Anime Thanksgiving 2015

Every year, numerous animated works are produced by anime studios. While some get lost in the crowd, others stand out to audiences. However, viewers don’t just take notice of individual shows: they also notice when there seems to be an abundance of the same thing, whether that means similar premises or a lot of the same genre. Thus, here is a list of what anime studios must have been thankful for this year, because the following items seemed to pop up quite a few times this year.

A number of new shows this year were reboots of previously released animated works or spinoff series, with some that can potentially be classified as both. Ushio and Tora is a reboot of the OVA series that came out in the early 90s that was based off of Kazuhiro Fujita’s manga of the same name. Lupin III – L’avventura italiana is a reboot of the main Lupin III anime series, this one being the fourth installment. Meanwhile, Attack on TItan Junior High is an anime adaptation of the manga spinoff to the ever-popular Attack on Titan series, and Yatterman Night is more like a spinoff/sequel to the Yatterman series. Dragon Ball Super and Osomatsu-san toe the line when it comes to what they would fall under. They can both be seen as reboots to their original series (Dragon Ball/Dragon Ball Z and Osomatsu-kun, respectively), but they can also be seen as spinoffs of their original products: Super is a kind of retelling of the latest Dragon Ball Z films, which in turn makes it a sequel to and a spinoff of the original series, since it continues past the original manga. Osomatsu-san is also a sequel of sorts, but because it’s an original product that continues past the manga it is based on, it’s more like a spinoff series. No matter what you call it, anime studios were keen on revisiting older material as well as different portrayals of some newer material.

Recap movies are becoming increasingly popular for studios to put out, and this year saw no exception. Attack on Titan, Yowamushi Pedal, and others all had movie releases that involved retelling a number of episodes from their respective shows. Personally, this seems like a cash-grab, but as long as people are willing to see them (and the studios can earn money from them), I imagine they will continue to be made. While they may include extra scenes that weren’t present in the shows they’re based on, fans might just enjoy seeing how the story changes when told through a different medium. Anime studios seem thankful for them, and it looks like audiences seem to be pretty thankful, too.

Surprisingly enough, there were quite a few mystery shows that aired this year, giving fans of the genre something to watch other than new episodes of Detective Conan. The kinds of mysteries they were also had some variation: Milky Holmes went for cute comedy, Ranpo Kitan (or Rampo Kitan) used the tales of Edogawa Ranpo as the basis for its stories, and Rokka: Braves of the Six Flowers had elements of fantasy and action in addition to its mystery component. We here at Yatta-Tachi took a look at one of the fall season’s mysteries, Beautiful Bones: Sakurako’s Investigations. The Perfect Insider, Tantei Team KZ Jiken Note, and the second season of Kindaichi Case Files R were also released. All in all, there was a bit of a resurgence this year for the mystery genre.

While there were a ton of music-based shows this year, it seems more appropriate to say that anime studios are still quite thankful for the existence of idol groups. Sure, this year Sound! Euphonium came out, which revolves around a school band (the kind that uses brass instruments, not a light music club), and Miss Monochrome‘s second season saw the return of the monochromatic solo artist. Nevertheless, idol groups were the main focus: The iDOLM@STER: Cinderella Girls, Million Doll, Love Live: The School Idol Movie, two different Wake Up, Girls! movies, and, not to be outdone, a second season of Shounen Hollywood. Idol groups seem to be gifts that keep on giving for anime studios.

Food in anime isn’t anything new. Cooking happens in plenty of shows, and the foods featured in anime have made viewers’ mouths water for years. However, this year saw quite a few shows that had cooking as a significant part of their narrative. Food Wars and Koufuku Graffiti had cooking as the main premise of the show, and the cuisine featured in both not only left audiences feeling starved of high-quality food, but made the characters themselves undergo experiences that went far beyond the pleasure of simple food-tasting. Even shows that didn’t center on food impressed with their eye for presentation. My Love Story!! featured a number of baked goods and a few meals from Rinko Yamato, and the designs for these creations were most impressive. It was a delectable year for the culinary arts.

This one is absolutely delightful. When Death Parade came out back in the winter season, nearly everyone was blown away by the catchy opening sequence that had the main cast showing off their dances moves. It was fun and fresh, and the opening definitely stands out as one of the best for this year. Blood Blockade Battlefront also made its mark with the help of its ending theme: set to the catchy “Sugar Song and Bitter Step” by UNISON SQUARE GARDEN, it features its characters busting a move, at first solo or in pairs. At the end, everyone comes together and does their own thing, showing off their personalities through dance. This year’s fall season has two shows with dance sequences: Peeping Life TV Season 1??, which, just like Death Parade, features a song from the band Bradio, and  The Perfect Insider, whose opening composition is one of the most unique-looking of the year. You can check out each show’s sequence below.

Is there anything else you think anime studios were thankful for this year? What were you thankful to see more of (or perhaps less of) this year? Let us know in the comment section below!