We know, "It's 2020, why are there 2019 anime in my 2020 magazine?!". Well, all the fresh animu only start airing later in January, and we're not in the business of foresight. We can make guesses but honestly, we'd get nowhere, considering the ride 2019 was. Hype was built only to crash and fall, and surprise hits expected the year. Speaking of 2019, with hundreds of anime airing (as they do every year), we've gone ahead and made a compilation of every anime that we think was worth checking out in 2019. Lucky for you, by the time you read this article , everything on this article should have completely finished airing, so you can binge them all in a single sitting.
Since we already covered the first half of the year in a previous article, we'll just mention them in brief here again, so you have everything in one place for convenience. Starting things off with the Winter anime.
Winter 2019 Anime
(January – March)
Tate no yuusha no nariagari
The Rising of the Shield Hero is an interesting take on the popular isekai genre, although it does eventually fall into the usual isekai anime tropes, it's not a bad watch. We'll explain the isekai genre once, since you'll be seeing a few more of those later on in this article. The literal translation is “different world” or “another world”. The idea is simply that the main theme or setting of the anime involves the main character (s) being transported to a different world from their own, usually a world of fantasy.
Yakusoku no neverland
Among the highest rated anime of the season, The Promised Neverland revolves around three children, Emma, Norman, and Ray, of Grace Field House orphanage. They’re provided with everything they could ask for, but are prohibited from ever leaving. When they accidentally witness something they’re not supposed to, the dark truth of Grace Field House orphanage is revealed.
Mob Psycho 100 II
If you’re a fan of overpowered MCs (main characters), then you’ll definitely want to give Mob Psycho a whirl. Kageyama (the MC), is an 8th grader who doesn’t look like much or stand out a lot, but he’s secretly the strongest psychic. Ever. This wallflower is also a very endearing character, and watching him balance being a powerful esper with the mundanity of being a high-school student is pretty entertaining.
Kaguya-sama wa Kokurasetai: Tensai-tachi no Renai Zunousen
Your rom-com (romantic comedy) for the season, Kaguya-sama is the story of two “prideful geniuses”, who are definitely in love with each other, but neither of them will confess to the other, because they both think it’s a sign of weakness.
Dororo
The season’s sleeper hit, the dark fantasy themed Dororo is the remake of a 1960s anime, only this time around, with studio MAPPA’s gorgeous visuals. There are 24 episodes, and it’s got a pretty grim and gory story (involving a lot of body parts), but the storytelling is great, and so is the premise.
Spring 2019 Anime
(April – June)
Kimetsu no Yaiba
Ufotable’s Kimetsu no Yaiba is arguably the most popular anime of the year, thanks in no small part to Ufotable’s amazing visuals and animation. The story revolves around revenge and demon hunting, and the whole thing is just further complemented by the unique art-style it borrows from the manga.
One Punch Man 2
The second season of One Punch Man had plenty worried because of a different studio picking the show up. While the old animation was definitely missed, One Punch Man 2 didn’t disappoint, at least, it didn’t disappoint us. We get further insight on the other heroes of the series in S2.
Shingeki no Kyojin 3 Part 2
Attack on Titan is probably the most well known title on this list, maybe even the first anime many of you ever watched. Part two of the third season of Attack of Titan takes the story further, taking us closer to the secret of the origins of the Titans.
Fruits Basket (2019)
Fruits Basket is a popular Shoujo manga that was first adapted into an anime in 2001 and got a fresh adaptation in 2019. Due to unfortunate circumstances, the MC finds herself adopted into a family, however, they have a secret. Don’t worry, not the sinister kind. They turn into zodiac animals when hugged by the opposite gender.
We’re at the halfway mark, half a year of anime still left to go. Plenty of good stuff still left, with the majority of the popular sequels still to follow.
Summer 2019 Anime
(July – September)
Dr. STONE
Fantasy vs Science. Okay, it’s definitely full-on fantasy but the premise is nice. It’s 3000 years in the future, and humanity has had to start over because of a virus that turned the majority of the population into stone. Senku (the MC) breaks out of his petrification three millennia in the future and vows to take Earth back to the modern age, and go even further. Of course, it’s not just idle talk, he’s got the brains to back him up. Dr. Stone is a great watch, and as a plus, you’ll learn more about science as you watch. Season 2 confirmed for 2020.
Enen no Shouboutai
The premise of Fire Force is hard to explain. People in this world spontaneously combust. In these scenarios, a special firefighting team is called in, which also doubles as a team of exorcists. They’ve got a firefighting nun and everything. Oh also, each of the members of this firefighting squad have fire-based powers of their own. If that piqued your curiosity, you can learn more why people are randomly catching on fire and need to be exorcised after watching the anime.
Vinland Saga
Our personal favourite anime of the year, Vinland Saga is an anime that revolves around the Vikings. While it takes some liberties when it comes to realism, it does make an attempt to maintain some historical accuracy. The series is based on two Icelandic sagas, the Saga of Eric the Red and the Saga of the Greenlanders. The anime itself follows the MC Thorfinn, who’s set for revenge after his father is murdered right in front of him. In addition to an MC you can get behind, Vinland Saga features a host of interesting characters, some of which you’ll despise, and some you can’t help but root for. Definitely a must-watch.
It's sequel city with the Fall 2019 Anime
(October – December)
Boku no Hero Academia 4
My Hero Academia is a textbook Shounen anime, a really good one at that. When it first released in 2016 it took the world by storm, and three years later the excitement is still strong, and so is the show. The fourth season of My Hero Academia continues where the last left off, as we see our MC Deku further mature and grow stronger. There’s been a lot more focus on supporting characters this season, which we’ve really enjoyed so far. The anime is still airing will continue into 2020. Likely with another season later in the year.
Sword Art Online: Alicization – War of Underworld
Ah. Sword Art Online. SAO is an interesting topic for anime fans. You either love it or hate it with a passion. You could say there’s a visible rift. Regardless of that, if we had to give an unbiased opinion about SAO: Alicization, we’d say it’s actually not bad. Just like we thought the first half of the original SAO was amazing, but the second half was complete garbage. The story still features main man Kirigaya Kazuto (Kirito) getting stuck in a fictional world, but the approach is a little different. And so far, well executed. Well enough to warrant us telling you to give it a chance.
Shinchou Yuusha: Kono Yuusha ga Ore TUEEE Kuse ni Shinchou Sugiru
Cautious Hero: The Hero Is Overpowered but Overly Cautious (these names are getting ridiculously long!) is another Isekai anime on the list, but it wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t half bad. It’s almost a parody of the isekai genre, and takes every chance it gets to poke fun at it. The MC, Seiya Ryuuguuin, also stands out as an Isekai protagonist. The show isn’t all comedy though, and has its grim moments. It’s also chock full of fan service. You’ve been warned.
Shokugeki no Souma: Shin no Sara
The fourth season of Food Wars (foodgasm the anime) brings with it a lot more out of this world cooking, food that you wish you could eat, dragon ball Z levels of suspense, and excessive foodgasming. Which is what happens when you eat the food in this anime because it’s apparently good enough to induce mad levels of pleasure. This’ll be a hard one to explain if you’re caught watching out of the blue (that’s an NSFW warning). The story continues where it left off in the previous season, with the rebel chefs trying to reverse the expulsion of their friends. A fifth season has already been confirmed for next year.
Anime movies
Tenki no Ko
Makoto Shinkai's Weathering With You is often compared to 2016's Kimi no na wa or Your Name, which shouldnt come as a surprise since he made both. And he's hit it out of the park again with Tenki no Ko, delivering yet another touching and heartwarming story. With gorgeous visuals and animation to boot. The story revolves around a young boy who runs away to Tokyo and befriends a girl who can supposedly ensure clear skies on demand. The two start up a business together, where they go around giving clear sky conditions to those who need it on demand, their customers being everything from young school children to megacorporations. Like with Your Name, there's some magic at play here, which isn't the main attraction of the movie, but definitely enhances the overall experience, like it did with Your Name.
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Manish Rajesh
Manish can usually be found fervently playing video games of all kinds or… no wait he’s pretty much always playing games View Full Profile
