finds out the life and training for such a job isn’t that easy. Between the laborious education and strict scrutiny of the Inquisition overseeing the war against the Nemesis, it’s a struggle to get through each and every day, but with strength of heart and gritty determination, Seth will see his life’s mission through—no matter the cost involved.

That’s right boys and girls, the French shounen hitter is back for more. As far as this genre goes, Radiant’s first season wasn’t particularly impressive, largely sticking to the ubiquitous slice-of-life and training “development” that are hallmarks of shounen anime, all while tiptoeing around the story most tuned in to see in the first place. It wasn’t bad by any stretch of the imagination, but Radiant was no Boku no Hero Academia. The good news is that this season should start rectifying many of those faults, with characters previously introduced and foundations lain as Radiant’s story kicks into high gear. With all cast and crew carrying over there’ll be no surprises on the production front, and while it’s up against some seriously heavy shounen hitters this season, there’s plenty of opportunity for Radiant to finally stand out from the crowd. We’ll just have to see what it has in store, but it would wrong to write this one off before it has a chance to show what it’s truly made of.

Preview by Choya

Genzou Shibata (Konishi Katsuyuki) is a professional wrestler who loves animals dearly. When he is summoned to another world, he is greeted by a princess who asks Genzou to exterminate her world’s evil beasts in RPG fashion. But whereas any hopeful youth would be more than happy to take up a sword to slash as many monsters as possible, Genzou is outraged that he would be asked to kill animals. Using his superhuman wrestling prowess, Genzou delivers a decisive German Suplex to the princess, preventing him from being able to return to Earth and forcing him to stay in this new world. Making the best of this predicament, Genzou decides to live a peaceful life in another world and maintains a pet shop where he can raise and take care of the monsters, beasts, and wildlife he encounters.

For those clamoring for more Kono Subarashii Sekai ni Shukufuku Wo!, you’re in for a treat this season. KonoSuba author Akatsuki Natsume penned this hilarious yet meaningful take on life in another world, providing his brand of humor to Genzou’s adventures. Given Genzou’s adoration of animals, it breaks the typical RPG mold by foregoing wanton slaughter in favor of pursuing a more noble hobby of domesticating and raising these dangerous creatures. As with many great isekai anime that flip the script on your standard MMORPG-inspired wish-fulfillment, Hataage! Kemono Michi supports its high concept of a hero that refuses to kill magical beasts by providing him with the strength and means to make his dream a reality. In the process of building a pet store for the magical beasts he’s able to bring in, he gathers the attention of other mythical beings drawn to such an unusual human, whom eventually find themselves intrigued, captivated, or heated-up by such a presence in their world. Along with his employees and begrudging allies, Genzou intends to use his time in another world to its fullest as he ventures out to ensure the safety and protection of the universe’s wildlife. From the looks of it, Hataage! Kemono Michi is shaping up to be one of the breakout hits of this season, and is expected to provide much-needed purification to audiences this fall.

Preview by Pancakes

For goddess Listarte (Toyosaki Aki), life truly sucks. Designated saviour to the so-called “super hard” world Gairbrunde, Listarte plans to save her charge by summoning a hero to help, but in the process gets more trouble than intended. Bringing forth Ryuuguuin Seiya (Umehara Yuuichirou), a mystical “cheat-level” hero possessing unmatched skill and power, Listarte quickly discovers that while her heroic helper may have all the strength in the world, he also comes equipped with a cautious personality. Ridiculously cautious. Hoarding absurd amounts of items, obsessively training to max level on basic slimes, frightened of every action Listarte proposes—Seiya is a cornucopia of heroic cowardice, and it falls to the poor goddess to help him see the light. If Garibrunde is to be saved Seiya must rise to the challenge, but training this hero for the role is going to take far more effort than Listarte ever bargained for.

Ever think there’s not enough comedy in insekai? Missing out on some KonoSuba-style shenanigans? Believe parody trumps reality? Well say hello to Shinchou Yuusha. Effectively a love child of KonoSuba and Slayers, Shinchou Yuusha is an unabashed isekai parody, taking all the tropes and stereotypes and hilariously playing with them as much as possible. Whether that be between the superpowered (and more cowardly) Kazuma stand-in Seiya or the more innocent (yet equally useless) Aqua relation Listarte, Shinchou Yuusha is full on gag and slapstick humour from the get-go, and it makes no apologies for it. While the obvious caveat is that comedy always comes down to personal taste (and Seiya’s pusillanimous personality will likely prove divisive to boot), with this being a White Fox production under Needless’ Sakoi Masayuki, it’s reasonable to expect a show similar of similar comedic quality. We’ll just have to wait and see how the first few episodes pan out, but if you’re in need of some meme-worthy laughs this season, look no further.

Preview by Zaiden

Kisaragi Amatsuyu (Yamashita Daiki) a.k.a Joro is a high school boy who has always dreamed of having his own harem. After reading about lucky protagonists and their harems in fiction, he jealously concludes: “I want to be like those bastards too”. To achieve this goal, he behaves like the most immaculate of Prince Charmings during the day, while maniacally plotting his next moves at night. His efforts thus far have secured him two very close and intimate relationships: Hinata Aoi (Shiraishi Haruka), his childhood friend, and Akino Sakura (Misawa Sachika), the student council president. Everything goes perfectly. Both ask him to come meet them up after school. Seems pretty simple and clear cut, right? Well… about that…

When I was still in highschool, an acquaintance of mine at secondary school was so inspired by anime (Sakurasou, in particular) that he wrote a short story. One which had a really similar premise to the opening gambit of Ore Suki, and predated it by three years. My friend’s story was pure entertainment. I remember laughing my sides out, gaping in awe at how he spicily straddled the fine line between genius and insanity. So I can’t help but wonder if, while he goes about daily life as an aeronautical engineering student, he secretly took up a Japanese pen name and sold his story to some higher up in the industry, and is now secretly making bank to fund his university education with Japanese LN aficionados none the wiser. But I digress. To say the least, this series executes an absolutely bonkers premise, and if you’re a fan of Gamers! or Kaguya-sama: Love is War, you’ll feel right at home with how often your expectations become subverted. With Akitaya Noriaka at the helm – a man who has directed excellent anime I adored in Bakuman, Jokumachi no Dandelion and the Persona 3 movies – I have no doubts this adaptation will blow off socks and can confidently predict Ore Suki will become one of the breakout hits of fall 2019.

Preview by Zaiden

Stop! I understand exactly what you’re thinking. ‘[Not] Another isekai!!!’ Right?!? For both kinds of people, whether keen or dismissive, you might be in for something of a treat, provided you keep an open mind. If you ignore the all-too-familiar truck that strikes once again, Honzuki is definitely one of the less conventional isekai told from the perspective of a bookworm reincarnated into the body of a little girl called Maine (Iguchi Yuka). She is not reborn into some kind of aristocratic class living a comfortable life. Rather, she starts off from complete poverty as the daughter of destitute peasants. And it’s not the lack of insulation or food or potentially life-threatening illness that bothers her. It’s the utter lack of her beloved books in any shape or form, thanks to the abysmal literacy rates around her parts. Worst of all? A single book is extremely rare and costs an absolute fortune! Her solution? Make her own paper, make her own ink and start her own enterprise. Because it’s time to set this new world alight by creating her own books, as well as bringing over all the incredible (and garbage) stories from our world.

An isekai deviating from the norm? What a breath of fresh air, even if I do find myself somewhat partial to the stale and crummy generic stuff that’s been coming off production line so frequently as of late. The premise provides a unique starting point, not to mention Iguchi Yuka and Tamura Mutsumi are prominent seiyuu who can be relied upon to bring characters to life. However, director Honda Mitsuru has proven to be a one-show wonder with Outlaw Star – followed by a bunch of ceremonious flops to his name such as World Trigger. With nothing else to show and a lethargic series composer in Kunisawa Mariko to back him up, I’ll remain hopeful that something will click, yet will set my expectations appropriately to minimise potential disappointment.

Preview by Choya

It’s springtime in Kyoto. Aya (Kouno Marika) has recently moved from her old town to begin her new life in high school alongside her new friend Miki (Miyashita Saki). One day after school, Aya and Miki follow committee president Midori (Tomita Miyu) to a specialty board game store with a plethora of games to choose from. Without thinking, they decide to play a German board game for kicks. But in their casual pursuit of a good time, they become invested in the exciting world of board games. Along with foreign transfer student Emilia (M.A.O.), each of the girls come together as they discover their mutual interest in board games in the Dice Club!!

Houkago Saikoro Club channels its energy into giving audiences a run down on some of the most thrilling and entertaining board games. Anime as a medium is no stranger to board games, as the past few years have given us a few slice-of-life shows where its cast take time out of any given episode to play their favorite board and parlor games together. The characters of Imouto sae Ireba Ii enjoyed bringing out tabletop hobbies every so often. However, the titular club in Houkago Saikoro Club’s full dedication to board games dives deeper into the mechanics or aspects of table-top games that make them fun, deep experiences. With the club’s main specialty, it also provides the perfect opportunity to flesh out the intricacies of a wider range of board games than most other anime. It’ll be interesting to see how invested they are able to get into the girls’ shared interest in board games when Houkago Saikoro Club makes its next move this season.

Preview by Pancakes

After a devastating and widespread depression took Japan to the brink of annihilation, seven high school students rose to the challenge and saves their dying country. Unparalleled prodigies in everything from medicine to science, combat to covert ops, and all manner of politics and economics in between, they helped to single-handily restore Japan to greatness—at least for a while. After an everyday plane ride for the seven turns into a tragic accident, the kids find themselves transferred to a wholly new, unknown, and technologically deprived world. With magic and beastmen common and modern convenience nowhere in sight, the seven prodigies set out to do what only they can in their unique situation. Through their combined intellect and unrivaled knowledge, they will remake and revolutionize this new world, no matter the consequences.

Yes, you’re not seeing things, we have yet another isekai adaptation on our hands. Besides the obvious wish-fulfillment and suspension-of-disbelief going on (did I mention one of these students is the Japanese prime minister? Yes, it’s that crazy), Choyoyu isn’t too particularly egregious: it’s a slow burning politically-focused story with a relatively balanced cast (read: no harem) and hints of Maoyuu Maou Yuusha and Danganrompa to keep the material fresh. Make no mistake, success for Choyoyu is going to depend entirely on one’s love and tolerance of all things isekai, particularly the more over-the-top variety (this is Danganrompa in spirit, after all), but as a simple bit of fun and relaxation you cannot go wrong here. Considering the loli master Yanagi Shinsuke is directing for Project No. 9, we’re bound to see the lighter side of isekai shenanigans, but if you’ve got that alternate world itch regardless I recommend giving Choyoyu a shot. You never know what this one might have up its sleeve.

Preview by Choya

Chuubyuou Gekihatsu Boy explores the lives of several boys who suffer from adolescent delusions of grandeur, otherwise known as chuunibyou syndrome. Hijiri Mizuki (Akasaki Chinatsu) is a transfer student who finds herself entangled in each of the boys’ lives as she learns to handle their rowdy personalities. For instance, Tsukumo Rei (Enoki Junya) sees himself as a mastermind with a penchant for taking on his daily activities in a suggestive manner. Nakamura Kazuhiro (Kabumoto Hideaki) is a prodigy who identifies as a reincarnated angel or devil named “Touga Ryushouin” with a god of darkness dwelling within one of his arms. Mikuriya Futaba (Tsuda Kenjirou) is a fellow transfer student who returned from above to embrace his narcissistic obsession with singing. Takashima Tomoki (Nakamura Shugo) is an otaku whose handsome looks are wasted on his 2-D wife Sora-chan from the game ‘I Love!’. And finally, Yamato Noda (Yamashita Daiki) is a youthful boy who longs to be a hero and trains for the day where he can dabble in heroics. Together, they are about to show Mizuki that sometimes, it takes the power of love, heroism, and imagination to make it through high school.

The history of the Chuubyuou Gekihatsu Boy franchise is interesting in how it began as a Vocaloid song by rerulili. As interest grew for a universe where a group of delusional boys believed they were gifted with superpowers, the song was adapted into a stage play and a light novel series. The anime adaptation is aiming to replicate the level of enthusiasm shown in both the song and the light novels as they explore Mizuki’s interactions with the boys. Along with its draw as a reverse harem where she faces a cavalcade of possible suitors, it helps that its overarching concept revolves around how the boys’ personalities make for rough sailing for Mizuki, to have the attention of all these boys suffering from chuunibyou syndrome. It’ll be fascinating to see the many ways in which each guy’s delusions work for and against them as they try to bond with their new friend. Whether they aim to stay friends with Mizuki or decide to compete with one another to win her affection will be interesting to see play out, especially with how detrimental some of the boys’ personalities can be in getting others to connect with them. No matter if it’s more of a comedy than a romance or vice versa, Chuubyuou Gekihatsu Boy should prove to be a fun and quirky musical comedy that will aim to have you demanding an encore this season.

Preview by Pancakes

Best batten down the hatches and protect those waifus, because the next great thing in weaponized moe anthropomorphism is here with Azur Lane. Based on the widely popular (and Kancolle-inspired) Chinese mobile game, Azur Lane is set in an alternate world beset by alien beings called Sirens. While initially successful in their invasion, the Sirens soon meet their match in girls endowed with Cubes, devices containing the condensed power of naval warships. Thanks to the heroics of these ship-infused girls, humanity starts pushing the Sirens back, but in victory finds only further struggle. After two powers—Iron Blood and the Sakura Empire—break from the global alliance to forge their own path, the remaining allies suddenly must confront both alien invaders and their former comrades determined to dominate the post-Siren world. With the threat of war growing by the day, it’s uncertain how events will play out, but one way or another it’ll come down to the ship girls to decide the world’s fate.

Anthropomorphism, war, and alien invasions; whether together or individually, we have been feasting on numerous “mecha musume” anime featuring these themes for years, and Azur Lane is set to continue the trend. At face value no surprises should be expected here: like Kancolle before it, it’s going to be all about various ship girls, their quirky personalities, and famous warships, albeit with a greater emphasis on story versus slice-of-life (a la Aoki Hagene no Arpeggio)—at least if the promo videos and hinted plot are any indication. Will it make up for the disappointment Kancolle generated? That’s anyone’s guess, but it’s clear Azur Lane is aiming to do so. While there’s a couple of red flags in this being yet another mobile game adaptation by a completely unknown studio, considering Grisaia no Kajitsu’s Tanaka Motoki has plenty of directing experience with cute girls and magical settings and the game seiyuus are all reprising their roles, there’s a decent chance this one won’t fall firmly on its face. Azur Lane may not wind up breaking any molds, but this is one mecha musume anime worth some attention.

Preview by Zephyr

Switching off from A-1 Pictures, Studio MAPPA and director Umemoto Yui (Cardfight!! Vanguard G, Episode Director on Durarara!!, Sakamichi no Apollon) take over as the wildly popular Granblue Fantasy franchise returns for its second animated go-around. Set in a world where people live on islands drifting across the skies, Granblue focuses on a boy named Gran (Ono Yuuki) and his winged lizard friend Vyrn (Kugimiya Rie). The first season saw them meet with girl named Lyria (Toyama Nao) and former knight turned guardian Katalina (Sawashiro Miyuki). Sought by the militaristic Erste Empire for her ability to manipulate magical beasts known as primals, the crew’s attempt to evade capture leads them to Rackam (Hirata Hiroaki), who joins the group as the pilot of their new airship, the Grandcypher. As they engage various primal beasts and add to their ever growing crew, Gran finds himself on a journey through the skies, hoping to one day find his way to Estalucia, the legendary Island of the Astrals where his father awaits. Granblue’s second season will continue the story of Gran and his Skyfarer crew as their journey pushes them toward a climactic engagement with the Erste Empire.

Given how well it sold and the popularity of its mobile counterpart (over 24 million players!), it was only a matter of time before Granblue received its second season. For the most part, its first season was faithful in how it adapted the franchise’s major plot points, making it a nice trip down memory lane for those who have played the game. For those who didn’t play Granblue then, or haven’t played it yet, the experience was likely less meaningful, providing a solid fantasy adventure story that had its moments but probably didn’t come off as anything unique or truly amazing. I can’t say this impression would necessarily change with a second season, but the events of subsequent chapters do pack a bigger punch than those covered by the first season, and there’s certainly an adventure to be had here with over a 100+ chapters of content available in the source game. At the very least, the animated version of Granblue is a good entry point to see what the franchise is all about. Who knows? You might end up getting hooked and start playing the mobile game like I did.

Preview by Guardian Enzo

I won’t lie, it feels good to have the first slot in my seasonal expectations not be a slam dunk for once. I seriously had to think about it this time, but in the end I had to go with Hi Score Girl II. Given all the agony fans of this series have gone through and the fact that it was a Top 3 show for me in 2018, I just couldn’t go in any other direction. Not only is Hi Score Girl a great anime, but it’s one that deserves every ounce of success and appreciation that comes its way.

The fact that HSG ended up being quite successful commercially as an anime feels like a just reward in so many ways. As a coming-of-age tale and a romantic comedy, Oshikiri Rensuke’s manga is among the best of the 21st Century. The authenticity level is off the charts with this show, and the anime lost none of it in translation. Even the 3D-CGI element of it, certainly not my favorite aspect of the adaptation, ended up kind of working (especially in the depiction of the 90’s game environments). Hi Score Girl is a great series with a great protagonist and great romantic triangle, and even if it hadn’t been enthusiastically pissed on by fortune it would still deserve to get the complete anime adaptation it’s receiving. Justice is a rare thing in this world and it – like equally rare great series like this – should be cherished when the opportunity presents itself.

Preview by Stilts

Null Peta is described as a “sisters slapstick comedy” project, which centers on the genius elementary school girl inventor Null (Waki Azumi) as she deals with the the tragic, emotionally scarring death of her older sister Peta (Ueda Reina). Just kidding! Peta does die, tragically too, but instead of mourning as us plebs would, Null creates the Peta Robo, a robot with the same characteristics as her late sister. However, the robot is a little different than Null expected. Hilarity ensues in this multi-media project, with the game launching simultaneously with the anime’s premiere.

If I seem flippant about the older sister’s death in the paragraph above, it’s only because there’s so little information available about this project. Will Peta’s death be the source of legitimate grief, or will it be glossed over for the sake of getting the Peta Robo on screen and getting to the funnies? Who knows, though at least there’s a hint of an interesting idea in the premise, and with only an anime and a game as part of this multi-media project, maybe they’re actually depending on the anime to be good to make money? We can only hope! The staff is okay, director Ogura Hirofumi has a decent resume and original creator/script writer Hato has at least done the job before, though I’ve never seen their one other show. Similarly, the promo video is fine, nothing to complain about but no depth signaled. This is one that, if the idea of a robot sister who’s a little off tickles your fancy, just try it. I’m not holding out much hope, but maybe those low expectations will lead to a big surprise.

Preview by Zaiden

Suzuki Iruma (Murase Ayumu) is an unfailing Yes Man. Born to irresponsible parents and neglected for the majority of his life ever since he was a kid, Iruma is used to accepting pretty much any unreasonable requests from others just so that he can get by – including a sales contract where his parents sell him off to an entity from hell in return for a lump sum of cash. Fortunately for him, this demon is really just a lonely and rich old man who has always wanted a grandson. In a wholesome turn of events, Iruma is sent off to attend a demon academy – although he lives in perennial fear of being exposed as a normal human among his crazy and powerful demonic cohort, all of which could easily obliterate him at a moment’s notice.

Mairimashita! Iruma-kun is a breakout hit penned by Nishi Osamu that’s every bit as wacky as it sounds. From the premise to the characters to the artwork, the majority of it is off the rails and it definitely makes the cut as a gag manga. Everything is likable – although the art might not be everyone’s cup of tea. And there’s no shortage of touching moments, with the occasional promise of more underlying substance that’s teased at every now and then. As the director of equally whimsical shows in Hime Chin and Milky Holmes, I reckon that Morikawa Makoto is a highly suitable match for this series. Regardless of the outcome, something unique is guaranteed to pop out at the other end of the production line and I’m extremely curious to see the result.

Preview by Choya

Akutsu Takuma (Hirose Yuuya) is a high schooler who is determined to remain forever alone so he can focus on his studies. However, his fortunes are reversed when he is chosen by Odin to protect and save the world from evil. But he will not go about this task alone, as Odin grants him nine Valkyries that he must fight alongside and live with. The catch is that Akutsu will have to engage in intimate acts with each of the girls in order to tap into their fighting potential. The sisters he must fight with include the most popular and highest-level Valkyrie on the force Saotome Natsuki (Hondo Kaede), the student council president Saotome Itsuyo (Kakuma Ai), the popular idol Saotome Mutsumi (Hidaka Rina), the harsh eldest sister Saotome Ichika (Uchiyama Yumi), the tomboyish Saotome Misa (Shimizu Ayaka), and more. Although Akutsu has his work cut out for him now that his solitary life is no more, he is compelled to begin his journey as he joins the Saotome sisters in combating the forces of evil, one awkward moment at a time.

For those seeking an energetic battle ecchi anime with a twist of Norse mythology, there’s no going wrong with Val x Love. In fact, Val x Love has a few surprises up its sleeve as far as romantic action harems go. For instance, Akutsu’s anthrophobia, or fear of humans, offers an interesting spin on your standard protagonist as he must juggle the weight of saving humanity with his fear of remaining in close contact with girls he’s living with. It might seem like a trivial issue, but with his level of fear, it becomes increasingly alarming when he must raise the girls’ power levels by directly arousing them. The anime is presented as a “world-saving, room-sharing, love action story,” but Odin’s emphasis on making Akutsu use the sisters’ arousal to fight evil adds a stressful element to Akutsu’s tale as he is forced to overcome his fears and, at the same time, avoid looking creepy. In the process, however, his feelings for the girls quickly develop, causing further complications when he wants to come off as a more respectful person, developing feelings that would otherwise conflict with the crass mechanics behind activating the girls’ powers. Additionally, the Saotome sisters have their own ideas of what they think of Akutsu and their connection with him as their thoughts about him teeter between budding admiration and outright opposition. While it will be interesting to see how their feelings grow and develop amid fighting evil, we’ll find out how it all unfolds when Val x Love exposes itself this season.

Preview by Passerby

Hidden deep within the icy wastes of Antarctica, 6000 metres above sea level, is the observatory Chaldea. But this is no remote scientific facility; Chaldea is actually a clandestine organisation of modern magi sanctioned by the United Nations with one directive: to preserve humanity against extinction. To this end they employ miraculous technologies that give them the ability to exactly simulate the past, present, and future of Earth. One day, Chaldea makes a startling discovery: they could no longer observe humanity past the year 2019. Some nefarious force had meddled with key events in human history, without which humanity as we know it would not exist. Chaldea can do only one thing: send their sole agent-by-accident Fujimaru Ritsuka (Shimazaki Nobunaga) back in time and, enlisting the aid of heroes out of antiquity and mythology, correct the course of mankind. Now, Ritsuka is about to embark on his most important and dangerous mission yet: back to 2655 BC, ancient Mesopotamia, the cradle of civilisation. It is the time known as the Age of Gods, when primordial deities still held authority over the world, and Ritsuka will have to battle similarly-sized perils that threaten to extinguish all life.

The initial anime adaptation of Type Moon’s popular mobile RPG Fate/Grand Order, aptly named First Order, came and went without much of a splash. It simply was not impressive. Sure, it had some neat action, and a potentially interesting one-part time police, one-part mythological-melting-pot premise, but the writing was mostly uninspired. How much can you expect from a smartphone game anyway? Even those who had played the game readily warned that the initial chapters were on the whole mediocre. But, it does get better. Much better. By the time the game got to Babylonia, Fate/Grand Order had almost reached the level of a fully-fledged visual novel, with head writer Nasu Kinoko taking full advantage of his anything-goes setting to make the story crazy awesome. Babylonia is certainly the height of F/GO and is worth checking out even for the uninitiated. But let’s not push the hype train to full steam so easily; there’s the matter of adaptation. This is director Akai Toshifumi’s first time helming a full series, though he did direct the Shelter music video. He at least has skill at storyboards. Another issue is that Babylonia is actually the eighth chapter of F/GO. The seventh is being made into a movie, but that’s coming later, and even then there’s five other chapters missing. I’m all for cutting weak parts of the story rather than let them drag down the whole, but they do contain plot information that Babylonia won’t entirely make sense without. There is an episode 0 that recaps the story to an extent, but it won’t answer a new viewer’s questions to any level of satisfaction. If you’re entirely unfamiliar with F/GO I’m not sure how much Babylonia will accommodate you. At least we know that it’s getting a healthy 21 episodes, so it should have time for the busywork. And of course, have time for the epic; there will be plenty of that in Babylonia.

Preview by Takaii

Have you ever watched a show that you ended up really liking, only to be super worried that it would never get more content and would just disappear into obscurity? Well, if you haven’t I despise you, but seeing as how we’re all friends here, I’m sure you can empathize with the feeling. Lo and behold, BokuBen, a show that I absolutely loved, is back for a second season! Oh my god, I can barely contain my excitement thinking about how we may actually get some proper character growth as the story evolves since the foundations for an extremely entertaining romcom/school life show have already been set.

If you want to know more about the show, feel free to read the great preview by Choya two seasons ago. I think it goes without saying that you should watch the first season if you want to have any idea of what’s going on during this sequel. However, if you’re looking for a reason to pick this show up (or go back to watch season one), let me vomit words onto the screen for a second. If reading the show’s synopsis isn’t enough, I think what really pulled me into the story was how fun it was watching Yuiga Nariyuki (Osaka Ryota) do his thing, as well as how unique each romantic interest is when it comes to how they handle their feelings toward Nariyuki. With each character getting ample time to show off their quirks and how said quirks clash with what they want to do, you can’t help but want to know more. Add in how innocent Nariyuki is, as well as just how dense he can be when it comes to romance, and you have all the fixings of a damn good romcom. Anyway, if you feel like you’ve been missing a good anime romcom in your life and have been trying to scratch that itch, I’d definitely recommend picking up BokuBen 2!

Preview by Miss Simplice

A third competitive high school show? Right in time for back-to-school season. This is a little less abrasive Shokugeki no Souma and more along the lines of Chihayafuru, wherein the characters aren’t yet geniuses at their sport. They rely on each other to learn, they support one another to keep their passion ignited, and they face challenges together rather than against one another. The key difference lies in the musical instrument they all share a newfound or reignited passion for: the Japanese koto. The story follows Kudou Chika (Uchida Yuuma), a delinquent teenager who forces his way into the Tokiza High School Koto club. Alongside musical genius Houziki Satowa (Tanezaki Atsumi) and club president Kurata Takezou (Enoki Junya), they and their peers work tirelessly to qualify for Nationals.

Kono Oto Tomare! might be the lighter high school drama series of this season, but don’t let that fool you. The music is what guides this show every step of the way. Each character has a strength and a weakness, but it’s how the club members come together to fill in those gaps that really makes the show worthwhile. Performances get progressively better, which creates a satisfactory evolution to watch. You may want to add this to your watchlist, especially if you’re a sucker for crying. Kono Oto Tomare! will definitely pull at those heartstrings.

Preview by Passerby

The Earth used to be ruled by… dragons! Long before human civilisation covered the planet, dragons reigned as magical god-kings, with dominion over not just humans but other fantasy races lifted straight out of a Dungeons & Dragons manual. At some point, though, the dragons began to disappear, and in modern times the few that are left have taken unassuming shapes and blended into human society. And so, Tokyo is now a city as we might recognise it, save for the occasional spat between elves and dwarves and a vampire attack now and then. These unorthodox cases require an unorthodox police force, and so was established Special Crimes Investigation Unit. Despite the fancy title it’s just a bunch of roguish misfits who, despite each possessing superhuman capabilities, have proved too unruly for the regular force. Into this band of ne’er-do-wells transfers Nanatsuki Seiji (Shimono Hiro), who is, from all appearances, just a normal detective. But he’s good at what he does, and his mundane skill set may be exactly what is needed for the Special Crimes Investigation Unit’s primary mission: to thwart a cult of dangerous dragon worshipers who have been sowing unrest for the purposes of resurrecting the power of the dragons, and reshaping the world in their own image.

It’s always curious how much info we get ahead of time on original series like Tokunana. As much information as we have about the premise, we still don’t know which studio is actually producing the thing, which is usually suspect. I hope no issue comes of it, because Tokunana sounds interesting, being an urban fantasy melting-pot following the footsteps of Cop Craft (which in turned followed shows like Kekkai Sensen). Perhaps it’s not the most original idea, both in the East and in the West, but it’s a very flexible conceit that an ambitious anime can do a lot with. And while we don’t know the studio yet, we do know the important stuff i.e. the staff. We know that there’s two directors, Kosaka Harume and Kuriyama Takayuki (the chief director in this relationship). More importantly, we know who’s writing this thing: Higashide Yuichiro, who also wrote the Fate/Apocrypha novels. Apocrphya was something of a mess, and not even always an interesting mess, but it’s not a huge leap going from that to something like Tokunana, so perhaps lessons were learnt. Even then, perhaps Tokunana won’t even be one of the top three crime thrillers we have this season, but I suppose you can’t have too much of a good thing.

Preview by Takaii

If you thought Actors was going to be another male idol show, you wouldn’t be wrong. But what makes this one a little spicier is where the show draws its inspiration from. If words like EXIT TUNES or utaite ring a bell, then boy I hope you got as excited as I did when I figured out what Actors: Songs Connections was all about. For those out of the loop, here’s a quick primer on why those two words should get you hyped. In the wild world of Japanese dougas (or videos), people who cover vocaloid songs or utaites have made a name for themselves doing amazing things to songs that originally started as synthesized voices. Following that wave of success, various labels have come and gone, but one of the biggest is EXIT TUNES, who’ve done literally everything you can do when it comes to vocaloids and music. One of which was creating a mixed media franchise called Actors which, among other things, has traditional CDs, drama CDs depicting the school lives of various members, and even a light novel! So, why does all this matter? It’s because the opportunity for songs that typically only live on the web and in rhythm games may finally make their way to our screens!

When it comes to Actors’ actual story, it looks like it will follow a typical school life setup where we follow a large cast (11 boys!) as they each do their things. That said, the focus will mostly revolve around three new anime-only characters: Kagura Sosuke (Urata Wataru), Outa Uta (Hozumi Yuuya), and Otonomiya Saku (Kajiwara Gakuto), all of whom are freshmen and happen to meet each other (and stick together) after hearing Otonomiya sing. However, just like any good show, there’s something else going on behind the scenes with mysterious white figures which can supposedly cure just about anything. How does it all play together when this is a show about singing? I guess we’ll all have to watch to find out!

Preview by Passerby

At the Tokyo Public Prosecutor’s Office, Seizaki Zen (Nakamura Yuuichi) specialises in white collar crime. Currently, he’s investigating a global pharmaceutical company that has recently released a new and controversial euthanasia product. But the deeper Zen digs, the more unsettling the case appears. A particularly disturbing piece of evidence he uncovers is a file of an anaesthetist that contains samples of blood, hair, and skin along with a mysterious piece of paper on which is written, repeatedly, the letter ‘F’. It seems Zen’s investigation is only scratching the surface of a much greater conspiracy, one linked to a major local election and corruption that may go all the way to the top.

Writer Nozaki Mado, the author of the original Babylon novel on which this anime is based, is not unknown to the anime world. Previously he wrote the script for Seikai Suru Kado, which was filled with interesting ideas but went off the rails in its second half. For a smart anime it was hella dumb. While I haven’t managed to get my hands on a copy of Babylon, I have a fear that it may turn out similarly. Sure, the premise of Babylon sounds smart enough, but toward what end? The director credit is also, perhaps, a cause for pause; you may remember Suzuki Kiyotaka from the second season of PSYCHO-PASS, which also happened to be everybody’s second favourite season of that two-part series. But those are just apprehensions; on the face of it Babylon looks to be meaty conspiracy thriller and those always make for a good yarn. And with all the fantasy we’re getting this season, the gritty, modern, and political setting of Babylon will be a welcome contrast.

Preview by Zephyr

Produced by P.A. Works and directed by Suzuki Kenichi (Hataraku Saibou, JoJo no Kimyou na Bouken Part 3: Stardust Crusaders 2nd Season), Fairy Gone is set in a world where fairies can possess and dwell in creatures to grant them special abilities. By transplanting an organ from these animals into humans, their abilities were harnessed to create Fairy Soldiers, select individuals whose powers could single-handedly change the tide of battles. However, with the abrupt end of a war that had engulfed the continent for many years, many Fairy Soldiers found themselves with a skill set that was no longer necessary. As the years passed by, many found themselves engaged in illicit activities, while others joined “Dorothea,” a government organization specializing in fairy-related crimes. The first season of Fairy Gone followed Dorothea’s newest recruit, Marlya (Ichinose Kana), as she worked together with other agents to fend off an attempted coup d’etat. The second season will continue from the first, focusing on Dorothea’s continued confrontation with Fairy Soldier remnants and the various organizations looking to recover and use an artifact called the “Black Fairy Tome.”

Originally one of spring’s more hyped series, Fairy Gone’s first season was generally regarded as a disappointment, with viewers lamenting its bland story, uneven pacing, inconsistent animation, and deluge of underdeveloped characters. It had its share of good action scenes and a great soundtrack, however, and I’d like to say that the series still has at least some potential to fulfill in its second season. But even as someone who didn’t dislike the series as much as others, the fact that they split the series into two parts and stopped at *that* particular point didn’t do it any favors, as it felt like the series was finally building into something meaningful, then suddenly took a multi-month break instead. I’m personally hopeful that things will pick up as the series’ second season arrives, but even if it does, it could very well be too little too late for many viewers.

Preview by Choya

The corporate world is a jungle. A ravenous and ruthless kingdom where “survival of the fittest” is ingrained in the DNA of every aspiring office worker looking to cut their teeth in this cold and unforgiving society. In Africa no Salaryman, this jungle takes on a whole new meaning, because the salarymen are actual animals! Lion (Ootsuka Akio) is your typical salaryman navigating a capitalist society where the prey, as it turns out, are number-crunching reports that need to be completed immediately. He is joined by Lizard (Tsuda Kenjirou), a hot-headed companion whose no-nonsense approach makes him an aggressive co-worker, and Toucan (Shimono Hiro), an enthusiastic employee who also has a habit of letting loose in the workplace. Together, they take their rowdy antics to the workplace while dealing with their own unique struggles as animals living in a contemporary human society.

Africa no Salaryman is shaping up to be a comical take on the business world by incorporating the surreal nature of animals trying to make sense of the human world with your standard workplace comedy. With the hot-headed animal varieties that make up this workplace, it should make for some humorous team-ups as Lion, Lizard, and Toucan learn to cope with one another’s work styles. It has a similar appeal to Shirokuma Cafe in giving us the animal kingdom’s comedic, cute, and eccentric interactions with human activities such as running a business or chilling out. But whereas Panda-kun tried his hardest to not saddle himself with responsibilities, it looks like Lion will have a far more rigorous work schedule when Africa no Salaryman arrives this fall.

Preview by Passerby

A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, many space-faring races lived in harmony. But, one day, some undocumented cataclysm displaced them all from their homes and, with nowhere to go, these various races came together to form one great colony fleet, called ‘Oracle’, to search the universe for a habitable planet where they can start anew. The exploration of new planets is delegated to an organisation of professional adventurers within the colony known as ‘ARKS’. As our protagonist, Ash (Ono Daisuke), takes the qualification exam for ARKS on a foreign planet, he and his fellow trainee, Alfin (Shimono Hiro), are suddenly attacked by an army of unknown alien lifeforms, the Darkers. As Ash and Alfin are roped into fighting and investigating the Darkers they stumble across intrigue and conspiracy within the Oracle fleet itself, hinting at an altogether different origin and purpose for the ARKS organisation.

There has actually already been a Phantasy Star Online 2 anime, but that one didn’t so much adapt the game as adapt a hilariously shameless advertisement for the game. It really was just 12 episodes of watching people playing the actual MMORPG while slobbering over it as the holy grail of entertainment media, and while Phantasy Star is a fairly prestigious franchise with some history behind it, that wasn’t what anybody was looking for. This iteration of the anime, Episode Oracle, has its own level of shadiness—anything Studio Gonzo does these days is a bit suspect by association—but it’s supposed to be an honest-to-goodness adaptation of the game’s story. And it’s surprisingly legitimate. As director we have Barakamon’s Tachibana Masaki, who also happened to direct a .hack OAV back in the day, so that’s relevant experience. Taking the writing credit is industry veteran Oonogi Hiroshi, who was also the series composer for Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, among other things. So there’s much to be optimistic about, which is great news for a lot of Phantasy Star Online fans who have been waiting eagerly for a proper anime adaptation. Even if you’re not a fan, this can be a good opportunity to see what this franchise is all about (especially considering the difficulties PSO2 has had getting to the West). And an anime that’s something of a cross between Homeworld, The Lord of the Rings, and Macross can simply be a good time.

Preview by Stars

Inspired by a mobile game, the heroine of this tale has started working at the independent investigation agency, STAND, and it turns out she has a talent: medical narcotics don’t affect her. It’s essentially like if someone took the premise of Psycho-Pass and turned it into a reverse harem. There are A-listers among the vocal cast such as Namikawa Daisuke and Sugita Tomokazu, and that’s just to name a few. The director, Yamamoto Hideyo, has worked on Darker than BLACK and Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex. It’ll be interesting to see what he does now that he has full directorial control.

The fun and excitement of playing a mobile game is usually derived from the experience of directly affecting the narrative through your choices, which tends to make adapting one into an anime challenging. If you develop the main heroine, the audience can no longer project themselves onto her, but if you don’t, she’s bland and boring. It’s challenging to please everyone. Downright impossible, even. The formula tends to go a little like this: two or three episodes are dedicated to each possible suitor, expanding on their backstories and setting up a potential romance. Now that’s the traditional route, but with a talented director at the reins, there may be some deviation from the structure, with the hopeful result being an adaptation that functions well as an independent narrative. It’s definitely something to look into, but what’s piqued my curiosity the most is the heroine’s nifty ability. Namely, how does not being affected by narcotics make her a better narcotics officer?

Preview by Pancakes

Adele von Ascham (Waki Azumi) is just your run-of-the-mill ordinary girl. Eldest daughter of the von Ascham household, it’s hugs, laughter, and friendship all around in Adele’s daily life—until the day of her tenth birthday. Stricken by a terrible headache, Adele wakes up recalling memories of a past life in a different world, where as an eighteen-year-old named Kurihara Misato she died rescuing a little girl. Winding up before God and given one reward for her selfless actions, her only request was to be reborn in a new life as average, and while this wish has mostly held true until now, her new revelation quickly changes things. With past memories at hand and hidden powers now starting to make their presence felt, it will take everything Adele has to keep her average life just way it’s always been.

Serious isekai. Funny isekai. With fall apparently going for broke on isekai, all we’re missing is the lighthearted variety, and that’s where Watashi Nouryoku comes in. Similar to the likes of spring’s Kenja no Mago or even Knight’s and Magic, this one takes the good-natured path, focusing hard on cutesy slice-of-life, but switching things up by running a female protagonist. That’s right, no males—or harems—here. Ever wanted a cute-girls-doing-cute-things isekai? Your wish is about to be granted. While good to note that Watashi Nouryoku’s story is not the strongest we’ve ever seen (even for an isekai), with none other than Doga Kobo’s own comedic cute girl master Oota Masahiko directing and over 11 volumes worth of light novel material to work with, there’s plenty of opportunity to see something amazing. It may not be fall’s strongest offering, but Watashi Nouryoku is well set to be top of the pile for anyone in need of some lighthearted relaxation.

Preview by Miss Simplice

In a world of anthropomorphic animals, a vicious crime sows suspicion between carnivores and herbivores. Meanwhile, a canine character develops an unlikely bond with a rabbit. Sure, it may sound a lot like Zootopia, but it’s also the premise of Beastars, another tale of crime, discrimination, and improbable friendships. Based on the award-winning manga by Itagaki Paru, Beastars follows gray wolf Legoshi (Kobayashi Chikahiro), a member of the school drama club, as he tracks down a murderer and develops feelings for a dwarf rabbit named Haru (Senbongi Sayaka). The manga actually came out the same year as Zootopia, and is more of a high-school drama with a darker tone.

When I first heard about Beastars, I immediately thought of comic series like Blacksad and Fables (which also has a wolf main character, albeit mostly in human form). Beastars doesn’t seem quite as dark as those, however, and the high school setting brings a new dimension to the story. The manga does venture far further than, say, Zootopia into the weirder aspects of such a world—especially when it comes to how characters grapple with primal instincts like hunger and lust. Directed by Matsumi Shinichi, and licensed by Netflix, the series is being animated by Orange, best known for 2017’s Houseki no Kuni. The unique premise and Orange’s track record for animation mean this is definitely one to keep an eye on.

Preview by Choya

Acting as the sequel to Z/X Ignition, this new installment is a fresh new take on the franchise as it centers on the not-so-distant future after Ignition. Previously, five “Black Points” suddenly appeared across the world, acting as portals to parallel worlds set in different time frames. Unfortunately, strange, malicious creatures jumped out of the portals to begin invading the planet. In order to make sure their own future time frame can survive this onslaught, each of the five invasion forces battled to wipe out the other future time frames using the power of one card-shaped device. As of Code Reunion, humanity and the Z/X reached a peace treaty and allowed universes to merge together in unity. Kagamihara Azumi (Ogura Yui), a girl from the Blue World, is chosen to enroll in an academy established to gather girls across Japan who are partnered with Z/X. With the power of Z/X at her disposal, Azumi is aspiring to make her grand debut at Fujimisaki Gakuen and reach far beyond her potential as a Z/X master.

The Z/X franchise has an interesting background as one of the first “Free-to-Start” card games that gave out free decks at card shops and special events. From there, it was able to blossom into the series it is now with video games, manga, and two anime adaptations based on the Z/X series. What makes Code Reunion particularly exciting is how the stakes aren’t raised to their highest peak. Whereas past adaptations have centered the characters’ experiences with Z/X around battling invaders from other dimensions, Code Reunion takes on a more pleasant approach by giving us an academic setting where characters fight not to prevent doomsday, but rather to create valuable and meaningful experiences with unity, camaraderie, and sportsmanship. This allows for leeway to introduce more characters into the series for Azumi to fight and befriend, giving her incentive to personally grow alongside her classmates and professors. If you’re a fan of Z/X or have an itch to watch some card game battles unfold, Z/X: Code Reunion will ensure that this fall won’t be a bust.

Preview by Stilts

Kadokawa is back at it again with another multi-media project set to premiere with an anime and a game. This original series is centered on girls who compete in jet ski races. But not just normal races, there’s also a second girl on each jet ski, and she has a laser gun? The point of the shooter hasn’t been made clear yet, but, though this is being produced by Senran Kagura producer Takaki Kenichirou, who’s known for much boing boing and plenty of clothing damage, Takaki-san has already said these girls will remain clothed. Will there be camera pans on their busts and bums? The promo video says yes. Jiggling boobs? That’s an affirmative. But fully clothed they shall remain!

The honest truth is that, though this is being produced by the Senran Kagura guy, and the character designs are overly tropey and there’s lots of tight clothing and naked skin on display, jet ski racing with some kind of laser shooting involvement is not the worst idea I’ve heard. Far from it. Had Takaki-san not specifically said the characters would remain fully clothed, I would have assumed otherwise, especially with the involvement of director Kaneko Hiraku because, I mean. C’mon. Just look at that resume. Right? Zappa Gou on series composition is a brighter spot, and there’s still those jet skis and laser guns to consider. I find myself assuming this’ll be a typical multi-media project, i.e. not that good, but at least there’s some possibility to the premise. Maybe, maybe. I think I may have to watch an episode or two, just to see where these laser guns fit in.

Preview by Stilts

The popular medieval fantasy epic Nanatsu no Taizai is back with another full season. The story continues where it left off, with the titular Seven Deadly Sins—a group of legendary knights who once protected the nation of Britannia, before they betrayed their comrades and tried to overthrow the king … only they didn’t actually betray anyone, it was them who were betrayed (framed), and they had to be brought back from exile by princess Elizabeth Liones (Amamiya Sora) to save the kingdom from the Holy Knight usurpers. But that was a while ago, and small apples compared to the current threat: the terrifying Demon Clan, resurrected after being sealed for three thousand years for the horrifying war they waged on the entire world, and led by the monstrously powerful Ten Commandments. The Seven Deadly Sins are once again on the front lines of the fight, with promises of fierce battles, a test of fate for Elizabeth and the Sins’ leader Meliodas (Kaji Yuki), and the secret of the world set to finally be revealed.

Nanatsu no Taizai is a shounen action-adventure series I’ve had a lot of great things to say about in the past. The first season was phenomenal, whereas the third season fell off. (The less said about the filler second season, the better.) Why the fall off? Partially raised expectations, but also the first was packed with so much content, whereas the third season slowed down the narrative (and nerfed the animation quality) as original creator Suzuki Nakaba began milking the popular series for all it’s got. I get it, there’s financial incentives at play, but I don’t have to like it. This season will continue the Ten Commandments arc, which dug into some interesting themes around character such as Meliodas, Elizabeth, Gowther (Takagi Yuuhei), and Escanor (Sugita Tomokazu), not to mention plenty of delicious shipping vis a vis Diane (Yuuki Aoi) and King (Fukuyama Jun). If you’ve watched this far, you’ll probably keep watching, and I’m in that boat myself. Just go in it with realistic expectations, as the story is truly in the realm of shounen stretch, and it’s being animated by Studio Deen this time, who are quickly morphing into the scavengers of the anime world. (Have a decently popular IP in need of a sequel on the cheap? Think of Deen!) Otherwise, director Nishizawa Susumu has some experience, and lead writer Ikeda Rintarou at least has a few credits to his name. Go in with appropriate expectations, and let the pulpy shounen adventures of Nanatsu no Taizai take you away.

Preview by Stars

What meaning is there to life for a man who cannot die? When Manji (Tsuda Kenjiro) is cursed by an 800-year-old nun with immortality for causing the deaths of a hundred samurai, including his sister’s husband, he must seek out and kill a thousand evil men in order to end the curse and regain his mortality. Until that time, bloodworms will keep him alive, ensuring that even if he were to lose his limbs, he would be able to reattach them and keep fighting. There is much injustice and cruelty to be found during the Tokugawa Shogunate period, but by vowing to help a young girl, Asano Rin (Sakura Ayane), avenge the deaths of her parents, he may have taken the first steps to redemption.

This seems to be the year for rebooted classics. Dororo’s set the bar extraordinarily high, but this series’s director, Hamasaki Hiroshi, has a very long and impressive resume of shows such as Arslan Senki, Orange, and Stein;Gate. He’s no stranger to tackling the deeply philosophical themes of duty, revenge, obsession, and mortality. As for vocal talents, Kenjiro’s vocal talents in Naka no Hito show a range and ability that makes him able to shift from amusing to utterly terrifying at the drop of a hat, and that’s when his character is dressed like an alpaca. If he can do that, imagine how intimidating he’ll be when voicing a cursed wandering samurai. This series will be available on Amazon Prime, and with its updated animation and designs, setting, and compelling storyline, is looking to be a binge-worthy addition to their collection.

Preview by Takaii

Leaping off two years after the first series ended, Gundam Build Divers Re:Rise is the follow-up series to the well received Gundam Build Divers. A spiritual successor to Gundam Build Fighters, Divers utilizes a similar concept where the story is grounded in the “real” world. Unlike mainstream Gundam series of space operas where plot, drama, and unique characters make up a majority of the story, we instead are given a fun virtual world where anyone can pilot a mobile suit that they’ve built in real life. This virtual world of Gunpla Battle Nexus Online allows players to create a unique avatar that they control while they are “diving,” and just like any good online game, provides both cooperative and competitive modes of play.

For those of you who may not be huge Gundam fans but have always wanted to get into it, the Divers or Fighters series are a great way to experience some of the thrill that Gundam fans rave about. If you’re looking for something that’s truly grounded in the real world and embraces the fact that gunpla are toys, Fighters is definitely up your alley. If you’re instead looking for a story that’s similar to a typical Gundam show where you have a grand overarching story where a main cast of characters are trying to save the world, Divers is probably a better fit for you. For Re:Rise specifically, this sequel will revolve around a new cast of characters and takes place two years after the first series ended. Having watched the first few episodes of Divers, I can say the first series was pretty darn fun and you could do a lot worse when it comes to watching a mecha anime. Which I think is saying a lot coming from someone who isn’t really big into this genre.

Preview by Miss Simplice

It’s a complex affair being the daughter of a noble family in this world. Not only must one deal with the pressures of aristocracy, but also demonstrate the ability to wield mana, the only source of energy that grants the user enough power to ward off danger. Mana is genetically passed down for generations, but that might not be the case for Melida Angel (Kusunoki Tomori). She’s said to be the daughter of a top-tier noble family, but not everyone agrees. At the ripe age of thirteen, having spent a few years at a mana training school, she has yet to display any ability to use or generate mana, meaning she might not be of noble descent. Then in comes Kufa Vampir (Ono Yuuki), the son of a duke, who must act as her tutor and discover whether or not the girl has any powers at all. If it turns out she doesn’t, he’s secretly tasked with assassinating her.

EMT Squared is adapting this series from the light novel of the same name published in 2016. The preview and promo visuals look promising, but only time will tell if the quality will last throughout the series. The character designs strongly echo those of Sword Art Online’s world. The long dark cape worn by the assassin and the red and white attire sported by the female lead recall Kirito and Asuna during the first season. There’s also something about students in uniform using weapons and the last name “Vampir” that jolts me right back onto the Vampire Knight student campus, but maybe that’s just me. Also, the fact that a boy is helping a girl reach her full potential seems a little dated, but the story might find a way to turn the tide. I wouldn’t put it past this series to become the sleeper of the season.

Preview by Stars

No Guns Life features a gritty, noir-esque animation style that sets the mood for this mystery sci-fi thriller about a cyborg soldier, or Extended, with no memories of who he is or how he ended up with a gun for a head. When another Extended comes to him for aid, he ends up taking on a job of keeping a child safe, which ends up being quite a task when everyone’s determined to get their hands on him. Similar to the lead of Escape From New York, Inui Juuzou (Suwabe Junichi) isn’t your typical hero. He’d rather not be involved, preferring to keep his head down, but when the chips are down, his sense of loyalty means he can usually be counted on to do the right thing. Since this series is marketed toward adults, the battles are going to bloody, but perhaps also beautiful when set against the watered-down palette of No Gun Life.

Karasuma Tasuku’s manga will be adapted by Madhouse, the producers of Black Lagoon, Death Note, and the first season of One Punch Man, as well as many other acclaimed series and films. The music composer, Kawai Kenji, has worked on Oshii Mamoru’s films, including Ghost In The Shell, which covered overlapping themes of humanity and agency. Here’s a riddle for the ages: you buy a brand new boat at the age of twenty-two. Over a lifetime you crash the boat, sink the boat, and take it in for repairs, over and over until every part of the boat has been replaced. Is it still the same boat? When you replace people’s arms and heads and legs with metal, a similar thought process must go through their minds, but if in spite of all that existential dread and uncertainty you still manage to be a good person, then perhaps there’s more to being human than flesh and blood, after all.

Preview by Guardian Enzo

I admit it’s a reach to rank Hoshiai no Sora so highly when it’s a relative unknown in a season of sure-thing sequels. It’s not something I can entirely justify logically, but in terms of my own level of anticipation, this original sports/coming-of-age tale from 8bit and Akane Kazuki is honestly in my #2 slot in terms of expectations (behind only the other series I’m previewing). And Akane Kazukii himself has a lot to do with that. I doubt Akane’s name carries much weight with anime fans these days, but I’m a huge fan of his 2005 series Noein. It’s flawed but at its best staggeringly brilliant, and while Akane has occasionally directed since then, Hoshiai represents his first original work since Noein. He’s brilliant, he’s had a lot of time to craft this story, and it looks really interesting to boot.

Hoshiai no Sora is nominally a sports anime, the story of a middle school soft tennis club on the verge of extinction and the boy trying to save it. But knowing Akane and judging by the pre-airing material, the accent is going to be on the bildungsroman side here. Any time we can get a new series in familiar categories – sports anime, school life, maybe romance – that breaks the increasingly-unbreakable anime mold, that represents a huge opportunity. And if you watched Noein, you know Akane does things differently than most – and his insight into adolescence is second-to-few. This series certainly has the widest range of outcomes of any series in this category, but the potential is pretty exhilarating.

Preview by Miss Simplice

For those unfamiliar with this show, no it isn’t about teenagers having a food fight. It’s about teenagers at an elite cooking school competing to become the world’s leading chefs. Just the normal teenage experience. The story follows Yukihira Souma (Matsuoka Yoshitsugu), who enters Toutsuki Culinary Academy under his father’s directions. There, he learns new techniques, new styles of cooking, and faces challenges like never before. This fourth season returns right in the midst of an ongoing battle between the rebel forces led by Souma versus the Elite Ten. Souma and his peers are facing what seem to be insurmountable challenges, choosing to go up against the school’s top ten students, in the hopes of changing the ways of their restrictive and elitist school.

If you haven’t watched Shokugeki no Souma yet, it might be a good idea to jump on the bandwagon before this said-to-be final season airs this fall. True, it’s a lot to catch up on, but trust me when I say you and your taste buds will be well entertained. Before Shokugeki no Souma came along, no one could have imagined that watching high schoolers engage in a cook-off (shokugeki) could be as explosive as a battle between Goku and Frieza. And for most fans (mostly me), it encourages them to cook extremely delectable dishes in the hopes of having their guests’ clothes explode right off their bodies. If you know not of what I speak, it’s time to tune in. The series offers so much in terms of entertainment it’s difficult to pin down a specific audience. From suspenseful competition to nonsensical behaviour, this shounen has a little something for everyone. It’s not every season that a show comes along for which that can be said. The third season might not have topped the first two, but I expect this final one to go out with a bang. Make sure to free up some space this fall and add this gem to your roster.

Preview by Passerby

Tokyo. On the East Side of the Shinjuku ward is the red light district of Kabuki-chou. You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy. All the glitz and glamour comes with a seedy underbelly, and local police seem unable or unwilling to clean up the streets. But that just means more job security for private lawmen, and they have flocked in droves to Kabuki-chou. In fact, at the tenements of one Mrs Hudson (Suwabe Junichi) live no less than six self-styled detectives-for-hire, each equally unorthodox. Perhaps all of their skills will prove necessary for Dr John H. Watson (Nakamura Yuuichi) who, after being unjustly fired from his hospital, seeks out the services of detective Sherlock Holmes (Konishi Katsuyuki). But there are worse things brewing in Kabuki-chou; a recent series of bizarre murders points to a serial killer on the loose. Alias: Jack the Ripper.

Modern adaptations of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes character are nothing new, but leave it to anime to lay on the whackiness. If Kabukichou Sherlock reminds you of Hakata Tonkotsu Ramens (and, in turn, Durarara), that’s likely the idea since they’re all of roughly the same genre. The genre being: take a cast of zany characters, cram them into one wacky town, then watch the corn pop. That said, Kabukichou Sherlock has been rather reticent about what exactly it means to be, as original anime often are. It at once bills itself as comedy and drama, serious and absurd. Perhaps from that we can intuit a level of ambition, especially since Kabukichou Sherlock will have two cours to work with. There’s a level of ambition in the staff too; not only do we have Yoshimura Ai (Yahari Ore no Seishun Rabukome wa Machigatteiru) on direction, overseeing the scripts we have Kishimoto Taku, who’s not only good at his job in general but also has a flair for urban crime (see: 91days, Joker Game). With all this promise, we’re bound to be in for a good time with Kabukichou Sherlock.

Preview by Zaiden

19th Century China. The Qing Dynasty. The Emperor is weak and China is undergoing turmoil due to the combined threat of internal and external political pressures. But that’s about as far as historical accuracy goes. From this point onward, we enter a fictitious period known as ‘The Era of the Cooking Wars’. In this China, food is taken extremely seriously, to the point where it has heavily shaped government policy and the legal system. As such, chefs have a high status within society that correlates with their cooking skills. They compete with each other in order to gain respect through increased standings, which brings greater political power. But there’s a major caveat to this system that heavily raises the stakes for those participating: all chefs must accept the risk that they might lose everything. The protagonist Liu Mao Xing (Tanaka Mayumi) carries on the will of his mother, seeking to bring happiness to others through cooking. After passing the Guangzhou Special Chef Trials, Mao decides to travel around China to further his skills in the culinary arts, as he continues his journey to become the very best. But he will have to face off against a mysterious organisation that threatens to undermine order and stability. Just what is their goal?

A couple of decades after the original anime reached an inconclusive and abrupt ending, a sequel for Chuuka Ichiban is finally on its way for fans who have long awaited some form of continuation. The studio in charge, NAS, is one you’ve probably never heard of. They’re new to the industry and that should automatically warrant lower expectations. But with Production IG holding their hands through production, perhaps we can expect more. And as someone who was blown away by the quality of Pokemon: Origins, it delights me that Kawasaki Itsurou is taking another punt at directing, considering his impressive portfolio in less senior positions – although his other directorial works leave much to be desired. But seeing that there’s source material to adapt from and this series is lighthearted, fun and exciting, making the anime live up to its potential shouldn’t be too difficult.

Preview by Stars

There’s a certain contagious exuberance about Boku no Hero Academia that keeps fans coming back for more. Whether its Midoriya Izuku’s (Yamashita Daiki) wide-eyed admiration of heroes or the ever growing and colorful cast of characters that fight alongside him, the forward momentum and energy of youth appeal to all ages. Every young hero worth his salt goes through a crucible, and some would say this upcoming arc forms the foundation upon which Midoriya and his friends will form their futures. While this may not be Midoriya’s first rodeo, his missions going forward could be best compared to upgrading from a mechanical bull to a live one, or doing a trapeze without a safety net. For all intents and purposes, Midoriya and his classmates are effectively heroes now, with all the action and heartache that entails when the goal is to rescue a young girl from a dangerous conspiracy headed by the famed villain known as Overhaul (Tsuda Kenjiro).

The consistently sharp visuals, unique designs, oddball personalities, world-building, energized soundtrack, and a very solid coming-of-age arc for its cast have made Boku no Hero Academia a mainstay of anime since its publication. A steady influx of new heroes and villains, as well as poignant character development, have kept excitement for this series at an all-time high even as it enters its fourth season. For those of you who haven’t checked this out yet, it’s worth starting from the beginning to see how far Class 1-A has come. After all, at its heart, Boku no Hero Academia is an origin story for the next generation of great heroes.

Preview by Takaii

Returning after a two-cour break, Alicization comes roaring back to our screens for Sword Art Online’s biggest season yet! Kicking off right where the story left off, War of Underworld is about the upcoming literal war for the Underworld in both the real and virtual world. However, it looks like our main protagonist Kirigaya Kazuto (Matsuoka Yoshitsugu), who is better known as Kirito, will be sitting out for at least the beginning of the conflict. Appearing to be in some kind of coma, it looks like the momentary loss of power from the end of the last season did a number on his mental condition. Luckily it looks like Alice Zuberg (Kayano Ai) and Yuuki Asuna (Tomatsu Haruka) are both ready to take care of things in their respective playing fields—hopefully they’ll be able to find a way to bring Kirito back.

Man, can you believe it’s been nearly half a year since this SAO decided to take a break? Thinking back to the final battle between Kirito and the Administrator, it feels like an eternity ago that we watched Eugeo (Shimazaki Nobunaga) turn into a giant sword and Kirito lose an arm, only to watch the Administrator get burnt to a crisp as she was essentially violated by a fat clown. At this point though, it’s tough to say much since War of Underworld is essentially the same as pressing the play button on a show you hit pause on after accidentally forgetting about it for six months. If you haven’t watched the first 24 episodes of Alicization, I’d highly recommend getting caught up if you have any interest in SAO, since it feels like we’re about to witness some insane stuff. That and if you’re not the biggest fan of SAO, I can’t help but feel that you might enjoy the Alicization arc since it’s definitely different than what we’ve seen in the past.

Preview by Zaiden

Kokura Hikari (Machico) has a passion for shooting and impressive accuracy to back it up, having participated in a rifle competition during middle school. She chooses Chidori High School because it was supposed to have a shooting club, only to discover that there are no more members left. Despite only having a single day to gather the requisite members, she is able to find three other first-year girls, all of whom she met at that rifle competition. Together, they will go about their afternoons and weekends honing their skills and pushing each other to greater heights. And while they faced off as rivals in the past, the time has come for them to take on the world as a combined unit.

I don’t know if Japan has an NRA equivalent, because cute girls is an effective way to get the otaku populace to have a positive perception of nearly anything. Fans of Upotte! will especially be delighted to see another show with a similar premise of young girls wielding guns. But whether you’re for or against guns, I think that Rifle is Beautiful should offer high value entertainment thanks to the involvement of Studio 3Hz, who have an illustrious track record with passion projects starring female characters such as Flip Flappers, Princess Principal, and Sword Art Online Alternative: Gun Gale Online. You can really feel the love and care they put into their work. They’ve invited Takahashi Manasori to oversee the project, which might seem like an odd choice seeing how he only directed one TV series back in 2014. Nevertheless, Inou-Battle wa Nichijou-kei no Naka de was absolutely awesome, which gives cause for optimism. But none of this can compare to the fact that Takahashi Tatsuya is in charge of series composition. As Gigguk put it himself, this is the man who has mastered ultra incest – though I’m having a hard time seeing how he can utilize this technique in a show which doesn’t seem to have any siblings. Anyway, if Rifle is Beautiful can put out similar levels of energy and fun to the other shows 3Hz have been involved in (which is extremely likely given their magnificent track record), I think it will be a solid option for anyone seeking to add a CGDCT show to their watch list.

Preview by Miss Simplice

Fans have been waiting for over half a decade to see Ayase Chihaya’s Seto Asami impassioned flame for karuta return to the screen. The story follows Chihaya and her two childhood friends, Mashima Taichi Miyano Mamoru and Wataya Arata Hosoya Yoshimasa, as they progress in their journey to become the best at karuta, a competitive card game they played together as children and now as teens. They carry their love for the game so very close to their hearts, they’ve infected other characters and the rest of the world with their obsession for the sport. This third season features the return of the three series leads, as well as the introduction of a new character in Inokuma Haruka (Sakamoto Maaya).

I didn’t seek out Chihayafuru. It sought me out. It was recommended to me by a trusted friend, and although I was by no means compelled to watch it, I binged the first season within 72 hours. Even though Chihayafuru plays with general high school tropes, its overall plot, the infuriating love triangle between childhood friends, the complex roster of characters, and the intricate game of karuta all caught me by surprise. The sport was nowhere on my radar prior to watching this series and I hear it’s grown in popularity since the series aired in 2011. If your anime intake was non-existent prior to 2013, perhaps Chihayafuru never made your must-watch list. But this season, if you’re into suspense, romance, friendship, commitment, and just a good time riding emotional roller coasters, it’s time you dig into Chihayafuru, whether it’s this third season or the ones you’ll need in order to catch up. Won’t you join one of the teams? Will you be team Taichi or team Arata?

Preview by Pancakes

After two seasons and four (!) movies, Production I.G.’s critically acclaimed original Psycho-Pass returns for a third series. Set in the near future where technology allows for the instantaneous and continuous measurement of people’s mental stability, emotion, and state of mind, Psycho-Pass explores a Japan wholly controlled by the Sibyl System, an omniscient and omnipresent electronic edifice given sole right to choose everyone’s course in life. If one’s Psycho-Pass—i.e. their quantified, Sibyl-defined mental state—falls below a certain threshold, they are forcibly removed and isolated from society, a task given to Ministry of Welfare Inspectors. Equipped with Dominators (weapons capable of reading Psycho-Passes and dispensing the appropriate level of justice), Inspectors have the toughest job of them all, and several years after Sibyl was twice nearly destroyed by its own idiosyncrasies, it’s one Shindou Arata (Kaji Yuki) and Kei Michael Ignatoph (Nakamuru Yuuichi) must now perform. To uphold this modern utopia is a never-ending task, and with the nature of crime changing by the day, it’s anyone’s guess what will challenge Sibyl’s reign next.

To say seeing a third season of Psycho-Pass is bittersweet would definitely be an understatement. Few anime series have made such a splash as this one and then crashed and burned so thoroughly, while even fewer have all but single-handily resuscitated a quiescent genre only to trip over the concept defining it in the first place. While Psycho-Pass has recently been limping back to prominence through several successful movie releases, a third season was not on anyone’s radar, and given how well the last went over, it should be treated with a good deal of caution. Except for the confirmed return of some key franchise characters—Tsunemori Akane (Hanazawa Kana) and Ginoza Nobuchika (Nojima Kenji) especially—next to nothing is known about the story right now, and with staff info similarly lacking (barring director Shiotani Naoyoshi’s return), any sort of hype should be kept firmly in check. Until that first episode drops and the theorycrafting can begin, everything is up in the air for Psycho-Pass 3, but should it match what we’ve seen of recent Psycho-Pass releases, this season could be just what’s needed to help this imaginative cyberpunk franchise find its footing once again.

Preview by Stars

Continuing on from the previous season, Tokita Ouma (Suzuki Tatsuhisa) uses his brains, analytical ability, and peak physicality—he’s by no means scrawny—to best opponents that are taller and stronger than him in the arena, pushing himself past the physical limits of the human body to fight with the brutality, speed, and cunning of a demon. While the manga’s detailed linework doesn’t transition fully to the 3D CGI Netflix favors, fans of the series have mostly looked past the graphics to enjoy the fast-paced action scenes and quirky humor. That plus the vocal talents of a strong returning cast, including Suzuki Tatsuhisa, Namikawa Daisuke, and Nakata Jouji, as well as experienced music composer, Takanashi Yasuharu, who has done commendable work for the OST’s of Fairy Tail and Naruto: Shippuden.

To sum up the series in two words: it’s fun. This show knows exactly what it wants to be, and isn’t afraid to milk every drop of testosterone and adrenaline out of its premise. If the first season was your cup of tea, the second is anticipated to be more of the same.