Winter 2016 anime started in January and a bunch of shows premiere. Winter is a low key season. This year's not too bad. More shows come out during spring and fall. Not sure what to watch this season? I've sampled a bunch of them and here's my honest first impression.
Tabi Machi Late Show
Watched: ep1-4
Looks to be short stories about relationships in each episodes. I was scared it's gonna be a show about cooking anime but from episode 2 on it was different.
Verdict: Will keep watching.
Mahou Shoujo Nante Mou Ii Desukara
Watched: ep1-2
What is this short anime??? That creature that grant her power is too pervy. The girl transforming into bathing suit is not for me. That's not a magical girl at all. I'm definitely not the target audience for this show.
Verdict: Drop
Ooyasan wa shinshunki
Watched: ep1-3
Short episode of a guy moving into an apartment with the young middle school girl as his landlord. Slice of life probably. The episodes are so short to see what's going to happen in the story. It's ok.
Verdict: Maybe.
Yami Shibai Season 3
watched: ep1-3
I marathon season 1 & 2 with my friends a few years ago. They are just short spooky and creepy Japanese scary stories. This season starts off creepy. I'm watching for the spookiness and not the animation. Not bad.
Verdict: Will keep watching.
Oshiete! Galko-chan
watched: ep1-2
The topic the girl talk about in this anime becomes more personal and raunchy. Not my cup of tea.
Verdict: Drop
Sekkou Boys
watched: ep1-3
Can statues become male pop idol groups. This short episodes anime is strange and silly. I'm curious how the statue will project their emotions since they can't really change facial expressions. You get the see idol life and it's not bad.
Verdict: Will keep watching
Nijiiro Days
Watched: ep1-3
This manga to anime is pretty fun. See the typical shoujo but reverse it with the main characters being guys. I like how each guy have their own love interest. Can't wait to see more.
Verdict: Will pick up
Prince of Stride
Watched: 1-4
Otome Game turned anime. It's a sport anime with bishounen( definitely a plus). They are running track and field + par kor. It's always nice to see lots of bishies. The story is interesting. I like the animation and chara design. I'm hoping to see the character develope. I doubt it'll have a love story cuz most of the otome shows tend to not have a main guy.
Verdicted: Pick up.
Norn 9 + Nonet
Watched: ep 1
I was actually playing Norn 9 games a few week before this started. There's a lot of cliques in this show since it's an otome game turn anime. I'm hoping they pick out the good story arc from the game to turn to anime. Character design is not as pretty as the game. The seiyuu casts are amazing. The animation is not bad. I'll probably check out a few episodes of this and if it's not good I'll go finish the game.
Verdict: Will try
Hai to Gensou no Grimar
Watched: ep 1-4
Teenagers being brought to MMORPG world and having amnesia. They learn the gritty life of survival. It shows that the enemies that they fought have feelings too. Survival of the fittest in an MMORPG world. O wow. Looks like ep 4 on might be a darker show than I thought it was ..>o<.. This LN adaptation is interesting and another take to similar shows like Sword Art Online and Log Horizon.
Verdict: Will pick up
Kokaku no Pandora
Watched: ep1-2
Robot girl fighting with another robot girl and possible shoujo-ai. The animation is ok. There's quite a bit of fan service. I seriously don't like what the main girl has to do to transform. By the end of ep 2, I just don't want to see it anymore. I'm definitely the target audience for this show.
Verdict: Drop
Saijaku Muhai no Bahamut
Watched: ep1
I sum this show up to Knight + mecha + fan service. The character design is nice. The animation is good. The show does feel like other fantasy shows. I don't like how the main girl show the guy her mark at the end of ep 1. A normal person would not do that. Maybe.
Verdict: Maybe
Nurse Witch Komugi-chan R
Watched: ep1
I felt like I've seen these type of magical shows before. Wasn't there a nurse witch anime in the past too? I guess this is the remake or something. This one is just ok. The animation is ok. The character is ok. It's really too generic for me.
Verdict: Drop
Schwarzesmarken
Watched: ep1
This was suppose to be a prequel to Muv Luv Alternative: Total Eclipse I think. I can totally tell by the girl's metallic outfit lol. The first ep just show chara intro and possible bad guys. The main guy in this anime is not a likable character and complains a bit. I'm hoping his character develope. The girls in the show are good so far. I thought the monsters they were fighting were generic but their mecha were cool. There will be more death and blood in this show.
Verdict: Will try
Divine Gate
Watched: ep1-3
I don't really know the focus of this show will be about. The animation is unique. Sometimes the drawings look good and sometime it doesn't. I got this feeling where this show is going to be sad. There're so many characters in this show to keep up. All I know is they want to reach the divine gate and they all have superpowers. I might check out a few more episodes to see if it's worth it.
Verdict: Probably
Dimension W
Watched: ep1-4
A guy who's stuck in the past and a mysterious robot girl that's very human like meet as duo and they continue to find illegal coil. The main character look like he's a trained soldier and likes to do things with less technology. I think there's some psycho trauma he's dealing with. His sidekick robot girl is cool too. I'm curioius to see the crazy shenanigans they'll get into. The animation is pretty as well as the character design.
Verdict: Pick up
Bubuki Buranki
Watched: ep1-3
It's like 2.5D animation. Sometime the character's expression is really weird. The premise is interesting. I'd love to see the bubuki fighting more. I just wonder where the main chara's sister went?
Verdict: Will continue
Dangashi Kashi
Watched: ep1-2 (1.5?)
It's a manga turn anime. It's a show that talks about Japanese snacks. The premise sounds really interesting and the animation is good. The first episode was a good intro to the Japanese snack world. But half way into episode 2 I just felt it was dragging. Maybe I was watching it late at night. Will try to pick it up again.
Verdict: 50/50 Maybe
Boku Dake ga Inai Machi (Erased)
Watched: ep1-3
I heard about this manga. The story involve time traveling and fixing the wrong. I'm curious to see if the main character can actually save the girl. First ep totally got me wanting to watch more. Suspense + thriller + murder mystery = totally my type of show. Love the animation and chara design. Asian Kung Fu Generation is doing the OP theme too. Lots of potential.
Verdict: Definitely will pick up
Haruchika
Watched: ep1-4
I thought this might be a mix of Sound Euphornium and Hyouka but it turned out to be more mystery solving like Hyouka. The lead two chara will most likely not end up with each other. It's episodic where a lot of the cases are solve at the end of each episode. The flow of the story is good. The animation is really pretty. Character design is good. I wonder if this will be a 13 ep series since there are a few more characters who hasn't show up with and will the short length be enough for this show. Really like the mystery in this show.
Verdict: Definitely will pick up
I think it's definitely Boku Dake ga Inai Machi (Erased) and Haruchika that top my favorite anime in winter 2016 so far. Each episode leaves me with enough feeling of wanting to see the next one. What's your favorite this season so far? Any cool one that I missed?
