The Spring 2019 anime season might have been full of fan-favorites and huge returns, but it is beginning to wind down as many of the series premieres are reaching the end of their initial runs. But like any anime fan knows, the end of one season means the beginning of another. Each new season is an exciting time for anime fans as the wellspring of new series offers tons of potential.
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The Summer 2019 anime season is no exception as it has its own fair share of anticipated series premieres, major second season returns, and one series is entering a brand new phase that will make it seem like a brand new anime!
With so many new shows this season, it can be tough to figure out just which ones you should be keeping an eye out for. There are so many options, it can be hard to decide which ones you’ll want to spend the next few weeks with so ComicBook.com is here to help you out!
Below you’ll find a list of eight huge anime series leading the pack of Summer 2019 premieres. There was no way to include every series being offered, of course, so let us know which anime you’ll be watching this Summer in the comments or talk to me directly @Valdezology on Twitter!
Astra Lost in Space
Premiere Date: July 3rd (Funimation)
There are many Weekly Shonen Jump series getting their anime debuts this year, but one of the most interesting has been Kenta Shinohara’s Astra Lost in Space. This was a notably smaller series with a smaller, completed run, so the fact that it’s getting an anime adaptation a couple of years after its end is certainly piques the interest right away.
The anime series will be directed by Masaomi Ando (School-Live!) for Studio Lerche, who previously produced series like Assassination Classroom, Classroom of the Elite, and Radiant. Maybe it’ll fulfill the nice space quota of the Summer? Funimation will be streaming the series alongside its release in Japan, and has confirmed an English dub is in the works.
They describe Astra Lost in Space as such, “In the year 2063, eight high school students and a kid are flown out to Planet Camp, tasked with surviving on their own for a few days. But shortly after arriving, an ominous glowing orb warps them to an unknown quadrant of space, nearly 5,012 light years away. Now, the only way back home is a slow, dangerous trek across the universe—a journey that’ll test them in ways Planet Camp never could.”
Fire Force
Release Date: July 5th (Funimation, Crunchyroll)
When anime fans talk about their favorite series of the 2000s, one that often comes to the top of every list is Atsushi Okubo’s Soul Eater. Fans have been waiting to see another anime based on Okubo’s work ever since that one came to its end. Soon they’ll get their chance with one of the, literally, hottest anime shows of the Summer 2019 season, Fire Force.
Yuki Yase (Durarara!!, Puella Magi Madoka Magica) will be directing the series for David Production, the studio behind the JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure anime adaptations. The series has looked fantastic with each new trailer released thus far, and you’ll be able to stream the series with both Funimation and Crunchyroll.
Funimation will also be offering an English dub of the series, and they describe Fire Force as such, “Tokyo is burning, and citizens are mysteriously suffering from spontaneous human combustion throughout the city! Responsible for snuffing out this inferno is the Fire Force, and Shinra is ready to join their fight. Now, as part of Company 8, he’ll use his devil’s footprints to help keep the city from turning to ash! But his past and a burning secret behind the scenes could set everything ablaze.”
Dr. Stone
Premiere Date: July 5th (Crunchyroll, Funimation)
Many of the newer hits in Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump are getting their anime debut this year, and following in the footsteps of The Promised Neverland and Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, Riichiro Inagaki and Boichi’s Dr. Stone is setting aside a major place for itself in the Summer 2019 season. With those two series doing as well as they have, Dr. Stone has some weight on its back.
But it already stands out from other manga for its unique, science fueled post-apocalyptic premise, and each trailer promises the same from the anime. Shiyna Iino (Barakamon, Made in Abyss) will be directing the series for TMS Entertainment, the studio behind Lupin the Third and ReLIFE. Crunchyroll and Funimation will be streaming the series alongside its release in Japan and Funimation will be offering an English dub release.
Crunchyroll describes Dr. Stone as such, “Several thousand years after a mysterious phenomenon that turns all of humanity to stone, the extraordinarily intelligent, science-driven boy, Senku Ishigami, awakens. Facing a world of stone and the total collapse of civilization, Senku makes up his mind to use science to rebuild the world. Starting with his super strong childhood friend Taiju Oki, who awakened at the same time, they will begin to rebuild civilization from nothing… Depicting two million years of scientific history from the Stone Age to present day, the unprecedented crafting adventure story is about to begin!”
One Piece’s Wano Country Arc
Premiere Date: July 7th (Funimation, Crunchyroll)
This one is a bit of a cheat considering One Piece is not part of the special Summer 2019 anime debuts, but this upcoming arc of the series is special. The Wano arc of the anime carries a lot of promise with it as schedule, direction, and narrative shake-ups has already made the Wano Country arc feel like a brand new season of the series.
Directed by Dragon Ball Super: Broly and One Piece Film: Z director Tatsuya Nagamine, and with new character designs from Midori Matsuda (One Piece: Episode of East Blue), the Wano arc will feel like a facelift for the series inside and out. The Straw Hats are finally going to be all together again in the anime after being apart for years, fan-favorites will be making their return in a new way, and Luffy will be taking on bigger opponents than ever before.
But the most exciting thing beyond the new aesthetic is the fact that the series will finally be capitalizing on years of foreshadowing. The Wano arc’s already been a big hit in the manga, so it could be even bigger in the anime.
Vinland Saga
Premiere Date: July 7th (Amazon Prime)
The second half of Attack on Titan’s third season has arguably been the hugest anime release of the year, so all eyes have turned to WIT Studio’s next offering, an anime adaptation of Makoto Yukimura’s Vinland Saga. This series has built up a major cult following for itself, and that popularity could explode with a successful anime debut.
Directed by Shuhei Yabuta (Inuyashiki Last Hero) for the Attack on Titan, The Ancient Magus Bride studio, Vinland Saga will be streaming exclusive on Amazon Prime Video worldwide. The less proliferative streaming service could limit just how much exposure this series will get, but it could also be the major driving force to the Amazon Prime anime offerings.
Kodansha USA Comics has licensed Makoto Yukimura’s original manga for an English language release, and they describe Vinland Saga as such, “Thorfinn is son to one of the Vikings’ greatest warriors, but when his father is killed in battle by the mercenary leader Askeladd, he swears to have his revenge. Thorfinn joins Askeladd’s band in order to challenge him to a duel, and ends up caught in the middle of a war for the crown of England. From the creator of the classic Planetes manga, comes this epic, highly-anticipated tale.”
Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? Season 2
Premiere Date: July 12th (Sentai Filmworks)
Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? had a huge anime debut in 2015 as fans were drawn to the series almost immediately. It was helped further by Hestia’s outfit, too, which spawned a whole new wave of fanart and cosplay. The series became a huge trend, but has been sitting quietly on the sidelines ever since.
But that’s all hopefully going to change in 2019. After debuting a feature film, Arrow of the Orion, in Japan earlier this year, DanMachi will be returning for a second season as part of the Summer 2019 line-up. Hideki Tachibana will be taking over for Yoshiki Yamakawa as director for the second season produced by J.C. Staff, the studio behind One-Punch Man Season 2.
The second season seems to be teasing a return to the adventures Bell and his Familia went on back in the first season, so it might be a good idea to get a little refresher of the first season before jumping in. There will be plenty of new characters too as fans learn more about the various Familias in Orario. Sentai Filmworks has licensed the second season, but there is currently no word on which streaming platforms you can find it on as of this writing.
A Certain Scientific Accelerator
Premiere Date: July 12th (TBA)
The long awaited third season of A Certain Magical Index wrapped earlier this year, but when it ended it was revealed that it wouldn’t be the only new project fans would see from the A Certain universe. Along with a third season of A Certain Scientific Railgun coming later this year, a new anime spin-off based on Accelerator is set to release as part of the Summer 2019 anime season.
A Certain Scientific Accelerator is a spin-off following Accelerator and Last Order as they deal with a powerful new faction out to cause chaos. The series will feature a returning voice cast, and Nobuharu Kamanaka (Big Order) will direct the series for J.C. Staff. While it might be tough to get into the series for those not already a fan of the series, each of the spin-offs serve as a good entry point so hopefully this will work out the same way.
There is currently no word on this series’ licensing as of this writing, but we’ll keep you posted for an official English language release. Seven Seas Entertainment has licensed the original manga, however, and they describe A Certain Scientific Accelerator as such, “Accelerator, the most powerful psychic in Academy City, is quietly recovering from his injuries when trouble literally lands in his bedroom. A group of anti-evil zealots who call themselves “DA” are causing havoc, and it could threaten the city―not to mention the entire world! Although he hates to be bothered, a world-shaking threat may be enough to get Accelerator out of bed…especially if it involves the adorable Misaka Mikoto clone, “Last Order.”
Saint Seiya: Knights of the Zodiac
Premiere Date: July 19th (Netflix)
Netflix has been putting a strong foot forward these past two years in terms of anime licensing, production, and distribution, and this could very well be a runaway success for the platform. A new, CG re-telling of Masami Kurumada’s Saint Seiya series, Knights of the Zodiac is gearing up to retake the Shonen crown.
Saints Seiya: Knights of the Zodiac should be fine on name recognition alone, but the CG reboot on the series will have a much stronger chance of an impact with a widespread platform like Netflix. Directed by Yoshiharu Ashino (Dragon Ball Z: Bojack Unbound, Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans) for Toei Animation, this initial outing for the series is expected to run for 12 episodes and cover from the Galaxian Wars arc to the Silver Saint arc of the original series.
Netflix describes the series as such, “Knights of the Zodiac: Saint Seiya follows modern day adventures of young warriors called ‘Knights,’ who are sworn protectors of the reincarnated Greek goddess Athena. Each Knights wears a powerful armor based on their chosen zodiac constellation, and are called Knights of the Zodiac. They aid Athena in her battle against powerful Olympian gods who are bent on destroying the humankind.”
