Still a bit behind, but here are my rankings for third quarter of Summer 2019. This might end up being the strongest season I’ve had since I started watching seasonal anime again a few years ago. As usual, all standards for artistic merit are completely subjective and arbitrary.
Araburu Kisetsu no Otome-domo yo
Symphogear XV
Given
Machikado Mazoku
Granbelm
Aikatsu Friends (62+)
Cannon Busters
Re:Stage! Dream Day
Dr. Stone
Kanata no Astra
Don’t have the energy to type as much nothing as I usually do in these.
O Maidens is likely going to top 3 for my year, maybe my AotY.
XV has been the best season of the franchise, although I will be disappointed if it didn’t take its relationships all the way.
Given has managed to avoid a lot of anime romance tropes I don’t like to present a solid love story. Still wish it had better character acting.
Machikado Mazoku has managed to elevate itself above average CGDCT with stellar comedic and dramatic timing, and by pushing aside the struggle between good and evil for more personal and universal themes.
Aikatsu Friends sure feels like it’s wrapping up now, but it’s fine. Still a consistently easy watch.
Granbelm is starting to fall of for me. I still love the painful self-reflections of Shingetsu and Mangetsu but grew kinda tired of Anna, and later Suishou’s, melodramatic acts. When your show’s character writing draws on such different narrative legacies at the same time, a somewhat lopsided experience like this is to be expected.
Cannon Busters took several episodes to go above being just a fun, shallow action romp, but it’s getting there.
Re:Stage has risen above average idol anime by prioritizing motivations and development over CGDCT, and by daring to do hand-drawn performances.
Dr. Stone feels like it’s heading back on track after a somewhat iffy start to this village arc.
Astra really benefits from anime structuring. Even though its twists have been fun, I don’t think I could tolerate more than one cour of this mystery box bullshit.