Just like it did with a lot of pro sports leagues, COVID-19 pushed a lot of anime that was supposed to premiere in Summer to the next season instead. As a result, there are a lot of new shows, and that's before you get into all the sequels or ongoing series (which I won't mention here). Here's a list of new anime that I've been watching and that you might want to check out:
Iwa-Kakeru! Climbing Girls
#GamersClimbUp! Okay, it's not that bad, but it is the story of a Gamer Girl who uses her mastery of puzzles to join her high-school rock climbing club. Suddenly, she finds herself thrust into a world of schoolgirl rock-climbing competitions with rivals from various schools, including this one who can't decide if she's a bunnygirl or a spidergirl. To its credit, it does show off some real rock-climbing techniques, but not as much as the anime bullshit, shounen action, and male gaze you'll have to deal with throughout the show. Not great, not terrible, worth a look if you have the time.
Talentless Nana
It's a bit difficult for me to talk about this without spoiling the early twist, so all I will say is this:
You think you're watching My Hero Academia and everything seems to be going in a similar direction and then out of nowhere a game of Among Us (or maybe Danganronpa 2) breaks out. I don't know if I'm supposed to be rooting for the imposter to finish their job or for everyone else to find them first, but awkwardly-explained setting aside, it's an interesting show, and it has hooked me in the first couple episodes.
Adachi and Shimamura
A very chill yuri show about a couple introverted schoolgirls who are slowly working through their feelings for each other and a girl in a spacesuit who may or may not be an alien. Also a nod to the writer's previous work in Denpa Onna to Seishun Otoko, which was another good show for other reasons. Nothing particularly groundbreaking, but if you're into a slow-burning lesbian schoolgirl drama it's nice.
Yashahime: Princess Half-Demon
Okay I lied when I said I wouldn't mention sequels here. No worries if you forgot who everyone not-named Inuyasha is, as the first episode acts as an epilogue and runs off everyone's names. The fraternal twin daughters of Sesshomaru and a currently-unknown mother (implied to be Rin which would be a bit problematic if true) team up with the bounty-hunting daughter of Inuyasha and Kagome to fight their way through a bunch of bad guys in feudal-era Japan while trying to find a magical butterfly that keeps Setsuna from being able to sleep. Basically, if you liked Inuyasha, you'll probably like this one, as it takes place years after the original series ended (yes I forgot it ended too).
Wandering Witch
Literally "Kino's Journey but if Kino was a witch and her motorad was a broom that didn't talk." Even the Japanese titles are almost identical (Kino no Tabi vs. Majo no Tabitabi). Not that it's a bad thing. Just a story of the various travels of a young witch who flies to various lands and meets different people, some good, some bad, some in-between. Like Kino's Journey, there are a few constants throughout the series, but you can jump in almost any episode and not feel too lost in the story. Highly recommended.
Burn the Witch
A 3-part miniseries that takes place in the Bleach universe, about witches in "Reverse London" who oversee Dragon-related crimes. There's a lot of magic lasers, witches blowing horns, and a dragon-Pomeranian who yells "show me your panties!" in a high-pitched voice for some reason. Also a Dragon named Cinderella who is eventually beaten by a deus ex machina. Do people actually like this? I guess if you're starving for more Bleach, then go for it. Otherwise, go for this Burn the Witch instead:
Jujutsu Kaisen
Another Shounen Jump adaptation about a strong boy with a big heart drafted into a clan of demon slayers to contain an ultra-powerful demon by swallowing its digits. Seriously. It's a fun show, basically Kimetsu no Yaiba with a dash of Naruto if it was set in modern-day Tokyo. It even has inverse-Kakashi as a mentor figure and a slightly older Sasuke as a teammate. Personally, I'd like to know where the Panda fits in this.
Anyways, the one thing that got me to watch the show was this absolute banger of an ED, from the same band behind the OP theme of Beastars (my personal AOTY of 2019).
Give this show a chance, I think you'll like it.
Akudama Drive
An original anime that somehow dumps a wild mix of Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, Blade Runner, The Usual Suspects, Danganronpa, and Ghost in the Shell into a blender and makes the resulting concoction work. A team of criminals known only by their job names (Courier, Brawler, Doctor, Hacker, etc) and one office worker who accidentally stumbled into them are brought together by a mysterious client to hijack a bullet train in a dystopian cyber-Kansai. It's incredibly violent, brutal, dumb, but great with some seriously good fighting sequences and various actions that require heavy suspension of disbelief (especially where Brawler is involved). Highly recommended.
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