Summer is a widely loved time of year for people of all walks of life across the globe. Personally, I can’t stand summer in the climate where I currently live. It’s probably my least favorite season. Nevertheless, I can at least theoretically understand summer’s appeal, especially since students are typically free to do what they want in this time of the year.

In honor of the hot season, I decided to share a list of anime series that are good for watching in summer. Mostly, I went with choices that have summery vibes or settings. You’ll see what I mean when I explain a bit about the shows I selected.

Today’s seven entries – plus one honorable mention – are listed in alphabetical order. I’ve included some basic information with each of the seven. Don’t worry about spoilers, as I was careful not to be specific. On a final note, please keep in mind that these are only my personal favorites; they will not necessarily be “The Best” for everyone. Please feel free to let me know about your personal favorite summer anime in the comments!

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1) A Lull in the Sea

Genres: Drama, Fantasy, Romance, Slice of Life

This relatively obscure series was animated by P.A. Works and released in Fall 2013. It is generally well-liked by those who know it, with a score of 7.95 on MyAnimeList.net and a median rating of 8.0 on Anime News Network. The story is about a girl named Manaka who happens to be a sea-dwelling person: a human-like species whose magical skin (Ena) allows them to breathe underwater. She begins to attend a public school for land-dwelling people, leading to new friendships and many exciting experiences.

A Lull in the Sea is a great choice for a summer anime mostly because of the oceanic art and rural beach-town setting. It’s also bright, colorful, and captivating from a visual standpoint. It makes me think of fond summer days as a kid. Although it is mostly a cute series without dark elements, it can get fairly emotional with the interpersonal drama between Manaka and her friend group. If you don’t mind that, and if you love the ocean and sparkly animation, then A Lull in the Sea is definitely for you.

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2) Ano Hana: The Flower We Saw That Day

Genres: Drama, Supernatural, Romance, Slice of Life

A-1 Pictures released this show in Spring 2011. Within the genre of tear-jerker anime, Ano Hana is one of the most widely known examples. It’s a heartfelt drama which features the supernatural but which ultimately focuses on real human psychology. One hot summer, a high-schooler named Jinta begins experiencing vivid “hallucinations” of his childhood crush, Menma. The thing about Menma is that she died back in elementary school.

Most viewers end up loving this sappy anime, including myself. The score for Ano Hana on MyAnimeList.net is 8.30. It also has a mean rating of 8.74 on Anime News Network. The summer vibes are very prominent in this anime, with focus on childhood nostalgia. Secret hideouts, forest adventures, and fireworks with friends – Ano Hana will definitely make it feel like a summer from the past.

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3) Bokurano (Ours)

Genres: Sci-fi, Psychological, Drama, Mecha

Produced by Gonzo studio and airing in Spring 2007, Bokurano is an unexpectedly dark sci-fi anime focusing on fifteen children in middleschool summer camp. Their lives suddenly change forever after a strange man – Kokopelli – persuades them to sign up and try the “video game” he developed. Kokopelli disappears and the children find themselves the masters of a very real gigantic mech. They must now use this titanic robot to fight other giant entities that threaten Japan.

It’s difficult to explain what makes this show so dark without giving spoilers. If you decide to watch it, however, you will catch on pretty quickly. I’m recommending Bokurano as a summer anime mostly because it all takes place in the summer. I also think it could spice up this list to add something existential and grim. Take the recommendation with a grain of salt, because this anime is neither well-known nor particularly well-loved. It stands with a score of 7.60 on MAL and 7.62 on ANN.

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4) Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood

Genres: Action/Adventure, Shounen, Military, Fantasy

Released in Spring 2009 and animated by studio Bones, this classic shounen anime has remained popular and relevant for well over a decade. The reception is absurdly positive. FMA: Brotherhood sits with a score of 9.09 on both MAL and ANN. While this certainly is not one of my top personal favorites, I think it’s a decent show that will entertain most anime audiences. I’m just weird, so it’s only moderately interesting to me at best.

Edward and Alphonse Elric are brothers who study Alchemy, which is essentially this world’s magic system. It has strict rules, and a mysterious supernatural being enforces those rules. After Ed and Al break the rules and try to resurrect their dead mother, they were starkly punished. Now they work in the military as State Alchemists, trying to get back what they lost to the vengeful god. I don’t think FMA: Brotherhood is particularly summery, but I wanted to include one very classic shounen anime on my list.

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5) Run with the Wind

Genres: Sports, Running, Adult Cast, Drama

I originally intended to include Free! (Iwatobi Swim Club) on this list. It’s arguably more summery than any other sports anime, since it’s all about swimming. However, besides pretty visuals, there is nothing really good about Free! The queerbaiting was also extremely frustrating in that show. That’s why I picked a different sports anime with a more heart and sincerity: Run with the Wind.

This anime is about a group of young men in a college dormitory training to run a marathon. It was made by Production I.G. and aired in Fall 2018. The show’s mean rating on Anime News Network is 8.07, and its current score on My Anime List is 8.38. Few people know about this show, but those who watched it have rated it quite highly. If you want something to inspire you to move around this summer, consider an uplifting sports anime like Run with the Wind.

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6) Steins;Gate

Genres: Sci-Fi, Psychological, Time Travel, Drama

In terms of popularity, Steins;Gate is up there with FMA: Brotherhood, Attack on Titan, and Gintama. Released in Spring 2011 and animated by White Fox, this sci-fi tale has secured a place in the anime halls of fame. Its current score on both MAL and ANN is 9.07. Protagonist Rintarou Okabe is a highly eccentric young man and a self-proclaimed “mad scientist.” His story begins one hot afternoon at a science convention on time travel.

Steins;Gate is famous for taking a long time to actually get good. The first 6-8 episodes are for building up the characters, with the suspense/thriller aspects of the story kicking in fully around episodes 9-12. It’s a wild ride from there, and in my opinion, it’s well worth the time investment. I think Steins;Gate is a good summer anime due to the setting of the show – a hot urban summer. Also, this anime really is well-respected, so, what better time than summer vacation to finish a classic anime from your watchlist?

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7) Summertime Rendering

Genres: Supernatural, Fantasy, Mystery, Thriller

A recent favorite made by OLM studios, Summertime Rendering was released in Spring 2022. It has a hefty score of 8.48 on MyAnimeList.net, which suggests it was very well-received. However, for unknown reasons, this anime only has a mean rating of 7.18 on Anime News Network. Regardless of some lower scores here and there, Summertime Rendering is extremely impressive in terms of audio-visual quality. It also boasts a thrilling plot and some decent characters.

On the rural island of Hitogashima, there are folktales of “shadows” – creatures that disguise themselves as perfect copies of humans. If you meet your shadow – AKA your doppelganger – it means you will soon be annihilated. Protagonist Shinpei returns to the island after some time away in a big city highschool. The occasion is bleak: his childhood friend has drowned under suspicious circumstances. It’s up to Shinpei to unravel the mystery and protect his adopted younger sister. This is a great summer anime for obvious reasons.

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Honorable Mention:
The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya

Genres: Sci-Fi, Comedy, Mystery, School

Kyoto Animation is the studio that brought Haruhi Suzumiya to life in two seasons – the first in Spring 2006 and the second in Spring 2009. This anime is highly popular in the sense that everyone knows about it – however, not everyone enjoys it immensely the way I do. This is one “popular anime” that I’m willing to sing the praises for all day even if I usually avoid doing that. Haruhi Suzumiya has a mean rating of 8.56 on ANN and a score of 7.82 on MAL.

The anime is about an obnoxious, bossy girl – Haruhi – who wants nothing more than to meet supernatural beings. She starts her own club in highschool to hunt for aliens, time travelers, and espers – not knowing they may already be closer than she thinks.

The main reason I think this is a summer anime is just the vibe for me personally. It actually takes place during the school-year for most of the episodes. However, there are eight episodes in the second half of the series that focus on summer vacation. (If you don’t know about The Endless Eight, look it up and/or try it and see if you can survive watching it.)

~Thank you for reading~

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