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Sasaki and Peeps Season 2's Slightly Deranged Formula Works to Its Benefit
What other series can boast a mix of fantasy kingdom politics, modern-day corporate espionage, assassins, psychics, angels, and demons, all centered around a middle-aged salaryman with a politically savvy talking bird?
― If you've watched any of Sasaki and Peeps, then you're already familiar with its unique blend of flavors. What other series can boast a mix of fantasy kingdom politics, modern-day co...
Mob Psycho 100 Director Yuzuru Tachikawa Shared Cut Reigen-Focused Scene
At AX, Tachikawa showed a scene that didn't make it into Mob Psycho 100 II episode seven.
― At Crunchyroll's "Go 100%! Mob Psycho 100 10th Anniversary Celebration," voice actors Setsuo Ito (Mob) and Takahiro Sakurai (Reigen) and director Yuzuru Tachikawa reminisced about the anime and shared anecdotes from the series' original run, including an intimate peek into his storyboarding process. During a s...
How The NEEDY GIRL OVERDOSE Writer's Need for Friends Made Him Famous
Eventually, nyalra would turn his loneliness into writing and make a name for himself through his blogs and, later, his books.
― NEEDY GIRL OVERDOSE and Sister Other Paranoia writer, Nyalra, opened up his Anime Expo panel to a no-holds-barred conversation. In a discussion with curious fans, the creative mind candidly answered every question about his life, his work, and his influences. Eventually, he...
The Golden Age of Anime is Over, But Industry Veterans Are Betting on ZAN
Experienced animators and directors share how much in the industry has changed, what remains the same, and why they've gathered for one last ride.
― A day after announcing Yoshitaka Amano's newest anime project, ZAN, the "Masters of Anime: Exploring Japanese Animation Production" panel gathered the legends working on the series. Unfortunately, Moriyasu Taniguchi couldn't make it to the panel due to a...
WITCH X WITCH: Kamome Shirahama and Dana Terrace Share Their Love of Fantasy at Kodansha House
Witch Hat Atelier and The Owl House creators sit down for a one-of-a-kind discussion
― Sixty fans of The Owl House and Witch Hat Atelier joined under one roof for a special Q&A session with creators Dana Terrace and Kamome Shirahama. After many years of mutual admiration, the two fantasy writers had a public discussion about each other's work. Shirahama wore her usual Iguin cosplay while Terrace donn...
Blue Lock's Biggest Rivalry Might Be Between Its Creators
“That's my ego as an artist,” Nomura said. “We're always battling over ego. That's why we sometimes need a break.”
― Blue Lock is famous for preaching ego. Its characters constantly push themselves, channeling their inner “egoist” to surpass the people in front of them. At Anime Expo 2026, the two creative forces behind the series suggested it's just as much the philosophy behind making the manga. S...
Akane-banashi, Gachiakuta, Sonic the Hedgehog and Japan's Global Strategy
Japanese companies are looking to fandom to engage with their audience, from getting directly in the YouTube comments to attending more in-person events.
― Walking into a panel called “Why Japanese Content? Why now?” at Anime Expo 2026, you would think that by the end of it you'd have a sense of why anime and game content from Japan, especially those centered on Japanese culture, were resonating more...
Discussing Tani and Suzuki's Biggest Romantic Moment with You and I are Polar Opposites Voice Actors
All that buildup, hoping something romantic would happen, only for it to happen like that?
― The main couple in You and I are Polar Opposites finally kissed, and it was a complete accident! Just a day after Koucha Agasawa's other series, The Ramparts of Ice, finished its 1st season, Anime Expo 2026 hosted an early premiere of the 1st episode of Polar Opposites Season 2. In it, we saw the hilarious C...
Firefly Wedding Anime Premiere Draws A Crowd With Its Bloody Adaptation
The anime turns up Shinpei's yandere tendencies, which Uchiyama delivers with thrilling precision. His final scene, where he promises to make her happy—excitedly smiling while doused in blood—is sure to be as memorable as Future Diary's Yuno Gasai viral yandere face.
― The animated adaptation of Oreco Tachibana's Meiji-era historical romance, Firefly Wedding, brought together an excited group of fan...
New Director of Black Clover Season 2 Delivers on Tabata's Wish for 'Extra Cool' Battles
Director Tanemura himself commented, “I'm very happy with what I saw, and it's hard to believe I made that. That was me.”
― After five years, Black Clover Season 2 returns as a new anime series and continues from the destructive, destitute end of the first series. Originally premiering in 2017, Black Clover's first season covers up to the Spade Kingdom Raid arc. Despite the four-year run with over 17...
Kadokawa Editor-in-Chief Spills the Secrets on What it Takes to Create a Successful Manga
What does it take to break into the Japanese manga industry, and what actually makes a project successful? Noboru Segawa, director and editor-in-chief of Kadokawa's Global Comics Department, sat down to spill the secrets on just what it takes to create a successful manga.
― For many manga fans, their dream is to one day be part of the manga creation process, whether that's publishing their own comic ...
The 5 Best New Video Games We Saw at Anime Expo 2026
Big games like Echoes of Aincrad: Sword Art Online, Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls, and Granblue Fantasy: Relink - Endless Ragnarok are getting released soon, but what about the new games from smaller developers and publishers? We've got you covered here.
― Every year, Anime Expo brings some of the biggest reveals and news about upcoming anime, but video games are often overlooked. Big games like Echoe...
Kagurabachi Anime Premiere Delivers An Adaptation with Clean Cuts
Rather than just being a TV anime, Kagurabachi's top-notch production stands toe-to-toe with theatrical-level works.
― Cypic's anime adaptation of Takeru Hokazono's dark fantasy action series, Kagurabachi, brought together Anime Expo's most passionate fans. As one of the most anticipated upcoming titles, all eyes were glued to the screen as Chihiro Rokuhira transformed from still images to a slashing...
Sasaki & Peeps Season Two Premiere
Season one refused to pick just one item from the menu. Its magic was in picking everything offered. The debut episode of season two immediately demonstrates that it's doubling down
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If you've watched any of Sasaki and Peeps, then you're already familiar with its unique blend of flavors. What other series can boast a mix of fantasy kingdom politics, modern-day corporate espionage, assassins, psychi...
With Sparks of Tomorrow, KyoAni Time Travels to Kyoto to Find A Vision for the Future
Director Ota was specifically inspired by impressionistic paintings, but bringing the vision to reality had its own challenges.
― Sparks of Tomorrow, Kyoto Animation's ambitious 2018 project that was put on hold after the devastating 2019 fire, is finally premiering this summer, and it is a beacon of hope for the studio in more ways than one. Self-hailed as a “new frontier” for the studio, which has ...
All the News and Reviews from Anime Expo 2026
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Where is Anime News Network at Anime Expo 2026? Thursday, July 2 News Exclusive: Square Enix Manga & Books Reveals 8 Manga, 2 Final Fantasy Book Releases Sekai Project to Release Jewelry Hearts Academia Visual Novel in West Mashle: Magic and Muscles Season 3 Anime's Trailer Unveils January 2027 Debut Manga Mavericks Licenses Motionless, The Sword of Paros, Hero Company Manga Kodansha USA Announce...
Manga Licensing Is An Exercise In Empathy
"99.99% of the people working in the manga field are doing it because [they] love it. There’s a certain gentle madness you need to have."
― “99.99% of the people working in the manga field are doing it because [they] love it,” Leyla Aker of Square Enix Manga & Books stated emphatically to the panel crowd. “There's a certain gentle madness you need to have.” At the "Japan to the US: How Manga is Acqui...
Anime Expo 2026: The Traveling Maestro Yoko Kanno
"Whether it's anime or any other kind of work, I want to create pieces that touch the lives of the people who listen to them."
― Few composers in the anime entertainment industry achieve household-name recognition. Joe Hisaishi. Yuki Kajiura. Yuki Hayashi. And, of course, Yoko Kanno. Kanno's illustrious career began in the early '90s with head-turning tracks, with a firm foothold in fandom thirty yea...
All the News and Reviews from Anime Expo 2026
Follow this page for live updates directly from Anime Expo 2026.
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Where is Anime News Network at Anime Expo 2026? Thursday, July 2 News Exclusive: Square Enix Manga & Books Reveals 8 Manga, 2 Final Fantasy Book Releases Sekai Project to Release Jewelry Hearts Academia Visual Novel in West Mashle: Magic and Muscles Season 3 Anime's Trailer Unveils January 2027 Debut Manga Mavericks Licenses Motionle...
AX 2026: Takushi Koide Keeps the '90s Alive with Goodbye, Lara's Thick Lines, Hand-Drawn Animation
Goodbye, Lara is five years in the making. Just fleshing out the original concept took about two years, followed by a long period of shopping the proposal around to several studios.
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Art and storytelling, like many things in life, tend to follow trends, whether it's aesthetics, story concepts, or even technology. In anime, the industry has almost entirely moved towards digitally assisted animation,...
ANN at Anime Expo 2026
Come see us at our panels, events and booth. Full schedule inside.
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Where is Anime News Network at Anime Expo 2026? Thursday, July 2 News Exclusive: Square Enix Manga & Books Reveals 8 Manga, 2 Final Fantasy Book Releases Sekai Project to Release Jewelry Hearts Academia Visual Novel in West Mashle: Magic and Muscles Season 3 Anime's Trailer Unveils January 2027 Debut Manga Mavericks Licenses Motion...
Final Fantasy XIV Director Naoki Yoshida Discusses the Next Decade
What's next for FFXIV? Director Naoki Yoshida explains where things are headed and what he plans to avoid.
― During Final Fantasy XIV Fan Festival 2026 in Anaheim, California, director Naoki Yoshida (also known as Yoshi-P) hosted a press-exclusive panel to discuss all of the upcoming changes to the game, including the newly announced expansion, Evercold. He also discussed the Evangelion collaboration...
AnimeJapan 2026
― We've made our way back to Tokyo Big Sight for another year of big surprises, huge announcements, and basketball-court-sized booths. Read on for all the news served up hot and fresh from this year's AnimeJapan! Prelude to AnimeJapan AnimeJapan 2026 Announces Emerging Creator Award Finalists I Got a Cheat Skill in Another World Anime Gets 2nd Season From Overshadowed to Overpowered TV Anime Streams...
Ronin and Sith Reunite in Star Wars Visions The Duel: Payback
The Kamikaze Douga team continues their ode to Akira Kurosawa in this anime sequel short.
― Star Wars Visions is a unique property that allows various animators to create short-form features set in the Star Wars universe, each with their distinct styles. This has led to a variety of different “what if” scenarios with unique stories or reimaginings found in a galaxy far, far away. Star Wars: Visions V...
Trigun Stargaze Aims for the Stars: Episode 1-2 Review
The first episode's premiere ends up being a set-up appetizer for the rib-eye steak of its second episode, which knocks it out of the park.
― “Love and Peace,” hollered scores of Vash cosplayers at the Trigun Stargaze panel at New York Comic Con, hosted by Crunchyroll. That's a lofty dream for the much-beloved pacifist gunslinger, Vash the Stampede, in the desert Noman's Land. At the panel, the Trig...
Mercer Labs in NYC Looks to Stimulate the Senses with One Piece Collab
One Piece is a franchise known to many, but the Mercer Labs team explained that the series also opens the door to inspire people, even in a passive way.
― One Piece is everywhere, but that shouldn't be surprising considering that it has more or less become one of the largest and most popular franchises on the planet. This has led to collaborations with sports teams, food brands, clothing brands, and...
One Piece Director, Producer Reflect on Heart-Wrenching Bonney and Kuma Episodes
Yasunori Koyama drew on his own memories of his father when directing the relationship between Kuma and Bonney.
― Toei Animation pulled out all the stops when it came to its special One Piece panel at New York Comic Con 2025. Not only were there guest appearances by Ian Sinclair and Madeleine Morris, the English voices of Brook and Lilith respectively, but there were also special appearances by Ryūta...
DIGIMON BEATBREAK Panel Shows Off 'Prequel' Animated Short
Gekkomon voice actor Megumi Han and producer Hiroyuki Sakurada share insight on BEATBREAK's older protagonist at NYCC.
― It is undoubtedly an amazing time to be a Digimon fan, and the Toei animation panel at New York Comic Con 2025 certainly highlighted that sentiment. You could catch glimpses of all the fantastic things that have come out for the Digimon franchise, and this panel sought to be a high...
For Those Who Want a Deeper Monster Hunter Plot, Monster Hunter Stories 3 is Coming
Monster Hunter as a turn-based RPG? Are you saying I don't have to grind hours for armor and weapons and get to enjoy a longer and deeper narrative?
― I wouldn't call myself a Monster Hunter die-hard as I only have a few hundred hours logged between Monster Hunter 2G and Monster Hunter 4. This is certainly a level where I have soloed some of the stronger monsters in the game, but I don't know all the...
MIRESI: Invisible Future Has a Cool Time Travel Premise, Especially If Fanservice is Your Thing
This game has visual elements that want to dissuade me from playing the game. But the premise and gameplay make me want to go back for more.
― Time travel stories: they can be super fun at their best or contrived at their worst. In video games this is almost doubly ture as time travel can feel like a gimmick if not handled with the up most care. And then there's MIRESI: Invisible Future, a game with ...
Katamari is Back and Better Than Ever
It's been 14 years since the last time we were able to roll up everything with a sticky ball. Once Upon A Katamari looks to fix that.
― The King and Prince of the Cosmos are back to roll up the world in Once Upon A Katamari. Despite it being 20 years since I last laid my hands on a Katamari Damacy game, Tokyo Game Show 2025 allowed me to jump back into the world of rolling innocent citizens, buildin...
Even as a Lapsed Zelda Fan, Dynasty Warriors Virgin, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment is a Total Blast
I've never been too interested in The Three Kingdoms era of Chinese history, but Zelda on the other hand...
― Return to the world of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom with hack and slash action in Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment. The Legend of Zelda series is well loved among gamers. From its puzzle-solving, story, action-adventure combat, and grand sense of exploration, there's a lot to...
Sci-fi Meets Eldritch Horror in Deck Builder Chaos Zero Nightmare
The monsters evoke a sense of eldritch horror with designs that are just familiar enough... but warped in such a way to give a sense of unease.
― Rogue-lite deckbuilders are an interesting bunch to me. The randomness of each playthrough of a level or dungeon doesn't quite allow for consistent runs. But that randomness and ability to gain bonuses between each run forces players to learn how to play wi...
My Hero Academia: All's Justice Environment is the Real Star of the Game
My Hero Academia: All’s Justice gives players a slew of new battle features. Too bad I was more interested in exploring the map and taking in the sights of each mission than I was in fighting.
― At Tokyo Game Show 2025, I was able to get some hands-on time with My Hero Academia: All's Justice. It follows the events of My Hero Academia's final season and leads players through the last battles of the s...
Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake Keeps the Graphical Upgrade, Loses Some Quality of Life Adjustments
One of the best things about Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake was the auto-battle option, which is absent in these two remasters.
― It's time to go back to the grandfather of Japanese RPGs with Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake. It's a shame some of the game configurations seen in Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake and the Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster series are toned down in Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake,...
Puzzle-Solving in Steampunk America with Professor Layton
At TGS 2025, we got hands-on time with Professor Layton and the New World of Steam.
― It's been eight years since a new Professor Layton game appeared on a Nintendo system. But that eight-year wait feels like it was worth it with the latest installment of the Professor Layton series, Professor Layton and the New World of Steam. Exhibited at Tokyo Game Show 2025, the demo for the game introduces playe...
The Resident Evil Requiem Demo Plays Smoothly On the Switch 2
The handheld experience was great—no frame rate drops or any kind of lag.
― At Tokyo Game Show 2025, it was announced that the newest game in the Resident Evil series, Resident Evil Requiem, would be coming to Nintendo Switch 2 in addition to the PlayStation and Xbox consoles. And if you wondered how the game plays on the much less powerful console, I have good news: I was able to get some hands-on ...
Hands-On with Ananta, The Surprise Hit of TGS 2025
If you’ve encountered Ananta online, you probably know it as the game that’s “anime GTA meets Marvel’s Spider-Man.” I’m here to report it’s exactly that.
― If there was an unquestioned dark horse winner of Tokyo Game Show 2025, it was Ananta. From the crowd that surrounded the booth in the hopes of getting in a demo line that opened only for a few seconds each hour to backpack swag-bags featuring bun...
Pragmata is a Souls-Like With Guns and Constant Mini-games
Ever wanted to pretend you’re a Big Daddy in a sci-fi version of Bioshock?
― At Tokyo Game Show 2025 Anime News Network was able to get thirty minutes with Capcom's upcoming sci-fi game Pragmata. In the demo, you play as the team of astronaut Hugh and android child Diana and work on escaping a lunar research station that has been overrun by killer machines. While ostensibly a third-person shooter, Pr...
As an FFXIV Player, Monster Hunter Wild's Upcoming Boss is a Nostalgic Trip
I am not a Monster Hunter player but I am a Final Fantasy XIV player—which made the Tokyo Game Show 2025 demo a lot of fun.
― To be clear from the start, I am not a Monster Hunter player. The last title I put any serious time into was Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate on the Wii U—and that was in 2013. However, what I most definitely am is a Final Fantasy XIV player—which gave me an interesting perspective o...
Nioh 3 Hands-On: Getting Stomped into the Ground for 10 Minutes Straight
Nioh 3's Tokyo Game Show 2025 demo is focused on the combat and nothing but the combat.
― I am no stranger to Souls-like games. Beyond the Fromsoft titles, I've played a ton, including those quite similar to Nioh 3—namely the original Nioh and The First Berserker: Khazan. Because of this, Nioh 3 was instantly familiar. In the Tokyo Game Show 2025 demo, the focus is on the combat and nothing but the c...
Tougen Anki's First Game is for Hardcore Tougen Anki Fans Alone
Hot on the heels of its anime adaptation, Tougen Anki is getting its own game—a game which was playable for the first time on smartphones and PCs at Tokyo Game Show 2025.
― Hot on the heels of its anime adaptation, Tougen Anki is getting its own game—a game which was playable for the first time on smartphones and PCs at Tokyo Game Show 2025. On it's most basic level, Tougen Anki Crimson Inferno plays...
The Anime NYC Guide to Working in the American Manga Industry
Manga publishers at Anime NYC shared their advice on breaking into the industry from lettering and logo design to creating your very own comic.
― How many of the 148,000 attendees at Anime NYC 2025 want to find work in the manga business? Probably a lot of them - at least five panels focused on career-building, and even the question and answer segments on unrelated panels would frequently have someo...
Studio Proteus: American Manga Awards Hall of Fame Spotlight
It's no exaggeration to say that the manga industry—and manga fandom itself—would not be what it is now without the historic contributions of Studio Proteus.
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It's no exaggeration to say that the manga industry—and manga fandom itself—would not be what it is now without the historic contributions of Studio Proteus, the San Francisco-based studio responsible for selecting, acquiring, translating, an...
Voice Actor Maile Flanagan Reflects on 20 Years of Naruto
Being a voice actress wasn’t originally in the cards for Flanagan. “I wanted to be a diplomat,” she admitted, “But it pays better being a superstar.”
― The very voice of Naruto had her Anime NYC Q&A panel on the convention's final day. To the anime's many avid fans, it meant that the best was saved for last. Maile Flanagan's star power had managed to fill almost the entire Sakura Stage; it got so big...
Hana-Kimi's 1st Episode is a Slow-Burner 20 Years in the Making
The shoujo trappings are there to be fleshed out as the series moves along, but I'm not sure they make a strong entrance.
― The first episode of Hana-Kimi: For You In Blossom's anime adaptation aired about halfway through Crunchyroll's second round of premieres. And it was a day long in the making for shoujo fans eager to see how well this twenty-year-old tale has translated into the modern era. Visu...
Go For It, Nakamura! Anime Premiere Mixes Retro Charm with Wacky BL Antics
Its mixture of '80s aesthetic and campy BL is enough for folks jonesing for some well-directed rom-com with a retro twist.
― Crunchyroll had its second round of premieres this Saturday morning at Anime NYC, and starting was the upcoming rom-com Go For It, Nakamura!. Retro animation combined with BL comedy and drama has generated a decent amount of hype for the show. It was intriguing to see how it al...
The Legal and 'Soft' Censorship Affecting Manga in America
Daniel Cruz of PEN America emphasized the toll censorship can take on authors: “Authors stop writing the content that's getting censored.”
― Panels about manga being targeted by book-banning campaigns have had a regular presence at anime conventions for as long as I can remember. In light of the current political climate (be sure to read Coop Bicknell's deep dive into the state of manga censorship in...
JAM Project at the One-Punch Man Anime NYC Panel Makes You Glad You're an Anime Fan
The mini-concert was a convention highlight as JAM Project busted out the One-Punch Man opening themes and...a song from 2nd Super Robot Wars Alpha?!
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Saturday's “One-Punch Man Special Event – The Hero!” at Anime NYC was the kind of event that makes you happy the events in your life led you to be an anime fan somehow. That everything in your past led you to be in that room, surrounded by hundreds o...
May I Ask For One Final Thing? Makes for A Smashing Anime Premiere
Despite this show's title being in the form of a polite question, there's nothing mannerly about a woman who solves her problems by smashing people into walls. And I'm kind of here for it.
― May I Ask For One Final Thing? was third in line during Crunchyroll's second round of premieres at Anime NYC. About a third of the audience in attendance had left the panel room at that point, and I can't blame t...
Kaiju No. 8's Game Version Puts You in the Fight
It's exciting to see these kaiju rendered in well-polished, cell-shaded 3D graphics that lovingly re-create the characters from the original manga.
― I love Kaiju No. 8. The way the series takes many traditional kaiju tropes and streamlines them into an exciting battle shounen series with many likable characters means that I'm always in for a good time. Games and spin-offs based on the popular franch...
Under Ninja Author Kengo Hanazawa Puts a Spotlight on Seinen Manga
Hanazawa claims he's not a ninja himself — that career would be “too difficult” for him — but at points in the panel, one might mistake him for one.
― When writing Under Ninja, Kengo Hanazawa pays special attention to sound effects — specifically, the lack of them. “I wasn't able to depict this perfectly at the beginning,” he said at his Anime NYC 2025 panel, “but ninjas are known to be silent.” Wher...
Rooster Fighter Anime World Premiere
Trust me when I say the Viz marketing team is getting a lot of mileage out of all the cock jokes.
― There's a new hero in town, and he may just be the last stand against the end of humanity. No, he's not supersized, nor is he even close to invincible. He just has a strong sense of duty, a burning desire for revenge, and the special ability to unleash a brain-shattering screech that can resonate with ...
Dusk Beyond the End of the World World Premiere
While this premiere didn't win me over, I'm curious to see where the rest of it is going. If you're looking for a new sci-fi series to check out, this might be worth keeping an eye on in the fall.
― PA Works is one of my favorite studios when it comes to making original projects, and they've had a pretty good batting average in that department, having created such shows as A Lull in the Sea and Shiro...
New Panty & Stocking's Anime NYC Premiere Marriage Obscenity with Music and Emotion
This is an anime whose natural talent is dropping more F-bombs and dick jokes per minute than an episode of South Park.
― It's old wisdom that most comedians who have to warn you how edgy they are really aren't. Thankfully, with so many episodes of the gleefully profane Panty & Stocking under his belt, director Hiroyuki Imaishi never once had to face that same problem. So when Imaishi and his cohort ...
Behind Weekly Shonen Jump: A Conversation with the Editor-in-Chief
What makes a hit manga in Weekly Shonen Jump? WSJ's current Editor-in-Chief Yū Saitō emphasized that he's always looking for “something new.”
― What makes a hit manga in Weekly Shonen Jump? At an Anime NYC panel moderated by Deb Aoki and presented by the Japan Foundation, WSJ's current Editor-in-Chief Yu Saito emphasized that he's always looking for “something new.” Saito, who started working at publ...
Voice Actor Kenjiro Tsuda Relives Kaiba's Greatest Moments in Yu-Gi-Oh
Kaiba is probably one of my favorite characters in the entire Yu-Gi-Oh! franchise, so getting a panel strictly dedicated to him was a treat.
― Seto Kaiba is one of the most iconic rivals in all of anime from one of the most iconic anime of all time, Yu-Gi-Oh. At Anime NYC, the Japanese voice actor Kenjiro Tsuda and show producer Teruaki Jitsumatsu made an appearance to discuss their history with the ...
BL Webtoon King's Maker Writer and Illustrator Make First U.S. Appearance at AnimeNYC 2025
Haga took inspiration from two stories that talk about the love of humankind. On the other hand, Kang was reading the Bible while working on the material.
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The two creators of the popular BL webtoon, King's Maker, arrived at AnimeNYC to a room full of excited fans. Illustrator Jiyoung Kang and writer Haga expressed how happy they were to see everyone and promised to take the smiles from the attende...
Kenjirō Tsuda Celebrates 30 Years of Iconic Voices
Kenjirō Tsuda is known today as one of the most prolific voice actors in anime, and he sat down at Anime NYC to discuss his 30-year-long career in acting.
― Kenjiro Tsuda is known today as one of the most prolific voice actors in anime, and he sat down at Anime NYC to discuss his 30-year-long career in acting. Tsuda revealed that he first got into acting through doing theatre in middle school and th...
Sentenced to Be a Hero Anime is Worth the Wait
The movie-level quality of animation sets the series apart from other fantasy titles and gives this highly anticipated title the attention it deserves.
― The anime adaptation of Rocket Shokai's dark fantasy light novel, Sentenced to Be a Hero, was initially set to release in October 2025. However, that date was pushed to January 2026. Now, after watching the forty-five-minute special, the finished pr...
Akane-banashi Producer, Manga Editor Share How to Bring Rakugo to Anime
The primary voice actors are undergoing rakugo training and performed skits via video during Anime NYC's panel!
― Fans gathered together on Saturday to learn more about the upcoming Akane-banashi anime, based on the hit Shonen Jump manga by Yūki Suenaga and Takamasa Moue. TV Asahi producer Kazuki Endo took to the stage to discuss the anime, but not before introducing the network's other well-known se...
A Sneak Peek at the New Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid Movie
I was already curious about this film, but given just how powerful everything here was, I am definitely more excited for it now.
― There's a lot to love about Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid. Some of its humor might be an acquired taste, but there is a lot of heart and passion behind the series. One thing that drew me into the show is its found family message. As the worlds of human and dragon blend to...
FLCL Reanimated is a Labor of Love
It’s always impressive just how far some fans are willing to go in order to showcase how much they love a franchise.
― It's always impressive just how far some fans are willing to go to showcase how much they love a franchise. Fan animations have been around for a long time, with many people opting to do continuations or alternate takes on a series. One form of fan appreciation in the realm of online...
Can a Decent Protagonist Save My Status as an Assassin Obviously Exceeds the Hero's From Isekai Mediocrity?
Unfortunately, the presentation and pacing are within the range of expectation for the isekai genre in 2025.
― The anime adaptation of Matsuri Akai's light novel, My Status as an Assassin Obviously Exceeds the Hero's, is set to premiere in October 2025. Lucky attendees at AnimeNYC's first round of Crunchyroll premieres caught a two-episode screening of the isekai anime. Animated by Sunrise, the init...
To Your Eternity's Third Season Premiere Shows the Series Still Has It
Like Fushi's immortality, Hikaru Utada 's purposefully endless, looping song was the embodiment of the series.
― The early afternoon crowd of fans quickly spilled into the Sakura Stage panel for a glimpse of the highly anticipated first episode of To Your Eternity Season 3. Set for an official launch in October 2025, the third season of Yoshitoki Oima's beloved series promises consistent storytellin...
The Meaning of Being a Delinquent: ANYC's Wind Breaker Panel
Akira Shimizu spoke about how there has been a long standing culture of delinquent manga, and that while delinquents may have a negative reputation, he doesn't believe it's as simple as them being bad.
― The Wind Breaker panel opened to a crowd of enthusiastic fans as the host briefly recapped the series before introducing Yuma Uchida, the Japanese voice actor for the protagonist Sakura. From there, ...
Pass the Monster Meat, MiLady! Premiere Leaves Fans Savoring For More
Pass the Monster Meat, MiLady! premiered the first half of its initial episode at Otakon as a sneak peek for fans hungry for more food anime.
― Pass the Monster Meat, MiLady! is obviously about food crimes. How else would you explain Melphiera's notorious status of “The Voracious Villainess?” So there's nothing villainous about her personality so far--she's just a self-described country bumpkin. Yet ...
Makeine: Too Many Losing Heroines Delights Otakon Audience With Scenes and Memes
hey weren’t kidding when they named this panel “Makeine: Too Many Losing Heroines! The Scenes That Launched a Thousand Memes.”
― They weren't kidding when they named this panel “Makeine: Too Many Losing Heroines! The Scenes That Launched a Thousand Memes.” This was an event spanning a massive ninety minutes in length, featuring the light novel and anime's major players, all discussing the tiny detail...
Ryoko Shiraishi Goes Camping
Ryoko Shiraishi's thought smores were made how?
― As a voice actor for male characters, female characters, and everyone in between, Ryoko Shiraishi has a uniquely flexible vocal range. But during her Otakon panel, the veteran entertainer spoke about broadening her horizons outside of her career. Befitting Otakon's 2025 camping theme, Shiraishi revealed she'd recently taken up camping in Japan after s...
Shinya Ōhira's Star Wars: Visions Short Is the Last Memories of a Dying Man
Visions executive producer James Waugh described "Black" as the anthology series' most experimental entry yet, but I doubt anything could have prepared the audience for Ōhira's vision.
― Lucasfilm returned to Japan for its third installment of Star Wars: Visions Volume 3, building off the success of Volume 1. At the Star Wars: Visions panel at Anime NYC, audiences were greeted by the frenetic mind of...
Shuichiro Umeda Dazzles Otakon Crowd With The Summer Hikaru Died Q&A
From the chicken scene to accents, Shuichiro Umeda discusses what it's like to play both Hikaru and "Hikaru."
― Shuichiro Umeda entered his Otakon Q&A with an aura so gleeful and powerful that if one didn't know any better, they'd think it was the cause for some technical difficulty at the panel's start. The presentation hit a blue screen as it delayed its special video message from Hikaru's director...
All the News and Reviews from Anime NYC 2025
Check back every day for more big news out of Anime NYC, sponsored by Yen Press!
― Thursday, August 21 News Animated Devil May Cry Series' 2nd Season Reveals Teaser Trailer, 2026 Release Record of Ragnarok Season 3 Anime's Trailer Reveals More Cast, Ending Theme Song (Updated) Sakamoto Days Anime's English Trailer Previews JCC Exams Arc The Guy She Was Interested In Wasn't a Guy At All, The Apotheca...
Apothecaries and Assassins: Q&A with Minoji Kurata
Nothing prepared manga artist Minoji Kurata for American fans
― Nothing about Washington DC was what Minoji Kurata expected. First, she had been told to prepare for hot, muggy weather so she wore a traditional yukata, but the air was unseasonably cool. Nothing prepared her for American fans either, who she described as “passionate,” surprising her by cosplaying even outside the convention, unlike in ...
Ryota Takeuchi and Nobutoshi Canna Swap Travelers' Tales at Otakon Panel
On Otakon's final day, Ryota Takeuchi joined forces with Nobutoshi Canna for one of the most unique panels of the weekend: their leisurely sojourns through the Japanese countryside.
― On Otakon's final day, Ryota Takeuchi joined forces with Nobutoshi Canna for one of the most unique panels of the weekend. Rather than discussing more about their anime roles, they decided to discuss something else: lei...
Berserk's, Fate's Nobutoshi Canna Recalls Past Roles in Otakon Panel
From Guts to Knuckles, Nobutoshi Canna's had a storied career.
― Voice acting veteran Nobutoshi Canna entered the halls of Otakon with fans eager to get insight regarding his career's longevity. As the title of his Q&A panel implies, Canna would discuss his roles from Berserk to Fate, although he did get into a few other roles too. The tone was set beautifully when a fan found a perfect opportunity t...
The Dark History of the Reincarnated Villainess Spins Troubled Pasts Into Comedic Fun
"Cringe" takes on a new meaning when a young woman is reincarnated into the pages of her own novel.
―
A lot of us wish we could go back and remake the mistakes of the past, and nothing makes that point more than the first episode of The Dark History of the Reincarnated Villainess. Talk about something that takes the phrase “skeletons in the closet” to a literal level! Because this villainess main ch...
Welcome Back to the Bed and Breakfast for Spirits
Perhaps since it’s been such a long time between seasons, this premiere episode was less of a new story than it was a who’s-who retrospective.
― Watching Kakuriyo -Bed & Breakfast for Spirits- is like staying at a nice hotel. Each scene takes place in an elegant ryokan, or traditional Japanese-style bed and breakfast. The cast is comprised of colorful, friendly characters focused on hospitality. And ...
This Monster Wants to Eat Me Spins a Deadly Fairy Tale
This uncommon yuri manga adaptation has earned a guaranteed spot on my must-watch list.
― There's a reason the story of Beauty and the Beast is a classic. The story of a vulnerable girl who falls in love with a dangerous monster is an irresistible escapist fantasy no matter how many ways it is told. This Monster Wants to Eat Me has a twist: both this Beauty and her Beast are teenage girls—and Beauty ...
Crunchyroll's Annecy Moment: A Missed Opportunity for Industry Transformation
Watching the 40-minute presentation unfold, one can't help but feel that Crunchyroll fundamentally misunderstood the assignment.
― "It's a great time to be an anime fan," declares Mitchel Berger, Crunchyroll's EVP of Global Commerce and Theatrical, as he takes the stage at this year's Annecy Festival. Berger's confidence reflects his front-row seat to anime's evolution over the past decade from its d...
Global Animation Panel Brings the Best of All Worlds to Anime Expo
Global partnerships are helping animation to reach new heights with titles like Leviathan and MFINDA
― The Global Animators panel was a wonderful melting pot of ideas and internationality, ushering forth intriguing conversation on how animation production works on a global scale. Hosted by Qubic Pictures and featuring creators from D'art Shtajio, N LITE, Studio Orange, and Lucasfilm, the panel had an...
Hololive Night Pulls Huge Grand Slam at Dodgers Stadium
Unlike the Dodgers that night, the hololive VTubers did not strike out once.
― Out of everything I went to at Anime Expo this year, the hololive Night at Dodgers stadium had to be the best out of all of them. This was my first time at a baseball stadium in over 17 years as I'm not a sports fan in the slightest, yet seeing all of the hololivery on the jumbotron coupled with the fan interaction on the ...
Are NFTs a Viable Collaboration for Creating Anime?
Goro Taniguchi's AX panel tries to frame the sale of NFTs as a form of collaboration.
― The Azuki panel on Anime Expo's second day was something that I arrived at with mixed feelings. On the one hand, Code Geass creator Goro Taniguchi was there, and how can I deny the man whose Dostoevskian yarn about crime, punishment, politics, robots, waifus, and Pizza Hut became a staple for me in my early colleg...
MFINDA: A Journey Between Worlds, presented by N LITE
I challenge you to find an anime out there that's channeling the soul of Studio Ghibli as well as N LITE 's upcoming film MFINDA .
― I challenge you to find an anime out there that's channeling the soul of Studio Ghibli as well as N LITE's upcoming film MFINDA. N LITE aims to redefine the boundaries of the anime industry by drawing from authentic cultures and untapped stories of the African diaspora,...
Frieren Panel Lets Fans Journey Through The Anime's Soundscape
Composer Evan Call reveals that he wants the music in Frieren to be "the voice of the world."
― The Frieren: Beyond Journey's End panel at the Peacock Theater proved entertaining to those curious about the sounds that go into the anime's production. With Stark's voice actor Chiaki Kobayashi and composer Evan Call on stage alongside producer Yuichiro Fukushi, the panel took on a very sonic nature to a...
Crunchyroll's Let's Play Panel Discusses Anime Production's Cultural Exchange
Creator Mongie's inspiration is just part of the reason this series should appeal to viewers around the world.
― The first episode of the anime adaptation of popular webcomic Let's Play made its way into the JW Marriott on the very first day of Anime Expo. I'll admit, it wasn't exactly the most densely populated panel I attended that weekend, but it did boast the most party-hard preshow of 'em all. I...
Arknights: Endfield Might Give Genshin Impact a Run for its Money
Based on the demo, this game is something to look forward to.
― The Arknights tower-defense game is getting an RPG spin-off called Arknights: Endfield, and it's surprisingly more robust than I thought it would be. During Anime Expo 2025, Anime News Network got the opportunity to play a 30-minute demo. It has a lot of potential with its slick art direction and mixture of action-RPG and tower defense g...
Peach-Pit Journey's Down Memory Lane In 25th Anniversary Panel
Manga duo Peach-Pit reminisced about their twenty-five years in the field before an enthusiastic crowd.
― At their special Q&A panel, Peach-Pit fondly reminisced on their quarter of a century working together as mangaka. Remaining consistent with keeping their faces a secret to the public, members Banri Sendou and Shibuko Ebara donned long black clothes and starkly-draped masks that dangled in front ...
FuRyu's Varlet is Taking a More Colorful Direction in Its First Demo
A preview of Varlet shows it to be a colorful, promising game with an intriguing battle system.
― Developers FuRyu and Aquria is an underdog studio creating more digestible RPGs compared to the behemoths of Persona and Final Fantasy. The studio is best known for games like The Caligula Effect, Monark, Trinity Trigger, and Reynatis. This year, FuRyu is launching Varlet, a brand new school life and dun...
Ninjas, Cats, and Roosters Abound at Viz's Anime Expo Panel
Just imagine those Family Guy bits where Peter has to fight a giant chicken, except now the chicken's the main character of a seinen and he has to fight something more monstrous than some shlubby ex-toy factory worker.
― As far as panels go, there was nothing earth-shattering in the way Viz presented itself and its products at its Anime Expo panel this year. What you expected is exactly what you got...
Kaiju No. 8 Panel Brings Plenty of Energy to Anime Expo
Masaya Fukunishi is probably one of the most animated people I have ever seen.
― Kaiju No. 8 has established itself as one of the more popular shows to have come out in the past year. That reality hits hard when you sit in the middle of the Peacock Theater in LA and find almost its entire main floor filled with loud and dedicated Kaiju No. 8 fans. Their presence and cheers were rewarded with the appe...
All the News and Reviews from Anime Expo 2025
― Where is Anime News Network at Anime Expo 2025? Thursday, July 3 News Macross Frontier Manga to Be Published by Udon in English Aksys Games to Release Novect's Project Code M, 6 Other Games Cyberpunk: Edgerunners Anime's Blu-ray Disc Set Ships on October 28 GATE Anime Gets Sequel Based on 'Season 2' Novels Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc Anime Reveals Kenshi Yonezu's Theme Song in Trailer J-No...
WEBTOON Platform Steps Into the Spotlight at Anime Expo – But Can It Break Out of the Corner?
K-Comics platform WEBTOON is stepping up its presence, but first it has to make sure that its brand is associated with its biggest hits.
― For the first time ever, WEBTOON Entertainment set up its booth at Anime Expo, marking a notable step into the mainstream spotlight. Coming off its 2024 debut on the Nasdaq, this year's presence at North America's biggest anime convention felt like the company's f...
What If the Samurai Era Lasted in Japan Until 2026? – World Premiere of a Scene from the Theatrical Anime KILLTUBE!
With its mix of samurai and modern sensibilities, KILLTUBE looks like nothing else.
― KILLTUBE is an audacious work. It's bold in its confidence. It's pure in its artist-first approach. But when it's finally complete in 2026 – when CHOCOLATE Inc. says it will be done – will it be any good? Anime Expo attendees filed into the Crunchyroll Stage in the Platinum Ballroom for the look behind the scenes to...
Every Anime Production is Connected: From Land of the Lustrous to Leviathan
Studio Orange continues to refine its technical and artistic skills after each production, acquiring new tools for future projects.
― Returning for Anime Expo 2025, animation studio Orange shares a behind-the-scenes look at how they make anime. Led by speaker Yoshihiro Watanabe, producer at Orange, the panel shared material from their upcoming anime series Leviathan, as well as some fun sequences on ...
Toilet-Bound Hanako-kun's Cast and Staff Bring Mokke and Candy to AX
“In season one, we only had twelve episodes and there were things that didn't quite make the series. Season two is two cour , so there's a lot that we can do, which is what I'm excited about.“
― Fans of popular anime series, Toilet-bound Hanako-kun, were in for a treat as the voice of Hanako-kun, Megumi Ogata, made an appearance alongside two producers. Producers Yuki Katayama (TBS) and Shota Komats...
JUJUTSU KAISEN Special Event Previews Upcoming Excitement
The compilation film is billed as the perfect place for newbies to start ahead of upcoming developments.
― TOHO animation brought two heavy-hitting voice actors to the JUJUTSU KAISEN panel at Anime Expo 2025. Arguably, as one of the most attended panels this year at the convention, the 7,100 capacity venue looked fairly filled out to the brim on the first floor and spotty open seats on the second flo...
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