As we stand on the edge of the summer 2018 anime season, 55 new anime stare back. Here are the five I am most looking forward to.
Image source: アニメ「進撃の巨人」公式アカウント on Twitter
Attack on Titan (Season 3)
Genre: Dark Gaspunk Fantasy
Studio: Wit Studio
Premiere Date: 7/23/2018
What it’s about: Set in a world where the remnants of humanity live behind a series of giant walls, protecting them from the man-eating giants that roam outside, this anime follows the last defenders of humanity–including one boy who has the mysterious ability to transform into a Titan himself.
After dealing with betrayals and Titan-related threats, the third season of the anime is set to dive into some of the series’ biggest mysteries as our heroes move from battling Titans to facing off against the corrupt politicians and clergy who run humanity’s last government.
Why I’m excited: With this 24 episode season, everything is poised to reveal all the secrets that have been set up throughout the other two seasons so far. While it won’t get us to the end of the story–as the manga is still on going–it will finally get us to the conclusion set up way back in the first few episodes.
Watch it if you like: Attack on Titan, Black Bullet, Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress
Where to watch: Crunchyroll, Funimation (dub)
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Chio’s School Road
Genre: Comedy
Studio: Diomedea
Premiere Date: 7/6/2018
What it’s about: Chio is a “below-average” middle school girl who is obsessed with Western video games like Assassin’s Creed and Counterstrike–playing them far into the night. Of course, this has the side effect of making it hard for her to get up in the morning, meaning she is perpetually on the edge of being late. Moreover, the path to school is fraught with danger, both real and imagined. Confronted by road closures and biker gangs to awkward social situations, Chio tries to use her video game knowledge to make it to school on time–with admittedly mixed results.
Why I’m excited: Despite her claims of being “below average,” Chio is anything but. Egotistical yet self-deprecating, she simply is too afraid of failure to ever want to stand out. But when backed into a corner, her innate talent shows through as her quick thinking and competitive drive push her to use her gamer instincts to do the impossible–or at least fail in a spectacularly hilarious way.
Watch it if you like: Excel Saga, Watamote
Where to watch: Crunchyroll, Funimation (dub)
Image source: TVアニメ『ハッピーシュガーライフ』公式 on Twitter
Happy Sugar Life
Genre: Psychological Horror
Studio: Ezo’la
Premiere Date: 7/14/2018
What it’s about: Sato is one of the most beautiful girls in her high school. While generally kind to others, she has a reputation as a slut who will date (and sleep with) anyone–but her relationships never seem to last beyond a few days. Recently though, her life has changed. She has found love for the first time and has even started living with her beloved…
…who just happens to be a young girl she has kidnapped and keeps locked in her apartment…
…which also contains the corpse of her aunt who she has chopped up and bagged.
But Sato is far from the only psychopath to walk the streets of her town–and anything that interferes with Sato’s newfound happiness must be dealt with, no matter what it takes.
Why I’m excited: I love yandere characters. However, by their very nature it is hard to include one as anything but a villain for the hero to overcome. Making a yandere not only the protagonist but the “hero” of the story is incredibly difficult, but when done well can make for some excellent storytelling–especially when exploring the darker side of human nature.
Watch it if you like: Future Diary, School Days
Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video
Image source: TVアニメ「ハイスコアガール」公式 on Twitter
High Score Girl
Genre: Slice-of-life
Studio: J.C. Staff
Premiere Date: 7/14/2018
What it’s about: Set in the early 90s, this anime follows an antisocial elementary school boy who is good at only one thing: video games. One day, a popular girl from his class appears in the local arcade and trounces him at Street Fighter II. From that point on she follows him from game to game, day after day, beating him each time. Eventually, the question becomes, is she his enemy, or his first real friend?
Why I’m excited: This anime actually uses real footage for all of its classic games. For any gamer child of the 80s/90s, this is an amazing nostalgia trip.
Watch it if you like: Gamers, Akiba’s Trip, classic games.
Where to watch: TBA
Image source: オーバーロード／TVアニメ公式 on Twitter
Overlord III
Genre: Fantasy
Studio: Madhouse
Premiere Date: 7/10/2018
What it’s about: After somehow becoming his MMORPG character and being transported to an unknown fantasy world along with the NPCs and fortress he and his friends created in the game, the demilitch Ainz Ooal Gown has had to tread carefully. So far he’s been able to keep his forces hidden and has settled into his role as an “evil overlord.” He’s been biding his time discovering not only the rules of this new world but investigating his once NPC allies that are now as real as he is. But it’s only a matter of time until the world at large discovers that there’s a new power in the world and the current status quo is thrown right out the window.
Why I’m excited: This season of Overlord is where everything finally comes to a head and Ainz and his allies become open players in the new world they’ve come to inhabit. I have no idea how it’s all going to play out, but I can’t want to find out.
Watch it if you like: Log Horizon, Death March to the Parallel World Rhapsody
Where to watch: Crunchyroll, Funimation (dub)
Top Image Source: オーバーロード／TVアニメ公式 on Twitter.
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