Winter 2025 Anime Preview
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It is - if any - worth a marginal note, but the third season to Spy x Family was finally released. 
Original post
by KallistoIt is - if any - worth a marginal note, but the third season to Spy x Family was finally released.
Season 3 is due to air in October 2025, so it should be in my autumn thread near the end of this year?
https://www.crunchyroll.com/news/latest/2024/12/21/spy-x-family-season-3-anime-october-2025-premiere
Okinawa de Suki ni Natta Ko ga Hougen Sugite Tsura Sugiru (OKITSURA: Fell in Love with an Okinawan Girl, but I Just Wish I Know What She's Saying)
Schoolboy Nakamura has recently moved to the southern Japanese island of Okinawa. He soon develops a crush on one of his new classmates, Kyan. The only problem is, Kyan speaks the local language of Uchinaaguchi, so he can't understand most of what she says! Fortunately for him, another classmate named Higa is more than happy to interpret - but Higa in turn has a crush on Nakamura, so is mostly doing this as an excuse to talk to him more! The rest of the first episode focused on misunderstandings with language, pronunciation and cultural differences, and introduced Nakamura to local traditions and delicacies.
A cute romcom; I did enjoy this first episode, but it's likely one you'd appreciate more as a fluent Japanese (or Uchinaaguchi) speaker, because some things just don't translate that well when you're adding a third language to the mix, as fine a job as the localisers have done with it. Additionally, the huge amount of subtitles on the screen at times caused my aging PC to lag horrendously, but I'm aware that's a me-problem and that most devices shouldn't struggle with it.
I'll give this a chance, as I like Okinawa and the accent, as well as these kinds of comedies more generally.
Official Crunchyroll link: https://www.crunchyroll.com/series/G79H23ZZ3/okitsura-fell-in-love-with-an-okinawan-girl-but-i-just-wish-i-know-what-shes-saying
Schoolboy Nakamura has recently moved to the southern Japanese island of Okinawa. He soon develops a crush on one of his new classmates, Kyan. The only problem is, Kyan speaks the local language of Uchinaaguchi, so he can't understand most of what she says! Fortunately for him, another classmate named Higa is more than happy to interpret - but Higa in turn has a crush on Nakamura, so is mostly doing this as an excuse to talk to him more! The rest of the first episode focused on misunderstandings with language, pronunciation and cultural differences, and introduced Nakamura to local traditions and delicacies.
A cute romcom; I did enjoy this first episode, but it's likely one you'd appreciate more as a fluent Japanese (or Uchinaaguchi) speaker, because some things just don't translate that well when you're adding a third language to the mix, as fine a job as the localisers have done with it. Additionally, the huge amount of subtitles on the screen at times caused my aging PC to lag horrendously, but I'm aware that's a me-problem and that most devices shouldn't struggle with it.
I'll give this a chance, as I like Okinawa and the accent, as well as these kinds of comedies more generally.Official Crunchyroll link: https://www.crunchyroll.com/series/G79H23ZZ3/okitsura-fell-in-love-with-an-okinawan-girl-but-i-just-wish-i-know-what-shes-saying
Original post
by AngryJellyfishSeason 3 is due to air in October 2025, so it should be in my autumn thread near the end of this year?
https://www.crunchyroll.com/news/latest/2024/12/21/spy-x-family-season-3-anime-october-2025-premiere
https://www.crunchyroll.com/news/latest/2024/12/21/spy-x-family-season-3-anime-october-2025-premiere
In Britain, yes. But it lasted till the next season to be aired in Germany. Germans got new episodes not in autumn, but in winter.
Original post
by KallistoNo, I really talked about the third season. Spy x Family is just aired a few days ago in my country, in the midst of winter season.
Series 3 of Spy x Family hasn't been produced in Japan yet, though! The cast and creators confirmed a few weeks ago that it will be airing in October 2025, with little or no delay in most countries I'd imagine (Germany has Crunchyroll, so should get it on there the same time as the USA and UK, usually only an hour after the Japanese release).
https://www.crunchyroll.com/news/latest/2024/12/21/spy-x-family-season-3-anime-october-2025-premiere
Medalist
Inori desperately wants to become a figure skater - but she's 11 years old, in a sport where many pros start training aged 5 or 6. To make matters worse, her older sister had the same dream, but was injured on the rink and had to give up, which left their mother strongly against Inori going down that path. And so, Inori trains in secret... until she is noticed by Tsukasa, another skater who started his career too late, and couldn't go as far as he wanted. Now reluctantly looking for coaching jobs, he recognises Inori's hard work, strong desire and natural talent, and seeing a lot of himself in her, he promises to make her qualify for the National Championship.
Objectively, this has to be the best episode I've watched so far this season, which doesn't come as a surprise seeing as it's adapted from an award-winning manga. The characters have so much life and personality, with great facial expressions, while the dialogue was passionate at times and hilarious at others. Animation quality was way above average; it did use CG for the initial skating scene, and I expect it will do that for all big performances going forwards, but it looked smooth and didn't stand out too much. The only real downside: this is on Disney+, and they still only have closed captions for their English subtitle option.
Official Disney+ link: https://www.disneyplus.com/en-gb/browse/entity-bb33d0c2-b077-4bc0-a549-d2ca27d4afa8
Inori desperately wants to become a figure skater - but she's 11 years old, in a sport where many pros start training aged 5 or 6. To make matters worse, her older sister had the same dream, but was injured on the rink and had to give up, which left their mother strongly against Inori going down that path. And so, Inori trains in secret... until she is noticed by Tsukasa, another skater who started his career too late, and couldn't go as far as he wanted. Now reluctantly looking for coaching jobs, he recognises Inori's hard work, strong desire and natural talent, and seeing a lot of himself in her, he promises to make her qualify for the National Championship.
Objectively, this has to be the best episode I've watched so far this season, which doesn't come as a surprise seeing as it's adapted from an award-winning manga. The characters have so much life and personality, with great facial expressions, while the dialogue was passionate at times and hilarious at others. Animation quality was way above average; it did use CG for the initial skating scene, and I expect it will do that for all big performances going forwards, but it looked smooth and didn't stand out too much. The only real downside: this is on Disney+, and they still only have closed captions for their English subtitle option.
Official Disney+ link: https://www.disneyplus.com/en-gb/browse/entity-bb33d0c2-b077-4bc0-a549-d2ca27d4afa8
Original post
by AngryJellyfishSeries 3 of Spy x Family hasn't been produced in Japan yet, though! The cast and creators confirmed a few weeks ago that it will be airing in October 2025, with little or no delay in most countries I'd imagine (Germany has Crunchyroll, so should get it on there the same time as the USA and UK, usually only an hour after the Japanese release).
https://www.crunchyroll.com/news/latest/2024/12/21/spy-x-family-season-3-anime-october-2025-premiere
https://www.crunchyroll.com/news/latest/2024/12/21/spy-x-family-season-3-anime-october-2025-premiere
You said the truth. The new released episodes belong to season 2, the one which was not aired in Germany so far. Misunderstanding cleared.
First sequel of the season (that I'll be watching)! As usual, I'll make my sequel posts shorter, and will probably stick to sequels until the weekend now since they require less effort after a long working day. 
Ao no Exorcist: Yosuga Hen (Blue Exorcist: The Blue Night Saga)
It's been two weeks since the last episode of Beyond the Snow Saga, is a fortnight enough of a break to justify calling this a new series? Well, this arc already feels very different to what came before it, so maybe it does make sense to separate them. Rin has now travelled into the past, and (guided on-and-off by Mephisto), he will be observing his birth mother Yuri Egin and foster father Fujimoto Shiro's pasts over many time skips, starting with their first meeting during childhood. We know the end is going to be tragic - can our protagonist resist getting involved and risking a huge time paradox!? Some great backstory so far, very intrigued to learn more about Rin and Yukio's origins.
Official Crunchyroll link: https://www.crunchyroll.com/series/G649PJ0JY/blue-exorcist
Ao no Exorcist: Yosuga Hen (Blue Exorcist: The Blue Night Saga)
It's been two weeks since the last episode of Beyond the Snow Saga, is a fortnight enough of a break to justify calling this a new series? Well, this arc already feels very different to what came before it, so maybe it does make sense to separate them. Rin has now travelled into the past, and (guided on-and-off by Mephisto), he will be observing his birth mother Yuri Egin and foster father Fujimoto Shiro's pasts over many time skips, starting with their first meeting during childhood. We know the end is going to be tragic - can our protagonist resist getting involved and risking a huge time paradox!? Some great backstory so far, very intrigued to learn more about Rin and Yukio's origins.
Official Crunchyroll link: https://www.crunchyroll.com/series/G649PJ0JY/blue-exorcist
Ishura S2
The Demon King is dead, but the world is still full of powerful individuals, so a tournament is being held to determine the 'One True Hero'. S1 spent most of its runtime introducing potential candidates, showcasing cool backstories and abilities, but with little screentime to go around, most didn't get to do much individually. And now S2 is adding even more of them! First half focused on gentle giant Mele, whose enormous arrows like ballistic missiles are used only to protect his nearby village; second half did bring back a few characters we already know, while also introducing the aptly named 'Kuuro the Cautious' and his little homunculus Cuneigh. We had better get some payoff after all this buildup!
Official Disney+ link: https://www.disneyplus.com/en-gb/browse/entity-5688fe7b-a605-4858-90a1-e013ef1c94b3
The Demon King is dead, but the world is still full of powerful individuals, so a tournament is being held to determine the 'One True Hero'. S1 spent most of its runtime introducing potential candidates, showcasing cool backstories and abilities, but with little screentime to go around, most didn't get to do much individually. And now S2 is adding even more of them! First half focused on gentle giant Mele, whose enormous arrows like ballistic missiles are used only to protect his nearby village; second half did bring back a few characters we already know, while also introducing the aptly named 'Kuuro the Cautious' and his little homunculus Cuneigh. We had better get some payoff after all this buildup!
Official Disney+ link: https://www.disneyplus.com/en-gb/browse/entity-5688fe7b-a605-4858-90a1-e013ef1c94b3
Correct thread this time:
Dr. Stone: Science Future
The time has finally come for Senkuu and company to take on the mysterious person who petrified most of the planet's inhabitants centuries ago, but they've got a LONG journey ahead of them first, one that makes their current ocean voyage seem small in comparison. And they're not all agreed on the best route for their ship either - do they go slow and straight at the cost of several extra days, or take the shorter more complicated route which requires lots of steering and reliance on their rudimentary GPS? There's only one way to decide: poker, apparently? Fantastic reintroductory episode that just flew by, I LOVE these characters, and this final series is going to be a blast (perhaps literally).
Official Crunchyroll link: https://www.crunchyroll.com/series/GYEXQKJG6/dr-stone
Dr. Stone: Science Future
The time has finally come for Senkuu and company to take on the mysterious person who petrified most of the planet's inhabitants centuries ago, but they've got a LONG journey ahead of them first, one that makes their current ocean voyage seem small in comparison. And they're not all agreed on the best route for their ship either - do they go slow and straight at the cost of several extra days, or take the shorter more complicated route which requires lots of steering and reliance on their rudimentary GPS? There's only one way to decide: poker, apparently? Fantastic reintroductory episode that just flew by, I LOVE these characters, and this final series is going to be a blast (perhaps literally).
Official Crunchyroll link: https://www.crunchyroll.com/series/GYEXQKJG6/dr-stone
Kusuriya no Hitorigoto S2 (The Apothecary Diaries S2)
Here it is, the continuation of one of my all-time favourite series! A tough act for the all-new shows to beat. Having said that though, while a lot happened in this first episode, there wasn't much drama or excitement. Protagonist Maomao now has a still for making oils and strong alcohol (for medicinal use only, I'm sure!). Novels were gifted to the ladies-in-waiting to improve literacy, while more... 'educational' books were given to the concubines. Lastly, a kitten was introduced to the cast. So more of a relaxing reintroduction, but there were still good character and subtle politicking moments. Production values are as high as ever, the animation remains gorgeous, and the new OP sequence was superb.
Official Crunchyroll link: https://www.crunchyroll.com/series/G3KHEVDJ7/the-apothecary-diaries
Here it is, the continuation of one of my all-time favourite series! A tough act for the all-new shows to beat. Having said that though, while a lot happened in this first episode, there wasn't much drama or excitement. Protagonist Maomao now has a still for making oils and strong alcohol (for medicinal use only, I'm sure!). Novels were gifted to the ladies-in-waiting to improve literacy, while more... 'educational' books were given to the concubines. Lastly, a kitten was introduced to the cast. So more of a relaxing reintroduction, but there were still good character and subtle politicking moments. Production values are as high as ever, the animation remains gorgeous, and the new OP sequence was superb.
Official Crunchyroll link: https://www.crunchyroll.com/series/G3KHEVDJ7/the-apothecary-diaries
Sakamoto Days [content warning: violence]
Sakamoto Taro was a legendary hitman, best in his business, feared and respected by peers and targets alike. Then he fell in love with the cashier at a local shop, got married, had a child, put on a lot of weight, and retired from killing. The only problem is, nobody leaves the organisation he used to work for alive, so mind-reading assassin Shin is sent to finish him off. After arriving at the shop, Shin is quick to find that, despite his change in appearance, Sakamoto's skills from his old life haven't dulled at all, and the guy is still more than happy to use them to protect his new one.
This is the most anticipated non-sequel anime of winter 2025, according to Anime-Planet stats, due to the popularity of the source manga. After the first episode, I can see the appeal: the action scenes were very good, and the goofy comedy is my kind of humour. Seeing Shin armed with a gun battling against Sakamoto throwing convenience store food products showed that both those things at the same time can be a winning combo, but the showdown with the organisation later in the ep demonstrated that it can be deadly serious when it wants to be as well. Setting and plot are simple, but the manga is 20 volumes and ongoing, so clearly they've got plenty of ideas for how to use it!
Official Netflix link: https://www.netflix.com/title/81663325
Sakamoto Taro was a legendary hitman, best in his business, feared and respected by peers and targets alike. Then he fell in love with the cashier at a local shop, got married, had a child, put on a lot of weight, and retired from killing. The only problem is, nobody leaves the organisation he used to work for alive, so mind-reading assassin Shin is sent to finish him off. After arriving at the shop, Shin is quick to find that, despite his change in appearance, Sakamoto's skills from his old life haven't dulled at all, and the guy is still more than happy to use them to protect his new one.
This is the most anticipated non-sequel anime of winter 2025, according to Anime-Planet stats, due to the popularity of the source manga. After the first episode, I can see the appeal: the action scenes were very good, and the goofy comedy is my kind of humour. Seeing Shin armed with a gun battling against Sakamoto throwing convenience store food products showed that both those things at the same time can be a winning combo, but the showdown with the organisation later in the ep demonstrated that it can be deadly serious when it wants to be as well. Setting and plot are simple, but the manga is 20 volumes and ongoing, so clearly they've got plenty of ideas for how to use it!
Official Netflix link: https://www.netflix.com/title/81663325
Übel Blatt [content warning: explicit violence]
Twenty years ago, the Empire feared an imminent attack from their enemy Wischtech, the 'land of the shadows', so they gave holy weapons to 14 warriors, tasking them with preventing this invasion. Only half of these warriors returned alive and successful, with three of the others having died, and the remaining four betraying their comrades. But is the story told by these survivors the real truth? In the present day, three travellers risk their lives attempting to cross a heavily guarded border into the peaceful land of these so-called 'Seven Heroes', and it seems at least one of them isn't buying that story.
YES! I love dark fantasy, and why not throw in some flying ships as a nice bonus. Definitely seems to have more plot direction than Ishura, even if it ends up being a simple revenge story. Our intriguing main character has already gathered a nice party, I look forward to learning more about them all, and the world they inhabit. So far, it feels almost nostalgic, like the kind of fantasy series I watched when I first got into anime, before MMO classes and isekai tropes took over, which makes sense given that the manga started in 2004. The animation wasn't the best I've seen this season, a lot of speed lines early on, but the episode's main fight looked better.
Official Prime Video link: https://www.amazon.co.uk/%C3%9Cbel-Blatt/dp/B0DMFW7NZQ
Twenty years ago, the Empire feared an imminent attack from their enemy Wischtech, the 'land of the shadows', so they gave holy weapons to 14 warriors, tasking them with preventing this invasion. Only half of these warriors returned alive and successful, with three of the others having died, and the remaining four betraying their comrades. But is the story told by these survivors the real truth? In the present day, three travellers risk their lives attempting to cross a heavily guarded border into the peaceful land of these so-called 'Seven Heroes', and it seems at least one of them isn't buying that story.
YES! I love dark fantasy, and why not throw in some flying ships as a nice bonus.
Definitely seems to have more plot direction than Ishura, even if it ends up being a simple revenge story. Our intriguing main character has already gathered a nice party, I look forward to learning more about them all, and the world they inhabit. So far, it feels almost nostalgic, like the kind of fantasy series I watched when I first got into anime, before MMO classes and isekai tropes took over, which makes sense given that the manga started in 2004. The animation wasn't the best I've seen this season, a lot of speed lines early on, but the episode's main fight looked better. Official Prime Video link: https://www.amazon.co.uk/%C3%9Cbel-Blatt/dp/B0DMFW7NZQ
Akuyaku Reijou Tensei Oji-san (From Bureaucrat to Villainess: Dad’s Been Reincarnated!)
52 year old bureaucrat Tondabayashi Kenzaburo is hit by a truck while trying to save a young child. The next thing he knows, he has awakened in the body of 15 year old Grace Auvergne! Kenzaburo recognises the characters and setting to be from an otome game his daughter plays - one where Grace is the rival who makes the heroine Anna Doll's life a misery. And so, with no other guidance provided on how he should be living his new life, he dutifully tries to play the villainess... only, his fatherly instincts and good nature (aided by a special ability that autocorrects his polite Japanese mannerisms into the game world nobility's equivalent) mean he accidentally befriends Anna!
This wasn't originally on my plan to watch list, as I usually avoid reincarnation isekai... but I enjoyed the trailer, and read a lot of positive reviews. Having watched the first episode, I did get a few laughs from it, but I'm still not 100% convinced it's my kind of show. It did provide (and looks set to continue providing) development for Kenzaburo's original life, family and work, using them to explain why he acts the way he does, which is a positive. I could see myself warming to him and his version of Grace. But the otome game magical school setting isn't my favourite, and none of the other characters jump out at me yet. Have to compliment the ending theme though, that was a lot of fun.
Official HIDIVE link: https://www.hidive.com/season/28118
52 year old bureaucrat Tondabayashi Kenzaburo is hit by a truck while trying to save a young child. The next thing he knows, he has awakened in the body of 15 year old Grace Auvergne! Kenzaburo recognises the characters and setting to be from an otome game his daughter plays - one where Grace is the rival who makes the heroine Anna Doll's life a misery. And so, with no other guidance provided on how he should be living his new life, he dutifully tries to play the villainess... only, his fatherly instincts and good nature (aided by a special ability that autocorrects his polite Japanese mannerisms into the game world nobility's equivalent) mean he accidentally befriends Anna!
This wasn't originally on my plan to watch list, as I usually avoid reincarnation isekai... but I enjoyed the trailer, and read a lot of positive reviews. Having watched the first episode, I did get a few laughs from it, but I'm still not 100% convinced it's my kind of show. It did provide (and looks set to continue providing) development for Kenzaburo's original life, family and work, using them to explain why he acts the way he does, which is a positive. I could see myself warming to him and his version of Grace. But the otome game magical school setting isn't my favourite, and none of the other characters jump out at me yet. Have to compliment the ending theme though, that was a lot of fun.
Official HIDIVE link: https://www.hidive.com/season/28118
Kimi no Koto ga Daidaidaidaidaisuki na 100-nin no Kanojo S2 (The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, Really Love You S2)
Everybody has a fated soulmate. Aside from Rentaro, who has 100 of them! The first half of this episode reintroduced us to the six we already met in S1, but with a twist, then the second half added a new character to the mix, whose exaggerated character trait was not what I was expecting. 4th wall breaks from the very start, references and parodies, over the top displays of love and lust - this show is ridiculous, it knows it, and by turning everything up to maximum, it somehow just works. I'm really looking forward to the rest of the new recruits, their interactions with Rentaro and with each other, and how it'll manage to balance its increasingly large cast.
Official Crunchyroll link: https://www.crunchyroll.com/series/GNVHKN933/the-100-girlfriends-who-really-really-really-really-really-love-you
Everybody has a fated soulmate. Aside from Rentaro, who has 100 of them! The first half of this episode reintroduced us to the six we already met in S1, but with a twist, then the second half added a new character to the mix, whose exaggerated character trait was not what I was expecting. 4th wall breaks from the very start, references and parodies, over the top displays of love and lust - this show is ridiculous, it knows it, and by turning everything up to maximum, it somehow just works. I'm really looking forward to the rest of the new recruits, their interactions with Rentaro and with each other, and how it'll manage to balance its increasingly large cast.
Official Crunchyroll link: https://www.crunchyroll.com/series/GNVHKN933/the-100-girlfriends-who-really-really-really-really-really-love-you
And finally:
Watashi no Shiawase na Kekkon S2 (My Happy Marriage S2)
The first series got off to a very Cinderella-esque start, with Miyo escaping a life of abuse at the hands of her stepmother and sister, thanks to help from husband-to-be Kiyoka. But it ended so nicely, what new troubles could S2 have lying in wait for the couple? Well, this time it's HIS mother who has an issue with Miyo, after the two accept an invitation from his father to visit the family home. The hatred between mother and son is obvious, but how did it get to this point? And a big part of the reason they agreed to go there to begin with is Kiyoka's work, exterminating Grotesqueries - what could be behind all the unusual sightings in the area? Lots of mystery in the first ep, great setup.
Official Netflix link: https://www.netflix.com/browse?jbv=81564905
Watashi no Shiawase na Kekkon S2 (My Happy Marriage S2)
The first series got off to a very Cinderella-esque start, with Miyo escaping a life of abuse at the hands of her stepmother and sister, thanks to help from husband-to-be Kiyoka. But it ended so nicely, what new troubles could S2 have lying in wait for the couple? Well, this time it's HIS mother who has an issue with Miyo, after the two accept an invitation from his father to visit the family home. The hatred between mother and son is obvious, but how did it get to this point? And a big part of the reason they agreed to go there to begin with is Kiyoka's work, exterminating Grotesqueries - what could be behind all the unusual sightings in the area? Lots of mystery in the first ep, great setup.
Official Netflix link: https://www.netflix.com/browse?jbv=81564905
And that's all the first episodes I'm planning on checking out! Usually at this point I'd take requests to review any episodes I skipped that people might be interested in, but nobody ever took me up on the offer before, and TBH I'm watching more than enough new anime now.
So I'll open the thread to you instead (not that it was ever closed!) - if you're reading this, what do you think of the winter anime lineup? If you've already started watching any of the new shows, which are your favourites? Or if you have any feedback on these season preview threads in general, I'd love to hear it.
So I'll open the thread to you instead (not that it was ever closed!) - if you're reading this, what do you think of the winter anime lineup? If you've already started watching any of the new shows, which are your favourites? Or if you have any feedback on these season preview threads in general, I'd love to hear it.
(edited 9 months ago)
@AngryJellyfish
The spring is so close! you need to create a new thread for a new season in time.
The spring is so close! you need to create a new thread for a new season in time.
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