Wooper: Are you ready for the season of sequels? We’re getting 15 this fall – that’s the most since spring 2018, which boasted nearly 20. What makes this season special, though, is that 7 of those 15 follow-ups belong to high profile franchises. That means a huge number of anime fans will be following multiple sequels this season. Even putting aside blockbuster properties like Sword Art Online, Seven Deadly Sins, and Food Wars, we found seven continuations that were worth bringing to your attention. And for those of you who prefer first seasons and original works, there are plenty of those here, too. With five writers currently on board, we’ve got a thorough mix of tastes and preferences represented in this preview, so we hope you find something to get excited about this fall.

We’re bringing back expectation tiers this time, so you can tell at a glance what we’re really hyped for, and what qualifies as a mere curiosity. With 19 shows being previewed, there are a bunch we won’t be covering, but they’ll appear in the poll below. Let us know what you’re interested in – we’ll take the results into account when deciding what to blog this October.

 

Middling Expectations

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Keishichō Tokumu-bu Tokushu Kyōaku-han Taisaku-Shitsu Dai-Nana-ka -Tokunana-

Studio: Anima&Co.
Director: Harume Kosaka
Series composition: Yuichiro Higashide
Source: Original

Amun: Everyone has something where their head tells them no, but their heart says yes. For me, I gamble on original anime works – I’m really hoping to stumble upon the next big hit. It hasn’t happened yet, but I’m still trying (I guess I saw the first episode of Re:Zero in Japan before the hype, so that counts, right?). Also, I have a soft spot for straight man rookies thrown into exotic situations – I can’t help it.

Tokunana is exactly such a project. With a composer who was previously an eroge company’s in-house writer (and did Fate/Apocrypha, to be fair) and director Harume Kosaka, an industry veteran without a major project to call his own, Tokunana has low expectations. As an anime original, this looks like a second rate Ghost in the Shell.

BUT. The trailer looked good, character designs look crisp, and as long as the plot can stay on point, this could be a nice, one season action show. For the staff’s sake, you can’t help but hope that this breaks out as the next Battlefront Blockade – it’s unlikely, but I keep my hopes up until I see the first couple of episodes.

 

Babylon

Studio: Revoroot
Director: Kiyotaka Suzuki
Series composition: TBA
Source: Novel

Mario: In any anime season, there is always a show or two that is destined to shake the waters – one that’s bold but utterly inconsistent, and sharply divides the audience. I’m thinking of Vatican Miracle Examiner or Kado the Right Answer a few years back, and it seems to me that Babylon is going to fit the slot. The premise about a prosecutor investigating and unveiling a whole underground conspiracy sure sounds juicy, and add to that, the original writer behind the novel is none other than the guy who wrote Kado’s script. Then we have the director who is behind other ambitious but messy works: FLCL Alternative and Psycho-Pass 2. Can’t say the art style in the PV looks that attractive, but even if this show turns out to be a hot mess, at least I’m sure that I won’t be bored by it.

Ahiru no Sora

Studio: Diomedea
Director: Shingo Tamaki
Series composition: Go Zappa
Source: Manga

Wooper: This basketball series looks to be a reverse Slam Dunk. Rather than following a delinquent who learns to love the game, as in that timeless sports manga, Ahiru no Sora uses an earnest freshman character to reform a bunch of thugs and bring the basketball team back to its former glory. With a tried and true setup like this, I don’t even need to preview the manga to get a sense of how the anime will turn out. So why include it here? Mostly because I really like the character designs, if I’m being honest. Their facial features are unusually blocky, with special attention paid to their lips. In the hair department, we’ve got afros, pompadours, and cornrows, rather than a bunch of floppy or spiky-haired average Joes (though the protagonist does fit that description). Diomedea has never produced a great TV series – Squid Girl is probably their best yet, to give you an idea of their skill ceiling – and I doubt they’re about to start here. Still, if the animation team can render its relatively complex characters for a full season without burning out, this could be among the best sports anime of the year.

 

No Guns Life

Studio: Madhouse
Director: Naoyuki Itou
Series composition: Yukie Sugawara
Source: Manga

Wooper: I was much more interested in this series before I read the manga. With messy art and befuddling panel progression, the source material is a far cry from the moody yet self-aware tone a show like No Guns Life ought to possess. Noir visual trappings and a serious storyline are fine, of course, but when your main character has a gun for a head, the comedy of your premise ought to come through on at least a handful of pages. I didn’t get that from the manga, but the PV’s opening hair metal tune tells me that Naoyuki Itou’s adaptation may be on the right track. The man has worked within every genre under the sun, so if he takes the right ingredients from all his past experiences, NGL might have a shot in animated form. All it needs is that spark, really – it’s already about a cyborg private eye living in a dystopian future, with cigarette smoke and femme fatales never off screen for too long. Just wink at the audience every once in a while and we’ll be golden.

 

Boku-tachi wa Benkyou ga Dekinai 2

Studio: Arvo Animation, Silver
Director: Yoshiaki Iwasaki
Series composition: Go Zappa
Source: Manga

Amun: Boku-tachi wa Benkyou ga Dekinai is a poor man’s Nisekoi. That’s not being unkind – the mangaka literally got his start doing a spin off of Nisekoi, and it shows. Whereas Nisekoi kind of developed an entire storyline, Boku-tachi’s first season (and second, from all appearances in the next several chapters of the manga) will continue to be episodic harem fodder. Highlights from the Director Yoshiaki Iwasaki include Love Hina, Hayate the Combat Butler, and – probably the most analogous show – Hentai Prince and the Stony Cat. Composer Go Zappa did Blend S, which was handled well. Both of these guys have experience in episodic comedies with ecchi leanings, so there’s no concern in that realm.

The eternal struggle for harem shows is balancing progression and viewer interest, and I doubt Boku-tachi 2 will be any different. However, the characters are enjoyable enough with their own distinct attributes, so if you’re in the market for a low-brow harem show to enjoy…quit being a degenerate and go watch Fruits Basket.

 

Kabukicho Sherlock

Studio: Production I.G
Director: Ai Yoshimura
Series composition: Taku Kishimoto
Source: Original

Wooper: This postmodern spin on Sherlock Holmes was supposed to air last spring, but it was delayed for six months. That’s probably not a good sign, but an off-the-wall crime drama from Production I.G is worth mentioning, at least. This one features a Holmes who hangs around Shinjuku’s red-light district and investigates a string of Jack the Ripper-esque murders. The previews have a loose, free-flowing style, supported by a jazz soundtrack that proves Bebop’s blood still courses through anime’s collective heart more than 20 years later. Unlike that compact bit of sci-fi, though, this one’s got the sprawling, eccentric cast of a Durarara knockoff (the recent Hakata Tonkotsu Ramens comes to mind). They seem a bit too zany for my liking, but I do like the big foreheads and square jaws provided by the character designer. There were some post-production choices I saw in the PV that made me grind my teeth, but this one will live and die by its supporting players in the end.

 

Fairy Gone 2

Studio: P.A. Works
Director: Kenichi Suzuki
Series composition: Ao Jyumonji
Source: Original

Amun: Fairy Gone is the industrial age supernatural adventure no one asked for. Seemingly following on Princess Principal’s coattails, this anime original explores a civil war racked world where “fairies” are tamed and burst out of people to fight. Since there’s no real source material, we have to assume the second season will continue exploring the political situation and the mysteries behind the fairies and their power.

P.A. Works recently made a very similar anime called Sirius The Jaeger, which started off strong and just fell apart in the second half – that doesn’t bode well here. Director Kenichi Suzuki worked on Cells at Work! and Hellsing Ultimate, so he has some experience, but also had stronger material to work with. Composer Ao Jyumonji did Grimgar of Fantasy and Ash, which I guess carries over well, but I’m personally not as familiar with. Major concerns will of course be the heavy CGI use, but I felt the first season handled it as well as they could have. Obviously this show has real limitations and the depth of a puddle, so we’ll have to see the trajectory after the first couple of episodes. I’m not holding my breath.

 

Pet

Studio: Geno Studio
Director: Takahiro Oomori
Series composition: Sadayuki Murai
Source: Manga

Wooper: Pet is still a mystery, even with just a month until its release. Based on a manga with no English translation (that I could find on any of the usual sites), it’s a story about psychics who can enter others’ minds and manipulate their memories, at great cost to both society and themselves. The PVs so far are mostly live action, supported by sketches of the adult main characters that hold a lot of promise. This gives the show a bit of cinematic flair, especially surrounding the goldfish motif in much of the available promotional material. This is one of the manga that production company Twin Engine greenlit for this year, following in the footsteps of Dororo and Vinland Saga. Pet might not be as widely read as those series, but Geno Studio has staffed the project with a team of 50+ year old veterans, including the director of Baccano, Durarara, and Princess Jellyfish. He’s an old Brains Base guy, in other words – hopefully he brings a lot of his former coworkers along. More than its interesting vibe or experienced creative team, though, it’s the idea of psychic warfare that intrigues me. This looks like a serious take on the subject, so I’m interested to see how Pet tackles it.

 

Beastars

Studio: Orange
Director: Shinichi Matsumi
Series composition: Nanami Higuchi
Source: Manga

Lenlo: So after reading 3 volumes of the series, the most intriguing aspect to me is the studio making it. Orange are masters of CGI, and you only need to look at previous site favorite Houseki no Kuni for proof. Combine that with Satoru Kousaki’s OST, the man behind a large portion of the Monogatari series music, and you have a one of a kind recipe. All of this together makes BEASTARS’ production far more interesting to me than the manga’s story itself.

On the subject of the story, 3 volumes in, I was not particularly enthralled. The world itself is very similar to Disney’s Zootopia which released earlier the same year BEASTARS did. Though the concept is much more… adult than Disney’s work. Delving a bit into the relations between species, and the heads of Herbivores and Carnivores alike, with some romance and drama mixed in. But the actual story, our lead character, never really engaged me. The series was seemingly more focused on its world and exploring the intricacies around that, rather than the characters or any set plot it had laid out. There is a good chance that the series focuses on this stuff later on. This kind of thing is usually a prelude to a slow burn kind of story. As it spends a lot of time establishing its world and such. But 3 volumes in, it never really hooked me, which leaves me concerned for how much it can cover in one cour.

So, tl;dr, I don’t find the source material that interesting, but I have faith in Studio Orange to make it work. Enough to give it a shot at least.

 

Shows We’re Anticipating

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Honzuki no Gekokujou

Studio: Ajia-do
Director: Mitsuru Hongou
Series composition: Mariko Kunisawa
Source: Light novel

Mario: Here’s an isekai show that I can get behind: a girl on her quest to become a librarian in a fantasy world. Based on the first few chapters that I read, it has significantly less fanservice than this genre is known for (not a high bar by any stretch) and she has a clear goal to achieve. The red flag is going to be how the studio handles it. Based purely on the PV it looks decent, but then again Aija-do isn’t a name that you can trust, and the director’s resume doesn’t bring up much confidence. Having said that, I don’t mind this fresh slice-of-life take on the overcrowded isekai genre.

 

Super Shiro

Studio: Science SARU
Director: Masaaki Yuasa
Series composition: Kimiko Ueno
Source: Manga spin-off

Wooper: Yuasa and crew are back to Save Anime (not that it needs rescuing this season) with a Shin-chan spinoff starring Shiro the dog. The show revolves around Shiro’s adventures as a superhero who protects a legendary dog bone from a Robotnik sort of villain, and employs background art that seems inspired by American children’s books. In short, this is a kids show, but I trust Ueno (writer of Space Dandy’s brilliant zombie episode) to imbue the series with an air of cleverness and a smattering of adult references. Watching Shiro bounce around in Science SARU’s Flash sandbox is already tons of fun based on the PV. The big question mark here is whether western viewers will be able to watch this thing in the first place. It’s being released through AbemaTV and Video Pass, two Japanese streaming services that only the most dedicated of English-speaking fans will have access to. Hopefully one of them can hook up with a decent fansub group and bring this little nugget to our screens each week.

 

Radiant 2

Studio: Lerche
Director: Seiji Kishi
Series composition: Makoto Uezu
Source: Manga

Amun: I was surprised to hear that Radiant got a sequel. While the first season was a romp with a fun world and decent characters (great OP too), I never expected a show with so little substance to get renewed for a second round. Another interesting point is that Radiant is a manfra – basically a French manga – and is also the first French manfra published in Japan. Maybe the second season is a good faith effort to encourage future manfras?

Taking a look at the source material, it seems like we’re off to a new continent while we explore the mechanics and the politics of the world a bit deeper. I’m pleased to see Grimm and Draganov along for the sequel, but I’m disappointed that it looks like Mellie and Doc will be less prominent. As with all sequels, I’m concerned about introducing too many new characters (or “character creep”), and given that Radiant Season 1 wasn’t exactly the best thought out plotline, this is a growing concern.

Despite that, I have good faith in Makoto Uezu, who navigated waters like these before with Assasination Classroom and KonaSuba – if anyone knows how to mix fantasy and laughs, he’s a good bet. Director Seiji Kishi brought you Angel Beats and the second season of Assasination Classroom (which was just a tick below the first, but still quite good), so I think there’s more than enough firepower to make a straightforward comedy-adventure work. If Season 2 sticks to the fun shenanigans and their interesting world settings, then I think Radiant 2 will slot in nicely as your B-tier adventure show for the season.

 

Hoshiai no Sora

Studio: 8bit
Director: Kazuki Akane
Series composition: Kazuki Akane
Source: Original

Mario: Well, even if you disregard the fact that tennis is objectively the best sport ever (no bias here, of course), there are many good signs regarding this show that you can feel optimistic about. First, we have a veteran director who is known for Code Geass, Escaflowne and Noein. Now, admittedly they are all relics of the past, but an original project from him still sounds like a pretty good sell. Second, the PV demonstrates very well its attention to details for character expression and beautiful backgrounds. Third, while the synopsis falls amongst the most generic setup ever in anime, all signs from its PV indicate that its focus is more about character development than the sport itself, which for me is exactly what I am looking for in good sports shows. Sign me right up for this one.

 

Psycho-Pass 3

Studio: Production I.G
Director: Naoyoshi Shiotani
Series composition: Tow Ubukata
Source: Original

Helghast: For a series that has a sizable fanbase and multiple seasons/movies released in the last decade, there is scantily little information beyond the first PV released back in March of this year. No key visuals, PVs or even staff reveals since then is a bit worrying for a show set to release in the next month. It is unlikely that Gen Urobuchi will be returning as a writer since they would be promoting the crap out of it if he were on board. Other bits of information came from the VA Yuki Kaji at Anime Japan event, who stated that Akane Tsunemori and Nobuchika Ginoza will be returning as characters. At least Production I.G remains as the animating studio unlike that visual garbage of Season Two from Tatsunoko Production.

 

Hi Score Girl II

Studio: J.C. Staff
Director: Yoshiki Yamakawa
Series composition: Tatsuhiko Urahata
Source: Manga

Mario: As someone who enjoyed the first season of Hi Score Girl and the source manga, the news that it will receive a second season gave me a big smile. This coming-of-age/romance story with the backdrop gaming scene along with some cold war cheats deserves to be adapted in full. What makes the first season stand out from dozens of other coming-of-age stories is how it effortlessly portrays the love for gaming and the growth of our main characters, to the point the cast feels like someone you know very dearly, to the point where a character who doesn’t mutter a word can still be endearing and relatable. We don’t have a lot of info staff-wise but it’s safe to assume that they’re keeping the original staff from the first season (and its OVA). While I’m of the opinion that the manga is the superior version of this story, there are moments where the adaptation even surpasses the manga so you bet that I’m excited to follow this show to its completion.

 

Highest Expectations

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Hataage! Kemono Michi

Studio: ENGI
Director: Kazuya Miura
Series composition: Touko Machida
Source: Manga

Amun: Everyone is sleeping on KemonoMichi for some reason (not even top half on Anichart for the upcoming season). From the author of KonaSuba, this manga is hilarious. Isekai are a dime a dozen, but what other isekai do you know where the MC GERMAN SUPLEXES the princess and completely ignores her quest? I wish Shield Hero had started off like that – show would have been sorted out in no time.

The manga from what I’ve read is pretty funny – definitely a gag based show, so there are some unknowns in how well that translates to full animation. Also if you’re not a fan of physical humor (think – KonaSuba), then this is probably not for you. But if you a) like pets and b) can stand the WWE style wrestling and c) like gag humor – this is right up your alley. Biggest concern I have is if they will stick to basic wrestling punch lines – I’m hoping they manage to incorporate the seemingly incongruous wrestling and pet loving cultures. Let’s go Pet Shop Suba – I’m hyped!

 

Mugen no Juunin: Immortal

Studio: LIDENFILMS
Director: Hiroshi Hamasaki
Series composition: Makoto Fukami
Source: Manga

Lenlo: Immortal is a tough one. On one hand, the source work is immaculate and the PV is beautiful. On the other hand, LIDENFILMS was involved in my personal hell that was Berserk seasons 1 and 2. On one hand, Hiroshi Hamasaki has worked on interesting projects like Shigurui or fantastic ones like Steins;Gate. On the other, Makoto Fukami has done script work for the Berserks and the iffy Psycho Pass movie. Truly, this is a difficult conundrum for me.

Were I to go purely off of the source work and the PV, I would be rather excited for the series. As it takes the original rough, often difficult manga art, and turns it into a brutal and beautiful work. But I just can’t shake this ominous dread as per its association with some of my most hated works. Still, if I were to go into this optimistically, it could just be my anime of the season. LIDENFILMS has done good work before, and if I remember correctly they were responsible for the 2D work of the 16/17 Berserk. Which were some of the best scenes/cuts of that atrocity. Meanwhile Hanebado looked great when it wanted to. So all in all, the source work is there, the director is there, and the studio – while hit and miss – has shown all they need is a chance. So at the very least, I want to give them that chance with Immortal.

 

My Hero Academia 4

Studio: Bones
Director: Masahiro Mukai
Series composition: Yousuke Kuroda
Source: Manga

Lenlo: Let’s be frank here, you already know about My Hero Academia. It’s this anime generation’s titular Shounen, taking the big Shounen Jump slot. As far as the story goes, this 2 Cour season will cover 2 of the series best arcs. Those being the Overhaul and Culture Festival arcs. In my opinion, there is nothing to worry about story wise. They are incredibly solid and if you enjoy Shounen action, you will be getting a lot of it. As the first one at least is almost entirely fights, more so than the Tournament arc. Just one after another after another. With some of the community’s favorite characters like Kirishima and Mirio taking center stage. All things considered, it looks like a good time. No, what concerns me about this season is going to be the production.

You see while Bones is amazing when they want to be, this season has a similar issue to last season. That being that a My Hero Academia movie is in production at the same time. Meaning a lot of their talent is going to be working on that instead. The extra long production time might alleviate this somewhat. But it’s still very worrying thing to have both in production simultaneously. On top of that, while the series is getting made by what is, pardon the phrase, their B-Team, it’s also helmed by a new Director. Masahiro Mukai’s only other Staff credits are storyboards on Mob Psycho 100 S2 Ep 4 and a Directorial credit on Trickster. It helps that Kenji Nagasaki is staying on as Chief Director for the IP as a whole. But whew, I am… I am very nervous for this season.

So yeah. All the building blocks are there. 2 good arcs, some great scenes and a long production cycle. All we have to do is hope Bones gave it the attention it needs to flourish. I give Season 4 a 50/50 shot on being the hypest season yet, or crashing and burning as the most disappointing.

 

Chihayafuru 3

Studio: Madhouse
Director: Morio Asaka
Series composition: Yuuko Kakihara
Source: Manga

Armitage: Damn. Six Years! That is a mighty long time. I can’t believe it has been that long since the last time I saw Chihaya and the Karuta Club’s hijinks. I remember having no idea about what in the world Karuta was before watching the show. Thought it was fancy Uno or something :P. But I just fell completely head over heels for it. There’s this popular belief among my manga reading friends that no story treats its characters with as much care as Chihayafuru. And I could totally see why. For this series, the characters ARE the story. I mean, nothing much happens in terms of actual plot development, if you think about it. The club participates in Karuta tournaments. No one but Chihaya can really compete. They win/lose. Come back stronger. Rinse and repeat. But it’s the journey that these characters go through as they learn to deal with their shortcomings and the importance of someone having your back, of being part of a team, that forms the core of the narrative. And even if the plot gets repetitive (which I have heard it does, later in the manga) it’s these characters who keep you coming back to the show. And that should be reason enough for fans, new and old, to have this season on their watchlist.

On the technical front, most of the original staff seems to be returning, including director Morio Asaka and the voice-actors for our favorite trio of Chihaya, Arata and best boy, Taichi. The manga is about to end in a couple of chapters and the show has been expectedly given two-cours to work with. So, I feel we will get to see the story reach its long-awaited conclusion. And I am extremely excited to be along for the ride!

 

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Anime Movie Previews

Mario: Well, there won’t be a Yuri on Ice movie playing in theaters this year (despite early reports saying it will be ready in 2019, there’s no sign of that happening), and as a result we don’t have many big names this season compared to the previous ones. Although My Hero Academia the Movie begs to differ, there’s no new Shinkai or Yuasa to Save Anime. Though fall is lacking in number (only 7 movies featured this time) and scope, that doesn’t mean this season is underwhelming, as diversity-wise it’s looking pretty good to me. We have some original projects, some TV movies, features based on classic works… We have a 3D movie, and movies scripted by famous anime writers… Let’s get down to business.

 

Black Fox

Studio: Studio 3Hz
Director: Kazuya Nomura (chief)/ Keisuke Shinohara
Script: Naoki Hayashi
Source: Original
Release Date: Oct 05, 2019

Mario: Originally conceived as a TV series in early-2019, the production committees suddenly thought it was a good idea to push back the date and release Black Fox in theatres instead. People who watched its pre-screening noted the TV structure but highlighted the sakuga action sequences. Based on the trailer at Crunchyroll (which picked it up, another good sign), the animation production looks pretty darn gorgeous. Unsurprisingly, the director was a key-animator in many projects, before moving up the ranks as the director in Joker Game, Ghost in the Shell: the New Movie (2015) and last year’s Run with the Wind. I am also a big fan of Studio 3Hz original projects (Flip Flappers, Princess Principal) so this looks to be right up my alley as well. If you’re interested, check out a 7-minute sneak peek of the film here.

 

Sora no Aosa wo Shiru Hito yo

Studio: CloverWorks
Director: Tatsuyuki Nagai
Script: Mari Okada
Source: Original
Release Date: Oct 11, 2019

Mario: It tells me something that the moment I googled this title (which translates to “Her Blue Sky”), it came up with a bunch of AnoHana’s screenshots. From the same creative team as AnoHana and Anthem of the Heart, Sora no Aosa serves as the final movie in a loose trilogy anime project set in Chichibu City, Saitama Prefecture. If you are unfamiliar with the “creative team,” well, before Anohana and Anthem, Tatsuyuki Nagai directed several classic romance anime such as Toradora and Honey & Clover 2; Masayoshi Tanaka (character designer) is also involved with designing in Shinkai’s movies such as Your Name and Weathering with You; and Mari Okada… well, she needs no further introduction. The trailer has the look and feel of its predecessors, so if these series/movies made you tear up before, you’re in for a treat.

 

Human Lost: Ningen Shikkaku

Studio: Polygon Pictures
Director: Fuminori Kizaki
Script: Tow Ubukata
Source: Novel
Release Date: Oct 22, 2019

Mario: Osamu Dazai’s No Longer Human is such a classic that even in anime form there are many adaptation based on and inspired by this mad work (look no further than Aoi Bungaku’s first segment). Curiously, this year we’re getting two adaptations of No Longer Human (the other one is live-action, which I’m more excited about). Human Lost the anime is entirely 3D animated film from studio Polygon Pictures. I am NOT a fan at all of the studio’s 3D outputs (eyesore Ajin, hurt-my-eyes Sidonia no Kishi and Godzilla movies), and the story goes for heavy sci-fi, military genre ala Project Itoh’s veins, which I am also not fond of. The director is best known for Afro Samurai, but the scriptwriter is a veteran of sci-fi thrillers with Soukyuu no Fafner, Mardock Scramble and Ghost in the Shell Arise under his belt.

 

How to Raise a Boring Girlfriend Movie: Fine

Studio: CloverWorks
Director: Kanta Kamei (Chief), Akihisa Shibata
Script: Fumiaki Maruto
Source: Light Novel
Release Date: Oct 26, 2019

Mario: How to Raise a Boring Girlfriend is one of the franchises that interests me and frustrates me at the same time. On one hand, I recognise its cleverness. The cast has great chemistry, boosted by strong dialogue and the fact that the writer understands the tropes of its genre. On the other hand, acknowledging those tropes doesn’t mean they get away with using them, and as a result we have a series with fascinating characters who can never step out of their established roles. Worse, the moments they do get away from those tropes, it feels calculated. The collected Megumi has an episode where she acts out of character, and I feel that the creator just used it to shout in your face that LOOK, MEGUMI HAS ANOTHER SIDE TO HER. Okay, the reason I bring it up is because this movie will feature her as the main character. Not much info about the actual plot (which is rather unusual for a franchise this popular), except for the fact that it’s a new movie which will serve as a proper ending for the franchise. It’s not A-1 Pictures who will adapt it, but rather CloverWorks (not that much different but it’s still worth noticing) with the main staff returning.

 

Fragtime

Studio: tear-studio
Director: Takuya Satou
Script: Takuya Satou
Source: Manga
Release Date: Nov 22, 2019

Mario: One thing of note is that Fragtime is a feature-length OVA, not a theatrical release, but since I am here to preview anime that I’m interested in, here you are. This story is about “a girl who can manipulate time”, which… how often have we seen that kind of story already? The Girl who Leapt Through Time and Orange spring to mind, along with countless others. The yuri edge and the soft but gorgeous art design, however, bring Fragtime to another level. The source manga only has 2 volumes, which means it’s the perfect length to adapt. The trailer looks decent as well, as I can feel the subtlety, the quiet feeling between the two leads. Tear-studio is a new studio (that name, though) so I think it’s a good step for them to handle an OVA before a feature film. I don’t expect this to be as successful as the yaoi film Doukyuusei (which for me has the same vibe), but I’m more than willing to check this one out.

 

Boku no Hero Academia the Movie 2: Heroes:Rising

Studio: BONES
Director: Kenji Nagasaki
Script: TBA
Source: Manga
Release Date: Dec 20, 2019

Mario: Another year, another Boku no Hero Academia movie, and I suspect that if this one sells as crazy as the first, they will milk the cash cow even more and I won’t be surprised to get more movies down the line. Unlike Lenlo who enjoyed the first movie here, I’m of the opinion that it’s a side story at best and hence feels insignificant to the whole franchise. This second film will tread the same path as it is an original story not based on the manga. I have nothing against its anime-content only model, in fact the opposite is true. What I’m concerned about right now is that the staff have to split their manpower between this and season 4, and if I’m honest I would rather they focus entirely on one thing instead. Still, this movie will certainly be the talk of anime fandom in this last quarter of 2019.

 

Bokura no Nanokakan Sensou

Studio: Aija-Do
Director: Yuuta Murano
Script: Ichirou Okouchi
Source: Novel
Release Date: Dec, 2019

Mario: Woah, I don’t know what to feel when the synopsis promises one thing (“the comedy mystery progresses in a light tempo that doesn’t give the audience a chance to breathe until the brilliant end that is full of satire”) and then the PV offers completely different shades (a romance between this boy and this girl). Aija-Do and the director are all lesser names, but the script is written by the veteran Ichirou Okouchi, who – for better or for worse – is the creator of Code Geass and wrote the clumsy Devilman Crybaby, Guilty Crown, and Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress. The source is actually a popular children’s book that has received multiple live action adaptations, so I’m kind of curious to see if this anime version will do anything different. My verdict for now is that it’ll be a run-of-the-mill feature that could be interesting in parts (the generation gap is an amusing angle), but won’t add up to much.