Summer 2019 Preview!

Summer has arrived! It’s that time of year when the skirts are shorter (disclaimer: the skirts are always short in anime), the temperature is hotter (disclaimer: not if you’re in the southern hemisphere), and the bloggers are outside enjoying the weather and don’t realize THE PREVIEW’S DUE AHH!! Luckily some fan-favorite franchises are exploding, phoenix-like, back into life this season, including the teasing comedy Karakai Jouzu no Takagi-san 2, the dungeon crawling adventure Dungeon ni Deai wo Motomeru no wa Machigatteiru no Darou ka II, and fresh spin-offs of best-selling series in Toaru Kagaku no Accelerator and Lord El-Melloi II Sei no Jikenbo: Rail Zeppelin Grace Note. There are several new adaptations to be hyped about as well, especially the lost-in-space throwback Kanata no Astra, the larger-than-life shounen action Dr.STONE, and the viking epic Vinland Saga. There’s even an original here and there, like the 2D mecha Granbelm. Let’s all usher in the summer months by staying inside and watching anime! Or maybe watching on the porch? As long as anime is happening. This is Random Curiosity’s Summer 2019 Preview.

Spring 2018 Preview!

March is said to go out like a lamb, but the next season of anime apparently never got the memo. After several strong showings we are looking at one of the most stacked springs in years, as the hotly anticipated sequels for Shokugeki no Souma and Boku no Hero Academia are accompanied by the return of Tokyo Ghoul, the wildly successful visual novel adaptation Steins;Gate, and incredibly surprising—but no less hyped—continuations of Full Metal Panic, WIXOSS, Amanchu, the ever popular harem High School DxD, and fighting anime’s star Souten no Ken. Not to be outdone are the latest adaptations for Sword Art Online and the Persona series, and even a remake for one of anime’s most influential OVAs in Legend of the Galactic Heroes. Plus, if we weren’t spoiled enough for choice already (hint: we aren’t), there’s a slew of promising newcomers, from the violent magical girl series Mahou Shoujo Site to the psychic comedy Hinamatsuri, the quirky monster family slice of life Jikken-hin Kazoku, and the latest otaku romance in Wotaku ni Koi wa Muzukashii. Spring has never looked stronger, and we are here to tell you all about it. This is the Random Curiosity Spring 2018 Preview!

Fall 2017 Preview!

With the temperature dropping (finally), it can only mean one thing: it’s time for the fall season of anime! And when a new season starts, it can only mean one thing: it’s time for Random Curiosity’s Fall 2017 Preview! The preview that tries its best to find the gems of the season while giving you ample information to make an informed decision on what to spend your valuable time on. This season is chock full of sequels as well as your typical fare of 4-komas, romances, idol shows, and romcoms. And if you thought I was joking about sequels (or continuations, I don’t discriminate), we have Love Live! Sunshine!! Season 2, 3-gatsu no Lion 2nd Season, Osomatsu-san 2, and Himouto! Umaru-chan R just to name a few. Alongside all of those we also have an adaptation of a prequel (and sequel) to the popular “hero” show Yuuki Yuuna wa Yuusha de Aru, an adorable slice-of-life that combines anime-tropes with maid cafes in Blend S, a painfully accurate description of a point in time most if not all online gamers experience in Netojuu no Susume, and last but not least the return of our guilty pleasure cooking show Shokugeki no Souma: San no Sara. Overall, not too shabby of a season, even if it is a little heavy on the sequels.

Winter 2017 Preview!

Oh, the weather outside is frightful, but the anime is so delightful. Or hopefully it is, which is what we’re here to find out. This season features some strong sequels, including the long-awaited return of the exorcist battle anime Ao no Exorcist, another hilarious adventure with the dysfunctional goofballs of Kono Subarashii Sekai ni Shukufuku wo!, a new generation in Yowamushi Pedal, and a second season of the universally lauded Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu. Not to be outdone, there are new adaptations of several promising properties, including the cop/spy/bureaucratic drama ACCA: 13-ku Kansatsu-ka, the Seo Kouji 100% certified ragefest adaptation of Fuuka, the classic salesman-transformed-into-magic-loli war story (haven’t we seen that a million times) Youjo Senki, and a period property you’re probably unfamiliar with, but which Japan has been gobbling up for years in Onihei. There are only a few originals airing this season, but standing tall among them are the first full season (finally!) of Little Witch Academia and the spiritual successor (hopefully) to Amagami SS in Seiren. There’s more where those came from, so let’s get on with it so you can figure out what to watch. This is Random Curiosity’s Winter 2017 Preview!

Summer 2016 Preview!

Summer is in the air, and it’s a time of change. Or at least it is for some people. You know what’s not changing? Anime, and the previewing thereof. We’ve got some big-name shows returning with sequels, including the cooking battle mega-hit Shokugeki no Souma, the sword-and-horses warfare of Arslan Senki, and the by-now-traditional new season of Fate/kaleid liner Prisma Illya. Not to be left out, several popular properties are getting their first shot at adaptation, including the breathlessly awaited drama orange, a science trip back to high school with ReLife, the next big Key visual novel adaptation in Rewrite, and not one but two DANGANRONPA series. A few popular authors are getting anime for their newer works, including a healing/diving anime from the ARIA author, Amanchu!, and the next offering from One-Punch Man’s author in Mob Psycho 100. Sports anime fans will be especially pleased with Battery and DAYS on the docket, and though original series are thin on the ground this summer, at least the Prohibition-era thriller 91Days and the new era of school idols in Love Live! Sunshine!! are looking promising. No, that’s not sweat you’re dripping with, it’s anticipation for these new anime. This is Random Curiosity’s Summer 2016 Preview.

07/05: Added over 30 new promotional videos!

Summer 2015 Preview!

Summer has returned, and like (slightly delayed) clockwork, it’s time for another season preview. There are some strong contenders for your anime watching hours this summer. There are plenty of exciting sequels, such as the perennially popular Durarara!!x2 Ten, the triumphant return (and conclusion) of the aptly named workplace comedy WORKING!!!, the slice-of-life countryside antics of Non Non Biyori Repeat, and the third summer in a row of the magical girl spin-off Fate/kaleid liner Prisma Illya Zwei Herz!. New adaptations include the Eastern European flavored GANGSTA, the JSDF invasion of a fantasy land in GATE: Jieitai Kanochi nite, Kaku Tatakeri, the ufotable video game adaptation of God Eater, and the apocalyptic emotional roller coaster Gakkou Gurashi!. There are even some great promising originals, such as the romantic comedy set on Mars, Classroom Crisis, and the likely Maeda Jun tear jerker in Charlotte. There’s even a very special guest in the long-awaited fantasy of a new Dragon Ball anime, Dragon Ball Super! Some say summer is no good, but if even a few of these pan out, it could be a great season. This is Random Curiosity’s Summer 2015 season preview.

* This preview will be kept at the top for the next while, so be sure to scroll past it, check the slider on top, or the Recent Entries on your right for new posts.

The Best of Anime 2014


Now that 2014 is officially over, it’s time for our yearly rage fest foray into annoying everyone with our questionable opinions, the Best of Anime 2014 post! As with last year this post is a collaboration between the writers who watched the most series this year (and who didn’t say “Not it!” quickly enough), me (Zephyr) and Stilts. We each watched upwards of a 100 series this year, and while we we won’t guarantee total objectivity (like such a thing exists), we’re generally well-informed about whatever we’re wrong about.

More after the jump.

Disclaimer: As always, disclaimers abound. Please keep in mind that “best” is subjective. What’s best for us isn’t necessarily best for you, and that’s perfectly fine. This list shouldn’t be taken as some kind of inviolable truth, but rather the opinions of two guys who had too much time on their hands and spent it conjuring up a list of picks based on all the anime they watched. Naturally our choices will be influenced by our own tastes, experiences, and personal impressions. Before you go bashing one of our choices, please make sure you’ve at least seen it and know where we’re coming from. Finally, all we ask is that you respect our opinions and the opinions of others in the comments, just like we respect yours. Thank you.

Disclaimer #2: The choices in this post are not reflective of the opinions of all Random Curiosity writers. They are solely the opinions of myself (Zephyr) and Stilts, save for where otherwise noted. Thank you for your understanding.

Summer 2014 Preview!

Summer has returned, bringing with it a fresh batch of anime to give you excuses to escape from the heat. It’s an interesting batch we have this time. If I had to call this season anything, it would be the Summer of Sequels, with continuations of the KyoAni boys love swimming anime Free!, the alien-hunting stylings of SPACE☆DANDY, the second season of everybody’s favorite magical girl spin-off Fate/Kaleid Liner Prisma☆Illya Zwei!, another arc of Nisio Isin’s Monogatari series in Hanamonogatari, and the colossally popular (and equally polarizing) second season of Sword Art Online. But there are originals as well, including the P.A. Works’ summer romance Glasslip, XEBEC’s mecha series Shirogane no Ishi Argevollen, and another mecha series in the Urobutcher/Aoki Ei collaboration ALDNOAH.ZERO. There’s even a bit of a resurgence in the horror/thriller category, buoyed by the highly anticipated adaptation of Tokyo Ghoul and the original series Zankyou no Terror. Last year’s summer season was surprisingly strong. Can this year keep the trend going? There’s only one way to find out. This is Random Curiosity’s Summer 2014 season preview.

* This preview will be kept at the top for the next while, so be sure to scroll past it, check the slider on top, or the Recent Entries on your right for new posts.

The Best of Anime 2013


Now that 2013 is officially over, it’s time for our yearly foray into annoying everyone with our crappy opinions, the Best of Anime 2013 post! As with last year this post is a collaboration between the writers who watched the most series this year (and who didn’t say “Not it!” quickly enough), Zephyr and Stilts (that’s me!). We each watched upwards to…I don’t know, a lot of anime this past year, so while I can’t promise you we’ll be totally objective (such a thing is impossible), at least we’ll be well-informed about whatever we’re wrong about.

More after the jump.

Disclaimer: As always, disclaimers abound. Please keep in mind that “best” is subjective. What’s best for us isn’t necessarily best for you, and that’s okay. This list shouldn’t be taken as some kind of inviolable truth, but rather the opinions of two guys who watched a lot of anime and then argued about it for about eight hours until a list appeared. Naturally our choices will be influenced by our own tastes, experiences, and personal impressions. Before you go bashing one of our choices, please make sure you’ve at least seen it and know where we’re coming from. Finally, all we ask is that you respect our opinions, just like we respect yours. Thank you.

Disclaimer #2: The choices in this post are not necessarily reflective of the opinions of all Random Curiosity writers. They are solely the opinions of myself (Stilts) and Zephyr, save for where otherwise noted. Thank you for your understanding.

Serious Business – Original IPs, Niche Markets, and the Risks & Rewards Thereof

Profit vor!

I have a feeling last week’s post is going to spawn a few follow-ups. While the main thrust of my point there was thoroughly explored, a few other subjects were raised that I think deserve further exploration. This week will be one of those.

Let’s talk about original series.