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New Saga Anime Series Review

Time travel is a cool angle to approach a power fantasy anime, but poor writing prevents it from ever feeling like it’s living up to its full potential.

Shindou-kun's Tight Squeeze Volume 1 Manga Review

Shindou-kun's Tight Squeeze may not be the most creative romance manga out there, explicit or otherwise, but if you're looking for a spicy good time, it more than fits the bill.

TWIG Goes On Vacation, But The Gaming Industry Doesn't

Jean-Karlo takes next week off, but not before he imparts some Digimon deep cuts from the "Prelude" anime short.

Your Halloween 2025 Anime Watchlist

This Halloween season marks the perfect occasion to sit down and watch some of the best horror anime out there—and the ANN staff is here with their recommendations!

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle Voice Actor Interview: Kengo Kawanishi/Muichiro Tokito × Kana Hanazawa/Mitsuri Kanroji

Nikkei Entertainment! shares a behind-the-scenes interview with the cast of the summer's hottest film, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle!

Let's Go Karaoke! Anime Series Review

I’m just amazed by how much you could squeeze out of this bizarre premise.

Drops of God: Mariage Volume 2-3 Manga Review

Who will find the blue-eyed white sauvignon blanc?

Preparing for Anime's Greatest Race: The Steel Ball Run Cast Take the Stage

The voices of Johnny Joestar, Gyro Zeppeli, Diego Brando, Lucy Steel, and Steven Steel shared their excitement for the next installment of JoJo's!

100 Meters Anime Film Director Kenji Iwaisawa's Attention to Detail Puts Artistic Originality First

Iwaisawa's attention to natural movement and his team's stylistic take on the camera angles help to visually elevate the movie's message about chasing one's passion.
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ep. review

SANDA ‒ SERIES PREMIERE

Sanda opens with some big ideas steeped in some of the most complicated cultural issues of our age, and I am so curious to see its thesis take shape in the episodes ahead.
ep. review

May I Ask for One Final Thing? ‒ SERIES PREMIERE

Even if the show might not ever look quite as good as it did in that premiere again, I have faith that the Bloodstained Lady will bring the pain and the entertainment in equal measure throughout the coming weeks.
ep. review

This Monster Wants to Eat Me ‒ SERIES PREMIERE

Slow and sad are the operative adjectives for these first three episodes. If you want to enjoy them, you have to be willing to wallow.
ep. review

A Star Brighter Than the Sun ‒ SERIES PREMIERE

It is a truth universally acknowledged that a shoujo romance must feature two characters who don’t realize that their crush is mutual.
column

This Week in Anime - The Crunchyroll Sub Flub

Coop and Lucas look into the Crunchyroll subtitle situation that set social media ablaze and culminated in a scathing YouTube video by Mother's Basement. Are the technical issues fixed now? ― Coop and Lucas look into the Crunchyroll subtitle situation that set social media ablaze and culminated in a scathing YouTube video by Mother's Basement. Are the technical issues fixed now? Disclaimer: The view...
game review

Silent Hill f Game Review

This game will cling to the darkest corners of my nightmares for a very long time to come. ― I have been a Silent Hill fan all of my life, and I have just recently completed my project of replaying and recording every single game in the franchise (well, except for Silent Hill: Book of Memories, since my PlayStation Vita broke years ago). That said, for as much as I absolutely adore Bloober Team's re...
ep. review

Gachiakuta ‒ Episodes 13-14

The decision to depict Amo’s childhood from the girl’s own warped, subjective lens is as brilliant as it is cruel.
review

A Couple of Cuckoos Season 2 Anime Series Review

It’s a colorful, comforting anime that requires minimal brain power to consume. ― For me, A Couple of Cuckoos Season 2 is like “Sunk Cost Fallacy: The Anime.” I enjoyed the far-fetched and dumb, but sweet, twenty-four-episode first season, and found myself sleepwalking into the second out of a misplaced sense of duty. Like many long-running anime romcoms, the “plot progression,” if one could even des...
feature

From Lovecraft to the Fear of the Unknown: Silent Hill f and Fatal Frame: Crimson Butterfly

Why is this niche so beloved, and what else can we expect to see as we return to games that focus on Japanese folklore, culture, and horror? ― Japan-set games are experiencing a much-needed Renaissance, with Silent Hill f's releaase on PC and consoles this month, as well as the announcement of a Fatal Frame: Crimson Butterfly Remake coming in 2026, along with a release for Nioh 3 in February and Ghos...
feature

The Fall Anime 2025 Preview Guide summoned by Crunchyroll

The Fall Anime Preview Guide is almost complete! Read our reviews of With You, Our Love Will Make it Through, Li'l Miss Vampire Can't Suck Right, Spy×Family Season 3, One Punch Man Season 3, Gnosia, Uma Musume: Cinderella Gray, Digimon Beatbreak, My Hero Academia Final Season, and more! ― Welcome to Anime News Network's Fall 2025 Anime Preview Guide summoned by Crunchyroll! Here's how it goes: our t...
game review

Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds Game Review

Sonic Racing CrossWorlds is hands-down the best racing game in the entire franchise. ― Sonic's racing game history has been very mixed over the years, and that's being generous. You would think that for a franchise that focuses on a character that's faster than the average mascot platform, we would have better and more beloved racing games throughout the past couple of decades. I have not played ever...
review

Alice in Borderland (Live-Action) Season 3 Series Review

This continuation of Netflix's live-action version of Haro Aso's death game manga stretches the patience more than the previous seasons, but it's still ultimately worthwhile. ― The third live-action season of Alice in Borderland, based on the death game manga by Haro Aso, drops onto Netflix with big disadvantages. One is that it's released almost three years after the second season, which seemed to e...
review

Tatsuki Fujimoto 17-26 Anime Series Review

Like the longest (but enjoyable) roller coaster you've ever been on, the eight episodes based on the creator of Chainsaw Man's early works are a wild ride from start to finish. ― Tatsuki Fujimoto's early-career standalone stories show the subtle ways he's developed as a manga author. From trying his hand at a straightforward romantic story to the early foundations of the enigmatic world of Chainsaw M...
column

This Week in Games - Stray Kids, Hives, 'Mins, and DLsite Making Money

The creators of moon have a brand-new game in the works, and Nintendo Pictures debuts its first creation. Read more in This Week in Games! ― Welcome back, folks! In my continued efforts to keep this column on the straight and narrow, I avoid talking too much about Carnelian's efforts with the recent Kao no Nai Tsuki Remake visual novel. It's been out for a few weeks now, and as far as I can tell, it'...
interview

EXCLUSIVE: Interview with Turkey! Time to Strike's Hana Hishikawa and Noriko Hidaka

We spoke with voice actors Hishikawa and Hidaka about their work on Turkey!-Time to Strike- and their thoughts on bowling, time travel stories, and the Sengoku Period of Japan. ― On August 21, fans of Turkey! Time to Strike gathered at the Loft Plus One bar in Shinjuku for a talk show with voice actors Hana Hishikawa (voice of Mai Otonashi) and Noriko Hidaka (Sumomo), Yutaka Omatsu and Gen Oishi from...
review

Nyaight of the Living Cat Anime Series Review

Nyaight of the Living Cat likely would have achieved more success as tightly-edited, punchier shorts. Nyaight of the Living Cat is a deeply silly show where most of the humor derives from the viewer recognising plentiful references to mainly US-produced horror and action movies. Even the individual episode titles are cat and movie-related puns, like “Commeowndo” and “Meow Am Legend.” Non-movie buff...
feature

The Fall Anime 2025 Preview Guide summoned by Crunchyroll

It's the perfect time to catch up on the fall anime season! Read our reviews of This Monster Wants to Eat Me, The Dark History of the Reincarnated Villainess, Wandance, GINTAMA - Mr. Ginpachi's Zany Class, and more! ― Welcome to Anime News Network's Fall 2025 Anime Preview Guide summoned by Crunchyroll! Here's how it goes: our team of critics writes up their impressions instantly, to be posted here ...
review

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles x Naruto Comic Review

Color me pleasantly surprised then that Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles x Naruto is actually an earnest and enjoyable attempt at a crossover story. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles x Naruto is a mashup that has plenty of energy and fun for the time you'll spend with it. I was very skeptical of this book going in, I have to admit. Sure, sure, it had a lot going for it on the front-end. I know that I'm theo...
interview

Overcoming Insecurities with Plus-Sized Misadventures in Love Manga Creator mamakari

After digesting so much comedy that punches down on people's weight, it's a refreshing change of pace when a story like Plus-sized Misadventures in Love! comes to flip the script ― After digesting so much comedy that punches down on people's weight, it's a refreshing change of pace when a story like Plus-Sized Misadventures in Love comes to flip the script and use its fat jokes in a wholesome, body-p...
ep. review

The Fragrant Flower Blooms With Dignity ‒ Episode 6

In Subaru’s mind, she may be ripping off the band-aid of losing her best friend, something she believes will happen no matter what, somewhere deep inside of her.
feature

Turkey! Time to Strike Staff and Cast Pick Favorite Scenes at Talk Event

The voice actors and staff came together to discuss one of the most unique anime of the season, the time-traveling bowling anime Turkey! ― In the heart of Tokyo's bustling Shinjuku ward, anime fans gathered at the Loft Plus One bar for the anime talk show for one of the most interesting series of Summer 2025. That series is none other than Turkey! Time to Strike. The time-traveling bowling anime seri...
review

The Village Beyond the Mist Novel Review

The Village Beyond the Mist is a beautiful example of late twentieth-century children’s fantasy, pulling readers into a strange but familiar world alongside its heroine. ― If you weren't told that Sachiko Kashiwaba's 1975 middle-grade novel was the inspiration for Hayao Miyazaki's Spirited Away, you wouldn't know. It's an even less obvious connection than How Do You Live?'s link to The Boy and the He...
review

Thunderbolt Fantasy Sword Seekers -The Finale- Movie Review

Thunderbolt Fantasy is more so going out with some sparks than a full-blown BANG. ― It took nearly a decade, but at long, bittersweet last, Thunderbolt Fantasy has finally reached its conclusion in this, its finale movie. The movie picks up immediately where season 4 leaves off—which makes sense with the way season 4 ended. So, right off the bat, hopefully that answers your question if you were wonde...
column

Answerman - Defamation Versus Free Speech

The Ranking of Kings manga creator is suing a woman for defamation based on social media posts she made. Doesn't that violate free speech? ― Lawfully curious asks: A manga artist is suing a woman for defamation based on social media posts she made. Doesn't that violate free speech? Freedom of speech does not mean freedom from consequences, especially when it comes to defamation and hate speech. In c...
ep. review

Witch Watch ‒ SEASON FINALE

While this was a less dramatic season finale than I was hoping for, it does at least provide a few good jokes in the meantime.
ep. review

Secrets of the Silent Witch ‒ SEASON FINALE

Despite the festival being saved, her night out with Felix, and her finding a copy of her father’s research, this season of Secrets of the Silent Witch ends on a bittersweet note.
review

Reincarnated in a Mafia Dating Sim Volumes 1-2 Manga Review

While I wouldn't call this a villainess story, Francesca does seem to view it as such by the end of the second volume. ― Touko Amekawa is no stranger to writing strong heroines who set out to get what they want. You may recognize her as the author of 7th Time Loop, a story about a young woman named Rishe determined to use her memories of her previous six lives to make her seventh one end the cycle of...
feature

The Fall Anime 2025 Preview Guide summoned by Crunchyroll

The fall anime season is cooking up something delicious with Campfire Cooking in Another World Season 2. Read all the reviews for in the Preview Guide, now with two episode reviews! ― Welcome to Anime News Network's Fall 2025 Anime Preview Guide summoned by Crunchyroll! 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...
review

Welcome to the Outcast's Restaurant! Anime Series Review

For a series that’s supposed to be about cooking, almost everything here feels half-baked. ― On paper, Welcome to the Outcast's Restaurant has everything I should like: a cozy restaurant, a fantasy environment, some cute character designs, and a few dashes of slice of life. It's a recipe that could have worked, had someone in the kitchen not made the grave error of adding a spoonful of “banished from...
interview

Interview: My Hero Academia: All's Justice Producer Aoba Miyazaki on Creating More than a Sequel

"We're not just making [One's Justice 3]; as a team we said, 'We're going to make a new, even more fun game,' so we've drastically redesigned the inside of the game." ― With My Hero Academia heading into its final season and the battle between series protagonist Izuku “Deku” Midoriya and villain Tomura Shigaraki heating up, it's only natural for fans of the series to want to do more than just watch t...
ep. review

Apocalypse Bringer Mynoghra ‒ Episode 13

Mynoghra is a cool, original spin on a familiar concept, but bogged down by lackluster visuals, poor writing, and an unwillingness or inability to push itself further.
review

The Other World's Books Depend on the Bean Counter Volumes 1-3 Novel Review

Otherworlds, beware. Not only might you lose your most eligible bachelor to a stressed-out Japanese salaryman, but your entire foundation might be called into question. ― I have, in the past, referred to this series as being “isekai for grownups.” It's not a power fantasy. The protagonist isn't down on his luck, bullied, or otherwise deeply unhappy. He's a working adult, and not one particularly enra...
column

This Week in Games - EA Games Gets Played

This week, Jean-Karlo examines the EA Games purchase, the latest Silent Hill news, and what consumers and companies can do to ensure the games we play are developed fairly. ― Welcome back, folks! I finally got to share my Digimon Story: Time Stranger review this week. It was definitely one of the most fun things I've worked on all year. I hope people enjoy the game for what it is. I sadly missed the ...
interview

Pass The Monster Meat Milady is Cooking Up a Delicious Anime Confection

A manga about food is a surefire way to leave one hungry enough for the juicy details regarding its creation. To satiate our appetite, ANN sat down with manga creator Chika Mizube and Melphiera voice actor Kanna Nakamura to get the inside scoop. ― A manga about food is a surefire way to leave one hungry enough for the juicy details regarding its creation. Surely, the first ten minutes of Pass the Mon...
your score

Your Anime Rankings - Best of Summer 2025

To Be Hero X zigged-zagged all season but finishes with the best episode, while in the cumulative My Dress-Up Darling lost to some stiff competition. Find out how your favorite shows fared in the final rankings of the Summer! ― 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 w...
column

This Week in Anime - My Love is a Monster

Christopher Farris and Steve Jones discuss the appeal of anime romance starring not-so-human guys, gals, and tentacle pals. ― Christopher Farris and Steve Jones discuss the appeal of anime romance starring not-so-human guys, gals, and tentacle pals. Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by the participants in this chatlog are not the views of Anime News Network.Spoiler Warning for discussion ...
review

Thunderbolt Fantasy: Tōriken Yūki 4 Series Review

There’s an ever-present campiness to Thunderbolt Fantasy that really brings it over the top and keeps it super fun to watch. ― It's taken four seasons and a handful of movies, but Thunderbolt Fantasy finally approaches its conclusion in its fourth and final season. Our main players of the season are divided into three main groups: Shāng Bù Huàn, Juǎn Cán Yún, and Dān Fěi, who are exploring the Wastel...
feature

Realities Merge at the 'Art of Manga' Exhibit in San Francisco

Some of manga's most iconic images are currently on display at the de Young Museum—from Tetsuya Chiba to Eiichiro Oda. ― On its opening day, San Francisco's de Young Museum welcomed patrons to the first large-scale manga exhibit in North America. “Art of Manga” is a visual buffet for experts and newcomers alike, immersing visitors into the same plane as the very panels they see before their eyes. Fan...
review

Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc Anime Film Review

Emotionally resonant and visually stunning, this is simply one of the must-watch anime films of the year. ― A large part of this story is made to highlight just how inhuman Denji is. He grew up socially isolated and lacking the vast majority of creature comforts that even the most meager of us tend to have. He sold an eye and a kidney to survive--and three meals a day of tasty food is all it takes fo...
game review

Digimon Story: Time Stranger Game Review

What even is a Digimon, anyway? You're sure to learn as you play Time Stranger - and you'll have fun doing it! Digimon fans have waited a long time for a video game adaptation that truly succeeds at doing justice to Digimon's expansive world. The Digimon games have always struggled on that front, with even games within the same sub-series having wildly different mechanics and settings. The good new...
interview

Live-Action Film Director Yoshiyuki Okuyama on Adapting Makoto Shinkai's Classic 5 Centimeters Per Second Anime

One of Shinkai's beloved works is now a live-action film. We spoke with young director Yoshiyuki Okuyama about what probing the past can do for the audience and the filmmaker. ― Makoto Shinkai's anime classic 5 Centimeters Per Second (2007) received a live-action adaptation this year, which premiered this week at the Busan International Film Festival. Directed by photographer and filmmaker Yoshiyuki ...
feature

The Fall Anime 2025 Preview Guide summoned by Crunchyroll

It's a five-star knockout for May I Ask One Final Thing? Read all our reviews, including: The Banished Court Magician Aims to Become the Strongest, Inexpressive Kashiwada and Expressive Oota, My Hero Academia Final Season, Pass the Monster Meat, Milady!, A Star Brighter Than the Sun, This Monster Wants to Eat Me, Dusk Beyond the End of the World, A Wild Last Boss Appeared!, Who Made Me a Princess, and more!
column

This Week in Anime - Anime Across Generations

Coop and Lucas look at the ways different generations got into anime and remind us that we're all fans in the same fandom. ― Coop and Lucas look at the ways different generations got into anime and remind us that we're all fans in the same fandom. Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by the participants in this chatlog are not the views of Anime News Network. Executive editor Lynzee Loveridg...
ep. review

Sword of the Demon Hunter ‒ SEASON FINALE

Taken as an "ordinary" episode, this is passable, albeit thin and unconvincing. Taken as a season finale, it's next to nothing.
review

Baki The Grappler Volume 1 Manga Review

The fighting is utterly ridiculous, but so much fun, it is hard not to be entertained by this modern-day Lancelot whose strength is as ten because his heart is pure. ― This year at the American Manga Awards, Ashita no Joe: Fighting For Tomorrow won a very well-deserved Classic Manga Award. This post-war bildungsroman of a young man discovering himself through boxing is a moving tale. Now, we also hav...
ep. review

One Piece ‒ Episode 1145

The monstrous haki that the elders are giving off creates a dazzling light display that the Toei team has rendered in all its ominous, resplendent glory.
ep. review

The Summer Hikaru Died ‒ SEASON FINALE

The bulk of this finale feels like a cathartic splash in the ocean that nevertheless leaves you shivering—a bittersweet respite from oppressive summer heat.
ep. review

Gachiakuta ‒ Episode 12

This stinky little toon about a gang of literal Garbage Pail Kids has utterly blown me away.
ep. review

Ruri Rocks ‒ SEASON FINALE

It's the finer details of that dirt and the process of discovering them that is the important part. And in that respect, this ending for the anime does feel special in its own way.
review

Thunderbolt Fantasy: Tōriken Yūki 3 Series Review

If you’ve enjoyed what you’ve seen so far of Urobuchi’s puppet perfection, I have no doubt you’ll enjoy the third season as well. ― There's nothing out there doing it quite like Thunderbolt Fantasy, full stop. Gorgeous, ambitious, and oozing with theater kid energy, it's by far one of the more creative shows out there. Less self-contained than previous seasons, this particular season of Gen Urobuchi'...
ep. review

Rascal Does Not Dream of Santa Claus ‒ SEASON FINALE

Sometimes, you just need someone—anyone—to tell you it's going to be okay.
ep. review

CITY The Animation ‒ SEASON FINALE

CITY the Animation is nothing short of an achievement in the medium of animation and is packed with the exact kind of informed optimism that I think the world needs more of right now.
ep. review

Secrets of the Silent Witch ‒ Episode 12

Monica is a bundle of tightly wound social anxiety. Meanwhile, Felix is a fount of superficiality.
ep. review

Kaiju No. 8 Season 2 ‒ Episode 23

Mina popping giant monsters with a mega-sniper emplacement is legitimately very cool, there’s no two ways about it.
ep. review

The Fragrant Flower Blooms With Dignity ‒ Episode 5

With all of the heaviness in the main plot, Usami is something of a godsend.
review

Grave of the Fireflies Novel Review

Reading the book through the film, there are many startling “omissions." ― For decades, literature lovers have fretted that some classics have been obscured by their animated film adaptations, which youngsters might see as definitive. How many people, for instance, now think of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, Bambi and The Jungle Book as being films by Disney, rather than books by Lewis Carroll, Fe...
feature

Yokai Cats and Time Travel: Twenty-One Volumes of Rumiko Takahashi's Mao

Taking a more aggressive horror angle, Mao bridges time from the Heian Era to the Taishō Era to today, telling a story about insatiable greed for power and those who try to stop it. ― I always try to admit when I'm wrong. Mao, Rumiko Takahashi's current long-running manga series, didn't wow me with its first volume. I uncharitably compared it to earlier Takahashi works in both look and plot, and I ad...
feature

An Ode to Kikyo: In Defense of one of Takahashi's Most Hated Characters

Kikyo is the best character in InuYasha, and I will die on this hill (and be brought back to life 50 years later). ― If “Density of Fan Hate Per Onscreen Minute” were a quantifiable metric, FullMetal Alchemist's Shou Tucker would undoubtedly be the record-holder. But Kikyo, from when the InuYasha fandom was at its most active, would still easily crack the top 10, if not the top 5. To phrase that a bi...
ep. review

Anne Shirley ‒ SEASON FINALE

It’s Anne’s world summed up: the fantasy of romance with the romance of real life, wound together like ribbons on a bouquet.
feature

My First Rumiko Takahashi Series

Soon approaching her 50th anniversary as a manga artist, Rumiko Takahashi has introduced generations to manga and anime through her stories. ― Soon approaching her 50th anniversary as a manga artist, Rumiko Takahashi has introduced generations to manga and anime through her stories. Her work spans the breadth of genres, from the hilarious mishaps in Urusei Yatsura and Ranma ½ to the horrific folktal...
review

Eiga Odekake Kozame Tokai no Otomodachi Anime Film Review

Eiga Odekake Kozame Tokai no Otomodachi a wonderful watch on a lazy afternoon or a film to watch with children. ― There is no better way to say it, I love Eiga Odekake Kozame Tokai no Otomodachi. It shares the same charm of the manga and ONA series, with a series of delightful short stories following the titular character Kozame-chan on a big adventure in a city (presumably Tokyo). Layered on top of ...
feature

Why Maison Ikkoku is the Greatest Love Story of All Time

Pride and Prejudice. Romeo and Juliet. The Notebook. These are some of the stories considered the greatest romances of all time, but to me, none of them compares to Maison Ikkoku. Pride and Prejudice. Romeo and Juliet. The Notebook. These are some of the stories considered the greatest romances of all time, but to me, none of them compares to Maison Ikkoku, Rumiko Takahashi's seminal love story. I...
interview

Interview: The First Descendant Director on the Issues with the Game And How They're Fixing Them

We sat down with Director Min Seok Joo at Tokyo Game Show 2025 to talk frankly about the issues currently facing the game and their plans to overcome them. The First Descendant is a free-to-play, sci-fi looter shooter filled with fast-paced action, attractive characters, and tons of explosions. Now, more than a year since the game's release, I had a chance to sit down with Director Min Seok Joo, ac...
watch

The Fall 2025 Anime Trailer Watch Party is Tonight!

Come find your new must-watch anime with us on Friday at 5pm PT/8pm ET! ― The leaves are changing, and the anime season is, too. Anime News Network's Lynzee Loveridge, James Beckett, and Jacki Jing are happy to announce that YouTube personality Geoff Thew (Mother's Basement) is joining us to watch over 50 trailers from the upcoming anime season. Find your next must-watch anime, from the biggest hits ...
review

May I Ask for One Final Thing? Volume 1 Manga Review

Sometimes you just want to see a perfectly prim Victorian-style lady haul back and beat someone's face in, all safely within the realm of fiction. ― By this point in pop culture history, we've probably all sat through as many villainess denunciation scenes as we can stomach. The story beats are as familiar as the back of your hand – the prim and proper, highly-ranked fiancée of a prince or similarly ...
ep. review

Dr. STONE SCIENCE FUTURE ‒ SEASON FINALE

Not bad for a squeaky little melon-headed moe-blob.
column

This Week in Games - Sony State of Play 2025

Kojima cannot be stopped! Jean-Karlo looks at the big news out of Tokyo Game Show and Sony's State of Play! ― Welcome back, folks! Man, they certainly kept us busy this week with the Tokyo Game Show. However, I am happy that I didn't have to sit through another two-stream day, where, I dunno, someone had a presentation right after Sony's State of Play. It's been a long week and there's a lot of news,...
ep. review

The Rising of the Shield Hero Season 4 ‒ SEASON FINALE

I desperately tried to find something to emotionally grasp and get me invested, but every time, it's like the show slapped me in the face for giving it that chance.
ep. review

One Piece ‒ Episode 1144

Luffy’s Gear 5 form needs serious opposition to be under any real threat - and this episode makes it clear that the five elders are up to the challenge.
your score

Your Anime Rankings - Best of Summer 2025, Sep 16-22

The Rising of the Shield Hero is dropping like a rock each week while Dr. Stone is rising like a hero. See you next week for the final results! ― 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 peopl...
feature

Yakuza Kiwami 3 is More Than Just a Remake, And Dark Ties Proves it

One of the common criticisms of the original Yakuza 3 is that Mine didn't get enough screen time. Well, Dark Ties certainly remedies that. ― Sega and Ryu ga Gotoku have made sure that older games in the Yakuza/Like a Dragon series are accessible to newer audiences. By remaking the first two games as Yakuza Kiwami and Yakuza Kiwami 2, as well as remastering the older PS3 titles, almost all of the game...
ep. review

Turkey!-Time to Strike- ‒ SEASON FINALE

If you have a taste for the equally-absurd-and-heartfelt, or if you just want to watch something that’s truly unlike anything else you’ve ever seen, Turkey should be considered a must-watch.
ep. review

New PANTY & STOCKING with GARTERBELT ‒ SEASON FINALE

While I expected a certain level of edging trolling in the finish for New Panty & Stocking, I also knew that they wouldn't let things wrap without spectacularly blowing their load at least once.
column

This Week in Anime - The Name of the Game is Death

Steve and Lucas look at the death game genre and hope to emerge victorious. ― Steve and Lucas look at the death game genre and hope to emerge victorious. 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. Crunchyroll streams Necronomico, Future Diary, Danganronpa anime, Big Order...
review

Mansect Manga Review

Mansect is way too gross out for me to feel comfortable freely recommending it to any horror-lovers out there. ― Have you ever read a manga and thought, “Oh, this one's for the sickos (complimentary)”? Because those were exactly the words that immediately appeared in my head upon finishing Mansect. Originally published in 1975, this classic horror manga isn't for the faint of heart when it comes to i...
ep. review

Hell Teacher: Jigoku Sensei Nube ‒ SEASON FINALE

Turns out that setting two scary yokai against one another works wonders.
ep. review

Apocalypse Bringer Mynoghra ‒ Episode 12

This anime wants to be Berserk so, so badly.
ep. review

Sword of the Demon Hunter ‒ Episode 23

So much for any hope of closure this season, as the series decides to go for some slack timeslip whimsy.
ep. review

There's No Freaking Way I'll Be Your Lover! Unless... ‒ SEASON FINALE

Is this going to be the first-ever yuri-only poly anime I think I've ever seen?
watch

Mother's Basement Joins The Fall 2025 Anime Trailer Watch Party!

Come find your new must-watch anime with us on Friday at 5pm PT/8pm ET! ― The leaves are changing, and the anime season is, too. Anime News Network's Lynzee Loveridge, James Beckett, and Jacki Jing are happy to announce that YouTube personality Geoff Thew (Mother's Basement) is joining us to watch over 50 trailers from the upcoming anime season. Find your next must-watch anime, from the biggest hits ...
review

Tiny Witch from the Deep Woods Volume 1 Novel Review

I certainly didn’t dislike the story, but it left me wishing there was something more substantive within its passages. The Tiny Witch from the Woods whizzes its way through its narrative in a manner that leaves no real impact on the reader. All of its attempts at establishing settings and characters are told so matter-of-factly that the story is robbed of any major intrigue or drama. I certainly di...
game review

Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles Game Review

This game is a true labor of love from Final Fantasy Tactics' original creators, and it delivers a superlative refinement of one of the franchise's best entries. Final Fantasy Tactics holds that rare honor of being a relatively niche spinoff to a blockbuster gaming franchise that many fans would argue outdoes some of the series' most beloved main entries. Even 30 years ago, RPG fans knew that there...
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The Most Anticipated Anime of Fall 2025

Fan-favorites like Spy×Family and Ranma ½ are set to return, but it was those little digital pals and a monstrous new series that really grabbed our critics' attention. ― As some of the biggest anime of the year wind to a close, our team looked to October and beyond for their next must-watch anime series. Fan-favorites like Spy×Family and Ranma ½ are set to return, but it was those little digital pa...
feature

Will Nintendo's Holiday Showcase Sell Me on a Switch 2?

Is Kirby Air Riders, Metroid Prime 4: Beyond and Pokémon Legends: Z-A the push console fence-sitters need to upgrade? ― This is the third year in a row I've been invited to Nintendo's Holiday Showcase event for Anime News Network — but my first year where the games on display are for the Nintendo Switch 2. I have yet to upgrade to Nintendo's latest console, and with the majority of games showcased h...
ep. review

Sakamoto Days ‒ SEASON FINALE

This episode comes off less like a season finale and more like the show simply hitting pause for the foreseeable future.
ep. review

CITY The Animation ‒ Episode 12

While episode twelve of CITY the Animation does look great, anyone who reduces this episode or the broader show down to its visuals is doing the work and themselves a massive disservice.
ep. review

The Fragrant Flower Blooms With Dignity ‒ Episode 4

This episode once again combines sheer adorability with a grounded exploration of prejudice and how it affects people’s day-to-day lives, all with Kaoruko’s absolutely perfect hairstyle.
ep. review

The Summer Hikaru Died ‒ Episode 11

No matter what kind of eldritch monstrosity he may metamorphose into, Hikaru will always remain a blorbo.
review

COMPASS2.0 ANIMATION PROJECT Anime Series Review

#COMPASS2.0 is a plate of saltines and unseasoned chicken that's cosplaying as an anime. ― If you're trying to review an anime, saying, "This just sucks," is the quick quip you might casually tell your friends if they ask your opinion, but that's probably the limit of its potential use. It gets your point across on a basic level, sure, but it's reductive, vague, and in the absence of further explanat...
column

This Week in Anime - The Panty & Stocking Phenomenon

The New Panty & Stocking went harder than we ever expected after so many years in limbo. Chris and Coop rehash some of the new season's best moments and its unabashedly not-safe-for-work moments. ― The New Panty & Stocking went harder than we ever expected after so many years in limbo. Chris and Coop rehash some of the new season's best moments and its unabashedly not-safe-for-work moments. Disclaim...
feature

The Worst Anime of Summer 2025

In a season full of great anime, we had to dig a bit deeper to find the clunkers; most of the series on this list are competent but otherwise dragged down by unlikable characters and tired, one-note jokes. ― In a season full of great anime, we had to dig a bit deeper to find the clunkers; most of the series on this list are competent but otherwise dragged down by unlikable characters and tired, one-...
ep. review

Gachiakuta ‒ Episode 11

On paper, “Amo's Hospitality” just shouldn't work. In practice, though? It's easily my favorite episode of Gachiakuta yet.
ep. review

Call of the Night Season 2 ‒ SEASON FINALE

With Anko's arc wrapped up, the adaptation elongates its denouement with a mostly anime-original episode that allows its various creatures of the night a chance to reflect and party.
ep. review

Toilet-Bound Hanako-kun Season 2 ‒ SEASON FINALE

This show can be spooky horror and goofy comedy, but the third part of its secret sauce is its tender portrayal of young love—and this finale hammers that home.
ep. review

Witch Watch ‒ Episode 24

Morihito has always been more neurotic than his stoic attitude would suggest, and this is basically just 20 straight minutes of demonstrating how much of a dork he truly is.
ep. review

Rascal Does Not Dream of Santa Claus ‒ Episode 12

Up until now, we’ve been buying into an assumption—that our Santa-clad beauty was the one-and-only Touko Kirishima. But you know what they say about assumptions.

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