Spring 2017

I remembered spring 2017 as one of those quarters that was quietly satisfying — lots of familiar names showing up alongside a huge number of originals. The season leaned into movies and sequels in a way that rewarded existing fans: Fairy Tail Movie 2 put the franchise's signature bombast on the big screen, and Kuroko's Basketball: Last Game delivered the kind of high-energy sports finale people wanted.

WorldEnd (What Do You Do at the End of the World?) took a softer, melancholic approach and worked because it committed to mood and worldbuilding. The King's Avatar (a Chinese title that circulated widely) brought clean, methodical esports storytelling that felt refreshingly focused. Saekano .flat served the romcom crowd with slick meta-humor, and Rage of Bahamut: Virgin Soul returned with shiny production and new characters. Studios like A-1 Pictures, Production I.G, Madhouse and Wit kept the quality bar noticeable, so even the middling shows often had at least one thing worth remembering.