Beat the Heat with the Five Best Beach Anime Episodes
With the summer at its height, let’s take a look at our favorite anime beach episodes and enjoy a few leisurely days on the ocean.
Beach episodes are an anime staple. No matter what you’re watching there’s a decent chance that the characters will be spending a day at the beach soon. And why not? Beach days can be relaxing and fun and give you opportunities to work on character growth and relationship development. Plus, who doesn’t want to get some new scenery from time to time?
Another – Episode 8
Proving that beach episodes know no genre, Another is a horror anime where something is killing the children in class 3-3. They’re cursed and nobody can figure out by what or how to stop it. Though they know the curse has been lifted in the past. The kids take a class trip to the beach hoping that the curse won’t follow them out of town. And for the most part, they get their wish and have a very enjoyable day swimming and grilling! Except, y’know, they’re cursed. Aside from whiplash that is having a (mostly) lighthearted beach episode in the middle of a horror mystery, this isn’t entirely filler. It works to give the students a couple of clues for breaking the curse. And of course, has its moments of horror.
Ouran Host Club – Episode 8
Ouran is by and large pretty delightful, and the beach episode is no exception. Most of the episode is spent with the club ribbing Haruhi about their secret fears and eating too much seafood. Y’know, normal teenage good-times-with-friends stuff. But the ending takes a turn for the more serious and adds an opportunity to strengthen the friendship between Tamaki and Haruhi. Compared to Another, the tone change isn’t exactly severe. But there’s enough to make this an important milestone in the characters’ relationship.
Sailor Moon – Episode 67
Is this a 100% filler episode with no larger picture bearing on the rest of the season? Absolutely. Does Chibi Usa befriend a dinosaur? Also yes. It’s wonderful. This episode has the double notoriety of being the only episode in the R season to be cut from the English dub and the only episode where no enemies show up. Some will likely find this episode boring. But I think it’s one of the more fun and less egregious filler episodes in a show notorious for monster-of-the-week style episodes.
How Heavy Are The Dumbbells You Lift – Episode 12
This time the beach episode was the last episode of the season. And not only do the characters relax on the sand, but they also enter a bodybuilding contest. The season ends on a high note with friendship growth, future plans, and of course that workout tip of the day. It’s sweet and soothing and for once it makes sense that Machio has flexed off his clothing to run around in a show speedo. Plus Barnold Shortsinator shows up. What more could you possibly want?
Pokémon – Episode 18
If you have a keen eye for Pokémon you may have noticed that that’s not a screenshot from the beach episode, but a screenshot from the Pikachu’s Vacation sort before the first movie. And if beach episodes are supposed to be fun and relaxing and put you in a good mood, there may be no better than Pikachu’s Vacation. I still own this soundtrack and to this day that Vitamin C song will put me in a windows-down loudly-singing-along state of mind.
But of course, the Pokémon episode is a classic that shouldn’t be ignored. It was only aired once in the US and then effectively blacklisted forever. James’s extra loose relationship with gender roles and the return of Professor Oak makes this peak Pokémon shenanigans. Even if most of us haven’t seen this particular episode since June 2000.
What are your favorite beach episodes? Do you prefer when they lend something to the plot or when they’re just enjoyable filler episodes? Let us know in the comments!
Ja ne, adventurers.
