Summer 2019

My take: summer 2019 read like a mini film festival rather than a TV-only season. Makoto Shinkai’s Weathering with You had the visuals and soundtrack people kept talking about — it felt cinematic in every frame. One Piece: Stampede was pure fan celebration, full of callbacks and set-piece action that made it a theatrical must-see for long-time viewers. Rascal Does Not Dream of a Dreaming Girl closed its emotional arc with restraint, offering payoff to fans who cared about the characters.

On the TV side, ASTRA Lost in Space delivered tight, puzzle-forward sci-fi and a cast that carried the show through suspenseful beats. Magical Sempai and the KonoSuba movie provided reliable laughs and neat pacing — short, punchy comedy that worked when it focused on timing. Studios like White Fox, Lerche, and Doga Kobo were visible in the mix, and with so many originals and films that season, the highlights felt like curated moments rather than one single trend.