It is Spring, although the weather thinks otherwise! Time for a list of anime series that you can’t miss during the Spring season of anime shows. This list has been compiled by a few writers of AVO Magazine. Do you want to contribute the next time, become a writer for AVO Magazine!
Wotaku ni Koi wa Muzukashii (ヲタクに恋は難しい)
Type: Anime
Studio: A-1 Pictures
Genres: Comedy, Romance
Based on the eponymous manga by Fujita.
Starts airing: 13 April 2018
Number of episodes: Unknown
When a gaming crazed otaku, Hirotaka Nifuji, and a fujoshi, Narumi Momose, reunite, after discovering they both work for the same company, it doesn’t take them very many post-work drinking sessions before they start dating. They haven’t seen each other since they were in middle school, will their relationship bring them more good memories or will it fail?
Recommended by Yuki:
What appeals to me about the story of this anime, and the manga, is that the main characters are functioning adults with jobs but both still are otaku/fujoshi. Their designs are cute, as are the designs of the side characters and I think the set up provides plenty of space for comedy as well as romantic scenes.
Steins;Gate 0 (シュタインズ・ゲート ゼロ)
Type: Anime
Studio: White Fox
Genres: Thriller, Science-Fiction
Starts Airing: April 2018
Number of Episodes: Unknown
Second season of Steins;Gate, a series where self-proclaimed mad scientist Rintaro Okabe accidentally creates a machine which can send texts into the past. This discovery leads to Rintaro finding himself in another timeline. The story follows Rintaro and his friends using and exploring the uses of the device, later facing the consequence of their actions. This season is set just before the end of season 1, adding an extra story to the build-up of the finale.
Recommended by AlexD:
Steins;Gate kept me on the edge of my seat throughout the whole series. The story has many twists and turns, leaving you with the sense of not knowing what is real or what will even happen next. It’s also cool with the real-life setting of Akihabara, giving a sense of realism to the story despite the science fiction elements.
Devils Line (デビルズライン)
Type: Anime
Studio: Platinum Vision
Genres: Action, Drama, Romance, Vampire, Seinen
Based on the eponymous manga by Ryou Hanada.
Starts airing: 7 April 2018
Number of episodes: Unknown
In a world where vampires live among humans without being detected and they don’t have to feed on human blood, you’d think they’d remain undetected forever. Their inability to control themselves once they get a craving or get angry however remains a problem. Yuuki Anzai is a half vampire, who comes across a normal human school girl, Tsukasa Taira. Will their story end well?
Recommended by Yuki:
I’ve always liked stories with a vampire theme in them and this one seems interesting, especially because it does involve romance but also drama and action. It doesn’t seem to have the potential to become a sappy romance story, but rather an interesting story with hardships and a little romance.
My Hero Academia Season 3 (僕のヒーローアカデミア)
Type: Anime
Studio: BONES
Genres: Shōnen, Action, Adventure, Comedy, Super Powers
Starts Airing: 7 April 2018
Number of Episodes: Unknown
The series has seen worldwide success, becoming one of the biggest Shōnen Jump adaptations in years. The story is set in a world where everyone is born with quirks (powers), and superheroes are commonplace. However, the plot follows Izuku Midoriya, a boy who was born quirkless. It follows his journey, along with his classmates, to achieving his aim of becoming a superhero. The last season ended with a preview of what is to come, leaving us viewers on edge since it finished.
Recommended by AlexD:
As a huge fan of Shōnen Jump series, that alone has me excited for the return of My Hero Academia. Further to this, it has incredible writing as it is hard to not like any of the main characters. I also like how it follows the conventions of Shōnen Jump series but then at the same time change them, making the series far from stereotypical but staying true to the genre.
Golden Kamuy (ゴールデンカムイ)
Type: Anime
Studio: Geno Studio
Genres: Action, Historical, Seinen
Based on the eponymous manga by Satoru Noda
Starts airing: 9 April 2018
Number of episodes: Unknown
Saichi Sugimoto, a survivor of the battle of 203 Hill in the Russo-Japanese War has become a miner in Hokkaido in order to provide for the widow of his dead comrade, Toraji. He hears a dubious story of hidden Ainu gold stashed by a criminal group, and accidentally finds clues to its location. After being attacked by the 7th Division of the Imperial Japanese Army and other mysterious groups, he decides to search for the gold along with an Ainu girl, Asirpa, who rescues him from Hokkaido’s harsh northern wilderness.
Recommended by Fran:
What appeals to me is the historical setting of the story and the expectancy of much action scenes. For those who don’t have a connection with history, it might not be interesting. The manga got sold more than 4.6 million copies, won the 9th Manga Taishō award and got nominated a couple of times. It says that the reception of the story is good. There is an Ainu language linguist connected to the anime (also to the manga) which gives the story a real touch. The series’ opening theme will be performed by Man with a Mission, and the ending theme will be performed by The Sixth Lie. For the last mentioned band it is the first time to release a song that is connected with an anime series.
Mahou Shoujo Ore (魔法少女 俺)
Type: Anime
Studio: Pierrot Plus
Genres: Comedy, Fantasy, Magic
Based on the eponymous manga by Icchokusen Moukon.
Starts airing: 2 April 2018
Number of episodes: Unknown
The story centres around a 15-year-old female newbie idol who is in love with her best friend’s brother, also a popular idol. Due to a series of events her love interest gets kidnapped by demons, in order to save him she becomes a magical girl, but not really. She ends up transforming into a handsome guy in a magical girl outfit, which her crush actually seems to be into. Her best friend, who’s in love with her, becomes a magical ‘girl’ as well, to save her life. Their magical girl geek manager decides to turn the two into an idol unit.
Recommended by Yuki:
The plot just sounds super funny, it has some conflict but all of those sound funny as well. I think this’ll be a nice light-hearted series to watch, which is why it interests me. It’s nice to have a not so serious and funny series to watch, depending on your mood.
Butlers: Chitose Momotose Monogatari (Butlers~千年百年物語~)
Type: Anime
Studio: Silver Link
Genres: Comedy
Starts airing: 12 April 2018
Number of episodes: Unknown
The anime has two protagonists, Koma Jinguji and Tsubasa Hayakawa. Koma is the smart and handsome student-council president and charms the women with his elegant smile and steals their hearts. Tsubasa is multi-talented and is an assistant in a café. His cafe latte art in the form of an owl is very popular with the female customers. Together the two of them travel through time to fight with their archenemy. The charming butlers have supernatural fights and at the same time, they experience a funny life at their academy.
Recommended by Jiro Kanede:
I recommend this anime if you love butlers, and in the trailer, you can see that there are many handsome men in the anime. The genre is a comedy but the trailer begins very dark and then begins with the intro song. The butlers fight with their enemies, so we can assume there is also action and tension. We will yet have to see if the anime is more focused on comedy or the tension seen in the trailer and if the anime will fit together as a whole. All in all, you cannot miss this anime with handsome butlers.
Mahou Shoujo Site (魔法少女サイト)
Type: Anime
Studio: production doA
Genres: Drama, Horror, Psychological, Supernatural
Based on the eponymous manga by Kentarou Satou.
Starts airing: 7 April 2018
Number of episodes: 12
Looking for a way to escape her troublesome life, in which she is the victim of constant bullying at school, Aya Asagari looks to the internet for distraction and happens upon a website called ‘Magic Girl Site’. Before she knows it she is hurtled into the deadly world of the Magical Girl Apocalypse. There she finds herself in a fight or die situation, with an endless supply of adorable killing machines, each with their own magical powers and thirst for blood and chaos.
Recommended by Yuki:
Not the typical magical girl anime, that’s what I thought when I read the description of this anime. The themes and storyline seem different from other anime, so I’m eager to see how it will turn out. The style looks pretty cute, which seems like a nice combination with the horror theme.
Persona 5 the Animation
Type: Anime
Studio: A-1 Pictures
Genres: Action, Fantasy, Supernatural
Based on the game Persona 5
Starts airing: 8 April 2018
Number of episodes: Unknown
Persona is back with a brand new anime, Persona 5 the Animation! This anime is based on the game Persona 5.
There is no official synopsis yet, but a trailer already has been released where we can assume it follows the storyline of the game. The protagonist is known as Akira Kurusu by many fans and is named Ren Amamiya in the anime. This will not influence the story at all.
Recommended by Jiro Kanede:
I can really recommend this anime if you are fan of the Persona games, but even if you are not known with the games yet you can easily follow the story, because every Persona game got his own storyline and characters that differs per game so you don’t have to play the previous games or watched the previous anime’s to understand Persona 5. Persona 5 is the newest game of the series, which is received very good by the fans. The number of episodes is unknown, but the anime is made by the same studio as the previous anime Persona 4 the Golden Animation. We can expect 12 episodes, so we have to wait to see how they will tell the story in such a short number of episodes. Seen from the trailer the anime will promise a lot of good things. The animation is very beautiful and the colours are very spectacular. It’s an exciting adventure we can look forward to!
Binan Koukou Chikyuu Bouei-bu Happy Kiss! (美男高校地球防衛部HAPPY KISS!)
Type: Anime
Studio: Studio Comet
Genres: Slice of Life, Comedy, Parody
Starts airing: 9 April 2018
Number of episodes: Unknown
The first two seasons of Binan Koukou Chikyuu Bouei-bu have been reviewed on AVO Magazine, that is reason enough to put the fourth instalment in this list. The anime falls under the “magical girls” genre, but instead of girls, it’s about a group of boys. Binan Koukou Chikyuu Bouei-bu Happy Kiss! follows the OVA, titled Cute High Earth Defense Club LOVE! LOVE! LOVE!, that got aired in August of 2017, a series concluding chapter, where the original Battle Lovers graduates and battle once more. The upcoming new season of Binan Koukou Chikyuu Bouei-bu will be featuring a new group of magical boys.
Recommended by Fran:
I haven’t seen the OVA because it got shown at a few theatres in Japan. Still, I understand that the first group of magical boys has to graduate and that it is time for a new group. Will it be a refreshing group of boys or will we see a few copies of the former group? Also, this anime can’t be taken seriously at all and sometimes it is needed to keep your mind occupied.
Which serie(s) are you going to watch?
