In case it isn't clear, I'm making it a point to look forward to the new year, and have some hope for what's to come. Part of this hope is looking at all the good things I know will be there when the ball drops. I feel that family and friends are a given, but we all really need to know about what really matters: Netflix. And here's a taste of some of the Netflix originals that will be coming 2017.

1. Little Witch Academia

All the way back in 2013, Little Witch Academia was made as part of the Japanese "Young Animator Training Project" (若手アニメーター育成プロジェクト) which is a yearly project funded by Japan's Agency for Cultural Affairs. This adorable short film captured the attention of anime enthusiasts all across the internet thanks to its brilliant animation, charming style and characters, and strong representation of young female characters. Little Witch Academia follows a young girl named Akko, who dreamt of being like her super-star witch hero "Shiny Chariot". Most say it's too flashy and gives witches a bad name. Another episode came afterwards, "The Enchanted Parade" which was funded through Kickstarter.

The first full season will come out January 8th, and begin streaming on Netflix soon after.

2. The Magic School Bus 360°

The Magic School Bus was one of my favorite shows growing up, as well as some of the first books I every read. These books taught biology, chemistry, anatomy, environmental science, and any number of other complicated subjects. Netflix and Scholastic Books have come together in order to revive the classic television series and bring that love of science to a whole new generation of children (And likely revive it in a few older generations). This new series will focus on robotics and advanced technology that is rapidly becoming commonplace.

3. Bill Nye Saves The World

Netflix will be pushing the scientific education and advancement angle for much of the year it seems. Bill Nye Saves The World will be coming this Spring and focuses on how science and scientific topics interact with politics, entertainment, and everyday life. Nye will be joined by five correspondents: Fashion Model Karlie Kloss, Youtuber and educator Derrik Muller, Comedian Nazeem Hussein, Comedian Joanna Hausmann, and host/producer Emily Calandrelli.

4. Thirteen Reasons Why

Based on a book of the same name, Thirteen Reasons Why is perhaps the most somber on this list, but certainly among the most powerful. This is the story of a young girls suicide, told in thirteen parts. After her suicide, tapes are given to a person who had some affect upon her life that led to her death. Each person has a tape about them, and has to pass on the rest of the tapes until all thriteen reach those who hurt her, ignored her, or failed her in some way. Th novel that this series is based upon reached the Times Bestseller list in 2011, and had a strong effect upon the conversation around suicide.

5. Okja

Korean films have seen no lack of popularity on Netflix, just look at the lauded horror film The Host. Netflix is producing the film Okja, and it promises just as much action and intrigue. With such starpower like Tilda Swinton, Jake Gyllenhaal, Paul Dano, Giancarlo Esposito, Lily Collins, this film follows a young girl Mija (Ahn Seo-hyun), who declares war against a multi-national corporation that kidnaps her friend: a massive creature named Okja. Director Bong Joon-ho has worked on several highly acclaimed films before, such as the aforementioned The Host, as well as Snowpiercer.

6. Bright

Almost nothing has been released about this Will Smith/Joel Edgerton film other than a few production specs and cast listings. But all I needed to know was this: Contemporary Human and Orc buddy cop movie. This will be directed by David Ayer, who directed Suicide Squad; the writer of this film is Max Landis, who has written the teens-with-powers film Chronicle and American Ultra. Production has been well underway, but has yet to enter post-production - a late 2017 release is likely, if it isn't pushed back.

Netflix has started pushing its original series even harder, between the dramas, superheroes, and comedies, the quality and quantity of these shows is likely to rise in the coming years. If you know of a lesser-known production about to hit Netflix, let me know!