{"id":2399,"date":"2020-04-20T22:00:10","date_gmt":"2020-04-20T13:00:10","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/biggestinjapan.com\/?p=2399"},"modified":"2020-04-20T12:04:55","modified_gmt":"2020-04-20T03:04:55","slug":"5-must-watch-anime-for-winter-2020","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/biggestinjapan.com\/index.php\/2020\/04\/20\/5-must-watch-anime-for-winter-2020\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Must-Watch Anime for Winter 2020"},"content":{"rendered":"

With the winter season at an end and everyone locked away in their homes, now is the perfect chance to binge some of last season\u2019s best anime. But with the 50+ new series that came out last season, you might need a bit of help choosing what to watch. So here are five shows you shouldn\u2019t miss out on.<\/span><\/p>\n

Oh, before we get into it, a little disclaimer. If your pick didn\u2019t make this list, that doesn\u2019t mean it\u2019s bad in any way. It only means that I chose the arbitrary limit of five anime to highlight and that those below are the ones that happened to make my personal cut.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\"\"Image source: TV\u30a2\u30cb\u30e1\u300c\u75db\u3044\u306e\u306f\u5acc\u306a\u306e\u3067\u9632\u5fa1\u529b\u306b\u6975\u632f\u308a\u3057\u305f\u3044\u3068\u601d\u3044\u307e\u3059\u3002\u300d\u516c\u5f0f<\/a> on Twitter<\/em><\/p>\n

BOFURI: I Don’t Want to Get Hurt, so I’ll Max Out My Defense<\/span><\/h2>\n

Genre:<\/b> VRMMORPG Fantasy, Slice-of-life, Comedy<\/span><\/p>\n

Studio:<\/b> Silver Link.<\/span><\/p>\n

Number of episodes:<\/b> 12<\/span><\/p>\n

Premiere date:<\/b> January 8, 2020<\/span><\/p>\n

Non-spoiler plot summary:<\/b> Maple is a VRMMORPG newbie. Encouraged by her best friend Sally to start ahead of her, she logs in and begins her first solo adventure. Because she doesn\u2019t like pain, she puts all her stat points into defense. She then proceeds to \u201cplay\u201d with a monster as it attacks her over and over again to no avail–unlocking a hidden skill in the process. Soon she unlocks secret skill after secret skill, boosting her defense ever higher and making her an unstoppable, unkillable beast–though Maple, somehow, never quite realizes this fact.<\/span><\/p>\n

Why you should watch it:<\/b> Bofuri<\/span><\/i> is silly fun in the best way. Maple, due to her unique way of playing the game<\/a> stumbles her way into becoming ever more powerful just by being herself. Her out-of-the-box thinking is both humorous and clever and it’s easy to see why the supporting cast is so exasperated seeing her do one \u201cimpossible\u201d thing after the other.<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s also a rather low stakes series. It\u2019s not a death game nor is the fate of the world somehow hanging in the balance. Instead, it\u2019s just about an ever-growing number of friends playing a game together and exploring all it has to offer. However, that said, you do care about Maple and her friends. As they get more and more involved in PVP events, you end up rooting for them as the tension builds higher and higher–even if the consequences of losing are non-existent.<\/span><\/p>\n

Watch It If You Like:<\/b> Infinite Dendrogram, Log Horizon, Sword Art Online<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Where You Can Watch It:<\/b> Funimation<\/span><\/a>,<\/span> AnimeLab<\/span><\/a> (AU\/NZ),<\/span> Muse Asia<\/span><\/a> (Singapore),<\/span> Wakanim<\/span><\/a> (EU)<\/span><\/p>\n

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\"\"Image source: \u300c\u30c0\u30fc\u30a6\u30a3\u30f3\u30ba\u30b2\u30fc\u30e0\u300d\u516c\u5f0f<\/a> on Twitter<\/em><\/p>\n

Darwin\u2019s Game<\/span><\/h2>\n

Genre:<\/b> Death Game, Action, Psychological<\/span><\/p>\n

Studio:<\/b> Nexus<\/span><\/p>\n

Number of episodes:<\/b> 11<\/span><\/p>\n

Premiere date:<\/b> January 4, 2020<\/span><\/p>\n

Non-spoiler plot summary:<\/b> One day, Kaname gets an invite from his missing friend to play an app called \u201cDarwin\u2019s Game.\u201d When he boots it up, he finds that he has unwittingly joined a death game where each player gains a different superpower–himself included. Unfortunately, unlike everyone else, he has no idea what his is. And even worse, a sports mascot with a knife that can turn invisible is already set on hunting him down and getting the easy kill.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Why you should watch it:<\/b> Darwin\u2019s Game<\/span><\/i> is first and foremost an action anime as the various characters fight each other–often to the death. That said, it\u2019s often more about the psychology of battle than the actual fighting itself. Kaname\u2019s greatest weapon isn\u2019t a gun or special power, it\u2019s thinking and then acting quicker than his opponents. Everyone seems to underestimate Kaname and that is their biggest mistake.<\/span><\/p>\n

On a more thematic level, the series is a look at the battle inside Kaname about whether or not it’s acceptable to take a life or not. Sparing people is no doubt Kaname\u2019s greatest strength–as those he does often become his allies. However, sometimes this act also gets people killed. What is the correct path is something that Kaname must debate within himself, especially as the series nears its climax.<\/span><\/p>\n

Watch It If You Like:<\/b> Future Diary, Btooom!, Magical Girl Raising Project, Gleipnir<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Where You Can Watch It:<\/b> Funimation<\/span><\/a>, <\/span>Crunchyroll<\/span><\/a>, <\/span>HIDIVE<\/span><\/a>, <\/span>AnimeLab <\/span><\/a>(AU\/NZ), <\/span>Wakanim<\/span><\/a> (EU)<\/span><\/p>\n

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\"\"Image source: \uff34\uff36\u30a2\u30cb\u30e1\u300c\u7570\u7a2e\u65cf\u30ec\u30d3\u30e5\u30a2\u30fc\u30ba\u300d\u516c\u5f0f<\/a> on Twitter<\/em><\/p>\n

Interspecies Reviewers<\/span><\/h2>\n

Genre:<\/b> Sexual Comedy, Fantasy<\/span><\/p>\n

Studio:<\/b> Passione<\/span><\/p>\n

Number of episodes:<\/b> 12<\/span><\/p>\n

Premiere date:<\/b> January 11, 2020<\/span><\/p>\n

Non-spoiler plot summary:<\/b> Two seasoned adventurers, Stunk the human and Zel the elf have a running argument: which are the better sexual partner, elves or humans? Each prefers the other\u2019s species so they poll their friends, a halfling and a beastman for their opinion. Then for fun, they post the results on the local adventurer’s board. It becomes a hit and is redistributed far and wide. Soon the pair are joined by a fallen angel as they begin to visit brothel upon brothel, having sex with as many different races as possible and reviewing them all.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Why you should watch it:<\/b> Let me be straight here. <\/span>Interspecies Reviewers<\/span><\/i> is absolutely softcore porn. However, it is also some of the most amazingly well-thought-out world building put to animation<\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Each episode looks deep into the biology and culture of the fantasy races to determine their thoughts on sex–especially the interspecies variety. More than that, however, it looks at not only how humans would feel about sex with a given fantasy race but how other fantasy races would feel as well. It also shows how sex works in a world without STDs or accidental pregnancy (thanks to magic) and the sex-positive culture that results from that. All in all, this is one thought experiment well worth your time to dive into.<\/span><\/p>\n

Watch It If You Like:<\/b> Monster Musume: Everyday Life with Monster Girls, SHIMONETA: A Boring World Where the Concept of Dirty Jokes Doesn’t Exist<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Where You Can Watch It:<\/b> AnimeLab<\/span><\/a> (AU\/NZ), <\/span>Wakanim<\/span><\/a> (EU)<\/span><\/p>\n

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\"\"Image source: isekai_quartet<\/a> on Twitter<\/em><\/p>\n

Isekai Quartet 2<\/span><\/h2>\n

Genre:<\/b> Other World Fantasy Crossover, Comedy<\/span><\/p>\n

Studio:<\/b> Studio PuYUKAI<\/span><\/p>\n

Number of episodes:<\/b> 12<\/span><\/p>\n

Premiere date:<\/b> January 15, 2020<\/span><\/p>\n

Non-spoiler plot summary:<\/b> The main characters of <\/span>Konosuba<\/span><\/i>, <\/span>Overlord<\/span><\/i>, <\/span>Re:Zero<\/span><\/i>, and <\/span>The Saga of Tanya the Evil<\/span><\/i> are still trapped in a strange world that is modeled after a Japanese school. After having their hopes of returning home dashed at the school Sports Day, they have to prepare for both tests<\/a> and the looming culture festival.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Why you should watch it:<\/b> If you like any or all of the four tie-in series this is definitely worth a watch. While it is certainly silly and humor-based, it takes the lore behind it 100% seriously. This means that the cast is always in character with their various backstories affecting how they interpret the comical events around them.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Season 2 focuses more on the supporting characters from each series. It looks deeper into their shenanigans and how they interact with the supporting characters of the other anime. Where else are you going to get a story about a goddess and a team of soldiers attempting to steal booze from a teacher’s office or two yandere characters teaming up for a special Valentine’s Day event?<\/span><\/p>\n

Last but not least, this season also adds in the main trio from <\/span>The Rising of the Shield Hero<\/span><\/i>–as well as some other fun isekai anime cameos–to add a little extra spice to the story.<\/span><\/p>\n

Watch It If You Like:<\/b> Konosuba<\/span><\/i>, <\/span>Overlord<\/span><\/i>, <\/span>Re:Zero<\/span><\/i>, <\/span>The Saga of Tanya the Evil<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Where You Can Watch It:<\/b> Crunchyroll<\/span><\/a>, <\/span>Funimation<\/span><\/a>, <\/span>AnimeLab<\/span><\/a> (AU\/NZ), <\/span>Aniplus<\/span><\/a> (Asia), <\/span>Muse Asia<\/span><\/a> (Singapore)<\/span><\/p>\n

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\"\"Image source: \u3010\u516c\u5f0f\u3011\u30a2\u30cb\u30e1\uff06\u30de\u30f3\u30ac\u300c\u7406\u7cfb\u304c\u604b\u306b\u843d\u3061\u305f\u306e\u3067\u8a3c\u660e\u3057\u3066\u307f\u305f\u3002\u300d<\/a> on Twitter<\/em><\/p>\n

Science Fell in Love, So I Tried to Prove It<\/span><\/h2>\n

Genre:<\/b> Romantic Comedy, Slice-of-Life<\/span><\/p>\n

Studio:<\/b> Zero-G<\/span><\/p>\n

Number of episodes:<\/b> 12<\/span><\/p>\n

Premiere date:<\/b> January 11, 2020<\/span><\/p>\n

Non-spoiler plot summary:<\/b> Himuro is beautiful, stylish, and a genius engrossed in her scientific studies. Her only real rival in her graduate program is Yukimura, a man who lives and breathes science–never thinking about anything else. One day Himuro comes to the conclusion that, despite their constant verbal jousting, she has fallen in love with Yukimura–and has the statistical data to back it up. Yukimura responds that before she can really come to that conclusion, they must be able to quantify what love is numerically. Thus, the two begin to experiment to find the scientific formula for love<\/a>–with themselves as the central case study.<\/span><\/p>\n

Why you should watch it:<\/b> This is a romantic comedy without all of the \u201cnormal\u201d anime rom-com tropes. It\u2019s not set in a high school. There is no harem. There are no oblivious protagonists. There are no lucky perverts. There are just two people trying to figure out scientifically if they really are in love–and getting way too obsessed with their research in the process.<\/span><\/p>\n

It also has an excellent supporting cast. Kanade, whose experience with love is limited to her unrequited crush on her past teacher, plays the straight man (and somehow \u201clove expert\u201d) of the group. Inukai, while looking stylish and sporty, is actually a dating-sim otaku who\u2019s relationship knowledge comes only from the 2D realm. Then there is Ibarada who enjoys sitting back and laughing about the situation, occasionally popping in to point out the main pair\u2019s bad science or just to torment Inukai with embarrassing moments of their shared past. All together they make for a fun show that manages to keep it fresh with every episode despite the formulaic plot.<\/span><\/p>\n

Watch It If You Like:<\/b> Wotakoi: Love is Hard for Otaku, Golden Time<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Where You Can Watch It:<\/b> Crunchyroll<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

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Top image source: \u300c\u30c0\u30fc\u30a6\u30a3\u30f3\u30ba\u30b2\u30fc\u30e0\u300d\u516c\u5f0f<\/a> on Twitter<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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