Fall is finally upon us! While many people are dreading the upcoming winter months, anime fans couldn’t be any happier. This fall, there are many new shows in nearly every genre — and some long-time favorites are making their return. If you’re looking for a bit of guidance, then there’s no need to worry. Once again, FANDOM has got you covered. Here are 15 must-see anime premiering this fall.
RErideD – Derrida, Who Leaps Through Time
- Premiere date: October 4
- Studio: Geek Toys
- Genre(s): Action, Drama, Sci-Fi
Geek Toys’ original series, RErideD – Derrida, who leaps through time, makes its debut this fall. The sci-fi anime follows Derrida Yvian, a young engineer who invents the “Autonomous Machine DZ.” However, he and his colleague Nathan discover a significant flaw in the DZs. They try to report their findings to their greedy boss, but he ignores their warning.
Unfortunately, work isn’t the only problem in Derrida’s life. He also has to deal with his failed research on time-traveling technology and his troubled relationship with his father, the original designer of the DZs.
Things get even worse when mysterious forces suddenly attack him and his colleague. Luckily, Derrida manages to escape by hiding inside a cold sleep device — but he doesn’t wake up for ten years. When he exits the device, he finds himself in a post-apocalyptic world created by his inventions. Now, he must travel back in time to fix his mistake.
Zombieland Saga
- Premiere date: October 4
- Studio: MAPPA and Avex Pictures
- Genre(s): Action, Horror, Supernatural
During this year’s Anime Expo, Cygames announced they are working on an original anime series titled Zombieland Saga. A collaboration with MAPPA (In This Corner of the World and Yuri!!! on ICE) and Avex Pictures (Assassination Classroom and Trinity Seven), the new zombie series will add a refreshing new twist to the genre. Zombieland Saga follows seven young girls who lead a normal life — until the zombies appear.
While we don’t know much about the fall series (including if there’s a link between the anime and the 2009 American horror comedy movie Zombieland), we are still excited. Based on the trailer’s dramatic use of color and flying limbs, Zombieland Saga is a must-see for zombie fans. It’s about time we got a new entry in this oft-ignored genre.
Bloom Into You
- Premiere date: October 5
- Studio: TROYCA
- Genre(s): School, Yuri
Back in April, Kadokawa‘s Monthly Comic Dengeki Daioh revealed that the yuri romance manga Bloom Into You would finally get an anime adaptation in the fall of 2018. Beautiful Bones: Sakurako’s Investigation’s director, Makoto Katō, will take the helm and TROYCA (Aldnoah.Zero and IDOLiSH7) will produce.
Yuu has always loved shōjo manga. Whenever she reads the romantic stories, she dreams of receiving a confession of love one day that’ll sweep her off her feet. She finally gets it when a junior high classmate confesses his feelings to her. Unfortunately, she feels nothing.
Still confused by her emotions, Yuu enters high school. Once there, she meets beautiful student council president Nanami. After watching the student leader maturely turn down a romantic request, Yuu becomes so inspired by her demeanor that she asks Nanami for help. However, who would’ve known that the next person to confess their feeling to you would be none other than Nanami herself. Perhaps Yuu’s perfect romance tale will finally begin.
A Certain Magical Index (Season 3)
- Premiere date: October 6
- Studio: J.C.Staff
- Genre(s): Action, Sci-Fi, Super Power, Magic
The long-awaited third season of A Certain Magical Index will hit small screens soon, and fans couldn’t be happier. The anime’s return has been a long time coming; the first season aired a decade ago and the second season in 2010.
The series follows Kamijou Touma, a resident in Academy City who, unlike most of the city’s esper population, lacks magical abilities. Well, unless you count his right hand which possesses “Imagine Breaker,” a skill that neutralizes any other powers. Outside of this ability, Touma leads a pretty normal life. That is until a girl called Index unexpectedly shows up at his apartment.
Hiroshi Nishikiori returns to direct the series along with script supervisor Hiroyuki Yoshino and lead character designer Kiyotaka Haimura. The magical adventures of Touma, Index, and the other magicians will continue this fall.
SSSS.Gridman
- Premiere date: October 7
- Studio: Trigger
- Genre(s): Action, Sci-Fi, Mecha
SSSS.Gridman, the original mecha series from Studio Trigger, will air this fall. The anime follows first-year high school student Yuta Hibiki, who suffers from amnesia and can see things that others can’t. One day, he finds an old computer with the words “Hyper Agent Gridman” displayed on the screen.
The next thing he knows, a character called Gridman asks Yuta to remember his calling. However, Yuta doesn’t understand what he means. Things soon become crystal clear when Yuta is dragged into the computer screen and transforms into the giant hero, Gridman. Now, in his new form, he must fight against incredible creatures only visible to him.
Directed by Akira Amemiya (Gurren Lagann and Inferno Cop) and featuring animation from Studio Trigger (DARLING in the FRANXX and Kiznaiver), SSSS.Gridman looks to be a worthy addition to the mecha genre.
Sword Art Online: Alicization
- Premiere date: October 7
- Studio: A-1 Pictures
- Genre(s): Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Game, Romance
The newest iteration of Sword Art Online is heading our way this fall, and it will be four cours long. Fans will finally get to see what Kirito’s been up to after the events of Sword Art Online Movie: Ordinal Scale. Only this time around, our hero will step into a virtual medieval world called “Underworld.”
The company behind this new virtual world, Rath, wants to develop a new technology called the Soul Translator by creating digital copies of newborns’ souls and putting them in Underworld. To help them achieve their goal, they hire Kirito to raise the AIs as naturally as possible. But first, they erase Kirito’s memories.
Once in Underworld, Kirito meets Eugeo, a young boy who exhibits human-like emotions despite being an NPC. As Kirito searches for a way to log out of the virtual world, his buried memories start to emerge, especially the name Alice, a name that he should never forget.
Goblin Slayer
- Premiere date: October 7
- Studio: White Fox
- Genre(s): Action, Fantasy
The highly anticipated anime Goblin Slayer will make its TV debut this fall. The action fantasy anime follows a young priestess as she forms her first adventuring party. But right off the bat, she and her group find themselves in trouble. Luckily for them, the Goblin Slayer comes to their rescue. However, when word of his good deed spreads across the land, many take it upon themselves to test the Goblin Slayer’s might.
Based on the Goblin Slayer novels, the dark and deadly fantasy anime will keep you on the edge of your seat with its vivid colors and fast-paced action sequences. Not only that, with Hideyuki Kurata (Drifters, The World God Only Knows and Made in Abyss) composing the series and Yousuke Kuroda (Honey and Clover, Btooom! and My Hero Academia) writing the script along, the show is sure to have a compelling story also.
Fairy Tail (Final Season)
- Premiere date: October 7
- Studio: A-1 Pictures and Bridge
- Genre(s): Action, Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy, Magic, Shounen
Fairy Tail, one of the most popular anime out right now, will finally say goodbye to fans this fall. If you’re not familiar with the series, it follows the adventures of Fairy Tail, a mage guild that has earned quite a reputation for itself.
The final season will continue to follow the unlikely duo of Natsu and Lucy as they search for their former teammates to convince them to rejoin the guild. However, this is easier said than done. New enemies will test the mages in unbelievable ways. Their incredible powers and prominent personalities will inevitably cause a big clash that our heroes must overcome if they ever plan to rebuild guild.
While it’s sad to see the action fantasy anime come to an end, that doesn’t mean there aren’t more stories to tell in this world. A sequel to the manga, Fairy Tail: 100 Years Quest, started publication last summer and takes place after the main story ends. However, only time will tell if it will get an anime adaptation.
Golden Kamuy (Season 2)
- Premiere date: October 8
- Studio: Geno Studio
- Genre(s): Action, Adventure, Historical, Seinen
Golden Kamuy will return this fall after a having successful run last spring. The anime takes place in the early 20th century during the Russo-Japanese War and follows war veteran Saichi “Immortal” Sugimoto. After the war, he settles for a meager existence on the wild frontier of Hokkaido.
However, when he stumbles across a map tattooed on Abashiri Prison’s inmates that reveals a hidden Ainu treasure, it appears his luck is about to change. But Saichi isn’t the only one who knows about the treasure. Ruthless criminals are also searching for it. Luckily, between Saichi’s skills and the help of an Ainu girl named Asirpa, he’s sure to find the gold. But will he find the treasure first, or will someone else beat him to it?
Conception: Please Have My Baby!
- Premiere date: October 9
- Studio: Gonzo
- Genre(s): Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Harem, Magic, Romance
Based on the PSP game of the same name, Conception: Please Have My Baby! follows high school graduate Itsuki Yuge whose cousin Mahiru is pregnant. A gate of light appears and transports the cousins to the magical world of Granvania. In this realm, horrible creatures, known as “Impurities,” have taken over the land, plunging Granvania into chaos.
Granvania’s people believe Itsuki, as the chosen one, is their only hope to produce “Star Children” with the twelve “Star Maidens. To save Granvania from the Impurities and return home, Itsuki must father the Star Children with the Star Maidens.
GONZO (Bayonetta: Bloody Fate and Full Metal Panic!) will produce the anime adaptation with Keitarō Motonaga (Jormungand and School Days) directing the series. Conception: Please Have My Baby! airs this October.
Tokyo Ghoul:re (Season 2)
- Premiere date: October 9
- Studio: Studio Pierrot and Pierrot Plus
- Genre(s): Action, Drama, Horror, Mystery, Psychological, Seinen, Supernatural
Tokyo Ghoul:re Season 2 will pick up where the season one finale left off. In the last episode, fans saw Kaneki finally wake up, and now it seems that he’s become a combination of his old and new self (albeit a much colder version resides in the young man’s body.
The latest trailer for the upcoming Tokyo Ghoul:re season started streaming last September and it seems some old and new faces will be making an appearance. But, that’s not all the trailer teases. It appears the latest adaptation will be the final one and will conclude Ken Kaneki’s story. Will this be the final chapter in the Tokyo Ghoul anime or are fans heading towards another long hiatus? We’ll find out when Tokyo Ghoul:re returns this fall.
Ingress The Animation
- Premiere date: October 18
- Studio: Craftar
- Genre(s): Action, Game, Sci-Fi, Mystery
Another video game-based anime heads our way this fall. Based on the reality-hacking video game from Niantic (Pokémon GO), Ingress The Animation will focus on the backstory of its three leads: Makoto, Sarah, and Jack.
Scientists have discovered a new kind of substance called Exotic Matter (XM) that can interface directly with the human psyche. Researching this new matter is the Hulong Group. However, their intentions are not as pure as people think. They actually want to control the XM and, subsequently, humanity. Researcher Sarah Coppola intends to tell the world about Hulong’s plans but, unfortunately, gets into an accident before she can blow the whistle.
One day, freelance psychic investigator Makoto Midorikawa touches the comatose Sarah’s ring and gets his first clue about what happened at Hulong Group headquarters. Now he’s on the run from dangerous men who will do anything for power. Luckily, he will not be fighting them alone.
Karakuri Circus
- Premiere date: October
- Studio: Studio VOLN
- Genre(s): Adventure, Mystery, Shounen
Kazuhiro Fujita‘s manga Karakuri Circus will get an anime adaptation this fall. The upcoming anime will have 36 episodes and follow Masaru Isagi, a fifth grader who inherits a vast fortune when his telephone maker father passes away. Due to his recent wealth, people try to get their hands on it by any means necessary, even resorting to murder.
Luckily, two people save him from danger: Narumi Katō, who recently returned from learning kung fu in China and has a weird disease called “Zonapha Syndrome” — a rare ailment that makes it impossible for him to breathe unless he makes people laugh — and Shirogane, a silver-haired French woman who controls a puppet called Harlequin. Together Masaru, Narumi, and Shirogane get themselves wrapped up in various conspiracies caused by those out to steal Masaru’s money.
You can catch Karakuri Circus on Amazon Prime Video in Japan and abroad this October.
Feel the Wind
- Premiere date: October
- Studio: Production I.G
- Genre(s): Drama, Seinen, Sports
The marathon racing anime Feel the Wind centers around one of the biggest university marathon relay races in Japan, the Hakone Ekiden. Held every year at the beginning of January, the race runs from Tokyo to Hakone and back, a whopping 217.9 km (about 135 miles).
Former high school runner Kakeru is out jogging one night when a man on a bicycle asks him if he likes to run. It turns out his name is Haiji, a senior at Kansei University who also happens to be a runner. He persuades the former runner to join his team and live in an old apartment, where Haiji plans to meet with the rest of the group to enter the Hakone Ekiden. But Kakeru soon discovers that all his roommates, except for Haiji and himself are complete novices.
Kazuya Nomura (Ghost in the Shell: Arise and Joker Game) will direct the sports anime, and voice actor Kiyasu Kouhei will pen the series.
The Girl in Twilight
- Premiere date: October 1
- Studio: DandeLion Animation Studio and Jumonji
- Genre(s): Action, School, Sci-Fi
The final entry on our list is the original series The Girl in Twilight. In a city like any other in Japan, lives a group of girls who were brought together by Asuka Tsuchimiya, a girl known for her cheerful personality.
They form the group “Crystal Radio Club” and perform various rituals, including one many considered to be an urban legend. However, when several events coincidentally fall into place, things get serious quick.
To find out what sort of trouble the girls have gotten themselves into, check out The Girl in Twilight when it premieres this October. If you happen to like the anime, try out the tie-in game which will also launch this fall on iOS and Android.
