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cocoon – One Summer of Girlhood Anime Movie Review

This tragedy makes for intense viewing, and San's choice to keep living finds a satisfying positive note amidst the trauma. However, it feels as if the anime has deliberately depoliticized the context compared to the manga.

Summer 2026 Manga Guide

Now that the Preview Guide is about over, it's time for the Summer Manga Guide! We start off with a bang with a major shoujo re-release, an Ai Yazawa oldie, and more!

Be Forever Yamato: Star Blazers: REBEL 3199 Episodes 19-22 Anime Review

The jury is still out on what is truly going on in this Be Forever Yamato reimagining.

The Summer 2026 Anime Preview Guide

Episode two of Though I Am an Inept Villainess is here! Does it still have what it takes to breathe new life into the genre?

This Week in Games - Octo Paths and None of Them Lead to Upgrades

Jean-Karlo has good news (Megami Tensei novels!) and bad news (GenAI encroaching on otome games) and a few things in between.

ANN Manga and Novel Summer Reading List 2026

Remember those summer reading lists you used to get as a kid? While they could have a few gems, for the most part, they weren't all that exciting. But what if your teachers had given you manga and light novels to read?

Talking New Tunes With the Team Behind BanG Dream! YUME∞MITA

ANN got the chance to speak with director Tomomi Umetsu, animation producer Hiroaki Matsūra, and BanG Dream! project producer Yūki Nemoto to discuss what makes YUME∞MITA unique and what viewers can look forward to from the new series.
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ep. review

Sparks of Tomorrow ‒ SERIES PREMIERE

Sparks of Tomorrow doesn’t technically do anything wrong, but it also doesn’t do enough right in its script to merit these stunning and inventive visuals.
ep. review

Goodbye, Lara ‒ SERIES PREMIERE

All it takes is a glance at the heroine’s hair color to know that it plans to acknowledge the pop culture heritage of Andersen’s 1837 story, but even with that, it’s also planning to make its own mark on the Little Mermaid’s heritage.
ep. review

The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, Really Love You Season 3 ‒ SEASON PREMIERE

It's 100 Girlfriends bigger, longer, and uncut, and this season has already shown that it can go so far that the universe, the heavens, and broadcast standards cannot contain it. God (of Love) help us.
ep. review

You and I Are Polar Opposites Season 2 ‒ SEASON PREMIERE

Even if not all of these relationships are moving as swiftly as I'd like them to, it looks like there'll still be no shortage of ways to watch these opposites figure each other out.
ep. review

Ascendance of a Bookworm Part 3: Adopted Daughter of an Archduke ‒ Episode 14

Rosemyne's doing her best to play the good cop for these folks, and they're still terrified of her influence. It's even more apparent why that is once Ferdinand steps in to play bad cop.
ep. review
ep. review

Draw This, Then Die! ‒ SERIES PREMIERE

After finishing episode three, I felt the need to sit down and start working on my own projects. If every episode in the upcoming weeks continues to elicit that emotional response, then I am going to get a lot of work done.
review

To You in the Beyond Anime Movie Review

Somewhere beyond the story being told is a more interesting movie happening off-screen. ― There are two types of films I find frustrating to talk about. The first are films that almost made me cry. It's one thing to discuss a bad movie that was mean-spirited or arrogant, because then I have no reservations about riffing on it. But when something doesn't hit me after wearing its heart on its sleeve, I...
ep. review

The Elusive Samurai Season 2 ‒ SEASON PREMIERE

These crazy little child-soldier gremlins will do anything for Tokiyuki. What's a little spilled blood and casual warfare when it means the young master can have his perfect meal?
ep. review

KAIJU GIRL CARAMELISE ‒ SERIES PREMIERE

In between the romantic pratfalls, Kaiju Girl Caramelise uses monstrosity as a metaphor that manages to both cut wide and cut deep.
review

SHIBOYUGI: Playing Death Games to Put Food on the Table 44: CLOUDY BEACH Anime Film Review

I adore SHIBOYUGI's dark but deeply humanistic satire of adolescence, capitalism, and crushing ennui. The CLOUDY BEACH movie may just be this story's crowning achievement. ― Note: This review will mention several key plot details from the first season of SHIBOYUGI As its lengthy title ought to make clear, SHIBOYUGI: Playing Death Games to Put Food on the Table 44: CLOUDY BEACH is the feature follow-u...
ep. review

Chainsmoker Cat ‒ SERIES PREMIERE

These cats are committed to earning their godforsaken yuks, even though Yani's wretched farts should be registered as felony-grade weapons of chemical warfare.
review

Kingdom of Quartz Volumes 2-5 Manga Review

BOMHAT’s world is well thought out and existentially horrifying if one considers its details too closely. ― It's been over two years since I reviewed the first volume of Canadian author BOMHAT's gorgeous dark fantasy manga A Kingdom of Quartz, and re-reading it to prepare for reviewing its remaining four volumes reminded me of why I loved it so much in the first place. Thankfully, the author (mostly)...
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This Week in Anime - Summer Lovin'

It's time for the seasonal romcom roundup! Chris and Sylvia separate the wheat from the chaff so you don't have to. ― It's time for the seasonal romcom roundup! Chris and Sylvia separate the wheat from the chaff so you don't have to. Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by the participants in this chatlog are not the views of Anime News Network.Spoiler Warning for discussion of the series ah...
ep. review

The World Is Dancing ‒ SERIES PREMIERE

While it is compelling to have Oniyasha find the spark of inspiration by learning a little about the birds and the bees, there’s only so much that the kid can (or should) learn from watching two actors pretending to go at it from a hundred yards away.
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The Prescience of Masamune Shirow's Ghost in the Shell

When does science fiction start becoming reality? Kevin Cormack takes a trip through Masamune Shirow's Ghost in the Shell to ascertain how much of its tech is on its way to the real world. ― There's a truism about science fiction in that it tends to say more about the era in which it was written than about the future it attempts to describe. The original 1960s Star Trek, for example, trailblazed con...
review

Natsume & Natsume Volume 2-10 Manga Review

They say looks can be deceiving, but actions also speak louder than words, and Natsume's actions far overshadow his intimidating demeanor. ― The "scary guy who actually has a heart of gold" trope has been done a lot, and I'll fault Natsume & Natsume for it because it occasionally falls into the predictable narrative beats often associated with that setup. There are parts in these volumes where Natsum...
ep. review

One Piece (2026-) ‒ Episode 1169

Probably 25% of the episode’s runtime is Nami making an absurd face at the nonsense her captain and others are getting up to, but that’s not a bad thing.
review

Even a Replica Can Fall in Love Anime Series Review

It’s not the most exciting or dynamic of shows, and this is reflected in the overly pedestrian direction and static, flat visuals ― Modern life is stressful. Surely we can all agree on that? Therefore, it's not too much of a stretch to empathize with Sunao, who'd prefer to stay in her room than engage with stressful things like friendship difficulties, socializing, and schoolwork. While she could shu...
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This Week in Anime - Scraping the Bottom of the Barrel

Coop and Lucas take a look at some of the summer anime season's least interesting debuts.They can't all be winners? ― Coop and Lucas take a look at some of the summer anime season's least interesting debuts.They can't all be winners? The views and opinions expressed by the participants in this chatlog are not the views of Anime News Network. Netflix streams Chainsmoker Cat. HIDIVE streams Hell Mode....
ep. review

Welcome to Demon School, Iruma-kun Season 4 ‒ Episodes 14-15

Much as I enjoy longer story arcs, these two episodes are important. They give the characters time to breathe, but also to showcase their growth and development.
review

That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime Season 4 Episodes 73-84 Anime Review

If you look up “anticlimax” in the dictionary, you'll see this story arc of That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime listed as an example. ― If you look up “anticlimax” in the dictionary, you'll see this story arc of That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime listed as an example. Honestly, the arc has so much going for it with Mariabell as a villain. She was built up as a looming threat in the previous ...
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The Summer 2026 Anime Preview Guide

With nearly all the new shows debuted, we're into episode two territory! Find out how Goodbye, Lara holds up in its sophomore episode along with Black Torch, Sparks of Tomorrow, Chainsmoker Cat and more! ― Welcome to Anime News Network's Summer 2026 Anime Preview Guide! Here's how it goes: our team of critics writes up their impressions instantly, to be posted here as they go along. Each critic will...
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This Week in Mobile Games - What's Up With The Lads?

Alas, poor Valko, players were just really divided on your existence and Papergames did not handle it well. ― Hello, and welcome once more to another installment of the column! It has, to put it mildly, been a rough couple of weeks, particularly if you're in or covering the game industry. With new waves of layoffs and controversial (to put it mildly) corporate decision-making, the game industry - or ...
feature

The World is Dancing and the Oldest Performing Art in Japan

The World is Dancing fictionalizes the life of Zeami, one of Noh's greatest performers and writers, but what is the history of Noh theater? Marcille Donato delves into the history of Japan's oldest performing art. ― Of all the forms of human expression that have ever existed, it would not be incorrect to say that one of the oldest and most universal is the art of dancing. Humans have been shaking the...
ep. review

Ascendance of a Bookworm Part 3: Adopted Daughter of an Archduke ‒ Episode 13

A fight with a giant magic tiger is a great way to frontload the appeal for the show before it settles into more business and side-hustle management for the last third of the episode.
game review

Star Fox (2026) Game Review

I was scared it would be just a very safe yet well-produced retread of familiar ground, and I was mostly right. ― It is nearly impossible to talk about this game without explaining the complicated pedigree that precedes it. Star Fox is an established Nintendo IP, but unlike many others such as Mario, Zelda, or even Metroid, the scope of games in Star Fox's library is a little bit muddled. Even though...
game review

The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales Game Review

A competent and extremely promising first outing, Millennium Tales doesn't overstay its welcome, is a bit too chatty, feels great to play, but it needs just the tiniest kick in the pants. ― Team Asano has yet again moved into a new genre for their HD-2D titles: this time, an action-adventure title. While the title doesn't seem to promise much, and the characters skew a bit too archetypal for my taste...
review

Unanswered//Butterfly: Sword Art Online Anime Film Review

While this film is certainly worth watching to anyone who loves Sword Art Online, the fact that the bar to entry is $110 feels ludicrous. ― Unanswered//Butterfly: Sword Art Online is far from the first anime to be released as a video game extra—in this case, the Echoes of Aincrad Ultimate Edition. However, rather than an extra episode or OVA, Unanswered//Butterfly is a full-on feature film that clock...
review

Hide and Seek Manga Review

Naono Yoshiko’s line of '70s shoujo horror stories is as grisly, harrowing, and all-around entertaining a read as they come. ― My introduction to Hide and Seek went thusly: 70's shoujo manga focusing on children who meet horrible ends. I heard “70's” and “children who meet horrible ends” and immediately thought of Ringing Bell, which (cold take, I know, but) to this day is still my gold standard of o...
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This Week in Games - The Boat Came Back

Jean-Karlo has lots of exciting retro game news for you this week. Are you ready to set out in your nice boat? ― Welcome back, folks! Lots of photos floated around from this past weekend's Anime Expo. Apparently, they really messed up Artist Alley (sad to hear). On the other hand, Shift-Up had a Goddess of Victory: Nikke stall, complete with a Doro mascot. All the love to whoever was in that thing; t...
interview

Holding Nothing Back and Giving it Absolutely Everything: A Chat with Wistoria: Wand and Sword Season 2 Director, Hideaki Nakano

Hideaki Nakano talks about moving into the director's chair for Wistoria's second season and what he loves about the show. ― With its gorgeous visuals, rich world building, and absolutely electrifying direction, Wistoria: Wand and Sword is an obvious standout in the realm of magical school anime. While season one was directed by Tatsuya Yoshihara, who would later go on to direct Chainsaw Man: Reze A...
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The Fire Emblem Influence Is Strong In Brigandine Abyss

Here’s an upcoming title that doesn’t just remember Path of Radiance, it really, really, REALLY remembers it. ― Masayuki Horikawa and Rei Kondoh. That was all I needed to know when I first heard about this game. You mean to tell me the director of Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance is working alongside the guy who helped compose the Okami soundtrack (as well as other Fire Emblem games)? Teenage me from ci...
review

Klutzy Class Monitor and the Girl with the Short Skirt Anime Series Review

It’s cute seeing a couple that’s too honest about how they feel, even if they reach the finish line a bit early. ― When is it too soon to let your feelings be heard? In this series, seemingly never. Ponsuka (aka The Klutzy Class Monitor and the Girl with the Short Skirt) might be one of the loudest romcoms about its feelings. How could it possibly be a quiet pairing of the uptight Hall Monitor and th...
ep. review

Ramparts of Ice ‒ SEASON FINALE

As is right and proper for the end of a season, both the main couples scoot right up to the verge of everything changing.
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The Summer 2026 Anime Preview Guide

The episode 2s are starting to roll in - does Dara-san of Reiwa still hold up? Also check out our reviewers' thoughts on The Ghost in the Shell, Chainsmoker Cat, KAIJU GIRL CARAMELISE, and more! ― Welcome to Anime News Network's Summer 2026 Anime Preview Guide! Here's how it goes: our team of critics writes up their impressions instantly, to be posted here as they go along. Each critic will cover as...
review

An Observation Log of My Fiancée Who Calls Herself a Villainess Anime Series Review

It’s the really fun dynamic between the central trio that keeps the show bounding along so entertainingly. ― I know, I know, it's yet another “reincarnated as an otome game villainess” anime. It seems we get at least one or two every season, so shouldn't the formula be getting stale by now? So went my thought process anyway, and I almost skipped out on this wonderful show as a result of my fatigue re...
ep. review

MAO ‒ Episode 14

Go ahead, Queen Takahashi, reheat your nachos. You earned it.
review

Kirio Fan Club Anime Series Review

In less capable hands, this could have been a preachy show. Instead, it handles dark, difficult topics with respect while still gleefully poking fun at how silly people can be. ― Having once been a high school girl, I can assure you that there's nothing mythically pure and sweet about it. High school is messy, and that goes for the girls attending it as well as the boys. Too much media depicts high s...
review

Victoria of Many Faces Volumes 1-3 Light Novel Review

Fans of Haven't You Heard? I'm Sakamoto, Ya Boy Kongming!, and other hypercompetent characters will immediately adore Victoria, who relies on her intellect to always choose the exact skill in her impressive arsenal to be her own rescuer. ― Sick of magical isekai adventures? Tired of high school heroines? Meet Victoria, a covert operative who we meet when she is 28 years old and a new mom. By the seco...
ep. review

One Piece (2026-) ‒ Episode 1168

It’s a bit like being an hour into Return of the King and finding out that Aragorn has an evil twin brother, Waragorn, who fights for Sauron.
ep. review

Hundred Scenes of AWAJIMA ‒ SEASON FINALE

Awajima does not exist. But similar schools, similar students, and similar stories exist in Japan and abroad, and their truths can resonate with Shimura's fiction. I know mine has.
review

Tomb Raider King Volumes 1-14 Manhwa Review

Archeology is more than just running through tombs full of monsters – sometimes, archeology means you have to bring down corporate conglomerates and governments, as well. ― It is an adage that bad guys often make the most interesting characters, but in Tomb Raider King, there are no good guys. Among the many bad guys of the premise, our protagonist, Jooheon Suh, is definitely a baddie. He was a bad g...
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The Summer 2026 Anime Preview Guide

Major Motoko Kusanagi is back in a BIG way in Science Saru's The Ghost in the Shell. Also Saga of Tanya the Evil II, Victoria of Many Faces, I Want to Love You Till Your Dying Day, One Piece Heroines, KAIJU GIRL CARAMELISE, and more! ― Welcome to Anime News Network's Summer 2026 Anime Preview Guide! Here's how it goes: our team of critics writes up their impressions instantly, to be posted here as t...
review

One Piece novel HEROINES Volumes 1-2 Light Novel Review

Every option is on the table, and nothing is too trivial for these airy little vignettes. ― The women of One Piece have always been an area of missed potential. They're maximized for sex appeal first and foremost, drawn with interchangeable silhouettes and allowed to kick ass so long as they duly cede the spotlight to the story's male characters immediately afterward. This makes One Piece: Heroines, ...
your score

Your Anime Rankings - Best of Spring 2026

It's the final ranking for Spring 2026! While it's no surprise that Witch Hat Atelier held onto the #1 spot it dominated all season, Re:ZERO was able to lock down #5 in the cumulative standings thanks to a powerful season finale. ― Let's have a look at what ANN readers consider the best (and worst) of the season, based on the polls you can find in our Daily Streaming Reviews and on the Your Score pa...
review

The Merman Trapped in My Lake Volumes 1-2 K-Comic Review

To call this an unhealthy love story may be a bit of an understatement. ― If there were a literary fairy tale that was going to teach you that not all love is healthy, it would be Hans Christian Andersen's The Little Mermaid. Despite what Disney told you, Andersen's mermaid is obsessed with her prince to the point where she sleeps on a cushion outside his room like a dog (worse than a dog, really; mi...
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This Week in Games - EVO Reveals: What Is An Art to a King?

Sony makes a questionable decision, lots of new DLC characters for a variety of games, and Jean-Karlo runs down a shortlist of games he'd love to see come back! ― Welcome back, folks! Having submitted my panel applications for this Autumn's Kumoricon, I find myself in that most unfun of positions of needing to wait to see if they've been accepted. Bah. Always the anxiety of whether you'll be accepted...
interview

KAIJU GIRL CARAMELISE Anime Team Discusses How Love Makes Monsters of Us All

With KAIJU GIRL CARAMELISE making the leap from page to screen, we sat down with members of the cast and crew to discuss the story and bringing it to life. ― When someone says "kaiju," chances are you immediately picture a giant, rampaging monster. KAIJU GIRL CARAMELISE, based on Aoki Spica's manga of the same name, is fully aware of that - and it does still provide that rampaging monster. But this k...
review

Japan's Anime Revolution! Twenty Animated Films That Changed The World Book Review

Author Jonathan Clements takes us on an entertaining, in-depth tour through anime movie history. Japan's Anime Revolution! is a very good book by Jonathan Clements, one of the most respected English-language authorities on anime. It's worth saying that right off, as this book is saddled with an issue that might deter readers from picking it up in the first place. The cover, by all appearances, is A...
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This Week in Anime - Under the Digital Big Top

Step right up, step right up! Lucas and Coop explore the phenomenon that is The Amazing Digital Circus. ― Step right up, step right up! Lucas and Coop explore the phenomenon that is The Amazing Digital Circus. @RiderStrike @BWProwl @LucasDeRuyter @vestenet Lucas Coop, the mandate of heaven is shifting! While much of the entertainment landscape has catered to Baby Boomers and Gen Xers over the past h...
review

Sekiro: No Defeat Anime Film Review

The cost of winning the video game was the player's time; in Sekiro: No Defeat winning comes with a more pronounced psychological burden. ― Rhythm is arguably the most important thing about the video game Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. In the 2019 action game from the acclaimed From Software studios, each fight is decided by how well the player can adjust to the right timing of parrying and striking. Eit...
review

Magilumiere Co. Ltd. Volumes 1-12 Manga Review

Although it’s a bright and breezy magical girl manga with an adorable cast and plenty of fun, flashy battles, at its heart, Magilumiere Magical Girls Inc. is a pointed criticism of dehumanizing mega-corporate culture. ― The dispiriting search for meaningful (or even merely paid) work is a depressing experience common to almost every twenty-something college graduate. Today's job market chews up and s...
ep. review

MARRIAGETOXIN ‒ SEASON FINALE

Marriagetoxin might not be the strongest show of either of its genres this season, but Gero's quest for a bride offered enough good time that I'm up for seeing more of any new bachelorettes or assassins he'll meet along the way.
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The Summer 2026 Anime Preview Guide

The Anime News Network anime preview guide launches 10 new shows you won't want to miss, from The World is Dancing to Young Ladies Can't Play Fighting Games! ― Welcome to Anime News Network's Summer 2026 Anime Preview Guide! Here's how it goes: our team of critics writes up their impressions instantly, to be posted here as they go along. Each critic will cover as many shows as they can handle, givin...
ep. review

MAO ‒ Episode 13

I’m starting to worry we’re going to have even more slower episodes yet, before we get any kind of update with regards to what happened between the Byoki, Mao, Sana, etc.
game review

Devil May Cry 5: Devil Hunter Edition Game Review

If you've already played Devil May Cry 5 Special Edition before, you won't experience anything new here. But if it's your first time on this rodeo or you want to take the game on the go, hop in and enjoy the ride. ― It's been a few years since the release of one of the best character action games in the past decade, Devil May Cry 5, and now it's finally here on Nintendo Switch 2 in the Devil Hunter ...
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This Week in Anime - Attack of the 50 Foot Women

There's just something about a woman who could squish you. Sylvia and Chris run down (up?) some of the giantesses of anime. ― There's just something about a woman who could squish you. Sylvia and Chris run down (up?) some of the giantesses of anime. Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by the participants in this chatlog are not the views of Anime News Network.Spoiler Warning for discussion ...
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Splatoon Raiders Is Looking To Be A Great Single Player Experience

This is definitely a game that you're going to want to add to your upcoming wishlist. ― Splatoon has always been a unique game franchise built upon its multiplayer content. So what happens when Nintendo decides to pivot and focus on creating a game that centers around a single player campaign? The result is Splatoon Raiders, a third person platforming shooter with a focus on exploration and treasure ...
ep. review

Agents of the Four Seasons: Dance of Spring ‒ SEASON FINALE

This anime winds up amounting to less than the sum of its already ill-fitting parts.
game review

Pragmata Game Review

I welcome any high-budget, high-production value, mostly linear experience with a clear story to tell that clocks out right on time. Pragmata is a game that, despite my best efforts and the quality on offer, I never could get into the groove with. Nonetheless, it's a beautiful game that makes a lot of noble attempts at novel design. First, the priors. Pragmata is a third-person action game with som...
ep. review

Ascendance of a Bookworm Part 3: Adopted Daughter of an Archduke ‒ Episode 12

Rosemyne is rocking her cozy little red-and-green holiday ensemble while I'm sweating buckets in California's streets in June. My suspension of disbelief can only keep up so hard with my dehydration.
ep. review

Wistoria: Wand and Sword Season 2 ‒ SEASON FINALE

Overall, this season of Wistoria can perfectly be described as a “mixed bag."
ep. review

Needy Girl Overdose ‒ SEASON FINALE

The ending of Needy Girl Overdose is the goal for everyone trying to live their best life.
column

This Week in Mobile Games - SSSS.Sonic, Summer, Sandrone, and Superheroes

The celebration of Sonic's birthday continues as Josh looks at the blue blur's mobile offerings! ― Greetings, and welcome once again to the column! I've spent much of my mobile game-playing time catching up with Fate/Grand Order's Cosmos in the Lostbelt storyline, specifically clearing the Lostbelt No. 7, Nahui Mictlan chapter, as beating it and the subsequent opening stage of the Ordeal Call campaig...
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The Most Anticipated Anime of Summer 2026

It's going to be a hot summer and an even hotter anime line-up this season. ― It's going to be a hot summer and an even hotter anime line-up this season. For us "oldtaku," there's no doubt that Science SARU's The Ghost in the Shell is one to watch. Surprisingly, the studio is also premiering the Mongolia-set historical epic Jaadugar: A Witch's Life in Mongolia in the same season with the illustrious...
ep. review

Welcome to Demon School, Iruma-kun Season 4 ‒ Episode 13

At age fifteen, Iruma Suzuki finally has a place to belong.
review

A New Dawn Anime Film Review

There's a sense of invention permeating through A New Dawn's various experiments with visual languages of animation. ― Perhaps there's a certain irony in a story about a fireworks factory mostly keeping away from explosive drama. Yoshitoshi Shinomiya's lowkey feature directorial debut A New Dawn is at the very least visually captivating, comprised of lush and rather hypnotic production design. The st...
game review

Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition Nintendo Switch 2 Edition

Monolith Soft's ambitious RPG is better than ever on the Switch 2. ― Good news, folks! Xenoblade Chronicles is finally a real video game! It's got 4K graphics and everything!The Xenoblade Chronicles series is one of grand ideas, grand vistas and greater impact. People willing to look past its RPG trappings get quickly obsessed with its heady blend of science fantasy and Gnosticism. It's a labor of lo...
review

The Ghost In The Shell (TV Event Preview) Anime Review

So many iconic moments from the manga are replicated intelligently and beautifully here. ― How many different adaptations can one single manga spawn? In the case of Masamune Shirow's 37-year-old Ghost in the Shell, too many TV seasons, movies, and OVAs to count on the fingers of both hands. It's a bona fide phenomenon, with influence beyond the realms of manga and animation. Although every version so...
interview

Interview: Yōhei Kameyama on His Breakout Hit, Milky☆Subway

With millions of views on YouTube and a feature film adaptation, Milky☆Highway is largely the work of a single man: character designer, 3D modeler, animator, and director Yōhei Kameyama. ― With millions of views per episode on YouTube, Milky☆Subway: The Galactic Limited Express is one of, if not the, standout short-form anime of 2025—so much so that it got a theatrical run in Japan earlier this year....
ep. review

Snowball Earth ‒ SEASON FINALE

An anti-climactic final fight that ends before it can even begin makes me wonder why it was even there to begin with.
watch

The Summer 2026 Anime Trailer Watch Party Premieres Monday!

The Summer Anime Trailer Watch Party returns with the hottest anime line-up. ― The Summer Anime Trailer Watch Party returns with the hottest anime line-up. Watch all the trailers for the upcoming season with special guest Geoff Thew (Mother's Basement), and Anime News Network friends Lynzee Loveridge, Jacki Jing, and James Beckett. Find your next must-watch anime, from the biggest hits to hidden gems...
your score

Your Anime Rankings - Best of Spring 2026, June 17-23

Nippon Sangoku and Akane-banashi are locked in a neck-and-neck, seesaw battle for the third spot on the podium! This race won't be settled until the final results next week. ― Let's have a look at what ANN readers consider the best (and worst) of the season, based on the polls you can find in our Daily Streaming Reviews and on the Your Score page with the latest simulcasts. Keep in mind that these r...
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This Week in Games - A Very 35th Birthday for Sonic The Hedgehog

Happy Birthday, Sonic! My, those are some interesting choices Sega's making for you. ― Welcome back, folks! I had a very fun long weekend, bookended by the wildest movies to pair together. On Friday, I watched the new Masters of the Universe, which was a total blast and put a big smile on my face. Then on Monday, I met up with some friends and watched Adolescence of Utena on the big screen. Both time...
ep. review

Dr. STONE SCIENCE FUTURE ‒ SEASON FINALE

We’ve ended at the point the series was always heading towards: Senku’s triumph over the Stone World.
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The Worst Anime of Spring 2026

An engaging story is marred by distractingly lackluster animation. A gorgeously animated series is hindered by a trite or nonsensical story. Maybe the characters are wholly unlikable, yet there are five seasons chronicling whether they'll get together. ― What makes an anime 'bad'? The answer to that question will differ for everyone. An engaging story is marred by distractingly lackluster animation....
ep. review

The Warrior Princess and the Barbaric King ‒ SEASON FINALE

Despite a happy conclusion to the romantic plotline, I can’t say that this ends on a positive note.
review

Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War - The Calamity Anime Film Review

If this is what’s to come, Bleach might have one of the best final arcs in shonen anime. ― 14 years ago, the Bleach anime ended its 8-year run on a bittersweet ending that still left fans hungry for more. What was it Aizen saw within Soul Society that drove him to his tyrannical rage? How did Ichigo become so adept at gathering differing powers? What really happened during the Soul Reapers War with t...
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This Week in Anime - Happy 20th Birthday, Simoun!

Sylvia and Chris revisit Simoun on its twentieth birthday to honor the power of girls kissing. ― Sylvia and Chris revisit Simoun on its twentieth birthday to honor the power of girls kissing. Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by the participants in this chatlog are not the views of Anime News Network.Spoiler Warning for discussion of the series ahead. Darkroom streams Simoun. @RiderStrike...
ep. review

MARRIAGETOXIN ‒ Episode 12

While this episode certainly goes above and beyond in dishing out an action packed climax to this arc, it's not exactly the strongest.
ep. review

Always a Catch! ‒ SEASON FINALE

This is a good example of a series that took what it had and ran with it to good effect.
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Thunder 3 Volumes 2-8 Manga Review

Thunder 3 is one of the most insane manga I’ve ever read, and it’s incredible. Thunder 3 is one of the most insane manga I've ever read, and it's incredible. It's a bizarre mash-up that I can only describe as “what if Crayon Shin-chan, but Gantz”. If that sounds like a wild combination, then it is. The first volume, which I reviewed for Manga Guide back in Fall 2024, certainly impressed me with its...
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The Best Anime of Spring 2026

Anime fans continue to eat well each season, and spring was no exception. ― This spring season ushered in more highly anticipated and visually stunning anime than I had seen since, well, maybe two seasons prior? Anime fans continue to eat well each season, and spring was no exception. Despite early trepidation due to its past project, Zom100, Bug Films' rendition of Kamome Shirahama's beloved Witch ...
ep. review

MAO ‒ Episode 12

Takahashi’s old pacing habits die hard, even if this episode demonstrates some noticeable improvement.
ep. review

One Piece (2026-) ‒ Episode 1167

Despite the basic outline, it is a visual tour de force as Saint Gunko absolutely hammers Loki again and again with her powers.
ep. review

Nippon Sangoku The Three Nations of the Crimson Sun ‒ SEASON FINALE

This remains one of the best anime to come out all year, easily, and a second season cannot possibly come soon enough.
review

Smoking Behind the Supermarket with You Volumes 2-6 Manga Review

Author Jinushi seems to have taken more than a few leaves out of the Rumiko Takahashi book of “one step forward, two steps back” style of storytelling. ― How important is relationship progression to you regarding your enjoyment of romantic comedy manga? Smoking Behind the Supermarket With You's author Jinushi seems to have taken more than a few leaves out of the Rumiko Takahashi book of “one step for...
ep. review

Akane-banashi ‒ SEASON FINALE

The highlight this week is how much of a splash Akane has made in the wider world.
ep. review

Witch Hat Atelier ‒ SEASON FINALE

This is anime at the top of its craft.
ep. review

Wistoria: Wand and Sword Season 2 ‒ Episode 11

The fight between Zeo and Elfaria might just represent the best spectacle we've gotten yet from Wistoria's second season.
ep. review

Welcome to Demon School, Iruma-kun Season 4 ‒ Episode 12

It’s time for everyone’s favorite student council president to come back to the stage.
ep. review

Daemons of the Shadow Realm ‒ Episode 12

Wait. Are the Kagemoris actually overwhelmingly powerful? Or is it just that Higashi Village is startlingly inept?
ep. review

Needy Girl Overdose ‒ Episode 12

More than anything, Needy Girl Overdose is a story about broken people trying their best to make the most of their lives and serves as a reminder that kindness and community will help even the deepest wounds begin to heal.
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Answerman - Should Anime Fans go to Annecy?

Is Annecy worth your time as an anime fan? Jerome has the details. ― AnnecyOrBust26 asks: Dear Answerman! I know that you are a regular visitor to the Annecy International Animation Festival. What's it all about? Is it more important to the Japanese anime production industry for their overseas marketing and outreach than events like Anime Expo in LA and Japan Expo in Paris, which attract a much bigg...
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Read It First: Manga, Light Novel Sources for Summer 2026 Anime

From A Witch in Mongolia to a kaiju-sized girl, read Anime News Network's reviews of the original manga and light novels behind the upcoming summer anime season. Sponsored by BookWalker! ― It's hardly a rule that you have to read the source material before you watch the adaptation, but what if you want to? A decade ago, anime fans who wanted to read the manga or light novel before the show debuted w...

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