© DC Comics

Creative Staff:
Story: Collin Kelly, Jackson Lanzing
Art: Aneke
Colors: Kelly Fitzpatrick
Letterer: Wes Abbott

What They Say:
Kara’s been betrayed by Catwoman, but Dick Grayson is at her side. Will his help be enough to get her out of a jam?

Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers):
While I’m still getting a handle on the world that is Gotham City Garage and all that it entails I’m definitely enjoying what it’s doing. It’s keeping things moving with a good mix of action and intrigue to it while teasing along smaller bits of character development. Kelly and Lanzing know what they’re trying to accomplish and it’s working well enough, though it leaves me at times wishing for more downtime sequences just to engage in dialogue and backstory material. This iss is like the last in that Aneke is handling the art and that brings about some fun action sequences and some good character designs, particularly when it comes to Catwoman and how she’s presented overall.

This installment largely works two storylines across it that are pretty different but intersect well in their own way. The action component gives us Dick and Kara doing their best to get away from Amazo as it chases them through the desert. It’s not deep or rich here with what it does but it’s fun as they throw a couple of different things at it to try and get away and some amusing sniping from Kara about the electric sticks that Dick uses. Of course, he’s going to try his own way of dealing with things that looks like he’s abandoning her but that doesn’t work out well either. The back and forth is simple and a lot of it is that Kara still hasn’t gotten a handle on who she is or what she’s capable of but I love the ending scene in how she rides back to face the music with her conquest.

The Catwoman side of things is far more intriguing, however, as we see how she deals with Cyborg here. There’s some good dialogue from him about how he ended up in this position with the war that made him key for creating the Gardeners and the like, but also the confirmation that should she remove the (Mother) box from him, it’ll kill him. It’ll take down a lot of what Lex has built along the way but it comes at a cost, one that both of them are willing to pay for the greater fight. I really liked the exchanges between them and the fleshing out that we get but I also really dug the reveal of who Catwoman is in this storyline and the secretive role that she’s playing in order to achieve her own larger goals.

In Summary:
Gotham City Garage has a solid installment here that finishes the two short things that it was working through at the moment and each of them is satisfying. I liked seeing what we got from Catwoman with her goal, how far she’ll go to achieve it, and the secret life she’s also living. At the same time the simple action of what Kara and Dick are up to is fun and I like the way it brings something big into the picture back at the garage where it might help her reputation a bit. The team put in a solid work through and through, though I’m hopeful for more time spent in the dome with richer backgrounds to engage in what this world is like a bit more.

Grade: B

Age Rating: 13+
Released By: DC Comics via ComiXology
Release Date: October 25th, 2017
MSRP: $0.99

© Darling In The Frankxx Production Committee

Details regarding the upcoming Darling in the Franxx project have been rolling out in weird ways since the start and that’s continuing here With the series set to kick off in January 2018 as part of the winter season, the official Japanese site has now updated with more information, including a formal January 13th, 2018 premiere date on Tokyo MX and others as it looks to go pretty wide. In addition to that we also have a new Twitter video that provides a sample of the opening theme song.

The project is directed by Atsushi Nishigori who collaborated with Naotaka Hayashi with the series composition. Masayoshi Tanak is serving as the chief animation director and character designer on it with A-1 Pictures and Studio Trigger handling the production.

The Japanese cast includes Haruka Tomatsu as Zero Two, Yūto Uemura as Hiro, Aoi Ichikawa as Mitsuru, Hiroshi Gotō as Futoshi, Kana Ichinose as Ichigo, Mutsumi Tamura as Zorome, Nanami Yamashita as Miku, Saori Hayami as Kokoro, Shizuka Ishikawa as Ikuno, and Yuichiro Umehara as Goro.

【OP主題歌決定！】
2018年1月より放送となるTVアニメ「ダーリン・イン・ザ・フランキス」のオープニング主題歌が、中島美嘉×HYDEによる「KISS OF DEATH（Produced by HYDE）」に決定しました！
実に13年ぶりのタッグが実現！お二人からのコメントも到着しました！ #ダリフラhttps://t.co/fePHEqX0PQ pic.twitter.com/SYUlLGve69

— ダーリン・イン・ザ・フランキス (@DARLI_FRA) December 13, 2017

Plot Concept: The story is set in the distant future. The land is ruined, and humanity establishes the mobile fort city Plantation. Pilots produced inside Plantation live in Mistilteinn, also know as the “birdcage.” Children live there knowing nothing of the outside world or the freedom of the sky. Their lives consist of battling to carry out missions. Their enemies are mysterious giant lifeforms known as Kyōryū, and the children pilot robots called Franxx to face off against them. For the children, riding the Franxx proves their existence.

A boy named Hiro is called Code:016, and he was once known as a prodigy. However, he has fallen behind, and his existence seems unnecessary. Not piloting a Franxx is the same as ceasing to exist. One day, a mysterious girl known as “Zero Two” appears before him. Two horns grow out of her head.

© YORIMOI PARTNERS

The winter 2018 series A Story That Leads to Antarctica has updated with a January 2nd, 2018 premiere date earlier this week and has now brought out a bit more information. That comes in the form of a new two-minute promotional video that shows off the animation really well while also giving us a taste of the insert song that’s being used in the series. Crunchyroll has already picked up the streaming rights to this project.

The show is being directed by Atsuko Ishizuka based on the series composition and scripts by Jukki Hanada. Takahiro Yoshimatsu is handling the character designs while also serving as the chief animation director and Madhouse is handling the animation production.

The Japanese cast includes Inori Minase as Mari Tamaki, Kana Hanazawa as Shirase Kobuchizawa, Yuka Iguchi as Hinata Miyake, Saori Hayami as Yuzuki Shiraishi, Mamiko Noto as Gin Toudou, Yoko Hikasa as Kanae Maekawa, Lynn as Yumiko Sabejima, Hisako Kanemoto as Megumi Takahashi, Kaede Hondo as Rin Tamaki, and Sayaka Ohara as Tamiko Shiraishi.

Plot Concept: It’ll focus on high school girls visiting the South Pole.

©2013 5pb. / Nitroplus Steins;Gate Project

With teases earlier this year at Anime Expo, Kadokawa has brought out a new teaser and information regarding their Steins;Gate 0 anime adaptation. The project is now scheduled as part of the spring 2018 season in April with Kenichi Kawamura directing it and Tomoshige Inayoshi handling the character designs. White Fox is handling the animation production and one new cast member is revealed with Sayuri Yahagi joining as Maho Hiyajou.

Check out our review of the visual novel

Plot Concept: Steins;Gate 0 is the sequel to the award-winning time-travel science fiction interactive Visual Novel developed by 5pb. and Nitroplus – ‘STEINS;GATE’ – widely considered to be one of the greatest visual novels ever made and one of the best-selling Visual Novels ever released in the West! Branching off from the ending of the original STEINS;GATE to an alternate worldline, STEINS;GATE 0 sees Okabe and the Future Gadget Lab members return once again in a story centered around Artificial Intelligence and the creation of ‘Amadeus’ – a means of interacting with the stored memories of a fellow human being. STEINS;GATE 0 continues the series trademark of delivering incredible science fiction storytelling with rich characterization that most games can only dream of and will delight both newcomers to the series and existing STEINS;GATE fans.

[Source: Moca News via MAL]

© Kiri Wazawa / SQUARE ENIX CO., LTD.

Funimation previously announced a January 16th, 2018 release date for the DVD/BD combo for Morose Mononokean and now we’ve got a new trailer for it. This one digs into the cast a bit more and the idea and concept behind the show that works well even if it hits some familiar beats with the music. It definitely should up interest in the show for fans of this genre.

The set is priced at $64.98 and the listed extras are the clean versions of the opening and closing sequences. The set is not listed as coming with a digital copy.

The series had Akira Iwanaga directing based on the series composition by Takao Yoshioka. Pierrot Plus produced the animation for it.

The English language dub was directed by Tyler Walker and starred Aaron Dismuke as Hanae Ashiya, Jason Liebrecht as Haruitsuki Abeno, Anthony Bowling as Jomatsu, Brittany Lauda as Yahiko Dani Chambers as Zenko Fujiwara, Heather Walker as Anmo-Hime and Tomori, Janelle Lutz as Kora, Kenny Green as Okinagami, Randy Pearlman as Mitsuchigura, and Sarah Wiedenheft as Shizuki.

The Japanese cast includes Yuki Kaji as Hanae Ashiya, Tomoaki Maeno as Haruitsuki Abeno, Ayahi Takagaki as Zenko Fujiwara, Ikue Ootani as Yahiko, Yoko Hikasa as Koura, Chinami Hashimoto as Shizuku, Junichi Suwabe as Rippou, Fumihiko Tachiki as Boss Gigigi, Kazuya Ichijo as Mitsuchigura, Masaki Terasoma as Manjirou, Kishou Taniyama as Joumatsu, Saori Oonishi as Anmo Hime, Nobuo Tobita as Nobou, Tomomichi Nishimura as Okina and Kotono Mitsuishi as Tomori.

The opening theme song comes from The Super Ball with “Tomodachi Meter” while Tomoaki Maeno and Yuuki Kaji will be performing the ending theme song for it with “Tobira no Muko” in-character.

The original series comes from Kiri Wazawa which began back in 2013. The manga has been getting a simulpub from Crunchyroll since last summer as The Morose Mononokean.

Plot concept: Ashiya has spent the first seven days of high school stuck in the infirmary because of a youkai attaching itself to him. He ends up asking the owner of a small tea room called the “Mononokean” for help. This is a tale involving the very morose owner of Mononokean guiding the youkai that happened to wander into this world go to the next world.

Funimation has made the first round slate of announcements for what winter 2018 series that they’ll be producing a dub for not long after the show airs in Japan. Schedule and timing, as well as cast announcements, will be coming later but for now fans get a taste of some of what they’ll get as part of the season with:

Cardcaptor Sakura: Clear Card

The power of the Clow is back with a new adventure for the Cardcaptor! After sealing the last of the Clow Cards, Sakura Kinomoto is ready to face her newest challenge—junior high. But just when she settles into a normal routine, a strange dream changes everything. The cards are blank, rendered powerless, and a cloaked figure grants her a new key of magic. What lies behind this mysterious power?

DARLING in the FRANXX

In a desolate future, children are kept away from the outside world, away from the open sky. Locked away in Mistilteinn, aka “the birdcage,” they live only to pilot giant mechs known as FranXX. Hiro was once a prodigy but after falling behind, he’s become unnecessary. After all, not piloting a FranXX is the same as not existing. But everything changes when he meets Zero Two, the girl with horns.

Death March to the Parallel World Rhapsody

Full synopsis TBA!

Katana Maidens ~ Toji No Miko

Full synopsis TBA!

citrus

Yuzu Aihara loves fashion, friends, and having fun! But when her mom remarries and she’s forced to transfer schools, this fashionable teen’s sweet life turns sour. On her first day, she makes enemies with the beautiful student council president, Mei, who also winds up being her brand-new stepsister. But nothing can prepare Yuzu for a surprise kiss from this girl who supposedly hates her!

The Junji Ito Collection

Full synopsis TBA!

Basilisk: The Ouka Ninja Scrolls

Designed to select the successor to the Tokugawa family, a gruesome battle once promised a thousand-year reign to the winning clan. Amidst the bloodshed, betrothed lovers Oboro and Gennosuke were forced to take sides. Now, only ten years have passed and once again the clans of Kouga and Iga are poised to fight. But this time, a new generation stands at the forefront.

Hakata Tonkotsu Ramens

Crime reaches new heights in the seedy underworld of Fukuoka—a city home to very sinister professions. Among those who kill, torture, and seek revenge as a means of living, a so-called “killer of professional killers” is becoming more than just an urban legend. Private detective Banba is on the case, but when he uncovers a dark conspiracy, it may be the one curveball he can’t hit.

One of the more utterly delightful and fun series has found itself a new streaming home with Beelzebub now on the Amazon Prime Video service through the Viewster channel. The show was picked up for home video release by Discotek Media previously and they’ve been bringing it to a couple of different streaming services since then. It’s a quirky as hell show, but one I can’t recommend enough for its humor and fun – and that it’s not like most other shows out there these days.

The show was directed by Norihiro Takamoto with Masahiro Yokotano doing the overall composition and many of the scripts alongside others. Yukiko Ban served as the chief animation director while Takeshi Yoshioka handled the character designs,

The original manga began in 2009 and completed in March of this year after 250 chapters compiled in 28 volumes.

Plot concept: The story follows the “strongest juvenile delinquent,” Tatsumi Oga, a first year at Ishiyama High, the school for delinquents. One day while sleeping next to a river, he sees a man floating down it. Tatsumi pulls him to shore, and the man splits in half revealing a baby boy. This boy is the son of the demon king, and Tatsumi has been chosen as the one to raise it with the baby’s demon maid, Hilda. The story follows his life with the child at the delinquent school.

© Bandai / TV Tokyo / Kata Production Committe

TV Tokyo had their latest episode of Cocotama earlier today and that means they’re now starting their promotion for the next episode with the 113th that’s set to arrive on December 21st, 2017. The show continues a pretty solid run and had the second DVD Box arrive on November 25th, 2016 in Japan with the third set released in March 2017 debut. Sadly, the series has not been picked up for a simulcast anywhere.

Please note that TV Tokyo takes these previews down when the episode goes live.

The series began airing in October 2015 with OLM Inc providing the animation for it. The show is directed by Norio Nitta based on the series composition by Michihiro Tsuchiya and character designs by Shinobu Ookawa.

Plot Concept: Cocotama are tiny gods born from the thoughts and feelings of objects that people use with great care. The fact that Cocotama wear part of the egg they hatch out of as underwear is proof that they are still apprentices. The Cocotama use a mysterious magic, and they train hard to be of use to humans and to become full gods. They live inside human houses and stealthily move around to help humans find things they have lost, although they make many mistakes.

© Peach-Pit

Based on the manga by Peach-Pit, the thirteen episode series DearS animated by Daume that ran back in the summer of 2004 is now streaming on the Viewster that they have on the Amazon Prime Video service. With Discotek Media picking it up in early 2014 and bringing it out on DVD, they’re now able to bring it to this side of the equation to try and draw in more viewers – and hopefully for Discotek Media to sell a few more sets. The full thirteen episode run is available on the service in its original Japanese with English language subtitles.

Plot concept: One year ago, an alien spacecraft crashed into Tokyo Bay. With no means to return, aliens obtain Japanese citizenship and begin a home-stay program with regular families and schools. They are given the name “DearS,” meaning “beloved friend.”

However, Takeya, an opinionated teen, doesn’t trust the aliens one bit. But when Takeya encounters a mysterious girl who is cold, hungry, and wrapped only in a blanket, he takes pity on her.

As he brings her home to care for her, he finds that she is quite possibly one of the DearS. Add an alien cat-girl, an over-sexed teacher, and this DearS considers Takeya her master, life is beginning to become a little more than he can handle.

© 2014 H. Furudate / Shueisha, ”HAIKYU!!” Project,

Peppermint Anime brought out the first two parts of the first season of Haikyu!! for German fans so far this year and now they’re focused on promoting the third installment that came out last week on December 8th, 2017 This is the eleventh spot for fans to get a listen to the show in German and it’s one that definitely works as we get to see how the kids deal with the game itself and the struggles that comes with it. The release has separate DVD and Blu-ray editions that land in bilingual form priced at 36 and 38 euro respectively with six episodes on it.

Plot Concept: Shoyo Hinata isn’t a large guy, but he’s got huge ambitions. Ever since seeing a small player score in a National Championship, he’s been determined to become the next big thing in High School Volleyball. Unfortunately, the one time he was able to pull enough players together to form a team in junior high, they were completely trashed in their first and only match against a team led by up-and-coming setter Tobio Kageyama.

Now, enrolled at the same high school where his idol once played, Shoyo’s finally going to get his shot to join and play with a top team. There’s just one problem: Tobio Kageyama’s decided to attend the same school, and he’s already considered one of the best players in the game. Can a kid out of nowhere hold his own against the King of the Court? Or could the rivalry and competition actually be the best thing for both of them?

© Nintendo · Creatures · GAME FREAK · TV Tokyo · ShoPro · JR Kikaku © Pokémon

TV Tokyo is moving right along with the broadcast of the Pokemon: Sun & Moon anime series, coming alongside the recent new game and general worldwide popularity. As the series progresses, the network has now put together the first promotional video for the next episode on December 21st, 2017. This’ll be a single episode with episodes 997, essentially bringing us the 55th episode of this new iteration out together.

The series is directed by Daiki Tomiyasu based on the series composition by Aya Matsui. Character designs were handled by Satoshi Nakano and Shuhei Yasuda.

The Japanese cast includes Ikue Ohtani as Satoshi’s Pikachu and Rica Matsumoto as Satoshi. The opening theme for the show is “Alola!!” as performed by Rica Matsumoto and Ikue Ohtani while the ending theme song is “Pose” as performed by Okazaki Taiiku.

Please note that TV Tokyo removes the videos when the episode airs.

Plot Concept: Alola, a place with beautiful blue sky and sea, has become the new stage of adventure for Satoshi and Pikachu. New Pokemon, new friends, and new experiences await!

TC Entertainment is bringing out a re-release of the Eightman series on DVD in Japan that gets them at a lower priced. The 56-episode series will see two sets released for it with the show split in half and across four discs each. The first set lands on February 23rd, 2018 and the second on March 30th, 2018 where they’re both priced at 9,800 yen each.

Check out he finalized cover artwork below!

Plot Concept: A private investigator working a routine case involving stolen technology is mortally wounded. His only hope for survival comes from sacrificing his humanity to become 8Man—a powerful cyborg crime-fighter enhanced with a living human brain. Resurrected as the ultimate high-tech vigilante, it is up to 8Man to bring the lawless to justice and put an end to the escalating cycle of violence. A classic animated thriller that will leave you breathless.

[Source: Eightman]

© Sakae ESUNO•KADOKAWA SHOTEN CO., LTD./Twelve Future diary holders.

Funimation brought out a new TV & OVA collection for The Future Diary last month where the 675-minute set was priced at $64.98 for the DVD/BD combo set. To raise a little more interest in it they’ve brought out a clip that focuses on the fun OVA with a fairly intense character sequence that leads to some comical action for the cast.

Extras for the release include the Episode 05 Commentary, Episode 13 Commentary, Episode 20 Commentary, Episode 23 Commentary, Omake #5 Yomotsu Hirasaka (Yoshihisa Kawahara Version), Omake #10 Minene Uryuu, Masumi Nishijima (Clear Dialogue Version), TV Spots, Promotional Videos, U.S. Trailer, Textless Opening & Closing Songs, and Trailers.

Based on the light novel series by Sakae Esuno, Future Diary is a twenty-six episode series that gives us more fun with cell phones. It originally aired in 2011 and was animated by Asread. You can read our review of the first DVD set here and the second set here.

Plot concept: This psychological thriller, based on the manga written and illustrated by Esuno Sakae, is about Yuki, a loner who’s not very good with people. He prefers to write a diary on his cell phone and talk to his imaginary friend, Deus Ex Machina – The God of Time and Space. However, Yuki soon learns that Deus is more than a figment of his imagination when he makes Yuki participate in a battle royale with eleven others. The contestants are given special diaries that can predict the future, each diary possessing unique features that give it both advantages and disadvantages. Within the next 90 days, the contestants must try to survive until there is only one left standing. The winner will become the new God of Time and Space.

©Kokuyorin / comico / Recovery of an MMO Junkie Project

While a lot of us are going to be out seeing The Last Jedi today we’re also going to be sinking our teeth into the latest anime. Crunchyroll’s calendar has a decent selection of new shows coming up today including the OVA bundled release for the MMO Junkie series!

• 10:30am – TAISHO MEBIUSLINE CHICCHAISAN
• 11:00am – RECOVERY OF AN MMO JUNKIE
• 11:30am – KINO’S JOURNEY -THE BEAUTIFUL WORLD- THE ANIMATED SERIES
• 12:00pm – OUR LOVE HAS ALWAYS BEEN 10 CENTIMETERS APART.
• 1:05pm – DIES IRAE
• 1:23pm – GARO -VANISHING LINE-
• 6:30pm – FUTURE CARD BUDDYFIGHT X
• 7:30pm – PRIPRI CHI-CHAN!!
• 7:30pm – 100% TEACHER PASCAL
• 8:00pm – BONO BONO 2ND SEASON
• 9:30pm – ULTRAMAN GEED

Funimation doesn’t have anything on their schedule for today.

HIDIVE has one show on tap for today with:

• 12:00 pm – Garo Episode 23

© Antinode 8 Production Committee

What They Say:
“The Harvest Show” is a concert where all of the different grains show off their beauty to everyone watching, and “HarveStars” is the name given to the grains who put on the best performances. In this age of rice acreage reduction policies and Westernization of eating habits, bread has become the most popular grain in Japan, and tables are dominated by “Yeast King,” the bread HarveStars. But five new rice students have enrolled at Kokuritsu Inaho Academy, a school on the verge of shutting down, and they form a new group called “Love Rice” that’s practicing to beat Yeast King…

The Review:
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers)
The show spends some time showing the new arrival dealing with the way that noodles have been treated so poorly for so long in favor of rice, showing the way his mother was denied noodles at restaurants and how she did her best to promote them since she was a former HarveStar. That explains his desire to right this wrong as a young man but… it’s hard to care because it doesn’t work in the slightest. So when the show shifts back to our main group and we have Sho arriving there combined with the news that he’s stolen a lot of breads and the like to create what he needs to isolate and kidnaps people with giant-sized ramen cups, well. You know you’re watching because you like spending your time saying WTF regularly.

In Summary:
Drunk or high is the only way to watch this show. Since I watch it sober it’s just a series of strange and unusual occurrences that don’t work and falls flat throughout. It’s just bad. Very bad. And if you’re like me in that you’re watching and you know that it’s bad you understand why you can’t help but to keep watching. And feel sad about that.

Grade: D

Streamed By: Crunchyroll

Review Equipment:
Sony KDL70R550A 70″ LED 1080P HDTV, Apple TV via HDMI set to 1080p, Onkyo TX-SR605 Receiver and Panasonic SB-TP20S Multi-Channel Speaker System With 100-Watt Subwoofer.

© Darling In The Franxx Production Committee

Crunchyroll is getting its winter 2018 mojo on and they’ve announced that the Darling in the Franxx project will be a part of it. The show has a formal January 13th, 2018 Japanese premiere date but Crunchyroll does not have information on when or where they’ll be streaming it just yet.

The project is directed by Atsushi Nishigori who collaborated with Naotaka Hayashi with the series composition. Masayoshi Tanak is serving as the chief animation director and character designer on it with A-1 Pictures and Studio Trigger handling the production.

The Japanese cast includes Haruka Tomatsu as Zero Two, Yūto Uemura as Hiro, Aoi Ichikawa as Mitsuru, Hiroshi Gotō as Futoshi, Kana Ichinose as Ichigo, Mutsumi Tamura as Zorome, Nanami Yamashita as Miku, Saori Hayami as Kokoro, Shizuka Ishikawa as Ikuno, and Yuichiro Umehara as Goro.

Plot Concept: The story is set in the distant future. The land is ruined, and humanity establishes the mobile fort city Plantation. Pilots produced inside Plantation live in Mistilteinn, also know as the “birdcage.” Children live there knowing nothing of the outside world or the freedom of the sky. Their lives consist of battling to carry out missions. Their enemies are mysterious giant lifeforms known as Kyōryū, and the children pilot robots called Franxx to face off against them. For the children, riding the Franxx proves their existence.

A boy named Hiro is called Code:016, and he was once known as a prodigy. However, he has fallen behind, and his existence seems unnecessary. Not piloting a Franxx is the same as ceasing to exist. One day, a mysterious girl known as “Zero Two” appears before him. Two horns grow out of her head.

Friday is here and while I’m essentially not here because I’ll be marathoning The Last Jedi as much as I can today, there are new comics out! DC Comics works more of its current storyline with Bombshells: United as Marguerite Bennett is joined by Siya Oum on the artwork.

On the manga front, Yen Press is at play here with four new manga releasesmoving along. This has them with two early installments of new titles such as Dead Mount Death Play and Goblin Slayer as well as two more installments of The Witch’s House.

© Aito Hiro · shri · KADOKAWA Kadokawa BOOKS

Crunchyroll has picked up another show for the winter 2018 season with the anime adaptation of the Death March Rhapsody to the Parallel World light novels. While Crunchyroll does not have any dates or regional availability set for it yet, it has a Japanese premiere of a January 11th, 2018 and we expect the date to be close at the least. Shin Oonuma has signed on to direct it and that Silver Link will be handling the animation production.

The Japanese cast includes Shun Horie as Ichirou Suzuki (Satou), Rie Takahashi as Zena Marientail, Hiyori Kouno as Pichi, Kaya Okuno as Tama, Minami Tsuda as Liza, Aoi Yuuki as Arisa, Marika Hayase as Lulu, Airi Eino as Misanalia “Mia” Boruenan, and Kiyono Yasuno as Nana.

Check out our review of the first novel and manga.

Plot Concept: 29-year-old programmer Suzuki Ichirou finds himself transported into a fantasy RPG. Within the game, he’s a 15-year-old named Satou. At first he thinks he’s dreaming, but his experiences seem very real. Due to his use of a 3-time-use special power (meteor shower), he ends up wiping out an army of lizardmen and becoming very high level. He hides his level and plans to live peacefully and meet new people, though developments in the game story (like the return of a demon king) might get in his way.

© Shinya Murata, Kazu Sumida, HERO’S / Killing Bites Production Committee

The anime adaptation of the Killing Bites manga has gotten a number of quick hit little promos ahead of its premiere of January 13th, 2018. NBC Universal Japan has now added a new full promo that showcases a lot more of the show in a bigger way along with its opening theme song. Nishikata Yasuto will direct based on the series composition by Aoi Akashiro. Kazuo Watanabe is on board with the character designs and LIDENFILMS will be handling the animation production.

The Japanese cast includes Sora Amamiya as Hitomi Uzaki, Wataru Hatano as Yūya Nomoto, Maaya Uchida as Eruza Nakanishi, Sumire Uesaka as Ui Inaba, Chinatsu Akasaki as Mai Shinozaki, Megumi Han as Yōko Mikado, Yuu Asakawa as Kaori Rikujō, Takako Honda as Kaede Kazama, Hidekatsu Shibata as Yōzan Mikado, Rikiya Koyama as Reiichi Shidou, Tooru Ookawa as Ichinosuke Okajima, Yuuichi Nakamura as Taiga Nakanishi, Sayaka Harada as Oshie Nodoguro, Ryoukan Koyanagi as Takeshi Kido, Yuusuke Kobayashi as Shouta Yabe, Taketora as Gérôme Hongou, Hiroyuki Yoshino as Den Oonuma, Katsuyuki Konishi as Ryuuji Shiina, Yuuki Ono as Yuugo Tani, Yoshino Nanjo as Seira Son, and Junichi Suwabe as Narrator.

The manga comes from writer Shinya Murata and artist Kazasa Sumita that began in the magazine back in the fall of 2013 with seven volumes released so far.

Plot concept: People have been created that are human-animal hybrids, and powerful businesses bet on the outcome of their duels. College student Yuuya Nomoto’s casual acquaintances ask him to drive them around to pick up girls one day, which he soon finds out means by force. The girl they kidnap is an animal-human hybrid named Hitomi, who slaughters all of them except Yuuya. Hitomi is a honey badger, which has been called the most fearless of all animals. Now Hitomi is assigned to stay with Yuuya, for his protection!

© HolicWorks, inc.

What They Say:
It’s the closing years of the Taisho era, a turbulent time when the military empire of Japan is rising to go to war with the world. The protagonist, Hiiragi Kyoichiro, has come to the Imperial Capital, Tokyo, to attend Imperial University. He is determined to pursue a scholar’s path and become a great man back in his hometown. But now the Japanese army has set its sights on Kyoichiro, because of a special ability that he possesses. As a result of a terrible illness from his youth, Kyoichiro gained the ability to see the spirits of the dead.

The Review:
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers)
This series has managed to lose me fairly easily along the way with its approach and how it’s doing things with the chibi/not chibi and the story itself. With this episode we get Tatebayashi that’s come to the store where Kyo is hanging out. There’s some decent dialogue there about the situation and how Kyo’s been told that what their abilities are for is a way to resist against Western powers that are intruding on Japan, though that’s only part of what’s going on. There’s some acceptance of this as fact here but Kyo’s just struggling with what it is he can do in seeing spirits and isn’t sure about the bigger picture. Not that viewers have a real handle on the bigger picture either because the show has been all over the map and without a good sense of continuity or world building to it.

In Summary:
With it mostly quiet and dialogue oriented, we get a decent bit of conversation for Kyo here to deal with and to see that the world, at least through his eyes and what Tatebayashi brings to the table, isn’t black and white with what he’s now becoming involved in. But it’s hard to get invested in it all because of how poorly the series has handled things as it just jumps from thing to thing without any good sense to it. It’s hard to do the short form style with structure and storytelling when it isn’t focused on just gags and this show is definitely struggling.

Grade: D

Streamed By: Crunchyroll

Review Equipment:
Sony KDL70R550A 70″ LED 1080P HDTV, Apple TV via HDMI set to 1080p, Onkyo TX-SR605 Receiver and Panasonic SB-TP20S Multi-Channel Speaker System With 100-Watt Subwoofer.