Rather than post a full, unwieldy Winter 2017 anime season (there are 90+ new and continuing shows this season), we'll be dividing up our list of new and continuing shows into shonen, seinen, ecchi and mecha/kaiju. We'll be kicking things off with our coverage on new and continuing shonen series.
[Note: Premiere dates are for Japan so simulcasts won't be available in North America until the next day.]
Title: Blue Exorcist: Kyoto Saga (also known as Blue Exorcist: Kyoto Impure King Arc and Ao no Exorcist: Kyoto Fujouou-hen)
Studio: A-1 Pictures
Episode Count: 12
Type: Manga adaptation
Director: Kouichi Hatsumi
Premiere Date: Saturday, January 07
Where to Watch: Crunchyroll, Daisuki
Summary: Second season of the Ao no Exorcist series.
Title: KonoSuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World! (also known as Kono Subarashii Sekai ni Shukufuku wo! 2)
Studio: Studio Deen
Episode Count: Unknown
Type: Light Novel adaptation
Director: Kanasaki, Takaomi
Premiere Date: Thursday, January 12
Where to Watch: Crunchyroll
Summary: Second season of Kono Subarashii Sekai ni Shukufuku wo!
Title: Little Witch Academia
Studio: Studio Trigger
Episode Count: Unknown
Type: Original series
Director: Yoshinari, You
Premiere Date: Monday, January 9
Where to Watch: Netflix
Summary: Little Witch Academia gets its first full anime season after two well-received OVAs.
Title: Handshakers
Studio: Studio GoHands
Episode Count: 12
Type: Original series
Director: Suzuki, Shingo
Premiere Date:Wednesday, January 11
Where to Watch: Crunchyroll, Funiamtion
Summary: The new show revolves around the Hand Shakers—partners who can summon "Nimrodes," weapons born from their deep psyche by joining hands. The Hand Shakers compete with and fight other Hand Shaker pairs in order to meet and challenge "God." If they prove victorious they'll have any wish granted.
Title: Tales of Zestiria the X 2nd Season
Studio:ufotable
Episode Count: 12
Type: video game adaptation
Director: ?
Premiere Date: Sunday, January 8
Where to Watch: Daisuki, Funiamtion
Summary: Second season of ufotable's adaptation of the Tales of Zestiria JRPG video game.
Title: Gintama
Studio: BN Pictures
Episode Count: ?
Type: manga adaptation
Director: Miyawaki, Chizuru
Premiere Date: Monday, January 9
Where to Watch: Crunchyroll
Summary: After 316 episodes and 7 seasons, the beloved spoof series returns for an 8th season.
Title: Rewrite: Moon and Tera
Studio: 8bit
Episode Count: ?
Type: visual novel adaptation
Director: Nonaka, Masayuki and Nakagawa, Hiromi
Premiere Date: Saturday, January 14
Where to Watch: Crunchyroll
Summary: The second season of the Summer 2016 anime, Rewrite.
Title: Chain Chronicle: The Light of Haecceitas (also known as Chain Chronicle: Haecceitas no Hikari)
Studio: Telecom Animation Film and Graphinica
Episode Count: 12
Type: mobile game adaptation
Director: Kudou, Masashi
Premiere Date: Sunday, January 8
Where to Watch: Crunchyroll, Funimation
Summary: A TV anime adaptation of the mobile game Chain Chronicle.
Title: ēlDLIVE
Studio: Studio Pierrot
Episode Count: 12
Type: manga adaptation
Director: Furuta, Takeshi
Premiere Date: Sunday, January 8
Where to Watch: Crunchyroll
Summary: Chuuta Kokonose is an orphan who lives with his aunt. For as long as he can remember, he's had a voice in his head, but other than that he's a normal boy—right until the day when a strange-looking thing follows him home and teleports him to a place filled with more fantastic creatures. It's a space police station, and Rein Brickke, the Chief of Solar System Department, tells him that he's been chosen by the computer as a possible candidate to join the police force. Misuzu Sonokata, a girl from Chuuta's school with an angelic face and ill temper who turns out to be one of Rein Brickke's subordinates, doesn't think him suitable for such a job. Chuuta, who was shocked at first, decides to take the aptitude test after being urged by the voice in his head and to prove Misuzu wrong.
Title: Yowamushi Pedal: New Generation
Studio: TMS Entertainment
Episode Count: ?
Type: sports manga adaptation
Director: ?
Premiere Date: Tuesday, January 10
Where to Watch: Crunchyroll
Summary: Third season of the Yowamushi Pedal series.
Title: SPIRITpack
Studio: Haoliners Animation League
Episode Count: ?
Type: web manga adaptation
Director: ?
Premiere Date: Saturday, January 7
Where to Watch: Crunchyroll
Summary: Heir of an old famous family of exorcist, Keika You is stricken by poverty after losing his parents. He struggles as a street fortune teller and computer recovery part timer to earn money. One night in a junkyard, he meets the mysterious yet charismatic exorcist, Ki Tanmoku, fighting an evil spirit. This encounter is the beginning of a fated story for Keika You. Unfortunately for him, he was actually hit by a car and became a ghost. That was when the handsome exorcist Ki appeared and asked Keika to make a "pact" with him to fight evil spirits together. Here starts the friendship of our heroes!
Title: Schoolgirl Strikers: Animation Channel
Studio: J.C. Staff
Episode Count: ?
Type: video game adaptation
Director: ?
Premiere Date: Saturday, January 7
Where to Watch: Crunchyroll
Summary: It's the near future. The newly established girls' private school Goryoukan Academy has another face. This school has a special unit, Fifth force, who is assembled and selected from the school's student body in order to fight an enemy called Oburi. This is a story about love, courage and friendship about the girls called Strikers.
Title: Minami Kamakura Koukou Joshi Jitensha-bu
Studio: J.C. Staff
Episode Count: 12
Type: manga adaptation
Director: Kudou, Susumu
Premiere Date: Saturday, January 7
Where to Watch: Crunchyroll
Summary: Maiharu Hiromi has moved to Kamakura Nagasaki, and rides a bicycle to school everyday. Then she meets Akizuki Tomoe, the leader of the girls cycling club. She therefore joins the club and her life gradually begins to change.
Continuing From The Fall 2016 Anime Season
Naruto Shippuden
One Piece
Twin Star Exorcists
Detective Conan
Dragon Ball Super
All Out!!
Tiger Mask W
In terms of shows kicking off a new season, Blue Exorcist and Gintama are the clear, runaway winners in terms of most hype. However, Little Witch Academia and KonoSuba have strong followings that will certainly keep them in the discussion. As far as a shonen darkhorse for best new Winter 2017 shonen anime, SPIRITpack may surprise viewers who still have a Bleach-shaped hole in their anime-loving hearts.
Stay tuned to Anime Mojo as we'll be doing a rundown of Winter's new and continuing seinen shows next.
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