I'm leaving out "Koto Nakare Hero Gingerman" and that "Butazuka"-whatever anime.
Scheduled dates are subject to change without notice. Some anime will have early preview releases, etc.
Shikabane Hime: Kuro (??thirteen episode TV series) - Airing January 1st, 2009 10:30AM
http://www.starchild.co.jp/special/shikabanehime2/
http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclo ... p?id=10417
http://www.animenfo.com/animetitle,4377 ... hime_.html
Genre: Shounen, Action, Horror
The second season of Shikabane Hime.
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Maria-sama ga Miteru 4th Season (thirteen episode TV series) - Airing January 3rd, 2009 10:30AM:
http://www.gokigenyou.com/index2.htm
http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclo ... hp?id=9210
http://www.animenfo.com/animetitle,4404 ... _ga_m.html
Youtube preview: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8JIv2qUA5t8
Genre: Shoujo/josei, drama, shoujo-ai
The fourth season of Maria-sama.
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Akikan! (TV series) - Airing January 4th, 2009 12:00AM (preview released early):
http://www.melomelomelon.com/
http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclo ... p?id=10209
http://www.animenfo.com/animetitle,4399 ... ikan_.html
Youtube preview: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fiD0WFyA7JQ
Genre: Shounen, Romance, Comedy, Novel
One day, Kakeru unintentionally buys a canned melon soda. When he sips it, the can turns into a girl. He continues kissing the girl for a while. It is a momentous event for him, since he has lived without a girl friend for 16 years. While he is surprised, she announces, “I’m going to live with you because you have become my owner.” Meanwhile, a suspicious looking guy named Otoya Hideyuki comes and, surprisingly, tries to kiss Kakaeru. He accompanies his secretary, Kizaki Airin, and introduces himself as an officer of Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.
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White Album (TV series) - Airing January 4th, 2009 2:00AM:
http://www.whitealbum-tv.com/
http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclo ... p?id=10134
http://www.animenfo.com/animetitle,4349 ... album.html
Genre: Romance, Game
(From Sankaku Complex June 26, 2008:) ----- Leaf eroge White Album is set to get adaptations to both anime and PS3. The anime is set to air in January, whilst the PS3 game has a nonspecific 2009 release. Production staff for the anime have been confirmed (most notably the director has some involvement in Nanoha Strikers, and the writer was involved in Key The Metal Idol), but the cast is not yet finalised.
Wow...it sure took them a long time to adapt this one. I think the game came out in 1998.
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Maria Holic (TV series) - Airing January 5th, 2009 12:30AM (preview released early):
http://www.mariaholic.com/
http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclo ... p?id=10200
http://www.animenfo.com/animetitle,4281 ... holic.html
Youtube promo: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3bdrreIYqdw
Genre: Seinen, Comedy, Romance
The story centers on a sophomore named Kanako who enrolls in all-girls school because she has a phobia of men and wants to find her destined yuri partner. She meets a captivating freshman named Mariya who fits her criteria — except her seemingly ideal mate happens to be a cross-dressing sadistic boy.
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Seto no Hanayome Gi (OVA second episode?) - Airing January 5th, 2009 12:30AM:
http://www.setonohanayome.com/ova/
http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclo ... hp?id=9694
http://www.animenfo.com/animetitle,4366 ... nayom.html
Genre: Shounen, Comedy, Romance
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Minami-ke: Okaeri (?thirteen episode TV series) - Airing January 5th, 2009 1:30AM:
http://www.starchild.co.jp/special/minami-ke/3
http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclo ... p?id=10388
http://www.animenfo.com/animetitle,4413 ... okaer.html
Genre: Seinen, Comedy, Slice of Life
The third season of Minami-ke.
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Zoku Natsume Yuujinchou (TV series) - Airing January 6th, 2009 1:00AM:
http://www.natsume-anime.jp/
http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclo ... p?id=10254
http://www.animenfo.com/animetitle,4412 ... me_yu.html
Genre: Shoujo, Fantasy, Supernatural
The second season of Natsume Yuujinchou.
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Sora wo Kakeru Shoujo (The Girl Who Lept Through Space)(TV series) - Airing January 6th, 2009 1:30AM:
http://www.sorakake.net/
http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclo ... p?id=10272
http://www.animenfo.com/animetitle,4436 ... keru_.html
Youtube promo: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cSXFTJwx5vs
Genre: Science-Fiction
On the 311th year of the Orbital Era the human race built numerous space colonies and moved their living sphere into space. Akiha, the third of five daughters of the Shishido Foundation, a famous group for space development, was born, raised and currently attends school in a colony. One day, she happens to encounter a brain colony, an artificial intelligence colony, called Leopard. It is said that the brain colony has a human mind, but Leopard is ill-natured. It is selfish, and mocks others. Leopard seems to posses the bad nature of human beings. He is also arrogant against Akiha and treats her like a servant, which irritates Akiha. However, there is a reason for him doing so.
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Viper's Creed (TV series) - Airing January 6th, 2009 10:00PM:
http://viperscreed.jp/
http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclo ... p?id=10351
http://www.animenfo.com/animetitle,4430 ... creed.html
http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/20 ... e-streamed
Youtube teaser trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYxAfFClzUE
Genre: Action, Mecha, Science-Fiction
(From ANN:) ----- The story is set in the middle of the 21st century and revolves around the members of a private military company (PMC). There is uneasy tension between them and the regular military as they deal with terrorism and the aftermath of a war that caused massive environmental destruction.
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Hajime no Ippo: New Challenger (TV series) - Airing January 7th, 2009 1:29AM:
http://www.ntv.co.jp/ippo/
http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclo ... p?id=10387
http://www.animenfo.com/animetitle,4398 ... ippo_.html
Genre: Shounen, Boxing
The second "Hajime no Ippo" TV series.
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Asu no Yoichi! (TV series) - Airing January 9th, 2009 1:29AM:
http://www.tbs.co.jp/anime/yoichi/
http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclo ... p?id=10187
http://www.animenfo.com/animetitle,4405 ... oichi.html
Genre: Shounen, Comedy, Romance
(From MangaUpdates:) ----- A boy swordsman, Yoichi and his father stays in mountain training for his descent from the mountain. Yoichi comes to the city to lodge and stay with 4 beautiful sisters. A new more severe "training" regiment awaits him.
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The Tower of Druaga ~The Sword of Uruk (TV series) - Airing January 9th, 2009 1:30AM:
http://www.druaga-anime.com/
http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclo ... p?id=10274
http://www.animenfo.com/animetitle,4364 ... to__t.html
Genre: Adventure, Fantasy, Game
The second season of "Tower of Druaga".
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Kurokami The Animation (Black God)(TV series) - Airing January 9th, 2009 2:40AM:
http://www.kurokami-anime.net/
http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclo ... p?id=10262
http://www.animenfo.com/animetitle,4414 ... he_an.html
Youtube promo: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Qz6SiP3eTQ
Genre: Seinen, Fantasy, Action, Drama
(From Wikipedia:) ----- Keita Ibuki is an independent and struggling freelance computer programmer who, with two of his friends, is developing and trying to sell a video game program to big-time video game companies in Tokyo. He had a chance meeting on one night with a high Mototsumitama named Kuro while eating alone at a ramen stand. He gives her his dinner, a bowl of ramen, and tries to protect her when she is attacked in an ambush by an unknown Mototsumitama. Keita loses his entire left arm during the fight between the Mototsumitamas, but Kuro was able to save his life by exchanging the decapitated arm with her own left arm since she has enhanced healing abilities like all Mototsumitamas. This creates a contract between them, which makes her more powerful than before. However, Kuro warns Keita that they need to be together all the time in order to be at their strongest.
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Candy Boy Episode Five (seven episode ONA) - Airing January 9th, 2009 7:00PM:
http://candyboy.jp/
http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclo ... hp?id=9001
Genre: Seinen, Comedy, Romance, Yuri
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Birdy the Mighty Decode:02 (thirteen episode TV series) - Airing January 10th, 2009 2:10AM:
http://www.birdy-tv.com/
http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclo ... p?id=10207
http://www.animenfo.com/animetitle,4416 ... might.html
Genre: Shounen/Seinen, Science-Fiction, Comedy
The second season of Birdy the Mighty Decode.
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Kupu ~Mamegoma! (TV series) - Airing January 10th, 2009 8:30AM:
http://www.san-x.co.jp/news/62/
http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclo ... p?id=10548
Mamemgoma toys on Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mamegoma
This anime is based off the San-X Mamegoma toys.
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Major 5th Season (TV series) - Airing January 10th, 2009 6:00PM:
http://www3.nhk.or.jp/anime/major/5th/
http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclo ... hp?id=4115
http://www.animenfo.com/animetitle,4353 ... seaso.html
Genre: Shounen, Comedy, Drama, Baseball
The Fifth "Major" TV series.
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Kemono no Souja Erin ("The Beast Player Erin")(fifty episode TV series) - Airing January 10th, 2009 6:25PM:
http://shop.kodansha.jp/bc/books/topics ... p2.html#03
http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclo ... p?id=10291
http://www.animenfo.com/animetitle,4400 ... soja_.html
Youtube promo: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J5kJBtOeGro
Genre: Fantasy, Novel
(From Geta Boshi:) ----- The Japanese publisher Kodansha and the public broadcaster NHK have announced on Wednesday that The Beast Player (Kemono no Souja), a fantasy novel epic by "Moribito - Guardian of the Spirit" author Nahoko Uehashi, will be animated for television. Kemono no Souja Erin (The Beast Player Erin) will center around a girl who can control the greatest of beasts as if she was playing a musical instrument. However, she gets embroiled in a war for supremacy between kingdoms. Uehashi wrote two The Beast Player volumes in 2006. The anime will premiere on Japan's NHK-Educational channel on Saturday, January 10 at 6:25 p.m.
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Koukaku no Regios ("Chrome Shelled Regios")(TV series) - Airing January 11th, 2009 1:00AM:
http://anime.webnt.jp/regios/
http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclo ... p?id=10243
http://www.animenfo.com/animetitle,4433 ... regio.html
Youtube promo: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QeP5temgw-A
Genre: Shounen, Fantasy, Novel
(From BluWacky and Japanese Wikipedia - very roughly:) ----- The world was infected by "Pollutant" years ago - world cracked open and generally screwed up. This Pollutant spawns nasty "Pollutant Beasts", but it's also resulted in people gaining special powers. The towns that now litter the world are protected by alchemists and are mobile - these are the "Regios" of the title. The story follows some guy named Lei-Fon Alseif who starts at a new school following the disappearance of his childhood friend- in the first book there's some kind of martial arts tournament with Intrigue! and stuff. He gets recruited into the special 17th Platoon in order to combat Pollutant Beasts - shounen action ensues.
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RIDE BACK (twelve episode TV series) - Airing January 12th, 2009 12:00AM:
(WARNING Loud Homepage): http://www.rideback-anime.jp/rideback.html
http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclo ... hp?id=8049
http://www.animenfo.com/animetitle,4403 ... _back.html
Youtube promo: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0WXO7flEb20
Genre: Seinen, Mecha, Action
(From Baka-Updates/Shogakukan:) ----- In the year 2020, anti-government student movements are raging again. Having encountered a two-wheeled robot named "Rideback" modeled on a human being, Rin Ogata rides on the "Tetsuma", and the world's destiny begins to change!!
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Slayers EVOLUTION-R (thriteen episode TV series) - Airing January 12th, 2009 9:30AM:
http://www.starchild.co.jp/special/slay ... lution/er/
http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclo ... p?id=10305
http://www.animenfo.com/animetitle,4415 ... oluti.html
Genre: Shounen, Fantasy, Adventure, Novel
The fifth Slayers TV series.
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Sora wo Miageru Shoujo no Hitomi ni Utsuru Sekai (TV series) - Airing January 14th, 2009 1:45AM:
http://www.munto.com/
http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclo ... p?id=10404
Genre: Fantasy, Slice of Life
An alternate retelling of the Munto two episode OVA? I hadn't heard about this one. And it's being done by Kyoto Animation again. O_O
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SakuranBOY DT (eleven episode TV series) - Airing January 15th, 2009 1:05AM:
http://www.sakuranbo.co.jp/sdt/
Can't find info on this, but it looks awfully weird anyway.
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Genji Monogatari Sennenki ("The Tale of Genji")(eleven episode TV series) - Airing January 16th, 2009 12:45AM:
http://genji-anime.com/
http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclo ... p?id=10223
http://www.animenfo.com/animetitle,4431 ... gatar.html
Genre: Drama, Romance, Novel
Based off the famous Japanese literature.
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Hetalia Axis Powers (twenty six episode TV series) - Airing January 25th, 2009 1:52AM:
http://hetalia.com/index.htm
http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclo ... p?id=10179
http://www.animenfo.com/animetitle,4417 ... is_po.html
Genre: Comedy, Historical
(From Baka-Updates:) ----- Think of it like WWII, except every country is a pretty boy instead. A hilariously stereotypical pretty boy. America loves burgers, Russia is into the vodka, and China has pandas and a Wok. It is centered mostly around Italy, who has both a North and South character. The Hetalia portion of the name is probably mocking Italy, as Hetare means 'Useless'.
(From Domino:) ----- Hetalia (made up of the words for useless + italy) is the story of the countries of the world made into people, carrying with them that nation's stereotypes. The main setting is the WWI/WWII era, but other scenes from history (such as the American Revolution) are sometimes depicted. The story is centered around the Axis Powers, and the main character is Italy, who is a clumsy idiot who loves pasta and pizza. He is joined by the serious sausage-eating Germany and the polite and shy Japan. It is a gag manga that takes pieces of history and makes them funny, poking fun at the stereotypes and quirks of countries around the world. Because of this, fans say that this manga is the key to world peace.
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Afro Samurai: RESURRECTION (?four episode ?TV airings) - Listed as "Airing January 2009"
http://www.gdh.co.jp/news/20080725.html
I'm not sure exactly what they're airing or re-airing here.
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Fresh Pretty Cure (TV series) - Airing February 1, 2009 8:30AM:
http://www.toei-anim.co.jp/tv/fresh_precure/
http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclo ... p?id=10499
http://www.animenfo.com/animetitle,4418 ... ecure.html
Genre: Shoujo, Magical Girl
Toei is "reworking" their "Pretty Cure" brand apparently.
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So what shows are you most looking forward to seeing?
It looks like we got more than our usual share of sequels this time around even considering this is a Spring/Fall season.
From what little I know about them, I think I am looking forward to seeing these anime the most:
1. Kurokami
2. Druaga 2nd season
3. Zoku Natsume Yuujinchou
4. Asu no Yoichi
5. Sora wo Miageru...
6. Shikabane Hime Kuro
7. White Album
8. Candy Boy episode 5
9. Birdy the Mighty Decode:02
10. Akikan
What would be your picks?
Both are from beautifully drawn mangas. I hope the anime adaptations do the books justice.
and a little 
and finally turns me into a 
Unless I've seen some of it, it probably trickles out of my head with the rest of my lost brain cells. 
That'll keep you from being bored!
