School is out, and there's plenty of fresh animated series and movies for both kids and adults coming this summer. July is positively packed with new animation; in addition to the eight cartoons highlighted on this list, this month also sees the releases of The Boss Baby: Family Business, The Patrick Star Show, Trollhunters: Rise of the Titans and Worlds Bubble Up Like Soda Pop among others. This isn't even getting into the dozens of new anime premiering in July; this list includes anime movies and binge releases but the deluge of new weekly seasonal anime warrants its own separate preview guide.
We the People
Netflix's new music video series We the People, produced by the Obamas, looks to be a Schoolhouse Rock for a new generation. H.E.R., Adam Lambert, Cordae, Robert and Kristen Anderson-Lopez, Daveed Diggs, Brittany Howard, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Brandi Carlile, KYLE, Bebe Rexha, Andra Day, Janelle Monáe and Amanda Gorman are writing and performing songs about American democracy. The videos are directed by a mix of popular and up-and-coming animation talent: Peter Ramsey, Trisha Gum, Victoria Vincent, Benjy Brooke, Mabel Ye, Tim Rauch, Jorge R. Gutierrez, Daron Nefcy, Everett Downing and Kendra Ryan.
Created by Chris Nee, We the People premieres on Netflix on July 4.
Monsters at Work
Monsters at Work is Disney+'s first half-hour show based on a Pixar movie. The show is a Disney Television Animation made with the support of the Pixar team; Pete Docter, director of the original Monsters Inc., gave the show unused concept art from the film to use for the new team of monster jokesters. With much of the film's voice cast returning, it will be interesting to see if this TV spinoff can approach, or even match, the quality of Docter's now-classic film.
Monsters at Work stars Ben Feldman, Mindy Kaling, Henry Winkler, Billy Crystal, John Goodman, Jennifer Tilly, Bob Peterson and John Ratzenberger. The series will be available to stream on Disney+ starting on July 7.
The Stranger by the Shore
The Stranger by the Shore, also known by the title Umibe no Étranger, is the third feature film from the new Boys' Love anime label Blue Lynx, following Twittering Birds Never Fly and the Given movie. Kanna Kii's manga source material, being released in English on July 27 as Seaside Stranger, is among the most popular BL manga in Japan. This hour-long film promises to be among the most wholesome and sensitive queer romances in the genre.
Directed by Akiyo Ohashi, The Stranger by the Shore premieres on Funimation on July 9.
Josee, The Tiger and The Fish
If Demon Slayer: Mugen Train has wanting to see more anime in theaters, don't miss your chance to watch Josee, The Tiger and The Fish during its limited-time run. Based on a 1984 short story by Keiko Tabe, which has previously been adapted into a live-action film, this romance between an ocean-loving college student and a bookish girl in a wheelchair has been getting great reviews and might just be the next great anime tearjerker. Subtitled screenings will be on July 12 and 14, while the English dub will screen on July 13.
Directed by Kotaro Tamura, Josee, The Tiger and The Fish will premiere in select theaters on July 12.
Beastars Season 2
Netflix's heavily delayed anime releases will never not be annoying, and Beastars Season 2 has been delayed longer than most -- the series finished up in Japan last March. Four months later, American fans are excited to finally get to see the continuation of the best computer-animated furry murder mystery/interspecies romance/high school soap opera around. This season is said to delve more into the mysterious aspects of Paru Itagaki's compellingly unusual narrative.
Directed by Shin'ichi Matsumi, Beastars Season 2 premieres on Netflix on July 15.
Space Jam: A New Legacy
Is Space Jam: A New Legacy going to be good? Based on everything shown so far in the marketing and the quality of the first Space Jam, probably not. Is everyone going to be watching it anyway? Absolutely. The original Space Jam is not exactly a good movie, but it's beloved for being so unabashedly weird in its pop-culture mash-ups, and any sequel where Foghorn Leghorn is a Targaryen and the Droogs from A Clockwork Orange show up is gonna be fertile meme material at the very least.
Directed by Malcolm D. Lee, Space Jam: A New Legacy stars LeBron James, Don Cheadle, Zendaya and Sonequa Martin-Green. The film arrives in theaters and on HBO Max July 16.
Masters of the Universe: Revelation
The more adult-oriented of Netflix's two upcoming He-Man cartoons, Masters of the Universe: Revelation is a direct sequel to the original series that promises tons of fanservice for old-school fans. Based on the trailer, Powerhouse's animation is looking as awesome as it ever has. Whether it ends up as critically acclaimed as She-Ra and the Princesses of Power remains to be seen, but this looks to be a campy fun good time.
Developed by Kevin Smith and produced by Mattel Television with animation by Powerhouse Animation, Masters of the Universe: Revelation stars Mark Hamill as Skeletor, Lena Headey as Evil-Lyn, Chris Wood as Prince Adam/He-Man, Sarah Michelle Gellar as Teela, Liam Cunningham as Man-At-Arms, Stephen Root as Cringer, Diedrich Bader as King Randor/Trap Jaw, Griffin Newman as Orko, Tiffany Smith as Andra, Henry Rollins as Tri-Klops, Alan Oppenheimer (original Skeletor) as Moss Man, Susan Eisenberg as Sorceress, Alicia Silverstone as Queen Marlena, Justin Long as Roboto, Jason Mewes as Stinkor, Phil LaMarr as He-Ro, Tony Todd as Scare Glow, Cree Summer as Priestess, Kevin Michael Richardson as Beast Man and Kevin Conroy as Mer-Man. The series premieres July 23 on Netflix.
Centaurworld
Centaurworld looks nuts -- in a good way. This kids-and-family musical adventure-comedy follows a warhorse into a magical land filled with mildly unnerving half-human half-animal creatures. The trailer looks a little bit Adventure Time, a little bit My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic and a little bit action-anime. If all these different styles and tones can come together satisfactorily, this could be a hit for Netflix's growing animation studio.
Created by and co-starring Megan Nicole Dong, Centaurworld also stars Kimiko Glenn, Jessie Mueller, Megan Hilty, Parvesh Cheena, Josh Radnor and Chris Diamantopoulos. The series premieres on Netflix July 30.
