Don’t pick up I Tamed My Ex-Husband’s Mad Dog if you’re looking for a light, romantic read. ― It may seem disingenuous to say this, but I Tamed My Ex-Husband's Mad Dog is one of those stories that gets very dark, maybe darker the longer it goes on. Certainly, the covers make that case, although as we all know, you can't always judge a book by one. (Or by their titles, for that matter.) But even among...

interview

1 comment

Global Anime Challenge Unites Industry Veterans to Mentor Aspiring Animators and Tackle Crunch Culture for a Healthier Future

Jul 14, 10:00

1 comment

anime industry

Anime talents behind Frieren, The Elusive Samurai, & Your Name reflect on industry hardships and whether unionization could be the key to lasting reform. ― At Anime Central 2025, Anime News Network sat down with four of Japan's rising anime talents—director Keiichiro Saitō (Frieren: Beyond Journey's End, Bocchi the Rock!), producer Takafumi Nakame (The Garden of Words, Your Name), and animators Kaoru...

interview

1 comment

Inside the Director's Toy Box: An Interview with Hiroshi Nagahama at Animazement 2025

Jul 14, 09:00

1 comment

anime

If there's a director who embodies the childlike wonder of believing that a man can fly, look no further than Hiroshi Nagahama. ― If there's a director who embodies the childlike wonder of believing that a man can fly, look no further than Hiroshi Nagahama. While speaking at Otakon last year, the Mushi-Shi and Flowers of Evil director was so passionate about his work, he ended up having to leave the ...

news

5 comments

Aniplex, A-1 Pictures, Psyde Kick Studio Announce Grow Up Show Original Anime

Jul 14, 05:13

5 comments

anime

Saekano's Kanta Kamei directs original anime at A-1 Pictures' new label ― Aniplex, A-1 Pictures, and Psyde Kick Studio announced the original anime project Grow Up Show: Himawari no Circus-dan (Grow Up Show: The Sunflower Circus Troupe) on "Sunflower Day" on Monday. The work will debut in 2026. Kanta Kamei (Oreshura, Dimension W, Saekano: How to Raise a Boring Girlfriend) is directing the work, and K...

news

6 comments

Enju's Kusunoki's Garden of Gods Light Novels Get TV Anime in 2026

Jul 14, 05:00

6 comments

novels anime

Story of man living peacefully surrounded by gods launched in 2021 ― Kadokawa announced on Monday the television anime adaptation of Enju's Kusunoki's Garden of Gods (Kami no Niwatsuki Kusunoki-tei) light novel series slated to debut in 2026, and also revealed its teaser visual: The original novels' illustrator ox and the manga adaptation artist Akira Anzai both drew commemorative illustrations for t...

game review

8 comments

Yakuza 0: Director's Cut Game Review

Jul 13, 12:00

8 comments

games

Unfortunately, for all of its improvements and refinements, this Director's Cut cannot truly be called the definitive version of Yakuza 0. ― Going back to Yakuza 0 after all of these years was a fascinating experience. On the one hand, this is a decade-old entry in a franchise that has since exploded in its popularity and ambitions, all of which is thanks in large part to this particular prequel's su...

news

3 comments

Monster Strike Mobile Game's 1st TV Anime to Premiere in October

Jul 13, 11:35

3 comments

anime

Deadverse Reloaded to run for 1 quarter on broadcast TV instead of online ― Monster Strike: Deadverse Reloaded, the first anime series based on MIXL's mobile role-playing game franchise to premiere on broadcast television, will launch in October. It will run for one cours (quarter of a year) on Tokyo MX and 44 other channels throughout Japan. MIXL launched the original game on iOS and Android devices...

news

2 comments

World's 1st Dragon Ball Store to Open in Tokyo This Fall

Jul 13, 09:28

2 comments

merch

Store marks 40th anniversary of Akira Toriyama's manga with exclusive goods ― The first Dragon Ball Store in the world will open in Tokyo this fall to commemorate the 40th anniversary of Akira Toriyama's original manga. The store will have "must-buy" items for fans, including exclusive goods available nowhere else. The franchise's official website and social media accounts will announce the opening d...

feature

348 comments

The Summer Anime 2025 Preview Guide sponsored by Crunchyroll

Jul 12, 13:02

348 comments

anime

Shiki's bombastic Oni powers can turn blood into a weapon. Read our reviews of Tougen Anki in the Preview Guide! Plus: New Panty and Stocking, The Summer Hikaru Died, Toilet-Bound Hanako-kun, Gachiakuta, My Dress-Up Darling Seaosn 2, and more! ― Welcome to Anime News Network's Summer 2025 Anime Preview Guide sponsored by Crunchyroll! Here's how it goes: our team of critics writes up their impression...

review

4 comments

Detective Conan: The Black Iron Submarine Anime Film Review

Jul 12, 12:00

4 comments

anime

I would put this in my top three Detective Conan movies. ― The Black Organization is the primary antagonist in the Detective Conan franchise. While the abundance of filler in the main anime series causes their presence to get buried, when even a single member makes an appearance, that's when you know that an episode is important. The organization ties all of the major plot points of the series togeth...

review

15 comments

Virgin Punk: Clockwork Girl Anime Film Review

Jul 11, 12:00

15 comments

anime

Virgin Punk is the most gorgeously animated 35 minutes of ultraviolent anime I've ever seen. ― Virgin Punk is the most gorgeously animated 35 minutes of ultraviolent anime I've ever seen. Every frame has an unreal level of detail. The action itself is smooth, clear, and impressively choreographed. The direction is likewise a masterclass in visual storytelling, and more than a bit of rotoscoping has b...