Anime Column] An anime writer's picks of the five most notable fall 2017 anime!

The fall 2017 anime season has finally begun. According to Anipota's survey, there are more than 50 new titles this season. In particular, there are many series sequels, with a total of more than 25. So this time, we will focus on series and introduce some of the hottest titles. Osomatsu-san (2nd season)" based on Fujio Akatsuka's gag manga, "Love Live! series, "Love Live! Sunshine! (2nd season)", the daily life comedy about a selfish younger sister, "Dried-up Little Sister! Umaru-chan R", an idol anime set in Sendai
New Chapter" and "Fireball Humorous," a short comedy from Disney!

Osomatsu-san (2nd season)

A modern remake of the legendary gag manga "Osomatsu-kun" to commemorate the 80th anniversary of Fujio Akatsuka's birth, the previous episode aired in 2015 and was a huge hit thanks to its unexpected setting in which the Matsuno family's six children became NEET and the use of popular voice actors, including Takahiro Sakurai. The storyline, which included parodies and undertones of everything, caused such a stir that some episodes were not included in the package.
In the final episode, Osomatsu and his friends threw away all the milestones for a more serious episode and went into space. The episode ended with a chaotic baseball match against aliens. The teaser visual for the second season humorously depicts the six children returning from space and entering the atmosphere. The second season of the series is sure to bring a variety of topics to the forefront.

Love Live! Sunshine!

Media Mix Project "Love Live! The second season of the latest series has finally begun. In the first season, the main character, Chika Takami, formed Aqours with her friends from Uranosei Jogakuin, yearning to join the school idol group, μ's (Muse). The story depicts how the group, despite experiencing a setback of receiving zero votes at an event, participates in the regional qualifying rounds of the idol festival "Love Live! The film is a must-see for fans, as it includes a scene in which Aqours visits Otonokizaka Gakuin, the alma mater of μ's, to renew their commitment to the school.
The film is set in Numazu City, Shizuoka Prefecture. The project is supported by the local community, with the cast appearing at local summer festivals and other events. A variety of projects, including live performances, comic books, and games, will help to make the start of the second season of the show more exciting.

Dried Young Girl! Umaru-chan R

The popular work serialized in "Weekly Young Jump" is entering its second anime season. This brother-sister comedy depicts the lives of the main character, Umaru Tsuchima, a "dried-up sister" who is a talented high school girl on the outside but is actually a lazy person, and her brother Taihei, who is forced to go along with her selfishness. When Umaru returns home, she transforms into a two-headed mascot character. When he doesn't get his way, he cries and does his best to be unmanageable. His hateful yet adorable appearance has been well received, and numerous goods, including life-size cushions, have been released. The characteristic onomatopoeia used in the film is also a key point. The onomatopoeia in the anime, such as "Umaru-un" when Umaru returns to her normal form and "Shubarn" when her rival character Sylphine appears, are inserted at a good tempo and gradually become addictive.

Wake Up, Girls!

(WUG), a group of seven girls living in Sendai who form the unit Wake Up, Girls! The story touches on the serious side of idols, with peaks and valleys as the office president absconds with funds and the girls are forced to entertain at a banquet in their swimsuits. The story gained popularity not only for the unique idols such as the top idol I-1club and the Tohoku representative Oga Namahage-zu, but also for the single-mindedness of Ota, an otaku who continues to support WUG.
The new chapter depicts the new challenges of the members, who have won the event but are still busy with their steady activities. The dance scenes, which are the highlight of the film, have been changed to computer graphics, and the motion capture was done by the cast members themselves. The live performance is also reproduced in the film!

Fireball Humorous

A short comedy in which Drossel, a young lady robot, and Gedechtnis, a faithful butler, engage in idle chitchat in a mansion. Although produced by Disney, the film was made by Japanese staff, and the surrealistic and nonsensical exchanges, with a wide range of parodies from Greek mythology to nursery rhymes, are appealing. Drossel stylishly poses and asks questions about humans and the outside world, while Gedechtnis responds in a condescending manner. The dialogue between Drossel and Gedechtonis, who is sometimes condescending, is a delight to watch. The film also offers a glimpse of the current situation in which robots have taken over the human race, and it is fun to think about the grandiose worldview. The first and second seasons are now available for free on Disney's official YouTube channel. You can look back on the episodes to date in preparation for the new series.

(Text by Katsunori Takahashi)

(C) Fujio Akatsuka / Osomatsu-san Production Committee
(c) 2017 Project Love Live! SUNSHINE!
(C) 2017 Sankaku Head/Shueisha, "Dried-up Little Sister! Umaru-chan R" Production Committee
(C) Green Leaves/Wake Up, Girls! 3 Production Committee
(C) Dlife (C) Disney