I don't know... if it's 1 cour, zombie arc would very likely to got excluded ; ;
I have been a bit concerned about that since I did notice the image of it never appears once in the promo as far as I can tell, but that would be disappointing. I was hoping they would just be featuring the "premium content" (Alma) so to speak and not the comic relief, but since it's an ongoing series they can have both. If they skip it then I suppose they'd start w/ the boat ride to the new Order HQ then? I hope they're not dropping the arc completely in that instance, and that they at least release it as an OVA then.
~~103 skipped Cross's departure, which is like 110% relevant in the next 10 chapters.~~
^-- Nvm it was included.
Assuming a 25 episode season, if they do decent pace and don't pull any One Piece crap and spend half of each episode recapping, then the break down should go something like this:
1~3: Recap the Lv. 4 fight, Tapp, Cross's departure and the Noah family talk (super duper important, and this time
actually including Sheril's wife).
5~6: Zombie arc.
7~8: 1 episode move and talk between Cross and Allen, 1 episode flashback to Mana and end with the Cross plot twist.
9~14: 1 episode bridge (the innocence from chess etc.), 2 episodes finding Timothy, 3 episodes fight.
15: Timothy arc end (+ Nea), 3rd exorcist info dump, Kanda's visit to Zhu. End with ch. 186.
16~25: 1 Ep: Wisely, Alma arc set up ft. Johnny (basically, ch 187 & 188), Attach on NA Branch and set up Alma arc, 2 episodes Kanda's flashback (end with Alma's awakening), 4 episode fight plus Nea reveal, end with imprisonned Allen as the cliffhanger.
If they go easy on the filler scenes and pointless yelling during fights, this should be doable. If they make the season non standard and go for 30, that's more than enough.
I am however adamant about keeping the Zombie arc since it provided the much needed resolution betwen Lenalee and Komui, as well as served as a way to push the move between Headquarters (and highlighted the Order's dark history which comes into play in the Alma arc). It might not be the strongest of starts but it can easily be used as a reintroduction to the story and characters and a way to set the mood. If anything, I was more dissappointed at the way they handled the Noah family meeting in the previous anime and want to see that redone. But honestly those first 3 episode recaps can be cut and added to the Alma arc instead.
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LASTLY, If we don't get the Zombie Arc, we basically won't see neither Lenalee nor Lavi this season, because neither participated in the Timothy arc. :/
