The Summer 2026 Anime Preview Guide

KAIJU GIRL CARAMELISE

Suffering from a rare, incurable illness that causes frightening changes to her body whenever she gets worked up, loner Kuroe Akaishi spends her high school days avoiding her classmates, especially class idol, Arata Minami, and his groupies. But when Arata starts making her heart skip a beat with irritating regularity, Kuroe soon discovers that her illness actually has a big—make that, monster—secret.

KAIJU GIRL CARAMELISE is based on the manga series by Spica Aoki. The anime series is streaming on Crunchyroll on Thursdays.

I feel like most every kid in love has felt like a monster, at some point or another. It's just one of those unfortunate facets of growing up that comes part and parcel with puberty's overwhelming typhoon of hormones, bodily changes, social pressures, and horrific, Cronenbergian transformations into city-destroying kaiju. Okay, that last one is pretty specific to the characters of Kaiju Girl Caramelise, but the metaphor is pretty obvious, right? Most girls feel anxious about being seen by their crushes without the proper clothes, accessories, makeup, and so on. Kuroe is terrified that the cute boy she likes, Arata, will see her flesh give way to an unholy combination of scales, claws, and razor-sharp teeth that have the power to rip through flesh like a hot knife through butter. It's basically the same thing.

I won't pretend that my own biases have not influenced just how well the premiere of Kaiju Girl Caramelise worked for me. Godzilla is my personal Lord and Savior, after all, and any anime that can pay such effective homage to the cinematic legacy of Japan's kaiju creations is basically guaranteed to earn my immediate attention and affection. Given that you all have come to Anime News Network to read all of our impeccably written takes on the season's latest anime premieres, though, I have to imagine that the chances are high that you feel the exact same way about big monsters that smash big buildings.

Even if you aren't a fanatical convert to the Holy Church of the King of the Monsters, I think Kaiju Girl Caramelise still offers a lot for anime fans to sink their own fans into. Kuroe makes for a wonderful protagonist, for one, with her understandable angst and social awkwardness never getting in the way of being a compelling and well-written young heroine. I also think the way the show handles its allegorical subject matter is the right kind of exploitative. Thankfully, the scenes where Kuroe nervously examines her transforming body never come across as leering or creepy; the show makes it clear that we're supposed to empathize with Kuroe, not lust after her. The parts of the premiere that are all about Kuroe freaking out over girl crush and going out on fluffy pancake dates feel like they could belong in any typical (albeit very well executed) romance anime. In short, if your tastes are more aligned towards movies like (500) Days of Summer or 10 Things I Hate About You, then I think you'll have a lot of fun with this show.

Conversely, if you are like me and you worship the ground that every rubber-footed TOHO Titan walks on, then by God(zilla) will you be all-in on Kaiju Girl Caramelise. The show's approach to lovingly referencing Japan's classic movie monsters while still keeping one impossibly large and destructive foot rooted firmly in its romance manga trappings works perfectly, at least in this premiere. I can't really imagine a better way that this episode could have shifted into the classical music, shot-framing, and overall tone of disaster-tinged monster epics, all while keeping Kuroe's burgeoning relationship with Arata. I need more episodes of Kaiju Girl Caramelise immediately, and I need there to be at least a hundred of them. This right here? This is what I love about anime.

Kuroe, girl, you know we've all been there. One minute, you're floating above the clouds as you enjoy an honest-to-God date with your cute-as-hell crush, and it's actually going well. The next thing you know, you're ambling dazed and confused through the destroyed streets of the city, a disaster of epic proportions that you yourself apparently caused when your hormones kicked into overdrive and transformed you into a rampaging giant beast of righteous destruction. Puberty, am I right? It's a real bitch.

The good news is that Arata Minami is totally fine; man, how awkward would it be if you literally crushed your crush on date numero uno? The bad news is that the cutest girl in school, Manatsu, is apparently snuggling up to Arata, and how is an awkward outsider who occasionally sprouts scaly monster appendages from her backside supposed to compete with a girl like that? There's also the issue of Kuroe's feelings not being something she can just switch off and ignore; if anything, that's bound to make her problems much, much worse.

Thankfully, Kuroe's got a certified baddie for a mother, which is a trend that I'm really appreciating in these modern monster manga. While not quite the out-and-out destroyer of evil that Granny Ayase is in DAN DA DAN, Kuroe's mom is plenty charming and cool in her own right, and she makes it clear that her daughter's penchant for transforming into a Just-Legally-Distinct-Enough-From-Godzilla-To-Avoid-Getting-Sued-Into-Oblivion-By-TOHO kaiju is no biggie.

She loves Kuroe just as she is. To be honest, this attitude is probably a little too laid-back, given the thousands of lives and billions of yen in damages we're risking whenever Kuroe's little heart goes pitter-pattering into Destroy All Monsters Melee mode, but you have to appreciate an anime parent who has her priorities in order.

Another character who gets the chance to shine in this episode is Manatsu, who turns out to be a certified kaiju freak who is much more interested in being stepped on by Harugon, Kuroe's alter ego, than by Arata. I figured we'd get a character who was down to clown with the kaiju sooner or later, but I am very amused that it turned out to be this Manatsu girl. Plus, everything about her larvae onesie and her butterfly outfit is intensely Mothra-coded, so I can only pray that Manatsu also discovers a hidden talent for kaiju transformations. For now, at least, she makes an adorable best friend and sidekick for Kuroe.

While this episode downplays the monster spectacle in favor of more relatively typical rom-com shenanigans, Kaiju Girl Caramelise is still shaping up to be one of the most delightful new shows to come out of this summer season. You don't even have to be a certified Godzilla devotee like me to love it (though I am sure that probably helps).

I don't know about you, but I felt like a monster for a lot of my teen years. I was one of the weird kids, the one who wore long, dark dresses and spent her time reading obscure literature – more proto-Goth than full-on Goth, but definitely on the outside of the high school social scene. Kuroe's in a similar situation: after some bad experiences when she was younger, she discovered a “medical condition” that causes her to begin transforming into a dragon-like monster. She's decided that the safest thing is to keep herself separate from everyone else, favoring loose, dark clothes and fully embracing her own proto-Goth aesthetic, from only drawing in black and white to listening to death metal. She is so painfully relatable, right down to being aghast that the most popular boy in class, Minami, might (gasp) want to spend time with her.

Basically, KAIJU GIRL CARAMELISE is what happens when you combine YA literature about someone who's “not like other girls” with a Godzilla story, and it is perfect. Original manga creator Spica Aoki (look for the multiple “Spicas” in the episode!) did something wonderful when she decided to write this magical monster-girl story: she validated all of us who felt monstrous as teens. Kuroe's situation is perhaps more literal than most of ours, but the feelings at its core remain the same – as does the idea that how you see yourself matters. Part of Kuroe's fear comes from the fact that she views herself as monstrous, and that's far more pedestrian than she realizes until Minami confesses to his own body image issues. When he shows her a picture of himself as a chubby middle schooler, he's being remarkably vulnerable with her, and you can guess that he's expecting her to laugh at him. Instead, she validates him on a level that has nothing to do with appearances: it's Minami himself who matters, and if he wants to eat pancakes and gain weight, it won't change her opinion of him. It sounds an awful lot like Kuroe granting him a grace she won't give to herself.

Clearly there's more going on here – her mother seems remarkably unsurprised by a large heart-bedazzled Godzilla clone in the river, and that egg she's holding on to looks like more than just an artifact. But the heart of the story is already beating. I hope Kuroe learns that, whoever she is, she's worth it.

Always find someone who loves you for your monstrous parts as much as your human ones. Not that Minami knows that Kuroe is a kaiju yet, but as far as adolescence goes, he's certainly gotten a view of her that's more “monstrous” than she'd like. One of the things I love about this story is that it never loses sight of the fact that being a teenager can make you feel like a monster a lot of the time. When Kuroe wails that she just wants to be a “normal ugly freak” (or something of that nature), she's every kid who didn't fit in. When she carefully walks around school with her sweater or sweatshirt tied around her waist, she's like any kid who got their period and didn't have a change of clothes. Kuroe may turn into a giant monster, but first and foremost, she's human.

Minami is, too, which is really refreshing. Unlike similar characters in high school romances, he's not impossibly perfect or reticent. No, the boy decided he liked Kuroe and set out to make sure she knew it – and if she told him not to come near her, he'd respect that. He'll be hurt by it, but as we saw multiple times this week, he really will listen: when she ducks down behind her bag in class so she can't see him, he doesn't try to move it; when she tells him not to come into the gym storage, he doesn't; he just asks if he can talk to her from outside. If there's any boy who's going to be okay with the fact that she Godzillas out, it's this guy.

But lest all of this sound too serious, fear not – it's still a very goofy show. Manatsu is a large part of this. A kaiju superfan, she's decided that Harugon is male and that she's in love with “him,” and has also figured out that “he” must have a connection to Kuroe. Does she take it too far by camping out in a bespoke Mothra sleeping bag and nightie outside Kuroe's apartment? Absolutely, but she's also absolutely willing to become Kuroe's best friend no matter what the popular girls in class say. And really, I think that's just Manatsu being a generally nice (if weird) person – if she was really just using Kuroe to get to Harugon, she'd be less likely to do things like try to set her up with Minami or go after the mean girls. It's not an act for Manatsu; she genuinely wants to help.

Whether you're watching this for the kaiju references or because you recognize yourself in the characters really doesn't matter. KAIJU GIRL CARAMELISE is just as delightful in its second episode as in its first. And hey, having a monstrous side may turn out to be a good thing – nothing gets rid of bullies like a giant claw, right?

Hands down, this premiere had everything I was looking for in a new romantic comedy this season. The idea of a girl turning into a giant kaiju monster whenever her emotions are heightened seems like an obvious one that could run analogous to a bunch of other tropes. But the way it is played up here and runs the full gamut of interesting character interactions, I think, creates a solid foundation for what could be a relatively good time. When I saw the PV for the show, I wasn't expecting the premiere to delve into topics like teenage body dysmorphia, societal expectations around appearance, or a genuine romantic connection between the two leads. A lot was set up here that paid off by the end of the first episode, culminating in a variety of interesting character animations.

I like that there is a legitimate reason Kuroe and this popular pretty boy would have a connection. At first, I was trying to figure out what Arata's deal was, but the idea that he is drawn to somebody who doesn't seem to care what other people think when he himself is struggling with how much he cares about what other people think is a solid point of connection that a lot of people should find relatable. I'm curious how that's going to tie into the kaiju reveal, and a part of me is very worried that this show will draw out that reveal for the sake of creating dramatic tension.

By the end of the first episode, the two of them have already crossed significant social lines by holding hands in front of other classmates, which I thought was pretty bold, so I really hope the show doesn't walk that back immediately. Honestly, I am more interested in the romantic side of things than in the sci-fi, conspiratorial side. That is definitely where this premiere shone and where most of the focus was. I understand that there's going to be a lot of reveals regarding what exactly Kuroe is, who her mother is, and what this government organization monitoring the situation seems to be. If the show can strike a good balance between those two while building on the character foundation laid out here, then I think I'll be in for a really good time.

I really love how this episode balanced the silly craziness of its premise with some genuine, heartfelt moments. Two episodes in, this show is already fully taking advantage of its premise to convey a sweet romance with an internal struggle that is incredibly engaging, despite the gimmick being kinda obvious. The show put a hard pause on some pretty explicit plot points, like the fact that Kuroe's mom seems to know more than she lets on regarding the kaiju transformation, and I'm not really sure why Kuroe doesn't push her more on the subject. There are also many plot contrivances, particularly towards the end of the episode, but I still found myself drawn into the romantic developments and wacky character antics.

I'm so glad the show sidestepped a potential love triangle by making what could've been the typical rival character into a die-hard kaiju fanatic. Akira Sekine really sold just how badly Manatsu wanted a giant dinosaur to step on her. Having her also, ironically, double as a wing woman for Kuroe was really cute, and I think her inclusion helped nudge a lot of the romantic developments forward. I keep worrying about Arata in this story, even though the first episode made it clear there's a bit more to him than just a pretty face. This second episode also made it clear that he is willing to be very forward if he recognizes that his actions are creating an issue. I appreciate that he basically confessed at the end of this episode, and it makes me wonder what his relationship with Kuroe will look like throughout the season.

That said, this episode felt a bit more convenient than the last one, especially when it came to the tail transformations. I know the whole point is that the transformation is meant to be a bit inconsistent, especially since it seems tied to Kuroe's fluctuating emotional state. The fact that she was willing to reveal herself and let go ultimately allowed her to retract her tail, which makes sense, but it also comes off as a little too easy for the sake of prolonging the mystery. However, I am very curious about what episode three is going to highlight, given that it's a little more obvious that Kuroe is this giant monster. She was the only one in the gymnasium storeroom when the monster showed up, unlike before, when you could argue that the kaiju came out of the water. I hope this show doesn't go the route of stretching my suspension of disbelief for the sake of keeping the misunderstanding going because I could easily see that having a negative effect on the genuinely strong romantic development between Kuroe and Arata. Fingers crossed it doesn't go in that direction, but this is still a fairly strong opener that does have me hooked for the rest of this season.

One of my favorite kinds of fiction is stories that take the figurative and make it literal to explore the concept. For example, you could say that hormones and their associated emotional swings make teens into monsters. Thus, in this anime, Akaishi literally turns into a kaiju whenever she loses emotional control. Or as she puts it: “love brings only terror.”

Of course, that's only one layer of the metaphor. Sci-fi trappings aside, Akaishi is your typical weird kid. The things that make her different have caused her to be ostracized in the past—leading her to socially isolate herself in the present to prevent being hurt. She lies to herself, saying she's better off being a loner—that she's not like the other girls. This has become her identity.

What she never expected was that someone would look up to her being herself—for not bowing to social pressure and trying to fit in. To someone like Minami, who was once ostracized to the point that he molded his body and personality to fit in, she is everything he wishes he could have been. Yet, when he sees she's not as unfazed by the bullying as she pretends, it gives him the strength to stand with her against it—to take her hand in full view of those who will no doubt judge him for it.

From there, things get fun and silly when Akaishi can no longer control her feelings of love and joy (read: she turns into a giant kaiju), then suffers extreme embarrassment over her outburst and runs away (read: she turns back into a human after realizing she's become a terrifying monster). As I said up top, I'm a sucker for high-concept stories like these that are metaphors for real-life situations. I can't wait to watch how things develop next week.

A girl on the cusp of womanhood transforms into a giant rampaging monster whenever her emotions overwhelm her? Is this the greatest metaphor for puberty ever seen in anime?

...No. That would be Kill la Kill—but this one is a close second!

The best sci-fi uses the outlandish—spaceships and aliens, transforming heroes and giant monsters—to teach us about ourselves. While Kuroe's transformation is not something faced in the real world, the emotions behind it are. Her body is changing in ways she doesn't understand—and her feelings are as well. She could once hide behind her loaner identity and say everything was okay. But now, she no longer can. She wants what the popular girls have—wants friends and love. And now that she's on the cusp of having both, she is terrified.

What if they don't accept her? What if they find the peculiarities of her body or personality strange? Can she really put herself out there to be hurt despite past experiences telling her that it's a bad idea? Then add on top of this some crazy hormones and we have an experience that I feel pretty much everyone watching this will be able to empathize with.

Outside of Kuroe's internal struggles, we also get the introduction of Kuroe's first friend, Manatsu. Manatsu is the kind of person Kuroe and Arata wish they could be. She waves her nerd flag proudly and doesn't care who sees it. While this means in her case dressing up in a home-made Mothra Larva costume and waiting near the last know kaiju sighting hoping to be stepped on, we've all known people like this—those who unabashedly love what they love and no one is going to ever convince them they are wrong. Yep, this series is metaphors all the way down.

Needless to say, Kaiju Girl Caramelise is great. It's got cute romance, silly comedy, and delves into human nature in a way that's both insightful and entertaining. It's a must-watch in my opinion and I would be shocked if it didn't at least appear on our “best of” list at the season's end.

I've been meaning to get around to Kaiju Girl Caramelise for a long time. I have friends who adore the manga and its shojo-in-all-but-name approach to messy emotions and adolescence. Everyone who reads it seems to adore it. The time has just never felt right, but now I've got a whole anime to watch and, well, dang. Now I can see why it's been so heartily recommended to me for so long.

One of the episode's biggest charm points is how Kuroe stands out as a heroine. Generally, when you get these sorts of stories, where the main character is isolated and has a hard time making friends, they're actually sweet as can be but misunderstood or unfairly judged. While Kuroe doesn't deserve to be called Psycho-chan or ostracized by her peers, she is genuinely kind of off-putting! She wears a weirdly fitting uniform, stalks about the room, glowers at her classmates instead of talking to them, and kicks the door of the bathroom stall. She's strange, unapologetically so, rather than misapprehended. It's nice to see a truly maladjusted character treated with so much sympathy by the narrative, while also refusing to make apologies for her behavior.

Part of her strangeness is a deliberate strategy, since her condition has forced her to actively push away any friends. She's also simply never learned to interact with others normally, especially with the shifting social expectations of adolescence. She sees how looks-obsessed others are, and assumes that they'll be disgusted by her transformations… and probably rightly so. As someone who regularly encounters troubled kids (and was pretty weird in high school myself), my heart went out for her. Keeping Kuroe weird while also making her sympathetic to the audience is a tightrope walk worthy of a circus performer, and they did it. I was rooting for her so hard by the end, even if I felt like the romance moved a little fast.

The presentation as well is wonderful, far better than I would have ever expected from LIDEN FILMS and a first-time series director. It's heavy on the sparkles and zoomed-in facial features, which contrast with Kuroe's gloominess and monstrous kaiju form. Some of the imagery is a little heavy-handed, such as her preference for drawing cityscapes in greyscale, ignoring her pencil case full of vivid shades, but it's overall such a delight that I'll allow it.

Now that's what I call a first love monster!

I'll be honest: from an adult woman's perspective, Minami is a huge cheeseball. He's cute and nice, but his unbelievably unsubtle flirting with Kuroe made me snort. He's out here making big speeches and resolving to change and talking about his determination to get to know her, and I'm just like... buddy, how much do you actually know about her, other than that she draws and turns into a kaiju?

But that's okay. It's part of the charm of the show. Everything is so, so, so heightened, because that's just adolescence. Every thought and idea is life-changing or world-ending because that's just how things feel at that age. And with Kuroe's literalized blossoming being the whole point of the story, it still works—even as I wonder why the kids are making this big fuss about their feelings when they barely know each other. I don't know how faithful the episode is to the original manga, but Yuniko Ayana, the queen of writing angry teen girls with messy feelings, manages to pull it off and make it cute instead of bewildering.

Speaking of bewildering, this episode introduces Manatsu, a bonafide monster-[expletive deleted] who is delighted to find a real-life kaiju in her own city. Kuroe's condition may have forced her to be a socially maladjusted loner, but Manatsu has chosen the way of the freak. She crawls around in a legally-distinct Mothra costume, gets horny about monsters, and defends Kuroe from the class bullies using methods that I suspect Kuroe would not have been thrilled about. Weird girls, we've all had that friend, right? And if you didn't have that friend, I'm afraid to tell you that you might have been that friend.

KAIJU GIRL CARAMELISE is all about the big. Big feelings, big reactions, big monsters. Who cares if I can't for the life of me think of anything its protagonists have in common? It's sweet nonetheless.