1. Sonny Boy
2. Aquatope
3. Magia Record
4. Kageki Shoujo
5. Girlfriend, Girlfriend
6. Tsukimichi Moonlit Fantasy
7. Dragon Maid
8. Idaten
9. Uramichii Oniisan
10. Love Live
11. Fena
12. Tokyo Revengers
13. To You Eternity
14. Vanitas
15. Artiswitch
16. Villainess
17. Slime S2 P2
18. DragonQuest Dai
19. Death Battle in 5 seconds
20. Remake Our Life
21. Night Head 2041
22. Jahy
23. Standing on a Million Lives
24. Black Company
25. Peach Boy Riverside
26. Megami
27. Realist Hero
28. D_cide
29. Scarlet Nexus
Sonny Boy – After the first episode I pegged this as the likely Anime of the season. I did try to temper my expectations a bit since I was worried this may be another Wonder Egg. Luckily it wasn't. Sonny Boy at its core is a simple character growth story. However, it is covered with tons of symbolism and surrealism. The characters were great, the story was good, the themes were good, the directing was amazing, and the music was fantastic. Some people found the ending to be a bit disappointing, but I think it gets the job done. Sonny Boy is a great watch just don't expect to understand everything.
Aquatope – Looks like the first half is finally finished. It was an emotional ride with a great cast of characters. I can understand this not being to everyone's taste. It is a slow burn and heavy on the drama, but in my opinion, it was one of the best shows of the season. It also helped that it looked absolutely gorgeous at times.
Magia Record S2 – The first 4 episodes are incredibly good. Story had better direction, characters actually getting moments, payoffs for a number of arcs, and some great animation as well. Sadly, this could not be kept up because Shaft has to Shaft. Episode 5 is largely fine. Episode 6 is an unwatchable mess that even if fixed in the bluray would be a bad directionless episode. Episode 7 and 8 are improvements but the obvious shortcuts taken to get the episode out on time certainly hold back the improved storytelling. It is an improvement over the first season with some high highs but also some low lows. I would still say this is the upper echelon of shows this season, the first half in my opinion was just that good. I think a lot of my disappointment with the second half is largely from expectations from how good the first half was. Well that and concern over the direction for the final season. Once again, I am excited and nervous for the next season.
Kageki Shoujo – This is one of the best shows of the season. A good cast of characters. It handled it is more serious episodes really well. It wasn't the most exciting at times but the storytelling was really good. My main complaint would be that I didn't care for the last episode. It just kind of felt like it dragged on a bit and wasn't that satisfying of a stopping point.
Girlfriend, Girlfriend – Probably the funniest show of the season. I really enjoyed Aho Girl so hearing another stupid comedy by the same author was getting an anime adaptation, I knew I had to check it out. Just make sure you turn your brain off before the episodes start. The characters are all ridiculously dumb as well are the scenarios they find themselves. Everyone has their own best girl but my favorite was Saki Saki. Ayaneru really nailed the role. The show was just pure stupid fun from start to finish.
Tsukimichi Moonlit Fantasy – One of the biggest surprises of the season. When I see a bunch of new Isekai coming out, I always keep expectations low. However, Tsukimichi turned out to be pretty good. It is basically Slime and Konosuba combined (Though I believe it predates them). It doesn't break the mold but it uses the standard Isekai tropes in a fun way. It was funny with a great cast that had a lot of chemistry. The best Isekai of this season easily.
Dragon Maid S – I didn't really care for the early episodes but I feel it did get better. Just what you would expect from Dragon Maid, wholesome and funny. There were some good character moments this season as well, especially if you are an Elma fan. Also, with it being Kyoto Animation, it looked better than it had any right to. It was pretty good.
Idaten – Well that was a go read the manga ending if I ever saw one. Oh, wait the manga isn't even this far. How about the web comic? Nevermind on Hiatus. I don't say this too often but it is probably best to wait and see if the manga catches up before diving in. So, besides the ending, Idaten does have some shall I say questionable content. If you can stomach that then it is a pretty high paced action-packed story with fun characters and interesting twist and turns. Idaten has probably the best first 3 episodes of the season. I did kind of feel that the second half was a bit weaker, but it was still fairly consistent. Overall a pretty solid show that probably isn't for everyone.
Uramichi Oniisan – A dark comedy about a depressed children's show host. I honestly was curious if they would be able to keep things fresh. Surprisingly they did. The show was funny with a decent cast of characters. That being said not every episode was a winner. If you want to laugh at relatable situations then slowly start to reflect and regret your own life decisions this is the show for you.
Love Live! Superstar! – *Due to the Olympics and probably other delays Love Live is not finished. * I really do like the cast of characters and songs in this Love Live. Sadly, the formulaicness just kind of bothers me. I get it, if it ain't broke don't fix it. Is it wrong to want something different though? Overall a really good show, and the cast is probably one of my favorites as far as Idol anime goes.
Fena Pirate Princess – *Important Note Fena isn't finished yet. I am judging by what has happened so far and trying to keep future expectations out of the equation. *Visually this show is incredibly impressive. The music is also good. I find the story to be decent as well. Characters aren't bad either. I do find the main cast of Fena, Yukimaru, and Shitan to be a bit bland in comparison to pretty much everyone else. Besides the characters, my other main complaint so far is that not much happens. Sure, they are moving from point A to B to C to etc, but it doesn't feel earned and there isn't much that happens between or during each point. Also, with it being a pirate ninja (they are more of samurai) show, there are some certain expectations. Sadly, I feel only episode 2 and maybe 7 have met those expectations. Fena is certainly a good show but it hasn't wowed me.
Tokyo Revengers – Much like To Your Eternity, Tokyo Revengers gets caught up in repeating the same story beats. There were some frustrating aspects to the arc that aired over this season. However, in the end I have Tokyo Revengers higher than To Your Eternity because despite the frustrating aspects it was still a fun watch.
To Your Eternity – Had an incredibly impressive first episode back during the spring season. The first main arc was okay but the second was a good bit better. However, the third arc, the one that was featured over the summer season, was not as good. Repeating the same story beats started to catch up with the show. It also didn't help that the cast of this arc wasn't near as good. Towards the end production falls apart as well. Sadly, it was a rough Summer for To Your Eternity. It is still one of the better shows out there, and certainly not quite the fall from grace as something like So What I am Spider.
Vanitas – Even after watching the full season I can't really place what bothered me about this show. The action was good, the story was decent, it had style, and the characters could be fun, however something still bothered me. Certainly, didn't help that I didn't care for the last few episodes and that the whole season felt like a setup to next season.
Artiswitch – An underrated show. I think the CG and short episodes turned people off. However, this is a pretty intriguing show. It is largely episodic in that a character is going through either trauma or just has an ego problem. They wind up at the witch's shop. They do a little song and dance number and the person comes out a bit better than when they started. The last few episodes get a bit strange. I didn't really care for episode 5 or 6. Overall it was interesting.
My Life as a Villainess all routes lead to doom (Hamefura) S2 – S1 seemed to wrap up nicely, so I was a bit concerned about how this season would go. It went pretty much how I expected, more people fall into Bakarina's harem, Bakarina eats sweets, fun anime original episodes, and we largely follow the same story beats as S1. I do find this season to be a bit repetitive. It had some good ideas but doesn't really develop them too much. I think if you keep your expectations low and wanted more bakarina, then this is a fun addition.
Slime S2 P2 – A lot of this season was simply exposition delivered through a bunch of characters sitting and talking. The fights were anticlimactic. Honestly, I kind of just wanted to see Rimuru and pals put in their place. I just found it frustrating to get through.
DragonQuest Dai – It is more DragonQuest Dai. I felt the episodes aired over this season were pretty good. Maybe not quite as good as three or so arcs ago but still pretty good.
Death Battle in 5 seconds – Yeah it is a battle royale anime. If you keep your expectations in check this is a fun ride. Sure, the main character's smarts are largely plot armor. Sure, the budget is lacking making all the fights pretty underwhelming, but there is still fun to be had here. It isn't good but it can be enjoyable.
Remake Our Life – I spent the first half complaining how this was generic garbage. It was so frustrating after a promising episode 1 to see this become a bunch of clichés and tropes Frankensteined together. Luckily the show makes a bit of a pivot in its second half which was a big improvement. Unfortunately, after that it meanders around with some real lazy writing before just kind of ending. It wouldn't be upsetting if this was just bad all the way through, but there are moments were the show truly shines. I spent most of the show frustrated and bored with some moments where I was truly wowed. Sadly, I have to put this towards the bottom.
Night Head 2041 – It started out kind of interesting. By the midway point it starts getting convoluted. In my opinion none of the characters get developed much or become interesting. The fights are nice, but it is hard to get invested in them when you know the outcome will be the characters teleporting out of danger. This happens in a lot in the second half and is pretty frustrating. The finale does wrap things up in a somewhat satisfying way, but it still leaves a bit unanswered. Overall the show looks and sounds pretty good that is hurt by its story and characters.
Jahy will not be defeated – Not much to say about Jahy. I like the idea and the cast, but I just do not find this show funny. The main joke is Jahy gets herself in trouble then makes the situation worse because of her ego. Which sounds like it could be funny but just hasn't been. It doesn't help that the jokes go on for way longer than they need to. The show has charm and I want to stick with as it has been improving. I think maybe my expectation were too high since I really wanted this to be another Devil is a Part Timer.
Standing on A million Lives – Last fall this was probably my biggest surprise. I expected discount Re:Zero, but instead got an unique isekai. Sadly season 1 was held back by slow pacing and awful animation. Season 2 is much better paced but still has the same wonky animation as the first. I also felt like the characters were a bit lacking this season especially when we got to the weird second arc. The second arc started off incredibly bad with some awful writing. It did get a bit better. Overall, I just found this season disappointing.
Dungeon Black Company – This season's Combatants Will Be Dispatched. Scum protagonist gets sent to isekai land and hijinks ensue. Just like Combatants it is also largely unfunny. At least Black Company has Rim to try to carry things. Basically, Black Company has a better story and world but worse characters than Combatants. It may even be a bit funnier. Take that as you will. For me this is towards the bottom of the season for me. It has some charm with the wackiness but I didn't really care for anything in this show.
Peach Boy Riverside – I am going to preface this with I watched it in the airing order. However, even if watched in the correct chronological order this is just an okay dark fantasy. The character growth is glacial and the plot isn't anything special. For the most part, the fights are anticlimactic. The main thing the show has going for it is the brutality. I should mention though that Sally's pants and Frau are doing some serious heavy lifting in this show. Overall it is decent but probably not something I would have stuck around with under normal circumstances. However, the mixed-up watch order is a dumpster fire worth watching burn. Character growth goes out the window since one episode we will see them developed only to go back to an episode where they are developing. The fights are even more anti climatic because we know the results. One character just shows up without any introduction. Another character just gets left hanging for most of the season. What gets me the most, is that this watch order was completely unnecessary. The true first episode is a bit weak but certainly not a bad starting point. The true final episode is fine and could work with just a slight revision. If the director really wanted he could have swapped 2 episodes and been totally fine. The worst part is the directors last episode isn't even all that good. I will give Peach Boy some credit it was fun and certainly not the worst show of this season.
Mom of Goddess Dormitory (Megami) – This was one of the shows I was planning to drop, but I ended up sticking with it since it was only 10 episodes long and my favorite character's episode was at the halfway point. I think I mentioned on reddit that the girls are in college which was nice but the male lead was in middle school not nice. For the most part this is fairly standard for ecchi harem anime. There is plenty of walking in on someone, tripping into lewd positions, and fanservice. The cast isn't too unique but they do feel a bit dialed up. I think some people were hoping this would have a plot and those people were naïve. It is largely one fanservice episode to the next as one would expect. Honestly the only things I found amusing in this show were, the female lead can't stand men due to a past trauma which turned out to be walking in on a roommate having sex. The second amusing aspect was the female lead trying to censure the other girls to protect our 12-year-old protagonist. However, one of the girls, Serene, thinks of this as a challenge and undresses just to participate. Serene was definitely best girl. Her antics were by far the most fun. The main things I want to get across are that Yuki Yomichi needs more roles and sunk cost fallacy can be a bitch.
Realist Hero – I at first had this in my drop list then somehow finished it. The first couple of episodes are kind of interesting. A bit pretentious. I mean it is largely economics 101 and a lot of it relies on the kingdom being wildly incompetent. After the initial start, it starts adding some isekai staples such as superior Japanese cuisine, adopting a child, and a harem. The second half just really drags on and isn't very remarkable. The anime must have skipped things because our intelligent protagonist makes some real dumb decisions. Overall the show is just kind of boring and unremarkable.
D_Cide Traumerei the Animation– A lot of people are wary of CG anime, largely due to how it looks. Luckily for D_Cide the visuals are not where it is lacking. It is the story and characters. I guess I should have known what I was in for when the terms they came up for the heroes is "Knocker Up." They must face off with "Dreamers" and "Evil Ones." The first half of the show is a more episodic character drama. Sad to say the real-world issues they address are not handled well. Also, there is a bit of tonal whiplash. The monster designs are alright. The fights are decent. The second half of the show focuses more on the overarching story. I just felt it didn't really go anywhere. I found the ending to be unsatisfying as well.
Scarlet Nexus – How to watch Scarlet Nexus. Step 1: go to youtube. Step 2: look up Oral Cigarette's Red Criminal Step 3: If you liked what you saw buy the game. This is one of my least favorite shows of the season. The pacing was hectic. The characters don't get much development. The story is all over the place and at times a confusing mess. The Others are ugly and clash. They often feel largely pointless as they are often used as timewasting mooks. They couldn't be bothered to create a background for a lot of the fight scenes. Not that the fights are any good. Supposedly the anime spoils a big part of the game in the first episode. My biggest complaint is there is a big moment in episode 2 that pretty much drives the plot for the rest of the season, but considering we don't really know the characters it just feels so hollow. It doesn't help that moving forward much of the characters decisions make no sense. Eventually you are just kind of forced to accept that this is how things are. In my opinion this makes the Persona 5 Animation look good.
Dropped
Honor Student at Magical High 3 episodes – I don't like Irregular at Magical High at all, so I am not sure why I even gave this a chance. Maybe I was hoping Tatsuya wouldn't be around as much, but from what I saw he was there quite a bit. Miyuki is also a pretty boring character. I did see they were trying to give the other girls in the harem some time in the spotlight but I don't really care for them either. Honestly the only somewhat decent characters in the series are some of the other "weeds."
Spirit Chronicles 5 episodes – The premise seemed really interesting. It had some cool concepts as well. Sadly, they didn't go anywhere in the episodes I watched. From what I saw this was more of a generic Fantasy than a unique Isekai.
Remain 5 episodes – Episode 1 started off pretty well. Then it just kind of falls apart from there. All the characters are pretty awful. Most of the first few episodes are dedicated to insensitively pressuring people to join the water polo club. The last episode I watched looked like they were possibly going to turn things around. Sadly, I was already way past done with this show.
Cheat Drugstore 3 episodes – Noera was the only thing I found enjoyable about this show. Otherwise it was incredibly boring with really bland story. There is not much else to say because there really isn't much going on with this show that I saw. In my opinion this is the worst comfy Isekai I have seen so far.
Detective is Already Dead 4 episodes – The first episode has a pretty nice action scene but outside of that is pretty bad. Seista isn't solving anything; she is just reading ahead of the script. The next few episodes were kind of boring. The dialogue was just painful at times. I did complete the first little arc before dropping it.
Overall - It certainly was a weaker season especially when compared to Spring and Winter of this year. However, I don't think it was a bad as people had been saying. There were several standout shows. Also the depth was certainly a lot better than some seasons last year. For instance the new shows this season in my opinion were better than last summer. How would you rank the summer shows? What placement makes you salty?
