News: Spring 2014 Anime Based on Light Novels

Pictured: Chaika the Coffin Princess
Pictured: Chaika the Coffin Princess

As is often the case, many anime airing this season in Japan are based on light novels. You can watch the following series for free on Crunchyroll, if they are available in your region:

Below I’ve included some pictures of the first volume for each series, as well as some synopses from MyAnimeList.net.

Black Bullet
A near future, where humans have been defeated by the viral parasites named Gastrea. They have been exiled into a small territory and live in despair, side-by-side in terror.ƂĀ In this world trapped in darknessĆ¢ā‚¬ā€Rentaro, a boy living near Tokyo and member of the “Civil Security”Ć¢ā‚¬ā€an organization specializing in fighting against the GastreaĆ¢ā‚¬ā€is used to accomplishing dangerous tasks. His partner is Enju, a precocious young girl. They fight thanks to their peculiar powers until one day, when they receive a special assignment from the government. This top secret mission is to prevent the destruction of Tokyo…ƂĀ Set in a near future, this thrilling heroic-action story… starts now!

Chaika: The Coffin Princess (Hitsugi no Chaika)
Toru Acura is a 20-year-old retired soldier meandering through life post-war. He encounters Chaika Trabant, a 14-year-old sorceress carrying a coffin, and follows her in hopes of finding some semblance of meaning in his life again. The two are accompanied by Toru’s adopted sister Akari, the sole employed member of the group and thereby their source of sustenance.

Date a Live II
Itsuka Shido is a high school boy. On the last day of the spring holidays, an explosion destroys the town and a girl in armor appears in front of him. Shido’s sister-in-law, Kotori, tells him that the girl is called “Special Disasterous Designated Creature: Spirit”, which causes a timespace quake. Kotori disclosed that she is the commander of the anti-spirit organization Ratatosk and orders him to go out on a date with the spirit girl. Kotori says, “I don’t ask you to beat the spirit. Just let her fall in love with you and save the world.”

Dragonar Academy (Seikoku no Dragonar)
Learning to ride and tame dragons comes easy to most students at Ansarivan Dragonar AcademyĆ¢ā‚¬ā€except for first-year student Ash Blake, who is known by his fellow classmates as the “number one problem child.” Poor Ash is the laughing stock at school because, despite his unfashionably large star-shaped brand that marks him as a future dragon master, he has nothing to show for it. His dragon has never appeared.ƂĀ Until now, that is. One fateful day, Ash’s dragon awakes in full glory, but appears different than any dragon ever seen beforeĆ¢ā‚¬ā€in the form of a beautiful girl! What’s worse, Ash soon discovers that this new dragon has attitude to spare, as she promptly informs him that she is the master, and he, the servant.ƂĀ Ash’s problems with dragon riding have only just begun.

If Her Flag Breaks (Kanojo ga Flag Oraretara)
Hatate Sota is a high school boy, who has an ability to visualize “flags” for future events such as “death flag,” “friendship flag,” and “romance flag.” Despite the flag-viewing ability, he avoids making friends with others due to a trauma he experienced in a ship submergence accident. Four beautiful girls get interested in his strange way of living, and they begin to live with him at the school dorm by force.

The Irregular at Magic High School (Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei)
MagicĆ¢ā‚¬ā€A century has passed since this concept has been recognized as a formal technology instead of the product of the occult or folklore.ƂĀ The season is spring and it is time for a brand new school year.ƂĀ At the National Magic University First Affiliate High School, A.K.A Magic High School, students are divided into two distinct groups according to their academic performances. The “Bloom,” who demonstrate the highest grades and are enrolled in the “First Course,” and the “Weed,” who have a poor academic record and are enrolled in the “Second Course.”ƂĀ This spring, a very peculiar brother and sister enroll as new students.ƂĀ The brother is an under achiever with some deficiencies and enrolls as a “Weed,” while his younger sister is an honor student, who enrolls as a “Bloom.”ƂĀ The brother, with a somewhat philosophical expression, and the younger sister who holds feelings a little stronger than sibling love for him…ƂĀ Ever since these two have entered through the gates of this prestigious school, the calm campus was beginning to change…

Nanana’s Buried Treasure (Ryuugajou Nanana no Maizoukin)
“I’m going to build a place where young people can challenge to reach any of their dreams!”ƂĀ The 7 genius students, known as the GREAT 7, launched a project to construct an artificial island called Nanae Island to realize their leader, Nanana Ryugajo’s peculiar idea.ƂĀ 12 years later, with a total population of 100,000 people with as much as 80% of those inhabitants being students, Nanae Island has successfully become prosperous as a special student zone. One of the island’s newest residents was Jugo Yama — a high school student who had just transferred to the island after being disowned by his father. One day, Jugo finds in his own apartment the earth-bound spirit of the late Nanana Ryugajo, who was murdered by someone 10 years ago! Jugo’s plan of living alone was suddenly thwarted by this strange roommate.ƂĀ The original novel “Nanana’s Buried Treasure” won the Grand Prize of the 13th Entertainment Awards, which was the first Grand Prize in eight years. This anime series features the adventures and challenges of Jugo Yama as he searches through the historic ruins of Nanae Island for the great treasures, A.K.A “Nanana’s Collection,” along with the extraordinary characters he meets along the way. The mysterious puzzles of the ruins! The excitement of the treasure hunt! The strategic maneuvers and battles of thought and reason between the characters! Nanana’s Buried Treasure is an adventure you won’t want to miss!ƂĀ 

No Game, No Life
The story of No Game, No Life centers around Sora and Shiro, a brother and sister whose reputations as brilliant NEET (Not in Education, Employment, or Training) hikikomori (shut-in) gamers have spawned urban legends all over the Internet. These two gamers even consider the real world as just another “crappy game.” One day, they are summoned by a boy named “God” to an alternate world. There, God has prohibited war and declared this to be a world where “everything is decided by games”Ć¢ā‚¬ā€even national borders. Humanity has been driven back into one remaining city by the other races. Will Sora and Shiro, the good-for-nothing brother and sister, become the “Saviors of Humanity” on this alternate world? “Well, let’s start playing.”

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