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The Spring 2023 Anime Preview Guide
Megumin's explosive spin-off is here! Does it hold up to the original Konosuba? See our reviews of Konosuba: An Explosion on This Wonderful World!, KamiKatsu: Working for God in a Godless World, Skip and Loafer, I Got a Cheat Skill in Another World, Tokyo Mew Mew New Season 2, and more!
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Adblock+ breaks this page, consider whitelisting ANN Welcome to Anime News Network's Spring 2023 Anime Preview G...
AnimeJapan 2023 Cosplay Gallery
Characters new and old turned out for the big convention last weekend!
― To change the opening line of Edgar Allan Poe's poem The Raven a bit, "Once upon a midday dreary" anime fans from across the world gathered at the Tokyo Big Site to enjoy the offerings of AnimeJapan 2023. Many come for the booth, stage shows, and merch. But there are those who come for the cosplay. Here are some of the cosplay w...
Could Taisu Be the Ideal International Anime Collaboration?
Producer Chirying Culture gave Cowboy Bebop creator Shinichiro Watanabe the chance to fulfill his dream of creating "an animation like a picture book."
― International companies are increasingly involved in producing and commissioning new anime projects, with international talent playing a progressively integral role in bringing them to life. Outsourcing production to foreign studios and companies ha...
Our Most Anticipated Anime of Spring 2023
What series are you most looking forward to watching? Here are the ANN Editorial Staff's picks for the most promising series for spring!
― Welcome to our Most Anticipated Anime feature for the Spring 2023 season. Below you'll find our editorial team's (tentative) top picks from the shows slated to premiere in April. There's a wide variety of shows to choose from and little cross-over for our team's ...
The Best and Worst Anime of Winter 2023
Winter was a far quieter season compared to its loud, bombastic brother (aka Fall 2022). While media can live and die by its ability to hype up an audience, our editorial team still managed to uncover some worthwhile entertainment this season.
― Winter was a far quieter season compared to its loud, bombastic brother (aka Fall 2022). While media can live and die by its ability to hype up an audience,...
Your Anime Rankings - Best of Winter 2023, Mar 19-25
As the Winter season is gradually wrapping up, spots #8-13 in the cumulative remain furiously undecided! Find out how your favorite shows performed in our weekly user rankings.
― Let's have a look at what ANN readers consider the best (and worst) of the season,
based on the polls you can find in our Daily Streaming Reviews
and on the Your Score page with the latest simulcasts. Keep in mind that thes...
The Spring 2023 Trailer Watch Party!
Watch all of this season's trailers with Lynzee Loveridge, Jacki Jing, James Beckett, and Geoff Thew from Mother's Basement!l We start live at 5pm PDT/8pm EDT tonight!
― Watch all of this season's trailers with Lynzee Loveridge, Jacki Jing, James Beckett, and Geoff Thew from Mother's Basement! Find out your next "must-watch" in the 48 anime series set to premiere in April. Will we survive the entire ...
A Glance into Junji Ito's Horror: Uzumaki, Black Bird, and Enigma at Amigara Fault
In the context of pop culture, Ito's style has come to stand out from the norms with unique characters and stories that leap off the page.
― Over the years, Japanese media has earned a distinguished place on the stage of contemporary horror. Some may even consider them a forerunner, with works such as Ringu and Ju-On setting the bar for the genre. That said, the boom of J-horror in the 90s' was perha...
The Spring 2023 Trailer Watch Party!
Watch all of this season's trailers with Lynzee Loveridge, Jacki Jing, James Beckett, and Geoff Thew from Mother's Basement! Find out your next "must-watch" in the 48 anime series set to premiere in April. Will we survive the entire stream? Will we unlock the hidden power of friendship and find our magical girl alter-egos? See for yourselves, live on Friday March 24 at 5pm Pacific/8pm Eastern!
― Watc...
Your Anime Rankings - Best of Winter 2023, Mar 12-18
The Ice Guy and His Cool Female Colleague has been getting better week after week, and it's now paying off in the cumulative. Discover what else is moving in the rankings!
― Let's have a look at what ANN readers consider the best (and worst) of the season,
based on the polls you can find in our Daily Streaming Reviews
and on the Your Score page with the latest simulcasts. Keep in mind that these ran...
What 'Witch' Means in Gundam: Witch From Mercury
“History does not repeat, but it often rhymes.” Brian Stremick uncovers the parallels between the latest Gundam series and the European witch hunts of the 15-17th centuries.
― “History does not repeat, but it often rhymes.” One of the best anime franchises to depict this concept is Mobile Suit Gundam. Since the first TV anime aired in 1979, this franchise has shown that for all the technological or p...
Suiting Up to Battle Dinos in Exoprimal
So far, Exoprimal has a fantastic foundation to work with. The game looks amazing, the matches are hectic and fun (if a bit long-winded), and there seems to be a good story on the horizon.
― Team-based hero shooters have to do a lot of work to get out from under Overwatch's massive shadow. Capcom is looking forward to establishing a contender with their upcoming Exoprimal, with a bonus: it's not just...
Arc System Works World Tour Crowns Two New Champions
Players credit netcode use for helping level the playing field internationally.
― Last weekend, DNF Duel and Guilty Gear -Strive- (GGS) awarded winners, Mocchii and GO1, for coming out on top after a grueling day of hard-fought battles. The sold-out event featured the chance to experience the World Tour finals in person alongside the top qualifying players. While living out the excitement alongside ...
Everything You Need to Know Before Going to Super Nintendo World
Let's-a-go to Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios! The lines might have you saying "Mamma Mia!" but we've got the cheat codes you need to make the most of it.
― Let's-a-go to Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios! Regrettably, though, the lines will surely have you screaming "Mamma Mia!", but don't you worry, we made you a walkthrough, breaking down everything you need to know and how to g...
Your Anime Rankings - Best of Winter 2023, Mar 5-11
The weekly ups and downs are interesting, but Vinland Saga rules all with supreme stability. See how your favorite shows stack up this week!
― Let's have a look at what ANN readers consider the best (and worst) of the season,
based on the polls you can find in our Daily Streaming Reviews
and on the Your Score page with the latest simulcasts. Keep in mind that these rankings are based on how people r...
No, You Can't Make Anime with AI
Mimicking the recognizable work of skilled animators does not mean AI or its users understand the artistic decisions behind anime production.
― It's been difficult to ignore the conversations that have surrounded the development of AI tools lately. With Midjourney using prompts to generate images and OpenAI's ChatGPT able to generate seemingly comprehensive text, it feels like we're on the precipice ...
Top 10(ish) Games To Look Out For On Nintendo Switch Online
Need some help deciding which classic games to try on Nintendo Switch Online? We're here to tell you about the best games available and which upcoming titles to look out for!
― Nintendo's Virtual Console on Wii, Wii U, and 3DS was an amazing gift: a way for players to buy, download, and enjoy classic games from a variety of old consoles. Not just old Nintendo hits, but even classics from the Turbogra...
The Double Writer's Guide to Kamen Rider
With Hideaki Anno's Shin Kamen Rider hitting Japanese theaters, now's a good time to sink into the series. Here's a guide on the best films and shows available in North America.
― With Hideaki Anno's Shin Kamen Rider hitting Japanese theaters, we decided it may not be a bad time to take a look at the slowly but surely growing collection of Kamen Rider series and films available in North America. In t...
Hands-on With NARUTO×BORUTO VR
Ever wanted to run around the Hidden Leaf Village to team up with Naruto and friends to fight ninjas? Then have I got the game for you.
― Ever wanted to run around the Hidden Leaf Village to team up with Naruto and friends to fight ninjas? Then have I got the game for you. From March 21 to May 28, NARUTO×BORUTO VR will be playable on the fourth floor of DiverCity in Odaiba, Tokyo. ANN was able to try...
Your Anime Rankings - Best of Winter 2023, Feb 26-Mar 4
After a slow start to the season, Miss Nagatoro climbs into the cumulative top 10! Find out where your favorite shows rank this week.
― Let's have a look at what ANN readers consider the best (and worst) of the season,
based on the polls you can find in our Daily Streaming Reviews
and on the Your Score page with the latest simulcasts. Keep in mind that these rankings are based on how people rated in...
Inside Bandai Namco's First Akihabara Arcade
On March 1, the Namco Akihabara-ten arcade opened at the site of the recently closed GiGO Akihabara Arcade #4. This is Bandai Namco's first-ever Akihabara arcade, so ANN dropped by on opening day to see what it had to offer.
― On March 1, a new arcade, the "Namco Akihabara-ten," opened at the site of the recently closed GiGO (formerly Sega) Akihabara Arcade #4 across the street from Akihabara Station...
The Many Adaptations of Death Note
Hollywood can't get enough of Death Note. With yet another adaptation reportedly in the works from Netflix, Kennedy looks at the series' many versions, both fan-made and official.
― Since the manga's completion in 2006, Death Note has been adapted 5 times, and has yet another adaptation said to be on the way. If that sounds like a lot, it's because it is. Most manga can realistically hope for only o...
Tonari Animation's CEO on Which Innovations Will Help the Anime Industry
As the labor shortage in the anime industry deepens, global animation studios like Tonari Animation might be the answer.
― If there's one thing Tonari Animation CEO Jarrett Martin wants anime fans to know about the Japanese animation industry, it's how long it takes to make anime. “For one episode of anime, it takes about six months with a team of people, and they're all working from sun up to sun do...
Your Anime Rankings - Best of Winter 2023, Feb 19-25
Danmachi is keeping up a high level of tension that is propelling it in the cumulative. Find out how your favorite shows stacked up according to viewer votes.
― Let's have a look at what ANN readers consider the best (and worst) of the season,
based on the polls you can find in our Daily Streaming Reviews
and on the Your Score page with the latest simulcasts. Keep in mind that these rankings are bas...
Fan Meetup Celebrates Digimon's 25th Anniversary
Check out the exhibit of over 140 artworks from the world of Digimon!
― Bandai Namco is hosting a free fan event at the L.A. Convention Center from February 23rd to 26th. The exhibition celebrates Digimon's 25-year legacy from its start as a virtual pet toy and provides fans with an update on the franchise in the present day. The event features a small art exhibit of over 140 artworks split into fou...
PREVIEW: Arcana of Paradise - The Tower Game
Arcana of Paradise - The Tower looks simple at first glance, but its straightforward appearance belies a satisfying deck-builder roguelike.
― Arcana of Paradise -The Tower is a real-time roguelike deckbuilding survival adventure published by SHUEISHA GAMES and developed by TASTO ALPHA. Originally set to be released in late 2022 under the title The Tower: To the Bottom, the newly renamed Arcana of Pa...
PREVIEW: Atelier Ryza 3: Alchemist of the End & the Secret Key
With Atelier Ryza 3's release fast approaching, fans can look forward to an emotional send-off to Reisalin Stroud.
― With Atelier Ryza 3: Alchemist of the End & the Secret Key, fans are staring down the end of the story of the young upstart alchemist Reisalin Stout –“Ryza” to her friends. The Atelier Ryza trilogy has maintained the Atelier franchise's tradition of cozy atmosphere with charming charac...
Your Anime Rankings - Best of Winter 2023, Feb 12-18
The Eminence in Shadow blasts its way to #1 thanks to a finale worthy of the name "I Am Atomic". And it's not the only series shaking up the cumulative rankings this week!
― Let's have a look at what ANN readers consider the best (and worst) of the season,
based on the polls you can find in our Daily Streaming Reviews
and on the Your Score page with the latest simulcasts. Keep in mind that these ran...
World's Collide at Demon Slayer: To The Swordsmith Village Red Carpet Premiere
We chatted with voice actor Natsuki Hanae, producer Yūma Takahashi, and the English dub cast at the Demon Slayer Anime's Swordsmith Village Arc red carpet premiere!
― Thousands of Demon Slayer fans lined up bright and early around the Los Angeles Orpheum Theatre for an early screening of the upcoming season. Special guests included Natsuki Hanae, producer Yuma Takahashi, and members of the English vo...
Why Creators Root For Akane-banashi
The creators of One Piece, Evangelion, and Re:Zero share one thing in common: a love for Akane-banashi. What is it about this manga that makes it such a darling among creators?
― When an artist publicly endorses another artist's work, it can be easy to assume that that recommendation has to be partially motivated by some kind of aesthetic or thematic similarity to their own. Fans of One Piece, Evange...
The Newest Figures from Wonder Festival 2023 [Winter]
Check out all the amazing figures from one of the biggest merchandising events in Japan!
― On a sunny and warm Saturday, this writer traveled down to the Makuhari Messe to attend Wonder Festival 2023 [Winter]. Little did I know I was 24 hours early. All because the figures, both commercially and independently made, were calling out to me. The patience paid off and here are some of the highlights of f...
How Ballmastrz: Rubicon Became an Anime with Creator Christy Karacas
Ballmastrz: 9009 and Superjail! creator Christy Karacas is no stranger to Japanese animation. Find out how his show is getting the anime treatment through a series of fortunate events.
― Ballmastrz: 9009 and Superjail! creator Christy Karacas is no stranger to Japanese animation, and it's through a series of fortunate events that his show is getting the anime treatment. The Ballmastrz: Rubicon specia...
Studio Chizu Shares Vision of the Future at JX '23
Studio producer Yuichiro Saito emphasized family as the global core value, which the studio uses as a compass to “chart a map” into a “brighter, more hopeful future.”
― Hosted at the Grammy Museum, the inaugural JX '23 honored Studio Chizu as a cultural pioneer for its global success in film. JX, which stands for Japan Crossover, brought together guests from all facets of the entertainment industry u...
Wonder Festival 2023 [Winter] Cosplay Gallery
Check out all the cosplayers from this year's event, featuring characters from current series and some classic throwbacks!
― After a snowy and dreary Friday and a national holiday on Saturday, cosplayers were ready for the beautiful weather for Wonder Festival 2023 [Winter]. There were certainly a lot of cosplay of older works at the event, but if you looked around, there were plenty of newer franchi...
Your Anime Rankings - Best of Winter 2023, Feb 5-11
The Eminence in Shadow is going all-out as it approaches its finale. Discover which other series stand out in our weekly user rankings!
― Let's have a look at what ANN readers consider the best (and worst) of the season,
based on the polls you can find in our Daily Streaming Reviews
and on the Your Score page with the latest simulcasts. Keep in mind that these rankings are based on how people rated ...
Powerful Weirdos: Seeing my Neurodivergence in Shonen Protagonists
On top of shōnen heroes' potential for deep, powerful storytelling in their undying determination, fighting-against-the-world narratives, they also serve as a fantastic source of neurodivergent representation.
― There's more than meets the eye to Goku—in fact, there's more than meets the eye to Naruto, Luffy, Asta, and most shonen battle protagonists. Though they seem like just simple-minded, rude, a...
PREVIEW: Fatal Frame: Mask of the Lunar Eclipse
As a horror title, Mask of the Lunar Eclipse excels at eliciting jump scares, but the ghost design is pretty stale.
― Anime News Network was provided with a preview build for this title. The following impressions are based solely on the game's first three chapters. This preview was played on 'Normal' difficulty. Next month, Koei Tecmo will release Fatal Frame: Mask of the Luna Eclipse for the first t...
Your Anime Rankings - Best of Winter 2023, Jan 29-Feb 4
Magical girls and princesses are doing pretty well for themselves this season. Find out how your favorite shows fared in our weekly user rankings.
― Let's have a look at what ANN readers consider the best (and worst) of the season,
based on the polls you can find in our Daily Streaming Reviews
and on the Your Score page with the latest simulcasts. Keep in mind that these rankings are based on how pe...
How High Card's Staff Came Up With The Crazy Action
Filled with high-stakes thrills and supernatural battles, we spoke to the staff, including the Kakegurui manga duo, about developing the original project.
―
“Are you ready? Itʼs Showdown!!” The High Card anime begins with a literal bang. Filled with high-stakes thrills and supernatural battles, what makes High Card unique is how the powers are centered around the 52 X-Playing Cards. This allows for ...
Honey and Clover, Then and Now
Is Honey & Clover the perfect encapsulation of college life?
― The first time I watched Honey and Clover, I was in my freshman year of college. My school was on the other side of the country from the city where I'd grown up, and I was having a hard time adjusting and finding my people. I knew they were out there, that I'd just had yet to encounter them, but those first few months were a lonely time. ...
Norse Culture as a Source of Inspiration for the Vinland Saga Phenomenon
Yukimura built up his narrative as less history lesson and more expedition at sea, throwing several pieces of insight for us to fish out.
― Bringing forward an outstanding set of legendary figures and mixing them well enough to create an original narrative in Vinland Saga, Makoto Yukimura raised the standards for historical storytelling. With its heart for tragedy and unforgiving violence, season two...
Your Anime Rankings - Best of Winter 2023, Jan 1-28
We're starting the busiest season ever, with 44 titles in the rankings! Can we survive such a deluge of crisscrossing lines?
― Let's have a look at what ANN readers consider the best (and worst) of the season,
based on the polls you can find in our Daily Streaming Reviews
and on the Your Score page with the latest simulcasts. Keep in mind that these rankings are based on how people rated individual ...
Anime's 3-Episode Rule: Is It Still Valid?
You've heard it before. "Give it three episodes and see what happens." It's considered tried-and-true advice before dropping an anime, but is still useful?
― Generally speaking, certain rules and tropes in anime are somewhat universally agreed upon: In romance anime with multiple love interests, the childhood friend will likely not get together with the main character; or on the lewder side, if the m...
Inside Polygon Pictures with Kaina of the Great Snow Sea Executive Producer Hideki Moriya
Andrew Osmond tours the remote-work-friendly studio and gets the lowdown on Polygon Picture's latest work, Kaina of the Great Snow Sea.
― In December 2022, I had the fortune to visit Polygon Pictures, the digital studio whose latest series, Kaina of the Great Snow Sea, recently began on Crunchyroll. Polygon's previous titles include Knights of Sidonia, based on a manga by Tsutomu Nihei, who also orig...
What in the World is a Final Fantasy XIV World Race?
Find out why this fan-made event has resulted in some of the most exciting moments in this Final Fantasy XIV and MMO history.
― Final Fantasy XIV's newest “Ultimate” boss fight was released on Tuesday. With it, competitors, streamers, viewers, and casters are gathered once again to commentate and celebrate a fan-made event that has resulted in some of the most exciting moments in this game's history,...
PREVIEW: Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty
There's difficulty in terms of enemy mobs, surprise enemies with bumped-up Morale, and bosses that require mastery in deflection, but Wo Long is surprisingly welcoming to even the most inexperienced of Souls-like players.
― While Koei Tecmo already has one foot in the “Souls”-like genre courtesy of their Nioh series, it seems they want to take a second bite at the apple with their upcoming “masocore”...
Interview: Shuzo John Shiota, President of Polygon Pictures
Polygon Pictures president recounts his earnest beginnings, trying to win over overseas fans, and competition with Studio Orange in our newest interview.
―
In December 2022, I had the privilege of visiting the Polygon Pictures Digital animation studio in Tokyo when it was about to enter its 40th year of production. One purpose of the visit was to learn more about the studio's latest TV series, Kaina...
Rocking Out in History With Inu-Oh Director Masaaki Yuasa
Yuasa excitedly introduced his multi-award nominated movie and its characters with the same energy and fervor as if he were pitching the film from scratch.
― Coming fresh off the Golden Globes, director Masaaki Yuasa greeted a full house of eager fans during a screening of Inu-Oh. GKIDS only announced the special event at The Landmark Westwood theater in Los Angeles a week earlier, but every seat was...
Make Everything E.X.P.L.O.D.E. — The Other Works of Akira's Katsuhiro Otomo in English
Katsuhiro Otomo's 1988 cinematic masterpiece Akira introduced a wide world to anime, but the lauded director has a larger body of work waiting to be discovered.
―
©2004 Katsuhiro Otomo/Steamboy Committee For Western anime fans of a certain age, Katsuhiro Otomo's 1988 cinematic masterpiece Akira was the gateway drug into Japanese animation's wild and exotic world. Growing up in late 1980s Scotland, I...
Not Every Artificial Intelligence is Out To Kill You: AI in Anime
The future is now. Kevin Cormack deep dives into a less hostile world of anime AI (although some of these robots definitely could kill you...if they wanted).
―
© AIC/Youmex. What springs to mind when thinking of famous Hollywood movies featuring Artificial Intelligence (AI)? 2001: A Space Odyssey with its psychotic, murderous HAL 9000? The Terminator with Skynet's skeletal, metal monstrosities crush...
5 BL Manga That Deserve an Anime Adaptation
BL is no longer entirely out of the question for mainstream anime. Whether you're new to the world of boys' love or a hardcore fan looking for your next title, take a look at these five BL manga that deserve their own anime adaptation.
― The past few years have been a dream for BL fans. Almost every season has had a BL anime in the lineup, adapting popular titles such as The Night Beyond the Tricorne...
Interview: The Staff of the 2022 BASTARD!! Anime
Hot on the heels of its season two announcement, we have an interview with the BASTARD!! anime staff. Find out why the director says, "I think [Dark Schneider] possesses a strength that doesn't really exist in today's isekai fantasy."
― The new BASTARD!! -Heavy Metal, Dark Fantasy- anime debuted on Netflix earlier this year with a second season in the works. The remake breathes new life into Kazushi ...
The Most-Watched and Best-Rated Fall 2022 Anime
Here are the best-rated, worst-rated, and hidden gems from the Fall 2022 anime season, and it's all based on your votes!
― Every week, we publish the Your Anime Rankings, the best and worst of the season according to readers. These scores are based on weekly episode votes for all the anime we track. At the end of the season, we also get a cumulative score, which is the average of all the episodes. It...
How Yakuza and Real-World History Collide in Like a Dragon: Ishin!
Richard Eisenbeis talked with game directors Hiroyuki Sakamoto and Yasuaki Uehara about what it was like to combine Like a Dragon's Yakuza-centric stories with the historical events surrounding the last days of the samurai.
― A few weeks back at Sega's HQ here in Tokyo, I got to sit down with both the director of the 2014 Japan-only Like a Dragon: Ishin!, Hiroyuki Sakamoto, and the director of the up...
The Winter 2023 Anime Preview Guide
Maple and crew are back to break the game! Check out our reviews of BOFURI season 2 in the preview guide. Also: Kaina and the Great Snow Sea, Vinland Saga, Kubo Won't Let Me Be Invisible, Campfire Cooking in Another World, High Card, The Vampire Dies in No Time Season 2, In/Spectre Season 2, Trigun Stampede, NieR:Automata Ver 1.1a, and more!
―
Adblock+ breaks this page, consider whitelisting ANN Wel...
The Winter 2023 Anime Preview Guide
Vash is back with a fresh coat of paint in TRIGUN STAMPEDE! Also: NieR:Automata Ver 1.1a, The Angel Next Door Spoils Me Rotten, UniteUp! Buddy Daddies, Farming Life in Another World, Sugar Apple Fairy Tale, The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel - Northern War, and Giant Beasts of Ars!
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Adblock+ breaks this page, consider whitelisting ANN Welcome to Anime News Network's Winter 2023 Anime Previe...
The Winter 2023 Anime Preview Guide
A cold breeze blows in a new season of anime! Check back every day as we update with the latest reviews for this season's shows. TODAY: Danmachi IV Part 2, Spy Classroom, Revenger, and OniMai!
―
Adblock+ breaks this page, consider whitelisting ANN Welcome to Anime News Network's Winter 2023 Anime Preview Guide! Here's how it goes: our team of critics write up their impressions instantly, to be poste...
Is It Wrong to Try to Remember What's Going on in a Dungeon?
Need a refresher on the plot and players in Danmachi? Rebecca has a primer for you to get you up to speed before the next season premiere.
― Hiding behind a very silly title is one of the most consistently solid and enjoyable series to make the jump from light novels to anime. Based on the books written by Fujino Omori, Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon is about to embark on the second...
ANN's Most Read News and Interest Articles of 2022
We bid one last goodbye to 2022 with our top stories from the year.
― 2022 was a very different year compared to 2021 and 2020. The pandemic continued, but it no longer dominated the headlines, and its effects were much less apparent in most of our readers' countries. Although it didn't make the top ANN news itself, one of the biggest stories worldwide was, of course, the return to “life as usual,” o...
Your Anime Rankings - Best of Fall 2022
What an end to an amazing season! Positions 19-25 are in utter chaos, Pop Team Epic is trolling us, but as expected Bocchi rocks above it all. Find out where your favorites stand in the end!
― Let's have a look at what ANN readers consider the best (and worst) of the season,
based on the polls you can find in our Daily Streaming Reviews
and on the Your Score page with the latest simulcasts. Keep in ...
Skimming Through the Pages: A Quick Refresher on Bungo Stray Dogs
After a several-year break, it's time to get reacquainted with the characters and stories of Bungo Stray Dogs.
― Bungo Stray Dogs may not be the only example of a story that takes real-world authors and puts them into extraordinary situations, but it is one of the best. (And if you're curious, examples include Jasper Fforde's Thursday Next series and the French comic City Hall.) Its anime version is ...
The Best Anime of 2022 - The Worst Anime of 2022 + The Mega Poll Results
It's time to send off the stinkers of 2022. Read on to find our staff's picks for the worst anime and your choices for the best!
― Caitlin Moore © Natsuki Takaya・Hakusensha／Fruits Basket Production Committee Fruits Basket -prelude- You may call me a prude, but if there is one sort of love story I cannot abide above all others, it is a teacher/student romance between an adult and a minor. No matter h...
The Best Anime of 2022 - The Best Video Games of 2022
Jean-Karlo began his tenure at This Week in Games this year and he's closing 2022 with his top five. Find your next video game obsession right here.
― 2022, the year of the Farm Sim and people asking how Japanese was too Japanese for a Japanese video game. While much of the year was graced by Elden Ring's inescapable impact, it's important to remember that other games quietly came out and sat with u...
The Best Anime of 2022 - Caitlin Moore, Lynzee Loveridge, Kim Morrissy + The Best Movies
Grab a bag of popcorn, because it's time to talk about the best anime films of the year! We've also got the best series from Caitlin Moore, Kim Morrissy, and Lynzee Loveridge.
― Caitlin Moore Honorable mentions Let's be honest: these picks are based on my mood at the time of writing them, and if I wrote this list on a different day, it could end up totally different. Plus, weak summer notwithstandin...
The Best Anime of 2022
Welcome to our editorial team's countdown of the very best anime that aired this year!
― Welcome to our editorial team's countdown of the very best anime that aired this year! Over the next five days, we'll be revealing our team's picks of overall best as well as multiple subcategories like best character, best moment, best song, and best film. On the final day, we'll reveal our worst picks of the y...
The Best Anime of 2022 - MrAJCosplay, Monique Thomas, James Beckett + The Best Songs
It's time to rock out with MrAJCosplay, Monique Thomas, and James Beckett's picks for the best anime of the year. PLUS all the songs we couldn't get out of our heads.
― MrAJCosplay 5. Pokemon Journeys: The Series Yeah, I know I'm cheating a little bit with this one, but how can I not? 2022 has been probably one of the most eventful years for Pokémon fans in a while, and as someone who has stuck with...
The Best Anime of 2022 - Christopher Farris, Steve Jones & The Best Moments
Our countdown of the top anime of 2022 continues with Christopher Farris and Steve Jones' picks plus the most emotional anime moments from this year.
― Christopher Farris 5. Birdie Wing -Golf Girls' Story- Good lord, this was a hell of a year for anime. It's to the point that I'm thankful for my efforts at narrowing down this list that there were a few shows I could put off until next year. Chainsaw...
The Best Anime of 2022
Welcome to our editorial team's countdown of the very best anime that aired this year! We'll update for the next five days: check out our critics' picks and the best characters of 2022!
― Welcome to our editorial team's countdown of the very best anime that aired this year! Over the next five days, we'll be revealing our team's picks of overall best as well as multiple subcategories like best charac...
The Winter 2023 Trailer Watch Party!
Lynzee Loveridge, Jacki Jing, James Beckett, and Geoff Thew from Mother's Basement will stream 55 trailers tonight! Will we survive or see our brains melt as we each transform into our isekai-ready true forms? Find out live at 5pm PT/8pm ET!
― Watch all of this season's trailers with Lynzee Loveridge, Jacki Jing, James Beckett, and Geoff Thew from Mother's Basement! Find out your next "must-watch" in...
Your Anime Rankings - Best of Fall 2022, Dec 17-23
At one week from the end of the season, Mob Psycho is still delivering top-notch episodes. Find out how your favorite shows fared in our weekly user rankings!
― Let's have a look at what ANN readers consider the best (and worst) of the season,
based on the polls you can find in our Daily Streaming Reviews
and on the Your Score page with the latest simulcasts. Keep in mind that these rankings are bas...
Our Most Anticipated Anime Of Winter 2023
Welcome to our Most Anticipated Anime feature for the Winter 2023 season. Below you'll find our editorial team's (tentative) top picks from the shows slated to premiere in January.
― Welcome to our Most Anticipated Anime feature for the Winter 2023 season. Below you'll find our editorial team's (tentative) top picks from the shows slated to premiere in January. The pickings this season are comparativ...
The Best and Worst Anime of Fall 2022
Our editorial staff had the unenviable task of picking their favorite anime of the last three months in a season that included Bleach, Mob Psycho 100, Chainsaw Man, Gundam, and several under-the-radar anime that proved you can't count out the little guys.
― What is arguably one of the most loaded seasons of anime is coming to a close. Our editorial staff had the unenviable task of picking their favor...
Hands-On with Like a Dragon: Ishin!
These are just some of the crazy experiences I had in under an hour of playing. It really felt like there was some adventure around every corner, and I had no idea what would happen next.
― This last weekend, I was able to drop by Sega HQ in Tokyo to spend an hour with the latest build of Like a Dragon: Ishin!, the upcoming remake of 2014's Japan-only Ryu ga Gotoku Ishin! It turned out to be a rather...
PREVIEW: One Piece Odyssey
When it comes to recreating One Piece's spirit, One Piece Odyssey is set to pull it off with flying colors.
― With One Piece set to celebrate its 25th anniversary, Bandai Namco is pulling out all the stops to ring in its birthday with the biggest, grandest adventure the Straw Hats could ever face. The result of their efforts is One Piece Odyssey, a JRPG set to release this upcoming January 12th. We w...
Meet the Artist of Chainsaw Man Episode 11's ED
Chainsaw Man has brought in a different high-profile artist for each episode's ending theme. Avu-chan from Queen Bee gave us some insight into their experience working on this ambitious anime project as the artist of the ending theme, "Violence."
― Formed in 2009, Queen Bee is a self-described "Fashion Punk" rock band. They are steadily increasing their presence in the anime sphere, performing theme ...
Your Anime Rankings - Best of Fall 2022, Dec 10-16
Do It Yourself inches its way up the cumulative thanks to some masterfully crafted episodes. Discover which other series stand out in our weekly user rankings!
― Let's have a look at what ANN readers consider the best (and worst) of the season,
based on the polls you can find in our Daily Streaming Reviews
and on the Your Score page with the latest simulcasts. Keep in mind that these rankings are ba...
Inu-Oh and the Magic of Gender Expression
Sebastian Stoddard shares how the Golden Globe-nominated anime film Inu-Oh continues the gender-bending tradition of glam rock.
― There was a musical movement in the 70s and 80s that took great pride in blurring the lines of gender expression. It was known as glam rock—and throughout the 80s as glam metal—and acts such as David Bowie, Queen, Kiss, and Twisted Sister became well-known for adopting a ...
Orientalism & Occidentalism in Anime
Anime is subject to the same pressures, contexts, and interpretations as any other piece of art positioned in a multicultural framework. Put on your mortarboards and adjust your eyeglasses because it's time to get academic up in here.
― “Oh, East is East, and West is West, and never the twain shall meet, till Earth and Sky stand presently at God's great Judgment Seat.” This famous opening couplet fro...
Does Toradora Hold Up Today?
AJ revisits this romantic comedy classic to see if it still wrings the tears from his eyes years later.
― Every anime fan remembers the first time a show spoke to them on a deeply emotional level. For me, that was the 2008 romantic comedy anime Toradora, which I discovered through an AMV I randomly came across all the way back in high school. It was the first anime to make me cry more than once, and ...
Your Anime Rankings - Best of Fall 2022, Dec 3-9
Bleach and Akiba Maid War have a strong week and thus bump their way up the cumulative. Find out where your favorites rank this week!
― Let's have a look at what ANN readers consider the best (and worst) of the season,
based on the polls you can find in our Daily Streaming Reviews
and on the Your Score page with the latest simulcasts. Keep in mind that these rankings are based on how people rated in...
Interview: STEREO DIVE FOUNDATION
Seasoned musician R.O.N discusses his music writing approach and how an international background helped diversify his compositions.
― I first came across the artist Stereo Dive Foundation through their performance of “Daisy,” the ending song for the Kyoto Animation anime Beyond the Boundary. I had no idea at the time that this would become one of the first songs written by a seasoned solo artist perf...
Interview: Mob Psycho 100 Lead Voice Actor Setsuo Ito
"My work takes place before the broadcast, so I can't see the live reaction as I'm performing, but there are many times when I think, 'This will blow everyone's mind!'"
― Voice actor Setsuo Ito has done a stunning job bringing the character of Mob to life in the Mob Psycho 100 anime. We asked him about his journey as a voice actor, what he's looking forward to in season 3, and his thoughts on a certa...
Interview: Gungrave G.O.R.E. General Director Kay kim
With Beyond The Grave's return to the world of video games, we have some burning questions for the team Gungrave G.O.R.E team. We were lucky enough to sit down with general director Kay Kim for a quick one-on-one with Grave's resurrectors.
― With Beyond The Grave's return to the world of video games, we've no doubt had some burning questions for the team responsible for Gungrave G.O.R.E. We were luck...
Your Anime Rankings - Best of Fall 2022, Nov 26-Dec 2
Chainsaw Man rocks, but Bocchi rocks harder. Find out how your favorite shows stacked up according to viewer votes.
― Let's have a look at what ANN readers consider the best (and worst) of the season,
based on the polls you can find in our Daily Streaming Reviews
and on the Your Score page with the latest simulcasts. Keep in mind that these rankings are based on how people rated individual episodes ...
Production I.G and Studio Wit President George Wada
The newly minted president and CEO of Production I.G talked to us about why Wit Studio has seemingly passed on later seasons of its hit series, whether work-life balance has improved for animators, and how Netflix could better promote anime.
― George Wada at Anime NYC. Photo by: Lynzee Loveridge. George Wada has forged a considerable legacy in the anime industry in the last 20 years. The newly minte...
See Ghibli Park's Grand Opening
Catch a glimpse of the Catbus for grown-ups, Laputa's robot soldier, more
― Welcome to Totoroland! Well, not exactly … First things first: The Ghibli Park opened on November 1 as the only theme park dedicated to Studio Ghibli's movies, but don't expect it to be Ghibliland or the Magic Kingdom at Hayao Miyazaki World. Ghibli Park's head Goro Miyazaki — the son of studio founder Hayao Miyazaki and an a...
Interview: Denji, Aki, Power, and Makima Dub Actors Discuss Smash-Hit Anime Chainsaw Man
We talked to Ryan Colt Levy, Reagan Murdock, Sarah Wiedenheft, and Suzie Yeung about starring in the smash-hit anime Chainsaw Man, what makes it special, and their experiences working on the show.
― Anime News Network's James Beckett was able to talk to Ryan Colt Levy (Denji), Reagan Murdock (Aki), Sarah Wiedenheft (Power), and Suzie Yeung (Makima) about starring in the smash-hit anime Chainsaw Man, ...
Attack on Titan Creator Hajime Isayama at Anime NYC
The manga's controversial ending loomed heavily over the hit manga creator's appearance in NYC, culminating in an apology and cheers of reassurance from fans.
― It's no exaggeration that Hajime Isayama was a huge draw at Anime NYC. The event marked the Attack on Titan manga creator's first-ever appearance in the United States and while enthusiasm for the anime is still going strong, it was hinted bef...
Your Anime Rankings - Best of Fall 2022, Nov 19-25
If shōnen is your genre, Bleach has been strong all season and hitting ever higher notes. Find out where your favorites rank this week!
― Let's have a look at what ANN readers consider the best (and worst) of the season,
based on the polls you can find in our Daily Streaming Reviews
and on the Your Score page with the latest simulcasts. Keep in mind that these rankings are based on how people rated...
INTERVIEW: Studio Trigger's Hiromi Wakabayashi and Shigeto Koyama
"Other studios [are] trying to make the finest foods in a restaurant, whereas at Trigger, we're okay with just continuing to make a decent burger."
― The breakout success of Cyberpunk: Edgerunners has doubtlessly brought about unprecedented interest in both Studio Trigger's past works and where they will bring their creativity next. At Kumoricon, ANN was fortunate enough to have a talk with Trigger's...
Interview: Star Ocean 6: The Divine Force's Character Designer Akiman
Akiman is a renowned character designer who was called upon to help create the world and cast of Star Ocean 6: The Divine Force. We were lucky enough to sit down with the famed artist to ask him a few questions about his time working on the game.
― Best known for his design work in Capcom's Street Fighter games, Akiman is a renowned character designer who was called upon to help create the world and ...
Hero of a Lost Era: Examining the Context of Kamen Rider Kuuga
Art is most often a response to the world it was made in. Sometimes that response might be a light remark, and other times, it's a loud scream. 2000's Kamen Rider Kuuga is one of those screams.
― The following article contains major spoilers for Kamen Rider Kuuga © Shout! Factory/Toei Productions/Shotaro Ishinomori Art is most often a response to the world it was made in. Sometimes that response migh...
Shichiro Kobayashi: Drama of Light and Shadow
The masterful background art by the late Shichiro Kobayashi were on display in NYC and included examples from Utena, Simoun, and one of his wife's personal favorites, The Adventures of Gamba.
― The excitement of Anime NYC 2022 extends beyond the Javits Convention Center. The otaku festivities spread throughout Manhattan, from multiple afterparties to an Attack on Titan takeover. One of Anime NYC's m...
Your Anime Rankings - Best of Fall 2022, Nov 12-18
Pop Team Epic reaches ever higher to new summits of insanity. Find out how your favorite shows performed in our weekly user rankings.
― Let's have a look at what ANN readers consider the best (and worst) of the season,
based on the polls you can find in our Daily Streaming Reviews
and on the Your Score page with the latest simulcasts. Keep in mind that these rankings are based on how people rated in...
Event Report: Behind-the-Scenes of My Neighbour Totoro
Could we get an American run of the play? Depends if the organizers can find a large enough venue.
― The Royal Shakespeare Company's production of My Neighbour Totoro is completely sold out. Still, on November 10 at the Japan Society in New York City, a small crowd got to enjoy a talk with the show's puppet designer Basil Twist and some exclusive behind-the-scenes looks at the production. The RSC has...
The Chainsaw Man Anime's Style Feels Off
You can't have the written and thematic storytelling of Chainsaw Man without the visual storytelling of Chainsaw Man—and unfortunately, the anime doesn't have that.
― When preview images and clips for the anime adaptation of Tatsuki Fujimoto's Chainsaw Man started coming out, I couldn't help but be disappointed. At first, it was just an issue of color choices—the muted palette of the anime is nice, b...
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