Anime Writers' Review of Fall 2018 Anime! Five new anime, including "Zombieland Saga," "Animaire!" and more! Anime Column

An in-depth review of fall anime that reached their final episodes in December 2018. Zombie idol anime "Zombieland Saga," spin-off of popular gambling manga "Chuunaka Kankeiroku Tonegawa," high school girls cheer in "Anima Ale! a spin-off of a popular gambling manga, "Chushuu Kankeiroku Tonegawa," "Anima Ale!" in which high school girls cheer for their cheerleaders, "Eaves Sword Aoki Yo," based on a Taiwanese RPG, and "String Tapers," in which girls' talk explodes.

Zombieland Saga

This original anime was billed as "a new type of zombie anime," and its story was shrouded in mystery before it went on the air. In the first episode, the main character, Sakura Minamoto, who dreams of becoming an idol, is hit by a truck and dies, only to be resurrected 10 years later and forced to work as a member of the seven-member zombie idol group "Franchouche. The "Saga" in the title refers to "Saga," and the group aims to gain recognition as a local idol group from Kyushu.
The fact that the girls are dead is emphasized many times in the film, such as when Saki Nikaido, the ex-yan leader of the group, says, "I'm going to kill you," and Junko Konno, an idol from the 1980s, says, "I'm already dead, though. However, in the live performance in the final episode, the girls perform a lively dance. It would be impossible to overlook the fact that their bodies do not stand still and sway finely in the final pose. The miraculous finale, in which the zombies come to life, confirms that the girls have awakened.

Chu Chu Kankeiroku Tonegawa

From the second half of the series, the second spin-off of "Gambling Revelation Kaiji," "One Day Out: Hancho" is also animated. The story depicts a day in the life of Otsuki, who usually works underground as a forced laborer, but uses a ticket to go out and play around above ground. The places he goes on his outings include a standing noodle shop crowded with businessmen at work and a Chinese restaurant he used to go to as a student. Although the restaurants are by no means expensive, Otsuki's ideas make them seem extravagant. It is precisely because he is a man deprived of his freedom that he is able to find the smallest sparkle in everyday life.
The role of Otsuki is played by Cho, who has played middle-aged men with strong impact, including the president in the "Super Milk-chan" series. The character of Otsuki wandering around town at his leisure is reminiscent of NHK's educational program "Tanken Boku no Machi" in which Cho appeared, and it brings back some nostalgic memories for the viewer. The voice of "Zawa ......," a well-known character in the "Kaiji" series, is also provided by Otsuki himself, making this a very playful and enjoyable work.

Animaere!

is based on a four-frame manga serialized in Manga Time Kirara Carat. In this cheerleading anime, Kohane Hatoya, a positive girl who can't help but help others, aims to form a cheerleading squad. The cheerleading club does not refuse to cheer for anyone who is trying their best, from the basketball team and boys' soccer team to the manga research club who are working all night on a manuscript. Kohane, who is full of energy but actually afraid of heights, realizes that she is also supported by many people by cheering for everyone.
The cheerleading songs are covers of hit songs such as "Jyoifuru" by Ikimono-gakari and "LOVE 2000" by hitomi. The popular songs that have taken the world by storm are sung by artists who have also done many anime theme songs. The combination of the nostalgic songs and the brilliant performances of the cheerleaders will naturally give you the energy to live.

Ekusyakuten Aoki Yo (Sword attached to the shafts of the yoke of yoke)

A TV animation of the popular RPG "Eaves Sword" series created by a Taiwanese game maker. A girl named Hu Yin, who holds the legendary sacred weapon "Eaves Sword," throws herself into the battle against the Taibai Empire, which is trying to conquer the world, by making full use of the "Engine Beast. The "Engine Beast" is a riding robot that uses a mechanical mechanism and comes in a wide variety of designs, including a coma, a praying mantis, and a scorpion. The technological innovations that eventually lead to the production of a gigantic aerial fortress are also very effective.
The highlight is episode 10, "Tsumeki no Shizuku. This is the scene in which Nei, the younger sister of Yu Yin, is subjected to a torture called "water drop punishment. Deprived of her physical freedom, Ning can only stare at the drops of water falling on her forehead as her spirit is slowly whipped away. The scene is terrifying because of the hard worldview in which heads and arms are easily cut off, and the way she loses her sanity at the drop of water is also frightening. The voice of Rie Kugimiya, who plays Ning, gradually becomes more and more insane, doubling the horror. 2018 was a year in which we enjoyed the impressive Kugimiya characters in "Penguin Highway" and "Hishine and Masotan".

String Tee Uses

This original anime depicts the daily life of five girls and a cat who live together in a house called "string house. The roommates, who have no luck with men, engage in girl talk in pursuit of how to become irresistible. As in previous works by director Ishidate Kotaro, the pre-scripting method is used in which the voices of the cast are recorded first, and the ad-lib parts are full of dangerous remarks and undertones.
The scripted parts also plunge into chaotic developments that are difficult to explain, such as reenactments of rare baseball plays of all time and the introduction of virtual currency in a very sexy voice. The last episode was an emergency special, and the unexpected casting of a big-name voice actor was a surprise. The different ED illustrations for each episode are also adorable, making this a work filled with fun from start to finish.

(Text by Katsunori Takahashi)

(C) Zombieland Saga Production Committee
(C) Nobuyuki Fukumoto, Tenharu Hagiwara, Tomoki Miyoshi, Tomohiro Hashimoto / Kodansha, Teiai Group Publicity Department
(c) Tsukasa Ubana, Houbunsha/Animaire! Production Committee
(c) Housetouchi Production Committee