First Look: Sakugan

Mankind lives in disparate colonies deep underground. Outside the colonies, a dangerous uncharted land known as The Labyrinth is constantly being explored and colonized by mankind’s mech mounted exploration team, the Markers. Memempu is a child prodigy who dreams of one day becoming a Marker. Her father Gagumber is strictly opposed to this on account of her young age and the dangers of the occupation. After a giant creature destroys their hometown, the two set out on a journey into the Labyrinth. 

First Look: Kyoukai Senki

In the year 2061, Japan has been divided into four protectorate territories managed and controlled by foreign nations in the name of preserving and aiding in Japan’s protection. In reality, the Japanese people are oppressed by the occupying forces and their remote piloted mecha drones, known as AMAIMs. Amou Shiba, a local scavenger and tinkerer, discovers an abandoned AI asking for his help. Together they pilot Kenbu, a robot Amou has been putting together in his spare time, and begin their fight to take back Japan.

First Look: Getter Robo Arc

It’s been years since Ryoma Nagare, Hayato Jin, and Musashi Tomoe saved the planet from the Dinosaur Empire. Things have taken a turn for the worse as insectoid monsters have emerged to wage a new war on mankind. Now, a new generation of Getter pilots must save the world. Ryoma’s son Takuma, the hybrid saurian Kamui, and the clairvoyant Baku Yamagishi pilot Getter Robo Arc against Earth’s newest foe. 

First Look: Nomad: MEGALOBOX 2

Seven years have passed since “Gearless” Joe stunned the world with his big win at the first Megalonia tournament. Scarred up, addicted to drugs, and fighting meaningless battles in the underground as “Nomad”, Joe’s life has taken a serious fall since then.

First Look: SSSS.Dynazenon

Yomogi Asanaka meets a mysterious man passed out under a bridge named Gauma, who claims to be a, “Kaiju User.” Not long afterward, strange things start happening to the city. Kaiju begin attacking followed by the appearance of the giant robot, Dynazenon. Caught up in the chaos of Gauma’s actions, Yomogi is summoned along with two others to fight back against the kaiju.

A Very GLORIO 2020: Gee’s Highs and Lows of the Year

Like many people, this year has been rather busy for me for a variety of reasons both personal and practical. So rather than my usual arbitrary awards show with bespoke categories, I’ll just be going through all the anime I watched in 2020 in chronological order and giving each one the words I think they deserve, for either good or ill.

First Look: Warlords of Sigrdrifa

Mankind is invaded by an otherworldly entity known only as The Pillars. With conventional weaponry failing to stop them, an individual claiming to be the god Odin bestows the human race with the power to fight back in the form of the Valkyrie; cute anime girls with magical planes. 

First Look: Jujutsu Kaisen

Itadori Yuji is just a regular high school guy trying to live his ordinary high school life who also happens to have supernatural physical ability. When his friends get attacked by demons known as Curses, he takes a gamble on harnessing demonic power. I assume he will go on adventures and fight more Curses.

First Look: The God of High School

The God of High School tournament is held to determine the best fighter among Korea’s high school population. Mori Jin is a fight guy who meets another fight guy and fight girl. Presumably, they will fight more guys.

First Look: Listeners

In a world devoid of music and under constant attack by monstrous creatures known as the Earless, Echo Rec is a boy who makes his living as a junk collector in his small town. One day, he stumbles upon a mysterious girl with an audio input jack on her body and no memories of her past. Turns out she possesses the rare ability of a Player, an individual capable of controlling mechs called Equipment.  The two embark on a journey of self discovery.

First Look: BNA

An uneasy tension exists between humanity and beastmen, a divergent path of evolution who possess the ability to transform into animal people. Michiru Kagemori, a human girl who finds herself transformed into a tanuki, flees to Animacity, the free bastion of the beastmen. There, she seeks refuge and to discover the nature of her mysterious condition. Hijinks ensue. 

First Look: No Guns Life

After the war, cybernetically enhanced super soldiers known as Extends struggle to reintegrate themselves into society. Their bodies modified to the point of barely resembling humans, they are powerful, dangerous, and sometimes unhinged. Often resorting to becoming criminals or mercenaries, the world has become rife with Extend related crime. Inui Juuzou is an Extend, with no memory of his past or how his entire head got replaced with a gun. Now he lives as a private eye, taking on Extend related cases.

First Look: Beastars

Anthropomorphic herbivores and carnivores live together in a civilized world. After an herbivore student is found murdered and eaten at Cherryton Academy, old racial tensions flare up among the student body. In the middle of all this is a grey wolf named Legosi. Taciturn, awkward, but ultimately compassionate, he struggles with his own place in the world. While navigating the often complicated relationships between both herbivores and his own fellow carnivores, he meets two herbivores who will change his life forever. A dwarf rabbit named Haru and a red deer named Louis.

First Look: Vinland Saga

It is the dawn of the 11th century. Northern Europe is embroiled in conflict. Thorfinn is the son of a renowned Viking warrior. In a violent world, he only knows violence. But legend tells of a land far to the west, peaceful and verdant, known as Vinland. This is the story of a young man’s desperate struggle to escape the violence that has defined his entire life.

First Look: Granbelm

Kohinata Mangetsu is a regular high school student with a cheery attitude. However, one night when the full moon is out, she finds herself transported to another dimension where magic girls fight in a battle royale with mecha called Armanox. The prize? The inheritance of all the world’s magic, which was sealed away 1000 years ago. Kohinata is now in possession of her own Armanox, finds herself thrown into the fray.

First Look: How Heavy Are The Dumbbells You Lift?

When Sakura Hibki’s love of habitual snacking starts to put on pounds, she signs up at her local gym. Only problem? Her classmate Akemi’s muscle fetish and the gym’s…hardcore clientele. And so Sakura embarks on her journey to achieving physical wellness through lifting hard and heavy.

First Look: Fairy Gone

In a world where fairies and humans live among each other, some humans have gained the ability to summon a fairy partner as a weapon. After a long war, many of these users, known as “Fairy Soldiers,” reintegrated into society in a variety of ways, from government service to organized crime. Maria is searching for her long lost childhood friend, Veronica, and in the process ends up gaining the power to summon her own fairy. Faced with potential imprisonment, she joins the government organization “Dorothea,” tasked with responding to fairy related crimes.