It’s summertime! You know what that means, right? Sun, surf, fizzy drinks on the beach, and a brand new season of anime! (Note: RandomC does not promise readers sun, surf, or fizzy drinks. You’re on your own there.) There are a ton of new adaptations this season, including the high-stakes school gambling drama Kakegurui, an adventure in the mysterious depths of Made in Abyss, a historical grand epic set in fantasy-Ottoman Empire with Shoukoku no Altair, and I’d better stop because I could go on for a while. Of course there’s also Fate/Apocrypha, the next entry in the Fate series and something between a sequel, a spin-off, and an adaptation. We all know we’ll be watching it anyway. Speaking of sequels, they’re uncharacteristically light this season, though we are getting more moe work drama in NEW GAME!!, another season of the over-the-top music/battle series Senki Zesshou Symphogear AXZ, and the return of old stalwarts like Saiyuuki RELOAD BLAST and Jigoku Shoujo: Yoi no Togi. Originals are in much the same boat, though I’ve got my eye on a few of them, such as the running-and-gunning espionage thriller Princess Principal and the Stan Lee-produced superhero action of The Reflection. In every season there are gems to be found, and it’s our job to suss them out for you. This is Random Curiosity’s Summer 2017 Preview!

06/28: Added Mahoujin Guru Guru to the season preview line-up!

Autumn winds are coming, there’s a potentially life-changing election around the corner, and 2016 has proved itself to be a thoroughly bizarre year. But amidst the madness we still have a new season of anime to bring us together, so there’s something to celebrate about! The past few seasons have been varied in genre and source material, and this is much the same. We’ve got a bundle of anime originals, with the WWII-inspired Shuumatsu no Izetta sure to make a strong impression, Classicaloid is bringing Mozart and Beethoven together in a colourful comedy, Flip Flappers looks to be a magical girl show with a bundle of creative talent behind it, and the misleadingly titled Yuri!!! on Ice has a lot to live up to. The Hellsing author’s latest manga, Drifters, is getting an adaptation, and the Occultic;Nine light-novels by the Steins;Gate author are also coming to our screens. There’s also a selection of prestige and award-winning material getting TV anime, with the popular novel and live-action film building expectations for Fune wo Amu, 3-gatsu no Lion is getting adapted by none other than Shaft, and the beloved Natsume Yuujinchou is returning for it’s fifth season. Speaking of sequels, we’ve got plenty: the Brave Witches spin-off is sure to satisfy Strike Witches fans, Haikyuu!!’s third season is set to cover the most important match yet, Kyoto Animation are blessing us with the sound of Hibike! Euphonium 2, and we even got a surprise spin-off announcement in WWW.WORKING!!. It’s a large and varied season that’s sure to offer something for everybody. This is Random Curiosity’s Fall 2016 Preview!

The heat of summer has mercifully given way to autumn here in the southern hemisphere, but in animeland, i.e. the only place that matters, it’s spring, which means another big season of anime is coming. We have sequels targeted at those seeking a blast from the past, including more Sailor Moon Crystal to continue an old franchise, and more Concrete Revolutio to deconstruct them all. Watching anime just for the robots? Both Gundam and Macross have an iteration this season. Of course, there are adaptations across the genres for your perusal: the popular manga Boku no Hero Academia brings us shounen action, the popular videogame series Gyakuten Saiban brings legal adventure, and Sakamoto of the titular Sakamoto Desu ga? is plain popular, and also hilarious. But perhaps most notable are the original series that are harder to pigeonhole, like the supernatural bus trip of Mayoiga or Kuromukuro’s story of a samurai in a school on a dam, both to counterpoint the uncannily familiar Koutetsujou no Kabaneri. Why just listen to me list shows, though? Our crack team of animethusiasts are on hand to be your Geiger counter for the entire season of anime. This is Random Curiosity’s Spring 2016 Preview.

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The fall may be upon us, but with El Niño in full effect and warmer than normal temperatures expected to continue, we’ll be keeping the spirit of summer alive as we go into the new season. First up are a slew of sequels, including the newest chapter of K in Return of Kings, the much anticipated second season of Haikyuu!!, the return of Gochuumon wa Usagi Desu Ka??, the near final iteration of the Monogatari series in Owarimonogatari, and continuations of Hidan no Aria, Noragami, Owari no Seraph, and Shinmai Maou no Testament. Rounding out the mix are an assortment of light novel and manga adaptations, highlighted by Heavy Object (bought to you by the creator of Index/Railgun) and One-Punch Man, as well as the arrival of a new original Gundam series in Tekketsu no Orphans. Subete ga F ni Naru: The Perfect Insider also warrants mention for its award-winning source material, adding a much needed mystery series and showing off the assortment of genres the fall has to offer. Ultimately, it’s a great season for those who wanted sequels to the aforementioned series, but the lack of other offerings (especially original series) makes this a weaker than normal fall season, and the season’s enjoyment may boil down to whether the other series pan out. Either way, it’s that time of the year again, and I’m proud to present to you Random Curiosity’s Fall 2015 Preview.

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