2026 Summer Premiere Digest

By: Anime Feminist July 18, 20260 Comments
The members of MewType are shocked they'll be forming a group.

Summertime means long days, golden sunshine, and plenty of potentially interesting new anime to choose from—from sweeping historical epics to fairy tale retellings to classic sci-fi.

Which shows do you review? 

We don’t review shows that are direct sequels, shorts, or (generally) for very young children. Anything not licensed and/or immediately available is off the table as well; series that are dropped in batches (the binge/Netflix model) won’t receive are a premiere review but are eligible for recommendations at end of season. Shows with late release dates will be reviewed separately from the digest.

While shows may change category as they continue to air, for ease of reference this is the order that will be used when discussing shows on our mid-season and wrap-up podcasts. Please note that any shows released in batches/by cour rather than weekly will not be discussed on the mid-season podcast.

Aya's stressed-out face
Young Ladies Don’t Play Fighting Games

How do you write the reviews?

Lizzie, Alex, Vrai, Cy and Tony split the majority of shows, with Chiaki and Dee stepping in to pinch-hit. The titles were divided by each reviewer’s preferred workload and choice. Caitlin is at ANN for seasonal work, so you can check out her reviews over there.

Once we have more funding, we’d like to change our current model to provide a wider range of perspectives on more episodes. We’re a long way from that goal, but it’s been a personal wish of ours since launch and we hope to make it happen someday.

Haruki smiles with light beams and sparkles shooting off of her angelically. Hayato looks at her in surprise.
Oh Boy, Was I Wrong About Her

What do your reviews focus on? 

This varies by writer to some extent (some of us are more focused on visuals, others on narrative, and so forth), but as a feminist site it’s of course essential that we raise any issues of intersectional feminist interest.

When you read an AniFem review, you’re likely to learn about female character designs, queer representation, analogies to real-world marginalization, and so on. If you think we missed something, please comment under the review and let us know!

Sitara and Muhammed sitting against a backdrop of a lush, glittering starry sky
Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia

Why do you categorize them?

The purpose of these reviews is to give you, our readers, information to help you decide if you want to try a show. There’s greater access to anime than ever before, and we want to help you find series you can truly love, without wasting your time on a show that contains an automatic deal-breaker, be that fan service, queerphobia, the sexualization of children, and so on.

Individuals can find value in any series, and we will never lead a boycott of a particular show, but we want to make it easier for you to get the most out of your limited time. In our digest, feminist-relevant themes and ideas take precedence, with overall narrative quality coming second and personal preference a distant(ish) third.

Premieres that seem to contain progressive themes are at the highest end and those featuring regressive ideas (or out-and-out hatefulness) are at the lowest. We expect some disagreement and welcome debate, so if you have any objections to our lists then by all means let us know in the comments!

Nekoryu and his siblings learn the scent of human hunters.
The Cat and the Dragon

I found a show I’m interested in! Where can I watch it?

This will vary depending on where you live, but you can browse Yatta-Tachi’s Premiere Chart for the legal streaming sites carrying each series. Check to see if a show is available in your region!

Summer 2026 Premiere Digest

Feminist potential

Premieres that so far seem to be addressing progressive ideas or themes and executing them competently. Please check individual reviews for more detailed content warnings.

  • Draw This, Then Die! (Episode 1-2): Art-about-art that tackles themes of burnout in a creative industry, with multiple very neurodivergent-coded leads.
  • The Ghost in the Shell (Episode 1): Comedic take that faithfully adapts the original manga, including its critiques of state violence.
  • Goodbye, Lara (Episode 1): A visually inventive twist on the Little Mermaid fairy tale that seems intent on giving the heroine more agency and another shot at happiness.
  • I Want to Love You Till Your Dying Day (Episode 1): A haunting dark fantasy that sets the stage for an intense but tender sapphic story backset by war. 
  • Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia (Episodes 1-3): A moving start to a historical epic about a young woman using her skills and reclaiming her agency in wartime.
  • KAIJU GIRL CARAMELISE (Episode 1-2): A rom-com of monstrous proportions with a charming female lead (and plenty of room to read her predicament as a metaphor for disability, queerness, or other marginalized teen experiences).
  • Oh Boy, Was I Wrong About Her (Episode 1): An aggressively mediocre premiere with stiff, uninspired animation, but it’s exploring gender norms, so here we are.
  • My Stepmother and Stepsisters Aren’t Wicked (Episode 1): A promising start to a series that subverts fairy tale logic about stepmothers and stepsisters being inherently evil and instead shows their depth as fully-formed characters.
  • The World is Dancing (Episodes 1-3): Gorgeous historical fiction that celebrates folk art as just as valuable as “high art” and shines a light on the inherent cruelties of a class-based, patriarchal society.
  • Young Ladies Don’t Play Fighting Games (Episode 1-2): Exploring themes about acceptable femininity, the gendering of hobbies, and creating inclusive spaces, all with two fun female leads and a side of yuri.

It’s… complicated

Similar to the above category, but in addition to all those possible feminist themes, the show may be biting off more than it can chew or in danger of fumbling its chosen themes.

  • Chainsmoker Cat (Episode 1): Addressing themes of addiction and poverty through John Waters-esque poor taste.
  • Iron Wok Jan (Episodes 1-2): Strong female co-lead who might push through to stay relevant as an equal to the shonen protagonist, but it comes with a self-professed content warning citing “sensibilities” from the 1990s.
  • Love Unseen Beneath the Clear Night Sky (Episodes 1-2): While this romance has its heart in the right place, it has some room to grow in its depiction of the disabled love interest.
  • Red River (Episode 1): A treasured classic with a lackluster adaptation, meaning the magic of the original might not be fully conveyed.
  • Though I am an Inept Villainness (Episode 1): A Bakarina-esque romp with a lot to say about class and women getting pitted against each other, though its depiction of chronic illness remains a bit messy.

Neutral zone

Very little to warn folks about, but also not a ton of progressive ideas to chew on so far either.

Yellow flags

Premieres that weren’t actively hateful at the premise level, but still raised some noteworthy caveats or concerns.

  • BLACK TORCH (Episode 1): Aside from some fun moments with the hero’s animal-speaking powers, this shonen premiere feels like it’s going through a checklist, including random fan service shots.
  • Hanaori-san Still Wants to Fight in the Next Life (Episode 1): A romantic comedy that’s complicated by its teacher-student relationship between two reincarnated enemies who wind up in modern day Japan.
  • The Insipid Prince’s Furtive Grab for The Throne (Episode 1): A male-led fantastical political thriller that wants to be edgy but doesn’t have much substance.
  • The Ogre’s Bride (Episode 1): Fans of Cinderella stories will likely be a fan of this supernatural romance as well, though its insistence that “there is no higher achievement for a woman than marrying a demon” raises some flags.
  • Please Excuse My Younger Brothers (Episodes 1-2): Simultaneously setting up a domestic comedy and a step-sibling romance; includes some sexual menace in the second episode.
  • Recommendations from Iwamoto-Senpai (Episode 1): Taisho-era story about the most 20-something-year-old middle schoolers ever seen. A period piece with BL and uniform fetish vibes, and an underlying emphasis on military might and imperialism.
  • Rich Girl Caretaker: I’m Secretly the Caregiver of the Most Popular Girl in This Rich Kid School (Episode 1): Rich girl meets poor boy in a romantic comedy premiere that is supposed to be funny, but misses the mark completely due to its belongs-in-the-trash writing. 

Red Flags

The issues listed are intrinsic to the premise; or, even if the issue is isolated it potentially poisons the whole show.

  • Dara-san of Reiwa (Episodes 1-2): A supernatural comedy mired in lousy jokes that only get more poor-taste the further it continues.
  • The Villager of Level 999 (Episode 1): A power fantasy with dull writing, fan service, and a side of transphobia.

Anime was a Mistake

We had to make a whole category for pedophilia and slavery apologia, and this is it.

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