{"id":148974,"date":"2024-09-21T22:25:45","date_gmt":"2024-09-21T21:25:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/starcrossedanime.com\/?p=56137"},"modified":"2024-09-21T22:25:45","modified_gmt":"2024-09-21T21:25:45","slug":"fall-2024-season-preview","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gamefootballmobileanimeiphone.com\/index.php\/2024\/09\/21\/fall-2024-season-preview\/","title":{"rendered":"Fall 2024 Season Preview"},"content":{"rendered":"

Lenlo:<\/b><\/span> Hello all, and welcome to another seasonal preview! We’re looking at the last season of the year, with plenty of anime to look forward to. Personally I’m keeping my expectations low, so that if they somehow wind up being good I’ll be pleasantly surprised. No use getting my hopes up when I’ve been burned multiple times before with these, right? Anyways, Wooper and I have returned once again to take a look at the upcoming shows and see what might be worth paying attention to, so let’s dive right in!<\/p>\n

Wooper:<\/b><\/span> The “What will you be watching?” poll is at the end of the post again this time. Don’t forget to let us know what you’re anticipating after you’ve perused the season preview (or before, if you’ve already done your research!).<\/p>\n

Garbage Fire<\/span><\/h1>\n

BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War – The Conflict<\/h2>\n

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Studio:<\/b> Pierrot Films
\nDirectors:<\/b> Tomohisa Taguchi, Hikaru Murata
\nSeries composition:<\/b> Tomohisa Taguchi, Masaki Hiramatsu
\nSource:<\/b> Manga<\/p>\n

The Premise:<\/b> Part 3 of the final arc of Bleach: Thousand Year Blood War.<\/p>\n

Lenlo:<\/b><\/span> So this may be a bit blasphemous, but I have\u2026 negative hopes for this last part of Bleach. We\u2019ve already seen writing issues in the past two parts, nonsensical plot twists, constant escalation, absurd character writing. And with what I remember from the manga, it\u2019s only going to get worse from here. Really the only possible redeeming factor for this season will be the action set pieces, which Bleach has occasionally done well with like with Yamamoto vs Yhwach, some of the Squad Zero stuff and parts of the Kenpachi fight. When Bleach has the desire to be, it\u2019s pretty great action. The issue is that I have no faith in Pierrot and their team to want to do that. Maybe I\u2019m just salty about how the manga ended, maybe I\u2019m not giving them enough credit. But the nice thing about setting my expectations this low is that whatever they do manage will probably end up as a pleasant surprise. And that\u2019s the best Bleach can hope for at this point.<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Middling Expectations<\/span><\/h1>\n

Trillion Game<\/h2>\n

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Studio:<\/b> Madhouse
\nDirector:<\/b> Yuuzou Satou
\nSeries composition:<\/b> Ryuunosuke Kingetsu
\nSource:<\/b> Manga<\/p>\n

The Premise:<\/b> Two best friends start their own holding company with the goal of making a trillion dollars (not yen).<\/p>\n

Wooper:<\/b><\/span> I\u2019ll be blunt: the Trillion Game anime isn\u2019t going to be pretty. It won\u2019t even be moderately appealing, at least on a presentational level. Director Yuuzou Satou may be experienced, but based on his recent output (AI no Idenshi, Police in a Pod), he\u2019s clearly near the bottom of the Madhouse hierarchy, taking on projects for which people have low expectations. The Trillion Game PV is a glorified string of panning shots over characters talking or making rudimentary gestures, which surely means this is going to be a \u201cmoving manga\u201d adaptation. So why are we bothering to include it in the preview? Because of the manga it\u2019s going to put in motion, which is illustrated by the legendary Ryoichi Ikegami (Crying Freeman, Sanctuary). As sure as I am that this adaptation is going to bomb, I can\u2019t help but be curious how Ikegami\u2019s famously lifelike figures will make the jump to animation – and how his characters plan to make all that money from the series\u2019 title. I\u2019ve read the first few chapters, and both the central duo\u2019s introduction and the formation of their company are abrupt as hell, which makes me wonder how they could ever climb to the top of Japan\u2019s corporate world. Maybe I\u2019ll watch the anime version to find out – but only if its premiere is less stiff than I\u2019m expecting.<\/p>\n

Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World- Season 3<\/h2>\n

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Studio:<\/b> White Fox
\nDirector:<\/b> Masahiro Shinohara
\nSeries composition:<\/b> Masahiro Yokotani
\nSource:<\/b> Light novel<\/p>\n

The Premise:<\/b> Season 3 of Re:Zero.<\/p>\n

Lenlo:<\/b><\/span> Really Aidan should be the one writing this, but since he\u2019s not you get a pessimist’s opinion instead. I\u2019m not sure how many of you know, but I detested Season 2 of Re:Zero. It was dull, long, poorly paced, poorly produced, and generally overstayed its welcome in every way. There was nothing particularly satisfying about it. So going into the third season, my expectations are at an all time low. The PV makes it seem like this is a bit more of an action focused season, we\u2019re going to be in direct conflict with some more Archbishops of Sin like we were back in Season 1 rather than stuck in a single location doing nothing, so that’s something positive to look forward to. But after Nagatsuki\u2019s writing on things like Vivy and Suicide Squad Isekai, I can\u2019t bring myself to expect much from Re:Zero. Hopefully this season brings it back, refocuses the story in a more interesting direction, and really pushes Subaru\u2019s character forward a bit. I\u2019d love to enjoy the show again. I just need Re:Zero to not bore me out of my mind for another 25 episodes.<\/p>\n

Kimi wa Meido-sama<\/h2>\n

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Studio:<\/b> Felix Film
\nDirector:<\/b> Ayumu Watanabe
\nSeries composition:<\/b> Deko Akao
\nSource:<\/b> Manga<\/p>\n

The Premise:<\/b> A former assassin attempts to reinvent herself by working as a maid, despite having no cleaning or cooking skills.<\/p>\n

Wooper:<\/b><\/span> Ayumu Watanabe really loves series about beautiful, slightly mysterious dark-haired girls, huh? In 2018 there was Akira from Koi wa Ameagari, a few years after that we had the title character from Komi-san Can\u2019t Communicate, and now there\u2019s Yuki from Kimi wa Meido-sama. (The sunset in the poster makes her hair look greenish, but really she\u2019s cut from the same cloth as the other two.) It\u2019s not a crime to have a type, though, especially when you\u2019re good at your job, and Watanabe is one of the most reliable TV anime helmsman working right now – even his Summer Time Rendering adaptation, which I abandoned midway through its run, was well-received by most fans. I don\u2019t know that I\u2019m in the mood for yet another anime about a clumsily cute maid serving a \u201crelatable\u201d Japanese teen, however. Whether they\u2019re robots, aliens, assassins (as in this case), or just plain old human beings, these sorts of maid characters tend to be low level nerd bait. Meido-sama might be worth more than a single episode based on its director\u2019s involvement, but really, it\u2019s his Witch Hat Atelier adaptation (likely releasing next year) that you ought to anticipate.<\/p>\n

Shangri-La Frontier Season 2<\/h2>\n

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Studio:<\/b> C2C
\nDirector:<\/b> Toshiyuki Kubooka
\nSeries composition:<\/b> Kazuyuki Fudeyasu
\nSource:<\/b> Manga<\/p>\n

The Premise:<\/b> Season 2 of Shangri-La Frontier.<\/p>\n

Lenlo:<\/b><\/span> So I was rather fond of the first season of Shangri-La Frontier. The Wezaemon fight was great, and had that been the finale it would have been one of the best shows of its season. The problem was that it wasn\u2019t the finale, instead we were only halfway through, with the rest of the season building towards\u2026 Well nothing. And that\u2019s going to be the problem with this second season. I don\u2019t know how many episodes it has yet, but if it\u2019s only a single cour then there really isn\u2019t a major conflict or strong stopping point for it to end on in my opinion. Not without ruining the pacing and speeding up or slowing down more than it should at least. I do expect it to still be fun, I\u2019m current on the manga and Shangri-La Frontier is pretty good, the author clearly loves MMOs. However I\u2019m not convinced this won\u2019t just be a sort of filler season after the awkward spot the first one left us at, covering all the transitionary material as we move between arcs. Hopefully it figures something out though, because I want it to be good.<\/p>\n

Ranma \u00bd<\/h2>\n

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Studio:<\/b> MAPPA
\nDirector:<\/b> Kounosuke Uda
\nSeries composition:<\/b> Kimiko Ueno
\nSource:<\/b> Manga<\/p>\n

The Premise:<\/b> A teenage martial artist with the ability to change sexes moves into a dojo with three beautiful sisters.<\/p>\n

Wooper:<\/b><\/span> In the fall of 2022, Urusei Yatsura\u2019s animated reboot debuted; now, two years later, another Rumiko Takahashi work will be updated for the small screen. I\u2019m neither an authority on Takahashi-sensei\u2019s works nor their anime adaptations, but I did watch enough of the original Urusei Yatsura to judge that its remake wouldn\u2019t be strictly necessary. I\u2019ve seen a lot less of the first Ranma adaptation, though (just four episodes), so I\u2019m not sure how important this reboot will be for the franchise\u2019s legacy. The majority of the original seiyuu are returning for the remake, so it\u2019s not trying to reinvent the wheel, but as far as production goes, it\u2019s surely going to have a much different look than the first series. The color design team in particular looks to be playing it safe, rather than matching the bright reds of Ranma\u2019s outfit and female hairstyle from the 80s series. Most of my interest here lies in the realm of martial arts animation, which I\u2019m hoping will be as strong as the PV suggests – for others, though, this reboot will provide an opportunity to shave away some of Ranma\u2019s filler episodes and extraneous supporting characters to create a leaner viewing experience. We\u2019ll have to wait and see whether it fulfills those hopes (assuming I\u2019m reading the fanbase\u2019s wishes correctly).<\/p>\n

Demon Lord 2099<\/h2>\n

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Studio:<\/b> J.C. Staff
\nDirector:<\/b> Ryou Andou
\nSeries composition:<\/b> Yuuichirou Momose
\nSource:<\/b> Light novel<\/p>\n

The Premise:<\/b> The demon lord was prophesied to awaken in 500 years\u2026 But what will he do when the world he awakes to is nothing like the one he left?<\/p>\n

Lenlo:<\/b><\/span> Demon Lord 2099 has my attention for its premise and little else. We get a lot of fantasy isekai, with heroes of the modern world transported into Tolkien-esque fantasy worlds. But I don\u2019t feel like we get a lot of the reverse, of fantasy characters transported to sci-fi cyberpunk dystopias. That sounds fun! I want to see what an all powerful demon lord will do in a high-tech future, how magic will interact with technology, and how he might combat any futuristic heroes that arise to stop him. It\u2019s still isekai light-novel shlock, don\u2019t get me wrong. But shows like this season\u2019s Isekai Shikkaku and I Parry Everything have shown me there\u2019s still a lot of fun to be found in the OP MC fantasy realm, so maybe Demon Lord 2099 will find its niche.<\/p>\n

Yakuza Fianc\u00e9<\/h2>\n

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Studio:<\/b> Deen
\nDirector:<\/b> Toshifumi Kawase
\nSeries composition:<\/b> Rika Takasugi
\nSource:<\/b> Manga<\/p>\n

The Premise:<\/b> A standoffish yakuza heiress enters into an arranged marriage with the bloodthirsty son of a rival family.<\/p>\n

Wooper:<\/b><\/span> One of my favorite series from last year was Ooku: The Inner Chambers, based on a historical fiction manga set in the Edo period. Studio Deen\u2019s animation was straight out of the bargain bin, but the scripts, provided by rookie series composer Rika Takasugi, were very strong. That studio\/writer combination has cropped up again with Yakuza Fianc\u00e9 (Raise wa Tanin ga Ii), another manga aimed at an older audience, which gives me hope that the adaptation\u2019s story will be worth following, despite the limited animation in the trailer. The character designs are striking, with thick outlines and plenty of shoujo influence to provide a sensual spark – even if they don\u2019t perform particularly well in motion, they ought to be effective for the purposes of a Romeo and Juliet-esque plot like this one. Yakuza Fianc\u00e9\u2019s central relationship is bound to be twisted, so you may want to skip it if you\u2019re in the mood for something light, but I\u2019m going to take the plunge and see whether Ms. Takasugi rewards me for my bravery.<\/p>\n

Kekkon Suru tte, Hontou desu ka: 365 Days To The Wedding<\/h2>\n

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Studio:<\/b> Ashi Productions
\nDirector:<\/b> Ikehata Hiroshi
\nSeries composition:<\/b> Kazuho Hyoudou
\nSource:<\/b> Manga<\/p>\n

The Premise:<\/b> Coworkers at a travel agency pretend to be married to avoid getting relocated to Siberia for work. But how long until their \u201cfake\u201d relationship turns into something more?<\/p>\n

Lenlo:<\/b><\/span> I\u2019ve been in a Romance-genre mood for a while now, and something about this caught my interest. I think it\u2019s because both of the leads are working adults rather than your classic highschooler, so there\u2019s a higher level of assumed maturity in both the leads and the way it will handle the premise. Will 365 actually live up to those expectations? Probably not, especially as the final shot of the trailer makes it seem like the potential exposure of their fake engagement will be the major plot, rather than their growing relationship. Hopefully that\u2019s just a poor editing decision when making the trailer and not the case for the show itself, because I\u2019d really like this to be a simple adult romance.<\/p>\n

Mecha-ude<\/h2>\n

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Studio:<\/b> TriF Studio
\nDirector:<\/b> Sae Okamoto
\nSeries composition:<\/b> Yasuhiro Nakanishi
\nSource:<\/b> Original<\/p>\n

The Premise:<\/b> A sentient mechanical arm fuses with the hoodie of a middle school boy, who becomes embroiled in a conflict between two rival organizations.<\/p>\n

Wooper:<\/b><\/span> Mecha-ude is technically an original show, but this won\u2019t be its first time taking anime form; it began life in 2018 with a Kickstarter-funded OVA, which I watched just minutes before writing this paragraph. The story revolved around a handful of heroic and villainous teenagers and their talking mechanical limbs, and though both the plot and the production underwhelmed me, my disappointment was tempered by the knowledge that it was TriF Studio\u2019s first 30 minute project. They haven\u2019t taken on much work in the interim, so it almost feels as though the studio was established for the sake of this show, meaning the pressure is definitely on for director Okamoto (who\u2019s something of an indie darling in the anime world) and her team. It\u2019s unfortunate that so little of what Mecha-ude brings to the table feels truly unique, especially for an original series – but then again, maybe the evolution process from one-shot OVA to 12 episode cour will bring out a side of the story that wasn\u2019t present in its unofficial pilot.<\/p>\n

The Most Notorious “Talker” Runs the World\u2019s Greatest Clan<\/h2>\n

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Studios:<\/b> Felix Film, Ga-Crew
\nDirector:<\/b> Yuuta Takamura
\nSeries composition:<\/b> Takayo Ikami
\nSource:<\/b> Light novel<\/p>\n

The Premise:<\/b> Noel has grown up idolizing his grandfather, a legendary adventurer of the class known as Seekers. But when it comes time for Noel to set out on his own, much to his dismay, he turns out to be a Talker: a support class with meager abilities. But Noel\u2019s got ambition in spades\u2013and the smarts to match\u2013so he\u2019s determined to do whatever it takes to make the world know his name!<\/p>\n

Lenlo:<\/b><\/span> Another rather straightforward \u201cOP MC with skills everyone believes are weak\u201d show. This isn\u2019t the first \u201cSupport class becomes OP\u201d fantasy show we\u2019ve seen, it\u2019s not even the only one this season. But between the MC being a bard-style class based around words, giving me hope for some maybe interesting dialogue, and a decent production judging by the PV, Talker may end up being a little fun. My expectations aren\u2019t very high here, but as I said above, this season has shown me there\u2019s still life in the OP MC fantasy subgenre, still fun and interesting ideas to explore. Maybe Talker will end up being one of them, so I\u2019m at least going to check it out.<\/p>\n

The Blue Wolves of Mibu<\/h2>\n

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Studio:<\/b> Maho Film
\nDirector:<\/b> Kumiko Habara
\nSeries composition:<\/b> Kenta Ihara
\nSource:<\/b> Manga<\/p>\n

The Premise:<\/b> In 1863, just before the end of the Bakumatsu, a young orphan joins a group of ronin who will eventually become the Shinsengumi<\/span><\/a>.<\/p>\n

Wooper:<\/b><\/span> Some anime fans have a pet genre that automatically qualifies shows for their watchlists, at least toward the start of each new season (before you realize how subpar most of those shows really are). For me, that pet genre seems to be \u201chistorical,\u201d not because it\u2019s my favorite (or even close to it), but because I think it\u2019s nice that a handful of production companies remain interested in funding shows with some basis in reality. That mindset is why I\u2019ll be checking out the premiere of The Blue Wolves of Mibu (Ao no Miburo), even though its marketing has more to do with its attractive cast than the late Edo period in which its story takes place. That\u2019s kind of a shame, since the Bakumatsu is one of the most fertile conflicts for storytelling in modern Japanese history, and Blue Wolves intends to set itself apart by examining the group that preceded the Shinsengumi (the period\u2019s most significant militia). In the end, the show will probably have to fall back on its wide range of characters to sell itself, since neither the director nor the head writer have worked on much of note in the past. This will probably be a one and done viewing for me, but maybe Blue Wolves will exceed expectations (though if it does, you probably won\u2019t read about it here, since it\u2019s premiering in late October).<\/p>\n

Touhai: Ura Rate Mahjong
\nTouhai Roku<\/h2>\n

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Studio:<\/b> East Fish Studio
\nDirector:<\/b> Jun Hatori
\nSeries composition:<\/b> Mariko Kunisawa
\nSource:<\/b> Manga<\/p>\n

The Premise:<\/b> Money, women, organs. Kei, a high school boy, frequents the underground mahjong parlor teeming with desires, earning him the moniker ‘K of Ice’ in the underworld due to his cold-hearted strategy and stylish gameplay. Rumors also circulate that he keeps a girl at his home.<\/p>\n

Lenlo:<\/b><\/span> I\u2019m going to be upfront here, I have absolutely no idea how to play Mahjong. The closest I\u2019ve gotten was when a friend tried to get me into Mahjong Soul, but not even the waifu\u2019s could keep me engaged. I\u2019m only interested in Touhai because of one word: Gambling. From Kakegurui to Kaiji, over the top gambling is a lot of fun when done right. So I want to see if Touhai can pull off even a fraction of that power. I doubt it can, the PV looks uninspired and flat, there\u2019s not a single second of passionate or interesting footage in that preview. But maybe, just maybe, it will find the soul of a gambler once the season actually starts. I\u2019ll have to watch it to find out though.<\/p>\n

Shows We\u2019re Anticipating<\/span><\/h1>\n

DAN DA DAN<\/h2>\n

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Studio:<\/b> Science Saru
\nDirector:<\/b> Fuuga Yamashiro
\nSeries composition:<\/b> Hiroshi Seko
\nSource:<\/b> Manga<\/p>\n

The Premise:<\/b> Momo believes in ghosts but not aliens, Okarun believes in aliens but not ghosts. What happens when both exist?<\/p>\n

Lenlo:<\/b><\/span> Basically all of my interest in Dandadan is due to it being a Science Saru production, well that and it being Fuuga Yamashiro\u2019s directorial debut. The series itself seems to be a pretty straight forward battle shounen, superpowers and all that, but maybe the mix of aliens and ghosts will make it feel distinct from other series. I know the manga is well liked, a few friends seem rather excited for it, so between Science Saru and their recommendation I\u2019m hopeful it will be. Other than that though, I really don\u2019t know anything about Dandadan and aside from an above average production the PV didn\u2019t do a lot to excite me. Still, I trust those friends’ recommendations, so up in Anticipating it goes.<\/p>\n

Orb: On the Movements of the Earth<\/h2>\n

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Studio:<\/b> Madhouse
\nDirector:<\/b> Kenichi Shimizu
\nSeries composition:<\/b> Shingo Irie
\nSource:<\/b> Manga<\/p>\n

The Premise:<\/b> In 15th century Poland, a child prodigy develops a heliocentric theory of the solar system, putting him at odds with the Catholic Church.<\/p>\n

Wooper:<\/b><\/span> I\u2019m a little surprised that Orb: On the Movements of the Earth is receiving an anime adaptation, as it\u2019s the sort of short-running, award-winning manga that doesn\u2019t always make that jump. Set in a mildly sensationalized 600 year old version of Europe, Orb\u2019s major themes are the irrepressible curiosity of the human spirit and the adversarial relationship between science and religion. The series contains multiple time skips and features adventure\/mystery staples such as encoded research notes and artifacts that point to their locations. Personally, I think the story sounds highly promising, but I wonder whether the viewing public will feel the same way once it starts airing in its late night TV slot. Series composer Shingo Irie may be the most critical staff member here, as his experience writing historical fiction adaptations (Kingdom, Golden Kamuy) means he\u2019s well-positioned to handle a singular plot like this one. The show\u2019s PV doesn\u2019t exactly bring the ruckus, visually speaking (all apologies to The RZA), but with well-paced scripts and music from Kensuke Ushio, I\u2019m hopeful that Orb will become one of the few fall shows I watch from front to back.<\/p>\n

BLUE LOCK Season 2<\/h2>\n

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Studio:<\/b> 8bit
\nDirectors:<\/b> Yuuji Haibara, Shintaro Inokawa
\nSeries composition:<\/b> Taku Kishimoto
\nSource:<\/b> Manga<\/p>\n

The Premise:<\/b> Season 2 of Blue Lock.<\/p>\n

Lenlo:<\/b><\/span> Look, this is entirely me being shounen trash and just wanting to enjoy a crazy nonsensical sports anime. I know what this season covers, and it\u2019s basically one big soccer match the whole way through, only with even more crazy and unhinged characters. If you\u2019re a soccer enthusiast and are looking for some semblance of reality, well I don\u2019t know how you made it past Blue Lock season 1, but this is definitely not for you. If however you\u2019re like me and just want to watch super-powered football on a similar level as Kuroko no Basket, with eyes of god and laser kicks, then strap in. Because this shits about to get even weirder than it already was. We\u2019re escalating baby!<\/p>\n

Uzumaki<\/h2>\n

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Studio:<\/b> Drive
\nDirector:<\/b> Hiroshi Nagahama
\nSeries composition:<\/b> Aki Itami
\nSource:<\/b> Manga<\/p>\n

The Premise:<\/b> An adaptation of Junji Ito\u2019s legendary manga Uzumaki, a story about a small fogbound town on the coast of Japan.<\/p>\n

Lenlo:<\/b><\/span> Junji Ito is incredible, there\u2019s no one quite able to do lovecraftian body horror in manga quite like him. His artwork is detailed and unnerving in a way nothing else is. Much like Berserk and Vagabond however, this becomes a problem when trying to adapt it into animation. How do you get that same unnerving detail and presentation without either spending a lot of money and time or sacrificing other parts of the production? Well looking at the PV, they can\u2019t. Simply put, visually, it\u2019s kind of bad. Everything that made Junji Ito\u2019s works stand out is gone, flattened by an animation pipeline trying to do the impossible. There might still be something worth watching there, it\u2019s still a good story and it\u2019s only 4 episodes so they aren\u2019t overstaying their welcome. But it\u2019s pretty clear this won\u2019t reach anywhere near the heights of the original manga, which you should read. It\u2019s short, I promise.<\/p>\n

Blue Box<\/h2>\n

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Studio:<\/b> Telecom Animation Film
\nDirector:<\/b> Yuuichirou Yano
\nSeries composition:<\/b> Yuuko Kakihara
\nSource:<\/b> Manga<\/p>\n

The Premise:<\/b> Two athletic teenagers find themselves living under the same roof after a female basketball player moves in with a badminton-playing boy\u2019s family.<\/p>\n

Wooper:<\/b><\/span> Lenlo already included my most eagerly anticipated fall shows in this tier (Dandadan, Uzumaki, NegaPosi Angler), but Blue Box might trump them all for me. That\u2019s not to say it\u2019ll be a guaranteed layup, as many of the shots in its PV<\/span><\/a> rely too much on lighting and compositing, and not enough on honest-to-goodness animation. Setting that personal issue aside, though, I\u2019ve got high hopes for this half-sports, half-romance series, whose combination of genres puts me in mind of Mitsuru Adachi. Having sampled the manga, I can attest to the good-naturedness of both lead characters and the likability of the obligatory third wheel. Whether the animated versions of the athletic scenes will be a match for the character-based stuff is one of the bigger questions facing Blue Box, but I\u2019ll be watching either way. Hopefully the first batch of episodes is successful enough that the show gets renewed, since the manga is still running at 150+ chapters – it would be a shame if one of WSJ\u2019s only \u201cnormal\u201d adaptations failed to make it past its first cour.<\/p>\n

Sword Art Online Alternative:
\nGun Gale Online II<\/h2>\n

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Studio:<\/b> A-1 Pictures
\nDirector:<\/b> Masayuki Sakoi
\nSeries composition:<\/b> Yousuke Kuroda
\nSource:<\/b> Light novel<\/p>\n

The Premise:<\/b> Season Two of the Sword Art Online side-season, Gun Gale Online.<\/p>\n

Lenlo:<\/b><\/span> Here\u2019s a surprise out of left field. Did anybody actually expect Gun Gale Online to get a sequel? I sure as hell didn\u2019t. I\u2019m not complaining though, Gun Gale Online is legitimately one of the best seasons of Sword Art Online. While there are sub-arcs like Mothers Rosario that are better, as far entire seasons go Gun Gale Online is pretty high up there. And considering it has the same author as the first season, namely not Reki Kawahara, as well as the same director, I\u2019m rather hopeful. I don\u2019t think it will be any kind of blockbuster, it won\u2019t be the best of the season. But I\u2019m looking forward to some fun gun MMO action.<\/p>\n

NegaPosi Angler<\/h2>\n

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Studio:<\/b> Nut
\nDirector:<\/b> Yutaka Uemura
\nSeries composition:<\/b> Tomohiro Suzuki
\nSource:<\/b> Original<\/p>\n

The Premise:<\/b> A university student diagnosed with only two years left to live is persuaded to take up fishing by a new acquaintance, introducing him to all manner of odd fishing enthusiasts.<\/p>\n

Lenlo:<\/b><\/span> As boring as fishing can be, NegaPosi\u2019s PV actually looks surprisingly lively. Characters appear expressive, there\u2019s a certain mania to them both passionate and crazy, it looks like a healthy mix of fun and drama for an otherwise boring subject. I\u2019m not sold on the \u201ctwo years to live\u201d thing, that and the debt seems unnecessary to a show like this – Blue Period feels similar in a lot of ways with the lead rediscovering themselves in something new and it didn\u2019t need anything like that. Still, it could work and director Yutaka Uemura has a solid enough history with shows like Youjo Senki. Combine that with this being an original and I\u2019d say I\u2019m looking forward to it a bit.<\/p>\n

Highest Expectations<\/span><\/h1>\n

Thunderbolt Fantasy:
\nTouriken Yuuki 4<\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Studio:<\/b> Pili International Multimedia
\nDirector:<\/b> Chris Huang
\nSeries composition:<\/b> Gen Urobuchi
\nSource:<\/b> Original<\/p>\n

The Premise:<\/b> Season 4 of over the top puppet show, I mean Sesame Street, I mean Thunderbolt Fantasy.<\/p>\n

Lenlo:<\/b><\/span> Deep breath. MY PUPPET SHOW IS BAAAAACK. Seriously, Thunderbolt Fantasy is unlike anything else in anime. Is it particularly well written? Not really, no. But something about watching masterfully crafted and manipulated puppets fly across the screen in excessive wirework fights, or their full body exaggerated movements as they talk with each other since their mouths can really only move up or down, just brings a smile to my face. Thunderbolt Fantasy is a unique brand of fun that I haven\u2019t been able to find anywhere else in anime, so I\u2019m always happy when it returns. I don\u2019t expect everyone to be into this, Thunderbolt Fantasy is kind of an acquired taste. But it\u2019s definitely my taste, and the thing I\u2019m looking forward to the most next season.<\/p>\n

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