It’s time for part deux of our highly esteemed season preview and for some reason, Jel has given me the lion’s part of the stuff that actually looks halfway decent to speculate about. I don’t think he’s fully grasped how this is supposed to work. Anyways, in this part, we get some more generic harem light novel hogwash, but also a highly anticipated shounen adaptation and the only second season worth talking about: Durarara!!‘s.
[In case you missed Part 1 of the guide, you can check it out here.]
The Idolm@ster Cinderella Girls
| Game Adaptation by A-1 Pictures Air Date: 1/9/2015 |
I haven’t seen a single moving second of The Idolm-at-ster in my entire life, but I still know all the girls’ names. Being one of the most annoyingly omnipresent fandoms in the anime industry will do that to a franchise, so it’s a small miracle it took A-1 Pictures so long to conjure up a sequel. Now, I despise the Japanese idol industry with every fibre of my being, especially the white-washed, sunshine-and-lollipops, no-we-are-totally-not-exploiting-these-prepubescent-girls-so-you-will-buy-the-same-CD-single-six-times version painted by The Idolm@ster and its ilk, but I’ll play nice for once because a lot of people keep telling me it’s Actually Pretty Good™. Whereas the regular Idolm@ster was based on the management-rhythm games for consoles, Cinderella Girls will be based on a mobile spin off centered around trading cards, waiting for gauges to refill and being conned out of your real-life mone– Sorry, I was gonna be positive, right? Okay, deep breaths… Cinderella Girls is based on a spin-off game from the Idolm@ster franchise. It will be made by roughly the same staff as the original anime, but it will star a new cast of one-dimensional stero– characters. You’ll probably like it if you are into that kind of stuff. Phew. |
Assassination Classroom
Ansatsu Kyoushitsu
| Manga Adaptation by Lerche Air Date: 1/9/2015 |
Assassination Classroom is one of Shounen Jump’s contenders for big shounen manga to fill up the giant, gaping hole left by the end of Naruto, and the premise sounds spectacularly wacky. Ass Class (ha ha ha, I am twelve) is apparently about a giant doom-monster from space out to destroy the world. That isn’t particularly fair towards the people who live on it, however, so as a compensation, the monster has struck a deal with the government, allowing him to teach a regular class of middle schoolers in the arts of assassination just to give mankind an honest chance at disposing of him. It’s the sort of absurd premise that could lead to hilarious results if handled by a director with actual talent for comedy, so of course they gave the project to Seiji motherfuckin’ Kishi because we can’t have good things. It’s an unwritten, but yet to be disproven rule that the more beloved a source material is, the bigger a mess the director with the subtlety of a sociopath will make of it, and given the manga’s popularity, I’m afraid fans might be better off just rereading that. Which is also still running, by the way, so don’t expect anything consistent to come out of this adaptation. Ass Class might have a shot at surviving if it elects to completely back away from anything that isn’t pure comedy, but given the fact that this is Shounen Jump, I wouldn’t bet my sweet behind on it. Now if only the government would issue a reward for ridding the world of Seiji Kishi. |
Death Parade
| Anime Original by Madhouse Air Date: 1/9/2015 |
Death Parade is an anime continuation of Death Billards, Madhouse’s contribution to 2012’s Anime Mirai project — you know, the one that also featured Little Witch Academia — and honestly, I have no idea what to make of it. Writer and director Yuzuru Tachikawa’s sole other credit is as assistant director on Terror in Resonance, which as you might know, was if anything a phenomenal cinematic achievement. Death Parade seems like a whole other pair of trousers, however. A desolate, mysterious bar, and an equally enigmatic bartender who challenges a young couple to a game of life and death which will unveil some skeletons in their respective closets; it sounds like a premise that could go either way. That statement also applies to Madhouse, whose quality of work has varied so much over the years they have pretty much become the new A-1 Productions. So, Death Parade. An interesting, psychological anthology series à la Mushishi, or Saw with that hideous clown puppet thing replaced by an anime pretty boy? I’m afraid only time will tell. Unless you’ve actually seen Death Billards and know the answer to this question, natch. |
Durarara!! X2
| Light Novel Adaptation by Shuka Air Date: 1/10/2015 |
Honestly, what is there to say? We’ve waited years for a second season of Durarara!! and in 2015, the brand-new studio Shuka, comprised of all the old staff of the original, will deliver at last. And how! Durarara!! x2 has been scheduled for a whopping three, split cours, and the first one will be coming our way this January. There’s plenty more of Ryohgo Narita’s books the anime hasn’t covered yet, and with the promise of even more eccentric characters, gang violence and supernatural shenanigans, there’s no one at The Glorio Blog who isn’t thrilled to return to Ikebukuro. |
The Rolling Girls
| Anime Original by Wit Studio Air Date: 1/11/2015 |
Animation fans wet their collective pants at the unveiling of Studio Wit’s first original anime project, and it’s hard not to see why. With a colourful, cute, punky art style, gorgeous action choreography and imaginative hilarity, the creators of Attack on Titan seem to be threading in the footsteps of cult hits like Kyousogiga and Yozakura Quartet — you know, the sort of stuff yours truly can’t get enough of. Set in a post-apocalyptic Japan were each prefecture has become its own state, The Rolling Girls features the titular characters travelling around the island to mediate clan wars and border conflicts in what seems to be a hyperactive adventure penned by complete newcomer Yasuyuki Mutou. The entire staff seems relatively inexperienced, by the way, but judging by the trailer, that might actually turn out to be a good thing. If there’s anything the anime industry needs, it’s more fresh new talent, and with exciting original project such as this one, we might actually be getting it, too. |
The Sacred Swordbringer Who Broke the World
Seiken Tsukai no World Break, I’m Not Qualified to Translate This Title
| Light Novel Adaptation by Diomedea Air Date: 1/11/2015 |
Diomedea’s third entry in its contest with itself for the worst show of the season, Seiken Tsukai no World Break is a shitty light novel about some dude who attends a high school for people who used to be super-powered warriors and wizards in their past lives and also all happen to be cute girls. At least, that’s what the premise comes down to, because of course, the series has some fancy jargon for ‘super-powered warrior’ (‘Shirogane’) and ‘wizard’ (‘Kuroma’) that it can’t help but stuff down your throat at any given chance. It wouldn’t be a shitty light novel without it, no? Naturally, no self-respecting shitty light novel can get away with such a basic premise in the year of our lord and savior Kirito 2015, so here’s the big twist… Our main character is the only person in the world who is descendant of both a ‘Shirogane’ and a ‘Kuroma’! Oh yeah, that’s right, kids, we’re playing for keeps now! And one of the girls who wants his beautiful mixed-ancestry babies was… hold on… his little sister in a past life! Anime of the fucking year, and the year hasn’t even started yet! |
Maria the Virgin Witch
Junketsu no Maria
| Manga Adaptation by Production I.G. Air Date: 1/11/2015 |
Now, I won’t blame you for being weary of a show named ‘Maria The Virgin Witch’ plus some pretentious French subtitle. It’d only make sense for you to throw a show about a cutesy witch being harassed about her virginity by her succubi familiars in the rubbish bin at first glance. There’s only one thing about Maria the Virgin Witch you should consider, however. It’s based on a manga by Masayuki Ishikawa, the author of Moyashimon, which is by far and wide one of the funniest anime of the past decade, let alone one of the rare anime to offer a mature, respectful look at all different manners of sexuality. If anyone can pull off a story with a premise like this, it’s Ishikawa. Sadly enough, the person actually adapting the manga is… shall we say, less well-regarded in this respect. It’s Hideyuki Kurata, the guy who wrote Oreimo. And Galilei Donna. And Recently, My Sister is Unusual. On the other hand, Kurata did do a great job at adapting Sasameki Koto, so if he sticks to the manga, Maria the Virgin Witch might actually turn out to be a surprise hit. By the way, Code Geass creator Taniguchi is in the director’s chair, so if anything, they at least got a bunch of virgins to make the anime about the virgin HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA IT IS FUNNY BECAUSE CRAZY PEOPLE DON’T HAVE SEX ‘SUP 4CHAN |
Isuca
| Manga Adaptation by Arms Air Date: 1/23/2015 |
Remember when lame magical girlfriend anime were still about a milquetoast idiot becoming the whipping boy of a hyper-competent obnoxious scamp who fights monsters in stead of said milquetoast idiot himself being the hyper-competent obnoxious scamp whose whipping girl everyone wants to be? Well I’ve got good news for you, kiddo! Isuca is about Shinichirou and Sakuya. Shinichiro is a boring guy with no personality. Sakuya is the daughter to a family of exorcists. Together, they defeat monsters. Occasionally. When they’re not too busy falling over and getting a faceful of each other’s unmentionables. This anime is made my Arms, so if you are super into the nipples and panties of teenage cartoon girls, better start setting money aside for those Blu-Rays. But hey, at least there’s no incest! Feels good to go back to basics sometimes. |
Samurai Warriors
| Game Adaptation by TYO Animation Air Date: 1/12/2015 |
Who here is excited for yet another anime about the fucking Warring States period? No one? Good, because neither am I! |
And that’s a wrap! There’s actually quite a bunch of stuff in here that has me excited, but that’s probably just me. What are you looking forward to, or what should we be looking forward to more? Make sure to let us know in the comments!
The Glorio Blog 
I know you guys dropped or stopped blogging about Tokyo Ghoul early on but it’d be cool to hear your thoughts on season 2.
Unfortunately, we usually don’t pick up shows that get a second season if we didn’t watch the first one. We do have a couple new members since we dropped that show though, so if one of them want to tackle that it might show up.
There are a few shows I’ll be trying out next season, but Durarara is by far the standout title for me. I honestly can’t even bring myself to get all that excited about anything else in comparison to my feels for this show.
It always seems like it’s never a bad idea to keep an open mind about things, but in this case I’d say even an open mind would probably reject most of the trash flowin’ in next season.
My eyes doth deceive me. THREE guaranteed seasons of Durarara!!?? Thank the anime gods.
I still remember how the second cour disappointed expectations, so while Durarara is definitely the best looking show of the bunch, I’d refrain from getting too excited about it.
One subpar Durarara season was still more memorable than anything else that season. I have reason for high hopes. If I have to watch another show with a smart concept based in high school again, I may have to hang myself.
I find the hate for part 2 of Durarara!! grossly exaggerated, too.
@marlinclock are you going to blog the third season of dog days which will air in this winter as well?
That’s up to Timmy. I don’t really watch Dog Days type shows anymore.
“Naturally, no self-respecting shitty light novel can get away with such a basic premise in the year of our lord and savior Kirito 2015, so here’s the big twist… …!”
-Beer all over my screen and laptop. LOL
Man this Winter is going to be lame. This is the perfect chance to catch up on the “To watch list”. The only shows that interest me are: Rolling girls and Durarara!!!