Summer 2025 Preview – Random Curiosity

Preview by Pancakes

His knees are weak, his arms are heavy. Yesterday’s dinner? He wishes it was mom’s spaghetti. For the middle aged Nagumo Keiichirou (Suwabe Junichi), a former genius high school detective, life has really descended into the pits of mediocrity when he got older, his work dried up, and the bills kept on coming. Sure, Keiichirou not keeping up with the times might have something to do with it too (who doesn’t network via smartphone these days?), but it all comes down to few opportunities. At least until one spunky high school girl Mashiro (Hanazawa Kana) shows up at his detective agency and demands to be his assistant. Can the young and hip help Keiichirou overcome his old and outdated mindset? He’s about to find out whether he wants to or not.

Detectives, school kids, and comedy is a pretty well-known anime mix these days, though Mattaku Saikin no Tantei to Kitara gets a bit of a bump courtesy of focusing hard on the comedy aspect. Best way to think of this one for the unfamiliar is if Mob Psycho met Grand Blue, replaced the occult with daily comings and goings, and decided that Mob was better fit being an outgoing girl far too interested in one washed up middle aged detective. The manga parts I read were a hilarious blast, with Keiichirou and Mashiro having some excellent chemistry, and while the usual caveats apply – i.e. comedy being in the eye of the beholder – nothing stands out as being problematic, especially if the production can nail the necessary pacing. Don’t pass Mattaku Saikin no Tantei to Kitara over if looking for a laugh this summer, I fully expect this one to be a fun ride.

Mattaku Saikin no Tantei to Kitara Promotional Videos ▼

Preview by Pancakes

Livestreaming, it’s a known constant in the current world and something many people both young and old aspire to enter the ranks of and succeed with. The latest case? One Kurono Miko (Sugiyama Riho) who managed to secure the dream under the alias Necronomico following graduation from school. Day in day out it’s playing games and enjoying herself alongside childhood friend Mayusaka Mayu (Iwami Manaka) and rival Kagurazaka Kanna (Hasumi Nana), but even though exhausting Miko wouldn’t have it any other way. At least until she’s introduced to a new VR game to play. Little does this streaming trio know that their latest virtual discovery is about to change their world forever.

If the relatively sparse synopsis wasn’t hint enough Necronomico is somewhat of a black box at the moment. It’s the latest in Cygames’ original anime works (noted by the company being producer rather than studio for once) and from what I can gather is basically a less supernatural focused Mayonaka Punch, complete with all the humour, CGDCT moments, and flashy flair driving some of the more action-centric moments. While unclear just what exactly the story is about right now, creator and series composer Uezu Makoto does not lack for writing chops and has plenty of experience with this sort of show so half decent odds something interesting is at work under the hood. Certainly not about to make any predictions here given the dearth of information, but if there was ever a random show to give a shot this summer Necronomico would be it. After all, sometimes the greatest hits come from the least unsuspecting of sources.

Necronomico no Cosmic Horror Show Promotional Videos ▼

Preview by Pancakes

Of the Four Lords of Dark Beasts none is more dangerous than the Demon King Clevatess (Nakamura Yuuichi). His strength and rage are well known, enough so that the king chooses a party of thirteen heroes to finally put an end to him. Of these heroes includes Alicia (Shiraishi Haruka), a young warrior who has long dreamed of being a hero – and a dreamer who gets far more than she bargained for after the adventure begins. The party you see was reckless in their pursuit and show down with Clevatess, tragically so, resulting not just in the deaths of many but also the triggering of a crisis threatening the entirety of humanity. The catch? A young baby falling into the care of Clevatess and one resurrected Alicia who’s about to find out that not all heroic stories play out as intended.

Having heard of Clevatess a little while before I’d be lying to say I wasn’t looking forward to this adaptation. Dark fantasy work from Dimension W’s writer with a few interesting twists on the usual fantasy shtick? Oh yes sign me up. And yet it’s hard not feeling some concern when digging into the details. For one Clevatess follows on the back of Übel Blatt’s frankly disappointing adaptation, a comparison only reinforced by questionable studio choice in Lay-duce and inexperienced staff; expectations of a hack and slash job aren’t unfounded, especially given the fact the source manga is still ongoing. Tack on the lack of information on episode count and it’s pretty easy thinking we’re in store for another made for marketing piece, but even then given it’s a dark fantasy work I’m still going to be optimistic. After all, if Helck can nail the execution then there’s nothing saying Clevatess cannot either. We’ll just have to wait and see what those first few episodes bring.

Clevatess: Majuu no Ou to Akago to Shikabane no Yuusha Promotional Videos ▼

Preview by Pancakes

Move over Truck-kun, there’s a new isekai vehicle on the block. Or shall we say box, as one Boxxo (Fukuyama Jun) finds out in traditional alternate world fashion. A literal fanatic for vending machines and their blessed goods, Boxxo gets the best of all worlds by being crushed by a vending machine and sent off to fantasyland. As a vending machine. Sure, being human is tough, but when you’re dealing with the local monster wildlife with only two products on tap, a constant need for coin, and no ability to communicate except through prerecorded phrases, winding up living the dispensary dream isn’t all that easy. Thankfully, however, Boxxor comes across the young girl Lammis (Hondo Kaede) who helps him out on his new lease on life, ensuring that this isekai adventure will only be moving forward.

You know that feeling of “what the hell, where did this sequel come?” you get at times seeing the seasonal lists? That’s me with Reborn as a Vending Machine. Even though this one was announced right at the end of the first cour it’s still hard believing how it got a full 24-episode run given the premise and mid-grade nature of the material, but stranger shows have seen anime before. The one thing I can say about this isekai at least is that it’s perfectly harmless; off the wall crazy yes, ridiculous meme-worthy premise sure, but beyond the mechanical trappings it’s as thoroughly vanilla fantasy-flavoured alternate world as it gets. The good news is all staff and cast are carrying over alongside the original studio pick so don’t expect much change from the first season, especially in terms of production quality. And hey, even when in doubt sometimes even the craziest of ideas wind up proving surprisingly entertaining.

Jidou Hanbaiki ni Umarekawatta Ore wa Meikyuu wo Samayou 2nd Season Promotional Videos ▼

Preview by Pancakes

The town of Domori isn’t known for much, but when it comes to supernatural phenomena it easily tops the charts. Weird appearances; mysterious figures; urban legends doing their thing: if you think of it Domori is plagued by it, enough so that it decides to take action for the sake of the children by hiring a new homeroom teacher Meisuke Nueno (Okiayu Ryoutarou). Going by the name of Nube, Nueno is employed purely because he’s the only psychic teacher in all of Japan, with his left hand rumoured to contain a demon capable of unfathomable acts. For all the danger Nube thus invites he’s also the only thing standing between Domori’s kids and the multitude of spirits affecting it, and one way or another Nube intends on ensuring nothing befalls the town while he’s on the job.

We really are getting spoiled with the remakes these days aren’t we? For the unfamiliar Jigoku Sensei Nube is a popular occult comedy from the 90s, with a 31 volume manga run seeing a four-season anime adaptation towards the tail end of the decade. Much like some of the other recent remakes it’s a fairly lighthearted school-life series, following an episodic format whereby Nube saves his students from various occultic agents, interjects a bit of comedy and horror during the proceedings for spice, and occasionally provides some life lessons and healing moments to keep things interesting. The key for this remake will be the changes: for starters it’s not a 1:1 remake (the setting is shifted to the 2010s for example), second is it’s still up in the air, as with the first adaptation, how much censoring will result. Provided such changes are minimal however there’s a decent chance at getting something good considering this remake is also already slated for two (split) cours minimum and has more than enough manga material to work with. Even with the unknowns too though I’d still recommend keeping Jigoku Sensei Nube on your radar if a fan of anything occult or easygoing. When it comes to supernatural fun few summer series are going to top this one.

Jigoku Sensei Nube (2025) Promotional Videos ▼

Preview by Pancakes

Normally the isekai life begins after first receiving Truck-kun’s gentle touch. In the case of Narihira Takeru (Kimura Taihi)? Cliff diving your way into alternate world fun. To Takeru’s credit it was by accident and he did have a girl Tsukimiya (Uchida Maaya) on his mind who only ever appeared in his dreams, but still, isekai going to isekai. And isekai Takeru did right into Denji Heian-kyou, a futuristic version of Japan’s ancient capital protected by the legendary Abe no Seimei – and where Tsukimiya actually exists. It’s a fated encounter for Takeru, because not long after meeting Tsukimiya in the flesh a deadly black mist descends upon the city, monstrous creatures emerge, and everyone including Takeru and Tsukimiya die – only for Takeru to reawake back in Denji Heian-kyou just after his first isekai’d arrival. It’s clear a time loop is at play, and Takeru therefore resolves to figure it out because if there’s one thing he won’t do it’s let Tsukimiya die so soon after finally meeting her.

Anime originals are always a crap shoot at the best of times, and I dare say ONMYO-KAITEN will be following the tradition. Besides being an original isekai work (in the vein of Zenshuu), it also screams Re:Zero courtesy of the time loop premise, a bad end needing to be avoided, and only Takeru possessing the ability and support necessary to traverse it. Of course by itself that doesn’t necessarily mean much in terms of possible train track jumping, but writing skill is essential for such shows and neither original creator Takahashi Hideya nor series composer Mori Hayashi have much experience in original works. Nevertheless I’m still cautiously optimistic here. Any deviation from the usual fantasy setting for an isekai is a major win after all, and I seriously doubt anyone would imagine David Production of all studios faceplanting that hard, even when handling an anime original. It’s going to be very interesting seeing just what ONMYO-KAITEN gets up to this summer, because if there was ever a black box of possibilities this season this show is it.

ONMYO-KAITEN Re:Birth Promotional Videos ▼

Preview by Weiss Rue

After defeating the Demon Lord at a great cost, hero Kyle Lenard (Uchida Yuuma) finds himself fatally wounded—only to be transported four years into the past via a mysterious artifact. Armed with future knowledge, he reunites with allies Seran (Shimono Hiro) and Riize (Fairouz Ai) and sets out to prevent the impending demonic apocalypse. The group must strategically rally forces and alter fate before disaster strikes again.

This anime adaptation of Masayuki Abe’s light novel series originally slated for Summer 2023, it was postponed and underwent significant studio and staff shifts. Now produced by SOTSU × Studio Clutch, it’s directed by Naoki Mizusawa. Kenta Ihara heads series composition, Nilitsu and Hinata Asa oversee character designs, and the soundtrack is by Shacho and Hironori Anazawa.

With high-stakes isekai tension, time-loop strategy, and character-driven drama anchored by a strong voice cast, Tsuyokute New Saga blends epic fantasy with emotional stakes. Fans of “redo” narratives like Re:Zero or Boku dake ga Inai Machi may find this hero’s second chance to rewrite history compelling—and the production’s refreshed staff lineup hints at a polished, dynamic adaptation.

Tsuyokute New Saga Promotional Videos ▼

Preview by Weiss Rue

Dennis (Takeuchi Shunsuke), a superstar adventurer and celebrated member of the elite Silverwing Battalion, is unceremoniously expelled by his party leader. Refusing to let this define him, he follows his true passion—his Level 99 cooking skills—and relocates to the countryside to open a diner tailored for exiles, adventurers, mages, and sages. He’s soon joined by Atelier (Tachibana Marika), a runaway former slave. Together, they serve comforting, delicious meals—and occasionally, slice through trouble with a butcher knife along with sizzling woks. Their dynamic promise to bring both warmth and whimsy to the adventurer-diner setting.

The anime, adapted from Yuuki Kimikawa’s light novel series is crafted by studio OLM Team Yoshioka. Jouji Shimura directs, with Deko Akao–handling series composition, Aoi Yamato on character designs, and Masato Kouda composing the music. Together, the musical score and themes are set to evoke the cozy yet adventurous vibe of culinary fantasy. The anime will be licensed and streamed globally by Crunchyroll.

If you enjoyed Isekai Shokudou or Bartender, but want a stronger blend of fantasy, action, and feel good cooking, this series could be your summer treat. With a broken-but-hopeful chef MC, a sweet and earnest co-chef, and a rotating cast of colorful guests—including those with unresolved issues—this anime aims to serve comfort, flavor, and heart in every episode.

Tsuihousha Shokudou e Youkoso! Promotional Videos ▼

Preview by Pancakes

Next to isekai there’s no better story than post-apocalyptic Earth. The latest in that run of illustrious tales of destruction? The Tesseractor. Monsters born from the darkness within human hearts, Tesseractor started emerging not long after humanity saw it brought to the brink of annihilation from unspecified disaster. Against the Tesseractor stand the Witchling, a group of girls who combat the danger using magic-infused voices and singing prowess. Within the confines of the prosperous and science-focused Kamitsubaki City the Witchling do everything they can to protect humanity, but as they will learn sometimes one can never know the sacrifices required.

Normally this is the point where I’d start tongue in cheek tearing into yet another post-apocalypse tale with powered up female protagonists, but Kamitsubaki-shi Kensetsuchuu gets some leeway courtesy of interesting origins. Unlike a lot of similar series this one originates from a v-tuber idol project of all places, with the main cast heralding from KAMITSUBAKI STUDIO’s Virtual Witch Phenomenon group and story premise effectively building on their promotional profile. While not the first time such a group has acquired an anime (multimedia projects say hello), it does raise the question what exactly we’ll get. Pure made for marketing material? Standard story a la Momentary Lily? Or maybe something more properly idol in focus? The promotional material for its part hints towards some nice action and animation, but as usual with this sort of thing hedging bets is thoroughly recommended. When it comes to such sci-fi always better to be pleasantly surprised than abruptly disappointed.

KAMITSUBAKI-shi Kensetsuchuu. Promotional Videos ▼

Preview by Princess Usagi

Alien fanatic Takakura Ken (Hanae Natsuki) meets occult afficionado Ayase Momo (Wakayama Shion), and the two become embroiled in zany otherworldly adventures when their worlds collide. All of the spooks and aliens seem to be after Takakura’s family jewels, and one such encounter leaves him with the ability to transform into a super speedy being with bouts of ennui. Ayase discovers she has spiritual abilities that can control Takakura and together, the two of them, along with their other friends, face off against the paranormal crazies threatening Tokyo.

After the cliffhanger they dropped last season’s finale from, I’ve been on the edge of my seat in anticipation of season two. The team at Science SARU did a mindblowing job of bringing this series to life in the fall. With how out there the manga is, no standard production job would do, and boy did they surpass expectations, bringing that trippiness to life in bombastic color. With the same team returning for this season, the series will continue to be in good hands.

Dandadan 2nd Season Promotional Videos ▼

Preview by Pancakes

Sometimes when the reincarnation stars align just right you get exactly what you’re after and Ryou (Murase Ayumu) happens to be one such lucky example. Reborn into the world of Phi with water magic at his command, Ryou is ecstatic seeing what he can get up to, but rather than an easy life he instead winds up immediately dealing with challenges. Harsh lands; deadly monsters; constant threat to life: Ryou’s circumstances are tenuous at best, yet thanks to a shrewd mind and hidden talent he quickly adapts and soon inches close to the pinnacle of human magic. Such achievement though is only the start of new adventures, for one fateful meeting will see Ryou thrust into the forefront of history that will forever change both his life and world around him.

With the longevity of isekai and reincarnation these days there’s always a show or three filling out the B-tier and Mizu Zokusei happens to be this summer’s example – and it’s not even that big a sleight. This one very much embraces the lackadaisical side of the concept with a focus more on cozy slice of life than outright adventure. Action? Largely relegated to the second row in favour of introspection, and even the usual dramatic elements driving many plot developments are toned down to keep pace with the atmosphere. In short don’t expect any serious waves or genre innovation on the part of Mizu Zokusei, but as a bit of laidback isekai for the devoted genre fan it’ll easily tickle the fancy when it casts its way into this summer season.

Mizu Zokusei no Mahoutsukai Promotional Videos ▼

Preview by Pancakes

Tabata Hana (Hayami Saori) has always struggled with the high school life. While having an easy time of things courtesy of taking care of the school’s flower beds, Hana struggles with self-perception: her eyes are smaller than most, her height on the small side, and her arms and legs far from being gracefully slender. It’s enough that Hana believes she has no chance for fairytale romance and has resigned herself to daydreaming about what’s out of her reach. That is until she has a chance encounter with Ueno Yosuke (Tsuchiya Simba), the school’s preeminent looker and nice guy. Hana knows deep down she stands no chance at all with Ueno, but after he keeps turning up, chatting away, and simply being around because of his own secretive affections, maybe she’ll discover there’s more to love than simple looks.

As far as anime romance goes I do not expect many will be surprised by Busu ni Hanataba wo. This one is very much of the traditional variety, taking a second-best female lead, positioning her with the popular kid, and seeing where the social and physical dichotomy takes things. The main selling points here are definitely story and progression, with a noticeable lack of melodrama, a relationship which starts with Ueno falling for Hana (it’s usually the reverse), and not a lot of filler to keep the main attraction – i.e. romantic progression – from going at a decent clip. The parts of the source manga I read were a very nice mix of cute and wholesome, so provided this adaptation can do that feeling justice and avoid too much rushing and chopping I dare say it’ll turn into a solid bit of summer romance. Plus who knows, given this adaptation is of a completed manga too there might even be room for a second season before all is said and done.

Busu ni Hanataba wo. Promotional Videos ▼

Preview by Pancakes

From the mobage game series of the same name comes the third season in Arknights’ anime showcase. Centered on the world of Terra, Arknights follows an eclectic group of characters tackling the challenges of life amidst global devastation and the rise of a fatal disease Oripathy which claims all who catch it. In this hellscape there are two key organizations: Reunion who seeks liberation for everyone afflicted with Oripathy and subsequently shunned from society, and Rhodes Island who seek a cure for the disease and an end to Reunions militant actions. With Rhodes Island having previously helped the city of Lungmen against Reunion and the onslaught of its commander FrostNova, attention now turns to picking up the pieces and dealing with the aftermath. For all its wounds Reunion is still a threat after all, for all the effort no cure yet exists for Oripathy. If Rhodes Island is to bring a lasting peace to Terra, yet more sacrifices must be made.

While I’m normally one who dislikes mobage adaptations with a passion, Arknights is the first which truly won me over. It’s a combination of things working in favour of this adaptation, from the tighter storytelling, better script direction, and limited episode count to the frankly impressive animation and – for season two especially – on point voice acting. Sure, the series still suffers from some of the usual mobile game complaints (read: stupidly large cast and whiplash developments), but as an example of how to do these adaptations right Arknights is front and centre. The good news too is that this season won’t be changing the general strategy: production remains firmly in the hands of Yostar Pictures, eight episodes continues to be the runtime, and there’s plenty of meaty morsels to likely chew on given the expectation of story chapters seven and eight being adapted. While I don’t expect this season to change any existing impressions, definitely keep an eye on Arknights this summer if you like what came before. One way or another this one is going to leave a mark.

Arknights [Homura Shomei] Promotional Videos ▼

Preview by Pancakes

Magic and spell chanting are a bit like peanut butter and jelly, they simply go together. But ironically the strongest magic often manifests through silence, where skill and power come through sheer imagination. And Monica Everett (Aizawa Saya) happens to be such a user of unchanted magic. Termed the Silent Witch for both her prowess and her earlier defeat of a black dragon – and styled a magical genius to boot – Monica is actually as introverted as they come, only learning silent magic to literally avoid speaking with people in public. The problem though is that her fame has wound up giving her the duty of secretly guarding the second prince of her land, and as everyone knows dealing with royalty isn’t the quietest job in the world.

Every season must have its share of generic fantasy and Silent Witch certainly fits the requirements. This one is fairly paint by numbers, taking a stupidly OP main character in Monica, pairing her with a more outgoing prince, throwing the duo into various events and situations driving closer contact, and colouring the proceedings with sufficient romance teases to keep the story going. From the light novel bits I read it’s nothing particularly stupendous, however does hold up pretty well from an entertainment perspective, especially given the fair treatment of Monica’s social anxiety. Make no mistake, won’t be a show likely to rise above the stupidly packed summer crowd, but with decent staff and more than enough source material to work with Silent Witch will easily do the trick for anyone needing some easygoing fantasy this season.

Silent Witch: Chinmoku no Majo no Kakushigoto Promotional Videos ▼

Preview by Guardian Enzo

It’s a strong season for sequels, no question about it, and this and Hanako-kun are pretty well can’t-misses for me. I haven’t read the manga Yofakushi no Uta is based on, but I found the first season (#5 on my Best of 2022 list) to be a really smart and insightful take on what it means to be an outcast from “normal” society (as always, the vampires are metaphorical).

Above and beyond that, S1 was one of the coolest and most stylish anime we’ve seen for years. With a banging soundtrack from Creepy Nuts (the mangaka is a huge fan) used in almost Pillows-FLCL fashion and extremely arresting visuals, it was a standout production in every way. LIDENFILMS has emerged as one of the new giants in anime production, and while director Itamura Tomoyuki is a Shaft escapee, he’s channeled his talents in a largely positive direction since.

Just what the future holds for the Call of the Night anime adaptation is an interesting question. The first season covered roughly 46 chapters; the manga recently ended at 200. Obviously if this second season is it, we’re looking at something extremely rushed to wrap the story. The manga sold well but not spectacularly, and with no new volumes to promote we can’t be certain how incentivized the production committee is to give the series a full (almost surely four cour in total) treatment. Whatever we get I’ll take as I love Yofakushi, but it sure would be nice to get a full adaptation.

Yofukashi no Uta Season 2 Promotional Videos ▼

Preview by Pancakes

Watari Naoto (Umeda Shuuichirou) hasn’t had the easiest time of things. Left the sole caretaker of his younger sister Suzushiro (Yano Hinaki) following the death of their parents, Naoto has become effectively her foster father, going as far as to sacrifice clubs and get togethers to take care of her. The selfless devotion earns him plenty of snide remarks at school, but Naoto is happy knowing Suzushiro is happy. Until Tachibana Satsuki (Yano Yumika) enters the picture. A recent transfer student, Satsuki happens to be involved with Naoto’s past, and soon dredges up many unpleasant memories and nasty secrets. Soon Naoto won’t have to contend only with caring for Suzushiro – he will have to fight off the demons of his past to retain his current life.

Alright before anyone jumps to conclusions know that Watari-kun does not feature much in the way of yanderes. This isn’t Happy Sugar Life, Satsuki isn’t in the same vein as Mirai Nikki’s Yuno. Outside of initial impressions this series is more of a complex love triangle, where misunderstandings are the name of the game, past events are the bread and butter driving key interactions, and everything more or less comes down to some heart to hearts and moments of reconciliation. The parts of the source manga I read do a good job of dragging you in, however beyond that stick close to the usual rom(com) tropes, setups, and character decisions which are staples of this genre. While I don’t anticipate a trainwreck here, one certainly needs look no further than Watari-kun for their seasonal dose of love-infused drama. When it comes to the crazy this one more than has you covered.

Watari-kun no xx ga Houkai Sunzen Promotional Videos ▼

Preview by Pancakes

It wasn’t meant to be a happy ever after for Marie (Motomura Rena). She was the daughter to an impoverished baron, second to her sister who, thanks to some shrewd matchmaking, got married off to Cyrus (Hamano Daiki), a highly placed earl. With the family’s resources going towards the marriage dowry Marie is left literally with nothing – and then finds out her sister was killed on the journey to her betrothed. With money already spent it’s decided that Marie will take the place of her late sister and become Cyrus’ wife, but finds out a horrible truth after finally arriving at her new residence. Cyrus you see never actually proposed and the arranged marriage isn’t technically valid. Can Marie somehow win over Cyrus and secure her future? For the sake of her family she sure hopes so.

Even though pure otome romances aren’t my thing I still like seeing shows like Betrothed to My Sister’s Ex come up on occasion because it shows there’s more to the idea than the isekai villainess variety. Much as guessed by that this one is pure romance, with a very Cinderella-cenric story meeting fantastical courtly grandeur with all the drama, intrigue, and polished development you can expect from such works. Well except for Cyrus – it’s not that often these series have the male romantic interest go full exotic (in this case Indian) to further reinforce the fantasy at play. The light novel parts I read were very much in the vein of otome romance, so romance fans will definitely be eating well here, and with eight light novel volumes available to adapt more than enough material to make for a decent season. Don’t expect the world when Betrothed to My Sister’s Ex saunters into this season, but I dare say it’ll do the trick to add the cherry on top to an already stacked summer romance lineup.

Zutaboro Reijou wa Ane no Moto Konyakusha ni Dekiai sareru Promotional Videos ▼

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.

I have to hand it to Kanokari, it certainly knows how to keep remaining popular. Four seasons for a quintessentially trashy romcom is nothing to sneeze at after all, particularly when you pair some serious ups and downs over the course of season two (down) and season three (up). Season three in particular made some strides in the right direction, finally moving Kazuya away from full tropey romcom male lead into something less aggravating, giving a few stronger emotional moments for flair, and keeping the melodrama bubbling more than boiling all over. Make no mistake, love-hate matches and whiplash relationship developments remain the name of the game, but Kanokari has, dare I say it, started mellowing out and maturing over the years. As for new material here expect plenty of the same, as two confirmed (split) cours and one hell of a divisive arc up for adaptation mean lots more of the usual shenanigans you love and/or hate will be at play. At least one need look no further for explosive romcom this summer – when it comes to the genre’s brightest trashfires Kanokari more than has you covered.

Kanojo, Okarishimasu 4th Season Promotional Videos ▼

Preview by Weiss Rue

9-nine- Ruler’s Crown makes its anime debut this coming season, adapting the popular visual novel series by Palette. Set in the quiet university town of Shiromitsugawa, the story takes a sharp turn from the ordinary when a devastating earthquake damages the local shrine’s sacred treasure. This incident causes mysterious “artifacts” to appear — objects from a parallel world that grant supernatural abilities to their holders. What begins as a curious phenomenon escalates when people begin turning to stone, suggesting that not all artifact wielders have noble intentions. At the center of the unfolding mystery is Niimi Kakeru (Abe Atsushi), a pragmatic and morally grounded young man with a strong sense of responsibility. He joins forces with Miyako (Fukuen Misato), one of the artifact users, to uncover the truth behind the strange events and stop the chaos before it spreads further. While the town’s previous attempts at self-reinvention through media projects failed, this supernatural crisis may be its most dramatic transformation yet.

9-nine- Ruler’s Crown presents a mysterious and moody atmosphere that aligns closely with its source material. The emotional core is strong, and the narrative promises to delve into both personal and existential themes. The animation style is subdued but sharp, matching the VN’s tone well, and the ending theme, Pale Blaze by Chihiro Yonekura, already hints at an emotionally resonant musical direction. If the anime maintains the pacing and character depth that fans of the VN appreciate — without compressing too much for episodic format — it has the potential to stand out as a compelling hidden gem of the season. With its blend of supernatural mystery, parallel realities, and emotional storytelling, 9-nine- Ruler’s Crown is one to watch closely.

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Preview by Weiss Rue

In the bustling lineup of Summer 2025 anime, Kizetsu Yuusha to Ansatsu Hime emerges as a unique blend of fantasy, comedy, and unexpected twists. Adapted from the manga by Norishiro-chan and illustrated by Yukiji Setsuda, this series promises a fresh take on the hero’s journey trope.

Toto (Takeuchi Shunsuke), an E-rank adventurer, possesses immense strength but is hindered by crippling shyness, preventing him from forming a party and embarking on his quest. His stagnant life takes a turn when three alluring women invite him to join their group. Unbeknownst to Toto, these women are assassin princesses with a shared mission: to eliminate him. Each day, one takes her turn attempting to kill him, leading to a chaotic blend of action and comedy.

The anime is helmed by director Noriaki Akitaya, known for works like Bakuman and Nozomanu Fushi no Boukensha. Michiko Yokote, acclaimed for her writing in Shirobako and Tsurune, handles the series composition. Character designs are crafted by Takao Sano, and the musical score is composed by Shun Narita.

With its unique premise, talented seiyuu cast, and a delightfully morbid twist on harem tropes, Kizetsu Yuusha to Ansatsu Hime could easily become a dark horse hit of the season.

Kizetsu Yuusha to Ansatsu Hime Promotional Videos ▼

Preview by Princess Usagi

Where one story ends, another begins, or so the saying goes. His dreams of being a mathlete crushed and his academics and finances in dire straits, Kitada Gaku (Tomita Ryousuke) starts work in the school cafeteria. Fortunately, math is not a one trick pony, and a genius chef opens Kidata’s mind to the uses of figures in cooking. The disheartened student begins to find a new purpose in life applying his beloved math in the kitchen. I mean, hey- you can eat the product of a recipe, but not an Olympiad, so that’s already a win for Kitada right there.

Cooking is often compared to a science, so it’s not a stretch to combine it with math. As someone with a love-hate relationship with math, I was intrigued by the math bit. I’m curious if the math is more of a backdrop or if they’ll use cooking to introduce different math concepts. I’ve seen quite a few shows that have done the latter with science (Dr. Stone, Uchuujin MuuMuu), some more gripping than others, depending on the execution. I have high hopes on the execution part, since the mangaka behind this is Kobayashi Yuugo, the same man behind the fabulously written Ao Ashi. As such, I am expecting excellent character writing and pathos to season this anime dish.

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Preview by Pancakes

Nary a couple years after its last theatrical release, the Rascal Does Not Dream series is back with its latest anime season. Following in the wake of Mai’s high school graduation and the fun of investigating one knapsack kid, Azusagawa Sakuta (Ishikawa Kaito) and friends now turn to the next big chapter in their lives: university. Yet for the one guy seemingly always at the centre of the mythic Puberty Syndrome and its many afflicted teenagers it’s only the start of a new wave of new faces, new mysteries, and new challenges. Whether it be the idol Uzuki (Amamiya Sora) and her unique situation, the Santa Claus dressing Kirishima Touko (Ueda Reina) and her present dispensing, or the ominous air around freshman highschooler Himeji Sara (Kohara Konomi), Sakuta will have his work cut out ensuring that his university life is as smooth sailing as possible.

Rascal Does Not Dream has been a very consistent and intriguing romance/drama mix since its first season in 2018. At its core this series is basically an alternative to Monogatari, replete with similar quirky characters, interesting premises and plot developments, a following of key characters through time and changing life circumstances, and some surprisingly strong writing holding up over its run. As far as new material this season will be covering volumes 10-13 of the light novels; it’s anyone’s guess if the remaining material will be stretched into another cour or left to an OVA/movie duo (as only two volumes remain), but it’ll effectively be this series’ last big hurrah in the anime world. Certainly one more reason to keep this one on your summer watch list for those who’ve kept up with it; considering just how well the previous adaptation releases fared and given all key cast and crew are carrying over Rascal Does Not Dream of Santa Claus is likely to leave as big an impression as its earlier releases.

Seishun Buta Yarou wa Santa Claus no Yume wo Minai Promotional Videos ▼

Preview by Pancakes

For kids hobbies are usually innocent or straightforward. The boys? Sports, games, and potentially perusing the wrong sort of magazine. Girls? Beauty, pageantry, and karaoke all the way. And there’s Gojou Wakana (Ishige Shouya) whose sole passion is making hina dolls. Why? Well his grandfather hooked him on the practice and he cannot get enough of their very unique look. Of course Wakana knows it’s not a mainstream hobby and tries to keep it secret, but one day gets outed by Kitagawa Marin (Suguta Hina) who discovers Wakana sewing a hina doll dress. Rather than laugh as expected, Marin is impressed for one reason: she likes cosplay and, thanks to terrible sewing skills, needs help with making her costumes. So begins the adventure of Wakana and Marin as outfit by outfit they wind up growing closer, and maybe a bit more besides.

My Dress-Up Darling was a whirlwind back during its first season in 2022, and for very good reason: it’s a solid romcom. Besides featuring some very fun chemistry and relationship growth between Marin and Wakana, the show also was faithful to cosplay and its intricacies, and even found time to loop in a sufficient bit on hina dolls and what entices people towards them for spice. It made for a very wholesome and endearing show, and while I don’t think many would think it’s the absolute best to have graced the romance genre of late, it’s definitely not hard seeing where this sequel announcement came from. As for this season don’t expect a lot of change: all key cast and crew are back, CloverWorks still owns the animation, and there’s just enough material (with maybe a follow up OVA) to flesh out a full season. And hey who knows, might even get that one scene quite a few fans are looking forward to as the season finisher. Summer might already be packed with standouts, but as far as romance series go My Dress-Up Darling is one show you want to make sure stays firmly on the watch list.

Sono Bisque Doll wa Koi wo Suru Season 2 Promotional Videos ▼

Preview by Pancakes

It’s morning again in fantasyland, and that means yet another unfortunate party member has been unceremoniously dumped to the curb. The latest victim of arrogant hero malfeasance? One white mage Llyod (Kajiwara Gakuto) who apparently couldn’t meet the lofty standards of proper hero party membership. It’s not all that bad for the guy though; thanks to some serendipitous encounters, Llyod finds himself accompanying a new S-rank party on a quest. An encounter which sees him start on the path to greatness and major success. Little does Llyod know that his lease on adventuring life will eventually become a far bigger opportunity than he ever thought possible.

If you did a double take thinking you’ve seen this before, no, you’re not the only one. Yuusha Party is the latest in a long line of series now predicated on OP machine being banished only to find glowing success in a new party, complete with hubris, retribution, and more than bit of wish fulfillment. Much like recent examples as well the focus here is more lighthearted than serious, with it boiling down to easy quests and the occasional monster of the week letting Llyod pick up the chicks and solidify his name. Or in other words, true paint by numbers fantasy with all the pieces and character personalities you know by heart now. In short don’t expect a lot from Yuusha Party in terms of ingenuity or genre perfection, but as some laidback fantasy for those genre fans needing something new I suspect it’ll do the trick. After all, even the most generic of series can still prove entertaining.

Yuusha Party wo Tsuihou sareta Shiromadoushi, S-Rank Boukensha ni Hirowareru ~Kono Shiromadoushi ga Kikakugai Sugiru~ Promotional Videos ▼

Preview by Pancakes

The public versus private school debate always garners much attention, but no more so than between Chidori Public High and Kikyo Private Academy. While the latter is a girls-only facility for the best, brightest, and rich, the former is infamous for its many delinquents and poor national showing. Tsumugi Rintarou (Nakayama Yoshinori) is one of Chidori’s student body, but rather than being a true delinquent he’s avoided thanks to an intimidating appearance, one which in part lets him hide a secret: he actually helps out at his family’s upscale cake shop. It’s this little-known fact which leads Rintarou into meeting Waguri Kaoruko (Inoue Honoka), for after she runs away from Rintarou after seeing him at the cake shop, she soon apologizes, and with it sparks an interest in the guy to form a friendship. There’s just one catch: Kaoruko attends Kikyo, and no self-respecting Chidori student will stand for such a pairing.

Buckle up boys and girls, we’ve got a summer heavy hitter on our hands. Unlike some recent romcom works The Fragrant Flower is a true romance at heart, pairing the quintessential deviant guy falling for the good girl premise with overtly fairytale overtones and surprisingly decent pacing and progression. For the unfamiliar the best way to think of it would be a mix of Blue Box and Skip to Loafer that followed the Nisekoi path for flavour: drama is relatively constrained, many of the characters are grounded or realistic in their approach, and much of the trope excesses normally seen in other series are deftly avoided. Make no mistake, it’s not a perfect romance through any stretch, yet its strong following is justified and the series is worthy of the accolades coming its way. Particularly good for this adaptation as well is CloverWorks pulling animation duty, so as long as any hacking and slashing is mitigated there’s a very good chance at seeing something impressive. It’s anyone’s guess whether The Fragrant Flower will be a chart topper in the end, but as far as summer romance goes this is one to watch out for.

Kaoru Hana wa Rin to Saku Promotional Videos ▼

Preview by Guardian Enzo

Hikaru ga Shinda Natsu is a series I’ve had my eye on since it premiered, and almost instantly became a huge buzz generator. Samu and I recently did a podcast episode about it, and with good reason. It’s an excellent series, if not without its flaws (mangaka Mokumokuren likely started it when they were still a teenager). It’s already a strong seller and has been a regular nominee in the awards circuit. In short, all signs point to yes.

Hikaru ga Shinda Natsu (part of this season’s seinen wave) has a huge twist, but as it happens in the first chapter I feel pretty safe talking about it – nevertheless you can skip down if you’d rather not know. It’s the story of a close friendship and maybe more between two teenage boys in a small village with a strange history. One of the boys is very much not who he seems to be, which his best friend is the first to notice. The world-building here is off the charts, and if you like that creepy rural Japan, Shinto-edged horror fantasy vibe, you’ll be in Heaven here. The characters are excellent too, not just the two leads but the supporting cast as well.

I was initially pretty tepid about CygamesPictures being the studio behind The Summer Hikaru Died, and the character designs didn’t click with me (too pretty). But the job they’ve done with Apocalypse Hotel has done a lot to convince me that they’re a studio with potential. I would judge the staff, including director Takeshita Ryouhei, to have a relatively undistinguished track record. There are no alarm bells here but nothing really exceptional, either. If Hikaru were getting the adaptation Gachiakuta (see below) is, I’d say we’re looking at a solid AotY contender – it’s the better manga. As is I fully expect something really good, but it’s the production itself that will determine whether the anime is exceptional.

Hikaru ga Shinda Natsu Promotional Videos ▼

Preview by Pancakes

At a glance anyone would pin Yuutani Yuu (Tachibana Azusa) as the classic delinquent. Strong and piercing eyes, flashy hair style, and large, prominent piercings? Just one small step removed from going ham on the school’s primadonna. And yet Yuu is not that sort of girl at all. A pure goody two shoes at heart permanently on the honour list, Yuu is, barring looks, as straightlaced as they come, however does have a thing for resident disciplinary committee chairwoman Mizutori Atori (Hanamiya Niina). A serious thing. Unable to stop thinking of Atori in part because she doesn’t even acknowledge Yuu’s presence, Yuu decides that the way to sway Atori’s attention is by doing the one thing certain to pique the interest of any disciplinary member: becoming a legitimate delinquent. Sure, Yuu has absolutely no idea how to even be the bad girl, but hey, practice just might make perfect.

It was pretty fun digging into Bad Girl because I know exactly what most will immediately think upon seeing that synopsis. Good girl going bad for the sake of getting the attention of another? Fire up the yuri engines, it’s full girls love steam ahead. And yet funnily enough that’s not this one at all. Bad Girl at its core is basically the delinquent form of New Game: the premise is straightforward, comedy is front and centre, and yuri baiting, while present throughout, doesn’t descend into the depths (heights?) of true yuri romance. In short head in with expectations of fluffy and comedic school life shenanigans where Atori plays the straight man to Yuu’s total klutz and you have a pretty good idea just what Bad Girl has on tap. As with all similar series don’t expect a lot of season-defining fireworks here, but Bad Girl easily has you covered if needing that next hit of chuckle-worthy slice of life fun.

Bad Girl Promotional Videos ▼

Preview by Pancakes

Everyone knows cats and dogs make for great pets. You need a walking companion and a best buddy who will never leave you alone? Dogs are there to make it a seamless process. Want a less hands on creature with infinite demands and a smug sense of superiority that somehow remains adorable? Say hello to the cat. And then there’s whatever Fuji (Hayami Saori) came across on a walk home one rainy day. Neither cat nor dog, the tanuki she happened to stumble on was every manner not a pet, yet equal parts cute, fat, and pleading did a number on her heart and led to a fateful decision. Sometimes even the strangest of critters need a bit of love, and Fuji is determined to see her newfound companion You gets just that.

While slice of life series aren’t usually the kind to throw oddballs at you, Ame to Kimi to certainly is willing to make a play at it. Tanuki after all usually factor into urban legends and myths more so than pets, so having a series use one as the canine/feline replacement featured in similar works is a noticeable change of approach. Not to say that it’s a significant one however; take away the tanuki chub and uniquely lovely face and you have yourself the normal slice of life flow of new pet owner coming to grips with the charm of ownership. Fuji and You get up to plenty of fun and wholesome shenanigans, arcs are more in the vein of gag comedy than multi-episode affairs, and there’s plenty of cutesy charm to give it all a healing flair. Of course there’s also the risk the idea grows stale over time from the minimalist starting point, but I don’t see foresee too many troubles provided it can avoid the filler and play to the source material’s comedic strengths. When it comes to slice of life this summer make sure to keep an eye on Ame to Kimi to, I dare say it’ll prove a treat.

Ame to Kimi to Promotional Videos ▼

Preview by Pancakes

The young and prodigal sorcerer Allen (Uemura Yuuto) only wanted one thing for his future: a job at the royal court. Unfortunately for him, however, failing an exam put and end to that dream and with it a shot at an easy job. Allen naturally still needs income and is willing to do basically anything, but his one lead is tutoring Tina (Sawada Hime), the daughter of powerful Duke Howard. The problem? Tina cannot cast magic worth a damn, and is expected to attend the Royal Academy where entrance is contingent on strong magical prowess. Oh, and that date for determining attendance is quickly approaching. Can Allen somehow train the girl into becoming every bit the duke’s daughter she’s supposed to be? For the sake of employment Allen sure better hope so.

If there’s one thing to say about Koujo Denka it’s that it’s at least not another isekai. There’s been a few tutoring themed works like this over the past few years, and much like them the same format is at play – i.e. generic fantasy setting and magic system, cookie cutter characters, and the tried and true story progression. While neither Allen or Tina are particularly egregious characters, the former very much embraces the hidden genius prevented from freely leveraging his capabilities (the exam failure is hint enough) while the latter goes through the usual motions of growing attachment and intimacy. Or in short the quintessential anime fantasy. Everyone and their alternate world loving grandmother knows where they stand with this sort of thing, but if you retain the fantasy bug and need something new to ring in summer keep an eye on Koujo Denka. After all, sometimes the most inconspicuous of shows wind up proving the most surprising.

Koujo Denka no Kateikyoushi Promotional Videos ▼

Preview by Princess Usagi

Kamome Academy seems like your average Japanese school- it even has it’s own Seven Mysteries (apparently a must for any upstanding institution). However, those mysteries are anything but usual. Managing the Kamome spooks is Hanako-kun (Ogata Megumi), a boy ghost who haunts the girls’s toilets. In calling upon Hanako-kun’s powers for a remedy to her romantic life, student Yashiro Nene (Kitou Akari) gets roped into the supernatural world as Hanako-kun’s assistant. Together, they encounter all sorts of oddities and work to sustain the harmony between the human and supernatural existences.

I am so relieved and excited to be writing the preview for the next cour of Hanako-kun only a few months after preview for the last one. There was some concern about the change in directorship last time around with with Fukui Yohei, but those fears were completely blown away with the superb work on the previous arc. We are digging closer to the central plot points, which will surely be explored more in this cour, along with the usual delight of the main cast, and utterly gorgeous artwork.

Preview by Pancakes

This is a story of what happens when Kawaii meets Slime. When Kawaii Kotarou (Umeda Shuuichirou) was in elementary school, he created a living slime named Puniru (Sasahara Yuu). Over the span of seven years, Puniru grows out of her slimy looks to take on the form of an adorable girl. As Puniru continues playing with Kotarou and changing into various forms, will he still be able to see her as a friend, or will his emotions begin to waver as he slowly falls for her?

Arguably the best way to sum up Puniru is a Kawaii Slime would be innocent romcom fun. This one didn’t really make waves back in fall 2024, in part because it played very true to the saccharine side of romcom, with simple plot, cutesy art, and lots of lighthearted moments punctuated by some interesting usage of Puniru slime origins and how Kotarou comes to realize the full extent of what he’s done and made possible. Not bad by any stretch of the imagination, yet very much a show whose format and presentation you have to love to get the most out of. Given this season was already intended following the first no major shakeups should be expected, and ongoing the manga has more than enough material to flesh out another cour. Certainly keep Puniru is a Kawaii Slime one on hand if cute and cuddly is calling to you this summer; this one won’t leave you hanging.

Puniru wa Kawaii Slime 2nd Season Promotional Videos ▼

Preview by Pancakes

We’ve had girls partaking in baking, girls engaged in sports, and girls doing all manner of arts and crafts. Know what’s missing? Looking at rocks of course – and no, that’s not a joke, especially if your name is Tanigawa Ruri (Nemoto Miyari). A lover of all things glittering and sparkly, Ruri spends innumerable days heading out into the great blue yonder in search of rocks and crystals which pique the fancy. One of those trips even has her stumble across the graduate student Arato Nagi (Seto Asami) who, lo and behold, happens to be studying mineralogy. From the quaint confines of hobby collecting Ruri is about to discover something even better than before: finding the best of pretty rocks through the power of science.

While not the Houseki no Kuni sequel many are waiting for, Ruri no Houseki gets some kudos for being another CGDCT series willing to move beyond the usual premise staples. The claim to fame here outside of moeblobs seeking shiny rocks is the scientific foundation: much like Dr. Stone there’s a strong focus on discovery and explanation for certain things, with Nagi providing a lot of details, information, and clues for the various escapades she and Ruri wind up getting into. It makes for a very comfy ride, and the few manga chapters I read in particular did a fantastic job of both being wholesomely entertaining and educational to boot. As with most CGDCT series it’s very much for a particular mind and taste, but if you were hoping for some unique slice of life this season definitely give Ruri no Houseki a shot when it rolls on into summer.

Ruri no Houseki Promotional Videos ▼

Preview by Pancakes

Not all isekai adventures are made the same. Some land you in the role as hero. Others force you to take on the baddie costume. And yet more like to blur the lines to give you that true grimdark atmosphere. In Ira Takuto’s (Kumagi Toshiki) case? Straight onto the side of evil – just not in the way one would expect. After succumbing to a terminal illness, Takuto found himself waking into the world of Eternal Nations, a fantasy strategy game he happened to adore thanks to being one of the game’s strongest players. The catch? Takuto awoke right next to Atou (Kusunoki Tomori), the hero for the game’s evil civilization of Mynoghra, and also his favourite civilization to play. What’s a guy to do when given all the tools necessary to cause havoc and unleash chaos alongside hero number one? Why conquer the world of course.

Overlord’s impact on recent isekai with the in-game evil premise still is being felt it seems as the slow trickle of series like Isekai Mokushiroku Mynoghra show. There’s no major surprises here: it’s very much an isekai in all tropes and stereotypes, the plot is straightforward, and the later twists are decent enough to give the story some legs. Particularly the – spoiler alert – one twist this season is likely to use as its finale. Big thing of course is that this series is effectively Overlord in a 4X strategy game universe, but remove that trapping and the same mechanics and character development populate the inner workings, especially given Isekai Mokushiroku Mynoghra also likes to focus a good deal on its secondary cast. Don’t expect this one to appeal far and wide unless you’re already an isekai connoisseur, but anyone still loving their alternate world adventures and wanting something slightly different from the usual antics will likely want to keep an eye on Isekai Mokushiroku Mynoghra when it campaigns its way into summer.

Isekai Mokushiroku Mynoghra ~Hametsu no Bunmei de Hajimeru Sekai Seifuku~ Promotional Videos ▼

Preview by Guardian Enzo

Gachiakuta looks to be this year’s Dandadan/Heavenly Delusion – a very good manga that’s lifted to new levels by a God-tier adaptation. Tengoku Daimakyou is certainly the best of those three series, but the other two are not slouches by any means.

Bones is in charge with Gachiakuta, and judging from the previews they’re really pulling out all the stops. This is another series I had pegged as a “next next big thing” from the opening chapters, and another that My Taste is Better Than Yours has covered (Samu even picked it as one of his “Next Big Thing” candidates). Managa sales have not exploded as much as many expected (including me), so it’s going to be very interesting to see if a sakuga-packed adaptation causes the series to really break out.

Gachiakuta is the story of a boy named Rudo who lives in a vaguely realistic dystopian future. He’s framed for the murder of his stepfather and cast down to the hellish landscape of garbage and “trash beasts” below. It’s another series with stellar world-building and a very interesting cast of characters, along with a serious cool factor and an art style somewhat reminiscent of Tite Kubo. It won’t surprise me in the slightest if Gachiakuta winds up the season’s biggest breakout hit.

GACHIAKUTA Promotional Videos ▼

Preview by Pancakes

Arcades are always busy places, yet resident employee Kusakabe Renji (Chiba Shouya) wouldn’t trade the experience for anything else. Dealing with games all day? What’s not to love? Yet Renji also gets to experience the sorrows of many a customer’s defeat, particularly the case of foreigner Lily Baker (Akami Sally). First seeing Lily struggling with a crane game halfway into his shift, Renji finds her again at it after his shift is over. Feeling sorry for the girl, Renji helps out and immediately wins the toy she spent so long chasing. Naturally of course Renji gives it to Lily, but thanks to her suspicion hastily adds it’s a Valentine’s present. Unfortunately for Renji though Lily is from England, and over there any guy handing over such a present indicates a confession of love. For this arcade employee work will never be the same again.

Ahh another season, another cutesy romcom – and yes Game Center Shoujo is exactly as it’s written on the tin. Easiest way to think of this one is if Kirino Mosaic switched out CGDCT for romance: cultural misunderstandings are the bread and butter, romantic misunderstandings drive the plot, and there’s plenty of cutesy moments and lighter drama to keep things interesting. The parts I read were plenty entertaining for the premise, and while one shouldn’t expect this adaptation to be groundbreaking, the base story is enough to make for a decent romcom depending on production. Tack on Amaki Sally being a choice fit for Lily given her fluent bilingualism and a fairly solid crew at work too and there’s not much here waving the red flag. Per usual first few episodes will tell the tale, but anyone needing some new romcom material for the season would do well seeing what Game Center Shoujo gets up to this summer.

Game Center Shoujo to Ibunka Kouryuu Promotional Videos ▼

Preview by Pancakes

Normally when you’re fettered off to alternate world heaven you get the best of all worlds. You know, the skills, the powerups, the harem experience of a lifetime. Not so much in Yoshioka Shigeru’s (Suwabe Junichi) case. A 34 year-old salaryman by trade, Shigeru had his life fully upended when accused of molestation, losing not just his job and social standing, but all trust in the fairer sex. His ruination however provided ironically serendipitous because it led him to find a way to venture into an alternate world. Yet for Shigeru the chance at a clean start isn’t enough by itself. Sacrificing all his looks for the sake of raw power, Shigeru becomes quite literally a god in his new haunt. And having been burned once, you best be sure he’s not going to waste the opportunity such power provides.

I’ve joked for a while now about isekai having effectively drained the genre well dry, but Busamen Gachi Fighter does tongue in cheek help reinforce why. The claim to fame here is exclusively ugly bastard main character with all other familiar alternate world aspects on display. Generic fantasy world? Yes. RPG-lite mechanics to explain powers and abilities? Have that too. And oh yes, rest assured the plot, barring a few areas, stays firmly within the well-explored genre borders. Make no mistake, it’s not a bad isekai by any stretch (especially compared to some recent examples), but don’t go into this one expecting masterpiece quality or seasonal chart topper. On the plus side though this is in the hands of White Fox and is adapting a completed web novel series, so hey, as long the usual adaptation pitfalls are avoided there’s nothing screaming concern here. As far as summer isekai go Busamen Gachi Fighter is certainly worth a look for anyone needing their next hit of genre material.

Busamen Gachi Fighter Promotional Videos ▼

Preview by Pancakes

Every hotel has its standards, especially those seeking a more refined clientele. Excellent food is a must, comforts are essential, and you better have concierges trained correctly lest social faux paus be committed. And in the case of Hotel Inhumans you also must offer the latest in personal weaponry, identity fabrication, and quiet corpse disposal. Yes, it’s a hotel for humanity’s seedy underbelly: fixers and assassins. In Hotel Inhumans anything goes to meet the needs of this particular customer, and concierges Namuro (Kobayashi Yuusuke) and Sara (Shirahama Hirano) in particular are always up to assist any way they can. From the assassin needing to prepare a job to the unfortunate guy caught out on a mission, these employees will do what’s necessary to while their charges are under Hotel Inhumans’ roof, no matter the difficulty the help may require.

Although not the first hotel-focused anime we’ve received even recently – Apocalypse Hotel anyone? – Hotel Inhumans does make for a nice twist on the usual proceedings. The best way to sum this one up is an anime-ified John Wick Continental Hotel, complete with the glitz, pomp, and emphasis on social etiquette even though the business nature is less than moral. To that degree expect quite a bit of episodic arcs, where various clientele get to say their story through Namuro and Sara, and in return provide some nice musings on morality, psychology, and all the related aspects these sorts of series bring. It’s certainly not the most innovative or unique of premises, but as a concept there’s definitely enough to keep the interest burning. The staff in particular like series composer Yonemura Shouji are very well-suited to this type of story so as long as Hotel Inhumans can do like John Wick has done before, I fully expect this one to be a nice bit of thriller-flavoured drama when it strolls on in this summer season.

Preview by Guardian Enzo

When you consider what they went through, any new Kyoto Animation work is something that should be celebrated. Most of them don’t quite vibe with me – largely because they mostly produce shows based on generic light novels of a certain style which they own outright. That’s an essential part of their business model – a major reason why they mostly employ and train their own animators and produce high-quality series with reasonable work schedules. It is what it is.

There are exceptions, however. KyoAni has a relationship with Arawi Keiichi, having given his best-selling work Nichijou a fine treatment 14 years or so ago. Arawi has a unique style, to say the least, both as a humorist and an artist. His whimsy is unique, and while I love his art style the jokes themselves are a bit hit-and-miss (though Nichijou had maybe my all-time favorite manga sight gag). I actually find City funnier than Nichijou, and KyoAni looks to be delivering an adaptation even more faithful to Arawi’s aesthetic this time around. As such my expectations for spectacle are pretty high here, even if I know I’m not going to laugh at every chapter.

CITY THE ANIMATION Promotional Videos ▼

Preview by Pancakes

As far as university students go Magi Kuriaki (Ookawa Genki) and Kirihara Yaeko (Fujii Yukiyo) are as unassuming as they come. They diligently attend classes; they participate in club activities; the enjoy the fleeting sense of freedom that a four year college program provides before the rigours of the workforce. Until, that is, coming face to face with Mogura (Nakamura Yuuichi). Or rather, after witnessing Mogura fall from the sky directly in front of them. As both bewildered students discover, Mogura is in fact from the afterlife, a self-proclaimed sage who was banished for unspecified reasons. To return Mogura must collect the “lamps” of ghosts wandering the real world, and to properly do so he’ll need the help of, you guessed it, Kuriaki and Yaeko. For a pair of post-secondary kids it’s the adventure of a lifetime, yet as they will learn it may not be the safest of outings.

It’s always nice seeing supernatural series getting anime adaptations given the strength of recent examples, and Dekin no Mogura is likely to prove no exception. For the unfamiliar this a manga work from Eguchi Natsumi, the author of Hoozuki no Reitetsu, which means comedy, the occult, and plenty of mythology concepts to dig into and see in play. The parts I read certainly meet the expectations too, albeit with a stronger focus on mystery and comedy than Natsumi’s previous work which easily does the trick given the story at work. In a sense just think of a differently flavoured Noragami and you’ve got a good idea what to anticipate. Cast and crew as well are fairly solid for this sort of show, so as long as Dekin no Mogura avoids the usual adaptation rakes I’m not foreseeing too many troubles ahead. Guaranteed won’t be for everyone, however anyone needing some supernatural excitement would do well seeing what Dekin no Mogura winds up haunting this summer.

Dekin no Mogura Promotional Videos ▼

Preview by Pancakes

Girls are known for many things, however a love of chatting is arguably one consistent bit among them – and in terms of gossip none come closer than Wada (Miyazaki Hiyori) and Yamamoto (Aoyama Yoshino). An unlikely duo thanks to Wada’s rich girl status and Yamamoto being fiercely independent, both girls have completely separate friend groups at school, yet after the day is through they wind up together at the food court to rant, rave, and see what makes both of them special. Sure, Wada’s secretive mobile game addiction and love of 2D runs fully counter to Yamamoto’s urban legends obsession and YouTube adoration, but sometimes you simply cannot beat the fun had when two aligned personalities get the chance to express themselves.

Even for the CGDCT concept Food Court is a funny one to see in anime given its very limited focus. What you see on the box isn’t a lie, it’s literally laidback banter at a food court table about any and all topics, plus the occasional secondary cast appearance and bit of cutesy wholesomeness to complete the ensemble. While that sort of thing works a treat in manga, it’s often hard replicating the same feeling across an entire anime season, especially if using the quintessential half hour episode runtime. Good news on that front though is Food Court is only confirmed for six episodes (and could wind up being a short too depending), so at minimum filler should be mitigated and the usual made for marketing issues avoided. After all, slice of life flourishes on its healing, and given its setup Food Court de, Mata Ashita looks to be offering a nice bit of it when it strolls on in this summer season.

Food Court de, Mata Ashita. Promotional Videos ▼

Preview by Pancakes

Remember a time when pretty boys met pink wombat and together helped save the world from villains and green hedgehogs? Well you might not – but Binan Koukou Chikyuu Bouei-bu had the pleasure of giving us just that back in 2015. And now is doing so again, just in a slightly different manner. From the modern era it’s back to the Taisho era, where another group of five bishounen hope to get away doing absolutely nothing as part of their school’s Earth Defense Club. That is at least until they come across Nuru (Nishimura Tomomichi), a talking Pallas’ Cat. Nuru you see is from the future and comes with a message of far-off danger to Earth. While Nuru won’t force the guys to fight for the sake of future Earth, it’s certainly suspicious, enough so that the Earth Defense Club decides to create the Fashionable Romantic Troupe and save the planet. How will they do it? No damn idea – but it’s going to be an experience finding out!

While not many may recall Binan Koukou Chikyuu Bouei-bu, the franchise must be doing something right to yield not just another show, but a spinoff at that. For the unfamiliar this one is pure parody through and through, where bishounen meet magical girl staples, runs the mix through a strainer of gag comedy, and tops it all off with a focus on episodic developments. It made for a very interesting (in the divisive sense) sort of show, where enjoyment came down hard on one’s comedic predilections and how much you enjoyed monster of the week shenanigans. Main thing for this spinoff will be the production: studio has once again shifted with now Deen pulling the animation honours, few of the writing staff have carried over, and there’s no indication yet whether it’ll be a single season or two cour affair. The new setting does leave a lot of room for imagination however, so provided the comedy can at least match what came before this spinoff stands some potential. And hey, even if not, never doubt the ability of a comedy to always yield laughs.

Binan Koukou Chikyuu Bouei-bu HAIKARA Promotional Videos ▼

Preview by Pancakes

As a newly minted college freshman Kitahara Iori (Uchida Yuuma) cannot wait to experience the college life. Moving above his uncle’s scuba diving shop Grand Blue in preparation, what Iori expects to happen doesn’t when he meets the Diving Club members who frequent the place. With alcohol as a lubricant the Diving Club gets up to all manner of bizarre and raucous activities, and thanks to two upperclassmen Iori finds himself a new member to the festivities. It doesn’t help either that Iori’s cousin catches him participating, but hey even the craziest of groups have their charm, and as Iori soon finds out, the Diving Club has plenty of it to hand around.

Grand Blue was always an interesting comedy to look on in retrospect, in part from how consistent it was in terms of unabashed humour. Its first season back in 2018 was a solid mix of adult humour, gag comedy, and scuba-based slice of life antics, playing hard to its premise while still having enough self-awareness to also poke fun at itself. A lot. While I wouldn’t go as far to say it’s the absolute best comedy some have made out (something something comedy and personal tastes), it was a very fun ride and more of the same should be expected here. Considering all main staff and Zero-G are returning in their respective roles is a nice saving feature as well, for there’s a very good chance at avoiding the time-related issues which wound up plaguing the likes of Hataraku Maou-sama during its resurrective return. Without a doubt keep an eye on Grand Blue this season if needing a laugh or six, when it comes to stupidly ridiculous yet entertaining comedy I suspect few others will come close to what it has on tap.

Grand Blue Season 2 Promotional Videos ▼

Preview by Pancakes

High school is the time for renewal and reset. The time to make friends, to live a little, to enjoy those club activities before the grind of work consumes all. And yes, Amaori Renako (Nakamura Kanna) is determined to partake in the tradition. Eager to make up for a lonely and awkward middle school period, Renako hops into her new school and quickly befriends the glamorous and popular Ouzuka Mai (Oonishi Saori) – only for Mai to flip the script by romantically proposing the Renako out of the blue. Naturally Renako turns Mai down – she likes guys goddammit – and hopes to prove female friendship is the best, but Mai is unbothered and determined to convince Renako that they’re destined for each other. One way or another this pair has their work cut out convincing each other of the best path forward.

God, how many years has it been since we’ve had a proper yuri series? It certainly feels like forever, and even ignoring that Watanare is more a romcom (with emphasis on the com) than true girls love drama fest, it certainly starts checking off the boxes. Key of course is that it’s a romcom at heart: lewd scenes are present, the intention on the part of Mai is never in doubt, but the attempted pairing is approached through the lens of cutesy comedy and laidback humour. Oh and make no mistake about any sort of proper resolution, you’re not getting that either no matter the lewd desires. Nevertheless the parts of the light novel I read did a good job at staying entertaining, and while there’s no way of seeing a full adaptation given the series is ongoing with seven light novel volumes to date, it has all the pieces needed to be a decent bit of yuri fun this season. Certainly give Watanare a try this summer if you’ve been missing some girls love in your anime. I dare say this one won’t prove disappointing.

Watashi ga Koibito ni Nareru Wake Nai jan, Muri Muri! (?Muri ja Nakatta!?) Promotional Videos ▼

Preview by Princess Usagi

One day, the peaceful, cat-loving Japan is afflicted by a new virus that transforms humans into felines. Kunagi (Masaaki Mizunaka), who suffers from amnesia, turns out to be a feline expert and must put his knowledge to the test in fending off the furry hoardes. In the process, he is joined by other comrades in the final stand of humanity against the meowing menaces.

Anime is no newbie to tales of cats taking over the world, but this is the first rendition I’ve seen that turns humans into felines. The director behind the helm, Takahashi Miike, has made his name, not in anime, but in live action films. Particularly in his penchant for featuring extreme violence. Which, given his reputation, gives a hint into the action gore fest we might expect from this. Whether that’s good or bad news is up to individual preferences. It strikes me as a show that would be amusing for maybe half an episode, but then get old after beating the same schtick repeatedly. The ridiculousness behind me (in addition to being a huge cat lover) definitely makes me want to check the first episode out, at the least.

Nyaight of the Living Cat Promotional Videos ▼

Preview by Pancakes

When it comes to Umino Nagi (Ishikawa Kaito) and Amano Erika (Kitou Akari) they couldn’t be further apart. While the former is a studious high school student determined to top the charts, the latter is a rising social media star always at the centre of attention. That is until it’s discovered they were both actually swapped at birth. Technically living with the incorrect family, both Nagi and Erika get an even wilder surprise when both their families, without their knowledge, decide to make amends by having them get married. Yes, married. Naturally the unwilling couple reject the plan outright, but with parents being stubborn and teenage maturation being a thing, it’s anyone’s guess just which side will wind up giving in first.

As far as romcoms go Kakkou no Iinazuke isn’t the most egregious of the bunch. Even for a premise it’s pretty tame compared to some others, and while inundated with all the usual tropes, stereotypes, and character archetypes, it did manage to sufficiently fill out a two cour run without completely going off the rails. Well, unless you count absolutely no movement happening in the pairings and misunderstanding-fuelled drama being all over the place. Although it was never my sort of show, it did well enough to at least see where this second season is coming from, and with the series still ongoing with 27 manga volumes to date there certainly isn’t a lack of material to see adapted. Don’t think this one will be bringing the best of the quintessential anime romcom, but if you were ever in need of some new drama-fuelled romantic shenanigans to help ring in summer definitely keep Kakkou no Iinazuke close at hand.

Kakkou no Iinazuke Season 2 Promotional Videos ▼

Preview by Pancakes

Because three seasons of comedy laced insanity (in a good way) wasn’t enough, the impishly devious Matsuno brother are back for a fourth kick at the anime can. Once again this new season will follow the continued misery of the Matsuno brothers (and their new AI twin counterparts) as the once precocious children of the beloved Osomatsu-san franchise have grown up to be miserable NEETs. The Matsunos truly have their work cut out for them as their attempts to satiate their urges cause them to spread misery alongside their equally unscrupulous friends and foes. Will they finally get the drive to excel beyond their misfortune and make an honest living for themselves? Will they leverage their AI twins in new and interesting ways? Find out if Osomatsu-san’s fourth season finds a way to further reenvision the satirical script.

Although there’s some general agreement that the third season was a retreat compared to the earlier cours, it’s still hard denying the overall success of the Osomatsu-san franchise. The raunchy humour remains throughout, the gag comedy never far away, and the uncouth nature of the brothers always found a way to yield fun, entertaining, and often hilarious scenarios. Even if the show feels like it’s the hitting the point of running out of new and interesting material (the AI twins in particular were hit or miss) there’s not a lack of possibilities yet, and considering how far reaching the franchise has gotten outside of anime as well via stage plays and merchandise, plenty of reason for the staff to see just how far they can take the Matsuno brothers. Fourth seasons after all are a pretty good sign something is going right, so we’ll just have to see what’s in store for this latest round of sextuplet shenanigans.

Osomatsu-san 4th Season Promotional Videos ▼

Preview by Pancakes

Some sports are easy, some sports are hard, and for those like Otonashi Mai (Hishikawa Hana) sometimes the difficulty doesn’t take away the challenge at even succeeding in one. Mai’s guilty competitive pleasure? Bowling, enough so that’s she’s captain of her school’s bowling club, but apparently not enough for her to win a single match. It’s enough to irritate new first year member Godai Rina (Ichinose Kana) who firmly believes that rather than being cursed, Mai is in fact losing on purpose for some unforeseen reason, and makes a vow based on it. Either Mai starts leading the club to bowling victory, or Rina walks. One way or another, bowling at Ikkokukan High School will never be the same again.

I have to admit, it’s quite shocking that no slice of life or CGDCT series has not yet used bowling as its claim to fame. We’ve had traditional sports (including hockey!), board games, hell even professional racing – but bowling? Surprisingly absent, which really gives Turkey a major leg up in terms of uniqueness. Although this one will be following the usual CGDCT script in terms of story (synopsis and PV material are evidence enough), there’s already some accurate emphasis on bowling basics in the teasers to show it won’t be all fluff, and with it being an anime original plenty of room for some imaginative writing. I wouldn’t expect Turkey to have significant appeal beyond the usual suspects, but just for taking a different approach to the usual CGDCT themes I’d recommend seeing what it gets up to when it throws a strike this summer season.

Turkey! Promotional Videos ▼

Preview by Weiss Rue

Season four continues the journey of Naofumi Iwatani (Ishikawa Kaito), the Shield Hero, as he strives to protect those he loves and unearth the true threat behind the Calamity Waves. In the aftermath of season three, Naofumi vows to confront the Q’Ten Lo Empire following assassination attempts on Raphtalia (Seto Asami), a royal descendant of that empire. Early visuals confirm this arc will drive central conflict. We can also expect the dramatic awakening of the Phoenix — a powerful Guardian Beast poised to shift the power balance. New characters Werner and Jaralis look to enrich the political landscape and battlefield dynamics.

Again, animated by Kinema Citrus under director Hitoshi Haga, with returning staff to maintain consistency in tone and quality. The first trailer hints at a darker, more intense aesthetic fitting the weight of the upcoming narrative, and the new theme songs underscore this shift.

With its blend of political intrigue, escalating supernatural threats, and Naofumi’s ongoing emotional growth, the fourth season positions itself to be a defining chapter. If the animation holds pace and the Phoenix and Q’Ten Lo arcs are handled with depth, this could be one of the season’s biggest hits.

Excitement Level: Established

Watching This: Weiss Rue

Tate no Yuusha no Nariagari Season 4 Promotional Videos ▼

Preview by Weiss Rue

Prince Lloyd (Koichi Makoto) returns for a second season. Based on Kenkyo na Circle’s light novel, the series follows Lloyd — a disciplined young sorcerer reborn as the seventh prince — who now balances royal privilege with a boundless drive to master magic. Able to cast spells without restraint, Lloyd spends his days in leisurely magical study, unaware that his world faces growing threats as dark seals safeguarding monstrous demons begin to crumble.

Season two expands the story’s scope with new characters like Iisha and Saria, while familiar voices — Sylpha and Tao — continue to bring Lloyd’s companions to life. The creative team also returns intact: Naoki Tozuka oversees series composition, Naru Nishikori is on character design, and R.O.N of Stereo Dive Foundation handles music. Scene visuals and pacing remained strong in the first season, garnering praise for its use of Unreal Engine-powered backgrounds, snappy action, and smooth animation, and the same is to be expected for this new season. With new opening/ending themes and the plot progressing into deeper political intrigue and demon lore, the season promises to deepen both emotional arcs and action scenes. Fans of fantasy and reincarnation narratives should find this a strong follow-up—perfect for those who appreciate an isekai that prioritizes world-building and character growth over tropes.

Excitement Level: Average

Watching This: Weiss Rue

Tensei shitara Dainana Ouji Datta node, Kimama ni Majutsu wo Kiwamemasu 2nd Season Promotional Videos ▼

Preview by Pancakes

When you’re the child of a celebrity you never have an easy time and Ayase Yuu (Hinata Minami) is no exception. The son of a legendary, and recently passed, actress, Yuu has the innate need to live up to his late mother’s stature, however doesn’t possess any of the latent talent enabling him to do so. Thus Yuu, under the care of his mother’s friend, transfers into Saika Academy where personal talent is fostered. There’s just one catch. A personal catch. Saika Academy you see is dominated by three sisters who happen to be prodigies in shogi, martial arts, and performing arts. And the father of said prodigies? Yuu’s mother’s friend who took him in. If Yuu thought doing his mother proud was a challenge, he’s about to discover it cannot top what the Mikadono sisterly trio have him store for him.

Much as that synopsis immediately alludes to yes, Mikadono Sanshimai is very much a harem anime, and yes, it’s going to be everything you love and hate about the concept. This one is very generic under the hood, with the same misunderstandings, love triangles, and character archetypes defining the basic premise. While the main difference here is that all three girls are effectively competition-driven tomboys (versus the usual array of -dere flavours) and does come with some more intricate writing (at least from the bits I read), outside of such trappings it’s your tried and true harem experience and will not be deviating far from the garden path. Plus side is P.A Works is animating and is tailor made for this sort of show so as long as it doesn’t blitz too much to reach a designated stopping point I don’t foresee too many issues. It won’t be a show for everyone, but any romance fan after some new harem experiences would do well seeing how competitive Mikadono Sanshimai gets this summer.

Excitement Level: Average

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Mikadono Sanshimai wa Angai, Choroi. Promotional Videos ▼

Preview by Pancakes

Well, it’s here, at long last. Nearly 15 years after its first season, Panty & Stocking return to anime with all the pomp, circumstance, ribald humour, and outright sexual chaos that can only be expected from such a ludicrously over the top series. Centered on the angelic Anarchy Sisters of Panty (Ogasawara Arisa) and Stocking (Ise Mariya), the titular series follows their exploits after both are kicked out of Heaven for doing very unangelic things. Alongside priest Garterbelt (Ishii Kouji) the sisters must buy their way back into heaven by collecting sufficient Heaven Coins through the extermination of ghosts, but naturally run into trouble along the way. You see Panty prefers sleeping with any stud under the sun over her duties, while Stocking would rather eat sweets from dusk to dawn over hunting ghosts. The story of these two unruly angels now continues anew, and you best be sure neither of them intend on fulfilling their actual responsibilities just yet.

With how (in)famous Panty & Stocking has become in anime circles and beyond, I don’t think it needs much introduction. This was one hell of an experience back in 2010, pairing gag comedy, slapstick humour, and a serious degree of lascivious sexual antics in a package which either made you laugh your ass off for its uncompromising approach or get outright disgusted at said approach – while still laughing your ass off. The very American flavour of art and animation too helped in driving the overall experience, and when paired with a frankly A-grade English dub you get the incredible (if honestly divisive) result here. While concerns are natural regarding the success of this continuation (FLCL’s sequels were a pretty big flop), given Trigger is on tap, the staff is solidly impressive, and some original faces are back like director Imaishi Hiroyuki there’s absolutely no reason to suspect a trainwreck is in our future. Without a doubt Panty & Stocking will be as divisive as it was over a decade ago, but when it comes to comedy and crazy few shows this season – hell even this year – are going to top what it has to offer this summer.

Excitement Level: Optimistic

Watching This: Pancakes

New PANTY & STOCKING with GARTERBELT Promotional Videos ▼

Preview by Pancakes

Back for the second half of its grand finale, Dr. Stone is finally ready to finish the adventures of Ishigami Senkuu (Kobayashi Yuusuke) and friends once and for all. Having overcome the issues of oceanic travel and impassioned natives, Senkuu is now ready to wholly turn his genius to one last major challenge: space travel. Having deduced the source of everything afflicting Earth over the past three millennia is on the lunar surface, Senkuu sets out to not only fashion the stone world’s first rocket, but also its first manned mission to the moon. It will take a lot of effort, a lot of resources, and finding the select few capable of crewing such a flight, but the resident mad scientist isn’t daunted: many other challenges have already been overcome, more fearsome threats squashed. One way or another Senkuu will get the answers he seeks, because it might just also be the solution to fixing the stone world once and for all.

After the strength of the previous season for Dr. Stone’s last big anime showing, I don’t think much is needed to indicate what’s coming with this one. From over the top science and popcorn entertainment to a wildly enjoyable cast and varied situations this is the epitome of everything which makes Dr. Stone, and with this cour in particular only being the second of three parts you can bet on seeing plenty more of the same as it kicks off. Last season too did a fairly decent job at overcoming the pacing troubles afflicting the New World saga, so provided the same care and attentions results this time around I anticipate another solid entry in this grand science adventure. Definitely make sure to give this season a whirl if you’ve been keeping up with Dr. Stone – one way or another it will not disappoint.

Excitement Level: Established

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Dr. STONE SCIENCE FUTURE Cour 2 Promotional Videos ▼

Preview by Pancakes

For one Kinokura Gen (Hamano Daiki) life is all about camping. Getting away from the hecticness of the city and enjoying nature are the activity’s main claims to fame for the guy, enough so he aims to be out in the countryside whenever possible. That is at least until he comes across Kusano Shizuku (Nizaki Mizuki) on one outing. Shizuku you see isn’t an experienced camper, and once picking up on Gen’s skill immediately moves to having him help her. Gen of course tries to get her to go home, but after some stubborn nagging and a little female persuasion begrudgingly agrees to help the girl out until she’s ready to camp all by herself. Thus begins Gen’s new camping adventure and struggle to find peace with a pesky companion to help along.

Yes, your eyes aren’t deceiving you, we’ve got ourselves a camping anime which isn’t Yuru Camp. Not that it’s a flaw of Yuru Camp mind you – it’s the go to example for a reason – but it shows just how few such series there are that Futari Solo Camp is effectively the first true follow up. At a glance you can expect the same type of material at work: camping is very much front and centre, the tools, actions, and challenges of the activity factor in a lot, and yes, there’s also plenty of discussion of food. Difference this time around is character age (Gen is in his 30s while Shizuku is 20), but stripping away the more mature focus leaves a similar slice of life focus on the art of camping. While cast and crew are nothing particularly special, there’s over 20 manga volumes to work with so as long as Futari Solo Camp can stick to its thematic namesake and keep the filler to a minimum it’s easily able to be a nice bit of outdoorsy slice of life when it pitches its tent this summer season.

Excitement Level: Average

Watching This: Guardian Enzo, Princess Usagi

Futari Solo Camp Promotional Videos ▼

Preview by Pancakes

Momotarou and Oni, one would think such words are names when first hearing them, but they are instead types of blood – and blood making its bearers wholly incompatible with each other. While Oni are disorderly, Momotarou are protectors against the most uncontrollable of Oni, and one just so happens to upset Ichinose Shiki’s (Ura Kazuki) life after barging into it looking for Oni. Shiki you see is actually an Oni, kept hidden by his foster father Tsuyoshi, and who awakens to his Oni powers after seeing Tsuyoshi killed in front of him. Such loss and rage though prove useful for it attracts the attention of Mudano Naito (Kamiya Hiroshi), Oni teacher at the Rakshasa Academy, who promises Shiki and outlet for his revenge. If Shiki learns to control his newfound power and demonic blood under the tutelage of Naito, he will find the challenge of avenging the late Tsuyoshi much simpler than originally thought possible.

I get a chuckle at seeing Tougen Anki here in the preview because it really shows how infrequent battle shounens are these days. Outside of the latest Blue Exorcist sequel we don’t get that many of these shows anymore, and likely in part because they all more or less play out the same. Tragic family circumstances? Hidden powers needing proper training and guidance? Underlying world mystery eventually involving the MC and friends? Tougen Anki features it all and does not stray far from the garden path. It doesn’t make for a bad series mind you (the parts I read did the trick in terms of action and exposition), but it won’t be setting new standards and certainly not running far in the front of the crowd; expecting the usual shounen shenanigans as an anime-only viewer is a very good idea. Nonetheless two cours out the gate and some very colourful PV material hint towards something interesting, so I’d at least give Tougen Anki a shot if needing some action this summer. You never know, it might wind up surprising.

Excitement Level: Average

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TOUGEN ANKI Promotional Videos ▼

Preview by Pancakes

Sakamoto Tarou (Sugita Tomokazu). If you heard that name in the underworld it usually meant you were dead for none came close to Tarou’s skill in killing. Until Tarou fell in love. Move ahead five years and now with family and a pot belly to boot, Tarou is just the humble owner of a local convenience store, having exchanged weapons for the apron. Yet no matter how much Tarou wants to leave behind his past it still intends on having its say. Besides winding up with old acquaintance Asakura Shin (Shimazaki Nobunaga) as a worker in Tarou’s store thanks to a chance encounter, Tarou also winds up with a large bounty on his head for similar reasons. There’s just one catch. Tarou you see might have left the hitman life behind professionally, but his edge, his skills, and his capabilities are the same as they were before. He only simply needs a reason to let them loose.

Sakamoto Days is arguably one of those examples showing how sometimes the source material can beat the adaptation. While the first season was not as bad as some have made out, stilted animation and questionable pacing choices didn’t help for a smooth experience, and with a focus more on lighthearted comedy than traditional “action” the result led a few anime-only viewers down the wrong path in terms of impressions. Given this cour was already planned at the start one shouldn’t expect many changes: all cast and crew are carrying over, TMS Entertainment remains in the animation hotseat, and there’s still a stupidly large number of manga volumes available to adapt. The plus side though is the next arc is somewhat of a switch from what came before tone-wise and the PV material is a noticeable leg up so hey, certainly worth not writing things off too soon. After all, wouldn’t be the first time a second season wound up trouncing the first.

Excitement Level: Optimistic

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SAKAMOTO DAYS Cour 2 Promotional Videos ▼

Preview by Pancakes

From the visual novel series of the same name comes the latest in paradise. Or at least a particular variety of it. Seiran Island is known for being a utopistic paradise for the hedonistic, where any sexual act, no matter how perverted, is not just permitted but required by law. To live on Seiran Island is to have sex at all times, leading some like Tachibana Juunosuke (Yanagi Kouhei) out in the lurch. You see Juunosuke is a proud virgin firmly believing sex must only accompany love, a mindset anathema to the local residents who treat such transgressions with immediate arrest, fellatio, and intercourse. Of course escape from the island isn’t easy as well, for between the local student council and its disciplinary committee there’s more than enough eyes to catch and handle Juunosuke and his friends. Will the chaste successfully overcome the libidinous? For the sake of Juunosuke’s virginity he certainly hopes so.

Well you know you have a wild season on your hands when you have not just one but two thoroughly ribald series occupying the limelight. To call Nukitashi even remotely tame would be doing it a serious disfavour – this one is incredibly raucous and over the top in ways fellow season mate Panty & Stocking isn’t, effectively taking the Shimoseka premise, inverting it, dialing the material up to 11, and letting the results speak for themselves. It’s a series where any sort of concerted censoring detracts from the near-parodic setting and premise at play, leading to the question just how much we can expect here. Tasteful and imaginative use of angles and shadows? Blunt forced mascot faces covering the fun bits? The latter will fall on its face hard, while the former will yield a pretty decent bit of purified eroge chaos. With the PV not indicating much this one is a true black box, however should it wind up nailing the execution Nukitashi is one show any ecchi lover guaranteed will not want to pass up.

Excitement Level: Niche

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NUKITASHI THE ANIMATION Promotional Videos ▼

Preview by Weiss Rue

Kaiju No. 8 roars back into action with its highly anticipated second season, continuing the story of Kafka Hibino (Fukunishi Masaya) — a man who once abandoned his childhood dream of becoming a Kaiju-slaying hero, only to find himself transformed into the very thing he once feared. Now labeled a monster and imprisoned by the Defense Force he once served, Kafka faces his toughest trial yet: proving his humanity and worth in a world that sees him as the enemy. Season two is set to adapt two of the manga’s most pivotal arcs — the Kaiju Weapon Arc and the Compatible User Arc. These chapters dive deep into Kafka’s inner struggle as he grapples with his monstrous identity while trying to earn the trust of high-ranking officers. Along the way, expect high-octane battles, strategic developments within the Defense Force, and a spotlight on new characters whose abilities — and secrets — could shift the balance of power.

Thematically, Kaiju No. 8 remains a compelling mix of military sci-fi, horror elements, and shounen-style heroism, all wrapped in a story about second chances. Kafka’s duality — part man, part kaiju — is symbolic of the tension between identity and duty, making him one of the more emotionally resonant protagonists in recent action anime.

As Guardian Enzo noted in his season one first impression, the series will continue to carry the DNA of “the next big thing.” Backed by Production I.G., a powerhouse studio with a reputation for quality animation, and already a manga juggernaut, Kaiju No. 8 has all the ingredients to dominate the season. The first season laid strong groundwork, and if this second half capitalizes on its momentum with tighter pacing and deeper character work, it could transform from a solid hit into a true phenomenon. Whether you’re here for explosive kaiju battles or the emotional arc of a man trying to reclaim his dream, Kaiju No. 8 promises a thrilling ride.

Excitement Level: Optimistic

Watching This: Pancakes, Weiss Rue

Kaijuu 8-gou 2nd Season Promotional Videos ▼

Preview by Pancakes

The only thing that student Oka Satomi (Horie Shun) fears more than girls is his final school choir competition – at least until he crosses paths with the yakuza member Narita Kyouji (Ono Daisuke). Randomly accosted by Kyouji one night and literally dragged to a karaoke session by the guy, Satmoi discovers that Kyouji has sought his help out for very personal, yet business-related, reasons. You see Kyouji’s boss is holding a karaoke contest soon, and as encouragement to participate actively the loser of said contest must get a tattoo. A tattoo selected and applied by the boss himself. Kyouji isn’t one for fear, but that punishment is deadly enough to drive him into seeking Satmoi’s help. As Satomi is about to learn there are some things which can make your own troubles look like walks in the park.

I will admit I had a blast digging into Karaoke Iko for this preview. This one really is an off the wall comedy, fusing some very eccentric humour with fantastic personalities, quasi-music premise, and a few boys love undertones which make the arrangement all the more hilarious. Although technically originating from a single volume manga run, it’s possible, if a full 12-13 episode run, that this adaptation will also be including the follow up (and ongoing) Famiresu Iko series, which is pretty much the same as Karaoke Iko, only now further in the future and centered on a family restaurant. In short yes, it gets wilder. Much wilder. Tack on DogaKobo pulling production duty with some solid staff on tap and I’m willing to say Karaoke Iko is likely to surprise a few viewers this season. Just have to see if the result can match initial impressions.

Excitement Level: Optimistic

Watching This: Guardian Enzo, Pancakes, Princess Usagi

Karaoke Iko! Promotional Videos ▼

Preview by Pancakes

Hayashi Miyoshi (Ono Kensho) isn’t your normal high school student. Incredibly frank, wickedly quirky, and full of surprising actions, he very much marches to his own beat and lets everyone else figure out how to respond. Whether it’s photographing street signs, dressing up in costume, or drying sweet potatoes on the school balcony, there’s always something to get a chuckle out of from watching him. It’s also the complete opposite of Nikaidou Akira (Okamoto Nobuhiko). If Miyoshi is cheerful then Akira is gloomy, constantly retaining a dour, melancholic demeanor in order to keep his classmates far away from him both physically and spiritually. Yet all it takes is one chance encounter of the true self behind Akira’s mask to set forth a determination on the part of one Medaka (Ono Yuuki) to break through and reveal the true Akira. As both Miyoshi and Akira will learn through proxy they have far more in common than initially meets the eye.

Dramas, especially the teenage variety, can often be a mixed bag, but Muchuu-sa Kimi ni stands quite strong among its many competitors. For starters it’s not a romance in the slightest, instead embracing a slice of life focus which is heavy on introspection and the many quirks – and challenges – of growing into adulthood. Big thing as well is it’s somewhat of a parallel work, with separate plotlines for both Miyoshi and Akira which while crossing at times are inherently focused on each individual character; if you expect a singular story here you best check such expectations at the door. From the parts of the source manga I read it’s a pretty solid (and intriguing) yarn, and considering it already has a live drama adaptation released to some acclaim there’s not much here raising any sort of alarm bell. As always the proof will be in what we get right off the bat, but without a doubt any drama fan will want to keep a close eye on Muchuu-sa Kimi ni this season.

Excitement Level: Optimistic

Watching This: Guardian Enzo, Princess Usagi

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Preview by Pancakes

No matter the glitz and glamour, the music world is never easy to get into. Major effort is required, sacrifice is demanded, and you often best be sure that you can sing. Very well. No surprise then that first year Komaki Uta (Ayase Mirai) struggles hard, for while good at singing she’s terrible at social interactions and the extroversion demanded by the role. She passes up the chance at joining her school’s light music club, but in return lands an invitation to join the cappella club because its president Kojou Airi (Sudo Kanoko) sees something in Uta. With a club full of misfits and self-proclaimed weirdos, the cappella club offers an opportunity for Uta to do what she loves within a group sure to give her all the space needed. What’s not to love?

Although not explicitly an idol production, Utagoe wa Mille-Feuille is pretty much another entry in the genre. This one specifically is the anime accompaniment to Pony Canyon’s latest music project, replete with the usual single, the expectation of another one this year, and by all looks this anime being the mass marketing way to drive further interest. The main concern here will be writing chops. Yamanaka Takuya is the main creator and script writer, and while proven for shorts courtesy of MILGЯAM, his full length experience with Caligula is, let’s just say, less than impressive. Couple it with Utagoe wa Mille-Feuille effectively being an idol show in disguise and there’s lots of room for filler, melodrama, and hamfisted developments to take away the main selling points of character growth and music singles. I’d still encourage giving it a shot for anyone needing some new girls singing their hearts out, but keep those expectations in check until we see exactly what Utagoe wa Mille-Feuille is made of.

Excitement Level: Average

Watching This: No one yet

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