Winter 2014 anime preview

Written by A. H. on 11 Dec 2013

Nisekoi

Official web site
First Japanese broadcast date: January 11th 2014, 11:30PM

It seems like everything that SHAFT touches turns to gold these days, and they seem to be sitting on a sure-fire hit this winter as they take the reins of romantic comedy manga series Nisekoi. The protagonist for the series if Raku Ichijo, a high school boy left pondering a promise to a childhood sweetheart that he can't remember - at least, until a rather painful meeting with an outgoing girl who goes by the name of Chitoge Kirisaki that changes everything for him.

Should I watch it? The original source material is hardly original but it is a whole lot of fun, and if SHAFT can bring out that entertainment value in this adaptation then it should surely be one of the winter's hits.

Nobunaga the Fool

Official web site
First Japanese broadcast date: January 2014

If we were to say two words about this series, those words would be: Shouji Kawamori. This anime series produced by Satelight is actually part of a wider franchise named The Fool created by Mr. Kawamori, comprising of a stage play combining live actors and animation, and of course this winter series. Borrowing historical characters such as Oda Nobunaga as you might expect from its title, this mecha series examines two planets torn apart by war, and with only a so-called "sacred treasure" holding any hope of changing this - perhaps a girl from one of these planets who has seen visions hinting at a messiah that might change the world holds the key to bringing peace to all?

Should I watch it? You certainly can't ignore the originator of the show's story, no matter how bonkers it sounds, and Satelight are a safe pair of hands for mecha anime these days, so this seems like an ambitious effort that deserves to have at least some attention paid to it.

Nobunagun

Official web site
First Japanese broadcast date: January 5th 2014, 10PM

That Oda Nobunaga just won't keep out of anime, will he? He also puts in an appearance in this action manga adaptation from Bridge, which follows a high school student who is attacked by monsters on a school trip. She soon discovers that she is an E-Gene Holder, capable of wielding a weapon infused with the spirit of a historical figure just like the squad of agents which come to fend off these monsters.

Should I watch it? If you've ever wondered what it would be like if Oda Nobunaga was a gun, here's your chance to find out. Oddly, its idea sounds more interesting than it probably should, although its "monsters versus historical figures" conceit could get boring pretty quickly we imagine.

Noragami

Official web site
First Japanese broadcast date: January 5th 2014, 11:30PM

Fantasy series seem to be hot property in the anime sphere at the moment, and another such offering for the winter is Noragami, a manga adaptation from Studio BONES. The story is set at the boundary between two realms within which resides millions of gods and spirits. Somehow, a middle school girl winds up involved with this realm after making a call for help on account of bullying by her classmates, which lands her with an unpredictable and ill-mannered new associate who calls himself a god. He does have a powerful sword though, so it isn't all bad I suppose.

Should I watch it? It has some interesting imagery and a certain sense of fun judging by its trailer, but it also looks likely to descend into predictable fantasy action fare at some stage, which is where we zoned out somewhat.

No-Rin

Official web site
First Japanese broadcast date: January 11th 2014, 1APM

It's light novel adaptation time for Silver Link this season, in this story of a retired young idol named Yuka Kusakabe who joins the school (an agricultural college, to be precise)of her biggest fan as a transfer student. As of our protagonist is the fan in question, he - along with his friends - takes it upon himself to find out more about this girl and why she retired from the idol business.

Should I watch it? Even its premise sounds dull which is never a good start, but don't worry - you'll probably be distracted from how boring the series is by all the fan service.