The List

5 Anime We're Excited for in 2020

The Promised Neverland season two, Higurashi: When They Cry, The Seven Deadly Sins: Anger's Judgment are just a few of the many anime series that have been postponed in response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. With so many delay announcements, it's easy to think that there might not be anything left for the rest of 2020. But there's no doubt that this year's Summer and Fall anime season are still brimming with exciting new anime series to enjoy. Let's check out what should be on your ‘To Watch List’ for the rest of 2020.

Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World- 2

It'd be easy to make this list based on all the upcoming seasonal sequels, such as Fire Force season 2 and Golden Kamuy season 3. But the one truly on everyone's radar is the second season of Re:Zero. The series follows Natsuki Subaru, a teenage NEET who is one day summoned to another world. There, he meets a mysterious girl called Emilia, who he decides to stick by, no matter what life, and the new world, throws at him. Now, whether you think it's deserved or not, there's no denying that when Re:Zero first aired back in 2016 it set the anime community alight. I don't think it was possible to open any social media without seeing people hyped over episodes or having a waifu war over Rem, Ram and Emilia.

Story-wise, season one covered arcs 1-3 of the light novel that the series adapts from. Season two aims to cover arc 4 in the same number of episodes. If the short trailer we got is anything to go by, it looks like it's going to be an intense ride. Re:Zero 2 was originally meant to air with the current Spring season, but was pushed back to July, let's keep our fingers crossed for no further delays!

Ikebukuro West Gate Park

Ikebukuro West Gate Park is a series of urban mystery novels by Japanese author Ira Ishida. The series has been adapted to a live action television series, a manga and now an anime. The story focuses on 20 year old Makoto, known as the ‘troubleshooter of Ikebukuro’ who has a penchant for danger. His best friend is the head of a local gang called the G Boys, who relies on Makoto to help them out in tricky situations. But as tensions rise between rival gangs, and those close to Makoto are put in danger, he might just find there are some things he can't ‘troubleshoot’ out of. The novels and live action adaptation are well loved and highly regarded, so there's no doubt the anime has a lot to live up to. But what has really sparked my interest is the studio that has taken on this mammoth task. The series sounds like it's going to a gritty urban drama, akin to Durarara!! or Gangsta. and the studio that's taken it on is Doga Kobo. Doga Kobo is more known for their cute, slice-of-life anime such as Himouto! Umaruchan and Monthly Girls' Nozaki-kun. But you know what? I'm keen to see this studio try out something new, and you should be too!

Han'yō no Yasha Hime (The Half-Demon Princess)

It's been ten years since the InuYasha: The Final Act anime graced our screens and sixteen years since the manga ended. It's safe to say no one expected a spin-off anime series to be announced this year, and yet here we (very happily) are. In Feudal Japan, Sesshomaru's twin daughters (Towa and Setsuna) are separated when Towa escapes from a forest fire through a tunnel that leads her to present-day Japan. Towa manages to return ten years later, to find her twin sister, now a youkai slayer, has no memory of her. Joining up with Moroha, the daughter of Inuyasha and Kagome, the sisters go on a journey to find Setsuna's lost memories.

So far only the plot and character designs for the three girls have been released, but even with those scraps of information I can't help but be majorly hyped! This series is going to be an absolute nostalgia hit. But just as excited as I am to see old faces and what they're up to, I can't wait to properly be introduced to our new trio of youkai exterminators. I can already see this series as being a great call back to the Inuyasha series but also a fantastic show for new fans to jump into.

Jujutsu Kaisen

On its surface Jujutsu Kaisen looks like your typical overblown shounen manga - a foolhardy, yet gifted, protagonist is the only one who can face up to a ‘big bad’. But it's a series that has pleasantly surprised me with its horror themes and fantastic characters. The story centres on high-schooler Yuuji Itadori who becomes a host for the ‘king of curses’ after consuming one of his twenty fingers. To destroy the king completely, Yuuji must find and consume the other nineteen fingers. If you think a story about a high schooler eating cursed fingers sounds weird, trust me, it is. But it's something you quickly get on board with as the story blows you away. Besides my excitement at seeing the characters come to life on screen, there are some dynamic fight scenes that are just begging to be animated. I don't doubt that the anime will do this manga justice!

The Day I Became a God (Kami-sama ni Natta Hi)

Of all the anime on this list, this is by far the most mysterious but also most intriguing. The story focuses on Hina who one day awakens as a god, and foresees the end of the world. But rather than seek to prevent it, she tries to find a companion to spend her last days with. Just like with Ikebukuro West Gate Park a lot of my interest in this series is based on who is actually making the series. This is the third collaboration between P.A. Works and visual novel studio Key. Their previous two collabs were on Angel Beats! and Charlotte, and we all know what an emotional rollercoaster those series were! If that isn't enough to grab your attention, Jun Maeda who worked on the visual novels of Clannad and Air, is the script writer for this series. That's right - you're definitely going to be needing some tissues for The Day I Became a God, and you're going to enjoy every tear-soaked moment of it.

THE POLL

This week want to know what anime you're looking forward to this year! Let us know your top five in the poll!