Japanimation Station Season 4 Premieres October 17th

We're going on a Kyoto Vacation - See the new theme now!

With our journey through the classic adventures of Lupin the 3rd having wrapped up in today’s Season 3 finale of Japanimation Station, we are excited to announce the premiere of Season 4 for October 17th, 2023 - and it’s going to be our biggest season yet, by far.

Season 4 is Japanimation Station’s Kyoto Vacation, because we’ll be talking all about the works of beloved anime studio Kyoto Animation, creators of such 21st-century classics like Clannad, The Melancholy of Suzumiya Haruhi, Sound! Euphonium, Violet Evergarden, and much, much more! This season will run for a planned 22 episodes airing in 6 parts, beginning October 17th and running through Spring 2024. It’s an enormous undertaking, but we’ve already recorded several episodes and are hard at work on the rest, and it’s shaping up to be something really special.

So special, in fact, that our musical maestro Thomas Lack has written a brand new original theme song for the new season. Titled “re:CAPTURE,” it’s a loving homage to the shows we’re watching this season, and a certified banger in its own right. You can hear it and see the theme song video, edited by Jonathan, on YouTube right now as a little preview of what’s in store for Season 4.

As for what we’re watching, we wanted to make sure everyone had the syllabus for this season’s anime homework, so here’s the list Sean put together of every series, film, and OVA we’re reviewing, episode-by-episode, and where you can find them!

Part 1 - Crying is the Key to Happiness: Key Visual Novels in Adaptation

1. Intro Episode - The History of Kyoto Animation

2. Air (2005)

   1. 12 episodes + 1 Recap 

   2. 2 OVAs called Air in Summer

   3. Funimation DVD Release 

   4. No streaming options 

3. Kanon (2006-2007)

   1. 24 Episodes

   2. Crunchyroll streaming

   3. Funimation DVD

4. Clannad (2007-2008)

   1. 22 Episodes + 2 OVA’s

   2. Hi-Dive streaming

   3. Sentai Filmworks Blu-ray

5. Clannad After Story (2008-2009)

   1. 22 Episodes + 2 OVA’s

   2. Hi-Dive streaming

   3. Sentai Filmworks Blu-ray

Part 2 -  When Christmas Came to Otaku Town: On the Melancholy of Suzumiya Haruhi and Lucky Star

6. The Melancholy of Suzumiya Haruhi (2006) - Season 1

   1. Broadcast Order (25, 1, 2, 7, 3, 10, 9, 11, 28, 4, 27, 26, 5, 6) 

   2. Crunchyroll streaming (in chronological order w/ S2) 

   3. Funimation Blu-ray (in chronological order w/ S2) 

7. Lucky Star (2007)

   1. 24 episodes + 1 OVA

   2. Episodes 1-4 Yamamoto Yutaka, 5-24 Takemoto Yasuhiro

   3. Funimation Blu-ray

   4. Crunchyroll (No OVA)

8. The Melancholy of Suzumiya Haruhi (2009) - Season 2

   1. Crunchyroll streaming

   2. Funimation Blu-ray

9. The Disappearance of Suzumiya Haruhi (2010) - Movie

   1. Funimation Blu-ray

   2. Funimation Streaming service (Not Crunchyroll)

Part 3 - Moe Money, Moe Problems: After School Tea Time with the Girls of  K-On! 

10. K-On! (2009)

    1. 13 episodes + 1 OVA

    2. HiDive streaming (No OVA)

    3. Sentai Filmworks Blu-ray

11. K-On!! (2010)

    1. 26 episodes +1 OVA

    2. HiDive streaming (includes OVA)

    3. Sentai Filmworks Blu-ray

12. K-On the Movie (2011)

    1. Sentai Filmworks Blu-ray set (Standalone is out of print)

    2. Available to buy or rent from YouTube

Part 4 - My Ordinary Life is a Mystery to Be Lived: Featuring Nichijou and Hyouka 

13. Nichijou (2011)

    1. 26 episodes + Episode 0 OVA

    2. Crunchyroll streaming (No OVA)

    3. Funimation Blu-ray

14. Hyouka (2012)

    1. 22 episodes + 1 OVA

    2. Crunchyroll streaming (No OVA)

    3. Funimation Blu-ray

Part 5 - Yamada Naoko Strikes Back; or, I Have No Voice and I Must Sound! Euphonium

15. A Silent Voice (2016) - Movie

    1. Shout Factory Blu-ray

    2. Available to rent on most platforms (Amazon, YouTube, etc.)

16. Sound! Euphonium Seasons 1 and 2 (2015-6)

    1. 26 episodes (13 + 13) +1 OVA

    2. Crunchyroll streaming (No OVA)

    3. Pony Canyon Blu-ray sets (Very expensive and only 6 episodes a volume)

17. Liz and the Blue Bird (2018) - Movie

    1. Shout Factory Blu-ray

    2. Crunchyroll streaming (English Dub Only)

    3. Available for rent on most platforms (Amazon, YouTube, etc.)

18. Sound! Euphonium: the Movie - Our Promise: A Brand New Day (2019) 

    1. Shout Factory Blu-ray

    2. Available for rent on most platforms (Amazon, YouTube, etc.)

Part 6 - Through Rain or Shine: The Life and Times of Violet Evergarden 

19. Violet Evergarden (2018)

    1. 13 episodes + OVA (set between 4 and 5)

    2. Netflix streaming (OVA is called Violet Evergarden Special)

    3. Funimation/Crunchyroll Blu-ray

20. Violet Evergarden Gaiden - Eternity and the Auto Memory Doll (2019)

    1. Netflix streaming

    2. Funimation/Crunchyroll Blu-ray

21. Violet Evergarden the Movie (2020)

    1. Netflix streaming

    2. Crunchyroll Blu-ray/4K Blu-ray

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