Cutting its way into the hearts of fans, Demon Slayer dominated anime's Spring 2019 season with its breathtaking animation and heart-wrenching narrative. As protagonist Tanjiro Kamado reels from the loss of his family due to a brutal demon attack, he is desperate to preserve and ultimately save his only living sibling, Nezuko, from her demonic state.
Seeking answers and a means for restoring Nezuko's humanity, Tajiro joins the Demon Slayer Corps, a group dedicated to eradicating all demons, and trains in the combat form of "Water Breathing," a technique that sees his sword slash with the power of crashing waves. While anxiously awaiting season two, fans of the anime and the blockbuster Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba the Movie: Mugen Train might be interested in Tanjiro's voice actor Natsuki Hanae and the characters he has voiced in other series.
Ace Of Diamond: Haruichi Kominato
Ace of Diamond takes the sport of baseball and transforms it into a character-driven anime full of anxiety and action as fans cheer for their favorite players on the field and at bat.
While the series details Sawamura Eijun's evolution as an ace pitcher, many players receive narrative attention as they strive to improve and earn a starting spot on the Seidou High School baseball team. Kominato Haruichi, a soft-spoken and even-tempered second baseman, is one such player. Despite his smaller size and lacking stamina, Haruichi is a consistent batter known for his ability to make contact and a capable infielder.
Digimon Adventure Tri.: Taichi Yagami
Returning to the original cast of DigiDestined, Digimon Adventure tri. sees the characters fans grew up watching as high schoolers. Tonally shifting along with the characters' maturity, the anime details the difficulties the original team faces as teens while Digimon invade and cause devastation in the real world.
As the fearless leader of the DigiDestined, Taichi "Tai" Yagami is known for his bravery and—often times—stupidity. An earnest boy with a love for soccer, his Digimon partner Agumon, and his little sister Hikari Yagami, Tai is shown to struggle with determining his future in the human world as he longs to return to the Digital World.
Dragon Ball Super: Galactic Patrolman Jaco
As Goku and his friends achieve new heights and power throughout Dragon Ball Super, the scale of the series expands from Earth to include multiple universes. As a Galactic Patrolman, Jaco is tasked with defending a number of worlds from threats; originally, the alien officer was sent to Earth to defeat the Saiyans, though he crashlanded and was unable to participate in the planet's defense.
Although he is insignificant as a fighter due to Goku and the Z-Fighters' incredible prowess, Jaco is knowledgeable of the universe and its galactic laws that are largely foreign to the humans of Earth. Due to his valuable intel, Jaco is able to warn Bulma of Frieza's plot for vengeance, which results in Goku and Vegeta arriving on Earth just in time to defend it.
Fate/Apocrypha: Sieg
In a parallel universe to the main Fate series, Fate/Apocrypha details the events of a Great Holy Grail War, which essentially pits two teams of Masters and Servants against each other rather than the traditional battle royale format seen in Fate/stay night. As the Red Faction and the Black Faction fight for dominance, the Holy Grail summons a Ruler-class servant as the war's arbiter.
A homunculus created with the sole purpose of acting as a mana battery for the Black Faction, Sieg is rescued by a handful of servants and later merges with the legendary hero Siegfried. While his role in the Great Holy Grail War is unique, Sieg soon finds a reason to fight as he defends humanity from the Grail's powers.
Haikyuu!!: Kourai Hoshiumi
As the protagonist of Haikyuu!! and the Karasuno Boys Volleyball Team's secret weapon, Shoyo Hinata's tiny stature and explosive jumps are often a focus of the anime's plot. Whether Hinata is working to develop complementary skills or surprising opponents with his impressive verticality, his jumping ability is a key element of Karasuno's high-powered offense.
When Karasuno arrives at the Tokyo Nationals, the overall skill of the opposing teams raises substantially due to the large amount of talent on display. Kamomedai's Kourai Hoshiumi is a star player that immediately grabs the attention of fans and opponents alike as he is built similarly to Hinata but jumps even higher and possesses an all-around skill set. Hoshiumi has come to expect and relish the surprise and awe he cultivates in onlookers and is noticeably annoyed when they fail to respond accordingly.
Masamune-Kun's Revenge: Makabe Masamune
Masamune-kun's Revenge is a romantic comedy that depicts a high school boy's attempt to avenge the broken heart he suffered as a child. Makabe Masamune's desire for revenge originated when his childhood crush, the incredibly wealthy and cold Aki Adagaki, seemingly cultivated a friendship with him only to further humiliate him in front of his bullies.
Scorned and embarrassed, Masamune resolved to dedicate himself to becoming handsome so he could one day break Adagaki's heart in return. The anime sees a now physically fit and conventionally attractive Masamune—a change so severe that he is unrecognizable from his former self—begin his long-awaited plot against the now-renown heartbreaker Aki Adagaki.
Odd Taxi: Odokawa
Odd Taxi is undoubtedly an under-the-radar anime this Spring 2021 season, partially due to its unique animation style and its use of anthropomorphic animals, but it serves up a fascinating narrative that follows numerous characters as their paths cross and become entangled.
As a taxi driver, protagonist Odokawa literally drives the plot forward as he meets and transports many of the peripheral characters, sometimes meeting them several episodes before they become relevant or have their backstories revealed. Affecting a gruff and detached air, Odokawa is a genuinely caring walrus who is shown to go to great lengths for those he cares about—even if he'd rather die than do something inconvenient.
Food Wars! Shokugeki No Soma: Takumi Aldini
Detailing the culinary exploits of Souma Yukihira as he battles his way through the prodigious and highly competitive Tōtsuki Culinary Academy, Food Wars! Shokugeki no Soma utilizes the anime medium to depict cooking competitions with a level of flair and hyperbole.
Drawing from real techniques and recipes, the authenticity of the anime's dishes finds a perfect balance in the wildly over-the-top reactions that the gourmet food often elicits with just one bite. Takumi Aldini, born into a Japanese-Italian family, is hot-headed and grandiose, especially when it comes to challenges and rivalries. Between him and his younger twin brother Isami, the two hope to refine their abilities so they may take their family's restaurant, Trattoria Aldini, to new heights.
Tokyo Ghoul: Ken Kaneki
In a world where humans unknowingly live alongside and are hunted by ghouls—an advanced species capable of superhuman feats that feast on human flesh—Tokyo Ghoul explores the friction between ghouls seeking an alternative to the hunter-prey relationship between them and humans.
The anime's protagonist Ken Kaneki is a human who narrowly survives a ghoul's attempt to devour him. Kaneki is so critically wounded that an emergency operation takes place that implants the ghoul's regenerative organs within his human body, creating a hybrid. Forced to adapt to his new abilities and cravings, Kaneki bridges the human and ghoul societies in a way that prognosticates revolutionary change.
Your Lie In April: Kousei Arima
Your Lie in April follows the relationship between Kousei Arima and Kaori Miyazono as their growing connection affects their lives on and off the musical stage. Arima was a child prodigy that crushed piano competitions with his incredibly disciplined and talented playing. Shortly after his mother's death from an illness, Arima suffers a traumatic breakdown on stage that leaves him psychologically unable to hear his piano playing.
Ostensibly accepting his inability to continue playing piano, several years pass, and Arima's musical hearing is still blocked; it seems he will continue forward with a life without music until he meets Kaori Miyazono and the sounds and colors of the world begin to sing to him once more.