From Chainsaw Man to Eternal Boys, this is your guide to some of this season's exciting and fun titles.
Ah, fall. There’s so much to love about this time of year: the air is getting a little cooler (hopefully), pumpkin cold brew is back at Starbucks, and it’s the perfect time to get in the kitchen and start making delicious baked goods. You know, for all the holidays that are coming up. We love that part of fall, too, right? Seeing family and worrying about big meals and…
Okay, so maybe fall isn’t all cozy sweaters and tasty treats. There’s plenty of stress that comes with the season, but one thing that doesn’t have to be stressful this time of year is your anime watchlist! Take a look at these five titles and let it do (most) of the decision-making for you so you can just sit back, relax, and enjoy that sweet, sweet content (and your pumpkin cold brew!)
Perhaps the most anticipated show of the fall anime season is Chainsaw Man. The series follows Denji, a teenage boy who wants nothing more than to live a regular life. But life is never fair, and Denji finds himself under the thumb of the yakuza, using his pet devil Pochita to kill devils in order to pay off his overwhelming debts. Once he runs out his deal with the yakuza, though, he finds himself murdered by a devil sent by them. His corpse somehow merges with Pochita’s, and suddenly Denji is reanimated…with the ability to change his body parts into chainsaws! With his newly gained abilities, he sets out on a mission to take down his enemies. Animated by the fantastic studio MAPPA (Jujutsu Kaisen, Banana Fish), this gory action anime is sure to get your heart racing when it premieres on October 12.
RELATED: 5 Things to Know Before Horror Anime ‘Chainsaw Man’ Debuts
Fans of historical dramas and fantasy should keep an eye out for Raven of the Inner Palace (or Koukyuu no Karasu), a series centered around a woman working in the emperor’s palace as the Raven Consort. Rumors about her swirl, saying she is both old and young and that she can take on any request, from finding what is lost to breaking devastating curses. Though she does not serve the emperor, she is visited by him, as he hopes she can help him with a curse that has befallen him. However, this meeting was not simply by chance, and now it has turned the tides of history. From trailers, this series seems beautifully animated and rather intriguing, and it’s being done by Bandai Namco Pictures (Tiger & Bunny, Gintama), which usually promises well done animation and a good story. So if fantasy is your cup of tea, give it a watch when it premieres October 1.
Bocchi the Rock! is a comedic slice of life anime about Hitori Gotou, a girl who dreams of being in a band, but is so shy that she has no friends. Still, she continues to learn to play the guitar. One day, she meets Nijika Ijichi, a drummer who just so happens to need a guitarist for her band. Follow her on her journey of friendship and finding a voice as she finds a home with a group of girls who love music just as much as she does. This anime is done by studio CloverWorks (Spy x Family, The Promised Neverland), so despite being a bit of mystery in terms of plot currently, there is a lot of hope that it will be on par with the studio’s other hit releases (or at the very least, a fun and enjoyable comedy.) It’s perfect for anyone who enjoys slice of life and comedy, and it seems like a perfect fit for fans of series like Given and Carole & Tuesday. Rock on with this series when it premieres in October.
You know, most popular anime are always about teens and 20-somethings going on grand adventures. But what about those characters in the middle of their lives? Well, we got a soft answer to that question with the ever exciting world of corporate badminton in Ryman’s Club. Now, get ready for Eternal Boys, an upcoming series that follows a group of six middle-aged men that have been chewed up and spit out by society and have something to prove! Despite their lack of abilities, they decide to form an idol group and tackle challenges such as learning to dance and sing and finding their way to idol fame despite their age. It’s exciting to see an idol anime where older men get their time to shine. This comedic and musically charged idol anime is done by LIDENFILMS (Tokyo Revengers, Kotaro Lives Alone) and shows promise for fans of idol anime, slice of life, and comedy. If that’s up your alley - or you just like anime like Uta no Prince-Sama and Starmyu and want a good underdog story — be sure to check this series out when it premieres on October 11.
Another highly anticipated title this fall, Blue Lock is a sports anime following Yoichi Isagi, a striker for his high school soccer team that failed to take his team to the national championship by passing the ball to a teammate instead of shooting a goal himself. This leads to him being selected by coach Junpachi Ego for the Blue Lock, a facility not unlike a prison that locks three hundred strikers from high schools all over Japan and pits them against each other until only one stands. The winner gets to be the striker for the Japanese national team; the losers are barred from ever joining the team. Yoichi sees his selection as the ultimate opportunity to chase his dream of being the world’s greatest striker. But does he really need to become selfish and egotistical to get there? This anime is perfect not only for sports lovers, but also for fans of action and over the top, exciting plots. Make sure to give it a chance when it comes out on October 9.
Sebastian Stoddard is an Anime Features writer for Collider. He also writes video game reviews for Popzara, where he enjoys being able to try out tons of great (and not so great) titles. When he's not writing (which isn't often), he can be found playing D&D, reading and researching, making and taking quizzes online, and watching documentaries about whales and dolphins. He also may or may not be thirty tarantulas disguised as a human boy...but that's classified information.
Sign up for Collider's newsletter for exclusive news, features, streaming recommendations and more