Well, thought I was more settled than I was, but I wasn’t. So back to try again even if I am (unpromisingly) running a little late and publishing an anticipation post even as the premieres begin airing…
Anyhow, hit the jump and let’s run ’em down.’
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The Sequels:
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Frieren
I think this image, which I made back in 2023, expresses my feelings. Frieren is back and I’m 100% here for it.
Yes, I know, there’s some reservations from manga readers… But as an anime-only, I can’t “see the future” as it were. So, while I’m familiar with the feeling from the manga I have read that were adapted, here I’m kinda stuck.
Medalist
Was it really just a year ago that I added this series to my watchlist on a whim? It turned out to be way better than it had any right to be, and Inori and Tsukasa a particularly strong duo.
With one minor reservation, I have high hopes for the new season… But they just keep introducing new side characters, and the series seems to expect us to keep track of people we saw for thirty seconds three episodes prior. The trailer does not lead me to believe this won’t be the case in the new season.
My Hero Academia: Vigilantes Season 2
Is it just me or did Vigilantes just kind of peter out a little bit towards the end of the last season? I’m willing to give it a second chance because it is an interesting concept and does touch on some of the same themes as the main series… But it really does need to up it’s game and work on it’s follow through.
And please, give Pop☆Step something to do and a more meaningful role in the plot. Spending so much time on a main character yet treating them as a secondary character actively detracts from the show’s ability to tell it’s story.
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Other Shows:
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Wash It All Away
Kirei ni Shitemoraemasu ka.
For two years, Wakana Kinme has run a laundry service in the seaside resort town of Atami. Kinme Cleaning is a well-loved business, and Atami residents admire Wakana’s devotion to her trade. She builds a fulfilling life making friends with the locals and visiting hot springs. Although Wakana has no knowledge of her own past, her cleaning services safeguard memories imbued in customers’ precious items.
Source: Live Chart
As a dedicated slice-of-life fan, this series calls out to me… But that last sentence does give me a bit of a pause. Will there be a bit of a mystery element here? Will it lean heavily into the emotional? I’m curious to find out and to see how they handle it.
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And that’s pretty much it… The seasons just keep getting thinner and thinner because I have little interest in the latest paint-by-numbers isekai, strange “reborn as”, and FOTM “but in a game world” anime. I’m just not left with much to comment on.
However, you never know what will show up… So, as always, I’ll check out a ton of shows and keep an eye open for buzz… And who knows? Maybe there’s a gem or two I missed.
So, drop a comment! What do you think of these shows? Of the possibilities for this season? Anything I missed?
It’s gearing up to be a really good season, excited to see where it goes!
Even in the thinnest season there’s hope!
And welcome to the Lounge and thanks for stopping by!
Let me see, I’ve got Frieren, Oshi no Ko, Kaguya-sama, and Champignon Witch, in addition to Pretty Cure and Princession Orchestra. I need to catch up on some things so I could do Fate/Strange Fake and Trigun Stargaze (really should have watched Stampede when it was running, and now I’m kicking myself). Not a lot, but what’s there is exciting.
Oh, Holy Grail of Eris is my speculative watch this season.
Interesting range… Doesn’t look like we’ll have much overlap, so far only Frieren. Champignon Witch sounds interesting, but it’s in my “read the early reviews” tier.
I dropped the Champignon Witch show after one episode. The whole mushroom thing was just too dumb for me to tolerate.
To each their own, of course. For me, the fairy tale vibe of Champignon Witch hits just fine, and the romantasy elements are fun so far.
It’s… 2026 already? When you get older, years seem to go by faster…
In any case, I really don’t need to talk about Frieren (I’ve been story-spoiled big-picture-wise, and I’m not worried), and I’ll certainly watch Medalist (and introducing new characters is actually a positive for me – so far, everyone has added value).
The Laundry show looks nice – though I’m not fond of the title (it’s not unambiguously nice; could refer to a tsunami or alcoholism).
When it comes to sequels, I’m actually quite looking forward to Jigokuraku, too. I didn’t see that coming, and it was nicely bizarre with its flowery buddhist monstrosities… And, then, of course Fire Force, which ended in a spot I totally didn’t see coming… (Oshi no Ko, and Time for Torture Princess I’ll watch, too, but there’s little anticipation here for me).
Champignon Witch is on my radar, too, but for me the standout new show is:
Ikoku Nikki: Miyuki Sawashiro in a leading role again, this time subdued mumbling, it appears. An adult introvert suddenly taking care of a teenager whose parents both died (her own sister and brother in law). The production values give me vibes much like that dictionary show whose name I can’t remember (something-something Passage in English; something with ships in Japanese?). I’m quite excited for this one and hope it won’t disappoint.
Beyond that it’s mostly wait and see.
Oh, yeah, Journal with Witch hit my radar too. That’s the push I needed, I’ll add it to the list.
I do not want to hear about getting old, as of my last birthday I’m eligible to collect Social Security! :) :)
Ikoku Nikki/Journal with Witch is also a show my wife wants to watch… And it just kept showing up in my social media feeds over the weekend, so it sounds like I need to check it out.
The dictionary show is The Great Passage, criminally under rated and under watched. The book is also excellent.
Oh, yeah, The Great Passage. I really, really enjoyed that show. Apart from it being a great show, language is one of my geek topics, too. I haven’t read the book.
I’ve seen the first episode of Journal with Witch now, and that’s all I’ll say about that, for now.
You should read the book, the anime left out or skimmed over some very good parts. There’s a bunch about the *paper* they’re planning on using. (Which is one of my geeks.)
We watched the first ep of Journal last night, and… yeah. Sorting out my impressions for the first impression post isn’t going to be easy. That was something indeed.
Its not a great season perhaps but we make our own fun really so here is my take on Winter 2026.
My number one show for this season is of course Frieren, It has started well with a pretty typical Stark/Fern interaction. For fans its a familiar feeling and a very steady as she goes opening episode.
Kirei ni Shitemoraemasu ka, I thought has started pretty well, Its pretty low key but well observed and intriguing as to where its likely to go in future episodes. My only negative was a pushy and gratuitously cute little girl whose multiple story lines went on to long. However this show is a keeper for me.
Fate is back with Fate Strange Fake and while its nothing new, its a better production so far than Fate Grand Order was. Villains have a tendency to gratuitously cackle ominously and spout the usual stuff, but with most of the characters having questionable motivations it kind of keeps the whole affair interesting. Its still setting the scene as to who is who etc and I will certainly continue watching.
There are two rom-com/slice of life shows Im still considering – Mayonaka Heart Tune and “You Can’t Be In a Rom-Com with Your Childhood Friends!”. Both are pretty bog standard for the genre. Both shows are struggling to make themselves interesting as they wade through the usual tropes. Of the two of them Mayonaka Heart Tune might be the better of them but Im not set on either of them yet.
On the fantasy/Isekai front, I have liked Yuusha Kei ni Shosu. its not an entirely original premise but I’m enjoying its dark vibe. Omagoto (I couldnt be bothered copying its long full title) with its reluctant hero trying fight her way out of slavery and then up the status poll, is a pretty good isekai comfort watch. Its not brilliant but competent and entertaining enough to make it a fun diverting watch.
Lastly OLM has returned to supernatural horror with Yuusha no Kuzu and the opening episodes have been promising so far. OLM do horror better than most and this tale of demon lord yakuza and the braves who fight them looks like a keeper for me.