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The Anime/Manga World Offers Condolences After Voice Actor Noriko Ohara's Death
Voice actors all around the anime industry pay their respects to the celebrated voice actor
― On Tuesday, the anime world was shocked by the announcement of Noriko Ohara's death. She had died on July 12 after an unsuccessful treatment for an illness. Known as the voice of Nobita Nobi from the long running Doraemon anime series, the voice actor appeared in many anime series integral to the medium. The...
Akari Kito Voices Maine Coon Cat Girl In New ASMR Recordings
May the voice of Demon Slayer's Nezuko Kamado soothe your soul
― Autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR) videos have been a trend in video content. Using quality microphones to remove ambient sounds and focusing on a soft-spoken voice or other sounds, ASMR is intended to be rather stimulating. Of course, this varies from person to person. While there are many professional ASMR video creators on Y...
Become A Keyboard Master With Jujutsu Kaisen Typing Software
Banish cursed spirits with your cursed technique of typing
― One of the modern skills many need is typing. Luckily, there are programs to help speed up the process. One company Rio even tries to make it fun with its Jujutsu Kaisen typing software. The official (formerly Twitter) account for the Jujutsu Kaisen series announced the typing software in November. The software allows people to enjoy the st...
Toyotaro Details How Involved Akira Toriyama Was in Dragon Ball Super Manga
Legendary manga creator helped flesh out character personalities & designs
― One of the greatest anime and manga franchises is undoubtedly Dragon Ball created by Akira Toriyama in 1984. Since stepping away from the manga after an 11-year run, Toriyama has contributed to numerous Dragon Ball projects, including the manga adaptation of the anime sequel Dragon Ball Super. But how involved was Toriyama i...
'Stop! Manga Piracy' Campaign Prints Thank You Ads in Newspapers in 4 Countries
However, the fight to eliminate manga piracy still goes on
― Since the widespread adoption of high-speed Internet, Japanese publishers have been working to prevent their manga from being distributed on piracy websites. The efforts have yielded mixed results, including when those publishers banded together for the “Stop! Manga Piracy” campaign in 2019. Still, the publishers do acknowledge readers who ...
Sanrio Collabs With Horror Manga Maestro Junji Ito
The icons of cute & horror meet for a horrifically cute collaboration
― When it comes to modern horror manga, Junji Ito is legendary for his blending of body horror, psychological horror, and traditional Japanese horror. On top of this, he embeds an element of cute into some of his character designs – as the Japanese would say, kimokawaii (a portmanteau of the Japanese words for creepy and cute). Wha...
Final Fantasy XIV Game Launches Collaboration with Gong cha for Exclusive Bubble Tea Keychains, Porxie King Mount
Bubble tea collaboration runs from July 17-August 28
― The Final Fantasy XIV MMORPG recently launched its latest expansion "Dawntrail." With its release, Square Enix has also been working with other companies to craft collaborations for Warriors of Light to obtain exclusive physical and digital items. The series is no stranger to collaborations, having partnered with Grubhub for the Eat Pizza emote, ...
1st American Manga Awards Announces Nominees
Ceremony celebrating manga creators, publishers slated in NYC on August 22
― Japan Society and Anime NYC announced the nominees for the first American Manga Awards on Tuesday. The award categories and their respective nominees are as follows: Best New Manga The Darwin Incident by Shun Umezawa #DRCL midnight children by Shin'ichi Sakamoto
Just Like Mona Lisa by Tsumuji Yoshimura
Mothers by Umi Kusahar...
Power Rangers Gets Crossover Comic With Usagi Yojimbo
No turtles of the teenage variety in this crossover
― Among American comics fans, a fan favorite character is Stan Sakai's Usagi Yojimbo. Based on the historical figure Miyamoto Musashi, the anthropomorphized rabbit has captured the imaginations of comic readers. However, one of the character's breakout appearances was in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1987) episodes "Usagi Yojimbo" and "Usagi Com...
Physicist Speculates Dragon Ball's Room of Spirit and Time Could Exist
You just need a black hole
― One of the more interesting narrative elements introduced in the Dragon Ball franchise is the Room of Spirit and Time. After debuting in the Android Arc, the Room has appeared when the characters need to train for a long period in a short time span. This is only possible because one day spent in the Room is equivalent to one year. While it's a fantastical concept, in a re...
Ring's Sadako Gets a Bishoujo Figure From Kotobukiya
The cute Sadako will always be watching you
― In 1991, the Japanese novel world was graced with the horror story Ring by Koji Suzuki. After spawning films for the Japanese and later U.S. markets, the franchise has garnered fans across the world. One factor in its popularity is likely the enigmatic and tragic villain Sadako. The image of her crawling out of a television to end her victims has been sea...
Seitokai ni mo Ana wa Aru! Manga About Student Council Antics Gets Animated Ad
It's a wild party in the student council room
― In 2007, Kodansha began publishing Tozen Ujiie's popular four-panel student council manga series Seitokai Yakuindomo. The series had a long run before ending in 2021, and it spawned a few anime series. And, as if it were fated, what could be called Seitokai Yakuindomo's spiritual successor began publication a year later in 2022. This new series, Muchima...
Shin Megami Tensei x Madoka Magica Collaborate For Summer Event
It's your turn to become a magical girl & fight witches
― While the Shin Megami Tensei RPG video games started off with more of a cult following, the franchise has gained massive popularity since about the turn of the millennium. And the popularity has continued with the 2017 mobile game Shin Megami Tensei: Liberation Dx2. The game's latest event is no ordinary event, as you will take on monsters wit...
Kyoto Animation Draws Minori Chihara for Her 20th Anniversary Concert
Her animated form comes on the 20th anniversary of one of her first long-lasting roles
― Twenty years ago on April 1, the world was graced with one of the more interesting martial arts series: Tenjo Tenge. Voicing the heroine was none other than a debuting Minori Chihara. Today, she is likely more fondly remembered for playing the Haruhi Suzumiya franchise's Yuki Nagato or Sound! Euphonium's Kaori Na...
Singer Kaori Oda Announces Pregnancy
Singer will miss final concert in Yuki Kajiura's latest tour
― Japanese singer Kaori Oda announced that she is pregnant on her X (formerly Twitter) account on July 8. Oda posted a short message to her fans and an update about her planned appearance at the final "Yuki Kajiura LIVE vol. #20~Japanese Language Restricted 20th Special~" concert.
いつも応援してくださる皆様、関係者の皆様へ#織田かおり#かおりホールディングス#YKL20 pic.twitter.c...
Happy Tanabata From the Anime World! Part IV
Take Haruhi's advice & make a wish that will come true in 16.7 & 25 years
― It's wish time in Japan with the Tanabata celebrations. But, what about all the birthday boys and girls? Do they not get birthday wishes or do they get double the wishes? Hopefully so because there are some anime and manga Tanabata birthdays. So, here's to all the wishes made for this year's Tanabata. At 25:00 in Akasaka 本日7月...
Happy Tanabata From the Anime World! Part III
Break out some bamboo & decorate it with your wishes
― The days leading up to July 7 in Japan are a sight to behold — kinda like, but slightly different from, Christmas decorations. Communities will often set up bamboo shoots and decorate them with children's wishes. It's a colorful display and gives us a look into the dreams and aspirations of many different people. And even the anime and manga worl...
Happy Tanabata From the Anime World! Part II
Dragon balls aren't the only way to get your wish granted
― Japan is celebrating Tanabata, also known as the Star Festival. One of the common ways to celebrate the Festival is by making a wish to the stars Vega and Altair. And with an election in the Tokyo Metropolitan area, the wishes of politicians are likely to get elected or re-elected. But, what about the wishes from the anime and manga world? H...
Happy Tanabata From the Anime World! Part I
It's that time of year when star-crossed lovers get to meet each other (weather permitting)
― July 7, Tanabata, marks one day a year when the fabled weaver Orihime and farmer Hikoboshi meet. While the figures are enshrined in Japanese (and more broadly in East Asian) culture, they are represented by the stars known as Vega and Altair, respectively. In Japan, people celebrate the meeting of the lovers...
How Can Singer Ado's Fans Shake Her Hand Without Ever Seeing Her Face?
With an ingenious solution
― Japanese singer Ado recently announced a meet and greet handshake event with her fans. The only problem is the performer does not publicly show her face. Although this appears to be a big hurdle for the performer, she and her staff have come up with an ingenious way to keep her identity private: keeping her in a separate room. Ado announced the meet and greet handshake ev...
Camp Like It's the Apocalypse With Fist of the North Star Gear
Thankfully, you won't have to worry about wasteland raiders
― If there's an anime and manga series that encapsulates the 1980s it's Fist of the North Star. The manga, celebrating its 40th anniversary, maintains a strong fanbase. Trying to vicariously live in the series is not the easiest thing considering the real world isn't a post-apocalypse. However, Fist of the North Star is partnering with the A...
Megan Thee Stallion's New Song 'Otaku Hot Girl' is Full of Anime References
Anime is now and always has been firmly embedded in the rap world
― American Black culture has influenced music from jazz, rock, and Motown to rap. The culture around them also found its way into the music, and one of the largest mediums to leave an impact on world culture is anime and manga. While there have been references to the medium in songs by black artists, rapper Megan Thee Stallion brings i...
Pilotable Patlabor Robot Mecha to Be Unveiled in August
We're getting one step closer to mechs we can pilot
― One dream that sci-fi anime fans may have is piloting a mech from an anime. A popular mech, aside from the RX-78-2 Gundam from Mobile Suit Gundam, is the AV-98 Ingram from the Patlabor the Mobile Police franchise. Much like the Gundam, a life size version of the Ingram has been made and exhibited throughout Japan. Unlike the Gundam, fans of Patlab...
Sound! Euphonium Author Ayano Takeda Reacts to Anime's Surprise Twist
Her remarks are well thought out
― We all know an anime adaptation of a manga or light novel can differ from their source — sometimes due to catching up to the source material, and needing either filler, a new ending, or both. On rare occasions, the anime does have a full story to work from, but the staff decides to go in a different direction, and whether that decision pays off or ends up being misg...
Voting Opens for Next Manga Awards 2024
Satoru Noda's DOGSRED, Ken Wakui's Astro Royale, more nominated
― Voting opened for the ninth "Next Manga Awards" (Tsugi ni Kuru Manga Taishō) on Friday, with 40 titles nominated in the print category and 69 titles nominated in the web manga category. Readers can vote on the official website for their favorite choice until July 8. The nominees are listed below: The manga nominees were chosen from 8,...
Date a Live V Anime Releases New Sand Art Video Before Final Episode
Latest season gets wonderful send off
― The Date a Live series has managed to retain a dedicated following since 2013. With the latest season of the television anime ending on Wednesday, Kadokawa anime's YouTube channel left a beautiful parting gift for fans on Monday: a new promotional video featuring sand art of the Date a Live characters set to the fifth season's ending theme song, “Hitohira” by s...
Demon Slayer Stars Take the Real-Life Waterfall Training Challenge
Hiro Shimono & Yoshitsugu Matsuoka are on their way to becoming the Hashira of the voice acting industry
― Waterfall training is a classical method in Japan — a sort of meditative training to clear one's mind as well as purify the soul and strengthen the body. Some martial artists and religious monks (commonly Shugendō practitioners) incorporate waterfall training at some point. So, seeing the practi...
A Familiar Face Tops Sanrio's 2024 Character Ranking
Cinnamoroll chalks up a five-peat
― It's that time of the year when Sanrio releases its annual character rankings: The official Sanrio Ranking X (formerly Twitter) account announced the results on June 16, with Cinnamoroll taking the top spot, followed by Pochacco at number two and Koromi in third place. 2024年 #サンリオキャラクター大賞 #結果発表♪1位 #シナモロール2位 #ポチャッコ3位 #クロミたくさんの投票をありがとうございました！！全ての結果（総合順位1〜90位、海外順位、パート...
Anime Concert's AI Flyer Art Leads to Evangelion Singer Yoko Takahashi Bowing Out
Orchestra released flyers with new art, with July 10 performance moving forward as planned
― The Ikebukuro Anime Philharmonic, an orchestra dedicated to performing anime music, announced on Wednesday that iconic anime singer Yoko Takahashi will no longer perform as a guest in the orchestra's July 10 performance due to the orchestra using generative AI for promotional art. The announcement noted that ...
One Piece Gets New Luffy's Bento Panic Tabletop Game in Fall
Eat your way to victory with your NAKAMAAAA!
― There's no doubt one of the biggest anime franchises today is One Piece. Based on manga author Eiichiro Oda's manga, the anime has amassed over 1,100 episodes, 15 feature films, and nearly 100 video games across multiple platforms. The franchise has alsoe ntered the trading card game space with the One Piece Card Game. Aside from the card game, One Piece...
Evangelion Theme 'Cruel Angel's Thesis' Might Be Tops Globally, but Not in the U.S.
You only get one guess what came in at #1 in the United States.
― Time and again, the incomparable "A Cruel Angel's Thesis" theme song from Hideaki Anno's classic Neon Genesis Evangelion TV series has topped the anisong rankings in Japan and around the world. It's so popular that Japanese karaoke goers are sick of hearing it over and over again. In 2015, composer Neko Oikawa disclosed that she earned...
Animated Kiki's Delivery Service Ads Promote McDonald's New Burgers in Japan
Aoi Yūki, Daisuke Sakaguchi voice Kiki, Jiji this time
― With a movie as iconic as Studio Ghibli's Kiki's Delivery Service, it's sometime hard to remember it's based on an existing children's fantasy novel of the same name — so much so, that it's odd to see the novel's characters appear in commercials for something like Cup Noodles. And if we thought seeing the titular Kiki in a Cup Noodles ad was od...
Nintendo Marks Famicom Console's 40th Birthday with Life-Size Paper Replica With Sounds
Eject button actually ejects included Super Mario Bros. cartridge replica
― Shogakukan's Televi-kun magazine is a staple of Japanese childhood. It provides an introduction to manga as well as info on the latest tokusatsu heroes and video games. But sometimes the magazine will publish special editions for adults to relive their childhood, such as this new one celebrating the 40th anniversary of Ninten...
Kids and Their Parents Can Wear Matching Anya Outfits in Spy×Family Collaboration
Make your next "ooting" an all Anya affair
― Slice-of-life anime is full of memorable families from Sazae-san's Isono family and Doraemon's Nobi family to Crayon Shin-chan's Nohara family. In recent years, an iconic family has emerged from the spy genre: the Forger family from Spy×Family. And now you can dress like the dapper family with a new line of clothes from the Japanese apparel brand Earth Mus...
Animal Crossing: New Horizons x Seattle Aquarium Collaboration Set to Tour U.S.
Tour began on June 14 at Myrtle Beach, SC
― Nintendo of America recently announced it would be running the Play Nintendo Tour across the United States over summer 2024. But this isn't the only event the company has planned for the back-half of this year. Nintendo revealed on June 11 that it will also be taking its popular Animal Crossing: New Horizons Aquarium Tour collaboration with the Seattle Aqua...
Happy Father's Day From the Anime World! Part II
To quote an iconic dad, 'Join me, and together we can rule the galaxy as father and son'
― Father's Day, the day when people apparently make the most collect calls — a far cry from the supposed number of long-distance calls made on Mother's Day. But a call to a person who helped raise many of us is still a call, and anime is filled with fathers who should get a collect call. So, here's to the dads of...
Happy Father's Day From the Anime World! Part I
Ain't no father gonna order us to get into no Eva
― Fathers can be stern figures, even unbearable at times, but many do it out of love for their children. With Father's Day coming to a close, we generally show our appreciation to our fathers with something they would want or appreciate. And sometimes what they want is a simple thank you. So, here are all the “thank yous” to all the fathers in the ani...
Japan's Ruling Party Puts Out Poster That Looks Too Familiar to Slam Dunk Fans
Lawyer suggests poster may be copyright infringement
― If there's one thing political campaigns like to rely on, it's popular culture. Those in the U.S. are familiar with the overtures of Bruce Springsteen's “Born in the USA” playing at political rallies and the famous Obama “Hope” poster using street art aesthetics as ways to propel campaigns for political office. The U.S. isn't alone in this, as a ...
Optimus Prime (Blakely) Arrested in Texas for Alleged Vehicular Theft
The 'Autobot' wasn't looking for his trailer
― One of the seminal animated series in the 1980s is Transformers. Originally a vehicle, no pun intended, to push toy maker Takara's transformable toys via Hasbro, the franchise has gone on to spawn nearly 30 animated properties in Japan and the United States, seven live-action feature films (some of which we choose to ignore), several video games, and of ...
Ghibli Park Actually Uses Totoro House's Working Fire Stove to Cook (& Maintain Its Longevity)
Maybe someday we'll get to enjoy the food made at Satsuki and Mei's home?
― If there's one studio that has graced the silver screen with worlds that feel lived-in it's Ghibli. Just watch the kitchen and dining scenes in films like My Neighbor Totoro, Whisper of the Heart, and Castle in the Sky. So, when the Expo 2005 in Aichi recreated Satsuki and Mei's house from Totoro, the builders spared no detai...
Seal Your Documents With a Mimic Chomping on Frieren
You'll want to check if it can be used on official documents
― One of the most common ways to authenticate an official document, such as contracts and letters, in the United States is with a signature. In Japan, however, it's customary to use a personalized seal (called a hanko) in place of a signature. These hanko generally have a small diameter, use red ink, and are used on all manner of documents....
Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance Game Collaborates with Slipknot in New Video
2nd promo video features interview with band members about game's masks
― Atlus announced a collaboration on May 28 with heavy metal band Slipknot for Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance, an updated version of its Shin Megami Tensei V game. The company released the second of two promotional videos on Thursday, featuring an interview with Slipknot members Clown, Eloy, and new guy about the masks in the ga...
Blue Archive Has Most Booths at Comic Market 104
Mobile game narrowly beats out VTubers for top spot
― Comiket is the twice yearly doujin flea market where Japanese anime and manga fans sell parody works of their favorite IPs and cosplay as their favorite characters. It's not a wild party, just a time for fans to get together and nerd out. One question that often looms over each Comiket is what the most popular IP is? This changes from event to eve...
Watch One Piece Take Over Exterior of Sphere in Las Vegas
Luffy becomes King of Las Vegas!
― Monkey D. Luffy of Eiichiro Oda's One Piece series may still be an aspiring King of the Pirates, but for a brief moment, he was the King of Las Vegas! See for yourself when One Piece took over the Las Vegas Sphere: Toei Animation produced the new 90-second-long presentation for the One Piece exhibit on the Exosphere exterior at the Las Vegas Sphere, which debuted on...
Voice Actors Minami Tsuda, Tatsumaru Tachibana Marry
Voices of Hibari and Jujumaru from Boruto announce their marriage
― Minami Tsuda and Tatsumaru Tachibana, voice actors of Hibari Kamakura and Jujumaru from the Boruto: Naruto Next Generations anime, announced their marriage to each other on June 8 on their respective X (formerly Twitter) accounts. In their posts, each voice actor shared a short message to their fans. 皆さまへご報告です pic.twitter.com/nZ4vYFr...
Exclusive: Berserk Bookends of Guts' Sword Get Manga Paint Makeover
Display your Berserk manga collection in style
― Dark Horse revealed on Tuesday that it is releasing a new limited-edition "Manga Paint" variant of special bookends themed after Guts' sword, the Dragon Slayer, from Kentaro Miura's Berserk manga. The new bookends are similar to Dark Horse's previously released ones, but these are painted black-and-white in the style of the original manga. The bookends...
Mayu Matusoka, Hey! Say! Jump Idol Daiki Arioka Announce Marriage
Live-action Chihayafuru films' Shinobu Wakamiya performer, prominent idol make announcements
― Mayu Matsuoka, who played Shinobu Wakamiya from the live-action Chihayafuru films, announced her marriage on June 7 on her official website to Daiki Arioka, member of the idol group Hey! Say! Jump. Her announcement came with a message to her fans and those she works with. In her message Matsuoka wrote (rou...
Play Nintendo Tour Travels U.S. This Summer
It's the summer of Nintendo
― Nintendo doesn't normally have a large presence at video game conventions. However, that doesn't mean the company is averse to holding its own in-person events, one of which is the Play Nintendo Tour this summer. Nintendo will be visiting nine cities across the United States for fans and families to enjoy a plethora of Nintendo themed attractions. Nintendo of America ann...
Train Like a Hashira With New Demon Slayer Smartwatches
Get your total concentration on and learn some demon slaying techniques
― One of this generation's hit anime and manga, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba turns a vampire hunting story into one of familial love and superpowers and places it into a pre-modern Japan setting. But what would happen if the pre-modern crossed paths with the modern? Behold the new Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba smartwatches by ...
Isekai Stories Stake New Territory: CoroCoro Comic for Grade-School Kids
Truck-kun strikes again, taking our youth
― It's no secret isekai stories are all the rage in the anime, manga, and light novel industries. While there are still some holdout manga magazines, the fad has finally hit an institution and bastion of children's manga magazines: none other than Shogakukan's CoroCoro Comic imprint with the new series Ochikobore Shōgakusei, Isekai & Gendai de Saikyō Yūsha to...
Woman Charged for Posting Ensemble Stars!! Images With Cockroaches Edited Into Them
She allegedly didn't like how her favorite character was being treated
― With games like The IdolM@ster and Ensemble Stars!! allowing people to manage Japanese idols, they're bound to create schisms among fans — not about which game is better, but which character is the best. This can lead developers to leave some characters by the wayside to promote more popular ones. But what are fans to do if this...
The Future Has Arrived With Ghost in the Shell's Hyundai IONIQ 5 N Electric Vehicle Ads
See the collaboration at the Shibuya Tsutaya shop
― Over the past 20 years, electric cars have gone from limited range to over two hundred miles (about 350 kilometers). Plus, with all the power going straight to the wheels, they also boast decent torque and horsepower. It's truly the future. And what better way to celebrate this than to merge the real future with the iconic Ghost in the Shell franchi...
Game Streamer Kiyo (Aims) to Fill Tokyo Dome Stadium With Solo Show
The Dome isn't just for baseball games and concerts anymore
― The Tokyo Dome is arguably the most famous baseball stadium in Japan right after the Koshien Stadium in Osaka. Home to the Tokyo Giants baseball team, the Dome hosts numerous events throughout the year including concerts, professional wrestling, American football, among others. But in what appears to be a first for the stadium, Japanese vi...
Chibi Godzilla Raids Again, Odekake Kozame Team Up for Cute Collab
The chibi King of Monsters and the cutest shark team up for a cute adventure
― One of the surprise breakout short anime and manga series of 2024 is Odekake Kozame. It's hard not to love the adventures of the cute titular shark Kozame. But what happens when the shark comes across the chibi version of the King of Monsters? Well, you get a cute little story between them. The official X (formerly Twitter...
hololive Takes Over Dodger Stadium During Anime Expo Day 2 (& Ohtani's 30th Birthday)
Take me out to the ball game with VTubers
― Since about the 2010s, some streamers have built huge fanbases and careers without ever showing their faces. Now this success has led three such virtual YouTubers (VTubers) at hololive to perform at Dodgers Stadium for the July 5 baseball game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Milwaukee Brewers. The hololive agency's English X (formerly Twitter) account a...
Voice Actor Yūki Kaji Counters Unauthorized AI Cover Songs by Offering Official Voice Synthesis Software
Yuki Kaji wants his fans to use his voice ethically
― The rise in AI generated content has brought to light questions regarding the rights to celebrities' images, likenesses, and voices and how we produce original works. While the debate is far from settled, the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike helped bring the issue to the public. In Japan, the issue is looming in the background, but there's a feeling no one r...
Japan Society, Anime NYC Announce 1st American Manga Awards
Event commemorating manga creators/publishers takes place in NYC on August 22
― Japan Society and Anime NYC announced on Monday that they are launching the first American Manga Awards. The new ceremony will take place at Japan Society's Lila Acheson Wallace Auditorium in Midtown Manhattan on August 22, the night before this year's Anime NYC event begins. The American Manga Awards will commemorate man...
Voice Actor Takeo Otsuka Announces Marriage
Voice of Oshi no Ko's Aquamarine Hoshino offers short message to fans
― Takeo Otsuka, voice of Aquamarine Hoshino from the Oshi no Ko anime, announced his marriage on his X (formerly Twitter) account on May 31. In the post, Otsuka offered a short message to his fans: ご報告です。 pic.twitter.com/aF5nhSfA7d— 大塚剛央 (@TakeoooOtsuka) May 31, 2024 I have an announcement. To all of you,
I, Otsuka Tsuyoshi, have ...
'Grandpa and Grandma Turn Young Again' Anime Warns Against Phone Scams in New Video
The scourge of the 'ore ore' scam persists
― For about the past 20 years, elderly folk in Japan have been the targets of the “ore ore” (literally, "It's me") phone scam. The scam involves a person calling an elderly person claiming to be their son and asking for money. Over the years the scams have become a bit more intricate, with cases where scammers pose as police officers or staff from the target...
Turns Out Shōhei Ohtani Can Pitch, Hit, AND Draw Manga Art Shockingly Well
Art resurfaces when he was announced as judge for Shonen Jump's Sports Manga Award
― Being talented in one aspect of your life doesn't stop you from being talented in other aspects. For instance, former seven-time Mr. Olympia Arnold Schwarzenegger went on to have a prolific acting career. But what about Shōhei Ohtani, the biggest name in sports today? Well, it turns out he's not just one of the great...
Full Metal Panic's Shoji Gatoh Is Unnerved to Be the Rare Light Novelist With Short Titles
Gone are the days when names of Japanese novels were short
― Since about the mid-2000s, the length of Japanese light novel titles (referring to the actual name of the work) has slowly become longer and longer. Back then, there used to be titles like Slayers, Record of the Lodoss War, or Maria Watches Over Us. Today, there's a deluge of longer titles like That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime, Campf...
Phantom Thief Jeanne Transformation Items Get Collection for Grown-Up Fans
Harness Joan of Arc's to seal away demons
― As almost a response to the ending of Sailor Moon, Arina Tanemura's series Phantom Thief Jeanne ( Kamikaze Kaito Jeanne) began. While not as well-known as its predecessor, Phantom Thief Jeanne has its fans. For the series' 25th anniversary, fans will have a chance to relive the series with the new Special Memorize Kamikaze Kaito Jeanne Rosario La Pucelle Co...
Sharknado Meets its Japanese Rival With Onsen Shark
Nowhere is safe from the scourge of sharks
― In 1975, Steven Spielberg introduced the world to a whole new genre of film with Jaws: the shark movie. Since then, countless shark movies have been made, to the point that James Rolfe, better known as the Angry Video Game Nerd, released a video about the 50 worst shark movies in July 2017. There's no limit to the number of shark movies out there, and now ...
LEGO Unveils Great Deku Tree Set from Legend of Zelda Series
Saving Hyrule one brick at a time
― LEGOs are great toys that allow those with spatial awareness and creativity to build to their hearts content. They also have premade buildable sets for those who enjoy following instructions, The company is currently known for the collaboration sets it produces. From Star Wars to Harry Potter, some of the biggest franchises have had LEGO sets created for them. One ...
Twins Arrested for Selling Kamen Rider Helmet Replicas
Toei does not appreciate people using their copyrighted material without permission
― While each of the 34 Kamen Rider entries since 1971 have their fans, the original Kamen Rider is still an icon. It's no wonder fans would want life-size replica helmets of the hero. Unfortunately, very few official replicas exist.
So fans have resorted to unofficial replicas — and those unauthorized helmets have lan...
NY Times Recounts How Twitter 'Threadnought' Spawned by Vic Mignogna's Lawsuit Led to Lawyer Team-Up
Legal team formed after Twitter dustup in 2019 defamation case is now taking Elon Musk to court
― Between the trolls, random arguments, and so many other negative aspects of the social media platform, X (formerly Twitter) can be an unwelcoming space. However, a person's experience on the platform depends the community. Apparently the law analysis side of Twitter was at one point a truly intriguing pl...
Voice Actor Yoshino Aoyama Appears as Bocchi The Rock's Bocchilla in Shimokitazawa
Aoyama disguised as monster Bocchilla got likes, handed out flyers
― One of the greatest anime monsters in the last decade is arguably Bocchilla from Bocchi the Rock! While the monster only appeared briefly in one episode of the series as a hallucination of main character Hitori Goto, it still left an impression on fans. That very monster was in Shimokitazawa, Tokyo on May 24 handing out flyers for t...
Voice Actress Mai Fuchigami Announces Marriage on Her Birthday
Voice of Girls & Panzer's Miho Nishizumi makes announcement in heartfelt message
― Mai Fuchigami, voice of Miho Nishizumi from the Girls und Panzer franchise, announced her marriage on May 28 — which is also her birthday. In her post on X (formerly Twitter), Fuchigami gave a heartfelt message to her fans:
ご報告です。 pic.twitter.com/o02DZBOC9K— 渕上舞(声優) (@fuchigami_mai) May 28, 2024 I have an announcement...
Uma Musume Sprints Into Crossover With Godzilla x Kong
See who's stronger, an Uma Musume or the King of Monsters and King Kong
― In late April, the film Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire crossed over with the Detective Conan franchise in a collaboration poster and commercial. However, this wasn't the end of Godzilla and King Kong's collaborations, as they now have even greater rivals: the racers from Uma Musume Pretty Derby: Beginning of a New Era. But wil...
JoJo's Hirohiko Araki Paints His 1st Public Art Mural for Osaka
Don't worry, it doesn't involve Pillar-men
― There are very few manga creators whose art transcends the medium and becomes a form of art unto itself. One such creator is Hirohiko Araki of Jojo's Bizarre Adventure. While the art in his series started off rather mundane, Araki has pushed the limits of what a manga creator can do over the course of 35 years of experimentation. And now Araki is taking hi...
Detective Conan Expands UK's National Gallery Collaboration With Monet, Renoir
Conan and the gang are popping up in more famous paintings
― Earlier this year, the National Gallery in London announced that it is partnering with the Detective Conan manga by inserting Conan characters into famous paintings. Now more collaboration paintings and merchandise are on their way, plus some pop-up stores in Japan. The Shonen Sunday Premium Shop's X (formerly Twitter) account announced the...
CLAMP Designs New Cardcaptor Sakura Dress for Hello Kitty's 50th Birthday Bash
Everyone's favorite kitty gets some new dresses
― It's surreal knowing Sanrio's Kitty White — a.k.a. Hello Kitty — is celebrating her 50th anniversary. To mark the occasion, she is partnering with manga creators for some new looks, and the latest one comes from legendary creator quartet CLAMP. ClAMP revealed their design for Kitty on their X (formerly Twitter) account on May 23. In the post, the grou...
Studios MAPPA, Contrail Collaborate on Pokémon Music Video
Nulbarich & Sunny (feat. UMI) perform song 'Lucky' based on Pokémon Center theme
― Need a pick-me-up? The official Japanese YouTube channel for the Pokémon franchise posted a new music video on Friday. The video features the song "Lucky" by Nulbarich and Sunny (feat. UMI), based on the game series' iconic Pokémon Center theme. Anime studios MAPPA and Contrail collaborated on the music video. The musi...
Key/Visual Arts Donates 14 Million Yen to Quake-Hit Noto Peninsula
Legendary game maker brings another tear to our eyes
― Key is arguably one of the greatest Japanese visual novel game makers of the late 1990s and early 2000s. With games like Kanon, Air, Clannad, and a plethora of others, the studio is known for blending the erotic with sad stories. In a new teary-eyed story, Key, with the help of its parent company, Visual Arts, is donating a massive sum of money f...
Kiratto Pri☆Chan Spawns Virtual Musical for 5th Anniversary
Kiratto Pri☆Chan characters come together for special performance
― Although the first idol anime series was arguably 1983's Magical Angel Creamy Mami, it wasn't until the 2010s when the genre really took off with series and franchises like Love Live!, Pretty Rhythm, and Tsukiuta., among many others. With modern idol anime comes a lot of multi-media projects. One of those projects was the recent Kira...
Demon Slayer Anime Gets Live Concert Tour in NY/CA in September
"Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba In Concert" opens in Brooklyn on September 21, San Francisco on September 28
― The music of Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba is coming to the U.S. in a concert tour! Aniplex of America, GEA Live, RoadCo Entertainment, and Crunchyroll announced on Tuesday that they are producing a live concert for the Demon Slayer anime. "Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba In Concert" will pr...
New Player Cosmetics Revealed for Gundam x Call of Duty Crossover
To quote Mobile Suit Gundam Wing, “IT'S A GUNDAM!”
― The Gundam and Call of Duty (COD) franchises announced
on May 20 that they would be collaborating for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III Season 4. Their respective X (formerly Twitter) accounts and websites gave a few more details the next day, and taking center stage are the Mobile Suits. The collaboration will include three new player cosmetics bas...
One Piece Captures Las Vegas Sphere for 1 Week
The one piece was at Las Vegas all along
― Very few anime and manga series can say they've ran for over 25 years. In fact, only about a dozen anime have ever reached that milestone. And one of those series is Eiichiro Oda's masterpiece One Piece. While the manga celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2022, the anime is celebrating its 25th this year (not counting the "Defeat The Pirate Ganzak!" event spe...
Live-Action Thus Spoke Rohan Kishibe Stars Issei Takahashi, Marie Iitoyo Get Married
Fictional manga author/editor pair tie the knot
― The actors for Rohan Kishibe and Kyoka Izumi from the live-action Thus Spoke Rohan Kishibe series, Issei Takahashi and Marie Iitoyo, respectively, announced their marriage on May 16. Iitoyo posted their joint message on her Instagram page. In the announcement, the two actors gave a heartfelt message to their fans and those they work with. View this po...
Gundam Suits Up for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III
Federation's 'White One' comes to world's favorite shooter franchise in Season 4
― One of, if not the most, popular first-person shooter game franchises is Call of Duty (COD). Starting off in World War II, the franchise has seen war through the lens of a soldier in World War II, modern times, and even the speculative future. The franchise's newest entry, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III takes us back...
Bocchi the Rock's 'Bocchilla' Takes on Godzilla Above Tokyo Theater
The King of Monsters might finally meet its equal
― Having appeared in 30 live-action Japanese films, five Hollywood films, and three anime films, it's no wonder Godzilla has earned the moniker King of Monsters — and countless parodies. One recent parody is "Bocchila," the Shōnin Yokkyū Monster (Attention-Whore Monster) from the 2022 anime series Bocchi the Rock And now Bocchila is taking on Godzilla...
Wonderful Precure! Girls, Crayon Shin-chan Cross Over Into Each Others' Anime
It's not the first time Crayon Shin-chan has invaded a magical girl anime
― Crayon Shin-chan is among the most iconic — and longest-running — family anime in Japan, having been on the air since April 1992. And in those three decades, the series has had a handful of crossovers with other anime. Wonderful Precure! joins that list this weekend. The preview for the May 18 episode of Crayon Shin-chan and ...
McDonald's Uses Polymerization on Yu-Gi-Oh!/Hello Kitty for Happy Meals
Franchises get 10 Happy Meal toys in U.S. this summer
― Yu-Gi-Oh! and Hello Kitty — name a more iconic duo. Okay, the two franchises aren't really recognized as an obvious pair. To their credit, though, they are no strangers to crossovers with other anime. Hello Kitty, in particular, has had numerous crossovers with various series such as Naruto, My Hero Academia, Sailor Moon, and Jujutsu Kaisen. Yu-...
Fist of the North Star's Tetsuo Hara Draws Furiosa to Promote Next Mad Max Saga
Hara & director George Miller hold 1st ever joint interview
― Tetsuo Hara's seminal Fist of the North Star is one of those manga and anime one doesn't forget easily. From the ultra-violence and all the stories of love (be it brotherly between master and pupil, or man and woman), the series has captured readers around the world. But we can't forget that one of the manga's inspirations was the Mad Max ...
MMA Fighter Itsuki 'Android 18' Hirata Promotes Upcoming Fight
Hirata is set to fight on June 7, but she's not fighting Cell or Vegeta
― In the world of professional prize fighting, some of the top tier athletes get some rather interesting nicknames. Most of the time, this has to do with a trait the prize fighter is known for, but once in a blue moon you'll see one named after a character. One such prize fighter is female MMA fighter Itsuki “Android 18” Hirata. ...
Happy Mother's Day From the Anime World! Part II
To quote Prince John from Disney's Robin Hood, “Mommy. I got a dirty thumb”
― It's a bit past Mother's Day, but that doesn't mean we can't celebrate the one's who raised us. And the anime and manga worlds are filled with mothers who raised our favorite characters. So, here's a little look at all the greetings to our mothers from the anime and manga world: Chibi Maruko-chan Dragon Ball 今日は #母の日 ですね！ p...
Happy Mother's Day From the Anime World! Part I
Here's to all the mothers out there
― Mother's Day, the day people apparently make the most long-distance calls. And why wouldn't we? For many of us, our mothers birthed us, raised us, and generally loved us. Even in the anime and manga world, mothers are important characters. So, what sorts of messages were there to our mothers across the anime and manga world? Here's a small sample. Doraemon Futago...
Armored Trooper Votoms Gets Limted 40th Anniversary Whiskey
Votoms up
― An oft seen but not fully remembered robot anime is Armored Trooper Votoms. While the series has its fans, it's nowhere near as popular as the Mobile Suit Gundam or Macross franchise. Even so, the series lives on in collaborations such as the Super Robot Wars games or in the numerous model kits released by Bandai Namco and Kotobukiya. In celebration of the series 40th anniversary, the X (...
Ninja Sentai Kakuranger Cast Reunite for New 30th Anniversary Episode
The first ninja Super Sentai return from the shadows to cut down the forces of evil
― The history of the Super Sentai (popularly known as Power Rangers in Western countries) franchise is full of firsts. From the first series, Himitsu Sentai Goranger, in 1977 to the first appearance of a sixth ranger in 1987's Hikari Sentai Maskman, then the first regular sixth ranger in 1992's Kyoryu Sentai Zyuranger...
1st Run of Shōhei Ohtani's Picture Book Jump in Price After His Disgraced Interpreter Is Airbrushed Out
And it wasn't the Ministry of Truth that spirited him away
― Shōhei Ohtani will undoubtedly go down as one of the most well-known, if not one of the greatest, baseball players due to his skills as a pitcher and batter. His current 10-year, 700-million-dollar contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers reflects this. Unfortunately, Ohtani was recently caught up in a scandal involving his (now former) interp...
New Documentary Series Follows Manga Editors at Shogakukan
Go behind the scenes of manga editors' jobs
― Manga editing is not usually thought about all that much, as the profession is elusive to outsiders. The job isn't just about going through a draft and marking mistakes, but rather helping authors formulate and shape their stories. While there are snippets into manga editing with interviews from time to time, there haven't been many documentary about the ...
The Rubik's Cube Now Transforms Into a Robot, Thanks to Bandai Spirits
The toy that everyone wants to solve takes on a new form
― One of the greatest and long-lived toys is arguably the Rubik's Cube. From the standard six-sided 3x3x3 toy to wild variations like the color-changing models, people can't get enough of the cube. And now the iconic Rubik's Cube takes on a whole new life as a Chogokin transformable robot by Bandai Spirits. The Tamashii Nations Store Tokyo bran...
New Unoffical Laputa: Castle in the Sky CGI Short Streamed
Relive the magic of seeing the castle in the sky for the first time
― Studio Ghibli is known for its supreme quality of hand-drawn animation. With it comes beautiful and iconic imagery, from the forests in both Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind and Princess Mononoke, the interior and exterior of the bathhouse in Spirited Away, to the ever so memorable introduction of the Cat Bus in My Neighbor Totor...
Yu-Gi-Oh! Official Card Game Sets 2 Guinness World Records
Magic: The Gathering and Pokémon Trading Card Game, eat your hearts out
― The Guinness World Records is by far one of the greatest trivia books out there. From the serious to the absurd, you'll find just about any record in the book. Of course, some of the records can be seen as publicity stunts, such as the recent crowning of Animate Ikebukuro as the largest anime shop/store. And even if some record...
Live-Action Short Celebrates Brotherhood & 10 Years of My Hero Academia
Relive a decade of My Hero Academia vicariously through 2 brothers' story
― It's momentous when a manga reaches its 10th anniversary of serialization. Although it's true that weekly shonen magazines like Jump, Magazine, and Sunday are rife with titles that have reached that seminal mark, only a small fraction in the industry as a whole ever sees 10 years of publication. One series that is hitting its...
Magic: The Gathering Card Game Gets Hatsune Miku Collab
No one's gonna want to hard counter Miku
― In the past few years, the popular trading card game Magic: The Gathering (MTG) has partnered with different intellectual properties for some interesting collaborations. Some collabs are within parent company Wizards of the Coast's brand, such as Dungeons & Dragons. Others include properties such as Doctor Who, Warhammer: 40,000, or recently, Cowboy Bebop. T...
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