As the summer titles are finishing, this week saw the start of the first of anime shows this fall. As usual there are tons of shows, and most likely quite a few sleepers you’ll only chance upon when the “dust have settled”. Looking at what fans are most excited about, I get a feeling anime is heading towards the “Hollywood sickness” with endless hype surrounding sequels and reboots. Crunchyroll reported the top 20 most anticipated shows among the Japanese fans and the awaited new seasons of megahits are as expected on top. You actually have to go down to #12 to find a title that’s not sequel (the basketball show Ahiru no Sora).
In the top 10 we find titles like Shokugeki no Soma (the 4th season), Nanatsu no Taizai (in its 3rd full season, not counting OVAs and movies), Boku no Hero Academia (4th season) and Fate/Grand Order (basically it’s 7th outing). The most anticipated return is said to be the third season of Chihayafuru. Chihayafuru is based on a josei manga and is centered around the traditional japanese card game karuta. Season 2 aired back in 2013 so fans have been waiting for this show for quite some time.
Of the returning series I’m most hyped for the third season of Psycho-Pass. This sci-fi series will only feature 8 episode and begins airing October 24. Blade the Immortal gets a reboot that should be interesting, and Fairy Gone is also returning for a second season.
Besides these usual suspects, the fall also offers a few new shows it might be worth checking out. Two new fantasy/isekai-shows that seems to be funny/interesting are Hataage! Kemono Michi and Shinchou Yuusha: Kono Yuusha ga Ore Tsueee Kuse ni Shinchou Sugiru. Hataage! Kemono Michi follows a Japanese pro wrestler transported to a fantasy world and setting up a monster pet shop while Shinchou Yuusha is centered around a overly cautious hero/gamer being summoned to bet a game-like fantasy world set on hard mode.
No Guns Life is a cyberpunk series I will be watching, I haven’t read the manga the show is based on the blurb (main character wakes up a cyborg with erased memories) it seems like a show I would be interested in.
I’m also very glad this season sees anime cross over to another of my main hobbies. Houkago Saikoro Club is an anime show based around school girls learning to play and enjoy board games. Based on a ongoing manga series, this show will certainly be fun to watch for any board gamers out there. In the first episode the characters were introduced to Marrakech. Also fun trying to spot which games you can find in the background of this little gem of an anime show. The theme alone makes this my #1 pick for this season!
Tabletop Cave 