I Wasn’t at Anime Expo but I Fangirled a Whole Lot Over These 11 Announcements
So much anime, so little time.
Anime Expo 2022 was held during the 4th of July weekend, and as to be expected with the largest anime convention in the U.S., there were nonstop anime announcements for the remainder of 2022 and to kick things off for 2023. This includes series we already knew about (Trigun Stampede and Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure: Stone Ocean, for example) and some we haven’t thought about in years (because surely, that’s not Panty and Stocking I see trending on social media from my “not in Los Angelos to see this in person” home, is it?) Here’s my attempt to narrow the best of the best down to 11 announcements, because why stop at 10?
My Hero Academia steps up to bat with two OVA release dates
The two My Hero Academia OVAs (the baseball one and the “laugh a whole lot” one) were shown during Anime Expo. Fortunately for us (i.e. me) there isn’t that long of a wait before we’ll be able to watch these at home. Crunchyroll will have both of these available beginning on August 1. There’s still no word about a season six release date, though. Maybe during Crunchyroll Expo?
Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure: Stone Ocean Part 2 has a release date
I will admit that Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure is that anime series where I’m curious, but I don’t really know where to start. It’s a little bit intimidating, to be honest, because there’s so much material, and everyone has their favorite season and a whole lot of feelings about the franchise. That said, Stone Ocean is one that catches my eye, and we now know when the next part will be released (since we live in a time of “part one” and “part two” releases). Episodes 13 to 24 will be available on Netflix beginning on September 1, 2022.
Was that a Panty and Stocking announcement?!
Yep. Yep it was.
I mean, we are getting more Trigun and Bleach, so why not continue with the return of anime we haven’t cosplayed from in a cool decade with the Anarchy Sisters? There’s no news on when this series will be released or what the hell it’s even gonna be about, but I’m sure we can expect some of that beautifully crass humor that time has never forgotten. Honestly, the return of Panty and Stocking was one of the biggest surprises of the entire weekend.
Trigun Stampede gets its first trailer
We got our first real look at Trigun Stampede and the new art style the series will have. What’s interesting to me about the trailer is that it immediately starts with the heavy stuff, showing a young Vash and his twin brother, Knives, being sent away by their caretaker, Rem. While the original does delve into this tragic backstory, I don’t remember delving into it right from the start, so I’m curious to see what this means for the new series.
We also know who some of the Japanese voice cast will be, along with who the series director is.
- Yoshitsugu Matsuoka as Vash Stampede
- Junya Ikeda as Knives Millions
- Tomoyo Kurosawa as Young Vash
- Yumiri Hanamori as Young Knives
- Maaya Sakamoto as Rem Saverem.
The series director, Kenji Muto, had this to say about the anime.
“Rather than simply tracing the original manga that started 27 years ago, we wanted to define the meaning of creating this work as an entertainment piece in this day and age. So Nightow-sensei, producers, and I talked again and again. In the far distant future, a spaceship lands on an unexplored planet called No Man’s Land. Reminiscent of the American Old West, the residents of No Man’s Land, who are the immigrants from Earth, create a new, free world where myriads of cultures and religions coexist, with guns in their hands.
While it’s a fantasy, we wanted to illustrate a world that resonates with our reality. We feel close and are drawn to the characters who do whatever they please in that world. It’ll be a super cool battle-action series where outlaws, sheriffs, and gunslingers are constantly blazing guns. And please sense the twin brothers’ clash of fate that lies underneath. It’s my directorial debut, so it might not be perfect. But I’m confident that it’s a ‘flawed-yet-attractive’ product. Please enjoy the journey of the invincible gunman Vash the Stampede, who never stops running away with no guns and no violence.”
This new Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War trailer has me excited, and I don’t even go here!
I am very far behind on Bleach, but lord, these trailers make me want to get caught up so I’m ready for October. Like, I’m familiar with Bleach and know enough about it to be able to recognize it in an anime Big 3 argument, but the hype for this is so real that I actually want to sit down and get back into this anime. I just need to know … is it gonna hurt my feelings? Am I gonna be a mess when I’m done?
What if Harry Potter, but buff?
In news I didn’t see coming, Mashle: Magic and Muscles is getting an anime adaptation in 2023. I first discovered this gem of a series last year and fell in love with its swol good boy, Mash, and how he casually stops magic because he’s literally built different. It seriously has a One Punch Man vibe with its protagonist, only he’s in a school full of magic users who have it out for him … not that he knows that or, well, cares about that. Seriously, this could give us a good dose of fun comedy in 2023.
So the Solo Leveling rumors were true???
It feels like I’ve been hearing rumors about a Solo Leveling anime for, as a wise meme once said, “84 years.” However, it’s now official! The hit Korean manhwa is getting an anime adaptation that will be released on Crunchyroll. The fans aren’t the only ones in awe over this news; both the original creator and artist were stunned to see how far the series has gone.
“About six years ago when I was writing the very beginning of Solo Leveling, if someone had said to me, ‘The novel you wrote will become a comic,’ I bet I’d have told them to stop pulling my leg. But now, I’m told that it’ll be animated?! Seriously, stop pulling my leg!… But these days, I’m feeling excited and thrilled. Since I’m still half-doubting that this is real, I want to see Jinwoo and the other characters get animated soon and feel relieved. I’ll keep working diligently while looking forward to that day.” –Chugong, Author
“Solo Leveling is finally making its anime debut. It feels like only yesterday that we got the offer for the anime adaptation. I feel so overwhelmed when I think that the anime is really being created right now. This is all thanks to you fans who love and support Solo Leveling. I’m filled with gratitude. Thank you very much. Also, please support the animation production team. If this anime gives new enjoyment to the readers, I’ll be very happy.” – DUBU, Illustrator
Series synopsis: It’s been over a decade since the sudden appearance of the “gates”—the paths that connect our world with a different dimension. Since then, certain humans have awakened to supernatural powers. We call these individuals “hunters.” Hunters make their living by using their powers to conquer dungeons inside the gates. In this world of tough customers, the low-ranked hunter Jinwoo Sung is known as “the weakest hunter of all mankind.” One day, Jinwoo gets fatally injured when he runs into high-rank double dungeons hidden within a low-rank dungeon. Just then, a mysterious quest window appears in front of him. On the verge of death, Jinwoo decides to accept the quest and starts leveling up … while the others aren’t.
- Original Work: Written by Chugong, Illustrated by DUBU (REDICE Studio)
- Director: Shunsuke Nakashige
- Head Writer: Noboru Kimura
- Character Designer: Tomoko Sudo
- Music: Hiroyuki Sawano
- Animation Studio: A-1 Pictures
We haven’t forgotten about romance! Here’s Tomo-chan Is a Girl
That moment when you’re a strong, independent tomboy cutie with a dense best friend who doesn’t realize you’re crushing on him. Set to stream on Crunchyroll in January 2023, Tomo-chan Is a Girl looks like a cute, slice-of-life romance where I’ll probably want to shake this girl’s crush until he realizes that his best friend is in love with him. Poor girl is going through it in the Japanese trailer AND the dub trailer.
According to the press release, “The English and Japanese voice of Carol Olston is performed by Sally Amaki. Tomo Aizawa will be voiced by Rie Takahashi in Japanese and Lexi Nieto for the English dub. And Kaito Ishikawa will be voicing Junichiro Kubota, and Rina Hidaka will be voicing Misuzu Gundo, both for the Japanese voiceover.”
The main production staff will consist of the following:
- Original Work: Fumita Yanagida (Seikaisha COMICS)
- Director: Hitoshi Namba
- Assistant Director: Noriko Hashimoto
- Head Writer: Megumi Shimizu
- Character Designer: Shiori Hiraiwa
- Music: Masaru Yokoyama
- Animation Studio: Lay-duce
The MOB CHOIR said ONE
Folks who were in attendance of the Mob Psycho 100 panel got to watch the new opening, “One,” performed once again by the Mob Choir. While that does mean those of us at home missed out, for the time being, we can at least look at this new key art for the third season. The anime is set to premiere in October 2022.
Somehow, Chainsaw Man will be uncensored
Chainsaw Man is, arguably, the most anticipated anime of the year, and with a release date of “2022” (which translates to “shoulder shrug until further notice”) folks expected the panel to finally give us a proper when. Instead, we got a “to be continued” of more news coming at Crunchyroll Expo, which takes place next month (August 5 – 7).
Okay yes, it makes sense to wait until your own expo to tell us something, but damn, Crunchyroll, can we get a couple of jam-topped bread crumbs? Fortunately, this nifty thread from Twitter user @/QuadLuck_ reveals something pretty significant: Chainsaw Man won’t be censored, as the creators are hoping to be true to the source material. That’s gonna be a lot of … everything.
Q: how will gore be handled in the anime
— Quad @ CHAINSAW MAN (@QuadLuck_) July 4, 2022
A (Producer): first and foremost, we wont be censoring anyt. We want to be true to the source material
(UPDATE: This news isn’t confirmed) Jujutsu Kaisen’s director, Sunghoo Park, is returning for season 2. Bless
UPDATE: Anime News Network has updated their post, revealing that Sunghoo Park isn’t confirmed for Jujutsu Kaisen season 2. We’ll update as we get more news on Park’s involvement with the series.
(featured image: Solo Leveling Animation Pictures/Gainax/Orange)
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