Dhruv Sharma
Believe it or not, Spring 2020 is going to be the best season for anime lovers. Apart from all the hidden gems that will come catch our attention, Spring offers some of the most anticipated returning shows. The year started off a little slow and so far, only a few winter anime have been able to live up to what was expected from them. But spring is going to be a major game-changer, so make sure that you free up your calendar for what lies ahead. That said, here’s our list of all the upcoming spring anime that you just cannot miss out on. Most of the shows mentioned in the list below will be available on Funimation, Hulu, or Crunchyroll.
12. Psycho-Pass 3: First Inspector (March 27, 2020)
Gen Urobuchi writes the most compelling crime dramas and ‘Psycho Pass‘ is the perfect example of that. Set in a seemingly utopian world, ‘Psycho Pass’ revolves around a newly introduced criminal justice system known as the Sibyl System. Using this, a “Crime Coefficient” index of every individual is determined and every time a person’s index crosses a certain limit, legal action is taken against him/her.
The recent season of the anime plunged even further into its philosophical and nihilistic themes, presenting you a lot more than a mere game of “cat and mouse.” However, the season ended on a rather inconclusive note. The good news is that it will now be returning with a whole new movie sequel titled ‘Psycho-Pass 3: First Inspector,’ which will hopefully conclude all of its unresolved mysteries.
11. Fate/stay night Movie: Heaven’s Feel – III. Spring Song (March 28, 2020)
If you’ve been into anime for a while now, you must be very familiar with the whole survival game sub-genre. But no matter how many new installments it comes up with, the ‘Fate’ Franchise always manages to be one of the best offerings of “survival game.” As the name suggests, all the anime belonging to this sub-genre are usually violent and relentlessly profane, but even in that aspect, ‘Heaven’s Feel‘ is far more sinister than most other anime out there.
The main characters find themselves in extreme moments of despair and don’t go around preaching about their grandeur journeys. And it’s these impurities and the grounded nature of ‘Heaven’s Feel’ that makes it such an incredible movie trilogy. Its third and final installment is now underway and we can’t help but get all hyped about it.
10. No Guns Life Season 2 (April 2020)
Lurking in the dark shadows of a cyberpunk-styled metropolis is a man with a literal gun as his head. With a sense of vengeance on his mind and pride in his heart, he embarks on a journey to end all corruption and treachery that runs deep in his city. Apart from having a fairly unique storyline, ‘No Guns Life’ also has some distinctive elements in its art style.
Madhouse Studio never disappoints its fans and even with this one, it brings in some unique, dark and noir-style backgrounds and visuals that perfectly fit in with the themes of the anime. Madhouse is known for having some of the best anime shows of our time under its belt, so I wouldn’t call ‘No Guns Life’ one of its best works. However, it still is one of a kind and anyone who hasn’t seen it yet should surely check it out. The ones who have watched its first season will get to experience its unorthodox beauty all over again with its upcoming sequel.
9. Koukaku Kidoutai: SAC_2045 (April 2020)
The first ‘Ghost in the Shell‘ movie, which premiered way back in the 90s, is still considered to be a classic. Its method of animation, realistic characters, immersive soundtracks, and the depth of its philosophical storyline were all game changers back in the day. Its huge success was later followed by a full-fledged anime series that was met with a similar response.
Now, after almost 2 decades, Netflix is bringing back its wacky cyberpunk world with a whole new anime series titled ‘Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex 2045.’ As the name suggests, this new series takes a massive time jump and is set in the year 2045. An economic disaster has deeply impacted the economy and as usual, agents of section nine, including cyborg Major Motoko Kusanagi and her second-in-command Batou, are out investigating cybernetic crimes that have taken over the world.
8. Tower of God (April 1, 2020)
‘Tower of God’ first gained immense popularity when it was released as a web manga by Lee Jong-hui under the pseudonym Slave In Utero. The Korean Webtoon was later read by over 5 million readers from all over the world and it’s been quite some time since its fans have been demanding an anime adaptation of it. The good news is that its anime adaptation is finally here and going by the amount of content that its source material already has, we can expect it to be one of those long-running anime.
‘Tower of God’ centers on Twenty-Fifth Bam, a young boy who lives underneath a giant tower. Despite being isolated from the outside world, he lives a fairly fulfilling life with his best friend Racheal. But one day, the two of them are separated when Racheal decides to visit the terrace of the tower. She is the only person he has ever cared about, so in order to bring her back, he follows her footsteps. However, reaching her won’t come so easy as every level of the tower has new rivals who stop him from reaching this desired destination.
7. Fruits Basket 2nd Season (April 7, 2020)
The “Slice of Life” anime genre is somewhat of a misnomer. Going by its name, the anime shows that come under it should give us a glimpse of real-life but let’s face it, that’s not usually the case. Even anime shows that are “slice of life” in the truest sense, portray more of an exaggerated version of real-life drama, but that’s exactly the reason why we enjoy them, don’t we? ‘Fruits Basket‘ is no different.
However, despite its hefty drama and mildly “trope-y” characters, it is a shojo classic that is bound to pull on your tear ducts. Its 2019 reboot version was a huge success not only because of its high production value but also because of its loyalty toward its source. Its second season will be here soon and we’re ready to have our heart shattered all over again.
6. Yahari Ore no Seishun Love Comedy wa Machigatteiru. Kan (April 10, 2020)
‘My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU‘, also known as ‘Oregairu’, is like medicine to the soul. It’s the kind of anime that makes you want to reminisce your own high school days and embrace all the relationships that have lasted since then. The show revolves around a young boy named Hachiman Hikigaya, who firmly believes that establishing relationships is nothing but a waste of time and with slouched shoulders and brooding eyes buried in his palms, he prefers to spend his time all by himself. But then one day, he somehow ends up in his school’s Volunteer Service Club, forcing him to be out of his comfort zone. With this, a subtle catharsis ensues and Hachiman learns a lot more than he could have asked for.
5. Food Wars! Shokugeki no Soma: The Fifth Plate (April 11, 2020)
We can all agree that ‘Food Wars‘ has never really offered anything unique from a storyline standpoint. However, its weird yet incredibly fascinating depiction of food is simply out of this world. One episode in and you’ll find yourself craving all the appealing recipes that are portrayed in the anime. J.C Staff Studio does a great job of animating all the delicious meals that are portrayed in the show.
But apart from that, even the fan service of the anime is strangely entertaining. Like most anime viewers out there, I usually despise the involvement of unnecessary fan service. But ‘Food Wars’ is one of those few anime shows that manage to use fan service as an asset. There was a lot of backlash surrounding its fourth season but its optimistic ending left most fans satisfied. Now, we can’t help but wonder what the fifth season holds for us. Let’s just hope that it won’t be a mere filler.
4. Kaguya-sama wa Kokurasetai?: Tensai-tachi no Renai Zunousen (April 11, 2020)
The Tsundere character trope is commonly used in the romance anime genre that it’s almost starting to get a little annoying. But ‘Kaguya-sama Love is War’ brings its own interesting twist to it, making it one of the best anime shows of 2019. Instead of simply portraying a female Tsundere character who initially acts like a snob but later gives in to her feelings, ‘Kaguya-sama‘ is all about a battle between two such Tsunderes, who despite having feelings for one another, refuse to get carried away by their emotions. With their egos on the line, Kaguya and Miyuki give it everything to make each other confess their feelings. So who’s going to win this battle of love? Hopefully, we’ll find that out in Season 2.
3. Violet Evergarden Movie (April 24, 2020)
You may or may not be a taker for anime shows that force you face your emotional core, but ‘Violet Evergarden’ is one anime that is bound to get you every single time you watch it. In its best bits, ‘Violet Evergarden‘ is extremely uplifting and awe-inspiring but along with that, it comes with moments that will force a tear or two out of your pores.
Revolving around the life of an ex-war hero, who seems to know nothing about the real world, ‘Violet Evergarden’ is about the transformational journey of a young girl who learns the true meaning of love. The first season ended with a major cliffhanger and since then, most fans have been eagerly waiting for its sequel. Well, a follow-up movie is finally here with the promise of being as good as its predecessor.
2. Sword Art Online: Alicization War of Underworld -THE LAST SEASON- (April 26, 2020)
In the anime community, ‘Sword Art Online‘ has now become a household name. Being one of the first few anime shows that introduced the world to the Isekai gaming genre, its fan base now spans all across the globe. But since all of its RPG-centric themes have become so common, it has also become a victim of a lot of negative criticism. Regardless of that, as loyal fans of the anime, we’re surely looking forward to the last arc of ‘Sword Art Online: Alicization War of Underworld.’ Alicization, so far, has been the best arc of series, especially when it comes to its storyline, so we can certainly expect its final season to be nothing short of a masterpiece.
1. Given Movie (May 16, 2020)
‘Given’ is more of a sleeper hit that took the world of anime by storm. The shounen-ai genre is often looked down upon because of all the over-the-top eroticism it usually indulges in, however, ‘Given’ begs to differ. The anime, instead, portrays realistic gay romance and appeals to viewers who are willing to have an open mind. If you’ve always found yourself despising “shounen-ai“, give this one a shot, you’ll surely change your mind. ‘Given’ excelled with its outstanding narrative and memorable soundtracks, so its renewal is not surprising at all.
Read More: Best Anime of 2019
