Winter 2018 is over and it’s time to take a look back at the best new series of the season. To be honest, I thought the fall anime season had more wins than winter, but there were a few shows that I enjoyed watching. Check out my top 10 list of the best Winter 2018 anime.
Devilman Crybaby (TV-MA)
Drama, Supernatural
This anime is about exactly what it sounds like it’s about, a devilman who cries a lot. Akira is possessed and becomes a half demon. He uses his new superhuman abilities to fight demons and protect humanity. This show was by far the anime I enjoyed the most this season. Devilman Crybaby is visually pleasing, exciting, thrilling and concluded with a satisfyingly shocking ending.
Streaming on Netflix.
Junji Ito Collection (TV-MA)
Drama, Horror
Perfect for horror fans. This is a collection of frightening and disturbing tales. What’s nice about this is that each episode tackles a separate horror-themed story, which allows you to skip around and watch out of sequence. If you’re looking for something to turn your hair white, Junji Ito doesn’t disappoint. I recommend you start with the Fashion Model episode.
Streaming on Crunchyroll and Funimation.
A Place Further Than the Universe (TV-14)
Drama, Comedy, Adventure
If you’re ready for a feel-good slice of life series, this is for you. Kobuchizawa Shirase is set on going to Antarctica after her mother goes missing on an expedition. She fights to go despite opposition from the expedition team who feels she’s too young to go. Along the way, she makes friends who stick with her every step of the way until her dream is realized. A Place Further Than the Universe wonderfully examines the process of reconciling with feelings of loss and grief.
Streaming on Crunchyroll.
Kokkoku (NR)
Drama, Sci-Fi
What would you do if you could freeze time, so that you were the only person who could roam around freely? Kokkoku explores that concept and how people could abuse that power. The Yukawa family have passed down the power to freeze time from generation to generation. When the youngest family member is abducted they use this power to retrieve him, but unbeknownst to them, they’re not the only ones who possess this rare ability. The world building in Kokkoku is carefully thought out; what could have been simplified to moments of time standing still is expanded to develop a full imaginative world with creatures and rules not known to us.
Streaming on Amazon.
Hakata Tonkotsu Ramens (TV-MA)
Drama, Crime, Mystery
Hakata Tonkotsu Ramens is great if you’re a fan of action and witty comedy. This anime takes place in a fictional city where corruption has taken over and has been overrun by hitmen. The protagonist is a hitman who targets other hitmen to balance justice. In Hakata Tonkotsu the bad guys are also the good guys and has an Ocean’s Eleven feel to it, a group of criminals, essentially friends, work together to carry out their operations.
Streaming on Crunchyroll and Funimation.
Idolish 7 (TV-14)
Musical, Comedy, Drama
A fun music-filled show; Idolish7 follows the making of a boy band with seven members. As they work towards their debut album, they have to face many obstacles along the way, both professionally and personally. It’s a fun light watch if you’re not in the mood for anything too heavy and the pop music soundtrack is a plus.
Streaming on Crunchyroll.
Sanrio Boys (TV-14)
Comedy, Drama
Sanrio Boys is a much-needed show, it challenges gender norms in and encourages viewers to be happy with who they are. The story follows high school second year, Hasegawa Kouta, who learns to be proud of his love of the Sanrio (company that makes Hello Kitty) character, Pompompurin, despite the stigma of boys liking “girly” things. With the help of his friends that have the same interest, he learns to not let other people define who he is and to not be ashamed of himself. Sanrio Boys does an excellent job making the characters’ hobbies relatable without belittling them.
Streaming on Crunchyroll.
School Babysitters (TV-14)
Comedy, Drama
School Babysitters is a sweet story that catches all the feels. Ryuichi is a teenage boy who just lost his parents in a plane crash and now has to take care of his toddler brother, Kotaro. They are taking in by a chairwoman of a prestigious academy. In exchange for his stay and schooling, he is required to work at the school’s daycare where he watches the children of the faculty. It’s touching to see the love and strength of the two brothers and how they learn to cope with loss and adjust to a new environment.
Streaming on Crunchyroll.
Beatless (NR)
Action, Sci-Fi
After a mysterious tech factory explosion, 17- year old Arato Endo, is saved by a robot. He enters a contract with her and becomes her master. Together they investigate the reason for the explosion and track down the highly powerful robots who escaped the factory. Beatless grows more and more intriguing as the season progresses and you learn more about the backgrounds of the characters and how they all are connected to the robotics industry.
Streaming on Amazon.
Death March to the Parallel World Rhapsody (TV-14)
Fantasy, Adventure
You like games? You like harems? Then you’ll enjoy this. Satou is a game developer who somehow wakes up inside of a fantasy video game. He tries to find out why he’s there and how to get back to Japan with the help of his friends, who all happen to be female. Death March seamlessly blends in elements of RPG gameplay into the story, without it feeling out of place. Even though it’s a harem, the story doesn’t get lost in romantic conflicts and the main plot stays center.
Streaming on Crunchyroll and Funimation.
Written by Dy Dy is an aspiring filmmaker with a B.S. in Film. Her hobbies include binging anime, reading comic books and watching TV and movies. Follow her on twitter @dyprinzess.
