S
Sarah
Guest
2017 has been the year that anime made a triumphant return to many local cinemas throughout the UK, continuing the trend set by Your Name in 2016. And as Amazon Prime and Netflix have gained exclusive rights to several prestigious upcoming anime projects, the arrival of a new dedicated legal streaming service HIDIVE has brought another welcome and accessible player to the field. So have we been spoiled for choice (at last!) as the streaming services roll out more options for how and where we view their lists? And, even if it’s been a feast when it comes to the choice of titles to watch or buy, what series and films have most impressed our team at Anime UK News?
Anime Streaming
darkstorm: Despite not being a massive anime streamer, I DID see a few titles this year; granted most of my time watching anime online was spent catching up on titles from last year (yes, that’s me screaming ‘Wait for me!’ several miles behind the Yuri On Ice! bandwagon) but the two I did see from this year were the Netflix Death Note movie, and Fate/Apocrypha, which wins in this category. I know that makes it seems like I’m giving it to Fate/Apocrypha by default, and I am, but I’m happy to do so as the 12 episodes we have so far were a lot of bombastic fun that, as an on-and-off again Fate fan, I enjoyed immensely. I just hope that it’ll keep it up; I was really burnt out on Fate after Unlimited Blade Works TV, but now I’m super excited about it again, which is great considering we have Fate/Grand Order, Fate/EXTRA Last Encore AND the first Heaven’s Feel movie on the way to the UK shortly (one can hope).
Demelza: I feel as though this year has been fairly weak where new anime are concerned. A few times this month I’ve had to figure out which anime I’ve enjoyed over the course of the year and, when push comes to shove, very few new shows come to mind. Ultimately my mind goes to sequels for shows I’d already fallen in love with and boy have we had some good sequels! 2017 saw the return of shows like KonoSuba!, New Game!, My Hero Academia, and Attack on Titan and what a return it was. KonoSuba brought us some of the best comedy you’ll see this year (at least for me), while My Hero Academia is almost certainly the best shonen to cross our screens. This is without even mentioning Food Wars! Season 3, the second seasons of March Comes in Like a Lion and Blood Blockade Battlefront, all of which are still airing.
Away from returning favourites though if I have to pick ‘new’ shows from 2017 then I think Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid and Recovery of an MMO Junkie have ended up favourites of mine. Both shows are slice-of-life stories with strong female leads and a charming approach to their storytelling. They’re undoubtedly shows I’ll be rewatching in the future and I highly recommend our readers check them out. Of course, last but not least, I should probably give a shout-out to the Fuuka anime adaption which ended up being so poor that I wrote a whole article on its issues. It could have been so much more…
Sarah: 2017 brought us the superlative second season of Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinju: Descending Tales (Crunchyroll) based on Haruko Kumota’s award-winning manga. Some truly chilling moments here as the story of the traditional performance art of rakugo moves toward the present-day but shows the main protagonists still vividly haunted by the ghosts of their pasts. Crunchyroll also brought us ACCA: 13-Territory Inspection Dept. (ACCA: 13-ku Kansatsu-ka) adapted from Natsume Ono’s colourful and quirky manga. Cake, bread and the different customs and foods of the thirteen departments are of great significance here – but there are also political schemings and plots bubbling up that threaten to bring destruction.
Rather than dwell on the series that promised much but – alas – crashed and burned or never got past the starting blocks, here’s a few little gems that might not have had the flashiest animation but worked really well in terms of plot, theme and characterization. Kabukibu! (HIDIVE) about one boy’s ambition to stage kabuki at his high school, and his cheerful determination to achieve his aims, despite much opposition.
Hitorijime my Hero (HIDIVE). If student/teacher relationships are not your thing, then you won’t be watching this! However, you’ll be missing a heart-warming BL slice-of-life that is both touching and funny and so not like the unavoidably questionable relationship at the heart of Super Lovers 2.
The other gem (sorry) this year has been Land of the Lustrous (HIDIVE). A genuinely different and imaginative piece of world-building with stunning animation and CGI, it’s a winning SFF combination of music, image and story-telling with some endearing characters. If you haven’t been following Phos so far, I heartily recommend you treat yourself!
Ian Wolf: Annoyingly for me, I’ve not been catching up on much streaming thanks to one of my other jobs with a different website, the British Comedy Guide. Every August the Edinburgh Fringe takes over everything so for much of the second half of the year the streaming of anime and reading of manga gets put to one side.
Thus most of the stuff I watched came from the first half of 2017, and the best new series I came across was Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid. The relationships between the characters are wonderful. It does speak volumes I think that last year the big relationship was the (arguably) gay one between Yuri and Victor in Yuri on Ice!!!, and this year it seems that the (arguably) lesbian relationship between Kobayashi and Tohru, not to mention also raising up little Kanna in a kind of family unit, is the big relationship story of the year.
Of the returning stuff, I recently caught up on the OVA finale of Cute High Earth Defense Club LOVE!, which features two members of the club graduating from the school. Much of the show was clips from earlier series with songs over them which did get annoying, but it ended nicely and it’s still a series that I have great affection for. Now that the series has reportedly finished, I hope that we might finally get a commercial release of it in this country.
Cold Cobra: Streaming this year has been somewhat awkward to talk about, as there haven’t really been any brand new shows that have taken me by surprise, but there have been highlights. The big two returning shows for me were Attack on Titan and My Hero Academia, both of which lived up to their potential based off of their first season, as well as Blood Blockade Battlefront’s sequel series “and Beyond”, which continues to be hilarious. We also bizarrely got a canonical addition to the Blade Runner movie franchise in the form of the anime short Blade Runner: Blackout 2022, because apparently getting an actual sequel to Blade Runner wasn’t weird enough. I also have to mention, as the man covering the Naruto series on this site, that we finally saw the end of Naruto Shippuden… only for it to immediately be replaced with the Boruto anime… Still, the latter has proven, occasionally, to provide some good moments so far.
In terms of newer properties, I still enjoy The Ancient Magus’ Bride, though I’ll admit it’s more often for the art direction and likable lead than the actual story itself (though obviously the lead protagonist is a pretty key figure in the story, but you know what I mean!) but otherwise it’s a shame to say I can’t really think of an anime series that started in 2017 that I can remember enjoying, although I’ll put my hand up and say there were plenty I never even tried. Maybe I need to get out… less? … Wait, no, I never go out, so that can’t be it. Oh well, let’s hope for better luck next year with brand new shows!
Overall, if I had to pick a “streaming anime of the year” I’d go for My Hero Academia’s second season, that was a real joy. It warms my shonen-loving heart to see a new franchise on TV that does the genre such justice by freshening it up and still providing great action and comedy that the genre is known for.
IncendiaryLemon: As much as it pains me to admit it, 2017 has been a fairly weak year of TV anime, at least compared to 2016. Whilst last year it felt as if there was always some really big show everyone and their mother was talking about, from Re:Zero to Yuri on Ice!, 2017 seems to lack any kind of anime the entire community has gotten behind. Although I do find this to be disappointing, that doesn’t mean there haven’t been a fair number of anime that are still worth talking about!
The year started off with an adorable bang with Kyoto Animation’s wonderful Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid, which paired fantastic animation with a cast of charming characters and hilarious comedy antics. Dragon Maid also holds the accolade of being the only anime this year to make me cry, which may sound very peculiar, but the episode where the small dragon Kanna joined a school was enough to make me weep with happiness, and if that’s not a sign of quality, I don’t know what is.
On the total opposite end of the genre spectrum, spring saw the return of two juggernaut action franchises in the form of Attack on Titan Season 2 and My Hero Academia Season 2. Whilst tonally very different, one thing they do have in common is the fact they are two of my favourite anime to air this year. Almost 5 years in the making, Attack on Titan‘s sequel had a lot of expectations to live up to, given the massive popularity and acclaim the first season garnered back in 2013, so it’s very fortunate that the follow-up wasn’t a disappointment, with each episode being more action-packed and gripping than the last. My Hero Academia Season 2, on the other hand, saw the return of over-the-top superhero goodness, with some really solid characters and animation to boot.
In the summer season I saw two of the biggest surprise hits for me: the deceptively cutesy and upbeat Made in Abyss, which turned out to be the traditional fantasy equivalent of Madoka Magica, with its sharp tonal shift making for some of the most uncomfortable and unsettling viewing all year, and Princess Principal, a steampunk action anime that featured some truly spectacular and kinetic animation, courtesy of Studio 3hz, the production company behind one of my favourite anime of last year, Flip Flappers.
The peak of quality in 2017’s anime hit at the very end of the year, with the autumn bringing perhaps the strongest line-up of titles of any season, having a great mix of new shows, such as the shockingly graphic Inuyashiki, the spellbinding fantasy The Ancient Magus’ Bride and melancholic slice-of-life show Girls’ Last Tour, as well as a whole host of favourites returning for a second outing like Himouto! Umaru-chan R, Blood Blockade Battlefront and Beyond and Food Wars The Third Plate.
Unlike the last two years, I struggle to pick a clear favourite. School-Live! in 2015 and Sound! Euphonium Season 2 in 2016 were, to me, perfect, 10/10 shows, and nothing this year has captivated me as much as either of those have, which is unfortunate. My only hope is next year can bring another 10/10 show for me, and given the solid line-up of anime in the pipeline, this doesn’t seem too unlikely.
Josh A. Stevens: With my colleagues already doing a superb job of painting the overall picture for this year’s overall mediocre TV slate, I think I’ll move ahead to the few titles that surprised me – for better and worse. I was disheartened when My Hero Academia didn’t explode in popularity last year, but its second season proved a triumphant return that just went from strength to strength with each episode. I love the superhero genre as a whole, but what makes My Hero Academia to me is the characters. Deku not being the standard loud, overconfident shonen protagonist works wonderfully in his favour, because he’s the timid underdog you just can’t help rallying behind and whose smaller victories, you truly want to celebrate.
The military fantasy Saga of Tanya the Evil proved a strong start to the year, delivering an engrossing watch despite how utterly detestable its key players are. Tanya is a despicable human being devoid of compassion, yet the omnipotent, God-like “Being X” presents a convincing case for atheism. Seeing Tanya’s gradual development over the series, I was left genuinely terrified in the final episode when it became abundantly clear how low she was willing to sink, with there being no trace of hyperbole when I say she could very well become that reality’s equivalent of Adolf Hitler. With its open ending however, I just hope a Season Two is announced soon.
While I enjoyed other shows this year like the return of New Game!!, a true Anime of the Year candidate didn’t rear its head for me until the very end – and I never expected that head to be a skeletal goat’s! I am of course referring to The Ancient Magus’ Bride which, although only halfway through its run, already has me spellbound. Already known for their animation quality, Wit Studio went beyond expectations with this gorgeous series whose narrative achieves what it set out to do – show the kindness in an often unkind world. Following the tragic heroine Chise as she discovers the wonders around her and comes to terms with shadows beneath is a profound experience, while the multi-layered mystery of Elias is compelling both in terms of his lore and presence; we can never be too sure what he’s thinking, but subtle changes to the red glow of his eyes in key moments can strangely give us a clearer picture of his emotions than if he had a fully human face.
This year has also seen some disappointments, with one notable example being J.C. Staff’s treatment of Food Wars: The Third Plate. I love the franchise and the story is in the midst of its best arc yet, but the anime locking the introduction of key Elite Ten members behind a Japan-only OVA left a seriously bad taste in my mouth – imagine if Naruto had done the same with the Akatsuki, or Bleach with the Espada! Then there’s a notable dip in animation quality, leading to off-model frames and lazily poor use of CG. It’s not on the levels of Berserk, but is certainly disappointing considering the previous two seasons. Hopefully J.C. Staff get their act together for the second cour next year.
While anime fans have unprecedented choice with streaming anime, there will always be the occasional one that slips through the cracks – and unfortunately for me, this year it was a series I was really looking forward to. With the previous three seasons in their catalogue, I was disheartened by Crunchyroll (or anyone else) not streaming Symphogear AXZ, Satelight’s bonkers J-Pop fuelled magical girl series that I’ve dubbed “The Fast and the Furious of anime“. The franchise is pure dumb fun and I’m disappointed that western fans aren’t getting the full experience – especially with a fifth season already green-lit.
To finish on a more positive note however, my reputation has likely plummeted with some from my enjoyment of Eromanga Sensei and A Sister’s All You Need; two surprisingly strong comedies despite their, shall we say, controversial themes? 2017 certainly has been a weird one…
Anime Film Theatrical Screening
darkstorm: 2017 has been, in my opinion, the best year for anime cinema releases; not just for the sheer amount we got to enjoy but also for the variety from war drama (Genocidal Organ) to comedically wacky (Night is Short…) to old school classics coming back (Perfect Blue). I’ve been incredibly fortunate to have attended many screenings for the site as a result and seen such great stories I wouldn’t have otherwise, even if I didn’t love every single one, they have all been worthwhile movie experiences. But the year started with the best of them all, A Silent Voice, and I’m sure I won’t be the only one who says so. A detailed and emotionally intelligent tale of bullying and the ramifications of it struck a chord with many viewers, including myself, and for me having to wait until Christmas Day to own a copy because my husband bought it is hard but will be worthwhile on Boxing Day when I get to enjoy it again from the comfort of my sofa with leftover turkey sandwiches!
However, I wanted to give a special mention to Sword Art Online: Ordinal Scale; I was originally worried about attending the review screening for this as I hadn’t seen the series and was afraid of not doing it justice. Luckily for me, not only did the movie provide me with enough back story to understand what was going on but also provided a very fun film experience as well. I really need to catch up on the series soon…
Demelza: Like darkstorm, I feel this year has been one of the best for anime cinema releases (who could have imagined we’d see Pokémon return to UK cinemas after all this time?). I’ve personally attended a number of screenings and seen my fill of animated adventures for the year, but when it comes to picking my favourite, it has to go to Sword Art Online: Ordinal Scale. I’ve been a huge fan of the series for a long time now and the movie outing really was a love letter to the series’ fans. It probably wasn’t the best introduction for my poor partner who got dragged along to see it, but I loved the story Ordinal Scale offered and look back on it fondly. A mention also goes to Night is Short, Walk on Girl which was a real joy to watch after I got the chance to see Tatami Galaxy a bit earlier in the year. It’s probably the weirdest comedy film to make it to cinema this year and in the future, but it’s certainly well worth your time if you’re a Tatami Galaxy fan.
Josh A. Stevens: We thought last year’s release of Your Name was a spectacle, but 2017 was an absolute feast – that admittedly may have left us a little too bloated. Noako Yamada’s A Silent Voice is a beautiful work of art that had my mother declaring that it should be on the national curriculum, while watching Pokémon: I Choose You with my kid brother almost twenty years after I first saw Pokémon the First Movie was a truly profound experience. That, mixed with hearing children excited by the appearance of Pokémon like Incineroar and Charizard, melted the heart of this jaded older fan, once again reminding me of the unparalleled reach the Pokémon franchise has.
Echoing darkstorm and Demelza, my other highlight of this year was Night is Short, Walk on Girl. Masaaki Yuasa’s fever dream is admittedly a Marmite film; if you can sit through the first 20 minutes, you’ll love it – if not, you’ll hate it. From its visuals, characters, story and even pacing, Night is Short is eccentric through and through. A delightfully wild night where it’s best to just strap in and go along with the ride.
Anime DVD/Blu-ray
darkstorm: This was quite a tricky choice as I’m torn between three releases. Do I go with the return of one of my favourite animes growing up, Tenchi Muyo, in a lovely new Blu-ray set? Or the surprisingly enjoyable third season of Black Butler that got me invested in the franchise all over again and made me want to google everyday when the Book of Murder and Atlantis are coming to the UK? Or do I choose the utterly delightful My Love Story!! with its simple but heartfelt story and relatable but unique characters? I think, despite my love for Tenchi and my fangirlish wishes for more Black Butler, I’ll go with My Love Story!! as the best release of the year, for being the series that seems to be one of the most unlikely shining gems of anime. If you haven’t got a copy already, don’t hesitate to grab one now.
Demelza: This category is always tricky for me because although I review and watch a lot of anime, I actually don’t buy that many releases. That said, I’ve still picked up a few wonderful releases throughout 2017 that deserve a mention. Originally, I was torn between calling Your Name’s Deluxe Edition my favourite release as it’s a truly wonderful set that every fan of that movie should own, but unfortunately there is no getting away from the fact that the on-disc content is flawed. Instead I thought I’d talk about Hyouka Part 1, which Anime Limited brought to the UK recently. The show is one many of us have been waiting to buy or even watch legally for a very long time and finally it arrived in a beautifully presented set. Hyouka is a long-standing favourite of mine and I’m so glad the show finally got a release in the UK.
I’d also like to mention Himouto! Umaru-chan from Manga Entertainment. I originally picked the show up on a whim to review for the site and what I watched completely surpassed my expectations. If not for having watched KonoSuba Season 2 this year I think Umaru-chan could easily have been my anime of the year, at least for comedy. The collection from Manga Entertainment left me impressed as it was stacked with on-disc extras the likes of which I always appreciate. While on the subject of Manga Entertainment I’d also like to mention how pleased I am to have seen the release of Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls In a Dungeon? this year, as it just so happens to also be a big favourite of mine…
Sarah: The R2 physical releases that I really enjoyed and wholeheartedly recommend are Barakamon and Noragami Aragoto both from Funimation via Anime Limited.
If you’ve been watching and buying anime since whenever (like me) you’ll probably have noticed by now the reappearance of many series you loved – and already bought – back in the day. It’s great to see these new Collector’s Editions of (this year) Eureka Seven, Tenchi Muyo, Martian Successor Nadesico, with even more revivals promised… although personally, I’d like to put in a heartfelt plea to Anime Limited, MVM & Manga UK for MORE NEW SERIES on R2, PLEASE!
Ian Wolf: The stand-out release anime overall as far as I’m concerned for 2017 was A Silent Voice, mainly because it is one of the few anime that I’ve watched where the dub holds up just as well as the subs. In some cases, it is arguably better, given that in the dub they used a deaf actress to play the part of the deaf schoolgirl Shoko.
It was also good to review some older material. Belladonna of Sadness was an interesting experience to watch, given its role in anime history, and the news that the other “Animerama” movies will be brought out in 2018 is certainly of interest to me.
Cold Cobra: Good old physical media! Always happy to talk about its continued existence. Much like last year, I feel Anime Limited are ahead of the game in terms of sexy Collector’s Editions, and looking back over the last year what springs to mind is Martian Successor Nadesico, which, for an old and therefore possibly niche – even within the anime world – release, got such a lovely box, packed with extras. It reminds me of the gorgeous Outlaw Star set from last year, which if memory serves is what I voted for in terms of a physical release of the year type “award” last year.
Runners-up have to be Eden of the East (again from Anime Limited), which, after enjoying the series so much via the review discs, I immediately bought the actual physical set. Because it looked so nice I didn’t mind buying what I technically already had for free (again, same goes for the Outlaw Star set!). Then there was Kaze of all people and their release of One Punch Man, which was a good little set and nice and clean looking on the shelf. Oh, and I guess honourable mention goes to the My Hero Academia set, which was a nice surprise given it wasn’t licensed by one of the big anime-only companies.
As a Gundam fan it was also nice to see Zeta Gundam arrive in this country at last, and the first half of ZZ, a show that I previously only had on dodgy DVD-Rs with poor fansubs due to never having been released in the West at all up to a couple of years ago. Having the first two and a half Gundam series on Blu-rays with lovely matching boxes (oh look, it’s Anime Limited again!) is a very strange but amazing thing, and long may it continue! (I hope!) Lastly, the original 13 Dragon Ball Z movies have started to arrive in this country after over a decade of wondering if/when. Not much to say about them, although our cover art uses the old theatrical covers from Japan and looks a lot nicer than the single character on a black background covers that the original US releases had. That’s a … small victory, overall, but still a victory!
Josh A. Stevens: I’ve admittedly found myself buying less and less anime of late and I think we’re overdue a discussion about pricing, especially as Collector’s Editions have become the norm. Hypocritically, however, I was really impressed by the care and attention to Anime Limited’s A Silent Voice Collector’s Edition – even though £39.99 is a lot to pay for a film. However, the sturdy box and digi-pack are adorned with beautiful key art showcasing the emotional intimacy of the film’s leads and the contents of the booklet, from storyboards to articles by Jonathan Clements and Andrew Osmond, are well worth the read. Manga Entertainment also achieved the once-thought impossible by releasing my all-time childhood favourite, Pokémon: Indigo League on DVD and Blu-ray for the first time in the UK, allowing me to take a much-needed trip down memory lane.
Following a strong start last year, I was disappointed by the quiet withdrawal of Universal Pictures, especially given the praise I heaped on their Seraph of the End release. In recent weeks, I have reached out to try and uncover the fates of their unreleased titles like and you thought there is never a girl online?, but my requests for comment have remained unanswered.
IncendiaryLemon: My pick for the best anime of the year of 2016 received a UK physical release this year, so it is no surprise at all that I’ve chosen School-Live! from Animatsu for this category. I covered my in-depth thoughts back in my review, but it has gone down as one of the best anime I have ever seen, and is certainly one I recommend almost anyone go out and buy.
Looking Forward: Things to Come in 2018…
darkstorm: Now that Tenchi Muyo has seen a fresh release, I’m waiting patiently for the also-licensed Tenchi Muyo GXP to finally make its way onto UK home media; it’s a series I’ve wanted to see for ages so I hope it gets a DVD release date soon. I’m also hoping that the Tenchi movies and spin-offs such as Universe and In Tokyo get new shiny Blu-ray releases as well. Then there’s the shojo classic Revolutionary Girl Utena – this was a big surprise licence grab when announced at October’s Expo and I was extremely happy to see that my putting off the American releases is starting to pay off (if only the same could be said for Sailor Moon).
Streaming-wise, bring on Cardcaptor Sakura Clear Card Arc!
Demelza: Looking ahead to 2018 I’m personally excited to see the new Sword Art Online series (assuming it actually makes next year!) as well as the new KonoSuba anime project in terms of streaming. For releases it’ll be nice to see Grimgar of Fantasy and Ash as well as the final set of Durarara!!. I’m looking forward to finally owning some of the wonderful films we’ve gotten to see in cinemas this year too.
Sarah: As Netflix and Amazon snap up even more of the best anime pies, it looks as if 2018 will be the year (for brand-new anime, at least) in which – if, like me, you don’t have Netflix, you’ll miss out big time on anime such as the much-hyped Violet Evergarden and Devilman crybaby. Will Netflix persist in sticking to its own method of delivery and ignore the weekly streaming model that us anime fans prefer?
Confession time: nothing has really piqued my interest in the titles announced for Winter 2018 – am I getting jaded? I’m hoping that a series will surprise and delight me, as Land of the Lustrous has at the end of 2017. In the meantime, I’m looking forward to How to Keep a Mummy (Miira no Kaikata) because what could be cuter than a tiny mummy?
Ian Wolf: I echo much of what darkstorm and Demelza have already mentioned. Cardcaptor Sakura, Revolutionary Girl Utena and SAO are all things that I will be looking forward too. There will also be the final part of Fairy Tail that will be released some time later in the year.
Other shows that may be coming our way on R2 include the original series of Free! Iwatobi Swim Club, yaoi favourite Junjo Romantica, and a Blu-ray release of the first series of God – or, if you prefer, The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya.
Josh A. Stevens: As we move into the new year, I must confess that the TV anime I’m most looking forward to are those connected to franchises I’m already a fan of. The third season of My Hero Academia will hopefully fill the void that’s been left since its second ended this year and I’m cautiously optimistic about the movie. I also can’t wait to relax with the gentle waves of more Amanchu! and I hope the anime adaptation of Steins;Gate 0 does the game justice. I am however, looking forward to potentially discovering new favourites I may have already glossed over, or have yet to discover.
On the big screen, I’m excited that two of my favourite directors both have a new story to tell in 2018: Hiromasa Yonebayashi’s Mary and the Witch’s Flower will finally make its UK debut next May, while Mamoru Hosoda’s Mirai from the Future will open in Japan this summer too (although a UK release has yet to be announced). When Marnie was There and Wolf Children are two of my all time favourite anime films, so I’ll definitely jump at any chance to see their creators’ latest wares.
IncendiaryLemon: Despite my lack of enthusiasm for a lot of 2017, at least 2018 is already looking bright. The already mentioned Cardcaptor Sakura Clear Card and Steins;Gate 0 are two titles I am very much looking forward to, with the former being a sequel to one of my favourite manga of all time and the latter of one of my favourite anime of all time. 2018 also promises some new anime from one of my favourite studios, Trigger, with their first show of the year coming out in the Winter, Darling in the Franxx, with SSSS.GRIDMAN and Promare to follow later on. I’d also be remiss if I didn’t mention the highly anticipated second season of The Seven Deadly Sins, although Netflix likely having the rights as they did with the first does put a damper on my excitement.
In terms of UK releases, I’m not too sure I can muster much excitement at the current moment. Universal have seemingly disappeared from the market, taking several licences with them, and the fate of Funimation titles in the UK seems uncertain, with big titles such as Attack on Titan Season 2 lacking any sort of licensing announcement, not to mention the release I was looking forward to most, Anime Limited’s Sound! Euphonium, being abruptly cancelled. I hope by the end of next year, I can be a little bit hopeful about what’s to come, but from where I stand right now, things are looking a little bleak.
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Anime Streaming
darkstorm: Despite not being a massive anime streamer, I DID see a few titles this year; granted most of my time watching anime online was spent catching up on titles from last year (yes, that’s me screaming ‘Wait for me!’ several miles behind the Yuri On Ice! bandwagon) but the two I did see from this year were the Netflix Death Note movie, and Fate/Apocrypha, which wins in this category. I know that makes it seems like I’m giving it to Fate/Apocrypha by default, and I am, but I’m happy to do so as the 12 episodes we have so far were a lot of bombastic fun that, as an on-and-off again Fate fan, I enjoyed immensely. I just hope that it’ll keep it up; I was really burnt out on Fate after Unlimited Blade Works TV, but now I’m super excited about it again, which is great considering we have Fate/Grand Order, Fate/EXTRA Last Encore AND the first Heaven’s Feel movie on the way to the UK shortly (one can hope).
Demelza: I feel as though this year has been fairly weak where new anime are concerned. A few times this month I’ve had to figure out which anime I’ve enjoyed over the course of the year and, when push comes to shove, very few new shows come to mind. Ultimately my mind goes to sequels for shows I’d already fallen in love with and boy have we had some good sequels! 2017 saw the return of shows like KonoSuba!, New Game!, My Hero Academia, and Attack on Titan and what a return it was. KonoSuba brought us some of the best comedy you’ll see this year (at least for me), while My Hero Academia is almost certainly the best shonen to cross our screens. This is without even mentioning Food Wars! Season 3, the second seasons of March Comes in Like a Lion and Blood Blockade Battlefront, all of which are still airing.
Away from returning favourites though if I have to pick ‘new’ shows from 2017 then I think Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid and Recovery of an MMO Junkie have ended up favourites of mine. Both shows are slice-of-life stories with strong female leads and a charming approach to their storytelling. They’re undoubtedly shows I’ll be rewatching in the future and I highly recommend our readers check them out. Of course, last but not least, I should probably give a shout-out to the Fuuka anime adaption which ended up being so poor that I wrote a whole article on its issues. It could have been so much more…
Sarah: 2017 brought us the superlative second season of Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinju: Descending Tales (Crunchyroll) based on Haruko Kumota’s award-winning manga. Some truly chilling moments here as the story of the traditional performance art of rakugo moves toward the present-day but shows the main protagonists still vividly haunted by the ghosts of their pasts. Crunchyroll also brought us ACCA: 13-Territory Inspection Dept. (ACCA: 13-ku Kansatsu-ka) adapted from Natsume Ono’s colourful and quirky manga. Cake, bread and the different customs and foods of the thirteen departments are of great significance here – but there are also political schemings and plots bubbling up that threaten to bring destruction.
Hitorijime my Hero (HIDIVE). If student/teacher relationships are not your thing, then you won’t be watching this! However, you’ll be missing a heart-warming BL slice-of-life that is both touching and funny and so not like the unavoidably questionable relationship at the heart of Super Lovers 2.
The other gem (sorry) this year has been Land of the Lustrous (HIDIVE). A genuinely different and imaginative piece of world-building with stunning animation and CGI, it’s a winning SFF combination of music, image and story-telling with some endearing characters. If you haven’t been following Phos so far, I heartily recommend you treat yourself!
Ian Wolf: Annoyingly for me, I’ve not been catching up on much streaming thanks to one of my other jobs with a different website, the British Comedy Guide. Every August the Edinburgh Fringe takes over everything so for much of the second half of the year the streaming of anime and reading of manga gets put to one side.
Thus most of the stuff I watched came from the first half of 2017, and the best new series I came across was Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid. The relationships between the characters are wonderful. It does speak volumes I think that last year the big relationship was the (arguably) gay one between Yuri and Victor in Yuri on Ice!!!, and this year it seems that the (arguably) lesbian relationship between Kobayashi and Tohru, not to mention also raising up little Kanna in a kind of family unit, is the big relationship story of the year.
Of the returning stuff, I recently caught up on the OVA finale of Cute High Earth Defense Club LOVE!, which features two members of the club graduating from the school. Much of the show was clips from earlier series with songs over them which did get annoying, but it ended nicely and it’s still a series that I have great affection for. Now that the series has reportedly finished, I hope that we might finally get a commercial release of it in this country.
Cold Cobra: Streaming this year has been somewhat awkward to talk about, as there haven’t really been any brand new shows that have taken me by surprise, but there have been highlights. The big two returning shows for me were Attack on Titan and My Hero Academia, both of which lived up to their potential based off of their first season, as well as Blood Blockade Battlefront’s sequel series “and Beyond”, which continues to be hilarious. We also bizarrely got a canonical addition to the Blade Runner movie franchise in the form of the anime short Blade Runner: Blackout 2022, because apparently getting an actual sequel to Blade Runner wasn’t weird enough. I also have to mention, as the man covering the Naruto series on this site, that we finally saw the end of Naruto Shippuden… only for it to immediately be replaced with the Boruto anime… Still, the latter has proven, occasionally, to provide some good moments so far.
In terms of newer properties, I still enjoy The Ancient Magus’ Bride, though I’ll admit it’s more often for the art direction and likable lead than the actual story itself (though obviously the lead protagonist is a pretty key figure in the story, but you know what I mean!) but otherwise it’s a shame to say I can’t really think of an anime series that started in 2017 that I can remember enjoying, although I’ll put my hand up and say there were plenty I never even tried. Maybe I need to get out… less? … Wait, no, I never go out, so that can’t be it. Oh well, let’s hope for better luck next year with brand new shows!
Overall, if I had to pick a “streaming anime of the year” I’d go for My Hero Academia’s second season, that was a real joy. It warms my shonen-loving heart to see a new franchise on TV that does the genre such justice by freshening it up and still providing great action and comedy that the genre is known for.
IncendiaryLemon: As much as it pains me to admit it, 2017 has been a fairly weak year of TV anime, at least compared to 2016. Whilst last year it felt as if there was always some really big show everyone and their mother was talking about, from Re:Zero to Yuri on Ice!, 2017 seems to lack any kind of anime the entire community has gotten behind. Although I do find this to be disappointing, that doesn’t mean there haven’t been a fair number of anime that are still worth talking about!
The year started off with an adorable bang with Kyoto Animation’s wonderful Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid, which paired fantastic animation with a cast of charming characters and hilarious comedy antics. Dragon Maid also holds the accolade of being the only anime this year to make me cry, which may sound very peculiar, but the episode where the small dragon Kanna joined a school was enough to make me weep with happiness, and if that’s not a sign of quality, I don’t know what is.
On the total opposite end of the genre spectrum, spring saw the return of two juggernaut action franchises in the form of Attack on Titan Season 2 and My Hero Academia Season 2. Whilst tonally very different, one thing they do have in common is the fact they are two of my favourite anime to air this year. Almost 5 years in the making, Attack on Titan‘s sequel had a lot of expectations to live up to, given the massive popularity and acclaim the first season garnered back in 2013, so it’s very fortunate that the follow-up wasn’t a disappointment, with each episode being more action-packed and gripping than the last. My Hero Academia Season 2, on the other hand, saw the return of over-the-top superhero goodness, with some really solid characters and animation to boot.
In the summer season I saw two of the biggest surprise hits for me: the deceptively cutesy and upbeat Made in Abyss, which turned out to be the traditional fantasy equivalent of Madoka Magica, with its sharp tonal shift making for some of the most uncomfortable and unsettling viewing all year, and Princess Principal, a steampunk action anime that featured some truly spectacular and kinetic animation, courtesy of Studio 3hz, the production company behind one of my favourite anime of last year, Flip Flappers.
The peak of quality in 2017’s anime hit at the very end of the year, with the autumn bringing perhaps the strongest line-up of titles of any season, having a great mix of new shows, such as the shockingly graphic Inuyashiki, the spellbinding fantasy The Ancient Magus’ Bride and melancholic slice-of-life show Girls’ Last Tour, as well as a whole host of favourites returning for a second outing like Himouto! Umaru-chan R, Blood Blockade Battlefront and Beyond and Food Wars The Third Plate.
Unlike the last two years, I struggle to pick a clear favourite. School-Live! in 2015 and Sound! Euphonium Season 2 in 2016 were, to me, perfect, 10/10 shows, and nothing this year has captivated me as much as either of those have, which is unfortunate. My only hope is next year can bring another 10/10 show for me, and given the solid line-up of anime in the pipeline, this doesn’t seem too unlikely.
Josh A. Stevens: With my colleagues already doing a superb job of painting the overall picture for this year’s overall mediocre TV slate, I think I’ll move ahead to the few titles that surprised me – for better and worse. I was disheartened when My Hero Academia didn’t explode in popularity last year, but its second season proved a triumphant return that just went from strength to strength with each episode. I love the superhero genre as a whole, but what makes My Hero Academia to me is the characters. Deku not being the standard loud, overconfident shonen protagonist works wonderfully in his favour, because he’s the timid underdog you just can’t help rallying behind and whose smaller victories, you truly want to celebrate.
The military fantasy Saga of Tanya the Evil proved a strong start to the year, delivering an engrossing watch despite how utterly detestable its key players are. Tanya is a despicable human being devoid of compassion, yet the omnipotent, God-like “Being X” presents a convincing case for atheism. Seeing Tanya’s gradual development over the series, I was left genuinely terrified in the final episode when it became abundantly clear how low she was willing to sink, with there being no trace of hyperbole when I say she could very well become that reality’s equivalent of Adolf Hitler. With its open ending however, I just hope a Season Two is announced soon.
While I enjoyed other shows this year like the return of New Game!!, a true Anime of the Year candidate didn’t rear its head for me until the very end – and I never expected that head to be a skeletal goat’s! I am of course referring to The Ancient Magus’ Bride which, although only halfway through its run, already has me spellbound. Already known for their animation quality, Wit Studio went beyond expectations with this gorgeous series whose narrative achieves what it set out to do – show the kindness in an often unkind world. Following the tragic heroine Chise as she discovers the wonders around her and comes to terms with shadows beneath is a profound experience, while the multi-layered mystery of Elias is compelling both in terms of his lore and presence; we can never be too sure what he’s thinking, but subtle changes to the red glow of his eyes in key moments can strangely give us a clearer picture of his emotions than if he had a fully human face.
This year has also seen some disappointments, with one notable example being J.C. Staff’s treatment of Food Wars: The Third Plate. I love the franchise and the story is in the midst of its best arc yet, but the anime locking the introduction of key Elite Ten members behind a Japan-only OVA left a seriously bad taste in my mouth – imagine if Naruto had done the same with the Akatsuki, or Bleach with the Espada! Then there’s a notable dip in animation quality, leading to off-model frames and lazily poor use of CG. It’s not on the levels of Berserk, but is certainly disappointing considering the previous two seasons. Hopefully J.C. Staff get their act together for the second cour next year.
While anime fans have unprecedented choice with streaming anime, there will always be the occasional one that slips through the cracks – and unfortunately for me, this year it was a series I was really looking forward to. With the previous three seasons in their catalogue, I was disheartened by Crunchyroll (or anyone else) not streaming Symphogear AXZ, Satelight’s bonkers J-Pop fuelled magical girl series that I’ve dubbed “The Fast and the Furious of anime“. The franchise is pure dumb fun and I’m disappointed that western fans aren’t getting the full experience – especially with a fifth season already green-lit.
To finish on a more positive note however, my reputation has likely plummeted with some from my enjoyment of Eromanga Sensei and A Sister’s All You Need; two surprisingly strong comedies despite their, shall we say, controversial themes? 2017 certainly has been a weird one…
Anime Film Theatrical Screening
darkstorm: 2017 has been, in my opinion, the best year for anime cinema releases; not just for the sheer amount we got to enjoy but also for the variety from war drama (Genocidal Organ) to comedically wacky (Night is Short…) to old school classics coming back (Perfect Blue). I’ve been incredibly fortunate to have attended many screenings for the site as a result and seen such great stories I wouldn’t have otherwise, even if I didn’t love every single one, they have all been worthwhile movie experiences. But the year started with the best of them all, A Silent Voice, and I’m sure I won’t be the only one who says so. A detailed and emotionally intelligent tale of bullying and the ramifications of it struck a chord with many viewers, including myself, and for me having to wait until Christmas Day to own a copy because my husband bought it is hard but will be worthwhile on Boxing Day when I get to enjoy it again from the comfort of my sofa with leftover turkey sandwiches!
However, I wanted to give a special mention to Sword Art Online: Ordinal Scale; I was originally worried about attending the review screening for this as I hadn’t seen the series and was afraid of not doing it justice. Luckily for me, not only did the movie provide me with enough back story to understand what was going on but also provided a very fun film experience as well. I really need to catch up on the series soon…
Demelza: Like darkstorm, I feel this year has been one of the best for anime cinema releases (who could have imagined we’d see Pokémon return to UK cinemas after all this time?). I’ve personally attended a number of screenings and seen my fill of animated adventures for the year, but when it comes to picking my favourite, it has to go to Sword Art Online: Ordinal Scale. I’ve been a huge fan of the series for a long time now and the movie outing really was a love letter to the series’ fans. It probably wasn’t the best introduction for my poor partner who got dragged along to see it, but I loved the story Ordinal Scale offered and look back on it fondly. A mention also goes to Night is Short, Walk on Girl which was a real joy to watch after I got the chance to see Tatami Galaxy a bit earlier in the year. It’s probably the weirdest comedy film to make it to cinema this year and in the future, but it’s certainly well worth your time if you’re a Tatami Galaxy fan.
Josh A. Stevens: We thought last year’s release of Your Name was a spectacle, but 2017 was an absolute feast – that admittedly may have left us a little too bloated. Noako Yamada’s A Silent Voice is a beautiful work of art that had my mother declaring that it should be on the national curriculum, while watching Pokémon: I Choose You with my kid brother almost twenty years after I first saw Pokémon the First Movie was a truly profound experience. That, mixed with hearing children excited by the appearance of Pokémon like Incineroar and Charizard, melted the heart of this jaded older fan, once again reminding me of the unparalleled reach the Pokémon franchise has.
Echoing darkstorm and Demelza, my other highlight of this year was Night is Short, Walk on Girl. Masaaki Yuasa’s fever dream is admittedly a Marmite film; if you can sit through the first 20 minutes, you’ll love it – if not, you’ll hate it. From its visuals, characters, story and even pacing, Night is Short is eccentric through and through. A delightfully wild night where it’s best to just strap in and go along with the ride.
Anime DVD/Blu-ray
darkstorm: This was quite a tricky choice as I’m torn between three releases. Do I go with the return of one of my favourite animes growing up, Tenchi Muyo, in a lovely new Blu-ray set? Or the surprisingly enjoyable third season of Black Butler that got me invested in the franchise all over again and made me want to google everyday when the Book of Murder and Atlantis are coming to the UK? Or do I choose the utterly delightful My Love Story!! with its simple but heartfelt story and relatable but unique characters? I think, despite my love for Tenchi and my fangirlish wishes for more Black Butler, I’ll go with My Love Story!! as the best release of the year, for being the series that seems to be one of the most unlikely shining gems of anime. If you haven’t got a copy already, don’t hesitate to grab one now.
Demelza: This category is always tricky for me because although I review and watch a lot of anime, I actually don’t buy that many releases. That said, I’ve still picked up a few wonderful releases throughout 2017 that deserve a mention. Originally, I was torn between calling Your Name’s Deluxe Edition my favourite release as it’s a truly wonderful set that every fan of that movie should own, but unfortunately there is no getting away from the fact that the on-disc content is flawed. Instead I thought I’d talk about Hyouka Part 1, which Anime Limited brought to the UK recently. The show is one many of us have been waiting to buy or even watch legally for a very long time and finally it arrived in a beautifully presented set. Hyouka is a long-standing favourite of mine and I’m so glad the show finally got a release in the UK.
I’d also like to mention Himouto! Umaru-chan from Manga Entertainment. I originally picked the show up on a whim to review for the site and what I watched completely surpassed my expectations. If not for having watched KonoSuba Season 2 this year I think Umaru-chan could easily have been my anime of the year, at least for comedy. The collection from Manga Entertainment left me impressed as it was stacked with on-disc extras the likes of which I always appreciate. While on the subject of Manga Entertainment I’d also like to mention how pleased I am to have seen the release of Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls In a Dungeon? this year, as it just so happens to also be a big favourite of mine…
Sarah: The R2 physical releases that I really enjoyed and wholeheartedly recommend are Barakamon and Noragami Aragoto both from Funimation via Anime Limited.
If you’ve been watching and buying anime since whenever (like me) you’ll probably have noticed by now the reappearance of many series you loved – and already bought – back in the day. It’s great to see these new Collector’s Editions of (this year) Eureka Seven, Tenchi Muyo, Martian Successor Nadesico, with even more revivals promised… although personally, I’d like to put in a heartfelt plea to Anime Limited, MVM & Manga UK for MORE NEW SERIES on R2, PLEASE!
Ian Wolf: The stand-out release anime overall as far as I’m concerned for 2017 was A Silent Voice, mainly because it is one of the few anime that I’ve watched where the dub holds up just as well as the subs. In some cases, it is arguably better, given that in the dub they used a deaf actress to play the part of the deaf schoolgirl Shoko.
It was also good to review some older material. Belladonna of Sadness was an interesting experience to watch, given its role in anime history, and the news that the other “Animerama” movies will be brought out in 2018 is certainly of interest to me.
Cold Cobra: Good old physical media! Always happy to talk about its continued existence. Much like last year, I feel Anime Limited are ahead of the game in terms of sexy Collector’s Editions, and looking back over the last year what springs to mind is Martian Successor Nadesico, which, for an old and therefore possibly niche – even within the anime world – release, got such a lovely box, packed with extras. It reminds me of the gorgeous Outlaw Star set from last year, which if memory serves is what I voted for in terms of a physical release of the year type “award” last year.
Runners-up have to be Eden of the East (again from Anime Limited), which, after enjoying the series so much via the review discs, I immediately bought the actual physical set. Because it looked so nice I didn’t mind buying what I technically already had for free (again, same goes for the Outlaw Star set!). Then there was Kaze of all people and their release of One Punch Man, which was a good little set and nice and clean looking on the shelf. Oh, and I guess honourable mention goes to the My Hero Academia set, which was a nice surprise given it wasn’t licensed by one of the big anime-only companies.
As a Gundam fan it was also nice to see Zeta Gundam arrive in this country at last, and the first half of ZZ, a show that I previously only had on dodgy DVD-Rs with poor fansubs due to never having been released in the West at all up to a couple of years ago. Having the first two and a half Gundam series on Blu-rays with lovely matching boxes (oh look, it’s Anime Limited again!) is a very strange but amazing thing, and long may it continue! (I hope!) Lastly, the original 13 Dragon Ball Z movies have started to arrive in this country after over a decade of wondering if/when. Not much to say about them, although our cover art uses the old theatrical covers from Japan and looks a lot nicer than the single character on a black background covers that the original US releases had. That’s a … small victory, overall, but still a victory!
Josh A. Stevens: I’ve admittedly found myself buying less and less anime of late and I think we’re overdue a discussion about pricing, especially as Collector’s Editions have become the norm. Hypocritically, however, I was really impressed by the care and attention to Anime Limited’s A Silent Voice Collector’s Edition – even though £39.99 is a lot to pay for a film. However, the sturdy box and digi-pack are adorned with beautiful key art showcasing the emotional intimacy of the film’s leads and the contents of the booklet, from storyboards to articles by Jonathan Clements and Andrew Osmond, are well worth the read. Manga Entertainment also achieved the once-thought impossible by releasing my all-time childhood favourite, Pokémon: Indigo League on DVD and Blu-ray for the first time in the UK, allowing me to take a much-needed trip down memory lane.
Following a strong start last year, I was disappointed by the quiet withdrawal of Universal Pictures, especially given the praise I heaped on their Seraph of the End release. In recent weeks, I have reached out to try and uncover the fates of their unreleased titles like and you thought there is never a girl online?, but my requests for comment have remained unanswered.
IncendiaryLemon: My pick for the best anime of the year of 2016 received a UK physical release this year, so it is no surprise at all that I’ve chosen School-Live! from Animatsu for this category. I covered my in-depth thoughts back in my review, but it has gone down as one of the best anime I have ever seen, and is certainly one I recommend almost anyone go out and buy.
Looking Forward: Things to Come in 2018…
darkstorm: Now that Tenchi Muyo has seen a fresh release, I’m waiting patiently for the also-licensed Tenchi Muyo GXP to finally make its way onto UK home media; it’s a series I’ve wanted to see for ages so I hope it gets a DVD release date soon. I’m also hoping that the Tenchi movies and spin-offs such as Universe and In Tokyo get new shiny Blu-ray releases as well. Then there’s the shojo classic Revolutionary Girl Utena – this was a big surprise licence grab when announced at October’s Expo and I was extremely happy to see that my putting off the American releases is starting to pay off (if only the same could be said for Sailor Moon).
Streaming-wise, bring on Cardcaptor Sakura Clear Card Arc!
Demelza: Looking ahead to 2018 I’m personally excited to see the new Sword Art Online series (assuming it actually makes next year!) as well as the new KonoSuba anime project in terms of streaming. For releases it’ll be nice to see Grimgar of Fantasy and Ash as well as the final set of Durarara!!. I’m looking forward to finally owning some of the wonderful films we’ve gotten to see in cinemas this year too.
Sarah: As Netflix and Amazon snap up even more of the best anime pies, it looks as if 2018 will be the year (for brand-new anime, at least) in which – if, like me, you don’t have Netflix, you’ll miss out big time on anime such as the much-hyped Violet Evergarden and Devilman crybaby. Will Netflix persist in sticking to its own method of delivery and ignore the weekly streaming model that us anime fans prefer?
Confession time: nothing has really piqued my interest in the titles announced for Winter 2018 – am I getting jaded? I’m hoping that a series will surprise and delight me, as Land of the Lustrous has at the end of 2017. In the meantime, I’m looking forward to How to Keep a Mummy (Miira no Kaikata) because what could be cuter than a tiny mummy?
Ian Wolf: I echo much of what darkstorm and Demelza have already mentioned. Cardcaptor Sakura, Revolutionary Girl Utena and SAO are all things that I will be looking forward too. There will also be the final part of Fairy Tail that will be released some time later in the year.
Other shows that may be coming our way on R2 include the original series of Free! Iwatobi Swim Club, yaoi favourite Junjo Romantica, and a Blu-ray release of the first series of God – or, if you prefer, The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya.
Josh A. Stevens: As we move into the new year, I must confess that the TV anime I’m most looking forward to are those connected to franchises I’m already a fan of. The third season of My Hero Academia will hopefully fill the void that’s been left since its second ended this year and I’m cautiously optimistic about the movie. I also can’t wait to relax with the gentle waves of more Amanchu! and I hope the anime adaptation of Steins;Gate 0 does the game justice. I am however, looking forward to potentially discovering new favourites I may have already glossed over, or have yet to discover.
On the big screen, I’m excited that two of my favourite directors both have a new story to tell in 2018: Hiromasa Yonebayashi’s Mary and the Witch’s Flower will finally make its UK debut next May, while Mamoru Hosoda’s Mirai from the Future will open in Japan this summer too (although a UK release has yet to be announced). When Marnie was There and Wolf Children are two of my all time favourite anime films, so I’ll definitely jump at any chance to see their creators’ latest wares.
IncendiaryLemon: Despite my lack of enthusiasm for a lot of 2017, at least 2018 is already looking bright. The already mentioned Cardcaptor Sakura Clear Card and Steins;Gate 0 are two titles I am very much looking forward to, with the former being a sequel to one of my favourite manga of all time and the latter of one of my favourite anime of all time. 2018 also promises some new anime from one of my favourite studios, Trigger, with their first show of the year coming out in the Winter, Darling in the Franxx, with SSSS.GRIDMAN and Promare to follow later on. I’d also be remiss if I didn’t mention the highly anticipated second season of The Seven Deadly Sins, although Netflix likely having the rights as they did with the first does put a damper on my excitement.
In terms of UK releases, I’m not too sure I can muster much excitement at the current moment. Universal have seemingly disappeared from the market, taking several licences with them, and the fate of Funimation titles in the UK seems uncertain, with big titles such as Attack on Titan Season 2 lacking any sort of licensing announcement, not to mention the release I was looking forward to most, Anime Limited’s Sound! Euphonium, being abruptly cancelled. I hope by the end of next year, I can be a little bit hopeful about what’s to come, but from where I stand right now, things are looking a little bleak.
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