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Interview: Your Name's Michael Sinterniklaas and Stephanie Sheh
The two veterans tasked with dubbing Makoto Shinkai's Your Name into English talk about their experience working on a phenomenon.
― Stephanie Sheh and Michael Sinterniklaas scarcely need an introduction; they're a pair of legendary voice actors and directors with a history of home-run English dubs produced in record time from their home at NYAV Post. Sheh has served up countless memorable performance...
Sakura-Con: Hiroshi Nagahama & The Reflection
The ambitious director of Mushi-Shi unveils his newest project, a Western-styled superhero anime collaboration with Stan Lee! Learn more about "The Reflection", airing this July.
― Director Hiroshi Nagahama is best known to Western audiences for working on critical and fan favorites like The Flowers of Evil, Mushi-shi, and Revolutionary Girl Utena. Perhaps less known is the man's love of American com...
Living Swords and Pretty Boys: What Is Touken Ranbu?
It's a hugely popular mobile game, a manga,and not one but TWO anime series - but what exactly IS Touken Ranbu? We interviewed the men behind the phenomenon to find out.
― Tōken Ranbu first caught my attention in the last few days of 2014 as an obvious response to the popularity of DMM's other title, Kantai Collection. The trend of turning inanimate objects into attractive characters was just hittin...
Q&A: Legendary Mangaka Kenichi Sonoda
The man behind Gunsmith Cats, Riding Bean and some of the most iconic designs in anime & manga candidly discusses his life and career in a Q&A session at Sakuracon.
― Manga creator and character designer Kenichi Sonoda is well known to anime viewers who joined the fandom is the late 80s and early 90s. His signature style touched some of the era's most popular works including Bubblegum Crisis, which i...
Interview: Digimon World: Next Order's Kazumasa Habu
The producer of the latest Digimon game discusses why Next Order is important, how to raise Digimon, and why he'd really like to hear from Western fans.
― Digimon World: Next Order came out a little earlier this year, placing it close behind 2016's Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth. Yet there's more to Next Order than just another Digimon release. It's part of the Digimon World sub-series, which takes a sl...
Interview: Legendary Anime Producer Masao Maruyama
A true titan of the anime industry with a 50-year career, veteran producer Masao Maruyama discusses his latest film, the touching, widely-acclaimed drama In This Corner of the World.
― In this Corner of the World, a period drama about a young woman growing up in the Japan of the 1930s and 1940s, is currently in Japanese cinemas and racking up rave reviews. (Screen Daily, for example, called it "an en...
Interview: Tales of Berseria's Yasuhiro Fukaya
The producer of the latest Tales game, Tales of Berseria, dishes about what we can expect from the newest installment in this beloved JRPG series.
― The Tales series was long an underdog in North America. Rampantly popular in Japan, the RPG line made far more modest appearances in the West up until Tales of Xillia arrived in 2013 and Namco Bandai's overseas plans for one of the Japanese game industry...
Interview: Hunter x Hunter Voice Actress Erica Mendez
Hunter x Hunter's dark, gripping take on the shonen formula has thrilled fans for years - we ask the voice of Gon himself, voice actress Erica Mendez, about the journey.
― It doesn't always pay to rush things. For years, Madhouse's 2011 version of Hunter x Hunter seemed to shimmer and glint, just out of reach of collectors in North America… but eventually, patience was rewarded. The series has been ...
Interview: Director Keiichi Hara on Miss Hokusai
Director Keiichi Hara brought Edo Japan - and the enigmatic life of the daughter of Japan's most famous artist - to lush, vibrant life in Miss Hokusai. Justin Sevakis has some questions.
― Miss Hokusai (originally titled Sarusuberi), the new feature film from Production I.G, is the story of O-Ei, the young adult daughter of famous painter Hokusai and a hugely talented artist in her own right. The fil...
Interview: Pop Idols Momoiro Clover Z
World-conquering idols Momoiro Clover Z sang theme songs for anime like Sailor Moon and Dragon Ball, and they're bringing their incredible show to New York and LA this weekend!
― Where do idol groups come from? They don't burst out, fully-formed, upon the streets of Akiba, that's for sure. A look under the hood of the Japanese entertainment business reveals that the girls’ idol singing business is ta...
Interview: Sword Art Online Hollow Realization's Yosuke Futami
SAO's newest RPG is getting a special edition english release in just one week! Producer Futami tells us all about it.
― Sword Art Online's stock is still rising if its attendant video games are any indication. Namco Bandai brought Sword Art Online: Hollow Fragment to the West only in carelessly translated digital form in 2014, but this year's Hollow Realization gets a physical release with a lavish...
Interview: Dragon Ball Super's Toyotarou
First he was a super-fan of Dragon Ball - now he's drawing the official manga adaption of Akira Toriyama's Dragon Ball! Find out what makes mangaka Toyotarou tick!
― Dragon Ball Super is a big step for Akira Toriyama's vast and influential action series. It's the first major follow-up to the original Dragon Ball Z storyline in a long time, and it's the first Dragon Ball TV anime series since Dragon ...
Interview: Assassination Classroom's Yusei Matsui
The creator of Korosensei, that iconic grinning yellow face from the smash hit manga and anime Assassination Classroom, sits down to discuss his career, his influences, and his thoughts on classroom bullying.
― Yusei Matsui does wonders with weird creatures. His widely successful Assassination Classroom poses an inventive battle: misfit students take on a Koro-sensei, a grinning yellow alien who thr...
Interview: Aniplex of America President Hideki 'Henry' Goto
Aniplex of America is throwing a huge party in Los Angeles on the weekend of October 15th! We sat down with president Henry Goto to get the details - and get his take on the anime industry in 2016.
― Hideki “Henry” Goto needs very little introduction – the president of Aniplex of America, Goto has had a storied career in the Japanese animation industry, having been a familiar face to American fans si...
Interview: Nami Sano, Author of Haven't You Heard? I'm Sakamoto
The mangaka behind the smash hit comedy Haven't You Heard? I'm Sakamoto speaks out about her influences, how she got her start, and what she thinks of the recent Sakamoto anime!
― Nami Sano, the manga creator of Haven't You Heard? I'm Sakamoto made her first visit to an overseas comics convention at Anime Expo 2016 in Los Angeles earlier this summer, as a guest of BookWalker Global. While she didn't ...
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...
Interview: Love Live Sunshine - Aqours
Six brand-new school idols appeared at Anime Expo 2016 to introduce the world to Love Live! Sunshine!! We sat down with the group to find out what their visit to America was like and what inspires their music.
― It's been a big year for the girls from Love Live Sunshine. It's the first voice role for many of the girls; they're the new "school idols" from the Love Live project, an all-media project th...
Interview: Okayado, The Father of Monster Musume
The man behind the smash hit manga Monster Musume opens up about his career, what inspires him, and just how much fan input influences where his beautifully bizarre creation goes next.
― Anime Expo 2016 in Los Angeles attracted an all-star array of top talent from Japan, including several manga creators. One notable guest making his first visit to a N. America comics convention was Okayado, the creat...
Interview: Xavier Lim, Bluefin's Gundam Guru
If you've ever bought a Gundam model from a store in America, chances are Xavier Lim was responsible for it. Gundam expert Lauren Orsini grills Lim about the market for Gundam models and why it's now bigger than ever!
― If you've bought a do-it-yourself plastic model kit from the Gundam anime franchise in the United States, you've probably got Xavier Lim to thank for it. Lim is Brand Manager at Bluef...
Interview: Unified Pictures and Vampire Hunter D
Last year, Unified Pictures announced a new Vampire Hunter D TV series - now they're back with more details, some exclusive concept art, and a Kickstarter proposal!
― In June of 2015, it was announced that a new Vampire Hunter D animated coproduction was in the early planning stages, but since that time there have been no further publicized developments. Ahead of their Anime Expo 2016 panel, we touch...
Interview: Ray Chiang, SPJA CEO, on Anime Expo 2016
With an enormous guest lineup, Anime Expo 2016 is bigger than ever and it's right around the corner. We spoke with the SPJA's brand-new CEO about what to expect this year, and all those controversial policy changes.
― 2016 marks the twenty-fifth anniversary of Anime Expo, the country's largest anime convention, hitting a new record attendance in 2015 with 90,500 fans – and they're hoping to crack six...
Interview: The World's Biggest Visual Novels with Visual Art's
Visual Art's CEO Takahiro Baba, character designer Na-Ga and music composer Shinji Orito discuss the incredible success and behind-the-scenes details of some of their biggest games, including Air and Angel Beats!
― Three members of Japanese visual novel company Visual Art's – CEO Takahiro Baba (left in picture), character designer Na-Ga (not pictured by request), and music composer Shinji Orito (rig...
Interview: Legendary Evangelion Illustrator Yoshiyuki Sadamoto
The man behind the most iconic illustrations of Neon Genesis Evangelion and one of the most recognized character designers in the world opens up about his career and the state of the anime industry.
― During FicZone, a recent anime, manga and videogames event in Granada, in the south of Spain, we sat down to talk with Yoshiyuki Sadamoto about his current projects, hoping to get his thoughts about the...
Interview: Kazuya Sasahara on Dai-Shogun VR
The man behind the soldier bunnies of Apocalypse Meow has a vision: anime in virtual reality. Specifically, Dai Shogun in virtual reality, via Kickstarter. Naturally, we had a few questions about his ambitious plans.
― Kazuya Sasahara is known among Western fans chiefly for his directorial work on Cat Shit One (also known as Apocalypse Meow in the US), a little CG OVA featuring realistic fuzzy animal...
Interview: Bluefin and the World of Anime Collectibles
If you've ever bought a Gundam model, it likely says 'Bluefin' on it somewhere; we sat down for a chat with the folks at Bluefin, who are responsible for getting some of the coolest anime merchandise into your hot little hands.
― If you've ever purchased a Gundam model kit in America, you've probably seen the name Bluefin on the back somewhere. Having recently opened a brand-new warehouse space in So...
Interview: Akira in Color with Steve Oliff
The man who brought full color to the Akira manga at Marvel Comics so many years ago has unearthed his original pages for sale. Deb Aoki talks to the artist about his experience working on a classic.
― In the 1980's and early 1990's, there was no bigger manga series than AKIRA by Katsuhiro Otomo. Otomo's dynamic, detailed artwork and mind-blowing post-apocalyptic story was a game-changer in Japan, an...
Interview: Eric Beckman, Founder & President of GKIDS
The man behind GKIDS, the company with the magic touch for getting anime nominated at the Oscars, talks about both the business and the New York International Children's Film Festival, happening now!
― Eric Beckman is the co-founder and president of GKIDS, a film distributor well-known among anime fans for their careful (and Academy Award nomination-laden) handling of several Studio Ghibli films in t...
Interview: Animator Henry Thurlow on Judgment and Justice
American artist Henry Thurlow, key animator on shows like Tokyo Ghoul and Naruto, made headlines in 2015 with his controversial statements on the anime industry. In 2016, he has a new collaborative short film. Mike Toole gets the details... and a lot more.
― Nine months ago, animator Henry Thurlow's Reddit AMA shone a spotlight on one of the lowest rungs of the anime industry-- the hardscrabble life ...
Interview: The Pilot's Love Song director Toshimasa Suzuki
The director of the high-flying action-adventure drama The Pilot's Love Song answers your in-depth questions about the series, how to make a fictional death impactful, the challenges of animating flight and more.
― Toshimasa Suzuki is the director of The Pilot's Love Song, an adventure set against the striking colors of the sky. Originally released in 2014, the show is available now on bluray from N...
Naruto creator Masashi Kishimoto: The Anime News Network Interview
The creator of one of the most famous and successful manga of all time visited the US for the first time, and we were there. Catch up with Masashi Kishimoto's panel from New York Comic-con and dive deeper with our exclusive interview!
― For manga fans, Masashi Kishimoto and Naruto needs no introduction. It is simply one of the most popular manga series ever created, not just in Japan, but throughout ...
Interview: VAMPS' HYDE and K.A.Z
The lead singer of L'arc~en~Ciel and the lead composer and guitarist from Oblivion Dust joined forces to form VAMPS, an "evil" rock band appearing on the west coast next week, and we dared to interview them.
― VAMPS is the brainchild of maybe the most famous Japanese rock musician of the modern era: HYDE, lead vocalist of L'arc~en~Ciel, and K.A.Z, the guitarist and composer for Oblivion Dust. Togethe...
Interview: Koji Morimoto
Legendary key animator and director, co-founder of Studio 4°C, known internationally for his work on films like Akira, Robot Carnival and now Short Peace - get to know Koji Morimoto in this revealing talk about his career and the animation business.
― Anime director and J-Pop Summit 2015 guest Koji Morimoto is best known for his innovative, dynamic work on films like Akira, and short features in anim...
Interview: The New Ultraman with Eiichi Shimizu and Tomohiro Shimoguchi
One of Japan's most recognizable and popular superheroes received a major reboot, courtesy of two artists with some wildly creative ideas on how to bring Ultraman into the 21st century. Deb Aoki chats with both artists and their editors for some real insight.
― In N. America, superheroes are synonymous with comics; they represent what most Americans think about when they talk about comic books. In Ja...
Interview: Kodansha Advanced Media on the Future of Manga
Several top-level executives from the largest Japanese publishing house discuss the future of the manga industry, simulpublishing, fighting scanlation piracy and more in this wide-ranging, eye-opening interview.
― In early August 2015, several top executives from Kodansha, one of Japan's largest publishing companies came to Northern California to celebrate the opening of the Kodansha Advanced Media o...
Interview: Mega Man Legacy Collection Producer Rey Jimenez
Capcom's Mega Man Legacy Collection is out, featuring the first 6 Mega Man games and a ton of archival artwork. Todd sat down with one of the project's producers to get the dirt on what went in to this museum-quality collection.
― Mega Man is in the midst of a comeback. Well, a minor comeback. After spending a few years on Capcom's disabled list, the plucky robot hero returns with Mega Man Legacy Col...
Interview: International Otaku Expo Association
These three guys are attempting to create a global otaku community by encouraging communication and collaboration between otaku events (like, say Comiket and Otakon). Let's find out what they're all about!
― We had the pleasure of chatting with three representatives from the International Otaku Expo Association, an organization established this year to "encourage new developments within the wider ota...
Interview: Yuki Yuna director Seiji Kishi
The director of the late night magical girl anime Yuki Yuna is a Hero answers a few questions about the show, including what went in to writing a disabled character.
― We sat down with director Seiji Kishi to talk about Yuki Yuna is a Hero, which he was representing at Otakon 2015 as a special guest of Ponycan USA. Over his long career, Kishi has also directed other notable series, including Assassin...
Interview: Shinji Takamatsu
The director of the hit magical boy comedy Cute High Earth Defense Club Love! talks about what it was like creating a show for the fujoshi market.
― We had the pleasure of sitting down with Shinji Takamatsu at Otakon 2015, where he was an invited guest of PonycanUSA to promote the recent North American release of Cute High Earth Defense Club Love. How does it feel to be here at Otakon, promoting Cute...
Interview: GARO Producer Toru Kubo and Director Yuichiro Hayashi
The producer and director of the mature, violent action-fantasy tokusatsu-turned-anime answer a few questions. PLUS: the complete fan Q&A from Otakon 2015, featuring Romi Park!
― The action-fantasy-drama anime GARO has an interesting genesis: it's the animated version of a live-action tokusatsu series that's undeniably for an adult audience. GARO the live-action series has spawned several sequels an...
Interview: The Cast and Crew of live-action Attack on Titan
The director, producer and the two lead actors from the live-action Attack on Titan film take questions from the movie press. PLUS: a one-on-one interview with director Shinji Higuchi!
― This press conference was held before the world premiere of the first live-action Attack on Titan film in Hollywood, California. In attendance were the film's director, Evangelion storyboard artist and scriptwriter S...
Interview: Street Fighter V's Peter Rosas and Matt Dahlgren
Two of Capcom's company men discuss all things Street Fighter V, including some recently announced new characters and what to expect from the game.
― Capcom's presence at San Diego Comic-Con scaled back in recent years. No longer does the company put on panels for every series it backs, be it Monster Hunter or Resident Evil. Yet Street Fighter still merits its own panel, complete with an appearance b...
Interview: Yamada-kun and the Seven Witches creator Miki Yoshikawa
The creator of the hit manga, recently adapted into a popular anime series, talks about her inspirations, how she got her start, and what it's like to watch your manga become a TV show.
― As you might guess from the story, the main character of the story is a high school roughneck named Ryu Yamada. Yamada meets cute, quiet, and studious Urara Shiraishi, who is his complete opposite in almost every wa...
Interview: Fullmetal Alchemist and Concrete Revolutio screenwriter Shou Aikawa
The screenwriter behind the original 2003 Fullmetal Alchemist sheds some light on that show's deeper meaning, and talks about his latest project for the fall 2015 season, Concrete Revolutio.
― Screenwriter Shou Aikawa scarcely needs an introduction; he cut his teeth during the OVA boom of the 1980s, working on titles like Angel Cop, Dangaioh, Blood Reign: Curse of the Yoma and more. As a television w...
Interview: Madoka Magica voice actress Ai Nonaka
The voice behind Madoka Magica's Kyoko Sakura and an enormous list of other fan favorite characters chats with us about her life, her hobbies, and her technique.
― Ai Nonaka is a veteran voice actress, having gotten her start in 2002 in shows like Kinnikuman and Platonic Chain; you likely know her as the feisty Kyoko Sakura from the smash hit Puella Magi Madoka Magica, but she's also well-known for h...
The Art of Japanese Video Game Design With Suda51
Todd Ciolek talks with the wildly creative and eccentric man behind famously strange games like Killer7, No More Heroes and Lollipop Chainsaw to crack the secrets behind his philosophy on game creation.
― Goichi “Suda51” Suda has a special place in the game industry. Several places, in fact. Some know him as the author of twisted, investigative games like The Silver Case and Flower, Sun, and Rain. So...
Interview: Kamisama Kiss mangaka Julietta Suzuki
The mangaka behind the hit shojo series Kamisama Kiss answers a few questions about her life, her career, and her favorite movie.
― Julietta Suzuki is the mangaka most known for the smash hit shojo fantasy Kamisama Kiss, which has developed an international fanbase and was subsequently adapted into a 2-season anime series. She's also responsible for Karakuri Odette, the tale of an android girl who go...
Interview: Lauren Landa and Erica Mendez, Sailor Neptune and Sailor Uranus
Sailor Moon's most beloved couple have new English-language voices, and we got to ask them a few questions about what it's like playing two of anime's most iconic women.
― At this year's Anime Expo, voice actresses Erica Mendez and Lauren Landa were announced as the new English voice cast for two of Sailor Moon's most beloved characters, Sailor Uranus and Sailor Neptune. Initially introduced as “cou...
Interview: The Cast and Crew of A Lull in the Sea
In this massive three-part interview with the show's director, producer, and star voice actress Kana Hanazawa, learn the secrets behind the enigmatic fantasy series A Lull in the Sea.
― A few months ago we put out a call for questions for the director, producer and star voice actress of the pastoral, contemplative fantasy drama A Lull in the Sea, which is out on standard edition DVD today (with a li...
Interview: Unified Pictures and Vampire Hunter D: Resurrection
The American side of the freshly-announced CG animated Vampire Hunter D TV series spills the details on just what exactly it is they're trying to make.
― Vampire Hunter D: Resurrection was announced this past Tuesday ahead of its official unveiling at Anime Expo on Thursday, July 2nd. The show is a collaboration between the US-based Unified Pictures, the Japan-based Digital Frontier (responsible for ...
Hidetaka Tenjin
We interview master mecha artist Hidetaka Tenjin, who recently appeared at MCM London Comic Con.
― This May, visitors to the MCM London Comic Con had a chance to see a master mecha artist at work; Hidetaka Tenjin, who creates extraordinarily lush digital paintings based on Macross, Space Battleship Yamato and many other titles. He also has 'mecha' credits on such anime as Macross Frontier and Hellsin...
Interview: Aya Kanno
The talented illustrator and writer behind Otomen and Requiem of the Rose King answers a few questions about her inspirations, the historical implications of her newest hit manga, and more.
― Aya Kanno is the successful mangaka behind the gender stereotype-skewering hit Otomen, which concluded its run a few years ago. She's back now with Requiem of the Rose King, a big shojo-flavored melting pot that...
Interview: Tow Ubukata
The man behind some of anime's biggest science fiction - Psycho-Pass 2, Mardock Scramble and more - has been handed the reins to Ghost in the Shell. We talked with Tow Ubukata about his career, the challenges of taking over a huge franchise, and more.
― Tow Ubukata is one of Japan's premier science fiction novelists and screenwriters, known for his work on Mardock Scramble, Le Chevalier D'Eon, Fafner...
Interview: Sword Art Online Producer Shinichiro Kashiwada & Voice Actor Yoshitsugu Matsuoka
A few questions for the producer of the global smash hit Sword Art Online and the man who voices Kirito himself.
― Shinichiro Kashiwada has served as a producer on every animated iteration of Sword Art Online, and voice actor Yoshitsugu Matsuoka is the man behind the series' main character, Kirito. We had the chance to sit down with these two for a few minutes earlier this year. Producer Shinichiro K...
Interview: SCANDAL
The rock group behind theme songs for Bleach and Fullmetal Alchemist discusses their upcoming world tour. PLUS: an exclusive video greeting!
― All-female Japanese rock group SCANDAL formed in 2006 when high school girls Haruna Ono, Mami Sasazaki, Tomomi Ogawa and Rina Suzuki would play live performances in Osaka Castle Park until they were signed to Kitty Records in 2008. The band burst onto the scen...
Interview: Under the Dog's Jiro Ishii and Koji Morimoto
After the controversial exit of the show's original producer, Under the Dog's creative leaders sit down to clear the air. PLUS: a transcript of their Q&A panel from Sakuracon.
― First, a little backstory. Under the Dog is a sci-fi action anime directed by Sword of the Stranger's Masahiro Ando that successfully managed to close Kickstarter funding last year. At the time, the project's producer was Hir...
Interview: Jon Dobyns, Founder of Tiger Lab Vinyl
These guys are releasing the soundtrack to Yoshiaki Kawajiri's classic horror flick Wicked City on vinyl. We sat down to ask them why.
― Tiger Lab Vinyl recently announced that they'd be releasing the soundtrack to the classic Yoshiaki Kawajiri horror anime Wicked City on limited edition vinyl. They're the first record label to release classic anime soundtracks on the resurging format, and we sat dow...
Interview: Hiroshi "Bamboo" Takeuchi, OVERDRIVE Producer
We sat down with OVERDRIVE and MangaGamer producer Hiroshi Takeuchi to grill him about the visual novel industry both in Japan and the US.
― Hiroshi "Bamboo" Takeuchi is a busy, busy man. When he isn't performing his duties as a producer for OVERDRIVE, a visual novel and eroge company responsible for hit games like Kira Kira, or as CEO of Japan Animation Contents Inc, he's literally performing as the...
Interview: Steve Blum
Steve Blum, one of the most beloved voice actors around and the man behind Spike Spiegel, Orochimaru and more, sat down with us last month to answer a few questions.
― We had the pleasure and privilege of interviewing Steve Blum at Otakon Vegas. Blum has voiced some of anime's most notable characters, like Spike Spiegel from Cowboy Bebop, Makoto Shishio from Rurouni Kenshin, Orochimaru from Naruto, a...
Interview: JAM Project
One of the world's most beloved bands showed up at Otakon Vegas, and we were there to ask them a few questions about fame, their legacy, and just which anime made them cry.
― We had the privilege of interviewing the members of JAM Project earlier in the year at the Anisong World Tour Lantis Festival in Las Vegas. JAM Project was founded in 2000 and is currently comprised of Hironobu Kageyama, Masaaki...
Interview: Saori Hayami
The voice actress behind Sword Art Online's Sachi, anohana's Tsuruko and dozens of others answers a few questions about her life and career.
― ANN: Growing up, was singing and working in entertainment always your dream, or was there something else you wanted to do when you were younger? Saori Hayami: When I was small, I found performing in front of other people a bit tough. I actually avoided it as m...
Interview: Masayuki Yoshihara, director of The Eccentric Family
A few answers (and a video message) from the director of the critically-acclaimed 2013 series The Eccentric Family, out on bluray today.
― Masayuki Yoshihara has been working in television animation for a long time, contributing storyboard work to classics like Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, Eden of the East and Moribito, along with a host of in-between and key animation on shows like Drago...
Interview: Diana Garnet
A new ending theme song debuts on Naruto Shippuden this week, "Spinning World", performed by American singer Diana Garnet. ANN had the chance to ask her a few questions.
― On a cold day in Tokyo, ANN got the chance to sit down with Diana Garnet, a singer from the United States living in Tokyo. As a professional singer under the Sony Music Records label, she will be performing the next ending theme so...
Interview: Yoshiki of X JAPAN
2014 was a big year for Yoshiki, and Mike Toole had a chance to interview him about his life, his career, and his music.
― In 1992, X Japan had conquered their homeland, and stood on the cusp of global domination. But the time for their wildly glammed-out image and their music, a whiplash-inducing combination of intricate rock ballads and muscular speed metal, had passed. Getting any traction in the...
Interview: Sunao Katabuchi
The director of Black Lagoon sits down with us to talk about his new film for summer 2015, In This Corner of the World.
― We had the honor of sitting down with Sunao Katabuchi earlier this year to talk about his upcoming film, In This Corner of the World, adapted from Fumiyo Kono's manga. Katabuchi previously directed Black Lagoon and Mai Mai Miracle, the latter of which had a successful crowd-fundin...
Interview: Takeshi Obata
A few questions for illustrator extraordinaire Takeshi Obata, the man behind the incredible art of Death Note, Hikaru no Go, All You Need is Kill and more.
― If you haven't heard of Takeshi Obata, chances are you have seen his work: he is an illustrator and mangaka, usually working with writers to help tell stories. He has worked on Hikaru no Go, as well as Death Note, Bakuman, and most recently the ...
Interview: Yousei Teikoku
The enigmatic and eccentric band Yousei Teikoku, who performed themes for Future Diary and Tokyo ESP, sat down with us for a few questions.
― After the Lantis Festival's third day ended, ANN got to sit down with Yousei Teikoku, a group with a complicated story behind their band, filled with military ranks and ancient history. The band has performed theme songs for The Qwaser of Stigmata, Future Diary...
Interview: Choucho
A few moments with pop singer Choucho, who performed the theme songs for Heaven's Memo Pad and Glasslip.
― On the final day of the Lantis Festival event at Tokyo's Shiokaze Park, singer Choucho, known for her contributions to such anime as Heaven's Memo Pad and more recently Glasslip, performed onstage. Choucho took time late after the concert ended to talk with ANN about her experiences and aspirat...
Interview: Gen Urobuchi
Presently the most well-known screenwriter working in anime, Gen Urobuchi sits down with us for a chat about the themes across his work and his career thus far.
― It's somewhat rare that Western anime fans recognize a writer with the same degree of enthusiasm as artists, voice actors, and directors. However, Gen Urobuchi is one of the handful to have made an indelible mark on the psyche of global fan...
Interview: Akihiro Kanayama
Veteran animator and industry legend Akihiro Kanayama talks about his life and career working on shows like Ashita no Joe and tells some tales of working with Osamu Tezuka himself.
― Akihiro Kanayama is a true veteran of anime. In his seventy-five years of life, he's seen the manga and anime industries rise and transform into the cultural forces they are today. In fact, as an animator and designer at...
Interview: Shinji Aramaki
The director of this summer's Appleseed Alpha and Space Pirate Captain Harlock discusses those films, the state of Japanese CG and his early days.
― Shinji Aramaki is a true anime legend. After joining Artmic in the early 80s, the young Aramaki went on to contribute mecha designs for numerous series like Mospaeda and Bubblegum Crisis. He eventually graduating to the director's chair for early oversea...
Interview: May'n
The Macross Frontier sensation and closing act of the 2014 JPOP Summit shares some insights about her career, singing for international audiences and more.
― There are some very recognizable names of singers and musicians in the world of “anison” - the genre of songs made especially for anime production. Many well-loved acts have contributed their music to the anison world, and conversely, the anison...
Interview: Thomas Sirdey, Co-Founder, Japan Expo
The co-founder of last year's rocky Japan Expo 1st Impact talks about all the dramatic changes to this year's event, what went wrong last time and what to expect from this year's show at the San Mateo Event Center.
― ANN: So let's start with Japan Expo 2013. How would you characterize that event? THOMAS SIRDEY: 2013 was the year of Japan Expo 1st Impact. As the name states, it was a first event. Our ...
Interview: Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods with Justin Cook, Chris Sabat, and Sean Schemmel
The longtime English dub director and his leading men from Dragon Ball Z sit down to chat about the new film and their legacy with this historic franchise.
― Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods, the first theatrically released Dragon Ball movie in 17 years, premiered in English over AX weekend in Los Angeles, CA. Justin Cook, Chris Sabat, and Sean Schemmel took some time out of that busy weekend to talk wi...
Exclusive Interview: The New English Language Cast of Sailor Moon
We sat down with the sparkling new cast of Sailor Moon: Stephanie Sheh, Kate Higgins, Cristina Vee, Amanda C. Miller, Cherami Leigh and Robbie Daymond to talk about the new dub!
― Anime Expo was abuzz this year with news of a new Sailor Moon dub cast for Viz's upcoming remastered release of the classic series. We sat down for a short interview with the new voices of the Sailor Guardians and Tuxedo Ma...
Exclusive Interview: Viz Media's Charlene Ingram and Josh Lopez on Sailor Moon
An exclusive sit-down with Viz Media's Charlene Ingram and Josh Lopez with all the details about Sailor Moon, including screenshot comparisons!
― Charlene Ingram is the Senior Manager of Animation Marketing for Viz Media; Josh Lopez is a producer on Viz's upcoming Sailor Moon release. We sat down with them both in advance of the show's big announcement to get all the details. ANN: When did Viz start ...
The Space Dandy Interview: Part II - Bahi JD
In our second Space Dandy interview, Mike talks to Bahi JD, an animator who started with animated GIFs and wound up working on Kids on the Slope!
― When we think of animators, we might picture men and women in a dimly-lit, overcrowded studio, squinting at a light board, hunched over an LCD screen, or fingering a drawing tablet, doggedly honing their craft surrounded by their peers. But Bahi JD's path...
The Space Dandy Interview: Part I - Thomas Romain
In the first of two interviews, Mike Toole sits down with Space Dandy mechanical designer and animator extraordinaire Thomas Romain.
― At Anime Boston 2013, scriptwriter Dai Sato revealed that, from the beginning, Space Dandy was planned to be broadcast around the world, simultaneously, right from the first episode. But global appeal requires global talent, and the show's general director Shinichiro ...
Interview: Bryce Papenbrook
The voice of Eren Jaeger talks about the recording process, screaming until his voice broke, what it was like to be picked, and facing the pressure.
― We had the pleasure of chatting with Bryce Papenbrook, who was recently announced as the English voice of Eren Jaeger from the heavily anticipated anime series, Attack on Titan. Previous roles for Papenbrook include Kirito from Sword Art Online, and Ri...
Interview: Yuma Takahashi and Koji Kitakami, Chief Producers of AnimeJapan
It's the biggest showcase for the Japanese anime industry of the year, and we sat down with two of the show's chief producers to discuss the past, present and future of the show and what to expect this weekend.
― ANN: What is your personal history respectively with TAF(Tokyo International Anime Fair) and ACE(ANIME CONTENTS EXPO), which were held until the last year? How did you feel about the split b...
Interview: Tomohiko Ito
A few questions for the director of Occult Academy, Silver Spoon and of course, the smash hit series Sword Art Online.
― We had a chance to sit down with Tomohiko Ito, director of Occult Academy, Sword Art Online, and Silver Spoon. Ito discussed with us the differences between directing an original anime and an anime based on an existing work, what he enjoys about storyboarding a project, and why he ...
Interview: Masahiro Ando
Masahiro Ando, the director of Sword of the Stranger, currently working on Sekai Seifuku, sits down with us for a few questions. We talk future projects, working with Mari Okada and more.
― ANN: Sword of the Stranger was very well received by anime fans in America, and it was compared to many other chanbara films in terms of appeal. These kinds of samurai movies have their own fanbase too, they're fa...
Interview: Michelle Lee
We talk with Funimation social media manager Michelle Lee about the strategy behind the company's foray into the collector's market with their Kamisama Kiss Goddess Edition.
― We had a chance to chat with Michelle Lee, social media manager for Funimation, about the company's decision to release a premium edition of Kamisama Kiss. The complete series was released February 11, and is available in both ...
Interview: Atsushi Ootsuki
Wagnaria!! Season 2 director Atsushi Ootsuki answers your questions, and talks about what it's like to take over a popular series.
― Last fall, we asked readers to send in questions for Atsushi Ootsuki, the director of Wagnaria!! Season 2. Wagnaria!! Season 2 is currently available in North America from NIS America. The two-disc Blu-ray boxset was released on February 4, 2014 and includes a hardcover...
Interview: Mizuho Nishikubo
The director of Production I.G's upcoming animated World War II drama Giovanni's Island sits down for a few questions. PLUS: We have an exclusive new English-language trailer for the film!
― Director Mizuho Nishikubo is a veteran of the anime industry; he's directed classic OVAs from Zillion to Video Girl Ai to California Crisis and has worked closely with auteur filmmaker Mamoru Oshii for years. His...
Interview: Jonathan Clements
Author Jonathan Clements tells us about writing the first book-length history of anime in English.
― Anime: A History by Jonathan Clements is the first in-depth history of Japanese animation in English. It sweeps over nearly a century of the medium, from its shadowy origins as a tiny cottage industry, through a dizzying series of changes; a wartime tool for instruction and propaganda, a kids' medium ...
Interview: Manuel Karamori
We sit down with Manuel Karamori, an Avex Eurobeat artist who tells us how he got his start in music and ended up on the soundtrack of Initial D.
― Although many artists have lent their beats and high-energy tracks to Avex's long-running Super Eurobeat CD compilation series, few can claim the honor of having been selected to have their music featured in one of Japan's greatest Eurobeat exports—t...
Interview: Neon Alley Program Director Kevin Kleinrock
We sit down and chat with Kevin Kleinrock, Program Director for Viz Media's Neon Alley.
― So, to get this out of the way, how did you wind up as Program Director for Neon Alley, given your rather well-known background in pro wrestling? It sounds like a fun story. Haha, fair enough question. I guess the short answer would be that wrestling and anime are both very niche markets with their own niche fan...
Interview: Wikia's Masters of Animanga
We talk to Masao Maruyama, Kazuo Koike, Takashi Okazaki, and Sin'Ichi Hiromoto about their work on Wikia's experimental collaborate storytelling project and more!
― Wikia's Masters of Animanga project had little precedent in bringing together five respected creators from the anime and manga industries. Masao Maruyama has overseen numerous anime productions at Madhouse and his new studio Mappa. Kazuo ...
Interview: BONES Studio President Masahiko Minami
BONES animation studio president Masahiko Minami sat down with Anime News Network to discuss the studio's history, approach to the animation industry, and the anime series Space Dandy.
― BONES animation studio president Masahiko Minami sat down with Anime News Network to discuss the studio's history, approach to the animation industry, and the anime series Space Dandy premiering in January. Minami ha...
Interview: Evangelion Character Designer Yoshiyuki Sadamoto
Prolific character designer Yoshiyuki Sadamoto sits down with ANN to discuss the end of the Evangelion manga and future plans
― Prolific character designer Yoshiyuki Sadamoto has worked closely on studio Gainax's animation projects since The Wings of Honnêamise premiered in 1987, but he might be best known as the artist behind the Neon Genesis Evangelion manga adaptation. Since then, he's also worke...
Interview: Japan Expo USA First Impact CEO Sean Chiochankitmun
Japan Expo USA is over, but we had a few questions for SEFA Entertainment CEO Sean Chiochankitmun about this year's show and its future.
― Japan Expo USA's first foray into the anime convention scene ended on Sunday, August 25, as quietly as it began. The convention pulled in headliners like Evangelion character designer and manga creator Yoshiyuki Sadamoto, Bones anime studio head Masahiko Minami, A...
Interview: Yoshitsugu Matsuoka, Sword Art Online's Kirito
The Japanese voice of Asuna's other half from Sword Art Online sits down with us for a few questions.
― ANN: You play Kirito, a swordsman, in Sword Art Online. If you played Sword Art Online, how would you customize your character? MATSUOKA: Well, the most important factor about Sword Art Online is that there's no “continue” option. Thinking about that, I think I would never join the offense team (no...
Interview: Haruka Tomatsu, Sword Art Online's Asuna
We sit down with Haruka Tomatsu, the Japanese voice of Asuna from Sword Art Online, for a little chat.
― ANN: You play Asuna, a swordsman, in Sword Art Online. If you played Sword Art Online, how would you customize your character? Tomatsu: Let's see... If it were me, I'd really want to customize my character with extremely strong equipment, so I think that rather than going for a cute look, I'd try ...
Interview: Shinichiro Watanabe
A few questions with the legendary director of Cowboy Bebop, Kids on the Slope and the upcoming Space Dandy.
― ANN: Most people are familiar with your work as a director, but you're also heavily involved in music production and direction for recent shows like Michiko and Hatchin or Lupin III: The Woman Called Fujiko Mine. As a music director, what is your involvement with the show's content? Is it as...
Interview: Masahiko Otsuka and Yoh Yoshinari of Studio Trigger
Little Witch Academia script writer Masahiko Otsuka, and director Yoh Yoshinari talk about their experience working on the project.
― Earlier this year, in celebration of the upcoming Little Witch Academia Blu-ray, ANN and the folks at Studio Trigger and Good Smile Company asked fans to come up with questions for script writer Masahiko Otsuka. We're pleased that in addition to Mr. Otsuka's insight, w...
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