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Vatican Introduces New Mascot 'Luce' Designed by tokidoki Founder
She's no Buddy Christ, though
― In what almost feels like a parody of the Kevin Smith film Dogma, the Catholic Church recently revealed a new mascot character for the upcoming Jubilee 2025 event at Vatican City and Expo 2025 at Osaka. Archbishop Rino Fisichella unveiled “Luce” (“light” in Italian) as the official mascot for the Holy See pavilion at Expo 2025 at the end of an October 28 press conferen...
Mexican Archdiocese Asks Brides & Grooms to 'Dress with Diginity' After Saint Seiya-Themed Wedding
Time to break out the formal Saiyan clothes for the next Dragon Ball Z wedding
― On October 5, a bride and groom held a Saint Seiya-themed wedding at the Templo Expiatorio del Sagrado Corazón de Jesús in León, Mexico. While anime-themed weddings aren't uncommon, the Archdiocese of León and the Archbishop Jaime Calderón Calderón were none too happy with the whole affair. Archbishop Jaime Calderón Cald...
Sony Offers Monster Hunter PS5 Cover & Controllers
It's a monster of a gaming console cover
― Sony's PlayStation brand is gearing up for the upcoming Monster Hunter Wilds with a new Monster Hunter themed PS5 game console cover and DualSense controller. This is the latest Monster Hunter themed PlayStation console after the Monster Hunter World themed PS4 Pro in 2018. The Japanese PlayStation X (formerly Twitter) account announced the items on October ...
Voice Actress Ayaka Suwa Announces Daughter's Birth
Voice of SSSS.Dynazenon's Mujina celebrates baby with Smile Down the Runway creator Kotoba Inoya
― Ayaka Suwa, voice of Mujina from SSSS.Dynazenon and A2 from NieR:Automata, announced on X (formerly Twitter) on Sunday that she has given birth to a baby girl. 皆さまへ。私事ではありますが、先日、元気な女の子を出産しました🌸産前よりご協力、お心遣い頂いた関係各所の皆さまには、心より感謝致します🙇♀️✨そして、いつもあたたかく見守り応援してくださっている皆さま、本当にありがとうございます🌸… pic.twitter.com/agDzJi0qGs...
Voice Actors Tsubasa Yonaga & Yuka Nishigaki Celebrate Birth of 2nd Child
Beyblade Burst co-stars welcome newest addition to their family
― Voice actors Tsubasa Yonaga and Yuka Nishigaki announced the birth of their second child on their respective X (formerly Twitter) accounts on October 9. The parents shared the same heartfelt message to their fans with a photo of their newborn. 公私共により一層精進し、笑顔と幸せが溢れる家族を目指して参りますので、今後ともご指導ご鞭撻の程、宜しくお願い申し上げます。代永翼 pic.twitter.com/jH9iQp86pq—...
Million Doll Creator Receives Apology After 6 Years of Back Pay From Anime Is Paid
Creator had considered withdrawing permission for anime, other derivative works until issue was resolved
― Manga creators expect royalty payments from anime adaptations, but sometimes they take longer than they should. The creator of Million Doll, Ai, found out after receiving six years of royalties and an apology. Ai revealed she had not received royalty payments for sales related to the Million Dol...
Magic: The Gathering Teases Final Fantasy Set
2 of the biggest names in the collectible card game & video game worlds collide in June
― Wizards of the Coast's Magic: The Gathering (MtG) collectible card game has collaborated with all sorts of franchises for about a decade. Most have resulted in small batches offered under the game's limited Secret Lair sub-brand, but there have been a few full-fledged sets. Wizards of the Coast announced in 2022...
Venom Collaborates Again With Birth of Kitaro, Brave Bang Bravern!
The odd couple collaborations are back
― The Brave robot anime franchise saw a return to form this year with Brave Bang Bravern! The series modernized the boy-with-giant-robot trope for late-night anime by changing it to a man with his giant robot. It was only fitting that Bravern! collaborates with another franchise about a man and his companion: Venom with Eddie Brock and his alien symbiote. The of...
Gundam SEED Director Mitsuo Fukuda Confirms Cyber Formula, Dendoh Anime Were Cut Short
Such is the fate of some anime series based on toy lines
― When anime series face the chopping block, fans don't always find out why. Creators often don't go on the record to even confirm the anime was cut short, at least not right away. The topic came up this past weekend, when a discussion on whether the After War Gundam X anime was cancelled started trending in Japan on X (formerly Twitter). Mobi...
GoFundMe Campaign Launches After Singer Matthew Sweet Suffers Stroke
'Girlfriend' singer cancels his remaining shows with Hanson on doctors' advice
― The management team behind musician Matthew Sweet announced a GoFundMe campaign on his Facebook page on October 23, after revealing he had suffered a stroke. Sweet first canceled a planned tour date in Toronto due to then-unspecified illness on October 13, then canceled all remaining tour stops through November 13 on th...
Precure Stage Event Asks Grown-Up Fans Not to Cosplay or Talk With Kids
Parents or guardians can still talk with their children
― One of the big Precure events each year is the stage show tour. Fans of all ages go to see that year's magical girl team in person, in cities all over Japan. But, with the shows open to both adult and children, certain precautions are set in place to ensure kids have a great time. And for the Wonderful Precure! Dream Stage this year, adult fan...
Voice Actor Yuichi Nakamura Completes Entire 1,400-Game Super Famicom Collection (in Box)
Nakamura: “I think I'll start a new hobby"
― Besides his prolific voice acting career, Yuichi Nakamura is the quintessential otaku. He has several “nerdy” hobbies — including but not limited to gunpla (Gundam plastic models) and video games. He recently completed a major gaming milestone: collecting every commercially released Super Famicom game in-box. Nakamura announced the feat in a live YouTube s...
Koichi Yamadera, Toshihiko Seki, Ryūsei Nakao, Other Voice Actors Discuss 'No More Unauthorized Generative AI' Effort
Voice actors bring up interesting points about ethical use of generative AI
― In a bid to prevent the unauthorized use of voices in generative AI, a number of Japanese voice actors announced on October 15 that they had founded the No More Mudan Seisei AI (No More Unauthorized Generative AI) group. After a short preview video featuring Ryusei Nakao, the group has launched a series of videos with voice...
Professional Cosplayer Enako Tells Fans: Saying 'You Look Like AI' Is Not a Compliment
Especially when generative AI uses images of cosplayers
― On October 16, professional cosplayer Enako took to her X (formerly Twitter) account with a musing regarding generative AI. Her message was not about the ethical use of AI nor even how people use the technology, but rather about an emerging trend of "complimenting" her photos as looking like AI. The professional cosplayer stated, "I feel uncom...
You Can Be an Extra on ON-GAKU: Our Sound Director's Next Film Hyakuemu
Go wild for Kenji Iwaisawa's climactic festival scene
― In 2019, director Kenji Iwaisawa debuted his film On-Gaku: Our Sound at the Ottawa Film Festival. A story following three high school delinquents who start a band, the film eschewed conventional animation and used rotoscope animation instead. As such, a set was built, and extras were cast for the climactic music festival. Now, for the director's...
AirAsia Introduces Sonic the Hedgehog Airplane
Gotta go fast
― In 1991, Sega debuted its iconic mascot Sonic in the Sonic the Hedgehog game for Sega Genesis, and he has since appeared in over 20 mainline games, many spinoffs, a handful of crossover games, numerous animated series, and most recently live-action films. In a historic moment for the franchise, Sega announced on September 25 that Sonic characters are appearing on AirAsia flights betwe...
Eiichiro Oda Wished One Piece App Could Turn 'Erotic' Photos Into His Art Style
But what exactly is erotic to the renowned manga creator?
― Shueisha and Bandai Namco Entertainment released the new One Piece Base app in Japan last week. Designed as a one-stop shop for all your One Piece needs, the app lets you read the manga and enjoy One Piece video content. One key feature converts any photo into the style of the manga's creator Eiichiro Oda for your profile picture. Of course,...
Hideaki Anno Reflects on Space Battleship Yamato Before Launching New Anime
'For me, Yamato is a work in which multiple worlds existed simultaneously'
― Hideaki Anno, co-creator and director of Neon Genesis Evangelion, announced on October 5 that he and his Khara studio would make a new Space Battleship Yamato anime film project. Anno said he could not reveal details on the project yet, but emphasized that it takes a different path from the ongoing remake projects launched b...
Newtype Magazine Returns in English — as a Free Giveaway at New York Comic Con
Overlord panel to also offer 1 copy signed by director Naoyuki Ito
― Crunchyroll brings back the Newtype magazine in English for one special edition at this year's New York Comic Con. The special issue features a cover with brand-new art of OVERLORD: The Sacred Kingdom, while the back cover features custom art from The Apothecary Diaries. Inside the covers, the issue includes an exclusive interview w...
STEINS;GATE 15th Anniversary Movie Teases It 'Will Continue'
But will it be an anime, game, or something else?
― Over the past 15 years, the Steins;Gate franchise has maintained its popularity through video games, anime, and manga. While the most recent projects include the Steins;Gate 0 game's promised Elite remake and tie-ins, there hasn't been much new in the last few years. However, fans needn't worry as a 15th anniversary video teases more to come. The Sc...
Transformers Crosses Over With Naruto, Monster Hunter
It's time to transform and roll out! Believe it!
― On August 26, Takara Tomy announced that the Transformers toy line is collaborating with some surprising franchises in Japan. The announcement teased Capcom's Monster Hunter games with few details. On September 27, Takara Tomy finally revealed the new Rathalos Prime (Liolaeus Prime in Japanese). And if that wasn't enough, Hasbro, the distributor of T...
Pikmin Blooms at Kura Revolving Sushi Bar Restaurant with Special Food/Collectibles
Collaboration runs from October 3-December 2
― In 2001, Super Mario Bros. and The Legend of Zelda creator Shigeru Miyamoto turned a love of gardening into a game called Pikmin. The series has since gotten several sequels, such as Pikmin 4 in July 2023 and spinoffs such as Niantic's free-to-play AR (augmented reality) walking app Pikmin Bloom in 2021. Nintendo's franchise has continued to bloom as it ...
Hatsune Miku to Headline Gundam Metaverse Concert
Unfortunately, the Vocaloid star doesn't seem to turn into a version of G Gundam's Nobel Gundam
― In February 2022, Bandai Namco Holdings announced its 15 billion yen (around US$130 million at the time) investment into the Gundam Metaverse Project. While the project has yielded two limited time experiences, it appears far from seeing an official full-fledged launch. This doesn't mean the project is o...
Naruto x Asian Kung-Fu Generation Unite for Rocking Music Video
Relive Shikamaru's story with Naruto Shippuden theme "Blood Circulator"
― While not synonymous with the Naruto franchise, the band Asian Kung-Fu Generation provided three iconic theme songs for Naruto, Naruto Shippuden, and Boruto: Naruto Next Generations anime. On October 10, Asian Kung-Fu Generation partnered with Weekly Shonen Jump magazine for a new music video featuring original manga drawings s...
Anime World Offers Condolences After Voice Actor Nobuyo Oyama's Passing, Part III
Those who knew her came together for their goodbyes
― News of Nobuyo Oyama's passing struck the anime fandom on October 11. Best known for her lead role in Doraemon, Oyama brought joy to children around the world. So, with sadness in many people's hearts, they send their messages to the voice actor conveying their gratitude and memories of her. Satoko Yamano これからも大山さんを感じながらドラえもんのうたをうたいます。心から…ありがとうござい...
Rica Matsumoto Denies Reportedly Leaked Pokémon Document on End of Ash/Pikachu Era
Matsumoto: 'I've been friends with Iku-chan since we were rookies'
― On Thursday, the Pokémon games' developer Game Freak announced it had suffered a data breach in August. The company said the breach leaked 2,606 names and email addresses of current and former employees. Over the past weekend, posts on social media claimed to leak gigabytes of information from upcoming projects and assets from past ...
Anime World Offers Condolences After Voice Actor Nobuyo Oyama's Passing, Part II
There is nothing but love, respect, & fond memories
― Nobuyo Oyama, the voice of the titular robot cat from Doraemon, passed away on September 29. Fully embracing her most famous role, Oyama delighted fans as Doraemon whenever she made an appearance on television or in person. Those memories live on in every person who ever met her, so it's no wonder so many are sending their condolences: Kohei Ashiy...
Anime World Offers Condolences After Voice Actor Nobuyo Oyama's Passing, Part I
Voice actors pay respects to their celebrated colleague
― On September 29, the anime world lost an icon with the passing of Nobuyo Oyama. As the first voice of Doraemon, Oyama's voice raised Japanese children for nearly a quarter of a century. As a beloved voice actor with such a long and venerable career, she influenced people from all walks of life, who now pay their respects. It is only fitting th...
Secretlab Powers Up With New Dragon Ball Z Gaming Chair
Secretlab's new chair themed around Goku reaches its final form
― Dragon Ball erupted with a gigantic Ki blast on Friday The late Akira Toriyama's classic series has remained popular since the original manga debuted in 1984, but Friday marked the release of the brand new Dragon Ball Daima anime series as well as the highly anticipated Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero game. Secretlab is joining in on the h...
Play Rock-Paper-Scissors With Life-Size Gundam Hands at Museum Exhibit
The life-size moving Gundam from Yokohama lives on
― When the life-sized moving Gundam statue rose above Yokohama's Yamashita Pier in December 2020, one of the attractions was playing rock-paper-scissors with the mobile suit. Unfortunately, March 31 was the final day for Gundam fans to play the game with the RX-78F00 Gundam, or so they thought. The Science Museum in Tokyo's Kitanomaru Park announced ...
Detective Conan's Voice-Changing Bow Tie & Playing Card-Shooting Gun Are Now Real
Now you can sedate detectives & solve mysteries like Conan & Kaito Kid
― When we think of Detective Conan, its myriad of gadgets immediately come to mind. Two of the most recognizable are the titular character's voice-changing bow tie and the playing card gun used by the cat burglar Kaito Kid. Now, the Premium Bandai brand is making them in real life. The Bandai Toys X (formerly Twitter) account anno...
Goku Gets New Float for 98th Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
They're Saiyan that Goku's gonna appear at this year's parade
― A staple of the holidays season in the United States, the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade treats viewers with several high-profile acts and oversized balloons. In the past quarter century, anime and game characters such as Pikachu, Sonic, One Piece's Luffy and Dragon Ball's Goku have graced the parade route. Toei Animation announced on We...
Nintendo Releases New Sound Clock 'Alarmo'
Alarmo features alarm sounds from Mario, The Legend of Zelda, more games
― Open your eyes... to Nintendo's new sound clock "Alarmo." Nintendo is no stranger to making products outside of video games, having started as a playing card producer and then toymaker back in 1889. However, Alarmo is neither a game nor a toy. Announced on Wednesday, Nintendo's new alarm clock features sounds from several of i...
Kotono Mitsuishi, Tomokazu Seki Magically Transform in Coffee Ads
It's a new type of transformation for the Sailor Moon & Fruits Basket leads
― As seen in classical theater, modern tokusatsu shows, and anime, the tradition of transformation is ingrained in Japanese entertainment. Now that tradition continues in a series of commercials for the Japanese Mt. Rainier brand of coffee. Voicing the transforming soy and oat lattes are two performers forever tied to magical...
Blue Giant Author Shinichi Ishizuka Designs Poster for Montreux Jazz Festival Japan
Jazz manga creator draws art for festival headlined by Herbie Hancock, Yoko Kanno Seatbelts
― In 2013, Shinichi Ishizuka set his pen to making Blue Giant, his manga focusing on the world of jazz. The series garnered wide acclaim and received a film treatment in 2023. It's no surprise that when the Montreux Jazz Festival Japan was seeking someone to design its 2024 visuals, it turned to Ishizuka. The ...
Grand Blue Dreaming Creator Kenji Inoue: We Got a Sequel, But a Baka & Test One Isn't Happening
Inoue noted even the Grand Blue Dreaming sequel is a miracle
― In the early 2010s, anime fans were treated to the anime series Baka and Test: Summon the Beasts while the original novel series by Kenji Inoue was still in the middle of its run. The anime series and its sequel were received relatively well but haven't seen a third series in over a decade. Then, another story by the author, the Grand Blu...
Sony Store Japan Uses Unique Anti-Scalping Method for 30th Anniversary PS5 Pro
Only buyers with 30+ hours logged onto Japanese PS account before announcement can pre-order special edition console
― In December 1994, the unlikeliest of companies entered the video game market: Sony with its first PlayStation console. The system popularized the use of discs over cartridges and gained massive success. Now, 30 years later, Sony is releasing a special 30th anniversary PlayStation 5 P...
Sherlock Holmes Museum Promotes 1st Detective Conan Film to Open in UK Theaters
Visit the museum for one of the namesakes of Japan's most famous child detective
― If there's one detective which fans all around the world love, it's Conan Edogawa from the hit manga Detective Conan. The manga has over 100 volumes and has spawned an anime that has aired for nearly 30 years, over 20 feature films, and numerous games. But for the first time in the franchise, the latest film, Detective...
Voice Actress Azumi Waki Announces Pregnancy
Voice of Frieren: Beyond Journey's End's Kanne to continue working while taking care of her health
― Azumi Waki, voice of Kanne from the Frieren: Beyond Journey's End anime, announced she was expecting her first child on her X (formerly Twitter) account on October 5: ご報告です。 pic.twitter.com/RWlxIwz02C— 和氣あず未 (@azumi_waki) October 5, 2024 I have an announcement In her message, Waki wrote (roughly tran...
One Piece, Jujutsu Kaisen Come to Universal Studios Hollywood's Fan Fest Nights
Separately ticketed, after-hours event begins on April 25 until May 18
― Universal Fan Fest Nights is a new separately ticketed, after-hours event that will kick off at Universal Studios Hollywood next spring. The event nights were first announced to cater to fans of sci-fi, fantasy, gaming and anime. Universal Studios is holding true to its word for that last part as it has announced during L.A. Com...
Final Fantasy Composer Nobuo Uematsu Puts AEW Wrestler Kenny Omega in Cobra Twist at Tokyo Game Show
The legendary video game musician has got the moves to win a world championship
― Over the final weekend of September, video game fans all over the world gathered at the Makuhari Messe convention center for the Tokyo Game Show 2024. Among those fans was All Elite Wrestling star and executive vice president Kenny Omega (Tyson Smith). There, the wrestling star had a chance meeting with legendary Final ...
Sushi Chain Lets You Order With Natsuki Hanae or Sho Hayami's Voice
Hear the Tokyo Ghoul co-stars order your sushi
― Hamazushi, a popular fast food sushi chains in Japan, announced on Wednesday a partnership with voice actors Natsuki Hanae and Sho Hayami — not as spokesmen for the brand per se, but as digital menu narrators. Starting on October 8, Hanae and Hayami will voice the touch panel menus that every diner uses to order dishes. While it's unclear which voice a...
Studio Trigger Releases Transformers One Collaboration Poster
See your favorite Transformers with that Trigger touch
― With a mix of toys and cartoons, the Transformers franchise has captured the imagination of multiple generations since the 1980s. After the new film Transformer One opened in Japan, the staff revealed last week a Gridman Universe-inspired Transformers One collaboration poster by Studio Trigger's Masaru Sakamoto. According to the official Japane...
Everyone's Favorite Shark Kozame Takes a Trip to Tokyo Tower
Collaboration with Odekake Kozame ran through September
― One of the dark horse anime of 2023 was Odekake Kozame. The cute adventures of the child shark Kozame captured the hearts of many viewers with shorts uploaded to YouTube weekly, and that popularity led to collaboration events all around Japan. The official X (formerly Twitter) account for the Red° Tokyo Tower amusement center announced on Augu...
Voice Actress Sora Tokui Announces Marriage
Voice of Love Live's Nico Yazawa, BanG Dream's Hinako Nijukki, Uma Musume's T.M. Opera O marries someone outside show biz
― Voice actress Sora Tokui, who voiced Nico Yazawa in Love Live! School idol project, announced on Tuesday that she married someone outside of the entertainment industry. みなさまへ徳井青空よりご報告です！！！ pic.twitter.com/n1SEJV4ebe— 徳井青空✌️the f00l (@tokui_sorangley) October 1, 2024 In her messa...
Lost Live-Action American Saint Seiya Pilot Episode Found
Ray Mona posted StarStorm, a year after uncovering the American-animated Guardians of the Cosmos
― Last year, lost media documentary YouTuber Ray Mona shared the full pilot episode for an American animated adaptation of the Saint Seiya manga and anime. This year, she uncovered the lost pilot episode from StarStorm, a proposed live-action adaptation of Saint Seiya. (This pilot was made three decades b...
Former VR Kanojo Team Launches Crowdfunding for New Virtual Girlfriend Game
Virtual romance never seemed so real
― The idea of a virtual romantic partner has been around for some time. While not the first instance, Ken Akamatsu's 1994 series A.I. Love You explored the concept during the rise of home personal computers. Then, the Japanese adult game brand Illusion released VR Kanojo, a virtual reality girlfriend simulator, in 2018. Illusion ended business operations last year...
Shoko Nakagawa Holds Free Concert Tour for New Single Release
Multi-talent to hit 14 events for Gundam: Silver Phantom single
― Multi-talent Shoko Nakagawa, oft referred to as Shoko-tan, is likely best known for her prolific music career with over 20 singles (many of which have been featured as anime or game theme songs), five albums, and countless collaborations with other artists over the years. Now joining her long repertoire is “Across the World” for the fe...
5 Satoshi Kon Films to Be Screened Over Director's Birthday Month
Honor the late director's birthday by watching his films in theaters
― In the realm of anime films, there are a handful of auteurs: Hayao Miyazaki, Mamoru Hosoda, Makoto Shinkai, and a few more. However, due to his untimely passing in August 2010, many tend to overlook Satoshi Kon. While his original films performed modestly upon their release, their influence in the medium is undeniable. So, what be...
Thunderbolt Fantasy Puppeteers Celebrate Takanori Nishikawa's Birthday With Special 'Puppet'
It's got all the glam you'd expect from the legendary singer
― A dark horse series from 2016, Thunderbolt Fantasy used traditional Chinese and Taiwanese puppeteering to captivate the imaginations of anime fans around the world. One person integral to the production is Takanori Nishikawa. He not only provided the theme song for all three seasons, but also the voice for the young, red-haired pipa-playi...
Detective Conan Anime Celebrates Edogawa Rampo With 2-Part Story Set at Rampo's Home
Just in time for the 130th birthday of the father of modern Japanese mystery novels
― Among the pantheon of modern Japanese storytellers are Ryunosuke Akutagawa, Osamu Dazai, Natsume Sōseki, Haruki Murakami — and Edogawa Rampo (Rampo Edogawa), almost inarguably the father of modern Japanese mystery novels. Best known for his Kogoro Akechi detective stories, his stories have inspired generations of Ja...
Love Hina/Negima's Ken Akamatsu Draws Poster for Japan's Next Prime Minister
But not in his usual manga style
― In 2022, Love Hina and Negima manga creator Ken Akamatsu ran for the Japanese House of Councilors in the center-right Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). Surprisingly, he became the first manga creator to win a seat, and has since been grappling with issues like Japan's controversial freelance invoice taxation and generative AI. Now, he has drawn a key visual for the LD...
Yoshitaka Amano Draws Batman Inspired by His Debut for 85th Anniversary
It's one page of action
― Created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger, Batman first appeared in Detective Comics #27's story “The Case of the Chemical Syndicate” in 1939. Since then, the caped crusader has appeared in several TV series, films, and video games. Now, on the iconic character's 85th anniversary, DC Comics asked seven artists to create original art pieces inspired by Batman's debut issue for the ...
Cristiano Ronaldo Teases Fatal Fury Appearance Ahead of Tokyo Game Show
Will he bring his soccer skills to the fighting game?
― One of the greatest soccer players playing today is Cristiano Ronaldo. But even the greatest soccer players need some hobbies, and what better hobby is there than appearing in the upcoming SNK game Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves? The legendary soccer forward posted a short Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves teaser to his X (formerly Twitter) account...
Shueisha Honors Naruto's 25th Anniversary With Special Video
Relive Masashi Kishimoto's masterpiece
― The late 1990s ushered in a new age of generation-defining manga series at Weekly Shonen Jump with Kazuki Takahashi's Yu-Gi-Oh!, Eiichiro Oda's One Piece, and Yoshihiro Togashi's Hunter x Hunter, among others. One of those series is undoubtedly Masashi Kishimoto's Naruto. Capturing the imagination of many readers with its dual protagonists and ninja action, th...
Sony Rolls Out Limited Edition PlayStation 5 Pro to Mark 30th Anniversary
PlayStation 5 Pro consoles with classic color schemes launch on November 21
― The original Sony PlayStation introduced a new future of gaming to Japan in December 1994 and to the West the following year. With its sleek gray disc-based console and iconic controller, the PlayStation made its mark into the video game industry, rivaling giants Nintendo and Sega. Now in its fifth iteration, the PlayStatio...
Jump TOON's Sci-Fi Manga Nuno Sanpo Inspires 'Opening Sequence-Like' Anime Promo Video
It's sooo good, you'd think/wish it's a real anime show
― Science-fiction writer Yuba Isukari and illustrator Ozu recently launched a new, full-color manga titled Nuno Sanpo on Shueisha's vertical-scrolling manga service Jump TOON on September 3. To celebrate the new manga, Toho Animation Studio released an "opening sequence-like" anime promotional video for the manga on Monday. Emphasis on the "-lik...
Tetsuya Nomura Doesn't Think Kingdom Hearts' Story Is Convoluted
He still watches Kingdom Hearts lore videos on YouTube, though
― If there is one thing fandoms tend to do it's overthinking the canon of their favorite stories, such as the Kingdom Hearts franchise. With three mainline games and far too many spinoffs and remakes, keeping track of everything can be a hassle. However, in a recent interview with Shueisha's Young Jump magazine, Kingdom Hearts creator Tet...
McDonald's x Hololive's Usada Pekora Collaborate for Moon Viewing Party
Just in time for the seasonal Tsukimi Burger in Japan
― It's autumn in Japan, and that means it's time for some moon viewing. Or viewing the moon vicariously with the McDonald's Japan's Tsukimi Burger — a seasonal burger that represents a full moon with an egg patty, along with a beef patty and bacon. It's a staple autumn fast-food item in Japan like pumpkin spice drinks are a staple autumn drink in ...
Bleach Anime Celebrates 20th Anniversary With Visual
See Ichigo Kurosaki & all his greatest adversaries
― It's hard to believe the anime of Tite Kubo's seminal manga Bleach is two decades old. Coming on the heels of other popular Weekly Shonen Jump adaptations, the Bleach anime made an almost instantaneous mark on the fandom and maintains a strong fanbase to this day. As a reward for the fans' dedication, the Bleach website renewed this week with a new...
Voice Actress Mikako Komatsu Expecting Her 2nd Child
Voice of Edens Zero's Rebecca Bluegarden announces her pregnancy
― Mikako Komatsu, voice of Rebecca Bluegarden from Edens Zero, announced that she was expecting her second child in a short but seasonal message to her fans on Instagram on September 18: View this post on Instagram A post shared by 小松未可子 (@mikako_komatsu) Komatsu wrote (roughly translated): It's moon-viewing season.
It seems yesterday ...
Venom: The Last Dance & Birth of Kitaro Collaborate in New Video
Eddie's Junichi Suwabe, Mizuki's Hidenobu Kikuchi narrate video screening in theaters
― When it comes to collaborations, some make sense like Godzilla and King Kong. Sometimes they are odd, albeit connected by a theme, such as this year's Dune and Gundam Seed Freedom collaboration. As Japan enters the spooky season, two vastly different movies join forces for a video screening in theaters: the R15+-r...
Monogatari x Steins;Gate Collaborate for Joint 15th Anniversary
It's mind warping
― Monogatari and Steins;Gate are two modern franchises that have maintained their popularity over the years. They each garnered multiple entries in their original media format (novels for Monogatari and video games for Steins;Gate), and expanded into the realms of anime and manga. While both are coming up on or just past their respective 15th anniversaries (for the anime in Monogata...
Hisashi Hirai, Satoshi Shigeta Unveil Original Art for Gundam Seed Freedom Film's Mighty Edition BD Box
Unfortunately, Takanori Nishikawa's Gundam Seed art didn't make it onto the cover
― At the beginning of 2024, the anime world was graced with the long-awaited Mobile Suit Gundam Seed film. Selling 634,182 tickets in Japan in its first three days in theaters, its success in the Gundam franchise is unparalleled. With the upcoming physical release of the film, fans will undoubtedly want amazing extras w...
Tokyo Government To Project Pac-Man, Godzilla, YOASOBI on Metropolitan Government Office
See the iconic video game character waka waka over the Government Office
― It's not uncommon for famous building to be lit up for special occasions. For instance, the Tokyo Skytree and Tokyo Tower are often illuminated for events such as the Olympics, LGBT+ events, and other special occasions. However, it's rare for a government building to be illuminated with a product or recognizable fictional char...
Akio Ōtsuka, Kenjirō Tsuda, Miku Itō Star as Energy Drinks in CalorieMate Game
And the game looks surprisingly fun
― In the realm of video games, there are several games based solely on product placement, such as Pepsiman from 1999 or the Burger King games from 2006. Regardless of their quality, they're a fascinating part of video game history. Adding to that history is a game featuring the Japanese energy bar and drink brand CalorieMate. The CalorieMate X (formerly Twitter) ac...
Gear Up & Pilot a Life-Size Ingram Mecha From Patlabor the Mobile Police
Well, more like the torso of the Ingram
― What's better than seeing a life-size anime robot? Piloting a life-size anime robot. While the technology isn't quite entirely there yet, there are a handful of companies building pilotable robotic mecha. One of those companies is MOVeLOT, and we got a chance to look at and even sit in their AV-X30 Ingram from Patlabor the Mobile Police. Nestled under the sil...
McDonald's x Genshin Impact Collaboration That Fans Will Be Lovin'
Almost like a Happy Meal for adults
― McDonald's is well-known for collaborations with children's properties for their Happy Meal sets. Rare are those collaborations geared for adults, but now the fast-food chain is planning one with the massively popular video game Genshin Impact. The McDonald's X (formerly Twitter) account announced the collaboration with Genshin Impact on September 11. The company...
Anime World Offers Condolences After Voice Actor Emi Shinohara's Passing, Part II
Creators, artists, & fans came together for their farewells
― The anime world was stunned once again with the news of voice actor Emi Shinohara's passing on September 8. Known for her roles as Makoto Kino (Sailor Jupiter) in Sailor Moon, Kushina Uzumaki in the Naruto franchise, and Presea from Magic Knight Rayearth, Shinohara had a distinguished career in many anime series over several decades. Her w...
The Highly Anticipated Transformers and Trigger Collab Video is Availalble Worldwide Finally (Updated)
SSSS.Gridman's Akira Amemiya directed and storyboarded the nearly 4 minute video
― Update: The official X/Twitter account for the Transformers franchise has posted the video, and it is available worldwide! Transformers 40th Anniversary Special Movie 大絶賛公開中 ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ BUMP OF CHICKEN × TRIGGER × Transformers… pic.twitter.com/18vmfw1pYA— 【公式】トランスフォーマー情報局 (@TF_pr) September 13, 2024 (The YouT...
Anime World Offers Condolences After Voice Actor Emi Shinohara's Passing, Part I
Colleagues pay respects to celebrated voice actor
― 2024 has not been kind to anime and manga fans. We were first hit with the passing of beloved manga creator Akira Toriyama. Then came summer with passing after passing of legendary voice actors. Now as we head into autumn, anime fans were struck with the news of Emi Shinohara's passing. Known for roles such as Makoto Kino (Sailor Jupiter) in Sailor ...
Shonen Jump Celebrates Hunter x Hunter Volume 38 With Promotional Video
See what the Phantom Troupe was up to since volume 37
― Hunter x Hunter is an anomaly in Weekly Shonen Jump magazine. It's one of those series that maintains its popularity despite its creator Yoshihiro Togashi putting the series on frequent hiatuses. But when the series returns to the magazine, it's often met with resounding praise. And what better way to celebrate the latest volume of Hunter x Hunt...
Exploring The Tokiwaso Manga Museum x Capcom Exhibition
There are some fun exhibits for you to explore.
― On July 20 the Toshima City Tokiwaso Manga Museum began the "TezuCap Fighting Universe 2" exhibition. A collaboration between Capcom and Tezuka Productions, the exhibition features original works from Capcom and Tezuka Productions, a history of Capcom fighting games, some delightful crossover artwork, and a few fun little gems at the Tokiwaso Manga Mu...
Toby Fox x Zun Collab on New Song in Touhou Touhou: Danmaku Kagura Phantasia
And we got a surprisingly short 0.1-second clip of the song
― One of the most successful bullet hell shoot 'em up video games is undoubtedly the Touhou Project series of games. Started in 1997 as an independent work, it has gone from a niche PC game to being supported on several game consoles and Steam. After nearly 30 years, the franchise has produced 19 mainline games and 13 spinoff games. And the ...
New Cup Noodle Ad Riffs on El Shaddai
Cup Noodle continues its tradition of parodying famous works
― Nisshin Cup Noodle commercials are an interesting bunch. Often bordering on the absurd, they are nothing if not memorable, such as in 2010 when the instant noodle brand aired a whole series of commercials parodying famous songs such as “I was Born to Love You” by Freddie Mercury and “You Give Love a Bad Name” by Bon Jovi. Continuing in th...
Koichi Yamadera, Maaya Sakamoto Went Full Costume for Their Beetlejuice Beetlejuice Dub
They fully experienced the world of Tim Burton
― When we think of voice acting, the last thing that comes to mind is how the actors dress for a recording session. While they likely choose clothes that's comfortable and will not be picked up on the microphone, the one thing they don't have to wear is the outfit of their character. But this wasn't the case for the Japanese dub's voice cast members for ...
Grammy-Winning Music Producer Zedd Speaks About Working on Dragon Ball Daima
Announcement came just one day after his birthday
― On September 4, a new trailer dropped for the upcoming, much anticipated anime series Dragon Ball Daima. Along with new cast members, the trailer revealed that Grammy Award-winning artist Zedd, Yukinojo Mori, and C&K collaborated for the series' opening theme song “Jaka Jaan.” Following the announcement, Zedd expressed his feelings about working on ...
Bocchi the Rock x Chibi Godzilla Unite For Cute Collab
Bocchizilla & Godzilla aren't just invading Toho Shinjuku anymore
― Most anime films released in Japan come with a little extra for all ticket holders — sometimes reprint of key frames, other times a legendary Pokémon, most of the time a mini-autograph board or illustration card. But it is rare when the mini-autograph board or illustration card is a collaboration for the ages. This was the case for t...
Manga Creator Kazuhiko Shimamoto Plays Himself in Super Sentai Cameo
Aoi Honō creator also designs the enemies in latest show, Bakuage Sentai Boonboomger
― Starting in 1974 with Himitsu Sentai Gorenger, the Super Sentai franchise has become an institution in Japan with 49 different teams with various themes. When a beloved figure in the entertainment industry appears in an episode, it's often fun and puts them in some sort of danger. This was the case for manga creato...
Laputa: Castle in the Sky's Climax Fails to Trend #1 on X/Twitter in 19th Airing
Other hashtags about the movie did rank in Japan earlier in the day
― Almost without a doubt an airing of Laputa: Castle in the Sky generates a lot of buzz on Japanese social media. Having broken X's (formerly Twitter's) worldwide posts-per-second record in 2013 and reaching roughly half that number in 2016, Japanese people love taking to the platform just to post “Balse” as the film's protagonists, ...
Starforge Systems Reveals Limited Edition Frieren: Beyond Journey's End PC Collection
Take your computer hardware & wrap it in Frieren and company
― Computers have become an integral part of many of our lives. But sometimes they're not the best-looking item we own. However, anime fans now have a chance to own a computer wrapped in our favorite characters from Frieren: Beyond Journey's End from Starforge Systems. Starforge Systems announced the Frieren: Beyond Journey's End collaborati...
Leading Manga Creators Partner for Noto & Taiwan Quake Charity Auction
Auction pieces currently on display at Tokyo's Former Residence of Theodora Ozaki
― On New Years Day and April 3, the Noto Peninsula, Japan and Hualien City, Taiwan were devastated by powerful earthquakes. While life is slowly returning to some semblance of normalcy, help is still needed in both locations. Many people and companies have pitched in for relief, and from August 23 to September 30, the F...
Naomi Osaka Wears Magical Girl-Inspired Outfits at U.S. Open
Tennis phenom 'transforms' when she walks onto court
― One of the greatest innovations in manga and anime storytelling was the introduction of the magical girl series. First developed by Fujio Akatsuka's Himitsu no Akko-chan in 1962, the genre has seen radical shifts over the years: the battling magical schoolgirls of Naoko Takeuchi's Sailor Moon in 1992 and more adult-themed stories with Puella Magi...
Uma Musume's Finger Lickin' Good KFC Ad Is Almost as Weird as We Hoped
You won't know what you just watched after seeing the commercial
― As one of the largest fast-food chicken chains in Japan since 1970, Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) popularized eating chicken on Christmas in the island nation. There's a perception that it otherwise eschews major collaborations, but when it does, it brings some wild promotional material. This is the case with the recent collaboration w...
Gintama Manga Creator Hideaki Sorachi Remakes Gintoki's 1st Appearance
Remake shows the evolution of Sorachi's art style
― In early December 2003, a cheeky mix of science fiction, historical fiction, and comedy graced the pages of Weekly Shonen Jump in Hideaki Sorachi's manga Gintama. The misadventures of Gintoki Sakata take place in a reimagined Meiji Restoration Japan, after aliens arrived in their “black ships” and the island nation opened to the rest of the world. N...
Japanese Government, Anime Studios Team Up to Develop Next Generation of Animators
Global Anime Challenge allows 6 young talents from Japan to intern at studios overseas
― On July 31, the Global Anime Challenge (GAC) project took its first steps to develop the next generation of Japanese animators. The GAC is now taking applications for six talented young animators, producers, and directors to “experience internships at world-class studios outside of Japan for three months.” A pres...
Boston Red Sox, Seattle Mariners Give Away One Piece Bobblehead, Naruto-Inspired Headband
Mariners outfielder/Naruto super fan Julio Rodríguez homers for the win on Wednesday
― At one point, it was difficult thinking anime and American professional sports would ever cross paths. However, over the past decade or so, more and more athletes and their organizations outside of Japan are opening up about their love of anime. Major League Baseball (MLB) hosted not one, but two anime-themed givea...
Kagurabachi Tops Print Category, Girl Meets Rock! Wins in Web Category of Next Manga Awards 2024
Kamome Maruyono's I Love Dokagui! Mochizuki-san is the inaugural winner of the new Nichirei Prize
― Takeru Hokazono's Kagurabachi manga took first place in the Print Manga category, and Kuwahali and Tetsuo Ideuchi's Girl Meets Rock! manga won the top prize in the Web Manga category of the Next Manga Awards 2024 (Tsugi ni Kuru Manga Taishō). Kagurabachi runs in Shueisha's Weekly Shonen Jump magazine....
One-Punch Man Artist's Son Places 2nd in National High School Bodybuilding Championship
He's blown past One Punch Man & achieved All Might
― It's bodybuilding season, and that means muscular man-men in skimpy shorts showing off their muscular man-meat in the culmination of their hard work and dieting. The bodybuilding season generally starts in late February or early March with the Arnold Classic and concludes in early October with the crowning of Mr. Olympia at the Mr. Olympia competit...
Anime Industry Veteran Jan Scott-Frazier Launches Crowdfunding for Help Moving Into Assisted Living
Frazier was the first foreigner to work in the production department of a Japanese animation studio
― Anime industry veteran Jan Scott Frazier launched a GoFundMe crowdfunding campaign on Friday to help her move into assisted living. Frazier wrote that she had been in the hospital for the entire summer. As she can no longer live in her townhome, she has to move into assisted living and needs help mov...
Transformers Collide With Godzilla, Macross, Monster Hunter, Zoids for Crossover Toys
Plus Zoids collaborate with Spider-Man, Monster Hunter, Patlabor, Diaclone
― If there's one thing that sparks the inner child of people around the world, it's a toy robot. From buildable models such as Gunpla or Zoids to transformable toys like Transformers or Shinkalion, people love them all. But Japanese toy maker Takara Tomy takes one bold step further by combining three of their major robot toy l...
Mashle: Magic and Muscles Finally Gets a Collaboration with Beard Papa's in the U.S.
Munch like Mash on themed cream puffs in all 42 Beard Papa's stores in December
― Mashle: Magic and Muscles fans in the U.S., your time has come! Aniplex of America announced at Anime NYC on Saturday that the anime is getting a collaboration with the famed Beard Papa's cream puff chain this December. The collaboration will take place at all 42 stores in the U.S. with Mashle-themed flavors and mercha...
The Anime/Manga World Offers Condolences on Voice Actor Atsuko Tanaka's Passing, Part III
Figures from all over the Japanese entertainment industry pay their respects to the beloved voice actor
― News of distinguished voice actor Atsuko Tanaka's passing sent waves throughout the Japanese entertainment industry. Directors, illustrators, manga creators, musicians, and many others have been influenced by Tanaka, thanks to her illustrious career voicing Ghost in the Shell's Major Motoko Kusan...
The Anime/Manga World Offers Condolences After Voice Actor Atsuko Tanaka's Passing, Part II
Voice actors all around the anime industry pay their respects to the legendary voice actor.
― Summer 2024 has been a heartbreaking season for anime fans. After the passing of Noriko Ohara on July 23 and the announcement of Keiko Yamamoto's passing on July 29, the anime world was once again struck with the tragic news of renowned voice actor Atsuko Tanaka's passing. With a distinguished career voicing...
#DRCL midnight children, Delicious in Dungeon Win 1st American Manga Awards
Neighborhood Story, Stephen Kohler, Lys Blakeslee, Adam Grano also awarded
― Japan Society and Anime NYC announced the winners for the first American Manga Awards at a ceremony at Japan Society's Lila Acheson Wallace Auditorium in Midtown Manhattan, New York City on Thursday (the night before this year's Anime NYC event begins). The American Manga Awards celebrate manga creators and publishers who ha...
Akira Amano Draws New Key Art For Suicide Squad Isekai Anime
Manga creator/character designer presents second piece for series
― This summer, the American comic publisher DC Comics brought a classic team to the realm of anime: the villainous, although sometimes antiheroic, Suicide Squad. What better way to celebrate the Suicide Squad Isekai series than with a new key visual by manga creator Akira Amano. The official X (formerly Twitter) account for DC Japan un...
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