Subscribe to the ANN Newsletter • Wake up every Sunday to a curated list of ANN's most interesting posts of the week.
read more
Yoshiki Gives Heartfelt Performance at Hollywood Unveiling Ceremony
by Kalai Chik,
Kalai Chik
Famed rock star, YOSHIKI, revealed the permanent location of his imprints in front of Hollywood's TCL Chinese Theatre. As the first Japanese artist to be honored by the theater since the start of the tradition in 1927, he shared how grateful he is to be a part of this prestigious moment. The fifty-eight-year-old has been beyond busy this past year as he made his directorial debut with YOSHIKI: Under the Sky. Although an international streaming date has not been announced, it will be available to stream on Amazon Prime Video sometime in May 2024.
Kalai Chik
Previously, the X Japan leader commemorated the initial handprint and footprint impression ceremony back in September 2023 and gave the world a first look as they dried. Now, fans and curious minds alike can view his prints and his drumsticks right beside Kobe Bryant's handprints at the TCL's entrance. Guest speaker Matt Pinfield, host of KLOS-FM, applauded the musician on his accomplishments and gave a personal anecdote on YOSHIKI's philanthropy.
Donning a sleek, black suit, YOSHIKI unfurled a summary of the journey that brought him here. “Having gone through every single part of the process, I respect more than ever all the people involved in making film and the incredible sacrifice that goes into it.” As a composer—and now director—he humbly admitted he never expected his name to be etched alongside famous people like Tom Hanks and Al Pacino. Despite making incredible strides in his career, he disclosed some personal hardships—such as the loss of his parents—as well as the passing of his former X Japan bandmates: Taiji Sawada, Hideto Matsumoto, and more recently, Heath.
Kalai Chik
“To be honest, it's hard to make it day by day,” he confessed. “You may feel it in my handprints. Sometimes my hands feel very fragile, sometimes my hands feel very strong. So as my heart. I've been going through some mental upheaval. But my fans have been supporting me and bringing me back to a positive place, so I'm making it through every day.”
Acknowledging the recent Noto Peninsula earthquake, he dedicated the ceremony to the victims impacted by the tragedy and announced that he would donate all the proceeds from the auction of his Kawai piano to them. Emphasizing the title of his documentary, he encourages all who exist under the sky to live life to the fullest on behalf of those who have passed.
“We should live as much as we can, we should live for them. When you come here and place your hand on my handprints, you may notice they are not that big. But small hands can do big things. Make somebody's dream come true and lift their spirits in need.”
Kalai Chik
After the ceremony, the pianist performed two songs in front of an intimate crowd of special guests, friends, and fans—possibly the last to see YOSHIKI play his iconic Kawai Crystal Grand Piano before its auction. Dedicating these songs to the Noto earthquake victims, his fans, his bandmates, and his mother, YOSHIKI played an emotional rendition of “Forever Love” followed by “Endless Rain.”
A remake of the 2008 Nintendo DS title of the same name, Grand Bazaar completely revitalizes the game for a brand new generation of fans and newcomers alike.― Thanks to Marvelous, Anime News Network was given a chance to preview Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar on the Nintendo Switch 2. A remake of the 2008 Nintendo DS title of the same name, Grand Bazaar completely revitalizes the game for a brand ne...
Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound brings the gory franchise back to its 2D roots in a fun way.― Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound feels like a game straight out from the 1980s and 90s, especially with its story and higher difficulty threshold. The game's plot is rather one-note, with Kenji vowing to take revenge on the demons and Kumori attempting to double-cross the Demon Lord. Eventually, both Kenji and Kumori develo...
Get ready to spike! Garena today announced the global launch of HAIKYU!! FLY HIGH, a mobile sports card game based on the smash-hit volleyball anime HAIKYU!!.― Dive into the HAIKYU!! universe and assemble your very own Dream Team featuring beloved characters like Shoyo Hinata and Tobio KageyamaClaim rare pre-registration rewards such as Recruit Tickets, Diamonds, and a Special Hinata Chat Frame to P...
We spoke with director Yusuke Suzuki about adapting Sai Naekawa's manga to the screen, casting the perfect voice actors for the main character trio, and how he set the stage for this supernatural human drama.― Hinako Yaotose's life hasn't been easy. After surviving an accident that killed her family, she goes through her school days in her quiet seaside town under a cloud of survivor's guilt. It's t...
It's a little ridiculous that a game meant for such a young audience wouldn't be a lot more clear and direct with its instructions.― When I first got ahold of Tamagotchi Plaza for my Nintendo Switch 2, I was shocked to see the little doodads I used to carry around in those plastic egg toys as full-blown video game characters. My surprise made more sense when I realized that I wasn't just utterly out...
Are the best things in life really free? Chris and Coop head over to the Tubi streaming service to find out.― Are the best things in life really free? Chris and Coop head over to the Tubi streaming service to find out. 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 ahead. @RiderStr...
The storybook-style epilogue confirms what readers have hoped for since the beginning: that here, living her own life, Athanasia truly becomes the Lovely Princess.― The fact that Who Made Me a Princess is a double-isekai story has largely been left by the wayside for several volumes. It's easy to forget that this is Athanasia's third try at life: her second as the princess, following one in modern S...
With hits like “Midnight Reflection,” “afterimage,” and “HALO,” we spoke with NOMELON NOLEMON about crafting songs for one of anime's most iconic franchises.― Japanese music duo, NOMELON NOLEMON, made an explosive U.S. debut on the Anime Expo stage during the Gundam GQuuuuuuX panel. While 2025 also marks their fourth anniversary, they're only just getting started on their launch into stardom. Their ...
If you thought the anime of Kowloon Generic Romance was rushed, that's nothing compared to the movie.― I came to Chihiro Ikeda's live-action movie adaptation of Kowloon Generic Romance having watched the anime but without having read Jun Mayuzuki's still-ongoing manga. I'm aware that the number one criticism of the anime from manga fans is that it rushes through the material, and I could figure as m...