Any anime fans?

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This is my question to answer, and I apologise for being busy the last couple days to do so.

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba should be up your alley, it is a pretty recent anime that was actually pretty popular, set during when I think Japan is starting to feel influence of the west, and the monsters, or demons, are mostly vampire like in nature.


Dororo (2019) seems like the exact sort of thing, historical with warring states, and youkai like monsters that the main character must slay.


Golden Kamuy does not have any youkai, but it is historical in set in the aftermath of I think a Japan and Russia war, about trying to follow leads to a hidden cache of gold, and largely following a native group of Japan that you rarely hear about. It can get a little weird.


Konohana Kitan is a little different from the other anime, it is not really an action show, but is about what I think are youkai that run a hotel for other youkai, with a historical like flare to it. Maybe if you want something a little different, being more girl focused.


Another one that may seem like a weird recommendation, Maria the Virgin Witch, set during the 100 year war in France, that means not really any youkai, but you have the more European stuff. I know that the name can sound a little, being about a witch who has her virginity being made a deal, but I think that it is pretty good, has an interesting element where its lore is that all religion is true, and Christianity is trying to force other beliefs out.


I think that Meiji Tokyo Renka could fit what you are looking for, its story about a modern girl being sent to the Meiji era, which I think had some okay comedy with that, I am pretty sure also had spirits of sorts.


Told to recommend some historical anime, I would be remis to not recommend Shōwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjū. It is set in the real world with no fantasy, compared to other anime perhaps not that long ago being I think less than 100 years, sometimes even more recent, and centers mostly around a type of historical art/performance, Rakugo, a type of storytelling. In a broad sense it is about a how this traditional artform managed to survive the changing society of Japan, with a battle between tradition and innovation, the pride of tradition, and the guilt of not adapting, like a historical allegory of Japan itself. This show is actually really something special with how it can draw you into the performances. Totally recommend.


Not really historical at all, and no youkai, but when asked for recommendations I like to give out also somethings a little different that I wonder if could appeal, The Ancient Magus' Bride. What I like about this show is how it handles European folklore that is fairies, and not the kind that are pixies, but the complicated nature of the fair folk, that could be dangerous or caring depending on the circumstance, without really out of what you call malice. I like to think the creator kind of understood the youkai like nature of European folklore.


All of these are of the past 5 years.

AprilR: Thank you, I already watched some Ghibli movies including Mononoke, I liked it too

Bradleigh: Oh wow, I like your detailed recommendations, all of them seem to be interesting, thank you so much!
Some weeks ago I started Beastars based on your previous post, kind of slightly dark but love it so far!

I am happy if any of my recommendations prove helpful. I pretty much went through my list of 2015 to 2019 and picked out what I think could match.


Thought I might use this chance to talk about the current season that is in its last few weeks now.

For some reason the YouTube video I linked for Keep You Hands Off Eizouken did not work, and I can't seem to edit it. So I will be putting it bellow, because Easy Breezy is easily the best OP of the season. Even seen memes of the signature poses of the OP. The show has also well lived up to expectations, I am especially fond of many of the random characters.


Also, Seton Academy I think is pretty confirmed to have the best ED of the season, so cute with how the voice actress plays purposefully bad singing for the scruffy dog character. She previously played the part of Hanako in Asobi Asobase, a show I hold to as being incredibly funny, pushed along that the voice actress did things like perfect teenage girl screeches. I imagine hard on the voice, but big impact. Seton Academy was passed over quite a bit, but I think has proven itself. Also, lots of sloth deaths.


I have not mention it before because I think there is no legal way to watch it yet, but there has been one particular show this season that takes the cake as downright craziest, Dorohedoro. I could try and give an explanation of the plot, something about sorcerers practicing unethical magic on mundane people, but the setting and or atmosphere of this show is just insane, such as crazy level of violence that just makes it the story itself feel like some sort of fever dream. Like there never feels like a correct response to physical danger, just straight up killing people, and I kind of suspect that people killed are turned into food, not that they come out and say it, and some characters seem to think that is too far to go in the chances it comes up.

The whole thing was kind of turning me off at the start to not really get into it, but the insanity just kind of started to get more and more infectious. Especially one character feeling kind of like the cute mascot kind of character usually wearing a skull mask that is totally not cute.... she is just so unpredictable. As I said, it just kind of got to me that I went from watching to get an answer to what I just watched, and I kind of got into it.


Don't think that I talked about it too much, but Radiant Season 2 finished recently, and I in general found the second season so much better than the first, I especially liked how it handled things like female characters, while it was a little flat in the first season.

Kind of feels like the show I am most coming back to this season is Interspecies Reviewers. It has had gender swapping, fairies, mushroom girls, literally very hot girls, dangerously thirsty succubi, golems, an egg episode that was kind of too gross even for the principal cast. Even the generally mundane roleplay was fun in needing to act like bad guys, which the sweet angel Crim kept feeling bad about, or a Minotaur that was really bad at acting. I think the next episode will have undead, which is bound to be all sorts of uncomfortable parts to it.

Oh no, the anime i mentioned is just called Mononoke, it's not the ghibli one! Also seconding Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu although i couldn't bear to watch the second season because too much drama

So much drama, quite a number of rakugo are about being dramatic. It does ramp up, but kind of why I like the more modern day (I think 80s) main character who simply rolls off any drama, despite himself being an ex-con. Not watching the second season you are really missing out on Konatsu's journey, she has an absolute amazing episode.

Alright, I think that the majority of the Spring 2020 anime have released at least their 1st episodes, a few more, so I think that I should be able to give my current recommendations of this season.

I suppose my first recommendation should be the first one I saw of the group, BNA: Brand New Animal, which was a little different in releasing several episodes at once. I think that it is mostly worth mentioning as something I had on my radar from first just a look at but at its studio, Studio Trigger, which is one of my absolute favourite studios that has brought things like Kill la Kill, Little Witch Academia, Inferno Cop, Kiznaiver, Space Patrol Luluco and were part of the studios behind Darling in the Franxx. And I would say that Brand New Animal totally lives up to the Trigger name with its creativity, the sort of Trigger energy that I love. Its setting is about a city where beast people live away from being discriminated against by humans.



My next recommendation is what seems to be one of the highest expected new shows of the season, My Next Life as a Villain: All Routes Lead to Doom, a rare female isekai that might normally be more of a male protagonist. The general plot is of a girl getting memories that she was once a Japanese girl and that she has been reborn in the world of one of her favourite Otome games (a game where generally the female player character gets her pick of guy), but rather than being the heroine of the game she is in fact the villain. Her crisis comes the villain generally ending up doomed at the end of every route, so she is trying to figure out how to survive, the good news is she is starting as a child, which made the first episode pretty good. This is really looking to be one funny, and feels like a hot minute since a good reverse harem like show.



My next recommendation based on first episode is Princess Connect! Re:Dive, which based on what I knew beforehand was that it would be mostly an excuse for cute girls. But instead the first episode has a bit of that, but its biggest draw seems to be its humor, it was filled with slapstick and jokes that blindsight you, not at all resting on the simple cute and more power fantasy thing. The key seems to be that the director of this is the same as Konosuba, one of the funniest fantasy shows of the generation, and you can feel his mastery of comedic timing and stylistic choices such as using game elements such as loading screens. Can't really find a good trailer or OP yet, so bellow is just a scene that Crunchyroll has on its channel and idea of what to maybe expect.



Something that could turn about hit or miss based on how it is handled is my next pick Wave, Listen to Me, notable for its modern day all adult cast, likely based on issues of real people. The general premise is of a I think in her 20s that one day found her drunken rant she did on a bender being broadcast on the radio, and people kind of like the way she speaks, not softly as she is generally pretty abrasive. The first half of the first episode seemed set later in the series and was a bit confusing without context, but I have found myself enjoying the two episodes out so far. Kind of feels refreshing.



Going one of the nostalgia trips for certain people of the season, the 2020 Digimon Adventure series, what appears to be reboot or remake of the original 90s Digimon series, with the original cast of characters. I totally watched this along with Pokémon back in the day, and am super psyched to see these characters repurposed into a more modern setting, things like the Net more of an everyday aspect than it was back then. No idea how long it will run for, and I am kind of up for following it in Japanese over the English version I was familiar with, Tai's name is Taichi, Izzy's name is Izumi and Kairi's name is Hikari, bonus that so far Digimon names seem to mostly be the same. Taichi also has a smartphone.



Next is one I am not entirely sold on, but should have enough elements that I should not be so worried, Kakushigoto. The general plot is of a single father who tries to keep the existence of his job as a manga author from his daughter, afraid that she would lose respect for him if she learned what he works on. One of the aspects I picked up on fairly quickly was that character designs look a whole lot like those of Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei, and no surprise to learn that the original manga creator is the one who created SZS and Joshiraku, you can totally feel his style. So far it has mostly felt like comedy, which feels a bit hit or miss as an English watcher from things like quick language based jokes, also I am totally distracted by how much cute young girl characters look like the psychos in SZS. But there are also touches of more things, genuine sadness, questions that it started off with that I am not quite sure if it will hit comedy or tragedy.



This season's CGDCT (Cute Girls Doing Cute Things) anime is Diary of Our Days at the Breakwater. It generally does not feel that special, the general sort of fluff for a CGDCT, with the thing this time being fishing, which feels turgently like Yuru Camp that managed to prove how appealing these sorts of shows can be. It is comfy and generally easy to watch, and if you can put up with the fact of things like sugar overdose, or that this one has things like wharf roaches and octopus being cut up, some icky things, I think that it one could easily have a good time.



The next one I kind of have a good feeling of so far, but I can't say too much of the first episode seeming to be representative, Appare Ranman!, which is being done by PA Works, which I am very much of the opinion can be very hit or miss, and I am not quite feeling miss yet. Its setting will be America, round about Wild West times, but its main plot seems to likely more going to be something akin to a race across America that could be like an anime version of a time relevant Wacky Racers.



There are also a bunch of sequel seasons this season, with Season 2 of Ascendance of a Bookworm, Fruits Basket, and Kaguya-sama Love is War, season 5 of Food Wars, and season I am not sure of Sword Art Online (which I look forward to but last few seasons of Alicization have not been my sort of thing). And an entire season of Dropkick on my Devil (Jashin-chan Dropkick) came all out at once, which is a comedy series I like with its silly violence, and feel a little down in having binged the entire thing.

There are a lot of other shows, a couple maybe still left to preview, a number that I am pretty sceptical of or fit other peoples tastes.

Yeah scooby doo in anime, make it happen.

And now for the Summer 2020 anime. A whole bunch of shows went on hiatus due to the whole pandemic thing, which included Digimon Adventure, Diary of Our Days at the Breakwater and Appare Ranman!, and most shows seem to be resuming. Digimon Adventure in particular has had new episodes, and I still think the series is a treat. But we also have some new shows.

Deca-Dence has been a particular interesting show, that really has thrown me for a loop in its first two episodes. At first it has a sort of Attack on Titan like feel, with the remnants of humanity stuck inside the moving fortress that I think the series gets its name from, but it also gets weird. A hint at the end of the first episode backed up by the second episode as something I might not have expected and honestly don't have a good idea on how to react, I will just say that it has some jarring setting and design themes. The opening maybe has some spoilers to these sorts of things, if you want to go in blind.


Uzaki-chan Wants to Hang Out! might be an easier watch as a simple kind of romantic comedy around a generally easy to understand premise. Introverted guy in college is pitied on by his old and current kouhai (junior), so she keeps on trying to insert herself into his life so that he would be happier, and of course he acts like he can't stand her, it does not look like he hates her, and she is most likely doing it not out of pity but that she likes him. I imagine some people could get frustrated with elements, but I generally enjoy it.


Monster Girl Girlfriend might be up the ally for some monster girl shenanigans, being the new show with monster girls with a twist, being about medical work as a doctor treating them. I have my complaints though, I am not too comfortable with how it feels like it sexualizes medical examinations, that kind of feels like a step too far, and I think that it could have doubled down on the body elements of fantasy races without needing to resort to sexuality. Like just focus on getting the body right, rather than something like the length of the lamia's tail feeling like it varies all the time.


Rent-a-Girlfriend has a suspicious name, and you can probably get a basic idea of what the premise is, the main character calling up a service to rent a girlfriend (because he was dumped), and shenanigans from there. I think that it has so far proven pretty good, there does not seem to be any shaming that a woman would sell her services to give lonely people a date, while no less I would say pushing healthier relationships, if the second episode is to be presumed from. It mostly seems like a nice romantic comedy show, with adult characters, and has me interested. But the show does have "those two guys", the sort of thing where the loser protagonist has two male friends who are mostly there to be nerdy friends that are even worse with women than him, while shaming him.


The Misfit of Demon King Academy is one of those super powerful protagonist anime, the sort of setting being that the main character is the reincarnation of an ancient demon lord that took over the world in the past and is revered. What I like about this one is how utterly unbelievably strong he is, that it kind of feels ridiculous that no one is straight away seeing how powerful and strange his existence is that he has to be the demon king, something about the power scaling and the story running alongside that is somewhat entertaining to me. Could be a disappointment though if you are absolutely sick of super strong protagonists, but I think at least his confidence matching his power is good.


There really is not a whole lot of absolutely new shows, but there are a bunch of worthwhile sequels. Most notable is Re:Zero Season 2, the first season be a very good show in the isekai genre, and looking forward to what comes next. My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU Climax is a third season that I have been waiting 5 years for, a good meta "romantic comedy" anime, that confronts things like toxicity around the genre. There is also Fire Force Season 2, No Guns Life Season 2, and Sword Art Online: Alicization War of Underworld Part 2, which I don't know what season it is of Sword Art Online but I hope it will be better than some of its past seasons.

Yeah the next few seasons are going to contain so many shows. Can't wait for my bunnies and my Renge.

I like Berzerk and Initial D.

I finished the Yorknew arc for HxH

Okay, it is now Fall 2020, and I think that most of the new anime have had their first episodes out, and the list is bananas, there is so many shows this season that in anticipation I had to make a spreadsheet so I could keep track of them all. The list is currently at about 38 shows, with the weekend especially full with my list putting over 10 shows on each day, I will have to be putting my foot down to drop shows, because I really don't want to go through this kind of labour where I write my thoughts at the end in the Anime News Network forums. But I will try and place some of the ones I consider standouts.

My starting recommendation will be Sleepy Princess in the Demon Castle, this seems like one of those shows that sounds hard to recommend on paper. It follows events of a cliché demon lord stealing a princess to his castle which demands a hero to go rescue her, but we instead follow the princess who bored in the castle tries to get some good sleep, as events start to go from her being held by the demons to them being stuck with her. In practice it has been incredibly funny as against the cliché the princess has a lot of agency and it is funny seeing how at her mercy they are, also cute.


Next one, Talentless Nana, which I am going to put as a bit of a special case. The general outline is a super power show where you could draw comparisons to My Hero Academia, and my recommendations is to check out the first episode without looking up any information about it. Don’t come in for super light and breezy, and probably best to check it out without any extra expectations, the trailer bellow should be fine.


Now, a real surprise of the season for me has to be one of the absolute strangest ones that a plot description does a disservice, Hypnosis Mic. Now, there is some sort of plot in this show about some organisation I think led by women who wanted to take power away from men by banning weapons and having magical mikes solve conflict, but the important thing is: ANIME RAP BATTLES! I am not being hyperbolic in saying that this is a show about literal anime rap battles, and it is glorious. It is something that has to be experienced firsthand, even unironically enjoyable.


The next one might be a little premature at this point, it’s first episode was mostly a lighthearted womp but veterans can feel it may be hiding its power level, The Day I Became a God. This is an original show, but has got attention because it is written by Jun Maeda and character designs by Na-Ga, both from Key and the people behind classics like Air, Kannon, Clannad, Little Busters, Angel Beats and Charlotte. Some of those are amazing, with Charlotte largely a disappointment with how it went into the second half, but generally you can expect really good humour and probably some really sad parts, which I repeat can be amazing. And the first episode of this show I can say was actually pretty funny, it was largely banter between its two main characters, but I think it really worked.


I somewhat think that the next one might be the kind I will end up saying really was not that good end in the end, that it tripped over itself, but for whatever reasons I am interested, I’m Standing on a Million Lives. My main interest is that it kind of started off with an unlikable main character, he is the third taken into a fantasy video game like world where they must complete a quest, and by chance ends up with a terrible class. His one bonus over the girls who got better classes is that he knows how games work, but his character flaws extend out to him being a loner that I would say externalises his own inadequacies onto other people, so he kind of has to learn to be a team player.


Looking for something a little gay (yuri), there is Adachi and Shimamura, there is also, there is also Assault Lily: Bouquet, but I can’t figure out how much more than maybe yuri bait it will be and whether it is playing itself straight as a SHAFT sow. But Adachi and Shimamura seems to be a more straightforward yuri, maybe a little slow depending on how it will go forward, also strangely connected to another show called Ground Control to Psychoelectric Girl in sharing a character. Well, I am planning to enjoy myself.


One show bound to be a ride this season is Akudama Dive, a cyberpunk future that seems to play funny with the law, following a number of high class ridiculous criminals. Probably one reason it is getting attention is its connection in creators from the Danganronpa series, being flashy style and a death game of characters that have specific styles to them. Could be some interesting neon fun.


Another that kind of feels like it could go a few ways is Wandering Witch - The Journey of Elaina, one of those witch shows that can be a little interesting. The first episode was about the titular Elaina learning a lesson as a gifted apprentice with the second showing that it might kind of work a bit like Kino’s Journey, with perhaps a caveat that Elaina might be setting up at needing to be humbled at some point. Not sure what will happen, but kind of have a good feeling.



There are quite a few sequels and sequel like shows this season. Straight sequels include Haikyuu, Is the Order a Rabbit?, Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? III, Golden Kamuy, The Irregular at Magic High School: Visitor Arc, and Osomatsu-san. I have especially been enjoying Golden Kamuy, which is so ridiculous at times, but Haikyuu is one of my favourite sports anime, Order a Rabbit can be very cute, Danmachi I am interested to see continue, and Osomatsu-san can be really silly fun.

The sort of sequels of the season have some different elements to them in whether you would need to watch their previous seasons. You have Yashahime: Princess Half-Demon, a next generations deal of Inuyasha, which I am watching despite not having seen Inuyasha. A new Higurashi series that I am hearing some conflicting information whether it is a sequel or a reboot, I think it is something new you could watch without seeing the original, regardless I am watching it without having seen the original. The new Love Live, it having a new cast of characters for a new high school idol group, which can be watched without seeing the previous series, which I personally was kind of into the second episode that had a character similar to my favourite character of the franchise.


There are a number of other shows that might be interesting too, that I don’t want this too long. TONIKAWA: Over The Moon For You I think has the same creator as Hayate the Combat Butler.
Jujutsu Kaisen is a shonen Jump that could feel a bit like Demon Slayer, and I think could be good action fun.
Moriarty the Patriot had a good first episode, following Moriarty as a sort of anti-hero that could be morally grey in the Sherlock Holmes like setting.
By the Grace of the Gods has my brother interested as a easy going slice of life anime, where it seems to play on slimes (monster) as being surprisingly useful.
The Gymnastics Samurai also had a pretty good first episode, which has people excited, although kind of hard to get a feel of it for me other than some interesting characters.
Maesetsu! Opening Act I think could work as the sort of moeblob anime along the lines of Lucky Star.
Dropout Idol Fruit Tart seems to have received a warm reception as a sort of high energy funny show that probably could be enjoyed by people not too interested in idol shows, perhaps a bit like Zombie Land Saga.


This season is kind of crazy, where I am probably going to continue to watch all of these, plus a few other, about a dozen I have not mentioned.

Just found this thread and it makes me unreasonably happy.

Bradleigh, you are doing holy work here with these recommendations and detailed posts, thank you.

Meanwhile I "report". From your recommendations I watched Mononoke rec by @AprilR and
Kimetsu no Yaiba, Dororo, Meiji Tokyo Reika (okay, I'm too old for this ) and The Ancient Magus' Bride rec by @Bradleigh.

I loved them all!

I just discovered this thread! It totally made my day. Thanks whoever started it. I only read the last page, but I like it already. Don't know if I'm supposed to introduce myself, so I'll just say hello, I love anime too. Some of my favorites are One piece, Natsume yuujinchou, Hozuki's coolheadedness, Aria the animation, Gintama, Ancient Magus Bride, Deadman Wonderland, Haikyuu... just to name a few.

This season I started watching:
Moriarty the patriot which I'm enjoying so far. I've read all the Sherlock Holmes stories so its an interesting take on a villain, kinda like wicked.

Sleepy princess in the demon castle. This makes me laugh, a lot. I'm in love with the little demon bears with wings.

Jujutsu Kaisen. I'm enjoying it so far. I like the dude with his eyes covered, can't remember his name.

By the Grace of the Gods. Its cute and calming when you've had a rough day. also, I wish I had some slimes to clean things for me!

Wandering Witch - The Journey of Elaina.
Its not quite what I expected, but I like it. Was expecting something like flying witch.

And I'm watching the continuation of haikyuu, golden kamuy, it the order a rabbit? And a couple more.

I love Hozuki's Coolheadednes, such a difficult show to recommend as a comedy set in hell that makes some of the awful nature of hell look fun. Now that I think about it, it kind of feels like Sleepy princess in the Demon Castle has some similarities, having demons that are kind of just fun, and a main character who can be single minded and a terror to anyone in their way all while seeming no nonsense.