Summer is not the strongest time for anime. It’s unfortunate, but honestly the summer anime season is usually the worst of them all, in my opinion and experience. However, even in the worst season, gems can be found. Now that everything has finally debuted, here is a list of what I think are the best three new anime this season. (No, I’m not including Attack on Titan, this is strictly new anime. Obviously we’re all excited for Attack on Titan after that let down of a first half of the third season).
3. Angolmois: Record of Mongol Invasion
Based on historic events, Angolmois: Record of the Mongol Invasion is exactly what it’s title suggests it would be: an anime based on the Mongol invasion of Japan. The year is 1274, the Ben’ei era of the Kamakura period. Jinzaburou Kuchii, once a proud general, is now an exiled samurai and wanted criminal. Jinzaburou and the rest of his comrades (all criminals, mostly pirates) aboard a government ship (it transports criminals), have been sent to Tsushima, where they will be sent to the front lines in hopes to repel the impending Mongol invasion. And so, a disgraced general, a bunch of pirates, and a group of island natives, will risk their lives to fend off the Mongol army. If you aren’t aware, the Mongolian army was not only vast, but incredibly skilled. The Mongol Empire was the largest bordering land empire in the world’s history. I’ll stop with the history lesson, but just understand how stacked these odds are against them. Following the capture and saving of Tsushima Princess Teruhi, 900 Mongolian warships begin their journey toward Japan.
I’m a big history buff, so anything involving history will pique my interest. However, they don’t always pan out. This anime though, so far, has. With a unique take on a historic event, coupled with beautiful art and lots of great fight scenes (Jinzaburou kills like 10 guys in the first 10 minutes of episode 1), this is an anime worth watching.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6H4yfUYZ23A
2. Angels of Death
Angels of Death was originally an episodic, psychological, horror adventure video game (its available on Steam for $10, go play it), then it was adapted to a manga, and now it is debuting as an anime. Compared to movie adaptations, anime ones are generally pretty well done and Angels of Death is no exception.
A 13-year old girl named Rachel (has the same name as me, already a winner) wakes up to a cold, dark basement of an abandoned building with no recollection of how she got there or why. So, she does what anyone would obviously do and wanders around lost and scared. She finds a sweet little bird and feels a bit of hope, until the bird is killed by a man covered in bandages. The man wields a scythe and introduces himself as Zack. One of many serial killers in this bizarre building. Something triggers in Rachel and she remembers, what she remembers, we don’t know, but it instantly turns her from a meek, scared girl to an emotionless borderline-sociopath. Now, Rachel wants to die (she can’t kill herself because suicide is a sin, and yes, I know it’s weird, but her logic isn’t exactly wrong) and Zack wants to get out. So the two strike a deal. Rachel will help Zack escape this building and once they’re free, Zack will kill her. Ah, a relationship built on mutual trust and understanding.
While it’s based on a video game, the story is still a unique one. If you haven’t played the game or read the manga (do it), you will still thoroughly enjoy this demented duo in their adventure towards freedom to kill and be killed. The art is solid and the voices are perfect fits for the characters. Also I just love Zack and Rachel’s characters.
1. Cells at Work
Cells at Work, in a nutshell, is an anime Osmosis Jones (a 2001 American live-action/animated movie starring Chris Rock and David Hyde Pierce). Except better (sorry Warner Bros.)
Cells at Work is the story of you. A human. A being made up of approximately 37 trillion cells. And these cells work hard every day to protect you inside and out. From red and white blood cells to dendritic cells and macrophages, from common scrapes to threatening and not-so-threatening germs, this anime allows us to observe our bodies’ tiny heroes as they handle the daily drama that comes with maintaining a human body. The story is mainly focused on a female red blood cell and a male white blood cell, as the constant mayhem of protecting this body cause them to continually collide. Still, we see plenty of other types of cells and germs within our body.
I’m not interested in biology and anatomy. I don’t care about biology and anatomy. These are feelings I thought would continue for the rest of my days. And then I watched this show. Not only is it entertaining in the way it presents information about cells and germs, but it makes me want to know. I have to look up some of the terms they use and it doesn’t feel annoying, I am reading it because I want to know and understand what they’re talking about. I’m learning. This show is teaching me things. Point to you, science. Plus, I love the way the cells’ appearances and how they do their jobs are interpreted. It’s a funny and educational anime that keeps you engaged the entire time.
All of these anime and more are currently streaming on Crunchyroll.
