Itsuki WATANABE

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

Jul 17, 10:00

games

Jean-Karlo has good news (Megami Tensei novels!) and bad news (GenAI encroaching on otome games) and a few things in between. ― Welcome back, folks! I spent my weekend at a family friend's wedding; it was a pleasant time, and part of the proceedings had me play as Hippolyta during a brief recitation of A Midsummer Night's Dream. Sadly, I also heard news that Sam Niell passed away over the weekend. Th...

feature

ANN Manga and Novel Summer Reading List 2026

Jul 17, 10:00

manga novels korean

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? ― 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 give...

BanG Dream! Now Has a Real Villain in Viola

Jul 17, 10:00 anime

All stories are fundamentally based on conflict. However cute girls band stories of BanG Dream! don't generally feature outright antagonists. Until YUME∞MITA gave us Viola. ― All stories are fundamentally based on conflict. Due to their nature, the girls band stories of BanG Dream! don't generally feature outright antagonists supplying said conflict. The girls struggle against obstacles within and wi...

interview

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

Jul 17, 09:00 anime

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. ― BanG Dream! YUME∞MITA is a refreshed new entry in the long-running girls band franchise. With a band made up of new virtual performers starring in an anime with a rem...

review

Kingdom of Quartz Volumes 2-5 Manga Review

Jul 16, 12:00

manga

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)...

column

This Week in Anime - Summer Lovin'

Jul 16, 10:00

anime

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...

convention

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Sonic the Hedgehog Producer on Celebrating Game's 35th Anniversary and the Future of the Series

Jul 15, 17:30

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games

Lead producer Takashi Iizuka discusses the 35th-anniversary milestone, Sonic's recent collaborations, and what the future of the series could look like. ― Sonic the Hedgehog is celebrating its 35th anniversary this year. The Blue Blur has been an iconic gaming staple since the beginning. To this day, Sonic continues to draw in both old and new audiences with SEGA's ever-expanding lineup of games, as ...

feature

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The Prescience of Masamune Shirow's Ghost in the Shell

Jul 15, 14:38

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anime manga

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...

news

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Hiroyasu Kobayashi, SAFEHOUSE, AREA35 Unveil Tiny Metal: Zero Line Anime

Jul 15, 13:37

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anime

World premiere of pilot episode debuted at Japan Expo in France on July 9 ― Studio Khara's Hiroyasu Kobayashi unveiled the new Tiny Metal: Zero Line anime, based on AREA35's Tiny Metal turn-based tactical game, with the world premiere of the pilot episode at Japan Expo 2026 on July 9 at the Parc des Expositions de Paris-Nord Villepinte in France. The game's official YouTube channel is streaming a tea...

review

Natsume & Natsume Volume 2-10 Manga Review

Jul 15, 12:00 manga

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...

convention

Mob Psycho 100 Director Yuzuru Tachikawa Shared Cut Reigen-Focused Scene

Jul 14, 19:30

anime

At AX, Tachikawa showed a scene that didn't make it into Mob Psycho 100 II episode seven. ― At Crunchyroll's "Go 100%! Mob Psycho 100 10th Anniversary Celebration," voice actors Setsuo Ito (Mob) and Takahiro Sakurai (Reigen) and director Yuzuru Tachikawa reminisced about the anime and shared anecdotes from the series' original run, including an intimate peek into his storyboarding process. During a s...

review

Even a Replica Can Fall in Love Anime Series Review

Jul 14, 12:00

anime

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...

column

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This Week in Anime - Scraping the Bottom of the Barrel

Jul 14, 10:00

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anime

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....

news

ippatu's Tsugumi Project Manga Gets TV Anime

Jul 14, 02:48