Nick's Picks for Winter 2019 Anime Season

Hello all, and welcome back to Why It Works! The Winter season is in full swing at this point, with basically everything having released its debut, and I find myself buried under an absurd avalanche of watch-worthy shows. Action shows, adventures, comedies, romances… there are compelling new properties across the genre spectrum, and having personally watched nearly all of those premieres, I am eager to pass all that knowledge on to you in the form of a few top shelf recommendations. This is far from an authoritative list of the season’s highlights, but I’m hopeful it’ll offer at least a couple intriguing picks you might have otherwise missed, and give you some impression of the wide variety of worthwhile titles we're dealing with. So without further ado, here are my picks for the winter season!

 

First off, I couldn’t highlight the new season’s shows without once again gushing about Mob Psycho 100 II. The show’s first season was one of the highlights of 2016, and so far its sequel is demonstrating all of the narrative and visual brilliance of its predecessor. Mob Psycho 100 is one of the most beautiful and creatively animated action shows of the past decade, and it marries that visual splendor to a story that thoughtfully reflects on self-image, growing up, and what we owe to each other. Though its scrappy aesthetic might make you think it’s purely a comedy, Mob Psycho 100 is thrilling and poignant throughout, and if you haven’t caught up, you have a terrific ride ahead of you.

Along with Mob Psycho 100 II, this season’s other obvious heavyweight is the highly anticipated THE PROMISED NEVERLAND. Though THE PROMISED NEVERLAND is based on a Shonen Jump property, it completely avoids the classic narrative structure of a story like My Hero Academia or Naruto, instead focusing on a tactical cat-and-mouse game with the highest possible stakes. Secrets abound in the ominous Grace Field House, as Emma and her fellow orphans plot to escape a fate worse than death. Combining a pulse-pounding original story with strong direction and plenty of energetic animation, THE PROMISED NEVERLAND is a unique thriller that shouldn’t be missed.

Next up I’ve got two shows that each offer their own answer to the question, “What do we do once we’ve defeated the final boss?” In Magical Girl Spec-Ops Asuka’s case, the answer is “Do our best to return to civilian life in spite of global unrest and personal trauma.” The show takes an uncommonly grim and serious approach to magical girls, but unlike many similar properties, its convincing and sympathetic portrait of its heroine’s trauma gives it some genuine emotional bite. The show has snappy pacing and a polished look to boot, so if you’re in the market for an action show on the Black Lagoon-style grimmer side, Magical Girl Spec-Ops Asuka seems like a fine bet.

Meanwhile, ENDRO! answers that same question with “I guess we’d screw around and make silly nuisances of ourselves, or something.” Falling at the opposite end of the seriousness spectrum, ENDRO! comes off like a more lighthearted Konosuba, as its hilariously incompetent so-called heroes square off with an even more incompetent demon lord. The show’s sense of comedic timing and visual comedy is terrific, and the animation is strong enough to make its fight scenes both ridiculous and their own visual reward. ENDRO!’s got my pick for the top comedy of the season.

Of course, you can’t discount ENDRO!’s biggest competition, the equally ridiculous KAGUYA-SAMA: LOVE IS WAR. Brought to you by the director who made Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinju such a visual marvel, we have the story of a student council president and vice president who clearly like each other, but are so proud that they can only express their affection by attempting to trick the other into confessing. What follows is a Death Note-style battle of the minds applied to the silliest possible conflict, as Shinichi Omata’s creative compositions turn each new feud into a dazzling visual spectacle. KAGUYA-SAMA: LOVE IS WAR is charming all around, and if you’re looking for a silly romance this season, it’s an easy pick.

That covers my initial recommendations, but as I’ve said, this season is stuffed with worthy shows. And heck, we’ve even got some great continuing productions; I’m still loving Run with the Wind, and if you haven’t caught up on JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure:Golden Wind, “right this exact second” is always the best time to start. Either way, I hope you’ve found something worth watching in these recommendations.

 

Which shows are you watching this season? Let me know all of your own top picks in the comments!

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Nick Creamer has been writing about cartoons for too many years now, and is always ready to cry about Madoka. You can find more of his work at his blog Wrong Every Time, or follow him on Twitter.

Source: Latest in Anime News by Crunchyroll!