Now that we’re firmly settled into 2016, and hopefully completed the big 2015 checklist, let’s take a look at the new up and coming anime premiering in 2016. Missed any anime you’re looking forward to? Let us know in the comments!
Macross Delta
We’ve been seeing the return of many beloved series lately and 2016 doesn’t seem to ignore the trend with continuations and reimaginings of shows like Digimon and Voltron. This year will also see the return of the Macross franchise with Macross Delta. This show will take place eight years after Macross Frontier and focuses on a group of ace pilots who must protect the galaxy from the all-consuming Var Syndrome. Macross Delta will begin airing in Japan in April, but a prologue was released on December 31 if you can’t wait that long.
Itachi Shinden
Itachi Shinden will be adapted from a series of Naruto side story novels that tells the true story of Sasuke’s older brother, Itachi. After witnessing the horrors of battle, Itachi decides that he will bring peace to the Shinobi world, but what he doesn’t realize is that his new path may lead down darker roads than he ever anticipated. You can expected Itachi Shinden to begin airing in March.
She and Her Cat
If you’re looking for anime with a little less action this year, She and Her Cat might just be exactly what you’re looking for. She and Her Cat will be an adaptation of a five minute OVA originally released in 1999 that follows the life of a cat and its owner from the cat’s perspective. If the show proves to be anything like the OVA, you can expect minimalist storytelling, a monochromatic art style, and animation mostly comprised of still images. She and Her Cat will begin airing in March.
Rage of Bahamut: Manaria Friends
Anime set in virtual worlds seem to be in style right now, so Rage of Bahamut: Manaria Friends will come as no surprise. Based on the “Mysteria Academy” event of digital card game Rage of Bahamut, Manaria Friends will tell the story of students at the Mysteria Academy, a magical school open to men, gods, and demons. While these races don’t always get along, they’ll need to learn to live together if they ever want to graduate. Rage of Bahamut: Manaria Friends will begin airing on April 1.
Fairy Tail Zero
Fairy Tail is one of the most popular anime currently in production, so it makes sense that we will be receiving a prequel story soon. The show will follow the manga, which depicts the events leading up to the formation of the Fairy Tail Wizard guild. If you loved the original Fairy Tail, don’t worry, original writer Hiro Mashima returned for Fairy Tail Zero, so you can expect more of the same! Fairy Tail Zero began airing in January.
Ajin
Based on the highly successful manga Ajin: Demi-Human, Ajin is a television series that will follow the original story. Kei Nagai is a student that discovers he is one of an immortal race known as Ajin after surviving a traffic accident. While this new power may seem awesome, Kei soon discovers that the Ajin are a hunted race, as scientists seek to capture their magical abilities. Ajin began airing in January and will also later be available on Netflix.
Image Source: Wild Bunch
The Red Turtle
The Red Turtle may just be the most peculiar item on this list. Produced by French Studio Wild Bunch and Japan’s own Studio Ghibli, The Red Turtle will be a feature length film chronicling the story of a man who attempts to escape a deserted island while also fending off a giant red turtle. The Red Turtle will be directed by Michael Dudok de Wit, director of the famous short Father and Daughter and is slated for a September 2016 release.
Mob Psycho 100
Adapted from a webcomic, Mob Psycho 100 follows Kageyama Shigeo, also known as “Mob,” a young boy with powerful psychic abilities. After realizing the magnitude of his powers, he decides that he must separate himself emotionally from others, but his feelings can’t be held in forever, meaning he is nothing but a ticking time bomb. From manga artist One (known for One Punch Man) and director Yuzurua Tachikawa (Death Parade), Mob Psycho 100 might just be 2016’s big hit. No official release date has been set, but you can expect Mob Psycho 100 to release sometime in 2016
