Spring 2016 Preview!

Preview by Samu

Thirty young men and women step aboard a bus tour. Their destination? Deep in the mountains, to the nonexistent village of Nanakimura. Mayoiga follows a massive and varied cast of unfortunate characters, each harbouring their own troubled experiences, brought together in this journey into the unknown. Urban legends claim that this illusive village is an utopian existence, far from the real world’s obstacles. But when the 30 strangers arrive, they find an uninhabited village showing signs that people once did live there. What is the mystery behind Nanakimura? Do any of its inhabitants remain? And why is this bus taking them there in the first place? All will be revealed…

While there are plenty of surefire hits this season, I’m going to place my bets on Mayoiga. The premise alone is compelling, but once you open the hood it’s clear there is some talent behind the production. With Mizushima Tsutomu (Another, SHIROBAKO, xxxHOLIC) directing and Okada Mari (GOSICK, Gundam: Tekketsu no Orphans, Zetsuen no Tempest) as series composer, there’s too much potential to ignore. While both have had their duds/underperformers over the years – BLOOD-C and M3: Sono Kuroki Hagane respectively – there’s a real chance for their experience to complement each other here. And although unconfirmed at the moment, there’s a chance Mayoiga could be the first full-length WOWOW original anime in 8 years. If you’re unfamiliar with this particular network, the easiest comparison would be HBO. Due to looser broadcast standards of this premium service, WOWOW has become renown for producing anime that other mainstream networks cannot. Such example would be: Ergo Proxy, Ghost Hound, Kaiba, and Paranoia Agent. If there’s a chance Mayoiga can be of the same level of quality as those acclaimed titles, we’re in for one hell of a (bus) ride. The only major concern I have is production began crowdfunding earlier in March. This could be early hints of things going sour, but since the required amount was reached, perhaps it won’t come to that. Either way, there’s too much potential here to sleep on. Hop aboard the ride, strap in your seat belt, and let’s see what mystery awaits us.

Preview by Samu

Ushio to Tora returns for its third and final cour after taking a break over winter. If you didn’t have the opportunity to catch up during that time, now’s your chance. This second season will continue right from where the first left off, as we follow the story of Aotsuki Ushio (Hatanaka Tasuku), the spear-wielding, yokai-killing son of a legendary shaman and dishonest temple master, and Tora (Koyama Rikaya), a golden tiger yokai who was trapped in Ushio’s basement for over 500 years. Together they’ve faced off against monsters of the week, made plenty of friends, grown as a team (although Tora still claims Ushio as his prey and wants to be the one who kills him), and learned about the horrors of the past, as history now begins to repeat itself.

This looks to be a great season for fans of shonen battle manga, and in the case of Ushio to Tora, fans of ’90s classics. I love that the past few years have seen a resurgence in older source material getting worthy adaptations (and usually to some degree of success). Fans of the series or those who love those nostalgic gags, action, and artwork are spoiled rotten with Ushio to Tora – not only are the characters easy to root for, but their journeys feel both personal and epic. My favourite part of the first season would have to be the flashback into the past that ties in all the plot threads with the present, proving this is a multi-layered journey worth investment. The staff is still the same for this third cour, so the pacing and quality is sure to remain consistent. I recommend any lover of action anime check this out before it’s too late.

Preview by Stilts

This series of 7-minute-long shorts will commemorate the fifth anniversary since studio Trigger was established. Uchuu Patrol Luluco is set in Ogikubo, a specifically designated area in the Milky Way where earthlings and aliens can live together. It stars the titular Luluco (Ichimichi Mao), a normal middle school student who lives with her father (Iwata Mitsuo), who is a detective in the Space Patrol’s Ogikubo branch. No matter where she is, Luluco is a common, super normal girl—that is, until the mysterious transfer student ΑΩ Nova (Enoki Junya) appears. Their meeting, and everything that will happen with the Space Patrol, will change Luluco’s fate.

Slow down, Trigger. I feel like a celebratory series is a bit premature after only five years, especially since the studio’s star has dimmed somewhat since they started doing more Hacka Doll and Ninja Slayer, and less Little Witch Academia, Kill la Kill, and Inou-Battle. I probably wouldn’t say that if the premise inspired more confidence, but what we know is limited and not terribly inspiring. Normal girl meets mysterious boy, only they’re in space, and he’s a awfully human-like alien, and there may be some stuff with the space police. I wish they were giving us more to work with. Then again, with director Imaishi Hiroyuki (TTGL, Panty & Stocking, Kill la Kill) at the helm, there may be cause for optimism. There are also hints that the Space Patrol element could play a larger part than early indications, and the lack of information could lead to a pleasant surprise. I’m balancing all these elements in my analysis, and they come down on the side of (slight) pessimism, if only because Trigger’s forays into short-form anime haven’t inspired confidence. I say all the time that we shouldn’t judge series by their studio, but Tigger is one of the studios (along with SHAFT and KyoAni) that has a relatively stable staff and distinct house art style, so it might be valid here. If a Imaishi Hiroyuki-led original Trigger short sounds promising to you, here it is. I’ll either be going into the first episode with low expectations, or waiting until someone tells me that it’s great.

Preview by Takaii

With a trend of more short format shows appearing as we go through the year, Kagewani is no exception. Literally meaning “shadow crocodile,” the show’s premise is based around mysterious creatures called Uma suddenly appearing and attacking humans indiscriminately. Given only a keyword of “kagewani,” biologist Banba Sousuke (Sugita Tomokazu) begins his search to find the truth behind the phrase, as well as the origins of monsters that have suddenly appeared. The show will be airing in the well known Ultra Super Anime Time block, alongside other shorts like Uchuu Patrol Luluco.

With very little information about this second season, let’s go over what we know and how it should play into everything. We have Takashima Tomoya reprising his role as director and newbie studio Tomovies handling the production. The unique art style isn’t going anywhere, and we still have Sugita Tomokazu handling the voice for recurring character Banba Sousuke (you can never have enough Sugita Tomokazu). So for those of you who were looking for more of the same, there’s probably nothing to fear with all the big players returning. If you’re on the fence (or considering whether or not to watch the first season), I think there’s some merit in doing so if you have the time. While the art style may not suit everyone’s taste, the sense of fear, tension, and mystery can get pretty intense for a mere seven minute show. And honestly, after a few minutes you’ll probably forget it even looks weird. Overall, I’d give this show a thumbs up if you have a few minutes to spare and want to feel some chills go down your spine.

Preview by Zephyr

As a franchise that has spawned multiple iterations and nearly 75 episodes in its most recent run, this was a series whose arrival was more of a “when” than an “if”. Less than a year later, Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure is back with its fourth story arc, which takes place 11 years after Stardust Crusaders. Now set in 1999, the series focuses on the town of Morioh, Japan, which finds itself plagued by an ancient artifact known as the “Bow and Arrow.” With everyday people suddenly manifesting stands and a string of homicides resulting from their usage, Higashikata Jousuke (Ono Yuuki), the illegitimate child of Joseph Joestar, finds himself investigating its culprit. Having recently arrived in the city to warn Jousuke of the threat surrounding him and his city, Kuujou Joutarou (Ono Daisuke) joins in the investigation. David Production will return as the studio behind the series, with Tsuda Naokatsu, Kato Toshiyuki, and Takamuta Yuuta all returning from prior series as the director, series director, and chief director respectively.

If you haven’t watched Jojo yet, there aren’t enough words to describe how much you’ve been missing out. As my personal pick for best action series multiple years running, Jojo has been an immensely popular series throughout the years, giving us non-stop cans of ass-whooping and a flamboyant cast of characters that were as memorable as they were unique. Ridiculous villains highlighted the epic nature of their journey with their over-the-top abilities on a weekly basis, and this is a franchise whose greatness must be seen to be believed. There’s no reason to expect the franchise’s newest iteration to be anything but as great as its predecessors, despite a few retroactive changes to the franchise and a new brand of storytelling more on par with its investigative nature. From what I’ve gathered, many fans have been looking forward to this series in particular for a while now, and with both the main staff and production studio returning, there’s not much else to say here.

Preview by Zephyr

In the late 21st century, scientists sent cockroaches and mold to the surface of Mars in an attempt to make the planet habitable for humanity. Hundreds of years later, a manned survey is sent to Mars, only to result in the death of its crew at the hands of the aforementioned cockroaches, which have mutated to have incredible strength and gigantic, human-like bodies. Armed with the ability to transform into insects, a group of elite warriors are sent to take back Mars, ultimately resulting in only two survivors. Set twenty years later, TERRA FORMARS: Revenge focuses on an Earth now ravaged by a virus with Martian origins. As one of the survivors of the previous mission, Komachi Shoukichi (Kiuchi Hidenobu) finds himself sent to Mars once again in an attempt to acquire the samples necessary for producing a vaccine. TYO Animations will join LIDENFILMS in a collaborative effort to produce the series, with a brand new staff led by director Fukuda Michio (Nurarihyon no Mago: Sennen Makyou).

While the original storyline sounded promising from an action/horror perspective, the first iteration of the Terra Formars franchise fell short of expectations. Ridiculous censorship reduced many of the scenes with blood and gore into giant blobs of black circles and ovals, and many portions of the story were skipped or rushed through. While they did attempt to address the former in the later episodes, the damage was already done, and many viewers opted to stop watching early on. The story still had its moments in regards to its cast’s valiant fight against the cockroach menace, and the uncensored BD’s ultimately gave us the blood and gore fest we expected, but given that we have an entirely new staff, it’s far from a sure bet that the sequel will be done better than the original. The censorship issue could also return in force, so those interested in this sequel will benefit from a wait and see approach, with the expectation that watching it as it airs may not provide the best experience. Aside from that, there’s sadly not much positive to say about the expectations of this adaptation in general, with the positively received manga being the better of the two mediums.

Preview by Passerby

Finally, the fan-favourite Gyakuten Saiban (also known as Ace Attorney) series gets an anime adaptation. In the near future (or was it the ’90s?) in Japan (or is it America?), the criminal justice system has been drastically overhauled in the name of increasing efficiency. Each trial can only last for a maximum of three days, after which a verdict must be handed down. This, in a legal regime where the presumption of innocence has apparently been suspended—that is, guilty until proven innocent—makes the job of defence attorneys very difficult. Naruhodou Ryuuichi (Kaji Yuki) is one such attorney, fresh on the job and already fighting a losing battle. While he believes his clients to be innocent, proving it is a different thing entirely. Prosecutors hold all the power, having no obligation to disclose evidence or witnesses in advance, and able to hinder the defence’s investigation at every turn. And perhaps Naruhodo’s greatest opponent is one Mitsurugi Reiji (Tamaki Masashi), a ruthless young prodigy rumoured to be willing to do anything—anything—to get the guilty verdict. And he always does. With the odds so stacked against him, how will Naruhodo manage to turn things around in court?

Yes, Gyakuten Saiban is a videogame adaptation, and some of those can get pretty dodgey. But the Gyakuten Saiban series should make for a straightforward adaptation. It’s light on gameplay and heavy on text, it’s entirely linear, and it has plenty of great stories ready to be turned into anime. While courtroom antics are not the most familiar material for anime, it’s not really of a heavy sort—Gyakuten Saiban has always been loose with its law, always making sure the legal drama serves the human drama, which is driven by a large cast of quirky characters that play well in its twisting murder mysteries. While screenwriter Tomioko Atsuhiro may not have many stand-out hits, director Watanabe Ayumu did the excellent Space Brothers, and composer Wada Kaoru has five-and-a-half games of impressive soundtracks to work with (which is not to detract from his own talents). The only major concern is the amount of time and money behind this project, because Gyakuten Saiban has the potential to be long-running, which can stretch resources thin. Oh, and for the Western audience: in case you haven’t realised, we’re talking about Phoenix Wright. The games were localised into English in every sense, changing both names and setting, and the Japanese version of those may take getting used to. That shouldn’t be a huge barrier; it’s bad puns either way. Enjoy.

Preview by Takaii

After a quick one season break, Gakusen Toshi Asterisk is back for its second season! For those who’ve forgotten, the characters of this story live in a world that was nearly destroyed when a comet known as Invertia smacked the earth. From the ashes of that event, humanity rebuilt itself with one added bonus—it had a new generation of individuals who could control a new power known as mana. Fast forward a few hundred years and you have a very technologically advanced society that uses its mana wielders in all fashions, ranging from exhibition battles all the way to total war. Luckily we get to focus on the former, with the spotlight on Amagiri Ayato (Tamaru Atsushi) and all of his friends (AKA harem) as he tries to find his sister who went missing a few years ago. But with enemies lurking in the shadows and more secrets than the FBI could handle, what’s a guy like Ayato supposed to do?

Seeing how this is a continuation of the first season which aired last fall, it would make sense to watch the first twelve episodes before leaping into this one. Something that I’d say is definitely worth your time if the idea of magical swordsman fits your fancy. This second season looks like it’ll pick up right where the first left off, with the Phoenix Festa. With Ayato, Julis (Kakuma Ai), Saya (Izawa Shiori), and Kirin (Ozawa Ari) all still in the running and a ton of incredibly strong opponents (like those two humanized mechs) still waiting for a chance to really fight, I doubt there’ll be a lack of material for some awesome action scenes. That said, I really hope this second-cour takes the opportunity to skip all the small stuff and dives straight into the real meat of the story. From the possible romance opportunities between Ayato and his harem to the shady dealings going on behind the scenes, I’ll be really disappointed if we get hit with even more aimless dialogue. If you’re looking for a good looking show (A-1 Pictures is behind this one) that plays this genre just right, you can’t go wrong with Gakusen Toshi Asterisk. That and Rasmus Faber made some music for this show and it was absolutely fantastic! So yeah, catch up with the first cour and give this one a watch.

Preview by Passerby

The conspiracy theorists were right! Earth is hollow! And under the planet’s crust is the magical kingdom of Endra. There, crown prince Emilio Langheim (Masada Toshiki) awaits his sixteenth birthday, for it is then that he would be eligible to take the throne. Emilio’s grudge against the current ruler of the kingdom is deep, and plans to speed his succession via tried and true assassination. He fails, and is thrown into prison for his effort. There, though, he has a chance encounter—out of thin air appears Asanaga Shun (Ono Kensho), an average high school student of roughly Emilio’s age from the surface world. Apparently, Shun was transported to Endra after touching a strange crystal (for crystals are of all manner of wondrous and fantastic properties). And so the two young men strike a tenuous partnership; Shun wants to return home to the surface, and Emilio still wants to commit regicide. As they start on this new adventure, will they be able to able to work together to accomplish their disparate goals?

While Endride is an original anime, from the synopsis, designs, and awkwardly oversized weapons, one may suspect there’s a shady JRPG behind it somewhere. And indeed, it’s one of those Japanese cross-media projects, so one may well emerge. Right now, though, there’s not much to judge the anime on other than a premise that doesn’t go far to distinguish itself from other fantasy stories in either anime or gaming. That’s not to say there’s no promise in this show. For one, it’s slated to be two cours right from its onset, which is not something we see often in anime these days. So there must be some confidence behind the series, or at least some money. And the promotional material we’ve seen so far looks good enough, and for some, character designs by Bastard!!’s Hagiwara Kazushi and Rurouni Kenshin’s Watsuki Nobuhiro may be legitimate selling points. The rest of the staff are a mixed bag when it comes to resumé; while screenwriter Machida Touko is mostly respectable, Gotou Keiji has been away from the anime direction scene for a while. Maybe the accomplished Tanaka Kouhei on music will swing it. Overall, we’ll have to wait until Endride airs to make clearer conclusions, and since it will be occupying two seasons I hope for good things out of it.

Preview by Zephyr

Nearly two years after its conclusion, Gundam Unicorn returns with a re-edited version in RE:0096. With additional content, new opening and ending themes, and special preview footage voiced by Full Frontal (Ikeda Shuuichi), the two-cour TV broadcast will be the definitive edition of the Unicorn story, which served as the climax of the original franchise’s Universal Century timeline. As with the original, the series will focus on Banagher Links (Uchiyama Kouki), a student who finds himself piloting the mysterious Unicorn Gundam. As the key to the mythical Laplace’s Box, Banagher finds himself caught in the middle of the age-long conflict between the Earth Federation and Zeon as they fight for the box’s contents, which is said to be capable of ending the Federation’s hundred year rule. Furuhashi Kazuhiro returns as director, along with the remainder of Unicorn’s main staff.

As the sequel to almost every Universal Century era series (and by extension, most of the Gundam franchises released to date), Unicorn was a series that aired amid great expectations and a large amount of hype. Despite taking nearly four years to reach its conclusion, the series was well-received and noted for its breathtaking visuals, memorable soundtrack, and solid story. If you’re someone who hasn’t watched the series yet, RE:0096 offers a golden opportunity to not only catch up on one of the Gundam franchise’s more memorable iterations, but its definitive version at that. Those that haven’t completed a majority of the Universal Century series would do well to do so before watching Unicorn however, as the factions and terminology differ greatly from the other stand-alone Gundam franchises, which will drastically affect your enjoyment. Ultimately, your prior experience will determine whether RE:0096 is right for you, with those who caught Unicorn previously likely falling into the group that won’t gain much from watching the new re-edit, given that they’ve already experienced the main story and the secret of Laplace’s Box.

Preview by Samu

Comic book fans rejoice, for Boku no Hero Academia has arrived! Chances are you’ve heard of this Weekly Shonen Jump hit, but if you haven’t then here’s what you need to know: finally, after all these years, we’ve got the western-inspired superhero anime we all deserve. Set in a world where people with superpowers known as “Quirks” are the status quo, we follow the life of Midoriya Izuku (Yamashita Daiki), a middle-school boy who, unlike the masses, was born without a quirk. Where others have super strength, can conjure fire, or turn invisible, Midoriya is just a regular boy. But that doesn’t dampen his passion to one day become a hero himself. Fights between the heroes and villains happen daily, are broadcast on television, and define the way of life in this world. However, when Midoriya finds himself caught by a deadly villain, he is saved by the #1 Hero, All Might (Miyake Kenta). Their encounter only fuels his passion to become a superhero, beginning the journey of a quirkless boy who aims on joining a Hero Academy in order to make his dream a reality.

In case you weren’t aware, the Next Big Thing has arrived. The hype for Boku no Hero Academia has been through the roof since it was first published, and it totally deserves its popularity. There are endless qualities that you can’t help but appreciate: how it celebrates inspiration for those who aren’t naturally gifted; its wonderful and ever entertaining cast of characters; the diversity in the superpowers and how they can be used in combat; and just how damn fun it is. It’s a classic shonen battle series to the core, and sure to be one of the big hits of this upcoming season. With Bones producing the series there are some concerns of an anime original ending, but as this is likely to be a long-term project with a great chance for financial success, that shouldn’t be too worrisome. Director Nagasaki Kenji (Classroom Crisis, Gundam Build Fighters) isn’t the most experienced man for the job, but if the passion and joy bursting from Build Fighters comes out in Boku no Hero Academia, this is sure to be a blast.

Preview by Zephyr

Seven years after the debut of its previous iteration in Frontier, the next chapter of Macross has arrived. Named Δ (Delta) after the franchise’s three thematic elements of love triangles, music, and transformable Valkyries, the series takes place in 2067 on a remote planet within our galaxy. Set after Frontier, Macross Δ finds humanity under siege by a condition known as Var Syndrome. Utilizing the power of their songs, the five members of the all-female Tactical Sound Unit Walkure are deployed to combat its spread, ultimately coming into contact with a mysterious Valkyrie unit known as the Aerial Chivalry Order. Led by director Yasuda Kenji (Full Metal Alchemist, Ikoku Meiro no Croisee), Δ will utilize all new designs from Kawamori Shoji and feature a renewed focus on Valkyrie vs Valkyrie combat. Joining them are script writer Nioto Toshizou (Gosick, Log Horizon, Towa no Quon) and sound director Mima Masafumi (Full Metal Alchemist, Guilty Crown, Initial D).

Considering the history of the franchise and the critical acclaim it has received since its debut in 1982, any new Macross is worth keeping an eye on, and Delta is no different. It arrives as an interesting new addition due to its intentional contrast with the space-centered Frontier, and the fact that it borrows elements from multiple predecessors—the Valkyrie vs Valkyrie combat reminds one of Macross Plus/Zero, while a multi-member group fighting with their songs is reminiscent of Macross 7—gives it a wide appeal to both long-time fans and new viewers looking to get a taste of what previous series had to offer. Rumors of multiple love triangles promises to give Delta a fittingly dramatic backdrop, and there’s much to be said about the debut of a new delta wing shape, plus the return of the SV-series of Valkyries are already making mecha fans drool. As a die-hard Macross fan, I’m looking forward to having a bunch of songs stuck in my head for the next few months, and for those who haven’t watched Macross yet, Delta could very well be the series to get you into the long-running franchise.

Preview by Passerby

The 1960s were a turbulent time. An increasing civil consciousness, fear of nuclear annihilation and the rise of counterculture movements made for a sense of public unrest all around the globe. In the world of Concrete Revolutio: Choujin Gensou, this is all on top of the aliens, time travellers, youkai, magical girls, kaijuu, robots—superhumans of all sorts—that exist, and are not shy about it. It’s chaos out there, which is usually a call for the government to step in and do its job. Hence Japan set up the Superhuman Bureau, supposedly dedicated to managing the superhuman population, recruiting them for legitimate work, and protecting them from a rightfully wary public. In the last season of Concrete Revolutio, Superhuman Bureau employee Hitoyoshi Jirou (Ishikawa Kaito) discovered that his workplace wasn’t the benevolent organisation he had thought it was. Shadowy conspiracies are everywhere, fueled by the increasing Cold War paranoia of the day. And so Jirou breaks away from the Bureau, intent on creating a superhuman organisation of his very own. In this season the world may well find itself on the brink of a civil war—the promised revolution.

What a ride Concrete Revolutio was. It won Random Curiosity’s 2015 award for ‘Best in… Wah?’ because, despite its quality, it was also extremely hard to pin down. Just look at the title of this season: Concrete Revolutio: Choujin Gensou – THE LAST SONG. It has a subtitle for its subtitle. Who does that? But while Concrete Revolutio was non-linear, and fast-paced, and perhaps sometimes even confusing, it was all held together expertly by a unifying theme and familiar motifs. All of the superhumans in its lineup are loving homages anime’s favourite inspirations—its Astro Boys, its Godzillas, its Kamen Riders—and relies on a familiarity with those stories to drive its own. So chances are if you love anime in general, you’ll find something resonant in Concrete Revolutio. That’s fan-pandering done right, tapping into knowledge of the common nerd heritage to shorthand a complex narrative. And hey, if you’re looking for some heady action to go with your popcorn, Concrete Revolutio will surely still do that well enough, since it seems like the first season’s staff is intact—except that now Masaki Tsuji and Urobuchi Gen are apparently contributing to the script. I don’t know what that means in practice, but bottom line is, you don’t want to miss out on Concrete Revolutio. If you haven’t watched the first season, I highly recommend that you catch up on it. One way or the other, I think this second season is going to be a blast.

Preview by Takaii

Fans of shows based in rural Japan, rejoice! Kuma Miko: Girl Meets Bear is everything you could have asked for and then some. In a rural village deep in the mountains of the Touhoku prefecture, there lives a girl named Amayadori Machi (Hioka Natsumi), who is the village’s miko (shrine maiden), and her brown bear named Natsu (Yasumoto Hiroki). And in this village, they happen to worship a very specific animal—the great bear. Through the ages, the village and the bears have maintained a great relationship with each other, to the point that these bears have learned to do something amazing—they can speak the common tongue! In the case of our dorky pair though, Machi is the definition of a country bumpkin who’s living a few eras in the past, while Natsu, the bear, understands the finer points in life like electric rice cookers. Two halves of a perfect pair that play off of each other’s flaws as they both learn what it means to grow up and come of age.

With the basic information out of the way, let me start with this—I think this show is going to be absolutely amazing. You have a cozy rural village as the setting, a young protagonist who’s trying to grow up too quickly, and her mentor (who just happens to be a badass bear) who’s wise for his age but still a kid at heart. If that wasn’t enough for you, did I mention there’s also a great supporting cast that seem to always push things in just the right direction when the story starts to get a bit sluggish? When it comes to the comedy though, it’s a nice mix of deadpan, legitimately funny moments, and poking at Machi and her complete lack of knowledge about modern society (though not too much) that kept me coming back for more. In terms of studio and staff, there’s no going wrong there either. With Kinema Citrus of Barakamon fame handling things, I don’t think there is a more perfect combination out there. I mean, it’s been quite a while since I covered Barakamon, but I can still vividly remember all my favorite scenes, and that’s saying something with how bad my memory is! For those of you who want a funny slice-of-life that’ll tug at your heart every now and then while fearlessly changing things up, there’s nothing better than Kuma Miko: Girl Meets Bear.

Preview by Stilts

After leaving a convenience store, high school student Subaru Natsuki (Kobayashi Yuusuke) is summoned to another world. After a pack of thieves nearly kill him, he’s saved by a silver-haired, half-elf girl (Takahashi Rie). To repay the favor, Subaru helps her look for a stolen item, but the search quickly turns against them, and they’re both killed. Only, Subaru awakens once again in this new world, at the same moment he arrived. He has the ability to rewind time whenever he dies, and only he remembers what happened last time. He vows to save everyone with his power.

Boy gets lost in an alternate world and discovers he can rewind time when he dies. That’s the lightning synopsis, and for a magical-fantasy-action-harem anime based on a light novel, it’s better than many of its peers. It still has all the usual trappings: standard Japanese high school student, check; generic fantasy world, check; bevy of beautiful girls, check. But if the twist works, it can rise above. Which is why I’m sad to say that, at least in the source material I was able to acquire (the manga, not the original LNs), I wasn’t initially impressed. The rewind-upon-death gimmick works, but the protagonist is too slow to suspect what’s going on, even though at other times he’s savvy and speaks in tropes. I think it was the execution that was lacking—jokes weren’t as funny as they were supposed to be, characters weren’t as interesting as they needed to be, and only the rewind mechanic inspired curiosity. And yet, I read more than I normally would have for a preview, and I’m still curious how it will all work out. It’s like the video game Superhot (recommended, by the way), where Subaru fails and fails and fails, all the while collecting the information he needs to do everything perfectly on one go. If it was execution that was lacking in the source I read—and remember, it was the manga rather than the light novels—and if director Watanabe Masaharu, head writer Yokotani Masahiro, and their team at White Fox can do better, maybe one good idea is all it needs, and it really will rise above the rest.

Preview by Jig

Based on the manga of the same name, 12-sai. Chicchana Mune no Tokimeki stars twelve-year old Ayase Hanabi (Kakuma Ai), a teenage girl in the sixth-grade—neither adult nor child. The series follows her as she comes across a variety of new situations which confuses her tween self, such as witnessing her homeroom teacher kissing someone, being anxious about how her friends might react to some of her physiological change and growth, and falling in love, as well as many other innocent worries and experiences of a twelve-year-old girl.

I couldn’t get my hands on the original manga anywhere, but about a year ago, SynergySP—a separate studio that produced MÄR and concluding seasons of Initial D—rolled out a two-season OVA adaption of the manga. The plotlines really do just follow the daily happenings of a twelve-year-old girl, depicting all the harmless and innocent concerns she undergoes, as well as the difficulties with peers wallowing in tween angst. The OVAs in general had a sort of whimsical charm to them, as the characters tried to make sense of their world and themselves as they become exposed to new experiences every day. It was oddly nostalgic. If this new series retains this degree of charisma—one which channels the awe and pubescent confusion strongly associated with this awkward transition between child and adult—I think it could prove for an entertaining series.

Preview by Takaii

When it comes to Pan De Peace, it’s a pretty simple show. Based on a 4-koma manga, you have four friends Minami (Kido Ibuki), Noa (Oomori Nichika), Yuu (Yamazaki Erii), and Fuyumi (Toyota Moe) who spend most of their day talking about all the amazing properties of bread. From baguettes to croquettes, nothing is off limits as they show their love for all things bread. Ironically enough, the title of the show comes from the small “club” that the girls have. Meeting up at Fuwafuyu bakery (which happens to be Fuyumi’s family shop), the four of them use this place to do normal things. Instead of going rampant about bread inside of a bakery, you’ll typically find them doing their homework or poking fun at Yuu for trying to be a mangaka.

I love bread. Literally, I’m the kind of person who can happily live off bread because of how amazing it is. It’s filling, it’s relatively cheap, and at most decent restaurants you can get as many servings as you like because they don’t realize just how amazing something like a nice warm piece of bread really is. Now, if you told me that someone was going to take all of these pent up feelings and turn them into an anime, I’d look at you with a pissed-off face for making fun of my love of bread. Lo and behold, something like that actually freaking exists. Like, I think it’s impossible to recreate the feelings I felt when I realized this show is simply a slice-of-life about some friends and how much they love one of the best things on this goddamn earth. Intimate affection for bread aside, I’m not sure how this show will fare with its anime adaptation. Besides being extremely polarizing since I know there are a ton of carb haters out there, I just don’t know how well this show will resonate for the viewers in-between. For those of who love the stuff though, I think this show might have just enough oomph behind it to keep us entertained. I hope!

Preview by Cherrie

Sailor Moon Crystal returns! Joined by the some of my personal favorites, Sailor Saturn, Neptune and Uranus. This would be the equivalent to the Sailor Moon S series which originally aired, but more closely adapted from the manga. The main villain this time around are the Death Busters, and if you don’t remember who they are, they’re the ones led by the creepy scientist man (with the shadow whose face you never see). The Sailor Scouts get a whole new transformation, new characters that join them, and new relationships to build. There are many aspects of the original series that I enjoyed but I fear that a lot of them may have been fillers so I’ll leave that context out in case the manga is extremely different. One thing I will note though, is that the seiyuu for Sailor Saturn (Fujii Yukiyo), Sailor Neptune (Ohara Sayaka) and Sailor Uranus (Minagawa Junko) are all new to the series. So unlike Usagi (Mitsuishi Kotono), there are no returning seiyuu.

Well what do we have here…is anyone surprised to see Sailor Moon Crystal with a sequel? Certainly not me – but not for the right reasons. I blogged the original two seasons a year ago and honestly, it wasn’t a hit with me. It was great from a nostalgia standpoint, but after about two episodes, I was over it. The production values were too low, the actual plot varied so much from the original and I hate to say it – but maybe those fillers were a good thing. As a huge fan of the original anime (not the manga), I was disappointed with the result and I actually prefer the 200-episode original anime. If you’re someone that was a fan of the manga though, then by all means please let me know how this sequel performs. From what I can see of the promotional images and videos, it looks like there’s a new art director in store for us, so maybe, just maybe the animation and girls will be a bit more bearable to watch this time.

Preview by Jig

Bakuon!! follows student Sakura Hane (Ueda Reina), who gets exhausted every day when she rides her bike up steep hills on the way to her all-girls high school. One day she encounters fellow student Amano Onsa (Uchiyama Yumi) riding a motorcycle on the way to school—easily cruising past the grueling slopes of their commute. Sakura becomes immediately fascinated with the vehicle, and makes quick friends with Amano when she enquires about her ride. Shortly after, they join their school’s motorcycle club, which runs them into a slew of other quirky and eccentric characters. The series follows the club’s various day-to-day activities and hijinks, such as Sakura’s initial pursuit of her license, preparing for the school festival showcase, and so on.

Straight up, motorcycles are seriously wicked awesome. I’d ride one every day if I had the proper finances, so the subject material is enough to intrigue me. What’s more, the characters immediately strike me as charming and likable. In the manga, members of the main cast all exude striking personalities and amusing senses of humor, so I think much of the show’s enjoyment will likely derive from their lively interactions and conversations. Bakuon!! comes to us from TMS Entertainment, whose most recently successful production involved adapting another property centered around two-wheeled vehicles, Yowamushi Pedal. I’m a huge fan of that series, which boasts some impressive visuals, both technically and aesthetically. Bakuon!! seems to have inherited the same level of quality and then some, for the show looks absolutely gorgeous—characters look adorable and beautifully rendered, and the motorcycles are drawn as convincing representations of the actual thing. With a main cast this charming and subject material this unique, the show has the promise to be the next big moe hit.

Preview by Samu

Named after the multi-headed hound of Hades, Seisen Cerberus: Ryuukokou no Fatalite is a classic grimdark adventure fantasy. Filled with swords and magic, it’s set in the continent of Kunaaan, where the power balance between the Holy Kingdom of Amoria, the Kingdom of Ishilfen, and the Vanrodis Kingdom exists in order to prevent a war that would devastate all corners of the land. But there’s a fourth player to consider: the evil dragon Danguard, so strong that no one is powerful enough to prevent him from causing chaos and destruction wherever he goes. The story follows sixteen-year-old Hiiro (Matsuoka Yoshitsugu), a boy who trained himself with his sword, as he goes on a quest to track down the dragon who murdered his parents. Fueled by vengeance, his personal journey allows him the opportunity to do the impossible and perhaps save the world along the way.

A lot could be said about Seisen Cerberus, and not all of it is praiseworthy. First impressions count for a lot, and if you feel like you’ve read this story before, it’s because you probably have. This is a by-the-book fantasy story that ticks off the checklist of every possible trope, including an evil dragon and a teenage boy with a tragic backstory hoping to save the world. Pair that with the lackluster production quality, and there isn’t much to hope for, unless you’re an unabashed fan of these sorts of titles; in that case, this may be your perfect anime. While it may be attempting to be too dark and edgy for some, I’m sure fans of the mobile game will be pleased with this getting an adaptation at all. Yet history has not been kind to these sorts of anime. Other than Shingeki no Bahamut, these mobile game adaptations rarely end up being good, so Seisen Cerberus certainly has a lot to prove, especially in a season as crowded as this one.

Preview by Stilts

Savage: Mysterious lifeforms that came to Earth on a meteorite and are attacking humanity. Hundred: The only weapon that can pierce Savage’s hard shells. To become a Military Arts Master who wields a Hundred, Kisaragi Hayato (Hasegawa Yoshiaki) enrolls in the marine academy city ship Little Garden. As soon as he arrives, he’s greeted by Emil Crossford (Ookubo Rumi), his strange yet familiar roommate who seems to know him from somewhere. On top of that, as soon as he enters the school he’s challenged to a duel by the student council president and “Queen” Claire Harvey (Ichimichi Mao). The ultimate school battle action series begins.

This is a magical-fantasy-action-harem anime based on a light novel. It may call itself sci-fi, but don’t believe it—when magical weapons spring spontaneously from magic space rocks, it’s science fantasy if we’re being charitable. Infinite Stratos is the comparison that comes screeching to mind, because though the magic science weaponry is of the armor-and-weapons type, everything else (aside from the all-girls school—there are other guys here) is pretty much the same. There’s the uniquely powerful protagonist who uses a sword, haremettes start lining up immediately, deep friendships form instantly, there’s an unconvincing crossdresser (version: reverse trap), et cetera. But! It still looks fun. Not groundbreaking, but fun. I think it’ll depend on the action, and so far the action in the promos looks good. Plus we have Kobayashi Tomoki in the director’s chair, and his action resumé (Akame ga Kill, the original Utawarerumono) is promising. Look, this is a magical-fantasy-action-harem anime, and you know what you’re getting with one of these. Even if I can feel the tropes being relentlessly deployed (sick little sister? You got it!), that doesn’t mean it can’t be fun. Oh, and there’s gonna be some ecchi parts here, so look forward to that.

Preview by Takaii

A new spin-off based on the otome game sharing its name, Hakuouki: Otogisoushi is more of a “what if” series. Essentially, how would things be if all the characters had a peaceful everyday life instead of having to battle all kinds of demons and foes? With the entire cast (both characters and seiyuu) making their return in chibi form, it feels like this’ll be a nice treat for fans of the original show. With only tidbits of information out, let’s get some of the basic housekeeping out of the way: the opening song will be performed by Renka of Fire Emblem fame. The studio behind this one looks to be DLE and not Studio DEEN (they did the original Hakuouki), and to their credit DLE seems well-suited for a chibi-esque show like this.

Overall, I can’t help but feel this is another show trying to grab onto the tailcoats of success that the original game and all of its spin-offs created. If you enjoyed Hakuouki, I can’t see any reason why you wouldn’t enjoy the opportunity to see your favorite characters in an alternate universe that’s super focused on slice-of-life. While I personally didn’t enjoy the original show, there’s some charm in seeing the characters in chibi form. It’s tough to describe, but with such a stark difference from the original, it feels like a different show even though it really isn’t. I guess you could it call it one of those “different but same” moments? Anyway, this show should be a treat for those who enjoyed the original, and possibly a quirky samurai-era slice-of-life for those who are new to Hakuouki.

Preview by Takaii

Set in the late ’30s before Japan entered World War II, Joker Game revolves around Lieutenant Colonel Yuuki (Horiuchi Kenyuu) and his agency of spies. Known as D Agency, these operatives execute missions related to obtaining and maintaining information on both domestic and foreign matters. With a simple code of Don’t Kill, Don’t get killed, and Don’t get captured, this anime follows Yuuki and his agents as they try to stay one step ahead of both the state’s enemies and the state itself.

Boy oh boy, if your mystery bone has been itching, it looks like Joker Game should be the show to scratch it. Based off a successful light novel that’s already spawned a live action movie, what better studio to pick than Production I.G.? Directing the project is Nomura Kazuya (Ghost in The Shell, Sengoku Basara, Robotics;Notes) and seeing how his previous project went, I see no reason for this show not to be awesome. As an added bonus we have Yahagi Toshiyuki of Guilty Crown fame handling character design and animation, so I don’t think it’s too much to expect some buttery smooth shots. And don’t get me started on the voice cast. With big names like Kaji Yuuki, Kimura Ryohei, and Fukuyama Jun, I doubt I need to explain just how much of an eargasm we’ll all be having. When it comes to the plot though, there really isn’t too much to go off on unless you’ve read the books, and it’s pretty tough to get a hold of them over here in Not Japan. Based on the promotional material and the tidbits I’ve found here and there, it looks like this should be an exciting mystery with a little bit of thriller elements here and there. In any case, count me in!

Preview by Samu

Sousei no Onmyjouji is a tale of two halves. The first is Enmadou Rokuro (Hanae Natsuki), a boy who, when he was younger, used to dream of becoming the strongest exorcist in order to erase all impurities and sins across the world. By the time he was twelve, he was already recognised as a talented exorcist, but that all changed when the tragedy of Hiinatsuki occurred, resulting in the deaths of seventeen exorcist cadets, with Rokuro being the lone survivor. Since then he has refused to become an exorcist, going so far as to hate anything associated with the profession. But when the other half of the story, the famed Adashino Benio (Han Megumi) comes into his life, Rokuro finds himself dragged back into the world of exorcism and impurities, as this warrior duo are brought together in an unbreakable bond.

In a season packed with shonen action shows, Sousei no Onmyouji perhaps hasn’t caught the attention it deserves. While Ushio to Tora lends to the nostalgia of older anime fans, and Boku no Hero Academia is destined to be the Next Big Thing, Sousei no Onmyouji has its own appeal. It comes from the same family as Ao no Exorcist and Owari no Seraph – all three are published in the same magazine – so if you enjoyed either of those titles, then this will be worth your time. After the first few volumes I was already smitten with the main duo, even if the premise isn’t anything particularly original. I love the element of romance that is so rare in these sorts of series, so there’s plenty of shipping potential if that’s what you’re looking for. As far as negatives go, it seems manga readers aren’t happy with the character designs, though I don’t see the problem; they’re not that different, and even if they were, it’s common for the art style to change slightly in order to work better in animated form. There’s also an anime original animal sidekick inserted here, which could either be cute or annoying, so the jury is out on that one. But overall, Sousei no Onmyouji definitely deserves more attention than it’s currently getting. Hopefully it ends up a pleasant surprise.

Preview by Jig

You may or may not be familiar with the stories of key Japanese historical figures such as Queen Himiko, legendary warlord Oba Nobunaga, and samurai Sakamoto Ryooma—seminal individuals in Japan’s long and storied history to be sure. Neko Neko Nihonshi (based on a manga of the same name) offers a retelling of it all…reimagined with adorably-drawn kitty cats! The series will follow many classic narratives of Japanese history, pretending as if all the boring and unoriginal human characters were replaced with cats.

Neko Neko Nihonshi will most definitely follow a short format, given that the source material consists of weekly installments of 4-koma (or 4-panel) manga. Though I could only locate the raw versions online (the series is posted serially on mangaka Jitsugyo no Nihon Sha’s own website), I can tell from the visuals that the anime adaptation won’t embark on any grand or ambitious plotlines, but instead focus on smaller humor. The cats themselves manage to be cute and cuddly in ways typically unconventional to Japanese animation—instead of adorable large eyes and enormous, expressive mouths, these crudely drawn critters sport dot-eyes and tiny jagged yappers. The target audience is likely younger children, especially given the educational undertones of the show—a fun and easy way to learn about your key Japanese historical figures, kids. In that sense, series director Kawamura Tomohiro would seem more than capable, given his previous experience directing a children-oriented production about small animals, Gamba: Gamba to Nakama-tachi. Neko Neko Nihonshi will likely prove a brief but humorous watch.

Preview by Takaii

With the hype around idol (both male and female) groups growing at an exponential rate, it’s no surprise to see new shows trying to cash in on the craze. But in a world full of well-established series and games like Love Live, Idolish7, and THE IDOLM@STER, what’s an original show like Bishoujo Yuugi Unit Crane Game Girls supposed to do? Obviously, throw another plot idea into the mix and hope for the best! In Crane Game Girls’ case, they’re tying in the fate of the planet with a handful of girls becoming successful idols at an arcade. In just a few weeks, join Mirai (Hara Natsuko), Asuka (Tokui Sora), and Kyouko (Rico Sasaki) as they train to not only be great idols but the saviors of the earth!

Before we go any further, am I the only one who thinks the premise for this show is a little crazy? I mean, we’ve seen a certain show about sextuplets trying to do the same thing and we all know how well that worked out for them (that’s an Osomatsu-san F6 reference, and it went pretty badly). One interesting thing about Crane Game Girls’ is it looks like it’ll feature both animated moments and live action ones. Specifically, we’re getting five minutes of anime and 16 minutes of live action. That’s something I can’t say I’ve watched recently, but seems like it could be an interesting concept if it’s executed properly. That said, when you take everything and add it all together, I’m just not sure how I feel about this show. Also, can you even say this is an anime with more than 75% of it being live action? My instincts say that this’ll probably be something to steer clear of, but when you’re dealing with idols (especially ones that are tasked to save the world), just about anything could happen. I’ll probably give this one at least an episode or two. Hopefully it manages to surpass all of our expectations!

Preview by Jig

SUPER LOVERS follows sophomore student Kaidou Haru (Maeno Tomoaki) as he visits his mother, Kaidou Haruko (Tanaka Atsuko)—a popular novelist—for the summer in Canada, where he grew up with her as a child. Upon arriving, he discovers that she has adopted eight-year-old Kaidou Ren (Minagawa Junko), a rambunctious and unmannerly boy who spends his time playing with wild animals and disobeying his mother’s words. She tasks Haru with “civilizing” the young lad before he leaves—a tasks which he finds initially impossible. As the summer progresses, however, the two begin to forge a close and intimate bond.

The SUPER LOVERS manga is widely revered by fans for its excellent pacing, complex characters, and gorgeous art. Apparently the central relationship is refined and developed at an organic and gratifying tempo. While one might assume this accounts for a vapid, drawn-out narrative, there’re plenty of twists and turns to keep the story engaging. Though I’ve only read a wee bit of the manga in preparation for this post, I could tell that the story is relayed in a thoughtful and introspective manner, drawing plenty of attention to characters’ varying emotional states, as well as their unique personalities. You get the impression that these are real people, with their own thoughts and goals that you deeply sympathize with. The art is also beautiful—something which is kept well intact with the anime adaptation (if the PV is anything to go off of). The series will be produced by Studio Deen, which means that the beloved property is in good hands considering the ample experience the studio has with romance shows. SUPER LOVERS will likely turn out to be a worthwhile watch, given the impressive production values, as well as the lauded quality of the source material.

Preview by Passerby

One may mistake Onigiri for a Dagashi Kashi spin-off about savory Japanese snacks, but it’s actually an adaptation of a massively-online role-playing game, with its name roughly meaning ‘oni cutter’. In an alternate medieval Japan, humans co-exist with all manner of supernatural and mythological creatures. But ages ago, there was a malevolence that defied this balance: the Kamigui, devourer of gods, which spread decay and pestilence across the realm. It took the sun goddess Amaterasu herself to defeat the Kamigui, and when she did she erected three great seals, so that the Kamigui would never rise again. But now, untold years later, one of the seals have been destroyed, and rumours of the Kamigui’s return are circulating. Spiritualist Shizuka Gozen (Suzuki Aina) and her loyal retainer Yoshitsune (Matsui Eriko) have to find the cause of this incident, and protect the land from falling into darkness.

I haven’t played the Onigiri video game, but from what I’ve read on it, it seems to stride that golden twilight zone between mainstream popcorn entertainment and abject shovelware. There’s a manga too, but I don’t think this anime is going to have much to do with it; for one, the manga has a male cast, and also, it’s bad. I’m not sure if we can glean too much about the plot from either of these sources; Onigiri is a short-form anime, which is not a format exactly conducive to a narrative-heavy show. It appears one of the key draws of the MMORPG was its supporting cast of comely females (because target demographic), and Onigiri may well focus on them instead, which has worked to arguable degrees of success for other game adaptations. What can be done in five-minute segments, though? Shorts are often focused on comedy, with most sketches working well as brief laughs; will Onigiri go down that route as well? It’s hard to tell at this point, based only a PV composed of some action cuts. Most likely its first priority is to promote the game (what with many anime being glorified advertisements, though I prefer to call it ‘tiered monetisation’). The question is what they’ll do to make that worth watching. I suppose Japanese mythology always has interesting depth, and if you already play the game then you already have some initial investment. Otherwise, it’s only five minutes an episode, so it’s no great loss to check out.

Preview by Passerby

Japan, early 20th century. It’s a strange time to be alive. Nakajima Atsushi (Uemura Yuto) is an orphan, recently run out of the orphanage that was his home with nothing but the shirt on his back. On top of that, he’s sure that he’s being stalked by a man-eating tiger. Yeah, strange times. The unfortunate youth flees to the big city, where he meets, and assists, a curious man named Daizai Osamu (Miyano Mamoru), who turns out to be an employee of the ‘Armed Detective Agency’. This notorious private investigation firm is not just a bunch of amateur sleuths or guns-for-hire; each member of the Agency are possessed of unique, supernatural abilities, allowing them to tackle cases that stump the police or military. Usually with violence, because that’s just good television. And it turns out, they’re hunting for a man-eating tiger. Atsushi finds himself caught up in the Armed Detective Agency’s routine of solving crimes, warring with the local mafia, and causing excessive property damage. Better than starving alone on the streets? Debatable. But it’s sure going to be more exciting.

I don’t think it’s usually accurate to generalise about animation studios, because of the revolving door their staff often faces, but Bones does seem to have an affinity for stylish action series, don’t they? In fact, Bungou Stray Dogs, based on a manga by Asagiri Kafka (man of two last names), may remind you of Kekkai Sensen by similarities in premise, even though it doesn’t look like Bungou Stray Dogs is going to employ the same flair. More importantly, director Igarashi Takuya and screenwriter Enokido Yoji are frequent co-conspirators under the Bones flag on flashy shows like STAR DRIVER, Captain Earth and, er, Ouran High School Host Club. How to sell this one, though? Well, for starters, all of Bungou Stray Dogs‘ characters are named after and inspired by actual writers of the historical era. Why? Don’t know. But it makes for a varied and colourful cast who drive much of the story and provide the flashy superpowered combat that is the highlight of these kind of shows. Flipping through the manga, it’s not the deepest fare and there’s room for the writing to be tightened in adaptation, but there’s a fun action romp to be had in there. So, sure, ‘stylish Bones action show’ may not mean too much, but Bungou Stray Dogs is it.

Preview by Takaii

Welcome to Tennogofune Academy, a place where students with “negative karma” or extremely poor luck seem to gather. Of the students there, those with the worst fortune seem to end up in class 1-7. Here, we meet the first characters of our story: Hanakoizumi An (Hanamori Yumiri) AKA Hanako, Hibarigaoka Ruri (Shiraishi Haruka) AKA Hibari, and Kumegawa Botan (Yasuno Kiyono). They’re all afflicted with different types of negative karma, ranging from bad luck to straight up getting physically injured. With this in mind, our girls have banded together in hopes of overcoming their negative karma and having a happy and positive school life!

While I couldn’t get my hands on the source material, I can’t help but feel that this will end up being one of those “feel good” shows for the season. It’s nothing new to see a school-life show based on the concept of its characters having bad luck, but seeing how everyone is afflicted with some kind of negative karma, I can’t help but feel that we’ll get some great laughs from all of their misfortune. And while shows like this can fall flat pretty easily, I think the staff and studio backing this one gives it a lot of hope. With Oonuma Shin of Baka Test and Prisma Illya fame directing, and SILVER LINK handling the production, I think we could have a pretty good hit on our hands. Sure, it’s possible the laughs could get old or the material might not handle a full season well, but I think there’s a prime opportunity if An Happy♪ is willing to take things to the next level and merge your typical jokes with the super exaggerated ones. Hopefully our karma is decent and we won’t be left disappointed.

Preview by Passerby

To celebrate its 15th anniversary, anime studio P.A. works has a special project in store in the form of Kuromukuro. Back in the 1950s, Japan built a huge hydroelectric dam smack dab in the middle of the country, and the Kurobe Dam still stands today as the tallest dam in the land. The sheer size of the project and its cost in blood and treasure actually inspired a few dramatisations and fanciful anecdotes about its construction, and Kuromukuro taps into that imagination as well. In the alternate history of Kuromukuro, construction of the Kurobe Dam unearthed a ancient and singular artefact, which set the world ablaze with speculation. And so the Kurobe Research Institute was established under the auspices of the United Nations, attracting academics from all over the globe. To accommodate their families, the Mt Tate International Senior High School was established for the education of the academics’ children. It’s the present day, summer 2016, and both research and enrollment at Mt Tate continues. But something is stirring at Kurobe Dam. What seems to be a samurai from a past age (Azakami Youhei) awakens. Why has he been roused him from his long slumber? What does he have to do with futuristic humanoid robots? Seriously, what does he have to do with futuristic humanoid robots? Kuromukuro hides the answers for now.

So we had a mysterious original mecha series a while back, and it was a trainwreck. We’ve been hyped about shows under the P.A. Works banner before, and it was Glasslip, and then it was Charlotte. Yeah, if we wanted to be pessimistic about an anime, we can dig up plenty of reasons to be. But let’s ignore the superficial comparisons, and pull back the curtain on the important stuff, the people who actually make the show. For example, Higaki Ryou, on series composition, also had a hand in Seirei no Moribito. Director Okamura Tensai also did Nanatsu no Taizai, which was great fun, and Darker than BLACK, which was Darker than BLACK. And as a shout-out to sound directors, Wakabayashi Kazuhiro is a magician. Hopefully that’s enough substance to start, because Kuromukuro keeps the rest of its cards close to its chest. Looking at the promotional material, I guess it looks good enough? And I enjoyed their choice of music? Those are good signs, but that’s not really going to tell you what the series will unfold to be. As is often the case with original anime, we have to mostly rely on the promise behind the staff and the kernel of idea that we are shown. I think Kuromukuro has enough of that to be at least worth checking out.

Preview by Stilts

This light novel adaptation centers on Nishimura Hideki (Toyonaga Toshiyuki), a high school boy who once confessed to a girl in an online game, only for that girl to turn out to be a boy. He keeps this dark history a secret and swears to never to trust a “girl” online again. However, one day a guildmate confesses to him, and it turns out she’s actually a beautiful girl named Tamaki Ako (Hidaka Rina). Whereas Hideki considers online and IRL to be separate, Ako can’t tell the difference between the two, and she’s a loner who has trouble communicating. After an IRL meet-up with guild master/student council president Goshouin Kyou (Ichimichi Mao) and tsuntsun twintails girl Segawa Akane (Minase Inori), Ako’s affliction begins wreaking havoc with everyone’s lives, so they decide to work together to “correct” Ako.

Very rarely do I laugh out loud while previewing a series, but I did with this one, multiple times. While the setup is overly contrived—of course three of the four guildmates turn out to be girls, and all four of them conveniently go to the same school—it sets up a story that’s really funny, mainly because all of the characters are bonkers. From Ako going into dark mode and railing about “normalfags” to Kyou trying to solve all her problems with money—and with both Akane and Hideki on hand to tsukkomi or add to the insanity, depending—they’re all comedy goldmines, especially when combined. I’m especially pleased with the seiyuu choices, particularly Toyonaga Toshiyuki as Hideki, who was superb as the lead in Noucome. If he brings a modicum of the comedic skill he displayed there, we’ll be in for a good time. The staff provides few hints. Director Yanagi Shinsuke appears to be a Project No.9 lifer, with shows such as Ro-Kyu-Bu! SS (good) and Momo Kyun Sword (very not good) as nearly his entire resume, while head writer Takahashi Tatsuya has a decent amount of credits to his name, but few in a leadership role. If you enjoy gut-busting comedies starring dysfunctional characters, the source material for this one is a lot of fun. What remains to be seen is if it will translate into an anime that’s equally as good. I’m heading into this with some hype, so hopefully Stilts won’t end up disappointed.

Preview by Samu

From the same studio, director, scriptwriter, and sound director as the worldwide hit Shingeki no Kyojin, comes Koutetsujou no Kabaneri. Set in a island nation in the middle of an industrial revolution, people live inside “Stations” for shelter, and transport wares through locomotives running on steam. The reason for them living behind these walls is to protect them from the monstrous undead creatures known as Kabane, iron-skinned giant zombies who are at war with the inhabitants of Hinomoto. In the Aragame station there lives a boy named Ikoma (Hatanaka Tasuku) who is creating the Tsuranukizutsu, a weapon whose purpose is to defeat the creatures that make their lives miserable. One night he encounters a girl named Mumei (Senbongi Sayaka), and together they get caught in this conflict as the ferocious Kabane attack their station, giving Ikoma the opportunity to defeat these beasts once and for all.

Does any of that sound familiar? People living behind walls, giant monsters who exist only to make their lives miserable, the story of an unlikely pair fighting against these creatures; it’s all too obvious to ignore. Of course, since it’s made by the people who brought us the Shingeki no Kyojin anime, it may not qualify as plagiarism. And while many will be skeptical about the premise, it’s not overdone enough to warrant significant disapproval. Who knows, it may turn out better than the original. The visual aesthetic alone already has me sold, as the action appears bloody and sleek, and the character artwork is vibrant and distinctive. At its best, this could be a tight production that isn’t bogged down by ongoing source material. It’s sure to be one of the more popular titles of this season, and with it being streamed on Amazon Prime, we’re seeing more anime branching out across the available streaming platforms. All things considered, once you get past this possibly being a rehash of the studio’s earlier success, there’s plenty to get excited about with Koutetsujou no Kabaneri.

Preview by Samu

Shounen Maid tells the story of Komiya Chihiro (Fujuwara Natsumi), an energetic elementary schooler who lives at home with this mother, following her motto: “No work, no food.”. With that mentality instilled into him, Chihiro is the ultimate clean freak – he hates clutter, and does all the housework and chores at home. But when his mother suddenly dies, Chihiro is left alone in the world – until Taketori Madoka (Shimazaki Nobunaga) appears, claiming to be his uncle, and asks Chihiro to come stay with him. After refusing, Chihiro ends up cleaning up his uncle’s shambolic mansion. When his uncle offers him the opportunity to work as a cleaner, Chihiro accepts… only to find that he has to wear a maid uniform when on the job.

It’s hard to predict how the scales will weigh with Shounen Maid. On one hand, the light and airy visuals are fitting for this shoujo adaptation, and there’s likely to be plenty of opportunities for laughs, but there’s also a chance this could end up more creepy than intended. No matter how you look at it, Chihiro’s self-proclaimed “uncle” is a shady character – he asks an elementary schoolboy to dress up as a maid while he watches and makes jokes. From what I’ve read, it appears more innocent than perverted, but you never know what direction it could take. If you’re a fan of the manga, then this unlikely title getting an anime will surely make your week, but if not, I think it best to go into this with modest expectations. The characters are fun, but we won’t know whether the set-up is used to its best until several episodes are released. 8bit hasn’t got the best record, but with Yamamoto Yuusuke (B Gata H Kei, NHK ni Youkoso!, Yama no Susume) directing, there’s a chance this could follow the trend of many of his series: making a good series out of a questionable premise.

Preview by Samu

If feels good to laugh, doesn’t it? Most people love a good comedy, and if you looked up “good comedy” in the anime/manga dictionary, you’d likely find a picture of Sakamoto desu ga?. This is a story about the ultimate Gary Stu, Sakamoto (Midorikawa Hikaru). First things first, Sakamoto is the coolest kid in school. All eyes are on him from the moment he walks into the room. The girls love him, the boys despise him. As such, his jealous classmates often play tricks on him to make a fool out of this seemingly perfect human being, but no matter what they do, Sakamoto always beats them at their game. Plant a duster on top of the door to land on his head? Sakamoto will catch it and make a fabulous pose instead. Pour a bucket of water in his cubicle when he’s in the toilet? Sakamoto’s already got an umbrella to keep him dry. No matter how hard life becomes, nothing ever gets the better of Sakamoto, who is focused on progressing through his high school life with class and confidence.

There are several comedies on offer this season, but none have the acclaim of Sakamoto desu ga?. It’s topped the best selling manga charts, its first volume won 2013 Male-Oriented Book of Year, and it won the Comic Natalie Grand Prize in the same year. It may reuse the same gag over and over, but it never seems to get boring – there are no limits to Sakamoto’s coolness. With the manga complete at 4 volumes, this is the perfect length for a 1-cour adaptation, and if the award-winning source material wasn’t enough to seal the deal, you just need to take a peek at the staff list. Leading the production is perhaps the best comedy director in the industry, Takamatsu Shinju (Danshi Koukousei no Nichijou, Gintama, School Rumble), supported by literally dozen of all-star seiyuu: Ishida Akira, Sugita Tomokazu, Horie Yui, and Tamura Yukari, just to name a few. And if Studio DEEN worries you, then don’t let it. This year they have already produced the sublime Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu and the ever funny KonoSuba. Their reputation has been changing over the past few years, and it looks like 2016 will be their best year to date.

Preview by Samu

Kyoukai no Rinne returns for its second season, and chances are it’s going to hit the same sweet spots as the first. If you’re unfamiliar with Takahashi Rumiko’s latest series, then here’s what you need to know: it follows the life of Mamiya Sakura (Inoue Marina), who was spirited away to the afterlife when she was a little girl. Ever since she returned home, she has been able to see ghosts and other spiritual beings. Because of that, she is the only one in her class who can see the Rokudou Rinne (Ishikawa Kaito), a half-human, half-shinigami who resides in the human world and fights off evil spirits. Over the course of the first season, the deadpan Sakura and the ever poor Rinne have tackled all sorts of ghosts with strange – and sometimes dangerous – abilities. There’s always lightheartedness to the experience, as this is more comedy than drama, helped by a dash of romance to keep things interesting. Going forward, there’s likely to be just as many laughs, ghosts, and steady romantic developments in this second season.

My experience with Kyoukai no Rinne has been rather strange up until now. Going in, I wasn’t expecting it to be a full-blown gag series, so when it was I was slightly disappointed. But after I was recommended it once again, I caught up with it and was surprised at how damn funny it was. The characters work so well together, constantly clashing and getting caught in weird situations thanks to plenty of dastardly ghosts. If you’re a fan of deadpan humour, then the heroine, Sakura, will be right up you alley – she was the highlight of the series for me, along with her relationship with Rinne. Things did get serious from time to time, but I hope the balance from the first season is maintained. I’m just glad this is getting another season after its dismal sales (it was the 2nd worst selling TV anime of 2015). But sales figures rarely equate to the quality of a series, and that’s certainly the case with Kyoukai no Rinne.

Preview by Takaii

Another slice-of-life based off of a 4-koma, Tanaka-kun wa Itsumo Kedaruge focuses on the daily life of Tanaka (Ono Kensho), and just how difficult it is for him to live a life of simplicity. Because when it comes to being the protagonist of this show, Tanaka wants nothing of it. With his favorite pastimes involving sleeping, resting his head on his hands, and trying to get things done with the least amount of effort possible, it drives him a little crazy that all of his classmates seem to want something from him. From his best friend Oota (Hosoya Yoshimasa), who is trying to knock some life into him, to the tiny Miyano (Takamori Natsumi), who wants to become his apprentice at living life idly, it seems that the harder Tanaka tries to live his ideal life the further away he gets from it.

I won’t lie, the premise for this show and the first few chapters weren’t really doing it for me. Tanaka came off as a super apathetic character that basically didn’t give a damn about what others said. Even when his best friend Oota tried to help him out with a gentle shove in the right direction, watching him fight it with the least amount of energy necessary just rubbed me the wrong way. But that all changed once I got a little deeper in and the story introduced more characters to balance our Tanaka and his unique way of life. Specifically, I think it was the moment we met Shiraishi (Koiwai Kotori) and discovered a few secrets about her and Tanaka. While not wanting to spoil too much, there was this perfect balance between fleshing out Tanaka and giving a side character just enough personality that had everything finally clicking in my head. Besides the up-and-down story, it looks like the staff has a lot going for it. With Kawatsura Shinya from Non Non Biyori directing and SILVER LINK handling the production, I think the execution of the deadpan style of comedy I felt from the manga should come through nicely. And if all that doesn’t matter to you, this series is rocking a pretty stellar cast of seiyuu. You have Ono Kensho, Hozoya Yoshimasa, Koiwai Kotori, Yuuki Aoi, and Touyama Nao among others! So if you’re looking for a rather relaxed slice-of-life that throws some deadpan into the mix, there’s no going wrong with Tanaka-kun wa Itsumo Kedaruge!

Preview by Stilts

Kiznaiver takes place in the fictional Japanese city of Sugomori City. One day, Sonozaki Noriko (Yamamura Hibiku) approaches her classmate Agata Katsuhira (Kaji Yuki): “You have been selected to be a Kiznaiver.” The Kizuna System is an incomplete system meant to foster world peace, which connects people through wounds. All who are connected to the system (called Kiznaivers) share their wounds with everyone else; when one Kiznaiver is wounded, the system divides and transmits the wound among all other Kiznaivers. Becoming a Kiznaiver connects Katsuhira to classmates whose lives and personalities completely differ from his own, including Sonozaki and at least six others.

While my Uchuu Patrol Luluco preview sees me down on another Trigger short, with full-length series I’m more optimistic. Kiznaiver has one of those sci-fi premises that makes me sit up and think. The idea of a system that shares wounds is filled with dramatic potential, and provides a fruitful lens through which to explore the human experience. Plus, it’s not too jargon heavy, which is appreciated. This is being written by Okada Mari, AKA the only anime scriptwriter whose name you know. Love her or hate her, her skill and experience are formidable, even if you don’t like the way she does things—though I’d argue that Gundam: Tekketsu no Orphans has proven that an Okada Mari series isn’t always what we expect, in the same way that Suisei no Gargantia proved for the Urobutcher (though that nickname is still fun). I mentioned Trigger because the animation in the promos is luscious, and the character designs by Miwa Shirow (illustrator for supercell) are pleasantly dynamic. I’m interested, I’ll admit—they’ve done what they needed to grab my attention. But temper thy excitement, friends, for this is an original series, which means it could be Madoka or it could be Glasslip, or any shade in between. One final tidbit to chew on: Okada said in an interview that the keyword for the series is “kizuna” (connection), and that the title itself is a play on “kizuna” and “naive.” Make of that what you will.

Preview by Stilts

The setting is Japan, one hundred years after plate subduction has dragged many countries under the waves. To save the remaining nations, coastal cities were built up and launched into the seas, and the naval routes between them have been expanded. That led to a need for more personnel who could safeguard the oceans. This new industry became popular among women, and soon the so-called Blue Mermaids became a source of admiration for young girls. Childhood friends Misaki Akeno (Natsukawa Shiina) and China Moeka (Amamiya Sora) want to become Blue Mermaids, which is why they enrolled in Yokosuka’s Marine High School, where they’ll be prepared for maritime occupations. In addition to excelling in their studies, they must adopt an international mindset and become knowledgeable of other customs and cultures. Together they’ll live by the Blue Mermaid motto: “In the sea we live, the sea we protect, and by the sea we go.”

I feel like Hai-Furi does a lot of work to get to “maritime high school anime,” but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t have promise. While my first impression was something like Nagi no Asukara by way of Aria, perhaps the more revealing factoid is that Hai-Furi’s original creator is listed as Suzuki Takaaki, who is best known as the military adviser for Strike Witches and Girls und Panzer, as well as occasional scriptwriter for both. That makes me think Hai-Furi is trying to cash in on the KanColle/military otaku craze, and there’s nothing wrong with that as long as they can do it well. Director Nobuta Yuu hasn’t done much, but head script writer Yoshida Reiko has done damn near everything, and the cast is full of cute girls (a lot of them), which will probably help financially if nothing else. This is an original series with not a lot known about it, so I’m forced to shrug—it could be great, it could crash and burn, damned if I know. From what I know so far, I’m interested, but not particularly hyped. Hopefully that’ll mean it will surprise, though I can’t promise anything.

Preview by Takaii

Originally a one-shot that was serialized a few years later, Flying Witch is your typical slice-of-life focused around a girl named Kowata Makoto (Shinoda Minami) and her journey to become a full-fledged witch in the modern world. Except this is a world where magic is simply from fairytales, and Makoto isn’t that great of a witch. Luckily, even with everything working against her, she has her non-witch cousins Kei (Sugawara Shinsuke) and Chinatsu (Suzuki Eri) to help her make it in the world. Along the way she meets some pretty good friends, and together they’ll hopefully be able to help her discover just what it means to be a witch.

Okay, with the barebones introduction out of the way, let me try to explain why I think this will be one of the best slice-of-life’s of the season. First off, don’t let the name fool you. This isn’t a show about magic or a girl trying to keep her status as a witch a secret. It’s simply about a girl named Makoto as she goes on a coming-of-age “adventure” in hopes of becoming a well-rounded and respectable witch. A premise that seems extremely basic upfront, but leaves so many doors open that there is ample material to create an engaging slice-of-life. Of course, you have the typical archetypes like the ditsy airhead, the straight man cousin, and the adorable little sister you’d kill to see more of, but there’s much more than that! With magic playing an underlying role, there are sprinkles of it all around to help spice up normal everyday situations, like screaming mandrake plants to spirits that change the seasons! Essentially, if you enjoy a little fantasy and/or Japanese folklore, there are a ton of little references to keep you focused. In terms of production, we have J.C. Staff leading the charge, and if there’s any studio that does a good slice-of-life, it’s J.C. Staff. If you’re looking for a show that uses fantasy elements to accentuate the story rather than be dictated by it, give this one a shot!

Preview by Stilts

Sansha Sanyou is based on a 4-koma (4-panel) manga featuring three hilarious characters. First is Odagiri Futaba (Kanazawa Mai), a new transfer student with a super energetic personality, who’s also a glutton. Next is Hayama Teru (Imamura Ayaka), a class president with a surprisingly mean personality, contrary to her innocent looks. Last is Nishikawa Youko (Wakui Yuu), a formerly rich girl whose family is now extremely poor, but she holds onto her princess-like attitude. The story follows these three students with clashing personalities who become unlikely friends as they go about their day-to-day teenage lives together.

I’m going to throw out a name: Arai Cherry. Not familiar with that one? How about Mikakunin de Shinkoukei? That’s right, the author of Mikakunin de Shinkoukei—which was also animated by Dogakobo—is the creator of Sansha Sanyou as well. I wasn’t able to get a hold of the source material, but the comedic air in the promos gives a similar feeling to Mikakunin, but without the romantic aspect. Dogakobo is animating, and as one of the few studios who have consistently put out well animated projects no matter what, they’re one of the few studios I’m willing to judge based on studio name rather than staff alone—which is good, because the staff here is light on experience, with the partial exception of script writer Koyasu Hideaki (GJ-bu). Ditto for the seiyuu cast, which is filled with newbies. Whether you’ll want to watch this slice-of-life comedy comes down to this: Did you watch Mikakunin de Shinkoukei? Did you like it? If so, do you think Arai Cherry is cut from the Cool-kyou Shinja mold, where all her adaptations are gold? Alternately, if you’re looking or a well-animated, hopefully funny slice-of-life series, Sansha Sanyou looks like it’s trying to fit that bill.

Preview by Samu

I know what you’re thinking: “Ew, what is this? That art looks horrible. It’ll probably just be a short anyway. Skip.” But let me stop you right there and tell you there’s more to Tonkatsu DJ Agetarou than meets the eye. Like you, I took one glance and thought how unappealing this looked, and that it would likely be a forgotten title among the mass of surefire hits coming this season. But what if I told you Tonkatsu DJ Agetarou’s first volume placed second in Kono Manga ga Sugoi!’s April 2015 ranking, beating the likes of Otoyomegatari, Golden Kamui, and Orange. That’s right, this ugly little digital manga got more votes than those award nominated/winning titles. So what’s it about? Tonkatsu DJ Agetarou is a gag manga that follows Katsumata Agetarou (Yamashita Daiki), who works at his family’s pork cutlet restaurant in Shibuya. But one day, when he is taking the deliveries to a night club, he’s allowed in and falls in love with the nightlife. He loves it all: the relaxed mood, the cute girls, and most of all, the music. And when he encounters the American DJ Big Master Fly (Chafurin), Agetarou is inspired to become a DJ himself, whilst balancing his duties at his family restaurant.

This is a weird one. The premise is strange (though I’m getting some Shokugeki no Souma vibes from it), and the art is crude, but its popularity indicates there is more than meets the eye here. If you didn’t know, Tonkatsu DJ Aretarou is published in Weekly Shonen Jump’s online magazine, Jump+. This service only started a few years ago, so it’s nice to see it finding some successful titles now getting anime adaptations. It’s likely to be a short, but we are in safe hands with veteran director, Daichi Akitarou (Bokura ga Ita, Fruits Basket, Kamisama Hajimemashita), who will hopefully bring the best out of its source material. Studio DEEN seems to be on a roll with their releases so far this year, so let’s hope that keeps up.

Preview by Samu

Whether or not you’ve watched it, you’ve likely heard of the mega-hit short Teekyuu, a sports comedy that’s barely about sports, and more about reveling in its own ridiculousness. It’s been airing for four season straight (since Spring 2015), and just when we thought it was reaching its end, out comes Usakame. Written by the same author, adapted by the same studio and director, we’ve got yet another spin-off to the series that looks like it’s going to air a new season until Fall 2024. Like Teekyuu, Usakame focuses on a high school tennis club and it’s four zany members, originally introduced in the manga as rivals to the Teekyuu girls. Nishiaraidaishi Nishi (Tanijiri Maria), Satou Kurumi (Koide Hikaru), Tanaka Kinako (Nakashima Yuki), and Irohani Hoheto (Aihara Arisa) are sure to be an eccentric bunch, but will they compete with the the originals? Will this actually focus on tennis, or will it be even more balls to the walls than before?

Before I watched Teekyuu, all I ever thought was: “How many seasons is this damn show going to get?” And by the looks of it, seven may be the lucky number. But after I started marathoning the series for the Best of Anime 2015 post, I kind of loved it. The comedy can be hit or miss depending on the episode, but when the rapid fire gags hit you one after the other, it proves that no matter how short the short, it can still deliver as many laughs as a full-length comedy. While we’re not yet familiar with the cast of Usakame, I hope these four new characters can live up to the ridiculousness of the original cast – with the same original creator and people adapting it, I’d say there’s a good chance that the Teekyuu franchise will continue strong for another season. And another. And another. And another…

Preview by Passerby

Naromi Kouki may look like your average high school student, but in truth he hides a dark and terrible secret. Unbeknownst to his unsuspecting classmates, Kouki draws manga. In fact, he’s a professional, published in a weekly magazine. It’s not a point he feels comfortable bragging about, for what he draws is risqué, ‘trashy’ romantic comedy. Not the most highbrow fare, sure, but it sells faster than you can say ‘Fifty Shades of—‘. Kouki manages to keep his side job under wraps until one day the president of the student council, Rokuonji Kaoruko (Honda Mariko) happens to stumbles upon his secret. This proves serendipitous for Kaoruko, as she was just looking for a male recruit to balance out the all-female student council. In return for Kaoruko’s silence, Kouki is blackmailed into joining the student council, where he listens to complaints, does odd jobs, and butts heads with the other members. And, perhaps, he begins to live a romantic comedy that he had only before drawn in manga.

There seems to be a recent trend of anime being produced alongside their source games, like with Utawarerumono: Itsuwari no Kamen and Shoujo-tachi wa Kouya wo Mezasu, and Wagamama High Spec is another addition to that list. It’s an adaptation of a visual novel by Madosoft and, relevantly for the Western audience, is also being translated into English by Sekai Project later this year. That’s quite an outreach programme, but what does it mean for this anime? Well, the most important thing to know is that it’s actually a short, so we can probably discount a full adaptation of its source. Most likely, it’ll be a series of comedy sketches and fanservice hijinks to promote the game. Which, considering the timing of the release, is not entirely void of value. If you’re interested in the visual novel, and are looking for a primer for it, then you can do worse than watching Wagamama High Spec. And who knows? Short or not, ad or not, it could still turn out to be an amusing diversion.

Preview by Takaii

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to live in a world where your wishes could become superpowers? Or more specifically, a power based on whatever you may have wished for? Welcome to Big Order, a story based a world like ours that revolves around the people known as Orders and the powers they wield. Powers that are based on the strongest wishes in their heart. And at the center of it all is Hoshimiya Eiji (Morita Masakazu), the boy who you could say started everything. Because unbeknownst to the world, it was because of his wish that the world was hit by a catastrophic event that killed millions upon millions of people. Since that fateful day, Eiji has refused to use his powers and has spent his life questioning why his wish brought upon so much destruction. That is, until a transfer student named Kurenai Rin (Mikami Shiori) joins his class and subsequently appears at his doorstep with a katana aimed straight at his chest.

After going through a good amount of the source material, here’s the one big question I had and you may also have: why hasn’t someone wished for something so ridiculously overpowered that they could do whatever they want? Luckily, the answer is given to us sooner rather than later, and the answer is that the gods behind all of this have a pretty wicked sense of humor. Basically, if they don’t want to, they don’t have to give the power to them! As you’ll quickly find out, the number of Orders are vastly outnumbered by the general population, and aren’t looked upon all that highly. Combined with the fact the some are moving around as a de-facto militia and it’s not tough to see why there’d be some tension between Orders and non-Orders. If the struggle between the everyday man and the selected few isn’t your thing, the protagonist Eiji might be the thing to bring you back. His power is apparently so powerful he could become the ruler of the world, except he has a decent set of morals that keep him in line. Toss in the responsibility he feels for causing the great disaster and you have a character you can really feel for. Overall, if you’re looking for a show that’ll keep the action on full blast while sprinkling some character development and a tiny bit of romance, Big Order should fit the bill.

Preview by Stilts

Prequel and spin-off of the Magi series, Sinbad no Bouken will be getting a full broadcast anime treatment this spring. The events of Sinbad no Bouken take place 30 years before the events of Magi, and focus on young Sinbad’s (Ono Daisuke) journey to become king. It tells the story of how he captured two dungeons with his original companions. This will be a retelling of the previous five OVA series, and all of the cast and staff will be returning, including Sugita Tomokazu as Drakon, Fujiwara Keiji as Hinahoho, Sakurai Takahiro as Ja’far, Ishida Akira as Yunan, and more.

I’ll freely admit that I’ve been meaning to watch the Sinbad no Bouken OVAs, but I never got around to it because I have horrible time management skills, apparently. Word on the street is that, while they got the gist of the manga across, they stuffed a ton of chapters into five short OVAs, which always has its problems. I expect the TV series will mostly be a retelling of the OVAs, but with higher production values and more time for the story to breathe. That’s fine with me, because not only does it absolve me of the need to watch the OVAs (time is limited, you know), it means anime-only viewers will get a chance to learn more about the enigmatic Sinbad. Sinbad was always one of the most fascinating characters in the main Magi series, for he seemed both friendly and menacing. Seeing how he grew into that person should be a treat. Plus, it should have a more straight-forward adventure feel, without some of the huge geopolitical concerns that Magi grapples with. (Not that I didn’t enjoy those, but adventure is good too.) If you’re a Magi fan, watch it already. If you haven’t seen Magi, I’ll say that, even though there were a few stumbles at the end of the first season, I supremely enjoyed the main anime, so if Sinbad no Bouken can channel some of that magic—and I’m sure it will—Stilts will be a happy camper. Fantasy adventure fans are encouraged to join in.