Juni Taisen: Zodiac War (Season 1)

Juni Taisen: Zodiac War (2017) is a Japanese action anime you can watch online on iFILM. Once every twelve years, twelve mercenaries enter a tournament where the sole survivor is granted any wish and the losers are granted death.

Each fighter carries the name and traits of a Chinese zodiac sign — Rat, Ox, Tiger, Dragon and on down the line — and each one kills in a completely different way. The rule is blunt: swallow a rival's jewel and they are out. The show refuses to rush the slaughter. Before most warriors fall, it stops to tell us who they were and what wish drove them, turning the battle royale into a run of small tragedies.

It comes from a novel by NisiOisin, the writer behind the Monogatari series, with his habit of putting character ahead of spectacle. Twelve episodes, story complete. One for fans of grim battle royales like Battle Royale itself, who don't mind a likeable character missing the credits. Stream Juni Taisen: Zodiac War online on iFILM.