It is pretty hard to imagine that anything could come close to the winter 2021 season in terms of quality anime, especially when it comes to debuts. That season alone gave us the premiere of shows like Hormiya, Sk8 the Infinity, and Wonder Egg Priority just to name a few. Yet, somehow, spring 2021 managed to pump out just as many amazing debut anime.
Just about every single one of the spring 2021 anime that debuted had their own unique and interesting draw to them. If we’re talking about ones that stand out, though, Odd Taxi is the clear winner.
Set in a world full of anthropomorphic animals, Odd Taxi follows a 41-year old walrus taxi driver named Odokawa. As the show starts out, everything seems pretty straightforward, with the plot following the interactions between him and the other animals that use his services.
These straightforward conversations gradually lead to a plot that puts Odokawa smack dab in the middle of a handful of mysteries, including a missing girl, a gunman hellbent on revenge, and pop idols with gang affiliations. The entire show is a wild ride, and just about every character, story, or interaction has a meaning that leads to the most satisfying payoff of the season.
Thankfully, all of the satisfaction you feel in Odd Taxi will serve to hold you over for the heartbreak and sadness you feel while watching To Your Eternity.
In this show, viewers follow an immortal being, known only as The Orb, sent to the Earth with no emotions or identity. After a time, the immortal can take the form of those that leave a lasting impression on it. This leads to it being able to turn into a wolf, a massive bear, and multiple humans. This growth comes with a cost, though, as it must experience the pain of life to fully understand what it means to live.
This is one of those anime that both manages to build beautiful relationships with heartfelt stories while also realistically depicting the harshness and reality of life by often ending them rather sadly. To Your Eternity is not one of the spring 2021 anime you’ll want to be without tissues for.
On the lighter side of the spectrum for the spring 2021 season, there was also the wholesome, yet somewhat salacious, Don’t Toy With Me, Miss Nagatoro. This romantic comedy got everyone’s attention, as it tells the tale of a shy boy, Hachiōji, bonding with a girl, Nagatoro, who picks on him for the manga he draws.
The show starts out with Nagatoro feeling more like an antagonist, with her antics feeling more like bullying than playful banter. As the season progresses, though, the two come to understand each other more, helping both themselves and their relationship grow as a result.
It’s a surprisingly sweet tale that is also pretty funny and gets better as it goes.
Vivy: Fluorite Eye’s Song also manages to get better as it goes, ramping up its unique mystery with every new episode, though it is anything but comical. In fact, I’m not sure I laughed one time while watching this show.
That isn’t at all a bad thing, though, as it isn’t a show that is meant to make you laugh. Instead, it is a thriller that follows an AI named Vivy who must correct the wrongs her kind commit in the future. With the help of a time-traveling stuffed animal, Vivy interjects herself into a multitude of events across a century of time, stopping people from being killed and preventing other catastrophic events that eventually lead to a war between humans and AI.
This show is a nonstop thrill ride, thrusting you right into the action from the outset and never letting its foot off the pedal. Vivy: Fluorite Eye’s Song’s action, characters, and story are top-notch, helping it stand out as one of the most exciting anime of spring 2021.
While we are talking about time-traveling action, you can’t mention spring 2021’s amazing set of anime without delving into the epic that is Tokyo Revengers.
This anime follows Takemichi Hanagaki, a 26-year-old with no hope in life. That all changes when he’s suddenly transported back 12 years into the past. Despite not knowing how this occurs, he’s now determined to not only get his life back on track but to help save the people he cares about most.
To do this, he needs to use clues he knows from traveling back to the present while also surviving his life of organized crime in the past. While it’s still airing, what we’ve seen of Tokyo Revengers so far has been fascinating and gripping, introducing interesting characters and plotlines that you just can’t wait to learn more about.
If you’re still not sold, just imagine what watching Erased would be like if the entire thing centered around gangs that have pretty awesome fights. That good enough for ya?
That is honestly just the tip of the iceberg of amazing shows that came out in spring 2021, so be sure to let us know in the comments section if we missed any of your favorites. While you’re at it, let us know which anime is the best out of the ones we’ve listed, as well as what you’re looking forward to most in summer 2021!
(Featured Image Source: Wit Studio)
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