While the winter anime season is typically the lightest one, there are still 42 new anime coming out on TV alone. If you find yourself overwhelmed, then maybe I can help a bit by telling you about the five I am most looking forward to.
Note: Entries are listed in alphabetical order.
Image source: TVアニメ『ドロヘドロ』 on Twitter
Dorohedoro
Genre: Ultraviolent Horror Fantasy
Studio: MAPPA
Premiere date: January 13, 2020
What it’s about: There exists a slum known as “The Hole.” In it, normal humans do their best to eke out a meager existence. Unfortunately, mages from another world like to use the people of The Hole as test subjects for their various magics–with crippling or often deadly results. Caiman is one such victim. With no memories, a lizards head, and a body immune to magic, Caiman is on a mission to kill as many magic users as he can–though, first, he has to bite their heads to see if the face inside his throat recognizes them as one of those responsible for his condition.
Why I’m excited: Dorohedoro is what happens when you take pure, unbridled imagination and let it go to a dark, twisted place. But for all the violence and horror, there is a large helping of black (yet surprisingly heartwarming) humor–especially between Caiman and his friend Nikaido, who does everything from helping him with his kills to feeding him an endless supply of gyoza.
Watch it if you like: Claymore, Blood Blockade Battlefront, Berserk
Where to watch: Netflix (which likely means it’ll hit non-Japanese Netflix in early Spring)
Image source: ID:INVADED イド：インヴェイデッド OFFICIAL 2020.1.5 ON AIR on Twitter
ID:Invaded
Genre: Surreal Cyberpunk Murder Mystery
Studio: NAZ
Premiere date: January 6, 2020
What it’s about: Using new technology, a young man enters the fractured psyche of serial killers in an attempt to catch them before they strike again. However, each time he does so, he is only able to remember three things: his name, job, and the name of the murdered girl he always finds there.
Why I’m excited: For this one, it’s all about the creators. Ei Aoki directed two of my recent favorites, Aldnoah/Zero and Re:Creators, and novelist Ōtarō Maijō is the man who penned the wonderfully strange The Dragon Dentist. The two are both endlessly creative and can do deep explorations of human nature well–so seeing how they put together a murder mystery procedural that involves diving into the minds of serial killers looks to be equal parts captivating and disturbing.
Watch it if you like: Re:Creators, Aldnoah/Zero, The Dragon Dentist, The Cell
Where to watch: Funimation, Wakanim (EU)
Image source: 『異世界かるてっと』公式 on Twitter
Isekai Quartet (Second Season)
Genre: Protagonist Trapped in a Fantasy World Mega-crossover
Studio: Studio PuYUKAI
Premiere date: January 14, 2020
What it’s about: In the first season, numerous characters from Re:Zero, The Saga of Tanya the Evil, Overlord, and KonoSuba all ended up trapped together in a world that resembled a typical Japanese high school. After failing to escape this alternate dimensional prison, our heroes are now going to be joined by the cast of The Rising of the Shield Hero–adding yet another set of strong personalities to an already volatile mix.
Why I’m excited: While Isekai Quartet is obviously comedy-based, that doesn’t mean that it doesn’t treat its characters seriously–i.e., they are not parodies of themselves. Despite the levity of their situation, every character carries all their own prejudices–prejudices that don’t always mesh well with the characters from other series. Because of this, watching our heroes interact is one massive fanservice-filled treat that comes complete with both humor and real stakes. And adding The Rising of the Shield Hero to it will only serve to make it an even more enjoyable watch.
Watch it if you like: Re:Zero − Starting Life in Another World, The Saga of Tanya the Evil, Overlord, KonoSuba: God’s Blessing on this Wonderful World!, The Rising of the Shield Hero
Where to watch: TBA
Image source: TVアニメ「マギアレコード 魔法少女まどか マギカ外伝」公式サイト
Magia Record: Puella Magi Madoka Magica Side Story
Genre: Magical Girl Psychological Horror
Studio: Shaft
Premiere date: January 4, 2020
What it’s about: Iroha is a magical girl with strange memory issues. Not only can she not remember what she wished for to become a magical girl but each night she is haunted by dreams of a mysterious girl who Iroha can see but not hear. During her days, she finds herself doing odd things–unable to remember why she is doing them. However, she feels that if she goes to Kamihama City, she’ll be able to find the truth.
Why I’m excited: Madoka Magica is a landmark anime that succeeded in subverting expectations to the point that it’s largely responsible for the entire dark magical girl genre that has cropped up over the past decade. It also created a world rife for further exploration. While Madoka and Homura’s tale is obviously the most important, there are many more magical girls with tragic fates just waiting to be explored.
Watch it if you like: Puella Magi Madoka Magica, Magical Girl Raising Project, Yuki Yuna is a Hero
Where to watch: Crunchyroll, Funimation, HIDIVE, Wakanim (EU)
Image source: TVアニメ「プランダラ」公式 2020年1月8日放送開始！ on Twitter
Plunderer
Genre: Post-apocalyptic Fighting Adventure
Studio: GEEKTOYS
Premiere date: January 9, 2020
What it’s about: Everyone in the world has a number on their bodies that counts some action they have done. Which action, exactly, is different for everyone but if the count ever hits zero, a rift opens and pulls them into the abyss. When teenager Hina’s mother’s count hits zero, she has one final request for her daughter: find a Fabled Ace–a hero from a war long past–and live with him. Unfortunately for Hina, her journey just keeps getting interrupted by an odd masked man with an impossibly low number count.
Why I’m excited: Sometimes, you just want a good, solid action anime–and Plunderer is definitely that. It’s got tons of fights between people with crazy powers, interesting characters with tragic pasts, and a plot with countless twists and turns that are all leading to one world-changing conclusion. Or to put it another way, it’s Trigun meets Bleach.
Watch it if you like: Bleach, Trigun, Fist of the North Star
Where to watch: Funimation, Wakanim (EU)
Top image source: TVアニメ「プランダラ」公式 2020年1月8日放送開始！ on Twitter
Be First to Comment