Looking Forward to Winter 2019 (1st Day of Anime 2018)

So let’s get this ball rolling!

So, with the removal of the 2018 resolutions, I’m now free to pursue only what I’m interested in. Therefore, these shows are split into 3 categories – “Likely to Appear and Hyped For”, “Not Likely to Appear but Hyped For” and “Those I Left Behind/Movies/OVAs”. Note:

• If a show doesn’t appear here, it may show up if it gets favourable ratings before I begin the winter 2019 season.
• Bold is Crunchyroll, underlined is Sentai/HiDive, strikethrough is Funimation. I’m not sure what those guys are doing with simulcasts in winter 2019, but I guess I’ll list everyone separately just in case.
• Ratings are best to worst in each category aside from the last one.

Likely to Appear and Hyped For

• Mob Psycho II – Even if I never showed how much I enjoyed the first season around here…because I couldn’t think of a way for a post to work properly without bashing the simplistic plot…I still enjoyed it a bunch, enough for it to rank at the top. 
• Fukigen na Mononokean Tsuzuki (Morose Mononokean 2) – Also a known quantity, but this one was preceded by a frustrating non-ending. Why’s it not up top? Because Mob Psycho is more capable of delivering on its promises.
• Tate no Yuusha no Nariagari (Rising of the Shield Hero) – I was intrigued by this series when it first came out because it was the debut licence of a licensor I’d never heard of, but I haven’t been able to find the books or the spinoff about the Spear Hero anywhere in print (or maybe I’ll have to request it from my local library). Hopefully this anime will allow me to read the books…then I want those ones about the otome games…
• Mahou Shoujo Tokushusen Asuka (Magical Girl Spec Ops Asuka) – It’s a grimdark magical girl anime. It could be a Madoka ripoff or it could be something genuinely great. Either way, I’m willing to hedge my bets because…well, it’s a magical girl show. I only pass on those if they have paywalls on ’em or are subsequent seasons to ones I haven’t started yet.
• Grimms Notes – This actually sounds really compelling if done well…unlike Marchen Madchen. We all know how hard that one bombed.
• Kaguya-sama – Kaguya-sama Wants to Be Confessed To: A Battle of Wits Between Two Geniuses…even the official English title, Kaguya-sama: Love is War is a bit of a long title, so thank goodness it has a shorter way to refer to it. I’m wary of how the comedy will fare over a standard 24-minute runtime, but otherwise the first volume has proven to me it’s great for adding a bit of light rom-com in your day.
• Doukyonin wa Hiza, Tokidoki, Atama no Ue. – Another “light” series, this time about a cat and owner duo. Expecting a lot of cuteness and SoL from this.
• Meiji Tokyo Renka – A romance show means more bishies to ogle…that’s all I’ll say on that front.
• Dimension High School – The style sounds like a bad idea…I mean, when you’re an anime fan, you normally hate the guts of random live-action segments, not to mention the fact it’s set in a high school is no spoiler! However, there are various reasons why I’m here for this show: 1) one of the Touken Ranbu illustrators did character designs (and you can really tell!), 2) one of the Boueibu Happy Kiss voice actors (Takahide Ishii, VA of Wakura) is part of the cast and 3) depending on how it’s handled, it could turn out well…like a certain Western cartoon called Chalkzone, which I remember fondly.
• Egao no Daika – A mech show, which is not my style…combined with the star power of Toshiki Masuda, who has led me in positive directions before. Hopefully that happens again.
• Bermuda Triangle: Colorful Pastrale – Okay, I know this is a spinoff of Cardfight Vanguard so I won’t understand much, but for some reason I’m really curious as to how the entire “mermaid idol” thing works out in a card-duelling series.
• Pastel Memories – It’s a series squarely not up my alley. I admit that. However, I tacked it on to my watchlist…because I kept confusing this with the previous entry. Also, you never know: this could be a rare chance for “otaku girls” (whatever that may entail) to gain recognition, assuming it doesn’t just follow typical game adaption or CGDCT conventions.

Not Likely to Appear but Hyped For

This category is for anime I could catch up with over the holidays…assuming I’m not doing something else instead. Includes all anime confirmed to be under Amazon/Netflix.

• Yakusoku no Neverland – Under Amazon (update: in Japan only). I don’t think very highly of this series (I don’t loathe it as much as Jujutsu Kaisen, though) but if I can say I supported something from as close to the beginning of its time in existence as possible, then it’s all the better for me, y’know?
• Boogiebop wa Warawanai – I’ve seen one episode of the 1st adaption and I wasn’t sure if I liked it or not…I got quite confused. If this goes from the beginning though and tells the story in a much clearer manner, then I may give it a shot.
• Revisions – Under Netflix.
• B Project Zecchou Emotion – Once upon a time, I started B Project. Now that Crunchyroll and Funimation have separated, I don’t think I’d be able to watch this without jumping even more barriers than I had to for one episode of the first season, but…you never know.
• Kemono Friends 2 – Sometimes I am a vulnerable person who gives into hype too easily, so I threw the first season on to my watchlist. Now, here we are…and I still haven’t watched season 1.
• Kemurikusa – Whether I watch this or not is entirely dependent on whether I like the artstyle of Kemono Friends…once I watch that.
• Dororo – Under Amazon.

Those I Left Behind/Movies/OVAs

Yes, I’m actually covering movies and OVAs this time. Now that HiDive and Crunchyroll have teamed up, it’s likely these will show up somewhere. As for the one movie that isn’t guaranteed to show up anywhere…I may give it a chance if it shows up anywhere legally.

• Tensei Shitara Slime Datta Ken – This is the most likely show I’ll get back to if I have too much empty space in my lineup.
• Run with the Wind
• Radiant

• Princess Principal movie
• DanMachi movie
• Ashita Sekai ga Owaru toshitemo
• Royal Tutor movie

• Honda-san OVA
• Lupin III OVA
• Golden Kamuy OVA

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By the way, I’m going to have that bunch of 2018 rankings – exactly like the ones from last year – happening starting tomorrow, so there’s absolutely no rest for the weary here… 

So what are you looking forward to in the new year? Is there anything you’d like to make a case for that I haven’t mentioned?