As given away by the title, Ikebukuro West Gate Park is set in Ikebukuro, a trendy part of Tokyo known as one of its otaku and youth culture epicenters. The story follows charismatic twenty-something punk Majima Makoto who finds himself caught up in an escalating turf war between the G Boys, a gang led by his old classmate Ando “King” Takashi, and rival groups. Although Makoto doesn’t want to join the G Boys himself, after his girlfriend Rika is killed by an unknown assailant he allies with them in search of vengeance.

Needless to say, IWGP has some serious Durarara!! vibes with its street gangs and Ikebukuro setting and is looking to be a cool series that mixes underworld mystery and action with a lot of personality that’s got us excited!

Despite his surprising physical strength making him a popular target for sports club recruiters at his school, Itadori Yuuji spends most of his time hanging out with the misfits of the occult club and visiting his bedridden grandpa who raised him. However, things start to get crazy after Yuuji encounters a mysterious dried finger which turns out to be a cursed artifact that results in him becoming partially possessed by a powerful demon called Sukuna and thrown into the middle of a conflict between demons and sorcerers who fight them.

With the potential to become yet another bombshell Shounen Jump adaptation with a darker side focused on demons and curses, we’re definitely interested to see how Jujustu Kaisen turns out, particularly given the promising animation quality showcased in the trailer! Can Park Seong-Hu steer clear of some of the fumbles of The God of High School? We hope so as there’s a lot of potential here!

Speaking of spooky curses, this season will also be hosting the highly anticipated reboot of Higurashi: When They Cry. Based on the psychological horror visual novel series of the same name, the story follows Maebara Keiichi, the son of a famous artist who has recently moved to the countryside village of Hinamizawa and already made friends like Sonozaki Mion, her twin sister Shion, Ryugu Ren, Furude Rika, and Hojo Satoko. However, after learning about the annual Watanagashi Festival, he becomes increasingly paranoid concerning the so-called Oyashiro curse connected to it that’s been linked to several murders and disappearances in the past four years. It seems that his new home and friends might be much more sinister than they seem…

As a reboot/remake of a classic visual novel that already has a pretty well-regarded anime adaptation from the mid-late 2000s, fans and newcomers alike are dying to see where this version will go and how it will differ, especially given that the core vocal cast and composer will be returning. Seeing the new character designs by Watanabe Akio of Bakemonogatari fame has certainly caught our eye already and if this series is getting the full Fruits Basket remake treatment, it should be a horrific treat for everyone!

The acclaimed visual novel adaptations just keep on coming! The Day I Became a God is a Key joint focused on high school student Narukami Youta who is busy preparing for his university entrance exams and a mysterious girl named Hina, a self-proclaimed omniscient goddess who has seen the impending end of the world in 30 days and chooses to spend the rest of her time with Youta in what will be a summer full of memories.

As a Maeda Jun / Key adaptation, the same creative forces beyond the likes of Angel Beats, Little Busters, and CLANNAD, there’s definitely a lot of expectations on The Day I Became a God based on that legacy alone but at least we know the music will be awesome! We’re hoping it gets two cours to really shine but regardless, it is certainly an anime many are keeping their eyes on for that special mix of lighthearted moments and colossal emotional drama with a hint of the supernatural that made the best of Key’s previous adaptations so special.