Anime fans in the UK will often import low-price American anime box sets - but is that ethical? What's the impact on their own local anime distributors? Justin gets into it. ― Jason asks: What do Japanese licence holders think of people in the UK importing US region 1 discs? How legal is this? Some times a show never seems to get a UK release and isn't available for streaming either. Japanese produc...

feature

3 comments

Interview: Attack on Titan's Trina Nishimura and Yui Ishikawa

Jul 24, 12:01

3 comments

anime

The voices behind Mikasa Ackerman come together to discuss what it's been like to be part of Attack on Titan's legacy! ― As Attack on Titan's second season came to an end, and Cartoon Network's Adult Swim block aired a supersized marathon of episodes from the series over the weekend, both the Japanese and English voice actresses for Mikasa Ackerman convened at Anime Expo to celebrate this mega-series...

column

5 comments

Shelf Life - School-Live!

Jul 24, 11:00

5 comments

anime

James Beckett discovers surprising thrills and chills in this slice of life drama that's more than it seems on the surface. Plus, all this week's new releases and a new Shelf Obsessed! ― My daily streaming review shows for this season have a suspicious number of things in common. Both New Game and Gamers are video game-themed slice-of-life comedies (one about the people who make them, one about the ...

review

22 comments

Review: Saga of Tanya the Evil

Jul 24, 10:00

22 comments

anime

This unusual series combines dark comedy and war drama to shockingly entertaining effect. Nick Creamer delves into Tanya's cynical world. ― Saga of Tanya the Evil's first episode largely confirmed all my worst suspicions regarding the title. Framed from the perspective of a tiny girl who'd somehow risen to officer status within a faux-German military, it seemed to revel in nastiness, playing up the g...

column

35 comments

The Mike Toole Show - The Magnificent 1997

Jul 23, 13:49

35 comments

anime

Mike straps in to his time machine for a trip back to the year 1997 to revisit some of his old favorites, from Battle Athletes to a little show called Berserk! ― This week, I'm finding myself stuck between stations. I've got a couple of pieces in the early stages, and one column that's almost done but just needs a little more detail to really make it work. Retrospective pieces are always good in a pi...

ep. review

29 comments

Series Premiere: The Reflection

Jul 23, 11:40

29 comments

anime

Studio DEEN and Stan Lee team up for this summer's new superhero anime, with a controversial artistic style. Our weekly series reviews begin here!

feature

36 comments

The Controversial Legacy of Final Fantasy XII

Jul 23, 11:26

36 comments

games

Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age is an ambitious remaster of a game with a notoriously rocky development and release. Dustin turns the pages of Ivalice history for a look back. ― There is perhaps no Final Fantasy game—and certainly no 3D entry in the series—which has been uncontroversial. Maybe that's the cost of a franchise where each iteration is wildly different from its predecessor, making group...

review

8 comments

Genshiken: Second Season GN 9

Jul 23, 10:00

8 comments

manga

Genshiken seeks to steer its most questionable plot arc into safer waters in its surprisingly thoughtful ninth volume. ― Genshiken Second Season has been a bit of a mess. In contrast with the original series' sensitive and remarkably grounded approach to fandom circles, Second Season has shifted from a promising setup into outright harem comedy territory, its characters moaning about their own cliche...

column

30 comments

The List - 6 Fantastic Female Friendships in Anime

Jul 22, 11:00

30 comments

anime

Whether they're taking down monsters or just surviving the trials of high school, these gal pals have each other's backs through the best and worst of times. ― Hello readers! As you may or may not know, I'm approaching my fifth anniversary as the author of The List. With the exception of brief hiatuses and reprints over the last year or so, that's roughly 250 columns written about anime and manga to...

review

24 comments

Fate/Apocrypha — Episodes 1-3

Jul 22, 10:00

24 comments

anime

While we wait for the newest animated entry in the Fate series to arrive on Netflix, Kim Morrissy has a look at the first three episodes straight from Japan. How does this "Great Grail War" compare to its predecessors? ― Note: While Fate/Apocrypha is not yet available streaming in English, this review comes courtesy of our Tokyo correspondent who watched these first three episodes in Japan. Fate/Apoc...

feature

0 comments

Interview: Tokyo Ghoul (live-action) Director Kentarō Hagiwara

Jul 21, 12:00

0 comments

live-action

The director behind this challenging action/horror manga adaptation discusses the process behind bringing the shock and wonder of Tokyo Ghoul to life on the big screen. ― Just before its wide Japanese release, the live action Tokyo Ghoul film premiered at Anime Expo on July 3rd, 2017. Hundreds of people waited hours in line for a chance to see the film, whose screening filled the JW Marriot's Diamond...

column

50 comments

Answerman - Why Aren't Anime Sales Figures Made Public?

Jul 21, 11:30

50 comments

anime

We'd really love to know exactly how well our favorite anime sold on Bluray and DVD. Why do they keep these numbers from us? Justin gets into it. ― Michael asks: I was wondering if you could explain the mindset behind why anime companies seem to be so secretive with their sales numbers. I could be wrong about this, but I don't see any benefit to not releasing how many units "title x" sold or how man...

feature

31 comments

Why Affordable Housing for Animators Matters (and What You Can Do to Help)

Jul 21, 11:00

31 comments

industry

Callum May takes an inside look at the Animator Supporters Dormitory Project that aims to give affordable housing to overworked animators. Find out how you can help support the lifeblood of the anime industry! ― If you're interested in finding out more about the anime industry, you'll undoubtedly come across numerous reports of struggling animators. For the most part, anime is not a practical way to ...

review

28 comments

School-Live! Blu-Ray

Jul 21, 10:00

28 comments

anime

This one-of-a-kind combination of slice-of-life and horror starts strange and finishes strong. Theron Martin explores just what makes this series so special. ― The first episode of this series is one of the biggest cases of misdirection in anime history, as both the opening theme and first twenty minutes suggest that this is going to be a high-spirited slice-of-life series about schoolgirls. Sure, th...

feature

512 comments

The Summer 2017 Anime Preview Guide

Jul 18, 12:00

512 comments

anime

Looking for a fresh Summer anime? Our complete guide to the entire season is available now.
Reviews Include: Gamers! - Classroom of the Elite - My First Girlfriend is a Gal - Magic Circle Guru-Guru - In Another World with my Smartphone - New Game!! - Angel's 3Piece! - Chronos Ruler - Princess Principal - A Centaur's Life - Hitorijime My Hero - Action Heroine Cheer Fruits - and much more! ― Welcome t...