The Mymble is the daughter of Mymble, who has a lot of children from different parents. Please don’t confuse her with her jolly mother who has a similar name. This girl is also the big sister of Little My, whom we will talk about later (be patient, please). She also resembles her sister a lot. I mean, just look at her. The same eyes and hair style (although in different colors), the same nose and face shape, etc. Apparently all the girls of this family are highly independent. But the Mymble has a distinctive characteristic, which is her personality. As a big sister, The Mymble is responsible, caring and up for any kind of hard work. She is of a more dreamy nature than Little My, as she believes in romance.

This character is part of a species called, well, Hemulens. They are slightly larger than Moomins and apparently a little bit more in the gray/brown colors. The Hemulens are great lovers of order and can be effective although rigid leaders. As a consequence, they are on the serious side. The particular Hemulen who is a friend of the Moomins has long grayish hair and dresses up in purple. As Hemulens like to collect all sorts of things, he has been known as a collector of flowers and stamps. He has also been seen birdwatching in Moominvalley. You can guess that Hemulen is a great source of knowledge and help for the Moomins. He also enjoys finding a new species to add to his collections, so Hemulen is also a great source for adventures!

Enter the first of yet another species found on the Moominvalley, the Snorks. They are almost the same as the Moomins except for one thing: their colour changes according to their mood. Snork is the big brother of another important character (Snorkmaiden), but that is not the most relevant characteristic he has. Our plump purplish guy is a scientist. In accordance to this, he also wears red rimmed glasses. But Snork does not only have the typical features of a scientist. He is so talented, that many people in the Moominvalley look for him when they need a solution for their problems. Snork is quick to organize projects and people when the occasion requires it, too. Also, throughout the anime we see him trying to perfect a machine that can fly.

He is the head of the Moomin family, and he surely looks like one. Moominpappa almost always wears a black top hat and a walking stick, like an European gentleman from old times. Moominpappa’s hat is special, as it has the mysterious words “M.P. from your M.M” painted inside to distinguish it from all the other hats that exist in the world. Moominpappa’s color is slightly brown, reflecting his love of coffee. Did you know that the lead of the Moomins was an orphan? He was raised up by the aunt of Hemulen! But he left the orphanage early on his youth to see the world. He met a lot of people, including the parents of Moomins’ friends and his own future wife. Moominpappa also had great adventures! For example, he went to explore the deep sea for several days and even saved Moominmamma from drowning. Moominpappa has had experienced so much, that he is writing his memories, although he confesses he might never finish the book.

She is always by Moominpappa’s side, so Moominmamma had to be close to him in the Top Ten too. This cream colored Moomin wears a striped apron and carries a black bag everywhere (even inside her home). We know mummies carry all sorts of useful things on their bags, so Moominmamma is not the exception. For example, she always has tummy powder and bark at hand. Moominmamma is a too perfect mom. She does not only cook, clean, and takes care of everyone who comes inside Moominhouse, Moominmamma also believes in giving freedom to her son and his friends, as people can learn a lot from their mistakes. She also has a very strong but kind character. Whenever the Moomins are in trouble, Moominmamma sees the best of the circumstances and helps to find a solution. And she also enjoys making boats from bark!

This is a character with a curious origin. He looks like a brown mammal of some kind (maybe an aardvark?). Sniff’s father is The Muddler, a human with the tendency to forget everything. His mother is The Fuzzy, who looks the most like him. Sniff was adopted by the Moomins, as he was lost by his father in the forest. Sniff is good natured and curious, as all members of the Moomin family are. Only that he is the one with the least patience. Sniff has also been shown as selfish and eager to make money. Nevertheless, when things don’t turn up good or he ends up hurting others, he backs up from his intentions.

She is one of the most recurrent characters in the Moominvalley. The young sister of Snork, this girl has a slight shade of pink color. What tells Snorkmaiden apart more from the Moomins is her blond hair and the gold anklet she wears on her left ankle. She is a good friend of Moomin at first and later becomes his girlfriend. Snorkmaiden is, for the lack of a better word, vain. She likes fancy clothes and jewelry, besides being a fan of grooming her hair and tail. But this lady also has her good points. Snorkmaiden is a sweet girlfriend, as the only thing she does with Moomin is being his adventures companion and cuddle together. She also has some brilliant moments when the Moomins get in trouble, or when everyone is helping Hemulen collecting a new specimen for his collection.

Meet one of the most popular characters of the Moomins! This handsome looking guy with green clothes and wide hat is a vagabond. His background is even more interesting, as he is Little My’s half brother. Snuffkin’s father is called The Joxter, and he inherited his eagerness of freedom from him. Snuffkin is also Moomin’s best friend. Besides being a wanderer, Snuffkin is a lover of nature and simplicity. He carries all his possessions in his backpack, including his fishing rod and his harmonica. Snuffkin has journeyed a lot, discovering new places while enjoying the travel itself the most. He also has a warm heart and a certain honorable sense, being popular among the inhabitants of Moominvalley.

This tiny fiery girl is the most popular female character from the Moomins to date. Little My is so small that she can hide easily. She wears her red hair in a curious uptight bun over her head. Little My’s red dress is also her trademark. But don’t judge her for her size. There is more to Little My than meets the eye. If Little My is popular is because she is a mischievous, sarcastic and even aggressive girl. When she wants something, she does not dream about it like Snorkmaiden or her old sister The Mymble. Little My is not afraid of getting her hands and red dress dirty. Actually, she might prefer them that way, as she adores to have fun. Little My is also a practical, down to earth girl, marking a contrast with the sometimes too idealistic Moomins.

We finally reached the first spot, which belongs to none other than Moomin himself. This guy with a slight blue tint on his furry skin is the protagonist of the Moomin’s adventures. Plus, he is the most recognizable character from the family, despite the fact that he does not have any particular props like his parents or friends. His popularity never grows old! So, what makes of Moomin a great character? Well, he is the incarnation of our childlike curiosity, when everything in the world was new to us. Because he has a warm relationship with his family, Moomin also feels safe in Moominvalley, which contributes to his being a self assured guy. That is why he is up to any adventure as soon as it appears. He is also patient with his girlfriend Snorkmaiden and tries his best for the sake of his friends.

So to kick start the list we have ‘Show by Rock!!’ on the number 10 entry. Initially, this anime might differ slightly from most anime in terms of the animation style. The anime has a sort of ‘chibi’ cartoonish added to some of the plot-pertinent scenes, which to be fair, might turn some people off. But this anime does make up for it, in terms of the characters’ personalities. Aside from the character development of the main protagonist, side characters are just as fun to watch as they interact with each other. Cyan Hijirikawa is the average girl next door, who seem to be pretty good at playing the guitar. Having her shyness overshine her guitar skills, Cyan struggles to find the courage in her to actually audition and join in a band. But on one faithful night, when she decides to play a rhythm game on her cellphone, she was suddenly sucked into another dimension, where she transform into a cat-like figure and ultimately utilizes her musical prowess to defeat evil monsters!

For the next entry in the list, we have K-On! By far, K-On! has become one of the most well-known music anime that existed. Aside from the great original music piece this anime produced, it also seems to be delivered in a distinctive moe-like anime style, that seem to attract a huge fanbase for K-On! and its similar genre anime. K-On!’s main storyline is centered on Hirasawa Yui, a carefree, airheaded young girl that somehow becomes the lead guitarist of the Sakuragaoka High School’s Light Music Club. Prior to her joining the club, she had no guitar experience whatsoever and was only interested in joining the Club because she thought “Light Music” meant easy music. But eventually, it becomes apparent that she was actually talented even though she still needed some work to it. Join Yui and her struggles, as she balances out her music as well as her school in this series that’s full of cute and moe stuff!

Moving on to the number 8 of the musical anime list, we have Beck! Beck has been known by people and became popular for quite some time now, from its manga to the anime, and even the live action movie. The story centers on a 14-year-old boy named Yukio Tanaka, who is on a journey of seeking his identity in life. Feeling lost and basically cut off and misunderstood from the rest of the world, Yukio eventually stumbled upon a weird dog named Beck, which was bullied by some kids. Upon saving the peculiar dog, Yukio met Ryusuke Minami, the owner of the dog as well as the lead guitarist of the BECK band. What’s so great about this anime is how a lot of teenagers was able to relate to Yukio, the protagonist of the series. The emotional rollercoaster that every teenager went through during their adolescent years was emphasized in this series, and thus making this anime not only a great music anime but also a touch of slice-of-life genre anime. So sit back relax, prepare your guitar, and get ready to jam together with Yukio and Ryusuke in BECK!

Next, on the list, we have Nodame Cantabile. Taking the number 7 spot on the list, this anime has some quality traits to vouch for that position. To start it all, the character chemistry between the two protagonists is quite enjoyable. Although some might find it a bit cringy, but nonetheless, it’s quite the breath of fresh air you needed to get away from the dullness of watching other anime. Not to mention the storylines and music pieces that will leave viewers entertained. Initially, Nodame Cantabile is a story about how the tense, square personality conductor Chiaki Shinichi, met with the “unique” pianist Noda Megumi and how she fell in love with Chiaki through the music that they share. Watch as these two characters come together and brings the laughter out of you!

Taking the number 6 spot on the list is Uta no☆Prince-sama♪! In hindsight, this anime is considered to be very colorful, as the animation and overall settings were filled with extravagant color palettes. With its peculiar set of male protagonists and its Shoujo-themed genre, this anime is likely to attract and appeal to the female audience better. Nevertheless, this is still a decent music anime to watch. Uta no☆Prince-sama♪ features a girl named Haruka Nanami who has a lifelong dream of becoming a composer for her idol. In efforts to achieve that goal, Haruka enrolls at Saotome Academy, a prestigious academy of performing arts, where she meets other students such as Ittoki Otoya, Kurusu Shou, Jinguuji Ren, Shinomiya Natsuki and much more! Will Haruka be able to achieve her goal as well as developing a romantic interest along the way? Find out more in Uta no☆Prince-sama♪ Maji Love 1000%!

Although Angel Beats! is not necessarily an anime about music, but this anime still deserve recognition, thanks to its interesting story flow and plot. If you’re the one who likes shootings, action, suspense, and music as a side dish then this anime would probably appeal to you as it brings you the thrill of fighting between life and death, well technically they are already dead but, still Angel Beats! is the anime to watch! Upon waking up, Otonashi Yuzuru had realized that he was already dead and was existing in the after-life. After some time, Yuzuru finally accepted his fate of being dead and was recruited by Yuri Nakamura to join the Shinda Sekai Sensen or SSS in a rebellion to defeat Angel or Tenshi.

Having placed on the number 4 of the list, Hibike! Euphonium is a decent music anime. To begin with, its character development of the protagonist Kumiko Oumae, having her to rediscover her passion in playing the euphonium once again. What’s great about this anime is that it develops in a nice pace, able to bring viewers the touch of ‘slice-of-life’ genre, making the experience of watching this an overall heartwarming one. Kumiko Oumae who plays the euphonium, decides to give up after an unpleasant experience during a regional brass band competition in the middle school. Now, upon entering high school, she seeks to start a new leaf. But as fate would have it, Kumiko managed to found herself surrounded by friends that were interested in joining the high school brass band, ultimately helping her to find her lost passion for playing the euphonium again.

As you might already noticed from the title, this anime is some sort of School Idol thing, and it’s not just about the idols that made this anime popular amongst the other musical genre themed anime, it’s also about the journey and overall character development of each individual that boosts the appeal. Having great music piece from the anime was just a mere bonus. Kousaka Honoka is a student of the Otonokizaka High School which was inconveniently located at the border of three major cities, causing it to lose popularity, and ultimately making the school under threat of shutting down due to lack of students enrolling. Being enthusiastic of saving the school, Kousaka came up with the idea of creating a school idol that might help gain popularity of the school itself. But will her plan be successful? Find out more in Love Live! School Idol Project!

Singing its way to the number 2 spot is Macross Δ, or often referred to as Macross Delta. This anime is a very unique one if compared to the other anime that are on the list, having a mix of futuristic mecha vibe, with action and suspense, the combination might seem a bit weird when paired with the musical genre, but the writers of this anime did a great job of making viewers ‘adapt’ to this flow, slowly pulling you towards the story and you’d only notice how great and exciting this anime is. The plot starts with the mass evacuation of people on Earth to another planet to avoid extinction, and how humans have grown to live amongst the stars and planets. Whilst roaming in space, they discovered a disease, Var Syndrome that could turn people violent, making it unsafe. That’s where Walkure, a tactical sound unit was established. With their voices they sing to protect what humans call home in space.

Taking the number 1 spot of the Top 10 Music Anime [Updated Recommendations] is Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso! Basically strap on your seatbelt and get ready to board the feels train because that’s what this anime will do to you. Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso is an emotional anime that successfully pulled the heartstrings of many, even jerking some tears out of your eyes along the way with its amazing plot. Kousei Arima, having to be a prodigy in piano, suddenly just loses it after his mother passed away. Claiming to be unable to hear out the sound of his piano, he dropped piano altogether. But as fate would have it, he met with Kaori Miyazono, a cheerful violinist, and slowly, Arima was able to gain back his old self again, eventually feeling the lost music he had long forsaken.

Ame-iro Cocoa is back once again and is ready to open up a new café branch in Hawaii! Koji Amami picks Aoi Tokura’s older brother, Nozomu Tokura, as the new store manager in Hawaii. Now that the store is up, Nozumu must do his best to make the cafe a success. Of course, along the way, he meets new people that will be part of the cafe and part of his life. Like it’s previous seasons, Ame-iro Cocoa in Hawaii is only a 2-minute show. The highlight of the series are the interactions between the gorgeous looking male characters. And now that the 3rd season is up, it will double up as there will be new characters that will be introduced during the show. Simply put, this anime is about “Good looking boys, doing cute things together”. The show is very straightforward but, nonetheless, entertaining and good. Since Ame-iro Cocoa in Hawaii doesn’t have any trailers/PVs, you better take a look at the show right now which is airing this season.

In the world of Magic Kyun! Renaissance, artists who exhibit magic in their artworks are called artistas. Once an artista is in the process of making his/her her art, they emit sparkles and lights that can be different in shapes and sizes. These sparkles and lights can also feel and smell different depending on the artista who creates them. Ohana Aigasaki is inspired to become an exceptional artista just like her mother. She follows in her mother’s footsteps by showing art through different kinds of flower arrangements. Aigasaki is indeed talented when it comes to her own field but unlike her mother, she does not emit any magic through her works. Until she luckily goes to the distinguished Hoshinomori Private Magical Arts High School and meets the king himself, Teika Ichijoji, and discovers the hidden magic inside her. Magic Kyun! Renaissance is a multimedia project from Broccoli (the same makers of Uta no Prince-sama and B-Project), Sunrise, and Pony Canyon. Before the anime’s initial announcement, this multimedia project released different mini-episodes on their website to introduce each character. Not only that, Magic Kyun! Renaissance just released its own game last September for the PS Vita. The trailers/PVs alone are enough to convince anyone that this show will be very nice. As seen in the mini-episodes and the trailer, the singing voices of the male characters are enough to captivate viewers. The artwork and the visuals also don’t disappoint, as it is well done too. Viewers who like pretty men who can sing, and have other artistic talents, with magic mixed in it will totally enjoy this show.

In the year 2205, the History Retrograde Army is attempting to change the course of history by going back to the past and altering it in some kind of way. The Saniwa who is in charge of protecting the history, has the ability to give life to legendary swords. With the legendary swords coming to life, they aim to help the Saniwa in protecting history by stopping the History Retrograde Army’s evil intention. Touken Ranbu: Hanamaru revolves around the everyday life of these powerful renowned swords. Touken Ranbu is originally a free browser card video game made by Nitroplus and DMM. The game has a lot of similarities to Kantai Collection because of its same creator, DMM. While Kantai Collection has warships personified as cute girls, Touken Ranbu, on the other hand, has legendary famous swords that are personified by cute and hot males. The game was released early January 2015 and has garnered a lot of attention among female fans and some male fans. Because of its popularity, it was adapted into stage plays which were applauded by many, and also has two anime adaptations. The first adaptation is Touken Ranbu: Hanamaru which is produced by studio Doga Kobo and is airing right now. The second adaptation is tentatively called Touken Ranbu and will be produced by Ufotable in 2017. For now, we got Touken Ranbu: Hanamaru. Since it’s a slice of life anime, it will be interesting to see their interactions with one another, and maybe hopefully, get a glimpse of their past regarding the masters who handled them. If you are a true fan of bishounen type characters, then you mustn't miss this show as it is overflowing with attractive males all around! An anime that truly a feast for the eyes.

Second-year high schooler Kanade Amamiya, has a unique trait of making other people happy with just his sparkly smile. That’s why, on a certain day after his part-time job, he was scouted by the great idol and producer, Haruto Mikami, to make his debut in Dream Festival!. Amamiya refused but Mikami tricked the boy into coming to his agency. With Junya Sasaki constantly provoking Amamiya, saying that he doesn’t have the guts to become an idol, Amamiya decides to prove Sasaki wrong. However, he starts to like the prospect of becoming an idol after his first sudden performance on stage. Just like our last selection, Dream Festival! is also based on a card video game that was created by the company Bandai. If you know the gameplay of Love Live and Aikatsu!, which is by the way under the Bandai Company, then you can pretty much imagine how the Dream Festival! game works. The unique trait that is both applied in the game and in the anime is catching Dream Festival! Cards or “Dorika”, which are given by the fans. Each card holds a different unique costume for the catchers to wear before they start their performance. Idols collect this as a proof of how much they shine in the eyes of their fans. Also, unlike our other selections here on this list who showcase famous and known Seiyuus, the Seiyuus of Dream Festival! are relatively new and debuting in the voice acting industry with the exception of Haruto Mikami’s Seiyuu who is Morikawa Tosiyuki. Viewers will surely feel that the rookie idols of Dream Festival! are indeed starting out because of the new Seiyuus; while Mikami, a character who is a veteran in his field, will sound more fluid and mature because of Morikawa’s experienced voice due to years of voice acting. Dream Festival! is surely a must watch show, especially so when you like this kind of genre.

Idols, for some, are the source of inspiration. For Haruka Nanami, her source of inspiration to enter the glamorous world of music was her beloved idol, HAYATO. Ever since she heard HAYATO’s touching singing voice, Haruka was determined to become an amazing composer in order to write songs for her favorite idol and hopefully bring happiness to people with her written music. However, in order to fulfill this dream, she enters the prestigious Saotome Academy with the prospect of harnessing her special talents. Now a well-known composer, different groups are willing to challenge ST☆RISH in order to make Haruka their very own personal composer. Of course, ST☆RISH wouldn’t want that! After the shocking cliffhanger from the 3rd season, Uta no Prince-sama is back once again with more wonderful music to listen to, with even more handsome hot idol males to drool- ahem, choose from! From the last season, ST☆RISH and QUARTET NIGHT gave a superb show to their fans in order to win the Super Star Sports event, aka Triple S. The surprising part, however, is that the group HE★VENS is back with their chilling performance with more members! Challenging both ST☆RISH and QUARTET NIGHT during the event. From 1000% to 2000%, to Love Revolutions, and now Love Legend Star, we have seen how Haruka, along with ST☆RISH, grew up from ordinary students to famous artists. Along the way, they have indeed encountered some hardships, but with them come new rivals and companions. Now that the 4th season is up, We get to not only know more about ST☆RISH and QUARTET NIGHT, we also have the chance to get to know another group, HE★VENS. Fans of this show will surely be delighted to see how these three groups and Haruka evolve again for the sake of offering good music to their fans. Of course, newcomers are welcome to watch the show, especially if you like great music and good looking males~. Just like Ame-iro Cocoa in Hawaii, there is no available PV/ Trailer for Uta no Prince-sama’s 4th season, so why not go on your way now to watch the already released episodes and see your favorite male idol group become a Legend!

Yaoi and shounen-ai anime are getting produced more as of lately, even with its niche target market. Not only that, even anime in different genres aren’t left out, as shippers are ready to pair some characters whenever imagination calls for it. Of course, for this anime, Fujoshi and Fudanshi are able to relate to some degree because of our adorable and hilarious main heroine. Still, even if you are not a Fujoshi or Fudanshi, Watashi ga Motete Dousunda is a good RomCom that will surely not disappoint you! Meet second-year high schooler, Kae Serinuma, who is 100% otaku and definitely a 100% full-time fujoshi. Everywhere she goes, whether it’s 2D or 3D, she ships any men or boys together as long as she sees the chemistry between the two. She believes that any boy’s charms are wasted on her and therefore it’s better to pair them up instead. Unfortunately for her, during a certain night, she watched her favorite anime character, Shion, die. Out of sadness and grief, she went into a depression and lost a lot of weight in the process. Now looking like a whole new person who is more attractive than average, eyes are on her and 4 boys are out to get her attention. But she doesn’t need the attention, she needs to see the 4 alluring boys kiss each other! Watashi ga Motete Dousunda is written and created by a BL mangaka, Junko, who is well known for making sweet and adorable stories between men or boys. Watashi ga Motete Dousunda is her first shoujo piece, and despite being a BL mangaka, Junko did a very good job of putting up a reverse harem anime that is both funny and cute at the same time. This show is undoubtedly a must watch for this season. Viewers will absolutely anticipate who Serinuma will end up with!

Nanbaka follows the story of four prisoners who are currently held up in the well-secured prison: Nanbaka. The four prisoners are highly acclaimed masters of escaping every prison, and for them, Nanbaka is no different. Well, except for their prison guards, particularly, Hajime Sugoroku who is somehow good at stopping their escape attempts. It seems with Hajime around, Nanbaka will remain inescapable, or wil it? Now, if you want some attractive guys doing weird and random stuff, then this show will be to your liking! It’s a slice of life anime that will unquestionably make anyone laugh at every scene. The visuals for this anime are definitely good and colorful, just like the characters’ comedy skits, and of course, their attitudes. From watching the trailer, the prison inmates, specificity, Jugo, Uno, Rock, and Nico seem to be so optimistic that they make anything fun and enjoyable. Not only that, the guards of Nanbaka don’t help, as they too are contributors to the comedy of this whole show. Also, if you watch the other trailers/PVs of this anime, viewers will notice that Nanbaka Prison looks like a wonderful, fun theme park, despite the high-security traps all over the place. A good setting for well-rounded hilarious characters, don’t you think? And did we mention that everyone and everything here sparkles a lot? From objects to the background, to the characters, they sparkle brilliantly. Put Nanbaka into your watch list if you just want to relax and have a good laugh and also maybe relish in this show’s bishounen characters...

In a shocking turn of events, it has come to light that the girls from Bishoujo Yuugi Unit Crane Game girls are back! Three girls are wanting to become idols so they meet up, get signed and are going to become idols! Well…. Kinda…. What actually happens is that they are sent to a game center/arcade to go and with part time?! Suddenly the meaning of idols in Japan has changed. While they bide their time for their debut, they work in the arcade. One day surely they will stand on the stage as stars! In a very shocking turn of events, this show got a second season. After a very lackluster first season that currently holds a ranking of 4.51 on MAL, it was a bit of a shock to see them coming back. There has not been much information released in regards to the second season other than a mysterious, Star Wars-esque key visual that potentially teases more characters as well as interplanetary foes/friends!? We will have to see what happens! In the meantime, check out a few episodes for yourself and see if it is your cup of tea.

The curtain rises on the stage set in the year 1555. This is the year smack dab in the middle of the Sengoku Era, or the Warring States Era. Japan was in turmoil as various kingdoms and governments tried to rule over each other. Then the lord and tactician Nobunaga Oda rose to power. At first, though, no one took him seriously, save for one young girl. Her name is Chidori and when she heard what he had to say, she exclaimed “I’ll be your shinobi! (warrior)”. Thus their tale begins as they attempt to unify all of Japan. The Segoku Jidai aka the warring states period in Japan is a popular time frame to draw source material from. We have had countless anime over the years about the Warring Sates Era in Japan and even one where Nobunaga Oda was gender-swapped! Whether or not this anime will actually truly be comedic other than the bumblings of Chidori remains to be seen. Akin to Neko Neko Nihonshi from Spring of 2016, this is another comedy anime that means to spin historical tales into a more approachable format. Check out the PV below and see if it’s a toot or a boot for you!

This is the 8th Season of Teekyuu to grace our screens. Yet another short anime on our list, this follows the four girls of the Kameido High School tennis club as they play tennis while not actually playing it at the same time. Kanae, Yuri, Nasuno, and Marimo are up to their hijinks again by sort of playing tennis while leaving you in tears laughing. Here again is the next season of Teekyuu. This is the eighth season so by now, you should know if you like this sort of stupid comedy or not. Either way, it’s definitely something to enjoy as the show is a short series so you’ll get a few guffaws from each episode and then it will end. Hopefully, you can still get a few good laughs even if you know the kind of humor that is going to be coming. Check out the PV below and make the judgement call for yourself.

Hagane Orchestra is about the characters from the app, “Hagane Orchestra” as they try to promote their game! In a pseudo-breaking of the fourth wall, the residents of Irodori Village do everything that they can to get people to download and play their game. Even if that means betting their lives, they will do it. So you can learn more about the gaming industry via this comedy anime. The best part? It’s a short series so it’s sure to be packed with jokes! Hagane Orchestra sort of resembles the anime that everyone knows, Gurren Lagann, but of course, the actual contents and story are different. One thing to note about this anime is that there is an actual game called “Hagane Orchestra”, so this actually is what it says it is; a promotional anime. The good thing to know, though, if you are worried about there not being enough comedy in this promo anime, is that the director also did Yuru Yuri, Minami-ke, and Himouto! Umaru-chan. So there is a very good chance that this will actually be funny!

Girlfriend (Note) is not only a short anime in that the episodes are not long, but this also is overall a short anime with only three episodes! This series is a spinoff from the actual series of girlfriend. The National Dance Battle Royale is over. Girlfriend (Note) takes the characters that you know, from the light music club and puts them into a play? That’s right, these girls are going to be putting on a production of Cinderella! Momoko is going to be the princess, while Miyabi is the prince? Oh, and a surprise role is in the wings for Kokomi. This series is very… like we are happy that the Girlfriend series is getting more popular, but this was definitely unexpected and very left field. QP:Flapper was the original illustrator for this series which is good to know because whatever they do is usually gold without fail. Note, however, will probably rely on these girls who are accustomed to music and their club, to be forced to put on a play and be hilariously awkward. So as long as you can enjoy that, you are set to enjoy this series!

Kiitarou is a young man who has a sense of the supernatural. So much that he is always surrounded by youkai! Japan invokes all of their major youkai deities when he encounters a zashiki-warashi (house spirit) named Suzu, a fox spirit named Kitsunemen no Onna (Fox-Mask Woman), a Yuki Onna (snow woman) named Yukihaha (snow mother), and her daughter Yukimusume (snow daughter). Kiitarou Shounen no Youkai Enikki is a horror comedy according to the Japanese website, but it’s not actually scary? In a pseudo-harem setup, the girls all live with Kiitarou, but none will probably get with him because this is a comedy, and it’s a short anime! Comedy this season seems to be coming in short anime, which is good as long as it delivers. The focus points to keep an eye out for in this anime that is worth at least a few episodes, is the Yukihaha, who is a massive sadist and her daughter Yukimusume, who seems to have a delicate constitution, but can actually be a sadist just like her mother. This appears to be something good! Get excited and look forward to this one!

It’s back again for another round! Yet another short anime on this season, Miton and Yuzuka are back again as that strange spinoff of magical creature and magical girl. Last season, she stumbled upon him digging in the trash. Miton turned around and with the blink of an eye, offered to make Yuzuka, a rather average girl, into a magical one! She agrees, but much to her chagrin, she does not get the school uniform magical outfit, but a rather risqué bathing suit that is just too much for her as a second-year middle school student. Struggling to come to terms with her powers and her outfit, Miton is there to guide her along with her close friend Chiya who actually threatens anyone who gets near to Yuzuka including Miton. What will she get into next? Mahou Shoujo Nante Mou Ii Desu Kara was a pretty funny first season. It was light but still played the jokes kind of heavily which kept the rather thin story, something of a delight to watch unfold. You know what is going to happen, but for some reason when it actually does, it’s much more amusing than you think it is going to be. The best part of season one was where Yuzuka accidentally drowns Miton while showing Chiya her powers. The first season was a great watch, so this one will be too!

To Be HERO follows Ossan who is a toilet designer. He separated from his wife years ago and is raising his daughter by himself. His daughter, Min-chan, excels at both grades and sports. One day while driving himself for success at work, he is sucked into a toilet and is tasked with saving the Earth and his daughter! However, not all is as it seems as he’s super-hot as a normal man, but when he becomes a hero, he turns into a pudgy, balding, unattractive middle-aged man! Now not only does he have to save his daughter, but also the Earth!? To Be HERO is made by HAOLINERS, which is a new studio that specializes in bringing Chinese source novels, manga, etc., from China to Japanese studios to be made into anime. HAOLINERS is also the one behind, Bloodivores, Cheating Craft, and Soul Buster. To Be HERO is a semi-short anime in that the episodes should be between 10 and 15 minutes. This is definitely a different type of story and honestly, this sounds like it is going to be a standout show in the genre this season. We have a lot of expectations so we hope that it does well!

The world is currently going through a revolution via music. Kanae and Sousuke live in such a down currently undergoing revitalization. One day, though, out of the blue, two strange men from crashing down out of the sky and announce they are Beethoven and Mozart respectively. They are here to help play music but… that is not all. Stars begin to rain down from the sky and mecha appear out of nowhere?! More of these famous musicians called “ClassicaLoids” begin to show up. Bach and Chopin are two of them! Somehow their power seems to be calling more… Comedy, music, fighting, comedy, and then some more music? Sure why not! Fans of RahXephon or like Eureka Seven might get similar vibes from this if it turns out to be an action-heavy show. If it does not, then this will not be like K-On! or Hibike! Euphonium, because of the magic aspect involved and the fact that it does come across as classical music rather than bands or guitars. All in all the art is unique and NHK has a hand in this one so you know, Log Horizon etc., that the show is going to be a good one. Check out the PV below and make your judgement call!

Baramon High School exists as the most elite private boys school in the school district. Yoshiki is the main character who is transferring in this semester. However, whenever he goes to the school, there is handsomeness. Suddenly he is surrounded by handsome men that are all vying for him!? The outlaw teacher, the soccer club captain, the old childhood friend, the rich boy, the other transfer student who is mysterious, and even Yoshiki’s sister Yuu is in on helping the other guys? A story of passion, romance, and feelings begins here. Gakuen Handsome is a parody so please take everything about this anime with a grain of salt. It was made as a parody to combat all of the school harem anime that are a dime a dozen. This anime was actually crowdfunded and blew well beyond its goal much to the delight of fans. This is yet another short anime, but this, this is the one show that, if you skip everything else on this list, you should watch. Some people might be turned off by the BL aspect, but honestly, it’s a comedy and if you are offended or turned off by it, then you need to chill out because life is not that series. Laugh, enjoy yourself, enjoy the series, and enjoy the ~QUALITY~ art that this series has to offer!

Did you ever watch an anime called ‘Glass Mask’ back in the day? Based off a popular manga, it has had many anime adaptations over the years, but most notably in 2005. It returns in the form of a new spin-off miniseries featuring your lovable characters in a 3D world. In this re-imagined version, Maya, Ayumi, Chigusa and Yuu are going to a high school in the modern era, where they have to perform as actors and actresses, to warm up the cold hearts of people with their passion and make them forget about their worries. In the form of a gag comedy focused on satirizing modern society, Maya, Ayumi, Chigusa and Yuu return to save this cold present reality, overseen by the chairman Masumi who actually believes there is no need to change the way things are. Encompassing many new challenges filled with plays, tears, smiles, unwelcomed eyes and unwelcomed favors, what will become of them as they try to bring their warmth to the world? With a new premise and re-imagined world, we can’t wait to see what kind of laughs and comedic moments will arise from this new series.

Based off a manga by Yuki Shikawa. This comedy series follows a lazy girl named Sawako Machida, otherwise known as Miss Bernard, in her endeavor to become a person well versed in literature without actually reading much. Along with her literature-loving friends, they delve into many different books including the Bible, The Tale of the Heike, The Door into summer, The Great Passage, Fermat's Last Theorem, and more masterpieces that Sawako has never read.

Chitose Karasuma is a university student who wants to make the most of adult life by becoming an idol seiyuu (voice actress), instead of living a boring lifestyle that many people appear to live. She dives straight into the profession after landing a job at a seiyuu agency called ‘Number One Produce’, which is managed by her older brother, Gojo. She has an ambition to make an impact in the voice acting industry, but finds herself only able to take on the minor roles. The reality is that the industry is much more competitive than Chitose had originally imagined, as she faces off against the other girls in the agency to get the major roles, including one cunning girl with a Kansai accent. Her competition is fierce as she learns that there’s a lot more to succeeding as a Seiyuu than what meets the eye.

A story about a girl named Tamaki Honda who, on her first day of high school, discovers the SNS Club, who makes self-published doujin games. SNS is an acronym for ‘Shut-ins with No life in their eyes and Sunlight deficiency’ meaning that they spend most of their time indoors and confined to the games they are dedicated to make. With a strong passion for games and a determination to succeed in the industry, Honda and her friends work together to create art, music, and scenarios to accomplish their goals.

Souta Tawara, a thirty-year-old web designer working in Tokyo returns to his hometown after his father passes away, in the Kagawa Prefecture, otherwise known as the Land of Udon. Upon his return, he discovers a strange udon-loving boy named Poko at his family’s udon shop, Souta finds him fast asleep in a cooking pot. At first, Poko seems like an eccentric little boy with a love for frogs, that is, until he turns into a tanuki! (A Japanese raccoon dog). Poko is actually a tanuki that took on the form of a human. As time calmly passes, the two start to warm up to each other and Souta decides to quit his job in order to take care of Poko. The story follows the daily lives of the energetic Poko and Souta as they venture through the ‘Udon kingdom’ together.

Fune no Amu is a story about a man named Mitsuya Majime who works at Genbu Shobou Publishers. Originally part of the sales department, his unique knowledge of works gets him outcasted by his co-workers. However, Majime is welcomed by the dictionary editing department and moves there to become one of the members, tasked with putting together a new dictionary known as the ‘Daitokai’ (The Great Passage.) Together with Kouhei Araki, a soon-to-retire veteran editor who recruited him, is an elderly scholar that devoted his life in researching the Japanese language. Along with another man named Masashi Nishioka and a girl he was destined to meet, they embark in the world of words and dictionaries. Facing many issues ahead of them, as a team, their lives become intertwined as they attempt to complete the Daitokai.

Returning for another season after the last one ended back in 2012 is Natsume Yuujinchou, an anime about the tale of Takashi Natsume, a young man with the ability to see youkai, ever since he was little. However, because of his ability, other people had originally shunned him. Takashi inherited a ‘Book of Friends’ from his grandmother Reiko, which was filled with contracts that she had made to trap youkai. Takashi continues to spend his days trying to return the youkai’s names to their original owners, along with his own trusty sidekick youkai, Nyako-sensei. As Takashi’s journey continues, he meets all kinds of new youkai and kind-hearted people that he becomes friends with, friends that he treasures and wants to protect, amongst the other things precious to him.

This is the story of Rei Kiriyama, a 17 year-old-boy who lost his parents when he was a child. He begins to live alone in Tokyo away from his adopted family, supported by the money he earns as a professional Shogi player. Though he becomes independent, the loneliness in his heart continues to cause problems that haunt him daily. Rei has problems interacting with fellow high school students and his Shogi career enters a slump as his progression begins to stagnate. One day, he meets the three Kawamoto sisters: Akari, Hinata, and Momo. They are fond of Rei and accept him into their home as if he were part of their family, and little by little, Rei begins to change. He often visits, interacting with the three sisters and receiving the love and care that he has never experienced whilst with his adopted family.

A spin-off to the original world of Working!! This is an anime based on a spin-off web comic that is set in a sister restaurant of Wagnaria, with a whole different group of new characters. Daisuke Higashida is a first-year high school student at Higashizaka High school. He works a part time job at a family restaurant to help with his family’s financial difficulties, after his father’s company one day goes bankrupt. Daisuke does not want to work but has no choice as he can no longer afford to take public transport to school and cannot pay for other daily luxuries. At his new job, he discovers that the floor manager is a disastrous cook and the hall staff use money to solve everything. With an already difficult new life, Daisuke tries to make the best of a bad situation and works towards restoring his family’s fortune.

Coming this fall is the long awaited 2nd season of Sound! Euphonium. The first season followed the story of the Kitauji High School Concert Band, which used to have a reputable presence in national competitions. However, ever since the adviser for the club changed, the band has never advanced to the regional tournament nor come close to reaching its former glory. Sound! Euphonium centers around Kumiko Oumae who, upon joining Kitauji high school, one day goes to observe the high school wind instrument club with her classmates, Hazuki Kato and Sapphire Kawashima. At the club, Kumiko is reunited with a former middle school classmate by the name of Reina Kousaka. Though her two friends, Hazuki and Sapphire, end up joining the club, Kumiko is reluctant to join after an incident between her and Reina during a concert in middle school. But as fate would have it, she eventually joins and so begun their adventure in reviving the once glorious band, hoping one day to reach the national competitions.