There are plenty of returning anime favourites and new series coming to Crunchyroll this Summer, and these are my top picks. From romcoms to fantasy adventures, there’s a little something for everyone. Who needs fun in the sun when there’s a dragon flying nearby?
To be serious, The Cat and the Dragon is my number one choice. When I first heard about this series, I thought it was a one-off concept. It’s also unrelated to Robin Lane’s book of the same name. Perhaps that’s one possibility the original work never received an English translation. Whatever the reason, hopefully strong ratings will encourage a publisher to bring the source material to English-speaking audiences.
Kaiju Girl Caramelise
LIDENFILMS, July 2
Romantic comedy meets giant monster chaos in Spica Aoki‘s Kaiju Girl Caramelise. Based on the manga of the same name, the story follows Kuroe Akaishi, a shy high school student suffering from a rare condition that causes her to transform into a gigantic kaiju whenever her romantic feelings spiral out of control.
Life becomes increasingly complicated when she develops feelings for popular classmate Arata Minami. Every blush, racing heartbeat, or awkward encounter risks triggering another destructive transformation.
Directed by Teruyuki Omine at LIDENFILMS, the anime blends high school romance with monster movie spectacle. What sets the series apart is how Kuroe’s transformations serve as a metaphor for the overwhelming emotions that accompany first love.
Black Torch
100studio, July 4
Black Torch adapts Tsuyoshi Takaki‘s supernatural action manga and follows Jiro Azuma, a rough-around-the-edges teenager descended from a line of shinobi. Thanks to a unique ability, Jiro can communicate with animals, a talent that leads him to a mysterious stray cat named Rago.
Unfortunately for Jiro, Rago is actually a powerful mononoke, one of the supernatural spirits lurking in the shadows of modern Japan.
After the pair becomes fused into a symbiotic relationship, Jiro is drawn into a secret conflict between humanity and powerful supernatural beings. The story combines ninja action, Japanese folklore, and urban fantasy while delivering plenty of explosive battles.
Directed by Kei Umabiki at 100studio, the production also features music by Yutaka Yamada, known for his work on VINLAND SAGA. Readers who enjoyed series such as Blue Exorcist or Noragami may want to keep an eye on this one.
The Cat and the Dragon
OLM, July 4
What began as a series of short stories published online through Shōsetsuka ni Narō eventually became a manga and now an anime. It was originally a series of tales about a baby dragon raised by cats. Even as the felines would go about their business in the woods and elsewhere, some would soon be hunted and slain!
Humanity’s relationship with the nearby fauna may well teeter on the brink of war, but for the dragon, what he wows to do as a guardian with polymorphic abilities, is to prtect the peace. But is that enough?
Fortunately, this serpent knew what he is and not what he isn’t, and wants revenge. Just when local villagers think wild cats are the least of their worries, can an everlasting peace be negotiated?
The World’s Strongest Rearguard
MAHO FILM, July 5
After dying in a tragic bus accident, overworked salaryman Arihito Atobe finds himself reincarnated in a fantasy world filled with labyrinths, monsters, and adventurers known as Seekers.
Rather than receiving a flashy combat class, Arihito discovers he possesses the mysterious “Rearguard” job. While not a frontline fighter, the class specializes in strengthening allies through powerful support abilities, allowing him to enhance attacks, bolster defences, and keep his companions alive during dangerous expeditions.
Produced by MAHO FILM, the series leans heavily into RPG-style mechanics, dungeon exploration, party building, and character relationships. Fans of support-class protagonists and game-inspired fantasy worlds may find this a refreshing alternative to the usual overpowered hero formula.
Tomb Raider King
Studio EEK, July 8
Based on the popular Korean web novel and manhwa, Tomb Raider King enters the anime arena with a premise that should immediately appeal to fans of regression and power-fantasy stories. In a world where mysterious tombs containing ancient relics suddenly appear, powerful organizations race to claim artifacts capable of granting extraordinary abilities.
The story follows Ryoga Goriki (Jooheon Suh in the original Korean version), an experienced relic raider who is betrayed and left for dead. Instead of dying, he awakens years in the past before the appearance of the tombs. Armed with knowledge of future events, he sets out to seize the world’s most valuable relics before anyone else can reach them.
Animated by STUDIO EEK, the series combines treasure hunting, supernatural powers, revenge, and strategic battles. While comparisons to other regression stories are inevitable, its focus on relic acquisition and archaeological raids helps it stand apart.
Nearly every anxious 
I Am Frankelda
This year, the streaming world has no shortage of animated works to dig into, which makes narrowing things down to what must be seen tough. What I chose to check out for the Spring 2026 animation season are based on what I will definitely check out because of the trailers made available. They do not include works which I’ve covered previously as they are standouts. As for the rest, these are somewhat seasonally filled to make the Easter long weekend just right.
This adaptation of Rocket Shōkai’s light novel flips heroism into a sentence rather than a calling. In a world where being a “hero” is punishment, Xylo Forbartz, a condemned goddess killer, is assigned to Penal Hero Unit 9004, forced into endless combat against monstrous abominations. Death offers no release, only resurrection and more violence. I’m drawn to how openly this interrogates systems of power, turning the usual fantasy reward structure into something oppressive and cyclical. When Xylo encounters a mysterious new goddess, their uneasy alliance threatens to unravel the machinery of eternal punishment itself.