It's the perfect weather to read more books! Cozy up and find your next light novel read, whether it's horror in a certain region in Japan or a fantasy romance. ― Welcome to Anime News Network's Winter 2026 Light Novel Guide, the companion to our manga guide! Every included novel was published in December or January or is an upcoming February release. This guide focuses exclusively on series premier...

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Exploring 50 Years of Shaft Works in One Exhibition

Jan 23, 13:08

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anime

There are very few animation studios in Japan that can claim to have reached the prestigious 50th anniversary milestone. And now, renowned studio SHAFT can claim its place among the pentagenarian animation studios. ― There are very few animation studios in Japan that can claim to have reached the prestigious 50th anniversary milestone. And now, renowned studio SHAFT can claim its place among the pent...

review

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Cosmic Princess Kaguya! Anime Film Review

Jan 23, 12:00

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anime

What do you get if you smash together The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter with the online-sphere riffs of BELLE and a dash of Revolutionary Girl Utena's sapphic affection? ― What do you get if you smash together The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter with the online-sphere riffs of Belle and a dash of Revolutionary Girl Utena 's sapphic affection? You get a chromatic storm like the fantasy sci-fi musical Cosmic Pri...

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This Week in Games - SNK Sinks, Resident Evil Bling, and How Lara Croft Came to Japan

Jan 23, 10:00

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games

Somehow, City of the Wolves has done well enough to get a second wave of DLC. And the trailer is another curling of the monkey's paw. ― Welcome back, folks! In an effort to find joy wherever I can, I had a bright spot this week with the arrival of the Izuna soundtrack collection I had ordered from Very Okay Vinyl. Now, I don't own a record player (or even a CD player), but seeing these sets brought m...

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Light Novel Exhibit 2025: Viewing and Tasting the Experience

Jan 23, 09:00

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events novels

The event featured massive displays for Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World-, Konosuba - God's Blessing on This Wonderful World!, Date A Live, The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, and Sword Art Online. ― Light novels are an integral part of the otaku fandom both in Japan and abroad. With several popular anime series such as Slayers, Full Metal Panic!, The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, The Familiar...

review

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Zombie Land Saga: Yumeginga Paradise Film Review

Jan 22, 12:00

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anime

Zombies battle aliens in the Zombie Land Saga movie, which isn’t as funny as the show but reminds us why Tae Yamada is Legendary. ― The strongest quality of Zombie Land Saga's first two seasons that this movie mostly lacks is the power of surprise. The TV series excelled at taking huge swerves, dishing out the most absurd comedic situations interspersed with unexpected heartwarming moments. The movie...

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This Week in Anime - Romcom Rendez-Vous

Jan 22, 10:00 anime

Lucas and Coop look at how the new season of romances and romantic comedies stack up. Is it enough to make you say, "I'll have what she's having?" ― Lucas and Coop look at how the new season of romances and romantic comedies stack up. Is it enough to make you say, "I'll have what she's having?" Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by the participants in this chatlog are not the views of Anim...

review

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Love Through a Prism Anime Series Review

Jan 21, 12:00

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anime

For all the brickbats that you could throw at it, Netflix's sumptuous new romance series set in 1910s London is admirably well-made and thoroughly entertaining. ― Love Through a Prism is the lavish new period romance anime series. It's mostly set in England of the 1910s; it's animated primarily by Wit Studio (though with a plethora of collaborating studios in the credits); and it's co-written by Boys...

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How First-Time Voice Actor Ai Mikami Took on Her Role in All You Need is Kill Anime Film

Jan 21, 10:00 anime

Mikami takes on the voice-acting world as Rita in the animated adaptation after a successful turn in live-action roles. ― In 2014, the world was graced with the action-packed live-action adaptation of Hiroshi Sakurazaka's 2004 novel All You Need is Kill in the Tom Cruise-led film Edge of Tomorrow. Now, just over a decade later, All You Need is Kill saw its feature-length anime film debut. Starring Ai...

interview

Exploring an Alien World with All You Need is Kill Director Kenichiro Akimoto

Jan 21, 09:00 anime

A novel, a manga, a comic, a live-action movie starring Tom Cruise. All You Need is Kill is a story that keeps coming back, but Studio 4C's version may be the most daring yet. ― The feature film All You Need is Kill opened in America last Friday, a week after it opened in Japan. Before that, the film was shown at the Scotland Loves Anime festival in Edinburgh, London, and Glasgow. The first-time dire...

news

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Pretty Series Franchise Announces Latest Installment Onegai AiPri

Jan 21, 06:19

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More details to be revealed on February 26 ― The official X (formerly Twitter) account for the Himitsu no AiPri (Secret AiPri) multimedia project revealed Onegai AiPri (Please AiPri), the latest installment in Takara Tomy Arts and syn Sophia's overall Pretty Series multimedia franchise, on Wednesday. The staff will reveal more details on Onegai AiPri on February 26. The Pretty Series began with syn S...

news

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The World Is Dancing Manga Gets TV Anime This Summer

Jan 21, 05:32

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anime

Yumiri Hanamori stars as Noh playwright in Cygames Pictures anime of Kazuto Mihara's story ― Shochiku announced in a video on Wednesday that Kazuto Mihara's The World Is Dancing manga is getting a television anime adaptation this summer. The announcement also revealed the anime's teaser visual, main staff, and Yumiri Hanamori as the protagonist Oniyasha. The below teaser visual is drawn by character ...

news

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Netflix, MAPPA Strengthen Partnership to Co-Develop, Exclusively Stream Original Titles

Jan 20, 20:30

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industry

Future MAPPA titles to stream exclusively, simultaneously on Netflix globally ― Netflix announced on Wednesday that it has formed a new strategic partnership with anime studio MAPPA. The new partnership makes Netflix the exclusive streamer for a number of future original anime titles from MAPPA, and allows the two companies to work together on these new projects in a more comprehensive way "from stor...

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The Winter 2026 Manga Guide

Jan 20, 14:14

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manga

It's ANN's first ever Winter Manga Guide! Get ready for the upcoming Witch Hat Atelier anime with a gorgeous artbook, explore the horrific end of the world in Dragon Head, and more! ― Welcome to Anime News Network's Winter 2026 Manga Guide! You may have seen one of our seasonal Anime Preview Guides, where a team of critics writes up each new anime television premiere as it airs at the beginning of a...

review

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Inexpressive Kashiwada and Expressive Oota Anime Series Review

Jan 20, 12:00

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anime

I wanted a spin on the usual “opposites attract” story, and that’s exactly what I got. Perhaps I wanted it a little too much. ― I feel like I was the only person on the face of the Earth who was the least bit excited for Inexpressive Kashiwada and Expressive Oota. Why not? I enjoyed the first episode enough, with its solid direction and its spin on the archetypal “opposites attract” premise. He's an ...

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This Week in Anime - Maybe It's Isekai (Maybe It's LitRPG)

Jan 20, 10:00

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anime

Is it isekai? Is it LitRPG? If it has a stat screen, does it even matter? Chris and Sylvia discuss. ― Is it isekai? Is it LitRPG? If it has a stat screen, does it even matter? Chris and Sylvia discuss. 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. Hell Mode and Reincarnated ...

Soreike! Anpanman: Pantan to Yakusoku no Hoshi (movie)

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