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The 10 best anime of the fall season, according to Japanese otaku

14 Comments
By Casey Baseel

Just like it does every year, autumn brings red leaves, cooler temperatures, and a new season of TV shows to Japan. This is especially good news if you’re an anime fan, as tons of new series have debuted in the last few weeks.

As a matter of fact, this might be too much of a good thing, as there’s so much new anime available that it’s hard to find time to sample all of it. So if you don’t know where to start, you might want to consult a list of the hottest currently airing shows, made by the people who love the medium best: Japanese otaku.

Website Seichi Junrei Map, which maintains a database of real-world locations used as anime backdrops, recently conducted a survey of 2,202 men and woman between the ages of 15 and 49. 332 of those polled identified themselves as hardcore anime-loving otaku, who were then asked which anime from the fall season they’re most interested in watching. The top 10 are below, starting with:

10. Girlfriend (Kari) (16.3%)

You’ll never go broke putting a cute, earnest high school girl front-and-center in your anime, and if one is good, why not a whole bevy of them? That’s exactly what you’ll find in this adaptation of the popular dating simulation smartphone game, which is also known as Girl Friend BETA.

9. Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon (16.6%)

While there are still plenty of fans of the 1992 original, we’re guessing that the survey respondents were actually referring to the currently streaming reboot, "Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon Crystal."

8. Parasyte (17.2%)

Another revival, the willfully misspelled "Parasyte" is the first animated version of the manga which ran from 1988 to 1995. The story follows high school student Shinichi, whose life changes when a shape-shifting alien fuses with his right hand (which is also available as a disturbing stuffed animal).

7. Sword Art Online 2 (17.8%)

The first season of "Sword Art Online," the anime based on novels about a fictional conscious-trapping video game, lost a lot of Western fans as it changed focus halfway through. Enough viewers in Japan were OK with the shift to keep its follow-up in the poll’s top 10, though.

6. Terra Formars (18.4%)

More fun with spelling comes in at the number six slot with "Terra Formars," adapted from the manga about terraforming Mars using cockroaches. The roaches eventually mutate, many becoming violent, causing the dispatch of a team of genetically modified humans to the planet on a mission of punching.

5. Yowamushi Pedal Grandroad (Part 2) (18.7%)

The polar opposite of "Terra Formars’" action-packed sci-fi, the newest installment of the "Yowamushi Pedal" franchise proves there’s still room in anime for a series about something as down-to-earth as high school bicycle racing.

4. Magic Kaito 1412 (19.3%)

You’d be forgiven for thinking the titular Kaito is actually famous anime detective Conan at first glance, since this series is an adaptation of the manga by Gosho Aoyama, who’s also the artist behind "Great Detective Conan." Like Conan, Kaito has a mystery to solve, as he takes on the persona of the Phantom Thief Kid to learn the truth about his father’s death.

3. Fate / stay night (20.5%)

The long-running "Fate" franchise, which focuses on mythical warriors fighting for ownership of the wish-granting Holy Grail, has returned for another round of philosophical pontificating, super-powered battles, and lavish animation

2. Gundam Reconguista in G (22.6%)

Also known by the much more manageable moniker G-Reco, the newest mecha saga from "Gundam" creator Yoshiyuki Tomino promises to feature not only giant robots, but also a heaped helping of Tomino’s hatred for anyone between the ages of 20 and 49.

1. The Seven Deadly Sins (23.8%)

Less religious cautionary tale and more fantasy adventure, "The Seven Deadly Sins" is an early contender to fill part of the void left behind as long-running hits "Bleach" and "Naruto" wind down.

If you’re looking to ease into the current season of anime, this otaku-approved list will give you five hours a week of viewing material, which should be plenty to start with.

Sources: PR Times, Seichi Junrei Map

Read more stories from RocketNews24. -- Otaku generation gap – Fans in their teens, 20s, and 30s reveal what got them into anime -- Increasing Demand for Anime-Inspired Japanese Nail Art: Ita Nail Boom! -- GPS-lacking Gundam gets lost on the streets of Taiwan, asks locals for directions

© RocketNews24

©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.


14 Comments
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No! I don't agree at all, Parasyte should be higher up. Naruto should be there, Uta no Prince sama, Brothers conflict, Ghost Hunt, Karneval...

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I thought parasyte would be higher up the list, There was no surprise 7 deadly sin gets top of the list tho.

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omg these r all good!but...where's attack on titan and the newest black butler at?

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Log Horizon 2 gets a continuing nod by me. The series attempts to explain all the quirks involved with MMOs (such as: "Why do those rabbits I kill always drop a few coins? Why do they have the rabbit-equivalent of coin purses?") I find these explanations almost as fascinating as their main plot.

While I liked the first season of SAO (yes, even the Alfheim half) and I liked SAO2 for the first half despite the incongruities (you can't contact the game's administrators about a suspected murderer because the administrators are "overseas" and your solution is to send a minor in-game to expose the murderer? Seriously?!), I couldn't get behind a continuation of the plot the way it was heading. At some point, the ADULTS have to do the investigating regarding a ring of murderers, not kids.

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Most of the new fall anime releases are good. Forget the top 10. Just watch all of them and pick out the few that isn't your cup of tea.

The ones I like in no specific order: Parasyte, Hitsugi no Chaika, Inou Battle ...~, Shingeki no Bahamut, Trinity Seven, World Trigger, Ushinawareta ...~, Garo, Grisaia, Kokkuri-san, Donten ni Warau, Terra Formars.

SAO 2 has gone downhill but I continue to watch it and hope it picks up again. First part of the first season has left too good of an impression to let it go so quickly.

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Wolf Girl & Black Prince, Gugure! Kokkuri-san are pretty interesting, good old silly fun. For core otaku Electric Town's Bookstore (Denki-gai no Honya-san] is pretty silly "deep" entertainment. pretty surprised not to see Psycho-Pass 2 in the top ten.

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I don't know about SAO becoming less popular here in the west. Yeah some people were displeased with Asuna locked up, myself and most other otaku just thought it was sweet how Kirito came to rescue her, and almost no-one I know or heard of dropped the second season because of that little (non?-) issue.

They're only doing themself a disservice anyway if they did, since gun gale online is awesome, and the new Kirito is pretty cute/sexy with his looks and badass lightsaber (and yes I am a boy...) XD

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I'm currently watching Parasyte and Terraformars. Both are creepily good shows, although Terraformars has a habit of being heavily censored on many anime streaming sites, which can be a nuisance. I'm also watching Shiro Bako, Grisaia no Kajitsu, Akame ga Kill and Ushinawarete Mirai wo Motomete, all of which I'd recommend strongly. I might look into watching Girlfriend and Seven Deadly Sins, but there's no guarantee that I will. This article doesn't really say much about either one, so I'll look them up on Wikipedia for a more detailed (if grammatically atrocious) summary.

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@John Constantine

Psycho Pass 2 is the sequel to the first series. Its set 1 and half years after the events of the first series.

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I'll agree with KariHaruka.... I did like the first Log Horizon...have not started the second season. I thought Psycho Pass 2 was just the directors cut?

SAO 2....only seen the first few episodes...not sure which way to go an that one yet. From what I've seen of Tokyo Ghoul..9 episodes...I like that one. I was always disappointed that there was not more to Deadman Wonderland, same with Steins Gate.

Appreciate the info JT...there are a few of those that sound interesting. Gives me something to look for on the weekend.

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Glad to see Sword Art Online 2on the list. I just started watching this series in the last week and I have fallen in love with it! I'm even good with the switch, now that I'm three episodes into the second arc. I can't wait to catch up to SAO 2.

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No attack on Titan?

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Watching SAO2. OMG hahahhahaha. Fate Zero was good. Hoping the same for Fate/Stay Night

Kari, Log Horizon 2?? Ok I din't see that coming. Watched all of season 1 and I love the the song from Yunchi "Your Song".

Love her bikini music video!!!!!!!!!!!!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fNfboNEFh-g

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SAO II & Sailor Moon started airing during the Summer season though... They are only still airing as they are both 2 cour series.

For me the 'best anime' of the Fall season would be Kiseijuu, Mushishi Zoku-Shou second season, Psycho Pass 2, Yowamushi Pedal Grande Road and Log Horizon season 2..

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