The ubiquitous streaming giant Netflix continues to push the boundaries of programming it offers on its platform. At the Anime Lineup Presentation in Tokyo this week, they gave a sneak peek at what viewers can expect in terms of Anime series in the coming year.
Soon, viewers everywhere will be able to discover even more Anime movies and series made by from some of the best creators in the world, as well as a chance to revisit some of the medium’s most beloved stories, including Saint Seiya: Knights of the Zodiac and Ultraman.
Rilakkuma and Kaoru
Director Masahito Kobayashi tells the story of a woman in her thirties who begins sharing her apartment with a soft toy bear that has decided to take up residence there, she finds that the secret to life is sometimes as simple as relaxing. Rilakkuma and Kaoru features one of the most popular characters in Japan coming to life in this stop-motion animation series, which will launch on April 19.
Neon Genesis Evangelion
Set in A.D. 2015, Tokyo 3 is under attack by powerful creatures known as the Angels. Shinji Ikari is chosen to pilot the Humanoid Decisive Weapon Evangelion — the only way for humanity to fight against the Angels. The battle for the fate of humanity starts now. What exactly are the Angels? What fate awaits the young pilots and humanity itself? We’ll find out when it launches sometime in the spring of 2019. Neon Genesis Evangelion premieres this spring. In addition, both Evangelion True and The End of Evangelion will also be available to stream, though no dates were given.
Saint Seiya: Knights of the Zodiac
This story from director Yoshiharu Ashino follows the modern-day adventures of young warriors called “Knights”, who are sworn protectors of the reincarnated Greek goddess Athena. Each Knight wears a powerful armor based on their chosen zodiac constellation, which is why they’re known as Knights of the Zodiac. They aid Athena in her battle against powerful Olympian gods who are bent on destroying the humankind. Saint Seiya: Knights of the Zodiac will launch sometime in the summer of 2019.
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7Seeds
In the near future, a giant meteorite has collided with earth. All living organisms, including mankind, have been wiped off the face of the planet. The government, who had foreseen this outcome, took measures to counter the worst-case scenario called Project 7Seeds, in which five sets of seven young men and women were carefully selected and placed into teams, with each participant sought ways to survive on a deserted island. You can see how it all plays out when 7Seeds drops sometime in April.
Ultraman
Several years have passed since the events of Ultraman, with the legendary hero now a distant memory, as it is believed he returned home after fighting the many giant aliens that invaded the Earth. Shin Hayata’s son Shinjiro seems to possess a strange ability, and it is this ability, along with his father’s revelation that he was Ultraman, that leads Shinjiro to battle the new aliens invading the Earth. The newest incarnation of Ultraman from directors Kenji Kamiyama and Shinji Aramaki will premiere April 1.
