The Best Anime of February 2019
Dororo
A retelling of the legendary work by Osamu Tezuka, Dororo nails a nice blend of over-the-top action and violence with a compelling narrative.
Set during the Sengoku period, the story follows the samurai Hyakkimaru, a samurai whose body is constructed from powerful prosthetics that make him seemingly invincible.
Having such a body comes at a price, however. The son of a daimyo who sold parts of his son to demons at birth, he has lived most of his life as an outcast devoid of emotions or connections.
As such, he travels the land in search of his original body, slaughtering the demons that took his body parts so that he can restore his human form and find a place among other humans.
It is through this that he meets Dororo, a young thief who may help him on his journey and lead him toward the acceptance he always wanted.
Boasting top of the line visuals and a darker tone than the original, Dororo continues to set itself apart while also to its source material with each new episode.
It’s sure to scratch the itch of both those who enjoy a gory samurai series as well as those who want to get sucked into an engrossing tale of belonging.
The Best Anime of February 2019
The Promised Neverland
A series that continues to gain attention and praise with each new episode, The Promised Neverland is easily one of the best series to come out of this season.
Set on a secluded farm in the countryside, the series sees the child prodigies Emma, Norman, and Ray try to escape their home alongside their adopted siblings after learning its true, dark purposes.
To do that, however, they’ll need to outwit their mother, a task they soon realize will be no easy task. From enlisting spies to embedding them with tracking devices, there’s no end to the methods she’ll use to keep them around and eventually eliminate them.
To that end, the three must use whatever resources they can find to stage their escape. They’ll do whatever it takes to get themselves and their family to safety, and when all is said and done, they might just have to.
Nailing a special blend of tension, terror and mystery that few other series can boast, The Promised Neverland keeps you on your toes at every moment.
It has no shortage of twists to blindside you with, and considering the wealth of content it still has to work with thanks to its source material manga, there’s no doubt it’ll be a series to get in on sooner rather than later.
The Best Anime of February 2019
Mob Psycho 100 Season 2
Following the events of the first season, the phenomenally gifted psychic Mob finds his life taking a turn for the better.
Surrounded by friends and allies that accept him for who he is, he now embraces his powers in and outside of his exorcism work.
Likewise, his friends find their own outlooks on life being shaped by Mob’s, with the spirits they once thought purely malevolent and wicked to be just as complicated and compassionate as humans.
Unfortunately, it isn’t long before he is dragged back into emotional chaos thanks to the evil organization Claw. Determined to make Mob pay for thwarting them, they’ll stop at nothing to tear his life down around him.
With Mob’s true powers still unknown though, there’s no telling what will happen when they do this, and whether or not he can ever go back to who he was after they do.
Equal parts satirical and genuinely heartfelt, Mob Psycho 100’s second season has continued to be a triumphant return for the series.
It’s also been one that’s easy to jump into as a newcomer, with story arcs and character moments that will drag most anyone in the second they start watching.
The Best Anime of February 2019
My Roommate is a Cat
An early contender for one of the most heartwarming series of the season, My Roommate is a Cat has been chock full of heartwarming moments and character development.
Following the introverted novelist Subaru Mikazuki, the story revolves around the changes that occur in his life after he takes in a stray cat.
Some are subtle like not being alone while he works, but others aspects, like having someone or something to care about besides himself, begin to show him the benefits of letting others into his life.
That’s about all there is to it too. There’s no evil plot centered around the cat or Subaru, and for the most part the drama is limited to usual cat misbehavior and shenanigans.
It’s an easily digestible series that’ll leave anyone who watches it feeling warm and fuzzy, and with two more months worth of episodes on the way it’s sure to continue to deliver these feelings to anyone who watches it.
The Best Anime of February 2019
I want to Eat Your Pancreas
Eyebrow-raising titles aside, I Want to Eat Your Pancreas has generated plenty of good buzz since its release in Japan.
Told from the perspective of a young man that finds a diary titled “Living With Dying,” the story follows the final days of Sakura Yamauchi and the experiences she shares with the narrator after the two meet.
With each new memory they create together, the two grow closer and begin to form a heartfelt connection; one which, as Sakura’s condition worsens, only becomes more painful to maintain.
It isn’t long before the two come to a crossroads. They can either abandon their newfound relationship and move on toward what’s left of their own lives, or remain together and face the indescribable loss that will come from its foregone conclusion.
A blend of moments both uplifting and tragic, I Want to Eat Your Pancreas is sure to please fans of romances, tragedies or both.
Unfortunately, it’s also a title that will only be available legally for the next month. It currently has both subbed and dubbed screenings planned in the U.S., with tickets available for screenings on Feb. 7 and 10.
For more anime recommendations, check out our list of the 15 best new anime of 2019 to have on your radar.
About the author
