Summer Anime Overview: Part 2

My review of the summer anime season continues with four more series in alphabetical order. If there is a that you want to hear my thoughts about, please comment below and let me know. Also, do you plan to watch any series this summer? If so, which ones?

Free: Eternal Summer

As some of you might remember from my review last month, Free! - Iwatobi Swim Club was a surprisingly fun slice-of-life sports comedy with amazing water animation. The second season of Free, titled "Free: Eternal Summer" is, more or less, a return to form, except with improved humor and far stronger opening episodes than the first season. In fact, Eternal Summer probably had me laughing more than any other series this summer since it even begins to make fun of its own absurdity. Some new characters are introduced, most of which are entertaining and often hilarious. While the series can still go a little overboard, it is a must watch for those that watched the first season. Some of the more serious and dramatic elements of the series is not always the best, but it works well enough. Also, the animation continues to be, as my best friend Jamie likes to call it, "POTATO CHIPS FOR THE EYES!" By which I mean, Kyoto Animation is still at the top of their game.

-8.0/10

Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-kun

Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-kun was a last minute addition to my watch list, and I am glad that I gave it a shot. It seems to be trying to parody the romantic comedy genre and its tropes with plenty of comedy that actually had me laughing out loud. Having the main male character being a ghost writer of a popular shoujo manga (young girl comic) is a surprisingly hilarious idea, especially the way he uses his friends as models for the characters. Nozaki-kun’s cluelessness to Chiyo also produces quite a lot of humor. Despite the series revolving around a female protagonist and the creation of shoujo manga, the series leans more towards shounen in type, which is mostly a positive. After the first five episodes, I am getting to know the characters, and while there is not a ton of depth, each one has their comedic quirks. As a comedy, the series is a complete success in my book with it making me laugh each episode, and it is actually one of the first series I watch right after it is uploaded online. If you are a writer that bases your characters on your friends, or if you are a fan of Ouran High School Host Club, Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-kun is probably a must-watch.

-8.2/10

Plot Summary: "The romantic comedy story begins when high school student Sakura Chiyo confesses her feelings to her classmate Nozaki. Due to a misunderstanding, Nozaki thinks Sakura is just a fan of his shoujo manga work. Sakura has to convey her true feelings while her relationship with Nozaki develops. "

Glasslip

Glasslip starts out as a mostly serious slice-of-life anime about some high schoolers, but in the second episode *episode two spoilers* a supernatural element is introduced. The main heroine, if she is around a certain person, can see the future; however, what she sees is not always clear. *End Spoilers* While the element I just mentioned plays a part in the story, it is mostly a just a smaller aspect with the main part of the story focusing on these characters' interactions and relationships. In some ways, Glasslip actually reminds me of Anohana, which is a surprisingly effective sad series, with its group of characters. P.A. Works' animation is simply beautiful, especially the background animation. Despite a slow start in the first three, the more recent ones are genuinely effective. Right now, Glasslip is my number one contender for best drama and coming-of-age series of the season, providing it continues its upward trend.

-7.9/10

Plot Summary: "The story follows six high school students who meet during the summer. The protagonist is Touko Fukami, a 17-year-old born in Fukui Prefecture. Her dream is to become a glass artisan."

Hanayamata

Hanayamata is the type of series that barely interested me in the first episode. It almost felt like a chore to watch at times. While there seems to be some potential for character development, there is not enough to interest me further, despite being under the genre of Seinen. If the reviews for the series are good, I might pick it back up, but the first episode convinced me to drop it.

-5.0/10

Plot Summary: "Normal appearance, normal intelligence, normal in arts and sports... just normal. This is the entirely normal 14-year-old, Naru Sekiya. While she admires "Heroines" she continues to live a normal life until one moonlit night she meets a fairy. This foreign girl then guides her into the extraordinary world of the yosakoi dance."

Are you interested in any of these series? Please comment below and let me know. For part 1, you can click here.

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