It's the exciting start of the new year, and gaming isn't the only thing on our minds at Nexus Hub. With the year promising a boatload of highly anticipated new anime airing this year, we thought it would also be a great idea to compile a list of our most anticipated anime of 2021. While the honourable mentions list is also quite vast yet again, there's still a number of unconfirmed shows airing this year that we might not know about. That said, the top five we've chosen have been confirmed to air (or are already currently airing) in 2021. From the return of a beloved shounen to one bold prediction, here are our five most anticipated anime series of 2021 (in no particular order).

Honourable Mentions:

Dr. Stone: Stone Wars
My Hero Academia Season 5
Shaman King (2021)
Kaguya-sama: Love is War Season 3
Megalo Box Season 2
Record of Ragnarok
Fate/Stay Night: Heaven's Feel III - Spring Song

The Promised Neverland Season 2


Arguably one of 2019's greatest anime shows (and easily ranks among our favourites), The Promised Neverland kicked off with a premise that can only be described as Death Note meets Attack on Titan, but on a much smaller scale. Taking place in an isolated orphanage where children are shipped off like cattle to carnivorous demons, the show follows protagonists Emma, Norman and Ray on their journey to escape the orphanage while discovering the truth about the world outside of their walls. Terrifying, gripping and very well-written, The Promised Neverland took us by complete surprise, which is why season 2 - which is currently airing - holds a lot of weight. You don't want to miss this one if you're in the market for an intelligent and original slice of science fiction.

Demon Slayer Movie: Mugen Train Arc


Another show that pretty much rocked 2019, Demon Slayer certainly boasted some of the most impressive animation we've ever seen in anime thanks to the talents at ufotable (they're also looking to impress with another anime film, Fate/Stay Night: Heaven's Feel III - Spring Song). The first season proved to be a smashing success and took the world by storm, climbing to a status previously achieved by mega-popular shows like My Hero Academia and Naruto. We don't have an update on season 2 just yet, but the canon movie, Mugen Train Arc, is already out in Japan and breaking box office numbers. 2021 will be the year international viewers will get a chance to finally see this movie, and judging by early reactions, we're in for another exhilarating adventure.

Platinum End


From the creators of Death Note comes Platinum End, a battle shounen that echoes some similarities to Future Diary and the Fate series. Set in a world where 12 people are selected to do battle in a fight to the death, Platinum End combines Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata's knack for fantastic, razor-wire writing and suspense with supernatural oddities that might make it prime battle shounen estate this year. We're cautiously optimistic about this one, especially considering the middling reception of its manga source material, but how can we not be excited about original new work from Death Note's creators after all these years? Platinum End is definitely in our field of vision for 2021.

Chainsaw Man


It felt wrong not to include what we think might be the next major craze in anime (in the same way Attack on Titan or One Punch Man made an impact): Chainsaw Man. The hyper-violent and darkly comical manga by Tatsuki Fujimoto is definitely a contender to be one of 2021's biggest shows, if not the biggest show of the year. The anime adaptation will come to us from the prestigious MAPPA, who are currently adapting the final season of Attack on Titan. However, what makes Chainsaw Man unique is its absurd premise and incredible sense of style that we can't wait see translated into animation. It already has an explosive following worldwide for its manga, so an anime adaptation was inevitable - but rest assured, this is one you really need on your watchlist.

Bleach


It's been a very long time coming, but Bleach is back! 2021 will mark the year that Bleach, based on the best-selling shounen manga by Tite Kubo, makes a return to the anime world to conclude the anime with the final story arc, the Thousand Year Blood War. The anime series met an untimely end almost ten years ago with the climax of the Fullbringer arc, but this time, the anime will return to complete the manga with the ultimate war between Soul Reapers and Quincy. We're not sure when Bleach will air this year, but it comes with a metric ton of hype, especially in an era when most heavy-hitting shounen of the past have already drawn their conclusions (Naruto) or are fast approaching them (One Piece). Bleach having a second chance to complete its story promises some spectacular and epic moments from the manga that we can't wait to see animated.

What are some of your most anticipated anime for 2021?