Fall 2019 Anime Watch List

Can you believe it’s almost Fall already? Well not in Australia of course, it’s the opposite here but in the world of anime (also everywhere else in the Northern Hemisphere) it’s about to be ‘Fall’ and with that comes a whole host of new anime to watch and revel in! In this post I’ll be listing all the show’s I’m personally interested in and will most likely watch to completion–barring of course that a show ~triggers~ me in some specific way and I can’t watch it (don’t laugh, it’s happened before!). I’ll also be adding the official synopsis for each show as well as a little bit about the reason I’ve chosen to watch something. Let’s begin, shall we?

(The shows are listed in order of personal hype from least hyped about watching to most. Also there’s 16 shows on this list so be prepared for a lot of reading–or quick skimming through whatever suits you!)

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Ascendance of a Bookworm (Honzuki no Gekokujou)

What they say: “Motosu Urano, a book-loving college student who just got her Librarian certification and was supposed to enter the job of her dreams after graduation, was killed during a massive earthquake crushing her underneath a pile of her own massive collection of books. Wishing for reincarnation in order to read even more, she got reincarnated to a world with a low literacy level and very few books, limited only to the nobility of the world. As she reincarnated as 5-year-old daughter of a lowly soldier, Maine, no matter how much she wants to read, there is no way there are any books around. If there are no books then what do you do? You make them yourself of course… What her goal is, to become a librarian no matter what, and to live a life surrounded by books. For starters she begins from making them..”

What I say: This was a borderline watch decision, mostly because it sounded a little bit weird to have an isekai where the person is reincarnated in another world and there goal is to write books. Doesn’t really sound like it’ll make for the most riveting viewing. That said, the fact the show has a female protagonist being isekai’d is a welcome change for the genre and that alone means I want to watch it.

High School Prodigies Have It Easy Even in Another World! (Choujin Koukousei-tachi wa Isekai demo Yoyuu de Ikinuku you desu!)

What they say: “In Japan, there are seven superhuman highschoolers who are world-class geniuses in various fields ranging from governance to economics and beyond. On one fateful day, these seven wind up in a plane accident and wake up only to find themselves in another world. Finding themselves in a foreign place where magic and beast-people are real, they immediately proceed to panic-or at least that’s what would’ve happened if they were some run of the mill students!! If anything, these seven are actually using their talents to do absolutely ludicrous things so they can go home… “Let’s take it easy, because if we really let loose, I’m pretty sure we’ll end up destroying this world.””

What I say: Absurdly long title, yep it’s gotta be an isekai, I don’t have any particular problem with overpowered isekai protagonists (some of my favourite ones are indeed stupidly overpowered) and the concept sounds like fun, but I guess the reason I’m not that hyped for it is more the fact that I worry about how interesting a cast of characters all being high-school prodigies will be but I’ll give it the benefit of the doubt.

Tenka Hyakken: Welcome to Meiji Hall!

What they say: “The Tenka Hyakken franchise centers around the “Mitsurugi,” maidens who are physical incarnations of ancient swords. They have pledged to live peaceful lives after the era of warfare, but are now returning to battle to fight a new foe that has arisen during an alternate version of the Meiji Era, three hundred years after the Battle of Sekigahara.”

What I say: Two reasons this is on my watch-list and they’re both attached to that girl on the right of the poster. Not even joking, that’s all that interests me about the little I know about this anime. Plus it’s only 5 minutes long per episode so even if the plot doesn’t interest me I’m sure I’ll find something to keep me entertained throughout.

Z/X: Code Reunion

What they say: “The story is set in the future where humanity and the Z/X has entered a treaty and headed towards moment of peace. Azumi Kagamihara—a girl affiliated with the Blue World—is chosen together with her Partner Z/X Rigel to enroll in Fujimisaki Gakuen, a school established to gather girls that was partnered with Z/X from all over Japan.”

What I say: I’m just here for the cute girls on the poster to be honest…

My Hero Academia 4th Season

What they say: “The fourth season of Boku no Hero Academia.”

What I say: Maybe it’s surprising to some of you to see this show so far down the list considering how far I’ve come with this series but for me the 3rd season was somewhat lacking in some areas–mainly the Midoriya/Bakugo pissing contest that took up way too much screen time and was honestly a chore to get through. It’s the rest of the cast–particularly the underutilised female heroes–that are going to keep me coming back to this series forever even if the show itself has problems.

Fate/Grand Order – Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia

What they say: “Following the success in the Camelot Singularity, Ritsuka Fujimaru and Mash Kyrielight are assigned to the last Singularity in the Grand Order initiative. In Ancient Babylonia, 2500 BCE, they embark on a mission to secure humanity’s survival. Upon arrival, they learn that three gods have threatened Uruk, the Babylonian city ruled by King Gilgamesh. Ritsuka and Mash must work together to fend off the invasion of mysterious beasts in Uruk under Gilgamesh’s orders while investigating the true nature of the three gods’ actions against humanity; but unknown to Ritsuka, an ancient entity is slowly rising from its slumber.”

What I say: I haven’t watched Episode 0 yet (which apparently serves as a decent introduction) and my knowledge of the Fate series is follows: watched Fate/Stay Night and thought it was very good but not remarkable, watched all of ‘Fate/Kaleid Prisma Illya’ and absolutely adore it. I don’t know how much knowing those two shows will help in getting into this series but I just really felt like watching this show, maybe it’s all the FGO doujins I saw in Japan…

Azur Lane

What they say: “Grotesque, strong enemy called Siren has suddenly appeared from the sea. In order to fight against them, a group of army Azure Lane has formed. They were successful in stopping the attack from Siren for a moment using warships, the different ideals from the people who formed it has shown. The story is about girls fight the strong enemies that they never face while dealing with the trouble in each camp.”

What I say: I tried playing the Azur Lane mobile game but it wasn’t my thing, that said the girls were absolutely gorgeous and well that’s all I need sometimes (this reason will be a recurring theme throughout this post… sorry not sorry).

Cautious Hero: The Hero is Overpowered but Overly Cautious (Kono Yuusha ga Ore Tueee Kuse ni Shinchou Sugiru)

What they say: “The goddess Rista summons a hero to help her hard mode video game-like world. The hero, Seiya, is exceptional in every way, but he is incredibly cautious to the point of buying three sets of armor (one to wear, a spare, and a spare for the spare) and going full power against weak slimes (just in case).”

What I say: Isekai, check. Overpowered protagonist, check. A bevvy of beautiful and scantily clad girls, check. My tastes being entirely predictable, check check check.

Psycho Pass 3

What they say: “The third season of the PSYCHO-PASS TV anime.”

What I say: The first season of ‘Psycho Pass’ was fantastic, a true classic anime that I’d recommend to almost anyone. The second season on the other hand was hurried, messy and very disappointing by comparison. I’m cautiously optimistic about this third season, not because of anything I’ve heard or seen but just because this world and its lore is so exciting and interesting that I desperately want more and am just hopeful for something better than season two…

Rifle Is Beautiful

What they say: “Kokura Hikari is a first-year high school girl who loves rifle shooting. She entered Chidori High School because it had a shooting club, but finds that the club had been disbanded. She had only one day to find enough members to reform the club, but luckily was able to find three other first-year girls who she had met at a competition in middle school. Thus begins the daily activities of the Chidori High Shooting Club.”

What I say: CGDGT; cute girls doing gun things. I love me a school club based slice of life comedy so of course I’m keen for this show!

Food Wars! Shokugeki no Soma: The Fourth Plate

What they say: “The 4th season of Shokugeki no Souma.”

What I say: I really miss this show, I think about it a lot and honestly it’s probably one of my favourite shonen series, but I can’t help but be worried about some of the things I’ve seen online (mostly in my comments from manga readers when I reviewed season 3 episodically) about the direction of this show going forward. I don’t think this show could do anything to make me outright dislike it and I am happy it’s coming back for a new season but that wariness still pervades…

Houkago Saikoro Club

What they say: “Kyoto in Spring. Aya is a high school girl who’s just moved to a new town. Miki is her shy classmate, and her first friend. One day after school Aya and Miki follow the committee president Midori to a specialty board games store. The Dice Club. Without thinking they try out a German board game together. These girls, who are searching for fun, soon fall into the exciting world of games.”

What I say: Another club anime with cute high school girls, but unlike the gun one this one looks like it has more of an emphasis on comedy, plus it being about dice games is a bit more palatable than guns–at least for my pacifist self…

We Never Learn! 2nd Season

What they say: “Second season of Boku-tachi wa Benkyou ga Dekinai.”

What I say: For those of you who don’t remember ‘We Never Learn!’ was my Number 1 anime of the Spring 2019 Anime season, I gave it 94/100 and I absolutely adore it! So why isn’t it my number one most anticipated anime of Fall 2019 then? Well for me it’s simple, I’ll always be more excited about something new and shiny then something I’ve already seen before. Don’t get me wrong I am fully hyped for more ‘We Never Learn!’ and more of the best girls this show provides but there’s three more anime I’m looking forward to just a little more.

Didn’t I Say to Make My Abilities Average in the Next Life?! (Watashi, Nouryoku wa Heikinchi de tte Itta yo ne!)

What they say: “When she turns ten years old, Adele von Ascham is hit with a horrible headache–and memories of her previous life as an eighteen-year-old Japanese girl named Kurihara Misato. That life changed abruptly, however, when Misato died trying to aid a little girl and met god. During that meeting, she made an odd request and asked for average abilities in her next life. But few things–especially wishes–ever go quite as planned.”

What I say: It’s a loli-centric isekai by animation studio Project No 9 with one of the cutest protagonists I’ve seen in a long time (far right on the poster). Sign me the hell up!

Kandagawa Jet Girls

What they say: “Project centering on girls who compete in jet ski races.”

What I say: Talk about your minimalist plot synopsis, this show was sitting around the middle point of my hype ranking until I bothered to watch the PV (promotional video) that came out for this series… My god the character designs and outfits for all the girls in this show are absolutely amazing! While I have no expectations for the overall quality of the narrative I can say the non-nude fan-service has big potential

Val x Love

What they say: “High-schooler Akutsu Takuma has learned to accept his lonely lot in life and is content surrounded by his studies, but when the god Odin taps him to save the world alongside nine Valkyries fueled by intimacy, Takuma can say good-bye to his solitary existence!”

What I say: I’ve read the manga and all I can say is I hope this show does the fan-service justice… err, I mean I hope it does the storyline justice! In all seriousness this is a great series and I’m very excited for it to get an anime adaptation from a studio with a decent reputation, let’s hope it lives up to the hype as it is my most hyped anime of Fall 2019!

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And those are all the shows I plan on watching this season (in addition to the second cour of ‘Fire Force’ of course). Let me know what show’s your most interested in for Fall 2019 in the comments below and thank you all for reading.

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Summer 2019 Anime Watch List

A new season of anime rapidly approaches and unlike the current season (which I wasn’t particularly enthused about but turned out pretty okay) I’m very hyped about most of the new (and some returning) shows that the Summer 2019 Anime Season promises! So let’s get down to business with my watch list!

Is It Wrong To Pick Up Girls In A Dungeon II (Dungeon ni Deai wo Motomeru no wa Machigatteiru no Darou ka II)

What they say: “Second season of Dungeon ni Deai wo Motomeru no wa Machigatteiru Darou ka.”

What I say: The first season was seriously great but left the overarching story unresolved so I’m glad we’re finally getting a continuation of said story. Plus getting to see more of Hestia makes me a very happy individual!

Arifureta: From Commonplace to World’s Strongest (Arifureta Shokugyou de Sekai Saikyou)

What they say: “Seventeen-year-old Hajime Nagumo is your average, everyday otaku. However, his simple life of pulling all-nighters and sleeping in school is suddenly turned upside down when he, along with the rest of his class, is summoned to a fantasy world! They’re treated like heroes and tasked with the duty of saving the human race from utter extinction. But what should have been any otaku’s wet dream quickly turns into Hajime’s nightmare. While the rest of his class are blessed with godlike powers, Hajime’s job, Synergist, only has a single transmutation skill. Ridiculed and bullied by his classmates for being weak, he soon finds himself in despair. Will he be able to survive in this dangerous world of monsters and demons with only a glorified blacksmith’s level of strength?”

What I say: I’m not sold on some aspects of the premise but it’s an isekai (which I love, don’t @ me) and plus the idea of an entire class being ‘isekai’d’ has a lot of promise which will hopefully get explored.

Isekai Cheat Magician

What they say: “Nishimura Taichi and his friend Rin are transported into a fantasy world. While in their previous world, Taichi is a normal person who just has higher than average reflexes, both he and Rin gain high levels of physical and magical ability, and begin their new life as magicians.”

What I say: Another Isekai with some cute girls. Sometimes that’s all you need–or all I need…

 

Fire Force (Enen no Shouboutai)

What they say: “Terror has paralyzed the clockwork metropolis of Tokyo! Possessed by demons, people have begun to burst into flame, leading to the establishment of a special firefighting team: the Fire Force, ready to roll on a moment’s notice to fight spontaneous combustion anywhere it might break out. The team is about to get a very unique addition: Shinra, a boy who possesses the unique power to run at the speed of a rocket, leaving behind the famous “devil’s footprints” (and destroying his shoes in the process). Can the Fire Force discover the source of this strange phenomenon and put a stop to it? Or will the city burn to ashes first?”

What I say: Perhaps not a series I would otherwise be interested in but I don’t know, something about magical fire-fighters seems appealing to me–plus it’s been a while since I’ve watched a good action shonen that’s not about “heroes” fighting “villains” so this might be good?

Do You Love Your Mom and Her Two-Hit Multi-Target Attacks? (Tsuujou Kougeki ga Zentai Kougeki de Ni-kai Kougeki no Okaasan wa Suki Desu ka?)

What they say: “Masato thought he was part of a random survey, but when he gets involved in a secret government scheme, he winds up trapped in the game world. Even more surprising—his mother’s there, too!”

What I say: Aside from having an amusing (and very long) title the art/character designs from the source material light novel is done from Pochi Iida, who I love and so there’s at least a part of me hoping the anime adapation is as good-looking (and sexy) as their works!

Karakai Jouzu no Takagi-san 2

What they say: “Second season of Karakai Jouzu no Takagi-san.”

What I say: I was somewhat surprised when this show received a second season announcement–not that isn’t deserving of a continuation–it’s absolutely adorable and occasionally laugh out loud funny. But I wondered how much value there is in watching ‘more of the same’ of a series that stuck pretty close to a formula for much of its first season? But like that’s stopped me from enjoying a second season of a Slice of Life show before… I’ll eat this up and ask for seconds (or thirds in this case)!

Will You Please Like Hentai If It’s Cute? (Kawaikereba Hentai demo Suki ni Natte Kuremasu ka?)

What they say: “Once upon a time, Cinderella left her panties in a boy’s locker…wait, what?! Keiki Kiryu receives a mysterious love letter, that has no name, but includes a pair of white undies. Curious to find this panty-leaving-Cinderella, his investigation leads him to discover that every candidate is…a total pervert! Surrounded by perversion he still has one important question to answer: who’s the perfect fit?”

What I say: I mean the title of the anime and the synopsis seem little to do with each other, but I see the words “hentai” and “panties” and “perversion” and well, I’m there! Also female perverts are the best. #justsayin’

Maou-sama, Retry!

What they say: “Akira Ouno is a regular guy who works at a company that manages an online game. He often plays the game as his character “Maou” (Dark Lord). But one day, when he logs on, he is whisked into the game’s fantasy world as his character. There, he meets a one-legged girl, and begins his adventures alongside her. But as he is a powerful “Dark Lord,” various nations and holy maidens journey to defeat him, and he stirs up trouble everywhere he goes.”

What I say: One of the girls on the poster looks like a blonde version of Rem from ”Re:Zero’–that’s literally the only reason this show caught my attention.

If It’s for My Daughter, I’d Even Defeat a Demon Lord (Uchi no Ko no Tame naraba, Ore wa Moshikashitara Maou mo Taoseru kamo Shirenai.)

What they say: “Dale is a cool, composed, and highly skilled adventurer who’s made quite a name for himself despite his youth. One day on a job deep in the forest, he comes across a little devil girl who’s almost wasted away. Unable to just leave her there to die, Dale takes her home and becomes her adoptive father.”

What I say: Sometimes a premise is just too adorable to pass-up…

Magical Sempai (Tejina-senpai)

What they say: “”I encountered her… a cute, but ‘weird’ sempai!” Magic-loving but stage-fright-addled, this sempai comes with a failure rate of 100%—but you can’t take your eyes off her! The off-color, magical gag manga that’s caused an uproar all over Japan is finally here! Here’s to non-athletic hobbies!”

What I say: It may be a shorter anime, but it’s an ecchi so its automatically on the list! Also here’s hoping for some ‘Arrested Development’ style crossover memes since this a series about magicians!

How Many Kilograms Are The Dumbbells You Lift? (Dumbbell Nan Kilo Moteru?)

What they say: “”Hibiki … Are you fat again?”

A friend’s cruel words which cut like a knife into the heart of Hibiki Sakura, a high school girl who loves to eat. Hibiki decided to go on a diet to be absolutely thin by summer vacation, but she cannot keep exercising right alone. That’s when Hibiki found herself before a training gym! Upon joining the gym, Hibiki meets her beautiful and charismatic student council president Akemi Souryuuin and steps into the intense yet enjoyable world of weight-training.”

What I say: Ordinarily something to do with weight training and gym’s world make my eyes glaze over in absolute boredom, but the potential for tanned genki tomboys is sky high with this series and if you’ve been following my ‘Waifu’ lists over the previous seasons you’ll know that’s my “thing” recently. Gimme!

Are You Lost? (Sounan Desu ka?)

What they say: “Because of a plane crash…starting today, we’re spending the springtime of our lives on a desert island!! There’s nothing here, so we have to make everything!! And eat everything!! (Ugh!) Check out our high school girl survival story of courage and knowledge. We’re actually doing pretty well! [Volume One Includes:] How to eat cicadas, how to build traps, a simple allergy test, how to eat hermit crabs, etc.”

What I say: Sadly yet another ecchi relegated to “short” anime format, but beyond the obvious appeal of anime that’s literally entirely a beach episode, there’s something undeniably interesting about desert island/survival stories.

Cop Craft

What they say: “15 years ago, an unknown hyperspace gate opened over the Pacific. Beyond this gate lies Reto Semaani, a strange alternate world where fairies and demons live.

San Teresa City — a city where over two million immigrants live from both worlds. As a result, there are the haves and the have-nots. Here is the world’s newest “city of dreams.” But in the shadow of the chaos, crime is rampant: drugs, prostitution, and weapon trafficking. The detectives who stand up to these heinous crimes are in the San Teresa City Police. When the detective Kei Matoba and the alternate-world knight Tirana — two individuals who differ in gender, personality, and even world of origin — meet, an incident erupts. Two worlds. Two justices. From this, the curtain rises on a buddy police action story!”

What I say: I’ve known about this series for a little while and been hyped about it since I’ve seen the poster–I’m already dubbing it “Cops and Loli’s” even though I’m well aware it’ll be more than just the surface level. Here’s hoping it lives up to its potential!

Maidens Of The Savage Season (Araburu Kisetsu no Otome-domo yo.)

What they say: “The girls in a high school literature club do a little icebreaker to get to know each other: answering the question, “What’s one thing you want to do before you die?” One of the girls blurts out, “Sex.” Little do they know, the whirlwind unleashed by that word pushes each of these girls, with different backgrounds and personalities, onto their own clumsy, funny, painful, and emotional paths toward adulthood.”

What I say: The premise is at least passingly reminiscent to one of the best comedies of last year ‘Asobi Asobase’ except with a bit more of an adult/serious edge, I know next to nothing about this series beyond the sypnosis and the poster but I’m excited for this one!

Wasteful Days Of High School Girls (Joshikousei no Mudazukai)

What they say: “One day out of boredom, Tanaka decided to give her classmates nicknames based on their quirks. Her friend Sakuchi became “Ota” for her nerdy interests, and her other friend Saginomiya became “Robo” because of her expressionless personality. In retaliation, her friends decided to name Tanaka “Baka.” These are the ridiculous days of three high school friends claiming (or not) the height of their youth.”

What I say: High school girl comedy series, that’s all I need out of anime these days…

Given

What they say: “Ritsuka played guitar but has lost interest in the instrument. One day, he meets Mafuyu, who is holding a broken guitar. Ritsuka unwillingly starts teaching Mafuyu the guitar, but when he hears Mafuyu’s voice, things suddenly begin to change for Ritsuka.”

What I say: I make the irlwaifu watch a lot of ecchi shows so the least I can do is watch a BL once and a while–and at least this one seems kinda interesting (maybe? hopefully!)

Machikado Mazoku

What they say: “Awakening her dormant abilities as a devil one day, Yuuko Yoshida aka Shadow Mistress Yuuko, is entrusted with the mission to defeat the Light clan’s shrine maiden, a magical girl, by her ancestor Lilith. Yuuko meets magical girl Momo Chiyoda through her classmate Anri Sada, and challenges her to a duel, but loses quickly due to her lack of strength.

Since then, Yuuko has struggled with her role as a devil and her duel with Momo, and borrowed help from her regularly. However, by a strange coincidence, Yuuko also weakens Momo by taking away her power to cooperate in protecting the peace of Tama city.”

What I say: That’s a lot of plot synopsis for a show not many people know even exists or all that much about it. All I know is the girls are cute as heck and I want me some magical girls! Check and check.

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And that’s my watch list for Summer 2019–though in addition to these titles I’ll be watching the second cours of two continuing shows, those being ‘YU-NO’ and ‘Fruits Basket’. All in all I’m excited to see these shows and hope they live up to their promise! Let me know what shows you’re interested in in the comments below and thanks for reading!

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Spring 2019 Anime Watch List

Just like last season (and the seasons before it) in this post I’ll be talking about the Spring 2019 Anime that i’ll be watching. Unlike previous seasons though I’ve yet to decide whether I’ll be reviewing seasonal anime week-to-week so any sort of announcement with regards to that is still pending. Anyway, on to the Spring 2019 Anime Watch List!

Kono Yo no Hate de Koi wo Utau Shoujo YU-NO (YU-NO: A girl who chants love at the bound of this world)

What they say: “Takuya Arima is a young student whose father, a historian who has conducted various researches, disappeared recently. During a summer vacation Takuya receives a peculiar package from his missing father, along with a letter containing information about the existence of various parallel worlds. At first Takuya doesn’t take it seriously, but soon he realizes that he possesses a device that allows him to travel to alternate dimensions. Is his father alive, after all? If so, where is he?”

What I say: Straight off the bat this is my most anticipated anime of the season. Why? Oh it’s got nothing to do with the plot, I didn’t even read the synopsis until I pasted it in just now. It’s because it’s based on a visual novel and I’m a sucker for visual novel anime adaptations! No, I haven’t played the VN it’s based on and that’s going to make it all the more fun! Also it’s 26 episodes so it’ll at least have the time to tell the story it wants to.

Han-Gyaku-sei Million Arthur 2nd Season (Operation Han-Gyaku-Sei Million Arthur 2nd Season)

What they say: “Based on Square Enix’s massively multi-player online role-playing game.”

What I say: The first season aired last year (2018) and I feel like it was criminally underrated. (Also it didn’t help matters that no English streaming services got the rights to the show but that’s a whole ‘nother story entirely). Regardless, I’m quietly optimistic about the direction this second season seems to be taken given the finale and look forward to seeing all the cute ‘n sexy characters in this show once more!

Fruits Basket: 1st Season

What they say: “High school student Tohru Honda begins living alone in a tent after she loses her mother, who was her only remaining family member. However, it turns out that the land she pitches her tent on is part of the distinguished Sohma family estate! When Shigure Sohma sees the value of her housekeeping skills, Tohru ends up living with Yuki Sohma, who is essentially the prince of her school, and Kyo Sohma, who regards Yuki as the enemy. Still, there’s something Tohru doesn’t know yet: the Sohma family has been bound for centuries by a horrible curse…”

What I say: I don’t have the same close, personal attachment that a lot of people have to the original series (never watched it) but I am curious to see what all the hype is about. Plus it’s likely going to have more than one season since they’ve titled it ‘1st Season’ so at least it’s going to be a more complete story than some other romance anime I’ve watched recently.

Midara na Ao-chan wa Benkyou ga Dekinai (Ao-chan Can’t Study!)

What they say: “When Ao was in kindergarten, she smiled ear-to-ear as she told her classmates how her father (a bestselling erotic author) chose her name: “A as in apple and O as in orgy!” That day still haunts her ten years later as she studies with a single goal in mind: get into an elite university and achieve independence from her father once and for all. She has no youth to misspend and no time to think about boys … until her classmate, “King Normie” Kijima, approaches her with a shocking confession of love. She tries to lose Kijima, but he just can’t take a hint … and as her mind runs wild with impure thoughts, she realizes her father has totally influenced her!”

What I say: It’s an ecchi with a cute girl on the poster, I’m in! Just a shame it’s only 15 minutes long (that’s what she said).

Hitoribocchi no ○○ Seikatsu (Beyond of Being Alone)

What they say:“Hitori Bocchi suffers from extreme social anxiety, she’s not good at talking to people, takes pretty extreme actions, is surprisingly adept at avoiding people, her legs cramp when she overexerts herself, gets full of herself when alone, will vomit when exposed to extreme tension and often comes up with plans. Now she is entering middle school and her only friend, Yawara Kai, is attending a different school. This leaves Bocchi alone, surrounded by new classmates with whom she must make friends before Kai will talk to her again.”

What I say: This looks adorable, and weird, and silly and (as I learnt from reading Xenodude’s similarly themed post) it’s by the mangaka of ‘Mitsuboshi Colors’–one of my absolute favourite adorable, weird and silly shows!

Chou Kadou Girl ⅙: Amazing Stranger (Over Drive Girl 1/6: Amazing Stranger)

What they say: “Bouida Haruto, a hardcore otaku with no interest in 3D (real) women, once appreciated figures from afar, accepting that “if you get into them, there’s no turning back.” However, when Nona, a character he loved from an anime called “Girls→Planetary Investigation” had a figure of her released, he ended up purchasing it. And then that night, the figure of Nona somehow came to life, and a couple-like lifestyle between man and toy began.“

What I say: Again, a bit annoyed that this is only a 15-minute anime but the premise is intriguing and I’m curious as to what direction this show will take (and how perverted it could get seeing as the love interest is 1/6 the size of the male protagonist).

Nobunaga-sensei no Osanazuma

What they say: “The romantic comedy manga’s story centers on Nobunaga, a middle school teacher who constantly dreams of a beautiful girl who loves him appearing in front of him. One day, the 14-year-old Kichou, the wife of the real-life Warring States period warlord Oda Nobunaga, appears in front of him, having apparently traveled through time. She mistakes the present-day Nobunaga for the historical Oda Nobunaga, and tries to get him to get her pregnant.”

What I say: Another short ecchi anime, what do they think us perverts have a short attention span or somet…

Bokutachi wa Benkyou ga Dekinai (We Never Learn)

What they say: “Yuiga Nariyuki tutors three genius of different subjects in highschool to get a scholarship. Furuhashi Fumino is a genius on literature but horrible in math, Ogata Rizu is a genius on mathematics and science but literature and arts are terrible subjects for her and Takemoto Uruka is a genius in the athletic field but really bad in all the others. Together, they study very hard and want to get better at their worst subjects while Fumino and Ogata wants to go to college and work on these subjects for life.”

What I say: A harem about a tutor huh, seems like someone’s trying to ride in on that ‘Quintessential Quintuplets’ train. I’m watching it because it’s a harem anime–not because it particularly interests me but maybe it’ll be good?

Shoumetsu Toshi (Where I End and You Begin)

What they say: “One day, a city suddenly disappears. Takuya, a professional by-the-contract courier and lone wolf, meets Yuki, the only survivor from the city’s extinction. The two rely on a message from Yuki’s father, who was heard to be missing, and head toward the disappeared city, Lost.

However, unexpected obstacles strike before the pair, with the reality especially shocking for Yuki. Before them are the feelings of those left behind, a mysterious group manipulating in the shadows, and unveiling the hidden conspiracy. Takuya and Yuki, who both were initially strangers, would deepen their bond during the journey and unravel the mystery of the Lost city.”

What I say: While I was staying in Akihabara during February of this year there was a video billboard that was playing anime trailers on the main street that was visible from my hotel. It was mostly playing previous and current season anime advertisements but the one show it was promoting from ~next~ season was this one. I think I’ve seen the trailer for it like fifty times thanks to that video billboard so I feel almost obligated to watch the show now!

Nande Koko ni Sensei ga!? (Why the hell are you here, Teacher!?)

What they say: “17-year-old Ichirou Satou is an average teenager who always happens to find himself in perverted situations with his teacher, Kana Kojima. Follow this erotic love comedy about their mishaps throughout their daily lives and how Ichirou and Kana choose to handle them.”

What I say: Dammit, another 15 minute ecchi?! What are you trying to do to me, Japan?! Anyway, blah blah blah I like sexy anime girls and boobs boobs, blah blah blah I can’t wait.

Hachigatsu no Cinderella Nine

What they say: “In the game, the player takes the role of an unnamed former little senior league baseball ace who lost his or her baseball career after suffering an unspecified injury. The character moves to his or her grandmother’s hometown and enrolls in the local high school, resolved never to enter the world of baseball again. When the character meets Tsubasa Arihara, he or she is persuaded to be the manager of the school’s baseball team, and to take the team to the high school nationals at Koshien.”

What I say: I do love a good sports anime! Wait, no I don’t–they’re one of my least favourite anime genres–but what I ~do~ love is cute girls and if I have to sit through them playing baseball to get them then that’s exactly what I’m going to do! Batter up!

RoboHachi

What they say: “Neo Tokyo, the year G.C. (Galaxy Century) 0051, which marks a half century since first contact was made. Humans have obtained super light-speed navigation technology and formed a commonwealth of planets with aliens. A streak of bad luck is continuing for self-proclaimed freelance reportage writer Robby Yarge, who is around 30 years old. He fails at work, so his contract is cut. His girlfriend leaves him, he nearly dies in a traffic accident, and debt collectors come after him.

One day, a bag snatcher steals Robby’s bag, and a young man helps him. Hatchi Kita, an 18-year-old part-time worker, catches the criminal and returns Robby’s bag. Robby offers him his gratitude and a meal in return. The pair discover they are complete opposites and soon part ways.

However, Hatchi turns up again in Robby’s life as a debt collector. Hatchi explains that it’s his part-time job working for the loan shark Yan. A cat-and-mouse chase begins, and Yan’s Finance president Yan takes his subordinates Aro and Gra along for the ride. Robby manages to elude Hatchi and escape to space while shaking off Yan’s group. Robby thinks of escaping to Isekandar, a distant and legendary planet in the Milky Way that is said to bring happiness to those who go there. Though Robby thought he had escaped to space alone, he discovers Hatchi inside his spaceship. The two decide to travel across the galaxy together in search of Isekandar.”

What I say: Man, that sure is a long plot summary! This is my obligatory “something different from the cute girl stuff I usually watch” pick of the season. I have nothing to say about the show other than, ‘looks interesting’.

One Punch Man 2nd Season

What they say: “Saitama is a guy who’s a hero for fun. After saving a child from certain death, he decided to become a hero and trained hard for three years. Though he’s now so strong he can defeat any opponent with a single punch, lately he feels as if, in exchange for overwhelming power, he’s lost something even more important.”

What I say: I had various ~issues~ with the first season of ‘One Punch Man’ (which you can read in my review of it here!) but at its core it was still an entertaining show. And hey, at least it’s better than ‘Mob Psycho 100’!

Sewayaki Kitsune no Senko-san

What they say: “The everyday life of Nakano, a salaryman working for an exploitative company, is suddenly intruded upon by the fox, Senko-san (800-year-old little girl). Whether it be cooking, cleaning, or special service(?)… she’ll heal his exhaustion with her tender “care.”

What I say: “800-year-old little girl” huh? ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) Seriously though, while the premise is a little on the ‘ick’ side (yes, even for the likes of me!) Senko-san is proper adorable and I need her in my life.

Kenja no Mago

What they say: “A young man who had surely died in an accident was reborn in another world as a baby! After that, he was picked up by the patriot hero “Sage” Merlin Wolford and was given the name Shin. He was raised as a grandson by Merlin and soaked up Merlin’s teachings earning him some shocking power however, when he became 15 his grandfather Merlin said: “I forgot to teach him common sense”!

An “abnormal” boy’s unconventional other world fantasy life starts here!!”

What I say: ~Obligatory Isekai anime of the season~ But seriously, this seems incredibly generic and ordinary sounding–hoping to be surprised but out of all the show’s I’m watching this show could be dropped quickly unless it has some exceptional anime ladies in it.

Carole & Tuesday

What they say: “Fifty years have passed since mankind began migrating to the new frontier: Mars. It’s an age where most culture is produced by AI, and people are content to be passive consumers. There’s a girl. Scrapping a living in the metropolis of Alba City, she’s working part time while trying to become a musician. She’s always felt like something is missing. Her name is Carole. There’s a girl. Born to a wealthy family in the provincial town of Herschel City, she dreams of becoming a musician, but nobody around her understands. She feels like the loneliest person in the world. Her name is Tuesday. A chance meeting brings them together. They want to sing. They want to make music. Together, they feel like they just might have a chance. The two of them may only create a tiny wave. But that wave will eventually grow into something larger…”

What I say: The premise doesn’t particular interest me but I feel like (aside from ‘Fruits Basket’) this will be the anime that gets a lot of attention so this is me basically watching something because it’ll be talked about and not because of any particular inclination towards its plot, art-style or anything else. Could be amazing or could be a big ‘ol jar of “not for me”… only time will tell!

Kabuki-chou Sherlock

What they say: “The East Side of Shinjuku Ward … The neon-lit Kabuki-chou district stretches across the center of this chaotic city. Where light shines, there are also deep shadows. The curtains rise on this night stage where bizarre murders occurred! Is this suspense? No, comedy? An indistinguishable drama is about to begin…”

What I say: *shrugs* I’ll give it a go, I suppose…

 

 

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And that’s my 17 anime I’ll (probably) be watching for Spring 2019! Compared to previous seasons’ this is among the weakest in regards to any kind of overall hype I have for the season but things can change! At the very least there’s more ecchi this season, even if it is all shorter length ones! *shakes fist*

Let me know what shows you are looking forward to the most and/or if you think I’ve missed a show that’s “unmissable”. Thanks for reading!

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Winter 2019 Anime Watch List

A new year and a new year of anime, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves, we’re strictly talking about the Winter 2019 anime season and what shows that I specifically will be watching! I’ve decided to list these in order of release, you know, so you actually have to ~read~ what I say about each show to know why specifically I’m hyped about each show!

BanG Dream! 2nd Season – January 3rd 2019

What they say: “When she was a child, Kasumi Toyama (played by Poppin’ Party’s lead singer, Aimi) felt a heart-pounding thrill every time she gazed at the stars, and she’s been looking without success for something that could inspire the same feeling ever since. One day, she comes across a star-shaped guitar in a rundown pawnshop and, for the first time, discovers the thrill she’s been searching for. Kasumi becomes determined to form an all-girl band, and her search leads her to four like-minded souls: Saya, Arisa, Rimi, and Tae (all brought to life by the members of Poppin’ Party). Does this band have what it takes to make their dreams of stardom come true?”

What I say: Its lonely being a BanG Dream fan… oh sure the mobile game gets plenty of attention but when was the last time you saw someone talking about the show?! It’s all Love Live this and Idolmaster that. Well you know what, I love BanG Dream and I can’t wait for this new season, so there!

Boogiepop wa Warawanai (Boogiepop Never Smiles) – January 4th 2019

What they say: “There is an urban legend that children tell one another about a shinigami that can release people from the pain they may be suffering. This “Angel of Death” has a name: Boogiepop. And the legends are true. Boogiepop is real. When a rash of disappearances involving female students breaks out at Shinyo Academy, the police and faculty assume they just have a bunch of runaways on their hands. But Nagi Kirima knows better. Something mysterious and foul is afoot. Is it Boogiepop, or something more sinister…?”

What I say: For the longest time this wasn’t even on my preliminary watch list. Why? Because I thought this was a sequel to the positively ancient anime I never watched ‘Boogiepop Phantom’, but apparently this isn’t a sequel and I can watch it with no knowledge of the previous or source material? Cool works for me, hope it’s good.

Ueno-san wa Bukiyou (How clumsy you are, Miss Ueno) – January 7th 2019

What they say: “Ueno-san, who is in her third year of junior high school, is in love with the concept of falling in love. She makes full use of her inventions and tries to show it off to Tanaka, her Science Club kouhai.”

What I say: This looks like a middle-school version of ‘Chio’s School Road’ (or maybe that’s just the protagonist) but either way it looks like it’s going to be a lot of inappropriate comedic fun! Sign me up!

 

Circlet Princess – January 8th 2019

What they say: “People’s lives have changed because of VR and AR, and an competitive sport has born from these technologies called CB (Circlet Bout). CB can be competed between two schools and became an e-sport that decides the wealth of the schools. It also became the real ability of the school, which depends on not just the students’ academic skills, but also on the data based on the sport ability, art, skills, etc.”

What I say: Umm, is it shallow of me to pick a show to watch based solely on how sexy the outfits of these future sports girls are wearing? Because I gotta be honest, that’s what’s put this on the list. Happy to be shown a legitimately good show, but until then I’m here for ~those skin tight outfits~, mnnng.

Pastel Memories – January 8th 2019

What they say: “The story takes place in a future Akihabara where otaku culture has declined. Players play as a shopkeeper of an otaku shop. Together with the heroines who are in fact otaku girls, the shopkeeper start helping people claim their lost otaku memories back.”

What I say: You had me at: “the story takes place in… Akihabara” like that’s literally as far as I read. Any series that takes place in the greatest place on earth is an insta-watch for me. I mean it helps that there’s cute girls on the poster but whatever, just gimme that Akiba-service right now!

Watashi ni Tenshi ga Maiorita! – January 8th 2019

What they say: “One day, fifth grader Hinata Hoshino brings her friend Hana Shirosaki to her house, and Hinata’s sister Miyako, a college student, falls in love with with Hana at first sight. Miyako manages to get along with Hana somehow, but her clumsy behavior and shyness, makes Hana wary. Even so, Hana gradually opens up to Miyako, who wants to become closer to her.”

What I say: It’s this seasons ‘UzaMaid!’, oh how I love a yuri x lolicon series with an emphasis on the awkwardness and comedy! Plus visually this is exactly the kind of series I just eat up wholeheartedly!

Ame-iro Cocoa: Side G (Rainy Cocoa: Side G) – January 9th 2019

What they say: “In the fifth season of the Ame-iro Cocoa series Youko, the daughter of the Rainy Color cafe’s owner Kouji Amami, takes over as the acting manager of the cafe.”

What I say: Question: When is it okay to watch the fifth season of a show when you haven’t watched the previous 4? Answer: When it’s an all-female spin-off of a previously all male slice of life comedy! Obviously I had no interest in the previous seasons but when I see 5 sexy ladies (and a shota) standing outside a coffee shop on a poster, you better believe I take an interest! This is a short anime though so don’t expect weekly reviews.

Rinshi!! Ekoda-chan (Near Death!! Ekoda-chan) – January 9th 2019

What they say: “Rinshi!! Ekoda-chan is a fun and dark a 4-koma manga about the real (?) life of the author, a single woman in Tokyo who drifts through relationships and works at various hostess clubs and the like. Lots of commentary on “birds of prey” (moukin), girls who use their cuteness and affect stupidity in order to try to score men (against whom the author is constantly fighting).”

What I say: Would you believe this out of any other anime this season is my most anticipated anime? Probably not, but then again I’m an eclectic kinda guy! (Or at least I like to think I am…) Everything about this an anime is unknown quantity, it could reference things too niche for me to find humour in, it could be a 2 minute anime and fail to properly grab my attention, it might even not even get subtitled into English and then I’d especially be shit out of luck, but I’m hoping the stars align and its a 25 minute anime that’s as promising as it sounds and gets picked up by Crunchyoll… Stranger things have happened!

Tate no Yuusha no Nariagari (The Rising Of The Shield Hero) – January 9th 2019

What they say: “Naofumi Iwatani, an uncharismatic otaku who spends his days on games and manga, suddenly finds himself summoned to a parallel universe! He discovers he is one of four heroes equipped with legendary weapons and tasked with saving the world from its prophesied destruction. As the Shield Hero, the weakest of the heroes, all is not as it seems. Naofumi is soon alone, penniless, and betrayed. With no one to turn to, and nowhere to run, he is left with only his shield. Now, Naofumi must rise to become the legendary Shield Hero and save the world!”

What I say: I’ll never say no to an isekai! Even if it’s one that sounds as painfully generic as this, I know people are already hyping this up because of the source material but I get the feeling this is going to be another ‘Goblin Slayer’ for better and worse.

Dimension High School – January 10th 2019

What they say: “NOTE: Anime/live-action hybrid series

The high school boys are transported to an anime world while they are in cram school. Since then, they start school life in the anime world they are transported to.”

What I say: Each season I always like to pick up at least one anime that I would never normally watch or doesn’t appeal to me, this is this season’s pick. Though the fact it’s hybrid anime/live-action is at least something that’s interesting. I don’t hold out high hopes for this one…

Girly Air Force – January 10th 2019

What they say: “Mysterious flying creatures known as Zai suddenly appear, and in order to fight the creatures, mankind creates fighter aircraft called “Daughters,” as well as the automatic fighting mechanism “Anima,” which are shaped like human girls. The story centers on a young man named Kei Narutani, who yearns to fly in the sky, and an Anima considered to be humanity’s trump card, a girl name Guripen.”

What I say: That’s a very ‘Strike Witches’ premise, but hopefully it’s a lot better than that because ‘Strike Witches’ was always a bit mediocre for my tastes.

Date A Live III – January 11th 2019

What they say: “The third season of Date A Live.”

What I say: ‘Date A Live’ has always been a series that I kind of forget that I even like it, until I’m actually watching it then I remember how much I enjoy it. So while I’m not hyped for this season I am still going to watch it. That said, its under a different animation studio (J.C. Staff) and is it just me or do the characters suddenly look like they belong in ‘My Sister, My Writer’?! Hopefully that’s just indicative of the art-style and not a sign of a train-wreck to come…

Go-toubun no Hanayome (The Quintessential Quintuplets) – January 11th 2019

What they say: “One day, a poor high school second-year named Uesugi Futarou comes across a private tutoring gig with good pay. But his pupils are his classmates!! And they’re quintuplets!! A-and they’re all gorgeous girls, but they’re also troublemakers who hate to study and are on the verge of flunking out! And his first task is simply gaining the sisters’ trust?! Every day is a party! The curtain is rising on the Nakano quintuplets’ quirky romantic comedy with five times the cute!!”

What I say: Did someone say a five-sister harem?! This series seems like it has potential, though hopefully more on the comedy side than the romance side.

Yakusoku no Neverland (The Promised Neverland) – January 11th 2019

What they say: “Emma, Norman and Ray are the brightest kids at the Grace Field House orphanage. And under the care of the woman they refer to as “Mom,” all the kids have enjoyed a comfortable life. Good food, clean clothes and the perfect environment to learn – what more could an orphan ask for? One day, though, Emma and Norman uncover the dark truth of the outside world they are forbidden from seeing.”

What I say: I’m presuming I won’t like this show, everything about it just screams try-hard. So don’t be surprised if I watch one episode, drop it and never mention it again. Hoping to be pleasantly surprised by it but honestly expecting the worst.

Mahou Shoujo Tokushusen Auska (Magical Girl Special Ops) – January 12th 2019

What they say: “When the Earth is threatened by the sudden appearance of undead creatures, a group of young women blessed with powers from a mysterious source rose to defeat them. Now, after three years of apparent peace, the same malevolent creatures have resurfaced. Five magical girls are once again conscripted to war as the Magical Girl Special Ops force, to defend mankind from an unholy nemesis.”

What I say: ‘Magical Girl Special Ops’ is just a very evocative title, I don’t have any expectations for this show, and maybe it’ll be too ~edgy~ for me but at the very least the girls are cute.

Bermuda Triangle: Colorful Pastrale – January 12th

What they say: The glittering spotlights. The sparkling, fluffy, cute outfits. The charming voices while dancing with bright smiles. Under the dazzling lights on the big city stage, these would be the mermaid idols who swim and dance freely underwater.

But far from this big city, the girls once lived in the peaceful village of Parrel. These girls, who would not even imagine such a glittering future for themselves, are instead just raising a fuss over the snack cakes they are eating. This is the story of the cheerful daily life of mermaids who strive their hardest everyday.

What I say:

 

Kaguya-sama wa Kokurasetai: Tensai-tachi no Renai Zunousen (Kaguya-sama: Love Is War) – January 12th 2019

What they say: “All’s fair when love is war!

Two geniuses. Two brains. Two hearts. One battle. Who will confess their love first…?!

Kaguya Shinomiya and Miyuki Shirogane are two geniuses who stand atop their prestigious academy’s student council, making them the elite among elite. But it’s lonely at the top and each has fallen for the other. There’s just one huge problem standing in the way of lovey-dovey bliss—they’re both too prideful to be the first to confess their romantic feelings and thus become the “loser” in the competition of love! And so begins their daily schemes to force the other to confess first!”

What I say: Oh, hey look a show I’ve actually read the manga for this season! I’m not really keen on straight-up romance shows but this one’s different enough that I’m looking forward to it!

Endro~! – January 13th 2019

What they say: “Naral Island, a continent with swords and magic in which humans and monsters coexist. The terrible Demon King lives there. In ancient times, the first-generation hero defeated the Demon King. Over the many successive generations since then, the Demon King has been resurrected, and the hero who opposes him has likewise reappeared. Girls attend a school for adventurers in order to defeat the Demon King when he appears again.

Though a bit absent-minded, Yusha has the body of a hero. The holy elf Seyla’s trouble never ends because she is too serious. The cheerful warrior Fai loves to eat. Mei is a quiet otaku magician. As the four girls aim to be in the hero party, they live relaxed fantasy lives and show no sign of defeating the Demon King no matter how much time passes.”

What I say: I already love it and I’ve only seen the poster and read the synopsis. I mean it’s a CGDCT, slice of life show in a fantasy world. Perfection!

Manaria Friends – January 21st

What they say: “NOTE: Originally scheduled for 2016 but was postponed.

Anime adapting the “Manaria Mahō Gakuin” (Mysteria Academy in the English version) event within the Rage of Bahamut social game.”

What I say: Everything about this “premise” is bizarre, adapting mobile games into an anime is nothing new, in-fact one of the biggest success stories this year was just how good Uma Musume: Pretty Derby was and that was based on a mobile game too. But based on an ‘event within a social game’ is a new one. Also I deliberately left in the note saying it was “originally scheduled for 2016 but was postponed” that in of itself is interesting, have they been working on it the whole time to make it better? Was it completed and then shelved for 2 years? Oh, suppose I should talk about the show itself, um… looks like a sexy demon girl, i’m in!

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And that’s my watch list, I’m sure as is always the case, some will be dropped and others will be picked up, after all ‘Rascal Does Not Dream Of Bunny Girl Senpai’ wasn’t even on my watch list because of its dumb title and it ended up my favourite anime of Fall 2018! So who knows what surprises Winter 2019 will bring us! Leave a comment below on your thoughts and thanks for reading!

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Fall 2018 Anime Watch List

Is it already time to look over what new anime will be gracing us in the Fall (Autumn) 2018 Season? Apparently so! Usually I do very little research before deciding on what anime to watch going as far as to look at a poster and reading a synopsis but this season I went that *extra* step and even watched some trailers and even read the manga source material on a couple of shows too (some unintentionally though). What follows is my list of the anime I’ll be watching, accompanied with the ‘official synopsis’ as well as some of my thoughts on each. Bare in mind that while I will be watching most, if not all of these shows all the way through what gets reviewed week-to-week is subject to change.

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Akanesasu Shoujo (October 1st)

What they say: “October, 2018. Girls who live in a provincial city perform a certain ritual. The girls are in the “Crystal Radio Club.” It is an interest circle that Asuka Tsuchimiya, a girl known for her cheerfulness, started with friends in her high school. That ritual was considered just an urban legend. However, with several conditions coincidentally falling into place, it stops being fun and games….”

What I say: I’m not really sure what to think of this show, what I do know is the art is gorgeous and it’s filled with cute girls so of course I’ll give it a shot!

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Tensei Shitara Slime Datta Ken [That Time I Got Reincarnated As A Slime] (October 2nd)

What they say: “Lonely thirty-seven-year-old Satoru Mikami is stuck in a dead-end job, unhappy with his mundane life, but after dying at the hands of a robber, he awakens to a fresh start in a fantasy realm…as a slime monster! As he acclimates to his goopy new existence, his exploits with the other monsters set off a chain of events that will change his new world forever!”

What I say: I keep seeing this light novel/manga series everywhere when searching Book Depository of what to read next, to be honest the premise is pretty average but some of the girls look absolutely amazing! Can you sense a pattern forming with my picks yet?

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Space Battleship Tiramisu II (October 2nd)

What they say: “Second season of Space Battleship Tiramisu”.

What I say: Can’t say I expected this series to get another season! But whatever I enjoyed the first season for what it was plus it’s a shorter series so I’m not really too worried about committing myself to another bout of silliness.

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Zombieland Saga (October 4th)

What they say: “TBA”.

What I say: I had pretty much zero interest in this show–mostly because of its name–until of course the poster showed up delivering a bevy of cute anime girls to be lauded over… I’m a simple man of simple pleasures…

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Tonari no Kyuuketsuki-san [Ms. Vampire Who Lives In My Neighbourhood] (October 5th) 

What they say: “The modern-day vampire comedy centers on high school girl Amano, who was saved from a strange incident by a vampire girl named Sophie Twilight, and has been interested in her ever since. Akari arrives at her house uninvited and the two start to live together. Although a vampire, Sophie never attacks humans, but purchases blood and anime goods via mail and lives a modern life.”

What I say: It looks like it’s Gabriel DropOut except vampires! In other words CGDDCT but they’re also monsters which equals a big tick in my book! Sign me up!

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Yagate Kimi ni Naru [Bloom Into You] (October 5th)

What they say: “Yuu has always loved shoujo manga and awaits the day she gets a love confession that sends her heart aflutter with bubbles and hearts, and yet when a junior high classmate confesses his feelings to her… she feels nothing. Disappointed and confused, Yuu enters high school still unsure how to respond. That’s when Yuu sees the beautiful student council president Nanami turn down a suitor with such maturity that she’s inspired to ask her for help. But when the next person to confess to Yuu is Nanami herself, has her shoujo romance finally begun?”

What I say: It’s the Fall season’s answer to Citrus! Let’s just hope it doesn’t invoke as much hand-wringing and obnoxious thought pieces as the aforementioned did! I’ve read the manga and it’s pretty darn cute and smart too! Hopefully the adaption does it justice!

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Uchi no Maid ga Uzasugiru! (October 5th)

What they say: “Having lost her mother at a young age, Misha Takanashi, a second grader with Russian blood, now lives with her Japanese father. Tsubame Kamoi, formerly a Self‐Defense Force officer, comes to the Takanashi household as a housekeeper. This is a home comedy where Kamoi, a hardcore lolicon, attempts to get near Misha as she tries to fight against her.”

What I say: It’s not often the phrase “hardcore lolicon” appears in a synopsis… this could be amazingly subversive and perverted and weird or it could just be ~uncomfortable~ or a third thing… maybe this is the hypothetical ‘gender swapped’ version of Miss Caretaker of Sunohara-sou I’ve been talking about for weeks now!

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Dakaretai Otoko 1-i ni Odosarete Imasu. (October 6th)

What they say: “Takato Saijyo has reigned as the idol industry’s “Most Huggable” for five years, that is, until freshman actor Junta Azumaya. Takato was always considered brusque while Azumaya’s smile is winning over admirers by comparison. The whole fiasco drives Takuto to over indulge in alcohol and his actions catch the attention of the last person he wants to see. To his surprise, Azumaya uses this new info to blackmail Takuto for physical affection.”

What I say: Gotta balance all those cute girls out with some BL? Amirite!… Okay, this pick is totally just for the irlwaifu but who knows, maybe it’ll be good? Or better yet, so bad it’s good!

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Kishuku Gakkou no Juliet [Juliet Of Boarding School] (October 6th)

What they say: “To Love, or not to Love”

Juliet Percia and Inuzuka Romio are archenemies. They lead two high-school dormitories the “Black Dogs” and the “White Cats” from two rivaling countries. Both factions are dead set on defeating the other to gain control over the island they have to share. Beneath the feuding exterior, however, Percia and Inuzuka long for love and peace for their budding relationship…”

What I say: Y’all should know romance anime ain’t my bag, but something about this art style immediately (and fondly) reminded me of Shomin Sample, so apparently that’s enough to make me watch a show now!

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Goblin Slayer (October 7th)

What they say: “A young priestess has formed her first adventuring party, but almost immediately they find themselves in distress. It’s the Goblin Slayer who comes to their rescue—a man who’s dedicated his life to the extermination of all goblins, by any means necessary. And when rumors of his feats begin to circulate, there’s no telling who might come calling next…”

What I say: The light novel and manga this is based on has been on my radar for a little while but I never committed to reading either because the tone seemed darker than the usual fare. Wondering whether the anime will be darker or lighter, personally I’m hoping for it to be like ‘How NOT To Summon A Demon Lord‘ but either way will be interesting.

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Release The Spyce (October 7th)

What they say: “The series is about a girl named Momo who attends high school at the city of Sorasaki. However, she is secretly a member of Tsukikage, an intelligence agency that protects people. As a new member of the agency, she works alongside her colleagues including her senior Yuki and friends. Together, they work to establish peace in the city.”

What I say: There’s not nearly enough spy-genre anime out there (at least that I know about) so I’m very much looking forward to this series, plus it it’s an ‘Original’ and not based on a manga or novel or game so hopefully it’s full of interesting things we haven’t seen before!

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Fairy Tail (October 7th)

What they say: “Final season of Fairy Tail.”

What I say: I mean, that synopsis says it all doesn’t it? By which I mean it says nothing to anyone unless you’re a Fairy Tail fan–which I am! The two biggest unanswered questions on my mind are “how many episodes this will be?” and “how much fan-service are they going to squeeze out of this last-hurrah?”

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Ulysses: Jeanne d’Arc to Renkin no Kishi (October 7th)

What they say: “During France’s Hundred Years’ War with England, Montmorency, the son of a noble, immerses himself in the study of magic and alchemy at a school for knights. However, after France’s defeat at Agincourt, the school is disbanded and Montmorency is forced to flee. While on the run he meets a miraculous village girl named Jeanne.”

What I say: I don’t usually go in for historical stuff, but this looks to have enough subversions what with talk of magic and alchemy, the poster has a pretty dark and coll aesthetic, also boobs.

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Anima Yell! (October 7th)

What they say: “The manga centers on Kohane Hatoya, a young woman who loves to be helpful to others. After she moves from middle school to high school, she becomes fascinated with cheerleading, and she starts a cheerleading club at her high school. Joining Kohane in her cheerleading activities is the experienced Hizume and Kohane’s childhood friend Uki.”

What I say: A cheerleading anime that doesn’t feature a bunch of busty anime girls looking to jiggle? Well that’s certainly an interesting take… In all seriousness the poster has a very familiar and comforting CGDCT aesthetic and I’ve been looking forward to it since I first saw the character art!

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Gaikotsu Shotenin Honda-san (October 8th)

What they say: “The comedy manga’s story centers on a skeleton named Honda who works in a bookstore. Hilarity ensues daily in his work at the shop’s manga counter.”

What I say: The options for comedy anime (at least ones I’m interested) seem more limited this season than the Summer season (which was abundant) so I’ll take what I can get. I’m not really into the idea of this, or the frankly ugly art-style but I’ll give it a go–maybe it’ll end up surprising me!

***

Tokyo Ghoul:re 2nd Season (October 9th)

What they say: “Two years have passed since the CCG’s raid on Anteiku. Although the atmosphere in Tokyo has changed drastically due to the increased influence of the CCG, ghouls continue to pose a problem as they have begun taking caution, especially the terrorist organization Aogiri Tree, who acknowledge the CCG’s growing threat to their existence.”

What I say: While the first season of Tokyo Ghoul:re had its fare share of problems, as someone who wasn’t familiar with the (apparently vastly superior) manga I still enjoyed the show for what it was. I can’t say I’m hyped about a 2nd season this quickly after the first but I’ll still be watching it.

***

Conception (October 10th)

What they say: “The story of the game revolves around Itsuki Yuuge, a high school student who finds out on the day of his graduation ceremony that his cousin and childhood friend Mahiru is pregnant. Immediately afterward, Itsuki and Mahiru are taken to a magical world called Granvania, which is currently being invaded by monsters. The only people who can fight and exorcise the monsters are the “star children,” and the star children can only be produced by the 12 “shrine maidens of the constellations.” In order to defeat the monsters and return to his own world, Itsuki must father the star children with the maidens.”

What I say: A harem anime about impregnating girls for the sake of saving the world? I mean, I know Japan has a declining birth rate and all but I don’t think this is the answer! To be honest I just love how ludicrous this whole idea is and I look forward to seeing how they pull it off.

***

Ore ga Suki nano wa Imouto dakedo Imouto ja Nai (October 10th)

What they say: “Suzuka Nagami is a beautiful third-year middle school student who has excellent grades and is the student council president. She wrote a novel about a little sister who dotes on her older brother, and the the novel wins a light novel award. After they discuss the matter, Yuu is the one who debuts as a proxy light novel author instead of Suzuka, under the pen name Chikai Towano.”

What I say: Usually I ignore strictly romance anime but immediately this synopsis here reminded me of ‘A Sister’s All You Need‘–one of my favourite anime of recent years and from that point forward I was committed to watching this show!

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Beelzebub-jou no Okinimesu mama. [As Miss Beelzebub Likes] (October 10th)

What they say: “Beelzebub is a great demon lord who rules over several millions of demons. Murin, who decides to serve the demon lord, learns that not only does Beelzebub lack the poise of a great demon, but is also a laid-back girl who likes fluffy things. Thus begins the daily-life comedy revolving around the many villains in the demon world.”

What I say: Another comedy I’m not entirely sold on, but I’ve actually heard of this one so maybe it’s going to be good?

***

Senran Kagura: Shinovi Master – Tokyo Youma-hen (October 13th)

What they say: “Second season of “Senran Kagura.”

What I say: The first season was glorious, hilarious fan-service trash with a nice helping of character development on the side. Plus I loved the character designs and costumes of all the girls. More of that? Yes please!

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Han-Gyaku-sei Million Arthur (October 25th)

What they say: “Based on Square Enix’s massively multi-player online role-playing game.”

What I say: There’s two reasons I’m watching this show even though I know zero about the game it’s based on. 1) The character designs on the girls look cute, and 2) it’s already been given a second season so I at least know there’s potential for the storytelling of this show–either that or they’re just super confident this is going to be popular somewhere…

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And that’s my watch list for Fall (Autumn 2018)! 21 shows in total which is about on par with the Summer season’s initial watch list, also I haven’t decided which of these shows I’ll be reviewing week-to-week, ideally it’ll be around 14 (2 episode reviews per day) but only time will tell! Which shows are you the most interested in next season? Leave a comment below with your thoughts!

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Summer 2018 Anime Watch List

So another anime season is almost upon as and like I did last year I’m going to go over which anime I’ll be watching for Summer 2018. And while every show will get a review for the first episode at the very least–whether I continue to review the show week-to-week will be determined by whether I find myself with enough to say about each new episode to justify a review. So let’s take a look at the all the shows I’ll be watching (in order of release).

Island (July 1st 2018)

What they say: “The island of Urashima sits on the ocean far, far away from the mainland. The island is so lush and beautiful that one might mistake it for paradise, but the people there are trapped by a complex past and long-established traditions. Long since abandoned and all but forgotten by the mainland, the people of the island are ready to give up hope. But then, a young man named Setsuna who calls himself a “time traveler” washes up on the island. Setsuna has lost all of his memories except for a certain mission that he must fulfill. On Urashima he meets three girls, Rinne, Karen, and Sara, and begins to work toward changing the island’s future. The story of a young man and the three girls he meets on an island full of mysteries and exclusive customs is about to be unraveled…”

What I say: I love the character designs of the three girls plus the premise and setting seems pretty fresh–I’m looking forward to this a lot!

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Hanebado! (July 2nd 2018)

What they say: “The manga’s story begins with Kentarou Tachibana, the badminton coach of Kitakomachi High School’s badminton team. He is worried because the team has so few members that it cannot even enter competitions, but then he spots a student named Ayano Hanesaki easily climbing a large tree on the school grounds, expertly demonstrating excellent motor skills. Tachibana tries to get Ayano to join the badminton team, but finds out that Ayano hates badminton.“

What I say: This is one of two female cast sports anime that’s airing this season and I’m so excited for both of them! We desperately need more sports anime with female casts!

***

Back Street Girls (July 4th 2018)

What they say: “A group of 3 yakuza failed their boss for the last time. After messing up an important job, the boss gave them 2 choices: honorably commit suicide, or go to Thailand to get a sex reassignment surgery in order to become “female” idols. After a gruesome year training to become idols, they successfully debut, with overwhelming popularity, much to their dismay. This is where their tragedy truly begins.”

What I say: What an absolutely wild and ridiculous premise for a show! This could be either a complete and utter disaster or a comedic masterpiece but either way I can’t wait to watch it unfold!

***

Miss caretaker of Sunohara-sou (July 5th 2018)

What they say: “Shiina Aki is constantly being treated like a girl due to his feminine looks so he decides to move to Tokyo to attend middle school in an attempt to change himself.

However what awaits him in his new home, Sunohara-sou, is the kind-hearted caretaker, Sunohara Ayaka. Along with the three female members of Aki’s new middle school’s student council, Yukimoto Yuzu, Yamanashi Sumire & Kazami Yuri.

And so begins Aki’s new life in Tokyo living with 4 girls.”

What I say: I’m not completely sold on the premise but it’s a slice of life anime and it’s got a pretty art style and character designs–it doesn’t take much to convince me to watch a show like this!

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How NOT to Summon a Demon Lord (July 5th 2018)

What they say: “In the MMORPG Cross Reverie, Sakamoto Takuma is so powerful that he is lauded as the “Demon Lord” by other players. One day, he is summoned to a world outside his own – but with the same appearance he had in the game! There, he meets two girls who both proclaim themselves to be his Summoner. They perform an Enslavement Ritual to turn him into their Summon… but that’s when Takuma’s passive ability <> activates! Instead, it is the girls who become enslaved! Though Takuma may be the strongest Sorcerer there is, he has no idea how to talk with other people. It is here he makes his choice: to act based on his persona from the game! “Amazing? But of course… I am Diablo, the being known and feared as the Demon Lord!” So begins a tale of adventure with an earth-shakingly powerful Demon Lord (or at least someone who acts like one) taking on another world!”

What I say: This looks like it could be a lot of fun, I’m a bit of a sucker for an Isekai but the comedic element reminds me of shows like No Game No Life and Konosuba so if it’s anything at all like those show’s it’s bound to be a fun time!

***

Shichisei no Subaru (July 6th 2018)

What they say: “There was once a legendary party named Subaru in the globally popular MMORPG “Union.” The group was made of elementary school friends. They earned fame in the blink of an eye for their unparalleled abilities in the Sense system at the core of the game. However, there was an incident where a player passed away inside the game. As a result of the death, Union ended service.”

What I say: The male protagonist kind of looks like Kazuma from Konosuba (I mentioned it again!), that’s a good enough reason as any to watch an anime, right? No probably not. Either way I’m interested…

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Satsuriku no Tenshi (July 6th 2018)

What they say: “13-year old Rachel awakens to find herself trapped in the basement of an abandoned building. Without any memories, or even a clue as to where she could be, she wanders the building, lost and dizzy. In her search, she comes across a man covered in bandages. He introduces himself as Zack and he wields a grim-reaper like sickle.”

What I say: I like the mysterious and vague nature of this show’s premise, I need a good ‘psychological/horror/thriller’ show since so many of the one’s this season looked like garbage.

***

Harukana Recieve (July 6th 2018)

What they say: “The story centers on Haruka, a girl who has a complex about how she is very tall, and Kanata, who is about to give up beach volleyball because she is too short. With Haruka’s height and Kanata’s experience, the two girls form a pair to play beach volleyball in Okinawa.”

What I say: Beach volleyball you say? Don’t mind if I do! Despite whatever ~complicated~ feelings I have towards sports anime in general this show above all else is my most anticipated anime of Summer 2018!

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Chio-chan no Tsuugakuro (July 6th 2018)

What they say: “This is a story of a nerdy bookworm girl on her way to school, and yes, that’s the entire premise, as she’s not getting to school any time soon. Taking her “usual” route to school, it becomes an increasingly unusual adventure, and all the more ridiculous as it carries on. It takes an unpleasant sentiment many can empathize with, the feeling of tardiness, and brings humor to it—making it a hilarious situation to look back upon.”

What I say: “Ridiculous” is my favourite kind of comedy and it says it is in the synopsis so it has to be, right? This show looks like it could be a lot of fun!

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The Master of Ragnarok & Blesser of Einherjar (July 8th 2018)

What they say: “Some urban legends are best left untested! Yuuto Suoh gets more than he bargained for when he joins his childhood friend Mitsuki Shimoya in testing out an urban legend. When he uses his phone to take a picture of himself with the local shrine’s divine mirror, he is whisked off into another world – one heavily steeped in the lore of the old Norse myths. Using his knowledge gained from school and from his solar-powered smartphone, he has the chance to bring the Wolf Clan, the same people who cared for him, to prominence, all while earning the adoration of a group of magic-wielding warrior maidens known as the Einherjar.”

What I say: I’m not exactly sure why I want to watch this, it looks pretty generic but I’m currently in the mood for some Isekai + Harem shenanigans so hopefully this show can deliver!

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Cells At Work (July 8th 2018)

What they say: “Strep throat! Hay fever! Influenza! The world is a dangerous place for a red blood cell just trying to get her deliveries finished. Fortunately, she’s not alone… She’s got a whole human body’s worth of cells ready to help out! The mysterious white blood cell, the buff and brash killer T cell, the nerdy neuron, even the cute little platelets – everyone’s got to come together if they want to keep you healthy!”

What I say: Another comedy! We’re seemingly spoilt for ~unique~ ones this season! This show kind of reminds me of a “educational” series I watched as a kid about the ~things~ in my body going about their daily lives keeping me healthy. Anyone else remember that?

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Asobi Asobase (July 8th 2018)

What they say: “Hanako, an athletically proficient, yet thick-headed student with a weird fashion sense, plays a game with the American transfer student Olivia. However, their vigor irritated their classmate Kasuki who dislikes playing games since she has always been teased by her sister for being bad at them. With a turn of events, it was found out that Hanako is terrible at English. Thus, she asked her foreign classmate Olivia to help her, but Olivia, who is only born and raised in Japan with foreign parents, can’t actually speak English at all! Watch over these three girls’ surreal school-life comedy.”

What I say: “Surreal school-life comedy” Man, you’re just giving me all my favourite buzz-words!

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Dropkick On My Devil!! (July 10th 2018)

What they say: “Jashin-chan Dropkick is a violent slapstic comedy about a delusional gothic lolita, Yurine, who summons a demon girl with the tail of a cobra, Jashin-chan.

They’ll have to live together until Yurine finds a way to send Jashin-chan back to hell, or until Jashin-chan kills Yurine.”

What I say: Slapstick comedy can be pretty hit and miss, but I’m willing to give it a go–if only because it’s got an aesthetically pleasing poster and character designs.

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Phantoms In The Twilight (July 10th 2018)

What they say: “The story takes place in London, at “Café Forbidden,” a mysterious café that only opens at night. The protagonist is a girl who is in London to study abroad. She meets the handsome men who work this place where the guardians of the boundary between the human and shadow world gather.”

What I say: The wife needs some trashy-reverse harem shenanigans, I’ll watch to “broaden my horizons” a.k.a make smart-ass comments about how silly this show will no doubt be.

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Shoujo☆Kageki Revue Starlight (July 13th 2018)

What they say: “Starlight is a song and dance revue troupe loved throughout the world. Karen and Hikari make a promise with each other when they’re young that one day they’ll stand on that stage together. Time passes, and now the girls are 16 years old. Karen is very enthusiastic about the lessons she takes every day, holding her promise close to her heart. Hikari has transferred schools and is now away from Karen. But the cogs of fate turn, and the two are destined to meet again. The girls and other Stage Girls will compete in a mysterious audition process to gain acceptance into the revue.”

What I say: I ~think~ this is an idol show? And while I’m not usually the biggest fan of the genre I do want to give it a go, so why not with an original series! At the very least hopefully the music is top notch!

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High Score Girl (July 14th 2018)

What they say: “The year is 1991 and 6th grader Yaguchi Haruo only has video games to live for. He’s not popular in school and he’s neither handsome, funny, nice nor even friendly. The only thing he has going for him is that he is good at video games. One day at the local arcade, he plays Oono Akira, a fellow classmate but who’s popular, smart, pretty and a rich girl that absolutely destroys him at Street Fighter II. Not only does he lose to her 30 times in a row, he can’t beat her at any game. Haruo can’t seem to shake Akira off as she follows him from arcade to arcade everyday after school and beats him every time. As weird as it sounds, the odd couple begins a strange bond and friendship.”

What I say: I don’t usually bother with romance anime but I like the retro aesthetic, setting and the general concept.

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Happy Sugar Life (July 14th 2018)

What they say: “High-schooler Matsuzaka Satou has a reputation for being easy, but one day her lifestyle of sleeping with one boy after another comes to an end. It happens when she meets the child Shio, for whom she is convinced she feels true love for the first time. Satou may seem sweet and innocent, but there is nothing she won’t do to protect their life together, including committing murder. But from where did she acquire the little girl, and how long can their “Happy Sugar Life” together last?”

What I say: This premise sounds pretty damn twisted and controversial–hopefully it ends up the good kind of twisted not the “this is so depressing I want to die” twisted.

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Grand Blue (July 14th 2018)

What they say: “A new life begins for Kitahara Iori as he begins his college career near the ocean in Izu city, full of excitement for his new life. He will be moving into his Uncle’s diving store “Grand Blue.” There he finds the beautiful ocean, beautiful women, and men that love diving and alcohol. Will Iori be able to live his dream college life?”

What I say: As if Harukana Recieve wasn’t enough ‘girls in bikinis’ we’ve got this show, which is… I’m not really sure what it is? But the synopsis mentions alcohol so ‘party time!’?

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Yuuna and the Haunted Hot Springs (July 14th 2018)

What they say: “Homeless and haunted by ghosts, high schooler Kogarashi thinks his luck has finally turned when he finds Yuragi-sou–a cheap boarding house that was formerly a hot springs inn, now full of super sexy, scantily clad female tenants. If Kogarashi can use his spirit abilities to banish the ghost that haunts the inn, he can even live there rent-free! But when the ghost, a beautiful teenage girl named Yuuna, appears before him, Kogarashi takes pity on her and is suddenly not so sure about the exorcism. Will he help save Yuuna from becoming an evil spirit? And what supernatural secrets do the other boarders hold?”

What I say: As a recent reader of this manga I am very excited about this show! It’s a harem but it’s got a great sense of humour, tremendously well-written characters and even a bit of fighting action too!

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Attack on Titan: Season 3 (July 23rd 2018)

What they say: “After recovering Eren and Historia, the recruits are put under the care of Levi. Stuck out in the middle of nowhere, Hange subjects Eren to a series of experiments in an attempt to find out more about his ability. But when their link to the secrets behind the wall is murdered, the squad must move out and find a new refuge. Except, a figure from Levi’s past has his own plans to stop them.”

What I say: Attack on what? Never heard of it…

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And there we have it, the 20 shows I’ll at least be attempting to watch throughout the Summer season, I have every intention to keep watching them all the way through because I don’t like dropping anime unless they are either horrendously offensive or mind-numbingly boring–and that’s rare as I generally find something I like about a show to make it worth watching. Either way, expect at the very least first episode reviews of all these shows once they air! Leave a comment below with what shows you’re interested in for the Summer 2018 anime season!

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