Spring 2025 Preview – Random Curiosity

While game adaptations are always a mixed bag inviting a lot of trepidation, out of all of them to date Guilty Gear is likely to take the cake. Besides being an adaptation for a franchise with a crazy amount of material and equally crazy level of retconning and fan debate, Dual Rulers also happens to fall after one of the more divisive Guilty Gear games with a lot of questionable lore changes. That also of course is before touching on the usual concerns of meshing game mechanics with visual storytelling, handling the massive cast, and ensuring the whole thing doesn’t rush like mad and fall off the rails. In short risks aplenty. The good news though is that the production values are pretty impressive for it being 3D animation and scriptwriter Kaihou Norimitsu is very familiar with the franchise having worked on Guilty Gear Xtra and various novel tie-ins; a trainwreck is far from guaranteed, particularly given the rumoured eight episode run. You never know, this is one game adaptation that might just wind up surprising.

Preview by Guardian Enzo

I’m a big fan of mangaka Mayzuki Jun’s Koi wa Ameagari no You ni, though I went in with a healthy skepticism about its premise. Kowloon Generic Romance is a highly-regarded manga (not least by my podcast co-host Samu), and while Arvo is not a glamor studio this adaptation has a pretty solid and experienced staff. The previews look good rather than great, I would say, and there’s been an announcement that the anime will adapt the entire manga (which is still on-going) and already 10 volumes) in one cour.

Kowloon is the story of two mismatched co-workers in a realty office in the walled city of Kowloon, sometimes in the distant future. He longs for the Hong Kong of the romantic past, she loves everything new and groundbreaking. There are sci-fi elements involved here, though as I haven’t read the source material I’m low on details and keen to keep it that way. The whole thing has a bit of a Satoshi Kon vibe for me. I can’t call Kowloon Generic Romance a sleeper because most expect it to be really good, but my expectations are certainly high

Preview by Pancakes

As far as Beryl Gardinant (Hirata Hiroaki) cares he’s nothing but a humble old man. A veteran sword instructor by trade, Beryl has accepted his best years are behind him and that training the local kids in swinging sharp instruments is a suitable way to run out the years. That is at least until he finds out his appointment as special instructor for the Knights of the Liberion Order. Not only must Beryl now make his way to the capital for his new job, but he must also come to grips with seeing former pupils and providing them further education in all manner of swordsmanship he believes they already possess in spades. Can Beryl live up to the expectations of his new role? Can he live up to the opinions of his students? One way or another he’s about to find out.

Katainaka no Ossan isn’t the first fantasy to approach its adventuring through the lens of former teacher, though it gets some kudos for the nature of its premise. Older main characters aren’t all that common, especially in current fantasy works, and while Katainaka no Ossan retains the typical genre trappings (read: harem party, stereotypical plotlines, cookie cutter characters), it does at least make the most of its various pieces. For one this is more action focused, with some fairly impressive action sequences and swordplay. Tack on some subtle character dynamics and reasonable development and it makes for an interesting bit of fantasy. Of course there’s no guarantee such aspects will translate into this adaptation (the curse of many a light novel series), but Katainaka no Ossan has enough going for it that any fantasy fan would do well seeing how well it performs once strolling on into spring.

Preview by Princess Usagi

Awooo, werewolves of London- I mean, Germany. Tales of a “Werewolf Forest” in Germany that places a deadly curse on all who trespass it have reached the shores of England, resulting in the dispatch of Sebastian (Ono Daisuke) and Ciel (Sakamoto Maaya) to look into the matter. Something strange is certainly afoot (a-paw?)- creepy woods, a small girl accompanied by her caretaker. What on earth is the reality behind this made for Grimm tale mystery as the Queen’s Watchdog tracks down the supernatural canine?

As a manga reader, I quite enjoyed this arc- the German setting is perfect for a Grimms Faery Tale type story such as the one set up. It definitely has a different vibe from the very traditional British Victorian setting of the school arc, but one in which the mangaka, Toboso Yana showcases her unique writing chops when at her best. I’m quite pleased that the same studio, CloverWorks and director, Okada Kenjirou, are back again. After the spectacular job the art team and director did on the last season, I’m looking forward to the finesse they’ll bring to the werewolf arc, as the story turns a new corner.

Preview by Pancakes

Once disillusioned by a bitter experience doing deduction activities, Kobato (Umeda Shuuichirou) is determined to be an honest, humble citizen. He is joined by his classmate, Osanai (Youmiya Hina), who aspires to share a normal, peaceful high school debut with him. However, for some reason, mysterious incidents and misfortunes keep coming one after another into their school lives. Will Kobato and Osanai be able to achieve peaceful days as ordinary citizens? And doubly so after troubles force them their separate ways?

It’s quite funny in hindsight that Shoushimin Series gets greater discussion in terms of its parent Hyouka than its own material and adaptation. This one wasn’t a bad adaptation when it premiered last year, pairing a relatively subdued mystery plot with drama elements and the usual foray into (albeit some over the top) teenage shenanigans helping grease the various gears. I don’t think many would paint it as the greatest high school mystery ever (thus the Hyouka longing from many), but it easily made for a decent bit of weekly watching and arguably ended at an appropriate cliffhanger point ten episodes in versus dragging out matters with filler. With no major crew shakeups there’s no real concerns about quality difference for this sequel, and with that aforementioned cliffhanger and a few novel volumes left to adapt plenty of material to flesh out this season. Don’t expect any serious fireworks, but one need look no further than Shoushimin Series for any springtime mystery needs.

Preview by Pancakes

Editor’s Note: first two episodes premiered early. Offical airing starts April 5.

Often when one thinks of isekai reincarnation it’s straight into fantasyland with nary a stop along the way. In Liam’s (Hanae Natsuki) case? He got the royal treatment. The royal space opera treatment. From dying due to his past wife’s betrayal and insurmountable debt, Liam finds himself now ensconced within the ruling family of an interstellar empire where mechas do the fighting and space is to conquer. Compared to his past life Liam is determined to be the one doing the tyrannizing, but as he quickly finds out all his efforts at being the baddie wind up with only good things happening. Can one wannabe dictator accept the peace, prosperity, and popularity coming with every decision from on high? Liam is about to find out.

Normally I’d tongue in cheek tear into yet another reincarnation isekai mix popping up in the seasonal listing, but Ore wa Seikan Kokka gets some credit for finally – finally – breaking from the usual fantasy mold. Sure, the same old nobility life start with courtly intrigue and all that – but far future space setting? With mecha combat? Oh now that’s tickling the fancy in all the right ways. To be fair however that’s about as far as you can shake Ore wa Seikan Kokka; the character archetypes are the usual array of familiar faces, the plotlines are standard, and the story development follows the tried and true with everything from political machinations to training arcs. In short your usual isekai gameplan, just now with planets to play for. Don’t expect this one to be changing any minds when it comes to the genre as a whole, but if you have a soft spot for alternate world shenanigans you’ll want to see what Ore wa Seikan Kokka winds up conquering this spring season.

Preview by Pancakes

The land of Alicepia is a venerable place, home to a proud people knowing not any violence since the time immemorial. And then the Jamaock appeared. A monster of unknown origins, the Jamaock soon threatened the peace Alicepia took for granted, a peace Alicepians did not want to lose for free. To take care of this invader Princesses were found, girls pure of heart and full of bravery capable of creating and delivering songs of courage and hope which, against all odds, could put the Jamaock in its place. Few in Alicepia know if it will be enough to restore their world to serenity, but they will do what’s necessary to support their royal idols.

If there’s one thing to say about Prinsession Orchestra it’s that it sure has some hefty names backing it. For the unaware this idol show is from Kaneko Akifumi, the creator of Symphogear, and is also rocking the very skilled Oonuma Shin on directory duty – to say credentialed foundation would be doing it a bit of a disservice. The catch though is in terms of target audience; unlike Symphogear’s more mature focus Prinsession Orchestra looks to be along the lines of Precure, with colourful aesthetics being paired with a less violent conflict and stronger emphasis on the usual magical girl elements of friendship and courage. Couple it too with it being an anime original and in the hands of Silver Link and not hard thinking this one might hit above its weight. First few episodes will of course tell the tale, but idol fans might want to see just what Prinsession Orchestra gets up to when it serenades into spring.

Preview by Pancakes

Not content with only three seasons of its main series in anime form, the ubiquitous anthropomorphized horse franchise Uma Musume returns for a little blast from the past. Before the era of Pretty Derby, before the likes of Special Week and friends got their start at Tokyo’s Tracen Academy, there was the little-known Oguri Cap (Takayanagi Tomoyo). A country horse girl with dreams of grandeur, Oguri Cap wound up joining the Kasamatsu Training Center Academy with the hopes of making it big, but as with those chasing dreams she quickly found out obtaining it was far from easy. With rigorous training aplenty and competition to match, simply going through the paces at school isn’t enough to reach the front of the pack. For Oguri Cap to become legendary she will quite literally have to put it all on the line.

Uma Musume has really grown into its own over the years, fusing an at a glance ridiculous concept with some on point sports-themed developments and colouring it all in a very pleasant CGDCT veneer. Pretty Derby after all nailed its execution across all three seasons, a fairly hefty following still remains for the base game, and Cinderella Gray is only the first of what could be a few spin-off adaptations to help keep the franchise going strong. The key for Cinderella Gray in particular will be in tone: it’s more serious and grizzled in its approach to Oguri Cap’s growth than Pretty Derby’s various MCs, and places more emphasis on the internal desire to win over the base cutesy CGDCT routine. Helping as well is Cinderella Gray being a prequel side story not needing any familiarity with the core franchise, so if you ever wanted to see just what makes Uma Musume tick now couldn’t be a better time. When it comes to equine racing shenanigans few other series are likely to do it better.

Preview by Pancakes

What happens to a witch when she finally becomes of age? Well you pick a familiar to serve you of course. And thus begins the adolescent journey of one Wakatsuki Nico (Kawaguchi Rina). Having finally completed her six years of witchy training, Nico now is set to return home, and under the protection of a familiar she must choose to be accepted as a witch. There’s just one problem: Nico is adamant to have her childhood friend, crush, and ogre, Otogi Morihito (Suzuki Ryouta) do the duty. Normally that’s where things would end, but with a curse threatening Morihito’s very existence and Nico being herself prophesized to suffer disaster within a year the poor guy has no choice. Morihito must now learn to embrace the duties of a familiar all the while helping ensure Nico is protected and kept firmly within the friendzone.

As far as quirky premises go Witch Watch certainly is out there. It’s like a funky mix of slice of life meeting 2010s romcom, where crazy living situation and magical setup is cover to put boy and girl into situations yielding plenty of fun, plenty of wholesome, and just enough romance to keep the shipping going strong. The source manga is honestly a relaxing affair, taking the episodic approach to arcs with enough serious action scenes to spice up the otherwise mundane affairs. Particularly helping is this is a work of Shinohara Kenta, so anyone familiar with SKET Dance or Kanata no Astra will be right at home and knowing full well what this story is hiding behind the fluff. In short very much a slow burning affair and unlikely to hit the good stuff in this initial adaptation, but comedy and slice of life lovers will find plenty to enjoy when Witch Watch flies its way into spring.

Preview by Pancakes

When it comes to superheroes it’s all about the powers. A spider bites you; All Might gives you a strand of hair; family murder leads to a path of righteous vendetta. And then you get into To Be Hero’s world. Here heroes aren’t made through luck, they’re made through quantified trust, and whoever can amass the most trust receives powers and the ability to save the world. Ther problem? Trust is fully calculated and displayed at all times on a person’s wrist. You might be a hero one day and back to an ordinary citizen the next – or a complete nobody who suddenly reaches the threshold. With an everchanging metric determining the heroic best of the best, the path to becoming a hero and staying a hero is anything but simple.

While easy to overlook, China is a pretty major source of anime consumption and production of late, and sometimes there are series breaking through into the “mainstream” as To Be Hero X highlights. There’s nothing especially unique here: hero premise, flashy art style, slight twist on the superhero powers by giving them over to the wiles of the crowd and individual popularity. Yet that flash is pretty damn impressive in the promotional material and this series isn’t technically an out of left field standalone – To Be Hero started off as a very surreal slapstick comedy before morphing into a quasi-Kill a Kill piece in To Be Heroine. It makes for some major unknowns about to expect here and the intended audience, but considering the themes at play and what came before comedy, surrealism, and some tongue in cheek prodding at the idea of heroes should be present in some form. Three episodes will definitely be a requirement to get an idea here, but if you wanted a true mystery box for this season make sure to keep To Be Hero X on your spring radar.

Preview by Pancakes

As Kurt (Komatsu Mikako) can attest being a member of the Hero’s party is challenging. You don’t make the grade? You’re put out to pasture. And Kurt? Put out to pasture. The poor kid simply didn’t have the talents needed in weapons, magic, and basic combat, relegating him not just to the average civilian life, but also one of menial labour given adventurers have their own demands. Such circumstances however soon reveal Kurt’s true abilities to lie outside of the battlefield. Cooking, building, mining, crafting? The kid is SSS-rank in them all – and he’s also fully unaware of it. Going around doing the day-to-day sees Kurt wind up helping and saving far more than he believes, enough so that he’s likely to hone in on his powers sooner than he expects.

If there’s one thing I can say about The Unaware Atelier Master it’s that it’s at least going for a different twist on the usual banished hero shenanigans. Dispensing with secret physical abilities already deviates from the formula, playing the joke of Kurt not knowing his powers adds a different sort of flair to the proceedings. And beyond that? Yeah, cookie cutter through and through. This one in practice is very much paint by numbers slice-of-life fantasy, and while nothing egregious in practice (the light novel parts I read were decent enough) it’s also unlikely to really step up above the competition. Couple it with Kurt emulating the best of harem male leads in terms of oblivious personality and you might get an idea where some issues may arise. Nevertheless there’s always something for entertainment buried in these sorts of shows, so if you need a new bit of lighthearted fantasy to ring in the season consider giving The Unaware Atelier Master. Never know, might wind up making the grade.

Preview by Pancakes

Maebashi City isn’t known for being the most lively of urban centres. The days are ordinary, the interactions typical, and as first year high schooler Akagi Yuina (Kasuga Sakura) can attest there just isn’t much to really help one stand out from the crowd. At least until a weird talking frog named Keroppe (Sugita Tomokazu) appears and offers Yuina the chance to become a Maebashi Witch. Accepting the offer, Yuina suddenly finds herself before a room closet connecting to a magical flower shop. It is in that shop where she and four other similarly scouted girls now have the chance to stand out. Through song, dance, and good old-fashioned charm, the Maebashi Witches will help see people’s lives get just that little bit better.

Before anyone jumps too hard at the next magical girls show with anthropomorphic mascot, note that Maebashi Witches is more idol-centric than saving the world. This one is basically Sunrise’s next kick at the idol can, being wholly anime original and focused more on the positive, performative side of the industry, where it’s all about sunshine, rainbows, and making the average idol fan feel that hard dopamine rush. Or if you stretch a bit, a more lighthearted, slice-of-life-esque magical girl version of Macross. While staff and cast aren’t anything to write home about here, any idol series rocking the Love Live creator for studio is worth some attention, particularly with the lack of red flags from the promotional material thus far. Idol fans would do well seeing how Maebashi Witches performs this spring, something tells me it might just hit above its weight.

Preview by Pancakes

In another world in an era not quite the same, individuals are blessed with powers and abilities by the gods at the age of sixteen. Many of these powers are benign or simple, yet some can be very impactful, and Sophia Leeler (Nakamura Kanna) happens to receive one of the latter. Rather than magic or homecraft, Sophia is bestowed the gift of strength by the Gorilla God, the strongest combat god. Her blessing is enough to attract a lot of attention, particularly on the part of the Royal Knights who see in her the makings of a future protector of the realm. All Sophia wants is to live a normal school life, but as she’ll find out actually achieving it won’t be that easy when gods and humans both want to see her thrive.

While most definitely not a comedy, I have to admit I laughed hard digging into Gorilla no Kami. This isn’t just the lighthearted variant of Evolution Fruit, it’s one where Harambe basically got the isekai ending and wound up with divinity as a reward. After all, Gorilla God? The influence is too on point. Less tongue in cheek however, Gorilla no Kami plays very close to otome romances such as Seijo no Maryoku, where Sophia has a lot of potential suitors out for her care and wellbeing, cutesy moments and comedy are the name of the game, and the base story is as simple as they come. In short a fairly cookie cutter fantasy at heart, albeit one with a fantastic premise and some very comfy writing. I wouldn’t bet on this one making any serious spring waves, but if you were in need of an oddball fantasy to help ring in the birds and the bees Gorilla no Kami more than has you covered.

Preview by Pancakes

In 2052 humanity has achieved the impossible: a life without sickness. Thanks to the work of Nobel Prize winning neuroscientist Dr. Skinner and his Hapuna drug, the likes of cancer and crippling senescence are made obsolete. And it all comes with no drawbacks and side effects. That is until Skinner emerges again three years later with a new reveal: Hapuna will kill everyone who’s taken it within 36 months. Given most of humanity is using the drug countries are naturally quick to form specialized task forces, and five agents from across the world in particular are assembled into Lazarus, a force dedicated solely to tracking down Skinner and developing a panacea for the now-cursed Hapuna. Can Lazarus stop the clock before time runs out? For the sake of humanity they are determined to do so.

Buckle up boys and girls, we have a heavy hitter on our hands. For those not already aware, Lazarus is the next full-length anime from Watanabe Shinichirou, and one at that which hearkens back more to Zankyou no Terror and Cowboy Bebop than say Carole and Tuesday. Making things even better? It’s also rocking John Wick’s Chad Stahelski as action director for several episodes, comes with a full Hollywood sound team, and has MAPPA doing animation duties to boot. Oh and if that wasn’t enough, it’s already fully produced with a 13 episode run. To call this a stacked work with an almost perfect production schedule is a bit of an understatement, and even though Shinichirou has been more miss than hit of late, any thriller rocking such a combination of cast, staff, and production studio is immediately deserving of attention. As far as spring shows to watch out for Lazarus is undeniably one of them, because this one will be dominating the seasonal discussions one way or another.

Preview by Pancakes

Normally mainstream Japanese musical productions are all about glitz, glamour, and a love of pop music. Not in the case of Gloria Private Academy. An educational facility hosting all manner of prodigies in music, arts, and sports, Gloria’s specialty is in pairing talented musicians with an in-house “gift” that takes them to the next level. That gift? The veritable essence – and name – of previous musical powerhouses. The latest at Gloria is Beethoven (Uchida Yuuma), a young man who thanks to personal circumstance wound up being the best fit for his titular namesake’s infusion. Having transferred into Gloria all Beethoven knows is that he’s here for the music, but he’s far from the only one, and when you bring so many aspiring geniuses together, well, let’s just say competition isn’t far behind.

Well boys and girls, say hello to your next bishounen idol show. While not a self-described idol production, it’s hard thinking of Classic Stars as anything else, particularly when pairing its pretty boy cast with a competitive music environment and the typical teenage hijinks. Outside of the usual selling points – i.e. pretty boys doing musical things – the main thing here is undeniably the premise and how it will be worked into the greater scheme of things. Can we expect legitimate classical music? A more conventional homage to the lives of the referenced musical greats? Quite a lot up in the air, albeit one with some measure of potential given Classic Stars is wholly anime original and without any multimedia franchise predetermining scope. I’d recommend still holding off any serious predictions until the first few episodes air, but those needing their next idol fix would do well keeping an eye on Classic Stars when it composes its way into spring.

Preview by Pancakes

Tokyo in 1948 isn’t the most pleasant of places to be. With postwar reconstruction at work and the Cold War in full swing, no one is certain what the next day will bring, particularly newly minted high school sophomore Kusakabe Kanna (Maeda Kaori). Always surrounded by strange supernatural phenomena, Kanna has chalked up her unique circumstances to her lot in life, yet gets a reprieve following a chance encounter with the new language teacher Chuuzenji Akihiko (Konishi Katsuyuki). Besides being a well-read and well-learned academic, Akihiko also has an innate curiosity and Kanna’s situation happens to pique that side of his mind. Can an unlikely duo of teacher and student piece together the many mysteries of supernatural events? One way or the other they’re about to find out.

As far as detective works go The Mononoke Lecture Logs gets a bit of a leg up courtesy of origins. For the unfamiliar this one is a side-story based in the same universe as Mouryou no Hako, itself an intriguing murder mystery with some very nice horror elements. While The Mononoke Lecture Logs trends more mystery than thriller, the same pedigree is at work, with unique setting, oddball characters, and sufficiently diverse arcs all doing the task to make for a fun mystery. The few manga bits I read held up pretty well, and though there’s some concerns with production given that stilted PV, there’s no red flags here screaming potential trainwreck in the works. Definitely keep The Mononoke Lecture Logs close at hand if needing some good old-fashioned mystery this spring; I dare say it’ll do the trick.

Preview by Guardian Enzo

All four of my top picks this season were basically a tie. Aharen-san wa Hakarenai didn’t quite crack my top 10 in a deep year, but I developed a real love for it. It’s a romantic comedy with the focus on the comedy, no question, but thatdoesn’t mean Aharen-san couldn’t deliver on the romance front too. It’s a bit sneaky in that the real hook isn’t the title character’s inaudible speech patterns, but male lead Raidou Matsuboshi’s hilariously wild imagination (which said speech patterns give license to run wild).

The manga has ended since the first season aired, but that season covered just 67 of its 167 chapters. I don’t think the series is hugely popular – I was kind of surprised to see a sequel greenlit – so my suspicion is we’re going to see the remaining chapters crammed into this season rather than split into two cours. That would require a slowdown in the pacing anyway, which makes it even more unlikely. Maybe a best case scenario would be a second season plus a couple of OVAs, but to be frank I’m thrilled to take whatever I can get of this immensely charming series.

Preview by Pancakes

The life of manga creators is well-known to be rough at best, yet it doesn’t stop those like Suzugamori Chika (Tsukishiro Hika) seeking to make it big in a medium they adore. A rookie manga artist by trade, Chika keeps trying to get a foot in the industry door, yet every new draft she’s submitted has been outright rejected to date. It’s enough to make her consider giving up the dream once and for all, until inspiration hits: if the going is tough why not make a journey out of it? Half of success is overcoming adversity after all, and if Chika can manage a tough trek through the land then she can certainly find success in the world of manga.

Spring certainly is rocking the slice of life series this year, as besides the wholesome powerhouse that is mono we’ve got Zatsu Tabi rounding out the fun. The claim to fame for this one very much is in the adventure; travelling is the name of the game, various locations in Japan get to be shown off, and the healing comes from Chika learning to appreciate the smaller things in life. The parts of the manga I read were incredibly cute, and anyone after a slightly more mature Yuru Camp will easily find themselves at home here. While there’s always risk of a hatchet job or similar adaptation face plants, should Zatsu Tabi maximize on its wholesomeness and keep a decent pace it will very much be a nice bit of spring slice of life relaxation this season.

Preview by Guardian Enzo

The arrival of Vigilante is definitely one of those Newman “What took you so long?” moments. I was expecting an adaptation of this HeroAca spinoff manga years ago. It was reasonably popular, well-received by fans, and attached to one of the most popular animanga franchises of the 21st Century.

Why the Illegals anime finally arrived years after the manga ended (and right after the parent series did) is a mystery to me. But thank goodness it’s here, in the midst of that horrible run of announcements. And in Bones’ hands there’s no reason to expect anything less than a rock-solid adaptation (and maybe a lot more). Fans tend to reflexively dismiss spinoff series, but this one is different. Mangaka Betten Court and Furuhashi Hideyuki are established and talented in their own right. More than that, they “get” Boku no Hero Academia, and reportedly worked with Horikoshi Kouhei to make sure their series jibed with his vision for the mythology.

As a story, Vigilante explores a different side of the BnHA universe. Not heroes, not villains, but those in-between. Men and women who take the law into their own hands, often because they’re not deemed worthy of being “official” heroes. The protagonist is a loser college student named Haimawari Kouichi who uses his quirk for small-time good deeds, until one day larger events swallow him up. It’s a really strong addition to the mythology. 2025 is a big year for My Hero Academia and for Bones, and this series is a big part of that.

Preview by Pancakes

Rural Japan is always host to innumerable summer vibe stories, and the island of Torishirojima is no exception. With only 2000 people present, it’s not the sort of place an urban dweller would usually head to, but Takahara Hairi (Chiba Shouya) isn’t of that usual variety. With Hairi’s recently deceased grandmother owning property on the island, Hairi is forced to venture out to handle her estate. What he gets however is more than simple executor duties courtesy of four girls he happens to meet while taking care of business. All have their own story, all have their own desires, and thanks to Hairi’s unlikely involvement, all now have a path forward to get out of their respective ruts. And who knows, maybe more beside.

Summer Pockets is the latest in a small visual novel adaptation revival of late, heralding from the venerable Key and coming, at least conceptually, the mind of Maeda Jun. At a glance for the unfamiliar it’s effectively a reimagined Air, with strong focus on maternal links, summer nostalgia, and cathartic release – or if you will, the usual visual novel flair. The key here will be just what is adapted. Summer Pockets technically has four core routes and four additional in its Reflection Blue expansion; even the two cours already confirmed will have trouble adapting all of that unless some corners are cut. Couple it with how slow the buildup is within the visual novel itself and some of the routes being very nuanced and there’s some reasonable concerns for just what we’ll get. Nevertheless studio feel is an on-point pick for a story like this, so provided Summer Pockets can nail the landing it’ll be a nice laidback drama to help ring in the season.

Preview by Pancakes

Based on the mobile game of the same name, Compass 2.0 is all about the eponymous battle analysis system. Taking place in a world wholly devoted to its actions and execution, Compass 2.0 sees heroes from all over come together with players – human partners – to do battle and help keep the battle system running strong. The challenge? Ensuring heroes and players both keep on battling, and one troubled hero 13 (Ono Daisuke) refuses to do just that. Scheduled for banishment, 13 gets a reprieve when new beginning player Jin joins the fray and finds in 13 a potential partner to meet the requirements of his own participation in the system. Can troubled hero and newbie player come together to both do battle and make the most of Compass 2.0? One way or another they’re about to find out.

Another season, another mobage adaptation – and yes, you can guess how well it’s likely to play out. These adaptations always suffer for one reason or another, whether it be trying to shoehorn in game mechanics to a typical season run, handling the large cast of characters all demanding their moment in the limelight, or figuring out how to mesh all of that with the need to market the whole thing to new audiences. To Compass 2.0’s credit it’s not entirely starting from scratch, having been a thing since 2016 and already featuring a ten-episode ONA back in 2018-19, but given the production crew, Lay-duce’s hit or miss nature as a studio, and all the usual risks of such game adaptations checking expectations at the door is thoroughly recommended. Considering similar game adaptations to date caution is always the appropriate choice.

Preview by Pancakes

There’s always that one neighbourhood family which is the talk of the town. The one with all the smarts. The one with all the beauty. The one with all the talent. In this case it’s the Shiunji family. With five daughters and two sons the Shiunji family is not lacking for pedigree, though for eldest son Arata (Umehara Yuuichirou) it wasn’t easy growing up having five sisters to poke, tease, and otherwise torment him day in and day out. Except it only gets worse once Arata’s youngest sister turns fifteen and his father gathers all the siblings together to reveal a long-hidden secret. All those sisters Arata thought were related by blood? Yeah, they may not in fact be true siblings after all…

Well boys and girls, say hello to this season’s harem romcom. And not just any harem romcom – a harem romcom from the creator of Rent a Girlfriend. If that already wasn’t enough to know exactly what Shiunji-ke was about the synopsis should be plenty: vanilla-flavoured MC is placed smack dab in the centre of your cookie cutter harem cast, misunderstanding drama fuels every interaction, and do not bet on any sort of resolution or confirmed pairing because there’s publishing yet to do. Even the pseudo-incest premise isn’t really a feature here outside of setting up various conflicts and situations, as Arata is not Oreimo’s Kyousuke and none of the sisters have the blood relation Kirino possesses – don’t expect any serious analysis into forbidden intra-familial pairings because that’s not the series’ intention. Still there’s always hilarity to be had in these sorts of shows so certainly keep an eye on it if needing a new dose of junk food harem antics. Guaranteed this one will be a riot.

Preview by Pancakes

Gundam once again returns to the anime TV screen, this time with a ever so slightly different take on the past. Premised on the original Universal Century universe, GQuuuuuux follows one space colony brat in Yuzuriha Amate (Kurosawa Tomoyo) as she comes to terms both with her circumstances and ability to effect change. While living peacefully, Amate is eventually caught up in illegal mobile suit duels after a chance meeting with war refugee Nyaan (Ishikawa Yui) piques her curiosity. Amate quickly proves a natural, and under the alias Machu collects numerous wins and accolades. That is until the appearance of a mysterious Gundam chased by the local police appears before her. Little does Amate appreciate that said Gundam and its pilot Itou Shuuji (Tsuchiya Shinba) will be the herald to a new age beyond her wildest imagination.

While the Gundam brand is already enough in of itself to guarantee success, GQuuuuuux might honestly be the first real return to form for the franchise. Barring the ridiculous name and – if really stuck on it – continuation of a female lead a la Witch from Mercury, GQuuuuuux is an alternate take on the original UC timeline and One Year War – i.e. Zeon wins the war, Char does what he does best, and it’s all newtype powers straight on down. Whether or not it means the full Gundam treatment in multiple cours and robust story is anyone’s guess right now, but given Evangelion’s Anno Hideaki is penning the script and the first four episodes already premiered in theaters to major acclaim I don’t foresee too many stumbling blocks ahead. GQuuuuuux is already a guaranteed watch for Gundam fans, but I’d recommend any sci-fi and mecha fan keep an eye on this one – and if not already familiar brush up on your UC timeline knowledge. Something tells me the easter eggs in this one are going to be amazing.

Preview by Pancakes

Humanity’s presence on Earth is treated as a normal part of life – at least until it was no more. Disappearing completely one day for no explicable reason, humanity left behind much which, thanks to automation, kept on ticking in its absence. One of those automations? Ginza’s Galaxy Tower. Serviced by numerous robots, Galaxy Tower is ultimately held together by the hotelier robot Yachiyo (Shirasu Saho) who ensures all other robotic staff do their part. Sure, there may be no guests and no apparent reason anymore for the work, but it’s Galaxy Tower’s raison d’etre, and so the daily grind carries on. That is until a small miracle transpires which changes everything for Yachiyo, her robotic colleagues, and the very world around them.

Well if spring ever had an intriguing anime original Apocalypse Hotel would be it. At face value this one brings together quite a few interesting pieces, from the hotel setting (which really is a running theme in anime these days) to a premise all but lifted out of a mix of WALL-E, Planetarium, and Vivy, and a guarantee of much drama and many emotions courtesy of basic plot and teaser material. Want mysterious sci-fi? Looking for a colourful bit of drama (both literally and figuratively)? Need some laid-back musing for the season? You’re certainly in the right place. While there are some concerns in scriptwriter Murakoshi Shigeru being largely untested in original works, the rest of the staff is solid and Cygames Pictures knows how to make some colourful productions so I at least am optimistic about what we’ll get. Make no mistake, don’t go betting the farm for guaranteed dark horse, but it’s a reasonable bet Apocalypse Hotel might just be one of this spring season’s more noticeable surprises.

Preview by Pancakes

It’s common knowledge the idol life isn’t easy, yet few have experienced the rigour Amagiri Productions brings to the scene. A company devoted wholly to creating the perfect idol, Amagiri soon settled on the HANA-Doll Project to see their dreams turn into reality. In this project any participating idols are implanted with a special flower “seed”. Such a seed allows for the full removal of limitations on mental processes, enabling idol candidates to rise above the competition and truly enter a league of their own. There’s just a couple of caveats. Besides needing the right sort of emotions from both the implanted and the audience, the seed also will eventually bloom inside the idol. Or in other words a ticking time bomb where idols risk their literal lives for the sake of idol glory. Such concerns aren’t about to stop the members of the new unit Anthos* though; no matter the risks the chance at becoming perfect idols is too much to give up.

As far as male-fronted idol series go HANA-Doll is somewhat a return to form. This one heralds from a 2019 Movic multimedia production, itself having numerous drama CDs, stage plays, and of course the necessary music works. Even barring the unusual premise (guarantee the metaphor decipherers are already getting a workout) it’s as paint by numbers as such works go: idol unit of misfits with collective dream of stage glory comes together, works towards a common goal, and handles all the accompanying drama thrown their way. The only real question is just what story HANA-Doll will wind up using for this adaptation, however given there’s a readymade 2021 manga for Anthos* already serialized I think it’s likely we know what to expect here as well. As with all similar series HANA-Doll will very much be a niche show this season, but idol fans will certainly want to tune in and see how strongly it blossoms once spring kicks into gear.

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In fantasyland saints are often critical to a nation’s survival. From latent talents improving protection to defending against evil, saints do all manner of duty which many others cannot. Philia (Ishikawa Yui) is no exception to this rule, however as a saint she’s strong enough to be called the most powerful saint of all time. And naturally such accolades soon go to her head. With an arrogance streak a mile wide, Philia abruptly loses her betrothal to the prince after he admits he cannot stand her, an action which soon sees her sold off to a neighbouring country in dire need of their own saint. Not only must Philia contend with the unknown of a different country, but also the possibility that her powers may not be enough to replace the life she has now lost.

Saints in fantasy are a well-worn concept in anime, though The Too-Perfect Saint arguably gives it a fresh coat of paint. Having saints be a familial thing instead of a reincarnated isekai plot is a noticeable deviation after all, having one saint be effectively drunk on power because of it and lacking tact is a nice bit of tension to boot. In practice this one plays out similarly to Seijo no Maryoku wa Bannou desu for basic premise, where Philia’s impressive abilities and her presence in a land lacking anyone else of equivalent power leads to a simple path forward for stature and redemption. Beyond that though it’s very much a Cinderella tale with melodrama galore and soap opera aplenty, so anyone expecting a nuanced, critical tale of atonement and self-reflection best leave such ideas at the door. Still the light novel bits I perused held up well enough for the concept, so I dare say anyone looking for a nice bit of fantasy infused otome fantasy-romance would do well seeing what The Too-Perfect Saint conjures up this spring.

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From the manga series of the same name comes the next big story of cats. And not just any cats. Alien cats. Alien cats on the prowl for modern appliances. Yes, appliances. The alien cat Muumuu’s (Kozakura Etsuko) whole purpose is to hunt down the mysteries of human home appliances, all for the sake of recovering that exact technology his species has lost to the ravages of time. His source to help him on his mission? The unsuspecting university student Umeyashiki Sakurako (Harumi Momo) with nary a deviation to her typical life. Between investigating microwaves and dishwashers both will find their new situation more chaotic than expected as all manner of aliens, humans, and the tools they use come to make a normal life anything but.

No matter how ubiquitous cats are in anime across the seasons, Uchuujin Muumuu still gave me a very good laugh when digging into it. This story is basically an absurdist slice of life comedy after all, taking a crazy premise (alien cats) meshing it with an even crazier purpose (alien cats seeking home appliances), and letting the straight man – girl – in Sakurako helping keep the whole thing from jumping too overboard into insanity. Even with the lack of translated manga volumes the promotional material does a very nice job at emphasizing the quirks of this series, and with a suitable choice in OLM for animation duties a bit of optimism is certainly warranted for the final result. I wouldn’t expect Uchuujin Muumuu to top the seasonal charts, but it will definitely do the trick for those wanting some easy laughs and simple fun when it beams on down this spring.

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No matter how troublesome the ninja life can be, Kusagakure Sakoto (Mikawa Haruna) has had an easy time of it. Thanks to a serendipitous encounter with Koga Konoha (Hanazawa Kana), a high school student, Sakoto has lodging courtesy of Konoha thanks to shared interests. You see Konoha happens to be an assassin by trade, and Sakoto’s ninjutsu lets her transform objects – it’s a match made in heaven with sharing Konoha’s house being balanced out by Sakoto helping clean up after Konoha’s jobs. Sure, the situation might wind up involving enemy assassins sent by Sakoto’s village and require dealing with a lot of chaotic situations, but nothing says satsified living like shared meals and happy friendship.

Digging into Ninkoro really left a smile on my face because it’s effectively a heralding back to the easygoing moeblob gag comedies of old. In this case imagine Ninen ga Shinobuden without the panty stealing plot, pair it with the violence of Kill Me Baby, tack on a bit of slapstick humour for spice and indeed you got yourself a fun weekly half hour adventure. While the source manga is nothing stupendous, it was quite chuckle-worthy and adorably wholesome in spots from the parts I read, and given there’s just enough material for a single cour run I do not expect any adaptation troubles in terms of pacing and filler. Oh, and did I mention Shaft is handling animation duties here as well? If there was any reason to see what Ninkoro will get up to that would be it, but I’d honestly still give it a shot if only needing a springtime laugh or three. Sometimes the simple things wind up being the most enjoyable.

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For the average person the Borderlands aren’t a place you want to be. Near continual fighting is ever present, as various demihuman tribes seek access to the rich lands of humanity beyond and the local residents do their utmost to keep them at bay. One such resident is Kai (Tamura Mutsumi), a boy who comes to learn far more about the vicious struggle than he cares to and how Guardian Bearers – individuals of immense power – keep both human and demihuman from obtaining too much. And yet that’s not all which Kai discovers. One day he suddenly recalls memories of a past life, memories of an advanced world and knowledge of lives beyond his own horizon. Memories which also awaken within Kai new powers soon embroiling him in great trials and even more consequential adventures. As the kid is about to discover, saving the Borderlands will be the least of his concerns.

I have to give Teogonia some credit, it at least appreciates the value of a short title. Alright, tongue in cheek aside, there’s no denying this one is another entry into the reincarnation isekai ledger, yet at least has a little more going for it beyond such a premise. For starters it’s more action oriented, second it approaches its story more from the lens of a fantasy than an isekai – outside of memory recollection Kai isn’t thinking too hard on that previous life or how Truck-kun intervened in another unfortunate salaryman’s life. While the light novel parts I read were fairly generic in terms of fantasy, it doesn’t lay off the gas and there’s plenty of intricacies in terms of demihuman relations and the role of Guardian Bearers to keep things moving along nicely. If you’re looking for more action-focused fantasy or simply an isekai without too many of the bells and whistles certainly keep an eye on Teogonia this season – pretty decent bet it winds up surprising.

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What happens when multiple school clubs are in danger of shutting down? Well you merge them that’s what, at least if you’re Satsuki (Mikawa Haruna) and friends. Members of the new Cinephoto Club – a merger of the Photography and Cinema Clubs – all the rambunctious members get a start on the new club experience by featuring as main characters for the mangaka Haruno’s (Ueda Reina) latest work. The catch? The manga is centered around action cameras. It means lots of travelling and plenty of experimentation for the club, because if you’re going to play the main character you better do so with style.

Cutesy moeblob slice-of-life is a ready fixture season over season, however Mono gets a leg up courtesy of origins. This one is the latest work of Yuru Camp’s author Afro, which if the promotional material isn’t a big enough tell means simple moments, plenty of laidback cute times, and naturally lots of well-drawn food – just now in a more typical setting with photography than Yuru Camp’s hiking romp through the wilderness. The manga parts I read were as sweet as you can expect, and with some appropriate production staff on tap (albeit untested studio in Soigne) there’s nothing which raises any red flags or major concerns. Mono will easily be a watch for any tried and true CGDCT fan, but even slice of life afficionados would do well seeing what shenanigans it gets up to this spring. I dare say it’s going to be a very wholesome ride.

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From the creator behind Non Non Biyori comes the next big bit of slice of life. And tasty slice of life at that. For five newly minted university freshmen girls the first thing on their mind is having fun with everyone, and there’s no better way of doing so than indulging in a bit of food. Restaurants? Snack food? The nightly run to the ramen stall? All possibilities at hand, and with the university life already challenging enough as is, a little food will go a long way to making the studying just that bit easier.

For all the ubiquity of slice-of-life in anime it’s honestly not often we get full anime original shows like Hibi wa Sugiredo Meshi Umashi. Per that slim synopsis this one is from the mind of Non Non Biyori’s Atto, which in of itself means lots of healing, lots of wholesome, and very laidback arcs involving the simple things in life. Another key seller here is PA Works handling animation duties with many of Non Non Biyori’s original staff also carrying over; the risks inherent to anime original series may be present, but hard denying the strength being projected. Tack on an accompanying manga also being serialized alongside this show and frankly I’m not seeing any serious concerns when it comes to plan and execution. Spring may already have its slice of life competitors, but from the foundation alone Hibi wa Sugiredo Meshi Umashi is certainly set to challenge for head of the pack.

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On another world at a similar time, the greatest of struggles unfolds. The Villainous Army of Evil, extraterrestrial invaders from afar, seek the total subjugation of Earth and its inhabitants while the Dragon Keepers, a motely collection of individuals enhanced with the power of the Dragon Gods, seeks to hold them back and keep Earth safe. Or so the average person thinks. In reality the Villainous Army was defeated in less than a year and turned into the unwilling participants of the world’s greatest theatre. Every Sunday they must line up to be defeated by the Dragon Keepers before audiences worldwide and help their victors keep their ratings high. It’s humiliation of the highest order, and a situation Footsoldier D (Kobayashi Yuusuke) in particular refuses to tolerate any longer. While a lowly trooper, D has the skills to infiltrate the Dragon Keepers, and maybe, just maybe, destroy them from the inside. He has no idea if his plan will work or if he will even survive, but anything is better than continually playing the fool.

Sentai Daishikkaku was a fairly decent deconstruction when it first aired last year, taking tokusatsu jank, pairing it with subverted expectations, and rounding it off with a simple yet appropriate shounen-esque plotline. I doubt few would go as far to say it’s perfect – the writing and comedy in particular can be hit or miss depending on your taste – but I did have fun with it, especially given how well the production values held up. With this season already having been planned alongside the first there will be no major surprises: all cast and crew are carrying over, Yostar Pictures once again is pulling animation duty, and there’s still plenty of manga source material left to adapt. Couple it with the number of reveals and cliffhangers the first season ended with and yeah, no reason not expect something interesting out of this cour. Don’t expect this season to change any opinions you had of the first, but if you like your action and tokusatsu make sure to keep Sentai Daishikkaku on your spring radar. This is one sequel unlikely to disappoint.