Hikari

13

PG-13

Kimi wa Houkago Insomnia

High schooler Ganta Nakami has trouble falling asleep most nights. As a result, he is irritable at school, always searching for an opportunity to find a secluded place to doze off. On the other hand, Isaki Magari is a free spirit who is well liked by her friends, but no one is aware of her sleep disorder. She makes use of the school's abandoned astronomy club observatory as her secret sleeping bunker when she needs to get some shut-eye. As fate would have it, Nakami finds Magari napping in the observatory. When Magari discovers that she and Nakami have something in common, she offers to share her secret sleeping spot with her fellow insomniac. As the two find warmth in each other's company, the struggles they face start to become easier to confront.

TV Spring 2023 8.07

13

R+

Bastard!! Ankoku no Hakaishin (ONA)

Fifteen years ago, Dark Schneider, a ruthless magician of immeasurable power, sought to conquer the world with an army led by his generals, the Four Divine Kings. However, he was defeated and sealed in the body of a newborn boy. In the present day, the disbanded party of Dark Schneider has reformed with a macabre goal: to resurrect Anthrasax—the god of destruction that nearly annihilated the world four centuries ago—and establish a war-free society. To do so, the Four Divine Kings must break four seals located in four different kingdoms. Targeted for its seal, the kingdom of Metallicana struggles to repel the army commanded by the Four Divine Kings. With hope dwindling, all eyes turn to the daughter of Metallicana's Grand Priest, Yoko Tia Noto. Not only is she aware that her adopted younger brother, Lucien Renlen, is Dark Schneider's prison of flesh, but she also knows the ritual to break the seal. Left with no other choice, Yoko successfully releases Dark Schneider, whose twisted personality has not changed over the years. As the fate of the world depends on where his allegiance lies, Yoko seems to be the only person who has some control over the powerful magician. But convincing Dark Schneider to turn against his old allies and protect those Yoko holds dear may prove to be an impossible feat.

Ona Winter 2022 6.61

12

G

Aiura

As spring vacation comes to a close, a new school semester approaches. Deciding to make the most of the remaining holiday, Ayuko Uehara takes a stroll into her neighborhood and stops by a small cafe. However, her peaceful day is abruptly disturbed when a girl clumsily bumps into her. Left puzzled by the encounter, Ayaku is even more surprised when she meets them again as freshmen at the same high school she attends. Recognizing her from the store, the girls introduce themselves as Kanaka Amaya and Saki Iwasawa, and the three quickly become friends. As they go through their daily lives as high school girls, the trio's distinct personalities—Kanaka's happy-go-lucky attitude, Saki's tomboyish behavior, and Ayuko's easygoingness—are sure to make every mundane school day filled with silly and fun interactions.

TV Spring 2013 6.64

10

PG-13

Kotarou wa Hitorigurashi

One day, manga author Shin Karino is greeted by four-year-old Kotarou Satou, his new next-door neighbor, who gifts him a box of tissues. In Karino's eyes, Kotarou is an odd kid: he speaks in an extremely formal manner, and he lives alone in his apartment—no parents or relatives in sight. But Kotarou neither seems to mind, nor wants to rely on people. Feeling sympathetic toward Kotarou's circumstances, Karino decides to follow Kotarou to a bathhouse in case something might happen to him and there he comes to understand the little boy is not so different from him. Little by little, Karino—along with the other residents of the apartment complex—grows fond of Kotarou and his antics. At the same time, Kotarou himself might have found something akin to a family in his unique neighbors.

Ona Winter 2022 8.17

Rx

11

6.75