Anime season guide — January 2018 (Winter)

Here is our round-up of the anime launching in Japan in January 2018, during the winter season. This season guide should help you pick the series most worth following. The list is organised by genres, continuations, original works, and adaptations.

For each series you will find author, studio, number of episodes, a short synopsis, and a brief personal comment. The list may be updated as new announcements come in.

For a much more detailed table covering the full team, voice cast, episode list, Japanese title, public opinion, images, trailers and more, we recommend MyAnimeList, which has all the information for each anime. This article is just a faster guide for people who don't want to spend hours searching.

Contents 5

Continuations

Series from the October 2017 season that pick up again in January 2018:

• Sangatsu no Lion 2;
• Black Clover;
• Shokugeki no Souma 3;
• Mahou Tsukai no Yome;
• Dies Irae;
• Ku Pao Ying Xiong;
• GARO Vanishing Line;
• Osomatsu-san 2;
• Pingu in the City;
• Mahoutsukai no Yome.

Below is the list of anime that get a continuation or a new season in January, with their release dates. If you are not familiar with the series, do a little research and catch up on the previous seasons.

• Nanatsu no Taizai 2: Imashime no Fukkatsu – 06/01 – Saturday;
• ReLIFE: Kanketsu-hen – finally the conclusion of the anime (March);
• Overlord 2;
• Dagashi Kashi 2;
• Cardcaptor Sakura: Clear Card-hen – 07/01 – Sunday;
• Gin no Guardian 2;
• Touken Ranbu: Hanamaru 2;
• Yowamushi Pedal 4 – Glory Line;
• Fate/Extra Last Encore;
• Saiki Kusuo no Ψ-nan 2;
• Basilisk: Ouka Ninpouchou;
• Sait Seiya: Saintia Shou;
• Nanatsu no Bitoku (spin-off);
• Devilman: Crybaby;
• Hakyuu Houshin Engi (re-adaptation of the 1998 anime).

Here is a short list of other anime premiering in January that we won't go into in detail:

• Itou Junji: Collection – a compilation of different horror stories;
• Hakumei to Mikochi – a slice-of-life story about the daily life of two girls only a few centimetres tall;
• Mitsuboshi Colors – day-to-day life of three little girls who keep a city safe;
• Yuru Camp – a cosy comedy about girls who love camping in Japan;
• 25-sai no Joshikousei – these short anime have a hentai adaptation, with a history teacher at the centre of the story;
• Poputepipikku – WTF?;
• Sanrio Danshi – a fairly direct dose of BL fan service;
• Hataraku Onii-san! – a quirky series with a Western and childlike feel;
• Miira no Kaikata – teenagers take care of a supernatural being;
• Dame x Prince Anime Caravan – based on an otome game;
• Ramen Daisuki Koizumi-san – an anime about girls and food;
• Takunomi – an anime about women who love drinking together.

Action and adventure — January 2018

Below are the action and adventure anime premiering in January 2018. Some also have comedy and ecchi elements.

	Grancrest Senki – in a world dominated by lords, Shiruka, a mage who hates them for not keeping the peace, joins forces with a knight on a quest to save her war-torn continent. Studio: A-1 Pictures (Sword Art Online); Director: Mamoru Hatakeyama (Rakugo, Sankarea); Notes: based on a light novel; it looks promising; Expectation: 7/10 – not my style.
	Toji no Miko – a group of girls with special powers, authorised by the government to wield swords, exorcise evil spirits. Studio: Gokumi (Tsurezure Children); Notes: another anime about girls fighting to save the world; Expectation: 5/10 – not my style; Premiere: 05/01 – Friday.
	Beatless – a boy meets a combat android whose arrival changes his life forever. Studio: Diomedia (Fukka); Director: Seiji Mizushima (Fullmetal Alchemist); Expectation: 7/10 – let's see what comes out of it; Premiere: 13/01 – Saturday.
	Hakata Tonkotsu Ramens – a city ruled by crime and violence. Underworld characters, a detective, a professional hitman, informants and avengers are just some of the problems – until an assassin of assassins shows up and turns everything upside down. Studio: StateLight (Senki Zesshou); Director: Kenji Yasuda (Arata Kangatari, Shugo Chara!); Expectation: 7/10.
	Killing Bites – girls spliced with animal DNA fight in underground gambling matches, and a man ends up caught up in the middle of it. Studio: Liden Films (Terra Formars, Arslan Senki); Director: Yasuto Nishitaka (Nanatsu); Notes: based on a manga; the anime has a lot of action and ecchi content; Expectation: 6/10.
	Darling in the FranXX – a land in ruins where humanity lives inside a mobile fortress. Trained pilots pilot mechas to fight mysterious giant creatures known as Kyoryu. Studio: A-1 Pictures (SAO, Kimi no Uso); Director: Atsushi Nishigori (The iDOLM@STER); Notes: feels a lot like Evangelion; Expectation: 6/10.
	Kokkoku – Moment by Moment – Juri Yukawa lives with her father, her NEET brother, her grandmother and her single-mother sister. One day her nephew and brother are kidnapped; Juri is given a stone that lets her stop time. Notes: more of a psychological show, based on a completed manga; Expectation: 9/10 – the synopsis really grabbed me; Premiere: 07/01 – Sunday. Kokkoku — PV 1

Drama – everyday life – romance – slice of life

Below are the slice-of-life, drama and romance anime that may include a bit of adventure, action and comedy.

	Death March kara Hajimaru Isekai Kyousoukyoku – based on a light novel, a 29-year-old programmer ends up in an RPG world — but as a 15-year-old with high level and powers. Studio: Silver Link (Kokoro Connect, Baka to Test); Director: Shin Oonuma (Baka to Test); Notes: the anime leans heavily on comedy and slice of life; Expectation: 7/10.
	A Place Further than the Universe (Uchuu yori mo Tooi Basho) – a group of girls sets off on an expedition to Antarctica. Studio: Madhouse (Hunter x Hunter, Kiseijuu, Death Note); Director: Atsuko Ishizuka (Sakurasou, No Game No Life); Notes: an original project, slice of life, comedy and school life; Expectation: 8/10.
	Violet Evergarden – a girl loses both arms in a war and now works as an autonomous android, helping people in a world where these doll-like machines have caused a stir. Studio: Kyoto Animation (Clannad, K-On!); Director: Taichi Ishidate (Kyoukai no Kanata, Chuunibyou); Notes: the art is gorgeous; everything is in place for a great drama; Expectation: 9/10. Violet Evergarden — PV 3
	Citrus – a girl transfers to a new school, clashes with the student council president, and finds out that the woman is her newly remarried mother. They end up kissing, and from there things only get more complicated — being Yuri isn't enough; apparently it has to be step-relative Yuri. Studio: Passione (Rokka no Yuusha); Director: Nago Katsugaki (Yosuga no Sora); Notes: romance and yuri; Expectation: not my style, but it's well known in the genre; Premiere: 06/01 – Saturday.
	Koi wa Ameagari no You ni – based on a romance manga about a high-school girl who falls in love with her 45-year-old boss, a divorced man with a child. Studio: WIT Studio (Shingeki no Kyojin); Director: Ayumu Watanabe (Uchuu Kyoudai); Notes: looks promising, from the director of one of my favourite anime; Expectation: 8/10. Koi wa Ameagari no You ni — PV
	Märchen Mädchen – a troubled, very imaginative girl falls into a magical world through a book and starts a new life there. Studio: Hoods Entertainment (Drifters, Seikon no Qwaser); Director: Shigeru Ueda – worked on the storyboards for Bleach; Notes: based on a light novel; Expectation: not my style, but give it a chance.
	Gakuen Babysitters – a boy loses both parents in a plane crash and now has to take care of his little brother on his own. He moves in with the school principal, who also lost a child in the accident, on the condition that he helps out at the daycare. Studio: Brains Base (Durarara!!); Expectation: 7/10 – a slightly offbeat pick.
	Slow Start – a 16-year-old girl who took a year off school realises everyone else in her class is a year younger. Studio: A-1 Pictures (SAO, Kimi no Uso); Director: Hiroyuki Hashimoto (Ikusei Keikaku); Notes: looks like a slice-of-life show; Expectation: 5/10 – I hope it doesn't feel too childish; Premiere: 07/01 – Sunday.

Comedy and romantic comedy

Here are the comedy and rom-com series that start in January 2018.

	Ryuuou no Oshigoto! – a comedy about a 16-year-old who is a young shogi champion. One day a 9-year-old girl turns up and asks him to be her master.
	Karakai Jouzu no Takagi-san – the story follows a schoolboy who is constantly being teased by a girl called Takagi. He swears that one day he will get his revenge! Studio: Shin-Ei Animation (Doraemon); Director: Hiroaki Akagi (Hina Logic); Expectation: 8/10 – the manga is supposed to be very good.
	Butlers: Chitose Momotose Monogatari – a comedy that follows two students with supernatural powers who travel through time to face their enemies. Studio: Silver Link (Baka to Test); Director: Ken Takahashi – usually works as a key animator.

Movies and OVAs

A short list of the films and OVAs that came out, or are coming out, in the 2018 winter season:

• Sayonara no Asa ni Yakusoku no Hana wo Kazarou – 24/02;
• Shingeki no Kyojin Movie 3: Kakusei no Houkou – 13/01;
• Bungou Stray Dogs: Dead Apple – 03/03;
• Macross Δ Movie – 09/02;
• Code Geass: Hangyaku no Lelouch II – Handou – 10/02;
• Infini-T Force Movie – 24/02;
• Chuunibyou demo Koi ga Shitai! Movie: Take On Me – 06/01;
• Fate/kaleid liner Prisma☆Illya Movie: Sekka no Chikai Special;
• Osomatsu-san Short Film Series 2nd Season;
• Mob Psycho 100 Reigen: Shirarezaru Kiseki Reinouryokusha;
• Days: Touin Gakuen-sen! – 16/03;
• Boku no Kanojo ga Majimesugiru Sho-bitch na Ken OVA – 26/03.

That was our season guide for the January 2018 anime. I hope you enjoyed the list and will share it with your friends. Which anime are you most excited about? Is there any detail about a particular anime that was missing? We'd love to hear your comments. We also recommend:

• List of January 2018 anime on MyAnimeList;
• Anime clichés — the complete list.