Anime’s popularity has skyrocketed over the past years, largely due to the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent quarantine. Considering people were advised to not leave their homes and the ease of accessibility, anime became the go-to binge-watching media for many viewers. There are an array of new series being released and new seasons of on-going shows to come, which means there is always new content just waiting to be consumed. With summer almost here, there are many people eager to take a break from studying, sit back, and indulge in streaming sites all the way. So here are 7 anime recommendations you could binge-watch this summer!
These first three are Shounen Anime, the classic heroes-fighting-villains stories. This is arguably the most popular and recognizable genre.
1. Chainsaw Man
This series’ first 12-episode season aired late last year and took the anime world by storm. It is on the gorier side of the spectrum, but entertaining regardless. It takes place in a world where devils manifest physically and get their power from how much fear is associated with their name, like cars, guns, bats, chainsaws, falling, etc. Denji, our main character, gets the ability to manifest as the chainsaw devil and is contracted to become a devil hunter. The popularity of both the manga and anime begs for the likelihood of more seasons yet to be released, so better watch it now and get ready.
2. Jujutsu Kaisen
This anime’s first season and its following prequel movie were outstanding successes. From wonderful animation to incredible female characters, it’s no wonder Jujutsu Kaisen is so popular. In this anime, living beings produce negative energy, called cursed energy, originating from negative emotions. Most humans aren’t able to control the flow of their cursed energy and as such it gets released into the world. This cursed energy manifests physically into Curses, spiritual beings that wish to destroy humanity. After some unfortunate circumstances, Yuuji Itadori ends up at a school for Jujutsu Sorcerers, people who are able to control their cursed energy and use it to produce Cursed Techniques to defeat Curses. With season 2 set to be released in early July, this summer is the perfect time to binge the first season and watch the movie.
3. Kimetsu no Yaiba (Demon Slayer)
Despite this anime being a bit outdated in terms of release date, I will always recommend it without hesitation. The animation is incredibly stunning, the story is captivating, the character development is phenomenal, and there is just so much that is so good about this series that you honestly wouldn’t want to miss out. In Kimetsu no Yaiba, Tanjiro’s sister, Nezuko, is turned into a demon which sets him on a path to find a way to turn her back into a human, which ultimately leads him to become a demon slayer. The fight animation and demon’s stories are captivating; every episode leaves you wanting more. The second season was released as a movie but can be found in episode format as well. With the recent release of the fourth season in April, it’s a must to start binging it as soon as possible.
These other four are Shoujo/Slice of Life anime for people who prefer more slow-paced and relaxing series. These anime follow the development of romances or just the daily lives of the characters. There is some overlap between the two genres which is why I’m recommending them in the same category.
1. Given
This anime is the shortest of this category with 12 episodes and a movie so far. It centers on two highschool students, Uenoyama and Mafuyu. Uenoyama plays guitar in a little band and Mafuyu, a magnificent singer, inherits a guitar and wants to learn to play it, which leads to Uenoyama introducing him to the band he plays in. This wonderful anime centers on these two boys but has a rich cast of secondary and background characters with their own stories. And yes, it is a romance and they’re not the only gay couple to get their own story.
2. Fruits Basket
There are two adaptations of this story, I am recommending the recent remake of the anime. Fruits Basket is a complete anime with three seasons and it’s very rich in character development. It follows Tohru who had recently become homeless and was living in a tent in the woods. She was found and invited to live with the people who lived on the property she was accidentally staying in, some members of the Sohma family. The series chronicles her life from there and how the connections she makes with the different members of the Sohma family affect them. Even though the story has its dark moments and deals with some rough themes, it’s a wonderful story of connection and kindness. Oh, and did I mention the Sohma family has a secret? Guess you’ll have to see it to find out.Â
3. Komi Can’t Communicate
Komi Can’t Communicate has two seasons so far and more seasons are highly likely to be released. This anime leans closer to the slice-of-life genre than romance, though it does have its romantic subplot. It focuses on Komi, a beautiful high school student with social anxiety whose dream is to make 100 friends. However, her anxiety causes her to freeze up, which leads to her inability to talk and appear serious and intimidating, thus making her seem unapproachable to others. Tadano, an extremely regular guy, is the first to befriend Komi and begins to help her make more friends who understand and accommodate her anxiety. I was introduced to this series through the manga and seeing the anime adaptation was incredibly heartwarming. They represent social anxiety very well; which digresses from the erroneous view of hating people or not wanting friends, to showing that social interaction is incredibly intimidating. Seeing Komi making friends and having those friends help her and accommodate her social anxiety is incredibly precious.
4. Horimiya
This romance anime is different from most and the way it breaks the mold is having the main couple getting together early on. The anime mostly focuses on their personal and interpersonal relationships more than on them getting together. Hori and Miyamura live double lives, though it’s not as dramatic as you might be thinking. They find each other out accidentally and promise to keep the other’s secret from getting out and getting closer in the process. I thought it was a very entertaining watch and a refreshing spin on a classic genre. It’s getting another season this July, so another anime to watch in anticipation of its next season. Plus, the title of the anime is their ship name! Isn’t that adorable?