Let’s face it. Most of us are spending a lot of time indoors these days–whether we want to or not. Luckily, the Spring 2020 anime season has just wrapped up. So here are five must-watch anime for you to enjoy!
Image source: TVアニメ『グレイプニル』公式 on Twitter
BNA
Genre: Mystery, Animal-People Racism Allegory
Studio: Trigger
Number of episodes: 12
Premiere date: April 9, 2020
Non-spoiler plot summary: Michiru was your normal, everyday high school girl–until the day she found herself transformed into a Tanuki-person. Due to the prejudice humans have against “beastkin,” she has no choice but to flee her old life and seek refuge in Anima city–the only city run by beastkin, for beastkin. But instead of the paradise she thought she’d find, she is thrust into a world of corruption and organized crime where the strong prey on the weak.
Soon she finds herself working alongside a wolf-man named Ogami who is something between a private eye and a superhero in this city of animals. Yet even he may not be up to the task of discovering why Michiru has suddenly become a breastkin–after all, it’s never happened before. Ever.
Why you should watch it: At its center, BNA is a story about racism. Michiru is a girl who goes from being in the ruling majority to a persecuted minority. In her ignorance, she always assumed that the apartheid state she was a part of was generally good–that the beastkin were living in a paradise with their own kind. But as she makes her way to Anima City, she is literally hunted for sport by humans–and the animals in the city have largely turned on each other as they live in constant fear of the outside world. Then there’s the fact that, while not all humans hate beastkin, those who don’t tend to fetishize them.
Simply put, her journey is an allegory exploring the various facets of racism, both the overt and the subtle. …Oh and the story and the surrounding mystery are pretty fun too!
Watch It If You Like: Promare, The Eccentric Family, Beastars
Where You Can Watch It: Netflix
Image source: TVアニメ『BNA ビー・エヌ・エー』 on Twitter
Gleipnir
Genre: Death Game, Mystery, Body Horror
Studio: Pine Jam
Number of episodes: 13
Premiere date: April 5, 2020
Non-spoiler plot summary: High school boy Shunichi has a secret. His body can transform into that of a giant mascot costume–complete with a zipper in the back. When he does so, he gains super strength and becomes much more difficult to harm. Each day, he lives in fear that his friends will learn that he isn’t normal–that he is a monster.
But one day, he discovers a young woman trapped in a burning building and transforms to save her. However, Claire’s not the damsel in distress he expected. Quickly deducing his true identity, she blackmails him into helping her track down others like him–including one she means to kill personally.
Why you should watch it: Mystery is the key to Gleipnir. Why do these monsters exist? Why is Shunichi one of them? Why is his monster form a walking mascot costume? Why are other monsters out to kill him? And how does all this relate to collecting gold coins and putting them inside a mysterious vending machine outside a love hotel?
But honestly, the best part of this show is Claire herself. She is truly psychotic. Her only goal is to hunt down the monster in the town that destroyed her family. To do this, she is willing to do anything–literally anything. She’s pragmatic to the extreme and doesn’t even flinch at the idea of taking another’s life. However, what’s truly terrifying is the fact that she doesn’t fear her own death either. If she finds she can’t succeed, then death is the only other alternative.
Watch It If You Like: Darwin’s Game, Future Diary
Where You Can Watch It: Funimation, AnimeLab (AU/NZ), Ani-One Asia (Asia), Wakanim (EU)
Image source: 「乙女ゲームの破滅フラグしかない悪役令嬢に転生してしまった…」TVアニメ公式 on Twitter
My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom!
Genre: Reincarnated as a villainess in a female-aimed dating game
Studio: Silver Link.
Number of episodes: 12
Premiere date: April 5, 2020
Non-spoiler plot summary: When a high school girl from our world dies in an accident, she finds herself reincarnated as Catarina Claes, a noble girl in a fantasy world. But all too soon she realizes that she is actually in the world of a popular dating sim for girls–one that she was playing just before her death. And worse yet, she’s destined to be the villainess of the game–meaning two possible fates await her: either exile or death.
Why you should watch it: Despite the life or death stakes, this anime is actually a rather light-hearted one. Gaining the memories of her past life while still a child, she has years to overturn the fate awaiting her. The trick is that Catarina is basically dumber than a box of rocks. She always assumes the worst when it comes to her impending doom and refuses to rethink her plans to avoid it. Moreover, she is constantly distracted by the simple pleasures of life forgetting pretty much everything else when confronted with food. All this makes for an excellent comedy with Catarina at the center. From the outside, her actions seem absurd but it’s genuinely hard not to like her.
Watch It If You Like: Accomplishments of the Duke’s Daughter, It Seems Like I Got Reincarnated into the World of a Yandere Otome Game, The Daughter of the Albert House Wishes for Ruin
Where You Can Watch It: Crunchyroll, Animax Asia (Asia)
Image source: 『神之塔 -Tower of God-』2020年4月1日よりTVアニメ絶賛放送中！ on Twitter
Tower of God
Genre: Fighting, Death Game
Studio: Telecom Animation Film
Number of episodes: 13
Premiere date: April 2, 2020
Non-spoiler plot summary: Young Bam grew up in a cave surrounded by darkness–until the day he met Rachael. She became his first friend and only companion. But one day, she told him of her dream to climb “the tower” and see the stars. And while he tried to change her mind, he was unable to and she left him all alone. Now Bam himself has decided to climb the tower–chasing after the girl who means more to him than anything else.
Why you should watch it: The fantasy world of Tower of God is unlike any other–and you’re thrown into the deep end and expected to figure it all out alongside Bam. Some people in the tower use magic. Others use technology. You’ll see everything from samurai swordsmen to modern guys with magic bags. There are bug-men, alligator people, and numerous other non-human species of people set on climbing the tower. Moreover, the tower itself completely belies the name with each floor being a land so wide it might as well be considered a world in and of itself. And set among all of this is a story of innocence versus harsh reality as Bam attempts to reconnect with the person he loves–and in doing so inspires many of those around him. But just because you want something with all your heart, that doesn’t mean it’s destined to come true.
Watch It If You Like: Berserk, Kakegurui – Compulsive Gambler
Where You Can Watch It: Crunchyroll, Aniplus (Asia)
Image source: 『波よ聞いてくれ』TVアニメ公式 on Twitter
Wave, Listen to Me!
Genre: Slice-of-Life
Studio: Telecom Animation Film
Number of episodes: 13
Premiere date: April 2, 2020
Non-spoiler plot summary: Minare is a 20-something just drifting through life. Her only employment is a part-time job. She lives in a tiny apartment, drinks too much, and has terrible taste in men. One night, after her latest boyfriend runs off with the money she loaned him, she gets blackout drunk while chatting up a middle-aged man at a bar. The next day at work, she hears herself on the radio–complaining to that man about her trials in love. Little does she know that this is only the start of her new life in radio.
Why you should watch it: If you’ve ever not been sure of your path in life, this anime is for you. Minare is a deeply flawed person. She’s egotistical and self-centered. However, she exudes a passion that is truly admirable. The problem is, she doesn’t really know who she is or what she’s meant to do. She can get along doing any old job but cares little for it beyond getting paid. Falling into the world of radio, she finds a life she seems built for. The only question is, will she choose that path or find another?
The other great thing about the series is that it gives an exploration of the dying radio industry. Through Minare you learn about everything from how sound effects are made to how shows are budgeted. You also see how new technology has affected the industry–and who it has caused to be left behind. It is an amazing look at an industry most take for granted and the perfect setting for a human, yet hilarious, story.
Watch It If You Like: Silver Spoon, Blade of the Immortal
Where You Can Watch It: Funimation, AnimeLab (AU/NZ), Wakanim (EU)
Top image source: TVアニメ『グレイプニル』公式 on Twitter.
Hmm, wave is fighting genre?
Thanks for catching my copy/paste error. it has been fixed.
I have seen BNA! I absolutely love it! The anime is wonderful and i love the story line and the characters, and can’t wait for when a second season might be released!