[00:04] history for anime and nothing else is over. And there will never be a crazier one again. No one had a harder time of it than me in 2025. That's for darn sure. But now, at long last, I can sit back, relax, and not have to worry about [00:20] keeping up with like 20 to 30 DIFFERENT OH, SWEET HARUHI. NO. SO, YEAH. Winter 2026 hasn't been quite as chill as I'd hoped so far for anime and nothing else. But hey, on the bright side, there's only 20 sequels and spin-offs to worry [00:36] about this time. Oh, wait, no, I forgot about the onas and the movies and three about the onas and the movies and three TV specials. Really? Okay, so 33 plus two compilation movies with new footage, which adds up to eight more [00:50] than the insane monster lineup that prompted me to make a video like this last summer. But before we can even get into which ones of those are really worth your precious time and more importantly hype, this video is [01:04] importantly hype, this video is sponsored by Raycon. Did you know that 90% of isekai protagonists were listening to a podcast during their encounter with Truckun? It's true. Traditional earbuds block out the world [01:16] around you, so you'll never hear the call to adventure coming. But Raycon's Essential Open earbuds sit comfortably just outside your ear canal to provide clear, highquality audio without hiding hazards in the surrounding soundsscape. [01:31] And right now, Raycon's ringing in the new year with a sale on all of their already affordable premium audio devices. Just click the link in the doobly-doo or go to buyracon.com/animeope [01:47] survive the urban jungle of Tokyo while listening to Quest for the Best with Tristan, Miles, and Jeff without these babies. And their ultra light design and flexible yet firm fitting ear hook make them perfect for working out and doing [02:01] chores around the house. Plus, with the multi-point connection, switching to my PC or Steam Deck when I'm done is a breeze. The Essential Open earbuds are here to help you crush your New Year's goals. Go to by bracon.com/animeope [02:16] to get 20% off sitewide. Big thanks to Raycon for sponsoring this video. But anyway, we got a whole lot of hyped anime sequels to get through and all the good new anime that I have to talk about next week. So, let's hop to it, shall [02:31] we? We're going to be going in release order again just to keep this simple. But unfortunately, the first ones not simple at all for me cuz Blue Miro is one of them awkward late season anime that came out like literally 2 days [02:44] after the ones to watch deadline for fall 2024. So, I haven't actually watched that one and I've got to go fix that real quick. Be right back. [03:02] animation quality is kind of lackluster, but the story which follows the rise and fall of the Shinsengumi, the secret police force that fought against the rise of Imperial Japan in the waning days of the Tokugawa shogunit, is [03:15] relatively grounded and morally complex for a shownen anime, especially. Personally, what I saw more makes me want to read the manga than keep watching the anime, but your mileage on that may vary. And if you're into [03:27] historical dramas, probably worth checking out. New Year's Eve is TV special Night in Japan, which gave us follow-ups to two of the greatest romcoms in recent memory. Starting with Kaguya Sama Love is War: Stairway to [03:40] Adulthood. Considering I wrote a featurelength video essay about the previous seasons, I probably don't have to tell you how excited I am to have literally any new Kaguya content to enjoy. Though, uh, that excitement is [03:54] tempered more than a little by the fact that the new special skips over some of that would have fleshed out the stories of Yu Ishi and Ih Hayasaka to focus on yet more Kaguya and Miyuki content. That is still very good content though, which [04:10] has been adapted about as beautifully as any fan could have asked for. So, I have no qualms about recommending that you catch up for it. Not to mention the final chapter film that was just announced after it aired if you're not [04:23] caught up already. Though, even if you are, I would also highly recommend fully appreciate everything the anime is missing. And while you're at it, go check out the spin-off manga where Kaguya and Miyuki's fan girls stand off [04:36] to the side, commenting on the main plot, like Rosen CR and Gilden Stern really enhances your appreciation for just how deep these characters and the world they live in really are. Thankfully, you don't have to do nearly [04:49] that much homework to enjoy the other big New Year's romcom special, which is just the last five episodes of 2025's best horror anime, There's no freaking way I'll be Your lover, Unless, aka Murray Yuri to anyone who's [music] [05:03] heard the addictive theme song before. Just one of many qualities that put this no boys allowed sappic cuddle puddle firmly in the upper echelons of the entire genre. The characters are goofy and endearing, supporting both wacky [05:17] comedy antics and touching emotional scenes that get surprisingly raw and real. And there is plenty of romantic tension to go around in this one, what with everyone being lesbians and all instead of a bunch of beautiful girls [05:29] fighting over some socially awkward dweeb. That awkward dweeb is also a girl and they're all fighting over each other while leaving the possibility open for any two of them to kiss and make up at any given moment, which gives it a whole [05:41] bunch of the other kind attention to match and plenty of fan service to go around. Mury is the complete Harum package and so much more besides. And this new ending ties it all together with a nice little bow. Meanwhile, the [05:54] last TV special of the New Year's window, adds a new beginning to one of Japan's biggest franchises. Detective Conan episode zero, the Shinichi Kudo Aquarium Case, kicks off the 30th anniversary of the longestrunn shownen [06:09] anime in existence by combining a new adaptation of Awkward Couple, the special chapter zero prologue that was created for the special edition of manga volume 1 with a readaptation of the aquarium murder case from episodes 772 [06:27] and three, which featured Shinichi and Ron going on different date sometime prior to him being turned into a six-year-old. As a prologue, the episode won't require any prior viewing to enjoy, which is actually true of most [06:42] Detective Conan stuff. Obviously, it's optimal to start from the beginning, but you really don't have to. Aside from a handful of plotheavy episodes scattered across the decades, it's an entirely episodic series that offers satisfying [06:56] soouththing and fun character comedy, no matter where you want to jump into the show or any of the movies. Most of which are at least pretty decent content. Even counting filler, less than 10 episodes are truly considered bad by fans, and [07:12] most are good to great. So, if you enjoy solving Who Done It, that's a damn fine use of your time anytime though, you don't necessarily have to, you know, catch up for for this specific video. You should just watch Detective Conan. [07:27] It's good. As a spin-off, the next anime we're talking about also doesn't technically require any homework to enjoy. Fate Strange Fake is a series of light novels from Rio Narita, the goat behind Bakano, which has been now [07:42] adapted into a very cool looking anime. The plot of which centers around a fake Holy Grail war staged by some sort of shadowy American Mage Association for no doubt nefarious purposes using a faulty copy of the Third Holy Grail War Ritual. [07:59] probably don't got to tell you to watch this one unless you have seen enough fate to decide you don't like it. If you're not already fateilled, though, I mean, Ryoko Narita is a really good writer who specifically excels at [08:13] writing stories where the audience is meant to be a little confused their first time going through. So, this could make for a nearly as good jumping on point as Fate Zero. Uh, next definitely not the case for our [08:28] next classic manga spin-off, Hokuto no Ken Kenugun Zakotachi Noanka, which kind of animates a goofy little web comic of the same name about this hapless sap [08:40] whose search for a job in the warblided world of Fist of the North Star leads him to accidentally joining the evil army of Kenro's main rival, Ralph. If you don't know who those guys are, some jokes in this will probably still land. [08:54] and it seems pretty funny, but not enough to make it worth watching. And let's be real, if you are finally taking the plunge into Fist of the North Star, it's not going to be so You can catch up on this. Does seem fun, though. Next up [09:07] is a sequel to a spin-off, My Hero Academia: Vigilantes, whose street level action and low stakes community focused storytelling make it my personal favorite series set in the quirkpowered world of Hiroaka. even ignoring all the [09:22] not to mention the hard-hitting direction of Jojo's Bizarre Adventures, Kenichi Suzuki, with a premise that basically boils down to what if Batman taught Spider-Man how to fight crime? Also, there's a pop idol there. How [09:36] could it not be? And thankfully, that story doesn't require any prior knowledge of the original series to jump right in and enjoy it. So, it'll only take you a few hours to get caught up for this adaptation of one of the [09:48] manga's more entertaining arcs. In fact, even if you're not into the main series, this one is different enough I'd still recommend giving it a shot. As someone who personally fell off of Hioaka around season 4, don't worry, I am doing my [10:03] best to catch up on it for the sake of doing a big review of the whole series in the coming months. But wouldn't you know it, another top tier anime that I really should have watched even more than that one is also starting its final [10:15] chapter this winter. Golden Kamoi Saiusho set in Hokkaido shortly after the Russo Japanese War. This modern san classic follows a soldier named Sugimoto and a young Anu girl named Aera on a quest to collect a treasure map by [10:31] murdering and skinning a whole bunch of escaped convicts. each of whom has a piece of it tattooed somewhere on their bodies while racing against a bunch of other psychopaths who are trying to do the same thing. Everyone tells me this [10:44] is one of the most batshit insane anime ever put on television while also being a remarkably well-ressearched period drama. And having read Satur's other manga, Dogs Red, about a disgraced figure skater taking up hockey anding [10:58] puroetting over guys trying to body check him, I absolutely believe it. Golden Kamui is at the tippy top of my personal not for content to watch list, and I'm pretty sure it should be on yours as well. the kind of anime old [11:13] heads who appreciate that will also no doubt be excited for Yoroy Shinden Samurai Troopers, a sequel/reboot to the 1988 Sunrise sci-fi classic Yoroiden [11:25] Samurai Troopers, or Ronin Warriors as it's better known in the West, where it was one of the first anime to ever air on Cartoon Network's iconic Tsunami block. This new anime is looking mighty slick with a bold art style that really [11:40] sets it apart from the pack. And I just wish I'd actually seen the original when I was a kid so I could be as hyped about it as other weebs my age. In my defense though, I didn't grow up in the US of A. And despite Google's AI attempting to [11:55] gaslight me, I cannot for the life of me find any record of it airing on a TV channel that I had access to in Canada, except maybe the Sci-Fi channel, but when it aired there, I was 4 years old. And I'm a little pissed about that, [12:11] thing that would have been 8-year-old Jeff's jam. Hell, 33-year-old Jeff is still pretty interested. I never say no to a peak bubble economy sunrise anime, especially with a couple late8s OVAs attached. Though obviously got more [12:28] pressing things to watch first. Speaking of hell and retro anime though, the Hell Teacher News back with a second serving of action horror comedy goodness as the titular teacher returns to save his students from yet more spooky [12:43] with the power of his cursed hand. Originally released back in the9s, this jump cult classic seems to be trying to cash in on the new wave of horror shownen sparked by the likes of Jujutsu Kaizen and Chainsaw Man. And while it's [12:57] nowhere near either series level, it is still a good bit of shownen fun with some very clean production values and a few genuinely spooky moments. Though it's not everything that fans of the original might have hoped for. The first [13:10] series had a whole lot of fanervice in it that this remake has stripped out or uh the opposite of stripped, I guess, in an effort to reach a wider audience. And I don't know how effective that effort's actually been with how many great shows [13:25] it's had to compete against both last summer and now this winter. But the horny bits were mostly superfluous to the original version anyway. And the remake nails those atmospheric horror elements. So, personally, I don't mind [13:39] too much. And don't you worry, cuz you will find every bit of horny they took out of that adaptation and then some in season 2 of Chained Soldier, aka Mihei, [13:51] No Slave. That title might make you think you're in for another isekai. But the other world in this series is more of a solo leveling type pocket dimension full of monsters deal, while the titular slave quite enjoys his bondage. Thank [14:05] you. Not to mention his ball stomping, facitting, a little giant test action on the side, and a whole lot of other kinks that are only possible with his world's girlsonly superpower system. Meanwhile, the main power of his mistress allows [14:19] him to turn into a sort of roided out sex hulk and fight the aforementioned monsters in exchange for her doing whatever he wants to him afterward, even if he himself did not consciously realize he was into that. This [14:33] off-the-wall battle harum series from a Kamega Gill creator and uniformed waifuss's I'd let kill me artisan Akahhiro already punched well above its weight class in season 1 on the strength of its story alone. Not to mention the [14:47] of its story alone. Not to mention the finer details of its uh plot. And with season 2 moving from seven arcs to Pacion and Hayabusa film, the studio duo behind Nukitashi, it's looking like Gooners will be eaten just as well, if [15:01] not better, this winter. would that I could say the same for the lady gooners out there, but sadly you ladies will have to settle for season 2 of Anyway, I'm falling in love with you. The reverse Harum anime about an aspiring [15:15] mangaka who only realized that her life with four insanely hot childhood friends who all really want a banger might have made for some good showjo inspo after growing up to be a manga editor. To be fair, the Kiraakira sparkliness of that [15:31] life was a little bit dulled by the fact they were all trying to bang her in the middle of COVID lockdowns. But like, I don't know. Even as Harum protags go, it's hard to buy someone being that dense, they all have their own fan clubs [15:45] at school. You're living a pretty shojo manga life. Still, shojo romance anime adaptations are slim pickings these days, and this one's fine for what it is. A lot of melodrama, cabab dons, intense eye contact, all that stuff you [15:59] Don't expect much more than that, though. Shaen anime, on the other hand, has arguably never been better, and I'd argue it doesn't get much better than Jujutsu Kaizen, which is entering its next arc with The Culling Games Part One [16:16] this winter. The manga version of that arc wasn't quite as good as the Shabuya incident, but Shabuya is an all-time top three shown in battle arc, so that's not exactly an indictment. And from what we saw in the theatrical preview, this [16:29] season's shaping up to be even better produced than the last. With sharp cinematic storyboarding that really elevates the material and helps you get inside the characters heads, explosive cuts, and reportedly a whole lot less [16:41] crunch behind the scenes at MAPA, which should result in generally more consistent quality and fewer animators wanting to die. All good things in my book. And all that means that as an anime, irrespective of the manga, it [16:56] could end up being on par with the last season, if not better, which is crazy because that season is what cemented Jujutsu Kaizen in my top 10 anime of all time. If you're not already into Jujutsu Kaizen, I really can't recommend it [17:11] enough, especially if the promise of super cool fights with crazy power sets doesn't do all that much for you. It's a deeply tragic, philosophically rich story that's far more concerned with plumbing the depths of its characters [17:25] psyches and seriously challenging their worldviews than it is with hype ass fight scenes and aura farming, yet still manages to farm more aura and generate more hype than anything this side of Jojo. Yazzy doesn't even like shownen [17:41] battle stuff, and it's her favorite anime of all time. On the other hand, if you're into shownen adventures of an older vintage, Trigon Stargaze and its prequel, Stampede offer a beautifully modern reinterpretation of one of the [17:56] absolute best of them. Studio Orange is back to bring even more of No Man's Land to life with their industry-leading 3D artistry, continuing the tale of gunslinging pacifist Vash the Stampede and his quest to save the world that's [18:11] tried to kill him more times than he can count from the genocidal minations of his own brother. Instead of simply retreading the same ground as the original classic anime, Stampede set out in a bold new direction with the full [18:25] blessing of its original creator. And for fans of the original, that can be either a good or bad thing. But personally, I appreciate seeing this world and these characters from a fresh angle in a new story whose ending isn't [18:40] angle in a new story whose ending isn't set in stone. And I am very excited to see where they take it next, which is the opposite of how I feel about Card Fight Vanguard Divines Parallactic Clash, the fifth season of the fourth [18:54] anime based on the moderately popular bushy road card game that the original anime was actually good enough to get me into. But then I played it and um that got me out of it. To be honest, I already gave you guys all the shits I [19:09] talked about the last season in the summer sequels video. So now I'm going anyone who [music] feels even the slightest inclination to check it out, go watch Digimon Beatreak instead. It is the best Digimon series since Tamers and [19:26] the first anime like this that I've actually felt compelled to keep watching. week to week since my balls dropped. So, stop sleeping on it if you are sleeping on it. Digimon Beat Break is amazing and only like 12 to maybe 14 [19:42] episodes are out as of when this video is going out. Plus, the dub's coming soon, so you should have no problem getting caught up. Fire Force is another series I really wish I'd kept up with after spotlighting it on one of the [19:55] earliest ones to watch lists. But alas, the first season didn't quite grab me like Soul Leader as it continued. And I only fully realized my folly when I found out the spoiler, which you will also find out if you look at the poster [20:09] for this new season. So, uh maybe don't do that if you are somehow a Soul Leader fan and don't already know and still want to be surprised. Now, I have heard some pretty concerning fan speculation that this new core of the anime could [20:23] end up rushing through like 80 chapters of the manga to get to the conclusion in 12 episodes. So, that could still affect how much it's worth catching up on. But, nonetheless, I have heard a lot of good things from friends who are current on [20:36] it whose opinions I trust. And um I'm definitely not the kind of guy who would be bothered by the fan service parts of it. If anything, that's like the main watch that, but like I don't know. The the intro training arc just didn't do it [20:50] for me. But um I do want to now. Let me know if I should in the comments. But don't just want to watch on account of that one lady who fights extremely that one lady who fights extremely nakedly in them, go Hell's Paradise is [21:04] getting its second season this season as well. If you're not familiar, this brutally blood soaked historical action series follows a group of condemned criminals with various shownen samurai superpowers, a seepuku squad, if you [21:18] will, sent by the shogun to explore a mysterious island full of monsters and gods in search of the elixir of life. If the trailer is any indication, season 2 production than the first, which represented the lower end of MAPA's [21:35] quality standards back in 2023. Not necessarily a huge knock against it since it still featured some real nice fight scenes. And even in the more slideshowy moments, it had a striking art style, particularly in its lush [21:50] tropical backgrounds. But I'm certainly not going to complain about more fluid animation and dynamic storyboarding this time around. And last season's only 13 episodes if you want to catch up to enjoy all that. Speaking of hell, again [22:04] though, if it is real, I hope its demons are like the ones in his time for torture princess, which is also back for a second season of laugh out loud comedy and charming pine jam moa blobbery this winter. The demons in question are [22:20] ardent adherence of the win more flies with honey school of torture. In some cases, literal honey on toast, no less. In others, cuddly wudly animals, video games, or spa days. All of which they use to tempt the titular captive [22:34] princess into revealing all sorts of strategically irrelevant state secrets that their good guy girl dad demon king somehow never gets around to exploiting. And now you know the part. >> Tis Time for Torture is very much a only [22:48] one joke sort of comedy anime, but it is a very good joke told beautifully with a lot of different variations. And I'm delighted to have another 12 episodes of it. I wouldn't necessarily advise rushing to catch up for the new season, [23:03] though, since it's the kind of thing best enjoyed one or two episodes at a time whenever you need a little pickme up. If you need a little spook me up on the other hand, a couple episodes of Yummy Sheibby will scratch that itch [23:15] nicely. I feel like I just talked about this series being back on the summer sequels video, and it's already back again for a 16th season of short horror stories, which will almost certainly have a worse hit rate than previous [23:28] seasons, cuz that's how running out of ideas for episodes works. Still, at 4 minutes a piece, even the bad ones won't waste too much of your time, and the good ones are a spooky good time. It's my understanding that wasted time is an [23:41] increasing concern for potential new viewers of Oshino Co. as news has spread beyond the fandom of the manga's not so great ending. But I'm a firm believer in Journey Before Destination. And this series still offers one of the most [23:56] engrossing journeys in the entire anime space, taking you on a guided tour into the gritty underbelly of Japan's various entertainment industries through the eyes of two reincarnated idol fanatics as they try to solve the mystery of [24:11] their current life mom and past life Oshi's murder. That plot tends to take a backseat to exploring the ins and outs of everything from shitty live-action of everything from shitty live-action manga adaptations to reality TV shows to [24:25] manga adaptations to reality TV shows to 2.5D stage plays. But that's fine by me because it's in portraying the technical minutia that goes into each medium as well as the unique difficulties faced by his own friends and acquaintances in all [24:38] of these different industries that Aka Akasaka's character writing skills shine their brightest. And if you've seen Kaguya, you know how strong those skills are. Journey Before Destination, or maybe I should say Journey after [24:53] destination, is also more or less the core thesis of Freren beyond Journey's End, whose long-awaited second season will follow the next steps of the titular elf mag's quest to reconnect with the short-lived mortals whom she [25:09] only realized after it was too late were her uh Do I even need to explain what Ferrin's about? I feel like anyone with even a passing interest in manga or [25:22] fantasy fiction in general is already well aware of the biggest new name in both spaces and probably caught up on its almost universally acclaimed anime adaptation. Season 2 is sure to deliver even more of the breathtaking animation, [25:38] beautiful music, and poetic character drama that made the world fall in love with the first one. though there will only be 10 episodes worth of that good stuff this time around. That'll most likely bring the series right up to the [25:51] cusp of what many readers consider to be the manga's best arc, which will then be covered in season 3, hopefully sooner than later. I don't think that this season needs to be a top priority if you're not already current, but it does [26:07] present a very nice opportunity to get caught up at your own pace, which is undoubtedly the best way to watch Freren before that next season or possibly movie explodes the entire anime watching internet. Now, Metalist is a show I do [26:24] have to explain, but I really feel like I shouldn't. this heartwarming and pulse-pounding story of a young girl who started figure skating just a little too late. Defying the odds and all of the doubters to go for the gold deserves to [26:39] be the same kind of household name. But unfortunately, it's a Hulu Disney Plus anime, so it's never getting that kind of publicity or the highquality subtitles it so rightly deserves. Though, they did give it a pretty damn [26:54] good dub for whatever that's worth to you. What should be worth quite a bit to basically everyone is how riveting the show's drama is. Built on the back of rich, deep, and thoroughly compelling characters who each possess the rare [27:09] drive and determination to pursue distant dreams from a very young age. Don't let that age fool you either. This is a mature story with even more to offer for adults than any kids who might be interested. Though, it is good fun [27:23] for the whole family. And at only 13 episodes, there's plenty of time to get caught up before season 2 starts on January 25th. After that, we've got to zoom all the way forward to March to find the last TV special we have left to [27:38] worry about. I got a cheat skill in another world and became unrivaled in another world and became unrivaled in the real world, too. Real world. the follow-up to the isekai anime where protagon used to be a fat uggo until he [27:52] leveled up into a hot chad and every time he does literally anything in either world everyone around him literally claps. I do personally feel very compelled to eventually watch the rest of this series for roasting [28:06] purposes, but I would not necessarily recommend catching up on it for your own entertainment unless you're big into so bad it's good type stuff. March is also when the two big original net animation sequels of the season will be dropping. [28:21] sequels of the season will be dropping. And when I say big, I mean massive. But completion sake, I do have to note that four new episodes of the JC Staff animated Dual Masters Lost series are going to be dropping on the Dual Masters [28:36] YouTube channel this February. The series has no official English translation, and the unofficial one is unfinished, so I can't really speak to the quality of the story one way or another. Though, for what it's worth, [28:49] the art direction and animation do look pretty nice, and I think the idea of making an R-rated card game anime for adults who grew up on Yu-Gi-Oh and the original Dual Masters is pretty cool. If anyone out there speaks Japanese, I [29:04] would love to hear your thoughts about this series in the comments. I also can't really speak to the general watchability of Dongwa since I only started getting into Chinese shows recently myself, but several of those do [29:17] also have new OA seasons this winter, including Fabulous Beasts, The Great Ruler, and 100,000 years of key refining, which at 360 episodes and counting, might actually be a literal [29:31] description of the contents of the show. Out of all of them, the ones that seem most interesting to me are Daily Life of the Immortal King, which I've heard a lot of good things about from friends, and the anthology series Yao Chinese [29:44] Folktales, which is looking like it's going to be absolutely packed with cool, creative, otterdriven animation. At any rate, when you think of original net animation, you probably think of Netflix originals first and foremost. And two of [29:59] the foremost Netflix originals are getting quite possibly their longest awaited installments in March. Beast Stars final season part two at long last brings Lego, Haru, and Louis turbulent journey to anthropomorph adulthood to a [30:15] close with even more of that juicy studio orange animation and all the batshit insane writing that Paru Itaki fans have come to demand. If you're not already watching Beast Stars, you definitely should be. It's one of the [30:31] best thriller anime ever made and the best representation of the theater kid experience on the market today. Also, as furry stuff goes, it blows Zootopia out Second movie is actually really good. [30:46] Still not as good as Be Stars, but like I was very pleasantly surprised. Solid 9 out of 10 movie. But I also don't have to tell you that cuz if you are a furry, you're not just watching this. You already own the manga and you've read it [30:59] like five times. You definitely do have to watch the entire thing to appreciate its final act, of course. So get on that while the getting's good. You've got 2 months and there's only 36 episodes, so it shouldn't be too hard to get done. On [31:13] the other hand, despite the subtitle of Steelball Run, Jojo's Bizarre Adventure, you do not have to watch any of the prior 190 episodes of Jojo to enjoy the [31:25] long- awaited adaptation of the best manga Hirohiko Araki has ever made. You will certainly appreciate it more if you do, and those are great stories in their own right. But this one is a hard reboot set in a totally different universe with [31:41] a totally new cast of characters which Shonen Jump intentionally marketed as a totally new IP for the first 6 months of its publication specifically so that new [31:54] readers would give it a shot without being intimidated by the JoJo name before revealing that it was indeed the seventh part of Jojo. Do not believe anyone who says you need to watch the other parts first. You should watch them [32:10] because they are some of the best shownen battle content in existence. But if you haven't before the new season comes out, there's only going to be one thing in the entire thing that you might not understand, and that's only if [32:24] you've never seen a JoJo meme before. >> Oh my god. More than any other part of Jojo, this is meant as a fresh jumping on point. And after you do jump on, you are in for a ride because like I said, [32:40] this transcontinental wacky horse race across America in the waning days of the across America in the waning days of the Wild West is the best story that one of the greatest mangaka to ever live has ever told. If Netflix is smart and [32:56] releases it weekly instead of in batches, I'm probably going to double dip and put it on the ones to watch for spring as well. Moving on to the movies though, what I'm not going to do is tell you to watch Mobile Suit Gundam [33:09] you to watch Mobile Suit Gundam Hathaways Flash 2: The Sorcery of Nymph Cers without at the very least watching the first Hathaway movie and Char's Counterattack, which in turn I would not recommend watching without at least [33:23] seeing the original Mobile Suit Gundam and Zeta Gundam, preferably in their entirety, as they are two of the greatest pieces of long- form sci-fi ever put to television. But in a pinch, the compilation movies are an acceptable [33:37] way to experience the story, which you should do. Not just because the Hathaway movies are reallying good. But because all of you see Gundam is reallying good. Some of the best anime that you will ever watch in your life, especially [33:52] cumulatively, it is honestly as good as One Piece for just living in a breathing One Piece for just living in a breathing world of one man's insane creation. On Zeta cuz it's a ton of fun and all of the UC Gundam OVAs for pretty much the [34:08] same reason except War in the Pocket, which you should watch because it's not fun. But hey, you're not the only one who needs to watch very long things. I've still got to watch Gintama for instance, which has its third movie, [34:22] instance, which has its third movie, Yoshiwara Denjo, dropping February 13th. The film is a full-on remake of the Yoshiwara in Flames arc, which I assume is a good thing. I I think it's pretty highly rated among fans. I wouldn't know [34:35] having not watched any Gintama, but the trailer at least looks slick as hell. And from what little I do know about Gintama, there are probably going to be some absolutely hysterical jokes in there about it being a remake and [34:49] deja vu or something. I don't know that they're probably going to do a real good job with it. Everyone tells me that Gintama is peak and literally every clip I've ever seen of Gintama has been peaked. The second That Time I Got [35:03] Reincarnated as a slime movie, Tears of the Azure Sea, is also due out near the end of February, following Rimmeru and Co as they take a vacation to a resort island after finally getting out of that meeting and presumably fight some bad [35:19] guys there. I actually don't know if this one's going to be like an original movie story or some kind of light novel adaptation that's necessary to enjoy season 4, but that's coming out in spring. So, if it is necessary, I really [35:34] hope Crunchyroll brings the movie to America so fans don't have to miss other hand, if you're not a fan already, Slime is pretty good as isai go, but I [35:46] wouldn't really consider it essential viewing. You know what is essential viewing. You know what is essential though? Pella Magi Moka Magika which is finally getting a followup to the insane ending of its third movie Rebellion with [36:00] While Pergus Knacked Rising. Fans have been waiting for longer than my entire YouTube career to see what happens next and watch these girls suffer more. So needless to say that every single one of them is going to be seated as soon as [36:15] the movie's available in English. And if you're not a fan already, the show's only 12 episodes with the first two compilation movies being pretty much the same length and arguably a better way to experience the story thanks to their [36:29] improved animation. And then it's just two more hours to get caught up on Rebellion, at which point you will be a mega fan every bit as obsessed with finding out what happens next as the people who've been waiting for years. [36:42] You can bang the whole thing out in a weekend and it is some of the most bang that you will ever get for your buck from an anime in that time frame. On the other hand, I kind of doubt the new compilation movie for The Dangers in My [36:55] Heart that's due out this February is going to be any kind of substitute for watching the two entire seasons of anime that it supposedly summarizes, which I really need to get around to finishing cuz I've heard it's one of the greatest [37:09] romcoms ever made. But people who have watched those episodes will doubtless be thrilled to see all the new epilogue scenes that they've added for the theatrical release. On the other other hand, the Milky Subway: The Galactic [37:23] Limited Express movie should prove an excellent option for enjoying or re-enjoying the 40minute one-man YouTube series that it's a compilation of. In fact, with new scenes added just for theaters, it'll probably be the [37:38] definitive way to watch my 10th favorite anime of 2025. So, I really hope there's some kind of English release for that. I mean, they did have an English dub just [37:50] for YouTube, so I would be surprised if there weren't at least English subtitles on the Blu-ray. But man, if this one comes to North America in any form, you need to drop everything to watch it. It's that good. And there is one more [38:06] compilation movie dropping in the winter window on March 20th. Well, kind of. Assassination Classroom. The movie Everyone's Time is actually an adaptation of several manga chapters that never got animated in the original [38:20] TV anime. And while I don't really know how well that's going to translate to a theatrical experience, I doubt that fans of the impossibly OP alien monster Cotto sensei and his class full of wouldbe killers will complain about having more [38:35] content to enjoy. This one almost certainly will not be worth a lastminute catch up to enjoy given the nature of the content. If anything, it's more the sort of thing that you slot into a watch or rewatch. But it's not like you [38:48] actually need any more reason to watch the original action comedy classic. On that note, I should probably get around to finishing it myself. But before I can do that, I need to tell you about the anime franchises you've almost certainly [39:03] never heard of that are also getting movies this March. For the kids, there's movies this March. For the kids, there's Heitsuno I pre movie Mangai Buzz Lume, a featurelength followup to OM and Dong Woo. ND's TV idol anime adaptation of [39:18] the popular dressup rhythm arcade game Himitsuno Ipri which is itself part of Takarati's larger Pretty Rhythm franchise that also includes Prepara King of Prism Kirata Prechon and Watcha Primagi all of which have their own [39:35] associated shows and films and also in King of Prism's case a 2.5D stage musical and several crossovers with ensemble stars and Hypnosis is Mike. The franchise was originally created to fill demand for arcade games that could keep [39:51] young girls busy while their parents shop at the supermarket with the clever gimmick of giving players prismstones that let them customize their outfits for every hundred yen they spend retrying stages, which is straight up [40:04] genius monetization design. No wonder it spawns so many anime that you'd almost certainly have no interest in watching because statistically you are a man in your late 20s, early 30s, as am I for that matter. But I studied game design. [40:19] So I think the business side of it at least is absolutely fascinating and that's why I'm still talking about it even though this section by all rights should have been much shorter. I'm quite a bit more inclined to watch Pupel of [40:32] Chimney Town: The Promised Clock Tower, sequel to Studio 4C's adaptation of Akihiro Nishino's stunning steampunk picture book of the same name, minus that subtitle. The world and character designs are just so irresistibly [40:48] charming. Both movies are definitely going on my to watch list, and I might even pick up the picture book cuz it is real darn pretty. And last but not least, for the adults in the room, there's oid myan fukatsu no oid toku or [41:04] there's oid myan fukatsu no oid toku or in English, front butt man. Return of the front butt empire. The epic feature film debut of the only superhero with the mighty power of having his butt on the front, Front Butt Man. Not to [41:19] mention his creator, independent anime director Tekashi Taninguchi. We definitely love seeing YouTube animators get their big screen chances in this basement. And I would love it even more to see this somehow get an international [41:34] release. So, please go let the folks at GK Kids, Viz, Senti, Crunchyroll, etc. know that you'd love to see it, too. And of course, actually go see it if and [41:46] when it does hit theaters for the culture. Honestly, it's hard to think of a more cultured anime than this one or a better one to end the video on. So, better one to end the video on. So, goodbye.