Kara Dennison
June 4, 2025 
The upcoming summer anime season is packed with exciting titles. From a new Rascal Does Not Dream movie to the beginning of the end of Demon Slayer, many of our favorites are returning. And that includes three of our favorite titles from recent seasons, all of which will be rolling back into the action!
Where did we leave off, and what’s next? Join us for a quick catch-up to these three returning shows.
DAN DA DAN
We’re keeping the summer anime season weird with the return of DAN DA DAN! The surreal paranormal series was a massive hit, blending ghosts and aliens into paranormal pandemonium. As viewers may remember, we left off in the middle of some major action. Momo’s childhood friend Jiji had just arrived on the scene, and he had some troubles of his own. Fortunately, we won’t have to wait much longer to see what happens there!
The series returns July 3, but you can kick things off early and get a refresher this week. The theatrical release DAN DA DAN: Evil Eye will combine the last episode of last season with the first three episodes of the new season. The movie cut opens in North America on June 6, meaning you can see how the new series starts nearly a month early! With Momo, Okarun, and Aira all wielding their own paranormal powers, how will Jiji fit in the mix? Get ready to find out!
Sakamoto Days
More a part 2 than a season 2, this returning summer anime has been broadly described as a spiritual successor to John Wick. However you choose to view it, there’s no denying we didn’t get to spend nearly long enough with Taro Sakamoto and his family (found and otherwise). Fortunately, part 2 of Sakamoto Days hits Netflix on July 14.
The last two episodes of part 1 kicked off the Death Row Prisoners Arc, which ran from chapters 32-54 of the original manga. While Sakamoto now has Wutang on his side, he’s about to have a lot more trouble on his hands. Slur has just unleashed four dangerous inmates—Dump, Saw, Apart, and Minimalist—to take down the ex-hitman. With the casino battle behind us, what awaits Sakamoto and his friends? We’ll find out next month.
Kaiju No. 8
Despite Kafka’s metamorphosis in the first season of Kaiju No. 8, he managed to proved himself to the Defense Force. And while not everyone is willing to see him as an asset, or even a human, the Third Division has his back. Kafka will have time to prove himself… and plenty of chances. Because as the season came to a close, we saw Kaiju No. 9 mobilizing.
The high-octane series joins the summer anime season on July 19. With the manga’s Kaiju No. 8 Captured Arc coming to a close, we can expect season 2 to launch the Kaiju Weapon Arc. What really happens to monsters defeated in battle? And how will the Defense Force hold up with a friendly kaiju in their ranks? We’ll find out very soon!
