- All
- •
- News
- Interest
- Reviews
- Columns
- •
- Anime
- Manga
- Novels
- Games
- Music
- Merch
- Events
- Industry
- People
- Live-Action
Text-only Compact View
Text-only List View
Text-only Grid View
List View with Images
Grid View with Images
The Seven Deadly Sins: Seven Scars They Left Behind Novel
Ten years before Princess Elizabeth set out to find Meliodas and the other Sins, her older sister Margaret and Gilthunder struggle to keep a terrible secret in this prequel to The Seven Deadly Sins. Rebecca Silverman investigates.
― If you're a casual fan of Nakaba Suzuki's manga The Seven Deadly Sins or its anime adaptation, you should be aware that this novel is intended to be read either after the...
The Best and Worst of the Season So Far: Week of June 10-16
Attack on Titan races up the charts as the Spring anime season closes out! How did your favorite anime fare in our weekly user rankings?
― Our team of reviewers are following 27 anime series of the Spring 2017 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 base...
Dagashi Kashi BD+DVD
Is this slice of life comedy about convenience store candy a sugar rush worth indulging, or is it just as frivolously forgettable as its subject matter? Nick Creamer finds out.
― Anime has already offered us long-running dramas about baking bread and entire franchises predicated on idols fighting interstellar wars, so it's tough to be surprised by basically any premise these days. Slice of life in pa...
Saturday, June 24
My Hero Academia 2nd Season Anime Previews New Opening Theme, 2nd Cour in Video
2nd half of new series to cover "Hero Killer Stain" arc.
― The official website for the second season of the My Hero Academia television anime series began streaming a new video on Saturday that previews the show's second cour. The video also previews amazarashi's new opening theme song "Sora ni Utaeba" (If I Sing in the Sky). The video previews the show's "Hero Killer Stain" arc. The new opening the...
Live-Action Love Concierge Series Gets 2nd Season
1st season of manga-based comedy premiered in December
― The wrap-around jacket band of the sixth compiled volume of Hakase and Ueno's comedy manga Rabuho no Ueno-san (Love Concierge, or "Mr. Ueno of the Love Hotel") announced on Friday that the live-action series adaptation will get a second season. The first season began streaming on the "Fuji TV on Demand" on December 1, and the television broadca...
Classroom of the Elite Anime's Promo Video Previews ZAQ's Theme Song
Anime based on Yōkoso Jitsuryoku Shijō Shugi no Kyōshitsu e light novels premieres on July 12
― The official website for Classroom of the Elite, the television anime adaptation of author Syohgo Kinugasa and illustrator Shunsaku Tomose's Yōkoso Jitsuryoku Shijō Shugi no Kyōshitsu e (Welcome to the Classroom of the Supreme Ability Doctrine or "Yō Jitsu") light novel series, began streaming the show's p...
Space Battleship Yamato 2202 Anime's 3rd Film Reveals Visual, October 14 Premiere
2nd film in 7-part project opened in Japan on Saturday
― The official website for the Uchū Senkan Yamato 2202: Ai no Senshi-tachi (Space Battleship Yamato 2202: Warriors of Love or Star Blazers 2202: Warriors of Love) anime sequel project revealed on Saturday that the third film in the franchise, subtitled "Junai-hen" (Pure Love Chapter), will open in Japan on October 14. The account also revealed a ...
Crunchyroll Adds Hina Logic: From Luck & Logic Anime to Summer Lineup
1st episode of latest series in Luck & Logic franchise available now
― Crunchyroll announced on Saturday that is streaming the Hina Logic: From Luck & Logic anime adaptation of Bushiroad's Luck & Logic card game. Crunchyroll premiered the first episode at 12:00 a.m. EDT on Saturday. The series is available for members in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, ...
Yurucamp TV Anime Reveals Main Staff
Yoshiaki Kyougoku makes directorial debut at C-Station for series premiering in winter 2018
― The August issue of Houbunsha's Manga Time Kirara Forward magazine revealed the main staff on Saturday for the television anime of Afro's Yurucamp (Yurukyan△, Laid-Back Camp Δ) manga. Yoshiaki Kyougoku (Kuroko's Basketball and Robotics;Notes episode director, Tokyo Ghoul unit director) is directing the serie...
Haikara-san ga Tōru Anime Films Reveal 4 More Cast Members
Takahiro Sakurai, Kazuya Nakai, Yuuki Kaji, Asami Seto join cast, 1st of 2 films opens on November 11
― The official website for the anime film adaptations of Waki Yamato's Haikara-san ga Tooru manga revealed more cast members on Saturday. The cast members include: Takahiro Sakurai as Tōsei Aoe, president of the "Jōdansha" publishing company where Benio works. Kazuya Nakai as Shingo Onijima, Shinobu'...
Friday, June 23
My Hero Academia Anime Reveals Gran Torino's Character Design
The official website for the My Hero Academia anime revealed the animation character designs for Gran Torino on Friday. Gran Torino is a veteran who once taught All Might, but does not have much of a record as a professional hero. His Quirk, "Jet," allows him to shoot the air he breathes from his feet. He will make his first appearance in the second season's thirteenth episode, which premieres on ...
Top-Selling Anime CD Albums: 2017 (First Half)
Yuri!!! on Ice sells 76,441, followed by 3 A3! CDs, Fate/Grand Order OST, your name., Nana Mizuki
― This list covers sales surveyed from December 12, 2016 to June 11, 2017. Rank Estimated Sales in Discs Title Maker Release Date Artist 1 76,441 Oh! SkaTra!!! Yuri!!! on Ice/Original Skate Song Collection AVP 16/12/21 Various Artists 2 74,241 MANKAI☆Kaika Sengen PC 17/2/15 A3ders! 3 73,683 Fate/Grand Or...
Karada Sagashi Net Anime Casts Kana Asumi, Takuya Eguchi
Horror series to premiere July 31 on Production I.G's Vertical Anime app
― The latest chapter of author Welzard and illustrator Katsutoshi Murase's Karada Sagashi (Body Search) manga revealed the main cast and July 31 premiere date for the net anime adaptation on Friday. The series stars Kana Asumi as Asuka and Takuya Eguchi as Takahiro. The anime will be available on Production I.G's Tate Anime (Ver...
Aniplex of America Appoints Shu Nishimoto as President
Aniplex of America announced on Friday that Shu Nishimoto was appointed the new company president on June 21. Nishimoto is replacing Hideki 'Henry' Goto, who will take on the role of Head of International Business Development at Aniplex in Tokyo. Nishimoto joined Aniplex as Manager of Sales in 2009. In 2014, he joined Aniplex's California-based subsidiary Aniplex of America as Vice President of Li...
Top-Selling Anime CD Singles: 2017 (First Half)
Hey! Say! Jump's Time Bokan 24 theme sells 299,849, followed by HKT48's Kamiwaza Wanda song, Uta-Pri Legend Star, The IDOLM@STER Cinderella Girls
― This list covers sales surveyed from December 12, 2016 to June 11, 2017. Rank Estimated Sales in Discs Title Maker Release Date Artist 1 299,849 OVER THE TOP (Time Bokan 24) JST 17/2/22 Hey! Say! Jump 2 267,065 Bagutte Iijan (Kamiwaza Wanda) UM 17/2/15 HK...
Gainax Begins Uru in Blue Anime Film's Production This Month
Production on long-dormant film announced following results of Khara's lawsuit
― Gainax president Hiroyuki Yamaga revealed on Gainax's website on Friday that the studio began production on its long-dormant theatrical anime Uru in Blue (Aoki Uru) this month. Yamaga also apologized for worry caused by the "news of the trial results." A judge at the Tokyo District Court's Tachikawa Branch ordered Gainax...
In Another World With My Smartphone Anime Posts 2nd Key Visual
The staff of the television anime of Patora Fuyuhara's In Another World With My Smartphone (Isekai wa Smartphone to Tomo ni.) light novel series posted a second key visual on Friday. The image shows protagonist Touya Mochizuki apparently taking a selfie with the rest of the main cast. The anime will premiere on July 11. The cast includes: Katsumi Fukuhara as Touya Mochizuki Maaya Uchida as Elze Si...
Asuna, Kirito Beanie & Scarf Sets Will Fight Autumn Chills
The hit anime series Sword Art Online and the Tokyo Otaku Mode store launched a collaborative merchandise project on June 20. The first item in that line-up are beanie and scarf sets based on Kirito and Asuna's outfits from the Aincrad arc. The Kirito design draws inspiration from his shoulder plate and coat. The Asuna set is based on her Knights of the Blood guild outfit, with her signature red ...
Top-Selling Animation DVDs in Japan: 2017 (First Half)
2 One Piece DVDs, 6 Yuri!!! on Ice DVDs, 2 Granblue Fantasy DVDs, 2 Uta-Pri Legend Star DVDs, 2 Ghibli DVDs
― This list covers sales surveyed from December 12, 2016 to June 11, 2017. Rank Estimated Sales in Period Title Maker Release Date Artist/Category 1 33,393 Minions NUE 16/6/3 Animation 2 27,392 One Piece Film Gold DVD Standard Edition PC 16/12/28 Animation 3 23,544 Yuri!! on Ice 1 DVD AVP 16/12...
Top-Selling Animation Blu-ray Discs in Japan: 2017 (First Half)
4 Love Live! Sunshine!! BDs, 6 Yuri!! on Ice BDs, 1 Kizumonogatari BD, 3 Uta-Pri Legend Star BDs, 2 Granblue Fantasy BDs
― This list covers sales surveyed from December 12, 2016 to June 11, 2017. Rank Estimated Sales in Period Title Maker Release Date Artist/Category 1 65,036 Love Live! Sunshine!! 7 (Limited Special Edition) BVS 17/3/24 Animation 2 62,930 The Secret Life of Pets Blu-ray+DVD Set NUE 1...
Top-Selling Animation in Japan on Blu-ray Disc/DVD by Series: 2017 (First Half)
Yuri!! on Ice, Love Live! Sunshine!!, Uta-Pri Legend Star, Touken Ranbu: Hanamaru, Granblue Fantasy lead chart
― This list covers sales surveyed from December 12, 2016 to June 11, 2017. Rank Estimated Sales in Period Title 1 406,328 Yuri!! on Ice 2 213,028 Love Live! Sunshine!! 3 174,692 Utano☆Princesama Legend Star 4 103,928 Touken Ranbu: Hanamaru 5 89,481 Granblue Fantasy the Animation 6 83,054 One...
Top-Selling Media Franchises in Japan: 2017 (First Half)
One Piece, Yuri!! on Ice, High & Low, The Idolm@ster, Love Live! lead home video/CD/novel/manga sales
― This list covers sales surveyed from December 12, 2016 to June 11, 2017. It includes the raw yen totals of Blu-ray Discs, DVDs, music CDs, novels in print, and manga in print, but not games, film tickets, digital downloads, and other forms of media sales. Rank Estimated Sales in Period Title HomeVi...
1/8-Scale Tachikoma Delayed Until After August
Cerevo adds 'quadrupedal walk' function
― Connected hardware developer Cerevo's 1/8-scale Tachikoma "smart toy" will not be released in June. The company announced that the toys are now expected to ship after August. The delay may be worth the wait though, as Cerevo decided that the toy needed a "Quadrupedal Walk” function instead of just rolling from place to place. The company put up a video on Fri...
Welcome To The Ballroom Anime Reveals 4th Key Visual
The official website for the television anime of Tomo Takeuchi's Welcome to the Ballroom manga revealed the show's fourth key visual on Friday. The anime adapts Tomo Takeuchi's Welcome to the Ballroom manga. The series will premiere on MBS on Saturday, July 8 at 26:08 (effectively Sunday, July 9 at 2:08 a.m.), and will premiere on Tokyo MX, BS11, and Gunma TV on July 9. Additionally, Pony Canyon a...
New Kyoto Starbucks Location Opts to Blend In
Originally a Seattle-based coffee shop, there's no denying that Starbucks is a worldwide franchise. Japan is no exception, often getting exclusive Frappuccino flavors that leave the rest of the internet drooling. The company has also become synonymous with overexposure, each location (perhaps exaggeratedly) only a few blocks from the last. That kind of branding can turn into an eyesore, especially...
Food Wars! English Dub to Premiere at Anime Expo
Premiere on June 30 at 6 p.m.
― Sentai Filmworks announced on Friday that its English dub of Food Wars! Shokugeki no Soma will premiere at Anime Expo on June 30 at 6:00 p.m. PDT. Attendees of the screening will also receive an exclusive poster. Yūto Tsukuda and Shun Saeki's manga Shokugeki No Soma inspired two television anime series. The first anime season of Food Wars! aired for 24 episodes from Ma...
HIDIVE Streaming Platform Adds GATE Dub, GARO Live-Action Series
GATE dub available starting on June 30
― Anime streaming service HIDIVE announced on Friday that it will stream the English dub for the GATE anime and the GARO live-action series. The GATE anime is currently available in Japanese with English subtitles in its entirety (24 episodes). The English dub will launch on June 30. The service will add new English-dubbed episodes in installments every Friday a...
Takuya Eguchi's IDOLiSH 7, Business Shellfish Characters Cross Over
Popular voice actor Takuya Eguchi took on the strange role of a business mollusk as part of the "Kaishain" (Clamployees) animated characters last month. Eguchi voices Higai, a middle-ranked employee who wants to avoid excessive personal damage at all costs. However, the character's perception of situations may not always be accurate. The character made an appearance on the "It's Morning! Kaishain"...
Season Finale: Love Tyrant ‒ Episode 12
"Thankfully, Love Tyrant pulls its many different tones together for this one, and the series goes out strong."
Live-Action Gintama Videos Highlight Main Cast
Gintoki, Shinpachi, Kagura, Katsura, Elizabeth, Tae, Kondo, Okita, Hijikata videos streamed
― Mainichi Shimbun's MAiDiGi TV began streaming a short character video for the live-action film of Hideaki Sorachi's Gintama manga on Friday. The video highlights Gintoki Sakata, Shinpachi Shimura, and Kagura. The Comic Natalie website began streaming a video highlighting Kotarō Katsura, Elizabeth, and Tae Sh...
Season Finale: Clockwork Planet ‒ Episode 12
"This isn't the worst anime I've watched during my time writing streaming reviews, but it's easily the most forgettable."
Studio Gokumi's Toji no Miko Anime Reveals 4 More Characters
Original anime project centers on female sword wielders
― The official website for Studo Gokumi's Toji no Miko (The Shrine Maiden Swordwielders) original anime project revealed four more character designs and details on Friday. The new characters are as follows: Maki Shidō, the first seat in the elite guards for the Orikami family. She joined the guard group after becoming the sword fighting champion...
Gainax Fukushima's Masamune Datenicle Web Series Holds 1st Talk Event in Tokyo
Last year, Gainax Fukushima debuted its web short anime series Masamune Datenicle it produced to promote the town of Date in Fukushima Prefecture and its native son, 17th-century warlord Masamune Date. A total of four episodes are streaming. It first premiered in April 2016, but over a year later the cast and staff are appearing at a talk event in Tokyo for the first time. Interestingly, the talk ...
Revolutionary Girl Utena ‒ Episodes 13-14
"Mysteries pile upon mysteries as the Black Rose arc gets off to a shocking start."
Berserk Anime Ends With 'The Story Continues' Message
The 24th and final episode of the new Berserk anime premiered on Friday and ended with a "The Story Continues..." message. The staff have not announced a continuation for the anime. The new television anime project premiered in Japan in July 2016, and aired for 12 episodes. The anime's continuation premiered in Japan on April 7. Crunchyroll streamed all 24 episodes as they aired. Funimation is str...
Elusive Kemono Friend Tsuchinoko Slithers into Sgt. Frog Manga
Kemono Friends character designer and Sgt. Frog manga creator Mine Yoshizaki combined his two series in recent chapter of Sgt. Frog. While the Shoebill and Japanese-crested Ibis have appeared in chapters in the past, the most recent brought out the elusive tsuchinoko. The serpent is one of Japan's Unidentified Mysterious Animals (UMA) described in folklore as a fan of drinking and deceiving humans...
Hiromu Arakawa's Silver Spoon Manga Returns on July 5
Agricultural series went on hiatus in September
― This year's 31st issue of Shogakukan's Weekly Shonen Sunday magazine is revealing on Wednesday that Hiromu Arakawa's Silver Spoon manga will return in the next issue on July 5. The series went on hiatus last September after having just resumed last August. This issue teased that Hachiken and Mikage will finally become a couple. The story will resume i...
Answerman - How Do Small Indie Theaters End Up Showing Anime?
One of the best places to see anime in the theater is at an independent cinema - but how do these mom 'n pop theaters get the films? Justin gets into it.
― Kevin asks: Going based off the Kizumonogatari movies, Mahouka movies, and plenty others, a lot of anime movies which get theater releases tend to be in small private theaters. How did these theaters get these anime movie screenings? Was it compa...
Tsukigakirei ‒ Episode 11
"This week's Tsuki ga Kirei was lifted by an unexpected hero - Kotarou's mom."
Yen Press Licenses Akame ga KILL Author's Hinowa ga CRUSH! Manga
Takahiro's series debuts in N. America simultaneously with Japan
― North American manga publisher Yen Press announced on Friday that it will publish Takahiro's new Hinowa ga Yuku! (Hinowa Conquers!) manga starting with the first chapter as it debuts in Japan. Yen Press will release the series under the title Hinowa ga CRUSH!, and it will release the first chapter on Monday. The publisher describes th...
Nights of Azure 2 Game Gets Manga Spinoff in July
Tae Tono draws Yoru no Nai Kuni 2 ~Hibi Hana Sakari~ spinoff
― The August issue of Kodansha's Monthly Shonen Sirius magazine is revealing on Monday that KOEI Tecmo Games and Gust's Nights of Azure 2 (Yoru no Nai Kuni 2 ~Shingetsu no Hanayome~) game will get a spinoff manga titled Yoru no Nai Kuni 2 ~Hibi Hana Sakari~ at "Suiyōbi no Sirius," Monthly Shonen Sirius' online manga label collaboration with...
Pro Voice Actor Talks About Her Manga Being Turned into an Anime
While many anime come from manga, what is unusual about Makeruna!! Aku no Gundan! is that the manga is written by a professional voice actor.
The Seven Deadly Sins: Seven Scars They Left Behind Novel
Ten years before Princess Elizabeth set out to find Meliodas and the other Sins, her older sister Margaret and Gilthunder struggle to keep a terrible secret in this prequel to The Seven Deadly Sins. Rebecca Silverman investigates.
― If you're a casual fan of Nakaba Suzuki's manga The Seven Deadly Sins or its anime adaptation, you should be aware that this novel is intended to be read either after the...
Season Finale: Saekano Flat ‒ Episode 11
"This final episode isn't Saekano's strongest moment, but it doesn't diminish the things that the season has done right either."
Shuuichi Shigeno's New Manga Series Titled MF Ghost
This year's 30th issue of Kodansha's Young Magazine is revealing the title of Shuuichi Shigeno's new manga series on Monday. The series is titled MF Ghost. The manga will launch this summer. The series will take place in the 2020s, when self-driving cars are ubiquitous in Japan. The series will feature a genius driver who goes back to Japan after graduating top of his or her class at a racing scho...
Gainax Ordered to Pay Studio Khara 100 Million Yen
Gainax allegedly owes royalties to Khara for income on properties that Hideaki Anno worked on
― A judge at the Tokyo District Court's Tachikawa Branch ordered Gainax to pay Studio Khara 100 million yen (about US$899,000) on Friday. Studio Khara filed a lawsuit in December against Gainax regarding a 100 million yen debt that Gainax allegedly owes Khara. It is expected that Gainax will not appeal the d...
Kosaku Shima Series' Hirokane Draws 2 New Chapters of Hello Hari-nezumi Manga
Hirokane debuted with series in Young Magazine's 1st issue in 1980
― This year's 30th issue of Kodansha's Young Magazine is revealing on Monday that Kenshi Hirokane will publish two new chapters for his Hello Hari-nezumi (Hello Hedgehog) manga in the magazine's 32nd and 33rd issues on July 10 and 15, respectively. Hello Hari-nezumi is Hirokane's debut manga. He launched it in July 1980 in the first e...
Jump Giga Magazine Ends 'Season' With 4th Issue, Final Chapter of Ichigo 100% Sequel
Magazine began planned 4-issue run on April 28
― This year's third issue of Shueisha's Jump Giga magazine revealed on Friday that it will end its current "season" with its fourth issue on July 28. The current season launched on April 28, and had a planned four-issue run. The first "season" of the magazine launched in July last year with Shueisha's Shonen Jump NEXT!! magazine changing its name to Jump...
As The Gods Will Manga Duo Launches New Series in July
Also: Basilisk spinoff novels get manga adaptation in July
― This year's 30th issue of Kodansha's Young Magazine is revealing on Monday that writer Muneyuki Kaneshiro and artist Akeji Fujimura, the duo behind the As the Gods Will manga, will launch a new manga titled Gnoshros in the magazine's next issue on July 3. The magazine describes the manga as centering on humans 30,0000 years in the past. A Y...
Dragon Ball FighterZ Fighting Game Adds Trunks
Trunks from "Cell Saga" joins PS4, Xbox One, PC fighting game slated for 2018
― This year's 30th issue of Shueisha's Weekly Shonen Jump magazine is revealing on Monday that Trunks is joining the roster of playable characters in Arc System Works' Dragon Ball FighterZ 2D fighting game. The magazine shows that the version of Trunks in the game is specifically the "Future Trunks" that appears in the stor...
Action Heroine Cheer Fruits Anime Previewed in TV Ad
diomedea's original anime series premieres on July 6
― The official website for the upcoming original television anime Action Heroine Cheer Fruits began streaming a commercial for the show on Friday. The story is set in the year 20xx during an action heroine warring states period. The action heroine trend had started with a small festival in a certain city. The project created a "local heroine fighte...
DIVE!! Anime's TV Ad Previews Yūta Hashimoto's Ending Theme
Anime based on Eto Mori's novel debuts on July 6
― The official website for the television anime of Eto Mori's youth novel series DIVE!! began streaming a 30-second promotional video on Thursday. The video previews solo vocalist Yūta Hashimoto's ending theme song "New World." Both Hashimoto and Qyoto, the band who is performing the opening theme song "Taiyō mo Hitoribocchi" (The Sun Is Also Lonely), ...
Teekyū Anime's 9th Season Previewed in Video
New season premieres on July 12
― The official website for the television anime of Piyo and Roots' Teekyū manga began streaming the ninth anime season's promotional video on Friday. The anime will premiere on July 12 on Tokyo MX at 10:40 p.m. before airing later that evening on Sun TV. The anime will then air on AT-X on July 13 at 9:25 p.m. Yui Watanabe will perform the opening theme song "Dream Firs...
Gonzo's 18if TV Anime's 2nd Promo Video Previews Teddyloid's Opening Theme
Series premiering on July 7 will have different ending song for each episode
― The official website for Koji Morimoto and Gonzo's 18if television anime began streaming the show's second promotional video on Friday. The video previews Teddyloid's opening theme song "Red Doors feat. Yoshikazu Mera." The website also revealed that each episode of the series will feature a different ending theme song by ...
Yo-kai Watch Shadowside: Oni-ō no Fukkatsu Film's Teaser Video, Trailer Streamed
Film set 30 years after previous story opens on December 16
― The official website for Yo-kai Watch Shadowside: Oni-ō no Fukkatsu (Yo-kai Watch Shadowside: The Return of the Oni King), the fourth film in the Yo-kai Watch franchise, began streaming a teaser video and a trailer on Friday. In the film's story, there used to be a boy who could control yo-kai with a mysterious watch. However, he became un...
Asusa Satou Narrates 4th Tenchi Muyo! Ryo Ohki OVA's Latest Promo Video
4th Blu-ray Disc in new series ships on August 30
― The official website of Tenchi Muyo! Ryo Ohki Dai-4-Ki, the fourth OAV in the Tenchi Muyo! Ryo Ohki OVA series, began streaming a fourth promotional video on Saturday. Azusa Satou as Otoka Masaki narrates the video. The video previews the third installment's opening theme song "Kokoro Hanabira" by Haruna Ōshima. The OVA's fourth Blu-ray Disc volume ...
Saiyuki Reload Blast Anime's 2 TV Ads Preview Granrodeo's Opening Theme
Ads focus on characters Genjo, Saitaisai for anime premiering on July 5
― The official YouTube channel for the television anime adaptation of Kazuya Minekura's Saiyuki Reload Blast manga began streaming two commercials on Friday. Both ads preview GRANRODEO's opening theme song "move on! Ibara Michi." Genjo Sanzo Version Saitaisai Version Saiyuki Reload Blast will premiere on July 5 on AT-X at 10:30 p...
New Game!! Anime's Video Previews fourfolium's Opening Song
2nd season of anime premieres on July 11
― The official website for the television anime of Shōtarō Tokunō's New Game! manga began streaming a promotional video for the anime's second season (titled New Game!!, with an additional exclamation mark) on Friday. The video previews the anime's opening theme song "STEP by STEP UP↑↑↑↑" by the group fourfolium, composed of the four main voice actresses Yūki ...
Land of the Lustrous TV Anime's Teaser Video Previews CG Animation
Anime based on Haruki Ichikawa manga premieres October
― The official website for the the television anime of Haruko Ichikawa's Land of the Lustrous (Hōseki no Kuni) manga began streaming a teaser promotional video for the anime on Friday. The video previews the show's CG animation. The series will premiere in October. Takahiko Kyōgoku (Love Live! School idol project, GATE) is directing the anime at ...
Gundam Twilight AXIS Net Anime's 1st Episode Streamed With English Subtitles
6-episode series of shorts stars Risa Shimizu, Shuuhei Sakaguchi, Daisuke Ono
― The Gundam.info portal site began streaming the first English-subtitled episode on Friday for the net anime adaptation of Ark Performance and Koujirou Nakamura's Mobile Suit Gundam Twilight AXIS novel. The anime will have six episodes — five three-minute episodes, and the final eight-minute episode. The first episode debu...
Thursday, June 22
Captain Tsubasa Stage Play Videos Streamed
"Super Experience" stage play runs in August-September in Tokyo
― The official website for Super Experience Stage Captain Tsubasa, the stage play adaptation of Yōichi Takahashi's Captain Tsubasa soccer manga, revealed six character videos highlighting different cast members on Thursday: Kōki as Hiroshi Jitō Kazumi Doi as Makoto Sōda Kazuki Watanabe as Ken Wakashimizu Shūto Washio as Jun Misugi Yūho M...
Crunchyroll Adds Eureka Seven, Soul Eater, Attack on Titan: Junior High Anime
Casshern Sins, Doamayger-D also stream
― Crunchyroll announced on Thursday that it has added the following anime to its catalog: Eureka Seven (available in the U.S. and Canada) Soul Eater (available in the U.S. and Canada) Attack on Titan: Junior High (available in the U.S., Canada, U.K., Ireland, and South Africa) Casshern Sins (available in the U.S. and Canada) Doamayger-D (available in the U.S., C...
Anime Expo to Host Production I.G's Mitsuhisa Ishikawa, Kazuto Nakazawa, Rui Kuroki
President, character designer, producer to attend July convention
― The organizers of the Anime Expo convention announced on Thursday that the event will host Production I.G president and CEO Mitsuhisa Ishikawa, director and character designer Kazuto Nakazawa, and producer Rui Kuroki. They will appear at the Production I.G panel on Saturday and the FLCL 2 & 3 panel on Sunday. Ishikawa graduated colle...
Attack on Titan Saves Next Dance for Welcome to the Ballroom
The second anime season of Attack on Titan ended on Saturday and while fans eagerly await season three next year, the staff are passing the torch on to Tomo Takeuchi's Welcome to the Ballroom anime adaptation that premieres at Anime Expo on July 2. Fan favorite character Levi was drawn in a coat and tails ready to waltz with Welcome to the Ballroom series star Tatara Fujita. Kodansha Comics is pub...
Studio Trigger to Announce New Titles at Anime Expo (Updated)
Little Witch Academia director Yoh Yoshinari to attend
― Studio Trigger announced on its official Twitter account on Thursday that it will reveal "multiple" new titles at the Anime Expo convention this year. It will host a panel on July 2 to make the announcements. The Twitter account also mentioned that Yoh Yoshinari (Little Witch Academia director and character designer) will be appearing at the In...
Anime Network Online to Cease Streaming on August 20
The Anime Network announced on Thursday that its Anime Network Online (ANO) streaming service will shut down on August 20 at 12:59 a.m. EDT (August 19 at 11:59 PM CDT). ANO transferred its assets to the new streaming service HIDIVE, which launched its beta version on Tuesday. Yearly ANO subscribers can receive a subscription credit at HIDIVE. HIDIVE currently offers an ad-supported free membership...
Feast on Tokyo Ghoul Art at Shinjuku Station
Manga artist Sui Ishida doesn't just draw the very popular Tokyo Ghoul manga; he's also active on Twitter, where he sometimes shares his digital artwork to over 880,000 followers. And now, for a limited time, fans can see a selection of Ishida's beautiful art framed in a physical gallery. This mini-museum is displayed in Shinjuku Station from June 19 to June 25. Commuters can admire the art as the...
Japan's Animation TV Ranking, June 12-18
Pokémon Sun & Moon in top 10
― The live-action drama adaptation of Ryō Ikuemi's Anata no Koto wa Sorehodo manga aired on TBS on Tuesday, June 13 at 10:00 p.m and earned a 10.1% rating. Title Station Date Time Length Average Household Rating Sazae-san Fuji TV June 18 (Sun) 18:30 30 min. 11.2 Chibi Maruko-chan Fuji TV June 18 (Sun) 18:00 30 min. 7.4 Crayon Shin-chan TV Asahi June 16 (Fri) 19:30 24 min....
Motoka Murakami Launches Patreon for English Translation of His JIN Manga
Medical time-travel manga inspired multiple live-action films, Takarazuka play
― Manga creator Motoka Murakami opened a Patreon account last Friday to fund an English translation of his historical medical manga JIN. Murakami posted the first two chapters for free and additional chapters will be uploaded weekly for patrons contributing US$5 per month or more. The third chapter launched on Thursday. Pa...
Summer Lesson: Allison Snow Trailer Shows Summertime Japanese Lessons
Virtual reality software launched on Thursday
― Bandai Namco Entertainment began streaming a second promotional video for Summer Lesson: Allison Snow, its new installment in the Summer Lesson virtual reality game series, on Thursday. In the video, Alison speaks in heavily accented Japanese. In addition to the main game, the video previews four upcoming additional content releases: "Porch Internationa...
Otakon Hosts Toshio Furukawa, Shino Kakinuma, Katsuyuki Sumizawa, Hideyuki Tomioka
Voice actors, scriptwriter, producer to attend D.C. convention this August 11-13
― The staff of the Otakon convention announced on Wednesday that it will host voice actors Toshio Furukawa and Shino Kakinuma. The staff also announced that this year's event will host scriptwriter and novelist Katsuyuki Sumizawa and Sunrise senior managing director Hideyuki Tomioka. Toshio Furukawa began his prolific vo...
Hayao Miyazaki Says He Won't See Mary & The Witch's Flower Film, But Tells Director Yonebayashi 'Good Job' (Updated)
Isao Takahata, Toshio Suzuki praise film
― Director Hiromasa Yonebayashi (pictured right) revealed at a special talk event on Thursday for Studio Ponoc and his upcoming Mary and the Witch's Flower (Mary to Majo no Hana) anime film that he talked with that Studio Ghibli co-founder Hayao Miyazaki and producer Toshio Suzuki when he finished the film. Yonebayashi said that he brought the film and visited...
Live-Action Tokyo Ghoul Film's Still Shows Kureo Mado, Quinque
Yo Oizumi plays Kureo Mado for film premiering at Anime Expo
― The official Twitter account for the live-action Tokyo Ghoul film released a new still from the film on Thursday. The image shows Yo Oizumi as Kureo Mado with a quinque, an anti-ghoul weapon. The film will premiere on July 3 at Anime Expo in Los Angeles, July 7 in Berlin, and July 10 at the Marunouchi Piccadilly theater in Chiyoda, Japan ...
Voice Actors Nana Inoue, Mitsuhiro Ichiki Deliver Healthy Boy
Voice actress Nana Inoue announced on Twitter on Wednesday that she gave birth to a healthy boy. Inoue said, "This is a report! I safely gave birth to a healthy boy on June 15 at 5:27 a.m.! Also, the two of us left the hospital today! I was supported and able to do my best from all of the help and encouraging words from everyone before the birth. Thank you very much!" Inoue also said she had to sp...
Under Night In-Birth Exe:Late[st] Fighting Game Promo Shows New Characters, Modes
Port of arcade game ships July 20 in Japan
― Arc System Works began streaming a promotional video for the home version of Ecole Software and French-Bread's Under Night In-Birth Exe:Late[st] arcade fighting game on Thursday. The video highlights the updates for the home edition, including new characters Enkidu and Wagner, refined character abilities, and new "chronicle," tutorial, and mission modes Th...
Kadokawa Launches Historical Manga Series with Macross, Yuri on Ice Artists
Publisher Kadokawa Shoten launched a new manga line on Wednesday to entice fans of popular creators to learn more about history. The non-fiction line is called Manga Jinbutsu-den (literally: Manga Biographies) and includes cover illustrations from Tadashi Hiramatsu (Yuri !!! on ICE), Haruhiko Mikimoto (Macross) and Kazuma Kaneko (Megami Tensei series). The series launch kicked off with a biography...
Dynasty Warriors 9 PS4 Game's Trailer Shows Open World
Upcoming game adds new attacks, characters, actions
― Koei Tecmo began streaming a trailer for its upcoming PlayStation 4 game Dynasty Warriors 9 (Shin Sangoku Musou 8) on Thursday. The video shows scenes from the game's world and "one versus thousands" gameplay. Koei Tecmo America and Koei Tecmo Europe will release the game in the West. Koei Tecmo America describes the game: In Dynasty Warriors 9, p...
7O3X: Fastest Finger First Anime Casts Tomoaki Maeno, M.A.O, Ayane Sakura
Anime based on Iqura Sugimoto's quiz club manga premieres on July 4
― Toei began streaming a quiz video on Tuesday for 7O3X Fastest Finger First, the television anime adaptation of Iqura Sugimoto's Nana Maru San Batsu (literally, "7 O 3 X" or "7 Right, 3 Wrong") manga. The video reveals the character Kunimitsu Ōkura, and the voice actor for the character asks if viewers can guess his identity. A sepa...
Say 'I Choose You' With Pikachu Marriage Registration Forms
One couple already turned their wedding into a full-blown Pokémon bash in December. Pikachu wedding rings also debuted last year. Couples in Japan will soon be able to make the Pokémon franchise's connection to their married life even more official. The August issue of Recruit's Zexy marriage information magazine will bundle a Pikachu-themed marriage registration form on Friday. The marriage form ...
The Best and Worst of the Season So Far: Week of June 10-16
Attack on Titan races up the charts as the Spring anime season closes out! How did your favorite anime fare in our weekly user rankings?
― Our team of reviewers are following 27 anime series of the Spring 2017 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 base...
Yūta Hashimoto Performs DIVE!! Anime's Ending Theme Song
Anime based on Eto Mori's novel debuts on July 6
― The official website for the television anime of Eto Mori's youth novel series DIVE!! revealed on Thursday that solo vocalist Yūta Hashimoto will perform the ending theme song "New World." A new television commercial previewing the song is premiering on Fuji TV's Noitamina programming block on Thursday. The 22-year-old singer from Sendai, Miyagi debu...
Sagrada Reset ‒ Episode 12
"If there's a high point here, it's that this material might turn out more interesting than everything else that's happened so far, but I'm not placing those types of bets at this point."
Yurucamp Camping TV Anime Premieres in Winter 2018
Japanese retailer Rakuten is listing the cover of the August issue of Houbunsha's Manga Time Kirara Forward magazine, which reveals that the television anime of Afro's Yurucamp (Yurukyan△, Laid-Back Camp Δ) manga will premiere in winter 2018. The issue also reveals the anime's staff, and the manga features on the cover. The issue will ship on Saturday. The "slow outdoor manga" follows two young wo...
Sakura Quest ‒ Episode 12
"Sakura Quest hasn't shied away from "victory lap" stories in the past, but that style feels the most earned this week."
The Rising of the Shield Hero Fantasy Novels Get Anime
Anime's 1st promo video debuts at Anime Expo on July 1
― The Twitter account of the Osada, Shizuoka branch of the Yoshimi Books store posted a picture on Thursday that reveals an anime adaptation of Aneko Yusagi's The Rising of the Shield Hero (Tate no Yūsha no Nariagari) fantasy light novel series has been green-lit. The image shows promotional flyers from MF Books, the light novel label of Kadokawa...
Why Azazel From Rage of Bahamut Steals the Show
Azazel from Rage of Bahamut: Virgin Soul is fighting to save the demon race. And watching him do it is captivating.
Dagashi Kashi BD+DVD
Is this slice of life comedy about convenience store candy a sugar rush worth indulging, or is it just as frivolously forgettable as its subject matter? Nick Creamer finds out.
― Anime has already offered us long-running dramas about baking bread and entire franchises predicated on idols fighting interstellar wars, so it's tough to be surprised by basically any premise these days. Slice of life in pa...
Boruto: Naruto Next Generations ‒ Episode 12
"Seeing Boruto, various classmates, and the Uzumaki family dynamic through Mitsuki's eyes makes for an interesting if uneventful episode."
Kaito × Ansa Puzzle-Solving Anime's 4th Promo Video Reveals Daisuke Ono as Yū
Series starring Kazuki Katou, Takahiro Sakurai premieres on July 12
― The official website for the Kaito × Ansa "puzzle-solving" (nazo-toki) original television anime began streaming the show's fourth promotional video on Thursday. The video previews SuG's ending theme song "Agaku." The video reveals that Daisuke Ono (Black Butler's Sebastian, JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Diamond Is Unbreakable's Jōtarō...
Sylph Manga Magazine Ceases Publication, New 'Pixiv Sylph' Online Magazine Launches This Summer
Magazine launched in 2006, serialized manga adaptations of otome games
― The August issue of Kadokawa's Monthly Sylph magazine (cover pictured at right) announced on Thursday that the magazine will cease publication as of the September issue, which will go on sale on July 22. Kadokawa plans to launch the "Pixiv Sylph" free online manga magazine sometime this summer. The new free online magazine will ...
SEGA Launches 'Forever Collection' of Classic Games on iOS, Android
Games free to download with ads, purchasable for no ads
― SEGA launched its "SEGA Forever" collection on Wednesday. The collection ports games from SEGA consoles on iOS and Android platforms for mobile devices. The collection launched with Sonic the Hedgehog, Phantasy Star II, Comix Zone, Kid Chameleon, and Altered Beast. Sega plans to add more games every month. All games are free to download but ar...
Princess Jellyfish Manga Approaches Climax
Manga resumes on Saturday after hiatus since January 2016
― The August issue of Kodansha's Kiss magazine is revealing on Saturday that Akiko Higashimura's Princess Jellyfish (Kuragehime) manga is in its "climax arc." The issue also states that the manga is heading toward its ending. The manga will also resume in the same issue on Saturday, after a hiatus since January 2016. The manga revealed in 2015...
Warriors All-Stars Game's Videos Highlight Plachta, Sophie, Tokitsugu
Game slated for N. America on August 29, for Europe on September 1
― Koei Tecmo America began streaming three new highlight videos for its Warriors All-Stars (Musou Stars) crossover game on Wednesday. The trailers highlight the characters Plachta (Atelier series), Sophie (Atelier series), and Tokitsugu (Toukiden series). Koei Tecmo America describes the game's story and interaction mechanics: Summone...
Medical Manga Kōnodori Gets 2nd Live-Action Series in October
Cast returns for series about obstetrician based on Yū Suzunoki manga
― This year's 30th issue of Kodansha's Morning magazine revealed on Thursday that the live-action television series adaptation of Yū Suzunoki's Kōnodori (The Stork) manga is getting a sequel series. The series will premiere on TBS in October. The returning cast includes Gou Ayano as Sakura Kōnotori, Mayu Matsuoka as Kae Shimoya, Yō...
Anime Expo Hosts U.S. Premiere Screening of Lupin III Italian Game Special
Also: Voice acttress Charlet Chung, voice actor Jonny Cruz to have autograph sessions during convention
― TMS Entertainment announced on Wednesday that it will hold a screening of the Lupin III Italian Game special at Anime Expo on July 3. The screening of this latest Lupin III special will be the anime's United States premiere. TMS Entertainment will give out free T-shirts with art by Hisao Yokobori...
Rage of Bahamut: Virgin Soul Anime's New Theme Song Artists Revealed
THE BEAT GARDEN, DAOKO perform new theme songs debuting on July 7
― The official website for the Rage of Bahamut: Virgin Soul television anime, the sequel to 2014's Rage of Bahamut: Genesis, revealed the anime's new opening and ending theme song artists on Thursday. Both songs will debut in the anime on July 7 for its second cour (quarter of a year). THE BEAT GARDEN will perform the anime's new openi...
Berserk Manga Goes Back on Hiatus Until Winter
Manga had returned from most recent hiatus in March
― This year's 13th issue of Hakusensha's Young Animal magazine is revealing on Friday that Kentarou Miura's Berserk manga is going back on hiatus until "around winter." The issue on Friday will feature a new chapter. Miura had resumed the manga in the seventh issue of Young Animal, which shipped on March 24. The manga had been running on a monthly s...
My Hero Academia Anime Reveals New Opening Theme Artist, Cast for Gran Torino
amazarashi performs new opening theme song,
― This year's 30th issue of Shueisha's Weekly Shonen Jump magazine is revealing on Monday that amazarashi will perform the new opening theme song "Sora ni Utaeba" (If I Sing in the Sky) for the second season of the My Hero Academia television anime series. The band previously performed theme songs for Rampo Kitan: Game of Laplace and Tokyo Ghoul √A. The iss...
One Piece Anime Gets 'Episode of East Blue' Special on August 26
2-hour special features redrawn anime of East Blue arc, anime of chapter covers
― This year's 30th issue of Shueisha's Weekly Shonen Jump magazine is revealing on Monday that the One Piece anime is getting a two-hour special titled One Piece Episode of East Blue: Luffy to 4-nin no Nakama no Daibōken (Luffy and His 4 Crewmates' Big Adventure). The special will air on August 26 at 9:00 p.m. The issue i...
Black Clover Manga Takes 1-Week Break Due to Author's Hospitalization
This year's 30th issue of Shueisha's Weekly Shonen Jump magazine is revealing on Monday that Yūki Tabata's Black Clover manga is taking a break from the magazine's 31st issue on July 3. In the comments section of the 30th issue, Tabata explains that he was hospitalized due to asthma and is taking the time to recover. Tabata began the series in Weekly Shonen Jump in February 2015. Viz Media publish...
Food Wars! Shokugeki no Soma Anime Gets 3rd Season This Fall
New season follows battle against Council of Ten
― This year's 30th issue of Shueisha's Weekly Shonen Jump magazine is revealing on Monday that the Food Wars! Shokugeki no Soma anime is getting a third season that will premiere this fall. The issue reveals that the anime is titled: Shokugeki no Sōma: San no Sara (Food Wars! The Third Plate). The new anime will follow the battle against the Council of...
Animator: Yowamushi Pedal Anime Gets 4th Season
Yowamushi Pedal New Generation 3rd season premiered in January
― Animator Hiroyuki Horiuchi revealed on his Twitter account on Wednesday that he is "scheduled to work on the fourth season [of Yowamushi Pedal]." A fourth season has not been officially announced. Horiuchi has worked as an animator and prop designer for all three seasons of the anime. Yowamushi Pedal New Generation, the series' third se...
Love Rice Anime Gets Stage Play Adaptation
Anime premiered on April 5 with Crunchyroll stream
― The official Twitter account for the Love Rice (Love Kome -We Love Rice-) original television anime revealed on Wednesday that a stage-play adaptation has been green-lit. The series premiered on April 5. Crunchyroll is streaming the series as it airs in Japan. The anime project anthropomorphizes rice (kome in Japanese) into schoolboys. At the Kokur...
Wednesday, June 21
Level 5 Launches Layton's Mystery Journey Game's Global Puzzle Game
50 puzzles will appear in 10 countries; 1st puzzle debuted on Tuesday in Tokyo
― Level 5 announced on Tuesday that it is collaborating with "Real Escape Game" maker Scrap to launch a global promotion campaign for the Layton's Mystery Journey: Katrielle and the Millionaires' Conspiracy game titled "LAYTON'S MYSTERY JOURNEY: REAL WORLD PUZZLE SOLVING." The campaign challenges fans to solve 50 puzzles t...
Detective Conan Creator Appears on Sherlock Holmes Anniversary Program
Detective Conan creator Gosho Aoyama will lend his mystery expertise on a television program commemorating Sherlock Holmes' 130th anniversary on NHK on June 24. Aoyama will be joined by playwright and Holmes fan Kōki Mitani. Megumi Hayashibara, who stars as reoccurring character Ai Haibara in the Detective Conan anime series, will narrate the program. Sherlock Holmes first appeared in Sir Arthur C...
Shinji Aramaki Directs Starship Troopers: Traitor of Mars CG-Animated Film
Film has 1-night screening in U.S. on August 21
― Fathom Events revealed on Tuesday that Shinji Aramaki is directing Starship Troopers: Traitor of Mars, the new CG-animated sequel to the 1997 film Starship Troopers. Aramaki previously directed the 2012 CG-animated film Starship Troopers: Invasion, which he worked on with screenwriter Flint Dille at Sola Digital Arts. Ed Neumeier, the screenwriter for...
Shueisha Releases Assassination Classroom VR PC Game
Players play as Class 3-E member and shoot, cut down balloons for high score
― Publisher Shueisha and game developer Alpha Code released the Assassination Classroom VR Balloon Challenge Time game on PC via Steam on June 16. An HTC Vive VR headset is required to play. The virtual reality game casts players as a member of Class 3-E. Players attempt to shoot or cut down as many of the balloons that Koro...
Romance Comedy Manga Chronicles Struggles of Having No Face
Romantic comedy manga like Monster Musume have focused on the struggles of interspecies romance. What do you do when a harpy needs to lay an egg or a lamia needs to shed her skin? These intriguing twists on the romantic fiction have led to a whole new subgenre about wooing monsters of every stripe. Haru Itaki's Kanojo ni Awaseru Kao ga nai, or literally "I Have no Face to Meet Hers" takes a whole ...
Root Letter Mystery Visual Novel Gets PC Release This Year
Game with designs by LovePlus' Tarō Minoboshi shipped in the west last year
― Kadokawa Games opened a Steam page for its √Letter (pronounced "Root Letter") mystery visual novel game, revealing that it will release the game on the PC sometime this year. The game shipped in June 2016 in Japan for the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation Vita. Rice Digital and PQube released the game in Europe last October, an...
Daruma Matsuura's Kasane Manga Gets Live-Action Film
Kodansha USA publishes manga about ugly girl with special lipstick
― The author notes at the end of the 11th compiled volume (pictured at right) Daruma Matsuura's Kasane manga are revealing on Friday that the manga is getting a live-action film adaptation. Kodansha Comics began releasing the manga digitally in English on May 30. The company describes the story: Kasane's face is so hideous, you couldn...
Alleged ClariS Photos Reveal Parts of Secretive Singers' Faces
The musical duo ClariS is known for being secretive about the true identities of its singers. The duo debuted in 2009 after the original members, Clara and Alice, met in elementary school. Instead of showing their faces like most performers, the singers use anime-style illustrations to represent themselves on CDs and merchandise. Even after Alice left in 2014 and Karen replaced her, the closest th...
Japanese Comic Ranking, June 12-18
Barakamon, MIX, Magi, My Hero Academia, Magi: Adventure of Sinbad in top 5
― Rank Title Est. Weekly Copies Est. Total Copies Release Date Publisher Author Highest Rank Weeks on List 1 Barakamon 15 146,821 148,011 2017/06 Square Enix Satsuki Yoshino 1 1 2 MIX 11 141,421 166,161 2017/06 Shogakukan Mitsuru Adachi 2 2 3 Magi 34 120,860 120,860 2017/06 Shogakukan Shinobu Ohtaka 3 1 4 My Hero Academia 14 ...
Japan's Video Game Rankings, June 12-18
ARMS launches at #1
― Japan's Game Ranking: June 12-18 Rank System Title Maker Release Date Weekly Copies Total Copies 4Gamer Reader Review 1NSwARMS Nintendo June 17 100,652 100,652 2NSwMario Kart 8 Deluxe Nintendo April 28 16,822 522,091 70 3NSwThe Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (Including Limited Editions) Nintendo March 3 10,200 504,726 93 43DSMonster Hunter XX Capcom March 18 8,638 1,521,453...
HIDIVE Streaming Platform Adds School-Live, Chivalry of a Failed Knight English Dubs
New anime streaming service HIDIVE announced on Wednesday that it will stream the English dubs for the School-Live and Chivalry of a Failed Knight anime. Both series are currently available in Japanese with English subtitles in their entirety, and the service will add English-dubbed episodes in installments. The first two episodes of School-Live! are now available and new episodes will launch on T...
Pokémon, Yuri!!! on Ice, Detective Conan Top Japan Character Awards
The Character Brand Licensing Association (CBLA) announced the winners of its Japan Character Awards 2017. The awards acknowledge Japan's best brands and characters for the previous fiscal year. This year marks the association's ninth award year. The top prize went to the Pokemon franchise. CBLA acknowledged the brand for successfully integrating the adult market with the launch of Pokemon Go and ...
Anime Expo to Host Bandai Namco Producers Yasuhiro Fukaya, Yusuke Tomizawa
Master modeler "Meijin" Kawaguchi, visual novel writer/director Keika Hanada also announced as guests
― The staff of Anime Expo announced on Monday that the convention will host Bandai Namco Entertainment producers Yasuhiro Fukaya and Yusuke Tomizawa as guests. Both guests will participate in a panel, and will have autograph sessions. Fukawa joined Namco in 1999 as an Assistant Game Planner. He worke...
Anohana English Dub to Premiere at Anime Expo
Also: English dub casts for Persona 5, JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Boruto: Naruto the Movie to appear at convention
― Aniplex of America announced on Wednesday that its English dub of anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day will premiere at Anime Expo. The screening will take place at 6:30 p.m. on Sunday, July 2. ADR director Patrick Seitz and most of the main English dub cast — Griffin Burns (Jintan), Xan...
Season Finale: The Royal Tutor ‒ Episode 12
"While the whole plot to bring Heine back left a bit to be desired in terms of nuance and creativity, this wasn't a bad episode, just the least interesting one overall."
Growth Squadron Nobiranger Web Anime Promotes Nutrition for Kids
A new educational web anime is aiming to teach viewers the nutrients they need to live a healthy life. This is anime though, so those nutrients are represented as a super hero sentai team. Seichō Sentai Nobiranger (Growth Squadron Nobiranger) stars Lactoferrin (Kouichi Yamadera), Vitamin B (Natsuki Hanae), Calcium (Yūsuke Tonozaki), Magnesium (Fuyuka Ono), and Arginine (Inuko Inuyama). Together, t...
Mistwalker Details 'Terra World' Franchise With Terra Battle 2, Terra Wars
2 iOS/Android/PC games detailed, Terra Battle 2 trailer streamed
― Final Fantasy creator Hironobu Sakaguchi's game studio Mistwalker formally announced its Terra Battle 2 and Terra Wars games for iOS, Android, and PC on Wednesday. Sakaguchi introduced the two games as part of his new "Terra World" franchise, which will have a similar numbering system to Final Fantasy. "Each installment of the 'Terra'...
Season Finale: Natsume Yūjin-Chō Roku ‒ Episode 11
"Even after six seasons, there are still compelling reasons to keep tuning in, and a wealth of new additions to Natsume's story I didn't even know I was missing."
Marriage, Graduation Announcements Overshadow Idol Rino Sashihara's 3rd AKB48 Election Win
The 9th annual AKB48 Senbatsu Election featured an unprecedented announcement this year. The event to reveal the vote count was held at the Tomigusuku Municipal Central Community Center in Okinawa on Saturday. Ririka Sutō, a 20-year-old member of the NMB48 idol group, announced that she is getting married. Sutō ranked 20th in the election. Sutō said, "I fell in love with someone for the first time...
SukaSuka ‒ Episode 11
"With no big narrative stumbling blocks to hinder it, the series is able to deliver one of its best efforts to date."
Tsuredure Children Anime's 4th Short Promo Video Previews New Cast
Seiichirō Yamashita, Akari Kitō, Daisuke Ono, Maaya Uchida join cast
― The official website for the television anime of Toshiya Wakabayashi's Tsuredure Children (Idle Children) manga began streaming the fourth short promotional video for the anime on Wednesday. The video features the second-year high school classmates Chiaki Uchimura (voiced by Seiichirō Yamashita) and Kana Iijima (voiced by Akari Ki...
Answerman - What Happened To The "Watch This Program In A Well-Lit Room" Warnings?
Ever since one Pokemon episode caused an unanticipated medical emergency, there have been viewer warnings in front of many anime on TV. Why are they starting to go away now?
― Chris asks: Back in the day, after that infamous episode of Pokémon gave viewers seizures, many anime would start with an on-screen warning to watch with the lights on and at a safe distance from the TV. A bunch of my late-90'...
Tatsunoko's Infini-T Force Anime Reveals 5 More Characters, Cast
Ai Kayano, Atsushi Ono, Hiroki Yasumoto, Daisuke Hirakawa, Kana Hanazawa join cast
― Tatsunoko Productions revealed five more characters and cast members for its Infini-T Force CG-animated television anime on Wednesday. The anime's staff also revealed designs for the new characters. Ai Kayano as Emi Kaido, a high school girl living in modern-day Shibuya, Tokyo. She has no interest in anything and alw...
Season Finale: Akashic Records of Bastard Magical Instructor ‒ Episode 12
"The series never achieved great heights, but it definitely managed far better than its rough start initially suggested."
Sequel OVA Silent Sky Ends Chaos;Child with One Final, Captivating Mystery
This past weekend, we saw double-length OVA Chaos;Child: Silent Sky and it reveals the true mystery that was lurking the whole time.
Udon Licenses Infini-T Force Manga With Limited Pre-Launch at Anime Expo
1st volume's regular edition ships in September
― Udon Entertainment announced on Wednesday that it has licensed Ukyō Kodachi and Tatsuma Ejiri's Infini-T Force: Arc to the Future (Infini-T Force ~Mirai no Byōsen~) manga for English release in North America. The company will release a limited-edition version of the first volume at its booth at Anime Expo in July. The limited-edition volume will be li...
Battle Girl High School Anime Reveals 2nd Promo Video, Streaming Plans
TV series debuts on YouTube on July 3
― The official website for COLOPL's Battle Girl High School smartphone role-playing game began streaming the second promotional video for the anime adaptation on Wednesday. The video previews the opening theme song "Hoshi no Kizuna" (Star Bonds), which the 18 cast members who play the "Hoshimori" characters in the anime are performing. kz from livetune is composi...
Rilakkuma Mascot Character Gets 2018 Anime on Netflix
13 11-minute stop-motion episodes by Domo's Dwarf to mark 15th anniversary
― An anime series adaptation of San-X's "Rilakkuma" character has been green-lit with the tentative title of "Rilakkuma Series." The anime will be 13 episodes long and each episode will be 11 minutes long. Dwarf Studio (Domo) will animate the series using stop-motion. It will premiere via Netlfix in 190 countries in 2018. The ...
Live-Action Love and Lies Film Reveals More of Cast
Yoshimi Tokui, Nana Asakawa, Momoko Tanabe, Yōichi Nukumizu, more join Fall film
― The official website for the live-action film of Musawo's Love and Lies (Koi to Uso) manga revealed new cast members for the film on Wednesday. Yoshimi Tokui from comedy duo Tutorial plays the character Daisuke Yotsuya (left in picture below), Aoi's handsome uncle who works as a model. The picture below is used within ...
Layton's Mystery Journey Game's Promo Video Previews Kana Nishino Theme Song
Game launches on iOS, Android worldwide July 20; Nintendo 3DS version ships in the west in Fall
― The official Japanese website for Level 5's Layton's Mystery Journey: Katrielle and the Millionaires' Conspiracy (Layton Mystery Journey: Katriel to Daifugō no Inbō) game began streaming a promotional video for the game on Tuesday. The video reveals and previews the game's theme song "Girls" by Kana Nish...
Tuesday, June 20
Mamoru Miyano Is 1st Male Voice Actor to Top Weekly Blu-ray Chart
"Mamoru Miyano Live Tour 2016 ~Mixing!~" sold 12,717 copies
― Mamoru Miyano's "Mamoru Miyano Live Tour 2016 ~Mixing!~" Blu-ray Disc sold 12,717 copies and ranked #1 on Oricon's overall Blu-ray Disc chart for the June 12-18 week. The release makes Miyano the first male voice actor to top the overall weekly Blu-ray Disc or DVD chart. The previous highest-placing video release by a male voice actor was ...
Live-Action Gintama Net Series' Trailer Previews Theme Song
Visual also unveiled for July 15 series adapting manga's "Mitsuba Arc"
― Docomo's dTV streaming service began streaming a trailer on Wednesdasy for Gintama -Mitsuba-hen- (Gintama -Mitsuba Arc-), the live-action Gintama net show. The video reveals and previews the show's theme song "UNDECIDED" by UVERworld, the same theme song as the live-action film. The show's official website also unveiled a new vi...
North American Anime, Manga Releases, June 18-24
Norn9: Norn + Nonette anime; Golden Kamuy, Grimgar of Fantasy and Ash, No Game No Life, Please!, your name. manga ship
― Anime Releases Title Publisher Suggested Retail Price Date The Big O BDPlease Sentai Filmworks US$79.98 June 20 Dragon Ball Z Kai The Final Chapters Part 3 BDCite Funimation Entertainment US$54.98 June 20 Dragon Ball Z Kai The Final Chapters Part 3 DVDAnimeNewsNetwork Funimation En...
Fly on Goku's Nimbus at J-World Tokyo Theme Park
Namco's J-World Tokyo indoor theme park is introducing a roller coaster with no track, carts, or seat belts. The new ride is a virtual coaster namely, a 3D motion simulator where riders are taken on Goku's nimbus cloud through the world of Dragon Ball Z. 3D goggles are worn while riders view a large screen. Wind, speed, sudden drops and elevations are all simulated like a real roller coaster. The ...
Anime Network Streaming Website Switches to Cable, Video on Demand Only (Updated)
Anime Network, Inc. announced on Tuesday that it has acquired the "www.theanimenetwork.com" domain name from Anime Network Online (ANO). The website currently hosts ANO's online streaming service, which consists of content licensed by the Anime Network. Going forward, the domain will focus solely on Anime Network's cable television and subscription video on demand (SVOD) services. A new anime stre...
Mistwalker Unveils Terra Battle 2 Game
Preview shows concept art Final Fantasy creator Sakaguchi shared last year
― Kadokawa's video game news website Famitsu posted a preview of this week's issue on Tuesday, revealing game developer Mistwalker's new game Terra Battle 2. Famitsu magazine will reveal more information on Thursday. In the issue, Mistwalker founder Hironobu Sakaguchi (Final Fantasy) will share details on Terra Battle 2 and th...
Hatsune Miku: Project Diva Future Tone DX PS4 Game Announced
Package release collects DLC from Hatsune Miku: Project Diva Future Tone DX
― This week's issue of Kadokawa's Weekly Famitsu magazine is revealing on Thursday that Sega will release the Hatsune Miku: Project Diva Future Tone DX game for PlayStation 4 in Japan on November 22. The game will be a packaged release of the digital-only PS4 game Hatsune Miku: Project Diva Future Tone, its paid downloadable ...
Grimoire of Zero ‒ Episode 11
"All of the suspense the series has built up over its last third begins to peter out at the worst possible moment."
Multi-National Maid Café Opens in Akihabara
Akihabara is a haven for unique maid cafés, from establishments targeting Russophiles to maid workout partners. A new spot opened on Friday offering a multinational experience with servers from Brazil, China, Taiwan, Germany, Italy, the U.S., France, and Indonesia. Dubbed "Sugoi Kawaii," the cafe is "of, by, and for gaijin" (foreigners). Sugoi Kawaii is called a café but its menu specializes in al...
HIDIVE Anime Streaming Service Launches With Legend of the Galactic Heroes (Updated)
New service launches with US$3.99/month membership
― Legal anime streaming service HIDIVE launched a beta version on Tuesday. The service is primarily hosting content from Section 23 Films, though Section 23 Films confirmed with ANN that it is not affiliated with HIDIVE, and the HIDIVE platform will be open to titles from other publishers. HIDIVE currently offers an ad-supported free membership, but ...
Yowamushi Pedal New Generation ‒ Episode 24
"I admire the show for its ability to keep the tension taut for an entire episode, but get to the climax already!"
Final Fantasy XIV: Stormblood's Nostalgia-Themed Japanese Launch Trailer Streamed
Game launches today in Japan, N. America, and Europe
― The official Final Fantasy XIV YouTube channel began streaming a trailer for titled "Memories" to correlate with the Stormblood expansion's release. The trailer shows a group of childhood friends who become separated as they get older, but are able to reconnect by playing Final Fantasy XIV together online. The video has both live-action scenes an...
Kemono Friends Producer Asks Fans Not to Watch Anime Illegally
The producer of the hit anime series Kemono Friends issued a strong request to his Twitter followers on Tuesday. Yoshitada Fukuhara stated that he's fine if viewers can't afford to buy series, he only asks that they don't resort to illegal means to watch anime. 違法アップロード動画見ている人って、著作権違反行為の片棒担ぐことになるから止めたほうがいいですし違法にアップした人に広告費で儲けさせているだけ。本来そのお金を手にするはずだったクリエイターの元には1円も入りません。ファンならお金を払えとは言いませんがせめて違法サイトは見ないで...
Weaver Perform's 2nd Sagrada Reset Anime Opening Theme
New visual revealed for 2nd cour
― The official website for the television anime of Yutaka Kōno's teen science-fiction/fantasy light novel series Sagrada Reset announced on Tuesday that piano-rock trio Weaver (Yamada-kun and the Seven Witches, Poco's Udon World) is performing the opening theme song "Dakara Boku wa Boku o Tebanasu" (So I Let Go of Myself) for the anime's 2nd cour (quarter of a year). ...
Variety Show Discussion Pits Veteran Voice Actors Against Younger Counterparts
A staff member at an anime production company recently described the difficulties that young voice actors in Japan have entering an industry that experienced voice actors dominate. The topic has gained some buzz online, but it may be difficult to get an accurate picture of the state of the voice acting industry when discussions tend to become one-sided. TV Asahi's Aruaru Bansankai variety program ...
Monster Musume English Dub Trailer Reveals Cast
Allison Sumrall, Bryson Baugus star in comedy shipping July 25
― Sentai Filmworks revealed a trailer and English dub cast list for the Monster Musume anime on Tuesday. The trailer highlights the main cast: Bryson Baugus as Kimihito Kurusu, Allison Sumrall as Miia, Brittney Karbowski as Papi, Molly Searcy as Cerea, Courtney Lomelo as Rachnera, Monica Rial as Suu, Maggie Flecknoe as Mero, and Shelley C...
One Piece Crew Look to the Future in Eye Drops Commercial
Santen Pharmaceuticals is teaming up with the One Piece crew to keep eyes moist and fresh this summer. The company began streaming its commercial featuring Luffy, Zoro, Nami and more on Monday. The crew are shown with bottles of Sante FX brand eye drops. Santen is releasing Sante FX Neo Luffy and Sante FX V+ Law drops as part of the campaign. A second wave with another commercial is planned for th...
.hack//G.U. Last Recode PS4/PC Game Heads West in 2017
Bandai Namco streams HD remaster's 1st promo video in English
― Bandai Namco Entertainment America announced on Tuesday that it will release the .hack//G.U. Last Recode game for PlayStation 4 and PC in North America in late 2017. The company began streaming an English version of the game's first promotional video, which Bandai Namco Entertainment also began streaming in Japanese on Tuesday. The game ...
.hack//G.U. Last Recode PS4/PC Game's 1st Teaser Video Streamed
Bandai Namco files trademarks for HD remaster in U.S., Europe
― The official website for Bandai Namco Entertainment's HD remaster of the .hack//G.U. game for PlayStation 4 and PC opened and began streaming a teaser promotional video for the game on Tuesday. The game, titled .hack//G.U. Last Recode, marks the .hack series' 15th anniversary. The company filed a trademark for ".hack//G.U. Last Recode" i...
Hajimete no Gal Anime's 2nd Promo Video Previews Junjō no Afilia's Song
Kazusa Aranami, Natsuko Hara join cast of series premiering on July 12
― The official website for the television anime of Meguru Ueno's Hajimete no Gal (First-Time Gal) manga began streaming the series' second promotional video on Tuesday. The video previews Junjō no Afilia's opening theme song "Hajimete no Season." The website also revealed that Kazusa Aranami will play Yukana's classmate and fellow...
Who Our Heroes Are Up Against in Dragon Ball Super’s “Tournament of Power”
With fate of universes in the balance, the Tournament of Power is about to begin. But who exactly is Goku’s team going to fight?
Gonzo's 18if TV Anime Reveals Cast for 11 Witches
Misato Fukuen, Nao Tōyama, Ai Kakuma, Azumi Asakura, Aya Endo
― The official website for Koji Morimoto and Gonzo's 18if television anime revealed the cast for 11 witches on Tuesday. The anime's official Twitter account describes the witches as "key characters" in the anime. The cast members for the witches are: Misato Fukuen as Natsuki Kamikawa Nao Tōyama as Yurina Kanzaki Ai Kakuma as Airi Kojima Az...
Japan's Animation DVD Ranking, June 12-18
Mamoru Miyano sells 3,943, followed by Kamen Radi Ranger, 2nd Mogura no Uta film, 2nd Noragami stage play, Blue Exorcist: Kyoto Saga
― The Mamoru Miyano Live Tour 2016 ~Mixing!~ concert sold 3,943 copies to rank #6 on the overall DVD chart. The "Toei Official Kenichi Suzumura/Hiroshi Kamiya's Kamen Radi Ranger: Kamen Radi Ranger Ni -Hiroshi Kamiya Bakutansai" production sold 2,718 copies to debut at ...
Japan's Animation Blu-ray Disc Ranking, June 12-18
Mamoru Miyano sells 12,717, followed by 2nd Mogura no Uta film, Sailor Moon box, Blue Exorcist: Kyoto Saga, Macross Delta's Walküre
― The Mamoru Miyano Live Tour 2016 ~Mixing!~ concert sold 12,717 copies to rank #1 on the overall Blu-ray Disc chart. The Blu-ray Special Edition of Mogura no Uta: Hong Kong Kyōsōkyoku (Mole Song: Hong Kong Capriccio), the sequel film to the live-action film adaptation o...
Warriors All-Stars Game's Video Highlights Ōka
Game slated for N. America on August 29, for Europe on September 1
― Koei Tecmo America began streaming a new highlight video for its Warriors All-Stars (Musou Stars) crossover game on Monday. The trailer highlights the character Ōka from the Toukiden franchise. Koei Tecmo America describes the game's story and interaction mechanics: Summoned from a diverse range of worlds and time periods to save a ...
Senran Kagura Peach Beach Splash PS4 Game's Trailer Posted
Game ships in N. America, Europe this summer
― XSEED Games began streaming its E3 2017 trailer for its Senran Kagura Peach Beach Splash game release on Monday. The game is slated to ship for the PlayStation 4 in North America and Europe this summer. Senran Kagura Peach Beach Splash is an "action shooting game" where the characters are equipped with water guns and play on teams. The game features 36 t...
Cleanliness Boy! Aoyama-kun Anime's Promo Video Reveals More Cast, Ending Song Artists
Sōichiro Hoshi, Daisuke Sakaguchi, Hiroyuki Yoshino, Noriaki Sugiyama, Daisuke Kishio join cast
― The official website for the television anime of Taku Sakamoto's Cleanliness Boy! Aoyama-kun (Keppeki Danshi! Aoyama-kun) manga began streaming a promotional video for the anime on Tuesday. The video reveals additional cast and the ending theme song artists for the anime, and previews the anime's opening...
Vatican Miracle Examiner Anime's Promo Video Previews SCREEN mode's Opening Song
"Mysterium" opening theme featured in anime premiering July 7
― The official website for the television anime of Rin Fujiki's Vatican Miracle Examiner (Vatican Kiseki Chōsakan) mystery novel series began streaming a new promotional video for the anime on Tuesday. The video previews the show's opening theme song "Mysterium" by SCREEN mode. A flyer from Kadokawa's booth at AnimeJapan 2017 describes the...
Monday, June 19
Eren Jaeger's Yuuki Kaji Stops By Suspicious Peeing Titan
Voice actor Yuuki Kaji, the voice of Eren Jaeger in the Attack on Titan anime series, made a trip to Helsinki, Finland to check on a suspicious Titan with extraordinarily poor manners. 【梶】イベント会場に向かう道中、巨人が…⁉︎しかも、お花摘んでる途中でした!恐るべき、フィンランド!!とりあえず、心臓捧げときました。 pic.twitter.com/74YnitYutD— 梶裕貴@staff (@KAJI_staff) June 16, 2017 The statue is titled "Bad Bad Boy" and was created by artist Tommi Toija. The eig...
Tokyo Ghoul, Tokyo Ghoul:re Have 24 Million Copies in Print
This year's 28th issue of Shueisha's Weekly Young Jump magazine announced on Thursday that Sui Ishida's Tokyo Ghoul and Tokyo Ghoul:re manga series have a combined 24 million copies in print. Ishida serialized Tokyo Ghoul in Shueisha's Weekly Young Jump from 2011 to 2014, and is now serializing Tokyo Ghoul:re. Shueisha published the 11th volume of Tokyo Ghoul:re on Monday and it will release the ...
Project Rap Rabbit Rhythm Game's Kickstarter Fails to Reach Goal
No current plans to continue game from Parappa the Rapper, Gitaroo Man creators
― NanaOn-Sha and iNiS' Kickstarter campaign for their Project Rap Rabbit rhythm game ended on Monday after earning only £162,057 (US$206,298) of its £855,000 (US$1,102,921) goal. The project had 2,920 backers. The staff thanked backers for their support, and added that they hope to someday continue the project, but said i...
Anime Industry Member Discusses Production Committee System
The anime industry episode of NHK's Close-Up Gendai+ program has become a topic of widespread discussion online since it first aired earlier this month. The show depicted the dark side of Japan's anime industry in which animators receive low wages for long hours of work. Many people have posted reaction to the program, including Mobile Suit Gundam Wing director Shinji Takamatsu. Takamatsu believes...
Hollywood Godzilla Sequel's Synopsis Confirms Mothra, Rodan, King Ghidorah
Filming began on Monday
― Warner Bros. revealed a plot summary for its and Legendary Pictures' Godzilla sequel film on Monday. The summary, below, confirms appearances by Mothra, Rodan, and King Ghidorah — three classic kaiju from earlier Godzilla Films. The new story follows the heroic efforts of the crypto-zoological agency Monarch as its members face off against a battery of god-sized monsters, in...
Fall in Love Like a Comic!'s Chitose Yagami Ends Hapikon! Manga
Girl accidentally marries two princes in Ciao series
― The July issue of Shogakukan's Ciao magazine announced on June 2 that Fall in Love Like a Comic!'s Chitose Yagami will end her Hapikon! ~Ōji to Sekai Ichi Happy-na Kekkon~ ("The Prince and the World's Happiest Marriage" or Happy Marriage) manga in the August issue, which goes on sale on July 3. The manga revolves around middle-school student Non...
Reconstructed Hotarumaru Sword Finally Revealed
The reconstructed Hotarumaru, a lost national treasure since the Allies confiscated swords after World War II, was revealed to the public and dedicated to the Aso Shrine in Kyushu on June 17. The event is notable not only because Hotarumaru is finally coming home to his centuries old resting place but because the reconstructed sword was funded thanks to crowdfunding and appealing to fans of the Tō...
How to Raise a Boring Girlfriend: Girls Side Manga Ends
Takeshi Moriki adaptation of spinoff series launched last September
― The July issue of Kadokawa's Monthly Dragon Age magazine published the final chapter of Takeshi Moriki's Saenai Kanojo no Sodate-kata: Girls Side spinoff manga on June 9. The manga's second and final compiled book volume is slated for July 7. The manga adapts the How to Raise a Boring Girlfriend (Saenai Kanojo no Sodate-kata) spino...
Eva Fishing Gear Expands to Include Tackle Bag, Tote
Throw out a life buoy because this Evangelion merchandise is out to sea. Last month, Shinji and Asuka prepped for fishing with an officially licensed Eva Unit 01 fish grip. Essentially, an expensive piece of gear that grabs a fish by the mouth when it's reeled in so it can make a graceful landing into the boat. The fish grip, known as a GRASPER made by the company DRESS, is getting its own add-on...
Yondemasu yo, Azazel-san Takes 2-Issue Break
This year's 13th issue of Kodansha's Evening magazine revealed last Tuesday that Yasuhisa Kubo's Yondemasuyo, Azazel-san (You're Being Summoned, Azazel) manga will take a two-issue break. The hiatus is due to Kubo collecting materials for the manga. The series' return is planned for the magazine's 15th issue on July 11. The manga was also on hiatus from May 2014 to January 2015 and from July 2016 ...
One Piece ‒ Episode 793
"I'm starting to really enjoy seeing Sanji's family in color, though I enjoy seeing what they actually do to poor Sanji a whole lot less."
Shoko Nakagawa Picks Dragon Quest for 'Girlfriend Date' Pictures
Late last month, voice actor Kouichi Yamadera started off a Twitter trend storm by posting a picture that he said "You can use as 'On a date with my boyfriend.'" Friends and colleagues joined in from Megumi Ogata to Daiki Yamashita. Some were playful while others were downright silly. Cicada-loving Shoko "Shokotan" Nakagawa joined in by offering a Dragon Quest focused imaginary date in the Univers...
Final Fantasy XV DLC Trailer Previews 'Episode Prompto'
English, Japanese trailers available for 2nd DLC story
― Square Enix began streaming a trailer on Monday for the "Episode Prompto" DLC for its Final Fantasy XV game. The trailer is available with both English and Japanese audio. English: Japanese: The new story episode is the second in a series of story episodes focusing on each of the main characters of Final Fantasy XV, with an episode focused on I...
Atom The Beginning ‒ Episode 9
"Ran may end up being the most important person in Six's life as we approach the season finale."
Get Anime's Best Hairstyle with SNOW App's JoJo Stamps
Video communication app SNOW is following up its line of Attack on Titan stamps with a new one sure to give users the best hairstyle anime can offer. The app is collaborating Hirohiko Araki's live-action JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Diamond is Unbreakable film to give users Jōsuke's (in)famous pompadour. The app also offers Okuyasu's brother Keichō Nijimura's hair or if two or more users take a photo...
Mikako Komatsu Performs Welcome to the Ballroom Anime's Ending Theme
Anime premieres in July at L.A.'s Anime Expo
― The official website for the television anime of Tomo Takeuchi's Welcome to the Ballroom manga announced on Tuesday that Mikako Komatsu (Aoharu x Machinegun, Sunday Without God) is performing the ending theme song "Maybe the next waltz." Rock band Unison Square Garden is performing the opening theme song "10% roll, 10% romance" and an insert song titled ...
Alice & Zoroku ‒ Episode 11
"Assuming the finale is able to wrap things up in a satisfying manner, Alice & Zoroku's latter half will prove stronger than its first."
Boom Boom Satellites Band Gets Documentary Film
Bassist Masayuki Nakano performed band's final concert on Sunday
― The "Front Chapter - The Final Session - Lay Your Hands on Me Special Live" concert announced on Sunday that a documentary film for the band Boom Boom Satellites has been green-lit. The concert, which was held at Tokyo's Shinkiba Studio Coast venue, marked the end of the band's 27 years of activity. Masayuki Nakano (pictured bottom in...
The Eccentric Family 2 ‒ Episode 11
"The Eccentric Family 2 may not be as tightly written or dramatically satisfying as its predecessor, but spending a few hours with these characters is still a lovely time."
Answerman - Quick Answers Part 3
It's time for another lightning round - theme parks in Japan, live-action anime adaptations, the fate of Yahoo Japan auctions and more!
― It's time once again to tackle the questions that I couldn't get a whole column's worth of information out of! Ready? Let's go! Chris asks: What will happen to Yahoo! Japan after the finalization last week of Yahoo!'s merger with / absorption into Verizon? Some of...
The Fruit of Grisaia: Side Episode PS Vita Game's Promo Video Streamed
Side story compilation featuring Takahiro Sakurai ships on July 27
― Game publisher Prototype began streaming a promotional video for its Grisaia no Kajitsu -Side Episode- (The Fruit of Grisaia: Side Episode) compilation PlayStation Vita game on Monday. The company's official website for the game also opened on Monday. Prototype also revealed that the game will be full-voice, and Takahiro Sakurai wil...
Re:CREATORS ‒ Episode 11
"This episode has been too long in coming for some viewers, as Sota finally spills the beans about Setsuna."
Pokémon GO Game Details Gym, Battle Updates
New Gym system, Raid Battles, badges, items revealed
― Game developer Niantic announced the details of its update for the Pokémon GO smartphone game's Gym and battling systems on Monday. The company is shutting down in-game Gyms on Monday in preparation for the update, which will launch "slowly over the next few weeks." After the update, Gyms will consist of six permanent slots that will be filled by...
Classic JRPGs and Comedy Collide in the First Two Episodes of Upcoming Anime Magical Circle Guru Guru
A hero and wizard set off on a journey to save to world from the forces of evil in this parody of old-school RPGs.
Dragon Ball Super ‒ Episode 95
"The big question of "Can we trust Frieza?" is the star of the show this week."
Capcom, Bandai Namco Enter Cross-Licensing Agreement for Street Fighter, More
Capcom aims to improve user experience, contribute to "healthier game industry"
― Capcom announced on Monday that the company has entered into a cross-licensing agreement with Bandai Namco Entertainment. The agreement is related to online matching in properties such as the Street Fighter game series. Capcom said in the announcement's press release: The purpose of this agreement is to improve the user...
Irregular at magic high school Anime Film Earns 163 Million Yen in Opening Weekend
Film sells 107,000 tickets to rank at #5, Detective Conan film drops to #10
― The irregular at magic high school The Movie: The Girl Who Summons the Stars (Gekijōban Mahōka Kōkō no Rettōsei: Hoshi o Yobu Shōjo) anime film debuted at #5 at the Japanese box office during its opening weekend on Saturday and Sunday, earning about 163 million yen (about US$1.47 million) and selling approximately 107,000 t...
2nd New Haikyu!! Compilation Film Also Gets New Scenes
Visual also revealed for September 29 film
― This year's 29th issue of Shueisha's Weekly Shonen Jump magazine revealed a new key visual for Haikyu!! Concept no Tatakai (Haikyu!! Battle of Concepts), the second of the two upcoming Haikyu!! compilation films, on Monday. The magazine also revealed that the second film, like the first, will have new scenes. In one new scene, Ushijima gives a message to t...
Bungo Stray Dogs Anime Film Reveals Title, Teaser Video, Visual, Early Spring 2018 Debut
Bungo Stray Dogs: Dead Apple film features returning cast, staff
― The official website for the Bungo Stray Dogs anime franchise revealed the title, visual, and teaser video on Monday for the upcoming anime film project in the franchise. The film, titled Bungo Stray Dogs: Dead Apple, will open in Japan in early spring 2018. The film lists the following four returning cast members: Yūto Uemura as Atsu...
Yumina Narrates 1st Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha Reflection Film's 3 New Ads
1st film opens on July 22
― The official website for the Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha Reflection anime film project began streaming a commercial for the film on June 5, and two more on Monday. The character Yumina narrates all three commercials so far, with guest narrators in each new commercial, including Fūka and Rinne for the first commercial, Einhard and Sieglinde for the second commercial, and Vi...
Ikemen Sengoku Anime's Promo Video Outlines Story
5-minute anime shorts based on mobile game will premiere on July 12
― The official website for Ikemen Sengoku: Toki o Kakeru ga Koi wa Hajimaranai (Ikemen Sengoku: Love Won't Start By Crossing Through Time), the television anime adaptation of Cybird's Ikemen Sengoku: Romances Across Time (Ikemen Sengoku: Toki o Kakeru Koi) romance mobile app, began streaming a promotional video for the series on Frid...
3 Former SMAP Members Leave Johnny & Associates Agency
Goro Inagaki, Tsuyoshi Kusanagi, Shingo Katori end contracts on September 8, 2 other members stay
― Talent agency Johnny & Associates announced on Sunday evening via fax that it will end its management contract with three former members of the popular idol group SMAP — Goro Inagaki, Tsuyoshi Kusanagi, and Shingo Katori — on September 8. The three former members will then leave the talent agency. The ...
7O3X: Fastest Finger First Anime Casts Tatsuhisa Suzuki as Takumi Niina
Anime based on Iqura Sugimoto's quiz club manga premieres on July 4
― Toei began streaming a quiz video on Thursday for 7O3X Fastest Finger First, the television anime adaptation of Iqura Sugimoto's Nana Maru San Batsu (literally, "7 O 3 X" or "7 Right, 3 Wrong") manga. The video reveals the character Takumi Niina, and the voice actor for the character asks if viewers can guess his identity. A separa...
Dudok de Wit, Studio Ghibli's The Red Turtle Film Wins Animafest Zagreb Award
Sunao Katabuchi's In This Corner of the World also nominated
― The Animafest Zagreb animation film festival in Croatia revealed on June 10 that Michael Dudok de Wit and Studio Ghibli's The Red Turtle film won its Grand Prix – Feature Film category for the festival. Sunao Katabuchi and MAPPA's In This Corner of the World was also nominated for the category. Sawako Kabuki's "Natsu no Gero wa Natsu no S...
Hidamari ga Kikoeru Live-Action Film's 4-Minute Clip Streamed
Film based on Yuki Fumino's boys-love manga opens on June 24
― Media news website Natalie began streaming four minutes of footage from the live-action film adaptation of Yuki Fumino's Hidamari ga Kikoeru (I Hear the Sunspot) boys-love manga on Saturday. The clip shows how the main characters Kōhei Sugihara and Taiichi Sagawa. The film opens in Japan on June 24. The film will star Hideya Tawada as Kōh...
Cup Noodle Anime Ad Imagines Kiki's Delivery Service's Kiki, Tombo as 17-year-olds
Manga creator Eisaku Kubonouchi, BUMP OF CHICKEN band participate in new "Hungry Days" ad campaign
― Nissin Foods revealed a new anime ad for its Cup Noodles on Monday based on Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli's Kiki's Delivery Service film. While the original film follows 13-year-old protagonist Kiki, the new ad imagines Kiki and Tombo as 17-year-old high schoolers in the city. They share some arche...
Thus Spoke Kishibe Rohan Manga's OAD Reveals Visual, Cast
Takahiro Sakurai, Mai Nakahara, Kaori Mizuhashi star in original anime DVD
― The official website of the television anime adaptations of Hirohiko Araki's JoJo's Bizarre Adventure manga revealed the cast and visual of the original anime DVD (OAD) adaptation of the Kishibe Rohan wa Ugokanai (Thus Spoke Kishibe Rohan) manga on Monday. The cast includes: Takahiro Sakurai as Rohan Kishibe Mai Nakahara as ...
GTA 5 Cheats, Codes & Walkthrough/Guide/FAQ - PS4GTA 5 Cheats, Codes & Walkthrough/Guide/FAQ - Xbox OneGTA 5 Cheats, Codes & Walkthrough/Guide/FAQ - PCGTA 5 Cheats, Codes, Cheat Codes & Walkthrough - Xbox 360GTA 5 Cheats, Codes, Cheat Codes & Walkthrough - PS3Injustice 2 Cheats, Codes & Walkthrough/Guide/FAQ - PS4Tekken 7 Cheats, Codes & Walkthrough/Guide/FAQ - PS4Mass Effect: Andromeda Cheats, Codes & Walkthrough/Guide/FAQ - PS4Horizon: Zero Dawn Cheats, Codes & Walkthrough/Guide/FAQ - PS4The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild Cheats, Codes & Walkthrough/Guide/FAQ - SwitchResident Evil 7: Biohazard Cheats, Codes & Walkthrough/Guide/FAQ - PS4Final Fantasy 15 Cheats, Codes & Walkthrough/Guide/FAQ - PS4Fallout 4 Cheats, Codes & Walkthrough/Guide/FAQ - PS4Mafia 3 Cheats, Codes & Walkthrough/Guide/FAQ - PS4Pokemon Sun (Pokemon Sun & Moon) Cheats, QR Codes & Walkthrough/Guide/FAQ - 3DS