Preview by Pancakes

When one thinks of resurrection one thinks of a human existence. You know, special powers, young body, plenty of new conquests. Not in the case of Tama (Hatanaka Tasuku). Dying as a knight the guy had every expectation of being reborn a hero of humanity, but got a rude awakening when he came to as a cat. A tiny cat at that. Sure, technically Tama is a behemoth, one of the most powerful of monsters, but he’s still stuck in a cat’s body with all the restrictions. Thankfully at least Tama’s predicament isn’t his to bear alone. Rescued from likely death by Aria the elf (Yano Hinaki), Tama now finds himself in her company and the veritable mascot of her adventuring party. It’s a weird situation only made weirder by an elf adopting a monster in the first place, yet Tama isn’t going to complain. If he’s going to live the feline life might as well do it in style.

Let’s the get obvious out of the way: yes S-Rank Monster is an ecchi series, and yes it’s going to make no attempts at hiding it. The best way to think of this one is if Kumo desu ga or (to a degree) Buta no Liver decided to follow the Inu ni Nattara Suki script. Take conventional fantasy adventuring, add in multiple opportunities for feline heavy petting, spice it with numerous girls to accentuate the fun, and darling you have yourself a reincarnation anime. The key of course will be the censorship: any heavy-handed approach to character design and character actions both will impact things, and should the usual adaptation hacking and slashing be present it’s likely be more of a trainwreck than proper titillation. Good news at least is that the promotional material isn’t pointing towards anything egregious or rushed, so I’d at least keep an eye on this one if needing some spice for your winter isekai watch list. Or, you know, both eyes.

Preview by Pancakes

In fantasyland it’s typically the divine providing you powers. You get born, you resurrect, Truck-kun grants a visit? Boom time for the spice. Not so in Hazure Skill. Here special abilities come from skill fruits, where consuming one provides a talent only you possess. The catch? You can eat only one, for consuming a second will see you immediately die. Initially Light Underwood (Nagatsuka Takuma) took this restriction to heart, but after living as a lowly farmer with his Nut Master skill granting him no real powers, he decides one day to test his luck with a second skill fruit. And winds up getting far more than he bargained for. As Light quickly learns Nut Master has a secret power, and it’s one which ensures his life – and his skillset – will never be the same again.

If there’s one thing I’m confident with regarding Hazure Skill it’s that I’m not the only one to laugh hard at that synopsis. Fantasy series after all are already fighting hard for standout plot gimmicks, but calling the OP ability Nut Master definitely adds some unintentional – and well-timed – humour to an otherwise standard story. At its core Hazure Skill is basically Shinka no Mi with a more conventional premise: Light is thoroughly background material, but finds success courtesy of special ability granting fruit-fuelled powerups lettings adventures and female acquaintances effortlessly come his way. It’s a simple and dumb plot, but these ones can be fun too if treating them with the appropriate fantasy gloves; after all, junk food is tasty for a reason. Don’t go expecting a lot here, but I think Hazure Skill will more than do the trick for anyone out for a bit of simple comedic fantasy shenanigans this winter season.

Preview by Pancakes

When the alternate world beckons it’s usually the heroes which get sent, except in Iruma Takumi’s (Sakata Shougo) case. Accidentally caught up in a group of chosen heroes, Takumi gets some compensation from an apologetic goddess in the way of selecting his unique power. And given Takumi only wants to live a quiet life he chooses the seemingly benign Alchemy skill. Not a good move. Rather than permitting basic creation powers, Takumi’s Alchemy skill instead lets him create anything and everything, enough so that he becomes incredibly rich and incredibly powerful in an instant. Not at all what the kid had in mind for his isekai life, but hey, sometimes it pays to take the path life leads and enjoy the experience along the way.

Remember Isekai Smartphone? Ever think more of it was needed? Miss the days of ludicrously overpowered MC and true harem shenanigans? Well say hello to Izure Saikyou no Renkinjutsushi. No sense beating the around the bush: this one is pure cookie cutter, with a very generic MC meeting the usual female cast suspects and a basic slice of life narrative inviting the expected arcs and events. For example slavery is a thing, albeit used and treated in the typical fashion – i.e. mechanism to expand Takumi’s harem. Likewise the magic system and world itself aren’t ones for exceptional depth or complexity outside of giving purpose to developments. Or in other words your standard laidback isekai adventuring fare, just with a slight change in characters and premise. Mind you such genericity doesn’t necessarily mean bad though, so as long as Izure Saikyou can keep things lighthearted there’s nothing stopping it becoming a comfy bit of winter isekai entertainment.

Preview by Pancakes

Back after over four years in the wilderness (and two since the sequel announcement), Grisaia once again returns to anime to explore the, shall we say, interesting proceedings of Mihama Academy and its eccentric student body. Based on the visual novel series of the same name, Grisaia follows the school lives of several girls as they come to grips both with their pasts and their own responsibilities to SORD, a covert anti-terrorism organization. Mihama’s purpose you see is to raise the next generation of SORD operatives capable of keeping Japan safe – but saying so and successfully doing so are two separate matters. With the skill of threats only increasing and the students themselves carrying their own demons, it will take more than simple force of will to training to produce the best that Japan has to offer.

Like many a visual novel series before it, Grisaia really hasn’t a good time in anime over the years. From the widely successful initial adaptation of Grisaia no Kajitsu, the series sort of fell off the cliff once Phantom Trigger came around, in part by dispensing with the original cast and shoehorning in a new plot significantly deviating from the initial premise. To be fair for the material in question the Phantom Trigger movies did help with pacing, but the structural faults always held it back, especially when paired with the middling production values. And with this season set to continue where Stargazer left off with the same production crew, let’s just say the optimism isn’t riding all too high. I wouldn’t completely write Grisaia off given the franchise (girls with guns always has its charm, heh), but a few episodes are needed first to find out how serious Phantom Trigger is when it comes to finding its anime redemption.

Preview by Pancakes

The field of medicine sees a great deal of respect, and not just because of the fame and reward it invites. At its core it’s a life of problem solving, where minute details and inexplicable facts must be reconciled quickly for the sake of the patient experiencing them. It’s a life Ameku Takao (Sakura Ayane) in particular is happy to have however, and a life certainly never lacking for surprises. As a key doctor in Tenikai General Hospital’s general diagnostic department, Takao is wholly responsible for handling those no one else wants to touch, whether it be from rare disorders to off-putting personalities. Even police work is no stranger in Takao’s ward given the lengths some will go to hide their crimes. It’s all part in parcel of being a doctor though – and Takao is not about to turn down whatever challenge comes through the door.

Ameku Takao no Suiri Karte is an interesting one at a glance because it deviates from the usual treatment of medicine in anime. Monster after all was a true mystery thriller, the Apothecary Diaries more historical than medicinal. This one? All about the drama. The best way to think of Ameku Takao no Suiri Karte is AI no Idenshi meets House, where genius (yet challenged) doctor uses a combination of talent, knowledge, and skilled staff to solve otherwise impossible mysteries. Anyone familiar with Americanized medical drama will be right at home here, and given the source material author Chinen Mikito is himself both a practising physician and accomplished writer expect plenty of realistic portrayals with a decent amount of mystery and suspense to help the episodes flow. While I wouldn’t go in anticipating masterpiece material, if you like medicine or are in need of some simple drama this season make sure to keep Ameku Takao no Suiri Karte on your winter checklist.

Preview by Pancakes

In the world of idol music new material is never far away and BanG Dream is back to ensure it with Ave Mujica. Following up from It’s MyGO!!!!!, Ave Mujica now follows the struggles of Togawa Sakiko (Takao Kanon) as, much like Chihaya Anon and Takamatsu Tomori before, she comes to terms with the breakup of CRYCHIC and her desire to still create music. And creating music by yourself is no easy thing. Settling on the creation of a new band in CRYCHIC’s place to scratch the itch, Sakiko seeks out new members to flesh out the ranks and see the music continue. Finding such fellow enthusiasts is not easy however, and if Sakiko truly wants to see her dreams advance, she may have to put more on the line than expected.

I’ve joked before about how idol shows love to exchange places every season and indeed BanG Dream is here as veritable replacement for Love Live. Anyone who’s kept up with BanG Dream, particularly It’s MyGO!!!!!, will have a good idea what to expect: sombre, dark-tinged drama will be the main driver, character motivations and desires ground all developments, and the accompanying music is very well done and produced. While not technically a true sequel as well (it’s more a parallel story following another former CRYCHIC member), Ave Mujica very much copies the premise of It’s MyGO!!!!! in terms of backstory and outcome, so if you were looking for more of that flavour of idol shenanigans you will be right at home here. And hey, even if not, there’s arguably no better point than Ave Mujica to see just what makes BanG Dream and idol series in general tick.

Preview by Pancakes

High school romance is a pure and wholesome thing. You have the butterflies, the crushing, the incessant awkwardness arising from teenagers figuring it all out. And then you have Sakuramori Akane and Houjo Saito completely breaking with tradition. Already married thanks to family machinations, both Akane and Saito happen to not just be husband and wife, but also classmates and, more importantly, classroom rivals. Saito you see tops the school rankings at every opportunity, and Akane always winds up second best to her eternal chagrin. Both of them just cannot seem to make their relationship work, but if there’s one thing about love is that it takes time, and if there’s anything to say about Saito and Akane it’s that they have all the time in the world to make theirs do so.

I must admit I got a decent chuckle out of looking into Class no Daikirai na Joshi because it’s definitely been a while since we’ve had such a romcom adapted. Much as the synopsis teases this one is pure drama mill, where unwanted pairing meets misunderstandings, and various outbursts lead to growing attachment and desires. Akane after all is a pure tsundere, Saito is your quintessential lazy genius, and no matter their differences both just cannot help themselves when it comes to gradually falling in love. All that said though the big unknown here is the nature of the adaptation; the source light novels are quite slow and methodical, and any concerted rushing or chopping is bound to lose some of the flair which Class no Daikirai na Joshi has going for it, especially if this winds up being a single cour affair. Provided this train can stay firmly on the tracks however I suspect Class no Daikirai na Joshi will be a nice bit of wintertime romcom fun when it sneaks its way into this season.

Preview by Pancakes

Another day, another post-apocalyptic Earth, and another girl who must find her way. In this latest case it’s Kasumi Renge (Murakami Manatsu), one of but a handful of survivors from an extraterrestrial robotic invasion wiping out nearly all life on the planet. Herself suffering from amnesia, all Renge knows is that she’s alone and possesses a power helping her survive. Soon enough however the girl runs across five others in a similar situation, each rocking a different ability serving the same purpose of living. And they’ll need those abilities more than they think. In between handling the robot invaders and living day to day there’s their pasts to discover, and if their current situation is any indication, it’s a set of secrets they may not like the answers to.

Let’s get the obvious out of the way: yes Momentary Lily is yet another addition to the cute girls battling overpowered invaders concept, and no, it’s not related at all to Assault Lily. For starters this one is a true anime original, second it plays more to slice-of-life than battle academy with a strict character assortment facing off against a threat who has, for all intents and purposes already won. Or in other words, Nier with the cuteness dialed up a notch. The major thing for Momentary Lily though will be in terms of production; this is a GoHands work, so you should assume right now either artsy chaos or outright Hand Shakers level of trainwreck disaster – and absolutely no in between. While the PV at least hints towards the former a few episodes will be needed to see if it’s a fluke or the base animation level as a whole, especially given GoHands’ record to date. When it comes to these sorts of shows always best to err on the side of caution – pleasant surprises always beat hair pulling disappointments.

Preview by Pancakes

Highschooler Aoba Minami (Takagi Miyu) only knows one thing for sure: she’s a nobody. Or at least a nobody without any passions or talents helping separate her from the pack. It’s a belief fueling her resignation at graduating at the back of the class, yet also one driving her to find a measure of uniqueness. That drive leads her across a golf driving range and right into the hands of superstar golfer Akane Haruka (Amami Yurina). Unlike Minami herself, Haruka sees something in the girl, enough so to convince her to try out the sport and see what happens. Minami doesn’t know if golf can change her life, but with nothing else in the tank and a curiosity now lit, she’s eager to find out just how true that idea is.

Golf has been a lowkey feature of sports anime over the past few seasons, enough so that is doesn’t really make Sorairo Utility stand out too much, at least outside the fact this one is pure CGDCT. The original premise comes from a 2021 OVA short where, as you can likely guess, many cute girls wound up doing many cute things, from Minami learning the ropes of golf to enjoying lunch outings and everything up to basic reminiscing on what has been and introspection on what’s to come. The golf theme here shouldn’t distract from the more slice-of-life base, so as long as you either like the sport or need some laidback wholesomeness you’ll certainly find something to enjoy. When it comes to cute girls doing cute things nailing either is a good sign of success, and Sorairo Utility looks on track to meet that goal.

Preview by Pancakes

Back for its second kick at the anime can, Solo Leveling returns to a world not quite the same as our own. Over a decade since the appearance of Gates – links to alternate dimensions harbouring all manner of dangerous monster – guilds have emerged to combat their threat and keep the world safe through the employment of individuals with superpowers called hunters. And Sung Jin-Woo (Ban Taito) is one such hunter, albeit not the most impressive. A lowly E-rank, Jin-Woo has a near-death experience granting him access to special abilities and power ups no other hunter has. It comes with a price of course, but for a man who believed he was a nobody it’s a chance at a life he never before considered possible. And now having started making a name for himself, he’s about to come across threats he never imagined possible.

While not exactly turning into the masterpiece hit promised through hype, there’s no denying the staying power of Solo Leveling at the moment. Besides being one of the most popular manhwa to date, the first season was graced with some pretty damn impressive adaptation writing (the pacing in particular was great) and production values courtesy of A-1, turning what is at heart a conventional shounen-based isekai into an addictive bit of popcorn entertainment. And I’m not kidding on the animation. This season will be a fluid continuation from the first given what the first two early released episodes tease, and with Jin-Woo having now established himself and after greater challenges plenty of opportunity to see more of what Solo Leveling does well at. Likely not enough to win over those who didn’t like the first season of course, but if there’s only one isekai you’re going to watch this winter Solo Leveling should be at the top of the list.

Preview by Pancakes

High school romance is no easy thing, and doubly so when your name is Nakamura Teruaki (Ootsuka Takeo). A recent transplant from mainland Japan to the island of Okinawa, Teruaki had the fortune (or displeasure) of quickly succumbing to crushing hard on Kyan Hana (Kitou Akari), a thoroughly Okinawan student. How thorough? Enough so that her accent and dialect leave the poor kid stumped at every opportunity. Daily school life, trips to the beach, exploring the markets: whatever have you it’s Teruaki struggling to make heads or tails of the talking while Hana has fun. Thankfully Hana’s friend Higa Kana (Fairouz Ai) is around to help with the foreign exchange, but Teruaki certainly has his work cut out for him if he wants this potential relationship to blossom.

I’ve always gotten a kick out of quirky romcoms in part because you can always bet on interesting developments. For good and bad. Donsaku Gal after all was carried by Hokkaido setting and culture, even while rocking a very generic plot while Sono Bisque Doll fused basic cosplay with some addictive romantic movement. And in Okinawa de Suki’s case you can expect more of good than bad. For one this one is very accurate towards the Okinawan dialect and local customs, using them as a driver of relationship growth versus the usual waifu attraction factors (tanned skin anyone?). Likewise there’s a focus more on cute and wholesome than outright ecchi, so while lack of serious romantic movement should be anticipated (because teenage romcom), expect lots of quirky and adorable moments to make up for it. Make no mistake, Okinawa de Suki won’t be setting any serious records, but as a different take on the usual setups it’s certainly worth a look for anyone needing some fresh romance material to help ring in the new year.

Preview by Guardian Enzo

Medalist is a manga that’s been at the forefront of critical acclaim almost since its debut. It won the Next Manga Award in 2022, and the Shogakukan Manga Award in 2023, and has a boatload of other nominations on top of that. None of that means anything in a vacuum of course, but it’s fair to say that the bulk of opinion on this series is overwhelmingly positive and it’s been garnering a ton of buzz since it first got noticed.

I do love me a good sports anime, and a seinen so much the better. I’m not especially a fan of figure skating but that’s probably not a problem given my track record. The focus of Medalist is on the youth development side of the sport – and this is a sport where champions are usually pretty young to begin with (especially on the women’s side). The two main characters are a fifth-grade girl trying to make it to the top in ice dancing (probably the least well-known of the major figure skating disciplines), and the former hotshot prospect who takes it on himself to coach her to the top.

There’s loads of potential there, obviously. Is Tsukasa trying to live vicariously through Inori? What about the other kids she competes with? The downer here is that ENGI is hardly a studio with an impressive track record, and this figures to be a sport that’s tough to animate well. But the previews look pretty decent, and director Yamamoto Yasutaka and writer Hanada Jukki are experienced and typically very good as their jobs. On balance Medalist figures to be one of the better adaptations of 2025, and it’ll be a disappointment if it doesn’t turn out that way.

Preview by Pancakes

For the young duchess Leticia Dorman (Shiraishi Haruka) life is an utter drag. Locked in a strict education to raise her to the level of wife material for Prince Clarke (Fukuyama Jun) – himself engaged to her since age seven – Leticia only dreams of freedom and opportunity to do whatever she pleases. Naturally then, when Clarke shows up at a royal ball with a new girl at her side, Leticia thinks she’s finally obtained freedom and a broken engagement. Only to get a rude awakening. Not only is Clarke still engaged to her, but he’s determined to win Leticia over and make her fall in love with him. Who will emerge in this battle of competing wills? One way or another Leticia intends on it being her.

Romance series always take one of two directions. Either you get the cute and wholesome with lots of tender moments, or you get the full-on dramafest with plenty of hair pulling insanity. And yes, Kisaki Kyouiku leans towards the latter. This one is a fairly standard otome plot, where forced pairing yields unexpected love over time, except that Leticia really doesn’t want the match and Clarke is determined to have it no matter what. The nature of this story and overt focus on Leticia’s goal of getting away led to many of the parts I read coming across as abrasive, where you felt sympathetic for Leticia’s plight more than warm and fuzzy for closer attachment with the prince, even with the comedy to help smoothen out the edges. It’s enough to raise some doubts regarding this adaptation, and while I always maintain surprises are possible, it’ll take some serious imagination to weed out the main irks affecting this story. Certainly keep an eye out here if needing some new otome romance, but we’ll need a few episodes before getting a good grasp on the type of show Kisaki Kyouiku intends to be.

Preview by Pancakes

Like most wannabe animators Hirose Natsuko (Nagase Anna) started young. Honing her talents during high school, the girl was quickly picked up following graduation and soon flourished into a director within the blink of an eye. And more than that: her first anime happened to be a smash hit and get her proclaimed as the next big genius director. Only for the hype to rapidly put her on the path of disaster. With perfection being the name of the game and her next production being a romcom themed around one’s first love (of which she has no experience) Nasuko overworks herself to such a degree she clunks out one day – and promptly ends up in the world of her favourite fantasy anime. Can one genius director come to grips with living in a new world and, more importantly, accept its preordained outcome? Whether Natsuko likes it or not she’s about to find out.

Honestly at this point when it comes to isekai the premise says more than the story, and ZENSHU at least gets points for an interesting one. Director entering fantasyland is technically untried after all, and with the story effectively emulating the basic otome villainess plot fairly easy guessing the type of choices and decisions Natsuko will have to make. The other positive? ZENSHU is a fully anime original with MAPPA at the helm, meaning lots of room for interesting material and/or story developments. Not that I personally expect perfection mind you – too much isekai these days to really bank on a new one standing far above the crowd – but as far as recent series go this one has some strength backing itself up. And hey, if the PV animation isn’t completely lying, there’s a decent budget supporting the whole thing too! This one will certainly be a wait and see sort of show, but if winter had one good dark horse candidate to hone in on ZENSHU is definitely it.

Preview by Pancakes

On another Earth in a Taishou era not quite the same, magic and spirits are commonplace. It is in this world that Saimori Miyo (Ueda Reina) is born. The child of an arranged marriage, Miyo is abandoned following her mother’s death and left as a lowly servant. At least for a while. Unexpectedly one day Miyo is summoned by her father because she is to marry Kudou Kiyoka (Ishikawa Kaito), the scion of its titular – and distinguished – family. The catch? Kiyoka is callous and cruel, having brusquely dismissed all his fiancées to date. Upon arriving at the Kudou residence however Miyo finds out that knowledge and her fears about it are completely unfounded. Rather than being cold and coarse Kiyoka is soft and kind at heart, showering Miyo with love she never knew she missed so dearly. It’s the start of an opportunity for both to find happiness, and with them having now solidified their betrothal, it’s one they aren’t going to let slip by.

My Happy Marriage is a funny outlier for recent romances in that dispenses with a lot of preconceptions the genre holds. At heart this one is a pure romp through the warm and fuzzies, replacing drama (or at least overt drama) with cute and wholesome and starting from the point of a growing relationship versus one yet to be made. The first season wasn’t particularly heavy on the romance aspect – much of it was caught up in the supernatural over its run – nor did it really flesh out its characters and their complexities outside of Miyo, but for pure romance it certainly held its own and made for a very comfy experience. The good news is that this season will follow the first with all major cast and crew and studio in Kinema Citrus carrying over. Tack on too plenty of source material left to adapt and there’s lots of opportunity to see something interesting. It may ultimately play second fiddle to other shows this season, but any romance fan in need of some very sweet material would do well seeing how charming My Happy Marriage gets this winter season.

Preview by Princess Usagi

Nothing says “spicy” (and warning: danger ahead) in the anime world like office romance. Masugu Tateishi (Yamashita Seiichirou) and Mitsuya Yui (Miyamoto Yume) get a taste of this first hand as they try balancing their budding relationship in private with their professional duties in the workplace. This, of course, calls for a lot of close calls, awkward mishaps, and blushing cuteness, all part and parcel of the rom com experience. It also looks like they also address coupley business behind closed doors that other romcoms typically skirt around. From the preview, it certainly promises to be a ride full of adorableness.

I, for one, have been a fan of the recent slew of adult rom coms (Kekkon suru tte, Hontou desu ka is the standout one this season), so I certainly welcome another addition. While the staff on this have not worked on any of those, Masahiro Yokotani, in charge of script composition, has worked on some major series like Nodame Cantabile and Re:Zero and some wonderful, laidback shows like Miira no Kaikata and Atarashii Joushi wa Do Tennen which fit the vibes I’m getting from this show. The studio, Blade, was involved in a cute romcom I quite enjoyed, Dosanko Gal wa Namara Menkoi, so on the whole, things look pretty positive for this show.

Preview by Pancakes

In the venerable ways of Truck-kun no one is immune to the alternate world call, and doubly so if you’re an overworked salaryman. The latest example of divine automobile intervention? One Uchimura Dennosuke (Ono Yuuki) who, while traversing the way home one day, gets touched by Truck-kun and sent on a one-way trip to fantasyland. This isn’t your normal office worker to hero adventure though, oh no; Dennosuke you see was summoned instead by the Demon King who needs his clerical talents to help unite the various disparate demonic tribes into one collective army. As one of the Demon King’s Four Heavenly Kings he is given a huge swath of power to achieve this, but also naturally huge expectations. Just how well can one lowly salaryman live up to them and thrive? Dennosuke is about to find out.

If I can say one thing about Salaryman ga Isekai it’s that it at least is trying for something different. Flipping the alternate world script to have the Demon King do the summoning isn’t that well-explored a premise yet after all, and doubly so when paired with Dennosuke’s focus being more diplomatic than warlike akin to a Genjitsu-lite story. Of course that’s about as far as you can take the ingenuity: at its core Salaryman ga Isekai is very much your standard isekai with the usual developments, usual character types, and the usual genre tropes. It doesn’t make for a particularly bad story, but the manga parts I read didn’t deviate too far from the tried and true path, especially once factoring in the gradual shift towards a more serious story in its later arcs. The good news is that Geek Toys and director Fukuda Michio aren’t bad picks for this sort of thing, so provided Salaryman ga Isekai can match the source material in terms of structure I don’t foresee too many issues. Considering just how many of these shows there are now, anything to stand out from the pack is a good thing to have.

Preview by Pancakes

If there’s one thing Kawai Mona (Serizawa Yuu) has in abundance it’s attractiveness. Universally accepted as breathtaking in all possible ways, Mona has learned how to leverage her charm into getting whatever she desires. At least until Kuroiwa Medaka (Iwasaki Ryouta) came along. Seemingly immune to all of Mona’s allure, Medaka retains the same dead face every time she interacts with him. It’s enough to start irritating Mona whereby she breaks out her physical attractiveness, only for Medaka to react the same. The reason? Medaka is a monk in training and out to avoid all worldly pleasures. Not enough to stop Mona though; one way or another she will entice Medaka, even if it means risking falling for him herself.

I will admit digging into Kuroiwa Medaka made me come to like it far more than expected, and the synopsis pretty much gives the reason away: Mona wants Medaka’s attention to prove she can get it, Medaka does everything he can to avoid providing it, and the circle continues, only more intense the next cycle around. It’s a simple premise with a well-used gimmick, but the parts I perused held up fairly well and made for some fun, lighthearted material, especially when paired with some of the more introspective moments on tap. Couple it with a very suitable studio choice in SynergySP and a solid seiyuu crew for the main cast and I dare say it might even turn out better than expected. Per usual the first few episodes will tell the tale, but Kuroiwa Medaka has all the pieces needed to be a fun and comfy bit of winter romcom shenanigans.

Preview by Pancakes

When Truck-kun gets tired and God blinks, sometimes the isekai bug gets replaced with reincarnation instead. So is the case for one nondescript middle-aged commoner, who through stroke of luck, went from slamming back after work beverages to being reborn as Liam Hamilton (Murase Ayumu), a young son of noble stock. There’s just one problem: Liam’s family is broke. Broke so much that Liam’s own nobility might be at risk. Not to fear though; Liam now has the time and resources to pick up magic, and you can bet your alternate world adventure that he will not squander the opportunity. Of course there’s no guarantees magic will help the situation or even restore his family’s fortunes, but for Liam it’s all about the thrill of the ride.

It’s a cliché these days to immediately pin any new fantasy as either isekai or reincarnation, but yeah, Botsuraku Yotei no Kizoku dakedo is not beating the allegations. This one is as unassuming and cookie cutter as they come, with reincarnation meeting conventional noble lifestyle compounded with the flavour of imminent family ruin and a love for magic. While it does break the trend of having its main character flaunt insane powers or even indulge in school life (funnily enough there’s a plotline akin to Tensura under the hood), Botsuraku Yotei no Kizoku dakedo does stick close to the usual tropes, archetypes, and harem-lite antics well-familiar for these sorts of stories. I wouldn’t go expecting a lot here, but Botsuraku Yotei no Kizoku dakedo will certainly do the trick for those in need of their next hit of fantasy reincarnation shenanigans.

Preview by Pancakes

Normally marriage is a happy affair. You find one you love, you make a bit of small-talk, you wind up proposing – and bam, you’re successfully betrothed. Not in Prince Oscar’s (Nakajima Yoshiki) case. Beset with a curse killing any woman whom he happens to take as a wife, Oscar is desperate for a solution, a desperation driving him to scale a deadly tower all for meeting Tinasha (Tanezaki Atsumi), the Witch of the Azure Moon. It is said that Tinasha is strong enough to break any curse, but when Oscar meets her and witnesses her beauty he suddenly gets a better idea: if Tinasha is so strong why not marry Oscar instead? Naturally Tinasha turns him down, but does agree to live with Oscar for a year as to find a solution for his problem. As Oscar will soon learn however, beauty is only skin deep.

When it comes to 2024 anime faceplants few have done it better than Unnamed Memory. While starting out as a fantastic bit of fantasy with interesting character dynamics, the adaptation quickly threw a wrench into the gears with ridiculous pacing, even more ridiculous source material chopping, and cliffhanger whose impact would’ve been better felt with improved story handling. The experience left a decently sour taste in my mouth, and while second seasons always offer ways to redemption, I would remain firmly cautious here: no major staff shakeups have occurred, ENGI remains in the production hotseat, and the upcoming material is reliant on narrative elements and foreshadowing skipped during the first for its emotional payoff. I’ll personally still give it a whirl because I’m a sucker for these sorts of shows, but if there was ever a winter series to hedge your bets on until seeing it in action Unnamed Memory is definitely it.

Preview by Pancakes

The small island of Tonakijima doesn’t have all too much going for it. With a population of 600 life is slow, the offerings slim, and kids are more often than not left up to their own devices. For Haruyama Hana (Fujidera Minori) however this isn’t a really big deal. A teenager with a passion for reading to children, Hana gets scouted by the school broadcasting club president Usurai Mizuki (Shimabukuro Miyuri) to help broaden her skills. In Mizuki’s mind with Hana being so good reading, why not nurture that talent more and let her reach new heights? So begins Hana’s new adventure in the broadcasting club – and with it more chances to do things she never thought possible.

Before anyone starts leaping at the synopsis and promotional material, no Hana wa Saku is not primarily a romance, and no, it doesn’t hurt it in the slightest. Heralding from Takeda Ayano, Hibiki Euphonium’s author, Hana wa Saku at its core is basically introspective school-life with a heavy focus on life learning and growing up. In this one it’s all about Hana learning to spread her wings, with Mizuki and the rest of the broadcasting club serving as the catalyst to bringing the girl into her own. While romance undertones should be expected (particularly the yuri variety), this one remains firmly in the slice-of-life sphere; expect plenty of comfy rural living and all the wholesomeness it invites. Given Studio Bind is handling animation alongside a fairly solid cast there’s no major production concerns, and given the source manga backlog more than enough material to churn out a decent adaptation. For anyone after a solid bit of slice-of-life this winter season make sure to keep Hana wa Saku on your radar – one way or another this one won’t disappoint.

Preview by Pancakes

From the mobile game of the same name, Mahoyaku tells the tale of the Sage, an individual from Japan summoned to another world. The Sage’s role is to save the world from the Great Calamity, a moon descending close enough to the surface each year to wreak major destruction courtesy of its magical potency. As head of the Sage’s Wizards, a group comprised of similar summoned members, the Sage protects against the Great Calamity’s effects, but now with half of the Wizards dead through battle the latest fight against it will prove to be the most challenging in years. And given the new Sage himself is thoroughly untested, there’s no guarantee it’s a challenge which will be overcome.

At this stage I think everyone and their gatcha pulling grandmother can guess how mobage adaptations are likely to play out. There’s just something about the mechanics, the adaptation intent, and the scriptwriting which seems to really hit these franchises hard, and outside of Arknights few of late have really overcome the limitations. While I don’t want to write Mahoyaku off that easy – this is a pretty damn popular otome game in Japan right now – all the usual flags are waving courtesy of (likely) single cour run, Lidenfilms on production duty, and the usual mobage mechanics; expecting the usual is right within line. Yet this adaptation has also made the character insert a woman and per the promotional material looks to be aiming for a more conventional plot so hey, there’s room for some surprises. Given how these game adaptations usually play out, I’m firmly take any chance of that as a win.

Preview by Pancakes

Once the world was threatened by the great Demon King, a being of immense power and even wickeder designs. Yet overcome and defeated was the Demon King, brought down by a collection of demigods who now in the heady aftermath have laid claim to the world. Or that’s what the average person believes. In reality one hero was responsible for felling the Demon King, and everyone of power wants to know who. Thus the world’s strongest gather in the world’s largest city of Yellow Capital to determine who among their rank is the true saviour. A sound barrier breaking lancer; a rouge capable of wielding three legendary weapons; an instant death dealing assassin; a wizard capable of turning thoughts into reality: all seek the title of hero, and as all shall see, claiming it will be the greatest challenge of them all.

Ishura really had a hard time when it premiered back in winter 2024. Its first season really leaned into the slow burn idea, taking its time introducing its cast and laying the groundwork, but doing so in a way giving the sense of narrative bait and switch. Heroic battle royale? Big fights in the Yellow Capital? Effectively only a thing teased right at the end (but we did get some interesting fights), with the rest of the season devoted to giving a reason for it all. Personally I enjoyed the first season for what it was, and considering this season will be building on that prolonged intro, it’s fully reasonable to expect a half-decent payoff. Couple things with all main cast and crew carrying over alongside plenty of material left to adapt too and hey, I think we might even get it. Wouldn’t go betting the house when it comes to Ishura just yet, but if there was any possibility for a surprise diamond in the rough this season this one would be it.

Preview by Princess Usagi

Sometimes people just need a place to gather their thoughts while planning for the next step, and that includes the souls of the dead. For them, Tasokare Hotel (a play on the word for Twilight and “who is he”) is just such a place. Tsukahara Neko (Momokawa Rika), having lost her memories, arrives at Tasokare Hotel. With the help of the hotel employees and hints to her past life in her room, she works to find her memories and make her way to where she belongs. However, there’s a big bump, or rather, body, in the road. Will she be able to piece everything together?

While I’m not familiar with the game it is based on, I do like the mystery premise and the 1920’s setting. It reminded me of a supernatural version of the Nancy Drew computer games I played growing up. The question is how well it would be carried out. I don’t know too much about the director, Kuremizu Kousuke, who it seems relatively new, and no information is given on the writer, both key roles for a successful production. The studio, PRA, doesn’t seem to have done anything notable, but that doesn’t mean they can’t. We will just have to see.

Preview by Pancakes

Another day, another trip to fantasyland for another lucky Japanese salaryman. Or so you would think if you were Theon (Han Megumi). Dying unexpectedly at the tender age of thirty, Theon took his rebirth into a new world as meaning he would have the opportunity to learn magic, something he always hoped to do. Alas for the guy, no such magic existed – until Theon decided to get imaginative. Magic doesn’t exist? No big deal, it just has to be invented. So begins Theon’s new lease on life, where the goal isn’t to save the world or rescue the princess, but rather bring about a completely new system and way of thinking about the world. And you best be sure he’s not going to fail at it.

Have to say, as far as generic isekai go Magic Maker at least knows how to differentiate itself. Most isekai these days after all play fast and loose with the tropes, going for minute differences in characters and origins to drive their plots. Going instead for a fantasy world without any magic is already a fairly big deviation, but in the usual fashion it’s about as far as you can take Magic Maker. Beyond the trappings it’s quintessential isekai, with incredibly overpowered main continually saving the day for the usual array of threats, enemies, and miscellaneous developments. Want the harem? Need perfect outcomes? You’re in the right place. Any expectations of masterpiece material should be thoroughly kept in check, but is Magic Maker can at least play to its strengths and give a decent bit of worldbuilding to boot there’s nothing stopping it becoming a nice bit of winter isekai fun.

Preview by Pancakes

Imagine Amazon, but fantasy. Jeff Bezos? Your ordinary Japanese salaryman isekai’d into greatness. And then picture Hamada Kenichi (Suwabe Junichi) in the role. An ordinary middle aged office worker, Kenichi suddenly found his life turned upside down one day after getting forcibly transplanted into alternate world central. Coming to in a forest teeming with monsters, the only saving grace for Kenichi is his special access to an online store letting him buy all manner of modern conveniences. And the best part? Only he has access. Move aside slow life, take a step back pleasure and leisure. For Kenichi has the power to be this world’s premier merchant and supplier, and you best be sure he’s not going to waste the opportunity.

With isekai having run the gambit of everything from genius intelligence to smartphone aids up to and including literal reincarnation as vending machines, having the next kick at the can be Amazon in fantasyland is a little understandable. And yes, that’s about as far as you can swing Arafo Otoko in terms of originality. Strip away the bunting and it’s pure harem adventuring here, with Kenichi simply replacing battle of the week with shopping escapade of the week, complete with all the usual tropes, gags, and character archetypes always expected. Unassuming crew and studio are also hints towards another run of the mill isekai story, but hey, there’s a finished source manga to work with and the premise isn’t too out there. As long as Arafo Otoko manages to stick the landing it might just wind up being a decent winter isekai watch.

Preview by Pancakes

In the world of Fuguushoku Kanteishi, heroes aren’t made – they’re born. From the moment of conception your life is known, and unless lucky enough to be granted the job of hero, well, you’re relegated to something less glamorous as in the case of poor Ein (Toya Kikunosuke). Stuck with the job of Appraiser, Ein is as far from designated hero material as you can get, and even his fellow adventurers are only willing putting up with the limitations so long before ignominiously casting him aside. Yet it’s that abandonment which proves serendipitous for the kid. You see becoming a true hero isn’t so clear cut, and when Ein’s whole life has been about making observations, let’s just say he’s got the talent needed to make a career switch.

Another season, another fantasy, and yes indeed, another series fully embracing the weakling zero to overpowered hero premise. To Fuguushoku Kanteishi’s credit though it’s not a particularly bad example of the concept in action; this one is more methodical in its approach, with gradual powerups meeting tempered personality for Ein and an appropriate degree of character complexity rounding out the cast. Make no mistake, once you strip away the exterior it’s very much paint by numbers, but unlike some recent examples there’s enough artistic charm under the hood to keep things interesting. Cast and crew are all fairly decent and there’s enough light novel material for a single cour run, so provided the production chops match the material I don’t foresee any issues. After all, every season needs a bit of simple laidback adventuring, and Fuguushoku Kanteishi easily has the pieces required to fill out that slot.

Preview by Pancakes

Well, it’s been a long journey, but Dr. Stone is finally ready to finish the adventures of Ishigami Senkuu (Kobayashi Yuusuke) and friends once and for all. Having overcome the issues of oceanic travel and impassioned natives, Senkuu is now ready to wholly turn his genius to one last major challenge: space travel. Having deduced the source of everything afflicting Earth over the past three millennia is on the lunar surface, Senkuu sets out to not only fashion the stone world’s first rocket, but also its first manned mission to the moon. It will take a lot of effort, a lot of resources, and finding the select few capable of crewing such a flight, but the resident mad scientist isn’t daunted: many other challenges have already been overcome, more fearsome threats squashed. One way or another Senkuu will get the answers he seeks, because it might just also be the solution to fixing the stone world once and for all.

It really is hard to believe it, but we’re now in Dr. Stone’s endgame. Five years after its premiere and we’ve got another three cours to look forward to – and with it some of this series’ most outlandish and entertaining material to boot. Thought the personalities were already over the top? Believed the pop science and popcorn plotlines couldn’t get more ridiculous? Best strap in because you haven’t seen anything yet. Much like with the New World saga pacing is going to be the crutch here, as any rushing or source material hacking and slashing will take away from what is a fairly solid shounen experience all around. Provided we can avoid such pitfalls however this finale will certainly be worth a watch for anyone who’s kept up with it to date. One way or another you can bet it’s going to go out with a bang.

Preview by Pancakes

As Tondabayashi Kenzaburou (Inoue Kazuhiko) can attest, being a civil servant is hard – especially when the job has you wind up meeting Truck-kun with your face. At the tender age of 52 Kenzaburou got a one-way trip to fantasy land courtesy of the isekai express, but the body he found himself in was far from expected. Winding up as Grace Auvergne, the haughty drill-tailed blonde villainess from his daughter’s favourite otome game, all Kenzaburou can piece together is that he should be obnoxious and bratty for the sake of his (her) life according to the game’s story, but decades of public service simply prevent the poor guy from doing so. From befriending the heroine to becoming a model leader for the student body everything Kenzaburou does only deviates Grace’s role further from fate. Can one unfortunate civil servant do the impossible and properly fit in with the kids? One way or another he’s about to find out.

Yes indeed, it’s another entry into the otome villainess flavour of the month, but don’t let appearances betray you when it comes to Akuyaku Reijou Tensei Ojisan. This one is arguably the first to really play the concept for all it’s worth, effectively taking Youjo Senki, pairing it with a more tempered Bakarina, and letting the chaos take things from there. The manga parts I read were an utter riot, whether it be the handling of the gender-bending, Kenzaburou’s perfectly clinical personality, or the savvy treatment of the usual tropes on display. It’s a little disappointing this one is likely to end before the really good stuff (let’s just say any third season has a picture-perfect cliffhanger ready to go), however the parts beforehand are easily good enough to still do the trick. I don’t imagine anyone already tired of the isekai’d villainess concept will be won over, but if you like the idea and enjoy some off the wall comedy definitely give Akuyaku Reijou Tensei Ojisan a shot. I guarantee you won’t be disappointed.

Preview by Pancakes

Almost a decade after its third installment spin-off, the mecha franchise Aquarion once again returns to the anime screen with Myth of Emotions. Based on an Earth drastically different than our own, Aquarion follows the lives of select kids chosen for their ability to connect body, mind, and soul together in a way allowing them to power robotic weapons called Aquarion. The reason for it? Earth is under siege by external foes seeking to transform all manner of life into something distinctively nonhuman. It’s up to those selected to turn the tides of war, for failing to do so will mean not just the end of humanity, but of Earth itself.

Well now if this isn’t a blast from the past. Aquarion for the unfamiliar is one of those mecha franchises like Fafner which came about during the mecha heyday, only to sort of fall away over time from competition or weak sequels. This one was basically Darling in the Franxx before that was even a thing, and while the Aquarion Logos spinoff was, well, pretty damn divisive, there’s no denying the reach or interest its original generated. And then we get to Myth of Emotions. Besides the utter lack of information here (that vague synopsis should be a sign), there’s also the radical departure in art style which leans hard towards Panty & Stocking versus the more generic 2000s look. Couple that with the plot looking to be yet another spinoff over an origin story and the title itself hinting towards more upbeat proceedings (moe, heh) and not hard seeing where doubt might start factoring in. I’d still suggest giving this one a shot if a mecha fan (and doubly so if nostalgic for Aquarion) considering how few these shows are now, but definitely keep any expectations in check. Always better to be pleasantly surprised than majorly disappointed.

Preview by Pancakes

High schooler (and aspiring manga artist) Nishino Mizuho (Shinfuku Sakura) has it rough. Newly turned 17, Mizuho not only had her parents completely forget about her birthday now come and gone, but also had the displeasure of finding out her crush has absolutely no interest in her. Indeed, not at all the birthday you want. Yet things take a quite dramatic turn when one of Mizuho’s childhood friends takes a leap of faith and asks her out. Now in a relationship out of the blue, Mizuho must both reconcile what the change means and, more importantly, what it will do for her as a while. As the girl will soon discover, her own feelings will be far from the only ones changing.

Before anyone makes any major leaps regarding Douse, Koishite Shimaunda, note that it is shoujo through and through. And reverse harem shoujo at that. The central premise of Douse, Koishite Shimaunda is Mizuho coming to grips with changing relationships, as she’s the focal point for four guys who all have an interest in her for one reason or another. Or in other words melodrama is very much the focus and misunderstandings provide plenty of gristle. The one key here however is that Douse, Koishite Shimaunda’s source material was written during the COVID years and the lockdowns factor majorly into the story itself, so if you ever wanted to see what a romance would be like from the angle of isolation there’s no better example than this. Maybe not enough to be true masterpiece storytelling mind you, but I dare say Douse, Koishite Shimaunda will meet the need of any romance fan out for the next hit of cute and wholesome.

Preview by Guardian Enzo

This is a series that would certainly have received an adaptation sooner if it were a shounen. Honey Lemon Soda has sold at least 12 million copies of its 26 volumes, making it one of the best-selling shoujo manga of the past decade. But shoujo doesn’t pull the same weight in anime (many popular titles wind up with live-action dramas – HLS has had a film already), and it’s taken almost a decade for this adaptation to finally hit. It’s at J.C. Staff too, which in recent years has usually meant dirt cheap and CG-heavy. But the previews look pretty decent, for what it’s worth.

I haven’t read any of the manga, so I’m going in pretty cold here. By reputation it seems to be seen as a pretty by-the-book shoujo romance with better than average execution, but I’ll reserve judgment until we have actual episodes to consider. The story follows a shy, bullied girl who meets a flashy yellow-haired boy (thus the title) when she gets to high school. He slowly encourages her to open up to the world, and romance blooms. Sounds fine, if pretty familiar.

Preview by Pancakes

For Kitase Kazuhiro (Kobayashi Yuusuke) there’s only hobby to have: sleeping. Day or night, rain or shine, the guy lives for a good nap in part for the very vivid dreams he experiences involving wondrous worlds and exciting adventures. One dream in particular has him befriend a gorgeous elf named Mariabelle (Hondo Kaede) and experience all sorts of fun with her, until cut abruptly short by an angry dragon. Or so Kazuhiro thinks. Upon waking up he soon discovers a sleeping Mariabelle right next to him, and with it the greatest change to his life. What’s a man to do when a pretty elf literally lands in your lap? Why continue the adventure in real life of course!

Given the sheer ubiquity of isekai right now it’s honestly surprising we haven’t seen more reverse-isekai like Nihon e Youkoso Elf-san. It’s a tailor-made concept after all like Edomae Elf and (to a degree) Isekai Ojisan showed, where unfamiliar fantasy character meets modern living and hijinks ensue. In this case you can expect a truer slice-of-life experience than the others: for Kazuhiro it’s all about exposing Mariabelle to as many new things as possible, each replete with plenty of comfy wholesome shenanigans and touches of romantic overtones. Couple it with the occasional saunter back to fantasyland to keep things interesting and you pretty much have this story dead to rights. From the few chapters I read it’s a nicely relaxing work, and if this adaptation can emphasize the real-life slice-of-life elements over the fantasy adventuring I dare say it might even prove better than expected. Maybe not enough to top the winter charts mind you, but what Nihon e Youkoso Elf-san has on tap is certainly plenty to warrant a watch for any isekai afficionado.

Preview by Pancakes

From the RPG game of the same name, Farmagia ventures into the land of Felicidad and a world at war. After several years following Felicidad’s ruler’s death and the imposition of despotism at the hands of one general Glaza, the noble-minded Nares helps inspire a group to stand against his tyrannical desires. Comprised of Farmagia, magical farmers capable of literally growing monsters to serve various purposes, this group is headed by the charismatic Ten (Amasaki Kouhei) who seeks a return to the peaceful days of old. Surrounded by friends and allies, it’ll take everything he has and all the farming skill possible though; with Glaza’s subordinates controlling all six of Felicidad’s continents and his forces always on the prowl, Ten and his compatriots have their work cut out in finally bringing back a sense of calm to the world around them.

Probably a tad unfair to Farmagia to immediately pin it as faceplant material, but yeah, video game adaptation? The burn scars are far too many at this point. The one positive here though is that the game itself isn’t a mobage; at its core it’s more single player visual novel with heavy rogue-like elements and a farming minigame. Game strengths (or lack of them – Rune Factory and Harvest Moon this ain’t) aside it’s the right sort of format for an anime adaptation, and with a decent amount of story to adapt, something which shouldn’t feel the need for too much filler or anime-original material. Tack on the artwork too heralding from Fairy Tail’s own Mashima Hiro and director Ishihira Shinji being experienced with Hiro’s works and not hard seeing where some of the faults can be made up. Still would keep a critical eye on this one, but Farmagia might be worth a look for anyone needing a bit of video game flair for their winter fantasy watch lists.

Preview by Princess Usagi

Ancient China- home to great splendor and great destitution. Mao Mao (Yuuki Aoi), an intelligent girl with a love for poisons, is kidnapped from her home in the slummy red-light quarters and plunged into the intrigues of imperial court life where she is coerced into menial servitude. Persevering through the hardship in the hopes of one day being freed, her fortunes turn when she applies her pharmaceutical upbringing to a mysterious case of the imperial children becoming terribly sick. Jinshi (Ootsuka Takeo), a powerful member of the court, takes an interest in her abilities and calls upon Mao Mao’s skills to solve medical related cases.

The first season did a great job of bringing the idiosyncratic characters and palace mysteries to life, making it one of the current hit series. Where it left off, we’ve just started peeling back the layers on the palace dynamics, and of course, Mao Mao herself. I’m certainly looking forward to a continuation of that. With the same staff and studio on board, it looks like we’re all set for a good season in line with the first. If you haven’t already, definitely plan on tuning in for this one!

Preview by Pancakes

Everyone things adventurers have it tough – but have you ever considered the guild receptionist? Day in and day out you must greet the adventurer, help the adventurer, ensure the adventurer’s quest was fulfilled enough to warrant the reward. It’s hard enough that Alina Clover (Takahashi Rie) certainly feels like she chose poorly for her career path. Overworked and not paid overtime, Alina takes it into her own hands to cut down on the bureaucracy by moonlighting as an adventurer herself. After all, what papers are there to fill out if no monsters are around? There’s just one problem: her secret got discovered by a local adventuring party, and you can bet they won’t keep it quiet – and keep her in her job – just because.

While I’m well on record poking fun at the genericity of anime fantasy these days, at least Guild no Uketsukejou desu ga knows how to open differently. For all the cookie cutter aspects at play, having the twist of a glorified guild clerk moonlight as an OP boss beating machine is pretty damn funny, especially when it’s female-centric and dispenses with the usual harem antics. Alina for one is confident with a dash of obliviousness, helping make some of the interactions and plot elements enjoyable without growing too stale in the process. It helps as well there’s eight manga volumes to work with, so provided CloverWorks doesn’t completely drop the ball here and keep pacing reasonable popcorn entertainment is certainly possible. Don’t expect any serious season contender when Guild no Uketsukejou desu ga stamps its way into winter, but I bet this one will more than do the trick for some fun and lighthearted fantasy shenanigans.

Preview by Pancakes

At one time the Empire of Szaalanden knew danger. Threatened with invasion by the evil, magically skilled nation of Wischtech, Szaalanden’s Emperor decreed victory through the recruitment of fourteen youth to push back the tide. And push it back they did. While three perished on the journey, seven put an end to the threat from Wischtech even while dealing with treason from their remaining four comrades. Or so the story goes. When one Köinzell (Hirose Yuuya) appears out of the blue and acting on near-vendetta instinct many years later, the story of Szaalanden’s survival starts to unravel. Not only is it discovered that Köinzell is in fact Ascheriit, one of the so-called traitors, but that his memory of past events is radically different from the rest. For Ascheriit it was the seven heroes who betrayed the group and himself the one who saved the day. And if he can have his way, all those who threw him aside will pay the price – with their lives.

Even though this adaptation was announced at the start of the year, it’s still surprising (pleasantly) seeing Übel Blatt wind up with an anime now after all this time. This was a pretty damn solid dark fantasy in its heyday, pairing a revenge plot with a serious amount of blood, gore, and titillation to yield a solid bit of popcorn entertainment. Fans of Berserk and Claymore will be right at home here, and while one should not mistake the material for any sort of literary perfection, it definitely deserves the accolades received over the years. As far as this adaptation goes the concern will be with production. The source material is very provocative in spots and any heavy-handed censoring will detract from how the story plays out. Couple it with the original manga run having 23 volumes and there’s a strong risk of either rushing or hair pulling cliffhanger to round off the season. Provided all those landmines are avoided however there’s arguably no stronger contender for winter’s top fantasy. After all, in a sea of isekai, anything breaking from the script already has a massive leg up.

Preview by Guardian Enzo

Sakamoto Dayshas evolved into one of Weekly Shounen Jump’s most popular series. My podcast cohost Samu considers it a potential “next big thing” (and it’s one of his favorites in the magazine to boot). I’ve sampled it a bit and to be honest, it never did that much for me. But sometimes it’s different once the transition to anime happens. We shall see.

Considering that it is very popular, it’s odd that it’s taken so long (19 volumes) for Sakamoto Days to hit the screen. It also doesn’t seem to be receiving the first-class anime treatment you’d expect, if the previews are anything to go by. On the other hand it has a two-cour (split) commitment out of the box. And it figures to get a long adaptation even if the anime doesn’t significantly boost manga sales (which are already copious).

Story-wise this is the tale of a former assassin who’s grown contended (and fat) with his peaceful family life. But (stop me if you heard this before) he receives an offer he can’t refuse to be drawn back into the underworld. I’m fully aware that battle shounen (not least in WSJ) are legendary for slow starts, and maybe I just didn’t give Sakamoto Days enough play on the lead. I’ll certainly give the anime every chance to win me over.

Preview by Pancakes

Most would pin Mori Ranmaru (Namikawa Daisuke) as an attentive and well-liked part-timer of his neighbourhood’s public bathhouse. Few though know his true secret: he’s a 450-year-old vampire out to taste the blood of an 18-year-old virgin. Having set his sights on Tatsuno Rihito (Kobayashi Yuusuke), the teenage son of the bathhouse owner, Ranmaru is eager for the chance to finally indulge, until crisis hits. Rihito you see happened to fall in love at first sight with a girl in his class, and as everyone knows infatuation is one small step from losing your virginity. Ranmaru will not let such a thing interfere with his plans, and thus begins the ultimate strategy of ensuring one teenager never gets beyond first base.

Well have to give Babanba Banban Vampire some credit with that premise, it certainly knows how to draw your attention. Vampires after all are well played out in anime, even in boys love at that, but playing it from a comedic angle without the excessive bishounen trappings and romantic relationship angle? That’s aiming for something unique alright. Even if it’s still all about keeping love pure. While the first few bits I perused are nothing exceptionally over the top – it’s pretty conventional by comedy standards – there’s quite a bit you can do with this concept, and with a solid crew and suitable studio pick in Gaina no sense of things set to run off the rails. Without a doubt an automatic watch for any BL fan, but anyone looking for something different anime-wise would do well seeing what Babanba Banban Vampire gets up to in the bathhouse this winter.

Preview by Pancakes

Back for a second go after its first season, Sony Music Group’s multi-faceted idol project UniteUp once again returns to the anime screen. Starring Kiyose Akira (Toya Kikunosuke), UniteUp follows the young and aspiring high school singer as his talents get scouted by the sMiLea Production agency. It is through this scouting that Akira learns the legendary idols Anela are behind sMiLea, a core group famous the world wide until their shock retirement, and a group determined to raise the next generation. Alongside fellow idol members Naoe Banri (Yamaguchi Ryoutarou) and Isuzugawa Chihiro (Hirai Amon), Akira aims to successfully chase his dream of super stardom and finally see his efforts at singing pay off. It may take a little more work than he thinks, but with the support of friends and mentors both he will succeed one way or another.

It’s easy to forget male-fronted idol anime is a thing given the veritable female juggernauts occupying the genre space, but indeed they exist and UniteUp helps reinforce that fact. This one really flew under the radar when it premiered in 2023, effectively becoming a more lighthearted and easy-going Idolish7 or Ensemble Stars where the focus was more on being idols than the drama and intrigue pushing it along. It made for a different sort of experience from the usual idol shenanigans even before the gender filtering, and while not personally my cup of tea I cannot deny how surprisingly solid it turned out in the end. Expect a lot of the same from this season given all major cast and crew are carrying over, and with the first season lacking a cliffhanger as well, plenty of room to develop the story in new and interesting directions. Certainly won’t be a show for everyone, but if you like your pretty boys and are piqued by the available music on Youtube consider giving UniteUp a chance. I dare say this idol show might surprise.

Preview by Pancakes

No matter what the local tavern attendees may think, adventuring is hard work and doubly if your name is Yuke Feldio (Mineta Hiromu). A red mage gracing an illustrious A-rank party, Yuke is also a burned out and mistreated member used and abused as the group’s fixer/handyman. Eventually snapping and up and quitting, Yuke is resigned to a life of destitution and unemployment – or at least until luck intervenes. Serendipitously welcomed into an all-female party composed of former adventurer mentees, Yuke gets a second chance at adventuring, and with it a better appreciation for his own talents. For this red mage there’s more to his magic and skills than meets the eye, and with a little help from friends he’s set to use them in ways he never thought possible.

Much as one can glean from the synopsis A-Rank Party wo Ridatsu shita Ore wa is not breaking any molds. This one is as cookie cutter as they come, pairing a abandoned/banished hero (in a sense) premise with the usual harem trappings, basic adventuring plot, and wish fulfillment antics. Not even understating the wish fulfillment either: love enters the picture quickly, marriage is not far off, and the harem is firmly front and centre. It’s nothing particularly egregious considering the lengths some fantasies have gone of late to differentiate themselves, but anyone expecting a significant twist on the usual shenanigans best check such expectations at the door. On the plus side at least A-Rank Party wo Ridatsu shita Ore wa is already slotted for two cours back to back with over seven manga volumes to work with, so hey, plenty of opportunity to see something solid. Certainly won’t be for everyone, but those looking for the next seasonal helping of lighthearted fantasy will be right at home when A-Rank Party wo Ridatsu shita Ore wa marches its way into winter.

Preview by Princess Usagi

Kamome Academy seems like your average Japanese school- it even has it’s own Seven Mysteries (apparently a must for any upstanding institution). However, those mysteries are anything but usual. Managing the Kamome spooks is Hanako-kun (Ogata Megumi), a boy ghost who haunts the girls’s toilets. In calling upon Hanako-kun’s powers for a remedy to her romantic life, student Yashiro Nene (Kitou Akari) gets roped into the supernatural world as Hanako-kun’s assistant. Together, they encounter all sorts of oddities and work to sustain the harmony between the human and supernatural existences. Including time itself, becoming entangled with the three keepers of time.

The second season has been a long time coming after the fantastic first season, way back in 2020. The execution of season 1 perfectly captured the beautiful quirkiness of the manga. Thankfully, the anime is being produced once again by Lerche with many of the same staff. However, we have a director changeup with Fukui Yohei, which could unfortunately mean a shift in style, but let’s hope for the best, especially seeing as he has done some production work on excellent series like Akatsuki no Yona. Only time will tell, and regardless, I am glad to see this charming series back again.

Preview by Pancakes

Aijou Rentarou (Katou Wataru) hasn’t had it easy in love, being rejected one hundred times at the point he becomes a high school freshman. It’s enough to get the kid visiting the local matchmaking shrine in the hopes of having his love life get turned on its head. And turned on its head it does. Before Rentarou appears the local god, and that god promises Rentarou he shall meet one hundred soulmates in high school. Indeed Rentarou does, quickly winding up getting Hanazono Hakari (Hondo Kaede) and Inda Karane (Tomita Miyu) both confessing to him the same day. What Rentarou belatedly discovers, however, is that if he doesn’t date either of them – or any of the remaining 98 soulmates – those girls will die. Thus Rentarou sets off on possibly the biggest challenge of them all: sustaining a harem the likes of which the world has never seen.

While as unabashedly harem as you can get, 100 Girlfriends turned into one of my biggest 2023 guilty pleasures. Its first season was a veritable showcase of what makes the romcom concept so addictive at times, pairing good gag humour with appropriate cute and wholesome moments and more than enough misunderstandings to keep the drama going strong. Although the idea has its concerns given the sheer scale of its story – featuring and balancing a hundred different relationships will eventually test the abilities of this story – 100 Girlfriends is not at that stage yet given the first season only covered up to Hanazono Hahari (girlfriend no. 6). This season will carry on from that point, so expect plenty more girls, plenty more drama, and lots more of Rentarou learning the ins and outs of unintentional PUA life. And hey, if you haven’t seen the first season yet or want to give it another shot now is a good time. When it comes to winter romcoms 100 Girlfriends is certainly going to be one of the standouts.

Preview by Pancakes

Back for the second round of its intergalactic sparring free-for-all, Kinnikuman once again returns to let the fists fly. With the former enemies of the Seigi Choujin, led by Strong the Budo and his Perfect Large Numbers, having torn up a fragile peace treaty and invaded Japan, the current Seigi Choujin leader Terryman (Ono Daisuke) turns to the only way he knows to restore peace: a fighting tournament for total supremacy. It’s a fight (well, a series of fights) Terryman knows he’s unlikely to win, but he knows he can count on Kinnikuman and the other Seigi Choujin to help see justice prevail. And having already won the first phase of the epic showdown, attention for the good guys now turns to handling what comes next.

And the Kinnikuman train keeps merrily chugging along. As the veritable WWE version of Dragon Ball this one is a well-known quantity, with the outrageous (in a good way) character designs, wacky plotlines, and absolutely over-the-top fights making for some excellent, guilty pleasure cheese and addictive popcorn entertainment. The first season for this arc especially refined a lot of what makes Kinnikuman hum under the hood (particularly in terms of its fighting choreography), and while one shouldn’t expect this second half to change any minds about the franchise as a whole, it’ll certainly be worth a watch for series fans. After all, there’s still two more seasons for this arc left to go and even more crazy material yet to adapt.

Preview by Pancakes

Being a superhero is hard, and no more so than if you’re Asagaki Tougo (Itou Tomoya). A power ranger by trade, Tougo finally met his match in the final battle against the evil Exterminators, forcing him to trade his life to see their end. The problem with such a noble sacrifice? It wasn’t the end of Tougo. Transplanted into an alternate world following his death, Tougo winds up becoming the adventurer Kizuna Red where his goal, much like before, is saving people, fighting off evil, and living up to the ideals of the power rangers. Joined on his new mission by the wizard Idola, Tougo has high hopes for what he can accomplish, but as with all pursuits in life, he may not find this path all too easy to walk.

I guess it was just a matter of time in hindsight before tokusatsu found its way into isekai, albeit Sentai Red is arguably the best one to lead the charge. As the synopsis teases this one very much embraces its overriding theme, with a heavy focus on theatrics, goofy cheese, and more tropey hero shenanigans than you can shake a sentai stick at. The parts I read of the source manga were frankly a riot, with Sentai Red effectively coming across as the good guy version of Suicide Squad Isekai, just with a higher focus on comedy and genre jank. The only real concern here is in terms of production: the material screams Trigger, but Satelight is handling animation, and with the manga itself wrapping up shortly there’s a risk of rushing and chopping to either see a full adaptation or leave off at a specific arc. Provided those concerns can be avoided however I’m quite optimistic in what Sentai Red will deliver this winter. When it comes to isekai over the top always finds a way to make its presence felt.

Preview by Pancakes

Editor’s Note: Unknown if a full season or OVA release.

From the titular Type Moon franchise comes the next latest Fate entry in Fate/strange Fake. Taking placing following the Third Grail War, a US magi organization decides it’s high time for America to have its own version. Basing it in the nondescript city of Snowfield, the planners replicated as much from Fuyuki’s war as possible before initiating the ritual, yet weren’t quite able to reproduce everything. As a result the Saber class is gone and Servants summoned don’t fully meet the definition of “hero” as before. Into this twisted war Mage’s Association member Rohngall and his pupil Faldeus have been dispatched, the goal to investigate and observe. Such a goal might prove challenging though when Faldeus is an American spy, Rohngall himself little more than a puppet, and Snowfield’s war is set to change the face of the grail ritual for good.

Honestly does Fate strange/Fake need any serious introduction? It’s another Fate work, it features a brand new setting, and it’s replete with a Servant cast chock full of interesting characters. In short, you know exactly what you’re getting. While the source material doesn’t delve to the depth of say Stay Night or Zero (in part from the large(r) cast), the story comes from a very passionate franchise fan in Narita Ryohgo and the always reliable A-1 Pictures has been delegated production duties – expecting another solid entry to the franchise is warranted, especially given the early release of episode one to compare with. As always with Fate you’ll know right away if it’s up your alley or another one to avoid, but if somehow still on the fence or an enjoyer of Fate/Zero I’d recommend giving Fate/strange Fake a whirl – as with all things Type Moon it’s destined to be entertaining.