10 Fall 2020 Season Anime Series Worth Watching This Winter

I mean, it is probably because of the ongoing pandemic, but damn if it doesn’t feel like there were way more series this season than normal. It was a pretty standard season overall, only a few true disappointments. However, if you are looking to save some time and wanted the few gems to be fished out, I’ve found them! So what should you be watching from the Fall 2020 anime season?

 

Jujutsu Kaisen

In order to gain more power, demons search for fragments of the legendary demon Sukuna to consume them. One day, Yuuji Itadori, who just lost his grandfather, learns of this as he saves his school friends from being consumed by demons after they break the seal on one of the body parts Sukuna. In order to stand a chance, he eats it, revealing himself as a rare vessel that can utilize and control the curse of Sukuna, meaning when he dies, Sukuna’s curse dies with him.

Why It is Worth Watching? – This is the darling of the Fall 2020 season. It looks like your standard shounen action anime, and in many ways it is. There is a sort of visual style and ferocity to it that definitely makes it a worth successor of Demon Slayer’s immense hype since it has a similar sort of plot.

Akudama Drive

The region of Kansai is overrun by powerful criminals known as Akudama. One night, after picking up 500 yen dropped by an Akudama, an Ordinary Girl finds herself wrapped up in a huge plot to foil a public execution. Now with a bomb collar around her neck, she and other Akudama must complete tasks given by a mysterious Black Cat.

Why It is Worth Watching? – If Jujutsu Kaisen was the shining gem of the season, this is for sure the hidden gem of it. Created by the creator of Danganronpa, you can expect extreme characters and an intriguing plot. Furthermore, it’s gritty futuristic world fills that Cyberpunk-shaped hole in your heart.

Talentless Nana

Earth has been assaulted by monsters that have come to be known as the enemy of humanity. To combat this, secluded schools were formed to train children with extraordinary powers to fight back. However, in this school, there may be an enemy of humanity itself. One Among them has no powers who instead uses deduction and manipulation to combat the enemies of humanity.

Why It is Worth Watching? – The anime world is awash with shows about those with superpowers trying to save the world. Talentless Nana is unique as it is about someone with no power, but great manipulation and detective skills trying to murder their super powered peers. It had an early twist that delighted the shit out of me.

Adachi and Shimamura

One day while skipping class, Adachi Sakura and Shimamura Hougetsu meet in the second floor gym. They talk, play ping pong, and eventually become friends. However, as they spend more time together, their feelings begin to shift.

Why It is Worth Watching? – When it comes to girl love series – or really any romance series, I guess – there is this expectation for the romance to move at a decent clip. Adachi and Shimamura moves as such a slug’s pace you aren’t even sure it is romance and the shoujo ai is just the barest hints. It’s quite lovely and realistic in that respect.

My Next Life as a Villainess took a fresh approach to well-trodden ground

Based on Satoru Yamaguchi’s light novel series of the same name, My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom! (or HameFura, as it’s usually shortened to by fans) is the tale of Catarina Claes, a rich and beautiful noblewoman. At least, that’s who Catarina thinks she is … until she gets hit on the head with a rock one day and regains memories of her true life — that of a 17-year-old otaku. Turns out Catarina died and was reborn into the world of Fortune Lover, her favorite game. The trouble is, she’s been reincarnated as the villain of the story, not the heroine.

There have been plenty of “isekai” (shows about regular people being transported or reborn into a fantasy or virtual world) in recent years, but what makes this one different than the rest is the type of game it’s based on. While shows like Sword Art Online, Log Horizon, and many others used MMORPG (massively multiplayer online role-playing games), My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom! takes a different approach by thrusting the protagonist into an “otome,” story-based games geared towards women. Luckily for Catarina, she knows Fortune Lover better than anybody. Armed with the knowledge that all routes lead to either death or exile for her character, she takes drastic measures to derail the plot and stay alive. The results are equal parts hilarious and heartwarming.

ID:Invaded is a cerebral sci-fi that will keep you guessing

Original sci-fi series ID:Invaded takes place in a future where advanced technology has made it possible for a specialized police squad named Kura to tap into unconscious minds and collect clues about homicide suspects. Investigators enter what’s called an “id well” and work with colleagues on the outside, who scan for the “cognition particles” that get left behind after a murder. The show follows a former detective named Akihito Narihisago, whose wife committed suicide after their daughter was murdered. When the story picks up two years later, Narihisago is behind bars — he tracked down the killer and took his revenge.

Despite the fact that he’s in prison, Narihisago still has the respect of former colleagues. His ability to hunt down serial killers makes him a perfect candidate for id well work, as does his criminal past (only those who’ve committed murder themselves may enter a well). Narihisago quickly earns the nickname “the Cornerer” because of his knack for cornering serial killers into killing themselves, which doesn’t exactly go down well with his superiors on the outside. As the show progresses, he begins to uncover a dark secret that links all the deaths he’s been investigating.

Like all good sci-fi anime, ID:Invaded is a show that demands your total attention. Viewers are thrown into this cerebral world at the deep and expected to stay afloat, but for those with the required stamina, it’s well worth the effort.

Kakushigoto: My Dad’s Secret Ambition was a hit with parents

A brilliant little slice-of-life comedy from the spring 2020 season, Kakushigoto: My Dad’s Secret Ambition is about a man who draws “ecchi,” an adult-orientated subgenre of manga known for its sexually suggestive content. When his daughter, Hime, is born, Kakushi Gotou makes it his mission to keep his line of work a secret, pretending to be a salaryman so she sees him as just a regular single dad. His office is located on the other side of town, and his assistants all know the protocol should Hime show up. Despite all the precautions, keeping the inquisitive girl in the dark about his real job proves to be no simple task, and Kakushi is in a constant state of paranoia as a result.

The Day I Became a God

During his last summer of high school, Yota is furiously studying for his entrance exams in order to go to the same college as his crush. However, one day he meets a small girl who calls herself the god Odin. She proclaims herself the god of omniscience and says the world will end in 30 days. After witnessing her powers, she moves into his home and upends his last summer.

Why It is Worth Watching? – Another Jun Maeda series, and the perfect year for it. For those not familiar, Jun Maeda is known for writing drama that always has a way to punch you in the guy emotionally by the end. However, while you wait for that, there are actually quite a few good laughs here too.

Moriarty the Patriot

William Moriarty is the second son of the noble Moriarty family. During the day, he is a mathematics professor, but at night he uses his keen mind in order to work as a consultant for villains with a particular need for his intellect

Why It is Worth Watching? – The story of Sherlock Holmes has been told and re-told in every different way. However, now it is the time for his nemesis Moriarty. Even if you aren’t familiar with the source material, there is a lovely game of cat and mouse at play here.

What did you enjoy from the Fall 2020 season? Let fans know what anime series you would recommend in the comments section below.

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