Summer 2014 anime preview

Written by A. H. on 16 Jun 2014

Traditionally, we've always expected the summer anime season to be a relatively quiet one, with producers holding their biggest and best properties back for the autumn in the assumption that everyone will have better things to do during the summer months.

However, such thoughts seem to have been tossed from the nearest window this year, with no shortage of huge properties and exciting new series getting an outing over the coming months, from Sword Art Online to Free, and Space Dandy to Terror in Resonance.

As always, the big question pertains to what you should actually be watching out of the flood of over forty shows coming to Japan this summer. As always, we've compiled our exhausted preview guide to help you figure out what catches your eye and what you should avoid at all costs.

Ai Mai Mi ~Mousou Catastrophe~

Official web site
First Japanese broadcast date: 10th July, 2:05AM

We being proceedings with a sequel, as four-panel comedy manga adaptation Ai Mai Mi gets a second season of short episodes, continuing to follow the lives of four girls and their decidedly weird manga club where insanity is guaranteed to ensue.

Should I watch it? If you're hungry for some short sharp bursts of madcap comedy, this may fit the bill even if you haven't seen its first series. It's not going to be a comedy classic, but it could bring forth a few laughs if nothing else.

Akame ga Kill!

Official web site
First Japanese broadcast date: 7th July, 12AM

One title which has already grown a respectable buzz around its name is Akame ga Kill (literally "Red-Eyed Killer" in English), a science-fiction action manga getting an anime adaptation from White Fox this summer. The series stars Tatsumi, a down on his luck fighter who, after some traumatic events, finds himself on the verge of joining a team of assassins who seek to remove the world's corrupt individuals and fight against the Empire which rules over all.

Should I watch it? Its idea has potential if well-executed, and although White Fox perhaps aren't at their best depicting high-octane action they are a safe pair of hands broadly speaking, and we'd hope they make a decent fist of adapting a manga that seems to have its fair share of fans.

Aldnoah.Zero

Official web site
First Japanese broadcast date: 6th July, 12AM

Giant robots seem to be cool once again, and the recent spate of mecha series continues into the summer with Aldnoah.Zero, an original series from A-1 Pictures created by Gen Urobuchi. Little is known about the show's story at this stage, but visually it feels a little like the offspring of Gundam and Guilty Crown, which isn't necessarily a bad thing.

Should I watch it? Aside from the attachment of Gen Urobuchi's name to the series (as well as Fate/Zero and The Garden of Sinners' first movie's director Ei Aoki), Kalafina and Sawano Hiroyuki are on musical duties and A-1 Pictures are perhaps the most steady pair of hands you could hope for at this point in time, so this is absolutely a series worth keeping an eye on.

Ao Haru Ride

Official web site
First Japanese broadcast date: 8th July, 12AM

Production I.G. are looking to bring a little romance and drama to our lives this summer by adapting manga series Ao Haru Ride, a shoujo series that is also getting a live-action movie treatment later this year. Its story is a simple one - a girl and a boy with feelings for one another who go their separate ways and try to change themselves as they enter high school, only to find themselves thrust back together regardless.

Should I watch it? It certainly looks the part visually (and not too dissimilar in visuals to WIT Studio's HAL) and its story might not be all that original but still seems promising, so if you have an eye for romantic comedy-cum-drama series then the pedigree of this franchise suggests it will probably be worthy of your time.

Bakumatsu Rock

Official web site
First Japanese broadcast date: 2nd July, 11:30PM

Studio DEEN knows how to adapt a video game (see Hakuoki for just one such example), and they're at it again for the summer with Bakumatsu Rock. Then again, rather than a straight-up visual novel, the source material here is a rhythm game which just so happens to feature a lot of attractive men, while also bizarrely taking in an alternate history where famous samurai Ryoma Sakamoto is the leader of a rock band trying to free people from the clutches of a Shogunate that is brainwashing people via music.

Should I watch it? This sounds like the kind of story concept that Pete Townshend would have written if he were a massive otaku, by which I guess we're saying yes, you should definitely watch this. In all seriousness, it could be quite fun and sport some decent music, particularly if you like the idea of watching sexy samurai in a rock band.