Your Summer 2006 Anime Guide

Summer weather? Rika Ishikawa is down with that.

Ah, summer! Season of beach outings, fireworks and festivals, and anime premieres that aren't high-profile enough to qualify for a Fall or Spring release date. But as always, there are a handful of hidden gems among Japan's latest and greatest, so take a look at these capsule profiles to see what's good, bad, and just plain never-should-have-been-made.

Disclaimer: I can't expect to watch EVERYTHING, so I missed a bunch of shows simply because I didn't get around to checking them out.

Binbou Shimai Monogatari This tale of two sisters trying to make ends meet is as slice-of-lifey as they come, and while the after-school-special tone won't suit everyone, it sure leaves behind a sweet taste. (Plus money-saving tips in the eyecatch!)

Bokura ga Ita Based on the popular shoujo manga, this series is off to an unremarkable start where an average girl meets a mischievous boy -- but a deep back-story could spell strong developments in the future.

Chocotto Sister Chokotto phonetically, Chocotto in the title credits, adorable everywhere else. I can attest from the manga that it becomes a pretty involving character drama, although the manga is (obviously) better drawn.

Coyote Ragtime Show Do you like babes? Do you like guns? Do you like babes with guns? Then you'll be watching Coyote Ragtime Show, which has neither coyotes nor ragtime, but is definitely a show.

Demashitaa! Powerpuff Girls Z You know, it's like they took everything that was generic and dorky about Powerpuff Girls, copied it, and cut out all the bits that were actually cool, like the pop-culture references and Mojo Jojo's speech patterns. Pass.

Honey and Clover II THE new series to be watching this summer season, obviously. The charming characters and dreamlike visuals of last year's breakout hit are back, plus a new playlist of insert songs for Maximum Heartbreak Effect.

Innocent Venus Like so many other things, a Post-apocalyptic Action Series featuring a gang of Plucky Renegades trying to escape The Establishment ... but with strong, stylized animation, if that helps at all.

Le Chevalier D'Eon Doesn't actually start until later this month, but if you caught the early 1st Episode preview, you know that Production I.G is riding high of the success of Blood+ and hopes to strike gold again with this gripping period piece.

Muteki Kanban Musume CRAZY HAPPY RAMEN-DELIVERY FUN TIME Yes, I know that the manga (Noodle Fighter Miki) wasn't received so well, but I have to say, 4 episodes in, THIS IS REALLY FUNNY. A slapstick comedy that gets it right.

NHK ni Youkoso! What do you do if you're stuck trying to fill the shoes of Haruhi Suzumiya's timeslot? Put on a wild fandom-skewering comedy and hope for the best. Think Genshiken with knives out, and that's the NHK for ya.

Night Head Genesis A chilling series about two psychic brothers (one telekinetic, the other reads minds by touch) facing a hostile world. Fast-paced, mysterious, and probably worth following to the end as long as it doesn't get episodic.

Otogi-Jushi Akazukin Chibi characters and magical battles spell DOOM to my brain, or possibly a Disgaea ripoff, were it not also for the fairytale references. Either way, I'm not bothering with this one.

Project Blue Earth SOS You say they don't make anime like they used to? Well, this anime IS made like they used to, from the Jonny-Quest-esque protagonists to sci-fi technology straight out of the 60's and 70's. So much camp, it's cool.

Tona-Gura! Former childhood friend moves back in next door; pervy hijinks ensue. I don't think there's much more that needs to be explained. Or deserves to be explained.

Zero no Tsukaima A black-eyed, black-haired boy is transported to an alternate world of magic... where he ends up as a familiar for the worst magic student in Hogwarts school! Also, Dumbledore is a pervert, which is AWESOME.

So hopefully you'll find something you want to latch on to -- and don't forget to keep on watching continuing series from last season! Ouran High School Host Club is definitely still made of WIN.