It’s amazing how powerful the mere fact of having just a few series one is really looking forward to and shed a different hue on a season as a whole. Before the Fall 2015 season aired there was really only one series that really caught my attention, and it was almost a guaranteed win, which it did, in fact, turn out to be for me. But the rest of the season looked very misty and hazy, with not a lot concretely looking engaging. Not so with the Winter 2016 season. Not only are there two carryover series from Fall (both of which were HUGE surprises for me) but there are also two new series that I am extremely excited about – one is the second part of a split cour, while the other one is a “out from left field” series that I have been enthused about ever since it was first announced many, many months ago. I would have a hard time saying exactly why, nor can I claim to have my “hype” series always pan out, but it sure is helpful to have pushing me forward from behind in appraising the new season as a whole! ^^

An extra plus is that the wild card series I am excited about is a VN adaptation – not to belabor it lengthily, but I have a weak spot for such series. Furthermore, the Winter 2015-6 season seems to have a fair number of sci fi and fantasy style series – consider me curious. As before, there are a number of sites that have well developed anime previews, including the sites at: livechart, anichart, and neregate.

On to the season preview then! ^^

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First comes the section dedicated to my most anticipated series in the coming season:

Akagami no Shirayuki Part Two. “In the kingdom of Tanbarun lives Shirayuki, an independent and strong-willed young woman. Her resourceful intelligence has led her become a skilled pharmacist, but her most defining trait is her shock of beautiful apple-red hair. Her dazzling mane gets her noticed by the prince of the kingdom, but instead of romancing her, he demands she be his concubine. Shirayuki refuses, chops off her lovely locks, and runs away to the neighboring kingdom of Clarines. There, she befriends a young man named Zen, who, SURPRISE, is also a prince, although with a much better temperament than the previous one. Watch as Shirayuki finds her place in the new kingdom, and in Zen’s heart.”

This should come as no surprise. I absolutely love the source manga, and the first season was incredible – a steady, consistent work of brilliance on so many levels that was both a faithful adaptation and plain masterfully done, albeit in a muted way. They made it look so easy!

Ao no Kanata no Four Rhythm. “The story is set on an archipelago of four islands far south of Japan or even the South Seas. It is all but a different world from modern Japan. From the discovery of anti-gravitons came the dream invention of anti-graviton shoes that let people fly the skies. They introduce people to a new realm by enabling flight with just one’s own body strength, without feathers or engines. This led to the rise of the sport of “Flying Circus”. The protagonist who once hoped for a future in this sport suffered a setback due to an overwhelming defeat, and withdrew from the sport for this and some other reason. However, he met the transfer student Asuka Kurashina, and in teaching her to fly the skies, the old passion returned. He takes part in the Flying Circus again.”

The second Virtual Novel released by the company named Spryte (the first was Koi to Senkyo to Chocolate), this is a series that I literally was intrigued with from the very moment I heard about it’s adaptation. It has remained present ever since and is my most anticipated series of this Winter 2016 season. (Please, please, please don’t flop! Be successful! lol!) I happened to really enjoy the anime adaptation of Koi to Senkyo, and love the background art and character design Spryte used in both the latter work and the footage I have watched of Ao no Kanata being played. Depending on how effectively this is adapted this could be a huge winner for me.

Nurse Witch Komugi Chan R. “Komugi Yoshida is a somewhat clumsy second-year middle-school student whose strong point is her spiritedness. She performs as an idol like Kokona Saionji (her classmate and close friend) and Tsukasa Kisaragi (an idol who dresses in male clothing). However, unlike Kokona whose popularity is skyrocketing and Tsukasa with her charisma in male attire, Komugi’s only gigs are low-end ones like those at the local shopping district. Still, Komugi has her “dream” as she lives her dual lives as a idol and a middle school girl. One day, a mysterious injured creature named Usa-P appears before Komugi. Komugi gives Usa-P medical treatment, and Usa-P, in consideration of Komugi’s kindness, asks if she wants to be a Legendary Girl who can use magical powers. Having become a reluctant Legendary Girl, Komugi battles strange masked figures who suddenly appear! As a newly deemed Magical Nurse, she fights still more waves of masked figures. Meanwhile, a Magical Maid, a Magical Sister, and more also appear to make it a three-way battle!? Can Komugi handle the three roles of middle school girl, idol, and Magical Nurse? And, what lies ahead in these battles and her “dream” …!?”

This has got to be one of the most ridiculous summaries of a series I have read in a while, and I think it has the potential to be either delightfully silly or an unmitigated disaster. And if the series is anywhere near as enjoyable as it has been teasing and carrying on about the series with other people (Flareknight and Setsuken are very patient with my sense of humor) then it should be great!

Maybe. XD

Tamayura: Sotsugyou Shashin Part 4 – Ashita. The last of four movies is set in the autumn this time, when Fuu, Kaoru, Norie, and Maon have been promoted to third-year high school students, while Kanae has graduated. Two kouhai already joined the photography club. Even though they bring in new friends, their lively daily life remains unchanged. Yet, the four third-year students are slowly thinking about their own future dreams and paths as they face graduation in about a year. The final movie will show the main characters graduating. Many tears will be shed. And not only by me. I love this series and the cast to death, and I sincerely hope that the final movie does the entire franchise the justice, the beautiful treatment it deserves.

There are also a handful of series that look mildly engaging that I am looking forward to trying out:

Haruchika: Haruta to Chika wa Seishun Suru. “An anime adaptation of the Haruchika Series novels by Sei Hatsuno which revolve around two high school students named Haruta and Chika, who are members of a wind instrument club that is on the verge of being shut down. The two are childhood friends, and they spend their days practicing hard while also trying to recruit new members. When a certain incident happens within their school, they work together to solve it.”

P.A. Works … that’s enough of a recommendation to give the series a try. Until recently I was only curious about it, but after the second PV released recently I was frankly impressed. Looking forward to see what they will do with this one.

Hai to Gensou no Grimgar. “Living … it isn’t easy. When Haruhito awakens, he’s in the dark. He doesn’t know where he is, why is he here, and where he came from. Around him there are several men and women who have the same circumstances. Together, they advance forward away from the darkness, and a world they’ve never seen before called “Grimgar” spreads out before them. Memories, money, special powers — This is the reality we who have none of those things have obtained.”

As far as I can tell, this is a nitty gritty, scrape up from the bottom of the barrel and claw your way to the barest level of survival type of rpg alternate world experience – which really catches my interest. Back in my rpg days I loved this kind of setting, and having read a few chapters of the manga adaptation I think it could be quite something. It looks like A-1 is bringing their “A game” (no pun intended) to this one – the PV’s have looked downright gorgeous.

Boku Dake ga Inai Machi. “Satoru Fujinuma is a young manga artist struggling to make a name for himself following his debut. But, that was not the only thing in his life that Satoru was feeling frustrated about…he was also living with a strange condition only he was able to experience. REVIVAL. A strange phenomenon where one is transferred back to the moment right before something life-threatening occurs. This continues to happen until the cause of the threat is erased. It is as if somebody is forcing Satoru to stop it from happening. Then one day, everything is changed! What truths are revealed when Satoru comes face to face with his own past? How will they affect his future?”

This is a series I have heard many good things about from other manga readers – it is a seinen style series, darker, more serious and with some fairly intense content. It does have some story elements in it (no spoilers here) that I have difficulty with in previous series, but am more than willing to give it a try.

Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu. “The first story revolves around a mature prisoner who was released on good behavior during Japan’s Showa Genroku era (1960s to early 1970s). He is called Yotarou by others, a term that means an “anti-hero” or a “dim-witted man.” When he returns to society, he starts a new life in rakugo (comic storytelling). Touched by Yakumo’s role as the “grim reaper,” he asks the master to take him in as an apprentice.”

This is an odd series. There is something about it that has caught my eye in a quiet way ever since I first heard of it … I feel like it will be more of an “adult” anime with material to ponder over that is thought provoking. Definitely could turn out to be a sleeper hit for me.

Then there are a fair number of series that I am mildly curious about. These include:

Musaigen no Phantom World. “The story takes place in the near future, in a world born of human imagination. What humans would call ghosts or monsters appear, and they come to be called “phantoms.” The main character, Haruhiko Ichijo, is a first year at Hosea Academy along with his upperclassman Mai Kawakami, who fights phantoms with the ability “Spirit of Five Elements,” Izumi Reina, who has the ability “Phantom Eater,” and Koito Minase, who fights phantoms in solitude. They experience the ups and downs of high school life before a certain incident leads them to the truth of this world.”

It’s KyoAni, and for me, like P.A. Works, that means I will definitely give the series a shot. It also means everything will be downright fantastic, with the only wildcard being the story itself. With their recent excellent Hibike Euphonium series under their belt hopefully they will nail this one too.

Dagashi Kashi. “Shikada Kokonotsu’s father owns a rural sweets shop, and his plan is for Kokonotsu to take it over one day. However, Kokonotsu wants to be a manga author instead! One day in summer, the cute but weird girl Shidare Hotaru, from the famous sweets company, comes to pay a visit. Apparently, Kokonotsu’s father is famous and she wants him to join her family’s company. However, he will only agree if she can convince Kokonotsu to take over the family business!”

I follow the source manga of this series, and am curious to see how Feel will adapt the material. The humor in this is really, really vague and … specific. In a very generalized way it is a little like D-Frag, but … well … it almost comes across as a collection of the odd, humorous, random Japanese commercials the country is so famous for. If the studio pulls it off this will be downright hilarious, but I think it will be extremely challenging to do so.

Gate: Jieitai Kanochi nite, Kaku Tatakaeri Part Two. “The military fantasy series begins when a gate appears in Tokyo’s Ginza district sometime in the 21st century. From the gate pours out monsters, knights from middle-age Europe, and other fantasy-like beings, and they kill many of the citizens of Tokyo. This event is known as the Ginza Incident. The government sends a small group of soldiers from the Japanese Self-Defense Forces (a replacement for Japan’s military) to the alternate world beyond the gate. Led by otaku soldier Youji, they find that the villages in the world are being attacked by a dragon. An elf girl who is a survivor from the dragon’s rampage joins the group in their travels across the dangerous new world.”

Also follow this ongoing manga, and thought the first part was decently adapted. But from hereon out the story gets much more serious. And I am very, very interested to see how effectively and/or to what extent the story will be adapted….

Luck & Logic. “In L.C. 922, people faced a sudden crisis. In Tetra Heaven, the land of legend, a hundred years of war had come to a close. The gods who lost the war searched for a new place to live, and found it in Septpia, the human world, which they proceeded to attack. The Logicalists attached to ALCA, a special police agency whose duty it was to protect cities from assaults by foreigners (angels), were compelled to act in defense of cities, whether they wished to or not. And depending on their ability, Logicalists could initiate trance with goddesses from the other world, and stand a fighting chance on the battlefield. A civilian named Yoshichika Tsurugi, who lacked “Logic” and lived happily with his family, was caught up in an attack, and took shelter along with many people. He meets a beautiful goddess named Athena. In her hands, she had the “Logic” that Yoshichika lacked. Now both Yoshichika and Athena head to their destiny.”

Ever since the release of the anime Mikakunin I have found myself charmed by the Doga Kobo anime studio. I really like their animation style most of the time, and the series they produced range from stupendous to flawed but enjoyable. This is yet another anime original story as far as I know, and with Doga Kobo behind it you can be sure I will give it a try. I only hope the writers for the series do not fall into the same tendencies to pander and indulge the way they did early on in Plastic Memories….

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In terms of carryovers from the previous season there are only two that I am following, Utawarerumono (2015) (which is really, really good) and Gundam Mobile Suit: Iron Blooded Orphans …never in a million years would I have expected myself to actively and eagerly be following a Gundam series! The only Short series that has caught my interest is a series that really looks to fly under most people’s radar; Mahou Shoujo Nante Mouiidesukara … I have been following the manga for this (only a few chapters in English thus far) and have been surprised that there is more rhyme and reason to it than I expected. The MC is also … well … if they adapt it straight it should be quite something. Other than that an perhaps the OVA for Momokuri looks interesting (I have read the source manga) and the OVA for Akagami no Shirayuki-hime is a definite. Finally, the last series I feel I should mention, but which very little has been revealed about yet, is the next PreCure series – Mahou Tsukai PreCure. Looking forward to that one quite a bit.

At the moment the series I am almost certainly blogging next season will be Ao no Kanata no Four Rhythm. There is a very small possibility of blogging the Mahou Shoujo Nante short if the adaptation hits the nail on the head.