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Bungo Stray Dogs Season One Limited Edition BD+DVD
This melodramatic action series with a uniquely literary hook might be less than the sum of its parts, but at least it has another season ahead to help find its feet. Lynzee Loveridge has the details.
― If you'd told me at age 14 that there was an anime series starring famous literary authors with superpowers based on their works, I would have died. Bungo Stray Dogs' premise taps into a very specific...
Eureka Seven Art Contest Entries #2!
Four more Finalists for the Eureka Seven art contest. Which on is your favorite ?
― Announcing the finalists to ANN's Eureka Seven Art Contest! Eureka Seven Hi - Evolution Part 1 was release in Japan last year, and will be released in theater and on home video near you sometime soon (theatrical releases have already taken place in many countries). Eureka Seven Hi - Evolution Part 2 will be released i...
After the Rain—Episodes 1-12
This romantic dramedy turns its potentially thorny premise into a thoughtful meditation on rekindling your passion for life. Nick Creamer breaks down what makes this series so special.
― It'd be easy to skim After the Rain's premise and dismiss it as pure exploitation. “High school girl falls in love with her manager in his '40s” feels designed to cater to male fantasies, and even if framed with grea...
Blame! Blu-ray
In spite of its visual and narrative hiccups, Blame! succeeds as an intriguing sci-fi thriller with a breathtaking setting. Nick Creamer has the details.
― It might seem like the apparent partnership between mangaka Tsutomu Nihei and CG studio Polygon Pictures is something of a monkey's paw situation for fans of Nihei's manga. After all, his manga is defined above all else by its decaying, endlessly ...
Vice & Luna - The Plural of Anime is
Sometimes the ones you love are the ones that hurt you the most.
―
Shelf Life - My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU Complete Series
James Beckett reaches the memorable conclusion of Hachiman's unexpectedly romantic adventures, while Paul Jensen breaks down all this week's new anime releases.
― As I write this introduction, it's late at night and the people in the apartment next door are blasting music loud enough to rival a karaoke bar. I'll probably end up dealing with the problem in a civilized manner, but part of me really wa...
Answerman - Are "Upscaled" Blu-Rays Worth The Upgrade?
If a show was produced in a low resolution and has to be "upscaled" to HD, is it worth buying the HD version? Justin gets into the details.
― Patrick asked: I have a very simple question. Are blu-ray upscales of shows that have been out on dvd for years (I.E. Gungrave, Fate/stay night, etc) worth the money? Does the upscaling actually make a big enough difference to justify another purchase to see a...
Monster Hunter Stories RIDE ON Season One Part One
This kid-friendly monster adventure may please the preschool set, but it's hard to see older fans of the franchise getting much out of it. Rebecca Silverman has the details.
― Spun off from the Monster Hunter game franchise's Stories game, Monster Hunter Stories RIDE ON is very squarely aimed at a young audience. That's not because it features a core group of twelve-year-olds as its protagonists, but...
PTSD Radio GNs 1-2
This daring and unique horror anthology offers outstanding thrills that can be a little disorienting. Lynzee Loveridge gets into the nitty-gritty of this unusual series.
― Samson's long hair gave him the unsurpassed strength. Scottish folklore dictates that if a bird steals your cut hair for nesting, it means your imminent death. Long, cascading hair is wildly associated with femininity and the subje...
Thursday, April 26
Azur Lane Chinese Smartphone Game Gets Animated TV Ad
WWII ship girl game launched in Japan in September
― The official Japanese YouTube channel for the Chinese smartphone game Azur Lane began streaming a television commercial with animated footage on Thursday. The video does not reveal the studio that produced the animated footage. In the game for iOS and Android devices, players collect World War II ships from various countries and use fleets of six s...
Yūsha Neptune PS4 Game Ships on September 27
Quebec-based Artisan Studios develops game
― The full official website for Compile Heart's Yūsha Neptune: Sekai yo Uchū yo Katsumoku se yo!! Ultimate RPG Sengen!! (Brave Neptunia: Watch Closely, O World and Universe!! This is the Ultimate RPG Announcement!!) game opened on Thursday and revealed that the game will ship for PlayStation 4 on September 27. The website also revealed the full details of th...
Legend of the Galactic Heroes: Die Neue These ‒ Episode 4
"The history lesson in the first half of this episode is a strong start, but I can't shake the feeling that the show is coasting more than necessary in its second half."
Bungo Stray Dogs Season One Limited Edition BD+DVD
This melodramatic action series with a uniquely literary hook might be less than the sum of its parts, but at least it has another season ahead to help find its feet. Lynzee Loveridge has the details.
― If you'd told me at age 14 that there was an anime series starring famous literary authors with superpowers based on their works, I would have died. Bungo Stray Dogs' premise taps into a very specific...
Hoshin Engi Manga Gets Novel by Psycho-Pass Novels' Ryō Yoshigami
Shirube Naki Michi e uses same subtitle as manga's final volume
― The combined 21st and 22nd issue of Shueisha's Weekly Young Jump magazine revealed on Thursday that Ryu Fujisaki's Hoshin Engi manga will get a novel adaptation titled Hoshin Engi Shirube Naki Michi e (To the Path With No Guide). The subtitle shares the same subtitle as the manga's 23rd and final volume. Ryō Yoshigami (Psycho-Pass Asyl...
Giant Killing's Masaya Tsunamoto Launches New Manga on May 8
"Classic soccer" manga centers on team on the verge of collapse
― This year's 10th issue of Akita Shoten's Young Champion magazine revealed on Tuesday that author Masaya Tsunamoto (Giant Killing) and illustrator Isao Tanishima (=Ippatsu) will launch a manga series titled Mr. CB in the magazine's 11th issue on May 8. The manga's first chapter will have 51 pages with an opening color page. The "classic...
Etrian Odyssey X 3DS Game's Commercial Previews Bonus DLC
Ships on August 2 with new Hero class, all classes from previous games
― Atlus began streaming streaming a commercial on Thursday for Etrian Odyssey X (pronounced "cross"), the latest game in the Etrian Odyssey franchise. The game will ship for the Nintendo 3DS in Japan on August 2, and will be the last game in the series developed for the 3DS platform. The game retails for 6,480 yen (about US$59). F...
Nintendo Switch Console Has 8 Million-Seller Games
Nintendo revealed on Thursday that its Nintendo Switch console now has eight games that have sold more than 1 million units worldwide as of March 31. The games and their sales numbers include: Super Mario Odyssey: 10.41 million units Mario Kart 8 Deluxe: 9.22 million units The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild: 8.48 million units Splatoon 2: 6.02 million units 1-2-Switch: 2.29 million units ARMS...
Super NES Classic Edition Console Sells 5.28 Million Units Worldwide
Nintendo announced during a financial earnings report meeting on Thursday that its Super NES Classic Edition console has sold 5.28 million units worldwide. Nintendo had announced in February that the system had sold 4 million units worldwide. The Super NES Classic Edition debuted last September in North America and Europe, and last October in Japan. The system comes with two controllers and 21 pre...
Nintendo Switch Console Sales Reach 17.79 Million Units Worldwide
Nintendo announced during a financial earnings report meeting on Thursday that its Switch console has now sold 17.79 million units worldwide as of March 31. Nintendo had sold 15.05 million units in the fiscal year ending on March 31. Nintendo has also sold 68.97 million software units for the Switch. The company had announced on December 12 that it had sold more than 10 million Switch consoles wor...
Nintendo President Tatsumi Kimishima to Step Down on June 28
Shuntaro Furukawa to take over as President, Representative Director
― Nintendo announced at a Board of Directors meeting on Thursday that Representative Director and President Tatsumi Kimishima (pictured left in image at right) will retire on June 28. Shuntaro Furukawa will take up the position as both Representative Director and President. Kimishima will assume office as an Executive Adviser. He as...
Sensei Kunshu Live-Action Film's Teaser Video Reveals August Opening
Poster visual for film starring Ryōma Takeuchi, Minami Hamabe also unveiled
― Toho began streaming a teaser video for the live-action film adaptation of Momoko Kōda's Sensei Kunshu (Teacher Monarch) manga on Thursday. The video reveals the film's August 1 opening. The staff also unveiled a poster visual for the film. The poster visual is intended to appear like a cover for Bessatsu Margaret, the maga...
Live-Action Kyō Kara Ore wa!! Casts Yumi Wakatsuki, Tsuyoshi Muro as Original Characters
Jiro Sato, Reiya Masaki also join cast of October series
― The official website for the live-action television series of Hiroyuki Nishimori's Kyou Kara Ore Wa!! gag comedy manga revealed additional cast members for the series on Thursday. The additional cast includes: Nogizaka46's Yumi Wakatsuki as Akemi Kawasaki, an original character who yearns for Kyōko Hayakawa Tsuyoshi Muro as Mukunoki-sensei, a...
Tokio's Tatsuya Yamaguchi Halts All Entertainment Activities, Enters House Arrest
46-year-old accused of kissing high-school aged girl against her will in February
― TOKIO bassist Tatsuya Yamaguchi revealed at a press conference on Thursday that he will take an indefinite hiatus from the entertainment industry, and will go on indefinite house arrest, after the opening of a criminal investigation regarding his alleged kissing a high school-aged girl against her will at his home in ...
Lawyer Sues NTT for Blocking Pirate Manga Sites
Action allegedly violates privacy of communication, not stipulated in contract
― A Saitama prefecture lawyer filed a case against a unit of Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (NTT) at the Tokyo District Court on Thursday after NTT began blocking three websites with pirated content on Monday. Plaintiff Yūichi Nakazawa claimed in the case that NTT's action is allegedly a violation of the Teleco...
Nio Nakatani's Bloom Into You Yuri Manga Gets TV Anime in October
Beautiful Bones' Makoto Katō directs anime at TROYCA
― The June issue of Kadokawa's Monthly Comic Dengeki Daioh magazine is revealing on Friday that a television anime adaptation of Nio Nakatani's Bloom Into You (Yagate Kimi ni Naru) yuri manga has been green-lit for an October premiere. Makoto Katō (Beautiful Bones: Sakurako's Investigation) is directing the anime at TROYCA (Aldnoah Zero, Re:CREATOR...
Ao-Natsu Film's Poster Visual Reveals Film's Full Title
The official website of the live-action film adaptation of Atsuko Nanba's Ao-Natsu romance manga revealed a poster visual for the film on Thursday. The poster reveals the film's full title as Ao-Natsu: Kimi ni Koi Shita 30-Nichi (Ao-Natsu: The 30 Days I Loved You). The film will open in Japan on August 1. Wakana Aoi plays the main lead Rio, while Hayato Sano plays Ginzō. Takeshi Furusawa (live-act...
Cells at Work! Anime Reveals 4 Character Visuals
The official website for the television anime adaptation of Akane Shimizu's Cells at Work! (Hataraku Saibō) manga revealed the character visuals for four new characters on Thursday. Takahiro Sakurai as Helper T Cell (T Lymphocyte) Saori Hayami as Regulatory T Cell M.A.O as Eosinophil Nobuhiko Okamoto as Dendritic Cell The anime will premiere in July. Kenichi Suzuki (JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Drift...
Magical Girl Ore Anime Adds Megumi Ogata to Cast
Ogata plays Cyborg Ichigo character in anime's 3rd, 4th episodes
― Voice actress Megumi Ogata voiced the character Cyborg Ichigo in the the television anime of Icchokusen Mōkon's Magical Girl Ore (Maho Shojo Ore or Magical Girl Boy) manga in the show's third and fourth episodes. The character debuted in the last scene of the third episode on April 16. Ogata appeared in the credits, but with her role ...
Skyblue Shore's Nanpei Yamada Ends Sakura no Hana to Kōcha Ōji Manga in May
Also: Masumi Kawasou's Touring Express Euro manga ends in May, Hisaya Nakajo's Momo mo Motto! manga approaches climax
― The June issue of Hakusensha's Bessatsu Hana to Yume magazine revealed on Thursday that Nanpei Yamada will end her Sakura no Hana to Kōcha Ōji (The Cherry Blossom and the Black Tea Prince) manga in the magazine's next issue on May 26. The manga will feature on the magazine's cover, ...
Komomo Confiserie's Maki Minami Ends Pinpon Rush Manga in May
Manga launched in February 2017
― The June issue of Hakusensha's Bessatsu Hana to Yume magazine revealed on Thursday that Maki Minami will end the Pinpon Rush manga in the magazine's next issue on May 26. The manga centers on Hina Aoshima, a girl who enters an academy known for its students who are elites in the quiz bee world. Hina, however, entered the school only because of its delicious lunches. ...
Shikioriori Anthology Project Reveals Cast
Taito Ban, Minako Kotobuki, Haruka Shiraishi, Hiroki Yasumoto, Takeo Ōtsuka, Ikumi Hasegawa star
― The official website for Shikioriori (Poem of Seasons Woven Together), CoMix Wave Films' collaboration anime anthology project with Haoliners, revealed the project's cast members on Thursday. The cast includes: (Note: Name romanizations are not official.) Taito Ban as Shaomin, protagonist of the "Hidama...
Wednesday, April 25
Live-Action Rainbow Days Still Shows Main Cast Eating Cup Noodles
Media news website Natalie posted a new still from the live-action film of Minami Mizuno's Rainbow Days (Nijiiro Days) manga on Monday. The image shows the main characters conversing while eating cup noodles. The main cast, shown above, includes Reo Sano (of the band GENERATIONS from EXILE TRIBE) as Natsuki Hashiba, Taishi Nakagawa as Tomoya Matsunaga, Ryūsei Yokohama as Keiichi Katakura, and Mahi...
Nekopara Games Have Sold 2 Million Copies
The official Twitter account for NEKO WORKs' NEKOPARA game revealed last Saturday that the series has sold over 2 million copies. Sekai Project released the Nekopara Vol. 1 visual novel on PC via Steam in December 2014. The company also released the Nekopara Vol. 0 fandisc prequel on PC in August 2015, and the Nekopara Vol. 2 game in February 2016. Sekai Project also released the first game in an ...
Last Period Parodies Horror Anime When They Cry: Higurashi
The latest episode of the mobage-inspired anime had a little fun with Seventh Expansion's Higurashi no Naku Koro ni franchise. The episode sees our heroes enter an allegedly haunted mansion to remove some spirals and help the village's townspeople but they quickly discover than no spirals are present and the plot quickly begins to imitate the storyline of the original kinetic novel and anime serie...
Black Clover ‒ Episodes 28-29
"As a comedy episode, 28 is kind of great."
The Promised Neverland Manga Gets Novel About Norman in June
Kaiu Shirai, Posuka Demizu's manga launched in 2016
― Shueisha's Jump j Books label revealed on Monday that Kaiu Shirai and Posuka Demizu's The Promised Neverland (Yakusoku no Neverland) manga will get a novel titled Yakusoku no Neverland: Norman kara no Tegami (The Promised Neverland: A Letter from Norman). Nanao is penning the novel, and it is slated to ship on June 4. The novel centers on (highlig...
Magical Girl Ore ‒ Episode 4
"This is the most entertaining bit of parody the show has delivered yet, but it's a gem within a bigger show that still has a lot of unresolved structural issues."
Tokio Band Member Tatsuya Yamaguchi Referred to Prosecutors for Indecent Act With High School Girl
Bassist allegedly kissed girl against her will
― TOKIO bassist Tatsuya Yamaguchi (46) has been referred to prosecutors on suspicion of kissing a high school-aged girl against her will at his home in Tokyo in February. Investigators reported that Yamaguchi met the girl through work and invited her to his apartment to drink alcohol. Tokio's talent agency Johnny & Associates issued an apology from Yamag...
Sanrio Mascots Vie for Power in This Year's Character Popularity Poll
After Cinnamoroll's major win last year dethroning two-time champ Pom Pom Purin, the battle is back on for Sanrio mascot supremacy. The 33rd annual Sanrio Character Award kicks off on May 10 with 100 characters competing for the top spot. This year's theme is "the feeling of being popular that can cause a miracle" and the mascots will appeal to voters with their individual strengths and popularity...
Dragon Ball FighterZ Trailer Previews New DLC Character
Character appears in episodes that have not yet aired on Toonami
― (Note: This article contains spoilers for Dragon Ball Super episodes that have not yet aired on Toonami.) Bandai Namco Entertainment America began streaming a new character introduction trailer for its Dragon Ball FighterZ fighting game on Tuesday. The video previews Fusion Zamasu, the fusion of Goku Black and Zamasu from Dragon Ball ...
One Piece Premier Summer Events Return to Universal Studios in July
The One Piece Premier Summer event will return to Universal Studios Japan in Osaka from July 6 to September 30. The park debuted the event's main show in 2007, and it attracts visitors every year. The event's One Piece Premier Show will return, and once again Luffy and friends will rescue "that person." The show's original story is based on a popular story from Eiichiro Oda's manga. The One Piece ...
SaGa Scarlet Grace Designer: English Version is in Preparation
Trailer streamed for PS4/Switch/Steam/iOS/Android port
― SaGa Scarlet Grace designer Akitoshi Kawazu revealed on Twitter on Wednesday that preparation has begun for an English version of SaGa Scarlet Grace: Hiiro no Yabō. He added that its not at a stage where the staff can assign a release window. Square Enix began streaming a Japanese trailer for the game on Wednesday. SaGa Scarlet Grace: Hiiro no ...
Japanese Comic Ranking, April 16-21
Kingdom, The Seven Deadly Sins, Attack on Titan, Delicious in Dungeon, Kaguya-sama: Love is War in top 5
― Rank Title Est. Weekly Copies Est. Total Copies Release Date Publisher Author Highest Rank Weeks on List 1 Kingdom 50 464,467 464,467 2018/04 Shueisha Yasuhisa Hara 1 1 2 The Seven Deadly Sins 31 243,721 244,001 2018/04 Kodansha Nakaba Suzuki 2 1 3 Attack on Titan 25 184,365 886,087 2018/04 Kod...
MiKandi Japan, Laplacian Develop Original E-Gene Visual Novel Series
1st game depicting cat-vs.-dog disputes of history slated for fall
― MiKandi Japan announced on Tuesday that it is partnering with visual novel developer Laplacian to develop an original visual novel series tentatively titled E-Gene. Laplacian will write the scenario and provide artwork, while MiKandi Japan will produce and publish the game. The game will be fully voiced in Japanese and will have Eng...
HoloModels App Offers Re:Zero Rem Figure via AR
Gugenka's HoloModels iOS app announced last Wednesday that it is collaborating with the Re:Zero anime. The first part of the collaboration is a Rem AR figure that went on sale on April 18. IMG remholo1.jpg IMG remholo2.jpg IMG remholo3.jpg IMG remholo4.jpg HoloModels' life-size Rem figure lets fans use AR technology to pose the character with the backdrop of a real-world setting. In addition to Re...
Japan's Video Game Rankings, April 16-22
Nintendo Labo kits debut
― Japan's Game Ranking: April 16-21 Rank System Title Maker Release Date Weekly Copies Total Copies 4Gamer Reader Review 1NSwNintendo Labo Toy-Con 01: Variety Kit Nintendo April 20 90,410 90,410 2PS4God of War (Including Bundled Editions) Sony Interactive Entertainment April 20 46,091 46,091 3NSwNintendo Labo Toy-Con 02: Robot Kit Nintendo April 20 28,629 28,629 4NSwKirby Sta...
Anisong World Matsuri Announces Lineup for Anime Expo
Aqours, Aimer, Yuki Kajiura, May'n, Sanketsu-girl Sayuri, AKB48, The [email protected] Cinderella Girls, i☆Ris, Shoko Nakagawa to perform
― Anisong World Matsuri and Anime Expo announced the lineup of performers on Wednesday for this year's event. The festival will begin on Wednesday, July 4 at 6:00 p.m. with a concert from Love Live! Sunshine!!'s Aqours. The event will mark the group's first full-length so...
Fans Respond to Voice Actor Hiroshi Kamiya's Angry Outburst at Event
Voice actors Hiroshi Kamiya, Daisuke Ono, and the rest of the members of Masochistic Ono Band (MOB) appeared at the "DGS vs MOB Live Survive" event held at Saitama Super Arena on Saturday and Sunday. The event was related to the voice actors' Dear Girl~Stories~ (DGS) radio program. After Saturday's event concluded, a rumor began to spread online that Kamiya had an angry outburst toward attendees a...
Eureka Seven Art Contest Entries #2!
Four more Finalists for the Eureka Seven art contest. Which on is your favorite ?
― Announcing the finalists to ANN's Eureka Seven Art Contest! Eureka Seven Hi - Evolution Part 1 was release in Japan last year, and will be released in theater and on home video near you sometime soon (theatrical releases have already taken place in many countries). Eureka Seven Hi - Evolution Part 2 will be released i...
Fireworks Anime Film's U.S. Theatrical Release Dated for July
GKIDS, Fathom Events collaborate on screenings
― GKIDS announced on Wednesday that its U.S. theatrical release for the anime film Fireworks (Fireworks, Should We See it from the Side or the Bottom?) is slated for July 3, 5, and 7 as a Fathom Event. The film will also get a separate theatrical release starting on July 4. Fireworks is the first of five GKIDS films that Fathom Events will screen in the ...
Detective Conan Creator Tries Universal Studios Japan's Conan Real Escape Game
Detective Conan creator Gosho Aoyama got to try his hand at playing detective at Universal Studios Japan's "Meitantei Conan the Escape ~Zero no Prelude~" (Detective Conan the Escape: Zero's Prelude) escape game on Monday. Aoyama brought two friends who are also very familiar with his manga work to try to solve the game's puzzles and solve the mystery centering on Tōru "Zero" Amuro from Detective C...
HIDIVE Schedules UQ Holder! Anime in U.S., Canada
Series is currently exclusive to Amazon in U.S.
― HIDIVE announced on Wednesday that it will stream the television anime of Ken Akamatsu's UQ Holder! (UQ Holder! Magister Negi Magi! 2) manga in the United States and Canada. HIDIVE will add new episodes on Fridays beginning on May 25 at 10:00 a.m. EDT. The series was previously exclusive to Amazon's now-defunct streaming channel Anime Strike in the Un...
Terra Formars' Delayed Earth Arc Anime DVD Ships in August
Manga's 21st volume bundles OAD for newly resumed manga
― The combined 21st and 22nd issue of Shueisha's Weekly Young Jump magazine revealed on Thursday that the 21st compiled book volume of Yū Sasuga and Kenichi Tachibana's Terraformars manga will ship on August 17 and bundle an anime DVD. The manga also resumed in the same issue after story creator Sasuga recuperated from unspecified health issues....
Answerman - Why Don't Anime Characters Go To Therapy?
How come therapy never seems to come up as a solution in anime? Justin discusses the differences in mental health culture and why we might not expect to see therapy explored much in anime.
― Julia asked: I've noticed that in a lot of anime, when characters have very deep, psychological problems, nobody ever considers going to therapy or telling someone to seek professional help. After watching anime...
Cells at Work Casts Takahiro Sakurai, Saori Hayami, M.A.O, Nobuhiko Okamoto
Anime about cells and bodily functions debuts in July
― The June issue of Kodansha's Monthly Shonen Sirius magazine revealed four more cast members for the television anime adaptation of Akane Shimizu's Cells at Work! (Hataraku Saibō) manga on Thursday. The new cast members are: Takahiro Sakurai as Helper T Cell (T Lymphocyte) Saori Hayami as Regulatory T Celll M.A.O as Eosinophil Nobuhiko Okamoto as...
After the Rain—Episodes 1-12
This romantic dramedy turns its potentially thorny premise into a thoughtful meditation on rekindling your passion for life. Nick Creamer breaks down what makes this series so special.
― It'd be easy to skim After the Rain's premise and dismiss it as pure exploitation. “High school girl falls in love with her manager in his '40s” feels designed to cater to male fantasies, and even if framed with grea...
Kenichi Sonoda's 'Project [B.B]' Anime Confirmed as 'Project Bean Bandit'
Project is crossover for Sonoda's Riding Bean, Gunsmith Cats
― The official Twitter account for Kenichi Sonoda's "Project [B.B]" anime revealed on Monday that the "[B.B]" in the anime's title stands for "Bean Bandit," the name of the protagonist of Sonoda's Riding Bean manga. Chicago's Anime Central convention will premiere a preview of the project this May. Sonoda will appear at the event with anima...
Dark Souls: Remastered Game's Video Previews Environments, Enemies
PS4, Xbox One, PC versions ship in May; Switch version in summer
― Bandai Namco Entertainment America began streaming a gameplay trailer for its Dark Souls: Remastered game for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam on Tuesday. The video previews the game's environments and enemies. The game's PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC versions will launch on May 25 in North America and ...
Ghibli Park Teases Mononoke Village, Kiki Area in More Art
Areas inspired by Totoro, Howl's Moving Castle also previewed
― The Anime! Anime! website and Aichi Prefecture posted more conceptual art and an area map for the planned Ghibli Park that will open in the prefecture's Expo Park in the 2022 fiscal year. The maps lists five areas: 1) Hill of Youthful Days Area (featuring a main gate inspired by Howl's Moving Castle and a replica of Whisper of the Heart'...
Magi: Adventure of Sinbad Spinoff Manga Ends
18th, 19th volumes slated for July
― Shinobu Ohtaka and Yoshifumi Ōtera's spinoff manga Magi: Sinbad no Bōken (Magi: Adventure of Sinbad) manga ended in Shogakukan's MangaOne app on Wednesday. The manga's 18th and 19th compiled book volumes are slated for July. The manga began its epilogue arc with a story that tied into the original Magi manga on February 28. The manga is a spinoff of Ohtaka's Magi ...
TMS Entertainment Produces Space Bug CG TV Anime
The Unbelievable Gwenpool's Gurihiru illustrator duo designs characters in July Show
― Animation studio TMS Entertainment announced on Wednesday that it is producing an original 3DCG television anime series titled Space Bug. The show will premiere on Tokyo MX on July 8, and will air two 11-minute episodes every Sunday at 10:30 a.m. The anime is set in the far future, and centers on insects left behin...
Gundam the Origin VI Anime's 1st 15 Minutes Streamed
Video available in English dub and English, Chinese, Korean, French subtitles
― The Gundam.info portal site began streaming the first 15 minutes of "Tanjō Akai Suisei" (Rise of the Red Comet), the sixth episode of the Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin anime and the last in the anime's "Loum Arc," on Wednesday. (Note: The Youtube link in the link above is region-locked to Japan.) The videos below are ava...
Ultraman Franchise's New Ultraman R/B Show Is 1st With Brothers as Leads
Yūya Hirata, Ryōsuke Koike play brothers who transform into Ultraman Rosso & Blu
― Tsuburaya Productions opened a website on Wednesday to reveal Ultraman R/B, the new Ultraman series debuting on TV Tokyo and its affiliates on July 7. The series will air on Saturdays at 9:00 a.m, and will have 25 episodes. For the first time in the Ultraman franchise's history, the new show will center on two protagon...
Infinite Stratos Light Novel Series Ends in 13th Volume
Series inspired 2 TV anime seasons
― The 12th volume (seen right) of Izuru Yumizuru's Infinite Stratos light novel series revealed on Tuesday that the next volume will be the last volume for the series. J-Novel Club licensed the novel series and is releasing it digitally. It describes the story: In a world of technological progress, females are the only ones who can pilot the most advanced military u...
Tuesday, April 24
'Ghibli Park' Reveals Concept Art, Plans to Open in 2022
Aichi Prefecture, Studio Ghibli collaborate on park
― Aichi Prefecture and Studio Ghibli revealed on Wednesday that they are aiming to open "Ghibli Park" in the 2022 fiscal year. The park was previously planned for 2020. The prefecture also shared one of the studio's designs for the park. The image is intended to show a 19th century science fantasy style, like something out of Howl's Moving Castle. T...
High School DxD Hero ‒ Episode 2
"As strange as this is to say about High School DxD, I am optimistic about the story so far but trepidatious about the fanservice going forward."
2nd Live-Action Gintama Film's Teaser Streamed
Film opens on August 17 in Japan
― The official website for the live-action films of Hideaki Sorachi's Gintama manga posted a teaser video for the upcoming sequel film Gintama 2 (Kari) (Gintama 2 (Working Title)). The teaser shows scenes from the first live-action film. Shun Oguri, Masaki Suda, and Kanna Hashimoto are returning from the first film to reprise their roles as Gintoki Sakata, Shinpachi S...
Big Comic Magazine Celebrates 50th Anniversary at Kyoto Manga Museum
Shōnen Jump isn't the only manga magazine celebrating 50 years of publication this year. Shogakukan's Big Comic Spirits, first published in 1968, is also turning half a century old. The seinen magazine has been home to Maison Ikkoku, Goodnight Punpun, I Am a Hero, Crying Freeman, Go Nagai's Iron Virgin Jun, Area 88, My Name is Shingo, 20th Century Boys, and Birdy the Mighty, just to name a few. Th...
Golden Kamuy Wins 22nd Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize's Top Award
BEASTARS, Oya-san to Boku, Tetsuya Chiba also win
― The Asahi Shimbun paper announced the winners for the 2nd Annual Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize awards on Tuesday. Grand Prize Golden Kamuy Satoru Noda Shueisha A soldier who was famous for his prowess in the Russo-Japanese War now heads to Hokkaido for the gold rush for a certain purpose. In search of a vast treasure hidden by the Ainu people, he face...
Gundam Mechas Reimagined as Bujinga Ink Paintings
The website Collab Japan has previously worked with bujinga artists to imagine pop culture heroes and villains in the style of samurai-era warriors. The company's latest collaboration is with 39-year-old bujinga artist Masayuki Kōjō and Yoshiyuki Tomino's classic Gundam mecha franchise. The collaboration resulted in five unique artwork pieces that will go on sale via lottery. Kōjō's renditions ha...
Tokyo Ghoul:re ‒ Episode 4
"We get plenty to think about this week, but ultimately this episode is another victim of Tokyo Ghoul's ambitions."
North American Anime, Manga Releases, April 22-28
ClassicaLoid, Kado The Right Answer, Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid anime; As Miss Beelzebub Likes, Napping Princess manga ship
― Anime Releases Title Publisher Suggested Retail Price Date ClassicaLoid BDPlease Sentai Filmworks US$79.98 April 24 Digimon Adventure tri.- Chapter 4: Loss BD/DVDCite Shout! Factory US$24.97 April 24 Digimon Adventure tri.- Chapter 4: Loss DVDAnimeNewsNetwork Shout! Factory ...
Golden Kamuy ‒ Episode 3
"If you had hoped that Golden Kamuy would bring more of Asirpa's home and culture into the story, this episode definitely delivers."
Pokémon Piplup Reborn as Strange Dancing Pop Star
YouTuber Pocha has one mission and one mission alone; create the most confusion-inducing MMD (Miku Miku Dance) video ever envisioned on the internet. His videos have one subject: the Pokémon Diamond & Pearl starter Piplup. (Yes, this cute little guy) What started Pocha's need to recreate the adorable penguin into a humanoid dance machine is anyone's guess, but it's now on the internet for the whol...
Sentai Filmworks Licenses Dai-kaiju Mono Live-Action Film
2016 film stars pro wrestler Kōta Ibushi
― Section23 Films announced in its August release slate on Tuesday that its Sentai Filmworks imprint will release the live-action film Dai-kaiju Mono on Blu-ray Disc on August 14. Sentai Filmworks describes the story: Things aren't looking good in Japan. The weather is acting strangely, volcanoes that don't normally erupt are erupting, and… oh yes… the giant m...
Mushishi Creator's New Manga is Neko ga Nishimukya
Mushishi creator Yuki Urushibara's new manga series launched in the June issue of Kodansha's Afternoon magazine on Wednesday. The manga is titled Neko ga Nishimukya (The Cat is Facing West). The magazine featured two chapters The story is set in a world with a mysterious phenomenon known as "flow," and centers two people (and one cat) who make a living dealing with it. The magazine announced the m...
Avengers: Infinity War Meets Final Fantasy in Movie Promo
Disney Japan tapped a familiar game franchise to promote the Marvel Cinematic Universe's latest feature, Avengers: Infinity War. The trailer, which has since been taken down from the company's official YouTube channel, shows 16-bit Iron Man, Spider-Man, Doctor Strange, and Star Lord face the villain Thanos after he gathers the Infinity Stones. The team is quickly defeated. Black Widow, Hulk, and C...
This Week in Anime - Just How Weird is Hinamatsuri?
Hinamatsuri is part absurdist comedy, part sentimental sap, and all too unusual to summarize. We do their best to explain what makes this odd show so special.
― Hinamatsuri is part absurdist comedy, part sentimental sap, and all too unusual to summarize. This week, Michelle and Steve do their best to explain what makes this odd show special. Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by the partici...
Live-Action Mob Psycho 100 Series Premieres on U.S. Netflix on May 22
Series premiered in Japan in January
― The live-action television series of ONE's Mob Psycho 100 manga will premiere on Netflix in the United States on May 22. Clips from the series appear in Netflix's preview of its May slate (1:46 in the video below). The series premiered on Netflix in Japan on January 12, and also aired on TV Tokyo and BS Japan beginning later the same month. Kōichi Sakamoto direc...
Monster Strike Smartphone Game Teases Gintama Anime Collaboration
The Gintama anime will soon collaborate with XFlag's Monster Strike smartphone game. XFlag began streaming a promotional video on Monday in which the Yorozuya crew announce the upcoming promotion. The game's official website previewed an in-game version of Gintoki for the collaboration. The website will reveal more information on April 26. The game launched for iOS and Android devices in 2013. Fra...
'neverland-anime.com' Domain Registered Alongside Launch of The Promised Neverland Twitter Account
The domain name "neverland-anime.com" was registered on April 20 by a company or individual located in Japan. Shueisha also launched an official Twitter account for Kaiu Shirai and Posuka Demizu's The Promised Neverland (Yakusoku no Neverland) manga on Monday. Demizu drew a new illustration to commemorate the Twitter account's launch. Shirai and Demizu launched the manga in Shueisha's Weekly Shone...
Blame! Blu-ray
In spite of its visual and narrative hiccups, Blame! succeeds as an intriguing sci-fi thriller with a breathtaking setting. Nick Creamer has the details.
― It might seem like the apparent partnership between mangaka Tsutomu Nihei and CG studio Polygon Pictures is something of a monkey's paw situation for fans of Nihei's manga. After all, his manga is defined above all else by its decaying, endlessly ...
Live-Action Fist of the North Star Body Wash Ad Is Hilariously Perfect
You are already fresh
― Pharmaceutical company Rohto's De Ou brand is currently collaborating with Fist of the North Star for its "medicinal cleansing wash" and "refresh sheets." But the collaboration just got a lot more intense with a new commercial, featuring Hideaki Ito as Kenshiro, delivering a cleansing version of the iconic Hokutō Hyakuretsu Ken attack, ending it with a version of Kenshirō's si...
1st Fate/stay night Heaven's Feel Film's English Dub Debuts in U.S. Theaters on June 5
Fathom Events to announce theater list on May 4
― Fathom Events and Aniplex of America announced on Tuesday that the English dub of Fate/stay night: Heaven's Feel I. presage flower, the first film in the Fate/stay night: Heaven's Feel anime film trilogy, will premiere in theaters in the United States on June 5 and June 7 at 7:30 p.m. local time. Tickets for the event will go on sale on May 4, and Fat...
Vice & Luna - The Plural of Anime is
Sometimes the ones you love are the ones that hurt you the most.
―
Shining Resonance Refrain Game Ships in West on July 10
Video previews Switch, PS4, Xbox One game's hero characters
― The official PlayStation Blog revealed on Tuesday that Shining Resonance Refrain, the PlayStation 4 remaster of Sega's Shining Resonance game, will ship for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One in the Americas and Europe on July 10. PlayStation also began streaming a character trailer that previews the games heroes. The Western rel...
NG Horror Adventure Game Announced for PS Vita
2nd game in "spirit horror" series after Shiin debuts in Japan on August 9
― This week's issue of Gzbrain Inc.'s Weekly Famitsu magazine is revealing on Thursday that Experience Inc. will release the new NG horror game for PlayStation Vita in Japan on August 9. The game will follow Shiin (Death Mark) as the second game in the "spirit horror" series. The game series' development is based on the Japane...
Guilty Gear XX Accent Core Plus R Gets Nintendo Switch Release in 2018
Global version to include Korean Guilty Gear XX #Reload soundtrack
― Arc System Works announced at the Nexon Developers Conference event in Pangyo, Korea on Tuesday that its Guilty Gear XX Accent Core Plus R game will get a port for Nintendo Switch in 2018. The global edition of the Nintendo Switch version of the game will include the Korean Guilty Gear XX #Reload soundtrack composed by Shin Hae Chul...
Japan's Animation DVD Ranking, April 16-22
Live-action Fullmetal Alchemist sells 6,015 + 2,956, followed by live-action Ajin, Zoku Touken Ranbu: Hanamaru., Free! -Take Your Marks-, Fireworks
― The DVD premium edition (first pressing) for the live-action film of Hiromu Arakawa's Fullmetal Alchemist manga sold 6,015 copies to rank #3 on the overall DVD chart. The regular edition was #9 with 2,956 copies. The standard edition for the live-action...
Japan's Animation Blu-ray Disc Ranking, April 16-22
Free! -Take Your Marks- sells 6,336 + 1,991, followed by live-action Fullmetal Alchemist, Land of the Lustrous, Zoku Touken Ranbu: Hanamaru., live-action Ajin
― The Blu-ray premium edition (first pressing) for the live-action film of Hiromu Arakawa's Fullmetal Alchemist manga sold 5,672 copies to rank #3 on the overall Blu-ray Disc chart. The regular edition was #22 with 1,322 copies. The deluxe edit...
Golden Kamuy Anime Casts Masakita Terasoma, Eiji Takemoto
Terasoma plays Kiroranke, Takemoto plays Tsukishima
― The official website for the anime of Satoru Noda's Golden Kamuy manga revealed on Monday that Masaki Terasoma will play the character Kiroranke (seen below), an old friend of Asirpa's father, and a former combat engineer for the 7th Division. In addition, it revealed that Eiji Takemoto will play Hajime Tsukishima, a sergeant in the 7th Divsion an...
Live-Action Antiquarian Bookshop Biblia's Case Files Film Reveals Teaser Poster, November Opening
Haru Kuroki, Shūhei Nomura star in film of mystery novels
― The official website for the live-action film of En Mikami's Antiquarian Bookshop Biblia's Case Files (Biblia Kosho-dō no Jiken Techō) novel series revealed a teaser poster visual and the film's November 1 opening on Tuesday. The cast includes Haru Kuroki (seen below left) as Shioriko Shinokawa, and Shūhei Nomura (right) as Daisuke Goura. Yu...
Inuyashiki Film Opens at #5 with Detective Conan, Shin-chan in Top 3
Kyoto Animation's Liz and the Blue Bird opens with 53 million yen
― Meitantei Conan Zero no Shikkōnin (Detective Conan: Zero's Executioner), the 22nd film in the Detective Conan series, remained at #1 at the box office in Japan in its second weekend. The film sold 620,000 tickets on Saturday and Sunday to earn 820 million yen (about US$7.55 million), and earned 820,184,900 yen from Friday to Sunday. ...
Funimation Reveals Ai Tenchi Muyo! Anime's English Dub Cast
Matthew K. Miller stars in anime with July 10 BD/DVD
― Funimation announced the English dub cast for its home video release of the Ai Tenchi Muyo anime on Monday. The cast, under ADR director and scriptwriter Steve Kramer, as well as ADR scriptwriters Melora Harte, Deborah Crane, and Scott Page-Pagter, include: Matthew K. Miller as Tenchi Masaki Julie Maddalena as Momo Kawanagare Cindy Robinson as Be...
Yukiru Sugisaki's D.N.Angel Manga Returns on May 24
Asuka's current issue features stories not yet compiled in book volumes
― The June issue of Kadokawa's Monthly Asuka magazine revealed on Tuesday that Yukiru Sugisaki's D.N.Angel manga will return in the magazine's July issue on May 24. The July issue will have D.N.Angel for its cover art, and it will also publish a color opening page for the manga. The June issue unveiled the below illustration by S...
Monday, April 23
Okojo to Yamane Animal Characters Get TV Anime Shorts
Emi Nitta voices "Weasel" in anime inspired by illustrator Suzuna Takamura
― M&Bworks, the brand of illustrator Suzuna Takamura, announced on Tuesday that a television anime adaptation of Takamura's Okojo to Yamane (Weasel and Dormouse) characters has been green-lit. The franchise centers on two friends: a naive weasel who likes cute and round things, and a dormouse who plays innocent. Together, they...
Food Wars! The Third Plate ‒ Episode 15
"It's like Erina's going through a renaissance all her own, and that's heartening to watch."
Meat Mascot Girls Make Pasta Deliciously Cute
Kagome, the same company that gave us Eva Unit 01 piercing a giant tomato, is introducing two new mascots for its meat sauce. The first of the pair of fairy-themed characters was introduced at the Nico Nico Chōkaigi 2017 event last April. "Napoli-tan," a personification of the popular Napolitan pasta dish, is voiced by Haruka Yoshimura (Shirobako's Ema Yasuhara). Napoli-tan has her work cut out fo...
Caligula ‒ Episode 3
"Naruko has bumbled her way into the plot, but it's difficult to get excited about adding new members to the cast when the ones we've already met still haven't had the chance to do anything important."
Discotek Media Licenses Haruka Nogizaka's Secret, Sister Princess Anime
BDs scheduled for Lupin the 3rd: Bye Bye Lady Liberty, Bananya, Eat-Man; DVDs for Baldios, Like the Clouds, Like the Wind, Lupin III: The Italian Adventure
― Discotek Media announced on Monday that it has licensed the Haruka Nogizaka's Secret and Sister Princess anime series and their respective sequels. In addition, the company announced that it will release Lupin the 3rd: Bye Bye Lady Liberty, Bana...
Cutie Honey Universe ‒ Episode 3
"Maybe it's not really damning Cutie Honey Universe with faint praise to call this the best episode yet, since it feels like the story is just getting started now."
GeGeGe no Kitarō ‒ Episode 4
"Yuta goes on an Alice's Adventures in Wonderland-style journey to the GeGeGe Forest."
Mirai of the Future, Okko's Inn Anime Films to Screen In Competition at Annecy
Liz and the Blue Bird, Maquia films to screen out of competition
― The Annecy International Animation Film Festival announced on Monday the official selection of films that will be screened in and out of competition during the event. Mamoru Hosoda and Studio Chizu's Mirai (Mirai of the Future or Mirai no Mirai) and Kitaro Kosaka and DLE/Madhouse's Okko's Inn (Waka Okami wa Shōgakusei!) films will scr...
Detective Conan Film Craze Kicks Up With Escape Room, Crime Investigation Experience, Prize Lottery
Scrap's Real Escape Game revealed this year's Detective Conan-themed experience as "Project Zero kara no Dasshutsu" (Escape From Project Zero). The game will debut at Himitsu Kichi of Scrap in Harajuku, Tokyo on June 26 and run in a total of 32 cities throughout Japan. The collaboration escape rooms have been held every year since 2013, and this year's marks the release of Meitantei Conan Zero no ...
Legend of the Galactic Heroes: Die Neue These Anime's English Dub Cast Revealed
Also: Space Battleship Tiramisu, Kakuriyo -Bed & Breakfast for Spirits-
― Voice actress and director Brittany Lauda announced on Monday that she and Clifford Chapin are co-directing Funimation Entertainment's simuldub for The Legend of the Galactic Heroes: Die Neue These. The English cast includes: Aaron Dismuke as Reinhard von Lohengramm Ian Sinclair as Yang Wen-Li Clifford Chapin as Siegfried Kirch...
Berserk's High-End Slan, Ubik, Guts Statues Ship in 2019
Part of the God Hand from Berserk is returning as statues from Prime 1 Studio. The company is offering detailed Slan and Ubik statues for serious fans of the dark fantasy series. Like their manga and anime counterparts, both the Ultimate Premium Master Line Berserk Slan Statue and the Ultimate Premium Master Line Berserk Ubik Statue are ready to carry out the will of the Idea of Evil. The Slan st...
Live-Action Real Girl Film's New Teaser Video, Poster Visual Revealed
Romantic comedy opens in September
― The official website for the live-action film adaptation of Mao Nanami's Real Girl (3D Kanojo) manga revealed a new teaser video and poster visual on Tuesday. The film will open in Japan on September 14. Tsutomu Hanabusa is directing the film with some of the same staff as his previous directorial work Heroine Shikkaku. Ayami Nakajō and Hayato Sano (pictured below...
One Piece ‒ Episode 833
"The story content in this episode is crazy good, but that high octane energy easily gets lost when it feels like all the big scenes are standing around, quietly waiting for their turn to debut."
Nintendo Labo Faces Off Against Cardboard-Loving Cats
At its finest, the Nintendo Labo Variety Kit can be used to, say, record your own rendition of the Sand Canyon 1 song from Kirby's Dream Land 3 and post a video of it on Twitter. 星のカービィ3のサンドキャニオン打ち込んだ!!!めっちゃ頑張ったから聞いて〜#NintendoLabo #NintendoSwitch pic.twitter.com/qpUGbuSGGK— ☆TAKA☆ (@hoshi_TAKA_hosh) April 20, 2018 The kit shipped in both the United States and Japan on Friday, and users have been h...
Kakegurui Spinoff Manga Artist Taku Kawamura Launches New Manga
Series follows bullied girl, transfer student
― This year's May issue of Square Enix's Gangan Joker magazine announced on Saturday that Taku Kawamura will launch a new series titled titled Jijō o Shiranai Tenkōsei ga Guigui Kuru (The Transfer Student Who Doesn't Know the Situation Just Keeps Coming) in the June issue on May 22. The same issue will also publish a new series titled RabuKome (Butsuri) (...
Cardcaptor Sakura: Clear Card ‒ Episode 15
"We do get a new and likely significant card rearing its head, but for the most part there wasn't enough plot to fill this week, leading to some substitutions for time."
'4D' Anime Short Shows Shibuya Crossing 10,000 Years in the Making
Shibuya's "Scramble" Crossing is its own sort of landmark for the Tokyo district. The high-traffic pedestrian crossing can see thousands pace from one side to another during peak hours. But, the area didn't always look that way. A four-dimensional short anime titled Tokino Kōsa (Shibuya Vernacular) will start at the very beginning of Shibuya Crossing, that is, 10,000 years in the past. The anime i...
HIDIVE to Premiere English Dub for Doreiku Anime on Thursday
Series is HIDIVE's 2nd "dubcast"
― Anime streaming service HIDIVE revealed in an email on Friday that it will premiere a "dubcast" for Doreiku The Animation on Thursday, April 26 at 12:30 p.m. EDT. As part of its dubcast initiative, HIDIVE will stream local-language dubbed versions of select anime simulcasts within two weeks of the first simulcast episode. The service's first dubcast is Devils' Line,...
Series Premiere: PERSONA 5 the Animation—Episodes 1-3
"By its nature, P5A not going to be as immersive as the game it's based on. However, it's still quite engaging and proves eminently watchable once it gets going. "
Check Out Life-Size Gundam Unicorn's 1st Projection Mapping
The life-size statue of the Unicorn Gundam mobile suit from the Mobile Suit Gundam UC anime showed off its new projection mapping spectacle at a ceremony held on April 20, the day before the general public showings. The projection mapping show recreates the story of humankind's advancement into space and other important events from the Universal Century timeline. As you can see in the above video,...
Dark Horse Licenses Mob Psycho 100 Manga
1st volume slated for October
― Dark Horse Comics announced through Crunchyroll news on Monday that it will release ONE's Mob Psycho 100 manga in English. The first volume is slated for release on October 24. Dark Horse describes the story: What's his secret to busting ghosts while keeping prices low? Well, first, he's a fraud, and second, he pays the guy who's got the real psychic power--his student...
Series Premiere: Sword Art Online Alternative - Gun Gale Online—Episodes 1-3
"I can easily recommend this series even to viewers who might not have cared for SAO."
Shelf Life - My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU Complete Series
James Beckett reaches the memorable conclusion of Hachiman's unexpectedly romantic adventures, while Paul Jensen breaks down all this week's new anime releases.
― As I write this introduction, it's late at night and the people in the apartment next door are blasting music loud enough to rival a karaoke bar. I'll probably end up dealing with the problem in a civilized manner, but part of me really wa...
The Young Master's Revenge's Meca Tanaka Plans 1-Shot for June
The June issue of Hakusensha's Lala magazine announced on Tuesday that manga artist Meca Tanaka (Faster than a Kiss) will publish a one-shot in the magazine's August issue on June 23. Tanaka ended The Young Master's Revenge manga (pictured at right) in LaLa in July 2017, and then published a one-shot for her Faster than a Kiss manga in October. Tokyopop published Tanaka's Pearl Pink manga in North...
Ditto Transforms Into 5 More Pokémon as Capsule Toys
The official Japanese Pokémon website unveiled the sixth set of "Figure Collection Henshin! Metamon" (Figure Collection Transform! Ditto) merchandise on April 13. The new capsule toys feature a transformationally challenged Ditto trying its best to appear as Alolan Vulpix, Electrode, Shaymin, Whimsicott, and Absol. The capsule toys will debut at Pokémon Centers throughout Japan on April 25. Each ...
DARLING in the FRANXX ‒ Episode 15
"The only major issue with this otherwise stellar episode is the baggage that comes from this darned show being such a thematic mess."
Maid-sama! Manga Series Gets New Volume in August
Special edition of volume to bundle drama CD
― The June issue of Hakusensha's Lala magazine announced on Tuesday that Hakusensha will publish a new volume of Hiro Fujiwara's Maid Sama! manga titled Kaichō wa Maid-sama! Marriage on August 3. A special edition of the volume will bundle a drama CD. The June issue also published a new chapter of of the manga that focused on Usui and Misaki's life post-ma...
Answerman - Are "Upscaled" Blu-Rays Worth The Upgrade?
If a show was produced in a low resolution and has to be "upscaled" to HD, is it worth buying the HD version? Justin gets into the details.
― Patrick asked: I have a very simple question. Are blu-ray upscales of shows that have been out on dvd for years (I.E. Gungrave, Fate/stay night, etc) worth the money? Does the upscaling actually make a big enough difference to justify another purchase to see a...
Monster Hunter Stories RIDE ON Season One Part One
This kid-friendly monster adventure may please the preschool set, but it's hard to see older fans of the franchise getting much out of it. Rebecca Silverman has the details.
― Spun off from the Monster Hunter game franchise's Stories game, Monster Hunter Stories RIDE ON is very squarely aimed at a young audience. That's not because it features a core group of twelve-year-olds as its protagonists, but...
NTT Announces Plans to Block 3 Piracy Sites
Japanese government had asked ISPs to block 3 pirated manga sites
― Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (NTT) announced on Monday that it will begin blocking three websites with pirated content as a "short-term emergency measure" after preparations are complete. Subsidiaries NTT Communications, NTT Docomo, and NTT Plala will continue the measure until the Japanese government is able to establi...
House of the Sun's Taamo's New Manga Reveals Story, May 24 Debut
Temporarily titled Zutto Issho ni Itekudasai manga to run in Dessert magazine
― The June issue of Kodansha's Dessert revealed more information on Tuesday about Taamo's planned new manga. The new manga is temporarily titled Zutto Issho ni Itekudasai (Please Stay With Me Forever), and it debut in the July issue on May 24. The June issue describes the manga: One day middle school student Nishiki, who l...
BanG Dream!'s Pastel*Palettes Band Gets Anime
Anime to center on band members' daily lives
― A livestream presentation for the BanG Dream! Girls Band Party! smartphone game announced on Monday that the members of the BanG Dream! band Pastel*Palettes will star in an anime titled Pastel Life. The livestream previewed footage from the anime, which will follow the daily lives of the band members. The bands members include bassist Chisato Shirasagi (...
Galaxy Express 999 Stage Play's Video Previews Cast in Costume
Play debuts in Tokyo in June
― The official YouTube channel for the Ticket Pia ticket service began streaming a promotional video on Monday for Ginga Tetsudō 999 Galaxy Opera, the new stage play adaptation of Leiji Matsumoto's Galaxy Express 999 manga and anime franchise. The video previews the main cast members in costume. The previously revealed visual (seen below) features Akinori Nakagawa (left) ...
Haikyu!! Stage Play's Performance Schedules, Visual, Title Revealed
Karasuno team cast graduates after stage play that runs from October-December
― The official website for the Hyper Projection Engeki Haikyu!! series of stage plays revealed the sixth stage play's performance schedules and a new visual on Monday. The staff also revealed that the cast members for the stage play series' Karasuno team will graduate after this stage play. The sixth stage play is titled Hy...
Yūsha Neptune Game's Full Title Revealed in Video
Quebec-based Artisan Studios develops game for PS4
― Compile Heart began streaming a video on Monday that features Compile Heart president and Neptunia series executive producer Norihisa Kochiwa revealing the full title for the Yūsha Neptune (Brave Neptune) game. The full title is Yūsha Neptune: Sekai yo Uchū yo Katsumoku se yo!! Ultimate RPG Sengen!! (Brave Neptunia: Watch Closely, O World and Unive...
Rurouni Kenshin: Hokkaido Arc Manga Resumes in June
Manga author Nobuhiro Watsuki was charged with possession of child pornography last year
― The official website of Shueisha's Jump SQ. magazine announced on Monday that Nobuhiro Watsuki's Rurouni Kenshin: Hokkaido Arc manga will resume in the magazine's July issue on June 4. The manga went on hiatus last December following Watsuki being charged for possession of child pornography. Watsuki was later f...
AtGames Deletes Twitter Post About Involvement with Sega Mega Drive Mini Console
Console will feature "memorable famous games" from Mega Drive console released in 1989
― Game hardware developer AtGames had posted a Twitter post on April 14 stating that Sega's Mega Drive Mini console will be "powered by the latest AtGames technology," but the company has since deleted the Twitter post. The company hasn't deleted several replies it made to users who commented on the original post, ...
Yume Ōkoku to Nemureru 100-Nin no Ōji-sama Game's Manga Adaptation Launches
Maika Narumi draws manga based on GCREST's smartphone game
― The official website of GCREST's Yume Ōkoku to Nemureru 100-Nin no Ōji-sama (The Kingdom of Dreams and the 100 Sleeping Princes or "Yume-100" for short) smartphone puzzle role-playing game revealed last Thursday that Maika Narumi launched a manga adaptation of the game on the same day on the Manga Park website. Like the game, the manga focu...
Mari Okada's Maquia Film Gets Manga
Mito Satō draws manga adaptation of P.A. Works original film
― Manga creator Mito Satō launched a manga adaptation of P.A. Works and Mari Okada's Maquia - When the Promised Flower Blooms original anime film on Cygame's Cycomi manga website on Sunday. The film is the directorial debut of anime screenwriter Okada (The Anthem of the Heart, anohana). She wrote the film's scripts at P.A. Works. Eleven Art...
Amazon Streams Chi's Sweet Adventure Season 2
1st season premiered 2016, with subtitled, English-dubbed stream by Amazon
― Amazon Prime began streaming the second season of the Chi's Sweet Adventure (Koneko no Chi Ponponra Dairyokō) 3DCG anime on April 7 with English subtitles in the United States. The anime premiered on TV Tokyo and its affiliate networks in Japan on April 8. The staff for the Chi's Sweet Adventure (Koneko no Chi Ponponra Daibō...
Baltimore Sci-Fi Society, Other Organizations Offer Events for Universal FanCon Attendees This Weekend
BSFS to host weekend events, pop-up con to be held in Baltimore on April 28, event in Philadelphia to offer free passes
― The Baltimore Science Fiction Society (BSFS) announced on Sunday that it is inviting registered Universal FanCon attendees to several events over the original April 27-29 date of Universal FanCon after the convention announced last Friday that the event had been postponed until fu...
Sunday, April 22
Gaikotsu Shotenin Honda-san TV Anime Premieres in Fall
Teaser visual also unveiled
― The official website for the anime adaptation of Honda's Gaikotsu Shotenin Honda-san (Skeleton Bookstore Employee Honda) manga revealed on Monday that the anime will be a television anime that will premiere this fall. The site also unveiled a teaser visual for the anime. Honda also drew an illustration to commemorate the announcement. Honda jokingly commented that the an...
Man Arrested for Sending Death Threats to Actress Non
Police arrest 47-year-old Hokkaido man after allegedly writing 4 death threats
― Police from the Seijō area of Tokyo revealed on Thursday that they have arrested 47-year-old Yoshikatsu Tanaka in Kitami, Hokkaido for criminal intimidation, after he allegedly left death threats as comments on actress Non's blog. According to police, the man allegedly used his smartphone to write four threatening commen...
Live-Action Marmalade Boy Film's Clip Shows Yū & Miki in the Kitchen
Film of classic shōjo romance manga opens on Friday
― Warner Bros. Japan began streaming a clip from the live-action film of Wataru Yoshizumi's Marmalade Boy manga on Monday. The clip shows Yū (Ryō Yoshizawa) preparing his signature stew for dinner later, and Miki (Hinako Sakurai) admits she is hungry as her stomach rumbles. The film will open in Japan on Friday. Previously announced cast members inc...
Live-Action Nisekoi Film Stars Sexy Zone Idol Kento Nakajima, Ayami Nakajō
Live-action My Love Story!!'s Hayato Kawai directs December 21 film
― The staff for the live-action film of Naoshi Komi's Nisekoi - False Love manga revealed the lead cast, director, and December 21 opening for the film on Monday. Sexy Zone idol group member Kento Nakajima (Silver Spoon, Bad Boys J, Kazoku no Uta, left in visual below) plays Raku Ichijō, while Ayami Nakajō (Anonymous Noise, Lychee Li...
Masami Yuuki's Kyūkyoku Chōjin R Manga Gets New Volume After 31 Years
Manga also gets new 1-shot
― This year's combined 21st and 22nd issues of Shogakukan's Weekly Big Comic Spirits magazine revealed on Monday that Mobile Police Patlabor manga creator Masami Yuuki will publish a new volume of manga for his Kyūkyoku Chōjin R manga on August 10. Shogakukan published the manga's ninth volume in 1987. To commemorate the new volume, Yuuki will publish a new one-shot for the...
My Hero Academia ‒ Episode 41
"This cast is so big and saturated, and episodes like this know how to take advantage of that fact to keep giving the viewers at home something to chew on."
Black Clover: Quartet Knights Game Adds Vanessa as Playable Character
Game launches this year for PS4, PC
― This year's combined 21st and 22nd issue of Shueisha's Weekly Shonen Jump magazine announced on Monday that Vanessa Enoteca is joining the Black Clover: Quartet Knights game as a playable character. The game's playable characters so far include Asta, Yuno, Noelle Silva, Mimosa Vermillion, Gauche Adlai, Magna Swing, Luck Voltia, Yami Sukehiro, and an original fema...
Season Premiere: Full Metal Panic! Invisible Victory—Episodes 1-2
"I honestly don't know how this return could have been done better beyond the limitations of its TV budget."
PTSD Radio GNs 1-2
This daring and unique horror anthology offers outstanding thrills that can be a little disorienting. Lynzee Loveridge gets into the nitty-gritty of this unusual series.
― Samson's long hair gave him the unsurpassed strength. Scottish folklore dictates that if a bird steals your cut hair for nesting, it means your imminent death. Long, cascading hair is wildly associated with femininity and the subje...
Black Clover Manga Gets Smartphone Game this Year
Game allows players to create their own squad with favorite characters
― This year's combined 21st and 22nd issue of Shueisha's Weekly Shonen Jump magazine announced on Monday that Yūki Tabata's Black Clover manga is inspiring a smartphone game titled Black Clover: Mugen no Kishidan (Dream Knights) that will launch for iOS and Android devices this year. The game will be free to play, with the opportu...
New Muhyo & Roji Anime's Cast, Staff Unveiled
Ayumu Murase, Yuu Hayashi, Tetsuya Kakihara, Hiroshi Kamiya star in new summer anime
― This year's combined 21st and 22nd issue of Shueisha's Weekly Shonen Jump magazine revealed the cast and staff for the new television anime adaptation of Yoshiyuki Nishi's Muhyo to Roji no Mahōritsu Sōdan Jimusho (Muhyo & Roji's Bureau of Supernatural Investigation) manga on Monday. The cast includes: Ayumu Murase ...
Gunsmith Cats Anime Kickstarter Campaign Reaches All Stretch Goals
Campaign ends on Monday
― AnimEigo's Kickstarter campaign for a Blu-ray Disc release of the Gunsmith Cats anime has raised more than US$300,000, funding a final stretch goal to feature an English commentary track for Episode 3 with voice actors Amanda Winn Lee and Kimberly Yates. The company also announced on Sunday that it is planning a final "Backer's Choice" stretch goal. AnimEigo will propose sev...
Yuruyuri Manga Gets 10th Anniversary Original Video Anime
Namori's manga already inspired 3 TV anime seasons, earlier OVA, TV specials
― The official website for the anime of Namori's Yuruyuri manga announced on Sunday that production on a new original video anime has been green-lit to commemorate the manga's 10th anniversary. The new project is titled "Yuruyuri," — pronounced "Yuruyuri ten." The "," or "ten" is a wordplay on the English word "ten" and the ...
Future Card Buddyfight X: All-Star Fight Anime's Dub Debuts on May 5
Anime premiered on April 7, is available now with subtitles on YouTube & Crunchyroll
― The Facebook page for Bushiroad's Future Card Buddyfight franchise announced on Friday that the English dub of the Future Card Buddyfight X: All-Star Fight anime will debut on May 5. The anime premiered in Japan on April 7, is streaming on the franchise's official YouTube channel English subtitles. Crunchyroll is a...
Anime Limited Reveals English Dub Cast for Rokka: Braves of the Six Flowers Anime
U.K. release set for May 28; dub stars Robbie Daymond, Abby Trott, more
― U.K. anime distributor Anime Limited announced on Saturday that it will release the Rokka: Braves of the Six Flowers anime on DVD and Blu-ray Disc on May 28. The releases will include an English dub along with Japanese audio and English subtitles. The show's dub cast includes: Robbie Daymond as Adlet Abby Trott as Nachetanya Br...
Tales of the Abyss Game's New Stage Play Reveals Cast, Visual
Stage play debuts on June 15
― Bandai Namco Entertainment revaled the key visual and additional cast for its new Tales of the Abyss stage play, Tales of the Stage - Lorelei no Chikara wo Tsugusha - LIVE&THEATER at Yokohama Arena (Tales of the Stage - Inheritor of Lorelei's Power - LIVE&THEATER at Yokohama Arena), on Friday. The stage play is set to perform at the Yokohama Arena Main Hall on June 15. ...
Rose Guns Days Season One's Sōichirō Ends Innocent Devil Manga
4th volume of series set for July
― The May issue of Square Enix's Gangan Joker magazine published the final chapter on Saturday of Moto Nakamura and Sōichirō's Innocent Devil manga series. The fourth volume of the series is set for release in July. Square Enix describes the story: Jack the Ripper, Ed Gein, Andrei Chikatilo, John Wayne Gacy, Jeffrey Dahmer. Separate from these serial killers that sho...
5th Touken Ranbu Stage Play Reveals Additional Cast, Visuals, Tour Dates
Stage play tours on June 2 - July 29 in Tokyo, Kyoto, Fukuoka
― Marvelous' official website for the Touken Ranbu series of stage plays revealed more details about the fifth play in the series on Friday, including the title, cast visuals, venues, and dates. The fifth stage play is titled Touken Ranbu: Hiden Yuinome no Hototogisu, and it will run from June 2 to July 29 in Tokyo, Kyoto, and Fukuoka. The...
Saturday, April 21
Shonen Jump Reveals 2nd Annual App Development Contest
Despite publishers' steadfast reliance on print publication, a new wave of digital media is taking hold. Hiroyuki Nakano, the new editor-in-chief of Shueisha's Weekly Shonen Jump magazine, confirmed in July that rising digital demand is making up for shrinking print runs. Reports then revealed this past February that digital manga volume sales overtook sales of physical manga volumes for the first...
Series Premiere: Hinamatsuri—Episodes 1-3
"Hinamatsuri is a willfully and unapologetically weird show, but there's something charming about its willingness to throw logic out the window."
Record of Grancrest War ‒ Episode 15
"It's no surprise that everything's coming up Theo, but this episode hints that the real surprises are coming next week."
ToraCon Otaku Marriage Consultation Service Adds Wine Tasting, Lolita Tea Party, Anime Pilgrimage
The otaku marriage consultation service ToraCon has been expanding with events geared toward both men and women since its launch in February 2017. The company recently revealed three new "party" events to help bring potential couples together. First, ToraCon will hold a tasting event for anime collaboration wine and sake in the kitchen space at the Tora building in Tokyo on May 12. The event will ...
Series Premiere: Megalobox—Episodes 1-3
"This show is so cool and confident that it ought to be criminal."
Series Premiere: Wotakoi - Love is Hard for Otaku—Episodes 1-2
"Relationships are beautiful, but they're also tricky, and Wotakoi really feels like it's written from a place of experience with both the wonders and the warts of nerd love."
Intersex Manga Creator Stars in Documentary About Personal Experiences
Manga creator Shō Arai is starring in the Seibetsu ga, Nai! Intersex Mangaka no Queer na Hibi (I Have No Sex!: An Intersex Manga Creator's Daily Life) documentary film. The project's Motion Gallery crowdfunding campaign has six days left. The documentary focuses on Arai's life, explores the question "How is love possible as a sexual minority?," and aims to fund screenings and distribution publicit...
Series Premiere: Comic Girls—Episodes 1-3
"Familiarity isn't always a bad thing, and while Comic Girls doesn't cover a lot of new ground, it seldom feels redundant."
Hozuki's Coolheadedness' Ichiko, Niko Haunt Tatami Room in VR Video
A new 360-degree VR video for the Hozuki's Coolheadedness anime debuted on Friday. In the video, the Zashiki-warashi girls Ichiko and Niko creepily wander around a tatami room. The anime's staff are encouraging people to watch the video on their smartphones and upload screenshots with specific hashtags on social media. The second cour (quarter-year) of the second season of the anime premiered on A...
Series Premiere: Tada Never Falls in Love—Episodes 1-3
"With its soft pastel art style and bouncy music, Tada Never Falls in Love has all the makings of a hit anime comedy, but it also has so many places where it could go wrong."
Re:Zero Prize Lottery Line Offers Figures, Towels, Bath Sets, More
Banpresto's newest Ichiban Kuji prize lottery line will feature Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World-. The top prize is Rem and Ram figures in cat-eared hoodies, and the line will debut at convenience stores, bookstores, and other retailers in Japan on May 12. A Prize"Nyanko mode" Rem and Ram figures B PrizeMicrofiber long towels (three varieties) C PrizeBath set of clear poster and bath powde...
Summer Lesson: Allison & Chisato VR Game's English Trailer Reveals Summer Debut in Southeast Asia
Both installments to get English release in Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines, Indonesia
― Bandai Namco Entertainment Asia began streaming the first English trailer on Friday for its release of the Summer Lesson: Allison Snow and Summer Lesson Shinjo Chisato: Shichiyō no Etude installments of the Summer Lesson PlayStation VR game. The English version will be available this summer in Sout...
Märchen Mädchen Light Novel Series, Manga Approach Climax
4th novel volume to cover story of anime's as-yet unaired 11th, 12th episodes
― StoryWorks writer Yūichi Kadota posted on Twitter on Thursday that the fourth novel volume of late author Tomohiro Matsu and artist Kantoku's Märchen Mädchen light novel series will be the series' climax. Kadota said the contents of the novel correspond to episodes 11 and 12 of the anime. The novel will ship on April 25. ...
Comic LO Manga Magazine to Have 'Important Announcement' on May 21
This year's June issue of Akaneshinsha's Comic LO magazine announced on Saturday that the magazine will have an "important announcement" in its next issue on May 21. The issue added, "as expected, this year seems to be the year of victory or defeat." Akaneshinsha launched the Comic LO (LO meaning "Lolita Only") adult manga magazine in September 2002. The company published the magazine irregularly ...
Vancouver's Anirevo Hosts Voice Actor Kappei Yamaguchi
One Piece, Inuyasha, Persona 4 voice actor to host panels, photo booth sessions at August 3-5 event
― The Anirevo convention in Vancouver announced on Friday that it will host voice actor Kappei Yamaguchi. The appearance will mark Yamaguchi's second appearance at Anirevo. He will host autograph sessions, photo booth sessions, a live recording panel, and a Q&A panel. Yamaguchi has voiced roles in such...
Dragon Ball FighterZ Game Unveils Next DLC Character
Character appears in episodes that have not yet aired on Toonami
― (Note: This article contains spoilers for Dragon Ball Super episodes that have not yet aired on Toonami.) This year's June issue of Shueisha's V-Jump magazine announced on Saturday that Fusion Zamasu, the fusion of Goku Black and Zamasu from Dragon Ball Super, will be the next playable DLC character for the Dragon Ball FighterZ game. ...
Baltimore's Universal FanCon Postponed Indefinitely 1 Week Before Opening
Convention had announced Japanese guests
― The official Twitter account for Universal Fancon announced on Friday that the event has been postponed until further notice. According the the announcement, the staff are "taking steps to reschedule the convention." The convention was scheduled to have its inaugural event in Baltimore at the Baltimore Convention Center from April 27-29. The convention's web...
Capcom's Puzzle Fighter Smartphone Game Shuts Down on July 31
Game launched for iOS, Android last November
― Capcom announced on Friday that it will remove its Puzzle Fighter smartphone game from app stores on July 1. Capcom will then shut down the game's servers on July 31. Capcom stated that it gifted 10,000 in-game gems to users in the game on Friday. The company is also making characters Regina, Dr. Wily, and Ada Wong available for free for all players, as ...
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