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The Spring 2025 Anime Preview Guide

The highly-anticipated Gundam GQuuuuuux smashed onto the small screen this week. Read our reviews of studio khara's entry into the mecha franchise. Plus: Apocalypse Hotel, The Shiunji Family Children, MHA Vigilantes, Lazarus, and more! ― Welcome to Anime News Network's Spring 2025 Anime Preview Guide! Here's how it goes: our team of critics writes up their impressions instantly, to be posted here as...
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Summer Pockets Writer, Director On The Hardest Things About Turning a Game into an Anime

“This is kind of bad to say, but there are some works that just can't be adapted [into an anime].” ― During the “'Summer Pockets' Staff Talk Stage by Production Works Gallery”at Anime Japan 2025, game writer Kai and the upcoming anime adaptation director Tomoki Kobayashi spoke a bit about the troubles of turning a game into an anime. The Summer Pockets anime is based on the 2018 Key visual novel of t...
your score

Your Anime Rankings - Best of Winter 2025

Ending the season with a strong episode, The Apothecary Diaries turns the tables on Orb at the very last minute. Check out what else moved up or down in the final ranking of the Winter 2024 season! ― 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. K...
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The Spring 2025 Anime Preview Guide

It's time for another superpowered adventure in My Hero Academia: Vigilantes! Also check out our reviews of Zabi Tabi, Aharen-san wa Hakarenai Season 2, Lazarus, Witch Watch, Kowloon Generic Romance, and more! ― Welcome to Anime News Network's Spring 2025 Anime Preview Guide! Here's how it goes: our team of critics writes up their impressions instantly, to be posted here as they go along. Each criti...
interview

Voice Actors Shōgo Sakata and Miharu Hanai Talk About Their Love for The Brilliant Healer's New Life in the Shadows

ANN caught up with Shogo Sakata and Miharu Hanai to get their thoughts on playing Zenos and Lily in The Brilliant Healer's New Life in the Shadows. ― At the recent world premiere for upcoming spring anime The Brilliant Healer's New Life in the Shadows here in Tokyo, ANN sat down with voice actors Shōgo Sakata and Miharu Hanai. Together, they talked about their respective characters (Zenos and Lily), ...
interview

Director Shu Watanabe on The Too-Perfect Saint and Turning it into an Anime

ANN sat down with Shu Watanabe to discuss the anime adaption of The Too-Perfect Saint and what viewers can expect. ― Koki Fuyutsuki's light novel series The Too-Perfect Saint may sound like every other saint-based story out there, but it offers some variations on the theme. More Cinderella than its isekai compatriots, the story follows Philia, a protagonist. She carries out her duties perfectly as t...
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The Spring 2025 Anime Preview Guide

It's the biggest day yet for our Preview Guide, starting with The Dinner Table Detective! Also check our reviews for Your Forma, Fire Force Season 3, Can a Boy-Girl Friendship Survive?, and more. ― Welcome to Anime News Network's Spring 2025 Anime Preview Guide! Here's how it goes: our team of critics writes up their impressions instantly, to be posted here as they go along. Each critic will cover a...
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PREVIEW: Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar

Grow your crops, romance your neighbors, and sell them goods in the upcoming Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar remake! ― Once again, the future of the Story of Seasons series lies in the franchise taking a look at its past! Marvelous was generous enough to give us a first look at the upcoming Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar remake. Longtime fans might remember this game from the Nintendo DS; the years h...
your score

Your Anime Rankings - Best of Winter 2025, Mar 19-25

Solo Leveling takes the first spot this week, but it's not enough to move the needle in the cumulative. Stay tuned for the final results next 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 p...
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The Best New K-Comics to Read: March 2025

From dungeons to Joseon, come find your next read with our March roundup of the most interesting new K-comics! ― March is the proverbial month of lions and lambs, but the K-comics that are debuting don't necessarily follow that pattern. If anything, it's almost all lions, although that may be because the major flavor of comics on the sites/apps that are available in English is “spicy romance.” But th...
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The Most Anticipated Anime of Spring 2025

Each new season brings with it a sense of anticipation. What new shows will wow us? Which ones will sound great on paper and then crumble under their own weight? Which will surprise us? ― Each new season brings with it a sense of anticipation. What new shows will wow us? Which ones will sound great on paper and then crumble under their own weight? Which will surprise us? Our review team gets into wh...
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One Piece's Time Change Gets Stage Show

Four One Piece cast members made a grand entrance at AnimeJapan with a 10-minute skit about the planned time slot change. ― Four One Piece cast members made a grand entrance at AnimeJapan with a 10-minute skit about the planned time slot change - and Mayumi Tanaka went all out in her role as a father. AnimeJapan 2025 Day 1 stage shows ended with a bang with One Piece's debut at the event. Where many ...
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The Worst Anime of Winter 2025

Not every show can be a winner, and sadly there was no shortage of stinkers in the Winter 2025 season. ― Not every show can be a winner, and sadly there was no shortage of stinkers in the Winter 2025 season. From an elf sexually attracted to her pet to shows that squandered their potential, these are the series our reviewers were underwhelmed by this past season. For our long-time readers, the seaso...
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All Three All For One Voice Actors Appear On Stage for AnimeJapan 2025

Voice actors Akio Ōtsuka , Hiroshi Kamiya , and Kōki Uchiyama talk about their All For One experiences. ― Voice actors Akio Otsuka, Hiroshi Kamiya, and Koki Uchiyama talk about their All For One experiences. With the final season of the popular anime series My Hero Academia steadily approaching its final season, five cast members of the anime appeared at the annual AnimeJapan event for a talk show. W...
watch

The Spring 2025 Trailer Anime Watch Party

The Anime Trailer Watch Party returns on Tuesday, March 25, for another season, and Geoff Thew from Mother's Basement is back onboard! ― The Anime Trailer Watch Party returns on Tuesday, March 25, for another season, and Geoff Thew from Mother's Basement is back onboard! Find your next must-watch anime with Anime News Network executive editor Lynzee Loveridge, ANN video producer Jacki Jing, and Geoff...
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The Best Anime of Winter 2025

The first anime season of 2025 has wrapped! What shook out as some of the best series of the season? ― The first anime season of 2025 has wrapped! What shook out as some of the best series of the season? Our reviewers piled on the love for the second season of Apothecary Diaries, but one series stood above the rest. For our long-time readers, the seasonal Best Anime, Worst Anime, and Most Anticipate...
your score

Your Anime Rankings - Best of Winter 2025, Mar 12-18

Zenshu narrowly beats Solo Leveling to the top spot this week, and the cumulative is quiet as we enter the final two weeks of the season. 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 th...
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Chainsaw Man Voice Actors Reveal Their Favorite Scenes

At Anime Japan this past weekend, three Chainsaw Man voice actors showed off their favorite scenes from the first season—and Power didn't show up in a single one! ― At the “Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc Anime Japan 2025 Special Stage” this past weekend, Chainsaw Man voice actors Kikunosuke Toya (Denji), Tomori Kusunoki (Makima), and Maaya Uchida (Angel Devil) each showed off their favorite scene...
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PREVIEW: Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma

Jean-Karlo explores the world of the latest Rune Factory game, Guardians of Azuma, to find out what's ahead for the franchise. ― Fans of Rune Factory can finally sigh in relief: we finally have word on the new Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma title! We were fortunate enough to be given a first-hand look at the game courtesy of Marvelous, who was excited for fans worldwide to experience this new take ...
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Acclaimed Director Hideaki Anno Welcomes Fans to Space Battleship Yamato 50th Anniversary Exhibition

“I think this work deserves to be passed down for another half century or more. I hope young people will continue to talk about it, not just for the 50th anniversary, but for the 100th anniversary and beyond.” ― One of Japan's forefathers of the space opera genre of anime, Space Battleship Yamato, celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2024. Created by the late Leiji Matsumoto and Yoshinobu Nishizaki in ...
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I Watched It For The Story

We've all been there—you find a show with such a compelling, engaging story that you can't stop watching...but it looks like absolute garbage. ― We've all been there—you find a show with such a compelling, engaging story that you can't stop watching...but it looks like absolute garbage. Maybe the character designs are terrible, maybe the animation is intensely subpar, maybe baffling color choices we...
your score

Your Anime Rankings - Best of Winter 2025, Mar 5-11

After a few weeks of great results in the weekly ranking, Dr. Stone is starting to see this reflect in the cumulative! 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...
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Sword Art Online Illustrator BUNBUN Celebrates 20th Anniversary Exhibition

Check out the exhibition to see everything from BUNBUN's Sword Art Online and Yuki Yuna Is a Hero artwork to more obscure finds, like his early doujin! ― Anime and manga exhibitions are mainstay events across Japan. From displays in event centers to established museums, fans of both mediums love seeing manuscripts of their favorite works. Light novel illustrators are often overlooked in their creativ...
newtype

Newtype Exclusive Interview with Composer Kaoru Wada: Crafting the Soundscape of Ranma ½

The director's order: “A song with a melody.” Composer Wada discusses how they added a "Chinese feel" to the hit romantic comedy anime! ― The director's order: “A song with a melody.” —How did you feel when you were asked to work on “Ranma”? Wada: I had worked on Inuyasha for a long time and have a close relationship with the original author, Rumiko Takahashi, on both a personal and professional lev...
interview

Sailor Moon: The Super Live Cast Interview

Ahead of the Sailor Moon: The Super Live North American tour, we sat down with the London company to discover what it's like to bring Naoko Takeuchi's beloved magical girl series to the stage. ― Ahead of the Sailor Moon: The Super Live North American tour, we sat down with the London company to discover what it's like to bring Naoko Takeuchi's beloved magical girl series to the stage. Could you intr...
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Interview: Zero Escape's Kotaro Uchikoshi on Ever 17 and Never 7 Finally Coming West

Newly available to Western gamers, Uchikoshi talked to us about the evolution of his themes, his popularity overseas, and how COVID changed his thoughts on sci-fi themes. ― Kotaro Uchikoshi has garnered something of an international cult fandom. He's known for science fiction-themed adventure games such as Zero Escape and AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES and his collaboration with Danganronpa creator Kazutaka ...
your score

Your Anime Rankings - Best of Winter 2025, Feb 26-Mar 4

After several weeks coming close, Zenshu grabs the top spot this week! And in the cumulative, Orb narrowly reclaims #1 from Apothecary Diaries. 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 m...
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Getting Started with K-Comics - Tapas

Whether you want to catch up on Doctor Elise, find love in a zombie outbreak, or support characters making bad decisions, you can find your next read on Tapas! ― Webtoons have exploded in popularity over the past few years, which means there are many sites and apps to choose from when you're looking for your next read. So we thought it might be helpful to give you a place to start, especially since m...
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Hana-Kimi Exhibition Celebrates Hisaya Nakajo's 30th Career Anniversary

Revisit the iconic manga series before the new anime premieres! ― In 1996, the world of shōjo manga was introduced to Hisaya Nakajo's work Hana Zakari no Kimi-tachi e (Hana-Kimi). Following the fun-loving Mizuki Ashiya as she disguises herself as a boy to enroll in the all-boys Osaka Academy, the story and characters captured the hearts and minds of readers across Japan and, subsequently, the world. ...
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History of Saban: Part 3

Haim Saban pulls Disney into his circle, alongside politicians. Meanwhile Power Rangers gets a fresh coat of paint. ― Fox Family Flops and Saban Gambles With Disney By the end of the year 2000, while the Fox Kids programming block was still doing great, the Fox Family Channel had become a debt-ridden disaster for the company and had not recovered in the ratings over the last three years; even having ...
your score

Your Anime Rankings - Best of Winter 2025, Feb 19-25

Sakamoto Days started strong but now appears to be losing steam? 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 ...
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A Look into Classic Shōjo Manga at Hideko Mizuno's Holiday Gallery

When Osamu Tezuka, the creator of seminal manga Astro Boy, saw the artwork of the then 15-year-old Hideko Mizuno, he told an editor, "She has talent." ― When Osamu Tezuka, the creator of seminal manga Astro Boy, saw the artwork of the then 15-year-old Hideko Mizuno, he told an editor, "She has talent." This event became the catalyst for Mizuno's career, and she went on to become one of the most famou...
interview

Getting To Know The Hosts Of The Award-Winning Shoujo Sundae Podcast

Shoujo Sundae hosts Giana Luna and Chika Supreme share what keeps them motivated, the secret to creating a successful podcast, and their mangaka interview wishlists. ― Anime and manga may be booming worldwide, but when it comes to things like award ceremonies, we all know that anime, manga, and media related to it rarely get the recognition they deserve. So when an anime-related podcast gets nominate...
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History of Saban: Part 2

Saban finds an ally in Margaret Loesch, helping to bring in a new wave of transforming heroes to kids. The success would open new doors for anime in the West as the media mogul's ventures take over Fox Kids. ― Striking Gold With Costumed Heroes Moving into the 1990s, Saban Entertainment would begin their relationship with the burgeoning Fox Kids block being helmed by Margaret Loesch, an executive pro...
your score

Your Anime Rankings - Best of Winter 2025, Feb 12-18

Thanks to another great episode, Zenshu climbs the cumulative by severals spots. Meanwhile Übel Blatt suffers the opposite situation. 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...
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Best New K-Comics to Read: February 2025

For the romance-focused month, we've got sweet BL, a writer in a wardrobe, daring love affairs, and just enough to spice to keep it interesting. ― Ah, February, the shortest month with those two most venerable holidays, Valentine's Day and the even more beloved (and fake) Cheap Chocolate Day. It's no surprise that a lot of the K-Comics coming out across reading platforms are so romance-heavy this mon...
interview

The Beginning After The End Web Comic's TurtleMe on His Upcoming Anime Adaptation

A decade after launch, The Beginning After The End is getting the anime treatment. We spoke with the series creator about developing the world and any concerns about the format change up. The Beginning After the End is a lot of things. It's a web novel, a webcomic and in 2025, it's going to be an anime directed by Keitaro Motonaga at studio A-CAT. Written by TurtleMe, the story starts with King Gr...
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10 Things I Learned About Elden Ring Nightreign Playing the Network Test

This past weekend, a select group of fans from across the world, myself included, got the chance to participate in the Elden Ring Nightreign Network Test. Here's what I learned. ― This past weekend, a select group of fans from across the world, myself included, got the chance to participate in the Elden Ring Nightreign Network Test. Over 18 hours, we experienced a game that takes Elden Ring and mixe...
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History of Saban: Part 1

In the first installment of a three-part feature, Kurt Yoder chronicles Haim Saban's beginnings in music to his early cartoon career with Inspector Gadget, Mysterious Cities of Gold and Macron 1. ― Introduction Adapting Japanese media has taken many forms over the past 60 years, from rewriting stories and editing content to creating new music scores. While the practice has mostly fallen out of favor ...
your score

Your Anime Rankings - Best of Winter 2025, Feb 5-11

Isekai series are having a good week, with Solo Leveling and Zenshu taking the first 2 spots and propelling themselves in the cumulative. Check out 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 r...
interview

Studio Mir Director Kang Hei Chu on The Little Mermaid Twist in The Witcher: Sirens of the Deep

Kang Hei Chu discusses the oceanic world-building, A Little Mermaid, veteran voice actor Cockle of The Witcher video games, and whether it's right to call the movie an “anime.” The Witcher has sown a bountiful crop of a franchise since Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski published the first Witcher short story in 1986. Sapkowski's The Witcher books acquired adaptations in the form of the CD Projekt Re...
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Our Favorite Isekai Titles Are...

We asked our editorial team to pick their favorite isekai anime. Here are our picks for newcomers to the genre or seasoned travelers looking for something different. ― One of the fastest-growing genres in anime is isekai. Each season, variations of these otherworldly adventures appear on screens, usually featuring an unfortunate Japanese salaryman who met his end only to reawaken in some form in a tr...
newtype

Newtype Exclusive Interview with Creators Behind ONE PIECE FAN LETTER - Part 2

Creatives Ishitani, Toyoda, and Mori share how the ONE PIECE novel Straw Hat Stories evolved into an animated special with 500 animation cuts! ― In the second part of the interview, Director Megumi Ishitani, Screenwriter Momoka Toyoda, and Character Designer/Animation Director Keisuke Mori discussed the creative process behind ONE PIECE FAN LETTER. (Click here to read Part 1) What were your ideas for...
interview

Creating a Classic JRPG in the Modern Era: An Interview with Final Fantasy Creator Hironobu Sakaguchi

"I write a certain amount every morning, but I do it while I'm engaging in "gameplay" within an imaginary world." ― This past December, Hironobu Sakaguchi, the man known as “The Father of Final Fantasy,” brought an upgraded remaster of his studio's latest JRPG to PC and consoles with Fantasian Neo Dimension. Recently, ANN asked him a few questions about his return to making traditional turn-based RPG...
your score

Your Anime Rankings - Best of Winter 2025, Jan 29-Feb 4

Medalist breaks into the top 5 cumulative, while From Bureaucrat to Villainess emerges as a surprise comedy hit. 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 bas...
interview

Bringing Übel Blatt to the Screen - An Interview with Director Takashi Naoya

Director Naoya shares the reasoning behind some of the anime's story changes and how the team brought Köinzell's vengeance to life. ― Etorouji Shiono's Ubel Blatt manga may seem like an odd choice for a contemporary anime adaptation at first blush - the series was serialized between 2004 and 2019, and it definitely retains the feel of its era of dark fantasy with its grimdark qualities and moments of...
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The First ANN Readers' Choice Awards!

The readers have decided! Who was the best female protagonist? What anime was the most underrated? Which anime had the best soundtrack? Find out here! ― Hello, ANN Community! Thank you for participating in our first-ever ANN Readers' Choice Awards! We were absolutely blown away by the outcome! With over 300 participants joining us, the turnout was incredible, and so were the results! And so, without...
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Getting Started with K-Comics - WEBTOON

From a fantastical cat to an office space in Hell, here are some of the best K-Comic series to start reading on WEBTOON! ― K-Comics have exploded in popularity over the past few years, and there are a lot of sites and apps to choose from when you're looking for your next read. It might be helpful to give readers a place to start, especially since most of the sites have vast libraries that can be over...
newtype

Newtype Exclusive Interview with Creators Behind ONE PIECE FAN LETTER - Part 1

Newtype spoke with director Megumi Ishitani, character designer Keisuke Mori, and scriptwriter Momoka Toyoda about this truly incredible animated special. ― A story of the ordinary and unassuming every-day people A letter to convey one's feelings to the person whom they admire—a fan letter. On October 20, 2024—exactly 25 years since the anime's very first episode was broadcast—a special animated shor...
interview

Hiro Mashima Praises Fairy Tail 2 Video Game in New Interview

“The level of accuracy is high, and being able to walk to places that were actually in the manga is fantastic.” ― While video game adaptations of popular anime are now more than commonplace, few anime are as well suited to jump between the mediums as Hiro Mashima's Fairy Tail. With its sprawling fantasy world, extensive cast of colorful characters, and focus on explosive action, it's no wonder there...
your score

Your Anime Rankings - Best of Winter 2025, Jan 22-28

It's been a while since Yuri on Ice, but now Medalist is drawing the spotlight back to figure skating. 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 ...
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The Complete Main Dragon Ball Anime Timeline

The main Dragon Ball story has been continuing across various anime TV series, movies, specials, and OVAs for nearly 40 years now. Here's when each takes place. ― Dragon Ball is a worldwide pop-culture phenomenon—to the point that calling it one of the most popular anime of all time feels like an understatement. From the first episode of the original series to today, there have been hundreds of epis...
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Was D.Gray-Man Actually Any Good?

I think part of the reason that D.Gray-man, as a series, stood out to so many people is that it used death as an overarching aesthetic and theme. ― There are plenty of things that a lot of long-running shonen series have in common, from over-the-top fights to themes of friendship and perseverance. One common complaint often thrown at some of the bigger shounen series is the lack of permanence and wei...
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The Depiction of Hikikomori in Japanese Pop Culture: Can the Anime Industry Help 'Social Recluses' Break out of Their Shells?

Maja Djordjevic compares the real struggles of hikikomori with their depictions in anime and how Japan is trying to offer solutions to families. ― Distorted representations are endemic to pop culture. By definition, the latter upholds the target ‘popular’ narrative and its basic purpose — instant gratification delivered by means of entertainment. When tackling complex concepts, pop culture prevalentl...
your score

Your Anime Rankings - Best of Winter 2025, Jan 1-21

Here comes our first rankings of the Winter 2025 season, and returning favorites such as Orb and The Apothecary Diaries are hogging the spotlight! ― 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...
interview

A Chat with Lena Atanassova, Editor-in-Chief of TOKYOPOP

Rebecca Silverman talks to Atanassova about her history with TOKYOPOP, the publisher's LGBTQ+ imprints, and how they're trying to maintain readers' trust. ― As a manga publisher, TOKYOPOP has undergone some difficulties, a statement some readers may think is an understatement. But in its new incarnation, the publisher has made a lot of good changes with solid choices in titles and a dedication to pr...
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The State of Isekai Anime

Miles Atherton Thomas crunched the data on one of anime's biggest sub-genres. What makes isekai anime popular, and what kinds of isekai are fans watching the most? ― The State of Isekai, 2025 If you wanted to characterize “the biggest trends in anime of the last decade,” you might be inclined to narrow in on anime's increasingly global presence or the exploding volume of new TV anime being produced....
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The Shōjo Anime Renaissance

After a long dry spell, there's finally an increase in shōjo anime adaptations. Which ones are worth watching? ― Anime is not always there for shōjo fans. Not that there isn't any in a given season, but at times it can feel like every other show that comes out is either an adaptation of a Shonen Jump property, a male power fantasy light novel, or something else that isn't all that concerned with attr...
interview

Overtime Is Bringing Sports and Young Anime Fans Together

Founded in 2016, Overtime looks to marry social media, youth sports, and anime fandom. Their latest project? The Overtime Elite webcomic created by Brandon Chen and Inuupen. ― The idea that dorky hobbies and media are niche and ridiculed by more mainstream culture persists in the public consciousness despite there being a growing number of examples to the contrary. Olympic 100-meter dash gold medali...
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Getting Started with K-Comics - Manta

K-comics and webtoons have exploded onto the scene with lots of legal sites offering readers an overwhelming amount of choice. Rebecca offers a few good series to start with on Manta's site and app. ― K-Comics have exploded in popularity over the past few years, which means there are many sites and apps to choose from when you're looking for your next read. So, we thought it might be helpful to give ...
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The Winter 2025 Anime Preview Guide

All the Winter 2025 anime premieres are right here! Read our reviews and find your next-must watch! ― Welcome to Anime News Network's Winter 2025 Anime Preview Guide! Here's how it goes: our team of critics writes up their impressions instantly, to be posted here as they go along. Each critic will cover as many shows as they can handle, giving you alternate takes on almost every show. The guide is o...
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We Ranked the Official McEva Burgers

McDonald's latest campaign combines fas food with one of anime's biggest franchises. But are the McEva burgers any good? ― In late December 2024, McDonald's Japan announced the unlikeliest of collaborations, one with Evangelion. Starting with the announcement of transformable Evangelion McDonald's toys, the fast-food chain subsequently released a trio of collaboration hamburgers. Dubbed the Cheese Do...
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40 Years of Newtype Magazine

Brian Stremick takes us on a journey through 1986 CD players, the anime "it" girls of decades past, and more. ― One of the most important things to any fan of anime, manga, or anything related to the fandom is having access to quality information. Whether the announcement of an upcoming anime in Japan or a license for the Western market, we have that knowledge coming across our screens within hours, ...
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A Tokyo Exhibition Celebrates Giant Anime Robots Through The Decades

The “Giant Robots: The Core of Japanese Mecha Anime” exhibition in Ikebukuro chronicles the genre from Gigantor to The Big O! ― The history of anime giant robots is, well, giant. It's pretty much inevitable that the current Tokyo exhibition, “Giant Robots: The Core of Japanese Mecha Anime,” which runs at the Sunshine City complex in Ikebukuro until January 13, offers only a select guide to the genre....
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The Winter 2025 Anime Preview Guide

Rentarou's quest for 100 GIRLFRIENDS continues! What is it about this horny polycule that just...works? Check the ANN Anime Preview Guide for more reviews of this season's best shows. ― Welcome to Anime News Network's Winter 2025 Anime Preview Guide! Here's how it goes: our team of critics writes up their impressions instantly, to be posted here as they go along. Each critic will cover as many shows...
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ANN's Most-Read News and Interest Articles of 2024

These were the stories and events that shaped the anime community in 2024. ― 2024 was a year for monsters, whether laying waste to the nearest metropolis or becoming a feast for dungeon crawlers. Anime News Network readers were hungry for new information about the King of Monsters; news articles focused on Godzilla ranked high as fans tracked Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire and Oscar-winner Godzilla...
interview

Creating Realism in a Sports-Romance Anime: An Interview with Blue Box Director Yuichiro Yano and Series Composition Writer Yuko Kakihara

When the two began working together, they found they shared a bit of a problem when it came to making a high school sports anime: neither of them played sports in high school. ― Currently airing anime Blue Box is a love story about a pair of sports-playing high school kids. The way it mixes the romance and sports genres to create a grounded story has made it a hit with audiences both inside Japan an...
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The Winter 2025 Anime Preview Guide

From the original writer of Sound! Euphonium comes Flower and Asura! Is it as good as its popular sibling? Also: Honey Lemon Soda, Unnamed Memory Act.2, I'm a Noble on the Brink of Ruin, My Happy Marriage Season 2, ZENSHU, Solo Leveling Season 2, and more! ― Welcome to Anime News Network's Winter 2025 Anime Preview Guide! Here's how it goes: our team of critics writes up their impressions instantly,...
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The Worst Anime of 2024

It's time to cue the sad trombone. ― There's the worst anime of a respective season and there's "The Worst" of the entire year. Below are series that weren't just disposable and annoying; they failed so spectacularly that we couldn't stop thinking about it. ANN's critic choices are based on loose criteria for "worst;" below are series our writers found wholly disappointing despite initial first impr...
your score

Your Anime Rankings - Best of Fall 2024

What a surprise! After reigning supreme all season, Dan Da Dan loses the top spot at the very last second! Were the fans frustrated by the last episode's cliffhanger? Check out the final ranking 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 ...
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The Best Video Games of 2024

From new, original masterpieces and powerhouse sequels to game-redefining expansions and reimagined classics, gamers feasted this year. ― 2024 was a great year for games. From new, original masterpieces and powerhouse sequels to game-redefining expansions and reimagined classics, gamers feasted this year. But which were the best of the best? Let's get into that, shall we? Here, in no particular orde...
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The Best Manga and Light Novels of 2024

Which manga and light novels kept you turning pages, chapter after chapter? If you haven't flipped through these titles yet, better late than never. ― Which manga and light novels kept you turning pages, chapter after chapter? Anime News Network's critics narrowed down their must-read lists to find the best series, both new and continuing, of the year. If you haven't flipped through these titles yet...
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The Winter 2025 Anime Preview Guide

Jinwoo is back! Solo Leveling's second season is underway, and the reviews are in...plus ZENSHU, I Want to Escape From Princess Lessons, I'm Living with an Otaku NEET Kunoichi!?, Tasokare Hotel, Beheneko, Grisaia, Ave Mujica, and more! ― Welcome to Anime News Network's Winter 2025 Anime Preview Guide! Here's how it goes: our team of critics writes up their impressions instantly, to be posted here as...
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The Best Anime Moments of 2024

Here are the shocking, hilarious, and truly touching moments from anime that stayed with our writers all year. ― A truly great moment comes in multiple forms. Sometimes, the biggest payoff is the denouement. This is when all the threads come together to reveal the truth of the matter, and it can be shockingly effective in fiction. Anime is no exception, pulling back the curtain to reveal the true in...
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The Top 10 Anime of 2024

This was another great year for anime, from sci-fi spectacles like DAN DA DAN to the fantastical foodie adventures of Delicious in Dungeon. Read on to find the very best anime had to offer in 2024. ― This was another great year for anime, from sci-fi spectacles like DAN DA DAN to the fantastical foodie adventures of Delicious in Dungeon. In between were heart-pulling dramas about girls trying to mak...
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The Best Anime Characters of 2024

A character can bring catharsis when his journey mirrors our own. A villain can become sympathetic when we can relate to her backstory. Or sometimes we just love a funny dwarf who cooks a killer hotpot. ― An engaging story is often only as good as its characters. A character can bring catharsis when his journey mirrors our own. A villain can become sympathetic when we can relate to her backstory. Or...
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The Best Anime of 2024

Find out the top 10 anime of the year, the characters that inspired us, the moments that we couldn't stop talking about, the songs that are still on our playlists, and more. ― Welcome to our editorial team's countdown of the very best anime that aired this year! Below you'll find Anime News Network's top 10 anime of the year, the characters that inspired us, the moments that we couldn't stop talking...
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Your Anime Rankings - Best of Fall 2024, Dec 17-23

Only one week remains, and Villainess secures a strong weekly score that tips the scales, propelling it five spots up the cumulative rankings! 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 ...
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Most Anticipated Anime of Winter 2025

New year, new anime season! Anime News Network's critics scanned the nearly fifty new shows coming in January for the most promising picks, and the answer is clear: you can't have too many girlfriends. ― New year, new anime season! Anime News Network's critics scanned the nearly fifty new shows coming in January for the most promising picks, and the answer is clear: you can't have too many girlfrien...
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The Worst Anime of Fall 2024

They can't all be winners, anime fans, but this season has a clear "worst" winner from ANN's critics: Uzumaki. ― They can't all be winners, anime fans, but this season has a clear "worst" winner from ANN's critics: Uzumaki. The four-episode series catastrophically imploded after multiple delays and a PR campaign that conveniently focused on its premiere episode; the only one truly helmed by director...
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The Best Anime of Fall 2024

It was another packed season of anime, but nothing could stop Science SARU's DAN DA DAN from rocketing to the top of critics and fans' lists. ― It was another packed season of anime, but nothing could stop Science Saru's DAN DA DAN from rocketing to the top of critics and fans' lists. Still, the series was in good company even if it dominated conversation. Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Du...
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The Anime Trailer Watch Party with NIJISANJI EN VTuber Doppio Dropscythe Starts Soon!

Tune in live in one hour to join Doppio Dropscythe, Lynzee Loveridge, and Jacki Jing as they watch all the trailers for the latest anime season! ― The Anime Trailer Watch Party crew is excited to welcome NIJISANJI EN VTuber Doppio Dropscythe to this season's stream! Doppio will join us live from the arcade on Friday, December 20 at 5pm PT/8pm ET. You can join us and chat live on YouTube and X while d...
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Your Anime Rankings - Best of Fall 2024, Dec 10-16

Natsume takes the top spot this week, bringing it neck-to-neck with Orb for second place in the cumulative. Negative Positive Angler is also doing well, displacing Ranma½ in the previously entrenched cumulative top 8. ― 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 ...
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Exploring How a Manga is Printed at the One Piece Only Exhibition

Rather than just a collection of art, this exhibit uses One Piece to both explore the history and art of printing and give an in-depth look at the process of creating modern manga. ― Recently, I was able to check out the "One Piece Only" art exhibition currently running in Tokyo. Rather than just a collection of art, the exhibit uses One Piece as a vehicle to both explore the history and art of prin...
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Best New K-Comics to Read: December 2024

Winter is the perfect time to snuggle in and do some reading. So, let's take a look at what Webtoon, Manta, Tapas, and Lezhin have to offer. ― It's the holiday season, that inescapable time of year when you can't avoid their mention even if you don't participate in the major festivals! For some of us, that means it's the perfect time to snuggle in and do some reading. Luckily for everyone, the major ...
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NIJISANJI EN VTuber Doppio Dropscythe Joins the Anime Trailer Watch Party!

Tune in live on Friday at 5:00pm PT/8:00 ET to join Doppio Dropscythe, Lynzee Loveridge, and Jacki Jing as they watch all the trailers for the latest anime season! ― The Anime Trailer Watch Party crew is excited to welcome NIJISANJI EN VTuber Doppio Dropscythe to this season's stream! Doppio will join us live from the arcade on Friday, December 20 at 5pm PT/8pm ET. You can join us and chat live on Yo...
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Fate Anime—Where to Start and What's Worth Watching

If you're interested in the Fate franchise but don't know where to start, Kevin Cormack has a handy guide to Nasuverse's many anime iterations. ― Ask a hundred fans of TYPE-MOON's intimidatingly huge Fate universe about the best place to start with the franchise, and get a hundred different answers. Founding writer Kinoko Nasu's even more expansive “Nasuverse” (of which the various Fate iterations a...
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K-Comic Creator Spotlight: Moscareto

From fluffy to fraught, the office to the palace, and everything in between, there's a lot to enjoy from this prolific author. ― With the increase in official translations of Korean comics, we have the opportunity to discover new-to-us creators, many of whom have several works, if not an entire body of them, available in English. While the sadly defunct Netcomics did a remarkable job of bringing mult...
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The Anime News Network Holiday Gift Guide

Stuck on what to get your friends this holiday season? There's still time to find the perfect present in our anime gift guide! ― Anime News Network's 2024 Holiday Gift Guide Welcome to ANN's Holiday Gift Guide! Unlike boring catalogs, our gift guide is designed to help you find what the otaku in your life might be missing, from fancy Blu-ray sets to a Demon Slayer computer mouse to a solid gold Godz...
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Your Anime Rankings - Best of Fall 2024, Dec 3-9

In the weekly ranking Danmachi grabs the first spot, and in the cumulative we see the first change in 5 weeks as Bleach climbs above Blue Box and Ranma ½. 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...
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The Winter 2025 Anime Trailer Watch Party Has a New Guest...

The Anime Trailer Watch Party returns on Friday, December 20, for another season, but what's this? A new player is joining the party... ― The Anime Trailer Watch Party returns on Friday, December 20, for another season, but what's this? A new player is joining the party... Find your next must-watch anime with Anime News Network executive editor Lynzee Loveridge, ANN video producer Jacki Jing, and our...
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Director Kenji Kamiyama Calls The War of the Rohirrim an 'Unprecedented Opportunity' for Anime

Kamiyama shares how The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim anime film is important to him as a unique chance to feature animators' work on a global scale. ― Director Kenji Kamiyama has been in the business of making anime for over 30 years and has since garnered acclaim for his work on Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex and Eden of the East. His latest project offers an unprecedented opp...
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Not Your Average Anime about Cute Girls Doing Cute Things

Of all the tropes and genres to repeat themselves over the years in anime, perhaps none have garnered as controversial a reputation yet passionate a following as Cute Girls Doing Cute Things. ― Of all the tropes and genres to repeat themselves over the years in anime, perhaps none have garnered as controversial a reputation yet passionate a following as Cute Girls Doing Cute Things (CGDCT). Well, bes...
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Newtype Exclusive: Delicious in Dungeon Director Yoshihiro Miyajima Reflects on Season 1

Miyajima lets us go behind the scenes about casting the Canaries, bringing Izutsumi's cat-like qualities to life, and more! ― Delicious in Dungeon's first adventure has come to an end However, the second season is already underway, meaning many more future opportunities to meet Laios's party and the rest of the Delicious in Dungeon characters! First of all, we must give thanks to Laios, his companion...
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Brian Cox and Gaia Wise Share Their Voice-Acting Stories from LotR: The War of the Rohirrim Anime Film

The War of the Rohirrim film's leads, Wise and Cox, share their personal connections with the franchise, the difference between voice acting and live-action, and their characters' interiority. ― Actors Brian Cox and Gaia Wise lead the cast as Helm Hammerhand and Hera in the upcoming The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim anime film. The War of the Rohirrim expands on a scant few pages from J....
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Your Anime Rankings - Best of Fall 2024, Nov 26-Dec 2

Dragon Ball Daima scores a #2 spot this week, bringing it near the top of the pack currently competing over the middle of the cumulative. Check out 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 r...

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