Aaah.. spring. The season of renewal, of hope. The sakura are blooming, the weather is warming, and the days are getting longer.
And it’s time to look forward and see what’s on the menu for anime for the next season! Hit the jump and let’s take a look.
The shows that I’m watching are in bold, shows my wife and I are watching together are in bold italics, strikethrough marks dropped shows and (*) marks shows that are watched but not regularly reviewed.
At first glance, this is kind of an empty season… But all too often that’s a mistaken impression. Sometimes digging into the offerings makes that clear, others I discover when stuff actually starts airing.
So, let’s dig in and see what we find.
First up, the sequels:
I’ve Been Killing Slimes for 300 Years and Maxed Out My Level 2nd Season
Slime Taoshite 300-nen, Shiranai Uchi ni Level Max
Anticipating this one might comes as something of a surprise, especially since I rated the first season only 2.0 (out of 5.0). But, somehow in the years since, I’ve become oddly attached/charmed by this redonkulous show.
OTOH, you know that I love shows that take their premise (no matter how ridiculous) and play it straight…
Also, until the show gives me reason to believe otherwise: Laika is Best Girl. I will not be taking any further questions.
Aharen-san wa Hakarenai 2nd Season
What with Spy X Family and Ya Boy Kongming, Spring 2022 was a pretty busy season. As a result of that, Aharen-San’s first season was downgraded to “Watched but not commented”… Which was maybe a bit unfair given the show’s understated nature.
But, I still have fond memories of its charm and how much I enjoyed each episode… So, definitely looking forward to more shenanigans.
=========
Next up, the more important (for lack of a better word) of the more speculative shows:
=========
Anne Shirley
Anne Shirley is of course an adaptation of the much adapted (including a previous anime) classic novel Anne of Green Gables. And as such, it’s got some huge shoes to fill. Can it do so in a modern anime adaptation? I’m very curious to find out.
Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX
OK, Gundam, and that earns it a spot on the chart practically by default…
Also doesn’t hurt that quite a few people whose opinions I trust have seen the movie (the first three episodes) and seem positive about the series… Plus the batstuff concept of “underground mecha battles” is by itself intriguing.
I mean… “underground street racing”, I can buy. But how the ‘eck do you have an “underground” society that involves ten story high mechs and their expensive maintenance facilities?
(And how da ef do you even pronounce the title?)
My Hero Academia: Vigilantes
My Hero Academia: Vigilantes Vigilante -Boku no Hero Academia ILLEGALS-
With both Twice and Gentle Criminal’s stories, My Hero Academia has toyed with the idea of those who exist on the fringes of Hero society. This time, they’re tackling the same idea – but on the hero side.
It’ll be interesting to see how they treat it. How preachy they’ll get, because so far the series has not approved of those who live in those margins.
=========
And, last but not least, the completely speculative watches. The dice rolls…
=========
WITCH WATCH
Even though I’m known for my enjoyment of rom-coms, and it comes well recommended, I’m still putting Witch Watch down with more speculative shows. That’s because it’s in the “forced to live together” subgenre, and I’ve bounced off of those too hard, too many times. Off the top of my head I can’t think of a single one that I’ve stuck with.
Rock Is a Lady’s Modesty
Rock wa Lady no Tashinami deshite
First up, what looks to be this season’s only idol/music show. And of course, that means it’s a top seed among the speculative shows. Plus, it’s rock… A genre of music where anime often seems afraid to tread.
There’s also a boy-band show which I’ll check out, but those rarely survive the first few episodes. Legit ones, ones that aren’t otome or thinly disguised reverse harems, are pretty rare.
Food For the Soul
Food For the Soul Hibi wa Sugiredo Meshi Umashi
This is an original animation of the daily lives of five new undergrad college girls. They love delicious, want to have lots of fun together, study hard, and enjoy their college life to the fullest! This is a heartwarming comedy in which the characters eat, laugh, and deepen their friendships.
Food, slice-of-life, a cast of independent women, from PA Works.
I sometimes struggle to explain why I show interests me… but I think we can all agree this is the most Derek show on offer this season. And should probably be much higher in this list.
=========
Well… This is actually sort of embarrassing. Right after pronouncing that a show should be higher on the list… I scan the rest of what’s coming this season and come up with a big flat blank. Not only am I not reaching my traditional ten(ish) shows, the one that should be higher ends up on the bottom!
=========
A brief musical interlude… because after typing “the days are getting longer” in the intro, this song is earworming me.
Back to our regularly scheduled programming…
=========
OK, I think that about wraps it up for me. Check out this season’s offerings on Live Chart… The drop a line in the comments section with your thoughts on the upcoming season or whatever else is on your mind!
Apprentice Mages Lounge. 
On Gundam, the romaji is “Kidō Senshi Gandamu Jīkuakusu”, so it should be pronounced just “GQX”. I might be skipping this because, well, it’s turned out to be a really full season for me, and I even totally forgot Anne Shirley and Rock is a Lady’s Modesty. In order that they should be starting, I’m looking for and considering:
cocoon – One Summer of Girlhood – This is a one-shot, 60-minute short movie that supposedly already released on NHK on the 29th, though I can’t find a US English-language release of any kind. I may have to just give up on this one.
Once Upon a Witch’s Death – This is low-key a magical girl show. I mean, she has to make 1000 people cry tears of joy and she can do magic of some sort. All it needs is a henshin sequence. I’m destined to watch it.
Welcome to Magical Girl Village (illegally occupied) – Speaking of magical girls. Plus, it’s one-minute episodes, so it’s not really a risk. Just have to find out who’s carrying it in English, if anyone is.
From Old Country Bumpkin to Master Swordsman – I dunno, just sounds interesting. Not sure who’s carrying it, though it’s probably CR.
Lazarus – I have hopes for this one. Based on a comic book by Greg Rucka, I believe, so that should be interesting. I really like his Black Magick.
Princession Orchestra – More magical girls, in this case magical idols.
Maebashi Witches – There’s a ton of witch shows this season. More magical idols.
WITCH WATCH – I mean, you know. You’re looking into it.
The Mononoke Lecture Logs of Chuzenji-sensei: He Just Solves All the Mysteries – It’s been a while since I’ve checked out a show with a title longer than the script. Seriously, though, it sounds interesting.
Summer Pockets – I’m a bit surprised you’re skipping this one, actually.
APOCALYPSE HOTEL – Another speculative one for me.
So, that’s a lot for me, and I need to add Anne Shirley, Rock is a Lady’s Modesty, and GQuuuuuuX, and maybe the new season of Black Butler (though I still feel burned by the last arc, so probably not that).
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh, and then there’s mono, which I might take a look at too.
LikeLiked by 1 person
And I completely forgot to mention that I’m still watching Apothecary Diaries and PreCure. It’s a (potentially) busy season for me.
LikeLiked by 1 person
re: Summer Pockets – I’m a bit surprised you’re skipping this one, actually.
Unless the ANN first impressions are uniformly awful, I’m planning on checking it out… It just didn’t rise high enough on the list to get commented on. I generally only comment on stuff that gets legal streams that I plan on watching without checking out anyone else’s opinion first.
re: Once Upon a Witch’s Death
Same deal, interested but awaiting the buzz.
re: Princession Orchestra – More magical girls, in this case magical idols.
Not at all surprised you’re watching it. :) I’m waiting to see if it gets a legal stream, in which case I’m definitely checking it out.
I’d actually kind of like a quiet season, because the Summer season is going to be packed.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh, summer promises a lot, doesn’t it, including some unexpected things like a new Rascal season and the Panty and Stocking reboot. Kinda wish I could have seen the Rascal movies, but it didn’t work out that way.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Well, my wife just gave me her list for this season, and Summer Pockets is on it, so I guess we’re definitely checking that one out. (And unexpectedly included Slimes I’d forgotten she watched that as well.)
I think there’s five sequels/continuations in the Summer season (incl Grand Blue! I need to find time to re-read the relevant chapters) plus at least another 5-6 shows that have already caught my interest. Plus two possibile continuations from this season (that I haven’t yet seen the premieres of).
Of the Rascal movies, they’re worth sailing the high seas for. Especially Dreaming Girl and Knapsack Kid, which resolve some plot points from the first season. They may also set up parts of the upcoming season, but I’m just guessing because I’m an anime only.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Heck, I’m going to have to re-watch Bunny Girl Senpai, since it’s been, what, 8 years? Fortunately, I think I can get through all four stories before July.
LikeLiked by 1 person
As so often, I’ll just click play on whatever shows up and stick with what’s at least moderately okay and not on a crowded day.
Yeah, I’m quite happy to have Killing Slimes and Aharen San back (expected neither, to be honest). There are other sequels, too, the most important for me being Fire Force. I’m sort of curious about the MHA spin-off, but I’m unsure how long I’ll last (being associated with MHA isn’t a draw for me).
@Gundam: Can’t watch this: clicked on the PV and right at the start they have a queasy cam. Most of the PV is fine, but it pops up now and then. Given my track record with Gundam isn’t very good, I’m not too sad about this. Mecha sports shows, though, remind me of the utterly nuts Basquash (which is about basketball with giant robots; it has wearable pets, and the high society lives on the moon…).
Anne Shirley has quite big shoes to fill; the 70ies anime is part of the excellent World Masterpiece Series, and the director is Isao Takahata. It’s a perennial favourite, though; pretty much every year a show or two references it (WMT shows tend to do that: Heidi, Dog of Flanders, Polyanna…). I’ve not seen any of the others (it’s been done more than once).
Witch Watch looks quite cheap, but who knows. Rock looks fun. The PA Works show looks good: I clicked the trailer and immediately thought I liked the style. Only then did I read PA Works… figures. PA Works shows don’t all work for me, but the visuals are least likely to disappoint. (Which reminds me that we’re getting another non-PA-Works Umamusume, which I won’t be watching.)
Maybe Zatsu Tabi? Looks like it’s trying for the Yurucamp niche, but the PV focuses too much on the characters and too little on the scenery (to the point that the backgrounds are sometimes blurred out – why?).
A lot of shows look cheap but competent, which is much better than polished but dull. I’ll see where I’ll end up. The first few shows have already aired; nothing to write home about so far.
LikeLiked by 1 person
re: Anne Shirley
Yeah, and that worries me. It’s going to be very hard to evaluate it on it’s own merits because that story has a legacy to live up to. Not the just the classic anime, but any number of Western adaptations. (As well as my own faint probably close to fifty year old memories of the book.) I’m going to do my best.
re: Zatsu Tabi
Considered it, watched the PV, and was left very uncertain that the show knows what it wants to do and where it want to go. It seemed very scattered. (And I tagged it as more Super Cub than Laid Back Camp.) One of those shows where I’m going to wait and see what the buzz is before taking a nibble myself.
>The first few shows have already aired; nothing to write home about so far.
Well, they hadn’t when I published the post! :)
LikeLike
I haven’t really looked ahead, but I’ll be watching sever sequels, Aharen-san is one of them I’m interested in. I hope you enjoy your shows as always :)
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yeah, crossing my fingers that lighting strikes and Aharen-San is as good as the first season. It’s always a crapshoot.
Thanks, and thanks for stopping by!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’ve been watching a few of the early drops this season and most of them are pretty dire. For example “Let Me Put Your Panties On, Takamine-san” which is about a high school queen bee who can somehow turn back time and change events by taking her panties off. One boy knows her secret and ecchi hilarity supposedly ensues. Someone, somewhere thinks there is an audience for this…
I didn’t mind “Once Upon A Witches Death.” It was competently done mostly, with okay animation. It went for a big sentimental opening and managed to just about pull it off. Given the MC’s task, I think we will see a lot more heart warming sentimentality going forward. Whether that, in combination with the MC’s smart ass mouth, becomes wearing, time will tell.
The best show by far so far for me is “Catch Me at the Ballpark!”. It’s set in a baseball stadium and is about those people who make the baseball park tick and the patrons who attend it. Im a sucker for anime baseball shows and this one was sufficiently different to catch my attention. I will be interested to see what they do with the premise as the show progresses.
“Ive been Killing Slimes etc” is on my list as I enjoyed the first series. It wasn’t a great show and not the most original, but was a good switch the brain off and relax type show.
I won’t be watching the latest Gundam and Demon Slayer iterations, as neither franchise excites me much.
“Rock Is A Lady’s Modesty” is on my list too. I doubt its going to be on the level of “Girls Band Cry” or “Its MyGo”, but after the high gothic drama of “Ave Mujica” last season, a light palete cleanser may be in order.
“Witch Watch” and “Food For The Soul” are on my list to check out as is Aheren 2 and “Mono”. Then there is the guy with five sisters who suddenly finds he isn’t related to them….
LikeLiked by 1 person
A lot I can’t answer there because I don’t want to spoil my own First Impressions post! :) :)
Takamine-san was on my “wait and see what the buzz is” list… But, the buzz isn’t good so I’m not gonna bother.
LikeLike
Just a word about [i]Rock[/i]. I’ll say I watched and enjoyed the first episode, but that’s all going into the catch-up post. What I learned about the show has pushed my expectation quite a bit higher (learned it after watching episode one): The mangaka responsible for this is also responsible for Mushibugyo, which is one of my favourite shounen fighters. I have no idea what to expect from this now: it’s a completely different genre. Things could get… weird.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I have not seen it (not been feeling well the last couple of days), but a lot of people whose opinions I value seem pretty impressed.
The First Impression post should be out Mon or Tues (I hope).
LikeLike