The anime of winter 2020 has been interesting, to put it mildly. Besides a handful of standout shows here and there and some leftovers from last year, it wasn’t a particularly remarkable season.
The thrill and oh-so-sweet anxiety of having too many shows to keep up with, trying to figure out which streaming platform was best suited for each anime or dodging spoilers on social media was nonexistent. So, as March comes to a close and takes this season with it, we have the next one to look forward to. Luckily, spring has some promising contenders.
1. “Kaguya-Sama: Love Is War” Season 2 (April 11, 2020)
Often described as the “Death Note” of romantic comedies, “Love Is War” is a smart, witty show that knows how to do romance without making its audience feel sick to their stomach. The two main characters, Kaguya and Miyuki, are the smartest, most well put together kids at their school — and they also have massive crushes on each other, but both refuse to be the first one to confess.
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The first season of the show was a charming one that included over the top narration, ridiculous love mind games and memorable side characters (not to mention, it also had a killer opening song). Watching the progression between Kaguya and Miyuki, book smart geniuses who are idiots when it comes to love, felt so natural that it was almost like watching two friends crushing on each other. The pair made you want to scream “just kiss already!” at the screen.
“Love Is War” is about a battle between two equally stubborn people, but the first season kept its viewers on their toes, with both characters having wins and losses here and there. So, who’ll come out on top? Maybe season two will tell all (or at least give the audience a hint).
2. “Tower of God” (April, 2020)
“Tower of God” has to be one of the most highly anticipated anime of the spring season. Originally a webtoon by Lee Jong-hui, it has been serialized in South Korea’s Naver Webtoon since 2010 and has garnered 4.5 billion views worldwide. Fans had been demanding an anime adaption for a while, and in February 2020, a release date was announced.
The story follows a boy named Twenty-Fifth Bam who lives underneath a mysterious tower with his best friend, Rachel. The two are separated one day when Rachel decides to enter the tower. In order to bring her back, Bam follows after her, but soon realizes reaching her won’t be as easy as he thought. Based on the amount of content that the webtoon has, fans can expect this to be a long-running anime.
3. “Fruits Basket” Season 2 (April 6, 2020)
Being the shoujo royalty that it is, Season 1 of the remake of the 2001 anime was a huge hit. “Fruits Basket” tells the story of Tohru Honda, an orphan, and the Sohma family, who are possessed by the animals of the Chinese Zodiac. As the series progresses, Tohru learns about the hardships faced by the Sohmas, herself and how loved she is.
With an upgraded art style and coloring, and a storyline that was more loyal to the manga, Season 1 captured the hearts of old and new fans alike. It’s a show that knows how to use drama and its cast of colorful characters to tug on the heartstrings of anyone watching, and Season 2 will no doubt be received with just as much love as the first.
4. “Evangelion 3.0 + 1.0” (June 27, 2020)
First teased in 2012, the “Evangelion 3.0 + 1.0” movie has been long awaited. It is the fourth and final film in the “Rebuild of Evangelion” tetralogy. It was originally supposed to be released in 2015, but was delayed indefinitely due to creator Hideaki Anno’s involvement in the 2016 film “Shin Godzilla.”
“Evangelion” is an iconic anime series. The show changed the mecha genre forever, revolutionizing the relationship between man and machine. Taking place on a post-apocalyptic earth, humankind is constantly being attacked by beings known as Angels.
The only way to defeat them is to get young teenagers to pilot EVAs — robots as big as buildings that are supposed to save the world. The show wasn’t just about giant machines, though. With its religious imagery, deep dives into psychological issues and characters that were so real it was sometimes hard to watch, it was something that you couldn’t prepare yourself for, no matter how much of an anime veteran you considered yourself to be.
Anno created the “Rebuild” series of “Evangelion” to retell the anime the way he wanted to, without being restricted by a limited budget or technology. The movies still follow the same storyline, but new characters as well as scenes and settings have been added. Despite the films getting mixed reviews, many will surely be watching the final installment.
5. “Listeners” (April 3, 2020)
“Listeners” is an original anime by MAPPA. MAPPA is a studio known for creating fantastic adaptations of old series, like they did with 2019’s “Dororo,” and attention-grabbing original anime like “Sarazanmai.” They never fail to deliver with their animation, art style and plots.
In a world where music doesn’t exist, a boy encounters Myuu, a girl who possess an empty audio jack on her body. When she’s plugged into an amp, something that will change the world is set in motion.
Even though there is no source material that allows potential viewers to judge whether the show is going to be worth watching or not, the trailer that was released earlier this month does a great job of hooking people in, displaying moments of humor, mecha, fashion and music. This could be the breakout show of the season.
Spring 2020: The Hero This Anime Drought Needs?
This upcoming season is looking like it’s going to have a wide variety of interesting shows to satisfy any viewer. Something to free people from boredom, especially in a time like this, where most are stuck at home, is exactly what the world needs.
Hopefully spring lives up to anime fans’ expectations.
