Winter 2011 Anime

In the anime series Puella Magi Madoka Magica, middle school students Madoka Kaname and Sayaka Miki encounter Kyuubey, a feline-like magical entity, and Homura Akemi, a newly transferred student. Kyuubey offers the girls a contract to become magical girls and grant them any single wish in exchange for their power. However, Homura, who is also a magical girl, urgently warns them against accepting, citing hidden dangers. The story explores themes of hope and despair through the lens of a magical girl's existence, revealing the harsh truths and sacrifices necessary to fulfill their deepest desires.

In the world of Infinite Stratos, Japan developed the IS, a formidable exoskeleton suit that only females are capable of piloting. Due to its overwhelming destructive potential, an international treaty prohibited its deployment in warfare. Fifteen-year-old Ichika Orimura, who miraculously possesses the ability to operate an IS, is compelled to attend the Infinite Stratos Academy, an exclusive all-girls boarding school dedicated to training IS operators. Upon arrival, he reconnects with childhood friends Houki Shinonono and Lingyin Huang while forging a connection with Cecilia Alcott, the representative from the UK. Closely monitored by his older sister and homeroom teacher, Chifuyu Orimura, Ichika and his fellow students must rely on their piloting abilities to defend the school and themselves against the myriad dangers that arise during their eventful school life.

While in his second year of high school, Ayumu Aikawa meets his demise while investigating a peculiar house. He awakens beside Eucliwood Hellscythe, an armored girl who reveals herself as a necromancer responsible for reviving him as a zombie. Armed with this new undead existence, Ayumu sets out to discover who was responsible for his death. During a search through a cemetery, he encounters Haruna, a boisterous and energetic girl dressed as a magical girl, battling a bear wielding a chainsaw. After she defeats the creature, Haruna attempts to wipe Ayumu's memory, but instead, he inadvertently drains her magical powers. Stripped of her abilities, Haruna forces Ayumu to assume her role of hunting Megalo, dangerous beings that threaten humans. The narrative unfolds through the chaotic and bizarre daily life of Ayumu, now a zombie, as he adapts to a world where the supernatural is a normal occurrence.

At Ishiyama High, a school dominated by delinquents where violence reigns supreme, there is one unbreakable rule: never provoke Tatsumi Oga, the most formidable first-year student. One day, Oga discovers a man floating in a river and pulls him out. To his shock, the man splits open to reveal Baby Beel, also known as Kaiser de Emperana Beelzebub IV, the son of the Demon Lord. Unaware of the truth, Oga becomes the caretaker for the young demon. Accompanying Baby Beel is his demonic maid, Hildegard. As they attempt to raise the infant, they face numerous difficulties, including the school's hostile atmosphere and the presence of supernatural powers. The task proves much harder than they expected.

Kazuya Kujou, a Japanese student attending the opulent Saint Marguerite Academy in the Southern European nation of Sauville, remains isolated due to his distinct jet-black hair and dark brown eyes, which have earned him the foreboding moniker "Black Reaper." While searching the school's grand library for tales of ghosts, he notices a mysterious strand of golden hair on the stairs. This clue guides him to a vast garden where he encounters Victorique de Blois, a girl with a doll-like appearance and the uncanny ability to foresee future events. As their destinies intertwine, they become entangled in a series of enigmatic incidents, ranging from a phantom ship to an alchemist wielding powers of transmutation. Linked by fate and their unique talents, Kazuya and Victorique must depend on one another to unravel these baffling mysteries.

As the New Year holidays conclude and Valentine's Day approaches, Sawako Kuronuma feels increasingly at ease with her classmates. Although she harbors feelings for the popular Shouta Kazehaya, she chooses not to give him chocolate. Meanwhile, Kazehaya, who also cares for Sawako, senses a growing distance between them. With February ending and April arriving, Sawako begins her second year of high school. She is delighted to share a class with her friends Ayane Yano and Chizuru Yoshida, as well as Kazehaya and his friend Ryuu Sanada. The arrival of a new student, Kento Miura, who takes an interest in Sawako, adds further complexity to the dynamic between her and Kazehaya.

In a future where humanity is constantly under attack by the invasive alien race known as the Novas, young individuals are equipped with stigmata that grant them extraordinary powers. These empowered fighters, consisting of female Pandoras and male Limiters, are trained at military academies to combat the relentless attacks, called Nova Clashes. Kazuya Aoi begins his journey at the West Genetics military academy on a day marked by a Pandora competition. During this event, Kazuya mistakenly believes that Satellizer el Bridget, a powerful Pandora nicknamed the "Untouchable Queen," is his late sister and impulsively hugs her. Despite costing her the contest, Satellizer notices that Kazuya's touch doesn't repel her, leading her to choose him as her Limiter. As they forge a partnership, they must navigate the challenges posed by their seniors and the ever-present danger of the Novas.

The true ending arc of Ore no Imouto consists of four episodes that diverge after the 11th episode of the main TV series, offering an alternate conclusion to the anime. These episodes stand in contrast to the good end arc of the TV series, which was an original ending created for the anime, and instead adhere closely to the source material from the light novels.

In this special episode, originally unaired and later added to the Blu-ray box set, Yuusaku shows up at school carrying an elaborate bento, making Ryuuji feel his own cooking skills are lacking. Driven by a desire to outdo Yuusaku's work, Ryuuji gets intensely competitive, going so far as to bring a rice cooker to school. But after Taiga gives him some salty onigiri, Ryuuji realizes that a bento's true value isn't just in its taste but in the feelings put into making it.

Kisaragi Ryuji is a high school student living a quiet life. Everything changes when his second cousin Eriko returns, and together they take a relic box from a black market dealer. Inside the box, they discover a red dragon girl named Rose. To keep Rose safe from a dangerous criminal organization, Ryuji resolves to employ his abilities as a relic handler.

High school student Yumeji Fujiwara possesses the unusual ability to perceive the dreams of others by sensing their "aura," though the images he sees remain indistinct. He frequently uses this talent to entertain his classmates, yet he suffers from the same recurring nightmare every night. Yumeji's life is thrown into chaos when his nightmare begins to manifest while he is awake. This strange event is triggered by a dream demon, an entity from the dream world that seeks to use Yumeji's body to fully enter the real world. Fortunately, Merry Nightmare, a dream demon who can appear without a host and aims to return to her own dimension, comes to his rescue. As more dream demons attempt to break through into reality, Yumeji and Merry must fight to prevent everyone's nightmares from becoming a terrifying truth.

Fifth grader Shuuichi Nitori is widely regarded as one of the prettiest girls in school, yet to their own dismay, they are biologically male. Fortunately, Shuuichi has a childhood friend who shares similar feelings of gender dysphoria: the lanky tomboy Yoshino Takatsuki, who, though biologically female, does not identify as a girl. These two friends share a similar secret and find solace in one another; however, their lives become even more complicated when they must navigate the unfamiliar waters of a new school, attempt to make new friends, and struggle to maintain old ones. Faced with nearly insurmountable odds, they must learn to deal with the harsh realities of growing up, gender identity, relationships, and acceptance. Lauded as a decidedly serious take on gender identity and LGBT struggles, Takako Shimura's Hourou Musuko follows Shuuichi and Yoshino's journey to discover their true selves as they enter puberty, make friends, fall in love, and face real and difficult choices. Note: The full version of Hourou Musuko was originally intended to be 12 episodes, but the programming block it aired on only had space for 11 episodes. Therefore, episodes 10 and 11 were edited together and aired on TV as episode 10. Episode 12 was aired on TV as episode 11. The full versions of episodes 10 and 11 were included on the BD & DVD releases and are included in the Hourou Musuko Specials entry.

Picking up right after where season 1 ended, the students of Class F are all complaining about their terrible equipment. However, a school festival is coming up, and if they can earn enough money, they'll be able to purchase better supplies. As always, Akihisa is willing to do whatever it takes to help Himeji. This is especially critical now because Himeji's father is concerned about her being placed in Class F and is considering transferring her to a different school.

On his way home, Mikiya Kokutou notices a scene that recalls their first meeting four years earlier: Shiki Ryougi is standing by a railing in the falling snow. As they talk about their past and the things they have been through together, Mikiya senses something different about Shiki. It becomes clear that the person in front of him is not the Shiki he is familiar with, but someone else living inside her body.

During the summer vacation, Charlotte hopes to enjoy some personal time with Ichika at his home, but her plans are disrupted when Cecilia also decides to visit. Soon after, Houki, Lingyin, and Laura all show up as well. The following day, Houki assists with her family's shrine for a summer festival and is taken aback to find Ichika there.

High school student Yukitaka Tsutsui relocates from Tokyo to Yamagata Prefecture on a baseball scholarship after performing well at Japan's top middle school for the sport, causing local excitement. Yet when he arrives at his new apartment, he finds a stranger wearing his clothes and rummaging through his belongings. The intruder introduces himself as Baka Ki El Dogra, the crown prince of Dogra and an alien whose spaceship crash-landed on Earth with nowhere else to go. In reality, many extraterrestrials have already taken up residence on the planet. Despite his royal status, the prince is notorious across the galaxy for his extreme foolishness, frequently causing trouble for his own amusement. Whether he conducts bizarre experiments on his underlings, grants strange abilities to random children, or simply stirs up chaos, nobody is safe from the idiot prince's capricious pranks.

In the manga "I Don't Like My Big Brother At All!," second-year middle school student Nao Takanashi has a powerful brother complex for her older sibling Shuusuke, wanting him to perceive her as a mature woman. She repeatedly makes flirtatious advances toward him, and these actions typically cause Shuusuke to give in, which in turn encourages her playful behavior. While sorting through some of Shuusuke's belongings, including adult magazines, Nao discovers a photo album filled only with memories from his childhood—none of which include her. Realizing how separate their pasts are, Nao grows even more attached to Shuusuke. Her desire to keep her brother entirely to herself soon faces a threat.

After the Fractale system was established, global peace became the norm, with people living isolated lives focused on their own interests, aided by Fractale terminals embedded in their bodies. Clain Necran spends his time collecting pre-Fractale vintage technology and mainly interacts with the Doppels of his parents—sophisticated holographic duplicates. One day, Clain encounters Phryne, the first real human girl he has ever met, and he feels an immediate attraction to her. But Phryne is being chased by The Lost Millennium, an organization opposing the Fractale system, and she leaves a mysterious artifact behind for Clain before vanishing. Motivated by a wish to rescue Phryne and return her belonging, Clain sets out on a quest to find her. As he explores the Fractale system further, the reality of its true nature proves far more dangerous than he ever anticipated.

The sequel to Saint Seiya: The Lost Canvas - Meiou Shinwa.

Third-year middle school student Sendo Aichi is a timid boy who has lived his life looking backward rather than forward, striving never to stand out. Yet, one thing has kept him moving: the "Blaster Blade," a card from a card game gifted to him in childhood. This card becomes the catalyst for his entry into Card Fights, an experience that drastically alters his destiny. The game is known as "Vanguard." Set on a different planet called "Cray," it utilizes a never-before-seen play system that has driven it to global popularity. Instantly captivated by Vanguard, Aichi befriends peers like Tokura Misaki and Katsuragi Kamui, while also encountering various rivals. Through these friendly competitions, Aichi discovers a fulfilling life. However, he harbors a specific goal: to battle once more with a Vanguard Fighter named Kai Toshiki. An aloof and cold-hearted high schooler with outstanding abilities in the Vanguard world, Toshiki is the very reason Aichi began playing. For Aichi, Toshiki is the one who rescued him from a boring existence and introduced him to the game. Pouring his soul into Vanguard every day to improve, Aichi hopes that one day he will battle Toshiki and earn his recognition of Aichi's worth.

Fifth Break Blade Movie.

UNIQLO stores across Japan will give away a Naruto x UT Original DVD featuring brand-new animation starting January 1. The DVD includes an original Naruto anime video set to a special version of Mayonaka no Orchestra, the upcoming song by Japanese rock band Aqua Timez. A limited quantity of these DVDs will be offered as gifts to customers who purchase UNIQLO's Naruto graphic T-shirts either online or in-store.

In Mitsudomoe Zouryouchuu!, Satoshi Yabe has grown accustomed to his role as the homeroom teacher for class 6-3. Since his first day, the Marui triplets have been relentlessly playing tricks on him. Amidst the disorder, Yabe and the sisters come to know each other more deeply. As they move through their final year of elementary school, the triplets and their classmates keep causing trouble and enjoying lighthearted mischief.

One year after Danma Kuusou and his team came back from the battles in Gundalia and Neathia, they have gotten used to life on Earth again. At the same time, Bakugan Interspace, the virtual arena that was harmed by an alien invasion, has now fully recovered and is a popular place for brawlers to show off their skills. Even with this recovery, new problems appear when Danma’s Pyrus Dragonoid starts causing random disruptions in the Interspace during matches. The Mechtogan, a power that Code Eve, the Bakugan Mother spirit, gave to Danma, begins to act independently, attacking both allies and enemies without control. To make things worse, an unknown enemy is using altered Chaos Bakugan to control the minds of brawlers and take over the virtual world. Facing an upcoming battle, Danma must learn to control the unstable Mechtogan power and bring the Battle Brawlers together to fight the new threat.

In the unusual realm of Mirror Kyoto, a place that exists apart from the actual Kyoto, a young girl named Koto stumbles into this strange alternate world by chance. There, she encounters a mysterious monk, barely escapes the efforts of a tech-savvy girl trying to catch her, and swiftly adjusts to her energetic and chaotic existence. Yet, despite her excitement, a hidden scheme is brewing in the background. As spirits and humans coexist in this enigmatic city, a grand celebration is on the verge of starting.

At the heart of the Howard Resort Hotel, a global entertainment hub promising immense riches, Rio Rollins, celebrated as the "Goddess of Victory," deals cards in the casino. Driven by her desire to match her legendary mother, one of history's most illustrious dealers, Rio aims to collect the thirteen fabled "gate" cards. The dealer who amasses all these cards earns the prestigious MVCD (Most Valuable Casino Dealer) title, solidifying their status as a top-tier professional. Amidst the luxurious setting, Rio faces fierce competition from other talented dealers. The story unfolds with a blend of exhilarating drama, supreme comedy, and moments that tug at the heartstrings. This tale features charming and alluring characters that leap from the screen, leaving viewers captivated by their exploits. As the crowd cheers "Leave it to Rio!", fortune seems to smile upon her.

Thirteen years after his time with the Indiana Hornets, Gorou Honda's pro baseball career is cut short by a severe injury. Motivated by his father's ability to push through hardships, Gorou chooses to begin his baseball journey again in a different role. His commitment to practice confuses his family, particularly his young daughter Izumi, who is distressed by his frequent absence. Confronted with yet another difficult challenge, Gorou is set on proving his determination through the sport he loves.

The trio of Tobias, Mary, and Sakuya attempt to defeat the unbeatable dungeon called "The One Sin." But they become lost within the labyrinth and accidentally ensnare fellow guild members. A puzzling cat observes their error. Could it be a player or an NPC?

New series of shorts featuring Index-tan.

Each of the six Maken-Ki! Blu-ray volumes includes a ten-minute short anime titled "Doki Doki! Maken-ki! Himitsu no Kunren." These shorts show animated secret training sessions featuring the main characters of the series.

In a reality where dark entities hide from plain sight, Sam and Dean Winchester have firsthand knowledge of what lies behind folklore and urban legends. They travel across the country in their signature 1967 Chevrolet Impala, committed to eliminating supernatural threats that plague humanity. Confronting creatures like shapeshifters, werewolves, vampires, ghosts, and demons, the brothers hunt down and destroy each malevolent being they come across. Their crusade is also fueled by a personal vendetta against the entity that caused their devastating tragedy.

One year after the events of the twelfth episode, with the school festival approaching, Daigo sets out on a search for a girlfriend to be his dance partner at the event. Will he manage to accomplish his goal?

A large scale remake of the time after Kenshin leaves Tokyo up until before the inferno of Kyoto.

The plot follows Nyarlko, a shapeless entity from the Cthulhu mythos capable of assuming any appearance it desires, most often taking the form of a seemingly normal girl with silver hair. High school student Mahiro Yasaka leads an ordinary life until one night he finds himself pursued by aliens, only to be rescued by Nyarlko.

Serving as the sequel to Macross Frontier: Itsuwari no Utahime, this film continues the story with Ranka's stardom reaching new heights while Sheryl's health swiftly declines following her collapse during a live concert. Meanwhile, distinct factions operate in the shadows, attempting to command the Vajra swarm by exploiting the singing powers of both vocalists. As the Macross Frontier fleet launches its ultimate battle against the Vajra, Alto is forced to make a final decision between Ranka and Sheryl.

Logan discovers that his missing girlfriend, Mariko Yashida, has been kidnapped by her father, Shingen—the leader of a Japanese crime syndicate and an AIM supplier—and taken to Tokyo. Resolved to save her, Logan travels to Japan, prepared to go to any lengths to retrieve Mariko.

A promotional video debuted at Comiket 78, later uploaded to YouTube and featured on the official site. It was bundled with the first Blu-ray and DVD release of the Matsuri OVA. The clip mimics a visual novel game displayed on a Nintendo DS screen.

After the school festival, Kohei and his friends go to a cozy cottage on the edge of town to unwind after all their hard work.

An amusement park that Keiichi and Belldandy once visited together is shutting down. They decide to go back on its final day for a long overdue outing. Meanwhile, an overflow of happiness in the world is endangering the Goddesses' relevance. The source of this excess happiness turns out to be Belldandy. Urd and Skuld must figure out what is causing Belldandy's happiness to surge before it spirals out of control and renders Goddesses unnecessary in this world. The storyline for Episode 2 has not been revealed.

Feeling envious of Suneo's latest robot toy, Nobita asks Doraemon to build an even better one for him. Doraemon initially refuses, but then Nobita accidentally discovers pieces of a mysterious robot that fell from the sky. After gathering all the robot parts and assembling them together, the giant robot Zanda Claus is soon completed. The duo soon learn that the robot is not a mere plaything, but a powerful weapon in the fight against the coming Robot Army that plans to attack Earth and enslave its human inhabitants. An invasion is near, as a mysterious girl named Riruru appears, looking for the robot.

In "Ojiisan no Lamp," a curious young boy named Tooichi discovers an old lamp in his grandfather's storage shed and begins playing with it as a toy. His grandfather quickly scolds him and proceeds to explain the lamp's importance, revealing how it connects to the local community's adoption of Western culture. As a youth, the grandfather, Minosuke, earned his living by performing various odd jobs for the townspeople. During a trip to a neighboring town, he was introduced to Western-style lighting, an encounter that sparked a deep fascination with lamps. This passion not only became the central focus of his life but also played a pivotal role in transforming the lives of Minosuke and those around him.

The official website announced that an OVA of Itsuka Tenma no Kuro Usagi would be bundled with the ninth volume of the novel. This OVA is an animated crossover combining Itsu-Ten with the fantasy story The Legend of the Legendary Heroes (Densetsu no Yuusha no Densetsu or DenYuuDen).

Hitoha, the youngest of the Marui triplet sisters, often finds herself at odds with her mischievous sibling Futaba, who enjoys teasing her by pinching her soft cheeks. The situation grows even stranger when Hitoha develops a pimple on her face that resembles a breast, drawing unwanted attention from her classmates. Meanwhile, their eldest sister, Mitsuba, stirs up trouble by modifying sports equipment, which frequently leads to awkward situations. Amid the ongoing chaos and mishaps, the sisters' daily lives remain lively and packed with unexpected twists.

According to Kadokawa, an OVA of R-15 will be bundled with the tenth volume of the novel.

In the vibrant realm of Major, where instruments and notes bring music to life, the cat-like singer Hummy prepares to perform the "Melody of Happiness" at an annual concert. This special tune can spread joy across multiple worlds. However, Mephisto, the ruler of the dark Minor Land, disrupts the event by twisting the melody into the "Melody of Sorrow," which spreads despair. To undo this, Hummy searches for the Precure, legendary guardians inspired by their passion for music, to restore the original harmony. Traveling to Kanon Town, Hummy meets Hibiki Houjou, a talented student known for her athleticism, and Kanade Minamino, a hardworking baker. Once inseparable friends, Hibiki and Kanade have grown apart and now frequently argue. Their fighting is suddenly interrupted when Siren, a singer from Minor Land, transforms a valuable record into a monstrous beast. Feeling compelled to protect what they cherish, Hibiki and Kanade transform into Suite Precure. As legendary defenders, they must set aside their differences to safeguard the world's happiness.

The short episodes packaged with the Blu-ray and DVD releases adapt the spin-off side story "Kuragehime Heroes☆," originally published in Kiss Plus magazine. These specials focus on the supporting cast in brief vignettes.

Special segments included with the Baka to Test to Shoukanjuu: Matsuri BD/DVD releases, providing alternate conclusions to the OVA episodes.

Picture dramas from the DVD/BDs.

During the broadcast of Pokemon Best Wishes!, two special episodes were aired that revisited characters from the Diamond & Pearl series. These episodes focus on Hikari and Takeshi alongside their Pokemon. The first episode is titled "Hikari - Setting off on a New Journey!" and the second is "Nibi Gym - The Greatest Crisis Ever!"

A power outage in a remote prison—holding only four prisoners and a cat—triggers the release of all cell doors. The guards vanish without a trace, and no obvious route to freedom presents itself. The events grow increasingly strange, driven by the peculiar actions of one elderly inmate.

DVD specials for .hack//Quantum. Main girls are being very special creatures and take lessons about the anime.

When the Aquamarine gemstone known as the Mermaid's Scale surfaces at a clandestine underground auction, the underworld's queen, nicknamed the "Bearslayer," forces the professional jewel thief Lupin to steal it for her. After Lupin snatches the stone, he swiftly realizes it is a fake and that the genuine Mermaid's Scale is the key to an unsolved riddle promising transcendence over mortality. Chaos erupts when the "Bearslayer" is found murdered in cold blood, and her seemingly immortal young aide, Misa, is kidnapped by the arms dealer Himuro. Lupin and his gang must now race to uncover the secret to eternal life before it is exploited to plunge Earth into a state of endless war.

Shin Koihime†Musou: Otome Tairan OVA.

In the anime "Drawer Hobs," Noel Hiiragi, a single woman who works at a call center, leads a busy life in her cramped apartment. Her situation becomes even more disordered when her mother unexpectedly sends her a six-drawer wardrobe. Planning to send it back, Noel tries to squeeze the huge piece of furniture into her small space and calls her mother to complain. Her mother only responds mysteriously that it is "her turn." One evening, after returning home from drinking, Noel finds a chubby child eating her snacks in her apartment. While reeling from the shock and confusion, she discovers that the wardrobe holds six strange children who claim to be servants to the current leader of the Hiiragi household. As she struggles to accept this odd reality, Noel attempts to adapt to her changed life, wondering whether the children's arrival is a help or a hindrance.

Young Mari despises eating vegetables and drinking milk so much that she has nightmares about being forced to consume them. One day at school, the little girl manages to choke down her milk and vegetables, then faints from the shock. When she wakes up in the nurse's office, she finds herself face to face with Ninninman, Piman, and Milk—three food sprites that only appear when Mari drinks her milk and eats her carrots and peppers. Although Mari is less than thrilled to be haunted by her most hated foods, can these three spirits help her discover the importance of friendship, and perhaps even teach her to finish her meals? The Japanese Agency for Cultural Affairs invested 214 million yen ($2.26 million) in the "Young Animator Training Project" and entrusted its execution to the Japan Animation Creators Association (JaniCA). JaniCA will produce four original anime (23 minutes long, with OP and ED sequences) in cooperation with four production studios. Bannou Yasai Ninninman is one of these four projects.

The last thing college student Sigma recalls is being abducted; he awakens confined in an unfamiliar facility alongside eight others. Their sole chance for freedom lies in participating in the Nonary Game, a deadly test defined by distrust and betrayal, where the choice of allies could determine survival or death. Tension escalates as the participants begin to suspect that their mysterious captor may be among them, casting doubt on every alliance formed.

This adaptation offers a super-deformed take on Buronson and Tetsuo Hara's post-apocalyptic martial arts manga, Hokuto no Ken. The "DD" in the title stands for "Design Deformation," with characters drawn in a chibi style, only two heads tall.

T.P. Sakura: Time Paladin Sakura, a spinoff from Circus's D.C. Da Capo series, centers on Yoshino Sakura, an apparently ordinary third-grader who conceals extraordinary hidden abilities.

Chirico visits an oasis town and meets Gotho and his friends for the first time in 32 years.

Random side stories of Sengoku Basara characters in chibi form.