Preview by Choya

Kujo Jolyne (Fairouz Ai), the daughter of Part III hero Jotaro, finds herself purposefully trapped in Green Dolphin Street Prison by DIO’s former partner Enrico Pucci (Tomokazu Seki). Pucci’s main goal is to use his stand White Snake’s ability to steal the powers of all of the Joestars, rendering them unable to fight back as he removes them from the equation and creates a world that DIO himself could be proud of. Since that wouldn’t fare too well for Jolyne or her family, she must navigate from within the prison system to recover her father’s abilities, fight back against Pucci, and survive against all of the superpowered criminals, friends, and affiliates that Pucci has gathered to fight Jolyne on his behalf. Luckily, she’s not alone though as she is joined by her closest friends in jail as they encounter a series of perilous fights and tight situations as they aim to wake up Jotaro from a harrowing coma and restore the abilities of Star Platinum.

By the time this season’s previews come out, Stone Ocean will already be released. In this case, I wouldn’t have to gauge whether this season needs to be seen or not, because, by the time the Fall season begins, you’ve probably seen it all. Chances are that a post on Stone Ocean would already be available to read on this site because of its early release. It’s highly unlikely that this will receive a standard week-by-week summary of one to three episodes since a full season breakdown would make more sense in this case. If the Stone Ocean anime adaptation is going to all be dumped on everyone at once and then promptly forgotten, it’d be silly not to follow suit and dedicate a single post to this season. Look forward to Part 2 out of ??? of Stone Ocean when it hits the web this September.

Preview by FJ Freeman

What wacky and new adventures will the world of the ever green and ever popular isekai genre bring this time? *checks notes* Reincarnated as a sword?

Of course, some isekai protagonists are reborn as OP wizards and warlocks, witches, and overpowered fantasy knights. Dare I even say, some of them get reborn as crazy slimes that get to rule over a nation. Not our protagonist here, instead he was reborn in another life as a sentient sword!

Our protagonist is taken up by Fran (Kakuma, Ai) a desperate girl in need of some help as she flees evil-doers intent on selling her into slavery. With her new weapon, who also happens to be our main protagonist, she is able to do some incredibleswordsmanship, with the help of a little guidance from the talking sword of course. She’s able to strike down her captors and secure her freedom. Together, this unlikely duo embarks on an epic adventure to liberate those in need and exact justice on this cruel world!

When it comes to isekai it doesn’t get any more wacky than this, and though the genre has had its fair share of blunders, you never know! This might actually be interesting, and with some fun twists here and there, hopefully, it doesn’t stray too much from the good path, but only time will tell.

Preview by Princess Usagi

I find the strange, surreal world of yokai fascinating – and it turns out yokai are just as fascinated about the human world. In particular, a tanuki named Mameda (Ichimichi Mao) wishes more than anything to turn human. One day she attempts a jaunt in human form around Taisho Era (1910s) Osaka only to spectacularly fail in her disguise. A woman, Daikokutei Bunko (Yamamura Hibiku), heartlessly urges the young tanuki to give up and go home. Daikokutei just so happens to be a rakugo-ka (traditional Japanese storyteller) and their meeting throws Mameda into the world of rakugo. Thus starts our tanuki heroine on the hard road of training to become a rakugo-ka.

The premise with Japanese performing arts, early 20th century history, and folklore immediately caught my eye, all being things I am interested in. I find it intriguing that it centers on a female rakugo-ka in a time when rakugo performers were entirely men (there were no female rakugo masters until 1993). As such, it holds potential for exploring the challenges of being a woman in a man’s world. However, it could turn into a CGDCT series (which it looks like the mangaka TNSK has focused on in other works). With the tanuki meets human world angle, it almost reminds me of another tanuki-child series which I thoroughly enjoyed- Udon no Kuni no Kiniro Kemari. Promisingly, the studio behind that, LIDENFILMS, is also behind this – not to mention all the other standout series they’ve been doing recently. I would recommend keeping your eyes peeled for the first episode if you have an interest in Japanese traditional culture and folklore!

Preview by Gabie

After months of waiting, fans of Heroaca can finally prepare their weekly buckets of popcorn and stretch their fingers for aggressive tweeting! Because this undeniable phenomenon hits the screens again with one of the most compelling arcs of our epic tale of heroes. With incredible plot twists and turns, the season picks up as Shigaraki Tomura undergoes a crazy procedure to receive an extremely dangerous–and mysterious–power. As our battles scale up, the impending war with the Paranormal Liberation Front looms just overhead. And in national war the stakes are higher, with civilization-scale consequences. The Halcyon days are over my friends!

Whether you like this show or not, Horikoshi’s talent as a storyteller of a character driven plot cannot be denied. The world-building and the quirk singularity theory are no doubt strong points, but the humanity struggles and development is what shines brightest for me. Even though I personally prefer the manga, I’ll be definitely tuning in to catch these moments in the big screen… And to listen to Nobuhiko-san’s screams. *blushes in Deku*

Preview by Choya

Editor’s Note:Call it Double all you want, it’s clearly omega 😛

Sakurai Shinichi (Akabane Kenji) thought he could have an easy time in college without having to stress out about any unwanted attention. He thought wrong, because Uzaki Hana (Oozora Naomi), his annoying underclassman, has arrived to throw a wrench in his plans for a carefree college life. Uzaki proves to be a shrill, clingy fixture in Sakurai’s life as she constantly nags and harasses him about how he spends his time. Sakurai’s introverted mindset turns Uzaki into his archenemy as he is unable to shake off her overbearing presence. At the same time, Sakurai can’t help but appreciate the company as his college life is definitely not snoozy in any definition of the word. Will he ever be able to coast through his studies in peace or will he be wrapped around Uzaki’s finger as he starts to fall deeper for her? Find out this season when Uzaki screams your ear off again.

It’s no secret that the show’s main appeal is that Uzaki is annoying. The story fully embraces the villainization of Uzaki to such an extent that it uses “ω” instead of “2” for its second season. Back when this one first came out, the internet was set ablaze over her design, her age, her behavior, and her smug laughter. I didn’t want to tackle it much when I covered it since it was low-hanging fruit for every terrible grifter on YouTube, and y’all don’t need yet another terminally online jerk to make every post an examination of the heavy ramifications of five carefully-curated social media posts and what they mean for anime discourse as a whole. Instead, I wanted to explore what the average viewer could see in a show that’s as abrasive as Uzaki-chan. Aside from the pointless side characters, the first season was a neat slice of life since it explored what early college life looks like for two acquaintances. Uzaki seemed like the catalyst behind the story’s issues with her constant badgering and mischief, but as the episodes and chapters rolled forward, her influence had rubbed off on Sakurai as he made it somewhat of a personal goal to dunk on her whenever he can. As a result, you have many segments where you have some pretty solid chemistry between the chaotic Uzaki and the secretly petty Sakurai. With all of the love flags that were placed between the two, it’ll be interesting if this season winds up moving the needle for any potential romance.

Preview by Zaiden

Al Wayne (Enoki Junya) (not to be confused with his long-lost cousin Bruce) aspires to be the Number 1 Farmer of his world. Despite sounding a humble enough aspiration, his life takes an unexpected yet dramatic turn after he maxes out his farming skills. If the trailers are anything to go by, he is capable of instantly defeating dragons by pelting a potato at them, which seems overpowered no matter what kind of mustard we’re looking to cut with. There looks to be all sorts of troubles on the horizon from here on out, but our protagonist seems well-equipped to deal with whatever unfortunate dastardly dastards come the way of him and his peaceful farming life.

During my teenage years, I read an absolute ton of ongoing other world manga and kept up with them for a couple of chapters, only to never touch them again. I suspect Noumin Kanren no Skill belongs to that heap. It looks fun enough, don’t get me wrong. So if you’re into the unassuming but overpowered janitor trope, this is totally for you. Problem being I’ve never seen a secret farmer class in games like Final Fantasy or Dragon Quest, so suspending my disbelief is proving to be more difficult than usual. Primarily because I can’t draw a straight correlation between farming skills, and being able to instantly defeat a dragon with a lobbed potato. Nevertheless up and coming superstar voice actor Junya (Yuuji Itadori from Jujutsu Kaisen, Asanaka Yomogi from SSSS.Dynazenon, Nasa from Tonikaku Kawaii) features as the protagonist. Plus judging by the list of other characters, it seems fairly likely there will be a harem aspect too. If all of that sounds hunky dory to you, this show would certainly be worth keeping an eye out for.

Preview by Pancakes

Beast tamer Rein Shroud (Chiba Shouya) has a job many a young kid long to possess: a member of the hero’s party. Or at least had. Fighting only with the assistance of animals, the other members of the party gradually consider Rein to be dead weight, enough so that he’s eventually banished from the party outright. It’s quite the rude awakening for the guy, but Rein is not one to let circumstances get him down. Reveling in his newfound freedom, Rein sets out the become an adventurer, a task made all the easier by coming across Kanade (Waki Azumi), a member of the world’s strongest cat tribe – and Rein himself actually being the one who carried the hero’s party. You see all those animals Rein had at his beck and call were what helped keep the Demon King in check, and now Rein’s former allies are about to discover what struggle truly entails.

While isekai remains all the rage, fantasy in anime is slowly seeing the emergence of another force de jour in slice-of-life series predicated on one poor sucker pulling the short straw from the hero party pack, of which Yuusha Party wo Tsuihou Sareta Beast Tamer just happens to be the latest example. This one is basically Banished from the Hero’s Party version 2.0, with former hero running drug store being replaced by former hero collecting adorable catgirls and having fun adventuring. Is it everything we’ve seen before? Pretty much, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t entertainment to be had, particularly when Uzaki-chan wa Asobitai’s Aoshima Takahasi is penning the script alongside slice-of-life connoisseurs in studio EMT Squared doing animation duty. Should Yuusha Party wo Tsuihou Sareta Beast Tamer keep things lighthearted and fun, this will certainly be one fall fantasy adventure to keep a tab on.

Preview by Pancakes

A life in the hospital is no easy thing, and for one young and acutely ill girl it’s enough to truly sap all her strength. Yet not all is that bad thanks to the escapism of games. Quite literally for said girl. Suddenly finding herself awake as one Irene Lauren d’Autriche (Takahashi Rie), a villainess from her favourite otome game, things quickly escalate as she comes to just as crown prince Cedric (Masuda Toshiki), Irene’s childhood friend and dearly betrothed, annuls their engagement to announce his love for game protagonist Lilia Rainworth (Hanazawa Kana). The shock wouldn’t even be all that bad if memory enhanced Irene didn’t know the tragic fate ahead of her over Cedric’s decision, a fate she is now determined to avoid. No matter how quick Irene must now act, one way or another she’ll do what’s needed to survive.

Ever since Hamefura graced our TV screens it was a matter of time before the otome-themed isekai floodgates opened and I dare say we have our first true successor in Akuyaku Reijou. Unlike the genre twisted Otome Game a couple season’s back this one very much follows in Bakarina’s footsteps, right down to comedic villainess doing everything she can to avoid the death flags and win the day. Or in other words, hilarity ahoy. The big difference with Akuyaku Reijou, however, will be in romance; Irene securing new relationships and lovers is central to the story, and any harem elements present play secondary to the main pairing at work. Especially once you realize just who she’s trying to woo (hint hint). Given how Hamefura went I would not anticipate Akuyaku Reijou being particularly masterful a show, but this one will easily scratch any fall romcom itch you might have.

Preview by Princess Usagi

What happens when an assassin, a spy, and a mind-reader walk into a room? No, this isn’t the beginning of a joke – but the premise of Spy X Family. With tensions rising between the nations of Ostania and Westalis, Twilight (Eguchi Takuya), a top Westalian secret agent of many faces, is tasked with adopting one face he hasn’t tried on yet: that of a family man, aka Loid Forger. To spy on an important and almost unreachable Ostanian politician, Twilight must connect with him through sending a child to said politician’s son’s school. Normally, it would be difficult to start a family overnight, but with Anya (Tanezaki Azumi), a mind-reading child in need of a home and Yor (Hayami Saori), an assassin for whom married life is a perfect way to stay undercover, Twilight’s assignment becomes reality. While each holds their secret from the other, they grow to learn that caring for a family goes deeper than mere appearances.

The first cour was superb, with excellent direction and a classy mid 20th century style throughout. The stellar Wit Studio will continue to partner with Clover Works for the second season. The director Furuhashi Kazuhiro did a stylish job with the first cour, so I would expect the same for the second. If you are a fan of James Bond and espionage, of drama and heartwarming comedy, or you simply want a piece of the well-deserved Spy x Family hype you should put this show at the top of your Fall watchlist!

Preview by Passerby

It calls itself the Middle Kingdom. What confidence does one need to declare oneself the centre of the world? And how heavy weighs the crown on the head that rules it? The emperor, Ka Koushun (Mizunaka Masaaki) knows well the burden of the Mandate of Heaven. The troubles of the land are enough already, but even safe his northern capital, retired to his bounded palace, cloistered in his inner sanctum, he is beset. Since his youth Koushun has been mired in intrigue and conspiracy and even now his own concubines do naught but scheme and vie for succession. But there is one with no interest in the emperor’s bed or the game of thrones. The imperial court whispers rumours about the Uhi, the Raven Consort (Mizuno Saku). Some say she is an old woman who dispenses sage advice. Others say she is a young woman who enchants men. All say she is a witch. And when the emperor is finally driven to call on her services, their meeting will reshape the fate of the Middle Kingdom.

Period drama revolving around the palace intrigues of the imperial China are quite popular in, unsurprisingly, China but is quite rare fare for anime. This alone makies Kokyo no Karasu, based on a light novel of the same name by Shirakawa Kouko, interesting. It’s not that Japan doesn’t have its own analogue to the setting and genre (mostly Tokugawa flavoured) but it’s always worth paying attention to anime wander outside its usually culturally homogenous comfort zone. The overt fantasy elements don’t detract from this, in my opinion, and in fact gives the premise an almost Shakespearean quality, invoking the witches of Macbeth or the plot-inciting ghost of Hamlet. Appropriately, the trailer carries a decidedly otherworldy feeling thanks to music by Tachibana Asami. That’s the exactly the tone I’m looking for in an anime like this and hopefully Kokyu no Karasu will be able to show that there’s more to fantasy than just isekai and superpowered violence.

Preview by Zaiden

Meitantei Conan: Hannin no Hanzawa-san, is a spinoff from the main franchise, following the eponymous criminal Hanzama-san (Aoi Shouta), who sets off to Beika City from the countryside for the express purpose of murdering a certain man who he holds a grudge against. Follow this eccentric and hapless criminal, as he attempts to find his way through a modern cityscape that he’s totally unfamiliar with, while noting the stark contrast between his murderous intentions and lack of courage when it comes to living in a city with the highest crime rate in Japan.

Part of me suspects that Conan creator Aoyama Gosho is secretly some manga drawing cyborg developed by the Japanese government, as a prototype to see if AI can generate long-standing beloved manga serializations, who will continue writing up Detective Conan long after we’ve expired from this world. And continue to reap economic returns for the Japanese government at that. In an industry where numerous titans have come and gone, Detective Conan has continuously weathered the harsh passage of time and its longevity can only be described as ridiculously impressive. But as someone who has never watched any Conan, the only thing that has caught my attention is the fact that Minori Inase is voicing Hanzawa-san’s pet dog. That aside this rabbit hole is probably too deep for me to dive into, though I’d imagine for long-time followers of the franchise, you can never go wrong with more Detective Conan content to watch. Not to mention I’ve heard the trailers for this spinoff sport superior visuals to the long-running TV series.

Preview by Choya

After the events of the last season, Popuko and Pipimi have been tried and executed for YouTube crimes. As soon as they meet their untimely demise, they find themselves floating in a celestial starfield, uncertain of the fate that awaits them. They are greeted by the legendary singer/actor Aoi “SHOWTA” Shouta, who promises to bring them back to life on one condition: They enroll in a supernatural death game. Against each other. Whoever wins will ascend to the throne that Aoi sits on as he promises to relinquish the title of the world’s supreme ruler to the winner. Will Popuko’s size work out in her favor as she slinks and sneaks her way to victory? Or will Pipimi be able to stretch herself out far enough to have Popuko within her grasp? Find out in this hyper-violent, ultra-erotic thrill ride!

At last, the internet’s favorite and least favorite short-form comedy anime king has returned. While much of the metatextual comedy centered around geek culture is where Pop Team Epic gets its easiest laughs, the first season’s greatest strength is how experimental it was willing to get with its animation and story-telling. While some of the skits from the original manga are animated regularly, you’d have a ton of skits that are given the most off-the-wall rendition to them. The “Hellshake Yano” sketch is one of the coolest and most creative comedy skits I’ve seen in anime in recent years with how they just put two dudes in a room to act out an entire anime about an ultra-powered rockstar through a series of sketchpad illustrations that they’d both interact with. There were also some funny segments where they pulled aside a French animator for their rendition of what the girls’ struggles would be like for French audiences. Sometimes, even the animation wouldn’t be consistent as they’d deliberately dedicate segments to switching to a haunting, crudely-drawn, avant-garde art style just to add to the disturbing, fever dream aesthetic of Pop Team Epic. I’ll be excited to give this season a glance when it arrives this Fall.

Preview by Pancakes

It is the year A.S. (Ad Stella) 112 and humanity has conquered the depths of space. Throughout the solar system private industries have sprung up by the dozens, built on the back of a multitude of corporations all willing to take the risk – and reap the rewards – of what space has to offer. One such company is the Beneritt Group, a manufacturing conglomerate which dominates the mobile suit industry, and a conglomerate operating the Asticassia School of Technology. A school one Suletta Mercury (Ichinose Kana) transfers to in her second year. Heralding from Mercury itself, Suletta is a timid and introverted girl, but little does she know that her time at Asticassia will involve far more than simple classwork. Suletta you see is the pilot of Mercury’s own mobile suit Gundam Aerial – and some will do anything to get their hands on such technology.

Don’t deny, you know you’re excited for this one just from the title alone. Anytime Sunrise comes up with a new Gundam entry it’s reason to celebrate, especially a Gundam series not part of the UC universe, a Gundam not playing towards kiddy themes and material, and a Gundam which, surprise surprise, features the franchise’s first female lead. While not that much is known about the Witch from Mercury’s plot right now, the prologue episode back in July gives some broad ideas: this Gundam will, similar to Iron Blooded Orphans, will have a physical and psychological toll from piloting mobile suits (the suits originate from cybernetics this time), and play more to the moral use of mobile suit technology for upholding the status quo than its typical use as eye candy in a war over political freedom. Or in other words, a Gundam likely leaning more philosophically towards Gundam 00 than Gundam SEED while doubling down on the Gundam Build art style (seriously, just look at those character designs). It may be too early to determine just how the Witch from Mercury will stack up to its fellow Gundam brethren (let alone the rest of this season’s offerings), but without a doubt this is one of fall’s must-watch shows.

Preview by FJ Freeman

Are you ready to go back and support your favorite boys in this new second cour of the third season of IDOLiSH7? Well ready or not here we go!

A group of aspiring idols suddenly gather at Takanashi Productions and are entrusted with the company’s future. The seven men who have just met each other represent a variety of totally different personalities. However, they each have their own charm and posses unknown potential as idols. Forming a group, they take their first steps together as IDOLISH7.

Their brilliantly shining dancing forms onstage eventually begin captivating the hearts of people all around the world.

Now it’s up to them to shine bright on that stage and go forward together as they conquer the music world with their shining personality and winning smiles. How will they conquer your hearts next? Time to find out.

Preview by Pancakes

Young Sarasa Feed (Takao Kanon) hasn’t had the easiest of lives, growing up as an orphan and enduring the struggles of the Royal Alchemist Academy in order to obtain her national alchemical qualifications. Yet all worked out in the end, and now being a fully licensed alchemist, Sarasa was gifted a house (and alchemist shop) of her own by her master to kickstart her career. Well, mostly worked out. Sarasa’s new house just so happens to lie deep within magical flyover country, and Sarasa is very much an urban girl. Whether she wants it or not, Sarasa is about to find out if the charms of the country can make up for the lack of simplicity of the city.

There’s been a seasonal trend of late for some number of fantasy/isekai shows to be full-bore slice-of-life and Shinmai Renkinjutsushi no Tenpo Keiei is the one which arguably meets fall’s quota. This one very much follows in the footsteps of Slime 300 or hell even last season’s Isekai Yakkyoku, with daily living being the theme, alchemy being the flavour, and lighthearted wholesome comedy filling out the remainder. Or if you will, another fantasy version of cute girls doing cute things. Shinmai Renkinjutsushi certainly won’t be topping the charts given the material in question, but with Tonikaku Kawaii’s Ikehata Shiroshi overseeing production as director, the source light novels easily having enough material for a single season, and the fairly decent ENGI providing animation, there’s nothing here saying to expect a trainwreck in the making. If you need a bit of wholesome slice-of-life relaxation to help round out this season, Shinmai Renkinjutsushi is without a doubt one show to keep on your fall radar.

Preview by Princess Usagi

Legend comes to life when the fierce ex-soldier, the Immortal Sugimoto (Kobayashi Chikahiro), and fierce Ainu huntress Asirpa (Shiraishi Haruka) pursue gold stolen from her Ainu people. In an epic journey that is part nature survival guide, part foodie heaven, part historical thriller, part glorious strangeness, they meet many wacky allies and face formidable foes. Together once again, Sugimoto and Asirpa continue their hunt for gold in snowy Hokkaido. From the PV, it looks like both old faces are returning with some new ones to meet.

The past three seasons were amazing with the third season being my favorite overall in terms of direction and story, so I have high hopes that the fourth season will continue on that trajectory. However, I have hesitations due to significant staffing changes. Golden Kamuy will be moving over to Brain’s Base – which although different from before, is still a solid studio, having had some good shows in the past I enjoyed. A different director, Sugahara Shizutaka, will also be coming on board. I do worry that there will be discontinuity in the quality of the season with a shuffled staff, especially after the good groove it got into last season. I want to stay optimistic that Golden Kamuy will stay, well, golden, but if anything (hopefully), the story will speak for itself regardless of what happens behind the scenes. If you haven’t seen this series yet, there’s still time to binge watch it and if you have already seen it, then let’s eagerly wait for what will hopefully be an epic continuation of the story!

Preview by Zaiden

Ittoki Sakuraba (Oosaka Ryouta) is almost an ordinary high school boy. Almost. For his ordinary high school boy life comes to an abrupt end when ninja assassins come after his life, hell-bent on erasing his lineage from the planet. Fortunately, he survives the encounter, but soon discovers he is in fact the only remaining vestige of the Iga Clan’s bloodline, making him the only possible heir to their leadership. With his life never to be the same again, Sakuraba in all his reluctance must discover what it means to be a shinobi, and how he must take up the mantle thrusted upon him by destiny as brutal, intergenerational conflict ensues between the legendary Iga and Kouga ninja clans.

My gripe with primogeniture, the custom where the eldest son is automatically the successor, is when the heir apparent clearly has no interest in succeeding the family business. I can’t see why the Iga clan can’t just pick another worthy wannabe ninja to become the new leader. Given the prevalence of weebs in global society, it wouldn’t be hard to pick out someone who would want to inherit the title. I suppose Sakuraba doesn’t have much of a choice, given that the Kouga will be trying to murder him no matter what due to his bloodline. So he must learn, and quickly too, how to survive in a cruel and violent world using all at his disposal. As a historical action flick, this certainly could be worth checking out for adrenaline junkies or shinobi buffs. I remain wary of Studio Troyca, a place that never fails to ooze style but at the expense of having substance. But I would be fascinated to see if Oosaka Ryouta can revive his voice acting career, which has taken quite a tumble since his hey days 7-9 years ago where he was cast as a main role in just about everything, whereas he finds himself scraping by with supporting roles these days.

Preview by Gabie

Fans of the Yama no Susume rejoice! This series is coming back to its fourth installment, making a strong statement of how the outdoorsy genre garners a devoted fanbase who are just waiting to show their love. And while I haven’t caught this one, it seems the question no one can stop asking is: will Aoi (Iguchi Yuka) finally get to climb Mt. Fuji?! And will new characters be introduced to the cast? I mean, while hiking solo is no doubt awesome, these lovely girls have proved season after season that group hiking is way too much fun!

With 21 manga volumes, this ongoing series written and illustrated by Shiro doesn’t seem like it will run out of source material anytime soon. And with a country so in love with hiking as Japan, it comes as no wonder that this one is so popular over there. If you haven’t caught up with the girls yet, there’s still time to binge the first three short-form seasons–and maybe even find yourself on a trail to get into the real spirit of the thing!

Preview by FJ Freeman

Words can have a lot of meaning, and this simple idiom from the president of Tsukino Talent Production is what inspired a group of men to join the company and enter the Vazzrock project. It’s been several years since twelve extraordinary talents with varying backgrounds and life experiences, as well as that of being idols, were brought together, from different artistic backgrounds and genres, and with variety of age range.

They were brought together for a common purpose, to form the groups of Vazzy and Rock Down. As they were formed the boys strived to perform in ever greater heights, and ever since then they have been working closely together as a pair. Both as close friends and, of course, as rivals.

Playing off the personalities of each other and polishing their skills together as one, following the same common goal. No matter the hardships they face, or the hurt they endure, they move together ever forward and strive to continue to shine on that stage once more. Get ready for the next big thing in music and idols this Fall season!

Preview by Pancakes

When it comes to grand stories everyone wants to be the hero or villain, the centre of attention, the saviour – or destroyer – of it all. Except Kagenou Cid (Yamashita Seiichirou). A self-styled megalomaniac, what Cid dreams most of all is to be the mastermind, the puppeteer pulling the strings and getting to enjoy having both good and bad do his exact bidding. Thankfully for Cid he got to realize this dream, being reborn into a world of magic following Truck-kun’s serendipitous visit whereby he was able to set up and recruit for the secretive organization Shadow Garden. There’s just one little problem. The completely fake cult whom Cid imagined up for Shadow Garden to fight against actually exists, and Cid isn’t what you’d call the shrewdest of wannabe masterminds. Can ad-libs and overactive imagination overcome legitimate evil? One way or another Cid is about to find out.

Isekai might be a well-beaten horse at this point, but there’s always room to spice up things and Kage no Jitsuryokusha ni Naritakute is determined to try. If not immediately obvious this one is very much comedy focused, with the running joke being Cid’s chuunibyou-esque imagination is actually reality with him being the only one who isn’t in on the joke. This makes for a pretty nice balance of humour and seriousness, something we’ve gotten before with say Meikyuu Black Company, yet arguably not to this degree. As with all things comedy personal taste is going to make or break one’s perception here (particularly if the premise wears out its welcome quickly), but given Katou Kanichi of Marimashita Iruma-kun fame is penning the script and Nexus has a fairly solid track record, I’d certainly give this one some benefit of the doubt. When it comes to isekai this season, Kage no Jitsuryokusha ni Naritakute is worth a bit of attention.

Preview by Choya

Thanos once said, “Fine, I’ll do it myself.” While he was talking about galactic conquest, I could imagine he could appreciate a nice DIY project as much as the members of the DIY Club. Do It Yourself!! follows a rag-tag crew of high school girls who share a mutual interest in building both furniture and friendships. Day in and day out, the girls assign DIY projects to themselves as they persevere through the struggles that come from crafting. Although times can be grim for the girls as they fail and push themselves not to give up, their dedication to creating new experiences with the help of good friends allows their intentions to shine through. Witness their adventures with furniture and friendship as they take the next steps forward towards the futures they wish to pursue in Do It Yourself!!

Stories about girls going to after-school extracurricular clubs are a tale as old as time, but none of which have involved making furniture or crafting. It makes for an interesting, unique experience because it’s clear that they do have a set goal to dedicate many episodes to whether they’ll be able to complete their projects or not. As with any slice-of-life anime, the art style can be the deciding factor for many, and Do It Yourself!! has plenty to promise on this end. From the looks of it, it has a clean aesthetic that’s poppy and expressive, yet has a neutral color palette to it that helps bring a down-to-earth atmosphere to the anime. It’ll be neat to see if they manage to cobble together a memorable slice-of-life experience when Do It Yourself!! premieres for the Fall.

Preview by Guardian Enzo

It’s an odd thing. Although Made in Abyss and Vinland Saga both made my 2010’s Top 20 list and Mob Psycho 100 did not, when all three sequels were announced within weeks of each other it was this one I found myself most looking forward to. I don’t think my decisions were wrong, even in hindsight, so I’m not sure why that was. Maybe because this season will see Mob Psycho to its completion and I have strong faith in ONE to deliver the goods in that respect. And of course the truth is, if that had been a “Top 22” list MP100 would have made it for sure. And both seasons would have been my #1 series some years – just not the years they were released.

The recipe for success here is pretty straightforward. Two incredible main characters in Mob and Reigen (and Ekubo isn’t far behind), a great supporting cast, clever premise, and a superb adaptation by a superb studio. Bones usually delivers the goods but from the beginning its been clear that they hold this project in special affection. Their top director – Tachikawa Yuzuru – has been in charge, and the animation has been consistently stunning. Yuzuru has switched to the chief director role, leaving relative unknown Bones veteran Hasui Takahiro in charge, but I’m not worried. Bones loved this show too much not to give it the platinum treatment.

I haven’t read any of the manga chapters the final season will adapt, but those who have generally seem to consider this the strongest part of the series. Mob is an incredibly relatable and interesting lead with a tremendous character arc, and it’s always satisfying to see those through to their conclusion. It would be wonderful if all great manga got the sort of treatment Mob Psycho 100 has, but of course that’s not really realistic – certainly not in 2022. For my part I’m going to make sure I take the time to appreciate just how lucky fans of this series truly are that it’s one of the fortunate ones.

Preview by Zephyr

One year after its initial run, Muv-Luv Alternative returns with its second and likely final season. As with its predecessor, the series will be a collaborative effort between Graphinica, its partner media company in Avex Pictures, and subsidiary anime studio Yumeta Company. The series will continue to focus on a world where aliens known as the BETA have invaded Earth, taken over much of Europe and Asia, and decimated most of the human population. Leading the cast is Shirogane Takeru, who suddenly finds himself three years back in the past. Armed with the prior knowledge of events to come, he attempts to guide events to a better conclusion—one that won’t end with humanity having to escape Earth and the remainder of the population attempting (and failing) a final all-in counteroffensive against the BETA. The second season will see Takeru attempting to overcome new, unfamiliar challenges resulted from his changes to the timeline. With his prior knowledge becoming less helpful with every change, Takeru will enter uncharted territory as humanity continues its slow march to the day that decides everything.

As I mentioned in the previous preview back in fall of 2021, there was a worry that the series’ decision not to cover the Extra and Unlimited prequels and the lengthiness of the Alternative source material would cause problems in its adaptation. I didn’t end up watching Alternative myself, but based on its ratings and the comments left by viewers, it seems like my worries were well founded. From what I can see, the series was plagued—especially early on—with rushed developments and massive info dumps that attempt, but fail to make up for the parts that were skipped over. Some noted how they could see the appeal of the story despite its many flaws—a testament to the quality of the series’ core narrative—but ultimately, even though the series supposedly settles down after a while, there’s lasting damage to the characters and their development. Given the series’ reliance on said characters, their bonds, and their motivations to drive the narrative, it’s clear that the series is only a shell of its former self and it’s really unfortunate that things ended up the way that they did here (and that’s without going into the lackluster animation quality). I’d like to say that the best parts of the franchise will likely be covered in this second season so you might as well stick with it if you’re still watching, but with how poorly things seem to have gone and the surprising lack of information regarding the staff and cast just weeks before the series’ expected airing, I can’t tell if seeing those events would help you see the anime in a better light or just ruin the series’ best moments instead. The visual novel has always been and remains the definitive Muv-Luv experience.

Preview by Pancakes

When it comes to monster hunting, no one is more skilled than the twenty-year old Kikuru Madan (Fukuhara Katsumi). Blessed by working in a monster rich forest, Kikuru can easily take care of any and all quests, but decides to up and quit his job after his best friend announces he’s getting married. The reason? Early onset midlife crisis. Fearing he’s wasting his youth, Kikuru wants to do something to make a mark, but his retirement plans get rudely upended after the local guild requests he help out the equally young Hitamu Kyan (Isobe Karin) learn his monster hunting duties and take over his job. As any experienced employee can attest, onboarding isn’t always the easiest of tasks, and with Hitamu proving utterly hopeless and a permanent magnet for monsters, Kikuru’s hope for a new life may be less than realizable.

A couple of things to note about Futoku no Guild. Firstly it’s not an isekai (I know, incredible right?), and second, it’s ecchi. Very ecchi indeed. This one is basically what happens if you take Ishuzoku Reviewers, replace the brothels with good old-fashioned adventuring, and have the main male cast play gatekeeper for the accompanying girls. All your fan service and near-hentai moments will come courtesy of monsters siccing themselves on Hitamu (among other girls), all the while Kikuru keeps up the straight man act and tries to make it home in one piece. It’ll be raucous, it’ll be ribald, and oh yes, it will easily be funny (at least if you like these sorts of series), particularly when remembered studio TNK and director Asaoka Takuya were the leading production forces behind Kaiyari. Basically don’t expect this to be a show for everyone, but if you need your seasonal ecchi fix you need look no further than this.

Preview by Gabie

Mushikaburi-hime or Bibliophile Princess is, undoubtedly, the biggest hidden gem of this season–for those of us who love a slow-paced court romance. Set in an alternative world, in a European-ish kingdom, we are introduced to the two main characters: Elianna Bernstein (Ueda Reina) and Crown Prince Christopher Selkirk Asherald (Kimura Ryouhei) as they enter a consensual fake engagement agreement. On Elianna’s end, she’s been offered unperturbed peace and quiet, as well as unlimited access to the extensive, renowned and historical Royal Library. An offer she couldn’t refuse. She who is known amongst nobility as the Bibliophile Princess, a title that goes beyond being a simple ‘bookworm’. As for Christopher’s offer, it’s done, so he may free from the nuisance of having to search for a future bride, something he currently finds himself being pressured to do by his mother and nobles of his court.

Slow-paced period shoujo anime are genuinely rare to come by. At the top of my head I can think of only two titles that would fit this category: Hakushaku to Yousei and Eikoku Koi Monogatari Emma! And as someone who has an actual preference for the niche, I hope we get to see more of those (maybe even manhwa turned into anime!), gods know we have many publications that us obscure fans would love to see in the big screen. This beautiful and heart-warming tale of introverted love, is based on an ongoing light novel of the same name and has Madhouse taking the reins of the project.

Preview by Pancakes

Spring 1999. The 90s are on their way out, a new millennium beckons, and Y2K is an ever-present fear of the non-techie in your crew. And Japanese culture, well, keeps up the same. In Akihabara it’s a spring of maids, where all shapes and sizes, types and personalities are about and all competing for the love, fame, and simple attention of Akihabara’s denizens. It is here where the new maid café Ton Tokoton (colloquially known as Butagoya, the Pig’s Hut) opens its doors for the first time and new girl Wahira Nagomi (Kondou Reina) starts her adventure as a maid. What seems like an industry full of fun on the outside though is anything but in practice, and as Nagomi will soon learn being a maid in Akihabara will take more than simple passion and perseverance to truly succeed with.

Maid and maid cafes, there are arguably no bigger tropes in anime these days, and with fully fledged series such as Blend-S, Gochuumon, or hell even Kaichou wa Maid-sama it’s not hard seeing why. Akiba Maid Sensou is simply the latest series embracing the concept, though unlike its thematic brethren this one looks to be sacrificing slice-of-life and romance for comedy. Whole heaps on comedy. The promotional material available shows this one intends on going full slapstick (humour-based censoring is always a good sign), and with P.A. Works doing animation duty alongside Cygames supposedly using it as the basis for a mobile game, don’t be surprised if the underlying story here winds up getting a little crazy. Hell it’s already teasing a panda mascot as key character and you know where that is likely headed. In short don’t expect Akiba Maid Sensou to be giving its season mates a serious run for the money, but you definitely won’t have to look further than this for your seasonal comedy fix.

Preview by Princess Usagi

They say that ignorance is bliss, which is especially true if you are living in a post-apocalyptic world as Yamato Ichidaiji (Masuda Toshiki) and a group of other teenagers are. Aliens have destroyed most of humanity, transforming it into a place unfit for earthlings. Humans taking refuge in Ixia go about their daily life as usual, having had their memories wiped. A subset of this population is selected to pilot mecha to launch counterattacks against the enemy aliens. Thus, Ichidaiji begins to discover the true reality of the world he lives in and the destiny he is called to.

Although the animation wasn’t much to write home about, the story itself drew me in and I am looking forward to the second season. As for the staffing, not much is listed yet for the second season other than OLM staying on as studio, but it should be pretty much on par with the previous one. Even though the first season was not broadcast with any sort of official English translation (the video game this is partnered with also has no translation), it is worth catching up with if you can (you can find the raws on the game company’s official Youtube channel).If you are a fan of mecha or niche anime, you should check this out if you have the resources to do so.

Preview by FJ Freeman

Without much info to go by, let alone a synopsis at the time of this writing, Seiken Densetsu: Legend of Mana – The Teardrop Crystal is bound to be at least an interesting watch.

Originally being adapted from the PS1 game, now playable on everything from PC, PS4, and NSW, Legend of Mana is set in the fictional world of Fa’Diel, where the Mana Tree, a recurring motif in The Legend of Mana series, and the giver of mana and life for this world, was burned down almost entirely nine centuries prior to the events of the story. Now a war has erupted between the faeries, humans, and others seeking the power of mana that was left in this world.

That is but a basic synopsis of what I retain from playing the game not so many moons ago, however, who’s to say the anime will follow the original plot of the game, or be more interested in telling its own unique story with the same characters and setting. Whatever the case my personal excitement for this one is through the roof, as it’s not every day Square Enix properties get the proper anime treatment, and when they do, they’re mostly treated like B-Side projects that are made because management demanded new marketing material.

With the rise of shows like Arcane based on the League of Legend lore and story, hopefully, SQE sees the opportunity is ripe – but only when the project is treated with high quality and standards will I shed a small tear at the though of maybe one day being able to see a CGI show produced by Crystal Dynamics themselves. Who knows how Seiken Densetsu – The Teardrop Crystal – will turn out, but I will be watching with bated breath hoping that it’s a good turnaround for the production team and SQE themselves.

Preview by Guardian Enzo

Not many series have raised themselves more in my esteem from humble beginnings than Mairimashita! Iruma-kun. I always liked it, but for a while dismissed it as kind of a pleasant trifle. By the end of the first season I’d come to realize what a gem it was (and what a mistake I’d made in stopping my coverage of it). By the end of the second season it was comfortably a year-end top ten series, and only the intense competition fall seems likely to bring causes any doubt that the third season will be too.

Why is that? Partly because, like many shounen titles, it starts off a little slowly before coming into its own. But it’s also because Iruma-kun is a show that slowly worms itself into your consciousness, and eventually you’re warn down by it’s cheeky humor and overarching positivity. It’s a series where the hero is an incredibly good and nice person, and good things happen to him as a direct result of that. And that, dear readers, is a lot rarer than you think. And my goodness, what a supporting cast. The cherry on top is the truly inspired way Sunrise has adapted the manga, using the power of anime to enhance the charms of the series beyond what’s possible on the printed page.

Mairimashita! Iruma-kun will no doubt be pretty overlooked by Western audiences this fall – even bigger names will be too, given the hype level attached to a few big titles. But kid yourself not – this is a massively popular series in Japan. It airs in an expensive time-slot (dinnertime on Saturday), has received immediate sequel announcements twice, and – in addition to the title itself generating really big manga sales – it now has a spinoff manga that’s doing very well. This is the shounen giant hardly anyone in the English-speaking fanbase talks about, but they should – it’s a deserving success story.

Preview by FJ Freeman

Boochi the Rock, or by loosely translating it, would mean something along the lines of Lonley Girl The Rock. The premise is simple: A group of friends formed by their equal love for music. Gotou Hitori (Aoyama Yoshino) is a lonely high school girl who just started learning how to play the guitar. She started learning because her dream is to one day be in a band. But she’s so shy that she has barely made a single friend! However, her dream might come true only after meeting Ijichi Nijika (Suzushiro Sayumi), a girl who plays the drums and is looking for a new guitar player to join her band.

Wholesome vibes abound! This certainly holds a lot of promise as it’s the newest foray into music anime by powerhouse studio CloverWorks following in the footsteps of the big hole in our collective hearts left by Kyoto Animation with shows like K-On and Lucky Star.

Based on the manga by the same name, created by Aki Hamaji, Bocchi the Rocki seems like it’s guaranteed to be a good time, with cute characters and interesting drama that is bound to happen between the group members. It seems like this is ready for fun times, as well as a journey filled with passion and music to boot!

Preview by Guardian Enzo

It’s been more than four years since Yowamushi Pedal has graced TV screens, hard as that is to believe. Mind you it did have a movie in that interim, and the manga continues to be a pretty big powerhouse. It doesn’t reach quite the commercial Himalayas of Haikyuu, but it’s a big success. It broke the record for most tables at Comiket a few years ago (that may have been re-broken since), which gives you an idea of how large – and devoted – the fanbase is.

For my taste, I always preferred Yowapeda to Haikyuu – not by a lot, but it just connects with me a little more. Onoda is a great protagonist (both characters that made Yamashita Daiki a star return this season), and while the series suffered a bit with the loss of the third-year students, throughout four seasons its level has remained pretty high. Yowapeda is a bit unusual among sports manga in focusing on a sport many people partake in even as adults – cycling — which makes it very relatable. Ironically, it may be lucky in being slightly less popular than Haikyuu – big enough to get sequels, not big enough for the production committee to screw it over in making a cash grab by opting to conclude it theatrically.

Preview by Princess Usagi

In the aftermath of losing World Cup after World Cup, a newly hired coach for the Japanese team, Ego Jinpachi (Kamiya Hiroshi) determines to up the team game. He focuses his efforts and hopes on a single position-the striker. Go big or go home is the name of the game. Promising young strikers such as Isagi Yoichi (Ura Kazuki) are lured to Ego’s Blue Lock-an insulated training arena where the players compete against each other. Fighting his way to the top, the winner becomes the Japanese team’s striker while the losers are permanently barred from membership. Struggling with recent failure, Isagi is hungry to overcome all hurdles and become the best striker. Will he win his way to the top or go home, riding on the ashes of his dreams?

Having recently picked up the manga, I was intrigued by how they took an atypical sports route with the death match feel of battle royale-like competition. Normally in team sports series, the focus is on the team working together. Blue Lock totally turns it on its head, questioning the worth of teamwork and how much could be accomplished just by indulging in egoism on the field. It looks promising that the scriptwriter, Kishimoto Taku, previously worked on the sports anime powerhouse Haikyuu!!, raising hopes that the writing will be a good match for this gripping sports drama. I would recommend this to any soccer/sports fan, and even if you’re not, you still might find something in this unique take on the genre.

Preview by Zaiden

Yakuin Jirou (Yamashita Seiichirou) is another one of those run of the mill otakus who has never had a girlfriend through his 18 years of existence. In his heart, he holds a fiercely burning torch for his childhood friend Sakurazaka Shiori (Miyashita Saki). Scared of being rejected into these ether regions known as ‘The Friendzone’, he has valued maintaining the status quo and has never made a move – in spite of how obvious it is from the outside that his feelings are indeed requited. As it turns out, their high school runs a module called ‘The Couples Practical’, some sort of malarky from the Japanese government to try and band-aid fix the plummeting population levels as successive generations of Japanese citizens have less and less kids. Enter Watanabe Akari (Oonishi Saori), a popular gyaru who has nothing but disdain towards an otaku like Jirou, who is hopelessly in love with Minami-kun. The Top 10 students in the rankings will be allowed to change their pairing – although it will involve doing extremely lovey dovey activities that both might feel bashful about. With Jirou and Akari now being on the same page, looking to swap partners away from each other to their respective crushes, will they be able to succeed or will unexpected developments change their destiny?

When I was younger, I might have felt swayed by this sort of romance sub-plot. These days, I’d say these kind of premises struggle to capture my interest. At least both protagonists seem sincere enough, where neither seem like they beat around the bush much, I wouldn’t be surprised to see this story following a progression where they slowly develop feelings for each other. Having seen that many times, I don’t think Fuufu Ijou sets out to achieve anything new that would spark my interest. Though the promotional visual arts look vibrantly colourful, and some may find the character designs appealing. As for the production side of things, studio MOTHER is quite new, in terms of complete anime productions. I won’t say they’re cranking out masterpieces on the fly, but it is noteworthy that they salvaged the second season of Arifureta, following that franchise’s first season debacle. On the flipside, Yamamoto Junichi (Ninja Batman, Otona no Bouguya-san, Anemone) has only churned out sub-par shows as a director, so the jury will be out on this one even if he’s under the supervision of old school veteran director Kato Takao (To Love-Ru, Pandora Hearts, Busou Renkin). If you like straight-laced love triangles, you’d do well check this show out for Fall 2022.

Preview by Zephyr

Following an assortment of filler arcs and diminishing popularity after catching up to the source material, the Bleach anime series was unceremoniously canceled in 2012. A full decade later, Bleach makes its triumphant return and aims to give the series a proper conclusion by adapting its final arc: The Thousand-Year Blood War. As with its predecessor, Kurosaki Ichigo (Morita Masakazu) will continue to be the series’ focal character after developing his Shinigami powers to stop an assortment of threats to Soul Society throughout the original series. Bleach: Sennen Kessen-hen will be directed by Taguchi Tomohisa (Kino no Tabi, Sousei no Onmyouji, and the Persona 3 Movies) and will revolve around the Quincy, who reveal themselves following a series of incidents involving disappearing souls and Hollow murders. Now calling themselves the Wandenreich, they declare that Soul Society will be destroyed in five days. Studio Pierrot will return to helm this adaptation along with Sagisu Shirou for music, and Kudou Masashi (character design) from the original series.

Part of me still can’t believe we’re getting a proper animated finale to Bleach after all this time, but I’m glad that it is. No one denies that the original anime series (and in part, the source material it was based off of) had its fair share of issues toward the latter part of their respective runs. Fillers, questionable developments, and catching up to the source material contributed to a lot of unfortunate problems and were only some of the things that led to drop in its popularity. However, the series was once considered the one of the “big three” in Shounen, and there was certainly a time—especially during the Soul Society arcs of season two and three—where it deserved to be. Given that distinction, it always felt strange that Bleach was the only one of the three that never got a proper conclusion. So it’s fitting to see that with Bleach: Sennen Kessen-hen, this will no longer be the case, and I think everyone’s going to be in for a treat—especially those that have somehow still not read the manga’s ending. For one, the finale arc was a significant step up in quality over the arcs that came before it. Bringing back the same studio and having a majority of the staff and cast reprise their roles will help fans get back into the series quickly and if the trailer’s any indication, the animation is top notch. Given the sheer amount of content, fillers won’t be a thing to worry about, and if the quotes were right we could end up with a kind of “definitive edition” where we get additional scenes that Kubo Tite wanted to fit in originally but couldn’t, covering fights and some developments that were just left off-screen in the manga. So there’s certainly a lot to look forward to and you can bet that I’ll be watching this all the way.

Preview by Choya

Editor’s Note: Yes, this season is confirmed 12 episodes.

In an alternate 1997, the general populace is frequently ravaged by devils born from human fears. While some might be born from innocent common fears, more sinister Devils dwell to embody abject human suffering. A destitute teenager named Denji (Kukunosuke Toya) has done just about anything he could to try to cover the mafia debt he inherited from his deceased father, ranging from doing odd jobs to donating organs. With nothing to his name but a Devil manifested from the fear of chainsaws known as Pochita, he initially became a freelance Devil Hunter for easy money. But it’s not enough. When debt collectors come to take his life, Pochita saves Denji by fusing into him, transforming him into the devil-human hybrid known as Chainsaw Man. Because of his new-found abnormality, he catches the attention of Makima (Kusunoki Tomori), the head of Public Safety Division 4 head, who coerces him to work under her as a Public Safety Devil Hunter. With the promise of humane living conditions and a potential relationship with Makima, Denji is locked into a life of passion, pain, and Devil-slaying.

IT’S HAPPENING! At long last, the long-teased adaptation from MAPPA is slated to come out within the next few months. Originally, I was unsure if it was going to be like any other shounen out there when I’ve seen it recommended around, but when I marathoned the manga while I was fighting COVID, I stumbled across one of the coolest, off-beat action stories I’ve gone through in recent years. It leans into the disgusting, morbid reality of a world where humanity’s greatest fears can manifest into brutal demons without losing its macabre sense of humor. There’s a sense of both juvenile innocence and meaningful introspection trapped in the pages of this blood-soaked manga, and I couldn’t get enough of it. Right from the get-go, it looks like the tone, voice acting, and animation are going to be on-point, and with the staff’s adamant response towards not toning down the bloodier imagery of the manga, it’ll be exciting to see what becomes of Chainsaw Man when it revs up for the Fall season.

Preview by Gabie

“Somebody once said: just like everything that has a beginning has an end, if there are encounters, there are also farewells.” We can only hope the writing of this show won’t be as inane and hackneyed as the statement above. From the minds of “If there are four walls, there is a room.” comes the love story of average high school student Kashiwagi Asahi (Oosaka Ryouta) and his love interests: cheerful A student, Izumisawa Aoi (Itou Miku); tsundere Amelia Irving (Taketatsu Ayana); tomboy baker, Ilya Ilyukhin (Takahashi Rie); gentle and reliable homeroom teacher, Bai Mongfa (Kanemoto Hisako) and rising model, Karin Istel (Kouno Marika).

This original animation by studio Passione (Higurashi series, Citrus and Mieruko-chan) is directed by Nagayama Nobuyoshi and possible watchers are in high debate over whether this one will prove to be a deconstruction of the harem genre, revealing a big psychological twist–the thread at MAL is on fire! Will Renai Flops be different from other harems? That’s something for you to find out!

Preview by Choya

When an alien race known as Oni lands on the fictional Japanese town of Tomobiki Town, they opt to give humans a fighting chance instead of invading the planet wholesale. They wish to select one human to compete in a game of Tag with the leader’s daughter, Princess Lum (Uesaka Sumire). Their computer system selects Moroboshi Ataru (Kamiya Hiroshi), an unlucky high school student who is as lecherous as he is lousy. When Ataru’s girlfriend Miyake Shinobu (Uchida Maaya) pledges to marry him if she wins, he manages to find Lum and tag her. But just as Ataru plans to pop the question to Shinobu in celebration, Lum misinterprets the situation and gleefully accepts Ataru’s hand in marriage. Ataru’s bad luck and perverted behavior come back to bite him as Shinobu loses interest in Ataru for his unfaithfulness and he’s not very interested in Lum. In fact, Lum often has to punish Ataru through electric shocks every time he flirts with other girls. Unfortunately, the promise of domesticity with an alien doesn’t stop Ataru from attracting the attention of all of the weirdos in the galaxy, from school fan clubs to extraterrestrial foes.

The influence of Urusei Yatsura cannot be overstated. It helped kickstart the career of Takahashi Rumiko, one of the most prolific mangaka out there with her work on this, Ranma 1/2, Inu Yasha, and so many more stories. It inspired several OVAs and films, including the mind-bending “Beautiful Dreamer”. I’m sure if you’ve stumbled into a City Pop playlist anytime recently on YouTube, you might’ve had your very own brush-in with Lum, Ataru, and Shinobu, considering how they’ve become synonymous with anime culture in the 1980s. It’s almost hard to imagine what the anime landscape would be like if Lum Invader wasn’t there to inspire generations and generations of manga about out-of-this-world dream girls. In a year where anime audiences swooned over Karin, Komi, Takagi, Uzaki, Nazuna, Chizuru, Vermeil, Lilith, Albedo, and Shikimori, it’s fitting that we’d cap off the year with the OG fantasy girl, Lum. It’s such a seminal piece in anime that, from the get-go, the remake was ordered for 46 episodes of four cours, two of which begin their run this Fall. And with David Production behind the wheel, it’s shaping up to be the perfect adaptation of a classic when it invades this Fall season.

Preview by Gabie

Have you hidden a part of yourself away? Wondering what it might mean if someone saw it? Well, that’s pretty much the plot of Four People and Their Respective Lies, or at least the little we know about it. Four classmates, and four secrets–each more absurd than the next. But we do know it’s this is a slice of life comedy that follows the story of four eccentric girls: Chiyo (Murakami Natsumi), Rikka (Tanaka Chiemi), Sekine (Sakura Ayane), and Tsubasa (Han Megumi). Each of them has a certain something they hide from the world, and each other. We can only guess how the author will reveal these secrets to us and under what circumstances. Are they embarrassing? Are they dangerous? Maybe one of the secrets gives the girl leverage or a weird power that singles them out from other people? Or something easily misunderstood? Whatever it is, it seems we’re in for some hilarious collisions.

Studio Flad brings in Hoshino Makoto as director (who’s also directed Dame x Prince Anime Caravan) to take over this project. Based on a manga by the same name–written and illustrated by Kashihara Madoka and serialized in Bessatsu Shonen Magazine. In short, expect lots of quirky, cutesy (and just a tad disturbing) fun with this one this Fall.

Preview by Guardian Enzo

Brains Base picks up one big-name sequel in Golden Kamuy and loses one in Fumetsu no Anata e. I don’t know a lot about Studio Drive to be honest – they don’t have an extensive track record – and director Sayama Kiyoko’s extensive 20-year resume doesn’t include much in this role. The first season’s production values with a bit inconsistent, and generally in the “fine” category – frankly it’s hard to know what to expect in that department this go-around.

In terms of To Your Eternity itself, I’ll say this much – it had as wide a range between its best and worst episodes as any series in a long time. That too makes it very hard to know what to expect going forward, because the most likely explanation is simply that the manga material is responsible for that, and the anime is at the mercy of what it’s adapting. That whole “silk purse from a sow’s ear” thing.

For those reasons, Fumetsu no Anata e Season 2 may be the biggest wild card on the fall schedule. Season one snuck into my Top 10 list on the strength of a sublime first episode, great last episode, and one outstanding arc in-between. But that was only because 2021 was a pretty weak year depth-wise, and there was a lot of chaff mixed in with the wheat – the six-episode Jananda arc was shocking bad on every level, and that exacts a price. I would have had no idea what to expect from a second season even at the same studio with the same staff – now I’m truly at a loss. We’ll find out soon enough.

Preview by Pancakes

Azur Lane might be the ship-girl game of choice these days, but the OG floating waifu collector in KanColle isn’t that forgotten yet. Now back in anime form some seven years (!!!) after its sequel announcement following its first season, KanColle: Itsuka Ano Umi de once again returns to a world at war where the seas are under constant threat from the Abyssal Fleet. To counter this ethereal enemy, so-called Kanmusu are employed, girls harbouring the spirits of Japanese warships who, thanks to specialized weaponry, can leverage their second souls to combat the Abyssal. For all this power, however, it’s not the easiest of duties, and as one Shigure (Tanibe Yumi) is about to learn, a duty also coming with no guarantee of survival.

Even for me, the self-professed military nerd at heart, it’s really hard singing too many praises about KanColle the anime. This was a show which seemingly made all the wrong choices for an adaptation: it played more to character quirks and one-liners than story, featured too many characters to keep track of, and also spent precious little time in keeping things straight for unfamiliar viewers. And that’s before getting into the story and its questionable developments. While the subsequent movie helped a little in improving this franchise’s fortunes, KanColle’s anime offerings to date are very much exclusively for its fans (particularly devoted fans), and this season right now looks to be the same. Outside of ENGI taking over the animation hotseat, the same massive array of ship girls are already confirmed to appear, KanColle’s divisive creator Tanaka Kensuke is once again drawing up the script, and this season only has eight confirmed episodes. Yes, eight. While I maintain surprises are always possible, until we see more this is one adaptation I thoroughly recommend tempering any expectations over.