The Most Anticipated Anime of Summer 2023

Welcome to our Most Anticipated Anime feature for the Summer 2023 season. Below you’ll find our editorial team’s (tentative) top picks from the shows slated to premiere in July. There’s a wide variety of shows to choose from and little cross-over for our team’s top picks. If you still have a hard time choosing what to add to your queue, or you’re just down for some fun, check out Anime News Network’s Summer 2023 Trailer Watch Party!

Most Anticipated: My Happy Marriage

Cinderella adaptations are a dime a dozen, but this one is a little special. Akumi Agitogi‘s light novel series draws from the darker versions of the well-known fairy tale, most specifically that the Cinderella character’s father is alive, well, and watching everyone abuse his daughter. That makes this a much darker take on the story, and that’s something you want to pay attention to; don’t let the pretty art and soft, bright colors fool you. Miyo goes through a lot. As some may recall, I’m not always drawn to dark stories, but I genuinely enjoy this series in its light novel and manga formats. Watching Miyo grow from someone who believes she only exists to be a doormat to a young woman who recognizes that she’s worth something all on her own is incredibly rewarding. The fantasy version of the Taisho era, where people have various supernatural skills, makes for an interesting setting. The previews make it look like the anime will be faithful to Agitogi’s level of period detail (already swooning over those old cars and kimono), so that’s a good sign. But what’s most enjoyable about this story is the characters and how they slowly grow and change. Kiyo, the romantic interest, comes off as a jerk at first, but we learn that he has reasons for this, and his romance with Miyo isn’t about a “good woman changing a bad man.” They’re both people who have learned that the world isn’t always kind or safe, looking to find a place to belong. It’s vicious at times, and I promise you that you will have at least one character to add to what Astrid Lindgren called the “If I Ever Get Rabies, These Are the People I’m Going to Bite List,” but if they do the novels even a little justice, it should be worth watching, Netflix or no.

Runner-up: Tie – Sugar Apple Fairy Tale season 2

Don’t get me wrong – I’m incredibly excited for more Bungo Stray Dogs, too. But I know what happens next, whereas with Sugar Apple Fairy Tale, the available official translations stop where season one did. As you may recall, that season ended on a pretty nasty cliffhanger, with Anne gaining her Silver Sugar Master medal but losing Challe. Season two picks up right where that left off, adapting the fourth novel of the series, with Anne headed to the Paige Workshop, where Bridget has taken the fairy. Even if you’re not invested in the admittedly fraught romance plot (Anne did own Challe at one point), there’s a bigger story about Anne proving herself just as worthy as any man. We know that Bridget couldn’t learn sugarcraft, so the Paige Workshop might be just as misogynist as the Radcliffe Workshop, where Anne finished out season one. This is about Anne showing that she can stand on her own two feet, and I am ready to see that happen.

Other titles that I’m tentatively interested in are The Most Heretical Last Boss Queen: From Villainess to Savior, because although they’re pretty standard, I’ve been enjoying the novels, and Reign of the Seven Spellblades because it’s just a better fantasy school series than I thought it would be. So yes, once again, all series I’ve read the source material for, but what can I say? I like to know what I’m getting into.

Most Anticipated: Undead Girl Murder Farce

There aren’t a ton of new shows this summer season that immediately jumps out at me, but Undead Girl Murder Farce seems worth a nod. And not just because I keep misreading its title as “Undead Girl Murderface” and thinking of Dethklok’s bassist from Metalocalypse. This series already seems steeped in the appealingly creepy styles of murder mysteries and monsters, which would make it eye-catching to begin with. But there’s also the point that this anime is coming to us, directed by one Mamoru Hatakeyama, responsible for one of my new all-time favorites in the Kaguya-sama: Love is War anime adaptation. Those are skillful hands to be in, and I’m curious to see how Hatakeyama’s razor-sharp sensibilities translate to this spooky subject matter. I’ve also been informed by others familiar with the source material that Undead Girl Murder Farce gets pretty bonkers in its story, and given that it starts with a lady’s talking severed head being carried around in a cage, that says something. Alongside that directorial pedigree, I hotly anticipate how these monstrous mysteries will unravel.

Runner-up: Tie – Genjitsu no Yohane -Sunshine in the Mirror-, BanG Dream! It’s MyGo!!!!!

A sparser-seeming Summer season does make me grateful to have some favorite franchises in the mix to fall back on. You know I’m always down for more Love Live!, and Genjitsu no Yohane’s out-there approach ratchets up my inherent interest even further. I’m glad to see them returning the underrated Sunshine squad, transplanting them into a far-out fantasy setting that should serve everyone’s favorite chuuni idol extremely well. It feels like an official series made out of some mobile-game April Fool’s event; it’s great. Meanwhile, if you know me, then you know any new BanG Dream! will always be on my radar. The MyGo anime has its own interesting wrinkle, being the proper debut for a new group in the girls’ band project ahead of seeing them added to the mobile game or other media. What new gimmicks and charm points will they bring to the table? How will they fit into the broader BanG Dream! universe? Will Moca put in any appearances in this show? These are the burning questions I am looking forward to being answered this summer.

Most Anticipated: Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead

Offering a pretty unique premise; When a zombie apocalypse is happier than your work life, Zom 100 has taken my attention away from every other title premiering in Summer 2023. It is a story about a man working in an abusive company, seemingly giving up on his life and living like a zombie. One day, a zombie apocalypse happens. Instead of feeling despair or hopeless, this man realizes that he is free of his obligations and starts writing a list of things he wants to do before he dies and fulfilling them one by one. An optimistic person swimming around a doomed civilization dragging his hopes and dream, riding on his excitement and happiness. Will he survive the apocalypse long enough to fulfill all of his dreams? I am very excited to follow his story. I have never been excited about zombie-themed media since Zombie Land Saga. If this series goes well, it will undoubtedly be among the contenders of my best 2023 anime. Fingers crossed.

Runner-up: Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2

I really loved season 1’s action-scene direction. It has been one of the most enjoyable shonen series for me. Judging from the trailer, I think we will get another season full of amazingly choreographed action scenes. We will also get the story of Gojo’s youth which I am curious about. I also hope we get a nice story progression for Yuuji, Megumin, and Nobara. There is not much to say about Jujutsu Kaisen, as I’m just waiting for the adaptation to run through the source material completely and amazingly. I’m sure Jujutsu Kaisen will dominate anime discussion in general during Summer 2023.

Most Anticipated: The Most Heretical Last Boss Queen: From Villainess to Savior

It’s probably no surprise to regular readers of this site that a “reincarnated as a villainess” story is my most anticipated of the season. After all, I love seeing how each author puts their twists on the common villainess tropes and takes the story in a new direction. The Most Heretical Last Boss Queen is the story of a girl reincarnated in the body of the villainess-to-end-all-villainesses: Pride. Following the original story, she is destined to mentally enslave her step-brother, torture her kind and innocent sister, and even usurp the throne.

Of course, our normal-girl-reinacarnated-as-a-villainess doesn’t want that. She does her best to right the wrongs of the original story. However, the real thing that weighs on her is the simple fact that she doesn’t know the rules governing her reincarnation. Can fate truly be changed? Is she destined to become an insane megalomaniac like the original Pride? Or will she one day return to her old world—leaving all those she cares for under the thumb of a monster wearing her face? This fear drives her actions, leading her to struggle between doing what is best for the kingdom and ensuring she can be “dealt with” if the worst ever comes to pass. It adds a whole extra layer of drama to the typical story tropes and keeps the tension high throughout. This one looks to be a must-watch for villainess story fans.

Runner-up: Helck

The hero has killed the Demon Lord, and humanity is victorious. Reeling from their defeat, the demons put together a tournament to decide who will take the now-vacant role. However, there is just one problem. The favorite to win the tournament isn’t a demon. Instead, it’s a muscle-bound human hero named Helck. Ludicrously strong yet kind and caring (even to his opponents), Helck has vowed to lead the demons to wipe out humanity. But how can this be true? Why would a human hero want to become a Demon Lord and fight against his own kind? Or is this just part of a trap—an insidious plot to eradicate the demons once and for all?

Helck is one of those stories filled with silly gags and slapstick comedy but with a more serious story underneath. It’s a commentary on racism and generations of misplaced mistrust. It’s also about overcoming such vices and seeing people on an individual level. With this, it’s no surprise that the anime has a solid emotional core and a great cast of characters you can’t help but root for. If you’re looking for an old-school fantasy comedy without any isekai tropes, Helck will scratch that itch.

Most Anticipated: Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2

I’m sure this will be far from the most original pick for this list, but aside from the fact that this summer looks a little anemic all around, I mean…c’mon! It’s more Jujutsu Kaisen! It’s been over a year since we last got our JJK fix with the excellent prequel film, and we’ve gone even longer without a proper season of the show to sink our teeth into. I won’t lie and say that I’m not just a teensy bit worried about whether the new director, Shōta Goshozono, will be able to carry on the excellent standards set by his predecessor, Sunghoo Park. Still, given the hot streak that MAPPA has been on over the last half-decade, I am going to go into this new season with high expectations and an open mind. Either way, I’m excited to not only be reunited with JJK’s loveable and diverse cast of young heroes but also to delve further into the backstory of its enigmatic adult characters, with Satoru Gojo and Suguru Geto’s friendship being an especially exciting source for all kinds of spooky melodrama. Combine all of that with the show’s solid humor and dope action set-pieces, and we’re all set for a series that will be, if nothing else, fun as hell to watch. Perfect summer programming, if you ask me.

Runner-up: Undead Murder Farce

I’ll be honest with you: I initially picked this one based purely on how incredible its title is. Then, since I was told that my writeup for this part of the list couldn’t literally be just one sentence long, I took a look at the trailer for this Lapin Track-produced adaptation, and you know what? It looks pretty cool! I’m a sucker for supernatural period pieces set around the Meiji Era, and the show seems to have a solid atmosphere, along with some slick character designs. I know absolutely nothing about the story or whether or not the source material has a lot of hype surrounding it, but the marketing has sold me enough to give it a spot on this list. Hopefully, the series proper will prove to be worthwhile!

Most Anticipated: Yohane the Parhelion – Sunshine in the Mirror

Not gonna lie; this summer looks like pretty slim pickings. There’s a grand total of two-and-a-half new shows that I could even come close to saying I’m anticipating, and both mostly come down to the style of their trailers rather than the material itself. So instead, my top draft pick goes to this unexpected spin-off of Love Live! Sunshine!! purely on me loving the premise of it. Seeing familiar characters re-imagined into high fantasy settings is one of those art ideas that never gets tired of me. Sunshine in the Mirror does a great job translating these familiar characters into the new setting and art style. I love that they made Ruby a little fairy, and design choices like turning Mari’s hair loop into demon horns are genuinely inspired. My one quibble is that Yohane was never a favorite character of mine, but Love Live! is a franchise that has yet to steer me wrong, so I’m hopeful it’ll get me to warm up to this chuuni doofus.

Runner-Up: Undead Murder Farce

Second place is awarded almost entirely on the name of the director. Mamoru Hatakeyama has been a favorite of mine for years, and while Kaguya-sama: Love is War was his break into the mainstream, I first fell in love with his directorial style with the horny horror romp that is Sankarea: Undying Love. Seeing him return to that schlocky horror-inspired well with a story of an undead disembodied head searching for its body is a much-appreciated homecoming. I can only hope he’ll be allowed to bring the same style and flair that has made his best shows so much fun and that the material will be energetic enough to keep pace. Considering the character list ranges from Sherlock Holmes to Aleister Crowley, the odds are in our favor.

Other than that, there’s not a whole lot I’m excited about. Dark Gathering has an eye-catching PV, but I’m lukewarm on what I’ve read of the manga. The same goes for Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead, though that one was a little more endearing in its goofiness, and I love the look of the paint-spattered zombie chaos the previews have promised. Bleach: Thousand Year Blood War returns, and I’m curious to see how the anime will approach some of the material, but also not particularly enthused over the section of this arc they’ll be covering. Similarly, I’m excited to see the animation highlights for Jujutsu Kaisen 2, but not super excited about the storyline it’ll be adapting. Hopefully, some surprises are waiting out there.

Most Anticipated: The Duke of Death and His Maid

When I first heard of The Duke of Death and His Maid, I wasn’t expecting to like it. I thought it was just another installment in what I would like to call the “teasing” genre. It revolves around an indecisive main character being incessantly bullied by someone who takes pleasure in seeing them embarrassed. I don’t kink shame; it’s just not for me. However, by episode two, the show made it clear that it was attempting to tell a much darker and emotionally driven story than I initially thought. The Duke of Death and His Maid is a tragic love story at its heart. While there is some teasing and snappy back-and-forth, there is an underlying sadness to it all as our two leads, who are extremely open about loving each other, can’t even do so much as hold hands due to the curse inflicted on our protagonist, the Duke. Over time, his relationships instill confidence in him by showing that he deserves to be loved despite his curse. While there isn’t any major resolution to the end of season one, a very strong emotional core left me itching to see more. It’s been a while, but I cannot wait to see what is next for this couple and what other trials their love will be put through.

Most Anticipated: Undead Girl Murder Farce

This was a fun anime to research because every subsequent detail I uncovered only excited me for its debut. I’ll walk you through my process. We begin on the right foot with a title so phonetically displeasing that it wraps around into perfection. I love it. No notes. Then I learned that it’s a vampire-tinged Meiji mystery series starring the disembodied head of a female detective. That’s a fun premise, and my expectations are further uplifted by the knowledge that it was initially a novel series. It’s not a flawless metric, but novel adaptations are rarer than manga and light novel ones, so I put more stock in them. I also put a lot of stock in director Mamoru Hatakeyama, who most recently added a flawless run of Kaguya-sama seasons under his belt, not to mention Shōwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjū and his work at Shaft. Finally, the pièce de résistance is Tomoyo Kurosawa voicing the lead. I don’t need anything else. I’ll be there on day one.

Runner-up Yohane the Parhelion – Sunshine in the Mirror-

I’m still as confused about the existence of a Yohane-centric fantasy spinoff anime as I was when this was first announced. However, I love all of the weird and antisocial Love Live! girls, so I feel a fatherly duty to support Yohane in her next adventure, even if it ends up being a huge misguided disaster. Who knows, it might even be good! In principle, I like seeing the Love Live! franchise branch out into new things, and the premise here is orthogonal enough to raise my hopes that they know what they’re doing. Plus, watching the trailer reminded me how much I like the Sunshine cast, so spending time with all those goofballs again might prove enough to keep me invested. I can’t imagine the show converting any skeptics, but I hope those of you also in Love Live! hell will join me.