Category: Season Previews

Fall 2021 Season Guide (Updating)

The leaves haven’t come close to changing or falling and there’s probably still a heat wave or two in the offing, but that isn’t stopping us from plucking fifteen of the fifty or so anime that will air in the Fall and adding them to out tentative watchlist, as we tend to do this time of year. Aside from 86 and Mushoku Tensei’s second season, there’s a lot of all-new stuff to check out.

—RABUJOI STAFF

LAST UPDATED 8 Oct 2021

Braverade

86 2nd Season

Build Divide: Code Black

Gyakuten Sekai no Denchi Shoujo
Rumble Garanndoll

Megaton-kyuu Musashi

SAKUGAN

Sekai Saikou no Ansatsusha, Isekai Kizoku ni Tensei suru (Ansatsu Kizoku)
The World’s Finest Assassin Gets Reincarnated in Another World as an Aristocrat

sesameacrylic

180 Byou de Kimi no Mimi wo Shiawase ni Dekiru ka?
Can I Make Your Ears Happy in 180 Seconds?

Komi-san wa, Comyushou desu.
Komi Can’t Communicate

Shin no Nakama ja Nai to Yuusha no Party wo Oidasareta node, Henkyou de Slow Life suru Koto ni Shima
[Sighs, takes deep breath] Banished from the Hero’s Party, I Decided to Live a Quiet Life in the Countryside, AKA I Was Kicked out of the Hero’s Party Because I Wasn’t a True Companion so I Decided to Have a Slow Life at the Frontier

Taishou Otome Otogibanashi
Taishou Maiden Fairytale

Takt Op. Destiny

MagicalChurlSukui

Build Divide: Code Black

Deep Insanity: The Lost Child
Spring 2021 Carryover

Mieruiko-chan
Spring 2021 Carryover

Mushoku Tensei 2nd Season
Jobless Reincarnation S2

Saihate no Paladin
The Faraway Paladin

Tsuki to Laika to Nosferatu
Moon, Laika, and the Bloodsucking Princess

 

Summer 2021 Season Guide (Updating)

“Pleasure Boats On a Summer Evening Near Ryogoku Bridge”, by Kitagawa Utamaro, 1802-1804.

Summer Comin’. As usual, we’re a little late in listing out the series we’ll be taking a look at. As you can see, there’s plenty of choices, and many of the titles are as long as the days are going to get.

Assuming 86 and Tokyo Revengers take a season off before their second cours, only MagicalChurlSukui will be watching carryovers of existing shows or sequels to existing ones. Both Braverade and sesameacrylic’s Summer lists contain all-new shows; no sequels or spinoffs.

We don’t know if that’s ever happened before, but as usual, we’ll be trying to whittle our total watchlist down to around a dozen, which means dropping seven or eight of the titles below if they’re not worth watching or otherwise redundant to our anime needs of the moment.

As usual, bold titles below are the shows to which we’ll be paying particular attention, and titles may be added or subtracted as needed. That means non-bold shows aren’t guaranteed to be reviewed, just checked out.

—RABUJOI STAFF

LAST UPDATED 1 Sept 2021

Braverade

Genjitsu Shugi Yuusha no Oukoku Saikenki – Skipped
How a Realist Hero Rebuilt the Kingdom

Meikyuu Black Company – Dropped

NIGHT HEAD 2041 – Dropped

Scarlet Nexus – Dropped

Sonny Boy – Picked Up

Tantei wa Mou, Shindeiru. – Dropped
The Detective Is Already Dead / Tanmoshi

Tokyo Revengers– Dropped
Spring 2021 Carryover

sesameacrylic

Bokutachi no Remake
Remake Our Life!

Kageki Shoujo!!
Remake Our Life!

Shinigami Bocchan to Kuro Maid
The Duke of Death and His Maid

Shiroi Suna no Aquatope
Aquatope of White Sand

Uramichi Oniisan
Life Lessons with Uramichi Oniisan

MagicalChurlSukui

To Your Eternity
Spring 2021 Carryover

TenSura 2nd Season Part 2

Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Sotsu – Skipped
Higurashi: When They Cry – SOTSU

Peach Boy Riverside

Tsuki ga Michibiku Isekai Douchuu
Tsukimichi -Moonlit Fantasy-

Vanitas no Carte
The Case Study of Vanitas

Spring 2021 Season Guide (Updating)

We’ve approached the halfway point of the Winter 2021 anime season, which is usually the time for us to start taking a gander at what’s on the horizon for the Spring. The biggest title on our list so far is the third and final season of Fruits Basket, which should be something.

    • We’ll be watching and reviewing all Bold titles below.
    • Crossed-out titles have been dropped or skipped.

—RABUJOI STAFF

LAST UPDATED 21 Apr 2021

Braverade

86
SSSS.Dynazenon
Tokyo Revengers
Vivy: Fluorite Eye’s Song

Mars Red

sesameacrylic

Don’t Toy With Me, Nagatoro-san
Higehiro
Osamake
Those Snow White Notes
Zombieland Saga: Revenge

Combatants Will Be Dispatched!
Koikimo

MagicalChurlSukui

Fruits Basket: The Final
To Your Eternity
The Saint’s Magic Power is Omnipotent
Slime 300

Full Dive
Jouran: The Princess of Snow and Blood
Tensura Nikki

Winter 2021 Season Guide (Updating)

We’re about to enter our twelfth year on the interwebz, and it will be hard to top the eleventh for pure strangeness. We’re not sure if we’ll get much snow this coming Winter (we didn’t get much last Winter) but the metaphor of a fresh blanket of snow providing a blank canvas for the year still fits.

As usual, we’re simply listing shows that are either from franchises we follow or new shows that look interesting based solely on the promo art and talent involved. As such, we’ll surely be adding and subtracting from this list as we draw closer to showtime. Recommendations are welcome!

—RABUJOI STAFF

LAST UPDATED 1 Feb 2021

Braverade

Attack on Titan
Demon Slayer (Spring 2019)
Jujutsu Kaisen
Kemono Jihen
Otherside Picnic

Ex-Arm (NOPE)
Hortensia Saga (Dropped)

sesameacrylic

Horimiya
Jaku-Chara Tomozaki-kun
The Quintessential Quintuplets 2nd Season
Vlad Love (Resumes 14 Feb)
Wonder Egg Priority

Jimihen!!: Jimiko wo Kaechau Jun Isei Kouyuu!! (Skipped)
Maiko-san Chi no Makanai-san (Skipped)
Ore dake Haireru Kakushi Dungeon (Dropped)

MagicalChurlSukui

Higurashi: When They Cry – Gou (Fall 2020)
Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation
The Promised Neverland 2nd Season
Re:Zero 2nd Season Part 2
TenSura 2nd Season

Fall 2020 Season Guide (Updating)

So far it’s slim pickings this coming Fall—not surprising considering the state of the world. Only a handful of new anime are listed on MAL’s Fall 2020 list, and some of those are sequel seasons to shows we’ve either never seen or are too far behind to attempt to catch up.

Regardless of the number of shows we’ll ultimately be watching, we’ll be implementing an all-new 5-star rating system more akin to Anime News Network than the MAL’s 1-10 scale:

While some among the staff have long been proponents of the 1-10 scale, in practice there are rarely any episodes we’d rate 1-5, since it only takes one or two such episodes to cause us to drop the show entirely. We’ll see how it goes.

This list will be updated if and when we pick up or drop any additional shows. If you have any recommendations, let us know in the comments and we’ll take them under advisement. And as always, thanks for reading, and take care!

—RABUJOI STAFF

LAST UPDATED 1 Oct 2020

Braverade

Akudama Drive
Assault Lily: Bouquet
Golden Kamuy 3rd Season
Warlords of Sigrdrifa

sesameacrylic

Adachi & Shimamura
Great Pretender (ONA)
Ikebukuro West Gate Park
Sleeping Princess in the Demon Castle
Talentless Nana
TONIKAWA: Over the Moon For You

MagicalChurlSukui

DanMachi III
Higurashi: When They Cry – Gou
Our Last Crusade or the Rise of a New World
The Day I Became a God
Wandering Witch: The Journey of Elaina

Summer 2020 Season Guide (Updating)

Poem by Empress Jitou from the series One Hundred Poems Explained by the Nurse, Hokusai, c. 1839.

We usually come out with a new season guide roughly halfway through the current season, so we’re running a little late. Depending on the state of Japan (and incidentally, the world) in July, many of the shows on this list may be further delayed or postponed…or they may all air on time! Only time will tell.

For now, here’s a brief look at the shows that have piqued our curiosity. We’ve only listed shows that have been confirmed to air or carry over this Summer. While sequels to heavy hitters like Re:Zero, SAO and  Oregairu are set to (finally) air, we’ll also be checking out as many new and original shows as time allows.

This list will be updated periodically. If you have any recommendations, let us know in the comments. And as always, thanks for reading!

—RABUJOI STAFF

LAST UPDATED 27 Aug 2020

Braverade

Deca-Dence
No Guns Life S2
SAO: Alicization: War of Underworld S2
Toaru Kagaku no Railgun T

Fugou Keiji – Balance: UNLIMITED—Resuming from Spring
Gibiate—Dropped
The God of High School—Dropped

sesameacrylic

Appare-Ranman!
Oregairu S3
Rent-a-Girlfriend
Uzaki-chan wa Asobitai!

Great Pretender (Netflix ONA)—Awaiting Remaining Episodes
Dokyuu Hentai HxEros—Dropped
Shokugeki no Souma 5—Dropped

MagicalChurlSukui

Cardcaptor Sakura (1998)
Fruits Basket (2019) 2nd Season
Re:Zero S2
The Misfit of Demon King Academy

Lapis Re:LiGHTs – Dropped

Spring 2020 Season Guide (Updating)

Cherry Blossoms at Yoshino, Hokusai, c. 1833

Here we are, at it again. We’re halfway through Winter, so its time to prepare for Spring by taking a gander at what’s headed our way when the weather starts getting warmer.

There are were many huge shows returning (now postponed due to covid-19) and quite a few intriguing new ones airing. Only four sequels are locks so far: Railgun T Part 2, Kaguya-sama: Love is War 2, Food Wars 5, and Fruits Basket 2. We are currently reviewing 11 shows, right around usual.

—RABUJOI STAFF

LAST UPDATED 30 Apr 2020

Braverade

Gleipnir
Tower of God
Toaru Kagaku no Railgun T—Winter Carryover
No Guns Life Season 2—Postponed Indefinitely

sesameacrylic

Appare-Ranman!—Postponed Indefinitely
Kaguya-sama: Love is War Season 2
Kakushigoto
Wave, Listen to Me!
Shokugeki no Souma 5—Postponed Indefinitely
Sing “Yesterday” to Me

MagicalChurlSukui

Arte
Fruits Basket 2nd Season
Hamefura
Princess Connect! Re:Dive
Shironeko Project: Zero Chronicle—Dropped
Hachi-nan tte, Sore wa Nai deshou!—Dropped
LISTENERS—Dropped

Winter 2020 Season Guide (Updating)

Koishikawa in the Morning after a Snowfall, Hokusai, c. 1830-1835

It’s right up there in the site description: Purveyors of Fine Anime Reviews and Ratings Since 2010. That means 2020 will be our tenth year in operation (technically our eleventh, but we didn’t start in January 2010). A decade might as well be a century on the interwebs, and all we can say is we’ve been both blessed and cursed with the time and the means to do this as a hobby for so long.

We’ve watched a lot of shows in the last decade—the 100 best of which we’ll probably be posting listicles for in due time—but before that, it’s time to do our thing we do when the current season is around half-over: present the shows we’ve penciled in for viewing next season, which will also mark Decade Number Two.

Those shows are below. We’ll update this list as we add or drop shows. Leave any recommendations you might have in the comments and we’ll take them under advisement!

—RABUJOI STAFF

LAST UPDATED 19 Feb 2020

Braverade

Fate/Grand Order: Zettai Majuu Sensen Babylonia (Fall Carryover)
ID:INVADED
Toaru Kagaku no Railgun T
Darwin’s Game
Infinite Dendrogram
Kuutei Dragons

sesameacrylic

Chihayafuru 3 (Fall Carryover)
Isekai Quartet 2nd Season
Jibaku Shounen no Hanako-kun
A3! Season Spring & Summer
Dorohedoro
Eizouken ni wa Te wo Dasu na!
Rikei ga Koi ni Ochita no de Shoumei shitemita.

MagicalChurlSukui

Bofuri
In/Spectre
In/Spectre (Kyokou Suiri)
Magia Record: Mahou Shoujo Madoka☆Magica Gaiden
Somali and the Forest Spirit
Kabukichou Sherlock (Fall Carryover)

Fall 2019 Season Guide (Updating)

“Autumn”, by Utagawa Kuniyoshi (1798 – 1861)

Lots of huge sequels/continuations air this Fall, which will make it tough for us to check out all-new shows. Here’s what’s on our radar so far. Chances are we’ll stick with most of these, and we’ll see if there’s any time for more.

—RABUJOI STAFF

LAST UPDATED 23 Aug 2019

Fate/Grand Order: Zettai Majuu Sensen Babylonia (Absolute Demonic Front)
Fire Force (Summer Carryover)
Psycho-Pass 3
Sword Art Online: Alicization – War of Underworld
Vinland Saga (Summer Carryover)

sesameacrylic

Bokutachi wa Benkyou ga Dekinai 2 (We Can’t Study 2)
Chihayafuru 3 
Kabukichou Sherlock
Ore wo Suki nano wa Omae dake ka yo (Are You Really the Only One Who Likes Me?)
Shokugeki no Souma: Shin no Sara (Food Wars: The Fourth Plate)

MagicalChurlSukui

Assassins Pride
Beastars
Choujin Koukousei-tachi wa Isekai demo Yoyuu de Ikinuku you desu! (CHOYOYU!: High School Prodigies Have It Easy Even in Another World!)
Shinchou Yuusha: Kono Yuusha ga Ore Tuee Kuse ni Shinchou Sugiru (This Hero is Invincible but “Too Cautious”)

Summer 2019 Season Guide (Updating)

Kuniyoshi Utagawa, Sudden Shower in the Summer, c. 1849-1851

Spring is almost over, and with the warmer weather comes a fresh batch new anime, including some very familiar franchises (Fate, Index, DanMachi). We’ll be watching and writing about some of those shows when July comes around.

As usual, Bold titles mean we’re watching that show; non-bold means TBD, and crossed-out means dropped/skipped. Additional Spring 2019 shows may carryover; we will add them to the list below if/when their Summer cours are officially confirmed.

A reminder: we don’t read any manga, novels light or dark, or video games the below shows may be based upon—RABUJOI is an anime-only blog. This list will be updated as needed. If you think we’re missing something, let us know in the comments.

Thanks! —RABUJOI STAFF

LAST UPDATED 12 Aug 2019

Enen no Shouboutai (Fire Force)
Kanata no Astra (Astra Lost in Space)
Katsute Kami Datta Kemono-tachi e
Lord El-Melloi II Sei no Jikenbo: Rail Zeppelin Grace Note
Vinland Saga

sesameacrylic

Araburu Kisetsu no Otome-domo yo. (O Maidens of the Savage Season)
Dumbbell Nan Kilo Moteru? (How Many Kilograms are the Dumbbells You Lift?)
Carole & Tuesday (Spring Carryover)
HenSuki (Would you love a pervert as long as she’s cute?)
Karakai Jouzu no Takagi-san 2 (Skilled Teaser Takagi-san)
Tejina-senpai

MagicalChurlSukui

BEM
Cop Craft
DanMachi II (Is It Wrong That I Want to Meet You in a Dungeon)
Fruits Basket (Spring Carryover)
Isekai Cheat Magician
Toaru Kagaku no Accelerator
Tsuujou Kougeki ga Zentai Kougeki de Ni-kai Kougeki no Okaasan wa Suki Desu ka? (Do You Like Your Mom? Her Normal Attack is Two Attacks at Full Power, Okaasan online)

Spring 2019 Season Guide (Updating)

Tsuchi-yama, Spring Rain, in The Fifty-Three Stations of the Tokaido Road, c. 1834

Winter is almost over, and with the (hopefully) warmer weather comes a fresh batch new anime, including some very familiar titles. We’ll be watching and writing about some of those shows when April comes around.

As usual, Bold titles mean we’re watching that show; non-bold means TBD, and crossed-out means dropped/skipped. additional Winter 2019 shows may carryover; we will add them to the list below if/when their Spring cours are officially confirmed.

A reminder: we don’t read any manga, novels light or dark, or video games the below shows may be based upon—RABUJOI is an anime-only blog! This list will be updated as needed. If you think we’re missing something, let us know in the comments.

Thanks! —RABUJOI STAFF

LAST UPDATED 21 Apr 2019

Braverade

Attack on Titan Season 3 Part 2
Dororo (Winter carryover)
Magmel of the Sea Blue
Rising of the Shield Hero (Winter carryover)

sesameacrylic

Midara na Ao-chan wa Benkyou ga Dekinai (Ao-chan Can’t Study!)
Bokutachi wa Benkyou ga Dekinai (BokuBan)
Carole & Tuesday
Joshikausei
Kono Yo no Hate de Koi wo Utau Shoujo YU-NO
One Punch Man Season 2
Senryuu Shoujo

MagicalChurlSukui

Fairy Gone
Isekai Quartet
Mayonaka no Occult Koumuin
Sarazanmai
Shoumetsu Toshi

Winter 2019 Season Guide (Updating)

Winter is almost here, and so are a host of new shows. We’ll be watching and writing about some of those shows. As usual, Bold titles mean we’re watching that show; non-bold means TBD, and crossed-out means dropped/skipped. This list will be updated as needed. As always, hit us up in the comments if you think we’re missing something, because we probably are. Thanks! —R.S.

LAST UPDATED 4 Mar 2019

Braverade

Boogiepop wa Warawanai
Egao no Daika
Dororo
Ingress
Sword Art Online: Alicization (Fall carryover)
Tate no Yuusha no Nariagari

sesameacrylic

3D Kanojo: Real Girl 2nd Season
Domestic na Kanojo
Kaguya-sama: Love is War

MagicalChurlSukui

Magical Girl Spec-Ops Asuka
Toaru Majutsu no Index III (Fall carryover)
TenSura (Fall carryover)
Yakusoku no Neverland

Fall 2018 Season Guide (Updating)

LAST UPDATED 7 Sept 2018

Summer is almost over. Sucks, right?! It’s back to school time, or at least back to half-school, if you’re in one of the east coast cities experiencing high heat and humidity. In a couple weeks Summer will be officially over but the heat will likely linger.

So, is there anything hot to look forward to in the world of Fall 2018 anime? We guess…provided you like one or more of three things: Sequels, Spinoffs, and Shows with Obnoxiously Long Titles (or SOLTs). We’ll be checking out representatives from all three columns and let the cream rise to the top.

As usual, Bold titles mean we’re watching that show; non-bold means TBD, and crossed-out means dropped/skipped. This list will be updated as needed. As always, hit us up in the comments if you think we’re missing something, because we probably are. Thanks! —R.S.

Last Updated 15 Oct 2018

Braverade

Goblin Slayer
Golden Kamuy (2nd Season)
Ingress
Radiant
Sword Art Online: Alicization

sesameacrylic

Ore ga Suki nano wa Imouto dakedo Imouto ja Nai
Seishun Buta Yarou wa Bunny Girl Senpai no Yume wo Minai
Yagate Kimi ni Naru
Zombieland Saga

MagicalChurlSukui

Banana Fish (Continued)
Iroduku: The World in Colors
Toaru Majutsu no Index III
TenSura
Tokyo Ghoul:re (2nd Season)