Winter is finally here. The snow’s out in full force, so there’s no better time to dive under the blankets, sip on a nice cup of hot chocolate and watch some of the newest anime offerings. Well, unless you’re in the steaming tropics of Malaysia – in that case, tough luck.

The New Year is filled with brand new anime to sink your teeth into regardless, so here some of the juicy ones that you should look out for.

Mob Psycho 100 Season 2

Studio: Bones
Genre: Action, Slice of Life, Comedy

While we’re waiting for One Punch Man Season 2, here’s Mob Psycho 100 to fill in that void. Shigeo Kageyama, or “Mob”, returns for a second season filled with all sorts of visceral psychic action. If you’ve watched the first season, then this one will be everything you hope for and possibly more. Esper battles that turn absolute bonkers and dazzling visuals, all tied up in the bow of a heartfelt story.

And hey, it helps that our hero is deep down just a dorky middle schooler.

Meiji Tokyo Renka

Studio: TMS Entertainment
Genre: Historical, Romance, Fantasy, Shoujo

We all need a reverse-harem story once in a while, right? This one’s about a high school girl named Mei who can see spirits and ghosts. She’s a bit of a loner as a result, but her life takes a huge turn when a mysterious magician whisks her away to the Meiji era. There, she runs into famous historical artists who so happen to also be hot dudes. Hilarity and romance ensue.

Fans of otome are bound to find some charm in this show. Learning a little bit of Japan history wouldn’t hurt either (though that seems unlikely).

The Promised Neverland

Studio: Cloverworks
Genre: Sci-Fi, Mystery, Horror, Shounen

Grace Field House is a place where children who don’t have parents live. It’s a show about orphans, and Emma enjoys her time here with her siblings. Except, there is a dark secret about their home and why they’re here. When the children find out, they have no choice but to escape or, well, face certain death.

We won’t spoil this for you, though, because that’s like half the fun. For viewers who thrive on thrillers, this is certainly one you won’t want to miss.

Kaguya-sama: Love is War

Studio: A-1 Pictures
Genre: Comedy, Psychological, Romance, School, Seinen

Sun Tzu once said, “The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting.” Kaguya-sama: Love is War channels this ancient concept into… high-school romance? The show is about a couple of geniuses who, for nothing else but pride, won’t confess their love to their crush – meaning each other. The two then start concocting increasingly-convoluted plans to get the other person to confess their love (by accident, of course), leading to many funny outcomes.

A solid romcom for those interested in good laughs and sweet moments all around. If you were a fan of similar shows like Monthly Girls’ Nozaki-Kun, then this one’s a no-brainer.

Boogiepop and Others

Studio: Madhouse
Genre: Psychological, Mystery, Horror

If you’re reading this title for the first time, you’re probably imagining a comedic show – maybe even a funny-looking mascot, but Boogiepop and Others is anything but. In fact, if you’re a fan of light novels and their many anime adaptations, then you actually have this series to thank for popularising them way back in the 90s.

It revolves around the urban legend of Boogiepop, a strange being that’s said to kill women at an age when they’re most beautiful. But Takeda has seen the true Boogiepop, who inhabits the body of his girlfriend, Miyashita, and seems to be protecting the world from supernatural threats. The stories of Boogiepop are highly atmospheric and sometimes horrific, but from what we’ve seen so far, this looks right up the alley for a prestigious studio like Madhouse.

Magical Girl Spec-Ops Asuka

Studio: LIDENFILMS
Genre: Drama, Magic, Seinen

With a genre that’s been around since the days of Sailor Moon, you’re bound to see some wacky ideas get thrown about over the years. Asuka is a magical girl who once used her power to vanquish the threat of alien invaders called Disas Beasts, and has since gone into retirement. She’s content with her life as a transfer student but is soon forced to report back to duty as malevolent creatures reappear to threaten mankind.

It’s a magical girl anime, but with a gritty military twist. We’re talking military ranks, guns, and all that jazz. Curious? We know we are.

Dororo

Studio: MAPPA | Tezuka Productions
Genre: Action, Adventure, Demons, Historical, Shounen, Supernatural

In the Sengoku era, a child is born without eyes, skin, or limbs, then is left for dead. This child was the sacrificial result of a lord who forged a pact with 48 demons, that each took a piece from the child’s body so that they could roam free in the world. 16 years later, a young thief named Dororo encounters this child, who is now grown and scours the land, hunting down demons.

Dororo is based on the same classic story by the late Osamu Tezuka, who you may know more famously as the creator of Astro Boy or Black Jack. Modern adaptations of classics are a dime a dozen these days, so when one appears, they have to stick out. To that end, studios MAPPA and Tezuka Productions have revamped the manga’s art style for a more contemporary aesthetic, and it doesn’t look half bad!

The Rising of the Shield Hero

Studio: Kinema Citrus
Genre: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Drama, Romance, Fantasy

Naofumi Iwatani is your typical otaku college student who one day finds himself transported to another world. It’s your typical isekai world of course, decked out with a fantasy setting, game-like mechanics and all that. Naofumi finds out that he is one of four heroes who was summoned to save the world. Except, he very quickly gets framed for assault and is then thrown out, with nothing but a shield to fend off his enemies. Not like a game, after all.

In a market oversaturated with isekai anime, it’s hard to find this premise too impressive. Still, the show has solid production values, so if you’re up for some fantasy action and a protagonist who uses quite the unconventional weapon, this one’s got your back.

revisions

Studio: Shirogumi
Genre: Action, Sci-Fi, Mecha

Speaking of action, if sci-fi is more your flavour, then check out Revisions. The story is about a second-year high school student, Daisuke Dojima, and his friends who suddenly find themselves transported 300 years into the future. There, they find the city of Shibuya that they once knew replaced by a massive wasteland inhabited only by mechanical monsters called “revisions”.

After being saved by a girl named Milo, they are given “String Puppets”, giant robots that they can pilot to protect Shibuya from these monsters and to help them find their way home.

It’s worth noting that this show is being written by Makoto Fukami, who also worked on the widely-acclaimed Psycho Pass.