OK, I couldn’t resist making the second part of this post all about the sequels… too cute to pass up. But these aren’t second place shows – I’m looking forward to all of them!
So, hit the jump and let’s start!
As is my usual habit here at the Lounge, these aren’t necessarily in any particular order. It’s pretty easy to sort by broad bands, but kinda pointless to sort in details.
The shows that I am anticipating are in bold, shows my wife and I are anticipating together are in bold italics.
Non Non Biyori Nonstop
A third season of the slowest paced, most lackadaisical series in the history of ever? Sign. Me. Up. Everything that would be a flaw in almost any other show, Non Non Byori manages to turn into a positive. Slow? Good! Entire episodes where almost nothing happens? Excellent! It’s almost the very definition of a slice-of-life series. (So it’s kind of odd to be exited about it, isn’t it?)
You can read my review of the 2nd season here: Looking back – Summer 2015.
Non Non Byori (and the ever delightful Renge) also featured in: Anime OP AMVs, crossovers & parodies…
Yuru Camp△ Season 2
How perfect is it that the official trailer opens with Rin-Chan saying “Welcome Home”? I have some slight concerns about the addition of new characters and some things I’ve heard about the plot… (Which of course I can’t find a link to.) But I’m also confident the show will still be enjoyable and comfy as heck.
You can read my season review of the first season here: Winter 2018 – Season Review.
(And it’s probably a good thing that Non Non Byori Nonstop and Yuru Camp 2 are not airing on the same day. We’d be so laid back and comfy we’d be comatose.)
Yakusoku no Neverland 2nd Season
From quiet and comfy, we leap to the other end of the spectrum – to the dark and terrible world of The Promised Neverland. Horror isn’t normally my thing, but a couple of my readers prevailed on me to watch the first season and I’m very glad they did. It was hard to watch week after week, but it was so very good.
This season is going to be very different than the first though… The kids have escaped the horrors of Grace Field House, but now they face the unknown of the outside world. I’ll be sitting right here, on the edge of my seat, facing it with them.
You can read my comments on the finale and a review of the first season here: Winter 2019 – Week 11/12 & Season Reviews
Dr. Stone: Stone Wars
The first season of Dr Stone left us at something of a cliffhanger… And looks like the second season picks right up where it left off. Empire of Might – the Kingdom of Science is coming for you!
Crunchyroll has Episode 24, which was only added a few months ago. It looks like a clip show, and it mostly is… but there’s new footage and plot information too. Don’t forget to watch it.
Unfortunately, the first season aired in 2019… which long term readers will remember as being something of a mess in terms of my personal life. So, there’s no real coverage to link back to. I wish there was, because despite being ridiculously over-the-top I enjoyed the heck out of the first season and am more enthusiastic than it sounds about the second.
Go-toubun no Hanayome ∬
The first season was a harem rom-com that’s much better than it has any right to be. I’m more than looking forward to the second because I enjoy all of the characters and their interactions. The only question I have is whether or not it will reach the end of the manga and answer the question we all have – who will Futaro choose?
If it doesn’t reach that point… will we see a third season since the manga has ended?
You can read my previous posts or jump to my season review. You certainly should read Wingking’s Quintessential Quintuplets: Breaking Down the Contestants.
Also, Yotsuba is Best Girl.
Hataraku Saibou!!
Cells at Work!!
Hataraku Saibou Black
One of the more unusual situations I’ve ever seen. Where an anime gets not just a sequel, but also a “side story” (?) in the same season… Half to be expected in some ways, as the original Cells at Work manga spawned a sprawling franchise of sequels and side stories.
Cells at Work!!
Cells at Work!! seems to be just more of the same… An invader of the week and the cells banding together to fight it off. I can live with that. Especially if, as the trailer seems to promise, there’s plenty more screen time for the ever charming Platelets!
You can read my previous coverage of Cells at Work in my 2018 Summer Season posts.
A rookie Red Blood Cell has been bustling about, frantically making oxygen deliveries all around the body! But it turns out that his workplace is on the brink of going Code Black!!
Source: cellsatwork-codeblack.com
Drinking, smoking, stress, sleep deprivation… Struggling to survive a life not unlike the brutal corporate world, what must these overworked cells be thinking at the end of the day?
This is a tale about the inside of your body…
Honestly, I have mixed feelings here. Parts of the trailer seem to show that it’s going to follow the same monster-of-the-week format of the original. That’s not entirely good. On the other hand, tackling the “in an unhealthy body” issues could bring some depth.
Uma Musume: Pretty Derby Season 2
And last, and actually least, a sequel of sorts to one of the oddest shows I’ve ever seen. Part CGDCT, part SOL, part sports, and when it remember that it’s actually a plot point – part idol series.
I say “of sorts”, because it’s set in the same universe more or less (I assume) at the same time – but concentrates on a separate set of characters… who were side characters in the original. Certainly a different approach.
So long as you didn’t think too hard about some of the implications of horse girls… the original had a workmanlike charm. I didn’t hate it so much as got annoyed with it. So I’m conflicted as to my actual anticipation level. (And I’m not fooling myself and expecting significant changes.)
You can read my original weekly coverage.
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Dang… it looks like I’m going to end up checking out, if not watching, practically every single sequel this season. Even without the new shows, this would be a packed season. So, expect terse coverage or a lot of drops or “no comments this week” comments.
Looking at the season chart for Winter 2021, what sequels are you looking forward to the most? Drop a comment and let’s chat!
Apprentice Mages Lounge. 
I’m not sure what happened: I’m pretty sure my reply went through and then disappeared. It wasn’t the most thoughtful of posts, so no big loss; just curious whether it was a software hicup, or whether I messed up myself.
Basically, there are lots of sequels this time round. Non Non Biyori AND Yurucamp? It’s going to be laidback season…
At this point, I’ve already seen Uma Musume. Not as good as season 1, but still fun enough to watch.
Not sure what to think of Cells At Work Black. More curious than anything.
I’ve dropped Dr. Stone, so replace that with Re:Zero and Log Horizon. Didn’t expect Log Horizon; a pleasant surprise since season 2 left me curious.
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Sucks when the ‘net eats your work…
Yep. Even counting the “going to check out because I’m curious” shows, sequels dominate my watchlist too. And it looks like Fridays (my time) are going to be crazy busy.
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Well it sucks for me that NNB is going to HiDive, though I guess it isn’t really a surprise since Sentai’s licensed the whole series so far. The one thing I’m really waiting to hear official word on is the episode count for Quintuplets. If it’s 12/13 episodes then I think I know exactly where the season should end if they pace it properly. If it’s 24 episodes then it’s anyone’s guess.
Anyway, with NNB off the table that gives me four to watch, QQ, Horimiya, Neverland, and Camp girls. Should be a really enjoyable season for me!
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According the Crunchyroll’s announcement, they’ll have Non Non Byori too… Though airtime is TBD, so maybe it’s delayed or they’ll get it after the season? (Hopefully it’s a simulcast.)
https://www.crunchyroll.com/anime-news/2020/12/22-1/crunchyroll-announces-winter-2021-anime-lineup
I can’t really see it getting more than 12… That would be pretty unusual. But it’s going to really suck if the whole thing doesn’t get adapted. And since the manga is complete, it’s not like pulling a Chihayafuru is likely.
Horimiya is on my “curious to see” list, not really on my “anticipating” radar.
It’s going to be a packed season. I’m going to have to really make sure the shows are worth watching and that I’m not indulging in my usual habit of sticking with shows I really should have dropped. And heaven alone knows how I’m going to cover this season.
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I’ll be watching Uma Musume, the two cells series, and the quintuplets also. I like the idea of Cells at Work Black – I sometimes asked myself last series, I wonder how things would be if this wasn’t a healthy(ish) body? I also will be somewhat reluctantly be watching Log Horizon 3 – on the strength of the first season however. The second season was a train wreck I thought. Poor pacing and story structure and way too many characters that got little air time due to production decisions to focus on irrelevant side characters contributed to the second season failing badly. If the third series continues with the flaws of the second series, I suspect I’ll be dropping it soon enough.
Oh, And yes, Yotsuba IS best girl.
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It’ll be an interesting change from the eternal sunny disposition of the original. Now, so long as they don’t push the pendulum too far towards the opposite end…
Re: Log Horizon
Yeah, it’s disappointing when an adaptation gets it so badly wrong. I’ve been lucky (so far, crosses fingers, only one real disappointment).
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Wait til you see the platelets in Cells At Work Black ha… :)
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Juvenile delinquent Platelets!
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