Summer Time Rendering Is A Time Traveling Invasion Of The Body Snatchers Anime

(Welcome to Ani-time Ani-where, a regular column dedicated to helping the uninitiated understand and appreciate the world of anime.)

Streaming has been a true blessing for anime fans. It has made brought previously inaccessible shows to the masses and also allowed for some cool experiments, with studios like WIT and Trigger, as well as auteurs like Masaaki Yuasa to give us deeply weird (and hyper-violent) anime like "Devilman Crybaby" and "Cyberpunk: Edgerunners." On the other hand, in an era where every new anime is instantly available through simulcast, it is rather baffling to see streaming jail become a thing. 

Shows that would otherwise be available within hours of their initial broadcast are now held up for months on end, killing all hype. Though Netflix is slightly getter better, Hulu and Disney+ are licensing anime and withholding any sort of information about when they plan to release them, before they just drop them on the platform unceremoniously after everyone stopped talking about the shows. Case in point, "Summer Time Rendering," a show that sadly is only now getting worldwide distribution after all the discourse and excitement has died down — a shame too since this is, without a doubt, one of the best anime of 2022.

We follow Shinpei, a guy going back to his childhood home after a few years away to attend the funeral of a close childhood friend. When he arrives, however, he finds that her accidental death may have been no accident, that his small quiet town hides a darkness, and he is the only one who can do something about it. That's because what starts out as a murder mystery quickly evolves into a compelling, thrilling time loop story that mixes the existential dread of "The Promise Neverland," the sci-fi shenanigans of "Steins;Gate" and the coming-of-age horror we were deprived of in the live-action "Locke & Key" adaptation.

"Summer Time Rendering" is first and foremost a mystery and a great one at that. From the first episode, we're introduced to a small town where something has gone wrong, something worse than just the tragic and senseless death of a young girl. With a plot that bares a bit of a resemblance to the "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" plot with the townsfolk being slowly replaced, we start to unravel how big the dangers are and how widespread they've become, peeling back layers of mystery while never losing the suspense. This is not a horror anime, though there are horrific moments in it, but it is one full of suspense with several nail-biting scenes in each episode.

To sustain that suspense, the anime relies on impeccable pacing. This adds new elements to the mystery with each episode, completely recontextualizing the situation, and forcing the characters to think of ways to deal with their new circumstances. In many ways, this is a perfect anime for binge-watching, as the tight pacing makes it hard to resist just watching the next episode immediately after the previous one. Each solution brings a new problem, and just when you start to have a grasp of how the story and its sci-fi elements work, it introduces a new plot point or device that feels both natural and exciting.

Even though the show takes place in a three-day time loop, the cast of characters is surprisingly well-developed. This is not a time loop story where side characters are only there to reveal some big twist and after the fifth loop they revert back to their old selves none the wiser, but instead, each loop brings in some changes that the characters adapt to.

This means we get to see our cast grow and change, their insecurities and backstories brought to life, and their motivations explored. Given that the story begins with a funeral, it is nonetheless satisfying to see the anime allow the characters to grieve and show their sorrow over the (many) deaths and their joy over their small victories. These are not just chess pieces to move along with the plot, but fully-fledged characters that make the plot matter because it matters to them.

What truly makes "Summer Time Rendering" brilliant is its approach to the time travel loop. We've seen time travel in lots of different anime over the years, from pure sci-fi stories like "Steins;Gate" and "Re: Zero" that specifically deal with time loops, to broader time travel shows like "Erased" and "Tokyo Revengers," and even action shows like "Attack on Titan" have touched on the subject matter. This is to say, there have been a lot of approaches to time travel in anime, which makes it even more impressive that "Summer Time Rendering" manages to feel fresh and unique, surprising you at every corner.

This starts with the fact that our main character isn't in a perfect loop. There's no "Groundhog Day" where we go back to the same point at the start of the day over and over again. Instead, the protagonist's loop gets pushed forward in time each back he goes back, with everything that happens before the start of the loop becoming fixed. This means every mistake he makes has consequences, and not every death can be prevented. It keeps both the characters and the audience on their toes, and it rules.

Better yet, the show makes it so that there is more than just the protagonist aware that there is a loop. The good guys are equally as smart as the antagonists, making for a fascinating and thrilling game of cat and mouse. Just as one party starts being able to plan ahead and get the jump on the other side, they themselves realize something that gives them the advantage. 

"Summer Time Rendering" is a deeply emotional, brainy, and tense sci-fi mystery, with lots of twists and turns, and a great cast of characters.

Most importantly, this show tells a complete story. There's no years-long wait before season two, or fear that it will be ruined by a studio change like "One Punch Man," or by cutting parts of the manga like "The Promised Neverland." Instead, we get a story with a clear beginning, middle, and end which ties everything together in a satisfying way. Simply put, this is one of the best shows of the year, and it is finally widely available.

Watch this anime if you like: "Erased," "Steins;Gate," "Re:Zero,"

"Summer Time Rendering" is streaming on Hulu, and Disney+ internationally.