As impossible as it seems, the winter season is already starting to wind down. Final battles are being prepped for, title matches are commencing, and adventures are approaching their end. This is normally a somewhat melancholy time, and it’ll be sad to see this excellent winter pass, but it’s simultaneously impossible not to be excited for the coming season. Every season has both obvious and hidden gems, but in the case of Spring 2019, we’ve got a pile of titans clear from the very start. Spring 2019 is going to kick ass anime-wise, and I’m excited to share all my most anticipated titles with you!
As usual, my list won’t cover every single upcoming show, and also won’t really focus on base premises – you can check out anichart for all that stuff, and I don’t tend to find straightforward synopses particularly useful, anyway. Instead, I’ll be highlighting just the shows I personally have some expectations for, as well as the presumably coherent reasons for that enthusiasm, be it staff or source material or something else entirely. It’s not hyperbole, nor even particularly controversial to say Spring 2019 will be offering shows from some of the best anime directors of all time. Starting with a few of those legendary figures, let’s run down the highlights of the coming season!
First up, we’ve got the new anime-original production by Shinichiro Watanabe, the director of Cowboy Bebop, Samurai Champloo, and Kids in the Slope. That sentence alone has likely sold most of you, and for good reason – Watanabe just doesn’t really make bad things. Even the works of his with a more mixed reception, like Terror in Resonance, at the very least demonstrate his mastery of direction and sound design, and his tendency to filter his stories through a uniquely western-influenced tone. Additionally, Carole & Tuesday will be once again blending Watanabe’s love of scifi with his passion for music, offering more opportunities for the transcendent sort of jam sessions that made Kids on the Slope such a marvel. It’s a new Watanabe show. You should probably see it.
You can check out the PV here.
Moving on to the other absurd directorial titan of the season, we also have Kunihiko Ikuhara’s latest manifesto. Between Revolutionary Girl Utena, Mawaru Penguindrum, and Yurikuma Arashi, Ikuhara has established himself as both one of the most aesthetically inventive and socially conscious creators in anime, crafting spiraling tragicomedies that dance through surrealism and character drama to arrive at furious and insightful social commentary. And this time, Ikuhara is teaming up with MAPPA, a young and talent-flush studio with a strong catalog of their own. Ikuhara is essentially a living legend in anime, and a new show by him is always a cause for celebration. I’ve got high hopes for Sarazanmai!
You can check out Sarazanmai’s PV here.
Mitsuru Adachi is a mangaka who has become very famous for writing the same sports drama over and over again his whole career. That might seem like a dig, but when you read any of his works, you’ll see the reason he’s so revered – he is extremely good at writing this particular sports story, and his understanding of efficient characterization, the rise and fall of compelling drama, and long-form narrative crafting is basically transcendent. Another of his works, Cross Game, is literally my favorite manga, and I seriously doubt he’s become less of a maddeningly precise virtuoso in his stories since. The production staff looks somewhat questionable here, but I have great faith in the material, making Mix my initial sports recommendation of the season.
With Bones currently dazzling everyone with their take on the titanic My Hero Academia, it would appear it’s ufotable’s turn to tackle a major Shonen Jump property. Kimetsu no Yaiba’s source material slots neatly into the classic Jump wheelhouse, and the trailers so far have demonstrated a unique aesthetic sensibility, fairly reasonable animation, and some heavy involvement from ufotable’s prominent CG team. It’s doubtful this production is going to receive the kind of love they afford to their Fate properties, but as far as shonen adventure goes, Kimetsu no Yaiba seems like a dependable pick.
You can check out the PV here.
The sequel to One Punch Man is easily one of the most generally anticipated titles coming into this season, and for good reason – its mixture of utterly gorgeous animation and tongue-in-cheek comedy made for one of the most entertaining action shows in years. OPM’s consistent irreverence actually made it hard for me to deeply engage with the show, but I still respected its feats of animation – which is what makes me worried about this upcoming season. Director Shingo Natsume did more than just ensure the first season of OPM had a compelling, consistent, and polished look – he was a brilliant animator in his own right, and was able to personally reach out to and ensure the participation of many of the best animators in the business. With OPM shifting its main staff and even studio, I’m guessing there will be a lot of disappointed fans by this season’s halfway point. Still, OPM is OPM, and we can still probably expect some fun gags and impressive fights.
You can check out the worryingly limited PV here.
Fruits Basket is essentially a classic of shoujo manga at this point, and though I get the feeling both its comedy and drama are going to feel a little dated to modern audiences, it almost seems like TMS Entertainment is treating this remake as a genuine prestige project, and giving it the kind of visual care that might elevate its creaky fundamentals. The promotional material released so far looks lovely, and to be honest, I’ve felt like I should probably get around to watching Fruits Basket for maybe fifteen years now. It’s a beloved and influential property, and if this ends up being the definitive take on it, it should be a very entertaining ride.
You can check out the PV here.
This one seems pretty far outside my wheelhouse, and I’m guessing I personally won’t stick around beyond the first episode, but its credentials seem worth highlighting. The story looks to be your typical grimdark fantasy fare, but director Kenichi Suzuki seems like exactly the right guy to handle that – he directed both Drifters and the second half of Stardust Crusaders, after all. Additionally, the series composition is being handled by the original writer of Grimgar, a story that managed to find nuance and emotional range in the generally regrettable isekai genre. Probably not my thing, but if you like bloody action, this might be worth a look.
You can check out the PV here.
That covers it for me, although I’m sure this season will have plenty more pleasant surprises. And beyond stuff I’m personally interested, this season is flush with highly anticipated sequels, from Bungou Stray Dogs to Remember the Titans. I hope you’ve found something new to look forward to in my rundown, and please let me know what else you’re all anticipating in the comments!
I think it says something about Ikuhara, that when I first read the synopsis of Sanzanmai I thought it was probably something inspired by his works.