The summer season of 2009 is interesting on the surface in quite a few different ways. Only a little less than 40 titles will be released from June to August. That number includes specials, OVAs and movies being released which contrasts against at least 30 TV premieres last summer alone.

In terms of content, this is a summer of dreams for fans of manga based stories with up to eight series being adapted from a manga, though that number goes past a dozen when you factor in light, visual and traditional novels as well. Only two series are based off eroge this season but sequels and continuations are alive and well taking up 10 titles of their own.

In terms of studio activity, Madhouse and Studio DEEN are easily the most active of the season with three releases each. On the Madhouse queue are a TV series, a special and a movie while Studio DEEN will be releasing two television series and a series of web shorts. JC Staff and SHAFT aren’t far behind them though with two releases each and a wealth of others filling out the crowd with one each. One studio will even be making their debut their season with GoHands taking a shot at the eroge adaptation ‘Princess Lover‘.

So enough with the introductions, (with apologies to Gia of AnimeVice for adapting her preview style a bit) listed below the cut are as many of the releases that I could find information for. I have tried to make this listing as complete as possible with my resources but I’m not perfect. If you see any missing titles, feel free to drop me a line in the comments and I’ll make sure to get them added.

Titles are listed by premiere dates and will be continuously edited throughout June. Keep checking back for updates as new premiere dates are listed, previews are written and finally to read all the latest reviews as the new series premiere!

 

Suzu 3 Tarou
Studio: avex entertainment
Premiere Date: 6/1/09
Type: Mobile Shorts

Why You Should Care:

 

• Broadcasting over BeeTV (an entertainment channel which streams over mobile phones), all 24 episodes of this series are 2 minutes long making it an easy watch.

 

Weiss Survive
AKA: ヴァイス・サヴァイヴ
Studio: TBS?
Premiere Date: 6/5/09
Type: Shorts

Story:

Based on the card battle manga, two teens are caught in a mysterious new world where card battles are fought on a regular basis. In order for Takeshi and Michi to get home they will have to learn how to do battle with the cards and win matches.

Why You Should Care:

• The good news is that Nana Mizuki will be singing the opening theme to this series so at least there will be some better than average music attached to the series.

 

Chinyuuki Tarou to Yukai na Nakama-tachi
Studio: Happinet Pictures
Premiere Date: 6/12/09
Type: OVA

Why You Should Care:

While I wasn’t able to find any information about this OVA’s story, I do know that the original release is entirely flash animated. You might also remember Happinet Pictures as the producers of Maburaho, Interlude and Baccano.

 

Miyamoto Musashi – Souken ni Haseru Yume
aka: 宮本武蔵 -双剣に馳せる夢-
Studio: Production IG
Premiere Date: 6/13/09
Type: Movie

Story:

Telling the story of Muashi Miyamoto, this film will chronicle the life of one of Japan’s most famous historical figures.

Why You Should Care:

• Early trailers for this release have made the animation look absolutely amazing, it looks like Production IG has created something that will be amazing to watch.

 

• The crew for this film has an equally impressive start with Mamoru Oshii (Sky Crawlers, Ghost in the Shell) creating the original story.

 

Kawa no Hikari
aka: 川の光
Studio: NHK
Premiere Date: 6/20/09
Type: Special

Story:

Based on a serialized novel, this special will follow a family of rats who find themselves homeless after humans start developing over their home. Following a river, the family of rats will begin their journey to find a new home.

Why You Should Care:

• Little is known about this special at the moment but Aya Hirano has stated that she will be playing a puppy in the feature.

 

Minami-ke
aka: みなみけ
Studio: Asread
Premiere Date: 6/23
Type: OAD

Story:

The sisters return for a special released with the sixth volume of the manga.

Why You Should Care:

• It’s being produced by Asread who have not been winning over fans of this series with their last two releases for this series.

 

Umi Monogatari ~Anata ga Ite Kureta Koto~
aka: うみものがたり ～あなたがいてくれたコト～
Studio: ZEXCS
Premiere Date: 6/24
Type: TV

Story:

Based on a pachinko game, this fantasy story follows two sisters who live in the ocean. One day while swimming around they find a ring and decide to return it to its owner. What they don’t know however is that by doing so they have started a chain reaction that could cause the end of the world. Way to go!

Why You Should Care:

• Junichi Sato (Aria, Princess Tutu, Sailor Moon) and Yuu Kou (Chrono Crusade) will direct the series with leads played by: Kana Asumi as Marin, Minao Kotobui (Tsumugi in K-ON) as Kanon and Yui Horie as Urin.

 

Utawarerumono
aka: うたわれるもの
Studio: AQUAPLUS/Chaos Project
Premiere Date: 6/24
Type: OVA

Story:

In a spinoff from the original TV series, the story for this three episode OVA will follow a less focused on storyline from the game involving Urutori and the baby Fumirwil.

Why You Should Care:

• A spinoff of the original TV series, this is the first new Utawarerumono anime in three years. Most interestesting are notes that state the series will be turning its original eroge roots.

 

• Long time fans of the series will be pleased to hear that everyone in the voice cast will be returning to reprise their roles. New to the series though is Chaos Project (Comic Party: Revolution, Pokemon 2000, Variable Geo) joining with AQUAPLUS to produce the animation replacing Oriental Light & Magic.

 

• Also new to the crew is Kenichirou Katsura in the director’s chair for Tomoko Kobayashi. Katsura’s credits mostly lie in character design but he does have a couple of directing credits to his name including Macross 7 and Blue Seed Beyond.

 

Saint Seiya: The Lost Canvas
aka: 聖闘士星矢 THE LOST CANVAS 冥王神話
Studio:  TMS Entertainment
Premiere Date: 6/24
Type: OVA

Story:

Based on the ongoing manga series, the latest anime installment to the Saint Seiya series takes place 250 years before the original series. In this story, the setting is the previous Holy War and the start to the rivalry that forms between Tenma and Hades.

Why You Should Care:

• With this new release the entire cast and crew are being filled by new names but quite a few of them might ring some bells: Osamu Nabeshima (D. Grey-man) will be taking over the director seat while Kaoru Wada (D. Grey-man, Inuyasha, Ninja Scroll, Record of Lodoss War) will be composing the music.

 

• The voice cast is also filled with quite a few familiar names for fans to look forward to including Aya Hirano as Athena, Hiro Shimono (Jin in Kannagi) as Hades, Tetsuya Kakihara (Simon in Gurren Lagann, Mercutio in Romeo x Juliet) as Tenma, Nana Mizuki (Tsugumi in Hell Girl, Fate in Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha) as Pandora and Jun Fukuyama as Kagaho.

 

Fight Ippatsu! Juden-chan!!
aka: ファイト一発！充電ちゃん!!
Studio:  Studio Hibari
Premiere Date: 6/25
Type: TV

Story:

In this comedy, Juden-chan enters the world from a parallel dimension and takes work as an office lady. This office is special though as her mission is to use electricity to recharge depressed people.

 

Why You Should Care:

• As I was researching this title, I came across this little nugget of info. The depressed people in this series are graded by danger and those who get an A are deemed the closest to suicide. Something tells me that this is going to be a darker than average comedy.

 

• If the name Bow Ditama sounds familiar it would be because he also created Mahoromatic and KissxSis. Sitting in the director’s chair is Shinichiro Kimura who has also directed cute comedies such as Karin and Maburaho.

 

• Early previews for this series have confirmed that this will be right up Bow Ditama’s usual style of sex and boob jokes occuring about once every seven seconds. Good idea to not go into this one blind. ^_^

 

Akane-iro ni Somaru saka Hardcore
aka: あかね色に染まる坂
Studio: TNK
Premiere Date: 6/26
Type: OVA

Story:

In the original game and subsequent television series, the hero is named Junichi and lives with his sister in a very… let’s call it familiar relationship. Like really familiar. Savvy? One day a mysterious girl appears in his class and they fight instantly only to find out later that they are actually arranaged to be married by their families. Upon the announcement of the OVA, the staff at TNK said this series would be “different”. One would assume that they are going to be sneaking in all the fan service and sex jokes that they weren’t able to while they were on broadcast television.

Why You Should Care:

• Cast and crew will be the same as the television series which means Keitaro Motonaga in the director chair, Aya Hirano as the doting yet freakishly capable sister Minato and Rie Kugimiya as the tsundere Yuuhi.

 

Evangelion 2.0: You Can [Not] Advance
Studio: Gainax
Premiere Date:  6/27
Type: Movie

Story:

The second installment of the quartet will get fans up to around the halfway point of the television series. It’s not expected for the story to divert too far from the TV series though it will have to change a little for the entrance of new character Mari Illustrious.

Why You Should Care:

• Are you serious? I don’t even like Eva and I’m still looking forward to checking out this movie series. Funimation has already licensed the first movie of the series so it would seem likely that they will eventually be licensing this one too.

 

• Also announced not long ago was Maaya Sakamoto as the voice of new Eva pilot, Mari Illustrious Makimari, making the new character something that has to be checked out.

 

Ukkari Penelope New Series
Studio: Nippon Animation
Premiere Date: 6/29
Type: Shorts

Story:

Based on the French children’s art books, Penelope returns for another season.

Why You Should Care:

• It’s Artistic?

 

Umineko no Naku Koro ni
aka: うみねこのなく頃に
Studio: Studio DEEN
Premiere Date:  7/1/09
Type: TV

Story:

A murder mystery the way only this series could deliver! Based on another game in the franchise, this story takes place on an island where an old man is near death. Gathering together in the mansion are a number of family members and servants who are to decide how the man’s vast wealth will be divided among them. After a typhoon traps them all in the house, people start dying.

Why You Should Care:

• If you haven’t seen any of the Higurashi series, you have missed out on one of the best horror series of the last decade. With this series starting a brand new story, this is the perfect time to see what you’ve been missing.

 

• Studio DEEN returns to the series after producing  the first three seasons of ‘Higurashi no Koko ni’

 

• The cast that has been gathered for this series is amazing: Daisuke Ono as Battler, Marina Inoue as Jessica, Sayaka Ohara as Beatrice and Yui Horie as Maria fill out the leads.

 

• After missing the last two seasons, the director of the first season Chiaki Kon returns to direct.

 

 Aoi Hana
Studio: JC Staff
Premiere Date: 7/1/09
Type: TV

Story:

In this romantic yuri story, two girls who grew up as best friends meet again after being apart for ten years. Now both first year high school students, Fumi and Akira will attempt to find their friendship again while helping each other through various problems that come up in their romantic lives.

Why You Should Care:

• Ai Takabe will be making her debut in this series as Fumi.

 

NEEDLESS
aka: ニードレス
Studio: Madhouse
Premiere Date: 7/2/09
Type: TV

Story:

Following World War III, certain areas of Japan are deemed to be black areas where no one is supposed to be allowed to travel. What people aren’t realizing however is that there are already people living in those black zones who have developed their own special powers. To anyone who isn’t living in these zones, the people there are called simply ‘needless’.

Why You Should Care:

• Say what you want about the manga this title is based on, Madhouse is really putting effort into making this one into a success: Masayuki Sakoi (Kamen no Maid Guy, Princess Resurrection, Strawberry Panic) will be sitting in the director chair while the leads are made up of Aya Endo as Cruz, Eri Kitamura (Rin in Kodomo no Jikan) as Eve and Takehito Koyasu (Vincent in this season’s Princess Lover along with a resume longer than my leg) as Adam. 

 

Taisho Yakyuu Musume
aka: 大正野球娘。
Studio: JC Staff
Premiere Date: 7/2/09
Type: TV

Story:

In the Taisho Era of Japan, baseball is just barely starting to make its way into the mainstream and become popular. The story of this series follows a group of girls who try to start their own team despite having no idea how to play the game. An odd twist being that it was hard enough to find a team of male players let alone nine girls who wanted to play.

 

Why You Should Care:

• I have to admit that this title is the series that I’m most looking forward to this season.

 

• Lots of strong names round out the cast list: Eri Kitamura as Shizuka, Kana Ueda as Noe, Mai Nakahara as Akiko, Mamiko Noto as Yui… the list goes on. 

 

Element Hunters
aka: エレメントハンター
Studio: NHK Enterprises
Premiere Date:  7/4/09
Type: TV

Story:

A joint production between NHK and Korea based HeeWon Entertainment, Element Hunters is an educational anime meant to teach children about chemical elements. The actual story will follow a group of heroes who have been chosen by scientists for their flexible minds. Elements have been disappearing from the Earth through a dimensional wall and it’s up to these ‘Element Hunters’ to go to the other side and bring the elements back to their Earth to keep things from disappearing.

Why You Should Care:

 

• Admittedly it’s another educational anime that I probably won’t watch but that story doesn’t sound half way terrible. I guess it will all come down the presentation though.

 

Zan Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei
aka: 懺・さよなら絶望先生
Studio: SHAFT
Premiere Date: 7/4/09
Type: TV

Story:

The third season of the series which follows the despairingly depressed teacher and his off the wall students.

Why You Should Care:

• As far as I can see all the same cast and crew will be rejoining the series for season three. Unfortunately I never caught the first two seasons of this series so I’ll likely be skipping it.

 
Bakemonogatari
aka: 化物語
Studio: SHAFT
Premiere Date: 7/4/09
Type:  TV

Story:

After surviving a vampire attack, Koyomi is a high school boy working on getting his life back on track. After briefly being turned into a vampire, he met a man who brought him back and made him human again. In this third year of high school though, he’ll meet girls who are all afflicted with various spiritual ailments that he must help them cure.

Why You Should Care:

• SHAFT is having a good year with Maria Holic in the winter and two series this summer (Sayonara Zetsubo Sensei being the other this season).

 

• In the director’s chair is Akiyuki Shinbo who has previously directed Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha, Pani Poni Dash, Negima and Petite Cossette… then again he also directed Debutant Detective Corps.

 

CANAAN
aka: カナン
Studio: PA Works
Premiere Date: 7/4/09
Type: TV?

Story:

Based on a Wii visual mystery novel titled ‘428 ~Fuusa Sareta Shibuya de~’, the story for this series centers on a group of strangers who are all brought together in Shibuya by strange events. In the group is a detective, a man, a virus researcher, a writer and a cat mascot. They discover that the events that have brought them together have worldwide implications though and must work together to unravel the mystery.

Why You Should Care:

• This is another series that is being primed for success with a strong cast and crew: Masahiro Ando (Sword of the Stranger) is in the director chair. Cast members include Maaya Sakamoto as Aphard, Miyuki Sawashiro as Canaan, Mamiko Noto as Hakkoo and Rie Tanaka as Liang Qi

 

 

 

 

Kanamemo
aka: かなめも
Studio: Feel
Premiere Date: 7/5/09
Type: TV

Story:

In this slice of life comedy, Kana is a girl who has lost all of her family members to various tragedies. Now all alone, she finds a home inside a newspaper delivery office working with all the beautiful women around her.

Why You Should Care:

• A few familiar names are scattered throughout the cast list including Aki Toyosaki (Yui in K-ON) as Kana, Rie Kugimiya (Yuuhi in Akane-Iro ni Somaru Saku, Louise in Familiar of Zero, Nagi in Hayate the Combat Butler) as Mika, Aya Endo (Miyuki in Lucky Star) as Yuuki and Yui Horie (Sakuya in Sister Princess, Yuki in Vampire Knight, Naru in Love Hina, Hanyuu in Higurashi) as Haruka.

 

Princess Lover!
aka: プリンセスラバー！
Studio: GoHands
Premiere Date: 7/5/09
Type: TV

Story:

Based on the eroge of the same name, the story of this series centers on a hero who loses his parents in a car accident. Taken in by his very rich and hugely influencial grandfather, he is forced into taking the reins as the new family successor. First order of business, get entered in a private high school filled with beautiful and rich girls. Wow, life must suck for him.

Why You Should Care:

• This is the debut production for GoHands (how ironic that their first title is an eroge adaptation).

 

• There is a really interesting cast attached to this series with characters played by: Takuma Terashima (Apollo in Aquarion) as Teppei, Emiri Katou (Kagami in Lucky Star) as Seika and Minoru Shiraishi as Haruhiko. 

 

GA: Geijutsuka Art Design Class
aka: GA 芸術科アートデザインクラス
Studio: AIC
Premiere Date: 7/6/09

Story:

Another slice of life comedy for the season with this one taking place in a high school art class. Based off the manga, the main character is Kisaragi who has joined a high school that specializes in art design despite having no real knowledge about art at all. Joined by new friends and a forceful teacher, Kisaragi will begin to learn more about art through her daily life and activities.  

Why You Should Care:

• AIC is putting together a strong cast and crew that have proven that they can do comedy: Haruka Tomatsu (Nagi in Kannagi plus two other roles this season) is leading as Kisaragi but has Ai Tokunaga (Padudu in Magical Witchland) as Noda-Miki, Miyuki Sawashiro (Puchiko in Di Gi Charat) as Tomokane, Yui Horie as Namiko and Kaori Nazuka (Llyr in Tears to Tiara, Chloe in Spice and Wolf) as Kyoju.

 

• The series will also be directed by Hiroaki Sakurai (Di Gi Charat, Cromartie High School) so this could be a sneaky hit by the time it premieres.

 

Sora no Manimani
aka: 宙のまにまに
Studio: Studio Comet
Premiere Date: 7/7/09
Type: TV

Story:

A first year high school student moves back to his hometown immediately running into a childhood friend. Even though their relationship was left in a state of limbo due to an incident before he moved away, Akeno invites him into the astronomy club as the two attempt to repair their friendship and get back the relationship they once had.

Why You Should Care:

• Studio Comet can do comedy (School Rumble is theirs) and they can do romance (Suzuka is theirs too), can they pull off a slice of life romance that takes place in an astronomy club?

 

• Speaking of School Rumble, Sora no Manimani shares the same director; Shinji Takamatsu. 

 

Spice and Wolf II
aka: 狼と香辛料Ⅱ
Studio: Brains Base
Premiere Date: 7/8/09
Type: TV

Story:

Holo and Lawrence return for a second season of escaping the church while working to get Holo back home.

Why You Should Care:

• Pretty much all the same cast and crew are returning for season two with the exception of character designer Kazuya Kuroda. Stepping in to fill the role this season is Toshimitsu Kobayashi (El Hazard: The Alternative World, Knight Hunters Eternity)

 

• Brains Base replaces IMAGIN for animation production this season, it will be interesting to see how fans take to the change.

 

• Tokyo Magnitude 8.0
  aka: 東京マグニチュード8.0
  Studio: Studio Bones/Kinema Citrus
  Premiere Date: 7/9/09
  Type: Special

Story:

While out on a field trip with their class, Japan is hit by a massive earthquake causing wide spread damage and destruction. Now stranded far from home, three children will be forced to traverse the dangerous streets as they attempt to make their way back home.

Why You Should Care:

• A massive earthquake hitting Japan and causing terrible damage is not that farfetched which makes this special all the more compelling to watch.

 

• This is only the second feature that Kinema Citrus has worked on with the previous release being last season’s Higepiyo.

 

• The main cast will be made up of Satomi Hanamura (Kanae in 5 cm Per Second, January in Coyote Ragtime Show) as Mirai, Yumiko Kobayashi (Excel in Excel Saga, Poemi in Puni Puni Poemy, Black Star in Soul Eater) as Yuuki and Yuuko Kaida (Tohru in Asura Cryin‘, Ryuuken in Maria Holic, Aiho in To aru Majutsu no Index) as Mari.

 

Yoku Wakaru Gendai Mahou
aka: よくわかる現代魔法
Studio: Nomad
Premiere Date: 7/11/09
Type: TV

Story:

Based on the light novels from Hiroshi Sakurazaka, the heroine is a short high school girl named Koyomi. At some point though, she’ll meet and become the apprentice of the older graduate student Misa and learn how to use modern magic from her.

Why You Should Care:

• Makoto Koga has done the character designs for a number of cute series such as Aria the Animation (along with its subsequent sequels), Kyouran Kazoku Nikki and Panyo Panyo Di Gi Charat.

 

• The lead voices will be provided by Ai Nonaka (Kanade in Asura Cryin’, Kafuka in Sayonara Zetsubo Sensei) and Hitomi Nabatame (Yuna in Maburaho, Angela in Asu no Yoichi) which means fun comedy!

 

Pokemon Diamond & Pearl: Arceus’ Conquering of Space-Time
aka: ポケットモンスター ダイヤモンド＆パール 超克の時空へ
Premiere Date: 7/18/09
Type: Movie

Story:

Does anyone really care at this point? Seriously, it’s another Pokemon movie that I can’t imagine it will be that much different than the previous ones. Though apparently this one centers around the protection of the Jewelled Orb of Life and returning it to its rightful place.

Why You Should Care:

• It’s a Pokemon movie, you either love every bit of it or you wish it would just go away though maybe someday we’ll find a peaceful middle ground. 

 

Hetalia Axis Powers Second Season
Studio:  Studio DEEN
Premiere Date: 7/24/09
Type: Shorts

Story:

The “controversial” anime gets a second season. The title that began a protest in Korea so strong that it got the series canceled from television will return to the form which brought it success, online and mobile distribution. The gag series takes place in the WWI and WWII eras with each character being represented by a chibi stereotype.

Why You Should Care:

• If you skipped this series when it premiered last season you really should be kicking yourself about now. Admittedly the comedy was not going to be for everyone but everyone should have seen at least a couple of episodes to at least check it out. Even if you don’t like the series you’ll be forced to admit how clever it is.

 

• Studio Deen returns for the next 26 episodes and I believe all cast and crew will be returning as well. 

 

Summer Wars
aka: サマーウォーズ
Studio:  Madhouse
Premiere Date: 8/1
Type: Movie

Story:

In this fantasy adventure movie, a family goes on a summer vacation only to be caught up in odd events. The place where they are going is on the border of reality and another world called Oz. After discovering the events, the family works together to save the world.

Why You Should Care:

• Summer Wars has been carrying some strong buzz ever since it was first announced, expect something interesting from this title.

 

• If you enjoyed last year’s ‘The Girl Who Leapt Through Time’ you’ll be pleased to know that this film reunites that film’s director, Mamoru Hosoda; screenplay writer, Satoko Okudera, and character designer Yoshiyuki Sadamoto.

 

15 Bishoujo Hyouryuuki
aka: 15美少女漂流記
Premiere Date: 8/13
Type: OVA

Story:

In this re-telling of the Jules Verne story ‘Two Years Vacation’, which was translated in Japan as ‘The ’15 Shōnen Hyōryūki ‘(Fifteen Boys Adrift), fifteen beautiful girls of varying ages are taken out on a boat. After the boat gets hit with strong storms, all of the girls are trapped on a deserted island with only their wits and their figures to keep them alive.

Why You Should Care:

This is the brainchild of eroge creator Takahiro and the character designer for ‘Spice and Wolf’ Kazuya Kuroda.

 

• If you enjoyed the original series, this release is going to be right up your alley with original crew members returning. Studio Fantasia did the original animation, returning as character designer and director is Noriyasu Yamauchi, Kenichi Kanemaki is returning to write the scripts and Ami Koshimizu is resprising her role as Aika.

  

Jungle Emperor Leo TV Super Show
Premiere Date: 8/09
Type: Special

Story:

In the first new Jungle Emperor title to be set in the 21^st century, mankind is facing terrible pollution problems. To help combat it they hire a company to create an everlasting jungle that all the animals facing extinction can live in. Inside the ecosystem is a white lion cub named Leo who desires to grow up strong.

Why You Should Care:

• It’s Jungle Emperor Leo and it’s being released to celebrate what would be Osamu Tezuka’s 80^th birthday, you know it’s going to be at least fun to watch.

 

• Names attached to the project include director Goro Taniguchi (Code Geass) and character designer Yoshitaka Amano (Vampire Hunter D). Does that sound like a slightly odd combo for a Jungle Emperor Leo Special to anyone else?

 

*Whew!* That’s all of them! As I mentioned at the beginning, this preview is going to be constantly evolving this month. New premiere dates are being revealed every day and pretty soon I’ll be starting in on my traditional early season previews! With that in mind, what shows this season are you looking forward to? I’m going to be checking out as many of the new series as I can but really there are only a handful that I am genuinely excited about watching. List the ones that you want to see in the comments and I’ll join in. ^_^

Updated 6/11: New release dates added, Cobra the Animation removed (moved to early 2010) and Seitokai no Ichizon (incorrect season)

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