The spring is at an end and so are many of the anime that started only a season ago. So now’s the perfect time to sit down and marathon the best anime the spring season had to offer. Here’s are my picks for the five you should absolutely not skip out on.
*Note: Entries are listed in alphabetical order.
Image source: 『BIRDIE WING (バーディーウイング) 』公式 on Twitter.
Birdie Wing: Golf Girls’ Story
Genre: Over-the-Top Sports, Yuri
Studio: Bandai Namco Pictures
Number of episodes: 13
Non-spoiler plot summary: Eve is a golf shark from the slums who keeps a roof over her and her fellow orphans’ heads through fleecing the rich and prideful that think they’re better at golf than some poor, teenage girl who only owns three clubs. Yet, everything changes the day Eve meets Aoi Amawashi, an up-and-coming Japanese golfer from a dynasty of pro golfers. Despite being total opposites in both social status and play style, the two are drawn to each other—having finally found a true rival that each would give anything to play against. However, there are more than a few trials and tribulations to be overcome before these star-crossed golfers can achieve their dream.
Why you should watch it: Birdie Wing is completely over the top in the best possible way. From mob deals being settled through golf games to transforming golf courses, this show clearly takes place in a reality a bit more surreal than our own. Nowhere is this clearer than with Eve herself. She is able to make truly impossible shots—and does so solely to break the spirits of those she plays against. What comes out of this is a show that’s incredibly fun to watch—even if you (like me) detest golf as a sport.
But what really sells the show is the connection between Eve and Aoi. When it comes down to it, both girls are a bit lost in life. Sure, they have a talent for golf but it’s lonely at the top and they are the biggest fish in their respective small ponds. So when they meet, they become hyper-fixated on one another—each doing what ever it takes to play the other. But what’s great is that even after they play a round, all either wants to do is play again. They really do complete each other and, more than winning against other golfers, finding a way to play together forever is the true challenge they are working to overcome.
Watch It If You Like: Kakegurui, Prince of Tennis
Where You Can Watch It: Crunchyroll
Image source: アニメ『処刑少女の生きる道(バージンロード)』公式 on Twitter.
The Executioner and Her Way of Life
Genre: Transported-to-a-Fantasy-World Deconstruction, Yuri
Studio: J.C.Staff
Number of episodes: 12
Non-spoiler plot summary: You’ve heard it all before. A young Japanese teen is transported to a fantasy world and is granted a special power that makes them nearly unstoppable. Armed with said power (and knowledge of modern technology), they head out into the fantasy world in search of adventure—often changing the world in the process. Menou is a priestess living in one such fantasy world. Her job is simple: kill these Japanese teens before they mess up her world even more than it already has been.
Now she faces her biggest challenge yet: her latest target’s power makes it so that she can’t be killed. All Menou can do is befriend the girl—and travel with her across the land in the hopes of finding a way to end the girl’s life.
Why you should watch it: This show is a fantastic deconstruction of isekai anime. The world of The Executioner and Her Way of Life is absolutely wrecked. Not only has the world been ravaged by Japanese teens whose powers went out of control and devastated the environment, the social damage has been extreme as well. Japanese is the only language spoken in the fantasy world and the culture has become practically homogeneous regardless of location. With such damage to the world, it makes sense that the people of this world would organize their society with the sole goal of eliminating any and all Japanese teens who arrive in their world. Or to put it another way, the whole anime is a fascinating thought experiment built around taking the isekai premise to its logical extreme. The fact that it has interesting characters with complex relationships is simply the icing on the cake.
Watch It If You Like: Talentless Nana, Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World-, Puella Magi Madoka Magica
Where You Can Watch It: HIDIVE
Image source: 『SPY×FAMILY（スパイファミリー）』アニメ公式 on Twitter.
SPY×FAMILY
Genre: Comedy, Spy-Action, Slice-of-Life
Studio: Wit Studio, CloverWorks
Number of episodes: 12
Non-spoiler plot summary: “Twilight” is Westalis’ greatest spy—but his new mission might be more than even he can handle. He must infiltrate the inner circle of the infamously reclusive Donovan Desmond. The only way to do this is through the elite school is son attends. Of course, that means that Twilight will need not only a child but a wife to act as his cover. But little does he know that his chosen wife moonlights as an assassin while his adopted daughter is actually a psychic able to read minds (and thinks that having a spy and an assassin for parents is pretty darn cool).
Why you should watch it: Though the show has more than its share of wonderfully animated action, what really sells the whole package is Anya. The psychic girl actually feels like a real child. While she may be able to read the minds of those around her, that doesn’t mean she knows how to interpret the information she finds. Her misunderstandings, offset by her earnestness to protect her new family, make for a ton of relatable comedy—especially once her new mother and father become involved. When it comes down to it, SPY×FAMILY is the story of a found family. While it all starts as a cover, the three slowly but surely become a loving family in truth—even if they don’t quite realize it themselves. It’s one of those shows guaranteed to warm even the most cynical of hearts.
Watch It If You Like: Princess Principal, Hinamatsuri, Full Metal Panic
Where You Can Watch It: Crunchyroll
Image source: サマータイムレンダ公式 on Twitter.
Summer Time Rendering
Genre: Time Loop, Horror
Studio: OLM
Number of episodes: 25
Non-spoiler plot summary: After the death of his childhood best friend, Shinpei returns to the island he grew up on. But it doesn’t take long for him to realize things aren’t what they seem. Not only is there evidence that his friend was murdered, people are mysteriously disappearing as well—claiming to have seen their own doppelgangers before they do. Yet, this only the beginning. When Shinpei is killed by one such doppelganger, he finds himself a few days in the past with a second chance to figure out what’s truly going on and save those he cares about.
Why you should watch it: Summer Time Rendering is one part Steins;Gate, one part John Carpenter’s The Thing. Shinpei is facing a threat that he does not understand but one he cannot combat alone. However, the fact that the doppelgangers can not only copy bodies but memories and personalities as well, makes it hard to trust anyone—anyone could be a doppleganger, after all. Moreover, he doesn’t even know what the dopplegangers’ goal is or how to stop it. And while Sinpei himself may be able to live, die, and repeat, that doesn’t mean that even his smallest actions won’t send the timeline spinning off in ways he could have never expected. And with each revelation comes new trials for him to overcome. This makes for an incredibly tense, low-key horror show that will keep you on the edge of your seat.
Watch It If You Like: Steins;Gate, Erased, The Thing
Where You Can Watch It: Disney+
Image source: パリピ孔明【マンガ&TVアニメ公式】 on Twitter.
Ya Boy Kongming!
Genre: Music Industry, Fish-Out-of-Water Comedy
Studio: P.A. Works
Number of episodes: 12
Non-spoiler plot summary: At the moment of his death, ancient Chinese strategist Kongming finds himself not in heaven but in modern day Shibuya. There, he meets Eiko, a young, struggling musician, and finds himself charmed by her voice. Centuries out of time in a peaceful land with no enemies to fight, Kongming vows to become Eiko’s strategist and spread her music the world over.
Why you should watch it: While there is a lot of comedy to be found in Ya Boy Kongming!, a lot of the story is about two young people—i.e., Eiko and Kabe Taijin—finding their respective voices. While Eiko wants to be a professional singer, she wonders if she’s really good enough to ever make it big. On the other hand, Kabe Taijin is already a popular underground rapper. However, he has started to crack under the pressure and has forgotten why he wanted to be a rapper in the first place. Kongming’s job is to subtly guide the pair to both success and happiness. Sometimes, this means clever tricks to make their concerts more popular than they otherwise would be, other times it just means helping them discover more about who they really are. Its surprisingly touching.
At the same time, a show about two musicians wouldn’t succeed if the music wasn’t absolutely fantastic. I mean, if Eiko’s music is supposed to change the world then it’s important we believe it. And for the most part, Eiko’s song’s live up to the necessary hype and feel like they could legitimately be hit songs in the real world (even if her early songs are better than the one used for the climax). All in all, it’s a gem of a show and one quite different in tone from most other idol anime.
Watch It If You Like: Carole & Tuesday, Zombieland Saga
Where You Can Watch It: HIDIVE
Top image source: 『SPY×FAMILY（スパイファミリー）』アニメ公式 on Twitter.
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