Hello all, and oh my god, I can barely believe it. I nearly choked up just writing “Winter 2021” for this article title, as I was faced with the enormity of realizing 2020 might one day be over. It’s not even that far off, now! After a year that has simultaneously felt momentary and endless (as Isaac Brock says, “the years go fast but the days go so slow”), it’s at last time to look forward to next year. And though 2021 isn’t exactly promising a reprieve in terms of our global pandemic or political disenfranchisement, it is offering a bunch of cartoons to at least distract us from the end of the world.
Per usual, I won’t be breaking all of the season’s coming attractions here – you can check out a full list over at anichart, along with synopses and trailers and whatnot. Instead, I’ll just be covering the shows that actually grabbed my attention, be it via a strong staff list, impressive trailer, or noteworthy source material. I think that about covers the preamble, so let’s get into it, and see what’s in store in the winter season!
The winter is looking to be another sequel-stacked season, but that’s not such a problem when they’re expanding shows as good as Laid-Back Camp. The show’s first season was one of the strongest slice of life productions we’ve had in years, and managed the brilliant trick of balancing energetic “after-school club” slice of life with more contemplative, mood-driven iyashikei, courtesy of the split between Nadeshiko and Rin’s camping experiences. Rin’s solo trips were a particular highlight, featuring consistently gorgeous background art, and vividly capturing the appeal of being alone in nature. With the series director, animation director, and series composer all returning for season two, I’ve got every reason to suspect Laid-Back Camp will maintain its strengths, and am looking forward to relying on it as a pillar of winter warmth.
Here’s the season two PV!
Beastars’ inclusion here is as much of a shame-reminder as anything else, as I still haven’t plowed through the first season of Beastars. But by all accounts I’ve heard, it’s been a terrific production and anime on the whole, which isn’t terribly surprising; the manga was heavily acclaimed, and studio Orange (Land of the Lustrous) are one of the best in the business. Once again, all the key staff are holding steady between seasons, making Beastars one of the surest bets of the winter season – and giving me plenty of incentive to get off my ass and actually watch the damn thing.
Here’s the PV.
I promise we’ll get to new shows eventually, but first off, heck yeah, more Log Horizon. Log Horizon’s first two seasons placed it near the pinnacle of isekai adaptations, in spite of its fairly modest visual execution, by virtue of its refreshingly thoughtful approach to worldbuilding, and focus on working to build an actual society and economy within its virtual space. Then, in hilariously unsurprising news, the writer got pinned for tax fraud, leaving the franchise’s future in question. But it seems like Mamare Touno has repaid his debt to society, so I’m looking forward to seeing where this ambitious narrative heads next.
Alright, here we go. Based on an acclaimed manga, Horimiya is likely my top prospect for the winter season, for one simple reason: Masashi Ishihama. Ishihama is one of the industry’s great unsung directors, having contributed gorgeous openings and endings to a variety of productions, but never broken into the spotlight via a hit of his own. From the New World is currently his standing masterpiece, and also one of the best anime of all time, so while I don’t necessarily think Horimiya will be a better venue for his talents, I’m still eager to see what he brings to its material.
Though its “skaters compete to race through an abandoned mine” premise doesn’t exactly sound like my sort of thing, SK8 has a powerful weapon on its side: Hiroko Utsumi, the Kyoto Animation expat who served as the initial director of the Free! franchise, before heading off to direct Banana Fish. Utsumi’s a powerful talent, and SK8’s initial trailers look fluid enough to keep my attention. Probably a bit of a long shot, but Utsumi’s always worth looking out for.
Here’s the PV.
Another wildcard of a choice, Otherside Picnic sneaks onto my list by virtue of its strong trailer, which demonstrates both an excellent sense of visual composition, as well as some very strong background art. Director/series composer Takuya Satou is a steady hand, whose consistent work on Steins;Gate seems like a clear touchstone for this show’s aesthetic. Ultimately, the question comes down to its source material – yuri slice of life married to gritty urban fantasy doesn’t seem like a natural fit, but there could be something here.
Here’s the PV.
Alright, that covers the television anime! Of course, these days, it’s starting to feel like television anime has surrendered entirely to the artless indulgence of light novel adaptations, while any artistically interesting new projects have been migrating to film. Thus, before I leave off, it seems appropriate to highlight some upcoming (or yet-to-be-available) feature films!
At long last, one of anime’s most enduring journeys is coming to an end. Evangelion remains my all-time favorite anime, and my pick for the art form’s greatest achievement, and though I never really saw the need for the Rebuild series, it’s still made for a fascinating journey. 3.0 in particular was a gripping turn for the series, and I’m eager to see what Anno has cooked up for his finale. That said, I might be even more excited to see what Studio Khara’s absurd talent do after this, now that the specter of Evangelion has hopefully passed.
With an excellent team behind it and an aesthetic clearly informed by the works of Naoko Yamada, Josee is looking to be a fantastic romantic drama. The trailers look terrific, clearly benefiting from the presence of The Idolmaster’s own animation director, and the story looks to be precisely the kind of thoughtful, messy character drama I tend to love. I’ve got high hopes for this one!
Looking for Magical Doremi
If you somehow missed my articles over the past couple years, I’ve recently learned that Ojamajo Doremi isn’t just one of the best children’s anime out there, it’s one of the best anime, period. And twenty years on from its initial release, we’re now receiving a loving revival film, featuring almost all of the esteemed original creators. Looking for Magical Doremi focuses on a group of adults who were actually fans of the original Doremi series, and are now remembering its magic later in life – an oddly appropriate choice for us adult anime fans, and with plenty of potential to reduce me to a sobbing mess. I’m very excited!
Alright, now we’ve covered all my top prospects. The actual new shows are pretty thin on the ground, but to be honest, any sequel-heavy season is going to be light on shows to recommend, because shows that only potentially exist are all promise, whereas shows with actual seasons out are much easier to define. In spite of that, I’ve got a decent list of personal picks, and hope one or two of my highlights interest you as well. The world may be on fire, but anime will endure!
Any thoughts on Back Arrow?
It has ex-sunrise director Goro Taniguchi who directed Planetes and Maria the Virgin Witch, along with Code Geass. And it has Gurren Laggan’s writer
Why is it unsurprising for Log Horizon’s writer to be pinned for tax fraud? Is it a joke at light novel writers being poor, or a joke about otaku being terrible with their money?
No, it’s a joke about how he wrote a story that’s largely about manipulating the economy of a virtual world, and then seemingly tried to do the same with his personal finances.