Preview by Pancakes

Freshman Kinoshita Kazuya (Horie Shun) doesn’t have it easy at college. Unceremoniously dumped by his girlfriend barely a month into their relationship after asking her to visit the family, Kazuya turns towards a rental girlfriend app to help fill the loveless void – only to get far more than he bargained for in the process. Although Mizuhara Chizuru (Amamiya Sora), Kazuya’s hired date, is perfect on the outside, a negative review he left following some post-date regrets reveals a temperamental personality wholly at odds with initial impressions. And to make matters worse, Kazuya is forced to reveal Chizuru as his “girlfriend” to his family following a medical mishap. It’s not the ideal situation and it leaves Kazuya and Chizuru both in a serious quandary. Unable to tell the truth they must live the lie for Kazuya’s family, all the while dealing with former flings and eager coworkers – and the growing feelings between accompanying the ups and downs.

Well boys and girls, say hello to the romance trainwreck of the season. Kanokari is relatively simple at heart: it takes all your quintessential romance tropes, adds a heaping dollop of teenage drama, and lets it all run wild in a college setting because yes, freshman are definitely just as crazy as high schoolers. As anyone who remembers the first season can attest, this one is very much along the typical romance lines of misunderstanding-fuelled drama first and logical developments second, particularly in terms of its main rental girlfriend theme and how Kazuya’s harem winds up growing over time; expect Kazuya to do stupid things and get rewarded for it and you can effectively predict just what comes next. Mind you this doesn’t mean Kanokari will be completely bottom of the barrel (personally I enjoyed it), but that expectations of any serious redemption should be properly checked. It may not be a top shelf love story, but you definitely need look no further than Kanokari if in need of some summer romance drama.

Preview by Choya

Times are tough for the boy pop duo ZINGS. While Yoshino Kazuki (Horie Shun) is immensely popular, giving 110% every night and winning the hearts of his beloved fans, his partner Niyodo Yuuya (Imai Fumiya) is one of the laziest and lousiest performers in the Japanese music industry. His dance moves are sloppy and half-assed, and he can’t even compensate with kindness because he’s also regularly hostile towards the audience. ZINGS’ fans despise him, his agent is looking for an escape plan to cut Yuuya loose, and he’s not even happy because the promise of getting adulation for nothing and leisure for free never came to him. After one stinker of a concert, a girl approaches Yuuya backstage. She’s dressed to the nines and ready to perform the concert of a lifetime. The only problem is that it wouldn’t be within HER lifetime because she died a year ago. The girl happens to be the ghost of beloved singer Mogami Asahi (Touyama Nao), whose time onstage tragically came to an abrupt end. But maybe, just maybe, she could make her comeback onstage with a little help from Yuuya. If all it takes for Yuuya to lift his reputation would be to let Asahi possess his body during ZINGS’ concerts, then perhaps a ghost is what the boy band needs to be the life of the party.

One way I can be easily tricked into watching an idol anime would be if the synopsis has some overarching supernatural gimmick to it. For instance, all it took for me to be hooked on an idol anime within the past few years has been to throw in a cast full of zombies. The idea of having an idol anime that not only centers around male idols but also involves having a ghost idol who possesses one of the men to perform sounds like a delight. The juxtaposition between the conventionally bubbly Asahi and the super dry Yuuya should make for some hilarious situations revolving around the timing of Yuuya’s mood shifts. At the same time, I’d gladly welcome any emotional weight that comes from Asahi living vicariously through Yuuya’s experiences because of how she was robbed of her chance to live out a long, prosperous life. The prospect of having an idol show that sufficiently captures both the hunger for fame and the pursuit of a newfound appreciation for life under the veil of a supernatural comedy sounds incredibly promising. Perhaps we’ll see how it turns out when its debut rolls out in the summer.

Preview by Gabie

Based on the ongoing serialization in Gekkan Bushiroad magazine, Teppen!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! hits the screens this summer and promises to steal your heart with good humor and hardworking cute girls! Join bright-eyed Sakamoto Yayoi (Itou Ayasa) as she starts her high school journey at the acclaimed Kazuki Koukou in Nanba–Osaka’s notorious entertainment district that served as the birthplace of many famous Japanese comedians. There she is reunited with her childhood friend Takahashi Yomogi (Terakawa Aimi), with whom she once starred in a duo called “Konamonzu” as kiddies, and they meet Hosono Yuzu (Sasaki Mikoi). Soon enough, the girls put together a routine in order to enter a local contest!

Animated by studio Drive, Takamatsu Shinji (Gintama) takes the Chief Director’s seat in this production with character design by Ookubo Yoshiyuki (Vlad Love), will also feature DAX Production in charge of sound production. The PV looks promising and animation looks fugding cute! It’s definitely another win for a feel-good seasonal pick to enjoy with a cool cup (or warm, depending on where you are) of ice tea!

Preview by Choya

There’s a wondrous Japanese-style cafe in the old downtown area of Tokyo that’s a must-see if you want rich, smooth coffee or delightfully sweet treats. It’s also a great place for networking, as the cafe’s employees often deal with issues within the community. On some days, they can help with unruly kids, business negotiations, or love advice. On some days, however, they don’t mind tangling with zombies, giant monsters, and more. Their mantra, “No matter what you order, we’ll serve it up…!” has led its employees to live out an absurd daily work-life where nobody knows exactly what obstacles may come their way on any given day. Some of the cafe’s staff includes the peppy Nishikigi Chisato (Anzai Chika) and the reserved Inoue Takina (Wakayama Shion), who play off of each other as they make it through the work day with their more eccentric co-workers.

While details on the show’s story are rather scant, the DNA of this anime is something to anticipate. As the directorial debut of the character designer of WORKING!!, it’s reassuring for an upcoming anime about a wacky cafe to have past experiences with a similar kind of narrative. But the real appeal of Lycoris Recoil is that the story was drafted by the writer/creator of Ben-To, a fun, underrated anime about the life-or-death struggle that comes with grabbing half-off bento boxes. I have no doubt in my mind that Lycoris Recoil won’t tread very unique and fascinating territory, given how wild and eccentric Ben-To managed to get with its battle royale format. It’ll be neat to see how this anime manages to pull off its trippy cafe slice-of-life concept when it reaches its opening date.

Preview by Guardian Enzo

Anime has taken quite a Yen to reviving old franchises lately, and Shoot! is another example. The original series Aoki Densetsu Shoot! was a quite popular soccer manga in the 1990’s – it inspired a TV and theatrical anime adaptation. Now, 26 years after the manga ended, anime returns to the well with an original sequel featuring the protagonist Kamiya Atsushi returning from Italy to coach a high school soccer team in Japan (with a new MC).

As a soccer anime aficionado that should be right up Main Street for me, and I’ll certainly be watching. But the staff and studio are frankly uninspiring, and the trailer was strikingly generic – not awful, but with nothing distinctive about it whatsoever. As always with originals the writer is the key figure, and while Hiroaki Mitsutaka is certainly experienced there’s nothing in the resume to indicate whether or not he has the chops to pull off an original series based on an old chestnut like Shoot!.

Preview by Pancakes

Thanks to the wonders of cutting-edge energy development, humanity has obtained the ability to construct floating cities, an accomplishment no better represented than by Baylong City. Floating smack dab in the centre of the Pacific to extract key ocean resources, the city is home to Ogata Shuu (Saito Souma), a young business owner who thanks to a reckless spending habit lives a very meagre life. Not all is bad though; Kisara (Aizawa Saya), a high schooler takes pity on the guy and effectively takes over his household chores while ex-girlfriend and former coworker Yuugiri Ayano (Lynn) remains so concerned about her former love’s state of being that she keeps checking in. Thus begins the tale of a not-so-ordinary love triangle and the weirdos ensuring the situation only gets weirder.

Got to hand it to A-1 Pictures, they sure know how to crank out interesting originals. While a dearth of information makes it difficult to get a good grasp on just what Engage Kiss will be about, the staff names pretty much say it all: when White Album 2 and Saenako creator Maruto Fumiaki is drawing up the script and Date A Live illustrator Tsunako is doing character design expect plenty of comedic hijinks, action-laced developments, and maybe – just maybe – a touch of sci-fi intrigue. Hell the promotional art alone just screams mid-2000s harem action, and we all remember how most of those shows went right? Damn right. In short I wouldn’t anticipate Engage Kiss pulling off any major surprises or upsets this season (outside of total trainwreck, heh), but between coy premise and romcom foundation it certainly will be worth a few episodes watch to see just what it’s about. And who knows, it might even wind up being summer’s dark horse.

Preview by Zaiden

For those who are new to the franchise, this is the second season following up Itsuwari no Kamen – Mask of Deception. To keep a promise of protecting the princess made to his dying brother in arms, Haku (Tone Kentarou) makes a choice requiring the strongest of wills – donning the Akuruka mask that said friend once possessed, as a weak man with no combat prowess, forfeiting both his identity and humanity in the process – as he feigns death to assume a new identity whilst the mask gnaws away at his humanity every time he draws upon its terrifying powers. Fleeing with the remnant of Imperial loyalists – including all the friends made along the way during the first season, Yamato now finds itself plunged into the depths of a brutal civil war. Haku must take a final stand against the mysterious usurper of Mikado, while a mysterious organisation from the shadows make it no secret that they intend on using the civil war as an opportunity to unseal darkest god Uitsualnemetia from its slumber within a sacrificial seal to exact darkness and despair upon the entire continent.

Despite the rustic, feudal setting infused with Ainu culture, there is no mistaking the traces of esoteric magics and even sci-fi lingering throughout Utawarerumono. Utawarerumono can be described as proto-modern isekai, in that the main character finds himself awake in a completely fantastical world having forgotten his name, with little to no memories left as well. I played both Mask of Deception as well as Mask of Truth in one sitting within a week a few years back – truly this one of a kind journey of a lifetime that I’m left feeling bittersweet about knowing I will never experience something of this majesty ever again. It makes me unbelievably happy to see my favourite visual novel of all time receive a sequel, and at the hands of the illustrious White Fox no less! Suara will also be back to sing the opening and ending themes too. My only regret is that Haku’s voice actor, Fujiwara Keiji, was unable to see this day. But I have no doubts that Tone Kentarou will be capable of inheriting his power, his name and his sins in doing Haku’s voice justice, and pay his sincere respects to the voice acting legend who has passed into the great beyond.

Preview by Pancakes

In the world of Strike Witches everyone knows about the heroics of the 501st Squadron and the legend of Miyofuji Yoshika, and even the struggles and successes of the 502nd and its determined volunteer Karibuchi Hikari. Yet not all witches were meant to do their duty by directly fighting the Neuroi. In war the homefront can be just as important as the frontlines, and it’s at home where the Music Squadron and its Luminous Witches help keep the war effort going. Using the ameliorative power of music, the Luminous Witches travel the world to the soothe the souls of soldiers and refugees alike. They may never hold a weapon or encounter the enemy, but it’s these girls who make sure everyone can keep on smiling and looking forward to better days.

Some might remember the Strike Witches franchise announcement some four years ago about three new franchise series in the works. While everyone naturally got hyped for the main Strike Witches sequel (and the cutesy cooking spinoff), Luminous Witches was also one of those series and at last it’s finally here to see the light. As the synopsis hints this one is pretty far from the usual mecha musume: it’s effectively an idol show draped in Strike Witches bunting with a nifty spin on the very real existence of wartime musical acts. How it actually plays out in practice is anyone’s guess, but given WIXOSS’s own spin on the concept with Diva(A)Live was decent enough and the fact Shaft is pulling animation duty means it shouldn’t be immediately discounted. Luminous Witches won’t be the Strikes Witches you remember, but if you love this franchise and enjoy all thing idols certainly give it a shot. Who knows, it might just surprise.

Preview by FJ Freeman

Welcome to the world of Remnant, where humans and Faunus, human-like animal hybrids, carry on their day-to-day lives, despite the omnipresent threat of the monsters called Grimm. To this avail, dedicated huntsmen and huntresses battle Grimm with customized weapons and their own Semblances, unique abilities derived from the energy of one’s own soul.

In this dangerous line of work, rigorous training is required to even stay alive. Each rembrant hailing from one of the four Kingdoms has established schools to properly groom children holding heavy aspirations to become licensed huntsmen. We follow the story of Beacon Academy in the kingdom of Vale, where a promising group of future Huntreses makes their debut team as RWBY: Ruby Rose, Weiss Schnee, Blake Belladonna, and Yang Xiao Long, each with their own different background, often making them butt heads as a result.

But when the headmaster, Professor Ozpin, alongside fellow students such as those in team JNPR make the young prodigy Ruby and her friends engage in adventures that pit them against an extremist focus group known as the White Fang, every explosive encounter brings them closer to the true villain who is staging conflict from within the shadows.

Preview by Choya

In this near future mystery adventure, a girl named Berry (Kawakatsu Mira) lived an average life until she encountered the Ghost Detectives Club, led by a girl who looks like a boy named Hack (Nagase Anna). Berry learns that the Ghost Detectives Club is “socially dead”, working within the digitally controlled society of Tom Sawyer Island. They work as invisible agents pursuing a mysterious figure known as Zero who lurks within Tom Sawyer Island’s murky underworld. As they chase down this figure, they come to learn the truth behind the digital society they navigate, where reality and cyberspace overlap.

Science SARU is a fascinating studio since it shares the same kind of auteurship that Trigger and Shaft have as their works share a similar DNA with one another. With Science SARU, Yuasa Misaaki’s influence is intertwined with many of their works, even if they have little to no involvement from Yuasa himself. Heike Monogatari and the two shorts they did for Star Wars: Visions are solid proof that creators that gravitated towards Science SARU are given the same sense of autonomy with their efforts that many of Studio Trigger’s directors have. The concept of a virtual underground organization rebelling against a digital society is also quite a cool premise for a story, so it should be exciting to see what they’re capable of doing with such an idea. While details on the specifics of YUREI DECO have only recently come to light, I’m looking forward to how the anime turns out when it takes a deep dive into this summer.

Preview by Princess Usagi

What happens to weapons when their sole purpose, waging warfare, is no longer in existence? Can they find peace like the humans they served? Prima Doll seeks to answer just that, with a resounding “Yes!”. In the aftermath of war, former automated soldiers that look like human girls work at a café to find meaning and life in a peaceful society they were not made to live in.

What caught my eye about this show was that the weaponized robot girl grappling with peace is reminiscent of Violet Evergarden and the cozy feel of the setting in the promo video. This is a mixed media endeavor, with not just an anime, but also accompanying web novels, figurines, and short stories. The studio, Bibury Animation Studios, is relatively new, but they have worked on quite a few cute girls shows like 5-toubun no Hanayome ∬. That certainly lends to the CGDCT vibe you get from the promo. The creator Key has worked on well-known works in the past like Clannad, which bodes well on the story front, if you are a fan of that. Since Key is known for doing visual novels and this is a mixed media project, I presume a visual novel could follow suit. If you are looking for a story of robot girls learning to live their best, peaceful life, I recommend adding this show to your weekly life.

Preview by Pancakes

As a black company employee Sano Yuuji (Kobayashi Chiaki) has it rough. Worked to the bone every day, Yuuji is not sure how long he can keep the routine up – until getting surprised by an alternate world transfer after a hard way finishing work at home. Whisked off to quintessential fantasy land, Yuuji winds up a Monster Tamer, a job considered damn near impossible to make an adventuring career out of. Yet Yuuji does just that, employing the power of slimes, the acquisition of some serious magical powers courtesy of a few magical books, and his second profession of Sage to forge a path for himself. Considering Yuuji’s power is also second to none, it’s set to be a path with truly no equal.

Yes, that’s right, you’re not imagining things, we have yet another isekai power fantasy on our hands – and a slime-based one to boot. In effect that statement alone basically sums up Tensei Kenja no Isekai Life: it’s all about Yuuji helping out in wish fulfillment fashion, flexing his ridiculous powers, and acquiring both friends and girls in the process. Important thing to note is that this one trends more towards say Kenja no Mago than Tensura when it comes to material (before any expectations are set), however at its core any structural differences will be minimal; power fantasy is the name of the game and you best bet Tensei Kenja no Isekai Life fully embraces the ideal. I wouldn’t personally anticipate any masterpiece records being set here (especially in terms of story), but you certainly don’t need to look further than this for your seasonal dose of isekai comfort food.

Preview by Pancakes

Adapted from the light novel of the same name, Youjitsu focuses on one Ayanokouji Kiyotaka (Chiba Shouya) after he decides to enroll in the prestigious Kodo Ikusei high school. While ostensibly the best, Kodo Ikusei is split into rigid social cliques where the smart, strong, and popular, courtesy of a points-based merit system get the finest treatment – and everyone else fights over the scraps. Kiyotaka finds himself assigned to Class D, the bottom of the pile, but rather than accept a school life of torment and suffering, he instead decides to fight back. Seeing potential in his fellow classmates, Kiyotaka alongside new ‘friends’ Horikitai Suzune (Kitou Akari) and Kushida Kikyou (Kubo Yurika) set out to change Class D’s fortunes for the better. After all, if everything is decided on merit, what’s to stop them rising to the top?

Now here’s a sequel guaranteed no one saw coming. Airing over five years ago, Youjitsu was pretty much what happens when you mix the social introspection of Oregairu with the competitive nature of Ansatsu Kyoushitsu: it was pulpy, it was shallower than it would like you to think, but it was certainly fun as a whole as tensions ratcheted up and rewards – and risks – for Class D grew apace. The good news too is that all the strengths of the first season should carry over thanks to many of the original crew returning alongside Lerche and all major cast members. Did I mention how this is only the first of two new seasons as well? Because that also promises decent returns in terms of pacing and adapted material. While it’s anyone’s guess just how well Youjitsu will hold up after all this time, I firmly recommend keeping this one on your radar or checking out the first season if you already haven’t. When it comes to school-life intrigue this summer, it’ll be hard finding better than this.

Preview by Pancakes

The Royal Ortigia Academy is known for training the best of the best in all forms of magic and sorcery. To get in is a challenge of its own, and while Alto Goldfilled (Hirose Yuuya) succeeds in that part, actually graduating is another matter entirely. On the verge of failing his summoning class, Alto chances across a grimoire, one containing a magic circle that when drawn for the hell of it causes Alto to summon the ancient and feared demon Vermeil (Uchida Maaya). As his familiar. Not at all what Alto had planned, particularly when it’s revealed Vermeil requires daily magic input from Alto obtained through kissing. Now stuck with a grossly overpowered familiar and friends running the gambit of shocked to envious over the relationship, Alto’s school life will never be the same.

If synopsis alone wasn’t enough to suggest it, Kinsou no Vermeil is an ecchi series. A very ecchi series. It’s effectively the fantasy version of Ane Naru Mono (itself up for an adaptation), or if you will a more conventional and shouta-focused Fate Kaleid Liner Prisma Illya which goes all in the on the Illya-Kuro magic transfer shenanigans. The school setting, the secondary characters, even the setup of young magician and older demon: just the elements needed to give reason for the variety of harem-esque ara ara carnage which drives Kinsou no Vermeil’s premise. In short do not expect this one to be for everyone, but provided it can keep any censoring to a minimum and actually feature some half-decent animation, it stands a good chance at being this season’s guilty pleasure. Considering how long it’s been since we got a good ecchi series, that’s definitely reason enough to give this one a shot.

Preview by Gabie

“For the Earth’s future, I’ll be at your service, nya~!” On April 6th of 2002 fans of Nakayoshi’s hit series Tokyo Mew Mew vibrated as the lovely animal-powered magical girls graced the screens for the first time. Now, over twenty years later, this cult beloved series is getting an unexpected yet most welcome reboot! Originally run from September 2000 to February 2003, the manga series was created and written by Yoshida Reiko and illustrated by Ikumi Mia–who tragically passed away in March of this year, at the young age of 42. With an entirely new cast, and the involvement of the creator duo with the production of this reboot, there’s still little information about what the series will cover. But us fans can only hope that we’ll get a complete coverage of the seven tankōbon and maybe some never before seen moments! Will there be some changes to fit our current times? I for one, am super excited to see.

And for those of you who are not acquainted with the work, the series follows five young girls who were secretly fused with the DNA of endangered species. Now, with these superpowers, comes the task of protecting the earth against aliens who threaten to take over their planet–and these aliens are fed up with humans! With tons of charm, personality and overloaded with kawaii aesthetics, hop in this magical adventure with Ichigo (Tenma Yuuki), Lettuce (Juuni Ryouko), Zakuro (Ishii Momoka), Pudding (Toda Rian) and Mint (Hinata Mirai).

Preview by Pancakes

In the year 2138 after a twelve-year run, the leading MMORPG Yggdrasil finally decides to shut the servers down. With a midnight end time everyone and their grandmother has already logged off for good, but elder lich Momonga (Hino Satoshi), one of Yggdrasil’s strongest players and head of the powerful Ainz Ooal Gown clan, chooses to stick around until the very end. To Momonga’s surprise, however, the servers going off leave him fully conscious, and more importantly, unable to log out. With all player functions unusable and only Ainz Ooal Gown’s loyal NPCs around for assistance, Momonga decides to find out what happened the only way he knows how: by taking over this newly transformed game world. And now having laid the groundwork, Momonga is ready to truly put his plans into motion.

For all the fun of Arc and his white knight adventures in Skeleton Knight last season, there’s no truer skellie boy than Ainz, and oh boy has it been a wait to get a continuation (over four years!) – but here we are, back in the land of ossified chaos and crazy demon ladies. Compared to the last two seasons the expectation is this one will be a slower affair: rumour has it only light novel volumes 10 and 11 will be adapted with the follow up movie then grabbing volumes 12-13. Considering how speedy the previous arcs were this should be welcome news, however hype should also be tempered given Madhouse similarly returns and modern Madhouse hasn’t been all that great in terms of visuals or overall animation for Overlord’s latest showings. Nevertheless with Overlord’s story now moving into some of its best material and all cast reprising their roles, this season definitely stands the chance at being the best this franchise has put forward to date. Love it or hate it, Overlord is back for more, and I for one am very eager to see just what it has in store.

Preview by Pancakes

Jashin-chan Dropkick at heart is a simple story about a little demon called named Jashin (Suzuki Aina) who simply wants to return home. Abruptly summoned to the human world one day, Jashin finds herself in the apartment of one gothic Lolita Hanazono Yurine (Oomori Nichika), a university student with a taste for the arcane and all manner of horror. Bloody and serious horror. While Yurine was responsible for summoning Jashin, she has no idea how to send the half-snake demon back, and with Jashin herself equally dumbfounded, both girls wind up forced to live with each other. At least until Jashin gets the bright idea to kill Yurine in the hope that fixes the problem. Now locked in a perpetual struggle against death, Yurine must find a way to send Jashin back before her cute summoning experiment ends up blowing her to hell.

There should be no denying at this stage that Jashin-chan has some incredible staying power and even more loyal fans. Although not the most impressive of comedies we’ve witnessed over the years, this series admittedly has one hell of a grassroots following, resulting in a second successful funding campaign yielding this third season. That’s right, second. Anyone who’s seen and/or likes the first two cours will know what to expect for this one, but in general don’t anticipate any serious surprises: all cast and major crew are carrying over, Nomad remains at the studio helm, and the goth-infused chainsaw slaughtering, literal gut busting, and adorable secondary character antics will continue remaining front and centre. What you see is what you get with Jashin-chan, and while it certainly won’t be a comedy for everyone, there is no better place to look than this show for some hearty laughs and honest fun this summer.

Preview by Zephyr

From Project No. 9 comes the adaptation of Kyousuke Kamishiro’s romantic comedy, Mamahaha no Tsurego ga Motokano data. Also known as Tsurekano, the series revolves around Ayai Yume (Hidaka Rina) and Mizuto Irido (Shimono Hiro), who became lovers during middle school. Following a series of misunderstandings, the two broke up following graduation, only to wind up as stepsiblings following their parents’ remarriage. Now living under the same roof, the two agree to hide their previous relationship from their parents while trying to maintain an appropriate distance from one another as siblings instead of lovers. To help with the latter, they come up with the “sibling rule,” an ongoing contest in which the one who fails to treat the other as a proper sibling loses. The first thing up for grabs? The title of older brother/sister. Yanagi Shinsuke (Jaku-Chara Tomozaki-kun, Netoge no Yome wa Onnanoko ja Nai to Omotta?) will serve as director, while Mieno Hitomi (Akagami no Shirayuki-hime, Komi-san wa, Comyushou desu., Flying Witch, Noragami) will be responsible for both the script and series composition.

I remember looking at the Tsurekano’s synopsis for the first time and thinking of DomeKano, which… was a controversial series to say the least. One quick peek at the source material and you’ll find Tsurekano to be a completely different series though, and I can only describe it as a series with a more wholesome and light-hearted take on the whole stepsibling backdrop. The banter between the two step-siblings hit the mark more often than not, and—at least in the chapters I’ve read—the distance between the two protagonists is well-maintained as their interactions ebb and flow between playful teasing and close calls that toe the line between step-siblings and lovers. It was a fun read for the most part and I’ll be keeping an eye on this series as it airs. For better and for worse, Tsurekano knows its audience, and while this makes it easy for rom-com fans to add this to their list, I can’t say it’s a must watch for others that aren’t as enthusiastic about the genre.

Preview by Choya

Back in the mid 2000’s, Takafumi (Fukuyama Jun) received the terrible news that his uncle (Takehito Koyasu) fell into a coma. 17 years later, his uncle awakened to a future where he could return to his beloved video games. There’s only one catch; while he was comatose, he was actually transported to another world and acted as a heroic guardian. Now that Takafumi has to room with his enchanted uncle, he has to catch him up to speed on everything that has happened since he was in a coma, from smartphones and social media to digital animation taking anime by storm and SEGA bowing out of console manufacturing. In return, however, Takafumi comes to learn about everything Takafumi’s uncle has encountered between his coma and now, from the magic he learned to the friends that he made on the other side. With his uncle making use of his magical prowess online, Takafumi realizes he might’ve bitten off more than he can chew as people from his uncle’s past start to show up at their doorstep.

The fun thing about this anime is how it’s centered more around recollecting past experiences of an isekai journey that already occurred rather than trapping our protagonists in a fantastical purgatory until the end of time. Takafumi’s uncle still has a hard time shaking off the harrowing yet empowering time he had as a famed sorcerer while his nephew is helping him make sense of how much the world has changed since he was isekai’d. It’s a premise that has far more room for the potential to expand beyond being strictly confined to the fantasy setting. I believe it could be the kind of isekai show where even viewers who aren’t fans of the genre could get invested in the story. Needless to say that Fukuyama and Koyasu could be in an anime where they do nothing but read a phone book, and it’d be one of the best anime of the year. Hopefully, Isekai Ojisan will pleasantly surprise many anime fans when it rises from its slumber this summer.

Preview by Guardian Enzo

Without question, 2017’s Made in Abyss was a spectacular anime. It clawed its way into my 2010’s Top 20 list, and pretty comfortably. It soared on every level, not least its visuals, which would rank among my top five TV an anime of all-time. Kevin Penkin’s soundtrack might do likewise. And Tsukushi Akihito’s writing – which the adaptation was largely faithful to – is brutal, ruthless, and heartbreaking.

If anything, I was pretty surprised to see MiA become the major commercial hit it did. Frankly I thought it was too subtle and too weird to find a large audience, but it did so – both domestically and abroad. It’s spawned theatrical films, a good amount of tie-in merchandising, doujins and cafes. And now, of course, a second season – which took a lot of fans (including me) who thought the material seemed better suited to the theater by surprise.

That which makes Made in Abyss sometimes troubling – the almost fetishistic way Tsukushi-sensei tortures his young cast – is intrinsically tied to its allure. There are no limits either existential or physical – anything can happen to anyone, and often does. It’s a beautiful but terrifying world Tsukushi has created, and the anxiety we feel for its inhabitants is real. And Kinema Citrus brings all that to life in truly stunning fashion. This adaptation is clearly a labor of love in the best sense. There’s no reason to think any of that will change with the second season and if indeed it doesn’t, Made in Abyss: Retsujitsu no Ougonkyou will be part of a vigorous scrum for spots at the head of 2022’s Top 10.

Preview by Zaiden

Michio Kaga (Yashiro Taku) is a high school student who has a hard time with studies and fitting in with his peers. To that end, he stumbles across a mysterious website and begins answering its questions while creating skills and abilities for a prototype character. Upon completion, Michio is isekai’d to a fantasy world where slavery exists. But if Shield Hero is the wholesome type of slavery isekai, Isekai Meikyuu de Harem is the 18+ variant where Michio sets out to accrue funds by exploring the labyrinth using his cheat-like abilities, so that he can purchase slaves and amass a harem of beautiful slaves that he can make love to every day of the week.

Unsurprisingly, this project is being helmed by Studio Passione – who have garnered quite a reputation through the likes of Ishozoku Reviewers, Highschool DxD Hero and the utterly godforsaken Kyochuu Rettou. You will certainly find no shortage of passion in this series, although you may find the quality of said passion to be ‘questionable’. If you do not want to see the same thing I unfortunately had to see. *cough* In other words, if you do not want to see a main character emancipate slaves by purchasing them, ‘treating them better’ than other slavers would into procuring consensual intercourse from them, I strongly suggest giving this series a pass. Especially if the idea of some socially inept, horny individual opportunistically bonking a loli dwarf sounds like something you’d run away from at lightspeed. Because it’s some high grade neckbeard fantasy wish fulfilment that can be explained using one word: Japan. If that’s your jam, I won’t openly judge you. But you know I’m secretly giving you the stinkeye from wherever I am in the world. And if you believe in reincarnation and the after-life, perhaps consider you may need to do a lot of awkward explaining to your ancestors.

Preview by Guardian Enzo

I gotta be honest, I’m not a Prince of Tennis fan. I often speak of “sports animanga for people who hate sports”, and this is kind of what I’m talking about. Anyone who played tennis as I did, or even watches it fairly closely, will understand that PoT is utterly preposterous. It makes little attempt to relate what happens to actual tennis, which is really just a pretext for the real reasons the series exists.

That said, I guess I’m kind of the “sports anime guy” at RC, so here we are. I will give this franchise credit for being a pioneer of a style of anime and manga which became very popular, and helped sports manga cross over to a broader (both in terms of demographic and degree of sports fandom) audience. Along with Ookiku Furikabutte it probably did more to build that sub-genre than any other series. The difference of course is that Oofuri – and Haikyuu, the ultimate modern example – did a good job keeping the sports realistic enough not to turn sports geeks like me off.

As for U-17 World Cup specifically, as best I can tell it focuses on the PoT version of the Junior Davis Cup, with the competition being open to anyone 17 or under. As to whether fans of the franchise consider it a good iteration I honestly couldn’t tell you, but I’m sure it will do well with its long-established fan base.

Preview by Princess Usagi

Ever thought that Yakuza work was just underground deals and gang wars? Wrong! At least for “vicious” Sakuragi clan yakuza Kirishima Tooru (Hosoya Yoshimasa) who is tasked with the caring for the Sakuragi clan head’s young daughter, Sakuragi Yaeka (Watada Misaki). Kirishima must learn that caring for a family does not have to happen at knife-point. Of course, hilarious slip-ups and steep learning curves will ensue, promising some solid comedy if done right. Will he learn gentleness in the ruthless underworld and how will the young Miss Sakuragi handle having this bad boy as her babysitter?

This show’s concept of yakuza toughie learning domestic bliss has a similar feel to Gokushufudou or Hinamatsuri. I enjoyed the comedy tinged with sweetness in that series, so I have hopes for this also being a feel-good show, if it follows in the same vein. Incidentally, the art director, Yoshihara Shunichirou, and head of series composition, Oochi Keiichirou both worked on Hinamatsuri. Those connections bode well for the show following in the same vein. Definitely check this out if you are looking for a domestic yakuza comedy!

Preview by Choya

A quiet nighttime stroll can be as haunting as it is sobering. Depending on your outlook, beyond each footstep could either be a strangely new experience of a familiar stomping ground or a haunting path fraught with ambiguity. Kou Yamori (Satou Gen) had maintained a typical middle school life, but underneath the surface, Kou was maintaining a facade of confidence through his frustration of everyone around him. One day, he drops out of school to break away and regain his composure. The only problem is that insomnia has started hitting him due to having no daytime outlet for his energy. Taking nighttime walks alleviates this issue slightly, but still causes him to be concerned about how little sleep he’s gotten lately. On one such walk, he encounters an odd girl named Nanakuza Nazuna (Amamiya Sora), who claims that all of his frustrations with school and insomnia are kicking in high gear because he keeps holding himself back from experiencing true freedom. When Kou winds up satisfied with the advice Nazuna gave him, she invites him back to her apartment to share a futon. Little did Kou know that he was being drawn toward danger until slips into unconsciousness. It isn’t until he feels a sharp pain in his neck that he realizes that Nazuna is a vampire. Since the bond of love is the only way one vampire can turn a human into a vampire, the two develop a bond as Kou wishes to become a vampire and Nazuna seeks out his blood.

Yofukashi no Uta has picked up some traction recently as a multi-faceted, genre-bending story about isolation and dissociation from society. And there’s no better avenue to tell such a narrative than adding on the caveat of vampires, who are generally outcasts in fiction who must keep humanity at a distance to either stave off hunger or avoid being caught and hunted. Aside from the potential that the story has to compare and contrast the social deaths that people can face with the secret lives of vampires, the manga’s author attracted my curiosity. It’s fascinating to see that the person who made such a story also came up with Dagashi Kashi, a fun-loving slice-of-life that analyzed snack foods and spawned Pulitzer Prize-tier doujinshi. While it does beg to question exactly how much ecchi Yofukashi no Uta will spawn given how much was in Dagashi Kashi, it does make me optimistic that it will share its predecessor’s quiet, small-town charm and atmosphere. It’ll be exciting to see what Yofukashi no Uta when it takes a stroll through the summer season.

Preview by FJ Freeman

Not because of anything in particular first-year Ayumu Tanaka ups and suddenly quits the Kendo Club to join the unlawful out-of-the-rules Shogi Club. When he joins, he meets Urushi Yaotome, the president of the club, and a master at shogi. Tanaka is thrilled to finally have a playing partner at his favorite game. Tanaka, being an upperclassman, aspires to be the shogi mentor to Yaotome and become a student role model.

However, it seems she finds herself blushing with embarrassment. Cold and honest, Tanaka sees no issue with calling Yaotome cute. Although Tanaka likes her, he refrains from confessing his love and promises himself to first beat her at a game of shogi.

Through school life and shogi games, the two have one too many hilarious and heart-warming experiences. Tanaka enjoys every second with Yaotome, but he is still a long way from actually beating her at shogi. With a commitment made to himself, will Tanaka ever get the chance to confess his feelings toward Yaotome?

Preview by Choya

Editor’s Note: May be a short.

Sometimes, terrifying things come in innocuous packages. Chimimo is one of the 12 evil demons whose mission is to raise hell on earth so that they may one day claim the human world in their name. As a shapeshifting messenger from hell, Chimimo heads over to the human world alongside the 11 other demons and “Jigoku-san” (Suwabe Junichi). The only problem is that Chimimo and Jigoku-san don’t exactly have their plans on how to conquer earth sorted out. This means the two will have to become freeloaders, living under the charitable roof of three sisters who let them stay in their home. Will their fiery hot tempers cool down with the power of human love, or will they be able to finish their mission of world domination?

There was a short period in the early 2000s and early 2010s where we had a slew of short-form comedies based on 4koma about all types of irreverent mascot characters. It’s hard to see CHIMIMO and not think of all of those pop art-inspired anime that is as cutesy as they are audacious, especially when you have all kinds of cute dumpling-looking characters being represented as demons sent to do the bidding of the underworld. It helps that the otherwise bleak premise about Chimimo and Jigoku-san’s plans to let hell break loose on earth are made tamer by the show’s storybook aesthetic. It could revel in the chaotic evil nature of Chimimo’s origin, or it could embrace the adorable, light-hearted atmosphere it presents. One thing is for certain though; you can look forward to a hell of a time with CHIMIMO.

Preview by Choya

The Shinsengumi were a special police force during Japan’s Bakumatsu period in 1863 and were formed to protect Kyoto’s shogunate representatives during a controversial point in Japanese history. In the world of Bucchigire!, however, an unknown attacker slays all but one member of the Shinsengumi, eighth unit captain Heisuke Todo (Toyonaga Toshiyuki). With only one surviving officer left, Heisuke is tasked with reforming the Shinsengumi with seven criminals chosen to act as doubles for their slain comrades. With the success of the top-secret replacement operation, the newly reformed Shinsengumi are now tasked to protect the security of Kyoto with the help of a ragtag group of ruffians.

There’s always been a hidden fascination with how anime and media as a whole depict the Shinsengumi. Fans of Hakuouki, Gintama, Touken Ranbu the Fate series have already come to learn of some members such as Okita Souji and Hijikata Toshizo even if they’ve never touched Japanese history at all. Similarly, novels and films have come out that dramatize specific unexplored facets of the Shinsengumi’s structure from the hierarchy and beliefs of their organization to the sexual identities of its officers and the gender roles of women at the time of the Meiji Restoration. It’s been ripe for adaptations where characters are either loosely based on officers or are depictions of the officers based on a few key details gathered about them. That’s why it’s interesting that in this particular anime, their take on the Shinsengumi is to flip the script entirely and replace the famed, ruthless officers with greenhorn criminals having to masquerade in their outfits and regalia. It should be neat to see if their depiction of a dramatically reformed Shinsengumi offers a unique twist on history when they reform this summer.

Preview by Pancakes

Adapted from the manga of the same name, Shadows House tells the tale of the Shadows, a family of reclusive nobles living at the edge of civilization who are known by their pitch-black appearance and emission of soot when agitated. Thanks to their lack of complexion, Shadow children are assigned a Living Doll when they come of age, an attendant acting as their second half to display the emotions they cannot. The happy and cheerful Emilico (Sasahara Yuu) is one such doll, serving the soft-spoken Kate (Kitou Akari). While sharing wholly different personalities, Emilico does what she can for Kate, and with it gradually learns more about her role, duty and the very purpose of her existence. Keeping to the Shadows’ expectations though will prove harder than expected though, as after learning some of the Shadows’ deepest secrets, Emilico’s own life will never be the same.

Shadows House is an interesting series if only for how well it straddles the line of mystery-horror and whimsical slice-of-life. This one is all about its characters and their related chemistry, whether that be the main duo of Emilico and Kate, the other Shadows-Living Doll pairs, or the more class-based issues underlying this entire series. Or if you will, just take the gothic style of Rozen Maiden or Gosick, pair it with a fairly intriguing (if somewhat imperfect) mystery premise, and you should have a good idea what to expect. The first season, outside of its lackluster anime-original ending and CloverWorks only bringing their animation B game, did pretty well by the source material, so should this season continue along in the same overall vein there’s nothing to suggest it will fall flat on its face. Fans already know where they stand, but if you haven’t caught this yet and want some new mystery this season I recommend giving Shadows House a spin because it stands a good chance of being one of summer’s hidden gems.

Preview by Guardian Enzo

The odyssey of Hoshi no Samidare is a long and strange one, and it hasn’t even aired yet. This was an adaptation I, along with most Mizukami Satoshi fans, have waited for impatiently and thought was probably never coming. Aside from the original (though later a manga) Planet With, this historically great mangaka has been completely snubbed by anime. The Lucifer and Biscuit Hammer is his most popular (though not best – that’s Spirit Circle) series, but it ended a decade ago. That it finally got an anime should have been cause for unbridled joy – and it was, for a while.

I struggle long and hard with where to place Samidare as a prospect. My head tells me it’s an also-ran but my heart wants so much more. That should tell you just how much expectations regarding this series have been deflated. It should have been at Bones, with a director like Matsumoto Rie. Once upon a time it was rumored to be Gainax (a deal reportedly scuttled by disagreements over licensing songs from The Pillows – oft-referenced in the narrative) for the soundtrack. But it ended up at a fourth-rate studio, NAZ, with a third-date director in Nakanishi Nobutaki. For a long time we didn’t even know the studio, never mind have a preview. It’s arrival just killed the mood ever more, as it’s truly ugly and cheap-looking (and this was the bit they wanted to use to show off).

It’s dangerous to project, and we don’t know Mizukami’s true feelings about this adaptation. I have to believe this was a hard choice for him – approve a sketchy adaptation, knowing that the alternative was likely to never get one at all? Or refuse and accept that none of his manga were likely ever to be adapted? If there’s any small grain of hope it’s that Mizukami is attached to the project supervising scripts, but until the series is confirmed to be two cour (which it desperately needs to be) you can’t even really draw much optimism from that.

All we’re left with at this point is blind hope and diminished expectations. Samidare should have been an AotY candidate in any year, and this certainly won’t be that. But it’s still a great story. The cast is generally fine to very good. Maybe it will get two cours and survive narratively without being cut to ribbons to save time. Even if this isn’t Mizukami finally getting the glorious anime debutante ball he deserves (and even if it isn’t Spirit Circle), it’s still Biscuit Hammer. It’s freaking Biscuit Hammer, in 2022. If nothing else, it’s a hell of a thing that it even exists.

Preview by Pancakes

From the light novel series of the same name, Kuro no Shoukanshi focuses on the young sorcerer Kelvin (Uchiyama Kouki) and his unique yet exhilarating predicament. Awaking in an unknown world with no memory of the past, Kelvin quickly learns from the goddess responsible that he bartered away all his memories in exchange for new – and very powerful – abilities. Pairing up with said goddess Kelvin decides to take up a life of adventuring to pass the time, only to find out his new power comes with an insatiable love of fighting. Eager and thoroughly overpowered, Kelvin thus sets out to find and battle the strongest opponents he can, all for the sake of filling the void inside.

Wish fulfillment is pretty much part in parcel of anime on any given day, but Kuro no Shoukanshi arguably takes the cake. This one at heart is true shounen-esque wish fulfillment, where its entire purpose and reason comes down to Kelvin heading out to kick ass and show off the latest array of unbeatable power. Normally this would be the signal to not expect much, but KnS has one thing going for it: execution. Tight writing and a lively pace give this one a feel similar to Heion Sedai no Idaten-tachi, enough so that its generic nature gets supplanted through sheer entertainment and absolute craziness – or in other words, it’s popcorn through and through. While there’s some concerning signals courtesy of budget visuals teased in the PVs and a less than stellar staff, should KnS properly capitalize on its action aspects there’s a decent chance of it turning into a good bit of summer fun. Don’t expect the moon when it comes to this one, but I recommend giving it a shot if in need some summer shounen shenanigans.

Preview by Gabie

Extreme Hearts is another original run hitting up the screens on this summer. Created and written by Tsuzuki Masaki, the creator of Mahou Shoujo Lyrical Nanoha and DOG DAYS, the series also counts with Nishimura Junji as director, and is a production of studio Seven Arcs. The story is set in the near future, where ‘Hyper Sports’ have become an established popular practice amongst children and adults. It follows the protagonist Hayama Hiyori (Noguchi Ruriko), a high school singer who has absolutely nothing to do with said ‘Hyper Sports’. But everything is about to change… “This is the story about how we met our best friends!”

This one is a little out of my depth, but the series appears to have respectable staff members all ‘round, so it seems like a good lighthearted feel-good kind of pic for our readers here at RC! Cute girls, sports, singing, themes of friendship and overcoming personal obstacles… seems like an overall positive mix.

Preview by Zaiden

Unable to fulfil his life long regret of discovering the cure for the disease that killed his beloved younger sister, the restless pharmacist Kanji Yakutani (Toyosaki Aki) dies from overworking himself into the ground. For his good deeds of curing many patients and inventing many new life-saving medicines, he is given a second chance at life, reincarnated into an aristocratic family as Falma de Medicis. A far cry from life on Earth, Falma soon discovers that medicine is not available to the wider masses, a specific reserve for the wealthy and powerful, while commoners are left to the mercy of chance. Not to mention the existing medicine is primitive and ineffective compared to Earth. Deciding that this status quo is unacceptable, Falma carries over the same goal he had from his previous life: to set up his own pharmacy and invent cures to diseases while also making healthcare accessible to all.

When I read the manga for this light novel, I must say I had quite a blast at this relatively innovative twist on isekai. For the people who fear an overpowered cheat like protagonist, I would describe Falma as pretty self sufficient, and must highlight that the series doesn’t have an emphasis on combat with the protagonist romping their way through all adversity without so much as a sweat on their brow. Rather, the protagonist focuses on medicine and the economics of making it accessible to all. While there are cheats to be had, with the guardian deity of Medicine at play, Falma’s knowledge as a world class pharmacist and understanding of modern economics comes into play many times in ways that you can only give him the credit deserved. Diomedea as a studio aren’t going to wow people in terms of visuals, at least they have experience with making this exact style of show in Seijo no Maryoku wa Bannou. I’m pretty confident that people are going to enjoy this. To surmise, if you you’re too used to being disappointed at the shambles of healthcare in your country, e.g. Medicare for All, and want to see how it’s really done when you’ve got people who mean business trying to make it a reality, feel free to grab a cup of coffee and tag along for the ride.

Preview by Gabie

Editor’s Note: Might be a short.

Are you a Kaijuu fan? Yes? Then KJ File is definitely that niche series ready for your seasonal pick! This original series follows a simple premise: at the dawn of the 20th Century, unique and terrifying monsters started to appear. At first, humans tried to resist–the result? Immense loss and the realization that extermination of the beasts would be impossible. Thus, governments around the world formed the United Nations Kaijuu Observatory (a.k.a. Kuronzu), an organization formed to collect data and monitor these new giants who are now habitants of this earth.

The story will follow the members of this esteemed organization as they continue to work their hardest to make it so that humans and Kaijuu can live together. Although information about the cast is officially released, I could not put my hands on whom they will be playing, but we do have their character descriptions: At the forefront of Kuronzu is the indomitable leader, Secretary-General Kaido Yuichiro. The authority on monster ecology, Kobayashi Koji. The eccentric one studying monster disaster preventions, Mikoshiba Kenny. The nobleman and brains behind anti-monster strategies, Nikita Tarkovsky. The new generation, Lulu de Picard, who paved the way for monster linguistics, and last but not least, Guillermo Marquez, a major figure in monster science.

Preview by Choya

150 years ago, the age of samurai had come to an end as demons overthrew their rule over the land of Hinomoto. As time progressed, newer generations would come to believe that the demons were their liberators from the fearsome samurai, and they are currently living in times of peace and stability. The truth of the matter is that the remaining humans were enslaved by demons to mine for resources on their behalf, and human children are sent to join them once they graduate. Musashi (Uchida Yuuma) believes this to his fullest extent, but his beliefs caused him to hit a downward spiral as his childhood friend Kojirou (Saitou Souma) distances himself from Musashi. Although Musashi resigned himself to the angst of being further isolated from his peers, his graduation would prove his suspicions to be true as he joins Kojirou in mining rocks under inhumane conditions. As the demon leader wreaks havoc on Musashi and the others, the Takeda samurai clan swoops in to save them from certain death. With the firm belief that the samurai are the last bastion fighting for freedom, Musashi embarks on a journey to become a samurai and form his own samurai clan. The second cour of Orient adapts the “Awajishima Gekitou-hen”, or “The Battle of Awaji Island” arc.

ORIENT wound up being a lot more low-key than the mangaka’s previous work Magi. While the latter dipped into the same kind of whimsy that made for a delightful adventurous shonen, the former is an edgier tale of seeking revenge and overcoming adversity. Although lowering the grand scope of the world might seem like a downgrade, the trade-off grants us more action-packed fare that pulls off grander fights in comparison. The second season’s arc promises to be an even larger epic than the first few arcs explored in Season 01. The second cour should provide more grandiose battles to look forward to when it breaks free this summer season.

Preview by FJ Freeman

Watch out! A new idol group has just flown into the scene! They don’t seem to have that many achievements, but the idol unit ‘TINGS’ has big dreams, if only (so far) very small attainments. The best manager in the whole wide world was supposed to be the one to save them from obscurity. Yet, that very person coldly shoved them away.

In their old manager’s wake a man named Naoese Hinaki shows up to TINGS, a man with no motivation, and seemingly no life purpose. But things are about to change as the girls in the idol group discover he seemingly has a special power?!

This is the story of you! A story of the protagonist and the idol group ‘TINGS’ shining brightly to become the best, the absolute idols. Quite a lofty goal to achieve. The best idol entertainment begins here, right now! Are you up for the challenge?!

Preview by Princess Usagi

Have you ever had a fast food burger that was (your adjective of choice) as hell? Well, welcome to your local MgRonald’s, where your burgers are flipped by the Demon Lord of Hell himself. After being vanquished by a hero, Satan (Oosaka Ryouta) falls into 21st century Japan and must work by the sweat of his brow at MgRonald’s, disguising himself as Maou Sadaou. Replacing one kingdom with another, Maou works to dominate first the business world, then the rest of the world. In the second season, Maou continues his quest for supremacy, accompanied by new friends and antagonized by old foes.

I thought the first season of this light novel adaptation was hilarious and am looking forward to getting more laughs from Maou and company navigating normal human life. There are some significant changes to the staffing for this second installment, with a new director, Tsukushi Daisuke, and studio in Studio 3HZ, but hopefully it won’t disrupt the quality. That said, the excellent Yokotani Masahiro (Re:Zero, Ao Ashi, Steins;Gate) is staying on from the first season to do the series composition, which looks promising for the story layout. If you enjoy bizarre comedies with a side of supernatural, I would recommend checking out the continuing adventures of the bedeviled Maou!

Preview by FJ Freeman

Love Live is back, and now better than ever! Music anime has sort of had some kind of level up in the last couple of seasons. With the likes of Healer Girl giving full Disney musical, and Paripi Koumei appealing to the, let’s say, hardstyle demographic. Love Live has set a new precedent with its music and the dramatic story surrounding school idols of a certain school, then coming together in the Love Live to live their collective dreams of performing on stage and making everyone who listens to their music feel inspired and have a happy time. With their pop-inspired melodies that are sure to revitalize your soul, the best season of Love Live is coming back with full force.

Superstar follows the story of Yuigaoka Girls’ High School, a school divided by uniforms a la 1984 – or The War Between the Classes, you choose! Whereby wearing a certain livery meant you participated in the music program or you didn’t, student’s who wear the iron-clad outfit, think of themselves as superiors as students not participating in the music program. However, Shibuya Kanon (Date Sayuri) is here to prove them wrong, that students who are not in the music program can also bring honor and prestige to the school. Since at first, the newbie school idol club gets pushback from the students dedicating and honing their craft. Such atrocities would bring shame to the school, however, they are certainly proven wrong.

Now Yuigaoka Girls’ High School is thinking about merging both programs into a single one, so both students who wish to participate in the music program and those who don’t get benefits from both, all thanks to the school idol club of Yuigioka bringing those two students together, by forming bonds with each other and dealing with their emotions in a sincere and empathic way.

Love Live in its first season has always been about bringing the group concurrently, it really comes together in its second season because it has already set up the more tedious part of the show. And now S2 of Superstar is set to be one of the greatest of them all, that is not to say other spinoffs don’t have anything to offer. Nijigasaki for example provides a larger group and makes the girls perform in subgroups. It really all comes down to personal taste, and what you want from each show. With underlying lore that lets every single season shine on its own. And hey, even the inclusion of Chinese idols has been slowly making its way to each series. There is something here for everyone to enjoy!

Preview by Zephyr

From J.C. Staff comes the fourth season of Dungeon ni Deai wo Motomeru no wa Machigatteiru no Darou ka. As with previous iterations, the series will be set in city of Orario, where adventurers ply their trade in the city’s massive underground Dungeon. Following his many achievements and his involvement with intelligent monsters known as the Xenos during the third season, Bell Cranel (Matsuoka Yoshitsugu) has leveled up. Now Level 4 and no longer the “Little Rookie”, Bell prepares to set on a new mission, only to be caught up in a murder plot with one of his trusted allies accused of the crime. Director Tachibana Hideki will return after helming the second and third seasons and the series’ author (Omori Fujino) will formerly join the staff as script supervisor.

It’s been a few years, but Danmachi is back, and I think we all know what to expect from this series given that we’re three seasons in (more if you include Sword Oratoria) and J.C. Staff is still at the helm along with Tachibana Hideki. The latter’s involvement is likely a disappointment for many given the omissions made while adapting material for the second and third seasons, but adding in the author to assist with the script could serve to address the issue somewhat. It won’t change the damage that’s already been done for some characters, but this could be the positive change that helps make the fourth season better than the previous two. It only helps that the content that should be covered this season promises to be more action-packed and Bell getting a “fresh start” as a brand-new Level 4 adventurer with a new nickname could help the series pick things up a bit following two sub-optimal seasons.

Preview by Choya

Lilith (Takahashi Rie) is a beautiful maid who was hired by an affluent family to care for the whims of their avoidant son, Yuuri (Hayami Saori). As a maid extraordinaire, Lilith can do anything; she cooks phenomenal food and keeps the house perfectly spotless. But her talents and charms are exactly why Yuuri is unsettled by Lilith’s presence. Could she be using magic to help her get her work done? Or more importantly, could she be using magic to enchant the young boy? Something about her just doesn’t sit right with him, and it will be Yuuri’s personal mission to get to the bottom of why Lilith comes off as so mysterious and unsettling. As Yuuri’s overzealous skepticism of her every action keeps him on edge, his paranoia is overlooked by Lilith, who aims to build some kind of connection with Yuuri. You may want to see how the two manage to get along in this oddball, slice-of-life romantic comedy.

The biggest elephant in the room with Saikin Yatotta Meido ga Ayashii is that it’s an age-gap rom-com where an older, mischievous girl flirts with a very young boy. It’s the kind of material that you begrudgingly put up with in Kobayashi’s Maid Dragon because Lucoa’s attractiveness occasionally outweighs the creepiness of her pursuing Shouta. Similarly with Miss Caretaker of Sunohara-sou, Ayaka is cute and attractive enough that you might find yourself ignoring some of the unsettling bonding that she has with Aki. But as with Mother of the Goddess’ Dormitory, it can be hard to contend with age-gap romcoms when the story is hyperfocused on the younger boy’s reaction to older women flirting with him. There is one shred of hope that I have for it to be surprisingly palatable; it shares both the creator and the anime production team behind The Great Jahy Will Not Be Defeated!. I loved the Jahy anime for being a wholesome, hilarious, and bleak take on the slice-of-life genre where its titular demon survives the cruel, humbling trials of the real world with the help of those around her. If the Jahy anime managed to make a lot of the scenes with younger characters less suspicious, there may still be hope for Saikin Yatotta Meido ga Ayashii when it arrives this summer.

Preview by Choya

The self-proclaimed, hard-boiled detective Shoutarou Hidari (Hosoya Yoshimasa) and his witty partner Philip (Uchiyama Kouki) join forces to fuse into Kamen Rider W, the city of Fuuto’s legendary hero, with the help of USB-like devices called “Gaia Memories”. But even with the enormous power that Kamen Rider W wields, they have their work cut out for them as criminals use Gaia Memories to transform into superpowered monsters known as “Dopants” to roam about the city. The production and distribution of Gaia Memories were halted after an evil organization known as the Museum collapsed. Because Gaia Memories are now being sold in the black market, the two heroes from the Narumi Detective Agency are tasked with investigating any supernatural phenomena that could possibly be linked to the remnants of Gaia Memories, and track down any Dopants who aim to use their superpowers for crime. experience supernatural phenomena.

I don’t have to tell you that Kamen Rider is a massive deal as one of the most influential tokusatsu media franchises out there. The original 1971 television series would go on to inspire not only a slew of films, TV series’, spin-offs, games, and manga. One such manga happens to be Fuuto Tantei, a comic book sequel to the 2009 TV series Kamen Rider W that would technically make this anime a sequel to a live-action TV show. It’d be like if Doctor Who had an animated spin-off set during the Matt “Milo/Lucien” Smith era. A more apt example that I can see cropping up would be the contemporary twists on Gatchaman and Gridman that helped reconceptualize fun classical shows with new bells and whistles. It’ll be exciting if a show like this could possibly be a good introduction to Kamen Rider to ignorant folks like myself who have only experienced the show through GIFs and word-of-mouth. Be amazed as Fuuto Tantei makes its dazzling appearance in the summer season.