The Fall Anime 2025 Preview Guide - Wandance

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Kaboku has always just gone with the flow, marching in step to the drumbeat of the expectations of those around him: parents, school, plans for the future. It feels predictable, safe, and… empty. But one night, Kaboku's at school late, and he happens on a girl alone, moving wildly, turning a blank space of concrete into a canvas. This is Hikari Wanda, a member of the hip-hop dance club. Kaboku is immediately smitten, but the road to stepping out of his shell is a long one. The club is almost entirely girls, and they're all, well, way better than him. What's ahead is unknown, and that's terrifying, but it also means, for the first time in Kaboku's life… a taste of freedom.

Wandance is based on the manga series by Coffee. The anime series is streaming on Hulu and Disney+, depending on your region.

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Bolts
Episode 1 Rating:

There were a couple things in this episode that made me feel legitimately uncomfortable. I wasn't a big fan of the fact that our protagonist's friend was so casual about sneaking a shot of a girl dancing and then uploaded it onto the internet without any real punishment in the end. I also feel bad for the protagonist after he was constantly teased for his stutter. However, as someone who used to date a dancer and who knows somebody with this specific type of speech impediment, I can't say any of this is unrealistic. Despite the fact that this show seemingly takes place in a very secluded town up in the cold mountains, it really does nail how uncomfortable being around your peers really can be.

Even though there is dancing in a lot of anime out there, particularly with idol shows, I don't recall ever finding a show that specifically revolved around dancing as a form of creative expression. Now part of the reason for why that might be the case is because it is an insanely difficult thing to pull off production wise and this episode definitely does not stick the landing in terms of looks. Most of the time it looks good and I love the character design of our female lead but the minute the show switches into those dancing scenes, I feel like I'm getting a bucket of cold water splashed on my face. It looks like the show is relying on mocap in order to get the complex intricate movements of dance sequences which makes sense from a production standpoint, but my God does it not look good. I feel like I'm watching somebody in VRchat play around with a school girl model. It really doesn't fit, especially with the face just having this vacant stare as the body is moving around these incredibly complex movements.

This is the first episode so I am a little concerned about how the rest of the show's production will be because there is a good chance that things could look worse as time goes on. It is a shame that this might end up being the thing that stops me and other people from continuing to watch the show because I do think it has a lot of merit to it. The main character feels very grounded, both in his insecurities and the way that he works around a very real issue. The idea of having it revolve around dancing is fascinating as a form of artistic expression. If the show does lean into that, then it could be seen as a good mirror for any type of artistic endeavor out there. I don't dance personally, but I did find a lot of these conversations relatable. Here's hoping that some of the more ugly parts of the show are more of a bug and less of a feature.

Episode 2 Rating:

OK, I admit it, maybe I just have a weakness for really awkward guys that are trying their best to fulfill their passions while wrestling with deep-seeded social anxiety. Can you really blame me? It's just really nice and rewarding to watch somebody try their best after dealing with really realistic portrayals of nervousness. Kaboku is a character who always had trouble communicating because of his stutter so he sees dancing as an outlet where they can potentially express themselves in a way that doesn't need words at all. There's a yearning for Hikari and maybe it also hinges a little bit on jealousy, but he also looks up to her because she is able to dance in a way that is completely free.

I like how the episode builds up this idea of pretending like nobody else is around in order to get more comfortable, dancing freestyle. Kaboku is trying to just focus on the music and I even like the little detail about how he sort of correlates dancing to basketball. This implies that part of the reason why he was so good at basketball isn't just because of his height, it's because he had a really good sense of rhythm which is important when it comes to doing things like listening to music or juggling a ball. But then the episode ends by tying that desire to dance with somebody to the relationship between our two leads. That moment where Hikari holds onto Kaboku's face and says that he can just imagine dancing in front of her was really sweet and I'm starting to buy the romance between them. I'm curious how she feels about him though because there was that joke in the middle of the episode where he almost accidentally asked her out because of his stutter and she was really caught off guard.

The presentation is also a bit better than the premiere. We still have the uncanny valley CGI models for the more complicated dancing, but there was some good 2D animation thrown in there and this episode is showcasing that the show is developing its own presentation style. I like the splash colors sometimes used and the visuals are a little funny sometimes like Kaboku randomly posing in the mirror like a JoJo character. This is a show that is hitting on some relatable character beats, but it's also allowing itself to breathe and have fun with the material similar to the dance sequences. If I get a solid story to go along with this amazing soundtrack, then it might be just enough for me to deal with the "unconventional" visuals.

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Episode 1 Caitlin Moore
Rating:

This was very nearly a five-star review. Wandance, like many other series, made it onto my list of most anticipated series based entirely on vibes alone. Madhouse is one of the most respected studios in the industry for good reason, but the director hasn't made anything notable. It caught my eye when it was announced that each character would have their own “dance actor,” ensuring that they would have their own physicality and way of moving. It sounded perfect for a story about dance as a form of self-expression.

I probably should have paid attention to the other studio listed for animation production: Cyclone Graphics, the folks behind the ugly, weightless 3DCG animation of Kengan Ashura. The 2D animation was beautiful: not flashy, but it was clear that it was made by people who understood the craft. Bodies with motion and topography moving through space, interacting with objects, and light shining on them from different angles. This description may sound basic, even clinical, but there's pleasure to be found in observing the fundamentals.

But then Wanda started dancing, and I murmured, “Oh no,” to myself. I know you can make 3DCG motion-capture dance animation look beautiful – if you couldn't, KPop Demon Hunters wouldn't be smashing records left and right – so I'm not sure exactly what happened here. Her body moves fine, but the thick black outlines around her body and the folds of her clothes emphasize her separation from the environment, while her hair waves her in ribbons. Her facial expression remains frozen, doll-like and uncanny. It's rough.

And it's too bad because everything else about Wandance is excellent. You can see how Kaboku's disorder has informed his life and choices – going along with the crowd, smiling and nodding along with his friends, who are idiots in the same way most teenage boys are idiots. He's tall and handsome, which makes him stick out, but in the end, only contrasts with his appearance and his difficulty expressing himself verbally more pronounced. His classmates ask invasive questions and make hurtful assumptions, such as that his stutter is caused by nervousness or his thoughts being jumbled, when it's the result of a neurological disconnect between his brain and the physical act of speaking.

As premieres wind down, Wandance stands easily as one of the top five first episodes of the season. If nothing else, it'll be memorable for incorporating the music video for “Scatman” into the episode, a totally unexpected moment. However, a dance anime with poor CG dance animation could be a deal-breaker.

Episode 2 Caitlin Moore
Rating:

As Kabo starts to discover his capacity for physical artistic expression, Wandance has started to stretch its stylistic muscles a bit more. The dancing animation is uncanny and bad – I was joking that the reason he was struggling to find his rhythm at his dance club practices was because he's still drawn in 2D while everyone around him was 3DCG – but the episode gave us some other visually interesting flourishes. Moments like Kabo posing shirtless in front of the mirror and the colors on the screen shifting to stark blue and orange as he starts to feel the rhythm of the music give me hope that even if the dancing is ugly, there's still some promise to the show's visual storytelling.

I don't dare imply that the dancing animation in a show about that exact subject doesn't matter – obviously it does – but the writing continues to be so strong that I'm willing to look past it. Kabo officially joins the dance club, where he discovers that, already tall for his age and gender, he towers over the rest of the dancers and sticks out even more. Little does he realize that being the only guy in a mostly-female performing art actually confers him a huge advantage; just ask anyone who has tried to cast a school play. The gender ratio is totally out of whack, and most substantial parts are written for men. It's also interesting how basketball has helped him develop not only his proprioceptive skills, but also his sense of rhythm. I have no idea if it actually maps in real life, but it's a cool idea!

Kabo and Wanda's relationship, meanwhile, continues to develop. She's rapidly becoming his anchor, someone he can trust and look to when he's feeling awkward or overwhelmed. It's sweet, the kind of emotionally intense bond that forms quickly when you're young and maybe attracted to the other party but also not ready to make a move yet. I'm really enjoying the naturalism of the writing around them, especially since the story continues to make it clear that Kabo's stutter has nothing to do with whether he's feeling comfortable or not. Discovering a form of expression and making a friend is not, in fact, a magical fix for a disability.

I know that some people won't tolerate the motion-captured CG dancing when that's what the series is about, and I get that. But as a coming-of-age character study, Wandance has too much potential to pass up.

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Episode 1 Richard Eisenbeis
Rating:
Language is what defines us as people. Everything from society and history to popular culture and art relies on it. So what does it mean if you can't use language as freely as others? How does it affect how you view the world—and how the world views you? This is what the first episode of Wandance is about on a thematic level.

Kaboku is a guy with a stutter. It's made him incredibly self-conscious. He worries that people will either think he's weird or over-the-top nervous each and every time he opens his mouth. Because of this, he talks rarely—texting to the point that his friends think it's weird if he ever leaves them on read. Likewise, he acts as “normal” as possible in every other way—i.e., goes along with whatever his friends say and never rocks the boat. Then, in the rare event where his stutter causes issues, they're quick to stand up for him and confirm that he is “normal”.

Kaboku has found himself drawn to dance—even though his first experience with it hit him right in the heart of his insecurities. In this episode, through his budding friendship with Wanda, he comes to figure out why dance calls to him. Unlike writing or poetry, acting or singing, dance is an act of pure visual expression for the performers. He doesn't need to say a single word to affect people on an emotional level. It's a way of communicating wholly apart from language and his struggles with it. All that is fantastic—especially how it ties into Wanda's own too-direct-and-cold way of speaking and their similar communication issues.

But, of course, there is a serious elephant in the room when it comes to this anime: the CG models. To be clear, I'm not going to shit on using 3D models in general—especially in a show about dancing. They are by far the easiest way to produce the dances we see. The issue here, however, is two-fold. The first is the clash of styles. The motion in the 2D and 3D sections (like the range of movement seen in the hair and clothes), don't match in the least. This is compounded by the decision to switch to 2D for close-ups during the dance scenes and then revert to 3D for the wide shots.

However, the second, and far more serious problem, is the amateurish appearance of the 3D model faces. Not only do the characters look nothing like themselves, but they also look like they were made by a person experimenting with MMD for the first time. It's just plain terrible, and it completely rips you out of the story every time.

All in all, I was impressed with the story told in this first episode. If it weren't for the atrocious CG model faces, this anime would be one of the top of the season. With them, however, it's just a bit over average.

Episode 2 Richard Eisenbeis
Rating:

Kaboku wants to dance for a specific reason—and it's not simply for the fun of it. Moreover, he's not like Wanda who dances because of the freedom she feels when moving with the music. Kaboku wants to dance to express himself to others. So while Wanda finds joy dancing alone or in a group, Kaboku needs an audience—needs people to watch his dance and connect with it.

This is a daunting task for someone whose speech impediment has kept him hyper-sensitive when it comes to those around him. He always assumes that people are watching him and judging him—seeing him as either a joke or a pervert. This is something deeply ingrained in him and not something to be easily overcome.

By joining the dance club as its only male member, he stands out. And as people focus on him, he locks up. Yet, instead of giving up—or simply pursuing dance half-heartedly—he goes home and practices till he gets it right. Thus, he knows he can do the dance. All that's left is to get past his mental hangups and do it in class.

And, as we see, he is able to do so for the most part. Sure, he is at the back of the class and no one but the club president and Wanda are watching him, but he is dancing in a room full of people—and no one is laughing at him. The next big step is to dance in front of the whole class in the upcoming freestyle tryouts. And this is where Wanda comes in.

From the first time he danced in front of her—doing his own terrible attempt at the running man—she didn't laugh at him or belittle him. She instead watched seriously and gave constructive feedback—complimenting him for wanting to get better. If he dances just for her in the tryouts—pretends she is the only one watching—then perhaps he won't lock up. It sounds like a good plan, but as life is rarely that easy, we'll just have to see how things work out next week.

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