Another anime season is upon us, and that means it’s time once again for our first impressions! Over the next several weeks, our writers will be sampling a wide range of new and returning shows and sharing their early thoughts—what excites us, what surprises us, and what might be worth adding to your watchlist. This… Read More Summer 2026 Anime First Impressions
For the fourth episode of season two, I had the pleasure of speaking with singer-songwriter Hana Hope. Anime fans may know Hana from her work singing themes* on Spice and Wolf, Fate/Grand Order, and most recently, my favorite anime of spring 2026, A Hundred Scenes of AWAJIMA. But while her music first drew me to… Read More Something Genuine Season 2, Ep. 4: Hana Hope on Music, Identity, and Finding Her Voice
People are more than numbers. This was part of my pedagogical philosophy when I was a high school history teacher (now many moons ago). Despite dealing with events long past and the frequent discussions of the numbers of people involved in those events, I hoped to help my students understand that they were studying the… Read More Rei Ayanami and the Imago Dei
A wise cat of the magical Cait Sith race has just birthed her kittens, but she’s about to discover another infant to add to her brood—a baby dragon who had been orphaned, but hatches because of the magic that spills over from the kitten births. Defenseless and not having the smell of a threat, he… Read More First Impression: The Cat and the Dragon
Check out these kawaii, cutecore-esque fanart pieces of Ichigo, Rukia, and Orihime from Bleach—just in time for the new season of the series dropping! I like the Orihime cooking-baking one the best. What about you? ★ 【야텅코】 「 🍓🍞🫐 」
News dropped that the Demon Slayer Infinity Castle movie is finally hitting Crunchyroll for streaming (on July 29th), so we’re celebrating by posting these amazing illustrations of those brave Hashira! ★ 【灸場メロ】 「 柱 」
After his party defeats the demon king, Eftal the sage is recognized as one of the four greatest mages in the realm. Then he gets old and trains a new generation of young magic users. Eftal reveals to Merlin (one of his students) that he was never truly satisfied because he was never the strongest;… Read More First Impression: From Overshadowed to Overpowered: Second Reincarnation of a Talentless Sage
Melody is the sole servant at an impoverished noble estate. In the span of a couple weeks, she’s completely transformed the dilapidated mansion, and then she helps the estate’s resident, Luciana, host a tea party. That about covers the first three minutes, and the rest of the episode is flashbacks, in which we learn about… Read More First Impression: Heroine? Saint? No, I’m an All-Works Maid (And Proud of It)!
Interested in watching thoughtful, human-centered conversations with people connected to anime?
Watch Something Genuine, our interview series that cuts through the noise and focuses on the people behind the costumes, in front of the mics, and watching anime, just like you and me. Season two premieres on May 27th.