Winter Watchlist

Welcome to the first edition of Lost in Translation, one of the new editorials here on UTF. Here I dish about anime coming to the good ole USA from the good folks of Nihon (or Japan for those of us less verse in Japanese. See? We’re translating already.). Whether that be show reviews, news, or just good old fashioned rants (probably be a lot of those).

Seeing as how the Winter Season just started this week, what better way to kick things off by giving a rundown of just what anime will be watched this season.

Out With the Old

These will be shows that are continuing on from last years fall season that will be followed. (Minor Spoilers to midseason finales)

Cross Ange: Rondo of Angels and Dragons

After holding off a rather bold dragon attack, things aren’t going so well for the girls at Arzenal. Jill finally comes clean about her origins as well as why Ange and the Vilkiss are so important to our angsty heroine, but a stray dragon roaming around the compound puts the kibosh on that little pow wow.Things get hectic when they nearly kill the thing before realizing that it is in fact Vivian, which leads to Ange and the others learning that dragons (you know the things they’ve been trained to kill for years) are in fact people! (Cue “soylent green is people” clip). With Ange essentially telling Jill shove it and vowing not to fight dragons anymore, she is soon put on the spot when her brother Julio makes an impromptu house call in the form of a full military offensive. Add Embryo’s machinations in the mix and things can only escalate from here as Cross Ange enters its second half.

Now Streaming on Crunchyroll

Parasyte – The Maxim

With the Parasyte’s beginning to organize themselves in Japan’s government office, Shinichi finds his back against the wall about what to do. His increasingly paranoid and standoffish behavior only amplifies when he witnesses Kana’s untimely and tragic death, which he holds responsibility for. As Parasyte enters the new season, how will Shinichi cope with all the tragedy unfolding around him? Just how long can he hold on to his humanity?

Now Streaming on Crunchyroll

Your Lie in April

Despite his last minute revelation and finding a reason to play, Kousei is still disqualified for ending his performance early. In the aftermath of the results he reunites with Hiroko Seto, an old college friend of his mother’s. She becomes his tutor, her goal being to help him find his own way to play piano. Will Kousei be able to move forward with Hiroko’s help, or will he be forever stuck at the bottom of the ocean?

Now Streaming on Crunchyroll

In With the New

These are shows that premiere this season, which may entail brand new shows or shows that received a sequel that may have skipped a season or two. (List subject to change depending on show quality)

Aldnoah.Zero Season 2

After the somewhat controversial ending of the first season in the summer, Aldnoah.Zero is back for another round of martian vs. terran fun. Will season two be able to redeem it’s predecessor or will it fall even harder than it did before?

Now Streaming on Crunchyroll

Assassination Classroom

Class 3-E AKA the “End Class”, the absolute lowest of the low at Kunigigaoka High School. So low they even have a separate rundown campus from everyone else. They are the outcasts, the thugs, the undisciplined, and they have been given a most important task by the Japanese government: killing their teacher. An otherworldly creature who destroyed 70% of the moon has come to Kunigigaoka High and vows to destroy the Earth in one years time unless Class 3-E can kill him before graduation. With 10 billion yen and the fate of the world at stake, these misfits will have to step up and end the threat of “Korosensei” while also trying to keep their grades above passing. How do you kill the unkillable while it teaches you history? We’ll find out when the bell rings this winter.

Now Streaming on Funimation

Death Parade

There is tell of a place called the Queen Decim, a bar seemingly on the outskirts of reality itself. In this solitary place stands it’s bartender, Decim, a quiet man with only two jobs: to serve all guests who enter, and to have them play a game that will not unravel just how they came to Queen Decim but also decide their final fate. Sort of a continuation of the 2013 short film “Death Billiards”, Death Parade asks the question “Just what does the afterlife have in store for you?” Let the games begin.

Now Streaming on Funimation

Kancolle – Kantai Collection

Powerful and dangerous monsters known as the “Abyssal” have taken over the seas of the world. The only way to stop them? Cute girls with the spirits of historical Japanese naval vessels of course. Enter Fubuki, a new recruit looking to prove herself as she fights the Abyssal and lives life as a normal teenage girl along with her friends in Torpedo Squadron Three. Based off of the highly popular web browser game that eventually became a card game (similar to last seasons “Rage of Bahamut Genesis”, which was based off a mobile game), Kantai Collection is reminiscent of the also popular Girls Und Panzer, which starred a bevy of moe high school girls driving highly destructive tanks. In that sense Kantai Collection is sort of the Navy to Girls und Panzer’s Army. All hands on deck!

Now Streaming on Crunchyroll

Love Bullet – Yurikuma Arashi

The human race has seen better days. After the destruction of the planet Kumalia, a meteor shower causes all the Earth’s bears to rise up and begin eating humans. In response humanity builds the “Wall of Severance” in order to keep the bears out and themselves safe. This goes about as well as you would expect when two bears named Lulu and Ginko disguise themselves as humans and enter Arashigaoka Academy in order to satisfy their cannibalistic hunger. The newest anime creation from acclaimed creator Kunihiko Ikuhara (Director of various Sailor Moon episodes as well as the creator of Revolutionary Girl Utena and Mawaru Penguindrum), Yurikuma Arashi will prove to be another series that packed with symbolism and dense themes. Hope you’re ready for the ride.

Now Streaming on Funimation

Maria The Virgin Witch

Maria was just an average witch peacefully living in the forests of France with her succubus and incubus, only coming out to help the villagers, who regard her as a celebrity. Suffice to say the Church took umbridge with the actions of the so called “heretic” which prompted the Archangel Michael to have an idea. He cursed Maria, decreeing that if she ever lost her virginity she would lose all of her magical power and forbids her from helping humans. Just to be sure she follows his order, Micheal sends one of his angels, Ezekiel, to keep an eye on her.  Talk about divine intervention.

Now Streaming on Funimation

Rolling Girls

Ten years after the GreatTokyoWar, Japan has turned its prefectures into separate nations ran by “Mosas” who control groups called “Mobs”. Wars for control of these nations wage between these mobs through battles contested by “Bests”, people with extraordinary abilities, while normal people are known as “Rest”. Together with her friends Yukina, Ai, and Chiaya, a young “Rest” named Nozomi travels throughout Japan in order to mediate these outlandish spectacles. An original creation by Wit Studio (the same studio behind the hit Attack on Titan) will Rolling Girls be able to craft it’s own identity or will be a case of trial and error?

Now Streaming on Funimation.

Saekano – How to Raise a Boring Girlfriend

Otaku Tomoya Aki has one dream: to make the best visual novel he can and sell it at Japan’s Winter Comiket. With the help of his musician cousin Michiru, his artistic childhood friend Eriri, upperclassman as well as up-and-coming novelist Utaha, and the quiet amateur model Megumi, Tomoya forms Blessing Software; a doujin circle dedicated to making their visual novel dreams come to fruition. Boasting a somewhat unique premise, will Saekano be able to bring something new to the already cluttered “Light Novel Harem” genre?

Now Streaming on Crunchyroll

Tokyo Ghoul Root A

A continuation of last summer’s “Tokyo Ghoul” adaptation, Root A promises to take a different path then the manga it’s based off of (which recently ended late last year with its sequel “Tokyo Ghoul :re” already in publication). Time will tell if TGRA will be a welcome deviation from the source material like the 2003 version of Fullmetal Alchemist or if it will squander it’s potential like the second season of Rosario+Vampire.

Now Streaming on Funimation

That’s the hit list for the season. What do you guys think? Any shows you interested in? ANy shows you reccomend? Let us know in the comments below and be back here tomorrow when we give the first episode impressions of all the shows.

See you then!