16. 91 Days
Available on: Crunchyroll, Funimation
Angelo Lagusa is just your average boy living in Prohibition-era America, complete with loving parents and an adorable little brother. Sadly, things immediately go south when Angelo’s entire family is killed in a mafia dispute, only nearly escaping himself. Years later, Angelo receives a mysterious letter identifying his family’s murderers, all prominent members of the mobster Vanetti family. With nothing else to live for, he sets out on a quest for revenge, determined to put the killers down and finally let his family rest. Things can hardly be expected to go smoothly when gangsters are involved, but Angelo isn’t one to let anything stand in his way.
15. Yuri!!! on Ice
Available on: Crunchyroll, Funimation
Yuri!!! on Ice follows professional Japanese figure skater Katsuki Yuri. After a disastrous performance in his first Grand Prix Final, Yuri is dejected and defeated, slinking home with his motivation all but extinguished. However, when one of his practice videos hits the world wide web, it attracts the attention of one Victor Nikiforov, a five-time skating champion hailing from Russia, who also happens to be Yuri’s inspiration and idol. In a move that shocks both the skating world and Yuri himself, Victor decides to drop out of competitive skating entirely and become Yuri’s coach. With a massive new pillar of support in his life, Yuri rediscovers his passion and sets his sights on the next year’s Grand Prix Final.
14. Ansatsu Kyoushitsu (Assassination Classroom) Season 2
Available on: Funimation, Hulu
Assassination Classroom, funny enough, tells the story of a classroom focused on training assassins. That in itself would perhaps be interesting enough, but the twist is that they are training to kill their teacher, who has promised to destroy the Earth if the students are unable to complete their mission by the end of the school year. The twist on the twist is that this teacher is not human, but a smiley-faced octopoid creature voiced by Jun Fukuyama, capable of reaching speeds of Mach 20 (as well as being just a damn fine teacher).
Available on: Crunchyroll, The Anime Network
The first pure comedy on the list. There’s this new kid at school, you’d probably know him if you see him. Glasses and a pretty face, with an unmistakable aura of sophistication. No matter where he goes, he’s always suave and stylish. All the girls swoon after him, and the local bullies just don’t stand a chance. He’s not cool, he’s not even cooler, he’s the coolest. Haven’t you heard? He’s Sakamoto.
Sakamoto is a series I really enjoyed… for all of one episode. The core of every joke in the show is the same. Sakamoto, or someone he knows, is placed into a difficult situation, but Sakamoto effortlessly finagles his way out every time, looking perfect and cool all the while. I don’t inherently mind the same joke being basically repeated over and over. It’s a very common tactic (I can easily think of three other anime this year that generally followed that same style, at least two of which I enjoyed), but my problem here was Sakamoto himself. I didn’t find his antics entertaining, because I rarely found him himself interesting. His character is a blank slate. He has practically zero signs of outward expression or personality beyond stylishness.
Available on: Crunchyroll, Funimation
A high school girl named Takamiya Naho receives a letter from herself, ten years in the future. The letter correctly predicts the day’s events, as well as many days thereafter, and urges Naho to follows its instructions. Apparently, the future version of herself has been left with many regrets, but none moreso than her interactions with fellow classmate Naruse Kakeru, with whom there had at some point been a falling out, shortly before his untimely demise. Although initially dismissive of the letter, Naho quickly realizes its truth and decides to listen to its instructions, hopefully avoiding her yet-to-be-made mistakes and maybe, just maybe, keeping Kakeru alive.
Orange is interesting. For every bit that I like or is well-written, there’s another that feels sloppy or ill-conceived. Naho’s extreme shyness and lack of confidence is simultaneously sympathetic and frustrating, while her friend group is fairly likable despite a relative lack of development. Like 91 Days, its largest fault would have to be the animation, which collapses rather dramatically in the middle chunk of the series, robbing the emotional material of some weight it desperately could have used. While I cannot say Orange is something you should avoid, neither can I say it is particularly worth seeking out, unless it seems exactly like your type of thing.
Available on: Crunchyroll, Funimation, Hulu
Yet another rendition of the “trapped in a video game” sub-genre. Ironically, while it is a sub-genre that gets a lot of flak, I have personally found each series to tackle it distinct and notable in some way (with the exception of last year’s DanMachi). Grimgar goes for a fairly grim and unidealized approach. The Japanese youths summoned into this world have no knowledge or memory of their prior lives, and must scrape out a living by fighting monsters and selling their parts to earn gold. But unlike a Sword Art Online or Log Horizon, where the monsters are just high-fidelity digital creations, all the monsters here are much more flesh and blood. A goblin won’t take an attack lying down just because it’s a goblin. It wants to live as much as anyone else. Likewise, the heroes are naturally completely unexperienced in the ways of combat, initially struggling to take down even a single opponent despite overwhelming numerical advantage.
Available on: Crunchyroll, Hulu
The 18-year-old Nakajima Atsushi (so named after the famous Japanese author) is hungry and homeless, after being kicked out of his abusive orphanage. Although hardly in a position to help even himself, Atsushi sights and does not hesitate to rescue a man in need, an eccentric drowning fellow named Dazai Osamu (also so named after the famous Japanese author), and “eccentric” because he had in fact not been drowning but trying to commit suicide, an attempt which Atsushi had unintentionally foiled. Coincidentally, Dazai is an executive of the Armed Detective Agency, a local extralegal police force that deals with supernatural phenomena. As these stories go, Atsushi winds up a member of the Agency, just in time for them to come in conflict with other organizations in the city, chiefly the Port Mafia and the Guild.
Available on: Crunchyroll
In Kiznaiver, the latest production from Studio Trigger, a government agency has a great idea on how to bring about world peace: if everyone could truly understand everyone else, then there would be no need for conflict. That’s a bit of a tall order, so they sprung for the next best thing: kidnapping a group of teenagers and, in the hope that a bond of some sort will form between them, linking their senses of pain. If one of them gets hurt, they all feel it. Kiznaiver is somewhat of a departure from the standard Trigger output (even Trigger’s other show this year), opting to be a relatively reserved (comparatively) character drama instead of the studio’s renowned hyperactivity, a la Kill la Kill.
Written by Mari Okada, of Anohana, the story is somewhat uneven, with a slanted distribution of depth throughout the archetypal cast and a plot that can get much too absorbed into itself for its own good, but this is contrasted with a handful of genuinely effective or even touching scenes, plus stylish visuals that evoke the usual sense of Trigger-ness. In short, it’s a mixed bag. I can’t easily say that it’s immediately worth your while, but if you do some looking into it and it seems right up your alley, there’s nothing here that’s awful and broken, so I’d be surprised if you weren’t at least able to enjoy the experience.
Available on: Crunchyroll, Hulu, The Anime Network
The second season of last year’s hit series Food Wars!. The actual narrative synopsis for Food Wars! is not extremely important, because it would be more efficient to just explain what this show is all about. The title is an apt one, as the story is dominated by cooking battles, indulgent and over-the-top displays of culinary prowess, with food so good that it is nearly orgasmic (or at least that’s what the imagery would lead you to believe).
Available on: Crunchyroll, Funimation
The anime adaptation of the manga series from ONE, who would be better known as the creator of One Punch Man. Any series mentioned in even the same breath as One Punch Man will be set with certain expectations, namely in regards to animation, and Bones was completely up to the task. Not only is Mob Psycho 100 incredibly well-animated and visually creative.But there are few people satisfied by something just looking good. If that weren’t the case, Sword Art Online wouldn’t have nearly as many detractors. So what’s Mob about? Mob is about… Mob, or Kageyama Shigeo. Despite his unimpressive appearance, the middle school boy is an all-powerful psychic, gifted with the ability to defeat and exorcise any supernatural entity without even breaking a sweat. However, where another man would use these powers to set himself up as a king and ruler, Mob prefers not to use his powers at all, wishing for nothing more than to live a normal life, and constantly being discouraged by the aspects in which he falls short, like his lack of social skills or unimposing physical stature.
Available on: Crunchyroll, Funimation
ReLIFE’s main character is 27-year-old former salaryman Kaizaki Arata, currently unemployed and generally down on his luck. However, one day Arata is approached by an only slightly creepy lab scientist, offering a pill that reverts one’s appearance to that of a high schooler. If Arata takes the pill, he will receive a monetary compensation equal to one year’s worth of living expenses, in exchange for actually going to high school, for a full academic year, while being observed from afar by the scientist.
Available on: Crunchyroll
Satou Kazuma is on his way back from buying a video game, when he turns around and notices a cute girl on the brink of danger, about to be run over. Leaping into action, Kazuma pushes her out of the way and dies himself, reviving in a form of the afterlife, sat in front of a minor goddess named Aqua. While he is at first elated that the girl’s life was saved, Aqua, between laughs, informs Kazuma that the girl’s life was never actually in danger, as the apparent threat was in fact a slow-moving tractor, and Kazuma died a meaningless death out of simple shock. But lucky for him, there are plenty of openings in another world, so Aqua offers Kazuma a bargain: he can be reborn in that fantasy world, along with any one thing he desires. Irritated by her stuck-up attitude, Kazuma impulsively chooses Aqua herself. The contract now sealed, Aqua and Kazuma are both transported to the fantasy world, with a mission to defeat the Demon King terrorizing its citizenry. But before they can become heroes, they have to deal with some basic amenities, like food, comfortable lodging, and a stable source of income.
Available on: Amazon Video
3. Boku no Hero Academia (My Hero Academia)
Available on: Funimation, Hulu
It tells the story of a world where superpowers (called “Quirks”) are commonplace, present in something like 90% of the population. Our hero though, Deku, is no hero at all. He idolizes the superpowered men and women that fearlessly protect the world, but is himself without a Quirk. He has no powers. Despite this, he is determined to attend U.A. High, a prestigious high school that is the best in the business for training up-and-coming superheroes. One thing leads to another as it so often does, and by giving it the classic shounen try, Deku is accepted to U.A. High, in the first step of what may be a long journey to come.
Available on: Crunchyroll, Funimation, Hulu
Available on: Crunchyroll, Funimation
Angelo Lagusa is just your average boy living in Prohibition-era America, complete with loving parents and an adorable little brother. Sadly, things immediately go south when Angelo’s entire family is killed in a mafia dispute, only nearly escaping himself. Years later, Angelo receives a mysterious letter identifying his family’s murderers, all prominent members of the mobster Vanetti family. With nothing else to live for, he sets out on a quest for revenge, determined to put the killers down and finally let his family rest. Things can hardly be expected to go smoothly when gangsters are involved, but Angelo isn’t one to let anything stand in his way.
15. Yuri!!! on Ice
Available on: Crunchyroll, Funimation
Yuri!!! on Ice follows professional Japanese figure skater Katsuki Yuri. After a disastrous performance in his first Grand Prix Final, Yuri is dejected and defeated, slinking home with his motivation all but extinguished. However, when one of his practice videos hits the world wide web, it attracts the attention of one Victor Nikiforov, a five-time skating champion hailing from Russia, who also happens to be Yuri’s inspiration and idol. In a move that shocks both the skating world and Yuri himself, Victor decides to drop out of competitive skating entirely and become Yuri’s coach. With a massive new pillar of support in his life, Yuri rediscovers his passion and sets his sights on the next year’s Grand Prix Final.
14. Ansatsu Kyoushitsu (Assassination Classroom) Season 2
Available on: Funimation, Hulu
Assassination Classroom, funny enough, tells the story of a classroom focused on training assassins. That in itself would perhaps be interesting enough, but the twist is that they are training to kill their teacher, who has promised to destroy the Earth if the students are unable to complete their mission by the end of the school year. The twist on the twist is that this teacher is not human, but a smiley-faced octopoid creature voiced by Jun Fukuyama, capable of reaching speeds of Mach 20 (as well as being just a damn fine teacher).
13. Sakamoto desu ga? (Haven’t You Heard? I’m Sakamoto)
The first pure comedy on the list. There’s this new kid at school, you’d probably know him if you see him. Glasses and a pretty face, with an unmistakable aura of sophistication. No matter where he goes, he’s always suave and stylish. All the girls swoon after him, and the local bullies just don’t stand a chance. He’s not cool, he’s not even cooler, he’s the coolest. Haven’t you heard? He’s Sakamoto.
Sakamoto is a series I really enjoyed… for all of one episode. The core of every joke in the show is the same. Sakamoto, or someone he knows, is placed into a difficult situation, but Sakamoto effortlessly finagles his way out every time, looking perfect and cool all the while. I don’t inherently mind the same joke being basically repeated over and over. It’s a very common tactic (I can easily think of three other anime this year that generally followed that same style, at least two of which I enjoyed), but my problem here was Sakamoto himself. I didn’t find his antics entertaining, because I rarely found him himself interesting. His character is a blank slate. He has practically zero signs of outward expression or personality beyond stylishness.
12. Orange
A high school girl named Takamiya Naho receives a letter from herself, ten years in the future. The letter correctly predicts the day’s events, as well as many days thereafter, and urges Naho to follows its instructions. Apparently, the future version of herself has been left with many regrets, but none moreso than her interactions with fellow classmate Naruse Kakeru, with whom there had at some point been a falling out, shortly before his untimely demise. Although initially dismissive of the letter, Naho quickly realizes its truth and decides to listen to its instructions, hopefully avoiding her yet-to-be-made mistakes and maybe, just maybe, keeping Kakeru alive.
Orange is interesting. For every bit that I like or is well-written, there’s another that feels sloppy or ill-conceived. Naho’s extreme shyness and lack of confidence is simultaneously sympathetic and frustrating, while her friend group is fairly likable despite a relative lack of development. Like 91 Days, its largest fault would have to be the animation, which collapses rather dramatically in the middle chunk of the series, robbing the emotional material of some weight it desperately could have used. While I cannot say Orange is something you should avoid, neither can I say it is particularly worth seeking out, unless it seems exactly like your type of thing.
11. Hai to Gensou no Grimgar (Grimgar of Fantasy and Ash)
Yet another rendition of the “trapped in a video game” sub-genre. Ironically, while it is a sub-genre that gets a lot of flak, I have personally found each series to tackle it distinct and notable in some way (with the exception of last year’s DanMachi). Grimgar goes for a fairly grim and unidealized approach. The Japanese youths summoned into this world have no knowledge or memory of their prior lives, and must scrape out a living by fighting monsters and selling their parts to earn gold. But unlike a Sword Art Online or Log Horizon, where the monsters are just high-fidelity digital creations, all the monsters here are much more flesh and blood. A goblin won’t take an attack lying down just because it’s a goblin. It wants to live as much as anyone else. Likewise, the heroes are naturally completely unexperienced in the ways of combat, initially struggling to take down even a single opponent despite overwhelming numerical advantage.
10. Bungo Stray Dogs
The 18-year-old Nakajima Atsushi (so named after the famous Japanese author) is hungry and homeless, after being kicked out of his abusive orphanage. Although hardly in a position to help even himself, Atsushi sights and does not hesitate to rescue a man in need, an eccentric drowning fellow named Dazai Osamu (also so named after the famous Japanese author), and “eccentric” because he had in fact not been drowning but trying to commit suicide, an attempt which Atsushi had unintentionally foiled. Coincidentally, Dazai is an executive of the Armed Detective Agency, a local extralegal police force that deals with supernatural phenomena. As these stories go, Atsushi winds up a member of the Agency, just in time for them to come in conflict with other organizations in the city, chiefly the Port Mafia and the Guild.
9. Kiznaiver
In Kiznaiver, the latest production from Studio Trigger, a government agency has a great idea on how to bring about world peace: if everyone could truly understand everyone else, then there would be no need for conflict. That’s a bit of a tall order, so they sprung for the next best thing: kidnapping a group of teenagers and, in the hope that a bond of some sort will form between them, linking their senses of pain. If one of them gets hurt, they all feel it. Kiznaiver is somewhat of a departure from the standard Trigger output (even Trigger’s other show this year), opting to be a relatively reserved (comparatively) character drama instead of the studio’s renowned hyperactivity, a la Kill la Kill.
Written by Mari Okada, of Anohana, the story is somewhat uneven, with a slanted distribution of depth throughout the archetypal cast and a plot that can get much too absorbed into itself for its own good, but this is contrasted with a handful of genuinely effective or even touching scenes, plus stylish visuals that evoke the usual sense of Trigger-ness. In short, it’s a mixed bag. I can’t easily say that it’s immediately worth your while, but if you do some looking into it and it seems right up your alley, there’s nothing here that’s awful and broken, so I’d be surprised if you weren’t at least able to enjoy the experience.
8. Shokugeki no Soma: Ni no Sara (Food Wars! The Second Plate)
The second season of last year’s hit series Food Wars!. The actual narrative synopsis for Food Wars! is not extremely important, because it would be more efficient to just explain what this show is all about. The title is an apt one, as the story is dominated by cooking battles, indulgent and over-the-top displays of culinary prowess, with food so good that it is nearly orgasmic (or at least that’s what the imagery would lead you to believe).
7. Mob Psycho 100
The anime adaptation of the manga series from ONE, who would be better known as the creator of One Punch Man. Any series mentioned in even the same breath as One Punch Man will be set with certain expectations, namely in regards to animation, and Bones was completely up to the task. Not only is Mob Psycho 100 incredibly well-animated and visually creative.But there are few people satisfied by something just looking good. If that weren’t the case, Sword Art Online wouldn’t have nearly as many detractors. So what’s Mob about? Mob is about… Mob, or Kageyama Shigeo. Despite his unimpressive appearance, the middle school boy is an all-powerful psychic, gifted with the ability to defeat and exorcise any supernatural entity without even breaking a sweat. However, where another man would use these powers to set himself up as a king and ruler, Mob prefers not to use his powers at all, wishing for nothing more than to live a normal life, and constantly being discouraged by the aspects in which he falls short, like his lack of social skills or unimposing physical stature.
6. ReLIFE
ReLIFE’s main character is 27-year-old former salaryman Kaizaki Arata, currently unemployed and generally down on his luck. However, one day Arata is approached by an only slightly creepy lab scientist, offering a pill that reverts one’s appearance to that of a high schooler. If Arata takes the pill, he will receive a monetary compensation equal to one year’s worth of living expenses, in exchange for actually going to high school, for a full academic year, while being observed from afar by the scientist.
5. Kono Subarashii Sekai ni Shukufuku wo! (KonoSuba: God’s Blessing on This Wonderful World!)
Satou Kazuma is on his way back from buying a video game, when he turns around and notices a cute girl on the brink of danger, about to be run over. Leaping into action, Kazuma pushes her out of the way and dies himself, reviving in a form of the afterlife, sat in front of a minor goddess named Aqua. While he is at first elated that the girl’s life was saved, Aqua, between laughs, informs Kazuma that the girl’s life was never actually in danger, as the apparent threat was in fact a slow-moving tractor, and Kazuma died a meaningless death out of simple shock. But lucky for him, there are plenty of openings in another world, so Aqua offers Kazuma a bargain: he can be reborn in that fantasy world, along with any one thing he desires. Irritated by her stuck-up attitude, Kazuma impulsively chooses Aqua herself. The contract now sealed, Aqua and Kazuma are both transported to the fantasy world, with a mission to defeat the Demon King terrorizing its citizenry. But before they can become heroes, they have to deal with some basic amenities, like food, comfortable lodging, and a stable source of income.
4. Koutetsujou no Kabaneri (Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress)
During
the Industrial Revolution, mankind is threatened by the sudden
emergence of undead monsters - the Kabane - who can only be killed by
piercing their heart through an iron plate.
Characters: Yukina, Ayame Yomogawa, Biba Amatori, Kurusu, Kajika, Ikoma, Mumei, Takumi
Genres: Apocalyptic fiction, Steampunk, Action fiction, Adventure fiction, Horror fiction
Available on: Funimation, Hulu
It tells the story of a world where superpowers (called “Quirks”) are commonplace, present in something like 90% of the population. Our hero though, Deku, is no hero at all. He idolizes the superpowered men and women that fearlessly protect the world, but is himself without a Quirk. He has no powers. Despite this, he is determined to attend U.A. High, a prestigious high school that is the best in the business for training up-and-coming superheroes. One thing leads to another as it so often does, and by giving it the classic shounen try, Deku is accepted to U.A. High, in the first step of what may be a long journey to come.
2. Boku dake ga Inai Machi (ERASED)
The story follows Satoru Fujinuma, a young man who somehow possesses an ability known as "Revival" which sends him back in time
moments before a life-threatening incident, allowing him to prevent it
from happening again. When his mother is murdered by an unknown
assailant in his own home, Satoru's ability suddenly sends him back
eighteen years prior to when he was still in elementary school, giving
him the opportunity to prevent a kidnapping incident that took the lives
of three of his childhood friends, two classmates and one young girl
studying at a different school nearby.
1. Re:Zero kara Hajimeru Isekai Seikatsu (Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World-)
Available on: Crunchyroll
Subaru Natsuki is a hikikomori
who does nothing but play games. One night, after visiting a
convenience store, he is suddenly summoned to another world. With no
sign of who summoned him, he soon befriends a silver-haired half-elf girl who introduces herself as Satella, and her companion Puck. Satella mentions that her insignia was stolen by a thief named Felt.
When he and Satella are mysteriously killed, Subaru awakens and
discover that he has acquired the ability "Return by Death", enabling
him to reverse time
by dying. He greets Satella again, only for her to be offended at being
addressed by the name "Satella", which in fact refers to the "Jealous
Witch", and is considered a taboo. With the help of Reinhard
(a knight) in another timeline, Subaru saves "Satella's" life from the
assassin Elsa; she reveals that her real name is Emilia, and as a token
of gratitude, Felt returns the insignia to her.
No comments:
Post a Comment