First Look at the New Titles for Summer of 2026

Here is the quick look at all of the new and returning anime that are on the watch list for the Summer of 2025! 

 

Sparks of Tomorrow

    Four years after his brother left for war, Kihachi still holds out hope for the vision of electrifying Japan at the turn of the century, moving away from team power.  The key to that effort, the 20th Century Electricity Catalog, has been missing since his brother left.   Through a chance encounter with a clumsy girl, that catalog has suddenly returned to him.  Unfortunately the heir to a powerful steam zaibatsu is after it as well.

    This is KyoAni's latest series and they have pulled out all of the stops.  Immense color palette, fluid animation and larger than life characters.  This steam age comedy action story has a lot of potential.  Regardless of its quality, I have to keep watching it since it was Davids pick for this season of the Podcast!

Daemon's of the Shadow Realm cour 2

    After a week break we dive right back into the world of twin daemons and their wielders.  The story picks up right were cour 1 ended with another attack on Higashi Village.  The stakes are rising as Yuru and Asa struggle to learn the fate of their parents.

    I ended season 1 disappointing. The pacing was terrible and the world building not good enough for the type of story it wanted to tell.  We decided to stick with it for the next season of the podcast in hopes that it would redeem its self.  The first episode of the new cour was good...but so was the first episode of cour 1.  Time will tell if this will end up being worth the time.

The series is being simulcast on Crunchyroll and Netflix.

Please Excuse My Younger Brothers

    Ito's mother has married a new man and the two of them are moving in with him.  She is excited to have a complete family and the new life that awaits her.  What she didn't anticipate, given her mom should have told her before hand...the new marriage brings four younger brothers with it.  She goes from a largely solitary existence to a house full of differing personalities and a whole new set of challenges ahead of her. 

    It's hard to say at this point how much this story will lean into a romance angle, cus step siblings, but reverse harems aren't entirely a bad thing.  A weak point is how by the book the story and characters seem so far and I am not sure if this one will really be able to tell something new enough to keep my interest.

The series is being simulcast on Crunchyroll. 

Draw This, Then Die

    Ai has always struggled to interact with her peers.  The socially awkward girl eventually finds solace in the world of manga.  After years of reading as much manga she could, she would always return to the first one she read, a single volume of an unpopular series that was cancelled quickly.  When she learns that making manga is something anyone can do and the author of her favorite one is one her teachers, a whole new world opens up to her.

     The biggest take away is that Ai probably needs some mental health support.  If you approach the series from a realistic perception, she absolutely needs to be on some sort of medication to work on her chemical imbalance in her brain.  The hallucinations alone are concerning!  But, instead this is a cute slice of life about an awkward girl who is falling in love with the world of imagination and self expression...even if her incredibly strict teacher/secret failed manga creator tries (at first) to push her away from the medium.  So far this one is going to stick around.  Its predictable but fun at the same time.

The series is being simulcast on Crunchyroll. 

Love Unseen Beneath the Clear Night Sky

    Kakeru is a university student who doesn't like engaging with those around him and has spent most of his life being unobtrusive.  After being forced to attend a mixer he becomes entangled with a fellow student, Koharu, who is visually impaired.  Another co-ed, who is a member of the service committee, coerces Kakeru to look out for Koharu and help her in the classes they attend together.  Kakeru is reluctant, due to his personality and due to not wanting to be in a situation where his kindness for the young woman comes from a place of pity.

    I won't lie, the major draw for this is due to Hayami Kaori voicing Kakeru.  With this roll she has now done two special needs characters that I am aware of...the other being Shoko from A Silent Voice.  This series is a slow burning low energy drama so far.  I see potential but there is so far too much emphasis on Kakeru's internal dialogue, a realm that is filled with self pity and discontent with his surroundings.  SO far Kakeru is presented as an eternally optimistic character, but I suspect there will be a point where the mask falls and real drama kicks in.

The series is being simulcast on Crunchyroll. 

Oh Boy, Was I Wrong About Her

    Hayato has transferred to Tokyo from the country side for high school.  During his childhood, due to the scarcity of kids his age, he only had one friend, Haruki.  Their bond of friendship was incredibly strong and he has missed him ever since he moved away.  At the first day of class he learns that a girl shares his best friends name.  Quickly...he learns that they are one and the same, he has just assumed the tom boyish girl that spent all of her time with him was a boy.  Both are more then excited to be in each others company again, even if things are a little different.

    There isn't anything bad I can say about this.  It flows rather nicely and the secret of Haruhi's gender is not a concept that becomes the focus point.  Hayato quickly accepts the reality, understanding how things can be misunderstood when a young child.  They have kept their past hidden from their peers for now, but eventually that will come out and its only a matter of time for the romantic emotions to develop.  Unless it gives me a reason to stop watching it I will keep going, but I don't anticipate anything mind blowing with the story.

The series is being simulcast on Crunchyroll. 

Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia

    Sitar is a young girl how has been forced into slavery in 13th century Persia.  In a stroke of luck she becomes part of a scholarly household and is given an education.  Ten years later, after the young master of the house has been touring the land to become as great a scholar as his father, the town is attacked by Mongol invaders.  The city if destroyed and most inhabitants are murdered, Sitar finds herself alone and in a strange new life, unsure if she has the will to continue.

    I have been waiting for this one since it was announced.  I am a huge simp for Science Saru and stories that break from the norm are rare gems in the landscape of TV anime.  As I was watching it, I felt some similarity in tone and theme with Orb: On the Movements of the Earth.  I can't wait to watch more of this beautiful tale.  I fear however this will go largely unnoticed by the anime community, due to the subject matter and the unique artwork.

The series is being simulcast on Crunchyroll. 

 You and I are Polar Opposites season 2

    We return to the fluffy love life of gyaru Miyu and silently bookish Yusuke...and their close circle of friends.  We jump back in with their lives as they approach the most romantic time of the year, Christmas Eve, and the couplings work are solidifying.

    We are so lucky to have the second half of the fantastic and loving romance so quickly after the first season.  The story hasn't lost its charm or its footing as we continue to get more amusement and sweetness.  Sadly, when this run is over that will be the end of the story!!!!

The series is being simulcast on Crunchyroll. 

Let's Go Kaikigumi

    A sturdy high school student, who hates scary stories and the concept of ghosts, ends up convincing himself to assist a weird, possibly ghost, girl named Mechako to rebuild her family business, the Kaikigumi.  The business is responsible to setting up and maintaining haunting in the neighborhood and has fallen off since she inherited it from her late father.  Due to his sense of responsibility over powering his sheer terror, the boy agrees to help out the strange girl and now has to live his life interacting with all manner of ridiculous apparitions.

    The plot set, the main characters introduced, now all that's left is to introduce as many odd ghost ideas as possible.  This is a rather amusing series with very Japanese humor.  I am not sure if I can categories this as a gag anime but its close enough.  This could be fun if the jokes stay strong and fresh.

The series is being simulcast on Crunchyroll.

Grow Up Show 

    Mizuka, who grew up in an intense family circus environment, has been estranged from her father due to her refusal to carry on the familly business.  At the end of her rope and desperate, she finds herself as a small circus troupe, via trickery from her father.  The troupe is run by a petite woman named Maria and is staffed by orphans girls and women.  Mizuka want's nothing to do with it but eventually is encouraged to join when Maria reveals that Mizuka is responsible for a sizable debt incurred by her father.  Maria hopes that the reluctant prodigy will add the talent needed to shape up her troupe.

    A new twist in the standard cute girl iyashiki, this time its a 1950's traveling circus of moe types.  Not sure how long I will watch it.  I am not particularly enamored by the theme and everything else feels very familiar and boring.

The series is being simulcast on Crunchyroll. 

One Piece Heroines

    Based on the light novel series of the same name, this series focuses on the women of One Piece and  tells stand alone stories of their exploits.

    What first drew me in was the artwork and character design.  The biggest problem I have with One Piece is the objectification of its female characters in regards to their design and clothing.  Heroines instead turns their figures and fashion into empowerment and grace.  The first episode was a story of Nami getting revenge on a shoddy fashion shoe maker who contracts pirates to steal jewels for him to use.  I absolutely loved this new portrayal of both Nami and Robin and can't wait for more!!

The series is being simulcast on Crunchyroll.

100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, REALLY Love You season 3

     We kick off the season with Rintaro still working towards his goal of finding the 100 women/girls who are his true loves.  But before we do that we have to back track on the few that were snuck in, in-between the season.

    If you have ever doubted the legitimacy of this series to exist, just remember it is equal parts satire/comedy and fan service.  It is creatively schizophrenic. The opening sequence sets the tone and does it in a solid manner well established at this point.  Some of the best parts of this story are the flagrant 4th wall breaks.  How many more tropes can he add to his harem?!?!

The series is being simulcast on Crunchyroll. 

Chainsmoker Cat

    Yaniko is a young adult who also happens to be a cat-girl, in a world were some people are animal hybrids.  Yaniko lives in a dilapidated apartment in barren squalor, spending all of her meager earnings on cigarettes and beer.  Her addiction to nicotine is debilitating, leading her to extremes to get her fix.

    I wasn't sure if this would be worth the time, fearing it would be a weird exploitative off color series.  It still is!   But its also way too real for what it is.  It reminds me way too much of some aspects of my young adult life spent in poverty.  While I haven't gone as far as saving cigarettes from fresh poop...I have done some less than savory things for nicotine.  I also lived in a run down, shitty apartment because the rent was cheap and work didn't pay well.  On top of everything, this has some of the best artwork so far of any other series this season!  I think I'm going to enjoy this more than anticipated.

The series is being simulcast on Crunchyroll and OceanVeil. 

Magilumiere Magical Girls Inc season 2

    Without skipping a beat, the story picks up after the fall out from the arc at the end of season 1.  The boss man of Magilumiere wants to implement the new low magic system they are developing to fight the Kaii infestation.  Other more powerful organizations are opposed to this, desiring greater unleashing of magical powers and fattening their bottom end in the process.

    I was a little lost at first, given how long its been since season one ended, but by about the halfway point of the episode I remembered the things that mattered with this world.  Its great to have a fresh take on the magical girl genre and this season looks to be cracking heavily into the business intrigue side of things!

The series is being simulcast on Amazon Prime. 

Ghost in the Shell

    If you have never seen Ghost in the Shell in any of its prior incarnations then this is a brand new fresh and unadulterated start.  It is a story of a public security force that specializes in counter terrorism in a future marked by advanced technologies.  Section 9 is a really a small paramilitary force that has a theoretically unlimited budget to do what is usually necessary to maintain the governments best interest, even if that doesn't fit any sort of social interest.

    It is at this point I regret never really diving into the original GITS manga.  Like anyone my age I have pretty much watched everything that has been made before.  I knew going into this brand new take at it by Science Saru that we were in for a different type of story, one closer to the manga.  A weird and confusing espionage tale that has a very healthy amount of comedy and weirdness to it.  Forget most of what you know about this world if you have only ever watched the other anime adaptations...its a whole new ball game and I am here for this.

The series is being simulcast on Amazon Prime.

Smoking Behind the Supermarket with You

    Sasaki is a middle aged, single office worker, who frequents a local super market to take in the beaming friendliness of a cashier named  Yamada as his only source of happiness.  One night, while his object of affection isn't on the clock, another employee invites him to join her for a cigarette in the back of the building.  The woman names Tayama presses him about his noticeable obsession with Yamada.  She seems satisfied with his innocent confession of her putting a ray of happiness on his otherwise dreary daily life.

    Tayama is Yamada...shes good at putting on the customer service act and changes her appearance enough to convince at least Sasaki...for now.  She appears to have an affection for the solemn Sasaki and for now is playing with him for her own amusement.  Its a matter of how long until she comes clean or he figures it out then the story can move onto more honest conversations with these two that seem to be destined for each other.  The first episode didn't offer a lot outside of the initial premise.  Hopefully over time more meat becomes available because I am not sure how long I can handle these two having awkward conversations sitting on crates.

The series is being simulcast on Crunchyroll. 

Hanaori-san Still Wants to Fight in the Next Life

    Narukami is a listless NEET, wasting his days watching TV and playing video games.  His pathetic but uneventful life comes to an abrupt halt when a crazed girl names Hanaori burst into his room to challenge him.  Narukami is the reincarnation of an evil demon lord.  Hanaori was the hero who defeated him.  Even though they live in the relative peace of the real world, she still has a strong desire to defeat him.  To make her victory meaningful she convinces him to do something with his life.  He decides to begin working as a teacher and ironically finds himself teaching Hanaori's class.  The new age of adventure has begun!

    The entire premise on its own was quite amusing to me...then I looked into who made the original manga.  Hikawaa Hekiru, the author of Pani Poni.  I was already entertained enough by the hectic pacing of the first episode but given its by the man genius behind Pani Poni Dash...I am in the the long run!

The series is being simulcast on Crunchyroll. 

First Look at the New Titles for Spring of 2026

 Once again it's time for a slew of new anime titles!  Here is whats on my watch list, at list for the first episode or so, for the 2026 Spring season.

 

Go For It, Nakamura-kun!!

    Nakamura Okuto is an average high school student who struggles with getting closer to a classmate he's fallen in love with, Hirose Aiki.  Every time he tries to get closer to Hirose, in order to incrementally build a connection, his nervousness steps in and causes issue.  Can he ever let Hirose-kun know his true feelings?

    This is a by the numbers romantic comedy that overflows with nostalgia.  The characters remind me of older Takahashi designs.  The ending theme song is even reminiscent of credit songs from the 80's.  Very nostalgia.  Whats really remarkable about this story is that its boys love and it doesn't behave any different than a romantic comedy about a guy and a girl.  Nakamura doesn't question his feelings, proudly identifies as gay, at least internally, and at this point doesn't put any social awkwardness into consideration.  The only thing keeping him from opening up to the boy he likes is anxiety about being liked back.  This is going to be a fun series to fill in the gap left by Polar Opposites while we await its second cour.

The series is available on Crunchyroll. 

Kirio Fan Club

    Nami and Aimi are friends and rivals in love.  They both pine for their stoic classmate, Kirio, and are ready the battle for his attention.  The problem...they're not sure he even knows they exist.

    I might be expecting too much for this one but the first episode was a bit tepid.  I was hoping it would be quite a bit more manic and unhinged.  The previews made me think if Asobi Asobase but so far it hasn't gotten to that level or insanity.  Here's hoping it does as this was my solo pick for the Spring season of the podcast! 

The series is available on Hidive. 

The Ramparts of Ice

    Hikawa has had a hard childhood, continually being teased by her peers due to her short stature.  This has lead her to develop and icy personality where she makes herself unapproachable and avoidable.  Her only friend is the goddess of her class, Azmui, who struggles with the attention.  But things may be turning around when she begins to interact with two boys from different classes who aren't bothered by her walls.

     Anti social main characters being forced to gradually warm up to social interactions is a tired trope in slice of life anime.  This one doesn't really seem to present us with anything new in that regard.  However the 4 main-ish characters are enjoyable in their own regard so this one sticks around for now.  Given this is by the same author as You and I are Polar Opposites, I will give it some time to cook....as that show was an amazing addition to the romance genre.

The series is available on Netflix. 

 

Snowball Earth

     Tetsuo is a genius who struggles to connect with others, social anxiety over powers his ability to talk with people, regardless of their age.  He ends up piloting a robot designed to fight kaiju and becomes the hero of Earth.  Ten years later, the earth forces face the kaiju in one final battle, only to loose.  In a last resort effort the intelligent robot he pilots self destructs, ejecting him out into space.  He awakes from cryo sleep 8 years later to find the Earth covered in ice and snow, still fighting the kaiju.  How is he going to make friends now?

    I thought I understood what this series was based on the previews, but the first episode serves up a classic giant robot story that I'm pretty sure does not pan out for the rest of the series.  Tetsuo is an interesting introvert social misfit.  I am not sure how well this series will do personally if it doesn't step up the comedy that I expect to come. 

The series is available on Crunchyroll. 

Daemons of the Shadow Realm

   Yuru's idyllic and anachronistic life is shattered when the outside world invades his hidden village, murdering most of its inhabitants.  Through the skill of a wandering trader he escapes with his life, unlocked hidden powers of his people.  The life he has known all of his 16 years might just be a lie.

    The premier episode of this latest anime adaptation of a manga by Arakawa Hiromu does not fail to impress and draw in the viewer.  Its not my style normally but I respect her ability to tell a good story and so far its been good.  Lots of unanswered questions to keep things interesting.

The series is available on Crunchyroll.  

Akane-banashi

    The person that most inspires young Osaki Akane is her father, an aspiring rakugo performer.  But a disastrous performance during an promotion test her father and his peers are all expelled from their rakugo school, crushing his dreams forever.  Now, a teenager, Akane is working to avenge her fathers disgrace and revive his way of performing.

     The first part of the premier episode was well paced and enjoyable.  It was presented as a heart warming tale of struggle and family bond.  But the episode ends as any other tournament shonen story does...with our primary character confidently approaching their challenges head on.  The artwork is fantastic but i dread the deep shonen tropes that will tarnish a story that could be really enjoyable.  I suspect I wont stick with this one for long...fearing a slew of single dimensional side characters and forced tension.

The series is available on YouTube in North America and Netflix elsewhere. 

Nippon Sangoku

    Japan as a modern society collapses following a century or neglect and knock-on effects from global irrelevance.  What takes its place is a fracturing into three spheres of influence that resemble the warring states period prior to the unification of the three great unifiers.  After his wife is killed by a callous official, Aoteru begins a journey to reunite the nation and bring back the prosperity of the past.

    The artwork is awkward but I enjoy most of the character work.  Japan has a strong link to the Three Kingdoms narratives of ancient China and a semi-unhealthy fascination with its own chivalrous era.  It will take a few more episodes to see if there is anything interesting in this story or if it will be a collection of misplaced hero worshiping and historical white washing.

The series is available on Amazon Prime. 

The Klutzy Class Monitor and the Girl with the Short Skirt

    Sakuradaimon is a school monitor who has a strong sense of duty and justice.  One girl brings trouble to the school code every day, with her dyed hair and too short skit.  Kohinata is trying to find her identity and refuses to bend to the strict rules of her school and ignores Sakuradaimon's harsh authority.  But something sparks in her when she realizes hes really just an idiot with a strong sense of duty and she begins to enjoy interacting with him.

    Sakuradaimon is pure and simple...a piece of wood.  His ridiculous sternness and sense of duty goes a long way to deliver the comedy.  The first episode established a lot of the ground work and built the two main characters relationship with a solid foundation.  It helps that the episode covered a handful of scenarios instead of trying to drag out a single plot line.  If it can continue to deliver a rapid pace of remotely connected scenarios this could be entertaining.

The series is available on Crunchyroll.

Pardon the Intrusion, I'm Home!

    Nakama is works a steady job and loves anime, setting up her apartment as a shrine.  Unfortunately the neighbor to her right pounds angrily on her wall when she watches anything other than Usaneko Club.  Her neighbor to the left learns of her troubles and offers to help her...but that help ends up being a confrontation leading to a large hole being created in her wall.  The angry neighbor is none other than the author of the Usaneko Cafe manga.  A surly petulant genius.  Blinded by her favorite creators sudden appearance she makes him dinner which leads to him demanding he prepare meals for her 3 times a day moving forward...

    The first episode sets up the characters personalities rather well, they all fit into recognizable archetypes.  Its funny to have a series about a girl who idolizes someone and now has to deal with them in a close basis, given last seasons Tamon's B-Side.  This is one of those stories you dont need or want a lot of depth too as the real meat will be the antics.  It will be interesting to see how creative it can get. 

The series is available on Crunchyroll.

I Made Friends with the Second Prettiest Girl in Class

    Maehara begins his high school career as he always does, comfortable in being alone.  He is not very good with social interactions and over time has resigned himself to being alone, enjoying his passions on his own.  That doesn't mean he doesn't yearn for companionship, he just isn't willing/able to put in the effort to accomplish it.  That changes when a girl named Asanagi befriends him over his love of campy horror movies.  Asanagi and her childhood friend Amami are the center of their class and wouldn't be the type of person that would connect with the gloomy weirdo.  However they share a lot more in common than anyone would guess.

     The entire premise of the series is nothing more than wishful thinking.  Its the fantasy that so many incels carry.  "I'm a special person, its just the other peoples responsibilities to figure that out".  Beyond the toxic roots of its premise, the friendship between these two unlikely kids is actually fun, Asanagi is a hyper weirdo and Maehara is largely comfortable around her.  Time will tell if this can keep up with this positivity or fall into the trap of generating awkward drama to change things up.  I suspect the later but time will tell.

 The series is available on Crunchyroll.

Eren the Southpaw

     Koichi wants to go to school for graphic design after high school.  When someone defaces a local art museum with graffiti he is fired up by its artists talent.  The artist is a co-ed named Eren who carries significant baggage about art and her dead father.

    Not sure what to take of this first episode, especially since its a prologue to the actual story.  Koichi is a it of an elitist, which might be an extension of the original manga's author.  It will be intersting to see how this preamble will tie into the larger story but will it be something compelling enough to make the viewer want to stick around for the conclusion?

The series is available on Crunchyroll. 

Even a Replica Can Fall in Love

    Nao is a replica of Sunao, a copy of the girl created initially out of desperation and emotional strain.  Over the years Sunao would conjure Nao into existence for companionship and eventually replacement.  Over the years, with reliance on her replica to participate in the things she did not want to, Sunao would grow more and more isolated and despondent.  Nao, being summoned more in the high school, begins to build her own separate life from the girl who controls her existence.

    At first I thought this was a sci-fi story that took place in a world were replica technology existed, like Blade Runner.  I was awaiting the explanation of the technology.  Instead we get a super natural origin for the replica, pushing aside all of the technological concerns.  This deftly clears that way for what could be a very profound story about self worth and the dangers of convenience.  I am quite excited to continue this story and see how deep its psychoanalysis goes. 

The series is available on Crunchyroll. 

 Rent A Girlfriend 5

    Picked up immediately after the end of the last season, we get a crash course on Mami's upbringing and what shaped her personality and intention aimed at destroying Kazuya.  At the last moment Chizuru backs off of Mami's plan to come clean to his grandmother...extending the conflict.

    I was dreading returning to this series, as the last season was such a terrible waste of time.  This first episode did well however, even if it tried to trick the audience into sympathizing with our villain....Mami.  But it ended with more delay in the resolution of the biggest problem, the lie about Chuzuru not being Kazuya's girlfriend.  How much longer can it go and how much more fanservice can be jammed in? 

The series is available on Crunchyroll.

Gal's Can't be Kind to Otaku?

    Seo is an introverted otaku who's main obsession is a girl aimed version of Pokemon.  The girl in front of him in class is one of two gyaru, Ijichi, is outgoing and bubbly.  She grabs a limited edition erasure from his desk and in the process of him trying to get it back, Ijichi's friend, a more stoic model type, Amane, inadvertently lets it slip that shes a fan of the show as well.  This minor slip up leads the two girls to continue interacting with the bewildered outcast who struggles to recognize their sincerity.

    While a cute and amusing comedy this is literally otaku fantasy.  Its the tired trope of the super hot girl finally recognizes the qualities of the dejected protagonist and instigates an unlikely relationship with them.  It is very by the books, not offering anything new and when compared to the other story of the same concept, Second Prettiest Girl, I'm not sure this one will last as long as that one.

The series is available on Crunchyroll. 

 

The Warrior Princess and the Barbariuc King

    Defeated in battle, Serafina finds herself a prisoner of war by the heir to the throne of the barbarian horde.  Her people have been battling them for years, attempting to expand their country.  In the clutches of the enemy she expects the worse to happen to her.  Instead she is the subject of a strange courtship ritual as the man who defeated her, Veor, wants her to be his bride, following a long tradition of his people to find brides in warrior women faced in combat.

    Its kind of hard to rationalize forced marriage, especially via intentional Stockholm syndrome.  However, the series is trying to present its self as easy going and playful as the 'antagonist' is kind and well meaning, just following his peoples ways.  That doesn't make the basis of the concept any less problematic, but I think the charisma of the characters might make it less troublesome...time will tell.

The series is available on Crunchyroll.

A Hundred Scenes from Awajima

     Set in a prestigious all girls high school, Awajima Revue, the story follows a number of different students as they try to find their way along the stressful path of academic success where the bar is set to extreme heights.  Friendship is fragile in a world filled with competition and success.

    This was a 100% include in my watch list as its the latest adaptation of one of my favorite manga artists,  Shimura Takako.  I have not had the chance to read this manga yet, so the story is fresh and new.  I am excited but anxious for the drama and heart break. .   Bring it on!

The series is available on Crunchyroll.

Kujima, Why Sing When You Can Warble

     On his way home from school one day, Arata encounters a strange being calling its self Kujima.  Kujima is a tall humanoid being that slightly resembles a bird?  It can use human speech and tells the bewildered middle school student about an unconventional life following the death of his parents.  He was raised by a kindly Russian man but eventually told that he needs to rejoin his own species and suggested him go to Japan to do so.  Kujima, unaccustomed to living as a wild thing asks Arata and his family if he can winter with them before looking for his own kind.

    Its hard to say where this weird and quaint series is going to go!  Kujima feels both benevolnt and malevolent.  Just what are this weird creatures intentions and will his time with the Koda family become a catalyst for them to become closer again?  Weird series so far that leaves way more questions than answers in the first episode...Kujima is a little unsettling.

The series is available on Crunchyroll.

Botan Kamina Fully Blossoms When Drunk

    Botan is a first year college student who is started to dip into the finer things of being an adult.  She discovers that the RA in her dorm likes to drink, but does it in private due to being embarrassed about her consistent hiccups.  Her RA feels comfortable enjoying alcohol with Botan, but Botan seems to switch personalities with alcohol.

    At first I was excited about this prospect, not knowing anything about the story. A story about adults with a side plate of yuri?  But what we got, at least in the first episode...and I'm rather disappointed.  The idea of the characters being adults only seems to exist in the premise that they are drinking.  Otherwise they act like an otaku's version of moe girls...and its rather annoying.  I don't know how many more episodes I will get through but its really gotta turn its self around from being....rather pointless.

The series is available on Crunchyroll.

First Look at the New Titles for Winter of 2026

 It's that time once again!  A whole new batch of shows to add to the watch list, letting you ignore you're growing pile of shame.  Here are the ones that have piqued my interest...kind of a sparse season for me...hopefully it means I can meaningfully address my pile of shame!

 

Tamon's B-Side

     Utage is a fan girl for the bad boy of a rising boy band called F/ACE, Tamon.  She ends up covering for another woman at the cleaning company she works for and comes face to face with her God.  Unfortunately while not in the spot light he is a gloomy, depressed introvert who struggles constantly with his self image.  Did Utage see something she was never meant to see?

    This is cute and feels a little like The Wallflower.  Utage is a straight up fan girl, almost to the point of dangerous.  What makes this interesting is the drastic switches and twists in the presentation.  Honestly this may be the best show of the season...

The series is being released on Crunchyroll. 

Journal With Witch

    Asa, a sudden orphan, is taken in by her estranged aunt Makio.  Makio is someone who is incompatible with sharing space with other people but could not sit by as their family debated ignoring the girl in the depths of her grief out of being inconvenient.  Both have to navigate each other while dealing with grief in their own way.

    I always appreciate a nice grounded drama centered around realistic human experiences and interactions.  I would like this one to actually have a resolution to its overall plot but I'm not going to hold my breath.

This series is being released on Crunchyroll. 

 

Hana-Kimi

     Mizuki has decided to transfer to a private boy school in Japan in order to get closer to her idol, a high jumper named Izumi.  The problem...she has to pretend to be a boy while attending the school.

    Many of the beats to the first episode made me think of Here is Greenwood.  Its not going to get anywhere near the weirdness and comedy of that series and I am not sure if I can stomach an entire season of Mizuki struggling to hide her secret.  Like its just not realistically possible for the way she is presenting.  But for now, I will keep up with the show until it gives me a reason to stop.

This series is being released on Crunchyroll.

Wash It All Away

    Kinme is an energetic young woman who runs a small cleaning service all by her self in the seaside town of Atami.  (I cheated a little even though it started to hint at it in the first episode) Kinme lost her memory and with nothing else going on she has devoted herself to taking pride in her business.

    I am not sure how I feel about this one, but since its legit a mystery story I think I will have to stick with it in the long run.  The first episode was OK, but it seemed to lack something.  It may just be a really slow burning story, given you gotta work to stretch out a mysterious past thing pretty hard to keep people interested.  But there is a fine line that might be crossed and bury the whole thing in ennui.

This series is being released on Crunchyroll. 

My Hero Academia Vigilantes season 2

    Its been some time since the end of the first season.  Koichi and Pop Step are carrying on, occupied with the continuing work promoting a local department store.  They are about to find themselves smack dab in the middle of the growing effort by the authorities to squash the illegal villina drug distribution ring.

     Season one was fantastic and brought a lot of enjoyment.  Episode 1 of the new season doesn't disappoint.  I wonder how long this side story can go in the somewhat vacuum of the original series concluding.

This series is being released on Crunchyroll. 

You and I are Polar Opposites

     Miyu isn't your typical gyaru, she's studious and internally concerned about how others see her.  She is also madly in love with the quiet nerdy boy in class, Tani.  She is so madly in love with him she finds it difficult to talk to him normally and cherishes every interaction she has with him but struggles to make her feelings known out of her deep insecurity.

    This may be the top romance of the season.  This is the perfect series for those who love the romance portion of Dan Da Dan and want to only focus on that.  I was happily surprised by how wholesome and sweet the first episode of this series was and can't wait to see more!

The series is being released on Cruchyroll.

Oshi no Ko season 3 

    The story picks up six months after he end of season two and B Komachi is moving up in the idol world.  But things are tense between everyone following Aqua's declaration of getting into a legitimate relationship with Akane.

    Its good to be back into this story and at least with the first episode, we are shifting attention.  Season two was primarily focused on Aqua and everything revolving around the stage production but this time we might be getting more with Ruby.  Things look to be getting spicy!

The series is being released on both Hi Dive and Crunchyroll.

Frieren Beyond Journey's End season 2

    Frieren, Fern and Stark are through their ordeal and back on the road, continuing their journey North.  They are entering a land that is beginning to stir again with agitation and conflict. 

    AFter quite a bit of a break we are back with the laid back fantasy series that largely focuses on introspection and personal relationships over action and spectacle.  I was really upset with how the series ended before the pause, wasting so much time on that stupid test arc.  But now we are back on the road and I couldn't be happier.  We shall see how the story progresses from here but I will enjoy it while I can.

The series is being released on Crunchyroll.

First Look at the New Titles for the Fall of 2025

 Its time to roll into the Fall season!!  Here is a peek at the shows that I will at least watch the first episodes of...and this season, at least for me, is looking pretty dismal.

 

Yano-kuns Ordinary Days

    Class rep. Yoshida has a caring nature about her, particularly due to having to look after two younger siblings.  Her nature kicks into overdrive when the boy next to here, Yano, is cursed with misfortune and arrives to school everyday with persistent and escalating injuries.  She pushes through his easy going attitude to figure out what she can do to make his life easier, even if she can't stop his clumsy nature.

    It will be interesting to see how this story can break out of the already exhausted joke of Yano's continuous injury through oblivious personality.   It is nice to have a reverse in the detested care taker trope that has existed in anime for a long time know, where the strong male figure is compelled to care for the dojikko girl.  Yoshida feels like a motherly version of Hori Kyoko...but Yano is terribly boring and rote.  We shall see how long this lasts on the watch list but the first episode wasn't terrible.  Yano himself is a bad character and the artwork in general isn't great.

This series is streaming on Crunchyroll.

A Star Brighter Than the Sun

    Sae has always been taller than the other girls and in elementary school many of the boys.  On her first day of elementary school she fell in love with a smaller boy named Koki and they became close friends up until middle school.  At the end of middle school she realizes her old friend has become bigger, stronger and popular.  Can she still harbor her feelings for him, especially since theyve grown a part the past few years?  When they end up in the same class again in high school she thinks it may be time to open up to him.  But it might be tool late.

    This is a really sweet story so far.  Sae is presented as a self conscious character in a natural and believable way.  Her friendship with Koki over the years was one of mutual respect and Koki appears to be the kind of character that's nice to everyone, causing stress on Sae's internal dialogue, things we have seen countless times before.  But this one seems like it will be a nice take on this romance trope and I look forward to seeing their relationship develop.

This series is streaming on Amazon Prime. 

Let's play

    Sam is an aspiring game developer who finally released a passion project she worked on in college that received encouraging feedback on an indy game platform until a popular streamer attacks the game as unplayable, causing a firestorm of negative opinions.  Things get awkward when she learns the streamer is her new neighbor.  Side note, her day job is a corporate grunt for her fathers company and her supervisor is trying to mold her to be his replacement by treating her like...well a regular employee.

     I'm not sure how I feel about this one.  I like Sam as a character from a few angles, but all of the other characters are not to the same standard.  She seems to be surrounded by a Friends like level of agreeable companions but is too distracted with her own life to repay their attention.  She also had some sort of hospitalization as a child that incubated her dream of game development that should come into play more as the story progress's.  I will stick with this one for now, purely based on the strength of the main character, even though much of the things around her are...caricatures of reality.

This series is streaming on Crunchyroll. 

My Awkward Senpai

     Kannawa is good at her job but terrible at interacting with others.  To protect her unease she has cultivated a stern and authoritative outer shell that acts as a ward to those around her.  She does this to protect herself as she doesn't know how to interact with people shes unfamiliar with.  Her plan has worked well until she is assigned to mentor her departments newest employee.  Concerned that she may be letting down the new hire she begins to change her projected personality and begin become more adept at communication...but how easy will it be to change herself quickly?

    I enjoy work place comedies as stories devoid of kids are hard to find in the anime landscape.  One of the best has to be Servant x Service and this is a bit of a far cry form that one, aside from the bust sizes of most of the women in the office...  The first episode really doesn't dig into why or how Kannawa is the way she is.  She isn't presented as a sympathetic character as her own problems are her fault.  Not sure how long this one will stick in the queue...but I'll give it a few more episodes.  I don't suspect there will be much more than the premise already laid out in the first episode.  Count on their being a semi romantic twist to things at some point.

This series is streaming on Crunchyroll.

Potion, Waga Mi o Tasukeru

    Kaede finds herself in an unfamiliar alley in a strange town out of some RPG.  After spending all day trying to figure her surroundings out she notices a book she didn't put in her backpack.  In it is a note telling her to use its pages to survive in this world.  With in are a few pages for creating potions that only require her to gather them and utter a the word generate. After crafting some basic potions over night she sells them at the first opportunity...for now she finally has money for food and a room at an inn...now what.

     I famously dislike isekai, but something made me watch to watch this, perhaps because of it not seeming like some power fantasy spectacle.  At first I was off-put by the limited animation but the first episode was fun so far, only time will tell how interesting it will really be. 

This series is not available for streaming in English. 

Spy x Family season 3

    We once again return to the world of spy's and intrigue and a bit of weird.  OK, a lot of weird.  Loid still has his mission to accomplish in order to ensure peace between the East and West for the time being...too bad it all hinges on Anya.   How closer can he get to finishing this job before the season ends and will he actually develop feelings for Yor?

    I am really happy to have this show returning...I still need to watch the movie however.  This first episode brings us right back into things with two stories reminding us why we love the good guys.  To be fair, some of the past arcs in the Academy bored me but its a central to the actual plot of the story so I have to bear with it.

This series is streaming on Crunchyroll.

 To Your Eternity season 3 (10/4)

    When we last saw Fushi he settled in to a long sleep at Renril as he started a plan to emesh himself into everything he could on the surface of the planet, until he eradicates the Nokker threat and peace descends.  Unknown centuries/millennia later he awakes to a world of 'peace' finding himself in modern times.  In his travels he ends up in this worlds equivalent to Japan and is adopted by a hyperactive high schooler who also believes heavily in the occult/super natural and the legends of Fushi.  Its time for Fushi to gather his companions so they may live out their unnatural lives in peace and security.

    I suspect this season of To Your Eternity comes as shock with its shift in setting for those who have not read the manga.  Unfortunately the series was not completed when Crunchyroll closed the doors on their first manga platform, so I don't know how this arc and the story ends.  But I am happy to see this part of the story animated and eagerly await its conclusion. 

This series if streaming on Crunchyroll. 

 Touring After the Apocalypse

    Two young girls find themselves in the overgrown countryside of Japan, humanity has vanished and nature is creeping into replace  it.  Yoko, who pilots the electric motorcycle is chasing after memories of her older sister and her journeys before everything changed.

     At first I wasn't sure about this show, believing it wasn't going to dig into the reason the world was devoid of people.  But about 13 minutes into it it went sideways and I think this is going to be equal part sci-fi and equal part iyashikei.  Here I was thinking it was going to be a generic attempt at capturing the heart of Girls Last Tour...but no, this seems more like a prequel to Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou.

This series is streaming on Crunchyroll. 

 Ranma 1/2 season 2

    We swing right back into the story with the introduction of a character the original anme adaptation snubbed, Gosunkugi Hikaru as he replaces Sasuke in his rightful roll and works to understand is Ranma has any weaknesses.

    Its so good to have this remake return!  The first season did a great job of breathing new life into this classic manga and wiping away the ills of the original anime.  This season is set to be a banger with the introduction of so many fantastic characters.  The big question on everyone's mind....how will they address Happosai and his...predilections in a different social environment?

This series is streaming on Netflix.

A Mangaka's Weird Wonderful Workplace

    Futami is a new manga artist who's uncertainty and self doubt does much to cripple her decision making process.  The only way she gets anything done is through her reliable assistant.   To make matters worse her editor at the magazine struggles to properly communicate in a manner that eliminates Futami's concerns.

    This is a run of the mill comedy full of cute female characters living idyllic care free lives.  It leans heavily into caricatures of the characters professions and a world devoid of real conflict.  In other words, we have another iyashikei comedy on our hands that isn't too bad.  Time will tell if its going to be memorable or not, but at least the characters aren't designed for the male gaze.

This series is streaming on Crunchyroll. 

 Chitose is in the Ramune Bottle

    Chitose Saku is a talented student with a positive disposition and group of close friends.  His homeroom teacher tasks him with trying to get a boy in his class back to school, since he's been absent since the prior year.  Being the ideal person he believes himself to be, he sets out to break through the shut in's defensive walls.

    Since the first episode is largely set up and I suspect a lot of the story is going to be about this popular guy and his clique getting to know the hikkikomori otaku, its hard to say how this story will be.  After the first episode, I don't like it.  Chitose is obnoxious as is his not-harem.  Not to link myself to the dreary angry otaku, Chitose embodies the people I disliked in my school days.  But of course there is some darkness mystery around our perfect model student, who even takes slander with stride.  This story needs to do a lot of work in the next few episodes to change my mind.

This series is streaming on Crunchyroll. 

Gintama - Mr. Ginpachi's Zany Class

    Based on omake from the original Gintama manga and shown in the TV anime adaptation, Gintoki's high school teacher doppelganger, Ginpachi, holds class for a greater period now in this stand alone series wrapping all the familiar personalities from Gintama into alternate versions of themselves.

    Its been a while since we saw anything new for Gintama and this weirdness is welcomed.  It had been even longer since I've watched anything related to it and it didn't take long to get reacquainted to the large cast of misfits.  Here's hoping this one can do a good job with the humor, but it may have a hard time with the fantastic  A Terrified Teacher at Ghoul School from earlier this year.

This series is streaming on Crunchyroll and anime.com

Gnosia (10/12)

    A ship of 5 refugees fled a world over run by an aggressive alien species the Gnos.  They are bent on wiping out humanity and pretend to be humans to do so. The ships computer detects a Gnos life form but is unable to determine exactly which of the inhabitants is the culprit.  The world they are trying to land on has tasked them with rooting out the danger or face destruction to protect themselves.  The people aboard the ship must play a game of social deduction to save themselves.

 Based on the video game of the same name, this is a flashy representation of the well known social deduction genre of games.  Perhaps most famously, Among Us or the boardgame Blood on the Clocktower.  You could also liken this to the classic body horror movie The Thing.  So we know the general idea of how the series will go, chock full of lies, twists an deliberate misinformation.  That alone would be meh, because all that really matters is the ultimate resolution.  Yet this story with its relatively high production value animation immediately presents an interesting world to build.  I'm not as concerned with who is the bad guy in the story, I am more interested in what the universe they exist in is like...it seems really intriguing and I enjoyed the first episode for that reason.  The ending was a bit...dumb?  We'll see is each week is just a reset of the game potentially adding different players.  I really want to know more about the world though!

This series is streaming on Crunchyroll.