10. Dance with Devils.
Directed by Ai Yoshimura (Ao haru ride) from the studio Brains Base ( Natsume's book of friends).
The anime is an original idea( by which i mean not based on any manga/novel) about a young girl Ritsuka Tachibana falls in love with and is charmed by various demons. (Not much else is known plotwise at the moment)
I thought long and hard about including this anime in my list. It was announced at the same event as 'Diabolik lovers 2' was and immediately i worried that the artwork looked the same and so the show might follow the same path. I just did not enjoy 'Diabolik lovers', i found the female character far too weak and lacked dimension. That said this anime has a stellar team behind it and is from the studio that produced 'Kamigami no asobi' an anime that beyond the very slow first episode did live up to my expectations. So based on my 'don't judge a book by it's cover philosophy' i've included it on the possibility it could be good.
9. Rokka no Yusha
Directed and produced by are unannounced at this time.
This series is based upon a series of light novels. The plot centres around a boy called 'Adlet' who when the 'Majin' awakes is selected by the 'Goddess of Destiny' as one of the 'six flower heroes' each marked by a crest in the shape of a flower. They are sent to a forest to confront the 'Majin' to stop him. However when 'Adlet' arrives at the meeting point as the barrier rises to seal the location, he discovers that there are seven heroes gathered and not six. Fear, suspicion, paranoia and panic takeover as the seven are convinced one of them is really an enemy infiltrate.
The plot looks really intriguing to me. Will the seven turn on each other? and in doing so will they fail to complete their ultimate goal?. I've got a lot of hope for this series, it could be a lot of ecchi and humour but i rather hope it turns into something more human. Looking at how our own self doubts and trust issues can be our ultimate downfall.
8. Kyoukai no Rinne
Directed by Seiki Sugawara (Amnesia) and from the studio of Brains Base ( Penguin drum)
The anime is based on a long running manga by the author Rumiko Takahasi who not only wrote 'Ranma' but also 'Inuyasha'. It is told from the point of Sakura a young girl who has been able to see ghosts ever since she was spirited away as a little child. When Rinne a half Shinigami moves to her class, she becomes caught up in his role to guide lost souls to the wheel of reincarnation.
The manga art style is very similar to the authors previous works and i hope to see an updated version for the anime. The manga has in my opinion ran a little long. However with a little pacing the sweet and very understated love story between the two main characters, along with the comedic elements could lead to something very watchable. If the series can walk the line between remaining faithful to the manga and bringing a fresh modern perspective we could be in for a treat here.
7. Ushio to Tora
Directed by Satoshi Nishimura (Trigun) and from the studio Mappa & Voln ( Kids on the Slope)
Based on a manga by Kazuhiro Fujita, the series follows the story of a temple boy named Ushio who is forced to free a giant tiger like monster in order to protect his temple from other monsters. The two are forced to pair up in a love hate relationship in order to protect the temple.
The manga has been made into an ova in the past that had a distinct 80's feel to it, with Tora resembling David Bowie in Labyrinth more than anything. However the images released so far give the sense of something a lot darker and more in keeping with the level of gore in the manga series. That being said the series is at heart a buddy comedy with lots of slapstick, with the right balance it could be a very watchable easy going series.
6. Gangsta
Directed by Shukou Murase (Ergo Proxy) and from the studio Manglobe (Hayate the Combat Butler)
Based on a manga by Kohske, the story follows two gangsters who take jobs working for both the police and the mafia and anyone else who can pay. Another buddy show this one focuses on the dynamics between the two leads Nicolas - a deaf swordsman and Worrick - a gigolo. The manga has a clean fresh animation style and i hope the anime does too, the plot at face value is simple but like the best manga, this one weaves the main characters backgrounds along with those of the side characters to make an intricate bigger picture that allows the manga to pace well. The story has mystery, comedy and intrigue and could be great to watch.
Let me know what you think of the top ten so far and if there are any series you are looking forward to in the comments, also as always any constructive feedback on the blog is always welcome. See you tomorrow!
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