Preview by Pancakes

The isekai phenomenon is truly objective in discriminating against no one. Popular? You’re off. Pretty? Truck-kun would love a word. And let’s not forget the alternate universe’s penchant for sucking up the dredges of the social pyramid. Haruka (Umeda Shuuichirou) just happens to lie in that last category. A total high school loner with no shred of fame to his name, Haruka gets the honour, alongside his class, at being sucked into isekai central because God willed it. There’s just one catch: Haruka isn’t rocking the cheat skills. Thanks to a first come first serve selection of abilities, the kid’s classmates picked all the good powers and left him with the unwanted remnants. Luckily for Haruka though his classmates soon wind up in trouble and leave him with a prime opportunity to rescue them. Can one loner’s efforts overcome years of isolation? Haruka is about to find out.

Another year, another season, and yes indeed, another isekai for the pile. Much as synopsis hints Hitoribocchi no Isekai Kouryaku is your standard fare alternate world adventure, where socially isolated lead who’s definitely not a wish fulfillment stand-in gets sent to fantasy central for a bit of OP, RPG-flavoured shenanigans. Compared to some recent examples (e.g. Arifureta) this one keeps to the conventional lane over more edgy shenanigans, and while the story itself doesn’t stray far from the usual (think demon lord and heroic destiny) it’s nothing too crazy as to be problematic. The main concern for Hitoribocchi no Isekai Kouryaku will be in script; the light novels are quite whiplash in spots, and depending on pacing it could yield some serious hacking and slashing issues. We’ll simply have to see how the first few episodes pan out, but provided the worst adaptation extravagances can be controlled Hitoribocchi no Isekai Kouryaku should do the trick for anyone needing a bit of tried-and-true isekai this fall season.

Preview by Pancakes

Playing MMORPGs is fun and all, but have you ever tried managing one? Oono Akira (Tsuda Kenjirou) does, and it’s a job exhausting enough that fifteen years after releasing his masterpiece Infinity Game he decides to finally pull the server plug. And wind up getting the experience of a lifetime. Blinking awake in the body of Kunai Hakuto, the demon lord of Infinity Game, Akira not only finds himself within his game’s world, but also in a situation where nothing as he created it seems to be present. Events, characters, fellow demons: everything is shaken up with little to explain it. Thankfully for Akira however there are places to investigate, and after handling the first stop of Bastille Dungeon the next destination is Hellion Territory. One way or another, this is one demon lord who shall find his way home.

Maou-sama Retry is one of the plethora of innumerable isekai hanging within the crowd. Although premiering fairly early into the ongoing alternate world tsunami back in 2019, the usual mix of comedic slice of life shenanigans and basic RPG-based fantasy mechanics had a hard time differentiating it from its competition, particularly when paired with middling animation and your quintessential cookie cutter characters and tropes. Even if the MC is somewhat rocking the Larry aesthetic. While sequels are often good places to help improve on such humble starts (doubly so considering the change in studio here), important to note is that Maou-sama Retry R is a likely to be of the whiplash variety: the original adaptation cut off several chapters before the light novel conclusion, this adaptation is of the sequel web manga, and there’s no guarantee this season will help fill in the blanks. In short don’t expect a lot, but should Maou-sama Retry properly capitalize on its strengths there’s nothing stopping it becoming a decent bit of fall isekai fun.

Preview by Pancakes

Back for round two of its alternate world adventure comes the sequel to Tensei Kizoku, Kantei Skill de Nariagaru. Centered on one Ars Louvent (Fujiwara Natsumi), a former salaryman turned Truck-kun apostle, Tensei Kizoku follows the kid as he learns the ropes of being offspring of nobility in a world heavy on swords and magic. While lacking major talent in either of those fields, what Ars has going for him is his Appraisal skill, a unique ability letting him immediately determine a person’s strength, their potential, and – most importantly – just where their talents lie. It’s quite useful too given the strained state of his home country and open corruption risking real revolution encouraging the domestic nobility to start gathering arms in preparation for war. For Ars to ensure both his family’s and his own survival, he’ll need his special powers to find the best and brightest possible and win them over to his side.

Tensei Kizoku had a fairly decent run when it premiered back in spring, pairing what’s a fairly generic premise with some surprising production values to yield a good bit of isekai fun and games. Much like the thematically similar Genjitsu this one was helped by a focus on brains and strategizing over pure power, with an emphasis on politics in particular helping make up for the usual array of tropes and archetypes always gracing this sort of story. While Tensei Kizoku did start faltering in its latter half, the first cour was effectively for key character introductions only, and with a lot of the groundwork laid this is the season which should start seeing the material coming into its own. Likely not enough to win over those who already passed on it mind you (the curse of many a light novel adaptation), but I suspect series fans and isekai lovers both will find plenty to enjoy once Tensei Kizoku plans its way into fall.

Preview by Choya

College student Tokiwa (Takeuchi Shunsuke) is invited to a three-on-three blind date by his classmate Suo (Komatsu Mikako). But when he arrives at the mixer with his friends, they are greeted by a group of three handsome men. As it turns out, they are actually cool, suave women looking to use their dazzling charm and princely appearances to get closer with Tokiwa’s group. Will sparks fly as the two groups get to know one another?

Much of the appeal of this thrilling new anime will be seeing charming women transcend the boundaries of conventional gender norms. While so many resign to the fate of traditional views of feminine beauty, the girls of Goukon ni Ittara Onna ga Inakatta Hanashi have an enviable appeal to them as they manage to be even more strikingly handsome than the men they plan to date. Of course, there are some thrills to be had with men who are more than willing to be enticed by masculine beauty. If you’re more than willing to give yourself to this pursuit, then Goukon ni Ittara Onna ga Inakatta Hanashi will prove to be quite a thrilling time.

Preview by Pancakes

Fantasy may be known for its heroes and many saving the world plots, but there’s one detail common across all: dungeons. From monsters to hidden treasures, dungeons contain quite a bit under their dilapidated exteriors, and those willing to venture into their depths are often handsomely rewarded for the effort. At least if your name isn’t Krai Andrey (Ono Kensho). While a member of a party eager to find the riches such places hold, Krai soon discovers he doesn’t have a single greedy treasure hunting bone in his body. His lack of interest is made up for by his fellow party members, but as their success grows and the expectations on Krai increase, the poor kid finds out his goal of quitting and retiring from the treasure hunting profession may not be obtainable. Can one reluctant dungeon spelunker find the peace he seeks? Krai is certainly determined to make it happen.

If there’s one thing to say about Nageki no Bourei wa Intai shitai it’s that it at least is going for a fairly novel concept by modern fantasy standards. Sure, we have the likes of Slayers and (more on point) Rune Soldier playing to the concept, but treasure hunting in recent works always plays second fiddle to the usual world ending demon lord antics which makes this a veritable breath of fresh air. To head off any wild anticipation however that’s about as far as this one goes for uniqueness; all the usual tropes are at play, the same basic premise of weak MC with hidden talents is play up for all its worth, and you best bet the story itself doesn’t venture far from the battle-tested light novel path. In short expect your quintessential party-based adventuring, just with a tweak on the usual fantasy flavouring. It’ll certainly be a watch for genre fans looking for the latest new and shiny, but it’s recommended holding off on the hype until we see what those first few episodes are like.

Preview by Choya

After spending his life in an orphanage, Uryuu Kamihate (Suzuki Ryouta) arrives at his new foster home, the Amagami Shrine. He is grateful as this is the only place willing to take him in, but his aspirations for a peaceful residence that would help him achieve his dream of attending medical school are about to go awry. As he settles in, he discovers that he will be living with three beautiful yet complicated sisters, and is expected to marry one of them to inherit the temple. To make matters more difficult, he is an ardent atheist, forcing him to grapple with both the sisters’ strong personalities and his lack of faith if he wants to stay long enough to fulfill his dream of becoming a doctor.

Harem anime, especially ones focusing on shrines, often lean toward the more enticing aspects of being surrounded by beautiful women. For this particular series, however, it won’t be like your ordinary trip to the Temple. Instead, this anime will focus on the budding romance between Uryuu and the shrine maidens. Along with this, we can also expect some internal drama Uryuu has to work through about accepting any of their hands in marriage if it means compromising his goals and beliefs for their sake. Will Uryuu be able to fulfill his own personal aspirations? Will any of the girls catch his eye? And if they do, will his love potentially put his goals on the backburner? Find out in this upcoming season premiere.

Preview by Pancakes

Alicia Williams (Nakamura Kanna) is what any normal individual would call dangerous. From jet-black hair and golden eyes screaming feline-like sleek and deadly to a familial mastery of all things black magic, the girl also commands a sharp tongue and one hell (heh) of a malevolent personality. Oh and Alicia also happens to be a reincarnation of another one of Truck-kun’s (un)fortunate victims. The original Alicia you see heralds as a villainess from a popular otome game, and her new inhabitant is a fierce admirer of her overall character and take on life. Enough so in fact that the “new” Alicia sets out to become the greatest villainess of all time. As she’ll learn though being a villainess and being recognized as a proper villainess are two completely different concepts – especially once fate is properly accounted for.

I never cease getting a chuckle out of how the next big wave in anime happens to be reincarnated villainesses, and all because Bakarina apparently rubbed production committees in all the right ways. To that end Rekishi ni Nokoru Akujo ni Naru zo lies firmly within concept as synopsis shows, with Alicia being an otome game villainess, possessing an untimely end she’s determined to avoid, and running the whole script through the usual romcom antics and light fantasy setting. Mind you it goes all in on Alicia being a true villainess compared to say Akuyaku Reijou Level 99 and Akuyaku Reijou nanode Last Boss, but strip away the sprinkles and it’s effectively the same villainess isekai ice cream on offer. Those already tired of the concept likely won’t find redemption here, but if you were looking for the next fresh offering of quirky villainess shenanigans make sure to keep Rekiaku on your fall watch list. One way or another it’s bound to prove entertaining.

Preview by Choya

Chizuko Date (Itou Miku) is a magical girl otaku who idolizes her favorite heroine Berry Blossom (Itou Miku). Sadly, her hometown in the Niigata Prefecture loses interest in magical girls since their local villain Chroma (Itou Miku) is too inept and weak to remain a formidable threat. With a fervent desire to keep Berry’s magical girl exploits alive, Chizuko vows to reignite the town’s appreciation of magical girls, even if it means going down the path of darkness.

This show has a witty, joyful vibe to it as it centers around magical girls as a real world concept with regional heroines and villains. It should be interesting to see how Chizuko navigates around the heroine and villain factions of her town’s magical girl scene. Considering that the description hints at Chizuko being willing to meet with the town’s evil crew to get them into shape, it’ll be funny to see if she winds up having a better gauge of what makes a villain than the villains themselves. Look forward to Acro Trip when it gets into shape this fall.

Preview by Pancakes

Well it’s been a wait, but preeminent isekai Re:Zero is at last back with its third season (alright, technically fourth) season. Based on the same light novel series, Re:Zero focuses on high schooler Natsuki Subaru (Kobayashi Yuusuke) and the tale of his survival in another world after being rudely dumped in it by unknown powers. Through sheer perseverance and an insidious ability to rewind time upon his death, Subaru manages to not only help himself, but also the silver-haired half-witch Emilia (Takahashi Rie) who originally saved him upon his arrival in this other world. Having overcome the likes of curses, the Witch’s Cult, and even the infamous Witch of Greed in Echidna, Subaru’s attention now turns to an upcoming gathering hosted by Anastasia, head of the Hoshin Company and competing candidate for Lugunica’s throne. It’ll be anything but a normal gathering though; between old threats and new challenges Subaru must once again play the unifier to ensure everyone gets the best possible outcome.

As one of the first real blockbuster isekai hits, there’s no denying the impact Re:Zero has and continues to have on the concept as a whole. This was one of the first embracing a destructionist take on the genre, pairing Madoka-esque suffering with pure psychological abuse that saw Subaru experience every possible torment under the sun only to get rebuilt to experience it all again. It shows just what isekai is capable of in good hands, which means the expectations surrounding this continuation are rightfully sky high. Good news at least is there’s some confidence in said expectations: besides a carryover in key cast and crew (not to mention White Fox continuing animation duties), this season is confirmed to adapt to the end of the sixth arc which guarantees three cours at minimum. Tack on the two initial arcs up for adaptation being some of the series’ strongest material (yes, even more so than the Sanctuary arc) and probably no surprise why the hype here is palpable. This will be a guaranteed watch for series fans already, but if you have a soft spot for alternate world shenanigans and somehow haven’t seen Re:Zero yet there’s no better time than now. This is set to be one of 2024’s – if not 2025’s – top contenders.

Preview by Pancakes

Returning for the second half of its tennis tournament adventures, Shin Tennis once again steps back into all the fun – and suspense – of tennis competition. Having barely squeaked by the U-17 World Cup quarter-finals in their match against France, Japan’s team must now turn their attention to the previous winner Germany and their seemingly insurmountable dominance. With Germany having won the past nine U-17 cups few have hopes Japan can rise to the occasion – let alone overcome the giants – yet giving in is not in their makeup. Echizen Ryouma (Minagawa Junko) and fellow teammates only made it this far because of their grit, determination, and drive, and they’re not about to let supposed fate doom them before they even begin. No matter the challenge this team will make the finals and show that Japan is more than mere speedbump in the world of tennis.

Let’s get the obvious out of the way: Shin Tennis is very much an acquired taste and oh yes this season won’t be changing a single thing. Even taking away the shounen-style power ups and abilities and use of tennis more as a setting to feature them than actual homage to the game the franchise hasn’t been well-endowed with strong production of late. The last season especially was hit hard by the corner cutting bat, with still-shots and minimal animation greeting the usual array of whiplash developments and shock moments – and when it comes to such series good animation is really needed to maximize such moments. Considering M.S.C remains in the production seat I wouldn’t expect much to change here, but given this season is effectively the climax of the U-17 arc (barring a ludicrously drawn out semi-final mind you) it’s not unreasonable to think it will pull out all the stops. And hey, with just how much Shin Tennis remains up for adaptation, not a bad way to ultimately leave off the wait for the next continuation.

Preview by Choya

In a death game connected to cell phones, every participant of the game receives a special power that could bring them closer and closer to achieving godhood. After high school student Gorou Ono (Ura Kazuki) fulfills a perverted fantasy, he quickly finds out that his power is the deadly Holy Book of the Fool. The wish granter informs him that he has not only been enrolled in a death game, but Gorou’s life will become exceedingly worse whenever he uses his new ability. As Gorou struggles to come to terms with this reality, he must seek allies and learn how to use his ability in this 2nd cour of KamiErabi before all is lost.

Spawning from the minds of Yoko Taro and Atsushi Ohkubo, you might remember KamiErabi from a few seasons ago. By the time its first cour finished, you might be tempted to write off GOD.app as GOD.crapp. The Battle Royale subgenre is a dicey one to play around with since there are so many anime built around this concept, but there are only a few that are worthwhile. But KamiErabi may be worth a second glance considering how there’s still enough story to go around that you may be surprised by the tricks up its sleeves. With much of the staff being highly talented and ready to flex their strengths, I wouldn’t be surprised if KamiErabi manages to reverse its fortunes and have its wishes granted this fall.

Preview by Choya

Hotaru Yuyami (Uemura Yuuto) is a struggling author who still grieves for his beloved dog Hanako. With nothing else keeping him in high spirits, he is left mourning in silence until he meets a strange pink mushroom that turns into a dog. This mysterious mushroom pup Kinoko Inu (Kobayashi Daiki) aims to help Hotaru overcome his grief by filling his life with laughs and warm moments. Even you, the person reading this, might find a place in your heart for the adorable Kinoko Inu!

Sometimes, all you need is a cute animal to motivate you throughout the day. Whether it be Nyanpire, Bananyan, or Rilakkuma, nothing beats a cute mascot character that coasts off of its adorable looks alone to keep you captivated. In Kinoko Inu’s case, the titular mushroom pup is a slamdunk design that is as toothachingly cute as the characters on this show. It’ll be amusing to see the small ways that Hotaru’s gloomy demeanor perks up as Kinoko Inu graces his presence with its whimsical charm and sassy behavior. Look forward to Kinoko Inu when it premieres this season.

Preview by Pancakes

College. Some love it, some hate it, some would even argue it can kill you – and in Tsunehiro Sasaki’s (Iwanaka Mutsuki) case it very much is the latter. While trying hard to make it in life, Sasaki is also worn down a serious amount of debt and the shocking knowledge he has a terminal illness and only two years left to live. It’s enough to bring down even the strongest of men, and Sasaki certainly experiences that when, on the run from the latest debt collectors, falls into the ocean. Yet that brush with death is all the guy needed to restart his life. Rescued by one Ayukawa Hana (Fairouz Ai), a local fisher, Sasaki quickly forms a bond with her and through her finds a mutual interest in fishing. While the act of fishing itself may not be enough to turn Sasaki’s life around, maybe, just maybe, it could be enough to give him some peace of mind.

Emotive slice of life – especially anime original slice of life – is always intriguing to preview because you can never be sure which side of melodramatic it’ll fall on. Will it be a Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso? Maybe a Violet Evergarden? It’s always a surprise and NegaPosi Angler certainly plays to it. Outside of barebones synopsis there really isn’t a lot to go off of outside of fishing theme and ephemeralness of life; either we’re getting a complex dive into heavy topics or superficial tearjerker all about the drama. And in this sort of show there’s always drama. The two things hinting towards the former though is Suzuki Tomohiro of Sousou no Frieren fame handling script alongside the fairly dependable Studio Nut on production, so provided crew chops can match what the story and PVs hint at a measure of optimism is easily warranted. Every season after all needs a suitable bit of feels, and NegaPosi Angler is certainly gearing up to be just that.

Preview by Princess Usagi

We’ve seen the set up before- an emergency calls for desperate measures culminating in a show-window relationship that blossoms into real romance. For the unhitched Honjouji Rika (Hayami Saori) and Oohara Takuya (Kumagai Kentarou), matters are very urgent- their company is threatening offering to send single workers to Siberia (Really? Why?). To which the solution is, of course, a (business) proposal of marriage. Can they pull this off and will they become the real deal? You’ll have to watch to find out.

Based on an already completed manga by Wakaki Tamiki, the series fits into two categories that pique my interest because there isn’t enough of it in anime- a working adult cast and seinen. That Ikehata Hiroshi is directing it and Hyoudou Kazuho is in charge of series composition is also good news, as they worked together on a romcom close to my heart, Tonikaku Kawaii. I find it interesting that Ashi Productions is taking the helm on this one, as they have done a lot of older series, but don’t seem to have been as active recently. Whatever the case, it looks like a promising candidate to scratch the romance itch.

Preview by Princess Usagi

Determined to make it far on the Eimei Academy badminton team, Inomata Taiki (Chiba Shouya) hits the gym for practice early every morning. To his surprise, the basketball team member, Kano Chinatsu (Ueda Reina) is always there first, working hard. Taiki is hot for her, but feels she’s out of his league. She’s the it girl- pretty, well-loved, talented on the court, whereas he sees his popularity and badminton skills as average at best. Fate loves a good twist and due to a series of circumstances, Chinatsu comes to live with Taiki’s family. Driven by a desire to stand on equal footing with Chinatsu, the earnest Taiki puts his all into leveling up his badminton game. Will the two grow closer as they pursue a shared goal of reaching the Nationals?

As a fan of the manga, I am excited that Ao no Hako is getting an adaptation. Think Adachi in terms of wrapping a coming-of-age story in a sports context, but with this series being more lighthearted than his. The series composition is in good hands- Kakihara Yuuko, having written for the coming of age series Tsuki ga Kireiand Sakamichi no Apollon and sports series Shakunetsu Kabaddi, which are fantastic if you have not yet seen them. The visuals from the preview look serviceable, so all in all, this promises to be a pretty solid adaptation that I would recommend you watch out for.

Preview by Enzo

Dandadan is one of multiple manga that I follow receiving adaptations this Fall. I’ve read the manga since the very beginning, when it immediately received huge buzz and glowing recommendations from mangaka. It’s the work of Tatsu Yukinobu, one of many Fujimoto assistants to have a transformative effect on the modern manga industry (though it’s lately emerged that his assistants were often more mentors to him than the other way round). It’s a series that grabs you immediately with its stunningly detailed artwork, inventive paneling, and breathless narrative drive.

So what is Dandadan? Sort of a kitchen sink of anything fantastical and speculative fictional – aliens, Shinto Kami, ghosts, youkai, cryptozoology. If you can imagine it and it’s probably not real, this series will get to it eventually. The structure, such as it is, features a bunch of teens, a sexy grandma mahoutsukai, and various others oddballs (and I do mean odd) battling a constantly evolving array of threats while searching for the protagonist’s… Well, I’ll let you get there when you get there, but you’ll have a ball with this one.

Truth be told, I’ve kind of grown indifferent with the manga lately. I still like and follow it (it’s currently on hiatus), but for me Dandadan is a series with more frosting than cake. It’s damn good frosting, though. And judging by the previews and reaction to the early episodes (which were leaked after hackers stole them from Netflix servers) Science Saru is really pulling out all the stops with this adaptation. This is a series that needs visual flair and, frankly, budget – more than almost any I can think of it would suffer badly from a mediocre adaptation. I’m expecting impact here – huge buzz when it premieres. If it can sustain it, Dandadan has a chance to be the most talked-about anime of 2024.

Preview by Choya

Long ago, alien lifeforms came to Earth, fusing with people on the planet. Due to their appearance, they were dubbed “Mecha-ude,” as when fused, they bore a striking resemblance to mechanized limbs. Middle schooler Amatsuga Hikaru (Toyonaga Toshiyuki) forges a involuntary partnership with the Mecha-ude Arma. The resistance group ARMS assigns Murasame Aki (Shimamura Yuu) to protect Arma. But when a mysterious Snake-Type Mecha-ude wielder harms Aki and her comrades, Hikaru is tasked to fight back and stop the nefarious Kagami Group from obtaining the mythical “Trigger Arm,” a Mecha-ude said to grant unlimited power.

MECHA-UDE has had a long journey. Director Okamoto first created the series as an ONA with the help of Kickstarter and internet personality Reina Scully. Through this crowdfunding effort, they managed to gather the talents of many high-profile seiyuu to put out a one-episode ONA that showcased the potential this story had for any future developments. With the campaign starting in 2016 and the episode releasing in 2019, the future of MECHA-UDE has been uncertain considering how much time has passed. With this in mind, it’s incredible to see how far the series has come now that it’s finally got a TV anime on the horizon. It’ll be exciting to see what the future of MECHA-UDE has in store now that it’s guaranteed to grow even further this fall.

Preview by Pancakes

When it comes to power few can rival the venerable dragon. A beast of near unsurmountable power, dragons can often best not just mortal men but gods themselves. At least until they cannot as Dran (Takeuchi Shunsuke) found out the hard way. One of the most powerful of dragons, Dran was bested by the hero of the time and accepted his end openly. That conclusion however seemingly triggered something, because rather than fade into time Dran found himself awakening in the body of a human. Now positioned at the edge of civilization in a nondescript village, Dran sets out to live the simple rural life, yet doesn’t get too far into it before encountering Celina the lamia. Herself disliked due to appearance, Celina and Dran quickly bond over similar origins, but between those challenging their friendship and the appearance of a demon army, neither might get that easy living they were hoping for.

If there’s one thing to say about Sayonara Ryuusei, Konnichiwa Jinsei off the bat is that it’s at least not another isekai. While somewhat splitting hairs at this point – this is yet another rural living fantasy slice of life after all – it does give some flair to the usual arrangement, especially considering Dran’s unique origins. In effect take Tensura’s Veldora in human form, temper down the power level, add a more conventional personality, attach the quintessential harem with all its trappings, and you get a pretty good idea of what’s on tap. Admittedly Sayonara Ryuusei isn’t too bad for what it is, at least from the light novel bits I read, but don’t think for a second it’ll reinvent the genre or fully win you over if on the fence; at heart it’s fully vanilla and doesn’t try to hide it. Still plenty of room for some comfy entertainment mind you, so provided it doesn’t hit too many of the usual adaptation pitfalls it should more than do plenty for anyone after some simple fantasy slow living fun.

Preview by Pancakes

In entrepreneurialism communication and charisma are key. Having an idea isn’t enough, you must sell the idea, live the idea, make others fear missing out on the idea. It’s a mindset Tennouji Haru (Ootsuka Takeo) has in spades, enough so that he yearns to convert his drive into true business success. Turning down a very prestigious position at Japan’s largest IT company Dragon Bank, Haru instead sets out with his close friend Manabu Taira (Ishige Shouya) to do the impossible and make one trillion (yes, trillion) dollars. Unlike Haru Taira is incredibly introverted and socially awkward, but he’s a brilliant networking engineer under the surface and the technical brains to the operation. No matter what everyone else says, no matter the seemingly insurmountable heights to conquer, this pair of friends will find a way to do the impossible.

Given the massive success of Dr. Stone it was just a matter of time before Inagaki Riichiro’s other manga works got an adaptation and first up to bat is Trillion Game. As the synopsis teases this one drips drama under the hood, where the trials and tribulations of startup culture – and techbro startup culture at that – get converted into anime flair. Much like Dr. Stone absurdity is the name of the game: ridiculous (in a good way) situations are greeted with over the top personalities, basic tech knowledge is transformed into crazy outcomes, and whether you want to or not you shall be picking up new knowledge for your office trivia games. The parts I read were a blast, and considering Madhouse too is handling production I only have the highest hopes this adaptation can match what the manga and live action adaptation have on display. Whether a sucker for popcorn, shounen-esque stories or a simple lover of modern technology definitely keep an eye on what Trillion Game creates the season. I firmly expect this one to fly high among the competition.

Preview by Choya

Not all the glitters is gold in the life of a magical girl. In this universe, it’s treated as a profession that requires exterminating a kind of natural disaster called “Kaii.” Kana Sakuragi (Fairouz Ai) is a college student who struggles to find work in such an environment. Her fortunes change when she’s recruited by a magical girl startup company, and just like you expect from a startup company, Kana has her work cut out for her. With her team of eccentric co-workers, Kana’s magical girl work-life begins.

From the sound of it, it gives off the impression of a unique, subversive take on magical girls where working as a town’s savior is no different from being a general manager or IT consultant. It still has the bombast and thrills you can expect from a magical girl show with the added twist of having to contend with college students and adults working as a team of professional magical girls and boys behind the scenes. It’ll be fun to see magical girl action and workplace antics combine in this thrilling new show this season.

Preview by Pancakes

No year would be complete without another SAO offering, and here to meet the quota is the sequel to SAO’s first true spinoff. Set in the world of Gun Gale Online, SAO Alternative follows the (mis)adventures of one shy university student Kohiruimaki Karen (Kusunoki Tomori) and her gradual descent into the world of online firearms. Karen turned to GGO due to a massive insecurity over her height, choosing the game in part because it was the first to grant her a chibi-esque avatar letting her be the right sort of cute. Over time she fell in love with the game, eventually earning her the title Pink Devil and the in-person name LLENN one of respect. Having turned that fame into victory in GGO’s first team-based battle royale Squad Jam, Karen now is gearing up for another and what is bound to be more of the same. Or at least she hopes; when it comes to GGO and its characters it never pays to be complacent.

Ahh SAO, love it or hate there’s no denying its reach, and Alternative is part of the proof. While set in one of SAO’s more divisive arcs (fantasy swords over sci-fi shooting is honestly the franchise’s main selling point), it wound up proving more fun than first expected, in part because of the strength of Kusunoki Tomori in driving Karen’s character (though Miyu is forever my number one), and also because it hit right at the height of the battle royale shooter craze. Not wanting to tear your hair out at a PUBG match? Bored of Fortnite? Well say hello to P-chan and a half-hour of comfy pink chibi tacticool shenanigans. I honestly liked it enough to give it a rewatch a few times, and considering the source light novels retain the same basic arrangement of Karen LLENN and friends duking it out in team-based battle royales I firmly expect this season will carry on in the spirit of the first. For a series ultimately heralding from SAO it’s honestly all one could ask for.

Preview by Pancakes

Not content with four seasons under its belt, the fantasy adventures and heroic climb of one Bell Cranel (Matsuoka Yoshitsugu) continue in Danmachi as it returns for a fifth anime outing. Based on the light novel series of the same name, Danmachi follows Bell as he seeks making it as an adventurer in the city of Orario. There the eager and driven hunt fame and fortune in its monstrous labyrinth, and while many do find success, many more do not – and the deeper one goes the harder the going gets. While Bell started off rough, thanks to the help of loyal friends, supporting goddess Hestia (Minase Inori), and his own good nature, he now has claim to be one of Orario’s best, and few would have it any other way. The problem for Bell however is such fame comes with attention, and with a prominent fertility banquet upcoming, it might be the sort of attention not even he desires.

And thus the Danmachi train keeps chugging along. At this stage I imagine there’s few who haven’t heard of this series, or even any who don’t have an impression on it. Either you like the quirky, shounen-lite charm/ premise, the character cast and its use of prominent gods and goddesses, or you already gave it up way back in the first couple of seasons. Admittedly Danmachi stumbled hard in its second and third helpings with disjointed pacing and weaker material, but the Labyrinth arc really turned the ship around, in part by capitalizing on a lot of Bell’s development to date and focusing on the lesser seen elf girl Ryuu. Considering the Goddess of Fertility arc is considered even better than it naturally puts some high expectations on this season, which thankfully given JC Staff and all key crew are carrying over is also somewhat reasonable. This season is already a guaranteed watch for any series fan, but I’d still keep an eye on what Danmachi gets up to if you got a soft spot for it. I fully expect some surprises when it finally appears.

Preview by Pancakes

Returning for its second part, iDOLM@STER comes back to continue the idol adventures of Sakuragi Mano (Sekine Hitomi) and 283 Production as they seek to make their idol group the best possible. With Mano being an aspiring idol alongside her fellow members Kazano Hiori (Kondou Reina) and Hachimiya Meguru (Mineda Mayu), the lead producer of 283 Production seeks to help them – and all his other charges – reach the heights they aspire to. Reaching the summit of the idol world after all isn’t easy, it takes luck as much as it does talent, but passion and determination get you a good step of the way there, especially with proper support. It won’t be easy, it’ll take everything Mano and friends and 283 Production has, but no matter the challenges they will find a way to shine bright.

I always get a chuckle out of seeing iDOLM@STER pop up in a season because it usually means it’s appearing alongside Love Live. And lo and behold this season has both. These idol franchises after all are quite similar and play to the same concepts, however whereas Love Live really leans into the idea enough to found idol units which turn into shows, iDOLM@STER premises it all from its source mobile game. And that’s before getting into the Kadokawa vs. Bandai rivalry. Even more so than Love Live iDOLM@STER is all about slice of life, and Shiny Colors certainly played into it enough that the focus on characters and music arguably overcame any weaknesses in terms of story and production. Given this season was announced even before the first aired I wouldn’t expected much shakeup, and given several units from the source game remain for adaptation there’s plenty of material left to further dig into and explore. Probably not enough to convert those not already enamoured of idol culture mind you, but those loving cute girls singing their hearts out are bound to find plenty here to enjoy once fall comes around.

Preview by Pancakes

Girls and magic, there’s often no more fundamental combination, and Mirai Kurumi (Hishikawa Hana) happens to fully embrace it. A newly minted high school freshman at Redrun Magic School, Kurumi is eager to become a mage and engage in the host of work mages do in protecting royalty. Yet for all her stellar grades she doesn’t quite make the cut. Relegated to the secondary education stream, Kurumi can only look on as others get in and test the challenges of the mage curriculum. How will Kurumi reconcile her failure with her own desires? Is there yet a path forward to realize her dream? And just how will the mysterious homeroom teacher Suzuki Minami (Horie Yui) factor into things? As Kurumi shall discover it’ll be anything but a normal school year.

And so another magical girl show enters the anime fray. Right off the bat the important thing to note about Mahoutsukai ni Narenakatta Onnanoko no Hanashi is that it’s the second Project ANIMA (web) novel series to see an adaptation, and arguably more importantly, is being helmed by JC Staff. While sparse in translated information, taking what we have in combination with the PV material is enough to hint towards light and fluffy with a heavy dose of yuri baiting, especially when factoring in the all-female cast, school-life setting, and JC Staff all but being made for this sort of concept. Pretty much expect something more along the lines of Strawberry Panic than Utena, especially considering Mahoutsukai ni Narenakatta’s visuals are playing hard to the lackadaisical part of magic school life. Given how the last Project ANIMA production in Sakugan turned out I wouldn’t go making any major bets here yet, but anyone needing some cutesy girls love would definitely do well seeing what Mahoutsukai ni Narenakatta gets up to this autumn.

Preview by Pancakes

When it comes to mahjong one typically thinks of old Chinese ladies enjoying an afternoon to themselves. Yet mahjong isn’t all that serene – or that boring. For some the game is as cutthroat as they come, where fame, money, and even literal lives are put on the line for the sake of victory. In this world none are more ruthless than Kei (Tanabe Kousuke), a highschooler of few words but with a talent for crushing opponents in mahjong. His skill is enough to induce boredom, leading Kei to moonlight as a mahjong mercenary in search of worthy opponents, but it’s hard keeping it up when a combination of school and looking after a girl named Amina (Fairouz Ai) eats up spare time. Little does Kei know though that his involvement with Amina will soon get him far closer to his mahjong goal than he ever thought possible.

Mahjong-based anime are always interesting because the first question inevitably becomes how close to Saki it will get. Will it be serious? Will it be more cutesy slice of life? Well the good news at least is that Touhai is very much in the serious vein – and arguably even more so than that titular first “true” mahjong show. The best way to think of Touhai for the unfamiliar is the mahjong version of Kakegurui: psychology is front and centre, the stakes of each game can get wildly over the top, and the characters involved live up the expectations set by both. Kei may not be as chaotic as Yumeko, but the same drive for excitement and finding an even match very much lives within him and drives his decisions. Particularly helpful is that the original manga finished way back in 2011 so there’s a complete story to work with; two cours isn’t impossible here and the production crew aren’t raising any red flags. I’d still remain wary until we can see what it’s like in action, but Touhai is easily worth a look for anyone needing some autumn thrills. If there was a dark horse candidate this season this one is it.

Preview by Princess Usagi

Many of us have an important heirloom that connects us to loved ones. For Tonbo (Hayashi Rika), that is her father’s golf club, which she carries with her when she moves to Hinoshima Island with her grandfather after her parents’ passing. On the island’s windy golf course, Tonbo develops a passion for golf. It’s not just passion, but also a natural gift for the sport, which is recognized and cultivated by Igarashi Kazuyoshi (Touchi Hiroki) upon moving to Hinoshima. To continue her training in golf, Tonbo must now take the fateful step of starting a new life away from her beloved island.

Ooi! Tonbo is unique among adaptations, because it runs not in a manga but a sports magazine. It also takes the prize of being one of the first golf anime. The first cour was spectacular- it provided a deft balance between the drama and sports, with the technical aspects portrayed in a way that certainly gave me a new appreciation for golf. To top it off, we have just an incredibly good cast of characters. Tonbo’s enthusiasm for golf is so refreshing- you can’t help but love her. Her personal growth and her father-daughter like relationship with Igarashi is also heartwarming. I can’t recommend this series enough, especially if you are a golf fan. Even if you aren’t, you’ll become one pretty soon after watching it!

Preview by Choya

What better way to understand the human digestive system than to take a trip through it? Geo (Matsuda Satsumi) is an eager, curious boy who has been shrunken down by an eccentric scientist. Along with a close friend, Geo inadvertently navigates through the human body, exploring the inner workings of what makes a person a person. As the scientists’ assistant tries their best to alleviate the situation, Geo is bombarded with muscles, parasites, cells, and other harrowing sights to see in the human body. Expect a fair share of medical edutainment and toilet humor in Kagaku x Bouken Survival!

The Survival series is a long-running educational manwha that has since been adapted for multiple audiences across the globe. Much like America’s Magic School Bus series, Survival provides an entertaining and insightful method of learning about the human body and its many functions. This series is known for its madcap plot and near-constant gags that might just make you gag a bit! Yes, this story doesn’t pull its punches or shy away from what makes us living flesh puppets filled with all kinds of nastiness. If you need a refresher on what the human body does, then you might want Kagaku x Bouken Survival! to lend you that friendly reminder.

Preview by Choya

As the Seireitei prepares for a follow-up attack from Yhwach (Sugou Takayuki) and his Sternritter army, substitute Soul Reaper Kurosaki Ichigo (Morita Masakazu) is urged to save the Soul Society. While Ichigo regains his strength and Zanpakuto, Yhwach uses the Sternritter crew to go toe-to-toe with the Royal Guard at the Quincies’ expense. Although many of the remaining Sternritter members feel betrayed by Yhwach’s actions, Ishida Uryuu (Sugiyama Noriaki) is personally selected by Yhwach to play a larger role in his revenge against the Soul Reapers. Will Ichigo and Uryuu be able to put aside their differences, or will their allegiance to their opposing sides make their next confrontation a violent affair?

“If you want to see some action, gotta be the center of attraction.” These famous lines from “Number One” hit a little too close to home from Ichigo’s perspective as the Soul Society places their future on his shoulders. Now that he’s all recovered from his first brush-in with Yhwach, the villainous leader of the Sternritter crew has made his way to the Royal Guard’s palace. But Ichigo’s big heroic showing might be all for naught as Uryuu has become comfortable with his elevated position among his fellow Quincies. Although Ichigo and Uryuu will be destined to clash sooner, it will only be a matter of time before the other Sternritter soldiers defect as some of the higher-ranking crew members begin to realize that their lives are expendable under Yhwach. Watch as boiling tensions heat up in the latest installment of BLEACH.

Preview by Choya

Isagi Yoichi (Ura Kazuki) used to rely on uplifting his teammates until a selfless decision cost his team a shot at the nationals. Defeated, he returns home to see an invitation from the Japan Football Union to join 300 U-18 strikers in a controversial project named Blue Lock. The project aims to create the ultimate star striker for the Japanese national team by pitting young athletes against one another in a series of tournaments. Failure means having your dreams crushed right in front of you. Despite these ethical concerns, Isagi is compelled to fight his way to the top with a new outlook; letting his ego call the shots. Along the way, he meets likeminded allies, headstrong foes, and fearsome adversaries. But as the Football Union turns against the Blue Lock Project, Isagi and his peers are put to the test as they’re pitted against the U-20 Japan team with Blue Lock itself on the line.

It’s been a fun ride to see how far Blue Lock has come since it started picking up steam. Between having the characters congratulate Team Japan on their real-world World Cup victory in 2022 and the 2024 film about Reo and Nagi’s relationship, it’s been neat to see mainstream corners of the anime fandom slowly recognize this edgy sports series. It’s a guilty pleasure of mine as the story embraces the immensely personal locker room drama that the players have among themselves during this dumb yet brutal tournament. This season is shaping up to be where things heat up as the Blue Lock Project is in extreme jeopardy of being shuttered unless Team Blue Lock can fight like hell against the U-20 Japan team. To make matters even more intense, the fearsome Rin Itoshi finds himself quaking at the prospect of fighting against his star brother Sae. I’m looking forward to seeing everyone again and being welcomed back into the twisted yet campy world of Blue Lock.

Preview by Princess Usagi

Science has a long history fraught with genius and turmoil, particularly when said geniuses refuse to squeeze into society’s narrow mindsets. Rafal, a boy about to commence his education in 1600s Poland comes face to face with this conflict between tradition vs. truth. An unexpected encounter sets him on a dangerous path to elucidate the earth’s position in the universe, paying dearly for the price of knowledge when he runs up against the powers that be. All is not lost, as some time later, a group of curious seekers uncovers his notes, setting our story into motion.

I have been curious about the manga for some time after my manga class professor recommended it, but sadly never got the chance to read it, so I’m very excited that they are adapting it. The source material appears to be well regarded, having been nominated for, and won multiple awards. I am also pleased to see that Madhouse will be animating it, with their established reputation. Interestingly, the only staff lists we have so far are a few of the seiyuu. However, Sakamoto Maaya playing Rafal has me stoked because she generally brings the house down with her roles. All in all, my curiosity is piqued, and I hope yours is too!

Preview by Pancakes

Back for its third (or technically fourth if you want to get pedantic) kick at the anime can, Blue Exorcist once again returns to the adventures of Okumura Rin (Okamoto Nobuhiko) and his, well, pointed origins. Rin you see is the son of Satan, king of the demonic realm Gehenna, and this father also happened to kill his more beloved foster father Fujimoto Shirou in a fit of familial squabbling. Rightfully angered, Rin sets out to attend True Cross Academy to become an exorcist and get revenge for Shirou. The journey to revenge however isn’t easy. Between scholarly requirements and exorcist-in-training duties, Rin must fend off many seeking to use him for their own purpose. Tack on groups like the Illuminati looking to leverage demonic power for their own ends and the emergence of artificial gates linking to Gehenna and what Rin thought easy may in fact be anything but. For this kid and his family coming to terms with the past might be the hardest challenge of them all.

Blue Exorcist hasn’t had the most stupendous of anime showings over the years, going from an initial two cour run which leaped hard into anime-only material in its latter half to a second season trending back to faithfulness, only for the third to drop the ball hard in terms of production values. As far as this sort of shounen-esque series goes it’s nothing especially bad, but when you’ve got the likes of Jujutsu no Kaizen to compete against it’s easy to fall back into the woodwork. The key concern for this go-around too will be the production: studio Volta remains in the hotseat, all key crew are carrying over, and the PV material shows no sign of any major shakeup. On the other side though this season is confirmed two cours back to back and there’s a hell of a lot of manga left to adapt, so hey, the conditions might be enough to yield something good. I wouldn’t fully bet on it just yet (first few episodes are always the tell), but if Nanatsu no Taizai can make up for past stumbles nothing saying Blue Exorcist cannot do the same.

Preview by Pancakes

When it comes to martial arts few have anything on Saotome Ranma (Yamaguchi Kappei). A talented prodigy of his family’s own school of martial arts, Ranma has the whole world ahead of him – and then he took some hot water to the face. Thanks to a misadventure with his father in China, Ranma is cursed to turn into a girl whenever hit with cold water, and only revert when similarly struck by hot. Complicating matters is Ranma’s own betrothal to Tendou Akane (Hidaka Noriko), the notoriously misandrist daughter of the Tendou dojo’s scion and key to the Saotome family protecting said dojo’s future. Although Akane’s father soon finds out about Ranma’s unique condition, it’s not enough to scrap Ranma’s engagement given the contractual obligations, so now the up and coming martial artist has to do the impossible. Can one genderbending kid with a flair for violence keep both a secret and his bride-to-be (and her family) satisfied? One way or another he’s about to find out.

Well chalk another one up to a series few definitely didn’t ever see getting a remake. For the uninitiated Ranma ½ is a very (in)famous romcom manga from the 80s and one of the key progenitors for many of the tropes and archetypes seen to this day. Compared to more modern works it’s nothing especially ingenious (the story’s nature for one leads to some predictability in its latter half), but is quite a bit of fun when taken as a lighthearted romcom romp, especially when factoring in the central genderbending premise. The key of course is just what this remake will offer over the original adaptation. Outside of less filler and tighter pacing it’s difficult seeing areas for improvement, particularly given the ecchi-ness gracing the original and the strong likelihood of censoring similar to Urusei Yatsura’s own recent reboot (which is also partially confirmed courtesy of yet another Netflix leak). On the plus side however MAPPA is handling production and almost all the original cast are back in their respective roles so I don’t anticipate too many issues – and doubly so if like Urusei Yatsura we can wring out more than two seasons with a decent budget to boot. Make no mistake, Ranma ½ is an acquired taste in this day and age, but if you ever wanted to see where many a romcom got their start or loved the original this is one anime remake you’ll want to keep close at hand.

Preview by Choya

Hitoyoshi Yokoya (Kumagai Toshiki) is a lonely highschool boy who is isolated by others until an unfamiliar girl who he later names Yuki (Ueda Reina) offers to do maid service. He is nervous to hear she was a former assassin until her skills save his life, securing her spot as a housekeeper. Her skills are entirely around killing, but as she gets to know Yokoya, Yuki slowly experiences a new range of emotions, memories, and warmth that she never thought she could experience.

Much of the appeal of this show is how an otherwise cold and calculated hitman could soften up at the prospect of a life outside of the killing. In a landscape that has wholly embraced Yor Forger, there is a major pull for assassins who allow domestic bliss to offer a respite from their grimey work. But with this particular show, it’s domesticity that allows Yuki to experience a full escape from the line of work that has left her numb and unable to process basic human emotions. If seeing such a tale sounds like a good time, you’ll have quite a good one with Kimi wa Meido-sama.

Preview by Pancakes

When it comes to party dynamics the healer is critical. You got to recover that lost life somehow, keep your tanks going strong, and the DPS monsters at least somewhat sane. Yet the essential nature makes it thankless at times, enough so that the middling healer Laust (Ono Kensho) gets the boot from his party because why waste space on basic healing when you can get another sword arm? Yet Laust has a secret. You see he’s actually a DPS monster himself, and what he lacks in restorative ability he more than makes up in rapid-fire damage. It’s a secret soon revealed to his new acquaintance Narsena (Maeda Kaori) after they form a party, and one that will prove beneficial. Dungeons after all are dangerous, bandits are always a nuisance, and in a party like theirs everyone must be able to multitask like a boss.

Why yes indeed boys and girls, it’s another one of those fantasy series. While somewhat rude to Party kara Tsuihou sareta Sono Chiyushi to describe it as such, it honestly spares little effort in differentiating itself from the usual crowd. This one is pure paint by numbers, with generic “banished hero” premise meets basic RPG mechanics and winds up paired with a conventional plot heavy on the conventional adventuring meets slice-of-life intermissions. Also the healer shtick, but even now that fairly well played out in the genre courtesy of recent fantasy showcases. On the plus side at least Party kara Tsuihou sareta Sono Chiyushi isn’t particularly bad story-wise, with the light novels bits I read holding up decently. Tack on the fact too there’s only four novels available for adaptation and hey, might even get a decently paced show out of things. Certainly won’t be a show for everyone, but those looking for their next helping of laidback fantasy adventuring would do well seeing what damage Party kara Tsuihou sareta Sono Chiyushi outputs this autumn season.

Preview by Pancakes

Back for its second half, the sequel to Nanatsu no Taizai in the Four Knights of the Apocalypse returns to continue the fantasy adventure. Set several years following the final defeat of the Demon King and the disbandment of the Seven Deadly Sins, the story now turns to inheritors of their legacy, in particular one young boy named Percival (Komura Shou). Although not special at a glance, Percival has the unfortunate luck of prophecy declaring him a problem. A serious problem. Supposedly destined to be one of the Four Knights of the Apocalypse, a quartet heralded to bring about the world’s destruction, Percival is immediately targeted by the forces of Camelot for elimination – but offing this kid won’t be so easy. Escaping Camelot’s first attempt on his life, Percival sets out to find the other Knights in order to discern the truth. Friends will be made, enemies will be bested, and if Percival can help it he will ensure things are set right.

Things have been looking up for Nanatsu no Taizai of late, at least in anime land. From the utter depths of production hell in its latter seasons the franchise made a fairly impressive recovery with Four Knights of the Apocalypse, turning cheap and rushed into, well, something a little more palatable. I doubt few will go as far to say it’s incredible, award-winning shounen, but the first half of Percival’s march into destiny easily made up for what we got before, particularly when paired with mangaka Suzuki Nakaba’s more experienced hand and the effort Telecom Animation Film threw into the affair. The good news here too (surprising for Nanatsu no Taizai, I know) is that the same cast and crew are back in their previous roles and the season is one cour only which very likely means a story cutting off at a very appropriate place – and with a massive cliffhanger to boot. This season will be an instant watch for any franchise fan already, but if you miss what became of the first couple of cours for Nanatsu no Taizai there’s no better time than now to give it another go. I dare say you’ll be surprised.

Preview by Pancakes

Back for its third round of idol shenanigans, Love Live once again is set to explore the trial and tribulations of Shibuya Kanon (Date Sayuri) at Yuigaoka Girls’ High School as she seeks to transform the school idol club Liella into a force to be reckoned with. Having overcome major adversity in the form Yuigaoka’s director daughter Hazuki Ren and recent idol rival Wien Margarete, attention once again returns to Liella’s goal of moving up the rankings all the while Kanon tackles the fallout of her decision to reject an offer to attend the Vienna National Academy of Music. Can Kanon keep Liella moving forward while still staying true to herself? One way or another she’s about to find out.

Ahh another season another Love Live continuation. As far as the franchise goes Superstar is somewhat divisive, having a very whiplash plot in spots (say hello second season MC rivalry and finale) and playing to a different sort of idol unit development over its run (read: not having all nine members present at the start). Not necessarily a bad package per say, but certainly one with a more acquired feel than other franchise entries, especially when factoring in the music and relative similarity to Nijisaki. Outside of new music and further Kanon struggles with Liella’s growth one shouldn’t expect much change for this cour: cast, crew, and idol unit are all back in action, new music will be on tap, and it likely will be the proper end for Superstar given what other Love Live series Kadokawa has in the pipeline. In short not much deviation from the formula, but it just wouldn’t be Love Live without it would it? And who knows, this season might just make up for the stumbles which came before.

Preview by Choya

Ten years ago, Keisuke Niijima (Hirakawa Daisuke) lost his beloved wife Takae (Yuuki Aoi). Keisuke wants his daughter Mai (Nomura Maiko) to be happy with her life, but he is still battling his grief, leaving him too despondent to do anything for his daughter than provide living expenses. One day, as the depression from living a separate life from his daughter hits him at his hardest, he meets an elementary school student in front of his home. When the girl claims to be the reincarnation of his late wife Takae, she takes it upon herself to help Keisuke process his grief in a healthier manner, help her daughter out in school, and get the most out of her second chance at reuniting with her dear family.

Trust me, this isn’t what you think it is! I know it’ll likely get tiring to have to overexplain the premise of the show as the season goes on, but those who understand where the story’s coming from can expect a wholesome yet depressing story about a widower who learns more about his family and himself during a time of loss. With Keisuke and Mai still feeling the aftershock from Takae’s passing, there is a reasonable hurdle that the two have to face in accepting that his wife and her mother have returned from the dead to help them overcome their collective grief. It’s a series that demands you to take its otherwise troubling concept seriously as it wants you to reflect on what it would be like if someone you mourned came back to life one day. How would you process that? How much time do you have left with them? What knowledge can they give you with the extra time they have on this earth?

Preview by Choya

Tanaka (Hikasa Youko) is a nerdy high school teacher who plays otome games whenever she’s not busy. After she’s confessed to by one of her students Murai (Amasaki Kohei), she quickly rejects him. On the next day, however, this rejection causes Murai to transform into the exact likeness of Tanaka’s favorite character from her favorite otome game.

Funny how Tsuma, Shougakusei ni Naru wound up getting the brunt of unwarranted assumptions about it when Murai no Koi comes around flaunting its age-gap romance as part of the draw. With what appears to be more of a motion comic than a fully animated production, Murai no Koi leans into the comedy of Tanaka’s otaku tendencies to slap a bandage on what would otherwise be a story about a high schooler pursuing their teacher. While Tanaka tries her best to set her boundaries with Murai, it’s clear that her student would be willing to change himself from head to toe if it meant he could be closer to his teacher. If this kind of story sounds like something that’s your speed, then Murai no Koi might be just be the show for you.

Preview by Choya

This is a story of what happens when Kawaii meets Slime. When Kotarou Kawaii (Umeda Shuuichirou) was in elementary school, he created a living slime named Puniru (Sasahara Yuu). Over the span of seven years, Puniru grows out of her slimy looks to take on the form of an adorable girl. As Puniru continues playing with Kotarou and changing into various forms, will he still be able to see her as a friend, or will his emotions begin to waver as he slowly falls for her?

On the surface, this looks like a story that is as cute as the title suggests. A budding romance story between a boy and his blob might actually have some depth to it knowing that Puniru has a consciousness of her own to take on a more human-like appearance. Knowing that Puniru is well-versed in the human world enough so to want to be more involved with Kotarou’s life as a humanesque figure adds an extra layer of intrigue to whether Kotarou will start to see her as more than a friend. Look forward to Puniru wa Kawaii Slime when it takes on a form of its own this fall season.

Preview by Pancakes

Back for its second showing, MF Ghost once again returns to the world of motorsports and quick tempered racing. With electric vehicles the dominating means of transportation in MF Ghost’s world, combustion engines have been relegated to niche tournaments and rallies attracting all sorts of eager characters. Katagiri Kanata (Uchida Yuuma) is just one such individual, having attended a prestigious racing school in England before setting his sights on the MFG Tournament, the racing event for all manner of gas guzzling afficionados. Although equipped only with a measly Toyota 86 GT, Kanata has support of key tournament leaders and, more importantly, the racing skills needed to top the charts. For him racing might only be about ultimately locating his estranged father, but for others it’s set to be the shockwave primed to upset an entire way of life.

While not the true Initial D successor many were hoping for, I doubt few will argue that MF Ghost became a worthy competitor. The first season did a fairly decent job in showcasing the strengths of the source manga, pairing a good amount of racing with the ubiquitous (and necessary) EDM soundtrack and letting the action speak for itself. Sure, character development and worldbuilding fell by the wayside, but it’s not like Initial D had any great strengths in those categories either; after all, it’s all about the car porn here. To that end not much change should be expected for this season: same faces are involved in production, there’s a decent cliffhanger to resolve, and quite a bit of source material remains for the adaptation pipeline. MF Ghost will undeniably fall into autumn’s niche show bucket, but should you be needing some nice and simple adrenaline-fuelled shenanigans or eager for a bit of electronic to the typical anime soundtrack look no further than this.

Preview by Pancakes

In another age in another world gods are plentiful. From minor deities with middling abilities to the strongest of beings with overwhelming power, all contribute in some capacity to maintaining the world around them and its inhabitants. Four gods in particular were critically important, acting as the pillars supporting the world’s stability and position, but decided to instead run away and abandon their duties. And so enters the Kashikan. Individuals tasked with tracking down deserting gods to restore worldly balance, Kashikan have it rough, and none more so than Ichiyou (Ootsuka Takeo). Unlike other Kashikan Ichiyou has the job out of necessity, all in an effort to free his captive father who serves as a replacement pillar. His job is very much personal, and for the sake of returning to an era of peace Ichiyou will do whatever is necessary to see the gods brought back to heel.

Buckle in boys and girls, we have an interesting one here. While first thoughts might look to pin Haigakura as say Jigokuraku given the visuals at play, at heart it’s a very different series. For starters this one is firmly jousei, with the emphasis on pretty boys doing pretty boy things and excreting enough mystery drama from it to make the story tick. Sure, not enough to fall into full boys love territory mind you, but the hints are there. The major difference however lies in worldbuilding; Haigakura is very heavy on its philosophy and cosmology, with an entire ethos built on its gods and their underlings, providing a surprising level of depth similar series often lack. The challenge of course will be how well it adapts into anime form (pacing and infodumps are the running concern for such series), but should it succeed and emphasize the manga’s strengths I don’t foresee many issues arising. Certainly won’t be a show for everyone, but if you got a thing for the mystical or needed some bishounen eye candy to colour this fall look no further than Haigakura – it easily has you covered.

Preview by Choya

Totomaru Isshiki (Enoki Junya) is desperate to have his time to shine as a plucky police investigator desperate to help the Metropolitan Police Department save lives and solve murders. One of his seniors tells Isshiki to seek out the reclusive genius detective Kamonohashi Ron (Azakami Youhei) to get him on the right track. Although the disheveled, disgraced detective initially rejects Isshiki, Ron’s eccentricities compel him to assist the wide-eyed officer in solving serial murder cases across the city. Will Isshiki’s success under Ron’s tutelage get the former detective back in the good graces of the organization that shunned him?

Kamonohashi Ron no Kindan Suiri was a pretty charming detective show when it premiered not so long ago. It provided a fascinating level of intrigue as to how Kamonohashi utilized his talents, whether Isshiki would finally come into his own as an investigator, and what was the nature of Kamonohashi’s excommunication and exile. Knowing that it earned itself a second season is reassuring because even though I wasn’t able to finish the first season, it showed plenty of potential that gave me faith in its success. It should be nice to see what direction the story takes when it dives into more mysteries next Fall.

Preview by Pancakes

Not satisfied with two cours under its belt, the edgy Arifureta returns for its third isekai outing. Centered around the loathed and detested otaku Nagumo Hajime (Fukamachi Toshinari), it’s a story of isekai transference, hero worship, and quite spectacular falls. You see, unlike all those other alternate world protagonists, Hajime wound up on the outside looking in as his hero-designated classmates got all the cool abilities and even more impressive roles. Hated so much that said classmates even contrived to see him die in a dungeon, Hajime manages to survive their betrayal, and with it seek retribution for such sins. At least for the first while. After coming across the imprisoned vampire Yui (Kuwahara Yuuki), defeating the dungeon, and learning its (and the world’s) secret, Hajime sets out conquer the world’s other remaining dungeons in the name of returning home. Not the easiest of journeys, but thanks to the help of new party members and his own new insidious power, it’s a mission Hajime will finish come hell or high water.

At this stage Arifureta can probably be considered akin to SAO and Shield Hero in that it’s an isekai series which adaptation-wise is apparently here for the long haul. No matter how dubious the production is, no matter the type and nature of its story, it’s a series with a strong enough following to keep encouraging sequels. And strong enough to yield a 16-episode season at that. While fully deserving of its various criticism (especially its 2019 outing), Arifureta did admittedly make an improvement in its second season, with better pacing, animation, and overall direction helping to largely overcome the first’s many glaring defects and ubiquitous adaptation flaws. Studio asread and director Iwanaga Akira returning in particular points to a continuation of what came prior, and with the story itself ramping up to the grand confrontation with the demon army, there’s plenty of opportunity for this series to continue spreading its wings. I wouldn’t go as far to think this season will change any minds regarding Arifureta as a whole, but when it comes to edgy isekai this fall there’s no better show to tune into and give a whirl.

Preview by Choya

Yoshino Somei (Ueda Hitomi) was born with the misfortune of being the granddaughter of the Osaka-based Somei Group’s leader. While the group is the Kansai region’s largest yakuza organization, there’s been recent news about their unification with Kanto’s biggest syndicates, the Miyama group. This union will result in the marriage of the leaders’ grandchildren, making Yoshino a candidate for an arranged marriage. Although she tried to annul this arrangement, she is expected to move to Tokyo to visit her new fiance, Kirishima Miyama (Ishida Akira). The good news is that he’s unexpectedly nice and charming. The bad news is that he’s the popular kid, causing Yoshino to bear the brunt of his fangirls constantly bullying her. On top of this, Kirishima isn’t shy about his interest in fulfilling his destiny as a hard-edged yakuza member. Can Yoshino overcome the troubles that her connections to the criminal underworld have given her?

I can sense something special about this series. Shortly before I wrote this, I went to the bookstore and saw a generous row of Raise wa Tanin ga Ii on the shelves. I can tell that it’s picked up a ton of steam as a seinen with the heart of a josei. The story has been praised for how well the chemistry between Yoshino and Kirishima is considering how their arrangement would affect their public and private lives. As the stakes rise for the two, Yoshino rises to the occasion as she takes no nonsense from anyone and Kirishima finds himself strangely entranced by her as he begins to take her more and more seriously. Keep your eyes out for this one when it arrives this fall.

Preview by Pancakes

In the wilds beyond civilized lands one job dominates all: the Seeker. A veritable jack of all trades, the Seeker not only explores and documents, but also helps control the waves of beasts emerging from various Abysses which threaten more peaceful climes. It’s a career one Noel Stollen (Yamashita Daiki) aspires to, himself heralding from a family of Seekers, yet is a path shut off for him due to talent. Stuck as a measly Talker, a profession suited to support over battle, Noel is firmly aggravated at his position, however not enough to fully give up. The Talker after all is good at talking, and if Noel cannot directly be the Seeker of his dreams, well why not use his existing skills to assemble a team of Seekers and lead them into battle? No matter the challenges or enemies, Noel will get the life he’s always desired.

Ahh action-fantasy, if it’s not isekai it’s almost a guarantee the series on tap will be this so no shocker Saikyou no Shienshoku is another proud genre representative. Not even a swipe at it; this one fully embraces the idea, goes all out on punching and killing things, and wastes little effort in trying to obfuscate it away. Probably the biggest thing too is that it’s not a typical power fantasy: Noel must charm his way to success versus rely on hidden power and answer conflict with shrewd negotiation. Also the harem, let’s not forget the harem. The premise made for some interesting developments from the parts of the light novel I read, and while no one should mistake it for masterpiece material, it’s certainly capable of being fun. Definitely keep an eye on what Saikyou no Shienshoku gets up to this autumn if needing a dose of easygoing popcorn entertainment. Should the usual adaptation pitfalls be avoided I suspect this one will more than scratch the itch.

Preview by Guardian Enzo

I’ve been a fan of Rurouni Kenshin even longer than Natsume Yuujinchou. But that’s been an on-again off-again relationship, where with this series it’s been pretty much steady (though this has been the longest gap between seasons). Natsume Yuujinchiu has been a staple of my blogging career since the beginning, pretty much. It’s a show that’s easy to take for granted, but has a unique transportive quality. No matter how long it’s been, the minute an episode (or OVA, or movie) begins, I’m immediately back in the vibe as if no time at all has passed.

Why seven years between Season Six and “Shichi”, even though the manga continues to be a big seller? Who knows – Omori Takahiro doesn’t work as frequently as he used to, and it’s probably harder to get the team back together than it used to be. Some seasons have been better than others but on the whole this series is remarkably consistent, and there was really no noticeable dip in quality when Shuka split off from Brain’s Base and took their biggest property with then. The warm to Mushishi’s cool look at Japanese mythology, this series is a foundational one in both manga and anime, and I’m always glad to welcome more of it.

That said, S7 definitely needs moar Kogitsune. Seriously, I know he hasn’t showed up in the manga for ages but they already did one original episode for him (“The Little Fox’s Watch”) and it was one of the series’ best and most well-received. It’s long past time for another, Shuka- get on that.

Preview by Pancakes

Continuing where it left off in 2021 comes Seirei Gensouki’s second anime round. Based on the light novel series of the same name, Seirei Gensouki follows the trials and tribulations of one Rio (Matsuoka Yoshitsugu) as he comes to grips with both life and a hidden personality. An isekai personality. Rio you see is actually a mental fusion of two kids, one Rio himself when he was stuck in the slums, and Amakawa Haruto, a Japanese student dying far before his time. Haruto’s memories and personality for some reason imprinted themselves on Rio, which alongside the awakening of a power helped grant him access to the prestigious Royal Academy, albeit not to his satisfaction. The nobility after all have no patience for the lower classes, and with Rio being a prime example from them, his hopes of making a better life for himself won’t be so easily realized.

I don’t imagine few will pin Seirei Gensouki as exceptional isekai material. Although one of the few with an interesting take on alternate world transfer – i.e. literally melding personalities together rather than simply awakening memories – it rarely ventured far off the beaten track, pairing your typical ostracized MC with ridiculous powers working his way into an indomitable position, all from the comfort of a magic academy setting. Its first season in 2021 wasn’t particularly bad given the usual made for marketing affairs, however the pacing and middling production certainly did no favours, especially when accounting for how much the source material whiplashes later on. To that end though there is still admittedly quite a bit left for adaptation, so provided this season can capitalize on its premise and avoid the worst production committee excesses I don’t suspect it’ll be a downgrade from the first. Given how these productions usually go I’d definitely take that as a win.

Preview by Choya

Rookie teacher Haruaki Abe (Oosaka Ryouta) is a coward. As cowardly as it gets. A wuss to the umpteenth degree. Even regular human students cause him to tremble and whimper in their presence. To make matters worse, now he’s going to be teaching at a school full of actual monsters. In this classroom of horrors, Haruaki’s mischievous, ghoulish students work in tandem to prank him as hard as they can. Will Haruaki muster the courage to get his class under control, or will his lack of composure set them all on the path to failure?

This one might be an acquired taste. Zany supernatural comedies are highly underrated and can produce some genuinely wonderful laughs amid its wildcat idiocy. I can imagine Mr. Abe’s screeching and squealing might wear a bit thin over time, but the monsters, ghouls, and oddities that plague the classrooms should prove to pick up the slack and give Haruaki a run for his money. It helps that the designs for the ghastly students who occupy the halls of the titular ghoul school are unique and fascinating. If there is a reason to tune in week-in and week-out, it would definitely be to learn more about these students and what kinds of problems they run into as Haruaki fears for his life. Get your notebooks ready because class is in session this fall.

Preview by Pancakes

The noble Jill Savelle (Uchida Shuu) has one thing going for her: she’s the fiancée of the crown prince Gerald de Kleitos. Well two actually – she’s also been framed by prince and country both as a traitor and scheduled for death. It’s an incredible combination, but also only the tip of Jill’s adventure because in her last moments she finds herself awakening six years in the past as her ten year old self. With six years of knowledge to work with Jill sets out to avoid her fate, with her first move being to profess in jest her love to the Dragon Emperor Hades (Toya Kikunosuke). What is meant as a joke though winds up being treated as the truth by Hades, enough so that he takes on Jill as his lover and confidant. Little does Jill know that this one move is about to turn her fate and her country’s fate on its head.

With isekai and resurrection being thoroughly tapped wellsprings at this stage it’s not too surprising we’re now turning to effective time travel for fantasy premises as Yarinaoshi Reijou highlights. Much like the thematically similar Tearmoon Empire the focus here will be less on the fate of the lead and more so on the journey to avoid said fate, just now from a romantic angle versus kingdom-leading slice of life. Want cutesy moments? Have that in spades. Need actual romantic development? That’s also a thing. And don’t think for a second there won’t be drama given the backstory of Emperor Hades. While I don’t expect perfection here (particularly given how Kadokawa adaptations go these days), there are six light novel volumes to work with and the story is right in JC Staff’s wheelhouse so there’s a lot of room to see something fun. If in need of some laidback fantasy romance shenanigans this fall look no further than Yarinaoshi Reijou, it easily has you covered.

Preview by Choya

Five years ago, Nina (Tanaka Minami) lost her parents to a plague that wiped out a great part of the land of Fortna. Since then, misfortune has followed her, whether it’s having to steal to survive or being sold into slavery by her brother. But to her surprise, her captor is none other than Prince Azure Seth Fortna (Umehara Yuuichirou). Nina is expected to replace his deceased sister, who was expected to marry a neighboring kingdom’s crown prince as Fortna’s princess-priestess. By pretending to be his late sister, Nina is expected to prevent a war between the two kingdoms. Even though Nina and his sister share a one-of-a-kind eye color, she doesn’t plan to abandon her old life without a fight. Can she trust Azure to have her best interests in mind? Better yet, can she trust her heart not to waver as she finds herself more interested in Azure himself than the man who awaits her?

This has the potential to be a thrilling story. Underneath the seedy concept of Nina being bought to replace the prince’s sister is a shocking love triangle between the noble prince who has to see her as a sister and a sexy tyrant. The art style is nice and fluffy, but underneath that pretty exterior is a concept with a little spice in the recipe. The power imbalance might not make this the best option for a viewer looking for a more romantic narrative, but for those who don’t mind a long triangle with some bite to it, then Hoshifuru Oukoku no Nina might just be what you’re looking for.

Preview by Pancakes

When it comes to anime few franchises can truly rival Dragon Ball. And when Dragon Ball starts to fade, rest assured another series will carry the torch to keep that fact running strong. Since Dragon Ball Super’s end back in 2018 we’ve been missing such a continuation, so like clockwork now comes Dragon Ball DAIMA to keep the legacy going. One of the last major works of Toriyama Akira, DAIMA takes a page from older franchise works by having Goku and friends return to their roots. Their childhood roots. Literally turned small by an unknown power, they must venture to a new world to uncover the reasons behind their change and, most importantly, figure out how to revert it. After all, when it comes to Goku, things just aren’t right until he can fight worthy opponents with his full capabilities.

At this stage if Dragon Ball is mentioned you should know exactly what’s coming. This franchise is a veritable cultural juggernaut for a reason, and with Akira’s tragic passing earlier this year it only becomes more so in knowing this might be the last Dragon Ball work seeing his personal touch. Unlike with Super Akira is reported to have been personally involved in both script and animation direction for DAIMA, providing an arguably truer adherence to his vision than with recent adaptations. Couple this too with DAIMA thematically being more in line with the original Dragon Ball’s feel (hard not getting Kid Goku vibes when seeing the promotional material) and easy to see how this Dragon Ball installment might turn out being more faithful to the overall vision than some which came before. Of course DAIMA won’t be the last Dragon Ball adaptation we get (personally I’m waiting for the inevitable Dragon Ball/Dragon Ball Z remake announcement), but it’s definitely set to be the last of an era, and that alone is reason enough to see just what it gets up to.

Preview by Pancakes

When it comes to resurrection you normally expect the usual fantasy shenanigans. You know, the swords, the magic, a touch of ancient power forgotten yet still as applicable as centuries before. Not in the demon lord Veltol’s (Hino Satoshi) case. Falling into a slumber for over five hundred years, Veltol awakens into glitz, glamour, and technological marvel that is cyberpunk Shinjuku. Unlike the era where he conquered the region with its medieval squalor, feudal trappings, and swords for weaponry, Shinjuku is now a hub of unprecedented advanced and incredible developments. Towering skyscrapers; electronic gizmos; stunning developments in both body and mind: Shinjuku has it all. And for Veltol the dramatic change means opportunity, because while he may have been relegated to historical footnote, he fully intends on ensuring that doesn’t last for long.

The resurrection concept – and demonic resurrection at that – might be fully played out at this point, but I have to give Maou 2099 some credit as it’s at least not entirely paint by numbers. The closest example to this one ironically enough is Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2, where instead of a weakened Dracula contending with Satan in the modern era we have the effective Satan in Veltol awakening into cyberpunk bliss (read: dystopia) and figuring out a way to make it all his. It helps too that Veltol’s powers aren’t entirely transferrable to this age, resulting in some interesting developments and conflicts arising from his inability to simply walk over the competition. Particularly unique? Not at all, but pulpy, popcorn fun without a doubt. While there’s some concerns given there’s only three light novels to work with (read: anime original material is a strong possibility), the bits I read were fun enough to assuage most concerns, and JC Staff too isn’t that bad a studio choice for the material at hand. It’ll certainly be a wait and see sort of show, but any sci-fi and fantasy fan would do well keeping an eye on what Maou 2099 schemes this fall.

Preview by Pancakes

For high schooler Hizutome Rakurou (Uchida Yuuma) there’s only one true calling: beating any game which comes across his sights. It’s not even that challenging a prospect for the kid, between unbeatable gaming skills and an uncanny ability to find entertainment in even the most awful of gaming experiences. But that changes when Rakurou is introduced to Shangri-La Frontier. A VR game of immeasurable difficulty, Rakurou’s min-maxing and love of skipping the tutorials soon runs headfirst into difficulties he has rarely seen before, yet for the rude awakening it’s not a challenge he’s about to turn his nose up at. Even if it takes the help of a few friends and bit of time, Rakurou will beat this game just like all the others.

Shangri-La Frontier is admittedly one of those isekai which grew on me over time. While an unabashedly over the top mix of Full Dive meets SAO/Solo Levelling (and all the accompanying memes), the first season did a pretty good job of nailing the MMORPG flavour and feel, even with Uchida Yuuma’s, well, vocal delivery at every point. Masterpiece class? Definitely not – but a solid bit of “real-world” isekai without a doubt. Given all major production cast, crew, and studio are returning it’s safe to assume this season will continue in the same vein as before, and with the next batch of manga volumes up for adaptation really ramping up the story, there’s plenty of room for this show to kick into high gear. Only thing making it better is knowing it’ll run for another two cours, so for anyone not already a series fan you certainly need look no further if wanting a decent bit of popcorn-esque isekai adventuring this autumn. One way or another you won’t be disappointed.

Preview by Guardian Enzo

In a season full of well-established franchises, some of which didn’t make the cut for my top expectations tier, a series I don’t personally know that gets middling reviews from an obscure studio with little track record does. It’s not entirely something I can justify with logic, but it feels right so I’m going with it.

The Blue Wolves of Miburo is set in 1863, on the cusp of the Meiji Restoration and in the dying days of the Shogunate. I you didn’t know, “The Wolves of Miburo” was the original name of the Shinsengumi, and this series marks a sort of origin story for the group, A young orphan with a hunger for justice crosses paths with two youths who will one day be commanders of the Shinsengumi, Hijikata Toshizo and Okita Souji. It’s fitting that this is airing during the same season as the “Kyoto Arc” of Rurouni Kenshin, as many figures will appear in both series.

As I said, there’s not much concrete to lean on here. Manga reviews are so-so, studio track record is iffy, and the staff is nothing special (though adapting writer Ihara Kenta has an outstanding resume). I’m basing this placement almost entirely based on premise, which sounds just about perfectly places in my sweet spot. It’s rare for me to place so much stock in that – we’ll see if it proves justified.

Preview by Guardian Enzo

I have a long and extremely fond relationship with the franchise one spot farther down my list this season Natsume Yuujinchou. As such there was some real competition for my top spot. But given the historical nature of what the “Kyoto” arc means to shounen, I think Rurouni Kenshin has to get top billing.

It’s only a measure of just how humongous the pent-up anticipation over seeing the “Jinchuu” arc finally animated is that “Kyoto” isn’t the biggest deal is this reboot. We’ve waited 25 years for that, one of shounen’s greatest arcs from one of its most successful series, inexplicably never adapted. Assuming this remake gets there (and its existence would be pretty pointless if it doesn’t) that’s going to be the headline – period and end of sentence.

However, that said… “Kyoto” would be (and is, I did an LiA post on it) on my short list for best shounen arc ever. Very short list, like one hand with fingers left over. It’s that great – both epic and intimate, full of great action and profound emotion and pathos. It incorporates a truly superb supporting cast and without question represents the pinnacle of Rurouni Kenshin and Watsuki Nobuhiro’s work, as great as “Jinchuu” is. The first season, covering the Edo section of the story, was very good without being transcendent of the source material. I think it’s a pretty good bet that will be the case here too, but given just how great this arc is that would still make Kyoto Douran an AOTY contender in any normal year.