Cells at Work is a part of Crunchyroll’s Summer Simulcast series, and new episodes are uploaded on Saturdays at 9:30 a.m. PT/12:30 p.m. Each of its four main leads has gone through some life-changing event. Among those, series built around videog ame-like mechanics are especially insidious, so I couldn’t blame anyone who’s tired of these tropes for running away the second they saw this show approaching. Discover More Anime. The catchy rap-filled soundtrack helped make Devilman Crybaby an anime masterpiece, one that tells an incredible story and doesn’t shy away from crossing the line. After a UFO arrives in Japan, a set of humans transform into weapons using stardust and swiftly defeat it.
The awesome selection of heavy metal songs doesn’t hurt either. It embodies everything the author stands for: heroism that should never be at odds with kindness, building familial bonds between people with no blood relation, an understanding of Japan’s mecha and sentai traditions, all wrapped up in a quirky sense of humor.
Golden Kamuy’s portrayal of Hokkaido culture and history is sure to reel you in. New episodes are released shortly after they air in Japan and are typically available on Thursdays. Is a series about a nearly omnipotent blob that's beloved by beautiful women and handsome men obvious escapism?
's depiction of badminton matches was carefully researched and made into a spectacular pseudo-rotoscoped affair with a tremendous sense of impact, intense character detail, and thrilling back-and-forths, all accompanied by very solemn direction and an elegant sense of grandeur to the framing of every moment.
Though it’s never been all that popular overseas, GeGeGe no Kitaro is quite the historic franchise in Japan, the 2018 series being its sixth full animated series, leaving aside films and spin-offs. Throughout the series, she navigates loneliness, misogyny and being single less than gracefully, but everything she experiences and expresses is genuine.
Once again, the shōnen anime Attack on Titan made our best anime of the year list thanks to its monumental impact on the anime industry, both in Japan and abroad. Hinamatsuri’s capacity to balance humor with a theme of found family and real, grounded emotion is what makes it stand out. Even though it has its drawbacks — like over-the-top fan service and dramatic teenagers — DARLING in the FRANXX manages to tell a moving tale about love, dealing with loss, and standing up for what’s right. Protagonist Hisone is in a constant struggle because of her outspokenness -- quite a problem for a young woman who recently joined Japan’s highly regimented Self-Defense Force. Giorno Giovanna offers a fresh POV as the protagonist in the fifth adaptation of Jojo; he’s the son of the iconic villain Dio on a quest to become a benevolent mobster like those who left a strong impression on him as a child.
The plus side of JoJo’s anthology format is that you can pick up the series during any one of its seasons and still have a pretty good time, even if you’ll likely be fairly lost on a few plot points. To learn more or opt-out, read our Cookie Policy.
From the series anthology format, telling the story of a new member of the Joestar family each season, to the strange art that meshes together violent lines and western style, almost everything about the series sets itself apart. It’s great to see an animation studio make use of the clash between cute, innocent designs and painfully realistic depiction of the workplace to tell a story that appeals to the lost optimist in all of us. Also, it’s funny and adorable as all get out. A Fashionable Judo Girl — timed to the 1992 Barcelona Olympics where women could compete in judo at the Olympic level and earn a medal for the first time — have been depicting strong women in sports for years. The series solves this mystery by introducing a self-serving villain who also sheds light on Levi’s past.
The show’s thoroughly strange and beautiful artwork combined with each characters’ Stand abilities — which perfectly walk the the line between incredible and nonsense — make Golden Wind one of this year’s most fun shows. Kotoha a game-loving child who, despite being very sharp, can't clear any video game with all the cheats in this world; Yui, a leader who might break into tears at any moment; Sacchan, a bright kid whose mind is filled with feces; together they’re the "Colors," a group of children beloved by their neighborhood but feared by the jerk of a policeman they love to annoy during their free time. — JL. Director, Series composition: Yusuke YamamotoScript: Kazuyuki FudeyasuCharacter designer, Chief animation director: Yusuke MatsuoAnimation production: 8-Bit Each of them may face different societal pressures and personal shortcomings, but Run with the Wind shows us how running can bring such an uneven group together. Once a young athletic prodigy, first year Kakeru Kurahara finds himself in deep trouble until he’s saved by a fellow university student in charge of a dormitory. This isn’t to say that female-focused sports anime haven’t existed before. After losing both of her arms and having them replaced with metal prosthetics, she has to learn how to integrate back into society as an Auto-Memory Doll, which is essentially a trained ghostwriter for books and letters.
Now, isekai titles are so abundant that quirky takes on the genre are commonplace, but Slime’s straight-faced commitment to its premise makes it feel oddly genuine. Although the series hasn’t finished airing yet, the emotional drama that these characters go through is undoubtedly relatable many of us. The series follows a young girl with mechanical hands who, after seeing her commander die in battle, now searches for the meaning of his final words to her: I love you. Both in a literal and figurative sense, DRAGON PILOT: Hisone and Masotan is an original anime.
This season is admittedly a bit more modest than its predecessor: training arcs are hardly the most thrilling so its start is relatively slow, and there’s no denying that the presentation isn’t quite as impactful as usual since studio BONES is funneling resources toward the upcoming movie. — JL. Along with the pastoral adventures, Laid-Back Camp also offers actual camping tips — you learn while you watch! After being given a mysterious drug and an address by a dying man on the street, Ash attempts to get to the root of the eponymous “Banana Fish,” the name of the drug and the only words his now-unresponsive older brother utters after being drugged and killing his unit while serving in Iraq.
If you do get the opportunity though, don’t hesitate, even if this kind of show isn't usually up your alley.Available on: Crunchyroll, Director: Taichi Ishidate, Haruka FujitaSeries composer: Reiko YoshidaCharacter designer: Akiko TakaseAnimation production: Kyoto Animation
This third season, cute as it starts, is entirely constructed around the painful, conflicting feelings when a socially awkward companion you treasure drifts away from you after you’ve pushed them towards new friendships yourself. This isn’t the tightest Jojo season out there, but this is a thrilling ride nonetheless. The story follows horse girl Special Week and her journey to be the #1 horse girl in Japan. Hinamatsuri‘s creative premise, solid humor, and perfect comedic timing make it a must-see. To sum things up, Fukumoto is a manga artist best known for his series about gambling -- a theme he uses to explore the psyche of his characters, to criticize the dog-eat-dog capitalist landscape, and to have some unbelievably exciting confrontations. Now get watching.
Sometimes, after — or even during — a hard day, you just want to take a deep breath and unleash your heavy metal side. From foreign customers who are only interested in erotic boys’ love comics to publishing companies trying to put down too many decorations to promote their new releases, Honda juggles drama at the bookstore.
Each part has the same jokes with very minor differences, but it’s worth it to watch both. The series’ real gem is its soundtrack, which features rappers Ken the 390 and Young Dais and beatboxer AFRA.
The show, a 50th anniversary celebration of the 1968 manga Ashita no Joe, harkens back to classic anime like Trigun and Cowboy Bebop with a deliberate, low-resolution animation style straight out of the ‘90s.
His dream to become a Gang-Star -- a chic portmanteau he’s earned because the whole cast is stylish, even by the franchise’s standards -- leads him to face many outlandish foes with impossible powers. It’s all relatable to anyone who has worked retail, even if you didn’t necessarily work in manga. However, Hanebado!