With the arrival of July, immense nerds--like myself--have rejoiced at the beginning of yet another anime season. This past season amassed such hits as Haven't You Heard? I'm Sakamoto, Boku no Hero Academia, and my personal favorite, Bungou Stray Dogs, but with this collection of new shows, it seems like we might not be disappointed for the second time in a row (this winter having been pretty unforgettable, for the exception of Erased). There are quite a few series that I'm looking forward to viewing this time around, such as Orange and First Love Monster (which makes me really uncomfortable, but is also incredibly well written, so I'll give it a chance), but so far, a single title has made me incredibly excited, and that is Cheer Boys, a show about two ex-judo club members that decide to form an all men's cheerleading squad at their university.

For some reason, I absolutely adore sports anime. I was an athlete when I was younger, but once high school arrived, I abandoned the idea of recreational sports in favor show choir, wanting very much to pursue music. However, the adrenaline that I experience when attending sporting events still remains, and has, perhaps, even increased. This could be a contributor to my love for this genre, given that every match or race is incredibly dramatic and high energy (and sometimes, if you're really unlucky, spanning multiple episodes). And while there have been some truly stellar series from this subsection of anime--Free!, Haikyuu!!, and Prince of Stride: Alternative, to name a few--none have challenged traditional gender roles quite like this one.

Of course, there have always been men on these teams that would fall within the traditional, "feminine" category (*barf noises*), but none have stared the patriarchy straight in the face and said, "Yeah, we're gonna do what we want, instead." Additionally, some of these anime, Prince of Stride, most notably, are based upon dating sims wherein all of the men are presumed to be heterosexual, and while the anime creators of these series have clearly taken strides (ba dum tsh) in order to make the characters less cookie cutter in their format--through eliminating directly stated love interests so that the viewers can make those decisions themselves--those shadows of their former selves can persist.

While there are two main characters within Cheer Boys who appear--at least, as of the second episode--to have joined the team only to attract women, the central characters Haruki and Kazuma are completely dedicated to becoming heroes through making others feel more inspired. The side plot of picking up chicks is all but cast aside completely when the protagonists are discussing recruiting plans and choreography, and personally, I think that is incredibly refreshing. I'm very sick of the male-joins-female-sport/activity-and-gets-laid trope.

There are two incredibly important women in this series, as well, one of which I am simultaneously anxious and ecstatic about her development throughout the series. Haruko Bandou, Haruki's sister, is essentially the greatest asset to the judo club and is, so far, a wonderful character. Instead of envying his sister's success, Haruki is continuously cheering his sister on; in fact, she is the very person to tell him that his cheering "has a power behind it," indirectly planting the seed that will later sprout in the cheerleading club. Additionally, when she finds out that he has quit judo, she scrutinizes his gumption, not his manhood, which pleased me to no end. What makes me so anxious, however, is the fact that Haruki did not fully confess his involvement in the cheerleading club, and while I don't particularly have her pegged as the type of person to ridicule a male for being a cheerleader, I am currently living in fear that this will happen. Of course, this will leave room for character development on her part, but I would be pleased to see her respond with a smile and say, "You do you, bro."

The other woman that seems to have left a profound mark on the plot is Kaz's deceased mother, who was a cheerleader in college and married her cheerleading coach (Kaz's father). In the second episode, the viewer sees him showcase the photos of his mother cheering, and instead of focusing on the "feminine" aspect of the sport, he is genuinely fascinated and in awe of it all. Apparently, her love for the sport has carried on into him, and he wants to experience what she did. And, let me tell you, it's adorable.

Additionally, I haven't seen a single member of the show become sexualized, so there's always that bonus point.

I suppose, having only been privy to the two episodes that have aired thus far, I shouldn't have such high aspirations for this show, but really, I do. I want this show to be as successful as Free!, but without the consistent fanservice (yes, some is nice, but we didn't need that much), or Haikyuu!! but, you know, without sacrificing the female's immediate development for the sake of turning her into walking boobs. And I genuinely think this show is heading in a great direction. I can't wait to see this college age men compete in their first cheerleading competition and feel warmth and happiness through supporting others.

Honestly, this might just be the purest, most adorable plot this season. And I can't wait for the rest.