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The Summer 2025 Anime Trailer Watch Party with Vantacrow!
The stream goes live at 6pm PDT/9pm EDT!
Sponsored by Crunchyroll. ― The Anime News Network Trailer Watch Party crew is excited to welcome NIJISANJI EN VTuber Vantacrow Bringer to this season's stream! Vantacrow is the hero the team needs to face this season's 70-trailer challenge on Friday, June 27. You can join us and chat live on YouTube and X while discovering your next anime obsession. The stre...
Sponsored by Crunchyroll. ― The Anime News Network Trailer Watch Party crew is excited to welcome NIJISANJI EN VTuber Vantacrow Bringer to this season's stream! Vantacrow is the hero the team needs to face this season's 70-trailer challenge on Friday, June 27. You can join us and chat live on YouTube and X while discovering your next anime obsession. The stre...
The Worst Anime of Spring 2025
Which is more disappointing? A show with all the makings of a competent sci-fi thriller that fumbles it from the starting line, or a series backed by one of the industry's biggest stars that fails to deliver on its promises?
― Which is more disappointing? A show with all the makings of a competent sci-fi thriller that fumbles it from the starting line, or a series backed by one of the industry's big...
The Best Anime of Spring 2025
The spring season seemed quiet if it weren't for the enormous mecha in the room. Check our the ANN reviewer team's picks for the best anime of spring!
― The spring season seemed quiet if it weren't for the enormous mecha in the room. Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuux dominated conversations week-to-week as Evangelion and Shin Godzilla director Hideaki Anno penned scripts alongside Utena's Yōji Enokido fo...
Opening the Apocalypse Hotel with CygamesPictures President Nobuhiro Takenaka, Director Kana Shundo, & Screenwriter Shigeru Murakoshi
We spoke with the original anime's staff about crafting this alternate version of Tokyo's high-end Ginza district, how the team connected robots with their audience, and if the studio has more original anime works on the horizon.
― In the remains of Tokyo's Ginza district stands the glamorous Gingarou Hotel. The staff work diligently to provide expert service for its guests. The only problem? Humanit...
Inside The Real Kowloon Walled City that Inspired Kowloon Generic Romance
Where does fact end and fiction begin in the iconic and historical setting of Kowloon Generic Romance? Let’s find out!
― Even with competition from heavy-hitters like Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX and Anne Shirley, Kowloon Generic Romance (KGR), which is based on the manga series of the same name by Jun Mayuzuki, has emerged as one of the foremost critical darlings of the Spring 2025 season in anime—e...
Your Anime Rankings - Best of Spring 2025, Jun 10-16
Kowloon Generic Romance snags the first spot this week, and Gundam GQuuuuuuX rises in the cumulative after a mid-season dip. Check out our weekly user rankings!
― Let's have a look at what ANN readers consider the best (and worst) of the season,
based on the polls you can find in our Daily Streaming Reviews
and on the Your Score page with the latest simulcasts. Keep in mind that these rankings are b...
The Summer 2025 Anime Trailer Watch Party Returns...with a Mysterious Guest
The Summer Anime Trailer Watch Party returns on June 27 at 6pm PT/9pm ET! Who's that lurking in the shadows...
― The year's hottest anime season launches in a few weeks, and Anime News Network's Lynzee Loveridge and Jacki Jing are on deck with hot takes, cool drinks, and a surprise guest. Who's that lurking in the shadows... Find your next must-watch anime with Anime News Network executive editor Lyn...
CGI Veteran Hiroyasu Kobayashi Breaks Down How He Mech-ed the Magic Happen In Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX
At Anime Central 2025, the renowned CGI animator shared insights on blending GQuuuuuuX’s 2D and 3D animation and his favorite mobile suit.
― At Anime Central 2025, veteran CGI designer and director Hiroyasu Kobayashi made a special guest appearance to discuss his extensive career in the anime industry. With a portfolio spanning video games, anime, and films such as Gravity Rush, Honkai Impact 3rd [R...
There From the Beginning: An Interview with Anime Legend Masao Maruyama at Animazement 2025
If you compare the anime industry to a historical document, Masao Maruyama has been around since ink was first put to parchment—or, in his case, paint to celluloid.
― If you were to compare the anime industry to a historical document, Masao Maruyama has been around since ink was first put to parchment—or, in his case, paint to celluloid. In his over-60-year career, the prolific creative producer had...
Producer Keita Iizuka: Code Vein 2's Story Will be Darker Than the First
From a darker story and more customization options, here's what to expect from this sequel.
― Bandai Namco Entertainment's sequel to its 2019 hit, Code Vein, is set to release next year. The action RPG features a unique Buddy System that gives the players a partner to explore within Code Vein 2's dystopian world. After the debut trailer gave the world a first glimpse into the story, the game is still...
Magic: The Gathering—FINAL FANTASY Brings Canon Source Material to Life
Worlds collide in the new collaboration between MTG and FF.
― Wizards of the Coast and Square Enix partnered on a collaboration that felt like worlds colliding. Longtime Magic: The Gathering and Final Fantasy fans have a new topic to bond over as MTG, one of the largest tabletop card games in the world, integrates characters from Final Fantasy into stunning cards. Speaking with Zakeel Gordon, an exe...
Anime Pilgrimage and the Growing Worldwide Appeal of Personal Pilgrimage
Asha Bardon explores sites off the beaten path and explains why so many anime fans are making their own pilgrimages.
― It's the end of a much-loved anime movie: Makoto Shinkai's 2016 hit Your Name. The protagonists, Mitsuha and Taki, have just glimpsed each other on a subway train in Tokyo, only for both to get off at the next station and frantically try to find each other. Then they come to some ste...
Your Anime Rankings - Best of Spring 2025, Jun 3-9
With high ratings since episode 2, Apocalypse Hotel grabs the top spot this week and so breaks into the cumulative top 5 at #4! See how your favorite shows stack up this week!
― Let's have a look at what ANN readers consider the best (and worst) of the season,
based on the polls you can find in our Daily Streaming Reviews
and on the Your Score page with the latest simulcasts. Keep in mind that these...
From Sanji to Kotetsu T. Kaburagi — An Interview with Hiroaki Hirata at Animazement 2025
The One Piece and Tiger & Bunny actor spills the beans on Tiger & Bunny 2 production and a whole season worth of scripts that weren't used.
― For two-and-a-half decades, audiences around the world have known Hiroaki Hirata as the Straw Hats' womanizing, chain-smoking chef Sanji. But just as One Piece started to take over the Western world and long before I knew what a “Going Merry” was, I'd come to ...
Resident Evil Requiem – The First RE Game to Make Me Jump
The latest Resident Evil game is the equivalent of an icy hand on your neck when you think you're alone.
― The latest installment in Capcom's Resident Evil franchise turned heads during the Summer Game Day trailer premiere. Despite the series turning thirty next year, the RE development team manages to breathe new life into every addition in its long history. Despite the Biohazard games defining the ...
Sonic Team Studio Head Takashi Iizuka's Bid to Appeal to Japanese and Global Audiences Through Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds
With some surprising guest characters, the latest Sonic game is ready to prove its bona fides to as many people as possible.
― As the latest exciting addition to the Sonic gaming franchise, Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds surprised fans worldwide with the inclusion of Miku Hatsune, Like a Dragon's Ichiban Kasuga, Persona 5's Joker, as well as Minecraft's Steve, Alex, and Creeper. A total of twenty-three pl...
Look Back Director Discusses Artistic Struggles, Anime Adaptation Philosophy, and AI's Role in Creativity
― Studio Durian's film adaptation of Chainsaw Man creator Tatsuki Fujimoto's emotionally resonant one-shot manga, Look Back, is arguably one of the most moving pieces of art to come out of animation in quite a while. As evident by its booming box office success both in Japan and North America and numerous award circuit sweeps, Look Back stands as a testament both to the grueling labor of love that ...
Onimusha: Way of the Sword Keeps True to its Predecessors
The latest Onimusha game looks modern while simultaneously keeping the charms and unique gameplay mechanics from its previous entries.
― Capcom's Onimusha series had a long run on the PlayStation 2, starting with 2001's Onimusha Warlords. It was basically Resident Evil but with samurai, due to the gameplay's focus on fixed cameras. However, Onimusha didn't really take off nearly as well as Capcom's i...
Capcom's Pragmata is Intriguing
The game finally has a release date, and the demo shows that it's worth being excited for.
― Five years ago, Capcom released the announcement trailer for Pragmata, a new sci-fi IP. It was only a cinematic trailer, but it piqued my interest as it showed an astronaut interacting with a small girl. All of a sudden, their surroundings completely warped in zero gravity, with both of them sent flying and a...
Code Vein 2 is Bigger and Better
With a customizable player character and a new bike, Code Vein 2 is looking like a good bet for 2026.
― One of the biggest surprises during Summer Game Fest was the announcement of Code Vein 2, Bandai Namco's follow-up to the 2019 vampiric soulslike RPG. The game is slated to launch sometime in 2026, and I got a chance to learn more about it through a hands-off preview with Bandai Namco. Code Vein 2 ...
Look Back Director Discusses Artistic Struggles, Anime Adaptation Philosophy, and AI's Role in Creativity
Kiyotaka Oshiyama discusses AI’s impact on traditional arts and whether anime adaptations should be dogmatically faithful to the source material.
― Studio Durian's film adaptation of Chainsaw Man creator Tatsuki Fujimoto's emotionally resonant one-shot manga, Look Back, is arguably one of the most moving pieces of art to come out of animation in quite a while. As evident by its booming box office su...
Summer Games Fest 2025 Amidst ICE Raids Left Attendees, Vendors, and Staff On High Alert
I felt conflicted being in a position of privilege at a protected trade show while ICE raids and state violence on vulnerable groups were happening within walking distance.
― Summer Games Fest: Play Days took place from Saturday June 7 to Monday June 9, hosted in a venue within Downtown Los Angeles' Fashion District. Despite the anticipation from the announcements and trailers shown during the presen...
Towa and the Guardians of the Sacred Tree is Hades but Japanese
Bandai Namco's newest roguelite is Hades with an Eastern flair - is that enough to make it worthwhile?
― During Summer Game Fest, Bandai Namco revealed a new roguelike game called Towa and the Guardians of the Sacred Tree. While it was a bit difficult to tell what it was just by the gameplay trailer, it looked like Supergiant's massive hit roguelike game Hades, but with an Eastern aesthetic. Turns ou...
Your Anime Rankings - Best of Spring 2025, May 27-Jun 2
While The Apothecary Diaries is solidifying its hold on the cumulative, slow-starting series Ninja & Assassin and Too-Perfect Saint are lately picking up steam.
― Let's have a look at what ANN readers consider the best (and worst) of the season,
based on the polls you can find in our Daily Streaming Reviews
and on the Your Score page with the latest simulcasts. Keep in mind that these rankings are b...
Merging Western Comics and Anime: An Interview with Batman Ninja vs. Yakuza League Writer Kazuki Nakashima
“I think it's rude for a creator to talk about the essence of a character. What's important is if people can watch the work and feel that on their own."
― Batman Ninja vs. Yakuza League is a superhero anime film that takes DC Comics' Justice League of America and reimagines them as yakuza. But that's only the start of how over-the-top this film gets. It's got everything from sudden musical numbers to...
Hands-on with Anime-Inspired Rogue-like Game Starlight Re:Volvers
Ever wonder what would happen if you took Sailor Moon, Kamen Rider, and Hades, threw them in a blender, and covered the result with hot neon paint?
― Ever wonder what would happen if you took Sailor Moon, Kamen Rider, and Hades, threw them in a blender, and covered the result with hot neon paint? Well, wonder no longer. The answer is Starlight Re:Volver. Recently, I was able to spend a few hours with...
Turning the Justice League into Yakuza: An Interview with Character Designer Takashi Okazaki
The new film Batman Ninja vs. Yakuza League reimagines the JLA as yakuza. Character Designer Takashi Okazaki talks about how he did it.
― The sequel to 2018's Batman Ninja, Batman Ninja vs. Yakuza League follows Batman and the larger Bat Family as they venture into a strange land where the Justice League of America have all been warped into yakuza versions of themselves. While the film itself is part...
Rockin' Out With Sumiko Arai, The Guy She Was Interested In Wasn't a Guy at All Manga Creator
In her first-ever English-language interview, Green Yuri creator Sumiko Arai talks about WLW stories, the inspiration for her characters, and what's on her music playlist.
― When Sumiko Arai launched The Guy She Was Interested In Wasn't a Guy at All on her Twitter account in 2021, she couldn't have predicted its meteoric rise in popularity. From social media to Pixiv Comic, the four-page serializatio...
Production +h Want Dark Machine To Be For Gaming What Slam Dunk Was For Basketball
Producer Fuminori Honda and director Tomoyuki Kurokawa discuss working on Dead Dead Demon’s Dedede Destruction and what viewers can look forward to with Production +h’s video game anime Dark Machine.
― Despite being newer on the scene, Production +h is an anime studio already making waves with animated films like Netflix's The Orbital Children and the anime adaptation of Inio Asano's post-apocalypti...
Your Anime Rankings - Best of Spring 2025, May 20-26
The top 5 cumulative is nigh undefeatable, with those same series forming this week's top 5 as well. See how all your favorites fared in our weekly user rankings.
― Let's have a look at what ANN readers consider the best (and worst) of the season,
based on the polls you can find in our Daily Streaming Reviews
and on the Your Score page with the latest simulcasts. Keep in mind that these rankings are...
An Easy, Step-by-Step Guide to “Getting Gud” at Elden Ring Nightreign
Elden Ring Nightreign is not an easy game—not even for experienced “Sloulsborne” players. So here’s a simple guide to make your runs through the land of Limveld much more fruitful.
― The key to playing Elden Ring Nightreign is not memorizing boss patterns and learning attack windows (though let's not pretend those aren't still important). Rather, it's a game about getting as strong as possible as fas...
Edo Era's Brave Firefighters: Interview with Oedo Fire Slayer Novelist Shogo Imamura & Mangaka Shinobu Seguchi
Discover the history behind Oedo Fire Slayer in our interview with author Shōgo Imamura and manga creator Shinobu Seguchi.
― Japan's history is teeming with everyday heroes, and there may not be a stronger example than the Edo period's firefighters. Known as hikeshigumi, community firefighters rose to meet a 17th-century challenge: protecting the fragile wooden and paper homes in what would become th...
DAN DA DAN Evil Eye World Premiere Packs the House
The compilation's recap will get you up to speed, but you'll have to wait until the television premiere for any sort of conclusion.
― GKIDS premiered the highly anticipated continuation of Science SARU's adaptation of DAN DA DAN on Thursday. Ahead of its debut in Japan, fans in North America were the first in the world to watch DAN DA DAN: Evil Eye, a compilation movie featuring the first three episo...
Persona 5: The Phantom X Makes Smart Changes to the Traditional Persona Formula
The free-to-play spin-off brings smaller-scaled crimes to your mobile device.
― Persona 5 was released almost a decade ago in Japan. Since then, we've had many spin-offs: Persona 5 Strikers, Persona 5 Tactica, Persona 5: Dancing in Starlight, and Persona Q2: New Cinema Labyrinth. I'm surprised we haven't had a Persona 5 spin-off fighting game. While the whole world is waiting for even the slightest ...
Best New K-Comics to Read in May
Before May ends, come find your new K-Comic reads in our rundown of the most interesting new titles of the month. From classic Regency romance to lady gangsters selling smuggled cigarettes, there's a little bit of everything to be found.
― Welcome back to our rundown of the best, or at least most interesting, K-Comics released in a given month! April didn't happen because of the Spring K-Comics Guide...
Anime Director Shinichirō Watanabe's Corporate Dystopias
Kambole Campbell looks at the political throughline of Watanabe's work, from Cowboy Bebop's destroyed moon to Lazarus' healthcare crisis.
― Whether it's the sprawling mix of frontier towns and multicultural urban mazes of Cowboy Bebop, or the more clearcut contrast seen in Carole & Tuesday's Martian landscape or “Babylonia City” in Lazarus—familiarity bleeds through the various futurescapes in the wo...
Bravely Default Switch 2 Remaster Game Preview
From 3DS to Switch 2, George Yang checks out this RPG's graphical and interface updates to see if it's worth the double-dip or a first-time playthrough.
― Bravely Default was a gem on the Nintendo 3DS back in 2012. Its turn-based combat and sense of adventure invoked old-school Final Fantasy vibes during a time where so many other games were incorporating open-worlds and more action-oriented gameplay...
Bringing Utaite to the World: Singer Ado on Tour
The chart-topping singer is in the midst of her Hibana world tour, with a special concert film opening in U.S. theaters this week. We spoke with Ado about her performances and the special place Hatsune Miku holds in her heart.
―
Since her debut in October 2020, Ado has taken the music world by storm. She released her first single, "Usseewa," at only 17 years old, topping the Billboard Japan charts. ...
Rock is a Lady's Modesty Director Shinya Watada and the Rise of Girl Bands
The hit series' director Shinya Watada discusses working with real-life group BAND-MAID, the inescapable appeal of female rockers, and how they reflect the times we live in.
― Inside the walls of Oshin Girls' Academy, an unexpected story is forming. Lilisa, the new step-daughter of a rich father, is determined to cement her status and become the school's next Noble Maiden. However, deep in her heart ...
Your Anime Rankings - Best of Spring 2025, May 13-19
This week while The Apothecary Diaries is taking a break, Apocalypse Hotel grabs the first place! Find out how your favorite shows performed in our weekly user rankings.
― Let's have a look at what ANN readers consider the best (and worst) of the season,
based on the polls you can find in our Daily Streaming Reviews
and on the Your Score page with the latest simulcasts. Keep in mind that these ranki...
Returning to Hell Teacher: Jigoku Sensei Nube After 30 Years: Voice Actor Ryōtarō Okiayu
Voice actor Ryōtarō Okiayu returns as Meisuke “Nube” Nueno this summer, and his Demon's Hand is fired up!
― In 1996, a modern action-horror series graced the airwaves of Japan. That series was none other than Jigoku Sensei Nube. Following the clumsy elementary school teacher Meisuke “Nube” Nueno, he fights off spirits who would harm his students with his Demon's Hand. The series was massively popular...
Raidou Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army Is Shaping Up to Be One of Atlus' Best Games
I spent three hours playing the remaster's first two chapters, and it's shaping up to be one of Atlus' best games, especially from a combat angle.
―
Atlus and Sega had quite a momentous 2024 with the release of big hits like Persona 3 Reload, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, and Metaphor: ReFantazio. This year, Atlus is taking it a bit easy with its releases. Raidou Remastered: The Mystery of the Sou...
Best K-Comics to Read on Tappytoon
Whether you're looking for a BL set on a rural farm, want to learn more about Mesopotamian mythology, or need a new action comic to whet your appetite, check out our picks!
― Webtoons have exploded in popularity over the past few years, which means there are many sites and apps to choose from when you're looking for your next read. So, we thought it might be helpful to give you a place to start, espe...
Your Anime Rankings - Best of Spring 2025, Apr 1-May 12
Now resuming your regularly scheduled weekly rankings, with Anne Shirley and The Apothecary facing off for first place of the Spring 2025 season!
― Let's have a look at what ANN readers consider the best (and worst) of the season,
based on the polls you can find in our Daily Streaming Reviews
and on the Your Score page with the latest simulcasts. Keep in mind that these rankings are based on how peo...
Interview with Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russian Creator Sunsunsun
What started as an idea for an isekai story evolved into a fan-favorite romantic comedy! We talk to Sunsunsun about writing his hit light novel series.
― Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russian resonated with a lot of anime fans thanks to its comedy and interesting character dynamics. The story of a young girl who hides her true romantic feelings behind the Russian language is rather unique, eve...
The Spring 2025 Manga Guide After-Dark (18+)
Welcome to the steamy side of ANN's Spring Manga Guide, where all the titles are for adults with a little something for almost every taste.
― Welcome to the steamy side of ANN's Spring Manga Guide. All of these titles are for readers 18 and older, from spicy to something a bit more, and featuring a range of tropes, groupings, and fetishes. Come find your next adult read - there's plenty to choose fr...
Girls Band Cry Exhibition Brings the Anime's Locations into the Real World
The Grand Opening of the Exhibition also featured an appearance by three members of Togenashi Togeari, Rina (Nina Iseri), Yuri (Momoa Kawaragi), and Shuri (Rupa).
― One of the latest series in the all-girls band genre of anime is none other than 2024's Girls Band Cry. Starring the bands Togenashi Togeari and Diamond Dust and their respective members, the series garnered itself a fan base with its sto...
The Spring 2025 Manga Guide
Now updated with May titles like Kindergarten Wars and JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Part 7: Steel Ball Run. Sponsored by @yenpress!
― Welcome to Anime News Network's Spring 2025 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 season. Now, doing something like that for manga is t...
The Spring 2025 K-Comics Guide
Our companion to the Manga Guide, the K-Comics Guide, is here! With titles ranging from sweet to spicy, adventurous to laid back, and historical to contemporary, come see if you can find your next read!
― Welcome to Anime News Network's Spring 2025 K-Comics Guide, the companion to our manga guide! Every included manhwa was published in March or April or is an upcoming May release, although some are ...
Finding the Human Heart in a Cyberpunk World: An Interview with YOUR FORMA Director Takaharu Ozaki
"When you add this into the drama between two people, I thought this work could be condensed to explore modern themes and social issues.”
― Currently-airing anime YOUR FORMA is a sci-fi suspense story set in a world filled with humans and androids. The story follows Electronic Investigator Echika and her “Amicus” —i.e., android—partner Harold, as they dive into people's digital memories to solve crim...
The Spring 2025 Light Novel Guide
It's time for the Spring Light Novel Guide! Come see what the newest releases of spring, including a popular Chinese fantasy, the novel version of a fan-favorite, and more!
― Welcome to Anime News Network's Spring 2025 Light Novel Guide, the companion to our manga guide! Every included novel was published in March or April or is an upcoming May release. This guide focuses exclusively on series premi...
Anne Voice Actress Eiko Yamada on What Anne of Green Gables Means to Her
Yamada shares her thoughts on the story and characters that have been integral to so much of her life—starting with the titular Anne.
― With the new anime Anne Shirley on the air and the recently-held concert for the 1979 World Masterpiece Theater Anne of Green Gables anime in Tokyo, the over 100-year-old story is back at the forefront of the Japanese popular consciousness. Thanks to this, Anime News...
Manga in The Crosshairs: The State of Manga Bans in 2025
Coop Bicknell interviewed librarians across the country about how the latest Executive Orders and lists targeting LGBTQ+ are affecting students' ability to read age-appropriate comics.
― Back in 2005, I'd often find myself racing my friends to the public library around the corner from our middle school. Once we walked through the building's double doors, our obnoxious chattering would drop and we'd ...
What Osaka World Expo 2025 Has to Offer for Anime Fans
The Osaka World Expo 2025 kicked off earlier this month, promising to show "Designing Future Society for Our Lives," but what about our otaku lives?
― The Osaka World Expo 2025 kicked off officially on the new artificial island of Yumeshima on April 13. The event will run for six months, through October 13. This is the second time a World Expo is being held in Osaka, after being held there previousl...
The Spring 2025 Manga Guide
This is the final update for the regular Spring Manga Guide, but don't worry - there's more to come!
Sponsored by @yenpress! ― Welcome to Anime News Network's Spring 2025 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 season. Now, doing something like that for manga is tric...
Sponsored by @yenpress! ― Welcome to Anime News Network's Spring 2025 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 season. Now, doing something like that for manga is tric...
Newtype Exclusive Interview with SAKAMOTO DAYS Cast, Tomokazu Sugita as Taro Sakamoto and Nobunaga Shimazaki as Shin Asakura!
The two lead actors from the hit anime series SAKAMOTO DAYS share their experiences as Sakamoto and Shin!
― Crazy incidents break out in the daily life of this former assassin! Taro Sakamoto is a man who runs a convenience store in a peaceful town. He may look like your regular chubby guy, but he was once known as the "Legendary Hit Man" whom all the bad guys feared. After falling in love and retirin...
Honkai: Star Rail Lead Game Designer Chengnan An on Creating an Immersive World
― ANN caught up with Hoyoverse's Lead Game Designer, Chengnan An, at this year's Game Developer's Conference. After graduating from Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Chengnan An joined HoYoverse in 2016 as the Lead Combat Designer of Honkai Impact 3rd, responsible for developing and fine-tuning the game's combat mechanics. He advanced to a more strategic role in 2019 and now serves as the Lead Game Des...
Backstage Stories About the Making of 1979 Classic Anne of Green Gables with Anne Herself, Eiko Yamada
Eiko Yamada shares how she got the role, working with acclaimed Ghibli directors Isao Takahata and Hayao Miyazaki, and her most memorable moments.
― 2025 is looking to be a big year for Anne of Green Gables. Not only is there a new anime adaptation of Anne Shirley currently airing, but a concert showcasing the music from the 1979 World Masterpiece Theater classic adaptation was held in Tokyo recentl...
The Spring 2025 Manga Guide
The Manga Guide moves into April with new releases like Kaiju No. 8: B-Side, Fabricant 100, Detectives These Days are Crazy, and more. Sponsored by @yenpress!
― Welcome to Anime News Network's Spring 2025 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 season. Now, doing som...
Hellsing, Drifters Creator's Exhibition is a Horrifyingly Good Time
The large-scale exhibition chronicled Hirano's work from Hellsing to Drifters, including life-size recreations of props and costumes and some impressive interactive photo areas!
― Last year, I finally crossed Hellsing Ultimate off my backlog, but my experience with the manga was close to zero when I made my way to he Kouta Hirano Super Expo inside the Sunshine City shopping center in Ikebukuro. The ...
The Spring 2025 Manga Guide
With over 100 manga, K-comics, light novels, and adult titles, you'll want to check back every day to find your next page-turner!
― Welcome to Anime News Network's Spring 2025 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 season. Now, doing something like that for manga is...
CoMix Wave Films President and CEO Tomohiro Tokunaga Shares His Vision
Tokunaga talks about the studio's decades-long history with director Makoto Shinkai, navigating the pandemic, and a brand-new project with a 'rookie director.'
― CoMix Wave Films entered a new era on May 28, 2024 with the appointment of Tomohiro Tokunaga as President and CEO of the company. A former producer at Telecom Animation Film, Tokunaga has been involved in projects such as Lupin III and sever...
Event Report: JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Overtakes Shibuya!
From Giant Iggy to Steel Ball Run, we have a full report of JOJODAY in Shibuya!
― Just over a decade ago, the anime world was graced with an adaptation of one of the most artistically beautiful shonen manga series: Jojo's Bizarre Adventure. Following the Joestar family through six, depending on how you view the family tree, an array of stories across multiple locales. So, what better way to celebrate...
Inside CoMix Wave Films: The Studio That Made Your Name.
We took a look inside the acclaimed anime studio to talk with its staff about how they made Makoto Shinkai's hit films.
― On the Eastern fringes of Suginami Ward of Tokyo rests Ogikubo. A well-known hub for the development of Tokyo ramen, the town is home to one of the most creative modern anime studios. That studio is none other than CoMix Wave Films. Known for producing all of Makoto Shinkai's film...
The Apothecary Diaries Goes All-Out at Ginza Exhibition
A devoted fan could spend well over an hour wandering through the exhibition's maze of replica items, production materials, and staff notes from the anime's first season.
― The second season of the immensely popular The Apothecary Diaries anime series barreled toward its second half, but not before making a pitstop in Tokyo's swanky Ginza ward. Maomao, Jinshi, and the rest of the Imperial Palace mov...
The Spring 2025 Anime Preview Guide
The spring anime season premieres are wrapping up. Read all our reviews and make sure to vote for your favorites in the Daily Streaming poll!
― Welcome to Anime News Network's Spring 2025 Anime Preview Guide! Here's how it goes: our team of critics writes up their impressions instantly, to be posted here as they go along. Each critic will cover as many shows as they can handle, giving you alternate ...
The Spring 2025 Anime Preview Guide
The highly-anticipated Gundam GQuuuuuux smashed onto the small screen this week. Read our reviews of studio khara's entry into the mecha franchise. Plus: Apocalypse Hotel, The Shiunji Family Children, MHA Vigilantes, Lazarus, and more!
― Welcome to Anime News Network's Spring 2025 Anime Preview Guide! Here's how it goes: our team of critics writes up their impressions instantly, to be posted here as...
Why I Could Never Survive The Real Life Hunter Exam
It's 8 AM in the middle of nowhere.1,000 people have gathered at Great Meadows in The Plains, Virginia; the first real-life Hunter Exam is about to begin. I didn't stand a chance.
― It's 8 AM in the middle of nowhere. Even the closest McDonald's is more than a 15-minute drive away. But more than 1,000 people have gathered at a rural venue that's normally accustomed to hosting equestrian events. Here...
Summer Pockets Writer, Director On The Hardest Things About Turning a Game into an Anime
“This is kind of bad to say, but there are some works that just can't be adapted [into an anime].”
― During the “'Summer Pockets' Staff Talk Stage by Production Works Gallery”at Anime Japan 2025, game writer Kai and the upcoming anime adaptation director Tomoki Kobayashi spoke a bit about the troubles of turning a game into an anime. The Summer Pockets anime is based on the 2018 Key visual novel of t...
Your Anime Rankings - Best of Winter 2025
Ending the season with a strong episode, The Apothecary Diaries turns the tables on Orb at the very last minute. Check out what else moved up or down in the final ranking of the Winter 2024 season!
― Let's have a look at what ANN readers consider the best (and worst) of the season,
based on the polls you can find in our Daily Streaming Reviews
and on the Your Score page with the latest simulcasts. K...
The Spring 2025 Anime Preview Guide
It's time for another superpowered adventure in My Hero Academia: Vigilantes! Also check out our reviews of Zabi Tabi, Aharen-san wa Hakarenai Season 2, Lazarus, Witch Watch, Kowloon Generic Romance, and more!
― Welcome to Anime News Network's Spring 2025 Anime Preview Guide! Here's how it goes: our team of critics writes up their impressions instantly, to be posted here as they go along. Each criti...
Voice Actors Shōgo Sakata and Miharu Hanai Talk About Their Love for The Brilliant Healer's New Life in the Shadows
ANN caught up with Shogo Sakata and Miharu Hanai to get their thoughts on playing Zenos and Lily in The Brilliant Healer's New Life in the Shadows.
― At the recent world premiere for upcoming spring anime The Brilliant Healer's New Life in the Shadows
here in Tokyo, ANN sat down with voice actors Shōgo Sakata and Miharu Hanai. Together, they talked
about their respective characters (Zenos and Lily), ...
Director Shu Watanabe on The Too-Perfect Saint and Turning it into an Anime
ANN sat down with Shu Watanabe to discuss the anime adaption of The Too-Perfect Saint and what viewers can expect.
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Koki Fuyutsuki's light novel series The Too-Perfect Saint may sound like every other saint-based story out there, but it offers some variations on the theme. More Cinderella than its isekai compatriots, the story follows Philia, a protagonist. She carries out her duties perfectly as t...
The Spring 2025 Anime Preview Guide
It's the biggest day yet for our Preview Guide, starting with The Dinner Table Detective! Also check our reviews for Your Forma, Fire Force Season 3, Can a Boy-Girl Friendship Survive?, and more.
― Welcome to Anime News Network's Spring 2025 Anime Preview Guide! Here's how it goes: our team of critics writes up their impressions instantly, to be posted here as they go along. Each critic will cover a...
PREVIEW: Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar
Grow your crops, romance your neighbors, and sell them goods in the upcoming Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar remake!
― Once again, the future of the Story of Seasons series lies in the franchise taking a look at its past! Marvelous was generous enough to give us a first look at the upcoming Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar remake. Longtime fans might remember this game from the Nintendo DS; the years h...
Your Anime Rankings - Best of Winter 2025, Mar 19-25
Solo Leveling takes the first spot this week, but it's not enough to move the needle in the cumulative. Stay tuned for the final results next week!
― Let's have a look at what ANN readers consider the best (and worst) of the season,
based on the polls you can find in our Daily Streaming Reviews
and on the Your Score page with the latest simulcasts. Keep in mind that these rankings are based on how p...
The Best New K-Comics to Read: March 2025
From dungeons to Joseon, come find your next read with our March roundup of the most interesting new K-comics!
― March is the proverbial month of lions and lambs, but the K-comics that are debuting don't necessarily follow that pattern. If anything, it's almost all lions, although that may be because the major flavor of comics on the sites/apps that are available in English is “spicy romance.” But th...
The Most Anticipated Anime of Spring 2025
Each new season brings with it a sense of anticipation. What new shows will wow us? Which ones will sound great on paper and then crumble under their own weight? Which will surprise us?
― Each new season brings with it a sense of anticipation. What new shows will wow us? Which ones will sound great on paper and then crumble under their own weight? Which will surprise us? Our review team gets into wh...
One Piece's Time Change Gets Stage Show
Four One Piece cast members made a grand entrance at AnimeJapan with a 10-minute skit about the planned time slot change.
― Four One Piece cast members made a grand entrance at AnimeJapan with a 10-minute skit about the planned time slot change - and Mayumi Tanaka went all out in her role as a father. AnimeJapan 2025 Day 1 stage shows ended with a bang with One Piece's debut at the event. Where many ...
The Worst Anime of Winter 2025
Not every show can be a winner, and sadly there was no shortage of stinkers in the Winter 2025 season.
― Not every show can be a winner, and sadly there was no shortage of stinkers in the Winter 2025 season. From an elf sexually attracted to her pet to shows that squandered their potential, these are the series our reviewers were underwhelmed by this past season. For our long-time readers, the seaso...
All Three All For One Voice Actors Appear On Stage for AnimeJapan 2025
Voice actors Akio Ōtsuka , Hiroshi Kamiya , and Kōki Uchiyama talk about their All For One experiences.
― Voice actors Akio Otsuka, Hiroshi Kamiya, and Koki Uchiyama talk about their All For One experiences. With the final season of the popular anime series My Hero Academia steadily approaching its final season, five cast members of the anime appeared at the annual AnimeJapan event for a talk show. W...
The Spring 2025 Trailer Anime Watch Party
The Anime Trailer Watch Party returns on Tuesday, March 25, for another season, and Geoff Thew from Mother's Basement is back onboard!
― The Anime Trailer Watch Party returns on Tuesday, March 25, for another season, and Geoff Thew from Mother's Basement is back onboard! Find your next must-watch anime with Anime News Network executive editor Lynzee Loveridge, ANN video producer Jacki Jing, and Geoff...
The Best Anime of Winter 2025
The first anime season of 2025 has wrapped! What shook out as some of the best series of the season?
― The first anime season of 2025 has wrapped! What shook out as some of the best series of the season? Our reviewers piled on the love for the second season of Apothecary Diaries, but one series stood above the rest. For our long-time readers, the seasonal Best Anime, Worst Anime, and Most Anticipate...
Your Anime Rankings - Best of Winter 2025, Mar 12-18
Zenshu narrowly beats Solo Leveling to the top spot this week, and the cumulative is quiet as we enter the final two weeks of the season. Find out where your favorites rank this week!
― Let's have a look at what ANN readers consider the best (and worst) of the season,
based on the polls you can find in our Daily Streaming Reviews
and on the Your Score page with the latest simulcasts. Keep in mind th...
Chainsaw Man Voice Actors Reveal Their Favorite Scenes
At Anime Japan this past weekend, three Chainsaw Man voice actors showed off their favorite scenes from the first season—and Power didn't show up in a single one!
― At the “Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc Anime Japan 2025 Special Stage” this past weekend, Chainsaw Man voice actors Kikunosuke Toya (Denji), Tomori Kusunoki (Makima), and Maaya Uchida (Angel Devil) each showed off their favorite scene...
PREVIEW: Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma
Jean-Karlo explores the world of the latest Rune Factory game, Guardians of Azuma, to find out what's ahead for the franchise.
― Fans of Rune Factory can finally sigh in relief: we finally have word on the new Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma title! We were fortunate enough to be given a first-hand look at the game courtesy of Marvelous, who was excited for fans worldwide to experience this new take ...
Acclaimed Director Hideaki Anno Welcomes Fans to Space Battleship Yamato 50th Anniversary Exhibition
“I think this work deserves to be passed down for another half century or more. I hope young people will continue to talk about it, not just for the 50th anniversary, but for the 100th anniversary and beyond.”
― One of Japan's forefathers of the space opera genre of anime, Space Battleship Yamato, celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2024. Created by the late Leiji Matsumoto and Yoshinobu Nishizaki in ...
I Watched It For The Story
We've all been there—you find a show with such a compelling, engaging story that you can't stop watching...but it looks like absolute garbage.
― We've all been there—you find a show with such a compelling, engaging story that you can't stop watching...but it looks like absolute garbage. Maybe the character designs are terrible, maybe the animation is intensely subpar, maybe baffling color choices we...
Your Anime Rankings - Best of Winter 2025, Mar 5-11
After a few weeks of great results in the weekly ranking, Dr. Stone is starting to see this reflect in the cumulative! Find out how your favorite shows fared in our weekly user rankings.
― Let's have a look at what ANN readers consider the best (and worst) of the season,
based on the polls you can find in our Daily Streaming Reviews
and on the Your Score page with the latest simulcasts. Keep in mind...
Sword Art Online Illustrator BUNBUN Celebrates 20th Anniversary Exhibition
Check out the exhibition to see everything from BUNBUN's Sword Art Online and Yuki Yuna Is a Hero artwork to more obscure finds, like his early doujin!
― Anime and manga exhibitions are mainstay events across Japan. From displays in event centers to established museums, fans of both mediums love seeing manuscripts of their favorite works. Light novel illustrators are often overlooked in their creativ...
Newtype Exclusive Interview with Composer Kaoru Wada: Crafting the Soundscape of Ranma ½
The director's order: “A song with a melody.” Composer Wada discusses how they added a "Chinese feel" to the hit romantic comedy anime!
― The director's order: “A song with a melody.” —How did you feel when you were asked to work on “Ranma”? Wada: I had worked on Inuyasha for a long time and have a close relationship with the original author, Rumiko Takahashi, on both a personal and professional lev...
Sailor Moon: The Super Live Cast Interview
Ahead of the Sailor Moon: The Super Live North American tour, we sat down with the London company to discover what it's like to bring Naoko Takeuchi's beloved magical girl series to the stage.
― Ahead of the Sailor Moon: The Super Live North American tour, we sat down with the London company to discover what it's like to bring Naoko Takeuchi's beloved magical girl series to the stage. Could you intr...
Interview: Zero Escape's Kotaro Uchikoshi on Ever 17 and Never 7 Finally Coming West
Newly available to Western gamers, Uchikoshi talked to us about the evolution of his themes, his popularity overseas, and how COVID changed his thoughts on sci-fi themes.
―
Kotaro Uchikoshi has garnered something of an international cult fandom. He's known for science fiction-themed adventure games such as Zero Escape and AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES and his collaboration with Danganronpa creator Kazutaka ...
Your Anime Rankings - Best of Winter 2025, Feb 26-Mar 4
After several weeks coming close, Zenshu grabs the top spot this week! And in the cumulative, Orb narrowly reclaims #1 from Apothecary Diaries. Discover what else is moving in the rankings.
― Let's have a look at what ANN readers consider the best (and worst) of the season,
based on the polls you can find in our Daily Streaming Reviews
and on the Your Score page with the latest simulcasts. Keep in m...
Getting Started with K-Comics - Tapas
Whether you want to catch up on Doctor Elise, find love in a zombie outbreak, or support characters making bad decisions, you can find your next read on Tapas!
― Webtoons have exploded in popularity over the past few years, which means there are many sites and apps to choose from when you're looking for your next read. So we thought it might be helpful to give you a place to start, especially since m...
Hana-Kimi Exhibition Celebrates Hisaya Nakajo's 30th Career Anniversary
Revisit the iconic manga series before the new anime premieres!
― In 1996, the world of shōjo manga was introduced to Hisaya Nakajo's work Hana Zakari no Kimi-tachi e (Hana-Kimi). Following the fun-loving Mizuki Ashiya as she disguises herself as a boy to enroll in the all-boys Osaka Academy, the story and characters captured the hearts and minds of readers across Japan and, subsequently, the world. ...
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