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Which Anime Made You Cry?
Anime has the ability to pull our heartstrings and make us weep like all great entertainment. Our team of critics reveals which anime moment, episode or ending made them burst into tears - and we're dying to hear yours, too!
― A few weeks back we ran an interest piece on a survey of adult Japanese anime fans about anime that made them cry. That got us thinking – which anime, in the long history of ou...
Anime Spotlight - BBK/BRNK
Can these 5 teenagers take on the burden of saving their world?
― BBK/BRNK Visit the Official Site › Story Characters Trailer Cast & Staff Gallery Broadcast Begins January 9, 2016 (JST) Key Staff Character Design: Yusuke Kozaki (Fire Emblem Awakening, NO MORE HEROES) Music: Masaru Yokoyama (Your Lie in April, Plastic Memories) Introduction Can they pull it off? Story Let's talk about "BBK/BRNK". A w...
Anime Spotlight - Haruchika -Haruta & Chika
Childhood friends Chika Homura and Haruta Kamijo reunite in their high school's wind ensemble club. They are both determined to recruit new members and perform in the prestigious national wind ensemble competition at "Fumon Hall".
― Haruchika -Haruta & Chika Visit the Official Site › Story Characters Trailer Cast & Staff Gallery Broadcast Begins January 2016! (JST) Key Staff Director: Masakazu Hashi...
A Fire Burns in Concrete Revolutio
Justice, peace, and freedom - can any one hero truly fight for them all? If your peace violates my freedom, who is right? Nick Creamer explores the themes of Shou Aikawa's Concrete Revolutio.
― Fires burn in the streets, born of anger at a system that kills those it's sworn to protect. Citizens rally to any leader that speaks in their voice, united less by pride or conviction than by an overriding fe...
Anime Spotlight - Please tell me! Galko-chan
Galko-chan may look like a player but as they say looks can be deceiving!
― Please tell me! Galko-chan Visit the Official Site › Story Characters Trailer Cast & Staff Gallery Broadcast Begins January 2016 (JST) Key Staff Director: Keiichiro Kawaguchi (Minami-ke Tadaima, Moetan) Character Design: Kenji Fujisaki (B-Daman CrossFire, Blood Lad) Introduction Is it true that Galko-chan is going to become ...
The Winter 2016 Anime Preview Guide
The Winter 2016 Anime Preview Guide has completed! Take a guided tour through this season's new shows, big and small.
Available Now: KONOSUBA, AOKANA, Schwarzes Marken, Rainbow Days, Grimgar of Fantasy and Ash, Dimension W, Nurse Witch Komugi-chan R, BBK/BRNK, Luck & Logic and much much more! ― Welcome to Anime News Network's Winter 2016 Preview Guide! Here's how it goes: our team of critics write ...
Available Now: KONOSUBA, AOKANA, Schwarzes Marken, Rainbow Days, Grimgar of Fantasy and Ash, Dimension W, Nurse Witch Komugi-chan R, BBK/BRNK, Luck & Logic and much much more! ― Welcome to Anime News Network's Winter 2016 Preview Guide! Here's how it goes: our team of critics write ...
The Rise of Masashi Ishihama: From The New World to Garakowa
Kevin Cirugeda introduces you to the soaring career of Masashi Ishihama, an impressive animator whose work on the cult hit From the New World should get you pretty excited about his brand-new film, Garakowa.
― It was well over two years ago when the existence of Garakowa – Save the World was first hinted at (under the name D.backup then), as the scenario that won Pony Canyon's creative contest awarde...
Anime Spotlight - Prince of Stride Alternative
First year students Takeru Fujiwara, Nana Sakurai and Riku Yagami are ready to take on the challenge of bringing Honan High School's stride team back to the top!
― Prince of Stride Alternative Visit the Official Site › Story Characters Trailer Cast & Staff Gallery Broadcast Begins January 5, 2016 (JST) Key Staff Director: Atsuko Ishizuka (No Game, No Life, Hanayamata) Series Composition: Taku Kishim...
Anime Spotlight - DIMENSION W
Our energy problems seemed to have been solved. But with new solutions new problems arise. Enter repo man Kyoma and his android assistant Mira the most unlikely duo for this job.
― DIMENSION W Visit the Official Site › Story Characters Trailer Cast & Staff Gallery Broadcast Begins January 2016 (JST) Key Staff Director: Kanta Kamei (Saekano: How to Raise a Boring Girfriend, Nanaana's Buried Treasure)...
Anime Spotlight - ERASED
Satoru Fujinuma will have to finally face the truth about his past! How will this affect his future?
― ERASED Visit the Official Site › Story Characters Trailer Cast & Staff Gallery Streaming starts January 7th, 2016 at 9:30am(PST) Key Staff Director: Tomohiko Ito (Sword Art Online, Silver Spoon) Character Design: Keigo Sasaki (Blue Exorcist, The Seven Deadly Sins) Story Satoru Fujinuma is a young m...
Anime Spotlight - Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinju (Showa and Genroku era lover's suicide through Rakugo)
Yotaro enter's the world of Rakugo during the Showa era.
― Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinju (Showa and Genroku era lover's suicide through Rakugo) Visit the Official Site › Story Characters Trailer Cast & Staff Gallery Broadcast Begins January 8, 2016 (JST) Key Staff Director: Mamoru Hatakeyama (Rozen Maiden – Zurückspulen) Series Composition: Jun Kumagai (Hamatora) Character Design: Mieko Hosoi (Aiura, ...
Anime Spotlight - KONOSUBA -God's blessing on this wonderful world!
Kazuma's second life is about to begin. Oh and what an adventure it's going to be!
― KONOSUBA -God's blessing on this wonderful world! Visit the Official Site › Story Characters Trailer Cast & Staff Gallery Broadcast Begins January 13, 2016 (JST) Key Staff Director: Takaomi Kanasaki (Tokyo Ravens, Is This a Zombie?) Series Composition: Makoto Uezu (Arpeggio of Blue Steel, Is This a Zombie?) Introduc...
The Best and Worst of the Fall 2015 Season
This is it! Find out the final rankings for all of Fall 2015's shows, according to YOUR votes!
― Our team of reviewers are following 24 anime series of the Fall 2015 season and readers are rating each episode as the reviews go up. So let's have a look at what ANN readers consider the best (and worst) of the season. Keep in mind that these rankings are based on how people rated individual episodes of...
King Arthur and the Seven Deadly Sins
Netflix's history-drenched shonen action hit dabbles in Arthurian legend most of all. Here's a guide to the characters of The Seven Deadly Sins and what their counterparts from ancient myth reveal about them.
― Like many Romantic proto-Goth teenage girls in the 1990s, I was in love with Marion Zimmer Bradley's Arthurian fantasy novel The Mists of Avalon. Primed by a generation of girls who had not on...
Anime Spotlight - DAGASHIKASHI (But Still)
Kokonotsu Shikada summer break is about to be turned upside down.
― DAGASHIKASHI (But Still) Visit the Official Site › Story Characters Trailer Cast & Staff Gallery Broadcast Begins January 2016! (JST) Key Staff Director: Shigehito Takayanagi ((The) World God Only Knows, Galaxy Angel A) Character Design: Kanetoshi Kamimoto (Burst Angel, Ghost in the Shell(movie)) Story Kokonotsu Shikada doesn't want...
Interview: Animator Henry Thurlow on Judgment and Justice
American artist Henry Thurlow, key animator on shows like Tokyo Ghoul and Naruto, made headlines in 2015 with his controversial statements on the anime industry. In 2016, he has a new collaborative short film. Mike Toole gets the details... and a lot more.
― Nine months ago, animator Henry Thurlow's Reddit AMA shone a spotlight on one of the lowest rungs of the anime industry-- the hardscrabble life ...
Anime Spotlight - Undefeated Bahamut Chronicle
Dragoknights Assemble! The battle is about to begin!
― Undefeated Bahamut Chronicle Visit the Official Site › Story Characters Trailer Cast & Staff Gallery Broadcast Begins January 2016 (JST) Key Staff Director: Masaomi Ando (White Album 2, School-Live) Series Composition: Yuuko Kakihara (Heaven's Lost Property, Persona 4 The Animation) Character Design: Keiko Kurosawa (RE: Hamatora) Story Mechanica...
Theron & Rebecca's Anime in America 2015
Staff critics Theron Martin and Rebecca Silverman pick out some superlatives for 2015's best and not-so-best scenes, moments, fights, deaths, romances and a whole host of others.
― Theron: Welcome! I am back once again for a look at the high points and low points of anime in America in the past year, a look which will go well beyond just considering the best and/or most entertaining shows of the year...
Anime Spotlight - Luck and Logic
Yoshichika Tsurugi's normal life is about to change after his meeting with the goddess Athena.
― Luck and Logic Visit the Official Site › Story Characters Trailer Cast & Staff Gallery Broadcast Begins January 2016 (JST) Key Staff Director: Koichi Chigira (“Full Metal Panic!” “Brave Story”) Concept / Series Structure / Script: Yuya Takahashi (QueenB) (“Laughing Under the Clouds” “Lupin the Third Part...
The Best and Worst of the Season So Far: Week of Dec 17-23
With just about everything from the winter 2015 season wrapping up or having already concluded, let's check out how everything fell into place in our weekly rankings.
― Our team of reviewers are following 24 anime series of the Fall 2015 season and readers are rating each episode as the reviews go up. So let's have a look at what ANN readers consider the best (and worst) of the season. Keep in mind ...
Anime Spotlight - PHANTASY STAR ONLINE 2 THE ANIMATION
The 15th Anniversary of PHANTASY STAR ONLINE 2 is celebrated with a new series for the winter season!
― PHANTASY STAR ONLINE 2 THE ANIMATION Visit the Official Site › Story Characters Trailer Cast & Staff Gallery Broadcast Begins January 2016 (JST) Key Staff Director: Keiichiro Kawaguchi (MOVIE HUNTER×HUNTER -The LAST MISSION-, Hyate the Combat Butler) Series Composition: Mitsutaka Hirota (The Princ...
Anime Spotlight - Durarara!! x 2 The Third Arc
Ikebukuro's calling! Just let them in!
― Durarara!! x 2 The Third Arc Visit the Official Site › Story Characters Trailer Cast & Staff Gallery Broadcast Begins January 9, 2016 Key Staff Director: Takahiro Omori (Baccano!,Natsume's Book of Friends) Series Composition: Noboru Takagi (Baccano!, Kuroko's Basketball) Character Design: Takahiro Kishida (Arjuna, Final Fantasy: Unlimited) Introduction This i...
Anime Spotlight - Myriad Colors Phantom World
Hosea Academy's best students have come together to defeat phantoms that have arrived in our world!
― Myriad Colors Phantom World Visit the Official Site › Story Characters Trailer Cast & Staff Gallery Broadcast Begins January 2016! (JST) Key Staff Director: Tatsuya Ishihara (The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, Clannad After Story) Series Composition: Fumihiko Shimo (Aria the Scarlett Ammo Double A, ...
Anime Spotlight - Norn Nonet (Norn9)
3 young girls and 9 young men depart together on a journey aboard a giant airship.
― Norn Nonet (Norn9) Visit the Official Site › Story Characters Trailer Cast & Staff Gallery Broadcast Begins January 2016 (JST) Key Staff Director: Takao Abo (Eureka Seven (episode director for eps 4, 11, 23, 30, 43)) Series Composition: Natsuko Takahashi (My Love Story, You're Under Arrest: Full Throttle) Introducti...
The Best Way to Watch Jojo's Bizarre Adventure
Ahead of the hotly anticipated release of Diamond Is Unbreakable, Joe Dempsey makes an impassioned case for why you should ignore everyone telling you that it's OK to skip the first two arcs of Jojo's Bizarre Adventure.
― It appears as though there will be no stopping the Jojo's anime train. With the announcement that there will be an anime for Jojo's Bizarre Adventure Part 4: Diamond is Not Crash-s...
The Best and Worst of the Season So Far: Week of Dec 10-16
Find out how your favorite shows are faring so close to their finales in our weekly user rankings!
― Our team of reviewers are following 24 anime series of the Fall 2015 season and readers are rating each episode as the reviews go up. So let's have a look at what ANN readers consider the best (and worst) of the season. Keep in mind that these rankings are based on how people rated individual episode...
Anime Spotlight - Girls aim for the Wilderness ~ Girls Beyond the Youth KOYA ~
Buntaro Hojo has spent most of his high school life without a sense of direction. One day he's asked to develop a game and things start to fall into place.
― Girls aim for the Wilderness ~ Girls Beyond the Youth KOYA ~ Visit the Official Site › Story Characters Trailer Cast & Staff Gallery Broadcast Begins January 2016 (JST) Key Staff Director: Takuya Sato (Selector Infected Wixoss, NieA 7) Original...
The Best Anime of 2015 Part Six: Poll Results
This is it! The moment you've been waiting for: the poll results are in, and you've ranked over 150 anime series from 2015. Check out the poll results PLUS our final top 5 from Shelf Life's Paul Jensen!
― Click Here for the Best Anime of 2015 Mega Poll results! Paul Jensen 5. One-Punch Man Shows about super-powered people, especially ones that run for more than a season or two, almost inevitably run ...
The Best Anime of 2015 Part Five
We're almost all done with our celebration of the best anime of 2015, but not before Zac Bertschy and Rebecca Silverman get their picks in.
― Zac Bertschy Well, 2015 was a hell of a year. I honestly thought 2014 would be the best year for anime for a long time, but I think this year gave it a legit run for its money. I didn't get around to seeing everything I wanted to – I never do, ever – and most ...
The Best Anime of 2015 Part Four
Hope Chapman and Lauren Orsini offer up their picks for the five best anime of 2015, and it may not be quite what you're expecting.
― Hope Chapman 5. One-Punch Man At first I wasn't sure how I felt about including a series that hasn't concluded yet on my best of the year list. Strong endings are arguably more important than strong beginnings, but One-Punch Man's beginning was so wildly enjoyable tha...
The Best Anime of 2015 Part Three
Our countdown continues! Staff critics Gabriella Ekens and Theron Martin step up to the plate with their picks for the five best anime of 2015.
― Gabriella Ekens 5. Noragami Aragoto When the first season came out in 2014, Noragami quickly established itself as one of the anime nearest to the mainstream. Combining elements of shonen and shoujo with fun reimaginings of Japanese mythology, it followed ...
10 Moments of Spectacular Animation from 2015
Check out 10 of the finest and most visually resplendent cuts of animation from 2015's best and brightest anime (along with maybe a few underdogs). Kevin Cirugeda has the scoop.
― As the year comes to an end it's common for people to list their favorite new pieces of media, and anime is no exception to that custom. We can go further than a list of the best TV series of 2015 however, what about the gr...
The Best Anime of 2015 Part Two
Our week-long celebration of the best anime of 2015 continues as staff critics Nick Creamer and Rose Bridges spill the beans on their top 5 lists.
― Nick Creamer 5. Death Parade I didn't have the highest expectations for Death Parade. I'd enjoyed the preceding short, Death Billiards, but don't really count myself a fan of voyeuristic death game shenanigans. But the full-length series embraced its pr...
The Best and Worst of the Season So Far: Week of Dec 3-9
The winter season is slowly coming to a close, so let's find out how your favorite shows are faring as they careen calamitously close to conclusion.
― Our team of reviewers are following 24 anime series of the Fall 2015 season and readers are rating each episode as the reviews go up. So let's have a look at what ANN readers consider the best (and worst) of the season. Keep in mind that these ranking...
The Best Anime of 2015 Part One
All week long we're presenting the top 5 anime of 2015 as chosen by our team of critics and, of course, as chosen by you! Today's top 5s: Mike Toole and Amy McNulty!
― It's the end of the year, which means it's time for year-end lists! All week this week we'll be presenting the Top 5 anime as selected by our team of critics, with the final results of our enormous year-end Mega Poll released on Frida...
The Best and Most Memorable Manga of 2015
2015 was a banner year for manga in the US, so it's time for our resident senior manga critic to run down her favorites and the most memorable (for better or worse) manga of the year!
― 2015 is coming to its inevitable close, something that we can say for every year but not for every manga series. It's been an interesting year for us manga readers, though – a drastic increase in digital content has b...
The Legends Behind Noragami
Noragami has captured the imagination of anime fans everywhere, but the show's mystical references can be a little dense. Here's your complete guide to the world of Japanese folklore, mythology, religion and customs that define Yato's world.
― With its second season almost over, Noragami has quickly established itself as one of the most beloved new anime of the past few years. As it follows the adven...
The Best and Worst of the Season So Far: Week of Nov 26-Dec 2
Our long national nightmare is over and One-Punch Man retakes the top spot. Find our how your other favorite shows fared in our weekly rankings!
― Our team of reviewers are following 24 anime series of the Fall 2015 season and readers are rating each episode as the reviews go up. So let's have a look at what ANN readers consider the best (and worst) of the season. Keep in mind that these rankings ar...
What's The Best First Episode You've Ever Seen?
We asked our team of critics one simple question: what is the single best first episode of an anime series you've ever seen, regardless of how the show turned out? Find out what they said and sound off on your own picks!
― It's a pretty simple question, but it can tell you a lot about someone's taste in anime: what's the single best first episode of an anime series you've ever seen? It doesn't matter...
What Makes Kyoto Animation So Special?
Anime fans have been waxing rhapsodical about the glory of Kyoto Animation, the house behind megahits like K-On! and Free!, for years. What is it that makes their work so meaningful to so many? Nick Creamer tries to figure it all out.
― So I've been watching K-On! lately. This hasn't been difficult. It's a very easy show to watch! You can just sort of lie back on your couch and lean your head in its ...
The Best and Worst of the Season So Far: Week of Nov 19-25
The show that's dominated the top of the charts all season long drops to #2, while another king is crowned. It's an exciting week for your favorite shows!
― Our team of reviewers are following 24 anime series of the Fall 2015 season and readers are rating each episode as the reviews go up. So let's have a look at what ANN readers consider the best (and worst) of the season. Keep in mind that these r...
Anime News Network's Holiday 2015 Gift Guide - Games
Our week-long gift guide wraps up with the one thing everyone wants: videogames! A smattering of the best games for every otaku on your Christmas shopping list awaits.
― Clannad There are a couple factors that make this visual novel release basically the ideal otaku Christmas gift, so let's run them down: Long-awaited English-language release of the visual novel most fans of the medium will tell you...
Anime News Network's Holiday 2015 Gift Guide Part V: Collectibles & Cool Stuff
The blockbuster second-to-last page of our week-long holiday gift guide is here, overflowing with toys, statues, action figures, and much much more!
― Royal Twintails Pillow Have you ever loved a hairstyle so much you wanted to wrap yourself up in an enormous pillow-like representation of it? No? Well here's your chance! This is pretty clearly a novelty item, but I'll be honest – it looks pretty com...
Anime News Network's Holiday 2015 Gift Guide Part IV: DVD & Blu-ray
DVD and Bluray finally arrive in our week-long Christmas gift guide! We've rolled out some awesome limited editions, 2015's best and most elaborate releases and much more!
― Anime itself is a highly personal gift, and it's tough to know exactly what a fan might actually want. Some tips up front if you're buying anime for someone: Ask them what shows they like first and narrow it down. Don't ask what...
Anime News Network's Holiday 2015 Gift Guide Part III: Tech & Gadgets
Today's the day for tech in our week-long gift guide! Figure out the ultimate streaming package for the otaku on your Christmas shopping list, plus a bunch of fun gadgets and weird stuff.
― The Streaming Bundle The start of any tech gift guide on a site like this is liable to give you a long list of bluray players and high-end TVs, but as any anime fan will tell you, times have changed - all we real...
A Quick, Easy Guide to the Gintama Drama
At nearly 300 episodes, Gintama is most famous for its incredible comedy, but the show has a serious storyline fans love. With a big new arc starting next week, here's a quick and easy way to catch up with the show's real story before the new arc begins.
― Because Hideaki Sorachi's popular revisionist history comedy is so very wacky, it's easy to forget that Gintama has an overarching plot. With the...
Anime News Network's Holiday 2015 Gift Guide Part II: Fashion
Our week-long gift guide keeps on truckin' with a shockingly wide variety of anime shirts, jackets, hats, and jewelry. Who knew there was so much anime stuff you could put on your body?
― Women's Totoro Tights Within the last year, silhouette tights have become increasingly popular with many online shops stocking cat and rabbit versions. These tights are another iteration for fans of Ghibli's (argua...
Anime News Network's Holiday 2015 Gift Guide Part I: Art & Books
The first part of our week-long 2015 gift guide kicks off with a menagerie of art, books and manga! Prints, collector's editions, framed art and much more! Check back every day this week for more giftgiving ideas for the otaku in your life.
― Welcome to Anime News Network's 2016 Holiday Gift Guide! We've put together a pretty extensive catalog of great gifts for the anime and manga fan in your life,...
The Best and Worst of the Season So Far: Week of Nov 12-18
The fall season enters its middle stretch this week; time to check in and see how your favorite shows are faring in our user polls!
― Our team of reviewers are following 24 anime series of the Fall 2015 season and readers are rating each episode as the reviews go up. So let's have a look at what ANN readers consider the best (and worst) of the season. Keep in mind that these rankings are based on ho...
The Ultimate Guide to the Animator Expo
The first two seasons of the wildly creative explosion of light and color known as the Animator Expo are going away soon - Kevin Cirugeda is here to guide you through what's worth watching and what isn't before they're gone forever.
― People love to bring up Hideaki Anno's grim outlook on the anime industry (even after he clarified he was being misunderstood), while overlooking his efforts to improve...
Why Dangerous Anime Boys Are All The Rage
Harem shows for women are full of 'em: emotionally manipulative vampires, boys who shove you around, men as dangerous as they are desirable. What is it about these guys that drives female fans wild?
― Back in September, I wrote about how Ouran High School Host Club kickstarted new genre sensibilities by parodying reverse harem anime. "Fujoshi comedies" are all the rage now for female otaku, but it's ...
The Best and Worst of the Season So Far: Week of Nov 5-11
Once again it's time to check in and see how your favorite shows are ranking according to our user polls!
― Our team of reviewers are following 24 anime series of the Fall 2015 season and readers are rating each episode as the reviews go up. So let's have a look at what ANN readers consider the best (and worst) of the season. Keep in mind that these rankings are based on how people rated individual ...
Why We Still Love Digimon
15 years since Digimon's debut, with a reunion film right around the corner, Hope Chapman unpacks why Digimon of all things has endured as a seminal fan favorite.
― At the turn of the millennium, Japan was burning up with a contagious monster fever. Pokemon had become a worldwide phenomenon, and all sorts of other monster-based children's franchises began flooding the market. There was the Tamagotchi...
The Secret of One-Punch Man's Success
If you've been watching this season's smash hit One-Punch Man, you may have asked yourself "how'd they make this show look so good"? It's time to meet the wizards who make this show possible.
― One-Punch Man is one of the most impressive TV anime productions this year, one that casual fans and experts, viewers and industry members are equally amazed by. These fans are so impressed by its visuals that...
The Best and Worst of the Season So Far: Week of Oct 29-Nov 4
Check out how your favorite shows are faring in our user rankings, now that we're a full month into the new season!
― Our team of reviewers are following 24 anime series of the Fall 2015 season and readers are rating each episode as the reviews go up. So let's have a look at what ANN readers consider the best (and worst) of the season. Keep in mind that these rankings are based on how people rated i...
Whatever Happened to Bleach?
10 years ago there was a show called Bleach that was considered one of the biggest shonen franchises going. 10 years later, the show's been canceled and it's barely a memory among anime fans, but the manga's still running. What happened?
― Roughly ten years ago,Tite Kubo's Bleach was among the most popular manga franchises in the world. Online debates raged constantly, with Bleach, Naruto, and One Pi...
Bridging the Gap between US Comics and Manga with Kodansha USA
Nobody denies there's a huge canyon between US comics fandom and manga fandom, but what are manga companies doing to close that divide? Deb Aoki talks to Kodansha USA's top brass for the answers.
― In Part 1, ANN spoke with the editorial team behind the Attack on Titan Anthology. Part 2 is our conversation with some of the top executives at Kodansha USA Publishing and Kodansha Publishing Japan, as th...
The Neverending Debate over the End of Naruto
When the Naruto manga wrapped up, a controversial romantic decision caused fandom to explode into a singular argument, one that rages still in comments sections today. Our resident Naruto expert explains this phenomenon.
― When an orange-jumpsuit-clad 12-year-old ninja named Naruto Uzumaki burst onto the pages of Weekly Shonen Jump in 1999, few people gave much thought to whom the hyperactive young ...
"The Biggest Attack on Titan Manga Announcement Ever" Part I
A hype-tastic Kodansha USA panel at New York Comic-Con announced that for the first time, American artists have been invited to play in the world of Attack on Titan. Deb Aoki investigates in the first part of this 2-part interview.
― At New York Comic-Con 2015, Kodansha Comics tantalized fans with a panel with the hype-tacular title "The Biggest Attack on Titan Manga Announcement Ever." So what was t...
The Best and Worst of the Season So Far: Week of October 22-28
How did your favorite fall series stack up in our user ratings? Find out here!
― Our team of reviewers are following 24 anime series of the Fall 2015 season and readers are rating each episode as the reviews go up. So let's have a look at what ANN readers consider the best (and worst) of the season. Keep in mind that these rankings are based on how people rated individual episodes of the current sea...
The Resurrection of Vampire Hunter D with Hideyuki Kikuchi and Yoshiaki Kawajiri
There's a new Vampire Hunter D series on the horizon, so we spoke to the show's two chief creative influences: series author Hideyuki Kikuchi and legendary director Yoshiaki Kawajiri.
― This summer, Unified Pictures announced ambitious plans for an animated Vampire Hunter D series, to be produced entirely in CG. Given how early this new series was in the production cycle (and still is), very little ...
The Sex-Obsessed Cyberpunk Dystopia of Shimoneta
Did you know this summer's controversial sex comedy Shimoneta is just Psycho-Pass with sex jokes? You didn't? Well, Joe Dempsey is here to open your mind (NSFW Language).
― What anime from the past few years is Shimoneta's story and world most similar to? From the outside we can see that it's based off a light novel with the classic light novel naming scheme of a plot description title ( the idea be...
The Best and Worst of the Season So Far: Week of October 15-21
It's a brand-new season, so it's time for brand-new rankings! Find out how your favorite shows are faring so far according to our reader voting!
― Our team of reviewers are following 24 anime series of the Fall 2015 season and readers are rating each episode as the reviews go up. So let's have a look at what ANN readers consider the best (and worst) of the season. Keep in mind that these rankings ar...
Gatchaman Crowds, Explained!
Gatchaman Crowds is about so many things it's hard to keep track - the show touches on crowdsourcing, gamification, the role of government, complacency, and tiny pandas riding roombas. Nick Creamer sorts it all out for you.
― The internet has changed everything, while somehow also not changing much of anything. The context of our engagement with others has been completely transformed by the internet…...
Mobile Suit Gundam: Where to Start and What's Worth Watching
Our resident Gundam expert is here with a complete guide to the ENTIRE Gundam franchise, with pointers on where to start if you're new and which among the dozens of series is worth your time!
― You don't have to be a Gundam fan to get the most out of the latest Gundam series. Iron Blooded Orphans, the latest installment in the franchise, is entirely standalone, taking place in its own setting apart ...
These Manga Need An Anime!
Everyone's got a wishlist of manga they think absolutely deserves an anime. Our manga critic Rebecca Silverman lists her most-wanted anime adaptations... and we need to know yours!
― Every season, it seems, the amount of new anime series based on a manga or a light novel source grows exponentially. It's sometimes tempting to rant about how there are no original ideas anymore, titles are getting more ...
Interview: The Pilot's Love Song director Toshimasa Suzuki
The director of the high-flying action-adventure drama The Pilot's Love Song answers your in-depth questions about the series, how to make a fictional death impactful, the challenges of animating flight and more.
― Toshimasa Suzuki is the director of The Pilot's Love Song, an adventure set against the striking colors of the sky. Originally released in 2014, the show is available now on bluray from N...
Naruto creator Masashi Kishimoto: The Anime News Network Interview
The creator of one of the most famous and successful manga of all time visited the US for the first time, and we were there. Catch up with Masashi Kishimoto's panel from New York Comic-con and dive deeper with our exclusive interview!
― For manga fans, Masashi Kishimoto and Naruto needs no introduction. It is simply one of the most popular manga series ever created, not just in Japan, but throughout ...
The Fall 2015 Anime Preview Guide
The final new series has been added to The Fall 2015 Anime Preview Guide! Check out the complete feature.
Available Now: Valkyrie Drive Mermaid - Testament of Sister New Devil BURST - Garo: Crimson Moon - Shomin Sample - The Perfect Insider - Anti-Magic Academy - Dance with Devils - Beautiful Bones: Sakurako's Investigation - Yuru Yuri 3rd Season - One Punch Man - Concrete Revolutio - and much more!
Available Now: Valkyrie Drive Mermaid - Testament of Sister New Devil BURST - Garo: Crimson Moon - Shomin Sample - The Perfect Insider - Anti-Magic Academy - Dance with Devils - Beautiful Bones: Sakurako's Investigation - Yuru Yuri 3rd Season - One Punch Man - Concrete Revolutio - and much more!
Anime Spotlight - Valkyrie Drive Mermaid
The Mermaid islands are about to explode with sexy battle action!
― Valkyrie Drive Mermaid Visit the Official Site › Story Characters Trailer Cast & Staff Gallery Broadcast Begins October 10, 2015 (JST) Key Staff Director: Hiraku Kaneko (The Qwaser of Stigmata, MAKEN-KI! BATTLING VENUS 2) Series Composition: Yosuke Kuroda (Best Student Council, Gundam build Fighters Try) Introduction With you in my ...
Anime Spotlight - The Testament of Sister New Devil BURST
Basara Tojo is back and he will do anything to protect his little sisters! Let the battle that breaks heaven and earth begin!
― The Testament of Sister New Devil BURST Visit the Official Site › Story Characters Trailer Cast & Staff Gallery Broadcast Begins October 9, 2015 (JST) Key Staff Director: Hisashi Saito (Bamboo Blade, Heaven's Lost Property) Series Composition: Sumio Uetake (Burn-Up Scramble...
Giant Robo and the Beautiful Night
In the middle of the excitement of a new season, Nick Creamer looks back, digging deep into the classic series Giant Robo to discover what's hidden in the shadows of a show obsessed with light and darkness.
― “The future has shone upon us with its glorious brilliance! The time to seize our destiny and conquer all our fears is now! In ancient times, man rubbed sticks together to make fire. Then they s...
Anime Spotlight - Beautiful Bones -Sakurako's Investigation-
Sakurako has had a fascination with bones since she was very young.
― Beautiful Bones -Sakurako's Investigation- Visit the Official Site › Story Characters Trailer Cast & Staff Gallery Broadcast Begins October 7, 2015 (JST) Key Staff Series Composition: Takayo Ikami (Yurikuma Arashi, Penguindrum) Character Design: Michio Sato (Viper's Creed) Music: TECHOBOYS PULCRAFT GREEN-FUND (Trinity Seven, Witch...
Anime Spotlight - Anti-Magic Academy: The 35th Test Platoon
The 35th Test Platoon has always been seen as insignificant. However new member Ouka Ohtori may have what it takes bring the 35th to the forefront!
― Anti-Magic Academy: The 35th Test Platoon Visit the Official Site › Story Characters Trailer Cast & Staff Gallery Broadcast Begins October 7, 2015 (JST) Key Staff Director: Tomoyuki Kawamura (Kamigami no Asobi) Series Composition: Kento Shimoyama (Serv...
Anime Spotlight - Seraph of the End: Second Half
The noble extermination mission in Nagoya is about to begin!
― Seraph of the End: Second Half Visit the Official Site › Story Characters Trailer Cast & Staff Gallery Broadcast Begins October 2015 (JST) Key Staff Director: Daisuke Tokudo (Episode Director Attack on Titan (Eps. 17, 25), Episode Director Guilty Crown (Eps. 5, 13, 19)) ↑ Top Story Second Half 'Battle in Nagoya' Yuichiro has reunited wit...
Anime Spotlight - Aria the Scarlet Ammo Double A
Akari may be the weakest in her class but she will do what ever it takes to score a one on one training session with her idol Aria!
― Aria the Scarlet Ammo Double A Visit the Official Site › Story Characters Trailer Cast & Staff Gallery Broadcast Begins October 6, 2015 (JST) Key Staff Director: Takashi Kawabata (Magic Madoka Magica The Movie: Rebellion) Series Composition: Fumihiko Shimo (Infinite S...
The Best and Worst of the Season So Far: Week of September 23-29
It's the end of Summer 2015, and we decided to compare your scores for every single finale of the season! Find out which shows had the most spectacular endings... according to you!
― Our team of reviewers are following 27 anime series of the Summer 2015 crop. And this season, at the top of each Daily Streaming Review, we added a little rating widget to let our readers chime in. So let's have a look ...
Anime Spotlight - Owarimonogatari
This is the story that reveals the “beginning” of everything.
― Owarimonogatari Visit the Official Site › Story Characters Trailer Cast & Staff Gallery Broadcast Begins October 3, 2015 (JST) Key Staff Original Creator: Nisioisin (Monogatari Series) Chief Director: Akiyuki Shimbou (Puella Magi Madoka Magica (TV) (Director), Puella Magi Madoka Magica the Movie (Chief Director)) Director: Tomoyuki Itam...
Anime Spotlight - Asterisk War
The players are ready! Let the Star Warrior Festival Begin!
― Asterisk War Visit the Official Site › Story Characters Trailer Cast & Staff Gallery Broadcast Begins October 3, 2015 (JST) Key Staff General Director: Manabu Ono (Horizon in the Middle of Nowhere, Saki, The Irregular at Magic High School) Original Character Designs: okiura (Plastic Memories, Infinite Stratos ) Music: Rasmus Faber (Lagran...
Interview: VAMPS' HYDE and K.A.Z
The lead singer of L'arc~en~Ciel and the lead composer and guitarist from Oblivion Dust joined forces to form VAMPS, an "evil" rock band appearing on the west coast next week, and we dared to interview them.
― VAMPS is the brainchild of maybe the most famous Japanese rock musician of the modern era: HYDE, lead vocalist of L'arc~en~Ciel, and K.A.Z, the guitarist and composer for Oblivion Dust. Togethe...
Anime Spotlight - STARMYU
― STARMYU Visit the Official Site › Story Characters Trailer Cast & Staff Gallery Broadcast Begins October 2015 (JST) Key Staff Director: Shunsuke Tada (Dragonar Academy, Kuroko's Basketball) Character Designs: Asami Watanabe (Agami ga KILL!) Introduction "I don't know how to give up on my dreams--" ↑ Top Story Yuta Hoshitani enters Ayanagi Academy, a school renowned for music and showbiz, to follo...
Anime Spotlight - ONE PUNCH MAN
Finally, the hit manga gets animated!
― ONE PUNCH MAN Visit the Official Site › Story Characters Trailer Cast & Staff Gallery Broadcast Begins October 2015 (JST) Key Staff Director: Shingo Natsume (Space Dandy) Character Design: Chikashi Kubota (ROBOTICS;NOTES) Theme Song Opening: Jam Project (Mazinkaiser: Shito! Ankoku Daishogun, Mazinkaiser Edition Z: The Impact!) Introduction The man who became t...
The Joy of Sakuga
If you've ever noticed a cool piece of animation in your favorite anime, then you're already on the road to becoming a sakuga fan! Expert Kevin Cirugeda guides you through the world of fans who really know the "animation" part of "Japanese animation".
― Animation is fascinating. Even in the case of a struggling industry like TV anime, the amount of notable work being regularly made is staggering. It ...
Anime Spotlight - Comet Lucifer
― Comet Lucifer Visit the Official Site › Story Characters Trailer Cast & Staff Gallery Broadcasting October 2015 (JST) Key Staff Director: Yasuhito Kikuchi (Buso Shinki, Infinite Stratos) Series Composition: Yuichi Nomura (Lagrange – The Flower of Rin-ne) Mechanical Design: Takayuki Yanase (Toward the Terra, Valvrave the Liberator) Character Design / General Animation Director: Yuichi Takahashi (G...
Anime Spotlight - K RETURN OF KINGS
"K RETURN OF KINGS" will depict what happens after the "K MISSING KINGS" theatrical release.
― K RETURN OF KINGS Visit the Official Site › Story Characters Trailer Cast & Staff Gallery Broadcast Begins October 2015 (JST) Key Staff Director: Shingo Suzuki (Coppelion) Introduction Bonds come around ↑ Top Story A modern Japan where a history differing from reality exists. There, seven "Kings" with mass...
Anime Spotlight - Fafner EXODUS 2nd Season
2150 A.D. The battle with the Festum, the silicon life-forms from distant outer space, had reached a new dimension.
― Fafner EXODUS 2nd Season Visit the Official Site › Story Characters Trailer Cast & Staff Gallery Broadcast Begins October 2 (JST) Key Staff Director: Nobuyoshi Habara (Dancougar - Super Beast Machine God, Fafner ) Series Composition: Tow Ubukata (Psycho Pass 2, Ghost in the Shell Ari...
Interview: Koji Morimoto
Legendary key animator and director, co-founder of Studio 4°C, known internationally for his work on films like Akira, Robot Carnival and now Short Peace - get to know Koji Morimoto in this revealing talk about his career and the animation business.
― Anime director and J-Pop Summit 2015 guest Koji Morimoto is best known for his innovative, dynamic work on films like Akira, and short features in anim...
Anime Spotlight - Young Black Jack
Welcome to the Fall Spotlight! Young Black Jack premieres on October 1st, find out what it's all about.
― Young Black Jack Visit the Official Site › Story Characters Trailer Cast & Staff Gallery Broadcast begins October 1, 2015 (JST) Key Staff Director: Atsuko Kase (SaiKano, Mobile Suit Gundam 0083: Stardust Memory ) Music: Daisuke Ikeda (Saiyuki Reload, Tantei Gakuen Q) Introduction Why did he fall...
The Best and Worst of the Season So Far: Week of September 16-22
We're in the final week of the waning summer season; see how your favorite shows are faring with the popular vote right before their finales send them off into the sunset.
― Our team of reviewers are following 27 anime series of the Summer 2015 crop. And this season, at the top of each Daily Streaming Review, we added a little rating widget to let our readers chime in. So let's have a look at what A...
Why Clannad Made You Cry
Jun Maeda - the screenwriter behind megahits like Air, Clannad, and Kanon - is best known for making anime fans bawl like a toddler with a skinned knee. Hope Chapman attempts to figure out what the secret to his magical melodrama is.
― If sad girls with big eyes slowly dying of magical diseases (often in the snow) have ever made you cry, you've probably been moved by the mind of Jun Maeda. Combining ...
The Intoxicating Lure of Idol Anime
Nick Creamer takes a journey into the catchy, brightly-lit heart of idol anime, from Love Live to Symphogear to The Idolmaster, on a quest to discover just what drives people so passionately wild about idols.
― I arrived an hour early, planning to grab lunch before the screening, but by the time I got there the line was already snaking up to the street and down the block. There's no real point in goi...
The Best and Worst of the Season So Far: Week of Sept 9-15
As we enter the final 2 weeks of the Summer 2015 season, see how your favorite shows are doing according to user voting. Did your favorite show rise or fall?
― Our team of reviewers are following 27 anime series of the Summer 2015 crop. And this season, at the top of each Daily Streaming Review, we added a little rating widget to let our readers chime in. So let's have a look at what ANN readers con...
History Comes Alive with Fate/Zero
It's time once again to turn the pages of history and find out the thrilling story behind the legendary heroes summoned by the Grail War mages of Fate/Zero!
― Welcome back to part two of our compendium on the legends behind Type-Moon's hit Fate franchise! Part one was all about Fate/stay Night, and you can read it here. This time, I'll be covering F/SN's prequel series, Fate/Zero. Based on a series o...
Interview: The New Ultraman with Eiichi Shimizu and Tomohiro Shimoguchi
One of Japan's most recognizable and popular superheroes received a major reboot, courtesy of two artists with some wildly creative ideas on how to bring Ultraman into the 21st century. Deb Aoki chats with both artists and their editors for some real insight.
― In N. America, superheroes are synonymous with comics; they represent what most Americans think about when they talk about comic books. In Ja...
So You Want To Build A Gundam Model
The allure of the Gundam model kit is difficult to resist, but the technical skill involved (and all those little parts!) can be daunting. Veteran mech assembler Lauren Orsini walks you through the basics, proving anyone can build one!
― Gundam is one of the most enduring and recognizable franchises in anime. It has been around for more than 25 years of television, producing so-so shows and iconic sp...
Interview: Kodansha Advanced Media on the Future of Manga
Several top-level executives from the largest Japanese publishing house discuss the future of the manga industry, simulpublishing, fighting scanlation piracy and more in this wide-ranging, eye-opening interview.
― In early August 2015, several top executives from Kodansha, one of Japan's largest publishing companies came to Northern California to celebrate the opening of the Kodansha Advanced Media o...
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