Looking Ahead: Our Most Anticipated Anime of 2016

By: MithrandielThis last year we've seen a lot of great anime, and in case you missed it you can review our top picks here. Now we've got our eyes set on 2016, and for good reason! Below are the 5 titles we're most excited for in 2016.

5) GATE - Season 2

 I was a fan of GATE this year, with its unique premise and solid execution. What is particularly intriguing to me in terms of the 2nd season is the fact that it appears to be breaching much heavier material. Fans familiar with the manga and light novels are aware that the story gets very dark, including some disturbing arcs involving slavery. From our brief preview of season 2, it seems that we'll be getting some glimpses into the darker side of GATE, which may lend itself to fleshing out some of the heavier themes of the series.

4)Attack on Titan - Season 2

 When AoT first landed back in 2012, anime fans were floored by its relentless, tear-your-heart-out drama, memorable characters, stunning animation and brutal fight scenes. Since then there have been attempts to satisfy the fans with live action movies and spinoffs of various types, but in 2016 we can finally look forward to some fresh content with season 2. Don't expect to be greeted warmly by the series, however, as AoT is well-known for crushing the dreams of its viewers.

3) My Hero Academia

 Superheroes in anime have been a big hit this year, as the standout series of the year by many accounts was One Punch Man. My Hero Academia takes a slightly different approach, but the premise and initial interest shows great promise. The story revolves around a young boy named Izuku Midoriya, who was given the misfortune of being born talentless in a world full of superheroes. While the vast majority of the population has a unique "quirk", or superpower, Izuku has none, and yet desires to be a hero more than anything. One day, after a fateful encounter with the world's mightiest hero, "All-Might", he is bequeathed a Quirk of his own and goes off to study at the Hero Academy, where he meets other like minded heroes in training. The manga has received stellar reviews, and we're certainly looking forward to it being brought to life!

2) Macross Delta

I've  been a fan of the Macross series since I first saw the Macross Plus OVA when it came out in 1994. Since then there have been numerous OVAs and series, but Delta will be the first substantial addition to the franchise since Macross Frontier aired in 2008. As of yet we don't have too much information on the series except that it takes place 8 years after Frontier, and aesthetically it seems to be borrowing from the Frontier style.

Finally, our Most Anticipated Series for 2016 is...

1) Berserk

 Since the re-emergence of Berserk in the form of the Golden Age OVA series that wrapped up a couple years ago, many speculated that the classic dark fantasy series would make a comeback. That has now been confirmed with the newest season arriving in 2016! The new season will follow Guts as he seeks out the infamous band of demons known as God Hand. There is a lot of very juicy, and very dark material that the Berserk series can dig into. If it can deliver on a fraction of this content, it will make for some amazing entertainment...and that's why it's our most anticipated series of 2016. That's it! Feel free to let us know in the comments what series you're excited to see in 2016!