T5W#145-Top 5 Favorite Spring 2018 Anime Titles

Its hard to believe that there was a time when we weren’t watching Anime in the same time frame that it aired in Japan.  Dragon Ball Z, Gundam Wing, Tenchi, Pokemon, all of the most popular shows we were watching in the early 2000’s on Toonami had long finished their runs in the mid to late 90’s.  But thanks to improvements in streaming and high demand, we’re able to check out brand new Anime same day as Japan and even some movies are making landfall here subbed to spearhead interest before their get an official English Dub (if they do at all).  A goal I set for myself this year, very recently while working on new First Impression Fridays, has been to keep up with a few new shows coming out of Japan during the Spring 2018 seaosn.  And I found them, not one, not two, but five that I am adamantly invested in and cant wait to check out week after week.  So for this weeks Top 5, im naming my Top 5 Favorite Spring 2018 Anime Titles.  Some of these will be brief since they have their own lengthy First Impression Articles coming in later weeks.  But these are all of the shows ive committed to checking out at the end of every week when theyre all updated, old school Toonami style.  And if this list looks familiar…that’s because they are all the same ones I announced to check out when I made that Custom Toonami Block announcement (so yes it’s a big success and you should be checking out all of these shows).

 

#5-Gundam Build Divers

The Build Fighters franchise gets back to its roots with this new entry.  Gone are the days of gloom and doom of Team Try Fighters.  Taking its place is a massive virtual playground that Gunpla nuts can run around in to their hearts content.  From an endless amount of mecha (Gundam or otherwise) to cameos from every Gundam character in the stratosphere, to the sheer sense of big dumb fun, this is the sequel Gundam Build Fighters always deserved.  Now I just hope that somehow Sei and Reiji can team up with Riku and Yuki.  Oh the fun these four would have playing Gunpla together.

 

#4-Aggretsuko

I was a little hesitant about this one.  I know its supposed to be a real world allegory but sometimes it’s a bit too real world.  Still, the series has grown on me…if only for Retsuko’s boss DEATH METAL BALLADS!!!  Keep an eye out for a more expansive First Impression Article in the coming weeks of First Impression Friday.

 

#3-Legend of the Galactic Heroes: Die Neue These

Much like Aggretsuko above, this one ill be diving deeper into later on First Impression Friday.  Still, the previous OVA series that this show is based on set the gold standard for epic scifi storytelling.  And it looks like Production I.G. is up to the task of taking that standard one step further.  Not only is Die Neue These (or The New Thesis) gorgeous as all get out, it is one of the most chill but exciting space operas out there.  And that theme song is just plain beautiful, invoking a sense of nostalgia for old school space operas like Yamato or Macross.

 

#2-Full Metal Panic: Invisible Victory

IT’S BACK, IT’S BACK, IT’S BAAAAAAACK!!!!!  Damn guys, if you’ve been into Full Metal Panic from the beginning, Invisible Victory has been, so far, a love letter to you, the fans.  The game has changed for Sousuke, Kaname and Mithril and it has me on the edge of my seat.  Saturday nights when I pull up Crunchyroll to check out my new titles, there is only one other title that surpasses how excited I am to watch Anime right now and that’s…

 

#1-My Hero Academia Season 3

They say it couldn’t be done.  No way could the magic and awesomness of Season 2 ever be topped.  Well sit down, shut up and make sure you have a friend to hug and freak out with.  Deku, Bakugo and the rest of Class 1-A are back and are in the biggest trial of their lives (yes bigger than exams and a tournament arc).  Every episode so far has left me wanting more and shouting F*** YEAH at least once per episode.  Yep, I am fully on the Hero Aca band wagon and I think…I might have to do a Top 5 next week dedicated to this seasons awesomeness…frak I haven’t had this fun watching an Anime like this since Code Geass.  If you’ve found your love of Anime beginning to dwindle, start on this show right away.  If you can make it through the “decent” first season, Season Two and onward will make you glad you love this genre all over again.