Winter 2018 ecchi preview: Virtuous Angels and Violent Furries

This is looking like yet another season we have to endure rather than enjoy, though at least it’s a solid improvement over Fall 2017.

 

Keep in mind that sometimes there are big surprises that come out of left field.  With that said, here are the most likely Winter 2018 shows to have at least a speck of ecchi potential.

 

 

Märchen Mädchen

Hoods Entertainment

Source material eroticism:  Inconclusive (but doubtful)

The fact that the art for this series makes such a big deal out of thigh reveals kind of tells you where the fanservice barometer is going to be at for this show.  I probably wouldn’t include it at all, but it appears from the novel illustrations that there might be a little bit of skin shown and with Hoods you never know.  Though Hoods hasn’t done anything R-rated in quite some time now.

 

 

Darling in the FranXX

A-1 Pictures | Trigger

Source material eroticism:  No Source Material

Definitely not expecting much here especially when considering the animation studios involved, but I figured this series was worth mentioning as it is the basis for Kentaro Yabuki’s newest manga project.  If you are as interested in Yabuki’s new manga project as I am, you might find the anime to be a good companion piece.

 

 

Kokkoku

Geno Studio

Source material eroticism:  Inconclusive

This definitely won’t be a sexy anime, based on glances at the manga this series appears to be solidly in the same category as gross-out seinen horror manga such as Parasyte or I am a Hero.  The thing is that these shows are often wildcards for adult content, even if it is icky.

 

 

Beatless

Diomedéa

Source material eroticism:  Inconclusive (but doubtful)

Based on a light novel.  This series also received a manga adaptation but I haven’t had a chance to read through it in its entirety.  What I have seen of the manga strongly suggests that this series will be of the mainstream variety.  A few sexy outfits here and there, but probably no more than that.

 

 

Citrus

Passione

Source material eroticism:  Non-nude service

Citrus is probably the biggest wildcard of the season.  The series has a clearly defined yuri theme and there’s no shortage of steamy scenes in the manga.  It also features a fairly well known director who’s no stranger to hardcore ecchi:  Takeo Takahashi.  Takahashi has previously directed Yosuga no Sora, Dakara boku-ha H ga Dekinai., Smash Hit! and Love Love.  All of which were pretty loaded with nudity.

However, he also is pretty well known for directing Spice and WolfRokka no Yuusha, and Maoyuu Maou Yuusha.  Shows that teased the shit out of viewers but never delivered.  Unfortunately, it’s my expectation that Citrus will fall into this latter category, as the manga has yet to yield any nipple sightings through the first seven volumes, despite unambiguously erotic themes.

For what it is worth, the project is being animated by Passione who took some liberties with Rail Wars and who are working on the current season of High School DxD.  Definitely a long shot, but if it pans out it could be epic.

 

 

Killing Bites

LIDEN FILMS

Source material eroticism:  Non-nude service (…except for that one time)

I remember reading the first volume of this series a couple years back and thinking it had god-tier ecchi potential.  It seemed to fit perfectly into the well endowed vixens who love violence theme we’d previously seen with Ikkitousen, Freezing, Samurai Girls, Triage X and Queen’s Blade.  Fucking awesome series, every one. Killing Bites even got off to a pretty good start, with a point blank nude scene in the very first volume.

The twist with Killing Bites- the girls are human-animal hybrids.  While not being a furry personally, I suddenly felt like I wanted to be one as I read this manga.

Unfortunately, the series would strangely revert to non-nude in the volumes that would follow, and as of now there is just that one nipple sighting in eight volumes of the manga, despite the fact that the manga goes out of its way to be sexploitation with all the hot girls, sexy outfits, poses, and near-nudity.

LIDEN FILMS has generally stayed true to the source material in terms of erotic content with their series.  So I’m guessing we’ll get that one nude scene, and that will be it.  I’m not expecting liberties to be taken.  But if I’m wrong – obviously this series would have immense potential.

One note of optimism, apparently there is going to be some kind of ‘director’s cut’ version of the show released by Amazon presumably as the series airs.  This detail would hint at some kind of uncensorship or blu-ray changes.  With that said, I’m expecting the content here to be like Blood C.  Tons of gore and grizzly violence, and maybe a token nipple sighting.

 

 

Basilisk: Ouka Ninpouchou

Seven Arcs Pictures

Source material eroticism:  One nude scene (so far)

Basilisk (2005) is one of those anime I’ve always meant to get around to seeing but never have.  Considering that it was Ninja Scroll that got me into anime in the first place way back in the day, I’ve got a soft-spot for ninja anime that earn that R-rating in every sense.

This new anime takes place 10 years after the original.  While the original manga and TV series had several nude scenes, the new manga has just one so far in 18 chapters, and it comes in a totally dispensable satanic ritual scene.  It may very well be left on the cutting room floor as was done with a similar situation in King’s Game.

Though I guess if this series delivers, I’ll finally be forced to see what I missed with the 2005 series to catch up for 2018.

 

 

25-sai no Jyoshikousei

Lyrics

Source material eroticism:  Hentai

Another season, another 5 minute episode hentai to TV adaptation.

This one is about an adult woman who poses as a high schooler to cover for her cousin.  She bumps into an ex-classmate who is now a teacher and hentai stuff happens.

 

 

Nanatsu no Bitoku (Seven Heavenly Virtues)

Bridge

Source material eroticism:  No Source Material

Last Spring, we finally got to see Hobby Japan’s The Seven Deadly Sins after nearly five years of waiting.  Now we get the anime for their angelic counterparts: The Seven Heavenly Virtues.

Unfortunately, this new anime will be limited to short, five minute episodes, likely a reaction to the mediocre sales of the previous series, not to mention some of the production headaches Hobby Japan endured.

Sadly, the production studio (Artland) folded as they finished the final episodes of this series, which means we get a new staff and new production studio for this spinoff effort.  Which is really too bad because the previous series, for all its problems, had some serious talent including much of the staff that made the best Queen’s Blade seasons.

While it’s undeniable that the production values look lower this time around, and the character designs a bit more generic, it’s worth nothing that the new director is Shinji Ishihara of Fairy Tail fame. It will be fun to see how he handles his first nude ecchi series.

 

 

Other notes about the Winter 2018 season:

 

 

Also airing this season are sequel seasons for Overlord and Dagashi Kashi.  Both have already established themselves as being very mainstream friendly and relatively mild for fanservice, but might be worth checking out if you enjoyed those shows.

Shinmai Maou no Testament will have an hour long movie in theaters in January.  It’s expected that the sexy bits will be added on blu-ray similar to the TV show.  From what we’ve seen from the trailer, the animation quality looks vastly improved.  It’s possible that this movie might have as much service as any TV series does this season.

There is one entry that is conspicuous in its absence.  High School DxD Hero.  It seems very safe to assume at this point that it won’t be a part of the Winter Season.  There’s a bunch of Box Sets for previous DxD seasons that are hitting the market just as the Spring 2018 season kicks off.  Based on that information, we should probably expect to hear a Spring 2018 announcement for DxD Hero in the coming weeks.

Anyway, that’s all for this season.  Hopefully Winter 2018 doesn’t let us down as badly as the last season just did.

If you are reading this and would like to join the fapservice team of writers to help cover these shows, please contact me via the site email.  Here’s to a better season, and hopefully a much better year for ecchi fans.