Anime Column] Anime writers' picks for the five hottest winter 2018 anime!

New anime for winter 2018 began airing on January 1, and it seems that there is no such thing as a New Year's vacation in TV anime. This time, we picked up five notable winter anime.
DEVILMAN crybaby", a work commemorating the 50th anniversary of Go Nagai, "Love is Like Raining" serialized in "Weekly Big Comic Spirits", "POPTEPIC", a popular four-panel comic by Bukubu Okawa, an original robot anime "Darling in the Frankis", and the 15th Pretty Cure "HUGto! Pretty Cure"!

DEVILMAN crybaby

Go Nagai's masterpiece comic "Devilman" is adapted to film on Netflix. The mythology of the main character, Akira Fudo, who fused with a demon and became Devilman, is expressed, including the last part, which has never been depicted in an anime before. The film also includes sexual and violent depictions, allowing viewers to enjoy extreme images that cannot be broadcast on television.
Directed by Masaaki Yuasa, winner of the Grand Prix at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival for "Dawn Tells Lou's Song. The collaboration between two rare creators, Go Nagai and Masaaki Yuasa, is a combination comparable to that of Akira Fudo and Amon. DEVILMAN crybaby" contains many original elements, but it also pays ample respect to past works, such as using the theme song "Devilman no uta" from the past as an insert song. It will be interesting to see what kind of scenes the song will be used in.

Koi ha ameagari yoni

Noitamina's latest work is based on a popular comic book about the love between a 17-year-old high school girl and a 45-year-old middle-aged man. Set in the family restaurant "Garden," it depicts the straightforward feelings of Akira Tachibana, who falls in love with the manager, who is a year older than her. Akira, who is usually cool but becomes clumsy in front of the person she loves, as well as the dull, hired manager Masami Kondo, are also attractive. He is even cute as he worries about communicating with the older staff and buys all the business books he can find.
The key visuals beautifully depict the blue sky, the incoming clouds, and even the scenery of the seaside town. Animation production was handled by WIT STUDIO, creators of "Shinkage no Kyojin" and "Kabaneri of the Iron Castle. The studio, which specializes in action films, has created a heartrending love story.

POPTEPIC

The four-frame manga that drew attention for its chaotic gags, such as destroying the publisher Takeshobo and scribbling "designated gangster" on a billboard, has finally been adapted into an anime. There are only two main characters, Popuko and Pipimi. It is hard to imagine how the original work, in which gags are performed without any time to catch one's breath, will be expressed on film.
The PV, which for some reason is live-action, has attracted attention for its avant-garde advertising, with POPUKO and PIPIMI attacking a foreigner who is a fan of the anime. Production was done by Kamikaze Animation, which has produced stylish visuals for "JoJo's Bizarre Adventure" OP anime and other works. The main staff includes animation artists, and expectations are high for a high-quality "shitty anime.

Darling in the Franchise

Co-produced by TRIGGER of "Little Witch Academia" and A-1 Pictures of "Ano Hi Mita Hana no Namae o Bokutachi wa Mada Shiranai. A-1 Pictures of "Ano Hi Mita Hana no Namae o Bokutachi wa Mada Shiranai" will co-produce this original work. It is a mecha-action story in which children, raised to fight against a giant life form, "Shouting Dragon," control a giant robot, Franks, which takes the form of a girl. The key visual shows the main character Hiro and the other main characters gathered together. The characters are dressed in what appear to be school uniforms, but are there any elements of a school story?
Franks has large eyes, and his expression is richly depicted in the PV. We can expect to enjoy battle scenes that are different from those in regular robot anime. It is also important to note that many creators who worked on the masterpiece "Gurren Lagann" are participating in the project. The comic book adaptation by Kentaro Yabuki of "To LOVE-Ru" is also a must-see!

HUGT! Pretty Cure

The theme of the 15th "Pretty Cure" series is "mothers protecting their children. Second-year junior high school student Hana Nono fights against an evil organization while raising Hagutan, a mysterious baby that fell from the sky. While following the image of the heroine who fights, the series also expresses the gentleness of a mother.
The transformed Pretty Cure dolls are therefore designed to look a little more mature. The rouge on the lips of the heroine, Cure Ale, brings out her motherly side. This work is sure to soothe not only kids, but also anime fans who are hungry for motherhood. The mascot character, Harry the hamster, can transform into a human body and is said to be a very handsome man and a good-looking man. We look forward to watching Hana and Hagutan grow throughout the year.


(Text by Katsunori Takahashi)