Top 10 Cutest Anime Girls Of Summer 2018

Hello and welcome back to the most factual and indisputable countdown on all of the Internet! Through painstaking research and many sleepless nights spent testing the various possibilities for an article as important as this, I have [once again] uncovered the true best-girls of the anime season. Now, I know that some of you less-intellectual beings out there will ridicule me for the non-inclusion of your waifu or whatever but, at the end of the day, which one of us has a formally published article on the subject matter?

You guessed it -- me. And with that being said, I'd like to give you a breakdown on what exactly I was looking at/for when I put this list together. (Clears throat).

Cuteness.

Not just any sort of cuteness, however. I was looking for multi-tiered cuteness and not just that aesthetic nonsense so many of you whine about. We're looking at the big picture, ladies and gentlemen. Each of these girls was rated not just on their appearance but their personality, voice, development, and blah blah blah, etcetera etcetera. 

With all that being said, I guess I should stop running my mouth and show you who made the cut and who did not. So without further ado, here are the cutest girls of Summer 2018!

10) Uori Mukae

Anime: Ongaku Shoujo (TV)

CV: Yui Ogura

As the leader and most headstrong member of the aptly named "Music Girls," Uori needed to make a strong impression to compensate for the otherwise lackluster roster of the idol group. Needless to say, she accomplished that and some. Not only is Uori the glue that holds the Music Girls together, she's utterly adorable and is, apparently, a great cook as well! And if there is anything I love even half as much as cute 2D girls, it's food. Uori hits both of these marks while still maintaining her serious composure and beautiful [albeit seldom] smile.

9) Kanata Higa

Anime: Harukana Receive

CV: Saki Miyashita

Despite coming out of one of Summer's least impressive series, Kanata is able to harness the power of her semi-loli cuteness and become the protagonist that Harukana Receive needs (Given that the other one is actually impossible to like) in order to make it watchable. The whole 'body complex' thing gets stale rather quickly with most girls of Kanata's type, but something about her approach to the subject matter makes her significantly more enjoyable than others in the same field. Well, there's also a chance that I'm just over-attracted to the ponytail and swimsuit, but you get the gist. 

8) Yuika Shiwahime

Anime: Hanebado!

CV: Ai Kayano

Also known as the most underrated girl of the season, Shiwahime is yet another addition to the matriarchal category that Uori from Ongaku Shoujo falls into. As the voice of reason for one of the most renowned badminton clubs in all of Japan, Shiwahime thrives on her ability to diffuse otherwise toxic personalities (IE: Connie). When you combine that with her mature-yet-innocent allure, you have a rather interesting combination of traits that works wonders in determining her cuteness. Though she doesn't exactly excel in any particular category, her well-roundedness makes her an easy addition to the countdown.

7) Narumi Tooi

Anime: Harukana Receive

CV: Miyuri Shimabukuro

WHAT. A. BABE. No joke, Narumi is pretty much the image of perfection. I actually made the executive decision to not include any of the swimsuit pictures in fear that the website may crash from overload. That aside, however, her personality could use a bit of tuning up. If Narumi cut back on her seriousness more often, I can imagine her placing in the top five- maybe even higher. But looks can only carry you so far. And even though Narumi is a straight-up 10/10 in appearance, her low rankings in the other categories really go on to damage her overall image. Either way, I'd totally date her. She's probably into girls, though, so I guess I'll have to sit this one out.

6) Mikasa Ackerman

Anime: Attack On Titan Season 3

CV: Yui Ishikawa

Where would we be without Mikasa? Not dropping even a hint of cuteness since the first season aired nearly six-thousand years ago, Mikasa remains just as headstrong and desirable as ever. Her neverending affinity for Eren, mixed with how insanely badass she is, goes on to create a wonderfully diverse character that never ceases to amaze. I'm sure I'm not alone in wishing there were real people out there who could emulate even a shred of her coolness- but alas, it simply cannot be. Thankfully, we're going to have plenty of Mikasa moving forward as Attack on Titan shows no sign of slowing down. Oh, also, here is the obligatory mention of abs. Count me in.

5) Maho Hiyajo

Anime: Steins;Gate 0

CV: Sayuri Yahagi

I think I made it pretty clear in the last countdown just how much I love Maho. Well, truth be told, that hasn't changed. But with Steins;Gate 0 ramping up on its seriousness, Maho's had a bit less time to show us just how adorable she is. I mean, of course she still has her moments, but they're coming in less frequently and it's rather disheartening. I miss that adorable little panda. ANYWAY, she's still one of the highlights of the series and her newfound confidence is definitely aiding her overall characterization. I can't imagine anything ever happening to make me dislike her -- I just wish we got to see more of her. Maho spinoff next, please.

4) Rachel Gardner

Anime: Angels Of Death

CV: Haruka Chisuga

Now, I'm not normally into the whole blonde hair/blue eyes sort of thing. But you know what I am into? Girls who are dead inside. I'm not sure if it's because of the crazy eyes or the fact that I'm able to relate to them, but Rachel Gardner has this archetype DOWN. I've loved her all throughout Angels of Death, but the moment pictured above is what solidified it for me. You want to turn me on? Pull a friggin' gun on me because apparently, I'm into that. The only downside of Rachel (And I mean the ONLY downside) is that her deadpan persona can only carry her so far. And even though she's 100% cute in my book, there are a few other characters this season that I'd call cuter.

3) Suzuha Amane

Anime: Steins;Gate 0

CV: Yukari Tamura

Speaking of my new-found fetish for being held at gunpoint, here is yet another girl who is willing to cater to my needs. I've said it before and I will say it again, Suzuha has the best body in all of anime. Period. The fact that Steins;Gate 0 is willing to spend so much time embellishing her character makes me a lot happier than I ever thought it would. I've always loved Suzuha, but I've also always felt like she could be more. Well, now she is. And the direct result of this has landed her in the top three for summer -- even above Maho. I would gladly go bicycle riding with this female. True fans will remember the image I have in mind right now.

2) Rinne Ohara

Anime: Island

CV: Yukari Tamura

Let's ignore the fact that I've included two Yukari Tamura characters in a row and just get to the point. I loved Rinne before even watching Island. In fact, I fell in love as soon as I saw the promo material. Sure, it could just be the hat -- I do love hats. But Rinne is more than just her choice of headwear. She's a remarkably peculiar individual, and characters like that always tickle my fancy. The whole deredere archetype, which is usually hit-or-miss for me, is a critical hit this time as Rinne continues to reel me in each and every episode. Plus, the current arc puts her in a completely DIFFERENT HAT. Two hats in one series?! That's some You Watanabe level accessorizing. 

Summer 2018 Champion: 1) Ayano Hanesaki

Anime: Hanebado!

CV: Hitomi Ohwada

When Hanebado first started, I did not expect to like Ayano even half as much as I do now. In my "Judge the character by the opening" session, I even went as far as concluding that she was just a discount Mitsuha Miyamizu based on her appearance alone. BOY WAS I WRONG. Ayano is freaking insane, guys. Like she's got some weird split-personality stuff going on that, for some reason, makes me REALLY attracted to her. The incessant bouncing back and forth between personas makes her hyper-cute personality (When it eventually rears its head) not only insanely endearing but a little disturbing. And not only is she mentally broken, she's so tiny in comparison to everyone else in the show and it really gets you into that 'protective' mode. The only thing is that she, in no way, needs protection and will probably murder you one day. Ayano, please murder me first.

And there you have it, everyone. The 10 cutest girls from the past few months. Now, go ahead and change your desktops, wallpapers, etc. You know the drill.

See you again at the end of next season for another "Cutest Girls"

Feel free to browse the rest of The Fandom Post until then!

Kiss & White Lily For My Dearest Girl Vol. #06 Manga Review

When you're happy, I'm happy. Even if it's not because of me.

Creative Staff:

Story & Art: Canno

Translation: Jocelyne Allen

Lettering: Alexis Eckerman

What They Say:

Yellow for gratitude. Pink for respect. Violet for apology. Red for love...This is the language of ribbons wrapped around flowers. What does it mean, though, when the person giving Izumi a flower wrapped in red is handing them out to multiple people - is it okay for Izumi to keep it, even though Chiharu is the only one for her? While Izumi grapples with this question, Chiharu has to decide what's important to her when the one who broke her heart, Hosino-senpai, pays a visit...

The Review:
Content: (Please note that the content portion of the review may contain spoilers)

Love is in the air in the latest volume of Kiss & White Lily. Well, love is pretty much always in the air at Seiran, but this time it's justified. Thanks to yet another interesting Japanese holiday that may or may not be real (I honestly have no idea at this point), all of our school girls get to give out flowers to the classmates they admire, respect, or simply just want to shower with untarnished, brightly colored affection. The catch is that each girl is only allowed to give out one red-ribboned flower and, if you haven't guessed it by now, red symbolizes love. That being said, our first red ribbon is exchanged between a couple we haven't seen for several volumes now. 

Chiharu and Izumi have started dating following the rejection Chiharu faced earlier in the series (When she confessed to her senpai before going off to college). Despite being happily paired for roughly six months now, a bump in the road arises once good ole' senpai comes back to visit the school. Not fully understanding how to deal with the situation, Chiharu decides that the best course of action is to stay as far away from her as she can. And this works out perfectly fine until they accidentally cross paths while Chiharu is leaving school. We all know that first love spares no one, often leaving a path of destruction in its wake. So when Chiharu confronts this directly and tells her senpai that she's found happiness without her, it's a huge step toward independence that speaks volumes about her relationship with Izumi. At the end of the day, the couple withstands adversity and emerges stronger, now knowing that some challenges will be impossible to avoid.

And while we're on the topic of challenges, our next couple (Which can't even really be called a 'couple') faces quite an interesting combination of them. You see, instead of just two girls this time, we're dealing with three. Amane Asakura is a bubbly high school idol that captures the attention of plenty of girls. Just, in contradiction to how that normally goes, she's totally fine with being romantically involved with all of them. The other girls, however...not so much. I mean, we're smack dab in the middle of a school's worth of girls finding love for the first time. Anything that stands between them and the object of their affection is sure to drive them a little crazy.

The way it plays out is sort of like this: Ryou Hiruma develops a crush on Amane Asakura. Amane is already in a relationship with Nina Yuudai. Nina and Ryou are actually penpals online without knowing each other's true identities. They find out and also become pseudo- partners. Nina doesn't feel right having feelings for two girls. Amane is totally cool with everything. Ryou just has no idea what's even going on at this point.

Honestly, even I'm having a hard time figuring out the thought patterns of these girls. I'm not sure if it's just my disposition toward polygamy, in general, that's doing this or the fact that the greatest justification of Amane's thoughts presented in the volume is, "Why not?" Either way, Nina (Who becomes the true focus despite having the least screen time) comes to terms with her feelings and works on strengthening her pre-existing bond with Amane. The three girls then embark on their journey toward the purest threesome in the world, all while Ryou still has no idea what the hell is going on. The book proceeds to close out with a bonus chapter of the others couples we've met so far giving out their flowers as well. (This is also the only time Shiramine and Kurosawa show up, making this the least 'main' book in the series thus far).

In Summary:

Despite my obvious love for the series, the rate at which new couples are being introduced can be rather confusing for many readers. The relationships developed within are all unique, so the problem doesn't lie within the actual content but rather the pacing. With so many new girls being brought into Kiss & White Lily, it's getting hard to formulate a central plot. And while I understand the reasoning for telling the story in this manner, I can not wholeheartedly say that I endorse this method. It's overwhelmingly clear just how much more Kurosawa and Shiramine need to develop before reaching a satisfactory end. But at the rate things are going so far, I'm expecting nearly twenty different couples reaching conclusions before they do.

Content Grade: B

Art Grade: A-

Packaging Grade: A-

Text/Translation Grade: A-

Age Rating: 13+

Released By: Yen Press

Release Date: June 5, 2018

MSRP: $12.99

Horimiya Vol. #11 Manga Review

I don't understand my girlfriend.

Creative Staff:

Art: Daisuke Hagiwara

Story: Hero

Translation: Taylor Engel

Lettering: Alexis Eckerman

What They Say: 

Not everyone is as quick on the draw as Hori and Miyamura when it comes to love. Ever the trustworthy friend, Ishikawa has seen the couple through thick and thin, but his own heart seems to be taking a more meandering road to romance. Having realized that he and Yoshikawa might be more than "just friends," Ishikawa is now stuck attempting to navigate the murky waters between friendship and love. But one thing he does know is that the time he spends with Yoshikawa, however mystifying, is special in its own right...

The Review:
Content:(Please note that the content portion of the review may contain spoilers)

Following a rather side character-centric installment in volume ten, the latest addition to the Horimiya franchise throws us back into the fray of Hori and Miyamura's lives. While the earlier chapters in this book do a shine a light, albeit a rather dim one, on the development of Tooru and Yuki's 'situation,' the focal point quickly transitions to some more of the minor hardships that our primary characters face. The first of these comes in the form of Miyamura's need to hide his tattoos from Sengoku.

The last several volumes have shown an interesting boom in both comedic and serious homosexual content and, once again, it makes itself known here. You see, instead of outright asking Miyamura about his incessant need to hide his skin, Sengoku takes it upon himself to try and strip him while he sleeps -- a completely normal thing that guys do at sleepovers which is in no way weird whatsoever. Regardless, the plan fails and we move on to our next borderline yaoi development.

As Hori has noticed in previous volumes, Miyamura isn't only popular with girls. In fact, one of the guys in his class (Some glasses-kun dude named Watabe) has a rather intense crush on him. It's actually so intense that he straight-up films Miyamura throughout the day and makes no attempt to hide it. But hey, Miyamura seems cool with that kind of stuff. There shouldn't be any problem at all as long as he doesn't change sexualities to cheat on his girlfriend. Well, at least that's what the rational reader would think. Hori seems to disagree.

In traditional Hori-fashion, she makes it known that she's put off by Miyamura's increased Watabe-time ratio as of late. This prompts Miyamura to go around sniffing everyone and I am not going to explain why because I'm mean and I want you to be confused. Either way, this ultimately ushers in the final arc of the volume, which also happens to be the only one with some actual conflict rather than nonsensical slice-of-life filler.

It's common knowledge at this point that our main couple gets involved in a lot of unneeded and overly dramatic arguments -- normally ones that spark from Hori getting overly jealous or something. Well, that happens again. But this time, Miyamura is determined to not back down and let things resolve in his favor for once. Used to her boyfriend apologizing immediately, Hori spirals into a fit of panic and despair as she contemplates the future of their relationship. Instead of acting on these negative emotions, however, Hori gives in and allows Miyamura to find her once again. The two make up but, in a stroke of actual change for Hori, she apologizes and states directly that everything is always her fault when the two of them get into a fight. And while this seems like the normal thing to do, it's actually a rather big step for her and it's great to see these characters still changing so far into the series.

In Summary:

Despite focusing mainly on Miyamura and Hori, volume eleven is actually rather uneventful. As always, the comedy is well-written and there isn't a single dull moment, but it isn't until the very last chapter or two where any actual weight is brought into the picture. Either way, Horimiya remains as consistent and ever and I honestly feel that, at this point, it would be near impossible to stop enjoying the series. I've been with the franchise for long enough that all of the characters are closer to friends at this point. And who says no to hanging out with their friends? Read Horimiya.

Content Grade: B

Art Grade: A

Packaging Grade: B+

Text/Translation Grade: A-

Age Rating: 13+

Released By: Yen Press

Release Date: June 26, 2018

MSRP: $12.99