If you’re an anime fan and you have Crunchyroll, you’re probably aware that the winter season is usually the worst for anime. I don’t really know why, but you just don’t see as many solid new shows come out like you do during other seasons (although, fall is definitely the best season for new anime). However, there are always those gems that stick out among the uninteresting and rather slow building competition.
So, since most shows have hit their halfway point of their season, we decided to list a couple of our current favorites to recommend you watch now that we have passed the four episode mark and confirmed their worth.
Here are our Mid-Season Anime Favorites…
Rachel Freeman’s Picks
Cardcaptor Sakura: Clear Card
Picking back up right where Cardcaptor Sakura left off, Sakura is now entering junior high with her friends and her boyfriend, Syaoran, who has returned from Tomoeda to begin school with Sakura and be with her. Because they’re so freaking cute. Following a mysterious dream, Sakura finds that the once Clow Cards, now Sakura Cards, have all turned transparent and their power is no longer accessible. Once again, Sakura must find all the beings released from the cards and r-capture them. But these cards are not only stronger, but hold completely new abilities for Sakura to fight with and against.
As you can expect from Cardcaptor Sakura, the new series doesn’t miss a beat. Despite there being two movies, the show does not make either of those movies a necessity and focuses solely on the original anime series instead. Unlike the Sailor Moon reboot, this show does not drastically change it’s style.
Things look a little more shiny (they add that highlight look to everyone’s hair) and Sakura and everyone else do look a little older, which they’re supposed to…because they are older, but otherwise everything is the same. And super cute. Even though the premise is virtually the same, these new cards and this new foe are completely new and keep it interesting. Plus, now that Syaoran and Sakura are officially dating, they can focus on more aspects of their deepening love and relationship growth.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jHzHzmif6G4
Junji Ito Collection
As you can probably gather by the title, this series is a collection of Junji Ito’s horror stories. For some reference for those who may not have read his work, Junji Ito is a famous horror manga author and artist. Uzumaki and Gyo are probably his most famous works, as they are his longer stories, but he has tons of other short story collections that are all worthy of praise and will leave you feeling utterly creeped out and/or unsettled.
Each episode is one or two different Junji Ito short manga stories in anime form. Keeping true to his signature manga style, the art alone in this show is enough to give you the chills. As a big fan of his, I have been waiting for this anime for what felt like ages. And I was not disappointed. It’s especially great for fans who have not read all of his work. The show is set to have 12 episodes with two OVAs…and those OVAs are said to be Tomie, his latest work, and will be broken up in to two parts.
https://youtu.be/uRUKmuYMAww
Garo: Vanishing Line
The Garo series has been popular in Japan for a long time. It originally started as a live-action show, and it still is, but now it also has an animated universe. Although, not every season is connected. The premise remains the same, however, there are usually characters unrelated to any characters from previous seasons. Which is nice because I wasn’t trying to catch up on like 13+ seasons of live-action plus several feature films topped with two anime seasons and a movie.
That being said, the series always takes place in a world where Horros (creatures from another realm, similar to demons, that devour humans) and follows various Makai Knights (elite warriors trained to find and destroy Horrors), Makai Alchemists (trained to use a variety of magic/alchemy techniques to find and destroy Horrors)
This anime follows Makai Knight, Sword, two Makai Alchemists, Gina and Luke, and a young girl with no special powers, named Sophie. Despite not being a Makai Knight or Alchemist, Sword allows Sophie to join him on his quest to find “Eldorado”. A message left to Sophie by her brother who went missing, and a place Sword believes is key to stopping a great Horror threat to the world.
This actually came out in the fall season, but it has continued through the winter season and so therefore I’m counting it. Because it’s awesome. I seriously look forward to it every single Friday. It’s gritty. It’s dark. It’s full of despair and death. But it also has many moments that genuinely make you laugh – and that’s pretty hard to find in dark anime such as these. I mean, just look at Berserk.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1eJCOZHnEk
Sheen Fisher’s Pick
The Ancient Magus’ Bride:
If you haven’t seen the series, The Ancient Magus’ Bridge yet, you should really consider checking into it. The story follows a girl that has never fit into normal society. At a young age Chise loses her mother, and is adopted. But, because Chise has the ability to see all sorts of different types of spirits, fae, and demons she grows up scared and afraid to open up to other humans. Chise knows people will never believe her if she opens up about what she is seeing. But, there are times she is even unable to eat or sleep because strange creatures are hanging out in her food, or crawling through her bed.
Chise’s strange behavior drives her adoptive family nuts. They never treated her as well as they should, but she grows up being grossly misunderstood. When Chise turns 15 she decides to sell herself in an auction. She ends up being purchased by a non-human mage that takes her on as his apprentice. Chise’s life takes a magical turn, and the series picks up with her learning magic from the ancient Mage Elias. Different cultures folklore mixes together to create a beautiful tale of supernatural proportions. And, stunning animation breaths even more life into this romantic and epic tale.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E0k03OaDDfk
Well, we hope within this list something has piqued your interest. Maybe you are already watching it even. But if you aren’t, then I highly suggest looking in to any one of these shows. You won’t be disappointed.
