The Summer 2026 anime lineup has been truly exceptional. While beloved returning favorites like Mushoku Tensei are rightfully capturing the spotlight, several fresh titles have also made a strong impression. Even so, despite a largely fantastic season, there is still room for improvement.
Many of the top-tier and newest series are getting most things right, boasting gorgeous animation, endearing casts, and compelling plots. Yet, these exact same shows also harbor frustrating flaws and noticeable shortcomings that hold them back from greatness.
That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime Is Taking a Long Time To Build Up
That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime has rightfully established itself as one of the defining anime and manga franchises of recent years. Rimuru is exceptionally easy to root for, and viewers continue to adore the sprawling ensemble of characters.
Unfortunately, the third installment of the series—affectionately dubbed “That Time I Got Stuck in a Meeting” by disappointed fans—largely abandoned the magic of the first two runs. It severely lacked world-building, skimped on action sequences, and bogged itself down with endless, tedious boardroom discussions.
The currently airing fourth season had a mountain of work to do to regain audience trust. While the initial cour made solid strides by re-establishing the expansive universe and bringing back favorite characters, it still feels like we are overdue for a massive set-piece moment. Thankfully, the narrative is clearly building toward something massive, meaning the series could easily redeem itself before the current run concludes.
The Elusive Samurai Might’ve Set the Bar Too High
When it premiered, the inaugural season of The Elusive Samurai felt like a genuine revelation. It is no exaggeration to state that it delivered some of the most striking aesthetics in the history of the medium, with individual frames that looked worthy of an art gallery. Chronicling Tokiyuki Hojo’s desperate flight, the gathering of loyal companions, and his quest to avenge his fallen family, it left a massive impression.
Given how airtight the debut run was, sophomore outings always face an uphill battle, and this show currently feels trapped in its predecessor’s shadow. Season 2 lacks the jaw-dropping visual fidelity that originally made heads turn. Furthermore, protagonist Tokiyuki hasn’t been given many opportunities to shine; if anything, his development feels slightly stalled. Even so, this slow burn may very well be intentional as the creators set the stage for larger developments down the road.
Black Torch Feels Too Stale
Despite receiving a heavy promotional push from Crunchyroll, Black Torch lands firmly in the territory of being “merely good.” While its broadcast is ongoing and opinions could shift, nothing it has done so far warrants massive critical acclaim.
It functions as a perfectly acceptable battle shōnen, but it fails to introduce anything novel to the formula. Franchises like Naruto (with Naruto and Kurama), Chainsaw Man (Denji and Pochita), and Parasyte: The Maxim (Migi and Shinichi) have already thoroughly explored the dynamic of two opposing entities sharing a single host body to forge a powerhouse partnership. Even Jujutsu Kaisen tackled the inverse concept of reluctant roommates who fundamentally despise one another.
There is nothing inherently offensive about Black Torch, but there is equally nothing exceptional about it. In a crowded season packed with standout hits and a genre defined by legendary milestones, simply being “decent” isn’t quite enough to leave a lasting mark.
Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia Deserves More Love
In an industry currently oversaturated with cookie-cutter titles, Jaadugar: A Witch in Mongolia stands completely apart from the crowd—a rare feat in modern anime. It possesses a distinct identity that helps it carve out its own niche, making its current lack of mainstream attention all the more tragic.
The story follows Sitara/Fatima, a sharp-witted, fiercely logical, and deeply engaging protagonist. Every single episode is instantly elevated whenever she takes center stage. Furthermore, Science Saru has done an exceptional job adapting the source material’s unique aesthetic into motion.
The series’ visual design is practically peerless. It manages to be whimsical yet grounded, striking without feeling visually overwhelming. Compared to the sea of visually homogenous shows currently airing, Jaadugar is a breathtaking optical treat. The only true disappointment is that a broader audience hasn’t tuned in to experience it.
Mushoku Tensei’s Reviews Shouldn’t Be This Bad
Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation easily ranks among the finest isekai projects ever produced. Its exhaustive narrative details nearly every formative moment of Rudeus Greyrat’s existence, paired with an exemplary anime adaptation featuring some of the industry’s most stellar animation. Yet, strangely enough, that hasn’t satisfied everyone.
What sets Mushoku Tensei apart is its masterful dedication to rich world-building and profound character growth. Both of these narrative pillars require patience—a commodity that certain viewers seem unwilling to spend when they are looking for pure adrenaline.
The third season of this acclaimed isekai has faced unwarranted backlash online over its pacing, but deliberate pacing is fundamental to the work. Mushoku Tensei was never meant to be a non-stop action fest. While it undeniably delivers top-tier choreography when the narrative calls for it, that is only one facet of its identity.
It is also a deeply emotional, character-driven drama packed with poignant, heart-wrenching moments. Unfortunately, a vocal segment of the online fanbase lacks the patience for dialogue-heavy episodes, often reserving their praise strictly for Eris-centric chapters simply because they feature heightened violence.
It is frustrating to witness a masterpiece of its genre get review-bombed for leaning into the exact qualities that made it iconic in the first place. If an action-centric juggernaut like Dragon Ball or Demon Slayer suddenly dropped all its fight scenes, the complaints would make sense; however, quieter, character-focused storytelling is precisely what has always made Mushoku Tensei so extraordinary.