by It’s time for a new fiscal year, so the spring anime season is about to begin. The number of titles remains the same, but for those wondering “what should I watch?”, we’ve picked five titles that can be watched without prior knowledge, are likely to be enjoyed by many people, and are ambitious works.
“Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX” (Tuesday 8th late night ~ 30 Nippon TV affiliates)
“Uma Musume Cinderella Gray” (Sunday 6th, 4:30pm~, 28 TBS affiliates)
“A Countryside Old Man Becomes a Sword Master” (Saturday, 5th, 24 TV Asahi affiliates, IMAnimation slot, etc.)
“After Dinner Mysteries” (Friday 4th, 11:30 pm on Fuji TV’s “Noitamina” slot)
“LAZARUS” (Sunday 6th, 11:45 pm, TV Tokyo, etc.)
The new Gundam series Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuX has become a hot topic among anime fans since its early theatrical release and has exceeded 3 billion yen in box office revenue. It is sure to be the favorite for spring anime. As it is a work by Khara, the creators of the Evangelion series, even core fans with a wealth of anime knowledge are likely to argue over the interpretation of the work. It will be entertaining, including the discussions between fans that will likely occur outside work.
“Uma Musume” is also based on a popular smartphone game and has been animated many times, but no prior knowledge (including knowledge of horse racing) is required. And yet, the racing scenes are fascinating—at least, that’s how the original manga was. I’m looking forward to seeing how the fearsome abilities of the main character, Oguri Cap, and his fierce battles with his rivals are portrayed.
“A Country Old Man Becomes a Sword Saint” is one of the popular works on the online novel site “Narou.” It is about a skilled middle-aged swordsman who gains fame with his young apprentices, who have grown up and become successful.
The anime is a great way to express the good tempo of the original novel, which progresses steadily. The main character’s apprentices are all beautiful women, so the anime is aimed at men. Since the main character does not approach women, those who prefer older women may also enjoy it.
“Mystery Solving After Dinner” is based on a popular novel by Atsuya Higashikawa. It won the Bookstore Award and has an outstanding track record, such as being broadcast in Fuji TV’s drama slot “Monday 9″.” It has a humorous story that women will love, and you should listen to the voice of Vuki Kaji, who plays the sharp-tongued butler who asks, “Are you blind, my lady?”
The last one is the original work, “Lazarus.” Shinichiro Watanabe, the director of “Cowboy Bebop,” which is highly acclaimed overseas, was appointed, and as you can see from the animation’s expression, the primary target audience will be overseas. Japanese anime tends to rely on original works such as manga and novels, but I’m looking forward to Aniplex’s work. I want to see the power of original Japanese anime.
