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Waking up late on a weekday morning, eating breakfast at noon, and lazing around on the couch is something many students find themselves doing once school has officially ended and a long restful break awaits them.
Now with summer vacation just around the corner, it is a fitting time to begin winding down to get in the mood. To help, here are some animes with summer-like vibes that also give viewers something to think about before the break begins.
Free! (2013)
As break rolls around, so does the summer heat that has everyone wishing for the skies to open up and drench them with the longed-for rain of spring. Depending on the location, rain during summer is not always possible. Thankfully Free! (2013) features the refreshing feelings invoked by swimming in this slice-of-life sports anime that allows viewers to live vicariously through the water-crazed characters.
Revolving around a group of high school boys, Free! (2013) delves into their attempt at reviving their school’s swim club in an effort to harness their talents and go head to head with an old friend and rival. The group faces the consequences of allowing ill feelings to drive them forward and must decide what it is they truly want to do to move forward.
Free! (2013) is the type of anime that gets the viewer attached to the main characters as early as the first episode. It is hard not to when they all have something unique about them. For instance, Haruka Nanase, (( Wiki Targeted Anime. “Haruka Nanase.” Free! Wiki. 2013. )) the main character, wants nothing more than to be in water. Be it in the school’s pool, his bathtub, or even a fish tank in season one OVA one, Haruka is the type of person that simply loves water. It is this characteristic of his that makes him such a likable character.
The anime is relatively lighthearted at times which is perfect for those who wish to relax.
SK8 The Infinity (2021)
Similar to Free! (2013), SK8 The Infinity (2021) follows high schooler Reki Kyan (( Wiki Targeted Anime. “Reki Kyan.” SK8 The Infinity Wiki. 2021. )) who befriends transfer student Langa Hasegawa (( Wiki Targeted Anime. “Langa Hasegawa.” SK8 The Infinity Wiki. 2021. )) as they work to get better at their hobby, skateboarding. The coming-of-age anime takes the viewer through the pair’s journey as they challenge other talented skaters through a highly secret skateboarding race and attempt to better their own skills.
Aside from the wonderful summery weather featured throughout the anime, the show also gives off feelings of staying out late at night on a carefree summer day to hang around with friends, which is one of its great aspects. In the show, viewers get to see Reki and Langa’s friendship continue growing as they help each other better.
While it is a slice-of-life, coming-of-age anime, it does not fail to include seat-gripping anticipation as the skaters go head to head. There are definitely characters that are easy to fall in love with just like there are villain-like ones that have viewers immediately picking sides. With twelve episodes and a second season in the works, SK8 The Infinitely (2021) is an easy and worth it watch.
Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day (2011)
Taking on a more sorrowful approach, Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day (2011) follows a group of six friends that drift apart after one of them, Meiko Honma (( Wiki Targeted Anime. “Meiko Honma.” Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day Wiki. 2011. )), passes away in an accident. Years later, they meet again when Jinta Yadomi (( Wiki Targeted Anime. “Jinta Yadomi.” Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day Wiki. 2011. )) sees the ghost of an older looking Meiko, leading him to seek out their help to try and help her.
Since Jinta is the only one who can see Meiko’s ghost, his old friends do not believe him and accuse him of not being able to let the past go. While that is true, it is soon revealed that not only Jinta has had trouble moving on. but others have as well.
The story is one that has to do with coping with grief. Due to the characters being at such a young age when Meiko passed, it makes sense why they were unable to deal with the loss in a healthy manner. Most typically do not want their summer to start with something sad. However, this anime is a good example of people who thought they were okay and later find out that that could not be farther from the truth.
With summer beginning for most, students and even working adults are bound to have regrets of the past which is why Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day (2011) and the themes of helping one another with what they struggle with most can provide audiences with some solace that they are not alone in the matter.
Blue Period (2021)
Adapted from the manga of the same name Blue Period (2021) is about more than just art. It is about finally finding something to be passionate about in this calm coming-of-age story. The main protagonist, Yatora Yaguchi, (( Wiki Targeted Anime. “Yatora Yaguchi.” Blue Period Wiki. 2021. )), is someone everyone can relate to. He is someone who is not quite sure what he wants to do with their life until he finds art after being inspired by a classmate’s piece. Despite not having the proper training, Yatora still decides he wants to pursue art and get into a prestigious art school.
Including this on the list may seem a bit spontaneous as these students are still active in school. However, it is fitting. Yatora shows through his story that it is never too late to change the course of your future. For graduate students of any age going into their summer breaks, that knowledge can be extremely comforting. The characters are all also very easygoing and fun characters that have the drive to accomplish their goals.
Waiting In The Summer (2012)
As an anime that takes place during the long summer break, Waiting In The Summer (2012) has a youthful feel to it as a group of high schoolers decides that the perfect project to complete over their break is to create a film that commemorates what will soon become the most exciting summer ever.
The most enthralling part of this anime is the sci-fi elements that take the viewer somewhat by surprise when the main character, Kaito Kirishima (( Wiki Targeted Anime. (2012). “Kaito Kirishima.” Waiting In The Summer Wiki. )) sees a bright blue light in the sky and is quite literally blown away as an alien spaceship lands nearby.
After sustaining a few injuries, Kaito seems to forget what happened and proceeds a normal decision with his friends to create a film. Interestingly enough, it turns out the alien piloting the crashed spaceship ends up embarking on this summer project with them.
While the show is labeled as a romance, it is not heavily influenced by it and centers more around the platonic relationships between this group of friends. As the school year comes to a close, it is always great to start thinking about the next anime to binge or the next adventure. It is also important to allow oneself to rest properly, and these animes have the quality of doing just that.