The fall is well and truly among us, so that means we can kick back and relax with the abundance of TV shows heading our way. But if you are looking for something different than your standards like The Walking Dead or Arrow, then maybe you want to dig deep into the world of anime. And if you don’t know where to begin, here are a few to look out for in 2018.
Cardcaptor Sakura: Clear Card-hen
A follow-up to the Cardcaptor Sakura manga series, this follows Sakura, a graduate of Tomoeda Elementary School through her first year of junior high. Sakura sees a mysterious dream about a cloaked figure, her Sakura Cards are rendered powerless. So she starts a quest to find the source behind this. Along the way, Sakura, her friends, as well as her guardians, Cerberus and Yue, go to get the transparent cards. The series has a thread of magic and incantations running through it and is a perfect entry point to the world of manga. But make sure you watch the original first!
Savanna Game
Following a young man by the name of Kazuya Shibuya. One day, he receives an anonymous email stating, “Won’t you join the Savanna Game?” The Game, in question, is a killing game approved by the state. A role-playing game with the aim of motivating the youth of Japan. Shibuya, and his two friends, Kotegawa and Kudou, take part in battles that are not just of this time, but the whole of the space-time continuum! Encountering creatures like to dragons to the Shinsengumi police force. If you enjoyed Battle Royale and its more sanitized version in The Hunger Games, this is something to check out.
Girl’s High
Another tale of growing up in high school, you can get this on the anime streaming site Ani.me, the plot follows three girls from middle school who sneak into their new high school for a sneaky look before their enrollment. Once they meet three other middle schoolers who think they are real high school students and have to play along, this is where the fun begins! A story about the trials and tribulations of growing up in school (complete with many battles, emotional and physical). Will the girls make it through high school together? You’ll have to watch and see!
Gakuen Babysitters
A tale of two brothers, Ryuuichi and Kotarou Kashima. Ryuuichi is a teen, right in the depths of high school, Kotarou is a toddler. Upon the death of their in a plane crash, they end up living with the chairwoman of the Morinomiya Academy, who also lost her son and daughter-in-law in the same crash. A heart-warming Slice Of Life shoujo, Gakuen Babysitters follows the ups and downs of the two brothers as they adjust to their new life, where the chairwoman wastes no time in setting the ground rules. One of which is that Ryuuichi has to work in the school’s daycare when he’s not studying, where Kotarou stays during the day. We follow the antics of Kotarou and the other toddlers as they all learn and grow in this environment.
Yuru Camp
Following the exploits of Rin and Nadeshiko. She goes camping by the lakes that within the shadow of Mt. Fuji. Nadeshiko takes cycling trips by near to Mt. Fuji. Upon them meeting, Rin and Nadeshiko camp together, and enjoy the scenery of the mountain. Simple and heartwarming. It doesn’t sound like a deep plot, but lest we forget, Lost In Translation had no plot!
Mahoutsukai no Yome
Following Chise Hatori, she has lived a difficult life. Upon a chance encounter, with a man with the head of a beast, acquires her through a slave auction, Chise’s life sees an upward trajectory! Fantastical and fantastic!
Violet Evergarden Auto Memories Doll
Based on the novels by Kana Akatsuki, and won the grand prize in the Kyoto Animation Awards novel category back in 2014, as the first piece of work to win the grand prize in any of the categories of novel, scenario, and manga, anticipation for this anime is high! The plot follows the Auto Memory Dolls, created by a scientist to help his blind wife write novels by generating voice into text, they end up being rented out to people who require their help. This will be a highlight for many manga and anime lovers in 2018, and will no doubt reap a few awards down the line!
So if you are on the lookout for something a little bit different, try these out for size!
