Welcome to the Spring 2014 Anime Seasonal Guide! My teammates and I prepare lots of discussion threads for you guys and gals packed with awesome trailers. Check the synopsis and click on the links to view them and hit those discussion threads. Let us know what shows make your watch list for this spring!
Unfortunately, my teammate Acura was busy with things, so we don't have preliminary impressions from him. Here are BigHeart711 and my thoughts on what was interesting to us this season.
BigHeart711
For me, the shows that I will check out are Mekaku City Actors, Lady Jewelpet, Soul Eater Not, and M3. While Mekaku and M3 seem to have some edge due to their synopses, Soul Eater Not and Lady Jewelpet seem like the most fun ones there in the coming season. The others that I may pick due to interest up are Chaika - The Coffin Princess, Nanana's Buried Treasure, PUCHIM@S 2, and Insufficient Direction. Although, the PUCHIM@S creatures do look like they came out of someone's nightmares... Just a thought.
Takashichea
I had my eye on the new Fairy Tail series, Irregular at the Magical High School, and World is Still Beautiful. For World is Still Beautiful, I find the age gap interesting, an older woman and a younger man in an arrange marriage. Irregular's art style is attractive, and I fail to read the synopsis to realize the couple in the poster is a brother holding his sister. Suffering from Pupa and Recently, My Sister is Unusual experiences, I tread this anime with caution. Finally, I'm all hyped for the new Fairy Tail series after a year long hiatus. It was my first big series that got me into Anime Vice.
Thank you everyone.
Past Anime Seasonal Guides
 | Atelier Escha & Logy: Alchemists of the Dusk Sky
Plot: This world has gone through many Dusks, and is slowly nearing its end. Within this world, in the western reaches of the "Land of Dusk," there was a nation that prospered thanks to its use of alchemy. There, in order to survive the eventual arrival of the "Dusk End," the people devoted their efforts to rediscover and recreate lost alchemic technologies. Rediscovered technology from the past era was gathered in the alchemy research city known as "Central," where research was conducted on how to halt the advance of the twilight. One of the heroes is a young man who researched alchemy in Central, the other a girl living in a small town on the frontier. This girl's name is Escha. In the process of using her knowledge of ancient alchemy to help others, she was assigned to the Development Department. The young man's name is Logy. Having learned the newest alchemic techniques in Central, he requested a transfer to this understaffed town to make use of his abilities, and meets Escha when he is assigned to the Development Department as well. The two make a promise to use their alchemy together, and bring success to the Development Department. |
 | Baby Steps
Plot: The story follows "Ei-chan," a punctual and earnest boy who has strived for straight As since elementary school. The 15-year-old high school boy stops by a tennis school to deal with his lack of exercise. There, he meets Natsu, a beautiful, earnest girl who only has passion for tennis. In turn, he awakens a deep passion for tennis within himself. |
 | Black Bullet
Plot: The near future heroic action series follows the remains of humanity, living in reduced territory after our species has been defeated by viral beings. The young hero and his girl partner take a mission from the government to do something about the predicament. |
 | Blade & Soul
Plot: Alka is an assassin for the Clan of the Sword. She's on a journey to find the woman Jin Valel, who killed her master Hon. Jin is demon-like woman who controls the Energy of Chaos and kills without feeling - not unlike how Alka has learned to kill in her work as an assassin. On her journey, Alka encounters three strange women, each great warriors in their own right, and grapples with her slain master's wish that she leave the life of an assassin behind. |
 | Brynhildr in the Darkness (Alias: Gokukoku no Brynhildr)
When he was a child, Murakami was infatuated with a girl he called Kuroneko. She insisted on knowing about aliens and having met them, but no one believed her, even young Murakami was skeptical. One day, she decides to show him the aliens, but an accident occurs and Kuroneko dies while Murakami is left seriously wounded in the hospital. Years go by and Murakami obsesses on finding proof of the existence of aliens because of a promise he had made with Kuroneko. Then, one day, a new transfer student comes to his class, who not only looks a lot like Kuroneko, but is named Kurohaneko. And even though she insists on never having met Murakami before, the girl has superhuman strength and seems to even be able to predict the future. |
 | Broken Blade
Plot: The inhabitants of the continent of Cruzon have the ability to manipulate quartz, which they use to power their machines and vehicles. They call this "magic", and only Rygart Arrow lacks this ability. As a teenager, he went to school with Hodr, who became the king of his country, and Zess, who was the brother of the military commander of Athens. When his country, Krishna, goes into war against the neighbouring kingdom of Athens, he might be the only one able to stop the war between two friends, because he is the only person able to pilot an ancient golem that cannot be used by magic users. |
 | Captain Earth
Plot: One night right before summer vacation, Daiji Manatsu, a second-year in high school, sees a weird round rainbow floating in the sky above Seed Island and ventures there alone. He has seen this rainbow before. With the memories of his father's mysterious death and an encounter of a mysterious boy and girl, Daiji arrives on the island while the alarm of a building labeled "Earth Engine" is going off. Someone asks him if he's the captain, just as robotic intruders from Uranus called "Kiltgang" arrive. The battle around the shining stars is about to begin. |
 | Cardfight!! Vanguard Legion Mate (Season 4)
Plot: Aichi Sendou has saved the world, but now he has gone missing. Only Kai can remember him. Kai reunites with the Royal Paladin clan and begins unleashing a new power, the power of Legion, to help Aichi's friends remember who he is. Only by uniting them all together can they save Aichi from an unknown force that wants to destroy Aichi's memory forever. |
 | Chaika - The Coffin Princess (Alias: Hitsugi no Chaika)
Plot: Toru Acura is a 20-year-old retired soldier meandering through life now that the war has ended. He encounters Chaika Trabant, a 14-year-old sorceress carrying a coffin, and follows her in hopes of finding meaning to his life again. The two travel with Toru's adopted sister, Akari, the employed member of the group and thus Toru's source of income. |
 | Daimidaler the Sound Robot
Plot: The comedy centers around a high school boy named Kōichi Madanbashi who has Hi-ERo particles, the power source to operate the robotic weapon Daimidaler. With the help of Kyōko Sonan from the mysterious Prince Beauty Parlor organization, he stands up against the Penguin Empire that troubles humanity. |
 | Dai - Shogun - Great Revolution
Plot: In the late Edo period, Japan faced an unprecedented crisis with the arrival of black ships from overseas. However, Japan drove away the black ships thanks to Onigami, giant robots that have existed in Japan since the ancient times. The country has remained in self-imposed seclusion from foreigners ever since. The story begins in this Japan that never experienced the Meiji Restoration. |
 | Dragonar Academy
Plot: Learning to ride and tame dragons comes easy to most students at Ansarivan Dragonar Academy—except for first-year student Ash Blake, who is known by his fellow classmates as the “number one problem child.” Poor Ash is the laughing stock at school because, despite his unfashionably large star-shaped brand that marks him as a future dragon master, he has nothing to show for it. His dragon has never appeared. Until now, that is. One fateful day, Ash's dragon awakes in full glory, but appears different than any dragon ever seen before—in the form of a beautiful girl! What's worse, Ash soon discovers that this new dragon has attitude to spare, as she promptly informs him that she is the master, and he, the servant. Ash's problems with dragon riding have only just begun. |
 | Dragon Ball Z Kai
Plot: Dragon Ball Z Kai is a complete reworking and remastering of the Dragon Ball Z anime series to more closely fit Akira Toriyama's original story. Padding and filler content has been removed, massively reducing the amount of episodes. Kai was made to commemorate Dragon Ball's 20th anniversary. |
 | Dragon Collection
Plot: Through an unexpected turn of events, an ordinary elementary school student, Hiro Enryu, finds himself in the world of the "Dragon Collection" game. This is a world called Dragon Earth, where gods, humans, and monsters exist side by side. Those who roam this world using a magic book, called a Grimoire, and cards to summon monsters and search for treasures that bear the powers of dragons are called Dracolle Battlers. Despite his bewilderment, Hiro becomes a Dracolle Battler and, together with the friends he meets there, begins his adventure to become a legendary Dragon Master |
 | Date a Live II
Plot: The story centers on an ordinary high school boy named Shidō Itsuka who meets a spirit girl who has been rejected by a devastated world. The girl, who Shidō names "Tohka," happens to have wiped out much of humanity 30 years ago, and now she is back. The only way to stop her is to date her. |
 | Fairy Tail
Plot: After taking a year-long hiatus, Fairy Tail is finally back in action, continuing right where the first series left off. Following the adventures of Natsu Dragneel, Lucy Heartfilia,and the rest of their friends, the series jumps right back into the thick of the Grand Magic Games. |
 | Gigant Shooter Tsukasa
Plot: The anime follows Tsukasa, whose dream is to become the best at Gigant Shooter (battles in a game similar to pog) in the world. The menko card his father left for him called "King Menger" is his partner. Tsukasa's fellow gamers are the cute but tsundere Miruko Koide, the spectacled bully Manabu Numata, and the realist and sharp-tongued Ataru Dōmoto. |
 | Haikyu!!
Plot: A chance event triggered Shouyou Hinata's love for volleyball. His club had no members, but somehow persevered and finally made it into its very first and final regular match of middle school, where it was steamrolled by Tobio Kageyama, a superstar player known as "King of the Court." Vowing revenge, Hinata applied to the Karasuno High School volleyball club... only to come face-to-face with his hated rival, Kageyama. |
 | HappinessCharge Pretty Cure
Plot: The ruler of the evil Phantom Empire, Queen Mirage, begins her invasion on Earth using an army of Choiarks and powerful monsters called Saiarks. Pretty Cures are dispatched to fight against the Phantom Empire threat. Hime Shirayuki, a princess from the Blue Sky Kingdom who was given the power to become Cure Princess by a being named Blue, flees to Japan when her kingdom is invaded by the Phantom Empire. They defended the Earth against the Phantom Empire. |
 | Hero Bank
Plot: The anime centers around Kaito, an elementary school boy who is suddenly burdened with 10 billion yen (about US$100 million) in debt one day. The only way he can pay off the debt is to master "Hero-Gi" (downloaded off the net) and win matches in "Hero Battle," a new-generation cyber sport. The tagline of the game "Change your money with justice!" |
 | Insufficient Direction
Plot: This is the anime adaptation of Kantoku Fuyuki Todoki (Insufficient Direction), the first essay manga by the "queen of the manga world," Moyoco Anno. The comedic and heartwarming autobiographical story follows her everyday married "otaku lifestyle" with Hideaki Anno, "the founder of the otaku cult." |
 | Kamigami no Asobi
Plot: This is a beginning of the curious school life with the gods and human-beings. One day, Yui is led to the world of gods to teach them about “humans”, but the school life is start with confusion. As Yui teaches about “humans” and “love” to the gods, they feel and develop a “love” or…? |
 | Kanojo ga Flag wo Oraretara
Plot: Takei's original romantic comedy light novel series revolves around Sōta Hatate, a boy who has the unique ability to see "Flags" above the heads of other people. The "Flags" mark critical crossroads in people's lives — when the choices they make will determine love, friendship, victory, and even death. He transfers into Tokyo's elite Hatagaya Academy, but instead of living by himself in the boys' dormitory, he ends up living with five beautiful girls under one roof. |
 | Keroro
Plot (for Reboot "Keroro"): Sergeant Keroro, who is ”58th Planet of the Gamma Planetary System, Space Invasion Army Special Tactics Platoon Leader,” infiltrates the Hinata family's home as a preparatory stage to conquer Earth, but is easily captured by Fuyuki and Natsumi due to his inherent incompetence. keroro ends up staying in the home of the Hinata family thanks to Fuyuki's generosity, or perhaps simply out of his curiosity. As they pass the days keroro and his four subordinates (or creatures?) together plot to conquer Earth, or maybe not. |
 | Kindaichi Case Files Returns
Plot: Taiki Matsuno plays a high school boy named Hajime Kindaichi who usually seems dull, but when there is a case, he demonstrates remarkable deductive skills inherited from his famous detective grandfather. Akiko Nakagawa plays his childhood friend Miyuki Nanase, Juurouta Kosugi plays police inspector Isamu Kenmochi, and Toshiyuki Morikawa plays Kindaichi's rival Kengo Akechi. YTV's chief producer Michihiko Suwa was also a producer on the first series. |
 | Knights of Sidonia
Plot: It's been a thousand years since the Gauna, a strange alien race with no known method of communication, destroyed the solar system. A portion of humanity managed to escape using enormous "seed ships" like the Sidonia, which have allowed them to maintain the population while drifting through space. Nagate Tanikaze is a young man who has been raised deep in the bowels of the ship. When he goes into training to pilot the huge robotic weapons known as Gardes, Nagate is entrusted with piloting the legendary unit known as Tsugumori. Nagate and his fellow pilots put their lives on the line against the Gauna, in the ultimate battle for the survival of humanity. |
 | KutsuDaru.
Plot: Not Available. |
 | La Corda d'Oro Blue Sky
Plot: La corda d’oro, the hugely popular game series, celebrated its 10th anniversary on September 19, 2013. Fans have poured their undying love and support to the entire series over the past 10 years. Now, they’re about to be swept off their feet by the much-awaited animation of “La corda d’oro 3”, the latest series that was released in 2010. Twelve handsome boys and one girl spend a summer giving everything they’ve got to win a music competition. This is a story of youth and music. And dare we say, love? |
 | Lady Jewelpet
Plot: Not Available |
 | Love Live! School idol project 2
Plot: “Otonokizaka High School is planning to close within three years. However, nine female students come together with one thing in mind—form a pop idol group to revive the school’s popularity and keep it from shutting down. ‘In order to protect our beloved school, there’s only one thing we can do...become pop stars!’ |
 | M3: That Black Steel
Plot: The ensemble drama story follows eight boys and girls in the science-fiction setting of near-future Tokyo. The tagline on the website reads, "On the night of falling stars, they … heard that song…." |
 | Magica Wars
Plot: Based on the video game, the game has the following premise: You are the hero with a special mission. Protect Japan from wave after wave of invading "Magatsuhi," with the support of 47 local magical girls! (There are 47 prefectures in Japan.) |
 | Majin Bone
Plot: "This story began before Earth was born. Majin, the creator of the Universe, has been resurrected in the present day." Kenn will star as Shōgo Ryūjin, an ordinary high school student who transforms into the Bone Fighter Dragonbone with the Bone Card in order to save Earth. The cast also includes Hiroki Yasumoto as Rhinobone/Tyrone, Hiroyuki Yoshino as Jaguarbone/Antonio, and Shinnosuke Tachibana as Sharkbone/Luke. Together, these White Bone warriors stand up to Dark Bone, a foe that appeared from darkness to devastate Earth. However, "could the true enemy be ourselves?" |
 | Marvel Disk Wars: The Avengers
Plot: In the anime, portable capturing devices known as "DISKs" were developed to capture evil villains. However, thanks to Loki's machinations, both villains and heroes are sealed up in these Disks and scattered around the world. Amid the chaos, five youths obtained the power to restore these DISK-sealed heroes through a program called "Biocode." These youths received five DISKs that Spider-Man, who narrowly escaped being sealed himself, retrieved. Thus, these five can restore Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, Hulk, and Wasp — the Avengers! |
 | Mekaku City Actors
Plot: Shintaro Kisaragi, a HikiNEET who shut himself inside his room for 2 years, had been living his life normally until he met a cyber girl named Ene, who appeared in his computer screen when someone anonymously sent him a mysterious e-mail one year ago. One day, Ene messes with Shintaro's PC which causes him to go outside for the first time in two years. |
 | Mushi-shi: The Next Chapter
Plot: Mushi; the life-blood of nature. They exist everywhere in various forms: micro-organisms, fungi, bodies of water. Sometimes, they're even mistaken to be plants, animals, or spirits. But regardless of their appearance, they exist, nonetheless, living they only way they know how. At times, their actions can cause strange or unexplainable phenomena. Enter Ginko, the Mushishi (mushi master), as he continues encountering, studying, and dealing with the mysterious mushi along his journey into the unknown. |
 | Nandaka Velonica
Plot: The children's anime revolves around Velonica, a high-handed and ultra-selfish little alien girl on the Galaxy Network, who begins to cause havoc on Earth. After a “fated encounter” with an Earthling boy, Velonica wavers between a possible budding romance with the boy and her dedication to the arts. |
 | Nanana's Buried Treasure
Plot: Disowned by his father, Jugo Yama has run away from home to the island of Nanae. He begins to live by himself, only to discover his room is haunted by the ghost of Nanana Ryugajo. She was murdered ten years ago, and her killer must be found before she can rest in peace. Before her death, Nanana collected things from all over the world and hid them throughout the island. Using the mysterious powers of these hidden items, they should be able to find the culprit. As Jugo begins his hunt for her collection, however, he discovers he's not the only person searching. |
 | No Game, No Life
Plot: The story of centers around Sora and Shiro, a brother and sister whose reputations as brilliant NEET (Not in Education, Employment, or Training) hikikomori (shut-in) gamers have spawned urban legends all over the Internet. These two gamers even consider the real world as just another "crappy game." One day, they are summoned by a boy named "God" to an alternate world. There, God has prohibited war and declared this to be a world where "everything is decided by games" — even national borders. Humanity has been driven back into one remaining city by the other races. Will Sora and Shiro, the good-for-nothing brother and sister, become the "Saviors of Humanity" on this alternate world? "Well, let's start playing." |
 | Notari Matsutaro (Alias: Abarenbou Kishi!! Matsutaro)
Plot: Matsutarou Sakaguchi is a giant roughneck man with strength far beyond ordinary people. He never uttered words like "work hard," "strive," and "dream" like the typical shounen manga protagonist. However, he is stronger than anyone and peerless in sumo wrestling. His greatest weakness is his own carefree personality. He grows into a full-fledged sumo wrestler. |
 | One Week Friends
Plot: The story of the original manga revolves around Yūki, a boy who wants to become friends with his classmate and desk neighbor Kaori. However, she gently declines his friendship, saying, "But, my... Memories of my friends disappear in a week..." Even so, Yūki wants to become her friend, and so the two become friends over and over again as the weeks pass |
 | Oreca Battle
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 | Ping Pong
Plot: Makoto Tsukimoto (nicknamed Smile) is a quiet high-schooler who's been friends with the loud and energetic Yukata Hoshino (nicknamed Peco) since childhood. They're both in the local table tennis club and both have a natural talent for it, although Smile's personality always enables him from winning against Peco. The club teacher, however, notices Smile's talent and tries to make him gain some sportive tenacity. |
 | Pretty Rhythm All Star Selection
Plot: Young girl Lala is a Prism Show student, and is aiming to become an idol. She learns the way to shine from previous Prism Stars, including Aira Harune, Mia Ageha, and Naru Ayase. Lala looks back to the past with her mentors to their many experiences and Prism Shows. |
 | PUCHIM@S 2
Plot: In PUCHIM@S2, find brand new original anime episodes! Also, there will be surprises and other tricks as well as content related to the broadcast date!! Keep your eyes on PUCHIM@S 2 as it broadcasts every day!! What are Puchidols? Puchidols are small, cute, and mysterious creatures working at talent agency, 765 Production. Some shoot beams, some warp, some dig holes, even some heal others… so many mysteries to these creatures! |
 | Riddle Story of Devil
Plot: Haru Ichinose is a student at a private girls' boarding school, Myōjō Academy, who is being targeted by 12 assassins disguised as students and Tokaku Azuma is a transfer student and an assassin who also initially targets Haru, but develops feeling for her and decides to protect her from the other assassins. |
 | Selector Infected Wixoss
Plot: WIXOSS is a hugely popular card game, particularly among middle school children. But few know of LRIG Card, "the card of girls who possess will." Only special girls can hear the voice of LRIG, and those who possess this card are called selectors. |
 | Soul Eater Not!
Plot: Tsugumi Harudori is a halberd and a new student at Death Weapon Meister Academy. She is a part of the NOT class and is there to learn how to control her powers, not to fight or become a Death Scythe. Tsugumi must learn about and adapt to the quirks of DWMA, as well as select a meister. |
 | Tenkai Knights
Plot: In the story, Guren, Ceylan, Toxsa and Chooki accidentally fall through an inter-dimensional portal. When they find themselves on the other side, the group are on another world and have assumed the mantles of Bravenwolf, Tributon, Valorn, and Lydendor — otherwise known as the legendary Tenkai Knights. |
 | The Comic Artist and His Assistants (Alias: Mangaka-san to Assistant-san to)
Plot: A life description about the mangaka Aito Yuuki and his assistant Ashisu Sahoto. Aito doesn't understand the feelings of the characters in his stories so he asks Ashisu to help him. Ashisu would do anything for the work—she will even let him touch her breast so he will know how it feels like. |
 | The Irregular at a Magical High School (Alias: Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei)
Plot: The story takes place in a world in which magic is not a fairy tale, but has existed for nearly one hundred years. In the spring, the Private Magic University Affiliated High School (Magic High School for short) is welcoming its new students, and names the top student with the best grades at the time of their arrival the Bloom (read as “garland” in Japanese), and the student called the Weed is the Bloom's replacement. |
 | The Kawai Complex Guide to Manors and Hostel Behavior
Plot: Usa, a high-school student aspiring to begin a bachelor lifestyle, moves into a new apartment only to discover that he not only shares a room with a perverted roommate that has an obsession for underaged girls, but also that another girl, Ritsu, a love-at-first-sight, is living in the same building as well! |
 | Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V
Plot: The anime will feature a new protagonist, Yuya Sakaki, as "the curtains rise on a Duel Revolution!" |
 | World is Still Beautiful (Alias: Soredemo Sekai wa Utsukushii)
Plot: Nike, the determined princess of the Rain Dukedom has a mysterious power: she can control rainfall. After losing a game of rock, paper, scissors to her older sisters, she is forced to unwillingly marry the king of the Sun Kingdom, Livius I. Livius (or Livi for short) conquered the world in three years, and is known as the "Dreadful King." However, when Nike meets him for the first time, she finds to her surprise that he is a boy younger than she is. Livius abruptly asks Nike to call forth the rain, and when she refuses, he has her thrown in jail. The story follows the two who, while at first are a married couple only in name, gradually begin to establish an emotional bond with one another. |
About the Authors
 | Acura Max is a lover of movies, games, and anime. I'm also a moderator on Screened. |
 | BigHeart711 is a proud anime fan of the Blue Roses and Magical Mages! Follow him @MasterMenos |
 | Takashichea is an Asian American Studies student who is a big wiki and anime nerd. Follow him@Takashichea |
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