Time to bring 2019 in with a bang by checking out some of Funimation's latest anime titles, which include explosive titles and some surprisingly erotic stories that push the boundaries of ecchi. If you’re curious about anime but haven’t watched any yet, or you’ve been a fan for decades, Funimation definitely has something for you to enjoy. This New Year's selection includes an excellent installment in the kid-friendly Monster Hunter Stories series, a pair of swimming sports dramas from the popular Free! franchise, some super violent and action-packed anime in Juni Taisen and Witch Hunter Robin, and the sexy side of anime in The Testament of Sister New Devil: Burst, in an uncensored version.

For the uninitiated, Funimation is a U.S. company known for their dubs and domestic distribution of Japanese anime. So all of the reviews you’re about to check out are for the dub version of each anime, though some Blu-rays/DVDs have a Japanese audio option as there are some exceptions to the rule. Below, you’ll find the official synopsis for each movie and series, along with a link to pick up your own copy at Funimation’s online store, should my review convince you. Sometimes, it’ll be an easy thing to suggest you buy it, other times, it’ll be just as easy to go in the other direction.

Check out my rundown of Funimation’s home video selections from this winter season, and be sure to take a look at their 2018 summer selections, fall favorites, and winter titles as well. You might just find a favorite you overlooked or a new addition to your catalog you might have missed.

The following titles from Funimation’s New Year's catalog are presented by audience age, youngest first, so feel free to stop perusing once you've hit your limit:

Monster Hunter Stories: Ride On – Season 1, Part 4

Monster Hunter Stories: Ride On – Season 1, Part 4 

Finding the last of the Kinship Ore has become Lute’s top priority! However, both Dr. Manelger and Cheval continue to cause problems for the group, and as the legend of Redan unfolds, Blighted monsters remain a constant threat.

If you haven't been keeping up with these kid-friendly adventures, thankfully, there’s a recap of the story so far (or at least the most recent part of it) to kick things off in Part 4. The story about a group of kids who form a kinship with monsters all across the world picks up after the events seen in our previous recap of Part 3.

Monster Hunter Stories: Ride On features super colorful, bright, and cheery animation, which is a nice change from the style that pervades anime for older audiences. In this chapter, there are some tough friendship and kinship lessons learned between Lute and Cheval, who are a lot like Naruto and Sasuke. That comparison is part of the reason that this series is a great gateway anime for newcomers and kiddos. And this part of the story comes with an awesome few episodes to end this run, including a powerful white dragon and its blighted form, the Black Dread. There's an intense penultimate episode with some dire stakes, making this the best “boy and his dragon” story since How to Train Your Dragon. Even the preview for the next part in the series is exciting!

9/10

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Image via FUNimation

High Speed! Free! Starting Days

High Speed! Free! Starting Days

Before they were making waves in high school, Haru and Makoto took their marks in junior high! Take a dive into the past with your favorite swimming boys and new faces as they learn what it means to work together and make new friends.

I wasn’t sure what to expect from the cover art and trailers, but this prequel film is a great story of male friendship, brotherhood, and camaraderie in a sports drama. The Free! flashback tale takes place just as the swimmers get to middle school. It explores a lot of their anxieties and personal issues which affect their performance, but also shows how friendship and support help each other overcome them. While viewers might be a little lost if they haven’t watched the series/movies, this is a solid standalone. (And as a bonus, the English voice cast is really, really good, too.)

8/10

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Image via FUNimation

Free! Take Your Marks

Free! Take Your Marks

While Haru and Makoto prepare to move to college, Nagisa and Rei worry about the future of the swim club. Could this be the end of their beloved team or can they find new recruits? Then, hilarity ensues when the boys of Samezuka hit up the hot springs!

After enjoying the prequel film, I was expecting a lot more from the series itself. This film is essentially four episodes put together as a movie that acts as a sequel to Free! Eternal Summer and is the closing chapter in the film trilogy. But this original story that picked up from the previous adventures lacked any of the interesting drama or conflict of even the prequel series. It basically follows the swimmers as they're about to start college, but it centers on more mundane things like finding apartments and navigating some personal issues, complete with dream sequences that add a little fantasy to the mix. That might sound appealing to you, but it just didn't quite work for me.

6/10

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Image via FUNimation

Dagashi Kashi Season 2

Dagashi Kashi Season 2

The snack pack is back, and this time they’re bringing the toys…toys and games, that is! Right as things are raring to go, Hotaru suddenly leaves. With the queen gone, the snack kingdom crumbles, and Shikada Dagashi goes from shop to shack. Now it’s up to Kokonotsu to bring it back to life!

Here's another series that starts off with an interesting premise, but since I landed in the middle of the show's second season, I felt a bit lost. Apparently the series follows a girl, described as "eccentric" and "busty", trying to convince the son of a snack shop owner to take over the family business so she can recruit the father for her own famous snack company. That's definitely odd enough to be compelling, but it’s really all about the over-the-top dramatic conversations and is predictably pervy and fan-servicey. Maybe Season 1 is a bit more compelling, but this was a misfire for me.

5/10

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Image via FUNimation

Concrete Revolutio: The Complete Series

Concrete Revolutio: The Complete Series

In a world of fantastical creatures, the government has formed a bureau of powerful fighters to protect those with supernatural abilities. But society and government clash on defining the lines of justice. Past and future weave a web of corruption in this striking phantasmagoria where heroes are killers, beauties are beasts, and even the bureau’s only human member has something up his sleeve.

This kitchen sink anime gets off to a compelling and mysterious start, though it felt like I already missed something in the first episode. Apparently it’s a bit of a spy series with some superhuman abilities and things like aliens and monsters thrown into the mix. I had no idea what was going on but it was very pretty to watch as Bones' animation remains top-notch, as always. There’s a lot going on and it feels like being thrown into the middle of One Punch Man, My Hero Academia, and Sailor Moon all mixed together without any backstory early on.

If you hang in there, however, the backstory eventually kicks in. The Superhuman Bureau has to recruit and track super-powered heroes and villains while trying to hide their existence from the general population. That's the general idea, though the series is split between past and future timelines which muddy the waters a bit while also giving plenty of latitude for character development. There are some really unique stories to be found here, especially for various genre stories that can vary from all-out robot battles to classic adventure tales battling monsters of myth in the very next episode. The series does get a bit bogged down under its own weight as it adds more and more characters, and it never quite feels cohesive, but it's a super-entertaining watch just the same.

7/10

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Image via FUNimation

Zillion

Zillion

The year is 2387, and humanity is at war with a merciless alien species—the Noza. Both vying for control of planet Maris, humanity’s best chance for survival rests upon three young soldiers wielding powerful handheld weapons called Zillion.

 

This is one of the most 80s things you’ll ever watch, even if you have no memory of the 80s themselves. If you’re a fan of Dragon Ball, Voltron, or Akira, you’ll fall in love with the animation and character design immediately.

There's a pretty typical setup for this 1987 animated series that makes its way West for the first time in its entirety, thanks to Funimation. In the far future, humans have colonized nearby planets but an alien invasion threatens civilization; a team of three elite fighters (known as the White Nuts/White Knights) each armed with the gifted guns known as Zillion are humanity’s only hope, as you do.

Protagonist JJ is a lot like the protagonist of Captain N: Game Master, who arrived 2 years later, and ladies love to scream his name over and over. And as a product of its era, there are (of course) transforming mecha and red-and-blue strobe lights used for dramatic effect; epilepsy warning! It's a good thing the music is as rad as it is in this show since the theme song is used quite a bit, almost as much as various countdowns used to launch rockets and ships or signal an impending explosion. Overall, Zillion feels a bit slow as it's more episodic than serial, but it's a nice blast to the past regardless.

6/10

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Image via FUNimation

Dragon Ball Super: Part 5

Dragon Ball Super: Part 5

Following their first encounter with Goku Black, the Saiyan trio are itching to dish out some payback! With everyone’s lives on the line, the Z Fighters must face the problem head-on or try to alter the timeline at the source!

It's been a blast to watch the Dragon Ball Super story unfold, whether you're watching it in the original Japanese audio or Funimation's English dub. This section of the story, dealing with our heroes' second run-in with Goku Black over the course of Episodes 53-65, comes with a fun mystery twist thrown in amidst all the action. The gang has to suss out why Black has a Time Ring, so they visit a parallel universe to converse with the Supreme Kai. If they don't figure the mystery out, the future of Earth may be doomed...

While this arc wasn't quite as good as the Tournament of Power arc that follows up after it, it was a fun little side journey for the series, and this particular section has some interesting episodes. Dragon Ball rarely dips into mystery, so enjoy some sleuthing while you've got it!

7/10

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Image via FUNimation

Nanbaka: Part Two

Nanbaka Part Two 

Things are calming down after Jyugo’s drama but when trouble begins to stir in Building 5, the idiots with numbers face their deadliest challenge yet! A powerful guard has broken out of his cell and it’s up to them to save Nanba.

The sparkles are back!

This follow-up to the first part (you can read my review here) is just as funny and ridiculous as the first go-round but even more self-aware and fourth-wall breaking than before. Part Two explores Jyugo’s backstory some more and still gives the others time to shine. The mythology really kicks up a few notches here with the arranged escape of convict and former guard Enki Gokuu, Samon’s older brother. Throughout the telling, friends and coworkers betray the guards and manipulate the prisoners to achieve their own ends. So while it does get a little bogged down in what feels like one protracted battle, it's a worthy continuation from the first part. (Oh and there's a funny extra “high school” episode, kind of like Assassination Classroom that's a bit of a satirical take.)

8/10

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Image via FUNimation

Gin Tama Series 3, Part 2

Gintama Series 3, Part 2

Aliens known as the Amanto have invaded Earth and taken over feudal Japan. In this strange new era, a man named Gintoki Sakata with the heart of a samurai, and the odd company he keeps, have found a way to stay self-employed. But things get really serious when the shogun’s life is in peril, and Gintoki’s past comes back to haunt him.

 

*Includes 12-page art booklet featuring various fan-favorite characters

Again, it’s tough jumping into a series on episode 292, which finds the team shopping for new clothes and making very obvious fourth wall-breaking jokes. If I had gotten into this "Odd Job" anime earlier, I'm sure I'd be better acquainted with the quirky cast of characters, but meeting them this late in the game was a bit jarring.

There's a bunch of anime references and lots and lots of in-jokes and pop culture references throughout, but it feels like a crutch for a lack of substantial storytelling at times. This show is very silly with a little bit of action thrown in, though I do so love the music in this thing. Even arcs like “The Shogun Assassin” which seem like they're going to have a bit more meat to them end up feeling like filler. This really didn’t hold my attention at all, but I think it's just a case of landing in the middle of these episodes instead of journeying with them from the beginning.

6/10

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Image via FUNimation

Pop Team Epic

Pop Team Epic

Crude, rude, and a little…cute? Get ready for the larger-than-life attitude of Popuko and Pipimi, the small and tall stars of Pop Team Epic. Based off the popular four-panel webcomic comes a bizarre comedy filled with plenty of absurdity!

I’m late to this party but oh boy I was not prepared for this insanity. It starts like a normal anime series but quickly dips into the crazy thanks to the cutesy characters and their husky voices, getting into all sorts of ridiculous situations; this belongs on Adult Swim.

It really isn’t even worthwhile to try to get across the story of Pop Team Epic, because there is none, not in any obvious or meaningful way, anyway, it’s just a bunch of random non sequiturs, one after the other, so you'll know very quickly if that's your particular brand of humor or not. It pokes fun at famous manga, artists and fans alike, as well as anime and its tropes, while also being completely insane, playing with wild animation styles and random asides in live-action, and sometimes in French…

It’s not a go-to recommendation for folks who are new to anime or thinking about checking it out, but a must-watch recommendation for die-hard anime fans who will pick up on all or most of the references.

*As a bonus, the Extras feature some unaired versions of scenes and animation clips

8/10

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Image via FUNimation

Juni Taisen: Zodiac War

Juni Taisen: Zodiac War

The time has come for the deadly Twelfth Juni Taisen Tournament! Twelve warriors, each baring a name from the Chinese zodiac, will fight in the bloody battle royal. The victor is granted a single wish, and they’ll do whatever it takes to earn it.

I love the premise: 12 elite mercenaries battle to the death in the Zodiac Tournament, set in a city where half a million people have been “relocated” in a night, with each competitor representing an animal in the Chinese Zodiac. It's amazing how a clean and simple premise can really help to focus storytelling without getting dragged down by filler or side stories.

This series is pretty much all-out action from the get-go with kinetic and dynamic fight scenes that get mega violent, as you might expect, but also pretty gory. Juni Taisen: Zodiac War does a great job of getting you invested into individual characters, only to cut their knees out from under them (sometimes literally), which keeps the audience and the other characters on their toes. The "victory or death" mentality really raises the stakes, too. So tournament winner’s ultimate wish is a little disappointing, this anime series is a winner, hands down.

12/10? Okay, 10/10 then.

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Image via FUNimation

Witch Hunter Robin

Witch Hunter Robin

Robin Sena is a powerful craft user drafted into the STNJ—a group of specialized hunters that fight deadly beings known as Witches. Though her fire power is great, she’s got a lot to learn about her powers and working with her cool and aloof partner, Amon. But the truth about the Witches and herself will leave Robin on an entirely new path that she never expected!

Within moments of watching Witch Hunter Robin, I remembered that I’ve already seen it and then immediately got mad at myself for forgetting it; it’s a fantastically animated dark mythology with some clever and unique elements throughout. I don’t think I ever got a chance to finish the series when it was on the air, so now’s the perfect time to do so. It's not as gory as Juni Taisen or anywhere near as sexed-up as Testament, but it deals with some more mature themes in its storytelling.

It’s also got a cool kind of “punk horror” feel to it, like The Craft or The Crow, which is rare but endearing; it was perfect content for Cartoon Network’s Midnight Run. Even the credits sequences on this are awesome, even if they feel exactly like early-2000s Sunrise (ie Cowboy Bebop, InuYasha, Outlaw Star, Gundam series, etc). A slow burn but worth the effort.

9/10

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Image via FUNimation

The Testament of Sister New Devil: Burst - Season 2

The Testament of Sister New Devil: Burst - Season 2

After two demon girls, Maria the succubus and Mio the demoness, force Basara into a contract that makes him their master, the trio form a complicated master-servant relationship. Basara is the last descendant of a demon-fighting hero clan, but as master of two demon girls, he finds himself defending them instead of fighting them.

 

Limited Edition includes:

  • Chipboard box
  • Art book
  • Fabric poster

*all featuring special artwork that is not available on the standard edition release. These pieces of art feature the sexy demon girl characters in more appealing, less clothed variations, in contrast to the completely clean and safe standard edition version.

Oh where to start with this one ...

This is actually the second season of the anime, explaining why it jumps into the fray without any explanation; it’s also banned in China!

What starts with an interesting and action-packed battle between War God Jin Tojo and the Demon Lord quickly jumps to a sex dream for one of Tojo’s son Basara’s two new step-sisters, Mio and Maria. Then, pretty much rinse and repeat the ecchi scenes throughout the rest of this story.

There are girls in underwear pretending to be dogs to serve their master, breasts everywhere imaginable, the occasional toe-sucking or armpit-licking scene, lots of orgasms (Due to all the tantric sex energy being channeled to increase combat power, right? Right.)... I think I pretty much gave up on this one when one of the girls says, “As a result, we became Basara’s bitches.”

Outside of the over-sexualized fan-service, it’s a kind of vanilla humans vs gods/demons story that ends in one big happy harem for Basara at the end, after defeating the summoned Chaos beast and the Heroic monsters. The included OVA goes back to a slightly more innocent place, but it’s still the same ol thing in “Tojo Basara's Perfectly Peaceful Daily Life."

If it's your slice of anime, enjoy!

6/10

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Image via Funimation