The Winter 2021 anime season is packed with both returning favorites and promising newcomers. Shows like The Promised Neverland. Dr. Stone and Cells At Work! will be returning with new seasons, starting in January, with others finally airing after being pushed back due to the pandemic. Here are the most anticipated new and returning shows this season.
The Promised Neverland (Season 2)
One of the most highly anticipated returning anime in 2021, the second season of The Promised Neverland promises to be just as exciting as the first. The trailer shows snippets of the Grace Field orphans after their escape from the farm. Although they're now far away from the imminent danger of Grace Field Farm, they're not safe yet: they've entered into a new world where demons roam free. With the help of the two demons, Mujika and Sonju, will they be able to find their way to the mysterious Minerva?
The first episode of the second season is set to premiere on January 8.
Dr. Stone (Season 2)
Ever since a mysterious green light petrified everyone, Senku Ishigami has been hard at work trying to figure out the cause and to find a cure. He manages to revive his friends but is immediately opposed by Tsukasa who believes that the old world was corrupt and starts destroying the petrified humans to prevent them from ever coming back. Focusing on a clash of ideals between science and power, Dr. Stone's Season 2 trailer recently introduced three characters from the Tsukasa clan who may change the dynamics of the show.
Fans can look forward to Season 2 on January 14.
That Time I Was Reincarnated as a Slime (Season 2)
That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime was one of the more successful isekai series in recent memory. Satoru Mikami, a 37-year-old salaryman, has been living a stagnant life. One day, he gets stabbed but thankfully gets reincarnated as a Slime in another world. There, he discovers an ability called Predator that allows him to devour anything and imitate its characteristics and abilities. The Season 2 trailer teases a darker turn for the story.
Season 2 of Slime will air on January 21.
Re:Zero Starting Life In Another World (Season 2, Part 2)
Season 2 of Re:Zero was split into two parts, with the first airing last July. Re:Zero is about a NEET named Subaru Natsuki who finds himself transported into another world. The first part ended with Subaru being confronted by Satella who was the one responsible for all of his suffering. After he learns of Satella's true goal, Subaru attempts to commit suicide. Cliffhangers raised a lot of questions, which will hopefully get answered soon.
Re:Zero will see its second part aired on January 6.
BEASTARS (Season 2)
BEASTARS uses anthropomorphic animals to explore mature themes in a careful and sophisticated way. The first season began with a murder mystery and ended on a cliffhanger, with the wolf Legoshi confessing his love to Haru, a rabbit. A credits scene had Legoshi turning around and asking an unseen character why they're smiling. The identity of this mystery character is sure to be revealed in the new season.
BEASTARS Season 2 will premiere in Japan on January 6, though viewers in the United States will have to wait longer to watch the show because Netflix doesn't do simulcasts.
The Quintessential Quintuplets (Season 2)
After his mother died and his father left him with a huge debt, Futaro Uesugi can't believe his luck when he lands himself a job tutoring the five daughters of the rich Nakano family. At first, none of the quintuplets like or trust him. As the series progresses, Futaro builds connections with each of the sisters and in the end, all five of them find themselves falling in love with him. In the final episode of the first season, it's revealed that Futaro ends up marrying one of the quintuplets, but it's unclear who that might be.
The second season will be released on January 7.
The Seven Deadly Sins (Season 4)
One of the most widely-searched anime on Netflix, The Seven Deadly Sins will air its fourth season, titled Dragon's Judgement. The manga recently ended with the announcement of a sequel series. The Seven Deadly Sins follows the disbandment of a group of knights called the Seven Deadly Sins after they were framed for a coup. The leader, Meliodas, finds himself joining Princess Elizabeth to reunite the Deadly Sins and in the process, discovers some secrets about himself, like how he and Elizabeth have been cursed to an endless reincarnation cycle.
The Seven Deadly Sins: Dragon's Judgement will air in Japan on January 6, though viewers in the United States will have to wait longer to watch the show because Netflix doesn't do simulcasts.
Cells At Work! (Season 2) & Cells At Work: Code Black
Cells At Work! makes learning biology fun and educational. The series focuses on a red blood cell and white blood cell as they try to keep their body healthy -- an incredibly tough job. The trailer for Season 2 teases the return of a formidable enemy: the cancer cell. Although he was only there for a few episodes in Season 2, his role may be much bigger and more dangerous than before.
Although we're dealing with some fairly gory stuff, Cells At Work! is pretty PG-related. The spin-off, Cells At Work: Code Black is a different story where the cells have to contend with a human body that suffers from an unhealthy lifestyle.
Season 2 and the spin-off will both premiere on January 9.
Log Horizon (Season 3)
Log Horizon is an isekai series about a popular MMORPG called Elder Tale. After a game update, 30,000 gamers found themselves transported into the game itself in their avatars. The protagonist, Shiroe, teams up with other players, seeking a way to make Akiba, the game world, a better world to live in. The series is adapted from a series of light novels written by Mamare Touno and illustrated by Kazuhiro Hara.
Season 3, Destruction of the Round Table, will finally be premiering on January 13.
Horimiya
On the outside, Kyoko Hori looks like the dictionary definition of the popular girl. After school, her looks completely change as she dresses in more casual clothes so she can do the housework and take care of her younger brother -- a fact that she doesn't want anyone at school to ever know. Her secret gets discovered by Izumi Miyamura, who does a total 180 from his unassuming school appearance when he shows up at Hori's house with multiple piercings, tattoos and a punk style. The two of them agree to keep each others' secrets.
The cute shonen romcom will premiere on January 9.
World Trigger (Season 2)
After a five year hiatus, World Trigger is finally returning with a second season. The first season suffered from criticism over the poor animation. The same studio, Toei Animation, will be animating this season, but fans are still hopeful for improvement. World Trigger is set in a world where an organization called Border uses weapons called Triggers to defend against alien invaders called Neighbors. The series follows Yuma Kuga who is a secret Neighbour who hides amongst the people of Mikado City.
Known for its tactics-oriented battle style, the underrated shonen series is set to premiere on January 9.
So I'm a Spider, So What?
One of the cheekiest titles around, this anime is adapted from a light novel series by Okina Baba. It follows a girl, ranked the lowest in her class, who gets reincarnated into a dungeon spider. The trailer shows some extremely dangerous situations that the protagonist has to find a way to escape from various predators and a blazing inferno. Those with arachnophobia probably shouldn't watch this, but maybe the anime might just change how you feel about spiders. Who knew they could be so cute?
The series is set to premiere on January 8.
Skate Leading Stars
Figure skating is usually an individual sport, but Skate Leading Stars took a different approach and introduced a fictional sport called "Skate Leading". When he was young, Kensei Maeshima vowed that he would win against his rival, Reo Shinozaki, in a figure skating competition, and if he lost, he would quit. Without even batting an eye, Reo claims that Kensei will never beat him. After abandoning his dream, a new opportunity arrives in the form of Skate Leading, where figure skaters will compete in teams, leading him to butt heads with his former rival.
The anime will air on January 10.
Laid-Back Camp (Season 2)
This anime is perfect for kicking your shoes off and stretching your legs out after a long day at work. Laid-Back Camp is about a group of high school girls who go on camping trips. The atmosphere is exactly as described in the title: it's relaxing and pleasant, taking viewers away from the busyness of everyday life and into the countryside. With viewers advised to stay indoors as much as possible due to the pandemic, Laid-Back Camp may be the perfect way to do some virtual camping.
Season 2 will begin airing on January 7.
Mushoku Tensei
Rounding out Winter's isekai line-up is Mushoku Tensei. A NEET whose name is never revealed dies after he saves one teenager from getting hit by a truck. He revives as a baby and resolves to live a meaningful life as Rudeus Greyrat in a world that's founded on swords and magic. Mushoku Tensei's full title translates to "Jobless Reincarnation: I Will Seriously Try If I Go To Another World," speaking to Rudeus's determination to turn over a new leaf in this new world.
The anime will begin airing on January 10.
