Fall 2018 Anime

Since a handful of folks have been commenting on this season (which is starting to wrap up), I figured I'd open a thread on it. 

Zombie Land Saga - A-

In the year 2008, high school girl Sakura Minamoto is abruptly killed in a traffic accident. Ten years later, Sakura, along with six "legendary" girls from various eras of Japan's history, are brought back as zombies by a man named Kotaro Tatsumi, who seeks to save Saga Prefecture by putting together an all-zombie idol group known as Franchouchou.

I don't like zombies and am not generally a fan of idol anime, but this original project from studio MAPPA hooked me from the first episode and while it stumbled a bit at the end, is still my favorite show of the season.

SSSS.Gridman - A

Yuuta Hibiki is a first-year student in high school living in Tsutsujidai. One day, he wakes up without his memories. Yuuta later meets Hyper Agent GRIDMAN who is inside an old computer. GRIDMAN tells him to fulfill his purpose. Yuuta's quest to understand the meaning behind those words and to find his memories begins.

Leave it to Studio Trigger to reimagine a forgettable early 1990s tokusatsu series into an absolutely amazing anime. Strong characters with a deep story make it the best show I saw this season.

Release the Spyce - B+

The series follows Tsukikage, a group of female high school spies who gain power from spices and secretly fight against crime syndicates to protect the city of Sorasaki.

A modern-day version of Princess Principal with more of a James Bond / action-picture vibe. While Princess Principal was the more consistently good show, Spyce had a few really solid episodes and overall stayed good so if you liked PP, I'd suggest giving it a hot.

Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai - B+

There's a rumor about a mysterious phenomenon call "puberty syndrome." For example, Sakuta Azusagawa is a high school student who suddenly sees a bunny girl appear in front of him. The girl is Mai Sakurajima, Sakuta's upperclassman and also a famous actress who has gone on hiatus from the entertainment industry. For some reason, the people around Mai cannot see her bunny-girl figure. Sakuta sets out to solve this mystery, and as he spends time with Mai, he learns her secret feelings. Other heroines who have "puberty syndrome" start to appear in front of Sakuta.

Not one I was planning to watch, but a friend who was watching it strongly recommended it so I queued up the first six episodes and was hooked. I get a kind of Hyouka vibe from it, though I am not sure that is really accurate. The various Puberty Syndromes have a kind of supernatural aspect (though they are actually manifestations of certain quantum physics theories) and I love that stuff so that probably helped.


Skull-face Bookseller Honda-san - B+

A skeleton named Honda works in a bookstore. Hilarity ensues daily in his work at the shop's manga counter.

Anime adaption of a self-insert mangaka who worked at a bookstore. If you have ever worked retail, you will relate.


Thunderbolt Fantasy Sword Seekers 2 - A-

Both friends and foes have followed Shāng Bù Huàn across the Wasteland of Spirits from Xī Yōu. With the Sorcerous Sword Index in jeopardy, he must fight to keep the demon swords out of the wrong hands.

Second season of the greatest television show with puppets ever made. Overall, the story was slightly less engaging (hence the A-), but still absolutely amazing and am hyped it just secured a third season.

Bloom into You - A-

Yū has always loved shōjo manga and awaits the day she gets a love confession that sends her heart aflutter with bubbles and blushes, and yet when a junior high classmate confesses his feelings to her, she feels nothing. Disappointed and confused, Yū enters high school still unsure how to respond. That's when Yū sees the beautiful student council president Nanami turn down a suitor with such maturity that she's inspired to ask her for help. But then the next person to confess to Yū is Nanami herself.

A refreshingly real look at LGBT relationships with real teenage and adult protagonists. I wish more anime romances would take a page from this and Tsuki ga Kirei as they would be so much better for it.