It’s time to snuggle up to your space heater and load Crunchyroll because, man, does it suck outside and, boy, you have a lot of anime to watch.
Winter 2018’s selection of anime is all over the place. My top picks span across horror, slice-of-life and comedy, leaving fantasy and sci-fi by the wayside. You’re in for a wild ride of a season, my friend. Fake the flu and settle into bed with this season’s best anime:
Devilman
Studio: Science Saru
Genre: Action, drama, horror
Where to Watch: Netflix
Plot: Devilman is a gory, violent, psychedelic anime about Akira Fudo and his best friend Ryo Asuka, who studies demons. After a very carnal clubbing experience with Ryo, Akira takes on the qualities of the demon Amon and becomes a Devilman. As more people catch onto the prevalence of demons, the world begins to end.
Why watch it? Well, first of all, Devilman solidly fucked me up. The plot is intriguing and conveyed with exceptional style. Masaaki Yuasa’s directing is a buffet of textures, colors and acid-laced transitions. He pushes boundaries in ways that, most of the time, take the show to emotional and artistic heights. Sometimes, it doesn’t work. The sexuality and gore can be gratuitous.
Junji Ito Collection
Studio: Studio Deen
Genre: Horror, psychological
Where to watch: Crunchyroll
Plot: Junji Ito Collection is a horror anthology. Each episode offers two gruesome (or at least, very disconcerting) vignettes.
Why watch it? Junji Ito Collection is a grab bag of despicable people, plots and places. It’s a well-done horror series that never feels drawn-out. The voice acting and animation, which can be surprisingly scary on their own, do a great job deliver the cult manga’s gorrier storylines.
A Place Further Than The Universe
Studio: Madhouse
Genre: Slice of life
Where to watch: Crunchyroll
Plot: Mari Tamaki is a cowardly high school student who has never done anything particularly interesting or risky. One day, she finds an envelope containing over $9,000 on the train platform. Its owner is a girl at her school who is saving up to go to Antarctica, where her mother disappeared years ago. Mari impulsively agrees to go with her.
Why watch it? This is an uplifting, positive show about female friendship. I immediately became attached to the protagonists, believable characters who encourage each other’s dreams in a way I find super adorable.
Pop Team Epic
Studio: Kamikaze Douga
Genre: Comedy
Where to watch: Crunchyroll
Plot: The plot of Pop Team Epic is chaos. Two lewd schoolgirls participate in a new, ridiculous skit every few seconds. Most skits parody pop culture, anime or games.
Why watch it? If you like Robot Chicken, you will love Pop Team Epic. Through the lens of its satire, it’s easy to see how generic the media it’s parodying has become. Every few seconds, Pop Team Epic offers a new idea, a new style, and a new beloved cultural trope on the chopping block.