Top 5 Anime of the Summer
/Now that the summer anime season has wrapped up, let’s take a look at what was worth watching.
#5: How Heavy are the Dumbbells You Lift? (Dumbbell Nan-Kiro Moteru?)
Dumbbell is certainly the best pure comedy of the season. Despite that, a lot of my interest in the show doesn’t stem from its solid comedy, but from the surprisingly effective educational elements. If you’ve been thinking of trying to lose weight, build muscle or just want to learn a few things about staying in shape, Dumbbell manages to use its entertaining cast of characters to deliver simple, clear instructions on various exercises, life-style changes and aspects of gym etiquette that could be immensely useful to people starting out. Even if you’re not into that, the show is plenty entertaining without it. It’s also a spin off of Kengan Asura, a brutal fighting anime that recently popped up on Netflix, although they have almost nothing in common besides a love for muscles.
Streaming at funimation.com
#4: Dr Stone
For most anime fans, Dr. Stone likely needs no introduction. When the manga released, it quickly rose to the top of popularity polls, and the anime has been receiving a massive advertising push from Crunchyroll. Does it live up to the hype? I can comfortably say, mostly. While it certainly isn’t the best shounen I’ve seen (not even the best this season, with the second half of Kimetsu no Yaiba having only just ended,) Dr. Stone is definitely a good time. The fusion of scientific exploration, stone-age culture and tech, and the interesting rivalry between savagery and science makes for a very compelling experience, even if the show never quite excels beyond “compelling” and into the realm of the incredible.
Streaming at crunchyroll.com
#3: Maidens in their Savage Season (Araburu Kisetsu no Otome-dono yo)
While I’ve never been a pubescent girl, I can still say that Maidens is one of the most uncomfortably relatable and hilariously familiar shows I’ve experienced in a while. While that may not sound appealing to everyone, and Maidens doesn’t shy away from some uncomfortable subject matter, it’s definitely worth giving an episode or two.
Streaming at hidive.com
#2: Astra: Lost in Space (Kanata no Astra)
Now we get to the really revolutionary stuff. While Astra doesn’t seem like much from the get-go, and the double-length first episode might put some people off, trust me when I say it’s definitely worth watching. Sci-Fi anime aren’t rare per say, but shows that really explore complex potential futures don’t come every day. Solid mystery shows are rarer still, and Astra is a fantastic example of both. I hesitate to say more — discussing this show is difficult without blatantly spoiling it — so I’ll end off by saying that the characters in particular really shine in this one. Give it a shot.
Streaming at funimation.com
#1: Vinland Saga
Vinland Saga is undeniably a classic. The manga is among the best pieces of historical fiction to come out of Japan (or anywhere, for that matter) and the anime does it justice in spades. Vinland Saga is an easy recommendation for those interested in the history of vikings, those who love action, anyone who enjoys a good revenge tale and, really, anyone who enjoys anime classics. The only people who should steer clear are the faint of heart. Vinland Saga certainly doesn’t shy away from the brutalities of history, be it hyper-violence, slavery or a cruel indifference to human suffering. These elements aren’t used simply to shock the audience, but serve to drive home the series’ thematic message. This is one I’ll be recommending to everyone for a long time.
Streaming at primevideo.com
Morgan Montgomery
With a burning passion for all things Anime and an equally fiery need to tell people about it, Morgan might be insufferable in person but you should be able to handle his posts.
