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This Art Club Has a Problem! ‒ Episode 10
"Having a single theme unite the three segments makes this episode feel like a continuous whole, even though the plots don't line up in a linear fashion."
Twin Star Exorcists ‒ Episode 22
"Twin Star Exorcists digs deeper into its anime-only arc this week, delving into the mysterious Kegare-fueled infections plaguing Narukami."
Danganronpa 3: The End of Hope's Peak High School: Future Arc ‒ Episode 9
"It seems like we finally have all the pieces necessary to solve the mystery of the Final Killing Game."
Cheer Boys!! ‒ Episode 9
"This week's episode depicts a surprisingly touching story of family and friendship without becoming too cloying."
New Game! ‒ Episode 10
"As Aoba points out, even a fun and exciting job can still suck from time to time."
D.Gray-man Hallow ‒ Episode 10
"Allen's resolve as an Exorcist and the Noah's desire to understand are proof that it's possible to stay true to the role life cast them in without losing their human identity."
One Piece ‒ Episode 755
"I'm loving all of these Zou episodes so far, and this one is probably my favorite."
Komomo Confiserie GN 5
Komomo Confiserie is a nicely compact shojo romance of only five volumes, and this final book wraps things up very sweetly.
― Over the course of its five volumes, Maki Minami's Komomo Confiserie has touched on many of the various tropes that make shoujo manga recognizable – from the abusive love interest to the fanciful fashions to the Cinderella storyline. That in itself isn't particularly remarkabl...
Sweetness & Lightning ‒ Episode 10
"I've been hoping for Sweetness & Lightning to change up its formula for a while, and for the most part, episode 10 gave me what I wanted."
Taboo Tattoo ‒ Episode 10
"More and more each week, Taboo Tattoo is becoming a series of decently animated vignettes that can barely justify their own existence."
Mob Psycho 100 ‒ Episode 9
"Given the expectations of a less visually exuberant episode, this was still a fine installment of Mob Psycho 100."
Tales of Zestiria the X ‒ Episode 10
"To some degree, it feels like the real star of Tales of Zestiria the X is the scenery rather than the characters."
The Morose Mononokean ‒ Episode 10
"I'm fine with this repetition of The Morose Mononokean's formula, but I'm not sure how well this particular iteration succeeded."
Answerman - What Is The Homeless Situation Like In Japan?
Satoshi Kon's Tokyo Godfathers is the only exposure most American fans have had to the concept of homelessness in Japan - so what's the real situation? Justin gets into it.
― Jake asks: I had recently re-watched Satoshi Kon's Tokyo Godfathers and it has me curious about homelessness in Japan. I realize homelessness is a problem that every country has, but I find it they way anime depicts homelessnes...
Food Wars! The Second Plate ‒ Episode 10
"For this week, we wrap up the Autumn Elections."
The Asterisk War Novel 1
The first volume of The Asterisk War's original light novel series is a breezy read with more complex characterization than its adaptations. Rebecca Silverman takes a look.
― I suspect that I'm not the only one who is sick of tsunderes, those characters who appear to be prickly and harsh on the outside but have warm, gooey, emotional centers. So it was a pleasant surprise to discover that not only is...
Re:Zero -Starting Life in Another World- ‒ Episode 23
"Re:Zero has had some nasty twists throughout its run, but this one may be the most shocking to date."
This Art Club Has a Problem! ‒ Episode 9
"This isn't the most original story the show's ever done or even the episode with the best character interactions, but it's funny in a more nostalgic way."
Orange ‒ Episode 10
"In the end, this was a perfectly reasonable episode of Orange that nonetheless left me feeling a little underwhelmed."
DAYS ‒ Episode 10
"No matter how much onlookers hype the athletes and plays, all I see is back and forth, back and forth."
The Mike Toole Show - gdgd Gravy
Mike's attempt at creating his own animation leads him to an encounter with gdgd fairies, one of the strangest cult comedy anime in recent memory.
― Did I ever tell you all how I myself became an animator? It's true! I am totally someone who has made original animation that has appeared on television. If you follow me on twitter or keep tabs on my incessant nerd behavior in general (lately: playing S...
Love Live! Sunshine!! ‒ Episode 10
"This week's episode is a good chance for fans to catch a quick breath of air after last week's emotional episode."
Absolute Duo BD+DVD
It seems like every new season is awash with light novel anime these days, but does Absolute Duo rise above the pack? Theron Martin breaks things down.
― This series' debut last year was not well-received here on ANN; its first episode was one of the lowest-rated of the season amongst ANN staff and readers alike (only World Break and Unlimited Fafnir fared worse), and it did not poll well enough to m...
Danganronpa 3: The End of Hope's Peak High School: Despair Arc ‒ Episode 8
"Just as this week's Future Arc stumbled, the Despair Arc followed suit with an episode that introduced some worrisome developments."
Rewrite ‒ Episode 10
"Despite the ragged start, it's another pretty solid episode."
91 Days ‒ Episode 8
"Following a one week break, the show is once again in top form, telling its story of human brutality with meticulous artistic delicacy."
Thunderbolt Fantasy ‒ Episode 9
"Thunderbolt Fantasy is getting into the thick of it as the narrative reaches its climax."
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Diamond Is Unbreakable ‒ Episode 23
"It's as exciting an action episode as you could expect from this series."
Berserk ‒ Episode 10
"This week, all hell breaks loose, and while I'd normally say "and it sure ain't pretty," this episode was easily the prettiest this series has ever been in terms of art and animation."
Alderamin on the Sky ‒ Episode 9
"Intrigue and the nastiness of the campaign aside, the episode's other most entertaining scene comes from a rare truly light-hearted moment."
The List - 6 Families You Don't Want to Cross
From packs of mobsters to long lineages of tyrants, these broods spell bad news for anyone who runs afoul of their plans! It's best to keep your head out of these family matters...
― The phrase "blood is thicker than water" is widely used to demonstrate that familial allegiances trump all else, but these families stretch that oath to the breaking point. Rites of inheritance or generational power can...
Amanchu! ‒ Episode 9
"Episode 9 changes things up by giving us a glimpse into Futaba's immediate past—something that's barely been touched upon until this point."
My Hero Academia GN 5
My Hero Academia's strongest students face off in the sports festival finals, bringing many character arcs to an explosive climax. Nick Creamer explores this standout volume.
― What does it mean to stand in the shadow of those who've come before you? None of My Hero Academia's stars can avoid those shadows. Be it familial duty or simply the pro heroes chanting from the crowds, their past, present, an...
Battery the Animation ‒ Episode 8
"Overall, the introduction of these high school characters has served as a step up for Battery the Animation."
Answerman - How Have Anime DVDs and Blu-rays Changed Over The Years?
That anime bluray in your hands is the product of many changes and improvements over the years - Justin gets in to just how much our current physical media has changed.
― Jake asks: By now DVD's have been on the market for over 20 years and Blu-ray disks for over a decade and I have been thinking about how much technology has changed in that time. It has me wondering about the technical, under the h...
Thirty Years Ago: The Best Anime of 1986
1986 wasn't just another year in the anime industry - from Castle in the Sky to Megazone 23, countless iconic and influential productions were released. Daryl Surat takes you on a journey through the year that was.
― The amount of new anime released every year is staggering. It's now the norm in the 2010s that every few months there are at least thirty new series starting, but ask yourselves: on aver...
Barakamon BD+DVD
This down-to-earth slice-of-life comedy has some surprising insights about what it means to be an artist, with lots of laughs to be had along the way. Jacob Chapman dives in.
― Common wisdom regarding critics is often contradictory. "Everyone's a critic," but at the same time, "no one loves a critic." It might seem like madness at first, but it makes more sense when you consider that the creative pro...
Naruto Shippuden ‒ Episode 474
It's the end of the fight against Kaguya and Amy McNulty's 100th episode review of Naruto Shippuden! So how did this incredibly long battle wrap up?
This Week in Games: Nioh, Dead or Alive
A new Dark Souls-style game is in beta on Playstation 4, and Dustin's ready for it. PLUS: Dead or Alive VR controversy, Resident Evil 7, a new Phoenix Wright game for the 3DS and much more!
― It's been another week in games, and that means it's time for another column here to try and make sense of it all. The news brings us some long-awaited plot details on Resident Evil 7, a sneak preview of the lat...
Guilty Crown BD+DVD
This divisive and explosive mech series from Production I.G. and renowned animation director Tetsuro Araki definitely turned a few heads back in 2011, but is it any good today? Theron Martin investigates.
― In one of the included interviews for Funimation's rerelease of this series, one of the show's producers specifically mentions Neon Genesis Evangelion as a personal inspiration. That's not surpris...
Danganronpa 3: The End of Hope's Peak High School: Future Arc ‒ Episode 8
"After spending so much time with Makoto, fans had been clamoring for an episode with Kyoko instead. Be careful what you wish for."
Twin Star Exorcists ‒ Episode 21
"Any fears I had that the show would rest on its laurels were put to rest this week, and I couldn't be happier."
Cheer Boys!! ‒ Episode 8
"It's been a couple weeks of mediocrity, but Cheer Boys!! is finally getting its groove back."
Answerman - Why Is Old Anime Still Released In Interlaced Format?
"Interlaced" video should, by all accounts, be a thing of the past - so why does it still occasionally show up on anime DVDs and blurays? Justin gets into the technical details.
― Anonymous asks: Why is it that older shows are still presented in interlaced form on new-release DVDs? They look terrible on a computer. Prior to HD video being a thing, all video was interlaced. All of it. Every show that...
Interview: Kyoto Animation's Taichi Ishidate
Correspondent Mike Toole visited the legendary Kyoto Animation, the studio behind Sound! Euphonium, K-On!, Haruhi Suzumiya and more - for a wide-ranging interview with director and animator Taichi Ishidate!
― I just love Kyoto. It's more of a walking city than Tokyo or Osaka, with its charmingly narrow avenues dotted by literally thousands of temples. With picturesque parks right in the throes of han...
Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon Crystal Blu-ray/DVD Set 1
Now that this divisive reboot of Naoko Takeuchi's beloved creation is out on Blu-ray, do the changes from the broadcast version enhance the material? Rebecca Silverman has the answers.
― Sailor Moon Crystal has received more than its fair share of criticism, much of it initially aimed at this first arc, the Dark Kingdom storyline. This Blu-ray/DVD release of the first fourteen episodes does a lot to ...
D.Gray-man Hallow ‒ Episode 9
"So much for promises of eternal love."
Sweetness & Lightning ‒ Episode 9
"While I enjoyed episode 9 immensely, there's no denying that it's about as by-the-books as this series gets."
The Best and Worst of the Season So Far: Week of Aug 19-25
91 Days and Love Live Sunshine come surging from behind to leap up the charts! Find out how your favorite shows fared in our weekly user rankings!
― Our team of reviewers are following 30 anime series of the Summer 2016 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...
Vice & Luna Bonus Round + Fanart Gallery
Vice's Sword Art Online bluray preorder bonus finally came in, and it's delicious! PLUS: a Vice & Luna fanart gallery!
― Fanart Gallery Welcome to a Vice & Luna hiatus week! During the weeks where life happens or someone on our team needs some time off, we'll have one of these shorter little strips ready for you, and this week we're lucky enough to have some pretty awesome fanart to share. If you ha...
Yowamushi Pedal GN 3
This omnibus volume slows things down a bit from the heady days of the Welcome Race, but its exploration of the cast's emotions proves just as interesting.
― Competitive sports are a divisive pasttime, which is especially strange because they really don't have to be. Very few people are going to get into the sort of burning feud that Red Sox vs Yankees inspires over whether Dairy Queen or Baskin Robi...
Berserk ‒ Episode 9
"I'm continuing to enjoy the show much more now than I did at the start, even if I feel more lost than ever before."
Taboo Tattoo ‒ Episode 9
"It's actually kind of a shame to see the script working so hard to pick up the slack this week, because the direction is probably the weakest it has ever been up to this point."
Mob Psycho 100 ‒ Episode 8
"Even by the lofty standards Mob has already set for itself, this was a barn-burner of a spectacle."
New Game! ‒ Episode 9
"Whether you're watching for the video game jokes, the character humor, or the fanservice, New Game feels like it's a little more on point than usual this week."
One Piece ‒ Episode 754
"The One Piece anime has been stagnating these last few months, and now we're in for a breath of fresh air with new characters, locations, and an overall much more engaged production."
Answerman - How Much Anime Can REALLY Fit On A Blu-ray?
Some anime come with 13 episodes (or more) crammed on a single bluray disc - is that really enough space to maintain HD picture quality? Justin gets into it.
― Mike (Toole) asks: How much anime will fit on a single Blu-Ray disc? Is a single BD-50 really enough for 13 episodes of subtitled 1080p anime? How much anime can comfortably fit onto a dual layer Blu-ray in full HD? For those who don't know, ...
The Morose Mononokean ‒ Episode 9
"This episode of The Morose Mononokean is a mix of various moods we've seen earlier in the series, but it introduces some new ideas that make the episode feel original."
Shelf Life - Aquarion Evol
James dives into the wacky, innuendo-filled world of Aquarion Evol and does his best to make sense of it all. Plus, all this week's new releases!
― I spent about twenty bucks on an anime figure last week (Eli from Love Live, in case you're wondering), and now I'm fighting to hold myself back from buying more. I used to buy figures on a regular basis, and nothing quite beats that initial thrill of se...
Tales of Zestiria the X ‒ Episode 9
"This episode throws new characters at us without fanfare and gives us major plot information with all the finesse of a firehose."
Please tell me! Galko-chan Episodes 1-12 Streaming
Rose Bridges takes a look at this underrated short gag series from earlier in the year and discovers a surprisingly educational (and filthy) anime like nothing else out there.
― When I was in high school, there was one huge girls' bathroom in the main hallway. For some reason, there was no such equivalent for the guys. This place became a sort of social gathering spot for all the girls in school, reg...
Re:Zero -Starting Life in Another World- ‒ Episode 22
"This episode introduces a curious complication that may help explain how this arc could cover the remaining three episodes of the season."
Orange ‒ Episode 9
"The group is almost all on the same page now, but that doesn't make handling adolescent romance any easier."
DAYS ‒ Episode 9
"Without the show's one fantastic character in the spotlight, there's not much left to care about."
Love Live! Sunshine!! ‒ Episode 9
"Overall, this is a delightful, cute, and moving episode."
Food Wars! The Second Plate ‒ Episode 9
"While we do miss out on most of the food prep, which is a shame, the ending more than makes up for it with Soma's impressive chutzpah."
Rewrite ‒ Episode 9
"For all the serious matters being explained, the episode still finds room for some fun."
Handa-kun ‒ Episode 8
"While this episode is amusing from time to time, it doesn't reach the heights of humor that I was hoping it would."
Danganronpa 3: The End of Hope's Peak High School: Despair Arc ‒ Episode 7
"The Benadryl Blood Flood has finally come crashing down on the Despair Arc, continuing this prequel's inevitable plunge into hell."
Thunderbolt Fantasy ‒ Episode 8
"While our party has decided that they've figured out the twist, I suspect that it won't be so cut and dry."
Amanchu! ‒ Episode 8
"This week's dual-segment Amanchu! presents us with two separate character studies, giving the audience a chance to view Ai and Futaba through the eyes of Makoto and Hikari."
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Diamond Is Unbreakable ‒ Episode 22
"This is the point in the series where it's clear that we're more or less done establishing the town of Morioh."
The List - 6 Strange Reinterpretations of Classic Literature
Legends never die, and old stories can always be made new again. Just add robots! Here are a few strange anime takes on memorable classic tales.
― Classic literature is a resource regularly mined for new visual adaptations, whether it's a Jane Austen romance or another mystery starring the unflappable Sherlock Holmes. These stories and their characters are immediately familiar to audiences around th...
Nisekoi 2 Sub.Blu-Ray 2
Nisekoi's second season comes to a close with no romantic resolution in sight, but is the journey more important than the destination? Theron Martin investigates.
― This release covers the second half of the series – episodes 7-12. This run of episodes is average by franchise standards, including both the weakest entries of the season and one of the strongest. Aside from a sad magical girl parody don...
Alderamin on the Sky ‒ Episode 8
"Overall, the series seems to be on an upward trend."
Battery the Animation ‒ Episode 7
"The show continues to progress at its usual mild pace."
Answerman - Do Salarymen Really Read Manga?
Most anime may not be as mainstream in Japan as we would like to believe, but what about manga? Does the average working adult really read comics on the train?
― Vithuyan asks: I have heard that manga is very popular among salary-men in Japan, is that true? Yes. Although most of them are not reading Shonen Jump. Seinen manga magazines ("seinen" literally means youth, but in terms of manga demographi...
This Art Club Has a Problem! ‒ Episode 8
"This Art Club has a Problem may not always know how to handle its side characters, but it continues to do a good enough job with its leads."
ANNCast - A Thousand Miles
Zac and Jacob welcome Crunchyroll brand manager Miles Thomas to goof around for an entire hour about Danganronpa, Orange, Re:Zero, cake vs pastry donuts and much much more!
― ANNCast Episode 270: A Thousand Miles Zac and Jacob welcome Crunchyroll brand manager Miles Thomas to goof around for an entire hour about Danganronpa, Orange, Re:Zero, cake vs pastry donuts and much much more! You can listen t...
Danganronpa 3: The End of Hope's Peak High School: Future Arc ‒ Episode 7
"Even with a one-episode vacation from the main plot, Danganronpa 3 has me on the edge of my seat."
Interview: Knights of Sidonia Mangaka Tsutomu Nihei
Deeply influential sci-fi mangaka Tsutomu Nihei talks about his incredible career, and goes in-depth about his most famous creations: Knights of Sidonia and Blame!
― Mecha suits, space motorcycles, morphing space aliens, epic futuristic cities, and talking bears with guns – this and more are the product of the imagination of manga artist Tsutomu Nihei. The creator of mind-bending science fiction seri...
First Impressions: Attack on Titan: Wings of Freedom (PS4)
Eren and his Titan-killing pals finally arrive in proper videogame form, with the thrilling ability to zip around on your very own 3D Maneuver gear - but is the rest of the game worth the hype?
― It's been a few years since monster-killing mega-franchise Attack on Titan hit critical mass, and now Tecmo Koei's flagship development team, Omega Force, has been put to the test to deliver an Attack on Tit...
That Wolf-Boy is Mine! GN 1
This first volume of Yoko Nagiri's supernatural shojo story is a cut above the pack thanks to its thoughtful take on old tropes. Rebecca Silverman takes a closer look.
― Literature is rife with mildly embarrassing titles obscuring really enjoyable books – just look at the romance section of any bookstore. Yoko Nagiri's That Wolf-Boy is Mine joins their ranks with this first volume. Despite its title,...
Naruto Shippuden ‒ Episode 473
"Minor flaws aside, episode 473 almost brings the Kaguya fight to a close—and that alone is cause for celebration."
This Week in Games - On the Verge
Dustin sings the praises of the grimy Metroid-alike Axiom Verge, Super Mario cosplays at the Olympics, a new game from Pokemon developers Game Freak, PLUS Attack on Titan for the PS4 and the rest of next week's new releases!
― Welcome back once again to This Week in Games! News is a little slight this week because of a substantial stack of new releases, but we've still got a pair of surprises includi...
Charlotte Blu-Ray 1
Renowned visual novel writer Jun Maeda returns to anime for his first series since Angel Beats! Nick Creamer investigates the opening beats of Charlotte.
― Jun Maeda is one of the more high-profile creators in anime circles, though he didn't initially build his reputation in anime at all. Maeda is instead largely famous for his visual novels - he was a central player in building KEY's reputation, whe...
Twin Star Exorcists ‒ Episode 20
"After last week's tightly constructed and emotionally draining climax, we get a simultaneously messier and even more affecting follow-up."
Cheer Boys!! ‒ Episode 7
"Just when our main seven seem to have resolved their emotional baggage, the nine new members pile on plenty of their own."
Answerman - What Is Anime Midstream?
A scrappy little company called Anime Midstream picked up the series B'tx recently, so it's the perfect time for a refresher on just who Anime Midstream are.
― Drew asks: This past week I saw the article on ANN about a company called Anime Midstream releasing anime B'tX. I was excited because I liked that anime and it never was completely released here before, but it got me wondering who was this co...
Comiket 90: Cosplay and More
Our Tokyo correspondent Ken shares both his experience attending the massive Comic Market 90 at Big Sight and a horde of new cosplay photos!
― The biannual Comiket (Comic Market) is the largest anime and manga related event in Japan. Every August and December, thousands of hobbyists flock to the Tokyo Big Sight exhibition center in Odaiba, Tokyo for the three-day festival, where they can sell and pur...
Kuroko's Basketball GN 1
Even though it gets off to a slow start, this compilation of Kuroko's Basketball's first two volumes lays a strong foundation for a story that will only get stronger as it grows.
― If you pick up one new shonen sports title this year, it should probably be Haikyu, but if you're in the mood for more than one, Kuroko's Basketball is definitely worth a look. That's not an entirely fair comparison, of co...
D.Gray-man Hallow ‒ Episode 8
"This episode was a step down from the flashback, but there are still some powerful moments to be found."
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