So, whilst we’re all stuck indoors due to the snowpocalypse, it’s a good time to take a look at what’s been released and what’s going to be released in Japan over the coming few months. Things are somewhat thin on the ground, there’s a lot of the usual loli and h-game based stuff but a few things jump out as worth watching.

Durarara!:

From the makers of the excellent Baccano! (they must have a thing for !’s in the title). There’s a guy stamping on some ko-gal’s phone in the trailer, whilst laughing hysterically… I like this:

Dance in the Vampire Bund:

Oh, something about vampires. The premise looks interesting however, an extremely rich vampire from the Tepes family (as in, Vlad Tepes, Vlad the Impaler) pays off the national debt of Japan (!!) in order to get her own island which can be used as a safe haven for the blood drinkers of this world. She proceeds to make preparations for revealing the existence of vampires to the public at large, before some terrorists decide to attack and wreck their buzz:

Katanagatari:

A very nice period piece with some swordplay, interesting artwork and music. The director worked on Legend of the Galactic Heroes and Crest of the Stars, amongst other things:

Uchuu Senkan Yamato Fukkatsu-hen (Movie):

Power up the wave motion gun! After nearly 26 years of false starts there’s finally a new Yamato movie:

The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya (Movie):

It goes without saying that this will be enormous.

Gundam Unicorn (OVA):

I’m saving the best till last. A new Yamato movie and now the first UC Gundam show since 1993. Mabye this season isn’t so bad after all. Neo Zeon are back and there is a Char-like character called …wait for it…Full Frontal. This is going to rock.