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The X Button - Long Division
This week, we talk with the creators of the new RPG Indivisible! Plus Street Fighter, Guilty Gear, NieR: Automata, and yet another potential fashion disaster.
― I didn't expect another Nintendo controversy so soon. A few weeks after the company stirred debate by replacing bikinis with Zelda and Metroid outfits in Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water, a similar fuss arose over Nintendo's upcoming Xenob...
Anthem of the Heart
The new film from the creative team behind Anohana is all about expressing yourself no matter how difficult it may be - but how well does the film express itself? Nick Creamer investigates.
― If you expect a movie called “Anthem of the Heart” to have its own heart somewhere in the vicinity of its sleeve, you won't be disappointed. This is a movie about secret hearts and burning youth, full of charact...
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Part 2 GN 1
It's a new arc with a new JoJo as Hirohiko Araki's tale of epic strangeness moves forward in time fifty years to pit Joseph Joestar against the men behind the stone mask that started all of the trouble in the first place.
― Warning: This review contains spoilers for the final volume of Part One: Phantom Blood. No where outside of an eighteenth century Gothic novel can you find melodrama and ridiculou...
Lucifer and the Biscuit Hammer GN 7-8
Lucifer and the Biscuit Hammer slows its roll in a volume focused on fleshing out the last few members of the Beast Knights.
― The last volume of Biscuit Hammer ended in dramatic emotional fireworks, as Taro's death prompted Sorano to discover new power within herself and find purpose in her own life. There's little to match those cathartic peaks in this fourth volume; this one is much more leisurely...
The Best and Worst of the Season So Far: Week of October 22-28
How did your favorite fall series stack up in our user ratings? Find out here!
― Our team of reviewers are following 24 anime series of the Fall 2015 season and readers are rating each episode as the reviews go up. So let's have a look at what ANN readers consider the best (and worst) of the season. Keep in mind that these rankings are based on how people rated individual episodes of the current sea...
Shelf Life - Finer and Dandier
A boatload of this week's new releases PLUS full reviews of two fantastic shows: Space Dandy season 2 and Tamayura!
― As I was putting together the list of this week's new releases, I noticed that we're getting quite a few lower-priced rereleases of older titles. Most of the big companies have at least one product line for bringing their older licenses back into circulation, and it's nice to be able...
Dragon Ball Z: Extreme Butoden
Arc System Works put together a competent fighter with some enjoyable side attractions, but Dragon Ball Z: Extreme Butoden can't escape the fans-only landing zone that awaits merely adequate anime-inspired games.
― The modern fighting game barely existed back when Dragon Ball Z first appeared as an anime series and an extension of Akira Toriyama's Dragon Ball manga. Yet the two worlds were fated to m...
Thursday, November 5
Premium Bandai Announces Ojamajo Doremi's 1st Ever Cosmetics Item
Premium Bandai, the seller behind the avalanche of Sailor Moon 20th anniversary merchandise, is bringing Ojamajo Doremi in for its first ever cosmetic tie-in. The Ojamajo Doremi Cosmetic Set: Magical Ball Face Powder & Stick Makeup looks kinda like Dippin' Dots but is meant to be used as a skin brightener. The makeup container is modeled after Doremi Harukaze's Tap (Dream Spinner) transformation ...
Live-Action Terraformars Film's Teaser Trailer Introduces Cast
Film based on Kenichi Tachibana, Yū Sasuga's sci-fi manga opens April 29
― The official website for the live-action film of Kenichi Tachibana and Yū Sasuga's science-fiction manga Terraformars began streaming a teaser video for the film on Friday. Text: A big project unleashed on the world Narrator: The year 2599. Facing overpopulation, the Earth decides on a plan to terraform Mars. Text: Terraformin...
Shima Withdraws Official Backing for Pearl Diver Mascot
Megu Aoshima to continue in unofficial capacity
― Shima, Japan, the location for the upcoming G-7 diplomatic summit, unveiled a mascot honoring its local female pearl divers in November 2014. Named Megu Aoshima, she is part of a trend of regions and cities in Japan promoting themselves through youthful, moe characters. But pearl divers (ama) are 70 years old on average and bear little resemblance to ...
Fullmetal Alchemist Director Mizushima Collaborates on Utakata: Overdrive Multimedia Project
40-minute animation, collaboration crossbeats REV. rhythm arcade game planned
― Creative arts technology company ICTCO's booth at the "Nakano Culture Festival 2015" in Tokyo's Nakano ward hosted a talkshow on Saturday to announce a multimedia project titled Utakata: Overdrive. Thus far, the "music x story" project has kicked off a 40-minute original animation, cast recruitment, insert song compositio...
The Perfect Insider ‒ Episode 5
"Things kicked into overdrive in this week's Perfect Insider, as secrets were revealed and chilling contrasts were drawn from the first minute to the last."
Street Fighter Techno Video Will Have Dhalsim Dancing in Your Head
Promotes upcoming Street Fighter V
― A new commercial for the upcoming Street Fighter V video game celebrates the Indian yogi Dhalsim, famous for his stretching attacks and stock phrases, "Yoga Fire!" and "Yoga Flame!" Naturally, those phrases are exactly what you'll hear in the video, which pairs his attacks with a techno beat to create what it calls a "Yoga Rap." After the "rap," a quiz tests viewe...
Yona of the Dawn Stage Play Adds Cast From Water Tribe Arc
Story was not covered in anime adaptation
― The official website for the Yona of the Dawn (Akatsuki no Yona) stage play adaptation added additional cast members on Thursday and revealed that the play will cover the Water Tribe Arc. The arc runs from volume 14 to 15 of the original manga, and was not covered by the anime adaptation. The additional cast includes: Kazuki Ono as Hiyou Ayako Miwa as An Li...
Live-Action Terraformars Film's Footage Aired
Film based on Kenichi Tachibana and Yū Sasuga's science-fiction manga opens April 29
― Fuji TV's Mezamashi TV program aired footage from the upcoming live-action film of Kenichi Tachibana and Yū Sasuga's science-fiction manga Terraformars on Thursday. The film will open in Japan on April 29, during the Golden Week holidays. Takashi Miike (live-action films of Ichi the Killer, Phoenix Wright: Ace Atto...
Utawarerumono: The False Faces Fans Decode On-Screen Language
Dedicated fans of Utawarerumono: The False Faces have deciphered the anime's on-screen alphabet. The original and foreign writing seen in the show uses a substitution cipher in which various symbols (similar in appearance to traditional Japanese kanji) can be replaced with letters from the Roman alphabet, which spell out Japanese vocabulary. The official cipher is pictured below: Based on this cip...
More Part V Characters Added to JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Eyes of Heaven Game
PS3/PS4 game slated to ship December 17
― This year's 47th issue of Shueisha's Weekly Shonen Jump will reveal more characters on Monday for Bandai Namco Entertainment's JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Eyes of Heaven fighting game. The characters are from Part V: Vento Aureo. The characters are: Trish Una (voiced by Nao Toyama) Bruno Buccellati (voiced by Noriaki Sugiyama) Diavolo (voiced by Toshiyuki Morik...
When Marnie Was There, Boy and the Beast, Laws of the Universe Submitted For Animated Feature Oscar
16 films submitted for nomination
― The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced on Thursday that at 16 films have been submitted for consideration in the Animated Feature Film category for the 88th Academy Awards to be held on February 28, 2015. Studio Ghibli's When Marnie was There, Mamoru Hosoda's The Boy and the Beast, and the religious anime film The Laws of the Universe Part 0 were...
Venus Project PS Vita Game Ends Service in February
Free-to-play idol-raising game service opened in April
― The staff of the PlayStation Vita game Venus Project announced on the project's official blog on Thursday that it will end service on February 3, 2016. Service for the free-to-play idol-raising game began on April 21. The staff will continue to offer events and story updates within the game until service ends. Players will be able to download t...
Japan Post Offers Moe New Year's Card Designs for 2016
Japan Post is currently offering brand new nengajo (New Year's card designs) to greet your loved ones, business associates, and dutiful customers on January 1. On the Post's official website, customers can download from 10 cards featuring illustrations from 10 Japanese artists. Each features a traditional Japanese style of New Year's celebration with some featuring a monkey motif as a shout-out to...
Code Geass Director Taniguchi's Active Raid Anime Reveals Theme Song Artists, More of Cast
Akino with bless4, Yuka Aisaka perform songs & Masayo Kurata, Taishi Murata, Aisaka, Natsuki Hanae join cast
― The official website for the Active Raid: Special Public Security Fifth Division Third Mobile Assault Eighth Unit (Active Raid: Kidō Kyōshūshitsu Dai-Hakkei) television anime unveiled the performers of the anime's theme songs and more of the cast on Thursday. Akino with bless4 are performing...
Crayon Shin-chan Gets Spinoff Manga About His Dad
Yōichi Tsukahara starts spinoff about Hiroshi in December
― The January issue of Futabasha's Manga Town magazine will begin serializing a Crayon Shin-chan spinoff manga titled Nohara Hiroshi Hirumeshi no Ryūgi (Hiroshi Nohara's Luchtime Style) on December 5. Yōichi Tsukahara (Bet Time Blues, 7-iro Dandyism) is drawing the manga. The spinoff will focus on Hiroshi Nohara, Shin-chan's father and the hea...
The X Button - Long Division
This week, we talk with the creators of the new RPG Indivisible! Plus Street Fighter, Guilty Gear, NieR: Automata, and yet another potential fashion disaster.
― I didn't expect another Nintendo controversy so soon. A few weeks after the company stirred debate by replacing bikinis with Zelda and Metroid outfits in Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water, a similar fuss arose over Nintendo's upcoming Xenob...
Anthem of the Heart
The new film from the creative team behind Anohana is all about expressing yourself no matter how difficult it may be - but how well does the film express itself? Nick Creamer investigates.
― If you expect a movie called “Anthem of the Heart” to have its own heart somewhere in the vicinity of its sleeve, you won't be disappointed. This is a movie about secret hearts and burning youth, full of charact...
Joshiraku/Sayonara, Zetsubou-Sensei's Kôji Kumeta Launches Kakushigoto Manga
Manga about lone manga creator debuts on December 5
― The December issue of Kodansha's Monthly Shonen Magazine is publishing a full-color four-page manga by Kôji Kumeta (Sayonara, Zetsubou-sensei, Joshiraku) on Friday. The manga is a preview of Kumeta's new manga series Kakushigoto (Hidden Things, but can also be read as Drawing Job). The manga's full first chapter will debut in the magazine's Januar...
Koei Tecmo Posts Attack on Titan Game's 2nd English Teaser Trailer
3D maneuver gear previewed from PS4/PS3/Vita game coming this winter in Japan, 2016 in the West
― Koei Tecmo Europe and America posted the second English-subtitled teaser trailer for their game based on Hajime Isayama's Attack on Titan manga. The video preview the player's use of the story's iconic 3D manuever gear. Koei Tecmo Games' Omega Force subsidiary (Warriors/Musou franchise) is developing the...
Viz Media Licenses Zyword, Eureka Seven: Gravity Boys & Lifting Girl Manga
Both manga that were previously licensed by other companies get digital-only release
― North American manga publisher Viz Media announced on Wednesday that it has licensed Tamayo Akiyama's one-volume Zyword manga and Miki Kizuki's two-volume Eureka Seven: Gravity Boys & Lifting Girl manga. Both releases are license rescues and will be digital only. Viz Media describes Zyword as follows: Tamayo Akiyam...
Project Itoh's Harmony Film Visual by redjuice Posted
The official website of the Harmony anime film unveiled a new visual for the film on Wednesday. Illustrator redjuice, who also provided the original character designs for all three films in the Project Itoh anime film project, drew the visual. The visual will start appearing as a poster in Japanese theaters on November 17. The official YouTube channel of Fuji TV's Noitamina programming block previ...
Hetalia Musical's Main Visual Reveals Cast in Costume
Ryōki Nagae, Yūichirō Ōmi, Keisuke Ueda star in December 24-29 musical in Tokyo
― The official website of the Hetalia ~Singin' in the World~ stage musical adaptation of Hidekaz Himaruya's Hetalia - Axis Powers manga revealed the musical's cast in costume on Thursday with a main visual. The site also revealed images of each of the previously announced cast members in costume: Ryōki Nagae (Legend of th...
My Hero Academia TV Anime's Main Staff Revealed
Kenji Nagasaki directs, Yousuke Kuroda oversees scripts, Yoshihiko Umakoshi designs characters
― This year's 50th issue of Shueisha's Weekly Shonen Jump is announcing the staff for the upcoming television anime adaptation of Kōhei Horikoshi's My Hero Academia (Boku no Hero Academia) manga on Monday. Kenji Nagasaki (Gundam Build Fighters, Classroom Crisis, No. 6) is directing the anime at the studio B...
Anime/Game Dubbing Studio Magnitude 8 Post Closes
Studio worked on Akira, Macross Plus, Gundam film trilogy, many other anime, video games
― Audio engineer Les Claypool III announced on his Facebook account on Wednesday that he is closing his Magnitude 8 Post recording studio. Claypool's post stated: After well over a thousand episodes, trailers, games, movies, etc., the time has come to close the studio doors for good. It's simply not feasible to w...
High Speed! Free! Starting Days Film's 5th Special Video Centers on Natsuya
New illustration featuring Natsuya, Nao also revealed
― Kyoto Animation began streaming the fifth special promotional video for the High Speed! -Free! Starting Days- anime film on Thursday. The promo video focuses on Natsuya Kirishima. The previous special videos featured: Haruka Nanase, Makoto Tachibana, Asahi Shiina, and Ikuya Kirishima. The website also streamed a trailer for the film on Monday. T...
Howl's Moving Castle Voice Actress Haruko Kato Passes Away
Actress also performed in Kiki's Delivery Service, Senya Ichiya Monogatari
― Japanese film, television, stage, and anime actress Haruko Kato passed away on Monday. She was 92. Kato is known for her roles in stage plays, as well as live-action television dramas such as the 1964 Shichinin no Mago series, and the 1974 Terauchi Kantarō Ikka series. In anime, she is perhaps best known as the voice of Mada...
Shigeyuki Fukumitsu's Seikatsu Manga Gets Live-Action Film in May
Teaser videos show Masahiro Higashide, Masataka Kubota, Nana Komatsu, Tsurutarō Kataoka
― Toei and Nikkatsu announced on Thursday that they are producing a live-action film adaptation of Shigeyuki Fukumitsu's Seikatsu (Life) manga series, titled Hero Mania Seikatsu (Hero Obsessed Life). The film is slated to open in Japan on May 7. The film's official website is streaming a 30- and 15-second teaser f...
Ponyo's English Dub Writer Melissa Mathison Passes Away
Screenwriter's E.T. script was nominated for Oscar in 1983
― Oscar-nominated screenwriter Melissa Mathison passed away on Wednesday. She was 65. Her screenplay for the 1982 Steven Spielberg film E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial was nominated for Best Original Screenplay in the 55th Academy Awards in 1983. She wrote the English script for the 2008 Hayao Miyazaki anime film Ponyo, and was also credited as a ...
Wednesday, November 4
Red Bull Flugtag Competition Dumps Gundam Into Kobe's Harbor
Every year the Red Bull Flugtag tasks amateur flight enthusiasts to create their own human-powered machine under specific rules, and fly it off a pier to see how far it will go. Some make serious attempts while others look at the event as an excuse to create a comedic stage piece to throw into the water. The competition is held at multiple locations around the world, with locations this year in Os...
Mr. Osomatsu Episode 1 to Be Pulled From Home Video, Streaming (Updated)
1st episode to be replaced with completely new episode on home video release
― The official website of the comedy television anime series Mr. Osomatsu (Osomatsu-san) announced on Thursday that the first Blu-ray Disc/DVD volume of the series will not include the first episode, and will instead include a completely new episode in its place. The first Blu-ray/DVD volume is slated for a January 29 releas...
One-Punch Man's Saitama Proves His Strength as Upcoming Nendoroid
Known for his unbeatable strength despite his small stature, Saitama's might is portrayed almost too appropriately as a chibi figure. From the popular new anime One-Punch Man comes a brand new Saitama Nendoroid. Simply designed with an amusingly-blank expression, Saitama's personality is perfectly depicted in this figure. With a variety of arm parts such as a determined fist and crossed arms, the...
Sega Files 'Valkyria: Azure Revolution' Trademark
Sega filed a trademark for "Valkyria: Azure Revolution" in Japan on October 15. Like the previously filed trademark for "Aoki Kakumei no Valkyria," the new filing includes the trademark's potential use in "programs for home game machines." The title is similar to Sega's Valkyria Chronicles turn-based tactics game series. In Japan, the series is known as Senjō no Valkyria (Valkyria of the Battlefie...
Gintama ‒ Episode 296
"If the rest of the stories leading up to the potentially game-changing Shogun Assassination Arc are as funny as this, we'll have plenty of fond memories to look back on when the show puts on its serious face."
Beautiful Bones: Sakurako's Investigation ‒ Episode 5
"Overall, this episode lacked some of the strong atmosphere of the previous one, but still did a fine job of concluding Beautiful Bones' first two-part arc."
Haikyu!! Stars Spike to Victory on The Rim of Your Cup
PUTITTO is adding the boys from Karasuno and Nekoma volleyball teams to its series of drink companion figures. Karasuno's Hinata, Kageyama, Nishinoya, Tsukishima, and Yamaguchi and Nekoma's Kuroo and Kozume are included in the first release slated for January. Each figure 540 yen or an entire box of eight figures costs 4,320 yen. PUTITTO previously released drinking figures of Golgo 13, Pikachu, ...
Dance with Devils ‒ Episode 5
"Watch out, Ritsuka – you may be Beauty, but you really ought to consider which Beast you want to tame."
Kill Me Baby/Sweet Blue Flowers Voice Actress Ai Takabe Charged Again for Drug Use
Actress/idol originally arrested for cocaine possession
― The Tokyo Metropolitan Police charged actress and idol Ai Takabe (real name, Ai Nakayama) again on Wednesday for drug use in violation of the Narcotics and Psychotropics Control Law. Takabe was originally arrested for drug possession on October 15, and a search of her personal belongings and her household had yielded cocaine. After her October...
Enjoy Your Christmas Cake with Haruka Tomatsu—Virtually
Christmas in Japan is predominately a romantic holiday full of cake, sharing scarves, and kissing under the twinkling lights of a Christmas tree. Christmas cake is such a well-established tradition that specialized cakes, including ones featuring anime characters, open up for pre-orders months in advance. Not everyone has a special someone to share this tradition with, but if you're holding out fo...
Japanese Comic Ranking, October 26-November 1
A Certain Scientific Railgun, Mahōka Kōkō no Rettōsei: Kyūkōsen-hen, Ten Count, Kingdom, The Seven Deadly Sins in top 5
― Rank Title Est. Weekly Copies Est. Total Copies Release Date Publisher Author Highest Rank Weeks on List 1 A Certain Scientific Railgun 11 139,812 139,812 2015/10 Kadokawa Story & Art: Motoi Fuyukawa / Original creator: Kazuma Kamachi / Original Character Design: Kiyotaka Haimura...
Japan's Video Game Rankings, October 26-November 1
God Eater Resurrection, Yomawari games debut
― Japan's Game Ranking: October 26-November 1 Rank System Title Maker Release Date Weekly Copies Total Copies 4Gamer Reader Review 1PSV God Eater Resurrection Bandai Namco Entertainment October 29 125,876 125,876 20 2PS4 God Eater Resurrection Bandai Namco Entertainment October 29 25,700 25,700 3PSV Yomawari Nippon Ichi Entertainment October 29 22,472 22,4...
Sword Art Online Character Poll Results Announced, Kibaō Still Makes Top 10
Two weeks ago, the staff at Dengeki Bunko called a do-over when minor Sword Art Online character Kibaō shot to the top of the character charts during the intermediary results of an ongoing poll. The poll itself is to select the series' five most popular characters. The novels' artist abec will draw the winners for an upcoming art book cover. Staff adjusted the poll after acknowledging that fraudul...
Grimgar of Fantasy and Ash Anime Reveals Cast, Character Designs
Yoshimasa Hosoya, Hiroyuki Yoshino, Nobunaga Shimazaki, Mikako Komatsu, Haruka Terui, Fukushi Ochiai star
― The official website for the anime adaptation of the Grimgar of Fantasy and Ash (Hai to Gensō no Grimgar or Grimgar le Monde des cendres et de fantaisie) light novel series revealed the main cast and character designs on Wednesday. The cast includes: Yoshimasa Hosoya (Attack on Titan's Reiner B...
The King of Fighters XIV Trailer Reveals Leona, Chang Koehan
Kyo Kusanagi, Iori Yagami previously revealed for PS4 game
― SNK Playmore unveiled a new teaser trailer for its upcoming The King of Fighter XIV PlayStation 4 game at the Sony Computer Entertainment Korea press conference on Wednesday. The video reveals that Leona and Chang Koehan will appear in the game alongside the previously-announced Kyo Kusanagi and Iori Yagami. SNK Playmore plans to release th...
Answerman - Does Japan Have Otaku For American Animation?
Are there Japanese fans of American animated shows like South Park, Family Guy and Rick & Morty? Do they resemble American anime fans? Justin gets into it.
― Christopher asks: With the anime/otaku industry being a fairly robust fandom in the west, I was wondering: is that mirrored for western animation/cartoons over in Japan? Are there groups that work on fansubbing new episodes of Steven Universe a...
Longtime Japanese DJ to Release Mix CD of Classic Anime, Tokusatsu Music
Lupin III, Kamen Rider, Captain Future, Spiderman well represented
― Japanese hip-hop MC and DJ MURO has been producing music for 30 years, first with the groups Krush Posse and Microphone Pager, and then (after 1999) as a solo artist. To celebrate his three decades in the business, he is releasing a mix CD entirely featuring anime and tokusatsu music and sound effects from the 1970s: Super Animated ...
Konami Closes Kojima Productions Los Angeles Studio
Studio was renamed to Konami Los Angeles Studio in March restructuring
― Video game developer and publisher Konami announced in an email to video games website Polygon on Tuesday that the company has closed its Konami Los Angeles Studio, formerly named Kojima Productions Los Angeles. The statement reads: Konami has made the decision to close its Los Angeles Studio, effective immediately, due to the p...
Sekkō Boys Anime's 1st Video Transforms Plaster Busts Into Idols
Series to premiere on January 8 in Ultra Super Anime Time timeslot
― The first promotional video for Sekkō Boys, the upcoming anime about statues who become idol singers, debuted at Nihon University College of Art's Art Festival on Tuesday. The anime's official website began streaming the video on Wednesday. Sekkō Boys is a unit of four stone figures — the military saint and group leader Saint Giorgi...
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Part 2 GN 1
It's a new arc with a new JoJo as Hirohiko Araki's tale of epic strangeness moves forward in time fifty years to pit Joseph Joestar against the men behind the stone mask that started all of the trouble in the first place.
― Warning: This review contains spoilers for the final volume of Part One: Phantom Blood. No where outside of an eighteenth century Gothic novel can you find melodrama and ridiculou...
Code Geass: Akito the Exiled #4 Sells 18,521 to Top Blu-ray Chart
October 28 release is 3rd in series to top overall Blu-ray chart
― The limited first edition of the fourth Blu-ray volume of the Code Geass: Akito the Exiled original video anime series sold 18,521 copies in its first week, and ranked #1 on both the Oricon animation Blu-ray chart and the overall Blu-ray chart. It is the third volume in the series to top the overall Blu-ray chart. The Blu-ray shipped ...
Seraph of the End Musical's 2nd Visual, Ad Unveiled
Gaku Sano, Katsuhiro Suzuki star in musical premiering in Tokyo in February
― The staff of the stage musical musical adaptation of the Seraph of the End manga revealed the musical's second visual on Wednesday. The visual features Gaku Sano as Yūichirō Hyakuya and Katsuhiro Suzuki as Mikaela Hyakuya. In addition, the musical's official website began streaming a commercial for the musical. Nelke Planni...
20th Detective Conan Film's Teaser Reveals Black Organization Members
Anime film opening in Japan on April 16
― Toho's official website for the 20th Detective Conan (Case Closed) anime film began streaming a teaser video titled "Black Movie" for the film on Wednesday. The teaser reveals the film's April 16 opening date, and teases the film's full title, which is only partially revealed with the Japanese character for "black." Conan: I've been waiting for this moment. S...
Yu-Gi-Oh!: The Dark Side of Dimensions Film Opens on April 23
The official Twitter account of the Yu-Gi-Oh! anime franchise announced on Tuesday that the Yu-Gi-Oh!: The Dark Side of Dimensions film will open in Japan on April 23. The film will open in late 2016 outside of Japan. The cast is, clockwise from top right: Hidehiro Kikuchi as Hiroto Honda (Tristan Taylor) Hiroki Takahashi as Katsuya Jōnōchi (Joey Wheeler) Junko Takeuchi as Mokuba Kaiba Maki Saitou...
Sign Official Documents with Godzilla Monster Stamps
Stamp company Itaindō will soon sell official Godzilla inkan stamps, which in Japan can be legally used in many institutions, such as banks and government offices, on documents instead of signatures. The stamps feature the 13 monsters from Toho's kaiju film franchise, including Godzilla himself. Itaindō will release the series as part of Godzilla's birthday on November 3, the 61st anniversary of ...
Gintama, Battle Spirits Anime Collaborate on TV Ads
Ads to air between Gintama, Battle Spirits episodes each week in November
― The Gintama and Battle Spirits television anime franchises will collaborate on a series of television commercials. The commercials will air at the end of each Gintama episode, and before the beginning of the current Battle Spirits Burning Soul anime, each week in November on TV Tokyo. The ads start on Wednesday and continue o...
Netflix Aims to Eventually Produce Anime
Streaming subscription service to premiere Ajin - Demi-Human anime in January
― Netflix CEO Reed Hastings stated in an interview with The New York Times journalist Andrew Ross Sorkin at the DealBook conference on Tuesday that he is "hopeful" that Netflix will "make a great anime show." Hastings was elaborating on how his company will produce more unique programming from production companies around th...
Tuesday, November 3
Kingdom Hearts II's Halloween Town Sora and Riku Get PlayArts Kai Figures
Pre-orders opened this week for Kingdom Hearts II's Halloween Town Sora and Riku PlayArts Kai figures. The holiday-themed Sora comes with two weapons: his Kingdom Key and Decisive Pumpkin Keyblades. Bonus parts include multiple masks and hands to hold the items. The grown-up Riku wears the same outfit seen in Kingdom Hearts II. He comes with his Keyblade, "Way to the Dawn." Both figures retail fo...
SuperGroupies Makes Tokyo Ghoul Cute With Bag, Booties
SuperGroupies is here to prove that even supernatural cannibals can inspire cute women's accessories. The company looked to Sui Ishida's Tokyo Ghoul manga and anime adaptations for a new handbag and a pair of booties. The bag is based on silver-haired Ghoul Investigator Jūzo Suzuya and his red bobby pins. The roman numeral "XIII" is visible on the clasp while red x stitching outlines the flap. Th...
Shibuya Sees Chaos After Halloween Crowd, Super Citizens Clean Up Morning After
Japan is no stranger to the mischief that can take place on Halloween night, and Shibuya looks to have suffered the brunt of it. Opting for tricks rather than treats, a costume-clad crowd of people celebrating Halloween in Shibuya caused quite the commotion amidst all their partying. The mass of people clogged up the Shibuya intersection, with Shibuya station receiving very long ticket lines. Loca...
North American Anime, Manga Releases, November 1-7
Glasslip, If Her Flag Breaks, Umi Monogatari anime; Turn A Gundam movies; Idol Dreams, Livingstone, Yo-Kai Watch manga ship
― Anime Releases Title Publisher Suggested Retail Price Date Blessing of the Campanella DVD Anime ElementsPlease Nozomi Entertainment US$34.99 November 3 Fafner Complete Series and Movie S.A.V.E. Edition Blu-rayPlease Funimation Entertainment US$29.98 November 3 Fafner Complete ...
Puzzle & Dragons Collaborating With Shonen Sunday Magazine
The Puzzle & Dragons mobile game announced at its live-streaming "Volsun Descends" event on Tuesday that the game will collaborate with Shogakukan's Weekly Shōnen Sunday magazine. The staff didn't announce when the collaboration will start but it did reveal several popular manga characters will appear in the game. The line-up so far includes: Aladdin (Magi - The Labyrinth of Magic) Recca Hanabish...
Shoko Conami's Shikabane Cherry Manga Takes 3-Month Hiatus
Manga previously put on hiatus for creator's health
― The December issue of Akita Shoten's Monthly Princess magazine will announce on Friday that Shoko Conami's Shikabane Cherry will go on hiatus starting with the next issue. The magazine is scheduled to return in the April 2016 issue on March 5, 2016. Conami put the series on hiatus due to her health in Monthly Princess' May 2013 issue, and resumed ...
Chaika The Coffin Princess' English Dub Casts Leraldo Anzaldua as Toru
Sentai Filmworks to release fantasy anime series on DVD/Blu-ray on December 15
― Sentai Filmworks announced with a video on Tuesday that Leraldo Anzaldua will play Toru Acura in its English dub of the Chaika - The Coffin Princess anime. Anzaldua joins Joanne Bonasso as Akari Acura. Sentai Filmworks will release Chaika - The Coffin Princess on DVD and Blu-ray on December 15. It describes the anime's s...
Fans Criticize Softbank's Anime Character Live-Action Phone Ads as 'Disrespectful'
Last month, SoftBank's series of commercials depicting several classic anime characters all grown up premiered. The ads star Kyoko Koizumi (Tokyo Sonata, Hanging Garden) as Usagi Tsukino (Sailor Moon), the proprietess at Moon Ribar an atmospheric rooftop bar. She's assisted by Maruko-chan (Chibi Maruko-chan, played by Suzu Hirose) and welcomes guests like Fist of the North Star's Kenshiro (famous ...
Maria Holic's Minari Endo to Start Uchūjin no Shiwaza Desu! Manga
Series about aliens to launch in Comic Flapper from Hatenkō Yūgi/Dazzle creator
― This year's December issue of Kadokawa's Comic Flapper magazine will announce on Thursday that Minari Endo will begin a new series titled Uchūjin no Shiwaza Desu! (It's the Alien's Fault!) in the January issue on December 5. The series will adorn the magazine's cover and have a color opening page. The tagline for the se...
Muv-Luv Kickstarter Ends With Over US$1.2 Million
Visual novel series localization coming to PC, Steam, Android, PS Vita
― Publisher Degica and developer Ixtl's localization of Koki Yoshimune's Muv-Luv visual novel Kickstarter campaign ended on Tuesday after raising 1,255,444 from 7,890 backers. The campaign was launched September 25 and met its goal of $250,000 within eight hours. Since then, the campaign has met all of its stretch goals, including...
The Idolm@ster's Yurina Hase Explains Why She Left Yukiho Role
Voice actress Yurina Hase has recently opened up on Twitter about why she left the role of The Idolm@ster's Yukiho Hagiwara back in 2010. While working the role in 2009, Hase had received several death threats, causing her to hold off on many of her event appearances. During that time, she had heard that if she could not appear at events, the character Yukiho would be removed from the franchise, ...
Pokkén Tournament Confirms Shadow Mewtwo
Video highlights all playable pokémon
― The Pokémon Company International began streaming a trailer for its upcoming Pokkén Tournament, confirming the addition of Shadow Mewtwo as a character in the game. The video also highlights the playable pokémon, including the recently-announced Pikachu Libre (Masked Pikachu). The game will be released worldwide for Wii U in spring 2016. The game debuted in Jap...
Sekkō Boys Anime About Statues-Turned-Idols Adds More Cast
Yui Makino, Takaya Kuroda, Rena Maeda, Takahiro Sakurai
― An event at Nihon University College of Art's Art Festival announced more cast members from Sekkō Boys, the upcoming anime about statues who become idol singers, on Tuesday. Yui Makino plays the top idol Mira Hanayashiki. Takaya Kuroda plays Hanzō Horibe, the president of the Holbein Entertainment agency where the manager Ishimoto lands a job....
Lucifer and the Biscuit Hammer GN 7-8
Lucifer and the Biscuit Hammer slows its roll in a volume focused on fleshing out the last few members of the Beast Knights.
― The last volume of Biscuit Hammer ended in dramatic emotional fireworks, as Taro's death prompted Sorano to discover new power within herself and find purpose in her own life. There's little to match those cathartic peaks in this fourth volume; this one is much more leisurely...
Arslan: The Warriors of Legend's Subtitled Video Shows Characters in Gameplay
Arrives on PS4/PS3/Xbox One in N. America on February 9, in Europe on February 12
― KOEI Tecmo America and KOEI Tecmo Europe began streaming the second gameplay trailer for their upcoming Arslan: The Warriors of Legend (Arslan Senki x Musou) action game on Tuesday. The video previews many of the game's playable characters. The game's confirmed playable characters so far include Arslan, Daryun, Narsus...
One-Punch Man ‒ Episode 5
"Comedy and intrigue aside, this episode's real centerpiece is the outstanding faceoff between Saitama and Genos."
Mr. Osomatsu ‒ Episode 5
"The brothers' personalities are becoming better-established with each new story, as their little world grows ever more expansive."
The Piano Forest Manga to End on Thursday
Manga about 2 boys bonding over music will ship final volume on December 22
― This year's 49th issue of Kodansha's Morning magazine is publishing the final chapter of Makoto Isshiki's Piano no Mori (The Piano Forest) manga on Thursday. In addition, the magazine is also revealing that Kodansha will publish the manga's 26th and final volume on December 22. Isshiki had just resumed the manga in August a...
Amazon Germany Lists Stranger of Sword City PS Vita Game
Online retailer Amazon's German site is listing the Tsurugi no Machi no Ihōjin (Stranger of Sword City) game for PlayStation Vita, with distribution by Flashpoint AG. Flashpoint AG is the distributor for NIS America in Germany. Experience Inc. developed the Tsurugi no Machi no Ihōjin game, and released it in Japan on the Xbox 360 in June 2014, and on the PC in August 2014, both with the subtitle S...
SNK Playmore Drops Slot Machines, Focuses on Smartphone/Consumer Games
Company cites declining pachislot player numbers, regulation changes
― Japanese game developer SNK Playmore announced on Monday that it is withdrawing from the pachislot (pachinko parlor slot machine game) business and will refocus on its smartphone/consumer game development and licensing of its intellectual property. The report notes that in considering new strategies for growth, SNK Playmore decide...
Gundam: Extreme VS-Force Game Adds Destiny Gundam, Re-GZ, God Gundam
Char's Z'Gok, Palace Athene, ReZEL also teased in PS Vita game
― This week's issue of Kadokawa's Weekly Famitsu magazine is revealing on Thursday that Bandai Namco Entertainment's upcoming Mobile Suit Gundam: Extreme VS-Force PS Vita game is adding more playable mobile suits. In particular, it is adding Mobile Suit Gundam Seed Destiny's Destiny Gundam, Mobile Suit Gundam: Char's Counterattack's Re-GZ...
Doraemon Co-Creator Fujiko Fujio A Puts Parman Manga on Hiatus
Autobiographical essay manga launched in 2007
― The December issue of Shueisha's Jump Square magazine is announcing on Wednesday that Doraemon co-creator Fujiko Fujio A (Motoo Abiko) is putting his Parman no Jōnetsu-teki na Hibi (Parman's Intense Daily Life) essay manga on an indefinite hiatus starting on Wednesday. Fujiko Fujio A added in a handwritten statement in the announcement that he was going...
Japan's Animation DVD Ranking, October 26-November 1
Kuroko's Basketball sells 5,432, followed by Hetalia, Gintama, Ghost in the Shell New Movie, DBZ F film
― The Library War: Book of Memories Blu-ray sold 1,166 more copies for a new total of 9,573. It droppped from #15 to #19 in its third week on the overall DVD chart. Rurouni Kenshin: The Legend Ends' DVD Special-Price Edition rise from #41 to #22 in its fourth week. It added 1,130 copies for a new t...
Japan's Animation Blu-ray Disc Ranking, October 26-November 1
Code Geass: Akito sells 18,521, followed by Symphogear GX, The Idolm@ster Cinderella Girls, Ghost in the Shell New Movie
― The limited complete pressing of The Idolm@ster Cinderella Girls 2nd Live Party M@gic!! Blu-ray Box sold 12,400 copies to rank #3 on the overall Blu-ray Disc chart. Rank Last Week Title Weekly Copies Total Copies Release Date Maker Artist/Category Highest Rank Weeks on Chart 1 - ...
Gintama Anime Enters 'Shogun Assassination' Arc in December
"Gintama Hare Matsuri 2016" event also scheduled for March 6
― The official website for the Gintama television anime series announced on Tuesday that the show will enter the original manga's "Shogun Assassination" story arc beginning on December 2. The website also unveiled a visual for the story arc. The story arc centers on the aftermath of a failed assassination attempt on the Shogun. With the Sho...
J.C. Staff Makes Animated Ad for KenIchi Creator's Tokiwa Kitareri!! Manga
Manga launched in December 2014
― This year's 49th issue of Shogakukan's Shonen Sunday magazine is announcing on Wednesday that Shun Matsuena's Tokiwa Kitareri!! manga is getting an animated commercial. J.C. Staff is handling the animation production. Matsuena launched the series in Shonen Sunday in December, and Shogakukan shipped the fourth compiled volume on October 16. In the story, Tokiwa is a "...
Twin Star Exorcists Manga Has 'Important Announcement' in December
The December issue of Shueisha's Jump SQ. magazine is revealing on Wednesday that Yoshiaki Sukeno's Twin Star Exorcists (Sōsei no Onmyōji) manga will have an "important announcement" in the magazine's January issue on December 4. The January issue will commemorate the series' two-year anniversary, and the manga will adorn the cover of the magazine. The issue will also feature a specially drawn pos...
Detective Conan Anime Reveals 20-Part 20th Anniversary Project
TV anime special with kabuki actor Ichikawa Ebizō XI, real escape game, 20th film announced
― This year's 49th issue of Shogakukan's Weekly Shonen Sunday magazine is revealing on Wednesday that the Detective Conan anime franchise will have a 20-part project to celebrate the anime's 20th anniversary. The 20th anniversary project is titled "20 Bullets." The Detective Conan TV anime series premiered in ...
Monday, November 2
Gender-Swapped Gintoki Gets Figure With Miniature X-ko
Protagonist Gintoki Sakata got a feminine makeover in the 275th episode of Gintama, along with the rest of the series' cast. Now MegaHouse's GEM line of figures will let you bring "Ginko" home. Pre-orders opened today, but the figure will only be made if at least 1,000 orders are put in. It comes with a miniature version of X-ko Hijikata, the female version of Tōshirō Hijikata. Bandai Premium wil...
Studio Bones Animates My Hero Academia Show, Posts 1st Visual
Blood Blockade Battlefront/Concrete Revolutio/Fullmetal Alchemist studio adapts superhero story
― The official website for the television anime of Kōhei Horikoshi's My Hero Academia (Boku no Hero Academia) manga revealed on Tuesday that the studio BONES (Blood Blockade Battlefront, Concrete Revolutio, Noragami Aragoto, Fullmetal Alchemist) will produce the animation for the project. The site also unv...
Gundam Global Challenge Winners Aim to Make Life-Size Statue Move
The Gundam Global Challenge is a competition that tasks individuals with making the 18-meter-tall (59-foot-tall) Gundam statue on Tokyo's Odaiba island move in the year 2019. Proposal submission opened last year and four individuals' plans were selected. Yuya Kaneko of the Nara Institute of Science and Technology proposed that both the life-size Gundam and the life-size Zaku would battle, specific...
Blue Exorcist to Get Werewolf Card Game
The December issue of Jump Square, which will hit newsstands on November 4, will announce an upcoming Werewolf card game based on the manga/anime series Blue Exorcist. The cards will all be drawn by Kazue Katō, the manga artist, and the game will go on sale in December. The magazine shows character sketches for the card game. Werewolf, based on a popular party game, is a card game that assigns pla...
Sanrio's Salmon Mascot's 1st Set of Anthropomorphized Goods Released
Sanrio's recently transformed salmon mascot Kirimi-chan and his friends are getting their first wave of goods. Japan's Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries already appointed Kirimi-chan (voiced by Tsubasa Yonaga). as the "Ambassador of Let's Eat Fish." His friends are other meats reimagined as cute boys, including the Saba-kun (mackerel fillet, voiced by Takuma Terashima), Sasamin (chi...
Jojo's Bizarre Adventure's Araki to Publish Episode 7 of Rohan Kishibe Manga
This year's December issue of Shueisha's Jump Square magazine will announce on Wednesday that Jojo's Bizarre Adventure creator Hirohiko Araki will publish another chapter of his Kishibe Rohan wa Ugokanai (Rohan Kishibe Does Not Move) one-shot series in the January issue on December 4. The one-shot is titled "Episode #07 Getsuyōbi - Tenkiame" (Monday - Sun Shower). Shueisha's Weekly Shonen Jump mag...
Super Mario-kun Author Creates Levels in Super Mario Maker
Long-running manga protagonist also becomes playable
― Not everyone knows about this iteration of Mario, but players will get acquainted soon enough. Yukio Sawada, the author of manga series Super Mario-kun, is trying his hand at creating his own Mario levels in recent Wii U game Super Mario Maker as part of a official collaboration with Nintendo. In celebration of both the manga's upcoming 25th anni...
Comic Actor Kendo Kobayashi Guest Stars in Kamen Rider Ghost & Drive Crossover Film
Kobayashi plays voice of main villain Da Vinci Ganma
― The official website for the Kamen Rider x Kamen Rider: Ghost & Drive Chō Movie Taisen film announced on Monday that comedian and actor Kendo Kobayashi (live-action Yatterman's Tonzura) will guest star in the film as the voice of the Da Vinci Ganma, a powerful enemy who carries the power of Leonardo da Vinci. The film will open on December 12. As...
One Piece ‒ Episode 716
"I really love the Dressrosa arc, but it's definitely the One Piece adventure where Oda's godlike sense of big-picture storytelling begins to crack and show its weaknesses."
Live-Action My Love Story!!, Go! Princess Precure Film, Gundam: The Origin II Open on Japanese Box Office Top 10
The Anthem of the Heart total earnings exceed 1 billion yen
― The live-action film adaptation of Kazune Kawahara and Aruko's My Love Story!! (Ore Monogatari!!) manga opened at #3 in the Japanese box office this past weekend, behind Galaxy Kaidō and Pan. The film opened on 292 screens in Japan and sold 118,921 tickets over the weekend for a box office intake of 137,954,800 yen (about US$1.1 million). ...
Answerman - Why Isn't American Animation Outsourced To Japan?
American animation used to be outsourced to Japan all the time - obviously that isn't the case anymore. What happened, and where is animation outsourced to these days?
― Abe asks: Why are so many American animated shows sent to Korea for main production and not Japan? The Japanese animation industry seems to be a more logical choice considering how much animation is produced there compared to the am...
Robot Pepper Rocks Out With Asian Kung-Fu Generation
Two members of the Japanese rock band Asian Kung-Fu Generation (Bleach, Fullmetal Alchemist, Naruto) recorded a practice session recently with an unusual musical guest: Pepper, a robot who can detect and interpret human emotions. It can also provide beats, and did so for Gotch (who plays guitar and prefers a rock tempo) and Tamaki Roy (who raps and prefers a hip-hop beat). The session uses an appl...
Koei Tecmo to Collaborate With Prominent Overseas IP
Koei Tecmo Games announced in its 2nd quarter financial report last Tuesday that it is planning a collaboration with a "prominent" overseas IP. The report highlights some of Koei Tecmo's other upcoming collaborations, such as its Attack on Titan game, its Romance of the Three Kingdoms-themed Yo-Kai Watch game, and the Dissidia Final Fantasy arcade game. Koei Tecmo has also released crossover games...
The Best and Worst of the Season So Far: Week of October 22-28
How did your favorite fall series stack up in our user ratings? Find out here!
― Our team of reviewers are following 24 anime series of the Fall 2015 season and readers are rating each episode as the reviews go up. So let's have a look at what ANN readers consider the best (and worst) of the season. Keep in mind that these rankings are based on how people rated individual episodes of the current sea...
Latest Yowapeda/Yowamushi Pedal Stage Play's TV Ad Streamed
7th stage play based on Wataru Watanabe manga has final performance on November 8
― Marvelous began streaming a TV ad for the Yowamushi Pedal Futatsu no Chōten: IRREGULAR (Yowamushi Pedal The Two Summits: IRREGULAR) stage play on its official YouTube channel on Saturday. The ad promotes the final performance of the play, which will take place in Fukuoka on November 8. A live streamed version of the p...
Shelf Life - Finer and Dandier
A boatload of this week's new releases PLUS full reviews of two fantastic shows: Space Dandy season 2 and Tamayura!
― As I was putting together the list of this week's new releases, I noticed that we're getting quite a few lower-priced rereleases of older titles. Most of the big companies have at least one product line for bringing their older licenses back into circulation, and it's nice to be able...
Gangsta.'s 6th, 7th Drama CDs Delayed
Frontier Works announced on its official website on Friday that it is postponing the releases of the sixth and seventh drama CDs for the Gangsta. anime. The sixth CD was originally meant to ship on November 25, with the seventh slated for January 27. The company stated that the new release dates are currently unknown, and it will inform fans when it decides on new dates. The company apologized to ...
Dragon Ball Z: Extreme Butoden
Arc System Works put together a competent fighter with some enjoyable side attractions, but Dragon Ball Z: Extreme Butoden can't escape the fans-only landing zone that awaits merely adequate anime-inspired games.
― The modern fighting game barely existed back when Dragon Ball Z first appeared as an anime series and an extension of Akira Toriyama's Dragon Ball manga. Yet the two worlds were fated to m...
Concrete Revolutio ‒ Episode 5
"This episode seems designed to make sense of everything that's happened previously, but it could just confuse viewers further."
Super Short Comics Net Anime's 1st Episode Streamed
Series based on Kyū Amekawa's surreal gag manga was originally slated for spring
― The web anime adaptation of Kyū Amekawa's surreal gag manga Super Short Comics premiered on the GYAO! streaming service on Monday. The series will consist of eight short episodes that will air weekly on Mondays from November 2 to December 31. The anime was originally slated for this spring. Ichiro Mizuki performs both...
Hozuki's Coolheadedness Manga Gets 4-Panel Spinoff Series
Artbook for original manga to ship on November 21
― The December issue of Kodansha's Nakayoshi magazine is revealing on Tuesday that Monaka Shiba will launch a four-panel spinoff manga of Natsumi Eguchi's Hōzuki no Reitetsu manga titled Hōzuki no Reitetsu ~Shiro no Ashiato~ (Hozuki's Coolheadedness ~Shiro's Footprints~) in the magazine's January issue, which will ship on December 1. Eguchi is supervi...
Frontwing, Prototype's Island Game Slated for 2016 on PC, PS Vita, Android
Ryuichiro Yamakawa, Yōsai Kūchū, Goo develop game about isolated island
― The December issue of Kadokawa's Dengeki G's Magazine announced on Friday that visual novel developer Front Wing and developer Prototype will release their new Island visual novel on PC in March 2016, on the PlayStation Vita in May 2016, and on Android devices sometime in 2016. The magazine describes the new visual novel: Uraji...
Terraformars Live-Action Film Reveals Poster
The staff of the live-action Terraformars film, based on Kenichi Tachibana and Yū Sasuga's popular science-fiction manga, revealed the film's poster on Monday. The poster shows the main cast wearing their spacesuit costumes, and its tagline reads "we will survive." The film will open in Japan on April 29, during the Golden Week holidays. Takashi Miike (live-action films of Ichi the Killer, Phoenix...
Yamishibai Horror Anime Shorts Get 3rd Season in January
New season to feature 100+ weird characters
― The official website for the Yami Shibai (Yamishibai: Japanese Ghost Stories) horror anime series of shorts announced on Monday that the series is getting a third anime season that will premiere in January. The series will air on TV Tokyo. The new season will feature more than 100 weird characters and will focus on urban legends. Takashi Taniguchi and Tom...
Sound! Euphonium Film/2nd TV Series' Announcement Video Streamed
Compilation film, sequel TV series announced on Saturday
― Kyoto Animation began streaming a special announcement video on Monday for the Sound! Euphonium anime to commemorate the announcement that the anime is getting a film and a sequel TV series. Noboru Taki: Well then, let's start. Text: Special Announcement Text: A film version that will look back at the TV series! Noboru Taki: Now, go and show ...
Myriad Colors Phantom World TV Anime's 1st Promo Video Introduces Staff, Cast
HIro Shimono, Sumire Uesaka, Saori Hayami star in series premiering in January
― The official website for Kyoto Animation's anime of Sōichirō Hatano's Myriad Colors Phantom World (Musaigen no Phantom World) novel began streaming the show's first promotional video on Monday. The video introduces the show's main staff and cast. The anime will premiere in January 2016 on ABC Asahi, Tokyo MX, TV Aichi, a...
Alice in Dreamland Doll Film's Teaser, Cast, December Opening Revealed
Film featuring animated dolls by doll maker Mari Shimizu opens on December 19
― The official website of Kentaro Hachisuka and Mari Shimizu's Alice in Dreamland doll animation film project began streaming a 45-second teaser video for the film last Tuesday. The video reveals the film's December 19 opening at the K's Cinema in Shinjuku. The film combines both stop-motion and animation techniques. The we...
Ichijinsha, pixiv Launch 'Comic Pool' Digital Manga Magazine
Magazine focusing on online-based manga creators launches on Friday
― Japanese publisher Ichijinsha and art website pixiv are jointly launching a digital manga magazine titled "Comic POOL" on Friday. The web magazine will focus on publishing works from manga creators who are notable for releasing their manga online. When Comic POOL launches, it will serialize Fujita's Otaku ni Koi wa Muzukashii, Reko...
The Anthem of the Heart Anime Film Tops 1 Billion Yen
Film reuniting anohana, Toradora! staff opened in N. America on Sunday
― The Anthem of the Heart (Kokosake or Kokoro ga Sakebitagatterun Da.) anime film has earned more than 1 billion yen as of Sunday, after 44 days in the Japanese box office. The film earned 1,015,293,050 yen (about US$8.43 million) and sold 744,901 tickets by Sunday according to its distribution company. In comparison with the Anoh...
Harmony Anime Film's Promo Introduces Cast, Theme Song
Studio 4°C's film based on Project Itoh's sci-fi novel opens on November 13
― The official Youtube channel of Fuji TV's Noitamina programming block began streaming a new promotional video for the Harmony film on Monday. The video previews EGOIST's theme song "Ghost of a smile" and introduces the characters and cast. The film's cast includes: Miyuki Sawashiro as Tuan Kirie Yoshiko Sakakibara as Oscar ...
Sunday, November 1
Voice Actress Miyu Matsuki Passes Away
Nyaruko: Crawling with Love!/Hidamari Sketch/Hayate the Combat Butler actress was 38
― Talent agency 81 Produce announced on Monday that voice actress and singer Miyu Matsuki passed away on October 27 due to an illness. She was 38. Matsuki had announced in July that she would be taking a break from her work to focus on treating her pneumonia. She said at the time that she had a fever since the start ...
Valkyrie Drive's Rinka Comes to Life as Full-Size Doll
Will tour Japanese media stores in November
― Rinka Kagurazaka from the upcoming PlayStation Vita game Valkyrie Drive -Bhikkhuni- has come to life as a realistic, full-sized doll. Made by the sex doll sculptors Orient Industry, with facial features designed by the expert cosmetic artists at JIRO, it's about as close as you could probably get to a realistic-looking Rinka — aside from a cosplayer....
Comet Lucifer ‒ Episode 5
"Comet Lucifer has a lot of ground to cover in this episode, and the pacing is a tad rushed as a result."
Live-Action Terraformars Film to Open on April 29
Manga with 14 million copies in print has big news later this month
― This year's 49th issue of Shueisha's Weekly Young Jump magazine is announcing on Thursday that the live-action film adaptation of Kenichi Tachibana and Yū Sasuga's Terraformars science-fiction manga will open in Japan on April 29, during the Golden Week holidays. The issue features interviews with the main cast members and director...
High Speed! Free! Starting Days Film's Trailer Previews Theme Song
Chihiro Suzuki, Yoshimasa Hosoya, Mamoru Miyano join cast for December 5 prequel film
― The official website for the High Speed! -Free! Starting Days- anime film began streaming a trailer for the film on Monday. The trailer previews the film's theme song "Aching Horns" by OLDCODEX. Text: They will take on the challenge with new friends. Text: A new challenge. Haruka: I only swim freestyle. Nao: Ikuya...
Prepare for Your Next Trip Across the Desert with JoJo Backpacks
Three different varieties available
― The heroes of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure travel all around the world to defeat Dio. If you're heading on a globetrotting adventure yourself, why not prepare for the journey with JoJo-branded backpacks? The first variety is the standard day pack, suitable for short trips or going to school. It's cushioned on the back and shoulders for extra comfort. The price is 9,5...
Celebrate Japan's Traditional Kutani Porcelain with Gundam Ware
Bowls, plates, mugs, chopstick rests
― The traditional porcelain style of Ishikawa Prefecture, Kutani ware, celebrates its 360th anniversary this year (1655 is when the first kilns in Kutani were built). What better way to honor this antique ceramic style than to mix it with futuristic mobile suits? After all, Mobile Suit Gundam has been around for exactly 1/10 as long as Kutani ware (36 years). Fol...
Haikyu!! Second Season ‒ Episode 5
"Hinata's got a lot to work through in the coming weeks, and it will be just as, if not more, rewarding to see him grow as a person as well as a player."
'Tokyo Cosmo' Indie Animation Shows Off Impeccable Quality, Nominated for Award
Pixar may see some competition from this animated independent short film. A new animated short was recently uploaded on YouTube and NicoNico Video entitled "Tokyo Cosmo." This five-minute video tells the simple tale of a young woman imagining her normal life being a bit more extraordinary. The film was directed by Takahiro Miyauchi. Takuya Okada worked on the CG and story drafting. The CGI staff i...
Utawarerumono: The False Faces ‒ Episode 5
"In a questionable lapse of judgment, Utawarerumono decided to put the mild momentum it had worked so hard to build up on hold for tired old comedy hijinks."
Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans ‒ Episode 5
"Iron-Blooded Orphans remains entertaining thanks to its winning combination of character development, action choreography, and great animation."
The Asterisk War ‒ Episode 5
"With its introductory story arc done, The Asterisk War moves on to its next one (presumably the adaptation of the second novel?) with a blitz of new character introductions."
Aki Hata Creates Anisong Talent Unit with LiSA, Konomi Suzuki, Nao Toyama, Yoshino Nanjou
Aki Hata has written the lyrics to some of anime's popular theme songs. She penned themes for The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, Watamote, Azumanga Daioh, and Baka and Test - Summon the Beasts. Her latest project is getting together some of the singers behind the theme songs to form a new anisong talent unit. The group is "Q-MHz" and includes Mikako Komatsu, Konomi Suzuki, Nao Toyama, Yoshino Nan...
Slam Dunk's Takehiko Inoue's Buddhist Folding Screen on Display
Commemorates deathday of important Kamakura-era monk
― In March 2011, manga artist Takehiko Inoue (Slam Dunk, Vagabond, REAL) drew an illustration on a folding screen for the East Hongan Temple in Kyoto. The screen depicts the important Buddhist monk Shinran, founder of the Jōdo Shinshū (True Pure Land) sect. Shinran died in 1263, and the temple requested the artwork to commemorate his 750th death an...
Mamoru Miyano, Hikaru Midorikawa, Daisuke Namikawa Guest-Star in Young Black Jack
Junji Majima, Eriko Matsui, Yō Taichi, Kousei Tomita, Takehito Koyasu also voice roles
― Eight voice actors and actresses will play guest characters in the Muzanchō arc of the Young Black Jack television anime, which will run from episode 9 to 11. Many of these characters were inspired by characters in Dororo and other manga drawn by Osamu Tezuka, the creator of the original Black Jack manga. In part...
Monster Strike Net Anime Views Surpass 5 Million
XFlag Studio's net anime of mixi's Monster Strike mobile action role-playing game has more than 5 million views as of October 25. The first two episodes of the anime began streaming on YouTube in Japan on October 10, and they streamed with English subtitles starting on the same day. XFlag Studio then launched a different YouTube channel for the English subtitled version on October 13. The 5 millio...
del Toro Submits Script for Pacific Rim 2 Film
Guillermo del Toro announced on Twitter on Thursday that he submitted the script and budget for the Pacific Rim 2 film. He added in the post, "No answers yet. If anything happens, I will post." Universal and Legendary Entertainment previously announced in a joint statement that they were delaying the Pacific Rim 2 sequel film. The two companies had planned last year to release the film on April 7,...
Kamen Rider Battride War Genesis Game's 'Rescuing Justice' Promo Video Streamed
Game commemorating 45th franchise anniversary ships on Februrary 2 for PS3/PS4/PS Vita
― Bandai Namco Entertainment began streaming a "rescuing justice" promo video on Wednesday for the newest installment in its Kamen Rider Battride War crossover game series, Kamen Rider Battride War Genesis. The video looks at the history of the Kamen Rider franchise, and notes that the game is a "creation story" th...
Sony Sells 29.3 Million PS4s Worldwide
Sony's latest quarterly financial report revealed on Thursday that total PlayStation 4 sales surpassed 29.3 million units after the second quarter of fiscal year 2015. Sony sold four million units during the quarter, which lasted from July 1 to September 30. During the quarter, the company's profits rose to 33.6 billion yen (US$278 million), compared to a 136 billion yen (US$1.1 billion) loss in t...
Sekai Project Launches Narcissu Kickstarter Campaign
Project seeks to remake popular visual novel series
― Video game localizer and publisher Sekai Project launched a Kickstarter campaign on Monday to raise funds for the Narcissu 10th anniversary anthology project. The campaign seeks to raise US$75,000 by November 25. As of press time, the campaign has raised US$39,392. Sekai Project had originally announced the remake project in July. Sekai Project, i...
FLOW, Penguin Research to Perform Durarara!!×2 Ketsu TV Anime's Themes
3rd part of sequel series to premiere in January
― The staff for the Durarara!!×2 Ketsu TV anime series announced at an event in Yokohama on Sunday that FLOW will perform the opening theme song "Steppin' Out" and Penguin Research will perform the ending theme song "Joker ni Yoroshiku" (Say Hello to Joker) for the series. FLOW has also performed theme songs for Eureka Seven, EUREKA SEVEN AO, Naruto, N...
Bandai Namco Files 'Tales of the Best' Trademark in Japan, Square Enix Files 'Dimension W'
Bandai Namco Entertainment filed a trademark on October 14 for "Tales of the Best" in Japan. The company also filed a trademark on October 13 for "Balloon Bash" and "Brave Scramble," and on October 14 for "Mitsukete!" The company previously filed similarly titled trademarks earlier this year for "Tales of Berseria," "Tales of Orfellia," and "Tales of Alestia." Bandai Namco Entertainment eventually...
Sega Previews Yakuza 5 Game's English Version in 90-Minute Video
PS3 game's English version set for digital release this fall
― Sega livestreamed a 90-minute presentation on Monday featuring Localization Producer Sam Mullen and PR Representative John Hardin playing the English version of the Yakuza 5 PlayStation 3 game. The video previews the game world, the combat system, and other aspects of Yakuza 5's gameplay. Sega describes the game: Yakuza 5 continues the ep...
Yoko Maki's Romantica Clock Manga Ends
Shōjo series about competing twins gets spinoff manga
― The December issue of Shueisha's shōjo magazine Ribon will publish the final chapter of Yoko Maki's Romantica Clock manga on November 2. The issue will also reveal that the ninth volume of the manga will ship on November 25. Additionally, the issue will also announce a spinoff series featuring the cast of the manga in high school. Ribon will rel...
Chibi Maruko-chan Kimi wo Wasurenai yo Manga Ends in December
Short series that ties in to December film debuted in September
― The December issue of Shueisha's Ribon magazine is revealing on November 2 that Momoko Sakura will end her Chibi Maruko-chan Kimi wo Wasurenai yo (I Won't Forget You) short manga series in the January issue on December 1. Sakura launched the series in September, and it is a direct tie-in to the upcoming Chibi Maruko-chan film, Eiga Chi...
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