Anime Winter 2019: 10 titles to look forward to!

Ashita Sekai ga Owaru toshitemo (あした世界が終わるとしても)

Type: Movie
Studio: Craftar Studios
Genres: Drama, Romance

Starts airing: 25^th of January 2019

After his mother passed away, when he was young, Shin became closed off. Kotori, his female childhood friend, has been looking after him since then. Now that things finally seem to be on track for both of them, and they are in the third year of high school, another Shin appears in front of them, from another Japan.

Recommended by Yuki:
This sounds like a weird but interesting storyline. Shin’s past is tragic so you can already tell where a lot of the ‘drama’ will likely come from. I wonder whether the original or the other Shin will start a romance with Kotori and how Shin and Kotori will react to this weird situation.

B-Project: Zecchou*Emotion (B-PROJECT～鼓動＊アンビシャス～)

Type: Anime
Studio: A-1 Pictures
Genres: Music, Shoujo
Based on the manga ‘B-Project: Mousou*Scandal’ by Mizu Morino.

Starts airing: January 2019
Number of episodes: Unknown

B-Project is a fictional idol project produced by Takanori Nishikawa. The project consists of four groups: Kitakore, THRIVE, MooNs, and KiLLER KiNG. First season, which was produced by A-1 Pictures, aired in Summer 2016 for 12 episodes. Its manga adaptation was published between May and October last year, and its stage adaptation was held this Summer. But now, they are back for more! Get ready for this reverse harem to keep us all warm this winter.

Recommended by Natsumi:
This might be my favourite reverse harem with idols right after UtaPri – great designs, decent songs, likable heroine with nice voice, personality and looks. I’ll gladly watch another season, can’t wait already! Hopefully we get some KiLLER KiNG this time and that this one will have a better ending. Season 1 ended too sudden for my liking.

Piano No Mori second season (ピアノの森 第2シリーズ)

Type: Anime
Studio: Gaina
Genres: Comedy, Drama, Music, School, Seinen
Based on the manga  ‘Perfect World of Kai’ by Makoto Isshiki.

Starts airing: January 2019
Number of episodes: 12

During season 1 we got to meet the son of a prositute, Kai, who loves to play the abandoned piano in the forst and Syuhei, who is basically breast-fed by the piano and comes from a prestigious family of piano players. We got to follow their intertwined lifes, common bonded with the piano. Season 1 ended with Kai’s performance (chapter 142 of the manga), so this is where season 2 will take off, predicted to finish the way the manga did.

Recommended by Hageshi:
I really enjoyed watching the first season. It has a simple storyline, yet very catchy once you are into it, as well the classical music gives a fine touch to this unique anime. I expect to see more competitions now that Kai has gotten at the top of the piano world and I wonder, how a boy with a past like his, ends this story.

Doukyonin wa Hiza, Tokidoki, Atama no Ue. (同居人はひざ、時々、頭のうえ。)

Type: Anime
Studio: Zero-G
Genres: Comedy, Slice of Life
Based on the eponymous manga by Tunami Minatuki and As Futatsuya.

Starts airing: January 2019
Number of episodes: Unknown

This is a story about a shy and socially handicapped writer, Subaru Mikazuki, and a stray cat, Haru, who end up living together. It tells their story from both points of view.

Recommended by Yuki:
Honestly this anime just sounds different and interesting because it’s different. Pets can bring out a whole different side of someone and bring a lot of happiness, I’m sure it’ll be interesting to see how their friendship develops. It seems like this anime would have plenty of material for both comedy and heart-warming moments.

Dororo / Dororo to Hyakkimaru (どろろ)

Type: Anime
Studio: Tezuka Productions, MAPPA
Genres: Action, Adventure, Demons, Historical, Shounen, Supernatural
Based on the eponymous manga by Osamu Tezuka.

Starts airing: January 2019
Number of episodes: Unknown

The son of a samurai lord has been abandoned and his organs have been traded in exchange for dominance on the battlefield. Dororo, the son, barely survived thanks to a medicine man which equips him with lethal prosthetics. Before confronting his father, he slays the demons in his way in order to reclaim his body pieces. On his journeys the young hero encounters an orphan who claims to be the greatest thief in Japan. Together they will face great evil.

Recommended by Natsumi:
I am a big lover of historical and demons. Samurai lore mixed with a shocking fate is sure to keep me curious on how this could happen, and if he will be able to take revenge on how wronged he is by his father. Watching the promotional video also pulls me towards the nostalgic art-style. It looks good in all the right ways.

Tate no Yuusha no Nariagari (盾の勇者の成り上がり)

Type: Anime
Studio: Kinema Citrus
Genres: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Drama, Fantasy, Romance, Seinen
Based on the eponymous manga by Yusagi Aneko and Seira Minami.

Starts airing: January 2019
Number of episodes: Unknown

After being summoned into a parallel world along with three other people, the four being intended to become the world’s heroes, Iwatani Naofumi is quickly labelled as the weakest of the four heroes. His lack of experience and charisma earned him that label. Naofumi ends up being betrayed, falsely accused and robbed by the third day of adventure. Naofumi’s thoughts become filled with nothing but vengeance and hatred as he gets shunned by everyone. And so his adventure in the parallel world begins.

Recommended by Yuki:
I liked the looks of the characters, which caused me to want to read the story behind them. With such a rough start in the parallel world I wonder how Naofumi will continue his adventure and if he will get some respect eventually. Since romance is one of the genres I’m pretty interested how that’ll be incorporated in the story.

It’s My Life

Type: OVA
Studio: Creators in Pack
Genres: Comedy, Fantasy, Supernatural, Shounen, Drama, Slice of Life
Based on the eponymous manga by Narita Imomushi.

Starts airing: January 2019
Number of episodes: 1

After serving ten exhausting years as captain of the royal knights has Astra Ludger Doomsday finally achieved his dearest longing: A new house and seeking a peaceful life. But soon after arriving in his sanctuary, a unexpected guest crashes into his house. The young girl seems to be a apprentice witch, whom mistakes him for her evil God-sama. How can Astra disown a child’s dreams?

Recommended by Hageshi:
Even though I haven’t read the manga, it seems a very interesting storyline to me thanks to the artwork and the short description. I am mainly wondering about how they will portray the personification of the characters. In particular, because the young witch who looks at the former soldier as a bad god.

Revisions (リヴィジョンズ Rivijonzu)

Type: Anime
Studio: Shirogumi
Genres: Action, Sci-Fi, Mecha

Starts airing: January 2019
Number of episodes: Unknown

It all starts with a prophecy addressed to a high school kid named Toujima Daisuke. The prophecy of 5 people to protect humanity. One day the prediction came true, they got involved in the Shibuya Drift phenomenon and thrown to 300 years in the future. In the future world that awaits them is a dense forest, ruins of buildings, future residents and monsters. A girl then gives Daisuke a Mobile suit called String Puppet to save the remaining humanity in Shibuya.

Recommended by Natsumi:
I haven’t seen a good mecha anime for quite a while, but I really like the concept that this one brings to the table. I am curious to see how they will portray the era of 2300. One small step for producers one giant leap for Anime fans! Sadly, there isn’t much information on this series to be found yet. So we have to sit this one out for a while too.

Meiji Tokyo Renka (明治東亰恋伽)

Type: Anime
Studio: TMS Entertainment
Genres: Historical, Romance, Fantasy, Shoujo
Based on the eponymous game.

Starts airing: January 2019
Number of episodes: Unknown

An ordinary high-school girl, Mei Ayazuki, gets transported through time to the Meiji Period, by Charlie who is a self-proclaimed magician. This strange Meiji-era is called ‘Tokyo’, an era is which the existence of ghosts is accepted and those who can see them, people called Tamayori, are seen as highly valued. Charlie leads her to meet and interact with historical figures and Mei finds out that she is a Tamayori. Because of these powers her relationship with the men changes, as she gets to know them a love starts to grow. Will Mei be able to return to her own time? And what romances might ensue?

Recommended by Yuki:
Personally I don’t really mind that the plot doesn’t seem very original, as I like these kinds of stories if they’re thought through well enough. I’m curious to see which of the men she’ll fall for and how she’ll deal with that, given that she’s not in her own time.

Boogiepop wa Warawanai (2019) / Boogiepop Never/Doesn’t Laugh (ブギーポップは笑わない)

Type: Anime
Studio: Madhouse
Genres: Psychological, Mystery, Horror
Based on the Boogiepop novel series by Kouhei Kadono and Kouji Ogata.

Starts airing: January 2019
Number of episodes: Unknown

Boogiepop, the “Angel of Death” is back. When a rash of disappearances involving female students breaks out at Shinyo Academy, the police and faculty assume they just have a bunch of runaways on their hands. Yet some students know better. Something mysterious going on. Boogiepop Phantom was an original story set between the first two Boogiepop novels, whereas this is an actual adaptation of the novels, which were never adapted before.

Recommended by Natsumi:
I have mixed expectations for this adaptation. I loved the light novel so much but judging by its PV It’s not going to have the same mysterious atmosphere I liked so much. However, the storyline might justify the change of art. I am 100% going to watch it and I think when it’s less gory this way it might actually appeal to a greater audience. Make sure to watch the 2000 version after this if you haven’t already!

Which serie(s) are you going to watch?

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