This Week in Anime

Scraping the Bottom of the Barrel

Coop
Welcome back from Anime Expo, Lucas! I wish I could say you've fully escaped the crowds, but the 2026 Summer Anime season looks to be just as crowded! At least 50 titles are airing this season alone!

But that's where our quarterly preview guide comes in to help readers figure out what's actually worth dipping their toes into. Lucas, to echo my prior statement, I wish I could say we're about to look at the best-rated premieres of the season...but fate is not that kind.

I'm going to be straight with you, Lucas. I couldn't even recall what that screenshot was from at first; it was so boilerplate. However, I did remember that this is one that has the girl who should get her eyes checked.

Among all the titles currently in the preview guide, Rearguard is the only title I've seen with a half star to its name. I wouldn't say that's because the series is absolutely terrible or anything; it's just really boring. As we'll get to in a bit, there's joy to be had in a fascinatingly bad title with baffling directorial choices or discovering a talented team of creatives who're doing their best with what they've got to work with. Rearguard is neither of those.

Similarly, The Insipid Prince's Furtive Grab for The Throne dabbles in the "secret identity with high stakes" realm of narou works, but kneecaps its potential for strong dramatic tension within the last minute of its opening episode.

Not to mention that our main boy's shadowy alter ego comes off as a Party City "Lelouch as Zero" costume.

I'll give Insipid Prince this: it's visually stronger than its seasonal Maho Film sister (the aforementioned Rearguard), but that's not exactly a high bar for comparison.

More than anything else, those qualities sometimes compress into a boring visual gruel. It would have been a little more bearable if the story had more oomph outside of its "I've got to secure the throne for my twin brother by underhanded means" setup. The visuals bother me less when the plot does the heavy lifting, which isn't the case here.

I agree, the imperialism angle and bit of "you gotta be a manly man" gender essentialism going on here left a bad taste in my mouth from the jump. However, would it surprise you to know that I was actually kind of impressed by the production of this show? So much that I actually skimmed the second episode?

Frontier Lord isn't Shakespeare (not by a long shot), but I see a solid baseline of competency and talent on display here. Just going for a well-placed dynamic still when they might not have had the dough to go all-out on a fight shows that the folks at studio42 know their craft. I hope that perhaps someone takes notice of this crew's talent and gives them a shot at something outside of the narou arena. Again, Frontier Lord isn't anything special, but I see a diamond in the rough with studio42.

I generally agree with your sentiment, Lucas. Based on the first episode alone, I'd say that Last Stand is competently made, has some cool monster designs, and could be a title that your average teenager would have a little fun with if they're into roleplaying games. This is a perfectly fine example of this kind of show. Not terrible, but not something you'll go out of your way to watch. It's the sort of show a teen who's burned through everything else will watch before they start scraping the real bottom of the barrel.

I had similar thoughts when it came to the season premiere of Hell Mode. Take my opinions with a grain of salt, as a close friend of mine was key in establishing the localization foundation of the light novels, but I could see a fan of the series being perfectly happy with this if they were already digging the first season. It's generally not a stunner, but it has a consistent look, and the backgrounds are rock-solid.

That's a pretty dope-looking train if you ask me.

Honestly, it's refreshing when narou properties feel like they're YA fantasy adventure novels. Even if the story or visuals leave something to be desired, there's something pure at the core of those works. Be it a love of Dragon Quest, RPGs, D&D, or just fantasy on the whole. We actually talked about this topic a little while back, so it's worth a read if you're interested in learning more about the powerful influence of Dragon Quest on Japanese fantasy.

And while we're talking literature, The Duke's Son Claims He Won't Love Me Yet Showers Me with Adoration is very much your classic "marriage of convenience" kind of tale. According to our resident classic lit aficionado and keeper of the shoujo-filled Silverman Satchel, Rebecca Silverman, The Duke's Son is a by-the-numbers example of such stories. I'm inclined to agree.

Also, the titular "Duke's Son" is not that carrot... This isn't an OceanVeil title, much to your dismay, Lucas.

I wholeheartedly agree. It's nothing special, but nothing terrible either.

The visuals, supernatural themes, and meditative pacing of Iwamoto-Senpai made me recall Mushi-Shi to a certain extent, but "meditative" might be a kind way to describe my experience. Not to mention that I'd also thought "oh, Nippon Sangoku at home" a few times.

However, my biggest issues with this one lie with its slippery and slide-y character animation. It often felt like the characters were images bouncing across the screen instead of moving with real weight and intention. Especially in the quiet yet tense moments between our bois.

And if I were to actively complain, Oh Boy, Was I Wrong About Her is probably my least favorite title of the bunch.

This romantic comedy has a distinctive early aughts vibe about it, but that's not a compliment. Being the new kids in town, reconnecting with your childhood friend, and looking after your needy little sister are all incredibly paint-by-numbers plot points. It feels almost as if a high school romcom tropes checklist is being diligently worked through.

I could forgive the series if it were a light-and-fluffy send-up of that bygone era, but these visuals aren't really helping. The characters' faces are all drawn so inconsistently that I couldn't help but think "there's an unfortunate, generative feeling to this." It's hard to see these faces as anything but "melty filters" at times. Let me be clear, I'm not alleging the use of any models here, but it's concerning when my alarm bells are grazed by a touch of doubt.

But hey, we can definitely say that Chainsmoker Cat's found an audience!

Now, why is this one part of the discussion? Well, Chainsmoker Cat's left a "love it or hate it" first impression on most who've given it a try, making it divisive to say the least. That's probably because the viewer is treated to Yani's encounter with that diarrhea parasite and her landlord angrily choking his chicken in quick succession. It's intense right out of the gate.

Chainsmoker Cat is the only series in this bunch that I'll likely revisit later on, but I can't say the same for our final title...

Still images do no justice to the Go Hands-crafted lunacy that is The Exiled Heavy Knight Knows How to Game the System. The first episode alone contains the MOST visuals this season.

I don't know, but maybe it's got something to do with all the Faygo I've been drinking lately. Perhaps the clowns are coming for us, Lucas.

However, on my part, I will say that I actually kind of admire the level of creativity going on here. As disorienting and disregarding of the 180-degree rule as their works can be, the team at Go Hands is trying something here. There's an almost Breenian persistence to their work that shouldn't be completely downplayed.

But circling back to your busy week at AX before we go (and on a topic you are at liberty to talk about), did you hear there's another big anime convention coming up in a few weeks?

Oh yes indeed, Lucas.

Chris, Sylvia, and I will be hosting the very first in-person This Week in Anime panel at Otakon 2026! And I can guarantee you that we won't be talking the cream of the crap while we're there. Now, if we can just figure out how cross-country teleportation and magnets work, we can beam you into the panel room, Lucas!

Lucas on the weekend of August 1st:

As sad as we'll be, you can't beat that, Lucas.