North Texas Daily

It’s that time of year where many find themselves stuck indoors, avoiding the harsh, cold Texas winter. Those running out of binge-watches are in luck. The latest season of anime premieres has just started, making it the perfect time to try some new animated series.

Here are some of the hottest anime picks to keep you warm this season.

“Trigun Stampede” 

“Trigun Stampede,” a remake of 1998 anime “Trigun,” is a blast from the past. The reboot introduces a new story with a similar baseline and setting. It’s a reimagined western sci-fi adventure with a solid mix of anime tropes, both old and new.

The series stars dangerous protagonist Vash the Stampede, who has managed to accumulate a giant bounty price on himself. Much is unknown about why Vash has a bounty or how he has managed to gain such great gunslinging skills despite being a pacifist. Two reporters, Meryl Stryfe and Roberto De Niro, try to solve Vash’s mysterious past as they follow him throughout his wasteland adventures.

“Trigun Stampede” is animated in 3D, rather than the standard 2D anime style. Its unique design shows off some of the best animation the industry can produce.

While some of the show’s character models are not the best, its action and pivotal scenes are breathtaking. “Trigun Stampede” takes exciting new turns every episode and is one of the best reboots this season.

“Buddy Daddies”

An unexpected hit, “Buddy Daddies” owns a familiar premise, but is more than meets the eye.

It stars two assassins, Kazuki and Rei, as they take jobs while trying to evade authorities. The pair is eventually joined by an abandoned little girl, Miri, when she accidentally tags along on one of their missions. The assassins then decide to take Miri in and care for her as one of their own.

The show has a strong emotional core with a variety of characters. As the season progresses, audiences steadily learn more about Kazuki and Rei’s backgrounds and their true motivations for taking care of Miri. Overall, “Buddy Daddies” is an anime that expertly mixes found family tropes with cool assassin action.

“Tomo-Chan is a Girl!”

“Tomo-Chan is a Girl!” is a warm-hearted high school romantic comedy filled with mischief and thrill.

The show follows tomboy Tomo as she tries to get her childhood friend Junichiro to notice her as more than just a friend. After years of friendship, she ends up confessing her love to him. However, Junichiro does not recognize the confession and continues to see Tomo as one of the guys.

Throughout the show, Tomo and her friends try different ways to get Junichiro’s attention and take their relationship to the next level. Comedic misunderstandings are sprinkled throughout, adding additional stressors for Tomo.

The tight script serves up slow romance with a side of comedy, scratching just the right itch for rom-com fans.

“NieR: Automata Ver1.1a”

“NieR: Automata Ver1.1a” is an adaptation of the video game “NieR: Automata,” and seems to be living up to its source material.

Set in the fictional Nier universe, the series finds protagonist androids 2b and 9s on a future Earth. There, what remains of the human population faces endless hordes of sentient killer robots. Humanity created the YoRHa soldiers to deal with them, which has resulted in endless war.

The music, visuals and overall look of the show are unmatched when compared to most animated series this season. Together, they emulate similar strong suits of the original game. The show’s start is a bit confusing, but becomes more understandable as it continues to develop. Throughout the series, it becomes clear why it hits home for video game fans.

The plot may seem complex without prior knowledge about the show and game’s universe, but basic plot points become easier to grasp as the show continues. Regardless, “NieR: Automata Ver1.1a” is a great watch just for the audio-visual experience alone. Its action-packed fight scenes and beautiful musical accompaniment easily offers one of the best experiences this season.

Featured Illustration by Felicia Tshimanga