5 Must-See Anime to Watch This August 2019

We are more than half-way through the year and enjoying the sun's rays. But if you're an anime fan, you know the place to be is indoors. Like the weather, August's anime line-up is going to be hot. From our favorite hero sailing the treacherous seas to the dangerous adventures of a friendship droid, this month's anime releases is one you can't afford to miss. Here are five must-see anime shows and movies to watch this August.

• Premiere date: August 23
• Studio: Studio Pierrot
• Genre(s): Action, Mystery, Police, Sci-Fi

The second part of Netflix's sci-fi police procedural anime, Hero Mask, returns this August.

The first part aired on Netflix last December with 15. The anime centers around a string of horrific murders involving a mysterious "bio-mask" that grants its wearers superhuman abilities. Detective James Blood of the SSC and his colleagues set out on who's behind these masks. But the culprit is someone who shouldn’t exist. What other mysteries will James Blood uncover and can he put a stop to it?

Set to return is Hiroyasu Aoki (No Game, No Life, 2011 Hunter × Hunter) who not only is in charge of directing the series but also serves as its scriptwriter and compositor. Joining him is Takahisa Katagiri who (Full Metal Panic! Invisible Victory) is again taking the lead in designing the characters. The rest of the cast and staff are set to return as well.

• Premiere date: August 9
• Studio: Toei Animation
• Genre(s): Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Shounen

The adventures on the high seas continue when Luffy and the rest of the Straw Hat Crew receive an invitation to the world’s most magnificent exposition by the pirates, for the pirates—The Pirates Festival.

But they’re not the only ones to receive an invitation. The attendees range from your run-of-the-mill buccaneers to the ones from the Worst Generation. But it wouldn't be a pirate adventure if a treasure wasn't involved.

The guests must participate in a big treasure hunt to find the lost fortune of none other than Gold Roger!

One Piece: Stampede will premiere in Japan on August 9 commemorating the TV anime's 20th anniversary. The new movie marks the film debut of several characters, including, Buggy the captain of the Buggy Pirates and Blackbeard, the admiral of the Blackbeard Pirates and a member of the Yonko.

• Premiere date: August 15
• Studio: Satelight
• Genre(s): Action, Adventure, Fantasy

LeSean Thomas's (Children of Ether) comic book Cannon Busters is getting the Netflix anime treatment this August. The series follows the whacky exploits of S.A.M, a high-end, royal-class, friendship droid who along with a discarded maintenance robot and a deadly fugitive. Together, the unlikely trio goes on a journey in a fantastic and dangerous world in search of S.A.M’s best friend, Prince Toji whose kingdom is under siege.

The series has been around since 2005. In 2018 a crowdfunding project helped develop the series' animated pilot, Cannon Busters: The Animated Series. Thomas' other works include The Boondocks and The Legend of Korra (Book 1).

Cannon Busters will receive 12 episodes from Satelight (Bodacious Space Pirates, Fairy Tail) and will air worldwide on August 15.

• Premiere date: August 30
• Studio: J.C.Staff
• Genre(s): Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy, Magic, Parody, Supernatural

KonoSuba is returning this August with a brand new movie, Crimson Legend. By the looks of the trailer, the gang will get into the usual silly adventures as they embark on a journey to Megumin's hometown, Crimson Demon. And like always, an enemy is there to ruin everything. Besides featuring things blowing up, the film will introduce new characters, such as Megumin's parents.

Takaomi Kanasaki is returning from TV anime to direct the film at J.C. Staff (Studio DEEN animated the first two anime series). Makoto Uezu (TheHeroic Legend of Arslan) is returning to write the scripts and Koichi Kikuta (Fruits Basket) is in charge of the character designs. The TV's voice cast members are set to reprise their roles.

Learn about Megumin's past and have a few laughs when CrimsonLegend hits Japanese theaters on August 20.

• Premiere date: August 23
• Studio: OLM
• Genre(s): Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Magic

What's August without another summer movie? Level-5 Inc.'s (Yo-kai Watch, Mobile Suit Gundam AGE) fantasy RPG series, Ni no Kuni, will receive a film adaptation, sort of.

The summer movie will feature an original story in which through an incident, three childhood friends Yū, Haru, and Kotona travel back and forth between reality and a "magical world" called Ni no Kuni. It seems that people's lives are connected to their counterparts in the real world. But when the life of the Kotona, in both worlds is put in danger, the three friends must make "the ultimate decision."

Serishun and Haruka Minase will join the film's cast as the winners of the film's voice actor audition. This will be the pair's voice acting debut.

Yoshiyuki Momose (Space Station No. 9) is returning from the game series to direct the film and Joe Hisaishi (Spirited Away) is returning to compose the music. Akihiro Hino (Yo-kai Watch Shadowside: Oni-ō no Fukkatsu) is overseeing the film and writing the script.

Level-5 Inc's fantasy RPG series comes to theaters in Japan on August 23.