You could argue the return of Kino’s Journey is the most notable series in Part 2 of our season guide, but there’s also a lot of returning Glorio cult favorites we’re more inclined to be excited about. I mean, singing the praises of shows like Garo, Classicaloid, and Time Bokan is why you love us, right?

You can check out Part 1 here.

Dynamic Chord

Game Adaptation by Studio Pierrot Air Date: 10/6/2017

Director: Shigenori Kageyama Series Composition: Shigenori Kageyama

Talking about Tsukipro in part 1 of the guide, I was just saying taking an agency level view with multiple groups might be a unique approach for an idol show. That was before I read the descriptions for Dynamic Chord, which is essentially the same thing. I guess this is a bit different in that these are “rock bands” and not idols, but from what I’ve seen/heard there is little discernible difference.

Garo: Vanishing Line

Anime Original by MAPPA Air Date: 10/6/2017

Director: Seong Ho Park Series Composition: Kiyoko Yoshimura

A lot of the Glorio crew loved the first anime interpretation of the popular Garo tokusatsu series. We were not so keen on the second. So will the third be any good? With new staff and a new setting every series it’s kind of a dice roll every time, but it looks like this could be a winner. In Vanishing Line, a man named “Sword” is working to uncover a plot to… take over the world or something bad, I don’t have the details yet. He meets a woman searching for her brother and the two look to solve the mystery of the one clue they have: the word “El Dorado”. The trailer has enough action and half naked women to look like something made in 2003, for better or worse. We’ll definitely keep an eye on it.

Girl’s Last Tour

Shoujo Shuumatsu Ryokou

Manga Adaptation by White Fox Air Date: 10/6/2017

Director: Takaharu Ozaki Series Composition: Kazuyuki Fudeyasu

What is up with these excessively cute, stylized character designs getting tossed into dark settings? Yes, I’m looking at you Made in Abyss. Girl’s Last Tour seems like it will be a bit more chill than last season’s surprise hit, but in a way it seems more bleak. I’m not really clear if the two girls are the last people on earth, but it seems like civilization has been so thoroughly destroyed that they might as well be. And of course there’s the tragic implications of putting “last” in the title. Will this be a heart wrenching tragedy or just a show about two friends making the best of the worst possible situation? Either way, it seems worth a look.

Kino’s Journey: The Beautiful World

Kino no Tabi: The Beautiful World

Light Novel Adaptation by Lerche Air Date: 10/6/2017

Director: Tomohisa Taguchi Series Composition: Yukie Sugawara

A lot of people still have a soft spot for this extremely long running light novel series and the 2003 anime, and seemingly out of nowhere we’re getting an update. The story is about Kino and a talking motorcycle named Hermes, traveling from place to place but never staying anywhere longer than three days. It has not been officially confirmed but word is this will be rebooting the anime and pull some new stories from the past 14 years worth of novels. The episodic premise lends itself to mixing and matching stories, so I’m sure it will work out.

Dies Irae

Visual Novel Adaptation by A.C.G.T. Air Date: 10/7/2017

Director: Susumu Kudou Series Composition: Takashi Masada

I’ve read several descriptions of Dies Irae and I still can’t tell you what it’s about. Something about people going crazy and I’m guessing fighting Nazi super soldiers? I don’t think any of that matters as it seems like an excuse to throw around anime nonsense super powers and thick layer of visual novel “edge”. The trailer basically confirms it. So yeah, I’m expecting this will demand to be taken 110% seriously and that will probably make it hilarious. Still, if they do end up fighting Nazis maybe it won’t be THAT bad…

Classicaloid 2

Anime Original by Sunrise Air Date: 10/7/2017

Director: Kei Umahiki Series Composition: Michihiro Tsuchiya

Classicaloid was one of the rare under the radar shows that I thought would be good and it actually was. The crazy setup (famous classical music composers reincarnated in the present, also they have super powers) makes for some fun and creative visuals but ultimately the cast of lovable losers and their interactions really make it shine. Original director Yoichi Fujita is a master of this sort of thing, so I’m slightly concerned he had to pass this up for directing Mr. Osomatsu. He’s still credited as a supervisor though, and one of the new characters is Antonin Dvorak as a hippo so we’re off to a good start. [As of writing there is no trailer for season 2, so I’ve linked a collection of the most important scenes from season 1. Enjoy.]

Time Bokan: Three Bad Guys Counterattack

Time Bokan: Gyakushuu no San-Okunin

Anime Original by Tatsunoko Air Date: 10/7/2017

Director: TBA Series Composition: Yoichi Kato

In the past few years we’ve seen a few dark, serious reboots of old Tatsunoko properties like Gatchaman Crowds and Yatterman Night. Last year’s Time Bokan 24 does not belong in the group. It has basically remained a silly kids’ show about space-time cops trying uncover what “really” happened at various famous points in history. They also take on a trio of bad guys that is a shameless carbon copy of the Doronbow gang from Yatterman. But hey, that doesn’t mean it’s not fun! Iro and Zigg certainly enjoyed it, and assuming it’s more of the same I’m sure it will still be good.

Code:Realize – Guardian of Rebirth

Code:Realize – Sousei no Himegimi

Visual Novel Adaptation by M.S.C. Air Date: 10/7/2017

Director: Hideyo Yamamoto Series Composition: Sayaka Harada

Cardia’s skin melts anything it touches. This is bad, so she lives alone in a mansion outside London. One day the royal guard comes for her, but she is rescued by a cute guy version of Arsene Lupin and a grab bag of other random famous names you’ll see in the trailer. So this looks like another otome game adaptation with a blank slate protagonist for the boys to crush on, and this time there is a convenient excuse for them to never touch her. Yawn.

Land of the Lustrous

Houseki no Kuni

Manga Adaptation by Orange Air Date: 10/7/2017

Director: Takahiko Kyougoku Series Composition: Toshiya Ono

We… are the crystal gems! We always save the day! And if you think we can’t, we’ll always find a way! That’s why the people of this world… believe in… wow there’s a lot of them. But hey, they do have an Amethyst!