Welcome to the Summer 2014 Anime Seasonal Guide! My teammates and I prepare lots of discussion threads for you guys and gals packed with awesome trailers. Check the synopsis and click on the links to view them and hit those discussion threads. Here are brief first impressions of the shows that attracted our attention.
Acura Max
A season ends and another one takes its place. But one thing remains the same and it it the diversity that each anime season brings with it. Spring was a fresh salad of different anime and this summer looks to be like a summer feast of a variety of anime. This season, I am watching Aldnoah.Zero for my mecha fix. For my second helping, I am also watching Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon Crystal for a serving of nostalgia. Finally I am topping it all off with a bit of horror in Tokyo Ghoul. This season looks like one that will sate the anime cravings of some that were satisfied with the spring season. Thank you all for reading my thoughts and I hope you all have fun watching these titles.
BigHeart711
There are a lot of interesting stuff this time around, despite me getting burnt out last season. Shouldn't happen again considering the potential of these shows that I have. The other shows that are on the top of my mind are Space Dandy's second season, Tokyo Ghoul, and Akame ga Kill with Francesca in my "shorts" slot and Prism Illya's second season on the bench, despite the first one being fun as well.
Although the schedule for the following show is going to span for at least a year, my main show will end up being Sailor Moon Crystal since I ended up becoming a fan of the original Sailor Moon back then and have been watching the uncut versions being released at HULU as of late. I really hope the series will be fun enough for me to stick around for over a year.
Takashichea
This summer season has more hyped up titles than last season. I still found spring season satifying because it had more action themed shows in comparison to the winter 2014 season. I loved Chaika, Black Bullet, and Knights of Sidonia from the spring season. There are many sequels which I'm looking forward to watching: Black Butler: Book of Circus, Sword Art Online 2, Free! Eternal Summer , Space Dandy 2, Sailor Moon, and Fate/kaleid liner Prisma Illya 2wei!. Despite SAO II is overhyped and lack a compelling story, I still love the series' characters because I get to make fun of them. Free is unique because not many shows focus on sports and man service at the same time. The new shows I'll be trying out are Akame ga Kill, Tokyo Ghoul, and Tokyo ESP. With DocHaus calling Tokyo ESP his most anticipated show of the summer, I heard Akame ga Kill was going to be gruesome while Tokyo Ghoul's colorful but dark trailer reeled me in.
Let us know what shows make your watch list for this summer! We will have a comprehensive Simulcast Guide soon.
Notes & Credits:
All summaries are either from Crunchyroll, Anime News Network, Anichart, and Neregate. It's thanks to BigHeart711 for doing the banner. To view the list of microseries, I have created a list with running time except for one show. All microseries in this guide are marked with this icon, 
Summer 2014 Anime Guide
 | Ai Mai Mi ~Mousou Catastrophe~
Plot: Ai, Mai, and Mi, are the three girls that make up the manga club. Although they possess ample imagination, their far-out fantasies and insane adventures usually distract them from actually drawing any manga. From rescuing an abandoned cat, to getting addicted to video games, these girls handle ordinary things in extraordinary ways. *Note: There were 3 different dates, July 4, 8, and 10, so ANN's date was used. |
 | Akame ga Kill
Plot: The dark action fantasy manga follows the title character, Akame, a girl who was bought, and raised by the Empire as an assassin. After meeting Akame, a boy named Tatsumi vows to stand up to the evil of the corrupt Empire with the secret assassin group Night Raid and special weapons known as Teigu. |
 | Aldnoah.Zero
Plot: In 1972, a hypergate was discovered on the surface of the moon. But then, humankind came into contact with beings from Mars, leading to war. |
 | Ao Haru Ride
Plot: Ao Haru Ride revolves around Futaba, a girl who was in love with a boy named Kō Tanaka in middle school. However, after a misunderstanding, their relationship as friends ends when he transfers schools over summer vacation. In high school, her world is turned around once again when she meets Kō again, this time under the name of Kō Mabuchi. |
 | Bakumatsu Rock
Plot: In the Bakumatsu era, at the end of the shoguns' rule over Japan in the middle of the 19th century: the Tokugawa shogunate uses the brainwashing Heaven's Songs by the top idols in Shinsengumi to subjugate the country and its people. In this Japan, writing or singing any songs besides the Heaven's Songs is a capital offense. Sakamoto Ryouma and the other rockers rise up and change the world with rock 'n' roll for freedom and justice. |
 | Barakamon
Plot: As a punishment for punching a famous Calligrapher, young handsome Calligrapher Handa Seishu is exiled on a small island. As someone who has never lived outside of a city, Handa has to adapt to his new wacky neighbors, like people traveling on a tractor, unwanted visitors who never use the front door, annoying kids using his home as a playground, etc. Can this city guy handle all the crazy hardships? Find out in this wacky island comedy full of innocence and laughter!!! |
 | Black Butler: Book of Circus
Ciel Phantomhive is the most powerful boy in all of England, but he bears the scars of unspeakable suffering. Forced to watch as his beloved parents were brutally murdered, Ciel was subsequently abducted and violently tortured. Desperate to end his suffering, the boy traded his own soul for a chance at vengeance, casting his lot with the one person on whom he could depend: Sebastian, a demon Butler summoned from the very pits of hell. This season covers the Circus arc. |
 | DRAMAtical Murder
Plot: Aoba lives on Hekishima, a small island to the southwest of the main islands of Japan. He lives with his grandmother Tae while working part time at a junk shop. The popular pastimes on the island are the ongoing turf war called "Libstease" and an online game set in the virtual world of "Rhyme." Aoba isn't involved in either, preferring to live peacefully, until one day he is forced into a Rhyme battle. |
 | Encouragement to Climb 2
Aoi prefers indoor hobbies and is afraid of heights, but her childhood friend Hinata loves to show off her passion for mountain climbing. As young children they once watched the sunrise from the top of a mountain, and now they've decided to take up mountain climbing in hopes of seeing that sunrise again. They have cooking battles with mountaineering gear, climb small hills in their neighborhood, and meet new mountaineering friends as they learn the ropes of the hobby. When will they finally see that sunrise again? |
 | Fate/kaleid liner Prisma Illya 2wei!
Plot: Illya (Illyasviel von Einzbern) is a typical young girl attending Homurabara Academy who just happens to have a slight crush on her brother-in-law. Then, one night, a magic wand called Magical Ruby falls from the sky into her bath and tricks her into signing a contract.. |
 | Francesca
Hokkaido is being targeted by Toshizou Hijikata and the rest of the Shinsengumi, who have awakened from their eternal slumber. A little girl named "Exorcist" fights to stop them and protect Hokkaido from a hurricane of ambition. In the midst of this, Francesca (an "undead idol") awakens to help protect the area of Japan as well. |
 | Free! Eternal Summer
Four boys named Haruka, Makoto, Nagisa and Rin all participated in a swimming tournament shortly before graduating elementary school and later parted ways. Years later, they reunite when Rin challenges Haruka to a race and wins. Not wanting to be defeated so easily, Haruka gathers Makoto and Nagisa and a new recruit named Rei to form the Iwatobi High School Swimming Club. |
 | Futsū no Joshikōsei ga Locodol Yattemita
High school girl Nanako Usami became her town Nagarekawa's local idol at the request of her uncle. She and her upperclassman Yukari- a girl who seems perfect but ends up being air-headed- both become idols of their provincial area. They get interviewed (by the town's shopping center), go on television (low-budget cable), and hold concerts (on the roof of the department store). The girls' salaries come from the town's taxes. Together, the two form the "locodol" unit Nagarekawa Girls. |
 | Gekkan Shōjo Nozaki-kun
Plot: Sakura Chiyo confesses her feelings to her schoolmate Nozaki. Due to a misunderstanding, Nozaki thinks Sakura is just a fan. She then discovers Nozaki's other identity; a shōjo manga artist. As she gets closer to Nozaki, she befriends Nozaki's quirky acquaintances who assist him and serve as inspirations for his manga. |
 | Glasslip
The story follows six high school students who meet during the summer. The protagonist is Tōko Fukami, a 17-year-old born in Fukui Prefecture. Her dream is to become a glass artisan. |
 | Hanayamata
Plot: Ordinary in looks, ordinary in brains, ordinary in arts and athletics … 14-year-old Naru Sekiya is just ordinary in every way. Naru leads an ordinary day-to-day life even as she adores "heroines." She embarks on a path to an unordinary world called "Yosakoi" dance, guided by an exotic fairylike girl she met one moonlit evening. |
 | Himegoto
Plot: The story follows Hime Arikawa (Yūki Kuwahara), a boy who is being chased down by scary people. However, he is rescued from danger by the girls in his school's student council — 18-Kin-san (Yuka Saotome), President Unko (Saki Ono), and Bell-sempai (Hisako Tōjō). The student council will assume Arikawa's debt under one condition: "As the student council's dog, you will spend your high school life in women's clothes. |
 | Invaders of the Rokujyōma!?
Plot: Due to his family’s financial circumstances, young Koutarou is forced to live in a small apartment (Rokujouma means 6-tatami, which is about 99 square feet) on a budget of 5000 yen a month (~$55US). On the plus side, he lives rent free, but on the minus side, that’s because room 106 of Corona Apartments is cursed. As is the norm in these supernatural high school comedies, the ghost is a cute young girl, and hijinks ensue when she tries to drive him out. Between the haunting, Koutarou’s nosy neighbors, and a self-styled magical girls flying to the unneeded rescue, there’s way too much for the impoverished young man to handle. |
 | Jinsei
Plot: The protagonist of the series is a high school boy Yuki Akamatsu who is belongs to the 2nd newspaper club at Kumon Gakuen. He is ordered to take charge of the life advice service for the paper by the head of the club Ayaka Nikaidou. He starts answering the consultations from the students with three girls in the club: science student Rino Endo, liberal art student Fumi Kujo, and sports-oriented student Ikumi Suzuki. Their opinions always collide with each other. |
 | Love Stage!!
Plot: The anime series revolves around Izumi Sena, a boy born into a family of ultra-famous entertainers. However, he is the only member of the family who is not in the entertainment industry, and he is a super otaku college student, too. He has been striving hard to become a manga creator, but he ends up starring in a television commercial. He eventually cross paths again with the very famous actor Ryūma, who becomes aware of his attraction towards Izumi. |
 | Majimoji Rurumo
The story of the TV anime centers on a witch-in-training Rurumo and a high school student Kouta Shibaki. In order to train Rurumo and to make his wishes, Kouta doesn't hesitate to use the magic tickets. The amount of the tickets means, however, the length of his life. Each time she uses the magical power, his life is getting shorter. Finally, the day he has to use the last ticket comes.... |
 | Minarai Diva
Minarai Diva (Diva-in-Training) is an anime series animated with the MikuMikuDance software and motion-capture technology. The lines and songs of the characters are being performed live, along with their through motion-capture technology. Rie Murakawa will play Ruri Aoi, while Nozomi Yamamoto wil play Ui Harune. During the program, the two voice actresses will try to think up lyrics for a new song. As the program is live, they will even accept suggestions for lyrics from Twitter and email submissions. |
 | Mobile Suit Gundam-san
The four-panel comedy manga features Amuro, Lalah, Char, and other characters from Yoshiyuki Tomino and Sunrise's classic real robot anime franchise in "side-splitting gags." It's now a 3 minute anime series. |
 | Momo Kyun Sword
The story begins with a female re-imagining of Momotarō, a famous character in Japanese folklore. Momoko is a beautiful young sword fighter who was born inside a peach (momo in Japanese). She lives with her constant companions — the dog god Inugami, the monkey god Sarugami, and the pheasant god Kijigami — in a peaceful paradise. However, a demon army led by devil king invades the paradise and steals the precious treasure that protects Momoko's land. To retrieve the treasure and save the people, Momoko embarks on a great adventure with her three companions. |
 | Nobunaga Concerto
Plot: The story centers around Saburō, a high school boy who time-travels to Japan's Sengoku Era. He must become Oda Nobunaga, the famed warlord who helps unite Japan. |
 | Persona 4: The Golden Animation
In the spring when the cherry blossom petals fall, Yū Narukami moves to Yaso Inaba to live with his uncle and cousin due to his family's circumstances. He transfers to Yasogami High School, where his event-filled school life begins. However, when serial murders begin occurring in the peaceful town, Yū is awakened to the power of his heart turned to physical form: A Persona. Within these new mysteries is Marie, a resident of the alternate world, the Velvet Room, who has no memories of her past. Together with his friends, Yū must solve all the riddles set in front of him and save Yaso Inaba from further violence. |
 | Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon Crystal
Plot: Usagi Tsukino is a second-year middle school girl who is a little clumsy and a crybaby, but she is full of energy. One day, she meets Luna, a black cat with a crescent moon on her forehead, and she transforms into Sailor Moon, a sailor-uniformed pretty guardian of love and justice! As a chosen guardian of justice, Usagi seems to have a mission to find the Illusionary Silver Crystal with the other guardians and to protect the princess. Meanwhile, the queen of the Dark Kingdom, Queen Beryl, also sends minions to the town where Usagi lives to obtain the Illusionary Silver Crystal, which has immense power. This causes strange events to unfold…. Can Sailor Moon really find the Illusionary Silver Crystal with the other Sailor guardians, and protect the princess…!? |
 | PriPara
Plot: Lala Manaka is a 5th-grader at Paprika Academy. Like most girls, she admires the world of PriPara, a sport that tests idol girls on song, dance, and fashion. Unfortunately for her, the world of PriPara does not send PriPara tickets to elementary school students. However, through miraculous circumstances, Lala passes the audition to become a PriPara idol. |
 | Psycho-Pass New Edit Version
Plot: The "new edit version" will take the first series and re-cut it into 11 one-hour episodes with new cuts of footage. This story takes place in the near future, when it is possible to instantaneously measure and quantify a person's state of mind and personality. This information is recorded and processed, and the term "Psycho Pass" in the anime's title refers to a standard used to measure an individual's being. The story centers around the "enforcement officer" Shinya Kogami, who is tasked with managing crime in such a world. |
 | Rail Wars!
Plot: Naohito Takayama is an ordinary high school boy who dreams of a comfortable future working for the top-rated Japanese National Railways. He is assigned as one of four high school trainees in the Railways Security Force. Also in his group is Aoi Sakurai, a female troublemaker who hates men. On top of his sudden transfer, an extremist group called "RJ" plots to privatize the Japanese National Railways. |
 | Re: Hamatora
Plot: "Minimum"— Otherwise known as "small miracles", is a special power that only manifests within a few, select humans. Those who possess this ability are called "Minimum Holders." 2014: Yokohama. The detective duo of Nice and Murasaki, otherwise known as "Hamatora," wait again today for work with their friends at a table at Cafe Nowhere that they use as their agency. Suddenly, a job they receive seems to have a weird connection with the serial killer that their police friend, Art is searching for. |
 | Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance
In the "elemental fantasy" of Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance, only a pure girl may enter into a spirit contract. At Areishia Spirit Academy, the daughters of nobility are assembled to take elite classes and become spirit elementalists. A boy named Kamito happened to be peeping on a student named Claire while she was taking a bath, and he accidentally makes a contract with a spirit instead of Claire. Now, Kamito has become something once thought impossible in this world — a male spirit elementalist. |
 | Sengoku Basara: Judge End
Plot: The story of Judge End is set in the Battle of Sekigahara, which was also told in the 2010 PS3/Wii game Sengoku Basara 3 (Sengoku Basara: Samurai Heroes). In the real history of Japan, it occured in 1600 as one of the most famous and fateful battles between the eastern and western armies to decide who would rule the whole country. |
 | Shin Strange +
Plot: Kou comes to a certain city, in search of his older brother Takumi, who ran away from home and disappeared. Thinking it'd be rather difficult to find his older brother, Kou decides not to go back until he finds him... but he ends up finding him immediately. However, when Kou is reunited with Takumi, he had become the head of the Mikuni Detective Agency. Takumi appears to have no intentions to go back home. Kou then decides that if his older brother isn't going to come home, he's going to stay at the Mikuni Detective Agency. |
 | Shōnen Hollywood
The TV anime is based on Ikuyo Hashiguchi's boy's idol novel Shonen Hollywood and animated by Zexcs (Diabolik Lovers, The Flowers of Evil). The novel was originally posted on a web-novel site. Every star and a book version titled Shonen Hollywood -Red, Green, Pink- was published in July 2012. The forthcoming TV anime tells the original story set 15 years after the 2012 novel. It centers on a new five-member group Shonen Hollywood performing in a theater named "Hollywood Tokyo" placed in Harajuku, Tokyo, and is scheduled to premiere on TOKYO MX, Chiba TV, tvk、TV Saitama, Sun TV, TV Aichi, KBS Kyoto, and BS 11 in July. |
 | Silver Will ArgevollenPlot: The story takes place in a world where two countries, Arandas and Ingelmia, have been warring against each other for a very long time. Tokimune, a young man belonging to the eighth autonomous unit of Arandas, saves a girl named Jamie when she is attacked by enemy forces. In order to survive, he rides the new weapon Argevollen and fights. |
 | Space Dandy 2
Space Dandy is a dandy guy in space! This dreamy adventurer with a to-die-for pompadour travels across the galaxy in search of aliens no one has ever laid eyes on. Each new species he discovers earns him a hefty reward, but this dandy has to be quick on his feet because it’s first come – first served! Accompanied by his sidekicks, a rundown robot named QT and Meow the cat-looking space alien, Dandy bravely explores unknown worlds inhabited by a variety aliens. Join the best dressed alien hunter in all of space and time as he embarks on an adventure that ends at the edge of the universe! |
 | Super Radical Gag Family
The slapstick gag comedy follows a second-grade boy named Kotetsu Ōsawagi and his misadventures with his family and friends in Urayasu City, near Tokyo. |
 | Survival Game Club!
The story revolves around a 15-year-old first grade high school girl Momoka Sonokawa. At the high school she recently transferred to, she is forced to join the Survival Game Club by the head of the club Miou Outori who is confident in her shooting skills. Unfortunately for her, none of the members of the club is an ordinary high school girl. |
 | Sword Art Online II
Sequel to Sword Art Online. Technological innovation named Nerve Gear allows players to enter virtual world, achieving the true immersion. Soon after the invention of Nerve Gear, beta invitations of MMO named Sword Art Online are sent to numerous players. The game was fun to play until player realized that they cannot log out of the game. Suddenly creator of Sword Art Online appears and announces that everybody in the game are trapped within, until they defeat boss at top of dungeon. |
 | Terror in Resonance
One summer day, a terrorist attack strikes Tokyo. The perpetrators are two boys who call themselves "Sphinx." The attack was just the beginning of the grandiose game they are playing that will envelop all of Japan. |
 | Tokyo ESP
Plot: The science fantasy story begins with Rinka, an extremely poor high school girl who lives with just her father in modern Tokyo. One day, she is going home from school when she chases a "flying penguin" to the top of New Tokyo Tower — only to have "fish swimming in the air" suddenly appear before her. One of the fish goes through Rinka and gives her extraordinary powers beyond those of normal humans, particularly the ability to slip through solid objects. |
 | Tokyo Ghoul
The dark fantasy story is set in Tokyo, which is haunted by mysterious "ghouls" who are devouring humans. People are gripped by the fear of these ghouls whose identities are masked in mystery. An ordinary college student named Kaneki encounters Rize, a girl who is an avid reader like him, at the café he frequents. Little does he realize that his fate will change overnight. |
 | Yamishibai: Japanese Ghost Stories 2
Plot: Yamishibai is a picture-story style of animation whose motif is surrounded and based off the rumors, and urban legends throughout the history of Japan. |
About the Authors
 | Acura Max is a lover of movies, games, and anime. I'm also a moderator on Screened. |
 | BigHeart711 is a proud anime fan of the Blue Roses and Magical Mages! Follow him @MasterMenos |
 | Kerry Chhay (Takashichea) is an Asian American Studies student who is a big wiki and anime nerd. He serves as a wiki mod in Anime Vice and an Admin in To Hollywood and Beyond Wikia(a 2nd home for Screened users). Follow him @Takashichea |
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