Autumn Anime 2018 Preview: Let's Samuraize, Guys!

Hello everyone! This is my preview for the upcoming Autumn anime 2018 which begin this October! (Some of the series synopsis are taken from other sources)

Sword Art Online-Alicization: The third season of the hit virtual game series as the focus returned back to swords and magic for the cast of SAO.

Goblin Slayer: One of the more dark fantasy novel series that caught attention due to it's depiction of hardcore violence and sex. The story is about a man only known as the Goblin Slayer who swore to kill every last goblin on Earth and how you should never underestimate a goblin. (Think Berserk if they are Moe characters but keep the sex and violence in it)

Tokyo Ghoul:re 2nd Season: The next chapter in the horror/action series.

Fairy Tail (2018): The final chapter for the Fairy Tail series.

Toaru Majutsu no Index S3: Join Touma, Index and Misaka in their next adventure where magic and science collide in this new season!

Tensei Shitara Slime Datta Ken: Another Isekai series where the main character was reincarnated into of all things-a Slime creature?!

Seishun Buta Yarou wa Bunny Girl Senpai no Yume wo Minai: Sakuta Azusagawa saw a beautiful girl in a bunny suit but no one else but him could see her which he found out the girl happened to be his classmate Mai Sakurajima and an unknown phenomenon called "Puberty syndrome" was the cause of it...

Kishuku Gakkou no Juliet: A retelling of Romeo and Juliet with a comedy twist that the setting is between two rival schools that are set on two countries' border and are at the brine of war. Can a pair of lovers-Juliet Percia and Inuzuka Romio who are from different sides get their happy ending or all hell will break loose? (I think the latter)

Ore ga Suki nano wa Imouto dakedo Imouto ja Nai: Suzuka Nagami is a beautiful third-year middle school student and wrote a novel about a little sister who dotes on her older brother. The novel wins a light novel award. Her brother, Yuu now has to cover Suzuka by pretending to be the one who wrote the novel instead...

Irozuku Sekai no Ashita kara: Hitomi Tsukishiro is a 17-year-old descendant of a witch family who grew up with stale emotions as she lost her sense of color at a very young age. Feeling sorry for her granddaughter's future, her grandmother Kohaku sends Hitomi to the past and meet a young Kohaku in the process...

Golden Kamuy S2: The treasure hunt adventures series set during 1920s Japan continue with Sugimoto and Asirpa as they continue to search for the men whose bodies are tattooed with pieces of a map that lead to a mysterious mountain of gold...

Radiant: Seth is an aspiring sorcerer and is an "infected"- one of the few living beings who survived the contact of the Nemesis-creatures fallen from the sky that contaminate and decimate all those they touch. Seth wants to find the Radiant, their presumed cradle to end the curse...

Ulysses- Jeanne d'Arc to Renkin no Kishi: During the Hundred Years' War, Montmorency immerses himself in the study of magic and alchemy at a school for knights. However, after France's defeat at Agincourt, the school is disbanded and Montmorency is forced to flee. While on the run he meets a miraculous village girl named Jeanne...

FLCL Alternative: One of the 90s classic series returned in modern time!

Conception: Based on the PS Vita game of the same name, Itsuki Yuuge and his cousin, Mahiru were teleported to the world of Granvania that was attacked by monsters. Mahiru also learn she is pregnant with a "Star Children" that is destined to save the land with Itsuki as the father... 

Jojo no Kimyou na Bouken-Ougon no Kaze: The fifth chapter of the Jojo series shifted the focus of the Joestar family to a man named Giorno Giovanna who wanted to be the top mafia gang leader in Italy but Giorno has a dark secret he is unaware of-he is the biological son of the Joestar's greatest enemy-Dio Brando!

Beelzebub-jou no Okinimesu mama: Murin lands his dream job with the demon king he's always held in awe but when his tenure begins, it turns out the demon king isn't quite what he expected...

Ingress the Animation: Makoto had a strange power which enabled him to read the memories of objects he touched and works as a special agent in the police force. One day, while investigating an explosion at a laboratory that researches a unknown substance called “XM”, he sees a mysterious memory. The memory was from Sarah’s ring-a sole survivor of the accident. It was a sight of a person being swallowed into a red light and disappearing which Makoto is now involved in a dark conspiracy...

Tonari no Kyuuketsuki-san: The modern-day vampire comedy centers on high school girl Amano, who was saved from a strange incident by a vampire girl named Sophie Twilight and has been interested in her ever since...

RErideD- Tokigoe no Derrida: Derrida Yvain became famous thanks to his contribution to the development of the "Autonomous Machine DZ" at Rebuild, the manufacturing company founded by his father. But when he was attacked by mysterious men, he was put into cold sleep and woke up 10 years later to find the world is at war by his creation...

Han-Gyaku-sei Million Arthur: Based on the hit mobile game which is about the legend of King Arthur and the various versions of legends but with the same name.

Release the Spyce: The series is about a high school girl named Momo who is secretly a member of Tsukikage, an intelligence agency that protects people.

Uchi no Maid ga Uzasugiru: Misha Takanashi lose her Russian mother recently and moved in with her Japanese Father. Tsubame Kamoi who is an Ex Self‐Defense Force officer, comes to the Takanashi household as a housekeeper not knowing that Tsubame is a lolicon who has eyes on Misha...

Zombieland Saga: With a title like this, it is all about sex, violence and lots of zombies!

Karakuri Circus: Masaru Saiga aims to become a puppeteer and after his father passed away , Masaru inherits 18 billion yen from his father's company. Masaru is now protected by two people- Narumi Kato and Shirogane who have special powers and swore to protect him and his new fortune.

Akanesasu Shoujo: Asuka Tsuchimiya and her friends were trying out an urban legend ritual which went wrong and strange things started to happen to her and her friends...

Senran Kagura: Shinovi Master - Tokyo Youma-hen: After years of waiting, the second chapter of the Senran Kagura series returned with new characters and new ninja actions (Boobs!)

Gakuen Basara: The cast of Sengoku Basara now re imagined in high school hijinks!

Double Decker! Doug & Kirill: Supposedly to be set in the same universe as Tiger and Bunny, so an action series?

Merc Storia- Mukiryoku Shounen to Bin no Naka no Shoujo: Yuu is a healer apprentice and possesses the ability to tame monsters. In a quest to regain the memories of Merc, a girl confined in a bottle, the pair embarks on a journey.

Hinomaru Zumou: One of Japan's most traditional sports is burning up as it tells the story of a small built teen, Ushio Hinomaru who is also nicknamed Onimaru (Devil) in the Sumo world and now aimed to become Yokozuna which is the highest title in Sumo!

Sora to Umi no Aida: In the future, fishes disappear from the sea around the world and only whales live in the ocean. The Onomichi Universe Fishery Union is established and begins to train space fishermen and focused 6 new space fisherman's growth...

Gaikotsu Shotenin Honda-san: A skeleton named Honda who works in a bookstore and Hilarity ensues daily in his work at the shop's manga counter.

Anima Yell: Kohane Hatoya like to help people and created a cheer leading team in hew new school to help others!

Gyakuten Saiban S2: Second Season of the hit 3DS Attorney game that focus on the third game which Phoenix Wright learn that his former boss, Mia has a dark secret with the mysterious prosecutor, Godot...

Inazuma Eleven- Orion no Kokuin: More high speed soccer action from the hit video game series!

SSSS.Gridman: Yuta Hibiki has amnesia but is able to see strange things that no one else could. When a monster attack the city, a voice from a computer screen called out to Yuta and he was pulled into the screen and become Gridman-protector of cyberspace!

If you saw the title of this post, you know that my most hyped series for this season is Gridman! I remember watching the Superhuman Samurai Syber Squad on TV as a teen and enjoyed the cheesy moments since it tried to emulate the success of Power Rangers. Years later, I did watch the original series, Gridman and it may not be successful as his Ultraman counterpart (Same production) but it has since gained a cult following especially the release of the blu-ray series in Japan.

Seeing that it is more of a reboot of Gridman, I don't mind it as Gridman is more relevant now especially in the current IT world we are living in. It is also interesting to see Tokusatsu other than Garo to take a shot in anime. From the trailer, it looked fine and yes, I am also anticipating the upcoming Ultraman Manga that is going to be aired next year.

If you have been following my blog for some years, you know that one of my earliest posting was the Senran Kagura series and I was hoping for a sequel since the conclusion ended with Homaru and her team becoming runaway shinobi and Asuka hoping for their return. This new series will also introduce the other two new factions that is led by Yumi and her Gessen Ninja team and the newly reformed Hebi Ninja team led by Miyabi.

Golden Kamuy, Index and Phoenix Wright are also shows that I am looking forward. With that, see you in October for the new series! 

2016 Spring Anime 1st Half Review-Bakuon Ep 1 to 5, Macross Delta Ep 1 to 6, Sakamoto Desu Ga Ep 1 to 4, Kotetujo no Kabaneri Ep 1 to 4 and some Honorable Mentions

Hi everyone! I know I haven't been doing reviews of other shows due to my personal commitment and the only series you see in my blog currently is Maho Tsukai Precure. I have been actually watching quite a number of shows this season and there are some good or at least decent ones (In my opinion) so without further ado, let's get started! (Spoilers included!)

Bakuon Ep 1 to 5: I used to ride a motorbike when I was younger and for a show that introduce the world of motorcycles, it brought back memories of me having the same experiences as the characters in Bakuon.

Basically, it is K-On with Motorcycles in it. We have Sakura who was impressed by her classmate, Onsa who is riding a Yamaha Scramble bike to school which if there was a school in Japan that actually allowed students to ride motorcycles then sign me up! But anyway, Sakura decided to join the bike club in school and signed up for bike lessons.

The scenes where Sakura is learning her lessons was very nostalgic for me since I too had to learn from scratch on riding a bike except the whole Sakura talking to her training bike "Baita" but I kinda of understand when Baita taught Sakura how to move off from a stationary position because that is actually one of the two most important things in operating a vehicle. (The other is how to stop your vehicle in time)

So Rin's Stand is the Oni Mask Swordman...

The rest of the cast were funny like hardcore Suzuki fangirl, Rin who is the group's Tsundere who ride a Suzuki Katana and goes to rage mode whoever anyone talk back about Suzuki bikes in general. Onsa who is a bit of a tomboy and was so embarrassed when Sakura went to her family's bike shop to buy her Honda Super 4 which personally it is one of the best bikes for long distances.

Hijiri who is the only one without a license is accompanied by her Butler, Hayakawa which I felt her character doesn't really contribute much other claiming that riding bikes is a "delinquent" attitude. Finally, the enigma Raimu Senpai who always wear her helmet every where she goes and never said a word. (Although you do find out why Raimu remained in the bike club despite being way over age)

The show also pick up when Sakura got her bike and they went on a road trip to Hokkaido. With the girls being late for the ferry and had to take the long ride to Hokkaido, Rin finding the Katana mini figure in a mini mart, Sakura meeting a biker who looked like Jesus after running out of fuel and meeting their heartbroken class teacher who is half drunk and started sexually teasing them.

Overall, it might not be as intense like most racing shows, this show will bring back some memories and the good old days of riding in the wind with your bike.

Macross Delta Ep 1 to 6: The Macross series has always one thing in common which is continuity and this new literation is no exception however one thing struck out which might alienate hardcore fans and casual fans alike.

The first was unlike the last two series (Macross 7 and Frontier), the two main enemies is a virus known as Var Syndrome which turned anyone (human or aliens) into crazed raging creatures. The other main antagonists are the Aerial Knights of Windermere who declared war against the UN Spacy claiming they invaded their solar system and planned to drive them out.

To counter the Vars Syndrome, Macross most famous plot point come in the form of a Singing Idol group named Walkure and given the Idol craze in Japan and around the world, the Walkure group sing along with the Delta Squad and even provide support in their combat to suppress the Var victims.

To me personally, I have no problem with the singers teaming up with the Valkyrie pilots. I mean, all these while, every Macross Idol singer with the exception of Fire Bomber is just standing at the safe zone to sing but now the singers are doing something too. (Except episode 6 which is understandable since it is a space battle with asteroids and stuffs)

Looking at the title which is called Macross Delta, I am suggesting it could mean our three protagonists-Hayate, a wanderer who has talents in flying, Freyja, a Windermere who aim to be the latest member of Walkure and could be hiding a secret that she might not even be aware of and Mirage who is the grand daughter of Max and Milia from the original series and trying to live up to her family name.

So far, the first four episode was more of introducing Hayate and Freyja as they both work towards their goal to become a pilot and a singer respectively. Hayate was too much of a carefree spirt and was at odds with Mirage as his instructor. But soon, he leaned the hard way after being outclassed by the team's Ace pilot, Messar who is nicknamed "Death Reaper" and Hayate start to begin taking his training seriously.

Freyja on the other hand is full of spunk despite being the weakest is full of positive energy. She never failed to pull a smile even when the odds are against her. Although her race has been suspected of having a short life span (which doesn't make any sense) and I suspecting that it has something to do with the Windermere planet eternal cold weather and a giant crater being blasted opened on the ground as seen in the latest episode.

Hayate also suffered a bit of PTSD as he has to take a life to save Mirage but he picked himself up thanks to Mirage's pep talk which I am guessing that they might be a pairing later since Macross had a tendency to put odd couples together.

Overall, the show is still taking it's own time to establish so let's hope it will get better as it goes on like how I enjoyed Macross Frontier (except the movies) in all.

Sakamoto Desu Ga Ep 1 to 4: If there is one word to describe the main character, Sakamoto is OP. (Over Powered) One moment, he could be creating a cocktail out of vending machine, taking out a bee with a ruler or in the latest episode, doing a parachute dive during a fire drill and winning the hearts of everyone.

But who is Sakamoto? No one really know only that everyone, men and women, old and young were infatuated by his cool demeanour and providing solutions in style. From the first episode where the "delinquents" tried to set him up but instead were outsmarted by Sakamoto and even win the heart of their leader, Acchan. (He is a guy!)

Even Aina who is the hottest girl in class tried to seduce him but instead learn ed a lesson of interacting with her female classmates who originally resent her. A senior student tried to make Sakamoto his personal lap dog but instead got more than he bargained for when Sakamoto acted like a stalker where ever the senior goes which result him in learning to be less dependent on others.

Overall, if last season's Konosuba was taking a stab on the whole fantasy genre then Sakamoto Desu Ga will make you laugh and amazed every moment of the way. I can't tell more of this show as it wlll spoil the jokes so go ahead and laugh yourself out silly.

Kotetsujo no Kabaneri Ep 1 to 4: In 2013, a show called Attack on Titans took the whole world by storm and brought the crazed world of humans verses giants called Titans. For me personally, I didn't went all hardcore since the story still revolve around how the humans are selfish and incompetent to work together and if you replace the Titans with zombies, the story is still the same.

So while hardcore AOT fans are waiting for the next season which I am not, the anime director of the series decided to give a warm up show and that is Kotetsujo no Kabaneri or Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress. After watching the first episode, I am pretty pumped up for the next one. One is because it is an original series with no manga adaptation before so we won't know how things will progress unlike AOT that I spolit myself before the series started airing.

The show also begin with a viral outbreak that turned humans into Kabane who are zombies with super strength and it has been going on for ten years already. The surviving humans lived in large stations that acted like a colony and the only way around the country is by heavy armored trains since the Kabane are roaring freely in the open.

Ikoma who worked as a steamsmith was trying to create a better weapon to kill the Kabane since their weakness is either decapitating or destroying their lead protected heart. Soon the station was being attacked by a Kabane infested train and Ikoma managed to kill one of the Kabane with his new weapon but was bitten in the process. To save himself, he attempted a craze experiment and managed to supress the virus from entering his brain and becoming a Kabaneri. (A hybrid of Human and Kabane)

As this was going on, a mysterious young girl named Mumei who is also a Kabaneri led the survivors to the only functioning train with her almost inhuman strength and abilities. Ikoma was left out of the train despite helping the survivors but was reunited again before the train reached certain death. Mumei and Ikoma were isolated in the last carriage as the elders pressured Ayame, the former head's daughter to rid the two Kabaneri.

We do find out that unlike Kabane who feed on flesh, Kabaneri need human blood to maintain their rational or risk becoming a threat to everyone as shown by Ikoma who pound on Ayame to the ground but was saved by Ayame's loyal and slightly overprotective bodyguard, Kusru. Mumei also showed her human side since she liked children but when a pregnant woman became a Kabane on the train, Mumei showed no hesitation to kill her and her unborn child. Basically Mumei is Mikasa without the emotionless trait.

As seen in the latest episode, not all Kabane behave the same as we are introduced a sword welding Kabane called Wazatori which invaded the running train. Ikoma and Mumei rushed to save Ayame and the others but Mumei lacked human blood to feed on and entrusted Ikoma to take down the Wazatori.

Ayame who spent the last three episodes being an indecisive leader finally show off her steam powered bow and arrows and let Ikoma feed on her blood from her hand to save everyone. After that, the survivors agreed to let Ikoma and Mumei to stay on the train with the humans supplying blood for the Kabaneri. With that, the train now move forward to the Kongokaku station which is the stronghold of the Shogun.

Overall, I am intrigued to find out where the Kabane virus come from and how the survivors overcome in their Iron Fortress (Train) and what dangers await them. A definitive contender for best series for the 2016 line up!

Honorable Mentions:

Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney: I really enjoyed the game series of the same name (Better get started with the fifth sequel on my 3DS soon) so how the show is compared to it's game counterpart? Pros is we do see the various characters movement and personality shine out since there was no voice acting in the early games. Cons is if you played the game, it is an abridged version of it since Phoenix and his sidekick, Maya find clues like finding coins on the ground. Also, there isn't seem to be a version of the "Cornered" theme being played when the game is up for the main culprit. Hopefully we get it somehow or another. I will still follow this series despite knowing the whole plot of the first game.

This is not how you learn history...

Kuromuroko: Predicted to be a sleeper hit since it take it's own time to show how Kennosuke, a Samurai from a different time era who is now a fish out of water in Modern times. Other than some funny moments of Kennosuke figuring out modern cultural, there isn't much mecha fights despite being labeled a mecha show. But since it has two cours to show, I am sure it will get better as the story progress.

Give me back my money or my friends will kill you...

Kiznaiver: From the people who gave you Kill La Kill two years ago which I really enjoyed it come an interesting concept with a play of the words "Bonds or Kizuna"and Scars or Kizu." Katsuhira is unable to feel pain since young and has been bullied all his life. An encounter with the mysterious Sonozaki and an experiment that involved six of his classmates bind them together and they now shared physical and mental pain whenever one suffered it.

There were some dark moments but yet some wacky stuff happened and the show shifted to dark comedy but still an interesting look on how bonds between people can really affect on a physical and mental level. Good show and hopefully we get to know why such an experiment was created or a major plot twist like Kill La Kill mid season finale.

Well, these are some of the shows that I felt are good in general. I know I left out some titles but if you like these shows, go and watch it. For me, if I have the time, I might do another post again in the future. Until then, See you in the next post!