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The official website for the Black Butler anime series today confirmed that two-member rock band Cö shu Nie , best known for performing Tokyo Ghoul:re 's first opening song, will perform the opening song for Black Butler -Emerald Witch Arc- , which is scheduled to premiere in April 2025 . The song, titled "Maisie", is written by Hyde, Miku Nakamura and hico and will feature Hyde ( Attack on Titan Season 3 opening theme) himself. Related: Black Butler -Emerald Witch Arc- Anime Reveals Teaser Visual, April 2025 Release Kenjiro Okada ( March comes in like a lion chief director) continues to direct the latest Black Butler anime at studio CloverWorks, with series composition by Hiroyuki Yoshino ( World Trigger ), character designs by Yumi Shimizu ( Horimiya chief animation director). Maaya Sakamoto and Daisuke Ono reprise their roles as Ciel Phantomhive and Sebastian Michaelis, respectively. Crunchyroll streams the full series to date, and will stream the upcoming -Emerald Witch Arc- when it premieres in the spring.

Anyone who’s watched a lot of action anime will know that they’re often nothing without their villains. As the driving force of a plot more often than not, the villains are typically the characters who get the most screen time and development after the heroes, and that leads to them being just as fun to watch as the heroes, if not more.

More than their likability, of course, what often sells a great anime villain is their power. A good villain will always be one that can challenge the heroes physically, mentally, or some combination of the two, and more often than not, the best anime villains will be the ones that make the heroes work as hard as possible before finally achieving victory in their hard-fought battles. That’s the biggest characteristic to expect out of a “final boss” in an anime, and there are a few...

Leaks circulating on social media claim that an anime adaptation of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure Part 7: Steel Ball Run is currently in production.

First significant leaks came earlier this year in August, claiming that trademarks for the anime were registered in Japan as early as June 2022, with further registrations for a TV anime production filed in China in April 2024.

The latest round of leaks which came on Dec 12, 2024, suggest that the production phase for Steel Ball Run began in August 2024, with David Production, the studio behind previous JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure adaptations, reportedly handling the animation.

No release date or official confirmation has been announced, but speculation points to a potential release no earlier than 2026.

The timing of the leaks has led to speculation about their origin, with some saying that the information could stem from Jojo Magazine or related December content.

Not official of course, so the journey continues…...

The past and future of the JoJo's Bizarre Adventure anime, along with many of its fans, will be 'connected' on April 12, 2025 at a new event announced today called Jojoday. Yoyogi 2nd National Gymnasium in Shibuya, Tokyo will play host, with voice actors Kazuyuki Okitsu (Jonathan), Daisuke Ono (Jotaro) and Junichi Suwabe (Abbacchio) also attending. Ticketing information and further details will be revealed at a later date. Related: JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Steel Ball Run and More Coming from Viz in Summer 2025 Crunchyroll streams the first five parts of the JoJo's Bizarre Adventure anime, describing the starting point like so: In ancient Mexico, people of Aztec had prospered. They had historic and strange "Stone Mask". It was a miraculous mask which brings eternal life and the power of authentic ruler. But the mask suddenly disappeared. A long time after that, in late 19th centuries when the thought and life of people were suddenly changing,...

Following a fan event held in Japan today, the official website and accounts for Black Butler revealed that the previously announced Black Butler -Emerald Witch Arc- anime will begin airing in April 2025 . A teaser visual and two additional cast members were also unveiled. Black Butler -Emerald Witch Arc- Teaser Visual Chikahiro Kobayashi (Legoshi in Beastars ) and Rie Kugimiya (Kagura in Gintama ) join the cast as Wolfram Gelzer and Sieglinde Sullivan, respectively. Sebastian Ciel Sieglinde Wolfram Related: Black Butler -Emerald Witch Arc- Anime Announced, Crunchyroll to Stream Kenjiro Okada ( March comes in like a lion chief director) continues to direct the latest Black Butler anime at studio CloverWorks, with series composition by Hiroyuki Yoshino ( World Trigger ), character designs by Yumi Shimizu ( Horimiya chief animation director). Maaya Sakamoto and Daisuke Ono reprise their roles as Ciel Phantomhive and Sebastian Michaelis, respectively. Crunchyroll streams the full series to date and describes the overall...

Attack on Titan: The Last Attack has already been released in Japan, and now, the highly-anticipated anime movie is finally coming to the U.S on streaming and in theaters. Crunchyroll just announced that in early 2025, select theaters in North America and Brazil will be screening the omnibus film that contains the final two episodes of the series based on Hajime Isayama's hit manga, Attack on Titan.

Attack on Titan's anime drew to a close in fall 2023, with two specials that were 60 minutes and 85 minutes each. These extended episodes chronicled the dramatic conclusion of the story revolving around man-eating Titans and humanity's fight to free themselves from the creatures' tyranny. On November 8, 2024, The Last Attack film that comprised the two specials came out in Japanese theaters, leaving U.S. fans to wonder when it would be released worldwide.

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For most, the world of anime and manga is dominated by shonen series, typically action-focused storyies aimed primarily at a young male demographic (famed hits like Dragon Ball Z and even Death Note included). However, there are also anime and manga aimed at an older demographic, and that category is known as seinen.

So, what is seinen? "Seinen" is media aimed at older males in their late teens and 20s. In general, these series tend to star older protagonists, feature more explicit content, and deal with darker subject matter (though not all have to). While that male audience is the only real requirement to be seinen, the series can be enjoyed by anyone, and contains the variety to do exactly that. Below are ten of the absolute best seinen series available, offering great entry points into this diverse and underappreciated genre.

Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid Created By Coolkyousinnjya; Serialized...

Pony Canyon announced on Nov 28, 2024, that the second season of Kinnikuman Perfect Origin Arc anime is scheduled to release on Jan 12, 2025.

It was also revealed that Netflix will stream the new season worldwide weekly from Jan 13, 2025.

Season 2 continues the saga with the second stage of the battle, which unfolds at the Tottori Sand Dunes, pitting the allied forces of Seigi and Akuma, including Kinnikuman, against the Perfect Large Numbers Corps, including Nemesis.

A newly released key visual featuring Nemesis and Robin Mask was also released along with the announcement.

The visual also highlights prominent members of Seigi Chojin, including Ramenman, Warsman, and Brocken Jr.

© Yudetamago/Shueisha, Kinnikuman Production Committee

Season 1 of Kinnikuman Perfect Origin Arc aired from July 7 to Sep 22, 2024, with Netflix licensing it for streaming worldwide weekly starting on July 8 of the same year.

Staff of the anime includes:

Director: Akira Sato Assistant Director: Jun Soga Series Composition：Makoto...

For over a decade now, no genre, for better or worse, has dominated anime quite like the isekai genre. While it had always existed in some form, isekai didnt start being recognized as its own thing until the 2010s, and thanks in large part to the escapist elements of the genre, its become a mainstay of the medium with dozens of new anime produced every year.

As isekai began growing in popularity, it also started becoming contentious among fans and critics because of how so many stories come across as different takes on escapist power fantasies revolving around uninteresting leads and their rapidly growing harems of girls. That being said, there are plenty of isekai anime that break away from those cliches, and because of that, plenty of great isekai anime have heroes who come off as being far cooler and more entertaining than the average isekai anime protagonist. A...

The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya just had a massive Kickstarter, giving major hope for a long-awaited revival. Haruhi Suzumiya was one of the most popular anime of the 2000s, if not the most popular, yet to the disappointment of many, the series ended in 2010 after its theatrical film, The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya, despite there still being plenty of light novels for the anime to adapt.

Fans of The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya have wanted an anime revival for over a decade, and theres more hope for one than ever. A Kickstarter was recently launched for the anime to produce both a new music video and a voice drama with the original voice cast, and reportedly, The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiyas Kickstarter greatly surpassed both of its goals in a single day, despite having until January.

The Melancholy Of Haruhi Suzumiya's Revival Has Never Looked More Promising Anime Series By...

The Eminence in Shadow is a hilarious isekai series about a character who finally gets his wish fulfilled. While most isekai protagonists go to their new world confused, upset, and missing home, Shadow couldn't have been happier. He's finally able to be the titular Eminence in Shadow himself, leading a covert group of warriors to do his mysterious bidding. It's a hilarious show and one of the funniest isekai series around, and it also features incredible fights and top-tier action sequences that make the show a must-watch.

To be a good isekai series like The Eminence in Shadow, there are a few key traits a show needs to have. It needs to have either a ridiculously powerful main character, a hilarious cast of side characters, or just general themes of hilarity. Not many shows can compare to The Eminence in Shadow, especially when they're narrowed down to just isekai, but...

Let's Go Karaoke! , a manga by Yama Wayama, is being adapted into TV anime that will broadcast in 2025, and now the series has revealed its two primary cast members. The cast members for Let's Go Karaoke! include: Satomi Oka voiced by Shun Horie (Rintaro Miki in A Terrified Teacher at Ghoul School! ) Satomi Oka character art Kyouji Narita voiced by Daisuke Ono (Kaibara in No Longer Allowed in Another World ) Kyouji Narita character art Enterbrain publishes Let's Go Karaoke! in Japan under their Beam Comics imprint. Yen Press also publishes an English language version of the series. Asami Nakatani directs the TV anime at animation studio Doga Kobo. Yukiko Tsukahara acts as assistant director, Yoshimi Narita provides the series composition, Mai Matsuura provides the character designs, and Takuro Ida provides the music. Let's Go Karaoke! teaser art Related: Let's Go Karaoke! and Captivated, by You Get TV Anime Adaptations Yen...

Batman Ninja vs Yakuza League is one of the most random iterations of the DC heroes and the absurdity of it doesn’t stop at the concept. In the most recent trailer for Batman Ninja vs Yakuza League, a lot of concerning details made fans feel more concerned about the upcoming movie than excited. The first movie of the series, Batman Ninja, didn’t do very well for itself by no surprise and Batman Ninja vs Yakuza League seems to be even less promising. It seems the team behind it has taken up more than they can handle.

Batman Ninja vs Yakuza League. [Credit: Warner Bros Entertainment]

Despite being so original in its concept and the visualization of the DC heroes, Batman Ninja vs Yakuza League is going to be a recipe for disaster if it is truly nothing but a cheap cash grab from the pockets of DC fans. Even...

In their new 2025 lineup video narrated by Daisuke Ono (voice of Fafnir), beloved studio Kyoto Animation today announced that a Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid anime film subtitled "Samishi-gariya no Ryu" (officially translated as "A Lonely Dragon Wants to Be Loved") will release sometime next year. A visual and a trailer were unveiled, teasing a story centered on the adorable Kanna. The visual's tagline reads, "Bye-bye, Kobayashi." Visual Related: Kyoto Animation’s Full Six-Minute Uji City Animation Posted After sweeping the anime scene in Winter 2017, Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid returned for a second season in July 2021. The much-anticipated sequel was directed by Tatsuya Ishihara ( Sound! Euphonium ) at Kyoto Animation, with series composition by Yuka Yamada, character designs by Miku Kadowaki and music by Masumi Ito, Kenji Kondo and Kotringo. Ishihara returns to direct the new film. Mutsumi Tamura (Kanamori in Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken! ) stars as the titular Kobayashi across the series,...

The Bat-Family flies into action in the latest character clip released today for the upcoming Batman Ninja vs. Yakuza League . The sequel to the Batman Ninja film is currently in production, but there's plenty more to see — and more still if you plan to attend next month's New York Comic-Con! Check out the new character clip, showing Batman, Robin, Nightwing and the rest: Related: Batman Ninja vs. Yakuza League Anime Film Trailer Revealed Confirmed cast to appear in the film now include: Batman/Bruce Wayne: Koichi Yamadera (Spike Spiegel in Cowboy Bebop ) Robin: Yuuki Kaji (Eren Yeager in Attack on Titan ) Red Robin: Kengo Kawanishi (Soshiro Hoshina in Kaiju No. 8 ) Nightwing: Daisuke Ono (Sebastian Michaelis in Black Butler ) Red Hood: Akira Ishida (Kaworu Nagisa in Neon Genesis Evangelion ) Alfred: Hochu Otsuka (Jiraiya in Naruto ) Commissioner Gordon: Masaki Terasoma (Kiroranke in Golden Kamuy ) Related: Batman Ninja vs. Yakuza League Anime Film...

Kyoto Animation announced on Sep 18, 2024, that they will premiere a special program on their official YouTube channel, KyoaniChannel, on Sep 21 at 9 p.m. Jst.

This announcement follows a recent teaser from the studio, hinting at a new announcement in September. Now confirmed through their official X account, the program will give fans a first look at the studio’s upcoming projects for the year 2025.

Voice actor Daisuke Ono, who has voiced numerous characters in Kyoto Animation productions, will narrate the program.

This potential new project comes after a challenging period for Kyoto Animation. On July 18, 2019, the studio faced a devastating arson attack on its Studio 1 building, resulting in the tragic loss of 36 lives and injuring 33 others.

The incident was one of the deadliest massacres in Japan’s post-war history and sent shockwaves throughout the global anime community.

The suspected arsonist was apprehended and, after recovering from injuries sustained during the incident,...

For the first time in over a decade, Kyoto Animation will hold a livestream on the anime studio’s YouTube channel to announce its 2025 slate of new releases. The stream will be held on September 21 at 9:00 p.m. Japan time, and voice actor Daisuke Ono, who played Kyon in The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya and other characters in various KyoAni productions, will narrate the special live presentation. Related: Kyoto Animation’s Full Six-Minute Uji City Animation Posted Kyoto Animation first teased the new release presentation stream on September 13 with a simple graphic in a post on X (formerly Twitter) . This will be the second time the studio has held a livestream to announce a new series, with the first time announcing the confirmation of Free! - Iwatobi Swim Club as a full anime series in April 2013 on Japanese video streaming site NicoNico Douga. There has been no confirmation on...

Fans of the supernatural anime series “Black Butler” have reason to celebrate as a fifth season has been officially announced. The news, revealed at the Anime Expo 2024, confirms that the show will adapt the Emerald Witch Arc from Yana Toboso’s original manga.

According to information shared by MangaMoguraRE on social media, the new season is expected to air in 2025. This relatively quick turnaround comes on the heels of the well-received fourth season, which ended its run just weeks ago after a decade-long hiatus.

A teaser trailer for the upcoming season has been released on Crunchyroll’s official YouTube channel, giving viewers a glimpse of what’s to come. The new arc will see the show’s protagonists, young earl Ciel Phantomhive and his demonic butler Sebastian Michaelis, travel to a forest in Southern Germany to investigate a series of mysterious deaths.

"Black Butler – Emerald Witch Arc" Anime Officially Announced

Air Date: 2025pic.

Black Butler has confirmed season 5 is in production and will adapt the Emerald Witch Arc, releasing in 2025. Season 5 will be animated by CloverWorks, and directed by Kenjiro Okada. Ciel and Sebastian's voice cast will reprise their respective roles in the new season.

Black Butler is officially returning for season 5, which has just received a new trailer and release window. Based on the popular manga of the same name by Yana Toboso, Black Butler recently returned for season 4 with the Public School Arc after ten years, and it seems the anime is here to stay with season 5 finally announced as well.

According to a post on X by MangaMoguraRE, Black Butler will be returning for season 5 with the Emerald Witch Arc, which is expected to air in 2025. The announcement was made at the Black Butler panel at Anime Expo 2024 and was accompanied by a new teaser trailer for the upcoming Emerald...

Image from Black Butler -Public School Arc- It’s time to brush up on your German as we head into the next Black Butler arc! During the Black Butler panel at Anime Expo 2024, Crunchyroll announced it will stream the newly revealed Black Butler -Emerald Witch Arc- anime, scheduled to premiere in 2025. Check out the first eerie teaser trailer below. Black Butler -Emerald Witch Arc- Teaser Trailer Kenjiro Okada will return to direct Black Butler -Emerald Witch Arc- at animation studio CloverWorks. Maaya Sakamoto and Daisuke Ono will also reprise their roles as Ciel Phantomhive and Sebastian Michaelis respectively. Related: Black Butler Quiz: Are You One Hell of a Butler? The original Black Butler manga by Yana Toboso began in 2006 in Square Enix's G Monthly GFantasy manga magazine. An English language version is also available from Yen Press. You can stream all seasons, OVAs, and the Book of the Atlantic film here on Crunchyroll.

Kinnikuman and Food Wars!: Shokugeki no Soma collaborate for a special one-shot. Yuto Tsukuda, Shun Saeki, and Takashi Shimada create the visual showcase. The collaboration will release in Kinnikuman Jump volume #5 on July 4, 2024.

Fans of wrestling manga already have plenty to be excited about with Kinnikuman's 45th anniversary in 2024, but the news doesn't stop there, in light of a new collaboration. Announced by

Yuto Tsukuda on X he will be joined by Shun Saeki and Takashi Shimada, creator of Kinnikuman for a special one-shot Food Wars!: Shokugeki no Soma and Kinnikuman collaboration.

7/4vol.5 pic.twitter.com/fP9z0EG1IY (@tsukudayuto) July 3, 2024

Further corroborated by Shimada on X, this will feature the artwork of Shun Saeki and writing of Yuto Tsukuda to create another visual showcase in the vein of their previous One Piece collaboration. Tsukuda mentions using Prince Suguru, Meat-kun, and Bibimba, alongside Food Wars' Sma Yukihira and,...

No Longer Allowed in Another World , an upcoming TV anime based on the dark comedy isekai fantasy manga, has revealed a new trailer, a new collaboration visual with Bungo Stray Dogs (below), and several new cast members. The series will broadcast in Japan beginning on July 9, 2024, and it will also stream on Crunchyroll as part of the summer 2024 anime simulcast lineup . The new cast members include: Wolff voiced by Nobunaga Shimazaki (Hayato Suo in Wind Breaker ) Wolff character visual Suzuki voiced by Nobuhiko Okamoto (Marius in The Strongest Tank's Labyrinth Raids -A Tank with a Rare 9999 Resistance Skill Got Kicked from the Hero's Party- ) Suzuki character visual Kaibara voiced by Daisuke Ono (Sebastian Michaelis in Black Butler -Public School Arc- ) Kaibara character visual Yuriko voiced by Konomi Kohara (Mei in Hell's Paradise ) Yuriko key visual Sengoku voiced by Tomokazu Sugita (Takamichi Hotaka in Kaiju No. 8 ) Sengoku character visual The original...

The official YouTube channel for Trd , a technologic vocal unit consisting of two popular anime voice actors — Takayuki Kondo (Shuichiro Oishi in The Prince of Tennis ) and Daisuke Ono (Jotaro Kujo in JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders ) — has released a short version music video for "What's Going On?," the lead track from their third and last full album of the same name to release on June 26, 2024. As reported in February , the unit will end its activity after releasing the album, and this will be their last music video before the end of their activity. "What's Going On?," the title of the song and also the title of the album, is meant to express the feeling from the two of them to their fans that they are always there for them. Trd "What's Going On?" short version music video Related: Voice Actor Takayuki Kondo & Daisuke Ono's Unit Trd to End Activities...

The time has finally almost come for the Black Butler -Public School Arc- anime ! Mark your calendar for the official release date and exact time of the series, coming to you as part of the Crunchyroll Spring 2024 Season . The anime adaptation of Yana Toboso's acclaimed manga arc continues when Black Butler -Public School Arc- releases on Crunchyroll on April 13, 2024 at 9:00 a.m. Pacific Time . Find out everything you need to know about the new series, from the release date to trailers, characters, cast, studio, plot, key visuals and even how to watch the previous seasons right here on Crunchyroll! In this article: Release Date Where to Watch Watch Previous Seasons Official Trailers Characters and Cast Anime Staff Anime Key Visuals Plot Black Butler -Public School Arc- Release Date and Time: When Does it Come Out? English Sub Release Date: April 13, 2024 at 9:00am Pacific Time Territories: North America,...

The King's Seekers will be getting down to business when the Quality Assurance in Another World anime premieres this July, and ahead of that two more cast members have been announced. The latest to join the ever-expanding roster are Daisuke Ono and Kisho Taniyama, and you can see who they're playing along with their respective character designs below. Jin voiced by Daisuke Ono (Sebastian Michaelis in Black Butler -Public School Arc- ) Sakai voiced by Kisho Taniyama (Jean Kirschtein in Attack on Titan ) Related: Quality Assurance in Another World Anime Gets a Piece of the Action in New Visual Based on the manga by Masamichi Sato, Quality Assurance in Another World is being directed by Kei Umabiki ( Ayakashi Triangle assistant director) at 100studio and Studio Palette, with series composition by Shogo Yasukawa ( The Executioner and Her Way of Life ) and character designs by Shigeo Akahori ( Record of Ragnarok sub character designer...

Most proper anime fans will know about Black Butler. The ongoing manga by Yana Toboso has been around since 2006 and currently has 33 volumes to its name. This dark fantasy series never became a mainstream hit, but it gathered a solid fandom and the series is undoubtedly one of the better-known titles in the world of manga and anime. Several anime adaptations have been produced so far, with the most recent one – Black Butler: Public School Arc – premiering on April 13, 2024. Ahead of the release, a main trailer has been revealed.

The first season of Black Butler aired from October 3, 2008, to March 27, 2009, and consisted of a total of 24 episodes. It was immediately followed by a 12-episode second season, which aired from July 2 to September 17, 2010. Seven Ova episodes were released as part of these two seasons. Several years later, a third season titled Black Butler: Book of Circus was also released, consisting of...

The official website of the upcoming Black Butler: Public School Arc revealed a new promo video on Feb 16, 2024. The video reveals that the anime will start airing on April 13, 2024.

Moreover, the cast members voicing P4, prefects of the four dormitories of Weston College, were also revealed. Check them out below:

Toshiki Watanabe as Edgar Redmond

Junya Enoki as Lawrence Bluewer

Shunsuke Takeuchi as Herman Greenhill

Tatsumaru Tachibana as Gregory Violet

Daisuke Ono and Maaya Sakamoto will be reprising their roles to voice Sebastian Michaelis and Ciel Phantomhive respectively.

Staff includes:

Director: Kenjiro Okada Series Composition: Hiroyuki Yoshino Character Designer: Yumi Shimizu Music: Ryo Kawasaki

Aniplex describes the plot of the series as:

Butler Sebastian Michaelis works with his 13-year-old master, the earl Ciel Phantomhive, to do the dirty work of “the Queen’s guard dog” in nineteenth century England’s gritty underworld.

One day, Ciel receives a letter from Queen Victoria...

The official Twitter for Trd, a technologic vocal unit consisting of two popular anime voice actors — Takayuki Kondo (Shuichiro Oishi in The Prince of Tennis ) and Daisuke Ono (Jotaro Kujo in JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders ) — announced on February 2 that it will end its activities after releasing its third and final full album "What's Going On?" on June 26, 2024. The unit was formed by the two in March 2021, then released their first mini-album "Trad" from Pony Canyon in June of the year. Their anime theme songs works included the two ending theme songs for The Vampire Dies in No Time anime series in 2021 and 2023. Related : Voice Actor Takayuki Kondo & Daisuke Ono Form New Technologic Vocal Unit "Trd" The statement writes: "Since our debut on June 16, 2021 with our first mini-album 'Trad,' we have been able to continue our activities such as song releases, radio show 'Trd's Dope Rad Talking,' and live events,...

Combining the horrific with the grotesque and the sensual in order to both entertain and to present various comments in extreme fashion has always been one of the knacks of Japanese cinema, with filmmakers like Takashi Miike, Sion Sono and Tetsuya Mariko among others having thrived in this approach repeatedly. Noboru Iguchi proves that he is also a member of the “group”, with his latest work “Tales of Bliss and Heresy” an omnibus of three different parts.

“Tales of Bliss and Heresy” review is part of the Submit Your Film Initiative

The first one is titled “Painful Shadows” and focuses on the interactions between two office workers, a man and a woman, with the former being the higher up. His behavior, however, is creepy to say the least, since he peeks on his colleague, makes snide comments about her writing, and even teases her regarding food. It turns out, though,...

"High Card", the new anime TV series, starring Rie Takahashi, Toshiyuki Morikawa, Daisuke Ono, Yuuichirou Umehara, Shunsuke Takeuchi, Toshiyuki Toyonaga, Nobunaga Shimazaki and Tomokazu Seki, is now streaming on Crunchyroll:

"...after discovering that his orphanage was on the brink of closing due to financial stress, 'Finn', who was living freely on the streets, set out for a casino with the aim of making a fortune. However, nothing could have prepared Finn for the nightmare that was awaiting him. 

"The world order can be controlled by a set of 52 X-Playing cards with the power to bestow different superhuman powers and abilities to the ones that possess them. 

"With these cards, people can access the hidden power of the 'buddy' that can be found within themselves. There is a secret group of players called 'High Card'...

"...who have been directly ordered by the king of 'Fourland' to collect the cards that...

Now that he’s officially become the very best, like no one ever was, Ash Ketchum is heading into retirement. The long-running and perpetually 10 year-old star of the beloved “Pokémon” anime will exit the series with an upcoming 11-episode run airing in Japan this January, the Pokémon Company announced Friday.

In his place, two new protagonists, Liko and Roy, will be introduced in a new series set in the Paldea region, first seen in this year’s Generation IX “Pokémon” games “Scarlet and Violet.” The series will premiere sometime later in 2023, and feature the starters from the game: Sprigatito (a grass cat), Fuecoco (a fire-breathing crocodile baby), and Quaxly (a water duck).

The news of Ash’s retirement from the anime comes a month after the Japanese airing of the 132nd episode of the “Pokémon Journeys” series, and the 1,217th episode of the anime overall, which saw Ash (voiced in...

Yubeshi (Saori), a singer-songwriter left behind by the times and her manager Shinta (Daisuke Ono) have to deal with the idol business, FM radio assault, rent arrears, caring for an elderly agent, weddings, funerals, social network literacy, and part-time work shifts. Amidst a mountain of problems, the two meet various people and begin to wander down their own paths. [Source: Chicago Japan Film Collective 2022]

This film, which is also written and directed by Daisuke Ono (Wolf na sissi), will have a theatrical release in Japan on May 21, 2022.

In the 1950s, Batman was transformed into a variety of beings or wore a colorful assortment of costumes to goose sales. Thankfully, that silliness was retired with the New Look and wasn’t resurrected until the Elseworlds what if stories of the 1990s. That same approach has now crept from the page to the screen with Batman Ninja, out now on DVD from Warner Home Entertainment.

This anime-style adventure comes from director Junpei Mizusaki, (producer of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure), working from a script by Kazuki Nakashima and character designs from Takashi Okazaki (Afro Samurai). As a result, it comes with a strong pedigree for the creative approach.

Rather than a posit an ancient Japan that needed a protector styled in the form of a bat, this gonzo story actually takes the heroes and villains of Gotham City and transports them into the past. It’s weird, wild, wacky and...

We’ve long had a soft spot for stories that transplant Batman to different times. The best is probably Gotham By Gaslight, which imagines a Victorian Batman tangling with Jack the Ripper, but we also enjoyed Grant Morrison’s time-hopping miniseries Batman: The Return of Bruce Wayne, in which we see Caveman Batman, Witchhunter Batman, Pirate Batman, Cowboy Batman and 30s Gumshoe Batman. So, naturally, we’re over the moon with excitement for Batman Ninja.

First announced at the New York Comic-Con last year, the project is the brainchild of DC and a number of anime and manga superstars. Namely, Junpei Mizusaki (Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure), Takashi Okazashi (Afro Samurai), and Kazuki Nakashima (Gurren Lagann). It’ll feature a bold story, too, that’ll see – get this – the Dark Knight being thrown back through time to medieval Japan. There, he’ll be joined by a host of supporting characters, which...

Based on the award-winning manga by Fumiyo Kouno, In This Corner of the World, bolstered by emotionally resonant storytelling and exquisite hand-drawn animation, is an empowering coming-of-age tale set against the backdrop of WWII and captures the resilience and triumph of the human spirit.

The award-winning story of In This Corner of the World follows a young lady named Suzu Urano, who in 1944 moves to the small town of Kure in Hiroshima to live with her husband’s family. Suzu’s life is thrown into chaos when her town is bombed during World War II. Her perseverance and courage underpin this heart-warming and inspirational tale of the everyday challenges faced by the Japanese in the midst of a violent, war-torn country. This beautiful yet poignant tale shows that even in the face of adversity and loss, people can come together and rebuild their lives.

In This Corner of the World in cinemas (NY,...

In This Corner Of The World Review In This Corner of the World (2017) Film Review from the 23rd Annual Los Angeles Film Festival, a movie directed by Sunao Katabuchi, starring Non, Megumi Han, Yoshimasa Hosoya, Natsuki Inaba, Nanase Iwai, Minori Omi, Daisuke Ono, Tengai Shibuya, [...]

Continue reading: Film Review: In This Corner Of The World: Day Dreams Of Imperial Japan [La Film Festival 2017]...

Attack on Titan season two has finally gotten a premiere date! During the "Shingeki Matsuri" event that took place over the weekend, it was announced that season two of Attack on Titan will premiere in the spring 2017. They also released an Attack on Titan promo image, along with a list of the cast and crew who will be involved with the second season.

Fans have been waiting for this series for way too long. I’m still bummed that we have to continue to wait until 2017. and all I have to say is that season two better be worth the wait and the patience. The series was supposed to premiere this year, but it was postponed.

Below you'll find a list of the cast and crew. Hopefully, they will deliver a second season that will be absolutely mind-blowing.

The Crew:

Chief Director: Tetsuro Araki (director of first season)

Director: Masashi Koizuka (storyboard,...

The staff of the Attack on Titan franchise revealed at the “Shingeki Matsuri” event on Sunday that the anime’s second season will premiere in spring 2017. The second season, which was initially announced in November 2014, was originally slated for 2016, but the delays have been continuous.

The staff for the second season was also announced:

Chief Director: Tetsuro Araki (director of first season)

Director: Masashi Koizuka (storyboard, episode director for first season)

Series Composition: Yasuko Kobayashi

Character Design: Kyoji Asano

Chief Animation Director: Kyoji Asano, Satoshi Kadowaki, Ayumi Yamada

Animation Production: Wit Studio

Assistant Director: Hiroyuki Tanaka

Action Animation Director: Yasuyuki Ebara, Arifumi Imai, Takuma Ebisu

Art Setting: Yuuho Taniuchi

Titan Setting: Takaaki Chiba

Prop Design: Takuma Ebisu

Color Key: Ken Hashimoto

Art Director: Shunichiro Yoshihara

3Dcg Director: Shigenori Hirozumi

3Dcg Producer: Shuhei Yabuta

Director of Photography: Kazuhiro Yamada

Editing: Aya Hida

Sound Director: Masafumi Mima

Music: Hiroyuki Sawano

Sound Effects:...

The official website for for the upcoming film trilogy in the Cho Den-o series entitled Kamen Rider × Kamen Rider × Kamen Rider The Movie: Cho Den-o Trilogy was recently updated with a new full trailer. The three films, titled simply “Episode Red”, “Episode Blue”, and “Episode Yellow”, will be released separately by Toei over the summer.

“Episode Red”, directed by Osamu Kaneda, will be released on May 22nd. In the film, the time-traveling train, “DenLiner”, becomes impossible to control. A young version of protagonist Yuto Sakurai (Yuichi Nakamura) is forced to preserve the screwed up timeline when a rival attempts to woo his future wife, Airi Nogami (Wakana Matsumoto). Meanwhile, Momotaros also requires his assistance.

“Episode Blue”, directed by Kenzo Maihara, will be released on June 5th. Kotaro (Dori Sakurada) must deal with family issues and later sees his friendship with Teddy (Daisuke Ono) tested as they attempt to regain control of the DenLiner.