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...
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 ...
Yūki Kaji, Natsumi Kawaida, Hiro Shimono, Toshiyuki Toyonaga star― Bandai Namco Filmworks announced on Monday that the MAO manga by Rumiko Takahashi (Urusei Yatsura, Maison Ikkoku, Ranma 1/2, Inuyasha, RIN-NE) will inspire a television anime by Sunrise on the NHK-General channel next spring. The main cast members are: Yūki Kaji as Mao Natsumi Kawaida as Nanoka Kiba Hiro Shimono as Hyakka Toshiyuki T...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
If you think you know what's coming for the Final Fantasy IX anniversary: no you don't.― Welcome back, folks! To anyone who went to Anime Expo, I hope you guys had a fun time! To the rest of us, how about that new My Dress-Up Darling season? I'm excited over the Kamen Rider news; Kamen Rider Zeztz looks great! I appreciate the minimalist design, and while the Driver being positioned along the chest,...
Tetsuhiro Koshita's manga is sequel to 1989-1995 Honō no Tōkyūji Dodge Danpei manga― Shogakukan announced on Friday that Tetsuhiro Koshita's Honō no Tōkyūjo: Dodge Danko manga, a sequel to Koshita's Honō no Tōkyūji Dodge Danpei manga, will get a television anime series that will debut in 2026. Koshita serialized Honō no Tōkyūji Dodge Danpei in Shogakukan's Monthly CoroCoro Comic magazine from 1989 ...
Voice of Professor Oak, Gary, Team Rocket's James & Meowth was battling throat cancer― Voice actress Erica Schroeder reported on Thursday that fellow voice actor and script adaptor James Carter Cathcart has died. Cathcart's wife Martha Jacobi had announced in January 2023 that he had been diagnosed with an advanced form of throat cancer. He then retired from Pokémon anime at the conclusion of the 25...
Shirohiyo manages to glide to a stop, like a sled on a hill that’s not quite steep enough for good sledding.― The ending of Shirohiyo: Reincarnated as a Neglected Noble: Raising My Baby Brother With Memories From My Past Life isn't conclusive. I think many of us saw that coming; not only is it the norm for anime series based on long-running light novels, but it also couldn't have reached a solid fin...