Like the weather, August’s anime releases have gotten even hotter. From heroes and villains battling it out to humanoid mutant animals spreading joy, this month’s anime line-up is one you can’t afford to miss. So, here are five must-see anime to watch this August.
My Hero Academia: Two Heroes
- Premiere date: August 3 (Japan)
- Studio: Bones
- Genre(s): Action, Comedy, School, Shounen, Super Power
For those who didn’t get the opportunity to catch My Hero Academia: Two Heroes at Anime Expo, don’t worry because the superhero action hit theaters in Japan this August (those in the U.S. and Canada will have to wait until September).
Finals are over, and the students are getting ready for the summer training camp. However, All Might receives an invitation to travel to I-Island, a Quirk research facility, from Melissa Shield, the daughter of his longtime friend David Shield. Accompanying All Might is his young protégé Midoriya, who can’t wait to spend time with his mentor. But, it wouldn’t be a My Hero Academia movie, if the rest of Class 1- A didn’t make an appearance.
Unfortunately, it isn’t all fun and games on the island. A group of villains hack into the island’s security system and take the guests hostage. Now, it’s up to the soon-to-be heroes to save the day.
The Seven Deadly Sins: Prisoners of the Sky
- Premiere date: August 18
- Studio: A-1 Pictures
- Genre(s): Action, Adventure, Supernatural, Magic, Fantasy, Shounen
The Boar Hat crew are at it again, but, this time around, they will leave the magical world of Brittania for a remote island in search of the phantom ingredient “sky fish.” The journey brings Meliodas and Hawk to Sky Palace, a city above the clouds full of winged people. However, things quickly take a turn for the worse when the people mistake Meliodas for a criminal, and throw the Sin of Wrath in jail.
At the same time, the citizens are preparing a ceremony to keep the ferocious monsters that awaken every 3000 years from escaping. Unfortunately, the Six Knights of Black, a Demon Clan army, show up and break the seal on the beasts. Now, it’s up to the Seven Deadly Sins to fight this group of demons, whose strength surpasses that of the Ten Commandments.
The Seven Deadly Sins: Prisoners of the Sky will be an entirely new story by the series’s original manga creator, Nakaba Suzuki.
Flavors of Youth
- Premiere date: August 4
- Studio: CoMix Wave Films and Haoliners Animation League
- Genre(s): Slice of Life, Drama, Romance
Shikioriori, known as Flavors of Youth in the West, tells three short stories, “Hidamari no Chōshoku” (A Breakfast of Sunflowers), “Chiisana Fashion Show” (A Little Fashion Show), and “Shanghai Koi” (Shanghai Love), an homage to 5 Centimeters per Second.
The stories take place in three different Chinese cities, Beijing, Guangzhou, and Shanghai. Each tale concentrates either on food, clothing, or a bittersweet first love — typical stories about life in the city.
CoMix Wave Films‘ collaboration anthology film with Haoliners, will premiere worldwide this August on Netflix.
Welcome to Japari Park
- Premiere date: August 12
- Studio: TBD
- Genre(s): Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy
Nexon’s anime adaptation of its mobile game, Kemono Friends will debut next month.
In Welcome To Japari Park, the Friends and the head of the Japari Park are working hard to ensure the park’s official opening goes smoothly. However, disaster strikes, and it’s up to the Friends to fix things before the big day. Join the members of Japari Park as they use everything they’ve got to come to a solution. But will their efforts be in vain or will they make things right just in the nick of time?
The voice actors from Kemono Friends (the original show), including Aya Uchida (Kaban), Ai Nonaka (Reticulated Giraffe), and Yuka Ozaki (Serval) will reprise their roles in the new series.
Also, the second season of Kemono Friends is expected to premiere soon. But the first season’s director, TATSUKI, and anime studio Yaoyorozu will not have a hand in the sequel.
Aragne: Sign of Vermilion
- Premiere date: August 18
- Studio: TBD
- Genre(s): Fantasy, Horror, Mystery
Life couldn’t get worse for 18-year-old college student Rin. She’s shy and suffers from anxiety, but her mental issues become even worse when she moves into a new apartment complex. She thought she would be living in a sunny palace, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. It’s rundown, grim, and haunted by spirits. Not only that, its darkness spreads to the surrounding buildings causing unexplainable accidents.
Rin soon comes to realize that there’s something even more sinister manifesting in these dark corners. Determined to find out more, Rin visits the library, spending countless hours researching myths and scary experiments. However, what Rin learns will not prepare her for the what’s waiting back home.
Aragne: Sign of Vermilion will be Saku Sakamoto‘s first time in the director’s chair for a full feature film. Not only that, but he also personally produced the animation, script, concept, and music for the film.
