Sentenced to Be a Hero

Studio Kai, Jan 3

This adaptation of Rocket Shōkai’s light novel flips heroism into a sentence rather than a calling. In a world where being a “hero” is punishment, Xylo Forbartz, a condemned goddess killer, is assigned to Penal Hero Unit 9004, forced into endless combat against monstrous abominations. Death offers no release, only resurrection and more violence. I’m drawn to how openly this interrogates systems of power, turning the usual fantasy reward structure into something oppressive and cyclical. When Xylo encounters a mysterious new goddess, their uneasy alliance threatens to unravel the machinery of eternal punishment itself.

Yoroi-Shinden Samurai Troopers

Sunrise, Jan 6

An official sequel to Samurai Troopers (1988–1989), this revival leans into mythic scale rather than simple nostalgia. Long ago, an evil spirit waged war against humanity and was driven back into darkness, vowing revenge. A thousand years later, the name Arago, Emperor of Doom, has faded into legend. When Shinjuku is swallowed by unnatural darkness and the city’s power dies away, that ancient threat returns. This made the cut because what’s been teased suggests that this take respects its legacy, framing the story as an apocalyptic reckoning rather than a hollow callback. But only time will tell if that holds.

Roll Over and Die

A.C.G.T, Jan 8

Flum is chosen by God to join the hero’s party despite having stats of zero across the board. Her only skill, “Reversal,” remains undefined and unreliable, making her an easy target for cruelty. Abused by her companions and ultimately sold into slavery by the party’s prodigy sage, she’s reduced to disposable bait for monsters. I have a weakness for grim survival stories that refuse comfort, and this one leans hard into suffering, agency, and transformation. When Flum chooses to wield a cursed sword rather than accept death, the true reversal of her life begins.

Trigun Stargaze

Studio Orange, Jan 10

Set two and a half years after the Lost JuLai tragedy, the planet is still reeling from devastation. Meryl continues her search for Vash with Milly at her side, crossing paths with Wolfwood along the way. Vash, now living under the alias Eriks, hides in a remote town until an SOS from the third ship they once called home forces him back into action. Studio Orange’s visual language always earns attention, but what keeps me invested is Trigun’s ongoing meditation on guilt. This feels positioned as a true thematic conclusion rather than another extension.

Theatre of Darkness: Yamishibai

ILCA, Jan 10

Each week at dusk, a man in a yellow mask gathers children at a playground to hear unsettling tales. Drawing from kamishibai paper theatre traditions, the stories weave together myths, urban legends, and rumours from Japan’s long history of horror. Short-form horror suits my viewing habits and when I’ve seen this style of performance theatre live, I am curious about how it will work in a play within a play. And don’t sell yourself short. When Fringe festival season begins, should Mochinosha / The Wishes Mystical Puppet Company tour again, you can experience the paper puppet phenomenon for real too!

Fureru

CloverWorks, Jan 15

Aki, Ryo, and Yuta grew up together on the same island and now, at 20, live together in Takadanobaba, Tokyo. Though their lives have diverged into part-time work, real estate, and fashion studies, they remain emotionally connected through mysterious creatures called Touch, brought from their childhood home. These beings possess telepathic-like abilities tied to each friend’s personality. I’m always curious when animation explores intimacy through the uncanny, and CloverWorks’ sensitivity makes this feel like a small, personal story rather than event-driven spectacle.

That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime:
Tears of the Azure Sea

Eight Bit, Feb 27

Although some familiarity with this IP helps land the joke, this film functions as an original work, supervised by creator Fuse. Not only can this piece double as an entry point for newcomers but also may well follow in the same direction as One Piece.

The appeal isn’t rooted purely in absurdist comedy, but in how the story reframes monsters as individuals shaped by emotion, memory, and social order. There’s a clear awareness of how law, fear, and tradition define why beasts are treated as they are. Through Rimuru, a protagonist who can absorb and mimic those he comes into contact with, the audience learns how this fantasy world actually works from the inside out. While the film isn’t signalling an end to the franchise anytime soon, it gestures toward growth and self-understanding rather than escalation. For fans and first-timers alike, this latest entry appears poised to stand comfortably on its own.