A whole bunch of new anime movies and series make their debut this summer and we've waded through the whole list to find our handful of favorites. In the video above, associate news editor Jordan Ramée outlines the eight anime worth adding to your queue this season. The list is composed of anime that either debut in US theaters this summer or are airing on Crunchyroll, Funimation, Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, Hidive, or VRV.
In terms of action-oriented series, you should check out Fire Force and Promare. Both anime explore a similar story, one in which humans develop fire-based superpowers and a special firefighting unit is constructed in order to handle the new threat. The main difference is in the type of story they tell. Fire Force sees protagonist Shinra, a pyrokinetic who can channel flames through his feet, become a firefighter to discover the true fire-wielding monster responsible for burning down his home and killing his family. Promare, on the other hand, is about two men on opposite sides of society and the common ground they reach in order to stop the discrimination of the fire-wielding mutants who just want to lead normal lives.
Vinland Saga is also pretty action-packed, but the historical drama simply takes place during a time period where the English and Vikings were at war with one another. The fighting is a backdrop to the themes of cultural appropriation, the wrongness of war and slavery, and the dark path of revenge.
If the past bores you, consider heading to the future with Dr. Stone or Astra Lost in Space. The former is about two high school best friends awakening in a world over 3,000 years after every living human was encased in stone. The two work toward finding a way to free the rest of humanity, while also turning to science to rebuild the society they lost. In Astra Lost in Space, a summer camping trip goes awry when a group of students is mysteriously transported over 5,000 light-years away. Finding an abandoned spacecraft, the group decide to hop from one planet to the next in order to scavenge enough food and water to make the several months-long trip back to civilization.
All of the aforementioned series have been male-led, but that doesn't mean there aren't any solid anime with female protagonists this season. Carole & Tuesday is a beautiful collaboration of eastern and western art, telling the story of two women from completely different racial, economic, and societal backgrounds finding a connection through music. O Maidens in Your Savage Season tackles the awkward topic of sexual urges with humor and empathic characters, and is sure to invoke a tear or two with its emotional journey. Finally, Granbelm is an original anime series that combines the explosive battles of the mecha genre with the friendship-focused narrative of magical girls to deliver a very unique story.