Month: December 2020

Whether you want to watch zombies being idols or yakuza being househusbands, there’s an anime for everyone in 2021.

2021 is right around the corner, and with it comes a year’s worth of brand-new anime. Quite a few anime have been announced already, ranging from entirely original ideas to manga, video game, and light novel-inspired stories. In the following article, we detail our 11 most anticipated anime for 2021.

It’s worth pointing out that none of these shows are for-sure confirmed for 2021. We’re also not saying that these will definitely be the best anime of 2021 once all is said and done. But each one of these anime are tentatively scheduled for next year, and each has managed to intrigue us. Hopefully, they all live up to expectations.

The Promised Neverland Season 2

One of our favorite anime of 2019, The Promised Neverland isn’t your typical shonen anime, putting a heavier reliance on mind games than all-out brawls, leaning into horror, and featuring a female protagonist. But it’s because of all these differences that The Promised Neverland is so special.

In The Promised Neverland, Emma is one of the smartest kids at her orphanage, and although no one has chosen to adopt her yet, she thinks of the orphanage’s supervisor as her mother. But then Emma learns of a terrible secret connected to the orphanage, and “Mom” is in on it. With the help of her closest friends, Emma will need to trick her cunning caretaker and find a way to escape the only home she’s ever known. Season 1 of The Promised Neverland is available on Crunchyroll, Hulu, Funimation, and Hidive.

Zombieland Saga: Revenge

One of our favorite anime of 2018, Zombieland Saga is a mixture of idol anime and zombie horror. This bizarre mixture of tropes produce some genuinely laugh-out-loud moments, but the anime isn’t all fun and games. It also explores more serious themes, such as struggling with transgender identity, depression, and social anxiety.

In Zombieland Saga, protagonist Sakura is killed by a passing truck on her first day of high school. 10 years later, she’s resurrected as a zombie alongside six other girls, and the eccentric necromancer responsible for their current predicament wants the seven to become an idol group. Zombieland Saga: Revenge is the name of the show’s second season, but other than the theme being that of, well, revenge, we don’t know that much about it. Season 1 of Zombieland Saga is available on Crunchyroll and Funimation.

Horimiya

Based on the romantic comedy manga of the same name, Horimiya tends to lean more toward depicting the cute antics of two teenagers falling in love as opposed to the escalating drama of two problematic young adults as seen in other series. Which isn’t to say that Horimiya doesn’t have its stakes, but if you’re looking for another Domestic Girlfriend or Sing “Yesterday” For Me, then this series won’t give that to you.

In Horimiya, protagonist Hori presents herself as a fashionable, intelligent, and highly capable student, but at home she dresses plainly and lives a rather simple and boring life. Meanwhile, Miyamura, a boy in Hori’s class, is regarded by most of his peers as a loser and not one to take notice of, but outside of school, he wears piercings and rolls up his sleeves to reveal a liberal amount of tattoos–plus, once he styles his hair, he’s pretty hot. When Hori and Miyamura discover each other’s secret home lives, their pact to not tell their fellow students creates a bond between them that slowly blooms into something more.

Dr. Stone: Stone Wars

One of our favorite anime of 2019, Dr. Stone is a lot like The Promised Neverland in that it’s a shonen anime that’s more concerned with its protagonists solving their problems with their brains as opposed to brawn. The first season of this anime is a bit of a slow burn, but this second season, Dr. Stone: Stone Wars, should punch up the pacing a little bit.

In Dr. Stone, a mysterious light emanates across the world, encasing all humans in stone. Protagonist Senku, an intelligent high school student with a gift for science, finally breaks free of the stone centuries later, and manages to find a way to do the same for his friends. Now stuck in a world resembling the Stone Age in terms of technology, Senku promises that he’ll use science to rebuild modern society within decades. Season 1 of Dr. Stone is available on Crunchyroll and Funimation.

Princess Connect! Re:Dive Season 2

One of the most popular anime of 2020, Princess Connect! Re:Dive is returning for a second season in 2021. A comedy-based fantasy anime, Princess Connect gives off heavy Konosuba: God’s Blessing on this Wonderful World vibes–if Konosuba was reversed and was about an incompetant man and his party of dependable female companions.

In Princess Connect! Re:Dive, protagonist Yuuki falls from the sky and lands in a field, waking up with no memories of who he is or how he got there. But then he’s approached by Kokkoro, an elf that informs him that she’s his guide to the world. The two eventually meet and befriend swordswoman Pecorine and sorceress Karyl, and the four decide to set out on an adventure together in order to figure out what happened to Yuuki’s memories. Season 1 of Princess Connect! Re:Dive is available on Crunchyroll.

The Way Of The Househusband

The Way of the Househusband is hilarious–much in the same way that Zombieland Saga is. But instead of being about zombies who are music idols, The Way of the Househusband is about a yakuza who takes care of all of the everyday tasks associated with owning a house.

In The Way of the Househusband, protagonist Tatsu is a powerful and feared yakuza boss who decides to retire from a life of crime in order to take care of the domestic tasks at home while his wife pursues her career as a designer. Tatsu, however, has been a yakuza for so long that it’s really all he knows how to be. So he tackles benign household tasks with the intensity of a crime boss.

Laid-Back Camp Season 2

Another of our favorite anime of 2018, Laid-Back Camp is the perfect show for those looking to just unwind and relax. Laid-Back Camp carries viewers through its lackadaisical pacing with its rambunctious cast, all of whom spend most of the show doing normal, everyday tasks but with a dash of teenage antics and witty humor.

In Laid-Back Camp, protagonists Rin and Nadeshiko have a chance encounter during one of Rin’s solo camping trips. Discovering that she likes the idea of camping, Nadeshiko decides to join her high school’s camping club. While Nadeshiko makes new friends and enjoys group camping, Rin continues to camp solo. But the two remain in contact with one another, and as they become better friends, they try to push the boundaries of their own comfort level and embrace the other’s idea of the ideal camping experience. Season 1 of Laid-Back Camp is available on Crunchyroll.

My Hero Academia Season 5

Given that My Hero Academia Season 2 was our favorite anime of 2017, the show’s third season was one of our favorite anime of 2018, and the fourth season was one of our favorite anime of 2019, you can probably guess why we’re so excited for Season 5. My Hero Academia is one of the most popular shonen anime out right now, crossing over into mainstream culture and attracting the attention of those who aren’t normally into anime.

In My Hero Academia, super powers–known as Quirks–are the norm, with most people born with some sort of special ability. Protagonist Izuku is one of the few born without a Quirk, but he still wants to be a hero like his idol, All Might. When Izuku manages to meet All Might, the young boy’s courage impresses the veteran hero, and All Might passes his Quirk onto Izuku. Izuku then enrolls in Japan’s most prestigious high school for wannabe superheroes, and begins his training to master one of the world’s most powerful Quirks. Seasons 1-4 of My Hero Academia are available on Crunchyroll and Funimation.

2.43: Seiin High School Boys Volleyball Club

Don’t be sad that Haikyu: To The Top ends in 2020 and we now have to wait for who knows how long for Haikyu Season 5. 2021 seems to be giving us more volleyball boys to cheer for in 2.43: Seiin High School Boys Volleyball Club.

In 2.43: Seiin High School Boys’ Volleyball Club, childhood friends Kimichika and Yunii both play on the titular high school team. Yunii is a gifted volleyball player with a natural talent for the sport, but he easily falls victim to the pressure of not wanting to make mistakes–which, of course, only leads to mistakes. But Kimichika’s calm demeanor manages to pull out Yunii’s full potential, creating a powerhouse combo. Alongside their upperclassmen, the two boys aim to make their team the best in their prefecture.

Beastars Season 2

The comparison has been made before but it’s worth repeating: Beastars is like a more adult-oriented version of Zootopia. This anime visually represents white people and femininity with herbivores and people of color and masculinity with predators to explore issues surrounding race, sexuality, persecution, and self-worth. It’s also incredibly horny.

In Beastars, protagonist Legosi is a wolf, whose monstrous appearance belies his rather gentle and caring nature. One day, Legosi meets a small rabbit, named Haru, who has a past of sleeping with different men in order to feel special. The two strike up an uneasy friendship, with Legosi’s romantic feelings for Haru at odds with his predatory instincts to eat her, and Haru’s fascination with Legosi contradicting her desire to flee whenever they’re together. At the same time, murders of herbivore students begin to spark feelings of mistrust towards the carnivores on campus. Season 1 of Beastars is available on Netflix.

Princess Principal: Crown Handler

If you like the mystery and intrigue behind spy thrillers, but wish that they had a bit more cuteness to them, look no further than Princess Principal. Though most of the anime features bloody executions, gut-wrenching betrayals, and surprising revelations, there are also moments of just cute characters doing cute things. Crown Handler is a six-part film that acts as a sequel to the original series, which aired in 2017.

In Princess Principal, Ange and Dorothy are spies for the democratic-run Commonwealth, posing as students in order to infiltrate the monarch-run Kingdom in hopes of toppling the current leadership. They befriend and find allies in Princess Charlotte, who wants the crown, and Beatrice, a close friend of the princess. Chise, an exchange student from Japan sent to spy on both sides so that her country can take advantage of the conflict, joins their crew, and together the five undergo a series of espionage, sabotage, and assassination missions. Season 1 of Princess Principal is available on Hidive and Amazon Prime Video.

Though originally scheduled to arrive on December 10, Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War and Call of Duty: Warzone will now get Season One content on December 16. The new season will be the largest free content drop in any Black Ops game, and there will be plenty of new goodies to try out across both titles.

Black Ops Cold War will be getting a ton of new multiplayer content, including new maps, the Gunfight mode from Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, and the Fireteam map Raid–it’s based on the Black Ops 2 map of the same name, despite Black Ops Cold War being set several decades before that game.

Zombies mode gets in on the fun, as well, with more modes and challenges, and a seasonal prestige system that is cross-title. This means your progress will likely carry over into the next Call of Duty game.

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Persona 5 Strikers, the Dynasty Warriors-style spin-off of the acclaimed JRPG, is launching in the West nearly a full year after the game’s Japanese debut, according to a leaked trailer.

The gameplay trailer, which was posted and quickly taken down by developer Atlus, reveals that the musou action title will launch on February 23. Strikers had already been announced for PS4 and Nintendo Switch, but the trailer also reveals that the game will be coming to Steam at launch, too. Atlus previously launched Persona 4 Golden on Steam earlier this year.

Persona 5 Scramble was released in Japan in early 2020, with the game name tweaked for the Western release. It takes place six months after the events of Persona 5, with the game’s heroes reuniting in Tokyo for summer break before having to take up their identities as the Phantom Thieves once more. The English cast has returned for Strikers, so prepare to be reacquainted with some familiar voices.

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The Mandalorian may be set in a distant corner of the Star Wars galaxy, but that certainly hasn’t prevented a number of familiar characters from popping up in Season 2. We’ve already encountered Temuera Morrison’s Boba Fett, plus Star Wars TV veteran Bo-Katan Kryze, and Rosario Dawson as Ahsoka Tano in live-action.

Given that The Mandalorian takes place years after the events of the original trilogy, you might be wondering just how old these characters are supposed to be. Should Bo-Katan be thinking about retirement? Is Boba Fett as old as he appears after spending time in the Sarlacc pit? Read on to have all your age-related questions answered.

The Mandalorian’s Time Period

First off, it’s probably worth quickly rehashing how time is measured in the Star Wars universe and where exactly The Mandalorian falls in that timeline. The Battle of Yavin in the original Star Wars is treated as the franchise’s watershed moment. Everything is measured in terms of BBY (Before the Battle of Yavin) and ABY (After the Battle of Yavin).

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The Mandalorian: Season 1 is set in roughly 9 ABY, or about five years after the events of Return of the Jedi. We don’t know exactly how much extra time has elapsed in Season 2, but it doesn’t appear that more than a few months have gone by. Were we to hypothetically see iconic characters like Luke Skywalker and Han Solo in the series, they wouldn’t look much older than their circa-1983 selves. Of course, that’s a big reason why we’ll probably never see these characters on the show, unless Lucasfilm makes the decision to recast those roles.

How Old Is Boba Fett?

Because only there are only about 19 years of time separating the prequel and original trilogies, a lot of Star Wars characters aren’t as old as you probably assume them to be. Case in point: Despite the fact that Sebastian Shaw was in his late 70s when he played the unmasked Darth Vader in Return of the Jedi, the character himself was only 45 when he died. The Dark Side takes a heavy toll on your skin.

Boba Fett is definitely in this camp. He’s only about 41 years old in the era of The Mandalorian. Boba was born in 32 BBY, the same year as the events of The Phantom Menace. Based on what we’ve learned of this period, Boba was created in a lab on Kamino alongside the rest of the initial batch of Clonetroopers. But unlike his “brothers,” Boba ages at a normal rate. So while most of the surviving clones have probably died of old age by the time of The Mandalorian, Boba Fett is only just entering his 40s.

If Boba looks far older than 41, that’s probably thanks to spending some time in the belly of the Sarlacc. His body still carries the burns and scars of that ordeal and probably always will.

How Old Is Bo-Katan Kryze in The Mandalorian?

Bo-Katan’s age is a little harder to pin down, as we don’t know when exactly she was born. In fact, little is known about her early life until she joins Pre Vizsla’s Death Watch faction in 21 BBY, at the height of the Clone Wars. Bo-Katan is an adult and a seasoned combat veteran at this point, so we’d assume she’s at least in her early-to-mid-20s.

Based on that, Bo-Katan is at least in her 50s when she appears in The Mandalorian: Season 2, if not even older. The character doesn’t necessarily look that old, particularly since actress Katee Sackhoff is only 40 herself. Maybe Bo-Katan is actually younger than we realized in her Clone Wars appearances, or maybe Bo-Katan is extra diligent about dyeing her hair to keep that vibrant red sheen.

How Old Is Ahsoka Tano in The Mandalorian?

Fans of The Clone Wars had better get used to the idea of seeing Anakin Skywalker’s former Padawan playing the role of the grizzled, battle-hardened warrior in The Mandalorian. Ahsoka Tano was born in 36 BBY, making her about 14 when she first debuts in The Clone Wars theatrical movie. Applying that math to the time period of The Mandalorian, Ahsoka is 45 years old in her Mandalorian debut.

Given that she’s a Togruta, and the fact that most alien species in the Star Wars universe seem to have longer lifespans than humans, Dawson’s Ahsoka should still be in her physical prime during The Mandalorian. The next question is whether The Mandalorian will connect the dots to Ahsoka’s cameo role in The Rise of Skywalker. Is she truly dead by that point in the timeline, or is she the one living voice among a sea of dead Jedi when we jump ahead a couple of decades?

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How Old Are Ezra Bridger and Grand Admiral Thrawn?

While no other veterans of The Clone Wars or Rebels have yet been announced, it’s not exactly a stretch to assume we’ll see more returning characters besides Bo-Katan and Ahsoka. Here’s a breakdown of where some of those players land in the timeline.

iZombie actor Rahul Kohli has been going out of his way on social media to create the impression he’s been cast as Ezra Bridger, and the fact that Ahsoka namedropped Grand Admiral Thrawn in episode 5 would imply that Ezra may debut in The Mandalorian sooner rather than later. Kohli’s tweets may all be a big joke, but assuming it’s not, he’ll be giving fans a much older and more seasoned version of Ezra than the one seen in Rebels. But it makes sense. The character was born in 19 BBY at the very dawn of the Empire, making him 28 in the era of The Mandalorian.

Both Ezra and Thrawn were last seen being dragged to the far end of the galaxy in the finale of Rebels, but clearly, if Ahsoka is hunting Thrawn (and the Magistrate of Corvus is serving him) Thrawn has survived this long. His age is much harder to place, both because he’s non-human and we don’t know when exactly he was born or how old he is in Rebels. The best evidence we have is the novel Thrawn Ascendancy: Chaos Rising, which takes place mostly during 19 BBY and shows Thrawn’s rise through the ranks of the Chiss military. The character is probably in his mid-to-late 20s at that point, so that could put Thrawn in his 50s during The Mandalorian. Not a bad age for a high-level Imperial officer.

Hera Syndulla is only seven years younger than Ahsoka, having been born in 29 BBY. That would make her about 38 during the time of The Mandalorian. And given that Hera’s ship The Ghost is present during The Battle of Exegol, it’s probably safe to assume she’s still very active during this period.

We’re speculated that another Rebels favorite Sabine Wren will appear in The Mandalorian. Sabine is only two years older than Ezra, making her around 30 in this period.

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Then there’s the question of Captain Rex. Like Boba Fett, Rex was created in 32 BBY, so he would also be around 41 during The Mandalorian. However, Rex is a bit of a strange case. Post-Clone Wars, Rex joins the Rebel Alliance and remains active all throughout the Imperial era despite the prior reveal that clones have artificially accelerated lifespans. Rex has even been retconned into the events of Return of the Jedi, as it turns out he was one of Han Solo’s Rebel troops on Endor. At this point it’s hard to say if he or any other Clonetrooper would still be alive five years later. We may yet learn Rex was somehow able to remove the accelerated aging effect baked into his clone DNA.

For more on The Mandalorian’s recent reveals, learn more about why some Mandalorians can’t remove their helmets and see the essential Clone Wars and Rebels episodes for catching up on Bo-Katan’s story.

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Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter.

In the 30 years since Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather: Part III, the verdict has been clear: Neither the filmmaker, critics, nor audiences have been all that fond of how that movie ended the trilogy. As has been previously reported, it’s never too late to right these sorts of wrongs–Coppola has been diligently reworking the 1990 gangster movie for the new The Godfather, Coda: The Death of Michael Corleone.

Out in select theaters now, and due for a digital and Blu-ray release on December 8, the film isn’t a George Lucas-style futzing over an old film with minor tweaks to add more shadows to Jabba. Instead, as principals Al Pacino and Andy Garcia (virtually) attest alongside Coppola in a new interview released by Paramount Pictures, Coda is pretty much an entirely new movie altogether.

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AMC Theaters has criticized Warner Bros.’ plans to release its 2021 movies on HBO Max on the same day that these feature films arrive in cinemas. These films will be available to HBO Max subscribers for one month after release and include tentpole movies such as Dune, The Suicide Squad, and The Matrix 4.

“Clearly, Warner Media intends to sacrifice a considerable portion of the profitability of its movie studio division, and that of its production partners and filmmakers, to subsidize its HBO Max startup,” Adam Aron, CEO and president of AMC Entertainment, said in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter. “As for AMC, we will do all in our power to ensure that Warner does not do so at our expense. We will aggressively pursue economic terms that preserve our business.”

AMC has been hit especially hard by the Coronavirus pandemic, having been forced to close a number of its cinemas throughout the year. Warner Bros. had also originally signed a deal with cinema chains to provide a larger cut of ticket sales–up to 60%–in a once-off agreement for Wonder Woman 1984 which will debut in theaters and on HBO Max on Christmas day.

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Hulu has finally extended its Watch Party feature to all subscribers, regardless of tier. Initially launched in May of 2020, and exclusive to the $12 pay tier, the company has now extended the feature to all users.

The news comes via Variety, as Hulu reported that over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, customers hosted a record number of watch parties to watch the new holiday romcom Happiest Season. The Hulu original series Pen15 and episodes of ABC’s The Bachelorette also have been popular titles for Watch Party during this initial trial run.

To use Hulu’s Watch Party, users select the Watch Party icon on each title’s Details page and then share a link with up to seven other Hulu subscribers to link with. While you’re watching, group members can react in real-time through the chat function and control their own playback. Watch Party, for now, is available only on the web-browser version of the service.

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