Summer 2023 Anime - What To Watch

Can’t believe we got past another season so quickly. Summer season has arrived with a new batch of anime that has some promising new ones, much-awaited sequels, remakes, and one-off specials. There are a lot of shows in the line so let’s just jump right into it.

Update notes: Added a few more shows that are worth watching this season.

Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead

Info:

Type: TV
Themes: Survival, Gore, Comedy, Horror
Studio: BUG FILMS
DOR: July 9
Trailer: https://youtu.be/Rm44mpqWFIw

Synopsis: A 24-year-old starts as an office worker with utmost enthusiasm only to get clinically depressed from overwork soon. Dead inside, continuing his daily routine, then suddenly got brimmed with life when he found out that everyone in the town has turned into undead zombies. Thus, he gets the chance to live out to the fullest and complete his bucket list.

Notes: Another show full of sheer insanity. Must watch if you are bored of the clichés. The manga was already hyped and hope the anime lives up to that.

Fox Spirit Matchmaker 12th Season

Info:

Type: ONA, Sequel
Themes: Romance, Supernatural, Historical
Studios: Haoliners Animation League
DOR: June 24
Trailer: N/A

Synopsis: Sequel to the long-running series Fox Spirit Matchmaker is about a story of a yokai who does matchmaking. It all started when a mortal fell in love with a yokai. Fast forward, to this season is now in modern times.

Note(s): A Chinese anime with a good story that’s been running since 2015. Give it a shot.

Masamune-kun no Revenge R

Info:

Type: TV, Sequel
Themes: Comedy, Romance, Harem
Studio: Silver Link
DOR: July 3
Trailer: https://youtu.be/dJSjZnKDbHk

Synopsis: Fat kid got rejected by a girl. Years later, he returns after becoming a stud to exact revenge on that girl by making her fall for him and then rejecting her; only to be surrounded by a bunch of girls with personality issues.

Note(s): Finally, the time for revenge has come. The title even has 2 Rs, “Revenge R”. First season aired in 2017 & it took this long for the sequel. There’s an OVA that takes place after a time time-skip which is pretty compelling.

Bungou Stray Dogs 5th Season

Info:

Type: TV, Sequel
Themes: Action, Mystery, Superpower
Studio: Bones
DOR: July 12
Trailer: https://youtu.be/1eCDPSa6Faw

Synopsis: The armed detective agency has been framed as murderers and has become the most wanted all across the country. Their inquiry continues as they struggle to prove their innocence and bring the real culprit to light.

Note(s): Last season felt a bit wonky but fun nonetheless. Hope this season doesn’t rush things out.

Dark Gathering

Info:

Type: TV
Themes: Horror, Supernatural
Studio: OLM, Inc.
DOR: July 10
Trailer: https://youtu.be/ErFEKvoRgk8

Synopsis: Keitarou Gentouga, a college freshman is haunted by ghosts, got sick of it. He tries to distract himself by being more social and starts a job as a private tutor. Unfortunately for him, his pupil has a spiritual constitution just like him as it threw him back into the spiritual encounters. But together they try to figure out a way to counter the ghosts.

Note(s): A cute and fun adventure of ghost hunting.

Watashi no Shiawase na Kekkon (My Happy Marriage)

Info:

Type: TV
Themes: Romance, Historical
Studio: Kinema Citrus
DOR: July 5
Trailer: https://youtu.be/NEtx5jyVfh4

Synopsis: Miyo Saimori’s life has been of a slave after her mother died and her father brought in his lover & a daughter. She was a child of an arranged marriage, and she was too arranged for marriage with a military captain. What awaits in her new life is a heartfelt story of a married couple.

Note(s): Cinderella but anime, only the first part. From Kinema Citrus, the same studio that made Made in Abyss, so get ready to feel something.

[AnimeKayo] The Duke of Death and His Maid Season 2

The Duke of Death and His Maid 2nd Season

Info:

Type: TV, Sequel
Themes: Supernatural, Romance
Studio: J.C.Staff
DOR: July 9
Trailer: https://youtu.be/kOn0uKfgZd4

Synopsis: A young duke of a kingdom has cursed with the touch of death—anything he touches, dies. Forced to live in isolation, accompanied by his butler and maid. Drama and romance bloom as he tries to figure out a way to cure his curse and be one with his loved one.

Note(s): CG but good. It has great concepts and characters to get behind. Watch it. I’ll be digging for more underrated shows to watch.

Rurouni Kenshin

Info:

Type: TV, Remake
Themes: Historical, Action, Romance
Studio: Liden Films
DOR: July 7
Trailer: https://youtu.be/_qZyHQhwXnU

Synopsis: Kenshin Himura, known as the Battōsai the manslayer, leaves his past behind to atone for all people he has killed. In his journey, he is faced with many life-or-death situations where he has to fight to protect his loved ones. It’s a beautiful tale of self-acceptance and overcoming obstacles that inspired many legendary shounen stories.

Note(s): Need I say more?! Read this for more.

Sugar Apple Fairy Tale Part 2

Info:

Type: TV, Sequel
Themes: Fantasy, Adventure
Studio: J.C.Staff
DOR: July 7
Trailer: https://youtu.be/6N9MfT5md64

Synopsis: In a world where fairies are enslaved and stripped of their wing, Ann Halford, an aspiring confectioner dreams of becoming a Silver Sugar Master. Incidentally, she hires a fairy to be her bodyguard and the pair’s adventure begins. Their journey involves many obstacles and drama, and through that, the two begin to understand each other and form a connection more than just slave & master.

Note(s): This getting a sequel in the same year. How is J.C.Staff making so many shows?!

Horimiya: The Missing Pieces

Info:

Type: TV, Sequel
Themes: Romance, School
Studio: CloverWorks
DOR: July 1
Trailer: https://youtu.be/b7ZYm_LEJ6Y

Synopsis: Featuring stories from the manga not adapted in the main anime.

Note(s): More romance in the air.

Spy Classroom 2nd Season

Info:

Type: TV, Sequel
Themes: Action, Mystery
Studio: Feel
DOR: July 13
Trailer: https://youtu.be/d1nb26-9LHM

Synopsis: A spy organization is formed to prevent potential war breakouts and protect their nation from secret terrorism. Young girls are trained and sent to missions for that purpose. Lily, an optimistic yet pushover girl finds herself in a particular group called Lamplight where she learns to better herself and serve her nation.

Note(s): Another one getting a sequel in the same year.

Link Click 2nd Season

Info:

Type: TV, Sequel
Themes: Supernatural, Drama, Time travel
Studio: LAN Studio
DOR: July 14
Trailer: https://youtu.be/vE0tnwk-jVE

Synopsis: Two friends run a shop called “Time Photo Studio” and offer the service of going inside a photo and observing everything in the time of the photo from the perspective of the photographer to resolve the issue of a client. But that has a lot of risks and can cause many to suffer ruin. The two friends outmaneuver some difficult situations in various clever ways to meet their clients’ needs. But things don’t always go according to plans.

Note(s): This was something.

Malevolent Spirits: Mononogatari 2nd Season

Info:

Type: TV, Sequel
Themes: Action, Supernatural
Studio: Bandai Namco Pictures
DOR: July 4
Trailer: https://youtu.be/ejB12i_G2Oc

Synopsis: A classic tale of a young protagonist battling supernatural threats and an evil organization.

Note(s): Another one getting a sequel in the same year.

Hataraku Maou-sama!! 2nd Season Part 2

Info:

Type: TV, Sequel
Themes: Fantasy, Workplace, Comedy
Studio: Studio 3Hz
DOR: July 13
Trailer: https://youtu.be/DVIYvUJ2Mis

Synopsis: The plot progresses further following the 2nd season’s events.

Note(s): It’s back again—not stopping yet! But man, everyone’s getting on Attack on Titan’s Season 4 Part 2: Part 5 meme nowadays.

Sound! Euphonium: Ensemble Contest Arc

Info:

Type: Movie, Sequel
Themes: Drama, Music, School
Studio: Kyoto Animation
DOR: August 4
Trailer: https://youtu.be/WOZVcPNaapo

Synopsis: The band is getting ready for a competition.

Note(s): KyoAni is back at it again.

TONIKAWA: Over The Moon For You – High School Days

Info:

Type: ONA, Sequel
Themes: Romance, Comedy
Studio: Seven Arcs
DOR: July 12
Trailer: https://youtu.be/TDpznwm3qrs

Synopsis: 4 episodes special featuring Nasa working as a highschool teacher while Tsukasa can’t help but worry.

Note(s): Watch it. It’s a wife anime while the husband goes to job.

BanG Dream! It’s MyGO!!!!!

Info:

Type: TV, Spin-off
Themes: Music, School
Studio: SANZIGEN
DOR: June 29
Trailer: https://youtu.be/YVyXE61eYCA

Synopsis: A group of schoolgirls form a band to perform on stage.

Note(s): Another 2017 anime getting a comeback.

Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War – The Separation

Info:

Type: TV, Sequel
Themes: Shounen, Action, Superpower
Studio: Pierrot
DOR: July 8
Trailer: https://youtu.be/m_i2PinZ_X4

Synopsis: The story continues after the devastating events in the first part.

Note(s): Read this for more info.

Kaina of the Great Snow Sea: Star Sage

Info:

Type: Move, Sequel
Themes: Post Apocalypse, Adventure
Studio: Polygon Pictures
DOR: July 2
Trailer: https://youtu.be/M4OvcbAfygc

Synopsis: A world blanketed in an endless and ever-growing ocean of snow. The people eke out a living, either huddled around the roots of enormous trees dotting the surface, or high in the canopy, which spreads over the planet’s atmosphere.
A chance meeting between Kaina, a youth from the canopy, and Liliha, a young woman from the surface, sets off a chain of events that will change the fate of the world.
(Source: Polygon Pictures)

Note(s): First few episodes were great, but then got boring due to the one-dimensional villain. Just keep an on this.

Sand Land

Info:

Type: Movie
Themes: Action, Adventure
Studios: Sunrise, Anima, Kamikaze Douga
DOR: August 18
Trailer: https://youtu.be/LETvCkrGpsI

Synopsis: In the far future, war has destroyed the entire Earth, leaving only a barren wasteland where the supply of water is controlled by the greedy king. In search of a long-lost lake, Sheriff Rao asked the king of the demons for help…and got the king’s son, Beelzebub, and his assistant, Thief. Together the unlikely trio sets off across the desert, facing dragons, bandits, and the deadliest foe of all… the King’s army itself.
(Source: Viz Media)

Note(s): Basically, a promo for the new game by the creator of Dragon Ball, Akira Toriyama.

Reborn as a Vending Machine, I Now Wander the Dungeon

Info:

Type: TV
Themes: Isekai
Studios: Studio Gokumi, AXsiZ
DOR: July 5
Trailer: https://youtu.be/yxuq6FS2jz4

Synopsis: A vending machine fanatic dies by a vending machine only to reincarnate as a vending machine in a fantasy world. Thus we begin to explore the influence of vending machines and how important they really are in our society.

Note(s): This was surprisingly a good one

City Hunter The Movie: Angel Dust

Info:

Type: Movie
Themes: Action, Mystery
Studio: Sunrise, The Answer Studio
DOR: September 8
Trailer: https://youtu.be/nLdeQHeuHck

Synopsis: Notorious gun-for-hire Ryo Saeba encounters a dark figure from his past.

Note(s): Can’t believe they are still continuing this.

Osomatsu-san: Tamashii no Takoyaki Party to Densetsu no Otomarikai

Info:

Type: Movie, Sequel
Themes: Comedy, Parody
Studio: Pierrot
DOR: July 21
Trailer: https://youtu.be/V1bjG7t8ysY

Synopsis: Second of two new anime installments commemorating the anime’s sixth anniversary, which will screen in theaters in Japan on a limited basis in 2023.
(Source: MAL News)

Note(s): Another legendary series that’s still ongoing.

Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation Season 2

Info:

Type: TV, Sequel
Themes: Isekai, Fantasy, Action
Studio: Studio Bind
DOR: July 3
Trailer: https://youtu.be/2sCEfDIAofI

Synopsis: A nameless guy reborn as Rudeus Greyrat in a fantasy world while keeping his past memories. This season, his tale continues as he moves up in this world.

Note(s): Probably the most hyped-up show this year.

Reign of the Seven Spellblades

Info:

Type: TV
Themes: School, Fantasy
Studio: J.C.Staff
DOR: July 8
Trailer: https://youtu.be/AQ6lIA3faKc

Synopsis: Let’s see, where to start… There is this overpowered ability called Spellblades and nobody knows much about it. And there’s this magic school where the main protagonist is. Drama happens surrounding him, monsters attack out of nowhere and the adventure begins.

Note(s): Watch it if you want that magical academy experience in 2023. But don’t get your hopes up.

Fate/strange Fake: Whispers of Dawn

Info:

Type: Special
Themes: Action, Fantasy
Studio: A-1 Pictures
DOR: July 2
Trailer: https://youtu.be/dQOtt9tW0F4

Synopsis: N/A.

Note(s): When it comes to Fate, the animation team never pulls any punches. Also, I messed up the date in a previous post; apologies.

The Quintessential Quintuplets~

Info:

Type: Special
Themes: School, Romance, Comedy
Studio: Shaft
DOR: July 14
Trailer: https://youtu.be/FtiMzS9nH1s

Synopsis: Featuring stories from the manga not adapted in the main anime.

Note(s): More romance! The battle for the best girl position.

Hanma Baki: Son of Ogre 2nd Season

Info:

Type: ONA
Themes: Fighting, Gore
Studio: TMS Entertainment
DOR: July 26
Trailer: https://youtu.be/OUI2WAlLU90

Synopsis: Second season of Hanma Baki: Son of Ogre.

Note(s): The blood-sport continues with its sheer insanity.

Helck

Info:

Type: TV
Themes: Fantasy, Action
Studio: Satelight
DOR: July 12
Trailer: https://youtu.be/4JchyXdAHZY

Synopsis: The demon king is defeated; humanity celebrates their victory, while a contest is held in the demon realm to select the next demon king. And surprisingly a human enters the tourney to exact his hatred towards mankind.

Note(s): Now this is fun! Liking it already due to how unconventional & crazy it sounds.

Undead Girl Murder Farce

Info:

Type: TV
Themes: Mystery, Supernatural, Historical
Studio: Lapin Track
DOR: July 6
Trailer: https://youtu.be/tQUIsIlf8jo

Synopsis: At the end of the 19th century—a vampire’s wife is murdered, and the detective known as the “cage user” is called in to solve the crime. But there’s more to the detective and the curtained birdcage he carries…after all, when solving a case involving a monster, it might just take one to know one!
(Source: Kodansha Comics USA)

Note(s): Interesting.

Kengan Ashura 2nd Season

Info:

Type: TV, Sequel
Themes: Fighting, Gore
Studio: Larx Entertainment
DOR: September 2023
Trailer: N/A

Synopsis: Money hoarders, businessmen, and merchants throw in cash to settle their disputes through their gladiators in bloodbath-filled matches. It’s violent, bloody, and filled with high-octane fight scenes.

Note(s): Something that rivals Baki, only in terms of fight scenes.

Jujutsu Kaisen 2nd Season

Info:

Type: TV, Sequel
Themes: Shounen Battle, Action, Supernatural, Superpower, School
Studio: MAPPA
DOR: July 6
Trailer: https://youtu.be/O6qVieflwqs

Synopsis: Read here.

Note(s): Finally, we’re here. Can’t wait for it to start. Tho, MAPPA seems to be under a lot of pressure.

Alice to Therese no Maboroshi Koujou

Info:

Type: Movie
Themes: Supernatural
Studio: MAPPA
DOR: September 15
Trailer: https://youtu.be/NvM28WMdRLQ

Synopsis: An accident causes an explosion at a steel mill and the entire town is sealed off due to it. Masamune, a third-year middle schooler is led to the steel mill by his classmate, Mutsumi. There they meet a mysterious girl and upon contacting her disrupts the balance of the world and all sorts of mayhem starts happening.

Note(s): MAPPA is done for.

The Most Heretical Last Boss Queen

Info:

Type: TV
Themes: Isekai, Fantasy
Studio: OLM Team Yoshioka
DOR: July 7
Trailer: https://youtu.be/NvM28WMdRLQ

Synopsis: A girl gets reincarnated in the body of the final villain of a game and she must do her best to prevent herself from becoming the villain and become a savior.

Note(s): Overall, a better isekai.

Cardfight!! Vanguard: will+Dress Season 3

Info:

Type: TV, Sequel
Themes: Strategy game
Studio: Kinema Citrus, GIFTanimation, Studio Jemi
DOR: July 8
Trailer: https://youtu.be/yr6OouzupAc

Synopsis: Vanguard becomes dominated by the Uniformers. A world where everyone can become the strongest… Is the world envisioned by AI GUI ideal? Yu-yu and his friends fight for the sake of enjoyable card fights with individuality! (Source: Wiki page)

Note(s): N/A.

The Gene of AI

Info:

Type: TV
Themes: Sci-Fi, Drama
Studio: Madhouse
DOR: July 8
Trailer: https://youtu.be/BDxJaOEVJEk

Synopsis: This science fiction omnibus depicting a doctor who “treats” robot and humanoid problems takes place in the near future when humanoids with artificial intelligence account for 10% of the population. The main character, Dr. Sudo Hikaru, also has the undercover name Moggadeet, under which he secretly takes on illegal medical procedures. For example, for a man who inadvertently infected his humanoid wife with a computer virus when illegally backing up her data, Sudo proposes an operation to rewrite her memory using backup data. Could an existence replaced by backup data truly be said to be the same as it was before?
(Source: Japan Media Arts Festival, edited)

Note(s): Madhouse, why?? Anyway, just watch it for the laughs.

Conclusion

That’s a big list! I try to recommend some underrated/obscure shows. If they do end up being good, then look out for a review from us. There are some other shows that I don’t wanna recommend but you can give them a watch, might be worthwhile. These are: Dekineko: The Masterful Cat Is Depressed Again Today – A career lady takes on a stray cat that turns into a masterful housekeeper and a companion who picks up the slack after her tiresome days, Ryza no Atelier – A lighthearted adventure show, Synduality: Noir – A futuristic Sci-Fi anime with mecha; the CG looked wonky, ShadowVerse Flame: Seven Shadows-hen – A strategy game based anime; release date not confirmed, New Saga – A fantasy anime; the animation looked great; release date not confirmed; may it’ll come out next season, Classroom for Heroes – Another fantasy magic school anime with no confirmed release date.

That’s all for now. Stay tuned for First Impressions and until then, take care.

Thanks for reading. ~♡~