It’s that magical time of the year again. It’s getting hotter than it needs to be, people are wearing less clothes, and I’m staying in doors for most of it because I can. Yes, it is summer. And what comes with summer, at least for me and the community that I consider myself to be a part of, is the next “season” of anime.
Yes, all the summer anime that have been advertised for the last year or so have finally started, and I couldn’t be happier. At the beginning of each season, I map them out, either through writing or just going through a list of productions and clicking on what looks the most interesting. Quite frequently I find that shows aren’t as interesting as I’d wish, but that isn’t the case this summer. There are way too many shows that I want to watch. If I remember correctly, I picked out at least 10 or 12 titles to keep up with every single week because that’s how interesting the synopsis was.
With the season fully underway, I’ve realized that some shows aren’t exactly up to par with what I expected or wanted. That’s not a bad thing, it just means that my expectations weren’t met. But with some, my expectations were exceeded and I couldn’t be more excited. So I thought now would be a good chance to talk about them and maybe give you something fun to keep up with for the next few months!
1. “Sweetness and Lightning.”
Let’s start off with one of my absolute favorites of the season, “Sweetness and Lightning.” This seemingly simple show is about a single father and his daughter living day to day and the trials and tribulations that they go through together. The father, Kouhei Inuzuka, works full time to provide for his daughter, and barely has time to cook for her.
The main plot that has presented itself so far is that Kouhei is trying to be a more attentive father, and for him, that means cooking his daughter’s meals. His daughter, Tsumugi — pronounced su-moo-gee (like "geese") — was never a fan of his cooking, so it’s a constant struggle. It isn’t until Kouhei meets a young woman who attends the school he works for, and whom she invites over to her family restaurant, that he truly understands what it’s like to connect with people over food and how it brings them such joy. So if you like food, watching a family grow together, and a great cast of characters, I highly recommend “Sweetness and Lightning.”
2. “Tales of Zestiria X.”
This show is something I’ve waited for since its announcement last year. This anime is something that was adapted from the video game “Tales of Zestiria,” a JRPG (Japanese role-playing game) that chronicles the story of a young man who’s trying to prevent the demise of his world. It’s much more complicated than that of course, but that’s essentially what happens. While the show hasn’t been out for long, it seems like it will follow the same story arc that the game does while going into detail on character backstory where the game fell short, which is something that it was criticized for (and rightfully so).
While the show gives us a very decent story, what really sells it to the audience is the animation, which is unbelievably gorgeous. It’s like looking at beautiful scenery again and again, and then watching someone get stabbed in the back, because this is a goddamn action adventure show, not an art gallery. So if you like staring at pretty things, an intense plot, and quirky characters that should show themselves later on, I recommend adding “Tales of Zestiria X” to your Summer 2016 Anime List.
3. “DAYS.”
The last show I want to talk about is “DAYS,” a sport anime revolving around soccer. It follows a main character who is just your average joe looking to live out his high school days while having fun doing it. One day, he’s roped into playing a game of soccer with a classmate, and he’s absolutely terrible at it — can’t keep up with the ball, hits his head on the goal post while trying to head it in, and constantly tripping. It’s really just the best time, if you enjoy watching this goofy character try and keep up. But even though he’s honestly terrible, he loves it! He keeps his spirits up and continues to play. And that’s where the show really starts for me.
If there’s one thing I love about this show, it’s that the main character doesn’t give a shit whether he’s bad or not. He’ll keep trying until he makes something of himself. The determination to strive for the best gives me the warm fuzzies, and makes me want to get up and do something with my life. So if you like sports, goofy characters who refuse to give up, and more sports, watch “DAYS!”
There are way more anime out there that I didn’t touch on. Are there any that you’re super pumped for? Maybe some of the shows that are coming back for their second or third season? Maybe something brand new? Whatever it is, I hope it stays awesome the entire season.
