A lot happens in this first episode, so buckle up. Our story opens at a rakugo (traditional Japanese storytelling) cafe in Tokyo, where a 30-something man is giving a performance. We quickly learn that this man’s name is Tohru Osaki, stagename Shinta Arakawa, and his performance…has room for improvement. We can tell he’s under a… Read More First Impression: Akane-banashi
Some dude runs through the street, fleeing a monster. A girl pulls him into a bamboo grove to hide, and asks if he’ll rescue her next time? And then he wakes up in Tokyo, having been captured by delinquents. Despite being tied to a pole, the dude—Takeru—puts up a surprisingly good fight. After escaping, he… Read More First Impression: Onmyo Kaiten Re:Birth Verse
Kafka once had a dream to join the Japan Defense Force and fight kaiju alongside his best friend, Mina. Now though, he cleans up the kaiju that she takes out as head captain of Division Three. He spends his days telling himself over and over that it’s okay to give up on his dream to… Read More First Impression: Kaiju No. 8
Keep up with first impressions of all the summer 2026 anime series + more with our weekly newsletter, Above Anime!
Each Friday, you’ll receive an original anime devotional along with links to all our reviews, analysis, videos, and other content for the week. It’s the easiest way to keep up with our ministry!