We’re just days away from the summer 2023 anime season and it is coming in hot! A couple of series return/begin this week with Saturday effectively being the start of the new season.
As has become the norm, new seasons and cours of popular series receive the most attention. What’s really cool about summer 2023 is that there’s some diversity even within sequels. You’ve got the usual shounen adventures (Jujutsu Kaisen, BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War – The Separation –); divisive series (Mushoku Tensei, Rent-a-Girlfriend); romcoms (Masamune-kun’s Revenge R); and a new trend of side-story seasons (Horimiya: The Missing Pieces, The Quintessential Quintuplets ∽).
Perhaps the most exciting part of any anime season, though, is “discovering” brand new series, whether original or based on another work. The summer brings a lot of potentially cool new shows like The Girl I Like Forgot Her Glasses, Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead, Saint Cecilia and Pastor Lawrence, and My Happy Marriage. And here are a few potential wild cards for y’all as well: AYAKA, The Masterful Cat is Depressed Again Today, Helck, Dark Gathering, and Hiromu Arakawa’s autobiographical anime, Hyakushou Kizoku (The Peasant Noble).
As usual, we’ll help separate the wheat from the chaff as we post our first impressions of new and many returning series. We’ll post frequently as anime are made available through legal means, using this page as a master post to keep track of all our summer 2023 anime first impression posts and for our staff to add additional thoughts to those articles.
Keep checking back as we make updates, click on the links below as we develop this post, and let us know what you’re thinking in the comments!
Am I Actually the Strongest? • Atelier Ryza: Ever Darkness & the Secret Hideout The Animation • AYAKA • Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War Part 2: The Separation • Dark Gathering • The Dreaming Boy is a Realist • Fate/strange Fake – Whispers of Dawn • The Gene of AI • The Girl I Like Forgot Her Glasses • The Great Cleric • Helck • Horimiya: The Missing Pieces • Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2 • Level 1 Demon Lord & One Room Hero • Liar, Liar • Masamune-kun’s Revenge R • The Masterful Cat Is Depressed Again Today • The Most Heretical Last Boss Queen: From Villainess to Savior • My Unique Skill Makes Me OP even at Level 1 • Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation 2nd Season • My Happy Marriage • My Tiny Senpai • Ooku: The Inner Chambers • Reborn as a Vending Machine, I Now Wander the Dungeon • Reign of the Seven Spellblades • Saint Cecilia and Pastor Lawrence • Sweet Reincarnation • SYNDUALITY: Noir • Undead Murder Farce • Yohane the Parhelion -SUNSHINE in the MIRROR • Zom 100: The Bucket List of the Dead
Am I Actually the Strongest?
First Impression: twwk
If you’re looking for a fun isekai series that doesn’t take itself too seriously (and doesn’t want you to take it too seriously either), look no further than Am I Actually the Strongest? Although episode one felt a little scattered and a little too much occurred (the MC’s death, rebirth, abandonment, victory, adoption, growth, reveal of his doppelganger, and display of power, whew!), all is forgiven because of how entertaining it was.
Jeskai
The humor just didn’t land for me with this one. It felt ridiculous but not actually funny. Not going to keep watching.
Streaming on Crunchyroll.
Atelier Ryza: Ever Darkness & the Secret Hideout The Animation
First Impression: Negativeprimes
I’m not familiar with the source material, and while the storyline was fine, I thought it was executed with pretty middle-of-the-road quality. There’s nothing either surprising or awful here; it’s a standard kind of story, but at 48 minutes of runtime, it felt kind of stretched—and yet at the same time, certain plot points (Why did the boys agree to go with her so easily? Why didn’t they get more than a slap on the wrist for such dangerous misbehavior?) could have used more depth. I feel like we’re just getting set up for the real plot to come in the following episodes (shonen’s gotta shonen, after all).
claire
Full disclosure, although I tried valiantly, I only made it through half of this 48-minute-long premiere. I was immediately struck by the luscious background art, and then…by the blinding shine emanating from Ryza’s thighs (which are so rotund as to be easily mistaken for anatomy to the north of upper thighs) in nearly every shot. There were some man abs too on display, one set for about every five luminous butt-thighs, but they did not shine, which I found disappointing. Which made me worried for my own sanity. Also, all they literally did was run around and talk about running around. Despite all the shine, this was pretty dull!
Jeskai
This was meh. It’s just kind of bland and generic. I soldiered through both episodes, but the show failed to earn my interest.
Streaming on Crunchyroll.
AYAKA
First Impression: twwk
There really isn’t anything here to get excited about apart from the usual conventions, and that’s problematic for a shonen series, where episode one really needs to show viewers something special and distinctive. Instead, the dialogue is stilted, scenes move just a little too slowly, and the animation looks dated—as if the series was made in 2010 rather than in 2023. And while you could do worse than Ayaka—and if you love love love shonen, you should try this series out—you could do a whole lot better, too, both within the anime action-adventure genre and just in general this summer anime season. I won’t be returning for a second episode.
Streaming on Crunchyroll.
Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War Part 2: The Separation
First Impression: twwk
I’m too invested to give up at this point, but my expectations are tempered, or rather, more in line with what I know from having read this arc in manga form. On the plus side, I do like how one can explore the themes of genocide and vengeance that are so heavy in this arc, as well as parallels to the Third Reich. There’s a lot to dig through here. The OP is pretty strong , too (though the ED is forgettable), as is expected from the series. Plus, RUKIA. More Rukia, please! At least we get to see her in this opening episode and she’ll continue to play a part in the arc, which is moving along at a nice pace. And that might be the best thing I can say at this point: at least we’re past the age of fillers and moving toward an end to this once-great series.
Samuru
Bleach is back and this final arc continues to its finale. There’s still a lot of ground to cover and I am here for all of it. This episode was a little slow around the middle and end which showed how various characters were doing. As Twwk mentioned, there are way too many people in this anime, to the point that some of the Sternritter reminded me of the Arrancar’s personalities or even their looks. It’s hard to keep things fresh when you have literally over a dozen new faces added, which again as Twwk mentioned is this final arc’s weakness. I also read all the manga, so I know what is coming so I am hopeful this will close the chapter on this anime, or maybe it will continue. Who knows!
Streaming on Hulu.
Dark Gathering
First Impression: twwk
The newest supernatural/exorcist anime series has some things going for it, but it feels pieced together and has an odd tone. It all begins and ends with middle-schooler Yayoi. Having reviewed volume one of the manga, I was prepared for this unusual lead character whose design conveys a duality: she has a cute side, conveyed by her colorful clothing and dry sense of humor; and she acts in a way that is verging on evil, represented by her eyes, which look like skulls. But despite these unusual characteristics, Yayoi isn’t a very memorable character. Her voice is soft and she’s not terribly likable. We’re supposed to find her compelling, but I don’t feel any type of strong emotion toward her. The same can be said about the responsible Keitaro and the kind Eiko. They’re all just kind of there. The bloody and violent spirit scenes are also muted, neither exciting nor scary…
Streaming on HIDIVE.
The Dreaming Boy is a Realist
First Impression: Jeskai Angel
This episode strongly implies that Aika is going to turn out to be a tsundere who didn’t actually hate Wataru’s attention nearly as much as she indicated. The path forward from here probably involves Wataru and Aika working through their misunderstandings and mistakes in comedic fashion. And you know, I think I’m on board with that (at least enough to give the show a couple more episodes). This is yet another high school romcom, and it has no qualities that particularly distinguish it from the rest of its genre, but it does its thing well enough to be mildly enjoyable.
claire
There’s a tv skit from Goodness Gracious Me that is really famous in the UK, where a bunch of friends in Mumbai “go for an English” and try to out-posture one another by ordering the blandest thing on the menu. “What’s the blandest thing you have?” one cool guy asks daringly. Well, I can tell you what the blandest thing in the Summer Anime Season is: this here dire series. And I’m not just talking about the writing, the dialogue, the premise, and the characters, which are so mundane that I can’t even say we’ve seen this before because everything we’ve seen before had at least a bit of spark to it somewhere. I’m also talking about the animation. Not a single interesting thing happens plotwise or artistically in these entire 23 minutes. I feel like someone just won a bet.
*Look, the people don’t even have faces! Ultimate bland.
Josh
Oh look, yet another high school romcom. I’ll be dawg gone. Okay, what’s the special gimmick with this one. Boy doesn’t know how to take rejection by the girl he likes until he suddenly gets the clue and leaves her alone? Well…that sounds…boring. Seriously, I was watching this episode looking at the episode clock like “This isn’t over YET?” I was bored with this one, guys. The characters are not interesting, the story is dull, and the production is as bland and uninteresting as unseasoned chicken breast. Is there some potential here for this show to be better with more episodes? Heck, there’s potential for ANY show to improve, as seen by The Dangers in My Heart, but the thing is, you have to give the viewer SOME hope in your first episode. And honestly, I don’t see it here. We were feasting well during the Spring 2023 anime season my friends…now it looks like we’re on a diet.
twwk
Why exactly is “the dreaming boy” a realist? Why does the world seem to stop when a soccer ball flies in and hits him? Drops to the ground? Is there more to this series than bland romcom? I guess we’ll find out, but even if not, I found the first episode quite entertaining. It was a bit scattered and jumbled, but here’s hoping that the show will find its mark after a slightly bumpy beginning (I think back to Oregairu and tons of other romcoms that took a while to find their voices).
Streaming on HIDIVE.
Fate/strange Fake – Whispers of Dawn
First Impression: claire
This hour-long episode is a teaser of sorts for the television series that has just been announced today and which will adapt the full Fate/strange Fake novel. And a somewhat cruel teaser at that, since we must now wait untold months before seeing the full realization of what promises to be a fresh, engaging storyline in a major franchise. But it may equally be described as a taster—a low-stakes entry point for the uninitiated into what can at times feel like an intimidating franchise.
Jeskai
Wow, that was indeed visually spectacular. I loved how they went wild and made a magical dog one of the masters this time. Also, Gilgamesh is awesome and I’m always on board for more of him. And I’m curious to see what the show does with its American setting. My only complaint is that there were way too many palm trees in the outdoor shots for a city called Snowfield. So yeah, if the goal of this special was to pique my interest for the upcoming series…it succeeded with flying colors.
Streaming on Crunchyroll.
The Gene of AI
First Impression: sleepminusminus
The Gene of AI is asking a lot of fascinating questions about technology, artificial intelligence, identity, personality, and the value of human life. These are timely questions given the current popularity of AI and the ongoing effects of social acceleration. And visual media is placed in a uniquely fitting position to answer these questions, at the crossroads of art and entertainment…The challenge here will be to tell a novel and compelling story about where technology is taking us as a global society. And given the lackluster direction of this premiere, both visually and narratively, that will be a steep hill to climb.
claire
I enjoyed this one! It’s true the animation is a tad flat-footed and there is no standout conflict driving the plot yet, but what we get in its place is intriguing: a layered network of tensions, questions, and hints that society is near its breaking point. It is a world where one percent of the population are artificial humanoids with unique personalities that demand the kind of legal protections enjoyed by humans–not just for something as simplistic as “robot rights,” but for the safety of human beings as well. This premiere offers a fresh take on the interdependency of humanity and its machine creations, “the children of men,” and that’s a rare thing indeed. I’m here for a few more episodes at least!
NegativePrimes
All right, Gene of AI is definitely going at the top of my watch list this season, for three reasons! First, the main character is named “Sudo,” and as anyone who’s ever used a Linux or Unix computer knows, “sudo” is the command to access administrator privileges. That can’t be an accident: we even see Dr. Sudo gaining administrator access to another character’s brain at one point. Second, episode one reminded me of a book I read many years ago, Gordon Rattray Taylor’s The Biological Time Bomb. Writing after the advent of the nuclear bomb but before the digital revolution, Taylor argued that biological technologies were about to create a host of ethical problems even greater than those posed by nuclear technologies. (He also included a timeline of when he predicted certain technologies, like animal cloning, to become possible; the timeline is eerily accurate.) Taylor’s argument was not that technology is bad, nor that we should react to it in a certain way; he simply said (my paraphrase), “These are the ethical questions we will face, and it is better to answer them now rather than later, once the technology is already in our hands.” Taylor does admit his own opinions, which usually run contrary to mine (e.g. he’s for human cloning, while I am opposed); but he’s not arguing that his opinions are the right answers—only that these questions require answers. In the same way, Gene of AI poses ethical questions (Should we be able to duplicate personalities? Should humans get computerized brain implants? etc.) without giving us “the answer”; instead, it shows us how the characters answer these questions, without glossing over either the positive or negative effects. It’s like a computer-focused take on Taylor’s book, but told as a story. Finally, the third reason is that I have an interest in anime portrayals of mental illness, and the kinds of technological side effects we see in episode one function very well as a metaphor for such disabilities and how they affect the patient and their loved ones. What if you could restore a mentally ill person’s brain to a previous, healthy point in their life? What would the cost be? Would it even be the same person? How do you interact with someone who is mentally impaired? These kinds of questions strike close to home for me, so I’ll most assuredly be keeping an eye on this series!
Streaming on Crunchyroll.
The Girl I Like Forgot Her Glasses
First Impression: Josh
Remember last season when I said that anime fans were feasting with all the different offerings available? Well, so far, I think we’re eating a lot of leftovers. And I might have to put this one in the leftovers category—good, but we’ve seen this before. I mean, this show seems like it’s just going to rely on the same gag over and over again—Ai forgot her glasses, Kaede helps her and gets flustered, Ai appreciates the help, and the two are closer. Wash, rinse, repeat. Our main characters are endearing enough and funny enough to watch for an entire episode, but only time will tell if they become more than their typical “Love-struck boy helps clueless girl” tropes.
stardf29
Having read some of the manga (currently available on the MangaUp! service), I was looking forward to this one, although knowing that GoHands was going to put their hands on it definitely shook me a bit. And the opening cinematics definitely were a bit too extra for my tastes. Thankfully, the animation settled down during the main part of the episode to not be too intrusive. Overall, I enjoyed this one a lot; it might not be anything groundbreaking, but it’s another cute romcom about a pair of dorks and I’m all for more romcoms about a pair of dorks.
twwk
I’ll echo stardf29’s sentiments here—once the episode stopped showing off and transitioned more or less into a regular romcom, it became much better. In fact, the opening episode was delightful. Mie is a funny character (both “funny: haha” and “funny: is there something off about her?”) and Komura’s thoughts were cute and entertaining. I’m worried that Mie somehow being so blind that she can’t see her hand in front of her is going to wear down as a plot device pretty quickly (I’m that blind as well and could never forget my glasses or contacts, and always had emergency pairs when I was young!), but if the show somehow finds a creative way to make it work, the series could be a fun ride.
Jeskai
I believe the word “overwrought,” meaning “too elaborate or complicated in design or construction,” was invented just for this opening episode. The cinematographic flourishes to otherwise pedestrian scenes lent the whole thing an air of melodrama. In addition, the Mie-forgot-her-glasses gag could get old fast. That said, what’s underneath the frills and bells is cute enough that I’ll come back for at least a couple more episodes.
Streaming on Crunchyroll.
The Great Cleric
First Impression: Jeskai Angel
I’m a fan of the light novels, but even I’m underwhelmed by this opening episode. It’s a lackluster beginning to yet another isekai anime, with nothing to distinguish it from countless others. I mean, Luciel fumbles around ignorantly, meets a few pretty ladies, and studies a book, all while he and the ladies provide a bit of exposition. That’s about it. About the only high point is that Luciel is enjoyable goofy and his ignorance of the world leads to some pretty funny reactions. I plan to stick around for at least a couple more episodes, since I’m fond of the books and know the story gets a lot better and more interesting from here. For now, I’ll just promote the light novels to you, because “It gets better. Probably,” is a pretty weak basis for recommending an anime’s bland first episode.
Streaming on Crunchyroll.
Helck
First Impression: Gaheret
I found the campy back-and-forth really funny. Yet, without breaking that tone, something more serious is creeping into the background. We hear of Demon Lords sacrificing themselves so that their subjects might evacuate, empty towns with apples and drinks still on the tables, and intriguing flashbacks showing us the hero without his perpetual smile. Add to that the cool, Celtic-sounding music, a cool opening, and my favorite ending of the season, which teases intriguing new characters and relationships, and you have my interest. I had a glorious time with this one, and I cannot wait for episode two.
Streaming on HiDive.
Horimiya: The Missing Pieces
First Impression: twwk
It is great fun to see these characters again. The original was initially so fantastic because of these wonderful characters, lovely music, great animation, and powerfully nostalgic tone. But in the end, it didn’t work, because only Hori and Miyamura’s story felt complete; we didn’t get to know most of the other characters well enough to care about them finishing their arcs, and so The Missing Pieces enables us to get to know these boys and girls (and adults, too) a little better. But the framework of the original show makes this side story a little odd. It jumps around in time, which sounds creative and could make sense, except that, again, I don’t know these characters very well, so it’s hard to reminisce about and enjoy their stories fully.
Josh
You know, when I heard that we would be getting more Horimiya, my initial reaction was “Oh, sweet! More episodes with these adorable dorks going through life. Maybe we get to see their summer vacation days or see how these guys are in college.” Then I heard it would adapt bits and pieces cut from the manga and my thought processes went “Umm…okay? So they will adapt full chapters from the manga of scenes and moments. Unusual, but it has potential.” Then this first episode dropped. And I have to say…umm…I’m delightfully confused. I mean, I love these characters, I love their stories, and one of my main complaints is that the original series was way too short to tell everyone’s story in a satisfying way. But part of me wonders if this was the way to go about it. I mean, we’re put into these various moments at various times in the narrative of the original series and unless you remember watching the original Horimiya and can pick up on some visual cues, you’re gonna be lost. Thankfully though, it looks like each episode will focus on an overall theme, and the promise of more shenanigans with these unique characters will make this a delightfully confusing series that I am prepared to watch.
Streaming on Crunchyroll.
Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2
First Impression: twwk
While nothing much of consequence has happened yet, the episode does exactly what it needs to get us JJK viewers excited for the season ahead. The first few minutes reintroduce characters who are now senpais and instructors to the current generation of sorcerers, showing us when they were younger and cuter, in both their redesigns and their more youthful personalities. By bringing Gojo into the picture, along with future antagonist Geto and
Rin Noharamystery girl, Shoko, the show takes that initial nostalgia and raises the excitement to another level. The cherry on top is the rocking opening (as usual, the OP and ED are amazing, with the former likely to make our Top OPs of the Season list for summer 2023), impressing upon viewers that we’re in for a lot of heartache in this series with Geto’s turn to the dark side, already known because of his presence in season one and the film.
Streaming on Crunchyroll.
Level 1 Demon Lord & One Room Hero
First Impression: Jeskai Angel
I’ll have you know I’ve done the public a service by enduring that mess so you don’t have to. This episode is supposed to be funny, and it’s just not. Well, okay, to be fair, there was maybe one joke that was actually amusing. Credit where credit’s due. Otherwise the “humor” is crude and tasteless and just dumb, and there’s a bunch of gratuitous fanservice thanks to Zenia that doesn’t help. Also, the visuals were kind of weirdly blurry, but since I didn’t care about anything that was happening, it was fine if I couldn’t see it well. Do yourself a favor and don’t watch this because it seriously has no redeeming value.
Streaming on HIDIVE.
Liar, Liar
First Impression: Gaheret
You see, harem shows are a tough sell for me, as they have to strike a difficult balance to keep me invested without making the protagonist into an unlikable jerk, an impossibly oblivious blockhead, or a wish-fulfillment pastiche. Hiroto is… none of these so far, and so far he has been able to carry the show on his shoulders…The animation is good enough and sometimes even inventive, and the videogame-esque music is catchy. Will this continue to be engaging, or will it stumble? We’ll see!
twwk
This is overselling the series a bit, but let me say: Liar Liar is the type of series that I got into anime for in the first place. It’s fun, unapologetic, cute, and begs you to just go along with all the energy and shenanigans. Don’t overthink things; just enjoy the series! in that way, it feels a bit like an old-school harem, ones that aren’t so sexually charged and not quite as eye-rolling as such series today. There’s no telling what direction the anime could take, but for now, I’m very high on the show and could see it becoming a new favorite for me!
Jeskai
That was bonkers. Gotta say the whole things weirdly reminds me of Chivalry of a Failed Knight, with the school setting and a redhead “princess” unexpectedly losing a competitive match to a guy who is ostensibly the worst. Anyway, I’ve been quite entertained through the first two episodes, so I think I’ll keep tuning in for now.
Streaming on Crunchyroll.
Masamune-kun’s Revenge R
First Impression: twwk
I didn’t particularly like season one, but will admit that what it had going for it then is the same as what it has going for it now: a kind of frenetic energy that covers up for the silly contrivances and a protagonist just on the near side of “too obnoxious to root for.” In fact, all four major characters now (subtracting Neko, whose arc has finished)—Masamune, Aki, Yoshino, and Kanetsugu—are super annoying. Kanetsugu, though, at least gives us something to work with in this opening episode as a couple of things about him are revealed (or maybe just reemphasized—I honestly cannot remember!); one of those reveals is quite unexpected. My attitude toward the other three might begin to thaw, too, when their characters soften a bit, which I think is starting to happen at this point in the series.
Streaming on Crunchyroll.
The Masterful Cat Is Depressed Again Today
First Impression: claire
As for the story, the episode itself was not terribly exciting—a kind of “rinse, dry, repeat” pattern marked out by mealtimes—but it was quite sweet. Yukichi may stand like a human, but he’s still very much a feline, and his little cat-like habits (the ear flicks, the pestering of his sleeping owner, and his expressions of disapproval) are endearing. It’s also pretty clear that romance is in the air for Saku and her boss, which will of course instigate the greatest dramatic plot line of the modern era: Will the cat approve of the boyfriend? All in all, this was a pretty interesting premiere, and I’ll be sticking around for a bit to see how it plays out.
Josh
One of the more quirky offerings this season, with the exception of the Vending Machine isekai. (Never thought I would ever say those words together, but here we are) I enjoyed watching this one! The fact that we have this man-sized cat silently taking care of his hapless yet hard working owner is a pretty cute premise. And the fact that we might have a bit of an office romance that could come into play for our office lady and her prodigious feline makes this all the more intriguing of a watch. Can these shenanigans last for an entire series? We shall see, but I’m interested enough to see how this goes. Speaking of “Go”, this is another GoHands production, and when I first saw the opening title sequence, my thoughts were like “Oh here we go AGAIN, another The Girl I Like Like Lost Her Glasses situation”, but thankfully, GoHands sat on their hands and restrained themselves.
Samuru
This title had me interested the moment I saw it! Why is a giant cat dressed in an apron and cleaning an apartment? I had to find out, and I was impressed by what I watched. The animation by GoHands is fantastic to where I felt I was watching a film and not a first episode. It has it’s comical moments and seems like one to watch when I want to relax a bit, so I will keep this one saved on my watchlist and see how it continues.
Jeskai
A giant cat serving as housekeeper and cook is actually pretty impressive, considering it doesn’t have thumbs. I think I’ll come back for more of Yukichi the thumbless wondercat, as long as the show provides something in the way of plot beyond “LOL huge cat” silliness.
Streaming on Crunchyroll.
The Most Heretical Last Boss Queen: From Villainess to Savior
First Impression: Jeskai
This was one of my most hyped new series this season (I’m a big fan of the light novels), and I’m not disappointed. Pride is a real sweetheart, and it’s really cool how the story integrates Pride’s past-life game knowledge with her present life’s gift of precognition. Pride is also interesting because, unlike most “villainess” characters, she’s not really trying to avoid her bad end. She does aim to be a better person than Game Pride, but ultimately she thinks it’s inevitable that somehow she’ll turn evil and need to be killed (even asking Stale to be ready to do so when that day comes). This, along with her precognition, raises some interesting questions about things like fate or destiny. Just how set in stone is the future, and how much can Pride actually change it? Keep watching to find out!
claire
I am a fan of the villainess sub-genre of isekai. And while this premiere did not blow me away, there are some interesting variations on the usual themes and tropes here, the most significant being Pride’s visceral memories of the game version of her villainous self, which resemble trauma episodes and pose the potential to take this story into deep territory. I’m down for a few more episodes at least!
Streaming on HiDIVE.
My Unique Skill Makes Me OP even at Level 1
First Impression: Laura
I watched the dub, which was available before the sub, and it’s been so many years since I’ve watched dubbed that I didn’t super enjoy having an English voiceover, but I did think the dub was good. The animation was also nice and I really liked the outfits of Emily and Sato. The opening song will be one that’s added to my list of songs for jamming to, and left a strong impression on me, encouraging me to keep watching despite not initially being sold on the bean sprouts (I’m not a fan of the food in general). Ha! Even if this episode is not among my favorites from this season, I do want to watch the next episode because I’m curious to see if the other dungeons that Sato visits will have different vegetables that are dropped. Ha!
Jeskai
Well, here’s another absurdly comedic isekai to go along with Reborn as a Vending Machine. This looks to be an equally unserious take on the isekai premise, and equally entertaining. I’ll be back for another serving.
Streaming on Crunchyroll.
Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation 2nd Season
First Impression: twwk
This is episode 0 of the new season…And although the episode takes a while to get where it needs to go—i.e. it’s not particularly captivating for 3/4 of its length—the last bit reminds us of two great aspects to the show that make it worth watching, even when that means sitting through some episodes that are a little boring and scenes that may be uncomfortable. Mushoku Tensei has extraordinary heart, on par with some of anime’s most stirring series, and it features mature intrigue and nail-biting action that make it more comparable to Game of Thrones (um, the first five seasons or so) than to shonen fare.
Streaming on Crunchyroll.
My Happy Marriage
First Impression: Laura
…this is a well-done adaptation and I feel nothing is “missed” in conveying the same story, but it does remind me of the adaptation of A Silent Voice in the sense that I missed Shoya’s internal dialogue and how it took the story to a deeper level and gave him more nuance. I would say the same is reflected here in this first episode of My Happy Marriage. Overall, as someone who is fairly critical of anime being true to its source, I find myself looking forward to the next episode and seeing hope bloom once again in Miyo’s heart.
claire
WOW. Honestly, I shouldn’t be that surprised that Kinema Citrus (of Made in Abyss and Revue Starlight fame) has made such beautiful anime yet again, but that was a gorgeous episode! In particular, I love the coding going on here between shadow and light: Miyo is in shadow virtually the entire episode, with the exception of when she is near her dead mother’s cherry tree. When she leaves the oppressive home of her youth, she steps out from the darkness of its eaves, but yet remains cast in shade, walking in the looming shadows of walls and overhangs. She crosses onto the property of her fiancé, however, her face is momentarily lit, anticipating the light that will soon enter her life. And then finally, as she raises her head to lock eyes with her betrothed for the first time, her face is fully lit and the background explodes into white, consuming the hopelessness that has stalked her for so long and promising brightness to come. Stunning! This one is at the top of my list.
Streaming on Netflix.
My Tiny Senpai
First Impression: twwk
…the ecchi aspects feel out of place in what’s at heart a feel-good, kawaii series, while those comfort portions are plain and unremarkable. In this new era of “tiny girl at the office” anime, some such series will be good, while others will be mediocre. Count My Tiny Senpai among the latter.
claire
I have to agree with Twwk: nothing to see here, folks, but mediocrity. I was hoping for something charming like My Senpai is Annoying, with its rich ensemble cast and that perfect balance between running gags and new jokes each episode, but this is not it. My Tiny Senpai is more like last season’s Too Cute Crisis with added horniness—not a good combo. Every punchline refers to her size, her cat-like nature, or her, um, assets–and sometimes all three, which is pretty awkward. One episode was more than enough for me, I’m out!
Josh
See, when I said that I wanted more grown-up, office RomComs, this is NOT what I had in mind! Guys, I wanted to like this one. I really did. And I might stick with it for another episode or two in order to see if it improves, but honestly…my expectations are low. It’s like someone took My Sempai is Annoying, added liberal doses of “Inappropriate Workplace Conduct”, sifted out any kind of character heft, chucked it in the blender, added a sprinkling of Toradora’s OP animation, and hit “Frappé”. Also, I just got one thing to say about the massage scene: “Human Resources Would Like To Speak with You”.
Jeskai
I dropped this one without finishing the episode. It was just uncomfortable ecchi-ness without any of the sweetness or cuteness or humor I look for in a romcom.
Streaming on Crunchyroll.
Ooku: The Inner Chambers
First Impression: claire
…the series’ exploration of gender roles and power dynamics manages to steer clear of a simplistic inversion that either “solves” society’s problems by swapping men and women or, alternately, replicates them almost fatalistically. Instead, the Ooku reveals how some things have changed, while others have stayed the same with the loss of so many men. Which is what makes this such a clever and coherent reimagining of shogunate-era Japan!…the real clincher for me, and the reason I may very well be binging the rest of this 10-episode series this weekend instead of watching other premieres, is the character of the shogun. Nobu Yoshimune is a fascinating multi-faceted lead, and I have a feeling that we’ve only just seen a fraction of her full brilliance. Count me in for The Inner Chambers!
Streaming on Netflix in its entirety.
Reborn as a Vending Machine, I Now Wander the Dungeon
First Impression: claire
This premiere was just the right kind of silly! With pleasant animation and voice acting, it hit all the beats of a relaxing slice-of-life isekai along the lines of I’ve Been Killing Slimes for 300 Years, with the added spice of a unique and surprisingly charming MC. In fact, Boxxo’s upbeat attitude is reminiscent more of a female lead in a CGDCT series than the usual guy reincarnated in an isekai, which adds a bit of interest to the characterization. (Director Akitaya Noriaki will definitely be pulling on his Slow Loop expertise for this one!) Props to the character designer and animators for rendering a white metal box so visually expressive too!
Jeskai
Well that was delightful! This is the latest in a long line of comically absurd isekai stories that don’t take themselves too seriously, specifically the ones where the protagonist reincarnates as something nonsensical and nonhuman. I had a blast watching this episode; it’s a very promising start to what looks like good silly fun. Definitely recommend trying it.
Streaming on Crunchyroll.
Reign of the Seven Spellblades
First Impression: Gaheret
I think it’s fair to say that Reign of the Seven Spellblades owes an enormous debt to Harry Potter. If you, like me, are fans of the Boy Who Lived, you should be able to pinpoint the inspiration of almost every scene, with the added problem that this show doesn’t have Rowling’s patience to explain the rules beforehand and let us learn what the stakes are…The music and the animation are admittedly top-notch, and at the end, we see images of war and hints of a conspiracy, so I’m mildly intrigued. I hear that the light novels are good, too. But if Reign of the Seven Spellblades wants to keep my attention, it has to start exploring its own territory soon.
Streaming on Crunchyroll.
Saint Cecilia and Pastor Lawrence
First Impression: Jeskai Angel
Well, that was super cute, and the lovely backgrounds out of a storybook nicely complement the episode’s cuteness. Besides the comical, adorable romcom aspects, this episode also raised a couple of interesting questions. First, is the church Christian? The prominent crosses Lawrence and Cecilia display suggest it might be, which would be quite interesting. Second, there’s the question of what it means for Cecilia to be a saint. She can see otherwise invisible angels; as one who speaks for God, she never tells lies; and she mentions protecting the village…but how and from what? Definitely piqued my curiosity…
Samuru
Is this a potentially faith-based anime? That’s what came to mind after watching the trailer, but the focus of episode 1 is more on the silliness of Cecilia and Lawren’s obliviousness to her subtle charm. It’s a fun one thanks to Cecilia’s change in mood when someone besides Lawren is around. I am liking rom-com’s more nowadays and it has some Christian references since it’s in a church, crosses are displayed and it seems like Cecilia has a kind of power from on high. Looking forward how this all plays out and if there are any twists coming soon!
Streaming on Crunchyroll.
Sweet Reincarnation
First Impression: Samuru
The series premiered with two episodes though, and by episode two I felt that the story had lost its way—so much so that it hardly mentions the original point of Pas’ mission: making delicious treats for others to enjoy. I wanted to see more of his baking skills in action. Instead, he becomes a general of sorts, organizing the village to fight back against marauding bandits. If the story was going to be about battles, strategies, and even magic, then that’s fine, but this is supposed to be a series about sweets!
Jeskai
If you set aside the part where they straight-up torture a child so he can learn magic… And overlook the part where they absurdly put a young kid in charge of a military operation… What’s left was mildly interesting. I’m curious if the story can successfully meld the theme of confections with the military / administrative elements. I’ll probably give the show another episode or two before reaching a final decision on whether to stick with it.
Streaming on Crunchyroll.
SYNDUALITY: Noir
First Impression: Gaheret
…so far the worldbuilding is great. The Domes are a living, breathing world with fake sushi, aerial transports and human-robot friendships. The visuals are beautiful, with non-terrible CGI, cool environments and great landscapes (see the sunset at the top of this post, for example). So, what’s not to like? Well, just now, the characters are the biggest obstacle for me. Don’t get me wrong, they are likable enough. But for the most part, they fall into the same mecha stereotypes we know well: the oddball young mentor, the tsundere-ish pilot, the innocent, emotionless prodigy, and the self-doubting Boy who gets into a mecha. I was also put off by some off-color jokes. Will I be able to overcome this creeping feeling of “seen there, done that” and give them a chance, hoping that the show will do something new with them? Yes, I think so.
Streaming on be streamed on Disney+ (international) or Hulu (U.S.).
Undead Murder Farce
First Impression: claire
Though at times the lighting was too low to quite register on the screen, there were countless striking compositions and instances of layered visual storytelling that made this a rewarding watch. The leads—Tsugaru, Aya-sama (the head), and Shizuku (her devoted maid who carries around said head like a dullahan who hasn’t yet lost her own noggin)—are intriguing, and I’m looking forward to seeing how their relationships develop and what all Europe has in store for them. Also, even for a thousand-year-old head, Aya-sama is pretty witty! Finally, worth noting are the stunning OP and ED animations—there are some bold, almost Alphonse Mucha-like compositions in the former, while the spooky photogravure effect of the latter is haunting. This one is set to be my wildcard favorite of the season!
Streaming on Crunchyroll.
Yohane the Parhelion -SUNSHINE in the MIRROR
First Impression (a Love Live fan’s perspective): stardf29
Overall, even for me, I didn’t enjoy these episodes nearly as much as I’ve enjoyed the mainline Love Live episodes, and while I am curious about how the other girls will be portrayed, it says something that I’m least interested in the girl whose name is in the title.
First Impression (for non-“Love Live” viewers): twwk
…for someone like me, who only knows only the very basics about the franchise, episode one is a terrible entry point. In fact, I would describe it as an absolutely miserable watch in general. Yohane is obnoxious, the climactic music scene was meh, and most of all, the setting and theme for the series were super confusing: it’s an idol show, no it’s sci-fantasy, no its slice-of-life set in a modern world…or a steampunk world…or cyberpunk…or all of the above! And there’s mecha and magic, too? More like anime genre overload.
Streaming on Crunchyroll.
Zom 100: The Bucket List of the Dead
First Impression: claire
Oh man, I’ve been waiting for this one with great anticipation, and I’m delighted to say that this first episode exceeded my expectations! I’m a fan of most things zombie, largely because of the allegorical nature of this type of horror (unthinking, oppressive, relentless, infectious hordes—modern society, anyone?) and the deep moral quandaries that inevitably arise (what does it mean to be human? Can we regain our humanity once we’ve abandoned it?). And when these themes crop up in a comedy, it’s even better! Who can’t relate to Akira’s reaction to the apocalypse, after all?
twwk
What a brilliant first episode! Bug Films made all the right choices—in palette, design for the zombie hordes, score, pacing, everything. This was an improvement on volume one of the manga, and that’s something I was not expecting. Claire says it all in her review, so I encourage you to read it. Better yet, just go watch this episode. It’s spectacular.
Josh
For only the third time this anime season, I can honestly say this is a new show that is worth my time and worth yours too! This show did an excellent job with it’s premiere episode, showing Akira’s descent into madness and despair, and then, like Dorthy walking into the Technicolor world of Oz, our prodigiously overworked bro steps into his new zombie filled reality, not with terror or fear, but with absolute glee. Seeing him practically GIDDY at the idea of being able to do whatever he wants now that he is free of the constraints of his toxic workplace is both uplifting and fall on the ground funny. This is an ABSOLUTE follow from me, and I’m also gonna check out the manga over on Viz Media!
Streaming on Crunchyroll.
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Yes, there is so many great anime coming out this Summer! There’s so many, I’m not sure which ones I’ll watch. Choices, choices!
Every season has been on fire for the last year!
I like how you refrained from classifying RAG as a romcom. 😉👍
I guess if it’s neither romantic nor funny… (jk jk I actually like the series!)
Agreed. RAG does not deserve to be given such a classification.
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