Wooper: 2020 may be on its last legs, but the tradition of milking anime franchises to death is still going strong. That’s right ladies and gents, it’s Sequel Time. We’re getting second, third and fourth helpings of some of the most popular series in recent years – so many that we couldn’t cover them all in this preview. Attack on Titan’s ongoing conclusion and Re:Zero S2’s continuation are massive events, of course, but at least one other isekai sequel went unmentioned here, along with a handful of shounen offerings. In their place we’re covering a few original projects, of which there are a surprising number this winter (half of them involve idols, though, so we opted for the other half). As always, we haven’t commented on every new show, but all of them should be listed in the poll below, so let us know what you’re most excited for this winter. Enjoy the rest of your December, and we’ll see you on the other side!

Middling Expectations

Tenkuu Shinpan

Studio: Zero-G
Director: Masahiro Takata
Series composition: Touko Machida
Source: Manga

Mario: As the first output from Netflix’s batch of original anime in 2021, Tenkuu Shinpan looks middling at best. It’s the kind of title that has an intriguing hook but once it wears off there isn’t much beyond it. It’s based on a manga by Tsuina Miura, the creator of Ajin. While I like some aspects of Ajin, here’s the interesting part: Miura actually left the project after the first volume and some fans sarcastically say that his departure is the reason why the manga stays good. The PV looks unintentionally hilarious from what I saw, with a shirtless masked murderer with an axe chasing a girl in broad daylight. Director is a newbie, and the gal handling Series Composition was behind some oddly-paced shows such as 7 Seeds, Runway de Waratte, and Caligula. I won’t hold my breath over this.

 

Ura Sekai Picnic

Studio: LIDENFILMS
Director: Takuya Satou
Series composition: Takuya Satou
Source: Novel

Wooper: “Based on a sci-fi adventure yuri novel series,” reads the first line of Urasekai’s synopsis. That’s enough to pique my interest, especially since director Takuya Satou handled my favorite yuri anime of all time (Asagao to Kase-san), but I’m not convinced that this one will be a winner. Both the character designs and the spirit monster in the PV look pretty middle of the road, which will detract from both the romance and the mystique of the alternate dimension that the girls visit. I’m not seeing any standout work in the filmographies of the art or animation directors, either, so whatever beauty or hostility the Otherside possesses in written form, odds are only a fraction of that will be communicated by this adaptation. Ultimately, the reason I’m writing a blurb for this thing at all is Satou’s presence behind the camera, so to speak. He’s produced his fair share of duds, but his talent for shaping character duos (Kase-san, Fune wo Amu) and venturing into psychological strangeness (Steins;Gate) makes his name one to watch.

Project Scard: Praeter no Kizu

Studio: GoHands
Director: Shingo Suzuki
Series composition: Tamazo Yanagi
Source: Original

Mario: Whenever GoHands has a new original show, I pay attention. Just like KyoAni or Trigger or Shaft, they have consistently made anime that are distinctively theirs, for better or for worse. And by that I mean SO MUCH WORSE. They are infamously known for their overuse of blue hues and badly written plots full of one-dimensional characters. So what is on their mind this time? Apparently hot boys and idols. Project Scard is a multimedia franchise that has already produced drama CDs, character songs, and manga prior to this anime release. From the very same staff that penned and produced Hand Shakers and W’s, this is probably the level of quality you are going to expect (aka extremely low). I will check it out nonetheless since I know I’m in for an experience. There’s nothing like GoHands in this medium, after all.

Kemono Jihen

Studio: Ajia-do
Director: Masaya Fujimori
Series composition: Noboru Kimura
Source: Manga

Wooper: On its face, Kemono Jihen looks like yet another supernatural series with a possessed protagonist. Having read the first volume of the manga, I can confirm that it does very little to shake that ultra-basic impression. I’ve heard shounen fans shouting praise for this series from the rafters lately, but that bunch loves every orphaned half-demon preteen under the sun, and no, this one being half-ghoul doesn’t count as innovation. I’m sure the manga Gets Better Later, but the start was dull enough for me to put my eggs in the anime’s basket.

From the PV, I’m getting a Promised Neverland vibe from the character designs, which play up their childlike features to contrast with the more horror-inspired beasts and baddies that the show has in store. The main dude’s white pupils are a great look, giving him both the innocence and the otherworldliness necessary to convey his personality. Might director Masaya Fujimori convert this familiar premise into anime gold? I know nothing about the man, but I’ve always heard that You Are Delicious, his dinosaur movie from 2010, was a great piece of work, so let’s cross our fingers that he bottles lightning for a second time, I guess.

Tenchi Souzou Design-bu

Studio: Asahi Production
Director: Souichi Masui
Series composition: Michiko Yokote
Source: Manga

Amun: There’ve been quite a few of these niche animal anime coming along recently – I think it was a few seasons ago where the animals of the Serengeti were office workers (Africa no Salaryman)? First of all, I’m a little worried by how much material the manga has – this bodes for some anime original filler. Reading through the first volume has left me with the impression that this show will live and die on the humour’s translation to screen. I think it can work, but I just hope some of the wordier discussions are cut down for action (show, not tell). Asahi Production will always have a special place in my heart for giving Medaka Box a second season, but I will admit their quality is so-so. Director Souichi Masui did a great job with Bunny-girl senpai, so I have confidence in his abilities – just not sure if he’ll be given the resources to make it work. Michiko Yokote handled Prison School and Kiss Him, Not Me well, so we know the comedic chops are there. The pieces are there – it just comes down to execution. I’d say 50-50.

Back Arrow

Studio: VOLN
Director: Goro Taniguchi
Series composition: Kazuki Nakashima
Source: Original

Wooper: Goro Taniguchi, Mr. Code Geass himself, returns with an original show that looks like the love child of Attack on Titan and Aquarion EVOL. It gets its brains from the former, being set in an enclosed city where the walls are worshipped as gods, and its looks from the latter, since every color of the rainbow is represented in the main cast’s hairstyles alone. Goro refuses to give up on original mecha anime – he directed ID-0 and Revisions in the last few years – but Back Arrow sets itself apart from his recent works for a couple of reasons. It’s largely hand drawn, for one thing, relying on 3DCG only for the mechs. And those mechs aren’t robots that the characters pilot from within, but transformed versions of their human counterparts, perhaps drawing influence from Planet With (or a far more significant title in the subgenre – pardon my mechanical ignorance). All of these elements will be puppeteered by Kazuki Nakashima, usually a Trigger scribe, who will probably do his usual song and dance about humanity’s potential for good and evil. I’m not sure that his broad writing style will hold up without the ultra-specific energy of his home studio’s animation, but I’ll give it a couple episodes to prove me wrong.

The Promised Neverland Season 2

Studio: CloverWorks
Director: Mamoru Kanbe
Series composition: Toshiya Oono
Source: Manga

Lenlo: Alright, I’m going to level with you here: The first arc of the Promised Neverland manga was the best it ever got. It rose up slightly at an arc called “Goldy Pond”, but after that it was an almost perpetual downslope. The plot got crazier and crazier, the threat of the demons got smaller and smaller, and all the while the tension all but disappeared. So don’t go into this expecting a mystery thriller akin to the first season. Sure, the Director and Series Composition are the same, and that’s good. The first season looked and sounded fairly good. But I have very little hope that they will be able to make this narrative work. Not unless they make some drastic changes. At least we might meet my favorite character of the series though, assuming we make it that far…

Kai Byoui Ramune

Studio: Platinum Vision
Director: Hideaki Ooba
Series composition: Ayumu Hisao
Source: Manga

Amun: Oh look, a supernatural show – that’s Amun bait right there. Judging by volume 1, this looks more Toilet-bound Hanako than Natsume’s Book of Friends…and there is nothing wrong with that. I’m expecting a case of the week and maybe one or two multiple episode spanners. Platinum Vision has a strange catalog but seems to have done a few supernaturals before (mostly vampires). Hideaki Ooba hasn’t been involved with anything I’m familiar with (he directed a movie called Alice in the Country of Hearts) – he seems to do shoujo mostly. Composer Ahyumu Hisao has worked on quite a few projects – Monster Girls Doctor being the most analogous here. Realistically, I’m expecting palatable supernatural hijinks and nothing more.

SK8 the Infinity

Studio: Bones
Director: Hiroko Utsumi
Series composition: Ichirou Ookouchi
Source: Original

Wooper: “It’s hard to believe there hasn’t been a skateboarding anime before” is how I imagine many previews for this show will start. I think that absence makes all the sense in the world, since the technical ability required to portray people balancing on anything in 2D is sizeable, nevermind a piece of wheeled sports equipment. Thankfully it’s Bones who’ll be handling this concept, under a director whose talents were forged on some of KyoAni’s classic works from the early 2010s. This is an original project, though, so the story will be the deciding factor in whether it stays upright or wipes out, and the guy in charge of series composition makes me think it’ll be the latter. Code Geass, Valvrave, Kabaneri – the man responsible for the dysfunctional bombast of those stories holds the fate of SK8 in his hands. The lead character is a shouty, single-minded type; there’s an antagonist named “Shadow” who wears clown makeup and looks as though he enjoys sharpening knives with his tongue. Based on the promotional material, the show’s thesis is approximately “skateboarding with your bros is super tight.” The whole thing feels simultaneously thin and over-the-top, but hey, it’s an original anime from Bones in a season full of soon-to-disappoint sequels. It’ll look cool, if nothing else.

Amun: I consider “K” somewhat of a skateboarding anime ^_^.

 

Shows We’re Anticipating

2.43: Seiin Koukou Danshi Volley-bu

Studio: David Production
Director: Yasuhiro Kimura
Series composition: Yousuke Kuroda
Source: Novel

Lenlo: Volleyball you say? Sports you say? Spring tournament you say?! Well count me in, I need something to hold me over until the next season of Haikyu. Now I say that, but I don’t actually expect this to reach the same highs as Haikyu. Or at least, not manga/S2/S3 Haikyu. Written by Yukako Kabei, this is the first of her works to be adapted into an anime. That it comes from a light novel is a little concerning, as that has never been a medium known for its strong writing. But it’s good enough to get attention despite not being Haikyu, so there is some hope for it.

Staff wise, I’m not terribly concerned. I may not like Fire Force, but David Production has proven with it that they can animate and they can do it well. If they can bring even half of that staff over to 2.43 then it should look just fine. Meanwhile on the director side we have Yasuhiro Kimura, who also directed the contentious Jojo Part 5: Golden Wind. Now I am not a fan of Part 5, I like it even less than Part 1. But Kimura did good work there and I hope to see him bring the same energy to 2.43.

Wonder Egg Priority

Studio: CloverWorks
Director: Shin Wakabayashi
Series composition: Shinji Nojima
Source: Original

Mario: There’s not much info about this original project so I’m going out on a limb here. While I reckon CloverWorks will put more effort into their golden egg (pun intended) Horimiya this season, all signs I’ve seen are rather positive. The character designs are unmistakably CloverWorks for once, and in this case it’s a plus. There’s a keen focus on character animation in the PV and the designs work well to inform you of the personality of these main players. This is the first anime script by Nojima, who is more well-known for penning popular live-action series such as KōKō Kyōshi (High School Teacher), Ie Naki Ko (Homeless Child), and Takane no Hana (Born to be a Flower). This marks the first time Wakabayashi has taken up the director’s helm, as he was previously known more as a key animator. Will this become a surprise hit of this season? Let’s break an egg and find out.

Yuru Camp Season 2

Studio: C-Station
Director: Yoshiaki Kyougoku
Series composition: Jin Tanaka
Source: Manga

Wooper: Comfy Camp is back for another twelve episodes of outdoorsy relaxation, with all the same trappings as 2018’s sleeper hit. The staff listing for this season is nearly identical to that of its prequel, so we can expect the same limited animation, scenic backgrounds, rustic soundtrack, and talking acorns from two years ago. In terms of story development (such as it is), there will be more emphasis on Nadeshiko’s character, including her first fully-documented solo camp and her childhood friend’s addition to the cast. The most charming part of season 1 was the dual protagonist setup, with Rin’s preference for solitude balancing the series’ mood, so I’m hoping the focus on Nadeshiko doesn’t overtake the show’s quieter side. It might not be fair to include Yuru Camp in the Shows We’re Anticipating section, since I’m its biggest fan on staff by far, but it really is the sequel I’m most looking forward to this winter. That includes Titan, Neverland, Stone, and all the rest – give me Camping Girls or give me a mildly uncomfortable recreational outing!

Log Horizon: Destruction of the Round Table

Studio: Studio DEEN
Director: Shinji Ishihira
Series composition: Toshizou Nemoto
Source: Light novel

Lenlo: So this is where I must admit something: I have never actually read the original Light Novel for Log Horizon. I’ve enjoyed the anime, I think it’s one of the best Isekai out there. The way it fully commits not only to the video game style, but also the culture, is great. I still to this day, 6 years after it aired, remember William’s speech about what it means to be raiders and look back on it fondly. So to hear it’s returning and that it’s all the same staff? Well it makes me happy and nostalgic on the inside.

Sure, DEEN has an iffy track record, and Log Horizon was never known for its incredible animation. So if you are looking for an action packed series, you are going to be disappointed. Instead what you can expect is a return to a much more intricately connected and fleshed out world. Lots of locations, some politics, creative use of game mechanics and a fair amount of MMO culture shock. And as someone who plays their fair share of MMO’s, that makes me happy.

Tatoeba Last Dungeon

Studio: LIDENFILMS
Director: migmi
Series composition: Deko Aoko
Source: Light novel

Amun: Ah, another show that decided to use the synopsis as the title. Coming off an outstanding Danmachi season, I’m feeling very charitable towards shows with the word “Dungeon” in the name. Having read the first chapter, Tatoeba Last Dungeon looks like a standard shounen adventure with a set comedic gimmick. The PV doesn’t look great (characters are a little simple), but probably passable. LIDENFILMS has plenty of similar shows in the stable, so no problem there. “migmi” seems to have done plenty of single episodes, but this looks to be their first full show – I can’t find anything about the composer, but I’m really not worried. This is going to be a B-tier comedy with a ceiling like Hamefura and a floor like Peter Grill – okay, maybe not that bad. Anime of the season? No way – but a nice appetizer for some of the other marquee sequels.

Non Non Biyori Nonstop

Studio: Silver Link.
Director: Shinya Kawatsura
Series composition: Reiko Yoshida
Source: Manga

Mario: Some might point out the infamous other show as the counterpoint to my claim, but for me Non Non Biyori is the definitive comfy CGDCT slice-of-life anime. It’s the kind of show where you can lie down on your sofa and just leisurely enjoy its calming pace. In addition, this franchise has sharp eyes for comedic timing with characters bouncing off each other naturally. It’s also a type of show where male characters are literally pushed aside and don’t even utter a single word. The same staff reappear in this season after their work on the franchise movie Vacation. Their pedigree has been established now so if you’re already a fan of previous seasons, be sure to hop in for the fun. My only lament is that Non Non Biyori is airing in the same season with Yuru Camp, so the comparison is hard to ignore. For the “healing” effect it’d be best to keep it at a healthy dose.

Horimiya

Studio: CloverWorks
Director: Masashi Ishihama
Series composition: Takao Yoshioka
Source: Manga

Lenlo: I will admit, I never got far into the Horimiya manga, only 50-75 chapters in. Enough for a first season basically. And what I got in there was a wholesome, if slightly concerning at times, slow-roll romance. It was cute, it was a tad unique on the relationship side, but nothing that really wowed me. Considering my general distaste for romance as a genre, that probably speaks well of it (though I have heard a lot of concerning things about the latter half). Staff wise, Masashi Ishihama has been around the block. The man has worked in the industry for almost 30 years as I can tell, filling every role from Director to Key Animator, so he clearly has a grasp on the process and his work directing Shin Sekai Yori was nothing short of phenomenal. Can he nail that magic again here? Probably not. But I figure he can at least give us a wholesome romance before it goes the way of the manga and falls off the rails.

Hataraku Saibou BLACK

Studio: LIDENFILMS
Director: Hideyo Yamamoto
Series composition: Hayashi Mori
Source: Manga

Mario: I liked the original Hataraku Saibou well enough back when it first aired, but this season we have not only one, but two shows set in its universe. Out of these two, I’m more intrigued by BLACK, but even then I’m of two minds about it. It’s educational to learn how normal cells work in animated form (with romance in the air), but stories about sickness have DRAMA and much higher stakes, so the hook is so much more obvious in this version. (It should come as no surprise that the story about cancer remains my favorite part of the original show.) On the other hand, I’m a bit nervous about LIDENFILMS handling this spinoff. Compared to David Production, their staff has a much lower profile, with a newbie series composer and a director known mostly for the Strike the Blood series. Maybe it’s a bit unfair to compare this with the original, though, since both manga were written by different authors. BLACK already employs a darker, grittier look with a nice spin on the character designs so I’ll try the first few episodes out, at least.

Kumo desu ga, Nani ka?

Studio: Millepensee
Director: Shin Itagaki
Series composition: Okina Baba, Yuuichirou Momose
Source: Light novel

Amun: First slimes, now spiders?! In all seriousness, I’ve heard good things about this series – albeit some confusion as to who the main character is. I’m less phobic than Mario (and it’s a cute spider ^_^). However, from the looks of the first chapter – yeah, arachnophobes should steer clear of this one. I’m down for most isekai so I felt optimistic…until I saw the studio and director. Their most recent project is Cop Craft – a decidedly unique show that started well and fizzled out. I guess most other big names are working on the tentpoles, but the staff doesn’t do much to ease my concerns. Hopefully this turns into a solid outing though – I think the material has a high ceiling. I’m just not getting my hopes up until I see the first couple of episodes.

Mario: I’m arachnophobic so the idea of following a spider as main character for three months scares the bejesus out of me.

Dr. Stone: STONE WARS

Studio: TMS Entertainment
Director: Shinya Iino
Series composition: Yuuichirou Kido
Source: Manga

Lenlo: Dr. Stone is back baby, for another round of “Humanity, Fuck Yeah!”. If you don’t know what that is, go check Reddit, HFY is a fun sub. Back to Stone, if you liked the first season you will probably like this season as it’s more of the same. The staff is basically the same as it was for season 1, so I figure we can expect the same level of quality here: PowerPoint fight scenes, picturesque backgrounds, well composed science scenes and a boppin OST. The only issue with this is that, as the title suggests, this is going to be a more action-oriented season as everything comes to a head with Tsukasa. With that in mind I am a little nervous about it, as this is my personal least favorite part of the manga. But so long as Shinya Iino can still nail the science – the heart and soul of the series – I figure I will at least be able to have a good time.

 

Highest Expectations

Beastars 2

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

Mario: In the sea of sequels that will come pouring out next season (we’re talking about 15 sequels here), Beastars is the one that I look forward to the most. The first season sits comfortably as my #1 anime of 2019, and the show’s ambition in both its writing and production will surely remain relevant in 2021. Itagaki Paru has already mapped out a star-crossed tale with a mixture of race and gender politics, and Orange’s CG visuals further enhance its raw emotions. Now that the manga is finished (and I’ve tried my best to stay ignorant), the question remains whether the anime will conclude with this second season. The trailer already had me at the lady cop snake so you know I’ll be following whatever road it takes.

 

Anime Movie Previews

Mario: With this season we can clearly see the impact of the pandemic on the state of theatre releases. Many films that were supposed to come out during Q1 got delayed, some of last year’s delays are premiering this season (Evangelion being the big one), and the rest are franchise movies – which means that if you’re unfamiliar with the original series there’s little to no reason to check them out. Regrettably, I’m not up to date with Girls und Panzer and Gintama so they’re absent from this preview. Without further ado, let’s see what this winter has in store for us:

Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time

Studio: Khara
Director: Hideaki Anno, Katsuichi Nakayama, Kazuma Tsurumaki
Script: Hideaki Anno
Source: PS2 tie-in lore
Release Date: January 23

Wooper: [originally published in Spring 2020]  I’ll believe that this movie exists once it starts playing in front of my face, and not a second beforehand. If we take Studio Khara at their word, though, it’ll be dropping in just one month, bringing with it a cathartic release from the narrative imprisonment of the Rebuild quadrilogy. The previous installment, 3.0, was perhaps the most controversial anime film in history, but much of the hatred that it birthed has abated over the last decade. At this point in my life, I can at least view its take on a post-Third Impact world as a daring (if incomprehensible) work of speculative fiction. As for the upcoming movie, I saw the first ten minutes that screened at 2019’s Japan Expo in Paris, and the game plan seems to be “turn planet Earth back to normal.” The sweeping 3D camerawork and soon-to-be iconic use of the Eiffel Tower looked awesome, but I doubt Anno can salvage the story after having twisted it into a pretzel nine years ago. This won’t be the masterful conclusion that some folks are hoping for, but you’d better believe I’ll be seeing it in theaters regardless.

Mario: Like Wooper said, I’ll believe it when I see it.

Princess Principal: Crown Handler 1

Studio: Studio 3Hz / Actas
Director: Masaki Tachibana
Script: Noboru Kimura
Source: Original
Release Date: February 11

Mario: It’s the first out of Princess Principal’s 6 (!) sequel movies that will come out down the line, so I think it’s appropriate to give this first film a fair look. Personally, I’m not keen on this movie series model. Oftentimes these “movies” don’t function as standalone pieces and the first film merely sets up the main conflict of the entire arc. And while I enjoy franchises like Girls und Panzer tremendously, I see next to no reason to watch the standalone films now and wait for years to see it wrap up. I’d expect the same here. Staff-wise we have the same core personnel from the series, and the trailers look pretty good. It’s set right after the end of the series so prior knowledge of the original source is required. These coming movies will focus more on the tension between The Empire and Commonwealth, so I hope that they don’t lose track of the characters’ chemistry and their fun spy chases. I’d rather wait for all 6 movies to become available to watch them all at once, but if the question is whether Princess Principal is worth checking out, the answer is a resounding yes.

Eiga Daisuki Pompo-san

Studio: CLAP
Director: Takayuki Hirao
Script: Takayuki Hirao
Source: Web Manga
Release Date: March 19

Mario: From a little-known studio called CLAP (like, have you ever heard of them before?), we have this anime spoof of filmmaking and Hollywood based on a web manga. I don’t see it breaking any ground but the PV looks wacky and busy enough with its child-friendly character designs. The most interesting aspect lies in the staff involved. While the director’s resume doesn’t blow you away at first glance, it’s interesting to note that he has been involved at many different stages of anime production (including director, script-writer, storyboarder) in his previous works – a true indie director if ever we had one in this medium. The same goes for the character designer Shingo Adachi, who has done extensive key animation work in the past. Pompo-san ought to breathe some fresh air into theaters, to say the very least.