Girl’s Last Tour
Action-packed anime that feature powerful warriors, ninjas, magicians and such are an easy sell. Even if the storytelling is subpar, character development is lackluster, and the plot is filled with enough holes that it would put Swiss cheese to shame, there are often more than enough viewers willing to forgive these flaws if they are at least being entertained with epic fight scenes. Girl’s Last Tour doesn’t have the luxury on leaning back on action and yet it is already off to an incredible start. Girl’s Last Tour follows the story of Chito and Yuuri as they navigate a world that is now empty and desolate. The world as they know it is gone and they find themselves alone in this new, bleak version of the world that once was.
If you’re thinking this anime is all about two girls drowning in their sorrows, however, you’d be mistaken. This slice of life/adventure anime showcases the joy that these two girls are still able to find in one another as they venture across decrepit landscapes on their beloved Kettenkrad motorcycle.
The Ancient Magus Bride
The Ancient Magus Bride may not sound all that appealing at first. It’s an anime about a young woman who has gone her entire life feeling unloved and unwanted but when a powerful sorcerer obtains her through a slave auction, her life takes a drastic turn. Rather than keeping Chise as his slave, the sorcerer decides to make Chise his wife and apprentice instead. This type of storyline could have easily gone downhill rather quickly, but The Ancient Magus Bride came right out the gate with a promising first episode. The tone for this 24-episode series is set wonderfully and in such a short amount of time a strong emotional tie is made between Chise and her audience. If The Ancient Magus Bride continues to adapt the manga series well, it will surely be a huge hit that lands at the top of your must watch fall anime list this year.
Just Because!
The first episode of Just Because! wasn’t necessarily a particularly strong start but it was an opening that highlights just how many paths this anime could venture down in a successful way. This anime starts off with a group of students who are simply waiting for their last semester of high school to come to an end. These young characters aren’t expecting much excitement at the end of the year until a familiar face makes a sudden return. Just Because! is already poised to take a candid look at the emotional journey so many young people experience in high school. Loyalty, love, and regret are likely to be strong themes holding this new anime’s narrative together. In terms of an anime that has a lot of potential to really pull at its viewers’ heartstrings, Just Because! seems extremely promising.
Juni Taisen: Zodiac War
A Battle Royale anime about all the zodiac signs is enough to garner interest whether it’s good or bad. Some anime fans may feel like the concept isn’t particularly clever while others couldn’t think of a better concept at the foundation of an all-out brawl between powerful fighters. With a concept like this, the reality is that the presentation and execution can truly make or break the entire series. While a zodiac war sounds cool it can also seem cliched if it isn’t handled in a way that feels fresh and exciting.
So far, Juni Taisen: Zodiac War is on the right track and could really be a fun break out hit this fall. Fans of Fate/Zero will certainly find a lot to enjoy here while great animation, solid writing, and interesting character concepts will easily pull in tons of other viewers. It’s another anime with a relatively simple concept but wrapped up in a package that is incredibly interesting and downright captivating. When you aren’t getting lost in the fluid animations that make their presence known even in the most mundane of moments, you’ll be eagerly keeping an eye on the collection of zodiac fighters who all seem to have the potential to become pretty unhinged over time.
Black Clover
The same studio behind Naruto is behind the new anime series Black Clover, which is already a good enough reason to keep an eye on this anime. No matter if you were a dedicated Naruto fan, an unimpressed hater of the series, or a casual viewer that fell somewhere in the middle, it’s hard to deny Naruto’s impact and reputation. It garnered a cult-like following, kept its fans invested for more than 700 episodes total between Naruto and Naruto Shippuden.
Black Clover certainly feels inspired by Naruto but with a less antagonistic relationship between the two characters at the helm. The first episode was bogged down with a lot of unnecessary screaming and an exposition that seemed a bit overly simplified but it manages to capture the magic of the manga later down the road, it could be worth forgiving a lackluster opening.
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